#Farmer Hollowheads

[chickenkurage]

Hollowheads are still hollowheads (Farmer AU)

Wherein Alan and DJ have their own specific powers but they chose to be a farmer who takes care of walking pineapples and apples....

(Where DJ has strength and Alan can control the weather)

DJ brings an apple tree home for the Apple Color Gang, so that they would have a new and cozy home.

DJ: Hi kids! I uprooted a tree for you all :)

CG: Yay!!

Alan summons rain to water Second....

Second: Le gasp! Where did the rain come from?? *in his mind*

Alan: *watering his walking pineapple*

Alan's powers are also used for other things, such as;

Random Stick: Can you make a storm so i could have more time reviewing my upcoming test?

Alan: ...

Alan: Alright.

[amarioe]

Welcome to....

The insane ramblings of a mad man! (Me)

AKA

Animator Swap AU!

Note: Most of the drawings in the second image sadly are no longer canon to the au, but i did draw a few new ones you'll probably be seeing a few paragraphs down :D

Long post incoming, do be warned 💀

So, the basic idea of this au is..fairly simple, actually-- as much as i struggled thinking of a good, solid concept for it :'D

As the name suggests, the biggest change is that Alan and Grace are swapped, but, well- not quite..

You see! Their personalities remain more or less the same, but the stickfigures they made are swapped- go simple enough visual representation!

Basically, the idea is: "What if Alan made Mitsi and Grace made the Hollowheads?"

To explain this further: Alan would have treated Mitsi primarily the way he treated Victim and Chosen.

Grace, on the other hand, would have treated the hollowheads far better than Alan did in canon, leading to an entirely different outcome for their character arcs! (Although i'm thinking of having Victim and Grace have a rocky start for,, reasons, but i'll expand on that in a different post, probably)

Anyway, as a result, Mitsi would probably look something like this at the time of her escape:

Alt/ slightly rendered ver.

Also, i'd send in an image of the hollowheads too but uh...they don't really have designs or any art yet lol...rip :')

I was planning on explaining far more thoroughly, but i got a little sidetracked and didn't have time to expand this too much.

To at least somewhat make up for my messy ass brain, here are some ideas i'm planning (key word) to solidify into the canon aswell!

-After Mitsi escapes the PC, Alan doesn't draw/animate another stickman for years after. Then i'm thinking he either draws Purple or the guy just kind of,, shows up on his PC one day and after a tentative truce makes the minecraft village there instead of on the Mac (which could potentially lead to the cg meeting Alan aswell?)

-Victim leaves the PC before or recently after Chosen is created, accidentally ending up in the village from his canon backstory and becoming a farmer there.

-Chosen is mute, and i'm thinking he later becomes a sign language interpreter :D (i'm thinking they'll all get regular or semi regular professions since they'd actually get to grow up properly and have childhood and stuff,,, and absolutely no one has any cursor induced trauma whatsoever! Victim? Haha, who's Victim?)

-I was originally thinking of making Dark a Gordon Ramsey style chef, but i feel like i should make him a programmer/hacker of some kind instead LOL

-Orange helps Grace out with her animations in this au aswell! He also has a lot of independent projects of his own :]

-Orange and the cg still eventually end up being the only permanent residents on Grace's pc, with Dark and Chosen visiting fairly often while Victim visits more scarcely. For some reason, he seems a little bit anxious around Grace.. (also yes they're all probably gonna have different names, excluding the animators)

-I'm thinking of calling Mitsi either Mayday or Malice!

-I'm thinking Mitsi crashes/escapes to the village where Victim is. Victim befriends Mitsi pretty fast. They let her stay at their farm and Mitsi helps out pn the farm in return.

-Agent and the mercs will probably be in this au aswell!! I'm just not sure when and how to include them yet.

[door430]

It's Theory Time (AvA 11 Edition)

We have genuinely gotten so much info about the next episode. So I'm gonna throw some of my own predictions into the ring! I will actually be so happy if literally any of this turns out to be correct

Also this is going to be a long post. just a warning

It's been all but confirmed at this point that the fandom's dreams of farmer victim are all coming true. So the big question is - why would victim suddenly drop their peaceful farming life out of nowhere? I'm sure most of you have probably seen the theory that it's because victim's village gets destroyed by Chosen and Dark when those two are on their rampage. And I totally believe that's gonna happen, because it just lines up too well. But I don't think that's what sends victim on a revenge spiral.

Look at it this way - your village just got attacked by two very distinct-looking stick figures. One of those stick figures just so happens to look IDENTICAL to the very distinct-looking outsider that moved in just a few years ago. And maybe you're not quite thinking straight, because your home, your whole life, maybe even a friend or family member, is now gone. And the outsider says they didn't do it, but it most certainly looked like they did. Wouldn't that be sufficient reason to kick out this outsider?

Of course, not everyone thinks victim definitely did it, but there's too much evidence against them, and they've never really fit in anyway, with their overly ambitious goals, and the odd way they act and speak. Nobody was going to fight to keep them around.

So victim gets kicked out. A hollowhead stick with a perfect likeness to a known terrorist, of course they have to do something about their appearance. I think this is when they'd find the paint bucket tool, and use it to recolor themself gray. It's distinct enough from their original color that they wouldn't be mistaken for The Chosen One again, and at the same time, it serves as a visual metaphor for the stark change victim exhibits here.

Because this is the second time Alan Becker has torn their life away from them - albeit, less literally, this time. I believe that is the thing that would push victim to found Rocket Corp - a tech company, to the public, but behind the tall metal doors of their most secure facility, victim experiments, and researches, and forms a plan of how to get back at the man who has taken everything from them. And it starts with capturing The Chosen One.

Of course, it wouldn't be long before a group of mercenaries would show up, each with their own personal grudge against Chosen. After all, Chosen had destroyed countless websites with Dark, so there's quite a few people who would jump at the opportunity to take revenge. Maybe victim would even recognize one of them - the tall one with the sunglasses - from the chaos back on Newgrounds. Of course, he wouldn't recognize victim; they look far too different now, not only in color, but also in their disposition - a cold, anxious fury had long since soured the ambition in their heart, to the point where they can barely remember the stick they once were.

The one with the sunglasses seemed to understand victim the most, out of the group. He longs for justice, just as victim does. And while they don't become friends, necessarily (victim is far too focused on their goal to allow such distractions), they do trust each other, maybe even with their lives.

But it stops being justified when victim sees how young Chosen looks (barely a few months younger than them, and already so scarred by the world). It stops being justified when they throw away all pretense of an interrogation, and their fight turns very one-sided. It stops being justified when they use what they've seen, the videos featuring The Chosen One that their creator has uploaded on various platforms, to fight the defenseless stick.

Not that they'd want to think about when their goal of justice turned into revenge, of course.

And now for a few random, one-off theories

victim is Freedom Guy

victim learned how to use a lasso from the farm (and it's still their weapon of choice to this day)

more of a question than a theory, but what happened to the other victim clones from AvA 1? are they just actually dead, or are they out there somewhere? Will we ever see them in the series?

if victim tries using the pencil to draw something this episode. i think they will be really, comically bad at it.

not sure if i believe it as an actual theory, but the idea of victim and Smith being friends from Newgrounds is a Concept (which i am rotating in my mind) (totally not getting attached to this idea and thinking about the implications) (< lying)

[flowerbarrel-art]

LOOK AT THIS

I hope Vic gets a happy ending if he was a farmer. It sounds like a really cute idea. And it’s been fun seeing all the farmer Vic art. I hope all the Hollowheads get a happy ending.

[trashbins-stuff]

MY THOGUHTS THE ENTIRE TME

June 5ht is my brithdya so im gona start playing ball eveyr of my brtihdya now

HES STARTED OVER AND OVER AND OVER GETITNG TORUTTED EVERYDAY

THE ROCKET BC HE ESCAPED BY ROCKET OMZ

MITSI>?!?!?!?

SHEPARD>!?!?

OMFG I LVOE THE ITNENET

OMFG OMFG OMFG STEVEN THAT GUY THE CORNDOG GUY

This should be little victim’s adventure haha XP! Lol

HE GRAYED>!?!??!?!? OH YM GOD ITS ALL BECAUSE OF POLLUITON THIS ENTIRE TIME!

Omz omz omz it’s the SPARKLE it’s the..the SPARKLE MAKE MITSI>!?!?!?

Victim has trauma, theyre lterllay HYEPRVENTILAITNG

I HATE pollution

FUCK THEYRE HYPERVENTILATING AGAIN WHAT THE GELL

WHERE R THOSE CURSOR COMIGN FORM

THEY TLEIRLLAY HAVE PTSD (I wood kno)

I LVOE THE SUNLGIHT

Dude is ltierllay hallucinating cppl as cursors

Omzzz everyone so friendly……..<3333333 farmer vic fr>!?!? Plz>!?!?!? I beg>!?!??!?

I lvoe u the guy with the cone hat, the guy with the cone aht is vietnames ebtw

THE SHEEP THE SHEEP U GUYS

The children…..omz….<3

Boyyyyyyy what u doing

The guy with the cone hat is Vietnamese btw idc what anyone else say the cone hat guy is Vietnamese

Omz victim would have love physic…or engineering ig…

YIPPIE GO MY BOY SO SMART VIC AND MITSI R FRIEND!

GASP!!!!! OMZ….. THE FAMR LIFE..HTI IS EVEYRONE I OCULD HAVE EVER WNATE DIN LIFE BRO WHY DID U BECOME A CEO BRO

Gasp…………….omfg……………..

theyre so silly..ily mitsiii >_<

They still have ptsd tho

I need a mitsi in my life

HA xe can see through ur hollowhead oopid

I hope they lie..make it so that their relationship is up for interpretation

OMZ I SJUT NTOICE IS THE ROCKET COPR LOGO FUCKIGN AGNT>!?!??!?!

OHHHH HE DIDN’T ABANODN HIS FARM LIF EI THINK HE JUST..GOING OUT THER EIN THE BIG CITY….

Oh m frog agent was a police>??

HHAHAHAHAHHA THE ODNUT

Wait agent is a police or guard idk

FOUR YEARS>!?!?!?!

Lets aprty babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

I lvoe the sheep

LETS GOOOOOO DANCE APRTY ^0^

Broooo….vcitim remind me of how id ance im physically cringing

FIRE>!?!?!?!

No no no no no no no no no no

Hosen and akr is tha tu

NO NO NO NOT U AGENT TOO NO NO FUCK IT IS CHOSNE ANDD AKR ISN TIT……………..

No………….no…………

DARK CHOSNE STOP SOTP STOP

NAVY>!?!? PURPEL AND ROCHID>!?!?! WTF

No way so purple wanst minecraft lmao

IM GONNA MS

Im gonna cry im gonna fuckign cry…………���.WAIT W EKNOW PURPLE ORIGIN DOES AD VICITM DIDN’T BUILT A CHICKEN COOP>??? SO NO MERCS ITNERACITO YET>??\

The Chosen One..

The Dark Lord…

You fu

Mannn bro just wanna aprty..

Eveyrones traumatized..

Wait theory what if that gray guys and get clined by victim

OMFG THE TEASER

HHEY THAT’S THE GUY FORM AVM THAT KILLED GOLD

NO EVEN AGENT

OHH NOW THAT’S WHY VICITM BEAT CHOSEN UP BAD…

Vro slot he smot impotertant person in their lfie ofcourse theyre devastated.,.

THE SHOWDOW

SOTP EBIGN DEPRESS WERE GONNA GET REVENGE

Theyre crazy I lvoe them

WAIT THAT’S SHE END>!?!?!? URE JOKING………………..URE JOKING………………….U CANT……………………………………….WHAT THE F

my thoughts after processing for a bit:

guys mtisi IS co founder of the rocketcorp...

i cant blame vicitm for beaitng chosne up bad now cuz now we kno

i need mroe time to process

[styck-figure]

question: do you have any idea why people are posting victim as a farmer? i feel like i missed smth lmao

oh sorry I missed this. During the newest newsletter Alan sent a two lies one truth of what might happen. One of the truth/iies was "Victim builds a chicken coop."

It might also be because one of the tiny sneak peek images was of a group of sticks and a hollowhead looking head? at least that's what I think it looks like? You might've seen it floating around already lol.

[chickenkurage]

Farmer AU AvA (Totally not a crack AU)

Meet the Pineapple Hollowheads!!

Okay hear me out, Farmer Alan AU.

Where in he plants magic seeds and creates the Pineapple Hollowheads by accident because an old lady gave him some seeds that were supposed to become big watermelons.

So basically the old lady tells him to plant the seeds, and only ONE of the seeds and not all of them and by the next day he would have the largest watermelon out of everyone in the town.

Alan not believing her, planted all of the 4 seeds, lo and behold. The next day he sees 4 pineapples walking in his crops then running at him calling him dad.

Now he has 4 hollow head pineapples to take care of everyday.

This stemmed off the "Legend of the Pineapple" doodle comic i did - S

[chickenkurage]

Farmer!Alan and DJ with their kids (bonding after work :D)

DJ with the Apple!CG and Alan with the Pineapple!Hollowheads, what about the mercs, Purple and King? :000

(still thinking, give me ideas what fruit should they be and who would take care of them, DJ or Alan? :D)

[chickenkurage]

"The worst caretaker…...DJ Welch himself" (Farmer AU)

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Summary: Alan had some errands to attend to and left the hollow pineapples in DJ's care. He trusted DJ implicitly; after all, he had proven his reliability with the apples. Surely, DJ could handle looking after the hollow pineapples... or so Alan thought.

Tag: Comedy, Humor, Slight Hurt/Injury (mostly DJ)

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Hey, where are you headed?" DJ asked, tearing his attention away from the TV, with Red and Green engrossed in the movie on his lap, while Yellow and Blue dozed on his left leg.

"Oh, just running some errands. This means I'll need to entrust the pineapples to you," Alan explained, flashing a small smile as DJ heaved a sigh.

"You know I can't handle the chaos those four bring," DJ deadpanned. "Well, three, Vic isn't that wild... yet," he added, a shiver running down his spine, prompting a raised eyebrow from Alan.

"I trust you won't let them come to harm. The apples can be just as unruly," Alan remarked, tilting his head as DJ chuckled, gently petting the heads of Green and Red, eliciting soft 'meep' sounds from the pair.

"Well, they can be chill if they want to... but how long will you be gone exactly?" DJ raised an eyebrow, prompting a thoughtful hum from Alan. "I'm not entirely sure, but rest assured, I'll be back sooner than you can imagine," Alan reassured, flashing a grin as DJ scratched his head, mulling over the timeframe.

"Well," DJ began tentatively, his voice slightly higher as he debated internally. "Meep?" Second peeked out from the wall, prompting all four apples on DJ's lap to spring up excitedly and leap off the sofa. "There they go... ugh, fine, I'll take care of them," DJ groaned, resigned to the task as Alan let out a small laugh.

"Thanks, DJ. I knew I could rely on you," Alan chuckled, shaking his head as Second hoisted Red above his head and dashed around. DJ yelped, leaping to his feet and chasing after them.

"Great catch!" Alan laughed as DJ swiftly dove to the floor, managing to intercept Red and Second just before they tumbled down.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Cho, stop that! Don't!" DJ exclaimed, wresting the knife from the black pineapple's grasp and pulling him close, only to be pummeled by Cho's relentless punches. With a groan, DJ carefully placed the knife on the kitchen cabinet. Turning around, his eyes widened at the sight of Dark poised to dunk Vic into a pot of boiling water.

"Dark, no!" DJ yelled, swiftly intervening to rescue both Dark and Vic, their surprised 'chip's echoing loudly. "Oh, help me, above," DJ cried out, swiftly carrying the two pineapples to the living room and depositing them on the couch where the apples were peacefully napping in a dogpile.

"Don't you all take afternoon naps? Look at my kids," DJ gestured towards the apples snuggled together. He then turned back to the pineapples, who were chattering and chirping amongst themselves. "Ugh," DJ groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, half-tempted to swaddle them all in a burrito and hang them from the stair rails.

"I’m half tempted to stuff you all in a sock, you know that, right?" DJ threatened, eyeing the pineapples, Sec responding with a chip before dashing to embrace the serene Vic, who remained unperturbed.

"Please, just try to be more like Vic. Look at him, so chill. Why can't you all—wait... where's Dark?" DJ's eyes widened as he counted the hollowheads, stopping at three; the red hollowhead was missing. A grinding sound caught his attention, and he turned to see Dark atop the cabinet, nudging a vase towards the edge.

"For goodness' sake!" DJ growled, sprinting towards Dark, managing to catch both the vase and Dark just before they tumbled down. The sudden save caused DJ to stumble, hitting his side against the cabinet in the process.

With a groan, torn between the pain and the urge to scold Dark, DJ's emotions softened when Dark emitted a frightened 'chip,' prompting a sigh from DJ. After carefully returning the vase to its place, he rubbed his side, contemplating his next move.

"Dark, don't do that again... or else," DJ warned, fixing an intense glare on Dark, who nodded in understanding, clinging to DJ's thumb with his tiny arms.

"Don't repeat that, understand? I'll really stuff you in a sock," DJ reiterated firmly, Dark nodding repeatedly in response. Letting out a sigh, DJ gave him a gentle pat. "Good—” DJ's smile faltered as a loud crash interrupted him. Whirling around, he found only Vic beside Green on the couch.

"What—?" DJ began, before spotting Sec and Cho locked in a scuffle on the floor, toppling the coffee table in their tussle. "What the heck?!" DJ exclaimed, leaping into action to separate them, with Dark perched on his arm, watching the chaos unfold, possibly even encouraging Sec to land a punch on Cho's face.

Dark waved his stubby arms as DJ intervened to prevent Sec and Cho from engaging in a full-blown brawl. "Stop, both of you! I swear to Alan, I'll tie you up and turn you into chandeliers!" DJ threatened, but Sec and Cho persisted in their scuffle.

It took nearly an hour of tireless effort for DJ to finally lull the pineapples to sleep, a task that consumed much of his day. Carrying the four troublesome fruits, he tried various methods to coax them into slumber. Now, utterly drained, DJ found himself groaning in exhaustion, resting his head on the armrest of the couch. The apples and pineapples lay peacefully asleep beside him, the room finally quiet 

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Yellow, out of everyone, I trust you. Please, watch over all of them," DJ implored, gazing down at Yellow, who nodded in understanding. With a sense of reassurance, Yellow turned to observe the apples and pineapples left in the cart, alongside the empty baskets awaiting a fresh harvest of apples.

"Meep!" Yellow saluted, offering DJ a nod before bouncing back towards the cart and climbing up. DJ emitted a sound that was a mix of a groan and a sigh as he redirected his attention to the trees. Retrieving his gloves from his pockets, he slid them on, preparing for the task ahead.

With a deep breath, he stretched his arms overhead, letting out a groan before winding up for a swing. His fist connected with the tree in a swift motion, causing apples to rain down into the awaiting baskets. The tree bark groaned loudly, and the roots beneath the soil snapped, gradually tilting the tree until it fell in one fluid motion.

"Oops," DJ winced as the tree tumbled, but he quickly turned his attention to the cart, exhaling with relief as he saw all the apples and pineapples still safely gathered. As long as they stayed put and didn't wander off, they would be out of harm's way.

The thought of a tree falling on them made DJ shudder, a scenario he hoped to avoid at all costs. With a deep breath, he gathered the baskets and carried them back to the cart. "Looks like you're all having fun...playing cards? Where did you get those?" DJ raised an eyebrow, spotting Dark attempting to conceal the cards behind his back.

The group glanced nervously at DJ before he burst into laughter, wiping a tear from his eye. Dark let out an annoyed 'meep' in response.

"Alright, you guys can play poker, but if Alan catches you, don't blame me," DJ chuckled, giving them a playful warning as he gestured for them to continue their game. With a wave, he headed towards the next tree.

Amidst the playful meeps and chips of the fruits, DJ chuckled softly. After rotating his shoulder a few times, he proceeded to fell one tree after another, the repetitive thuds echoing through the orchard.

"Maybe I should take it down a notch," DJ muttered to himself as he surveyed the fallen trees. The expanse of apple trees on their land seemed excessive, posing a challenge for him as he wasn't keen on deforestation. It was also becoming tiresome to handle the excess wood, especially with the surplus already stored in the barn by Alan.

"Ugh," DJ groaned, rolling his eyes as he wiped sweat from his forehead, feeling the weight of his physical exertion. With a sigh, he directed his attention to the last tree scheduled for today. After a brief moment of preparation, he approached it, rolling his shoulders and giving them a light massage to relieve some tension.

He turned towards the cart, releasing a relieved sigh at the sight of the fruits still perched atop the baskets. Each of them held their own apples, even Red balancing one on his head. The scene brought a small smile to DJ's face

DJ snickered at the sight of the fruits being surprisingly endearing when they weren't causing chaos.

He refocused on the task at hand and delivered the strongest punch he could muster, causing the tree and the apples to tumble simultaneously. Grinning with satisfaction, he dusted his hands off, only to let out a startled yell at the sight of Dark positioned behind the falling tree.

"Shit! Dark!" DJ's cry pierced the air as he lunged towards the pineapple, his knees skidding on the grass as he threw himself over Dark, shielding him from the imminent danger of the descending tree. The weighty tree crashed down on top of them, enveloping them in darkness.

Amidst the crushing weight, a fleeting thought crossed DJ's mind, a nap wouldn't be so bad. His body ached as he felt Dark shifting beneath him. Gritting his teeth against the discomfort, he managed to push the tree aside, allowing Dark to wiggle free from his grasp.

Dark's concerned 'Meep! Meep! Meep!' filled the air as he patted DJ's cheek, as DJ's eyes fluttered shut, succumbing to the overwhelming exhaustion and pain.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

“Everyone relax, he’s just sleeping, we’re hollowheads, we can’t get hurt easily”. As DJ slowly regained consciousness, a familiar voice chuckled nearby. 

Opening his eyes groggily, he felt a weight on his side and chest. "Al?" DJ mumbled, rubbing his head in confusion.

"DJ, how did it feel for a tree to fall on you?" Alan's laughter filled the air as DJ sat up, letting out a grunt of discomfort. The apples and pineapples leaped onto his lap, emitting a chorus of meeps and chips as they clamored around him, hugging his chest in relief.

"It was pretty intense. Okay, everyone, relax, I'm not dead yet," DJ reassured them, a chuckle escaping his lips. He observed Dark grabbing onto his jumper and climbing up to perch on his shoulder, emitting a soft 'meep' while hugging DJ's cheek with a hint of sadness and regret.

Amused by the scene, Alan watched with a hand over his mouth, attempting to stifle his laughter. DJ rolled his eyes playfully. "At least you feel bad. Your father here doesn't even seem to care that you guys were almost traumatized," DJ teased, prompting a grin from Alan.

It was until later that DJ and Alan found themselves cuddling on the couch. Lulled by the peaceful scene with the fruits nestled between them, DJ couldn't help but voice his exhaustion. "I am never taking care of your kids ever again, man," he mumbled, stifling a yawn as he felt Alan chuckle beside him.

"Can't keep up, old man?" Alan teased, provoking a raised eyebrow from DJ. "You wish. By the way, you're older than me," DJ retorted with a grin, prompting a chuckle from Alan in response.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Thank @kiaerinnn for pushing me to create this xDD, I realized I don't feed you guys much, OOPS xD. Anyways, just request and I'll give - S

[chickenkurage]

DAY 3: TRUST ISSUES/FORCED PROXIMITY

Farmer Alan AU

Summary: Alan and DJ’s life around the 1940’s. Their relationship in the beginning was never so wholesome in the first place....

Tag/s: Hurt/Comfort, Trust Issues, Injuries, Suicide Ideation, Violence, Thoughts of killing, Unhealthy Relationships

There weren't many beings that Test Subject 1 trusted, not even his creator. That scientist had forced him to do such things—to be created as a weapon was the last thing he had desired. To them, he was just a weapon, a test subject, a mere object.

He felt like nothing, and he wanted to escape.

Having been there for so long, awaiting a new mission, a task where he would spy on some Americans, observe them, infiltrate their systems, and gather more information than his creators could ever imagine.

Was he meant to do this forever?

A mere tool for them to exploit until he could no longer serve his purpose, to be discarded and replaced by a new one?

"Hey," the other stick figure called, red in color, sharing a form almost identical to his. They were alike, differing only in color and abilities.

"What?" Subject 1 croaked, turning to him, his throat aching from the smoke he had generated while frying the American’s computer. His hand trembled, his mouth still tasting of ash from burning those useless codes.

"Are you okay?" the other stick figure asked, tilting his head as he slowly moved closer, sitting beside him. The black hollow-headed figure eyed him closely, hands twitching. He didn't trust him, but he too had been created recently and had been on missions spying on humans.

"Hmm," Subject 1 mumbled, not particularly keen on conversation.

He had never been much interested in talking, never having used his vocal cords for speech. Subject 1 hadn't even known he could produce sounds until this other figure arrived and started speaking to him.

"Are you bored?" the red hollowhead asked again, tilting his head and staring at Subject 1, who turned to look at him, studying his face.

It seemed as if he enjoyed irritating him. This notion furrowed Subject 1's brows and made him clench his teeth.

Should I just end him? Put an end to his pointless suffering; perhaps he would be grateful afterward. Subject 1 pondered, unconsciously clenching and unclenching his fists.

Being manipulated by humans was far from exciting or enjoyable. Subject 1 knew this firsthand, as he did not experience such things. Excitement? Fun? Those concepts did not exist for him. Only pain, death, and suffering...

"Do you want to spar?" the red hollowhead suggested, his hands clasped in eager anticipation.

Spar? Why would he want to spar with me? Subject 1 wondered. He had defeated him numerous times already, and he didn't find pleasure in it. In truth, he felt remorseful; it was evident that the red hollow-headed figure was unaccustomed to such brutal fighting.

"Why?" Subject 1 rasped, coughing once more as dark smoke billowed from his mouth, his throat tightening as he watched the red hollow-headed figure lean back, waving a hand to disperse the smoke that made Subject 1 cough.

"Are you okay?" he asked, placing a hand on Subject 1's shoulder, which Subject 1 pushed away a bit more forcefully than intended. Still coughing, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe, the red hollow-headed figure let out a small hum, now patting Subject 1's back as the coughing subsided, replaced by deep breaths.

"Maybe not today, huh?" he remarked with a small chuckle as Subject 1 turned to face him. "Not today," Subject 1 mumbled, rubbing his throat in an attempt to soothe the ache and itch on his vocal cords.

Is this the result of not speaking? Interesting...

"You know, it's been a while since I was created, yet—I never caught your name," the red hollowhead mentioned, his hand returning to his lap, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb on his knuckles.

Subject 1 exhaled heavily, letting out a small sigh and a huff.

He's quite chatty.

"Just Subject 1," Subject 1 replied quietly, swallowing hard as he lightly giggled before it turned into a small chuckle. "Subject 1? You never gave yourself a name?" the red hollow-headed figure inquired as the other turned to him.

"No," he answered in a whisper, causing the red figure to stop laughing, thinking he must be joking. He let out a small breath of apology, "Sorry—I thought—" he stammered, waving his hand nervously, prompting Subject 1 to huff in amusement.

He waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind.

"Alright—do you want a name? I chose one for myself," he offered, pointing to his chest as Subject 1 sighed.

Does he want a name? Not really. He sees no need for a name when no one here bothers to use it. "You should have a name so I don't have to keep calling you Subject 1," he suggested.

Clapping his hands together, the sound reverberating through the space, causing Subject 1 to suppress the urge to flinch. His hackles rose once more, but when he heard a soft whisper of apology from the other, Subject 1 decided to lean back again.

"Do you want a name?" he inquired, turning to face Subject 1.

If he's insisting so much, why not?

"Go ahead, any name will do," Subject 1 murmured, leaning back, closing his eyes, and savoring the burn he felt. He stretched his aching legs and cracked his fingers.

He heard the other mumbling to himself, silently snapping his fingers as he hurried to think of a suitable name. Perhaps he was taking this more seriously than Subject 1 had anticipated.

"You know, there's a TV show I watched," the red hollowhead mentioned, prompting Subject 1 to open his eyes and turn to him. "Mhm," Subject 1 hummed, mildly interested in the conversation.

Rest sounded inviting, but it might be impolite to just stand up and retreat to the other corner of the space to sleep while the red hollow-headed figure continued to chat beside him. Subject 1 pondered, his thoughts drifting as weariness and sleep clouded his mind.

"His name was Alan, and he's a really good actor," the red hollowhead explained, gesturing as he spoke. Subject 1 nodded, emitting a small hum. The name Alan sounded pleasant—simple and not too extravagant. I like it, he thought.

"Does Alan sound good to you?" the red hollowhead asked as Subject 1—Alan—nodded half-heartedly. "Great! Then you can call me DJ. Nice to meet you, Alan," DJ said, extending his hand towards Alan, who gazed at it before shaking it.

They had been confined together for almost three weeks, and perhaps this was the first formal introduction they had exchanged.

"Alan, nice to meet you," Alan replied, clearing his throat as he exhaled more smoke, which DJ casually waved away, letting out a small giggle.

"I hope we get to work together more," DJ expressed, to which Alan simply hummed in response.

. . . .

He should have been more cautious and less eager to please. Alan was never one to seek approval eagerly. However, he had noticed that their creators tended to be calmer and kinder to them when their missions were successful.

Consequently, Alan had been working diligently to achieve success, aiming to find tranquility away from the confining black box they were always thrown into.

Conversing with DJ was enjoyable, but he longed for his own space, his own spot to rest. A box with only four corners could only accommodate so much for the two of them, especially with DJ persistently urging him to spar then and there.

Or the sounds the other would make if Alan had beat him, the painful whine, and whimper. The small cries… 

It was becoming wearisome.He hated hearing it, he hated hurting–

"Alan, are you okay?" DJ whispered, crouching over him. Alan let out an involuntary groan, gesturing for him to back off, his stomach paining and his leg twitching.

He had come close to being deleted, almost becoming one of those codes he had burned. He should have been quicker.

"Alan—" DJ began, placing a hand on the black hollowhead's shoulder, feeling him tense, seizing his arm. "DON'T touch me," Alan growled, teeth clenched, suppressing the fire that threatened to erupt from his mouth, not wanting to accidentally harm DJ.

"Al..." DJ said, using that pet name again, the term the other had given Alan. As if they were close friends, which they weren't, were they? DJ acted as if they were friends… something intimate, as if they didn't attempt to harm each other when their creators grew bored of them.

With no mission to undertake, Alan and DJ would be forced to fight against each other until their bodies failed them, leading them back into the black box once again.

There they would be back to lick their wounds and hide away for the rest of the hour, days, or if they are lucky… weeks.

"Sorry—" DJ whispered, seated beside Alan, who was still struggling to catch his breath, his chest heaving, his mouth emitting black smoke and red fire intermittently, causing DJ to move back due to the intense heat.

"Sorry," Alan coughed, pulling himself up to the wall next to DJ, who simply shook his head, observing as Alan shivered, his body trembling, his leg twitching, one hand pressed against his stomach as if he had been stabbed there.

"Let me help you," DJ offered, rubbing his hands together. He felt Alan's gaze on him. "What—?" Alan croaked, sounding surprised by DJ's offer.

"Let me help you," DJ repeated, turning towards the black hollowhead who was almost scorching holes in his face with his gaze.

He could likely assist, considering he had witnessed Alan using a laser on him that came from his eyes. DJ still felt the lingering burn on his arm from where it had struck him before; although it had healed, he couldn't forget the scent of his flesh burning and the sheer pain of trying to mend it.

Alan remained silent, focusing on his twitching leg. DJ interpreted this as consent, rising to his knees and examining Alan's leg, his hand hovering over his pants.

Glancing at Alan, who watched him closely, seemingly prepared for an attack with his fists clenched at his sides, ready to push DJ away if he tried to harm him.

"Relax," DJ reassured, placing a hand on Alan's knee and patting it gently, causing Alan's body to gradually unwind. "Sorry—it's difficult to know whether we're fighting or on good terms," Alan whispered, as DJ winced.

That is true; most of the time, they fight or are forced to fight. Even their training sessions felt like they were aiming for each other's throats. Sharing the same sleeping space felt as though one would carefully and slowly strangle the other.

There were many times Alan found DJ staring down at him, his clawed hand close to Alan’s neck, one move and blood would spill out from Alan’s throat.

There are many days where neither of them sleeps, both wary of each other.

"It's okay, I'm here to help you now, and that's what matters," DJ whispered, hearing Alan exhale a sigh, finally reassured that they weren't about to engage in a fight. "Okay," Alan breathed out, his breath hitching as DJ touched his leg.

"That's good," Alan murmured, his eyes slowly drifting shut.

[chickenkurage]

“The state I found you in (It's like looking in a mirror)”

Summary: Snow sees himself too much in Vee, so it wasn’t a surprise to see Vee in such a bad state, Snow is just slightly angry at himself for not noticing sooner.

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Found Family Dynamics, Fluff

*~*

Kit: Cursor Alan

Vee: Teen Alan

Feathers: Duck Alan

Noogai: Artificial Intelligence Alan

Snow: Creator Stickman Alan

Oji: Farmer Alan

*~*

Snow was keenly aware of Vee's tendency to lose sleep and skip meals, neglecting breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. Vee had a persistent habit of doing so, often relying on Oji or Noogai to pull him out of his funk and coax him into eating or taking a bath. The weariness etched on Vee's face made it clear just how much he struggled.

In short, Snow understood that Vee was on a self-destructive path, mirroring Snow's own struggles, yet Snow hadn't found the courage to address it with him. Oji and Noogai seemed better equipped to handle this than Snow, who admitted his own shortcomings when it came to dealing with emotions.

If only he were more adept at such conversations, maybe the Hollowheads wouldn't have distanced themselves from him, would they?

At present, it was just Snow and Vee in their shared home. The others had moved on to their own worlds.

While in his world, Snow has only Ammy to confide in. He longed for the company of his other selves, only to realize that Vee was the sole remaining presence in the household.

Now, as Snow sank onto the couch, resting his chin on his hands with his elbow on his knees, he let out a heavy sigh. Should he return to his own world? College life was demanding for Vee, just as Snow vaguely recalled his own art school days.

College life was a relentless grind, with countless sleepless nights that Snow himself had endured. It was entirely plausible that Vee was going through similar struggles.

In a fleeting moment, Snow contemplated knocking on Vee's door to inquire about his well-being but ultimately retreated to his own room, opting to rest first. Perhaps tomorrow he would muster the courage to engage in a conversation if Vee emerged from his own seclusion.

*~*

Vee remained holed up in his room not just the next day, but for several days in a row, leading Snow to believe he was alone in the house and that Vee had likely left the night before. Standing outside Vee's room, Snow hesitated, contemplating whether to knock. Could Vee still be inside? Maybe he had already departed.

"No way he's been in there for days. That's impossible. No one can do that," Snow muttered to himself, dropping his hand to his side and crossing his arms.

Before he could react, the door swung open, revealing Vee with a tissue stuffed up his nose, his complexion pale, and his eyes weary as he looked up at Snow in surprise. "S-Snow? Have you been here all this time?" Vee stammered, his astonishment mirrored in Snow's blinking gaze.

"I thought you had gone home a few days ago, Vee. Are you telling me you haven't left your room in days now?" Snow inquired, his typically soft voice taking on a slightly more angry tone as Vee winced, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Days have passed already? Uh... no way, haha... you must be kidding, right?" Vee weakly grinned up at Snow, but his expression faltered when Snow continued to gaze at him intently. "Oh, crap... Seriously?" Vee whispered, placing a hand on his head, his eyes widening before Snow gently rested a hand on his shoulder. "What have you been doing? Did you even eat? I thought—I thought you had already gone home," Snow's voice tinged with concern as Vee waved a hand.

"I-I did! I just ate really late. You were probably already asleep... um," Vee awkwardly explained, pulling the tissue from his nose, crumpling it into a ball, and stuffing it into his pocket before sniffing. "I was just finishing up some school work, and I couldn't focus back at home. I kept getting distracted, so I came here..." Vee mumbled, as Snow sighed.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look really pale," Snow inquired, bending down slowly to meet Vee's gaze eye to eye.

"Uhh, heh, I'm doing fine, just a little tired. School work's got me messed up, am I right?" Vee nonchalantly shrugged as Snow observed him closely. "Are you sure?" Snow questioned once more, his concern evident, as Vee nodded rapidly, wincing as the room seemed to spin around him. His head had been throbbing persistently for days now.

"Vee?" Snow placed a hand on Vee's shoulder as Vee stumbled on his feet. He heard Vee sniff again, pressing the back of his hand against his nose, only to emit a small noise of surprise when it came away bloody. "You're having a nosebleed!" Snow exclaimed in panic as Vee stared at it, bewildered, before faltering again and almost collapsing into Snow's arms.

"I think—" Vee stuttered, his hand reaching to his nose in an attempt to staunch the bleeding before apologizing to Snow, "Sorry, Snow, I think I'm going to pass out." With those words, Vee's vision darkened, and he slumped towards the floor.

"Shit!" Snow exclaimed, moving swiftly to catch Vee before he hit the ground, lifting him up in his arms to prevent his fall.

*~*

It took a considerable effort for Snow to stop Vee's nosebleed, to the extent that he began to worry if he should rush Vee to the hospital, only to recall the impossibility of bringing Vee to his own world.

Snow dedicated himself to wiping the blood from Vee's chin and placing a comforting hand on his clammy forehead, his face etched with concern. He paced back and forth in front of the couch where Vee lay, yearning for the presence of Noogai in that moment.

Would Noogai be adept at handling this situation? Or perhaps Oji, given the other Alan's experience with children. "Ugh, damn it!" Snow growled, frustration evident as he clenched his fist in his hair, pacing anxiously to the point where he feared he might leave a trail of fire in his wake from sheer agitation.

"Snow?" Vee mumbled, breaking Snow from his thoughts. Snow turned to him in surprise, rushing to Vee's side and kneeling beside the couch to assess his condition. 

"Vee, you're awake! How are you feeling? You just had a nosebleed for almost 2 minutes. I was so worried," Snow's words tumbled out rapidly, tinged with panic as Vee squinted at him, attempting to comprehend what Snow had just said.

“Wha—” Vee mumbled, attempting to push himself up but faltering until Snow lent a hand, assisting him to sit upright. He handed Vee the now-warm water from the coffee table, guiding him to take a sip. “Sorry, uh, drink first,” Snow murmured as Vee nodded, eagerly gulping down the water.

“What happened?” Vee inquired, rubbing his head in confusion. The throbbing headache had vanished, and to his surprise, he felt better than before. Could Snow possess healing abilities? A power nap couldn't have worked such instant wonders on Vee.

“You passed out, Vee. You weren’t getting any sleep were you?” Snow's tone carried a hint of accusation as Vee blushed. “That wasn’t—” Vee began, his face flushing as Snow scrutinized him. “Yeah, I didn’t,” Vee admitted, his demeanor deflating as Snow sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“That was dangerous. What if I hadn’t been here? What if you had passed out and choked on your own blood?!” Snow's tone was laced with worry and exasperation as Vee raised an eyebrow at him. “That’s... kind of graphic... and a very well-thought-out scenario,” Vee remarked, furrowing his brow as Snow emitted a distressed sound from the back of his throat.

"Vee, I'm not joking. That was incredibly risky. Isn't this a wake-up call for you to start taking better care of yourself?" Snow's voice held a peculiar softness as Vee gazed at him, his expression a mix of surprise and pallor. "Oh, that, huh?... Right... uhm," Vee responded awkwardly, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Vee... I—well, a lot of us care about you. The people in your world care about you too. Why don't you value yourself as much as they do?" Snow tilted his head, his forehead creased with worry.

"I do... I just forget sometimes... I'm sorry for causing you so much concern, Snow," Vee mumbled, averting his gaze to his lap, his lip caught between his teeth. Beside him, Snow simply sighed. "It's okay. Perhaps next time, set alarms to remind you to take breaks," Snow suggested, standing up and settling at the foot of Vee's position, allowing Vee to rest his leg on his lap.

Following this exchange, silence enveloped the room. Vee reclined against the bunched-up pillows behind him, his eyes growing heavy once more as he observed Snow turning towards him. "Go back to sleep. I'll keep watch," Snow spoke softly, prompting a hum of acknowledgment from Vee. "Thanks, Snow. You're the best," Vee muttered, snuggling back into the pillows.

"Thanks for being here," Vee murmured, closing his eyes, finally succumbing to sleep.

Snow slowly released a breath through his nose, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. Guilt churned in his gut, weighing heavily on him for allowing Vee to push himself to the brink of passing out and suffering a nosebleed.

*~*

The next day, when the others returned, Snow arranged for Noogai to give Vee a check-up. Fortunately, it turned out that Vee was only dehydrated and slightly underweight. Upon hearing this, Oji wasted no time in bustling about the kitchen, preparing a feast, while everyone collectively enveloped Vee in a blanket. Kit took charge of the TV, playing something to distract them all.

While, Feathers delivered a stern lecture to Vee about the importance of taking care of his own well-being.

"Guys... please, Snow, help me out of here," Vee mumbled, his voice muffled as he struggled within the confines of the blanket, his hair tousled. Snow chuckled softly. "I think a week of rest would do you good," he suggested, causing Vee's eyes to widen in disbelief.

"What?!" Vee exclaimed, watching as Snow made his way towards the kitchen where the others had gathered. "Wait! Snow! Guys!" Vee called out, a mixture of surprise and protest in his voice.

*~*

for @0gingerflake0

Hope you enjoy, very late, sorry for the wait :3 - S