Welcome to my hellscape of a blog where I like writing way too damn much. I also have an Ao3 account not under the same name that I post some of the same, or completely different stories over there. If you like my work, you are welcomed to check it all out!
DC Comics related:
(Damian X GN!Reader) Beware the Nightmares on the Land and Sea Series (Still ongoing)
(Jason Todd X USA!Southern!Reader) (Prompt) Rainy Apartment and Crooked Furniture
Hades Games related:
Story Idea
Drabble/Trailer for possible story
Love, Even Within the Underworld Series (Zag x Than x Meg x Dryad!Reader) (Poly ship!) (On Hold)
Summary: You decided that you had to escape the apartment. However, as you ran through the streets, you stumbled upon something far worse than what you've been originally running from...
TW: Blood, Gore, Death, descriptions of wanting to throw up
Dividers and Borders?: Thank you to for such beautiful work! @uzmacchiato and @toxisyddy !
Where to start? Here's the Masterlist , Beginning, Prev Chap, Next Chap
A/N: You can also read the story here on AO3! Sorry for the wait, life's getting busy for me. I am hoping I can get back into steadily pushing more chapters out. So, as an apology, enjoy this long chapter! And, as always, please remember...
Your Choice Matters...
Your heart has leapt into your throat at this point.
You could feel the pulsing beat in your throat. Throbbing with each light that went out on the wall. Before where you had heard nothing you now instead hear the distant hissing of the spells wearing off. Evaporating as if they were drops of water flicked onto a hot pan. Your feet, which feels almost cemented in where you stood, finally allow you to take half of a step back. In your head you thought of hiding, but that has never been how you dealt with things of this nature.
You've been taught to run.
"Ella…!" You hissed, your attention to the alien in your hands.
Her eyes immediately shift to you upon hearing her name. You have already lifted her closer to your face, mouth open as you anxiously thought about keeping her safe. You knew trying to run with a slippery creature in your hands would only result in disaster if you didn't play this right. Ella, who didn't even say anything or question you, immediately crawled back inside of you to safety.
You tried not to retch her back out. The feeling of her somehow slipping through your natural defenses and right down your throat will never be something you ever get used to. You tried not to think of the taste. Of how naturally your body wanted to reject this strange thing you've allowed inside, choking you on the way down as she tried to move as quickly as she could.
Instinctively you lifted your arm up and coughed into it, trying to stifle the sound, as your slightly watery eyes look back at the warning symbols. Each one fizzling out faster than before. You tried to ignore the feeling in your stomach as you crawled back out onto the fire escape. That growing sense of panic getting to you. Your body feeling lighter than it should, yet somehow your sensations felt more sensitive than normal.
You crawled out of the window, glancing back one more time before quickly grabbing the curtains you had originally disturbed and yanked them shut. You didn't think about closing the window whilst making your way down the metal stairs. Nor about your open window in your room. All you thought about was getting yourself and Ella as far away as possible from the apartment. The bigger the distance you could get yourself away from the thing climbing up your apartment steps, the better.
You moved as fast as you could. Each quick step and quick turn of the railing created noise as you went. You quietly cursed at the amount of sound you were making, wishing the structure would be quieter, and hoping that whatever was trespassing wouldn't hear you. By the time you got to the bottom you wanted to throw up.
Your stomach felt sour and twisted. You had to cover your mouth with your hand, chanting in your head to not throw up like a prayer. It was hard to tell if the feeling was coming because of your panic, or because you allowed Ella back inside. You begged your body to cooperate for once. If there was ever a time where you needed cooperation, this was the time. By the time you got to the bottom you pushed the ladder down and quickly began to climb down it. Your head kept glancing up, wondering if whatever was coming up the inside stairs could hear you escaping.
Seeing no signs of anyone else, you got to the bottom of the ladder and allowed yourself to let go, dropping to the concrete sidewalks. Briefly you stumbled but caught yourself, feeling much more steadier than you had before now being back on solid ground. With one more glance upwards, you turned away from your apartment building and began sprinting away.
You have no idea where John went. You still weren't entirely sure on how to navigate the town you were in, if you were truthful. John always teleported you around. He didn't take you out very often, if you were honest.
But when has that really stopped you?
You were used to running blindly at this rate. You've had no choice. So you did what you've always done. You ran. Fast. You pushed your legs to take you far away from that place and simply hope that somehow, some way, John will find out. That he will fix everything and then later he finds you. But right now, in this moment, all you were focused on was running as far away as your legs would take you. Desperate to get somewhere safer.
The night had been cold before. Now that you were running in it, with the wind smacking you in the face and the darkness of the night taking over, you could feel your skin feeling as if the air was biting you. Your face and hands felt freezing as they were exposed to the cold air, but your body felt hot. Almost burning. But you didn't dare to stop or take your jacket off. Hot saliva forming in your mouth, almost making it hard to swallow and focus.
You felt ill, but you knew you had to escape.
You weren't entirely sure how far you ran from the apartment. All that you knew was that you had been running for a long time now. You could feel the burning in your legs now. Each slapping of your shoes against the concrete was making your feet prickle with soreness. The longer you continued the more it began to hurt. Your breath was becoming raspy. Your lungs burning with each inhale of cold air you took it. Where you hoped the chill of the night would actually cool off your body almost felt like it made it worse.
The streets were eerily dark. The only thing really guiding you and telling you that you were still in civilization would be the street lamps that lit the sidewalks and partial streets. The light also illuminating the fog that has now began to form off of the ground, as it was making it harder for you to see where you were going.
The amount of times you've stumbled because of the uneven sidewalks and cracked pavement could be counted on both of your hands. You continued to run. You had to. Even though every time you dared to glance back, wondering if you would catch sight of whatever or whoever broke into your apartment complex was following you, you saw nothing. Panic still tightly clenching your throat with its nails dug in deep.
By the time you looked forwards your body slammed into something sturdy. Much sturdier than you, at any rate. Your body bounced right off, your momentum sending you straight to the ground. It happened so fast you almost didn't comprehend the sudden burning feeling on your palm that you had used in an attempt to catch yourself, or how you felt that same sensation on your bottom and calf. Almost comically it made your feet lift off of the ground from such force.
Whatever you had slammed into had made a grunting noise, almost yelping, as even they had stumbled from the force of you. As you laid almost prone on your back you looked up to finally catch sight of what had actually happened.
"Whoa! Watch it, would'ja?!" Exclaimed a scratchy, older voice. "Bloody hell…! Kid's these days, always in such a rush but never takin' the time to look around them…!"
It took your brain a moment for his words to finally catch up with you. He spoke so fast in such a frivolously way that you had a hard time fully understanding him. You propped yourself on your elbows, finally lifting yourself up a little as you finally caught sight of the older man in front of you.
You couldn't catch all the details of him from how dark the night was. You could make out his silhouette though, along with a bit of his face, but not much after that. He was a hunched man, clearly in his later years of life. Wearing a heavy coat that practically consumed his form, but it looked a lot warmer than what you were wearing. On his head was a flat cap, with the short brim casting enough shadow to hide most of his face. You were unsettled with how the light was shining on his back, obscuring his face and making it harder to see him.
With shaky hands you scrambled to your feet, still feeling your heart beating in your throat, as it reminded you why you were here in the first place. You lifted your hands in the air in front of you cautiously, more so for your preservation than his, as you still felt rattled from initially slamming into him.
"S-sorry, sorry! I didn't mean…!"
"Yeah, yeah, that's what all you youngin's say these days," grumbled the man as his scoff had cut you off.
His agitation towards you didn't help with how flighty you were feeling. Even with how dark it was you could slightly make out a bit of a shine from the light behind him, telling you where his eyes were positioned. You couldn't really make out the color of them, and maybe it was just the shadows of the night making it hard to see his face, but something felt off with the man. The one eye that you could see seemed larger than what you were used to. As if his eyes were bulging out of his head. It was… odd to you.
Your parents tried teaching you that you shouldn't really judge a book by it's cover. To not discriminate against those who looked different than you. They tried teaching you to be a good person, after all. But these last couple of months have not been very kind to you. Slowly you were beginning to learn that just because someone looked different than you doesn't always mean that everyone was kind about it.
"What's someone as young as you doin' so late out at night, eh?" The man asked, not even giving you a moment to speak. His bulging eye gazing up and down at you with an intensity that you hadn't expected. "Don't children like you have a curfew? I should be callin' the police, you know. Kids your age staying out this late usually means trouble for the rest of us to deal with…"
The idea of the man calling the cops on you put you on edge. Although you weren't in America anymore, you weren't entirely sure how far the reaches of the Cult were. You still had no idea how large they were, either. You couldn't trust cops.
"I-I just lost track of time, you know?" You stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse for you to get away, whilst also trying to catch your breath. You attempted to shuffle around the man. "I-I was just trying to get home, a-and lost track of time! My uh, dad's probably worried about me, so—"
As you tried to go around the man, taking a quick peek over your shoulder and back, still thinking about what you had been running from, you felt something tightly snatch your hand. You looked back as the man was suddenly closer to you. Being this close now, the man wasn't all that taller than you in truth. However, he still stood over you, hunched as he was, as his hand tightly gripped your arm.
"Oh, I'm sure your Pa is worried," the man said as you could feel his breath huffing at you now. "Which is why I will be taking you to him…"
You wanted to gag at his breath hitting your face. Your nauseated stomach from before wasn't helping the matter before, and it sure wasn't now. His breath was hot and pungent. It smelled like rotten sea weed and something foul. If the sea weed wasn't foul enough as it was. Your heart was rapidly beating in your chest again. The speed of it not calming down. Adrenaline still spiking from before.
His grip on your arm made you feel terrified as you could feel the sharp pins of his fingers digging into you. His hand was so cold that it seeped through your jacket sleeve. Not to mention that it was large as you could feel the way his fingers almost over lapped. You didn't think where he had been originally standing that he could move so fast for his age. That panicked feeling in your throat was back again, and it made you begin to yank at your arm in an attempt to get away.
"Let go of me–!" You yelled, your other arm gripping your trapped hand as you tried to pull away.
"Children like you have no respect for your elders these days," growled the old man as he didn't falter no matter how hard you tugged. "Your parents should be ashamed of you!"
"I don't even know you! Let me go!" You yelled, not caring if people heard you anymore. "H-help! Someone, help!"
As you attempt to pull your arm away, you manage to turn the man more towards the street light near by. As you gazed back at his face, you feel the air in your lungs escape you. The man's face was bloated and sagged, as if his skin couldn't bare to hold the weight of it. A sickly pale color his skin was, making you question if the color of the night was playing tricks on you or what. You could finally make out the expression he wore, sneering at you, with what little yellow teeth the man still had. You could even see the black signs of rotting coating the edges of his teeth. Then you caught sight of his eyes and it made you want to scream.
Both bulbs bulging from their sockets, eyes wide, as they looked as if they were going to pop out of his head at any moment. They may have been a blue color, but now they looked muddled and murky. White film glazing over them. But with how the way the man stared at you told you that he could see you just fine.
"Oh, but I am helpin' you!" Exclaimed the man as he didn't even seem to budge at how hard you thrashed. "Helpin' you repent for the crimes you've committed…!"
"What're you even talking about!? Let me go!" You growled, digging your feet into the ground and trying to throw your whole body weight behind your pulling.
But the man stayed firm. His grip tightened instead. You could feel his yellowed nails now digging into you. You realized now that his arm was abnormally long. That's how he was able to catch you so quick, you realized. The strength that you could feel in his arm was unnatural. It quivered and shook with every pull you gave, but he never faltered in his stance. It was like your weight meant nothing to him. It didn't make any sense. You should be able to make an old man this short budge, even if it was a little bit, with how hard you were trying to rip yourself out of his grasp.
But the strange man did not falter.
Instead he began pulling you towards him. Your feet skid against the ground no matter how hard you dug them in. If the hairs on your neck wasn't standing before, they were now. You could feel yourself beginning to panic. Gritting your teeth, trying to use your weight against him in any way possible. Your butt was almost on the ground with how much you were pulling against him. But to the man it was as if your feet had soap on them. He pulled you closer to him bit by bit. His arm not even shaking anymore as he did so. The grip he had on you was enough to make you cry with how hard he has dug his nails into you.
It was, of course, then that you realized the skin on his hands weren't right either. The only thing your thrashing had managed to do was slightly ruffle his coat sleeve. Which allowed you to catch the sight of a strange transition of his skin. Where it was pale and sickly, almost looking as if the cold had made his skin blue, transitioned to a deeper blue color. Not to mention with the light behind you now creating enough of a reflection that you realized that the man had scales on his arm.
A familiar sight of fish scales that you could not deny.
You found yourself actively screaming now. Fear gripping at you. If you weren't cold before you body felt cold now. You couldn't believe how fast everything was turning upside down for you. First the apartment and now this? How did they find you!? You have barely even left the apartment, how could the Deep Ones already be here?! Of all times for John to have left the house, it had to be tonight.
The terrorizing image of Mrs. Landrum flashed in your mind.
Her transforming in front of you. A Deep One hiding in plain sight. You were screaming at this point. Begging for help. Begging for the unnatural man to let you go. You could feel tears burning behind your eyes now as it was becoming hard to feel anything anymore. Terror being the only thing you could feel.
You didn't want this to be how it ends. You knew you shouldn't have stayed in one place for too long. A part of you wondered if staying with anyone else would have been much safer than John Constantine. But, a part of you knew. You knew that no matter what you did, the Deep Ones would keep trying to find you. That they would hunt you down for slaughter. Just like the Cult Members. Desperate to kill you dead and steal Ella away from you. The thoughts in your mind kept coming and going so fast you could barely keep any grasp on them.
You truly believed that you were going to die, and John wouldn't have a clue of what happened.
"Excuse me, but I believe they've asked you to let them go…"
A sudden voice made you and the fish-man startle. The both of you turned your heads to see a man suddenly standing very close to you. You had to crank your neck to see his face. He had been so quiet neither of you had heard him. You know, because you were so focused on the not dying thing.
If you thought the fish-man was out of place, this man seemed weird in his own right. The man was very tall, standing up straight and peering down at either of you. His skin was tan, seeming dark in comparison to the white suit he wore. A very pristine, white suit, that almost seemed to glow with how dark the night was, which screamed a type of wealth to you. When you looked to his face he had very sharp features. A very straight pointed nose, dark colored eyes, with high cheek bones and a sharp jaw. His hair was black and slicked back tightly. A black goatee also decorated his chin, also seeming very well groomed.
The man standing beside you was so odd that it slightly snapped you out of your panic. His presence made the air feel still. You couldn't quite place what it was about him, but when you looked back at the man-disguised fish-man, you realized even he didn't know what to make of the stranger.
"…I'm they're grandfather," said the fish-man with a calmness that was jarring to you. "I'm tryin' to take them home. Kids these days and they're rebellious streaks…"
The man in the pristine suit gazed at the fish-man, and even you could feel the way the air shift. You almost didn't dare to breathe. You just stared, looking back and forth as you were trying to access what to do.
"Strange," the man in the white suit said. You noticed that he didn't really speak with an accent like most people in England. "I didn't know that dragging children across the street was normal in these parts. But, I'll repeat myself from before, I do believe they told you to release them…"
The Deep One's grip on you tightened slowly. It snapped you back to the situation you were in, feeling your arm aching in pain. You were certain he has cut through your skin. You whimpered and let out a cry. The pain was enough to almost make you sink to your knees.
"I don't see—" The Deep One began to say.
That is, before the man in the white suit suddenly grabbed the fish-man's arm. A sickening crunch snapping in the air. The fish-man cried out in pain, his voice rippling in a strange way that was like a mix of guttural sounds and his voice. His grip on you releasing and you fell to the ground.
You grunted as you landed on your bottom, you good hand cradling the arm the Deep One had clawed into. It stung and throbbed, making you almost hesitate to even touch it. By the time you lifted your head up to see what was going on, all you could see was the tall man's back now standing between you and the Fish-man. You had a hard time seeing the Deep One past him, but you could hear him. The sound of something wet falling to the ground caught your attention. You looked down between their feet and saw something dark dripping between them, falling and dripping along with the sound of something crunching and breaking.
The man in the white suit simply looked over his shoulder to you, baring an unnerving smile, and said to you "You might want to look away…"
The man didn't give you time to even close your eyes. You watched in horror at the sight of the man in a white suit reeling his arm back, giving you a chance to see the disguised Deep One and his now mangled arm. You yelped and brought your hands up to cover your eyes, squeezing them tightly shut as you heard disturbing sounds that could rival your nightmares.
The cracking of bones you realize, and the squelching of flesh being torn asunder. The yells of the Deep One becoming more guttural and pained. Hissing and gurgling of something you couldn't fully comprehend. As fast as all of this occurred, silence suddenly followed after. All you could hear now was your own heavy breathing, as you were terrified to even open your eyes.
"Now then, as that's all taken care of…" Spoke the man in the white suit. "…Mind answering a few questions of mine?"
Shakily you dared to uncover your eyes. When you did open them, all you saw was the man now crouched in front of you, preventing you from seeing anything behind him. Your eyes bounced all around his face as he looked at you with a smile that almost didn't seem real to you. You weren't sure if you wanted to cry, sigh in relief, or just go to bed and pretend none of this had even happened.
But you knew you couldn't do any of that.
"W-who are you…?" You dared to ask, you voice not even above a whisper. As if you spoke any louder it would break whatever fragile sanity you had left.
The man did not answer you right away. He let out a hum, seeming to eye you carefully, as if thinking of what to say. You couldn't help but notice that his suit, through all the sounds of horror you heard, was still pristine and cleaned. But you did catch the sight of his right hand hanging down, and noticed the unnaturally darkened tips of his fingers.
"You may call me… Luci," the man told you. You furrowed your brows.
"L-Luci…?" You echoed. That was not at all what you thought he'd say…
"Yes, Luci," the man nodded. "Mind telling me what your name is…?"
This whole situation was… Odd. Not right. Once again you tried glancing past him but you couldn't see the Deep One at all. When you glanced at the ground, all you could catch sight of was what looked almost like a darkened puddle in the middle of the street. Right where the Deep One had been standing…
"I-I'm not supposed to talk to strangers…" You said as you felt the need to run away again. Your heart still thumping hard in your chest.
"Hm, sounds like you have very smart parent," spoke this "Luci" as he continued to wear that strange smile. "But, I did give you my name. Luci. Doesn't that make us a bit more than strangers now…?"
Your gut twisted at his words. It disturbed you how he talked. He was not a comforting sight. He made you uneasy, and you could tell he wasn't exactly who he was making himself out to be. He does not seem "kind" to you.
"I-I need to get home," You scooted away from him, moving to stand up and distance yourself from him.
"Home to John Constantine…?" The man named Luci said, with his smile almost seeming to widen.
You couldn't help but flinch at hearing John's name. When you looked back at the man you felt your stomach sink. How did he know John? Your mind immediately thought of what had transpired earlier. Why you had originally ran from the apartment. You thought of the sizzling sounds and burning out lights of warning wards disappearing before your eyes.
You didn't think twice when you rushed to your feet and ran.
"Hold it—!" Luci exclaimed.
He threw his hand out with the clear intent to grab you. You threw your hands up to the side of you, and almost like a switch you felt an icy cold chill come over you. You watched the man almost bounce back, looking shocked that you managed to prevent him from moving.
'RUN, hurry. . . ! Do NOT let that being get you . . . !' Ella exclaimed in your head.
'There you are! I was wondering where you went…!' You cried in your head, feeling a sense of comfort finally being able to hear her again.
'It's hard to settled when you're constantly moving,' Ella said as if it was casual information. 'Focus on survival. That being is stronger than the Deep Ones—you MUST get away . . . !'
Using his surprise to your advantage, you took off running. The blue shield disappearing just as quickly as it came, and you were back to running for you life. Quickly turning and corner and continued running, hoping that in some way you can throw him off of your trail. You hardly heard any foot steps behind you, but you were certain he wouldn't give up on chasing you just like that.
The Deep Ones. A man named "Luci." And of course, John Constantine was nowhere to be found.
You couldn't help but wonder just what was going on?!
.
.
John Constantine is a man of many things.
He has many vices. A victim to drugs, booze, and sex. Possibly one of the biggest sinners of the planet. However, as much as he falls into his faults, he does try to live with good intentions. That's why when he left his apartment, sensing just how upset the child he had been housing is with him, he knew he had to do something. John put aside his wants to go out partying, and decided to do what he did best.
Looking into the occult.
Which is why John was where he was at now.
Inside of an extensive library, sitting at a lone table with a lamp, reading through a thick tome that he partially wanted to throw out the window. John knows a lot about the occult. It was his whole bread and butter. He considered himself almost a master of the craft. But, that doesn't mean he knew everything about it. John Constantine just had a knack for finding the troubles that such dark things brings.
He had the little notebook that he had the child he was housing written in, listing all of their symptoms. There was other pages as well, ones that John himself had filled instead. Messy scribbles with a few crossed out words. He had been trying to research that damned creature that resides inside of this supposed student of his.
John was beginning to question if it was even magical at this point.
Considering that the child had mentioned that the alien inside of them is apparently very old, John was certain there had to be some sort of documentation of it. That's the thing about humans. Ages go by and they will discover something in the past, sending it along to the next generations through stories or tales. Maybe what was once fact in that time period has transformed into something almost nonfictional? It was worth a shot. John had to try.
But he had to admit, flipping through these pages were becoming grueling…
There was various things he had written in his notebook. Some things he had crossed out as time went on as things didn't quite seem to match up with whatever this alien was. Kanaloa, he'e, Akkorokamui, Tako nyĹŤbĹŤ, "Devilfish," The Kraken, and surprisingly a lot more that made John feel as though his head was going to explode. Most of them didn't quite seem right to him. They seemed like leads he could take, but they weren't quite what fit the mold of this particular case.
"There has to be something…!" John growled under his breath, his hand already gripping at his hair.
The information he had felt too broad. John needed something substantial. He had to be careful. If he had the wrong information then if he tried making a ward, it could utterly backfire on him. He had to gaurentee that the child in his house would be safe if he were to try anything. Especially of the magnitude that is creating wards.
If he could even make one for that creature in the first place…
John hadn't been fully honest with the child he's supposed to train. There was a chance that wards might not even work in the first place. It happens. Not all beings could be tied down to a place. But, on the other hand, this supposed alien was able to create a Pact. A very magical thing that not all creatures can create or forge. Plus, teleporting throughout the night whilst their host sleeps is a rather magical thing if John had ever heard one. There was a possibility it could work… But John wasn't placing all of his bets into that one pool of chance.
Just as he was about to slam the book shut, ready to call it quits and head home, something caught the corner of his eye. John had leaned back in his chair and stared at a shelf facing his way. He caught sight of a book title that made him raise his brow. "Cults and Conspiracies," it read.
The kid did mention running from a cult…
With a soft groan John stood up and grabbed the book, not feeling very hopeful by the book title. Not all cults are welcomed to people interviewing them, nor outsiders dissecting them for a story title. From John's experience, cults typically like to keep themselves quiet and isolated. Things kept separate from the average every day "world." But, hell, if he could find a cult that worships octopus, maybe he was onto something!
He didn't want to admit it, but John was getting desperate.
If he didn't get the symbols right, he could outright banish the creature inside of the kid. Or worse. John didn't mind the idea of banishing the creature away. If he could free the child of what they were being tormented with, it may be a worthy enough cause. Even if it meant the child hating him for life. At the very least, it would mean they survived and could go back to being a normal person.
Or, at the very least, he hoped he could make happen…
"Urgh, this was a waste of time…!" John groaned as he shoved the book back onto the shelf. "Nothin' but bloody Satanism and arguments about Christianity being a cult. What a load of shite…"
These were the times where John began to hate his line of work.
It wasn't often that he hit dead ends. He usually was good about finding a lead to follow, or something to get him in the right direction. Unfortunately, though, he's come up short. John believed that now the only chance he might have at a lead will have to be his own student.
He did not look forward to the conversation that that will lead in.
With no further leads taking him anywhere, John left the library and decided to walk home. He lit his usual cigarette, hoping it'll relax his irritation as he made his way home in the chilled night. But as he made his way home thing felt… off. There was a certain edge the air held. Something that made John keep a wary eye out as he walked home. By the time get got to the apartment building, he couldn't help but drop his cigarette.
Every damned ward he left was lit up and burned like fireworks. No one of the normal eye could see it, but John could. He rushed up the stairs, not caring for how much noise he was making this late at night, as all he could think of was getting into the apartment complex. He unlocked the door and slammed it open.
The lights were left on. All the doors seemed closed except for what was the kid's bedroom. There was no sign of the child. John rushed through, almost ran even, as he hoped he was just imagining things. But before he even got to his student's room, he paused at the sight of his bedroom door.
Every damn sigil and ward he had laid on the door was burning bright. Which told John one thing—that the spells he had left were broken. Normally, John would lay his hand on the door and whisper a chant to unlock it. But when John tried the door knob the lock gave little to no resistance. If dread hadn't filled John's chest by this moment, it certainly had now. Slowly and carefully, John pushed open the door and gave his room a once over.
All warning wards had been set off. But when he checked some of his seal and hidden items, he was surprised to find almost all of them in place. He checked and searched around, knowing that something should've been misplaced, but when he looked there was… nothing.
That is, until he felt a strange breeze in his room. He looked to his window with narrowed eyes and realized his curtains were off. He threw them open and found his window left wide open. Clearly someone had entered into here, but left the evidence in clear sight. Normally when he was dealing with fickle creatures they did a better job at hiding themselves. For a moment he debated if he should consider if an actual burglar came in and left after seeing the terrifying state John's room was in, but John shook it off. It wouldn't have set off his wards.
Which resulted in John exiting his room through his window, shutting the curtain properly and the window along as well, as he noticed his student's window left wide open as well. John peeked his head in and looked around. There was no sign of them in the room, much less the apartment. He noted that their shoes were missing, along with their sweatshirt. Which meant this wasn't a typical "falling asleep" situation. Something was wrong. John was sure of it.
"Shit…" John cursed under his breath. "Where d'you go now…?"
.
.
You felt like collapsing.
You have no idea how long you have been running for. All you knew was that this "Luci" guy was absolutely chasing you. Sometimes when you went around corners you'd find him standing there, staring right at you, forcing you to change course and continue running. There was even times when he would lurch out of alley ways, trying to grab you, but you were thankfully quick enough to throw up a shield and make him bounce back. Each time you did it, however, seemed to enrage him more and more.
You were getting tired. Everything was beginning to hurt now. You could taste metal on your tongue, and you were sure your nose had already went passed the bloody nose stage. You felt light headed and tired and all you wanted to do was go back home.
And no, not the apartment that has become your new home. You wanted to be home. The one placed out by the sea on a cliff face, smelling the salty air each day and morning. Hearing the sounds of birds and boat horns. Static radios and rocky ships that moved so much it would make you nauseous. You missed your parents. You missed their warm hugs and gentle kisses. You missed rough housing with your dad, and your mom's cooking. You missed what had been your normality instead of living in almost constant terror and fear.
Just as you continued running down the streets you caught sight of a figure stepping out of the alley way. It scared you as it happened so suddenly that it caused you to scream. You threw you hands up fast, feeling your feet skid across the ground as you almost fell. Prepared to see that man in the awfully white suit.
"Bloody 'ell, kid! Calm down…!" Exclaimed a familiar voice. "Almost gave me a heart attack, here with all that screamin'…!"
You pulled back, finally taking a chance to see who it was in front of you. You dropped the shield and felt tears already running down your face. There stood John Constantine in all of his shady-looking glory. He was arching a brow at you, confusion written all over his face, as clearly he had been just as startled as you were. You were so relieved to see him that you threw your arms around him and clung tightly.
"Whoa, there…! Uh, kid?" John called you, his arms held awkwardly in the air, as his tone of voice was clearly uncomfortable with what was happening right now. But you could care less.
"It's you! Oh my God it's you…!" You panted against him, your words stringing out quickly as adrenaline was still thrumming in your veins. "Don't leave me alone in that apartment again!"
"Take it easy…!" John tried to pry you off, his hands on your shoulders as he peered down at you. "Deep breaths, kid. I can barely understand you." His hand lifted up and brushed beneath your nose, making you flinch. "Why're you bleedin' everywhere? Have you been castin' spells?"
"Quite a fascinating question, isn't it, John Constantine?"
Your head whipped around, gasping lightly at the sound of the voice. Not even a full street light pole away stood the man in the white suit. Arms behind his back. Smiling that uncomfortable smile. His dark eyes set on John, as he didn't seem interested in you anymore. Your relief of seeing John was ripped from your fingers the moment you caught sight of the man.
"Ah, so that explains the apartment…" John murmured as he wordlessly moved you to stand behind him. You didn't fight him. John held his arms behind himself, keeping you guarded as he narrowed his eyes at the man in white. He called out, "What do I owe the honors of seeing the King of the Hell himself…?"
'King of Hell?' You quoted in your head, your eyes bouncing from John to the man in white. That unsettling dread feeling more prominent than before.
"I was going to wait for you in your apartment, but I couldn't help but notice something strange in it," the man known as Luci said. His eyes clearly shifted to you, and you tensed up when you caught sight of it. "Like the fact that you have two bedrooms now…"
"It's a long story that has no business of involvin' you." John stated firmly as he side stepped more in front of you, now utterly obscuring your sight of the other man. "If your business is with me then it's with me alone. Keep the kid out of it."
"Hm…" The man tapped his foot, seeming to debate the notion with an almost playful-like gesture. "Why don't we talk about all this somewhere more private…?"
Luci lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.
The noise was loud enough to echo in your ears, as if he had done it right beside your head. You watched as the environment around you suddenly appeared to wash away before your very eyes. Like water being thrown on chalk you watched as the streets of England were stripped away and instead an orange glowing light caused you to squeeze your eyes shut. You blinked a few times, audibly groaning at the adjustment of lighting, but when you could finally see again you realized you were standing in the apartment.
John still stood in front of you, his own head gazing about, trying to make sure even he was seeing what you were. He even glanced down at you just to make sure you were still there, even though he could still feel you gripping the back of his jacket. When he looked forwards he caught sight of the man in white still standing where he had been, smile on his face, as he didn't seem bothered at all by what he caused.
That uncomfortable feeling in your throat felt worse than before.
"…Alright, you got what you wanted. The privacy of my own home and breaking into it," John spoke as he kept a glare on the man across from him. "What is it that you're after, Lucifer?"
The man in white let out a low chuckle. He began to walk slow, like each step he took was calculate. John, still holding his arms around you, slowly began to shuffle opposite of the man. You shuffled with, even though your brain was having a hard time accepting what John had just said, you warily kept an eye on the man yourself.
"…You see, I originally came because I have need of your expertise," the man spoke before stopping suddenly. His eyes adamantly locking onto you. "But then I discovered something most curious. And now I've been beginning to wonder if I even need any use of you…"
"The kid's off limits." John stated coldly, pulling you closer behind him. "Whatever business that you wish to have, you will have it with me and only me. Understood?"
The man that John addressed as Lucifer let out a low chuckle, looking away briefly as if John had made a joke. When he gazed back at him, even you felt the heat of the glare in his eyes.
"Do you really think you have any leverage to be making demands from me, Constantine?" Lucifer almost growled at him, but his voice still remaining leveled and steady. "If anything I think me stumbling upon this little information should be enough for you to be begging for my silence…"
The air was uncomfortably tense. Your eyes darting between John and the other man. Your heart was beating inside of your small chest, as if ready to pop right out of your rib cage. Your body felt uncomfortably hot now being inside of the apartment again and not feeling the cold air of the night. Your skin was frigid, but your body was radiating too much heat. You wondered if you were about to throw up and hoped that you did anything but that.
"Last I checked I don't owe you anything," John replied sharply. His irritation clear as ever. "You said it yourself, you came here for me, mate. Sounds like you're rather desperate for something. Something big enough to make the very Devil himself show up at my front door steps threatenin' my home…"
There was a tense stare off between the two. The air feeling as still as the outdoors did. All you could hear was your own panting and your own heartbeat beating through your ears. Neither of the men faltering or daring to look away. It was making you uncomfortable with how still everything was. Until, finally, Lucifer let out a scoff and briefly gazed away.
"…If anything you owe me, Constantine." Lucifer said as he lifted up his hand and gazed at his own fingers. As if inspecting them. "I hadn't broken into your own home. I hadn't even gotten to your apartment door when I had noticed something… off. When I went back out into the streets I noticed that child out there, screaming up a storm, begging for help." He looked up and flashed a smile. "I may be the Devil, but even I can't ignore the pleas of a child…"
You felt your stomach drop by his words. It was like he had just grabbed you and threw you right into on coming traffic. You couldn't see John's face at this moment, but you could tell by Lucifer's smile that it wasn't a good expression. Suddenly John turned his back to the devil and knelt before you. He grabbed your shoulders tightly, preventing you from running, as you could see the panic now in John's eyes.
"Just what were you doin' outside at night? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there?" John said as his eyes darted all over your face.
"I-I didn't mean to," You stuttered, speaking faster than you wanted to. "The-the alarm wards were going off, and and—!"
"You noticed them goin' off? How'd you know?" John asked, brows furrowed as he shook you slightly with each question. "Was it you who entered my room? Was it?"
"I wasn't trying to—" You shook your head back and forth, anxiety now taking hold as you felt your arms trembling. Becoming fearful of that expression on John's face. "I just wanted to learn magic…!"
"So you snuck into my room while I left? Thought you could learn something yourself?!" John exclaimed, his voice rising with each word. "Do you have any idea of how dangerous that could've been?! Do you?! We made an agreement, Y/N! You could've gotten yourself—"
"Stop yELLING AT ME!" You ripped yourself away from him and screamed.
John stayed there, still kneeling, as he stared at you with a mix of emotions on his face. You forced yourself out of his grip, sick and tired of him screaming at you. You didn't care that the literal Devil was watching with fascination now, seeming to relish the event unfolding in front of him like it was some TV show he was watching. You looked at John and felt every thing that you had been holding onto beginning to finally boil over.
"You don't get to yell at me when you keep abandoning me!" You yelled, waving your arms in the air, even thought at this point they were feeling like lead. "You promised to teach me magic! You promised you'd help me! But, but all you've been doing is leaving me here alone, going out and–and–and doing whatever you want…! Sleeping with girls and drinking, or whatever it is that you're doing!"
"Now hold—" John tried cutting in with a raised hand out to you.
"No…!" You growled, stomping your foot to emphasize your point. You felt almost breathless at this point. "Don't tell me you haven't been! I'm young, not dumb! You… You just keep running off, leaving me here, alone and telling me to read a book or something…! As if reading will be the only way I can learn anything! I can't even ask you questions, because you leave for so long, and by the time you come back I've already disappeared to another country…!"
John called your name, his voice being more leveled than before as if he was trying to lull you into being calm with him. "…Listen to me, I wasn't—"
"Listen to you? Listen?!" You exclaimed, now pacing back and forth as you glared at him, feeling unable to hold still anymore. "All I ever do is listen to you! I've barely learned anything while being with you! I'm only here because you promised you'd help me…!"
"I have been trying to help you…!" John exclaimed, his own anger getting the better of him as he raised his voice back at you.
"How, by keeping away from me?!" You yelled back, stomping your feet every now and then as your rage felt too palpable. "By writing and drawing on your walls, probably hoping I'd disappear for good…!?"
"I've told you, wards are dangerous! Magic is dangerous…!" John yelled back, now standing back on his feet again. "Those wards in my room are there for a reason, and certainly not for nosy little kids pokin' their noses into…! You could've hurt yourself, do you understand?!"
""Dangerous this, dangerous that!" That's all you ever talk about but you don't ever explain it!" You yelled back, momentarily mocking him and his accent as you ignored your surroundings, attention solely locked on him. "You don't ever tell me why it's dangerous, just that things are! I know how dangerous things are! I've been running from danger for months now! I don't need you or any adult to tell me that things are dangerous! I know!"
"Then if you're so smart then it must mean that you don't need my help anymore…!" John scoffed at you, getting tired of all of this yelling back and forth.
"I feel like I haven't had your help in the first place…!" You yelled back, your voice cracking as you felt hot tears now streaming down your face. Unable to keep back the utter sadness that was now pouring out in the midst of your anger. "You promised to help me! You promised! B-But you just keep r-running off! Having all this money that practically came from nowhere…! you never tell me what you're doing, where you're going—I don't even know how to walk the streets because you keep le-leaving me in here…! I don't know this town, I don't know these streets! I-I don't know anything…!"
John stood there, staring at you, his hands curling by his sides. That anger he had before seeming to diminish as he couldn't look at your face anymore. His lips pressed tightly into a thin line as he gazed away from you. His brows furrowing tightly as he looked to the ground.
Hot tears streamed down your face. The salty droplets making their way down your cheeks and off your chin, sometimes catching your lips and you could taste it on your tongue. That metal taste from before still present with it. You couldn't tell if the liquid oozing out of your nose was blood or snot, but you didn't make an effort to wipe you. To focused on John to even care about what was happening to your face. Sorrowful sobs escaping your lips no matter how hard you tried not to let them out.
"…You do know things," John suddenly spoke calmly as his eyes seemed locked onto something by your feet. "You have learned a few things with me. I… I know I'm not the best, but I have been trying to teach you. You still have your pocket knife on you, yeah?"
A sob racked through your body, almost making it hard to focus on John. You stared at his face and felt your hands slip into your jacket pockets. You could feel the cool metal of the familiar pocket knife, and that smoothness of the handle. Finding it still there, you couldn't help but nod your head at him.
"And I told you, that if you kept it on you that I'd always find you." John stated calmly. "How many times have you disappeared and I found you now? Yeah, it might take me a bit, but I always find you. Don't I?"
You felt like you were going to choke, trying hard to fight the tears that just kept pouring out. Just like before, you nodded your head, as you didn't quite trust your voice. John slowly knelt to the ground again, but with his eyes locked on you. Moving slowly as if he would startle a wild animal.
"I… I know I'm not the best at this," John confessed as he tried to keep his voice calm. "You have to remember, this is my first time doin' this, too. But I am trying to help you. I can't just craft a ward and suddenly all your problems will be fixed. I've been trying to learn about…"
His pause was noticeable as he clearly was glancing at the other person in the room. Lucifer, who had been quiet this whole time, watching silently at the event unfolding before him. He was casually leaning against the back of the couch, ankles crossed, as if he was leisurely supposed to be there. Even you realized what John was about to say as the man looked back at you.
"…Your "special" magic," John said instead. Still abiding his Pact. "If I'm not careful, I could accidentally hurt you. And I don't want to do that. Understand?"
You took in a breath, having a hard time letting the air in. It was stuttery, and you couldn't fully get any air in, but still nodded your head to John. You were having a hard time seeing through your tears. The water muddling the details in front of you as you tried to blink them away.
"…Look at me, kiddo," John called almost in a softer tone. "Follow me. You're having a hard time breathing. Deep breath in…"
You tried to follow him. You did. But your body felt as if it was fighting you. Struggling to breath as instead all you could do was cough.
"Hey, hey, eyes on me." John waved his hands to keep you to look back at his face. "Breathe with me. Okay? Deep breath in…"
Again, you tried. This time was a bit more successful, getting a bit more air into your lungs than you had before.
"Just like that, now hold it. Hold it!" John said, his eyes almost wide as even he was doing his instructions. His chest seeming almost broader for dramatic affect. "Now… Breathe out…"
John moved his hands away from him, setting the beat for you to follow. He repeated the instructions a few times, doing the breathing exercises a few more times until you've calmed down enough. Although your breaths stuttered, and sometimes an involuntary sob would interrupt you, John continued to correct you and patiently try to continue the exercise. You weren't sure how long he did it for. All you did know is that when you both stopped, no more tears poured down your face, and you could see clearly again.
"…There you go," John seemed to almost sigh. "Feeling more like yourself?"
His question slightly puzzled you, but you nodded your head to him. He kept his eyes on you, but you watched him stand and go over to the kitchen island. Quickly he snatched a paper towel, ripping it off of the roll and getting closer to you. John kneeled down to your height and began wiping your face with the paper towel. The texture of it wasn't soft, but the effort he was making for you prevented you from pulling away completely.
"What a mess you've made of your face," John sighed before taking a quick glanced at Lucifer. "Tell me, is the reason this kid has a bloody nose is because you punched them? I wouldn't put it passed someone like you to do that…"
"Oh please," Lucifer rolled his eyes. The way his voice rumbled made you tense, almost forgetting that he had been here this whole time. "As if I would do something so barbaric. It's rather beneath me, honestly. The blood naturally came from their own doing. I believe from this "special" magic you mentioned before…"
Even you could feel the way John paused, his eyes narrowing back on your face. You shifted uncomfortably, unable to avoid such a stare with him so close. Finally he huffed and tried to gently wipe the blood off of your nose, even having to go as far as wiping some of it off of your cheek from it smearing. Once he got it as clean as he could get it John stood back up and threw the ruined paper towel on the counter carelessly.
"You don't say? Mind tellin' me why they were throwing up so many spells that their nose bled?" John asked, his attention now turned to face Lucifer.
The man in white gave a simple shrug, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll admit, they threw up some rather powerful spells. Ones strong enough that it even kept me of all people away." The glance John gave you did not go unnoticed. But Lucifer kept talking. "But, I think the better question you should be asking them is why they were suddenly out on the streets tonight…"
"Didn't you just admit to walkin' up my stairs earlier?" John waved at him and scoffed. "Don't think I forgot. You said you wanted to find me. The kid probably sensed your scary mug and ran out of fear. If I was them I'd be runnin', too…"
"Correction, Johnny-boy," Lucifer flashed his perfectly white teeth. To you it felt almost like seeing a dog bare his fangs. "I said that I had came looking for you. I never mentioned entering this apartment. I told you, I hadn't even stepped inside when I noticed something off myself…"
John paused, seeming to eye the man who stood across from him. After a few seconds of silence he took a step to turn towards you, now gazing down at you with a slightly hardened look.
"…Did you see him enter the apartment?" John asked you in a quieter tone than what he was using with Lucifer.
You simply looked up at him and shook your head back and forth. John's brows seemed to furrow more than before.
"If you didn't see him enter, then why was it that you ran away from home?" John asked you.
"I… I saw the sigils burning out," You quietly admitted.
John closed his eyes for a moment, a hand being raised to pinch the bridge of his nose. His sigh was heavy enough that you flinched. You hoped that he wouldn't start yelling at you again. Instead, he dropped his hand and looked at you.
"I'll be askin' you about it later," John said before looking back to Lucifer. "It isn't that hard to piece things together. Kiddo here gets spooked and runs. That doesn't answer the question about why you're here and why you were trying to find me in the first place."
"Isn't it obvious, Constantine?" Lucifer said with mock coy as he gave John a look. "It's because I need you…"
John took a step back. His words jumbling as he seemed to make a bunch of incoherent noises, clearly flustered by the Devil's words. He let out a slightly high pitched, partially cracked, "Oi…!" out of surprise.
You couldn't help but crinkle your nose at the man in the white suit. "John isn't yours…!"
Those dark eyes snapped towards you. Even John seemed to jump at the sound of your voice, his head whirling around to look at you with wide eyes. The attention on your was uncomfortable, and it feels as if you had just stepped into a territory that you shouldn't have stepped into. But this stranger was in your home, powerful or not. He had just chased you for who knows how long, and sure he saved you earlier, but you didn't trust him. Who knows what he's really here for? You couldn't trust that.
"My, what a powerful little voice you have there…" Lucifer said as he finally stepped away from the couch, his eyes now locked onto you as he walked. "You found yourself quite a powerful creature, haven't you, Constantine…? Even they were somehow able to cast spells to shield someone like me away…"
"I don't think I blame them…" John murmured as he warily eyed the man walking in his home, his eyes darting back and forth between the Devil and you. "They're still trying to work their powers out. Training, am I right? What can you do…"
"There's plenty of things you can do," Lucifer responded almost eagerly. You kept your eyes on him, not letting him get around you. But even you were feeling uncomfortable now. "That's some powerful magic in such a small body…"
"Yet I'm just an ordinary man, and I've tricked you countless of times," John quickly retorted.
It was enough to get the man to stop in his tracked. You watched as Lucifer slowly raised his head, his eyes looking towards John. It felt like the temperature in the room had dropped a few degrees. It was your turn now to nervously look between John and Lucifer, wondering who will react first. John just smiled and shrugged.
"…Magic is a powerful thing, eh?" John simply said.
"Of course," Lucifer responded calmly. "…Why else do you think I came here? You're the only man fit enough for the job." Then, suddenly, his head turned to look at you. "And what shining luck it is to find that you have a child with such magically inclined gifts like yours. Perhaps, even powerful than all of us…"
You felt tense. You didn't like the way he was staring at you, almost unblinking. His eyes set like a predator that has found prey. It reminded your of cats that were preparing to leap out and strike. You didn't like it. You could tell John didn't like it either with how he moved from his spot, stepping even more forwards to cause the eyes to go to him. He didn't stand directly in front of the Devil, but he didn't hesitate to look him square in the eyes.
"I told you before, they're not apart of this." John stated firmly. "Leave the child out of this, and I'll willingly help you. But if you keep pushin' the way you're goin', you can forget askin' for my help."
Lucifer let out one sharp, dry laugh. One that sounded almost like a scoff. "Ha! And you believe that such a mortal like yourself can make sure demands…?"
"It's not me who came crawlin' to you for help, did I, Luci?" John said as he kept his head high, and his eyes staying on the Devil. "…Leave the kid alone."
The air felt far too still.
The room was beginning to feel almost too tight. Even you were beginning to feel unsettled by the presence of the actual Devil himself. You didn't like that he kept coming back towards you, but you disliked it even more with how he looked at John. Like he was waiting for a reason to bite John's head off. It was as if a gun was in the room and everyone was itching to pull the trigger.
Your anxiety was in your throat again. An almost flighty feeling lingering. As if your body was telling you that you should be getting ready to run. But although you wanted to run, you stayed cemented in place. The last thing you wanted to see was John somehow getting hurt. All because of you, especially. You wanted Lucifer to be gone and out of the apartment now. Your apartment. You apartment that you were allowed to make yours now with John, and it was being threatened.
"…Leave!" You exclaimed at Lucifer.
The next thing you knew, it was as if time slowed. You almost felt like you could visibly see the ripples in the air that your voice made. Your sight of the room and the people in front of you rippling and slightly distorting, as if you had thrown a rock into a pond that reflected the image in front of you. An icy cold feeling washed over you, and you couldn't discern if it had been from your yell or if dread had taken over.
John visibly flinched and moved, his hands flying to his ears as he almost hissed and stepped away. Lucifer, to your surprise, jolted and took a step back. It looked almost like your voice had been powerful enough to shove him. His dark eyes back onto you in an instant. No more smile on his face. Instead a scowl, and his eyes feeling as if they could drill into your skin. John looked back finally, seeming to shake off the feeling. He looked between you and the Devil before settling his eyes on you, clearly caught off guard by what had just occurred.
And you? You couldn't tell if you wanted to crawl into a hole or dive out the window.
"Kid…?" John lightly called, his expression still almost in shock.
"L-leave John alone…" You mumbled, shifting where you stood, as you felt uncertain of what to do now. Whatever confidence you had to yell before was quickly diminishing.
"What a fascinating development…!" The Devil almost hissed. That awful smile of his returned with what looked like almost a new vigor. It made you want to run. "You hold something powerful, don't you? Something so strong that it could shake the very planes of this planet…! The fish creature in the streets, you running, even John Constantine being involved—it's all beginning to make sense…!"
"What on God's Earth are you talkin' about…?" John dared to ask, knowing that his words would definitely gain Lucifer's attention. You felt like your stomach was doing flips.
Lucifer looked at John with an expression that you didn't like. "I'll make a deal with you, Constantine. You're clearly struggling with this whole parenting thing you've been trying to do—"
"Oi! It isn't anything—" John tried to argue.
"—So I'll make your life easier," Lucifer cut back in quickly. "I have already saved your little child over there this night. Originally I was going to argue with you that you owed me, but instead I'll do this; I'll tell you more about this child and their powers, but only if you do something for me in turn. The thing that originally brought me here in the first place…"
"What—!?" John shook his head, feeling suddenly like he was seeing circles. "Hold on just a moment there! How can you claim to tell me what their powers are? Also, just what do you mean by "fish creature"!? "You owe me"?!"
"A simple deal," Lucifer said as he stepped closer to John, almost crowding him. "You do this job for me, and I will pay you with the infinite knowledge that I know about this child's powers. And yes, I know exactly what they are…"
John seemed to tense at his words. He even turned to look at you, his blue eyes wide as he stared at you. You couldn't help but take a step back, suddenly feeling as if things were unraveling in a way you hadn't wanted them to. You had no idea what Lucifer was talking about, and that previous dread from before was beginning to sink lower and lower.
"What…" John looked back at Lucifer with narrowed eyes. "It can't be that simple of an offer. What's your catch? You'd never do something so simple out of the kindness of your heart. You know, if you even had one…"
"Watch it," Lucifer growled.
"Sorry." John quickly let out.
Lucifer stepped even closer to John, his hand held up together as his fingers were tapping each other. A grin slowly pulled its way back onto his face, and he leaned closer to John in a way that even made you feel uncomfortable to watch.
"…The child comes with," Lucifer said almost softly.
"No." Came John's immediately response with his brows furrowed together harshly.
"Think about it before you response so hastily," Lucifer said as he stared into John. "Don't try to lie, you've been struggling, haven't you? Doing this all on your own must be so hard for you. Teaching children can be so difficult. But I can help you make it easier…"
"They are a child…!" John hissed. "They don't have control of their powers, clearly! I told you, I'd be more willing to help if you keep them out of this…!"
"You did, but think about it," Lucifer said almost softly. "How long have you been struggling with this? Suffering alone, trying to figure it all out? You and I both know how dangerous it is for information to get out about a child being in your care, right? But if you had more information, more time to work with them and teach them right—you wouldn't have to worry as much, would you?"
John didn't respond right away.
Worry has now begun to set in. That panicky feeling from before has resurfaced. You had no idea how truthful Lucifer was being with John right now. You didn't know what he knew. But, you knew that dealing with beings as strong as he was is dangerous. From stories and the way that the old fishermen would talk at the docks, and they amount of prayers you'd hear about safety and "keeping the Devil away"—deep down you didn't think that you could truly trust the Devil. If Lucifer somehow lied to John, then it could be dangerous for you and Ella.
Your hands felt fidgety by your sides. You weren't sure what you could do, but you felt the need to act. You had to make a choice of what you needed to do here. For the sake of your safety and Ella's, you had to do something.
But, what should you do?
.
.
CALCULATING…
. YOUR ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES
. Your Mental Fortitude: Weak
. Relationship with ??Ella??: Slow Understanding
. Relationship with HellBlazer: Mending
. The Cult — ???
…You have met the Prince of the Underworld. He is not all he seems to be…
Hello lovelies! This is a poll to decide the fate of the story direction we go in! If you'd like to read it, please check out my masterlist or you can read it on Ao3! This choice is for Chapter 18! Now, to the Choice that Matters…
Your hands felt fidgety by your sides. You weren't sure what you could do, but you felt the need to act. You had to make a choice of what you needed to do here. For the sake of your safety and Ella's, you had to do something.
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But, what should you do?
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Summary: Sick of sitting around waiting for John, you've decided that perhaps the apartment could help you learn magic better than he can...
TW: Mentions and description of throwing up, unsettling imagery, alcohol
Dividers and Borders?: Thank you to for such beautiful work! @uzmacchiato and @thecutestgrotto
Where to start? Here's the Masterlist , Beginning, Prev Chap, Next Chap
A/N: You can also read the story here on AO3! Sorry for the wait! I've had a very busy week. This chapter isn't as long as the others, and that's for a good reason! I hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless, and as always... Your Choice Matters...
You shut the book in front of you and stood from your seat.
Sitting here thinking about John wasn't going to solve anything. You could go on and on for hours about how frustrated you were with him, but it wasn't going to change what's occurred. If you wanted things to change, you'd have to do it yourself. You thought of going after him, but by the time you glanced out the window again, he was long gone from sight. You have no idea where exactly he went.
So, you've decided to be productive in another way.
'…What do you plan to do…?' Ella asked, sounding far more curious than she had previously.
"John promised he'd teach me magic," You said as you began to look around the apartment, opening drawers in the island counter and peering inside. "He wants to keep me waiting? Fine then. I'll just teach it to myself."
You rummaged your hands briefly inside, hoping that, maybe, you could find something of use. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, you shut the drawers and moved somewhere else. Head turning left and right as you began to reevaluate the apartment you lived in.
'…Is that wise…?' Ella asked. It was like she could sense your unease.
"Probably not," you admitted as you peaked under the table. You saw nothing, but figured it was worth a shot. "But John clearly isn't going to help." You turned and walked into the living room. "If he thinks throwing books at me is going to make me learn magic better, then he's wrong."
'…What are you hoping to achieve…?' Ella asked, seeming interested in what you were doing.
You didn't exactly respond right away. In truth, you didn't know what you were doing. You were hoping that maybe you could find something—something new that you could use or learn. Something that could be more useful than sitting around in a home all day, wait for John to show up to barely stick around. One day, John had told you that magic was every where, in a way. Working in subtle ways that you hadn't known before. Well, if he was right, maybe you could find something to help you learn magic just a bit better than before.
"…Too much, I guess?" You shrugged noncommittally and crouched to the floor, peeking underneath the couch. Seeing nothing but lint and a random lone sock, you got back up and headed to the TV stand. "Honestly, if I can even learn one new thing to help me understand magic better, then I'll be better off than before."
'Hm… I think I understand…' Ella said as you began to pick through items. '…I don't sense much here. At least, not in this area…'
"This area?" You questions as you paused your actions, a book partially lifted in your hand. You placed it back and fully stood now, glancing back behind you. "You can sense magic around here? Do you know where…?"
'…I can sense SOMETHING,' Ella said. Her vagueness once again causing you to stare flatly at the air in annoyance. '…John keeps a multitude of supernatural things around. He knows how to keep them hidden…'
"Like in general or…" You trailed off, your eyes slowly locking sight with bedroom doors across the way.
One thing that you and John had agreed on is that you would respect each other's space. Meaning that either of you would keep out of each other's rooms. Though, John has entered your room a few times, but he always knocked or gave some indication that he was entering. Even joked about how he didn't want to catch you changing—making sure to emphasize the "ever" part of that statement. Honestly, you were a bit thankfully for it. It's allowed you to sneak in sea food more frequently than you'd like to admit to feed Ella.
But, you had always kept your end of the bargain. Only ever catching the briefest of glimpse of his room when he finally stepped out, and realizing it was a mess as he closed it. You never asked about it, or questioned it, or had even tried peeking inside. You never really had a reason for it.
But, this was different…
"…Or with me…?" You finished softly as you narrowed your eyes at his bedroom door.
'…Who's to say,' Ella said in your head as you began to make your way straight to the bedroom. '…Only John can answer that for you…'
As you could practically feel the scoff ready to leave your lips, your hand reached for John's bedroom door. You grabbed the cold handle and gave it a twist, already pushing most of your weight forwards, only to be stopped. The door did not budge. You gave the handle another twist, realizing you could only jiggle it. With a small grunt you even pushed your shoulder against the door, hoping it was just maybe a bit stuck. But, you had bounced right off. You let go of the handle and stepped back, glaring at the door.
"Locked. Great…" You grumbled, glaring at the wooden door before you. "Of course he locks his door…"
'…Hm… What now?' Ella asked, seeming curious about what you were going to do.
"Well I obviously can't break inside," You said with frustration, glaring at the door lightly. "John would kill me. Maybe there's something else around here we can look at…"
Just as you were about to step away, your eyes couldn't help but drifting back to the door. As you were about to shrug it off and look elsewhere, something shiny caught the corner of your eyes. You looked back, fluttered your eyes a few times to make sure it wasn't trick of the lighting, and realized that something was there.
Taking a much softer step forwards, you gently laid your hand on the wood of the door. You brushed it back and forth, wondering just what was it that you saw. But then your finger tips began to tingle. You squinted your eyes to try to see if you could see better, only for them to widen as a shimmering image revealed itself.
Almost exactly like the day you first came to the apartment, there was almost invisible wards placed on the wall. In this case, however, you realized the warding symbol was different. It wasn't quite like the streaking ball of flames you saw. In fact, it wasn't even just one. Slowly, one by one, you began to see more than before. Various symbols and sigils revealed themselves to you with various colors, shapes, and sizes. You took your hand off of the wood and stepped back, gazing at it with a mix of awe and horror.
"How did I never notice it before…?" You quietly asked yourself. You were a bit in shock by the sight, surprised that John would even go to such lengths with his own bedroom door. "The front door doesn't even have this many symbols on it…"
'…Curious…' Ella said, her voice being almost a whisper as even she sounded surprised. '…Why this many wards for him, but not your room, I wonder…?'
You became quiet, eyes shifting downwards as you hadn't even thought of the notion. You took in a deep breath to quell the uneasy feeling in your throat.
"Maybe he was just experimenting…?" You shrugged, unable to answer her question. As you glanced up, feeling tempted to walk away, something made you pause. "Wait… Hold on. Ella, doesn't that symbol look familiar to you?"
'Hm… Yes, we have seen it before,' Ella confirmed your suspicions.
Quickly you turned to the table, almost rushing now, as you hurried over to the book you slammed shut. You opened it back up and began flipping through the pages quickly, bringing it back over to the door. You continued flipping until you recognized the symbol on the page. You held it with you finger on it, a suddenly rush filling you as you stared at it.
"This! This is the same symbol as the one on the door…!" You exclaimed, looking between the door and book. "But… Why would John put this symbol on…?"
It wasn't a very large symbol. In fact, it could maybe fit in the palm of your hand with how small it was. It was like the letter capital "Y" except it had the stem of it go right through the top. Three prongs on the top, slightly reminding you of a trident or a pitch fork. It was in a dark ink, and looked as if John had possibly drew it with something like chalk. Your eyes went back into the book and quickly began scanning it, hoping it would explain the symbol it showed.
'…Perhaps we're not the only ones keeping secrets,' Ella suggested.
"I mean, sure, but…" You trailed off as you read. "Apparently it's Nordic? It's a symbol of protection. To be guarded from evil. Why would John…?"
'…Protecting something inside, perhaps…?' Ella suggested.
Her words made you pause. You glanced up from the book and stared at the door. Briefly you glanced over at your bedroom door, knowing it held no wards, no signs of protection. Then back to John's door, which now looked as if the entirety of it was graffiti with wards. You couldn't help but feel a sudden isolation in your chest. A frigid cold feeling that almost made you feel empty.
Was he protecting himself from you…?
'…What do you want to do…?' Ella asked, her voice snapping you out of your initial thoughts.
You looked back up at the door and felt an anger beginning to form now. He promised you that he could help prevent you from teleporting while you sleep. He has yet to provide that. Still feeling that anger in your chest, you snapped the book shut and tucked it under your arm. Who knows if the wards are actually preventing you through? Maybe it's just the locked door preventing passage? You took a step back and glances at your bedroom, suddenly remembering the fire escape.
You didn't initially answer Ella. Your mind set on your new task. You moved into your room, easily navigating it so you could reach the window. You snatched your sweatshirt that hung on the chair, slinging it on as you moved. You grabbed your shoes and tugged them on as well, slightly hopping left and right as to not fall. Once everything was on and successfully not falling on your face, you faced your bedroom window.
With a slight grunt you grabbed the desk and began to move it slightly, moving it and the aquarium on top of it slightly out of the way. You only intended to move it enough so that you could reach the window, as honestly your room didn't have a lot of space. Finally having a bit of a way through, you unclasped the latch and pushed up on the glass pane, granting you access to the fire escape. The chilly air of the night hit you immediately, causing your skin to prickle with bumps as the hairs rose up on your arms. Even with a jacket on you weren't safe from the England chill of the night. A slight shiver went through your body, but you've dealt with much colder environments now. You knew you could handle it. Carefully you swung your leg through, ducking your head and slipping onto the fire escape.
You tried not to look down it, through the holes and down at how many flights of stairs it was to the ground. It was hard not to look. The slightest bit of virtigo hitting you before you snapped your head back up. When you caught sight of John's window you reminded yourself why you were here in the first place. With narrowed eyes you walked over it to carefully, a hand lightly tracing the brick wall as the other kept the book held tightly against you. As you got to his window you tried to peer inside. Hoping to get a glimpse of inside of his room. However, much to your disappointment, he had the dark curtains drawn. You couldn't see through even if you tried. But, as you looked up and down the window, you did catch sight of the lock.
"Ella, do you think you can unlock the window?" You asked, eyeing the old hook lock.
There seemed as though a rise of whispers in your head. Like your question has stirred something. '…Breaking the window is easy. But there will be no hiding the damages. As for the lock, that I cannot say…'
You let out a humming noise, letting it be known your disappointment. But the longer you stared at the lock, the more you began to think. John liked to tell you that magic could do anything. Usually he would say it in a foreboding way, truthfully, but maybe this was something that didn't call for magic?
"But, as an octopus, do you think you could squeeze through it?" You asked, your hand now pressed against the border of the window.
There was a rise of noises in your head. So much so that it made you slightly narrow your eyes, finding it hard to focus. You readjusted your eyes, still staring at the locked window, just as Ella gave her response.
'…Are you SURE…?' Ella asked, seeming almost apprehensive. '…Your body tends to have negative effects when we part ways…'
"I mean, it gets us inside," You lightly shrugged your shoulders. "I just hate the feeling of it. I'll be fine. But, do you think you can do it…?"
'…We shall s e e . . . '
Before you could prepare yourself, it happened almost instantaneously. That feeling of something crawling up your throat. The suddenness made you keep your mouth close, dropping the book and quickly taking a step back. It almost felt like you were choking. Before you could even ask her to wait, you found yourself turning your back to the window and retching on the fire escape. Globs of drool escaped your mouth, dripping down your chin and mouth. With one, two, and three heaves Ella slipped right from your mouth.
It was always a strange feeling. One that you found a hard time describing. Your throat burned and your mouth felt weird, not to mention the coiling sourness of your stomach. But it was always the strangest feeling when Ella left your body. Her slimy body slipping right through as if none of it gave any resistance.
Not really thinking you held your hands out to catch her, catching her wet body so she didn't fall. With her now in your hands, you found yourself coughing, quickly turning your head away so you didn't cough on her. You felt like retching more, your stomach now feeling upset. You gazed down at Ella, now feeling a sudden exhaustion, as you felt the chill of the night blowing against the drool that dripped down your chin.
"Ugh… Okay," you almost heaved. Your voice feeling hoarse now as you awkwardly turned back to the window. You couldn't help but pant, all in an attempt to catch your breath. "Uh, do you think you can squeeze yourself through…?"
Ella slightly twisted herself in your hands to look at the lock, blinking her many eyes. It almost looked like she turned her head to the side, staring at the lock in question. Her inquisitive nature almost seeming funny to you if it wasn't for how uncomfortable you felt in this moment.
'…A challenge to give the body instead of the mind…' She said before adjusting in your hands to look at you. '…I accept…'
Without another word she reached her tentacles out. You moved her closer to give her a better vantage point, and watched with a bit of awe. Somehow Ella managed to push her tentacles in between the cracks of the two window panes. As if her body was liquid she manages to slip between. She let go of you as she clung to the window, her eyes all focused at her task at hand. You took a step back and couldn't help but glance at your hands.
You made a face in disgust and murmured "Yuck…!" to yourself, momentarily waving your hands to get the feeling of the slime off of you. You looked away from Ella for a moment, quickly wiping your hands on your pants legs to rid yourself of the feeling. You spotted the book you dropped in the corner of your eye and grabbed it, knowing that it could still have a use. By the time you straightened, you heard an audible click!
Looking back you saw that Ella had managed to stick to the window with ease. Four tentacles had slipped through, all working together to unlatch the lock. You watched her pull her arms out, now sticking herself to the outside panels. Without even your instruction, she somehow managed to use her other legs to cling to the other panel, and with a brief flapping of her wings, you watched her manage to open the window. A surge of excitement rushed into you as you grinned at her.
"Good job, Ella!" You exclaimed quietly, not wishing to attract attention from outside to you. "You did that so fast…!"
'…Twas a simple lock…' She answered, her slinking body slipped right inside of the room.
"Wait, hold on…!" You hurried forwards, quickly picking her up with one of your hands. "Who knows what's inside John's room. Don't go too far from me."
Ella simply looked up at you with her many eyes. She blinked towards you, but you could feel her tentacles curling around your hand, and felt the way they wound between your fingers. Being careful of her own hooked claws.
'…Of course…' Was her response. '…You may lead…'
Looking past her and into John's room, you slowly began to climb inside. You ducked your head and carefully slipped inside, needing to push the curtains out of the way with your arm that held the book. Once you found yourself standing inside of his room, you suddenly felt almost alarmed.
It was a mess.
As you stood by the window, taking it all in, you couldn't miss the sight of the large markings that practically painted the room. Scribbles of symbols and markings were drawn all over. From the floor, to the walls, to the very ceiling. Some of them even continuing from the edges and corners. They looked to be made with what you wondered was charcoal, and others made of what seemed like white chalk. The sight alone made your feet stick in place. It was as if you had just stepped onto a room in a horror movie. You've never seen any of these markings before during your brief moments of glancing in.
Were they recent? Did somehow you just never noticed? When did John even have the time to make all of these markings, and you never noticed?
It all felt overwhelming, if you were honest. Like you had just stepped into something that perhaps you shouldn't have. Not to mention the darkness of the room unsettled your even more, making the whole room seem off. Trying to rid yourself of the unease, you began to look away from the markings.
The first thing you spotted was that his bed wasn't made. Sheets and blanket partially spilling over the side, and his pillow had a strange stain on it. Not to mention that you clocked the sight of liquor and beer bottles scattered around it. All empty, of course. The stench of stale booze could be smelled as well, along with something that you couldn't quite pin point, but made your nose scrunch up all the same. It was a sour smell that didn't go well with how your stomach had been feeling.
Gazing away from the bed, there were shelves of books and trinkets all awkwardly shoved around. Clearly not caring about organization or where John placed things. As if he just tried to find somewhere to put the items. The books were probably the most normal thing about the room. Some of the objects beside them were… strange to you. Boxes with even more intricate symbols on them, or weird crystal balls with things that you couldn't quite make out inside of them. Partially melted candle sticks with the wax having dripped onto the shelves themselves. Items that just didn't quite make sense in your mind.
John did have a nightstand and wardrobe, but not even they were spared from the strange drawings and clutter. You spotted socks and a shirt pooling out of the wardrobe drawer, probably shoved inside. You could imagine John trying to make it all fit, only to give up and let the clothes stick out. More candles, cigarette buds with an ash tray, and honestly things that you just didn't recognize.
It was all just overwhelming in every way.
Quietly adjusting Ella in your hand, you tried to open the book with your other one, using your finger tips in an attempt to flip the pages. Just trying to see if the book could tell you anything about the markings John drew everywhere. Something to rip your eyes away from the unsettling sight in front of you.
'…Do not cross the markings…' Ella's voice warned. Her voice snapping your attention away from your own thoughts.
"Why? Do you think they actually will keep us in place?" You asked, glancing from the book briefly to her.
'…No,' she spoke as she warily looked around. 'Not us. Something else… Something DARKER… Whatever you do, do NOT cross the lines…'
You stiffened at her warning, quickly looking down to where you were standing. Thankfully, not all of the drawings covered every inch of the room. You stood just at the edge of the largest one. The one that covered almost the whole floor, made in a way that almost looked like a large misplaced rug. Quietly you gave Ella a nod, as you understood that maybe you were in over your head now.
You kept flipping the pages with your thumb, wondering if you could find anything involving the various symbols you were seeing. After a few flips, you paused on one. Looking back a few times you made sure it was the same symbol before pointing it out. Briefly your eyes skimmed the page as you tapped the page towards the image that showed in the corner.
"Here," you pointed. "One of the symbols in here talks about water spirits. It's on the wall over there…"
You jutted your head softly to your left, seeing the exact symbol on the wall with a circle around it. Ella kept some eyes on the book, while others turned to see where you were referring to. It unsettled you less now with how her eyes work as you've been exposed to it more often. But, there was still that soft unnerving feeling that made your chest feel odd. That supernatural sense about her that just naturally made it difficult for you to adjust to. But you didn't say anything about it.
'…The wall that separates your room and his…' Ella stated.
The book slightly tilted from your hand, your eyes going wide slowly. You hadn't even realized the actual placement of the symbols everywhere. You stood back up and stared at the wall that separated your rooms. Both white and black drawings with various symbols, almost all encased in some sort of circle. You glanced back at the book and looked for the matching symbols on the wall, finding multiple all around.
"Was… Was John trying to see if the wards effected us through the wall…?" You murmured, looking at the wall with a mix of emotions that you weren't quite sure of.
'…They aren't what you think…' Ella said. She continued before you could ask. '…Those symbols aren't for locking a being in place. They are to ward off. To keep certain beings away…'
You looked away from Ella and back to the wall, trying to see if you could decipher what John had scribbled all over. You felt almost more confused than before, looking back to the book in hope for answers. Just what was he trying to ward away? It wasn't Ella, was it? An attempt to silently rid her of you whilst you didn't know? Or was there something else that you hadn't realized that he didn't tell you about?
An unease filled you. Unsure of what to make of what you were seeing. Of what all of this meant for you. You fixed your grip on the book and tried swiping through again, trying to figure it out on your own. But as you did so you looked down at Ella, seeing her eyes following the page of words diligently as you.
"…How do you know? About the symbols and stuff?" You asked her quietly, wondering how she knew so much compared to you.
'…It's been in the books,' Ella answered. '…I read what you read. Plus, I can understand the intention behind the magic…'
"Intention?" You asked, raising a brow at her.
'…Magic has intention…' Ella answered as she looked around the room, causing you to do the same. '…Tell me, how does this room feel to you…?'
You gazed around again, trying to see how you could answer her question. "It feels… off. Heavy. It's… weird, inside of John's room. Like I'm not supposed to be in here…"
'…That is the intention he used,' Ella stated. '…To keep things away. To keep things sealed. To disguise things… Both protective, and assaulting… Seems like John is on the right path in creating a ward for us… However, he still has much to learn…'
"But, why would he do his room?" You asked, trying to see if you could even understand. "Why just this room? Why not our bedroom, or even the whole apartment? Why just… here?"
'…Did you already forget?' Ella asked you as her eyes shifted towards you. '…He's already marked the entirety of the building…'
"I mean, yeah, but those were just alert wards he said," You shrugged your shoulders at her. "This is different from that…"
'…IS it, though?…' Ella asked.
You didn't have an answer for her.
All of this unsettled you. All you could really make out from the symbols on the walls was mostly water related. Some mentioned water spirits, others invoked protection. But the more you read, the more you realized that Ella was right. It was to ward away. To keep those type of spirits or creatures away. What you didn't understand was why. What had caused John to write all of these wards? Why would he do them, and why in his room? Was there somehow other symbols that you had just missed?
What secrets was John hiding from you?
You felt like you had more questions than answers. Instead of finding out more about magic, you've only discovered more things to be unsettled by. The smell of the room was slowly getting to you, making your already upset stomach churn and turn. You snapped the book shut with one hand and turned quickly. You've had enough of this room.
But as you turned towards the curtains, something caught your eye. You paused and noticed something light colored onto the dark fabric. A complete contrast as to the main color of it. A feeling of dread suddenly sank in your gut. You set the book down and quickly pulled the curtain to see what was on it. To your horror, you realized that it was another ward. One created with what seemed like white paint. It was large, and covered both curtains. Realizing the curtains connected in order to create a bigger symbol, you felt like your blood went cold.
"Oh no…" You whispered. "No, no no no no no…! Crap…!"
You let go of the fabric, afraid of what it could do if somehow you smudged any of it. You took a step back, your hand running through your hair in a moment of stress. But as you did so you didn't catch Ella's voice trying to call out in warning as everything began to happen all at once.
You stepped onto the symbol on the ground.
You felt your heart suddenly skip a beat. Your breath catching in your throat. As quickly as you had stepped onto it you stepped off, gazing down at it in worry. You stood there staring, your heart beating fast in your chest, as even Ella seemed to cling to your hand tighter. Neither of you spoke. You waited a moment. Then another. You gazed around the room to see if anything had changed, but…
Nothing.
As you felt your heart finally catching up with you, you released a shaky breath that you had been holding. Your shoulders slouched as you exhaled, finding relief in the fact that nothing had happened. The symbol looked fine. Nothing had smudged. You even glanced at the bottom of your shoe just to make sure, and nothing had gotten on the sole of it. It was fine. You were fine.
"Whew…" You murmured. "Nothing happened. Good. Good…!"
'…You need to be more careful…' Ella chastised you.
"I didn't mean to step on it…!" You exclaimed to her, still trying to keep your voice a bit low to not alert any neighbors. "You were the one who told me to not step in it…!"
'…For good reason…' Ella said as her eyes narrowed up at you. '…We don't fully understand what kind of magic John used on these drawings. It may be wise for us to leave whilst we have the chance…'
You let out a small grumble before huffing. "Yeah… yeah, you're right." You gave the room a once over. "I mean, we learned something, right? These wards don't really work on us…"
As you went to turn away, intended on taking your leave through the window, a sudden noise made you jump. It was like a hissing noise. Like something had been set off. You turned back around towards the door of the bedroom, eyes looking around frantically for what the noise was. It wasn't until you gazed up did your eyes catch the symbol above the door frame.
The alarm ward.
It was maybe the size of a soft ball, marked right above the door frame. It suddenly began to glow a dull red color. Not bright enough to light up the room, but enough of a difference that made you realize that something was wrong. It sounded almost like a sizzling sound. That kind of sound that fire makes when water is poured over it. You realized the more you stared that there seemed to be smaller dots almost around it, circling the symbol individually. Finally, after watching for a moment, it clicked in your mind.
Each dot was going out.
One by one, each of the warning symbols was going off and sizzling out. Your heart began to quicken. There was no way that it was John setting them off. He had made that clear to you when he explained the symbols. It was to warn you both of danger. Of beings that weren't naturally from the Earth. Something was setting off the alarms, and from how quickly each one was going off, you realized that they were traveling quickly.
That tightness of panic began to grip at your chest. John had always told you what the wards were for. But he had never told you what to do when they went off. You brought Ella closer to your chest, unsure of what to do.
Ella was outside of your body. You could maybe cast a shield, but you still struggled with the timing of it. But then the thought occurred to you. If Ella is outside of your body, could you even cast spells? The hissing was getting louder. Each dot dimmed quicker than the last. There was a glowing symbol telling you that danger was approaching, and you had no idea of what to do.
Hello lovelies! This is a poll to decide the fate of the story direction we go in! If you'd like to read it, please check out my masterlist or you can read it on Ao3! This choice comes from chapter 17! Now, to the Choice that Matters…
You could maybe cast a shield, but you still struggled with the timing of it. But then the thought occurred to you. The hissing was getting louder. Each dot dimmed quicker than the last. There was a glowing symbol telling you that danger was approaching, and you had no idea of what to do.
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What were you going to do?
Summary: You've had time to learn what it was like living with John Constantine. But, you were struggling to adjust...
TW: Mentions of alcohol, smoking, and implications of sex, sleeping around, and mentions of cheating
Dividers and Borders?: Thank you to for such beautiful work! @uzmacchiato and @toxisyddy !
Where to start? Here's the Masterlist , Beginning, Prev Chap, Next Chap
A/N: You can also read the story here on AO3! I'm sorry for this delay everyone. I hope you can forgive me, and for the shortened chapter. Either way I hope you can enjoy what I've written so far, and hopefully I can get back to our regular programing. With that, remember...
Your Choices Matter...
"So, Demons and Angels are real?"
"Ye-up."
"And… Spirits and Ghost are real? And are two different things?"
"Ye-up."
"But, does that mean Christianity was real and all the other religions aren't?"
"Eh, no, uh. Not quite. There's quite a lot of Gods out there. But that's besides—"
"But wait, doesn't that—"
"Jesus, kid, how many questions do you have spring loaded? Take it easy…!"
You couldn't help the pout that jutted from your lips, staring at John's back as you both walked the streets. At this point in time, you have lived with him for a week now. It was strange for both of you, and John especially made it apparent. Sometimes you'd move around a corner and you'd notice him jump, startling him by mistake. In turn, you've had a hard time figuring out sleep. You were restless, especially at night. John seemed to be uneasy by you, but he'd humor your restlessness with talk. In a weird way it kept you calm.
Still, when exhaustion took over without your consent, you'd still wake up else where. However, John kept to his promise as long as you kept your pocket knife on you, he'd find you. Even though some days it would take him a few hours to find you, probably because you would wake up before him, he'd appear casually and take you back. You were still trying to get used to how casually John would use his magic. His teleporting magic sometimes makes you feel woozy. But, you've begun to learn how seamlessly he uses his abilities.
However, this day was different. He had been gone the night, leaving you alone in the apartment by yourself. You were feeling your eyelids feel heavy. Your skin almost feeling as if it had weight to hang on your face. But you kept awake. You didn't want another nightmare. You didn't want to hear anymore people screaming at you in your dreams.
Nonetheless, John returned to the apartment by morning, seeming to be in a good mood. It was obvious by the pleasant tone he whistled as he walked through the door. He told you to get ready and to come on a walk with him. But no matter how many questions you asked where you were going, John ignored them and insisted on your hurrying. So, you've changed your tactic into asking about other things. Which had lead to John explaining a bit more about the Supernatural to you.
"You can't just tell me things are real and not let me ask more questions," you reasoned as you lightly glared at his back.
"You should be makin' the connections yourself considering the strange thing's you've been through…" John replied as he seemed to be keeping an eye ahead, cigarette poking out of his mouth.
Your frown deepened. "What I've experienced isn't anywhere close to Demons and Angels," you said as you purposely avoided stepping on any cracks you spotted on the sidewalk. "What, should I believe all ghost stories I've heard? Like Bigfoot and the Chubracabra?"
"You've met Swamp Thing," John gave you a shrug without even glancing at you. "Is it so hard to believe that they might be real…?"
You paused after hopping over another crack, staring at John's back with big eyes. "No way," you said. "Don't tell me they're real…!"
John never turned around to look at you. But it wasn't hard to catch the smirk on his lips as he kept walking.
"Never say never, kid." He replied as he continued on.
You stared at John a moment longer before you hurried to catch up with him, mind swirling as you began to wonder what was real and what wasn't. Then you began to hear those slowly becoming familiar whispers. The ones only you can hear, as the people you both pass on the streets pay you no mind, as you feel like an echo chamber is rattling inside your head.
'…Can we meet these creatures…?' Ella asked, a coiling interest clear in her voice.
"Can we see them?" You practically blurted, quickly catching in step with John, as you didn't even think twice of how the words left your mouth so fast.
The blond man took a glance at you. That smirk that was on his face slowly falling, as he realized you believed him. John eventually stopped in on the side walk so suddenly you had actually skipped past him. You eventually stopped, almost giving yourself a type of whiplash, as you turned to face him with a stumble. His blue eyes bore into you as he stared.
"Kid," he began. "From now on, if you want to learn any of those things, I'm goin' to have you do your own research."
"Aww…" You pouted at him, shoulders slouching as you watched him walk to a building entrance. He pulled out some keys and began to fumble with the door knob and lock. "Wait, what're we doing here? Is this a job, or…?"
"No," John grunted softly as he twisted the lock, finally pushing open the door. "No job needed for this place. Think of it as getting a lay of the land…"
You raised a brow at him and stepped forwards, seeing as he was holding the door for you with a look practically screaming to get inside. As you were about to step past him, you quite literally only got your foot in the doorway before you paused. The hairs on your arms and neck raised on end. You began looking up and down, looking around the doorway and long stairway you saw inside. Getting a weird shiver you stepped back and looked around the building, wondering just where you were. But as your eyes caught back to John, you noticed him smirking.
"…What?" You asked, wondering why he was staring at you like that.
"You're more observant than I thought," John stated with an amusement in his voice. "Here, touch that wall right there…"
You looked to your left at the wall he pointed at. Before you did anything you looked back him, suspicion eating at you as you eyed that expression he wore. You stepped closer to the wall opposite of him and slowly placed your hand on the wall, apprehensive of what might happen. But as you placed your hand on the wall, you sense it finally. Like a tingling of electricity almost.
It doesn't zap you. Not really. More like a warning. Like it was there and strong. As you stared, narrowing your eyes carefully, finally the sight of it revealed itself. You could see what looked almost like a drawing made on the building wall. You couldn't quite grasp the symbols, but the shape reminded you of a ball of fire being thrown. The drawing wasn't small, either. But when you pulled your hand away, the sight of it disappeared, as if it hadn't been there at all.
"There's spells here," you said as you finally looked back at Constantine. "Are they Wards…?"
"Good eye," John said as he took one last puff of his cigarette before discarding it, making sure to step on it. "They're protective Wards. The kind that wards off demonic and ghostly beings. They act like warning bells, more or less."
"Why're they here?" You asked as John beckoned you inside.
"You'll see…" He said as he stepped in first, allowing you to trail after him.
You eyed John's back warily, only to huff as you followed after him, realizing that John not giving full answers was going to be a common thing. Unfortunately for you, you were beginning to hate surprises.
Up the stairs both of you went. As you ascend you began to clock every ward placed on this building. Many and multiple they were, almost seeming like a litter of graffiti was to be found on the outside and inside. But every time as you walked past, you would catch the sight of it disappearing out of the corner of your eyes. Like they hadn't been there in the first place. As you were distracted by the many wards, almost overwhelmed by they're multitude, you hadn't realized John opened up another door and allowed you to step inside. As you did, you couldn't help but flutter your eyes.
"Oh, wow…" You breathed.
"Welcome to our new base of operations," John announced as you stepped more into the room. "Or, "home" is also a place to call it…"
"This place feels huge…" You murmured as you gazed around.
You almost couldn't believe what John was saying. The living room in itself was already an upgrade to John's shabby apartment. The place was already refurbished. A nice couch, a dark wood colored coffee table, and even two lounge chairs on opposite sides of it. A larger TV on a table with what looked like DVD players and movies. Passed the living room was the kitchen, only being separated by a long island counter. It had hanging lights and even two bar stools at it.
It looked clean. The walls weren't stained a yellow tinge from the cigarette smoke. The ceiling wasn't peeling in spots. You spotted a few more doors and opened them. A walk in pantry. Past that, a bathroom that was double the size that Constantine had, which stood beside two bedrooms. Both rooms seemed almost equal in size, neatly cleaned and organized. Empty book shelves, but only one had a desk and chair. Standing wardrobes and even closets in each one. As you walked back out into the kitchen, you stared at John who stood in the center of the place. Where he was smiling, you weren't. Your awe had begun to shift into unease.
"Whose place is this…?" You asked, eyeing the man across from you.
"Ours." He responded like it was obvious. "Well, it's under my name, but since you'll be in my care I guess it can be yours, too…"
Your frown only deepened, not liking his joke at all. "John, this feels like somebody else's home. What is all this?"
The blond took a moment to eye you. You dared to stare back, wondering quietly if this was somehow a challenge. Your eyes never left John as he walked across the room and over to the kitchen table. Which was much bigger, and had more chairs that seemed brand new, too. He pulled out one and took a seat, as a noise of content left his lips.
"…This is our upgrade," John stated as he gestured to around them. "This will be our new home as I had agreed to train you. Better than sleepin' in my chair every night, right?"
Your eyes bounced around the place again. Light filtered through the windows where John had his back to. His face had shadows cast by that light, but thankfully it wasn't that hard to still see his face. Gazing out the windows, you could see that you both were on the fourth floor. One floor away from the top of the building. Every single aspect of this place screamed luxury to you.
"Where'd you get the money for it?" You asked, unable to shake your unease of this sudden change.
John didn't answer right away, with his finger tapping the table surface in a rhythmic pattern. One you had slowly began to recognize as a habit of his, especially when he had his cigarette box in hand.
"…Got paid for a job," John finally said as he looked over his shoulder at you. "Plus, I've been wantin' to move out of that shabby little place anyways. Just never had the proper reason to until now…"
You raised your brow at John. If there was something you've caught on as you lived with him this past week, it was that John never quite said things at face value. He always kept some detail hidden until he felt it to be the right time to reveal it. It irritated you, in truth. The withholding of information. Just like Ella liked to do to you. It bothered you.
"What job?" You asked, raising a brow at him as you moved from your spot to stand in front of him now, hands slightly waving as you spoke. "You told me that you did whatever you wanted, that you weren't "bound by society's schedule of average work.""
"And it's true," John nodded as he leaned back in his chair, clearly unbothered unlike you.
You stood there, waiting for him to elaborate more. He did not. You huffed at him and shook your head, taking a look around yet again. "…Did Batman or Zatanna have something to do with this place?"
John scoffed at you, his tapping stilling finally. "What? Can't believe me when I say I accomplished this with hard work? And here I thought you'd be a supportive student of mine…"
You turned back to him and gave him your best narrowed eyed look, telling him all he needed to know with one look. "My second night with you, you told me you barely had any cash to buy us cheap ramen at the store," you stated as you crossed your arms. "You know, the styrofoam cups and all…"
"I was waitin' for the check to bounce…!" John responded as he waved his hand in a circle, as if trying to wave off your suspicion. Which didn't waver as you clocked the slight pitch in his voice that normally isn't there. "It happens. I don't expect a kid like you to understand what taxes and adult responsibilities are…"
"I might not know how taxes work, but I understand what a job is," you stated as you continued to press him. "The whole time I've been with you, I've noticed you don't work like a normal person. Not to mention the booze I can smell off of you when you return home some of those nights…"
"Listen–" John finally stood from his seat, quick and fast. Clearly you've pressed buttons. "I don't have to tell you how I get anythin', alright? I told you that I'd be your teacher, not your parent, you understand? I don't have to tell you how I get anythin'. All you have to worry about is learning what I teach you. Got it?"
You stared back at John, a tension settling tightly in the air as you both stared at each other. you could feel a tightness in your throat as you stared, and a pressure weighing on your chest. But you continued to stare, not saying anything. Eventually it was him who looked away first, seeming to click his tongue as he looked at anywhere that wasn't directly you. You watched as he quickly moved away from the table and into the living room.
"…I already signed off of this place and paid the cash, so whether you like it or not, we're movin' into here." John stated and snapped his fingers. At first you thought he was throwing something over his shoulder, only to see a golden portal glowing behind him. "Consider yourself lucky, you get the room with the desk. I'll be back with our stuff, so don't go anywhere…"
"John—" You began to say, only to watch him turn and step into his own portal.
As quickly as he did it, he was gone. You walked back and forth, glaring at the spot he left before kicking a chair leg out of frustration. It was hard for you to acclimate to how John is. How he was always difficult about explaining the entire picture. Like he was only showing what he wanted you to know. It was beginning to frustrate you to no end.
'…He's been making sure to not think so loudly around us…' Ella suddenly spoke.
Your brows furrowed. You asked aloud, now pacing slowly back and forth, "Have you been trying to read his thoughts?"
'…Only sometimes,' Ella admitted.
"Ella—" You began to groan, but cut yourself off as she spoke.
'…You were on the right trail before he stepped out,' Ella said which caused you to pause. 'He HAD gotten the money from someone. But he's wary about saying… Possibly having something to do with ME…'
You took a moment to stare at the window, staring at the building across the street as it seemed like a nice day out. "…John's wary of you. He still doesn't trust us."
'…Seems so…' Ella said.
With her confirmation you resumed your pacing, walking between the kitchen and the kitchen table. You took measured steps, mind thinking and gears turning, as your hands tapped against your sides as you walked.
"Do you… I don't know," you shrugged your shoulders before turning to continue your pacing. "Do you think you can tell him a bit more? Something to get him to trust us a bit more?"
Ella let out a hum. The sound almost feeling like echoes in your mind, as you could hear whispering in the background. Murmurs between ghostly people who chattered like they were watching a show on TV. Her nonconforming answer left you feeling a tang of frustration.
"C'mon, Ella…!" You tried to coax her, waving frustrated hands in the air before letting them drop and hit against your sides. "John's just trying to help us…"
'…I wary of his aid,' Ella spoke. 'He purposely doesn't share BECAUSE I reside in you. He is being cautious… I cannot say I blame him… For the human man is being smart…'
You couldn't help but make a face at her words, only to spin on your heel and resume your pacing. "What's that supposed to mean?" You asked. "Weren't you the one to tell me to trust Constantine?"
'…It was also you who made that choice,' Ella stated like it was a fact. 'You could have went a completely different course, but it was still you who chose in the end. The man cannot speak about our secret, I did indeed make sure of that. However… That does not mean that I know EVERYTHING that he is doing at all times…'
"Why would you? It's not him you're inside of," you responded with a slight shake of your head, trying to keep your pacing with measured steps. "Sure, I made that choice. But can't we tell him something more to get him to relax around us?"
'…Why is it that you cannot relax around him…?' Ella threw a question around at you in turn, making you pause yet again. '…What about the man makes you hesitate…?'
You glanced up and stared at the kitchen wall, noticing how it had been a fresh new paint coating. You took a moment to think about Ella's words, naturally coming to chew on your bottom lip as you thought.
"…Do I really need to answer?" You said quietly to her. "You can read my thoughts, anyways."
'…Yes, but you've asked me to keep from reading them every so often,' Ella stated. 'I am holding my end of the bargain… Now, what is YOUR answer…?'
You took in a deep breath, feeling the tension take hold in your shoulders. You turned yet again to resume your pacing, eyes on the ground to watch where you stepped, as you tried to think. To think about her question.
"…John, makes me uneasy," you admitted. "He smells like booze a lot, and all he had in his fridge was half a bottle of ketchup from a year ago, and three beers."
'…With one can emptied…' Ella added.
"Yes, with one of those cans emptied," you murmured, trying not to let your frustration over boil. "…Batman and Zatanna said they'd also help him help us, but we haven't seen them for a bit. Plus, John said he would take us out training, and he hasn't really done that…"
'…You wrote him that note…' Ella reminded you.
"Yeah, I did," You nodded. "He took it and then didn't say anything after it. He then left and didn't turn up until the next morning…"
'…You both are holding yourselves back from each other…' Ella stated calmly. '…Although he was chosen, I do not fully trust his intentions just yet. John Constantine has to prove himself more before we can say more…'
You couldn't help the way the sigh escaped your lips. Frustration and acceptance escaping all in one breath. You allowed your hands to hit your sides again before you grabbed one of the wooden chairs and decided to take a seat in it.
"Fine," you said. "We'll still keep our cards close… I just feel uneasy about that money John has is all…"
Ella was quiet for a moment, allowing you a chance with your thoughts. But the echoing whispers told you enough that she was still there and listening. Not that she can even leave, that is.
"…Batman said he'd help fund stuff," you murmured aloud your thoughts as your leg bounced. "I have no idea how much money Batman has, but to get a place like this…? Wouldn't that be a lot of money to suddenly have on hand?"
'…I don't know,' Ella whispered back. 'What significance does money have…?'
You shrugged your shoulders at her question initially, but you did respond. "Money buys stuff. Food, items. Like a trade of sorts. You pay for things so you can have things, that sort of thing… But not everyone has that sort of cash, and some struggle more than others…"
'…How strange…' Ella responded. '…Is there some sort of benefit in those having money than those without…?'
"Kinda…?" You responded, more so a reflection of our own understanding of things. "People with a lot of money can do more than others. Like… They can run businesses to make more money, or they can tell people what to do…"
'…For what purpose?' Ella asked. 'Your planet produces all of the substances and nutrients that you could ever need. Why follow such a system? What purpose does it gain…?'
Ella's questions were beginning to become complicated to you. It has been a bit since she's been this inquisitive, but you were beginning to feel your head pound. Whether it be from her or the stress of things, you couldn't quite tell the difference. You just knew that it was beginning to hurt.
"I don't know, power?" You shrugged. "Power over others, to boss them around and do whatever they want, I guess…?"
'…What a strange notion,' Ella responded almost quietly. 'You trade minerals and paper that you've manufactured to be something else, passing through hands and have it dictate your positions. Instead of using such things for better uses, you follow strange imaginary systems that are not visibly seen, but blindly follow. I do not understand it, for your minerals do not grant one with something like POWER…'
You could only shrug your shoulders again, your arms crossing against your chest as you took another glance around you. "What do you label as "power," then?"
'…The ability to create, or destroy,' Ella answered like it was simple. 'To hold knowledge that can last for eons. The ability to make one bend to another's will, or to make foundations tremble with a simple thought. THAT is power… Not this so call "MONEY" you humans possess… What a foolish notion to live by…'
"So then how are we supposed to get food?" You asked her. "How are we supposed to live off of the planet when people could simply horde things? Paying for things at least equal a means to an end. A profit for both sides. I could have a garden, filled with fruits and vegetables, but someone else can come and steal it from me after I did all the work for it. Which is still unfair. How could we make things fair then, in your mind?"
'…You show that you are to not be challenged, and make them bend before you for acting against such a transgression," Ella said simply. 'You show them what is to be tolerable, and what is not…'
"That'll just cause fighting and people killing each other," you stated and shook your head. "A dictatorship. That's not a way to live. We'd just end up killing each other."
'…Yet you kill each other still,' Ella stated before even she seemed to sigh. 'You humans with your invisible systems and rules… I do not understand them. There is much that I still need to learn…'
"I guess so…" you responded vaguely, feeling suddenly tired from the conversation.
Ella was quiet for a moment. When you thought it would be the end of the conversation, she suddenly spoke.
'…You are uneasy by me…' Ella stated. Her even mentioning it made you physically tense up. '…Why…?'
You had a hard time answering her. Your mind coming up with multiple reasons, but your mouth having a hard time saying it. You tried to figure out an answer to give her, unsure if she will understand, and hoping not to upset her.
"…I don't like how easy you go to killing people," you admitted. "How… easy the choice is for you. I don't want you to kill people, and I don't want to kill anyone, either." The faces of your nightmares quickly flashed in your mind, making your stomach quickly sour. "…We can't change what we've already done. I know that. But, we can change how we do things in the future. Yes, we want to survive and learn how to work with each other. But, I want to work with you to not kill anybody…"
Ella was quiet, seeming to take your words in carefully. '…We've already agreed to this,' Ella said calmly. 'However, I think I understand what you are saying… Although I don't completely understand your stance, we made a Pact. I may need time to fully understand your wishes, but I will try to work with your wants…'
"…Thank you," you said quietly to her, feeling so tired all of a sudden.
'…There is still much for me to learn,' Ella said as she gone quieter than before. Almost seeming to talk to herself in a way. 'Humans and they're invisible systems and strange dynamics… The want for structures and rules, but vastly different mindsets and opinions about them… It is very confusing…'
"Agreed…" You murmured in reply, as your eyes suddenly felt heavy.
You stared at the window, the soft light that seeped in and barely made the room glow. You felt warm in your seat, your bouncing leg coming to a still, as you felt suddenly heavy. Your exhaustion from either your slow increasing insomnia, or just from everything that's been happening, has begun to grow all of a sudden. As your head began to droop, and your eyes fluttered and images blurred, you began to felt comfortable for sleep.
Then you heard a hissing sound, and a loud voice made you jump.
"I'm back!" John suddenly announced himself, stepping out of his own portal as he carried things in his arms.
"Jesus…!" You exclaimed, jolting from your seat and almost falling off.
"Not quite," John was quick to respond before dropping everything onto the sofa. "C'mon, sort out your things while I go back and get mine. I'll be back in a jiffy."
He worked fast. The portal not disappeared as he headed right back for it, the glow of the magic slightly hurting your eyes. But before he stepped into it he suddenly turned to you and pointed a finger your way, causing you to stare at him with grogginess still in your face.
"No sleepin' on me just yet," he stated firmly. "Go put things away. I'll be back, and once I am, you and I will be goin' to have a little fun."
You stared at John, your mind having a hard time fully understanding his words. By the time the gears caught up, he was already having his back facing you, and was briskly heading to his portal. Suddenly your mind raced.
"Wait, what do you mean?" You called, but the man did neither falter or turn back. "…John! What do you—"
And like that, he disappeared before your eyes.
"…Jerk…!"
.
.
The new apartment was, in all honesty, much nicer than before.
But you were still uneasy by it.
You actually had a room again where you could close the door and sleep on an actual bed. It was nice, honestly. Not hearing John's snoring as loudly as before. Don't be fooled, however. Although your rooms are separated the man was loud in his sleep. Sometimes his loudness actually helped keeping you awake instead of falling asleep to terrible dreams. But there was something else about the room that you loved about it.
You got to have an aquarium.
One in which you had to briefly fight for, as John didn't see the point in it. In his own words, he didn't "see the point in feeding another thing." You didn't want to tell him your actual reasoning, wishing to give Ella a place to live that wasn't just inside of your body. Partially afraid he would try something with her and the tank. So you begged. And begged. And kept begging until the man broke.
He knew how to push your buttons, but you have begun to learn how to push his back.
You had been the one to set up the tank and everything yourself. You just needed the money. You cleaned it, decorated it, filled it up with things that you knew would be enjoyable for the alien that lived inside of you. Eventually, until you were satisfied with how it was, only then did you allow Ella a chance to live in it.
To say that the both of you were pleased was an understatement.
She got a chance to stretch and swim around in the water again, and you got a chance to feel like things were normal. Back when you could just watch her for hours without needing to worry about anything. It was like a taking a break to breathe, in a way. Sometimes you would sit back and just watch her, seeing how she would get spurts of energy to swim around, only to hide back into a tight space you made for her. It gave you a sense of ease.
But it made you feel homesick in a way.
You missed your aquariums. The fish tanks and feeding them. The names you gave those fishes. How ease your life at home had been. Taking a chance to join your parents on the boat during their work hours. Smelling the fresh air of the ocean, and tasting the salt on your lips that you would lick and bite until they were red and irritated. How you all would cheer when you had a big haul. Or the small moments where your father would let you speak into the ship's radio, prompting you on what to say and how to say it. How proud he'd be when you got it right, or how you could hear the laughter on both ends of the radio if you messed up a word.
God, you missed your parents.
You'd be lying if you said that some nights you ended up crying about it during those moments of being separate from Ella. You'd be laying in bed, elbow covering your eyes as you cried. Biting your bottom lip in an attempt to stifle the sobs, becoming numbed to the pain of how hard you'd bite. Not wanting for John to come in and see you like that. It would feel embarrassing.
Some nights, when you knew it was just you in the apartment as John had to leave for "business," you would allow yourself the chance to cry. To let out your longing for your family and mourning their absence in your life. Still uncertain if somehow they were fine, hoping beyond hope that the Cultists or Deep Ones had left them be. Sometimes the tears would be so hard to control that you could only muffle them by shoving your face into your pillow. It would be those nights that you sometimes you would miss the sound of something moving in the water, only to be met with a chilly wet sensation on your wrist.
When you would look up, you would discover that Ella had escaped the tank. Somehow found a way to the wheelie chair that you found uncomfortable to sit in for too long, soaking the seat entirely, but her focus always on you. All six, almost glowing eyes staring at you intensely. Sometimes her eyes flickering around your face, trying to read what was wrong. She used to ask you what was wrong. Lately, however, she has kept herself quiet. The only comfort of noise she provided was the echoing whispers that came with her presence. But, even they would seem quiet. Not as chaotic and multitude. But soft, and hushed. Like people speaking in a movie theater quietly. Her tentacle or two always holding your arm or wrist, partially making the bed damp.
Her presence known. Almost cemented by your side. In a way that you could not explain in those moments, you practically cherished them. Sometimes it would be enough to reassure you, and you'd tell her you were fine, followed by you placing her back into the tanks. Other nights, when they were so hard and you just couldn't stop the emotions from pouring, you'd pull her closer and lay her on your chest. Not caring for how she got you wet. Just feeling the weight of her on your chest, cementing you into the reality that this was your new life.
Commonly on those nights it would be your tears that would lull you to sleep. Exhaustion from it causing you to pass out, no matter how much you wanted to fight the sleep. And, of course, you would teleport to somewhere new. Whenever you woke, you noted that Ella would be back inside of you. You'd always wonder how she managed to get back into your body without waking you, but you blamed it on the exhaustion.
And, as you've agreed to with John, you always made an effort to keep your pocket knife on you. Which meant sitting and waiting for him to hopefully show up. Some days it would take him longer than others. But true to his word, he would show up and take you back home. Always a little disgruntled and something sarcastic locked and loaded on his lips, but he always came. One rare occasions would someone else show up, like Batman. But even you couldn't deny the effort that John would make to come fetch you back to the apartment.
Your dreams, however…
They never got easier.
Always something unsettling or horrific. Always something haunting you, people screaming at you, with images of unsettling gore and twisted body parts that just didn't make sense. Or sometimes they'd be images of something unsettling. Something that you had a hard time of making sense of. Something dark, lurking, watching. As if sensing your presence when you couldn't even speak or scream.
You weren't sure which ones you hated more, in truth.
Even with your unease you never told John how those dreams went. Even when he would ask you'd refuse to tell. Sometimes he'd poke at you to make you spill, but when you put a stubborn front, he'd cave and leave it alone. But, you had to give him credit. Where you held unease, John made up with his eccentric ways.
One day he came into your bedroom suddenly when you were reading, almost kicking your door as he held a board awkwardly in his hands as he moved around in search of a clear wall. You were partially thankful that day that you hadn't placed Ella into the tank as you were sure he would've spotted her, but with how he was acting, you weren't too sure if he would've noticed. You watched with a questioning look on your face as he pinned the new board to the wall, seeming content with himself, before finally turning to you and explaining what it was.
It was a broad map of the world, showing the continents and the ocean. In certain places he dotted with pins, followed by thin string attached to them. He wanted to document the locations that you would disappear to, marking them on the map, trying to see if he can find a pattern to it.
As strange as John was, he could be clever at times.
But, no matter how clever John was, you had begun to notice that he had a bit of… issues.
It didn't really take you long, in fact, to detect these issues of his. The drinking and chain-smoking was obvious from the start. On certain nights, however, when he would tell you that he was "going out for business," you began to notice certain patterns. How sometimes he wouldn't come back until late the next day, hung over and a mess. The smell of smoke and alcohol so terribly thick on him that you wanted to gag. But you also began to detect something weirdly sweet mixed in that just didn't make sense.
Those nights sometimes became unfortunate for you when you accidentally fell asleep, because by the time you woke up and waited for him, sometimes he would take hours. So much so that you would give him an earful, noticing how hungover he was as he would wave your nagging off.
But where once it had been a more sporadic thing, you began to notice it becoming more and more frequent. It began to eat at you. When sometimes he would promise to do something for you, only to go out and not come back hours later, you could see those promises diminish before your very eyes with his lacking of memory.
It hurt at first. It made it hard for you to rely on him in ways you needed. But then it started to become annoying, and your sympathy for it very quickly dried.
When you tried to ask him about it he could be avoidant. Waving you off. Changing the subject. Telling you to "stick your nose to studyin'" instead of him. But the more that it kept happening, the more and more angrier you were slowly becoming. Some days it made you so angry that you would debate having Ella intrude his mind. You never did, though. You knew that would be a line you wouldn't be able to uncross. But the temptation was hard to ignore.
No matter how much John reminded you that you were a child that shouldn't worry about it, you weren't an idiot. Although you had made it clear to John that you try to avoid sleep for as long as you possibly can endure, John would sometimes forget that fact. Whenever he would leave on those nights you could watch him walking the sidewalk from the windows, watching until you couldn't see him anymore. How it was clear there was a pep in his step even from the distance.
The smell of something strong and sweet that would be on his clothes weren't that hard to detect. Even Ella seemed disgusted by the smells. Sometimes you would be the one to do the laundry, and the smell even days later was still evident. It grossed you out, but you recognized what perfume smelled like.
The smell of the perfume would even change, too.
You're not a stupid kid. Even when you were younger, back in living in your home town, there would be talks amongst the sailors. You and your prying ears, always so nosy to be apart of the adult conversations and happenings, would always listen in when they didn't realize you were around the corner. Hearing of "lucky nights" out on the town.
You still hadn't forgotten the scandal of one of the new, young fishing men that joined one of the boats, being caught sleeping with his captain's wife. Or how some of the wives would be caught in bed with a man ten years younger than herself because her husband was away for too long.
How some of the men would say "it's better to be single at sea than heartbroken and beckoning the waves to swallow them whole." Your dad, being the social man that he was, not knowing you were around the corner making a remark of saying it's why he brings his wife along with him at sea. Only for your mother to walk in and using that scolding tone of hers to scare him stiff and the men to scatter.
You never really understood it, in truth. Why people would cheat on their significant others. Childishly you had asked your parents the question, and your mother tried to explain it in a way for you to understand. But even you could tell she was uncomfortable about the question. Saying that people get lonely, but she would always follow up with how she doesn't condone it, and would tell you that you should always be loyal to those you love and cherish. At the time it was enough to satisfy the curiosity.
John had made it clear to you in the beginning that he only had himself to look after. That there wasn't someone else like a significant other in his life. In a way it made you feel sad for him, making you wonder if that's what the loneliness your mother had refer to. On the other hand, it was beginning to piss you off.
He was supposed to be training you. Having you cast spells, figuring out a ward that wouldn't let you disappear in your sleep, and helping you learn to cope with these powers. Instead, he keeps giving you books or strange tasks to keep you occupied, not once explaining how it would help you with magic. Him disappearing for hours away from the house while you were stuck there, almost too afraid to leave even the windows unlocked and cracked open for just a fraction.
Some nights you were glad to let your dreams teleport you somewhere else. At least then it was actually stimulating for you. But John's outings have once again made you circle back to the thing you had an argument about once getting the apartment.
The damn money.
You've begun to slowly count the new things he's bring back home, noticing the quality of it. New dress shoes. Cleaner shirts. A nice shiny watch. A whole damn apartment. You, though? He'd give you almost childish things, like crayons and a notepad to draw on. You actually threw the pack at him one night, insulted by the "gift." Sometimes he'd drop off dusty old books that you could smell the pages of, making your nose itch as you could barely make out anything that was being said half the time.
You were beginning to reach your limit. Even Ella seemed restless within you.
"I'm off to take care of some business," John called as he was getting ready to walk out the door, hand already grabbing the handle.
"When will you be back?" You asked from your spot at the table, looking up from your book that you have been trying to read for the past hour. You could barely even remember why line you just read from it, in honest truth.
"At some point," John vaguely answered, like he usually did.
With a twist of his wrist he opened the door and stepped through, only to lean back in and point with his other hand at you.
"And remember, don't—"
""Don't leave the apartment", yeah yeah, I know." You scoffed at him, rolling your eyes at him.
Your frustration must've been more evident than usually, because he didn't step away right away. He eyed you, brows furrowed. When you looked back at him he seemed like he wanted to say something. You could tell by his half lidded eyes that you've annoyed him. A part of you felt like he deserved it.
"…Finish that tome before you go to bed," John decided to say instead. "I'll be quizzing you on it tomorrow, so you better finish it!"
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say…" Your murmured, eyes narrowing at the book instead.
You could feel his eyes on you. It made your skin feel prickly and uncomfortable, but you didn't dare to look back at him. He lingered longer than he usually did. Usually he would be out faster than you could even speak. When you didn't say anything else, leaving him with silence besides and audible flipping of the book page, he finally stepped out and closed the door.
Hearing the metal click you gazed back at the door with a glare. As frustrated as you were, there was a strange aching in your chest. A solemness taking over you as you stared at the door and heard the audible clicking of his feet disappear. You weren't sure if you wanted to scream or cry at this moment. Wrapped up with your own emotions, you didn't pay mind to the echoing in your ears, or how cold the back of your neck suddenly became.
'…How long will you let him keep doing this…?' Ella spoke.
It was like there was a weight with her words. She wasn't in her tank at this moment. She was residing inside of you, as you well knew. But in a strange way you felt as if eyes were baring into the back of your mind with an intensity that only she could bring.
You could help by sigh, almost overwhelmed with the question. "What am I supposed to do? Tie him to a pole to make him stay…?"
'…Perhaps you should…' Ella stated. You could picture her in that tank, swimming from side to side, eyes locked on your form. Even though you knew where she actually was. '…He is not holding his end of our agreement. An example should be made…'
You wanted to scoff at her. Maybe it was your frustration taking hold, but you couldn't see what good doing any of that would do. What "example" could a kid your age make to an adult like John?
"He's not even my real parent. Just what could I do to make John actually teach me magic?" You asked her, eyes rolling and hand waving, already feeling defeated in this battle.
'…There are a multitude of ways…' Ella said. If she was a person you'd imagine her giving you a shrug, maybe even nonchalantly leaning against the table as if offer you a deal. '…You just have to be… CREATIVE enough, I suppose, in how you deal with him…'
You couldn't help but be intrigued. Your eyes stopped skimming the page mindlessly, not even reading the words in front of you. It was night time now, with a few lights on. Just enough to really let you read, with a dull yellow glow overhead. But as you looked up from your spot at the table and stared at the window, making faint recognition of your own almost transparent reflection in it, you began to noticed two abnormally large orange and red colored eyes staring back at you. Enlarged and placed over your own eyes, you saw the reflection of Ella's eyes staring at your own.
There was an itch inside of your head. An allure to what she has told you. In honest truth you've tried your best to be good. To listen and follow rules. But you couldn't help but list off all the promises that John hasn't fulfilled. How you've barely practiced spell casting being with him, even though he had promised you such. How the unfairness was beginning to fester in a way that felt like a rash.
"…Creative?" You almost whispered back at the reflection.
'…You've already noticed how many vices John Constantine holds,' Ella spoke as the eyes seemed to widen and narrow at you as she talked, almost reminding you of older cartoons. You would've thought the hallucination silly if you weren't so accustomed to Ella's abnormality by now. '…It is up to you to decide what we shall do. However, I will warn you… If John Constantine continues like this, I WILL step in to correct his actions…'
"You're not allowed to hurt him," You spoke quickly as you narrowed your eyes at the reflection. You did not like the implications she made.
'…Not hurt. Just remind him of his agreement…' Ella spoke calmly. 'He promised you wards and teachings. All he has done is given us books and neglect. When was the last time you've even relied on my powers…?'
Your lips pressed firmly together. Your leg beginning to bounce beneath the table. As much as you hated it, she was right. You've barely even relied on her abilities. Although a part of you almost feels glad, you understand that it doesn't bring you any closer in understanding how it works. You still don't have much confidence in yourself when it comes to magic. It's not like you could just pick up a phone and ask someone else to help you, either.
Unfortunately, all you had was John.
'…What will you do…?' Ella asked.
As you looked back at your reflection you saw the eyes gone. Just you and your normal face, transparently staring back at you through the window. It didn't help that John has been keeping you in the dark whenever he leaves. Always vague in his answers. Never really answering you properly. Either waving you off or telling you that it isn't your business. John has been around you, but he's also been gone.
Neglectful, almost.
You hated the fact that Ella used that word, as it seems to be the one thing echoing in your mind now. A part of you wanted to argue, but how could you? You feel like a prisoner. Yes, a roof and food are nice, and you can clean your clothes, but you think back to how traveling by foot was. At least you saw new things and learned things. At least you were actually moving around instead of walking in circles, leaving an indent in the rug from how many times you did it.
Had choosing John Constantine been the right call? Should you have heeded all the other adults who seemed so cautious of him?
When you looked back at your reflection, you decided to ask yourself—just what are you going to do?
Hello lovelies! This is a poll to decide the fate of the story direction we go in! If you'd like to read it, please check out my masterlist or you can read it on Ao3! This is for chap 16! Now, to the Choice that Matters...
Had choosing John Constantine been the right call? Should you have heeded all the other adults who seemed so cautious of him?
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When you looked back at your reflection, you decided to ask yourself—just what are you going to do?
So sorry for the hiatus. I’m hoping I can get back into writing starting tomorrow and hopefully get a chapter for Beware the Nightmares on the Land and Sea. I’ve been dealing with a lot of real life stuff unfortunately.
I’ve recently lost my grandfather. Which was rough for me. Reliving through grief all over again and all has taken a toll on me unfortunately.
But I did get a new job! I’ll be starting that soon, and hopefully my hours will be more stable. So fingers crossed. So I had some good things and unfortunately bad things as of late.
But fear not! I do plan on writing the next chapter! It’s actually already started, I just need to finish. So don’t fear, I won’t be abandoning this story. I’d like to keep going.
As for Love, Even in the Underworld, I may have to place that on pause. I thought it would be a fun project, and it has been, but trying to juggle that with BNLS has kinda been a struggle. So, for now, I will be putting that on Hiatus.
I’m very sorry, but I hope you guys will understand. I promise to be back here soon!
It’s a little crazy to me that AO3 is down rn because literally this morning I was able to post the latest update to my series BNLS, only to now be home from work and I’m wondering wtf happened??
Sorry y’all, Ella’s acting up a bit too strong. Gotta reign in the Eldritch horrors a bit, ya know?
Summary: As you made your choice, you soon discover that the world you found to be so big is apparently smaller than it seemed to be...
TW: Cannon typical violence, nose bleeds, John Constantine (need I say more?), insinuations of death
Dividers and Borders?: Thank you to for such beautiful work! @uzmacchiato
Where to start? Here's the Masterlist , Beginning, Prev Chap, Next Chap
A/N: You can also read the story here on AO3! I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am. This chapter was actually very fun to write with banter. Can't you all tell that I really like dialogue? XD I hope you all enjoy, and remember... Your Choice Matters
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'Ella…'
'…Yes?'
'I don't want to kill anybody…'
You glared at the boy across from you. He kept his stance steady, seeming unwavering, as he held that blade towards you. No, not you. But at who stood behind you. The boy in the mask had his eyes set on Swamp Thing. Although he claims that he came for you, you didn't like how he was so intent on hurting Swamp Thing. A creature who quite literally has done nothing wrong but allow you into his home.
It was hard to ignore the trembling in your chest. You weren't necessarily cold, but it was hard to ignore the way your body shivered. Hard to ignore the fear you held. Although you stood across the boy, anger boiling and buttons poked, there was still that fear deep within you. That fear of somehow killing him crossed your mind. That you would use your powers in some way and it would end up getting him killed.
It scared you.
But, even with that fear, you felt a protectiveness take over you. The thought of the blade the kid in the mask held slicing through Swamp Thing terrified you. You didn't want him to get hurt. You didn't want Abigail to step outside and see her husband torn to shreds. You hadn't forgotten the words she told you back inside of her home just minutes before this.
"Not many people understand it, but there was a time where people hated us for it…" Abigail had told you. "For our love…"
You hadn't forgotten the way she choked up, either, when speaking about it. "He's my husband…" Abigail had said as she looked ready to shed tears. "I would do anything if it meant he and I could stay together…"
You had no real idea of what Abigail and Swamp Thing has gone through, but it was clear to you that they had gone through a lot. And the boy in the mask across from you was a prime example of what Abigail had been trying to tell you about. People not understanding either of them, and being hateful towards them for it. For being different. For not being the same as them. Something so different it caused fear, which then caused hate.
It wasn't really that long ago that you had been almost exactly like that. How terrified you were of seeing Swamp Thing for the first time that even Ella told you to run. That once you met Abigail, you struggled to wrap your head around either of them. You still don't fully understand them in truth.
However, in that same sort of way, you and Ella were something that people would be afraid of if they knew. It wasn't lost on you with how tense John had been when he interrogated you. How angry he looked. Fearful, you realize now. John was scared of you. No, not really you.
But of Ella.
Just like how this boy is staring at Swamp Thing.
'We can't trust him to not hurt Swamp Thing…' You told Ella in your head as you kept your hands out and ready. 'I don't want anybody killed, but we shouldn't trust him…'
'. . . I understand . . . ' Ella whispered back to you.
Suddenly, where that trembling had been in your chest, almost feeling like claws tightening the muscles together, began to ease as you exhaled the breath you had been holding. It was as if Ella's words eased that fear you clung onto so tightly. If you were being completely honest with yourself, you had no idea what you were doing. You've had no training for this. No experience, if you were honest.
But, for once, you felt like this was the right decision for you to make.
"I said, stand aside…" The boy growled one last time. You watched as his grip tightened on the blade, and he calmly took a more crouched stance. That sharp blade still pointed in your direction, and not once seeming to falter.
"And I said no." You restated, trying not to focus on the echoing of whispers bouncing around in your mind. As if they seemed excited for this.
"I warned you…" The boy said before suddenly kicking off from his spot.
It was hard to deny the strike of fear in your chest as the boy launched off his feet. He moved faster than you thought he would. Faster than you expected. But you could feel the creeping ache in your head. The tinkling feeling in your fingers, and the chill down your arms that made the airs stand on end.
You allowed the boy to get closer before thrusting your hands forwards again, and the blue shield manifesting once again. But just when you thought he would strike it, you caught sight of objects suddenly thrown away from him. He had just tossed something from his belt. Your reaction felt automatic, your body moving before your mind caught up with it. Where you hands had been held in front of you were now moved to either side of you.
The shield grew in size with the motion of your hands. Instead of it being a partial shield like a wall, it instead grew into a dome. Covering you and Swamp Thing entirely to where the objects the boy threw ricochet right off. You even heard one splash into the river while the others hit the dirt. Although you wanted to look at what they were, the boy did not let up, as he did not hesitate with his sword swing.
The blade was brought down with a force that was heavier than you expected. The pain that shot in your skull made you flinch as his blade struck. Although he hadn't actually hurt you, it was hard to deny the way your head hurt. Like somehow it had taken on the attack instead. You moved your hands back forwards, concentrating your powers there instead of around you. The boy went for another swing, slashing at the shield with heavy swings. Each hit caused a ripple in the shield, reminding you of throwing stones in water, but no strike ever went through. The barrier holding up thick and well.
'…You must give yourself a break,' Ella suddenly spoke inside of your head. Much louder than before. As if she was right in your ears. 'Your body cannot take the stress…'
Your grit your teeth at her words, feeling the way your arms trembled. Even you were catching the sight of the shield edges darkening. Looking as if the color was being sapped out of it. You knew it wasn't going to hold if this kept up. Your eyes even felt a stinging pain, making it hard to keep focus of the sight in front of you.
'We can't let him hurt Swamp Thing…!' You exclaimed in your thoughts, trying to think of a way to get the boy to stop. 'We have to get him to stop somehow…!'
Before you could say more to her, your notice the boy throw out more objects. Your breath caught, realizing the shield's back end has been opened. Your turned your head to see them fly behind as you realized they were acting like boomerangs. As you began to throw a hand behind you, attempting to keep one hand forwards, there was a shattering sound in your mind. Pain suddenly pierced through, seeping through your skull in a jabbing pain.
It caused you to fall back, looking back at the boy in horror as you caught sight of the shield breaking with his sword in the air. He was already rushing through before you had even hit the ground, eyes locked onto Swamp Thing who stood behind you. As you let out one last shout at him, swinging even an arm out in hopes to possibly catch his clothing to stop him, the ground suddenly shook.
You collapsed onto the ground, just barely catching your head from slamming down, as you caught sight of the masked boy stumbling. Vines suddenly came from beneath, moving faster than you could blink. By the time you lifted your head up trying to make heads or tails of what was up or down, you felt your jaw drop. One moment the boy was rushing right by you, and now he was suddenly restrained and held in the air. He struggled, arms and legs twitching and pulling in an attempt of breaking free. Even his own torso was wrapped in vines. Some of them looked thicker than your own head.
In awe you looked back at Swamp Thing and noticed how he barely even moved. Looking unbothered by the boy hanging above. That's when you caught sight of three individual vines standing on end, holding the strange objects the boy had thrown earlier. He had caught those, too. His red eyes shifted from the young boy, who was still struggling and slipping curses from his mouth, to look at you at the ground. You stared back at him, trying to ignore the strange stinging in your eyes until you couldn't anymore. You hissed lowly in pain and closed your eyes. It felt like claws were scratching inside of your skull, trying to pull your eyeballs back in.
You felt your body being lifted from the ground and dared to open your eyes. Swamp Thing lifted you up from the ground himself. His plant covered hands feeling strangely rough, but you could tell by how slow he was moving that he wasn't trying to hurt you. As he set you up to stand, you caught something strange in the background behind him.
You focused your attention behind him and felt as if you were staring at a different house entirely. One that looked normal and not covered in vegetation. It didn't quite look like the house you were previously in. You noticed a strange commotion, and then suddenly a blast. A burst of fire suddenly broke through the window facing the river. It scared you so much you even flinched, lifting your arms up to shield your face in reaction to it. Faintly you could hear screaming. Screaming of a man, who suddenly came running out of the burning house.
He was enveloped in flames. Running and flailing his limbs. Panicked and in pain. Trying to do anything to put the flames out. His pained screams pierced your heart, causing you to tense up and freeze. You watched in horror as he wasn't paying attention to where he was running. As he tried to pat himself out, he suddenly ran too close to the river bank. You saw his foot slip, and with a shout, he fell into the water of the river. Water splashing and smoke suddenly enveloping the area.
"Are you…okay…?" Swamp Thing suddenly asked. "You are safe now…"
You looked over at him, breathing short and panicked by what you just witness. His calmness felt startling to you. Your heart was beating so fast inside of your chest you were certain it would burst. A throbbing pain pulsating against your skull, making it hard to keep your eyes opened. That's when you noticed the blurriness in your vision, and a strange shadowy edges. Like shadowy claws or vines that attacked the edges of your sight. With shaky hands you brought them to your eyes, shutting them tight as you rubbed them. Trying to ease the aching that made it hard to think. When you lifted your head up and looked past him there was…
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
As if the explosion hadn't even happened. As if whatever it was you saw was just a figment of your imagination. The headache eazed, and the shadowy edges in your vision let up. Even the echoing whispers had ease within your mind, causing you to wonder if you had imagined the whole thing. You gazed back at Swamp Thing and realized he was kneeling in front of you, hands on either side of your arms, holding you in place in an attempt of preventing you from falling. His eyes were set on you, not at all bothered by the boy who was still thrashing not that far from where you both stood.
"I… I'm… fine?" You said, uncertain of even your own answer as you rubbed your eyes again. When you blinked again it seemed clearer than before. Like nothing had happened.
Swamp Thing noticed your stare and looked over his shoulder. He stared, letting out a long rumbling hum, before gazing back down at you. He lifted a large hand and you felt him wipe underneath your nose. You flinched when you realized something smudged your skin. As he moved his hand away you brought up your own, trying to wipe the remains away from your upper lip. As you pulled your hand back to look, you realized your fingers were newly stained red.
"…That answers… the question from before…" Swamp Thing spoke.
You looked back up at him in confusion, now smelling the copper in your nose and faintly tasting it upon your lips. Swamp Thing stood from his kneeling position before you as he turned his attention to the boy beside the both of you. You couldn't help but feel confused by his words.
"What… What do you mean?" You asked, feeling almost breathless as your heart was still pounding.
"From before…" Swamp Thing repeated. "What you… wished to do… with the powers you have…" He turned his head, and his red eyes gleamed down at you. He wore no smile on his face, but his tone sounded almost lighter. "…You've answered it."
It took you a moment to really realize what he meant. The question he had asked you just as the masked boy had attacked you. You weren't really sure what answer he took from it, but for once in a long time, your chest felt almost a bit lighter than it had been before.
"Oh, great! Now what the bloody hell is all this?"
Your head snapped up at the voice, feeling almost startled by it. Swamp Thing let out a grunt-like noise as even he turned to look. Across from the river stood the familiar form of John Constantine and Batman stepping out from the treeline. Both of them gazing upon the three of you, taking in the sight before them. You couldn't help but feel relief to see the either of them. You opened your mouth to call out to them, until Swamp Thing put his hand out in front of you.
You gazed at the way he held his hand out, following his arm up to stare at him in confusion. He stood in front of you, eyes set on the two men that stood across the river's bay. There was no denying even where you stood that Swamp Thing was cautious of them. Eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. He actually seemed to be scowling this time around. You realized that he was standing in front of you protectively. Thinking that this was because of the boy, who was still thrashing against the vines in vain, you couldn't help but speak up to him.
"They're okay, they're not like him." You told Swamp Thing as you placed a hand on his arm, patting at it to gain his attention. He didn't really move, but you caught his gaze shifting towards you. "They're nice, I promise."
"Nice… is not the word… I'd use to describe… John Constantine…" Swamp Thing said bitterly as he shifted his gaze back.
Your eyes widened at his word, surprised to hear him say such a thing. You couldn't help but look back at the blond in confusion, wondering just what Swamp Thing meant. You also quickly picked up the fact that he knew his full name. How does Swamp Thing know John?
"The feeling's mutual, my mossy friend," John called. He then pointed to the boy tied up in the air. "Mind letting that one down? I know he isn't a dainty little flower, but don't you think that's a bit much…?"
Swamp Thing let out a grumble, the noise reverberating in a way that seemed less than pleased. With a simple lift of his hand the vines that tied the boy down began to move. You watched as they moved over the river, hovering over to the other side of the bay where they stood. The vines uncoiled and released the boy onto the ground, who still even in the end ripped his arms away in a huffy fashion. As the vines coiled back, you caught side of Batman narrowing his eyes at the boy.
"What did I tell you about running off?" Batman curtly spoke, a clear irritation in his voice.
"I found them, didn't I?" The boy scoffed as he rotated his newly freed arms, probably feeling the soreness of the vines. "Wasn't that the whole point of this endeavor?"
"Finding them wasn't the issue," Batman said in a warning tone. "We will talk about this later back home. You don't get to leave my side for the rest of our time here. If you do, consider yourself grounded with a month off of patrol."
The boy looked up at him in shock. Although he wore a mask to cover his eyes, even you could see the horrified expression on his face. "A month…!?" He exclaimed.
Batman simply gave him a look, narrowed eyes an all. Even you got the gist of that look. But your attention was pulled away as John Constantine stepped forwards, just at the edge of the river bank, as he waved a lazy hand as he spoke.
"Could you carry over the other one as well? They're sorta the whole reason we came in the first place…" John Constantine said.
Swamp Thing let out another grumble, his arm lifting even more protectively in front of you than before. You looked between Swamp Thing and John in confusion, wondering why he was acting in such a way before him. It made you wonder what John did to make Swamp Thing react in such a way.
'…Fascinating…' Ella whispered in your mind. Quietly, you couldn't help but agree with her.
"Swamp Thing, it's okay," you tried again as you tapped his arm, hoping he would listen to you instead. "John's kinda my teacher…?"
Swamp Thing's entire body seemed to stiffen at your words. A thing you didn't quite think was possible for a monster made of plants. He gazed down at you, staring intensely, before gazing back at John. Swamp Thing's hand curled protectively around you, pulling you closer than before. You held onto his large arm so you didn't fall, gazing up at him in confusion and back at John in worry. This was the last thing you wanted to have happen.
"Is this true…?" Swamp Thing asked, his red eyes narrowing at the magic wielding man.
" 'fraid so," John spoke with a shrug of his shoulders. "Just recently took them in as a student, too. Still working out the kinks, as you can tell…"
You shrugged back at him innocently, feeling that heat of his gaze. "I warned you. It's not like I wanted this to happen…"
"Yeah, yeah," John waved his hand dismissively. "We'll talk about it later. Now," his eyes shifted to Swamp Thing. "Could I please have the kid back…?"
"I do not… believe that is wise…" Swamp Thing growled. A noise that you had no idea he could make as even you could feel the heat in his voice. "I do not trust them… to be in your care…"
John dramatically rolled his eyes, a small scoff in his voice. "I knew you'd be a pain in my ass, but I didn't think like this…!" He pointed a finger at you. "What d'you do to make Swampy here so cuddly to ya? Hypnosis?"
"I think the monster had something to do with it instead…" Murmured the boy as he crossed his arms, head held a bit too high for your taste.
You furrowed your brows, jaw dropping in shock of their accusation. "I didn't do anything…! Swamp Thing's innocent, too! If anyone's at fault for anything, it's him for trying to attack us with a sword!"
You pointed your finger at the accused, who in turned scowled at you for ratting him out. Batman looked down at the boy beside him with a more heated stare.
"Robin," he spoke the name in warning. "What did you do?"
"I thought the monster was holding them hostage! How was I supposed to know the difference?" The boy scoffed, turning away from the adult.
"I told you he was friendly! You kept attacking us with a sword and other things!" You yelled back, angry that he was trying to deflect his actions.
"Alright, alright!" John called, holding his hands out as he looked back and forth from where he stood and you. "We can keep castin' blame here, or we can get down to business…" Seeing as no one seemed to interject, John turned to where you and Swamp Thing stood. "Look, we already had a vote on who gets to take care of the kid, alright? They picked me. Shockin', I know! But, it is what it is. Now, I'd appreciate it if you returned them back so we could have a chat…"
"Swamp Thing…! Is everything o—"
The familiar voice of Abigail called. All of you turned your heads towards her, seeing the woman emerge from the house. She was already walking in your direction, but paused once she caught sight of the others across the river bay. Her worried voice trailed off as her eyes locked on with a certain individual.
"–kay…" She had trailed into a mumbled.
Quickly Abigail rushed over, pulling you from Swamp Thing's grasp, only to usher you behind her. Not only did Swamp Thing not at all budge from his stance, but now Abigail stood in front of you as well. You looked between them, almost feeling panicked at what to do. You had no idea why they were suddenly so defensive for you.
"Ah, Abigail…! Good to see you again," John called with a bit of a smirk on his face.
"Constantine…" Abigail spoke, a new coldness in her voice that sounded unnatural to your ears. You had no idea that she was capable of sounding cold. "Just what are you doing in front of our home with a bunch of strangers…?"
"Abigail, it's okay! Really!" You tried again with her, tugging on her shirt to get her to look at you. When she did you continued, not recognizing her concerned gaze. "Remember how I told you I had a teacher? John's my teacher…!"
You watched as the woman stared down at you. Rapidly her face almost seemed to turn pale at your words, her jaw setting into place as if she was swallowing a hard pill. An unease took over you as she looked at you and then gazed at John.
"Why're you taking on students…?" Abigail asked, her hands still protectively holding themselves in front of you.
"Blame Batsy over here," John said and jutted a thumb over to the man beside him. The blond then gave him a once over and waved his hand around. "Batman, meet Abigail Arcane and Alex Holland. Ah, my apologies…" John let out a small chuckle. "I meant to say, Abigail Holland and Swamp Thing. Weird couple, long story. Don't question it…"
"We've met before…" Batman said calmly.
"Ah, well—" John cut himself off short and turned to Batman suddenly, giving him an incredulous look. "Wait, what do you mean you've met them…!? Since when?!"
"Long story. Don't question it." Batman said curtly, causing John to frown deeply. The man in black stepped forwards and directed his attention to your side of the river. "We didn't come here to mean you any disrespect. We heard that Y/N over there went missing, and we came to help bring them back home."
"With all due respect, Batman," Abigail spoke calmly to him as you could tell she was uneasy. "If it means that they will go home with Constantine, then I don't think that that's something I can allow…"
"Why?" You couldn't help but cut in, causing attention to turn to you. "Why're you both so angry at Constantine?…"
You could see the hesitation written all over Abigail's voice. The way she rolled her lips with her teeth. She looked over to her husband, who seemed to share a look with her. Your eyes darted between them in confusion, wondering why that seemed so against you returning to Constantine. Just what did he do to earn such a reaction from them? It made you feel uneasy about the whole situation.
As they seemed to make up their minds, Abigail finally turned to face you with a gentle call of your name. She pulled back a strand of hair behind her ear, crouching down to be leveled with you. Her warm hands grabbed your arms gently, rubbing them up and down as she felt how cold you skin was.
"We have a… complicated history," Abigail addressed as she seemed almost uncertain of what she should say. "Constantine isn't a bad man, but… He isn't exactly a good one, either."
"I'm standin' right here…!" He called, appalled by the blasphemy being strewed at him.
"Let her finish…" Swamp Thing growled, taking a step forwards.
John eyed Swamp Thing for a moment before simply put his hands in the air, showing his surrender. Even you felt on edge by Swamp Thing's words. But your attention was pulled back to Abigail as she gripped your arms a bit more firmly than before.
"…I'm sorry if we're scaring you, but we want you to understand the dangers of being with Constantine," Abigail said as her eyes darted around your face. "He knows much, but there is always a bargain when it comes to Constantine. You don't have to go teach under him, we could probably help you find someone else to teach you your powers…! There's plenty of beings out in this world who maybe share something similar to yours…!"
You opened your mouth, then quickly closed it. Wishing to spew the words forth, to just vomit out everything you've been hiding. That your situation wasn't that simple. But you knew that everything you've been through would be for naught if you did. That by telling her what dangers you bring would be damning Abigail to a similar fate as yours. To Cultists and Deep Ones bringing dangers to their door steps.
Swamp Thing has proven himself strong, that much you can admit. And it didn't take Abigail long to try to use her own powers to realize something was strange about you. They seemed like a strong couple, a powerful one, too. But with you came danger. You knew that all too well now. Not even Batman knew all the details of you situation, as you had held so strongly against him before. As uneasy as you felt about all of this, you shook your head at Abigail.
"…I'm a danger to everyone I meet," you said shakily as you shook your head one more time at her. "John's the only one who can help me. I-I don't know why you don't really trust him, but he's the only one I have right now to help me…"
Abigail stared at you, her eyes seeming to dart all over your face. "Are you certain about it…?"
You looked at her before casting a glance to John. He stood there, hands in his trench coat, looking mildly annoyed at best. Probably more annoyed that this conversation was being held with him so close. You had to admit, there was something off about him ever since you met John. But, honestly at this rate, you weren't sure that there wasn't something off with every single person you've met since taking in Ella.
Yeah, he smelled like cigarettes and booze, and his apartment was raggedy and small. But he clearly knew what he was doing. Knew about strange beings and spirits and demons. How could you deny his knowledge when he made it obvious that he knew Swamp Thing very well. You have no idea what John has done in his life to make Abigail and Swamp Thing uneasy by him, but you didn't see any other way around it. You've made your decision.
You looked back at Abigail and said, "He's the only chance I have at controlling my powers. Plus, he might be the only one who can help me…"
Abigail looked at you, really looked at you, and seemed to take a moment to take your words in. As much as you've held a lot of information back, this wasn't something that you were trying to hide. You meant every word you said. You truly believed that John might be the only help you and Ella have of surviving this. Yes Abigail was kind, and yes Swamp Thing seemed wise, but you don't think they could help you anymore than they've already have.
"Okay…" Abigail said softly, her hands gentle as she moved pieces of hair away from your face. "Okay," she reaffirmed. "If that's what you wish. Just, know that if you somehow swing by New Orleans, that you're welcomed by this side of the swamps…"
You nodded your head, thanking her quietly. But before she pulled away, however, she squinted her eyes and gently rubbed under your nose. You huffed, almost feeling a sneeze come on, when you realized you must've done a poor job of wiping your upper lip earlier.
"Your nose was bleeding, what happened?" Abigail said gently.
"I sorta used my powers…" You admitted.
"Powers, huh?" John called, snapping attention over to him. "What exactly did you do…?"
You briefly glanced at Swamp Thing, seeing that he was still standing guard. His eyes never being taken off of John. You then glanced over at the boy across the river and nodded to him.
"He tried attacking Swamp Thing with a sword," you explained. "I didn't want him getting hurt, so I made a shield. It worked for a bit, but it didn't last very long…"
"–TT–, a shabby attempt at best," scoffed the boy. You scrunched your nose at him, trying to hold back the urge to stick your tongue out at him.
"And just why did you attack the person we were trying to rescue…?" John asked with a raised brow, with Batman quietly gazing at the boy dubbed as Robin beside him.
The boy shrugged his shoulders and gestured to Swamp Thing. "I saw a monster and thought it best to be dealt with. I didn't think to stop and ask how it felt. We were here on a rescue mission, and I saw a way of getting it done…"
"The only monster I see here is you!" You couldn't help but snap, your anger boiling forth as you were about ready to rip yourself from Abigail's hands.
"Alright! Alright! Settle down now…!" John called, waving his hands up in the air now as he could sense the fragile peace between everyone fraying. "We're all a little tense now, yeah? Let's just keep our heads on now whilst we still have 'em…"
You frowned at John, but pressed your lips thin together. All in an attempt of keeping quiet. Your rage boiling within, but you could tell that even the boy on the other side looked just as ready as you were to throw hands. Your head might hurt and eyes sting, but that didn't matter to you. What mattered was him still being so rude to Swamp Thing. It was beginning to set you off.
"Constantine," Abigail called as she pulled you a bit closer to her. Almost hugging you against her body in a way. "…Do you swear to protect this child at all cost?"
He gave her a leveled look. "Do I seem like that sort of monster to you?"
"Swear it, Constantine…!" Abigail said almost through gritted teeth, giving him an intense look.
"Alright already…! How many times do I gotta prove myself to everybody…?" John murmured begrudgingly before placing a hand over his heart, and the other raised in the air. "I swear to take care of the kid. Is that good enough for you…?"
"If it's any consolation, he won't be doing it alone," Batman spoke up to them in a much calmer tone. "Constantine won't be the only person looking out for them as they learn how to use their magic. I'll be supporting their studies as well, and making sure they have an opportunity for schooling."
Your eyes widened a bit at his words. You knew Batman was doing a lot to help you, but you didn't fully realize he was doing that much. Abigail stared at him before glancing to Swamp Thing. He looked back at her, both of them trading stares, before she gave him a nod. Still with a scowling look on his face, Swamp Thing raised a hand in the air. Just like he had done before, a bridge of plantation began to be made.
Vines and moss and other grass was formed into a bridge, closing the gap of the river. Just like before, you crossed the bridge carefully, Abigail behind you this time, as Swamp Thing trudged over. As you got to the other side you stood before Constantine as he crouched down to be leveled with you, eyes squinting down.
"You're quite troublesome, you know that? Gave me a heart attack…" He murmured as he peered at your face.
You gave him a rather annoyed look. "I told you about the teleporting. You said you could make wards…"
"Yeah, yeah—we'll figure it all out soon enough," John stated as he looked around your face. "Tell me, how was it usin' your powers? How'd you get the bloody nose…?"
"It happens when I do too much," you admitted with a shrug, feeling unable to look him in the eyes. "The shield thing is still new to me, so I don't really know how to control it well…"
"How long did it last for?" John asked, now tilting your head to see how bad the nose bleed was.
"The shield? I mean…" You thought about it, trying not to be tempted to lick the blood off of your lip as it was beginning to dry. "I don't know, a few seconds? The fight didn't last long…"
"Eh, not terrible. We'll have to work on what you can manage," John stated as he released your chin finally. "You should've let the brat take a swing at ol' Swampy here. Would've given him a nice trim, if I do say so myself…"
You scowled at John, unaware of Abigail's glare and Swamp Thing's glower behind you. "That's not very nice, John…" You murmured at him.
"It's a joke," John groaned as he pushed off of his knee to stand. "Tough crowd these days… Plus, Big Green over there is a lot stronger than you think."
You still frowned at him. You believed John's words. You've seen the ease in powers that Swamp Thing has shown. But, it still hadn't felt right to you to just allow Swamp Thing to get hurt.
"I do apologize for Robin's behavior," Batman spoke as he was addressing Abigail and Swamp Thing. "We're still trying to work on things with him. In all fairness, we had no idea that this was your swamp we entered…"
"I do not worry… about children…" Swamp Thing said as he gave a glance at John. "Magicians however… They are to be… the ones you should worry about…"
"Same can be said about walking plants, but you don't hear me complainin'…" John grumbled under his breath, but it was loud enough for anybody to hear.
"If he can apologize for attacking my husband, then I can forgive him." Abigail stated as she stared at the boy in the mask.
Batman turned his head to look at the boy, seeing him already arms crossed and almost seeming to pout. Without even moving his hands out of his cloak, Batman pushed Robin forwards, forcing him to face Abigail more. The boy seemed reluctant, as if he would much rather do anything other that this, but even he seemed to crack under the pressure that Batman was staring down at him for.
"I apologize… for reacting on instinct…" Begrudgingly muttered the boy.
You couldn't help but cast him a dirty look. Was that really the best he could do? He sounded so insincere, it really irritated you. Was it that hard to try? As you were tempted to call him out on it, Abigail gave a sigh as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Well, I guess that will have to do…" She muttered as she glanced up to her husband. "He really didn't hurt you?"
Swamp Thing shook his head. "He couldn't…" His red eyes shifted towards you. "Not with someone… with the instincts to protect…"
You felt your cheeks warm at his words, making your face feel uncomfortable. You couldn't look at their faces, feeling too bashful to take the compliment seriously. A warm hand was placed on your shoulder and you looked up, seeing that it was John's hand. But his eyes weren't looking at you.
"Yeah, well, thanks for keepin' the kid safe," John said almost quietly.
Abigail nodded, her arms crossed tightly. "Of course. We couldn't ignore a lost child. Just didn't realize they somehow involved you…"
"Listen, I didn't want to be here either, but beggars can't be choosers," John stated with a shrug of his shoulders. "Just… Thanks for keepin' them safe." He seemed to release a reluctant sigh. "Speakin' of kids, how's—"
"Would you look at the time? Breakfast is almost ready," Abigail quickly said and turned her back to him, not allowing anymore to be said. "I best get it ready…"
"Abigail, wait!" You quickly called and pulled yourself from John's hand, not even thinking twice.
The woman stopped and tried to turn back to you, but you caught up to her quickly. You wrapped your arms around her waist, not seeing the shocked expression on her face. Although she was still for a moment, her hands rested on your back, in her attempt of hugging you back. As quick as you gave it, you let her go with a step back and looked up at her face.
"Thank you for helping me," You told her. "I'm… sorry for being so distrusting."
"Oh, that's alright," Abigail smiled softly down at you, seeming just as warm as when you first met her. "You shouldn't trust strangers you meet anyways. I'm glad we could help you." She bent slightly forwards and began to pat at your clothes, trying to clean them of dirt. "You can keep my clothes for now, since yours still aren't dry. We'll keep them on hand in case you come around again. You're always welcomed to come here, if you ever need a break from Constantine…"
"Why am I the one who keeps getting bullied here…?" Grumbled the man, seeming exasperated at this rate.
Abigail didn't say another word. She gave him a fast, quick cold look that man him stiffen up fast. John looked away from her and made a poor attempt to whistle, avoiding her gaze. It still worried you how hostile they seemed towards him, but you had to admit there was some amusement between they're banter.
"Keep off… the flowers… when you leave…" Swamp Thing spoke up as his eyes were on Batman. "You can keep… your jet out of my swamp…"
"Wait, a jet?" You asked, looking over at Batman with big eyes.
He glanced down at you and nodded, confirming what Swamp Thing said to be true. You then looked at Swamp Thing with the same big eyes.
"How'd you know he brought a jet?" You asked, curious in how he knew.
"The Green told me…" Swamp Thing stated calmly.
"So, you mean the plants? You can sense it that far away?" You asked.
"Kid, Swamp Thing can sense the entire planet," John stated like it was common knowledge. "Anything involving plants and can breathe, Swamp Thing can find it."
You looked from John back at Swamp Thing, not saying anything, but staring at him with an expression of awe. That must be what Abigail meant earlier when she said Swamp Thing could find your teacher. You didn't actually realize that he could be that strong. You didn't see John rolling his eyes by your reaction, seeming more than annoyed by your reaction to Swamp Thing.
"Alright, I think we've had enough time here," John said as he tapped your shoulder twice with his index finger.
You glanced at him, only to look back at Swamp Thing and Abigail. "Thank you for everything…"
Abigail smiled gently at you. "Your welcome. We'd do it all over again if we had to."
"Remember… patience…" Swamp Thing said.
"Tools to help my own garden, right?" You replied back, understanding where he was getting at with his words.
Swamp Thing gave a single nod, and Abigail seemed to smile wider. As you felt a bit better than you had before, you caught movement in the corner of your eye. You looked up and saw Batman step towards you, only to kneel to the ground so he could be at leveled height with you.
"…Are you alright?" He asked calmly.
You simply nodded, feeling fine besides the dull aching of a headache. Other than that, you were fine.
"I'll look into getting you a communicator, or a phone for cases like this," Batman stated.
"If they wake up in a puddle every time, I doubt that it'll be helpful." John stated as he gave Batman a look, causing you to gaze back and forth between the men. "Speaking of things, however, you should keep something on you at all times. Something valuable, for instance…"
You watched as John pulled out something from his trench coat pocket. As he held it out in his hand, you immediately recognized it.
"My pocket knife…!" You softly exclaimed and didn't think twice about taking it from him.
"It's something you care about, yeah? Keep it on you," John stated as he put his hands back into his pockets. "It'll be easier for me to find you myself if you have it on you."
"What do you mean?" You asked, not understanding what he meant.
"Magic is what I mean," John said with a slight annoyance in his voice. "I'll explain it to you later. For now we should get goin' before the bugs decide to eat us alive."
"I'd like for us to discuss a bit more about some things, Constantine." Batman said as he pushed off of his knee to stand.
"Of course there's more," John rolled his eyes at him. "Look, thanks for your help and all, but I think you and I have had enough time of each other as of late. As you can see, I have a student to start training."
As if to emphasize, he placed a hand on your shoulder and even tugged you closer to him. You stumbled slightly, but caught yourself before falling. You gazed between both men in confusion, sensing a strange animosity between them. You didn't understand why, but even you could sense the strange tension they had between their slight glares at each other. It left you feeling confused, wondering just what had happened between them to make them seem so angry at each other.
"…Then we'll talk later this week and finalize things," Batman said as he turned his back to the both of you. "I'll make sure to bring Zatanna along to keep her in the loop."
"Yeah, you do that…" John grumbled, scowling blatantly at the man.
"…Thank you?" You called to Batman, unsure of why he and John aren't getting along.
The man paused and cast a brief glance over his shoulder to you. He didn't say anything. Just gave the slightest of nods, one you almost didn't perceive, and he turned back. He began walking away, cape only slightly fluttering, making him seem almost like he was gliding across the marshy ground. The boy known as Robin followed after him without a word. But before they disappeared into the treeline, you noticed the boy turn back to you.
You caught eye with him and stared, wondering what he was doing. Clearly he was scowling, which you weren't sure if he did anything else but make that face, as he seemed to glare at you. He made a quick motion with his hand, his index and middle finger, firstly pointing at his eyes, then turning his hand to jab at the air at you.
You got the message clearly. You couldn't help but crinkle your nose in response, your own scowl pulling on your face. He was really beginning to annoy you. You couldn't understand what you've done wrong to make him hate you so much. So, in turn as he was still staring at you, you responded with sticking your tongue out at him. Maturity be damned, this kid was annoying, and you'll make it clear that his negative feelings towards you were beginning to be mutual.
'…I sense your anger towards him,' Ella spoke in your head. Her voice soft and almost quiet, but you heard it.
'He started it…' You thought back to her.
'…Would you like me to handle it…?' Ella asked. You couldn't help the arch of your brow by her question, not thinking of others seeing your facial expressions shifting.
'He isn't worth it, just ignore him…' You thought, trying not to think of a sinister outcome if you had indulged in her offer.
Even at this distance you could tell by the way his jaw shifted that he made a noise. One you couldn't hear, but enough to probably showcase his annoyance back at you. Finally he turned away just as Batman glanced over his shoulder at him, and the two disappeared back into the woods.
"What's his problem…?" You mumbled, a pout on your face as you truly didn't understand why the boy hated you so much.
"Beats me," John said as he finally let go of your shoulder. "Ready to head back, kid?"
You turned to face him, your hand now pocketing your knife as you turned, seeing him taking a few steps away from you. "Shouldn't we go with them?"
"Nah, we have our own way home," John stated. "Batman insisted on tracking you himself and wouldn't give me the coordinates, prickly bastard. Said there was "too much interference." Interference my ass…"
Without even taking a second John waved his hands out in front of him and spoke a few words. You couldn't catch what they were, your brows furrowing as you didn't understand them. And, just like you had seen back at Batman's cave, a glowing circle appeared in the air. A teleportation circle, you were beginning to realize it was called.
"Be safe," Abigail called.
You turned back and looked over at her. Her and Swamp Thing stood close to the river bed, both watching you. Abigail still had a soft smile gracing her face and waved goodbye to you. Swamp Thing, as you have begun to learn as a more quiet man, just simply nodded back at you and didn't say much. But you did catch sight of him gently pulling Abigail closer to him, and her automatically relaxing against his gigantic stature.
John was right. They're a weird couple, but one you found to be sweet.
"Bye…!" You responded and waved back. "By the way, your flowers are pretty!"
Abigail seemed surprised by your words, her wave pausing. Then she suddenly laughed, hand raising to almost cover her mouth as she giggled.
"Thank you! I'm glad you like them…!" She called.
"Constantine…" Swamp Thing called, finally speaking after being quiet for so long.
The blond man paused, letting out a grunt of acknowledgement as he pulled out another cigarette and put it between his lips. He turned and looked back at Swamp Thing, hand raising and flicking his thumb upwards. No lighter needed, as he lit the end of his own cigarette with magic. A sight that was still fascinating for you to see, as you tried not to feel alarm at seeing what looked like his thumb was on fire. But as quick as he did it the flame was gone. Now just staring at the plant monster with a raised brow.
"…Be careful…" Swamp Thing said as he gave him a look. "…There are disturbances… rising of frequency lately…"
"I'll keep it in mind…" John replied, not asking anything else as he gazed down at you. "Ready to go, kid?"
You couldn't help but stare at him, looking between John and the couple. Swamp Thing's words making you feel uneasy, as you couldn't help but believe it might be connected to you. It made you wonder just what exactly Swamp Thing meant. Was it just you using your powers from Ella, or was it something more that he wasn't explaining?
You looked back at John and nodded your head, trying not to get lost in your thoughts of everything that's happened so far. John simply gave you a short nod back and turned to his portal. He walked in first and you followed after, squinting your eyes at the bright light before you, as you allowed him to take you out of the swamps of New Orleans.
The contrast was almost intense for you. Stepped out of the woodsy swamp and into the tiny apartment of Constantine's was a lot of your senses to handle. The stale smoke immediately made you crinkle your nose. That and the faint smell of copper that was still there made your stomach coil. It was gross to you. John, on the other hand, didn't seem to care as he walked across the apartment and sat down in one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. A trail of smoke coiling and curling out of his mouth and disipating into the air. The portal long since closed behind you, the shine now gone, as you could see the contrast in light from the windows of where you had been to where you are now. It almost felt dizzying.
"Alright, first thing's first." John spoke up as his eyes were locked onto you. You gazed back at him in confusion, not sure where the intensity was coming from. Probably from his previous irritations? "We're goin' to get started on your training right away. The better control we can have of your powers, the better it will be for all of us."
"Wait, like, right now?" You asked him, eyes slightly widened.
"Well… Maybe we start tomorrow," John said as he waved his hand dismissively. "I have to look into something first. It'll take me a bit of time, and I've already burned through what previous little hours I have."
He got up and walked over to his night stand. You watched him rummage around in it, seeming to search for something. While he did that you walked over to the table, only to pause as you noticed a mess on the ground. You crouched down and began to pick the items up, and quickly realized they were rather familiar to you.
"Why'd you go through my bag and dump it all out?" You asked, insulted he was treat your items so roughly.
John paused, looking over his shoulder at you to see what you meant. "Oh," he responded before turning back to his nightstand in search. "That was, uh… Was me tryin' to search for you. I can find people without fancy smancy technology like Batsy, but you refuse to give your full name. Kinda hard for me to find you without it. It's why I told you to keep your little knife on you."
"What does my pocket knife have to do with finding me?" You asked softly, pulling out the item that you had pocketed.
"I can track you by it," John simply explained as he finally seemed to find what he was searching for. He walked over to the table and casually threw what appeared to be a notepad and pencil. "…With you keeping a well loved item, I can find you even without a full name. It can help me track you down when you disappear every time you sleep."
You gazed at the notepad, seeing that it's had many pages ripped out of it. Multiple of the pages were crinkled and bent. Poor object clearly had seen better days. You gazed back up at John with a bit of a pout on your lips.
"…So you're saying that I'm still going to be teleporting," you grumbled. "You said you could make wards…!"
"I know what I said," John huffed at you, seeming to fix his trench coat as he stared down at you. "However, you're not a simple case. It's not just you that I have to tie down. It's you and that weird little thing that's hidin' inside of you. So…"
John leaned down and jabbed his finger onto the notepad on the table. "…You'll be doing some homework for me while I'm gone."
You blinked at him in confusion before making a face. "Wait, you're leaving me here?"
"I won't be that long. Hopefully…" He mumbled at the end but you still caught it. You watched him walk towards the door of the apartment, but didn't open it just yet. "There's a few things that I need to take care of, and I can't have you following me. Instead, I want you to jot down all of your side effects when you use your powers."
"You… want me to list the affects of my powers?" You raised your brow at him, holding the notepad rather limply in your hand.
"Yes." He firmly said. "I want whatever you know jotted down on there. From what you know you can do to how it makes you feel. I'd rather be aware of when your nose is going to be gushing blood then be caught off guard, wondering if you're dying."
You crinkled your nose at him. "People can't die by a nose bleed."
John gave you a look. A firm stare that held you in place, making you immediately second guess your words. "…Kid. There's a lot you have yet to know about the world. And when it especially comes to magic, you have to be twice as carefully about it. Write me that list. It'll help me figure out how to navigate trainin' you."
You watched as John twisted the knob of the door and opened it. Your heart suddenly leapt by the action. You didn't want to be left alone here. That need to move and travel was still stuck with you. The idea of keeping in one spot for who knows how long almost sent you spiralling.
"Wait!" You called him, causing John to pause as he was already half way out the door. "…When will you be back? What happens if you're not back and I fall asleep again?"
John looked back at you and shrugged his shoulders, making your heart sink. "Keep that pocket knife on you. If I'm not back, make sure you have it with you before you go to sleep. I'll make sure to find you as long as you have it."
"…You promise?" You asked softly, feeling the buzzing anxiety bubbling in your chest now.
John stared at you for a moment. Your eyes darted around his face, wondering if you could spot how he was feeling. Even you could tell he seemed uncomfortable by your small voice. A small, gut wrenching feeling was beginning to dig in. A nervousness, you began to realize. You were anxious about him abandoning you. Leaving you here to be stuck, when all you've been doing these last couple of months is move, move, move. That staying in one place for too long never meant good things for you. And you're being told to stay in one place, without a timeline for when he will be back, not truly certain of your safety in this small apartment building.
"…I'll be back," John said as he gave you a look. "…Make sure to write those notes for me."
And before you could call out to him, he left with a quick shutting of the door, making you jump at the loud noise.
Leaving you all alone.
Alone, with only Ella in your head to keep you company.
.
.
CALCULATING . . .
. . . YOU HAVE MET THE GUARDIAN OF THE GREEN AND HIS WIFE . . .
Relationship with ??Ella??: Slow Understandings
Relationship with the Heroes of Gotham: Wary
Relationship with the HellBlazer: Wary
Relationship with the Guardian of the Green: Concerned
The Cult still Hunts for you . . .
. . . YOUR NEW LIFE BEGINS. MAKE THE MOST OF IT . . .
Do y’all ever go on your site you like to use and you get a comment, and you get all excited to see it. Because honestly comments are so so sweet and I love interacting with people and hearing what they think of my writing. But when you actually read it do you just pause and go “wtf??”
Because Imma go ballistic if I get one more goddamn comment saying “I have some ideas you can do for this” or “wow your story is so good if you pay me I’ll draw it like a comic”
Like go fuck yourselves. Is it me being like overly sensitive or some shit, because when I hear that shit it is the rudest fucking thing you can say to me.
There’s a difference of being like “hey, I got a bit of a suggestion for you” or “hey, your story made me think of this and I want to tell you”
Because That’s fine to me. That’s polite. I actually don’t mind criticism or hearing “hey bud you went a bit crazy there.” But to be like “your story should be like this” or “I have an idea of what you can do for your story so write it”
Summary: John Constantine, Batman, and Robin have set out to find where you teleported to. As apprehension weighs on them, you find yourself in a strange situation...
TW: Symptoms of panic, signs of anxiety, brief mentions of harm and death, cannon typical violence
Dividers and Borders?: Thank you to for such beautiful work! @uzmacchiato , @thecutestgrotto , @toxisyddy , @rmstitanics and @lobster-graphics
Where to start? Here's the Masterlist , Beginning, Prev Chap, Next Chap
A/N: You can also read the story here on AO3! I'm so sorry with how late this chapter came out. I've been dealing with some life stuff happening, but don't worry. The story will not be abandoned. My updates may be a bit slow as a lot is happening in my life right now, but I look forward to seeing how Your Choices Matter . . .
Your heart was pounding in your chest.
Your turned away and ran, afraid to know what would happen if you stayed in place for too long. But as you ran along the bank you paused and stared down at the flowers. A panicking thought crossed your mind. If the creature is made of plants, maybe the flowers could hurt you, too? Like how the trees tried to grab you?
Very carefully you tried to step around them, walking as if you were in a landmine field, whilst trying to remain fast. You kept glancing up in worry, eyeing that house across the bank. If you can get there, and maybe steal that boat, you could at least get away from the danger you're facing now. You tried moving fast. Wishing your legs were longer for quicker strides, and wishing that you don't step on any of the flowers beneath you.
But you were too slow.
You tried to move fast, but when you went to go lift your right foot you felt a tug on your limb. You stumbled, barely caught yourself from falling, and tried pulling that same foot forwards. As you did so you looked down, seeing that a coiling vine tightly clutched it. You realized the vine came from the ground, curling up your leg, reminding you of the movement of snakes. Horrified, you patted at your pants, thinking of your knife.
Only now did it occur to you that you didn't have it.
You had gotten so used to having your belongings on you, never separating from them unless necessary, that you had completely forgotten the fact that you haven't had them on you in hours.
You tried pulling your leg away, your hands even gripping the fabric of your pants and tried to pull. Anything to get your leg free. But as you struggled, you hadn't realized something emerging from the water behind you. You were so focused on freeing yourself that you barely heard the water surface break.
The hairs on the back of your neck and arms prickled on end. You froze in place, stopping your frantic attempts to free yourself. The vine's grip on your persist, squeezing so tightly you could feel it begin to rub your skin. As much as you wanted to be free of the vine, something inside of your head was practically screaming at you to take a look behind yourself.
You dared to turn your head and look, not realizing that a scream was being torn from your throat at the thing emerging from the water.
.
.
John groaned at the sight of the area.
He recognized those fucking trees.
"Of all places for this brat to teleport to, it had to be here…"
John was already sprouting a cigarette the moment he stepped off of Batman's jet. He could feel the sharp glare in the back of his skull for his actions, but right now he didn't care. John needed this cigarette more than Batman needed to nag his ear off about smoking. Thankfully the grown man didn't say anything to him. But the little one? The one dubbed as Robin? John just wanted to throw him across a lake.
The three of them carefully navigated the harsh, swampy environment. Batman taking lead with his tracker, Robin trailing not that far from his parental figure, and John straggling behind them all. John was already tense from the stress of even losing the child, but now that he was on his way to go get them, he was feeling his nerves buzzing harder than before. He was stressed, that was nothing new. But knowing where they all were? It was taking everything within him to keep his composure calm.
This could go one of two ways. Really good, or really bad.
John hoped for the former than the ladder.
As he was unsure of how things were fairing with the child, he couldn't help but think back to his conversation with them earlier this morning. Their powers and abilities were prominent in John's mind, constantly thinking things over and rolling ideas through his head. However, there was one thing he thought of. One thing that maybe the Batman could assist in.
"Oi, Batman," Constantine called to him.
The man didn't give a verbal response. But he did tilt his head slightly more towards John, signaling that he was listening. Multitasking, clearly. At least he didn't ignore John.
"…There's something I wanted to ask," John began. "Well, more like suggest involvin' the kid…"
"What is it?" Batman asked, his eyes focused ahead of him as they walked.
John took a moment to carefully think about what he was about to suggest. "Once we get the whole thing situated with the kid, I was thinkin' that… Maybe we do a psych evaluation on them?"
"You want to evaluate them?" Robin curtly turned to John, butting his way into the conversation. "Why? What's wrong with them?"
"Aren't you just a flowery kind of personality, eh?" John remarked with a scowl to boy. He ignored the glare he received and looked to the other adult. "…To make a long story short, I had tried asking the kid to tell me more about what caused their powers. Had a panic attack whilst tryin' to tell me. Took me maybe a half hour and longer just to get them to stop. For them to react like that with me just simply askin' about their life, I doubt that this will be the last time they have one…"
"…I suspected something had happened to them." Batman stated as he stepped carefully over tree roots. "I was hoping that we could get them comfortable in one place first before we tried any of that. But, if it's proving difficulty, then I can try hurrying the documents and try getting them checked."
"Hold on, "documents"?" John asked, raising a brow at the back of his head.
Batman's head only slightly turned. "We're formulating a background for them. Something that'll prevent people from looking too deeply into them. We're trying to make them look like a resident of England, and allow them to go to school."
"It also prevents anyone from questioning either of you," Robin added as he gave John a once over. "They're just a normal kid, and you are just their normal guardian. Also prevents officials from taking too deep of a whiff…"
John narrowed his eyes at him, tapping his cigarette to the side before returning it back to his mouth. "Hey, what's that suppose to mean…?"
"It's a cover story." Batman stated simply, attempting to keep the peace from either side tearing into each other. "It protects Y/N and yourself, as you will be hosting them in your house for a time. It should help them with their schooling, and if you think they need a psyche evaluation, then we can make it happen with those documents. We planned to go over the story with either of you once the documents had been forged, and data changed."
"That's…" John felt almost at a loss for words. Almost. "…Efficiently creepy. For someone who always works on "the side of justice," you can do some pretty ugly things…"
"If you think forging documentation is "ugly," then you're more inept to the world than I thought you were." Robin huffed snakily as he kicked off of a large tree root, landing perfectly without struggle.
"Kid, do you have any idea of what I do for a livin'?" John glared at the child, finally having enough of his shit. "I quite literally meet with the aftermath of humanities worst people. I regularly have to vanquish and banish creatures from the Hells on a daily basis. I don't want to hear how horrible human beings can be from someone who probably still sucks from the teet…!"
The young boy Robin whirled around suddenly, quickly rushing to invade John's space, all whilst almost yelling, "Just who do you think—"
"Enough!" Batman barked.
Both John and Robin stiffened, looking over to Batman as he had paused his walking. There was no "calm in the face of tension" on the man's face. He's clearly reaching his limit. Irritation clear over his face as he turned to face both of them, quickly stalking over with a long stride and pulled Robin back by his shoulder.
"If you wish to stay on this mission, then you will quit attacking the people around you verbally." Batman stated firmly. "If you cannot withhold yourself from that, then I will send you back to the jet and wait. Got it?"
"But Father—!" The young boy tried to argue.
"Robin." Batman warned, eyes narrowed and all.
The young boy stared up at him. It took a moment before he relented, huffing as he turned away, ripping his shoulder from the man's grasp and crossing his arms firmly over his chest. Just when John thought it was over, Batman turned his head to him. The narrowed white eyes made John freeze, realizing that he was about to be next.
"Mock me all you want, Constantine. But so far as I'm concerned, I am the one thing holding this entire operation together." Batman stated lowly and coldly. "I am not doing this for you, or for Zatanna. There is a child in need here. One who could maybe do some good in this world full of people who want to do the opposite. So, what'll it be, Constantine? Because I can rip up that check and take the child into my care if that's what it takes."
John stared into his face, narrowing his eyes and trying not to throw a punch into Batman's face. He tried to quell the rising anger. Actively trying to stay level headed and to actually think calmly. A part of him wanted to say "fine! Good riddance! Take the kid!" But, John knew it would break Zatanna's heart if she heard. He also knew that if the child was left in Batman's hands, things could go very wrongly with magic like that unchecked.
So, for once in John's life, he decided to be obedient.
"…I know this whole thing is about the kid. Why else do you think I'm bringin' up a Psyche evaluation, huh? For shits and giggles?" John replied back as calmly as he could. "I mean it. The kid should see somebody, maybe even some medication. Just something to keep 'em stable, that's all. I'll be as cooperative as they come, don't worry your pretty head about that. Just keep that one far away from me, and we can consider ourselves square…"
Batman stared back at John for what felt like forever. His narrowed eyes baring into John like a final warning. Finally, the man turned around, stepping away from John's space enough that he felt like he could breathe. He hadn't even realized he was holding in a bit of his breath before he was able to sigh it all out through his cigarette. Unfortunately, that meant most of it burned up, forcing him to tap the ash off and to crush it with his foot.
"Robin. Stay close to me." Batman commanded curtly.
The young boy barely replied. Instead, he quickly turned and followed step, trailing side by side with the man in the dark cape. John stared for a moment before following after, still trying to quell his racing heart. He could feel the tension building in his head from the stress. Or maybe it was the hangover? Either way, it was making his head feel a bit too tight for his skull. All John could hope for was that they would find the kid sooner rather than later.
"…Why're we doing this, Father?" Robin quietly asked Batman. But not quiet enough for John to not hear. Either the child didn't realize it, or he just didn't care. "You told me this wouldn't be our responsibility."
"…It's our duty to help those in need," Batman stated, clearly trying to be calm in his response to him. "We found Y/N, so it's up to us to make sure they're safe. Zatanna and Constantine both know more about magic than us. They will host Y/N more, but when it comes to situations like this, it's best that we get involved…"
John scowled, but didn't say a word to interrupt. At least Batman was giving John and Zatanna some credit here. He tried not letting their words get to him, though. Talking as if he wasn't here in the first place was really starting to irritate him…
"Won't this cause issues for us?" Robin asked. "Secret identities and all…"
"I'm surprised you care so much about our identities lately…" Batman replied, giving Robin a slight look.
"It's imperative that we keep our identities secret," Robin said with his head held a little too high. "It's the one thing I agree on as a smart move, Father. However, I still don't understand how it's our responsibility over someone else, when there's an entire city that needs our aid…"
"Because…" Batman paused before giving a final answer. "…It's the right thing to do."
Robin seemed to click his tongue and scoff, but said nothing else. It was enough to express how he felt on the matter.
Whatever irritation John was feeling in that moment had simmered down upon hearing Batman's words. He stared at the back of the man's head, and couldn't help but compare himself to him. Where John wants to do good, he often times mess up. Often he ends up regretting his actions. John typically finds it's better to be responsible for himself than others. Where as Batman takes on others, and clearly has the resources to support them. The check in John's pocket was evident enough as it was.
It made John question is he was a good enough of a person to be doing this.
"…This way," Batman's voice snapped John out of his thoughts.
As they walked, John was beginning to recognize the area more and more. That pit of unease was forming again, and he couldn't help but speak up.
"Keep an eye on our surroundings," John spoke up. "These woods aren't exactly normal…"
"This swamp holds something, doesn't it?" Batman asked, briefly casting John a look over his shoulder.
"You could say that…" John murmured. "Let's just hope the kid's holding out fine…"
"…You keep talking like there's something to worry about," Robin stated as he barely glanced over his shoulder to John. "What's in these swamps?"
"Let's just say that the swamp is more alive than it seems," John spoke vaguely as he cautiously looked around. "Hopefully it'll just let us roam in peace, as long as we don't burn down the swamp…"
"You talk like you've had experience," Batman stated, his head only glancing up forward to watch where he's stepping.
John let out a high pitched sound, shrugging his shoulders to his ears. A noise that neither confirmed nor denied the accusation. But given that it was Batman who asked, the man could probably figure out the truth. As John looked back to the man in front, he noticed how Batman's head jerked up suddenly.
"We're close. Let's try to survey the situation before rushing in." Batman said.
"Why? Do you see somethin'?" John asked as he felt a nerve jolt in his chest. His brain begging for it to not be the worse case scenario.
"I don't see. That's the issue." Batman stated simply. "Stay close and stay low."
"Oh, just… lovely…" John murmured sarcastically, following after the larger man. But as he glanced right, he couldn't help but notice something. "Hey… Where's the kid?"
Batman didn't give a response. He turned his head and looked, seeing what John was referring to. More like what he couldn't see. Robin has disappeared from beside them the moment Batman gave the earlier command. John couldn't help but glance back, seeing the surprised expression on Batman's face, and watched how he very quickly turned his head up to the trees. Following his line of sight John looked up to the tree branches. They both caught sights of the young Robin boy, getting smaller and smaller from their spot, as he leapt from branch to branch like it was nothing. When John glanced back to Batman's face he could see the grown man glowering.
"Guess you don't have a better handle on kids than I thought," John said with a shrug.
Batman did not dignify him with a response. All he did was give John a look, and the blonde Brit was already looking at anywhere other than him, already sensing the heat from his glare.
"We have to hurry now, before Robin does something brash," Batman said as the man leapt forwards.
"O-Oi! I didn't agree to this…!" John growled, trying to keep pace as to not lose sight of the man in black.
John did his best to keep up with Batman. Even though the sun was clearly coming out more and more, it was still disorienting seeing his black cape fly behind him as he weaved around dark trees. As they quickly went deeper into the swamp, they came to a halt when they heard a shout. A familiar one.
"Oh, bloody…!" John growled as both he and Batman surged forwards.
Neither adult could deny who's shout that was. They both surged forwards, rushing more than before as they realized the two children could be in danger. As they both pushed branches out of their way, rushing and both worrying the worst of what could be happening, neither of them expected to see what they did through the clearing of the swamp.
In all fairness, this wasn't the strangest thing John's seen before…
.
.
You remembered screaming when you saw something emerging from the water.
Panic. Absolute panic was beginning to take over you.
You had been doing such a good job at hiding. You had been evading the Cult so well. Why now? Why now, was there something emerging from the waters, clearly aiming to get you? Did more of the Deep Ones find you? Had they somehow sensed you in the area and decided it was their time to strike?
You began pulling harder. Panic consuming your thoughts. You hadn't even realized you fell backwards as you pulled on your leg, hands trembling and feeling weak as you tried to pull the strange vines off. You wanted to cry. You could feel the way your panic grip your throat, reminding you of the claws of the Deep Ones. Of being choked, and on the verge of death.
You couldn't pry your eyes from the swampy water, watching how it fell off of the figure emerging from it's depths. Silhouetted from the house across the bay, practically blocking it's view as it stood from the waters. You couldn't hear Ella's words telling you to be calm, trying to call to you from the depths of your mind. All you could focus on was the strange form in front of you, standing over you even from the waters, as you couldn't think at all. You barely even registered warm hands grabbing your shoulders and turning you, as your eyes barely even realized you were staring at a person.
"Hey! Hey, it's alright…!"
A much softer, and sweeter voice suddenly spoke to you. One you hadn't heard before.
Your breath caught. You stared, body freezing, as you tried to register what was happening in front of you. A woman was in front of you now suddenly. Her entire being strangely captivated you. Her sun tanned features clear in her skin, bright eyes staring down at you with concern and worry. But part of what captured your attention the most was her hair. Wild and curly, almost looking untamed, as you realized her hair was mostly white. White, with black strands contrasting the color here and there. Long and draping over her shoulders. Her hair was so thick in how it framed her, it was as if it acted as blinders to hide the sights behind her.
A woman, you realized. A human woman was kneeling beside you.
Her hands were warm in contrast to your cold, damp clothing. An anchor, you realized. Something that pulled you out of your terror. You stared at the woman, now slowly beginning to feel sensations in your fingers and toes again. The more you stared the more your realized that you weren't screaming anymore. All you were doing was staring. Mind wondering and whirling, now finally beginning to question why you were seeing a human woman in front of you.
You watched the way the woman's eyes darted around your face, scanning you up and down, returning to you face every now and then. Examining you, you realized. You finally let go of the breath that had been caught when she tried to fix your wet hair in an attempt of seeing you face better. You couldn't help the jolt of you hand raising, trying to keep a barrier of some kind between you and her. Realizing a stranger was touching you. You hadn't even realized she was asking you questions until your sudden movement seemed to even startle her.
"–Oh! I, um, I'm sorry," Softly spoke the woman as she finally pulled her hands away from you, but still held them out cautiously. As if ready to catch you just in case. "I didn't mean to scare you. It's uh, been a while since I've spoken with another person before. I, um, I must've forgotten my manners."
The woman shook her head, eyes blinking, and cheeks being a light rosy color. You realized she was… embarrassed. Such a normal, human reaction felt so… odd to you, suddenly. That watching her made you feel more perplexed than you had been previously.
"But, ah, you were panicking and I…" She shook her head again, took in a breath, and collected herself quickly. "I'm sorry. Are you—are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere, or are you in any pain?"
You didn't have it in you to speak. Even the buzzing whispers in your mind that you had grown a bit accustomed to seemed to quiet, as if even they were entranced by her. You shook your head left to right in answer, you eyes wide and never leaving her form.
"Oh, that's a relief…!" She seemed to exhale in relief, shoulders sagging as she even flashed you a momentary smile. Her eyes darted around your form and seemed to lock onto your leg. "Ah, you're stuck. Hold just for one moment, okay? That can't be comfortable…"
Your eyes never left her form, locked onto each movement she did. Her hands reached to your leg and carefully she grabbed the vine that locked itself around you. With the smallest of grunts she loosened the vine from your leg, which you quickly pulled away once you realized you could be freed from it. You almost missed how she had been so careful in how she handled the plant that you realized that she was handling it as if it was a wild animal. Being gentle enough to not harm you, but to also not harm the plant.
It was very strange to you.
"There we go…!" The woman smiled as she gently set the plant down, pulling her hands back and letting them rest in her lap. She made a point of taking in a deep breath, then slowly exhaling it out. "All better now. You must've been really frightened to be screaming like that, huh?"
You stared at her. Head feeling foggy, as if it was finally emerging from a hot shower. You had a hard time thinking clearly. Again, almost afraid to speak, you only moved your head in a nod.
"I can understand," the woman said as she nodded softly to you, as if sympathetic. "These swamps can be really scary and confusing on your own. Did you get lost wandering into the swamp? How did you get so far in on your own…?"
"…I…" You had a hard time answering her. Mind still trying to process everything. Finally, feeling like you have a grasp of yourself, you squinted your eyes at her. "Who… Who are you? And, uh, where exactly are we…?"
The woman blinked at you before her mouth went slightly agape, seeming surprised by your question. "Oh my gosh, where are my manners!" She woman suddenly fanned her face, the redness seeming to deepen in her cheeks, as she wore a sheepish smile on her face. "You can call me Abigail. I live in these swamps with my husband. We're not really used to seeing other people around, heh…"
You couldn't help but find the woman to be strange. An apprehension taking over you. You find it hard to be trusting of people you first met, and although with Abigail seemed kind, you couldn't help but find her demeanor to be… odd. You looked past her for the first time finally, an attempt to take in your surroundings really, until you spot the figure just a stride away from either of you.
The fear etched into your face was apparent, your body naturally lurching back as you lifted your arms up to shield you. Abigail, seeing your reaction, quickly moved herself between you and the creature that has been standing in the water this entire time.
"It's okay! It's okay, I promise you…!" Abigail said as she held her hands in in front of you, and to the creature behind her as she seemed to speak to either of you. "You're not in any danger, I promise you. This here…" She turned her head and smiled to the creature. "This is my husband."
You couldn't hide the confusion and judgment on your face. You must've lost your mind. It was the only explanation. You've lost your mind in these swamps and your imagining pretty women married to strange and scary plant monsters.
"Abby…" A deep, rumbling voice spoke. Your eyes widened as you realized it came from the plant monster. "Is this… a wise thing… to do?"
The woman simply turned her head to him and smiled. A smile so sweet and genuine that it caught you off guard. "…I believe that this is the right thing to do. They're a child, and they're scared. We can't leave them here like this, my love…"
There was something about her words that was so strangely endearing that you realized your tense posture was relaxing. You could even see it in how the strange plant creature seemed to bow his head, as if understanding her words. But whatever relaxation you felt vanished when you saw it climbing the bank, leaving the waters as it came to stand in front of the both of you. Being even closer now you realized how towering this creature was…
"You poor thing, all soaked to the bone…" Abigail said, causing your attention to move to her and see her concerned expression. "Did you fall into the river? It's dangerous, you know. You can never trust the 'gators in these parts."
Abigail climbed to her feet and finally gave you a chance to see her clothing. Rather comfortable clothing, you realized. A light colored, loose flowy shirt, and loose pants to match. Sandals on her feet as if she had just slipped them off quick. You realized she was wearing pajamas, and briefly you wondered if your screaming had woken her up. It was her holding her hand out to you that snapped you out of your thoughts.
"Let's get you all cleaned and dried up now," Abigail said as she smiled softly at you. "Those clothes can't be comfortable…"
You stared at her, mind racing as your eyes darted from her and the creature standing not too far away. You apprehension was clear to either of them, since you saw no reason to hide it. You were still trying to figure out if you should still be screaming or not.
"I… I know this might seem all scary," Abigail spoke softly to you. Clearly trying not to frighten you as if you were a stray cat. "But, I promise you, Swamp Thing here won't harm you as long as I'm here."
"…How can I trust you?" You dared to ask, eyeing both of them warily.
Abigail seemed to look over to the creature, the one she called "Swamp Thing," as if to let him take charge. He seemed to stare down at you, seeming to evaluate you this entire time. His head shifted towards her, and it was hard to ignore the sound of what you thought to be creaking wood. A sound you quickly realized that came from him each time he moved. You genuinely contemplating to run when he seemed to look back down at you, his gaze alone keeping you in place.
"Why… should we… trust you?" He asked you in question, causing you to furrow your brows. "A stranger… deep in our home… Deeper than where… most people reside. A disturbance… in the Green… How can we… trust you…?"
You found his speech to be strange. It was almost hard to understand him with how much he pauses. But, even as spooked as you are, you got the gist of it. Abigail's supposed "husband" was wary of you as much as you were of them. You didn't understand what he meant by "Green," or what the disturbance was, but you couldn't help but wonder if you and Ella were the cause of it.
Could he somehow tell that Ella resided inside of you? That your closed kept secret that you were trying to protect was somehow exposed to him? You felt on edge, staring back at this creature. It was… odd. Looking at him. Seeing how he was made out of plantation, formed and molded in a way that made him look humanoid. You couldn't help but wonder if somehow he knew anything about the Deep Ones. About the Cult that's been hunting you down.
It was hard for you not to be wary. Not just of him, but of the woman, Abigail. You found it hard to place any trust into them. But, you were out here alone. Yes, you had Ella with you. That was really all you needed, in truth. But, John still had no idea where you were. A part of you wondered if he even realizes that you're gone. Either way, you're stuck here by yourself. It was up to you to keep both you and Ella safe now.
You said your first name to them. Upon hearing it, Abigail let out a soft smile, and repeated it back to you.
"…That's a nice name," she said in a way that almost made you feel like she meant it.
"…Thank you…?" You replied awkwardly. Uncertain of how to take in the strange praise. You looked back to Swamp Thing, seeing his intense stare, and knew that you had to reveal more. "…I don't really know what you mean by "Green," or what "disturbance" you're talking about, but I didn't mean to…"
You waved your hands back and forth, trying to figure out what words to use. "Disturb the waters? I'm…" You hesitated, but upon seeing Abigail's gaze, you caved in ever so slightly. "I'm not from around here. I'm… lost, and I might've disturbed some of the plant life here. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
There was a deep rumbling noise, causing you to lift your head. You realized it came from Swamp Thing, voice so deep that you could feel it in your chest. He wasn't particularly loud or anything either, his face seeming to contemplating your words. For a plant creature, he seemed to be able to make facial expressions similar to that of a human. A bit awkward in some parts, but you could tell he was trying. You found it hard to decide if you were comforted by it, or perturbed.
"You avoided… the flowers…" Swamp Thing stated.
Both you and Abigail lifted your heads up, looking back towards the area of which you came from. You had, indeed, made it possible to avoid as many flowers as you could. Not a single one seemed damaged or ruined. A small part of you felt glad. They were pretty flowers, despite how panicked you had been initially about it all.
"Abby put… much effort… in their growth…" Swamp Thing said as you slowly looked back to him. "They are such… fragile creations… But you avoided them… For that… you may stay…"
You blinked at him in surprise. You watched him turn his back to you, seeming to make his way back into the water. As he stood there, unbothered by the swampy waters, you realized he was lifting his hands and the vegetation was moving. You watched as roots and vines emerged from the edges of the banks, meeting together and forming a bridge from on side to the other. Leading to the house, you realized.
A part of you was in awe. You had barely felt the ground rumble or moved. Most of the plantation he used from what was there in the water, you realized. The bridge was small, meaning that you could only walk single file through, but it was an obvious bridge nonetheless. A part of you wondered just how far his powers could go with using the plant life around you all.
But the thought didn't last. You caught movement from the corner of your eye and looked, watching Abigail shifting from where she was. She smiled down at you and offered her hand once more. This time, you weren't as afraid. Your cold hand clasped her warm ones, and you pushed off of your legs to stand.
"Let's get you cleaned up, and maybe some drier clothes," Abigail said. "After that, I can take you back into town. We can probably help you figure out where to go from there, okay?"
Meekly you nodded. Maybe you could find someone who could help you? Maybe you could look up John's name somehow and find a phone number. You doubted you were in England anymore. Abigail's voice didn't reveal an accent such as that. She sounded American to you. It made you wonder just where you really were.
As you lifted your head to look back to the house, you felt as though something strange happened. You followed after Abigail across the bridge made, her taking lead and you walking a pace behind her. As you stared at the house you began to realize that it wasn't just what you had thought to be a simple house. Where you thought it was the average building made by man, where it had wood built on the outside of it, the more you realize it wasn't quite that.
There was wood. But there was vines all around and in between them. Thick moss and even grass was on top of it's roof. And as the sun rose, lighting more of the area than it had before, you couldn't help by stare at the strange beauty of it. You realized that just like how the Swamp Thing had created this bridge, he must have created the house. Morphing plantation in a way that created a structure of living plants.
'This is… This is crazy…' you couldn't help but think to yourself.
'…The power to manipulate the environment… A feat that not many can have done…' Ella spoke, her words almost making you jump. '…We should remain cautious. Learn as much as we can, as we try to find our way back to John Constantine…'
"Hm…? Did you say something?" Abigail suddenly asked, turning to you as she had stopped in front of the strange house to look down at you.
You halted in your steps, just now stepping off of the bridge, and looking back up in her in alarm. You shook your head back and forth. "N-no. I didn't say anything…"
"Oh, alright…" Abigail smiled down at you one more time before turning to face the house once more.
You watched her for a moment, now feeling more apprehensive than before. You didn't say anything aloud, did you? There was no way you did, right? A part of you began to second question yourself, wondering if you had spoken your thoughts aloud. But when you thought about it more, the more it didn't quite make sense. You felt tense all over again. Wary of the people you were following.
Just when you thought of turning back, you heard water lightly splashing. When you gazed back you saw the bridge that Swamp Thing made collapse. The plant life returning to the water as if nothing had happened before. The creature still standing in the water, closer to you and the house now, as you could see him moving his supposed hands down in a slow motion. Effectively getting rid of the idea of turning back.
Ella was right. It was a strong power indeed. You had to be cautious of them.
'…Beware the woman…' Ella warned you in a hushed voice. Her voice was normally soft to you, but it was clear that even she was trying to be quiet in your mind. '…She may not be as harmless as she seems…'
You subconsciously nodded your head in agreement with Ella. A part of you almost afraid of actually voicing your thoughts aloud. With apprehension taking hold, you looked back to the house, and slowly followed Abigail inside.
Your time with them was… odd.
Their house was entirely made of plant life. From the inside and out, all of it was made of a collection of plants. A part of you became aware of the fact that because the house was made up of plants, that Swamp Thing could use his powers on you at any moment. A cautious thought that left you feeling unease. You declined all offers of food, still too wary to trust anything inside. Thankfully Abigail didn't seem as bothered, but you could tell she was trying to figure out how to make you feel comfortable.
Upon declining food, Abigail offered you clothes, a simple bright red shirt and jean shorts. Clothing that was clearly hers. She also offered a bath, and you were surprised to see a bin big enough for you to enter and submerge yourself into water. Abigail set the entire thing up for you, walking back and forth from one place to enough to fill the bin with water, and you could see the steam coming from the bucket she used repeatedly. Another odd thing to you.
As apprehensive as you were, you had taken the clothes and changed in private, wishing to peel off the wet clothes that clung to you. They were beginning to smell of bog, and it made you feel grossed out. You tried to be fast with your bath. Just scrubbing enough to not feel like the water you had emerged from, and enough to where the smell didn't flood your nose anymore.
When you left the bath and dried off with towels (again, another thing that felt almost out of place here,) you tried on the clothes. The shirt was too big, and the shorts were loose in places you weren't used to. You reminded yourself it was temporary, trying to keep the shorts up with your hands as you exited the supposed bathroom.
When you stepped out you saw that the clothes you wore previously were clearly cleaned, and now hung on a clothes line outside. As you gazed away you couldn't help but notice what felt like the oddest thing to you at this moment. Much to your surprise, there was a fire pit. One that was lit and active, with a small fire going. Stone carefully laid to keep a barrier around it and to prevent it from spreading. Abigail was crouched in front of it, seeming to stir a small pot, as her strange husband was nowhere to be seen.
"How come you have a fire pit?" You couldn't help yourself but ask her. "Isn't that kinda… you know…?"
Abigail let out a small chuckle as she nodded in understanding. "Rather unsafe, huh? Well, we constructed it in a way so that the fire sits on stone. The fire can't spread to anywhere else in the house, and we have vent holes made by the vines above our heads that allows the smoke to escape. If you can believe it, it was actually Swamp Thing's idea."
Now you felt more confused than before. "Why would he do that?"
"Well, for me." Abigail stated.
You had gotten a bit closer to where she was, feeling the small wave of heat that came from the fire. When you gazed over at her you saw that she was focused on the pot she was stirring, and a small smile on her face. But you realized it wasn't really a joyful one. As you looked at her you realized that it looked more… sad, in a way. You couldn't help yourself but crouch where you stood, arms hugging your knees, as you stared at Abigail in hopes that she continued.
"…Because I'm human, it's important that I don't get cold," Abigail explained as she added what appeared to be spices into the pot, her eyes focused on mixing the contents well together. "Swamp Thing might not seem like it, but he's a worrier. He cares a lot, just as I care for him. He doesn't want me getting sick just because I got cold. So, we both will compromise for the other. Although he is made of plant life, and cares deeply for the Earth's growth, he understands that burning a few sticks every now and then won't cause too much harm to it."
"Huh…" You murmured, a bit surprised by her words.
It was still odd to you. How Abigail spoke of her husband so fondly, as if he wasn't a walking plant monster. The fact that he would willingly let a fire burn so his wife doesn't get cold, even though he is made of plants himself, almost boggled you. How oddly human Abigail's husband was. It made you wonder just what exactly was he?
"…Speaking of," Abigail began as she pulled your attention back to her. "Swamp Thing said something interesting to me. He told me that it was as if you possibly… came from one of the swamp's many ponds?" She was looking at you now, spoon pulled from her pot as her attention was on you now. "Do you know what he meant by that…?"
You tensed by the very question. You stared at the fire, watching how controlled it was. The flame of it sometimes licking up the bottom and side of the pot, but not large enough to actually catch on anything. You were unsure of how to answer her.
"…You're not in trouble or anything," Abigail added, causing your eyes to flicker to hers. "We just want to know what happened, that's all. These swamps can be very dangerous, especially for someone so young as yourself…"
You narrowed your eyes at her. "…Are you telling me that even here I'm in danger?"
"What…?" She looked at you in surprise, looking almost caught off guard by your question. "No, that's not what I mean at all. We just want to make sure you aren't in any danger or anything, that's all…!"
The gaze she gave you looked almost sad. She was so open with her concern and worry for you, it felt… strange. It made your gut coil. A part of you felt silly. Were you really working yourself up over something so silly? Or, were you just in your wariness? You felt like you were in a game of tug of war with yourself, and honestly, it felt like it was turning into a stalemate.
Don't you want to talk about it?
The hairs on your arms prickled on end. A shiver crawled its way up your arms and down your back, making you let out a small shiver. You stared at the fire, eyes narrowing in confusion. Your heart rate picked up it's pace. Beating quicker in your chest as your felt the muscles tightening.
…You can talk about it…
A sinking feeling was in your gut now. That wasn't your voice inside of your head. And, it also wasn't Ella's. You know her voice well by now. Where echoes of a multitude of voices were almost common in your head now, this one was singular. Like someone gently whispered something in your ear. Where Ella's voice was quiet and calm, this voice was soft. Different in contrast to hers, in a way. One that felt hard to describe. This voice was soft, and almost lulling. As if trying to be comforting. Ella's was quiet. Calm. Almost monotone in her deliveries when she spoke, even when she tries to be comforting.
…Don't you want to get it off of your chest?
"Stop it." You said, nose scrunched in irritation as you shook your head as if to rid it of the voice.
"W…What?" Abigail looked at you with big eyes, lashes fluttering in confusion.
"I said, stop it." You restated as you finally looked over at her with narrowed eyes. "I recognize your voice. Whatever you're trying to do with my head, it isn't going to work."
Abigail looked away from you, her head even tilted a bit downwards, as if shy of being caught in the act. A part of you was surprised yourself with how quickly you realized it. It was hard to ignore how Ella's presence has effected you this far. How the many whispers you sometimes would hear was a multitude of voices, and not just the same ones. Ella's specific voice, however, was very distinct to you. You couldn't possibly ever mistake it for anyone else's. But, this has now caused you to raise questions the longer you stared at Abigail.
"…I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to cause you harm," Abigail admitted as she finally gazed back towards you. "I just…"
She paused, as if contemplating what exactly to say. As she looked you in the eyes again she took in a deep breath, as if to prepare herself. It made you feel flighty. You couldn't help but notice the door to this house was wide open, and made sure to keep it in mind.
"…Swamp Thing doesn't trust you," Abigail admitted in almost a heavy breath as she gazed to the crackling fire. "He says that there's something… off, about you. Something that we can't quite figure out. Like I said before, he's a worrier, hehe…!"
Her laughter trailed off, almost sounding sad as she began to play with the seam of her pants leg. Still in those pajama-type clothes, you realized.
"…I don't know what it exactly is," Abigail confessed. "Even I can sense something… strange… However, we meant it when I said that we won't bring you any harm. We just want to know what you are, and what your intentions are here…"
"What I am? What about you?" You threw back at her with a slight glare. "Your "husband" chased me from the woods! I thought I was going to die…! And you can suddenly suggest things inside of my head…?! How can I trust either of you after everything…!?"
Abigail stared at you for a moment. You held her gaze, your own hands falling back into your lap after your quick raving. When you were about to stand up and demand your clothes back so you can leave, the woman beside you spoke.
"Swamp Thing's goal is to protect the Green," Abigail explained suddenly to you. It momentarily made your anger pause to listen. "The Green is the Earth, and her plant life. He wishes to protect it, so that it may live and prosper. But, it's not a simple task. He also wishes to share his life with me, as I wish to share mine with him. Not many people understand it, and there was a time where people hated us for it…"
"For… For protecting the Earth…?" You asked, brows furrowed as you didn't quite understand.
"No," Abigail shook her head as she gazed back at you. "For our love. They were disgusted by the fact that I loved someone made of plants. And, I know it sounds crazy, but Swamp Thing is much more than that. He's not just a monster, or plant life that can walk."
Her eyes seemed to turn glossy upon her own words, and you realized she was becoming choked up by the memories. "He's my husband, and I love him… So very, very much… And I would do anything if it meant he and I could stay together…"
You found your tense shoulders slightly begin to loosen. The muscles that were tensing up inside of you was slowly beginning to unwind and relax upon hearing Abigail's words. She gazed away from you and wiped her eyes, clearly trying to not show you the tears that were threatening to spill. Almost to your horror, you began to suddenly understand her more than you thought you would.
Where Abigail had Swamp Thing as her husband, wishing to spend her life with him, you had Ella, who you wished to protect. You had nurtured her back to health, and you tried your best to do what you can to protect her. Although you weren't sure you could say that your feelings for Ella was the same as Abigail's, you realized however that there was a similarity. You would do anything if it meant yours and Ella's safety.
"So…" Abigail's voice pulled you from your thoughts, as the shake in her voice did not go unnoticed. "What I'm trying to say is, I truly do not wish any harm to either you or my husband. I don't know what he really meant, but if it can put him at ease, I would like to know what happened, and why you're here. For the sake of our love and protecting our sanctuary, we would like to know why you're here…"
Your stared at Abigail for what felt like a long time, trying to weigh your options. You were still a bit mad, and a bit defensive for your own safety. However, upon making the connection with her as you had, you didn't realize how much you could understand someone until now. Maybe not fully, and not entirely in the way that Abigail and Swamp Thing was to each other, but it was truly the first time that you felt like maybe someone could understand how you felt about Ella. How much you were willing to risk protecting her, and yourself, just so the both of you could still have each other…
"…I…" You found it hard to find the words you wanted, knowing you had to be so very careful with what you share in this moment with her. "I have these… weird powers. I didn't always have them, but now that I do I've just been trying to… to figure them out, I guess? But, it's been easier said than done…"
You let out a tense sigh, forcing your shoulders to sag as you begged your body to relax. "…I didn't mean to cause any harm by showing up here. You have to believe me, I didn't mean to cause anything to happen. I just…" You lifted your hands up and gazed at them, counting all the slight cuts and scars you've already gained. "I just want to control them. To control these powers. I just, don't entirely know how to do that, and I'm trying to learn…"
"I see…" Abigail said softly, her gaze gentle where you expected ridicule. It felt so strange to you how kind her eyes were. You couldn't hold her gaze for very long. "I have a bit of powers myself. Not very useful ones, I'm afraid. I'm what a lot of people call an Empath. What little powers I have let's me be sensitive to the living beings around me, and I can put thoughts into their heads, and only read their surface thoughts. Not very useful powers, but they can help me get by every now and then…"
You took in what she said slowly. Thinking about what she said about her powers carefully. "So… You can sense things in others, in a way?"
Abigail nodded. "In a way," she confirmed. "Mostly emotions and sometimes thoughts, but it takes deep concentration for me to penetrate into deeper thoughts. It takes a lot out of me, so I try not to use them frequently."
"Hm…" You nodded to her, thinking you understood enough of what she meant. "I'm still trying to figure it out. My biggest issue is that I keep moving locations, and they're none that I've ever been to before."
"Really? Like, teleportation?" Abigail asked, her brows raised up on her forehead in surprise.
"I guess so," You shrugged at her. "I… recently got this teacher, who says he's going to try and help me control it. But, we haven't started yet, and I already disappeared on him…"
"I see. That must be hard on you," Abigail said as she nodded to you. "I think I'd be scared if I jumped from location to location without any control."
You looked up at her with a bit of surprise. "Even though you're an adult? You'd be scared?"
"Of course," Abigail nodded to you again. "Everyone can be scared. Even Swamp Thing gets scared." She gazed away from you and seemed to gaze off in thought. "I'm scared of a lot of things, really. So much so that sometimes I forget what to do." Suddenly she smiled. "But, it's part of why I have my husband. He keeps me grounded, and makes me feel safe. I know that Swamp Thing has more important things to worry about than me, but even though I get scared for him, I know that the good he does for the world out weighs the fear I have in those moments."
It was your turn to nod your head this time, gazing off into the fire with her as you felt like you could understand her a bit more than before. "…Does the fear ever get easier?"
"Well, it depends," Abigail said as you noticed her gazing back at you, causing you to do the same to her. "But, I can at least say that I don't feel my fears as strongly as I used to before. Everyone has different fears, and sometimes we don't always know how to handle it. Adults included. But, with enough time and even practice, anyone can conquer their fears."
"Even yours…?" You asked her softly.
"Even mine," Abigail nodded to you as she smile gently. "…You've been through a lot, haven't you?"
Weakly you nodded, your eyes shifting away from her as you almost felt ashamed to admit it. You weren't entirely sure of what fears Abigail had to face in her life, as she didn't make it clear what they were, but a part of you hoped you could grow to be calm as her. To have the strength to know what it would be like to not be afraid.
"Do you have any way of contacting your teacher by any chance? Or, parents, or someone?" Abigail asked with a furrowed brow of concern.
You quietly shook your head back and forth, admitting that you had no way of contacting John Constantine.
"Oh, you poor thing…!" Abigail whispered.
She reached her arms out to you and gently pulled you towards her, embracing you in a hug. You awkwardly leaned against her, your arms pinned to your side in awkward places, as you weren't entirely sure what to do with your arms. But as she held you against her, you could feel how warm she was. Even her hold on you was gentle. One hand rubbing your arm up and down with care, and the other stroking your head.
Although you tensed up initially, you found yourself relaxing into her, and catching the whiff of flowers on her. That tension that you held within you for so long relaxing finally, and although you should probably know better, you couldn't help but relax into her more. Allowing her to fully embrace you, and you allowing yourself the chance of letting your guard down. You don't think your tear ducts had any juice left in them to shed anymore tears, even though you felt that familiar burn behind them.
"I promise you, we'll try to figure it all out," Abigail said to you against the crown of your head. "You're welcomed to stay with up for as long as it takes. Maybe we can even help you locate your teacher for you…?"
"You… You can do that?" You asked, surprised not only by the kindness, but by the confidence of her words.
"Well, I can't. But, Swamp Thing might be able to," Abigail said as she pulled away from you just a bit, just so she could look at your face again. "How about this? You stay right here, and I'll go explain to Swamp Thing for you. He might be able to figure something out for you."
"Really…?" You asked, almost afraid to be hopeful for her words.
"Really." Abigail nodded, and flashed that smile once more. "Stay right here…"
The woman unraveled her arms from around you and you pulled away, watching her climb to her feet from where she sat. She walked quickly around you, seeming set on her mission, as she made her way out the door. You obediently stayed, watching from your sitting spot, and gazing out with the limited vision you had of the open door. You watched as Abigail went all the way to the river's bank, calling out to her husband. From what you saw, it did not take him very long to reappear again, and emerging from the water just as he had before.
'…Is this the right call…?' Ella suddenly asked, almost causing you to jump again.
"What do you mean…?" You whispered to her, eyes still gazing out the door at Abigail conversing with her husband.
'…SHOULD we trust them…?' Ella asked. '…You did well to not say too much, but is it wise to give them out the names of those we are closely confiding with…?'
You couldn't help the way your brows furrowed together by her words. Afraid to speak too much to her and get caught, you began to bite on your lower lip, with your teeth lightly kneading the flesh between them.
'You don't think we should tell them about John…?' You asked her.
'…I think we should be careful with how much we say,' Ella said calmly. 'It is up to you what we shall do, but beware, we just met these two. We should stay vigilante, and cautious…'
'Right… You're right…' You thought as you found yourself hugging your knees again. An uncertainty in your chest as you stared at the back of Abigail from afar. 'We should try to avoid talking in front of Abigail…'
Ella didn't respond to you after that. Clearly she understood where you were getting at. You tried to remain calm, not wanting to give yourself away. Abigail said that her powers weren't very helpful. But to you, where you keep trying to quell the panic, keep your secrets deep down inside, and where your safety net to speak with Ella is within your head—Abigail has suddenly become a big danger to you. Of keeping Ella hidden and safe.
You had to play your cards right. You tried to convince yourself that if you can keep yourself calm long enough that Swamp Thing can send you back to John, maybe you could pull this off with keeping your secret. Your true secret.
As you watch the door you see Abigail coming back to the home with Swamp Thing. You notice how Abigail smiled at you again as she entered, but took note as to Swamp Thing standing outside. Like he was refusing to enter. For whatever reason, whether it was your feelings or Ella's somehow influencing you, it made you feel uneasy. As you gaze back at Abigail she began to crouch down in front of you.
"Swamp Thing wants to ask you some questions," she said as you realize her smile was an attempt to quell your worries. "I have to stay inside and tend to the food I'm making, but it's up to you if you want to go with Swamp Thing."
"Go? Like, leave here?" You asked, your eyes darting from her and to the plant creature standing outside.
"Just stepping outside of the house," Abigail said. "I did tell him a bit about your powers. Swamp Thing wants to ask you a bit more about them, and about your teacher. There's a chance he can help you find them if you explain it enough."
Your eyes bounced from Abigail and Swamp Thing. You were uneasy with the idea of going with him. You had just warmed up to Abigail. You've barely said a word to Swamp Thing about much, if anything at all. And you can tell by just looking at him, seeing the way those abnormal red eyes bore into you. He was suspicious of you as well.
But you had to return to John. The sooner you left here, the sooner you could go home and maybe learn an actual spell. Something to stop you from teleporting around like you had been. You weren't sure if you liked the idea of being alone with him, but you had to try.
Softly you nodded to Abigail, unsure if you could trust your voice to say it. You pushed off of your legs and stood, grabbing the short that sag with a jolt. Seeing this, Abigail asked you to wait one second. You watched her hurry around a corner, probably to rummage through something, before returning with a belt in hand. She apologized to you about not having anything that fit, and you meekly responded that it was fine. She held you tie it around your waist, and once secured, she turned you to face her husband.
Swamp Thing stood there, watching the whole time. Eye narrowed. Clearly tense. It was weird to you, seeing how he was so apprehensive of you. In your eyes, he could probably snap you in half. Unsure of how he saw you in his eyes, you weren't sure why he seemed so on edge. But you couldn't keep digging your feet in for too long.
You slowly walked towards him, trying not to worry about how on edge you feel. The moment you got to the door way Swamp Thing turned and began walking. That same, creaking sound of wood could be heard, along with what almost sounded like a sloshing of something that reminded you of a mop. When you looked at his feet, you realized it was the wet vines that held him together.
As strange as he was to you, you almost couldn't help but find him fascinating. As much as he scared you, that is.
You followed Swamp Thing out, moving away from the house and more to the river bank. You made an attempt of standing more land-side, uneasy by being close to the water. You hadn't forgotten your deal with Ella. You made sure to keep away from any sort of bodies of water. Rivers and streams included, especially ones you couldn't see the bottom of. Eventually, Swamp Thing stopped and turned to you, causing you to lock your feet into place. You kept your distance, staring up at him, as he seemed to evaluate you in almost the same way.
"…Why did you… come here…?" Swamp Thing asked, still having those same breathy pauses.
You looked at him uneasily. You though Abigail told him? You found it hard to keep staring at his eyes, shifting between your feet with uncertainty. "…I didn't mean to," you admitted, before looking back and forth. "Not really… I can't control my powers well. I've been trying to, but it's been hard. I don't know how to make it stop…"
You heard a sort of rumble. One that made you look back at him, and realize that the deep noise was the sound of a hum. The kind of sound a person typically would make when they were trying to understand something. You watched as Swamp Thing slowly turned, and then crouched to the ground. You followed where he was staring at and realized he was kneeling before a patch of flowers. The same type of flowers that you had avoided trampling, also on this side of the river bed.
"Understanding power… takes patience…" Swamp Thing spoke, but he did not look at you anymore. He seemed more engrossed in the flowers before you. "But… Your power… It leaves a great disturbance… One that I… have never felt before…"
He turned his head towards you, and you felt yourself tensing under his gaze yet again. "You must… take caution… There is something… about your powers… that leaves a great unease… Power takes patience… Yours, it… Hm…"
You stared at him with curiosity now. You realized the connected vine over his eyes was his brow, and you watched it actually move into a scrunched up manner. You realized he was contemplating his own words. Does he somehow know more than Abigail about your powers…?
"Do you… Do you know where my powers come from?" You asked him, almost hesitant of hearing his answer.
"…No." Swamp Thing answered, and even shook his head. "I do not… What I do know… is that you leave… a disturbance around you… I can sense it within… Within the Green… The power you possess… It is foreign… Strange… It is not of the natural world… But… I can sense… something…"
""Something"? Like what?" You asked, your hands unable to stop themselves from fiddling with the end of the shirt Abigail lent you.
Swamp Thing stared at you hard, as if he was trying to see through you almost. You tried not to let it unease you. Hoping that if you stayed calm, he would just let it go and leave you alone. Mostly you were afraid of letting him alert Abigail. If she could read minds, then she was sure to find Ella. You couldn't let it happen. You promised her, after all.
"I sense… the sea…" Swamp Thing said. Just hearing the word made your heart pound. Again, you tried to keep yourself calm and at ease, not even realizing you were back to biting your lip. "A connection… One to the deep ocean… But, it's fractured… I can sense something there… but I cannot tell what…" He lowered his head more, forcing you to catch his gaze. His red eyes unsettling you. "…Whatever you do… you must be cautious… The water… It connects to you… Let that be a starting point… in your search for control…"
"Wait, are you saying I should start with the ocean?" You asked him, finding his long answer almost confusing.
"…Maybe…" Swamp Thing said. You tried not to let your annoyance eat at you as you realized he had more to say. "Instead, focus… that connection you have… Connect yourself… with the ocean… and see where it leads…"
You stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. You gazed down at your hands and began to think. When you had thrown up the shield back in Gotham, it had been raining then. Also, you had crawled out of the ocean when you had arrived. Did that have something to do with it? Or was it just Ella's naturally connection to the ocean? Upon thinking about it, John was even asking you if you had involvement with water. Again, more questions than answers. However, that meant you could offer up the ideas to John and see what he thought.
"Alright… I could try that," You said softly and nodded to him, curling your hands and dropping them to grab the ends of the shirt again. "Thank you…"
Swamp Thing gave you a nod, and turned his attention to the flowers at your feet. "…Patience will help you grow… Flowers… take attention… and time… Abby told me… you have a teacher… They will show you things… give you the tools for it… but it will be up to you… to garden your own flowers…"
You slowly nodded your head, understanding a bit more of what Swamp Thing was telling you. Seeing how he kept staring at the flowers, you couldn't help what you said next.
"You really like Abby's flowers," you said.
You watched as Swamp Thing lifted his head and stared at you with an intensity that you weren't used to. At first you thought he was angry, even going to step away, but the longer you looked the more you realized it wasn't exactly anger.
"I do…" He answered you. And once more, his eyes returned to the flowers. "I had told her… long ago… that they would not grow… that these flowers did not naturally have a place here… But, Abby insisted… And she caused them to grow… Gave them much time and care… They were just a patch… Small, an easy to maintain… And then, suddenly, without… my aid… they flourished… All because of Abby…"
Upon hearing his story, you lifted your head up and took a moment to look around you. You realized it explained how strange the type of flower had been made to grow. How they were in bundles and almost looked like they were thrown around the river bay wildly. You realized that where you and Swamp Thing stood was a much more organized patch. One that was clearly the start of them all, as they were taller than the ones surrounding them. Abby started the flowers, and they seemed to have spread everywhere.
"Isn't that technically bad for other flowers…?" You asked Swamp Thing, feeling not as afraid as before to look at his face.
"…Not these ones…" He answered. "They do not… naturally come from here… But, Abby found a way… to make them grow… They will become… apart of this area's… ecosystem… and flourish with it… Just as Abby has…"
You let out a hum and nodded, finding his answers to be interesting to you. Although his speech was slow, and you really had to focus on what he said so you didn't miss it, you found each of his answers to be almost delightful to hear. It wasn't lost on you how bringing up his wife made him seem much softer than before.
"You really love Abby, huh?" You asked, finding Swamp Thing to be more curious than anything else right now.
"…Of course…" He answered and looked at you, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She is my wife…"
You couldn't help how you smiled at him. Your apprehension of Swamp Thing slowly diminishing. Not completely, as you were still wary of him. But hearing how he spoke about Abby, and how he wasn't trying to be mean towards you, and even giving you advice, made you reconsider how you imagined him in your mind.
"…I am strange to you…" Swamp Thing said. More like stated as a fact.
You looked at him carefully and shrugged your shoulders. "Yeah, a little bit." You admitted. "But, I'm strange to you, right? Fair's fair, right?"
"Hmm…" Swamp Thing let out a deep rumble, his eyes moving away from you and seeming to stare off into the distance. "…Fair …is fair…"
"Yeah," You nodded your head to him. "Fair is fair." You looked back at the flowers and began to almost stew into your thoughts. "…Well, fair should be fair… Doesn't mean it is, but it should be. If I knew more about my powers I'd tell you more, but… I really don't know how they work…"
It wasn't really a lie, right? You thought to yourself quietly. A twisted truth, in a way. Because, honestly, you really didn't know how all of it did work. You knew Ella was apparently strong enough to grant you powers. For you to throw out spells and use abilities. But, you still had a hard time understanding it.
Ella had told you long ago that she would gift you the powers, and it would be up to you to use it. It was hard for you to understand it. Where could you really start? You could make small mental suggestions to people. Like subconscious thoughts. But it scared you at times. You hadn't forgotten what happened back in Idaho. The faces of that couple still haunts your dreams at times. You were scared to really try, if you were honest. Although it was clear that Ella hadn't meant for their deaths, it troubled you with how easily it could be obtained.
Could you really learn to control them…?
"…Come here…" Swamp Thing spoke, grabbing your attention out of your troubled thoughts.
You looked at him in confusion and stepped a bit closer, unsure what exactly he wanted. As you stood a bit more beside him, Swamp Thing lifted his hand to the ground. It hovered over it, moving slightly back and forth, as if he was searching for something.
"…Power takes time…" Swamp Thing spoke as you noticed a small shine on the ground beneath his hand. "Time requires… patience… Look within yourself… and ask… what do you wish… to do with your powers… Then, with time… and practice… you will discover the strength… that your inner self… has kept locked…"
You listened to what Swamp Thing said, and watched as a brand new flower grew beneath his hand. His hand hovered, lifting as the plant grew, and twisting his fingers at times. You watched in awe as a brand new flower grew, watching as the leafs spread and the petals uncurled itself. A beautiful red color, different from the pale flowers around you both. As Swamp Thing pulled his hand away, and that magic shine gone, you looked at him to see him already staring at you.
"What do you wish… to do with such… powers of yours…?" He asked, staring deeply at you.
"I… I don't know," You admitted softly and stared at the flower at your feet. "I don't want to hurt anybody. I just…"
You looked around you, at how thick the plant life was everywhere. Seeing the strange beauty in the thick swamp, with the sun rising and lighting up more than you had originally seen before. An ability to create plant life seemed not only strange, but amazing to you. The fact that Swamp Thing could create a bridge, then make it disappeared as if it never happened before. To bring a seed from the ground up into a gorgeous flower. It made you wonder if you could use your powers in such a delicate way. It seemed so far from you right now.
"…I'm tired of hurting people when I don't mean to," you confessed to Swamp Thing quietly as you felt your bottom lip quiver. You looked back at him to see that he hasn't looked away from you once. "Can I… Do you think I'll be able to do that? To not hurt anybody…?"
Swamp Thing let out another rumbling hum, his eyes slightly moving away from you and to stare at the plant life before you two. "…Time… and training… seems to be… what you need… Take time, and patience… There will be times… where others will try… to hurt you… It will be… up to you… to decide what… and how… you will handle it… Do you wish… to cause destruction…? Or… do you wish… to protect…?"
You took in a shaky breath, trying to quell that tremor that seemed to come so easily in your chest nowadays. You lifted your arm up and rubbed your eyes, trying to sooth that burning sensation that kept trickling back. No tears form or fell, but you could feel that they were trying to. You took a moment to think about Swamp Things words before dropping your arm, and opening your mouth to speak.
"I don't k—"
"HYAAH!"
You jolt at the sudden shout. You and Swamp Thing snapped your heads in the direction it came in, and you looked up to see a figure falling in your direction. But as you look to Swamp Thing you realized it was actually heading towards him, seeing his narrowed eyes at the assailant.
"NO!" You found yourself shouting as you jumped in front of Swamp Thing.
You threw your hands up, not even noticing how Swamp Thing's eyes widened by your actions. Just like you had done back in Gotham, you summoned a shield before you. A transparent blue color in the air, wisping at the end as if they were waves on water. Your assailant instead hit your shield, a metal sound echoing in the air, as you tried to keep the shield up.
Whispers bounced in your mind. Hushed. Echoing. You felt a tremble in your arms and couldn't decipher if it came from your powers or the fear you had. The pulse in your head was immediate, sharp and stabbing. You couldn't hold the shield up longer than those few seconds until the attacker stood across from you in the open. Only once you saw him, not even realizing the shield was darkening in color and slowly shattering, did you fully dropped it as you recognized who it was.
It was the boy from Batman's cave. The one you accidentally punched.
The one who also said mean things to you.
"What're you doing, get out of the way!" The boy yelled at you, a sword in his hands as he waved you off, looking irritated and annoyed.
Your heart was suddenly racing by the sight of his sword. It looked sharp. Sharper than any chopping knives you've seen. You had only just met Swamp Thing maybe more than an hour ago. But, you were certain that sharp objects and plant life doesn't mix well together. The thought of him getting hurt overwhelmed you, and even worse, you would hate to see how hurt Abby would be if she saw her husband get hurt.
"No!" You shouted again.
You stepped more in front of Swamp Thing and held your arms out. An attempt to physically shield him as much as you could, even though he was gigantic, and you were rather small in comparison.
"I won't let you hurt him!" You added, glaring at the boy in front of you as best as you could.
The boy gave you a clear scowl. His stance didn't relax, but with his other hand he moved around as he spoke. "Why're you protecting that thing?" He asked, his tone sharp and full of annoyance. "Isn't that thing keeping you hostage?"
"What…?" You couldn't help the way your brows pinched together in confusion. "No!" You shook your head. "He's… He's been taking care of me! Him and his wife!"
"There's more of them…!?" The boy seemed to growl, quickly moving his stance as he held the blade with two hands now.
"Cut it out!" You shouted at him, stepping more in his way as you gave him your best glare that you could muster. "Put your sword down! He's not going to do anything to you…!"
"I got sent here to bring you back." The boy stated, masked covered eyes narrowing as he clearly seemed more focus on Swamp Thing than you. "That thing there isn't natural. It must've brainwashed you into making you so protective of it…"
You weren't sure why his words suddenly made you feel so angry. Your face felt hot, and you could feel something boiling inside of your chest. Maybe it was the way he talked about Swamp Thing, or maybe it was just his attitude in general. What ever reason it was, you couldn't let him hurt Swamp Thing.
The idea of Swamp Thing getting hurt angered you. You couldn't help it. Ella was a weird, unnatural creature that you felt protective of. You swore to her that you would protect her. In a way, you couldn't help but compare your relationship with her to Abigail and Swamp Thing. You didn't even want to imagine how heartbroken Abigail would be if something happened to him.
Yes, you had been wary of them. And yes, you still didn't fully trust them. However, all of those feelings feel as though you have thrown them out of the window. All because of the mere sight of the kid in front of you holding a sword, seeming adamant about hurting Swamp Thing all because he was "unnatural."
Oh, how it made your blood boil.
"I'm not brainwashed," you growled and changed how you stood. You kept your hands out in front of you, focusing on that familiar feeling of water washing over your skin. "I won't let you hurt him. You'll have to go through me if you want to even cut him…"
"…–TT–" The boy clicked his tongue at you. The noise felt almost like a curse word at you. "You're acting like a child. Stand aside. Either you can cooperate and I won't use my sword on that thing, or you can continue to be difficult, and I'll show just how sharp my blade is..."
You gritted your teeth. Just what the hell kind of compromise is that? Your mind feels almost too blank. You've been reacting on emotions really, and instinct. Just what should you do? Should you even trust this boy holding a sword, or should you keep your stance? Will he really not hurt Swamp Thing behind you? Can you trust him in that?
What should you do?
.
CALCULATING . . .
. . . WHAT SHALL YOU DO WITH THE GUARDIAN OF THE GREEN . . .
. Relationship with ?Ella?: Beginning of Understanding
. Relationship with HellBlazer: Worried
. Relationship with the Heroes of Gotham: Cautious
Hello lovelies! This is a poll to decide the fate of the story direction we go in! If you'd like to read it, please check out my masterlist or you can read it on Ao3! This choice comes from this chapter here! Now, to the Choice that Matters...
You gritted your teeth. Just what the hell kind of compromise is that? Your mind feels almost too blank. You've been reacting on emotions really, and instinct. Just what should you do? Should you even trust this boy holding a sword, or should you keep your stance? Will he really not hurt the creature behind you? Can you trust him in that?
What should you do?
Summary: You decide to take a moment and have a discussion with Ella, and you learn a bit more about her than before...
TW: Death, descriptions of gore, symptoms of grief, and symptoms of substance abuse
Dividers and Borders?: Thank you to @uzmacchiato, @toxisyddy and @thecutestgrotto for such beautiful work!
Where to start? Here's the Masterlist , Beginning, Prev Chap, Next Chap
A/N: You can also read the story here on AO3! Sorry for the delay folks! I guess I just needed a break to come full throttle back into this story. Plus, fuck this winter weather. I love the snow but not shoveling it XD. Either way, I hope you all enjoy, and remember...
Your Choice Matters.
You took a moment to sit there, taking it all in.
The quiet. Only the sounds of waking birds and other critters chittering in the air.
You've learned to find peace with it.
It took you a while to adjust to the loneliness of wondering by yourself. It could be much worse, honestly. You could be really alone and not have Ella to help you. But, not having human interaction was a different kind of lonesome. Being on the run, and not knowing who to trust, you had to learn to adjust to the lonesomeness. If you were honest, you were glad to be out in open air. Away from John's stale smoke smelling apartment. It didn't hurt your nose as much. You were grateful for it.
The air was cold, but you could tell there could be a humidity in the next couple of hours. You could feel how the wet air clung to you. Just like your wet clothes. A familiar discomfort. As much as you knew you should probably get up and figure out how to contact Constantine, you didn't feel so hurried. The outside smelled nicer. Looked nicer, too. You didn't want to go back to that stuffy apartment just yet. So, you started talking to yourself.
More like talked to Ella.
"So… We can enter dreams now?" You asked her, not forgetting what she had said earlier.
'…In a way,' Ella confirmed in her vague nature. 'It's more like we peered into one, not so much entered. Human minds are such fickle things…'
"You've said that on more than on occasion," You spoke as you itched your neck, feeling the collar of the shirt begin to feel uncomfortable. "Why do you say that? What makes "human minds" so fragile to you?"
'…Where to even begin…' Ella hummed as she seemed interested in your question for once. 'Always thinking, always churning… Not once do your minds rest. But you never know how to shield your minds. So VULNERABLE for beings such as I to slip in. Always focused on the wrong things. You all seem so… SOFT… An easy target…'
You couldn't help but scrunch your nose at her words. "Target for what? What do you even care about us anyways…?"
For a moment, those whispering echos seemed louder. It made your brows furrow in confusion. You listened to them, and realized that it wasn't words you were hearing for once. Usually you could barely even make out what gets said, but this time, this time felt different. You realized it was laughter. Laughter that you couldn't really understand where it came from. Like people were trying to hide it under their breaths, or in whispers. Before you could even ask what was funny, Ella responded.
'…Your species is rather… CURIOUS to me…' Ella finally answered. '…You all are made out of the same materials. Your organs are the same. But you all act so differently. Some of you have strong mental fortitude. Others, however… Many of you are rather WEAK in your mental capabilities. Very few of you unlock the potential that you all could have…'
"A "potential"? What does that mean?" You asked, beginning to feel more confused with each answer she gave you. You kept being handed more questions than answers.
'…Your ENTIRE race could achieve such great feats of the mind, but only if you all TRIED…' Ella spoke as it almost sounded like a sigh came from her. '…But alas, all of you seem rather content with your mediocrity. I do not understand it. To be content to such weakness. I do not understand why you don't achieve more…'
You made a face in response. Not sure if she could really see, but you couldn't help the scrunch in your expression at her words. "We're not weak," you said. But just as the words slip out in defense, you glanced off to the side and felt uncertain. "I mean, maybe not all of us have powers like you, but I wouldn't say we're weak…"
'…Maybe not weak, but you all are very… SOFT…' Ella responded in turn. 'So vulnerable to harm to your body. Flesh soft. Not to mention how easy it is for me to push through your mouth. Not many defense mechanism for creatures such as yourself…'
"You know, when you talk like that, it makes me wonder if you really are leaving my insides alone…" You murmured, frowning at her words. Trying to ignore how uncomfortable they make you feel.
'…Why would I ever harm you…?' Ella asked, for once seeming actually perplex by your words. '…That would defeat the whole purpose of our Pact. Why waste all that time and effort just to eat you? It would make no sense… Also, I do not think you would be tasty…'
You lightly rolled your eyes, feeling only the slightest bit of comfort from her words. "Thanks? I guess…?"
'…You are welcome,' Ella said.
You sighed lightly through your nose, realizing she didn't understand your sarcastic response. You glanced around you again, seeing that nothing has change much. More so just making sure that nothing would disturb your conversation with Ella. There's been more than one occasion in which you speaking aloud to her has gotten you in trouble. You've been trying to make an effort in hiding your conversations with her.
"So… What do you think of John?" You decided to ask her, knowing that this might be the only chance you get of talking with her without prying ears.
Ella made a disgruntled noise. One that caught you slightly off guard. '…He is… FINE… so far. I wished you had spoken to me before hand about talking with him, but you actively tried to avoid admitting things. You did well to avoid vocally saying names. Your quick thinking has helped us again, but this situation involves the BOTH of us… Keep that in mind…'
You frowned slightly. You had contemplated asking Ella before saying anything to John. But his gaze made your mind race. You didn't think you had time to discuss it with her before you could discuss it with him. Though, her praise did make you feel a bit better than before, you couldn't help but feel the small bit of guilt in your chest.
"Sorry. I panicked when he kept pushing…" You admitted. "I didn't think John would give us time to talk…"
'…You and I have all the time in the world,' Ella spoke calmly. '…It is not as if I am somewhere else. You can reach me at any time, no matter what. Just keep in mind that it is not just your fate that matters with your choices…'
"I know," you sighed lightly. "…I'm sorry."
'…Just keep it in mind," Ella said calmly. '…I do have a question, upon thinking about everything…'
"Yeah…?" You asked, raising a brow at her, although she probably couldn't see it.
'…When we left the cave, and you were gifted new bags, you wrapped your arms around that older man,' Ella said in an almost softer tone. '…Why did you do such a thing?'
"I…" You trailed off, suddenly feeling very vulnerable.
It took you a moment to realize that she meant you hugging Alfred before leaving. That was such a strange question from her. One that you hadn't expected. Out of all the things that happened, you were surprised she even brought that up.
"…Alfred did a lot for me," you answered with a shrug. "For us, I guess. He felt… safe, I guess. I just wanted to give him a hug…"
'…"Hug"? Is that what it's called…?' Ella asked, seeming perplexed.
"You mean…" Your eyes fluttered in surprise, your mind trying to register what Ella had asked. "Ella, do you not know what a hug is?"
'…No, I guess I do not,' Ella said calmly. 'What is the point of a "hug"…?'
You almost felt at a loss for words. It was such a sad question to you. You parents freely gave you hugs, and physical affections were often. A pat on the back, a ruffling of hair, or a hug just because. It was normal for you. Almost second nature when it came from your family. It had been a long time since you hugged someone, or had someone hug you. Alfred had made that difference in the short time you had met him. It meant more than you would like to admit…
"I mean… A hug could mean a lot of things," you shrugged as you sheepishly rubbed your arms. "You give someone you care about a hug. Or, to give comfort to someone. It's something that you give to those you care about."
'…Hm…' Ella hummed, seeming to think. '…I do not understand…'
You sighed softly at her words. A sad sentence to hear. A reminder that she wasn't as similar as you. She was an alien. Ella didn't hide how foreign things were to her. After all, part of your deal was for her to observe. To learn more. It did make you wonder just how different the two of you were.
'…Is there a point to the contact…?' Ella asked, snapping your attention back to her. '…I don't truly see the point in it…'
"Well, I guess it's because contact calms people?" You said unsure, not knowing if there was really a real reason for it. "It just feels nice to have a hug, I guess. It makes us feel better. Do you…" You paused, trying to think of the words. "…Do you not like being touched, Ella?"
'…Being touched usually meant something bad,' Ella confessed calmly. You made sure to pay attention to what she had to say. '…Pecking. Inspecting… INVASION… I never enjoyed being touched. That time you lifted me from the floor, I thought you were going to rip my limbs off at first, but then I inspected your thoughts and realized you meant no harm. Still, it startled me… I have gotten used to your handling… Others, however, I do not wish to associate…'
You found her words to be fascinating. "Wait, have you… Has other people ever held you before?" You asked.
Ella was quiet for a moment. '…Others have tried. They did not get far… The Deep Ones saw to that…'
You felt like you needed to lean back, taking in Ella's words carefully. Once again, the fish people that have been hunting you. Her "jailers," as she likes to call them. But you couldn't overlook what she said.
"So, you met "others"?" You questioned her. "Who were they? Humans?"
'…They were many,' Ella said vacantly. It came off as strange to you. Ella wasn't really someone who seemed distracted, but you could tell by her voice that this was a serious memory. '…Humans? Possibly… Something else? Maybe… They poked and prodded… Tempted a fate that they couldn't handle. They did not last…'
You felt a sinking feeling in your stomach. A bit of dread festering once again at her ominous words. A heavy reminder that you have been placed in a situation that could kill you. You tried not to let your anxiety get to you, but it was hard to ignore what Ella just told you. It sounded like she's encountered humans in the past. How long ago was beyond you, however. It sounded like not even Ella knew. But, once again, you are reminded of the fact that the Deep Ones aren't something for you to just ignore…
"…What would happen if others found out?" You asked much softer than before, your eyes nervously looking around the swampy pond. "Whether it be humans, or the fish people, or just anybody… What would happen to us?"
Ella was quiet.
The whispering echoes bouncing in your head. You briefly wondered if you asked her the wrong thing. Did the question offend her? Her silence was always something that you had a hard time reading. You could never tell if she was just thinking, or if she was mad. Though, usually when she was mad, she'd let you know rather clearly. A part of you wished she would just flat out answer you instead of always thinking on it.
'…We'd be in grave danger…' Ella answered softly to you. '…We've already discussed this. If you tell others, they will see what we see. They will learn the things we know. It will hunt them, and haunt them…'
"I know that," you said with a slight sigh. "But I'm not asking if we told people. I'm saying if people found out. Like, if they accidentally stumbled upon you, or something…'
Ella let out a hum, seeming to ponder the question. '…I would have to be quiet to hide my nature. Make them believe I am something else. But if they persist, then there will be no hiding. We will have to face the matter ourselves… But, I have ways of handling that. It will be up to us to protect ourselves…'
"And… And if the… you know finds us, what then?" You asked softly, now feeling hesitant to say the words.
You felt a faint tickle within your mind. It made your head twitch, like a chill had snuck up on you. You shook your head, trying to get rid of it, and then heard Ella speak.
'…The Deep Ones, you mean,' she said. You wondered if the chill you had felt was her peering into your mind to fish the answer. '…They are loyal servants. So much so that they can be almost MINDLESS to the cause. We will have to deal with them. Staying away from the Ocean will help… IF they ever found out, we would need to abandon where they found us…'
You felt that dread feeling heavier in your stomach. You closed your eyes for a moment and cranked your head back, taking in a deep breath before releasing. Yes, you did already know this. But the situation has changed. You weren't really on your own anymore. It made you feel almost guilty, in a way. Thinking of Batman and Alfred, and Zatanna and John. All adults who have made it clear they wish to help take care of you, even though you barely knew them. You knew what Ella was telling you.
"…So we'd have to leave John, too?" You asked softly, opening your eyes again to stare at your surroundings.
'…If his home is to be compromised, then yes…' Ella stated firmly. '…It would not be safe for him to stay, either. If he wishes to be involved in everything as we are, then he will ALSO become a target. But… the Deep Ones CAN be rather… DULL… There may be a chance for him to be spared from attention, but we would have to leave all the same. We would not be safe there anymore…'
Your body felt tense at her words. You knew she wasn't wrong. She had a point. If you both got found out, you'd be compromised. You'd have to travel around all over again. Maybe even leave John, in hopes that he could be spared. Maybe he would have to be forced to travel around with the both of you? It was a rather unpleasant thought, if you were truthful…
"Let's… say we found like, one of the fish people," You said as you began to speculate. "They realized it was us and they went to go get others. If we… disposed of it, would we still be safe to stay in one place?"
'…Unlikely.' Ella stated bluntly. Unintentionally crushing whatever hopes you were trying to give yourself. '…Deep Ones don't typically travel alone. If one is found, others will be hidden around. Maybe lurking in nearby waters… Maybe something that isn't even THEM lingering… If we killed one, the others would find out. They wouldn't have to be nearby to realized one of them died. If we ever discovered one, it would be in our best interest to LEAVE…'
You shoulders sank upon hearing her words. "So, you're saying our hands would be tied…?"
'…In a way,' Ella said. '…If anything, killing them would be for the best. Less of them to hunt us. However, once we do, we would have to leave IMMEDIATELY. Again, it may not be just Deep Ones lurking around the corner…'
You couldn't help but let out a disgruntled noise, uneasy at the thought of killing another creature. It made your gut coil, and you tried not to remember the images of dead bodies in your mind. Of Mrs. Landrum. You tried, at least. Of her mangled corpse, half mutated and morbidly morphed into something else. Her jagged teeth and the oozing hole in her—
Your name was called.
You jolted upon hearing it. You focused your eyes and glanced around, wondering if someone had called you. Did John find you already? But you looked back and forth, even turning your head to look around, and you saw no one. Just you, and the wilderness. Not even whispers echoes in your mind anymore. But, something felt different.
The images that flashed through your head was completely gone. It almost made your head feel blank, like no thoughts were there anymore. You hadn't even realized you were biting your lip until your body finally relaxed enough for you to let go, realizing that you almost could taste the copper in your mouth. The front of your mind felt almost heavy, and you realized that, although you couldn't see Ella because she was inside of you, you felt as though she was there. As if she was right in front of you.
'…You have a hard time with death…' Ella said, her voice giving an almost curious lilt in her voice that made your stomach coil. '…I do not understand why. But… I can tell that it worries you…'
You couldn't help the brief scoff that puffed out of you. "O-Of course it worries me…! Y-you don't just… kill your babysitter! I grew up with her, Ella…! How can I let it go that she was one of them!? She tried to kill me…!"
'…But she did not succeed. You lived. She did not.' Ella said calmly. Far too calm in your mind. 'She had hurt you terribly. Why do you care about her death so much…?'
"I…" You tried to think of the words, but your throat began to feel tight. You hadn't really realized how much her death hurt you until now. How it made your eyes sting, and not the marsh water. "…B-because I thought I knew her? I thought she was a nice person, a-and she just… choked me. Cursed at me, a-and she… And she tried killing me…!"
'…Then, she was not as nice as you thought…' Ella said simply.
A part of you almost didn't understand why a sudden calmness came over you.
How Ella's words felt like that last nail finally being hammered down. That, yeah, in the end, Mrs. Landrum was not a kind woman. That she tried killing you. Someone you thought you knew, someone that you had a deep trust with, had hurt you so badly. It wasn't just harmful words she threw at you, but she physically hurt you as well. She dug her claws into you and broke skin. She made you bleed. She tried to drown you.
You thought of a time where she smiled so sweetly at you. Her kind, wrinkled face beaming sown at you. Only for it to slowly shift, turning into that sneer she gave you. How her eyes darkened, and face twisted and skin peeled into something else. She became a monster.
Yet… Although you know that fact, and even though Ella had a point, you couldn't ignore the way your chest was wound up so tightly. How deeply your chest ached. How, it wasn't until a very soft wind that blew by not only chilled your skin, but made you realized that tears had been flowing down your face freely like an open faucet.
No, Mrs. Landrum wasn't a nice person. But, you couldn't help but ache for that kind woman you did know. That, although she hurt you so terribly, you hadn't wished for her death. That, even though she wanted to kill you, you did not wish the same upon her.
"…It's… It's not f-fair…" You stuttered, your breath shaky as your reminded yourself to breathe.
'…No. It is not.' Ella said calmly. A calmness that you hadn't realized you were grateful for. '…But, her death meant OUR survival. The Deep Ones are not creatures that we can give mercy to. They will NOT give it to us… They are not like you. Like Humans. They can hide like you, talk like you, and say the things that you wish to hear… But, that is only because they have preyed upon your kind for so very long. They understand how you Humans work. Heed me, when I say this…'
You squeezed your eyes shut, trying not to allow the sob that wanted to escape your body. You physically tensed upon her words, hugging your legs tighter to your chest as it was the only sense of comfort you could give yourself.
'…We CANNOT pity the Deep Ones… They will kill you, and they will not feel a thing about it…' Ella said like soft whispers into your mind. '…Where you ache for the loss of a life, they won't even remember your name. They will not think of the memory of your face. They would see you killed, and they would FEAST upon you in a show of gluttonous glory…'
A shudder wracked through your body. Soft sobs finding a way through, escaping your lips as you quietly cried. Afraid that, if you allowed yourself to be too loud, that maybe something would hear you. You did not wish to be found. You just wished to cry, and allow yourself to feel the ache in your chest, as there was a swelling in your head that was beginning to hurt.
"Wh-what of… What about you…?" You mumbled through a sob, feeling the sensation of too much saliva forming in your mouth. "W-what would they do to y-you…?"
Ella paused at your question. You wondered if it was because she was so focused about talking about you, or if she just did not want to think about the alternative about herself. But, although you did already knew, you wanted to hear it again. You wanted her to say what would happen. Slowly drowning in your sorrows that you didn't even realize that you were spiraling more into the negative. That you so desperately wanted some sense of comfort, whether it be warped or not.
'…They would see me captive, and take me back to my prison,' Ella spoke quietly.
As if she spoke any louder even within thoughts, it would come true. A strange recognition of her own fear gave you a strange feeling of connection with her. As you focused on her words, you realized that she was tense even speaking about it. A familiar sensation to you. It made you realize that even Ella seemed afraid of the thought. That Ella could even feel fear made you almost feel baffled.
'…They would lock me away so tightly that perhaps I wouldn't be able to breathe at all,' Ella whispered almost hauntingly. '…I will be imprisoned for eons, and eons, and never allowed out. All for the sake of…'
She trailed off. As if afraid to finish the thought, you realized.
'…I do not wish to think about it anymore…' Ella confessed quietly.
For once, a feeling you understand. Perhaps if you weren't so tightly wound, you would've asked her more. That curiosity you held still within, wondering what she was about to say. The thought of whose sake festered within your mind, but you did not pry. Instead, you sniffled and nodded, bringing a hand up finally to wipe your eyes and runny nose, as your other arm stayed wrapped around yourself tightly.
'…I can feel yourself coiled up,' Ella spoke softly. 'Why is that…?'
You sniffled loudly, trying to clear your nose before answering. "I… I guess I just want a hug…"
'…I see,' Ella whispered. '…A hug is like… Being in tight caves. Tight corners and rocks…'
A part of you couldn't help but huff a small laugh. Rubbing your eyes clear of tears, realizing that Ella was comparing a hug to her animal-like habits. You knew octopus liked tight spaces to hide in. It's why when she was in a tank you made sure to give her plenty of spaces to hide. It was a stretch to relate a hug to instinctual hiding tactics, but you had to give her credit for trying.
"Y-yeah, kinda," you said as you tried not to laugh. "But it's with another person, usually. Or something else. It can be comforting, like tight holes in rocks."
'…I see…' Ella said softly. '…I think I understand a bit more now…'
You sniffled again and nodded, now just trying to catch your breath. You allowed the noise of the environment around you fill your ears. The way leafs only rustled when the wind blew softly by. How you could hear birds in the distance, chirping and waking, ready to take on another day. The sound of your breathing, soft and low, as you took deep breaths in, and slowly exhaled them out.
That ache in your chest slowly began to unwind. It didn't entirely go away, not completely, but it didn't suffocate you as much. Your eyes still felt irritated, and you were surprised you even had any water left in your tear ducts to cry. You slowly began to take better control of your body again. Taking in controlled breaths. Feeling your body wind down from the tightness it caused itself to be in.
For once, you felt a strange sense of calm, finally.
'…What is that…?'
Your head snapped up, startled by Ella's words. You looked left and right and found nothing strange. You even looked behind you and spotted nothing. Nothing was out of the normal. Just when you were about to ask her what she meant, you gazed back at the pond, and realized that something was moving under the marsh. The calm you felt quickly vanished. Quickly you felt alarmed as your body grew tense. Ella quickly said your name, snapping you out of your staring.
'…Get away from the pond…!' She urged you.
Realizing that you were just merely two steps away from the water, quickly you began to scramble to your feet. Unwrapping your arms from your legs and feeling your feet kicking before you could even stand, just trying to get away as you rushed to stand. You finally stood up on shaky legs, feeling almost like a freshly born deer trying to stand, as you stumbled three steps back.
Whatever was under the marsh moved left and right, as if surveilling it's waters. Clumps of the water grass sticking to it, keeping whatever it was underneath hidden. Once it got to the brief clearing in the water, the same spot you had emerged from it's very waters you realized, you witnessed it pause.
Your heart rate began to elevate. You stared at it, taking another step back, as morbid curiosity had you wondering just what it was. Usually Ella seemed to figure things out quicker than you. That strange ability of hers being able to tap into minds and such being the key factor, here. You were unsure if it was a comfort or an alarm for her to be asking what that thing in the water was. You couldn't quite tear your eyes away from the sight, watching with baited breath, seeing that the form wasn't moving anymore.
Suddenly, the marshy lump began to rise.
And rise, and rise, and rise. You realized in your horror that you were cranking your head up, seeing that even though it was standing in the water it still towered over you. The more you watched, waiting to see a body to appear through the marshy grass, that instead it was the marsh itself forming a body. Dark green vines and thick plantation coiling in a way that reminded you of snakes. Tightening and taking shape.
It was big, and tall. Not quite human, but you couldn't deny the resemblance of human legs, arms and a torso. It's limbs a bit misshapen, the area of the hands too big and thick to be normal, as all of it was plant-life. And finally, as you lifted your head up higher to gaze at what should be the head, you watched as a face formed and appeared. Thick vines forming what was like a creased brow. Water dripping off of it, and the marsh it stood from almost flattening as if to be it's skin. You realized it used tree bark to form a type of nose, but looked too short to be a human's. And, to your horror, two gleaming red eyes formed in the two cavities that were to be it's eyes, now staring down at you.
Your heart was racing. A new monster now standing before you, glaring at you. All you could do was stare, jaw slightly ajar, as your breath was now caught in your throat.
. '…Run…'
.
.
John Constantine was sure to go bald if he tugged on his hair anymore.
His mind was racing. Of course he lost the damn child! He was so focused on figuring out the terms of a magical contract that he didn't focus on the ward! The child even told him that they disappeared in their sleep! On top of that, he was surprised with how quiet it had been. From his experiences, usually teleporting had some sort of big notion to them. Bright lights, floating symbols, maybe even a smell in the air. A rush of wind, maybe whispering—something to alert to one that some fuckery is afoot.
Not quiet teleportation.
A part of him had hoped that maybe he could witness it and find a way to obscure the magic. See how it works, see if there was any symbols or symptoms he can piece together and figure out how they worked? Not get out of his bed and find the child already gone!
He really did try to see if he could exhaust his options before telling anyone. Really, John did try. Usually for his spell to work in tracking someone he typically needed a name, and something tying to them. A full name usually did the trick alone. Names had powerful ties, after all. But without a name, typically an item of significance would do the trick.
So, he did what anyone would do.
He emptied out the bag Alfred gave you all over his floor, and threw the bag somewhere blindly behind him.
John dug through the items, trying to find something that seemed tied to you. Anything, really. If he could find a hair, it would do wonders for the spell. But alas, all the clothes given to you were brand new, and you haven't even traced your hands through them. Curses spewed through his mouth. This was a new low, truly it was. He only had the kid for a couple of hours and the moment he looked away they disappeared!?
This was bullshit.
But then he found the camping supplies. Something that he thought would be his golden ticket. Items that would prevent him from calling anyone like Batman or Zatanna! He rummaged through them, trying to find if any item seemed personal, or worn with use. when he found a dulled knife, he knew the spell would work.
John Constantine stood up from his spot and held out the knife. He spoke words of the spell, commanding it to find the child with the only name he knew of them. An ethereal image of the Earth shimmered in the air, and the knife from his hand floated up. It looked as if he was staring at a globe, map lines and all. The orb spun, and the knife floated in the opposite direction. It spun and spun, and just when John believed it would point in a location, a sinking feeling formed in his gut.
He watched as the knife kept spinning, the image of the Earth going faster and faster. John couldn't help but take a step back, watching in slight horror as he watched it spin. Just when he prepared for the worse, lifting his hands up to protect his face just in case, suddenly the images became still. With a breath, John gazed up again and looked. The image and knife stilled, but no location was found. Instead the shimmering image of the Earth disappeared, and the knife clattered to the floor.
"Oh, fucking bullocks…" John cursed under his breath.
This… This wasn't good.
He didn't have any other option, then. Feeling as though he has just rung the funeral bell, his funeral bell, he walked to his phone and dialed a number. His heart beat rung in his ears, and he could feel the dull ache of a hangover coming over him. It made his eyes feel dry and irritated, his index finger and thumb rubbing them to hopefully sooth the irritation. The phone rang only twice before the other end answered, making John wished that there had been more of a pause in between. He wasn't mentally ready for this. He thought of hitting the end call button when—
. "Constantine. What is it?" Came the curt and straight to the point voice of none other than Batman through the phone speaker.
Oh, how John wished he could just jump out a window instead…
"Uh, 'ello, Batsy. So, I uh…" John found himself fumbling, hands tingling with nerves as he tried to quell the anxious feeling. "Uh, been a… A lovely evening for you, isn't it?"
. "…Constantine. It has barely been three hours since we last saw each other." Batman stated bluntly, making John feel his stomach drop lower than it was before. "What's wrong, and is the child okay?"
Curse that bastard's quick thinking. A thing that John can admire, and oh-so hate in equal measures. It sucks when it's directed at him. He took in a deep breath and held it, trying to ready himself of the ridicule he was sure to face in the next five seconds.
"…I lost the kid." John exhaled all in one breath.
A moment of silence came from the phone. One that made John feel all the more anxious of, instead of being normally screamed at. But this was Batman. His whole thing was to make people on edge. And he was doing it a little too perfectly for John's liking, and the damn bastard wasn't even in the room with him…!
. "…What do you mean you lost them?" Batman asked with an edge of irritation in his voice.
That's it. John knew he was fucked. Of all things he thought he'd die to, he didn't think it'd be by the hands of fucking Batman. But hearing his voice through a phone, and although he isn't in the room with John at this very second, John was sure the man would be wringing his neck.
"So, uh, you know how the kid's got weird abilities and all?" John asked as he rubbed his neck nervously, finding himself pacing around the apartment to gather his coat and things. Anything to keep busy at this rate. "Uh, well, turns out the kid can teleport in their sleep, and—"
. "Constantine, that was one of the first things we told you about…!" Batman growled at the other end, not at all holding back his irritation for the Brit. "You said you had a way of keeping them from teleporting. What happened to that?!"
"So, technically I do," John began to say as he flailed his hand around as he talked, hoping to appease the wrath of the other man. "However, there's certain components I need, and—"
. "Constantine…" Batman growled lowly.
Damn that man for sounding threatening, and hot! John briefly pulled the phone away, almost contemplated throwing it against a wall, before pulling it back as he remembered he doesn't have the money to buy himself a new one.
"It's complicated than I made it sound, alright!" John finally yelled back at him through the phone, unable to hold back his own irritation for the man over the line. "Turns out the kid's abilities aren't as straight forward as they seem! Anyways, that's not the point…! I wouldn't be callin' you if I could figure this shit out myself, so stop growling at me like a damn dog over the phone and actually help, you black leathered bastard…!"
There was a moment of silence over the phone.
Just when John felt like he's penned off his own death certificate, he heard the noise of something clicking on the other end. A keyboard, he realized. He could hear Batman typing away at something. It did little to relieve his beating heart, waiting to hear if the man could find the kid better than John could.
. "…Were they still wearing the clothes we gave them?" Batman suddenly asked.
"Yeah, they were," John answered as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Went right to bed with them. Why?"
Batman didn't answer him right away. Instead he heard more clicking keys, which only made John be on edge more than he'd like to admit.
. "Did they have anything else on them?" Batman asked.
"No, just that," John sighed. "Disappeared from my chair. Left only the blanket and water soaking the damned thing…"
. "The blanket didn't teleport with them?" Batman asked. A strange question to John's ears.
"No, why would it?" John scrunched his face, not that the other man could see, perplexed by the question.
. "They had admitted that when they teleport anything on their body usually goes with," Batman stated. "It's strange to me that a blanket that was on their body didn't teleport as well. Unless somehow you could explain it…?"
John paused, rubbing a hand down his face. Yeah, that is strange. But, John knows that it isn't normal magic the kid possesses. It must be the weird alien thing inside of them. Somehow that thing must decide what's worth traveling with and what isn't. How the thing knew was beyond him, but the fact alone unsettled John. More shit he has to think about now.
"I can probably figure it out once we find the kid," John sighed deeply. "I tried using magic to track them down, but it didn't really work. Why, I don't know. But if somehow you have something—"
. "I do." Batman stated firmly. John tried to snip the annoyance in his gut from being cut off and listened. "I've placed tracking devices on their clothes and the items we gave them. As long as they're still wearing the clothes I can find them, however…"
Oh, John didn't like the sound of that… Besides the creepy tracker part.
""However?" What do you mean, "however"…?!" John exclaimed, his pacing picking up as he walked back and forth in his apartment.
. "It's why I was asking if they kept the items on," Batman said as John was sure he was being glared at through the phone. He could feel the chills already. "My tracker isn't showing up. In fact, I've lost complete signal of it. The other ones are working, and I can see that they're in England with you."
That made John pause in his steps. He allowed the words to settle, and he felt uneasy by them. To both Batman's creepy trackers and John's magic spell not work for one person? Something was very, very wrong.
"…Shit," John let slip with a whisper before picking up his voice. "What does that mean for us?"
. "…We keep searching," Batman stated. "The tracker doesn't state that it's destroyed. I'll keep watch to see if it pops up anywhere or if anything changes, just in case. Was there any sort of inclination that they might've told you about with how their powers work?"
"I mean, a little bit, but nothin' about teleportin'," John stated as he sighed, feeling the stress weigh on him. "The shit I learn just means I need to do more research before I can get anywhere with the kid. Which means, they're gonna be teleportin' for a while until I can learn more about their magic…"
A disgruntled sound came from the other end, telling John all he needs to know about Batman felt about his words.
"Oi, just be glad I even discovered anythin' about the little buggar, al'ight?" John said, holding a hand up as if Batman was in the actual room with him.
. "What did you find?" Batman pressed.
John opened his mouth, about to mindlessly retell what he's learned, but he paused. He recalled the tingling handshake he gave the kid. A goddamn Pact, and he walked right into it. They never discussed what would happen if he broke it, and upon thinking more about it, John wasn't sure he'd be too keen in finding out. But now that gives him another problem.
He had to tell Batman something.
"…I'm still working on figurin' it all out," John admitted, being as vague as he could. "I don't want to set anythin' in stone yet until I learn more. They're powers are… complicated, at best. I need to research them more before I can tackle them."
. "Do I need to get Zatanna involved to help with the process?" Batman asked.
John felt his jaw tighten, trying not to break his teeth with how much those words pissed him right the fuck off.
Sure, maybe the Batman was actually thinking of gaining more helping hands on this. Zatanna, a powerful magician she was all by herself, could probably benefit in actual research on this. But deep down, although John couldn't prove it yet, this thing inside of the child he just met was something dangerous. His gut kept telling him that it shouldn't be trusted. Which meant that he couldn't afford to get Zatanna involved as much as he could.
"…No. I can figure it out all on my own," John stated firmly. "Plus, it'll affect her showbiz. Can't be havin' that, now can we? It'd tip too many people off that she's doin' somethin', and that won't look good on her image…"
. "Zatanna can handle the public just fine," Batman said as if to reassure John. It just irritated him in truth. "But, it's probably best that the news of Y/N doesn't come into the public's knowledge. For both our safety and theirs…"
John couldn't help the sarcastic huff that escaped him. "Glad we agree on somethin'…" John said. "So, what'd we do now? Stand around with our thumbs up our asses?"
. "It'd be best if you came back to the cave and we figure something out," Batman stated. Always so straight to business. A bit of a blessing, John had to admit in this case, but it still irritated him. "As we wait to figure out how to track them down, you and I can discuss finer details of our agreement…"
John wasn't sure why those words made him feel suddenly nervous. Maybe because he half expected this to be a trap. That he'd show up to the Batman's lair and get back handed the moment he walked in. But, he did make an agreement with the man. Maybe annoying the cowled bastard would take his mind off of the stress about the kid he's feeling? Or give him a new black eye. Either way, one of the two options would sure to be entertaining nonetheless.
"Fine. Be there in a minute." John said before hanging up the phone without a second thought.
As he pocketed his phone he lifted his hand up again and rubbed his face, feeling the stress already eating up at him. The guilt already making it hard for him to think clearly. Of trying not to think about how much this entire thing was his fault and that he lost a child within a few hours in his care. Some fucking teacher he was. His head was hurting more. Throbbing in a way that made it feel like his eyes would pop out of his skull.
This is why John Constantine doesn't deal with kid.
.
.
"Why're we takin' another brat with us?"
"I'm not the one who lost a child within five minutes of watching them."
"Oi, it wasn't five minutes…!"
"Enough."
John Constantine huffed, crossing his arms firmly across his chest as he tried not to pout at the quick scolding of Batman. The Brit never thought he'd be sitting in one of Batman's fancy planes. Which, somehow he just magically owned. Rich bastard. John could use actual magic, yet it never brought in money in the way that the Batman shows it off. Pisses him right off.
But, that's besides the point.
Originally when John managed to make it into the Batman's cave, it was just the brooding bastard and his butler. The older man giving Constantine a rather harsh look and greeted him far colder than he had previous that evening. Which did not dig any deeper guilt into Constantine's chest. Absolutely not!…
Another hour probably went by of John sitting there, trying to will his magic spells to give him something of an answer, while Batman tried to keep working with his tech. The only thing that John kept with him was the original knife he tried using to find the kid. Something about it told him it was the closest thing the kid had, seeing the rust and clear use evident in that fact. Admittedly before leaving his apartment he tried the other items. The fishing hook and wire, the matches, the weird little keychain—he tried it all! Every time gave him the same damn result.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing about where this kid is.
For a moment he really did contemplated getting Zatanna involved in this. Maybe John wasn't qualified for all this crap? Maybe the kid should've gone to her instead? Zatanna was much better mannered with kids than John was. He was sure she'd be a fantastic teacher, too. Him? Not so much, as he's clearly lost the damn child.
He also contemplated reaching out to some more unsavory links of his to possibly find the child. Maybe use up a debt as payment for information? But, the other side of him rationalized how much of a bad idea that was. Send out word that John Constantine had a child in his care. The perfect bright red target painted over him and the child's foreheads.
Yeah, no. Not happening.
So instead, him and Batman both waited. John, not a religious man by any means, more of a heathen and then possibly dubbed something even worse than that, actually contemplated praying. Praying that the child he lost was fine, and would just turn up in some pond alive and breathing, and was just waiting for them to be found. That nothing had gobbled them up or killed them or something.
John felt like pulling his hair out of his head. The waiting around has become agonizing. It wasn't until the littlest brat of Batman's came back down into the cave. Dawned on the traffic light costume of Robin, gear in place and in hand. Once Batman spotted him immediately he tried sending him away. Said something about School and that a child his age needed rest.
Something that John wished he could have right now.
But the little brat insisted on staying. Saying that more eyes looking on the field was better than what they had, or whatever. John honestly didn't care for what came out of the kid's mouth. He didn't want anymore children being involved than the one that already was. He just wanted to find the kid, and go the fuck home, and pretend that none of this ever happened. Which is probably why John had found himself arguing with Batman before he knew it, already high strung and irritated with all the waiting.
John could barely even remember what the argument was about, or how it started in the first place. Probably because he called all this a waste of his time, and Batman saying that it's his fault they're in this mess in the first place. And it just spiraled back and forth from there. They didn't stop arguing until the bratty Robin yelled for their attention, saying that the tracker for the child finally popped up. The two adults stopped their squabbling and rushed over, more worried for the child than what they were arguing about.
Which is why they were in the Batman's personal plane.
Jet? Plane? John didn't know the difference and truly didn't care about that detail at the moment.
So now all three of them were inside of this plane, flying across the country to pick up the child that was somehow stuck in some swamp. The worst part to John in all of this? It was in Louisiana. Forget the hot and sweaty part of that southern place. He was more worried about what place the child was in, hoping that they didn't stumble onto the one thing in that place that John personally knew a little too well.
He didn't bring it up to Batman. Not yet, at any rate, but he knew the man already had an inclination that John had. Batman liked keeping informed. But, the less John focused on it, the better off he felt. Which wasn't great, at this moment. Instead he glared at the back of Batman's head as he flew the jet, his little side kick taking the copilot's seat. With restricted access, of course. Batman forbid the child from touching anything, and even John could see the angry pout still on his lips from it.
How John finds himself into messes like this is still beyond him at this rate in his life.
He was sure he was curse. Only explanation in his mind.
"…We should discuss the details of our deal, Constantine." Batman addressed suddenly.
John raised a brow at him, not that he could see, but did it nonetheless. "You sure you want to discuss it with present company involved…?"
The young child Robin whirled his head around, narrowed white-eyed glare evident on his face as he did so. Angry little thing he was, but the young boy said nothing. The look was enough, which John sneered back at. John almost felt glad that he was being restrained by a seatbelt.
Little brat…
"Robin would learn about the details either way even if he wasn't here," Batman spoke calmly. Clearly a tone used to keep what fragile peace held inside of this plane. The man never looked back from his seat. "I'd rather get the details sorted sooner rather than later…"
John took in a deep breath and sighed. "Fine. Let's get it over with then…"
"You've agreed to house Y/N for the time being." Batman stated firmly as he began the negotiations. "Which means they will be staying with you in England for the time being. They're still a child, which means that they need education. It wouldn't look good on you either if found a child was being held in your home and not going to school, correct?"
"Yeah… That wouldn't look good, exactly," John sighed lightly as he scratched the growing hair under his chin. "Thing is, I don't know if the kid's stable to start somethin' like school yet. I'd need a couple of months of trainin' with them first. Don't want them unleashin' some sort of horrors during English class…"
Batman let out a contemplating noise. "…Next year, they'll begin school. I'll keep tabs to see how they are, and we will go from there. In the mean time, they should be tutored so they don't fall behind."
"I ain't havin' no smartass in my house," John quickly said. "The less people know about where we live, the better. The less they're seen around me, the better. Plus, with the amount of travelin' I do, they wouldn't be able to keep a "normal schedule" with tutorin' anyways. It'd be a waste of time…"
"They're still a child, Constantine. They need education." Batman insisted. "I'll give it until next school year. As for education in between those times, we can have them come to Gotham and be tutored with me."
"In the manor…!?" Robin exclaimed, glaring over at his counterpart. "What happened to preserving our identities…!?"
"You and I will keep ourselves away from home while Alfred will stay with them," Batman explained calmly. "You will already be in school, and I will be taking care of my own business. Alfred will maintain their care in between, and by the time we'd get home, they will already be back with Constantine."
"Hold on now. You're tellin' me that I'll have to teleport us to and fro everyday until then?" John piped up from the back, already annoyed by the notion. "I've got my own things to do durin' the day. Gotta make money somehow. Can't be zappin' off if I'm workin' a case!"
"If you're smart with the money I'll be giving you, you won't have to worry about it so much…" Batman said coolly as he pulled something from his suit.
John caught eye of the white paper held between his two fingers. He lifted it up from his shoulder and let go, allowing the paper to slip and fly through the air. John lifted his hand up and caught it, raising a brow at just what was on the folded paper. He unfolded it and realized it was a check, already signed and written.
The Brit couldn't help but whistle.
"What the—What's the catch…!?" John narrowed his eyes at Batman's head, wondering where this was going.
"That money isn't solely for you to use." Batman stated bluntly. 'There it is! There's the catch!' John thought as Batman continued talking. "It's for Y/N. Spend it wisely. I know you don't live in a place that can hold two people. Find a better place to have them live with you. Keep a cover going for a while. It'll be enough to support the both of you, and even allow savings to be put to the side for them."
"How do you know about my livin' arrangement?" John ask almost quietly, eyes stuck on the amount of digits he was seeing on the check.
"Do you really need to ask, or haven't you pieced it together?" Robin said sarcastically, casting an unimpressed gaze back at John to add salt to the wound.
He sent a glare towards the kid before shoving the check into his jacket, not even thinking twice about it. "So. Let's say we make this all work. Just 'cause you give us enough money doesn't mean I can stop what I do. I still have to take care of supernatural threats and all, which could take my weeks at a time. I can't afford a kid tyin' me down in one spot forever…"
"That's where you have a discussion with me or Zatanna." Batman stated. Still not once casting a glance back at John. "If you truly have an important case to deal with, send Y/N to Gotham or Zatanna. We'll go from there…"
John contemplated it. It wasn't a bad deal. It would give John freedom from babysitting, and maybe some alone time to deal with his frustrations. But still, the fact that he had to mostly care for a child on his own, it made him uncomfortable. He wasn't confident that he was the best answer to take care of them…
"Fine. But, I didn't agree on bein' their parent," John stated as he pointed at the back of Batman's head. "I agreed to help teach 'em. If things start gettin' complicated, I'm dropping them off right at your door. I don't work with kids."
Batman was quiet. John could tell he's tense, seeing the briefest glimpse of his hands tightening on the controls of the plane. Maybe John chipped at a nerve. He didn't care, though. John was going to be firm on this stance.
"What was the point of you agreeing to take them in if you aren't going to actually keep them?" Robin asked from his seat, annoyance clear in his tone.
"You weren't there. I don't want to hear it from you." John stated firmly, completely glossing over the point that Robin was making.
"…Father. Why are we humoring this charlatan?" The young boy asked the man in black.
"Oi!" John barked from the back, glaring at the child.
"…If that's how things are going to be, then we will need to bring Zatanna in for further discussion." Batman stated, addressing everyone in the room. "Zatanna was apart of this as well. You if can't handle Y/N, then Zatanna and I will figure out what to do with them. Just don't forget what you've promised that kid. None of us forced you to say those words to them back at the cave…"
John frowned deeply, glaring at the back of Batman's head. Bastard had a point. John made a hefty promise to them. But it's what he does. Say the right things to get the right people to agree, and give him what he wants. It's just his nature. It's what he knows how to do. As he tried to focus on how to stay detached, it was hard to ignore that deep seeded guilt beginning to claw at his chest.
See? This is why he doesn't agree to kids!
"Yeah, whatever…" John murmured as he tried to shake off how he was feeling. "Did you find anythin' about the kid's background or whatever? They still didn't give me too much when I talked with them…"
"…Still nothing," Batman stated. "We're looking further into it, along with the details of their physiology. Earlier you said you found things about their powers. What was it?"
Oh, shit. John didn't think this one fully through. Bullshitting through a phone was one thing. Doing it in person, in front of their faces? Totally different ball game. Even though Batman had his head turned away, that little brat of his didn't. The boy kept quietly glaring at him, as if to set John on fire where he sat. He was sure he could do it, too, given enough time. This just became complicated for him…
"…Just that they have an affinity to water," John said vague and shrugged. A twisted truth, but it was something to get the man off of him. "Didn't learn too much after that. Got tired and went to bed, and then poof! Missin' child…"
The air felt tenser than it was before. Maybe it was just John feeling that way, but with the silence that fell on them, and the jagged little looks the little side kick kept giving him, the more John felt on edge than he did before.
"…You have to take this seriously, Constantine. This is a child—" Batman began to say.
"I know that. I'm not an idiot," John quickly cut him off, not wishing to hear a lecture from a man his own age. "This is magic, we are talkin' about. It's complicated. Yes, this is about a kid, but we still don't know enough jack shit about this kid to make sure everythin' goes safe for everyone involved…! So, until I learn more about how their magic works, there's not much we can really do about it…"
"Then do you have any idea why it took over an hour for them to pop up again? Because if you can't get a handle on that, then why should we even let you handle the situation in the first place." Robin spoke sharply.
"Robin," Batman spoke with a warning edge in his voice.
"What? It's not as if I'm wrong, Father." Robin spoke with such assuredness that it was hard to not believe the boy.
John has never wanted to drop kick a child so badly in his life before. This one, however? This one he wanted to kick. So badly. Right into the Queen England's castle. But he took a deep breath, tried to keep his calm, and couldn't help but open his mouth.
"…The kid's powers let's 'em teleport in their sleep," John began to tell them, trying to lace a bit of vagueness as he talked. "A strange power to have, right? Do you know how complicated it is to teleport someone in their sleep? 'Cause it's very fuckin' hard…! But, there's many ways one can teleport. When Zee and I do it, it's like we're lookin' through a doorway. One side is where we're at, the other is where we want to go. A straight forward route. However, there are some spells that requires a bit of a longer route, if you will…"
""A longer route"…?" Robin quoted him, a raised brow being sent his way. "What does that mean?"
"It means…" John gave him a pointed look before gazing in Batman's direction. "…That this kid might be jumping through multiple places instead of just one place to another."
"…Do you think they're teleporting between more than just simply places?" Batman asked, a wariness in his tone that was hard to ignore.
"Could be… Could also be that their magic is affectin' your technology," John shrugged. "Magic's weird. Complicated. I still don't fully get how their power works, so I'll need time to figure it out before I can give an answer…"
"Which means more days of teleporting somewhere else…" Batman murmured as he kept his attention straight ahead.
"Father, please tell me we aren't going to be wasting our resources with babysitting a child…!" Robin exasperated, looking at Batman with almost desperation in his voice.
"Robin, they're the same age as you." Batman stated bluntly.
"So? It's still babysitting," Robin insisted with a shrug of his shoulders.
There was no hiding the heavy sigh that escaped Batman's nose. John could only conclude that even Batman gets tired of this boy's antics. Good. It made John feel better that something as annoying as Robin gets to bother Batman's waking day and night.
"…We will do whatever we can to make sure Y/N remains safe." Batman stated firmly. "Whether it be to protect them from them self, or to protect others. They're still an unstable situation. We cannot afford for anything to go awry."
Robin let out a frustrated groan, clearly rolling his eyes as he firmly crossed his arms and looked away from the adult. A reminder that he was, indeed, still a child. As much as he doesn't quite act his age, there was no mistaking the silent tantrum he was committing. It almost made John laugh. But he liked his tongue, so he made sure to stay quiet, instead.
It was a bit hard for John not to admit his true thoughts about how it is that this kid keeps teleporting around. He wasn't exactly lying to Batman when he spoke. John just wasn't telling him his whole thought process. Like how it's entirely possible that this alien thing is causing themselves and the kid to teleport to another plane of existence, only to then reappear some place else. Or, it was entirely possible that their powers aren't allowing technology work as well as they're supposed to.
John was beginning to lean more towards the former than the ladder. If his spells couldn't locate the child upon this planet, then that meant that something was afoot. Something that he didn't like. It irritated him, in truth. He wanted to figure out this damn alien sooner rather than later. The more he could learn, the better he can figure out to do with this situation he's in.
"We're getting closer," Batman's voice spoke up, snapping all attention towards him. "We can finish this later. I'm putting us down."
It was hard to ignore the jitters festering in John's body at this moment. More so nervous of being right on his hunch than anything else. Batman eased the machinery down to the ground. Honestly, it was probably the smoothest that John has ever experiences a plane being. Jet? Whatever the damn thing was, he barely even experience any shaking as they set down.
Once everything settled they all clicked off their seat harnesses and stood. Exiting from the vehicle, John scrunched his nose at the environment that they landed in. Thick woods and trees with low hanging branches. The smell of nature punching him right in the face. And the damnable sun seeming sharper than it should be, making his eyes sting.
Right, hang over. Damn thing was making this entire situation harder than it should be.
They stepped out of the plane and gazed around, not seeing any immediate presence right away. John tried to resist the urge for a cigarette. Batman stood beside him, holding his arm up as he was clicking something along the gauntlets on his arms. Something involving technology that John knew nothing about, and decided it would be best not to question him.
"We aren't far from them." Batman stated as he looked up and pointed to their right. "They should be that way…"
"Of course they are," John sighed as he glared in the direction. "Let's hope the wildlife stays out of our way, yeah?"
"Why? Scared of a few mosquitoes?" Robin practically taunted in that stoic little voice of his, nose upturned and painstakingly arrogant.
Yeah, John wanted to punt him.
"Let's just say that there are worst things than a couple of alligators in these swaps," John warned forebodingly as he eyed the plantation around them. "Whatever you do, try to avoid steppin' on any of the flowers…"
"Why? There's nobody here," Robin said as the three of them began to follow Batman taking lead.
"Just 'cause you don't see them doesn't mean someone isn't watchin'," John said as he made sure to watch his step as they walked.
"I'm not afraid of some wild animal," Robin scoffed at his warnings. "Bring it on. I'll handle any danger thrown at us."
John couldn't help but click his tongue at the kid's confidence. Talks like an adult, but still that naivety of a child. "Don't say I didn't warn you…" John said and waved a finger at him.
The three carefully traversed the swamp, focused on trying to find where the child has gone missing. None of them realizing that the swamp itself knew of their arrival, and that there has been eyes watching them from the very moment that had set down with the private jet.
.
.
You ran like your life depended on it.
Because really, at this moment, it really did matter.
You didn't even think twice when Ella warned you to run. You turned and booked it, trying to ignore the way you legs almost shook with every step you took. You gained strength as you ran, not thinking of your shaky limbs as adrenaline urged you forwards. You didn't dare look back. Too focused on finding your way through this swamp.
And truly, it was a swamp.
You ran hard, kicking off of tree roots and jumping over vines and branches that looked like they could keep you down. For a moment you thought you were imagining it, but it almost seemed like the plant life suddenly came to life.
You felt as though branches were snagging at your clothes more than they should have. As if they lowered themselves to try and tug at you. You could have sworn you saw a vine or two lift off from the ground to try and catch your leg, but missed as you timed your jump just right. You kept running, almost slipping on the wet ground as you weren't used to the terrain. It was like the plants were coming to life, and doing whatever they could to stop you.
With what felt like forever in your mind, when in actuality it had only been a few minutes, did you emerged from the immense density of the swamp to find a bit of a clearing. You panted lightly and stared at the edge of the treeline at what you could see in front of you.
It was a small clearing, wrapping around what looked to be another swampy river. Not quite a lake or a pond, but a river that cut straight through the land. Marshy and unable to see through the murky water, you could see a small house across the river. A dock with a small boat attached to it. One with an engine, you realized. As dark and dense and green this entire area was, you couldn't deny that there was something strange about the area. It was when you quickly looked down did you realize that there were flowers along the river bank. White ones, that you've never really seen or recognized before. All littered along the sides of the river banks, but not going quite as far down as you expected them too.
It wasn't until you heard the creaking of wood that you turned your head around, realizing that a tree branch really was bending in an abnormal manner, as if trying to grab you. Quickly you leapt away from the tree and moved away from it, standing a bit more in the open now. You really didn't have much time, nor room to do much. You knew you had to get away from whatever that plant monster was.
What should you do?
.
.
CALCULATING . . .
. . . YOU DECISION MATTERS . . .
Relationship with ??Ella??: Beginning of Understandings
Relationship with Hellblazer: Worried
Relationship with the Heroes of Gotham: Cautious
The Cult has Lost you… They will Continue the Hunt…
Hello lovelies! This is a poll to decide the fate of the story direction we go in! If you'd like to read it, please check out my masterlist or you can read it on Ao3! Now, to the Choice that Matters...
.
It wasn't until you heard the creaking of wood that you turned your head around, realizing that a tree branch really was bending in an abnormal manner, as if trying to grab you. Quickly you leapt away from the tree and moved away from it, standing a bit more in the open now. You really didn't have much time, nor room to do much. You knew you had to get away from whatever that plant monster was.
What should you do?
Ask Ella to help you stand your ground.
Fuck the flowers, run through and get away!
Avoid stepping on the flowers, and run to that house!
Pairing: Zagreus X Thanatos X Megaera X Dryad!Reader
Masterlist? Here you go! Also on Ao3! Prev Chap, Next Chap
Description: You decided to take a look around you. Maybe you could find something to help you?
Border Credit: @thecutestgrotto @uzmacchiato
TW: Falling, repeated mentions of death
A/N: Welcome back! So Sorry this took me so long to make! I hope you guys enjoy, and remember... You Choice Affects the Story...
You stared at the Temple of Nyx.
The dark foreboding veil inside of it caused you unease. Although you have visited many times now, a bit accustomed to the area by now, it still left you with unease. Although it was day time, perhaps a bit of the Goddess's powers weren't as strong because of it, this was a temple dedicated to her. A stretch of her power was still here. You could feel it within your bones. It was like your body was screaming at you to stay away. To turn back and stay safe within the woods that you know.
You still felt hesitant. No one was asking you to do this. It was a task you had given yourself to achieve. A part of you felt silly for how much you were unsure now that you were standing before the temple. Now that you were here staring into the dark insides, you were unsure if you wanted to press forwards.
Instead, you decided to gaze around. Perhaps there was something that you could benefit before you enter the Temple?
Perhaps strengthen your nerves whilst you're at it?
You gazed around the outside of the temple. How the architecture has crumbled through the years. Dark stone to match the Night Goddess. Clearly made by mortals once long ago. Abandoned now, as you could tell by the cracks in the stones, and how the snow has tried to claim it and bury it beneath. You could imagine the plant life would try to claim the ruins as well. You could envision moss and vines growing. Sprouting through cracks and hanging from the walls.
You went from left to right, gazing around and looking more carefully than you had in previous times. There were trees that were around it, but they were left bare. No sight of a single leaf on a single branch. Just snow and icicles hung from them now. You've heard that long ago there were flowers that used to grow around here. Only the Goddess's favorites, or so you've been told.
You wondered if you could find them here…
You may be a Pomegranate Dryad, and those fruits were your specialty, but you have gained years of learning how to cultivate thanks to your Goddess, Persephone. She taught you much. She even helped you use your powers to help grow other plants, or to speed up their growth.
Perhaps, you wondered, if you could speed up the growth of some of the flowers around here?
It wouldn't be much, you realized. The winter would consume them, just as they've done other plants already. They would not last long without constant help from you. But, you didn't truly need them to last very long. Maybe, just maybe, it would be enough to impress the Goddess of the Night.
You were not one of her followers. You were stumbling about as it was. But, you have tried your best to tidy up the area for a while now. You've fixed some of the ruined parts of the temple. Left offerings every time you visited. Maybe, just maybe, if you offered up one last gift to the Goddess, maybe she would help you on your quest to the Underworld.
Trudging through the snow, you tried to use a bit of your powers to sense some of the plant life in the area. It felt like listening. Trying to sense the whispers of life that tried to survive the snow. You took your time, trudging around the edges of the temple as you tried to clear off snow in certain areas. You did your best to dig, brushing snow off and trying to get an idea of the plant life that still remained.
Winter made it so difficult.
The ground was hard. The temperature was less than ideal. The sun, now shining above, barely felt warm as snow clouds tried to fight the rays that shined downwards. As if the clouds were waging war with the sun. You found it to be cruel, but knew to still your tongue.
Voicing such thoughts aloud was a dangerous game.
You wiped your chilled hands against your fur cloak. Trying to regain the lost warmth, feeling your body retain it's shiver. You had to act fast. You only had a week to deal with the Underworld and not worry your Goddess. You had to hurry. Lest you freeze like the other plants in your vicinity.
You stood before the Temple entrance and held your hands out in front of you. Spreading your fingers and moving them slowly. You closed your eyes to gain focus, trying to ignore the prickling sensation as if you were being watched. You recalled how soft the earth could be. How the smell of dirt was when it rained. How deep the seedlings of plants have embedded themselves, trying to protect themselves from the harsh winter.
You visualized the seedlings. Encouraging them to crack through their shells. To spread their roots. Encouraging them to stretch and grow. To seek that nutrient that they need. Encouraging the plant to see their way through the ground, desperate to feel the sunlight upon it. Sprouting out and growing, and growing. Going up and up. Stretching their limbs up and above them. Producing those buds that wish to display themselves.
As you opened your eyes, slow in your menstruation, you gazed up and looked at the area before you. Where once there was snow, freezing all and leaving most things bare, now was a colorful array of flowers. You saw the gorgeous color of Nightshades blooming. Some with black berries hanging off of their buds. Decorating around the edges of the Temple, a few vines climbing some of the columns and giving the area a bit of color. And, even a bit to your own surprise, did you see a few splashes of the red colored Poppy sprouting from the ground again.
You gazed into the depths of the Temple, and swore you heard a pleased hum.
Which is ridiculous. You know you were by yourself, here.
You stood before the temple, only stepping closer until you were at the mouth of it. As chilled as you were, you dared to place your knees into the snowy ground, and your hands into the white banks beneath you. You bowed to the temple, almost going so low your forehead almost touched the snow, trying to show your deepest respects.
"Goddess of the Night," You called to the temple. "I do not have much to give, so I instead gift to your Temple with some of your favorite flowers. I have something that I must ask of you, and I pray that you will take the time to heed my words…"
There was no response back to the depths of the Temple.
Just the quiet chills of the wind. The snow beginning to make your hands freeze. You listened. Trying to strain your pointed ears, attempting to listen carefully to your surroundings. Although you felt alone, not even the sounds of birds to be heard, you felt like you were being watched. Like something was there. Watching you. Listening to your words.
"…It is a most selfish request," You continued to speak to the air. "One that I do not wish to offend you with. But, I am desperate…"
Your mind recalled the nights of your Lady Persephone's tears. How, for so long, she would weep herself to sleep. And all you could do was listen and watch. How she smiled to your face when you asked her if something was wrong, but the moment she was alone she crumbled. It made your heart ache just recalling how sad she always sounded.
"…I know that the world below my feet is not in your rule no longer," you spoke as you gained a bit more conviction in your voice. "However, it was originally yours. The Underworld. You hosts it's darkness and shade. You cradle it still within your depths. If you would humor this foolish Dryad, just this once, I would be forever in your debt…!"
Your mind recounted the way that the Goddess Persephone would place herself alone. How, no matter how strong she showed herself to be, how independent she may be, she would still weep to herself by night. There was no doubt in your mind that Lady Persephone didn't exactly need you. She was a powerful Goddess. One that she did not give herself proper credit for. She thrived up above the ground. You knew she did.
But you've heard some of her cries.
How she sometimes wept that she had wished things had been different. Other times, she made it sound like she was trying to convince herself that this was what she wanted. This loneliness that she kept to herself. Yes, she had you. But you could not give her everything she needed. You understood that well. Although you try, no matter how hard you try, it almost always felt like it wasn't quite enough.
"…My dear Lady Nyx, Goddess of the Night," you call to the temple. "Could you grant this foolish Dryad a way down to the Underworld? Whether it be through it's Gates, or cracks through the ground—I will take anything you would give to me. Anything..."
You were met with silence.
Not even the wind seemed to blow against you anymore.
There was no rustling of branches anymore. No birds to sing. Just the silence of winter, stretching far. You momentarily tried to listen. To see if the plants would have anything to say. Not even they dared to speak. As if even they were holding their breaths for what has yet to come for your request to the Chthonic Goddess.
Finally, you lifted yourself from your steep bow. You stared at the temple and climbed back to your feet. You've realized that maybe you had foolishly thought that you would gain an answer. You were asking for a rather hefty request. Something that no ordinary person would provide. A part of you should not be as surprised. The Gods typically asked for a lot. Sometimes, even then, it does not mean that they will answer.
Just when you felt as though you would turn your back, reserving yourself for the crushing weight of failure, you felt a wind blow against your back. It felt like a whisper. Causing you to turn back and stare back at the Temple.
The Darkness awaiting you…
You stared. It made you feel hesitant. But, you have asked for this. Asked for someone to listen. Maybe the Goddess of the Night did in fact heed your call? You had only one way of finding out…
You dared stepping forwards, snow crunching under foot, as you begin to make your way inside. When you passed by some of the flowers you did take a moment to collect a few, keeping in mind the benefits to both Nightshade and Poppies. Once content with your brief scavenging, you continued forth. Your steps are cautious. You observe everything you can as you entered. As you made it pass the opening threshold you see that the snow rapidly dwindles. No flakes or ice has made it's way inside. As if the snow knew that it was not welcomed across the Goddess's Temple. You didn't have to worry about walking through anymore snow, but there was still a frigid chill in the air.
It was dark inside, of course. No candles to be lit. You did notice, however, that your powers had caused some of the plantation to reach inside. A few of the vines had made their way into the cracks. You noticed a blooming pot in a few corners of the Temple. Not even you had realized how much your powers had stretched. You could only thank Persephone for blessing you before you headed off on this quest.
There was no one inside, of course. Just symbols that represented the Goddess of the Night. A few statues, now partially broken, trying to duplicate her likeness. The Mortals did have a thing for their statues to the Gods, didn't they? You knew that not all statues were accurate in their depictions of the Gods. Nonetheless, you were sure the Gods enjoyed the attention given to them by their loyal followers.
You made your way to the furthest wall. It was a small temple. It was tall, but not very deep. When you first entered this place, the Alter was a mess. Small, and almost sad looking. You had fixed it to the best of your abilities. It was where you had begun placing offerings. The bottle of wine from last time was gone. Along with the pomegranate you had broken open and left. The incenses were long since gone as well. You could only hope that it meant that she enjoyed the attention you have been giving this place as of late.
You reached into your bag and fished out some of the incenses you brought with. You set them up and lit them one at a time. Giving her three, and allowing the aromatic smoke fill the air. You fished some of the Nightshade and Poppies from your bag, and set them on top of the alter. Even bringing some of the black berries in as well.
"For you, Goddess," You whispered as you bowed your head to the alter.
As you lifted your head, something from the corner of your eye caught your attention. You turned and looked, suddenly noticing a strange outline on the wall of the Temple. One that you had never noticed before, and one that you don't ever recall ever seeing. In the stone wall seemed to be almost a small stone door. It matched the coloration of the surrounding stone, dark as the rest, and you could see that it was made to blend in with it's surroundings.
When you crept closer to it, you realized that it was very small. Maybe the size of a cabinet that you would fill with dried snacks back at your Lady's Cabin. Maybe if you were to crouch and crawl on your hands and knees, maybe you could fit.
Strange, you thought.
You had never noticed this part of the Temple before. Even though you have passed this wall countless times. Even guided your hands across the wall to clean it of dust. How have you never noticed this strange door before? You thought yourself more observant than that.
But, you couldn't help but gaze back to the Alter. Seeing the thin smoke of the incense still rising. Flowers still there. Has your offerings been enough? Was this the Goddess Nyx's doings? You couldn't say for sure. All you could do was hope that, maybe, perhaps luck was beginning to turn in your favor.
You looked back to the small stone door and tried to steel your nerves. Carefully you lifted your hands up and touched the cold stone. With a small grunt of effort, you felt the door budge. Your fingertips dug into it's edges. You pulled with more effort than before. The idea that maybe this was it encouraged your bravery. With one last grunt, the grinding sound of stone scraping across each other, finally the small stone slab that you called a door managed to open.
It wasn't until you saw it now that you realized how thick the actual stone was. Whoever made it had intended to make it difficult. Looking through the new opening now you narrowed your eyes in an attempt of seeing through the darkness. Unfortunately, you couldn't see an end. Just another dark, small tunnel, that seemed almost colder to you than the temple itself.
You felt almost breathless. Hesitant to even breathe. Your heartbeat thumped fast into your chest. This was it. No turning back. No back tracking. Either you went into this tunnel, or you turn away and remain a coward. You forced yourself to try an take a breath, breathing in as much as your lungs would allow you, and then exhaling softly and slowly. Trying to cool the nerves that seemed to be buzzing through you.
"No turning back," you whispered to yourself. "For your Goddess. For her. For. Her."
With the quiet chant under your breath, you took in one last deep breath before getting on your hands and knees. You lowered your head, keeping in mind the way your bag almost dragged across the ground, and slowly began to make your descent into the tunnel.
It was dark. Much darker than something this small should be. A part of you was almost shocked it wasn't a storage space, or something cruelly walled off just to get your hopes up. The chill of the stone seeped through your clothes. You urged yourself to continue, hoping your hands would last just a bit longer. Although you were out of the snow and endless winter winds, there was a different kind of cold the tunnel provided.
Something that felt unnatural.
The tunnel was so tight you couldn't turn back even if you had wanted to. Maybe you could scoot yourself back if you really tried, but that would mean throwing in the towel. You had to try. You had to. Even though your heart hasn't stopped hammering within your chest, you told yourself that you had to try.
You could barely see what was in front of you. You moved slowly, and carefully. This was not something you rushed. Making sure to pat the stone in front of you before putting your full weight forwards. If you were going to go into the depths of the Underworld, you weren't about to be an utter fool about it.
There was no light to guide you anymore.
Not even the sound of the wind to keep you company.
Just Darkness.
Eventually through your cautious steps, you realized that the stone tunnel suddenly changed ahead. Carefully you traced your finger tips against the ground and realized ahead of you the ground dipped. You stilled. You still couldn't see, but you knew better than to keep going forwards. Carefully you hooked your fingers to the edge, cautiously trying to see how deep the sudden change in the flooring went.
Deep, you realized, as you traced one of your arms fully down before pulling it back up.
Well, this was unfortunate.
You knew the Underworld meant down, but you didn't realize how literal that must've been. A part of you hoped for a more reclined descent. Not a drop that you might not be able to recover from.
It was like staring down into darkness itself.
You could barely make out where your hands were, hooked against the edge of the drop. Your eye-sight felt useless to you. There was barely any noise. All you could really make out was the sound of your own, soft breathing, and the way your heart was beating. You thought of the contents of your bag and remembered that you always carried a torch and flint. It may not be much, and maybe it would be a fruitless effort, but at least the idea of fire could at least light your way forwards.
With one hand you patted your own body until you could feel the bag. With a slight shivering hand you tried to dig into it's contents, hoping that you could find what you needed through the blinding darkness.
But then you felt a shove.
There was no stopping the startled yelp you let out as you felt your world tip forwards. Like something had hooked into your clothes and yanked you down into the hole in front of you. Your arms flailed. You tried to grab back onto the ledge—anything, really—but you descended down the hole anyways.
It happened so fast. First you were stagnant, stable. The next you felt weightless. Nothing holding you up anymore as you fell down the hole, wind and shadows clawing at your clothes and skin as you fell. You hadn't even realized the scream you let out as you fell. Darkness was all you could make out. You couldn't even make out which way was up or down as you realized the hole was far bigger than you could have ever imagined.
Your arms flailed, desperate to make heads or tails of which way was up or down. Rapidly you fell through the tunnel. Just when you believed yourself to be cursed to fall through a hole for eternity, to splatter against the ground and never even know when it was coming, suddenly light finally permeated your eyes.
It took your brain a few seconds to actually comprehend what you were seeing as you fell. Clothes flapping and tugging against your skin as you went. You could barely even breathe when you saw the sight before you. No more was the screams that came from your lips.
As you fell you could actually see it.
The Underworld.
Land of the Dead and Damned.
And you were falling rapidly into it.
It was truly a sight to behold. Flamed torches that lit the underbelly, made of colors unlike normal torches. You saw green, red, blue—all different in different areas. Buildings and structures you had never experienced before. It looked large in your eyes, and you were looking at it from a distance. An amazement taking hold as you stared, only to noticed that more black stone was now catching up to your vision.
You gazed down and realized that you were falling into another large hole. Again you flailed your arms and legs, trying to catch and edge or something to stop yourself. Instead, it was like the tunnel itself caught you. Darkness took your vision again as you felt stone against your back. It was practically nauseating. Sliding instead of falling this time, going around and around. You tried to slow yourself with your feet and hands, but it didn't quite seem to work.
For the first time since your fall, you could actually see light at the end of the tunnel. But what should have been relieve still became fear. You were becoming unable to slow down, your hands and feet trying to dig into the slanted tunnel in some way to stop yourself. Just when you imagined that you would splatter against the wall when you popped out of the hole, the air around you suddenly felt different.
You could feel it in the way your clothes were grabbed. Small, very quick tugs. As if a multitude of things that you could not see was trying to slow you down. And, whatever it was, was working. But, it was not fast enough, as you tucked your head to your chest and lifted your arms to cover your head and shield your face. You popped out of the hole fast, a small yelp coming from you as you rolled across the ground.
It wasn't until your back hit the opposite wall did you realize you stopped, finally. You stayed in your position on the ground for a moment, your heart pounding in your ears and against your chest so loudly that you were sure it could make the floor rumble. You tried to catch you breath. Your breathing loud and laborious, showing just how stressed out you had been previously. You had done no real running, but you felt like you had just went through a hundred yard run and back.
Finally gaining a bit of your bearings, you realized that you shouldn't be laying on the floor anymore. To vulnerable. With shaky hands you set them underneath you and pushed yourself up, trying to ignore the way your entire arms hand trembled. You managed to get a knee underneath you before you realized that standing wasn't an option right now.
You were shaking like a leaf.
The shock of what you had just gone through had scared you far more than you had realized. It wasn't just your arms shaking, either. Your legs trembled so fiercely you were afraid that you'd collapse the moment you stood. Then, you realized the shaking in your chest, and knew that it was your entire body. So, with your hand against the cold wall, you sat yourself back down and rested your back against the wall instead. One of your hands laid on your chest, feeling your thunderous heartbeat pressing back against it. You reminded yourself to remain calm. To take deep, slow breaths. In, then out. In, then out.
You weren't entirely sure how long you stayed like that.
Just trying to regain your control over yourself.
Finally, for what seemed like eternity to you, your trembling lessened than before. The one in your chest settled. Your legs weren't shaking as if they would detach themselves and walk around from you. Your arms didn't feel as though they would fall off. The feeling of your body was slowly coming back to you. The shakiness had lessen, but it was not entirely gone just yet. It was enough to manage, however.
From your seated position you finally lifted your head. You realized that you were sitting in a tunnel. A magical torch over your head that was glowing a red color that was not so average for a fire to glow with. It had been the light you saw at the end of the tunnel, you realized. You looked to your left and saw the tunnel deepened, but it had no torch lights to reveal how deep it went. When you looked right, you saw another torch light, revealing that there was a turn at the end.
You took your time gazing up and down, looking at the stone around you. Dark and cold, you realized. The stone was cool beneath you. Enough to give your skin a chill if you had left it bare. Thankfully, though, you were rather wrapped in winter gear. Warm clothing and furs to keep you safe for a time. You knew that you could endure the cold. But, this, though? You were beginning to become unsure…
The tunnel was enclosed. The stone, smooth under your hands, as it slightly reminded you of the Temple's. But there was something about it that was different. In what way, you couldn't say for sure. You were a creature of plant life, not stone, after all. However, you knew something about it was different.
Like it was somehow colder.
Not in the way of it freezing you. But more so in the way of lacking. The air, you even noticed. It was stagnant. Still. You couldn't even feel or sense any wind blowing through. Not only that, but when you tried to strain your ears to focus on hearing something—anything—you couldn't. No noise. No sound. Not even a hint of life to be seen or experienced. You could argue the magic flames, but even the one above your head didn't seem to radiate the warmth that it should.
You weren't in the place you knew before.
This was different. A different realm with different rules. Not the ones you knew, which was life and plants and growth. It felt cold. Silent.
Dead.
Finally, after sitting for so long, you placed your hand back against the wall and pulled your legs underneath you. With a grunt you pushed and climbed to your feet. Still a little shaken you were, but the hand you kept against the wall helped stabilize you for a bit. You lifted your head and gazed back at the place that you had rolled out of, trying to still wrap your head around all of this, but you paused.
When you gazed across from you, there should have been a tunnel hole. Something to show that you had came rolling out of nowhere. Instead, however, you realized that you were staring at a solid wall. No sign of a hole anywhere to be seen. A bit in disbelief, you pushed yourself away from where you had rolled and went to the other wall. You patted it repeatedly, trying to see if your mind was playing tricks on you. Trying to see if you could hear the sound of wind of some kind.
Nothing.
Just a solid, sturdy, stone wall.
You stepped away from it, hands clenched tightly by your sides now, as you realized there was truly no returning now. No turning back. Only commitment. It made you nervous, truly it did. Realizing that your prayers had been answered. A part of you almost wondered if the Goddess of Night would appear before you with all that you've done. But, that would be too easy, you realized. The Gods were not that kind.
It could not be denied any longer.
You were alone.
Standing in the Underworld.
It would have to do, you realized. You could stand around all day, pondering about everything and thinking far too much, or you could get your feet moving. Your fingers slightly burned still from the snow's cold, the feeling of them trying to be warm almost hurting. Your cheeks felt nipped at, along with the tip of your nose. Away you were from the snow and freezing winds, and instead you were in a place that felt far too still. Moving, you decided. You wanted to move.
You gazed down the left tunnel once more. Hard to see anything. Hard to even hear. You couldn't sense much down that way, and you wondered if there even was a way to begin with. Gazing to your right, you saw the torch lit at the end, also made of a red magical flame, and lighting the tunnels around itself.
The light was a better decision, in your mind.
But before you left, you decided to gaze at the wall where the opened tunnel should have been. You held your hands in the air, gesturing to where the tunnel had been, and slowly closed your eyes. You lightly bowed your head, and spoke in an almost whisper.
"…Thank you, Goddess Nyx," you spoke in hush. "I will never forget this kindness…"
Even your own voice sounded almost foreign to you. Especially with how this tunnel echoed around you. Not loud, to where you were worried of someone else hearing you. But it still rattled you with it's reverberation.
You gained no answer in return. Perhaps, you decided as you pulled your hands down to allow them to rest by your sides, that it was a good thing. No attention to be drawn to you just yet. An advantage, you supposed. You should not take it for granted. With that in mind, you lifted your head up and looked to the right tunnel again.
As quietly as you could, footsteps light and soft as you slowly made your way down, you realized there was only one way to that tunnel as one end was closed off, and the other lead a staircase that meant going downwards.
Down, you decided.
Down you shall go in order to achieve what you had set out to do.
Find Lord Hades.
Each step you took. Quietly, and carefully. Treading down and down and down. Taking as much time as you could in your descent. You did not know what would be ahead. What creatures were around, or how much secrecy you had to your presence. You had to try to be discrete. You could not let this chance get away from you.
You had to keep your presence to a minimum.
Although it was the Lord of the Underworld that you were looking for, you knew that you stood no chance against his army and those he controlled in the Underworld. You had heard a couple of tales of this place. How loyal the God of the Dead's underlings were. That anyone who dared to trespass in his domain would be hunted and slaughtered, and to then be put to his judgment of your fate.
That he was not a kind God.
But, upon thinking of it, you heard the whispers of your Goddess's voice in your ears.
Whispers of past stories she once told you long ago. When you were rather childish and naive still. Morbid curiosity had a hold of you. Asking the poor woman about the Underworld and the death that was around it. Although she scared you with stories, clearly having a laugh to your terror, there was one thing that she always insisted upon you.
That the Lord Hades was always fair.
He may be terrifying. He may be too strong for you to even handle being in the presence of.
But he was always, no matter what, fair in his decisions.
Who knows if the God was still that way. You could only wonder, as you have never met another God that was not your Goddess. A part of you hoped—no, prayed—that the Lord Hades would be fair upon you to hear you out. To hear you speak to him, and what would be demands for answers.
You weren't a fool.
You knew what this entire thing could mean. That even being down here this far was just the clock ticking upon your death. But, if you were to die, then why not be an insolent fool just one last time? To dare to stand before the God of the Dead and demand answers that have been kept barred from you. To demand that he fix the things that make your Goddess weep at night.
You did not intend to fail.
So, silently you crept. Further and further down, until finally another tunnel was outstretched to you. The shaking in your body has lessened, but it has not left you entirely yet. It was like your body knew but your brain denied. The fear of being in the Land of the Dead.
Perhaps it was the Dryad in you.
That creature of life, shaking in fear at the prospects of Death possibly being before you.
"A thing I've dealt with before, and will continue to do so," you whispered to yourself as you quietly walked through the hall of the tunnel. The light was dim, and you did not see anymore torches. "…What is Life without Death? You have faced countless chances of death before. You shall face them again, and more. And, just like before, you will succeed…"
You turned down a corner, and spotted newly mounted torches down the way across. "…You must succeed. You have no other choice than to try…"
You traveled down the hall until you got to the end, your hands both clutching the strap across your chest that hung your bag of belongings. A dilemma now is before you. Two new tunnels, both dark at a glance. Just the one torch being the thing to light the small area aglow. You tried to peer down either hall, but saw no torch. Just darkness that took them. Now you were uncertain. The Goddess Nyx had helped you thus far, but it was up to you to complete your journey.
If your eyes could not help you, perhaps your other senses might.
You closed your eyes and took in a slow, careful breath. Carefully you tried to ignore your own sounds. The sound of your breath. The sound of your heart. The sound of your clothes rustling naturally on your body. You focused on what you could hear down either end.
On the left, you could hear what sounds to be water. But it was… strange, to your ears. You've heard water run countless times. This, however, sounded slightly different. Slower, maybe? Or perhaps thicker? Which, didn't make much sense, as water naturally wasn't a thick substance. It was… odd. Not only that, but it wasn't the only thing you can hear. You could hear a rustling of some sort. Like… tapping of feet. Pacing, you realized. And it was big, too.
On the right, you didn't hear as much noise. But, it didn't seem empty, either. You heard what almost seemed like whispers. Hushed. Mixed and mingled. You couldn't make out if it was one, or two, or three people speaking. Not just that, but you swore you could hear something dragging across the ground. You had no idea what it was. It was also… odd.
An unease formed in your stomach. What a predicament you found yourself in. You see only two ways to go, yet neither seems like a preferred way for you to go. You opened your eyes and willed yourself not to sigh, lest you forgo your location to either rooms. You didn't want to go into either. You weren't sure what you would confront, but it made you uneasy all the same. You did not want to trust either one. However, in order to move on, you had to decide.
