#short--insomniacs

[late4dinnerlateagain]

Chip Zien: *is in a William Finn musical*

William Finn writing the lyrics: 🎶 He is SO fucking SHORT 🎶

[sorrel-leaf-vespers]

I return with more Sitcom AU writing. I've been studying up, so I'm much more familiar with the AU now! That being said, looks like Alex is a wanted criminal now-

Alex was tired. They’d been staying up late at night lately to monitor and study Clyde when it was most active. Exhausting work, sure, but fascinating and incredibly fruitful. They’d learned so much about it. What they had learned basically boiled down to Clyde being a larger, spikier, more dangerous cat that could talk. Alex wondered if they could teach it to meow like one.

At the moment, Clyde was sleeping on the foot of Alex’s bed. It was nice and dark in Alex’s room with the new blackout curtains they had installed, which made it an ideal sleeping environment for the Veldigun. It was late in the afternoon, so it was bound to wake soon. Alex was in the kitchen making it a sandwich. They’d been trying to sleep for most of the day, too, but keeping Clyde away from the townsfolk of Eastridge County meant sacrificing catching up on sleep to keep it well-fed.

The thing was, Alex was starting to trust Clyde to a degree. Even on days where Alex was away from home for over 12 hours, Clyde would always stay in the house. Ever since that first incident, that first encounter, no one had died. The Smiling Snatcher was, as far as anyone knew, no longer snatching. That wasn’t to say Alex expected it to be perfectly tame. Clyde was still the equivalent of a wild beast. It still had its own thoughts and compulsions. It was still a killer. Heck, it could very well kill Alex at any moment if it wanted to. Alex fully understood that. Still, they couldn’t help but feel like they were starting to bond with the creature. There was still just one rule. Never touch it. That was how you got sick.

Alex heard something hit the floor in their bedroom. A few moments later, Clyde stalked into the room. “Good evening,” said Alex.

Clyde just rubbed its eye. It was still waking up.

“Friendly reminder that the repairman is coming to look at the lock on my back door in a few days. I’ll be home, but you’ll need to hide and keep quiet if you want to hang around.”

“Mhm…”

“Made you a sandwich, if you want one.”

That got its attention. Alex slid the plate across the counter, and only a few moments later, the sandwich was completely gone. “How’d you sleep?” Alex asked.

“Good enough,” said Clyde. “Do you HAVE to work tomorrow?”

“Yeah. It’s the only way I’ll be able to get to the bottom of whatever is going on. Besides, the better I know the asylum, the better we’ll be able to plan getting Winfrey out.”

Clyde nodded, stretching its long limbs. “Alright…”

There was a sudden knock at the door. Alex and Clyde both jumped. What in the world would someone be doing at the house on a Wednesday afternoon? “Get in the closet,” they whispered to Clyde, who quickly complied. They took a step toward the door, but before they could get any closer, they heard whoever it was speak.

“Mx. Alex Williams? This is the Eastridge County Police. We’ve gotten a tip-off that you may have information on the Eastridge Demon. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”

Alex froze in their tracks. How did they know that they were harboring Clyde?

“The man who tipped us said that you would recognize his name. Does ‘Herbert Lankmann’ sound familiar at all? Said he’s your boss.”

A second officer began talking. “That must mean you work at the asylum. If anyone’s got information on the Eastridge Demon, it’s you.”

Alex felt their heart begin to race.

“Mx. Williams, Mr. Lankmann informed us that we are under full authority to arrest you for treason if you refuse to comply.”

Oh no.

Alex sprinted to their room and began packing a backpack. Clyde poked its head out of the closet, watching concernedly. “What are you doing?” it whispered.

“Getting out of here. They know you’re here. Help me out.”

The packing frenzy began. Extra clothes, hairbrush, hat.

“Mx. Williams, if you don’t answer the door, we will use force.”

Research notebook, spare notebook, pencils.

“Mx. Williams, this is your last warning.”

Some extra food, first aid kit, as much money as they could grab.

Something slammed into the door, shaking the whole house. Alex quickly zipped up the backpack. “Let’s go.”

They ran for the back door and tried the lock. The lock jammed. Something slammed into the door again. Alex heard cracking wood. Oh, that stupid back door. Stupid broken back door! “We’re stuck,” they said in a shaky voice.

A growl welled up in Clyde’s throat. “Not on my watch.”

Alex yelped in surprise as they felt Clyde grab their wrist and pull them into what could only be described as the most violent hug they’d ever experienced. It smashed through the back window, covering Alex’s head to shelter them from the shattering glass, cleared the fence with one leap, and took off running to the tree line. If Alex wasn’t in panic mode, they definitely would have tried to calculate how fast Clyde was moving. It was nothing short of inhuman.

Within seconds, Clyde was carrying Alex up a tree. Alex looked back at the house. They could see officers in the backyard, investigating the broken window and forcing the back door open. Multiple police cars were out front. It looked like some officers were inside, too. Their heart pounded. Their home…

“We need to go farther away,” said Alex. They didn’t want to look at the scene anymore.

“In case they decide to search the forest? Good plan.”

Clyde began hopping from tree to tree, holding Alex in one arm. Alex held back tears. They were terrified. They were a wanted traitor now. Lankmann would stop at nothing to recover them and Clyde.

Clyde finally hopped down to the ground. “We should be far enough away now,” it said. “Want me to let you go?”

That was when it fully clicked for Alex. Clyde had grabbed them. Clyde was… TOUCHING them. Alex began to panic again as they registered a pain in their hand. “Clyde… please say you’re just touching my clothes and not my skin.”

Clyde sucked in a gasp. “Oh…”

Alex looked down at the back of their hand. One of Clyde’s spikes was digging into it.

The shock and terror set in immediately as Alex wrestled free of Clyde’s grip. They’d touched Clyde. They had TOUCHED it. They knew the symptoms of Veldigun sickness well by now. The thought of having to go through that…

“I’m… sorry…” said Clyde, backing up slowly. “I just wanted to help…”

Alex stared at it for a few seconds before sitting down on the ground. “I know. I can’t be mad at you for trying to help me.”

They sat there for another while with their face in their hands. Their whole life had just been turned upside down. No home, hardly any belongings, an enemy of the state, and doomed to catch Veldigun sickness. There was no hope. Or, at least, there wouldn’t have been, if Clyde hadn’t draped an arm over Alex’s shoulder and said, “I have an idea.”

[cardboardclownery]

[ WE'RE A MISERABLE, MISERABLE FAMILY. ]

youre getting more earlier than scheduled because im Unwell (positive) (im exploding) (the world is my oyster)

[ghost-bxrd]

Have to get the brainrot out of my system. Sorry. 😭

[luxury-nightmare]

mom says it’s my turn on the writing

This wasn’t the doai Vincent knew.

It looked the same, same characters, same places, but everything was, slightly shifted, like something was inserted into it, causing every piece to move slightly out of place.

And Vincent knew what was it was.

He was sitting across from it.

Alex and Clyde, the former employee and the Eastridge demon. They weren’t ever supposed to meet, much less become friends. Alex would be dead long before they had even got the chance. And yet, here they were.

This was what threw this world off its orbit

They deserved a happy ending, both of them.

what was that?

Anyway, Vincent couldn’t even ask Pastra if he felt the same. He had been kidnapped. Again. Vincent couldn’t help but feel a little pissed his bit from his game was being used so often, but it didn’t matter. He needed to get them out, and luckily, the two across from him shared the same goal.

Break into the asylum and get Winfrey, Patient 66 (She has a Name) and Pastra out of there.

But, seriously, what was that?

Vincent hoped that this world let them do so. He know the story of Doai like the back of his hand, Pastra had told him before multiple times. This was different. More, unstable. There were certain points that felt absolutely certain, Clyde’s arrival at Alex’s house, the cops showing up, forcing Alex and Clyde on the run, them finding Simon and the Flock, Alex’s transformation.

His counterpart being beaten to death with a crowbar

Everything else was up in the air, so hopefully Vincent could leverage that to his advantage to get Pastra out of there. He could discuss the, differences later.

We won’t let them die

Vincent flinched, then turned to the stupid orange gremlin across from him. “Can you hear that?”

Clyde looked at him confused “what are you talking about?”

You can hear me because you’re not supposed to be here

Vincent blinked to himself, before getting up and ducking behind some trees for any kind of privacy. What was happening?

“Who, are you?” He asked, breathing heavily.

A friend, an author, and a fan

“No but-“ Vincent took a deep breath “why are you here?”

I am here because I helped write this story. Why are you here?

“I don’t know” Vincent replied “Me and a friend were dropped into this world and-“

I know who Pastra is, Lankmann. I’ve played your game.

“What?”

We created this world because they deserve to live. They might’ve died in the original doai, but not here.

“What, are you?”

…Call me a nightmare

[dopesongtyrant]

I’m actually going to shift this time

[the-onyx-dragon]

Climb

: )

Alex couldn't hear it. That was something Clyde quickly figured out after waking. So it chose to follow Alex on their climb back up.

Was it just it or was the abyss- darker than normal

A loud shattering sound interrupted that thought, there was another vessel- shattered from falling. Alex stared before shaking their head and continuing to climb, and Clyde swiftly climbed after them.

Clyde had no idea what they could be climbing for- but it trusted Alex

At some point, Clyde found itself somehow in front of Alex. Paying no mind to it, it dashed onto the exit platform, turning to Alex as they went to dash onto it also.

Why couldn't Alex hear it? It hoped it was just something with the abyss

Right as Alex was almost on the platform there was a flash of white light, and Alex was clinging to the platform and Clyde couldn't move.

Why couldn't it move- it needs to help Alex up- WHY COULDN'T IT MOVE?

Clyde looked around for anything to help Alex or anything to get its body to move again, but stopped short at the sight of two others on the platform. One was a vessel that looked similar to Alex, The other was the Pale King.

What was going on- why was he here- WHAT IS HAPPENING?

The Pale king would swiftly leave, the vessel would start to leave also, but not before turning to look at Alex and swiftly darting off.

Where were they going?

And then Clyde could move again and then Alex was falling, It ran to catch its friend and they both-

FELL

.

.

.

Alex and Clyde have collected the VoidHeart

[theinsomniacindian]

Just putting this out here because I'm tired of the whataboutism when it comes to literal genocides, wars and other crises

[wannabegoose]

Homosexuals?

(Women with children

Short insomniacs

And a teeny tiny band

Come back in

The welcome mat is on the floor

Let's begin

This story needs an ending)

[xx-all-purpose-nerd-xx]

homosexuals

*points at all of you*

[kaishimo]

I want a relationship. But not, like, a romantic one.

Maybe kisses on noses or cheeks, perhaps cuddling under a blanket while watching a cute comedy, or staring lovingly into their eyes and wishing to spend our lives together.

I don't want anything romantic, though. I don't know how to describe it. I want the affection of a partner, the life of a relationship, the future, the promises of marriage, and cute, loving, happy family, but not the romance. I don't get it.

I basically want to date someone but not be dating them. It's so confusing. I want love, but I don't want to love.

I'm trying so hard to put this into words, but even now, I don't think I did it justice. Does anyone else feel this way?

[daisyjay887]

Just watched falsettos for the first time ask me how I’m fucking doing

[sorrel-leaf-vespers]

More Sitcom AU writing, continued from the previous post! You guys' kind words on the last one meant a lot to me, especially since I haven't been able to share my writing with anyone in a long while, and have straight up never engaged with a community via my craft like this. Thanks for reading!

Clyde had been silent the whole walk. By now, the moon was high in the sky, and the town of Eastridge had been left far behind. Alex’s feet hurt from spending hours walking nonstop through the forest. They were following Clyde, wherever it might have been going.

“I’m assuming we would be getting there much faster if you didn’t have to move at a human’s pace?” Alex finally asked. “Because when we were running there, you were going… really fast.”

“Yeah,” said Clyde. “We’re almost there.”

“So…” Alex stretched. “Veldigun sickness. When will the symptoms set in since that spike was digging into my hand? I’m going to assume the onset might be more rapid because of the prolonged contact. And maybe even more intense.”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

The intense growl in Clyde’s voice told Alex to drop the subject. It must have felt ashamed or guilty for giving Alex Veldigun sickness. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“To hide.”

“Where, exactly?”

The question answered itself. Clyde pointed through the trees at what looked like an old, dilapidated house. As they got closer, Clyde showed no fear. This place must be safe if that’s the case, Alex figured.

Clyde walked right past the house and toward a nearby barn. It began calling out in a series of shrieks and hisses as it pushed the door open. Nothing responded. “What are you doing?” Alex asked.

“Letting them know we’re here.”

“Friends of yours?” Alex walked into the barn. It was completely dark, other than the light of the moon coming in through the window. “So… what kinds of friends could you-”

A horrid, ear-shattering scream echoed through the barn as something emerged from the darkness. It vaguely resembled a bird, but it was covered in purple and black goo and lacked any legs, just a tail that it slithered along the ground with. It shrieked again and flapped its wings.

“Calm down, Flock. It’s okay.” A second figure approached, this one only about a foot taller than Alex. He was humanoid, but had long, lanky arms covered in stripes like Clyde’s, and a burlap sack over his head. Someone more inexperienced would have considered him a sentient scarecrow, but Alex had enough experience to know that this was another Veldigun. His voice was quiet and gentle, a stark contrast to Clyde’s raspy hiss. “Clyde. Hello.”

“Hi.”

“I didn’t expect you to come seeking us out in the middle of the night.”

“It was an emergency.”

The new Veldigun turned to Alex. “You brought a human, huh?”

“I did. That’s Alex.”

“Alex? The Alex Williams you’ve been telling us about?”

“That’s the one.”

“In that case, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Alex. My name is Simon.” Simon politely bowed to them, then gestured to the bird creature. “That’s the Flock. It’s also a Veldigun, but it was never able to fully move on from its Void state. Forgive it if it looks a little… goopy.”

The Flock perked up at its name and said in a perfect imitation of Simon’s voice, “Hi, Flock. Hi, Flock.”

“Uh… hi?” Alex didn’t understand why Simon was being so friendly. He was a Veldigun who had never met them before. “Has Clyde told you about me?”

“Indeed it has. It’s spoken very highly of you.”

“Seriously?”

“Hey!” Clyde lashed its tail.

Simon let out a small snort. Alex couldn’t tell what he was thinking under that sack. “Regardless,” he said, “I know that Clyde wouldn’t have brought you here without a purpose. What happened?”

Alex told the whole story of that afternoon- their Veldigun research, getting found by the police, the long trek to the barn, all of it. Simon listened attentively, nodding every so often. When Alex finished talking, he turned to look at Clyde. “I see now. You need someplace to hide.”

“Yeah. I figured this was the best place,” said Clyde, crossing its arms. “And there’s another thing you should know… Alex will get Veldigun sickness, since I touched them.”

“It was an accident,” said Alex, jumping to Clyde’s defense.

Simon nodded again. “Alright. We’ll see if we can find any way to make the process more… oh, how do I say this… bearable is how I’ll put it. In the meantime, let’s try to make you comfortable here. If Lankmann is after you, I’ve a feeling you’ll be here a while.”

“Thank you,” said Alex. “Thank you so much.”

“It’s what any good Veldigun would do for an ally.”

The Flock slithered closer, close enough to where Alex could touch it if they wanted. It again started talking in Simon’s voice. “You’re such a good bird. You’re such a good bird. You’re such a good bird.”

Simon chuckled. “That means it likes you.”

For the first time since the police had come knocking, Alex felt genuinely intrigued. Their instinct to write everything down was kicking in. “How does it do that?”

“It’s a master of imitation. My working theory is that it got that ability from consuming birds that live around here. Lots of corvids. Jays, crows, even a raven or two. Those birds possess incredible mimicry capabilities, so I figure they’ve handed that off to the Flock.”

“You seem a lot more comfortable with human speech than Clyde is.”

“I am. I like to watch humans from afar. I’ve picked up a lot.”

“You like humans?”

“In the manner of liking them as more than just meals? Yes. I find them a fascinating species. I’ve done my best to keep them away from Clyde’s claws, but reasoning with it is no easy feat.”

Clyde hissed something that Alex couldn’t exactly make out, but sounded like “Hypocrite.” They decided not to press it. “Well, thanks for trying,” said Alex, smiling up at Simon.

“It’s no problem. Feel free to sleep on the couch we dragged in from that house. It’s old and dirty, but it’s better than nothing. Clyde, you should rest, too. I’ll keep watch.”

“Thank you.” Alex reached out and shook Simon’s hand. They had already touched one Veldigun today. No harm in touching another. “Thanks so much.”

“You’re welcome, truly.”

Alex curled up on the couch. They had no blanket or pillow, but they were tired enough to the point where they didn’t need one to fall asleep instantly. They were out in seconds, with no time to think about what the coming days held. That was probably for the best.

[dapper-dapler]

Awake

[rubyraider55]

phin says she would hate living underwater. ironic how she now has to sleep with the fishes