#duskwood episode 1 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lyon-amore · 2 years

Text

What if...? Duskwood

Story of ‘What if instead of Jake and MC meeting each other on chat, they had the conversation face to face?’ I added a bit of conversation between Jake and MC, to give it a more realistic touch that they are face to face. The conversation in the chats and with Jake are all directly from the Spanish translation, so you will find it different. I hope you like it ^^

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I said we're not going to cover that story!" my superior, Christian, yells at me in front of everyone. "But he's innocent!” I shout exasperated with that man we always end up fighting ”I've been investigating and there are many things we can report-" "Listen, baby,” I roll my eyes at that nickname, I know he doesn't mean flirtation, but rather as an insult for being younger than him ”I've been working on this for more years than you. We're not the police, we don't show evidence, we just report.” He taps me on the shoulder authoritatively. ”Here you are not the daughter of a famous policeman, here you are a common journalist, do you understand? ” I bite my tongue, avoiding insulting him or complaining about how he talked to me. He was my superior, I just corrected the misspellings in the news. "That's clear, Mr. Jones." I put on my charming smile, swallowing my anger. "Fine." He pats me on the shoulder and leaves. I return to my table. I take a breath. I grab my bag, open it and scream into it. Pissed off. "Christian again?" I hear Lian, feeling her stroke my hair like a worried mother. "That guy drives me nuts." I look up, dropping my bag back on the dangling chair. "I'm the only person in this place that he bothers. Only me!" "Perhaps he likes you?" I raise my head, arching my eyebrow with a 'Really?' in my eyes. She laughs and I put my head in my hands. "Well, if he likes me, he's terrible." I try to calm down a bit. It was a shame that Christian was a clean guy when it came to not hiding anything. He saw him and was very clear about things. Except he had a huge ego "Guys who act like kids don't go for me." "Maybe the 'master and submissive' thing suits him." she replies thoughtfully, while caressing her pregnant belly. “Thanks for giving me that image in my head, ug…" She laughs again and gives me a loving squeeze on my shoulder before leaving. I see in my folder all the information I had for the news. Fuck everything I had researched. I have to correct someone else's spelling mistakes. Meanwhile, Mr. Jones has to tell the only thing that has been known so far. I can’t take this. I grab my bag and my jacket. I turn off the computer screen and leave before break time. I need to calm down a bit. As I wait for the elevator, my phone rings. A message. I pick it up to turn it off, but am surprised to see that the message is from someone I don't know. No one at all that I don't know has my number. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Hello? Are you there? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I look at the message a couple of times, until I dare to reply. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Macie Do I know you? Thomas I don't know ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The named Thomas writes and deletes the message. I enter the elevator and hit the first floor. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas It doesn't matter how I say it... It's crazy I've been through it so many times Wait a minute I have to go for the others Don’t go offline ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I see how little by little he is getting people into the group, which means that I understands the situation much less and less. Cleo, Richy, Lilly, Dan... None of those names ring a bell. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dan You're not going to do it now, are you... Thomas Dan, please shut up ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I blink a couple of times. There seems to be some tension between them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Macie Uh, I'm a little confused Thomas Sorry, I already have it ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The one called Dan and Cleo talk about me like I'm not there. He bring in another girl, this time called Jessy, how many more people are you going to bring to this group and why do I have to be here? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Macie What is all this about? Thomas Okay Let's see how I say it Dan Wow that's great 👌 Lilly Who are you? And how do you know my sister? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "But who does this girl think she is?" I muttered under my breath, stepping out of the elevator. I can tell from the speed at which she has written that she is nervous and angry. As if I'm to blame for 'Who knows what' she's referring to. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Macie But aren't you the ones who invited ME? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As I get further away from the building, I find out a little more about the situation. A girl named Hannah Donfort had disappeared three days ago. Mysteriously, that girl had passed my phone number to the boy named Thomas. But I wonder: If I don't know this girl, how come she has my phone number? As I have thought before, no one should have it. If she has it, there's only one thing that comes to mind and I'd rather not think about it. The incredible thing is that all this interests me. The blood of an investigator runs through my veins, it's normal that it calls my attention, but why my number? << Why? Why? Why?>> Ugh… How easy it would be to have Hannah in front of me so I could ask her some questions, about why me. I was so immersed in the conversation that I even got on the bus and went to the park near my old apartment. At the moment I didn't want to go back to work and have to see the face of that idiot Christian again. Oh… If I could, I'd make him shut up, but I can't. "If he wasn't such an idiot, it would even be interesting…" I murmured to myself. I continue the conversation with Thomas this time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Macie Didn't you go to the police with my number? Thomas Exact I wanted to, but The message that Hannah had sent me has suddenly disappeared ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "What?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Macie It was deleted? Thomas I don't know It wasn’t me! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oh… This is interesting! Did the missing girl delete my phone number? It's proof that she couldn't blame her boyfriend for her disappearance. Why would she? Unless… It wasn't her who deleted it. "Oh… This is too exciting…" I murmured, clutching the phone. I felt again like that 15-year-old teenager helping her father. I try to be understanding of Thomas, also understanding how concerned he should be. If he really was the culprit, he must have known my number somehow, because choosing one when doing so to blame someone innocent? That was being cold-blooded. And without the message, he can't go to the police either, they would think he was guilty of his disappearance. No evidence: Instantly suspicious. We stop talking because he has to go pick up his brother and I realize I'm running late. I should get back to work now. I get to the bus stop and sit down. Had I known I was going to take this walk, I wouldn't have worn them. Two cats come up to me and rub against my legs. In this area there were quite a few stray cats and these, in particular, used to give them food. "Hey, hello little ones," I pet one and listen to how it purrs. "How are you, Salem?" I ask the black cat, while the gray asks me to pet her too "Do you want too, Mary?" I hold out my hand and hear a notification. I hope it's not from work, it's enough that I left without warning. "A chat between Dan and Jessy?" I ask myself, as I read the conversation. They say that curiosity killed the cat, right? Well, reading this private conversation, I must have killed everyone in the neighborhood, because I never imagined that this could be done. It was like reading the transcripts of messages from suspects. My heart raced the more I read. I even stopped petting the cats because of the distraction. Sadly, the conversation ends. But not before seeing that someone named '???' has added me. "What?" "And? What do you think?” I hear a male voice behind me, which makes my skin crawl because of the calm tone. I turn and in the alley, there is a boy leaning on one of the corners of the building, hidden in the shadows. I start to analyze him. Observe him: He must measure at least one eighty. Everything he wear is black. From the sweatshirt, to the sports ones. Nothing flashy that can be identified. He has black, neck-length, wavy hair. It doesn't look like it's been fixed either, because he has a three-day stubble, as if he doesn't much care. But I admit, he looks great on it, even attractive. His green eyes stand out against the dark tone of his hair. Tired eyes, but he has an intense look. He doesn't look very old, although his tired look makes him seem so. I'm sureI think he is doing the same thing as me. He is also watching me. << Why does my face burn? >> "I don't know what you mean." I reply, trying to keep my composure. "The chat between Jessy and Dan." Even though he doesn't smile with his lips, he does with his eyes. Almost as if he was proud of himself. I would also bet on his tone of voice. "It was me. That's why you were able to read their conversation." What did I think? Part of me wants to refuse to answer him. As if I don't want to give him the pride of saying that I loved it, but my lips move on their own and my brain doesn't react to the man in front of me. "It was exciting." I reply, a little embarrassed. He lets out a small laugh, flipping his cell phone over. "I'm glad." He looks me straight in the eye. He is a stranger... Maybe he's even crazy or a pervert... So why am I so fascinated by him? "In fact, I expected such a reaction" Okay, my mood has changed. I frown thinking he's another Christian, an idiot with an ego. "You caught my attention.” I press the phone against my chest, trying to calm down. "It is important that you know things that others don't know. " "What do you mean?" I ask, standing firm now. "Let's not talk here" I see how he puts on a black mask and raises the hood—Would you like a coffee? " "What? It's just that I- "I turn and watch my bus drive away. I hadn't even noticed that it had arrived "Great... " "Follow me." Mister Mysterious begins to walk quickly and I follow him. We don't speak on the way, but I see him looking over his shoulder at me, checking to see if I'm there. All this is very strange. First my phone number and now this guy has made me see a private conversation. We arrive at the cafeteria where I always went and he sits at a table away from everyone. I let out a sigh, coming to the table and sitting down across from him. "Aren't you going to take that off?" I ask, leaving my bag on the chair. "I'm fine like this." he answers, looking into my eyes. "If that makes you comfortable." I guess he's shy. The waitress walks over and smiles. Obviously me. "Macie!" She Exclaims me happily "We haven't seen you around here for years, how are you?" "Very well, Ana." I nod, with a small laugh. "Should I bring you the usual?" "Yes of course." “And you?” she asks, looking at the man. Mister Mysterious doesn't answer, he just looks at me. "The same as me," I answer for him, after a long silence. "Is it something about your job?" The waitress leans in and whispers to me, never taking her eyes off him. "Yeah, don't worry, I don't think he bites." I teased, trying to get him to hear. I watch as he rolls his eyes and the waitress walks off, leaving us alone. "That way she stays calm," I comment, placing my hands on the table and interlacing them, I felt as if I were questioning him. "You don't mind that I asked for you, right?" "No, you've been... Kind." I'd like to know if behind that mask there's a smile or maybe he's serious, but the intensity of his gaze makes me think he is grateful. "Thank you," I smile, showing myself calm. This whole situation is too exciting, almost from a movie. But it's more my instincts as an investigator that makes me interested "Why don't you tell me your name? I think I deserve to know knowing that you have invited me to a coffee. " “Actually, I asked if you wanted one, not that I'm going to pay for it.” He leans across the table. I smiled seeing that he just loosened up a bit and cleared her throat. "Let's see, in short" his countenance changes, now he seems more serious. He doesn't seem so eerily charming anymore. “My identity is irrelevant. Let's not waste time with irrelevant questions." "I think I have a right to know who I'm dealing with, don't you?" I lean in too, whispering. "Like I said, you don't need to know," he says harshly. "I don't need you to tell me about your life either, it doesn't help us." "Okay, you're the boss, Mister Mysterious." I accept the coffee they bring and take a sip. "I witnessed the kidnapping." I nearly choked on my coffee. This is not what I expected "This is all you need to know for now.” I remain silent, listening to his deep voice so as not to attract attention. I don't think I've ever wanted to hear a voice like that so much before. "I'm in possession of passwords, emails, I have access to private accounts.” He holds out his hand to me, while in the other he takes out her mobile. "Your cellphone." "I'm not going to give you my phone." I say, uncomfortable after what he has confessed to me. “Do you want to know more?” There was a hint of mischief in his voice. Which makes me give up. Resigned, I hand him my phone and see that he connects one cable to his and another to mine. I swear that if I get a virus... "I'm sticking you a little program to help you." I arch an eyebrow doubtfully. "Don't worry, it's not a bad thing,” he answers me, calmer. "I'll provide you with information that will help you understand everything.” He finishes with my phone and hands it back to me. You may not like them, but they will help you find Hannah." "I think I'm going to call you Mister Hacker' instead of 'Mister Mysterious'." I let out a huge load of air, surprised. "Call me whatever you like," I notice in his voice a certain tone of amusement, did he find it funny? "I'm just going to ask you something.” He lowers his mask again, as if it were only me letting me see his face. His eyes, intense again, but his words stick as he speaks them. “Trust me." At that moment I analyze his expression. He doesn't want to show it, but he seems desperate. My breath catches after hearing him say those words. I don't know how long I stare at him, but with the look on his face, that's all I need to know. "I trust you." I answered, unable to look away from his green eyes. "I'll give you access to Hannah's cloud." He puts on his mask and points to my phone, where he has installed the program for me. "With some grace you will be able to search the data…" "Can you explain it to me better?" I ask as I shake the phone. "As you can see, I'm not an expert in this." "Let's see," he sits better in his chair and I see how he moves his hands as he explains, as if he's nervous, maybe being here? "There are all kinds of files in Hannah's cloud. You must decipher each one of them in order to access.” I nod and continue. "I don't know what you will find either. Prepare for the worst,” I blink in surprise, but what kind of person is Hannah? Is she an undercover criminal and is the FBI looking for her or what? For him to be warned of something like this, I imagine someone who may be in serious trouble. "But there's a good chance of finding a lot of useful things." I see him frown at my expression, like he's worried. "Are you okay?" "Yeah…" I sigh and nod. "Ok." "Fine," he sighs too and I see his shoulders relax. "If you find a useful file in Hannah's cloud, pass it on to me." "I'll show you everything flashy." I answered with complete confidence. I'm good at this, what can go wrong? "Okay." He looks at his cell phone and lets out a small groan. "Time escapes us." I think he speaks more for himself than for me. Maybe he has something to do other than talk to me.I take another sip of my coffee. He hasn't even taken a sip yet. I guess coffee is not your thing. "And for you to understand," he leans back again. The bangs this time cover his right eye a bit, which makes him look more somber, but his expression seems far removed from what he would like to convey: Authority. Actually, he seems rather desperate. It almost makes me sad. "This doesn't get out of here." He taps a finger on the table. "It's between you and me." "Alright." "Don't tell anyone." His voice sounds more raspy, preventing anyone else from hearing us. "I'm being serious." He gets up from the table leaving a couple of coins and takes his coffee. I stay on the table for a few seconds before following him. "Wait!" I yell as I run after him, who is going faster than me. "Can you wait?" Since I see that he doesn't pay attention to me, I try to hurry a little more until I reach him and grab his arm. "I'm talking to you, Mister- I don't finish the sentence that when I realize it, he imprisons me against an alley covering my mouth with his hand. I stare into his eyes. I don't know if I'm scared or... The intensity of his eyes multiplies. He makes a sign of silence as he can with the hand in which he has the coffee, listening to the slight onomatopoeia of it. "It's better that you don't yell these things in the street, don't you think so?" He slowly lowers his hand. I breathe as fast as possible. The smell of her shampoo has come strong. I didn't find it annoying, on the contrary. I even want to smell it again as soon as it moves away a little. "I-I wanted to know..." I try to compose myself. I didn't expect something like this "Are we not going to see each other anymore after we find things or is there some way to communicate?" “Why do you want to see me more?” he asks, still not leaving my side. "How do you know I'm not going to the police after this?" I ask, not giving in to how intimidating he looks. "I can delete everything from your cell phone with a single touch of mine," he answers, moving closer to me "or with my computer. You have no choice but to trust me." “If we're going to investigate it properly, then let's do it properly.” I frown, crossing my arms to separate us and get a little more space. "If you want me to trust you, then we will do it where you live." He blinks a few times, not believing what I just said. I’m putting my life in danger from a stranger who has told me to trust him. For that, he should prove it to me. "I guess you're right." He closes his eyes letting out a big sigh. He lowers his mask and approaches my face. I remain willing and he approaches my ear. I notice his hot breath and he makes me blush, anyone who crosses this moment would think badly. "Three blocks from here, there's an abandoned building.” His words echo through my head, his deep voice sticks with me. "I'll be waiting on the top floor. There we will discuss when you find something… Interesting." He slowly pulls away without taking his eyes off me. He opens his mouth to say something, but then pulls up his mask and hurries away. I stay glued to the wall, my hands wanting to sink them into the brick. That moment had been the most intense I had ever had. My body doesn't respond. "That… It was…" I try to find the exact words, but only one comes to mind. Nothing professional for the matter I've inadvertently gotten myself into, but that's all I can say right now "Fucking sexy." Chapter 2

#duskwood #duskwood jake #duskwood mc #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood hannah #duskwood thomas #duskwood lilly #duskwood richy #duskwood dan #duskwood jessy #duskwood cleo #duskwood fanfic #fanfic #duskwood everbyte #duskwood episode 1 #duskwood game #everbyte #everbyte game #everbyte studios

74 notes · View notes

theroastedwretch · 1 year

Text

Across The Screen Part 1- A Note to Hacker Boy

Warnings- Threats, language

A/N- This takes place as part of Between the lines, sometime after Jake's return in episode 7 but before the end-of-chapter climax.

Index

Once he’d been able to take the time to finish NymOS and turn his attentions to going on the offensive rather than simply fending off the attacks, the number of attempts on MC’s phone had dropped off dramatically. His pursuers had all but stopped, in fact, likely satisfied to see that he’d been drawn out of hiding and confirming their suspicions about her importance.

Even the majority of amateur hackers who had merely seen her name alongside his own and viewed it as a challenge had died down. Either interest had dwindled with time, or word of his rather forceful response to the intrusions had made its way around enough to stymie curiosity somewhat.

So it was first the surprise that stayed his hand from his instinct to automatically go nuclear when NymOS had alerted him to the most recent intrusion.

The second was the realization that the term “intrusion” was far too strong for what had been done. There were no attempts to access any of the data on the device, no malware or links or attempts to plant a door for later access.

It was a glorified text message, and nothing more.

The origin had done nothing to mask their identity, and while some of the would-be hackers had been impressively reckless and arrogant, none had been this incompetent so far. In fact, the source device didn’t even appear to run their free virus protection often enough. No hacker would leave themselves this open while checking their email, let alone while planning an attack.

The uncanny family resemblance he found during a quick scan only served to confirm the conclusion he was finally certain of as soon as he got the location data of the device.

“H.B.-We need to talk.-P”

Really, he should have been expecting this particular conversation for some time now.

Jake: H.B.?

Paige: Hacker Boy. I thought it was polite to use titles until we were formally introduced.

Sarcasm and barely contained hostility. Wonderful.

Jake: I will assume nicknames are a family trait, then. Jake: So, how can I be of assistance?

Paige: Well you can explain why my sister is worrying about cyber attacks and asking me to teach her to do her makeup disguises. That’d be a pretty good start.

He had truthfully only been aware of the attacks. True to his word, he had stopped looking into her messages with people outside of Duskwood quite a while back, only recently faltering when he’d seen the influx of conversations with Joe.

Additionally, he’d never gotten into the habit of digging into her communications with Paige. He had struggled enough to get familiar with MC’s blunt, presumptuous manner without the additional layer of her sister’s excessively abrasive attitude. Between that, and the sisters’ fondness for using embarrassing life stories and uncomfortable innuendos to harass each other, reading their conversations had been one of the most intrusive he’d felt during his career as a hacker.

Jake: I hadn’t realized that she asked you for assistance with disguising herself, but I assure you that it’s wholly unnecessary. Jake: MC has a tendency toward wanting to have back up plans for every angle, which, while admirable, isn’t needed in this situation.

After the discovery of Hannah’s depression, and MC’s admission of the same, he’d begun to do research into the condition and had learned about the prevalence of anxiety as a coexisting condition. He had yet to ask and verify, but MC’s habit of catastrophizing and the need to predict everything that could possibly go wrong had fit the diagnosis rather well.

He’d firmly ignored the number of criteria he had fit as well. In his position, his behaviors were perfectly reasonable survival instincts, nothing more.

Paige: Sure, she does that, but if someone is after her, isn’t that a good thing?

Jake: As I said, the precaution and concerns are unnecessary. Your worry is understandable, but I won’t allow anything to happen to her, I assure you.

Paige: Why is this even happening? Ever since she got involved with this Duskwood bullshit she’s been stressed, miserable, and getting harassed. Paige: And I’ve been waiting this whole time to learn one good reason that I shouldn’t sound the alarm and get my family and friends involved in hosting an intervention or taking her phone or something. Paige: And so far, other than her refusing to talk to me ever again, I’ve gotten absolutely nothing.

He pinched the bridge of his nose with a low groan. The conversation was going even more poorly than he would have predicted, and he’d had rather low expectations of his ability to handle MC’s sister to begin with.

He needed to weigh his options carefully. The last thing the investigation needed was yet another obstacle, and this obstinate woman could easily take on that role if he didn’t play his cards right. If he pushed her too far, it would cause stress to MC, or possibly remove her from the situation entirely.

Hadn’t he already seen evidence of the havoc that sisters could wreak in protection of each other?

Jake: I will answer all of your questions to the best of my ability, within reason, on one condition.

Paige: Which is?

Jake: The program that I created to stop the attacks on MC’s phone is designed with a number of fail-safes to protect her, and admittedly myself. Jake: I cannot speak freely to an unprotected device. Jake: It will also allow her to more openly confide in you, which I believe she would appreciate. Jake: I will not use it to monitor your communications, location, or activities in any way. I have no interest in your life outside of your importance to MC.

There was a relatively lengthy pause. While he was impatient to get through, and end, this conversation, he could understand her hesitation. Not everyone could be expected to offer up their lives freely the way MC had done rather foolishly. She was too trusting by half, and it filled him with warmth at the same time it terrified him.

He tapped his fingers on the desk as he waited, regretting that he’d severed the connection to the device upon discovering that it belonged to her. He’d gotten rather reliant on knowing what the other person in a conversation was doing that caused the delay in response, and he found it even more difficult to navigate without the additional information.

Paige: I don’t believe you’ve ever spoken freely in your life, dude. Paige: This is going to void my warranty, isn’t it?

Jake snorted despite himself. Apparently the rather unfortunate sense of humor ran in the family as well. It was less charming when layered in acid and not coming from MC, but it felt familiar regardless.

Jake: Only if they can find it. And they won’t.

Paige: Whatever, what do I need to do?

It was a matter of almost no time at all to get NymOS installed on her device, and he was surprised to see she’d added it to both her laptop and cell phone almost immediately. Either she was insatiably curious or she trusted MC’s judgment more than she let on. Regardless, he appreciated that she was cognizant of where the leaks could come from.

Once the system was fully online, he returned to the chat and asked something that had been bothering him since the conversation started.

Jake: I had been under the impression that your computer literacy was relatively basic. How did you manage to send the message and alert NymOS?

Paige: I have a friend who’s good at tech and was willing to help me out. Paige: Or rather, he was willing to help MC out. Not enough to stay once he saw some of the comments on Lilly’s video— guess he thought you could do something to his phone just by him being on the same network as me

Jake: I’ve been purging those as they appear, where were you able to find one at this point?

Paige: I’ve got screen grabs, Hacker Boy. And don’t think about deleting them, I have backups. I downloaded your weird murder bot so you’re going to accept that I’m keeping what little leverage I have in this situation Paige: You think I can’t see how fucked the power dynamic in your relationship is?

Jake: I don’t believe MC sees it that way.

Paige: Yeah, because she’s naive and wants to think the best of you.

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from swearing. She wasn’t entirely wrong. If he were more of the vindictive sort, his skills would allow him to keep MC in a precarious position. But she was overlooking the fact that MC could walk into any police station, hand in her phone, and receive full immunity for any crime she’d participated in on top of protection from him in the blink of an eye.

And it was a trap he’d almost certainly fall for.

Paige didn’t need to know that, however, so he tried a different track to reassure her.

Jake: I have no intention or desire to hurt MC in any way, least of all through taking advantage of the trust she has granted me.

Paige: You’ve already hurt her pretty bad, you know.

He supposed it made sense that she knew about it, MC would guard his secrets around his identity fiercely, but likely needed emotional support at times during their early association.

Jake: My intention had been to protect her and avoid everything that has happened since then. I underestimated both her feelings and my own, as interpersonal relationships aren’t my strong suit.

Paige: Wow is that an understatement.

Jake: I won’t try to convince you that I will never hurt her again with that particular failing of mine. But that risk exists in all relationships, not just this one.

Paige: What do you want from her?

Jake flinched back like he’d been hit. Her blunt phrasing, along with the unexpected confrontational question sent him reeling for a moment.

Jake: At the moment, I’d appreciate her continued assistance in finding Hannah as her involvement has been invaluable. Jake: Beyond that, I ask you to trust that my intentions aren’t nefarious, I’m not using or manipulating her to get what I want. Jake: I would prefer to leave it there for now. Forgive me but I believe it’s a conversation best held with MC first, though I know that may not be of much comfort for you.

Paige: I… damn it, I want to tell you that’s not good enough but that’s actually reasonable. Paige: Why are you even involved, then? She got pulled in, but Lilly’s video makes it seem like you inserted yourself.

His first instinct was to sidestep, or even shut down the conversation entirely, but when had his first instinct worked lately? Being reckless would ruin everything, but making the wrong move could cost him both Hannah and MC.

Jake: My involvement in Hannah’s disappearance is due to the same motivation that led you to this conversation.

Paige: MC? That makes no sense. Paige: Oh. Paige: OH.

He watched her type and delete several times, presumably gathering her thoughts as she came to terms with what she’d just discovered. He was actually somewhat impressed— he’d expected her to take longer to come to that conclusion. He was starting to think he had underestimated her.

Her next message seemed to confirm that she’d come to the correct conclusion.

Paige: Aw fuck, that means if this thing between you two works out I’m stuck playing nice with Lilly, doesn’t it? Paige: I get to punch her at least once. It’s only fair.

He couldn’t deny that he and MC had both somewhat waved away the consequences of Lilly’s actions to the girl out of understanding of her motivations. Paige, however, seemed much more in line with Lilly’s reactions and it was likely that if they ever met, it would be a rather loud and potentially violent confrontation.

Jake: I leave that between you three, frankly. I will not get involved, only ask that you keep MC’s best interest at heart since she was the one the video impacted, not you.

Paige: I wanted this conversation to involve a lot more yelling and make me less frustrated, not more. Paige: If you fuck her over, I don’t care what I have to do to make you pay, I’ll figure something out. Paige: Like you said, you’re way too emotionally constipated to never hurt her, so I won’t even ask for that. But this isn’t a game to her and it can’t be to you. Paige: She’s too kind for her own good. She’d jump in front of a bullet for people she cares about, and as much as I don’t like it, that involves you jokers now too. Paige: Especially when her mental health is in the toilet like this, she sees herself as expendable compared to others and this shit is already fucked up enough that she might try something stupid.

He was sorely tempted to take the conversation off track and demand elaboration on the description of MC’s mental state. He was beginning to get more familiar with MC’s personality and quirks, enough that while he still couldn’t read her emotions, he could recognize patterns and tie them to previous situations.

But something like her overall health would be much harder to learn, and he’d come across multiple instances of times where something would indicate that she was doing poorly, only for her to mask it as needed.

That was a conversation for another day, and he could only hope that Paige would cooperate when the time came.

Jake: I have already asked her not to come to Duskwood, but she refused to promise that. I know she cares deeply for her friends there and as things get more complicated, I worry about the choices she may make as well. Jake: And I’m confident that you would be able to come up with something to make me pay. I’m well aware of the impact you had on the campaign she and Lilly implemented to distract my pursuers. Jake: I should have expressed gratitude sooner. Jake: It’s another reason I wanted to install NymOS to protect you. You’re the most important person to her, and she’s the most important to me.

Transitive property, he recalled with a laugh, but kept that to himself knowing she wouldn’t understand the reference.

Paige: Alright, I’ve had enough of this for one day, go do creepy Jake stuff or whatever. Just remember what I said.

Jake: And I thank you for keeping what you’ve learned today private. I’d prefer not to come to regret this conversation.

Paige: Yep. See ya Hacker Boy.

Before he had time to close out of the application, he received an alert from spy mode that he was relatively certain he was intended to see.

Paige: Your boy fitted me out with his stalker robot. Paige: I hope he knows I have no money.

MC: Wait, WHAT?

And with that, Jake had already come to regret the conversation.

#duskwood #duskwood fandom #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood fanfic #duskwood mc #duskwood episode 10 #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood jake #duskwood game #duskwood everbyte #jake x mc #mc x jake #jake duskwood

21 notes · View notes

saskiahaggens · 2 years

Text

After the storm Part 1

Masterlist

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Ploy Ending,

Pairing: Jake x fem!Reader x Richy x Phil (?)

Warnings:

contains episode 10 spoilers

mentioning of death

Word count: 1525

Please remember that English is not my first language, so please don't kill me.

When you agreed to go to Duskwood, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into. You had assured Jake that you'd never go there, but that was no longer the case. He as well promised you that he wouldn't just vanish once this was over, but just after the accident in the mine, he didn'tansweredyour texts.

Lilly told you that both he and Richy had been declared dead, but they couldn't possibly do this to you, could they?

Jake assured you that everything would be fine. And what about Richy? He promised you that he would no longer run away. And although you didn't want to think about that, they never replied, and you eventually gave up on both of them..

When the bus finally came to stop, however, all of your worries disappeared.

"Last stop, Duskwood!", the bus driver yelled.

Everybody was rushing to get out of the vehicle as soon as possible. Duskwood attracted a great number of tourists after the night, which has been a part of your nightmares ever since. So you were happy to get off the bus. It took you some time to find your friends because of the large number of people at the bus stop right now, but you eventually did.

"There she is." Dan grinned and immediately took your luggage after a quick hug.

Jessy quickly took his place, followed by Cleo, Lilly, Thomas, and Hannah. You thought it was crazy to see them in person now. Hannah in particular. After the incident, you wrote with her. She was quite lovely, and you got along well so far.

Jessy grinned when she said, "It's so good to actually see you in person."

Even though, two males a little further away drew your attention, you all started walking away from the bus stop . You still took a moment to look at them. Both were wearing hoodies and buried their hands deep in their pockets. Their hoods were tucked down far enough that you couldn't see their faces. They appeared identical to one another since there was nothing remarkable about them. The only thing that separated them was their height, as well as the color of their hoodies. The taller of the two was dressed in a light-blue hoodie, while the other was wearing a black one. You just continued walking, regardless of how strange they were. Given how odd Duskwood was in general, it wasn't surprising.

Everyone thought it'd be a great idea to celebrate your arrival, so the first stop was Phil's bar. Even Phil was overjoyed to meet you in real life. He flirted with you whenever he wasn't busy with other customers. The rest of your friends sat a little further away from you so you could have some alone time with the bartender.

"Action or horror?" he asked.

He's been doing this for several hours. He'd pick two options for you to choose from, and you'd have to choose which one you preferred.

"I think it depends on the movie."

"Chocolate or Dogs?"

You laughed. "That isn’t even the same category anymore."

Phil smiled at you before he served a random guy a drink. But it wasn't just any random guy; it was the one with the black hoodie from the bus stop. He still wore it and his hood was still pulled up, but you didn’t want to ask him about it.

"You haven't answered yet." Phil leaned over the counter with a smirk on his face.

"Hmm, I'm not sure... Perhaps chocolate dogs?"

"Way to go."

"So, do you know who this person is?" You nodded to the guy, who was sitting a few tables away with his blue hoodie-wearing companion.

He shrugged. "This is the first time I've seen them here. They're strange, but I don't see why they shouldn't stay as long as they don't cause any problems."

"I saw them at the bus stop, too."

"Perhaps they noticed the same gorgeous girl I did and followed her, hoping she would notice them too."

"You think? But I didn’t recognize anyone else from the bus stop except my friends. "

Maybe you weren’t the best at flirting, but Phil liked it and laughed it off.

"I'm talking about you, silly."

"Oh... I- thank you."

"Well, as much as I like seeing my brother and best friend joyfully flirting with one another, we'd want to spend more time with Y/n as well." Jessy grinned and dragged you back to their table.

Phil was mad at first, but the customers managed to divert his attention.

"You see those guys?"

Jessy pointed that out after you sat down. She wasn't directing her comments at random individuals; she was directing them towards the hooded dudes.

"Um, yeah, they were at the bus stop."

"Good," Cleo sighed, "so you recognized them as well."

"We didn't say anything sooner because we didn't want to scare you," Lilly explained.

"We were being followed. They also never let you out of their sight. "Dan, too, made a point.

"That's something Phil mentioned as well. He claimed it's possible they think I'm attractive or something. Maybe I should just talk to them? "

"Are you insane?" Lilly inquired.

"After all, what should they do? You and Phil are watching me closely. It would also be better if we knew what they want. If they actually intended to harm me, they'd follow me around until I'm alone anyway. Oh, and look at that; Alan Bloomgate himself appears to be in the mood for a drink. "

You pointed at the door, which had just been opened by the police officer.

Dan shrugged. "She's right. We are at least eight against two if something goes wrong."

"That's a yes, in my opinion. Nothing will happen."

You gave them a kind grin before heading over to the hooded men. Phil saw you moving and decided to go over in five minutes, just in case there was something wrong.

"Hi.", you simply said when you sat down on the empty chair.

"I assumed you'd be over here an hour ago," said a voice you're all too familiar with.

Even though you would never hear it again. But here he was. Richy.

"Richy? Jake? Is that really you?" you wondered. You've already realized that the other person must be Jake. Otherwise, who would Richy be going out with? When everybody assumed they were dead.

"As much as we enjoy seeing you. It would be better if you didn't mention our names. "

"I-... Okay, I get it. You were declared dead. But then why didn't you write me? "You promised not to just disappear," you said to Jake before turning your attention to Richy. "And how about you? Didn't you say you weren't going to run away any longer?" "

"It's a long story, and we'll tell you everything," Jake replied. "Someday."

"When you say someday, what do you mean exactly? For a month, I believed you were dead. Do you have any idea what I was going through? I thought I'd have lost you, and now you want to tell me about it "someday"?!

"We're sorry, Y/n, but this isn't the right place for a discussion like that," Ricky said, looking down at the table when Phil approached them.

"Is everything okay here?", he asked, more Y/n than the other two.

"It turns out you were right." You stood up with a fake smile on your face. "They're weird."

"Wait!" Richy called out to you in a deeper voice, hoping Phil wouldn't recognize him.

In his hand, he had a piece of paper. You were furious, but you wanted to give them a chance to explain themselves, and the piece of paper most likely had a phone number on it, or at the very least a location and date where they wanted to meet, so you accepted it. You returned to your friends after following Phil back to the counter and thanking him.

"And? How did it go?", Cleo asked.

"They're just a bunch of jerks. There's nothing to be concerned about."

You remain in the bar for a little longer, until Phil closes for the day. He also gave you a tour of your new "apartment." He had a free one over his bar, that you could use. Because you owned your own little business and didn't need to work from home, you could stay here as long as Phil was okay with it. You and your friends agreed to meet up the next day, before they went home too.

You were ready to go to bed after a brief shower, but something stopped you. The ringing of your doorbell kept you up. Who rang your doorbell at two in the morning? Normally, only your friends would be aware that you were there, and they would all be at home. They made sure of it by writing messages once they arrived.

But who could it possibly be? Fortunately, Phil's door featured a peephole, so you could see who was bothering you without having to open the door. However, when you looked through, you saw... nothing.

#jake x y/n #jake x mc #duskwood #duskwood everbyte #everbyte studios #phil x mc #richy rogers #richy x mc #duskwood richy #duskwood jake #jessy duskwood #cleo duskwood #phil duskwood #thomas duskwood #hannah duskwood #mc x jake #richy x reader #phil x reader

116 notes · View notes