Ian, if you could choose another of JJ's characters to be your dad, who would you choose? (breaking the fourth wall here sorry lol)
"That's an interesting question..." Ian paused and reached up to tug at his beard as he thought. "Well... My first choice, knowing what I know, I'd say Reigns. He's already my father figure outside my actual dad. He's a really chill guy really and he and I really get along with him for the most part."
He lets his hand fall "If I were breaking the forth wall with knowledge I shouldn't know. I'd say either Rupert or Marley." He smiles. "Rupert would be more of a mentor figure and would actually help me come into my power, and how to hone in my emotions. At least that's what I think."
"Marley I feel like would be a fun father figure. I feel like they'd teach me a lot. And they definitely wouldn't be as critical of me as my other choices."
It was two figures. The taller one shuffled quickly towards where Berkly was somewhere out of view, a quick gasp of surprise and concern. They spared you a quick glance as they passed. They looked very worried. Though if it was a worry for you or Berkley himself you weren’t sure.
The shorter figure however walked right up to you. They looked at you with a dead eyed and empty expression. Their eyes were the same as Berkley’s, an unnaturally glowing green. Only this person’s eyes had black where the whites should be, making the glow even more prominent. They moved stiffly, but swiftly, as they undid the straps pinning you to the operating table. Steadily they helped you sit up. Not that you wanted too of course… But you were far too tired and far too weak to fight back even the slightest right now. And, though you hated to admit it, they were being gentle… And you were afraid of the loss of that almost kind touch after something so traumatic.
They leaned you against them as they picked you up into a bridal carry, your amputated wrist left on the outside so as to not irritate the wound. Your head was spinning and everything was finally going fuzzy again. You focused on the pain radiating up your arm to keep you awake as they carried you off to somewhere else in the lab. You didn’t know how long you were being carried for when they stopped in front of a heavy looking door, but it felt like a long time with the snail's pace the person moved at. They shifted you and your feet finally touched the ground. They held you upright as they opened the door for you. You thought that maybe now the gentleness would end, as they would toss you in and lock the door behind you. But instead he walked you in and closed the door behind, which felt somehow just as bad.
The room itself was larger than expected, but not “large” by any stretch of the imagination. It had a mattress against one corner, a medium size trunk placed against another, and a mostly empty bookshelf against the far wall. They walked you over to the mattress and helped you sit down. You watched as they silently took a few stiff steps back, before the glow left their eyes, a pained and deeply regretful expression took over their face, and they crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll. Were it not for the subtle motion of their chest rising and falling you’d think they died… Which leaves you alone for now.
Recently did a ref for an NPC in my dnd campaign I'm running for @darkwarfy and @icyheart-and-friends ! And I really liked the design, so I wanted to share with y'all.
This is Marley (He/they, poi/pois/poiself)
Poi is a poison demon who kinda got mixed up is some chaos with their friend Eliza. He's also a (slightly less) mad scientist like Berkley. But pois field of interest is in alchemy. Poi is a healer, but poi is also working on perfecting an untraceable poison of his own design. I'm sure that won't end poorly...
Say hello to Marley! So, my friend @crackedkandys and I, along with a few other friends, were casually talking the other day about cool knives and Cracked was being the great little chaotic good ball of fun she is and suddenly it hit me. She was reminding me of Wilford, so I made a different version of Wilford based off of her. Basic Info: • Marley is quite partial to knives and prefers them over guns. • He often calls people different confectionary themed nicknames like "muffin" or "biscuit", claiming that his knives are "just for bagels" or "just for slicing the bread". • His bowtie is always off-kilter and never even. If you catch him straightening it, you know something bad is gonna happen. • His cane may or may not have a hidden blade in it. • His pocket watch shows the correct time, but the number date doesn't match up with the day of the week that it should match up with. • His vest is an old vest of Damien's. That's all I've got for now, but I hope you like him!
Encasement (CW): whumper turned whumpee, angel whumpee, demon whumper, implied intimate whumper, implied non con stripping (non sexual, and off screen), whumpee being stubborn and accidentally hurting themself.
Q: Quiet
Rain had gotten used to the quiet of the lab. Aside from the occasional loud noises from Berkley's projects- although he could hardly fault them for it- and the ever present hum that seemed to come from the very walls.
He'd also learned very early on that Berkley preferred him to be seen and not heard. So he too had become quiet and small. Like a ghost treading soundlessly through the halls. Even his breathing was kept as quiet as possible, in hopes of not incurring Berkley's irritation.
So it was quite the adjustment to get used to the new "companion" Berkley had brought home.
He didn't dislike Marley... No. But he couldn't help be jealous. As Berkley not only allowed, but insisted upon conversations about pois work. But Rain was still expected to continue on as though merely a phantom. Becoming more and more fearful that was to indeed be his fate, as the mad angel seemed much more enamored with this new toy to pick apart.
And so sometimes, when it got to be too much, he'd hide away in his room. He'd nestle himself into the far corner of his room and sob. Even though he never had it in him to be louder than a whisper. It was in own small act of rebellion.
---
L: Lament
Grief is an odd thing. It comes in many forms, and for many reasons. Everyone experiences it differently. Which is perhaps why it didn't quite register to Marley at first as grief...
Poi thought poi was just homesick. Missing pois home and work. Missing Hell itself.
Rain has asked poi at one point what it was like now. And asked Marley to tell him stories to distract him as he recovered from Berkley's latest experiment. Poi knew he didn't trust poi yet- with good reason after spending so long trapped with the mad angel- so poi wanted to oblige the timid request.
But... Soon found poiself choked up. Unable to say much without needing to take a breath and wipe pois eyes... Eventually Rain put his hand on pois, saying poi can stop.
It was then that poi realized what was happening... Poi wasn't just homesick. Poi was grieving the loss of pois home and the freedom that came with it.
---
E: Encasement
It, perhaps, should say something about his life that this was far from the strangest way Berkley had woken up. He came to sitting up, propped up by... Something. He rubbed his eyes to get a better look, and noticed the slight shift in his vision as he scanned the room. Glass. He reached an hand out, and a little over an arms length away, he hit a glass wall, just like the one he was leaning against.
He shifted to stand slowly, checking how tall the glass ceiling was. Thankfully it was tall enough to allow him to his full height, and taller, as he couldn't reach the top even if he reached his arm as high as possible. This was definitely odd.
It was also at that moment, as he noticed he wasn't wearing his gloves, that he realized he was wearing... Not his clothes...
Heat rose to his face as he looked down at the... Rather revealing outfit.
He wasn't sure what to make of everything. But he wasn't about to let some glass hold him. While he couldn't use his magic due, to the iron "bracelets" welded around his wrists, but he was still strong without it.
He shifted and rammed his shoulder against the glass... Only for it to bounce him back unscathed. He, ever undeterred, tried again... And again.... And again. Not stopping until he was out of breath and there was a sizable bruise forming on his shoulder. And even then, he only paused because he heard the click of the doorknob opening. It would seem Octavian was coming back.
Eliza (mentioned towards the end) belongs to @icyheart-and-friends !
CW: drugged/drugged food, creepy whumper, self-sacrifice (whumpee cooperates with whumper so fellow whumpee doesn't get punished), caretaker that's also whumpee.
Marley was a smart person. So as they looked down at the plate of food in front of him, they couldn’t help feeling just a little insulted. Poi raised pois eyes from the plate to Berkley standing calmly in front of the only door out. Marley didn’t need to eat… Surely Berkley was joking? It was so obviously laced with something.
After another moment of awkward silence, and Berkley staring poi down… Waiting. Marley tried to force a smile, “I um… Appreciate the gesture, but I don’t need it. Thank you though.”
Berkley didn’t move aside from a slight furrow of his brow. “Are you sure? You may want to rethink that thought.” His tone was light, conversational.
Panic shot through Marley as poi paused. “Yes… I… I don’t need to eat, so really. It would… It would just be a waste.” He forced out an awkward chuckle. “And I know how much you hate wasting things.”
Berkley paused as though considering Marley’s words, bringing a hand up to his chin with a soft hum. “I suppose you’re right.” He sighed and walked closer, picking up the plate cooly. Closely watching Marley try to relax. “I do hate to waste such a good meal though.” He couldn’t help the smirk as pois worried expression deepened. “Tell you what- whatever you don’t eat, I’ll give to Eliza. I’m sure it would appreciate my hard work.”
Marley’s face fell and Berkley could barely hold back the satisfaction as poi ever so quietly asked for the plate back. Watching as they fought with themself, self preservation warring against how much they cared about Eliza. Slowly They cleaned the whole plate.
Berkley grinned and took the plate back from them. “There we go.” He reached down and ruffled a hand through Marley’s hair in a mocking show of affection. Mocking how safe it made poi feel when Eliza did it…
At least he’d kept her safe from this… Whatever “this” turns out to be.
