#forgot to mention but this was a photo study !!!!!!!!!! its under the cut :3 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

punkcherries · 3 years

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its 4 am i have no impulse control i finished writing the very bad blurb thing its ryan+min and its not good but im posting it under the cut here anyway <3 <3 (uh theres mentions/allusions toward underage drinking and also self harm and also internalized homophobia but its not like gnarly ok ok tfrtwser??????)

Min slipped his arm around Ryan’s shoulders, his hand brushing Ryan’s neck, before pulling him close for the photo. It was only a brief moment, but the afterimage of Min’s skin on his made Ryan’s hair stand on end, and his face flush. Not like the fuzz in his face from drinking when he really shouldn’t, or the warmth in his cheeks while flirting with a girl, it ran across from ear to ear, radiating heat. ‘This is wrong,’ he thought to himself, ‘This can’t keep happening.’ The click of the camera barely registered to him, the world was just noise. Just as quickly as it happened, Min was pulled away by someone at the party calling for his attention, snapping Ryan back to Earth. He placed his hand to the back of his neck, the bare air felt like ice in place of Min’s jacket. He turned his eyes back over to Min.

“Ah, uh, thank you...!” Min called back to whoever with a sheepish chuckle, and Ryan’s face turned almostly morosely soft. His heart thumped harder, and harder, he could feel it in his head, and he felt fit to burst, until, “Ryan? You okay?” Min’s voice broke through the dead air of the dance music, and Ryan looked like a deer in headlights.

“Uhh I….” Ryan spoke hesitantly, what he’d wanted to say all night and for who knows how long before bubbling up in his chest. He looked Min in the face only for a moment, and his throat suddenly felt strangled, “I just…. Uhh….” Ryan glanced around the room for a moment, before taking in a breath, “I…. kinda feel like…. I’m, uh, forgetting something important….” He made something up.

“Uhhh…. Oh, did you remember to put your guitar back in the van after the show?” Min gestured to the backstage door off to his right. Ryan snapped his fingers, “Y’know, I…. don’t remember! Better go check,” Ryan forced a laugh, slipping past Min, “Make sure no one’s touchin’ the goods. Be right back!” Ryan pushed his way past the other partygoers and backstage as quickly as he could, leaning against the door behind him and letting out a disgruntled groan. “What is wrong with you?” He whispered to himself, pausing a moment before standing back up straight. To his surprise, there, still backstage, was in fact his guitar, or at least the case. His brows furrowed, of course he really forgot that. Such an empty headed move. Ryan went and checked the case for all his things. Guitar, picks, strings, everything was where it was supposed to be, so he zipped it up and carried it out the back door to the tour van.

Walking round the side, he brushed his hand against the uneven surface, covered in slightly chipped paint from the Chicken Choice Judy mural he and Min painted on it about a year or so ago, before getting to the back doors. His mind raced as he placed his case in the back of the van, ‘You shouldn’t say anything to him. You have something good now, you can’t ruin it,’ Ryan studied the stickers on his guitar case, the razor blade in particular stuck out in his mind, and a quiet wave of a dull, stinging phantom pain washed over his thighs, ‘Not again.’ He shook his head a moment, before sighing deeply, and closing the van doors. Turning to leave, he let out a startled yelp, seeing a figure standing behind him.

“Woah, woah, it’s just me!”

It was Min.

“Dude, don’t sneak up on me like that...!” Ryan scrambled to play it off cool, but Min gave him a puzzled look.

“I... called your name, like, twice.”

“Oh….”

Ryan cleared his throat, and smiled nervously, “Sorry, guess I just got a little, uh….” He glanced at the van for a second, “...Lost in thought.”

“Yeah, are you…. Sure you’re okay?” Ryan could hear Min’s voice starting to go soft, the kind of soft it gets when he’s worried, and his heart rose up to the end of his throat. Ryan forced a smile and gave a dismissive gesture,

“Yeah, of course! Just got hit with lots of ehh, song ideas and, y’know how I think at, like, a thousand miles a minute, I probably just didn’t notice!” He chuckled, slipping past Min again, barely looking him in the face at all, “Nothin’ to worry about!”

“Ryan,” Min’s voice stopped Ryan in his tracks. It wasn’t upset, or angry, just…. Worried, and…. Disappointed? Regardless, it dropped Ryan’s heart like an anvil from his throat to the pit of his stomach. “You know you can talk to me,” Min placed a hand on Ryan’s shoulder, “I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to, I just want to be there for you.” His voice was so tender. Ryan turned only slightly, just to look at Min, whose concerned expression turned to a gentle, reassuring smile at seeing his face.

Ryan looked away, folding his arms just a bit, and Min’s hand brushed down Ryan’s shoulder to his back, slowly at first. It felt almost as if it pulled Ryan’s breath in, and Ryan closed his eyes. In that same motion, as Min’s hand pressed against Ryan’s back, travelling back up, it pulled the words right out from his lips.

“Min-Gi, I’m in love with you.”

The silence that set in deafened Ryan, his vital organs felt as though they’d been filled and bruised with boulders, and his head burned a dizzying burn, as if the fire and brimstone of Hell were trying to crawl out of his body for the unholy thing he’d just said. He opened his eyes, to see Min, red faced and shocked, and he clenched the leather of his jacket sleeves tightly in hand. The choking feeling in his throat came back, and he couldn’t bear to look at Min, “I….�� His shaky voice barely scraped above a whisper, “I’m sorry, I…. I know it’s crazy, but…. Just…. I….” He started to trail off as the heat in his face brought out tears in his eyes, when Min’s hand suddenly pressed against Ryan’s back, pulling him into an embrace.

Ryan’s eyes were wide, as Min held him close with one arm, and the other stroked the back of his head, fingers combing through his hair, Min’s breath shooting down his neck and his ear as Min whispered in a voice only for him, “I love you, too, Ryan.”

Time stopped. Ryan’s tense body softened, and he wrapped his arms around Min’s waist, burying his face against the crook of his neck. For what felt like an eternity and yet not long enough, they held each other there in the parking lot of a dingy local live venue, just a few minutes out from Min’s college campus, although it felt like anything but. Until Ryan sniffled, and Min pulled away in concern. “Ryan, are you…?” The salty burn of tears bore into Ryan’s cheeks, but there was a smile on his face, and Min smiled back, wiping Ryan’s cheek with his thumb, “Geez, you had me worried there.” They both snickered, “Sorry, sorry….” Ryan’s voice was still a little weak as he sniffled again, and wiped his eyes with the heels of his palms, groaning.

There was a beat of silence, before Ryan spoke up again, “You…. Really mean that.… Yeah?” He only realized how silly a question it sounded after he said it.

“Yeah, of course, why wouldn’t I…?”

“I…. Dunno…. I guess I was just…. Nervous…?” Ryan shrugged, his voice trailing off a bit, “I dunno.”

“What’d you think was gonna happen?” Min’s face turned from humored to concerned.

“I…. I guess, I was worried that you’d…. Not…. Wanna be around me anymore, if I told you, I mean. So….”

Min paused a moment, before smiling again, “Ryan, you’d be my best friend before anything else, even if I didn’t feel the same. When I said you’re stuck with me, I meant it.” He laughed, and Ryan did, too.

“You said that, like, what? 2-ish years ago?”

“And I’ve been with you ever since, haven’t I?”

“Fair point!” Ryan chuckled and sighed. He fell against Min’s chest again, snaking his arms up and around his neck. “I’m glad.”

Min’s face turned soft, and he pressed his face into Ryan’s hair, stroking his back with one hand, swaying ever so slightly together. It didn’t take long before Min mindlessly pressed a kiss against Ryan’s head, and Ryan looked up at him with a surprised smile. Min looked slightly confused for a brief moment before fully processing what he’d just done and getting flustered, “Ah, sorry, was…. That too forward?” Ryan didn’t reply, not with words, he just cupped Min’s face in one of his hands, closed his eyes, and gently pressed his lips to Min’s. It was only a brief moment, but the sensation of Ryan’s lips on his burned into Min, who smiled and laughed nervously. “Too forward?” Ryan teased, and they both chuckled.

Suddenly, the sound of the back door to the venue caused the pair to part in a panic. “Oh, there you guys are. What’re you doin out here? Party’s not over yet!” A woman in orange flannel called out to them, and they looked at each other a moment. Ryan gave a disinterested shrug, and Min nodded. “I…. think we’re gonna have to head out early. Long day and stuff. Sorry!” Min called back to the woman, and she shrugged, “Suit yourself.” before going back inside. Ryan shuffled around in his pocket for a moment, before pulling out the keys to the van, smiling at Min, and eagerly hopping round to the driver’s side of the car. Min paused, and touched his lips with his fingers a moment, before getting a goofy grin and following suit to the passenger side.

Ryan started the engine as Min closed his door, and after shifting into gear, Ryan’s hand slid from the stick to Min’s hand, which rest on the compartment between their seats, and gave it a squeeze. Min tried to fight the silly look on his face, “Both hands on the wheel, uh…. dork.”

Ryan laughed, “You totally wanted to call me something else, didn’t you?” Min stammered over his words, much to Ryan’s amusement, “It’s okay, you can call me “babe” if you wanna.” he teased and winked, and Min covered his face with his hand as it heated up. “Cute!” Ryan chuckled again, “Shut up and drive!” Min groaned, barely concealing his own laughter, “Alright, alright! No need to be pushy!” Ryan joked, before pulling out of the lot, and driving off.

#cherryz txt #infinity train #i literally wrote this in one go and im not a writer pls dont come for me </3 im just fuckging vibing #tryna put my ideas into some tangible form..............#id draw it but taking on comics is a PAINNN.....#speakign of this is a ryan confession but its not the same as the ryan confession comic i was working on....#which idk if ill finish at this point LMFAO................ sad! oh well gjfhdgjk #i should actually draw smth now idk why im actin bananaz rn #delete later maybe

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lukeios · 4 years

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The plot holes of Eldarya

Hello wonderful people of Eldarya fandom! Along with some other players we have prepared a little something for you: The list of all the plot holes in the first season of Eldarya.

The list has over 2000 words in total. I am so, so proud of us and I would love to give special thanks to @aokane-eldarya who wrote probably over 1/3 of this by herself! Everyone who participated is tagged, so make sure you check out their blogs!

And of course, before we start: this is not an attack on Beemoov - it’s merely a critic of their writers. More under the cut.

@kyriechristeeleison

- Chrome surviving Leiftan's attack. Leiftan isn't an amateur killer and wouldn't let him stay alive.

- Game said Leiftan never kills children and yet the next episode he tries to kill Chrome.

- Chrome saying he contacted Leiftan, event though the other episode informed us he "summoned" him.

@cintanna-rants

- A plot hole between Valkyon's spin-off and the game. In the spin-off, he dreams about his mother even though in the game he couldn't have seen her at that point.

- During the Leiftan & Erika vs Lance fight in the last chapter, Lance acts like he thinks Erika is just a simple human, yet in chapter 26 he fainted precisely because he discovered she was an aengel and thought he knew why Leiftan wanted her.

- Leiftan “sacrifices” to tell Valkyon about Lance’s weakness (a neck injury). None of this is mentioned in the last battle nor ever again. Why did Leiftan sacrifice for then? What was the point of making him betray his pact with Lance and risk his life if that info doesn’t matter?

@aokane-eldarya

- Leiftan threatens Lance to kill him, as well as all the other members of his race, if he hurts Erika: not only does he do nothing when Lance kidnaps Erika (while we have the proof in episode 30 that Leiftan is still able to subdue Lance), but Valkyon is the only other dragon in existence.

- By extension, he didn't react as expected (if we refer to his personality) to the story of the potion.

- Leiftan who is the demon of the crystal: he was able to act normally while having a part of his mind threatening the Oracle, which is absurd (nonrespect of the principle of the cost of use of magic ). During his imprisonment, Miiko talks about the fact that the corruption stopped suddenly and Leif explains that he stopped because Erika suffered from it. If Leiftan had had the power to stop the corruption caused by the Naytili crystal (and therefore, by someone other than him), he would have done it immediately since he knew from the start why she was suffering. In any case, it was not Leiftan who stopped corruption, it was the use of the Fenghuang flute.

- Leiftan tells Erika that he did it all for her. But the fact is that he started acting before Erika arrived on Eldarya and she doesn't think it's strange.

- In the spin-off, Leiftan says he will respect that Erika doesn't follow him, suggesting that he will pursue his goal. In the end, as soon as Erika holds it against him, he decides to abandon his projects and accept his "mistakes". The funny thing is that it's been weeks, even months that we know what Erika thinks, he could have given up before.

- Episode 30, the "Lance VS Erika and Leiftan" confrontation. The writing suggests that Lance doesn't know Erika's race, which is wrong. It will also be noted that Lance didn't think of using the dragon spell that had allowed him to imprison Leiftan the time he came to destroy the crystal.

- In episode 15, the history teacher tells us that the daemons refused to sacrifice themselves.

- Then thanks to Fafnir, we learn that, in reality, Lilith and her supporters were for the sacrifice, Dagon and his supporters were against; they killed each other.

- Episode 30, Erika says that she and Leif must sacrifice themselves because their ancestors refused to sacrifice themselves.

- It will also be noted that hundreds of dragons sacrificed themselves for the Blue Sacrifice, but that it lacked just the equivalent of a daemon / aengel for the vegetables to be nutritious.

- Erika who doesn't remember that Dagon was one of the daemons invoked by Naytili

- Leiftan had a redemption. When he died, there was a white feather. Leiftan should have fought with his angelic aspect and not only with his demonic aspect.

- Depending on the situation, the terms aengel and daemon are used either to denote the same thing or to denote two different things.

- Lance refers to Erika and Leiftan by saying "the aengel and the daemon", even when Erika says to her "I am a daemon".

- Ezarel fights with a foil, a training weapon that cannot hurt. He uses it as thrusting and cutting weapon whereas it is only a thrusting weapon.

- The Guard sends civilians to unprotected villages; Lance just had to go there to use them as leverage.

- Lance, who is experienced, attacks by arriving by sea, a disadvantageous position because exposed, to arrive on a beach in a basin with only one narrow exit, with then the optic of crossing a meadow also exposed. The Guard decided it would be funnier if it got stuck on the beach itself.

- Lance is ready to negotiate: he agrees to allow the Guard to evacuate the faerys on Earth (The same faerys he wants to destroy). The famous faerys which are not there because evacuated in the villages. It will also be noted that suddenly the total population of Eldarya is reduced to only the inhabitants of the Guard.

- Lance donated ingredients for two gates: two gates to evacuate hundreds of people. I thought it was too expensive per person.

- Lance sent Enthraa, a mermaid who can't get out of the water, to kill Erika and Miiko ; Erika and Miiko thought it would be a good idea to be within the range of Enthraa.

- In episode 30, the hamadryads meet around the ancient tree of Yvoni. The same tree that had burned and the remains of which had been removed.

- One day, Leiftan and Lance released a monster who swallowed all the knowledge of the library. We still don't know why.

- Everyone knows that the dragons have sacrificed themselves. Even Lance. It was while reading books in the library that his hatred developed, suggesting that there is information that we don't have about the Blue Sacrifice. We still don't know this info: Lance just seems to blame the faeries for letting the dragons sacrifice themselves, nothing else.

- How did Lance and Leiftan become partners? We don't know. Why does Leif say that without him Lance is nothing? We don't know.

- How did Ykhar know that Leiftan was a traitor? Where did the hostage go?

- Ykhar and Chrome who tell an experienced killer that they are going to report him.

- Chrome who says that Leiftan manipulated him to join him whereas, in a previous episode, Leiftan reminds Chrome that it was he who called him.

- Some members of the Guard speak several languages, but no one can read the instructions on a package of pasta. And since Erika seems to have no idea where the language is located, it must be a package of alien pasta.

- Ewelein was to give us a gift. We are still waiting.

- The faerys had recent humans books, like Twilight. Ykhar didn't know what television was: yet, her favorite book was Barjavel's " The Night of Time", in which we talk about television.

- Oluhua said that it was not possible to use Leiftan's blood to transfuse Feng Zifu, without explaining why. She was not on Leiftan's list of traitors, so we still don't know what Oluhua knows.

- Miiko announces to us that there is a ritual acting as a lie detector. She must have forgotten its existence when she had to find the traitors of the Guard.

- Erika learned to understand the familiars. She quickly forgot about it.

- Erika is described as a high school student in the CGU. In the story, she is around 23-24 years old since she finished her studies.

- the Guard claimed to be able to detect dragons. Lance and Valkyon are proof that this is not true.

- Nevra, as a vampire, is able to smell blood from a small cut. Her sister was unable to smell the blood in Ykhar’s room.

@lukeios

- (Death TW) Ykhar's death and her body looking pale after 2-3 days in the room. Total disregard for research. The body should be in stage 2 of decomposition.

- The clothing and armors. Dressing a warrior into an armor that shows stomach - the most vulnerable part of the body - is somehow inappropriate, even for a fantasy setting. If they had other clothing used for battles OR the game would be pure fanservice - it would be ok.

- For some reason Lance's sword from The winter illustration seems like too much. It looks too broad, like a piece of a metal wall. It doesn't seem like it would be useful in a fight - it seems way too hard to use that thing than it would be necessary. Mind you - if something like this is happening in a fantasy setting, an explanation is mandatory. Is the sword extremely light? Is it made of a material that is changing shape? This point isn't exactly only about the sword. Beemoov keeps on throwing things at us without a proper explanation and if the explanation is even present, it's not explored enough.

- Our pet is killed in episode 30. Does it change anything in the page section of pets? Is the exploration frozen? I don't think so.

@waywardpeachworld

- Stealing food from Earth for many years without a way to preserve it. Not making a connection with any humans because "they are evil".

- Miiko told the MC there are humans in Eldarya who are searching for her. Where did they go?

- The potion fiasco. What happened to all the photos of the MC? Aren't her parents wondering "who is this girl who looks like us?" in the albums? (according to an anon, the potion was able to erase any proof of her existence on Earth. No photos were left. Thanks, Anon! )

-They can make very powerful potions that literally erase somebody from the memory of everyone who had known them in a different realm but still cannot make a “potion” to preserve the crops they steal.

- Ez's crimes were mentioned once and never again. This information seemed too important to just be left alone.

@glassmoonfortuneteller

- How at the beginning of the game, they mentioned us several times Erika’s special eye color (purple with golden light) and how this was an important clue to know what kind of faelienne she is. It’s never mentioned again even after we found out she’s an aengel. Apparently it wasn’t that relevant.

- How the guard has a portal to Earth near the HQ facilities but Erika never seemed interested in it to go and see it for herself since she arrived at Eldarya, especially since she was determined to know everything about the portals when she still had hope of going back to her world during the first episodes.

- When Lance kidnapped Erika, she finds out Enthraa is a traitor and that she’s working for him. After she’s rescued and goes back to the HQ, she doesn’t say this to the other members. They found out about it only when Enthraa ambushed Erika and Miiko in later episodes and gets killed.

- How food was rationed and limited at the beginning of the game, but in later episodes this doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore.

- How Lance said he found out about the sacrifice of the dragons in the library archives, but during Erika’s history classes in the HQ they said there weren’t any records about the blue sacrifice and all they knew was passed down through generations through oral traditions and tales. If that’s true, then Lance and Valkyon would have known about it since they were kids with adults telling them about the stories of the creation of Eldarya.

- What happened to Marie Anne after she was captured and purified of the faerie blood? She’s not mentioned again after that.

- Humans in Eldarya were mentioned once, and that’s it.

- How Erika is characterized as a very kind and empathic person but didn’t seem affected when she found out Ykhar was killed.

- How Leiftan was the one who killed Ykhar since he was with Erika and the other guard members in Memoria the whole time.

- Alajea’s fear of water is not a thing anymore.

- Why Erika took Valkyon leaving with Lance as a betrayal, she was right there when that happened and saw that he did it to protect her.

@nelielombrelune

- Miko told us dragon’s ingrédients were necessary to open portals, but later she finally said those weren’t really “dragon” stuff but they called it like this because, you know, everything there is a mess.

- Humans were supposed to be a threat on Eldarya (Miiko mentioned secret societies like Illuminatis, Templars or Freemasons but we’ve never heard about them anymore)

- There is no real food in Eldarya and the Guard has to open portals to Earth to steal foodstuffs for Eels survival. They don’t know how to cook and eat raw pasta in the firsts episodes but a few episodes later they throw tea-parties where Karuto & Erika bakes crepes and cakes.

- In episode 20, Leiftan says he's been waiting for Erika for years. Except that he does not seem to know who she is, nor her species or where she comes from, how she came here, nor her connection to the Oracle...

- When we’re in Ashkore PoV he said his ancestors killed the daemons

- Once upon a time we had to choose a “job” (infirmary, library, and I don’t remember the third one), but we never hear about it in the next episodes.

- On the illustration where Leiftan saves Erika from falling off the cliff, his wings are white, he’s got only 2 and his horns have disappeared

- In episode 30 Lance calls Erika “the human” though he knows she’s an aengel

- What about the war ? Lance killed his brother, Erika and Leiftan sacrificed themselves and then what ? Did Lance just leave after all the time he tried to destroy Eldarya ?

- “In episode 29 Miiko (I think it was her) says that they will have enough water for everyone because they filter rainwater but in episode 19 someone has said that it barely rains in Eldarya...”

@momiyi-chan

- Three enemies of Eldarya (Triades, Illuminati, and Templars) are mentioned but never make any appearance. It is said the Templars are trying to get MC to rescue her. Where are they?

- Until episode 20 the Guard was looking for the pieces of the crystal, that were scattered on Eldarya. That was never mentioned again. Crystal became irrelevant.

- Who taught Naytili to corrupt the crystals? Leiftan and Lance were very interested in learning that skill, but it was never touched again.

@hsakurausasuke

- Mary Anne is still rooting in prison. It's like she disappeared.

@velleitxs

- Erica cannot decide if she is an aengel or a human with the blood of an aengel

@susymei

- Episode 15, we never learned the consequences of telling or not telling the Guard, that Ashkore was stealing food in the HQ.

- Ashkore doesn’t kill Huang Hua because Erica likes her, and yet he wants to kill her few episodes later.

- Episode 26. We can kind of flirt with Lance. There is some tension on the cliff (if you pick right choices) and he protects us from the heat of the volcano. The episodes afterward completely forgot about those choices - it’s like Episode 26 never happened.

@valethari

- The episode in which Gardienne becomes a mermaid to go back from the Kappa Island to the HQ: She almost drowns and her S/O saves her and carries her up the stairs to the infirmary effortlessly and princess-style. When Colaïa was the one in the dungeon and Karen, Alajéa and Gardienne tried to bring her to the sea again, they said she was SO heavy because her tail is pure muscle, and between THREE people they had a lot of trouble carrying her.

Well, that was pretty long! Thank you for reading all of those! Have a nice weekend guys and stay healthy <3

#eldarya #beemoov #leiftan #lance #ezarel #valkyon #nevra

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menatiera · 6 years

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hey :D this is for the prompt ask, feel free to ignore though if it doesn't tickle your muses ^^ I wish you would write a fic where Tony, bucky and Steve from your 'just give me a reason verse' interact in a friendly, relaxed, healthy atmosphere? like, way down the line, in a happy universe where they are all older and alive? also I have read in the wiki that the most famous winteriron AU is tattoo artist bucky and florist Tony but never seen much of the sort (1/2)

(2/2) but I have never seen much of the sort which is honestly a shame if you ask me. apart from that, I’m always up for healthy friendships and/or angsty pining xD I hope at least some of that is interesting to you :D if not that’s totally fine though

So this is the first part of answering your ask! When I started to write, I completely forgot about the request for the JGMAR fic to be in the far future, so I set it up after The Best of You, I hope you don’t mind! Also it’s not exactly fluffy, but its main topic is giving comfort each other when it’s needed, so I hope you don’t mind. ^^ I’ll do the Winteriron fill as soon as I can, too! Thank you so much for the prompt, I had much fun! ^^

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15637137

Title: Unbreakable

Pairing: Stuckony (Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark)

Words: 3358

Rated: G

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply; (mention of flashbacks, dissociation and kidnapping - but nothing is described)

Summary: “He got used to it like one gets used to their own heartbeat, and it became the natural order of things: Bucky’s deep or Tony’s shallow breaths in his ears are part of the silence that engulfs him up here.“

Or: SHIELD puts Steve in a cabin in the woods alone. Luckily Tony and Bucky do their best to make it bearable.

“Turn around seven degrees to the left,” Bucky instructs from the earpiece. Steve obeys, making sure his body language remains relaxed as he does so like it’s entirely accidental that as a result, his drawing on the paper becomes invisible to the cameras.

It isn’t that hard. The sound of the steady breathing over the connection is calming, and probably the only thing that kept Steve sane today.

“Keep drawing,” Tony adds. Apparently, Steve stopped at some point. “We need at least a few minutes of new recording to feed to the system.”

Steve sighs and continues Peggy’s portrait, now at an advanced speed that the cameras can’t see the actual progress. He uses the photo from his compass as a reference, not because he needs it – thank you, eidetic memory –, but because the ones watching him don’t need more clues just how good his memory is.

Tony’s breathing pattern is different from Bucky’s. His is quicker, sharper; he always sounds a bit out of breath. Steve suspects it’s because of the ARC-reactor and the reduced lung capacity caused by it, but never had the guts to actually ask about it. He got used to it like one gets used to their own heartbeat, and it became the natural order of things: Bucky’s deep or Tony’s shallow breaths in his ears are part of the silence that engulfs him up here.

“Alright, done,” Tony announces. “It’s chatty time. How’re you doing, Cap?”

(keep reading under the cut)

“Already better.” Steve stretches his back and leans back in his chair, head tilted left like he could listen better that way. Usually, by now he’d be halfway to the loose floorboard where he hides his StarkPad, and read the newsfeed while talking, but he remains seated this time, focusing fully on the communicator instead. “Wish you could actually be here.”

“That would ruin the point of solitary confinement, you know,” Bucky answers dryly, which is his default nowadays, while at the same time Tony says:

“Do you need us there? You know I could fly there, no problem.”

Tony actually did it once, earning some outraged calls from SHIELD and probably Steve getting back to square zero thanks to this impulsive decision. Tony, being himself, probably counted on that, but also took into account the positive effect his little rebellion had on Steve. It added up to the mere fact that pissing SHIELD off was one of Tony’s favourite pastime activities even before he knew they were HYDRA, and it tripled after. In all honesty, the organization needed a good reminder from time to time just how much were they unable to control Iron Man anyway.

And Steve went for a week after the guerrilla action without flashbacks or lashing out.

“Not without me, not again!” Bucky growls, and Steve’s chest suddenly feels just as tight as it was when he was an asthmatic kid. Only this time it’s a good kinda tightness, filled with warmth.

“I appreciate the offer.” Steve smiles, no matter that his boyfriends – and how crazy it is to even think about them as such – can’t see it. “Just… remind me why am I doing this.”

“To earn SHIELD’s trust.” Bucky doesn’t hesitate to answer, but neither does Tony:

“To fool HYDRA.”

“If that’s even possible.”

“You managed just fine,” Tony reminds Bucky. Again. Because everyone needs a reminder sometimes, and Steve knows that, and shouldn’t be ashamed for his turn when he’s the one who needs the reassurance. “You got away on your own, and now there’s the three of us, plus the whole team. They don’t have a chance, they won’t even know what hit them.”

“I’d prefer if they’d knew.” Steve closes his eyes and imagines his boyfriends as they talk.

He pictures Bucky’s long hair, the scruff on his face – new additions in this century, along with the profound exhaustion carved into his features somehow. But also there are the things Steve remembers clear as day from before: the shape of Bucky’s nose and jawline, the affectionate way he sometimes looks at Tony or at Steve - like they are more important than anything in the world -, the mischievous grin when a good idea comes to his mind, the childlike excitement over new discoveries.

And then there’s Tony; brilliant, genius, gorgeous Tony who’s nothing like Howard once you get to know him. Steve in his fantasy traces his fingers through Tony’s goatee that suits him surprisingly well, he conjures up the brown chocolate of Tony’s eyes and the warm twilight of his hair, and his million different smiles.

Steve imagines himself between them as the banter continues in his ear, Bucky insisting on being careful with HYDRA, Tony throwing reassurances left and right, probably to hide his own insecurities. It feels strange to hear Bucky so concerned. Since Steve got this new version of his old friend back, Bucky was adamantly confident in his – in their – abilities any other time. But when it came to HYDRA, the fear they had taught him came with full force and made him insecure and hesitant.

Steve never hates his decades-long freeze-nap as much as he does in these moments. It never ceases to make him mad, and as always anger curls in his guts again, urging him to finally do something instead of sitting around and waiting and planning. No matter that he knows all too well how stupid it would be to break the doors and march into Pierce’s office and strangle him with his own tie, he wants to do that and so much more. But for the ‘so much more’ part to be fulfilled, he has to stay put for a little while.

To be fair, it took the whole team’s combined effort, including Clint, Natasha, Tony, and even Bucky, to stop him when he first learned about Pierce and HYDRA, not three months ago.

The waiting and the feelings of uselessness aren’t any easier now than they were back then.

And… this isn’t something he should be thinking about right now.

“Any news from Clint?” Steve asks, interrupting a debate whether he should eat peanut butter or strawberry jam next morning and which one is more American.

“He’s working.”

Steve can practically see Bucky’s shrug. The answer doesn’t give enough for his mind to drag itself away from upsetting tracks, though.

“No words from him yet, but he’d contact us if he’d need anything,” Tony adds.

“What about Natasha?”

“She’s keeping an eye on your babysitters, don’t worry.” That is the main reason Steve agreed to SHIELD’s request to come to this mountain cabin alone. ‘To clear his head and accommodate to the new circumstances,’ their reasoning said, but Steve didn’t need Bucky’s or Natasha’s snort to know bullshit when someone tried to sock him in the face with it. Of course, it isn’t for Steve’s own good.

They’re trying to break him, isolating him even more from everything he knows, and they’re studying him while doing so.

Luckily for Steve, he isn’t as alone as these morons think. Bucky and Tony make a great effort to keep him not only company, but provide entertainment as well. Well, the performative part is mostly on Tony, but Steve has a suspicion where some of his ideas came from.

And while Steve plays bait and lab rat, the others are using this as a chance for their investigations. Clint disappeared from the radar – got an extended vacation from SHIELD after he had been cleared by their shrinks, justified by the lingering psychological effects of mid-term mind control – and he’s currently using his not-so-legal past connections to learn more about HYDRA. While Natasha starts looking into everyone, including Captain America’s observers and she’s slowly wrapping up the thread,so they know who’s friend and who’s foe when they’re ready to attack.

Steve just wishes he could be more active and useful while they’re waiting for that time.

“Hey. Hey. Stevie!”

He shudders as Bucky uses the old nickname. “What?”

“You didn’t answer,” Tony says, concern audible in his voice, “for a few minutes.”

Oh shit.

“Two minutes and forty-seven seconds,” Bucky probably doesn’t exactly want him to hear the addition, given how quiet it is.

Steve sighs. He’s aware he started to lose time, but it’s hard to keep track of it despite him sticking with a strict daily routine. Sometimes things still just blur together now and again, even with the hidden communicator in his ear. “How much more time do we have?”

“Don’t fret over that now, Sweetcheeks, we have it under control,” Tony reassures him. “What do you need right now?”

Steve rubs the back of his neck. That’s the problem, sure. The only thing he can think of right now is out of the question. He wants them , not just as voices in his ear but in the flesh, right next to him, right in his arms. His throat goes dry at the thought of going home and laying down in the ridiculously massive bed in Tony’s bedroom with the familiar Hogwarts House blankets, and being embraced by his boyfriends. He desires nothing more.

“Just…”

Gosh, he can’t and shouldn’t wish this. His job right now is to be up here, alone and as okay as he can, giving some false data about his endurance to HYDRA agents that are thinking about ways to break him. It’s a mission, it’s his part in their plan. Steve isn’t the type to abandon missions, no matter how meaningless or hard they seem at the time.

The silence stretches between them.

“You should come home,” Bucky says very quietly.

Steve’s laugh sounds like a sob.

“Right now I’m not even sure you’re real,” he admits through gritted teeth. Being weak, being vulnerable is the worst feeling, except that actually admitting these weaknesses are even worse. And even though he’s reasonably confident the surveillance in the house is off the chart momentarily, he can’t be entirely sure.

After all, Bucky fell, and Tony is so much out of his league, how could he be that damn lucky to have them? How could a fairy tale like this be real?

How can he tell if it isn’t just a wild imagination, a symptom of isolation? According to his insufficient knowledge on the subject, this all could be happening in his head. Well, that would be a more rational explanation to the Chitauri Invasion than that ‘a Norse God opened a portal to space above Manhattan with a glowing cube that fell into the ocean seventy years ago.’ And crazy wish-fulfillment is an easier explanation for his relationships than ‘homosexual polyamory is an acceptable lifestyle in the future.’

“Oh sweetheart,” Bucky says, indecipherable emotions in his voice. “Hey, uhm, okay. Listen that I’m here. You hear my breathing, and my voice, right? I’m—”

“Rubbish.” Tony has no patience for Bucky’s rambling. For a missed heartbeat, Steve’s sure this is the moment that will burst his mental bubble and leave him an absolute mess. Tony ignores Steve’s sharp breath in favor of continuing. “Your imagination is not nearly good enough to come up with something like me, Sleeping Beauty; therefore we’re real. I’m sorry, these are the cold-hearted facts. I’m unique. And if you really are doubting yourself, then I’ll explain the science behind my repulsor tech, which would probably result in you yawning your pretty blonde head off in boredom and being confused as hell because as much as you learned under my thoughtful guidance, it’s still way above your engineering paygrade.”

“Close your eyes, Stevie,” Bucky jumps in again, not letting Tony finish his monologue. Steve obeys the order without question, as he would do practically anything as long as Bucky calls him like that. “We’ll walk you through this little… experiment and all you have to do is to imagine as vividly as you can, okay?”

“I’ll try to keep it centenarian-appropriate,” Tony adds a little dryly, but then his voice brightens back to its usual level of cheerfulness, and Steve holds back a laugh. The term ‘centenarian-appropriate’ probably isn’t for his sake, but for Bucky’s, who still isn’t exactly comfortable with the physical intimacy beyond a certain point. “So, you’re in our bedroom, laying down on your back - because you still prefer sleeping on your back, right? Good. Imagine it with all your senses – the silk sheet’s touch on your skin, the slight breeze of the AC from above, the smell of the apartment. It’s quiet at the moment. Do you want Jarvis to play some music? He can totally play music anytime—”

Steve, eyes still closed, smiles. “No, it’s okay,” he answers the rhetorical question. “Where are you though?”

“I was gonna get there! At your age you should really be more patient,” Tony huffs. “So I enter the room with James, and we’re chatting about something and laughing—”

“You’re laughing and chatting,” Bucky interrupts. “And I’m listening because I have no other choice. Let’s be realistic.”

“You are no fun, but okay. So we enter, and we see you on the bed draped over like a starfish and— heeey, my ear! You can’t blame me for—”

Steve would die if he could witness the scene in its entirety. He has a suspicion Bucky’s disciplining methods are just as unusual as most of everything that he does, and it’s probably hilarious.

“This is an imaginative exercise for Steve, Tony, try to keep serious!” Bucky scolds.

“What, it’s better if I say he’s tucked away securely in the blankets? Ouch, not fair, my ribs!”

“We enter and Tony lays down next to you on one side, and I’m on the other,” Bucky takes the story into his own hands. “How do you want to arrange the two of us?”

Steve, who soundlessly laughed in the last minute at their bickering, doesn’t need to think twice. “Can I have you tucked under my arms and held close? Tony’s head on my chest and yours on my shoulder?”

“It’s your fantasy, sweetheart, you can have anything you want.”

Steve feels his ears turning pink by the suggestion. Bright red would probably be a more accurate description, but he refuses to acknowledge this tiny little fact. Is Bucky really flirting with him right now, or is he reading too much into it?

But he’s more relaxed already.

“We agreed on a realistic setting, so no tentacles this time, though,” Tony chirps in. It’s not the first time Steve suspects at least mild mind reading abilities on his side, because somehow he always knows when to intervene for steaming out tension or awkwardness. “That’s for a way naughtier fantasy anyway, I guess.”

By the sound of it, he got smacked on the head this time.

Steve absolutely agrees that it is well deserved.

“So we’re all set in the bed, all close. You can feel our heartbeat, and hear our breathing,” Tony continues. “You do, right? Remember, closed eyes and imagine it right now.”

Steve feels his muscles gone lax as stress bleeds out of him just by the image of this peaceful setting. “Yeah,” he murmurs.

“I can’t stay like this long, though, you know me, so I start to play with your hair in, like, ten seconds,” Tony adds. “In my defence, you have beautiful hair, and I like to comb my fingers through it, sue me.”

“I don’t have any problems with staying still and just enjoying the moment,” Bucky’s voice clearly tells he’s smiling. “I’ll just hold your hand.” After a heartbeat’s pause, he adds a bit hastily, “not restraining though.”

“I’ll do the talking, as usual. You always left that to me anyways. Not complaining, I totally love that you listen to me even when it seems like you don’t. Or that you actually tell me when I have to shut up. Most people are too afraid of losing the grace of the billionaire to shut me up, so I appreciate the ones who aren’t. Are you sure you don’t want some background music? How could you fossils even live before portable music? You are the real cryptids, not Bigfoot or Nessie.”

Steve gives up being composed and laughs out loud. “Believe it or not, we listened to our thoughts. I recommend it to you too sometimes.”

“Excuse me, Capsicle, I live off of my thoughts. Our boyfriend’s arm would be a piece of junk otherwise, not counting the fact that SHIELD found you with the help of Stark Tech, too.”

“And for that, I’m really grateful,” Steve admits in all honesty. He wanted to die after the first shock of being in the 21st century, but he wouldn’t barter this time and his place in it for anything by now.

“Don’t expect me to thank you, Mechanic, I’ve kidnapped you for that exact work!” Bucky grumbles again.

“Yeah yeah yeah, it’s always the kidnapping and stuff with you. You could at least, be a polite assassin!”

“I’m not polite,” Bucky fusses and switches the topic back. “How do you feel, Steve?”

“Better,” Steve says, and it’s absolutely true. “I can’t wait to go home and make this fantasy into reality, though.” Again, he feels himself blushing by the mere thought of it.

“As soon as possible. The moment you step your foot in here, you’ll be carried to the bedroom and we won’t let you go,” Bucky promises.

“We’ll lock the doors and tell Romanoff to bring snacks to us.”

“No way,” Steve recoils, taken aback. “I value my life, Tony.”

“Okay, then we’ll tell Barton. If he’s here at the time. He’ll eat half of it during delivery, but won’t mind the task. Or Bruce, if we can convince him to come out of his lab. He’s been playing down there like an excited kid since he’s here. I think he had science withdrawal while on the run and we’re experiencing the symptoms now.”

“Butterfingers will be on snack duty,” Bucky interrupts, and it results in a moment of silence.

“Well, sometimes you’re the clever one among us,” Tony has to admit.

“Since you don’t love me for my dashing looks, I have to be.” Bucky’s tone is drier than the desert.

“If he’s good-looking and you’re clever, what’s left for me?” Steve complains.

“You’re the entertainment,” Tony answers instantly.

“Yeah, ‘cause you’re the ‘stupidly brave and recklessly kind’ type,” Bucky adds, turning the joke into seriousness without effort. “And I’m the bad guy to remind everyone that we’re running out of time.”

Steve’s heart sinks, but he sighs and nods. “I guess we had more than usual anyway.”

“Just a little bit,” Tony admits, not elaborating what did he do to achieve this feat. “You should sit back like you were when we started and draw a bit so it won’t be suspicious, but they’re just as clueless as ever, I can promise.”

“Steve,” Bucky says, sudden urge in his voice, “if it takes much longer, I’ll break you out.”

“That’s not the plan, Buck.”

“Fuck the plan. If they do this to you for much longer, you can expect a visit from the Winter Soldier. I’ve already kidnapped one of my boyfriends. It’s only fair if I do so with the other one as well.”

Steve tries to swallow back the sudden lump in his throat and does his best not to let tears overflow. “Okay,” he takes a deep breath. “Okay. If it takes much longer, I’ll expect you.”

“Until then, hang on. We’re waiting for you here at home, Steve,” Tony says, and the warmth in his voice is overwhelming.

“Radio silence for the next twelve hours,” Bucky announces, but instead of the abrupt muteness, Steve still hears his steady, easy breathing.

They never cut the comms completely, not since Steve’s first dissociation up here alone. One of his boyfriends are always at the end of the line, silent companion in the isolation, careful not to talk and startle him somehow out of their planned sessions, but there.

Steve curls back to his original position, pencil at hand and paper in front of him, just the right angle to cover the drawing.

“Home,” he whispers and smiles.

Yeah. He’d go home soon.

43 notes · View notes

nsschaintale · 7 years

Text

Chain 5: 500 Notes

Tether (limps away as he feels his body slowly breaking apart): My...body is... turning into.... (looks ahead to see Catena waiting for him) Catena...I'm gonna bring you something back. Wait for me...okay? (drops to his knees as he turns into dust) At least...we'll eat together again...you...know... (closes his eyes......

…..then opens them, finding himself in his bed)

Tether found himself in his bed...

In his bed.

Tether: What in the Underground happened?! (climbs out of bed and feels a shock in his chest) Ugh! What... (tugs out his soul and Life Chain; is shock at what he sees) Ah...this is...

Tether spotted a deep cut in his Life Chain and a faint scar on his soul. He left his room and went to his restroom to look in the mirror. He lifted his shirt up and saw some faint chipping on his ribs and sternum diagonally from the top right rib across his sternum to the bottom left rib. He touched the chip on his sternum and winced, seeing a flicker of a vision.

A red-eyed child. A purple-eyed skeleton.

Bones. So many bones.

Knives. They were red.

The chirping of crickets. The silver light.

Explosions. Skulls.

Chains.

Tether's vision became engulfed in chains.

Tether (covers his left eyes): Urgh! What is...going on..?

???: TETHER!

Tether: !!! (shaking) C...Catena.....? (opens the door and peeks outside; sees Catena standing in front of his door) It..is...him. (shuts the door quietly) Shit... I want to see him, but I need to find out what's going on... (gets jolted by knocking) Ah!

Catena: TETHER, ARE YOU IN HERE?

Tether: YEAH, I'LL BE...out in a minute.

Catena: ALL RIGHT! I'LL GO ON AHEAD TO MY FIRST PUZZLE! YOU BETTER GO START ON YOURS SOON!

Tether: All right, bro. (hears Catena walk off and down the stairs) First puzzle? Hmm... Something's... (looks at the door) I need to go there....

Tether left the restroom and returned to his room and got dressed. He went to his dresser and dug through his sock drawer. He felt something metal bump against his finger and pulled out a silver key.

Tether: There you are. (puts the key in his pocket and teleports out of his room and lands outside the house)

The atmosphere of Snowdin town was its usual cheerful splendor, but that cheer wasn't on Tether's conscience. He concentrated on figuring out how he returned to where Catena's alive (as inwardly excited as he was) and how he ended up with his scars. He walked around the house to the back and approached a white door. He inserted the key and open his way in, entering what looks like a small laboratory. To the left, there is a long white table attached to the wall, where it was covered with cork boards, whiteboards, a large flat screen computer monitor with a white keyboard, and papers scattered all over the table and boards. Next to the table was a tall, four drawer filing cabinet, across from it was a tall covered item that was unknown to him, and the opposite wall had a more cleaner table. Tether walked towards the cabinet and opened the top most drawer. Inside it was a series of papers, all chronicled in order inside some folders. Grabbing a folder, Tether decided to look through the papers and see what they show.

Tether (sits on the black rolling chair and sets the folder on the clean table, opening it up to the first page; there were markings, words crossed out, and other scribbles on the pages): Well.. here goes nothing.

Day 1 Since We Left The Underground May 12, 201X

I just got a..journal book thing today. I felt like I should, but I just wanted to write that today, we monsters finally left the Underground! It felt like so long. The scene before us was breathtaking, well, for those with lungs. The sunrise (sunset???) was beautiful, the air was fresh, as Ketju had mentioned, I myself couldn't really describe it. I had to chase after Catena when he took off running, but I was just as excited as he was. I do wonder if Frisk is gonna stay with us or go back to where they came from.

Day 2 Since We Left The Underground May 13, 201X

Hey again. Cats and I went exploring the area. It's a small little town outside of a larger city, it looks like. We've also meet some humans along the way. They were really surprised to see us. Err...maybe “running away screaming” isn't exactly a connection to surprise. Other than that, it wasn't so bad.

Added: Looks like everyone's starting to settle into some places with the help of some humans. These humans are suspiciously nice....

Day 3 Since We Left The Underground May 14, 201X

Turns out Frisk didn't stay with Torquem. I got the news from her in a text. They didn't get to become our ambassador, either. Guess they'd become too embarrassed to work in an embassy as an ambassador. It would have been nice, though. Oh well, it's their decision. Uh oh, Catena's calling me.

Added: We were able to find a place for the both of us to stay. A small two-room apartment. Some kind of peace offering from the humans? Why are these humans nice to us...?

Day 4 Since We Left The Underground May 15, 201X

Catena and I found a car shop in the city today. Cats was so happy, but it turns out we needed something called a driver's license to even drive a vehicle. That drove him nuts. I had to drag him away because he was screeching about it, but he bounced right into his usual mood and decided to try and find the place to learn and earn our licenses. Yes, OUR. I'm getting me a vehicle, too. I just don't know what, though.

Day 5 Since We Left The Underground May 16, 201X

I think I know what I want now. I saw a human riding it today. It was a....motorcycle...I think? Something about it made my soul jump. I had to look up the licenses for that, and it's a motorcycle license. Looks like I'm going to have to cycle my way to the shop.

Added: We signed up for driving classes. This should be interesting.

I found a motorcycle magazine and saw the one I wanted. As much as I want to, Catena comes first.

Day 8 Since We Left The Underground May 19, 201X

Sorry, I have to study for our driving tests. Man, humans seemed to be real excited at the sight of gold. Their currency must be different from ours.

Added: Some human tried to take something from my bro. I don't think they'll come near us again.

Day 12 Since We Left The Underground May 23, 201X

Taking a break. There's just so much to the traffic rules. But at least there are red stop signs. We both know what to do with them. I mean, Cats and I have attacks that act like stop signs. Blue stop signs. We were also looking for jobs. Well, Catena is. I'm still gonna sell hot dogs.

Added: NEVERMIND, THAT WILL BE SIDE JOB A CLASSON???ASTROPHYSICS??! I FOUND MY DREAM!! HOT DOG!

Day 15 Since We Left The Underground May 26, 201X

Gotta study more. Sorry!

Added: Heard that Ketju and Kusari went on a date today. Haha, looks like Ketju's got her hook, line, and sinker. Hmm...

Day 18 Since We Left The Underground May 29, 201X

Found a calender. Whoa! May 29...201X... Huh...It's been 18 days since we left the Underground... Sure didn't feel like it. Must've miss a clock because time sure flew by quick.

June 5, 201X

Started writing the dates. No real point on writing the other stuff down.

Added: Cats and I are going to take our driving tests. Wish us luck!

Added: Finished our driving tests. Catena did great! As great as he is. Me? I..might need some work. Those turns were kinda iffy. But I did kinda well. We'll be getting our licenses soon.

June 9, 201X

We got our lincenses licenses!

(attached to the page is a photo of Tether and Catena holding their licenses, smiling)

Tether (sighs): All that work... (flips through a few pages, mostly about Frisk visiting everyone, then stops on a page) Hmm...

June 15, 201X

Haven't heard much from Frisk lately. Catena tried calling them, but nothing. Just a voicemail. He tried getting up with them on this new social media site Kusari created: Under Net 2, but nothing. I'm getting worried.

June 18, 201X

Signed up for an online class. I had to send info..? Wonder what they'd say if they knew I was a skeleton. That'll get their bones rattled. I will take that astrophysics class, but I have to do all this other stuff first. Summer classes, it looks like. Guess we'll see how humans view the world...if not us. Already had to avoid a few humans lately.

Added: Got Catena his dream car. He loves it! Just look at that smile!

(attached is a picture of Catena hugging a orange sports car)

Tether: Heh. He really loved that car... (turns over a few pages)

June 25, 201X

Holy shit, I almost forgot to write here?? Been busy studying and working. Yeah, I'm doing my usual hot dog vendor business. Had to get a permit, though. Man, this is the most I've ever done in my life. I think... Anyway, online courses are going good, took my sweet new motorcycle out for a spin. Check it out. Also, I heard Frisk came over to see Torquem at her school! Well, she's just a teacher there, but still. Cats and I got a chance to see them. I'm glad they're okay.

(attached is a photo of a blue and purple motorcycle)

Tether: Whoa, I had that? Sweet. (skims through some pages of mindless writings and Frisk's visits then stops on a page labeled June 30, 201X) Hmm...?

June 30, 201X

Torquem called me today. She said she saw Frisk. They didn't look too well, it seems. She did say that they left to go back to where they came from. Where, to their family? Their old life? I've always wondered why they fell into Mount Ebott anyway... It was their choice, but... I can't help but feel like something's up.

July 1, 201X

Kusari contacted me about Frisk. Apparently, they found Under Net 2, and posted something odd. I don't have an Under Net 2 account, though. Catena does, I'll ask him about it.

Added: “Everything is okay” “Red eyes” “It's coming” ….Frisk, what does that mean???

July 2, 201X

Catena told me that Ketju called him. We're all trying to figure out what Frisk meant by those words. We only knew a few monsters that have red eyes, but everything else... nothing. This is getting weird....

July 3, 201X

We decided to go look for Frisk. We don't know if they're in the town or the city. If they're in the city, I doubt we'd get far. From what I've seen, not every human is very welcoming to our presence there...

July 5, 201X

I SAW FRISK. They were with two taller humans. I assume they must be their family. But.....well, I did try to approach them, but the two taller ones shooed me away. Catena had even less luck. Did Frisk's less-frequent visits have something to do with them? I didn't mention this before in these notes, but I could have sworn I saw a bruise on their neck...?

Added: I caught a glimpse of their Soul. It's not a bright as it used to be. Where did some of their DETERMINATION go...?

Tether: Is this.... (turns to the next page) Ah...

July 6, 201X

I got a strange call from Frisk tonight. They sounded kinda rattled. It's ratting my bones, too... They apologized for leaving us and told me to live. What does that mean? Did something happen? I'll ask them in the morning. Good night.

Tether (lays the stack of papers back in the folder and sits back in his chair, sighing): We didn't even stay on the surface for that long. Eight weeks... I knew it. But I forgot all this time.. (looks at the folder) That's all..hmm? (picks up a paper with mostly illegible writing on it) What's.... Ah!

On the page, a date was scratched out: July 7 201X. He could barely see what was under the black pen that was written with, but most of the words shown were-

July 7, 201X RESET 1

I was going to NONONONONONONONOWHYWHYNONONWHYWHYWHY WHY IS IT SNOWING! NONONONONONO IT WAS SUMMER WHYNO WHAT HAPPENED?! WHYWHYNONONONO

Added: this is where it started. everything ended here.

Tether (stares at the word after the crossed-out date): ...Reset...Is that it? (looks after the page, but there was nothing) The other folders.

Tether got up and rushed over to the cabinet. Sure enough, there were several folders labeled “RESETS”, all numbered in order. He grabbed the first folder labeled RESETS 1-50 and sat back down.

Tether: 1 through 50? It's been that many...? (fingers frozen over the corner of the folder) Ah..ah...this is...bone-chilling... (opens the folder and starts reading)

RESET 1 – continued

I don't understand. One moment, I was feeling the warm sun on my bones, the next I'm feeling chills. What happened? I asked Catena about it, but he didn't remember us being on the surface. Why? I told him it wasn't a dream... Because of the reset. No memory.

Added: Sorry, had to go to my “station”. Besides my real one. I visited the lady behind the double doors today...? I knocked on the door a few times, but nobody came...

Her name is Torquem.

RESET 2

I went to my station today. More like visited the lady again. Cats doesn't know, does he? Heh heh. Maybe?

Torquem

Added: He doesn't.

RESET 3

I went to my station today. More like visited... Why does it feel like I wrote this page before? Reset, that's why.

RESET 4

I went to my station today. I should go visit her today. ….Her who..? Torquem.

RESET 5

I went to my...... hang on. Why do this pages keep saying “I went to my station today” without finishing the page? Was I supposed to go visit someone..? The Resets are causing a repeat in time. Whatever it is causing this, I need to figure this out.

RESET 6

I went... Stop it! What's going on?!

RESET 7

I'm not writing it down this time!

RESET 8

NOPE.

RESET 9

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???

RESET 10

THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING.

RESET 11

CATENA, I KNOW I HAVE TO GO TO MY STATION, OKAY?! He gave me a strange look. I didn't mean to yell at him. I just... Only I remembered?

RESET 12

NO.

RESET 13

NO. unlucky number 13...

RESET 14

WHY.

Tether (sifts through the rest of the pages until he reaches RESET 45; most of the pages showed “SAVE HER” on them): My gods, why is this....

RESET 45

I heard a scream from behind the doors. Is it her..? Did something happen?

RESET 46

what's happening to her?

RESET 47

WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HER?

RESET 48

I don't have any shortcuts made for this place, I can't get in!!

RESET 49

I CAN'T GET IN!!

RESET 50

it's quiet

Tether (shaking hard): Torquem... I..couldn't save her...? (drops the page and covers his face with his hands) I need some fuel...

Tether left his lab, and ventured out towards his station near the woods. He was halfway there before seeing Catena building his first puzzle, the electric maze.

Tether: Hey...uh, Catena.

Catena: MORNING, TETHER! I'M ALMOST DONE WITH MY PUZZLE. IT JUST NEEDS A FEW ADJUSTMENTS AND IT'LL BE DONE! HOW'S YOURS COM- (looks surprised) TETHER, ARE YOU OKAY?

Tether: Huh? Why do you ask, bro?

Catena: DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER NIGHTMARE? YOUR EYE SOCKETS GOT TEARS COMING OUT OF THEM.

Tether: W-What? (wipes his sleeve over his face and sees wet smears and spots on it) Uh, I..uh..(smirks)...read something that was real tear-jerker, is all. Not something to tear up over, really. A real crying shame, though.

Catena: TETHER, THAT'S-

Tether: Hey, I'd love to stay and chat, but I got my puzzle to recalibrate. (starts walking off)

Catena: OH! WHAT KIND OF PUZZLE IS IT? CAN I SEE IT!?

Tether (stops): ….I would show it to you...but... (glances back) Sorry, Cats. This is a personal puzzle I gotta recalibrate myself. (walks off) Maybe some day. When everything gets back on track....

Catena: …...

Tether made it to his station and dug out his large bottle of grape juice. He took a glance down the forest at the ruin doors and starting trembling.

Tether: …....M-Must be the cold. No, those notes... She's probably... (teleports away to his station in Waterfall) Where are they... (grabs his bagged stash of potato chips) Here. (teleports back to his room and grab a large bag of chips) Ready. (teleports back to the door of his lab) Going in... (re-enters his lab, grabs the second folder labeled “RESETS 51-100”) Here we go again.

Tether spent the next few hours going through five folders of RESET chronicles, as he decided to call them. The RESET 51-100 folder had events that led up to him seeing Frisk.

RESET 100

I saw Frisk. I wanted to ask them about what happened. But these rewind feelings keep making me forget. They also seem...different? They don't have that pleasant feeling around them... There's something...dark... The rewind feelings are moments when the Resets occur.

Tether: …. (closes the folder then moves it over to pick up the next folder, RESET 101-151; hands start to shake) This is....

RESET 101

I watched Frisk go through Catena's puzzles. Like, literally. They didn't even bother doing them. What gives? I thought they liked doing his puzzles. Did they?

RESET 102

I watched Frisk go through... No, it's happening again. These feelings... I need to concentrate. Catena's about to tell them how to do the puzzle.

RESET 103

I watched. Just that. I watched them. Something's wrong with them. Frisk wasn't like this before.

RESET 104

I watched Frisk go through Catena's puzzles. Weird. They're doing them this time. This time? What was different? I don't remember, but it feels like it. Memory relapse here?

RESET 105

I watched Frisk do Catena's puzzle. Huh. They're doing them. Good on them.

RESET 106

I've been hearing some odd screaming lately. I went to investigate before meeting Catena, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

RESET 107

More screaming. Where are they coming from? The monsters...

Tether: ….. (turns to the next few pages that mentioned screams)

RESET 110

I met Frisk today. I thought I could surprise them with my “whoopie cushion in the hand” trick. It's always funny. But..I guess not for them...? Loss of emotion. What contributes to it?

RESET 111

Seems like I tried again. Nothing.

Tether (flips through more pages): Just me trying to get a laugh out of Frisk and watching them skip Cats's puzzles. They had a nice one... (stops) Huh..?

RESET 124

I tried to talk to Frisk today, but they wouldn't answer my questions. All they said was “Soon”. Soon what? Was something going to happen soon? Is this referring to the Resets..?

RESET 125

I noticed something on my hand that I didn't before. I figured it was snow. But it was odd. They just came out of the ruins with white stuff on them. It was dust.

Tether: …. Dust. They killed monsters in the ruins....

RESET 126

I noticed more weird white stuff on the snow. Well, the entire area is covered in snow. So, it's snow different than normal snow, right? Plus, it's pretty quiet.... Too quiet... The monsters in the snow fields were dead.

RESET 128

I think I missed something...

RESET 129

I discovered Greater Dog's Pomerdagger. He wouldn't just leave something like this around. What's going on?

RESET 130

Frisk did it again, walking through Catena's puzzles. This is really upsetting. I need to do something. Decided to help Catena with his last puzzle.

RESET 131

I was told by Victoria, the shopkeeper in Snowdin, that there are evacuation going on. Apparently, a human was killing monsters. But that can't be right. It is Frisk.

Tether: …... (skips a few pages nervously) I...

RESET 134

Catena told me he was going to meet the human. I feel like that's a bad idea. I tried to tell him, but he insisted that he can help Frisk change their ways. I guess if it's Catena, it's okay.

Tether (trembling): …... (turns to the next page and sees the page covered in wet spots and the repeated words were..)

RESET 135

CATENA'S DEAD. CATENA'S DEAD CATENA'S DEAD CATENA'S DEAD

RESET 136

FRISK KILLED CATENA.

RESET 137

FRISK KILLED CATENA

RESET 138

FRISK KILLED CATENA

Tether found that ninety pages only showed “FRISK KILLED CATENA”, half of which had wet spots and most of them were written in a progressively angry manner as each page increased. A few of them even had tiny words, asking and begging Frisk to stop killing his baby brother.

RESET 166

FRISK KILLED CATENA please frisk stop killing him killing my baby brother stop it please

RESET 167

FRISK KILLED CATENA please I beg of you stop killing Catena please stop

RESET 178

FRISK KILLED CATENA take me i'm not worth this life catena did nothing wrong please

RESET 190

FRISK KILLED CATENA TAKE ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!

It ceased when he moved to the RESET 200-250 folder. The entire page of RESET page 228 had the words:

RESET 228

FRISK MUST DIE.

Tether: …..

Tether didn't say or do anything else for the rest of the hour. He sat there with his hands on his face and wept. Having to read those pages and remembering how he felt during those times. The fear. The tears. The begging. The dust. This was the point where Tether felt he lost hope. And realizing now that Catena is alive this time made it all worse. There had to be something that could be done. After finishing his crying and downing a few gulps of his juice, he went back to studying the notes. He resumed reading the notes and found that the rest of the notes in the current folder just showed “FRISK MUST DIE”. But there were a few pages that started mentioning the appearance of some kinks in his Life Chain.

RESET 237

FRISK MUST DIE I noticed something on my Life Chain this morning. It's been bothering me all night. Is that...a cut? Where did I get it?

Tether: Is this..?

RESET 238

FRISK MUST DIE I found another one. I don't get what's happening.

RESET 239

FRISK MUST DIE I found another one. This one's small.

RESET 240

FRISK MUST DIE I needed to check Catena's Life Chain. I'll do it after mine.

RESET 241

FRISK MUST DIE OH NO. The Life Chain around his neck is almost severed.

Tether (notices some scratch marks on a few remaining pages): What are these? It stops after 250. (collects the pages and returns them to the folder; picks up the next folder, RESETS 251-300, and sits back down) When did I start getting kinks in my Chain? (opens the folder and reads)

RESET 251

Sorry, I've been fixing Catena's Life Chain. It was getting worse. Why haven't I noticed this before? Is something hitting us? I believe it has something to do with Frisk's attacks and the Resets. They're doing something to us that is weakening our Life Chains to the point where it's easier for them to severe them.

Tether: ...But then... how did I get a massive gash in my... wait. Didn't I...fight Frisk last time...?

RESET 252

I've started to use Chain Maintenance as an excuse to keep Catena from seeing Frisk. He doesn't suspect a thing.

RESET 253

It's going better than I thought. Plus, I think it's been a while since we really sat down and spent time with each other.

RESET 254

We started talking about the puzzles and the human. Catena really wants to go meet the human. I can't let him...

RESET 255

Catena's getting restless. I need to keep him busy.

RESET 256

I decided to try doing the maintenance longer. It's slowly working.

RESET 257

Oh no, Catena left without me checking him!!

RESET 258

I CAN'T FIND HIM.

RESET 259

Frisk found us.

RESET 260

Catena thought I was having a nightmare. Yeah, a never-ending nightmare about some kid killing you.

RESET 261

I was finding myself blacking out while standing. It was weird. Was I falling asleep? It was the Resets. It seems to be affecting my body in some way. Can't pinpoint the exact effect, but it's causing me to have blackouts.

RESET 262

I met up with Frisk again. I've...become scared of them. I don't know why, but I'm terrified of them.

RESET 263

I tried asking Frisk about what they said to me earlier today. I also told them that I heard screaming. Of course, they didn't answer.

RESET 264

I confronted Frisk after Catena's bridge trap attempt failed. I grabbed them, but....

RESET 265

I REMEMBERED. There was dust everywhere. Monster dust. Catena's death, a child's smile. Frisk killed Catena.

RESET 266

Catena offered to let me come with him to talk to the human. I didn't want to go.

RESET 267

Frisk found us. I have already stated this on RESET page 259. This was not the first time?

RESET 268

I tried to get Catena to stay at home and meet with the human, but they weren't at where Catena stays at before Waterfall.

RESET 269

FUCK ME, I LEFT CATENA ALO

Tether found this page to be a little stiffer than the others.

RESET 270

i'm so tired

RESET 271

so tired

RESET 272

tired

RESET 273

I'M BACK AT MY STATION BY THE RUINS HOW I don't understand, how did I get back here? Uh oh, the doors are opening. I found that page 269 outside somehow?

RESET 274

Frisk looks different. They didn't have that stuff on them. No dust this time?? Why?

RESET 275

Frisk looks different. They didn't have that stuff on them. I've been watching them and they were doing Catena's puzzles! This is great! So I really did have just plain old nightmares. Catena's going to have his battle with Frisk. I hope it goes well. I'm hungry. I'm gonna go to Grillby's. ^Lies.

Added: Back from Grillby's. Gonna go check to see how Catena and Frisk are doing.

Added: Looks like things are going

RESET 276

Tether: ….I think I remember this. This was the point where Frisk started to....torment me with Catena's death.

He skips through the rest of the pages that just says “NO” with the occasional “HOW COULD THEY?” and “STOP”. The last few pages he read were different, though.

RESET 297

I begged Frisk to stop killing Catena, but they didn't listen. It was like they didn't even hear me. But they told me “No escape”. No escape from what? This hell they're putting me through, if it even is them? Why is this happening?

RESET 298

I tried to convince Frisk to stop, but it didn't work. That's it. I'm going to drag Catena from the area and take him to the evacuation site if it's the last thing I do. The next time I black out and wake up, I'm going to do it if I remember.

Added: They kept going.

RESET 299

catena never came back

RESET 300

why

Tether sat in his chair, staring at the previous page. He was growing tired of looking through the pages and decided to take a break and see Catena. He closed the folder and put it away before leaving the lab and teleporting to where he'd find his brother. He was so bothered by the last two pages, he missed the final words of RESET page 300:

RESET 300

why

Added: I have a plan.

CONTINUE?

#chaintalestory

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