Summary: When you're born, the Universe has already decided who will be your soulmate by marking their first touch on your skin. Some of those soul marks are just a small fingerprint on their shoulder, or maybe a hand mark from a handshake. Some even have multiple, and it is never sure what kind of a bond you're destined to have with your soulmate. Alexandra Turner is a special case however, as her whole body is covered in marks. 24 to be exact. What she doesn't know that there's someone else out there with 24 marks who's waiting for her to bump into them.
Pairing: Original Female Character x Kevin Wendell Crumb/Dennis/Barry/the whole system
Fandom: Split
Word count: 1.4k
Masterlist
Author’s note: Please feel free to let me know if I have messed something up or if you have any advice on how I can improve my writing. I hope you enjoy!
If you wish to be added to the taglist for this fic, let me know :)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
Barry couldn’t stop smiling to himself as he led Alex through the masses of people that were leaving their workplaces. He had met his soulmate, he had actually met her and he had been the first one as well out of everyone. He knew that they were all on the same team, that being Kevin’s, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit special since he had found the one destined for them.
But no matter how happy he was, Barry still felt a bit of sadness because even he could see that there was something hurting Alex, something that was stopping her from feeling the same joy he had in his heart. He had always known that he’d have to be prepared to be rejected by their soulmate purely because of his condition, but he never expected to be met with sadness before he had even had the chance to introduce himself. He wasn’t sure what had happened to her, but he knew that, if she allowed him to, he’d want to make sure that sadness would be replaced with a smile.
Alex found herself in front of a small café that was only a five minute walk away from the therapist’s office. It looked quite quiet inside, despite the busy traffic outside, which she was very grateful for. Nodding a thank you to Barry for holding the door open for her, she stepped in and looked around - there were only a few patrons there and plenty of empty tables were free for them to have what she suspected was going to be one of the most difficult conversations in her life.
“What do you want to drink, Alex?”
She heard Barry ask and she immediately looked up at the chalkboard menu on the wall, her head swimming with options. She tried to open her mouth and reply with anything, but no voice came out. She was still unable to fully speak and her cheeks flushed, ashamed of her own anxiety getting the best of her.
But Barry just smiled reassuringly and gently placed his hands on her shoulder, right on top of his mark. He may not know or understand what’s going on in her mind, but he could tell that at that very moment, he needed to just offer that extra bit of support so he looked up at the menu and offered,
“How about we just get a teapot to share? Is Earl Grey okay?”
Alex was shocked to hear him speaking up with a choice, taking a lot of pressure off her shoulders. She nodded, this option was fine with her and the smile she received in return made her feel a bit more at ease as well.
After Barry had ordered and picked up their teapot from the barista, he led her to one of the more secluded areas to sit down. She had picked up the cups for the both of them before following him, happy that he had chosen a private space for them. She may not fully know what was to come but she had a gut feeling that it would not be a simple ‘how’s the weather today’ type of a conversation. There was a silence between them as they settled in at the table for two, neither of them wanting to scare the other off it seemed. Once sat and both of their breathing had calmed, Barry finally looked at her properly and spoke up with his voice being gentle and soft, something that didn’t fully suit his massive frame.
“So, as I mentioned before, I do have a couple of marks on me. Now… before I continue, I just want you to know that I won’t force anything that you don’t want, Doll, so please just speak your mind on what I’m about to explain to you.”
He paused for a moment and looked across the table at Alex, the fear of just outright rejection slowly building up in his chest. She remained as silent as she had been, there wasn’t any indication that she would bolt again so he continued,
“There’s no smooth way to say this because I can’t really sugarcoat any part of it too much so here goes nothing… The reason why I visit doctor Fletcher is because I have DID.”
“DID?”
“Dissociative identity disorder. Have you heard of it maybe?”
Barry was praying to whoever was listening that she wouldn’t run, and that she would have heard at least something about his condition. He really didn’t want to explain the details of what it is and how it came to be, it wasn’t really a conversation to have over tea in his opinion. Luckily Alex nodded and whispered softly,
“I read about it a little when I looked Doctor Fletcher up.”
Barry gave her a kind smile and his heart was breaking just a little at how delicate she sounded. He didn’t know if it was the soul bond between the two of them but he felt an immense drive to make sure that nothing would spook Alex. He just had to make sure that none of her words would get lost between them, he’d always make sure her voice was heard at least by him. He was also relieved that she had some knowledge on his condition since this would save him from explaining everything from scratch.
Barry poured some tea for the both of them and started to explain a bit more in the meantime,
“Now this is all speculation from doc’s side but she seems to be under the impression that there is a possibility that all of us in Kevin’s body might actually share a soulmate. We all seem to have a mark correlated to us, however it is just statistically unlikely that we haven’t even met a single one of our soulmates yet so… She seems to think it’s actually just one person. In our little situation, she thinks it’s you who’s the soulmate to all of us. Now-”
“How many?”
Alex had cut him off before he could continue and he looked at her for a moment, unsure if he should answer truthfully, scared it might frighten her too much. Barry sighed, knowing it would cause more harm to lie so he replied,
“24 in total. Kevin is the host, the OG so to speak. The others, me included, came later on and so did the extra marks.”
There was a moment of silence, tense of the unknown. Alex’s mind was going a thousand miles per hour as she tried to grasp the situation at hand. She had met one of her soulmates but it then turned out that it is most likely all of them. She thought that she would be happy but it was all so overwhelming for her to even fully accept. She took a deep breath before she spoke her mind,
“There are 24 marks on me as well, Barry. So I think that Doctor Fletcher might be right. It’s a lot to take in though, I honestly do not know what to say or do or if I should be happy or sad or…”
Her words got caught in her throat and she clamped up once again, unable to verbalize her trail of thoughts fully. Her eyes started darting from Barry to the outside to her mug and to her hands, not sure if she should run or stay. There were so many thoughts and images flashing through her brain that it all just blurred together in a consistent state of movement and screaming.
Without thinking too much about it, Alex pulled out a piece of paper from her bag along with a pen and jolted down her name and phone number before she grabbed everything and bolted out of the door without uttering a single syllable. She needed to get out, away from the man who would be responsible for every single one of her marks over time. She just couldn’t look at him because deep down, without her even fully realizing it, her heart was slowly starting to beat only for them.
Back at the coffee shop, Barry was dumbfounded, still sitting at the table. This had been the second time that day his soulmate had fled from him but he knew it would cause a lot of harm if he were to go after her this time. He picked up the piece of paper and very carefully put it in his wallet to make sure he wouldn’t lose it. He finished his cup and looked out of the window, trying to soothe the ache in his chest from the very slight rejection he was feeling from the escape of his soulmate. His efforts were in vain however because from somewhere, he could hear Hedwig innocently asking,
Anon: Hi there! I absolutely LOVE your work! Can I request headcanons for Dennis and Barry with a fem!So who wants to have a baby?
Hi. Thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate them. I hope you love this one too. It is a little shorter but I hope that's okay. I love doing these for you guys.
Requests are open to everyone. Honestly they always are. It just takes time for me to get to all of them and to write with my job and all. But If you request with respecting the rules I will do your.
I have more time now that I am home this week so hopefully If I am feeling well enough I will write more.
Love you guys. Stay safe everyone.
Gifs are not mine. Imagine is!
MASTERLIST
Barry
He is surprised by your idea but is not against it.
He seems happy about it - trying to support you as much as he can.
But he is afraid - what will others say about it - what will they do.
He knows he has to be careful - for everyone's safety.
Also he doubts himself in the sense of being a good dad and if he would be good at making you feel supported.
Eventually goes to ask - he can't keep asking himself he will go crazy.
Will go to you with the question if you think he will be a good dad.
Please let him know he will be great.
He will be, he just needs someone to lead him the way.
After he gets over all the stress about himself he is great.
He is not controlling - at all.
He will give you all the control of when you two will try for the baby.
You are the one that sets the pace of this all.
He will be amazing at planning things for you.
He will make sure that all of your doctor appointments are marked in the calendar.
He is so attentive - but maybe he will not always be there for them - he is not the only one living in that body so you have to understand.
Please be kind and understanding.
When you manage to get pregnant he will be so unbelievably happy.
And also all the fears will be back - but he will get there with you.
He will read about what he needs to do to be ready.
AND he will enjoy reading about it.
He is more than ready to be a father and is ready to be all you need him to be.
When it comes to the baby's room he is ready to go all out.
He knows what he is doing - trust him.
He will ask about what you want in your baby's room.
He makes it useful.
And make it like you want it to.
Also - it will be so pretty - you just wait.
He is also waiting for your input after he is done.
He knows that you will see what he didn't.
“Come on, love. Let me know what needs to be fixed.”
I am a little jealous of you girl.
He is ready to accomodate you and your baby.
If you make sure he is confident in his abilities he will make sure you are most certainly satisfied in your needs for the baby and above.
You are more than ready to have this baby by his side.
Dennis
He is a lot more controlling than anyone.
He is really set up for a clean and organized environment.
At first he did not really like the idea.
And he lets you know how he feels about it at first.
And it might scare you a little at first.
But just let him think about it properly - trust me.
He just needs some time to think and plan about it but he will get there.
He will have a conversation about it.
Like the grown ups you are - very responsible.
He comes with all the arguments that you NEED to hear to make the decision about this - it is your future.
Will also talk about other personalities and what it will take to make sure everyone is safe in this process.
It is important to have this conversation.
He will plan it all out if you are ready.
After you give him the green light that you really want this he will go all out.
He has it all planned out - he will take you to the doctor and then we will plan out everything.
Oh when I say everything I MEAN everything.
He will plan out when you will try to conceive.
Then he will move to the next step - he has a plan in his head.
You are in good hands - he knows what he's doing - he did the research.
He will make sure all of the others know when he will take you to the doctor's appointments - he will make sure he is there.
He will make sure that the baby's room has what it needs.
If you want changes it will need to be a little ones - and you will do them.
He is really needy when it comes to cleaning and all of that but you know that already.
He makes sure that everything is clean and ready.
Also makes you food and makes sure you are well fed on vitamins and all of that.
It might not always be fun but he means well - and he knows what he's doing.
He will also try his best to not be in your way when it comes to your moods and all.
It can be fun with him but also in a way of his planning.
He is really trying for you to not be too much - please understand.
Check out my new split fanfiction novel called ‘The Barry Chronicles’ a book of all my Barry Crumb related fics! Check it out and comment and kudos! :D
The One With Whiskey Eyes || 13 || Let the Morning Keep Our Secrets
Warnings: Mentions of Abuse, Mentions of Violence
Words: 3300+
Previous || Next
~13~
Barry did as promised and walked Iris all the way to her work; unfortunately, she wasn’t allowed to let him inside since the store didn’t officially open for another hour, so they had to say their goodbyes as they stood outside the back entrance to the building. Iris already had her work keys in hand, the jingling of metal the only sound in the empty alleyway. He hadn’t let her go since they’d linked arms, Iris only moved her arm when the chill had gotten to her fingers. Instead of letting her pull away, though, Barry had lifted his other hand and placed it over hers to protect it from the chill.
“I work late tonight,” he started, sounding almost guilty for the way his schedule had been put. “I can’t…”
“Don’t worry,” Iris assured immediately, stepping away from him so they were face to face as her hand moved down to link their fingers loosely. “Jessica and I finish at the same time today and she lives a street down from where I live; I’ll ask her to walk home with me.”
Barry relaxed and offered a relieved smile, squeezing her warmed fingers while simultaneously pulling her in closer. It was becoming second nature to her, willingly stepping in against that body—it didn’t matter which soulmate it was, even if the body were to change with each one, the comfort was the same.
Barry’s lips came to rest against her forehead again, bringing a butterfly sensation to Iris’s stomach as she fought against a grin of unabashed happiness. “You’re okay for your meeting, right? Please tell me you got some sleep.” She sincerely hoped that this wasn’t going to happen on a regular basis; the guilt of taking the night from Barry and the others would absolutely eat away at her.
“I’m just fine, Sweetheart,” he soothed, using his free hand to stroke her hair gently. “I’ll get some coffee on my way over, everything’ll work out. Plus, I get tomorrow off so I’ll catch up on some sleep then.”
Nodding along, Iris tried to push aside her guilt as she glanced to the metal door that made up the back entrance of the store. “I need to clock in soon, so I should be getting inside.” Glancing down at the keys in her free hand, she fiddled with them a moment to get the correct key between her fingers. There was only one deadbolt on the door itself, but there was also an alarm system that would go off if the correct code wasn’t inputted within thirty seconds of opening the door.
“Remember; call me if anythinghappens,” Barry pressed, looking down at the adorable expression of focus on Iris’s face as she tried to select the right key without dropping the entire thing, all with one hand since her other was still linked with his in a warm, assuring hold.
Unable to resist one more chance, Barry leaned forward to kiss her cheek goodbye. Iris, unaware of his intention, turned her head to answer his comment in the same moment. His lips skimmed her cheek from the action, brushing against the corner of her mouth in the process. Her heart immediately sped up at the contact, causing heat to rise to her cheeks as a blush bloomed under her skin in response. Both of them pulled back suddenly, not having expected for either of their innocent actions to lead to an almost-kiss.
Barry looked ready to apologize, afraid that she would think something terrible of him—as much as the thought of kissing her was deeply appealing, he knew that someone as afraid and damaged as Iris would need time. And he was going to give her as long as she needed. However, she didn’t look afraid or panicked; she looked flustered. Blushing and holding her breath, her lips were parted just slightly in shock as she looked up at him with an unreadable expression.
So, instead of apologizing, an amused smile quirked at his lips. “That blush is adorable,” he teased gently.
Iris gasped slightly before she pursed her lips to hide her own smile. “I-I have work!” she declared suddenly, cursing herself for stuttering as she turned back to the door again.
Barry didn’t let her get away that easily, however, and use their linked hands to pull her back to him as he kissed her temple as he had intended, his other hand cradling her head gently. She was so small, her cheek and jaw fit perfectly into the cradle of his hand, palm warm against her chilled cheek. “Have a good day, Sweetheart. Let me know what you’re home safe?”
Her blushing cheeks burned as she promised to text him the second she was safely in her apartment. Barry finally released her and stood waiting as she unlocked the door before disappearing quickly inside with one final flash of a smile over her shoulder. The metal door fell between them with a resounding slam, the deadbolt sliding back into place and then the back alley was silent.
Releasing a breath to try and calm his racing heart, Barry closed his eyes and ducked his head as his hand came up to cover his mouth. He hadn’t intended for any of that to happen, but there was no way he was going to regret it. The softness of her skin was branded into his mind, leaving him short of breath as he tried not to think too hard on it.
When BT’s discomfort had been brought to their attention the previous night, all of the alters were left on edge. They may not have been the one in control, but to have something so obviously wrong left each of them in discomfort. They’d each done their research on soulmates and the bonds shared between them. In the case of multiples, the bond was usually stronger because of the many connections weaving and interlacing between several people.
Their situation was slightly different, since they were more than just a three-way or four-way soulbond—they were not bonded to one another, only to Iris and Iris to them. However, seeing as they did share one body, with Iris’s many words covering the expanse of that body, the connection was more than likely just as strong. She has only met three of them. That would mean that their bond was three times as strong as someone with only one mark.
Her panic and fear had come through like a deep, uncomfortable feeling of forbidding to them. Fear and doubt sitting in their gut like poison all through the night.
She hadn’t slept at all. He knew that; he’d known even before seeing her face. There was no way that the discomfort could have lasted through the night if she had slept; with sleep would have come even just a small amount of peace for her. That never came; he and the others would have felt it. Iris wasn’t one to cover her face with makeup, either, so the shadows beneath her eyes and unhealthy pallor of her skin confirmed his fears as soon as he’d seen her leave her apartment building.
Turning away from the back door of her work, Barry made his way onto the main sidewalk once more, passing by the front window as he did so. Iris was nowhere to be seen, but he could see some lights on in the depths of darkness that made up the bookstore so early in the morning.
He wouldn’t let this happen again. None of them would.
He’d been surprised that he was able to keep hold of the light after BT had passed it along to him. Dennis especially had been on edge, sitting more rigidly in his chair than Barry had seen in quite a while. He’d always been the one to take over when things were happening to Kevin, keeping their original identity safe and therefore assuming the role of protector over not only Kevin, but all of them.
The thought of Iris being in fear or in danger brought up the protective instincts like never before, and Barry had kept a careful eye on the shadowy form of Dennis while as he glared deeply at the floor in the center of their circle of chairs. Back straight, legs slightly splayed and arms crossed firmly across his chest, he looked a dangerous mix of patient and ready to spring up at any moment.
Sighing softly as he turned at a street corner, Barry knew that he needed to do something before Dennis did the same as BT and took off after Iris one day.
With her parents back in the picture, however, he knew that it was going to be nearly impossible to stop all of the alters from going against his orders.
Glancing back in the direction he had come, Barry silently wished for Iris’s day to go on uninterrupted and safely boring.
Inside the store, Iris was humming to herself as she set up the register and double-checked who was going to be coming in at what time that day. She also sent out several emails to confirm shipments times and dates, her fingers flying skillfully over the keys as her lips mouthed the words that she was typing, all while she musically calmed herself and tried to distract against the terrifying silence of the store.
Hitting send on the last email, Iris had only just reached for her phone to check for any messages when it started to ring and Jessica’s name popped up.
“Good morning,” she greeted, trying not to sound too tired. She was already slouching down in her seat, ruining her posture but just too fatigued to do much about it.
“Hey, I’m at the back door. You already in?”
“Yea, just one sec and I’ll let you in.”
Jessica chirped a happy response before hanging up, letting Iris put her phone down and log out of the company email. Pushing back from the desk in the back office, she hurried back to the door that she had entered through shortly before and slid the deadlock aside to push the heavy metal open. Jessica was huddled into her too-thin spring jacket as she smiled at Iris in greeting, cheeks reddened from her walk over.
“Morning!” she breathed out, hurrying into the warm building as she shook out her chilled limbs. “Jeez, I wasn’t expecting it to be so cold today!”
“Why on earth are you wearing such a thin jacket?” Iris responded, shaking her head. “It’s not that close to summer! There was snow on the ground just the other week, remember?”
Peeling her jacket off as they made their way back into the store, heading for the breakroom, Jessica laughed at Iris’s scolding, motherly tone. “Yea, mom, I know. I just hate the feeling of my winter coat, it’s so huge. And by the time we get off work it’s warm enough to not even need a jacket anymore.” Hanging her coat and bag in her locker, she gave Iris the side-eye as she continued. “Us normal people, at least. You’re always bundled up so tight I worry you’ll get heat stroke!”
Huffing at the younger woman’s tone, Iris leaned against the doorframe as she crossed her arms over her chest. Jessica’s eyes darted down to her hand briefly, showing her amazing restraint when she didn’t stare openly at the back of her pale hand, black writing on full display. Iris had forgone her usual work gloves, not actually needing them while she was only typing out some emails and arranging the register at the front.
“I’ve gotten used to it. I think if I wore sleeveless shirts now I’d freeze to death.”
It wasn’t really a lie, either. Her parents had always had her in long-sleeved tops since her first arm mark had popped up when she was a kid. They’d even use band-aids and semi-permanent make-up on the back of her hand. She’d spent so long with her skin covered; heat no longer bothered her like it once had. However, she’d had the unfortunate experience of passing out from heat-stroke a few times before that had happened. When the school brought up their concerns, they’d always spin it around on her. She just wouldn’t leave the house without it!
Jessica stilled as she pocketed her work knife and marker, easily accessible from the back pocket of her jeans. “Iris…are you hiding soulmarks?” she finally posed in a quiet, hesitant voice while fidgeting with her shirt hem.
There is was; the question she’d been waiting for.
Iris’s expression didn’t change as she met Jessica’s worried eyes. She didn’t confirm, but she didn’t deny, either. Holding one another’s gazes across the space of the small breakroom, Jessica knew the answer to her question without Iris having to speak a word or flash an emotion.
“I have two, you know?” she continued after the silence stretched on with no sign of her manager deciding to answer. Iris blinked at the woman’s confession, eyebrows rising slightly in a show of surprise. “One’s on my leg, so it’s always covered by my pants. The other’s on my left side, near my pants. People sometimes see that one, but they’re both pretty easy to just live life without people asking.” Switching out her shoes as she spoke, Iris did nothing more than stand back as she listened to her coworkers words.
Glancing down at her hand, Iris wasn’t exactly sure how to take the other woman’s confession.
“I can’t really speak from experience about having people know that I’m part of a triad, but those that do know don’t judge. And they make up for the ones that do.”
Iris sighed softly as she changed her posture to lean her back fully against the wall as her fingers carded nervously through her hair. “It’s not that easy.”
Nodding in understanding, Jessica remained sitting on the bench located in front of the lockers. “I know. But there’s always somewhere to begin, you know? I hadn’t met either of them yet, but I know that my friends are gunna be there for me when I do.”
The florescent lights caught Iris’s eyes as she looked up again, making them look amber in the artificial light. “It’s not that easy,” she repeated quietly, before pulling up the sleeve of her over-shirt. The first thing that Jessica saw was the long scar running through the mark along the outside of her arm. Her breath hitched at the sight, before she began counting. Wrist, outer arm, inner arm, back palm.
Four?
No.
Iris didn’t stop. She pulled up the sleeve of her other arm as well, showing an additional two marks on her right forearm, also in different writing to show Jessica that there were at least six different soulmates for Iris. Another mark was then revealed on her bicep, winding around the thinly muscled upper arm. Seven. Jessica was left staring in awe at her friend’s bared skin, stark white from lack of sun exposure and divided by the different clusters of black writing.
“See?” Iris asked quietly, holding out her arms as example. “Not that easy.”
“Oh, Iris,” Jessica breathed softly, finally understanding the way that the woman carried herself. “I’m so sorry.”
Shaking her head, the brunette pulled her shirt-sleeves down to cover her bare arms up again, hiding the writing from Jessica’s shocked eyes. “My parents are unmarked. I was never allowed to show them—it’s a hard habit to break.”
Swallowing thickly as she bowed her head, Jessica was suddenly so grateful to only have two marks. Her parents only had one another, but they at least had a soulmark that helped them to look passed their daughter having one extra. For someone with so many, having unmarked parents must have made life a living hell for Iris.
There were very few unmarked out there that were kind to those with soulmarks, but even those rare few would react badly to Iris’s half-dozen soulmates. She’d heard of people who had more than three actually being attacked and murdered, all because they were destined to be with more people than the unmarked deemed fair.
Standing up and reaching for Iris, the younger woman took her hands gently and offered her a sad, sympathetic smile. “I know it’s not much, but I’m here if you need me. I…I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you, and still like now. But I am here. No matter what other people say or do, I’ll never turn you away because of this.”
Using her thumbs, Jessica lifted Iris’s sleeves up just slightly, exposing her wrist marks again. “If you have this many marks…just means you have more love in you than anyone else out there. You and your soulmates.”
Simple though her words were, they warmed Iris’s heart to know that not everyone out there were as cruel as some she had met in the past. So far, Karen and Jessica were the only ones that were not marked to her that knew of her many soulmarks—although, not the full extent of them—and had been kind and accepting. Even going so far as to offer help when possible.
Exhaling softly, Iris smiled back as she felt some weight lift off of her shoulders. Time and time again, she kept thinking how much her soulmates had changed her. This was yet another thing; she was no longer hiding in fear from her parents. He’d told her not to show her marks, so she’d left her apartment without her gloves, she’d shown Jessica some of the black on her pale skin, and she was determined to continue her progress.
“We should get back to work,” she declared suddenly, pulling her hands back and glancing toward the clock that was hung on the wall. “Open’s at eight, so we’ve got a few minutes.”
“You okay, Iris?” Jessica called before she could escape the room completely. “I mean…after what happened yesterday, and now you’re showing me your marks…what changed?”
Taking a moment, Iris decided that Jessica was someone she didn’t mind telling. “The man from yesterday, the one who helped me, he’s one of my soulmates,” she confessed. Jessica expression lit up again and a smile came across her face. “He’s one of three I’ve met recently, actually.”
“That’s great, Iris!” she cheered. “Congrats! I mean, I’ve heard about how great it is to meet them at last, so I’m kind of jealous now.”
Iris’s cheeks warmed at Jessica’s excited outburst. “I just don’t want to hide anymore. They’re helping me to realize that I’m not alone. I’m not a kid anymore that has to do as she’s told.”
Jessica’s excitement softened to a proud smile, her hands tucking into the pockets of her jeans as she nodded her head. “I’m glad, Iris. You deserve to be happy, and I’m glad you’re finally getting your chance. I’m with you, too, so if you ever need to talk without worrying about soulmates getting too involved then I’m all ears.”
If only she knew. Would she still think that way if Iris told her that her soulmates all shared the same body?
“Thank you, Jess.”
Jessica smiled once more before she moved to unpack her lunch from her bag, while Iris went to check for any email responses before the opened for the day. They would be holding down the store for an hour by themselves before anyone else was so clock in, so they both silently prayed for a quiet start to the day that wouldn’t overwhelm them.
Sitting at the back desk and logging in to the store’s email, Iris realized that she had forgotten to ask Jessica to walk home with her at the end of their shift. Making a mental note to bring it up with the younger woman, knowing that Jessica often made plans after her shift, Iris let herself focus on the task at hand while keeping an eye on the clock for store opening.
“You mean you don’t wanna leave?” Hedwig questioned, completely befuddled by your response, his attention span dwindling again. “Okay, I’ll show you my room,” he shrugged, taking your hand in his as he led you through the complicated maze. When you finally found his room, it seemed to be a well organized mess. Of course, you could never find anything in here, but he had no trouble at all.
“Hedwig, this is your room!?” You exclaimed, smiling widely at how much it truly represented his mind and personality. With everything strewn about, it made it difficult to maneuver through the mess, but he managed to get to the CD player and turn up the music.
“Do you like it? Miss Patricia gets kinda angry when it’s a mess, and Dennis refuses to come in.” Hedwig said, wondering how you’d feel about all of it.
“I think it’s amazing, it really represents you,” and, just like that, you couldn’t stop yourself from grinning like a child. Hedwig always had that affect on you, to make you happy no matter what the situation may be.
“Wanna dance to some Kanye West?” He asked, grabbing you and showing you how to move as he twisted his body into different directions. You tried to mimic him, turning yourself in the same way, but, instead of dancing, you’d just ended up tripping on a pile of toys and clothes.
Hedwig laughed, bending over to help you up. Being the deviant you are, though, you decided to pull him down with you instead. He landed on the pile of clothes, rolling with laughter. “You’re the bestest friend ever,” he said, finally catching his breath as the two of you got up.
“Well, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” you reminded him as you wrapped your arms around him, comfortingly. He held you close, and you could feel him playing with your hair as you giggled.
“Okay, we gotta get back before Mr. Dennis comes, or he’ll be really mad that I let you out. Etcetera,” Hedwig nodded, walking with you back to the room where you were supposed to be being held.
The two of you exchanged one last hug before he disappeared, leaving you alone with your thoughts once again. This time you imagined what it may be like to have kids. Patricia would be the aunt that would spoil them rotten. Hedwig would look at it as having a new friend and twenty-four hour playmate. Dennis would probably see it as a nuisance, and would ask that you keep it contained, and Kevin...Kevin would be the happiest he’s ever been. He would want to prove that he could do it; raise a child without all the problems he had to face growing up. That in itself seemed reason enough to do it, but it was all a fantasy made up in your head, and you realized that when Dennis opened your door and let himself inside.
“I brought you something,” Dennis fidgeted, awkwardly, as he did his best to hide whatever it was behind his back. “Close your eyes, and put out your hands.”
If he’d have said those words to Marcia or Claire they would be screaming with fear, but you could hardly contain the excitement that was coursing through your veins. When you opened your eyes, you found a book resting in your palms. ‘Frankenstein’ you read, feeling an immediate attachment to him as a person with this inanimate object. You ran your fingers over the cover. The pages looked as if it had been read a thousand times, but the binding was so perfect that it seemed to be brand new. This represented how well put together he seemed on the outside, and the story behind those walls; his beautiful disguise. Your eyes lit up at the gesture, your heart racing in your chest.
“I thought you might like something to pass the time. It’s - um - it’s my favorite. You don’t have to read it if you don’t want to, though.” Dennis stated, his Boston accent thicker than usual in part to his nervousness. Tears swelled in your eyes, but you did your best to blink them away, still so awestruck that he had given you something that meant so much to him.
He was being so gentle, and, without even thinking, you leapt from your spot on the small cot to throw your arms around his neck. His hands rested against your waist, taking in the smell of your hair. Dennis was falling for you, and it absolutely terrified him, but you were just as broken as he was, and he couldn’t help but find some sort of comfort in knowing that.
“Dennis, will you dance with me?” You whispered in his ear, feeling his muscles tense at the feeling of your breath on his skin. It had been a weakness of his, and you’d known it from the start. That day he brought you here, asking Marcia to dance with him, you still burned with jealousy that it hadn’t been you in his arms. At first he was hesitant, his fingers landing stiffly against your sides, and you prayed to no one in particular that he would loosen up.
Finally, he moved with you, slowly at first, before the steps had taken on a life of their own. The two of you seeming to follow the same nonexistent rhythm as you danced to nothing at all. By the time you’d finished, you were entirely out of breath, arms around his neck, beaming widely up at him as you felt his chest against yours. You hadn’t realized how close the two of you had been, or how natural it all seemed.
Your insides fluttered, dying to say what was on your mind, but there weren’t enough words to speak how this man made you feel. Which is why you broke the nonexistent barrier, and, without warning, leaned up on your tiptoes to press your lips to his.
Dennis stood there, awkwardly, letting it happen, eyes wide in horror before slowly easing into it. You felt his hand slowly move up your back before holding you closer to him. His other placed, softly, against your cheek. Your eyes fell shut, enjoying every second. Your gut told you that this was wrong, but Gods how it felt so right. This was absolute bliss. This was love.
Suddenly, Dennis pulled away, taking a step back as he put his hands on his hips and stared at the ground. He was thinking, and you wanted to know what went on inside that beautiful mind, until he said something that cut you to your core.
“We can’t,” he realized, breaking the silence. “I shouldn’t have done this, it was a mistake. I can’t get close to you, it’ll only make things harder than they have to be.” He seemed to say it more to himself than to you. Finally, Dennis reached for the door to slam it shut, but you stopped him, taking hold of his thick, bulging, arm, and pressing yourself against him once again.
“Please, please, don’t go. I just,” you stopped, trying to find the words. “I dont want to be alone.”
The hurt in your eyes made him hesitate, and it was that split second of worry that told you he really did care. Before you could stop him, he’d rushed out of the room, leaving you in silence.
Feeling defeated, lost, and alone, you through yourself down on the cot before breaking down in tears. To your surprise, and after what felt like an eternity of sobbing, a soft voice came from the other side of the room. “Y/N, why you cryin?” Hedwig muttered, coming to sit beside you on the tiny bed. You had pulled your legs up to your chest, and, although you hesitated at first, you couldn’t stop yourself from falling into his arms. Hedwig didn’t know how to react, his body going limp compared to the stiffness of Dennis. You rested your head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Ultimately, he opted for the safe route as he ran his fingers through your hair, soothingly.
“Is this because of Mr. Dennis? Was he mean to you?” Hedwig finally asked, mustering up the courage to talk to you. “If it is, I told him we’re dating, and that he doesn’t have a chance.”
“Hedwig, I need to tell you something,” you muttered, feeling your heart break once again.
“Wait, wait! Do you like Mr. Dennis?!” Hedwig gasped, unable to comprehend what was happening as he pushed you off of him. “But - but I thought you were my girlfriend?!” He stammered, looking at you like a lost puppy.
“You’re my friend, and I care about you in a different way than I care about him.” You confessed, trying your best to clear up this whole entire situation. “I love you both, just in different ways,” saying it out loud meant finally coming to terms with it, and it only made it hurt worse. Maybe you’d been wrong; maybe Dennis didn’t care about you at all.
“He didn’t pick you! He wanted them. The other girls! You’re mine!” He shouted, bringing you back to reality as your breath caught in your throat. This nine year old had found a way to pour salt in an open wound, and you could feel it eating at you from the inside out.
A heart wrenching sob pulled from your throat, echoing off the walls as you tried to stop yourself from falling apart in front of him. Fuck this, fuck all of it. What made Claire and Marcia so perfect?
Hedwig sat there, fearing what you might do next as the truth soared through your veins like a venomous drug. Your eyes were bloodshot, your throat burned, and you felt like you could never shed another tear, but they still came. “Y/N...do you want me to talk to him? I mean, he doesn’t really listen to me, but I can if you want me to,” Hedwig offered, seeing how hard this was for you. As much as he wanted you for himself, he couldn’t help that he also wanted to make you happy.
“You would do that for me?” You whimpered, wiping the tears from your eyes. There wasn’t a doubt in your mind that you didn’t deserve Hedwig as a friend, he was too kind hearted.
“Of course I would, but, I don’t know what you see in him, I think he’s creepy,” Hedwig shivered, making a disgusted face. It was enough to make you smile, leaning in for a quick hug before he took off.
Part of you hated yourself for what you were about to do, but the other half convinced you that it was okay. So, instead of shredding the book that Dennis had given you, you’d decided to read it instead. With every turn of a page you found yourself falling more in love with him as a person, and understanding why this book mattered to him so much. As your eyes grew heavy, you pulled the book against your chest, cradling it in your arms; which is exactly how you’d fallen asleep.
When you woke up, Dennis was standing over you, arms crossed, breathing heavily. It seemed as if he were contemplating how to go about this whole ordeal. Looking up at him, you were sure your eyes were bloodshot, and you realized your appearance must have been questionable.
“Speak,” he finally ordered, making you jump at how dark his voice was. This was a side of him that you’d rarely seen, and it was starting to make you nervous. It should’ve absolutely terrified you, made you cower beneath him. No, this voice did something entirely opposite. It awoke something in you that you’d never felt before; a burning hunger in your gut that was completely alien to you. You needed him like a moth needed a flame, and like an addict needed a drug. He was your drug. Dennis never made it feel like love, though. No, this was cat and mouse to him. Just another game, and, with your head in the clouds, you couldn’t help but let your mouth flow freely with how you’d been feeling from the moment you were brought here.
“I think I love you,” you muttered, giving it everything you had as you threw all caution to the wind. This was your chance to get exactly what you wanted, pain, and lies, and chaos combined. If he didn’t kill you, the adrenaline of your love for him would.
Barry showing you his latest designs then surprising you with something he’d made specifically for you.
You hadn’t seen Barry in a few weeks. He normally stopped by every few days to visit. You hadn’t completely lost touch as he’d call here and there to say hello, but it was a welcome surprise when you heard a knock at your door and opened it to see him there.
He instantly made himself at home and removed his jacket and scarf. “Sorry, y/n. Here, I brought you a coffee.”
“Thanks, Barry. I see you brought your sketchbook with you. Have you been busy?”
The two of you flipped through the pages for a while as he discussed his new ideas. When he reached the last sketch, he reached for his bag.
“This is for you. The lines are going to compliment your frame and these colors are great on you.”
“I love it! Is this what you’ve been busy with?“
“It is. And some of the other designs were made with you in mind. Go and try it on, y/n.”
(For anon. I couldn’t find a gif of Barry solo from the movie, so I hope this is okay!)
I keep forgetting that we haven't actually seen much of Barry in Split... it was Dennis pretending to be Barry (although we don't actually know for sure when that started). Can we add "great actor" to how we describe Dennis?
