Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sunny day. Gwen has always loved sunny days, at least ever since she came to life. But that was a long time ago, she doesn't know how much time has passed, sometimes it seems like a lot, other times it doesn't seem like much. But when it comes to enjoying the wonders of life, time just didn't seem to be enough.

The living doll walked through a silent path, she had been walking for days without any threat from the Black Mist or any town in sight. Partly it was a good thing, people weren't in danger, but it was also a bad thing, she was bored.

If only there was a town near her, she liked the towns, meeting more people, talking to the locals and playing with the children. She was good with people even those who were rude or loud, Gwen always treated everyone with a smile and kindness, just like Isolde, her creator, did. Thinking of her made her feel happy and sad at the same time, she remembered the good times of her and then when he appeared everything became unpleasant.

Gwen turned away from her thoughts when she saw a small town not far away, so she tightly gripped her scissors and started running in that direction. When she finally arrived in town, no one was there. The houses were empty as well as the streets.

-Hello, is there anyone here? - Gwen screamed.

Suddenly the doll heard some noises coming from one of the houses, following the noise she found a man who was taking things out of a house and putting them in a cart. Gwen approached him without making a sound and when the man saw the living doll he screamed in fright.

-I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you, I just want to know where everyone went. - Gwen apologized.

-Everyone ran away, I'm about to leave too, I just came to get some things, please don't hurt me.

-I'm not going to hurt you, why do you think that?

-Because there is a cursed doll in the forest that kills everyone who gets in its way, that's why we left the town, it's not safe anymore. - the man said while he trembled.

Gwen tilted her head, "a doll, maybe there is someone else like me" she thought immediately. She had to know that doll even if he was bad.

-Where do I find that doll, please tell me- She asked.

The frightened man just pointed in the direction of a path that led to the depths of the forest.

-It's that way, he appears during the night.

-Thank you very much, and by the way you shouldn't take what doesn't belong to you. - She said staring at the man.

That man tensed up and dropped the things that did not actually belong to him and then fled leaving behind the doll and the lonely town.

Gwen was many things, but she was not a fool, in the time she had been alive she had learned to see the good and bad intentions of people, she knew who was good and who was bad. Although she did not understand why people did bad things like stealing or hurting others, all of this was inconceivable to her, the only conclusion she reached was that not everyone could be as kind as her maker, but it was not the time to reflect on good and evil, she had another living doll to find.

…

It was a quiet night, Shaco liked the dark, but not much silence, he preferred the nights to be full of screams from his playthings, but he couldn't complain much in the last week he had very fun nights killing the inhabitants of a small town near the forest. He didn't think he had killed them all, if so, he would have to find another town or city to torment to avoid boredom.

For the living puppet there was nothing funnier than death, that, and his jokes. The emotion he felt when he chased his victims and finished them off was the best feeling he could feel, actually it was the only emotion he could feel and that was fine with him. Shaco never understood why all people wanted things like love or a family or why they all begged and cried before he killed them. Reality though, Shaco would rather all of them defend themselves a bit, a real fight would be more fun.

-Hi, is there anyone here?

Shaco heard a voice screaming through the woods, so there were still people in the town, so this would be a fun night too. He tightly gripped his two shiv and headed towards the source of that voice.

…

The hallowed seamstress was walking through the forest in search of that malicious doll, the whole place was completely silent, that was not normal. As she went deeper into the forest, Gwen could feel the presence of another being among the trees and heard a laugh coming from the darkness of the night. It was a mad laugh and it seemed to be closing at her with alarming speed. Suddenly the doll could see who that laugh belonged to, she saw a doll just like her, but he wore jester clothes and was armed with two shivs.

-You. - She pointed to him.

Without saying anything he jumped into the air and then disappeared from Gwen's sight. "Where is he?" she thought, and then  she felt a blow to her back and fell to the ground, before she could get up the evil doll appeared in front of her ready to stab her.

But Gwen was faster than him and she blocked his shivs with her scissors, the doll was able to give the jester a few cuts before he disappeared again. The doll looked in all directions looking for her opponent but instead found a Jack-in-the-box which began to attack her before exploding.

Without knowing why, Gwen began to feel very afraid, something was paralyzing her with terror, she only felt that way when she thought of death, that was her greatest fear. "No, I'm still alive, I have to fight" she thought because she wouldn't let that puppet stop her. She was afraid, that was true, but she would not be defeated, so she invoked the Hallowed Mist to protect herself, now free from the jester's strange influence, she could see her opponent approaching ready to attack, but she was more quickly and hit his opponent several times with her scissors, and he blocked them with his shivs.

 It was a close battle, until Gwen was able to deliver a powerful blow to the puppet causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground, then without time to waste she used her needles and magic thread and tied them to each limb of the jester until leave him completely tied up without him being able to move. The battle was over, the doll won.

…

Shaco was lying on the floor and completely entangled between needles and bright blue thread without being able to move and in front of him was a doll, it had to be because of the seams on her arms and neck and her strange eyes, which was also holding giant scissors. “Another living doll, like me” he thought. When she noticed that he was looking at her, she began to speak.

-I'm sorry I hit you, but you attacked me first, I just defended myself, we don't have to be enemies, my name is Gwen, tell me what's your name? - She asked trying to be nice to her prisoner.

-I'm Shaco, little doll.

- Great you can speak, then answer, why do you hurt people? Don't you know how wonderful they are?

-Because it is fun to kill, besides people are not wonderful, they are boring unless I play with them. –he said trying to scare the doll.

-That sounds horrible, how can you say that? Obviously, your creator was not like mine and they don’t taught you to be good or kind.

Hearing those words, Shaco felt a lot of anger and began to move violently to free himself from the thread that was imprisoning him, until Gwen pulled the thread to make him stop moving. He wouldn't be able to escape that easily, so Gwen moved closer to Shaco until he looked her right in the eye.

-In your eyes I see a sinister darkness that calls for death and chaos- she said.

-Aww, thanks, but flattery won't stop me from killing you.

-That's not a compliment, it's creepy, but I have an idea, from now on you come with me.

-Is that a joke? If it is, then you're not funny."

-It's not, I've decided that no matter how much time and effort I took I'm going to fix you, Shaco, besides I'm a lot of fun.

Shaco looked at the doll in silence, "And they say I'm the crazy one" he thought. But the Demon Jester was not calm, the mere presence of that doll emanated an unpleasant aura of love and kindness, he could hardly tolerate that.

-It's the dumbest and most boring idea I've ever heard. - He said as he moved to try to get rid of the thread.

- Try all you want you won't be able to break the thread, and if you escape, I'll catch you, so it doesn't matter if you make things difficult along the way I won't give up and I won't let you hurt anyone else either.

-What do you want?

- I want to teach you to see the world as I see it, believe me when I do, you won't cause any more problems, you'll even be happy.

Shaco almost wanted to contract his eternal smile just thinking about what she said, he happy? ha-ha. He was only happy when he slaughtered people. Then he jumped to his feet and got as close as he could to the doll to intimidate her.

-Listen, doll, I'm not going to play with you at being friends, free me and let the real fun begin.

Gwen narrowed her eyes at the jester trying to think of what to say, until she came up with the perfect answer.

-Yeah, let the game begin when I'm done with you, you'll be one of the good guys.

Chapter Text

Shaco, still trapped by Gwen's magic thread, could only follow her through the forest, from time to time he threw on the ground and shook to free himself, but it was useless, the doll just dragged him without stopping, she was stronger than she seemed and very persevering. She wouldn't let him go.

Along the way, the jester was being tortured by that doll and her endless talk about kindness and love. Two days had passed since their meeting and she kept talking about how she came to life, her fight against the Black Mist and how the world was wonderful.

- Tell me Shaco, do you want to play a game? My maker and I used to play together always.

- "Used to", is your maker dead? - he asked.

The question took Gwen by surprise, and she was silent for a few moments before answering.

-Yes, she died a long time ago, it was his fault. – she said bitterly.

-I see, did she suffer? – He asked again, more interested in her reaction than in the response.

Gwen violently yanked on the thread until Demon Jester was in front of her and then she grabbed him tightly.

-What are you trying to do? - she screamed.

- I was just asking, I was curious. - he replied calmly and stared at her.

Gwen released him and sighed, she really had many things to teach Shaco so that he would learn to be good and kind.

- Listen, try not to ask hurtful questions, you must have consideration for the feelings of others, and you never know how people are going to react

The puppet did not respond. When the doll turned around and continued walking, Shaco followed her in silence, then he thought about what happened, when she yelled at him, he could see something in her eyes, an immense anger and he knew that it led to violence and murder. "This doll is not as nice and innocent as she thinks she is," Shaco thought as he kept from laughing. Reflecting on that, he began to remember how excited she looked when she talked about her fights against the Black Mist, she liked fighting more than she admitted, she wasn't bloodthirsty but there was something there, he was sure.

Perhaps Gwen wasn't so different from him after all. Shaco would just have to provoke her a bit more to see if it was true, but not now, he had to wait for the right moment. Seeing that seamstress corrupted would be a fun thing, so he would play this long game.

Chapter Text

As the days passed, Shaco and Gwen continued on their way, the doll was the one that indicated the course and the puppet was still tied by the enchanted thread of the Hallowed Stemtress and without being able to free you, he had no choice but to follow her everywhere. And that was already tiring him. Every day was the same, they walked all day and stopped at nightfall to rest, although in reality they needed to sleep, after all they were living dolls, the real reason they stayed in one place at night was because Gwen wanted to see the stars. She insisted on telling him about her adventures and how she helped people and Shaco had no choice but to listen to her. At times he thought that he should yell at her, but he decided to wait for the perfect moment to get her off her nerves. They were playing a game and he was going to win.

-It's a beautiful day, isn't it Shaco-. Gwen said as she led the puppet down the path.

And it was true, it was a particularly nice day, the sky was clear, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. Everything seemed so peaceful and calm. Shaco hated it, but an idea occurred to him.

-It's a very....nice day.-Shaco forced himself to say that phrase.

Gwen looked at him surprised, it's the first time she heard the jester say something nice about anything.

-It's such a beautiful day that we should play a game, what do you think?-Shaco continued.

-Yes, I know many games, what if we play...

-...I think that we say our three favorite things in this world and the three things that we dislike the most. You begin.

Gwen was excited by Shaco's great idea, she even thought for a moment that the jester's smile was genuine.

-My three favorite things in this world are my dear maker, playing games and fighting the Black Mist.

-Interesting, and what are the things you hate the most?

-Ahh well, I really don't hate anything in the world, everything seems fascinating to me.

-Seriously, isn't there a single thing you don't like?-Shaco was putting his plan into action.

Gwen got to thinking, she didn't really hate anything, or did she?, maybe she just disliked certain things just a little.

-I don't like Black Mist, it always causes problems, it's one thing.- Gwen kept thinking.- I also don't like it when people are mean and cruel.

-You need one more thing, let's go with another thing.-Shaco waited for the right moment while Gwen kept thinking.

-I think there is nothing more than that, I...

-And what about the one who caused the death of your maker, tell me, do you hate him?-Shaco asked while observing the doll's expression.

The living doll remembered all the events that led to the death of her maker, Isolde. Everything, how she suffered and died because of him. He. The king Viego. Every time she thought of him, Gwen felt a strange and unpleasant sensation in the place where humans had their hearts. Perhaps that's how she felt hate.

Seeing that the seamstress seemed to be lost in thought of her, the sinester jester thought that it was the perfect opportunity to escape but decided to wait for the doll to react first.

-Yes I do.- she admitted bitterly.

-If you had him in front, would you kill him mercilessly?-Shaco was amused by the question.

-I...I..., Shaco we already talked about this, don't ask those kinds of questions.-Gwen scolded him.

The puppet knew the fun was over when the doll returned to her usual optimism.

-Now it's your turn to play.

-What?

-Tell me your three favorite things.

The puppet's sinister smile widened.

-My three favorite things are killing, chaos and blood.- He declared with the intention of scaring the doll.

- Wow, that's very creepy.

-And what I hate the most are kindness, love and silly little dolls that think they can help me.

Shaco expected Gwen to get angry but he just stared at her.

-Shaco, have you ever had a friend or someone have hugged you.- Gwen asked worried.

-No.

-So that's the problem, since no one has ever shown you love, you don't know how to give it and be gentle. But that has a solution, from today I'll be your friend and I'm going to give you your first hug. - the doll approached the puppet and wrapped him with her arms.

Shaco wanted to push her very hard, but he couldn't, the magic thread prevented him, also a great fury arose inside him, he didn't need friends or hugs, he never... "I had a friend once" a memory appeared in the puppet's mind, it was very fuzzy but he remembered a child's laugh and then nothing.

-Let me go now.-He yelled trying to get away from those memories and the doll.

Gwen ignored him and hugged him for a while and when she let go she took his hand and continued leading him down the path.

-You know Shaco, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

-Uhh, either kill me or let me kill you.

-Oh, you're very dramatic, I like it.

Chapter Text

Gwen and Shaco had been traveling together for almost a month, every day was the same, she showed the way and he had no choice but to follow her, of course that didn't stop the puppet from constantly complaining and trying to provoke the doll to free him, but it was always the same, she did not fall for provocations and lectured him about having better behavior, so she had the idea of giving him a lesson on kindness every day, which consisted of talking for hours about how to treat to the others well. Shaco hated it, he barely paid any attention to her and then tried to upset her with hurtful comments. The whole situation of being held hostage by the Hallowed Seamstress was becoming unbearable.

On the other hand, Gwen was also getting more and more irritated with the demon jester's refusal to be nice, she knew that he didn't pay attention to her, nor did he want to change his bad behavior, but she wouldn't give up on the puppet, she was his friend, and She didn't want to let him down, the doll was sure she just had to try more times.

But what upset her most deeply was that since the night they met she had not interacted with anyone other than each other.

The living doll was used to traveling for periods where she did not meet other people, she had traveled through extensive forests, hillsides and even mountains where no one lived but at least the animals or small magical creatures were present and sometimes Gwen interacted with them, but on this trip she couldn't, Shaco's sinister presence scared away every living being with a minimum level of self-preservation, and no problem related to the Black Mist had occurred either, she hadn't greeted or fought with anyone or anything in a long time.

For his part, the murderous puppet had not fought or killed anyone since he met Gwen, he had not even been able to properly scare anyone during they journey, every time other travelers or small towns were seen in the distance, the doll although she wanted more than anything to meet other people, she just turned to him and said that it wasn't time yet and they were going in another direction. They were both frustrated with each other and worse, they were bored.

Then one day something started to change.

Gwen and Shaco were walking along a path near a forest when they saw a town in the distance, it was large, it could be seen from very far away and there must have been at least hundreds of people there. As was the custom, the doll turned to look at the jester.

-You are not yet ready to deal with other people, you have to wait a little longer, it is better to take another path. -Gwen sounded cheerful, but she was disappointed in the situation.

-Ahh, but I do want to make more friends, I'll behave well, I promise. - Shaco tried to sound genuine and innocent, but that seemed impossible.

-Mmm, not yet. But I'm sure you'll soon be able to, we have to be optimistic.

-Wow, how can you be so naive to believe that is possible, but you are not stupid enough to believe my lies, you are very strange. -Shaco was upset.

-I know you want me to be angry with you, but I won't, because Shaco remember we are friends and friends don't fight, and I will repeat it over and over until you understand it. - the doll pointed towards the forest with her huge scissors.

The seamstress sighed as she began to pull on the magical thread wrapped around Shaco to show him the new direction. The thread wrapped around the puppet several times so that his arms and legs were attached, he could still move them, but not make quick movements, he couldn't run or grab his shivs, even if he did while the thread wrapped around him Gwen could pull from him and make him fall, the puppet was not going to escape from her easily.

Shaco grunted and stopped walking.

-Shaco, you're going to make me drag you again. Come on, let's continue.

-I don't want to!

She turned to look at him, put on a sympathetic face and smiled at him.

-Listen, I know we're a little upset but we have to continue, don't worry, I know what I'm telling you, and I also know what I'm doing now...

-I don't believe it. -he interrupted.

- Why not?

-What you said before is a lie, friends do fight, they blame each other and then push each other to save themselves.

- Why do you say that?

-That's what many of my playthings did, some of them believed that by being together they could confront me but when I defeated them and approached to kill them, they ended up begging me to kill the others and only let them live. But in the end, I always killed them all. -Shaco said with his eternal smile.

Gwen's gaze darkened, but she continued to see the puppet. When he noticed that he was upsetting her he widened his smile and continued.

-And not only friends, but also families do that, adults abandon children and younger ones abandon adults, when they face their imminent and brutal death everyone runs to save themselves, always.

Gwen continued to look at him and asked.

-All of them, really?

Shaco recall more memories, many of his playthings did not even know that their end was near until Shaco killed them, but those who did know what was going to happen, only a few stayed together until the end. To Shaco that always seemed pointless and very boring, it was better when they tried to escape.

-Only a few stayed together, they were probably smart to know that they couldn't escape and also too lazy to run or fight.

- You're wrong!

The doll's scream echoed, Shaco was a little surprised, he had never heard her scream before, scream in anger. Still, he stood his ground and held his head high to intimidate her.

-Really why?

-Because…. Because true friends do not abandon each other, much less families, all those people that you saw that left were not real friends, they were fake friends.

-Yes, of course, as you say. - he frowned, the doll was frustrating most of the time.

-Those who did stay were true friends. -She answered.

-Whatever, and tell me besides not abandoning each other when there is no hope of survival, supposedly what else do real friends do?

-Friends play games together, talk about all kinds of things, and like each other just the way they are. Exactly what you and I are. - The doll's expression became warm and affectionate again.

“Nonsense, nonsense, complete nonsense” Shaco thought again, he hated that crazy idea of the living doll that they friends and at that particular moment hearing those words upset him more than expected. The demon jester took a step forward to face the doll, she was surprised, but stood her ground and did not back away.

- We are not friends! I am only here with you because I am your prisoner!

-You would not be my prisoner if you knew or wanted to behave better, and as a good friend I must show you the right path. -Although Gwen is dissatisfied, she maintained her usual composure.

The killer puppet was getting angrier and angrier, he just wanted to free himself from that damned enchanted thread so he could get away from her and all her ridiculous ideas about friendship and kindness, that was what he wanted most, but it seemed like he would never be able to escape from her at that moment.

Gwen misinterpreted Shaco's silence as calm and decided to continue talking.

-That reminds me, it's time for your lesson today. Let's see, yesterday we talked about good manners and today we will talk about...

That caused Shaco to finally explode.

- Why not only do you let me kill you?, it would save us from continuing with this daily torture!

Of all the things he had said to her, that one hurt her. She stabbed her huge scissors into the ground and moved closer to him.

-Why do you say something like that? I'm not hurting you, I would never hurt my friends.

- Do you really think we are friends? We are not!

- Of course we are!

-Then you are naive, stupid, strange and delusional, and you are also bossy.

Gwen was really offended now.

-Well, you are rude, inconsiderate, you say very cruel things and you are grumpy.

They were both facing each other and held each other's gaze, neither of them willing to be the one to blink or look away first.

-You see, we are not friends, we don't like each other. -Shaco pointed out.

Gwen was beginning to see the flaws in her own logic, but something inside her prevented her from agreeing with him.

-You're wrong again, we are friends, remember what I said that friends do, we have played games together and talked for hours every day, plus we truly like each other.

He just looked at her in disbelief and then annoyance.

-It's true, Shaco I like you.

Shaco raised an eyebrow, the level of delusion that the doll had was enormous. Gwen looked the puppet in the eyes and began to speak.

-Listen, I know that we have our differences, and we go through a difficult time, but I consider you my friend for all the time we spend together and there are things that I like about you.

Shaco made a disgusted face.

-I like that you always smile, even if it is a scary smile or if it seems that it is not genuine because it seems to me that you try to be cheerful all the time despite everything and I understand that very well.

Shaco twitched his smile a little to try to upset Gwen but she just continued.

-Even if you no longer smile all the time, it's okay, I'm here to cheer you up again, and I also like that you're always so witty and dramatic, even if it's to annoy me because it's nice to have someone to talk to.

The doll's gaze was fixed on him and that was beginning to make the jester uncomfortable, but he was not going to look away first.

-I like you Shaco, you’re my friend, it's the truth, and I know you like me too.

-No, I do not do it!

-Yes, you do, it's just that you were too shy to admit it, and I find that... cute.

-Listen, you little.... I don't like anything about you, you're delirious! -He said very defensively.

-Well, delusions are part of madness, and you really like madness, don't you, Shaco?

The puppet for the first time was left speechless by the doll's audacity. Gwen giggled.

-I think I may be a little crazy in the sense that I believe that some things that others consider impossible actually are if we try hard enough. Come on, tell me something else that you like about me.

-No, I won't. - he sounded like an angry child

-Then we will not move from this place until you want, we can be here for centuries until you do. - She also said sounding like an annoying child.

-Uhh, you're so annoying and stubborn, you're driving me crazy!

- But do you like that or not? If I weren't like that with you maybe you would get bored easily, I'm like a fun challenge for you and you are that for me too. -Gwen said confidently.

Shaco growled in rage, the doll wasn't wrong.

- I guess...you... are somewhat right, but there are more things about you that I don't like.

-Don't worry Shaco, no one is perfect, except of course my maker.

The puppet knew he had lost to the doll, he had already admitted it, but as the last sign of his defeat he looked away, he felt the defeat in the depths of his being, his mood that day had been completely ruined now.

Gwen sighed, their little argument was over, but she didn't want her friend to be sad and then she remembered something important.

-Oh wait, I almost forgot to mention something else, silly me, I left it for last because it's what I like most about you, I really, really enjoy fighting with you.

- What?

-Yes, I know we have only fought once, but I can't stop thinking about it, I have faced the Black Mist and aggressive and rude people, but never anything like you, it was really... exciting, you were so stealthy and strong and that... made me feel more alive than I already do. It was wonderful. -Gwen kept her hands together and her arms extended, but it was obvious just by looking at her that she could barely contain the emotion that memory brought her.

Shaco remembered the fight that was her first encounter, he had never fought with someone like her, so fast and precise with her attacks and her scissors, that unbalanced him and he granted her the victory. That night he hadn't noticed it, but later he did, when it came to fighting a strong emotion appeared in the eyes of the hallowed seamstress. There was a spark in her peculiar eyes, which alluded to buttons, it was something very curious. The puppet looked at her again.

-Yes, it was really exciting…you are a great fighter. - Shaco was honest.

-You know, now that we are friends and not opponents, we could have a friendly confrontation, what do you say? -Gwen looked at him with her eyes full of joy and expectation.

Shaco saw it in her eyes, that desire to fight again, just like him. That was interesting and fun.

-You won't beat me again, doll. - he sounded cocky but happy with the challenge.

-We'll see about that, and don't think that because we are friends I'm not going to confront you with everything I have. -Gwen pointed out.

-It would bother me a lot if you didn't, you know what, we better go fight right now.

-Mmmm, no, better another time.

-When? Tell me.

-Maybe if you pay more attention to your kindness lessons in the next few days and don't get into trouble, it could be soon, but I don't know, it's up to you.

Shaco blinked.

- You... are you trying to trick me to be kind? are you really tease me? you...

Gwen shrugged and took a few steps forward and grabbed her scissors from the ground.

-Maybe yes, maybe no, or maybe I'm looking for something that motivates you to learn how to be kind. - She turned to look at him.

Shaco thought he should feel angry or indignant, but he wasn't, he's actually impressed. I saw a genuine grin on his face, and he walked over to where Gwen was.

-You are full of surprises doll, I guess there are things that I like about you.

-You see, it wasn't that difficult, my friend, now today's lesson will be about taking other people's concerns seriously, you'll see how important it is….

As the former toys continued on their way through the forest, they both began to get closer little by little.