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luxaofhesperides · 7 months

Text

greener on the other side.

Danny makes a habit out of hopping into portals and exploring he places he ends up. It just so happens that this time, he ends up in Gotham right as the Signal begins his patrol. Duke meets the strangest, funniest, cutest guy on the roof of the Gotham City Public Library. He knows Batman would not approve of literally anything he’s doing, but sue him, he wants a meta friend and this guy seems to up for it. – OR: how Duke and Danny got together despite having secret identities and living different dimensions.

chapter two: how it grows - 10.7k

read chapter one here or the entire fic on ao3.

here's the duke pov! one chapter left from danny's pov, then this fic is complete and i can get started on the rest of the series focusing on their relationship! . . .

Duke doesn’t like to make a big deal of things. He’ll try to handle things on his own and roll with the punches. As long as he keeps his cool, things will work out.

Unfortunately, feelings are not one of the things that just ‘work out on their own’ and he has to admit that he might just need some outside help for this. The problem, then, becomes a question of who he can go to.

He’s come a long way since he was part of the We Are Robin gang and knows that he can rely on the rest of the Bats for help. He’s one of them, something that still feels surreal when he thinks about it for too long, but Duke has his place with them both in and out of the mask. He gets along well enough with Damian, trains often with Jason, bothers Dick for help when he gets in over his head, and makes fun of Bruce with Tim and Cass and Steph.

They’re good people and he trusts them. They’re messy, with lots of history and fights between them all, but what family isn’t like that?

They’re good people and he wants to ask them for help, but Duke can’t bring himself to go to the Manor. They’re all just… Some of the advice they give him for his civilian life is suspect at best. So instead, he’s going back to Jay’s house, hoping his cousin will have some normal advice for him.

Though he spends a decent amount of time with the Waynes, Jay technically still has custody of him; Duke doesn’t want to leave his family behind at all, not if he has any other choice, but he knows that looking after a teenager while being single and not having the biggest paycheck is stressful. Plus, it allows less time for any resentment to spring up between them with the amount of secrets Duke is hiding from him.

As unprepared for him as Jay was, he still does his best. He’s waiting in the living room when Duke arrives, dropping his keys into the dish on the side table in the entrance hallway. A bowl of popcorn and two glasses of ice tea are set on the coffee table and Duke gladly takes one and drinks half in one go before he even sits down.

“Alright, man,” Jay says, “What’s going on? You never ask me for advice.”

Duke sighs. “It’s, uh… dating problems? I guess?”

“You guess?”

“I don’t actually know if it was a date or not and I need a second opinion.”

Jay gives him a long look. “Usually, just having to ask tends to mean it was a date and you just didn’t notice in time. You getting back with that Izzy girl?”

“No! We both decided to stay friends, and it’s not like we’ve been hanging out much at all since the break up. This is someone new.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Nah, he doesn’t live in Gotham.”

The smile falls from Jay’s face and he leans closer to Duke, suddenly growing serious. “If this is an internet friend, I’m going to have to lecture you on stranger danger. Come on man, I know you’re smarter than that.”

Duke shakes his head, pushing his cousin back into the couch. “No! No, no, definitely not! Do you really think I don’t know anything about internet safety? Not the point. The point is, he’s from out of town and he’s really cute and I spent most of yesterday just hanging out with him and took him to the best food trucks I could find. Was that a date?”

“Honestly? Sounds like it. Good for you man. Just make sure to let him know if you want the next one to officially be a date.”

See? Simple, normal advice. Jay is just telling him to communicate like a normal person. It’s not that simple, of course, since Duke isn’t going as Duke but as The Signal, but it’s still good advice. Once he finds the courage to ask Danny out on a proper date, he’ll do it in a way that leaves no confusion.

It won’t be any time soon, though. Not when they’ve just met and Danny doesn’t even know his name.

“It’s that easy, huh?”

“Sure is,” Jay grins. “How do you think I got all the girls when I was in school?”

“Is that also why you can’t get any dates now?”

“Alright, you little shit,” Jay laughs, throwing an arm around Duke’s shoulders to trap him in a noogie. “See if I give you advice ever again. Is this the thanks I get for looking after you?”

Duke can break free from his grip easily, but it’s been so long since he had a nice, easy interaction with his cousin that he just sinks into it, laughing. Time apart has made things better between them; there’s less stress involved with hiding his identity, and Jay isn’t worried out of his mind about raising Duke right while also making enough for rent and groceries.

“You staying the night?” Jay asks, finally releasing Duke.

“Nah, the Waynes want me over for game night and I really wanna see them try to kill each other. But I got a couple of hours until they’re expecting me.”

“Up for a movie?”

“Is it another zombie movie?”

“You know it.”

Duke shrugs. “Sure, put it on and I’ll try not to laugh too hard when you get scared.”

It’s nice and lets his mind finally stop spinning in circles, going over everything he can remember from his not-date with Danny. He’s missed spending time with his cousin even if living away from him is a lot less stressful. As great as the Waynes are, they can’t give him this.

What they can give him is chaos and embarrassment.

“Caught you slacking yesterday,” Jason says casually as he drops onto the couch next to him. Both of them watch as Steph and Damian team up to kill Bruce for taking all their properties in Monopoly, and Duke suddenly has a feeling that he should have stayed with Jay after all.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replies, “I’m never slacking as the Signal. I’ve never done a single thing wrong, ever, in my life.”

“Didn’t you lead a gang?”

“Didn’t you decapitate eight men?”

Jason pinches his side in retaliation, making Duke jump. “So, you pulling a Superman? Flirting with a civilian you saved?”

They didn’t go anywhere near Crime Alley. How did Jason just happen to stumble across them? He probably should have expected someone to have spotted him. None of the Waynes care too much for other people’s privacy.

“No,” Duke says slowly. He is flirting with a civilian, but Danny is not someone he saved. Danny is someone who helped him out when fighting crime, and is fun to be with. “I was just showing him around Gotham?”

Jason’s eyebrows go up. “An out of towner? Didn’t think they’d have the balls the stay in Gotham longer than a few hours.”

“Yeah, well, he’s not one to be scared away so easily.”

“And does this someone have a name? If he’s spending time with you, I wanna know his name.”

Duke side eyes him. “Why do you want to know?”

“Look, it’s good to keep an eye on any civilian that gets close to us. In case they’re a threat, and in case they get caught up in the bullshit that saturates every part of our lives. The longer they’re with us, the more danger they’re in. But I can help you look out for him. So: name?”

That is… a depressingly good point. Duke can’t save everyone despite how hard he tries. It would be good to have someone else looking out of Danny while he’s in Gotham, just in case.

“Danny. His name’s Danny.”

“No last name?”

“I don’t know it. Look man, I only met him two days ago. He’s a meta like me and he’s not from Gotham. That’s about all I know.”

“That’s it?”

“Again, we literally just met. If he decides to keep coming around, then I’ll learn more about him.”

Jason gives him an assessing look, then gives him a sharp grin. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll be coming back for you. Boy was giving you doe eyes the entire time he was with you. Don’t drag him along too much, yeah? Poor thing’s got it bad for you.”

“He does not!”

“I’m not blind, Narrows. And I know you saw it too.”

That’s the problem. He did see how flustered and cute Danny was around him, always finding some way to bump into him or have their arms brush as they stood around, always sticking close as they soared through the air almost close enough to hug. It was cute, so adorable that Duke wanted to squish his cheeks and also lie face down on the ground. But it wasn’t Duke who was causing Danny to blush was the slightest of touches. It was the Signal, the daytime hero, and Duke knows they can’t build anything good together when it’s built on a foundation of secrets.

Danny’s got his own secrets too. Being a meta is only one of them and he’s not sure he’ll ever get to know those parts of Danny when the guy can just choose to never return to Gotham again.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to try. It’s stupid and reckless when they’ve only known each other for two days but no one has ever made him feel so normal before. Even in the midst of using their powers and hopping around Gotham fighting crime, there was a sense that they understood each other, that their lives rhymed and it made everything so easy and comfortable between them.

“And?” Duke sighs. “He doesn’t even know my name. It’s not really anything right now, okay? We just get each other and it’s nice to spend time with someone like that.”

“Want me to find him for you?”

“Please don’t.”

Jason shrugs. “Alright, your loss.” He looks back to where Bruce is calmly stealing Steph’s Monopoly money as she has her arms around his throat, trying to choke him as she clings to his back. Damian is trying to steal everything back. None of them have caught on to the fact that Tim and Cass have teamed up and have taken over the bank and are steadily taking properties on the board, fully and shamelessly cheating.

He’s so glad he chose to sit this game out.

Jason seems content with leaving the conversation there, so Duke cuts his losses and leaves before Tim and Cass have to fend off everyone else and turn this entire game night into a blood bath.

It’s not like anyone’s going to win against Cass anyways.

Duke fully intends to go up to his room and get a full eight hours of sleep while everyone else goes on patrol. He’ll take some time to think about how excited he is to see Danny again when he brings his friends over next week, but only for a bit. His sleep is so important.

Batman could never compare to how much he values his sleep.

He’s got good priorities, okay? He’s not changing them for anything.

Instead of sleeping, though, he ends up laying on his bed for hours, all his thoughts swirling around in a restless tangle. This is why he can’t ask the Waynes for advice on Normal People Shit. They just make him overly paranoid and sure that everything is going to go wrong.

Danny’s a mystery. He didn’t feel like one when they met; Danny was just an average citizen standing on top of a building, and the Signal had a duty to check up on him.

But when Danny turned to face him, his eyes were a bright blue, practically glowing, and there was a light emanating out of his chest, as if he tucked a star into his ribcage. No normal human looked like that, and Duke would know. He’s seen a lot of weird shit with his powers, especially once they started affecting his eyes even more, but even people who dabble in magic didn’t look like that.

Danny had looked ethereal. Unreal. As if he wasn’t from this world at all. Like someone who had stepped out of a story and into the real world.

And he was fun.

That’s what’s tripping Duke up. He’s met other metas before. They tend to either be 1) homicidal, 2) depressed and traumatized, or 3) serious and heroic. Sure there were some that had a sense of humor, but it was just to keep the mood light as they went around saving people and being more Hero than Person.

That’s what Duke had become, growing into his role as the Signal until he worried that it was taking away from Duke Thomas. The other Bats seemed to have no problem with their various identities, or enjoyed being in the mask far more than they enjoyed taking it off. Duke, as he usually was, is the outlier.

It’s why he always has to wrestle with imposter syndrome, forcing himself to stick around until he can finally feel like he belongs with the heroes of Gotham. He can act unbothered as much as he wants. It will never change the fact that, at his heart, Duke is still the terrified and angry boy sneaking out of foster homes and orphanages to search for his parents, refusing to find a place in the world that wasn’t by their side.

As the only meta on the team, his powers are both a blessing and a curse. They’re another reminder that he’s the odd one out, the one who doesn’t fit in as easily as all the others, but also a tool that lets him help in ways no one else can.

He always has something to prove when he’s out as the Signal. He always has to make himself worth keeping around as Duke.

With Danny, all of that fell away.

Using his powers was fun with him. They darted around the city, from rooftop to rooftop, stopping crimes and teasing each other as they went. There was no pressure to conform or prove himself, just the easy joy of feeling the air rush by him as he swung through the skyline, hundreds of feet in the air.

It doesn’t hurt that Danny is cute, too.

Sighing, Duke rolls over and shoves his face into his pillow.

He hadn’t realized how lonely he was until he met another meta who wasn’t trying to attack him. Sure, he has other hero friends, but they’re either regular humans or not human at all. One day with another meta, just shooting the shit, enjoying their time together, makes him all too aware of how much he’s wanted something like this since his powers first manifested.

Jason said that Danny was down bad, but Duke’s not doing any better, honestly.

He can’t wait until he sees Danny again.

It takes putting on some soothing music and trying not to let all his thoughts drift back to Danny before Duke finally feels sleep take a hold of him and gladly gives into its embrace. . . .

The glow appears suddenly, a flash of light in the distance, and that’s all Duke needs before he takes down two muggers and zip ties their wrists together quickly. “Stay safe!” he calls to the victim, quickly grappling away as she glares at her attempted muggers. She’s looking rather violent, and if she wants to whack them over the head, then that’s her right.

Duke doesn’t need to worry about it. He’s already dealt with the problem and now he can make his way to Danny, falling into the familiar rhythm of catch, fall, and release as he chases after the cold star-glow of Danny.

He makes his way to the glow until he can see Danny standing on the roof of the mall in Diamond District. Duke stops a few buildings away, taking the time to catch his breath and make sure he’s in Signal mode instead of Duke Thomas.

Then, as prepared as he’ll ever be, he shoots his grapple out.

Danny and his friends are already facing him when he lands, eyes flickering between him and his grapple gun.

Duke tucks it away and offers them a small wave, giving Danny a soft smile.

“This is him!” Danny announces, turning to face his friends so he can do a little flourish and show off Duke. “This is the Signal, and he’s a legit hero here.”

A goth girl looks him over with an unimpressed gaze, then clicks her tongue in a way that reminds him way too much of Damian. “Too much yellow,” she says, “You should update your armor to be less… this.”

“Sam!” Danny says, smacking her arm. “Uncalled for!”

“What? I’m right. That’s way too much yellow.”

The other boy pushes his glasses up his nose and glares at Duke. “So you’re a hero, huh?”

Duke blinks and the sudden hostility, then nods. “Yeah, sure am.”

“And you save people?”

“I do my best.”

“Even if they’re not human?”

Oh, Duke realizes, they’re just being overprotective of Danny. It kind of sucks to be on the other end of it, but he’s glad to know that Danny has people that will stand by him. Being a meta without any support is awful and often dealy; human traffickers especially love to target vulnerable metas.

“Even then,” Duke says. “If anyone needs help and I can help them, I do. It’s how I got into the hero business.”

“Quit the interrogation,” Danny hisses, then turns to Duke with a strained smile. “I am so sorry about them. This is Sam, and this is Tucker.”

“Well, welcome to Gotham.”

Danny hooks his arms with Sam and Tucker’s, pulling them closer to himself with enough force that they stumble. “Stop being mean, guys. We’re here to have fun, remember?”

Sam sighs, then gently knocks her head against Danny’s. “Yeah, alright. We’ll behave.”

“ Thank you. Let’s hit up Wayne Tower first, then the botanical gardens and maybe lunch after that?”

“Sounds good,” Tucker says, pulling his arm free from Danny’s grasp just to hop onto his back. With Tucker secured, Danny sweeps Sam up into a princess carry, and all three look at Duke like this is something totally normal that happens all the time. And maybe it is! It’s probably normal for them and Duke is not going to judge them because he wants to make a good impression and not be a hypocrite.

He’ll just… not talk about the Bats and how bizarre they all are. Duke himself is not exempt from this.

“You gonna be able to hold them both and fly around?” he asks, just to make sure. He definitely doesn’t want anyone falling to their deaths while he’s leading them through Gotham.

Danny just offers him a grin, the tips of his sharp canines just barely visible. The glow in his chest gets a little stronger and his eyes flicker from blue to bright green. “Don’t worry. I’m strong enough to be their Uber today.”

“We’re not paying you,” Sam and Tucker say at the same time, then high five. Danny rolls his eyes, and Duke can’t help but smile seeing their little routines.

They must have been friends for a long time to be so close.

Duke makes a mental note to spend a day just hanging out with his own friends soon. It’s been a little too long, hero work and school taking up all his time, and though they understand and try to keep him in their lives through texts, it’s all too easy to slip away from each other.

Focus, Duke, he tells himself. Today is for Danny and his friends.

He’s the Signal. There’s no time for Duke’s problems. He’s got crime to fight and three teenage tourists from who knows where to show around Gotham. He’ll deal with his own shit later.

“I’ll lead the way to Wayne Tower then,” he says, walking backwards to the edge of the roof. Danny lifts up from the roof, hovering a foot in the air, and it’s so hard to look away from him when he’s literally glowing, eyes bright and hair turning white. “Also, just as a heads up, I may have to leave for a few minutes to deal with crime, but I will come back. Just stick to the roofs and you’ll be safe.”

Sam looks around, assessing the city. “Lots of crime here?”

“We’re called the Crime Capital of America for a reason,” Duke responds wryly and she grimaces.

“Well. At least the aesthetic is pretty nice. I’m digging all the gargoyles.”

“Wait ‘til you see some of our churches. Stained glass, dark stone, really Gothic. I think you’ll like it.” Then, to Danny, he says, “Ready?”

Danny nods, and Duke turns and jumps off the roof.

Behind him, he can hear a gasp, and then he shoots his grapple out and begins swinging through Diamond District, trusting that Danny is following behind him as they fly above the busy streets. And sure enough, when he flips off the edge of another building, Duke catches a glance behind him and sees the shimmer of an invisible Danny flying towards him, with two additional little shimmers that must be his friends.

He goes back to grappling through the streets, keeping an eye out for any crime.

“Come in O,” he says quietly, activating his comm.

“Signal, everything good?” Oracle asks, hopping onto his frequency within a second.

“Yeah, I’ve just got a few visitors I’m escorting around Gotham. Can you keep an eye out for any crimes that need my attention? Just let me know where they are and I’ll deal with it.”

“Sure thing. Who are these visitors?”

“Out of towners. One’s a meta and they wanted to do a little sightseeing, and you know how this city is dangerous for people who aren’t used to it. And with meta human trafficking…”

Oracle makes a small sound of understanding. “Yeah, best to stick close to them while they’re here. Good call, Signal. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if anything pops up, but so far, it’s all looking quiet.”

“Good to hear.”

There’s a pause, and then Oracle’s voice turns teasing, bringing more Barbara into the forefront. “Soooo,” she starts, and he can already hear the grin in her voice. “Making friends, Signal? Looking to start up your own team? It’s tradition, you know; we’ve all done it.”

“Nah, they’re not looking to join the cape scene. They just want to see the sights, hang out a bit. Are you looking for information on them right now?” He can hear her typing loudly, fingers flying across the keyboard. She’s supposed to be working in the library, but she’s also got her own office in there now that she’s the most senior employee. It would be just like her to pass off patron duties to the other libraries and bust crime rings from her office desk.

Zero separation between regular work and night work. The curse all bats and bat-adjacent folk struggle with.

“Who do you think I am?” Barbara scoffs. “If you’re making friends, then it’s my duty to make sure they’re good friends. At the very least, I can’t let you run off with villains in the makings, or cultists wanting to sacrifice you or something.”

“They’re normal civilians,” Duke hisses into his comm. He casts another glance behind him to see Danny flying off to the side. From what he can make out from the movement of the shimmer, like a heat mirage given form, he’s pointing something out to his friends. “And how likely is it that they are villains? I doubt anyone looking to hurt me is going to ask me for a tour of Gotham.”

Barbara hums. “You never know. Tim befriended Anarchy. And a couple of League assassins.”

“Tim’s a special case. He can befriend literally anyone. I mean, didn’t Jason and Damain both try to kill him? Now look at them. Thick as thieves.”

“He is something special,” Barbara agrees, amusement coloring her voice. “Say, can you tell me their names?”

“Who?”

“Your tourist guests.”

“Danny, Tucker, and Sam. Why?”

There’s a pause, even the clicking of her keyboard going silent. Oracle being stopped in her tracks is never a good thing and Duke is suddenly worried that she did find something that will connect the trio to some evil world domination plan.

“I can’t find them.”

“What?”

“I’ve run their faces through the databases, I’ve searched for people matching their descriptions, I can’t find any tech on them that I can hack into… It’s like they don’t exist. Digitally, that is.”

Duke lands just a block away from Wayne Tower, staring up at it. The glass glistens in the few rays of sunlight that force their way past the clouds hanging heavy in the sky. It’s taller than any other building in the district, overlooking Gotham all the way to the bay. He hears the slight shuffle of feet as Danny lands on the roof behind him and sets Tucker and Sam down.

He wants to keep talking to Barbara because he can’t recall a time she wasn’t able to find something. She’s ruthless in the pursuit of information, effortlessly hacking into even the most protected files, capable of finding people and vehicles and buildings and everything else someone might need for a case.

The fact that Danny and his friends have hidden themselves from Oracle’s all seeing eyes has him on edge.

He really hopes it’s nothing. He wants to be friends with Danny. He wants to trust him to be a good person just trying to live a quiet life as a meta. He wants just one thing to not blow up in his face.

“Here we are!” Duke announces, showing off Wayne Tower with a flourish. “I can’t get you much closer to the tower without people noticing you pop in out of nowhere, so you’ll have to walk the last two blocks to get to the building.”

“Impressive place,” Tucker comments as invisibility slides off of him. Sam appears a moment later, followed by Danny, the glow in his chest softening and growing a little dimmer.

“Wayne Enterprises is always striving for perfection,” Duke agrees. “Though, between you and me, I’m 99% positive that the only reason this building is as big and impressive as it is stems from Wayne’s need to be better than Lexcorp.”

“Lexcorp?”

“Rival company in Metropolis. Lex Luthor is the CEO and we all hate him for a lot of reasons.”

“I kinda want to pit Vlad against these guys,” Sam says, shooting Danny a grin.

Danny snorts and shakes his head. “Vlad has a cheese castle. I think he’s already lost.”

Duke is really interested in hearing about the cheese castle, but a quick glance at the watch hidden in his wrist gauntlet (put there only so he can dramatically check the time and leave with some insane excuse when criminals were complaining to him about their own poor choices) tells him that it’s nearly time for the next tour to start.

“Alright, folks,” he says, “You’ve got around eleven minutes to sign yourselves up for the next tour, so if you want to make it, you’d better get moving!”

Tucker swears, then sprints for the edge of the building. “Danny! Get me down there! I’m not waiting another hour for a tour!”

Danny rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling fondly as he flies over to Tucker and scoops him up. They both disappear over the edge of the building, leaving Duke alone with Sam.

“So,” she says, and her tone could be mistake for conversational if it wasn’t for the coldness of her eyes. “You’re getting pretty friendly with Danny, from what I’ve heard.”

Duke smiles nervously. This is the beginning of a shovel talk, isn’t it? “I guess so. I mean, I’d like to be friends with him.”

“How old are you?”

“What?”

“How. Old. Are you?” she bites out, walking closer with a glare.

“Why do you want to know? I can’t just be giving out information about my identity, you know.”

“If you’re not a teenager, then I am going to have a few knives sharpened for when you make a wrong move towards Danny.”

“Wait, wait! I’m still in high school! That’s fine, isn’t it?” He definitely shouldn’t be telling anyone this, but if one of his friends said they were hanging out with someone they don’t know outside of a mask, or a username, or whatever, he’d want to make sure that person wasn’t a creep. Her protective anger is admirable, really. And besides, he gets it. If telling her his age (or age range) will reassure her that he’s not going to… groom Danny or something, then he’ll tell her.

He’d never fault someone for looking out for their loved ones.

“You better be telling the truth. For your own sake.”

“Cross my heart,” Duke says.

Danny pops up through the roof a moment later, startling both of them, easily breaking the tension. “Come on, Sam, Tucker’s signed us up and doesn’t want to wait for you to get over there.” He picks Sam up, then glances between her and Duke. “Wait. Sam. Tell me you didn’t threaten the Signal.”

“Do you want me to lie to you?”

“I can’t take you guys anywhere, I swear…” Danny mutters, then flies down to the street.

Duke blinks at the empty roof, then decides that he’s just going to move on with his day and enjoy spending time with Danny.

He grapples closer to Wayne Tower, following Danny’s glow to make sure they get inside just fine. It’s only a block, but anything can happen in Gotham; better safe than sorry. As soon as he watches them go into the building, Duke sets a timer to display on the corner of his helmet visor and gets back to patrolling, keeping watch over Gotham while he waits for the tour to finish.

“Signal,” Oracle says, and Duke snaps to attention, landing on the next building at the end of his grapple, hopping down from the ledge with ease.

“What’s up, O? Got something for me?”

“Not quite. I’d like you to keep an eye on your guests. One of my drones picked up a strange reading that’s similar to magical residue.”

“You think they’re magic?”

“I think there’s something going on with them that we should keep an eye on. I know you said they’re just here as tourists, but you know we can’t take chances in Gotham.”

As much as he understands Barbara’s concerns, Duke can’t bring himself to be suspicious of Danny or his friends. They do have secrets, and none of them have even hinted at how they arrived in Gotham, appearing suddenly and without warning on a rooftop. But he’s always been one to give the benefit of the doubt. To try to talk things out, figure out a solution where no one needs to get hurt. Most of the time, it doesn’t work since whoever is causing problems really only cares about venting out their pain and frustrations through property damage and loss of life. Sometimes, though, the people causing problems need a little help, need protection, need some space to calm down and get themselves under control, and having a horde of Bats chasing them only makes things worse.

“They really are just tourists,” Duke says. “I know how you feel. I get it, there’s definitely something more to the three of them. But it’s not causing any harm right now, so I say it’s none of our business.”

He hears Barbara sigh down the line, but she’s always been good at respecting boundaries (when it doesn’t come to privacy) and will let people do as they believe they should. It’s why she helps out Jason every so often despite his violent methods and familiarity with killing. It’s why she has her own group and leads them without controlling them the way Batman tries to.

“Alright,” she says, “You make the calls since they’re your guests. Just be ready for me to say ‘I told you so’ when something goes wrong.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know you’re always right, O. Let me make my mistakes in peace, alright? We’ll fix it when we need to.”

“This is why you’re my new favorite,” Barbara jokes.

He makes to respond, maybe poke fun at some of the others with her, when he catches sight of two guys trying to break the lock on a bike to steal it from the sidewalk. Dropping down from the roof, he casually walks up to them, then clears his throat and shakes his head in disappointment at them when they jump and whirl around to stare at him.

“Really?” he says, judging them harshly, “Stealing someone’s bike? In broad daylight?”

They both flush with embarrassment, scowling at him.

“Well, we gotta get home somehow!” one of them says, kicking at the bike in frustration.

“Can’t you take the bus or something? Walk?”

“We don’t have any money on us for the bus and we’re heading to Robinson Park. I ain’t walking that far.”

Well. At least they’re just trying to get around and weren’t planning on selling the bike off.

“Two options,” he says, and both guys tense up immediately, prepared for a fight. He hates that that’s the reaction people have to Gotham’s heroes. As soon as they turn to a crime, no matter how petty, they’re prepared to be beaten down into submission. It’s a precedent set by Bruce that he’s never really liked and Duke does his best to embrace how different he is from the rest of the Bats to show the people of Gotham, criminals and all, that everyone can turn to him for help.

“I can buy a week-long bus pass for you both. Or, I can give you two a ride.”

They share a glance, slowly relaxing. “Can we do both?” one asks. “Get a ride from you and the bus pass?”

Duke glances at the timer in his visor. He’s still got forty minutes before he needs to go back to Wayne Tower.

“You know what? Yes, we can do that. Let me get you those bus passes and then we’ll get going.”

The two men share an excited grin, stepping away from the bike and its slightly mangled lock. They follow Duke to the nearest bus station where a little kiosk is tucked under the awning. Barbara, listening in as she always is, buys the bus passes for him, getting them to print within seconds when they get there.

“Sending your new motorcycle to your location,” she says as soon as he hands both bus passes to the men.

As far as Duke knows, he only has one motorcycle. He wishes he could ask what Barbara meant with new motorcycle without anyone listening in, but he’s gotta give the guys his attention, keep them company while they wait.

They make small talk for a bit, the two asking him what being a hero is like while Duke chats about life in Gotham and shares some Batfam gossip (mostly patrol blunders of one of them slipping while crossing the rooftops and eating shit).

It only takes seven minutes for the motorcycle to arrive, appearing in front of them in the street as the cloaking turns off.

“Woah,” one of the guys breathes, staring at it in awe. “Man, you heroes get the coolest shit.”

“Perks of throwing ourselves into the line of fire. Literally.”

He sees why Barbara sent him an entire new motorcycle (!!!) because his original plan of having three people squeeze onto the seat of one motorcycle was clearly going to end in disaster. This new one, Signal Yellow as it should be, is more armored, a little larger, and has an extended passengers seat attached to it so three people can ride it easily.

Duke swings his leg over it, settling into the seat and grips the handlebars. “Come on,” he smiles, inviting the men to join him. They do, nearly tripping over themselves as they get seated, excited grins on their faces.

It’s nice to know that no matter how old people get, a cool motorcycle is the way to most people’s hearts.

And what a change it is to see two men, likely college students in their final years, go from scared and unhappy people to acting like kids again, jumping at the chance to ride a motorcycle with a hero.

Small interactions like this, where everything goes right, is exactly why Duke is determined to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, a chance to choose differently and be good.

“Hold on tight!” He revs the engine, then takes off, the men letting out whoops behind him as they rush down the street. The motorcycle picks up speed quickly and runs so smoothly it’s as if they’re flying, easily dodging all the cars around them.

Normally, he’d go invisible and use the cloaking mode on his motorcycle to get around, but with two civilians riding with him, he’d rather be visible so cars don’t accidentally hit them.

The ride to Robinson Park takes fifteen minutes at the frankly dangerous speeds Duke was going, and he has no regrets about speeding because 1) it’s fun as hell and 2) the guys with him are clearly having a blast.

He slows down once they reach the park, then pulls over to the side of the road.

“Thank you for riding with Signal Wheels. Be sure to leave a review!”

“Five out of five!” one guys says as he gets off the motorcycle. His hair is a mess, completely windswept and tangled when Duke turns to look at him. “Holy shit, dude, I think I’d marry your motorcycle if I could.”

“Oh same,” Duke laughs, holding out a hand for a fistbump which is readily granted.

The second guy needs a moment longer to get off, laughing breathlessly. “Ten out of ten,” he says, once he’s next to his friend.

“Trying to one up me, huh?”

“Just being honest here.”

“Alright, well you two take care now,” Duke says, shifting his weight to one foot in preparing to kick off and head back to Wayne Tower. “And be sure not to lose those bus passes!”

“Thanks Signal!” they both call out as Duke heads back down the road, turning invisible as soon as he gets to a good speed.

He’s got just enough time to make it back to lead Danny and his friends to the botanical gardens. He cuts it close, but he makes it, pulling into an alley and hopping off the motorcycle.

“O, would you mind getting this back to wherever you piloted it from?”

“Not going to take your new friends on it?”

“Nah, I get the feeling they prefer flying.”

“You got it, Signal.”

The motorcycle pulls out of the alley silently, then heads down on road once cloaking is enabled. It’s gone just in time for his guest to walk out of Wayne Tower, trailing after Tucker who talks with his hands moving around energetically, too distracted to watch where he’s going as Sam and Danny pull him this way and that to keep him from crashing into other people.

Danny spots him first, after he stops and his brow furrows, a look of concentration on his face. Then his head turns and his eyes snap onto where Duke leans against the wall at the mouth of the alley. He grins, the glow in his chest flaring brighter for a moment, and Duke offers a small wave, unbearably charmed by how cute Danny is, especially when he’s so clearly delighted to see him.

“How was it?” Duke asks once they’re close enough to hear him.

Tucker immediately launches into a rant about WayneTech and the R&D Lab and how he would give his liver to work there. Then he starts rambling about technology and coding and a few of the things he’s created and how he’d love to look through what WayneTech does. He doesn’t stop even as Danny flies him up to the roof, Duke following after with his grapple, Sam clinging onto his back.

“So, so cool,” Tucker gushes, “I could probably take over the government in Amity with this kind of tech.”

Okay. Kind of a concerning statement to make, especially in the wake of Barbara’s suspicions of them.

Sam snorts. “You could take over the government in Amity now, if you wanted to.”

“Yeah, I could.”

“Not that you’d be good at it. What would you do as mayor?”

“Create a steak festival to celebrate steak and all the meals you can make with it.”

“Oh you little—” Sam lunges at them and Tucker falls back with a shriek. And then they’re tussling on the rooftop, arguing about meat and veganism and the farming industry, which, what a subject change.

Duke looks over at Danny, who watches them wrestle with fond exasperation. “Should we… stop them?”

“Let them get this out of their systems,” Danny replies. “They’ve been having this fight for years. I’ll stop them in a few minutes, and then we can go to the botanical gardens.”

So they stand together and watch Sam and Tucker roll around the roof, trying to choke each other out. And all Duke can think is, Man, I can’t ever let them meet the Bats. They’ll get along like a house on fire.

Or, it’s all he thinks until Danny shifts closer to him, just a few tentative steps. He’s suddenly starkly aware of how small the space between them is, how Danny’s close enough to touch, how much he’s been looking forward to this moment since Danny left a week ago.

Boy was giving you doe eyes the entire time he was with you, Jason had said. Duke saw it, when he was with Danny, reveled in it, basked in the attention. It wasn’t that he didn’t reciprocate, but he knows it can be hard to convey anything through his helmet, but there’s only so much action can do.

But it’s what he can do, so Duke shoves away his nerves and wraps his arm around Danny’s waist, pulling him closer.

Danny lets out a cute little squeak, cheeks filling with color immediately, and Duke is so, so endeared he wants to cry.

“So, what’s the story behind this fight of theirs?” he asks, leaning closer to ask his question quietly in Danny’s ear.

“Oh! Um,” Danny blinks at him, visibly flustered, and Duke wants to squeeze his cheeks together, he’s so cute.

Oh, he really is down bad. Damn. He hopes Barbara isn’t watching through his helmet camera, but he knows better than to expect her to not be collecting blackmail on him for this.

Which is whatever! Jokes on Barbara, he’s not at all ashamed of what he feels for Danny!

He could do without the ribbing from the rest of the Bats. They have no leg to stand on when it comes to relationships and being honest about their feelings. He’ll turn every conversation about Danny into improvised therapy if he has to.

“Well?” he prompts.

Danny glances at his friends, then leans into Duke and turns to him with a small smile.

“So,” he begins, then launches into a wild story from his freshman year about Sam and Tucker splitting the school into two groups to have a mini civil war over meat vs vegetarian food. Which lead to eating grass (?!) for lunch, a ghost lunch lady attacking the school, and the teachers having their own hidden meat lunch kept secret from the students, which lead to more chaos once it was discovered.

“That was a wild school week,” Danny concludes, just as Sam and Tucker’s fight winds down.

“Dude,” Duke says, staring at Danny, unsure if he wants to laugh or ask follow up questions. “What kind of life have you been living? That’s so much. The only thing we’ve got here is shootings and so much crime. Also a zombie in the sewers.”

“See, you drop info like that on me and suddenly I’m convinced that my life is actually pretty tame compared to whatever’s going on here.”

“No, no, listen. In Gotham, you expect this kind of nonsense. But your story started so deceptively normal! ‘Just a fight between friends’ and then a ghost attack? Betrayal from the teachers? Grass? Danny, everything you said left me reeling.”

“It’s not that bad!” Danny laughs. “The ghosts barely cause any problem anymore. They’re just kinda like anyone else, now.”

“What’s this about?” Sam asks, brushing her skirt off as she stands. Tucker pushes himself up to his feet and takes a moment to wipe the lenses of his glasses.

“The first time we met Lunch Lady.”

Sam and Tucker make a sound of understanding, nodding. “That sure was something,” Sam says.

“To think we were so young and innocent back then,” Tucker says with a fake sniffle. “So innocent!”

“You’re still as insufferable as ever,” Sam replies, taking his smack to her arm with grace.

“You two ready to head to the botanical garden now?” Duke asks, getting them back on track. Danny moves out of Duke’s grasp, unfortunately, to return to his role as their personal Uber, this time getting Tucker in a princess carry while Sam clings to his back like a koala.”Well. Guess Danny’s decided you’re ready.”

His friends snicker while Danny rolls his eyes and mutters about their unending arguments, then nods at Duke to lead the way.

Giving him a little salute, Duke readies his grapple, then takes off, leaping off the building to return to the skies. Danny follows him effortlessly, a soft glow that occasionally passes by in front of him playfully, sticking close as they head north.

The botanical gardens are a large spot of green in the otherwise urban landscape. It’s a few blocks away from Robinson Park, close enough that everything nearby is deemed Ivy’s territory, but far enough away that most people can pretend it’s like any other building and visit it safely. It’s been a long time since the botanical garden was attacked, or use for Villainous Purposes™, so Duke is comfortable letting Sam, Tucker, and Danny explore it on their own.

Plenty of other people are also in the gardens, from what he can see a roof away. And no one’s run away screaming, which is definitely a good sign.

“Oh, wow,” Sam says once she hops down from Danny’s back. She stares at the gardens with something unreadable in her eyes, as if she’s seeing more than what’s there. “There’s so much…”

“Poison Ivy—one of our rogues who can control plants and is doing a lot better these days, don’t worry—she takes care of most of the gardens. The greenhouse in the middle is hers for studies and experiments with plants, but she lets the public walk the garden. She’s even added little informational cards for kids to read so they can learn more,” Duke says, walking up to where Sam is leaning concerningly over the edge to get a better look at the gardens.

“That explains it,” she says, explaining nothing. “Do we have to pay to go in?”

“Just five dollars per person. It’s her income, and we’re all encouraged to leave a donation so she doesn’t turn to crimes to get enough money to support herself again.”

“Well!” Danny claps his hands together. “Let’s go, then. Jazz made sure we had cash on had, so it should be fine.”

“I can cover our tickets,” Sam offers, “Since this is for me.”

“Then I’ll cover lunch,” Danny says.

Tucker shoves his hand onto Danny’s face to push him away as he says, “No, I’ll pay for lunch. Danny, you’re not spending anything since you’re the one that scoped out this place last week for us. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, got it. Thanks, guys,” Danny smiles, then turns to Duke. “Would you mind waiting here for a bit? I’m gonna check out the gardens for a bit, but then I’ll be back.”

“Sure,” Duke says easily. It’s a quiet day anyways, and he’ll take any excuse to spend more time with Danny.

“Great. I’ll be right back!” And then he wraps an arm around both Sam and Tucker’s waits, picks them up like they weigh nothing, and casually hops off the roof.

Duke sits down on the edge of the building, watching as they cross the street and enter the botanical garden, Sam pulling out her wallet to pay for their entry. He idly kicks his heels against the wall, looking around the street, enjoying the rare Gotham peace.

No one is calling for help and Barbara hasn’t alerted him to anything. This is a good thing, but it doesn’t change the fact that Duke is bored.

He pulls out his phone, which he knows he shouldn’t have while he’s in the suit but it’s his day shift, he can do what he wants, and checks his friends (no Bats allowed) group chat and sees that Izzy is active. He opts to leave the chaos of the group chat to message her directly.

flashlight: hey izzy u know how we broke up

2(00)chains: oh boy. strong opening. but yes i am aware we broke up

flashlight: would u be mad if i started dating someone new or is it too soon?

2(00)chains: OMG DUKE??? WHO IS IT YOU NEED TO TELL ME RIGHT NOW

flashlight: izzy.

2(00)chains: babe u gotta give me something to work with so i can know if i should give u my blessing or not

2(00)chains: but also if u want to date and they make u happy, then yes u can date

flashlight: okay thanks!! wasn’t sure and didn’t know if it would be rude

2(00)chains: rude to date when ur single?? it would have been a problem if we were still together but that ship has sailed bby

2(00)chains: but duke PLSSSS i need deets. give me some tea… a girl is parched…

flashlight: lmao. so dramatic. but uuuuuuh

2(00)chains: little concerned by that pause there duke

flashlight: ok hes a meta

2(00)chains: ok strong start, u dont need to hide powers from him

flashlight: he’s not from gotham and doesnt live here so idk how well long distance would do

2(00)chains: duke. is this an online friend u’ve never met before.

flashlight: no!! i met him in person in gotham!! he’s just visiting!!!!

2(00)chains: ok ok go on

flashlight: uh

flashlight: he may only know me as the signal?

2(00)chains: DUKE.

2(00)chains: i understand the need to keep ur identity secret

2(00)chains: but PLS do not be a superhero love story cliche. im begging here. u didnt even keep it secret from me

flashlight: he may also not exist in this world (universe?)

2(00)chains: .

2(00)chains: u know i think u can make it work

2(00)chains: u have my blessing! if he says yes when u ask him out (which he better do 🔪) then i demand to meet him!!

flashlight: u got it izzy

flashlight: thanks!! u always got my back ☺️

He only has a faint prickle on the back of his neck to warn him of Danny’s approach, looking up through gut instinct only just to see Danny’s fuzzy glow fly up to him.

Danny pops into visibility a moment later, pouting. “I was hoping I could sneak up on you.”

“It’s gonna take more than that, babe,” he laughs. “I’m hard to sneak up on.” Bar that time Cass… and Bruce… and Tim… Dick, also… Jason, too…

Okay, so anyone who isn’t a Bat won’t be able to sneak up on him easily.

“Babe?” Danny repeats, his voice suddenly much higher. Duke freezes and takes a moment to curse his loose mouth; he and Izzy love pet names and still call each other terms of endearment even now when they’ve broken up. And since he was just talking to her, habit made him put his foot in his mouth.

“Yeah,” Duke says, committing to it, “Babe”

Danny makes a little whine in the back of his throat, face going red, and then his hides his face in his hands and floats up higher, curling his body up into a small ball. The movement reminds him of the videos he’s seen of astronauts in space, moving in lazy circles in zero gravity.

“Sorry,” he adds on, “I was texting a friend and we call each other things like that, so I just… slipped up. Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“I’m not,” Danny mumbles.

“What?”

“I’m not uncomfortable.”

Duke smiles. “Alright. Wanna come down and join me, then?”

Danny continues hiding for a few moments longer, then reaches a hand down towards Duke. He doesn’t look at him, shyly turned away, still red in the cheeks.

How is he so sweet?

Duke has never met someone so cute, and full of light, and literally glowing. He never stood a chance.

He takes Danny’s hand, gently pulling him down to the roof, wrapping an arm around him once he’s sitting to make sure he doesn’t go floating away.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Oh, I was just… I really like hanging out with you and you’re super cool and I thought I should explain a few things about myself.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I do,” Danny says, resolutely. “First, I’m not from here.”

Duke stares at him. “Yeah, I got that. Kinda obvious after we spoke for the first time.”

“No, I mean. Really not from here. From a different dimension.”

Oh. So Danny’s just casually walking the multiverse, apparently, and chose to return to Gotham to spend time with Duke. That’s honestly really flattering.

“Makes sense,” he says.

Now Danny’s staring at him, incredulously. “How does that make sense? Do you not have questions about what that means, or where I’m from, or how I got here?”

Duke shrugs. “Not really. Listen, there’s a lot of weird shit in Gotham. Like, a lot. Batman was lost in time once and presumed dead until Red Robin helped get him back. There’s incomprehensible magic and time travel and so many aliens, dude. This is not that out of the ordinary.”

“YOU HAVE ALIENS?” Danny shouts, then claps a hand over his mouth, eyes wide. And then, whispered, “You have aliens?!”

“Yeah, we have aliens. Some try to kill us and conquer Earth, some live here as superheroes.”

“No way,” Danny breathes. “Can I stay here forever? My dimension doesn’t have aliens. I really want to meet aliens.”

“If you stick around long enough, it’s kind of inevitable that you’ll get caught up in some crazy shit, and you’ll probably be able to meet Superman then. Or maybe Martian Manhunter, if he’s available.”

He watches Danny mouth Martian Manhunter in awe and is so charmed by him and his visible excitement about aliens. Most of this is just how he lives life, knowing all these impossible things are out there but have very little to do with him. It’s only mind blowing when he actually meets Superman and all, but that’s because meeting big heroes is like meeting celebrities and it never stops being cool.

“Wait, I’m getting distracted.” Danny shakes his head, then lightly claps his hands against his cheeks. “Okay, so. I’m from a different dimension. And Tucker has made a few phones that can work literally anywhere. But only to contact other phones he made for interdimensional communication. I had him make one for you so we could keep talking even when I go home, if you wanted.”

“I want it! I very much do want it.”

Danny grins. “Great! Perfect, okay.” He reaches into his own chest (?!) and pulls out a phone.

“Um.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I can use my insides like a pocket dimension for extra storage.”

Sure. This might as well happen. Duke takes the phone and looks it over; it looks like a large, square flip phone, but when it opens, the screen and keyboard are both touchscreens the glow a faint neon green. He opens up the contacts menu, finds Danny, and shoots him a quick text that consists only of a smiley face.

“Man, this is so cool,” Duke says. “Thanks for giving it to me! I really am glad I can talk to you some more.”

“I feel like I should be thanking you for giving me the time of day.”

Duke knocks his shoulder against Danny’s. “Come on, man, don’t say that. Anyone would be happy to spend time with you. Besides, I’m really not as cool as you think. I’m a normal guy outside the suit.”

“You still have powers.”

“I do, but I’m not the only one.”

“I know this is a bit of a bad question, and I do understand how important secret identities are! But do you think I’d ever get to know you when you’re just… you?”

Duke thinks about how much Batman would disapprove, the lengths Tim went through to protect his own identity as Red Robin, how everyone around him would become a target if anyone figured out who the Signal is…

But then he thinks about how much keeping this secret puts a strain on his relationship with his cousin, how much of a relief it is to have his friends in the know so he doesn’t have to constantly lie to them, how he’s the only hero Danny knows in this dimension and the only person who can help him while he’s here.

“I’ll tell you one day,” Duke says, “Promise. When we get to know each other a little more, yeah?”

“Yeah, alright, that’s fair. Thanks, Signal.”

“You need to get back to your friends?”

“Nah,” Danny shakes his head, “They can manage on their own. Besides, they agreed to one hour each place, and Tucker’s hungry enough to drag Sam out as soon as it hits that hour mark.”

“Well, in that case, why don’t you tell me a little more about your dimension while we wait? Or any other place you’ve visited.”

Danny grins, leaning closer, and says, “Have you ever met a yeti? Cause I have.” . . .

He doesn’t get to see Danny or his friends off when they return to their dimension. They’d been in the planetarium for hours, and Duke had to end patrol and turn in for the day to look over cases with Steph and Tim, then work on his college application.

He does get a text from Danny, his new phone going off with a soft sound of a wind chime, in the middle of looking at different colleges and stressing out.

Danny: got home safe! off to fight dinner now 🤺

Danny: wanna talk more tomorrow?

Signal: sure! i’d love to!! good luck with dinner?

There’s a brief pause, and then Danny sends a blurry picture of a rotisserie chicken flying through the air towards a woman with red hair, holding out a steak knife, ready to attack.

…Yeah, he’s going to question that tomorrow. For now, he just sends Danny a thumbs up emoji and goes back to staring at his list of potential schools he wants to go to with growing despair.

Does he want to stay in Gotham? Gotham City University isn’t all that bad, and he’s familiar with the campus. Or maybe Montclair State University. Rowan University and Rutgers University don’t sound bad either, and both are still in the state, so he wouldn’t be too far from Gotham. Maybe he could go to his parent’s alma matter; UCLA and Penn State are both out of state, though, and way more expensive, even if Bruce offered to cover his tuition.

What would he even study?

So lost in thought, Duke almost doesn’t realize that his regular phone is ringing until the noise cuts off. His head jerks up and he stares at it, wondering who could be calling him right after he finished eating dinner.

Then it rings again, Barbara’s name popping up on the screen, and he lunges for it, worried that something’s going down in Gotham without him noticing.

“Babs! Is something wrong?”

“No. Should something be wrong? I was calling because you didn’t check in with me before you ended patrol, and you haven’t been responding to any of my texts,” she says, sounding distracted as the sound of her keyboard continues on steadily in the background. She must be working as Oracle already, preparing to assist the Bats on their patrols.

“Oh, sorry. Everything’s fine, our visitors were from another dimension and they really were just here to sightsee. Nothing to worry about.”

“I saw that you got a gift.”

Duke understands exactly what she’s calling about, now. He should have expected Barbara to fall to the siren call of new tech. “I did,” he says, offering nothing else just to mess with her.

“Duke,” she says, “It’s a matter of safety.”

“Just admit that you want to check out interdimensional tech.”

Barbara sighs, then says, “I want to look at interdimensional tech. Come by the Clocktower tonight and drop it off.”

“I don’t know, Babs,” he says teasingly, “I think Tim might want a look at it first.”

“I should have never believed Dick when he said you were well behaved. ‘The good one’ my ass,” she grumbles. “What do you want?”

“A favor to be decided in the future. No questions asked expect what’s needed to get that favor done.”

“Deal.”

“I’ll swing by soon. Do you think you could help me with my college apps while I’m there? I have no idea what to do or where to go.”

“Sure,” Barbara agrees, her voice warm, “I’d love the chance to big sister you. Jason hogs you too much.”

He does, and Duke doesn’t really understand why Jason gets along so well with him, but he’s not going to question a good thing. Street kids gotta stick together, after all. Even if neither of them are living on the streets anymore.

It’s nice to know that the others are just as willing to help him out, even if he works separate from them most of the time these days.

“Oh, and the phone I got from Danny has contacts already added to it. Please don’t text Danny or anyone else without saying it’s you.”

“That sounds like you’re giving me permission to talk to me.”

“I figured you’d want to talk to Tucker some, since he’s the one who built it.”

“Well,” Barbara says, and he can hear the smile in her voice, “Thanks for the permission. I’ll be sure to get as much information as I can from him.”

“Please don’t ruin this for me.”

Barbara laughs. “Oh, don’t worry Duke. I know how to be nice, especially with people you’re trying to impress. It’s Dick you should be worried about.”

She’s right.

Duke drops his head onto his desk with a groan.

“I’ll see you later, Duke.”

“Yeah, alright. See you, Babs.”

She ends the call and Duke sighs, contemplating taking a nap before he heads out. But that would mess up his sleep schedule, and he’s willing to do a lot, but not that. Instead, he flicks through his phone to the group chat with his friends, and sends a quick question about when they can hang out again.

He’s missed them. Seeing Danny with Tucker and Sam reminded him of how much he loves his friends and spending time with them. He should take a page from Danny’s book and spend a day with them, just catching up and enjoying their company.

And if they tease him about his crush on Danny, well, better them than the Bats.

#ghostlights #duke thomas/danny fenton #dcxdp #dpxdc #dp x dc #dc x dp #dc x dp fic #dp x dc fic #my writing #its been months but the second chapter is here and the boys are even cuter than before!!#tbh i dont think ive ever written such a fast burn before #now to think of a name for this ghostlights series on ao3...

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iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia · 1 year

Note

Hello, sorry to bother you. I got some requests if you're comfortable with it of course. It's never mention that MC have a familiar. But imagine this :

MC go to a trip without M6 and when MC come back, they suddenly bring a deer and that deer is actually MC familiar!

How would the M6 react?

The Arcana HCs: When MC shows up with a familiar

~ I've had multiple requests to write for MC with different kinds of familiars, but considering how the type of familiar reflects their master's personality, it's easier to keep it vague. Here's the closest I can get anon, hope you enjoy! - brainrot ~

Julian

Doesn't know what the new animal is until you tell him what the new animal is

Consequently very anxious around the new animal

This is your familiar. From what he knows of magic, familiars are a big deal

Also, the last time he interacted with a magician's familiar, she squeezed him because she thought scaring him was fun

He expects it to judge him as unworthy of you and doesn't want it to hate him

Is completely caught off guard when it reflects your own affectionate feelings for him instead

When he puts two and two together he melts and pledges his protection and doctorly services to it

He still doesn't get that Malak is technically his familiar so he's very confused and slightly intimidated about why they seem to get along so well

Asra

Needs no introduction, it's got you written all over it and is now their second favorite animal after Faust

A very, very close second favorite, according to him they're basically siblings

It's canon that they knit clothes for Faust, now they make matching accessories for your familiar

Teases you about how affectionate it is with him, like Faust doesn't already love you about as much as she loves Asra

Faust is a terrible, terrible influence and he enables it

She can and will find a way to teach it how to hold a knife and takes it on "training" excursions to get familiar with Vesuvia's shortcuts and terrorize a certain doctor

Scolding them does not work, you'll have to put them in time out in separate rooms

Asra sneaks messages back and forth if they can't get you to relent

Nadia

Completely focused on the logistics of making it feel as welcome and cared for as possible

Makes whatever changes it could need so your chambers are an ideal habitat for it to come and go and relax

Ensures access to dietary needs

If the familiar is amenable to the idea, finding a loose collar or ornament that marks it with her seal so it can wander around the palace grounds without interference

Doesn't really consider the possibility of bonding with it until she sees how well it gets along with Chandra

And apparently how friendly it seems to be with her? She's never spoken to it, why would it act so loving - oh. Oh

Goes out of her way to praise and bond with your familiar at least once a day. They're very good friends now

Muriel

Doesn't need to be told who the animal is

Immediately lights up because he's genuinely happy that you've found a companion to go through life with. Inanna pulled him through a lot and he hopes that it will do the same for you

Also because he likes animals, all animals, and this is a new one to study and nurture

Speaks to it like it's a person that he likes

Makes all kinds of thoughtful accommodations for it without ever saying a word or letting on that that's what he's doing

Inanna adopts it

You'll see her full mother wolf instincts come out, this is a creature very new to being a familiar and it doesn't necessarily know all of its responsibilities yet

Don't worry, she'll teach it for you. They go on patrol together and she's very protective

Portia

Oh, cute animal

She's sorry that's your what? That's so cool!!!

Squeals

Tell her all the details. How did you meet? What was the first thing you thought when you saw it? What type of animal is it exactly? Did you know right away, like love at first sight? Describe it for her

Treats it like she does Pepi, it's a pet with extra magic that's mysteriously connected to you and therefore very cute

Over the moon when it acts friendly with her. Holds her breath because she's worried her squealing will scare it off

Makes treats for it like she does for Pepi

If Pepi wasn't already such a beloved cat, she would be jealous

Pepi does go through a phase of bringing her hunting trophies to your familiar instead of Portia as tokens of friendship

Lucio

Does not know what it is until you tell him 2.0

Accepts it into the mini family with no hesitation. He's always had an enthusiastic (though at some points misguided) approach to collecting and caring for animals

It's part of the menagerie now

Very, very proud when it's friendly with him

As limited as his own magical abilities are, he's fascinated by yours and is curious about all the ways a familiar does or doesn't assist you in that

Mercedes and Melchior are extremely enthusiastic in their welcome, to the point that you fear your new familiar might get bitten

Somehow that doesn't happen and they all get along splendidly, if not chaotically

Bonus points if it's white

#ask arcana brainrot #the arcana #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #asra the arcana #julian the arcana #nadia the arcana #muriel the arcana #portia the arcana #lucio the arcana #the arcana game #the arcana fluff #the arcana shitpost #asra alnazar #julian devorak #nadia satrinava #muriel of the kokhuri #portia devorak #lucio morgasson

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asteriastarr · 10 months

Note

HIIIYYAAA!!! its me again i bloody L O V E D the messing around b4 class one you did.

(for this one Deuce and Y/N are already together and she is a shapeshifter) if you arent busy or anything like that a cute thing I thought of was Deuce, Y/N, Heath, Clawdeen, Drac, Frankie, etc all chilling in a chill room or common room during free period or on a weekend messing around and having fun and just laughing about dumb crap. Then Komos walks past and Y/N uses her piers to turn into him and yells out something funny to him just to mess with him but he knows its her which causes everyone to laugh again.

Just another weird thought/concept I thought of!!!

Luv ya💚🖤

A/n: Thank you for the request! Idk how I did but I tried to fulfil it, hope you enjoy, love ya!

POV: Shapeshifter!Y/n and the group messing around in their free period.

Y/n rested her head on Deuces shoulder, his hand wrapped around her shoulders, happily joking around with their friends as the group threw a small rubber ball around the room.

“Okay, okay, do Headmistress Bloodgood.” Clawdeen said as Y/n playfully rolled her eyes and straightened herself up.

She closed her eyes, focusing on Headmistress Bloodgood’s basic appearance and features, turning herself into an exact replica of her.

“My goodness children, have you been breaking rules?” She says her voice almost exactly matching Headmistress Bloodgood’s.

“Draculaura!” She yelled suddenly causing Draculaura to jump “Have you been doing witchcraft? That is so horrible, how dare you be doing something so humanlike in our school. Witchcraft is an abomination!”

The group laughed as she turned to Deuce.

“Mr Gorgon!” She yelled causing Deuce to raise an eyebrow at her, flinching slightly “Are you causing trouble?”

Deuce shook his head.

“Don’t lie Mr Gorgon, I see you just sitting there with your green snake hair and glasses, very clearly breaking rules. Detention for two months due to all your rule breaking.” She says, making a mock angry face at Deuce before turning back to her normal self and moving herself closer to Deuce.

“You should get used to saying my last name, it’ll be yours someday.” He whispered in her ears making her cheeks heat up as she lightly slapped his chest.

“I dunno, I think it should be L/n-Gorgon but whatever.” She whispered to him.

“Ooh Y/n! Do the music teacher.” Frankie requested.

This time instead of standing up she merely transformed into their music teacher and did an ungodly impression of their teachers singing (causing most of the group to cover their ears and laugh, except Deuce of whom was too busy wincing in pain).

Just then Mr Komos walked past causing Y/n to crane her head around with an evil smile on her face.

She closed her eyes and turned herself into him before yelling out.

“I’m Mr Komos, Here’s a musical number on True Monster Hearts instead of a lesson! I have a massive crush on Headmistress Bloodgood, hence why I keep sucking up to her!"

The group snickered.

“Y/n! We’ve talked about this! What did Headmistress Bloodgood say about imitating teachers?” He scolded walking over to the group causing them to laugh harder.

She transformed herself into Headmistress Bloodgood again before mimicking her.

“Never under any circumstances should you ever imitate a teacher! If you are caught doing it again I will give you a detention. Blah blah blah, this is a very serious offence- oh hello Dracula, are you here to donate some money to the school? You are looking wonderful by the way, very dead. Now where was I? Ah yes! No more transforming into teachers or else, blah blah blah blah blah.” Y/n mimicked.

“You just did it again.” Komos scolded.

“Headmistress Bloodgood isn’t technically a teacher though, she’s a Headmistress, she didn’t say anything about that.” Y/n said matter-of-factly, the group laughing even harder.

Unfortunately for Y/n, the look on Mr Komos’s face indicated no matter her excuse she’d be getting detention.

“Uh- You can’t give detention to what you can’t catch!” Y/n yelled turning herself into a rabbit and running off.

#deuce gorgon #deuce gorgon g3 #deuce gorgon x reader #live action deuce gorgon #live action deuce gorgon x reader #g3 monster high #live action monster high #monster high g3 #gorgon #requested

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sho-shof · 5 months

Text

bumblebees; Movie night surprise

I wanted to write something fluffy and relaxed

short and a inconclusive ending. not proof read either I was bored and decided to quickly write this

i really dont like this

Pairing-romantic/platonic-human reader

warnings- none

word count:452

You wanted to suprise bumblebee by having a movie night and since he cant quit fit in your living room you had to get creative

though drive in theaters technically still exist, you believe you found a better stand in for them.

you were able to get a pretty cheap projector no problem but it was finding a place that was secluded and comfortable were you could setup everything without it getting damaged that was the problem.

it took a few days of wandering around the woods and constant looking but you finally found the perfect spot, nice and secluded but big enough for bumble to comfortable relax, it also had a nice view of the stars through the trees. now you just had to step it all up without bee getting suspicious you were up to something which was easier said than done.

you packed everything you needed into a few bags, and asked one of you dearest friends if you could borrow their car, you really didn't need to get one since bee drove you everywhere but now you were seeing the down side to that. especially when you were packing up the car you could feel his confused stare burning into your head, you actually double checked just to make sure he wasn't following.

the setup was easier than expected, the hardest part had to be trying to figure out the projector. so you left it for last instead focusing on making the spot as cozy and pretty. you had hung fairy lights between the trees twirling a few around the trees trunks as well, you set a tarp down were all the blankets were going in hopes to keep them from getting wet or dirty after setting the tarp up you threw the blankets and pillows down deciding you'd focus on them later.

then the fun part setting up the projector, sitting down on the messy pile of blankets you stared down at the projector. you probably should have at least watched a few videos on it, whelp better later then never. after many failed attempted you finally got it, in your euphoria you failed to notice footsteps approaching. you were broken from your victory thoughts by a confused buzz, you spun around so quick you gave yourself whiplash. there in all his confused glory stood bee.

"you weren't supposed to see this yet-" was all you thought to answer with, you'd made sure he hadn't followed you, so how "- wait how'd you even find me?" you only got a shrug, which was worrying.

"buzz-beep"

"well it was supposed to be a surprise, SURPRISE!" you spread your arms out gesturing to your masterpiece.

"you ruined it" you dramatically sigh

#transformers x reader #transformers #bumblebee #bumblebee transformers #bumblebee x reader #transformer prime

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iraprince · 1 year

Note

Sorry if you've already said but can I ask what age you started drawing? I'm in my twenties wondering what sort of skill level I can acquire if I haven't been applying myself very much before this point

i have been drawing for as long as i can remember. i started wanting to actively improve my technical skills when i was a teenager; i think i started learning how to actually actively improve my technical skills (on purpose instead of by accident, lol!) in my 20s.

(also -- as wordy as it may be, you'll notice i'm really particular about saying "technical skill" over and over! this is because it is only one factor of what drawing is, but a lot of times when ppl talk about being "good at" drawing, tech skill is what they really mean. when i say technical skill, i'm usually referring to draftsmanship, the ability to draw things not just accurately/realistically, but as they appear in your head; your hand doing what your mind tells you to, your ability to meet your own intentions/expectations for a piece, however it makes sense to conceptualize it. it is NOT the most important part of drawing, not by a long shot, but realistically it's often the sticking point for people who are learning + it can be one of the big struggles in keeping morale up.)

these may seem like finicky distinctions to make, but to me they make sense! bc the benefit we may have starting as adults is a better grasp of how to CONSCIOUSLY study and improve on specific areas of a skill, vs the passive improvement that will generally happen from pure directionless repetition. i feel that i've had jumps in my technical skill level over the course of a year or two as an adult that are bigger than my improvement through all of middle + high school, for example -- and i bring this up bc if what ur concerned about is technical skill, that is not purely 100% about time invested, and starting later than some does not mean you're at some kind of massive insurmountable disadvantage.

in that specific example, the difference as an adult was going into it with intentional curiosity and a drive to specifically improve, vs middle + high school was six years of me happily drawing the same 4-5 characters floating from the waist up in perpetuity. were those years wasted bc i wasn't drilling myself and doing studies? fuck no! but my progress was different, bc i was focused on other, equally important parts of learning to draw. (like discovering + honing my own tastes, consuming a lot of media that inspired me, and having fun!!!!)

SO, anyway, my personal perspective on the skill level u can attain if u start now: the same as anyone else!! and i don't think i'm being like, sunny or unreasonably optimistic in saying so. i think keeping ur chin up and being patient w urself as u learn to draw is generally way harder than actually drawing, for literally everyone. u have to make a lot of dogshit drawings to eventually make good ones, and that is the part that's actually really really hard. but u can make decisions about how and where to apply the time u invest that may show u visible progress in ways you'll find surprising! (pls balance that time with shit that's just fun, too.)

in case it's helpful, i'll leave u with a different very wordy multi-para response where i talk about where to start if you'd like to learn to draw with no/little prior experience: here! it's def not comprehensive and is totally colored by my own opinions/perspective on art, and specifically on illustration/comics, but i hope it might be a starting point :)

#resources #tutorials #also: i didn't want to cram this into the main text bc it's already long and this isn't as important #but all of those years of 'jump start' that u may feel other artists have on u from starting as kids? for most of them ppl drawing as kids-#-were like. also just battling their own motor development. like yes i got way better at drawing thru childhood... bc i was learning to -#-use my hands. period. and happened to be drawing while doing so. like we also all learned to write. u know?#obviously it's not as if all the motor skills u have as an adult will AUTOMATICALLY transfer neatly over to drawing #it will have to be adapted. but it wasn't like u were learning Nothing that applies to art skills all this time

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theknightmarket · 10 months

Text

"It's just not easy."

In which Damien finally decides what to do.

[This is the second part to 'What if I Just Sit Here and Die', a request from my lovely anon, Alexandrite! I hope you enjoy it!]

TW: anxiety, possible panic attack (?)

Pages: 12 - Words: 5,000

[Requests: OPEN]

If someone had told a younger Damien that, in a year, he would be sitting in his normal classroom, in his normal seat with his normal peers around him, he would’ve been confused as to why they were telling him this. However, should they have continued on to say he would be sweating through his cotton shirt, his pen slipping out of his clammy hands and steam practically seeping through his collar - only because of the fact that he was sitting next to someone who said some nice things to him, spoke to him in a kind tone, was pretty damn handsome and/or beautiful themself, and risked a penalty by making jokes about the professor? He’d blush, just as he was in that moment, and ask, “Well, how will that moment end?” And the someone will laugh, shake their head, and say, “You’ll both be forced to clean the classroom for the next week.”

Presently, Damien was barely paying attention to the words of the professor. He was going on about something about the relationship between the government and the public, but he was more focused on the stray mutterings of the person next to him. You, who occasionally leaned over to whisper a joke or comment that had him stifling a laugh, generously spent your time entertaining him instead of listening to the lecture. In truth, it probably benefited neither of you in the long run, but Damien couldn’t deny that this was the most fun he’d ever had in a lesson before. He was learning just as much, anyway, so it didn’t make a difference. Not to him, at least.

To the professor, who was barely managing to stay on track with the incessant whispering that kept stealing his attention, it made a lot of a difference.

“Is there something you two would like to share?” he asked, making you freeze with your upper body halfway out of your new seat. Your mouth hung open, and Damien’s eyes met yours with a flurry of silent emotions. Horror, sympathy, and then resolve. He hadn’t a clue what you were planning, but from the way you slowly reared back and looked to the man at the front of the classroom, he had faith it was going to be good.

“Sorry, sir, I’m just slightly confused on how this can be allowed while following the privity of contract.”

The professor’s expression matched Damien’s own, a pure slate of shock, before the older man’s drifted off into confidence.

“Well, in this scenario, neither party has obligations imposed on them in the technical sense…” He continued his chatter, but Damien was not focused on that yet. He was more taken by you relaxing back into the hold of your wooden chair, the complete relief when your lie passed through your lips like every other breath. He didn’t know whether he should have been impressed or worried, but he settled on a mixture of the two.

“How did you do that?” he wondered aloud, trying to keep his voice low enough that it flew under the radar of the professor’s new tangent. Still, there was evident awe in his tone, a thing that you couldn’t stop a blush rising along the ridge of your jaw at.

You exhaled lightly. “Learned to—” and when you saw that he was still looking at you, you amended, “—if I’m going to be a district attorney, I’m going to have to lie on command.”

Despite the scathing remark about the integrity of the legal system, Damien blinked at the implication. “Really? The D.A?” It wasn’t that he didn’t think you could make it – in fact, he was certain that you’d end up in the newspapers with that title if you set your mind to it –, but he was more amazed that you had your mind made up so sure. There wasn’t a glimmer of hesitation in your words or your face, and Damien marveled at it.

“What, don’t think I could handle it?” you laughed back.

“N-no, I just, well, um—”

“I’m joking,” you replied quickly upon hearing him start to fumble his words. “I get it. Bit of a lofty ambition, but I know that if I finish this course and get the degree, there is a position waiting to be filled at Seriva’s Law Office.” You pulled up one finger. “From there, I’ll work all the cases I have to, until I get a job at the Bolitz court.” Another finger. “Defense attorney for the state, court judge, probably get fired once or twice, and then, eventually district attorney of Los Angeles.”

By now, you had all five fingers on one hand in the air, as if your plan were just easy steps. It was something Damien couldn’t begin to fathom, but it must have been so great that it overrode his facial functions because the next words out of your mouth were, “What about you?”

What about him?

What could he say to you? What did you want to hear? If he lied to you, pretended he had everything planned out, or even a semblance of an idea, would you know? There were so many uncertainties that he couldn’t plot, and only a small amount that he could guess the answers to; you probably wouldn’t look down on him if he admitted the truth, but he wasn’t all that willing to take the risk. The last thing he wanted was to lose a potential friend, especially you, though there was no way he could make up something as detailed as your plan was in such little time—

“I haven’t thought that far.” His mouth had gotten tired of waiting for his brain to catch up, apparently, and it went ahead with spilling the truth. He couldn’t back out now, not when you were looking at him with that expression, so he continued, “I have no clue, and it has been killing me that I don’t.”

For the split second that your mouth remained closed, Damien looked at your face, and used one of the skills that he was most proud of. He’d used it on his parents to avoid an argument, his guidance counsellor to get out as fast as possible, his extended family when they asked when he was getting married. He read your expression with bated breath and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. You looked surprised, but not in a oh-my-God-how-could-I-talk-to-someone-so-immature way. The tilt of your head and the quirk of your lips showed you were simply surprised, and that was all. No disgust or horror present! Damien was somewhat embarrassed by how his heart sped up a bit when he recognised it.

And how it skipped two beats when you replied, “Hey, if you ever need an ear, I’ll be around.”

With that, you turned back to face the professor, who had still not run out of the fuel that you had chucked onto his flames. You listened intently, even though every sentence was punctuated with ‘this won’t be on the exam but…’, while Damien watched you, equally as intent. The rapid fluctuating of his heart was dying down, and its withering gave way to a small comfort nestled deep in his bones. An unfamiliar sensation, but not one that was unwelcome. In fact, it was entirely encouraging – prompting him to tune back in when the professor got on track and scribble down a few notes. Notably, concepts that he could understand.

The pride only lasted as long as it took for the both of you being caught chatting again – which was in the midst of another unnecessary talk, for context – which landed you in hot water. That someone didn’t lie.

As it turned out, your offer of someone to listen to were needed quicker than you thought. Barely a full day had passed by the time that you were sitting at the desk in your doom room, fiddling with a pen and trying to underline the important information in your textbook without outright underlying the entire paragraph. It was a tough and stubborn read, like wading through mud, and picking out useful aspects was even more so; clumps stuck to the words, hidden roots held them down, and you were quickly finding yourself hoping for a reason to take a break.

The answer to your prayers was at the door in the next thirty seconds. Just as you had taken your reading glasses off to smear a hand over your eyes, you heard a frantic knock ill-disguised as a casual one. You briefly tried to remember if you had messed up in any way for the small amount of time you’d occupied this room, but the question came with a blank answer – so, with little else to do, you got up from the desk and swung open the door.

Th sight of someone distinctly not administration greeted you. You weren’t in trouble, that was good, but a frown made its way onto your mouth regardless.

“Oh, hey, Damien,” you started, taking in his concerning state, “are you okay?”

His bowtie was pulled out, and his jacket was nowhere to be found, leaving him in just his dress shirt and pants at your door. Even his collar button was undone, which, in the rest of the world, might not have been deemed outrageous, but you’d only seen him in business settings before. This was a jump you weren’t expecting to make so soon.

“I-,” he immediately stopped himself. One hand flittered up to his cuff to adjust it before he spoke again, “-no, no, I’m not. I’m worried, and stressed, and scared and…” he trailed off in his panic, the worry trapping itself in his head.

You couldn’t leave him outside like this. From the looks of it, this wasn’t his first time in such a state, but this was his first time coming to you, and you weren’t going to mess this up.

Setting a plan of action in your mind, you planted your hands on Damien’s shoulders, seemingly shocking him out of his thoughts with a jolt. “Hey, hey, look at me.”

He followed your simple instruction well. That alone was good, so you took the time to dip into your room again, not noticing the brief flash of deeper panic that shot across his face. It only lasted until you reemerged with two jackets, but it was there.

A beat up, old truck was your best shot at leaving campus. You’d taken the keys one night after a party with your friends. You hadn’t a clue who it really belonged to, but it was now yours, and it wasn’t as though someone had come to retrieve it. So, yours now.

And what a spout of good luck it had been. Gesturing Damien into the passenger seat, you heaved a sigh of relief. Walking all the way to your little spot would have been a horror story waiting to happen. He climbed in without any hesitation, which would have been appreciated in any other circumstance. Now, it made you worry your bottom lip between your teeth. By the time you’d buckled yourself into the driver, you’d decided that you didn’t like numb Damien.

Multiple attempts were made to tease a reaction out of him. Humming music you’d heard on a gramophone recently, picking up conversation topics out of the bottom of your brain, literal teasing. None worked, aside from getting a few polite chuckles out of him or a nod, so you did the one thing you’d been told not to do from day one; you put all your eggs into one basket and pressed down on the gas pedal.

In general, Damien never knew what he was doing, but this moment was special; for once, he hadn't really thought about his actions. He didn't sink onto his chair by his dorm window and stare longingly out at the students who actually knew what they were doing. This time, he'd acted on instinct, and an unfamiliar one at that. It was an impulse, embarrassing to him, that had drawn him to your door. To you, who in turn, had driven him in your truck all the way to a local lake. He hadn't payed attention to where you were headed during the journey, but, when he heard the sloshing of water against a bank, he had clocked you were in some place unknown to him. He forced himself to look at you when you guided him to a rockier side of the body. You, who he knew, who walked to the edge of the lake, who he trusted, who kneeled beside him with an armful of rocks.

“Take some,” you spoke, as if this were an entirely normal interaction on your end.

And, as if this were an entirely normal interaction on his end, he did. When he had secured two or three medium-sized rocks, the one in his left-hand dripping lake water onto his skin, he managed to ask, “What?”

You didn’t answer him, instead taking a second to lay some more in a pile between the two of you – though, the light-hearted grin on your lips eased his concerns for your mental health and brought a similar one to his own.

You filtered through the remaining ones in your arms, trying to find the best shape and texture. Damien didn’t know what you were looking for specifically, but he sat still, patiently, and watched you smooth a thumb over one of the finalists in your strange competition.

“You know, I’ve always loved rocks,” you commented while tripping to your feet over the sandy beach, “No clue why. Maybe I was a penguin in my past life.”

Now standing straight, you trot to the shoreline and wind one arm back, like a pitcher would for a big game. The concentration on your face was a sight to behold, the little adjustments of your form to get it just right a true spectacle. Damien dared not move a muscle for fear it would jostle your focus.

You shifted to the left, and then to the right, and then four steps backwards. You breathed in the crisp, night air.

And then promptly chucked the stone directly into the water with no skip to be seen.

“Dammit.”

The panic from earlier was beginning to dwindle; a tiny spark of fear that had rushed through him like a match to a gas leak was but a flicker. The hooting of owls this late into the night was common, but he had never been conscious enough to listen to them, whether it was because he was asleep or because he was thinking too much. Here, the flood of problems was traded for the sound of the lake’s water batting against sand. Damien found that he liked this more.

A few splashes and then a proud yell shook him from his pondering – he needed to stop – and then you turned to look at him. Rock in one hand and gesturing with the other, you called out, “Well, are you doing this or what?”

Gingerly, Damien rose from his seat on the dirt and joined them. The pair of you made quite the picture. You were trying to instruct Damien on how to stand, how to position his arm, how to angle the momentum. Along with giving him all the best tips to match your two-skip record, Damien could confidently say it was going averagely. You weren’t going to be entering any championships anytime soon, but your realistic lack of skill had no effect on how much fun you were having.

For the first time in a while, Damien was enjoying his time, and, for the first time in an even longer while, he wasn’t feeling bad about using his time for recreation. On most nights he took ‘off’, he’d sit on his bed, with a book in his hand, trying to keep his mind off of all the assignments he didn’t understand. With you manipulating his arm like a puppet, he didn’t mind. He assured himself that, if you were out with him, he wasn’t the only one ‘lacking behind’.

He broke out in giggles as he watched you practically drop another stone into the water in front of you. With as much an offended look you could manage, you pushed him to throw one himself.

Much to your chagrin, he beat your record. Such an accomplishment.

“The student becomes the master,” Damien joked.

“If this weren’t an actual rock, I would throw this at you.”

“Just joking!”

You continued on like that for the better half of an hour. The night got longer and colder, but it wasn’t enough to bother you. At this point, you weren’t sure what would be. Skipping stones with a friend was much better than doing it alone, you discovered. Your group in class were fine and good, you weren’t complaining, but you had… different tastes to them, and you weren’t about to drag all of them out to the lake to chuck stones until 3 in the morning. You had half the mind to propose you make this a tradition, but the other half told you that you didn’t know where you stood with Damien.

It was no secret to yourself or your friends that you liked the guy. He was sweet, he did his own thing, he didn’t take his life for granted. But were you friends yet? Did skipping stones together count as a friend-activity? Would it be presumptuous of you to call yourselves friends already? Seeming egotistic in front of Damien would be a nightmare for you. And why was that? You had no idea why you became so interested in his opinion of you so quickly. You were so bogged down with unanswerable questions that you hadn’t realized you’d quickly ran out rocks.

You took the out with fervor, rushing over to the pile you’d taken from and then heading back to lay them out from best to worst. Crouched down, you hadn’t expected Damien to start another conversation, so you were stuck in an unfortunate position of craning your neck upwards for the moment.

“How are you so calm about this?” he asked, a lighthearted tone but with an edge that hinted at something else.

Before answering, you clambered to your feet and dusted off your pants. “It’s not like skipping stones is illegal, right?”

“No, no that,” he laughed slightly, but it faded quickly, “I mean, how are you so planned?”

Now, that made you smile. “I appreciate that you think I am, but I’m not.” You jumped to finish your sentence when you saw Damien start to argue. “I just know how to get out of a slump.”

“A slump?”

A hum moved between your lips. “A slump, my friend—” you planted a hand on his shoulder, “—that’s what you’re in.”

As soon as you pointed this out, it was like a switch had been flipped. The corners of Damien’s smile laxed, his shoulders lost tension, and the bags underneath his eyes dropped. “It’s been a long slump, then,” he replied without much conviction, “and you said you know how to get out of one?”

You nodded, sending one last stone into the distance before focusing your full attention on Damien. You didn’t hear its splashes, only the sound of him sighing. “I think, right now,” you began, “you’re caring about the little things as much as the big things, right?”

He considered this for a second, until he nodded with a solemn expression, eyes downcast and darting anywhere but you.

Just that image made you swallow whatever pride you had left and decide very quickly to divulge your background to him. “I did the same thing in my first year. I’d originally planned to be on campus from the start to finish of college, but then I got it stuck in my head that I couldn’t because I’d made promises to do something that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. Pet sitting, or helping out with a relative, something like that…

“So, I stayed home. That wouldn’t have been so bad on its own, but assignments piled up and there was this one night when I would have to sacrifice all of my sleep, my food, everything healthy just to get this essay done,” you paused to inhale some of the crisp air. The night was getting darker, almost exactly as it had been the time you were describing. You continued, “And I did. And I felt horrible the day after, not only because I screwed over my whole body, but because I was still worried about it in the morning! Worried if I missed a citation, or I-I misplaced a comma.”

Standing next to you, Damien watched as your face was consumed by the memories. The look in your eyes was distant, but you weren’t looking over the water. It was as if the entire scene had disappeared, leaving only you behind, trapped in a fog. He’d gone through a night like that, and he knew the feeling well. It was the whole reason you were out there in the first place; worrying over something, getting it done, and then still worrying about it after the fact. He’d built his whole college-era around it.

The most he could do was offer a hand, both metaphorically and literally.

Damien’s hand coming to rest on your upper arm pulled your attention to him. A gentle smile that you mimicked on his lips, you couldn’t help but wonder how he got like this in the first place.

“But when I re-enrolled for this year, I thought about it more. I was actually writing the letter as I did, and I knew that if I did the same thing as last year, where I sacrificed my health for one assignment, I wouldn’t make it through. So, my solution was that I decided not to care.”

“What?”

You hummed in response to Damien’s mild shock. “That’s what my family said. The guidance counselor, too, and a couple of my friends. They acted like I’d gone and joined the circus. But it helped me. It was difficult at first; for the few months after we came back, I nearly broke my promise every week. Eventually, it got easier, and now, I’m exactly as you see before you.” You gestured to yourself as dramatically as you could handle after preaching your way of life.

Damien watched you for some time, to the point that you thought he’d run for the hills or call the guidance counselor back on you. It was only when he asked in a smaller voice than you’d heard him before, “What about the big things?” that you relaxed.

“The big things – family emergencies, big exams, twenty-five percent of my grade type of things – I’ll focus on. Don’t stress about the assault essay, but make sure you leave time for the finals. They’re the only things you’ll remember about the course, anyway.”

“You say that like it’s simple,” Damien chuckled.

“It is,” and you meant it, but you quickly amended at the distraught expression of your friend, “it’s just not easy.”

Reaching down to pluck a stone from the line-up, you finished your speech, “Takes a lot of practice to not care, so don’t expect to be an expert that fast.”

Your idea to continue skipping rocks was disrupted when Damien’s grip – which, unbeknownst to either of you, he had yet to remove – tightened. “And how am I supposed to start?” his voice took on a panicked quality, “I’ve already got myself too deep.”

Getting the sense that he was about to spiral, you refused to hesitate and, instead, wrapped your spare hand around his own. When you looked up, it seemed that Damien’s avoidant gaze was reserved for a shallower feeling of worry. The dread that you saw here meant he stared into your eyes directly, as if desperately trying to find the answer faster than you could say it.

“When we started skipping stones, what were you thinking about?” you asked. You tried not to notice how the corners of his mouth dropped even further with your seemingly cryptic question.

Still, he answered, “Whether you were legally sane or not.”

You shared a look of relief that Damien was stable enough to joke about the situation. “Ouch,” you muttered, “but that’s my point. You weren’t worrying about the course or the future or any assignments. You were focused on something that, to be honest, doesn’t matter. Because I doubt that you’ll remember this in a year. Not this moment, or the time you forgot a period in an essay or-or a lot of what you need to know for the exams. At that point, it won’t matter, so why care about it now?”

Despite your monologue being finished, you didn’t dare let go of his hand. You didn’t know whether it for his sake or yours, but you’d be going against your way of thinking if you said it really mattered.

“Of course, don’t go too far with it,” you spoke with a smile, “Care about the things that make you happy. Work won’t make you happy, so don’t care about it too much. Pay attention to who you are as a person, and you’ll be grand.” You didn’t want Damien to go from 1 to 100 in the next year, or, rather, 100 to 1 in the caring department. It was about striking the perfect balance and you were well up for being hit teacher.

When Damien nodded at you, having taken everything in, you allow yourself to slip back into the calm of the lake. It was a beautiful sight, and now you had someone else to share it with.

In your mind, this was the end of the night, and, as you began to aimlessly throw the remaining rocks in the general direction of where you took them from, you missed your new friend’s change in body language. It was subtle, but it was there – the straightening of his shoulders, the bobbing of his Adam’s apple, the final breath of a cool night’s air. When he was prepared, he turned to you and met your eyes.

No panic. No fear. No worry. A stark determination took their place.

“Do you want to go on a date?”

On a Friday evening, at eight o’clock, a procession of thirty students snaked its way across the college campus, from the entrance gate to the auditorium. Normally, that place would be empty of any life, but, then, it was heaving with parents, friends, and staff. The ceremonies that followed were just as lively. A chorus group sang some classical pieces, followed by multiple professors wishing the graduating class of 1908 a farewell. A final address from the principal sent people into tears, until the presentation of diplomas overruled it with near-constant clapping.

But that didn’t mean everyone was suddenly fine. Damien himself found that trying to keep it all in was a fruitless effort after he watched his fellow classmates receive their scrolls of paper, not to mention how he had to ask someone for a tissue when you went up, shook the principal’s hand, and walked off with a wink in his direction. His heart clenched with pride, and he could barely look away as he watched you make your way to the second row of the audience. The seat you ended up in was at the tail end of the row, right next to Celine, who grasped your hand with a smile that you shared. Next to her was Wilford, who, upon noticing Damien’s staring, cast his own, knowing look. He looked away before he could do anything more noticeable, seeing, next to him, Mark. He’d assumed that, like most things, he wouldn’t be overjoyed to be where he wasn’t the centre of attention, but there was a hint of a smile and happiness in his eyes that told him he was playing it up, this time.

Damien took a breath in and then a breath out. Crisp air – his heart rate slowed down into a duller thud. It was his turn.

Four simple, difficult steps. He got up, he walked to the principal, he took the degree and shook his hand, and then walked off.

He had graduated college, you both had, and he couldn’t be more excited to pursue the next few years of his life.

Especially given the way that you two met up when everyone had filed out at the end.

There had been plans for the friend group – one that you had been made a member of ever since Damien told his sister what had happened that fateful night – to get a table at an old café down the street and celebrate. A little talk prior to going up on the stage pushed those plans back ever so slightly.

Rounding the back of the auditorium, Damien caught sight of you leaning casually against the wall. No staff would be around there while they dealt with the rest of the students, meaning you wouldn’t be herded away just yet. You could enjoy this quiet moment for at least ten minutes, and you were very much going to.

“Hi,” you whispered as soon as Damien came close enough.

His response was simple. “Hello.”

“You looked handsome up there.”

In the past year, he’d gotten better at schooling his expression in public, but he didn’t consider you to be in public at that moment, so his redness and smile were as blatant as the day you met.

“Around people thirty years my senior, I should hope so—” he wrapped his hands around yours, intertwining your hands, “—I’m proud of you.”

You pulled him close with that hand. “You’re proud of me? I’m sorry, but your graduation is the culmination of my outlook on life. I’m proud of you.”

Your only thought in the proceeding second was that it should never be said that Damien was not a romantic man when it came down to it, as he leaned just that inch forward to push his own lips against yours. Whilst all the kisses you’d shared before had been amazing in their own right, this one was combined with the product of two years’ hard work and a year’s practice in self-respect. The smiles you both wore were held aloft by the graduation ceremony, high enough in the air that neither of you felt any need to pull apart. This was the time for love, nothing else, because there didn’t have to be. Everything was over, and, as your mouths moved against each other in crisp night air, you were ready for a new start.

Nearing your faces turning blue from a lack of oxygen, it was time to pull away, but that didn’t stop you from rejoining when you had gotten enough breath. This happened a few more times, though they gradually became more pecks than full kisses; you didn’t know how much time you had left until you were ushered from the campus, but you weren’t one to let an opportunity to tease Damien go easily.

The both of you gliding to a stop, simply staring into each other’s eyes, you whispered, “So, my advice worked, huh?”

Damien’s response was immediate, if not accompanied by a slight flush, “Oh, be quiet, you.”

And, like most times, he didn’t deny that you were right, given that listening to you was the best decision he’d ever made - your relationship was proof enough of that.

#theknightmarket #fanfiction #markiplier egos #markiplier #writing #markiplier egos x reader #one shots #request #x reader #damien x reader #da x damien #mayor damien #college era #reader insert #reader

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dear-mrs-otome · 2 years

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Silvio Ricci - Main Story - Chp 09

Standard Disclaimer: I do this for fun. I don’t, and never would, claim to be proficient at JP. There will be mistakes herein. There will be dialogue I choose to smooth out or change, because it feels choppy just straight translating. There will be the occasional snarky aside and irreverence and just plain summarizing. If you’re looking for 100% pure accuracy, without commentary or localizing, this is not for you. If you don’t mind that…then proceed, and I hope you enjoy! And please, support your local localizer (they make this stuff look easy) and Cybird by playing the games and routes when they come to English.

~~~~~~~~

It’s been a few days since Silvio’s so-called ‘date’, and she hasn’t been tapped to entertain him at any point. Most likely because of RIo, she realizes, who’s been micromanaging her schedule to prevent her from running across Silvio and spending more time in her presence.

But even Rio, as focused as he is on this, can’t spend every moment with her. Taking breaks when he knows Silvio isn’t in the castle, etc - and one of those exact scenarios just happens to coincide with the day and time she’d promised to Prince Keith.

“Thank you for sparing some of your precious time today,” Keith tells her. “I’ve been looking forward to it very much.”

She thanks him for the invitation out, and thinks back on their conversation in the kitchen, where Keith had asked her if she, as a local, would be willing to play tour guide for him as he went sightseeing around the city. Wanting him to see the good sides of her city and country, she happily agreed - and it doesn’t hurt that Keith is the nicest of the three foreign princes.

Rio had wanted to come as well, but she’d convinced him of her trust in Keith and he’d reluctantly agreed to take some time off…but she still can’t quite forget Keith’s strange expression she’d seen for just a moment that first night at the diplomatic ball, when they’d met.

Still, he makes her feel a lot safer than a certain jingling-jangling someone. A sentiment helped along by the knight in attendance, at Rio’s insistence.

“Prince Keith, is there anywhere in particular you’d like to see?” she asks him.

He seems to think on that for a moment, before seeming to suddenly remember something. “You went around the city with Silvio the other day.”

She’s chagrined to hear that even Keith’s heard that, and he tells her it’s because he’d heard the story from the man himself. Elaborating, at her confusion, on how he’d been snagged yesterday by Silvio and roped into a session of drinking troubles away.

Acknowledging how horrible that sounds, she asks why he’d been doing such a thing - speculating to herself that perhaps something had happened. A failed business deal maybe, or even a stubbed toe. Maybe things that were technically her doing, after the way she’d roundly cursed him in bed the night he’d left the mark on her neck.

“You’ve been avoiding Silvio lately, haven’t you?” Keith points out. “He had a lot on his mind about that.”

“That damned woman, she’s supposed to be the hostess, but she’s all over the butler instead of me,” Silvio had complained. “Not to mention, she bit me the other day. NExt time I see her, I’m going to make sure she doesn’t get away with anything.”

Railing more about how hard Rio had been working to keep them separated, and how they couldn’t elude him forever.

“He kept ranting, like curses,” Keith explains, and she realizes in surprise that calling it ‘drinking troubles away’ really wasn’t an exaggeration. “Maybe…he’s lonely.”

“Lonely?” she echoes.

“That’s what it seemed like to me,” Keith agrees.

She scoffs at the very idea, but Keith gently reminds her that he’d just told her how Silvio had recounted their ‘date’ together to him. “He made it sound like complaining, but it wasn’t really like that. It seemed like he’d enjoyed it. I think that for Silvio, spending time with you isn’t so bad at all.”

Keith’s golden eyes are so sincere, it’s impossible trying to deny what he says. She’s rude, and the only thing she does is hassle Silvio every time she sees him…but if Keith says so, maybe it is the truth.

She can feel her heart beat faster, ever so slightly, before she mentally slaps herself and reminds herself that this is Silvio we’re talking about here. Don’t get carried away.

When she shakes her head to dispel those terrible thoughts, Keith smiles a bit. “Silvio said that the sweets at the shop he went to with you were delicious. He recommended that I go there for sure, so that’s the first place I want to visit.”

She starts to speak up…scolding Silvio in her head for being so childish that he’d try on purpose to make Keith feel awkward too. (Because of the girlie girl cafe) She feels bad about taking the kindly prince to a shop that would require him to brace himself to enter, but the sweets were good, and if Keith himself wants to go how is she to deny him?

She agrees to take him there, to his gratitude, and she’s thinking how his smile is so lovely it makes you loathe to disappoint him.

A far cry from her experience playing tour guide for He Who Shall Not Be Named Silvio.

…But she can’t help wondering what else he’s been up to lately, besides throwing his booze-soaked pity party for two. Her day to day life, that had become so hectic, had suddenly calmed down. Offering her the peace and quiet she wanted, ostensibly…but somehow she feels like something’s missing.

Maybe…she’s lonely.

Because she and Silvio had bickered so spiritedly both day in and day out, it might be that she’s a bit sad now that that’s gone.

What are you saying?! She scolds herself. It’s a GOOD thing to not hear his jangling, so quit thinking weird -

“Miss Emma.”

Keith’s voice and arm about her shoulder startle her from her musings, as he pulls her aside. Only barely missing a large man passing right beside her that she almost certainly would have run smack into if Keith hadn’t been there. The man makes his apologies, blaming his distraction on the fact that he hasn't sold many of his gems lately.

She waves it off as being partly her fault as well for not watching where she was going, but his wording piques her curiosity and she wonders to herself if the man is a jeweler. She's puzzling over his strange mood when the man bows and takes his leave, and she shakes those thoughts away to focus on the here and now. "Thank you so much, Prince Keith."

When she turns towards her savior, she finds a grim expression on his face - not the bright and easy smile of before, and she says his name questioningly.

"Yeah," he acknowledges…but she stiffens with alarm at the way his voice sounds much lower, Spidey-sense tingling.

Only for him to offer her his usual kind smile only a moment later. "I'm only glad you weren't hurt. Shall we be on our way?"

She brushes off her concern as a figment of her imagination, and they head to the cafe together. Keith is unperturbed by the shop full of women, but she opts to take their sweets to go to spare him any further discomfort, and when she asks where he'd like to eat them he suggests somewhere quiet given that he's a little tired.

"Do you know a good place, Miss Emma?" he asks.

In the end, she decides to take him to her favorite spot, the overlook just outside town where you can see the entire city. He agrees it's quiet and secluded and the perfect little hideaway spot…but he seems to give the view only a cursory glance before turning his attention elsewhere.

She'd thought that maybe he would enjoy the scenery…but it seems she thought wrong. "There are some benches here, let's eat our desserts there," she suggests.

"Before we do that - may I ask you something?" Keith ventures.

"Sure, what is i-"

The pleasant tranquil peace of soft breezes and birds chirping happily is broken, along with her words, when Keith slips around behind her and puts a hand to her throat. "I would suggest not making any wrong moves. The slightest shove from me and you'd topple down."

"Prince Keith?" is all she can manage in her confusion. And when she tries to turn around to face him, his fingers tighten around her neck just enough to hurt slightly. His gentle demeanor has been wiped utterly away, and she breaks out in a cold sweat.

"Stop this, please, Prince Keith!" the distraught knight accompanying them cries, trying to rush over.

But Keith doesn't so much as flinch or move. "No need to draw your sword. This is all just a bit of fun. If she answers my questions, I promise I won't do her any harm. I have no interest in hurting her by accident either."

It's like he's an entirely different person, and she's kicking herself for letting her guard down. And trying to remove his hand is a futile effort. Her strength is nowhere even close to a match for his.

"I hate beating around the bush, so let me get straight to the point," Keith says.

She can only think of one reason for him to do something like this, but it's absolutely imperative that she keep her existence as Bella secret - so she steels herself and takes a deep breath to stay calm.

"Are you an Obsidian spy?" Keith asks bluntly.

She's struck speechless for a moment before she can echo. "A spy?" Baffled by the fact that he's not accusing her of being Belle, she barely stops herself from letting on as much.

Keith says that he's heard a disturbing rumor going about Rhodolite, and he suspects it has something to do with her.

"What do you mean by a disturbing rumor?"

"I'm the one asking the questions right now," Keith reminds her, and she can't even picture the gentle Keith of prior at this moment. "There's three things I want to know. Your purpose, your relationship with Gilbert…and who you actually are."

Well, she's definitely not a spy, so that should be easy enough to disavow him of, she figures. "What made you think I was a spy?"

Keith brings up the man in the street that had nearly bumped into them, and his odd mention of being unable to sell his gems…and when she's not following, he elaborates - this phrasing is codespeak for the buying and selling of information. "You replied that you weren't watching where you were going. In other words, you said to him that you didn't need his information, you were looking elsewhere for it."

Aghast, she protests that that's an utterly unfair accusation, and that her reply was perfectly normal and something anyone would say in that situation.

"Then, how do you explain the matter with Gilbert?" Keith presses. "He's not the sort to concern himself with some minor noblewoman when there's nothing in it for him. Let alone him going to the kitchen." Keith points out that it seems reasonable to assume there was some secretive buying and selling of intel going on in there that day.

She knows that Gilbert will stoop to almost anything to expose her as Belle - maybe even set something like this up.

"If you claim that's not the case, then you need to give me an explanation that makes sense," Keith goes on. "It's impossible to claim that you're just some Rhodolite noblewoman."

"Why do you say that?" she asks.

Keith tells her that he's done some poking around about her, and that when he asked the Jade socialites not a one seemed familiar with her at all - and no woman capable of staying in the castle could try to say that she simply hadn't made her debut in society yet.

She realizes that not even Sariel and Rio could exert any influence over Jade nobility and social circles…and all these lies have painted her into a corner.

"I think you're lying about your identity," Keith accuses. "And I think that Rhodolite is helping you to do so. If you're a spy with the blessing of both countries, then that means Rhodolite and Obsidian are working together behind the scenes. And if that is true, then as a neutral party, Jade - and therefore I - cannot stand idly by and let that happen."

She knows she's been had…and she wonders if somewhere, Gilbert is laughing his ass off. She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't here, because she can't just deny being a spy without explaining her 'nobility' either. The only way to make Keith believe she's not would be to own up to being Belle - but obviously, she can't say that.

And the longer she tries desperately to think her way out of this, the tighter the hand at her throat grows.

"Your silence will be taken as confirmation," Keith warns.

"Wait please, I'm confused!" she pleads. "Truly, I'm not an Obsidian spy."

Keith tells her that answer won't cut it, and she's still trying to puzzle through how to handle this on her own - there's no Sariel or Rio here to save her bacon.

"If you refuse to answer, then I suppose I'll have to change how I'm asking," he threatens.

Her breath grows shallow and rapid, nails biting into her clenched fists as she does her best to fight off the trembling that threatens, but she's taken about as much as she can. Her mind has gone blank..and she feels utterly helpless. Realizing she doesn't have a single weapon to fight back with.

Maybe it would be better for her country if she were just to give up the fight here.

Making that decision, she closes her eyes and accepts it, but her heart is still railing against. Someone…help me, she silently begs. Terrified beyond reason, biting her lip so hard she can taste blood.

And that's when she hears the familiar, jingling chime of jewelry.

"Ha, you're up to something pretty interesting."

The grip on her throat loosens slightly. She opens her eyes...and what she sees is Silvio, circling around to peer into her face.

"Prince Silvio…" she manages.

"What are you doing here?" Keith asks.

"Just happened to be in the area," Silvio replies nonchalantly - an answer that has Emma wondering why he'd even be here on some out of the way hill. She's having a hard time even believing her own eyes, that he's really here.

Could it be…that he's actually trying to help her?

That thought is cut short when Silvio speaks again. "You tryin’ to figure out this woman's true identity? Well, count me in then." She blinks at that, and he goes on. "I've been wondering who she is for a while now. It's not fair if you keep all the details to yourself."

He laughs arrogantly, taking a hold of her chin. And she realizes he's not helping - he's making the situation worse! He's absolutely the worst, and she berates herself as an idiot for ever hoping otherwise.

"Well, woman? Why not just come clean, and spare yourself all this unpleasantness?" Silvio presses.

"I don't have anything to confess," she insists.

"That's not gonna be enough for this dour bastard," Silvio warns. "Ah, but…you're not some agent of Obsidian, at the least."

She wonders how he'd overheard that particular conversation, when Keith speaks up and asks how he can know that.

"Do you really think this woman is an Obsidian spy?" Silvio scoffs, pointing out how she looks scared witless just having Keith behind her and on the verge of tears.

"I do not look like I'm about to cry!" she denies indignantly.

"Take a good look in the mirror and try saying that, idiot," Silvio argues back. "Any true agent of Gilbert’s wouldn't remotely resemble this cut-rate woman. You felt something was off about her, didn’t you? Don’t you think that’s suspicious in and of itself?”

Keith is silent, and Silvio elaborates on the fact that any spy trained by Gilbert would never set off any alarms in the first place, and anyone who was that much of a liability would have been disposed of long ago.

“Then, why does Gilbert care about her at all?” Keith poses.

“Other reasons. Seems to me that…” Silvio lets go of her chin, and grabs ahold of Keith’s arm instead. “I don’t know who she actually is, but she’s the favorite mistress of a Rhodolite prince.”

It was a totally outrageous claim - and she can’t believe what she just heard come out of his mouth, given that she knows he knows she’s Belle.

Is he…trying to protect her?

~~~~~~~~

<< Chp 08 - His POV | Chp 10 >> (TBC)

Read this far? Enjoying it? Leave a like at least, please, so I know it’s making someone happy! Thank you!

#spoiler #spoilers #ikemen prince spoilers #ikepri spoilers #ikepri silvio main story #mrs o loves salty seadogs #mrs o's translations of dubious quality

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brutish-impulse · 4 months

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Metroid: Other M

I've just finished Metroid: Daddy Issues The Baby Other M for the first time (though there's still some post-ending content, apparently).

I bought it shortly before the WiiU eshop shut down, for the completionism, but I didn't expect to like it given its reputation. And it's one of the worst Metroid games, but I still had fun.

The game is much more plot-focused than your average Metroid, and well, the elephant in the room is Samus's characterization. It's as bad as everyone says. Samus shouldn't seem this insecure! It's a shame, especially because I actually like the plot as long as Samus doesn't have an inner monologue!

Samus and a bunch of Galactic Federation marines are exploring a ship that's been overrun by monsters, trying to find survivors and figure out what happens. There's been some classified research going on, and one of the marines is an assassin trying to keep it secret. I'm not saying it's genius, but the game creates a nice sci-fi-horror atmosphere!

(The traitor kinda disappears from the story towards the end, but I'm hoping it gets wrapped up in the post-ending portion.)

The controls are kinda bad. It's a 3rd person 3D game with (mostly) fixed camera angles, and you have to use the Wiimote like a shitty NES controller, which locks you to 8 directions of movement. You have to rely on a finicky auto-lock-on for aiming. "Good job dodging that attack! Here's some extra charge for your beam as a reward! Are you still aiming at the enemy you've been shooting at? That's a surprise :)"

Probably the worst thing about the game is how you get weapons and suit upgrades. I think they really didn't want players to get stumped, so you don't have to find them. Instead, Samus technically has all her equipment, but her commanding officer Adam only authorizes it when it's really needed to progress.

In some cases this makes sense story-wise: power bombs might blow a hole in the ship. In other cases it makes Adam seem stupid and cruel, and Samus a doormat. There's the infamous part where Samus lets herself get cooked until Adam authorizes the Varia Suit.

After all the griping, it's still a Metroid game, even if it's more straightforward and linear than I'd like. Collecting energy and missile tanks is fun! Fights are mostly fun despite the controls! Also, some parts of the game have this kind of horror game atmosphere.

I don't know if anyone else would consider playing this game in 2024, but if you've played Super Metroid, Fusion, Zero Mission, the Prime trilogy, Samus Returns and Dread, and you still want more, it's worth pirating. Not like there's any other way to get it now lol

#metroid #other m #metroid other m #video games #review-ish

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wondereads · 1 year

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June Reading Wrap-Up

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Into the Wild by Erin Hunter (7/10)

I am rereading the Warriors series with some of my friends, so this is the beginning of a hefty endeavor, especially considering how much more has been published since I last read it. While I remember some crazy stuff from this series, the first book is pretty standard. Honestly, you could probably transplant this plot into a high fantasy and nothing would be amiss. I do appreciate that even with a name like ShadowClan and their constant antagonism towards ThunderClan, the Erins did not decide to just straight make an entire Clan evil and instead create a corrupt ruler instead. As someone who has read the books before and is now like twice the target age, everything's very predictable, but I can definitely see some twists taking a fourth grader by surprise. After dwelling on it for a little while though, and putting nostalgia aside, I decided to drop all my Warriors scores by one; the writing is just mediocre.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger (9/10)

Another reread, I find the plot to this book super engaging, especially for middle grade, and it does a great job setting up a conflict that will last for over nine installments. The pacing is great, keeping the major reveals for later without stalling in the middle, and there's a ton of fun worldbuilding. Sophie is, obviously, ridiculously overpowered, but that presents a ton of obstacles by itself, and I find it incredibly interesting that she has to deal with her own existence not fully being her own, a complex concept for middle grade. I will say that, while not unexpected, the weird focus on romance was a little grating at times. Connected to that, I'm sorry, but I just don't like Dex. I can tolerate him, but I think the breaking point is when Sophie tells him some really devastating news for her and he just focuses on what it means for him.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (9/10)

This book was amazing. There are very few bad things I could say about it, and most of those are personal preference. Now, it isn't for everyone, as it's basically gothic horror to the extreme with some very sensitive topics. However, as long as you can stomach this sort of thing, I highly recommend this book. It's dark, tense, and not without some hope. My one technical gripe is how perfect Daphne seems, but that can be easily brushed past. I really liked the writing, especially with how the author played with the style and actual look of it.

Fire and Ice by Erin Hunter (6/10)

This book is probably my least favorite of the first series of Warriors. I feel like there are a lot of easily avoidable conflicts and some very bad decision making by Fireheart, Graystripe, and a bunch of other characters. Also, there isn't much progress towards the overarching plot of the series. A lot of stuff is set up, but, particularly when it comes to Fireheart's suspicions of Tigerclaw, we're mostly just back where we started. I will say that I really like the introduction of a lot of characters, namely the WindClan cats, Silverstream, Cinderpaw, and Cloudkit. Also, Sandstorm gets a lot of character development in this book, and I really like how she is gradually warming up to Fireheart. On the other hand, Graystripe is definitely on the outs with me. I always remember that Fireheart was basically Brackenpaw's mentor.

Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce (9/10)

This concludes my reread of Song of the Lioness! I'll be continuing with The Immortals Quartet soon, but for now, I really like the ending to this series. This is likely the saddest book in the series with two major deaths, and no, Liam is not included in that, good riddance. Honestly, my retching whenever he started talking is what brought this down from a 10 for me. Alanna has grown so much since the beginning of the series, coming to a place where she can accept love and femininity without letting it affect her own goals. One thing I really like is how close she, Jon, and George are despite their complicated romantic pasts with each other. The fact that their friendship takes precedence over anything else means so much to me.

The Raven King by Nora Sakavic (8/10)

There truly must be something wrong with me to willingly continue the All for the Game series. I am being so deadly serious when I say these books are horrendously written. It's based on a sport that's basically fancy lacrosse that is given the bare minimum explanation, the pacing is all over the place, and the plot is poorly connected if not outright nonsensical. And yet here I am. I think this series, thanks to strangely evocative characters and its absurdist plotlines, evokes the same feelings as fanfiction. As an actual published novel, this is a garbage fire. As something fun and quick to read, it hits every button. The absolute misery Neil goes through only to be put back together by his team and his not-boyfriend just works. I immensely enjoyed myself, but also 0/10 never read these books.

The King's Men by Nora Sakavic (7/10)

This book being the longest of the series makes sense, but I still don't think it was enough. Everything I said about The Raven King applies to this book, and I'm incredibly feral about Neil and Andrew. However, the ending is rushed to the extreme. The resolution is pretty unsatisfying, and I feel like there's still a lot of character stuff to be sorted out, particularly concerning Andrew. The ending was just way too abrupt, and I wish the epilogue had been a proper chapter with a different epilogue set in the weeks/months after the finals. Well, that's what fanfiction is for, and it will probably be better written than these books.

Exile by Shannon Messenger (8/10)

Another second in series, and another with some dubious character decisions. While I really like this series and think the plot progresses significantly in this book, the way Sophie is treated just makes my blood boil. You're telling me that you brought a thirteen-year-old to one of the most dangerous places in your world to help with an incredibly delicate process and then got mad when she messed up?? Are you kidding me? Alden's insane for having her do it, the Council is irresponsible for approving it and then getting on her back, and Fitz in particular really needs to shut his mouth. I did like that we got to see the real beginnings of Sophie and Keefe's relationship, one of my favorites in the series, and I love how complicated yet genuine Grady and Edaline are.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (9/10)

Guys, I don't think you understand how much of a chokehold this series has on me. I have a whole plan for how my summer reading's gonna go, and I throw it all out the window because I can't stay away from Folk of the Air for so long. Jude has to be one of my favorite protagonists ever; I love how ruthless and dedicated she is, and I love her and Cardan's relationship. It's super toxic and unhealthy, but it works for them. I love dark faerie lore, and the way Black uses it to trick the reader and make engaging intrigue is just so good.

Forest of Secrets by Erin Hunter (7/10)

After the lull that was Fire and Ice, this book picks up quite a bit, especially at the end. It still is so funny to me that this plot could be transplanted into a high fantasy novel and nothing would be out of place. There's forbidden romance, a major natural disaster, a tragic miscarriage, and a betrayal in pursuit of power. Not to mention the secret (aha get it because of the title) Fireheart discovers about Bluestar and some RiverClan cats. This book is a major turning point for the series as one major character will no longer be around as often and Tigerclaw has now officially made his move. Very fun, but also just not well-written enough for me to bump this past a 7.

Twisted Love by Ana Huang (DNF @ 60%, 3/10)

I just really couldn’t make myself continue this book, but I did make it past my threshold to rate a book (halfway). Contemporary romances are really hit or miss for me, and this was a definite miss. It was boring, unreasonable in a way that defies even romance logic, and the toxic masculinity from the male lead was horrendous. The main character had no discernable personality traits other than sweeter than sugar, and the whole plot was disjointed and forced. I did bump this from a 2 to a 3 simply because I can see how this appeals to some people, and my genre bias is probably coming into play.

Everblaze by Shannon Messenger (9/10)

I think Everblaze marks a significant turning point in the Keeper books. This is the first time we start really interacting with species outside elves, specifically politically, and it's the first time doubt in the council comes front and center. The books are starting to explore what the worldbuilding actually means, and it means a lot of dubious things when it comes to control and privacy. The development at the very end (and I mean very, literally last page) disrupts the pattern that has been set in these books so far, and it definitely makes you want to keep reading. Fitz and Biana sufficiently redeem themselves in this one, but Dex is going to have to step it the fuck up before I even consider giving him another chance, especially since I already don't like his pushy romantic feelings for Sophie. As always, my favorite relationships lie in Sophie and Keefe and Sophie and Grady and Edaline, the latter of which really stood out this book.

The Wicked King by Holly Black (10/10)

The Wicked King is absolutely my favorite book of Folk of the Air. I just love magical politicking, and Jude does it so well. This sounds weird, but her time in the Undersea is a part that has always stuck with me. She's obviously miserable, but I think it's when I realized just how far Jude would go for her ambitions (and just how far Cardan would go for her) and I love it. Speaking of Cardan, the build in their relationship is so well done; a true enemies-to-lovers arc if there ever was one. As much as I know what's really going on with the twist at the end, it still hurt to read. I enjoyed this reread so much that I ended up changing my rating from a 9 to a 10 because I really can't think of anything to criticize about this book.

Bonded By Thorns by Elizabeth Helen (9/10)

I have officially gotten Kindle Unlimited, and I picked this book up on a whim. I've seen some stuff about it on social media, and it was just so much fun. It is very much a fantasy romance with far more focus on the relationships than the plot or worldbuilding, but they definitely weren't lacking. It's clearly a Beauty and the Beast retelling (specifically the Disney version), but the addition of some magical shenanigans and an extra villain really freshen it up. Despite not being a very plot-heavy book, it's a great length that never really drags. A lot of fantasy romances tend to move very slowly, but this one didn't, and I really like it. Also, the love interests are distinct and quite complex. My one dislike lies in the main character, who is very much a typical protagonist for this genre. Easy to read through the eyes of but not exactly super compelling.

Woven By Gold by Elizabeth Helen (8/10)

I immediately picked up the sequel to Bonded By Thorns since it was such a fun read. As with the first one, the romance is very strong and probably my favorite part of the book. Also, we get to know more about the princes (including the evil one) and their complicated pasts with their actions and one another. I felt like Rosalina was adapting a little quickly, but then I remember that she's spent months in the fae world at this point and it seems less unrealistic. As fantasy romances are wont to do, the plot is a little thin and drawn out, but I really only have two major gripes. One, the problem introduced at the end of book one is resolved almost immediately, which was a little unsatisfying, but it did introduce some characters and plot points. Two, the 'big mystery' concerning specifically Rosalina and her family is so obvious. Like, I get that they are not aware of the tropes of the genre they're in, but come on. Surely someone can at least suspect it?

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (9/10)

There are 308 pages in this book. I highlighted something 228 times. I remember when I read this book the first time I was a little disappointed that there wasn't much of the intense scheming that came with The Wicked King, and I take that back. Maybe Jude's plans are a little more straightforward this time around, but even knowing what was going to happen there was still an insane amount of suspense. The relationships in this book are so strong, and not just romantically. Jude and Madoc's fraught parent-child relationship in particular has me riveted; it's incredibly complicated and so good. But also romantically, Jude and Cardan are at the top of their game this book, and it's amazing to see Cardan so unashamedly in love. They deserve their happy ending and to take off their armor, one piece at a time.

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tenebraevesper · 5 months

Text

Five Nights at Freddy's: Nothing Remains, Night 30: Nothing Remains

''This is the end, this is goodbye. Listen for the children singing one last lullaby. One more dance, one more night, the final chance to make it right, crawling back from where you came. Set them free and just be gone, the nightmare's lasted far too long. I will end this where it began, according to plan. Set the stage and let the rage consume you, like a wildfire burning through you. Building a coffin from confetti and confessions, maybe there will be a lesson in the rubble when it's through. Buried in metal and a million memories, the temperature is rising to a thousand degrees! I never ever learned to let it go of the pain, I'll make it all burn till nothing remains!... Nothing remains…''

– Nothing Remains by MandoPony (Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator)

xXxXxXx

Sam had expected that the Showtimes wouldn't be happy to see animatronics that didn't belong to their fun and colourful restaurant to be there, but constantly glaring at her didn't exactly help them get rid of the Nightmares. On the other hand, the Nightmares didn't really care, being focused on their task. She was checking all the entrances to Freddy's, hoping to that the Drawkills would arrive soon, as the waiting made her quite anxious. She knew that she was technically safe, given how she had the Nightmares to keep her safe, as well as the black device that could cause a robot's system to be disrupted; not to mention the fact that Springtrap and Raven were waiting outside in the alley.

She still felt that many things could go wrong for them, but given that this was her idea and how she had already confronted Connor, it was obvious that she couldn't do anything stop. It was a domino effect she had started and she would also end it. At least I can hope that everything will go according to the plan, Sam thought as she paced through the restaurant. On the other hand, is this a good moment to ask myself what the hell I'm even doing? I mean, I made this plan up just last night! What if I had made the wrong decision?

Feeling anxious, she ruffled her hair with both of her hands, groaning in frustration, ''Ow, this is driving me crazy!''

As she looked up, she noticed Nightmare Freddy giving her a weird look. She then looked away, feeling weirded out by her earlier outburst and left without a word of explanation, walking towards the back door. Pull yourself together, Sam! It's not like this is the first time you attempted to burn Connor to ashes! Sam then sighed. On the other hand, it's not like we succeeded. She took another deep breath. Just calm down and focus on what you need to do now. It's not as bad as it looks and you know well that things could always get worse. She felt a knot in her stomach. That doesn't sound really encouraging.

She knew that arguing with herself won't help her in the long run. She had to have faith in her own plan and skills since, if she falters now, the future would be quite bleak. It certainly wasn't foolproof, but, in the end, there was only one person she needed to fool. Just take the damn bait, it's not as if I would expect anything else from you.

She tapped with her foot impatiently, aware that if she doesn't calm down this instance and focus, she might get caught off guard. Minutes passed, feeling like hours. Instead of thinking about the inevitable, Sam found herself wondering what will happen after Connor was finally gone. It was obvious that she and Springtrap would return to their regular life, having not to worry anymore about another serial killer. However, she was curious about what would happen to Raven. She didn't want him to leave, but she understood why Raven felt that there was nothing left for him, especially now that Ricky's had closed for good. Still, she figured that he deserved more than this.

Maybe we could do something about it. It doesn't have to end like this.

xXx

''They're sure taking their time,'' Springtrap muttered, leaned against the wall in the alley.

''Do you think that Sam will be able to handle the Drawkills on her own?'' Raven asked.

''If the situation goes the way she had envisioned it, I don't think she'll have any problems,'' Springtrap replied. ''Besides, I have taught her how to take apart and repair animatronics. All she needs to do is to immobilize the Drawkills and deactivate them. The only thing she'll have to worry about, though, is how much of a fight the Drawkills are going to put up.''

''Maybe they won't,'' Raven suggested. Springtrap just shrugged, with the two falling silent once again. They suddenly heard the back door opening, seeing an anxious Sam exiting the building. Springtrap glanced at Raven, who gave him an encouraging look. ''I think you should talk to her. We still have time and I'll keep an eye out for the Drawkills.''

Springtrap nodded, walking over to Sam, who was looking around and feeling a little lost. However, once she noticed Springtrap approaching her, she cheered up.

''It seems as if this is going to be a long night,'' she said. ''I mean, I'm already freaking out and nothing has happened. It's kind of stupid.''

''No, it's not,'' Springtrap replied in a comforting tone. ''I understand that you're nervous since, unlike last time, this was your plan and you want it to play out flawlessly. And, trust me, I know it will.''

''I guess that you're right,'' Sam said, feeling a little relieved to see Springtrap being so confident about the whole situation. The fact that he was so calm helped her calm down as well and worry a bit less. ''Honestly, I just can't believe that soon everything will be over. I mean, it's been just a couple of weeks since the last time we directly confronted Connor. Nevertheless, I'm glad that things will return to normal once he's gone.''

''Exactly,'' Springtrap said. ''Rest assured, you will be able to carry on with your life without having to worry anymore about an animatronic haunted by a murderer.'' He smiled, adding in a soft tone. ''I think we'll both finally be at peace once this is over.''

''Right,'' Sam said, giving a quick nod. She then lowered her head a bit when Springtrap ruffled her hair playfully, giving him a slightly annoyed look. Then, she hugged him tightly, with Springtrap embracing her. ''Thank you.''

''It's okay,'' Springtrap told her. ''Don't worry, you'll be fine. I mean, you've come a long way since we met.''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, smiling. ''You weren't really keen befriending me back then.''

''Honestly, I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you… and Emma,'' Springtrap added after a moment of pause. Sam chuckled.

''Well, I am glad that you did,'' Sam replied. ''These past weeks were amazing and I'm looking forward to more.''

''I'm glad to hear that,'' Springtrap said as he let go of her. He lowered his head for a moment, then looked back at her, his eyes glowing in a soft purple. ''You know, you still have a lot in front of you. If there's anything I had learned from this, it's that life is too short to let your mistakes drag you down and that you should use every opportunity given to make the best out of it.''

''You certainly did,'' Sam said. ''Although, there's still a lot to work on…''

''I know,'' Springtrap replied, sighing. ''I guess… Well, we can deal with that some other time.''

''I agree,'' Sam said, tilting her head as she realized that there was something that Springtrap couldn't bring himself to tell her. ''Will? What's wrong?''

Springtrap was silent for a moment, wondering how he should express his feelings. He knew that Sam wanted him to be completely honest with her, but it was still difficult for him to admit something he wished he rather kept for himself. However, he knew that Sam probably wouldn't be that much surprised by what was on his mind.

''Honestly, I'm glad that I could refer to you as my daughter,'' he said. ''I… well…''

He noticed Sam smiling, waiting for him to finish the sentence. However, before he could say anything, Raven approached the two.

''Do you hear this?'' he asked. Sam and Springtrap listened, only to hear footsteps echoing through the empty street.

''Yeah,'' Sam muttered, her eyes narrowing. ''You two should leave. If Connor's not with them, go to the hideout.''

''Good luck, Sam,'' Raven told her, with Sam nodding.

''Good luck to you too, Raven,'' she said. ''I hope that this will help you finally find peace.''

''I believe that it will,'' Raven said, smiling. ''Thank you once again.''

He then glanced at Springtrap, giving him a questioning look, and then quickly went back to his spot. Sam turned to Springtrap, smiling confidently.

''I guess we'll talk about this later,'' Sam said. Springtrap stared at her for a moment and then slowly nodded.

''Right,'' he said, feeling crestfallen.

''I'll see you soon, don't worry,'' Sam said, trying to cheer him up, only to notice that Springtrap looked rather upset. ''William…''

Sam was stunned when Springtrap suddenly hugged her. ''I love you… Please, don't forget that.''

''Will…'' Sam muttered, still in shock. Springtrap then let go of her and quickly left, with Sam hearing the Drawkills getting closer. She felt disturbed, with a knot forming in her stomach as she turned around and quickly walked back inside the building. She just had an incredibly bad feeling about the whole situation.

William, why did you tell me this?

xXx

''This is it,'' Drawkill Freddy said, glancing at Drawkill Bonnie, or rather, the animatronic that was now controlled by Connor. ''Are you completely sure about us going inside? What if it's a trap?''

''You forgot that it's not me who should be worried whether it's a trap or not,'' Connor replied, with Drawkill Freddy glaring at him.

Even though Drawkill Bonnie didn't change his expression, there was a tone of amusement in his voice. Drawkill Freddy growled, barely holding himself back from burning the animatronic to ashes. This wasn't his friend, but the man who destroyed the person he cared about. However, even if he damaged Drawkill Bonnie, it wouldn't do anything to Connor, and Connor knew that, deciding to taunt the Drawkill Animatronic simply because he could. He exchanged glances with Drawkill Foxy and Drawkill Chica, who all felt the same.

Nevertheless, they still went along with the plan, with Drawkill Bonnie trailing behind them. They went to the back door, finding it unlocked. Taking a deep breath, Drawkill Freddy pushed the door open. It was quite dark inside, but their eyes were bright enough to illuminate the hallway. They stood at the entrance reluctantly, only for Drawkill Bonnie to push past them.

''Move it, already!'' he yelled at them impatiently, walking down the hallway. The three followed him, still having a bad feeling about this. As they arrived at the main area, Drawkill Bonnie slammed the door open, the sound if the impact echoing through the seemingly empty building. ''Where are you, Afton?''

The four noticed an animatronic moving in the darkness, with Drawkill Bonnie rushing towards him, only to get tackled by another animatronic and pinned down on the floor. Drawkill Freddy, Drawkill Chica and Drawkill Foxy were staring in stunned silence as Drawkill Bonnie struggled against what appeared to be a nightmarish, golden version of Freddy.

''Why are you standing there like idiots?!'' Connor screamed at them, but the Drawkills were quite reluctant to help him. Suddenly, there was a surge of agony, causing the Drawkills to cry out in pain as static briefly covered their vision, forcing them to help Connor.

However, before they could do pry Nightmare Fredbear off of Drawkill Bonnie, Nightmare Freddy, Nightmare Bonnie, Nightmare Chica and Nightmare Foxy appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Drawkill Freddy rose his arms in order to burn them down, but Nightmare Freddy grabbed his arms, attempting to twist them in such way they would point at the Drawkill Animatronic, making Drawkill Freddy unable to use the flamethrowers unless he wanted to damage himself.

Drawkill Chica attempted to slash at Nightmare Chica, who just grabbed her thin arms with her clawed hands, twisting them. She had a much easier time pinning Drawkill Chica down than Nightmare Freddy, as she was much bulkier and stronger than the lanky Drawkill.

Nightmare Bonnie and Nightmare Foxy, however, struggled against Drawkill Foxy, who swung his scythe at them. Nightmare Foxy dodged it, but Nightmare Bonnie got knocked over, with Drawkill Foxy stepping on Nightmare Bonnie's chest and attempting to ram his scythe down his endoskeleton, only to fall on his knees, screeching in pain. Nightmare Bonnie and Nightmare Foxy got up, pinning the writhing Drawkill Foxy against the floor.

Even Drawkill Freddy and Drawkill Chica fell over, feeling the Nightmares restraining them. Drawkill Freddy looked up, despite the static, and noticed that Drawkill Bonnie had stopped flailing, turning limp. He knew that Connor was probably influenced the same way they were and decided to ditch them by disconnecting.

Then, the noise that filled their ears grew lesser and lesser, with the static only briefly crackling before their eyes. They were still subdued, partially due to the pain they felt, partially due to the Nightmare Animatronics, who kept them pinned down on the floor, but they could at least hear and see what was going on around them.

To their surprise, the girl who had accompanied Afton, Sam, stepped out, looking rather irritated. She was holding up her smartphone, with the flashlight function on, and glaring at them, but she gave no sign that she intended to harm them in any way. Drawkill Freddy suddenly realized that this was their chance. Connor was gone and, given their bleak situation, he probably figured that it wouldn't be worth to check on them. He didn't care what would happen to them, especially since it was obvious that Afton was nowhere in sight.

''I'm assuming that Connor had decided to send you over here instead of coming here by himself,'' Sam said, crossing her arms.

''You're right, except that he used Drawkill Bonnie as his puppet in order to navigate around,'' Drawkill Freddy told her, flinching as static briefly crackled across his field of vision. Sam turned to Nightmare Fredbear, who was currently poking Drawkill Bonnie, being confused that the latter wasn't responding at all.

''What exactly happened to him?'' she asked.

''He got fed up with Connor and decided to let Raven go, then basically told Connor to screw himself,'' Drawkill Freddy explained. ''Afterwards, Connor had turned him into a mindless puppet.''

''I see,'' Sam muttered, walking away and turning the lights on and turning the flashlight on her smartphone off. She glanced at the the Showtimes who were standing on the stage, each of them having glowing eyes and glaring at her. She just shrugged sheepishly and turned back to the Drawkills.

''D-Did Raven manage to find you?'' Drawkill Freddy suddenly asked, closing his eyes as static covered his vision again when Sam approached him.

''He did, and he also told me that you didn't reveal to Connor where I live,'' Sam said, with Drawkill Freddy looking up at her, as if waiting for her judgement. After all, she could do now whatever she wanted with them, as they were basically at her mercy. Sam kept quiet for a moment, then took a deep breath, continuing, ''Okay, I'll want to keep this conversation short. What exactly do you want?''

''What do you mean, lass?'' Drawkill Foxy asked.

''I want to know, if you were free from Connor's influence, would you help me, Springtrap and Raven to destroy him?'' Sam asked them. The three Drawkills stared at her in shock, completely baffled by her question. Eventually, Drawkill Freddy broke the silence.

''We would gladly assist you with taking care of Connor,'' he told her. ''However, I doubt we would be much of a help since Connor had installed a couple of devices that help him control us, similarly to what you did to us.''

''You mean this?'' Sam held up a black device, with the three Drawkills nodding. ''I could remove it, though.''

''Seriously? You would want to help us?'' Drawkill Chica asked, then shook her head, twitching as she tried to ignore the noise that would randomly fill her ears.

''There is a catch, though,'' Sam told them. ''As long as you swear that you won't hurt anyone, that you won't just go outside and murder people, I am willing to give you a chance.''

''Despite the fact that we hurt you…'' Drawkill Chica trailed off.

''You've been following Connor's orders at the time, right?'' Sam asked her, with Drawkill Chica nodding. ''Besides, I know that Connor is insane and going by what Raven told me about how he had treated you, perhaps you should have the freedom to decide what you want to do.'' Her eyes then narrowed. ''However, if you decide not to honor the condition I gave you, I won't have any other choice, but to take you apart and scrap you.''

The Drawkills were silent at first, turning their heads towards each other and nodding. Drawkill Freddy then turned to Sam.

''We promise,'' he said. ''If you help us, we swear that we will leave you alone and that we won't hurt anyone.''

''As long as the only person we are allowed to murder is Connor,'' Drawkill Foxy added.

''That is, if he can be murdered,'' Drawkill Chica added in a dry tone.

Sam stared at them for a moment, with the Drawkills fearing that they hadn't managed to convince her to aid them, only for her to nod approvingly.

''Okay,'' she said, turning the black device off. The Drawkills sighed in relief, the headache they felt vanishing. Sam then turned to the Nightmare Animatronics, who were still a bit doubtful about the Drawkills. ''You can let them go now.''

As the Nightmares stepped away, all of the Drawkills save for Drawkill Bonnie stood up. Drawkill Freddy looked at him grimly, then turned to Sam.

''Do you think that you might be able to repair Bonnie?'' he asked.

''I could take a look at him,'' Sam said. ''For this, I need to know what exactly Connor had done to him.''

''So, if you do figure it out, you would really do that?'' Drawkill Freddy asker her, with Sam giving him a questioning look. ''I know that I'm just repeating myself, but it's still shocking to me that you'd try to help us out, despite the fact that we attempted to harm you.''

''I am willing to trust you, as long as you trust me,'' Sam said, with the Drawkills feeling a little confused. ''In order to remove those devices, I will have to deactivate each of you.'' She tilted her head slightly. ''Would you really be willing to go along with that? After all, there's always the fear that I might just leave you completely deactivated.''

''Still, that would be a more preferable fate than being Connor's minion,'' Drawkill Freddy told her in a calm, serious tone. Sam was a little surprised at first, but then nodded, glancing at Drawkill Bonnie.

I guess that I can finally put my skills as a technician, as well as my knowledge from what William had taught me, to the test.

xXx

''You know, telling Sam that…'' Raven muttered as he and Springtrap walked through the streets towards Connor's hideout, both of them carrying cans filled with gasoline. After only seeing the Drawkills appearing at Freddy's, they both left quickly. ''You should've told her the truth.''

''I simply couldn't…'' Springtrap admitted, feeling guilty about keeping his intentions secret from Sam. However, he was glad that he had managed to tell her what he felt he should've told her a long time ago. ''We should focus now on our current task.''

''I guess that there's no way to tell what words should be a proper goodbye,'' Raven continued, ignoring Springtrap's earlier statement. ''She is going to be devastated.''

''I know, but it's for her best,'' Springtrap replied. ''I am aware that I'm not the one who should decide what's good for her, but given what I've done, I feel that it still would be the best if I remove myself from her life.'' He smiled. ''Nevertheless, I am proud that I got to see her grow out of her shell. It's been a rough start, but I can finally say that I have no regrets.''

''Really?'' Raven cast him a suspicious look, with Springtrap falling silent. ''You know, I believe that even the happiest man on Earth, if he were to die in peace, might still hold some doubts about his life, so why wouldn't you?''

''I admit, if it were up to me, I would've stayed, but we're talking about Sam's life,'' Springtrap replied. ''She has suffered enough because of me, becoming not only Connor's target, but also the victim of those who I wronged. This way, she would have the opportunity to finally live a normal life.''

''She won't forget about her experiences, though,'' Raven replied. ''I am aware that I know very little about the relationship between you two, but I am quite sure that she'll question for the rest of her life why you decided to leave her and whether it could've been prevented somehow.''

''I know, but I believe that she will eventually understand,'' Springtrap replied. ''This is where I want to be.''

Raven kept silent, aware that neither of them would return from this task. He had already embraced the freedom his own death would bring him, but he had to question Springtrap's decision. If the latter cared so much about Sam, why would he go so far to break her heart? Not to mention, there was also the question just for how long had Springtrap planned his to happen? Was Connor's demise just an excuse for him to leave, or had he made his decision long before Raven contacted him?

I guess that some question should remain unanswered.

xXx

''…''

''Hello? Bonnie?''

''Wh-''

''Oi, mate!''

''Wha-''

''Please, tell me that this worked.''

''What ha-''

''For his sake, give him a moment!''

''What happened?'' Drawkill Bonnie muttered as he tried to get up. His vision was entirely black and he had to tap around to figure out that he was lying on the ground. ''I can't- I can't see!''

''Then open your eyes, you dumbass!''

Drawkill Bonnie suddenly opened his eyes, having to wait for a moment to get adjusted to the bright light. He could see Drawkill Freddy, Drawkill Chica and Drawkill Foxy surrounding him, with Drawkill Chica being the one who yelled at him. All of them showed expressions that were a mix of worry and relief.

''What's going on? Where are we?'' Drawkill Bonnie asked them as he sat up. Then, it hit him. ''Wait, how come I'm talking to you?! I thought Connor had deactivated me!''

''Well, you weren't completely deactivated.'' Drawkill Bonnie looked up, shocked to see Sam walking up to him. ''Luckily for you, that bastard only disconnected the CPU, among other things, but I was able to fix that.''

''You?! But, why would you-'' Drawkill Bonnie was too shocked to say anything.

''Your friends made a promise that you wouldn't hurt anyone if I help you, and I hope that you will keep your word,'' Sam told him, looking at the rest of the Drawkills as well, who all nodded in agreement. ''As for Connor, Springtrap and Raven are on their way to burn him to ashes.''

''That is, if they manage to get past Ricky and his friends,'' Drawkill Freddy said, with Sam suddenly turning towards him in surprise.

''Wait, what?!'' She stared at him in disbelief.

''You don't know?'' Drawkill Freddy gave her a confused look. ''Connor had told us that he would move Ricky and his company to his hideout after Ricky's Wonder Shack had closed. I thought you'd be aware of that.''

''No, I wasn't!'' Sam replied, almost yelling at him. ''Springtrap, Raven and I thought that we'd only have to deal with you.''

''I'm sorry, I should've mentioned it earlier,'' Drawkill Freddy apologized, realizing that they wouldn't be getting rid of Connor so easily.

''We need to go over there,'' Sam frowned, still upset about the revelation.

''Of course, we will go there,'' Drawkill Chica said. ''After all, you, Raven and Afton are not the only ones who want to see that bastard burn.''

''Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on?'' Drawkill Bonnie interrupted them, feeling completely out of place. ''Also, who are these guys?!''

He pointed at the Nightmare Animatronics, who had been standing aside, giving him a suspicious look. Having fulfilled their task of restraining the Drawkills, they stepped back, occasionally helping Sam while she was removing the devices that helped Connor control the Drawkills. Nevertheless, they were still ready fight back against the Drawkills if the situation called for it. Drawkill Foxy put his hand on Drawkill Bonnie's shoulder.

''It's a long story mate, but I'll explain it to you on our way to the warehouse,'' he said. Sam meanwhile turned to the Nightmare Animatronics.

''Please, clean this up,'' she told them, pointing at the wires, metallic parts and tools she used to fix the Drawkills. ''Then, you can return to the Sister Location. I'll go get Springtrap and Raven.''

''Good luck, then,'' Nightmare Freddy nodded, with him and the rest walking away. Sam then turned to Drawkill Freddy, a determined look on her expression.

''Where is Connor?''

xXx

''Over there,'' Raven said as he pointed at a small abandoned warehouse. Springtrap frowned, noting that the warehouse was actually a good hiding place. It was in walking distance from the town, but secluded enough for people not to notice it at first glance. ''Going by what Connor had told me, Wolfrun Corporation used to own it at some point, so he knew that it would be a perfect place for him to stay there since they had left a lot of tools and animatronic parts there.''

''I assume that they won't mind if we burn it down then,'' Springtrap said in a slightly amused tone. ''It's not like they're going to use it again.''

''You and Sam appear to have a thing for burning down public property,'' Raven said sarcastically. Springtrap snorted.

''I have to admit, this was the method my old partner, Henry, used to take me down,'' he replied. ''I can assure you that it worked, but we need to make sure that Connor doesn't escape.''

''Then, what do you suggest?'' Raven asked.

''We'll try to cover one room in gasoline and, if we get lucky, Connor as well,'' Springtrap replied. ''Once we start the fire, we'll hold him down in order to prevent him from escaping.''

''Sounds good to me,'' Raven said.

He and Springtrap then walked over to the entrance to the warehouse, opening the door and peeking inside. Nobody appeared to be there and the two quickly entering the building, with Raven leading the way.

''This way,'' he whispered as they entered a narrow corridor, with Springtrap noticing a door at the end of it. The two then stopped when they heard footsteps behind them, only to see Dahlia and Quentin walking towards them. ''What are they doing here?!''

''Damn it!'' Springtrap cursed, realizing that they may have underestimated Connor. Considering how Ricky's Wonder Shack had closed, he should've assumed that Connor would still try to use the animatronics in some way. However, he wasn't going to let that bastard win. He suddenly charged at Dahlia, swinging the can with the gasoline at her and managing to hit her in the head. Raven followed his example, knocking Quentin over and stomping at him for good measure.

However, the two Misfits wouldn't stay down so easily. Quentin managed to grab Raven's leg, with the blackbird animatronic being thrown off balance for a moment. Nevertheless, before Quentin could knock him over, Raven slammed the heavy can against his head, then lifted it and slammed it down again, smashing into Quentin's face. Meanwhile, Springtrap slammed the can against Dahlia and grabbed her head, reaching for the wires within her endoskeleton and pulling them out. The animatronic shook for a moment and fell over. He then turned to Raven, a little shocked to see that the blackbird animatronic's blows had managed to destroy Quentin's face. His jaw was loose and several pieces of metal flew out, with an eye lying on the ground next to him. Springtrap quickly reached for the wires, disconnecting them.

''There's no way Connor didn't hear this,'' he said as he and Raven got up.

''You're right about that Afton.''

Springtrap and Raven suddenly turned around, only to see Max, Ricky and Virgil standing in front of them, with Connor standing behind the animatronics.

''Something tells me that you were waiting for us,'' Springtrap said.

''I'd be lying if I said that I didn't expect something to happen, especially since that girl disabled the Drawkills,'' Connor replied, then grinned. ''Nevertheless, I have you now exactly where I wanted.''

''That's where you're wrong,'' Springtrap replied, briefly glancing at Raven, who loosened the cap on his can. At the same moment Connor realized what Raven was about to do, the blackbird animatronic threw the can of gasoline at the Misfits and Connor, splashing them. However, before Springtrap could use the lighter they brought, Ricky, Max and Virgil charged at them, knocking them over.

Max had managed to pin Raven down via his cutlass, piercing the blackbird's suit, but luckily missing the vital parts of his endoskeleton. Ricky and Virgil, meanwhile, had restrained Springtrap, who attempted to kick them away. He managed to briefly knock Virgil away, but Ricky grabbed his arm and twisted it, with Virgil managing to grab the other one. Springtrap stopped fighting, aware that he needed a new plan. He glared at Connor, who snorted.

''Did you really think that you would win?'' he asked.

''Don't worry, I'm not done with you yet,'' Springtrap replied. ''Your time is out, Connor.''

''I doubt that. Also, I'm known as the Hunter now,'' Connor replied confidently, only for his voice to fall flat when Springtrap started to laugh at him.

''Seriously? At least my nickname makes sense given that I was named after the very contraption that caused my death,'' Springtrap told him in a mocking tone, with Connor glaring daggers at him. ''You, on the other hand, never hunted anyone, but instead hid in this place like a coward while leaving others to do the dirty work for you.''

''How dare you?! You did this to me Afton!'' Connor yelled at Springtrap, pointing at the hybrid of his decaying body and filthy animatronic suit.

''Yes, and I wish that I had managed to murder you when I had the chance instead of letting you return as a possessed animatronic,'' Springtrap told him. ''I know what you want from me Connor and, rest assured, your attempts of attaining pseudo-immortality are futile. You will eventually decay and perish, with no one by your side to help you. What you did to those people did nothing to help you accomplish your goal.''

''What are you talking about?'' Connor asked, feeling rather anxious.

''I know that you fear death as much as you're fascinated by it,'' Springtrap said. ''However, nothing you do will keep you alive.'' He frowned, his eyes flaring up in a dark purple. ''The moment you decided that it was your right to take away someone's life, you made a dangerous enemy. You absolutely disgust me and I'd be delighted to see you burn to ashes.''

Connor was taken back at first, with Springtrap seeing the fear in his eyes. He smirked, enjoying the sight. Whether it was his ability or Connor actually being afraid of him, it didn't matter. All he wanted was for Connor to suffer for all eternity.

xXx

''So, that's what happened…'' Drawkill Bonnie muttered after Drawkill Foxy had explained the situation to him. They hurried down a street, almost running as they got closer and closer to the hideout, with the only thing that prevented Sam from breaking into a sprint being the fact that she didn't know where exactly the building was. Nevertheless, they had managed to find it in record time, as this time, it was the place they weren't afraid to return to.

''This is it, right?'' Sam asked Drawkill Freddy, who nodded. She then attempted to run inside, only for Drawkill Freddy to grab her arm. ''Hey, what are you-?! Let me go!''

''I'm afraid that I can't,'' Drawkill Freddy told her. ''You've done your part, but you should leave this to us.''

''What?'' Sam stopped fighting back, staring at Drawkill Freddy in disbelief.

''No offense, but we have no idea what might happen and we don't want you to get hurt,'' Drawkill Freddy replied.

''But…'' Sam protested, only for Drawkill Chica to interrupted her.

''This was part of our promise, wasn't it? To not let people get hurt,'' she said. ''That includes you.''

''I didn't-'' Sam stared at them, trying to come up with an excuse.

''Don't forget, we're still just machines, so we can be repaired,'' Drawkill Foxy added. ''You on the other hand, lass, might die for good if you go inside.''

''But, Springtrap and Raven...'' Sam attempted to fight back.

''Don't worry, we will get them out of there,'' Drawkill Freddy told her. Sam didn't reply this time, only nodding in agreement, but still looked quite desperate. She was afraid for Springtrap and Raven's safety and she wanted them back. Still, she knew that Springtrap would never forgive himself in the case she got hurt.

The Drawkills then went to the building, all four of them ready to tear Connor apart. It didn't take them long to find the room he was at, as they could hear him screaming at someone. The person he was screaming at laughed coldly, causing Connor to shut up. As the Drawkills entered a rather familiar corridor, they noticed a strange liquid splattered on the floor, along with a two cans of gasoline and a lighter.

''I see,'' Drawkill Freddy muttered, kicking the lighter away. ''Bonnie and Foxy, take those and start spilling them around. Don't waste all of it. Once I tell you to leave, you need to get out unless you want to be trapped in the fire.''

''Got it, chief,'' Drawkill Bonnie said, happily picking up one of the cans.

The four then made their way further down the corridor, having already figured out that the voices came from the room in front of them. They all knew that it was time to finally confront their creator.

xXx

''I won't let myself get humiliated like this,'' Connor said angrily, glaring at Springtrap, who was still being restrained by Ricky and Virgil. He then turned back to his tools, having decided that he would take the animatronic apart since it was clear that Afton was no use to him. If he wouldn't give him the answers he needed, he would experiment on him. ''I will not let them take me!''

''What are you talking about?'' Springtrap asked. Connor then suddenly turned to him, holding up a wrench.

''Those voices, they're driving me crazy,'' Connor told him. ''They won't leave me alone! However, if I find a way to stay alive longer, they won't take me!''

Springtrap was taken aback, looking around the room. He didn't see any spirit nor did her hear anything, realizing that Connor was hallucinating them. The more he broke down, the worse his hallucinations got.

''There's nothing that can save you,'' Springtrap told him. Connor suddenly turned to him, holding up an axe, staring at Springtrap gleefully.

However, before he could do anything, the door suddenly broke open, with the Drawkills rushing into the room. Shocked, Connor let the axe fall out of his hands, being only able to stare as the Drawkills started a fight against Ricky, Max and Virgil.

Drawkill Chica slashed with the sharp tips on her arms at Max, who let go of Raven in order to fend her off. He attempted to cut her down with his cutlass, but she just ripped it out of his hands and stabbed him into his head, causing him to stumble back and fall over.

Ricky and Virgil had been blindsided by Drawkill Bonnie and Drawkill Foxy, who hit them both with the cans, causing them to stumble. Drawkill Foxy's can had also been open, splashing the animatronics, while Drawkill Bonnie opened his and started to joyfully pour the gasoline around the room. Drawkill Freddy meanwhile tackled Ricky, grabbing his arms and then activated the flamethrowers. The animatronic screeched as flames erupted around him, stumbling as he attempted to get away from the heat. Instead, he got kicked by Drawkill Freddy, falling over. At the same time, Drawkill Foxy, slashed through Virgil with his scythe.

Springtrap and Raven were stunned by the turn of events, realizing that the Drawkills were on their side this time. They heard movement behind them, turning around and noticing that Connor was kicking away a bunch of boxes that covered the door at the far end of the room, trying to escape desperately. Raven ran after him, while Springtrap turned to Drawkill Freddy.

''Where's Sam?''

''She's waiting for you and Raven outside,'' Drawkill Freddy replied.

''What?! Why have you brought her here?'' Springtrap asked him angrily.

Drawkill Freddy stared at Springtrap in stunned silence, only to react when the latter turned around, following Raven. He looked back at his companions.

''Get out of this place, now!'' he said.

''But, what about you?'' Drawkill Chica asked.

''I'll back soon,'' Drawkill Freddy replied. ''However, you need to make sure that Sam doesn't run into this building.''

''What are you-'' Drawkill Bonnie attempted to ask, but was cut off by Drawkill Freddy, who took away the remaining can of gasoline.

''Go!'' he yelled at them. Then, he turned around, following Springtrap and Raven.

xXx

''You won't get away!'' Raven yelled after Connor as he stumbled into the room, frantically searching for something to defend himself with. He had attempted earlier to gain control over the Drawkills once they broke inside the room, but nothing happened. Having assumed that Sam somehow deactivated his the devices he implanted into them, he had no other choice but to escape.

However, before he could do that, he was slammed down by Raven and Springtrap, falling on the ground. Both of them pinned him on the floor, each holding one of his arms down. Connor whimpered in fear, trying to fight back, but was completely helpless.

''Honestly, there is something cathartic about this,'' Raven said, staring at Connor. ''You know, this was Bran's last wish. He wanted to see the monster who used to be his friend perish without a chance to return.''

Connor gasped, almost crying and glanced at Springtrap, who just glared daggers at him. He then lifted his head as he heard someone else entering the room, realizing that it was Drawkill Freddy. Without a word, the Drawkill Animatronic started to cover their surroundings in gasoline, eventually throwing away the empty can. He then walked up to Connor, glaring at him, his glowing eyes filled with nothing but hatred for his creator.

''This is what you deserve,'' he said, pointing his arms at the liquid and setting it on fire. Flames surrounded them, with Drawkill Freddy taking a step back, looking at Raven and Springtrap. ''Is this the ending you desire?''

Raven nodded.

''I have a promise to fulfill,'' he said, then smiled. ''It was nice meeting you guys.''

Drawkill Freddy nodded and turned to Springtrap.

''She is still waiting for you,'' he said.

''I have made my decision,'' Springtrap said. ''I am just trying to make things right. The nightmare's lasted far too long and I will end this where it began. I want everything to burn, till nothing remains.''

Drawkill Freddy lowered his head, stepping back and holding his arms up, aiming them at Connor, Raven and Springtrap.

''I'm sorry,'' he whispered.

Flames then erupted from his arms, blasting through the room and setting everything on fire. He then turned around, closing the door behind him, and started to light up all the gasoline, leaving a trail of flames behind him as he exited the room and walked down the corridor.

Soon, everything that was left was smoke and fire.

xXx

Springtrap turned to Connor, who screamed in fear as the flames engulfed him, only for him to stop. Whether he realized that it was no use or his voice box malfunctioned, Springtrap had no idea. He exchanged one last look with Raven, who seemed to be at peace with his fate.

''Thank you,'' he said, the fire burning away his arms and legs, his black feathers being eaten by the flames. The glow in his eyes slowly faded, but he was still managing to hold Connor down.

''I'm glad that I could help you,'' Springtrap replied, then turned his head away. The fur on his arms was burning away, the fire having already engulfed the lower part of his body, leaving his chest and head still in-tact. He then turned to Connor, whose eyes were filled with fear. ''There's nothing that can save you now.''

''Father…''

Springtrap lifted his head suddenly, surprised to hear a familiar voice. In the corner of the room, he saw Michael, Elizabeth and Sammy staring at him in shock. Being spirits, the flames couldn't harm them.

''Is this what you had in mind all along when you told us that we wouldn't have to worry about you anymore?'' Michael asked him, with Springtrap nodding. ''You know that you won't see us ever again after this?''

''I know, but if this is the price I have to pay for you to finally be able to be at peace, then it was worth it,'' Springtrap told him. ''I'm just happy that I could meet you all one last time.''

Michael was stunned, seemingly wanting to add something, but he didn't. He, Elizabeth and Sammy gave him a somber look, nodding in acknowledgement and then vanishing. Springtrap then turned back too Connor, whose glowing eyes grew dimmer and dimmer as the remnant that held his soul and suit together started to break apart. He smirked, locking eyes with him.

''I am not afraid of going back to Hell,'' Springtrap said, his eyes flaring up in a dark purple. ''Are you?''

xXx

Sam and the rest of the Drawkills waited outside, only to see flames and smoke suddenly erupting from the building. A few seconds later, Drawkill Freddy walked out. Sam looked behind him in anticipation, but only to realize that he was alone.

''Where are Springtrap and Raven? Why did they come out?!'' Sam questioned him, fear and panic surging through her body. ''What happened?!''

She stared in horror at Drawkill Freddy as he just shook his head, the realization hitting her.

''No…'' she whispered, tears filling the corners of her eyes. ''Please, don't tell me… Springtrap…''

''I'm sorry…'' Drawkill Freddy told her, placing his hand on her shoulder. ''This is what he desired.''

Sam started to shake, tearing Drawkill Freddy's hand off her shoulder and turning towards the building, which was now engulfed in smoke and flames. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and she started sobbing, completely heartbroken.

''William!''

She screamed in despair, but she knew that it was no use. He couldn't hear her anymore. She could hear the Drawkills walking away, abandoning her, but at this point, she didn't want anyone around her. She fell on her knees and broke down crying, remembering William's last words to her.

''I love you… Please, don't forget that.''

She sobbed, feeling cold and empty. All her memories, all her emotions, everything that she felt and experienced at this point… And it was those words that completely shattered her heart.

''William… You idiot!''

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