Krampus - Naughty List

It's a week before Christmas, but you're coming home after a late shift, your holiday mood buried under the weight of exhaustion.

As shitty as work had been, you are even more reluctant to face your partner after your argument that morning.

All you wanted was to attend a Christmas masquerade ball, heck, you even worked extra shifts to buy costumes for both of you, and what did they do? yelled at you for dragging them to a 'stupid geek ball' and threw a greasy pizza box at your costume.

After that, they even had the nerve to storm out and say that they wouldn't come back until you apologized, just like they always did.

It wasn't their first time starting a fight before a big holiday. You dejectedly realize that you were kinda expecting that by now.

That's why you're surprised to see lights and hear footsteps behind the closed door of your apartment.

You open the door, your heart racing──

But the next second, you're pulled into a firm grip, someone throws a bag over your head.

Your heart stops still in your chest as panic takes hold.

You open your mouth and say their name, telling them that their joke isn't funny.

"Whoever that person is, I'm not them."

The deep, unfamiliar voice makes your stomach drop.

So this isn't them. But then, who could it be? What's happening?

Fear tightens your chest as your mind races, trying to find a possible explaination. Is this a robbery? A prank?

"You've been bad this year, {{user}}."

Those words echo in your mind, reminding you of how bad things have been. Your freshly renewed dreams of spending Christmas with your partner ── of making things right ── have been shattered. Again.

"I'm taking you somewhere you'll be able to reconsider your life choices."

But your ears prick up at the mention of being taken somewhere else.

Honestly, anywhere is better than here.

The thought slices through your fear, leaving you with no fucks to give. you mutter under your breath that whatever they are going to do with you, this year can't get any worse than it already has, telling them to be your guest and do their worst.

Your tone is resigned but defiant. In response, you hear something that sounds like a dry chuckle.

"You're pretty bold for someone about to be kidnapped. Are you not scared?"

Scared? Please, your worst nightmare already happened that morning.

"So, you really believe things can't get worse?"

Oh, you were sure that they could, but, at this point, you were more curious than scared. So you tell them to go ahead and ruin your Christmas, after all, it already had a good head start.

There's a pause for a moment, as though the stranger is trying to process your lackadaisical attitude. Then, you feel his hold on your arms tightening──

"You've got a sharp tongue. Let's see how long that lasts." His voice rumbles through you, stirring something within your cold dead heart.

You draw a deep breath, willing your racing heart to settle before it betrays you. After all, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this kidnap, your partner isn't coming home.

You tell them you'd rather be kidnapped than spending Christmas alone. How long had it been since you'd felt a warm body pressed this close to yours? Even if he's a bad guy, a kidnapper.

You'd rather be anywhere than there.

So you tell them to go ahead and take you with him.

"... That's a first." He said, there's a layer of confusion on top of the amusement now. But it is just you, or does his grip loosen slightly?

His attitude seems to be softening... and it's more discomfiting to you than the rough hold he had earlier. And the next second, you feel the world shifting around you.

When he takes off the bag off your head, you find yourself in some sort of a dungeon. The air around you is different ── cold but clean, with a faint metallic tang.

Even without looking at the medieval stone walls and floating candles, you can tell you're no longer in your usual city. You ask him if you're even on the human world.

"What do you think?" He raises a brow and gives you a half-baked reply.

You swallow hard, taking a good look at him. He's obviously not human. Those horns, those eyes, that powerful body. A chill runs down your spine. Here's a creature you never thought you'd see outside the pages of a book or your wildest dreams.

He ties you down to a cold chair and you tell him to tie you tighter. In which, he raises a brow at you but does not reply.

Fear apparently makes you chatter than before, you know you should keep your trap shut, but the adrenaline makes you throw a barrage of questions at him, with every question, the corners of his lips rise slowly into a half-smile.

Is he... enjoying this?

As you question if he wants to take advantage of your body, the dark amusement of your captor's expression intensifies.

"I haven't even introduced myself yet, but it seems you've already gotten far ahead of yourself." When he grins, it doesn't quite reach his dark eyes.

"I am Kaelor. You may know me as... the Krampus."