#The World's Greatest Actor (Siffrin)

[art-of-the-void]

Recently played and finished In stars and time (and started a second file for any routes I haven't gotten and getting all Loop Dialogues(9 left!!!)

Took like 49 hours and 91 loops- but it was so worth it

Hands down will probably be my favorite game I've played this year and Silksong might come out

It's already a comfort game and I've been doodling stuff here and there

Decided to post this illus I just made for funsies from a phone doodle

The original silly phone sketch

Plus a couple of other stuff I've made

[starsandstarlight]

@basiliskfive

Siffrin knew he shouldn't make another wish. Especially not one that involved Loop. But he . . . he'd woken from a nightmare, and while his family was there to help, they didn't get it like Loop would have, and he just . . . He missed them. They were the only thing that kept him going in the loops, the only person he could talk to about them, the only reason he got out of them in the first place. And they were just . . . gone? Sure, they'd promised to come back someday, but . . .

Neither of them actually knew what was going to happen to them when they started fading. Loop was probably just trying to reassure him, even when they didn't know what was going to happen. For all he knew, they were dead.

They couldn't accept that. They wanted to see them again. They wanted reassurance that they would see them again. So, against their better judgement . . . they made a wish. A wish to see Loop again. At least once.

And now he was here. Not that he really knew where "here" was. He wasn't exactly expecting to open a door straight into a forest when it should've been just another room, but with the faint smell of sugar that came with it . . .

They took a breath, and stepped through.

Was Loop back with their own family, and this was a way between . . . universes? Timelines? Or was this somewhere else in their world, that Loop happened to travel to? Or was it completely unrelated, and existed due to someone else's wish?

He made sure to crunch through the leaves as he walked through the forest, not wanting to startle them if they were here. And he looked around for any sign of his other self.

Instead he found . . . someone else. ". . . Hello?"

[jellyshoes-fandomfolk]

Bad end au where Siffrin takes the fact that the loops are over as the death of his character and the simply kills himself because all he can think of himself as is his character so he simply sees it as useless. Do you guys know the song the world's greatest actor by milk in the microwave- (I'm gonna call this the world's greatest actor au)

[a-lunarcentric-heart]

forgot to post this but the world’s greatest actor, no good at being you, and i forgot your name (and i’m very sorry about it) by Milk In the Microwave all fit in stars and time. mostly siffrin in the first half of act 5, but still

okay. but this song in particular i’m so very normal about, as in i listened to it the first time today lol

[lightgirlification]

In Stars and Time: After Story Chapter 7

CW for intrusive thoughts, self hatred and beratement, and unintentional self harm. Basically MDP stuff

I'm pretty proud of this chapter and the progression of Loop and Siffrin's relationship. I am looking forward to writing more of them as the story goes on!

Chapter 7:

“A journal you say?” Loop asked, interested in Siffrin’s new outlet for both positive and negative emotions. Siffrin nodded,

“Yup, Mirabelle suggested it to me. It sounded like a good idea, so we went shopping before we left the town. I wrote the first entry before I went to sleep tonight.” He gave a bright smile, “My journal has moon and stars on it by the way! Mira even got me writing utensils that are star themed too!” Loop chuckled,

“I see. Have you been telling them about the Universe at all?” Siffrin’s smile faltered a little, and he looked down,

“Not really. They know I like the stars and such but…I haven’t really talked about the Universe.” He kept thinking back to the loops, how his words about such things were laughed at and dismissed. He didn’t want that to happen again.

“You know they didn’t mean to offend you, right?” Loop asked, and Siffrin nodded,

“I do yeah. I just keep thinking they won’t want to listen to my rambling.” He could tell Loop rolled their eyes,

“Last I checked, they are willing to hear you out more than ever. Things about the Universe are far from ‘ramblings’, it’s an important topic for you that’s close to your heart. It’s…from home.” Loop sounded distant at that, Siffrin realizing that the other probably had a rocky relationship with the idea. ‘Home’ and the Universe itself were topics Siffrin didn’t dare touch upon with Loop. They were things that Loop considered out of reach, one they lost, and the other was something that tormented them to the point where they felt like a cosmic joke. Siffrin honestly could relate, he felt like he was in a stage play in the later loops; the world’s greatest actor while the Universe watched with glee.

Still, the Universe was a part of his life and something he couldn’t just give up. It was all he knew when he was on his own, gave him comfort. Despite his grievances, it was still the only true connection he had with the Island, and he wanted to share it with his family here. He wished he could discuss this with Loop, have them join in the conversation, but the topics were very raw for the star so Siffrin wouldn’t do so. Loop crossed their arms,

“You’re thinking too hard Stardust. What’s on your mind?” Siffrin shook his head,

“Nothing. You’re right, I should talk with them about it. It just might take a while.” Loop raised an eyebrow, a little offput by Siffrin’s answer,

“Okay one, you agreeing with me just like that is suspicious. And two, I have a feeling you were thinking about me.” Siffrin tried not to make a face that led Loop to believe they were right, but he couldn’t help how his face twitched,

“Even if I was, why are you suddenly on me like this?” Loop sighed,

“I’m not, it’s just…I want you to tell me what you’re thinking.” The rouge tilted his head confused,

“Can’t you read my mind?” Loop stared at Siffrin with a blank stare, so Siffrin continued, “I mean, back under the favor tree you seemed to know what I was thinking so…?” Loop’s stare lasted for a few more seconds before they burst out into hysterical laughter,

“Y-You seriously thought I could read your mind?! Stardust if I could do that, I’d be even more ruthless against you!” Siffrin grew flustered, realizing how stupid his question sounded, before he gave a huff and looked away,

“I get it, I’m an idiot.” The laughter soon became chuckling,

“Come now don’t be like that. I’m just teasing you!” Siffrin’s grimace didn’t seem to affect Loop, and they closed their eyes, “But no, I can’t read your mind Stardust. The truth is that you yourself are easy to read in general.” Their head tilted to the side a little, “Maybe it’s because we’re the same person, or because I was in the same position as you.” They smiled widely, “Either way I just knew what was going on in that head of yours~!” Loop seemed to be trying to change the topic, but Siffrin felt like he shouldn’t let it go so easily. He shifted a little and spoke,

“When did you start feeling like me?” The former traveler was quiet, but they looked down as if collecting themselves,

“…I don’t believe that’s a good topic to talk about Stardust.” They placed their hands together in false cheer, “Yes, it’s rather dreary indeed! Let’s forget it shall we?” Siffrin frowned,

“I can’t Loop. Not when it involves someone I care about.” Loop’s expression twisted into something that was a mix between discomfort and frustration,

“Stardust please, don’t try to figure out what’s wrong with me. I’d prefer if my issues are not discussed.”

“But-”

“Siffrin.” The said rogue jumped at his name. Loop was looking at him with angry, desperate eyes, “Drop it.” Siffrin was expecting to feel sadness when Loop fought his concern, but he didn’t think he’d feel frustration and anger. Or maybe he did, he and Loop butt heads a lot back under the Favor Tree in Dormont, so why was this any different? What made their meetings here any different? Was he truly thankful that Loop returned, or did he just want his precious crutch back?

Wait no, that’s not right. Loop was special to him, someone who was irreplaceable. They were no mere ‘crutch’ when things got bad, they were someone that knew Siffrin like no one else did.

‘You only want them around for sympathy’.

Dammit, not now. Loop needs him.

‘You’ll drain the life out of them just like you did before.’

No, Siffrin didn’t do that. At least he didn’t mean to.

“Stardust?” Siffrin jumped again a little at Loop’s voice,

“Ah, sorry I was just thinking again, what were you…” Siffrin trailed off as Loop was looking away from him, eyes wide and full of shock and discomfort. He blinked, before following Loop’s gaze.

And he froze.

It was the sadness he saw in the house, when he was frozen and so tired. It was as dark as night and just like before sent shockwaves of fear through Siffrin’s body; like he was being run through with his own dagger-No stop that train of thought. It was just standing there, as if waiting to play its hand. Loop must have seen Siffrin’s horrified expression and trembling figure, because he saw they were beginning to reach over to him,

“Stardust, what-?” It was then a line of shadow separated them, causing both to reflexively stand up. Loop then tried to reach for Siffrin again, “Siff-!”

Before Siffrin could even think to reach out Loop was gone, the darkness separating the two like a curtain and engulfing Siffrin and the Sadness whole in a bleak void. He brought a clenched fist to his chest in terror, turning to the dark figure with fearful, wide eyes. This Sadness inside him made its move after so many months; he didn’t understand! He was doing so well, why was it appearing now!? Could he speak, should he, would he even be able to escape this again? No, no he just had to breathe. He just had to stay calm and ground himself, remember everything that his family taught him.

Breathe in. They were all still here with him, they all still loved him. Breathe out.

‘What good will telling yourself lies do?’

Don’t listen, just keep breathing, Odile would be very proud.

‘She and everyone are keeping eyes on you, scrutinizing everything you do. What you did to them will never be forgotten, and they will never truly let it go.’

That’s wrong. They have worked with him every day for the past few months, and he made sure to do his best to show he appreciated them so much. They loved him, and he loved all of them.

‘That love was built on trust, and you broke it 4 months and 15 days ago. You seem to bury the fact as to why getting to Bonnie’s home is taking so long.’

Siffrin flinched. Normally it takes 1 month to get to Bambouche, but Siffrin’s anxiety and depression caused the rogue to have severe ruts and meltdowns for the longest time, causing the trip to halt in its tracks. While his family put it into perspective that all these things didn’t make him a bad person, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to tear his entire body in two as punishment. All of them needed to take frequent breaks for the longest while as he would feel so weighed down, and he began to spiral so easily. Even with his family’s help, he still felt so guilty for holding the trip up. It’s when the Sadness’s words bit the hardest.

‘Not only that, but Odile was so tired at the start. Why do you think that is?’

That’s right. Odile’s body was still recovering from combatting Siffrin’s time craft with her own, so she needed to rest many times over the course of these past few months. And every time she did, he’d hear the whisper in his ear, hands on his shoulders that held no physical weight or person but was still all too real. He knew it was the thing that resided in him, and even though it was quiet as the months went by, it still was there. It hovered near and waited to sink its sharp words deep into Siffrin’s mind once more. Siffrin’s gaze was still looking anywhere but the figure in front of him, trying to ignore the negative feelings that began swirling in his stomach. He reminded himself that Odile was getting better, he was getting better, and they both were working together to lift each other up through their struggles. He had everyone supporting him, they loved him.

‘You really believe that love will last? With you clinging to them like a leech?’

Suddenly, the figure was in front of him and Siffrin’s entire body jumped backward, trying to make space between him and the Sadness. However, it gripped Siffrin’s wrist causing the bright haired traveler to yelp in fear. He shut his eye tightly trying to use everything in his power to make the figure vanish. He didn’t want to see the Sadness staring into his soul knowing everything about him. It knew Siffrin’s mistakes, regrets, and sins, and no matter how much he ran it always followed. It tightened its grip on his wrist, pulling Siffrin down a bit so it towered over him.

‘Look at me.’

Siffrin’s eye only tightened shut, trying to shut out the Sadness’s words. However, the harsh grab of his jaw caused a jolt of pain to surge through his face, and his eye shot open to lock on to the wide, swirling one.

‘LOOK AT ME.’

Siffrin whimpered, feeling fear grip his stomach. The figure opened its mouth once again,

‘You try to run away from your problems again and again and AGAIN. You think that’s a sign of you getting better; something to be proud of? You even brought Loop back from their peaceful rest, you just take and take and never give anything back.’

Siffrin grit his teeth as tears filled his eye, now trying to pull away. He needed to fight back!

“Let go!”

‘Face the truth. Accept that you have done nothing but bring those you care about down.’

“I said let go!!” Siffrin pulled his face away and struck the figure with a scissor attack, however it did not flinch, still maintaining its grip on his wrist. At close range the attack stung Siffrin’s skin, but still he launched another, “Let me go!!” Siffrin was desperate, he wanted to get away by any means necessary, even if he hurt himself in the process. Please just let him get away, let him go, he’ll do better. He’ll make sure that his family is prouder of him, and he’ll stop breaking down. He’ll fix his habits and make sure that Loop gets to rest again, just let him go.

But please, even if he isn’t allowed to, let him see Loop…Then, as if answering his prayer…

“Siffrin!”

The sudden appearance made the Sadness jump back and a bright figure stood in front him. He teared up more, instantly recognizing the warm shine from the Star head in front of him. He timidly spoke,

“L-Loop?” Loop looked back and seemed to want to say something, however they refrained and turned back to the Sadness with a scowl,

“That was a dirty trick you did, to be able to pull a fast one on me is no easy feat. I must have gotten a bit rusty in the time I’ve been asleep!” The Sadness remained silent, and Loop scoffed, “So now you have nothing to say? Selective speaking doesn’t make a good conversationist you know, especially if they’re extremely unpleasant. Tell me, do you just get off on pushing all the wrong buttons on people?” Still the Sadness did not speak, and Loop rolled their eyes, “Well if we’re done here, I’ll just be taking Stardust and-”

‘Why do you help him? Don’t you despise how much he replaced your place in the world?’

Loop paused and Siffrin looked up at them, afraid of the answer. He knew Loop would hold nothing back against people like that, even if that thing was a part of him…However, Loop’s next words were firm and direct,

“Who are you to say what my place in this world is? Stardust and I may be the same person, but we are vastly different people.” Loop’s voice now had a joking tone, “Besides, he’s much less fabulous than me! He couldn’t replicate this magnificence even if he tried~!” Siffrin stared. Why was Loop lying about how they felt? They didn’t need to hide their bitterness here, not when it involved their fate.

Siffrin thought back to the Dormont Favor Tree, when Loop had relented and was willing to listen, even if it was after begging for Siffrin to kill them. Loop seemed to be at peace with how things turned out, however Siffrin always knew the other still had grievances about it, wished things were different. He didn’t blame them, the desperate want to turn back the clock just one more time in the way they wanted so they could try again was something Siffrin grew to painfully understand.

It's why Siffrin would never blame Loop if they suddenly held a blade against his neck once more, though he’d never give up the happy ending he gained. He wished Loop would see that their place in the world was never a question but a fact, as Siffrin had long thought of them as family. But he would never force them and knew they resented that idea, and maybe even him a little bit still. It’s why when he met with Loop again, a part of him was ready to hear the scorn in their voice, but they still treated him with respect. Siffrin wanted to say he understood, but he couldn’t wrap his head around it. Why wouldn’t Loop just be honest? Why couldn’t they just tell them how they really felt?

‘Why won’t you just tell me it’s my fault you’re back?’

Siffrin jumped at the voice, it speaking his thoughts out loud. Loop reacted to the words, but remained quiet, apparently thinking it over. Siffrin couldn’t have this, he couldn’t let Loop know his thoughts!!

‘Why don’t you say anything? Why do you keep it inside? Just say the truth to me!’

“Stop it!” Siffrin shouted, unable to keep his fear and anger inside. He didn’t care that Loop’s gaze was on him, he had to stop the words from leaving this thing’s mouth! “Just shut up! They don’t need to listen to you, I don’t need to! All you say is lie after lie! So just shut up!” The Sadness had the nerve to tilt its head as if pretending to ponder the question,

‘Hm? How are they lies when you believe them as truth?’

“Because I am a big idiot who makes mistakes! Everyone does though! I’m getting better, I am!” Loop’s eyes held concern, but before they could say anything, the Sadness spoke again,

‘So why do you cower in fear when your mistakes are brought up? Why do you despise looking at yourself in the mirror when all it is, is a reflection?’

Siffrin clenched his hands into fists, struggling to find the words in his head,

“That’s because-!”

‘It’s because you know who you are, and who you always will be. A forgetful traveler, an worthless deadweight, and most importantly…’

“Stop it!!”

‘An Unlovable Child that deserves to be left behind.’

Suddenly, before Siffrin could scream again, a scissor attack that was not his own flung at the Sadness within him. While it didn’t flinch, it’s eye widened in surprise. When Siffrin heard Loop speak, he almost shivered at the low, threatening tone,

“Get out of my sight. The next time I see you threatening us, I don’t care how long it will take I will tear your eye out.” The Sadness, for the first time in Siffrin’s memory outside of mimicking his family members, smiled. It smiled with glee, like that of a child that found out good news. Its voice changed into Siffrin’s as it spoke next,

‘But Loop! That’d really hurt! I guess that’s just like you, huh? You can’t stand the sight of me.”

“LEAVE.” Loop commanded, and the Sadness simply continued to smile, it slowly fading away with the darkness around them. Soon enough, the bright sky returned along with the vast field and Favor tree. The breeze was as gentle as ever, but it felt like it was blowing right through Siffrin, who hung his head and gripped grass in his hands. He heard Loop approach and kneel near him, but he was not even sure if he could say the words the Star wanted to hear. Still, Loop spoke despite the unease,

“Stardust…What was that?” Siffrin wasn’t sure how to explain it, or maybe he was just too scared to. He kept his eye on his knees, unable to look at Loop, who then lowered their head down a bit so they could see his face, “Talk to me. Whatever that was it wasn’t normal, and it’s obviously some type of reflection of you.” Siffrin hunched a little, trying to hide himself, however Loop pressed on. Siffrin noticed Loop’s hand begin to hover in between them, as if testing Siffrin’s current boundaries, before resting their fingers on top of Siffrin’s fist, who twitched at the touch, “It’s just us here now, you’re safe.”

Right. Loop could be trusted, Loop meant safety. But they knew now that Siffrin’s mental struggles had a persona, that overwhelming Sadness. Would they find it shameful that Siffrin still had it within him even after all these months? He understood that his family knew he was overcoming the worst of it, and that they would always be there for him on the bad days, but would Loop be the same way? He took in the soft touch from Loop’s fingers on the back of his hand and did his best to take a deep breath.

Just breathe, Loop wasn’t here to ridicule him, at least he didn’t think so. Breathe in…And out…

“It’s…From when I was in the House.” Siffrin finally said, and Loop tensed up at that. No surprise, considering they couldn’t sense much near the top of the House when it was distorted. Siffrin continued, “When I was frozen by the king, it became so dark I couldn’t see anyone. Until it showed up.” Siffrin’s hand clenched tighter, causing them to shake, “It was quiet for the longest time, and I couldn’t even scratch it. It would do nothing but stand there as I attacked, until I screamed for it to do something. And then…” Siffrin shut his eye tightly,

“It started to speak in everyone’s voices…! It told me everything I felt that they all would say to me…! No matter how I tried to convince myself otherwise it all sounded right, and I couldn’t stop it!!” Siffrin’s chest twisted uncomfortably remembering the memory, “I couldn’t move! It wouldn’t stop talking and it was all the truth and it held me in place and I couldn’t move!! It wanted me to die and I…!! And I…wanted to die too…” Siffrin felt tears prick at his eye, “When everyone showed up, I was happy but I didn’t think I deserved it. After what I did to them, after knowing what I was still doing to them…I didn’t deserve them.” Siffrin’s hand moved to hold Loop’s, hoping the other wouldn’t mind, “I-I still don’t think I do sometimes…” The former traveler was quiet for a while, Siffrin having to remind himself that they were taking it all in, and then he finally felt Loop give his hand a squeeze,

“I know what you are thinking here Stardust, and I’ll say it right now. You did not deserve to be told all those things, even if it was a part of you. Your family saved you because they love you. You hurt them yes, but when you’re a family hurting one another is going to happen, especially when you were pushed to the brink as you were.” Loop lowered their gaze a bit, “I can’t say for certain how they feel about what happened back then, and if you haven’t already done so these past few months, that’s just something you have to discuss with them.” Loop paused, thinking things over again, before they raised their other hand to Siffrin’s forehead and flicked it, Siffrin letting out a yelp,

“Ow!” Loop huffed a laugh,

“It will all be fine. They have stuck with you this long right? Don’t see them leaving anytime soon, correct?” Siffrin blinked before nodding, “Then there’s nothing you have to worry about on that front!” Siffrin looked down a bit, nervousness filling his chest, but he nodded as a smile lined his lips,

“Thank you, Loop.” He was worried about how Loop avoided talking about how the Sadness’s words affected them, but maybe it would be a bad time to bring it up…

“But this…Sadness within you…” Loop looked at Siffrin, “Have you discussed this with any of them?” Siffrin blinked, before he hung his head, and Loop sighed, “What am I going to do with you?” Siffrin couldn’t help but giggle softly at that. He then eyed Loop’s hand on his but didn’t feel the need to say anything, it felt right if he was being honest, comfortable. He was tempted to hold the hand back, but refrained, he wouldn’t make Loop uncomfortable after what just happened.

Then again…Would Loop need the comfort just as much as Siffrin did? Would he be overstepping if he showed concern for the other now? Loop tilted their head again,

“What are you thinking now?” Siffrin’s lips drew a thin line for a moment, and decided to move and hold Loop’s hand back, hoping to convey reassurance. They felt Loop stiffen, but Siffrin made sure to look at Loop, making sure to hold a soft gaze. They wanted to prove they were here to listen if Loop wanted. Loop stared for a moment, before looking down, discomfort on their face. Siffrin felt regret hit him like a ton of bricks instantly. Of course Loop didn’t appreciate this, they even asked for them to not talk about personal topics, which probably extended to how they felt about having a Sadness spout unsettling things in their face. Bottom line, do not discuss heavy topics with Loop when it involved them, they didn’t appreciate it. Siffrin should know that, why does he keep trying, why does he-

“Stardust, stop. I know that look.” Siffrin jolted out of his thoughts and Loop gazed at him, deep in thought, before they let out a sigh, “You aren’t going to give up are you…?” Siffrin blinked, before he shifted a little,

“Do you…Want me to?” Loop was quiet again for a while, but then answered,

“I suppose I don't.” Their hand never left Siffrin’s.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

The moment Siffrin woke up, they reached for their journal and began to write down Loop’s visit in it. They felt not only would writing down an overview of each visit was a good idea, but the fact that he felt he made some progress near the end of the visit. Loop was willing to trust Siffrin with their burdens, at least somewhat, and that was a major step forward. Siffrin felt so happy, they and Loop could connect even more now! Then, the Sadness within them flashed in their mind, and paused for a moment as they considered if they should write down the appearance of it in their journal. Maybe not, this book should only be filled with happy memories, right? That was the whole point of it. Besides, their talks with Odile had the woman jot down notes about this sort of thing, they didn’t have to put down anything they didn’t feel comfortable with in their journal.

You’re just ashamed of who you are, as you should be.

And it’s berating him this early in the morning, great. Siffrin’s hand clenched the pen as his body tensed up in frustration, but soon he heard Isabeau’s voice,

“Everything alright Sif?” Siffrin fiddled with their writing utensil a bit, before closing his journal and moving to hug Isabeau close. He really didn’t want to say how the Sadness showed up again, so he decided against it. He didn’t want to talk about how he may be regressing, opting to speak about Loop instead,

“I met with Loop again, and I think we made good progress! They agreed to share their problems a little bit.” Isabeau hugged Siffrin back,

“That’s great! I’m glad to hear it.” The man’s hand moved to the back of Siffrin’s head, and gently pet his hair, “But you know, not to overstep but…I can tell that something else is on your mind.” Siffrin flinched a little, before he gripped the back of his boyfriend’s shirt,

“…It wasn’t anything major.”

“I see.” Siffrin could hear Isabeau’s smile in his words, “You can tell me about it if it bothers you though.” Siffrin was quiet for a while. Even though he felt ashamed of his set back, he knew he could trust Isabeau, so even though everything within him was screaming at him to keep it inside…

Don’t speak. He’ll judge you, think you’re too much of a hassle.

Siffrin spoke,

“The…The Sadness inside me…”

SHUT. UP.

“It…It showed up when…Loop and I were talking.” He instantly felt Isabeau’s embrace become tighter, more protective, safe. The former defender nodded in understanding,

“Thank you for telling me Sif. I’m proud of you.” A kiss to their forehead made Siffrin’s heart swirl with love. He should remember he has nothing to fear, and he had a right to be proud of himself here too. His eye teared up, he wished he didn’t get so emotional, especially this early in the morning, but he couldn’t help it. The fact that his family loved him this much…Siffrin tried not to sob as he spoke,

“I just…I didn’t want to make you think I regressed again.” His boyfriend separated a little to hold Siffrin’s face gently, a warm smile on the man’s lips,

“If you are worried about making me disappointed, you never have to be concerned about that. I, as well as the others, see just how far you’ve come and how hard you are trying.” He brushed the tears now falling down Siffrin’s face, “You can have bad days and moments, we aren’t going to leave you.” Siffrin closed his eye tightly as if to try and stop the tears,

“I-I…! I just think that…I have to keep it together because if I don’t you all will…!” Isabeau connected their foreheads,

“We won’t, you can be assured of that. You are doing so well Sif, and we aren’t going anywhere.” He planted another kiss on his partner’s forehead, “I love you so, so much. I’ll make sure to say it as many times as you need, okay?” Siffrin nodded, moving to kiss Isabeau’s hand to reciprocate the affection the other had been giving him. He then gazed at the other, where he saw the person that mattered most to Isabeau reflected in the man’s eyes.

And in that moment he could believe it.

After calming down, Siffrin left the tent with Isabeau in toe, smelling the delicious air of breakfast being cooked. It smelled like pancakes, and Siffrin lit up at the thought. They did collect the ingredients for such a meal, so Siffrin quickened his pace at Isabeau’s chuckles. Mirabelle looked up from gathering plates and eating utensils to smile,

“Good morning Siffrin, Isabeau! How did you sleep?” Siffrin nodded,

“I slept-!” Ah, right. Can’t necessarily say good but it wasn’t all that bad really considering how it ended. He shifted a little, “It was alright.” Siffrin decided, causing Mirabelle to tilt her head in concern,

“Bad dream?” Siffrin shook his head,

“Not really? I saw Loop again, so it’s not bad! Just…we saw something.” Mirabelle seemed to understand the implications of what Siffrin was getting at and nodded,

“I see. Well, how was Loop?” Bonnie furrowed their brow,

“Huh? Wait, what happened with Frin?” Odile looked at the preteen,

“Let’s put that aside for now.” Bonnie pouted but went back to cooking, it’s for the best, Siffrin felt. The Researcher continued, “I assume that Loop and you had an engaging conversation?” Siffrin smiled,

“We’ve made progress!” Odile nodded, smiling,

“I’m glad to hear it.” Mirabelle then approached with a wet washcloth, causing Siffrin to blink a few times in confusion. She smiled knowingly,

“We didn’t mean to overhear, but I assume your eyes are bothering you now.” Siffrin smiled softly back, taking the washcloth in his hands,

“Thank you Mira.” She giggled, and Siffrin sat down to place the washcloth on his eyes. Felt nice…

“Seriously though, Isabeau.” Odile began, “Making Siffrin cry this early in the morning? I took you for an upstanding gentleman.” Isabeau made flustered noises, and Siffrin began chuckling alongside the others. He wouldn’t trade this for anything.

[sonicthehedgehoglover2]

Poor Sifloop. Now they stuck in a musical. it such a horrible desteny(and imagion worry of others to whom musicle is not a norm but somehthing okay... and here we have our silent duo. they just silently stare at your soul(yes they still able to sing songs but it take real preperation and not something natural) (I have a song to them. do you ever hear about Mili?(Imagin them sing thee) Otr the world greatest actor singin by Siffrin(who is still a bit affected by the musicle magies) Other will be wery worry about theyr thief)

Honestly, Siffrin's kind of happy for the change of pace at first. I mean, here's something new! Something different! But, after awhile, it gets a little annoying. Which does nothing for his mental health, mind you.

Loop, on the other hand, finds this all entertaining. (But they're also curious because this never happened with them).

Also I have not heard about Mili.

[yes-asil]

I just need to ask cuz I've been listening to this song on loop for a good while but the song 'through world's greatest actor' by milk in the microwave, do you think it has Loop vibes from in stars and time? (It is 5am at the time of writing this so im sorry if this is kind of incomprehensible)

Oh yeah, absolutely. I think most songs playing with the themes of acting and losing yourself to it can be slapped with the Loop lable, it makes sense.

(No Good At Being You just got recommended to me looking for your song, which to me now fits Siffrin, funny!)

[theworldsgreatestactor]

hi all, call me actor

I tend to make a lot of blogs, and this is just my main, you can ask questions if you wish.

Basic info:

Age: minor

gender:female

S

Blogs I run?:

@siffrin-in-time

The world's greatest actor doesn't need a stage

'Cause they're so good at their craft that nobody knows they're fake

The fools have no clue the one they knew was just a fraud

The master of pretending to be something that they're not

But as the years go by, the actor starts to change

As day by day, they live their life like all the world's a stage

Their true self-mutilated by their permanent new mask

But by the time they realized, it was too late to turn back

The world's greatest actor despises their new form

Through their practiced saccharine smiles, they got much more than they bargained for

For as they turn back to their unsuspecting crowd

They thank them for their patronage and take their final bow

[starsandstarlight]

@soulgathered

Considering the way Loop's wish was granted, Siffrin couldn't exactly say he was surprised at how this one turned out. He honestly wasn't even sure if this one was possible - he didn't know what actually happened to Loop when they disappeared, after all.

But . . . Loop should get their happy ending, too. Perhaps, maybe, the Universe would be willing to make up for what it had done to them.

It took Siffrin a while to actually make the wish, after their experiences with their previous one, and the results of it was a possibility they figured could happen, but, if this was possible, and Loop returned home after helping, then Siffrin probably would, too. It'd be fine, wouldn't it? It'd hardly take long, already knowing how to break them.

. . . Unless Loop decided to be really difficult about not talking to their family.

He couldn't exactly say it was pleasant to be back in Dormont, though, even if it wasn't his own. He'd be fine. He'd be fine. It wasn't his loops to be stuck in this time. He wouldn't have to go through the House all over again. He could act for Loop as Loop acted for him.

Actually . . . didn't they say once, that if they were in Siffrin's position, they'd spend all their time in the House? Would he even be able to find them in the meadow? Would they even come to the Favor Tree? Or would helping Siffrin with his own loops change the way they acted with theirs?

They didn't know. But they knew two things: they had to find Loop, and, unless Loop gave them the okay, they could not let their - Loop's? - family see that there were two Siffrins. The Universe didn't change their body this time, after all, and that would be a lot to explain.

Hm. Siffrin looked at his hand. The easiest way to find Loop without letting the others see him would probably be . . .

He closed his first and extended his thumb and pinkie, then brought them to his face as he thought hard about talking to Loop.

". . . Loop?"

[starsandstarlight]

They are trying not to think about it.

[jellyshoes-fandomfolk]

my favorite isat au I've come up with is the world's greatest actor au. Imagine this from the fam's perspective:

Youre all on the roof, you're having a good time, the king is dead, it's going great! And then you see siffrin say I love you and you see that his smile was fake, and he has his dagger up to his neck. Before he dies, he says that he was trapped in a time loop. He goes limp on the ground. What did you do wrong?

[starsandstarlight]

". . . Okay. Well. That's not ideal." But maybe better than the Change God. The Change God seemed to understand things pretty well and still took delight in it. "Glad he's better about it now."

"Most powerful type of craft around!" Solaris affirmed. "Seriously, you don't want to mess with it. Thank the stars it requires specific rituals, honestly." Not that that helped for someone that had rituals ingrained into them and then was forced to forget everything about it. Using Wish Craft all willy nilly without even realizing it was dangerous!

They knew that personally.

"It WHAT?!"

Oh! Solaris recalled hearing something like that before. That was why the Isles were being rebuilt, wasn't it? Help with rebuilding was one of their most surefire ways to earn snails for a day. "You know, I never did hear how that happened."

Siffrin covered their mouth to stifle their snort at the emphasis of the word "loop." Noooooo, they couldn't make a joke about Solaris' old name now that they changed it anymore! They probably didn't want to think about what they used to be called!

Though Solaris themself was covering where their mouth once was in a very similar manner, although for a different reason. Looping back and forth, huh?

Wait, they should actually give her a proper response, heh!

"Stars, yeah, they're wildly different, aren't they?" And this realm was different than both in an entirely different way.

"You guys have me curious about the demon realm now," Siffrin added, still smiling.

Ah... hmm. That was a loaded question.

❝Uhm... not at first. They were pretty reckless from what I heard. Took a while to understand the idea of pain of any sort, and why doing it to other people wasn't okay, and why it wasn't funny.❞ She shrugged, ❝He got it eventually, and I don't hold it against them, but... I also wasn't someone who had to deal with him being mean or playing rough back then, so... I dunno how much I can, like... forgive him.❞

The tone in which Solaris spoke with was... odd, almost sing-songy, but they weren't wrong. ❝I knew Wish Craft was powerful stuff, but yeah man, wow. Only seen Titan's blood do that kinda stuff before.❞

Vee briefly held a hand on front of her mouth to stifle a sudden giggle, mind racking through all of the many wild things Gus (and occasionally, herself) had been privy to throughout the years. What could she answer Siffrin with that wasn't insane?

...or should she embrace the chaoes, and lean into it?

...

❝Well... one time, the continent we all lived on woke up and started moving.❞ She settled on, biting her bottom lip to stifle more laughter at how inanely ridiculous that sounded.

She followed them in the joint search for a patisserie, weaving as delicately as she could through the crowds, doing her best not to draw attention to herself. Maybe... she was a tad self-conscious here, though... she was picking up on a few tids and bits of conversations here and there, which made her feel a little less like a fish out of water. This definitely was the most not-France French place she'd ever been to.

The lull in conversation didn't bother her, and she almost didn't want to start yapping and ruin it, but...

❝Y'know, everything in the human realm is so much more muted than the demon realm.❞ She idly mentioned. ❝It kind of throws me for a loop every time I go back and forth and notice how different it all is.❞

[starsandstarlight]

Siffrin opened their mouth, then closed it again. They . . . didn't really even know what to say in response to that! They were still processing it!

Eventually what came out was a question. "Were they at least, like . . . okay? Didn't laugh at your suffering or anything?"

Solaris huffed out a breath as soon as they heard that comment. Now that they were officially in Vauguarde they could see Change God statues everywhere and a part of them wanted to take one of them and smash it.

But they wouldn't! Because they knew how to be respectful! Besides, Mir- . . . The Housemaiden would be shocked and sad if she ever saw such a thing, and just the thought was enough to stay their hand.

"No one was expecting the sudden use of Wish Craft by someone on the other side~!" Not even Solaris. What made stardust want to see them again after they tried to kill him they had no idea.

". . . Should I ask what crazier includes?" Siffrin asked, though they weren't entirely sure they wanted to know the answer to that. What was crazier than the sudden appearance of someone from another realm?

As Vee explained the colors, Siffrin gestured the others to follow him as he led the way through the crowds, looking for a shop where they could find some sweets for Vee to try.

Solaris tilted their head as they listened. ". . . Huh." Yeah, no, it still meant nothing to them. But Vee seemed to care about it, so! They didn't mind talking about it if she liked to.

. . . It was kind of weird to think of the color they saw breaking the sky to . . . also be the color of small everyday things such as strawberries or apples. It felt like such a big thing but it was just . . . here? Every day? Like any normal shade, but they just couldn't see it? How strange.

❝Ohhh yeah,❞ Vee emphasized both words as she confirmed Siffrin's shock, ❝everyone on the Isles at the time was surprised too. There's a lot of magical fantastical stuff that happens in the Demon Realm, yeah, but... demigod star children from space wasn't on anyone's radar.❞

She glanced rapidly, nervously between Solaris and Siffrin as they exchanged looks after her little transgression. Ah rats, she knew this probably didn't mean they hated her and that she was getting a bad grade in Friend, but she really hadn't meant to upset them. Should she say something, apologize, explain she just misread the dynamics here?

But... then, it seemed to pass, with neither of the other two addressing it at all. That... was a little worrying, but... hey, it seemed fine, right?

Vee let a slightly hesitant smile cross her face, before relaxing and snickering a little. ❝I know Gus has seen crazier, but no one knew, or expected that a connection to here could be made... not at the rate it was going, anyways.❞

She put a finger to her chin as she tried to explain how... wild the color combinations she was seeing were. ❝Contrasting colors aren't bad, but if they're both really bright and used together, it doesn't... look great to the eyes either, like...❞ She paused, briefly focusing on someone in the distance. Oh my.

❝...I'm seeing a combo of bright red and neon green- wow. Red's the color of-❞ she lowered her voice, snapping her fingers as her mind stalled, Titan, why was she blanking here? ❝apples, or strawberries, and then green is grass, or tree leaves. They actually look good together when they're not so vibrant.❞

[starsandstarlight]

"A . . . cosmic demigod star kid?" Siffrin repeated. Stars, first magic and now this? What kind of world did Solaris find themself in?

. . . Not that they hadn't met an actual literal god before themself, but still!

Solaris chuckled. "Alright, alright. Not at all the same but we'll go with it."

They sucked in a breath when they saw Vee's brief panic at their flinch and quickly looked away. Stupid stupid stupid. This was why no one ever touched them! Because they couldn't stop flinching and everyone always assumed that meant they didn't want it and-!

Breathe, Solaris. In . . . and out. You're on a trip with Vee, showing her around Vaugarde. You're hanging out. This is supposed to be fun. Don't get hung up about some small moment that hardly even means anything.

Siffrin caught Solaris' gaze, raising an eyebrow at them with a frown on his face. They looked away from him as well. Stars. Should he tell Vee that touch was okay? That Solaris just wasn't used to it? Stars knew how long it'd taken him to say anything about it to anyone, but was it even his place to? But Siffrin knew that the lack of anyone touching them had been one of the major things affecting them during the loops, and for it to continue even outside of them . . .

He let out a breath. Maybe he could encourage Solaris to tell her later.

Solaris glanced back at Vee as she talking about Gus and chuckled some at his apparent reaction. "It is quite the shocking development!"

They blinked. "Did they? Ah, I suppose that would lead to that, wouldn't it . . ." They were glad, then, at the change to coins. Unfortunately animal parts with monetary value to them tended to end up being exploited, so . . . Hopefully that was stopped before any became extinct!

". . . Huh," was Siffrin's response to Vee's crash course on fashion colors.

"Soooo . . . what colors are being combined here?" Solaris asked. They . . . still hadn't fully grasped all the names of the colors, but they at least remembered that grass and leaves tended towards a specific color, as did a cloudless sky.

And they remembered that the one they had seen was most likely red.

❝Yeah, that's basically it. He might be a cosmic demigod star kid... but they're still a kid. Everyone on the Isles was so afraid of him, but they kinda just needed some... I dunno, proper boundaries and a play date to get all his energy out.❞ She recalled hearing about how Luz and co. had worn them out after playing life-sized PacMan and Jenga for... honestly a concerning amount of time, and only then were they able to talk to him properly.

Vee hummed, then chuckled. ❝Well... I mean, no, I guess... they display a bunch of pictures, but... listen, a theater screen is the first thing I thought of, so we're rolling with it.❞

Gah! Seeing their immediate recoiling from her touch made her worry, she hadn't meant to disquiet them. She figured maybe the touch would be okay, given that they were okay with it from Siffrin, but... well, Siffrin and Solaris' dynamic was different. Okay, noted, she wasn't going to be doing that again.

She was distracted from her spiral regardless, and she shook her head. ❝No, I just told Gus something came up with someone from your world coming through and...❞ she trailed off, tapping her phone screen again, seeing the 8 messages from him that were all just some variation of " WHAT?? " and stifling a laugh, ❝nnnnow he's going ham. He'll probably tell Luz if she's not in a class right now.❞

She watched on with amusement yet again as Solaris and their friend bounced off each other, opening her mouth to actually explain that snails weren't actually snails when Solaris beat her to it, though she couldn't remember if she actually ever told them the whole story, so...

❝Oh, they used to be real snail shells back in the day, y'know! It started a long time ago, when witches and demons would find the shells that had been shed by various animals. Um, eventually, though, any shelled animal would be, sort of... killed for it's shell to be used as currency, so... the coin was invented instead. Kept the name though!❞

...Savior of Vaugarde, huh? Clearly, there was a lot about this Siffrin person she wasn't aware of. She so wanted to dive in on that, but she filed it away for after, because she was about to address the crimes against fashion that she was currently witnessing.

❝Okay, take this with a grain of salt, because I'm not a fashionista,❞ she gestured to her very casual getup, ❝but with clothing, you usually don't want to combine contrasting colors, or super different shades of varying colors,❞ she squinted in the distance, noting one person's neon purple top with muted green bottoms, ❝it's not that deep, but it can be kind of jarring, or eyestrainy sometimes.❞

She looked the two up and down, and snirked. ❝You're both lucky to like black and white so much, then.❞

[starsandstarlight]

"That's it?" Huh. Well. They could easily manage that, then, right? It wasn't like they hadn't traveled with a kid for a month or two already.

"They're a kid?" Siffrin repeated. A kid made this portal that no one else really knew how it worked? Stars, how smart was that kid?

Movie theater screens. This was something they had heard of before. "But those aren't, like, mirrors or take pictures, right?" A movie screen wasn't like a crafted mirror in the same way a phone could resemble, right?

Solaris flinched - stars above could they just stop doing that? - at the touch, but her reassurances did calm them. They chuckled and said, "You live here - of course this doesn't count." They hummed, then added, "You'll have to figure out how to reveal to Luz that you've been to an entirely new one~ Or did you already mention that in your text?" They were sure if she told Gus, he would mention it to the rest of their friend group. Getting them back to their own realm was a pretty big thing!

"He should know that!" Solaris defended. "Last we saw each other I didn't have any either, and then I was sent to your realm, where I couldn't get any! I have plenty of snails now but that's not Vaugardian currency!"

"You trade in . . . snails?" Siffrin asked, imagining water tanks filled with marine snails.

"It's a coin with a spiral design," Solaris clarified. "Not actual snails."

"Oh."

"Anyway I hope you have money because last I saw you you were also broke."

Siffrin snorted. "Yeah, well, it turns out being a Savior of Vaugarde has its perks. We have plenty."

Oh. Right. If stardust was here then the others would be, too, wouldn't they? They considered asking where they were, so they could avoid them, but . . . well, then that would bring them up in the first place, and they did not want stardust trying to convince them to talk to them all.

While Vee was distracted, Solaris quickly and quietly opened the portal door an inch before closing it again. Just to make absolute certain that the connection wasn't severed now that there was no one from their realm on the other side. And it wasn't! All their worries assuaged, they could show Vee around without worry.

"Oh?" Solaris prompted. Stars, they didn't really care much about colors before but now they were curious! Vee was always so insistent about colors matching when it came to clothing . . .

"What do you mean?" Siffrin asked as well.

❝...I'm not gonna lie to you, we probably would, but...❞ she wrinkled her nose, ❝in the form of playing board games with them, or something... or... or baseball. They're a kid,❞ she looked over Siffrin's way, ❝so his idea of 'payment' for doing favors is just... playing with him.❞

❝Well, it's not a phone, but I mean... movie theater screens!❞ She laughed. ❝Seriously, some of them are huge! That summer when Luz's friends got stranded, we all saw a movie together, and they were freaked out by how big IMAX screens are, whoof.❞

Vee knew... or, well, thought Solaris wasn't big on touch, so she didn't want to go overboard here, but she reached a hand out and lightly, briefly patted their shoulder. ❝I'm sure! Seriously, I wanna go if you wanna show me around, and besides... how often do I get to go explore other realms?❞ She paused, eyes darting around the landscape. ❝...This doesn't count.❞

And she did want to go, truly, but she found herself hesitating momentarily as she worked up the energy needed to follow the others. She... didn't know what was out there, and she trusted Solaris enough, and Siffrin seemed nice, but the fear of the unknown... it got to her sometimes.

She was snapped from her thoughts as she stood next to them both, guffawing at the fact they were still bickering as they prepared to traverse an entire universe. Seriously, they reminded her of herself and Luz, or an old married couple, or her getting way too into debates about the motivations of Bleeding Hearts characters with Gus.

Though... she had no idea what the whole silver coin deal was. Was that an important thing in their culture? Regardless...

❝...I can't... believe... you waited until now to tell him you have no money.❞ Vee finally cackled out, preemptively wiping tears from her eyes that threatened to squeeze out as she laughed, trying her best to get herself under control now that they were on the other side.

❝Oh, whoa.❞ She breathed out, taking in the sights around her. It looked to be an old-timey marketplace, with many people out and about shopping for various goods. She became acutely aware of how many of said people were currently looking at the three of them, and noted how deeply human everyone appeared to be, self-consciously reaching up to tuck her hair over her ears. She could just shapeshift them away, but... that would use magic, and without magic food here to eat, that could go south pretty quick.

She was again struck by the deeply... fascinating fashion choices of the people, now that she was seeing them up close. ❝...Lot of interesting color choices being made here.❞ She whispered, ducking her head in to Solaris and Siffrin.

[starsandstarlight]

Siffrin listened to Vee's words in fascination. It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel. Was this really what things were like here . . . ? They were in such a different place than they were used to, and they were used to that being the case, as someone whose whole remembered life had been spent traveling from country to country, but this felt more so than even that. They felt entirely out of their depth. Almost too much - they had to focus to stop it from going right over their head.

But . . . as he glanced at Solaris, yes, the information was obviously new to them, but . . .

He looked between the two of them as Vee spoke. Solaris, and their friend, talking about things specific to this place.

. . . They looked at home, here. Comfortable, with people they cared about, that cared about them. After what he'd seen in the loops, with Solaris secluding themself away beneath the Favor Tree, refusing to interact with their family, refusing to even look at them, refusing to come with when everything was said and done . . . It was nice, to see them somewhere they actually felt comfortable.

. . .

They'd been stranded here, yes, but . . .

Would they even want to come home?

"They KILLED anyone that could use magic?!" Blinding stars! What was wrong with them?!

Solaris' eyes creased with amusement at her declaration of them making her hungry. "I won't apologize! It was the easiest way for me to explain!"

And then she listed what countries their own ones related to, and they snapped their fingers. "Those are the ones! Yes, France, Japan, and Italy! Poterians do like pasta, a lot, yes. Grissini are like . . . breadsticks? But not the fluffy soft ones I've seen here. They're thin, and dry, and remind me of pretzels but aren't at all pretzels."

The languages having different names but otherwise being mostly the same was baffling. They had even mentioned the continents not being the same back home. But the fact that so many other things seemed to line up... it was so interesting, and so strange.

❝Uh, technically? Long story but...❞ she gestured with a thumb at the portal, ❝magic on the Boiling Isles stems from the magic of almost immortal deceased fallen beings, their death releases their magic into the environment and magic sprung up in lifeforms 'cause of it.❞ She tapped a finger to her chin, ❝Their blood is really powerful- it's what the portal's actually made of- and when one dies, it can and has leaked through to Earth. So, there's been reports of spellcasting and magic existing all throughout human history.❞

She hesitated to keep going, smiling sheepishly, ❝Sorry, don't mean to ramble, but it's kind of contested as to whether or not humans ever possessed or harnessed real magic on this side of the realm, or if it was just the native species of the Isles, who are humanoid, who found their way to Earth and moseyed around... or, none of the above.❞ She shrugged as she continued, ❝No one really knows the truth, but there was this whole big thing where they... uh, killed any presumed magic-havers, and ever since then it's just been the stuff of fairytales.❞

Oh... Vaugardian and... Poterian, was it? They were similar to- ❝Spanish.❞ she verbally offered, contemplating the implications. And... Ka Buan had a different writing system? Hmm... Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic... man, there were others she was forgetting... Korean, Japanese, Chinese...

❝Gah, you're making me hungry,❞ she giggled as they began listing off various foods, even if it was a good idea. Right away she clocked the French pastries, and she knew onigiri was specifically Japanese, but she was stumped on the last one for a minute. ❝Huh... I don't know what grissini are, but gnocchi is definitely... hang on, do Poterian people really like pasta? Like... really like pasta?❞ She asked, raising a brow, ❝because Vaugarde sounds a lot like France - I'd know those pastry names anywhere, I think Ka Bua could be Japan, and if Poterians are pasta freaks, they're probably Italian.❞