what-am-i-even-doing-tho

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 31- Breakdown

"There's no glue that can hold him together, nothing that can stop this."

In. Hold. Out. Repeat.

It's a simple enough pattern, but the steps are much too hard to remember when his world has been turned upside down. Reality cracks, and then the pieces are falling down all around him, crumbling to dust and slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. There's no glue that can hold him together, nothing that can stop this, and as he falls to his knees, he shatters into thousands of tiny shards of glass. He's paralyzed on the floor, helpless to do anything but watch while his vision fades to black.

Scream. Cry. Despair. Repeat.

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 30- Moist

"Gwaine was the first to speak, 'Oh, it's definitely you, Merlin.'"

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 29- Please

"'It's just one word, you know?' Merlin sighed, despondent."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 28- Perfunctory

"Arthur scowled when he saw Merlin, 'You were supposed to decorate this room!'"

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 27- View

"They sing his praises just as you curse him."

In his eyes, he's the hero. He's the one who saved the day by taking down the cunning and diabolical tyrant with their evil plans. He's the one who eliminated all of their followers, avenging his fallen friends by doing so.

In your eyes, he's the villain. He's the one who damned you all by killing the wise, just ruler who had just been doing what they thought was right. He's the one who slaughtered people in revenge for his fallen friends, even though few of them were actually to blame.

They sing his praises just as you curse him.

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 26- Rock

"He'd never hear the end of this from Merlin."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 25- Evening

"Before long, their voices boom like thunder, and any hope that they can be silenced dwindles."

**TW: intrusive thoughts**

When the last rays of sunlight fade past the horizon – that's when it starts. The creatures are hard to see in the dark, one with the shadows as they are, but as time crawls forward, they grow more bold and begin to speak to you in hushed tones. Before long, their voices boom like thunder, and any hope that they can be silenced dwindles.

Twisted words that cut like razor blades, like jagged glass, like blunt knives rip through you, and you're helpless; only the morning light will send the creatures away, and you have a long time to wait.

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 24- Code

"He slogs through every conversation, trying desperately to translate every word."

It's all a mystery to him; how is he supposed to know the rules when no one's told him? How is he supposed to read between the lines and parse out the truth when everything is so unclear, so subjective?

Someone will say something that means one thing here and another thing there, and it's expected of him to know which it is, but he doesn't. How can he when it has so many meanings?

He slogs through every conversation, trying desperately to translate every word. He tries so hard to understand, and yet, he just can't figure it out.

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 23- Speaker

"'No, Arthur, you were sleeping.'"

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 22- Ward

"But who will take care of Merlin while he's taking care of others?"

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 21- Dive

"Instead, the company just stopped and watched, as if they were waiting for Bilbo to miraculously save himself."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 20- Speech

"Hiccup was not his dad, though."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 19- Buffoonery

"'Please tell me you didn't,' he begged."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 18- Absence

"He still looked for Arthur, even though he knew he wouldn't see him."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 17- Quintessential

"George is easily the most competent servant he's ever encountered."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 16- Descent

"Take my hand," it calls

There are voices crying out Warnings of the danger ahead Begging for a battle to be fought But one rings louder than them all

"Take my hand," it calls

It's a long way down to the bottom Farther than it looks from up in the sky But surrender is standing right there It would be easier than fighting, this fall

"Take my hand," it calls

It would be simple, effortless All it would take is one step forward And with that realization in mind Whatever remaining will dissolves

"Take my hand," it calls "And we'll descend into this madness together."

[what-am-i-even-doing-tho]

October Drabble Challenge 2023

Day 15- Cruel

"It was torture, watching the two of them together."