Right before you meet up with Hal and Rox to get this daunting and brain-fucking (if you were in higher spirits, the irony of that statement would probably draw a chuckle out of you) task over with, you have a momentary flash of fear that you forgot one of Piper’s favorite toys on the very extensive list of care instructions that you left for John while you’re gone for the day. It’s a very similar sensation to the gripping fear of leaving the oven on that most people are struck with at least once in their lives.
You’ve been focusing on that and anything else so your thoughts don’t spiral back to the dark and miserable depths of how you feel like a failure as a sibling for not realizing sooner, not doing something sooner. How it could be too late to change anything. How it’s probably been too late for a while now.
If you keep thinking like that you’ll drive yourself crazy. You splash some water on your face, letting out a shaky little sigh before gathering your things.
It’s go time.
Dave and Hal drop you off well outside of Dirk’s neighborhood. You give them a small wave as they head off and then start hiking to the perch you chose with your backpack full of gear. First thing’s first, as you slip through out-of-the-way passages you slide on more and more concealing clothing until somebody would be hard pressed to even note your skin tone.
Even as you walk you rifle through the pack, mostly just keeping your hands busy. You approach the billboard, one of those big ones, on a hill overlooking the area and advertising “Proud Home of Crockercorp HQ!” and that they’re currently hiring.
Your name is Dirk Strider. For the past several months, your life has felt like a story pulled out of the Slice of Life AU tag on AO3.
But the second you step into your house, you immediately realize that you aren’t alone. Someone broke in, and by the looks of it, they didn’t care whether or not you knew.
Dirk passes out in your arms. It’s a little strange to be holding an unconscious body that your mind still intuitively thinks of as your own, but you’ve seen and done stranger, probably.
Your name is Dirk Strider. For the past several months, your life has felt like a story pulled out of the Slice of Life AU tag on AO3.
But the second you step into your house, you immediately realize that you aren’t alone. Someone broke in, and by the looks of it, they didn’t care whether or not you knew.
Cautiously, you set down your briefcase against the wall and curl your fingers around your keys, careful to avoid jingling them or making any sound at all, in case the intruder was still here.
As you make your way into the living room, your footsteps almost—if not entirely—silent, you’re surprised to see Dave lounging back on the couch. You notice that the TV has been turned on and flipped to a static channel.
DAVE: sup
You stare at him for a few moments in disbelief, but nevertheless, you relax slightly, your grip loosening around the keys.
DIRK: What are you doing here?
A question you don’t ask: Why did you break in?
Dave shrugs. You can’t see his eyes underneath his sunglasses. Weird that he’s wearing them indoors. He gets up, tossing the TV remote out of his hand before catching it again.
He walks toward one of the potted plants in the room. You’re proud of how well you take care of them.
DAVE: ill tell you later
DIRK: What?
Someone’s behind you. You’re about to turn around, but there’s a jabbing pain somewhere on your body that you can’t pinpoint. Immediately, the world blurs, and you feel yourself lose balance.
Something very cold catches you before you can unceremoniously hit the floor. Metal, you think, before passing out.
Send ✪ for my character to reveal how they feel about yours.
@neyt1r1
❖ POSITIVE.
I think you’re awesome ║ I like you ║ I want to go on a date with you ║ I love you ║ You’re cute/handsome ║ I want to marry you ║ You’re attractive ║ I wish we could spend more time together! ║ I’d like to get to know you better ║ I admire you ║ You’re someone that I look up to ║ You’re very kind ║ I consider us friends ║ I secretly have a crush on you ║ I have high respect for you ║ We have common interests ║ I’m happy that I met you
❖ NEGATIVE.
I feel uncomfortable around you ║ You’re bothersome ║ I never want to speak to you again ║ I dislike you ║ I loathe you ║ I’m envious of you ║ I’m worried about you ║ We don’t get along well ║ You’re the worst kind of person ║ You get on my nerves ║ You’re annoying to me ║ We have nothing in common ║ I wish I had never met you ║ I wouldn’t date you if you were the last person alive ║ Not you again
@danecook69
❖ POSITIVE.
I think you’re awesome ║ I like you ║ I want to go on a date with you ║ I love you ║ You’re cute/handsome ║ I want to marry you ║ You’re attractive ║ I wish we could spend more time together! ║ I’d like to get to know you better ║ I admire you ║ You’re someone that I look up to ║ You’re very kind ║ I consider us friends ║ I secretly have a crush on you ║ I have high respect for you ║ We have common interests ║ I’m happy that I met you
❖ NEGATIVE.
I feel uncomfortable around you ║ You’re bothersome ║ I never want to speak to you again ║ I dislike you ║ I loathe you ║ I’m envious of you ║ I’m worried about you ║ We don’t get along well ║ You’re the worst kind of person ║ You get on my nerves ║ You’re annoying to me ║ We have nothing in common ║ I wish I had never met you ║ I wouldn’t date you if you were the last person alive ║ Not you again
Send ✪ for my character to reveal how they feel about yours.
❖ POSITIVE.
I think you’re awesome ║ I like you ║ I want to go on a date with you ║ I love you ║ You’re cute/handsome ║ I want to marry you ║ You’re attractive ║ I wish we could spend more time together! ║ I’d like to get to know you better ║ I admire you ║ You’re someone that I look up to ║ You’re very kind ║ I consider us friends ║ I secretly have a crush on you ║ I have high respect for you ║ We have common interests ║ I’m happy that I met you
❖ NEGATIVE.
I feel uncomfortable around you ║ You’re bothersome ║ I never want to speak to you again ║ I dislike you ║ I loathe you ║ I’m envious of you ║ I’m worried about you ║ We don’t get along well ║ You’re the worst kind of person ║ You get on my nerves ║ You’re annoying to me ║ We have nothing in common ║ I wish I had never met you ║ I wouldn’t date you if you were the last person alive ║ Not you again
The sky darkens like a bruise. You stop outside your new house and watch as the last hues of orange disappear. The stars, faintly visible, are slightly brighter in the moon’s absence. For an instant, the neighborhood is washed in an uneasy darkness, like a funeral silence. But then, the street lamps flicker on, bringing with the artificial light a semblance of comfort. You smile.
The next morning, at seven o’clock, you make yourself beautifully scrambled eggs and a slice of toast. You eat slowly and leisurely, feeling—for the first time in years—genuinely content. The routine motions of eating lull you into absentmindedness. Staring blankly at the greenery outside your window, you drift from one empty thought to another. The tree branches sway hypnotically with the wind, their leaves rustling and catching the sunlight. Birds dart across the vast, distant sky. Everything is perfect and dreamlike.
Despite—or because of—perfection, you start to feel uneasy. It begins quietly, starting as a lump in the back of your throat. You take a sip from the glass of water on your table. The sensation does not go away, so you take another sip of water. The unease escalates, swelling into panic—the world begins to swirl. Wincing, you dig the heel of your hands into your forehead in an attempt to clear your vision. Everything is wrong. Everything is a nightmare. Before you can even acknowledge those thoughts, pain radiates through your head.
Obey. Submit. Consume.
You inhale sharply in response to the sudden but fleeting agony, swearing under your breath. It passes as quickly as it came, and when it is gone, you are left slightly dazed. You look out the window once more, carefully this time, and the tree branches continue to yield to the wind. Again, birds dart across the vast, distant sky. Everything is in its place, utopian and promising.
About half an hour later, an alarm goes off on your newly issued phone. Acquiescent and machine-like, you throw on a blazer, picking up your laptop, and leave the house. The drive to your new office is short and straightforward, but scenic and breathtaking, allowing you to bask—if only for a few moments—in the splendor of Californian suburbia.
You arrive early, which is a habit that you’ve only recently developed. As you step inside the building, the olive-blooded troll at the front desk greets you with Dr. Dangerfield. You insist on Dirk. She refuses. When you ask for her name, her answer dissipates, disappearing from your mind almost immediately. You feel no guilt over this. She tells you where your office is and where you will be meeting your boss today, and you thank her politely.
You hear the door open behind you, and then your name, spoken in a sparkling, familiar voice. You feel yourself turn around, a grin on your face, and you shake your boss’ hand.
In the meeting room, your boss watches you expectantly. You confirm that the optimal spefications you had included in an earlier proposal outline have all been met. Your boss tells you that all of the electronic billboards in the area have been modified, and advertisement times on multiple local media have been purchased. She adds that Crocker Corp will announce that a new branch will be established in the city.
You are overseeing all of this, Dirk. Don't mess this up.
Before she leaves, your boss tells you she has something to give you—a present to celebrate your promotion. The two of you walk toward your office, and she reaches into her purse, pulling out a small, smartly wrapped box. The wrapping paper, silver and reflective, mirrors a strange, unrecognizable imitation of you. Now, get to work. Your boss says with a smile in her voice, and she pats you twice on the back before she turns to leave. Open it later.
You thank her, waving goodbye as she heads down the stairs. Walking into your office, you set the box down on your new desk. You look around, eyeing the bare walls and the ceiling. You take a seat and open up your laptop. You have work to do.
Hours later, the wrapped box remains on your desk, untouched and forgotten. You finish up an email, hitting send, and lean back into your chair, listening to the accompanying whoosh. Finally, the box catches your attention. You reach over to pick it up, weighing it in your hand. You undo the wrapping carefully, fold by fold, to avoid tearing it. As you set the wrapping paper aside to open the box, its silvery finish distorts your reflected face. Inside the box is a small, titanium brooch, adorned with red gemstones, in the shape of a spoon. The metal chills your fingertips as you take it out gingerly and pin it to the lapel of your blazer.
You smooth it down with your palm.
Inexplicably, a sense of pride swells inside you.
