#duskwood lilly

[hacked-by-jake]

Lilly: Hey Jake. Uh, why's there a "No AI art in this house!" -sign outside the door?

Jake: Don't ask.. MC's just dreamed they were working on another case but all characters were weird animated AI projection except for two. MC said it reminded them of horror movies with dolls. Now they ban it from our home.

Lilly: But what about Nymos?

Jake: The two are still discussing this...

MC: Listen, Nymos! As long as I pay for your internet access, you do as I tell you!

[duskwood-mc-art]

And this little drawing of Jake and my MC will be the first drawing on this blog.

The screenshots for this situation below:

[miss-celestia13]

The Ending You Deserve

Jake x MC - Duskwood One Shot

I wanted to practice angst and creating suspense. This happened. It has a touch of humor, a hint of fluff, and other things! Sassy MC. No smut for a change. It feels weird 🤭

Can Jake run from death and make it to MC?

Or will his demons win the race?

MC isn't named or described as it was more for the emotions. It's all from Jake’s POV.

Pain. 

Aching. Cold. Hot. Burning, burning, burning. It rolled through him in waves.

He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t see.

Dread wove through his internal organs and strangled him from the inside like an invasive vine had taken root in the core of himself.

Smoke and ash choked his airways as he stumbled and tripped through the mine.

His heart rattled savagely against his ribs.

It felt like a creature in its death throes, trying to break out of his chest.

His foot collided with a jagged, jutting rock and he went down like a house of cards. Crumpled and folded as he rolled and rolled.

Hissing as tiny sharp stones cut into his face and hands.

Ash ridden sweat trickled down his face and stung the many small slices leaking blood as he lay on his back panting and cursing himself as the ominous orange glow of raging flame inched along the underground tunnel.

The air grew thinner and thinner.

The smoke grew thicker and thicker. 

The gasoline fueled fire was a monster bearing down on him and he scrambled to his trembling feet. Taking off at a staggering jog, one hand braced on the rough, dirty wall.

A pinprick of light opened up far ahead and a jolt of adrenaline surged through his bloodstream. He hurried, panting and terrified, breathing too shallowly as the rising heat nipped at his neck.

He knew he had a choice to make.

It was death by fire or FBI.

Neither option appealed to him, but as he looked back and saw the swirling, furious flames licking nearer and nearer. He knew he had to decide.

It wasn’t fair.

He wasn’t innocent or free from any wrongdoing. But he didn’t deserve to die like an animal, run over and left bleeding out and twitching on the side of the road until he grew cold and stiff. 

No one would miss him.

No one would look for him.

He was all alone. It was a surety. He was always, always alone.

That’s not true though, is it, Jake?

It hasn’t been for a while now.

The voice in his head made his breath catch, and his heart pounded painfully in his throat.

It felt as though someone had reached inside his chest, broken through his flesh, muscle and grasped his bones to pry them apart, an invisible fist that gripped his pulsing heart and shoved it in his mouth. Forcing him to swallow it.

It beat there like a Wardrum. Marching him to his death. 

It throbbed and choked and filled his mouth with copper. He couldn’t stand it. The pain was corrosive as it ate through his nerves and left them exposed to the heat and acrid taint of smoke.

She is waiting for you. Don’t let her down.

You PROMISED.

A soul deep sigh huffed through his nose as his feet sped up, pebbles and broken glass crunched under his boots as he raced toward the gradually growing dot of light.

The roaring fire and echo of his escape bounced off the stone and haunted him as he ran for his life.

Four years of running.

Four years of searching and shame and seclusion. Running had been his gift. His lifeline. 

Yet he felt wholly unprepared for this last sprint.

He was tiring.

Steps shortening faster than his scalding breath as black smoke slithered overhead and wrapped its insidious tentacles around his body.

He would not make it.

He would not see her after all.

The thought felt like a poisoned blade sinking into his chest. He could feel the barbs of it twisting and cutting through sinew.

He would soon bleed out without a sound.

The fight left him as the intangible knife punctured his hope and foolish dream of having a love he didn’t deserve.

They’d been writing their own story, filling the pages with dreams and fragile, flourishing love.

He felt like coming here was akin to him tearing out those pages and ripping them up.

It broke him so completely he almost stopped and let the flames embrace him.

He could already smell the sickly sweet and pungent scent of his blistering flesh. Like tanning leather over a flame.

He was going to burn.

It would hurt more than he already did.

It would roast through his flesh, flay it from his bones and incinerate muscle and blood to dust.

He could already feel it.

Creeping closer, singing the hair on his nape, and filling his nose with the cloying scent of dangerous smoke.

No one would know it was him.

Nothing would remain for her except blackened bones and the memory that he had gone to the mine instead of her.

She would blame herself for this.

It would destroy her.

And it was all his doing.

No.

Never.

He wouldn’t be a cause of her pain anymore than he already had.

A burst of fresh speed and determination glittered through him as the fire drew so near he could feel the flames whispering in his ear.

Too slow, Jake. It’s too late.

You can’t run away from this.

Your luck has faded.

He forced it aside and sobbed through his clenched teeth as the dot of light swelled and came toward him.

His legs were heavy. Growing weightier with every leap over fallen support beams and shattered rock.

His rabbit heart raced faster and faster. It deafened him to the groaning, popping wood as the fire devoured it.

Tears streaked through the soot and blood on his face. Leaving pale tracks through the grime and coating his chapped lips with brine.

His vision blurred as his emotions broke free of the locked and coded vault he’d stuffed in the back of his hive mind to come here.

He attempted to shove them back in.

It didn’t work.

They spilled out and utterly overwhelmed him.

He’d spent years locking them down. Beating them into submission, so they listened to him and not him to them. The steel and stone fortress he erected around himself had already crumbled for her and there was nowhere left to hide.

He’d given her everything he had, and it wouldn’t be enough.

You always knew you weren’t enough. Let’s not think too highly of ourselves.

She deserves better than this.

Better than you.

That is a truth you will never escape.

His heart fractured as his mind fought against him and his flagging spirit frayed further.

She deserved better than this.

He was failing her. Had failed her since he let her in.

He’d always known he’d cause her future hurt.

He just hadn’t expected it would come so soon. That he wouldn’t get to watch from afar as she healed from his vanishing.

They had always lived on borrowed time.

And now, the fire was so close sweat slid like rivers down his back and legs, eating away at his nerves as they flared wildly under his soaking skin.

Jake knew it was futile. The ball of light in his vision seemed to run away from him as his eyes blurred and cleared repeatedly. His hands curled into two tight fists and he fought the urge to punch the wall in fury.

He bit down on the inside of his cheek instead. Biting down hard until the skin gave and blood welled over the tattered edge, glazing his tongue with the buttery, metallic taste of it.

It acted like a stimulant.

His eyes focused and his heart pounded fiercely as he ran and ran and ran.

Feet pounded stone as fire blazed through the mine. He had to outrun it.

He would outrun in it.

There was no other option as his blood pressure skyrocketed and his breath became harsh, shallow.

The fire sucked away the air before it could go in as he tried to gulp it down.

There was no oxygen.

His insides kept writhing and twisting.

They knotted up and up so tightly he swore felt something tear. Something that made him cry out as the air was crushed from him.

He could see shadows in his periphery. Specks of darkness and sparks of light as his lungs ached and screamed for oxygen. For rest.

Resting meant dying.

Dying meant failing her.

Failing her was never an option before.

It couldn’t be one now.

He put his head down and ran.

He jumped over another wooden beam as the light ahead broadened and he landed atop aged wooden boards.

He only had time to scream as they broke under his weight and their age.

Jake fell. And fell and fell.

He screwed his eyes shut before he hit the ground.

The impact was so brutal, he almost wished it had killed him.

He hit the ground with a resounding whack.

His head cracked off the stone. Pain, blinding and bleeding, radiated through his skull and brain, frying his rationality completely and leaving room for fear to consume him wholly.

Warmth seeped across his scalp and his hand came away, stained in crimson when he reached to feel the damage. 

Head wounds bled worse than they were and the gash didn’t feel too bad once the stinging pain subsided a little. He internally surveyed the rest of himself. Finding nothing broken despite his ribs feeling as though a giant had stomped him flat.

Dirt and blood coated his teeth as he wheezed and coughed. Choking and spluttering as he tried to get a handle on himself.

He’d bitten through his lip, and it bled like a bitch.

Something was stabbing into his shoulder. 

As he stared up at the hole he fell through, a sensation like a thousand razor blades slicing down his skin moved down his spine, coiling in his lower back. It swirled there, a ball of cutting, primal fright that soon bled through the rest of him.

A rickety ladder leading up and out offered a small ray of hope.

He clung to it and calculated how long it would take to climb in his current condition. 

Fire scoured over the opening and left no place for him to escape.

His hope died with a breathless whimper.

He barely even heard it as agony rippled through his bones and he rolled onto his knees, panting.

“Fuck!” He spat. The word was more like a vicious curse as it rebounded off the mine walls and into his ears.

Mocking him as he squinted into the darkness and tried to figure out what to do next.

The fire would keep the police and FBI away from the mine until it burnt out. They wouldn’t rush in until it was safe enough. He knew that.

He could use that.

Jake kneeled on the filthy ground and schemed.

The temperature rose and rose as he shuffled through his thoughts.

He neatly ordered and arranged everything, thinking of his brain like a filing cabinet.

He could slide one drawer open and find a treasure trove of data and memories.

Some would get stuck as he tugged at them. Rusty and dusty, hardly ever opened for fear it would cut off his ability to feel nothing.

He pulled at one that had eroded so much he had to kick it and smash it to smithereens to pull the files out.

It was like opening Pandora’s box and expecting sunshine to pour forth. 

A veritable flood of emotion, memory, and agony spilled free of the mental drawer and absolutely annihilated his hold on himself.

He’d forgotten what it was like to feel everything so fully.

Everything of the last few years had felt like he was competing against time itself. And time was humanity’s greatest enemy. There was never enough of it and it actively fought back when you tried to beat it.

It was a losing game and in order to keep playing, he’d become a ghost.

He muted everything that made him human in order to survive.

Calculated.

Clinical.

Cold.

Jake was all of that.

Now, he felt everything.

He wanted to survive. He wanted to live.

Lingering as a phantom on the periphery of reality no longer appealed to him. He wanted to feel and touch and be. He wanted everything life had to give.

The bitter and the sweet. The hurt and the relief. All of it.

Jake just wanted.

And when Jake wanted something, he got it.

He pushed up on his hands. Curling his fingers into the gravelly dirt and ignoring the bark of pain as his nails cracked and split.

His blood mingled with the muck, and he clambered to his feet.

Everything ached and bled and felt so heavy he could barely put one foot in front of the other as he carefully headed down the tunnel he’d dropped into.

His throat was raw. Torn to shreds from smoke and screaming. His hands quaked and his mouth was so dry his tongue curdled in his mouth as he smacked his lips together and tried to create some lubrication.

It was useless. He needed water.

He needed to rest soon, or he would pass out in sheer fright and exhaustion.

It’s too late, Jake.

Give up.

Only fools persist in fighting when the odds are stacked.

Jake’s head throbbed as he thrashed it, as if to dispel the sinister crooning, and muttered, “The odds are always stacked. It’s how you play the system.”

The voice went quiet again, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he tripped over rock and wood, hands scrabbling at the walls to ensure he wouldn’t get himself lost.

He risked taking his phone out of his pocket, scowling at the shattered screen as message after message came through.

MC: Jake. You can’t just tell a woman you love her and then ignore her!

Answer me.

Please.

Just give me a sign. A smoke signal. Send a damn carrier pigeon if you have to! They’re saying there’s no way in or out. But I know better. You’ll find a way. 

Keep going. Please don’t give up. You’re not alone in this. I won’t allow it.

If you die, I will hunt you down, drag you back and kill you again. You must live, Jake. Not for me, not for Hannah or Lilly, but for you. You will make it back to me.

He swiped them away. Deleting them. They made his heart shiver and fracture more. The rubious fissures would leave silver scars behind. He groaned as another came through and he immediately memorized the coordinates she gave him. Deleting the message once he had. He put all his remaining energy and will into planning his escape.

His mind wheeled with memories from before.  Prior to being forced into hiding, he had experienced a life of color and fluctuating joy. It wasn’t a perfect life, but it was his. The day he had to leave it all behind, he’d severed all strands of his old life and assumed the identity of many and none. 

He’d learned a lot about humanity and its cruelty in that time. He knew how it worked.

Life was a battle against human cruelty. It always was and always would be. Wisdom, strategy, and hope were the only factors that could hope to gain over cruelty.

And his hope lived on. 

Hope, he understood it lived with her now. He’d given her it and she had offered him her own. He would not waste it.

He flicked through his brain and memories, shelving what didn’t matter and keeping what did. Everything that made him ache, he kept. Everything that made him feel safe, he lost.

If safety meant being alone, lost in a mine until he either burned or starved to death, he didn’t want it.

He reached into the mental vault containing their chats. 

Their conversation about her coming here was the most potent file he had, and it would fuel him to make it out.

She had complimented his research on the mine and he’d told her about some entrances/exits.

He informed her of the ones he thought were most likely to get him caught. It was a manipulative decision, so she wouldn’t get the stupid idea of following him.

He kept one exit loaded like a bullet in the back of his mind.

It was risky.

It was idiotic. 

Still, Jake took off running for it. 

The tunnel was narrowing as he traveled along it. He had to duck before long.

His heart still frothed behind his sternum. Relentless and out of time, with his sawing breath as the walls closed in on him.

He had to crouch now. His head scuffed off the rugged ceiling and he bit back a shout as the pain merged with that of the wound still leaking blood on the back of his skull.

He felt drained. His body became so weighty, he was grateful when the tightening passage forced him to his hands and knees.

Jake crawled and crawled. Palms scraped and searing as sweat irritated all his grazes. His eyes prickled with fresh tears as a draught of fresh air snaked into his nose.

Dread rose to swallow him, but he kept going. He didn’t know what awaited him on the other side, but it was better than dying alone, never to be mourned or found.

The fear of being arrested was so strong it almost halted him as he squeezed through the ever shrinking tunnel and felt like he was caught in a vice.

If he got stuck—No, he couldn’t think it.

He had to turn his fear into a weapon. Run from this place and reclaim his name. The sweat on his brow, the blood running through his veins; it was that of a survivor.

This was just another glitch.

He told himself that over and over as he army crawled through the crushing mine.

He was blind.

The darkness entrenched him.

It would entomb him if he allowed it.

His coat snagged on the rough wall and dragged him back. He shook his sore body as much as the tight space would allow and panted through his clenched teeth.

It kept sticking. He had stretched his hands ahead of him.

There was no room or way for him to tug the fabric free.

His heart stopped dead in his chest.

Helplessness stole his flagging fight, and he slumped into the dirt, hiding his filthy face in it.

Abruptly, Jake started sobbing like a child. Great, gasping cries tore from him and his entire body shuddered with it. So violent and soul destroying he couldn’t temper it.

No matter what he did, it went against him. He’d never worked with such horrendous odds. His brain was a mess of emotion and regret.

He wished he’d written everything he felt and hoped for them down and mailed the letter to her before he entered the mine, but he’d been cocky then. Too confident in his ability to escape any trap or cage.

Jake gave up and accepted his fate.

If he died, if that was his due, there was no stopping it. He’d been living off begged and borrowed and stolen time for years.

It had finally caught up to him.

He was so lost in defeat. Consumed by it. His throat contracted, and he felt like he might be sick.

He hoped he choked on it.

Make it quick.

“I don’t want to die,” He whispered without meaning to and his mouth kept moving, the words kept falling from his bloodstained lips, “Not like this, anything but this.”

His heart shriveled and went cold as he struggled and tried to shuffle forward. He couldn’t breathe properly. All his weight was on his front. His ribs felt bruised and cracked, every tiny inhale felt like a sledgehammer blow.

It is over, Jake. Feel that? The cold creeping in? Soon, it’s all you’ll know. This darkness? It’s all there is. All there ever will be. It’s what you –

“-- I don’t deserve this.” Jake growled with a certainty he’d never known.

Adrenaline coursed through him, lighting up his veins and filling him with new trembling energy as if someone had injected him with a drug.

He rocked and shook his body until his bones jolted and his skin felt too tight. He forced what little breath he had out through gritted teeth and felt the tendons in his neck straining as he dug his fingers into the dirt and put all his strength into pulling himself free.

The sound of fabric ripping caused his heart to start beating again.

He gave a laugh like shattering glass.

Unhinged and desperate as the momentum of his coat coming free shoved him forward a few feet.

From there, it wasn’t easy. He felt like a clumsy serpent as he slithered through the mine.

He kept laughing. His heart kept pounding.

The voice in his head was silent as his hands connected with something that fell away as he shoved at it.

Glorious, clean night air hit his sweaty face, and he gulped it down as he pulled himself out of the horrible tunnel.

It seemed to cling to him. Like invisible hands tugged on his ankles to keep him trapped. He refused to allow it.

Damp earth, long green grass, and dried leaves crunched under his hands as he lay on his back on the forest floor and stared at the starry sky.

He considered the spectacle of stars as the greatest gift he could have received. He analyzed it, finding the North star and thinking of the co-ordinates MC had given him. He quickly checked them on his phone before he threw it away, and was relieved when he discovered it wasn’t too far to make it there on foot.

If he headed in a North- Easterly direction, he could make it there at sunrise.

He didn’t bother looking toward Duskwood, didn’t need to know how close his pursuers might be or he’d lose his nerve.

He shakily got to his feet and started walking.

Time meant nothing to him as he traipsed through forest and open fields. He stayed away from the roads he knew were always busy.

In his current condition, some good samaritan would call for help thinking they were aiding him when in fact they’d be signing his death.

He was so tired. It clung to him like a shroud of smothering fog he would never break out of.

He kept moving. 

Through shadow and moonlight, he kept walking and ignored the pain in his body as best he could. 

There was no end to his exhaustion as pink tinged sunlight shimmered through the pines.

The sun was rising.

How strange, he thought, that his world could burn down around him and yet the sun still rose.

He eyed it and felt strange, like it was an abstract painting absolutely out of place in this world of cruelty, death, and flame.

No matter how deeply or irrevocably the world burned. No matter how thick the shadows grew and the amount the freezing darkness consumed, the sun would always rise.

It filled the world with light, warmth, and color and precious hope.

He felt the soft warmth kiss his hurting face, and it energized him as he broke out of the cover of trees and came to a halt in a motel parking lot.

Jake frowned, glancing around in suspicion and doubt as he failed to understand. Why would she send him here? He hadn’t stayed here. It was too out of the way.

And just how did she know of it?

He stood straight and fear thickened in his throat as his attention snagged on a window. The curtains had moved. He was sure of it.

He moved as though to sink back amongst the trees, but the creak of a door opening made his head snap toward it.

A small, slender hand poked through the gap in the door, beckoning him. He was moving toward it before he could give his feet the command.

His heart picked up speed again. His pulse and distress ratcheting up and infusing him with tension like someone was turning a screw too tightly.

He was only a few steps away from the door now. His skin felt too sensitive and everything hurt in some way. His throat felt like he’d been eating sandpaper and gravel.

The shake in his hands intensified, flight or fight. His nervous system couldn’t decide.

As he hesitated, a female voice trailed through the open door and it was like a salve on his exposed nerves. He had heard that voice, he could recognize it anywhere.

His heart raced for an entirely different reason as he listened to it.

“It’s safe. Come in and I’ll explain.”

Jake didn’t care about her explanation as the adrenaline left him so suddenly he drooped and nearly dropped to his knees.

He tripped through the door instead.

She didn’t give him time to rake his gaze over her the way he wanted to. She gripped him and forcefully dragged him into an embrace, causing him to groan in pain as it aggravated his many minor injuries.

She instantly pulled back, grimacing and apologetic.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. Here, I have supplies. I figured one of us would get shot or stabbed or maimed. It felt important to be prepared. Thankfully, the worst injury I’ve had is paper cuts. You don’t look like you’ve been so lucky. Are you bleeding anywhere? What do I do first? Are you burnt? You smell like someone roasted you over a spit! Are yo-”

Jake chuckled roughly at her babbling. Touched and amused by her care and thoughtfulness.

It was the first genuine laugh he’d had in years, and it turned into a cackle before long. It just slipped out of him and sounded more like crying by the end.

His gritty eyes closed as emotion swallowed him and he welcomed the darkness they offered.

It was familiar.

It was safe.

He woke hours later very confused and so stiff it felt like he was breaking his bones to sit up. His grunt of pain escaped his teeth as a lilting voice cut through the static in his mind.

“Oh, good. I was worrying. That’s nothing new, but you look like someone just dug you out of your grave. I cleaned and patched you up as best I could without stripping you. I thought I’d let you buy me dinner before we got to that stage!”

Her tone was light and filled with humor, but there was an edge of despair and anxiety in it that told him she’d fussed over him the entire time he slept.

His sluggish heart resided in his empty stomach as she approached him slowly like she thought he was an injured animal and she was afraid to spook him.

“Where are we? Why are you here? You promised to stay away.” He managed as he accepted the glass of water she offered him.

His fingers left dirty streaks on the glass as the dirt mingled with the condensation. The water was cold and crystal clear and he gulped it down to clear the sour taste out of his mouth.

She huffed at his words and waited for him to sink the water before she responded, “Typical. I come and help you and you scold me. Well, shove it.  If it weren’t for me and Alan, you would be dead or rotting in a cell. And I did stay away! I didn't go to the mine, did I?” 

His gaze flew to her indignant face, lovely and open despite the fury razing hell in her narrowed eyes.

He felt shocked that he could speak because his tongue felt so thick in his mouth. “My apologies. I’m still—I’m sorry... Alan? I thought he would be more interested in helping them catch me?”

She smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she sat down beside him.

“That was until I ripped him a new one. The fire helped most, but Alan is currently playing down your involvement to give us time. He’ll make contact with us once we find a safe place to stay.”

He opened his mouth to demand she go back home, and he’d message once he was safe, but she flung up a hand to silence him.

“None of that. I’ll explain better once we know the scope of the fallout in Duskwood. But I am coming with you. No, if ands or buts about it, Jake. I make my decisions, not you. The last time someone tried to decide for me, I bit them. Don’t make me bite you too. Are you in?”

Her eyes were hard and unwavering, not a sliver of doubt to be found.

Everything inside him protested against dragging her into his mess, but he was tired.

He was tired of being alone.

He was so tired of losing everything.

Four years of fatigue and depression sank through him like a millstone and he hung his head in defeat. He was in no condition to run alone, anyway.

And he didn't want to. It was selfish. It was daft. But he didn't care.

He hadn't expected to survive this long. Plus, she had been his reason to make it out. He sighed and let his shoulders curl inward. Having someone else to protect would keep him sharp and ready for anything. She must've sensed his resolve weakening. 

She reached out and threaded her clean fingers through his muddy ones, dark and light; he thought stupidly as his skin tingled at the contact.

It had been so long since he’d been touched gently. With obvious affection and because someone wanted to, not because they had to. 

He was used to bruises and hurt. This was — this was what he'd survived for. 

He’d forgotten what it felt like as he met her gaze and felt his stomach fluttering with something that felt like excitement.

It felt like hundreds of tiny birds had taken flight in his abdomen and a frisson of tentative anticipation filtered through him. 

Her eyes glittered and his mouth twitched with the want to smile as he gave his response.

“I’m in.”

—————————

Thank you for reading. I hope it was worth your time despite this being done so many times before me. Oh, and if you leave a comment or reblog, thank you. It is appreciated ❤️

[mindful-daze]

*Jake and MC flirting with each other yet again*

Lilly: And you two are sure you're not dating?

Jake: 100%.

MC: Of course not! Why would you think that?

Lilly: I wonder why that possibility would even cross my mind, MC. I fucking wonder.

[mwonie]

No one.

Literally Dan:

[jakescomputer]

mc 🤝🏼 comforting the donfort family by saying

"everyone makes mistakes"

[hacked-by-nymos]

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘈 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯..."

[lyon-amore]

Please, I need to imagine Jake, Lilly and Hannah wearing this sweater and each penguin being a representation of each other and them being dressed differently, I'm dying of love 😭🤭💖

And our MCs or us who take their photo 😆

[slytherinlizzy]

Duskwood Incorrect Quotes pt.12

Mc: *gently taps table*

Jake: *taps back*

Lilly: What are they doing?

Dan: Morse code.

Mc: *aggressively taps table*

Jake: *slams hands down* YOU TAKE THAT BACK–

[pennyl4n3]

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I can clearly see Lilly rn

[jake-s-azaleea]

Lilly: Do you have a bag I can borrow?

Jake: The only bags I have are the bags under my eyes and they're specifically designed to carry the burden of my existence.

Lilly: all you had to say was 'no'.

[hacked-by-jake]

Therapist: So, tell me about your friends. What are they like?

MC: Well, you know..

MC: Who have we got here...

MC: Jessy, well, Jessy is very emotional. Not very rational. She likes to run into dangerous and unknown homes after using the satnav of someone else and also likes to check out the houses of murder suspects and almost gets killed by them. Luckily she run fast enough, haha.

MC: Thomas... Well, Thomas is a stupid puppy. Most of the time he forgets he's a brain. He's not really good in using it, tho. He's a true cry baby. He mostly is too dump to realise how serious situations are and that's why he just doesn't care about important instructions. Or, he cares but he's not smart enough to follow them. But he loved his girlfriend a lot, which is a good thing. Oh, and he also likes to visit houses of possible murderer. He once broke into Hannahs apartment where he met Cleo who also broke in there. And together they tried to break into Phil’s bar. But remember, door of steel. Very shameful fail.

Therapist:

Therapist: Okay, you told me the Cleo, what about her?

MC: Cleo. Well, Cleo likes break-ins. During the short time I met her, she broke in twice and tried another one but failed terribly. Together with Thomas, by the way. But there was a door made of steel and that was above her break in skills. She also likes to go for runs in the forest while there is a murder in there as well.

Therapist: *nervously chuckles and cleats her throat* Okay, what about... The name say.. Jack Daniels?

MC: Ohh, Dan. Dan is good at shooting with weapons, he can also see if weapons are real or fake pretty fast. And unlike Cleo, he prefers to break out instead of in. Hospitals are not his thing, you know? Oh, and he loves whiskey... and car drives at night... Together...

Therapist: Okay, let's switch. What about a girl called Lilly?

MC: Ah, Lilly. I used to hate her with everything I have, you know. She accused me of kidnapping and murderer. She really messed up. And she's talented in that. She's also good in video production.

Therapist: Thank God, something normal. What kind of videos does she do?

MC: Well, videos in which she incites people and spreads horrible rumors, as mentioned, I hated her once. That was because she made a video in which she accused me and her half brother of the things I also mentioned. Murder and kidnapping and shit. Oh, and she loves to call the police. If you ever need someone to call the police for you, she's the one you should ask.

Therapist: *sighs*

Therapist: And who is Phil?

MC: Argh, Phil is uninteresting. He’s an ordinary misogynist. Owns a bar. He got arrested once. And I suspect he might have killed the former bar owner. But nothing special.

MC: We also got Richy. Well, he's.. he's a very bad criminal, you know. Like, really bad. It's not his biggest strength. He was the one who actually kidnapped the girl, but he didn’t kill anyone. And he even changed his personality and became an old legend. He was shot once, no twice, but at the same time. Thanks to Richy, I know Dan’s good at shooting. And as teenagers he buried a dead body. That's why he became this old, ridiculous legend. And the body also takes us straight to Hannah.

MC: Hannah. Hannah is the kidnapped girl. Hannah is cute. She once fell in love with her half brother but she did not know he's her half brother so.. But she's to blame for the dead body. She borrowed a car from Richy one night even though she didn’t have a driver’s license. Well and then she unfortunately ran over a girl by car. As I said, no driver's license... Long story short: Richy and Hannah and another girl named Amy, who was also in the car, buried the body. Sometimes Hannah has problems with hallucinations, but it’s gotten better since Richy got caught. She thought she’d seen the man without a face. The old legend. But luckily, it was just Richy with a potato sack over his head.

Therapist: You mentioned the half brother of Hannah and Lilly several times now. Tell me about him.

MC: *giggling* Oh, he's my boyfriend. I love him with everything I have, you know. He's just as uninteresting as Phil. He hates Phil, he's very jealous, so please don't tell him I compared the two. But I can't really talk about him, you know. The FBI is watching me so I can't say much.

Therapist: FBI? Why that?

MC: Well, my boyfriend is a government-wanted hacker. And the FBI tries to catch him since several years. So, like I said, as uninteresting as Phil. But I’m relieved he’s a much better criminal than Richy.

Therapist: *about to scream*

+ bonus

Therapist: Can you wait here for a minute? I need to make a call I forgot, but it won’t take long.

MC: Sure, go ahead.

Therapist, in another room, calling: I urgently need a couple of ambulances and just as many white jackets!

[duskwood-mc-art]

Dan x Mc

Don't read if you haven't finished Duskwood yet!

But the way he crushes on MC is just so adorable. He is the one who trusts MC (and Jake) the least in the beginning of the game.

But the moment when Jessy didn't show up to their date and Dan was drunk, he went to MC. He could have talked to anyone of the group. But he chose MC. For the simple reason, that they didn't know eachother well and he thought MC won't judge. Someone is more likely to express their true feelings when drunk. Alcohol cannot make you feel or think things, but rather it lowers the person's inhibitions and judgment in social situations, which makes it more difficult for them to determine whether something is socially acceptable.

Dan probably developed a crush on MC ever since. He warns MC and tells them to be careful around Jake. Not because he dislikes Jake. He doesn't dislike anyone. He is laid back and easy going. But he doesn't want MC to get hurt because deep down he really cares for MC.

So much, that he opens up to MC by himself, and when MC even supports him and doesn't judge him for escaping the hospital or his actions when he told her about his dad, he invites MC out on a date to watch a movie. And he didn't even ask directly, because he was shy. He waited for his opportunity to invite MC. Of course he also calls them "Boo" which is a term that is used if someone adores or loves a person.

He really liked Jessy, and called her "babe", but MC gets his sweet, hidden side. Because Dan knows how it feels to be an innocent person and getting dragged into something horrible.

And I think this is very adorable. If Jake wouldn't have been my favorite romance route, it surely would have been Dan.

[alessiathepirate]

Duskwood

PAST 2 A.M.: Richy Roger x fem!reader

Summary: "Can you please talk to me til I fall asleep? I don't want to be like, alone alone you know."

Notes: English isn't my first language. I apologize for any mistake I may have made while I wrote this short story.

So... Moonvale didn't really catch me - not like Duskwood did the very first time I played it. I decided to replay Duskwood once again and thought: why not give the characters some appreciation on Tumblr as well?

I hope you'll enjoy it :)

Warnings: SPOILERS! (please finish the game before reading), swearing

•••

Hey!

I can see that you're awake too.

Richy looked at the screen of his phone and frowned. Of course he was awake! All those things about the Man Without a Face were keeping him up at night, not being able to fall asleep.

His mind was going and going, the cogs in his brain turning.

But what could she want? It was late, way past 2 a.m.. At the very least she should be asleep.

Haha, you got me!

I can't really fall asleep now.

Yeah. I get it.

There's just too much on my mind right now.

Well, it wasn't surprising.

She was pulled into this mess and until a few days ago she had no idea whatsoever who they were. She was also empathetic - he liked that about her a lot. And because of that she felt useless - she was far away, unable to help.

You and me both.

But are you okay?

Dumb question, but still... he wanted to know.

He liked her. Liked her a lot.

And although it was absolutely neccessary to mess with her too, to try and keep her away, he sometimes - everytime - felt bad about doing so.

I don't know. Maybe?

Not really?

I'm worried about Jessy.

Richy swallowed, glad that they were only texting. Otherwise he would've been caught red handed.

He had to do that too. But it wasn't anything serious. He didn't want to hurt Jessy. He made sure she was okay.

I know. I am worried too. But Jessy's strong. She'll pull herself through this.

And then we can all go and kick that Man's ass.

Richy chuckled. A hint of nervousness was in his voice.

Well said.

So...

So what?

You sure you're not in love with her?

With Jessy I mean.

Richy grinned, blush painting his cheeks red.

No, of course not.

Jessy was a great friend and a nice girl, although sometimes a way too distracted employee, but still-- she was just a friend.

The question made him smile, suddenly all his worries forgotten. It was cute - the uncertainity.

Sometimes he wondered if she had someone else too.

Umm...

Yeah. I'm pretty sure.

Like very sure.

Alright then.

So...

What about you?

What about me?

Are you in love? With anyone I mean.

Richy looked at the three dots and small pencil in the left corner. He'll know. He'll know the answer soon.

No. I'm not.

Single life's great, isn't it?

Richy laughed.

Yeah it is.

Her being free of any romantic emotion for anyone gave him hope. Maybe... Maybe if he cleans this mess up, he'll have a chance.

So... I kinda wanted to ask for a favor.

Richy raised one of his eyebrows.

A favor? Past 2 a.m.? What kind?

Sure. What can I do for you?

Can I call you?

Richy felt his heartbeat quicken, his pulse jumping up and down.

Call him?

Is everything okay?

Yeah, I just...

Can you please talk to me til I fall asleep?

I don't want to be like, alone alone you know.

Richy looked at the screen in disbelief.

She trusted him that much. She liked him that much.

For a while he didn't know what to type.

Are you still here?

Shit...

Yes. Sorry I'm here. I just don't even know what to say...

Why me?

The three dots with the pencil appeared again - then disappeared. It happened once again, and then her answer finally appeared on the screen.

I like you.

I mean a lot.

It's okay if you don't want to I just don't want to be completely alone right now.

Texting is just fine too.

The messages had appeared quickly, one after the other. She must've been nervous. It wouldn't have been surprising - this call would be more... personal. More of a personal need than anything else.

Instead of answering, Richy simply just called her.

And she picked up - after swallowing down a tiny heart attack.

"Hi..." she whispered, her voice hoarse and tired.

It must've sounded hoarse. She knew she cried a lot after what had happened to Jessy, and she haven't really found her voice since then.

"Hi." Richy didn't sound nervous or stressed at all - tired, maybe. Tired a whole lot. "Is everything okay?"

"Better now." she smiled although she knew he couldn't see it. "I just needed someone to get my mind off things."

"I'm happy to help." she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Thank you, Richy. Really..." she pulled the covers up, hiding her whole body from the cold room. Even though the room was still dark and cold, it wasn't that lonely anymore.

"No problem." silence wanted to settle in, but Richy stopped it just in time. "So... this club of ours isn't too fun when we can't sleep at night, huh?"

She chuckled. She hoped he heard it.

"No, definitely not. But at the very least we are in the same boat."

"Well said."

She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them again. The world seemed to finally slow down, her mind got quieter - she felt the sleepiness in her eyes.

"Tell me something. Something fun. Like when you told me about the dare-house." she asked and then got quiet as she waited for an answer.

"Well, there was this one time when Dan got a job at the florist'..." Richy began and she let out a chuckle.

"Jessy already mentioned this one." she confessed.

"Did she tell you what we did after we found out?" he asked.

She could clearly hear that he was surpressing a laugh.

"Not really..."

"We decided to order this very big bouquet, full of roses and everything. We made him write 'To my bestest friends' with a heart on it. He didn't know we were the ones who ordered it of course, so when all of us turned up there for it he was really surprised."

She giggled.

"Poor guy. Was he mad?"

"Upset is a better word for it." he laughed too.

"Upset?"

"Well he might've thrown us out of there..."

She turned to rest on her back as she giggled, imagining the whole scene play out. All of them standing there - the whole group including Hannah too...

Hannah.

They have to find Hannah. They have to make the culprit pay. Especially after what he did to Jessy.

Richy was suddenly saying her name. He must've noticed how quiet she became.

"Sorry, I just... got distracted."

"The bad kind?"

She sighed.

How does he always know?

"The bad kind." she explained. "Just... take care of yourselves, okay? Especially you and Jessy, now that she was attacked and you were marked."

"We'll look out for ourselves, don't worry."

His voice was strange. She could hear something in it. Something what wasn't like him at all. There was no joy in it, no joke in it. It was completely serious - the very bad kind of serious.

But before she had a chance to question it, Richy spoke up again.

"But you have to look out for yourself too. Jessy would want that, wouldn't she?"

Damn, he knew how to get her to do what was good for everyone.

"She'd want me to have a good night's sleep." she agreed. "But she'd want the same for you as well."

It was quiet for a while again.

Then ignoring the serious topics they began to talk about, Richy continued to talk about different things that had happened to them, long before Hannah disappeared.

He told her how Cleo messed up her pyramid cake once so almost everyone in the group got food poisoning... How Richy accidentally scratched a client's car... How Hannah once poured a whole bottle of beer onto someone at the Aurora... How Thomas once got so drunk that he forgot Hannah was his girlfriend and started to cry when she told him she wasn't single... Or how Jessy once made them have a horror movie marathon, even though Lilly wasn't the biggest fan of it.

She sometimes laughed or smiled.

And after a while she got too tired to answer.

Some time ago her eyes closed and she fell asleep, completely oblivious to the fact that Richy finished his last story and chose to not say anything else. He continued to listen to her breathing, waiting patiently.

Then after some time, after he was sure she was asleep - that she won't wake up anytime soon, he said:

"I'm so sorry, MC. But I have to finish this now."

His voice was full of guilt.

He felt guilty.

He felt every ounce of hope disappear.

He won't have a chance to make everything better.

Then the call ended...

[lala3244]

Obsession (Duskwook)

~Hi! I am back. I am sorry for those who follow me for the Obey ME content but I went back to my Duskwood obession actually... Especially with the new game coming up soon! I had to write this story because it will feed my need for obsession and possessivity and darkness. Also I invented new characters for this need. There is no warning for this part. It starts actually quite softly :)~

================================================

I arrived in Duskwood early in the morning, Jessy had come to pick me up at the bus station. It had been a long journey to get there. I was exhausted but antsy to see my friends. It took me a while to decide to go meet them. I wanted to let them settle back into their lives again after everything that had happened and for months I had hoped, every day, that Jake would text me to say he was still alive. The hope dwindled slowly as days then weeks then months passed without a word. I would also text Lilly once a week to ask if she had heard anything then every two weeks then once a month and that was when I decided it was time to meet them. I also did not want them to think I went there just to meet with him. 

Jessy saw me getting off the bus and pushed the other passengers to then jump into my arms. I stumbled a bit and laughed, hugging her close to me. “Hello to you too, Jessy.” She looked back at me and smiled. I could see her eyes shining with unshed tears. “You are finally here!” I chuckled and hugged her tighter. I tried to remember this moment, the pure happiness emanating from the red-haired girl was so overwhelming, it caught my breath. We stayed embraced while the passengers were trickling down around us, avoiding us, some of them cursing at us but we did not care. Finally, we pulled away, I went to grab my bag then I followed her to her car. The bus stop wasn’t far from her flat but walking with my luggage would have been a trek especially after the long trip. We hadn’t said a word yet, we were just content with the silence between us. We had talked a lot over the phone the last few months, we were just glad to be in each other’s presence. 

Jessy’s flat was like her personality, bright and colourful. I felt at ease, she showed me quietly her spare bedroom and I put my bag on the floor. “Thank you Jessy for having me.” I sat down on the bed and she did the same. She grabbed my hand and sighed. I looked at her, she looked nervous. I squeezed her hand. “What’s wrong?” She sighed again and looked away, avoiding my gaze. “I need to warn you. Jake is here.” My grip loosened and I stood up. “Wait… What?!” She nodded, looking down at the floor. I scoffed. “Okay, everyone knows?” She nodded again. I rubbed my face with my hands and I sat down again. “I had a long trip, I am exhausted. Do you mind if I go to bed?” She shook her head and left the room. I was still wearing a jacket so I took it off then my shoes. I plopped down on the bed. It was very comfy and I realised how tired I was. I was really mad at Jake, at my friends too but I guessed that he had asked them to not say anything and as usual he decided for me. I heard a knock at the door and it opened on Jessy. “Sorry to bother you, I forgot to tell you that we are all going to the Aurora tonight. That’s why I told you about him because he is going to be there and he actually has a girlfriend.” I hummed too tired to be upset. She was about to close the door. “Wait, come here.” She approached the bed. I pulled her towards me and hugged her. “I am sorry about my reaction earlier, I know it’s not your fault.”

I must have fallen asleep right away because when I woke up, Jessy was gone and I had no recollection of her leaving. I looked at the time. I slept all day. I heard a soft knock and the door opened quietly. “Hey, we’re leaving in an hour.” I hummed and stretched. “Yes, sorry I slept that much. I was tired apparently.” I heard her giggle and I smiled. I stood up from the bed and started rummaging in my bag to get some clothes nice enough for a night out. I asked Jessy if I could use her bathroom and she showed me where it was and where the towels were. I thanked her and I showered. The warm water felt nice, I wished I had a shower before falling asleep but well… As I was washing my body, I remembered what Jessy had told me. I couldn’t believe Jake was here, in Duskwood. I was getting excited but then my heart sank when I remembered more. He had a girlfriend. I scoffed to myself. My initial excitement morphed into anger. I tried to calm down as there was no point in getting angry. It was what it was. I left the shower and finished getting ready. 

We arrived at the bar. It was already crowded but I could already see some familiar faces. I smiled fondly at the sight. I grabbed Jessy’s hand to give myself some courage. We entered the bar and headed towards the bar where Jessy’s brother, Phil, saw us. We ordered some drinks and while he was getting them I watched the group. Thomas and Hannah were already there. They were still together, even though when she came back it was rocky for a while but they talked it through and it was getting better. I did ask what would happen to her after the investigations but no one wanted to tell me so I let it go after a while. Lilly was also present, she was talking to a couple I didn’t know. I looked at the girl. She was beautiful, a real model and well dressed then my gaze fell on the man. He was tall with black hair. I frowned. Was it Jake? He looked bored, barely listening to the two women. I saw him checking his phone discreetly then he smirked. He lifted his head to look around the bar and he looked straight at me as if he knew me. My heart skipped a beat as I realised who it was. I blushed under his intense gaze and I cleared my throat. I avoided his gaze and turned my attention back to Jessy. I smiled at her, still feeling my cheeks going hot. The young woman looked at me and giggled. I ignored her and grabbed my drink. Phil came around the bar and finally hugged me. I was surprised by the gesture but I welcomed it. 

After chatting with the bartender for a few minutes, we finally joined the others. Lilly saw us and she approached with a big smile. We hugged, I was really happy to finally meet her. We had a rough first encounter but after the investigations, we had gotten closer, calling and texting each other quite often. Thomas and Hannah, who saw the young woman walking towards us, approached as well. It was a bit awkward with them. I still hadn’t talked to Hannah and I never talked with Thomas since Hannah came back but I was happy to finally meet them as well. When we finished the greetings, Dan and Cleo arrived. I met them halfway and took them in my arms in turn. Lilly grabbed my arm and she led me outside as we went further from the bar entrance, she started to talk. “I need to talk to you.” I turned to face her. “Is it about Jake? I know Jessy told me.” She sighed and rubbed her face. “I know. We agreed that she should tell you. I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you when I knew but he made me promise. I tried to talk to him, to tell him that he should, at least, send you a text to let you know but he said that you deserved to move on and to forget him…” I scoffed, shaking my head. “Right. As usual he decides for me.” She gently touched my arm when we heard footsteps behind us. We both turned around and Jake was standing there, a blank expression on his face. “I only wanted to protect you.” I stared at him and scoffed again. Lilly excused herself and left the two of us. She walked away but turned her head for a last look and smirked at me. I frowned but brought my attention back to the hacker. 

I crossed my arms but then I decided I didn’t really want to talk to him. He didn’t want me in his life, that was fine, so I started to walk away. He grabbed me by the wrist. “Wait.” I stopped and he made me face him. “Can we talk?” I shrugged. “What is there to say? I am guessing that you are not on the run anymore so clearly you don’t want me in your life. That’s fine with me.” He still showed no expression on his face but I could see his jaw working. His hand was still holding my wrist while I talked. It kind of threw me off my thoughts. I looked at it then in his eyes. There, I saw an ocean of emotions. Fear, love, guilt, shame. He still wasn’t talking but his eyes portrayed his feelings for him. My anger faded slightly and I relaxed. I tilted my head, waiting for him to finally talk. He put his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat. I frowned. “I am ready to listen but I don’t want to hear you apologise because if you were, you would have done it differently.” He nodded and he started to talk. I was pleasantly surprised to hear his voice. It was deep with a nice accent. “At first, I didn’t contact you because it was too dangerous, for you, for me and then, I discovered a way to finally get free. It took me months to find what I needed. It’s complicated to explain right now. When I was finally free, the first thing I wanted to do was to call you but I didn’t know how you would react and I got scared. It’s not an excuse, I know. I acted by cowardice.” I listened and nodded. “Okay.” Jake tilted his head, slightly surprised. “Okay?” I hummed. “Yeah, what else can I say? I agree. You are so used to being alone that when you could not be, you were afraid. But not so afraid that you have a girlfriend now.” I smiled tightly. He looked away. “I had an accident and ended up in the hospital four months ago. That’s where I met her. She gave me some attention, I was flattered.” I nodded again. “Okay.” He chuckled. “Are you sure?” I smiled. “Of course. I wasn’t expecting much but just a simple text would have sufficed you know.” He took his hands out of his pockets to cross them. “I agree, now but I always kept an eye on you.” I laughed. “I don’t know how to take it but, I guess, I am not surprised.” Deep down, I was flattered, my heart beating faster. A comfortable silence settled between us while I looked at his eyes, telling me more than his words ever could. I blushed under his gaze again. The bar’s door opened and we heard someone calling Jake. We both turned our heads and we saw his girlfriend walking towards us. She wrapped her arms around his and leaned against him. “Jake, why don’t you introduce me to your friend?” I looked at him, expectantly and saw a hint of annoyance that disappeared as soon as I saw it. “Sure, Angela meet…” We were cut off by Jessy screaming my name and Angela laughed. “You didn’t even need to say the name, someone did it for you.” I smiled. “I am sorry but I have to go. But it was nice meeting you.” 

They walked back with me and Angela entered first. I turned towards Jake. “By the way, Jake, I am glad you made it alive.” I walked inside the bar while he still stood there by the door and I could feel his eyes on me. Jessy was waiting for me at the bar, a huge smile on her face. She pushed a drink in front of me and her brother joined us. People were starting to leave so he could sit down with us for a bit. We chatted for a while and I could still feel Jake’s eyes on me. I knew he had a problem with Phil but that was months ago and it was over text, surely he wouldn’t be jealous of me talking to him. Since Phil got out of prison, we had been texting and calling a lot, he was much more than I first believed and he was genuinely nice to me. I turned my head to look at the group and saw Jake watching me with a stoic face but I could see anger flaring up behind his eyes. I shook my head and went back to the discussion with the siblings. 

Phil looked at the time and stood up. “Right! It’s time to go!” I stood up and went to grab my stuff. Jake walked over to where I was standing. I ignored him, I knew what he wanted to tell me. He gently touched my arm. “Can I take you somewhere tomorrow morning?” I looked at him, surprised and shrugged. “Sure.” He smiled slightly. “I’ll come to pick you up at 8.” I nodded, thinking that was way too early. “It’s early, though.” He laughed. “I know, see you tomorrow.” I laughed and waved him off. I joined Jessy and we both walked back to her flat. The walk from the bar felt like hours but it was nice. It was a warm night and we talked a lot. The more I spent time with her the more I felt close to the young woman. She hadn’t had it easy but she was still a bright light in people’s lives, especially mine. Over the last months, she made me stronger with all her support and kindness so I tried to do the same for her. We arrived at her apartment and we both got ready for bed. I put my alarm on and finally fell asleep. 

I woke up with a jump by my alarm. I turned the alarm off and I groaned, while rubbing my face with my hands. I got up and went to the bathroom straight away to take a shower. There was nothing better after a night out, especially when I needed to go somewhere in the morning. I got dressed and ate some breakfast. I took my phone and opened it, I noticed a new app and clicked on it. I didn’t remember installing it last night or why and I realised it was a messenger app. There was already a thread so I pressed on it. A text was already there:

*I installed this for you. You can use it whenever you want to talk to me. Or if you want to talk to me. :)*

I smiled as I recognised the smiley but after a few seconds, the text disappeared while another one appeared in its stead. 

*Good morning :). I am already there but take your time.*

I was still smiling, my heart skipped a beat and beat faster. I realised I had missed texting him. 

*I’ll be there in 5 minutes.*

I watched the message being sent and both of the texts disappeared again. I made a mental note to ask him what this was all about. I left the flat after leaving a note for Jessy to let her know what I was doing and I took the spare key that she had left me just in case. I went outside and I saw the hacker leaning against the hood of his car. I circled around the car and decided it was well fitting for him. It was black with smooth lines. He was watching me and I stood in front of him. “Nice car!” He laughed and walked to the passenger’s door and opened it for me. I sat down and we drove off. 

We arrived in the forest and I saw the entrance of a cave. My heart sank when I saw traces of a fire. Jake walked in front of me then stood metres from the cave. I stopped next to him, looking around the surroundings. “This is where I got out.” His voice startled me, it was a whisper and I could feel the pain he tried to hide. I hummed to encourage him to talk more. I was watching him, I could see him relive the moment. It looked like a painful memory. He finally explained how he made it in a hushed voice. He got burnt in the back, he obviously had the scars. “It was a pain I had never felt before. I was about to pass out when I heard voices. I lost my will to live as I thought it was the FBI but when I woke up, I was in the hospital.” I rubbed his arm to comfort him. “I don’t know who the voices were but I had been looked after, my burns were healing properly and there was no sight of my pursuers.” I smiled tightly. He looked down at me and smiled softly. “All I thought was you. You were the one thing that kept me alive, the one thing that made me walk out of that mine.” I nodded, I didn’t know what to say, it didn’t really feel like it. “I got some rest for a few days then I left the hospital. I got help from a friend and she helped me with proving my innocence.” He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together. “I wanted to finally be free for you, to finally meet you but the more time passed and the more I chickened out.” I laughed as I remembered telling him this once. He sat on a big rock while he still held my hand so I followed him. He grabbed my hips and pulled me towards him, hugging me, his head against my stomach. I was surprised by his gesture, I didn’t think he would be that affectionate already towards me. I froze for a couple of seconds before putting my hands on his head. I gently scratched his scalp and he leaned into my touch, humming softly. “No one knows.” We stayed like that for a while, enjoying each other’s presence. I forgot that I was mad at him and I was just happy he was alive after what he had been through because of me. “If I had a choice to do it all over again, I would do it the same just to be in this moment.”

I stopped what I was doing and I looked at him as I furrowed my brows, waiting for him to explain further. He finally looked up at me and I saw a vulnerability in his eyes that made my breath hitched in my throat. I caressed his cheek and smiled to reassure him that he was safe, his soul was safe with me. His phone rang and he pulled away from me to grab it. He looked annoyed as he answered the phone. “Well, I have to go. Angela is waiting for me.” I nodded, my heart sank at his words and I started to walk back to the car without waiting for him. I heard his footsteps following me and I entered the car. He sat down seconds after me. I looked at my phone and saw Jessy asking me to join her at the Rainbow café. I looked at the man who was starting to drive away. “Can you drop me off at the Rainbow café?” He nodded and I looked away at the scenery moving past us. I could feel him glancing at me from the corner of my eyes but I didn’t move. I was trying to process my feelings about the man who was driving next to me. He stopped in front of the café where I saw Jessy, already sitting down, waiting for me. I turned my head towards the hacker and smiled. “Thank you for the lift.” He grabbed my hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it softly. “Thank you for your time and for listening to me.” I looked at my hands then at his eyes, I saw gratefulness in them. He had always trusted me and he was still trusting me. my heart swelled at the gesture and at his words. I said my goodbye and joined the red-haired girl.

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THE END

Thank you for reading. Tell me what you think would happen?

NEXT

[mwonie]

In the last episode of Duskwood, when I was fighting with Jake about who would go to the mine.

My face when Jake didn't give me the right to speak and went offline: