I just realized Freddy might try to bug Sunny for a double date, since they’re (currently) the only brothers with partners.
Sunny may or may not have met Ametrine, but if she’s dating Freddy then he isn’t sure he wants to be anywhere near her. Ruby probably agrees.
So I’m just picturing:
“Hey we should do a double date sometime! I’m sure Amy would love you guys!”
“Oh uhhh… I’m busy! For… *frantically typing on phone begging his boss to give him more hours* the next three months!”
There’s a nonzero chance Freddy figures it out and “encourages” (threatens, even if he doesn’t mean it they don’t know that) them to come on a double date. Thankfully it’s just a restaurant or something and not a murder date.
oh my goddd
sorry I’m just
Sunny: boss I need more hours please
Boss: I mean…I can do that, but why this all of a sudden?
Sunny: One of my brothers is trying to get me and Ruby to go on a double date with him and his girlfriend.
Boss: Which brother?
Sunny: one of the serial murderers
Boss: Say no more
Ametrine may be very calm or just as energetic and aggressive as Freddy (though not towards Sunny or Ruby); depends on how long it’s been since she accidentally hurt one of the others. Both I think would scare Sunny and Ruby though KWKEJDJEH
Fortunately as long as they’re not shitty to her (which they won’t be) she’ll be happy to chill with them, and they won’t be in any danger from her.
Don't think there's any trigger warnings? Also don't ask me what anyone's thinking I have no idea. Nova just kinda decided he's doing this and I went along for the ride (positive)
"This is a stupid idea," Mal's hands moved through the signs quickly, brows furrowed as they followed Nova. Someone was snoring deeper in the base, and Nova was fighting the urge to yawn, but he ignored it. "Stupid and dangerous."
Nova tried not to think about just how dangerous it was. Even hiding his wings, and with an illusion hiding his more notable features, there was no guarantee that someone wouldn't recognize him, and get them caught. "I'm not making you come. You can stay if you want."
"And let you die? Papa would never forgive me." The darkness of night made their hands hard to follow, and even Nova's enhanced vision was struggling to pick out their words.
"Fair enough," Nova grumbled, opening the door slowly; it didn't creak, and he thanked whatever higher power was watching. "But it's gonna be quick. Ten minutes tops."
"The entire neighborhood was feeding those cats. You don't have to risk your life for it." Glitches raced up and down Mal's arms as Nova carefully opened a portal, still keeping an ear and eye out for anyone noticing they were leaving. Not only would they probably get a lecture, Nova couldn't stand to endure the whispers from the others, the distrusting looks they sent his way. Even when he was confined to bed, he remembered hearing Blue's voice raised in his defense, the guilt making his chest tighten even now. He hadn't ever meant to be here, and staying in the base had only made his anxieties worse.
It would only take a moment, he reminded himself as they stepped through into OuterTale, instinctively tipping his head back. With the area devoid of lights in the pitch black, Nova could see every sparkling star and swirling galaxy stretching off into infinity. Nova didn't think he'd been back here since Harrier had taken him all those months ago, and he took a moment to just breathe, feeling like it was just him and the infinite universe in the best way possible.
A tap on his shoulder made Nova jump, looking back at Mal. "Cats." They signed pointedly into his hand, so there was no mistaking what they were saying.
"Yeah. Cats. Right." Nova tried to keep his mind on task as they walked through their old neighborhood. Nova let his senses expand, taking in the calm of sleeping people content in their homes. He bet none of them had had to kill someone else. Or at least he hoped so. Learning that any of his old neighbors was a killer would probably leave a sour taste on the good memories he had here, and he didn't want that.
The stray cats of the neighborhood had been around since before Nova was born; attempts had been made to capture them all, but more seemed to crop up like a feline hydra. The best the local shelter could do was convince most of the strays to stay in a park with food, water, and shelter all maintained by volunteers. Nova and Mal had popped in every week before their lives had imploded, and as they neared the shed that served as a base of operations Nova saw a few cats he recognized, a few he didn't, and missed a handful from their usual spots.
A small gray-and-white cat trotted up beside them as they walked, sniffing the air, and then started walking in pace with them. The volunteers called her McFlurry, due to her love of hanging around a McDonald's near the park. Nova remembered her from before, as she'd been one of the first to come to him nearly every time he volunteered. McFlurry seemed to be a vibe-checker for the cats, as she He liked to think they had a bond, but even if Blue would have let him bring her home, he knew her place was here. Nova was here when she'd gotten an infection and had to be wrangled to the vet, and the yowling had nearly shattered his eardrums.
Now, he knelt down and held out his hand, letting McFlurry come to him. She did with only a moment's hesitation, bumping her head against his hand and purring loudly. Mal hovered nearby, their head on a swivel for any sign of someone who could see them. Nova saw their hand drift to their side out of the corner of his eye, fingers flexing where Flow would normally stand; for now the construct was dormant, both to draw less attention and avoid scaring the cats.
As they rounded a corner to the shed, Nova tensed. The door was ajar. Anyone he knew who would've volunteered would have made sure the door shut behind them before they left, and no sane person would be out here at this hour.
Mal noticed it too, and they tugged on his sleeve insistently. But the familiarity of the shed drew him, even as his heart raced. Nova was well aware by now that if anyone in that shed wanted to hurt him, he would be able to stop them. His magic fizzed in his chest, as if eager to be used.
McFlurry trotted ahead, completely unbothered by the sounds of rustling coming from the shed. When she reached the door, she turned around to look at them as if asking 'why aren't you coming?'
Nova exchanged a look with Mal; they clearly were running out of patience for him, and he got the sense he was one wrong move away from being dragged through a portal back to Vulture's Fall.
But even as he realized just how stupid this endeavor was, he knew he needed to finish this. Nova needed to be in the shed, the familiar scent of cat food and the slight mustiness that came when people got busy. Needed to see the dozen or so food and water bowls scattered around, the cat boxes that were stacked in the corner until the weather turned foul.
Nova kept his senses on high alert as they crept closer to the shed, heart hammering against his chest. He could hear movement inside, feel a buzz of negativity of some kind (Guilt? Grief? Fear? Nothing stuck long enough to tell) that locked up into brain-halting panic as they got closer.
Nova caught a flash of magic a moment before he entered, and instinct took over. Pushing Mal back with one hand, he lifted the other in a shimmering golden shield. His illusion faded to nothing as the magic flooded to his defense. Heart lodged in his throat, forgetting how to breathe, he braced for the blow—
"Nova?" The soft hiss made him freeze, panic seizing him in its jaws once again for an entirely different reason. "Is… that you?" Disbelief shone in eyes the color of summer leaves, reflecting the shimmering ball of light in Ruby's hand.
Light. A light spell. Not an attack. Nova took a shuddering breath and lowered his hand, the shield disintegrating into golden sparks. As much as he wanted to return to his original plan of masking his identity, the look in Ruby's eyes made it impossible to consider.
"… Yeah." Nova flinched as Mal smacked him, stepping back into his line of sight. One of their hands was scraped up when they lifted them to sign; they must have fallen when he pushed them, Nova realized with a pang of guilt.
"You said no one would know," their hands moved sharply, and Nova could see the annoyance on their face. And beneath that, uncertainty. "We need to go. Now."
"Wait," Ruby grabbed Nova before he even started moving, before he even had time to think if he wanted to. "Go where? Where have you been? Everyone thinks you're…"
"Dead?" Nova saw her flinch, and instinctively his hand pressed lightly against hers. "That's what people have to think. But I'm fine."
"Why?" Her eyes were shining again, and Nova realized she was crying. Grief rolled off her in waves, and he stared uncertainly. "Where did you go? Why didn't you say goodbye?" Tears made damp streaks of the brown fur on her cheeks as her ears pulled flat against her head. Nova realized the usually vibrant purple dye in her fur had faded, almost gone completely. If it had gotten that faint before, she would've already dyed it again.
Nova didn't think; he just pulled her into a hug. The fur on top of her head tickled his chin as he held her close. He could sense Mal off to the side, impatience flickering, but he wasn't going to leave Ruby in tears. "I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to. I promise I didn't mean it." And before he could think about it, Nova was crying too. McFlurry wove between them, purring like an engine as she tried to comfort the two people crying in her shed.
They stayed like that for a long time, longer than Nova expected Mal to let them. To his surprise, they made no effort to pull him away as he and Ruby murmured reassurances to each other and held each other close. Nova wouldn't call it peaceful, but he would take this over the blank peace encouraged at Justice Reigns any day.
McFlurry caught the interruption first, stiffening and looking away from them. Nova sat up a little straighter without letting go of Ruby, noticing Mal was also now on alert. Their fingers were curled slightly, glitching worse. And then Nova heard it: footsteps, sharp and methodical. A soldier's stride, one that Nova had to fight slipping into.
His heart jumped into his throat; a portal back would be too risky; even with the added experience he and Mal had, opening and closing portals took time. Enough time that someone could follow them through, into the heart of Vulture's Fall. And with the looks and whispers he already got, Nova knew he'd never be able to go back if he brought JR back with him. Least of all because everyone would probably be dead.
Mal dragged him up now, away from Ruby. "Plan?" They signed so quickly Nova almost missed it.
Looking around revealed no plan. Nova refocused his magic, shoving it all down deep inside, trying to stifle his aura. No doubt someone had picked it up after he dropped his protections for the unnecessary shield. It wouldn't save them completely, but hiding it made escape just a bit more possible.
Ruby looked between them, brow furrowed. With a flick of her tail, she pushed them both towards the shed. "Get inside!" She pulled the door shut behind them, leaving them in darkness aside from the window. Nova ducked behind a stack of cat food bags, and he heard floorboards creak softly as Mal ducked into the shadows as well.
The shed was not sound-proofed, and before Nova had a chance to hope, he heard voices cut through the darkness, sharp and authoritative. "Hey, you! What are you doing here?"
When Ruby spoke, it was with perfect surprise, mixed with confusion. Nova's heart pounded in his ears as he felt her fear thrumming through him. "Oh, you scared me! Sorry, I was just checking on the cats. Particle Accelerator just had a surgery done, so I wanted to make sure he was okay—"
"Ma'am," the voice interrupted. "We're tracking the signature of a very dangerous individual. Are you alone?"
Nova heard Mal's breath catch; he could barely draw his own.
"Yeah." Ruby laughed, and Nova wasn't sure if it was fake awkwardness or very real stress. "No one else is dumb enough to be out here before lights just to feed some cats. I was just…" she was quiet for a moment. Nova held his breath. "Worried about them." He could imagine her face then, the push of her ears pricking and the slight lift of her lip, a smirk that could be happy and wish you dead in one. "But they seem to be all good. So I'll be on my way?"
There was silence for a long moment. Nova felt his magic fizzing, and smushed it down; if anything happened to Ruby because of his stupidity, he'd never forgive himself.
"Very well, ma'am. Yell if you see anything." The voice said. Nova could feel annoyance, and realized why when he heard a loud meow; McFlurry seemed to be making her displeasure with these intruders known.
Ruby's footsteps started. "Oh, I will. Have a good night!"
Nova was so focused on listening to what was happening outside that he almost screamed when Mal's hand clamped down on his wrist. His body flooded with pins-and-needles feelings as Mal squeezed their eyes shut, and they were out. Not out of OuterTale yet, but far enough that whoever was checking around the cats' shed wouldn't find anything. Nova recognized their surroundings, and looked at Mal in surprise. "I thought you would—"
They held up a finger to shut him up, their signs quick. "Just say bye and let's go." There was urgency in their hands, a determined set to their expression that Nova hadn't seen before. Another thing Vellum had given them, he was sure.
Hurrying down the street towards Ruby's house, Nova spotted her on the sidewalk. He whistled, one high note and one low. Her ears twitched, and she looked up. One hand lifted slowly, her tail waving behind her. It took every ounce of his own will not to run after her, hold her, and never let go.
Nova lifted a hand in response, nodded once, and took Mal's hand.
When the portal Mal opened dropped them just inside the door, Nova could hear their breaths coming in short bursts. The faint static sound of glitches racing up and down their body was the only sound for several seconds.
"We're never doing that again." Mal's hands were trembling slightly, and Nova felt his heart clench.
"Yeah, right. Not happening again." Even as he speaks, Nova can see Ruby in his mind's eye: eyes bright with hope, hands on his, her soft fur brushing against him—
"I should hope you're not doing that again." Nova couldn't stifle a curse as he whipped around, hands lifting again for a shield. Even as he moved, he knew there was no need. Vellum wouldn't hurt him.
But as he saw her face, eyes narrowed, arms crossed, he knew he wasn't going to enjoy the next twenty minutes of lecturing either.
Ok I had a thought while I was working and I need to share it before I forget the whole thing
Sunny should be the youngest of the H!DS kids. And here is my reasoning-
I was already kinda thinking he’d probably be the first to befriend Ruby. Puzzle’s antisocial, Freddy doesn’t really trust anyone, and Percy probably doesn’t hang out with most kids his age, so even if the other three meet her first they probably don’t hang around for very long.
So imagine that one of them, probably Freddy, happens to find Sunny and Ruby while they’re hanging out.
Sunny’s the only one that all three of the others kind of care for, which means any of his siblings, but especially older siblings, are probably going to tease him about this.
So please imagine Freddy seeing Sunny and Ruby, sensing some romantic shit between them, and immediately going to find Puzzle and Percy.
Freddy, popping up out of nowhere: There you are! I’ve been looking for you
Puzzle, recoiling in disgust: The fuck do you-
Freddy, with gleeful mischief: Sunny’s got a girlfriend!
Puzzle:
Puzzle: oh my god little baby Sunny has a girlfriend
Freddy: We need to find Percy
Puzzle: i can’t believe im about to team up with either of you
Freddy: Yeah, yeah, whatever let’s go
later
Freddy: Hey, Windows! C’mere!
Percy: I am not going to do anything for you, especially if you can’t even bother to-
Puzzle: Sunny’s got a girlfriend
Percy: Sunny has a girlfriend???
Percy: …Where is he
Freddy: Let’s go find him
They get to Sunny just as Ruby’s going home for the day. She does not get to see Sunny getting ganged up on by the brothers who are constantly fighting. he’s never been more scared than when all three of them came over together. But that fear very quickly changes and he becomes absolutely mortified
“Oooh, was that your girlfriend?”
“Huh??!?”
“She’s cute, what’s her name? Did you take her out for dinner yet?”
“Why do you suddenly get along when you’re all picking on me?!?”
“Whaaaat? We’re not picking on you, we’re your brothers! We love you!”
“You tolerate me!”
“We love you enough to come tease you, as is our duty as your older brothers.”
“Jesus Christ please just go back to fighting”
So I remember spinning Ruby at one point for Horror Dreamswap. She had some... very specific opinions of JR and Delusion. Opinions that got her a personal visit from a very specific lady (Gouge). If I remember right it was her dying that led to Sunny going from "I don't like them but I'll stay out of it" to "I'm going to do something about this before anyone else loses someone they love" and helping Sparrow fix JR.
But now I'm imagining all four siblings teaming up to keep Delusion from killing her because goddamnit Sunny needs one thing that's nice in his life! Sunny's desperately trying to get her to not say shit that could get her killed, Freddy and Puzzle work together to keep tabs from a distance, and Percy's just frantically scrubbing records for Delusion and pretending he doesn't know what happened to them.
Ruby is aware they're doing this, and she thinks they're overreacting a little. She's just saying JR could be a little more forthcoming about why they kill who they kill, and those deaths after people spoke out are suspicious. Unfortunately they aren't, but fortunately the brothers are all in agreement that she probably shouldn't die.
Also if she dies they can't tease Sunny about her anymore.
Sunny looked over to find Ruby holding a small, furry, and very scared-looking creature. It was sort of greyish-brown, with a big fluffy tail, little fuzzy ears, and beady little eyes. It was clawing at biting at Ruby’s hands, trying to get free, but to no avail.
“Oh, that? It’s a squirrel. They’re, like, all over the place.” Sunny came over and very carefully scratched its chin. “They live in the trees and eat nuts and stuff. I think you’re squishing it, though.”
“Oh. Oops.” Ruby loosened her grip, though the little guy only tried harder to wiggle away. She gently pet its tiny head. “It’s so cute. What’s it called in your language?”
“Uh… Hm.” Sunny scratched his head. “I actually only know the one word for it. I’m not even sure which language ‘squirrel’ is.”
The squirrel seemed slightly less inclined to get away now that it was getting petted, but it still wasn’t thrilled with its predicament.
“I wonder if they even had squirrels back then,” Ruby said. “Maybe there isn’t a word for it at all?”
“Maybe,” Sunny agreed. “I don’t know. I might ask my dads when I see them again.”
The grass rustled nearby, and Sunny looked up to see Mal slithering over, Flow padding along at their side.
When they got closer, Mal held up a card that said, What are you doing?
Ruby held up her new friend and say, very proudly, “I caught a squirrel!”
Flow’s ears perked up. It trotted over to come sniff at her little friend, examining it like it might be a threat. The squirrel froze completely, like it thought maybe the giant pitch-black ‘wolf’ wouldn’t see it if it didn’t move.
Mal wasn’t far behind Flow, though. They leaned over to see the little guy better, making a quiet ‘aw!’ noise. Then they pulled out their notebook and wrote, It looks scared.
Ruby slowly pulled the squirrel away from Flow, who gave her a suspicious look for it but allowed it, seemingly deciding that the squirrel wasn’t a threat. Or maybe that it wouldn’t be a good snack.
“I mean, if I was a small, fluffy, bite-sized critter, I’d be pretty scared when someone with big claws picked me up, too.” Ruby stood. “I guess I should let it go, though.”
Mal nodded. I don’t think you can take it home with you.
“Yeah…” She sighed. “Come on, little guy. Let’s get you back in the trees.”
Since her previous iteration was pretty outspoken against JR, I imagine this version was probably also very vocal about how she thought the laws about tenebris were stupid. Which probably didn't help her when she was busted for using illegal magic.
Ruby
she's doing a very good job not breaking character despite (one of) her familiar(s) being a mischievous little shit. but she's rehearsing anyways so if she does break it'll be fine
I couldn't decide what element she'd use so i gave her two options. maybe she has both! i dunno. but she definitely doesn't use the tenebris familiar much, if she has it.
12/20/25 edit: i made her look more like a teenager, but she didn't change that much. makes me feel better though so
HH Sunny and Mal (but mostly sunny) teaching Ruby the old man language because there’s a bunch of things still that they can only say in that language, and there’s a whole buncha weird shit on earth that she’s never seen before, but they keep going because it’s fun, and when Ruby eventually realizes there might be some kind of romantic feelings she starts flirting with Sunny in his native language
and she’s not really good at it, because there hasn’t really been any reason to teach her several of the words one would commonly use for flirting, but she’s trying and his whole entire face turns bright red and he doesn’t know how to respond. He didn’t expect her to ever do something like that but he especially didn’t expect her to flirt in that language!!! He’s going to turn into a little flustered puddle
