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twigg96 · 1 year

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Into the Darkness, I become Stronger

Daryl X Injured! Reader

Time frame: The Prison (Slight Cannon Divergence)

Pronouns: She/her, You, Your, [Y/N]

Warnings: Blood, Gunshot, Kidnapping, Hostage situation, swearing, POV switching, Nonsexual intimacy, Sexual Intimacy,

Summary: When you and Phoenix go out to pick Elderberries for the Prison, a man from another group attacks you and knocks you out. Dragging you to a clearing in the woods he makes his demands. He wants to know about the prison and claims he and his people don't want to hurt anyone, but will in order to survive. He claims they need weapons and in order to get them... he's taking your daughter Phoenix as collateral.

It was just supposed to be a simple foraging expedition. Nothing major so you had only brought your knife and a few buckets to carry the berries in. Nothing you've never done on your own before. Hell even before the turn you had done this. You and Hershel had noticed the Elder Berry bushes growing near a creek several days prior on your way back to the prison after a walk to clear some of the walkers that had piled against the fence. You were fairly certain you were still visible from those on watch at the prison… you never would have left by yourself if you hadn’t been sure. You most certainly would never have taken Phoenix with you if you had known what was about to happen. But now, bound and gagged you glared at the attacker who snuck up so easily on you both. Who hit you while your back was turned and slung you over his shoulder like you were a sack of potatoes. The same asshole who played and talked so easily to your too trusting four-year old daughter... You sat watching on wondering if and when the others would take notice of your absence. How long had it been now? 10 minutes? Four hours? God time felt like an eternity yet moving so fast you couldn’t comprehend it. “Why is my momma tied up and bleedin'?” Phoenix asked timidly, her voice dripping with a fear that broke through your thoughts and brought you back to reality. A bead of sweat dripped down your face mixing with the blood from your fresh wounds that stung the cut as you watched her with worried eyes. “Because…” the man muttered, pulling Phoenix’s attention back towards himself as he handed her a fully clothed Barbie with matted blonde hair. It was a toy she refused to part with after her father returned home with it several months ago. Poor Barbie somehow managed to end up naked with no hopes of getting dressed by herself or your daughter. It was always up to the adults to help her change the doll into her new more fashionable outfit Phoenix had stored in her pockets and backpack. Your captor… while patient with Phoenix, seemed to also be having fun at your expense. He was watching you intensely, grinning at the way your tears intermingled with the blood that flowed from the fresh wound at your temple. “You’re mommy doesn’t like to listen.” The man muttered standing to his full height. He was tall... taller than you had initially thought, putting to rest any ideas you had of simply taking him down from where you sat. He had a long scar covering the left side of his face that crawled down his throat and a tattoo of an anchor on his left calf. Walking around your daughter you watched him carefully as he glared hatefully into your eyes once he was hidden behind her back. “You see,” the man paused as if to think about his words, placing his hands on either one of Phoenix's shoulders before speaking again. “I really needed to know something important. But your mommy doesn’t want to talk. She tried to hurt me.” The man growled indicating to his limp and stab wound he bore in his right thigh that just missed his artery. Lucky bastard got off easy. “So…” the man muttered, pulling his pistol from his hostler he pointed the gun at the back of Phoenix’s head. “I thought a time out after a real long walk would help mommy want to talk. If not… there is always… incentive.”

The clicking of the hammer sent icy chills down your spine. Your eyes widened and it was as if time itself was at a standstill. Every dust particle that blew past your face, every leaf that tumbled in the wind, every hair that stuck to your skin, every bead of sweat that dripped from your face seemed to stop in time as you stared at the man holding the gun to your daughter's head. Phoenix was a ghostly pale color as she realized exactly what was going on. Her terrified gaze trained on you waiting for you to tell her what to do next. You could only hope that someone was nearby... that the unfamiliar area to you was only slightly off the beaten path of the normal route your husband took when out on a run and he would find you if no one else would. But the silence of the woods was deafening. Swallowing the thick lump in your throat you shook your head, letting the fat tears you were holding back fall to your thighs. "Awe come on now darlin'." God you hated the way that word fell so easily out of that bastard's mouth. "Don't cry over something that ain't happened yet. You can prevent this. Just think long and hard about how many people you got in your camp... How many people ya love there... Ya don't want them to get hurt. So when I come over to ya and remove your gag. I want ya to tell me just what all you got in your camp. How many weapons and bullets. How many people. How much food... water. And tell me the truth... Because if you lie... trust me... we'll find out about it." You nodded in compliance, the sick feeling of fearful shivers coursing through your body making you feel weak. As the man stepped towards you, the barrel of his gun remained trained on Phoenix's head. "Don't worry sweetheart. Just keep playin' with yer dolls." He muttered, softly turning his attention to you as he pulled the coarse material from your mouth. "Now talk." You wanted to scream... to fight back. To break the bonds that held you like the superhero your daughter believed you were and defeat the evil that currently held you. But you knew better. Any retaliation would result in her death. He had the advantage. So you lied. Strategically. "W-we don't have much..." You muttered, your voice gruff and cracking due to fear and thirst. "Well I want to know about what you do have not what you don't." The man growled. You nodded glancing at your daughter before continuing. "We have about eight people... and maybe a gun for each person..." You lied straight through your teeth. The prison was well fortified with weapons Rick and the others had found before the fall of Woodbury. There were lots of people now too. A whole community. Phoenix's uncle Merle. Her father, Daryl. Everyone you cared about. You weren't about to sacrifice them all when you had a chance to outwit this guy... And the man seemed to buy it. Nodding along with every word. "So only eight people and eight guns to clear out the entire prison?" He asked seriously. You shook your head no. Another lie. "No. We have just been living in one of the smaller cell blocks. It was too difficult to clear anything more. Too many walkers." The man hummed looking from you to the ground in thought as if he was considering your words carefully. "Alright... tell your people we want six of your weapons." He growled turning the barrel of his gun on you now. "We'll let you have two for self defense... living in a prison must be dangerous especially with a little one." He muttered looking back at Phoenix with a soft gaze. Stepping around you, the man pulled out a knife and cut the bonds that held your hands. Your wrists were red and raw as you held them in front of yourself, rubbing them gingerly. "Luckily for you, you won't need to worry about her tonight." The man's words cut deep and sent another wave of sick fear through you. Looking up you watched as he held a hand out to your daughter who looked frozen in place. "Come on sweetie. It's time to pack up and go. Mommy has business to attend to. She'll come get you in the morning. We get to have a sleep over."

It was instinctual. You moved to fast to your feet and stumbled, your body too weak from the blow it had taken earlier and your blood not ready to pump so fast. It made your vison falter and fade, darkening as if you were about to pass out. Pain. Pain was all you felt after the shockingly loud bang of the gunshot. Pain that radiated through your left leg and up into your core. Pain that was all consuming and powerful. You didn't even realize you were screaming until the ringing in your ears had subsided. "I really didn't want you to do that..." The man growled stepping up to where you laid, holding tightly to Phoenix's wrist as she tugged hard to get away. "But I guess we can say we're kind of even now... right?" He hissed pulling your daughter, your world out of sight, her screams echoing in your tired mind as your vison went in and out of focus until suddenly you were seeing and hearing nothing at all. Visons of your life played on repeat in your mind like flashes in a movie theater. Your first ever memory. Your favorite memory with a sibling. Your first pet. The first time you met your husband Daryl as a young teen in high school. Skipping behind the bleachers with him during prep rallies and school assemblies just to talk and share things with each other you couldn't with anyone else... which eventually evolved into sweet secretive kisses. The first time you touched each other sensually. The night he proposed under the light of the full moon near the lake you both more time at than your homes. The day you both eloped deciding that traditional marriage was too... well traditional for you both. The day you told him you were pregnant and the day you both realized how scared of the future you both were. The day you told Merle and the way your husband's brother's face lit up as he touched your tummy and felt Phoenix kick against his hand. The day you gave birth. The moment everything changed and you realized that you hadn't known real fear until the turn. Blinking awake you winced at the pain that still ebbed through your entire body. You had so much to live for. So much to fight for... You didn't know how long you were out but you refused to let yourself give up there. Crawling to your feet you stood on shaky legs and began to stumble in the direction of where you believed the road could be. The sun was falling low in the sky and you knew darkness would soon follow. You only hoped Daryl would be home when you got there.

Hours passed before you ever reached a paved road that looked vaguely familiar. But you were sure to use your knife to carve symbols on trees that you passed so that you could get back to the spot you were at when you left to make the trade the next morning. Trade... God the word made you sick and brought a vile taste to your mouth. Trade was a word for goods and services... not humans and children... The sky had just turned dark and the moon had risen in the sky by the time you reached the prison gates. The walkers that had piled up were taken care of in the beginning of the night so as you approached you simply waited for whoever was on duty to open the gates. It didn't take long for Carl to come running over. "[Y/N]!" He screamed pulling the chain with a small grunt letting you quite literally tumble into the prison grounds with a soft whine. You felt his warm hands on your shoulders then heard the boy curse for the first time. You wanted to laugh but the pain was simply overwhelming. "[Y/N] where's Phoenix?" He asked panic dripping from his voice. But you could only sob. "I- Daryl." You got out. "I need Daryl." You gasped, trying to stand as a disheveled Glenn and Maggie came sprinting from the guard tower. "Jesus what happened?!" Maggie screamed rushing to your side. Carl shook his head. "Don't know... I'm going to get Hershel and my dad." He muttered sprinting off to the prison door. "Where's Daryl? I need Daryl." You whined, doubling over on yourself and falling to your knees as you tried to walk up the steep incline to the prison. "[Y/N]! Please be careful!" Maggie cried trying to assess your wounds. "Daryl? He's inside right now, I can get him for you if you need me too." Glenn offered and with a small nod he sprinted up the hill.

Daryl's POV~~~

It was quiet inside the prison. Eerily so. Daryl couldn't get a wink of sleep without you and Phoenix by his side. So instead he focused on sharpening the points of his arrows as he sat on the mattress he shared with you and your daughter up in the loft. Merle perched himself on the top step leaning on the railing. He seemed busy sharpening his own knife but Daryl knew better. He knew Merle was keeping an eye on him. Making sure he was ok with you gone, with you missing for so long. "So ya say this place has a stocked kitchen?" Merle asked softly, adjusting the way his right foot rested against the opposite railway. Daryl hummed providing a swift nod in response. "Think that wife of yours will make us hotcakes like she used to when she gets back?" Daryl blinked looking up at Merle's shit eating grin. Shaking his head he couldn't help but chuckle. He knew Merle was joking but he could still tell Merle was worried about you. "I'm sure if you ask nicely she will." Daryl muttered, placing his arrow back in it's quiver. Merle nodded smiling brightly at Daryl. "Good... I missed havin' hotcakes."

The loud unexpected bang of the front door to the prison slamming open shook Daryl into action. Jumping to the edge of the loft he peered down at Carl who was trying to catch his breath. Walking through the hall of the prison he adjusted his hat on his head as he stuck his head in his dad's cell and a few words were uttered which Daryl couldn't quite catch. As Carl got closer now with Judith in his arms Daryl leaned down catching out of the corner of his eye as Merle hoisted himself up to stand along side him. He watched Carl pop into Hershel and Beth's cell and he thought... for a moment he was dropping the tike off for a while as he and Rick went to deal with something... but as Rick stepped out of the cell and bolted out of the prison and Carl followed suite with Hershel hot on his heels, Daryl got a sick uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Jogging down the steps of the loft, he heard Merle huff but knew he wouldn't say much in protest. Not when it was you and Phoenix out there... not when so much was at stake. Glenn met him at the bottom of the steps, a grim expression and blood covering his hands. "Daryl..." He muttered softly. Dread filled Daryl's soul as he shook his head. "Hey... Let me go first..." Merle muttered softly, placing his hand on Daryl's shoulder. In a strange way it was grounding to know Merle was there. To know that if... if what he thought could possibly be outside Merle would handle it. Because Daryl knew deep in his soul he couldn't do it. He wasn't Rick... He couldn't handle it alone. As Glenn glared at his older brother something snapped inside himself. "He doesn't need you, Merle." Glenn hissed. Merle huffed but backed off like a dog scolded. "Hey! Don't fuckin' tell him nothin'!" Daryl growled stepping into Glenn's face. He knew he was in the wrong. He knew he was out of line. But his emotions were high. He'd ask for forgiveness later. Letting Merle skirt past him he kept his face as stoic as he could hold it as he walked passed Glenn and he followed his elder brother out into the yard to face his fear. Light shined down on Hershel and Rick as they examined the crumpled body of a woman laying in the yard. Beaten... battered... bleeding and broken... With no child... no Phoenix. Daryl wanted to scream. To cry. To break. Not his little girl... not his Phoenix. Not their baby... Not when he fought so hard to get them here. Not after everything he's seen. Not after Sophia... He couldn't loose her. He felt himself freeze for a moment. Hoping... praying that maybe if it happened if she was bit, you took care of it. He couldn't do it. But as you screamed out the doctor pulling a bloody rag from your leg he knew now wasn't the time to freeze or break down. [Y/N] needed him. His fucking wife needed him right fucking now. Daryl ran to your side as fast as he could his heart shattering as he every whimper and scream you uttered.

Your POV~~~~

You watched as Maggie poured some of the water from her canteen onto an old rag she held. Gently she swiped the now dried blood from your face before ushering you to lay flat in the grass. "I need ta look at your leg." She said softly, lifting your leg onto her own folded ones as she sat cross legged. Her fingers skimmed the underside of your thigh and with a sigh she shook her head as Rick came into view. "How is she?" He asked kneeling beside you he lit an oil lamp that was much too bright for the headache you didn't realize you had until now. Maggie shook her head but didn't say a word simply holding pressure to your leg as looked over other parts of your bruised body. "Rick..." You tried to talk but he shushed you placing a cool wet cloth across your forehead and his knees under your head. "Just rest..." He whispered softly, his fingers rubbing circles into your temples and easing the migraine. Although he looked around, the question was never asked of where Phoenix was and it killed you. Carl and Hershel were by your side before you knew it, Merle and Daryl not far behind. Like the blink of an eye and you had to wonder if you passed out or if they really were just fast. You couldn't hold back your emotions anymore at the sight of your husband. He looked like he was holding on by a thread. "Good evening [Y/N]." Hershel muttered, squeezing your free hand softly, letting Daryl take it from him as your husband took his place beside Rick. "How is she?" Hershel asked Maggie as he slowly knelt to the ground beside you. God that question was really starting to get old... Maggie shook her head once more. "She's got a lot of superficial cuts and nicks. But she was shot in the leg... it's still bleeding and didn't go the whole way through." She said confidently. "Holy... who the fuck shot ya?" Merle growled. You couldn't see him from over everyone else's head's but from the sound of it, he was pacing in frustration. A Dixon trait. "I-I don't know." You said softly finally letting the tears fall and sobs let loose. Covering your face with your arm you let yourself sob openly. "[Y/N]. You need to calm down." Maggie instructed pressing down on your leg harder to stop the flow of new blood. You could feel Daryl squeezing your hand and leaving soft wet kisses as his own tears met the back of your hand with fears that went unsaid. "Daryl I-I'm so sorry." You managed to whisper, pulling back your arm to meet his blue eyes. You felt your husband tense in your grasp but kept speaking. You had to let him know... "He took her. He took her before I could do anything-" Rick shuffled beneath you and you watched as he and Daryl shared a look. "He? What do ya mean he? The Governor?" Merle asked in rapid fire succession. You softly shook your head. "No... I- I don't know. He came at us from behind. Says he's in a group but I didn't get a name from him... I don't think their big. And I don't think they know about the prison." You said looking up at Rick. "He wanted to know about what we had. What weaponry... food... people." Meeting Daryl's worried eyes you continued. "He never hurt Phoenix. Not that I could see... He's using her as a bargaining chip. He wants six guns, I told him we only had eight. So he said we can keep two. He wants to... trade for her at the same spot he held her and I today." Daryl seemed to relax only slightly, taking a deep breath he leaned close to you, kissing your forehead gently and caressing your cheek softly. "Ya did good, Sunshine. Ya got home. Now let me take care of bringin' our baby home." His breath was but a whisper on your skin but it felt so soft and comforting all the same.

Hershel sighed pulling his kit closer to himself. "Do you think it hit bone?" He asked seriously. "Maybe." Maggie hummed moving her body up to take your hand down. "Ok. [Y/N]. I'm not gonna lie... this is gonna hurt like the dickens." Hershel muttered, lifting a pair of long and thin clamps. Handing a piece of leather to Maggie he sighed. "Put it in her mouth so she doesn't break her teeth." He murmured, pulling out a small metal dish to put the pieces of the bullet into. You had thought childbirth was bad. It was. But maybe only marginally worse than this. Hershel poured alcohol into the bullet wound to clean it out, fishing little bits of debris he found with the extra long clamps. You had thought when it all began that there would be a few pieces of bullet shrapnel in your leg. But now you understood that there was dirt, wood, and grass from your hike as well as the shrapnel. Worst of all the shrapnel refused to simply be pulled away from your wound, being melded with you either in your bone and having to be picked out one by one, or was so deep that Hershel nicked nerve every time he moved. You screamed and begged for a break, tears streaming down your face but he couldn't stop and risk loosing a piece in you, risk giving you lead poisoning, a lethal infection, or allow the metals in the bullet to seep in and give you cancer over time. As the moon rose to its position to it's peak in the sky, Hershel pulled the last piece of metal, holding it high in the air. "Ah... there it is." He said loudly to the relief of your family who had gathered. Maggie wiped the sweat that gathered on your brow. Rick, Daryl, and Merle had long since left your side. They hadn't strayed far. Just a few feet away to talk in peace about what you could only assume was the fate of Phoenix. Rick was looking forlornly at you as Carl, Glenn and Maggie all did their best to hoist you to your feet without making you sick.

Wrapping an arm around Glenn's shoulder's you pointed to your husband's direction. "I need ta talk to them before we go in." You muttered. Slowly the two of you made your way over to the group of men. Daryl was the first to turn to you both taking you from Glenn's arms into his own he hoisted you princess style despite your protests that you could in fact stand. "Bull shit... shouldn't be walkin' on that leg." He muttered laying a kiss on your temple. "[Y/N]." Rick said softly stepping forward. "We need ta know where ya were at when he attacked you... and where he took ya." You nodded and pointed in the direction of the elderberry grove you had been foraging earlier. "He attacked me over next to the creek in the elderberries." You stated watching as Rick grow serious and cock a brow. 'That's impossible... whoever was on guard duty should have seen you." He huffed, crossing his arms across his chest defensively. Staring back you shrugged. "Rick... I'm just telling you what happened. I don't know who all was on duty today but they didn't see us. So maybe that's a blind spot we didn't know existed until now or-" Rick shook his head glaring at no one in particular. "It's not a blind spot I can see that area on duty all the time..." You tilted your head, repositioning your hold on your husband's shoulders. "So what are you saying Rick?" You asked not trying to piss off the ex-cop further than you had to. Rick shrugged shaking his head, that wild faraway look coming back into his eyes. That one that just screamed that he wasn't all there. "I-I don't know... maybe someone in here is planning something with someone... out there." He hissed pointing exaggeratedly to the D Block then to the Elderberry bushes. Daryl shuffled you in his arms a worried look falling on his face as he looked between you and Merle who simply seemed far too understanding for the situation. "We ain't sain' that ain't a possibility... but [Y/N] said-" Daryl tried to explain once more. But Rick had shut down. It was clear in his eyes. "Hey! What we all need is rest... In the mornin' [Y/N] can lead us back to where ever we need ta be with six guns and a hell of a lot more with a group of us hidden in the bushes. Shit goes south we blow 'em away." Merle suggested. Rick sighed running a hand through his hair. "Yeah... lets just sleep on it and talk in the morning."

Daryl carried you slowly up the hill to the prison. The lamp and medical supplies were all cleaned by Maggie, Hershel, and Glenn. You made a mental note to thank them in the morning after you got Phoenix back. Merle walked side by side with Daryl. His gaze was firmly on your wounded form, scanning you for anything the doctor and his daughter could have missed. "Ya know this doesn't excuse you from makin' Daryl, Nix and I hotcakes right?" He teased smirking at you. The rumble in Daryl's chest was contagious as you both laughed, pressing your face into his neck. "Damn, Merle... you're right... if we make a pit stop on the way home tomorrow from picking Phoenix up, I'll even make elderberry hotcakes. How's that sound?" Merle smiled so contently and you couldn't blame him. Even though you knew this conversation was all a joke... that you didn't really have all the ingredients for your famous hotcakes... it was nice to pretend for a moment that in the midst of hell there was a moment of normalcy. "I think we can make that happen, little sister." Merle hummed reaching over with his good hand to squeeze your shoulder lightly.

The three of you stopped outside of the door to the prison, Daryl leaned against the concrete walls having placed you down, for the moment to smoke a cigarette before going in. He placed you gently in between his legs as he leaned against the brick wall of the prison, letting you lean your body against his own. You almost felt like you were highschoolers again... almost. Daryl combed through your hair with his free hand glancing down at your injured leg once in a while to make sure you were keeping it propped or up as he instructed. The smell of his cigarette wafted in the wind as he took a shaky breath listening to the first birds of early dawn sing their songs. Merle however. Merle paced back and forth out of sight of the metal door. He looked agitated and anxious. "Daryl I'm telling you..." He muttered, his voice a mere whisper. "I think Rick is to blame for this." You shifted uncomfortably against your husband's chest, not really appreciating the outfield accusation. But you had your suspicions too. Daryl however... Daryl was silent. The hand that was combing through your hair moved to wrap protectively around your waist, pulling you tight to his chest. There was a tenseness you could feel in his actions. He trusted Rick and was still loyal to him. And you knew he didn't want to risk that trust and loyalty for anything... but that was his little girl out there... not Judith or Carl. Not that it would have changed things if it were... for Daryl. As if on instinct Daryl caressed your tummy with his thumb missing the baby that was once there. You felt him shift nervously behind you pulling your body with him so that you didn't fall. "Dunno..." Daryl muttered finally taking an extra long drag of his cigarette. "Think it's horse shit that we aint out there right now lookin' fer her though." Daryl growled. Merle sighed running his hand through his thinning hair. "Nix can kick some ass if she needs... she's strong like her daddy and momma. She can make it through the night." He muttered holding his prosthetic out in the moonlight. "And if there's a single scratch on that girl I swear none of them men will have any balls left to show for it..." Nodding you glared hatefully at the elderberry bushes as if they had done you wrong themselves. "I think we should ride out once light breaks and try to get a leg up on the situation..." You muttered. You could feel the low rumble in Daryl's chest as he hummed lovingly squeezing you before laying a sweet kiss to the top of your head then your lips. "Nah... You're gonna stay here, sunshine. Get yer rest. We'll need ya later in the day." The taste of his his cigarette permeated the kiss. But you didn't mind... you never did. "That bein' said..." He muttered, flicking his cigarette off to the side before hoisting you into his arms once more. "Lets get you to bed."

Daryl had been kind enough to carry you to the shower room to help clean you up and with a little assistance he helped you take a shower, being sure to keep your new sutures and gunshot wound as dry as he physically could as the two of you bathed together. As weird as it was... it was oddly romantic standing in the prison shower stall alone together with Daryl. The full moonlight cascading on both of your wet bodies detailing every detail of each of you. Even in the darkness of the night you could clearly see the shampoo suds sliding from the top of Daryl's crown, down his toned body as he rinsed his head under the water, letting you hold the button down to release more hot water for him. He softly massaged your back with one of the many clean washcloths and helped to clean your body of any dry blood that Maggie may have missed, being extra delicate when touching upon one of your wounds. "Damn, baby." His whispered voice echoed through the large bathroom. "Bastard really clocked you good." Daryl hummed softly, worry dripping into every word as he massaged shampoo into your own hair, being extra gentle with the newly formed knot that he found that made you hiss and pull away. His worried blue eyes followed you as you leaned back to rinse your hair in the stream of water. "It'll heal." You muttered softly closing your eyes to keep the suds from falling into your eyes. The feeling of his fingers intertwining with your hair relaxed you under the stream of the water. The scratching of his nails on your scalp was welcome and inviting on a day like today. "Tell me if I hurt ya." He muttered. He was always so sweet and soft with you. Sitting up when your hair ran clear you wrapped your arms around Daryl's neck and shoulders kissing him fully, lovingly, completely. Pulling you into his lap Daryl deepened the kiss. Sliding your uninjured leg across his body you straddled his hips getting comfortable with him between your legs. Kissing down the length of your neck Daryl left sweet possessive hickies, his hands traveling from your waist to your back before landing on your chest. You don't know if it was because another man had laid hands on you, if it was a distraction from the fact Phoenix was still out there, or if it was because you were hurt. But Daryl had never been more gentle with you in your relationship when it came to sex before. Bouncing you gently he insisted that you allow him to do most of the work, his breathing hitched as you clenched around him when he found your most sensitive parts. Holding you close to his chest he let your foreheads rest against one another's as you rocked against him, your nails digging into his shoulders as your moans echoed across the bathroom walls. Even as your emotions overflowed and tears fell during, Daryl wiped them away with calloused thumbs, taking the time to insure that you were ok before he continued, kissing your shoulders, your neck, your cheek just to let you know how loved you were and that everything would be ok. His fingers ghosted across your skin feeling the goose pimples that rose there, letting you scratch his biceps as you reached your climax, watching as your head lulled and fell into his shoulder to hide your screams of pleasure only allowing himself to finish inside you once he was certain you had finished yours.

You had thought after having the day you just had, having to take two showers and having mind blowing sex you would have fallen to sleep immediately. But that was the farthest from the truth. That night was the longest of your life. Neither of you slept a single wink. Instead when Daryl laid you down in your shared loft bed, fully clothed and mostly dried you two simply stared at the window. Holding each other as tight as the other could stand you both angled yourselves to watch the sunrise literally counting the minutes until you both could run out in search of your daughter. Daryl's finger's skated along your back and through your hair as yours traveled the length of his chest and abs. "Do you remember when we took Phoenix to the pool for the first time?" Daryl suddenly asked. Looking up into his eyes you noticed they looked far away and distant. You nodded smiling as you allowed yourself to lay your head on your husband's chest. "Yeah. She was so perplexed by her little swimsuit and swimming diaper." You giggled thinking about how when Merle held her for the picture she peed all over him. "Yeah... we put her little feet in the pool and she screamed so loud I thought for sure the chemicals had burned her." Daryl chuckled his hand now combing through your wet hair. "She was always a little drama llama." You giggled kissing Daryl's chest. "Yeah... but once we put her in her Minnie Mouse floaties she took off and no one could catch her... she lived in the water." Daryl laughed, physically having to cover his mouth to stifle the laugh and keep from waking the others. You nodded feeling a sick unidentifiable dread fill your chest as you wrapped your arms around him. Tears slipped down your cheeks and although you tried your damnedest to keep it down a sob escaped your lips. "Yeah... she always loved to swim." You hiccupped through the sobs. Daryl was silent, but the way his body shook you could tell he was crying too. "We'll make a pool here... so she can swim here one day..." Daryl huffed out through a strangled sob and you couldn't help but curl tighter into his chest, burying your face in his shirt. Bawling harder than you can remember you grasped at his shirt gasping his shirt you tried to keep silent, and for the most part you were successful. Even when Daryl urged you to cry openly, to fuck them all and their sleep. But it was your sleep that won over in the end after all of your emotions drained you dry.

The sun was high in the sky when you woke and instantly you wanted to throw up with fear and anxiety. Jolting out of bed you cried out in pain, nearly falling down the stairs, catching yourself on the rail with a clash. "[Y/N]?!" Carol cried out rushing up the stairs to help you down. Tears rolled down your cheeks as sobs ripped through you. "Where's Daryl? Did they-" You tried asking but Carol cut you off pulling you into a tight hug once she got you down the stairs. "He's outside. They didn't leave yet... He just wanted you to get your rest before you all went out later." You nodded resting back against the wall. "I know you may not feel hungry... but you should eat." Carol muttered sliding a bowl of oatmeal in your direction. To be honest just looking at the food made you feel sick. But as you picked up the spoon with a shaky hand and took a bite you suddenly realized just how hungry you were. Pulling the plastic bowl closer you took large bites. "Thank you. I didn't realize I was hungry." You muttered once you had finished the entire bowl. Carol nodded smiling somberly. "I... felt similarly when Soph was missing." She confided leave it at that you didn't dare pry or let yourself dwell of any possibilities too much. The sliding of the metal door drew your attention away from dark and depressing as Daryl and Merle stepped in. "Good. Sleeping beauty is awake." Merle teased winking at you. Daryl rolled his eyes and sighed walking over to lift you into his arms. "Ya ready, sunshine?" he asked. With an uncertain nod he carried you outside. Daryl sat you in the passenger seat of the car as everyone grouped up to chat. "So are you sure he said to meet for this time?" Hershel asked you, pointing to the sky you had indicated when telling them earlier. The question merely made you doubt yourself and the placement the sun was in the sky when you were attacked. But you nodded and pointed to where it was based on what you could see before you passed out. "Alright..." Rick muttered running his hands through his hair. "We got an hour before we gotta be there... [Y/N] said she marked the trail. We look for the marks on the side of the road and go from there." Rick muttered watching Glenn and Carl pack the six "guns" into the car for transfer. "Daryl you ride with [Y/N], Merle, and Glenn to the trade site. Carl, Hershel, Carol, Maggie, and I will be in another car parked on the road we'll watch you all enter the trade site and make sure there are no unwanted followers. Maggie and Carol will follow first to set up. I will be close behind Hershel and Carl will stay in the car as back up in case we need them... Make sense?" He asked looking between everyone making eye contact before nodding sternly. "Alright... lets get Phoenix back.

The ride to the place you were held was absolute hell. Merle would not leave Glenn alone. Glenn would not stop fanning the flames and making Merle want to tease and pick more. Every time you yelled at either one of them you felt like the bad guy. You felt like the mom to two rowdy teens on a long road trip... except you couldn't threaten to turn this car around. No this road trip was too important. As you pulled up to the first of your visible markings you pointed it out to Daryl then reached out the window with your indicator flag you all made out of a florescent orange hunting vest and waved it once to indicate this was the spot. Daryl pulled to the side of the road. The trail was too small for the car to go down, Loading up with as many guns as they each could hold you lead them down the makeshift trail you created. It was so much shorter than you remembered, but the blood from the day before still laid in the field, unchanged and unmoved. Standing at one end of the field you began to feel antsy as you watched the sky. Ten minutes... glancing around you didn't see anything. Not a person scouting the area before hand. Not an animal peeking through the brush. The silence was palpable. Taking Daryls hand in your own you kept your wits about you. You didn't want to seem too vulnerable with Phoenix's captors... but you neither of you could do this alone. Looking up at the sky they were now officially late. You stood stock still. Listening for any sign of movement. Had you gotten the place wrong? The time? Anxiety washed over you as the silence continued to prevail only interupted by the small snapping of twigs as Rick settled in his place nearby. There were now twenty minutes late... despite Glenn's constant pleas to stay optimistic. "Maybe they hit traffic... or they had an emergency." You never felt more nervous and sick in your life. The bickering between Merle and Glenn slowly but surely started once more and the tenseness that your husband held in his body the night before slowly returned. Twenty minutes turned to thirty which turned to fifty as Carl came out to find his dad. You had gone to the corner of the field and vomited twice in this time and were just starting to begin to give up hope when an hour and a half rolled around. "Maybe... we should come up with a plan B..." Rick's voice tore through the silence and through your emotions. Taking what felt like the first breath since you arrived you began to hyperventilate shaking your head. "N-No..." you whispered running your hands through your hair. You had seen enough 48 hours before to know you didn't have time to come up with another plan... This was your plan...

Just as you felt you might melt into oblivion a sudden loud crash through the brush caught everyone's attention. Within a second everyone had their weapon's drawn and pointed at the noise. The brush on the side where the man was to bring Phoenix shook and swayed. "Come out slowly and we won't shoot!" Rick ordered cocking his pistol. The bush suddenly stopped shaking and a small whimper came from within it. "Wait. I'm stuck Uncle Rick." You thought for a moment, you were going to pass out. Lowering your gun you holstered it limping forward. "Phoenix?!" You cried out desperately. "I'm here momma!" She cried stumbling out of the briars with a little whimper. To your horror and awe, Phoenix was covered in blood. Standing midway in the field you stared at your little girl. Her body painted in blood. Slowly she looked up at you, her blue eyes meeting yours as a twisted grin reached her face. "I used the knife daddy gave me." She said proudly holding out the small pocket knife Daryl had given her to use in dire emergencies. "I used it just like Aunt Carol taught me and I remembered how to get here... I was hoping you'd still be here!" She squealed happily running up to you. The horrific realization that, your daughter had most likely killed men and faced the undead hit you like a brick in the stomach. But as you knelt down in the dry puddle of your own blood swiping away any of the blood that was still damp looking for wounds, scratches and bites. "Did you make sure they wouldn't come back?" You asked seriously, hiding your shaking hands behind her back as you pulled her close to you, holding her close catching Daryl out of the corner of your eye as he moved to kneel beside you both. Your husband's own face was ashen pale as if he himself had seen a ghost. "I did. I stuck them in the head just like aunt Carol said to." Phoenix said handing her little knife over to Daryl to close before hugging him tightly. "Aren't ya proud of me daddy?" She asked excitedly. You watched as Daryl's face morphed from disbelief to stunned shock, rageful hate filled anger at the world for making his little girl experience this, before it landed on acceptance... at least for now. "O-Of course I am baby girl... so, so proud of you. But, I don't want ya to have do this again unless-" She nodded pulling away with a smile. "It's an emergency. I know." She said. "Can we go home now? I feel sticky."

It had been two days since the incident... Daryl refused to go out on runs certain his family wasn't safe unless he was there despite Merle's promise's to keep you and Phoenix safe. You currently sat outside in the courtyard with Carl, Judith, Phoenix and Merle listening to Daryl and Rick's fight. "My daughter had to learn how to put people down damn it!" Your husband screamed. You could hear both Carol and Rick muttering something to him but... Daryl wanted to hear none of it. "I don't give a shit that you were trainin' them Carol!" He bellowed pulling Merle's attention. "Ain't never seen him so pissed." Merle sighed tinkering with his blade. "I did..." You replied, glancing at your brother-in-law. "The day we lost you. He nearly killed Rick then." Merle blinked seeming to think on this as if it were the first time he ever imagined that possibility. "What we should be focusing on is that whoever was on watch didn't see the whole fucking attack that happened just over the god damned gate!" You heard something metal clang against the concrete floor, only assuming that Daryl had resorted to pitching things or clearing the tables with a single swipe. "Sounds like he's about ready to do it again..." Merle joked, swiping a stray piece of hair from your daughter's face. You sighed looking longingly at Phoenix. "We were lucky... I think Daryl realizes that. But the chances of us being lucky again. They're slim Merle." You hummed meeting his gaze. He nodded meeting your gaze from the corner of his eyes. "I know." There was another loud crash that made all of you jump an Judith to cry out. Carl was quick to pick her up and start soothing her. He was best at it, and despite the shit he gave you all, he still was a kid at heart. "Damn it Daryl!" Rick finally yelled back. "I get you're pissed! I do! But throwin' shit around ain't gonna fix the problem!" With a sigh you slowly stood. "I better go stop Daryl before he really looses it." You sigh.

You could hear the fight more clearly as you painfully climbed the hill to the prison block. "Ya can't know there's not more out there Rick! I want to be sure there's no one out there right now lookin' for us." Daryl hissed. Rick sighed nodding. "We can look while we're out on runs but we need you for that Daryl." Your husband shook his head, pacing back and forth. "Nah... not til I know who was on watch when they went missin'. I want to know they can't go on watch no more." Rick shuffled his feet and shook his head. "Look we need all the help we can get..." Daryl seemed to only get more aggravated at that growling before flipping a metal chair... or another chair... you found the reason of the last major crash. Looks like the first chair went through some old wooden creates the prison had. "Bull shit!" Daryl growled pointing at Rick. "Tell me it wasn't you then... you said there's no blind spots there so tell me why it wouldn't be you." He accused walking over to where Rick stood. You watched in horror as Daryl got in Rick's face just like he was in high school itching for a fight. "Guys!" You screamed limping over to the two, catching their attention just before they threw fists. "That's enough!" Daryl huffed backing off but not down. "Well?" He hissed. Rick seemed to be juggling his words carefully before he nodded. "I-I was on duty when it happened..." He admitted. "But I don't remember it at all." You sighed frowning deeply. It was as you feared. "Rick... could you have been on the other side of the prison?" Rick shook his head as Daryl paced back and forth running his hands through his hair a new wave of axiety rushing through him. "So anything could have gotten through or been peeking in while you had an episode?" He growled. Rick sighed obviously frustrated with the way the question was worded so you rephrased it. "So you just go blank for a little while... or is it like something else?" You asked seriously. Rick relaxed a bit. "It's not as bad as when I was... seeing her all the time... I still do... but it's different. I-It's hard to explain." You nodded looking to Daryl. "Maybe we should delegate the patrol duty for a little while... train the newbies? And you can... take a break." You suggested. Hershel nodded, picking up one of the chairs Daryl threw. "You'll still be head just... with less to do." He murmured. Rick sighed. "I always wanted to farm..."

A few hours passed by. You couldn't seem to keep your eyes off of Phoenix. It was still so miraculous to you that she made it back to you at all. That she defied all odds and made it home. You wondered what fresh hell she went through then decided that maybe it was better if you didn't know for now... she would tell you in her own time. Daryl was laying beside her in the bed. You both watched her little sleeping form as if she were the newborn you both brought home from the hospital again. You rubbed sweet circles into her back before curling tight against the two of them. "Our baby is home Daryl." You whispered kissing his lips sweetly. Daryl nodded kissing your forehead. "Went through hell an' back again... but the little demon looks like she thrived there... she looks stronger for it. That normal?" You giggled softly and shrugged. "Dunno... I think so nowadays... Look at Carl." You teased loving the chuckle that tore from your husband's throat. "Yeah I suppose so..." He muttered, pulling you down for another kiss. "I love ya, sunshine. Get some rest."

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thedelusionreaderbitch · 1 year

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Jinx x fem! Reader - Tick tock

A/n: I had some much fun with this request, I took some creative liberties but I had an idea and I just couldn't get it out of my head! Enjoy!

Request: Hey! Can I request a jinx x reader who were childhood friends but Jinx thought she died so in a fight with Jinx reader's mask is knocked off, jinx recognizes her and takes her?

Warnings: death, violence, swearing, ptsd, jinx being jinx, cannon? I don't know her, I think that's it? You have been warned!

The three P's:

[Pronouns used: she/her, you/your] [Pov: 2nd person] [Pairings: (romantic!) jinx x reader, (platonic/parental!) silco x reader, (platonic!) ekko x reader]

1 week ago

The Firelights were swarming her, and Violet and that stupid enforcer.

But she would kill them, she would make them pay for ever trying to attack her and her sister.

They were like bugs, fluttering around on tiny wings without care but to annoy her. She brought some down, but flies have always been hard to catch.

A slash across her leg as she screams in pain and repeatedly hits the foolish firelight who hit her. Again, and again.

The raven mask breaks off the firelight's face and-

You.

The smoke bomb erupts from behind her and instinctively she latches onto you as she cries out for Vi. Her sister, they took her, she left- No! They took her!

She left her again.

"Jinx, let me go!" You hissed at her as you struggled in her grip and attempt to back away from her.

"You're supposed to be dead!" She counters back hugging you close to her chest as manic sobs leave her throat. "Why did you leave me?" Jinx finds herself uttering those words all over again but this time without a cry, or a harsh gut-wrenching scream. Just with a broken voice beaten through the horrors of the undercity.

"The Firelights saved me, but I was in a coma for a long time. By the time I had waken up you had already moved on as much as you could with your life. You were healing." You mutter the last three words with a kindness she only knew from you.

She didn't need to know that wasn't the whole truth.

Jinx shakes her head and with her light pink and baby blue polished nails, she cups your face, her fingernails digging into the cheeks of your skin.

"You're never leaving me."

Gripping your hands on her arms as you nodded your head, not erratically like her, but calm - eerily calm.

"Never again."

5 years ago

Jinx as always was all over the place, that was just her personality, crazy as a bug but with the intelligence of the best inventors of Piltover. Probably better. Just the way you liked her, though you would like her even if she wasn't bat-shit crazy.

Where Jinx was messy, you made up for it with your preciseness, with your black suits and room put all together nicely. You appeared to be the opposite of Jinx, yet you both had more in common then anyone would ever think.

"Birds of a feather, flock together."

Even at fourteen years old, the world was already starting recognize you as the daughters of Silco.

They would never be ready for you.

6 months ago

"Y/n!" Jinx screamed at you, trying to warn you of the upcoming drop as you, Jinx, and Silco were leaping from the rooftops. As your dad decided to teach the two of you another lesson.

Yet it was too late, and your foot slipped as you threw your head back in laughter, and your body tumbled down to the hard, grim-ridden ground.

You didn't even get to finish your laugh.

It will never escape you, the irony of the situation. According to statics Jinx was the one who was the most likely to fall, hell even Silco had more of a chance of falling off the rooftops than you. Even with all your perfectness you still slipped from that roof.

Jinx went to jump down after you as Silco held her back she hit, yelled, and kicked him until exhaustion over took her. Although Silco held on all throughout the battle because he wasn't going to go and lose another daughter.

When they left, with a sobbing Jinx in tow a green light hovered over top of you as a brave firelight snatched you from the ground. Your faint pulse beating underneath his fingers.

8 years ago

"Y/n!" Powder called out for you.

"Powder?" You question her from your spot in your "nest" as Vander liked to call your special spot in the room.

She plops down on top of your lap with eyes full of tears she refused to shed lest she be called a baby by Mylo or Claggor.

"What's wrong Bug?" You ask her with her nickname that no one else was allowed to use. One time Violet tried and you knocked her in the jaw, you were on cleaning duty for a week after that.

Slowly, you wrapped your arms around her, bringing her into a hug.

A smile is brought onto her face as she shakily replies. "Mylo said I was a jinx again Toots." She says your nickname back with a frown on her face when she speaks about her perpetrator.

Narrowing your eyes at the door as if Mylo would come through at that instant.

"I'll kill him." You growled and squeezed Powder gently in your arms.

Giggling, Powder shook her head. You always went for violence first, it was almost concerning for Vander and Vi as they were the only ones that could've distinguished that in the Lanes never thinking twice about violence made you dangerous. They wanted you safe, but they didn't want you to be dangerous to be so.

Despite this, Powder never went against your nature, and you never babied her but thought of her as a real person. A real friend, as an equal.

Not that the two of you knew that, you were both only eleven!

"Mylo is still one of us." She states snuggling into your arms. "You can use one of my glitter bombs though!"

7 years ago

Sure you had felt bad when you hadn't come back to Vander, but as a twelve year old you thought you knew the in and outs of everything. The secrets of the world. As you had willingly stayed with Silco when Vi, Mylo, Claggor, and Powder were forced to leave you behind on a supply run gone bad.

The only person you truly missed was Powder, but you knew even through your childish jealousy that she would never leave Violet.

"Y/n." Silco called out to you, as your sharpened your new knives that he had gifted you.

"Yes?" You replied, placing your daggers on the table and jumped from your seat to meet up with the industrialist and a blue haired girl trailing behind him.

"I would like you to meet Jinx." He says, a bit nervously hoping that you - someone who is like a daughter to him would like the girl he had ultimately decided to take in as well.

He stepped to the side and-

Her.

"Bug?" You inquire confused, your mask that you had been wearing for a year had broken. She was back to you, you both were finally home.

5 days ago

"Bug, you have to let me go." You sigh as jinx wrapped her arms further around you and narrowed her eyes down at you.

"No! You'll leave, and I'll never get to tell you-" She chokes on a sob.

Your own eyes filled with tears, Jinx was the only person who could enlist such strong reactions from you. You wanted to hate it, but you would hate her in return if you did, and you could never hate your Bug.

Closing your eyes you realize what was truly going through her mind.

"I'm yours Jinx." You open your eyes to find her intense blue ones staring right back at you.

"I've always been yours."

Jinx blinked a couple of times before smiling her soft smile only few have seen. That even less deserve.

"Me to Toots."

1 day ago

"Thank you councilor for meeting up with me today" You examined your nails as if they weren't ugly and torn apart from where you lived. To this Councilor, it probably made you look unaffected by the contents of this meeting.

"I've seen to be meeting up with you people a lot." He says, obviously stressed.

His name was Jayce Talis, a new councilor and the easiest to manipulate considering Councilor Medarda did it pretty well. Also if he didn't want him and his friends to go down.

"Tell me councilor, what do you think the council will do when they figured out you gave a person of Zaun a hexstone."

You took out the stone from your pocket and let it fall around in your hands.

"What would happen to councilor Medarda for supporting? What would happen to your partner, in perhaps more ways then one; your dear Viktor? Would they send him back to the undercity?"

What could you say? You had done your research and those two inventors have been fueling the tension for years. Hopefully this would be enough to scare the two together.

You slowly let the news sink in and as he girts his teeth and curled his fists and finally the defender of Piltover gave in.

"What do you want." Talis raised his voice in fury.

"Clear Jinx's name." You stated as if it were so simple.

"The council won't just "let up" and clear her name without reason!"

You had a crooked grin on your face.

"Would a corrupt enforcer do it?"

3 years ago

Jinx's bomb exploded in the background as you calmly walked up to the cowering Pilte who had betrayed your father (Silco) and didn't transport the shimmer he was supposed to.

"Please..." He begged for his life, tears brimming his eyes as you flicked out a knife from the inside of your sleeve.

You looked at the man with a deadpan expression on your face, what a pathetic piece of garbage.

Some small little giggles could be heard coming from behind the Pilte causing you to smirk. As you turned around and started walking away you heard the grateful pleas of the man until there was another explosion behind you.

Jinx leaped up beside you and leaned her head against your shoulder as you gazed upon the sunset. It was a good sunset you had to admit, but it couldn't beat the ones in Zaun. You guys just had a far better view then them.

"Silco's going to pissed!" Jinx laughs and laced your hands together.

You shook your head as she swung your hands back and forward.

"I already took care of the idiot's affairs, father already knows."

"You're so formal!" She jumps in front of you, and jabs you in the ribs. "Lighten up Toots!"

Smiling at her, you take her face into your hands.

"That's your job Bug."

2 days ago

"Dad?" You questioned as you came into his office with your girlfriend beside you.

She hadn't left your side ever since she had taken you back from the Firelights clutches. It was a bit much and put a damper in your plans, (also there was the fact that you knew the ultimatum the idiot councilor had given Silco.)

Also you didn't know if you still deserved to call him the title you had given him years ago.

"Y/n?" His voice echoed around the room in disbelief before he was up and pulled up you into a hug.

Yes, there was always more to do but you had reunited with your father and now girlfriend.

You were home.

Present time

Jinx laid on your lap as you braided her hair and whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

Zaun was finally free.

3 months ago

"Y/n, you can't just kill people because you want to!" Ekko seethed at you, furious as you played with a dagger.

Rolling your eyes, you pushed yourself off of the tree. "And I already told you Ekko, I do what I want when you hurt Jinx!" You snarled.

Ekko sighed, this wasn't the first time he's had this conversation with you. You're a force to be reckoned with, he should have expected you to be, you were one of the half's of the daughters of Silco for crying out loud!

You were also the same as when you were young.

Although you were usually calm when you had this repeated conversation, Ekko knew when he could physically see you getting more angry every time, this time though you were nearly furious, he had to make a different deal with you.

"Okay Y/n, I'll make you a deal." He started officially picking at your interests, but he couldn't be quite sure so it made him slightly nervous. He did this thing where he would fiddle with his hands when he was nervous, he's done the same thing since he was a boy.

How has everything stayed the same yet it changed so much simultaneously?

"It's not possible for us not to harm Jinx, she's a constant around us and it isn't working."

You nearly wanted to snap at him, hurting Jinx had never been an option in your mind.

Your eyes flashed dangerously, but you waited still, to hear the rest of his bargain.

Ekko usually had more tricks up his sleeve then the other children in the past, it would be a useful skill to still have. For your sanity, and his life you hope he did.

"But I will personally make sure nobody kills Jinx, or fatally injures her and I will get you one of those stones from Piltover."

Blinking a few times you curled your hands together and as you did, Ekko took a few frantic steps back,

Ekko had made you enraged, because this is an offer you can't refuse.

So you calmed yourself and coolly placed your hand out for Ekko to shake as if you were the one to propose the deal in the first place.

Ekko hadn't given you freedom, but he had given you something to destroy Piltover. To clear Jinx's name.

A deal.

Words 2286

-thedelusionreaderbitch

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serenefreakgeekao3 · 2 years

Text

Ever in our favour

PEETA MELLARK X GN!READER

CHAPTER ONE

[Table of Contents]

Summary: You wake up with a migraine, surrounded by forests and kids that are more than willing to kill you. What have you fallen into the middle of? And why can’t you remember getting here?

Warnings: Cannon-typical violence, descriptions of blood and injuries, descriptions of a panic attack, temporary memory loss, (more to be added over time)

Author’s Note: I was planning on doing like full-amnesia, doesn’t remember anything and suddenly waking up with everyone wanting to kill them, but it seemed a bit too unrealistic to me so i went partial amnesia from head trauma and ran with that. And to make the whole gender-neutral reader thing easier, I made the reader from a separate district and killed off the other tribute during the Bloodbath section, and i make no mention of whether your other tribute was masculine or feminine.

You slowly come to consciousness, your head pounding along with your pulse, and each beat seems to get more painful. You groan low in your throat, curling into a ball to minimize the stabbing only to hear your ears begin to ring. You slowly took stock of the rest of your body, and you could feel a burning, searing pain coming from your left abdomen; your clothes felt sticky in that area and you could only assume you’d been losing blood.

Your ears begin to clear, and you stretch your jaw after realizing you had been clenching it this whole time. You were just about to open your eyes when you feel a shove against your right side, falling heavily against your left and calling out in pain. Your eyes shoot open from this, and you take in the scenery surrounding you. You were in some sort of forest, the light was low enough that it seemed to almost be night- and there were two men fighting each other not ten feet away from you. Their grunts were only just registering, and you raise a hand to wiggle one of your ears, trying to clear out the last of the ringing.

You were terrified- the two men that were fighting seemed ready to end each other. One raised a hatchet above his head and swung wildly, missing once the other ducked before jumping back upward with a strong uppercut to the jaw. Hatchet man fell to the ground, losing his grip on his weapon as it swung and fell a bit away, tettering off the edge of a rock before falling into a rushing river nearby. You suck in a deep breath, looking at the man still standing and seeing him remain there, breathing heavily.

He was a bulky guy, with short blonde hair- and as he turned to look at you, you catch sight of eyes so blue they reminded you of the skies back home, in District 9. The blue skies mixed with the fields of grain surrounding you had always been a calming thought, and you were instantly transported back there just by one innocent look from this boy.

He approached slowly, raising his hands in a placating gesture, before finally speaking with a low voice. “Hey, don’t worry, I’m here now.”

“Where am I?” It was one of the main questions on your mind, along with who is he, why are you here, and why that man was trying to kill him. Along with why your head hurt so much, where your home was- really, the list could go on, but figuring out where you were definitely seemed like a good starting point. This question, however, seemed to be the wrong one as the only answer you got in response was a furrowed brow and a slight pout from the boy’s lips. Then, the hatchet man began to stand back up.

“Look out!” You point behind him, and the blond boy spins to face his attacker head-on. The boy- tall, but skinny, with short brown hair that curled around his ears- just laughed as a bit of blood trickled down his chin.

“I’m going to have fun ending both of your lives,” He taunted, raising his hands in some sort of readying position and twisting his feet until they matched his stance. The boy beside you huffed out a breath, shaking his head and readying his own stance. Were you supposed to know what was going on?

The men rushed at each other, the blond angling to grapple the other’s middle and bring him down to the ground, but the hatchet man managed to keep his footing, and it ended with a clash of both pulling opposite directions and struggling against each other. You stood slowly, scanning the area before finding a rather large stone, bigger than your own hand when you kneeled down to pick it up. You approached slowly, trying to go unnoticed by the wrestling duo before finally lifting the stone over your head and bringing it down on the brown-haired head. He collapsed and it took a moment for the blond to finally let go of him and lay him on the ground.

You met eyes over the body, you raising the stone in the air as if to explain, and you watched the blond boy eye it warily. “You’re not going to hurt me, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” The boy agreed cautiously, slowly moving to stand. You drop the heavy rock from your hand, grunting and moving to clutch at your hurt abdomen once more. The blond boy watches you from afar before slowly approaching, moving your hand and kneeling down to get a better look. He pulls your black shirt away from the wound, and you can tell by his wince that your injury doesn’t look good.

“We should get out of here before he wakes up,” You grunt out, taking a step back from the blond boy and fixing your shirt. He only furrows his brow further before looking down at the unconscious kid next to him, then glancing toward the sky. You only just noticed, but it seemed to be getting darker outside, and the drop in temperature was beginning to worry you. “Perhaps we should gather wood for a fire or something.”

“Well that’s a sure way to get us killed,” The blond mumbled, standing with a wince. “And I don’t think we should just leave him here like this, he’d come after us. You heard him.”

“And what are we supposed to do? Kill him?” Your question was rhetorical, but you only received a baffled look back from the blond. “Exactly, so why don’t we just-”

“Yes. That’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to kill him.”

“What?” You blink a few times, trying to process this before laughing loudly. This apparently startles the blond, who stands there baffled once more before lurching forward and placing his hand against your mouth.

“What are you doing, trying to get us killed?” He stares into your eyes with deep worry, and your humour suddenly leaves you as quickly as you found it. As he slowly lowers his hand, you find you can’t raise your voice to more than a whisper.

“What do you mean? Where are we?”

You suddenly feel something grasp your ankle, and as you’re in the process of a surprised gasp it yanks hard and pulls you down to the ground. You land roughly against the stone, bumping your head and OW that hurt again! Your migraine comes back in full force and you see stars dancing in your vision. You feel a weight against your chest next, and through the stars and throbbing you begin to make out a figure, a person sitting atop your chest.

Then once, twice, three times you are hit across the face. Your head swings wildly from side to side, and all you can do is groan, too dizzy to figure out where you were and how to stop this. You feel intense pressure coming from your left side and it matches the pumping feeling that fills your head and you’re not sure you can breathe or even continue-

You gasp a breath quickly, turning onto your side and coughing as the weight sitting on your chest is suddenly removed. You hear a scuffling nearby through the pounding of your ears, and you struggle to open your eyes and take a look around you. Hatchet man is wrestling the blond onto the ground, rolling around and round in circles. Their grappling techniques seemed matched, both relying on strength to win this fight and ending in a stalemate.

‘Well it worked the first time, didn’t it?’ You think to yourself, twisting your head around until you find a red-stained rock nearby. You heft it with some effort, breathing heavily through your nose and moving to stand. You catch yourself briefly as you almost fall over, but eventually succeed and approach the wrestling couple, who once again seems too concentrated on their own efforts. You lift the rock above your head, wait for the opportunity, and then send it crashing down.

Somewhere in the distance, a cannon goes off. You choke on your breath, dropping the rock from your grasp and stumbling backwards until you trip on your feet and land on your bum. Scooting back more until your back hits a rough surface, you shake your head in disbelief. No, no, no, no, you couldn’t be- this can’t be-

“Hey, hey, are you okay?”

You look up into the blond’s eyes, your breaths coming in pants, too fast to control and though you’re hyperventilating, you still feel as if you can’t get enough air into your lungs. You continue shaking your head back and forth, staring into his blue eyes and hoping to find even a portion of the calm you had felt earlier. He approaches slowly, his hands in full view until finally he’s within touching distance. He reaches forward slowly, placing a hand on your chest with his left, and taking one of your hands with his right. You hadn’t realized you were practically clawing at your throat until he had, and he brings your hand to his own chest.

“Breathe with me, alright? In, there we go now hold it, a few more seconds, okay now out, there we go.”

He’s talking you through how to breathe, mimicking it with you and- wait, if you’re here and he’s helping you- why is he helping you?

“We’re in the Hunger Games.” You meant to phrase it as a question, but it only came out as a statement. As his eyes darkened, he only nodded in response before continuing to breathe along with you. You shake your head again, trying to calm your breathing as you can feel the need to speed it up once more. “I didn’t- I really didn’t mean to kill him. I didn’t- I can’t-”

“Hey, it’s okay. You should see yourself right now. Trust me, it was self-defence.”

“I didn’t- I didn’t mean to-”

The blond hushes you, crawling in closer and pulling you against his chest. His arms tighten around you and- wait, but you’re in the Hunger Games? Why is he helping you?

“You’re not from my district?” You were able to ask that one as a question, your tone finally inflecting where it needed to. You felt him shake his head against you, repeating in whispers how everything is alright now. “Why are you helping me?”

“Do you remember anything? At all?” His voice was still whispering in your ear, though now that you couldn’t see his blue eyes anymore you could see the rest of the world surrounding you. It was darker now than it was and the last vestiges of the light barely lit up the area you’d woken up in. And there he was, the man that you had killed laying not ten feet away from you. Your breath begins to pick up again and the blond just tightens his hold on you. “You’re fine, everything is okay now.”

“I killed him. I really killed him.”

“Y/N, do you remember anything at all?” You turn quickly at the sound of your name, studying his face intently. He knew you, but you still had no clue who he is.

“How do you know my name? Who are you?” He sighs, his face looking pained.

“My name is Peeta. We should get moving before someone stumbles across us here. I’m sure our fighting was pretty loud.” He moves to stand, offering a hand down to help you. You leverage his help to stand, with Peeta holding fast as you stumble from dizziness. “Someplace nearby though, I don’t think you can continue on for much longer without having those wounds dressed.”

“Wounds? Plural?” You huff a breathless laugh at him, shaking your head and bending over slightly, trying to put pressure against your side. “I know my side is bad, but it’s not-” You cut yourself off as Peeta raises a hand to the side of your head, then brings his hand back covered with blood. He stares at it for a few moments before a look of determination crosses his face.

“Let’s get moving.” He turns, roughly yanking a backpack off of the other guy’s body and approaching the fast-running river, scanning the inside. “I think we lost the hatchet, but we can make do. Come on,” He offers a hand out to you, and you reach the one not holding your side out to take it. He pulls you alongside the river upstream, scanning the area for something- someplace safe, likely.

After a bit of walking, you become extremely glad that Peeta had the idea to hold hands. The world around you becomes so dark that you can spot a lit campfire that seems a few miles away, and blearily wish for the heat that it would provide before your thoughts are interrupted by a scream and a flickering of the campfire light ahead. It eventually goes out at the same time another cannon sounds, and Peeta tightens his grip on your hand. It’s another few minutes before you hear him speak again.

“I think I found something, stay here.” You’re reluctant to let go of his hand, but he pulls away anyway and disappears from view. You’re scared, hurting, and tired. And now alone. You hunker down, kneeling down on your feet with your knees on either side of you like some sort of protection. You try to breathe through the pain, hissing slightly as you press a little too hard on your side. You raise your free hand to clutch at the side of your head, realizing that the source of your pounding migraine stems from whatever injury was congealing on your head. You could feel it wet with blood, but it wasn’t pulsing out like the one on your side was so you felt slightly better about your chances.

The idea of your own death was finally hitting when you felt a hand grab hold of your arm. You stumble backwards, trying to wrench your arm from the hand, but then Peeta appears directly in front of your face whispering assurances. You calm slightly, staring into those blue eyes once more and- just, wow, why was he so comforting? Especially in this place, where you know you’re supposed to kill everyone else, even if you don’t remember officially being put in here?

Once Peeta notices your compliance, he pulls once more and directs you downward toward the water. You try to watch your step, the stones slick under your feet before you hear Peeta tell you to duck your head down. He stands between you and the river, placing a hand on your head to make sure you don’t bump it as he guides you into a small cavern space. Inside is even darker than before, but you place a hand on the cave wall and follow it around until you reach the back of the cave. You raise your hand upward, feeling the roof above you in your hunched-over form. You weren’t sure how much space was here exactly, but it definitely wasn’t a lot.

“Okay, just rest for now. We can’t do anything when we can’t see.”

“Shouldn’t we do something about this,” You grunt out, trying to lower yourself down into a reclining position while applying pressure to your side. “I feel like I’m about to bleed out over here.”

“You won’t,” Peeta replies quickly, assuredly, before you feel his approach. He places a hand on your leg before dragging upward, meeting your hands and pressing even harder against your side. You hiss in pain and hear Peeta sigh in response.

“I’ll go look outside for some sort of healing herb, at least there’s a moon out there, even if only partially full. I won’t venture far, don’t worry.”

Before he could remove his hand from you, you reach forward and encircle his wrist. “Why are you helping me? Isn’t that the opposite of the point?” It’s quiet for a moment before you heard some more shuffling. You feel Peeta place his hands on both of your shoulders, then lift you up. You’re gently laid down on his legs, and he begins to run his hand through your hair, smoothing it away from your forehead.

“We became friends during training. I know a bit about you already, though I suppose if I’m reading this situation right, you don’t remember me?” You shake your head gently, then feel as Peeta gently runs his fingers against the injury on your head. “It sucks,” He says with a laugh, and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “We planned on teaming up. We have pretty opposite specialities, so we thought it would be a smart idea.”

“So what is your speciality then?” He laughs again and you can’t help but think you wouldn’t mind hearing that again. You absolutely wouldn’t mind having a teammate on your side, especially while injured.

“I’m strong. I was a baker’s child over in 12, I used to lug those large sacks of flour and grain. I would feed the pigs we had out back, and carry them when they were slaughtered.” He sighed softly, and you reach a hand up to tangle with one of his. He squeezes your hand before continuing. “I was in a wrestling club after school back home, so I have some hand-to-hand experience as well.”

“And what were my specialities?” You asked with a smile, and you could hear a smile in his voice as he replied.

“As if you wouldn’t already know, but sure. You’re good at differentiating between plants. I would’ve died five times over during training- that’s when you first approached me. Laughing at me, actually.” You laugh then, at the image it invokes, nodding your head. “You’re also good at setting snares and traps. You mentioned pests, like field mice that would run through your grain or eat your product. Your father had taught you to lay traps and how to mark them so the others in your district wouldn’t run into them.” He blew out some breath, brushing his free hand through your hair once more, his voice lowering. “You were worried that setting up traps for humans would be harder, or more noticeable. But we practised and tested it out. As long as you use strong enough rope, you can catch them easily.

"Actually, there’s the boy from district 1, Marvel, who accidentally ran into your trap while you were trying to show me. He was hoisted up into the air by his leg. It was a funny sight really,” He chuckled, and you couldn’t help the smile on your face, “He was hanging upside down and I couldn’t tell if his face was red from anger or all the blood rushing downward.” You laugh along with him, then as the laughter dies off you sit in silence until you finally decide to break it.

“Please tell me the guy I k-killed was that Marvel guy, then?” His voice was low and serious when he answered.

“No. I think he was the guy from 3.” He runs his fingers through your hair one more time before lifting you up and trying to gently lay you down on the stone underneath where he had been. “I should go look for those herbs now.”

“I thought I was the one who knew the difference,” You pointed out, raising your eyebrows. Now that your eyes have finally adjusted you could see the basic form of Peeta hovering nearby, his hands reaching toward you before withdrawing.

“Well, I don’t think you’re in any position to go looking. Plus, you showed me a few things in training.” You smirk, laying your head back and closing your eyes.

“At least someone remembers, then.”

#ever in our favour #peeta mellark #peeta mellark x reader #reader #gender neutral reader #fanfiction #the hunger games #thg fanfiction #in the arena

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echantedtoon · 3 months

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Oblivious Crushes Ch2 Urogi And Karaku

(Hey everyone. I just wanted to thank everyone who read this far and liked my story enough to read it to it's end. I had a lot of fun writing it and it makes me happy knowing some people loved it enough to read it fully. If you liked this consider checking out my other works. Thanks to everyone for reading this, faving it, or leaving a nice comment. And thank you to Koyoharu Gotouge for creating such wonderful characters and giving me the opportunity to make this wonderful story.

Warnings for alcohol consumption mentioned, Karaku IS his own warning, possibly some innuendos, and some cussing.

Just for context. If you didn't already know this is a modern au fic and obviously I'm NOT doing a Zohakutan x Mitsuri. This is just a funny what if idea based on the art by @hawnkoi / @hawnkoii on Tumblr. Kinda based within Kimetsu Gauken and will probably be ooc with the four main clones and short but screw it! Let's go!

ALSO!! I'm going off the headcannon that Karaku is already very flexible. Have you seen him doing those backflips and cartwheels in the anime? Plus it's kinda cannon Mitsuri knows ballet with all the twirls she does. I had to research a LOT of ballet stuff for this )

@hantengus-fuckass-clones

@hantenguclonesimp-minuszoha

If you had told him a few months ago that he'd fall for the most beautiful, chatty girl on campus.. Honestly he probably would've believed you.

It wasn't really a big secret that he's been around on plenty of dates. Not quite as much as his identical green eyes brother but enough to be known for his own fun loving personality. He liked to say that no one who hung out with him date or otherwise was bored. Quite a few parties he's thrown. Lost count of how many drinking contests he's won in the past two university years, only loosing to Karaku whom he could respected. But it was on only one of these days that he actually caught sight of her.

He thought that whole infatuation at first sight thing was just in movies. Y'know. Hollywood stuff so people would watch more chick flicks. However it was like time slowed in that particular moment he was leaving the hallway with Karaku and about to enter the campus library, they were supposed to meet two of their brothers after their tutoring session and then the lot of them would leave to visit their gramps and little brother over the weekend. However when Urogi went to grab the doorknob, it flew open and something solid ran into him. Something hard enough to send him stumbling back and falling onto his back hard with something landing on top of him in a heap.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you ok?!", a voice squealed out above him.

Blinking his vision slowly focused and he found himself frozen. Time seemed to slow down and he looked up in awe at the beautiful face in front of him. The light hit her face just right from the window as cheesy as it sounds, and lit up her worried eyes staring down at him with that worried frown making her bottom lip pout and her cheeks puff out slightly but enough to make her look all the more cuter. One of the two giant braids hanging from her head knocked into his cheek...All he could answer out in that moment was a wide eyed wheeze.

"HAHAHA! I think you knocked the wind outta him, Mitsuri." And all at once his vision was taken away from him. Two hands grabbing her by the waist and hauling her up off him and to her feet as his brother laughed. Karaku smiled widely at the woman who looked worried at the smiling man. "Wasn't expecting to see you here. Late night studying?"

She shook her pretty head making her braids sway and the green eyed man smile more. "No. I was actually tutoring your brothers!"

His eyes widened slightly in realization. "Ah! So that's how you've been makin' that extra dough. I didn't know you were teachin' Sekido. How many pencils did he break this time?"

"None! He's getting a lot better!," she smiled up at him and giggled making a rare pink come to his face.

"Yeah...So I've meaning to ask you." A hand rubbed almost nervously on the back of his neck. "Since I gotta miss our weekend sessions, do you wanna make up for it next week wh-when you're free?"

She happily nodded again. "I'd be happy to! But I really gotta go now." She cutely hopped from foot to foot. "I promised my friend I'd meet her when I was all done and I forgot the time and Sekido got stuck on that algebra problem- AH!" Karaku chuckled as she cutely grabbed her cheeks with a squeak. "And I'm making myself more late! I gotta go! See you next week! I'm so sorry again!!"

Within a few seconds she waved at Karaku, bowed apologetically, and then raced off down the hallway off to who knows where leaving the two standing there.

"Hey, Banana Eyes." Karaku leaned over his brother still splayed across the floor. "You gonna get up or do you need a forklift?"

Urogi did sit up. Slowly. Wide eyed and in awe glancing at where she disappeared. "..Who was that?"

"Mitsi? She's from my dance class. Y'know? The one I take on weekends. Here." Urogi was hoisted up to his feet by Karaku a moment later. "It helps keep me in shape. You guys keep saying it's really weird remember?"

"Huh? Oh. R-Right."

Karaku rose a brow at his brother's distracted gaze. "Uh. Are you sure you're ok? She did knock you on your ass pretty hard back there."

"Huh? Oh. Y-Yeah. I'm good. Let's just go catch up with the guys."

He wasn't planning on dwelling on the thought any longer. The weekend trip helped somewhat. Getting to see their gramps and grouchy little brother helped take his mind off her for three days max. Tuesday turned out to be the bane of his existence as the moment after class Karaku rejected his offer to join him for a night at the local bar and grill (honestly the placed cooked some really delicious chicken so you didn't just have to go to get hammered for the night) but was surprised when he turned him down.

"Can't. Mitsi's helping me catch up on what I missed last class."

"Class?"

At this his brother gave him a deadpanned look. "Uh. Yeah? I've been taking dance classes since forever remember?" As if to make a point he held up a small backpack slung over his shoulder. "I go every Saturday, Dude! How could you forget?"

"Oh yeah. Right, right. Um. So you're practicing with that Mitsy-"

"Mitsuri girl! How about you let me tag along?"

Color Karaku surprise as his brows rose at Urogi's nervous smile. "You? You want to come? Uh. Y'know it's not gonna be a real class right?" His green eyes narrowed suspiciously eyeing the nervous smile on his brother's face. "It's just a catch up for me. Also why would YOU of all people wanna come, Mr. Dancin'-Is-For-Girls?"

Good question. It was because it would look WAY too obvious to everyone if he just randomly decided to join the tutoring stuff she did. Plus he really didn't want to bother Aizetsu or Sekido about letting him join. Aizetsu would just flat out say 'no' and Sekido would just tell him to quite bothering him in typical yelling fashion. So really the only way to see her without getting too obvious was to tag along with his bro under the guise of being bored. It could work since he's always tagging along with him anyways. But he was sure judging by Karaku's suspicious face that he wasn't buying it this time.

"Aw. C'mon, Bro. I've been stuck up with homework all day." He slung an arm over his brother's shoulders as casually as he could smiling. "I'm bored! And there's nothing to do around here. It'll be funny seeing you prancing around in a tutu-"

"It's a leotard, Asshole!" His arm was shrugged off as Karaku frowned. "And for your information it's NOT easy to 'prance around'! It actually takes years of practice and it's great exercise. Now if you're done shitting on my hobby, I'm gonna be late!"

Urogi frowned as his brother just pushed past him and began walking away from him. This wasn't going as planned! So in a panic he ran to catch up with him. "H-Hey! I was just joking! I didn't mean to rile you up! C'mon! I can keep my mouth shut! Just lemme come-"

"Fine!", Karaku barked snapping a look over his shoulder, "But you're gonna stay in the audience and away from us! The last thing I need is you making fun while I'm trying to catch up with something actually important to me!"

"Got it! You won't even know I'm there!"

"Doubt it."

Urogi kept his mouth shut(for now) and just silently followed his brother out of their dorm and across campus. Karaku made one stop which was to randomly stop and rip out a handful of pretty hydrangeas and roses from nearby bushes (Which was probably against University rules) before he continued on and both found themselves at the Uni's theater. Ah. Right. Theater kids and geeks met up here. Honestly probably the perfect place to practice frilly dances besides the gym. He was caught off guard slightly when Karaku made him stop and firmly pointed at the audience seats. Ah. Right. He said he'd be quiet and sit out there. It annoyed him but his other choice was just looking like an ass in front of the cute chick he wanted to meet so he chose the less incriminating route and trudged himself into the rows of seats. It was exactly what you expected. Rows upon rows of seats, big curtains, a giant wooden stage in the center, a really beautiful girl in a pink leotard doing twirls on the stage-

Urogi tripped doing a double take falling between two rows of seats with a loud thud-

...His head popped back up quickly and yellow eyed widened in realization. IT WAS HER!! She was oblivious to him in the audience doing a rapid motion of tiny steps forward before stopping in place and twirling more on one foot with her hands above her head. Ironically her hair wasn't in long braids this time but a giant braid-bun combo on her head but that didn't matter she still looked beautiful. However despite doing ballet (at least he was pretty sure it was ballet) she didn't wear a tutu. Instead it was a full body pink leotard with white leggings. It enhanced her already pretty figure. She did a few more twirls until she stopped and instantly smiled as his brother walked onto the stage wearing a similar green get up. He was too far away to hear what exactly they said but she sure looked happy when Karaku handed her the (stolen) flowers and said something that made her giggle much to his delight. Oh gods- SHE LOOKED SO CUTE WHEN SHE LAUGHED!! SHE WAS LIKE A REAL ANGEL!! He remained mostly silent in hiding watching them (her-) as they interacted for the next hour until he got an idea into his head that he would soon regret later-

"You want to what?"

"I wanna try out your twirly dance class." His brother stared silently. "I saw her- I mean you both doing that dance thingy and it looks like fun! I wanna give it a try too!"

Karaku stared at him like he suddenly grew another head. "Uh-...You are kidding right? The classes I take is for experienced professionals that's done it for years and close to graduating. Not for people who's literally never even tried doing it." Karaku pointed out gesturing to him up and down. "You could get seriously hurt if you try doing it!"

"Aw! C'mon. It can't be that hard! I just tiptoe around and spin right?"

His brother frowned harder. "Uh. No. There's literally so many things that you gotta get good at first. Balance, muscle build up, flexibility- The closest to that you've ever done was the time you got wasted on the merry-go-round last spring festival. You don't even have the proper shit to wear!"

"DUDE PLEASE!!," Urogi begged which again caught Karaku off guard. Urogi rarely was serious let alone begged. "Just this once! I promise I'll stop bugging you! Just give me a break-"

"Alright fine! Geez. Now I know how 'Kido and Aizetsu feels."

He lit up smiling. "Dude!" And happily grabbed his shoulders. "You're the best! Love ya!"

"Uh huh. *sigh* We're holding a class for beginners next week, you can join that since it's less likely you'll break anything. I'll let ya borrow a spare outfit but YOU'RE-" Karaku tapped his finger into his chest a few times. "-paying for the class yourself. Got it?"

"Got it! I mean it, Dude! I owe ya big time!"

"You got that right."

Yes! This was perfect! This was his chance! All it would take was one car ride over there and one class to get a chance to chat with the beautiful angel! Nothing can go wrong now!

"Hi, Everyone! Welcome to the beginners class!"

Urogi stood there giving a nervous shiver every so while. A green leotard and tights identical to the one Karaku wore clinging to his body way too tightly as he stood there embarrassed amongst the other students who were all girls giving him an amused look. He felt embarrassment like none before meanwhile the beautiful angel smiled widely in front of them all along with his brother trying his hardest not to laugh at him but failed as his shoulders shook slightly with laughter. How more humiliating can you get?

"My name is Mitsuri and this is Karaku!," she brightly introduced herself before motioning to his brother whom only gave a friendly nod. "Unfortunately the instructor is busy rehearsing a very important play so we're here to run you through the simple basics! But don't worry, we're not going to be doing any actual dances today! Today is all about just getting the basics down and working on your flexibility!"

Gods he wanted to disappear. It's ok! He just had to power through it is all!

She held up a whole hands. "Now you might already know this but for those who dunno there's five basic positions in ballet. They're all really easy to remember since they're literally just called first position, second position, and so on! We're going to go over them real quick. First the first position!" Her body shifted into a stance. "First you point your toes outward and squeeze your heels together like so!"

Ok. The positions were awkward and tense to do but they weren't too hard to get through. It'd be easier if Karaku wasn't trying to die from laughter the entire time enbarrassing him more and making his face red in embarrassment. He was just jealous that Urogi was getting the basics down probably better than he did! There's nothing to it! Watch him sweep the angel off her feet with his flawless exercises! They were in the middle of something called a first arabesque which was just a sorta flamingo pose where he stood on one leg while splaying his arms and other leg out-

THUD!

His leg shook badly. The strain all those poses giving out. His face panicked. And then he fell face first into the polished wooden floors with a loud thud that had everyone looking at Urogi. Karaku snorted loudly but quickly stiffled it as Mitsuri shot him a look.

"Don't make fun of him! It's his first time! Everyone makes mistakes!," she scolded him before looking back to Urogi in pity. "Hm.. He's probably not used to such stretches yet." It was that moment that she smiled with an idea. "I know! Now would be a great time for flexibility exercises!"

It was then Karaku's face immediately dropped his smile. He looked almost horrified looking at Mitsuri, then at Urogi picking himself up annoyed, and then back to Mitsuri. "Um. Maybe it's a little too early for that, Mitsi. Let's just stick to posing today-"

"Nonsense! Flexing out the muscles will totally help!" She waved him off. "Ok everyone. Find a partner! We're going to be doing a flexibility exercise practice!"

Suddenly Karaku didn't look so amused anymore. Apparently these flexing exercises meant that they were just gonna sit themselves on the floor and hold hands while you stretched out your legs?? Ok! Yeah! He could totally do that! Easy least! Mitsuri had Karaku help demonstrate by sitting across from her and helping by pushing her legs back until she was in a splits position. She smiled at everyone gazing their own attempts. The girls were actually a lot better at doing this than he was. Instinctively he kept pulling his legs back into himself which she frowned at.

"No, no. Urogi, you're doing it all wrong."

"I'm trying! I'm pretty sure men aren't supposed to bend this way!"

"Karaku does!"

"Yeah? Well my brother is a freak of nature."

Karaku frowned at him from where he was sitting but Mitsuri only smiled. "How about I give you a hand?"

Karaku looked horrified as the color drained from his face and Urogi's eyes widened. "UH! It's alright, Mitsi. I know Urogi better so I should probably help him-"

"Oh no!," Urogi cut him off with a large happy grin. "I think I'd be more comfortable with a real professional!"

Karaku's face couldn't have gotten more pale as he watched Mitsuri stand up and walk over to Urogi as if Karaku was watching someone walking into their own demise. Urogi however was in absolute awe happily watching as his old partner switched places and allowed the beautiful angel to sit down and smile at him fully. He felt his heart pick up and his burn a hot red as she took his hands tightly all with that cute smile directed at him-

"Good luck. You're not gonna be able to walk the rest of the week."

"Huh? What di-"

Urogi barely turned to look at his brother over his shoulder and his speech was cut off when without warning her hands clamped down tightly on him and her legs snapped his back. His vision exploded white and an unbearable pain shot through his body-

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow."

"I tried to warn ya. I told you it's not easy and you could get hurt but did you listen to me? Of course not."

"Just shut up!"

Karaku wasn't wrong. Sadly. He felt like he sat on a chair made of nails for an entire day! His legs shook and wobbled with each step he tenderly and slowly took as his body shook and wobbled like a newborn deer walking for the first time. Karaku for once didn't laugh and looked mixture of irritated and pitiful. Thank God they didn't have to walk the entire way back to the dorms.

"B-Be honest," Urogi winced and whimpered as he still slowly walked. He might actually cry from this. "H-How bad does it look?"

"It looks like you froze your entire legs in Antarctica for a hundred years, got drunk, and then tried walking when you got no dam feeling in them," Karaku bluntly replied making his brother wince more in embarrassment. "*sigh* I can't believe you did all that just to try and hit on her!"

"I wasn't!"

"Oh please! It was obvious! The only one who didn't notice was Mitsi and honestly she's pretty dense when it comes to flirting with her. Believe me I tried." Another whimper out made the green eyed man sigh. "Look. Instead of putting yourself through hell like an idiot, why don't you just sign up for her tutoring on a different day than Sekido and Aizetsu's? I'll even ask her to fit you in somewhere."

His watery yellow eyes went wide. He could hug Karaku right now If his entire lower half didn't feel like he got hit by a train. "Yo-You'd do that for me?"

"*sigh* Yeah. I don't think I can stomach you putting yourself through another circus act. Sides you can use the extra help. Have you seen your science score?"

"GREAT!..Uh..By the way, how far did you park?"

"Not too far. Why?"

"Can we just pretend I'm drunk and have you carry me the rest of the way back to the car? I literally can't feel my ass."

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mimic1lover · 9 months

Text

oh I never posted this

I never posted these, but this is my best art piece I have. And it's sad mimic crying at the lost of his freind.

How many hearts shall I break with this? Apparently plently!! Guess what! I'll make more.

!!!THERE IS A BLOODY VERSON AT THE BOTTOM!!!

Sorry not sorry mimic nation, but have somthing that took alot of work, somthing I've never posted

Progress pics below plus me explaining what thought went into it

Line art, added detail you would never see but I was having so much fun drawing his mechanical body I didn't care if you couldn't see (note yes ik his body isn't accurate as this design is based off a very specific mimic of mine. It's mixed with that mimic and cannon) pose has a arched back, he looks devastated with no context, body language came in there.

His colors are blue to contrast the orange lighting, I went with, really wanted him to look like he was made from diffrent parts, his spine and head came from one place, arms from abother, same with his legs. He has little pink toe beans no one would see:,)

Added tiger plush it's worn and partly destroyed.

Lighting was supposed to tell a bit of a story, Mimic in the dark with his tiger plush in the light was supposed to display emotion. I chose orange as that color to show warmth and happiness as it darkens out to show that happiness fading as you look were mimic is. (He's not happy) the plush is in said light to show that the tiger is mimics light, as he himself is allways stuck in darkness. Which is why he is reaching for it yet still struggling, that darkness is still there even when the light is as well

(I put alot of thought into this. If you couldn't tell)

Ibis paint has..paint gouache brushes which make it easy to paint...I love em sm

bloody version is more uh me adding more story in a way. Mimic still has killed people he still feels the same way, and that feeling is

horrible

Even the tiger has been stained by mimics actions.

#fnaf #fivenightsatfreddysfanart #fnaf mimic #fnaf fanart #five nights at freddys #fnaf ruin #the mimic #fnaf fandom #sad art #art #my art #tw blood

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lostonehero · 7 months

Text

Ok fuck cannon for both series mech tma au

Also mech Martin as a treat

"W-wait." Jonny stopped holding up his hand before Nastya could set the dimension hop.

"The great Jonny d'Ville stuttering? Never thought I would see the day." Nastya rolls her eyes. "What's wrong? You want to get Martin, right?"

"I..." Jonny sighs and looks at Tim and then back to the rest of the crew and eventually Nastya. He fishes out a pair of glasses from his pocket.

"Smarts Jonny." Ivy raised her brow.

Jonny sighs and crosses his arms. "Tim and I have other versions of ourselves in that universe."

"So?" Raphaella quirks her brow. "Extra parts to experiment with."

"Not exactly." Jonny takes a breath. "Any universe or reality doesn't like copies and to remedy that well... we won't be able to stay here." He starts to motion his hands as his tail starts to lash back and forth. "The reality has a way to correct this, and that is to physically fuse myself with my alter, and the same will happen to Tim. I literally have no idea what that will even do."

Brian tilts his head. "So what you're saying that that there is a chance you'll both dissapear?"

"Not exactly, but kind of." Jonny shrugs, removing his glasses. "Eh, it's whatever just wanted to warn you fucks. Tim and I agreed to go through it. We all were already fucked around with the promise of actual death and waking up before, and who knows Martin's world goes through a literal apocalypse so that will be fun."

Tim nods. "We both have bets going on about how it works. I also get to go to a less advanced version of where I'm from. I really want to see what's that like. Also, I saved Bertie, and he got a long life, so I'm honestly fine with a true death."

Raphaella looks at both of them. "If both of you truly die, can I do an autopsy of your bodies to see what came over?"

"Why the fuck not? I don't give a shit I'll be dead." Jonny hums and raises a brow at Ashes. "What?"

"You'll be human." Ashes motions vaguely to his obvious status as not human.

"Huh." Jonny scratches his stubble. "I'll miss my tail if I remember any of it."

Tim snickers. "I'll be fine."

Ivy smirks. "What if your alternate has short hair?" She pauses. "Also, I want earth books."

"I have a new fear." Tim sighs.

Nastya pauses. "Are you sure?"

TS smiles. "I Think They Already Agreed. Bring Me Back A Earth Cat."

"You heard them let's fucking go." Jonny reached out and grabs Tim's hand. "I ain't living for the rest of time without Blackwood."

"Neither I am." Tim nods. "All speed ahead."

Nastya sighs. "This is a terrible idea, but if both of you still remain, I suppose stopping the apocalypse would please Aurora..... oh hmmmm." She puts the ship full throttle, and in an instant, Jonny and Tim vanish.

......

Martin woke up on his back, which honestly is the weirdest way he could wake up second to the alarm on his... he knew the word for the thing, but he couldn't recall it. He barely fumbled to turn off that obnoxious noise. What was a much more pressing manner was the fact his body was wrong, well correct but that was wrong. He can't recall when he had normal legs and feet... he could, but he would much rather forget the time before the good doctor got her hands on him. He was abnormal for a mechanism since his mechanism was organic in nature his lower half was that of a spider. Of course, he didn't hate it he wanted something different after that.

Ok, at the time, he thought himself a monster and tried to kill himself a multitude of times. He grew out of it. Obviously, it would have been a bleak eternity otherwise. He had a vague feeling of where he was, but the word peaches and worms came to mind. He kind of knew what that meant, but he was more so annoyed that this afterlife was basically before he became a mech. He had to figure out what he was doing.

Maybe if he went too... uh oh right the Magnus Institute, that's when he worked a normal job on earth. This was earth he hoped it wasn't in his head that this was some elaborate death dream because that would be a first. He should try to recall more of this if he is ever going to get through this weird afterlife. He hoped it was an afterlife because if not it meant that he wasn't dead, and he didn't want to do that without Jonny and Gunpowder Tim, and of course, the rest of the crew.

He got showered after figuring out the old-fashioned shower and got dressed in familiar clothes he didn't want to remember. He knew he had to remember, but he really didn't want to. He knew how this world worked. Public transport was easy, and soon, he arrived at the very institute that set everything in motion. What's that saying like a hover bike? Or a bicycle? He will remember what to do and go through the motions.

"You're late." A pretentious pompous voice sneered at Martin.

Martin paused, staring at the man studying him, and he reminded him of Jonny, and a name spilled from his lips. "Jon?"

"Did you hit your head on your way here? Of course I'm Jon." The short man shoved a stack of papers in his arms. "Get through these and try not to fall behind."

Martin frowns and takes the stack of statements. He knew they were statements. Some real some fake, and he had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach that this wasn't the afterlife. He sat at his desk and stared at a computer, which he didn't recall the password for, and just started to read. He couldn't think about who he saw by him.

"Geez Marto, you ok?" That was Tim, not gunpowder, but Stoker. He was rubbing his eyes, but it was still him.

Martin knew the moment he saw her not corrupted by a thing that wore her skin poorly he might add he knew he wasn't in the afterlife and his death was a fucking lie. He wanted his final death with the rest of them. Did they also wake up before they became? Before the doctor got a hold of them? He takes a breath and sighs. "I'm fine." He forced himself to say. He noticed Tim was bleeding around his eyes. He chose to get up and wet some napkins to help.

"Tim, you really should see a doctor for that." Sasha frowns.

"I'm fine it's probably from my contacts. I'll wear my glasses, and the problem should clear up." Tim gives finger guns as his eyes water.

Martin sighs. "Tim, you're crying."

"Not emotionally." Tim snickers at his joke. "I'm fine. I probably just need rest and to get new contacts." His eyes stop watering after a moment, but it doesn't stop him from rubbing them like they ached.

Martin wasn't convinced, but he knew better than to push it normally got him shot or someone crying in his arms. He knew that didn't matter here. This place wasn't.... he wasn't home. "I'll make some tea for everyone."

"Thank you, Martin." Tim smiles as he rubs his eyes.

"Amazing as always." Sasha smiles.

Martin nodded and distracted himself with making tea. It didn't last long enough as he gave out the tea. He stepped into Jon's office, and he raised a brow at the scene he walked into. Jon was sitting on his knees in a chair not built for that position. "I made you some tea."

Jon nods, rubbing at his chest. "Right."

Martin paused and decided to push his luck. "Why are you sitting like that?"

Jon scowls and takes his mug of tea, and takes a sip. "My lower back aches, and it is worse if I sit normally. My painkillers haven't kicked in."

"Ah, alright, just be careful, alright." Martin smiles, hoping he was acting enough like he did before.

.....

Tim groans as he stares at the bottle of eye drops the doctor gave him. It did literally nothing. His eyes ached and burned, and no matter what he did, the pain wouldn't go away. It's been two weeks, and it's only gotten worse, and he hasn't been able to do anything to relieve it.

He used the heels of his hand and pressed them into his eyes for any sort of relief that wouldn't come. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong and called him basically crazy because there was nothing wrong with his eyes. He knew something was wrong. He knew something was happening.

Tim was desperate. If the eye pain wasn't enough, he was starting to have weird dreams of a man with mechanical eyes. They would talk, and Gunpowder, the other guy picked that name. Don't ask him why it suited him. The memories... no dreams, he keeps having to correct himself. The dreams Gunpowder tells him are his memories, and he apologizes for them all the time. At one point, these memories became his own, but the only thing it did was make Gunpowder more solid in his mind.

Tim liked Gunpowder he was kind and a bit odd, but he didn't feel alone. He hasn't felt seen or known since his brother. Fuck he really missed Danny.

"You have his memories."

Tim nearly fell backward. That was Gunpowder, but he was awake if the pain was anything to say about that. His eyes scanned the small bathroom, searching for the source of the voice, but he didn't see anything. Maybe he was hearing things. The statements were probably getting to him.

Tim sighs and shuts the lights off, and heads to the couch. He just needed to sleep, that's all. Sleep came quickly these days, and he woke up not in Gunpowder's memories but to a futuristic bedroom. He knew this place from some more steamy memories from Gunpowder. Speaking of him, he was lounging in the bed holding a bottle that no longer had labels.

Gunpowder flicked his mechanical eyes to glance at Tim. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and a pair of goggles was around his neck. He held up the bottle. "Shit doesn't do much in here but wants some?"

Tim shook his head as he approached and sat on the edge of the bed. "Did you say something?"

"When you started to spiral? Yeah." Gunpowder sits up, putting the bottle aside. "I'm not as well versed in this theoretical nonesense as Jonny is, but I think it's almost complete." He reached his hand out, and Tim allowed him to grab it. "Soon we'll be together awake and asleep, probably when my eyes finally form. Again, sorry about the pain."

"I don't think I'm able to believe you." Tim had that sinking feeling of dread that he knew Gunpowder was right. "Why?"

"We wanted to save our third to complete us." Gunpowder pulls his hand away. "Eternity isn't great when you're missing someone that helps complete you. We were also promised an apocalypse, and that did sound fun."

"Love is a good reason." Tim wanted to reach out again but refrained. "So would you be able to take over like a ghost?"

Gunpowder laughs. "I ain't no ghost, but maybe again, Jonny knows more about this bullshit than I do."

Tim nods and gets up approaching the door.

"Are you sure?"

"If what you say is true, I might as well know more about you." Tim opened the door and vanished into memories that weren't his own.

Gunpowder picked the bottle up again and sighed. "I wonder if Jonny is having a good time."

.....

Jon felt even worse, he however did not go to the doctor even at Martin insistent, he was acting odd more so than normal, and it made his work even worse. He stripped off his shirt and pants, then finally his binder and groans. The red spot on his lower back right on his tailbone he could pass off as bug bite, now ballooned into a throbbing red mass that was completely solid to the touch.

He really wanted to keep ignoring it, but he felt something move under his skin, and it scared him half to death. Every part of him felt wrong, to his privates they were extra sensitive more so then when he started T to his ears that were bright red and painful, to his head that he can feel growing bumps on his head. The worst of it was his chest, his heart was constantly beating erratically, and he could swear he heard a ticking like a metronome in his chest. Everything was wrong, and yet he just crawled into his bed.

No to Jon, the worst part were these dreams that were nothing but fiction, and this Jonny character was a idiot, a violent obnoxious idiot. Jonny talked to him. He purposely argued with him and teased him. That ass was crude and didn't have a fucking care in the world the complete opposite of himself. He was some vile creature that probably spawned from the statements he read.

Jon bit down on his pillow, he moved wrong, and his sensitive privates sent nerves and sparks through his body. He was asexual he shouldn't have these desires, and he shouldn't be thinking about his coworkers in this matter. Why the fuck was Martin a spider creature it scared him but also thrilled him and he hated these thoughts. Tim was mostly the same, but his hair was long, and his eyes were machines. He blamed Jonny for all of this. But he wasn't real his mind just wanted someone to blame.

That obnoxious crazed laughter rang in Jon's ears. He groaned, spitting out his pillow. "Leave me alone, you annoying hallucination." That only earned him harder laughter. He gave a frustrated yell into his pillow. He refused to listen to the just jerk off from Jonny and grabbed sleeping pills from his draw, and hoped for a dreamless sleep, which he knew was futile. He kept seeing memories that weren't his of some nonesense syfy fan wet dream. Jonny wasn't real, and what he saw wasn't real either.

.......

Sasha moved closer to Tim. "Eyes still bothering you?" She motions to his the dark sunglasses you couldn't see his eyes through.

Tim nods. "Yeah, doctors aren't helping. They feel like they're going to pop." He sighs. "Do you know what's up with boss man?"

Sasha shrugs. "I was going to ask about Martin. He seems more lost than normal, and he seems less jumpy but even more depressed? I don't know he keeps avoiding me every time I try to press."

"I can talk to him if you talk to Jon about his attitude. I watched him yell at Martin first 10 minutes, and Martin just took it with a smile like he didn't care." Tim frowns, rubbing his eyes his vision was getting blurry, and he could feel something wet drip down from his face.

"Eye drops first, you're crying again, and it's not clear." Sasha hands him a tissue. "I'll go talk to Jon."

"You're the best, Sasha." Tim smiles and rushes off to the bathroom. He barely makes it inside when his vision goes dark. He can only whimper in shock as fresh pain blooms where his eyes should be. A wet substance drips down his cheeks, and he barely registers hands on his shoulder, guiding him to sit on the ground.

Soft hands carefully remove the black glasses and a soft curse on his lips from a voice Tim knows, but he can't focus or see who said that. He could feel a wet cloth wipe whatever was on his face.

"Tim, you gotta breathe." That was Gunpowder. He sounded so clear, like he was right next to him. "I know it hurts, but you have to let the machines build themselves. It's actually really neat to watch."

The soft hands were done cleaning his face as he let out a sigh at the loss of touch. And a flash of light burned, and then he heard a soft click like that of a camera and a softer moving of machines like a soft roll. His vision came back way too fast, and suddenly, it was too perfect, and he saw too much. He saw a familiar sweater connected to a man leaning over him. "M-martin?" Of course it was Martin his hands were soft... he didn't know why he thought of them like a cat's paw.

"Blackwood!" Gunpowder gasps.

Martin takes the spoiled hand towel and puts it in his back pocket. "Tim, can you focus on me?"

The soft whirl of machines and Tim was looking at Martin. "What happened?" He could see the hand towel and had a few theories on what the stains were.

Martin smiles softly, and Tim feels calmer.

"Feels safe into the den of the spider." Gunpowder hums. "Do you mind if I just uh..."

Tim barely registered what happened until he was in the spot where Gunpowder was. He saw his body move without him, and he just watched unable to process until it clicked what had happened. "Oh." He watches Martin tilt his head as Gunpowder looks up at him, then he feels a stinging pain as Martin hits them.

Gunpowder holds his cheek and looks to Tim, realizing they both felt it.

Martin takes a breath. "You didn't heed any of my warnings."

Gunpowder smiles staring up at Martin.

Martin falters, and he moves and sits down next to him on the bathroom floor. "Is...?"

"Yeah, Tim's here." Gunpowder hums. "Don't think he made the connection yet."

"That is a given." Martin pulls his knees up. "I haven't.... yaknow, and I'm worried when I do..."

"You won't be able to hide." Gunpowder nods and reaches out to Martin. "Aha, he made the connection."

Martin smiles softly, interlocking his fingers with Tim. "Yeah, a lot of shit happened. Welcome to the madness of it."

"Oh, we're well past madness and circled back round to sanity." Gunpowder chuckles, taking the glasses back. "Talk later?"

Martin nods and watches Tim return to his body. "Are you ok?"

Tim blinks. Well, he thinks he blinks, but he's pretty sure he doesn't have eyelids anymore. "I uh... I think so." He paused. "So where's the spider parts? Don't tell me my shared memories and adult fantasies are a lie."

Martin chuckles. "Oh, you're both horrible. Ask Gunpowder, you ass." He gets up and holds out his hand. "Come on, we have to get back to work before Jon throws another fit."

Tim nods, getting up with Martin's help. "Seriously though, where are the spider bits?"

"I don't actually know, and I don't want to test dying to see if they come back." Martin sighs.

"Ah, fair enough." Tim continues to hold Martin's hand. "I uh...you know what happens..."

Martin frowns. "Tim, for me, it's been well over a few thousand years. My memory isn't perfect. I remember what my mind thinks are the important bits, but I've really tried to forget this happened. The ending isn't a good one." He sighs. "We can talk after work, in the tunnels."

"Tunnels?" Tim raised his brow following Martin, never unlocking their hands.

......

Martin pulled Tim back as emts rushed out with a stretcher. "Who got hurt?"

Sasha rushed over. "I went to check on Jon, and he... he was bleeding, and he was barely breathing. I called the ambulance, and they rushed him to the hospital."

Tim frowns. "Is he ok?"

"I don't know." Sasha gives a soft gasp as Martin pulls her into a hug.

"Hey, you did the right thing. Jon will be fine." Martin smiles softly. "We can visit him after our shift. I'm sure he wouldn't mind visitors."

Sasha hugs him back. "You're right. You're right. He probably knew something was wrong and refused to see a doctor."

Tim sighs. "That does sound like Jon." He paused for a moment. "I, uh yeah, back to work."

Sasha nods, wiping her eyes and pulling away from Martin. "I'm sure he'll appreciate a cleaner archive when he gets back."

Martin nods. "Of course, that sounds great." He grabs Tim's arm. "Tim and I can grab some boxies and start moving things around."

"Oh, that's great." Sasha smiles, watching them leave.

.....

"Why did you grab me?" Tim raised his brow.

"So I think I know what happened to Jon." Martin frowns.

Tim paused, and his demeanor changed, and he sags his shoulders. "Oh, this is not going to be good."

"No, it's not." Martin sighs. "Fuck everything has changed now."

"So, did we do it?" Gunpowder raised his brow.

Martin snickers. "Yeah, not even close. We both know that gods won't take this lying down even if it's Jonny."

"Eh, worth a shot." Gunpowder shrugs. "Blackwood has told me enough to know what Jon ends up as I'll explain later."

.....

Elias adjusts his tie and smiles, looking over his archivist. The unfortunate nature of the Flesh and Stranger working together does have this outcome. Of course, he can pull all the strings needed to have this little incident swept under the rug and tied in a neat bow. He smiles softly, watching him wake up. "Are you alright, Jonathan? You've given us all quite the scare." He stops seeing a scowl that isn't Jon's normal one on his lips.

Jonny's mouth felt like it was full of cotton, and his head was fuzzy, and Jon's nagging didn't exactly help him either. His gaze moved up to the man in a suit. He looked like a prick, an obnoxious wealthy prick. Jon was yelling at him that's his boss and don't fuck this up. Of course he wouldn't fuck this up he knew how to act proper and can copy Jon's boring ass. If he could just focus.

"Jonathan, are you alright? You may have hit your head on the way down. You're on some painkillers." Elias smiles, leaning over him.

Jonny furrows his brows. He hated painkillers and always took the fun out of pain and violence. "...fuzzy..." He managed to mumble. His tolerance to painkillers was null and void due to his affection for actual pain. Couldn't he just get Jon's tolerance and not just the fun new parts to explore. He scowls again at the man above his bed, he wanted to rip that smile off his face.

Elias chuckles softly. "Painkillers will do that, and you're not even on that heavy of a dose. I'm sure your coworkers will be visiting you soon. Hopefully, you'll feel better by then."

Jonny grits his teeth. He had a few choice words for that pompous ass.

"You can't kill him." Jon looked drowsy floating next to him.

At least Jonny wasn't the only one suffering in this cushioned hell. He huffs and turns his head.

Jon chuckles. "Don't be mad. You've got control." He was very out of it. He felt the same effects Jonny was. "What's.... what is uh...." He blinks, unable to form a coherent thought.

Jonny huffs and can't fight the feeling of sleep overtaking him.

......

"So Gunpowder Tim cut a bloody path...." Jonny stops, noticing that his head finally felt clear enough and reciting old ballads of his friends wasn't needed. He looked down at Jon, who was staring at him. He floated down to lay next to Jon. "What's with that look? I already explained our situation to you at nauseum."

Jon scowls, looking away. He then makes a vague motion, unable to explain why he suddenly felt wrong.

Jonny raised his brow. "You've got my dick. Ain't you special."

Jon scoffs, but his face is turning red because he feels that is true. "No..." He huffs.

Jonny paused, watching Jon get frustrated. He didn't feel like sharing in that. He learned early in that they shared emotions, and he had to get used to feeling things that weren't his own. It was honestly worse than Nastya, making him feel Aurora emotions. "I can tell you."

Jon felt himself be pushed out from his body as Jonny took control. He scowls but sighs, watching and feeling Jonny's own emotions. "So? What's wrong with m- us?"

Jonny scowls. "They cut off my fucking tail! It's a fucking bitch to grow that back." He raised his ands and feels around his forehead. "Good, they didn't cut them too short. Actually, I like them short, so this isn't an issue... I'm narrating for you Jon be grateful."

Jon raised his brow. "You can't hear my thoughts?"

"Can you hear mine?" Jonny spits back.

"Fair point." Jon sighs. "Are we ok?"

"Fuck if I know. Everything is new, raw, and sensitive. My dicks never been this fucked before." Jonny growls as he is forced back out by Jon.

"D-Dont do that." Jon pulls the blanket over his body.

Jonny shrugs, not understanding Jon. "Whatever, we just have to adjust." He pauses for a moment, pointing at Jon. "This is earth, right?"

"Yes?" Jon raised his brow.

"Tim and Blackwood always referred to me as a cowboy. What's a cow? I don't think I've ever seen an earth cow."

Jon blinks. "But you have parts like a bull."

"Wait, I thought it was called cows." Jonny returned a confused look.

Jon shakes his head. "Alien, right, you're an alien. You don't know human er earth animals. Cows don't have sharp teeth like you, but uh, bulls are basically male cows, but cows are the general term used."

"Can I see what they look like?" Jonny floated to lay next to Jon.

"Yeah, when I get my phone." Jon paused. "Are you upset I wasn't born a man?"

"Why would I care? You've got my dick now, and I have a new hole to play with. This is a win for me." Jonny shrugs and raised his brow feeling relief pour from Jon.

"Thank you." Jon says quietly.

"Ok?" Jonny shrugs floating to look around the hospital room.

......

Sasha slams on the breaks. "Tim what the fuck."

Tim's eyes clicked and whirled. He was told only he could hear this by Gunpowder. Well, both can hear since they share a body. He reaches for his glasses and realizes he took them off because his ears were bothering him. He could feel the look from Gunpowder and Martin on him. "It's a long story."

Sasha rocketed to a spot to park, and she twisted her body to the back seat. "Tim explain now!"

Martin bites his lip and blurts out. "It's my fault. I'm supposed to be dead, both me and Gunpowder. Promised an end to eternity, and it was a farce and I'm back here like this, and I really tried to forget about this part of my life. I mean for fucks sake you die and get replaced Sasha and none of us notice for a year because of how it worked. Tim dies in an explosion, destroying the circus, and that isn't to mention the fucked up paranoia from Jon and extreme levels of fucked up creatures that I mean now I can look back at and laugh but you can't you're mortal. I mean, these are fear gods, so I mean they will get to you eventually."

Gunpowder grabs Martin's hand. "Martin, that's enough. The only reason Jonny knew about my past was because he was playing soldier and was with me. You don't have to..." He stops as Martin waves him off.

"No, it's fine. Tim and Sasha deserve to know." Martin sighs. "I'll tell you what I can remember it has been a few thousand years since I've been through this."

.....

Sasha swallows. "I believe you."

Martin blinks. "Why?"

"I've had a bad feeling, and I knew Gertrude didn't just go missing." Sasha then points to Tim. "Also look at his fucking eyes Martin that's pretty good evidence."

Gunpowder nods.

Martin gives a nervous smile. "I'm sorry I've gotten used to things over the years. I like Tim's eyes."

"Yeah, yeah, don't boast his ego." Sasha puts her seat belt back on. "So keep your glasses on Tim. We're going to visit Jon if the same thing happened to him like you."

"It's equally as possible. Jon worked himself into a delusional state and just hurt himself." Martin shrugs.

Tim blinks back in control. "That's really dark."

"No, no, Martin has a point." Sasha starts the car again. "Remember that incident in research."

"I tried to forget, but I see your point." Tim sighs, putting his glasses back on.

Martin sighs. "Hopefully that isn't the case."

.....

Jon shifted uncomfortably as he sat up. Jonny wasn't lying. The tail thing was incredibly uncomfortable and annoying. He stared at the hospital food in front of him and was told he couldn't leave till tomorrow. He hated hospital food, and he hated hospitals.

"Stop pouting." Jonny rolls his eyes. "I can feel your emotions and pouting won't get you nowhere."

"Oh, then what can I do? Please enlighten me." Jon scowls taking a bite of his peas.

"For one, actually eat. How the fuck are you in such shit condition? Do you even know what fun is?" Jonny shook his head. "You can't do shit without meat on your bones, and you look half starved. You're a fucking disaster."

Jon continues to scowl, not saying a word.

The door opens to his room.

"Blackwood!" Jonny floats through him, trying to tackle him. "Fuck."

Martin smiles softly as Tim and Sasha follow behind him. "We wanted to make sure you're ok."

"You gave me a scare, Jon." Sasha crosses her arms. "You need to learn how to take a break, or at least see a doctor."

Tim was odd wearing sunglasses that completely hid his eyes, but he knew Tim was having trouble with his eyes. "You look awful."

Jon can't help but give a soft smile. "Just wasn't paying attention and hit my head." He motions to the bandages around his head and ears.

"Don't lie to Blackwood. That man can see through any lie you spit." Jonny crosses his arms. "Besides, I bet you control of my choosing that Gunpowder is in your Tim."

Jon ignores him. "Ah you didn't have to bring me anything."

Martin smiles softly as he pulls out a chocolate slice of cake. "It's just some chocolate cake. I mean, you don't have to have it..." He stops as Jon's demeanor changes in an instant as he pushes his food aside.

Jon was forced out and watched Jonny make grabby hands.

"Give it here, Blackwood." Jonny huffs. "Don't you fucking tempt me."

Martin's expression changed, and Jon could feel a shiver down his back. "You and your sweet tooth." He tisks, placing the slice down.

Jonny grabs the container. "Fuck you." He huffs and has enough decency to use a fork. "Your fucking lucky I have to fix this body or I would end you."

Jon watches Tim snicker. "You lost height!" His snickers turn to giggles.

"Piss off." Jonny scoffs.

Sasha raised her brow. "How did you know the cake would work?"

"d'Ville only has one craving he can't quit, and it ain't cigarettes." Gunpowder smirks, taking off his glasses, revealing his mechanical eyes.

Jonny scowls. "Oh fuck you. I don't deny myself pleasures like you."

"I have manners you lack." Tim spits back.

Martin chuckles and has a glint in his eyes and a sinister smile that again Jon can't tear his eyes from. "Now, both of you, that's enough." He moves closer and leans over Jonny. "How about you behave and finish all of your food, and maybe I'll convince the doctors to let you leave early?"

Jon can feel the tug, no the crashing wave of desire, and just pure love spill from Jonny, and if they had his tail, it would be wagging like a dog.

Jonny, for his part, nods eagerly. "It would be faster if you fed me." He purrs back.

Martin steps back. "Don't push your luck. I'm mad at you."

In a split second, that emotion was gone, replaced with annoyance. Jon had to shake his head from the whiplash.

"We agreed!" Jonny huffs stuffing his face with food. "It's not like you were there with your bleeding heart. You weren't there, I woke up after that bar in that... look, I'm not having this conversation."

Jon could feel a bubble of an emotion, one that he knew should leave unspoken. He remains quiet watching Martin.

Martin gaze didn't break, let alone change. He crosses his arms. "Did you do the same?"

Jonny swallows his final bite. "I can't say I wanted to change it, so I didn't."

Martin's gaze seems to finally soften. "Good, he didn't deserve forgiveness." He reached out and pat Jonny's shoulder. "That's my cowboy." He pauses. "What's with the frown?"

"They cut off my tail." Jonny sounded honest and small.

Jon was taken aback.

"I never said humanity was a kind species." Martin brushes a stray piece of hair out of Jonny's face. "It will grow back."

"Not the point." Jonny sighs. "How's your former mortal." His gaze shifted to Tim.

"Probably better than yours with the adjustment." Gunpowder slides his glasses back on. "You look like shit."

"Not my fault." Jonny mutters.

"Never said it was." Gunpowder muses. "Maybe you shouldn't have asked Martin for his story."

Martin rolls his eyes. "Just because you're bitter doesn't mean you get to drag me into this argument again." He walks by Sasha, grabbing her arm. "Would you like to hear more while they complain?"

Sasha nods. "Sure, why not." She follows Martin out of the room as he shuts the door behind him.

Gunpowder frowns. "Don't give me that look. I already got an earful from him, and to be fair, he warned both of us to wait. Now, why do you think this didn't happen the first time?"

"Aren't you just full of dumb questions." Jonny adjusts his glasses. "They were already dead and gone by the time we crossed the first time. This place was fine. I dunno Blackwood said it's been. I dunno fifty years since it ended and started again." He raised his brow at something Tim couldn't see. "You do know what apocalypse means, right? Right well that happened, and you died before I came here the first time."

Gunpowder waves his hand. "Jonny, stop, we both know what happened in the end. They don't know the full truth yet, neither of them."

Jonny frowns and stares at Tim. "How long do you think it will take till being the good guy gets old?"

"Who knows? We've never tried it." Gunpowder shrugs. "You should hold off on being honest about this world, as much as I know you like your stories and songs. Unless you want to deal with Jon."

Jonny waves him off. "Whatever, it doesn't matter now he'll learn as I will annoyingly to see his memories. Just let me figure this out, and as much as I hate to see you two on good terms compared to my situation. Just wait."

For what, Jon had no idea, but this Gunpodwer did, who nodded.

"Seriously though, figure something out with this Jon. You seriously look worse than when we were starving, as a competition." Gunpowder sighs. "Blackwood..." He looks through the door. "Yeah, he already convinced the doctors and nurses to let you go, and they are on their way. Enjoy your new home, alone." He smirks as he leaves.

Jon was flung back into his body, feeling Jonny fuming, but the other man was uncharacteristic silent. He had to think this over and what this actually meant. So he died the first time, but when and how? Before or after the apocalypse?

.......

He wasn't truly alone, not anymore. Jon sunk into his bed and opened his phone. "How did Martin even convince them to let me leave?"

"He's got a way of trapping people making them do what he wants." Jonny hums. "Now, show me a picture of a cow."

Jon wanted to press, but he quickly learned pleasing Jonny was the best way to get answers. He pulled up a picture of a cow and a bull and held it up.

Jonny was quiet studying the creatures he saw. He broke into a wide grin. "They look cute, don't they. Good cows."

Jon hums and sighs. "You said Martin told you what happens to this world. What happens? Why did he become one of you? What are you guys?"

Jonny frowns. "I rather not feel your stupid emotions." He scratches behind his ear. "You won't let this go. However, Blackwood warned me you were insistent, so I might as well spin you a tale." Suddenly, a harmonica appeared in his hands. "A tragic fate of star-crossed lovers doomed by forces beyond their control, and a man turned to a monster that was left in the ruins."

Jon listened to the haunting story on a soft melody. He learned how his coworkers, no his friends, died. How he roamed the wastelands the fears as the apocalypse he caused reigned, how Martin stayed by his side even though he caused this by being tricked. The story ended in a sharp blade.

Jonny stopped. "And you were no more as the pancoption crumbled the archive now, just a man taking his final breath. An ending driven by a man afraid of death and so willing to please a god who didn't care for him as nothing more than a tool. Blackwood crushed but was not dead. A familiar doctor just happened to be passing by the rubble. She wanted to try something new, just not machines anymore, something animalistic, something new. And so Blackwood became a monster a first of his kind." He stretches. "Immortality such a boring goal, isn't it? You would think you would want something more interesting."

Jon was speechless he couldn't string together thoughts.

Jonny frowns, feeling the rush of emotions. "Look..." He swallows and feels tears drip down his face. He was frustrated that he couldn't stop this. He hated emotions, and he hated being honest to himself, but Jon still viewed himself as mortal, and he won't be raw without his partners. He floated down beside Jon and let him cry. He couldn't stop it. The rush of emotions overwhelmed him.

Jon finally spoke. "How do I stop it?"

"Fuck if I know. I wasn't here. I heard the story from Blackwood." Jonny was purposely looking away from him. "You have to ask him, but we promised to play the good guys this time around, or well, until it gets boring."

"We're going to stop this." Jon tried to muster confidence he didn't have.

Jonny just sighs. "Go to bed. Watch some of my memories. If you don't start trying to fix your body, I will do it by force."

Jon pulls his blanket up and frowns. He falls into an unsteady sleep.

......

Elias raised his brow, watching his archivist return to work. "Jonathan, I did tell you to take time to rest after yesterday." He had a smile and a silver tongue.

Jonny scoffs. "He's worse sober."

Jon smiles nervously. "I'm fine, Elias." He adjusts his hat covering his new sensitive ears. His tail had already started to grow back, and Jonny said it's a side effect of immortality, which Jon didn't believe in. It's supposed to be much longer than a cow's tail and semi prehensile. He wanted to test it but knew better than to try anything in public.

Elias frowns. "Now, Jon, I don't need you working yourself sick again." He knew the effects of the stranger and the flesh it probably hasn't hit the man yet, and he didn't want him breaking down having him explain the truth.

Jon frowns. "I'm fine, Elias. I know how to take care of myself. I'm going to get back to work."

Elias frowns, crossing his arms and watching Jon rush off to the archives . He raises his brow, and seeing the start of a tail, he is informed that it is cut off. It shouldn't be growing back this fast. He had a few connections to pull to get more information. He had no desire to pick another archivist nor start again.

......

"We should kill him." Jonny floats next to Jon, his tail lazily flicking behind him.

"Elias is my boss. I'm not going to kill him." Jon scowls as he hears Tim snickers. "Tim, that's enough."

Tim hums, Jon can see his hair is curling and is getting lighter than the black he has. "I don't think so, bossman. We think it's quite hilarious Jonny's on a leash."

Jon was pushed out as Jonny took control. "Oh go fuck yourself you fucking cunt." Jonny stomps off to Jon's office making it a point to slam the door.

Martin snickers from the entrance and refrains from explaining Elias can see them. Oh, that would be hilarious. Does he know Jon and Jonny are sharing a body, or does he think that the fears changed Jon? Either way, things have changed, and he wants to see Elias... no Jonah squirm with the unpredictability. Martin will force him to realize immortality is not worth it, and death is a gift. He silently walks to his desk and takes a seat.

"Enjoying the show?" Tim smirks. "We are."

"Oh, I'm enjoying something else." Martin smiles back.

"Already knitting a web, I see." Gunpowder nods. "I always enjoy the finished project."

Martin taps his fingers against his desk. "You know I think it's not a Web I rather not get mixed up with that particular fear I think I can recall the avatar is kind of a right bitch."

"Really? You have to explain the fear thing better because some of them just sound fun or fun to kill." Gunpowder smirks.

"Later, and Sasha already made a list." Martin points to Sasha sipping her coffee.

"You two share a body. Did you not pay attention when Tim was reading it?" Sasha raised her brow.

Tim huffs. "I couldn't figure out how to turn off the Xray vision on these damn eyes until like an hour before I slept." He had a slight blush on his cheeks. "Then the damn things wouldn't stop focusing on objects miles away."

Gunpowder took back control. "To be fair, I still have trouble controlling them. Human biology and mechanical parts tend to fight until they get into a rhythm. Also, I have like a million years of experience, and Tim does not."

Sasha frowns. "That sounds actually awful. Does Jonny have these problems?"

Gunpowder shrugs. "He never complains, and if he dislikes something, he's quite vocal. I think he uses the ticking as a metronome."

Martin nods. "As boney as he is, he's very nice to sleep too. The ticking is quite soothing." He sighs. "Granted, I won't be able to enjoy any of that for a long while, I reckon."

"Shit, I remembered that this isn't a desert planet." Gunpowder pauses. "Jonnys going to be a little bitch."

"Why?" Sasha raised her brow.

"Jonny's originally from a mostly desert planet, so his tail ears and horns were basically made to keep him cool. Even the nights were hot, so he doesn't exactly have any defenses against the cold, and he makes his complaints known as Gunpowder said." Martin hums. "Although he loves the snow and rain."

"We never said the man made sense." Gunpowder shrugs, letting Tim back in control.

Sasha tilts her head. "What was the planet like that you're from?"

"Gunpowder is from the earth of a different dimension." Tim taps his pen against his desk and adjusts his glasses. "He did however blow up the moon."

"Now you're just fucking with me." Sasha rolls her eyes and heads back to her desk.

Martin chuckles. "Don't feel bad about it. In this time, we've barely had any people on the moon."

"See, I told you!" Tim huffs. "He wouldn't listen to me or the facts I provided."

"Tim, you have to understand where we're coming from. We lived on a spaceship." Martin hums heading to his desk to start working.

Tim sighs. "Still annoying."

.....

Martin stares at the bloody fingernails in the sink. He knew his luck was running out. His body wasn't going to wait till his first death. He could feel how tight his skin felt and how it was hard to walk to breathe. He wasn't scared to become what he was supposed to be, but it would make this so much harder. He flexed his hand, seeing the black claw nails start to poke through his flesh. He doesn't truly care he made peace ages ago with what the doctor made him.

Elias watched Martin with a curious gaze. He can feel the Beholder use his eyes to watch intently. He had a feeling in his gut something changed something twisted in the mere fabric of reality. He hasn't even checked on Jon since he arrived this morning, and the Beholder agreed that something more interesting was happening. Martin was unassuming and predictable, but this was new, and he wanted to know why. He wasn't an avatar, and that also fueled his curiosity. How is he changing without one of the fears?

Martin rubbed his eyes and sighed. He had time, and he had time to prepare. He wanted Jonny. He just wanted that soft ticking, Gunpowder could soothe his anxieties, but Jonny was a comfort. Sure, the man was brash rude and a devil, but he was his, and that was enough. Gunpowder wouldn't touch him till Tim was fully on board with him, and Martin respected that. Hell he was fucking happy with that. Jonny, however, was a mystery, Jon was tighter lipped, and he knew how long it took for Jon to even understand his emotions, let alone actually relie on others.

Martin gathered his fingernails from the sink and threw them out with a sigh. Maybe he could go to artifact storage to slow things. Well, that has just a likely chance to kill him. He doesn't care. Maybe he could convince Gunpowder and Tim to head to the tunnels properly. He finished washing his hands, not even flinching at the exposed nerves.

Elias's gaze intensified as he watched Tim enter the bathroom. More importantly, he removed his sunglasses, revealing new eyes. When did he get surgery? More importantly, how can he still see? He shut his eyes, and he was seeing from Tim's eyes.

Tim scratched his chin. "Martin, you alright?"

Elias saw a man in the mirror that wasn't Tim.

Martin sighs. "I'm fine." He stretches. "Just a bit achey, what about you?"

"I'm fine." Tim crosses his arms. "Ok, maybe not entirely fine, but I'm getting used to it."

The man in the mirror that wasn't Tim spoke and Elias could hear him.

"I know my scars aren't pretty, and I'm sorry." The not Tim sighs.

Tim shook his head. "Dude, I said it's fine." He turns back to Martin. "I'm more peeved about the hair than I am about the scars, and I still haven't agreed to grow it out."

Not Tim huffs.

Martin chuckles. "The two colors look good together, and if you don't grow it out, what else am I supposed to grab?"

Tim swallows, and Elias sees him in the mirror, and he figured it out that this not Tim was in control.

"Oh, don't tease the man. He doesn't understand the fun a simple act can do. Let alone one with those..." Not Tim stops staring at Martin's hand. "When?"

Martin huffs. "Gunpowder, it's fine. You know how you can't hide what the good doctor does to you. I'm fine. I just feel a bit stiff and uncomfortable, but it will pass."

Not Tim or Gunpowder, ridiculous name if you asked Elias. He smiles softly.

"Fuck the waiting, from what I've seen its going to be brutal and he shouldn't be alone..." Tim was speaking out loud now. "He shouldn't have to go through this by him....self... ah, you ass."

Martin raised his brow with a soft smile. "I appreciate the offer, Tim, but you're not exactly desensitized enough for my liking."

Tim huffs. "Then Gunpowder will watch and be out. You don't deserve to be alone through this. I know you have an issue with that, I uh well, Gunpowder knows, and I saw the memory."

"Fine, if you insist." Martin paused, and Elias shivers with that look. "I've shared things with Gunpowder in secret. I don't want you to share with anyone." He grabs Tim's shirt. "Understand?"

Tim swallows and nods.

Martin smiles again as his features soften. "Good, I'll come by your flat tonight."

Tim watches Martin leave with a shudder. Elias doesn't leave yet.

"I warned you about being caught in Blackwood's web. You're not close enough with him to get comfortable." Gunpowder clicks his tongue. "He's not the man you knew, so please don't underestimate him. I would rather not die before Jonny does. We've got a bet going on."

Tim swallows and slides the dark sunglasses back on, and Elias is shocked to see his vision didn't change in the slightest. "He's still a good person."

"That's... well, none of us are good." Gunpowder responds dryly. "It comes with the territory."

Tim didn't like that answer, but he remained quiet as Elias came back to himself. He had a lot to think about.

......

"At least you know how to tell a story." Jonny responds with a bored tone. "These statements still suck, I still suggest we burn the entire place down."

Jon scowls. "No." He stretches and pulls out the used tape. "Can you think of anything that doesn't involve violence.... or sex." He gives a glare.

"Now you're just plain boring." Jonny raised his brow. "Being serious all the time must be fucking exhausting."

Jon sputters. "Just because I'm not some guy who thinks he's immortal and some sex pest doesn't mean anything."

"I don't care what you think of me." Jonny stares directly at Jon. "We are stuck together for the rest of time, and whatever comes after."

Jon scowls. "I won't devolve to be on your level."

Jonny rolls his eyes. "I don't care."

Jon huffs and leaves his office.

"Jon, you ok?" Sasha smiles softly.

Jon stops and sighs. "I'm fine, just getting used to an unfortunate roommate."

"That's one way to call it." Tim mutters.

"You two should try getting along." Sasha hums. "You'll be stuck together forever, I guess. I think it would suck if you two were stuck together fighting for all of that."

Jon scowls. "Oh, he's a right ass only cares about violence and sex. He's nothing but a pest, and I abhor the fact that I have to share my own body with him."

"Oh piss off." Jonny huffs.

Gunpowder sighs. "His attitude comes with his age. He is the oldest of us besides the doctor, but we don't know about her, though, really." He kicks his feet up. "Jonny, I know you're listening. You should be cautious he's going to see memories that you've forgotten. Funny how the mind works even if we forget they still exist in there, just waiting for a trigger to pull them free."

Jon expected Jonny to kick him out and take control, but he felt fear grip his heart that no longer beat. He swallows the dread that wasn't his and doesn't look at Jonny. "I will keep that in mind for when I sleep."

The conversation dies as Jon leaves as the day has ended, and he doesn't want to linger.

.......

The rusty hinges creaked on the old shack the teen called a home. He made sure he tipped off his shoes before entering, and he saw his father passed out in a drunken stupor. He carefully made his way to the small kitchen connected to the living room. If you would call it, that and stumbled upon a note.

"Jonny boy, I've left to clean up after your father. He pissed off some old doctor at the edge of town. I've left old Bessie for you to make sure she's in better condition when I get back, boy. Now, if I don't come back, I know you won't end up like your father. You're too smart for that. Use your ears to find a target to shoot. We both know your eyes aren't the best use that good hearing of yours. Don't file your horns too short boy they grow for a reason, and I love you forever and always."

Wrapped in leather by the note was a familair old looking revolver, the name Bessie was carved crudely into the handle. The weight would become familair in the teen's hands. He took the note scowled at his father and then headed off to hunt for dinner since that lazy piece of shit won't do anything but gamble.

Jon woke up with a start. He could feel a rush of emotions that weren't his. "I..."

"Don't say a fucking word." Jonny scowls. "Don't go telling nobody about that."

Jon nodded he paused, squinting at the clock that glowed, showing it was 3am. He sighs. "I don't remember my mother, or my father, with died at different times, but I was too young to remember them. My grandmother raised me, bitter she had to raise another child. Never told me that directly, however."

Jonny braces himself and grits his teeth. "I don't remember what my mom looks like either."

"Then we have that in common. Maybe the next dream will be my memory, and you can pick apart that." Jon sighs and curls under his blanket.

Jonny nods. "Just go back to sleep."

......

Martin grits his teeth and groans in pure agony. He could barely register the hand going through his red curls. His legs hurt, and he couldn't move them. His skin felt like it was on fire, and he didn't particularly like burning to death. He was stripped down to his birthday suit, and it didn't help with the fact that he was in pure agony.

Gunpowder continues to run his hands through Martin's hair. "It's alright, you're ok. It will be over soon."

"Just fucking kill me." Martin groans.

"We both know that won't help." Gunpowder sighs. "Would you like to hear my story?"

Martin takes a deep breath. "Please distract me."

Gunpowder nods and begins to narrate his origins.

....

An obnoxious alarm pulled Tim from sleep on the floor. He was laying in something wet and the smell of iron... no blood filled his nose, which caused him to panic and flail completely awake. His eyes lock onto a large spider, half then blood, then flesh and bone. Gunpowder takes over before he can throw up.

"Yikes, I thought the shared emotions wouldn't be this strong. Man, you are super depressed." Gunpowder gets up, smearing the blood off from his body. "You're going to need a stronger stomach." He looked over Martin, who was out cold. "See, he's breathing.... please stop screaming. " he covers his mouth, feeling his stomach sour from the sheer fear and disgust from Tim. He swallows the bile rising in his throat, turns away from the scene, and heads to the bathroom.

Gunpowder barely makes it to the toilet to empty the contents of his stomach. He continues to dry heave for a moment before turning to face Tim. "Are you done?"

Tim was pale, and he finally caught his breath. He was still radiating fear and disgust, but he was stable enough to talk. "Is he still alive?"

Gunpowder wipes his mouth. "Of course he is. What part of we can't die, don't you understand?" He frowns, pulling back his frustration. "Sorry you can't control how you react yet. I didn't realize how much I would share when we feel strong emotions." He sits on his knees and sighs. "I'll clean up, just try not to get sick again, please."

Tim nods and shudders. "I.... I'm not desensitized to this stuff. I'm sorry."

Gunpowder gets up, feeling the soft twists of sadness and self-doubt. "Tim, it's not a bad thing, means you're still human. Don't be too hard on yourself." He pulls out some cleaning supplies from the bathroom cabinet. "Tell me about Danny."

Tim frowns and nods slightly. "He was my younger brother...."

.....

Martin wakes up to someone touching his hand. He furrows his brow, pulling his hand back, and skitters up to be his full height, staring down at Tim. He hissed and then blushed, finally realizing that Tim was, in fact, there, and he wasn't a threat. He covers his face and groans, playing out his legs to be shorter. "I didn't mean to hiss at you."

Tim looked over to Gunpowder giggling, and he felt a laugh bubble in his own throat, and wow, no wonder he got frustrated. He didn't exactly know how he felt about feeling someone else's emotions. He gave a soft smile and reached out again to hold Martin's hand. "Your hands are really like a cat's paw."

Martin smiles and lets Tim take his hand. "Spiders have padded limbs and toe beans if you actually look at them."

"That's actually really cute." Tim blushes slightly. "Oh shit how are we going to get to work?"

Martin shrugs. "Might as well scare Elias first."

"Really?" Tim snickers. "What is he scared of spiders?"

"No, he's scared of what they represent." Martin hums. "We're going to be late, and I need a shirt."

"Right, you brought a spare one, right?" Tim paused and rushed over to a bag Martin brought. "Also, you're going to have to talk to my neighbors because of all the stuff we threw out, and they probably think I'm a serial killer."

Martin snickers. "I think I'll scare them into silence."

"Man, I've seen too much of Gunpowder, and Jonny and you having fun together to remember that I'm supposed to be scared of you because you're a spider centaur." Tim tosses over a sweater.

"I suppose I don't find myself scary either. Honestly, the fear left pretty quickly once I realized how my new body worked." Martin smiles. "This will be obnoxious getting to work. I don't mind walking. You live much closer than I do, but being stared at isn't ideal."

"Maybe a blanket?" Tim stops and covers his face. "That wouldn't work."

Martin chuckles. "I appreciate the concept idea, but Jonny tried that once."

"Wait really?" Tim raised his brow.

"Yeah, ended up in a bar fight." Martin snickers. "Although it was fucking hilarious."

"Huh." Tim crosses his arms. "Just bite the bullet and head out?"

"After you." Martin hums and smiles.

.....

Elias blinks, and the scene doesn't change. What confounds him the most is the fact that this has nothing to do with the web. The Beholder is taking it all in, and he can feel actual confusion from his patron. He clears his throat and approaches. "Martin, I don't believe it's near Halloween unless you've got an event planned."

Martin hums impressed at how well Elias can mask his true emotions. "I don't think a costume would be strong enough to carry someone on." He motions to Tim who waves.

"He insisted that he carry me." Tim smiles.

"Well, yes, but I hope I don't cause you too much trouble." Martin smiles. "Why the surprise this is your institute, and shouldn't you expect the supernatural?" He has a smirk as he walks past a stunned Elias.

Elias doesn't have a response to that. His mind was completely blank, and the Beholder was eerily silent.

Tim was snickering. "Double boss man seems quite stunned."

Martin chuckles. "Oh, this is quite fun."

That thought came crashing down with a terrified scream and wide eyed stares.

Martin felt exposed, and he couldn't remember the last time he felt bad about his body until this moment. He knows Tim can feel him tense. "I..."

"Jon, seriously?" Tim huffs sliding off Martin's back. "It's not his fault he's like this."

Jon was trying really hard to keep his panic and fear in check, and he felt a growing bubble of white hot rage directed at him and feeling it. The feedback loop was really confusing. "I uh..." He was forced out by Jonny.

"Fuck off." Jonny took back control his tail was lashing and puffed out at the end. His ears were pinned back, and the hair on top of his head was puffing out. "Seriously fuck off I don't judge you for who you carnally desire. Blackwood is mine, and you have absolutely no right." He goes o continue his rant, but a tooth falls out. He blinks as confusion fills his features, and he crouched down to poke it.

Martin opens his mouth and closes it. "You know I remember now what he was missing, the teeth."

"The teeth." Gunpowder repeats with a nod.

"I'm sorry Martin, are you ok?" Sasha vaguely motions.

"I mean, it was painful, but it doesn't hurt now." Martin pauses. "I have to figure out how to use my desk."

Tim is getting back control, pulling his eyes away from Jonny, now messing with his teeth. "I mean, you can get rid of the chair and move from there."

"That could work." Martin hums and looks over to Jonny. "Are you ok?"

Jonny holds a handful of his teeth. "What do you think?" He scowls. "Well fuck you too. No, I'm mad at you. That's a stupid fucking question, I don't care about spiders let alone being scared of them."

Three pairs of eyes watch the one sided argument.

.....

A fog seemed to roll into Elias's office out of nowhere, and a tall, muscular man in a captains attire steps inside. The man stops and stares at Elias, who had his head down on his desk. "Elias?"

Elias groans. "Peter."

"Shouldn't you be enjoying your new archivist floundering?" Peter raised his brow.

Elias takes a breath. "Peter, I have called every avatar I ever had contact with to ask if they knew what was going on with my archivist and his assistants. I have no leads, and the Beholder is clueless."

Peter opens his mouth then shuts it with a click.

"Do you have any idea what's happening? Because I don't have a singlaur clue." Elias throws his hands up. "One of the archivist assistants is a half spider centaur, and he's not even aligned with the web. The other has mechanical eyes that still work as eyes. That technology doesn't exist, and the Flesh doesn't bother with machines."

Peter reaches out. "I think you need a vacation."

Elias slams his hands against his desk. "Peter, I'm serious!" He gets up and grabs Peter's arm, and drags him to the archives.

Peter stared stunned.

#the mechanisms #the magnus archives #jonny d'ville #jonathan sims #sasha james #tim stoker #gunpowder tim #martin blackwood

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