#it's the winndox buzzfeed unsolved au

[cyclone-rachel]

[loveofshows]

Sprain

For the record, I have never seen an episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved, and all I know about it is through Tumblr and fics. So this is my first time writing this Supergirl AU with this pairing(?). 

And I wanted to branch out and take a little break from writing Karadox so.

This is for @cyclone-rachel​ I hope you like it and you feel better soon! Also hope hope you’re at home relaxing!

---

"In my defense," Winn started as he limped through the abandoned warehouse while leaning on Querl. "I didn't' realize the floor was split open." Wincing as they walked, Querl gave him a look and shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure I told you the state of the building and what could lie inside."

"And what is the keyword, Winnslow?" Querl asked. Winn made a face at his full name. But he knew how worried his boyfriend was, so he let it slide.

"Could," he continued, "could is the keyword here. I admit that you told me how bad the inside of the building was, but you didn't say anything about how bad it is."

Querl stayed silent, Winn internally groaned when he realized his mistake. Querl was blaming himself for what happened, and Winn wasn't going to let that stand.

"You know I don't blame you, right?" Winn asked, stopped walking, and tugged on Querl's hand to stop him from walking further. Querl turned to face him but refused to look at Winn. "Hey, I don't blame you."

"But I should have checked my findings before we entered the building," Querl whispered.

Winn cupped Querl's cheeks and gently lifted his face, so Querl was looking at him. "I'm not mad that you didn't check the building, I'm not mad at you for anything, and I especially do not blame you for anything either." Winn paused and waited for Querl to nod. Which he did, Winn smiled and kissed him.

"If anything, I'd be slightly mad if you told Kara." When Querl didn't say anything, Winn groaned. "You told Kara?"

"She has the right to know," Querl pointed out. Winn grumbled as they began walking again.

"That's a fair point," Winn conceded, "but now she's going to come and make sure I'm okay."

"Is that a bad thing?" Querl asked, and Winn stayed silent as he thought.

They have been traveling across the country for a couple of weeks, and they couldn't find time to drive home. And Winn missed Kara and had the feeling Querl missed her too.

"I suppose not," Winn sighed, "I wonder if she's going to bring some food."

"I'm pretty sure she will," Querl said. Winn turned and squinted at him.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she's Kara, and I can see her standing there with a container food and a bag of what I can only assume are movies."

Winn whipped around, and sure enough, Kara was standing at the entrance with a smile on her face.

"I came as soon as I could," she said, coming to stand beside Winn and helped him walk as well.

"It's just a sprain. I can walk perfectly fine," Winn grumbled but enjoyed the help all the same. "So, what goodies did you bring?" he asked, trying to peek inside the container.

"You'll find out later when we get you off your feet," Kara answered. Winn pouted but didn't argue.

Querl opened the RV door and helped inside, and Winn sighed in relief as soon as he sat down.

"Could walk fine, huh?" Kara teased, getting the TV ready for a movie.

"I'm sore, Kara. Let me relax," Winn answered, making grabby hands for the container.

As soon as the menu screen displayed on the TV, Kara went to sit down on the other side of Winn.

"I will as soon as you promise you'll stay here until your ankle feels better," Kara said, holding the container out of Winn's reach.

Winn thought about it, and when he didn't answer, Querl gave a little push.

"James won't even be here for a couple of days, so you don't have a choice."

Winn sighed and nodded. "Sure. As long as you get to stay here until my ankle feels better," he countered.

"You have gotten yourself a deal." With that, Kara set the container on Winn's lap, and they spent the rest of the night watching movies, snacking, and cuddling until they fell asleep.

Winn wouldn't have it any other way.

[nancywheelxr]

buzzfeed unsolved au, brainy gets possessed by a ghost and winn has to bring him back

Okay, look, here’s the thing, Winn’s not saying Brainy is possessed by some evil spirit but Brainy has totally been possessed by some evil spirit.

It had started like any other investigation, really, they had talked the owner of the haunted mansion into letting them spend the night and set up shop in the living room. All standard procedures. Except, around midnight, the spirit box had gone surprisingly chattier with moans of help and tremulous warnings to get out. Well, Winn thinks now that they had been warning, at the time, it had all been kind of frightening.

So, of course, Winn made the trek back to the car to get his holy water, just in case, you know.

It had only been a moment, really, less than two minutes.

Then, there had been a scream.

Winn had scrambled back to the second floor, but by then, Brainy had been sitting up on the floor, blood trickling faintly from his nose. I passed out, he had said, probably just some low blood sugar.

Yeah, right, low blood sugar his ass.

Reviewing the footage from that night, Winn had watched as a shadow had detached itself from the wall, crawling over the floorboards, and advanced over Brainy. It had reached a clawed hand down his throat and slithered in until there was not a trace of black smoke.

Brainy had fallen to the floor with a dull thud.

That had been over two days and three state lines ago. Since then, Brainy has been spending most of his time staring at nothing for long stretches of time just to snap back like nothing happened, like the opposite of trailing off in the middle of a conversation. 

Winn is so not prepared to deal with this, man. The holy water had mysteriously disappeared somewhere in Oregon and the crucifix he bought in a gas station is a heavy reminder that these are not the kind of things he’s used to dealing with.

This, he realizes, is the worst-case scenario.

But he’ll fix it, though. There’s a bible in the glove compartment and their GPS is guiding them to the nearest church with a priest willing to exorcise someone. And if that failed, Winn has memorized the rites last night.

For now, he keeps driving while Brainy stares at the road with unseeing eyes that are getting more and more glazed over. By this time tomorrow, something will have happened.

With all the faith he has, Winn hopes it’s something good.

[fairyroses]

what was your first ship, and what fandom is it from? what’s a ship you like that most people don’t? favorite AU ideas for Karadox and/or Brainysupes? what’s a meme/quote that reminds you of Winndox? what is the most underrated ship, in your opinion?

First ship: Artemis/Holly from the Artemis Fowl series. Also Sonny/Chad from the Disney Channel show Sonny With a Chance, lol. (And if you want to go really far back, to before I even knew what shipping was… Kovu/Kiara from The Lion King 2.)

A ship I like that most people don’t: Hmm… Loki/Jane Foster? That’s definitely a rarepair. Not sure how actively it’s Not Shipped though, or if it’s just not on most people’s radar at all. 

Favorite AU ideas for Karadox and/or Brainysupes: 

For Brainysupes: I love the Reverse LOSH AU where Brainy ends up stuck in the past and lives with Clark and his family. I’ve also always wanted to write a canon divergence AU where instead of simulating dates with Clark in the time between seasons 1 and 2, Brainy starts sneaking off to the past without the Legion knowing to spend actual time with Clark (and they fall in love, ofc).

For Karadox: I love AUs where one of them chooses to live in the other’s time permanently (either Kara in the future or Querl in the past) and they get married and have a family - all that real cheesy domestic shit. Also, Corrupted Brainy AUs. Oooh, and I still really want to see an Emotionless Brainy/Red-K Kara AU. And an AU version of season 4 where Kara and Brainy gradually fall in love while training Nia together… I still wanna write that one. Oh, and the most obvious: Kara Doesn’t Die in Crisis AUs. 

Also, classic stories like College AUs would work really well for both ships, I think. 

Meme/Quote that reminds me of Winndox: 

and

(Because Buzzfeed Unsolved AU.)

Also:

The most underrated ship, IMO: Karadox is the first obvious one that comes to mind, but there are definitely others… I’m just too tired to think of them lol.

[cyclone-rachel]

Winndox Unsolved AU + ❝ Don’t sass me in front of the internet. ❞

“So!” Winn says, grinning into the camera as James begins filming, Brainy by Winn’s side attempting to look like this was something he’d seen coming, something that had been scripted instead of something Winn had come up with the previous night on a drunken whim. “Santa Claus. We all know who he is, right?”

“I did not, until you attempted to explain him to me.”

“Don’t sass me in front of the internet.” Winn answers. “And don’t distract me. Anyway, neither of us really celebrate Christmas- which makes us the perfect people to objectively examine this character, and the lore surrounding this holiday as a whole.”

“That is exactly what I would have said.” Querl tells him, his own smile suddenly becoming mischievous. “And I would add that, since this is our first holiday special: if our viewers were curious, Winslow just so happens to have a birthday coming up- on December 25th itself, as it turns out. So, should they decide to send you anything, James will put our P.O. box address in the show notes for this video.”

“Oh, sure, Brainy can talk. His birthday is 5 days after mine, on December 30th. So if anyone wants to send him presents- and trust me, buddy, they will- you’ll know where they go.”

Querl frowns, but Winn ignores him.

“Are you truly confident of that?” Querl asks.

“Yeah, dude. For multiple reasons.”

“Then we can bet on it.” He says, instantly regretting the words when they leave his mouth, and his eyes lock onto the camera, knowing that this is one part of the episode that James will definitely keep. “If you are incorrect, and you receive more presents than I do, I will choose a penalty. But if you are right… I will admit, on camera, that ghosts and the like are real. Please, nobody take that out of context.”

“Oh, I like those odds.” Winn says, clapping Querl on the shoulder before they settle into the comfortable rhythm of the episode.

“Anyway, that’s enough intro and especially enough housekeeping. So, without further ado, if Brainy will take us into the history…”

[cyclone-rachel]

“I had a thought.” Winn said.

“Oh no!”

Winn frowned, and Querl shrugged in response.

“That was sarcasm, Winslow. I was kidding.”

“You weren’t always, about that.” He said. “Anyway, do you want to hear it, or not?”

Querl really didn’t have to consider it. Even before he learned more about what Winn would later do- or would have done, time travel was confusing sometimes- he had conceded that Winn had the natural advantage in this century. And, considering that, both of them would be ill-suited at first to one another’s times, and presently had a lot to learn from each other. As much as Querl didn’t want to admit it, as much as he tried…

He’d resented Winn before, but he’d also considered what Winn would have thought. Now, filling that space, was respect, and he hoped Winn would feel the same for him.

(But hope was useless until he expressed such respect to him in the first place, expecting nothing back)

“I do. I want to hear it.” Querl said, smiling at Winn, and he continued.

“Well… I was thinking that we’ve both been through a lot, in the past few years.”

“Severe understatement, but yes.”

“Yeah, of course.” Winn answered, not meeting his eyes. He knew that neither of them were probably ready to share about what had gone on, specifically with each of them. But, if given time, they could be, and even though he wouldn’t ever have imagined wanting to share his experiences and deep feelings with him- a Brainiac- he’d changed. And it looked like Brainy had too.

Neither of them could pick up their relationship from where they left off, and maybe that was a good thing.

“And?”

“And… both of us could use a break. It looks like Kara and everyone else have everything covered pretty well here, so I say we should take one.”

(Winn left out the fact that he needed to re-acclimate to 21st century technology, and the possibility that he would have to be mind-wiped eventually.

He was going to put that off for as long as he could, and enjoy the knowledge of two times while it lasted)

“You want to go on a vacation with me.” Querl summarized, still sounding like he didn’t believe it.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t have thought about it before either.” Winn said. “But now, I think that it may even be kind of fun. We could even pick up James, if he’s not busy. And if Kara needs us, we can always fly right back. What do you say?”

Querl didn’t have to consider this either.

“I say yes.”

(It wasn’t until later, when Winn was researching places they could go for their road trip, that he decided they should basically be paranormal investigators. Which, he pointed out when Brainy was reluctant, they were more than qualified for.)

(And although it took a while, Querl eventually agreed that this was more fun than any trip he would’ve taken without that added element)

[cyclone-rachel]

Unsolved AU: Winn and Brainy exploring a haunted house, and Winn thinking one of the ghosts is trying to flirt with Brainy through the spirit box.

Querl was… very skeptical, about the spirit box.

Of course, that could be expected- being the skeptic was his role in this whole thing, and would have been even before Winn explained that one of them had to be the skeptic and one was to be the believer, in this dynamic of theirs that they’d made for their video series.

(although, truly, that dynamic was more natural than anything. Neither of them were acting, and even if they’d started out making scripts, more often than not they were abandoned, both of them improvising.

James said people loved it.

Winn, meanwhile, was just enjoying the opportunity to, as he would say, “mess with” Querl, inserting more risqué jokes and teasing him alongside all of his elaborate conspiracy theories.)

And perhaps, the spirit box was another trick of Winn’s, something he’d worked on with Kara and Alex in an attempt to prove to Querl that ghosts existed on Earth, and were capable of speaking to the living.

But if it wasn’t…

Winn (for once) and Querl were both silent, making sure they were able to hear whatever was coming from the box, no matter the volume. Querl was prepared to not hear anything- at least, anything real.

He wasn’t prepared for this.

“You look just like my husband.” A voice crackled inside the spirit box. Then, a soft laugh. “Yes, I can see you.”

“Me?” Winn asked, voice hushed. Querl smirked, glad that whatever was happening was actually surprising him, too.

“No.” her voice- for it did sound feminine- said. “Your handsome friend. What’s his name?”

Querl stood still, looking at the box, before Winn elbowed him.

“Dude. Is that ghost flirting with you?”

“I suppose.”

“Well? Come on, this is gonna be great for the episode! Tell her!”

“Querl Dox, ma’am.” He said. “Although on this world, I go by Brian Richards.”

“On this world?”

“Yes. I’m…”

“An alien? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

Querl glanced over at Winn, and neither of them decided to tell her how many people were watching them right now.

“You do not sound surprised that aliens exist.”

“Of course not.” She answered. “I am one. My name is… was… Lynda Leigh. Or at least, that was my human name.”

“Then what was your alien name?” Winn asked. “If you don’t mind answering.”

“Kara.” She told them, as Winn and Brainy stared at each other. “Kara In-Ze.”

“One of our friends has a similar name.” Brainy said, knowing that if he could see this ghost, she would likely look very familiar to him.

(Then again, this could be a joke- Kara could be supplying her voice to this box, using her mother’s maiden name to make them believe this ghost was a version of her from another Earth.

Or…

He almost didn’t want to look it up.)

And he didn’t research it, until after he and Winn finished their conversation with her, and left her house- only to find that there really was a woman using the name Lynda Leigh, who had passed away in 1985.

“He really does look like you.” Winn said over Querl’s shoulder, as he looked at images of Lynda and her husband, pulled from local newspaper obituaries. “Never thought a ghost would call you handsome.”

“Shut up.” Querl answered, not looking at him.

“Fine, I’ll save it for the cameras.”

Querl rolled his eyes, as he continued his research.

[cyclone-rachel]

Day 19: Always

@elmayarafest

AO3 link

~

Querl didn’t know what made him decide it.

(It was probably a combination of things- the real question was what made him decide that year, that month, that day, that hour, that minute. And that, he wasn’t entirely certain about. But it was the right time, and so he went forward)

But one day, he did, and once he had, it was a short time before James was behind the camera, and Winn was beside him, as he made his announcement.

“Hello.” He said. “As you may have guessed, this is not a typical episode. In fact, it is not an episode at all- and will be classified as something else once it is uploaded on our website. But… for a long time, I admit, I have not been entirely honest with you all.”

Winn almost made a joke about that- We all know you’re bi, Brainy. But he also knew that this was an important moment for him, and he kept his mouth shut.

Breathing slowly, in and out, Querl deactivated his image inducer.

“There is something that you have speculated on for many episodes, and indeed guessed, judging by your many comments, all of which I have read. And now I wish to say that it is true- I am an alien.” He said, as if one couldn’t tell from his green skin and blond hair. “Specifically, a Coluan- from the planet Colu. My true name is Querl Dox, and the nickname “Brainy” comes from my title, Brainiac 5. I mean no harm to you- in fact, just the opposite. I am here on this planet in peace, and I only wish to serve you in whatever way possible. Whether it is to be a superhero, as I was for many years, or who I am now- someone trying to heal from the trauma experienced in my youth, and spending time with those I love- I only want to be myself, and in this current uninhibited state, after over twenty years of having my very being suppressed, I finally am.”

Winn reached out and took his hand, gently squeezing it.

“And I am proud to offer my support to him.” He said. “I love Querl, and not only because he’s an alien, and I like making probe jokes about him.” He turned to him, as he spoke the rest. “Because you're smart, and cute, and funny, and loyal, and you're always there for me.”

“And I love you too, Winslow.” Querl answered. “For the exact same reasons. Always.”

“…so, no chance of doing an Area 51 episode in the future?” Winn asked, as if he hadn’t known he was an alien from the beginning.

“I think it may be even more interesting to do one now.” Querl said. “That is to say, an episode about someplace that is frequently spoken about in conjunction with alien activity, co-hosted by someone who is openly an alien? Not every show could have that perspective.”

“You’re right. Should we turn this off and get started on researching it?”

“Of course.” Querl answered. “James?”

James turned off the camera, but not before Winn began showering Querl’s true face with kisses, and Querl did his best to keep up.

[cyclone-rachel]

rest your soul and feed your brain

part 3: on AO3 here

~

The camera turns on, showing Winn- just Winn, for once. He’s staring at where the audience would be, with an expression in his eyes that could be considered haunted, or perhaps bewildered. His eyes are wide, certainly, and he’s leaning slightly over the desk, hands out in front of him, held in a sort of tented position. He seems to be waiting for someone, his lips pursed, and he stands and looks at someone slightly off to the side.

“James? Are you getting this?” he asks.

James nods, and focuses the camera on him closer, as Winn sits down again.

His voice is hushed, as he continues.

“Hey. Okay, so… I probably shouldn’t be doing this. If he finds out, he might kill me, and get James to take over for me- even though all the comments talk about how funny I am, or how much I do my research. Well, actually, they give me long lists of nitpicks and corrections on the subject of my research, and they say how funny it is when I scream, or make dirty jokes. Even though me screaming is completely normal for the kind of thing I’m doing here, and I actually don’t make that many dirty jokes. They’re not that dirty anyway. Whatever.

The point is… this is about… I’m investigating Brainy. My partner- not that way. Even though he is cute, and I am very bisexual. He’s like a young Keanu Reeves, in how he looks- it’s actually kind of freaky, looking at them side by side. But in a nice way. Anyhow, you already know what he looks like, because we’re friends, and we do this show every week for you guys.”

Winn pauses, looking up at James, expression cautious. He turns back to the camera.

“I might not actually release this. Or it could go up on our Patreon page, and I would just have to make sure he doesn’t see it, or put it under an unassuming title so he doesn’t suspect anything and doesn’t want to click on it. He already doesn’t check anything on our computer anyway, I’ve never seen him use it, but somehow he still knows all the statistics of our videos, so I feel like I could get away with that. Maybe something about sex tapes, it’s really funny the reaction that gets whenever I bring them up. Anyway. If I do release this, it’s going to be because I feel like you all should know something about Brainy. Something I want to say I’ve suspected all along, given how much I already liked researching this kind of stuff, but embarrassingly enough, I’ve only started putting the pieces together recently.

Wow, I’m delaying this a lot. I’m sorry- to the audience, and to myself. Maybe I’m not saying it because I don’t feel like I can? Like if I do say it, he’ll hear, and he’ll find me. I don’t think he would hurt me if he found out I was doing this. After all, we are friends. Or at least, I hope we still are. I don’t know. Maybe this is the last recording I’ll ever do, and he’ll find this, and he’ll leave. I… don’t want to lose him, as much of a know-it-all as he is. I’m the believer, I need my skeptic, you know? That’s just how things should be. It’s the natural dynamic, and without it, we’d lose viewers. I would lose viewers. So maybe I won’t put this up online. But if I do, and we keep going… assume he hasn’t found it, or that he’s okay with it.

Maybe I just don’t want to admit it out loud, because it’ll make me sound insane. Like I’m headed for a downward spiral, like my dad- except instead of taking my anger out on the partner who stole my patent, and ending up killing people who weren’t him instead, I’ll be the conspiracy theory guy who got too obsessed with what he was so interested in, and it’ll end up ruining my friendship with… with one of the only people who really knows me well, and gets me. Or at least I thought he did.

Do I hate Brainy, for hiding so much? Am I angry at him, because he keeps so many secrets? I don’t think so. I’m not. I’m just… well, can you blame me for being interested, and maybe a little bit suspicious? That’s the only name he’s ever given me, to tell me to call him. He started emailing me, after I put up the video asking for people to do that if they wanted to host this show with me, and almost too quickly- within the day, actually, once I’d made sure he wasn’t an axe-murderer or any other kind of murderer, like my dad, and that he genuinely wanted to do this with me and didn’t want to make fun of my videos, he was there for the interview. And then he was hired, after I said something about tomatoes being fruits, and he insisted on them being vegetables, and we argued about it for like an hour. Actually fun times, believe it or not.

He’s never told me where he lives, or where he grew up, or how old he is, other than I know that he’s around my age and his birthday is December 30th. I remember because it’s 5 days after mine, and I saw him circle it on the calendar once. I know he was homeschooled, but he never gave any details on that, and for how long he was homeschooled. He doesn’t have any siblings. His parents raised him together until he was eight years old, when they separated and his father raised him. He hasn’t said anything about what happened afterwards, or where his mother went, or anything else about his life- he changes the subject, asking about my family instead, and whenever he’s admitted these things to me he always looks at me like he’s being held at gunpoint while saying them, even though I honestly want to know because he’s just so goddamn mysterious. And you all know how much of a difficult subject my family is for me. But for his credit, he listens, and it’s kind of nice.

Oh god, I’m rambling. But I have a point with this, I promise.

I don’t doubt that Brainy is a good person. I don’t doubt that he likes me- or at least, doesn’t hate me. He hasn’t left me, which is a virtue all on its own, and he listens to me, with- it feels like he understands me, whenever I talk about my parents and describe how their abandonment felt. What it was like to see my dad arrested, to be interrogated about his murder and under constant scrutiny afterwards from my foster families because at any time I could snap and become just like him. How it felt to sit in the police station, waiting for my mother, but she never came back for me.

Maybe this is why I won’t release this video. I’ve only ever told him that, and I’ve tried not to tell anyone that my father is Winslow Schott, the notorious Toyman. I even use my nickname, Winn, and my mom’s maiden name, McGowan, for these videos… but I know I’m still a Schott, and that potential is inside me. Like a ticking time bomb.”

Winn sighs.

“I hope I’m not turning out like him. I want to think I’m using whatever I got from my father for good- though I can’t really tell whether or not this is a good use for the skills I do have. And maybe this, what happens if Brainy finds out, will be the nail in the coffin for me. What sets me down the path to becoming the Toyman, just like my dad.

I don’t want to.

But… if anyone from the future is listening, consider this the secret origin story of… something. The play that was never released, the first edition book that’s different from all the others, the action figure that was recalled for a defect, the hidden Easter egg in a video game or the comic that only ever got one printing or the unaired pilot of a TV show or a movie that never even made it to DVD. I think this metaphor ran away from me. Point is. If you’re seeing this, count yourself lucky, because you’re one of a few- if anyone other than James and I see this at all.”

Winn pauses again, turns to James.

“You’re not gonna leak this on Youtube, are you?”

“No.”

“Good man.” Winn says. “Thank you.”

He turns back to the camera, and continues talking, all the while also continuing to gesture with his hands, as though he were truly in a living, animated conversation with the audience.

“And keep in mind, I don’t say all of this stuff because I want his career to be ruined, or because I’m jealous of him, or anything. I just think he’s so… I’ve already used the words interesting, and suspicious, and mysterious, and cute. He’s all of those things, but he transcends description. He’s a walking enigma, and I wish I were worthy of knowing his secrets.

He’s my friend, and I can’t help noticing things like… well. He always wakes up earlier than I do. That’s probably because I always stay up late. But one time, I woke up first, and saw him get up out of bed. And he… I don’t know how to say this. He touched his face, and it- shifted? And I don’t think it was the light coming in from outside- I swear to you, his face looked blue. All of him did. He touched it again, and he looked like he always does otherwise, but I’ve never forgotten that. It might’ve been an early-morning dream kind of thing, like when you’re half asleep and half-awake. But it felt real.

And then there’s things like what I mentioned before- he always seems to know exactly what our statistics are, even though I’ve never seen him use our computer. Any kind of technical problem, he fixes it- without even moving, or touching it. Most of the time I don’t even have to ask him, he just knows. Knows everything. Comes in real handy, can’t say I’m not grateful, but also…

Oh! Also, one time, I caught him sitting on the roof of our trailer, and when I called his name, he jumped down- but it was slower, somehow, than normal jumping. Like he was kind of… not flying. But hovering, maybe. Or falling with style. But whatever it is, I couldn’t have done it. And I’ve tried to scare him, since then, and make him jump. Hasn’t worked, but I’m gonna keep trying, mark my words.”

“Marking them.” Calls James, and Winn rolls his eyes.

“Anyway. All of these things… and the fact that because he’s only introduced himself by his pretentious nickname, and never given me his real name- God knows I’ve tried to find it- I can’t look him up in any way and verify that he exists- I don’t know how to explain them. I want to- that’s the whole point of this show, solving the unsolvable, explaining the unexplainable, playfully arguing with each other along the way, sometimes scaring the shit out of each other but mostly just enjoying each other’s company. But the two first things are the most important, and how am I supposed to call myself a good solver of mysteries if I can’t come to a solid conclusion on the person who’s probably my best friend? Besides you, James.”

“Thank you.”

“And Kara and Alex, back home. But they’re not gonna see this. Probably. That doesn’t matter. Point is… the whole idea of this long, twisting rant… I have reason to believe that my collaborator, my partner, my friend, Brainy… isn’t human. And I don’t know what he is, exactly, or who he is, or where he’s from. He could be the Mothman. He could be what he calls a Necrofriggian. He could be any of the other cryptids I totally did my research on and didn’t just see while watching shows about them on TV, or reading Wikipedia entries. Or- and this is the most absurd one- he might even be from another planet. Is he an alien, or a cryptid? Or is he just a completely normal guy who’s fucking with me, and I’m the one who’s talking myself in circles over nothing? Whatever the case, it looks like the impenetrable identity of my cohost is, for now, a case that’s going to remain-“

“Winn? Why are you recording an episode without me? What’s this about?”

“Oh shi-“

“James, turn that off, please.”

[cyclone-rachel]

Day 26: Stay

@elmayarafest

AO3 Link

based on/a follow-up to this great fic, by the equally great @evelyn-hugc!

Querl wakes up all at once.

He’s aware that he still went on living, for the past few days. But it was as though he were aligned again- no.

Not exactly.

More like when the Aurafacian took over- something suppressing his own mind, taking control of his body and making him watch. As though he were pushed underwater, and something else pretending to be him had risen from the surface- a twisted copy, a flawed replica.

But now he’s broken through, someone has given him back his control, and he’s breathing heavily, taking everything in simultaneously-

“Querl?”

Winn is there.

“Brainy, hey. Slow down, babe. Just… take things slow. You’re okay. Everything is alright now.”

“Wha- what happened?” he says. Blood is trickling from his nose again, and he’s on the floor of somewhere he doesn’t recognize. There are symbols around him, drawn in what looks like a circle, and two other people are there besides Winn.

“What you just experienced, Querl Dox, was your first spirit possession.” One of the others, a British man in a trenchcoat, says. “Happens to many people. In your case, your boyfriend was smart enough to recognize it early, and brought you here before it could do real damage. You’re lucky.”

“I should’ve been smarter.” He answers, shivering. “I- I am a twelfth-level intellect, I should have seen this… this spirit, and been able to avoid it. Winslow and I have been studying all of this, as much as I didn’t believe it to be real, but I still listened to him. I should have-“

“Don’t beat yourself up over it.” The other man says. “Happens to a lot of people. I’m Gary, by the way, and this is John Constantine.”

“Guilty.” Constantine says, and Querl feels a sudden warmth- Winn has draped a blanket around him.

Querl, in response, hugs Winn.

“Glad you’re back.” He says, holding him too.

“So am I. That was… thoroughly unpleasant, to say the least.”

“Sorry. And, hey. You don’t have to beat yourself up over this- like Gary said. I, um… I should’ve been there. And there really was no way you could’ve prevented it anyway, twelfth-level intellect or not.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?”

“…Yeah?”

“Luckily for you, it worked.”

Winn gently brushes his hair away from his face, and kisses Querl on his forehead.

“Want me to get you some tea?”

“Let me do it.” Constantine says. “You just stay with him. Keep him warm.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Querl wraps his blanket around Winn, and stay together they do, until Querl completely comes back to himself.

[cyclone-rachel]

“Because you’re my best friend, dummy.”

Sometimes, things weren’t the easiest with them.

Sometimes, the lack of space in their shared RV got to them, and either Winn or Brainy would need to go outside for some air during the night, sleeping out under the stars after arguing over said space.

Sometimes, one of them would have nightmares, and the other would shake them awake, and they would want to keep away from each other until a sense of calm was reached again.

Sometimes, their arguments in any circumstance would get too heated, and they would have to ask James to stop filming until they became “Youtube-safe” again, before they came to blows.

(James, of course, kept filming for their blooper reel- but he would never admit that to them)

Sometimes, they’d steal each other’s clothes by accident, which was more awkward than anything, but still uncomfortable until they managed to organize their clothes again.

Sometimes, one of them would request time alone for whatever reason, and the other would respect their space- albeit watching from afar, seeing them look so miserable.

But in any case, the two of them did argue, and bicker and fight and disagree, and whatever other synonyms they could use, and yet still they drove on, continuing their mission to solve cases and attempt to find cryptids that Brainy still insisted didn’t exist.

And sometimes, one of them would question that.

“Winn?” Querl asked.

“Yeah?” he said, from the driver’s seat. As much as he would’ve liked to have autopilot, like in the Legion ship (which perhaps would’ve made his transition back into using 21st century technology much easier) Brainy insisted that he couldn’t make any changes to their RV, nearly threatening him with memory erasure if he didn’t comply.

(Winn took this seriously, and the car remained as it was.)

“Why do you stay?” Querl said. “Why… we’ve been on this trip for nearly a year. And we still haven’t gone back. What is the reason for that?”

“Because you’re my best friend, dummy.” Was Winn’s response. “I- no, you’re not a dummy. You’re the smartest person I know. Smarter than I could ever be. And I know, we didn’t really get the chance to become friends at first, but now I think we know each other, right?”

“Indeed.”

“And because of that, we’ve really become used to each other- so even when we fight, or whatever, we know- well, I know, I can’t speak for you- that it’ll be okay. We’ll get back together, and keep going, and… I don’t know. This just kind of feels like healing, for me. Getting to relax, with nothing expected of me- doing things on my own terms, for once. And I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have with me on this trip than you.”

Querl blinked, looking over at Winn in awe, for once speechless due to his words.

“Brainy, are you crying?”

“…These are tears of logic.” He said. “And of joy. I could not ask for a better friend, either. Especially a better best friend, after my last…”

“Wait a second.” James interrupted. “Winn, I thought I was your best friend.”

“I can have more than one!” he said. “It’s fine. We can all be best friends with each other, it’ll be okay.”

And as Querl smiled, wiping his tears away, he found that it already was.

[cyclone-rachel]

Winndox + “It said my name”

@nancy-wheels

~

To say that Querl wanted to murder Brainiac 1 was an understatement.

He knew, due to the Legion’s rules, what had been decided in their constitution, that such an act wasn’t allowed… but this was the monster that had created a plague that nearly wiped every AI out, that had displaced him from his time, that took over Winn’s body when Winn threatened to overcome him. This was the person (though, really he was hardly that) who was responsible for the evil legacy that Querl had to bear the burden of. The one who, Querl could even say, ruined his life.

So when Winn was brought back to the twenty-first century, asleep, in an effort to figure out what was wrong with him and how he could be helped, Querl ended up being the one who’d eventually brought him back to himself. And, in repayment, Winn decided to take Querl on a road trip.

(“We both need therapy.” Winn decided, throwing an arm around Querl’s shoulders. “Don’t we?”)

Querl, knowing how much he’d been through in the past year, immediately had agreed.

But if he’d known what was going to happen, he might’ve changed his mind.

Like, for example, the two of them deciding to explore a part of Fort Rozz, that was still on Earth even after the rest of it had been launched into space. Even Winn wasn’t sure how it had happened, but hey, it was an alien prison, without any prisoners remaining. He wouldn’t complain about that.

“Hey.” Winn said, nudging Brainy with his shoulder. “It’s a ghost ship.”

“There are no ghosts here.” Querl shot back. “And it’s hardly a ship.”

“Kara says there was one.” Winn answered. “But she went away after Kara and Alex buried her properly and set her spirit free… or something. It’s a long story.”

Querl nodded.

“Noted.” He said, resolving to look that case up when he and Winn went back to National City. But for the moment…

Querl must’ve tripped, without realizing it, because the next thing he knew he was breathing heavily, leaning over a computer console with his hand on one of the screens. Winn was holding him back, making sure he hadn’t collided with it- but Querl quickly righted himself, and Winn let him go.

“Greetings- Querl Dox.” The computer said, bringing itself to life, forming a face- one that looked very familiar to him.

“It said my name.”

“I- I don’t know who you are.” Winn said.

“Oh, isn’t that just great?” the computer answered. “I know everything about you, Winslow Schott, junior. Or should I say, Toyman junior?”

Winn glared at the screen, as the new face laughed.

“You’re fairly clever, for an ape.” She said. “You’re not saying you forgot me, did you?”

“Shut up, Indigo.” Winn answered, as Querl held his hand. “Remember, I know how to end you. Or did you forget?”

“You won’t.” Indigo said, smirking. One of her hands reached out from the computer screen, grabbing Querl and holding him in a headlock, against the computer. “Or else you’ll have to end your pathetic little boyfriend too.”

Well, this sucks.

[cyclone-rachel]

Winndox + “Did that just move?

Querl had grown used to the routine, as he and Winn continued with their online series. There was a lot of driving, Winn sometimes forgetting the directions, but ultimately they would reach their destination and sleep in their RV, then start filming in the morning- or sometimes at night, when it was necessary. James would follow them, filming everything and editing it afterwards, Kara would transcribe and promote it, and after all necessary filming and editing was complete, the video would be released. Then they would move on, and the cycle would repeat.

Until this night, when Winn decided to sleep inside the house they were investigating. And, because Winn couldn’t just sleep alone, he asked Brainy to sleep in the house with him.

So they were here, now, both of them in sleeping bags close to one another with a blanket over them, and Winn was holding Querl very close.

“Did that just move?” he asked, pointing shakily to a shadow on the floor.

“That’s our filming equipment.” Querl said.

“No, not that.” Winn insisted. “That one. Does it look like a spider to you?”

Querl sighed.

“Winn, if it is a spider, you can squish it with your shoe. Or I will. We are not going to die.”

“And you can guarantee that?”

“I will.”

“Fine.” Winn answered. “If I die, my ghost is going to haunt you.”

“Do not count on it.” Querl said confidently, and as they lay down together, he held Winn close as well.

And in the morning, when both of them woke up (mercifully not dead) they were still holding one another, and Winn only snuggled him closer.

My hero, Querl swore Winn whispered, but there was no way he could confirm it.

You’re my hero too, Querl said, hoping Winn heard it.

[cyclone-rachel]

@nancy-wheels @peskyshortcake and whoever else is interested in this concept: a Winndox Buzzfeed Unsolved-style thing

~

Querl never thought he would be buried.

Coming from the family he did, of course, his death was on his mind considerably more than it would be if his last name weren’t Dox- but the act of being buried hadn’t once crossed it.

Were he to die on Earth, for example, he would choose to be cremated. His body would be wrapped in cloth and placed on a pyre, his remains would be burned beyond recognition, in pieces so small that nothing could be used to bring him back. They would be shot into space, or perhaps placed underneath the statue that the Legion may or may not erect in his honor, as a memorial after he passed. Whatever the case, he was certain that nobody would try to build a Brainiac from his ashes, and that was the last thing he wanted after his death.

Even though, at that point, he would be dead, he never wanted anyone else to deal with his family’s legacy.

Or, perhaps, he could die on Colu. That was always possible, even though he had long since cut ties with his planet, and never considered his family to be located there. They may choose to bring him to his home, and let him pass on in the traditional Coluan way. When he died, his body would indeed be disposed of, but his mind would live on- letting him go through a simulated reality of his choosing, giving him what many humans would think of as a paradise for the rest of eternity.

That was riskier, however, as that did give an opening for someone to remove the physical version of his mind from such a simulation, use it in whatever schemes they desired. They could manipulate him (even though, at that point, it wouldn’t be him) beyond recognition and build him a new body, creating the next Brainiac.

No, if he could help it (and as much as he enjoyed the idea of a virtual paradise, though he felt he didn’t deserve such a luxury) he was going to make sure he died on thirty-first century Earth.

But if there was another option, if by some accident he were to die (or be killed) in the twenty-first century, albeit still on Earth, he knew his friends there would probably give him their traditional version of burial.

He might, if he dictated it in his will, still be cremated (though he didn’t necessarily have to, as this time did not have as much technology for rebuilding Brainiacs as his own, LuthorCorp excluded), but otherwise, he would have a wake, a coffin, a funeral, a eulogy, a headstone, an epitaph.

And, if it was his decision, he would make sure there was one line on his epitaph, aside from the expected: “This is Winn’s fault”.

Because, at this moment, trampling through these woods with Winn by his side (and if Winn didn’t also die, along with him) if he was going to suddenly be killed, this video project Winn had proposed would be why.

No matter how much he’d told Winn that, if it indeed existed as he proposed, he didn’t want to be killed by the Mothman.

“It’s completely safe, Brainy.” Winn said, when he went to him with these thoughts. “You’re not gonna die.”

“Did you run the odds on that?” Querl asked. “Can you be one hundred percent sure that neither of us are going to get killed?”

“…No.”

Winn’s face fell, as he realized that, and he knew that when he looked up again that Brainy would be disappointed in him.

But he was used to that, so he decided he was going to take it, and move on.

“That’s what I have you for.” He continued. “Not that I want you to be my living calculator or anything. But… if we work together on this, really, figure things out together… I think we’re gonna be okay.”

“You think so.” Querl answered. “As there is still a possibility we could die.”

“Not as much as the possibility that we won’t.” Winn shot back. “Come on, is it really too much for you to have a little faith in me?”

“Perhaps not.” Querl relented. “And to think, this was supposed to be therapy for the both of us.”

“It still can be!”

“If we don’t die.”

“If the Mothman really exists, and wants to kill us.”

At that, Querl stared at Winn, as Winn only looked at him blankly.

“What? What did I say?”

“If.” Querl answered. “You said, “If the Mothman really exists.” Were you not the one trying to convince me of that, when we first started this?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Winn said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “But hey, you believe too, don’t you? You’re the one who keeps telling me we’re gonna die.”

“I was going along with you!” Querl insisted. “I- I just wanted to make you happy, as I thought that we would cooperate better on this project if we agreed on this- in this case, the existence of creatures such as the Mothman, and what they could do to us. Thus, my projection of your beliefs.”

Winn blinked, and started smiling at Querl, as they stopped where they were and James brought the camera around to capture their images as they continued talking.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Querl asked.

“Oh, no reason.” Winn said. “It’s just that- dude, you know you didn’t have to agree with me, right?”

“I didn’t?”

“No!”

Querl’s shoulders sagged, as he looked at him tiredly.

“Then what did I have to do?”

“I mean; I don’t want to make you do anything.” Winn said. “I’m just saying, I’ve seen stuff like this before, and it’s a lot more entertaining when there are two competing perspectives. I’m the believer, you’re the skeptic, right? I’m the one who should be talking about us dying, and you’re the one calming me down, detailing all the reasons why we won’t.”

“…Oh.” Querl said. “I apologize.”

“It’s fine, we’re just starting out.” Winn answered. “We can take time to establish our dynamic.”

“Good. Because, if you’ll still have me, I want to have a second chance.”

“And you’ll have it, I promise.” Winn said.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. Besides-“ Winn paused, raising an eyebrow, “If we really do meet the Mothman, I don’t want him to kill me.”

“Then what do you want it to do?”

“Let’s just say… if I say it on Youtube, we’re going to be demonetized.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“…I want to fuck it.”

[cyclone-rachel]

Winndox + “I don’t believe in ghosts.”

“Winn?”

“What is it, Brainy?”

Querl tensed, placing his hands behind his back as he looked at him nervously.

“I- I just thought you should know, before we start on this proposed project of yours-“

Winn smiled at him, putting a gentle hand on his arm.

“It’s fine. You can just say it, Brainy.”

“I don’t believe in ghosts.”

“That’s great!”

Querl pulled away, though he still held Winn’s hand, tentatively smiling back at him.

“It is?”

“Yeah, of course it is!” Winn said. “I mean, I do believe in ghosts, so this is perfect for the videos.”

“What? How is that perfect?”

“I mean, you remember how we argued that first time. And if we get to do that, except without the lives of our friends and former enemies hanging in the balance, people will love it.”

“They love bickering?”

“Yes! They’re gonna say we have a great dynamic. They’ll call us fun together, and talk about our good chemistry- don’t get too excited, that doesn’t mean literal chemistry- and we’ll get so many views… and that’s why I’m glad you’re the skeptic, of the two of us.”

“In that case, I’m glad you believe in something that is unprovable.”

“Don’t you work with someone who has ghost powers?”

“I did, and Tinya only has intangibility.”

“That’s it, you’ve got it.” Winn said. “This is gonna be so much fun.”

[cyclone-rachel]

Unsolved AU: Brainy being too anxious to fall asleep, and Winn snuggling into him to help him calm down.

Sleep was usually no issue for Querl.

He could will himself to sleep, allow his mind to… not shut down, exactly. But let himself rest, as a computer rested, until it was awake and active again, ready for the next day. This was beneficial to both of his sides, organic and machine, and although he didn’t need a lot of sleep, he still would.

Tonight, however, was different. He couldn’t calm himself down enough to sleep, continuing to roll back and forth on his sleeping bag and trying to find one position that was comfortable. As much as he tried to close his eyes, they wouldn’t stay closed, his breathing refusing to slow down as well, and it felt as though there were no places where he could truly find comfort.

“Hey.” Winn said, looking over at him from where he was attempting to sleep. “Brainy? Are you still up?”

“Winslow.” Querl answered. “You’re awake, as well?”

“Yeah, man.” Winn answered, half-shrugging. “I mean, of course- tomorrow we start filming our first ever case. Who wouldn’t be nervous with that in mind?”

“I am not nervous.” Querl said. “I am just-“

“Anxious?” Winn guessed. “Yeah, I feel that too. So… what do you say we make the most of this?”

“Is that an innuendo?”

“What? No!” Winn said, and he would have been shouting were it not for James and Kara, who were already asleep. “I’m just saying, we should… maybe… do you want to cuddle?”

He and Winn weren’t too close, he knew this. They’d only, in fact, started this project so they could get closer together, and because Winn thought it would be fun. But here, now, when they were both facing the same problem, and the solution would perhaps benefit the both of them…

“We may as well give it a shot.”

Winn laughed, and moved over, allowing for Querl to move in beside him- which he did, as their arms wrapped around one another.

And in the morning, both forgot that they were ever sleepless in the first place.