bh-writingdump

[bh-writingdump]

Boop

[bh-writingdump]

Divine Punishment

Part 6: Jackal [11]

[1st draft]

Character mention: Leviathantale Nightmare by skumhuu, Nightmare by Jokublog (brief)

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CEO wakes up to the feeling of sand in zir nose. Ze coughs and sputters. A bunch of sand outlines where ze was laying as if CEO had been asleep for hours or days there. Enough that little sand castles and motes and even a sea shell necklace had been thrown over zir neck. Tiny foot prints surround zem.

One monster, a skeleton-crustacean with the top half of a skeleton and bottom half of a crab, continues to pack sand around your feet.

CEO attempts to crush the nuisance. Ze had always had an aversion to crabs. Unfortunately, the tide was low and ze was low on the beach. The water burst with explosive force ahead of zem, tentacles as thick as cars came down. the earth shook as sand rose up. The disgusting crap thing rust toward the source. Ze ran away, only catching a glimpse of it. It had emerged. Body so tall ze had to crane zir neck to meet their eyes. cyan eyes that glowed eerily like the marks along their tentacles.

CEO races inland. Dodging tentacles as they fall and attempt to grab zem. They even take out nearby trees. Ze hides beneath a knot of roots, curling in on zemself. Ze stays there awhile.

After that seems like eons, the tentacles recede and so does the creature. The beach goes silent.

Something tugs at zir neck. A necklace. A flash of Shriv’s hand on zir neck invades zir mind. ze presses further into the mess of gnarled roots as if it’d give zir everything back.

The beach sparkles. It’s bueatiful, dark grey sand with white, pink and purple sea shells speckling it like stars. Seagulls caw. Otherwise, the beach is vacant, for now.

CEO claws further back. Soil and sand mixing into zir skin. Ze shivers. It’d been years since ze had this much skin exposed. The roots from the tree above zir digs into zir back. like to say that this is real.

It’s remarkably dark beneath the roots. A previous resident had weaved dried grass between the roots, creating a shield from the beach’s view. Ze takes shelter there.

Did Shriv dump zem here? How did ze get here?

Ze sulks there awhile, shivering and terrified only to see a shadow coming up. ze grabs a stick, ready to strike.

The shadow gets closer, it gets smaller until 2 skeletons, scant a few inches tall (normal ones) walk up. One wears a cash of seaweed like hair while the other one has so many layers of bandages wrapped over it, it’s only the small exposed sliver of an eye socket that tells you it’s a skeleton too.

[OG ran after this. brackets show additions]

Still frozen from earlier, CEO doesn’t move. Even when one of them gets within striking distance. If they’re working with that leviathan, you can’t upset them.

“Leave.” zir voice comes out coarse like sandpaper. When was the last time you drank?

Bandaid yanks back Seaweed, eyeing you with several bones flying around its fingers. “You shouldn’t be here.” Bandaid speaks in a soft voice that makes ze shiver. “Grownups stay on the mainland.”

Ze snears, “you think I’d come here if I had a choice?”

Seaweed tugs on Bandaid, whispering something. Unlike before with its joyful big steps, it curls in on itself, making it seem smaller than its companion.

Bandaid mutters something else before sighing. “We’ll show you the way but only if you give us the drop.”

“Drop.”

Bandaid rolls its eye.

Seaweed adds something.

Bandaid replies, “duh, they’re new but that doesn’t mean I gotta be all comfy cozy. They nearly got Perk.” It turns back to you, “you coming or what.”

You stare at them awhile before letting magic leak into your hand. It flares a far more vibrant yellow.

“I swear on my name, body and soul. If you safely, get me to the Jackal’s land, I’ll give you my memory of you.”

Bandaid shakes its head. “You’ll kill us soon as you’re on Noot Noot, you’ll dust us… we need assurance.. swear on your life.”

CEO laughs, “I’d never….”

In the distance, the sky goes dark with storm clouds. Through the merk, you see that mer watching.

[Jackal intervenes so no one dies. Ends up Noot Noot was definitely going to kill them.]

You don’t move after that. holding position, stick at the ready. The next time a shadow gets close to you, you wait until you can hear the click of bone on bone. You leap out, ready to tackle the larger skeleton when you’re pulled into a hug, you panic for a second until you recognize the smell and memories of Jackal come flooding back.

The instant you realize this your body sags. You push away and eventually Jackal lets you.

“When Catrip said you came in the nursery, I thought you would’ve been…” E shivers. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

The relief is so palpable and honest that it knocks the snide comment right out of your mouth.

The second time Jackal brings you into a hug and you don’t even raise your arms to fight it. Just leaning into it, your eyes slide shut.

Then you open them and you’re back in the meadow again.

“I know, I know, I wish we could’ve stayed too but the Bigs would throw a fit. Littles are the only ones allowed on the beach.”

It’s then that Jackal looks at you that its like e actually sees you. Eyes widening and eir teeth clack together. “make yourself comfortable. I’ll only be a minute.”

Jackal shoves you onto a poofy pillow. “Hey, I’ve got some… questions.” Jackal went around the trunk but e disappeared.

CEO searches awhile longer but eventually gives up, waiting on a pillow.

A kettle on a camp stove smells delightful. You help yourself to some tea. The warm mug has a bee painted on it. It’s nice. You hadn’t realized how cold you were on the beach.

Jackal returns. “I see you’ve found my stash. I’m more of a coffee person myself but I had a feeling you wouldn’t be a tea drinker so I stalked up.” Jackal pours emself a mug.

He stares as if expecting you to say something. You don’t. Not until its empty. Your thoughts too dense to be left alone. “It’s… good.”

“You better beelieve it.” E clings eir mug to your bee mug. “I only stash the best in my trunk.” E says proudly.

You cringe, something about it makes your yes roll. Puns don’t bother you but it felt right to  throw all your disgust into the open.

Jackal smiles. “It’s no wonder he likes you.”

You stiffen. “Who does?”

“Catrip, is it ready?”

“Almost there!” A cat monster tumbles out of the tea trunk along with several wrenches and bolts. “All fixed up, Mx. Shouldn’t give you any trouble.”

“Thank you but Jackal is just fine.”

“Yes, Mx.”

Jackal sighs, “See you at the festival.”

“Don’t forget the booze!” The cat cackles. They punch the tree. Out tumbles another cat with a chicken bone half sticking out of the other cat’s mouth. “Get your mangy ass out of there! W egot another job.”

The smaller cat hiccups, looking inebriated as he’s dragged out. “S-s *hic* good stuff, JJ.”

Jackal laugh, its light and airy. Like e isn’t entirely there. “Thank you, I’ll be sure to seek you out for taste test on the next batch.” 

“You better! *hic* HA!”

You stare at the audacity of them. “He drank your liquour and you’re just laughing??”

Jackal: weren’t you the one to call this  all a dream?

CEO: so? there still be some semblance of logic and consequence.

Jackal shakes eir head. E pulls out a little curved run way. “Name what you’d like and Oak will provide.”

CEO: alirght.

CEO isn’t hungry but is curious how it works. “An egg.”

J: it’ll be raw. You do realize that right?

CEO cracks it open. It has a faint yellow hue in the white and orange yolk.

CEO: huh…

CEO get me an omelet with shredded cheese, cheddar jack, provolone, minced onions, garlic, red pepper, scallions, bacon and.. a single cilantro leaf on top.

The tree sways. What you thought was water on its leaves previously reveal to be tiny shards of sea glass that clink in the branches. Odd sounds of wirring, chain saw, a cat yelling.

CEO; is this.. normal? --- why in the dickens are you smiling?

Jackal touches eir face like it’s alien.

J: would you look at that.

You watch as dinner size plate of your elaborate request rolls out.

Jackal: I’ll have a steak, rare, marinated in… chief’s choice.

Not a moment later, Jackal’s meal rolls out. It smells amazing but… you poke at the food. the idea of having anything in your still disturbed belly doesn’t sit well.

Jackal orders several other things.

Little sandwiches, boiled eggs, mango, pomegranate, crackers & cheese until the curved carpet is covered in food.

Jackal: you sure you’re not hungry?

CEO: it’s not like I’ll starve

Jackal: it’s been awhile since you had anything like this, I just thought…

CEO laughs. Maybe Jackal really only got lucky with the pronouns. you snatch up a boiled egg, “I could eat an ostrich egg every meal if I wanted to. Hell, I went on a calamari and lobster died for a week to see if I could.”

Jackal snorts. “Is that something to brag about where you come from?”

“All I’m saying is that I’m neve left wanting. Only difference between your tree and my kitchen is that it takes vis minutes to do the same.”

CEO sighs, ze sent the personal chief home. Otherwise ze would’ve checked vis teeth every 10 minutes. Eating nothing but left overs was getting dull.

Despite the satisfying taste, ze can’t help but look over ier shoulder. If this was a dream, what if ze dreamed up Shriv being here too.

Jackal: you should move here permanently.

CEO laughs.

CEO: so what? enter a coma?

Jackal: gather your things, tell everyone you care about that you’re going on vacation, then I’ll come to pick you up.

CEO: I’ll stay here awhile.

Jackal: it’s not a matter or staying or going. The moment you close your eyes and I’m not nearby, you’ll return to your world. As much as I loved to stay here forever with you, you need to close that door on your world.

CEO: thanks for the food, my compliments to the chief.

The tree’s sea glass looking leaves clink as if to say you’re welcome.

CEO gets up and walks around the tree just as Jackal shouts. “not that way!”

Next thing CEO knows, ze is walking around a lamp post in a seedy part of a city. Trash everywhere, bords over windows. You walk into a nearby bar.

A green lamia sits at the counter, tail swishing.

CEO: I’ll have an ale.

The bartender ignores CEO

“You’re new in town, aren’t you?” the lamia says.

“What gave it away?” CEO replied.

Lamia: name’s Camil, you?

CEO doesn’t like  the idea of Camil knowing zir name so says, “nobody.”

Camil: well, nobody, you came to the wrong place for spirits.

CEO: why? they don’t like outsiders?

Camil: nope. only somebodies.

Out of nowhere someone yanks CEO off the stool and covers zir eyes until closes them. CEO fights and shouts only to wake up tangled up in blankets.

“Stupid dreams.”

Ze buries zir face in the pillow but can’t seem to fall asleep.

[bh-writingdump]

Divine Punishment

Part 1: Job 12sept24

[1] CEO and Jade's character introduced. [4] No-name employee gets berated.

Part 2: Jackal 12sept24

[5] CEO appears in a dreamlike world, believing been kidnapped. Jackal sets zem straight.

Part 3: Job [Stage 1-4] 12sept24 [3, 6-9]

Stage 1: [6] Glen gives CEO some great policy ideas. Stage 2: [7] Higher ups have questions. An email is sent notifying employees of policy change. Stage 3: [8 & 3] Policy changes go into effect. Some wish to do anything to keep their jobs, even making a deal with the devil. [ie willow man] Stage 4: [9] Jade comforts a distraught co-worker, Latus (assistant) acting strange while the disappearance of an employee is solved (vampiric in nature). CEO becomes increasingly distraught -- accidently falls down elevator shaft.

Part 4: Jackal

[10] CEO falls into shock and Jackal helps zem. sort of

Part 5: Job [Stage 1-3 [1, 1-02, 2, 11]

Stage 1: [1-02 & 2] Champagne party. CEO tries to make much needed allies. Stage 2: [2-02] CEO calls upon Jade for entertainment. Things don't go as planned. Stage 3: [11] Jameson & Co continue to taunt CEO. Shriv reappears, unaware of his ghoulish followers. CEO ponders if ze has gone mad.

So far up to Part 8 (I think) with CEO permanently leaving "Job" is written. I should have that all typed up soon.

[bh-writingdump]

Divine Punishment

Part 2: Jackal [5]

[1st draft, reframing]

You race to the elevator. If you keep at this pace, you’ll make it to the golf course in time to put 24 holes by dinner. the hallway parts preemptively for your arrival.

Only for a voice like whip shouts. “Mx!” Why of all thing did you hire a senior manager with the voice of a bullfrog? “Jameson & Co just acquired Davi’s Pops.”

Internally, you groan. That’s bad. Davi is financing a venture that they couldn’t follow through on without help. There’s no way Jameson & Coo wouldn’t shut it down long before the product release. They’ve been notorious of undercutting prices and finding every single way to pour salt in your wound. And you already moved the cheapest labor you could overseas. There aren’t any more corners that can be cut.

Heavens and Earth, this mess will take month to balance out… unless.

“Mix, we’ll be in the red by next—”

“Dissolve 25% of the earth department, shut down all experimental projects with a risk about 10%.”

Your assistant close behind, scribbling. While the upper manager stares in disbelief.

“You have your orders go.”

You push the elevator button with more force than strictly necessary. Several others gathered by the elevator. Looing at each of them, you say. “this one’s mine.”

Your upper manager leaps into the elevator after you, “But that’ll mean laying off at least several hundred to make the—”

“Nobody’s getting laid off if I can help it.”

You send them a hard look, shutting them up instantly, but it’s too late. The folks waiting for the elevator eye each other, already ready to pass around the newest gossip that will screw with productivity further.

“Whatever comes out of your mouth better be damn worth it. the drop in morale alone, possible rats jumping ship before I can lay them off…

“Sorry, Mx, but that was only one of our allies acquisitioned. Several root beer family packs deals have fallen through picked up by Rip Tide Inc. 40% of our profits will be from those partnerships.

“Who signed off on those?”

By the lack of a response, you can only assume it was a shareholder or member of the board you pressed an executive behind your back. Those sluts will bend for anyone. “Of course they did.” Exasperated, soon as the elevator hits the market floor, you grab the manager. A pear shaped fellow with a penchant for polos and bandanas like some sailor-wannabe greets you.

“We need a new plan yesterday. There’s several flavors a rook proposed. Jade Yumenes, call nem and set up a plan of how to market those by Monday.”

The manager open his mouth to argue but one look over your shoulder and he sighs. “Yes, Mx.”

You glance over your shoulder finding not your upper manager there but your assistant typing away at xyr tablet. “That’s unfortunate.”

“What now? Another acquisition?”

“You fired Mx Yumenes last week.”

“What? Lemme see that? Sue enough the termination papers were signed by you. “call them and tell them they—”

“I’ll tell nem.” Your assistant still hasn’t looked you in the eye. Whether scared you’d fire them to or equally bogged down in the details of saving the company, it doesn’t matter.

“The factors will be closed overseas. Do we have any left locally?”

For several moments, you assistant doesn’t response, tapping away.

“Hey! You snap.”

Xe doesn’t even finch. Taking their time setting xyr tablet aside. “I’ve already sent word to the factories but it’ll take time to—”

“I don’t want to hear how you do it, make it happen. I am not losing this popsicle stand to some live streaming teenager.”

You march back toward the elevators. Canceling the golf, it can wait. For all you know your private golf courses will be something that has to be sold as well. A pity, it’s good to have a backup.

* * *

Late into the night, you make calls. Call in favors. See to it managers are back in the office and consulting executives how to expunge nearly 200 employees in a day.

Signing another form, you find yourself nodding off. you fill up another cup of coffee, it barely peels open your eyes. you stare into the gourmet fresh grounds. The murky brown bean water spins and swirls beneath your spoon. Until your head feels light and all of a sudden, you yourself being pulled into it.

You nose elongates to a sharpened point. Each swirl of your spoon sending it in a spiral, taking more of you with it. You try to yank yourself out, scream for help but by the time you do, you’ve face has stretched too far. It comes out as a whisper.

The sparse chatter of overtime workers flows through the door. Loud enough to drown out your whispered pleas as your dragged into your coffee.

Amongst the boiling juice, all your senses infused with the smell. You try to climb out. Something drags you deeper. Its scaley and smooth, a snake? How is there a snake in your coffee?

Never mind that, its tail rattles. The sound deafening beneath the surface. You kick, pulling. It’s too tight.

It’s then when your body starts to burn from the heat and oxygen starvation that wave rolls through the coffee.

A wave runs through the coffee. Then, you feel the snake pause in its tugging. The wave comes again, this time strong enough to force you further back. The snake yanks on you even harder.

Not until the third time the wave rolls by, this one enough to pick you from the water and throw you against solid ground. You cough and sputter, desperately climbing up the shore and away from the water. A V-shape comes toward you.

This time you hear a harmonious whistle in the distance. Whoever was after you, disappears. So does the muddy water until its clear enough that you can see the bottom. Shale like rock lines the floor, all the way to the bottom. Unless it’s hiding beneath one of the decaying logs or in the mud at the bottom, you doubt it’s there.

As you recover, it strikes you as strange. You were certain you’d inhaled some of the coffee-water—whatever that was. Yet, your throat doesn’t burn, much less did you spit up the coffee. In fact, you’re entirely dry, in an entirely different suit than you came in. Your favorite from back when you declared your first company to the public and began collecting shareholders.

The dark green matched with a treefrog green tie and stripped shirt with limited edition Oxfords that you’re certain you lost years ago. Not only that, but it doesn’t have that tiny stain nobody managed to get out on the inside of the sleeve.

A chill rolls down your spine.

However you got here, someone must knew your routines, your history and gotten past 50 people without any raising the alarm of seeing a stranger, then somehow drug you and get you here…

But it felt so real..

You pull up your pant leg but there’s no mark of the creature.

Could it be a hallucination?

You glance around the rolling fields of wild flowers popping up between the rocks and patches of fertile soil. You’re sitting on the edge of a glacial lake. The cool wind as it rolls off the water despite the direct sun. You don’t recognize.

Whatever they gave you, it must’ve been strong.

But who?

You climb up a nearby hill. The walls of the lake steep but you manage to scale the uneven terrain to its lip. The view nearly makes you fall back again.

It’s no wonder you didn’t recognize the mountain. You’ve got to be in the middle of a whole range of them. Somehow at the top of one, you the slope in front of you is so sheer, no human could drop down it.

You blink, staring at it. “How… is that… even?” You glance back. Only to see something long and green crawl out of the water in a serpentine fashion. You gasp, stumbling back.

You feel yourself tipping over. You close your eyes, already knowing that’s it. You’re done.

Dying of the most convoluted assassination ever.

Fantastic job, you.

Just as you expect to feel the crushing embrace of jagged rocks, you hit something soft. You open your eyes to be staring at a blue sky though waves of golden grain.

It’s as if someone knocked you out again. The sun’s a little lower in the sky. The winds hot, everything’s warm. You wander through the grain. It stretches on endlessly all the way to the horizon. Except a little hill with someone waiting beneath a tree.

At a distance, you’d have assumed the strange to be of a pale complexion. Upon closer examination, you realize it’s because they literally are a shade of off white. Bones. A skeleton. Admittedly, you’d never seen a skeleton before. You’d heard of them in old myths but you assume they all died off awhile ago in the wars.

Clambering up the hill, you notice another figure beside em. This creature smaller, partially obscured what has to be a great deal taller than you.

The skeleton with the face of a jackal waves eir companion, a cat monster, back. By the time you summit the hill, amazed you hadn’t broken a sweat, eir companion had disappeared beneath the tree.  You only catch a bit of their conversation “I can handle Skylar. Ze’s just surprised.”

Skylar? You look behind you? There wasn’t anyone else. Or did they think you were this Skylar. E got your pronouns right though… which is concerning.

“Skylar, it’s been awhile. Do you remember--”

You close the distance, grabbing the stranger’s tie and yanking em down to eye level. Fuck all these god damn tall people. They’d look you in the eye for once. “I don’t know how you got the drop on me but if you want to escape with a single penny to your name, you’ll get me to the nearest police station. Right. NOW.”

For lack of a name, you call em Jackal. Jackal hums as if encountering a tricky conundrum. “Huh, you should’ve remembered upon seeing… how queer. Are you hungry?”

“I don’t think you understand the situation your in.”

Jackal smiles pleasantly. “Likewise.”

“You drugged me. KIDNAPPED me. Then kept drugging me! I don’t care if you’re from Jameson & Co or some other half-baked scheme, you’re lucky I don’t tear you apart as it stands. There’s a tracker within me, they’ll find me any minute now.” You cross your arms, memorize this hustler’s features for eir time in court.

“Skylar…” Jackal sighs.

“My name isn’t Skylar! Do you even know who you kidnapped?”

“Enlighten me.” You wait for the sarcasm but none comes.

“Soon to be your worst nightmare. Where’s your car?  You’ve got to have a car somewhere to be in butt fuck nowhere?”

Jackal remains silent as you search the nearby fields. There aren’t even game trails. It’s as if nobody has been out here for years. You don’t even see any signs of animals. Just the grass.

Whatever this place is, something is very wrong with it.

“I have nothing to hide. I could’ve told you I live here.”

Before you realize it, you’re fist flies, hitting em square in the jaw. The move seems to surprise you just as much as em. You’d never hit someone before. Yet, it came so easily.

“Oh, that’s rich. You’re wiping minds too? Think I wouldn’t notice how I forgot I took self-defense classes?” You bounce on the balls of your feet. It doesn’t feel natural, not like punching him. Didn’t have to be. All you have to do is convince this bozo e picked the wrong joy to kidnap. “How about I ruin that pretty little suit of yours?” It hadn’t been lost on you the accoutrement. It’s an exact replica from a fictional frog from a picture book you loved as a kid. “Unless you want to fess up and tell me how the hell I got here?”

Jackal’s shoulders drop. “you wouldn’t believe me.” In eir moment of looking away, you charge.

Instead of fighting back, the jackal ducks beneath your arm. Quite a feat for someone a foot taller than you, like it was a game. You turn on your heel, racing at him again. E pulls at the fabric of eir suit like it suddenly appeared, Sniffing it, Jackal murmurs while examining a pocket watch. “You have strange tastes. This was outdated even in my day.”

The next time, you dive for a tackle. This time Jackal disappears entirely, as if being corporal was a distraction. You whirl around, half expecting em to drop out of a tree only to find em further down the hill. Long strides graceful, unlike you as your stumble on your hands and knees, practically tripping over yourself.

“No matter, I’ll make do.” E shirks off the coat, letting it crump to eir feet along with removing eir socks and shoes like some wild child as your father would say. Burying eir feet in the loose soil, e sighs.

You stalk up behind the Jackal.

E sighs, “You can’t expect to meet me and dress me unannounced. It’s rude.” Jackal holds up the pair of sleek leather boots, glaring at them. “Your people’s ideas of footwear verge on torture, are you aware? Or do you just, make do?”

“What?”

Jackal shakes their head. “Never mind, what was it you wanted to ask me?”

“What is wrong with you?” You growl. “You kidnapped me for a ransom or to eliminate me right?”

“No. Why would? I was the one who invited you here.”

It’s akin to mixing gummy candy and soda. “Fine. You don’t want to help me. I’ll find my own way home.”

“I wouldn’t advise that.” Eir voice comes from beside you.

You definitely don’t scream. Instead, you leap back, tumbling down the hill. Jackal shouting after you. When you finally stop, Jackal’s leaning over you. “Are you—” E sighs, disappearing to dodge you from kicking em. “Of course, it’s all fun and games before someone checks up on you.” Jackal rolls eir eyes. “If wrestling would help, I would’ve initiated.” E dodges, not even bothering to pretend e was cheating.

“Then leave me alone!” You shout.

This time you throw your hand, Jackal catches it. You freeze as Jackal pats it. “All right.” A sad sort of smile spreading over eir serene features. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

Next thing you know, you’re snoring on your desk. Coffee spilling all along the floor and someone knocking at the door. You groan.

It was just a dream. None of it was real.

You can’t help but laugh, somewhat hysterically.

Of course it wasn’t real! You fell into your coffee, suddenly woke up on a glacier. Then fell into a meadow hundreds of miles away that had no bugs or people in any direction but a jackal headed skeleton cosplaying as a child’s book character.

You let yourself laugh for awhile. Evening ignoring your secretary’s calls until finally you get a grip. It has to be the stress of managing this transition. That’s it. The headaches, the dreams, it’ll all go away once this blows over.

[bh-writingdump]

Divine Punishment

Part 1: Job [1]

[1st draft, new framing device]

The smell of coffee fills the cramped meeting room It reminds you of your first acquisition. Only recently having turned a profit— enough to invest but not enough to move to proper office space. Honestly if our voice doesn’t echo, is it a meeting room or a closet?

In front of the projector, the greenest member of the team with nir conservative pantsuit, explaining how this latest flavor of sparkling water will do the trick. “People don’t want new flavors, they want an improvement on established ones. 30% of the public found strawberry too sweet so I suggest we—”

You let out a sigh. Loud enough that even the speaker would be hard pressed to ignore. If only they’d installed a mini-bar in time like they were supposed to. maybe then you’d care enough to listen.

The analyst looks down nir hawkish nose, locking on their prey. “Mx, do you have something you’d like to share?”

You gesture for the newby to continue. If it weren’t for the presentation ne was giving, you suspect ne would have more to say.

“As I was saying—”

Oh, ne’s fired.

The rest of it you tuned out. What’s the point? Sable had a perfect new flavor and brand deal with that actress from whatsername superhero franchise – a guaranteed sell. Compared to whatever repeat flavor the crash hawk’s trying to sell, it’s like comparing a bathroom magazine to a mint condition, right off the press idea.

Perhaps if ne had paid attention to Sable or Pyrite’s proposals last week, ne would’ve responded to what the market demanded and what worked. If you even considered rolling out this favor, it had the potential to push larger profits than the current strawberry but also tank even more miserably than prior.

Glaring at your coffee, you might even need to hire someone new, again. or steel from cross departments. The growth as it was is abysmal only at three percent in the sugar drink advertising. The sugar free craze has no sign of stopping, that’s for sure.

Sable coughs, loud enough to draw you from your thoughts. “That isn’t half bad, Jade. I hadn’t considered how Strawberry Blast has been notoriously underselling compared to our other products by such a high margin.”

Several of the others look expectantly at you. Obviously, most of them had the good sense to keep their mouths shut. You’d made your decision the moment you tuned out. Sable may become a problem later, come to think of it…

“Is that all?” You ask the newby.  

“Mx, I can guarantee that the results will be worth the wait. I’m wiling to stake my job on it.”

A chill runs down your spine as magic tingles along your finger tips. “Well, perhaps the Rookie doesn’t know how things work around here.” You nod to the others to leave. Like a flock of seagulls at the approach of a human, they disperse. Sable even pats Jade on the shoulder as they leave. Despite the silence, Jade holds nir chin high. “Give me three months.”

You take a seat on the table beside nem. The tingling growing stronger. The temptation to grab nir hand near irresistible. “It’s a risky gmbit. Customers expect consistency in flavor. If your new strawberry is mistaken for the old one… customers don’t like change. It could be quite costly. If I were you…” You glance down to nir name tag. “Jade… I’d focus on your career.”

The sharp green eyes follow as you consider the graphs. Not even a single entertaining picture or joke how were you supposed to pay attention, honestly?

“New flavors produce concrete results. Follow Pyrites lead in the meantime. Otherwise, there’s always more ambitious analysts. You’re bright Jade, do you really want to waste you career on this?” When you turn back, ne holds out nir hand.

“If you’d read over my action plan, you’d know there’s evidence backing up my position.”

Another pleasant crackle of magic travels up your arm.

It’s a threat to the brand. Honestly, you’d be better off burning the money now.

The air shifts in the room as if you’d stepped into a furnace. Jade’s flames raise so high, they lick the ceiling. “You’ve had this team for 5 years. Scratch that, you acquired it a year ago. You’ve been managing properties, you hardly even know this demographic judging by your attendance to these meetings.”

“See yourself out.”

Ne pauses as if considering it. Hand still flexing. “There’s an assembly line at Factory 23, next state over. It’ll be decommissioned in a month due to a drop in 50% productivity but still could produce a batch sufficient for a limited release if run around the clock for 2 days. The Strawberry Fields festival is coming up, perfect for modeling the replacement strawberry flavor. It’d be a hit.”

You lick your lips. Admittedly, you’d wanted a product for the festival but entirely forgot. Local commerce is the biggest seller for the drink with new releases, this would be perfect.

Too perfect.

“Chose your next words carefully, joy.”  

Jade closes the distance, nir smirk alluring as ne kneels. Ne tugs at your skirt. “I can be very persuasive.”

You chuckle. “I see… then I believe we can come to an agreement.” You hold out you hand, an emerald ring glittering on your index finger.

Jade takes your hand, kissing it. The magic shatters giving forth to a gorgeous thumping in your cunt.

Perhaps Jade would fit in after all.

* * *

Bottles pop, sending champaign gushing up. Subdued piano music plays in the background while socialites mingle on the dance floor. Some with enough precious gems and finery to outrank a bank on their persons. Its your second time coming to the Gala and it does not disappoint. Captains of industry dot every direction. Smooze up to the right person and perhaps even greater deals could be made.

Calamari and lobster appetizers pass you by, untouched as you make your way to your first venture of the night. An older attendee in her 70s. Her waist coat comparatively conservative in design if you hadn’t noticed the diamond cuff links and array of earrings. Honestly, it surprises you. For one of the leading tech companies in kitchen gadgets, you’d think they’d be flaunting it more.

You shrug it off, parking yourself at a distance, pretending to watch the entertainment for the night. A hunky folk with rippling abs and thighs t hat could crush watermelons. The wrestler of a performer has their hands tied behind their back. a grim expression of determination growing weaker as the harness brings their ass down on the wall mounted dildo again and again.

The machine guiding the performers’ ramps up the speed at the press of a button.

The performer bites their lip, grunting and moaning only to be brought about with a shout at the sudden change in speed.

Their jaw hangs open, gasping, eyes wild. One of the guests gives the entertainment a slap on the ass. The wirery guest chortles, dressed in a drab tuxedo that highlighted their monochrome, bland personality.

Someone else eagerly calls for faster. The toy cries out as the machine pumps faster and faster. At the point the performer’s head drops, a frothy lilac substance spills  out of their ass, streaming down their legs and  pooling in the ground below them. Guests swarm, taking tiny spoons from a nearby table. They only lift their masks long enough to take a taste before placing them.

Based on the advertisement, it seems the artificial cum’s supposed to change flavor based on the bottom’s body chemistry.  While others work the overstimulated toy, feeding them the frothing mess jovially.

You notice how the tech conglomerate, Murva hangs back with a hint of disgust. You struggle to repress a chuckle. What did she think coming here?

Gliding in you put on your best put-off expression. “To think I spent my evening for this. Where’s the artistry?”

Murva’s icy gaze nearly freezes you over.

“If I wanted to see some cheap whore fucked, I’d go to a brothel.”

“It’s all depraved.”

“In it’s most raw form, yes but with teasing, it can be a ceremony of source. This is akin to a child’s science fair volcano project. What I’d do is something more akin to the Mona Lisa.” You gesture to the far doors.

She gives you a look up and down, thoroughly unimpressed.

You laugh off the offense. “Not me. I’m not trained in the art but I do know a host of very people of the night. A once in a lifetime opportunity, unfortunate that it’s not your cup of tea. I brought a particularly talented group of six dominatrixes and submissives. What a waste, I suppose I’ll have to send them home.” You bow and bid her a good night.

As you move toward the stairs, you sense someone following you. With a chuckle, you slow down as the crowd thins out.

“I didn’t catch your name.” She raises a brow, still not convinced. That’ll come in time.

“I didn’t give it.” You wink.

She follows you up the stairs overlooking the whole affair. Dozens of performers in various stages of undressed. There’s even a congaline of an orgy. Whoever’s in the middle must’ve passed out.

“You enjoy this meat markete?” She huffs haughtfily, as if she had a fan, you bet she’d be hiding her smile behind it but her eyes spoke of a different story with her eagerness.

“What can I say? I have my tastes but if you need something more private, that can be arranged.”

She holds out her arm, you wrap yourself around it. She faintly smells of roses with hints of cucumber. For a moment, you wonder what it’d be like submitting to someone so strikingly powerful. Her mere presence sends people to part l like she’s a Queen of the dance floor. The youngsters be damned, years may have stretched her skin but a litany of fans trail behind. You recognize an actress trying to wave her down. She’d spoken out against your latest product after a new scandal in hiring. You cherish steering her away from the vulture to the second floor. The host of the party allowed several rooms to be renovated just for this occasion.

She pauses at the door. Her graceful air posture tuning rigid. Being a half a foot taller, even while hunching, you wonder if she’ll put up a fit. It wouldn’t be the first time. You sigh, a shame. Usually a deal was struck after a night of entertainment.

“Perhaps I was too forward. With your station, you show your face like this is the most ridiculous idea. I’d hate to offer you something that would come to bite your down the road. After all, you have you image to keep up.”

She considers your eyes with a pin point accuracy as she lands on a barely noticeable stain on you sleeve from an earlier excursion. “You missed a spot.” She smiles before going inside.

“My my, what fruits do we have here.” She peaks out to hang a ‘Do Not Disturb,’ before slamming the door shut.

You can’t help but let the smile you’d been holding back fly. Some folks were too predictable for their own good. Passing into a nearby storage closet, you peak through a peep hole. Eight curvaceous figures with bountiful cleavage flock had escorting the CEO to a chair. Two talking he up awhile another massages her back. A duo on the coffee table appear to be competing based on their trash talk toward each other while fingering themselves.  Based on Murva’s steady gaze, it’ll be a shame when the sextet will have to leave in a half hour for another client.

Undoubtedly, by morning you’d be getting a call. It takes training to pull off that orchestra. The sextet had been training their routine for nearly 5 years when you’d began brokering deals with them. It’d been far cheaper earlier on. Since then, the group had become full of themselves. Their rate hardly worth more than wetting a client’s appetite.

Returning to the dance floor, you eye several prospective markets. Unlike earlier in the evening when you were able to snatch up several in conversation. Now, when you come upon the floor, there’s a degree of distance. The flirtive touches and shoulder squeezes growing to a chasm you couldn’t cross. As if someone had given a signal to give you a wide birth.

There must be over two hundred guests, yet, somehow, you can’t manage to hold a conversation for a few minutes. Rounding a particularly rambunctious group who’d taken to passing a particularly receptive sub between the three for milking, you catch a glimpse of a pair of an electric wheel hair in the crowd.

You’d already seen several people in wheelchairs at the party, including several performers, in addition the host of the party Charles Vander. You were probably over thinking it.

Taking a swing around the orgy area, finding people there even less receptive, you take that glass of champagne and down it.

You feel a presence behind you. This will get whoever it is off your tail. “I spy something with my little eye… something pink.” You each back for your shadow’s collar.

To your surprise, it’s not one of the executives but Charles Vander himself who looks none to pleased. He did, after all, elevate his wheel chair to look you in the eye. With his tie in hand, he’s at cotch level.

You guide him back toward you, resting your hands on his shoulders. “And what a catch you are~” You run your hands along the edge of his jacket. Unlike the other guests, he’d gone for a sleek dark blue suit with a striped button up underneath. Combine that with the firm grip on your hand, it’d be tempting to play along all night. “Mind letting me real you in?”

Charles flatly stares back and procedures to roll his wheel chair over your foot. You barely have time to yell out before he shoves a shrimp in your mouth. “You should try the shrimp, they’re to die for, or so I hear.”

Once you recover enough to say, “thank you, sir.”

“Next time you bring your own entertainment, notify me.”

Miming surprise, you say, “I didn’t realize—”

“—The guests are already complaining of a lack of training. Next year, at a minimum, you’ll be bringing double if you’d like to remain on the list.”

You can’t help the purr in your voice, “crystal.” He nods.

You make a move to leave only to notice the crowd had closed in, leaving no easy way to leave the circle of people around him. You pretend to return to watching the entertainment. In this circuit, a couple of cum sluts you’d brought suckle on a long line of masked guests. Each one seems to cum faster than the last in anticipation.

Part of why you’d hired them was their talent for their knack of taking a sea of dicks, pussies and cunts all in a single night and still hungry for more.

It’s then you notice how oddly close Charles is to you compared to the other guests. His fingers tapping in time to the music. You aren’t sure how long you stood there before you got that look. The kind that promises you’ll be sore by morning yet satisfied. A part of you urges to close the distance but you doubt Charles is the sort of partner who’d ever relinquish control to you.

You smile, bending down you whisper. “perhaps another time you could show me some of your favorite toys, sir.”

He grunts, pretending like you’re just a gnat on the wall as you pass him. you feel something crackle in the air, then a stinging sensation spreads across your ass. You shriek. Folks turn and you can feel your cheeks burn as you whirl around. He hadn’t even moved.

It’s fine. You’ve got what you came for.

.

.

.

[DP2] Page 1 -->

[bh-writingdump]

[so far, so good]

199 pages in doc

Think that's about as much as I'm probably going to write of 1st draft interest for now. These are only like... 1/5th of the stuff I wrote. Lot of it's the equivalent for ingredients for a potential chapter rather than literal chapter stuff but it's added up to around 200 pages worth that probably will end up being more if I hypothetically used all of it.

I'm a bit excited to see it all printed out.

I probably will return to working on C@ve Sl@ve since that will have been waiting on the shelf for longer but still... good things coming.

Might read and free write practice in the meantime. Just give myself a break of all this long form stuff of trying to get multiple ideas of what will be over many pages of work to work together.

Peaches and Crimson -- my main focus characters are the trickiest. I swear. I like to pendulum in how aggressive or masky they get over their vulnerabilities. I suspect it'll be something I just have to wait until I get more time with them to figure out.

28aug24

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

1st meet - 1st hug

[1st Draft]

Ezekiel is coming into this knowing so much as what the files tell them, Peaches is a piece of work. Grabbing anything from arms, shirts, bra strap, underwear. Ze leaves bruises when people try to get free but other than that no kills. Definite case of don’t go in unless sedated.

Peaches sees Ezekiel as another person who wants to poke and prod at zem. In prison, peaches can’t let anyone know how scared ze is so combats this by being overly flirty to zir own detriment.

1st meeting

Ezekiel conducts these meetings after hours like “experiments so most tune out what Ezekiel is ying. Ezekiel, at first, took all of Peaches stats while unconscious but is trying to change that.

Ezekiel can’t risk other captives informing on them so has to remain incredibly “professional” aka apathetic towards “patients.”

E: Good evening, for the duration of this interview, you may refer to be as Ezekiel Partridge (they/them) or Partridge for short.

Peaches weaves up to the glass.

E: could you state your name and pronouns for the record?

Peaches smiles wide with hooded eyes as watches Ezekiel. “Peaches… ze/zir. Nice to meet you zeek.”

“Ezekiel will do just fine.” Ezekiel flips through several pages, filling them out. “Are you experiencing any physical pain (not including soul pain).

Peaches nods, leaning in so only separated by glass. Ze puts their finger into their mouth and plugs the hole, popping it in and out slowly. Peaches expects it to throw Ezekiel off instead they nod.

E: no pain. Libido present

Ezekiel pretends to write the second part

P: what? don’t want boss knowing I’ve taken an interest in her newest toy?

E: it’s irrelevant to the study, unless it’s causing you discomfort

Ezekiel drops a pen, disregards the yellow line, feels a tug on their hair. Looks up and finds Peaches popping zir finger in and out of air holes again.

P: looking for something?

Peaches pretends to be sexually gratified.

P: maybe we could continue this inside.

E: patient refrains from answering

Ezekiel glances over Peaches body from the speckled tail up to the breaks on zir ribs to the heavy grooves on zir arms.

P: see something ya like doc?

Peaches runs a hand up zir chest, tongue running along zir teeth.

E: do your arms give you trouble? Some of those marks appear recent. Even if its just itchy

P: little pain never hurt anyone. I can take a helluva lot more, wanna see?

E: is that what they told you? was it someone?

Peaches gets thrown off by the hint of anger. “You don’t know [asylum’s name], doc. S’ par for the course.”

E: I’m sorry.

P: why? *genuinely confused* I asked for it.

Ezekiel glares at ground. So pissed teeth grind but pretends to be looing at paper.

E: how does your soul feel?

P: fine. what? you wanna touch it? betchu’d like that

E: how about your mood? Has it been consistent or variable?

P: same old same old. Better now that you’re here~

E: do you find your depressed most days? Frequently?

P: bit of a downer for our first date, isn’t it?

E: so you do?

P: who doesn’t?

E: how about highs? Does it feel as if you’re mood shifts wildly, some days low, other days through the moon?

P: I wish. Say, why don’t we do this inside. I’ve got a warm mat calling your name.

E: I’m new, not braindead.

P: ouch.

Ezekiel notices zir gaze stray to their hair.

P: just wanna know, ya know. not much changes in here. not many stay after hours talking to lil old me.

Ezekiel leans forward, past yellow. There’s some magic swirling in their eye. Just as Ezekiel gets close, feel a tug on their hair which breaks the spell. Blinks and all of a sudden thinking again. steps back, tries to, fails. Hurts a lot. Ezekiel looks up to see Peaches hyperfixated on their hair. Not talking or making sexual overtures, just touching, feeling.

Ezekiel notices tail whips side to side with a rhythm rather than the erratic wild way it started. Upon a second look at the cell, there’s only a blanket, pillow and a sun lamp in the corner.

Ezekiel furiously takes notes on behavior indicates as takes it all in. This should adequately give a barometric on how different stimuli affects zem and perhaps a resting calm state.

E: Peaches, do you find certain stimulation to be calming.

It breaks Peaches spell, lecherous grin.

Ezekiel sighs, “I suppose I walked right into that one.”

P: sure did, sweets

E: what about this do you find calming?

P: who said I’m calm?

Skepticism, yank

Ezekiel holds back an “ow”

P: maybe I find it arousing

Ezekiel yanks their hair back only to find peaches had grabs ahold of another.

There’s a minute long fight of pulling back then getting a new strand pull, the equivalent of slapping each others hands in a fight.

Ezekiel regroups mentally, closing eyes and breathing meditatively while Peaches makes mini braids that look awful.

E: Peaches, you agreed via our contract that you would work with me. That includes not taking actions to hamper the experiment.

P: like what?

E, deadpan: I see how it is… Let go of my hair, Peaches.

P: or what?

E: I’ll be very disappointed and tell everyone you have terrible manners.

Peaches breaks out into laughter.

P: that’s rich, sweets but he already knows that.

Peaches lets go

E: you’d be surprised

P: I know what they write. Sexually aggressive and handsy, right? did they get the one where I pantsed that one guy. Should’ve caught it on tape. He had an amazing ass.

Ezekiel sits down writing. If Ezekiel was right this could be more of a form of disassociation mixed with a lack of impulse control. Plus, depending on what the circumstances are there might’ve been other factors at play. Ezekiel feels a heated gaze above them.

E: would you like to see?

Peaches: what, you offering, sweets? I’m touched but I’m going vegan.

Ezekiel deadpan stares as they hold up the clipboard so Peaches can see what they wrote.

P: you didn’t even ask me any of that stuff

E: is that right?

P: nope. might as well try again

Ezekiel reads it again

Peaches, to their surprise, answers. Granted, it’s hard to tell how truthful they’re being between trying to make grabs for their hair.

P: what kind of test is this?

E: it’s to monitor your mental state, from what I’ve seen, some of the tests you undergo are quiet intense and may have adverse effects on your mental health.

Peaches: you’re quiet the treat.

Ezekiel can’t get the shift in expression. “why are you looking at my chest?

Peaches: clocks ticking zeeky-joy. better run while the doors are open.”

Ezekiel recognizes the time.

E, curses

P: don’t be a stranger~

Ezekiel leaves a candy in the try

P: what? you my glucose guardian or something?

E: I have no clue what you’re talking about. Have a pleasant evening.

Peaches watches them on the way out.

Ocean, knocks: what do they want?

P: don’t know

Meeting

Ezekiel tried to ask the questions again but clearly Peaches couldn’t focus.

Peaches levels with Ezekiel’s face and takes a sniff.

P: is that vanilla?

Ezekiel ignores it

E: here, this might help

Peaches looks over the patch of fur. “you skin it yourself?”

E: caught it out back, actually

Peaches pauses, long enough that E looks up

P: so the doc does have a sense of humor?

E: there’s no way to know. it’s perfectly plausible

P: was that… a pun?

E: what? no. I mispronounced it.

P: sweet’s first pun

E: you’re being ridiculous

P: but you’re smiling

E: an unfortunate genetic condition.

Peaches looks into Ezekiel’s eyes

P: oh yeah?

Ezekiel rolls their eyes when they feel the tug, the trickster had a way with magic it seems. Some sort of hypnotism.

E: give me my hair back

P smells it.

P: definitely not your usual eucalyptus?

E: if I tell you will you stop messing with it. I gave you a perfectly suitable alternative

P: maybe

E: it’s winter green

Thankfully Ezekiel was able to steal that one. The pharmacy really didn’t pay their employees enough. The clerk didn’t even ask for Ezekiel to stop, just sighed.

Another day

Ezekiel sets up a passing game through the glass. These “test” were meant to test reaction times. Miraculously, Peaches didn’t use every time Ezekiel’s hand passing through the holes as a chance to grab them, no matter how easy Ezekiel made them.

On a future test, Ezekiel found similar results opening the glass shield enough to do “memory games.” This also didn’t result in grabbing. Though, when fatigued and Ezekiel leaned too close to the glass, they felt a tug.

E: tired?

Peaches hums.

Ezekiel sometimes pretended not to notice, letting Peaches get away with playing while Ezekiel wrote notes if ze was light enough about it.

* * *

The day had come. Ezekiel straightened their tie in the mirror. Their lab coat was pressed and hair combed.

Today Ezekiel put their theory to the test that Peaches was impulsive but could control zemself given a controlled, stress free environment (or as close as Ezekiel could come up with). Like other times, Ezekiel brought a scent cannister, letting it release while preparing tests. “what’s that, sweets? Smells nearly as divine as you.”  

Peaches was lenaing toward the cannister.

“Cinnamon.”

Peaches nods, half listening, preoccupied with smelling.

Ezekiel leaves it on, signalling a guard to be ready. They clear their throat. “Today, we’ll be testing your reaction time and hand eye coordination.”

P: how?

E: I’ll be opening the door. You will remain where you are without crossing the line or reaching to hand me the ball. You’ll only have the ball cross the line, do you understand?

Peaches: yeah, sure.

E, signals

Peaches laughs in surprise seeing the glass rise.

Edit: maybe this is the first time the glass has raised in a casual context

P: your somethin’ else doc.

E: not a doctor

Ezekiel half expects Peaches to lunge out and grab them but instead Peaches holds open zir hands. Ezekiel sets the timer. “Underhand, please.”

They go on like that for awhile. Passing in silence, occasionally, Ezekiel throws curve balls, finding Peaches easily able to catch them. As the timer clocks out, Peaches ends with the ball.

Ezekiel writes down the results onto to feel a shift in of weight in their lap and Peaches an inch way from Ezekiel with no glass in between suddenly felt a lot closer. With no glass, the pull from those eyes felt even stronger but Peaches blinks.

E: you know the rules

P: how’d I do?

E, glares

Peaches sighs and leans back, raising a brow.

E: all things considered, quite well. you scored in the upper percentile.

P, wiggles hand: told they can be quite a handful

E: I’m sure they—

Ezekiel sighs

E: that was abysmally bad.

P: c’mon, I sold an arm and a leg for that one

Ezekiel pinches their nose

E: you should ask for a refund.

Ezekiel hears a door open. While finishing up the paperwork, they keep an eye on Peaches and an ear on the stranger. the reflection of ___ showed it was Gerviase. Great.

Gervaise: you’re still here, fun size?

Ezekiel struggles to contain their disgust. Since when were they buddy buddy. Peaches, to their surprise, doesn’t seem to enjoy their discomfort. Instead watching Gervaise move behind them.

E: leave the lights on, Doctor Gervaise.

G: no need to get all prickly

Ezekiel’s not paying attention, focused on checking other questions off that wouldn’t raise as many red flags as playing catch.

“FUN Size!”

E: can’t this wait till tomorrow?

Laughter

Ezekiel turns around. only has a second to between hearing “CATCH!” to seeing something hurled toward them. It hits them square in the chest, tumbling back, they gasp and sputter as they hit something hard.

E: what were you thinking!?! I’m clearly working with a patient!

G takes a step back, looking scared and darts out. pounding at the security key.

Intercom: lock subject 9069 in first.

G: don’t leave me in here with that thing! Why did you let me in if that thing’s cage was open!?

Intercom: you said it was an emergency

G: I didn’t mean like—CARL! OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!

Ezekiel hears a rattle. Ezekiel notices the wall behind them moves. Ezekiel slowly steps forward. Something stops them. Ezekiel gulps trying to push away the arm wrapped around their gut. Peaches doesn’t look at them, staring at Gervaise.

 After enough yelling the guard lets Gervaise out, then closes the door again. Once the steps grow distant, Peaches lets go.

“you okay, sweets?”

Ezekiel hurriedly steps back.

Then registers the question. “yes, I’m… I’m perfectly adequate.”

P: don’t give him your back, kay?

E raises brow.

Ezekiel amazed thought Peaches was ever a threat. Clearly else must’ve been the cause.

* * *

After several tests, it’s clear that there’s a degree of attention issues but usually with things ze finds boring.

Though the impulsivity clearly hadn’t changed, despite saying not to, Ezekiel still found times Peaches hands wandered as if they naturally belonged in their hair, rather than intentionally ignoring directions. A few tugs were one thing but it’s another when Peaches plays for longer.

Ezekiel even cut off a lock. While Peaches did take it, ze still sought out new strands.

E: clearly, it’s not the sensation. I bet if I cut off a lock, you’d still want the ones on my head, what is it? What makes you come back?

Peaches: so forward

E: I mean it.

P: me too, wanna be closer

E: that’d be inappropriate.

P: why?

E, agast: I’m your attending physician, regardless if I’m qualified it’d be a gross misuse of power and not to mention I’d lose my job if anyone found out.

P: right, I get it *wink* then it didn’t happen

E: what is it now?

Peaches sends a knowing smile. “come back tomorrow and you’ll see~”

* * *

Peterson declares “seeing how Peaches has warmed up to you, you’ll be performing exam without sedation.

E: are you sure? Ze is still—

Peterson glares

Ezekiel approaches the cell with trepidation.

Peterson not only scheduled it at the end of the day but also with a guard glued to their cell phone.

E: Jenkins, if you would

Guard still focused on phone game.

E: aren’t you going to… make sure nothing happens?

J: yeah.. yeah.. dammit! Fuck..

Silence

J: you going in or what? I’m not waiting here all day

E: I’d prefer if you weren’t distracted.

J: kay

Then Jenkins just leaves. Ezekiel just stares at the place Jenkin once was.

E: but I’ll need protection. Peaches is respectful enough but has moments of impulsivity

J: Peterson said you’d say that. don’t worry, rest place locked down. I’ll be in the… security.. room… shit that’s a hard level

Ezekiel unlocks the door and goes in.

E: I’ll be performing a standard physical exam on you today. Is there anything you’d like me to be aware of?

Peaches searches you. “What’s the catch?” ze peaks out of the cell.

God, this is a bad idea. Ezekiel steps into the cell, like it’s nothing. “Peterson gave the okay to go forward without sedation. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”

Peaches still hasn’t said anything. Staring wide eyed. Ezekiel pulls out a soul scanner. “Peaches? What’s going on?”

Peaches blinks, like ze was somewhere else and moves closer. Ezekiel presses the scanner into zir chest, having to get Peaches to bend down for it to work.

Ezekiel eyes peaches once more. Seeing as Peaches didn’t appear keen on moving, just staring in confusion, curiosity? The longer it happened, the more neutral Peaches’ expression got.

Ezekiel sets the scanner aside and pulls off their gloves. “that’s enough for today. we can do the rest tomorrow.” Ezekiel would need to look into who did this examination last. Perhaps they could poison the bastard’s coffee or something.  

As Ezekiel packs up their notes, feeling all around terrible, Ezekiel feels a tug on their hair.

Ezekiel, huffs: very funny, Peaches, but I need to go.

Ezekiel tugs it out only to feel something brush their leg before curling around it. A few hackles raised but it’s not a full coil so they remove the end tail easily enough. Only for Peaches to round on them, adding on a thicker part of zir tail in the coil. Ezekiel gets one leg  out but the other is stuck.

Ezekiel looks to Peaches, vacant eyed. “Peaches?” Ezekiel snaps, usually that works but today ze still has that curious vacant gaze.

Peaches runs a hand through their hair.

Ezekiel grabs zir wrist. “That’s quite enough. Let go of me or I’ll need to call for help.”

The coil unwinds. Ezekiel sighs in relief. “Thank you. I appreciate your restraint.”

“Hey, Patridge! How long’s it going to be –”

In an instant, Ezekiel feels a weight around their stomach tug them back. They push against the arms hugging them tightly to Peaches.

E: Peaches! What in the blazes—

Peaches other hand pulls them against zem, stealing Ezekiel’s breath away and covering their mouth. Ezekiel’s mind races as they try to think of what to say. In the meantime, Peaches pulls them further back into the cell, partially shielding them with zir body

Jenkins’s footsteps come closer. “where the hell are you? did you seriously leave the door open?”

Peaches bones rattle as the footsteps come up to the cell. Jenkins peaks through. “asshole must’ve left.” Jenkins mutters, stomping out.

Peaches shudders and lets go of Ezekiel’s mouth.

E: Peaches? Peaches?  Can you hear me?

Peaches sways side to side idly, whistling a tune. Ezekiel suspects it’s a form of self-soothing.

E: whatever this is, you’re going to be all right but I need you to listen to me. I can’t be in here, not like this.

It continues on for a few minutes. Peaches doesn’t seem to hear anything. It’s only once they stop and finally look down at them that it seems to click. A deep pink blush crawls across zir cheeks.

P: what- oh. OOHHH. Shit

Peaches laughs awkwardly. Ze sets Ezekiel down, brushes them off as if the two just bumped into each other on the street.

P: no harm done, see?

Ezekiel stare back.

Peaches visibly sweats. “sorry.. didn’t meant to.”

Ezekiel mercifully cuts zem off. “I’m not angry.”

“You’re... you’re not?” Peaches asks skeptically glancing out of the cell.

“I still didn’t appreciate being handled.” Ezekiel glares. There couldn’t be any sign that it wasn’t anything but inappropriate. Ezekiel couldn’t be encouraging this behavior. Then again, it essentially only a hug… but covering Ezekiel’s mouth… that’s more concerning.

E: do you recall what happened?

Peaches picked at zir sweater, glancing out of the cell. “The exam it—”

Ezekiel could see the glossing over. There isn’t that curious edge but still, better not to push it. “Don’t force it. I don’t need you lost in another episode.”

When Peaches keeps staring out of the cell, Ezekiel walks in zir line of sight. “I’ll need to know one thing. Did I overwhelm you? Was there something I could’ve done better not to activate your fight or flight?”

P: that? What? no. No, I .. I would’ve.. less you nah.. would’ve done something different if it was you.

Peaches trails off, still watching but zir hand found Ezekiel’s hoodie as if it was imperative Peaches knew exactly where they were.

Ezekiel pealed the offending hand off.

E: then what was it? If it wasn’t me…

P: wasn’t home.

Ezekiel nods. “All right. all right… how about is there anything I can improve on? Until we find out what triggered it, I’d like to know if there’s anything I can do to help make future exams less uncomfortable.”

P: heh, you couldn’t make it worse if you tried.

E …

P: did I scare you?

E: no, you merely picked me up quite suddenly.

P: sweets? Shit, I didn’t mean

E: my feels on the matter are irrelevant. I’m here to support you. Don’t spare it another thought.

P: bullshit. I scared ya.

E: no, you didn’t. you surprised me. Anyone would be surprised.

P: anyone else would’ve buzz the crud out of me.

Ezekiel eyes go wide.

E, grumpy: I’m not them.

P: I wouldn’t have let go so easily if you weren’t ya.

E: ah, well, it’s over.

Peaches looks frustrated.

E: just tel me if I’m making it worse.

P: it isn’t—it’s always been like this. I can’t help it.

E: what do you mean?

Peaches, rubs arms: it’s been awhile.

E: if this is a sex joke, I’d appreciate you save it for tomorrow.

P: believe me, wish it were

Peaches shoves zir hands under zir arm pits when notices Ezekiel watching them.

P: been awhile since someone wanted to hold

E: for sex?

P: no!.. that’s not it. yer not them. I saw your soul. yer good

Ezekiel rubs their chest self-consciously

P: knew you weren’t the type but didn’t think..

Peaches holds zemself harder

P: please leave *looks sick*

Ezekiel does.

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

zeek the dino slayer

[1st draft]

Ezekiel doesn’t think anyone else but Ocean will know about the dinosaur dream. It’s not even Ezekiel’s 1st memory, much less the 1st good one. Ezekiel remembers way further back. Back before even Ezekiel knew of mages and monsters, Ezekiel and Dr Drew were waiting somewhere. So young, Ezekiel doesn’t even remember where. Dr Drew was frowning. She always had a strong resting bitch face. Though it wasn’t as severe when she was younger.

Ezekiel tripped. Rather than chastise them for being “awkward” like she might post-mage, Dr Drew spoke. Her mouth moves but the words are lost to time. But the intent came through as she brushed you off. She always kept a packet of dry wipes just for Ezekiel because they couldn’t stand the smell and sensation of wet ones. With the dirt gone, she smiled, letting them admire the quick work. She smiled, full faced. Enough that it made her ears move ever so slightly.

Ezekiel remembers loving making her smile. That big beautiful smile that her tiny eyes twinkled and exploded into fireworks.

Ezekiel had thought of rewriting the memory with their other mom but she was rarely there, always out on business. It took a long time for Dr Drew to establish her practice. Someone had to be the reliable breadwinner.

Lost in the ache of a home of yore, Ezekiel doesn’t see Peaches barbs until they hear zem whisper. “dino-slayer.”

“What in the blazes are you going on about?”

P: after lights out, I wanna hear all about it.

Peaches darts away, leaving a sweet scent in zir wake. This is beyond idiotic but perhaps Ezekiel could get something done there. It seemed too often Ezekiel’s mind got choked out in the office. Dr Drew could come any minute but never down here.

That’s night, Ezekiel walked into Peaches cell. Files upon files of work in hand. Logging in all the files paper-electronic by hand took time, even more to get all the notes straight for possibly diagnosing monster ailments. One of the university doctors finally got back to Ezekiel. In exchange for covering the front desk for the receptionist an hour a morning, the receptionist took any calls for Ezekiel and didn’t report it up the chain of command.

The doctors gave some interpretations of the data and observations and possible treatments that could be started but the jargon was so thick that Ezekiel had to carry a monster’s traveler dictionary to parse it all out.

Peaches perks up sleepily, making grabby hands from atop zir coil. Ezekiel sighs, sitting down with their back against Peaches. Then using a box as a desk to highlight and process the files. Pat way through parsing out how soul fatigue may cause lesions in ectoflesh and the finer points of anatomy—Ezekiel feels Peaches shift beneath them. A distinctly happy hiss.

E: 10 more minutes.

P, more grumbling and dissatisfied hiss, tugging on hood-

E: I’m not sure if you’re aware but this I all for you. I can’t delay it tonight if I’m to ensure you’ll be able to start the correct treatment tomorrow. That lesion isn’t getting any smaller.

Peaches head pushes on Ezekiel’s head. A convenient work around to when Peaches would cuddle Ezekiel touch and pull relentlessly the moment Ezekiel got into the cell. Remarkable restraint but the light headbutts were having the desired effect. You weren’t getting anything done.

E you have my attention, Peaches, what can’t wait 10 minutes.

Peaches smiles at the attention, taking it as an invitation to scoop Ezekiel up in zir arms.

Peaches: tell me about the time you slapped a dinosaur

E: I didn’t.

P: Ocean disagrees.

E: in a dream.

P: so you did!

Ezekiel, seeing so way out of this, tells the story. Peaches rapt attention mind boggling. Ocean Ezekiel could understand. The exchanging of stories giving them something to talk about and scratching that social itch. Peaches and Ezekiel didn’t even need to talk for it to be enough. Hell, sometimes Peaches just curled up in Ezekiel’s lap and slept the whole night, not saying a word.

P: you didn’t kill it?

E: no

P: did you ever see it again

E: you’ve had dreams. It’s a one and done thing usually.

The good ones rarely came back.

P: if I had a dream, I would’ve had you become friends.

E: of course, you would.

P: then you’d go on adventures and slowly become closer and closer until as grown ups you grew apart.

Ezekiel gets steadily sleepier as Peaches goes on and on with your alter egos adventures around the city with said dinosaur companion

P: then one day you’d have a big—a re you even listening?

E, yawning: have we kissed yet?

P: okay, then what did you and Rexy do after you became honorary knights

E: killed a dragon.

P: you didn’t kill his brother. Ugh! do I need to tell it all over again

Ezekiel sits up, recognizing the tone of legitimate threat

E: I’m listening. What did my alter ego do with the teeth with legs.

P; you’ll need some context. On your latest project you saved the whole forest working together with Rex to create an antidote for a rare magical illness

E: I’m a medical doctor, fascinating

P: stop interrupting me or I’ll smother you

Peaches might have covered Ezekiel’s mouth after that.

P: while trying to find this rare plant, you get lost. Rex admits that you’re not just a friend to him but something else too.

E: hmmm

P: Precisely, Rex almost confesses to you but miraculously the two of you find a way out. It’s not until the party is thrown in both of your honors (you’re both scientists) that you ask Rex what he was trying to tell you.

Peaches helps Ezekiel turn over.

P: he looks into your eyes and says, “I love you, Ezekiel.” And you’re like, “I feel the same.” You kiss him on the forehead right here, “you’ll always be like a brother to me.”

E, snorts

P, ignores it: “But not to me.” Rex then kisses you on the lips

E: and you came up with all that in your head?

Ezekiel notices the smile dim slightly and grow sheepish

P: yeah?

E: it’s… impressive? You’re a quick thinker. Perhaps on the outside you should get into publishing. Write a magnificent romance? Erotica? Whatever you want. You certainly have the imagination for it.

Peaches dims each word Ezekiel utters but then brightens all of a sudden.

P: zeek, I care about you

E: you do?

P, deadpans: is this a joke?

E: no? why would you care? I’m legitimately surprised.

P, to the wall: Ocean, why can’t you be wrong for once?

Ezekiel tries to pick up their work only to be plopped back on Peaches’ lap., head sandwiched between Peaches’ hands.

P: I want you to get this through your big beautiful skull.

E: don’t bring my skull into this.

P: I care about you.

E: for cuddles, I know.

P: for more than cuddles.

E: emotional support?

P, stares

E: I’ve never been great at charades. Especially when my head is restrained to one angle.

P, glares: we’re hatchmates, you know what that means.

E: No… but I suppose you’ll enlighten me.

P; we may be from different clutches. Our nopas never met but we eat, sleep, and we protect each other as if we were.

Ezekiel opens their mouth but nothing comes out at first.

E: siblings in arms?

P: not siblings! You’re maing this weird.

E: alright, hatchmates in arms.

P: close enough

Peaches presses zir forehead to Ezekiel’s until Peaches eyes glow a bright fuchsia color. Ezekiel feels their soul thump louder. “We talk to each other. We fight whatever’s coming at us and we prevail.”

Ezekiel swallows thickly. It’s like their mind is swimming through syrup. Who knew head to head content would do this to them? Previous headbutts in school certainly didn’t feel like this.

E: you’ve… given me a lot to think about. Thank you.

P: Ezekiel, did I do something wrong?

Peaches doesn’t finish before Ezekiel scrambles out with all of their work. Still unsure what to do about their soul. Was it broken? Why was it acting so strange? Ezekiel can’t let Peaches know it’s damaged. Fearful that it may be infectious. [It doesn’t even cross Ezekiel’s mind that anyone could possibly be romantically interested in them in any fashion. Especially in the case of Peaches, who regularly flirts with everyone, so Ezekiel assumes they get the same treatment as everyone. It isn’t until Ezekiel notices a monster lamia couple bring their heads together on multiple occasions in fiction that Ezekiel questions the connotations that nobody in the prison does this and anytime it’s brought up with lamia people laugh at Ezekiel.]

Peaches worried pushed Ezekiel away. 

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

Dino Slayer

[1st Draft]

“My first memory? It must’ve been… I don’t know. Small enough I was in my ma’s pits. On that day, must’ve broken from the pod. I’d found myself in the center of the reef panting as I stared up the sunrays twinkling down. Back then, I’d never seen the sun and thought. Wow, the sun must really have long fingers. So I though if I laid beneath it, like the coral does all day, maybe I could grow strong and strengthen my hue. I kept checking “do I look bluer than yesterday?” Ma, momma, brother, anybody.

My brother noticed it was getting me down. Somehow, he’d gotten some human markers or paint that worked underwater. Drew stars all the way down to my flippers You would not believe how excited I was to wake up to find them. I remember my brother being there when I told everyone.” Ocean laughs. It reaches his eyes for the first time. “I’d wondered, after it all washed off, why nobody questioned it.”

Ezekiel stares up at the ceiling where the plastic stars glowed in the dark. “you were kids. gullible.”

“True, but my brother was there. you don’t know scorn until you’ve seen it from a brother. Did you?”

“Not like yours.”

Ocean waits a beat for Ezekiel to continue, when it’s clear that they won’t, he continues. “Think it scared them into playing along.”

E, whistles: that’s a good one

O: how about you?

E: you’ve caught me. I have no memories. I lied to hear yours

O: do you now?

E: not a single one. speaking of- who are you, what are you and how did you get into my pool?

Ocean splashes Ezekiel who sputters

O, fangs bared: I bet it’s something bland and boring. Like your first time you saw a fish.. no.. a frog?

E: a frog? Those slimey little things? Never

O: what do you have against frogs?

E: everything.

O: don’t distract me—good memory. Now.

E: The day you taught me how to swim.

O: you know, my favorite part about bullfrogs is the viscous gel that covers there---

Ezekiel writhes on the ground like they’ve been burned, using a pillow to cover their ears. “NOOOOOhohoooo! How do you even know this? Aren’t you a salt water mer?”

Ocean cheerly adds in a documentary voice. “—their spindly glistening legs. But what people forget is that they’re not just sticky on their les but also their feet with ridges that allow them to grip any surface and feel “sticky” to the untrained—”

“I will pay with my life if you shut the fuck up right now Ocean. I swear. Don’t make me start begging.” Ezekiel crawls to the edge of the pool. “I have no dignity.”

“Then put your conches where your mouth is.” Ocean waits a second, “on the other hand, the four toed tree frog--

“One minute. Give me one minute to come up with something…” Ezekiel mumbles.

“better be real. I can tell.”

“Yes, yes. now hush if you want a story. Don’t expect anything good.”

[Ocean internally wonders if Ezekiel is trying to fabricate one or legit doesn’t remember a ton. Heard of other mers with bad days as pups who didn’t remember much.]

Ezekiel grabs a bunch of sand from the nearby box squeezing it until it’s all filtered through. “okay but you have to promise not to laugh. Otherwise I’m walking.”

Ocean smiles. For some reason, it makes Ezekiel frown.

E: you’re as bad as your sibling.

Ocean moves in closer, happy as a clam.

Ezekiel sighs. “It’s not exactly a memory but a dream. Back when I was a kid, monkeys, deer, wolves, bears, salamanders, anything that was wild and could bite, terrified me. I’d some reason been allowed to watch a movie about dinosaurs at this age. Not just any movie but one that kept these dinosaurs in an amusement park of all theses. Including predatory ones with teeth the size of a banana.

O: I’ve seen scarier

E: do you want me to tell the story or not?

O: *motions*

E: well, there’s this one scene where they’re all in their safari vans when the ground begins to shake. I must’ve been strangling my blanket in anticipation. Burnt popcorn and nachos filled the air. the camera zooms in on this cup of water vibrating, sending out little ripples. One of the kids glances in the driver side window. BAM! Dino. Big teeth, could swallow her whole stares at her.

O: did you wet yourself? I hear humans do that.

E: of course not, I did the logical thing and ran for my life. Screamed so loud it’s a wonder that I was told everyone’s ears rings. Once in my room, barricaded the door with a chair,  pulled the curtains, gathered up my strongest stuffed animals and climbed underneath my bed. I was convinced that a T-Rex could smell fear but if I were lucky, my defenses would mask it. Any attempts to get in, I was sure the T-Rex wouldn’t be far behind them. Though my friend tried—I was.. inconsolable. My fate was set. It was there, I fell asleep.

O: Where was your parents in all of this?

E: It was a friend’s house. –There I was, in the dark—

O: You were at a friends den, hiding … all night.. and nobody fetched your nopa, ma or da?

E: I was very young. Like, five or six. Do you remember things from when you were five or six?

O: I’d remember that.

E: anyway… I tossed and turned al that night, dreaming about big old T-Rex coming to eat me. It chased me from sea to sea. No matter what rock I hid under or distance I put between me and her—she always found me. Then, for some reason, it occurred to me that it was past my bedtime and therefore, far past hers as well so I turned around and slapped the dino, hard enough to turn cheek and I said. “It’s past your bed time. Go home, sad chicken! BAWK BAWK!” I wasn’t the most inventive with insults.

Ezekiel’s gaze grew distant as if the effort to recall was as train. “It balled its eyes out until it ran all the way home.. yeah, oh and I came out that morning and told… someone, my friend, “T-Rex won’t be a problem.” And that I could “watch the movie now.”

Ocean: Ezekiel, slayer of dinosaurs

E: which needs no repeating. Hmm Someone told it many times to me as a kid. Honestly, it’s idiotic and I’m not sure how much of the dream part is accurate. I only remember running upstairs.

O: are there a lot of movies like that?

E: like hwat?

O: that make you scream?

E: like.. horror movies? I wasn’t ever the type for those

Ezekiel could see the gears turning in Ocean’s head.

E: is this revenge for the time I started you—I said I was sorry. No need to torment me with jump scares the rest of my existence.

O, momentary shift in expression: its only right. what’s the saying? An eye for an arm and a tail?

E: it most certainly isn’t. remind me to never trust your movie once you get out of here.

O: Don’t worry. I’ll have Peaches pick it instead.

E: you’ll scar your sibling too? diabolical

O: unlike you, I know what upsets my sibling. Ze could watch a hundred of your silly movies, long as no bird or puppy gets injured, it’d take far more to shake zem

E: fine. we’ll check if the dog survives website

O: there’s a source for that? for every movie?

E: that’s what they say. admittedly, I haven’t seen a movie in awhile. I’m more of a reader. But it sound list whether an fictional dogs, at least, died or lied. What? You’d be amazed the number of people who can’t stand it

Ocean flashes a smile that Ezekiel isn’t sure what to do with. “What is that?”

O: what?

E: that smile again. you haven’t done it before

Ocean chuckles: yeah its been awhile

He looks sad again

Ezekiel, internally: dammit

E: if I do wet myself, you’ll be responsible for providing a change of clothes at these “movie nights”

Ocean snorts

O: wouldn’t your future home have a blanket? Peaches can wrap you up, keep your feeling safe

E: you’d leave a guest naked?

O: I’m naked all the time. I don’t mind

Ezekiel suddenly realizes this and stares at the ceiling

O: really?

E: that’s what you get for revealing your secret

O: I haven’t even conjured anything

E: you’re making weird. stop it.

O: virgin

E: nudist

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

The After & Giggles

[1st draft]

The After & Giggles

It’s late at night. Peaches has Ezekiel on zir lap to braid their hair. It’s a little couple twist braids which definitely will need to be washed out to straighten but it calms Peaches enough to answer questions.

“Who was the 5th President of the United Pollocks?”

“Rivera?”

“close, that’s the fourth.” Ezekiel flips over the index card, showing Peaches the one for Johnson.

Ezekiel shuffles the missed cards, awhile putting aside the passed cards in a discard pile.

“What’s it like out there?”

“You’ll have to be more specific. Pollocks is a big place.”

“Do people ever wonder where you’re going?”

“Depends.” Ezekiel hums. “In the bigger cities, nobody really cares. Wwell, at least for me they didn’t. Sometimes, I’d just go out for walks in my pajamas late  at night for the hell of it. I’d walk until I got sore and then walked home.”

“You aren’t worried about being attacked?”

Ezekiel turns, catching the tightening of Peaches jaw. “That somebody would…” ze glances down.

The words felt distant on Ezekiel’s tongue. They hadn’t been out at night. Security had been too tight to go further than the exterior fense. At the start Ezekiel could but as Dr Drew cut back on their magic doses and the effort simply to get up in the morning felt unsurmountable, losing sleep from the shortest of walks, Ezekiel stopped even trying to sneak out.

Ezekiel given up months ago.

“I don’t worry.”

“I’d worry.”

Ezekiel chuffs, turning back to the files. “If you’re worried about how you’ll fair out there, take one step at a time. I won’t lie. It’ll be hard” if everything goes according to plan “but it’ll be worth it. I have a couple friends you can call who will be more than happy to help.”

Peaches arms circle around them. zir head resting on theirs. “what about you?”

“What about me?”

Peaches breathes comes in sharp. “Will you come with me?”

Those words steal the air from Ezekiel’s longs, the hope. How can ze even still have it in a place like this? Much less Ezekiel’s presence being… no. It’s just to keep things in order. Peaches has nobody on the outside. Even if Ezekiel is only pretending that they can even go outside.

“My friends will be more than capable.”

“Why can’t you do it? What if I need tutoring for something else? What if I have to read one of those big contracts?”

“Peaches..” They sigh. “I’d love to help you get settle in but… I want to make sure I get all four of you out of here first. What about your sibling? It may take me more time to work with them.”

Peaches grip on Ezekiel tightens, curling against their back. “And if they’re out?”

If I’m still alive by then?

Wouldn’t that be a fine world to fantasize about?

Going back home to Ebott. Finding Parlov. Watching Gloria’s kids grow up Danif probably has one on the way. Their spunky adoptive teens will be… 18? 19 this year?

Would any of them even recognize Ezekiel?

Ezekiel runs a hand along their cheek.

“I.. I’d like that.”

“But…”

“Some of us… we’re not as good dreamer as you. We only think small steps. Like you passing this test. Then getting far away from here.”

“And her?”

Ezekiel nods. “I don’t even know what I’d do. I certainly wouldn’t be able to hold my old job… maybe if I got paid under the table”

“You could sell plants?” Peaches offers. Playing with a lock of Ezekiel’s hair. “you could have a plant baby store.

“A nursery?” Ezekiel can’t help but smile at that.

Peaches’ goofy grin. In the dark, zir freckles sparkle like stars.

 “Yeah! I’d do the rat catching.”

“Pest control?”

“Yup! And you’d do.. the other stuff.”

Ezekiel lays on Peaches tummy, propping up their head on crossed arms. “What if I want to do the pes control?”

“You’d faint before you caught one.”

“Nope. In fact, I just caught one the other day.”

“You did?” Peaches eyes them with heavy skepticism.

“I told it how it’s breath stank and it was so mortified it died.” Ezekiel pulls out the shattered remains of a computer mouse.

For a second, Ezekiel worried it wouldn’t work, but then Peaches’ confusion broke out into a smile. “Pff..” Shaking zir head.

“What? you don’t believe me?”

Peaches shakes zir head. slightly sad. “I’d be dust too if you told me I smelled bad.”

“You better watch out then. I might call you something worse if you cross me.”

Peaches puffs up. “Yeah?”

“Don’t test me! I would say things like ‘you are the most not dumb, not lazy and not a waste of space.’ Along with my other top ten insults.”

Peaches glowers. “Not waste of—those aren’t even insults!... those are.. compliments?! You’re complimenting me!”

“No, they’re not.”

“Yes, they are! You’re the worst insulter ever!”

Ezekiel shakes theirhead, closing their eyes beneath them. Peaches quivers angrily in that way ze gets when ze can’t figure out the words to express zemself.

“You better not be asleep!”

“Can’t stop me.” Ezekiel pulls the blanket over them.

The air shifts.. a warmth fills their soul at Peaches’ hand resting on their back. whatever is happening, it makes Ezekiel smile stupid wide if they don’t pay attention.

“Ezekiel—the human—Partridge, look at me when I’m talking to you.”

I don’t remember teaching zem that.

“I decline.”

“Well then… you’re a—a—NOT mean person.”

In an instant, Ezekiel felt another swish in their soul that made it sky rocket as they felt laughter bubbling up.

They made a bad call with this game.

Ezekiel feels their cheeks burn as they try to keep a straight face. “What a… not terrible insult.”

“Screw you. NOT.”

Ezekiel tries to sit up but all the warmth combined with their chest shaking from hiding the laughter makes them tumble over. So shocked by it, a laugh escapes.

“zeek?”

Fuck. That was very unprofessional.

“I have vital business to attend to.”

Peaches voice has a lilt as ze says. “Turn around.”

“I really can’t.” Another giggle escapes. Damn this lamia and zir wiley ways. “J-hrk- just stumbled.”

Peaches circles around them. Ezekiel conveniently turns around, walking like a crab side ways toward the door. Pulling up their skii mask in preparing for leaving.

“Are you sure that wasn’t a laugh?”

“Coughing.”

Ezekiel’s shoulders shakes as they mumble. “It was a pleasure studying with you.”

“zeek?” a note of uncertainly in zir voice. Stupidly they turn around.

“Do you always change color when you like something?”

Ezekiel groans. Might as well get this over with. “Flustered.”

“What does flustered mean?”

Welp, I had a good run.

“It means you’re… happy but you also don’t know what to do with it.”

“So you’re confused why you’re so NOT not caring? And NOT not reliable?” Peaches closes the distance between them, smirking as Ezekiel stumbles into the wall. Who closed the cell? Fuck, they went the wrong way.

“that’s that.. what I—”

“Loving.” Peaches purrs right in their ears.

It feels as if the whole world shook.

“It’s just a job.” In a very small mousey voice.

“And handsome.” Peaches pulls away.

Like that Ezekiel’s kneels knock out from under them as they cover their face.

“And such a pretty shade of red.”

“I’m going to drown you in sprinkle.”

Peaches pauses. “what are sprinkles?”

“Thing you put on cupcakes. Tiny cakes. Size of my first.”

Peaches pulls down zir hands to giggle. “It’s a good thing I have a magnificent memory. We’ll do it on the outside.”

Ezekiel breaks into the loudest laughter. It comes out so fast and so hard that by the time they try to slow down, their wheezing a coughing.

“Don’t you die on me. I didn’t give you permission.”

Which only makes Ezekiel wheeze all the harder. By the end of it, Peaches had been rubbing Ezekiel’s back as the tears roll down Ezekiel’s cheeks.

“You should laugh more. I like it.”

Ezekiel covers their face. “Why do you do this to me?” groans

“So you don’t like it?” Concern tugs on Peaches’s voice.

Ezekiel sighs. “nice. Just tiring.”

“good.” Peaches curls up around you.

* * *

Ezekiel stops by Peaches ell 1st before helping out Mauve.

Mauve: what the fuck’s wrong with your face?

Ezekiel, very flustered: Allergies.

Distantly hears. “GOTTEM!”

[bh-writingdump]

Zeek's Freaks

Crimson Meets+ (Ed 1)

[Rough-ish 1sts Draft]

1st C's Meets E / 2nd The Tunnels / 3rd Eye Spy

Ink’s one of the only ones who can remove Ezekiel from the floor. While Ink doesn’t want to mark Ezekiel, the idea of them going in Crimson’s cell, dying and nobody remembering him on the outside is terrifying. (Note: Ezekiel did not tell Ink directly but was overheard by someone else who passed it to Ink.) Ink decides a tattoo is necessary to protect his investment. Crimson’s way of attack is through biting or strings. So by making a tattoo that makes it so strong that when activated, Ezekiel’s skin is like tanned leather will give them some degree of protection.

Unlike Sepia and Ink, Crimson strikes at people for “no reason” and spends more time in solitary confinement than out (aka. the sound proof shield over the cell is dropped). Crimson could go from docile to violent extra fast.

It’s part of why Ezekiel takes so much longer to enter Crimson’s cell than anyone else. Despite Ezekiel being open to having the cell door open, they won’t go within the yellow line. Even with all these precautions, it doesn’t come close to preparing for it.

Crimson comes off the least confident of all of them. The idea of having human, much less a witch this close without some assurance is terrifying. His strings never leave Ezekiel’s neck that 1st time. Ezekiel wouldn’t have entered at all if not for a clear sign of injury which somehow Crimson bandaged.

The discovery of their soul makes the usually calm and collected Ezekiel terrified. Ezekiel screams, clear fear (momentary contact). Crimson lets their body go and holds onto their soul. Not touching it, holding it.

The feeling of terror subsides and Ezekiel finds themselves confused why they were so terrified before, usually they aren’t scared of death type to scream.

Ezekiel tires to negotiate but Crimson touches their soul again, driving straight into a memory. The sensation is palpable, intense, painful. By the time it stops, Ezekiel is legit scared of getting out in one piece even though holding it together somewhat. Profusely sweating and shaking from the strain of their memories being roughly prodded at.

Crimson: she’s your mom. That’s why you’re here.

He grins with satisfaction at their quivering

Crimson: but she won’t come for you, will she? She knew you’d do something stupid. Get yourself killed. Clean her of this mess.

E: no! she wouldn’t—she’s fucked up but she wouldn’t intentionally

C: that’s where you’re wrong. if she wanted you to get better, she wouldn’t have sent you here. she wouldn’t be punishing you throwing you into my cell. She would’ve kept you far from this place as she could.

Crimson opens his mouth. Ezekiel stares in horror at rows upon rows of sharp teeth ready to puncture your soul. Ezekiel closes their eyes, only to feel a chilling breeze that makes the shudder.

C: next time you come in here, I’ll eat your soul, got that?

Ezekiel bolts. Not so much thinking as running. Over the course of months it took to work up to this, Ezekiel began to rely on Peaches for feeling safe, whether or not they care to admit it, a part of them seeks that safety. They type in code. So much habit that they don’t hesitate stepping across the threshold and stepping into Peaches arms.

E: he’s wrong. she wouldn’t she—she cares. She-she wouldn’t’.” It takes several hours for Ezekiel to be semi-cognizant of what’s happening. By then, the leather skin had faded. Bruises circled their neck and Peaches kept petting them, pumping them with affectionate intent. The memory makes Ezekiel tense, ready to bolt again but Peaches manages to sooth them in a similar way Ezekiel did for zem.

Peaches: zeek, look at me.

E: no nonono

Peaches helps Ezekiel look

E; he’s wrong!

P: what color are my eye lights?

E: no!

P: you know the rules.

Peaches is surprised when Ezekiel nods, answering the lamia’s questions and going through a number of exercises.

P: remember, pain is temporary. This will all pass

E: clings to Peaches, shaking hard

It takes another hour to calm Ezekiel down. Peaches keeps zemself between the door and Ezekiel.

E: I’m fine. It’s just a head ache

P: sleep

E: *yawns* I’m not even tired

P: you know what ocean would say

E: Peaches, I work tomorrow

P: he’d say you need to remove the barnacle from up your ass and rest.

E: language.

E: I appreciate the sentiment but I’ve met your sibling. He is great things but affectionate towards me is not one of them.

P: I’ll prove it to you

E: this doesn’t require my presense

P: I’ll talk to him.

Ezekiel tries to climb off but Peaches curls their tail around them and drags them back. Peaches knocks on the wall in code.

E: Peaches, I mean it. let me go.

A furious ratatattat comes back. Ezekiel groans as he’s held like a teddy bear or a cat under the armpits.

P: does that sound like he doesn’t care?

E: I wouldn’t know, I don’t speak in his creative insults.

How many different ways was there to say that they should shove it? Only Ocean would know 99 ways to say it wouldn’t swearing.

P: just try and listen, please?

The message is repeated

E: you’re right, he did say my name so he must care.

Peaches, exasperated: he said if you’re not staying with me until you recover, you should stay with him tonight.

E: well, that isn’t happening.

P: I admire your confidence

Ezekiel tries to get out but it’s like fighting solid rock.

E*glares*

P*smiles*

E*red faced glaring*

Peaches sighs and lets Ezekiel go before they get so pissed that they’re head explodes. They stop at the door, unable to keep their hands steady enough to put on their shoes. the whole mechanics of it upsets them. Tears in their eyes.

Peaches lies next to them, not touching, waiting for Ezekiel to ask for help.

Rather than leave, Ezekiel crawls back into Peaches arms and passes out.

* * *

Ezekiel pretends it didn’t happen the next day. Though when they’re nervous, they tug on their high collared shirt like it’s too tight.

Ink entirely forgot about the previous night but does ask about the strange bruising around their neck. The question is more out of boredom but Ezekiel is quick to leave, finding themselves leaning against a wall beside Peaches cell. There are whispers.

Ezekiel can’t sleep. Keeps thinking of crimson coming for them in their dreams. Ezekiel goes to Ink for a tattoo. This one is to protect their soul. Upon Ink finding out why, Ink adds another tattoo. It’s all located on their back, just under the neck. Ezekiel can’t tell what Ink is doing. It’s a permanent effect that creates bars around the soul that takes significant time and magic expenditure that would even give Crimson a hard time. Enough time that Ink would be able to send guards to Crimson’s cell.

Ezekiel goes up to the glass, telling Crimson that they’re coming in.

E: come out, Crimson, I know you’re in there.

C *laughter*

Ezekiel isn’t sure why they’re here. only that they want to make the nightmares stop. That Crimson will know exactly what he wrought. It takes going into the funnel webs to find Crimson. It’s a maze that Ezekiel easily gets lost in.

There’s voices that echo.

Kid: oh no, here’s here again! RUN!

A chorus of childish shrieks.

Teen: toldja we should’ve laid traps

Tween: and get shocked? That’s all you pal.

Kid: bad spiders bite. We’re not bad

E: Crimson, whatever this is, I’d appreciate if you shut it off now. you’ve had your fun.

Voices go quiet. By the time Ezekiel gets out Crimson is waking up and walking out another tunnel.

Crimson looks up at Ezekiel like he’s seen a ghost.

Strings criss-cross out of nowhere making a new wall that divides Ezekiel from the tunnels.

Crimson laughs ominously, the sound of his feet skitter.

E: Yesterday’s business isn’t over Crimson. I won’t apologize for checking in on you. Reports said that you were seriously injured. Throwing me out would’ve been a sound reaction but touching my soul? You know you crossed a line.

Laughter cuts off, a softer voice speaks. Then the next one comes out gravellier than Crimson’s voice, like he’s got a cold.

C: next time you’ll be dead

No more voices, not Crimson, not a strangers.

Was that Crimson’s magic? The shock collars were notorious for being bad at modulating certain magic types, especially ones categorized as “errors” that could very so wildly.

* * *

It takes time to shake the panic but eventually Ezekiel’s soul settled to return another time. Ezekiel tried multiple times trying to offer coffee like the first time to no luck. It seems that Crimson talking through the glass is remarkably rare. Less rare than him emerging, usually he came out for meals but otherwise would stay inside.

Ezekiel came at night again, giving a warning during the day of how it’d transpire once the staff was gone. Nothing.

Ezekiel enters the cell, sitting down in the one area that the webs light any light through from the outside, coffee in hand along with sugar, cream, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Ezekiel: So… what happened yesterday

Strings shoot out, snatching the coffee but leaving the rest. Ezekiel tensed the intrusion, ready to for a fight. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they noticed a small part of the web had been cut open. Scared hands scoop up the cup. Sniffing, a sip, then coughing.

E: your welcome

Ezekiel admittedly, tried several times to get it right. Perhaps the co-worker they asked had been giving bad advise…

Ezekiel finds themselves, shaking, anxiety, panic, fear, somewhat exhilarating. A need to know so strong Ezekiel asks.

E: I’d appreciate an explanation for yesterday… the other day.

The shield comes down all of a sudden. Shoot. The shifts had switched today.

Ezekiel turns a key on the emergency button. All of a sudden something slams into their hand, pinning them to the wall.

C: you must have a death wish

Ezekiel throws out hand to smack Crimson away only for another string to yank them against the wall. Arms pinned above their head, Ezekiel stares into the glowing ruby red eyes of Crimson. Despite being around Ezekiel’s height, it didn’t dampen the effect as swaths of magic mist roll off them.

C: or what? You think I’ll be your bet for a little respect?

The bindings tighten

C: think again.

Ezekiel takes a moment to examine Crimson’s wounds, incredibly, many of them are on the way to being healed.

E: that’s remarkable. The last time I saw you, I thought you’d catch an infection or something with how they looked

Crimson steps back, covering the gash on his side.

C: how the hell do you know?

Does he.. not remember?

E: I was here last week? After you got in a fight with Sepia?

Crimson looks stone faced at you, no recognition.

E: when was the last time you saw me?

Crimson winces like he’d suddenly got a head ache.

C: couple weeks ago. Speakin’ of

His gaze drops down to your soul. Ezekiel presses their back into the wall.

E: would you like to participate in a test? It won’t hurt.

C: I’d sooner cut a leg off.

E: fair, if not a test, what about a game?

Crimson’s face goes unreadable.

C: what kind of game?

E: eye spy

C: what’s in it for us?

E: more terrible coffee

Crimson looks ready to say no then rubs his head like he’s got a head ache again.

C: alright, beset out of 5. You get 2, I get 3.

E: would you like to start?

The game goes. Brief flicks of excitement come off when Ezekiel loses and Crimson (sometimes not Crimson) wins. Sometimes a brief gasp or an “o” expression that passes that could’ve been Crimson being excited but almost looks childlike.

After Ezekiel loses, they drop off more coffee.

* * *

On the way back, Ezekiel passes by Ocean. Ocean usually has a very peppy cheery demeanor yet, he’s sulking. It’s more challenging practicing with him. He doesn’t seem to be entirely listening.

It’s only when Ezekiel gets up they hear the most beautiful singing. Ocean sings of cozy fire places, dark nooks where no one will find them. Somehow knowing exactly what would appeal to Ezekiel in that moment. They stumble, then crawl into the water, right into Ocean’s arms.

It takes a second for it to register what a bad idea that is.

“Shit. Ocean, I got something’s that’s healing. Why would you even do that?” Ezekiel hisses. The water feels terrible at it, stinging the tender flesh of their wrists too.

“What’s healing?” Ocean keeps up their peppy tone but there’s an edge.

Ezekiel, in a hurry to get out, says, “a tattoo. Recently gone one… on my back—ow! right where touching.”

Thankfully, Ocean lets go after that, letting you use the ladder to climb out only for him to pull up their shirt.

“Not only you went into Crimson’s cell but you went to INK as well?! I thought the rumors couldn’t get more insane.”

E: what I do is none of your concern.

Apparently, wrong tone. Ocean pulls them beneath the water, blue magic making them sink like a stone. If it weren’t for the air bubble around them, they would’ve drown in seconds. “Do you even remember what I said I’d do if you went there again?

E: noted. Can I leave now?

O: no.

Ezekiel remained there for a long time, walking along the bottom of the pool. It’s tempting to knock to get someone else to pull them out but knowing Ocean, this was akin to a time out rather than a way to hurt them. They’d wait it out and Ocean wouldn’t be knocked out for simply caring? Is that what it is?

Either way, Ezekiel was not happy coming out looking like a prune after a 20 minute time out.

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

Ink Means _ (Ed 1)

[1st draft]

Ink hangs over his chair, staring at the restrained human in front of him. Eyes glossy like marbles. The skin of that rough bumpy texture that made his tattoo machine go wild compared to the satisfying grind of bone.

“You sure I can’t have a monster? A proper skeleton monster?”

The guard keeps his gaze staring straight ahead but he notices a little drip of sweat coming down his neck. He should’ve known a guard coming off the drug would get him something like this. Judging by how the fellows other wounds healed, Ink doubts he’d even survive. Guy picks at his own skin and gloves tapped around his wrists for crying out loud.

“Mandy, I’m borrred. Can’t you get me some bone. Or at least a little skin with some oomph? This canvas.. I doubt it’ll even hold my magic its so far gone.”

The guard keeps staring ahead, a little tremor in his hand. Boring.

* * *

Back in his cell, Ink gathers up the yellow paint he’d gather up from the patient. It isn’t much but a drop mixed with a little orange makes his bones feel like butter. Feels just like weed. Stretching out in his cell, he leans against his favorite wall watching all the other doctors walk by. What he wouldn’t give to be out there, marking their bodies.

That’s when Ink catches notice of a nurse dragging her feet. Ink chuckles, leaning on the glass, whispers as she comes by. “I like your broach. The herculean beetle compliments your shirt nicely.”

Her heavy eyes give him in the once over. “No.”

“No? I don’t think the outfits that bad.”

She crosses her arms. Her gaze like a solar flare. “I know about your paint.”

Ah, so they do talk. That’s good. It’ll make things run all the faster.

“New stuff. Nothing like the old stuff.”

“How long does it take? 1st dose, second?”

“I’m not the one self-prescribing until I’m reliant. My.. patients are.” Ink laughs like that’s the funniest joke yet.

She shakes her head, passing by. Ink notices a limp. “Pain medication not working? I got something for that.” He names a price.

For a barely perceptible moment, she slows, then keeps walking. Hook, line and sinker. She’ll be by later tonight. What he does miss is the doctor approaching his cell. They drop a metal chair with a clang. He flinches.

Maybe he did take a little too much.

On instinct, Ink searches for the shocker. None. New face. It’s got the wrinkles but not the furrow in the ridge that marks the veterans.

“How fresh are you?” their name tag reads, ‘Ezekiel Partridge’. “Ezekiel, Dr Drew didn’t assign me to you, did she?” He smirks at the focus the young doctors has. Brushing himself off, he sits up to give them his full attention.

The kind of stuff he could rake in with this one, might be a money bucket for years. Then again, the look in Ezekiel’s eye said otherwise. Curiosity maybe? If they’re thinking what Ink thinks they’re thinking, they could be a problem.

He casually stretches so to make eye contact with Sepia (Nightmare). Who, of course, decided this was a time to take a nap. Ezekiel follows his gaze to the sleeping octopus mer.

Ezekiel nods, dropping the file into his food tray.

Ink takes it. “What’s this for?” It doesn’t look like a test, lot of baseline questions about his mental state, what kind of teaching technique works best for him—is this a test or a survey?

Before Ink can ask the newby what this is bout, they’ve gone to the next cell.

Maybe they weren’t for the drugs after all.

[bh-writingdump]

Zeek's Freaks

Blanket

[1st draft]

Peaches isn’t sure what ze can get for so shoots for things that are at least convenient like blankets and a hoodie. One by one ze asks.

The blanket has the added bonus of being an offensive weapon.

Ezekiel deactivates the glass. Cordons off a 6 foot dimeter around saying to show how far Peaches can go before the collar activates in case something happens.

E: I wouldn’t advise stepping out of bounds but it should be safe out to here at least. *gestures around yellow line*

P *nervous*

E: I promise I won’t hurt you for coming out. If it’ll make you feel better, I’m not comfortable with this either.

But the doctors are supposed to always know what they’re doing and confident.

E: *pushes blanket* I hope this will suffice for the time being. I couldn’t find that hoodie

Peaches snatches it, smelling it, not lemony. For some reason, Peaches is disappointed. Still, ze wraps it around zemself and backs away, watching E set a timer.

1 hour.

Once its clear Peaches doesn’t intent on coming out any further, they say “I’ll be here if you have any questions. This is your time. I’m at your disposal.”

Peaches has trouble making sense of the word. They’re weird and soft from yesterday. “If your not a doctor, I don’t have to call you by your last name.”

“No, you don’t… It’s Ezekiel.”

“Ezekiel.” It doesn’t sit right.

Patridge shrugs. “People prefer Patridge. I suspect it has to do with the association with birds. Though, a few have called me zeek but it’s fairly childish.”

Zeek? Now that sounded just right. “zeek’s better.”

Peaches watches the way Partridge’s hair shifts as it falls smoothly as they turn away. Lemony smell dances in the air. Peaches breathes in, suddenly gripped by the sudden clenching of zir soul. Before ze knows it, Peaches crosses the great divide between them. the blanket thrown around Partridge as if to keep them warm. Pulling them over the threshold. Only to have something stop zem from going further. A rope attached to their belt.

Zeek struggle to push away from Peaches but it’s like a kitten struggling in zir arms. Too easy to keep a hand on its back so it squirms doesn’t it zem or itself.

Someone shouts something. For the first time, a chilling anger leas into zeek’s voice. “Dr Peterson, is this truly the time? Or would you rather me turn off the shock collar next time you tend to the octopus mer?”

“Oh, he’s plenty ware. Know how many times he’s done this?” His words sound distant, like he’s not even there. A smug grin pulled at his stubble. “Enough that we sedate him for any tests. Makes his data beyond useless but he’s fine at culling the heart. Say, Patridge, how’s that hour of uninterrupted time sounding now? Need someone to cut it short? Got a tranq gun right here?”

Zeek stills, breathing short and slow. “No I’m… fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. this is all part of the plan.” Their voice goes cold as the artic

Peterson jeers. “I’ll give you the night. Let you get acquainted. Maybe you’ll be married by morning. Give Johannus something fun to watch.”

Peaches keeps an eye on Dr Peterson until he’s gone. The ward breaks out into whispers. A few shout out. “Nice catch! Can I have a piece?” But they might as well not exist as Peaches curls around you. Pressed up to zir chest, zeek can’t move aside from their arms. Their hairs so soft and silky. If the proximity hadn’t dulled the ache, the touch made it go away. Peaches must’ve been doing it for awhile by the time ze registered zeek growling. “Peaches, I know you can hear me. You’re a good person. I’m not angry. But I need you to let me go.”

“Good person?” Peaches parrots the strange words.

“Precisely. I won’t report this. Dr Drew won’t know. I need you to…” Peaches cups their cheek, brushing away the hair. It makes zeek look away, jaw tight as tight as fishing line. “I.. need you to.. listen. very very closely. I am not angry. I don’t mind… sitting beside you but I need you to put me down, do you understand.”

No, no. they want to go. Peaches can’t let them go.

“Stay.”

“that’s right. I stay but you have to let me go.”

“Stay.”

“Stay. Yes.” zeek nods slowly, wriggling against the coils pinning their legs to Peaches. “You wouldn’t hurt a friend would you?”

“Friend?”

Zeek nods. “could be. But friends don’t hold each other hostage to pet their hair.”

“friends… friends stay close. They protect each other.”

For some reason, zeek’s eyes narrow. “I suppose.”

“zeek?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t go.”

“I won’t.” zeek says, affronted. “I’ll hug you before I go. Prom—but you have to let me go know.”

How did everything get so confusing?

Regrettably, Peaches loosens zir grip on zeek. uncoiling enough for zeek o stumble out onto the tile floor stretching and patting their legs. Relief only to wince.

“Did I—”

“They just fell asleep. They’ll wake up again.”

Zeek walks back with exaggerated steps before throwing their arms around Peaches. Zir girth a little much for zeek’s tiny human arms but the pressure was there.

Peaches pulls them close with zir arms instead. A looser hug than before. So much closer this time, ze can even hear their heart beat.

“Stay.” Ze purse.

“Fine but no braiding my hair. Its unprofessional.”

Soon as zeek settles into Peaches’s arms it was like everything was right in the world. No fighting. No tests no walls. No ceiling. Like back when the world was ig and good. Peaches closes zir eyes, imagining a long winding river. Fish a plenty for Ocean and enough game to keep Peaches sated for hours.

Peaches imagines holding Ocean’s far smaller form now in zir arms. The way Ocean would smile and murmur that he could go after “just one more.” A game that could go on awhile as each of them requested, “just one more” before they parted. It helped so much on the bad days.

“How’s my Peachie feeling?”

When was the last time ze heard Ocean’s voice?

Peaches shudders as ze feels a reassuring squeeze back.

Zeek’s head rests heavily on zir chest. Wait, is that enough breathing for a human? Peaches lifts their head up, they groggily murmur. “what was ..? Hmm.. Eyes half lidded, like they just woke up. A tiny light glowing from beneath their shirt. Peaches lifts it up. the cyan light grow stronger. Taking up a softball size dome in their chest, a glass orb contained their soul. So close to the surface, it’s a wonder they don’t keel over from the wind.

Dozens of wires plug into it. A fine mist fills it. Its beat slow and reassure as if on the verge of sleep yet twinkling bright.

Zeek tugs on the shirt to bring it down. As if they didn’t notice the light show being put on. It’s so pretty, is that what all human souls look like?

“Peaches…” zeek growls

The shirts down. lights gone. Zeeks a bit more awake and grumpy.

Peaches slowly let them go. “I didn’t…”

That was their soul. Singing. Human souls weren’t supposed to be visible like that outside of a fight. Someone did this.

Zeek stumbles, leading to Peaches scooping them into another hug. They shiver, gasping like being tugged back above water. there still was a light blue shimmer through the shirt. But slowly, Peaches rubbed zir back until it dissipated.

Awareness comes back to zeek, bracing against Peaches, zir breathes come in heavy, “No more.”  pushing away Peaches hands.

This time zeek just leans against Peaches as they struggle for breathes. “need a minute. I’m.. almost there.”  They murmur.

A part of Peaches feels bad. It must be terrible sharing your soul to someone whose not your mate but … how could zeek have known that. it was there.

A thin layer of sweat glitters along zeek’s skin. Their arm pits soaked and a patch of sweat at the small of their back. hair rumple. Peaches tries to pat it down. zeek shakes their head as if that’ll do it.

The hair settles.

Peaches hand waver as zeek finally speaks. “What just happened?” zeek waits, not getting an answer, they tap their chest orb. It clinks. “I felt so weird.”

Tears wells up in Peaches eyes. ze hurriedly wipes them away. unable to meet zeek’s eyes.

“Did you mean to do that?”

“No!” Peaches would never. That would be-that’d be one of the worst things, especially to someone who didn’t know what it meant. Just seeing it… Peaches would have to try to forget. It’s only right. No matter how beautiful the human’s soul was.

Still, ze couldn’t help but say. “Souls… shouldn’t be like that.. you aren’t sick but you’re…”

“Yes, well, mine is.” zeek straightens out their clothing, look in a hurry to leave yet pauses. “you grabbed me.”

Peaches reaches out only to get glared at. “Did I hurt you?”

“Beside the point…” zeek stared at the ceiling like it’d reveal the answers. “Ask next time.”

“You wouldn’t have come.”

Zeek stills but doesn’t argue.

“Can I hug you again, next time?” Peaches trails off, scratching at a mark that hadn’t healed right.

Zeek: maybe. How long’s this been happening.

Peaches: ??

Zeek: you didn’t look like yourself when you grabbed me.

Peaches: *shrugs* been awhile.

Zeek: how long?

Peaches: idk.

Zeek: you know how long. you don’t get that touched starved without knowing.

Peaches, stiffens: 365 cycles.

Zeek: cycle?

Peaches: 7 days a cycle.

Zeek: a week… *eyes widen* *sighs*

Zeek: this will have to be dealt with first. there must be a way to get you a.. uh.. nesting friend

Peaches hand rested on their side, not restrictively so. “Can’t you?”

“5 minutes.”

Peaches: ???

“5 minutes on the timer. I… I have other patients.” Zeek yawn stretching before muttering something about “stupd ideas.” They gave them an approving look. “For one of your requests, would you like my company?”

“Inside inside?”

Zeek nods.

“Like this?”

Zeek nods.

“and I can touch your hair?”

“Absolutely not.” They cover their head against zir wandering hands. “There’ll be rules. Strict rules. 1) no touching my hair. 2) making me.. feel the thing.”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

“Don’t make me fall asleep.”

“I’d think that’d be a good thing, that means you’re very relaxed.”

“Neither of us will be very relaxed if I get fired. Do we have an understanding?”

Peaches nods for fear of losing out. zeek had to come back. even the idea of letting them go now hurt. Peaches is quick to cup zeek’s back, too nervous to do more.

[bh-writingdump]

Zeek's Freaks

Original

[old draft, messy] / AO3

Nurse Andrews flipped through his notes. Of course on his last day Dr Shapiro piled up so much the clamp could barely hold it. He came to a stop beside the first habitation cell. The lamia within took zir time slithering over. A lanky lamia towered over him, making him feel like a child in comparison.

A whistle drew his attention to the smug lamia. “you forgot something.”. Zir luminescent pinkish-orange tongue flicked in and out invitingly. In his lower periphery something wiggled. Nurse Andrew’s gaze dropped to zir hand in an OK gesture, “Gotcha.” Peaches snickered.

He rolled his eyes, like he definitely didn’t see that coming. “Oh darn.”

He muttered beneath his breath. A soft snort came over the light chatter from neighboring habitation cells.

Flipping through his patient files, one of them floated to the ground.

Subject 071? Vanilla? He’d been transferred years ago, how was he still in the system… hmm

Pronouns: he/him, they/them

That isn’t Vanilla, then who is it? Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me? How childish could you possibly be?

Previous Occupation: monster fuck boy

“you okay, zeek-a-reeno?”

His tongue felt like sand paper reading what came next. He might as well have a dozen gallbladder stones clattering around his body.

Items of Note: wears gawdy black and white clothing that gives him a slutty Halloween look down to his disgusting fake bleach blond hair.

“what is..”

‘Additional notes’ read in Dr Glover’s neat handwriting. Nurse Andrews crumpled up the trash, tossing it away, only for it to drift upward and out of view.

Paper crinkled.

“g l o v e r.”

Nurse Andrew hurriedly flipped through the rest of his notes. He desperately scanned each page.

Subject Patient: 069 Peaches     ze/zir

Previous occupation: [redacted]

Items of Note: collects shoes

Subject Patient: 404 Ocean   any/all pronouns

Previous Profession: [redacted]

Items of note: can’t stand being alone, never show him your back

Additional notes: needs more stimuli

Subject Patient: 999 Crimson   he/him

Previous Profession: engineer

Items of note: only lamia from original group still in treatment]

Nurse Andrews flipped through his notes at the speed of light.

No, no, no! He’d taken months collecting all those.

“ay, zeek? earth to zeek? listen, s’alright, we can—"

After the nurse took a photo of Crimson struggling to open up a pickle jar, many patients insisted that they’d only take the psychological eval and additional tests if they also had theirs taken. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Nurse Andrews found himself with a scrap book’s worth of photos.

All gone.

Every. Single. One.

The entire wing seemed to go silent.

“is it just me, or is dessert on the menu?” A husky voice rumbled beside Nurse Andrew’s ear.

Ze followed the low rumbling purr.

How long was he  standing there?

Enticing hooded sockets crease in pleasure at the attention. “cuz i just realized i got a sweet tooth.”

The nurse blinked owlishly. Like he’s suddenly being pulled out of quick sand.

“Took you long enough?..”

“and i wanna eat you up.” To drive zir point home, zir long thick tongue slid out. Dizzyingly bright and dexterous with a single row of bumps that dissected it down the middle. So dumbstruck, he nearly reached out and touched it. “heh, you got something on your tie.”

Zir phalange hooked around it through the ventilation holes, giving it a light tug. There, Peaches held it. The two staring into each others eyes.

Bit by bit, pieces came back into focus. He was looking at the files, right? The one he dropped is curiously absent. He dismissed it, instead vying to flip through Dr Glover’s report on Peaches. Absently, he tugged back his tie like one would an offered flower.

Noticeably, Dr Glover removed nearly every privilege Peaches had after yesterday’s incident. Zir habitation cell was bare except for what Peaches wore. A sunset hoodie that advertises some mountain resort the nurse visited as a tot. It only reached zir midriff. Usually, ze’d be sporting a loose-fitting beige skirt as well.

Nurse Andrews chewed on his cheek. Peaches curled zir body over zir pelvis using zir tail. Nurse Andrews would need to find another one on his lunch. Finding one large enough in a short span of time would be challenging but possible.

“Dr Glover gave me the impression that your spirits were exceedingly low. Peaches, is that the case today as well?” In an obtuse way, the way zir smile faltered almost seemingly apologetic aside from zir relaxed manner.

Peaches lightly taped on the glass.

No spinner.

Of course they took that too.

“don’t know what you expect, hun.” Peaches leans against the plexiglass, taking advantage of zir full height over Nurse Andrews. Not very challenging since most were taller than him. Nurse Andrews struggled to make eye contact, craning his neck far back.

“A minute of effort.”

Zir words take on a musical undertone. “said i was sorry, didn’t i? what more do ya want?” Zir gaze wandered a little lower to inspect the offered lolly.

One of Peaches’ long phalanges dipped through the ventilation hole, tugging on the lolly. Yet Nurse Andrews held tight. He whispered. “Don’t pinch panties if you want the Nelsons guard’s help. Call me next time.”

Peaches stared at Nurse Andrews like he’d grown another head. Zir smile grew crooked. “ya think they’ll give calls when ya leave, huh? heh. didn’t think didn’t ya say ya were a realist?” Zir laughter comes out stale.

Yesterday’s magic level assessment dug into the nurse’s mind like a rusty nail. “Arrangements have been made.” He uttered only half paying attention to the charts. Peaches pops the lolly in, noticeably a lack of tongue. Still, Peaches hummed like ze can taste it via thoughts and prayers alone. “has anyone toldja you’re a sweetheart, doc, cuz ya take the cake.”

His heart palpitates along with a rush of dopamine. “Not a doctor.”

“still a doc in my book.” Peaches hums. Zir gaze drifts in the direction of zir brother. “I know Ocean’s a handful—”

The nurse’s eyes burned as holes into his clipboard. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“When I’m gone, make sure he isn’t alone--”

“--Dr Shapiro would like you to answer this survey.” He interrupted him off with a glare as he leans back.

Peaches’ sighs, smiling in the dopiest manner a person could.

Nurse Andrew’s lip quivers for a moment before he gets it under control. “Once your released—“

“I Didn’t Know You Were A Comedian, Doctor Andrew.” Another lamia teased from the cell behind him. The complex battle formation and arithmetic covered the glass of his cell framing their face. “Was It Something I Said?”

“No, Wine. I leave the humor to you.” Nurse Andrew replied curtly.

A warm breeze blew over Nurse Andrew’s neck, setting all his hairs on end. Yanking up his coat, ruckus laugher errupted from behind him, passing from cell to cell like the common cold. “sorry, hun, ya looked a lil cold. couldn’t have ya turn inta a zeeksickle.”

“Unfortunately for you, Peaches--” Dr Andrew struggled to sharpen his tongue. “—The ambient air temperature is perfect. Now, Dr Glover requests that you refrain from any further harassment. Unlike me, they think you can actually be rehabilitated.” He punctuated the thought with a click of his pen.

“aww, zeekster, your gonna make me blush.” The moment Nurse Andrews turned; he could feel the lamia’s gaze take a generous pass at zir behind. (The lab coat wasn’t necessary for his work anyway.) Not that he’d allowed Peaches the satisfaction of knowing, he had other patients to see after all.

The next several patient’s exams passed uneventfully. Wine, while forthcoming, continued to derail the survey with small talk and little passive aggressive comments whenever Nurse Andrews had the audacity to cut off his chess rant.

Error blipped into the antivoid as long as his control collar allowed.

The “Pied Piper” as everyone called her, went so far as to approach the glass. Nurse Andrews could never see more than her teeth beneath her hood but progress is progress. Plus, her new spring tune had a rejuvenating quality that even Nurse Andrews couldn’t deny.

For once, Posca took notice of him. Though, it only after Nurse Andrews admitted to wearing the loose-fitting black dress pants for a high wasted look. 

Posca raced across the cell. His arms legs and face were somehow all covered in marker. The heterochromic skeleton’s eye flashed a heart and swirl, “Ezekiel,” He tsked. “You Should Wear It Below Your Waist More Often. Something Like An Unsaturated Orange Or Pink. I Know You Don’t Like Color But It’d Really Compliment Your Bleach Blond Hair.” Nurse Andrew resisted the urge to facepalm but Ink still picked up on his displeasure.

Was it really that obvious?

Was he losing his touch?

“All I’m Saying Is Don’t Be Shy With Showing Off What You Got. I’m Sure You Know You A Superb Ass. It’s A Shame You Don’t Have Any Good Fits.”

Nurse Andrew clicked his pen rapidly. “That will be all for today, Posca.”

Nurse Andrews eyed the yellow line. The paint below it read as follows:

“Please remain six feet from the glass at all times.”

It was a laughable rule, especially among habitation cells without ventilation holes. The intercom was turned on manually. In Crimson’s case, the team replaced the glass monthly due in part to all the scratches obscuring view of him. Not to mention his magic had a tendency of weakening even the most impact resistant glass over time. Nurse Andrews strutted up to the glass, careful to remain a few inches from touching it.

The fog, as per usual, as thick as pea soup. He’d be lucky to catch a glimpse of his illusive patient.

“Greetings, Crimson. You’ll be glad to hear that Nurse David will make a full recovery. The report neglects to mention whether or not you warned him about biting off his nose but I’m sure you did. Still, in the future, I’d advise utilizing verbal methods a touch longer.”

A low rumbling chuckle crackles over the intercom. He must’ve hotwired it again as he was nowhere near the panel. Instead, he dwelled somewhere in the thick fog that pervaded his cell. “what can I say, doll? man’s gotta eat.”

Nurse Andrew snorts. “Your Vegan.”

…

“lettuce say ‘ve bean branching out.”

His lip curls ever so slightly despite his best intentions. “Peas branch out elsewhere for all our sanity.”

…

“was that a… heh, it was, wasn’t it?”

Shit.

Nurse Andrew held up the clipboard, covertly covering his face. His white makeup could only conceal so much of his burning cheeks. When Nurse Andrew finally dropped the clipboard, something moved by the bean bag chair. The elaborate maze of things made it difficult to make out any clear shapes.

“admit it. yer dying ta break out in puns. like a moth ta flame.”

“If you wish to regain TV privileges, I suggest you…” Nurse Andrew mumbles, the fog parts just enough to reveal the silhouette of someone behind the bean bag chair.

He revealed himself willingly. This should be great.

“Thank you Crimson, as I was saying…”

Suddenly, it darts from the other side of the habitation cell.

“Charming.”

Why am I not surprised? Oh well, cat and mouse it is.

Nurse Andrew walked toward the far end of the cell where the fog was the thickest.

“As I was saying, TV privileges will be reinstated when and only when you reveal yourself.”

Some days he should really mind the yellow line.

A massive set of fangs lunges out of nowhere. Crimson’s hairy legs slam against the glass, his webs sending gusts of dust filling the air. His red eye lights glowing like demons in tiny cones of light. He lets out a horrified scream, stumbling back. His goggles fell off and clip board skittering across the floor. Breathing felt like running up ten flights at full speed.

An unhinged laughter silenced the entire cell block. “oi, level bait, don’t go falling for me just yet. ya might even get me hooked.” He cackled. His sharpened hook arm dragged along the glass while his spider legs arched up against the glass, making him look even taller.

Frantic flute noises cut through his laughter. Each time he tried to speak, a shrill tone filled the air. Pied leans against the adjacent cell wall. An oversized hoodie covers all but his silver fanged smile.

“can it, kazoo!” Crimson snaps.

Morse code beeping echoes across the hall. “NOW THAT’S JUST RUDE!” Ocean chided from the furthest cell back. “YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER. NO DOCTOR WILL WANT—"

“Ocean,” Nurse Andrews coughed. Hurriedly, he put on his glasses again, taking care to keep his eyes closed until doing so. “You’re up next.”

“awww, c’mon, doll. was only joking.” His grin sharpened, showing off a shiny golden tooth, “A little.”

In several quick strides, Nurse Andrews roughly yanked out the food tray, slamming it shut with a photograph. “Don’t bite this one. There won’t be another specialist.”

Nurse Andrews raised his voice. “That’s a shame. I’d hate for the warden to hear of this. He’s particularly keen on finding that bean bag chair.”

For a beat, Crimson misses his cue. His clawed prosthetic gingerly running over the far sleeker and lighter model in the picture. He nodded, slowly putting his mask back on.

Crimson slammed his fist against the glass, cracks immediately spiderweb across it. “yer bein’ awfully sensitive over a lil joke. cut a pal some slack. not like we met yesterday, bait”

“5 days, 6 months and 3 years. 26 more including my training. However, I thought you grew out of this… juvenile behavior.” Dr Andrew added with a hint of bitterness.

Crimson shoves the photo in his vest pocket. “Don’t let it happen again.”

Nurse Andrews marched over to Ocean’s cell, feeling a strange lack of sins crawling up his spine.

What was wrong with everyone today?

Perhaps there wasn’t enough monster food in their diet. Nurse Andrews scribbles into his notebook. ‘check diet.’

Morse code chirps fill his ears. He distantly notices the repetition of his name but keeps writing.

‘peaches skirt.’

Less pauses came between sentences.

‘set up appointment for prosthetic fitting + sea tea for abrasions’

“There.” He sighed. Everything was in order.

Looking up, the habitation cell before him looked straight out of an aquarium. A scaffolding ladder lead up to the water level. Below, all manner of underwater toys lay strewn about from diving torpedos to suspended rings to swim through. Pressed up against the glass, a starry eyed dolphin siren beamed. In one acoustic meatus a ear piece poked out.

That’s good. It must be working well if he hadn’t taken out this one.

His finger never left his clicker. Yet, he didn’t say a word. Ocean cocked his head and brow-bone tense with a story to tell. He hurried taps into his tiny data pad attached to the glass.

Words appeared in cyan font on an identical screen on the other side of the glass. “DOCTOR, YOU DON’T LOOK SO WELL… VERY PALE. YOU KNOW, I HEARD THAT HUMANS ARE MADE OF 75% WATER, YOU MUST’VE PERSPERATED TOO MUCH WITH CRIMSON. WHY DON’T YOU TAKE A BREAK AND WE CAN CONTINUE ONCE YOU’RE WELL?”

Buttering him up or not, Nurse Andrew could already smell the fear sweat. He’d been at it for nearly an hour, it hardly warranted a break but they couldn’t fire him on his last day.

Nurse Andrew considered the potential ramifications. Dr Shapiro could fire him. Granted, if  he was out by the end of the day, what was the point? Plus, Dr Shapiro wasn’t the sort to waste labor when it was available, even if she wanted it gone. “We’ll resume in 10.”

“I LOOK FORWARD TO IT!” Ocean’s tail slapped against the water, sending a bit of spray across the glass.

Nurse Andrews popped through several thick security doors.

“Ezekiel, done so soon?” A despondent soul crooned. “Did crazy ol 999 scare you again?” They sniffed. Their vulture instincts served them well.

“Actually, Crimson and I had a delightful conversation about his ambition to open a repair shop. I’ve seen a great deal of progress. If it weren’t for my absence, he’d have been out by the quarterly review. What about you, Doctor Glover?” He hummed. “I heard Peaches was quite.. insistent the other day.”

Dr Glover stiffened at his smile.

“Don’t worry, I told zem to… give you some space. Ze was quite accommodating. It’s amazing what happens when you don’t confiscate zir undergarments.”

Dr Glover body checked the nurse into the crumbling asbestos wall. Dry wall dusted his hair and shoulders. The nurse coughed. Blood covered his elbow. Their hands slipped around his collar like a glove, hefting his short and stout frame high off the linoleum. “it doesn’t even have genitals! Why would it—”

“They say a smile is worth a million words, don’t you agree-ack!.” The corner of his lips twitched.

“Where is it?” Their head swiveled around. The shit for brains doc finally locked on the hole in the wall. Their breath hitched.

“Don’t worry… I have… copies… for the whole family.”

As if nothing happened, they dropped him, brushing off his shoulders while they’d rather break him like a twig. “You know as well as I do they’re a luxury. We got other mouths to feed and 69 needs the motivation. You can’t just give it anything it wants willy nilly. It’ll get entitled. Self righteous.”

Whatever they saw on the nurse’s face seemed to disappoint them. “Don’t think I didn’t see the bean bags.”

“Bean bags?” Dr Andrews hummed contemplatively. “Ah yes, I remember now. Those awful lumpy chairs. I honestly cant understand why anybody would choose that shade of brown. It’s a blessing in disguise. Whoever it was did.. whatsername a favor.”

The sound of drywall crumbling draws his eye to the hole fist embeded in the wall. “Derek and you better not forget it, snowflake.” For such a sculpted person, build to tear someone limb from limb, it was difficult to see why a tank wanted to do the work of surgeon. However, given time, the nurse saw glimpses of that soft underbelly. For once in a very long time, Nurse Andrews saw he misjudged the fellow enby. Someone as independent and focused wouldn’t harbor such fire at the slight on behalf of a jilted friend or bedmate. Though, the idea that someone as strong willed as Dr Glover could be brought under Shapiro’s spell..

He shivered.

Dr Glover smirked. “I don’t care how far you go. Nobody will hire your unscrupulous ass from Seattle to New York. Unlike you, Derek’s friends back him up. You could learn a thing or two. Too bad you picked with the freaks.”

Their goggles slipped from their forehead, perfectly landing on their nose. “It’s only a matter of time before you’re behind bars.”

A whisper of a memory tickles Andrew’s ear. “i can’t sleep. i can’t eat. the only thing that makes me feel anything was fucking and now i can’t even do that.” Peaches curled up into a ball, covering the bruise ze got from slamming zir head into the wall. “i’m just a defective whore who never should’ve been born.”

Nurse Andrews’s hands formed into fists. Taking the goggles off and setting his clipboard aside, Ezekiel opened the cell door. He kneels in front of Peaches.

Peaches rubbed the tears from zir eyes. “A freak of nature, you know bitties aren’t even supposed to get this big. Much less lamia.” Ze hiccuped. “My magic’s all fucked. Freakish. Perverted.”

Ezekiel reaches out. Something told him he should hold hands but it was like a thick force field surrounded the trembling lamia. “If you keep this up, you won’t leave any more freak for the rest of us.” Peaches’ gasps pause, he pops up like a prarier dog.

“b-but y-your normal.” Peaches sniffles. “y-you’re good.”

Something sickly crawled along Ezekiel’s back. His own thoughts ready to drown him at a moment’s notice. Carefully, Ezekiel eased the hairnet securing his wig in place.

“whole and.. and..”

More of the sickly crawling sensation writhed over his shoulders, head and neck. The thoughts ready to spill over the dam he  so carefully constructed all those years ago.

“zeek i—” I held up a finger, silencing him.

Ezekiel carefully worked off the special effects make up covering the side of his face, covering the whole in his ear.

Finally, he past to the hardest part. Unbuttoning the first two buttons on his shirt, just enough that Peaches could see where his original flesh ended and other began. If he’d shown the other side, it would’ve gone all the way through.

“Babies born as witches get their…” He trailed off, the words not coming to him.

All of a sudden, Peaches’s arms encircled him, yanking him into the tightest hug of his life. He gasped. Not frightened, just the shire surprised mixed withs something else, relief?

“us freaks need to stick together.” He whispered into the side that didn’t have an ear.

“What the hell are you smiling about?!”

Nurse Andrews sighed. “There’s one thing you can always trust in our line of work and that is the gossip mill. It’s unfortunate you didn’t learn that during our friendship. Otherwise, you’d have a leg to stand on. As it is, you’ll finish Crimson’s exam for me today.”

She sneered. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe but you make time for Derek. He too will let you slip out for lunch, correct? You two really should keep it to the bedroom. Board rooms are notoriously insecure.”

Nurse Andrews waved a USB drive. “Don’t worry, this isn’t the only one either.”

The moment Dr Glover veins on her forehead popped, Nurse Andrews muttered. “Good grief.”

“It’s your lucky day, monster fucker!” Dr Glover grabbed him by the lab coat, throwing him into the laundry shoot. “I’m taking you out with the trash!” They gave him another solid shove before stalking off.

“Bloody Brilliant.” Nearly thirty minutes later, Nurse Andrews managed to escape the clutches of the tube. He checked himself in the bathroom. His back screamed. Pulling off his shirt, there was already a lovely little bruise forming. Plus, he chipped tooth. “Fucking perfect. The Blue menace will eat me alive.”

Sure enough, Ocean gasped the moment he was within eye shot, exclaiming. He darted to the glass, typing into his data pad. “DOCTOR! HOW IN THE STARS DID THIS HAPPEN? LET ME LOOK AT IT. I AM AN EXQUISITE HEALER."

“Greetings Ocean.” Nurse Andrews continued staring at his clipboard, gritting his teeth. The damn ear prosthetic kept itching. “Dr Viola informed us what happened when she helped you with the radio. Unfortunately, it was not good news.”

Faster than Nurse Andrews would’ve expected, a storm cloud extinguished his starry eyes into empty voids.

“VIOLA? OH! VI, YES, I SO SO SO AM TERRIBLY SORRY. MY RECIPES AREN’T MEANT FOR HUMANS. I DID WARN HER MY TACOS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.”

“Interesting, Ocean. How very interesting... I wasn’t aware cookies involved cyberizing my colleagues.”

“Wait… so you don’t mind I poisoned her?”

Nurse Andrews sent him a flat look. “If every person who poisoned Dr Viola were held accountable, we wouldn’t have any nurses.”

Ocean let out a breath he must’ve been holding in awhile, his shoulders fell as he leaned fully against the glass.

“I’d like to be frank with you, Ocean. Did you know—”

“Aww, why can’t you be Frank with me?” Peaches whined. “I always get boring old Zeek.”

Ocean snorted. “PERHAPS IF YOU TOOK MORE INITIATIVE. YOUR ROOM

WAS ALWAYS MESSY AT HOME. FRANK ONLY COMES OUT WHEN YOU’RE PRESENTABLE.”

Nurse Andrews shot him a look.

Peaches held up his hands in mock surrender. “Not that I mind.” He waggled his brow.

Ocean kneaded his hands together before typing again. If he didn’t have the mask on, Andrew imagines he’d be clicking his teeth.

“DOCTOR, I DON’T KNOW WHAT I CAN SAY FOR YOU TO BELIEVE ME. I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT VIOLA. WE DISCUSSED THE RISKS BEFOREHAND. SHE CONSENTED TO IT. THEN SHE GOT COLD FEET, WE WERE ALREADY SO FAR ALONG, TO STOP WOULD JEOPARDIZE HER HEALTH!”

“The doctors say she’ll never beath on her own again.” Nurse Andrew pinched his nose. He awaited already getting a head ache and he only got through a quarter of his patients. “Her goggles were missing when we found her, ocean. To take responsibility is the first step to change. We’ll put a pin in it today.” Nurse Andrews remained fixed on the clipboard. He continued writing, neither of them break the silence.

Ocean smile was a few degrees weaker. “You have to believe me.”

His eye lights shrank so small, the faint draft could extinguish them. “I can’t be without my brother again.” His phalanges easily fit through the vent holes, clawing at Nurse Andrews sleeves. He’s so much smaller than the other patients. A hair shorter than himself actually.

Ezekiel bites his lip. “I don’t have the key. I can’t—”

“But you could talk to her! Dr Shapiro knew about Viola’s situation. I wouldn’t operate otherwise. I—” Big tears poured like waterfalls down Ocean’s cheeks. “Please don’t look at me like that. I don’t care what you think of me but you have to believe me.”

Ezekiel leans closer to Ocean’s phallanges, allowing him to tug part of his sleeves through.

He kept fiddling with Ezekiel’s sleeves. Neither of them spoke. The ever hanging storm felt like it was on their door step. There wasn’t anything that he could do without an actual monster doctor or human trained in monster medicine.  After several false starts, Ocean lets go of Ezekiel’s sleeve. “I don’t know how long he’ll last—”

Something tugged at Ezekiel’s goggles. He reaches up to secure them but Ocean’s already got ahold of his other sleeve.

“Ocean, I can’t protect you if you do this. Listen to me.” The goggles rose of his cheeks, forcing him to keep his eyes on the display. Those cyan letters glaring back at him.

“I’m so sorry.” His words so soft.

Ezekiel’s gaze darts up to Ocean’s face. The mask gone.

Oceans sobs shift into sniffles and slowly devolve into giggles.

Ezekiel scrambles to tug his sleeves away. With a buttoned shirt, he couldn’t get it over if head unless Ocean let him go.“Dr Shapiro told me himself that she’d stop feeding you if you exhibited any “maladaptive” behaviors. She’s actively looking for a reason to kill you! I know we haven’t been eye to eye… please, give me back my goggles.”

Ocean wiped away a tear smiling with an elbow. “Zeek, I’ll be confiscating your goggles. Once you learn to behave, you may have them back. Do you understand?”

The words slip from his mouth before he could even think them. “Yes, I do.”

“For now we have work to do, my prince.”

He finally let go. Every bone in Ezekiel’s body screamed to run. Get the fuck away from him. He knew he shouldn’t have reached out.

No matter how hard Ezekiel tried, he resist speaking to Ocean. He needed to hear more. Hear more of that wonderful voice that reminded him of the most gorgeous bells and harp. “Is there any way I can help? I could open the doors? Would that satisfy you?”

Ocean hummed, “it’s a start.” In seconds, Ezekiel unlocked the door separating the tank from the upper platform. He raced back up. Anything to hear Ocean’s call.

“Should I—”

Just as Ezekiel reached the platform, Ocean lunged out. His sharp boney phalanges digging deep into Ezekiel’s sides, drawing a gasp. Everything went fuzzy from there on out.

There were sounds. Doors unlocking. Familiar voices murmured. An alarm blared.

Soon that too got drowned in the darkness.

[bh-writingdump]

Zeek's Freaks

Peaches Meets Ezekiel (Ed.1)

[Rough Draft]

Setting: Peaches’ enclosure

Problem: grabby Peach

Ezekiel passes by enclosure, tired. Co-worker presses them into enclosure. He slams into the cell wall. Peaches immediately grabs ahold of Ezekiel’s hair, twisting and tying it in place. Then pulling the fabric of their hair through via tiny hooks.

Peaches: you’re the sour puss stinking up the joint

E: then allow me to get out of your air.

P: why? I only just got here.. so silky.. Is that… vanilla? Whatever it is, keep using it.

E: I’ll take it under consideration

Guards chuckled, other scientists pass, averting glances as if sympathy would earn them the same fate. The smiles drop when the lights go out. Ezekiel feels the pressure ease. He takes a step away, only to get yanked back. A hand goes over their mouth.

Ezekiel’s convinced they’re going to die, back pressed up against the lamia, not to mention a grabber. Yet ze doesn’t kill Ezekiel. Instead, they feel a hand run through their snow-white hair.

Ezekiel tries to swipe it away

Peaches: how much product do you even use, doc?

Ezekiel keeps struggling to bat away zir hand away only to freeze when ze brushes a hand against the magic inhibitors. “You’re him, aren’t you?”

If Ezekiel still had a heart, it’d be beating double time. “Who?”

Peaches gives a light tap to their chest. Rather than the solid thumb of flesh, their chest lets out a hollow sound of glass. “You ask for me to like you cuz you want us out?”

“Did you ask to be locked up here?” ze holds them by the chin. “Oh, my apologies, I thought we were asking ridiculous questions. Would you release me? I have work to return to.”

“I’ve seen you before.. heh, you were that crazy guy yelling to release us. A humie who likes monsters. Bet that leads to all sorts of rumors.”

Ezekiel stumbles back panting. Peaches readies for a hit but none comes. Their chest puffs out, “Who in their right mind would allow you to be in here without due cause? If humans are the ones who locked you up here, I’m glad not to be counted among their kind.”

Ezekiel marches out, to his surprise, ze lets them go. The following days, Ezekiel notices a new pair of eyes watching them very closely.

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

Therapy Hack

[1st draft]

“How was your weekend?”

The therapist Derek pauses what for others would e an inconceivably long time but for us strikingly average 5 minutes. “I’ll be back.”

Derek sighs. “Ezekiel, you cant keep doing this.”

“Why not? It’s worked greater for us. I admit to enjoying our working relationship of… 1 year?”

“Because your my most steady client.”

Ezekiel pauses, an honest therapist, go figures… or one who knows how to play multiple angles. “I don’t intend on stopping. They roll a seed between their fingers, enjoying the way the pipping and blossoming of the poppy brings visible revulsion to the therapist’s visage despite his best efforts. The magic detectors goes wild beeping like a banshee before Derek turns it off.

He takes off his glasses, methodically cleaning them until he says. “I honestly couldn’t care less whether you make progress. I have bills to pay, a child to feed, and for my least labor intensive client, I’d rather you be happy making no progress then unhappy doing the same. You’re not even paying for these mandated appointments, it’s your—”

“Jailor?”

“Mother. Who is. I’ve seen your shaparone. It doesn’t require much to fake.” He pulls out a chess board.

“you’ve done this before?”

“A time or two. Usually it happens faster but… you were making so much progess the first few months.”

Ezekiel smiles but it makes Derek lean back. “I had some… externl motivation. Speaking of, while tempting, I’ll need you to declare me a risk for any upcoming surgeries.”

“She’ll stop sending you here. Transfer you to another. That’s the whole reason’s she’s—”

You know as well as I do if they cut open my brain, there’ll be nothing left. The only reason I agreed to the last 3 was because I had a job lined up that I thought would work. Since s it didn’t. This one will certainly kill me. It’s getting incredibly close to me rather working with her than dyin on the slab. All I got to do is live till the end of the month.”

“Why the change of heart… out of  curiosity?” He set aside his notepad. Old habits. Method actor.

“Nobody’s hiring.”

“A witch”

“More likely because of my chronic fatigue. I didn’t even give them a reference and they somehow found out.”

“Fancy that.”

“almost like she told them.”

“Mind if I” He holds up his smoke and lights it.

Ezekiel leans forward, growing a poppy so fast from the side of the cigarette it pops in an ashy cloud. Derek coughs, waving it away.

“Watch it –”

“swallow hemlock, hack.”

Derek takes another long drag. “All I’m sayin’ is she doesn’t have to do that. Depending on how strong your magic is, it’ll come up in a background check.”

“That’s—that’s confidential!” Ezekiel nearly shouts.

“Not as of last year. Bill went through. Says your kind are the equivlent of a crazy school shooter stumbling around. To be fair, some of you could be… but 90% of your magics are no more than parlor tricks unless you were getting creative.

E: the law

D: oh yeah, you’re part of a registry

E: great. Just great.

D: *holds up pack* want one?

E, takes one, lights it up: is that how you knew about all that?”

D: and your mother.

E: mmm thought as much

E: isn’t this *gestures to room* against a code or something

D: definitely

E starts setting up a board.

[bh-writingdump]

zeek's freaks

New Doctor in Town

[1st Draft]

A new doctor joined the fray. Peaches remembers them from the other week. They were yelling and shouting, pointing at zem. Very angry. That could mean one of two things. One they may push the experiment too far. Take more samples, make it hurt or something. Peaches didn’t like to think about what so curled up again, ignoring the researcher talking at zem. It’d be over soon.

Soon it was.

Then Peaches heard the scratch of metal on tile. Ze had the distinct feeling that someone was watching zem. The shuffling of papers the only sign that someone was there. They’d leave. None of their test were “any good” with zem. Too “unique” to contribute. Whatever that meant.

The human clears their throat, clicking their pen. “Good morning, my name is Ezekiel Partridge. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

A new stab of fear pieces zir soul. They’re new. New new. Not transfer new. New, the kind of new that meant unpredictable. What are they going to do? Will they do their own “special tests” off the book? Everyone knows Peaches doesn’t talk to humans. A horrible shaking fills zem that zir barely quells.

The doctor waits an eternity before adding. “I see…” The food tray clacks. “I’ll return when you’re feeling more up to it. The files should cover any questions you might have.”

To Peaches’ surprise, the doctor leaves. It couldn’t have been long. zir soul didn’t feel too bad. ze peaks up, watching the white haired doctor drag a metal chair to Mauve’s cell.

The reply was quicker. The doc could’ve been further than their name before Mauve says, “What kind of test is this? If you think this routine will earn my cooperation, get me my damn letters. I know you’ve been holding them. You’d have sent them if any of you idiots cared to listen.”

Unlike the doctors before, this one patiently listens to Mauve’s entire tirade. Even some of the others. Doctor glanes over. It’s then that Peaches realizes that this doctor doesn’t have a shock button attached to their clipboard.

Did they forget?

By the time someone from  nearby cell tells Maue to shut up and gets shocked, Mauve was panting from shouting and glowering at the doctor.

Dr Partridge.

Peaches just barely heard Ezekiel say, “Perhaps another time.” Tucking the papers into the food tray. Mauve slams it back. everyone’s eyes who wasn’t on Mauve must be now. He smirks, holding up his chin as if to taunt Partridge to use the shocker. “I don’t care what you have to offer. Shock me. Do whatever. ask the guards. They know my terms.”

Dr Partridge does a slight bow of their head. “I understand. Look it over at your leisure, burn it. it’s yours. Thank you for your insights. Take care.”

Mauve takes the papers, stomping on them, clawed feet tearing into them as if they were the only one.

Partridge is part way through their spiel, talking to the inky void when a shape darts out of the darkness. Partridge steps up to the glass, past the yellow line. Crimson slams against the lass.

Partridge falls back, glasses askew.

Some of other doctors start cracking jokes. But Dr Partridge slowly and calmly sits back up. They resume talking to Crimson as if the wind knocked them over.

Crimson hadn’t stopped laughing. Not until Partridge sat down. His usual too wide smile going blank faced then their conversation grew too quiet to hear.

“Whatever.” Dr Partridge said, it actually made Crimson smile, never a good sign. It’s the kind that looks like he’d savor grinding your legs into sand. Usually, Crimson wouldn’t come out or just rand and rave about killing people.

Once Partridge left, someone called out to Crimson. “What’s he want?”

Crimson smiles a touch too wide. “Coffee.” Then laughs off kilter.

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Another lamia shouts.

A chorus of more voices and shocks.

By then Crimson’s laughter tapped off as he returned to his funnel webs.

* * *

The next day was like the day before. A pill on the table. Food in the bowl. Same boring doctor asking zem something only to be shooed away by Partridge’s voice. “His HP has gone up 2 points.”

“No it hasn’t.”

“That’s what your report to Dr Drew said. She wasn’t very pleased.” The change in the air felt sharp as knives.

The doctor briskly walks off. [off stage: doctor pours coffee sludge in all their work clothes stored in the cubby]

The familiar rind of metal on tile as partridge says “how do you like the new pills?”

What’s that supposed to mean? They tasted sweeter. Strawberry flavor. Its such a confusing question that its too confusing to make out a threat in it. ze meets the doctor’s brown eyes that sparkle ever so faintly. As if barely containing a laugh.

In an even softer voice Dr Partridge says, “It’s hard candy from a witch’s shop specifically. It should help with your lethargy… It’d advise against mentioning it to your friends or my colleagues.”

Oh.. that explains why zir bones didn’t feel so sore.  

Whatever was written on Peaches’ face, Dr Partridge shrugs, “It happens. Pills get lost. Some people should really check their cabinets more often.”

Partridge talks like it’s a matter of missing pencil rather than a whole test screwed up. Dr Drew wouldn’t forget that. Would that be Peaches’s fault too?

Or what if it didn’t? Peaches didn’t do anything. ze simple took what was given. It’d be the other doctor or Dr Partridge who’d get into trouble. A smile tugs at zir fangs. Maybe ze could sleep in but…

It feels like Ocean lurks over zir shoulder, judging zir for even considering trusting a single thing to these “doctors.” It’s not trusting to appreciate the reprieve. Stars knows they could all use more of those.

It could be a trick though. What if being caring was part of the experiment? If that’s the case, Peaches would rather Dr Partridge be cruel right out of the gate, none of this funny business.

Once Peaches hears the squeak of the metal chair, ze slithers up to the glass. The old papers were taken soon as Dr Partridge left but they were replaced with new ones.

Tentatively, Peaches peers down at them, keeping an eye on Dr Partridge for any sudden movements. The papers don’t look official with a bunch of empty boxes the other doctors have but with a lot of words. Not that it would do Peaches much good. Reading never was their fortay.

The next day, Peaches listens to Dr Partridge introduce themself again. They say they have a way to “let him breath fresh air again,” that it’s a long shot but there’s a test that’ll prove that ze could be a citizen.

The long Peaches listened, the more ze noticed new things about Dr Partridge. For once, none of the other doctors spoke so softly. Like ze was expecting zem to jump if they spoke any louder. Dr Partridge had raised their voice over Mauve’s stomping once to say goodbye. Usually speaking in a louder voice regardless with Mauve’s botched hearing.

There were other things, the pills. Today they tasted cinnamon. Peaches wasn’t much of a spicy person but it’s better than the bland kibble they fed zem.

Even the way Dr Patridge approached zir cell. They’d seen him surprise other doctors, walking so quietly, only letting zir presence be known at the last second, making them jump. Plus that disarming neutral expressing leaving them irritable. It made for better ways to pass the time watching them.

Even the monsters who weren’t in Dr Partridge’s group, ze spoke to. One of the harpies, Ink, kept on remarking on how they should let him die their hair. To which Dr Partridge rose a brow, probably the closest to a smile that Peaches had seen.

All adding up, listening to them give a different spiel on a different day. the softness of their voice, to the way that they always knew what would happen each day, same time. Dr Peterson would leave, Dr Patridge would come in, grab a chair and approach zem first thing. Peaches had seen it through a gap in zir tail when fully coiled. It was barely warm enough to move most days but today, ze felt energized.

Listening to a show all and only for zem. No tests. No pain. Just listening to the strange doctor “but you’re not a doctor, are you?” Peaches mutters to zemself in lieu of speaking.

This time, Dr Patridge says, “I’m not.”

Peaches tenses, peaking just above zir coils like Dr Patridge would have the shocker. Still no.

“Out of curiosity, which would you say would be your favorite- butterscotch, cinnamon, or watermelon?” Dr Partridge pulls out the same files again, setting them in the box. Peaches could already see Nurse Stacy eying them with distaste.

Would she take them this time?

Maybe ze’d take them this time. Not that it’d mean much. Peaches wasn’t much of a reader. What would it even say? Here’s a test you have to take. Yes, it’ll be escruciating, doesn’t it feel great to know what you’re in for?

Would Dr Patridge do that? Looking up at the strange human packing up their bag of bits and bobs, Peaches finds zir eyes land on their hair again. The way it bobs as they drop to the ground. Not coming up so fast as if they took 10 pounds of rock on their waist. They’d seen the air flop about at a distance, going beneath the vents. But this close, it moved like water.

Peaches stared so long that Dr Patridge asks, “I don’t have one. If that’s what you’re wondering, degree.” Dr Patridge shrugs lie the idea of answering a question didn’t repulse them or inconvenience them.  ze pulls out a little photograph from zir wallet, pressing it to the glass wall.

It’s hard to tell at this distance but it looks like a younger version of Patridge is standing outside an ugly brown building with several colorful haired friends. Peaches would’ve thought it were another human if not for that defined nose and same pair of glasses except their hair’s the color of a night sky. “I do know what I’m doing. But.. I’m more of a therapist than a..” They gesture vaguely at the room as if it’d explain what this is.

It's an asylum with a ward full of lab rats. Guess they don’t make degrees or those.

A switch flips and suddenly Peaches presses up against the glass. Staring at the strange photo. the lemony scent stronger now. It’s coming from Dr Patridge.

“Then what are you?”

Dr Patridge tucks the photograph away. “It doesn’t matter what I am.” Like that their usual blankness resumes, like the lab’s air frozen over their melting caps. A part of Peaches wanted to see it again. “I’m confident that you can pass. If you’ll have faith, I can tutor you. You’ll see the sky by next spring, I promise.”

Promise.

Peaches backs up from the glass.

Dr Patridge leans closer, pressing up zir hand against it. “Think of it like a class. I’ll teach you innane things the state expects a “citizen” to know, like who founded the state. It ends up it was a couple of bandits if you can believe it.” when that doesn’t work, Patridge looks a bit irritable but quashes it like a pest. “In exchange for your trouble, I’ll acquire three items of your choosing and you may have a no-glass hour discussion with me to further ascertain my intentions. I’ll answer any question you like, no matter how personal. “

Dr Patridge’s hands are so small. Pale little things. It’s like magnets were attached to their souls, pulling the lamia back toward the human. Zir hand covers the glass, easily swallowing up the smaller human’s hand.

“Hmm.. you’ll have to forgive me if you’d like gloves. I don’t know anywhere locally that would have your size.”

Being so close, Peaches savored the lemony scent. More. ze needs more. Dr Patridge’s mouth keeps on moving but none of the words mean anything. all that matters is to reach. Ze’d done this a million times with minnows back when ze was a hatchling. Little hooks, too small to be disrupted by the collar, reach out from Peaches’s finger tips.

Peaches stares at Partridge, hand migrating to just below where zir sleeve tangles, showing off a bunch of pictures of clothing. The barbs latch onto his sleeve. Zir other hand gets their leg before Dr Patridge realize it towing you in.

By the time they do, they ready for them to scream. Taking their chase, they pull until Dr Patridge leans against the glass. Their hair ripe for the playing.

Soon as Peaches pulls on it, Dr Partridge tenses. Now would be the scream.

But it doesn’t matter. Peaches runs zir fingers through the silky locks. It reminds Peaches of Poppy’s horse hair paint brushes. They’re so soft and smells so good. ze could play it with them all day.

Even the little voice that usually whispers all the bad things a person’s done, it remains silent. Oddly, at peace.

“Peaches?” Stern.

Peaches gives a single hard tug. Ze doesn’t like doing that but people never stay still otherwise. Peaches weaves the hair over and under until ze has made a tiny braid, using a little magic to hold it together at the end. Then ze does it again, and again, until Peaches has maybe 10 or so braids. So focused on the braiding, Peaches’s fingers slip on the barb magic and Dr Patridge stumbles back. Half of zir hair full of little braids.

That mask of neutrality taken aback by shock, then a thoughtful expression. “You could’ve told me.”

Peaches tugs at the collar.

Dr Partridge’s face darkens.

In the silence, Peaches notices how many people are standing around watching. The Judge spoke for them, listing so many sins it’d take several plays to list them all out. Every single one of them could activate Peaches’s collar, they all knew the code.

It’s then that Dr Patridge glances back as if just noticing. Like that, back to business again, brushing themselves off, they sit back in the chair. Tucking something into food tray that clicks along with the usual files. “Keep thinking on those three items. Perhaps yarn?”

So in shock, Peaches mutely stares at Dr Patridge leaves. Soon as their out of the room, Peaches snatches up the papers before a hand darts into the tray.

Dr Gervais snarls. “Back.” He barks. “Put. Them. Back.”

Amongst the pages, Peaches peals them back, curling in on zemself. The electrostatic runs across zir body.

“0825. Give it back in 3, 2, 1.” Electrostatic made the dust along the floor stand on end.

“zero.”

* * *

The next day there were no pills. No doctors. None of the doctors came on the sixth day. Instead, a “caretaker” came out dispensing medication and food.

Everything hurt.

At some point, someone started talking.

It was nice.

Something hard hit the metal of the food tray. Peaches found it hard to look up. zir vision swims. Maybe Peaches hit zir head on the way down. that’ll take awhile to recover.

There’s that voice again. “Please. The candy will help. I promise.”

Peaches chuckles mirthlessly at the voice. “liar.”

All of a sudden, the shimmer of the glass lifted. A silohette stood above zem, smelling lemony. “The monster physician said you had a concussion. This candy should take care of it. Stronger than witch ones.”

“bet it’s poison. Ocean’ll hate me if it’s poison.”

“I prom—” the voice coughs. “It won’t hurt you. Not unless your allergic to sugar and strawberry cream.”

Peaches moves zir too heavy arm, popping the candy inside. Like the voice said, in a matter of moments, the pain vanished. “How did it—” Peaches asks, looking to the figure but as zir vision cleared, so did they.

Later on, Peaches wonders if it’d all been a dream but the wrapper in zir hand said otherwise.

* * *

“Like the new look, do they come in extra small?” one of the murder bitties shouts.

Peaches perks up. A hurl of roasts fill the hall. It’s a little early for Nurse Jenkins to be in. Only to see Partridge drag a chair over, a pair of pants that looked like they’d been partly lit on fire over zir shoulder sporting a very comfy looking pair of sweats.

“Apologies.” Partridge pants, whipping off sweat from their brow, “It seems we have a arsonist hobbyist who wishes to light up my life as it were.”

Peaches turns back over and covers zir mouth. A giggle bubbling up making zir shoulders shake.

“Peaches are you—”

“I wouldn’t worry about zem, Doctor Patrdige.”

“Not a doctor.”

“He’s just fired up to see you.”

Oh if Peaches ever gets out ze will punch Mauve in the face. A raspy laugh escapes zem before Peaches bottles it up again.

“Good. Good.” Partridge murmurs in what ze could’ve mistaken as relief. “This will be a lot easier without you dying.”

“Nah, he has merely been dying to see you. Afterall, it takes two to tango with zirs fetishes.”

Peaches holds up a middle finger.

“he lives.”

“With all due respect Mauve, this isn’t your session. Unless you’d rather I cut your short.”

Mauve looks downright scandalized but shuts up.

Partridge clears their throat. “As I was saying, did you consider my offer?” It’s soft again.

Why does it sound so familiar.

Peaches keeps on laying in the corner. It’d be too tiring to move anyway. Not worth getting shocked for a sucker, no matter how good.

“Peaches?” So softly, it reminds ze of the voice over the weekend.

Peaches perks up. “Only if you say please.”

Were they the one who came on the weekend? Was it actually a dream or were they really there?

“Please, Peaches? Would you consider letting me tutor you?”

That was them.

Peaches nearly asked outright. Then again, there’s people here again today. What if Partridge was like Dr Viola? Then if ze drew attention to it…

Peaches uncurls, can’t seem too interested. Peaches nods, curling back over.

“You still have those three requests.”

Peaches thinks about the hoodie Partridge wore that one day. “I want your hoodie. The green one.”

“Done. I’ll bring it tomorrow and you’re other 2 requests?”

But by then Peaches throat at closed up. What if Partridge is like Dr Viola? This won’t last. Dr Drew will find out. But if Peaches pretends, maybe Peaches can pretend that it can last forever.