#the look on henrik's face in this scene absolutely BREAKS me

[lonelier-version-of-you]

“I understand that it is a lot to take in - obviously there will be some adjustments to be made - but you will be able to live a happy and fulfilling life.”

“...”

“I had no other option, I’m afraid.”

[my-brothers-corrupted]

Thanks for making it to the end of the chapter with me! That was a rollercoaster, not to mention - I believe - our longest chapter yet. I think that was because the boys were all in different places so there was a lot of setting-up and getting back together too, but I hope you still enjoyed it :)

Reina had the good idea last chapter that I could list some of the ways the chapter could have gone differently so I’ll try to remember the whole chapter cause I want to do that again hahaha

My original “Henrik tries to escape the magicians” scene was going to be a much bigger deal, with him potentially attacking someone and most likely getting in a fight with the Old Man, Emmanuela, or Hermann and Genesis. (also i’d like to clarify it’s pronounced Air-mahn) But you guys were very trusting of the magicians, informed them when he tried to run away, and helped him to have a much easier time than he might have otherwise

He was also going to meet the Old Man much earlier on, but you guys chose not to interact with him at the library, which was probably wise. However, the Old Man would have been able to answer just about any questions you had about magic, Blue, and Anti, so there was definitely an upside and a downside to him.

I thought about having Christofer still be in the hospital when Henrik came to, but he would have eventually died because of the wounds Anti gave him either way.

I thought Nina and Henrik were going to fight a lot more than they ended up doing lol. She doesn’t hAVE A PHD - likewise, Henrik’s health could have been a bigger issue and I thought about giving him a bad fever or something, but I didn’t feel like it was the right time to deal with that.

Henrik’s story was probably the most customizable. You were free to explore whoever and whatever you wanted to explore and you came up with some really cool stuff! I think the story about the man who cuts off his enemy’s head to get his sister’s magic back was probably the most important.

It was possible to talk to Dr. Siong more but I don’t think she would have been able to help much and Anti might have even killed her.

The plan was always for Caleb or Xin Yi to die. I don’t know how I let you guys get away with saving both of them hahaha but it turned out to be more important to Dapper that they survived than to Trick. Trick would have been forced to shoot one of them and he would have been completely horrified, which would have worsened his breakdown and actually made him more violent because of the need to prove to himself that what he was doing was necessary - there were several endgame scenarios in which either Red or Dok was shot by Trick

Trick would have absolutely shot Dok in the leg to force him to come back to Anti if that had ended up being his job. Their reunion could have been a lot more painful but the focus stayed with Max and Dapper for most of the final section and you were able to find a way for Trick not to have to be the bad guy much. He could have easily shot Max - if Anti was with him, he would have followed just about any order. There was no chance of Trick fulling rebelling throughout this chapter.

Poor Blue was pretty stuck this chapter. There wasn’t much else he could have done except that he could have come home the first time Trick asked. I think the extra time in the hospital ended up being good for him, but he did get beat in by Anti a little and the trust between them fully evaporated

Yes, Anti could have found a way to break Blue back into place or hypnotize him if you made fun of him for not having control over him or something lol. Honestly he just found it more enjoyable to rub the stolen magic and hypnotized Trick in his face instead. Anti does not feel resentful towards all of the egos for what they did before he caught them, but Blue evaded him for so long and did enough to defeat him in the past that he still doesn’t like him very much.

If anyone had asked, I would have made space in the narrative for Dok to buy Trick a new music box or other new things at the market. Just wondering if anyone would make the connection :)

Dapper and Red did not get along very well at the beginning of the chapter and I gotta say I was DEFINITELY planning on having Dap run away from him at some point. I don’t really know how it didn’t happen lol? I think it just never seemed to fit. But Dapper was going to get a little confused about what you wanted him to do and run away either to try and get back to Anti or to get to Peru with Dok. Red and Max would have had to go searching for him and most likely find him at the bus station with his bear

If Max ever touched Dapper, Dapper would have attacked him again and probably had another “snap”

Dapper could have taken Red to one or two other memories in their past, but you calmed him down when he was flipping out a little and asked him not to because it might not be safe.

Dapper and Red could have stolen, like, a lot of shit. If Red had been arrested, you would have had to help Dapper get him away from the police

You did not have to trust Max but honestly I thought it was hilarious that he’s like the one character who immediately believed you when he said you weren’t Anti. He was like “oh yeah this isn’t that bastard’s style, what’s up” so he was pretty chill from the get-go. He could have found Red that first night Red beat him up and ran away from him but after Red got overwhelmed by messages about Anti, I figured he just needed to get home to Dapper and be looked after

Yes, Jackie and Max were fiances. If you had pressed Max about their relationship, he wouldn’t have told you that, but he might have admitted to being in love with him and begged you not to tell Red yet. Dapper also thought about telling Red once he remembered but ultimately respected Max’s decision to give him space

I would not have let Dapper jump but if no one had been able to talk him down he would have had to be grabbed either by Red coming down to get him or by Anti using the nearby tree to snatch him up and he would have really freaked out then. It was possible for him to have a snap in the last section and send himself, someone else, or several people to different memories

Okay the most important thing I think that happened that almost changed everything was that we literally came SO close to having Dok use JP’s shape-shifting talisman on Blue. I was legit writing up that scene when I got the other ask that was like “Dok you should save it!!” so to clarify why I did that I hope you know I would have let Dok use it if I didn’t have any other plan for the scene or if I thought it would help the scene. If you guys come up with something that will help the characters be okay, I always want to use it, but in this case I felt like I had kind of found a way to make things okay without the necklace, so me choosing to have Dok say “okay, we’ll save it” was me trying to help, not to make it really hard to use the necklace. I would have used it if that anon hadn’t suggested we wait, though, in which case - yes, Blue would have been turned into an animal, Anti would have probably collapsed in the street, Trick would have flipped the hell out, and Red and Max would have had more time to figure things out. It might have helped Red and Max a little, but Dapper would not have had Blue, Anti, or Trick nearby for when he was on the cliff

Now that the chapter’s over we can ramble about whatever so let me know if there’s anything you’re still wondering about from the chapter :) Thanks so much for being here for this, guys, I really appreciate it. I will begin working on compiling the chapter soon so we’ll have it in fic format.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Paralyzing Potion with anti. Like Jackie gets angry with the glitch and decides to teach him a lesson. And the reader hasn't seen anti for hours only to find him in his room on the floor tears streaming down his eyes, unable to move. Kind of angsty I know. You don't have to do this though. It's totally up to you.

Oh, my friend, I’m a sucker for angst just as much as fluff :3

……….

“This’ll show him.” Jackie huffed as he poured a few droplets of the black viscous liquid from the bottle into the soda can.

It was left on the counter by a certain glitch, and he was sure to come back to guzzle it all down. But Jackie was absolutely livid at him today, so he wanted to teach him a little lesson.

Despite Anti doing his best to be nicer to everyone, sometimes he stepped way out of line–or at least in the hero’s eyes–and someone had to remind him that he and his arrogant nature weren’t above consequences.

In that moment he felt a little hypocritical, considering he stole this potion from Marvin and knew it would hurt and confuse Anti, but he was sure that the effects won’t be as bad if he only added a few minute drops.

Once he felt like he added enough, Jackie smiled and capped the bottle, putting it in his pocket just as Anti glitched into the room.

“Hey, the soda’s mine,” he grumbled, swiping it off the counter and frowning at him. “Even demons need their caffeine, Jackaboy.”

“Yeah I know. I’ll get out of your hair.” And with that, he walked away, leaving the glitch alone in the kitchen.

Huffing, Anti glitched to his room, sitting on his bed as he pulled out his phone. He browsed his social media for a while, taking a few swigs of the soda, although he was confused as he tasted something…odd.

But he just shrugged it off and tried to guzzle it down. However, he felt a painful, numbing sensation in his arms, causing him to drop his phone first, and then his soda.

“Wh-What..the fuck..?” He struggled to lift his arms up, but to no avail. “Shit..wh-wha..”

Why was he losing his ability to speak? And why did his face and chest start feeling the same way?

In a panic, he tried to get up, although he ended up collapsing to the floor face-first. He couldn’t glitch nor move a single muscle, and he was utterly terrified of what was happening to him.

The most he can do was turn his head to his closed door, a weak sob escaping him as he tried calling out for help.

But before long he lost his voice completely.

………

“Anti? You okay in there? Usually you don’t sleep at this hour.” 

After knocking on the door a few times, you put your ear to it, still hearing those faint hums and buzzes. It was most unusual for the glitch not to respond. But as far as you know..he was perfectly fine today.

Yes, tensions between him and Jackie have been high lately, but if there was something going on they’d come to you or one of the others to help settle the dispute.

Now, though, you were just worried since he was awake, but not answering you.

“I’m coming in, alright?” You then opened the door and walked in…

Only to stumble upon a horrific sight:

Anti was laying on the floor, his head lolled to the side as he stared up at you. Blood was dripping from his wound and tears streaked his entire face, leaving a pool of both liquids mixed together under his cheek.

“Oh Jesus..” You rushed over and knelt down, putting a hand on his arm. “What happened? Can you move at all?”

He made a strangled groaning noise, his eyes growing redder and wetter. You took that as a “no” and turned your head towards the door, calling out to Henrik as loud as you could.

In no time, he, Chase, Marvin, Jameson, Jackie, Angus, and Bing arrived, all of them stopping in horror at what they were witnessing.

“Meine Gott,” Henrik knelt down beside you and put on his gloves, carefully turning Anti onto his back. “Chase, Angus, Jackie, help me get him onto zhe bed.”

The aforementioned egos nodded, carefully lifting Anti up and setting him on his bed. You sat beside the glitch, gently stroking his hair and wiping away his tears. “I just walked in to check on him and..h-he was sprawled out on the floor. He seems to be aware that we’re here, though.”

“Zhis looks like..full-body paralysis,” Henrik mumbled as he examined his brother’s limbs. “Locked-In syndrome. Yes, he certainly displays all zhe signs, except he isn’t blinking. Bing, run a scan to check for any strokes or infections.”

“Will do.” The android nodded as his eye glowed yellow, a beam of light running a sweep over Anti. Once the scan was finished he pulled up a holographic projection. “His condition…originated from unnatural causes. My scanners have picked up traces of a black viscous liquid in his digestive system that I cannot identify.”

“It couldn’t be Shawn’s ink, right?” You asked him, although you looked at Marvin as he placed his hands over Anti’s stomach, eyes glowing.

Before long he blinked in surprise, glancing at everyone. “No..he…he ingested my paralysis potion. Not a whole bottle but..only droplets. Why, though?” His eyebrows furrowed. “I have every potion of mine labeled. There’s no way he could’ve missed it.”

“Droplets?” Chase looked at him in confusion and bewilderment, blinking in realization. “Sounds like somebody slipped them into his drink or whatever. There’s a spilled soda can there.” He gestured to the nearby can that was on the floor, staining the carpet.

It didn’t take long to put two and two together. But you then heard a creak from the bed and glanced over, seeing Jackie trying to dash out of the room.

He was a second too late, though, as the door slammed shut and he bumped into it, staggering backwards. 

Then Angus hopped off the bed and marched over, grabbing the back of his hood. “You ain’t sneaky, Jackieboy. Now fess up. Whatdya do to him?”

“I-I…I just wanted to teach him a lesson!” He finally blurted out, shoving the hunter’s hand off and spinning around. “I didn’t think it would fuck him up that badly!”

There was a look of utter hurt on Marvin’s face. “Jackie..I..we didn’t think you, of all people, would steal from me and do this to Anti. He’s your own damn brother for God’s sake!” He cried angrily, eyes glowing with his increasing fury.

Jackie swallowed the lump in his throat as he grew tearful. Only now did he realize that his actions were truly horrible, even if he was convinced Anti would do the same if he ever let his guard down.

But now he was the bad guy here, and he didn’t deny that.

Hearing a strained groan, you looked down to see Anti rest his head on your lap, sobbing as he struggled to clutch your pant leg, but he couldn’t move his arm at all. “C-Can’t…f…fee….f-feel…”

“Shhh, it’ll be okay, Anti.” You stroked his hair calmly, bringing his hand onto your thigh. “Looks like the effects are wearing off. We won’t leave you until you’re back to normal.”

“I-I’ll leave..”

You all looked at Jackie, seeing him pulling up his hood. “I..got some things to..think o-over..” He didn’t bother hiding the few tears that slipped down his cheeks. “I’m the last person Anti wants to see when he comes to.”

“..No Jackie, come here.” Marvin extended an arm out to him. “Once he comes to, we’re gonna talk this out.”

The hero wanted to protest, but Angus took his wrist and pulled him back to the bed, forcing him to sit beside you. Anti managed to look up at him, his eyes widening as he saw the usually tough ego finally break down and sob, a gloved hand clutching his own.

Then he chuckled weakly. “R-Relax…crybaby. I’ve…b-been…through..w…w-worse shit.”

Jackie just shook his head, sniffling. “I know but..I-I want you to know I’m sorry..” His voice cracked slightly. “I just..n-need to stop being so paranoid all the damn time when..wh-when you’re not even doing anything wrong.”

Anti smiled a bit, before he looked down at his fingers and curled them, realizing they were able to move again. You and Jackie helped him sit up, giving him time to adjust himself until his upper body was able to move as well.

After a few minutes, he sighed and relaxed on the bed, glancing at Jackie. “Ya...need a hug, hero?”

He shyly nodded, and the glitch opened his arms up, allowing his older brother to embrace him. “This is the only time I’ll ever hug ya,” he snorted. “So...take it in as much as ya can.”

Once more, Jackie nodded and closed his eyes, while you and the other egos watched the touching scene with smiles.

None of you thought Anti would forgive him so easily, but it was a good sign that the two will start to get along better.

[beerecordings]

Want

Part 18 of My Brother’s Keeper (Part 1 l Previous l Next)

My taglist is a separate post so let me know if you want to be added or removed! This is v long chapter because I love.... so many of these scenes... I hope you will enjoy it. Also happy Henrik appreciation week he deserves better I love him <3333 and also you for reading <3333333

Edit: yo @florenceisfalling made SUCH A LOVELY JAMIE AND CHASE PIECE with a tiny bit of inspo from this chapter and I love it so much!!! you can see it here

tws for self-hatred, panic attacks, and weight mentions/food

also major abuse themes sorry i should have included that right away this whole fic has major abuse so please be careful

He thinks that maybe all that he hoped for has come to be, and yet...

“Well, what do you need now, Jameson?”

“What do I need?”

“What do you want to do, I mean? We can get some food in you, you can lie down, maybe we need some more ointment for that throat of yours – where did Chase put that, he might have something for your ear infection too – well, whatever you feel like. What sounds good?”

“What – you want me to choose?”

“Yes, we have time for anything. We have a lot of time now. What would you like?”

Jameson stares up at Henrik, still sitting in the warmth left on the mattress as they slept.

“You sure you want me to choose?”

Henrik stops bustling around and turns back to him. He tries to smile but he can’t make his mouth move, just tries to look warm. “From now on,” he says. “You get to choose what you do and who you are. How does that sound?”

Sounds like breaking the rules. He bites down hard on his lip, closing his eyes, trying to banish the thought of all that Anti would do to him if he knew he was anything other than a prisoner here.

If he knew that he was beginning to be glad that Anti let him go.

“I want,” he says. “To go back to Anti.”

Henrik closes his eyes, breathes in deep. “Well,” he murmurs. “That is the one thing you cannot do.”

Jameson stares down at his scarred hands.

“Come on, Jamie.” Henrik steps closer, hands outstretched. “What do you want to do?”

What do you want to do? What do you want? What do you want to be?

“I want,” says Jameson.

He has to pause, has to pause to choke, overwhelmed just for an instant, as he realizes he has never once in his life signed the word.

“I want,” he repeats. “I want a shower.”

“A shower,” says Henrik, and smiles. “Well, I think that much can be handled.”

He's staring at his hair.

“What did you think it looked like?” Chase laughs, presenting him with a clean t-shirt.

Jameson ducks his head down, nervous with a stranger beside him, but his eyes flicker up again, and he's staring at his hair.

Staring at his face, clean.

“When was the last time you got to wash it?” asks Chase, frowning now. He reaches out to touch Jameson's hair and then thinks better of it, drawing away politely. Jameson tries his best to smile at him. If he's gentle and harmless, Chase won't hurt him, right?

“Long time,” he manages, his hands stammering as they tremble.

There are three different showers in the house that Marvin made. The one in the bathroom across from the spare room is, in two words, absolutely spiffing. Jameson's not really supposed to use old words – Anti said they made him sound stupid and didn't make sense to sign anyway – but for the remorseless pressure of the steaming hot water, where he stayed for two hours, rubbing shampoo into his hair and scraping his skin clean with soap the scent of oranges, he makes a mental exception.

Besides... Anti's not here.

He tries to smile at his reflection in the mirror. His hair has dried into a warm, earthy brown color. Its stiffness is gone and the streaks of dust and filth that used to make him feel so disgusting have vanished into a warm coconut smell. It even curls, just a little – tumbling gently over his forehead in a fine coil of brown and teal.

He's clean. He's clean and so is the house. Everything's clean. Even his nails are picked into white crescent moons. Finally, finally.

“You look good,” says Chase, and Jameson flinches to be mocked, but then he turns his gaze and sees only sincerity in Chase's face. “Here, want your shirt?”

“My shirt?”

“Yeah, sorry, I haven't had time to go buy you anything new yet. Just went to work and came back today, didn't even visit Jack. Schneep's feeling a little jumpy still, but when he chills out, I'll take you out of the house and we'll go buy you a whole wardrobe. Yeah?”

“Yeah – really, clothes all for me? – wait, can I – can I visit Mr. Jack sometime?”

“I like that sign for him.” Chase laughs and copies him, making the sign for infection over his eye. “You're kind of sassy, aren't you, Jay? I don't see why not.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, dude! He's, uh. Not great company, but still... I like to think he'd be glad you came to see him. I like to think he's glad when I come to see him, you know?”

Jameson doesn't know. Coma patients do not rejoice for a visit in his understanding. But the thought of finding Mr. Jack, of seeing him, of knowing where he is and how to get to him – that sounds amazing.

He chooses that. Henrik says he can do what he wants. He wants to find Jack. He's been wanting to know him his whole life, so a few days? That's nothing. He can wait.

He grins at his reflection again, easier now, and tugs Chase's shirt – no, no, it's his shirt now, Chase said so – over his head.

“How about some food?” offers Chase. “You want something to eat? Skinny little guy, I gotta tell you. Schneep says you probably need to put some weight on, which is great for me, cause I really like to fucking cook.”

Chase talks a lot, and never with any malice. Jameson kind of likes listening to him.

“Sounds good,” he agrees, a little less nervously.

And when Chase grins and reaches out, Jameson accepts his hand in his own, and lets him tug him towards the kitchen.

He's hungry so he gets something to eat.

That's just how things work here. It's bizarre.

Bizarre and wonderful.

That first meal they share together is pasta, if only just a little, to go easy on his stomach. Chase presents it to him with garlic and chicken and sweet alfredo sauce and basil and tomatoes.

“Does that look good?”

Jameson can't even sign “yes.” He is gripping the fork too tightly. He puts a mouthful of pasta in his mouth and then he reaches up to hold his head in his hands, crying over a fork’s worth of penne.

Chase reaches out and takes his hand and tells him, “Hey, hey, calm down, it's okay! It's okay, bud. It's all okay.”

Jameson says “I'm sorry” and Chase says “don't be, it's just pasta” and Jameson says “not for that, for everything, for trying to kill you, for hurting you – ”

And all Chase says is, “Oh, well.

That's okay too.”

Over the course of the next few days, Chase makes sandwiches with pesto and feta and savory pork with spoonfuls of yellow rice and zucchini fried in bread crumbs, brings home ice cream with big chunks of chocolate, drizzles fruit in sweet sauce, cooks fish and American burgers with barbecue sauce, bakes fresh bread, gives him protein and fats and sugars according to the diet Henrik helped them decide on, and asks him, every day, if there's anything new he'd like to try, anything he didn't get to have before.

“Sorry, I just like spoiling you, cooking is like the only thing I'm good at and I always cook for my family, you know? Is that weird to say, that we're family? Really, I think we should have been brothers a long time ago, like, right away, but then – see, but you're here now, so we're brothers, right? Anyway, here, I'm making a grocery list. What do you want, JJ?”

No one's ever asked him what he wants. No one's ever called him JJ. No one's ever cooked for him. He thinks he might love Chase. Anyway, he nods when he calls him “brother.” He smiles when he calls him brother.

Yes, he thinks they should have been brothers a long time ago. Isn't that what Anti told him? That if Chase hadn't been Mr. Jack's for so long, he would have been a good puppet too, and they could have been brothers a long time ago?

Jameson would have liked that. He tries to be grateful for right now.

Things are good.

Things are unbelievably, impossibly good.

And he doesn't deserve any of it.

“Can I sleep with you?” he asks Henrik on that first night after he has called him his brother.

“Oh,” says Henrik. “Look, Jameson, I had some dependency issues when I came back from – well, I've had some dependency issues too, but I wonder if it wouldn't be healthier for you to sleep on your own.”

“Please,” Jameson begs. “Please, it's too cold in my room and Jackie is across the wall from me. I'm frightened. I want to sleep in here with you.”

Henrik's face is blue and white with bruising and exhaustion. His chest hurts badly. He has just re-stitched one of the cuts on his stomach, not that he told anyone it tore open.

Jameson isn't the only one who could use comfort.

“Okay,” Henrik admits, sighing and flopping down onto his pillows. “Yes, alright, you can sleep in here. Come lay down and let’s get some sleep.”

The bed is warm. There are no bugs or bloodstains. During the night, nothing bites him or attacks him or crawls, unexpectedly, into bed beside him, dragging static-electric hands along his flesh or kissing at the side of his throat, whispering promises of torture for later if he doesn't behave –

The nice thing about his panic attacks – Chase has been trying to teach him about having a positive mentality – is that they are silent and stiffer than a frozen tree, so he doesn't wake Henrik up four times a night like he would otherwise.

He thinks about Anti often, about all the things he should have done so that his big brother wouldn't have had to throw him out. His brain has also begun to play a cruel trick on him where suddenly the warm memories he had with Anti become sinister.

Do you remember the time he gave you your knives? You were so happy. (He also threw you down the stairs once for missing the target twice in a row, and your head split open and you bled and bled and bled.)

Do you remember the time you were so hungry you could not rise from your bed, and then he brought you – oh, they were so tasty – real donuts covered completely in sugar? You wept for joy. (The only reason you were starving in the first place was because he thought it was funny. He could have brought food for you anytime.)

Do you recall Christmas, when he brought you your blanket? You loved that thing. Slept with it every night and dragged it around after you everywhere you went. He called you his baby and you smiled. (That thing was filthy and disgusting and I hate being treated like a child, I just played along because it made him smile, and anyway Chase and Henrik have a dozen blankets a hundred times better than that one, my only fucking comfort in that god-awful – oh, oh, what am I thinking?)

He is scared that he will no longer want Anti if he stays here.

And that is the worst thought of all.

The thought that maybe – just maybe – Anti didn't actually – Anti wasn't actually –

No, no, no, no. He can't admit it. Can't even think it.

Because if Anti never really loved him, what was he doing all these months?

Anti loved him. He knows that. He's sure. It was all worth it. It must have all been worth it. He cannot accept that his suffering was meaningless. Impossible. Unthinkable. Terrible.

He loves Anti. And this place? As wonderful as it is, it is not where he belongs.

He's afraid of what it will turn him into if he stays.

Sometimes he hears Jackie moving around downstairs. This noise alone is enough to make him tremble harder than before, and bury his face against Henrik's chest, wondering if the doctor is powerful enough to protect him from the hero, when the time comes for Jackie to kill him.

He's allowed outside whenever he feels like it.

He and Anti had to hide, so, at the old house, there were only certain times he was allowed outside, and only for so long, and anyway it was winter. But this?

This is spring and he is free in it.

He doesn't know where they are. All he knows is that it's as beautiful as the glimpses of stars he used to catch through his window.

They live in the midst of a grand forest, creaking with age, where trees stretch up to the sky like God has invited them to the best garden party ever and they're trying not to be late. The branches are full of hollering birds and budding leaves and there are these fat little chipmunks scurrying along the forest floor like a kid spilled a whole box of fluffy brown marbles, and the air is clean and good and warm and Jameson – Jameson –

Jameson is in love.

He walks through it often and his brothers don't even ask him where he's going or when he'll be back. They just let him wander. His favorite spot is a river, among the trees, where he likes to come and just stand, rolling up the jeans Chase gifted him and watching the water sighing past his feet, cool and clear. The rocks press against the pads of his feet.

Once, he saw a white cat, there on the bank of the river.

He got so excited he nearly slipped, and, anxious and delighted, he signed a shaky “hello!”

The cat looked at him with big, clever blue eyes.

He reached out to touch it, but it ran away.

He still hopes to find it, one of these days. He thinks Chase feeds it in the morning, but that feels like cheating, so he waits until the sun is high in the sky, and walks every day, watching, wandering, free.

He plans to escape by way of the forest.

He'll be sad to see it go. Maybe someday he can bring Anti back here, and they'll walk through the trees together, and no longer have to hide.

“Okay, like that – yep, turn a little!”

Jameson curves the remote.

“Yeah, yep! There, now you're in the right direction. Okay, hit – yeah, that button there – and you're off! Okay, watch for the ledge!”

He sees the ledge getting closer and closer, but can't turn in time. He watches with a disgruntled twitch of his mustache as Bowser Jr. plummets to his death once again, only to be resurrected by a flying turtle.

Chase is laughing. “It's okay,” he says. “It's okay. Want to try again?”

JJ straightens up, the frown melting away. Chase never gets angry with him for fucking it up. “Yes,” he nods quickly, lifting up his little remote again. He'll keep trying til he gets it right.

“Okay, turn, then button – there you go. Can you get around the hill? Curve it – good job, bud! I'll show you how to drift in a second. Watch out for the – oh!”

Baby Bowser successfully swerves his motorcycle out of the way and continues through Moo Moo Meadows.

“Good job!” cheers Chase.

JJ puts his remote down, laughing. His clock reads eleven o' clock in the morning. “You have to go to work,” he reminds Chase warmly.

“Damn, you're right! Guess I have to say goodbye.”

JJ grins wickedly, scooting forward. Chase watches with raised eyebrows, slowly beginning to get up from the couch.

Jameson tackles him back down, grabbing a pillow to slam it over his head, and Chase yelps out a laugh and grabs him around the waist, heaving him up and off him. “Help, help,” he cries, shoving Jameson halfway off the couch, so his head hangs over the edge. “A dork with a hipster mustache is attacking me again!”

Three days ago Chase had tried to go to work and Jameson had grabbed his hand and refused to let go, grinning mischievously as Chase struggled to get free. It was the most emotion he had shown Chase thus far, and he was so delighted that he tussled with him for a full hour and then stayed home from work.

Fuck videos. He's got a little brother now. And Jameson smiles easier every day.

“I love you,” mumbles Chase, leaning down to press their heads together.

“Asshole,” signs JJ, cheekily.

And then he presses his forehead against Chase and smiles, closing his eyes and pressing the word “love” against his brother's chest.

Chase smiles til his face hurts.

“What are you morons up to now?” asks Henrik, appearing at the top of the stairs with three used mugs hanging off his hands, only now being mercifully returned to the washing machine after days of neglect.

“I was trying to teach Jamie to play Mario Kart.”

“Ah, I hate that fucking game.”

“He only says that cause he's bad at it,” Chase whispers to Jameson.

“Aren't you late for work?” asks Henrik, washing his mugs off in the sink. Jameson rises and steps towards him, soaking in the sunlight wandering in through the glass-windowed door to the patio.

“I set my own schedule!” says Chase. “And by that schedule, yes, I'm late.” He lets out a boisterous laugh, throwing his head back. “I’m distractable lately! Jamie, toss me my shoes? Good throw – got it! – oh, shit – ah, barely caught that one!”

“Stop throwing shoes!” Henrik snaps, turning to glare at his giggling brothers.

“Bye, guys!” calls Chase, clutching the door handle. He leans his head towards it for a second, closing his eyes, and then steps through.

Weird. That door's always locked when JJ tries it. Shrugging it off and tidying his mussed hair carefully, Jamie moves towards Henrik and sets his chin on his brother's shoulder, watching him rinse out the cups, still stained with coffee at the bottom.

“How are you doing today?” asks Henrik. He moves the mug in his hand and the water splashes up towards them, getting water in Jameson's face.

Jamie shoves his shoulder playfully and falls back, shaking his head at Henrik's laughter. He comes closer again and takes a coffee-free mug from his brother, turning to set it in the washing machine.

“Actually,” he admits. “There's something I wanted to ask you.”

“Don't keep me in suspense.” Henrik hands him a second mug and picks the third one up in his hand, turning to look at him as he signs.

Jameson puts the mug in the washer. “When are we going back to Anti?”

Henrik drops the mug.

Flinching hard at the awful shattering of the glass, Jameson backs away.

The whiteness of Henrik's face only makes him flinch harder, cowering, a long-conditioned fear waking up in his stomach, making his heart pound a harsh reprimand against the inside of his ribs. He is terrified, suddenly, of the old stories Anti told him about all the things he would do if the others were his puppets, how he would bring his prisoners to the doctor and make him name each one of their bones as they shattered, keeping them alive for weeks after Anti had made them beg to die, and Jameson sees Henrik before him as he was in that cold basement only two weeks ago, covered in blood and subject, completely, to Anti's will, and terror burns at the back of his throat like whiskey.

“Get the broom,” whispers Henrik.

“What?” signs Jameson, and then he panics, realizing he's questioned an order, he didn't mean to, it just happened, he reaches up a hasty first to circle a “sorry!” around his heart –

Henrik reaches out and grabs his hands. “Just go get the broom,” he rasps, closing his eyes.

Jameson dashes towards the laundry room. He brings the broom back right away, but in the seconds he was gone, Henrik has collapsed in on himself. His hands, stiff on the kitchen counter, are keeping him standing, but his face is so pale Jameson drops the broom and reaches forward to hold his shoulders, anticipating a fall.

Henrik grabs his shoulders in return, looking up at him with exhausted eyes as blue as the ocean where the light hits the water. “Why would you ask that?” he asks.

Tears fill and overflow and come running down his face.

“I thought,” he whispers, trembling, holding onto his little brother as tightly as he can without hurting. “I thought you were happy here. Or becoming, anyway. I thought you wanted to be our brother.”

“I do, I do!” Jameson resists the urge to tear at his hair, panic rising like a bonfire in his stomach. “Don't be upset with me, please! I just thought we would go back to Anti together! You and Chase and I could all be together still. We could all go back!”

“Go back to Anti together,” Henrik repeats.

He is no longer whispering. He shouts.

“Go back to my torturer? Go back to your torturer? And bring Chase Brody? Bring my fucking little brother? Bring my friend?”

“No, no, no.” Jameson shakes his head so fast it hurts. “Not back to a torturer, he wouldn't torture us if we came willingly!”

Henrik shoves him away, gasping on the despair in his throat, and Jameson falls back like he's been struck, covering his face with his hands and collapsing to the floor, huddling back against the patio door, crying so hard he can barely breathe.

“Oh, God, why?” pants Henrik. He wants to turn away, he's scared of what he'll do if he looks at him, but it's not fair to turn away from his signing. “Oh, God. You don't – you don't understand anything.”

“I understand plenty,” Jameson protests, trying frantically to wipe the tears off his place. “I understand that being in this place has already made you forget who we belong to.”

Henrik screams aloud, slamming his fist against the counter.

“How can you say that!” he howls. “After all he put you through! I thought you were happy here! I don't understand! How can you say that!”

“What the fuck is happening?” a voice interrupts them, and Jameson stiffens like a rabbit that just heard a gun go off.

Jackie stands in the entryway, eyes wide.

Eyes angry.

“Henrik, what's wrong?”

“Nothing,” fumbles Henrik, barely able to speak. He is stumbling away from Jameson, his eyes flickering desperately from wall to wall. “Nothing, it's not his fault, he doesn't know, it's not my fault, I didn't know, I was just trying to be his, I just didn't want to get hurt, I was just trying to survive and he told me I was his but I don't believe him I don't believe him I don't believe him – ”

Jackie moves forward to grab him as he falters, gripping his hands firmly and leading him back towards the couch as his brother unravels, drowning in his own terror.

He doesn't even look at Jameson.

Stiff and silent, shaking in the corner, alone.

His scarred right hand rests on the handle of the patio door.

Henrik will not come with him. He understands now. His brother has been through too much. The bad blood between him and Anti can't be settled. Jameson will go without him.

And Chase, too, he must leave behind. It was selfish, thinking he could bring him. Anti always talked about slaughtering him like a pig. Chase is too far gone, too loyal to Mr. Jack, his old friend, sleeping sound. Yes, Jameson must go without them.

It will break his heart, but he must go without them.

He’s trying to work up the nerve.

Anti didn't love you, says one part of his brain.

This part of his brain has told him this since he was perhaps two days old. He has ignored it every time. Repressed it. Swallowed it down. Told it to shut the fuck up and wondered if he could cut it out of the side of his head before Anti sensed his disloyalty.

But that night, beside a forgiving, bone-weary Henrik, with Chase across the hallway, both sound asleep, both watching over him –

For the first time in his life, the rest of him answers that part of his brain: I know.

But I must go back anyway.

I don't deserve this.

To be clean and fed and free and happy.

To be loved.

I don't deserve them.

He wants them. Wants all of it. Wants to be theirs and his own, but never again Anti's. He wants it so much it makes his heart hurt and his hands shake and his eyelids have to squeeze tight together to stop tears from falling.

He wants it, but he doesn't deserve it.

He begins to plan his escape.

[dnpstardust]

Blood On His Hands Part 1 - Ze Doctah is in

Author’s note: This is my very first gory antisepticeye fanfic, so I hope I did alright! 

EXTREME WARNING: This chapter gets dark very fast, it includes torture scenes, lot’s of blood, and vomiting.

Enjoy this chapter! 

Thanks to @thedarkenedkeeper for hr help! 

This was his fault.

This was all his fault, he brought that glitch to life and now he was getting out of control. He couldn’t stop him, which is how he ended up bloody and dirty chained to the wall of this cold concerte cell. Stained lights lined the top of the hole he was stuck in and a small almost broken TV sat in the very corner of the room, facing him. His clothes  were torn and his shoes were missing, tears streaked down his grimy face. He didn’t know where he was or what day it was, he didn’t even know if anybody knew where he was.

“Well, well, what do we have here? I have to say Jackie, I’m a little disappointed. You, our creator, reduced to nothing.” Anti mocked as he knelt down in front of the weakened Irishman, a smile crossing the glitch’s face. He stared up at his alter ego but never showed any emotion; he wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.

“Go...to hell…” He spoke, his voice raspy for illuse and he suddenly felt a rough hand grab him by the neck, slamming his head against the wall behind him. Dark spots danced in his vision and he felt something wet trickle down his neck.

“You should show me a little more respect. I can kill you right now if I wanted and no one would even know.” Anti hissed in his ear and he only scoffed, the hand around his neck growing tighter.

“Then do it. All you are i-is...talk, you haven’t done anything. I’m not afraid of you.” Anti threw him back down as he gasped and coughed for breath. The demon stood above him, twirling his favorite knife around in his hands.

“Oh, Jackie, Jackie. You may not be afraid of me but I do know what you are afraid of, losing your precious and naive loved ones. And I know exactly who to start with.” Anti smiled before disappearing leaving the quivering man alone with his thoughts.

“N-No, Anti!” Jack yelled, slamming his fists down on the floor, “Dammit!” He only failed everyone.

__________________________________ Henrik walked down the quiet and still hallway, charts in hand as he surveyed today’s patients. He always left late being the head physician and all. He passed his partner’s office and noticed the light still on. He gently pushed it open to see a small woman typing away at her computer, her hair a bit unkempt and her clothes a little rumpled but that wasn’t unusual to see towards the end of a long work day.

“Sara, vorking late are we?” He asked, leaning against the doorframe. She turned toward him and smiled. She had such a bright personality, it always helped him when he was feeling stressed. “Good evening Doctor! I’m only finishing up with a small report, I’ll be done soon. What about you? You always seem to be here so late.” Henrik smiled and scoffed.

“Vell someone has to run this hospital, right?” He asked with a small wink before walking back down the hall. “Please leave soon; I don’t vant you overworking yourself!” He yelled back, flipping through the charts one last time before heading to his office. He turned the light on and instantly dropped all the papers in his hands sending them flying across the floor. There sitting smug in his office chair was the one person he did not expect to see.

“Y-You...Vhat are you doing here?!” He asked, to scared to move, he knew what this creature was capable of. “Hello doc.” Anti spoke, slowly standing making his way over, a sinister smile plastered on his face. “What, no welcome hug?”

“V-Vhat do you want?!” He screamed, terror filling his voice. He felt himself moving backwards once again into the brightly lit hallway, hitting the wall behind him.

“Oh, I think we both know what I want.” Anti scoffed, brandishing his favorite knife and flashing it front of the doctor. “N-No, please...you can’t!” His shrill scream filled the hall. He felt cold metal against his pale skin as the demon grabbed him by the hair. He heard a door to his right slam open and loud footsteps echoed in the hall.

“Doctor?” Sara’s small voice sounded so confused, he quickly looked over at her. Crap, he forgot she was still here!

“S-Sara, you have to leave! Now!” He ordered, but she only stood there looking between them.

“W-What’s going on?” She asked and he felt the hand on his head loosen as Anti made his way over to her.

“Oh, what do we have here? A lost mouse?” He smirked. “Well looks like this little mouse fell into a trap. This should be fun.” “Don’t you fucking dare, Anti! Run, Sara! Dammit!” He yelled, grabbing the glitch’s wrist, trying to make him drop the knife. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sara run down the hall and toward the exit.

“You really think you can stop me?” Anti didn’t seem all that fazed and with little effort, snatched his wrist away. Before Henrik could stop him, Anti disappeared only to glitch back in front of Sara, instantly grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off of the ground. He watched in absolute horror as his dearest and closest friend was slammed back down. He heard the distinct snap of bones, the bone-chilling scream, and then she was still.

“Ah, she died already, what a shame.” Anti simply kicked her aside and turned back to the doctor. “Now, where were we?” Anti’s eyes flashed black as he made his way back down the corridor, the knife in his hand flashing under the lights.

“S-Stay back!” Henrik stumbled back, almost falling over his own feet and scrambled down a different hallway, his stethoscope beating down heavily against his chest. Only half of the lights in the hospital were turned on, mainly the ones near his office and he slid down one of the darkened halls, making his way for the lit up exit sign at the end. He heard distinctive laughter behind him and knew that bastard was catching up.

“Just give up, Doc. You can’t hide.” Anti’s voice echoed in the empty building, getting closer and closer. Henrik reached the door and swung it open only to be pulled back as Anti grabbed him by the hair, throwing him to the ground. “You really thought you could outrun me? You’re more idiotic than I thought.” “V-Vhat are you going to do vith me?” He swallowed down the fear and stared up at the demon.

“Oh, let’s just say you’re going to just die for what I have planned.” Anti chuckled before raising the end of his knife, striking Henrik across the side of his head, leaving him unconscious.

________

When Henrik came to, he was met with blinding light above him, and as he tried to block the pain it was causing, he noticed his arms wouldn’t move. He quickly looked down at his body and saw that he was strapped down to an operating table, his shirt  cut open revealing his pale chest. As he struggled against his restraints he felt a rough hand push his head back down against the bed.

“Now, now Doc, I’d get comfortable if I were you. You are in for a very rough night.” Anti sneered in his ear before making his way around to where a small table stood, various instruments lay upon it and Henrik looked rather terrified.

“No, no, p-please!” Henrik shrieked. Right now he didn’t care who saw him, he didn’t want to die like this. “P-Please don’t do this…” Tears now streamed down his face. He knew pleading with a demon was pointless but he had to try.

“Shh, it’s all going to be just fine.” Anti picked up a surgical mask, slipping it easily over his face. He selected a small saw they used to cut open chest cavities and leaned over Henrik. “Don’t worry, this is only going to hurt a lot.” He placed the blade against the doctor’s chest before turning it on, blood spurting out and staining his pale skin. His shrill scream filled the small room. He felt like his mind would break from how much pain this was causing him.

“S-Stop…p-please…..” Henrik pleaded between painful gasps. Anti simply chuckled but never took his hand away, only digging the blade in deeper A childlike gleam beamed in his eye, as if he was opening a present on Christmas. Henrik swallowed a lump in his throat and lifted his head, regretting even thinking of the idea as he saw his flesh tear apart with the whir of the now stained blade.

“You know, Doc, I’ve never done this on anyone before but I think I’m doing pretty well, don’t you think?” Anti questioned, a sinister smile stretching across his face. “Don’t worry, it’ll only get worse.” Henrik suddenly threw his head back in a bloodcurdling scream as the saw cut right into bone. The searing pain was too much to handle. ____ Jack watched in absolute fear from his cold and lonely cell as his close friend withered in agonizing pain. He watched the blood stained blade cut deeper and deeper into flesh, blood, and muscle. Anti made sure to smile smugly at the camera every once in a while.

“N-No….please….” He knew no one could hear him but he found himself talking aloud in fear. He felt his stomach lurch and bile rise in his throat. He didn’t know what he would throw up, he barely had anything to eat. His body didn’t think so though and still tried expelling what little he ate, he fell to his hands and knees; clear liquid pouring out of his mouth and onto the ground. His head fell to the floor and he sobbed into the cold ground, Henrik was going to die all because of him. A wet and painful cough caught his attention and his head shot up only to see that bastard holding Henrik’s heart in his hand.

“Like what you see. Jackie?” Anti inquired, giggling like a mad man. “This is all your fault. Remember I didn’t kill him, you did.” He put up one blood stained finger to his lips and Jack caught the cold dead stare of Henrik before the screen went black.

“NO!”

[chocolatequeennk]

Meta Monday: Rose Tyler Defence

Today’s Meta Monday post is brought to you by the person who left a full-fledged rant against Rose Tyler in a comment on one of my fics. For the record, if you spend 500 words putting down one half of my OTP, you cannot say you respect that I ship Ten/Rose. Also, RUDE.

So, I’m going to break down the comment point by point. This was left on my ficlet about Martha, and about halfway through, it switches to ranting about how Martha was treated by the Doctor. For the sake of length, I’ll cover that part next week. Bullet points in quotes are taken directly from the review.

1) Rose was selfish.

At times, yes. Because Rose was human and humans have flaws. She was a well-written character who didn’t always do the right thing for the right reason.

Can we talk for a minute about why Rose is selfish? She’d recently ended a relationship with someone who took advantage of her. Jimmy Stone took off and left her £800 in debt. When you’re used like that, you learn to look out for yourself first, because no one else will. It’s a habit that takes time to break. 

Now, this accusation often includes, “Rose was selfish to leave her family to travel,” and I will argue against that with my dying breath. It is not selfish for a young woman to decide to leave her family and create her own life. That is natural. I know Jackie and Mickey struggled with it, but that’s their thing to deal with. Honestly, them expecting Rose to never change and always be the same Rose they remembered is more selfish than Rose choosing to create her own life.

Don’t we tell girls all the time that they should plan their lives based on what would make them happy, not on what people expect them to do? Isn’t that part of what feminism is? So why do we insist it’s selfish when a young woman is actually bold enough to flout expectations and forge her own path?

2) “She ditched Mickey immediately when she heard the Doctor telling her that Tardis is a time travel machine.”

Why is it so horrible that Rose jumped at an amazing opportunity for a better life? She was obviously bored and dissatisfied before meeting the Doctor. (Look at her face when she’s working at Henrik’s. That is not the face of someone content with their life.) 

And let’s get rid of the notion that Mickey was a perfect boyfriend. Do you remember the part in “Rose” where she asks if she can borrow his laptop? And he says yes, but then in a panic tells her not to look at his email? That’s supposed to be a hint that he was cheating on her--another sign that her life was not ideal, meaning she was at a perfect spot for a change.

I understand that it hurts to be the person left behind. I’ll even agree that Rose should have said a bit more of a goodbye to Mickey than she did. (Though since the Doctor had already left once, I don’t blame her if she thought there was a clock ticking.) However, I refuse to blame Rose for wanting a different life. That’s grossly unfair. 

Think about this: Donna pitched the keys to the car she shared with her mother in a bin, then took off without saying a word about travelling. And yet, I’ve never heard anyone say anything bad about the way she left her family. Why is what Rose did so much worse?

3) “She also not only made Jackie grieve over her, therefore making her get Mickey go to police 5 times the whole year.”

Oh boy. One of my favourites. 

THE MISSING YEAR IS NOT ROSE’S FAULT.

We don’t know how long Rose had been with the Doctor when they landed at the beginning of “Aliens of London.” If we go strictly by time we’ve seen, it’s less than a week. If we believe there are adventures that happen offscreen, then maybe 2-3 weeks. 

Not only that, but she had been assured that to her mum, only 12 hours would have passed. She walked into that flat thinking she’d been gone overnight, thinking her phone call from Platform One would have been plenty to ease any worries. 

It is not Rose Tyler’s fault that the TARDIS, purposely or not, skipped a full year.

That means none of the things that happened to people on Earth during that time are her fault. It’s not her fault that her mum thought she was dead. It’s not her fault that Mickey was dragged in for questioning. Jackie and Mickey resenting Rose for the missing year does not make it actually Rose’s fault. 

4) “She flirted with Adam and Jack and broke up with Mickey, making him feel like crap.”

Right. Mickey who told Rose--in the middle of trying to chat her up--that he was seeing Trisha Delaney? Which he told her purposely to make her angry? Mickey is not superior here, so don’t even try to make it out like Rose is the horrible tramp and Mickey is the long-suffering boyfriend. 

And if she’d broken up with Mickey, what does it matter that she flirted with Adam and Jack? This kind of slut-shaming needs to end. Flirting is not a sin.

5) “She ripped Tardis console to become Bad Wolf, despite the fact that Tardis was an sentient being.” 

I see this thrown out as a horrible thing all the time. Do you know who did not get angry at Rose for opening the TARDIS? The Doctor. Not once in his explanation to Jack during “Utopia” does he say anything bad about Rose opening the TARDIS. Not once does his voice betray anything but awe at what she became. 

No one knows and loves the TARDIS more than the Doctor. If he wasn’t upset with Rose for opening her heart, maybe it wasn’t a bad thing for her to do. 

Also, if you’re thinking Bad Wolf was a selfish choice, then you’re purposely reading your opinion that Rose was selfish into the text. Rose knew looking into the heart of the TARDIS could kill her--she’d seen what had happened to Margaret the Slitheen. But she chose to do it anyway, because it was the only way to save the Doctor. 

Rose becoming Bad Wolf is not about her pouting because he sent her away. That is the wrongest interpretation of that scene I have ever seen, and it makes me angry every time. In the diner, when she’s trying to explain to Jackie and Mickey why she’s so upset, she starts with, “Two hundred thousand years in the future, he’s dying, and there’s nothing I can do.” And when Bad Wolf explains her choice and her purpose to the Doctor? "I want you safe. My Doctor. Protected from the false god.” 

Not to mention her glorious speech in the diner, which is entirely about understanding that life is better when you live it for other people. Bad Wolf is Rose Tyler at her least selfish and she is absolutely brilliant. 

6) “Martha actually worked hard to become a doctor, while Rose could not even get herself a job after getting her job blown off.” 

Wow. There’s so much classist garbage in here, I don’t even know where to start.

Yes, Martha worked hard. That doesn’t mean Rose didn’t. Stop putting down one companion to praise another. 

You don’t have to have an upper class job like doctor to be a hard worker. Poor people work their tails off, doing things no one else wants to do. Even Martha complained that she had to work in a shop. (Blink)

Rose left with the Doctor twenty-four hours after Henrik’s blew up. 

No, she didn’t go out job hunting the day after almost dying. 

Lucky she didn’t, because if she hadn’t spent the day looking up the Doctor, she might not have been there when he faced the Nestene Consciousness. And the Doctor himself admitted that he would have died if it wasn’t for her.

What you’re really saying is that instead of going off to have a fabulous life, Rose should have stayed on the Estate. I’m being kind and not adding, “where she belonged” to the end of that statement, but really--that’s what you’re implying. That as a young woman from the Estate, Rose didn’t deserve the kind of life she found with the Doctor.

Why not? 

Rose Tyler was clever. Practically the first thing the Doctor says to her is a compliment because she’d come up with a logical explanation for the Autons. It was wrong, but he was impressed by her logic. 

Rose Tyler was brave. She saved the Doctor that first day, she ran into the TARDIS even though he told her it would be dangerous, she ran after the ghost in “The Unquiet Dead...” Do I need to go on? Rose Tyler shot out the window of the rocket she was on so she could kill Satan. How’s that?

Rose Tyler was compassionate. She objected strenuously to the Doctor asking Gwyneth to channel to Gelth. She saw a little boy calling for his Mummy and tried to help him. She refused to let the Doctor kill a Dalek. She was outraged by the slavery of the Ood.

Rose Tyler stood up for what she believed in, no matter what the cost. She never hesitated to tell the Doctor if she thought what he was doing was wrong, even though she knew he could always take her home if he got annoyed with her. When he was passed out from regeneration sickness, she stood up to the Sycorax in his place. She got in Mr. Connolly’s face in Idiot’s Lantern when he was being a sexist jerk, talking down to his wife. 

Rose Tyler was clever, brave, and compassionate. When she was gone, the Doctor missed her ability to spot things he missed. “Rose would know,” was not just a sentimental comment--the solution to their adventures often started with Rose spotting something out of place and pointing it out to the Doctor. (The Unquiet Dead, The Long Game, Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, School Reunion, Idiot’s Lantern and Fear Her, just off the top of my head.)

So no, random reviewer, Rose is not flawless. But she’s also not the selfish girl you insist she is.

[egopocalypse]

Egotober Day 8: Bad News

Hey guys, Egopocalypse here (finally) with Day 8 of Egotober. I know, I'm ten days behind. It's bad. But I have a really long one-shot to hopefully make up for it, and I've already started the next two- yes, two- days, so those should be finished soon. Day 9 is going to be really short because I had no ideas for it, which is coincidentally what I've said for the past two installments but that backfired, but hopefully, it won't this time. Depending on whether or not I end up thinking of ways to continue it, Day 9 should be coming out tonight, so be on the lookout for that. Anyways, I won't bore you with the introduction for too much longer, so I hope you enjoy it, and I'll see you guys later. Bye!!

~Egopocalypse

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Chase Brody??”

The father glanced up to see the nurse who called him, his blotchy face stained with tear tracks. He ran a hand through his messy hair, looking all the worse for wear.

“Yeah,” He answered, sniffling. “That’s me.”

The nurse’s stoic face softened as she gave him a look of pity.

“Come with me.”

She waited for him to gather all his belongings before she turned around and walked out of the waiting room, directing Chase through an endless series of hallways and doors. The man didn’t pay attention to where he was going as his head was filled with worst-case scenarios. He still couldn’t believe this had happened. He should’ve done something, he should’ve paid more attention to his surroundings, it was his fault-

“Mr. Brody??” The nurse called, snapping him out of his thoughts. She looked concerned as if she had tried to get his attention several times before he actually heard her. “We’re here.”

He nodded to show he understood, trying to remain calm. The door itself was plain, only showcasing the room number and the names of the patient and the doctor taking care of them, but Chase couldn’t help the fact that he felt anxious about seeing what was beyond it.

“Visiting hours end at 8. If you need some assistance getting back to the waiting room, just press the call button and I’ll be with you shortly.”

“Thank you.” His voice was tight, and he fought to swallow the thick lump in his throat as his shaky hand gripped the doorknob tight, his knuckles turning white as he tried to summon the courage to open the door. He knew he must look pitiful to the nurse, but he didn’t care.

Finally, he took a deep breath and twisted the knob, opening it in one smooth motion as he shut his eyes, afraid to see what was behind it. He heard the beeping of the heart monitor, steady and strong, and that was enough to get him to slowly open his eyes.

Greyson was laying on the hospital bed, motionless and pale except for the subtle rise and fall of his chest. There was an IV in his upper arm that was hooked up to a saline solution and a blood bag, working to get some color back into his cheeks.

Chase couldn’t bear to look at his neck, knowing the worst of the damage was there. He stood frozen for ages, unwilling to even breathe in his son’s direction in fear that it would cause his condition to worsen. But he couldn’t look away, worried that if he did, Greyson wouldn’t be breathing the next time he saw him.

“Chase??” A familiar voice called out, breaking him from his stupor. He turned to face the newcomer and was surprised to see Dr. Schneeplestein in the room with a clipboard in his hand.

“Hey, Henrik,” He greeted, although he was morose and his voice held no inflection.

The doctor’s eyes held a glint of worry as he glanced at Chase. “How are you feeling, my friend??”

“I’m fine,” Chase dismissed, waving away the question. “How is he??”

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. His lungs were too damaged from the smoke. If he doesn’t get a transplant soon, he vill die.”

“How long does he have??” Chase asked, fearing the worst.

Schneeplestein sighed, not wanting to give this information to his friend.

“How long, Henrik??” Chase demanded, his voice harsh.

“... Three days, at ze most.”

“Three days?! Surely you can find a donor by then, doc!!”

“Zhere iz not enough time. Even if ve found a donor, chances are zhere’s anozer on ze list zat is viable for zat organ. Most people stay on ze list for years, you know.”

“Then let me be his donor. I’ll test for it and everything!! Please, I can’t just sit around and do nothing!!” Chase pleaded, trying to find a viable option to fix this.

“I’m sorry Chase, but nine times out of ten, family members are not compatible donors,” Schneeplestein announced solemnly. “Zhere’s nothing ve can do. Your best bet iz to let him go and say your goodbyes before it iz too late.”

Tears pricked Chase’s eyes as despair threatened to overwhelm him again. He shook his head fervently, refusing to take no for an answer.

“No, I’m not going to take this. I’m going to save my son, you hear me!!” He exclaimed, storming out of the room.

Schneeplestein’s eyes widened in surprise at his friend’s bold declaration, and he chased Chase out to the hallway to try to stop him.

“Chase, don’t make any rash decisions. Please, think about what you’re doing!!”

Chase’s face hardened as he turned to face his friend, prodding him with his finger as he spoke. “I’m going to save my son!! That’s more than you’re doing right now, Henrik!!”

Schneeplestein flinched as Chase’s words cut into him. Chase realized he was being harsh, but he was at the end of his rope. If this didn’t work, he would never forgive himself.

Schneeplestein tried one last time to reach his friend. “Please, Chase. I know vhat you’re going to do, and it’ll only make things worse. Don’t do zis.”

Chase’s face fell, and his words echoed around the hallway as he spoke.

“I have to. He’s all I have left.”

Finally, Henrik sighed, knowing his friend was dead-set on this. “I can only hope you know vhat you are doing.”

“I do too,” Chase smiled weakly. “Goodbye, Henrik.”

“Goodbye, Chase.”

The father took one last glance at his friend before he turned around, knowing he would never see him again.

(More under the cut, this just got too long and there’s a scene break, so I felt like it was a good idea to put it here.)

Chase stepped back as he checked his handiwork, making sure everything was in the right place. It had taken longer than expected, but he finally had everything he needed to summon the demon.

He knew what the cost would be if the demon accepted his offer, and he was okay with it as soon as his son was alive and well when the morning came. He took a deep breath and checked the book once again to make sure the pronunciation was correct before he picked up the knife and cut his palm, squeezing his hand to call forth the blood faster as it dripped into the bowl.

“Et ad congregandum, Eos coram me.” Chase incanted slowly and clearly, the words thick and unfamiliar in his mouth. Without banishing his hand, he grabbed a matchstick and lit it, the matchbox slippery in his bloody grasp.

He stared at the small flame and prayed that this would work, knowing he had no other options if it failed, before he violently threw the match into the bowl, stepping back as the fire grew instantly to devour the herbs inside. He shut his eyes to protect them from the harsh heat, the wave of energy singeing his eyebrows before the flames extinguished themselves as quickly as they spread.

The only sound in the room was Chase’s breath as he panted heavily, straining his ears to pick up any other sounds. When nothing happened, he sighed in despair and slouched his shoulders, his failure draining everything from his body.

“W͜͠e̕͘͜l̨l̛͘,͏ ̴t̡h̡is҉ ̷̛i̛̛s̵ ̨̛i̴n͜͟t̶́é̶r̢ȩ̴s͏́t̶́i̷̵n̛̛g҉̛͡.”

Chase jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice. He spun towards the direction it came from in a flash, only to come face to face with… himself??

Or at least, a version of himself with deep black eyes and a bloody wound stretching across his neck.

“Who-who are you??” He asked, surprised by the newcomer’s appearance. The doppelganger rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

“Oh great, another í͜͡m҉̢̀b̧͘ęci҉͠l͞e҉̶̛. And here I thought some would finally do their research before summoning me.” The other scoffed, turning his back to Chase as if to go.

Chase recovered from his shock quickly and reached his hand out to stop the other. “No, wait!! Don’t go!! I did my research, I know what you are!!”

The other stopped and pivoted to face him once again. “Then tell me, w̸̴̶͜͠h͘a̡͟͞͝t̷͜ ̀͘͢a̸̵̕͡͡m̛͝ ̶̨͡I̷̢͟??”

“...You’re a demon.” Chase stated with finality, watching as the other cocked his head.

“Hmm, close enough I suppose. Alright, tell me what you want. I can tell you didn’t summon me just to c̛͏͢h͜͠ą̷̵́͜t̶͟.”

“It’s my son.... He’s dying,” Chase explained, desperation lacing his tone. “I need you to fix him, he doesn’t deserve to die. And I’m prepared to give you anything you want to ensure he lives.”

“A̛͘͠͏͡ņ̕ý҉t̷̨́͡h̢͟i̛͘n̶g̷̡͘͜, you say??” The demon asked, perking up in interest despite himself.

Chase almost second-guessed him he saw the intrigue on the demon’s eerie face, but he realized he was already screwed and nodded his head in response. In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess.

“Yeah,” He choked out, swallowing a lump of fear from his throat. “Anything.”

The demon considered it for a long moment, a grin tugging at his lips as he watched the other man squirm.

“Alright, I a̴̕͝c̀͘͝c̸͡e̢p͘͡t̴͝ your offer.” He finally said, the smirk finally appearing on his face as he observed Chase breathe out a sigh of relief.

“But I have ǫ̴͏n̸̨͜e҉͏ condition.”

“What??” Chase blurted out, absolutely flabbergasted by the demon’s last statement. This wasn’t supposed to happen, the demon was just supposed to grant his wish, seal the deal, and he’d be six feet under in exactly ten years. None of his research had suggested the demon would want to negotiate.

“Do your ears not work or something?? I̷҉.̷̨ H̕a͝v͜e̴̸͟.͏ ̴Ą.̕ ͢͠͠C͞ǫ̶̷n̨d҉̢ì̛t̨i̴ǫ͘n҉.” The demon stated slowly, over-enunciating to mock him. Chase bristled in response.

“I’m not deaf, you asshole!! I just want details.” He exclaimed, his jaw clenched in annoyance.

Suddenly, the demon grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, knocking his head back on the hard surface. Chase opened his mouth to yelp in surprise when the cold steel of a knife immediately pressed against his throat, silencing him.

“L̴̀̕͟͡i̵̷̧̧s̸̛͞t̨͘e̸͏͢ņ̢̕ ̵̧̀t͠o̡҉ ͢͜m̴̨͟e̶͠,” The demon hissed, black eyes filled with fury. “I could’ve killed you the moment I arrived and left your precious son to die alone in a̴̕g̡͝óǹ̶y̧̨̢͞, but I’m here and I’m willing to make a deal. So you’re going to s̴̸̡̕h͏̷͝u̢͜͟͞t̶̕͟ ͘҉͠u̧͞ṕ and let me speak, got it??”

Chase swallowed nervously, feeling the pressure of the blade increase as the demon’s grip refused to budge, cutting a thin slice into his throat. He nodded silently to show his obedience, his eyes blown wide with fear as he realized just how close he came to dying.

The demon released Chase, causing the man to stumble and clutch his neck, massaging it to erase the feeling of the knife pushing against his windpipe and to check for any bleeding.

“A̶̵r͠e y҉ǫ̸͟u ͢͢li͠s͘ten҉i͜͜͡nģ͜ n͜o͘͟w̡??” The demon asked, causing Chase to nod once more, too terrified to speak.

“G̸̕o̴̢o̧͜d͜.҉ Now here’s my offer. I’ll save your son’s life like you wanted, but I want something o͢͏t̵́͜h̵͞é͘͞r̸ than the usual price.”

“What-” Chase paused, coughing violently as the words got caught in his throat. “What do you want??”

The demon smirked, his eyes hiding his wicked intentions. “I want you to agree to be my v҉́͠e͡s̨͠҉sel̵̷.”

Chase spluttered, unable to comprehend what the demon was asking of him. “Excuse me??”

“You heard me. This m̛é͘͝a̶̵t̷̕s̴͠u̵i̵̸͝ţ́,” The demon said with disgust, gesturing to his current body. “Is deteriorating quicker than I expected, and you’re providing me with the perfect opportunity to replace it.”

“B-but I thought demons didn’t need permission to possess people,” Chase stated hoarsely, confusion evident in his voice.

“Normally, you’re right. But my case is… d̢͡i̧f͡f͜e̴͏̶rę̶͘n͢t̡҉.” The demon vaguely stated, skirting around the question. “S͝o̴̡,̴ ̛do ͜y̶͝o͜u̷ a̸c̴̛ce͏̡ṕt̢̢͘??”

The demon held out his hand, inviting Chase to take it. Chase stared at it hesitantly, realizing this was his last chance to back out of the deal. The demon noticed and sighed.

“Ļ̶̶ơ̢o͟҉k̷̴,” He began. “This is the best chance you have of saving your son. Your soul probably won’t even go to Hell!! All you have to do is let me take c̡͟o̕͢n̷̨t̛͝͠͠ŕ̡́͢͡ǫ̛l̸̸͟͏͝.”

Finally, Chase agreed, knowing the demon was right. He silently prayed this would work out as he slowly stretched out his hand, shutting his eyes tight so he wouldn’t back out.

Chase’s eyes immediately shot open as the demon grabbed his hand and jerked him forward, connecting their lips in a rough kiss that demanded him to submit as the demon sunk his teeth into Chase’s bottom lip. His mouth fell open as a shout of surprise left his lips, the sound getting swallowed by the demon as he wasted no time in shoving his tongue into Chase’s mouth, keeping it open as he prepared himself to jump from one vessel to the next.

Chase fought the urge to throw up as smoke billowed into him, burning his esophagus as he was assaulted by the smell of ozone and sulfur as the demon barraged his senses.

Suddenly, Chase felt a sharp yank as he was thrown backward, falling into an inky black void while he was disoriented. He squeezed his eyes shut as he prepared to hit the ground with a splat, but he slowly opened them after a while, wondering why he wasn’t dead already.

Chase noticed he was floating in midair, and that there was no light or anything around him to help him identify his surroundings. In fact, he couldn’t sense anything at all, as if he had suddenly been disconnected from the world around him, and he grew absolutely terrified at the prospect of being cut off from everything for eternity.

“W-what is this??” He asked, his question echoing getting swallowed by the empty space around him.

A low chuckle reverberated around the abyss, sending a shiver down Chase’s spine as he was taken by surprise, his eyes darting around the space to try to identify where it was coming from.

“Don’t you know?? You agreed to this, after all.” The demon stated wickedly. “You’re trapped inside your body. I̸͘’͝m̛̛͢͢͞ ҉̸̕͟͏i͏̶n̴͝ ̷̷̵͜c̨̢̕o͟͝n͏̢̀t̵̶̨̢̧r̶ǫ̶͞͠l̢͘͜ ̵̕͡n̴͘͝o̧͞w̨҉͢.”

“What about my son?? You have to hold up your side of the bargain as well!!” Chase argued, trying to summon what little courage he had left.

“H̸̛̕e’̵̢s͏̵̵ ̸̕f̛i̶̷ņ͘͞e. He’ll wake up in the morning with his lungs completely fixed and no memory of the fire so he won’t have any nightmares either.”

Chase sighed in relief, feeling like a heavy burden had been lifted off his chest. Greyson was safe, and that’s all that mattered to him.

“I wiped all his memories of y̶̧͘͢ó̵̷̕u̸, too.”

“W-what do you mean??” Chase asked, his voice wavering.

“I’ve got a lot of business to take care of, so you’re going to be stuck with me for a long time. I can’t be bothered to take care of some b҉̨͝r̛͞a҉̴̧̨̀t̶̵̕͡s҉̡, so I wiped all your family’s memories of you. It keeps us off the radar for a while and stops me from having to kill your family.”

“We had a deal!!” Chase exclaimed.

“And I held up my end of the bargain, so now we’re playing by m҉y͟҉ ̵̸͘r̡͢u҉̶̵l͏͢e̷s͜.” The demon stated onimously.

A sense of dread invaded Chase as he realized what he’d done. He started to struggle, hoping to regain control of his body. This wasn’t what he wanted, he had to fight, he had to get out-

An invisible force slammed into him, knocking the wind out of him and ending his struggles. The force latched onto him and pulled, threatening to drag him deeper into the abyss.

“You’re w̕e͡a҉k͜.” The demon growled as Chase struggled to escape. “You can’t get rid of me, I am e̢͘҉̕t̀͟͝e̢͞r̢͜͢͠n̴̨̕à̷̸̛l͜͏̕͘!!”

“Oh yeah?? Then who are you??” Chase regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. He could feel himself slipping as he flailed about, trying to find something to grip onto to slow his fall.

The force stilled, allowing Chase to catch his breath for a moment. He wondered if something was wrong when the demon suddenly giggled.

“I̛t҉̷’̶̨͢s̨͘ ͏̧f̶̶ú̶̵n͏n̨̢y͞,” The demon stated, his voice distorted and glitchy. “None of my vessels have ever asked me that before. You’re c̶̡͢eŗ̶t҉a҉͟i̛̛͘n͞ly̶̡ an interesting one, I must say.

“C̵a̕l̨͡l͘��͝ ̸͟m҉e̸̛ A̸̢n̵̨͢ti̡.”

The force was back now, taking Chase by surprise and shoving him down further into the darkness. He tried to resist, but the force smothered him, choking him as he was pulled into the depths. He felt himself slipping away from consciousness, and Anti’s voice drifted away from him before he finally succumbed to the force.

“Sweet dreams, Chase. You won’t be waking up for a l̸̵͡o͘͟n̢̕͟g̶̀ ́ti̷̶m̀e͜͝.”

Chase stopped struggling as he plunged into the darkness, never to wake up again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey guys, Egopocalypse here!! I hope you enjoyed that story because I loved writing it, even though the ending gave me a lot of grief. I think the reason I love Anti so much is because he doesn't have one solid canon origin story so I can adapt him however I need to fit the story. At first, I had gone into the summoning scene imagining him as a Crossroads Demon, but then I decided I wanted him to be more complicated than that, so his dialogue and actions reflected that change. Needless to say, he's one of- if not my favorite- character to write, especially for this fandom. Anyways, that's my little spiel, I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you guys later. Bye!!

~Egopocalypse

[lonelier-version-of-you]

In what I can only describe as a blessing from the soap gods, we got not only 2 episodes of Casualty tonight, but 2 good episodes as well. Hell yeah! So, here are my thoughts, divided by episode.

The first episode:

Getting into motorbike racing to avoid dealing with your trauma from being outed is such a Lev thing to do. I love it, and I love him. He was looking great in that racing outfit, too. <3

In general, it was really nice to finally have a Lev-centric episode. I feel like we haven’t had one of those since before the hiatus. All the focus since then has been on ~poor little Faith and her sensitive heterosexual feelings~, which is just... give me a break.

Uriel Emil is such a great and underrated actor, so it was also just nice that he finally got something to do and Lev got some actual character development and insight. Seeing Lev be so kind to the bloke from the racing track was lovely, and gave the audience a much-needed reminder that Lev is (or, can be and should be, anyway) more than a Big Angry Russian Man stereotype.

It was also great to see Marty and Jade supporting each other.

Ethan finally faced up to the fact that he was an absolute bastard when he was clinical lead. Good. I didn’t pay much attention to this storyline though if I’m honest - because while obviously we don’t see every shift at the hospital, and so it’s perfectly possible for this Tabitha lady to have existed and been trained by Ethan in early 2018 without us seeing her on-screen at the time, my brain still refused to process her being retconned into existence lmao.

The second episode:

If the first ep tonight was good, this one was FANTASTIC. You go, Casualty. Four for you, Casualty.

In tonight’s first ep, we got a Lev-centric ep with a Jade subplot; in the second ep, we got a Jade-centric ep with a Lev subplot. As it happens, they’re 2 of my 3 favourite characters (the other one is Dylan, obviously), so I really enjoyed tonight if you couldn’t already guess.

And Jade’s storyline has been brilliantly done indeed. It is written with respect, and care, and sensitivity. It feels real, and like it was done for a reason, not just shoved in for misery. Holby could do with taking lessons from this - compare Jade’s brilliant storyline to the awful, exploitative Henrik storyline going on on Holby right now.

Gabriella Leon is a fantastic actress and deserves all the awards. She conveyed Jade’s emotions so well tonight. That scene where Jade realised Robyn’s drink had been spiked, and tried to figure out what to do, before impulsively swapping the drinks so the bloke would have the spiked drink instead - Gabriella’s acting said so much without a single word.

Indeed, Jade’s trauma from what happened has been written very, very well. I loved how even though you could see that her actions tonight were wrong and not the right way to handle the problem, you could also really see where she was coming from and why she was so angry, and you could sympathise with her.

I think my one issue with this storyline is that I’d like to see Dylan involved a bit more than he has been. But that’s it. Other than that, it’s perfect.

The Bibi (and by extension, Marty) storyline is very good too. More great acting, and more great writing. I’m really glad Casualty is addressing this topic - when I’ve read about things like this in the news, I’ve always thought it would be good for Casualty or Holby to do a storyline about it and raise awareness, and now they finally have. Good on them. It’s a difficult subject, but it’s important to tackle.

Ciaran is as insufferable as ever, but that’s the point, so.

I thought the guest storyline with the pick-up artist guy who secretly had an eating disorder was really interesting, and really well done. Especially with how it ended up intertwining with the story where that dude spiked Robyn’s drink, and you could see how horrified Mark was when he realised what his “school” had led to. What a fascinating way to address toxic masculinity and the harm it causes - and addressing eating disorders in men, which I haven’t seen done on either show before (I’m sure it has been done at some point, but not for a while, I don’t think). Also - while this story could have done with a trigger warning, it did do a MUCH better job of addressing mental health issues in men than the disgustingly-sensationalist, exploitative Henrik storyline on Holby has. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[lonelier-version-of-you]

That wasn’t as bad of an episode as I thought it was going to be. Still mediocre, but not that bad compared to some episodes of late. Even Jason being in it wasn’t that bad, though it probably helps that he only appeared for like 2 minutes.

The aftermath to the Jeni stuff is so far being somewhat better handled than the actual Jeni stuff. Granted, the bar is pretty much on the floor for this one. But still.

Tonight’s scenes were really good - and really hard-hitting, but without being downright exploitative like most of the Jeni storyline or like literally the entirety of the Henrik storyline. The writing for both Donna and Mia was very good, and Jaye Jacobs and Brianna Shan absolutely smashed it. They’re both really talented actresses.

The scene near the end with Donna reassuring Mia, apologising for making things about herself, and asking Mia to promise never to blame herself for what happened... gah, it was just so good. I wish I had a mum like Donna.

Also, this is apparently a controversial opinion, but: while it was wrong when Donna was blaming Evie, she absolutely has a point in blaming Fletch. He was the one who brought Jeni into Evie and thus Mia’s lives in the first place. He was the one who completely failed to notice the signs either that Jeni was up to anything or that Evie was in trouble. He’s also just generally been a bad, neglectful parent for years, and letting all this happen is only his latest failing. The amount of people on Twitter saying none of what happened was Fletch’s fault is honestly shocking me, because it absolutely is. He’s not a child like Evie, he’s a grown man and should have been more responsible.

Like, maybe I’m biased due to personal experience, but I hate parents who stand idly by and refuse to notice the signs when their kids are being groomed. Sorry not sorry. And it’s especially inexcusable when Fletch was literally dating the abuser in question.

Jac very much seemed to be back to her old-school ruthless self tonight. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up for debate.

The plot with her and the former F1 was literally lifted RIGHT from that one Casualty episode a few months ago with Ethan and the former F1, wasn’t it? Like, seriously, they were so similar it’s hilarious. (It was fun to find out that Jac can speak Mandarin, though. We love a polyglot!)

Also, I loved her outfit tonight. Between the powersuit and the tied-up hair she looked so very queer and I adore it.

I loved the Eli content tonight, too. He was in peak ‘endearing dorkiness’ mode, and I’m really loving his friendship with Josh already.

Madge was back tonight, after practically dropping off the face of the earth for a few weeks there, and in this one episode we learned more about her than we have in any other episode since she first arrived. She definitely has family problems - anyone wanna take a guess at what her backstory is? Is her kid estranged, missing, dead, or what? I’m leaning towards the “she lost a child” theory, they really seemed to be hinting at that tonight.

On a happier note, turns out Madge can also skateboard! Neat.

Louis and Kylie are officially together! Good for them, good for them. Honestly my heart was breaking for Kylie when she was all sad and calling her mother, but then Louis turned up to tell her he’d broken up with Mel and Kylie was the woman he really wanted and I may have nearly started crying. It was just so sweet.

So... Lucky. Okay, they’re definitely going the paralysis route then, right? So she is pretty much getting the storyline people thought was gonna go to Henrik if he survived. Meanwhile Henrik himself is actually just fine and was almost completely uninjured. Wild.

It was nice to see her interacting with Max tonight, more content for the good ship MaxLucky. I’ve really missed their strangely sapphic friendship.

However, I am absolutely dreading seeing them inevitably mess up her storyline, lol. As a general rule (with the exception of Oliver Valentine, my beloved), the Holby writers couldn’t do a decent disability storyline if their lives depended on it. So I’m not looking forward to this, they’re gonna find some way to fuck it up sooner or later.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

38,39 and 40 for the septic egos☺(sorry I have no ideas what to choose😓)

It’s okay dear! These three prompts go quite well together ^^ (Also Merry Christmas Eve ya’ll ^w^)

(38. “This calls for eggnog.”)(39. “I can’t believe no one has spiked the eggnog yet.”)(40. “Just how much eggnog have you had?”)

“I’m so glad that all of you could make it,” Jack beamed at the group of people gathered in the living room, you included. “This party has been absolutely amazing so far. But..you know what this calls for?”

You and the egos exchanged glances, although deep down you all had a good idea of what he was going to say next. But you silently looked back at the YouTuber, seeing his smile grow wide as he reached into one of the grocery bags.“This calls for eggnog~!” He declared, holding up a glass bottle of the sacred drink triumphantly, before setting it down on the table where there were snacks and other drinks laid out. “So yeah, there it is. Go crazy. It’s Christmas Eve, so as they say.. drink and be merry!”One by one the egos got up to get a glass of eggnog, with the exception of Henrik who ventured to the kitchen to brew some coffee first and have his infamous “Eggnoffee”.However, you stayed on the couch and shot a look at Jack as he sat down next to you, knowing damn well exactly what his intentions were. “You spiked it didn’t you?”“Yep,” he chuckled, “only a little bit, though, so it shouldn’t be too bad.”But oh boy…how wrong he was.……….“I can’t believe no one has spiked zhe eggnog yet..”“Henrik..not even a minute ago you were trying to check my heartbeat by putting that stethoscope to my head….”“Sooooo vhat does zhat mean?”“It means you’re drunk, pal.”“Ohhhhhh.”With a sigh, you shook your head, before glancing back at the group of drunken men in the living room. Jackieboy was telling Chase how the eggnog gave him the ability to “see sounds”, which made the father stare at him in wonder. Meanwhile Marvin and Anti were teleporting around and playing a rather dangerous game of tag as Angus drunkenly narrated the scene. And finally Shawn and Jameson were sitting by the table, having a drinking contest with shot glasses.It seemed those two were the only ones actually able to hold their liquor.Even so, you couldn’t believe that damn Irishman would leave you at the mercy of his lookalikes to get some last minute Christmas gifts. Lord only knows how much longer you could keep your sanity.“I swear I’m gonna kill him….” You muttered so quietly. At first you thought nobody, not even Henrik, heard it…but you were horribly mistaken as a certain glitch popped up in front of you.“Kill?” Anti repeated, swaying slightly with a lopsided grin on his face. “I’d be…..glad to kill somebody for ya~!!” He giggled as in his hands appeared a……plushie of Sam?For quite some time, you, him, and Henrik stared at the plush, confused as to how he was able to summon it. But then the demon shrugged and smiled, sitting down on the other side of you and cuddling with Sam, seemingly forgetting about wanting to kill anybody.You smiled a bit at his childish nature and ruffled his hair. Under normal circumstances that simple gesture would mean certain death for you, but now it just made Anti’s smile widen. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek on your shoulder. "Ya mind….. doin’ that again?”“…sure. Why not?” You chuckled softly, running your fingers through his hair once more, which elicited a…purring noise?“Anti? Just how much eggnog have you had? I’m curious.”“Hmm…maybe two….or four…one and a half….eh who fuckin’ cares,” he grumbled. “How….about you?”“I didn’t have any,” you told him. “Somebody’s gotta stay sober and watch you guys.”Anti mumbled something else, but before you could ask him what he said, you heard light snores coming from him as he fell asleep.After a few minutes, though, you had to get up, so you carefully tried to get the demon into an upright position. But instead he fell over into Henrik’s lap as soon as you stood up. Thankfully, though, the doctor had already passed out as well and he didn’t even seem to feel the extra weight on him.As you made your way out of the living room, you came across a rather groggy and agitated Robbie, who had a frown on his face and another Sam plushie tucked under his arm. You had almost forgotten that he went to his room, as the music, lights, and festivities overwhelmed his senses a little bit.The poor guy must have woken up when he heard the shouts and laughter of the others.“What’s..with..all the…noise..?” He mumbled, rubbing his eye, although when he looked past you and saw what was happening, he looked confused. “Why are..they..acting..?”“They’re fine, Rob,” you reassured him. “They just…had some drinks that do..silly stuff to their brains.”The zombie blinked slowly, but nodded in slight understanding. “Do..you wanna…?”“Yeah. I just need a break…I feel like I’ve been babysitting toddlers for the past hour.” You rubbed the side of your head. “I swear Jack owes me big time for-”“Heyyyyyy.”Turning around, you saw Marvin standing there with a slight frown on his face. “Where’s Jack? What did you do with him?” He growled lowly.Taking a step back, you quirked an eyebrow at his behavior. Normally the magician wasn’t an angry person…but then again, though, this was the first time you’ve ever seen him drunk. “Marvin. He went out for a little while and left me in charge of-”“Wh-What..? He..He left us?” His previous angered expression faltered into a sad one, although seconds later he snapped as he threw a bolt of bright blue magic at the wall, leaving burn marks on the surface of it.“H-Holy shit..” You quickly put an arm behind you to shield the zombie, worry forming a knot in your stomach. “Marv..just calm dow-”“HE ABANDONED US!!” He screamed, his eyes glowing blue with rage. “I KNEW HE’D GET SICK OF US! I KNEW THAT HE’D NEVER BRING ME BACK! IF…I-IF IT WASN’T FOR THOSE FANS I WOULDN’T FUCKING E-EXIST! I DIDN’T DO ANYTHIN’ WRONG! SO WHY WOULD HE JUST FORGET ABOUT-?!”“Marvin!” You grabbed both of his wrists, gripping them firmly and looking at him in the eye. “He hasn’t abandoned you. He just went down to the store and he’ll come back. I promise.”Almost immediately, Marvin’s eyes reverted to normal, and he looked back at you with tears welling up in them. But before you knew it, he was weeping in your arms.“I-I-I’m sorry, [y/n]..” He sniffled. “…I should’ve…I-I should’ve known h-he’d never do that t-to us…h-he loves us too much…”With a sigh, you wrapped your arms around him, patting his back. ‘So..he has mood swings when he’s drunk…’ You thought.

Looking over his shoulder you noticed the concerned and confused faces of the others, except for Henrik and Anti who were still asleep somehow. You simply smiled and waved them off, reassuring them you had the situation under control.

“Marv..?” Robbie mumbled behind you, worried about his friend. “What’s…wrong?”The magician’s sobs died down when he heard the zombie speak, and he glanced up to look at him with a big smile. “R-Robbie..my dude..c-come here..” Letting go of you, he went to hug him, ruffling his hair. “Ya know..y-you’re my..my greatest creation. I..I couldn’t be a more proud father.” He chuckled. “I love ya so much, Robbie..y-you’ve been a good boy…the best boy! You’re at the…the top of the Nice list! Don’t ever forget that okay?”Robbie blinked in confusion, although he hugged Marvin back and smiled, appreciating the affection he was giving him.You simply chuckled, shaking your head.Maybe Jack’s idea wasn’t so bad after all…although you weren’t sure how you were going to explain the burn mark on the wall to him…