I Couldn't Find One So I (badly) Made One Myself! Happy Halloween!

OH SHOOT BEE'S TAKING PROMPTS UMMM Okay yknow how I love JJ and Marvin, so maybe something with the two of them and 8. “I’m never letting you go” from the drabble prompts? I love all these AUs BUT I'm gonna ask for the Graceling AU cause I really like those books and also I'm interested to see what you do with it ^-^

Graceling AU: Based on the Graceling books by Kristin Cashore. Eleven-year-old Jameson lives with his half-brother Anti, a supernaturally beautiful person called a Monster who has spent his life hiding from or destroying anyone who would try to hurt him. While wandering the fields one day, Jameson discovers another Monster named Marvin being held captive in a nearby keep and befriends him.

Tws for implied rape and mentions of past child abuse. Please be aware that the Graceling AU is a little more mature than my usual fics (nothing remotely graphic, it's from the POV of a sheltered eleven-year-old, but lots of implied, messed up stuff having to do with Monsters). No pressure to anyone who is uncomfortable with any of that <3

This is super late because I originally had this whole huge story in mind but it was too big of an idea to handle. So I just wrote a snippet. Thank you Ninja!! Okay, have at it and thanks for reading.

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He chases crickets in the weeds and swaying grass by the apple trees, leaping after them and trying to snatch them up with his hands, scraping his knees and scratching his calves as he pounces. Most get away. One he does manage to catch, and this he scoops up in proud hands and turns as if to display the prize to the nearest adult – but no one else is there with him.

Jameson deflates, releasing the cricket back into the grass. The garden around him is quiet but for the bugs and the wind. Marvin has not come.

For days now, he has waited for the Monster in the castle across the field to come find him as he usually does, slipping away from his master's grasp to come play with Jameson. Jameson has become accustomed to running over to the keep after he finishes his lessons to visit the Monster, but for three days now, there has been no sign of Marvin.

He stares up at the castle, scraping absent-mindedly at his scratchy calves and ankles. Marvin has not come to see him. There must be a reason. He intends to find out.

Jameson shoots a glare back at Anti's keep on the other side of the fields, now just a toy in appearance. Anti wants to keep treating him like a baby? Well, he isn't. He is eleven now and he can handle himself.

And if he wants to sneak into another person's castle, he can handle that himself too. He's done it with Anti plenty of time before.

He's shoving open the big door to the servant's quarters a minute later, darting down the hall and only stopping to listen for footsteps. There's people in the kitchen, talking as they cook something that smells tasty – he pauses to grab a strawberry off the cutting board – but nobody's going to pay mind to a little kid racing along the hallway in the middle of the day. There's probably servant kids, pages, and everybody's miscellaneous children running around here all the time. As Anti always tells him, the most important thing is to act like you belong, and in most cases, everyone else will believe it. In theory, the only problem is that he can't ask anybody where Marvin stays, but luckily for Jameson, Marvin has waved to him from his window before coming down to meet him more than once, and he's confident he can find the way to his room. He gives a bow to an old man hobbling down the hall and bounces up the stairs, licking sticky strawberry juice off his chin.

The corridor is quiet, but that's how things are in his home too. JJ slides towards the second door – nope, empty. Third door? No. Fourth door – found it.

He would recognize Marvin's blue hair from anywhere. He's asleep in a huge white bed, bundled up to his nose, his eyes closed. Jameson beams and shuts the door behind him, padding towards him.

But up close, Marvin looks... bad.

Jamie whistles softly, deflating as he creeps up to the side of his bed and Marvin does not so much as stir. He clicks his tongue for attention, reaching gently out to tug on the blankets. Marvin shifts, face scrunching up in pain, and his eyes slide wearily open – or at least the right one does. The left is swollen closed.

“JJ,” gasps Marvin, sitting up and then groaning and shaking his head, pulling the blankets close around him again as he lies back down. “What are you doing here? JJ, go home, now! You can't be here.”

Jameson reaches out to touch Marvin's neck tenderly, his fingers tracing a line of bruises locked around his throat. Marvin flinches back and pushes his hand away.

“JJ, please go home.”

Jameson shakes his head, struggling to get onto the bed beside him. Marvin sighs in exasperation, but he helps pull him up, staring at him the whole time.

“How did you even get in here?”

“Worried,” signs Jameson. “Sad. You're hurt...”

Marvin never had a chance to learn sign, but he often gets the gist if Jameson is slow. The big frown on his face is probably a good hint too. Marvin sighs again and shakes his head at him, reaching out to stroke his hair from his eyes. Jameson throws his arms around him, squishing their faces together as he hugs him.

“JJ... oh, sweetheart.”

Marvin's voice breaks suddenly and his breath hitches. He pulls away from Jameson and covers his eyes, coughing and drawing shaky breaths.

“Who, who?” signs Jameson, tugging at his hands. “Hurt. Punch. Grab.”

“JJ, go home. When I feel a little better, I'll come see you again. I've been thinking about you everyday, wishing I could get up to visit you. But I'm going to be just fine. Go home to your brother, sugar.”

“Who?” insists JJ, hugging him again between words. “Who?”

The anger is boiling up in him now. He wipes at his own face, sniffling as he feels tears building. Someone hurt him. His friend. A Monster like Anti. Is this what Anti means, when he talks about how people hurt Monsters just because they're pretty? Marvin is, definitely. Even beat up and pale, he's so pretty. JJ hugs him again and hides in his shoulder. Marvin grips him back, air shuddering out of him as he tries not to cry.

JJ has never seen him cry. Not even when he talked about wanting to go home to his family or being stolen from his home. Marvin does not cry.

He'll kill whoever did this to him. He'll put a knife in them like Anti taught him to do. He draws back, crying, and pets Marvin's hair like Anti does for him when he feels bad.

“You're just a little boy still,” whispers Marvin, pushing at his hair in return. “Too little to have to worry about me. I'm okay, JJ, I promise. I'm going to be just fine.”

JJ wipes tears from his eyes and nods. He squirms forward to snuggle under the covers with Marvin, but his friend pushes him quickly back. “Sweetheart, I'm naked. And I think these sheets are... well, let's just stay above the covers. Here. I'll go get dressed. Close your eyes.”

Jameson scoots back against the headboard and covers his eyes. He hears a slow shifting of blankets and then, with a groan, Marvin's feet press against the cold stone floor.

Marvin sits there, half out of bed, for so long that Jameson almost peeks. But eventually, he hears him rise to stand. He must stop to breathe for a second. Then he limps across the room to his closet and disappears inside.

Jameson wraps his arms around himself, waiting for him to come back. He always knew Marvin was being kept here against his will – Anti has explained to him that sometimes Monsters are held like that and have to find ways to escape, which is why sometimes killing people is okay – but hurting him like this? Why? He doesn't deserve it. Any of it.

He doesn't get why people would be mean to Monsters. Even if someone just thinks they're pretty, wouldn't that mean you would be even nicer? And try to make them your boyfriend or girlfriend, maybe? For him, Anti's Monstrosity is the only thing he's ever known. And every story he hears about Monsters being attacked or kidnapped, every mark he sees on Marvin's body – they could just as easily be his Anti.

Worse, he knows what it's like to have someone leave bruises on you like that. It's mean and it's scary. Even if it's your daddy it's scary. Anti saved him and no one has left a bruise on him since, cause Anti knows about bruises too. He wonders if somebody ever beat Anti like this. Beat him up and left him in bed.

He squeezes his eyes shut and his fists together. That's why he has to protect him. Anti and Marvin too. He's not too little. He can fight. He won't let anything happen to them again.

“Don't cry, sugar, don't cry.”

Marvin has come back to wrap his arms around him, scooping him into his lap and sitting down on the bed with him, lying back as he rocks him. “I'm sorry, darling. Please don't worry about me.”

JJ sobs into his shirt, gripping his little fists in the cloth. He hugs Marvin and cries. Marvin rocks him against his chest, murmuring to him and stroking his hair.

“You can stay for a little while, okay, honey? I'm glad to see you again. I've really missed you. You know you're about the only comfort I have. But you have to go before the sun starts getting low. That's when he comes back.”

Jameson shakes his head vehemently. No. He's not going.

“JJ...”

“Hurt all over?”

“I'm okay, JJ. I am. I don't want you to worry.”

“Run away!”

“No. No. I won't let you get in trouble trying to get me out of here. I'll find my own way home. You know that. You're just a little boy, JJ.”

But Jameson's not having it. He heaves himself off the bed and grabs Marvin's arm, trying to tug him along with him. They'll go back home and he'll make Anti see that Marvin is nice and deserves to be helped.

“JJ, I can't – ow, hey, honey, please – ”

Jameson drops his arm quickly, flushing with guilt. Marvin winces and grips at his shoulder, smiling weakly at him.

“Hurt all over...”

“Just a little sore, JJ. I'm just a little sore.”

“Why? Why hurt?”

“You'll understand when you're older, my dear. For now, you should be glad to be a kid. Okay? It's good that you don't have to know. I can take care of myself.”

Marvin pulls him gingerly back onto the bed with him and lies back against the headboard. JJ stays sitting up, gazing at the bruises on his neck and face. He wants to take care of him. He reaches out helplessly, then lets his hand drop again. He can't... he can't do anything. Marvin's right. He's just a kid.

“Don't cry, JJ,” murmurs Marvin yet again. “Tell you what, how about you draw something for me. Yeah?”

He pulls parchment and a pen from the drawer beside his bed, pulling JJ back to his lap and setting the paper in front of him. “Like we do in the garden.”

“What draw?”

“Whatever you want.” Marvin pets his hair. “Something happy.”

JJ sniffles, gripping the paper in his hands. It takes a long time before he's ready to draw anything. But Marvin's hand is nice in his hair, and the room is warm and cozy, and he wants to do something for Marvin, no matter how little.

He draws people shakily onto the page, snuggled up with Marvin on the bed. Eventually he gets lost in it.

“You remind me so much of my younger brother,” mumbles Marvin sleepily, still playing with his hair. “You even look like him when he was your age. Course, he talked non-stop – still does, sometimes. But he's a sweet kid like you. I'm so glad you're here.”

JJ snuggles against his chest, drawing himself and Marvin in the garden. He's old enough now that there's detail in the trees and flowers. When he's done, he presents it to Marvin, who smiles at him.

He really is beautiful. JJ stares at him, latching his arms around his neck. He has soft blue hair, summer ocean color, and eyes even deeper blue – wildly blue, unnaturally blue. He is not as ivory-pale as Anti is, but other than the terrible bruises, his skin is clear and flawless. There's glittering jewelry in his ears. He seems to glow from an internal, otherworldly light.

How can anybody hurt him?

He hugs him again and Marvin rubs his back in slow circles, pressing their heads together.

“It's time for you to go,” he whispers.

JJ shakes his head no.

“You have to, JJ. Trust me. I wish you could stay too. But if he finds you here... I don't know what he would do.”

JJ just clings to him. Marvin sighs, pushing him slightly back to cup his face. His cheeks still have a little baby fat in them. It makes him smile.

“My friend,” says Marvin softly. “Go home to your brother.”

JJ reaches down to grab his drawing. He sets the pen to paper again and leaves Marvin a message against the empty sky of the drawing:

I am never letting you go. Come home with me.

Marvin smiles at him. “You are a very good young man. And I know you're not to be messed with.”

JJ nods severely. No, he isn't.

“But this isn't something I want you to get tangled up with. Even if you were a grown-up, I'm not sure I would want you involved. JJ, don't you understand that you do plenty for me just by being with me? Being kind to me and drawing me things and hugging me when I'm sad?”

JJ wipes at his runny nose, mouth trembling. He wants to do more, though.

“Go home to your brother,” repeats Marvin. “And tomorrow, if everything goes well, I'll see you in the garden. Okay?”

Jameson stares at the floor, eyes burning.

“I'll get in trouble if I try to run,” says Marvin. “Or if he finds you here. So go, alright? For me?”

Jameson shoves himself forward for one more hug. Marvin wraps him in his arms and holds him tight, kissing the top of his head.

“I love you, Marvin,” he signs against his chest.

“I love you too,” whispers Marvin. “My only joy. Go now, little sneak. Run back down the stairs and go home. And later, if I get scared, I'll remember that you came all this way to check on me, and that you were so sweet to me, and that I get to see you again tomorrow.”

Jameson nods, his face set miserably and his eyes downcast. He slips out of the bed and over to the door, pausing to glance back at Marvin.

In the light of the late afternoon, he glows gold, his hair lit up in an azure haze and his eyes glittering like stars. His soft mouth curls into a smile just for him.

JJ smiles back and races down the stairs.

It's just as simple to leave the keep as it was to enter. At the top of the hill, he looks back at the castle, and watches as a man rides home on a tall white horse.

Something in his heart clenches. His hands play with the small knife tucked into his boots.

Anti and Marvin always want to protect him and tell him there are things that he does not understand. But all he needs to know is this: someone is hurting Marvin, and he cannot let it go on.

He'll show them he's a man. He will find away to get Marvin out of there, and then he will never have to let him go again.

Adjusting [Branded AU]

I’m finally writing something for my own AU?!? You better believe it!

A small collection of short stories that encompass some of Jameson and Henrik’s experiences in the time short after Henrik’s rescue. These events are in chronological order, but they don’t all happen in the same day.

———————————————————————————-

Jamie knocked softly on the door to his guest’s room, careful not to startle him. After getting no response, he opened the door slightly and peered in. Henrik was sitting at the desk, staring at his reflection. He caught a glimpse of Jamie in the doorway and turned around, inviting him in with a wave. Jamie pulled over a chair and sat down pulling a device out of his pocket.

“What is that?” Henrik asked, wary of the strange device. Jamie put a hand up to tell him to wait before he flipped the lid on the device up. Three dots appeared on the cover facing Henrik, who watched as they blinked. Jamie tapped away on the other side and words began appearing.

“This is a device I made today that will hopefully aid you in understanding me until I can teach you sign language. Will this suffice?” Jamie looked up at Henrik as he finished. Henrik stared at the machine in wonder, with a hint of fear.

“How did you-” He stuttered. “What is that?”

“Its a mini dual-screen computer I made.”

“You…. What? What is a com-computer?” Jamie looked at Henrik in confusion at the question.

“You don’t know-” He paused and deleted the text.”What year is it to you?”

“1807. Why?”

Jamie looked at Henrik, shock clear on his face.

“How can that be? You’re not a time traveler, are you?”

“What? No? Why would you ask that?”

“You- Henrik, you said you were captured when you were in college, right?”

“Yes, I am 23.”

“No… You’re 225. You were under their control for over two hundred years.”

Henrik’s eyes widened and he looked back at himself in the mirror. “no that cannot be…” His fingers traced his face, ending at his beard. “I guess that explains the facial hair…” He mumbled before turning around again. “But how? Over 200 years? How am I not de-”

Jameson looked at Henrik, his gaze intense and searching. Henrik gulped and nervously looked around before he felt the gaze leave. He looked back and saw Jamie typing away again. “When you attacked me, your eyes were glowing, like magic. Can you do that again?”

Henrik looked confused before he closed his eyes, searching inside himself for something… he wasn’t quite sure what. His memory was still fuzzy, and after a while, he came up empty-handed. Henrik shook his head and looked back at Jamie.

“I still can’t really remember anything… I know I had powers, but I don’t remember what they were. I can’t feel them anymore.”

“They might have been linked to the mask.” Jamie tapped his chin, in thought. “If we can remove the masks, we might be able to save the others…”

“Others?”

“Yes. Since your capture, whoever is doing this has been building an army. I do not know why, or how many there are. About 30 years ago is when the government finally took notice of what was happening. But my parents-” Jamie stopped typing suddenly. He sighed with a sad look on his face. “… knew before then. They tried to help…” Jamie looked at his hands. Henrik noticed that his breathing had gotten more rapid, and reached out. He grabbed Jamie’s hand gently and his heart dropped when Jamie’s head shot up, fear in his eyes.

“I’m sorry that happened. But you’re fine now.” Henrik gave him a small smile. Jamie mirrored his smile before going back to his computer.

“Thank you, Henrik.”

— — —

Henrik tapped his pen against his chin, trying to remember anything. Jameson recommended that writing what he remembered down in a journal would help him get his memories back. It did help a little bit, but the only things he could remember were from the last week before he was saved. He let out a huff of frustration and glanced at the clock. 4:29 pm. He grabbed his cane and just as the clock struck half past, he hit it five times on the floor.

Jameson looked up as the five taps sounded, right on time. He pressed a little button under the desk before turning his attention back to his customer, who was looking at the ceiling confused.

“What was that?” She asked.

“Oh, it was just this clock I have up there.” Jameson signed. “It broke a while ago and now sounds half after every hour. I’ll fix it eventually, but customers come first.”

“Interesting clock…” The two of them returned to the task on hand, a small pocket watch that the woman’s partner wanted to be fixed.

A couple of hours later, Jameson flipped the open sign on his door to the closed side and locked the door. He made his way back to the register to count and store the day’s earnings. He glanced at the clock- 7:02 pm. Henrik was late. He pressed the button under the desk three times as an “is everything alright?” After waiting for a few moments without response, he left the cash on a shelf and quickly walked up the stairs. He opened the door to Henrik’s room with a little more force than usual, eyes searching the room. He saw Henrik slumped over at his desk, cane laying on the floor. He could feel his heartbeat in his chest as he quietly walked over and placed a hand on Henrik’s shoulder. At the small touch, Henrik shot up, knocking the chair to the floor and whipping his cane-sword up in a single fluid motion. Jamie jumped back before the sword could cut him, putting his hands up. Henrik’s fear and anger filled expression softened as soon as his eyes focused on Jamie across the room. He immediately put his sword back and searched Jamie.

“I’m sorry, you’re not hurt are you?” Jamie looked himself over before giving a double thumbs up. Henrik let out a breath and placed his cane on the desk. “Thank goodness. Sorry again, I’m just a little jumpy.” He paused and looked around. “Wait why are you up here?”

Jamie pointed at the clock on the wall, which was now at 7:06 pm.

“Oh. I guess I fell asleep.” Henrik rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “But I guess its still a good idea to do this whole thing. We need to keep each other safe after all.” Jameson nodded and made a few motions with his hands. Henrik still didn’t know much sign language, but he could still decipher the message. “Yeah, I’ll try not to fall asleep and worry you like that again.”

— — —

Jameson’s eyes shot open to see darkness. He rolled over and with the press of a small button on his arm, his right eye shut down its visual sensors, turning on a light instead. His room was illuminated by a faint green glow as he looked around, listening.

I know I heard something…. Jameson thought. Henrik isn’t having nightmares again, is he? He slowly stood up and made his way over to the door, not bothering to attach his prosthetic arm. He creaked open the door and looked down the hall. Henrik’s door was slightly open, so Jameson made his way over. He pushed the door open gently and looked around. Henrik wasn’t in bed. There was a crash from downstairs and Jameson jumped. He made his way to the staircase, stepping close to the sides instead of the middle of the steps. This feels familiar… Jamie held what remained of his right arm close to his side as he neared the bottom. His light dimmed slightly as he listened. There was some shuffling from the front room. Please no. They didn’t find me again, did they? He made his way as quietly as possible to the front of his shop and peeked around the corner. A shadowed figure was crouching behind his register, searching through the boxes under the desk. There was a faint blue glow coming from the figure’s face, but his back was turned. Jameson backed up, his heart rate speeding up. No, I thought I was smart about this! How did they find me? How- He took in a quick breath and his light suddenly flared, lighting up the room in a green glow. The figure’s head shot up and turned slowly. Jameson gasped.

Henrik?!

The man was looking at him, blank eyes glowing slightly blue. The two men studied each other for a bit, neither one really sure what to do next. Suddenly, Henrik stood up and strode over to Jameson, grabbing his nightshirt in one hand.

“Where is it, Jameson?” He said, voice blank but intimidating.

“What?” Jameson signed with one hand.

“MY MASK. Where is it?” Jameson opened his mouth but no sound came out. Let me talk to him! He needs to snap out of this! LET ME SPEAK!! Henrik glared at the silent man.

“Useless. A broken puppet.” Henrik released the shirt with force and Jamie stumbled to the side. Henrik began making his way into the shop again. Jameson felt anger flare up in him, not for Henrik, but at his inability to speak. I need to stop him before he finds it. But how? Jameson stood and the movement caught Henrik’s attention again.

“Do you think you can stop me? Do you think you can stop us?” Henrik stood and smirked as Jameson walked over. “You. Are. Broken. There is nothing you can do. Once I’m done here-”

*SLAP*

Henrik’s head shot to the side from Jameson’s powerful slap. He blinked a couple times before he brought his hand up to his face. He glared at Jamie, eyes flashing blue again. “YOU-” *SLAP*

Jameson slapped Henrik again. This time, he stayed looking to the side, blinking slowly, as if he was waking up. When he turned back again, the blue glow was gone from his eyes.

“Jam-Jamie?” Jameson’s expression softened as Henrik looked around, confused. He brought his hand up to his face again, wincing as his cheek stung. “What happened?”

“You were a puppet.” Jamie signed slowly. Henrik studied the movements, deciphering them the best he could. His eyes widened in fear and he backed away.

“What? How? Did I hurt you?”

Jamie shook his head. “I’m fine. It’s you we should be worried about. What do you remember?” Jamie lead Henrik back upstairs and into his room, where he turned on his bedside lamp and returned his eye back to its original function. He grabbed and attached his arm before the two of them sat on his bed.

“I remember… getting ready for bed. That’s when I heard a voice whispering. Telling me to find… something. I tried to push the voice away and sleep, but it just got louder. I had to find it. Silence it. But then, it started laughing. ‘You can’t silence me. You can’t stop me. You will find me. You will…’ You will lose.” Jamie noticed the sudden shift in tone and looked up at Henrik’s face, whose eyes had started glowing again. “You will lose. You cannot stop us. You-”

Jamie jabbed Henrik’s sore cheek with a finger, snapping him out of it again. Henrik looked around confused, blue glow gone.

“Did- Did it happen again? My mind went blank…” Jamie nodded and Henrik’s face dropped. “I can’t stop it. It keeps whispering. That darn mask. Why won’t it just leave me alone?” Henrik put his head in his hands. Jamie rested a gentle hand on Henrik’s back, noticing how he tensed up before relaxing a little. Henrik looked over and Jamie drew his hand back.

“Maybe I can… try to dispose of the mask? Do you think that would help?”

“NO!” Henrik grabbed Jamie’s arm before letting go and putting his hand to his mouth. His eyes flickered blue, filled with fear. “Please, do it. I can’t live like this Jamie.” He mumbled into his hand. Jamie nodded and stood, watching Henrik as he walked to the door. Henrik didn’t meet his gaze, instead holding his hands close. Jamie walked down the hall and lit the fireplace in a side room. He left to grab the mask from its hiding spot and when he came back up the stairs, he saw Henrik tossing his coat into his room. Jamie hid the mask on his other side and gave Henrik a small encouraging smile as he walked into the room again. He closed the door most of the way and made his way to the fireplace, pulling out a pair of fire-resistant tongs. He grabbed the mask with those before slipping it into the fire, keeping his mechanical side away from the fire. Once he made sure the mask was sitting in the middle of the fire, he poked at the logs trying to make the fire bigger. He returned the togs to their place, turned around to grab a seat, and noticed Henrik in the doorway, watching the fire with tired eyes.

“Will that work?” He asked, leaning against the doorway.

“It should melt it once it gets hot enough.” Jamie grabbed a chair and sat down, ignoring Henrik’s raised eyebrow. “Would you like a seat?”

“Probably not a good idea to get me closer to that thing.” Jamie nodded and looked back at the mask before looking at Henrik.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just a little warm-”

A sudden crack drew Jamie’s attention, and he saw that one of the lenses on the mask had cracked. It cracked again and a piece of glass fell into the flames. There was a noise behind him and Jamie turned to see Henrik on the floor, still leaning against the doorway.

“Henrik?”

“Why does it… hurt…?” His voice shook as he clutched his chest. Jamie stood quickly and went to his side, he pressed his hand to Henrik’s forehead. It was burning up. Henrik groaned, seemingly in pain and Jamie tried to stand up, only to be stopped by a hand on his arm. “Don’t take it oUT!” Henrik yelled and fell into Jamie’s arms, shaking.

Henrik!

Jamie looked between the mask, which had begun to melt, and Henrik, shaking in his arms and breathing deeply.

“Don’t take it out! You’re killing h-me! NO! I’ll be fi- AAAGGGGH!!” Henrik’s eyes flashed blue and he desperately clawed at Jamie’s shirt, trying to fight off the tugging of the strings. Jameson froze, not knowing what to do. This scenario, the yelling, the fire, his mind went blank. All he could do was si,t hoping that the man in his arms doesn’t explode. He snapped out of the blankness when the shuddering form below him spoke again.

“Please… make it stop….” Henrik’s scratchy voice faded as his body went limp. Jamie looked down at Henrik, whispering his name frantically. He rolled Henrik over and was relieved when he saw his chest slowly rise and fall. His hair was matted to his forehead with sweat, but his expression finally calm. Jamie gently moved Henrik into his arms and with only a little effort, lifted him up. As he went to bring him back to his room, he glanced at the fireplace, seeing the last remains of the mask melting into the flames.

taglist:

Weiterlesen

Oof I want angst and kinda want a short fic where JJ becomes so upset about not having a voice and desperately just yelling out just trying to make a noise.

It took all of his will not to scratch desperately at his throat until he drew blood; both his tie and collar felt suffocating. Even the air he breathed felt stifling as he tumbled onto the edge of his bed, digging his hands into the blankets. “Hear me,” he choked out to no one listening, tears streaming hotly as he bowed his head. “Hear me! Please, just give me a voice! Somebody hear me!”

"Why are you resisting?" Anti please!

Green – red – white – black – The world around him had been swallowed up in those clashing, blinding colors. Jameson’s eyes and ears were pounding, stirring hot sparks of pain as he shook his head against the intrusion, but it felt as if the more he fought it, the harder it became to form his own thoughts. Worse, the monster was turning them against him, whispering them back in the static as his words.

Not…a puppet!

“A pu̡p̨̧p̵̵̶e̵͟͜t…A pup̡̕͡ṕ̸͞ȩt…”

Leave me…alone…

“A͡l͜o͏͘n̡͡e…A͜͢lwa̸̵ỳs͜ ̶̧͡a̡lơņ̵e…”

With every passing moment he could feel his body falling number and limper in Anti’s grasp, knees buckling. With mocking gentleness Anti lowered him down, letting him kneel. Using what little strength he had left, Jameson shook his heavy head once more, slurring something too garbled and pained for his speech slides to catch. Green, red, white, black –

“Why͜ aŕ̀e͘ ̨ỳơu̶̶ r̛es͟i̧͜͠s̨̀t͏͏͢i̵̕n͡g͠? T͠͡he p̴á͠i̧n͢ ̴oņ̀͡l͘͟y la̛şt̸͢͡s͞ ̡͡a͜s̢ lon̴̢g͝ ą̵͘ş̢ yo̵u ̷f͠i̡g͠h̴͘t ̷i̸̡t̷̀, b͞҉͠oy.” 

With the faintest of strokes to Jameson’s cheek, the static changed, drawing a faint gasp. It smoothed and quickened within him, pouring to the tips of his toes and filling him to the crown of his head. At the very edge of his mind, however, there was a gap, a gap that hurt – the last resistance. It hammered between his eyes, aching, screaming. He stood on a precipice with a wave of static frozen over him. Green, red, white, black –

The wave…It would feel so good, it would soothe that last pain.

Green – red – white – black.

W̶e̴à͠k̀͜ – b͜͏l͢e̸̶̕e͏ḑ – f̡̡́ơ͘r͢ge̴̛t – s͜le̴e̡p.

The wave crashed and he drowned in it.

Okay so I can’t get this scene out of my head of Schneeplestein giving Jameson a check up to finally find out why his voice doesn’t work, Schneep asking all these questions and JJ having to practically play charades because Schneep doesn’t know BSL. For example, Schneep is asking JJ if he thinks he was just created without a voice and JJ starts to sign, but Schneep interrupts him, “JJ, you know I can’t sign,” and JJ heaves a sigh of frustration and starts to mime answers to Schneep’s questions. Schneep asks if JJ wants to write down his responses, but JJ shakes his head, he thinks this is more entertaining. The whole scene is just Schneep and JJ’s check up shenanigans, and a fun bonding time for the two. <3

…

After a while, Schneep started to narrow down the specifics of his questions.

“Does you voice feel hoarse vhen you try to use it?”

JJ eventually got across that he’s never tried to use it.

Schneep marked something on his clipboard. “Can you try for me?”

JJ shook his head.

Puzzled, Schneep asked, “Vhy not?”

JJ took a shaky breath and pointed to his Adam’s apple. Or, at least where it should be.

Schneeplestein narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer to JJ’s throat to get a better view, and sure enough, there was almost no bump where the top of his voice box should protrude. Schneep set down his clipboard and pressed against the spot of the mute ego’s missing Adam’s apple, JJ immediately recoiled and placed a protective hand against his neck. He gazed up at the doctor with furrowed brows and a pained expression, guilt shining in his eyes.

Schneep didn’t need Jameson to do anything for him to understand what happened.

“How long have you known about this?”

JJ averted his gaze, but the flush coloring his cheeks told Schneep all he needed to know.

“I see. Vell, vhy didn’t you vant to tell me about this?”

JJ, poised in his typical impeccable posture, tensed his shoulders and glanced at the clipboard. Schneep, seeing this, gave the clipboard and a pen to JJ.

The mute ego takes the pen and writes his answer in a flowing, beautifully styled cursive.

Before I even knew my name, I knew him. He was the only thing I knew. He was my world. His laugh sent ice down my spine, his voice clawed at my ears, his smile raked across my eyes. He carved into me like I was a pumpkin on Halloween. I can still hear my screams echoing in my head, sometimes I doubt those screams were ever mine. It lasted for an eternity, my God, Hendrik, it lasted forever. But eventually I stopped screaming, I stopped making noise, yet the pain never ceased. I didn’t notice at first, maybe he grew bored of my incessant noise, but he shredded my vocal cords into ribbons and cut my voice box out of my throat. How he was able to take my voice, but not my breath is horrific, but once he did this, he was gone. Then I was gone. Placed in another reality. This reality. That is why I didn’t want to tell you about this. My good friend, I didn’t want you to worry about me more than you already do. It’s done, it can’t be reversed. All my wounds have healed, except this one. There is nothing a good doctor such as yourself can do to make this right. You can’t fix me. I’m happy here, with you and the others. Please, just let me be.

Halfway through writing his note, JJ’s eyes started tearing up and his hand began trembling, nonetheless he finished it and returned the clipboard to Schneeplestein.

As soon as the clipboard left JJ’s hand, he stood up and darted out of the doctor’s office. Schneep, sensing he needed to be left alone, let JJ leave without a word.

The doctor picked up JJ’s note, and as he read deeper into it, anguish crept onto his face.

How had Jameson kept this to himself all this time?

Schneeplestein walked over to the door and peered outside where he saw JJ slumped against the far wall, he could hear a faint noise coming from his direction. Schneep, curious as to what the noise could be, stepped out of his office and started towards JJ. As he grew closer to him, he saw that the soft noise was JJ. He was crying. It was probably the loudest sound JJ had even made in a long time. Quiet, quivering gasps of breath, and trembling shoulders. Upon seeing this, Schneep rushed over to JJ’s side and sat down next to him. JJ didn’t seem to notice. The doctor had never been one to comfort others. That job was always taken by Jack, or Marvin, or JJ. Yet Schneep placed a tender arm around JJ, determined to help him feel better. Though the mute ego’s shoulders relaxed, he was quietly sobbing even harder than before. Schneep opened his mouth to speak.

“Vere you ever going to tell us about this?”

JJ quickly shook his head no and buried his face in his hands. The doctor gave a heartbroken sigh.

“I’m here to support you, okay, JJ?”

Jameson lifted his gaze to meet Schneeplestein’s.

“Ve all are.”

Without warning, JJ wrapped his arms around Schneep in a tight hug. Schneep tensed, not used to being touched, much less hugged. Wanting to console JJ as much as he could, he gingerly returned the gesture.

JJ parted first. His sobbing had gone down considerably to a silent sniffle.

He smiled at Schneeplestein and mouthed two words.

Thank you.

Schneep drew a short breath and gave a small smile back, “Let’s get you home.”

Maybe puppet!Marvin putting someone in and out of trance over and over until he can’t even come out of it properly anymore?

Everything he did was to serve his master well. 

For Master he watched impassively as Jameson’s fearful gaze melted into the colors and shapes, losing all spark but that which the spirals reflected in him. For Master he spoke empty words about calm, peace, gentle relaxation. For Master he whispered lies in Jameson’s ears, lies that were truths only to puppets. He brought him up out of trance, hoping for an empty mind – and when Jameson cried and begged, he dragged him down again. Again. Again. Again. Jameson was an apple bobbing in water; every time he resurfaced, the rot softened and withered him a little more.

It was what Master had once done to Marvin. Now that he looked back on it, he saw it as a blessing. As Jameson slumped and swayed, his glassy, colorless eyes barely managed to latch onto Marvin’s movements anymore. Marvin couldn’t help but wonder if he would even have the awareness to remember this.

Perhaps it was better if he didn’t. Master wanted a dumb, mindless puppet, after all…and if Jameson ever remembered he had done this to him, something buried deep in Marvin’s subconscious would never let him forgive himself.

Pull, JJ and Anti.

The white noise swirling through his mind punctured his free thoughts, riddling them with…dizziness, confusion. The only thing he could feel clearly was the tingly sensation of magnets, luring him forward into waiting arms that he couldn’t quite distinguish.

Jackie, trying to support DA!JJ: DONT LET YOUR DREAMS BE DREAMS! DA!JJ: Ok! :D -goes to angrily sign at Dark for trapping him in the mirror- Jackie: WAIT JJ NO THATS NOT WHAT I- Aaaaand he’s gone.

Jackie: BECOME THE TERRIFYING GHOST YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE

Jameson: HELL YEAH I’m going to unleash CURSES on this house!!

Jackie: uhhhhh hm.

F- YES ANOTHER CHAPTER!!!!! ⟟ WAITED FOR IT

Tension

Fantasy Masks AU: Chapter Eleven

A JSE Fanfic

Ayy, another one! Are you excited? I am! The group heads back to Wyvernlair, with a few small scenes happening along the way. Marvin and Jameson are here now, having some time adjusting to being in the group. Then, once they actually arrive and meet up with Jackie, he and Marvin…well, they have a lot of stuff to sort out. Not to mention there’s something going on with Jameson… Anyway, here it is, enjoy reading :D

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It took a few days for the group to lose any potential pursuers. Chase wasn’t sure that they’d been followed in the first place—or if they had, he didn’t think it was for long—but he understood the reasoning. They were heading back to Wyvernlair, the Masked Phantoms’ main base. They couldn’t risk the King or any of his warriors knowing where that was.

Once they were sure nobody knew where they’d gone, the group shifted direction, heading west instead of south. Chase had been confused about that, at first. They were mainly using the river as transportation. Wouldn’t it be hard to find a stream that headed in the direction they wanted? But that wasn’t the case. As it turned out, the defining characteristic of marshlands like the Moors was, in fact, still water, making it very easy to navigate. Who knew? Certainly not Chase; he’d never been in a marsh before this.

But as it turned out, Marvin had spent a lot of time in the Southern Moors. Chase had been surprised by that. He didn’t really seem the type. Though, maybe that was generalizing. Wizards had always seemed like they’d spend their time sitting in palace towers, reading books and practicing spells while wearing fine robes and jewelry. Chase had never pictured one spending time in swampy marshes.

Keep reading

"Do you remember?.." with schneep and jj?

“Uhhhg, where…where am I?”

Jameson sat up, blinking against the blinding amount of light in the room.

This…this wasn’t where he was.

“H-hello?”

“JJ!”

Jameson flinched at the yell. A pair of arms wrapped around him in a crushing hug. “You are finally awake! It has been days!” The man released Jameson, leaving the latter gasping for breath. “Oh, I am sorry! I did not mean to prevent the breathing! Let me call in the others, they will want to see that you are okay!”

“Others?”

“Of course! Chase has been feeling very guilty, he will be happy to see you awake!”

Jameson looked at the man. He was sure they’d never met. “I’m terribly sorry, sir. I don’t know who Chase is, or who you are for that matter.”

The man’s face fell. “What?”

Jameson looked around the room. “How did I get here? I was just carving a pumpkin a second ago. I…I cut my finger, I believe. Did I pass out?” He looked at the man again. “You’re a doctor, I see. I was alone. How did you find me?”

All the blood had drained from the man’s face, leaving him ghostly in appearance. “JJ, I’m your brother. Schneep! Doctor Schneeplestien! Do you remember?”

Jameson felt bad for the man. He was so distraught. “I’m sorry. I don’t. I don’t think I have brothers or a family. Have you mistaken me for someone else, perhaps? And my name isn’t JJ. It’s Jameson.”

“Your nickname is JJ. We call you it all the time.” There were tears going down the man’s face now. Jameson felt a pang of sympathy. But the man was a stranger, so it was only a pang. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t know you.”