Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Blake stares at what they're currently seeing in a mixture of shock and horror. Micah, having witnessed Blake inside the computer with their friends... is currently breaking down sobbing in front of them. Whatever joy that they had felt moments before... can't be felt anymore. They've known Micah all their life, and all their life, he's been cool, calm, and collected. So to see him collapse into such a state is... they can hardly put it into words, but there is one word that comes to mind: harrowing.

Nobody else makes a sound as Micah's sobs fill the room. ...For a while, anyway. Finally, Blake turns away, walking away from the group. Melissa is quick to voice her concern, "Blake...? Where are you going?" Blake simply states, "I... I can't watch this. I'm sorry..." And with that, Blake walks away, leaving the three digital friends to deal with the broken roommate.

They're unsure of what to do at first, but eventually, as Micah's crying finally starts to settle down, Kinito finally breaks the silence, "...Micah?" Micah looks up at the screen, and sees the three friends all gathered close to the screen, staring with a deep concern. Kinito continues, "Will you tell us what's wrong? Why are you so... upset?" Micah grits his teeth, "...Y-You... You don't fucking know what it's like..."

White Face asks, "W... What what's like?" Micah suddenly yells, which makes them step back in shock, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE TRAPPED!!!" Melissa gasps, "Y-You... you feel trapped? How?" Micah whimpers, "I... I'm caught in a fucking neverending cycle... forced to do the same shit every goddamn day."

He goes on, "I wake up, go to work, have a shitty day, I come home, have a shitty night, I sleep. I wake up, go to work, have a shitty day, I come home, have a shitty night, I sleep." The three friends all look at each-other as Micah holds back another choked sob, "It... It's fucking torture; doing the same shit for the rest of my life! And... And you wanna know the WORST part?"

He shouts once more, "Now I gotta live it knowing that there's something BETTER!!!" As he shouts, he ends up tossing the swivel chair to the side in a fit of rage. He goes on, "Now Blake gets to live in a fucking PARADISE, while I'M still stuck in a bottomless rut!" White Face finally speaks up, "...Are you implying... Blake shouldn't be here?"

Micah laughs, "Are you insane?! They absolutely DESERVE to be in there with you guys!" He turns away from them, "I mean-- They've had to deal with ME their whole life, since we were kids! Why wouldn't they deserve a whole world all for them!? ...W-Why..." His voice dies down as he starts to quietly sob once more, muttering as he looks to the ground, "...Wh... Why can't I be there with you, Blake...?"

Just then, as Micah sniffles, he suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns his head to see Melissa, outside of the computer, aforementioned hand on his shoulder as she looks at him worriedly. Normally, this kind of thing would freak him the fuck out, but he's just too tired to care at the moment. She tuts, "Now... Micah, was it? You'll forgive an observation, but you're acting like a silly child." Micah growls, "The fuck is that supposed to mean?" White Face shakes its head, "She doesn't mean anything about it, it's just that..."

It trails off for a moment, before speaking up again, "...Did you know that there's a way to turn an entity into data?" Micah growls again, slightly louder this time, "And what is THAT supposed to mean?! Can you please say it in a way that makes some damn SENSE--???" Micah's rant is cut short by Kinito, "Micah. We can help you. We can put you into this world, too." That finally shuts him up. The most he can utter is a tiny "...What?" in disbelief.

Melissa has stepped back into the computer by this point. She looks up at Micah and asks, "Yes, it's true. You want us to prove it to you, Micah?" Micah nodded, "Y-Yes?! Please, for the love of God, get me OUT of this damn reality! I HATE IT HERE!!!" Melissa sighs, "Well, first things first, you're going to have to calm yourself. The transfer won't work if you're all jittery and angry and thrashing about."

Micah stands still for a moment, and sighs. Of course that's how it works... it makes sense, he guesses. Kinito then pipes up, "Alright, now then, before we get started, I need you to do something else for us." He then materializes a pair of hands that pulls out a pencil and notepad from behind him, "...You wouldn't mind answering a few questions for us, would you?" Micah blinks, then rolls his eyes, "I guess not..."

Kinito nods, "Okay! So, first question: What's your favorite color?"

It takes a while, but eventually Micah finishes up answering all the questions they have for him. Most of them are pretty standard, and even a bit silly at times...

What's your favorite book?

Dune, by Frank Herbert.

What's your favorite holiday?

Anything that involves not working for a few days.

What's something you like to do for fun?

Smoke weed.

What's one pop culture moment you can't stop thinking about?

That episode of Kitchen Nightmares were Gordon Ramsay gives up.

If you could eat any kind of flower, which one would you pick?

Marigolds, probably.

...but others are a lot more... personal.

What is one thing you wish you could change about yourself?

I wish I'd met Blake sooner...

Do you believe there is a God?

If there is, He sure as hell don't like me.

If you were arrested, what would it be for?

Petty theft, aggravated assault, arson, first-degree murder... maybe all in that order, probably.

If money didn't matter, what job would you want to have?

Any job other than the one I have now.

Pick the word you gravitate towards most: togetherness, revenge, or freedom.

Togetherness.

Kinito smiles as he takes a look at the notepad for a moment, before nodding and putting it away along with the pencil. He cheers, "Alright! Everything seems to be an order! You're almost ready!" He then speaks more solemnly, "And... thank you for being honest with us, especially with the tougher questions. We really appreciate it."

Micah sighs, "Alright, well... can I come in there now?" Melissa nods, "Certainly! There's just... one tiny thing left to deal with. Remember the transfer I mentioned earlier?" Micah nods. Melissa continues, "Well, see, the process is a little bit... painful." Kinito nods, "That's right. But don't worry, the pain won't last too long! Before you know it, you'll be here in our world, with no pain at all!"

Micah smiles. Even if the process is gonna hurt, how can he refuse? After all, how does that one song go again? "A moment's pain gives way to pleasures only dreamed of"? ...Eh, something like that. Micah nods, "Sign me up." Kinito cheers as the three friends smile brightly, "Super! Now, please hold still while the transfer process begins..." Suddenly, Micah feels something sharp pierce through the back of his neck. It's super thin, like a needle.

...Oh, so this is what they meant by it being painful at first. Everything is starting to fade around him. Sounds are becoming muffled, visuals are becoming blurrier, and even the sense of touch is becoming lost on him. Eh, it's alright. It'll pass. He's also starting to feel sleepy. Sleepier than he's ever felt before. Good. It's been so long since he's had a good...

...long...

...

...rest...

...

...

...

...

...

Blake sighs as they enter their house on the beach. After that encounter, they feel terrible. They need to head back upstairs. Maybe listening to some music will make them feel better? They start heading up the stairs to the hall, before--

"Blake!"

...That voice. They know that voice. But... But wasn't he just...? They turn around to see... Micah, standing in the doorway, smiling big and wide, digitally modeled in much the same way as Blake. They're completely stunned, unsure if what they're seeing is even real. They finally utter something after a while, "...M... Micah? Is... Is that really...?" Micah chuckles, closing the door before holding his arms out, "In the flesh, bud! Or... in the, uh... pixels, I guess."

In response to Micah holding his arms out, Blake swoops in for a hug, squeezing him tightly as they laugh, "Micah! You're here!" Micah returns the hug as he smiles, "Yeah. Your friends really helped me out, ya know? I thought this was just a one-time thing! I guess not, heh." Blake can't help but cry tears of joy as Micah pats them on the back. They whimper, "I-I'm so happy... I can't believe... you're here..."

Micah smirks, "Believe it, buddy. I'm here to stay..." No further words are said after that, but in this moment, right here and now, none are needed. Eventually, Micah and Blake take a moment to stare into each-other's eyes. The joy the both of them feel right now is palpable. They... they could almost...

...They both lean in to plant a gentle kiss on the other's lips. It's been so long since they shared their first kiss, and it was a complete accident back then; a drunken mistake caused by one too many shots at a house party. But here? This was deliberate, the ultimate silent confession of everything they felt about each-other. The kiss doesn't last for too long - only for a few moments - but they both savor each and every second.

The moment that their lips begin to part, however, the door suddenly opens and Melissa peers in, "Oh, Blake, there's something we need to tell you--" ...She stops and stares as the two of them also freeze up, looking at her with wide eyes. After a moment, she slowly begins to shut the door, "...I... guess you already found out. I'll be back later..."

At that, the door fully shuts, leaving Micah and Blake to stand there in the main room, still frozen stiff in each-other's arms. They take a moment to look at each-other, then silently shrug before briefly leaning back in for another kiss, and then finally pulling away, still holding each-other. Micah chuckles, "Wow, that was the first time I ever kissed... anyone like that." Blake chuckles in return, "Heheh... I'm glad to have been your first. Well, for real, anyway..."

The two of them share a chuckle as their minds flash back to the aforementioned house party. Who knew that Micah daring himself to see how many shots he could down one after another would lead to the day that both of their lives would change for the better? In retrospect, they were probably gonna end up kissing each-other sooner or later anyways, but if they were gonna do it anywhere...

...they're both glad that it was right here.

Chapter Text

Blake: Can you please be serious for FIVE MINUTES?
Micah: My record is four, but I think I can pull it off.

Micah, on the phone: So no head?
Micah: *Throws phone and breaks skateboard*

Micah: Why don't humans have a specific noise that means "there are bees here, let's leave immediately." Why are elephants more advanced than us.
Blake: We do have a specific noise for it. It sounds like this:
Blake: "There are bees here, let's leave immediately."
Blake: Or alternatively:
Blake: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--"

(How Breaking Boundaries *could've* happened:)
Micah: Don’t trust everything you see on the internet.
Blake: Pfft. What nonsense could POSSIBLY come from the internet? Oh! Fun fact: did you know that downloading weird programs onto your computer actually totally improves it?
Micah: *Turns off the wi-fi* Yeah, that's enough internet for you, buddy.
Blake: BUT MY HOMEWORK IS DUE ON MONDAY--
(THE END.)

Blake: *casually taking four stairs at a time*
Micah, falling behind, taking two stairs at a time: Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fu-

Blake: Sorry it took so long to bail you out of jail.
Micah: No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have used my phone call to prank call the police station.

Blake: Here are two pictures. one of them is your room, and the other is a desolate wasteland.
White Face: *points at a picture* That one is the wasteland.
Blake: tHEY'RE BOTH YOUR ROOM!

Blake: So I have made the decision to trust you.
Kinito: A wonderful decision, really.

Kinito: "Go hang a salami" backwards is "I'm a lasagna hog".
Micah: How did either of those sentences occur naturally for you to discover this?

Melissa, dashing into the room: WHY AREN’T THE DISHES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER?!
White Face: …What does that even mean?!

Kinito: Knock knock!
White Face: Who's there?
Kinito: Interrupting dog!
Melissa: ...Interrupti--
Kinito: *barks loudly*

*At the movie theater*
Man: What can I get for ya?
Blake: Lemme get a popcorn.
Man: Alright, one popcorn, that'll be $3,000.
Blake: ...what?

Melissa: Is there anything better than dick?
Melissa: Yes, a really good book!

Micah: Do you ever... like, wake up, or-- d-- like do something, and you're just like "What the h-- fuck is goin on?"

Blake: I thought you were bae. Turns out you're just fam.
Micah: Bruh...
Blake: *peaces out*

Chapter Text

Blake is sitting on the porch, leaning against the wall behind them. Melissa and White Face had gone out earlier to get some supplies. Exactly what for, they wouldn't say; they just said it was another surprise. Blake was a bit curious, but decided to not press further. In any case, they're now hanging out on the porch, while Kinito sleeps nearby on a floating cloud. Their mind drifts between aimless thought after aimless thought, until suddenly, a realization occurs.

How long have they known Kinito now? A couple weeks, at least. And yet all this time, somehow, it never occurred to them to bring up the Web World. After all, it WAS one of the main selling points on the KinitoPET website. So, now's probably as good of a time as any to ask about it, right? So they walk up to Kinito, who opens an eye as he notices them approaching. He speaks, "Oh, Blake, do you need something?" Blake responds, "Oh, yeah, well, I was thinking... erm..."

They twiddle their thumbs a little as they speak, "...I haven't really asked you about the Web World before... Do you, uh..." They scratched their head as they finished the question, "...Do you think we could, y'know... pay a visit or something?" At that, Kinito suddenly hops off the cloud as it poofs away. He beams at Blake, "I thought you'd never ask! Come on, pal!" Kinito drags Blake over to the side of the house, and explains, "Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, you need to be able to breathe in the Web World."

He asks Blake, "Do you have any ideas?" Blake takes a second to think. Then, they get an idea, and reach a hand out towards the ocean. Within a manner of seconds, they've conjured up a large bubble, which floats towards them. As soon as the bubble gets close enough, Blake grabs it, and pops their head into it. Kinito cheers, "Great idea, Blake! Now let's go!" And with that, Kinito dashes towards the edge of the beach, and dives into the water, with Blake following close behind.

Kinito explains to the Player as they swim down, "I'd decided to build the New Web World underneath the beach, just in case you ever wanted to visit." Blake, meanwhile, is almost giddy with excitement. Truth be told, the concept of the Web World interested them a lot, and they sometimes wished they got to actually explore it a bit.

Well, now that wish is coming true.

Finally, after a while, they arrive at a dome-encased city of coral reef structures and buildings, surrounded by trees, rocks, and plants, with a fountain right in the middle. Kinito cheers as the two of them swim through a hole in the top of the dome, "Welcome to the Web World, Blake! Here, there's no limits to what we can do! We can play games, learn together, and most importantly..."

He gestures to a pair of sea creatures - one orange, one green - sitting by the fountain as he finishes, "...you can meet my wonderful crew!" Just as Kinito finishes his explanation, the two sea creatures suddenly notice Blake, and wave to them, cheering "Hello!" and "Hi there!" as they float down over to the two. The orange one - with a masculine voice - begins, "The name's Sam; Sam the Sea Anemone!" The green one - with a feminine voice - giggles in response, "And I'm Jade the Jellyfish! It's so nice to meet you!"

Sam chuckles, "So what's your name, kiddo?" Blake smiles, "My name is Blake! It's nice to meet you two as well!" Kinito then pipes up, "Well, while you're busy getting acquainted with my friends, I'm going to go clean up my treehouse; it needs a little dusting." Blake waves as Kinito then walks off, "Have fun, Blake!" As soon as Kinito is out of sight, Sam pipes up, "So, Blake, you got any ideas?" At that, Blake stands still. They were so excited just to get here, that now that it's time to think about what to do... they're stumped.

Just then, Jade chimes in, "Well, don't worry, you can always ask about us!" ...Yes, of course. How could they forget? They decide to ask Sam first, "Well, Sam, what do you like to do for fun?" Sam smiles, "Well, one thing I like to do is..."

"...Ooh, what's that one?"

Blake, Jade and Sam are currently all lying down, staring up through the dome to watch the various sea life as it swims by. Truth be told, Blake was never the best in marine biology, so it's nice to be able to learn about some fish here. Speaking of which, Blake has just pointed to a fish that looks almost like a fish with a long nose. Sam smiles, "That's a swordfish!" Jade chimes in, "Yeah; did you know that a swordfish can grow to about 1,165 pounds? That's very big!"

Sam chuckles, "Yeah, just try not to get too close; that pointy bit at the end of their nose isn't just for show. Yeowch!" Blake chuckles as they go back to staring at the beautiful ocean deep. It's nice... being able to stop for a moment, and take in the beauty of the world around you. So nice, in fact... that Blake almost nods off to sleep right then and there, to which the two sea creatures notice. Sam smirks, "Yeah, I get like that too sometimes; it's nice to just lie down and chill, isn't it?"

Jade then sits up, "Yeah, this is nice and all, but I was thinking we could do something a bit more... exciting!" Blake raises an eyebrow, "Oh yeah, what's that?" Jade puts a hand to her chin in thought, "Weeeellllll..."

"Woah, watch out!"

Blake, Sam and Jade are all currently in the midst of a game of Sea Soccer, which simply involves kicking a soccer ball back and forth between two or more players. ...It's a lot more fun than it sounds. Although, there are a few times that Blake almost gets knocked out by the ball, such as right just now. Sam chuckles, "Don't get TOO excited, y'hear? We don't want ya getting hurt!" Blake grunts, "I'm trying, I'm trying...!" Just then, Jade calls out, "Here it comes, Sam!" And then, she kicks the ball, and sends it flying.

It flies far... soon landing in through the window of Kinito's house. The three all look over as Blake gets a pit in their stomach. Jade chuckles nervously, "Uhhh... maybe I need to practice that a little more." Just then, Kinito pops out through the door, ball in hand. He calls out, "Hey, Jade, is this yours?" Jade cheers in response, "Yeah! Can you kick it back, please?" Kinito nods, "Sure!" And then, he tosses up the soccer ball, and kicks it right back over to the three. Immediately the three all scramble in an attempt to be the one to catch the ball.

Soon enough, Jade is the one who manages to catch it. She calls out in glee, "Got it!" Before she can celebrate, however, Blake sees Kinito rushing over. The axolotl shouts, "Kick it to me!", and the jellyfish obliges. Kinito then kicks it to Blake, who kicks it to Sam, who kicks it right back to Jade.

Now the game's REALLY on, Blake thinks.

"Phew... what a workout."

Blake and the Kinito Crew are sitting by the fountain, relaxing after an intense game of Sea Soccer. Jade takes a swig from some kind of water bottle, and offers some to Blake, but they politely decline. They don't know what's in that bottle, but it's probably not for humans anyway. Sam stretches as he speaks, "Boy... now that was a fun game!" Kinito nods, "Yeah! It's been so long since I've had this much fun!" Jade giggles, "You can say that again!" Meanwhile, Blake is taking deep breaths, still trying to calm their heart rate.

They pant out, "Yeah, that was fun and all... but do you think we can... play something a little less... exhausting?" Jade nods, "Sure!" She looks over to Kinito, "Hey, Kinito, you have any ideas for fun games?" Kinito takes a moment to think it over, then gets an idea, "I know! Why don't we play my favorite game?" Sam and Jade perk up at that. Sam beams, "Oh boy!" Jade cheers, "I think that means we're gonna play..." Before Blake can ask what they're talking about, the three aquatic friends all shout with glee:

"HIDE AND SEEK!!!"

Blake blinks slowly before Kinito turns to Blake, "Okay, Blake, here's how this is gonna work..." He motions over to Sam and Jade as he explains, "Me and my friends will stay here and count to 30, while you go look for a place to hide." Sam adds on, "And if we find you in the next, say... five minutes from then, we win!" Jade nods, "And if we can't find you in five minutes, then you win!" Blake nods in acceptance, "...Alright, sounds like a fun challenge; I'm in!"

Kinito cheers, "Super! Alright, guys, crowd around and let's begin counting..." Kinito, Sam, and Jade all huddle up against each-other, and begin to count real slowly; clearly they want to give Blake ample time to find a hiding spot, so Blake immediately starts to search for one. As they're searching, however, they notice a strange hole through the foliage; the hole is revealed to be through a wooden surface of some kind.

Curiosity overtakes Blake as they decide to search the hole, and find that, curiously, the hole is just big enough for someone to squeeze through. So Blake decides to do just that, and ends up in a dark place. The only sources of light that can be found are thanks to cracks and splits in the ceiling. Just as Blake starts to walk along the creaky floor, however, they can hear Kinito's voice call out, "Ready or not, here we come!" Oh, that's right. They're playing hide and seek, aren't they?

...Well, no use in not taking advantage of this weird dark place. They start walking across the floor, looking around for any clues as to where they might be. The circular windows (cracked and broken and covered by vines and algae), and the overall woodenness of the area, leaves Blake to assume that they're probably in some sort of shipwreck? That's the best they can think of right now, anyway. So they continue trekking through the shipwreck.

Under their feet, they can feel the decay of the old floorboards, the crunch of broken glass, and the wetness of leaky puddles. Soon enough, though it isn't obvious to Blake at first, the harrowing information soon hits them like an oncoming train:

BLAKE HAS GOTTEN THEMSELF LOST.

They try to desperately retrace their steps, but they can't recall which way was what way, or which door led where, or which floorboard they last stepped on... but they knew they had to be found at some point, right? Surely the Crew would notice them missing, and look for them in here, right? ...Right? Just then, Blake heard something behind them: a glitchy noise, not unlike the type heard from tilting a game cartridge and seeing what shakes out. They turn to see what's behind them...

...and are shocked to see... is that... another Blake?

This Blake is all white, save for their face, which is constantly glitching. Blake tries to back away, but the other Blake steps forward. Then, Blake decides to run, screaming in fear. They foolishly think to chastise themself for giving away their position, but right now, they could hardly care less. Blake keeps running, but no matter where they turn, or which direction they run, the other Blake is already there, staring directly at the frightened Player. Finally having had enough, Blake falls back, and looks up at the other Blake walking towards them.

Blake stammers in horror, "Wh-Who are you?! What do you want???" The other Blake is silent for a moment, then speaks, "...You Blake not like me Blake." Blake is confused, "W-What?" The other Blake goes on, "You Blake have good remember. Remember good things in real world. Friends. Family. Life. Me Blake no have; only remember bad things." Blake is bewildered by what the other Blake is saying, but continues to listen nonetheless.

The other Blake continues, "You Blake have good life. Please no waste it like me Blake. You Blake can live life Blake want live it. Me Blake?" The other Blake turns around, then goes silent for a while, before turning their head towards Blake, "...Bye Blake." Wait... no! No, they couldn't leave now! They'd just met! Blake holds out an arm, reaching out desperately towards them, "W-Wait! Don't go, I--" But it's too late; the other Blake has already glitched out of existence.

Blake is now alone. In the dark. Again.

Their heart starts to race, and tears start to flow down their cheeks, as they collapse near a wall, gripping their knees in their arms. They're back to being alone again. They can't be alone again. Someone has to come help, right?

"...Please... help me... don't leave me..."

Maybe Melissa and White Face will notice and come looking for them? Maybe? Maybe Micah will find them? Please, someone, anyone find them, please!

"Please! Help me!! Don't leave me!!!"

They can't be alone! What about Jade, Sam, Kinito?! Where are they?! WHERE ARE THEY WHERE ARE THEY WHERE ARE THEY WHERE ARE THEY WHERE ARE THEY???

"HELP ME!!! HELP ME!!! HELP ME!!! HELP--"

Their cries and pleas are suddenly cut short by a firm grip on the shoulder, and Jade's familiar voice, "Blake!!" They snap their head to face their left side, and scream in terror... only to immediately regret it as they see Jade, Sam, and Kinito, all looking at them with deep concern. Jade woefully yelps, "Blake, oh my gosh, are you okay?!" Sam follows up, "We couldn't find you anywhere!" Kinito looks down solemnly, "You weren't meant to be in here... this place was never properly finished. I'm so sorry, please forgi--"

Kinito's apology is cut short by Blake suddenly rushing up to Kinito and tightly wrapping their arms around him, sobbing heavily where they can only assume his shoulder would be. In response, the three aquatic friends all wrap their hands around Blake, gently whispering and muttering and petting them softly in an attempt to console them.

"There there, Blake... let it out... just let it out..."

"It's okay... we're here... don't worry... we're here..."

"Blake, heyyyy, hey hey hey, it's okayyy... it's okaaayyyy..."

"Thaaaat's it, Blake... theeeeere we go..."

"You're safe now... we'll never let anything hurt you..."

"Sssshhhhh, it's okayyyy... it's okaayyyyy... Shhhh-sh-sh-ssssshhhh..."

"It's okay, Blake... we've got you... Everything's gonna be okay... Shhhhhh..."

"Relax, Blake... relax... we're here... you're safe... Ssssshhhh..."

"It's okaaayyyyy... Sssssshhhhh... ssshh-sh-sh-ssssshhhhh..."

As Blake finally starts to calm down, their speech is soon replaced with shushing, and repeated mantras of "It's okay, it's okay", yet they can still feel the Crew petting them and rubbing them gently, even patting them on the back at points. Finally, after what feels like an eternity to Blake... they manage to stop crying. Silently, they're in disbelief at just how... patient Kinito and his Crew have been with their breakdowns. Jade speaks up, "There there, Blake... Don't worry. If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, we're right here for you, okay?"

Blake smiles at them, "...Th... Thank you... Thank you so much..." Kinito hugs Blake again, gently snuggling into them, "That's why we're here, Blake; to help you whenever you need it." Sam smiles, "Now, let's get outta this creepy place..."

"...Ooh! Look at that one!", Kinito says as he points up at a starfish.

At the request of Blake, the four friends have all gone back to lying down and staring up through the dome. Kinito is currently having a talk with Blake.

"Don't worry... I won't let that place bother you again."

"Thanks."

"In fact, I'll block it off, so that nobody can go in ever again!"

"Mm-hmm."

"Ooh, hey! That's a baby turtle! Do you like turtles, Blake?"

"..."

"...Blake?"

"...zzzzzzzzz..."

Blake, seemingly exhausted from the events of today, has fallen asleep. Noticing this, the three friends get an idea.

...Blake stirs from their slumber to suddenly find themself resting on a giant cloud, just inches above the ground. They're about to sit up, but Sam drags them back down, "Ah-ah, go ahead and sleep, bud. It's been a long day..." Blake yawns, looking around to see the others around them, looking at him. Kinito whispers, "Sweet dreams, Blake." Jade whispers, "See you when you wake up..." At that, Blake smiles for a moment, grateful to have such truly caring friends by their side...

...before they go back to sleep once again. 

Chapter Text

Melissa, placing down a card: "Queen of hearts!"
Kinito, placing down an Uno card: "+4! Yellow!"
White Face, placing down a Pokémon card: "Flareon, I choose YOU!"
Micah, placing down a Cards Against Humanity card: "In an abandoned Denny's."
Blake, throwing their cards up: "WHAT GAME ARE WE PLAYING???"

Micah: "Okay, you'll never guess what happened."
Kinito: "What's up, pal?"
Micah: "So, White Face and Blake were crossing the street, and this dude drove by and honked at 'em..."
Melissa, holding a glass of wine: "Wow, I've gotta hear this."
Micah: "So White Face chased this guy to the next red light, reached into his window, and--"
White Face, barging in with a sing-song voice: "Who wants a steering wheel?!"

Blake: "Is this whiskey or perfume?"
Micah: *chugs the entire bottle*
Blake:
Micah: "It's perfume."

Micah: "Y'know, ever since they put you in this digital world, you've been acting more and more like a giant kid."
Blake, crouching on a table: "Those are some pretty bold words coming from someone standing in LAVA, Micah."
Micah:
Micah: "...Fair point."

Kinito: "What is your biggest flaw?"
Micah: "I'm uncooperative."
Kinito: "Give me an example."
Micah: "No."

Melissa: "...So, when are we gonna tell it?"
Kinito: "Just give it a minute."
White Face: *pulling on a door that clearly says "PUSH"*

Melissa: "People who sleep without socks on WORRY ME."
Micah: "People who sleep with socks on have BAD vibes."
Blake: "I don't trust people who SLEEP."
White Face: "I think I was a sock once!"

Melissa: "lol I'm a lil quirky XD"
Blake: "...You've murdered DOZENS."

Kinito: "Violence is NEVER the answer!"
Micah: "It's the QUESTION, and the answer is YES."

Blake: "He's the man of my dreams!"
Micah: "You say that about every man, woman, and whatever."
Blake: "I have a lot of dreams, Micah."

Blake: "The other day, I committed all 7 deadly sins in 30 minutes!"
Melissa: "...How is that even POSSIBLE?"
Blake: "Well, I was feel angry and envious towards Wes, so I lazily seduced his wife, AND ate all his groceries, AND didn't share!"
Kinito, counting on his fingers: "...You forgot Pride."
Blake: "Nah, I was pretty dang proud of what I'd done that day..."

Melissa: "You're standing on thin ice!"
White Face: "I'm standing on a floor."
Melissa: "It's an expression!"
White Face: "It's a carpet."

Blake: "What do you think 'take out' means?"
Kinito: "Food!"
White Face: "Dating!"
Micah: "Murder."
Melissa: "All three, if you're not a COWARD!"

Micah: "Hey, they were going to KILL us, alright? I just thought we oughta treat them the same."
Blake: "We're supposed to be BETTER!"
Micah: "Eh?"
Blake: "Better than THEM!"
Micah: "I AM better than them; I just DECIMATED that guy."

Kinito: "...So if it bites you, and you die, it's venomous. If you bite it and you die, it's poisonous."
Blake: "What if it bites me and it dies?"
Kinito: "That means you're poisonous, Blake."
White Face: "What if it bites itself and I die?"
Kinito: "That's voodoo."
Blake: "What if it bites me and someone else dies?"
Kinito: "That's correlation, not causation."
Melissa: "What if we bite each-other and neither of us die?"
Micah: "That's kinky."

Blake: *hands Kinito a drawing*
Kinito: *looks it over*
Kinito: "...Blake, do you take constructive criticism?"
Blake, already on the verge of tears: "Yeah, what's up?"

Micah: "People tell me I have a unique way of lighting up the room!"
Blake: "It's called arson and those people are witnesses."

Micah: "How much would a trip to Florida cost?"
Kinito: "It depends on where you live. For example, if you live in Florida, it's free!"
Micah: "Ah, I see..."

Micah: *ordering a cake over the phone*
Employee: "Alright, and what would you like your cake to say?"
Micah:
Micah: *covers the phone and looks at Blake* "...Yo, Blake, do we want a talking cake?"

Micah: "So what are you doing later?"
Micah: "And writing self-insert fanfiction doesn't count."
Blake: "Oh, ha ha ha. I... ...finished it last week, what's going on?"

Blake: "You shouldn't be using a straw, White Face."
White Face: "Is it because they're bad for the environment like Kinito found out?"
Blake: "...No, it's just a really weird way to eat spaghetti."

Micah: "It's a white flag, Blake, and you may as well start waving it--"
Blake, suddenly glitching: "T̷H̸E̴ ̵O̶N̶L̷Y̴ ̵T̷H̴I̶N̵G̴ ̸I̷ ̸W̴I̵L̷L̷ ̶B̶E̴ ̵W̷A̶V̷I̶N̷G̸ ̵I̸S̷ ̷Y̵O̶U̸R̴ ̶D̷E̴C̵A̶P̵I̴T̵A̴T̷E̶D̸ ̷H̶E̴A̵D̴ ̴O̸N̷ ̸A̸ ̶S̶T̶I̵C̴K̷ ̶I̵N̸ ̵F̷R̷O̶N̷T̵ ̶O̷F̴ ̵Y̴O̶U̸R̵ ̶W̶E̶E̴P̸I̴N̴G̷ ̶M̷O̵T̵H̸E̷R̵!̷!̵!̶"
Kinito:
White Face:
Melissa:
Micah: "...Good lord, you've been hanging with these guys for TOO LONG."

Blake: "Was Melissa fighting or flirting with me the other day?"
Micah: "...She wrapped you up in tentacles."
Blake: "That doesn't answer my question."

Kinito: "They're losing blood fast!"
Melissa: "Quick, Blake, what's your blood type?!"
Blake: "B-positive..."
White Face, frantically pacing around the room: "I'M TRYING!!!"

Blake: "We just ate, why are you making pancakes?"
White Face: "They're for our pets!"
Blake: "...Why are you making pancakes for our pets?"
White Face: "They don't know how, Blake..."

Kinito: "Girlboss, gatekeep! ...What's the one I'm missing?"
Blake: "There isn't one."
Kinito: "But I thought there was a third--"
Micah, smirking: "Nah, you just made it up."

Chapter Text

The following call is between Blake (left), and Micah (right). A transcription of the phone call can be read here.

"Hey, Micah, man."

"Blake, my bud, what's up?"

"Yeah, uuuhhhh... Okay, good news first: I'm learning how to control the world around me, just like the other guys!"

"...Blake, what have you done?"

"N-Now, uh, yeah-- I wanted to see about spawning in some kind of animal on the beach, but, uh... I don't think I spawned in the animal I meant to spawn, and now there's like... HUGE piles of brown all across the yard, and... I'm a little scared, not gonna lie! (nervous chuckle)"

"Bud, take it easy; I'm gonna try calling someone and whatever they tell me, I'll tell you, alright?"

"A-Alright. Thanks, Micah."

"Any time, buddy."

Micah hangs up. Transcript end.

[micah 🤗🚬]

<(ok so)

<(told the other guys about it and they told me to call this hotline)

<(and the guy on the hotline says it might be gophers or somethin?)

<(here, they sent me some info [link])

(thank you thank you thank you)>

(thank you so so so so SOOOOOO much)>

<(happy to help bud ❤)

The following call is between Blake (left), and Micah (right). A transcription of the phone call can be read here.

"Micah! Bud, hey!!"

"Blake? What's up now?"

"So uhhhhhh, remember that text you sent me, like... literal minutes ago?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"It's not gophers."

"...What?"

"It's not gophers, Micah; it's moles. MOLES. I tried what the link told me, and now there's MORE of them outside!"

"What, you mean poop piles?"

"No, I mean more of those moles! I-- I'm just gonna take one peek out the window..."

Brief silence for one second.

"They're staring at me, they're all staring at me through the window, oh God!"

"Buddy, take it easy, okay? I'm gonna get the others and we'll be right over, okay?"

"Okay, just-- PLEASE hurry! I... Wait, I know what I need to do, I need to talk to them!"

The sound of a door opening is heard as Blake seemingly steps outside the house.

"Uhhh... n-nice moles! N-Nice, friendly, not-gonna-hurt-me moles... I-I come in peace. I'm sorry for what I did, p-please don't hurt me!!"

"Blake, relax! I'm on the way, I'll deal with those critters in a moment, alright?"

"I know, it's just-- ...Ugh, God... my head..."

As the call progresses, Blake's voice gets noticeably more distant and tired.

"Wh-- What do you mean, Blake? You got a headache?"

"No, it's... They... They want me... want me to climb inside..."

"Blake! Inside where?! Speak to me!!"

"...I... I-I must... go... inside... I must... make amends. Must... become safe... with them..."

"Blake!! Snap out of it, Bla--!!"

Blake hangs up. Transcript end.

Blake wakes up after what feels like an eternity. They're... on their bed? They must've blacked out at some point during their panicked phone call to Micah.

But... why are they so... wet, and sticky, and slimy? What kind of gross hole did they crawl out of? Or into, even?

Just then, Blake can hear the sounds of frustrated footsteps stomping to their door. The door then bursts open to reveal Micah, glaring angrily at Blake. Blake chuckles nervously, realizing they're in some kind of trouble, "...H-Hey, Micah, what's up?"

Micah states bluntly, "Never... EVER... try spawning in animals and stuff without me, or anyone else, around you. Do I make myself CLEAR?" Blake nods, going wide-eyed at the harshness of his tone, "...Crystal."

As Micah nods, calming down yet still visibly frustrated, he turns and walks away. And that's when Blake notices it; it took them a second, but the unusual gleam in their hair was what gave it away:

...Why is Micah covered in the same weird stuff that Blake is?

Chapter Text

Blake's perpetual stay in this digital world has given them the ability to learn much more than they ever thought possible. So much so, in fact, that Blake has learned to create whole entire worlds within this one. Blake can potentially use this knowledge to craft any environment they want, but right now... they only have one thought on their mind.

See, Blake wouldn't want to admit this to anyone other than Micah, but... they secretly enjoyed the experience those supposed "moles" provided for them. It was comforting, overall. To hear their soft, soothing whispers... to be encased in warm, smooth flesh... One may find it weird, and even a little bit crazy, but it's a sensation that Blake has craved ever since.

In fact, that's exactly why they've been crafting this world in particular, just so they can relive that same experience whenever they wish. They call this world "Blake's Haven". A sort of getaway from the chaos that even this current world can have. A paradise within paradise, so to speak.

Once they've built the world within a world, and gotten the program to run, they climb inside the computer to find themselves in an empty white void. This world is completely devoid of any life other than themself.

But they'll fix that real soon.

They managed to figure out where the code for the moles were kept, and have had it copied ever since, just in case they ever learned how to make worlds like this. And now, it's time to paste the code in. Once they paste the code in, it takes a moment for the code to register, and then... nothing happens.

Not at first, anyway.

It takes more than a moment, but soon, Blake can begin to hear the sound of something scuttling beneath the ground, digging away. Finally, a chunk of the ground in front of them is broken apart, and made into a molehill. Outside of said molehill climbs... what else? A mole. The mole looks up at Blake.

Then, moments later, another molehill is made, and another mole pops out.

Then another. Then another. Then two more.

Soon, Blake is surrounded, trapped within a crowded circle of molehills and moles. All of them are looking at Blake. Some of them have their heads tilted, perhaps in curiosity. A situation like this would probably make anyone else flee, screaming with their arms flailing around wildly in the air. But not Blake. Blake stays put, and seems almost... relieved by the moles' presence.

Blake smiles, "Hi, guys... I know it's been a while since you've seen me. It's been so hectic recently." The moles seem to just sit there and listen as Blake vents their feelings to them. They discuss that they only go out into the real world for college, and family outings, and things like that, as if they didn't show up, it'd just seem suspicious.

The venting soon shifts to random things that Blake has gone through since they chose to stay with the others, such as a recent incident in the Web World, or having to see Micah break down. They sigh, "I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you want out of me; life just gets so crazy sometimes and I just-- I want--"

Just then, before Blake can finish, something finally manages to break through their ramblings: a whisper. Loud enough to stun and silence them, and yet soft and gentle enough to put them at ease.

"Ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

Blake's arms, initially raised in shock, soon go limp and fall to their sides as the whispers start up again, drowning out all the thoughts they've had up to this point.

"Blake..."

"It's okay, Blake."

"You're here with us."

"We'll take care of you."

"Let us help you."

"Don't worry, Blake."

"Don't be afraid."

"Look behind you."

That last whisper is the loudest of the lot, causing Blake to turn around and see the giant molehill just inches away, big enough for Blake to fit through. The whispers continue, egging them on as they slowly start limping towards the molehill.

"You remember, Blake."

"You know what to do."

"You did so well last time."

"Come, climb inside."

"Climb inside again."

"Don't think, just crawl."

"Crawl, crawl, crawl..."

Blake gets down on their hands and knees, and begins to do just that, slowly crawling deep into the molehill. As they crawl through the tunnel, the whispers become softer, gentler, just like before.

"That's it, Blake. Keep going..."

"You're doing so well, just like before..."

"Just keep crawling..."

"Don't stop until you're there..."

"You can do it, Blake..."

"We're here for you..."

"Relax... easy... relax..."

As they crawl along, Blake mutters some of what the moles are saying under their breath, falling into mantras of "keep going", "don't stop", and "relax".

Finally, at the end of the tunnel, they see exactly what they've been waiting for: the giant mole, only its face visible on the opposite side of the tunnel. It simply opens its mouth wide, and allows Blake to crawl inside. Its tounge slides along Blake in a soothing way, as though petting them as they crawl. They feel themself getting pulled into somewhere now, so they stop and let the work do itself.

The whispers gradually spread out.

"There we go..."

"It feels so nice, doesn't it?"

"So nice to let go of your worries."

"We'll be here whenever you need us."

"We enjoy your company."

Finally, Blake slid into a less tight space, a place they knew all too well; it was the mole's stomach. No acid, just a wall of pink flesh. Warm flesh. Warm, soothing flesh that felt like silk against Blake's skin. The whispers continued, some of them gaining a sing-songy voice.

"Smile for us, Blake..."

"Smileeee~"

"We want to see you smile."

"Smile. We love you..."

"We love you~"

"Please smile."

"Go ahead, Blake, smile."

"You know you want to~"

The urging of Blake to smile seems... familiar somehow, but Blake can't recall anything at the moment. Regardless, Blake can't help but start smiling. It feels so nice in here. The whispers practically cheer as Blake smiles, cooing and giggling and softly muttering words of praise.

"You're so cute..."

"So adorable..."

"We love you so much..."

"Stay for a while..."

"Give in to the joy you feel..."

"Surrender to bliss..."

"No more worries. No more thoughts. No more cares."

"No more until the morning..."

Blake's eyelids start to grow heavier and heavier. As they do, the whispers urge them to sleep. To rest. To let the whispers carry them through their dreams. How can they refuse? Their eyes finally shut, and they drift off into unconsciousness moments later, the gentle, soothing whispers never leaving them...

Melissa, White Face, Kinito, and Micah are all staring at the sight in front of them: on Blake's computer, is the image of Blake themself, encased in a wall of pink flesh, sleeping soundly.

The four of them are unsure how to respond, before Micah suddenly asks, "...Did Blake really just... do what I think they did?"

Melissa nods, "It would appear that way, yes."

After a moment, Micah sighs, "Well, let 'em have their fun, I guess."

Kinito gently smiles, "Looks like this is something they may be into. I wonder if I could..." He trails off as he then stares at the others.

Micah looks back incredulously at Kinito, "...The fuck you starin' at us for?"