#dark miscommunication arc 👍

[laertesthelocalstranger]

hhh HEY Laertes haha, just one small teeny tiny question haha-

WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED.

- Andromeda (@vapor-web)

...

I had to grab something from my dimension. I- I think it was scissors? I don't remember...

Ren slipped in by accident, and they- they went to the one goddamn place that you are never, ever supposed to go.

I mean, who goes into a Stranger domain and then goes straight fucki-

Sorry. Sorry, it was my fault, and you gotta understand, I looked so hard to get them out. There are just...so many different places they could've been, and I...

I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry.

[laertesthelocalstranger]

It's a mess. It is honestly a mess. The edges of Laertes' face are ripped in places, a red string that doesn't match with theirs sticking out haphazardly all around the edges. A numbing black nothingness lives between the tears, and it freezes Marc's eyes just to look at them. There's other places where they've been ripped up too- along their left leg and side, and a finger or two had gotten chopped off.

He fiddles nervously with his hands, pulling at a thread that's come loose, lengthening a tear or two by accident. "Myself, mostly."

Laertes should have been more careful, but they hadn't had the time. It was useless, in the end, he couldn't find them, and he had searched- so many dimensions, so many different, dangerous places to check. Time worked differently in most of those places, he has no idea how long he was in there, or how long had passed outside, but it had been long. Too long. It was too late.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[laertesthelocalstranger]

I killed someone. ifuckingkilledsomeone.

Tim help I fucked up

@laertesthelocalstranger

what the fuck did you do

[laertesthelocalstranger]

"Not even close." He supposes not that she's seen, but there are a lot of people no longer in this world because of him. Laertes has never been sure what exactly happens to the people left in their pocket dimensions, just that they don't come back out again.

"Ever done it on accident?"

[He's out and about today. On the prowl, really. In need of a good meal. He never goes so long without feeding, but he has neglected himself a bit.

It won't be a simple one, oh no, he's going to feast.]

[laertesthelocalstranger]

"Because it was never supposed to be them." Twice. Twice in one day. Though at least Axel had survived.

"I didn't even mean to take them there, and then they just...decided to walk straight to the worst place possible." It's almost comical. Who the hell ends up in a Stranger theater and thinks walking backstage is a good idea?

[He's out and about today. On the prowl, really. In need of a good meal. He never goes so long without feeding, but he has neglected himself a bit.

It won't be a simple one, oh no, he's going to feast.]

[laertesthelocalstranger]

They sit in the dark like that for a while. She's tired, but not in a way that he can fix. He doesn't just shut off the way people do. And sitting by themself in the dark...

Laertes needs something to get their mind off everything. They don't want to think about what Marc might be getting himself into by taking them in, and he doesn't want to think about why that was necessary in the first place. She needs a distraction, any distraction.

He folds the blanket up nice. He wouldn't want to be rude to a fellow quilt. It was a kind gesture, giving it to them. Makes them feel something less surface-level that she's not so quick to snuff out.

He slips out the door and into the night. Maybe to feed, maybe to meet someone new. Who knows.

Maybe it's the memory of the warmth of the blanket they'd been offered. Maybe it's the way the night breeze runs against their fabric and makes the it all hurt less, for a minute. But he thinks that maybe things are getting better.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[residentsofhollowville]

He settles an old patchwork quilt down beside them and heads off to bed. They don't particularly need it, but the least he can do for them is show them a little kindness.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[laertesthelocalstranger]

Laertes doesn't know much more than he does, but they nod anyway. "Okay. Yeah. Alright."

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[residentsofhollowville]

"Alright."

He'll be more than happy to help her learn to defend herself. But for now, they need rest. Truth be told, both of them do, but he'd never say as much. Not to a kid.

"You get yourself all fixed up now, you hear? I don't know how to fix some of them little scrapes."

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[laertesthelocalstranger]

He thinks of some of the things that hurt him in his pocket dimensions. If they hadn't hurt him, if she'd been able to either get away or take them out quicker, could she have found Ren in time?

"Yes."

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[residentsofhollowville]

"Good. I gotcha."

He pats their shoulder and turns away, his gaze returning to the rifle on his mantle. He can see his reflection in it, dulled and distorted, more animal than man.

"You still wanna learn to shoot sometime, when you ain't so banged up?"

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[laertesthelocalstranger]

Nikola Orsinov? Get hurt? Her mother is many things. A force she'll ever be able to imagine getting hurt is not one of them.

"Yeah. I really could." Laertes is not sure she wants Marc getting himself in danger like that, or the idea of drawing even more of the circus' attention towards them. But in that moment, tried and scared on a hunter's couch, it's nice to imagine.

Not a single piece of them realizes they're lying.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[residentsofhollowville]

They were never human. They will never be. But he cares for him just as he would any other child.

"I mean...never mind. What really matters is, if it comes down to it, could you live with me gettin' rid of your mama? Or with doin' that yourself?"

He wants to tell them that they aren't defined by what the circus made her, that she's her own person who can and will grow into something beautiful without them. But right now, he needs to prioritize.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[laertesthelocalstranger]

"Did they make me like what?" Their voice is distant. She starts picking at a thread in her thumb again, not making eye contact. "They made me like everything. They made me, after all..." Every day he wonders if he hates them for it.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[residentsofhollowville]

He places a hand on their shoulder, trying not to jostle any of her injuries.

"Look, kid, I know you had a rough history with the circus. I ain't asking you to tell me all of it. I don't even know if you remember some of it, I know that kind of pain locks your brain up sometimes. But if the circus folk are your kin, that changes things."

It doesn't change much. But he doesn't want to put a bullet in their mother's brain. Family counts for more than that, or at least it should.

"Did they make you like this?"

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"

[laertesthelocalstranger]

Shit. Fuck. Laertes makes the busted face of all busted faces. "Mayyyybe?"

He knows he could lie. She just really fucking hates lying. Especially to people who might care about them- or at least, people they want to believe care about them. That's one thing Mom didn't pass down. And he's just too tired to reach for a mask beyond the typical lighthearted, silly little guy bullshit.

Laertes paces uneasily on the porch. Is he making a mistake? No one wants him here. He should leave while he still hasn't messed anything up worse than he already has.

It's not like he actually needs somewhere to go, is it? She'd survived just fine without that. Hell, Laertes isn't even coming from a place to stay. It's not like that much has changed, in the grand scheme of things, and the places Laertes exists around. Just...one less person in a very busy city.

It's more than that. It's so much more than that.

She should- should she go back? Back to the archives? Back to Cas? He nearly chokes on the air he doesn't need to breathe when he thinks of that. Who's going to give Cas the news? Tell him how badly Laertes had fucked up this time?

They tried to fix it. They tried so, so hard to fix it.

He almost laughs. Yeah. He knows all about things that can't be fixed.

Laertes is a coward. And she can't go back and face everything he's ruined, not when he's lost the first person who'd seen them and stayed. The first person who'd given them a goddamn hug. Cruel of them, to show him what physical affection could be like, and then leave them alone again.

He knocks on Marc's door.

@laertesthelocalstranger

He opens it, and what he sees on the other side is a child. Not a human child by any stretch, they are not human and never were, but that doesn't change the facts. This is one of his kids now. She's a kid, and she's part of Hollowville, and he has a duty to protect him.

He doesn't ask questions. He doesn't say a damn thing until they're inside and the door is safely shut behind them.

"What happened to you?"