A/N: Creepy clown

Kyungsoo noticed the clown when he was walking into his apartment building. He lived in a two-story, four family flat, on the second floor. The clown was dressed in a yellow outfit with dark green sleeves and three orange fluffy buttons. His face was white with blue points around the eyes and a red pointed mouth. He also wore a garish orange wig. The nightmare was leaning against a streetlight, but he seemed to perk up when he spotted Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo averted his eyes and walked faster. Curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked at the clown again. The clown produced a fake bouquet of flowers and grinned- a terrible, jagged grin that made Kyungsoo's heart jump into his throat and he ran into the building and up the stairs, expecting to be grabbed at any moment.

He felt better when he was safely locked in his apartment. He peeked out of his curtains- and found the clown staring at him. Kyungsoo dropped to his knees. He slowly raised himself up, breathing heavily. The clown was still staring. Kyungsoo ducked down again, and crawled quickly to the hallway. He sat on the floor against the wall, admittedly feeling a little foolish. Then he remembered news reports about a clown that was terrorizing the city. No one had been hurt, no property had been damaged- just a creepy clown out making mischief. Kyungsoo's heart pounded so hard it hurt. He froze when he heard someone in the hall, but relaxed when he recognized the voice of Chansung, his neighbor.

Chansung. Kyungsoo could tell Chansung! Kyungsoo climbed shakily to his feet. He moved only a few feet before he stopped. Chansung was the ridiculously goofy (and ridiculously good-looking) guy who lived across the hall. He always had a warm smile for Kyungsoo and was always kind. He helped Kyungsoo carry groceries and introduced Kyungsoo to his family and all his friends. What would he think of Kyungsoo being afraid of some dumb clown?

Kyungsoo slumped and turned back down the hallway. He sighed and decided he would feel better after a nice hot shower. He the water as hot as he could stand it and stayed in until the water began to turn cold. He threw on a pair of sweats and an oversized t-shirt. Towel-drying his hair as he walked into the living room, he decided to check on the clown. Peeking out of his curtains and holding his breath, his blood ran cold when he saw that not only was the clown still out there, but he was staring right at Kyungsoo.

His feet moved of their own accord and carried him out of his apartment and across the hall to Chansung's. His hand trembled as he raised it to knock. The noise was loud, and Kyungsoo wiped his hands on his pants. The door opened, and Chansung appeared wearing a warm smile of surprise. He was dressed in gray pajama bottoms and a white tank and Kyungsoo thought it was so unfair that anyone could be that hot.

“Kyungsoo! This is great! What are you up to?” Chansung leaned casually against the doorframe.

“Uh...there's...,” Kyungsoo closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Kyungsoo,” Chansung asked softly. “What's happened?” He took both of Kyungsoo's hands in his own warm, soft ones.

“There's a creepy clown outside the building,” Kyungsoo rushed out. He opened his eyes to see Chansung's look of concern.

“A clown?”

Kyungsoo bit his lip. “He's standing out front. And... he's staring into my apartment.”

Chansung didn't laugh as Kyungsoo had feared. He stood up straighter. “Show me,” he said softly.

Kyungsoo turned and led Chansung into his apartment. He peeked out of the curtains- the clown was still there, still staring.

“Jesus,” Chansung whispered.

“Could that be the same clown that's been hovering around?” Kyungsoo asked.

Chansung pulled back and pulled out his cell phone. “Hey Minho... There's a creepy clown outside my building, staring into Kyungsoo's apartment... Can you come check it out?... Thanks, man.” He hung up and looked at Kyungsoo. “Minho's a cop,” he explained.

Kyungsoo nodded.

Chansung peeked out of the curtain again. “His makeup is wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo whispered.

“The makeup around his eyes is pointed. And the paint around his mouth is jagged. According to clown mythology, clown makeup is not supposed to have points like that because it scares children and connotes evil.”

Kyungsoo wrapped his arms around himself and sat down. “How the hell do you know something like that?”

Chansung sat down next to him. “My mom is terrified of clowns. I did some research to try to understand why and to try to help her.”

“What did you find out?”

“Nothing that would really help. Garish clown makeup was made so that audiences in the back can see better. The exaggerations can in turn be seen as monstrous. There's also the fact that you can't see what's under the makeup, so you don't know what is underneath- friend, or foe.”

Kyungsoo pondered on this in silence. Finally he asked, “Did you find anything about a cure?”

Chansung shook his head. “There's treatment for more severe cases like counseling, which of course differs from person to person. And my mom doesn't really need a cure. She just avoids them.”

“Hmm.” Kyungsoo his hands. “I don't... think I'm scared of clowns? They're unsettling but I just ignore them. This guy was really creepy, though.”

“Yeah, I think we did the right thing calling Minho.”

Just then Chansung's phone rang.

“Hello?” He was quiet before springing to his feet and lunging for the window. “Well . Where did he go?”

Kyungsoo stood, then walked over to where Chansung was standing. No clown.

“Okay, well just let me know when you hear something.” Chansung hung up and sighed. “Minho said the clown was gone when they got here.”

“But he stood there for so long. Why would he just leave?”

Chansung shrugged and Kyungsoo bit his lip.

“What if he comes back?”

“Let's order a pizza,” Chansung suggested. “We'll stuff our faces and watch cartoons and if he comes back you won't be alone.”

“Oh, I don't want to spoil your plans,” Kyungsoo said, trying not to get his hopes up.

Chansung pointed his phone at Kyungsoo. “No weaseling out of spending time with me. I've wanted to hang out with you for way too long. You queue up the cartoon while I order. Meat lovers?”

Kyungsoo nodded, blushing. He turned up Netflix and settled on a cartoon.

“Invader Zim?” Chansung turned a warm smile on him. “I knew you were my soul mate.”

Kyungsoo hit Chansung with a throw pillow. Chansung laughed and began tickling Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo got in a few tickles of his own before their food arrived.

Kyungsoo had a couple of bottles of Soju in the fridge. Between that, the food, and a giggling, goofy Chansung, he felt giddy. Once their food was demolished, they ended up on the couch. Chansung placed a pillow on his lap and Kyungsoo stretched out, enjoying the feel of Chansung's fingers through his hair. He must have fallen asleep, because he opened his eyes some time later to Chansung's voice.

“Thanks for the call, man. I'll talk to you later.”

Kyungsoo stretched and rolled over.

“You look like a cat.”

“Sorry I fell asleep.”

“Not at all,” Chansung replied. “I fell asleep too.”

“What time is it?”

“Midnight. I slept for a solid two hours. Minho said they caught the clown.”

Kyungsoo sat up. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah. That was him on the phone just now. They caught him at that park across from the new ramen restaurant. No one was hurt, but the guy isn't talking.”

Kyungsoo let out a sigh and rubbed his face. When he looked back at Chansung, the man was smiling softly. Kyungsoo blushed and cleared his throat. “What, uh, what now?”

“Bed time.”

Before Kyungsoo could reply, Chansung had maneuvered them both on the couch, Kyungsoo's back to Chansung's chest. Chansung grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and covered them. He wrapped an arm around Kyungsoo's chest and tangled their feet together.

“Night Soo,” he whispered, placing a kiss behind Kyungsoo's ear.

Kyungsoo blushed. He placed a kiss on the back of Chansung's hand and interlocked their fingers.

“Night Sung.”