#ignores the comics

[naoa-ao3]

A Free Man

Alone in his cell, counting the days and weeks, months and years Ethan waits but nothing comes.

Prison life is not for him.

If it were a normal prison he could escape, if it were a normal prison where they didn't know about or believe in magic he could have done something and gotten away but it isn't a normal prison and there isn't anything he can do.

Padded walls and lights that go on and off at the same time every morning and night.

He isn't a demon and the place is built for them.

He wonders sometimes if Ripper had ever thought of that or if he thought of him now at all.

He's bitter and wants revenge.

His little trick hadn't warranted all of this, whatever he had done and so he waits, waiting for the chance where he might finally escape, the chance when he can bring hell and chaos to this place.

He thinks when he does escape he'll go and have a nice kebab. . . maybe hit a beach of course that's after he pays dar old Rupert a visit.

He'll get his revenge and really there's no one he's ever enjoyed fucking with as much as Ripper. No one who takes it so poorly.

Rupert never was very good at managing his temper.

He thinks back on his own miscreant youth, tattoos and demons and spells they hadn't been ready for.

Those years had been a delight and he had never felt so a part of a group of friends. . .

Now they were the only ones left, him and old Ripper. All the others dead like Randall on the floor.

He whiles away his days and weeks, his months and years.

He tries to keep his mind busy and wonders at how strong the prison's fortifications are. He can't get out but what's to stop something that really wants him from getting in?

High above his subterranean world is the Nevada sun.

The last time he'd seen it had been when they'd moved him here, hands cuffed and soldiers acting tough.

They're young, young as he had once been and he feels only contempt for them because they aren't wise and they don't want to learn.

All but one who he's seen watching him. The boy wears fatigues but there's magic to him and he watches him hungrily as if waiting for Ethan to share a secret.

Once he'd spoken to him, jested that the boy aught to give chaos a try, even recommended a few words to use and suggested he try burning some candles.

He knew the boy went home and tried it, he could smell brimstone and hell smoke on him the next day and it thrilled him just a little.

This one is on the edge and all he needs is a little push, a few words of well placed encouragement.

One day the boy comes to him, tall and sharp boned.

"What are you?" He asks.

Ethan looks at him, amused it's taken so little time to tempt him. "Only human." He say's.

"You wouldn't be here if you were." The boy say's, face pressed to the little window in his cell door.

Ethan chuckles. "There are only a few things I can do that you can't." He said. "And with enough practice you might be able to."

"Tell me another." The boy say's. "Another spell."

"You liked that one, did you?" Ethan asks, grinning ear to ear. He can't help it. The kid is so easy.

"Listen-"

He gives the boy the words. Maybe with enough promises he can get the lad to let him out.

The boy goes away and Ethan waits.

Three days later he smells hell smoke and smiles.

The boy is back.

Back at his window and angry.

"What the hell was that?" He asks, face screwed up.

Ethan shrugs from his bed. "I gave you a taste of the good, thought you should have a taste of the bad too."

"Don't fuck with me." The boy say's, ineffectual and furious.

"Wouldn't dream of it but you do need to know what you're getting into. Wouldn't be fair of me not to give you some warning."

The boy backs down, not stupid enough not to trust him. "How do I know the difference?" He asks.

Ethan just smiles on. "I could show you. Save you a lot of trouble during the trial and error phase."

"You're locked up you old has bin, what could you teach me?" The boy asks but he doesn't sound like he believes himself.

Ethan shrugs again. "I guess we'll never know." He say's.

The boy disappears but he's back a day later.

Ethan waits to hear what he has to say.

"If I got you out. . . how do I know you'd help me?"

"You don't but the only way you'll know is if you tried." Ethan said, nothing to lose.

The boy shakes his head and leaves but he's back the next day again. "If I got you out, you'd just kill me and run."

"Thought I was an old has bin." He says dryly.

The boy frowns. "Three days from now. If you try anything I'll blow your head off."

He nods and waits his three days and then at night the boy is there again, key card this time. He looks wary, like he doesn't trust him and he shouldn't. Ethan isn't going to teach him anything.

"You swear it?" The boy asks through the door.

Ethan nods and get's to his feet. There's nothing here he wants to take.

The door opens and the boy motions to him.

"We have to go now."

Of course they do, it's an action movie and he runs after him, adept at running away.

Up they go, up slanting corridors under fluorescent lights and out until they're crawling through a vent and he can taste fresh air.

There are demons he owes back rent to waiting and so he encourages the boy to go first.

The idiot does, hearing warning bells down bellow, back in the subterranean kingdom of slanting corridors and fluorescent lights they've just left.

The demons make a mistake and they tear at the wrong man, getting their blood debt and what was due anyway.

He waits, crouching in the vent. He's waited this long and then it's silent and he pokes his head out.

He can smell hell smoke in the air but the boy is gone and so are the monsters.

It's just him and he shrugs it off, looking to the stars to tell him which way is west and once he's got his baring he heads back to where he thinks Sunnydale still is.

Where he hopes Ripper still is and all that payback he can muster.

Stars over head and tunnels down below be damned, he's a free man now and the world is probably just a little worse off for it.

[knockknockwhosthereartistism]

The worst trauma comes from those who you love

[chloesimaginationthings]

The day FNAF Charlie Emily was shut out..

[abisalli]

I bet wearing spandex in summer is no fun

Bonus: summer suits!?

[foolsocracy]

this is actually so funny. imagining garth quipping and contributing to the conversation in his head cause he forgot the rest of the teen titans can't pick up on his telepathy

[artkaninchenbau]

A h-heartfelt reunion..?

Bonus

[blueskittlesart]

Dear Big Brother

kind of a sequel to this comic

[monyosmin]

scary stuff

[roppiepop]

Who’s coming to the cookout?

[ciderjacks]

dwarven brew

+

[d-1hater]

honestly one of the main reasons I like dc is that they can’t keep a storyline straight for shit. anything I don’t like is just *not real*. that’s different storyline babes what are you talking about???

like at this point I can consider shit like wfa and hell even well written fanfics as canon bc who knows what’s going on with those funky little people?? certainly not the dc writers

[minecr-afton]

thing that kids say sometimes when they don't like you

[justarandomart]

fine! i drew it! now i can rest and also die of shame

[akanemnon]

New Dark World. Who this?

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

MASTERPOST (for the full series / FAQ / reference sheets)

[daredevil-vagabond]

And I know it's true, that visions are seldom what they seem

Cicada Jason.

[rejoiceinsilverlight]

i have a nine hour layover and still have two and a half hours to kill, here's the sillies :3