Sooo..... I replayed the remaster of Ib and got all the endings like a week or two ago, so my brain has been on that lately, and of course the Subway twins are still living rent free in my head, so, this just sorta happened. I thought, "What if I shipped Emmet x Garry? They're both fruity." And at first it was just a silly crack ship, but then I kept thinking about it for a few days, and then I started to really like it. And here we are. My gf also enabled this and encouraged me to draw them!
Anyway, I just think they'd be cute, going on cafe dates and stuff, and I do have more planned and just in my mind for these two, so I doubt this will be the only thing I draw, lol
Garry leaves the art gallery, and after feeling quite shaken from the experience, he needs some comfort and support from someone he loves.
Tw: smoking, mention of blood
(If you haven't played or seen a playthrough of Ib and don't want spoilers, don't read. Also this is Emmet x Garry cuz it's been on my mind)
"Because... we'll see each other again!"
That's what Garry had told Ib before leaving the gallery. He left feeling happy, glad to know that they had both made it out safely, that she would be with her parents again, and that he would make sure to return her handkerchief to her once it was clean.
But as he began to head back to his apartment, more and more memories of the haunted gallery filled his mind. The inhuman growls of the painting women as they clawed their way towards him, the stumbling yet surefooted movements of the headless statues, those creepy mannequin heads that could appear out of nowhere, and of course the terrifying blue dolls and Red Eyes, the big one that had tried to kill him. His pace quickened, and he jumped when he passed a store with display mannequins standing in the window, mistaking them for Guertena's horrid creations.
As soon as he got home, he locked the door and slid down to sit on the floor, leaning his head against the wall. He sighed heavily, and it was as he finger combed his hair that he realized his hands were shaking slightly.
"I guess that place messed with my head more than I thought," he mumbled out loud.
After a few minutes to calm his nerves, he slowly stood, tossing his favorite tattered jacket on his couch, then went to his bedroom. Yeah, he had an essay and some homework for his college classes that he had planned to get done, but with the current state of his mind, he knew he wouldn't be able to focus. Then, after hesitating a moment, he dug through the bottom drawer of his dresser, shoving various articles of clothing aside until he found what he was looking for; cigarettes. He was trying to quit, but after today, he needed something to take the edge off. And he'd rather let Ib have his lemon candy to help her after all. Besides, he reasoned that one or two cigarettes would be fine for tonight. He'd had a long day.
He walked out to his window, opened it up, and stuck his head out, resting his elbows on the ledge. He took out his lighter, and after a few flicks, managed to light it and took out a cigarette. He took a long drag of it, before shakily exhaling the smoke into the late afternoon air. That helped.
Suddenly, he heard his phone vibrate. Right. He had left it at home since he needed to charge it after forgetting to do so the night before. Walking over, he saw a few notifications. Some emails which were mostly spam, some messages in various group chats for school, and the most recent messages from his boyfriend.
2:33 pm: I am Emmet. Are you home from the art gallery? Ingo and I got out of work early.
2:52 pm: I am home. Are you busy with schoolwork? I hope you are not stressing yourself out over that essay. Rest your cab! <3
3:29 pm: I am verrrrrry bored. I hope you are enjoying the gallery. Are there any paintings of trains?
4:12 pm: Ingo is beating me in video games. I might have to commit fratricide.
Garry chuckled at the last text. He knew how competitive his boyfriend was. Holding his cigarette in his mouth as he typed, he quickly sent back a response.
4:15 pm: Hey, I'm sorry I didn't respond! I spent all day doing schoolwork yesterday, so I went to bed last night, too tired to remember to charge my phone. It's been sitting here charging all day while I went to the gallery.
4:16 pm: I'm home now though! And today has been... a lot. I could use some company. And do you think you could maybe spend the night?
Garry knew he wouldn't be able to tell just anyone about his experience at the gallery. No one would ever believe him, but Emmet was a good guy and knew Garry well enough that maybe he'd be able to talk a little about it without sounding completely insane.
4:18 pm: Yup! I will be over shortly. Ingo says hi.
Garry smiled, took one last drag of his cigarette, then sent another reply.
4:19 pm: Tell Ingo I said hi back. And I'm glad you didn't kill him. Your brother is nice!
It only took a moment for Emmet to respond.
4:19 pm: He is not nice. Verrrrry mean brother. He cheated in Splatoon.
Garry chuckled and rinsed out the cigarette butt in the sink before tossing it in the trash, then flopped on his couch to wait. Luckily, Emmet and his brother didn't live far, so pretty soon there was the sound of knocking on his door. It startled Garry only slightly, but as soon as he unlocked and opened the door, he felt instant relief upon seeing his boyfriend's usual cheery smile.
"Hey, thanks for coming over," Garry said as he quickly pulled him into a hug. Familiar arms hugged him back, helping helping to remind him that he was safe and home.
"Yup. I-... were you smoking?" Emmet pulled away slightly as he sniffed the air around Garry, who looked down in shame.
"I'm sorry, I know I've been trying to quit, but I... it's been a hell of a day," he groaned.
"I am Emmet. I am here. What happened?" Straight to the point. That was something Garry loved about Emmet. He got right to business, and was very blunt and honest as he did so. It was grounding.
"It's a long story, and... I don't really know if you'll believe all of it. I'm still processing all of it myself," Garry began as he lead them away from the door and to the couch. Emmet set his overnight bag on the floor and sat down with him.
"Try me."
And so, Garry told him all about the Fabricated World. How he ended up in the gallery with a strange blue rose, attacked by a painting woman and nearly killed until Ib had managed to snag his rose back and regrow the petals in a vase. He told him about the puzzles, the hallway of eyes, the various artwork that tried to kill them, the room that practically yelled at him in writing when he lit a fire with his lighter, and about Mary. How she seemed like a normal girl at first, then how after getting separated, he had found out she was just another one of Guertena's paintings come to life. How she had tried to kill him and Ib, especially after they had found her original painting, and how they had had to burn her painting. How he had to watch what looked like a little girl fall into a pile of ashes.
By this point, Garry was shaking slightly with Emmet holding him close. Emmet hadn't said anything yet, which wasn't unusual since he was never very chatty.
"...A-after we had burned her painting, I had realized some of the glass had hit my hand and cut it. Ib gave me her handkerchief to stop the bleeding." He held up the bloodied silk handkerchief in his previously injured hand. His hand - which had once had a bleeding slice right through his palm - now just had a light scar, having healed after putting his rose in some water before leaving the sketchbook world.
"After that, we left and used the key to unlock the only other house we hadn't been to, and found ourselves going down a darkened stairway. It led to a darker version of the normal gallery, where we found a painting called 'The Fabricated World'. It was a bit abstract, but it looked clearly like the real gallery. Then the frame disappeared and we were able to jump through the painting and we ended up back in the real world. At first, I didn't remember anything, but Ib found me and we talked about some sculpture, then I realized I knew her, and I had her handkerchief. That was enough to bring back our memories. I... I left once I knew she'd be okay, and I promised I'd return this handkerchief to her once I cleaned it. I... I want to see her again to make sure that she's alright after... all of that. But anyway, that's it. I came home, and yes, I had one cigarette, but..... can you blame me?"
Garry finally looked up at Emmet, having kept his head down or his eyes looking at something else during the whole story. Emmet clearly looked worried. He wasn't fully frowning - Garry couldn't even imagine Emmet frowning without just seeing his twin brother - but his mouth was clearly pulled in a tight line while his eyebrows crinkled upwards together. He hadn't noticed it before, but Emmet's grip on him was rather tight, feeling less like just a comforting hug and more like a protective hold. Emmet's eyes scanned Garry's face, glanced down at the blood on the handkerchief in horror, then back to his face.
".......I am Emmet. That sounds like....... a lot. I believe you. There is no doubt there. I am just verrrry sorry I was not with you to help you and that girl Ib. I can't believe you had to deal with all of that. And..... i-it sounded like there were many times where you..... you nearly died..."
Garry hugged Emmet tightly, burying his face on his shoulder. Emmet hugged him back, just as tight.
"Y-yeah...... but I didn't... somehow. I made sure Ib and I made it home safe and alive....." Garry mumbled into his boyfriend's shirt. Emmet gently ran his hands through Garry's hair, absentmindedly playing with the curls. It was calming for both of them.
"I am verrrrrrrry glad neither of you derailed. I am glad you're home. Even if you stink like smoke." Garry chuckled a bit. He knew Emmet had said that just to lighten their moods. He looked up to find Emmet smiling a little to him.
"Can I get a kiss even though I just had a cigarette a while ago? I promise it was only one."
"Since you went through hell and back, I think that was understandable to have one. So, yes, you get a kiss. And also because I am verrrry relieved you are okay."
With that, Emmet cupped the side of Garry's face gently and pulled him close. Garry closed his eyes as they kissed, wrapping his arms around Emmet's shoulders, and practically sitting on his boyfriend's lap now. Emmet wrapped his other arm around Garry's waist and rubbed his back. It felt so nice to feel loved and safe and secure again. Especially with Emmet. His train conductor boyfriend may be on the skinnier side, but he didn't stray from the harder, more physical tasks of his job, leading to him being deceptively strong. Garry would have loved to see Emmet deck one of the mannequins or kick one of those stupid dolls across a room.
Eventually, they pulled away. Emmet gently brushed Garry's bangs away from his face, revealing his left eye. Garry smiled and he could feel tears starting to form as he smiled.
"I don't know what I'd do without you..."
Emmet just wiped at his tears with his thumb.
"We have coupled our cabs together, traveling along the same tracks. I don't know what I'd do without you either."
Garry smiled and pulled him into one more quick kiss.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Suddenly, Garry could feel and hear his stomach growl. He chuckled as he wiped away the last of his tears.
"Heh, I can't remember when I last ate today."
"That won't do! You need to refuel! I am Emmet. I am ordering us a pizza." Emmet immediately got out his phone and started scrolling for their favorite local pizza place. Garry just laughed and leaned his head on Emmet's shoulder. Emmet planted a kiss on the top of his head before reciting their usual order to the employee on the other end of the call.
Maybe things would be okay. He had Emmet here to back him up and help him through this. And if anyone knew how to get stains out of white cloth, it was Emmet with his almost entirely white work uniform. Garry would get the handkerchief clean, find Ib again, and see her again. He could even introduce her to Emmet. He had a feeling they might get along. He wondered if Ib liked trains.
