#watcher fanfic

[fully-functioning-pigeon]

Instead of writing the 1000 word essay for uni due Thursday, over the past few days I’ve written over 3000 words of fan fiction

This school year is going swell 🙂‍↕️

[fully-functioning-pigeon]

I’ve had a fic idea for a very long time and I’m finally actually writing it (now that uni has started up again, I know bad timing) but I need all yall to keep fingers crossed for me that I can actually finish it because it’s been living in my brain for actually quite a few years

[iconicanemone]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Grian fought the dragon. He should have been able to go home.

He wasn’t allowed to.

[jordandiesasaint]

LYM - Chapter three

Pearl could do nothing but stand there, awestruck. Her jaw was tight, and even the thought of opening her mouth to speak felt painful. She always felt like there was someone there, someone observing her every move. She knew it to be true, having heard their voices herself. And yet, somehow, it never felt like it was true until she saw one of Them standing in front of her very eyes. How could she deny that they were always there, controlling every aspect of her life, when someone she had finally learnt once again to trust stood before her as one?

Grian lay at her feet, his vibrantly coloured wings lying limp beside him. He let out a small moan, shaking his head roughly before his eyes opened.

‘You were there,’ he whispered in horror. Fear filled the dark void of his eyes. ‘You were right here. You shouldn’t have seen anything.’ He lost eye contact with her, letting his gaze wander instead to the extremely interesting ground beneath him that lacked any texture.

Pearl swallowed. She knew who–what–she was talking too, knew that she should run and never look back. But she could feel the fear in Grian’s demeanour. She knew him to be dangerous, but he was once again her friend. Either way, she found herself unable to move. ‘You were let in here, agreed to come, even, and yet you’re still one of them. Is that why you’re here? To feed off us until you’ve quenched your thirst for bloodshed, hate, mischief?’

‘I never asked for this,’ Grian said. ‘I never asked to be hated and feared, only to be respected, and to have power. All I wanted was a bit of glory, a bit of control over the world. I didn’t know it would lead to this.’ He swiped across his one pair of eyes, as if trying to rid himself of the tears that had not had the chance to fall.

‘You chose to become one of them; a being you yourself once hated. A being who fed off everything you did, who drove you insane with their cryptic talk and superiority complexes.’ Pearl could remember how much their messages and punishments had annoyed Grian, back in the days before she realised she had to fear each and every person beside her. They were pain in the most advanced form. “They” being the Watchers.

It was surprising how little the average person knew about the Watchers. Then again, what they did know was a mix of folklore and stories to frighten children. Every story was slightly different, with not a single depiction the same. All of them carried the same themes, however; that the Watchers were power-hungry gods who wanted nothing more than chaos and destruction, who knew your every move and had a way of guiding you to do things you never would have otherwise done. None of them were far from the truth. What everyone seemed to always miss, however, is that one day you’d blink and your best friend would become one of them.

Grian swallowed. How long had they stayed silent? The avian, creature–whatever he was– stood up, gently reaching out to hold her forearms in his hands. ‘I thought I’d left them behind, really. I grew sick of them, and dreaded my choice. I thought I’d finally managed to escape. Only recently have they come back to haunt me.’ He glanced over his shoulder towards the Rift. ‘They’re watching, always watching…’ He glanced back at Pearl, his mouth pressed into a thin line. ‘I understand if you want to tell everyone, or if you want me gone. If it’s what you think is best for the server, I’ll go. I never wanted to hurt you all. You’re my family now, and I wouldn’t want to lose that.’ Pain flashed across Grian’s face for a split second. It didn’t take more than a single braincell for Pearl to know who he was thinking of.

‘This happens sporadically?’ Pearl questioned slowly. ‘You have no control, right? But you could, say, work on controlling whether it happens or not?’

Grian thought for a long moment. ‘Hypothetically. I could once, maybe I could again.’

‘I’ll help you.’ It was a risk, but it was one Pearl was willing to take. If she could keep him around without having to worry about him being a danger to the others, anything was worth a shot. ‘I’ll find some way to help you. I won’t let you be taken by them again.’

Grian’s wings dropped. ‘You’d do that for me?’

Pearl grinned, tipping her head back; she had to look quite far down to see him like this. She chuckled. ‘The things I’d do for you idiots.