Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The stars always twinkled most at midnight.
Chosen gazed up in awe, arms draped loosely around his knees. The crickets croaked their strange songs in the background, the bats flapping overhead through the empty, glittery sky.
Other than that, not a sound could be heard for miles, just silence.
Just peace.

He had been here so many times, sat in this spot on this very roof of his and Dark's base, and yet
he never got tired of it. Of the shimmering stars, the purply-navy sky, the big moon glowing in the center of it all.

Dark would have called him soft if he knew what he was thinking, Chosen though, grimacing.

Dark was.... Something else.
He could be so nice, baking those weirdly shaped cookies for him, insisting they were fireballs (though they looked more like lumpy potatoes), and making Chosen the occasional odd gadget like watches or an automatic coffee brewer.
Chosen had never really enjoyed the bitter taste coffee, so he had never used it, but somehow the last time he checked, it had been dirty....
Perhaps dark used it. Again.
His lips curved into a small smile. Dark was an absolute addict to coffee, couldn't live one day without it. He had been so obsessed with it at one point that Chosen was beginning to worry for his life.
He burned all the coffee to ash.
Dark was mildly annoyed to say the least.
....Alot of chosens stuff went missing that week, but hey, at least dark was still alive!
Speaking of Dark...

Chosen suddenly frowned. He was spending too much time in his 'lab' these days (Chosen called it more of a random shed in the middle of nowhere), and he barely saw him this week.

He didn't even come home today... Did he even have food there?
Chosen wondered, messing with the edge of his frayed hoodie sleeve.
Dark tends to forget to eat when he's in the middle of a project. Forgets to come home. Forgets about everything and every...
One.
Chosen shook his head.
Of course Dark hadn't forgotten about him, that's ridiculous.
He just...gets a little carried away with his projects.
Too carried away.
He acts like a different person sometimes, aggressive, irritable and not as charming as his usual confident self. It was weird, how fast he could go from one person to another in space of a few seconds.
One minute he'd be teasing Chosen about something dumb, the next, he's accusing Chosen of touching his stuff and threatening to punch him through a wall.
Dark was unpredictable.
But he was also fun, he was charismatic and he could at, times be...
Kind.
Just like when they first escaped that hell of a pc.

After four years of.... Pure agony.

Chosen arms tensed as he pulled his knees tighter to his chest, eyes clenching shut.
His left ankle twitched.

He wasn't there anymore.

He's safe now.

He's not alone anymore.

He's okay now.

He wont ever see Alan again, never be forced to do anything against his will ever again.

Wlhen the escaped that night, they slept beneath the stars. Dark had found him some water source nearby, had even helped wash away the dried blood from where the chains jagged edge had sliced into Chosen's scared leg.

They had tended to eachothers injuries that they themselves had inflicted on one another, and Dark had been so... gentle as he dabbed his cut skin with the edge of his sleeve, like he didn't want to hurt him. Even after the whole fight in Alan's pc.
Nobody had ever cared enough to do that.

Chosen sighed. He kind of wished Dark was there with him. They always slept on the roof together on Saturdays. It was a something of a tradition between them.
He suddenly stood up and stretched.
'No matter,' he thought, a sudden headache piercing though his skull.
'Dark'll be here tomorrow hopefully. Then we're chilling on the roof together- ugh! I need paracetamol.'
Chosen clutched his throbbing head and stumbled his way downstairs, head feeling as though someone was repeatedly stabbing a blade into it.
He flicked on the kitchen light's switch and made his way towards the medicine drawer. He reached out and grabbed the handle. And paused.
You better come home tomorrow Dark.

Chapter Text

"Ay lazybones, get up!"
Chosen jolted upright from the roof's floor he had slept on the previous night. The afternoon sun bore down, as if trying to blind him. 
Squinting his eyes, Chosen could make out a shadowy silhouette standing over him. He had the same hollow head as Chosen, as he reached out a hand and yanked Chosen up onto his feet.
He stumbled, gripping the figure's shoulder for support. But it wasn't just a silhouette anymore. It was Dark.
A lazy grin was stretched across his face, exposing his large, pointed fangs that gleamed under the sun.
"Well well well, look who's still in Dreamland? And weren't you just nagging me the other day for having a lil lie in?" Dark teases, nudging chosen with his shoulder.
Chosen gave him a tired sort of glare, but in reality, he was relieved Dark was here. 
"Sleeping till 3pm does not count as little, Dark."
Chosen seemed like the kind of stick that rather be left alone then make friends. 
And yes, maybe he did like being alone sometimes. Even while Dark was around, he'd prefer to hide away in his room practically all day, occasionally creeping out if he needed something, and quickly returning when he had finished the desired task. Chosen did prefer being alone.
But he hated being alone.
Being alone reminded him of all those empty hours spent in that god damn box, that prison that Alan had tossed him into whenever Chosen wasn't needed as a pop up blocker.
It was so... black in there... silent too....
He would sit there all alone for hours, sometimes days at a time, curled up in a small ball on the hard floor and just wait. 
Wait for the next moment Alan would summon him.

Wait for the next time he would be thrown into a wall by his chain ball.

Wait knowing that nothing, NOTHING and NOBODY could save him. Knowing he would be trapped in this prison for the rest of his pathetic life, and nothing he ever did would ever get him out.
And then... Dark came along. And he could finally taste freedom. 
And for some reason, Chosen felt that, deep down, he had finally found somebody who didn't want to use him. Somebody who genuinely cared about him. 
And Chosen didn't want to lose him.

"Wanna do a quick spar, Cho?" Dark says suddenly, snapping Chosen from his thoughts.
"Hm? Oh, spar? yeah, that sounds good."
Darks smile widened mischievously.
"Just so you know, I'm gonna win this time," Dark says confidently, as he strolled over to the edge of the roof, throwing a glance downwards.

'Yeah, sure,' Chosen thought, rolling his eyes.
"Just like last Tuesday?"
He follows Dark to the edge of the roof and peered over.
The ground wasn't too far off, a mere few meters drop. But the view was astounding. 
Acers of trees and grassy land stretched for miles, the pale blue sky with it's pure white cloud that looked as though they had just been taken out of the washing machine. Behind them, he could hear the soft waves rolling about in the endless, deep blue ocean.
"That was past. Learn to live in the present bro!"
He slips an arm around Chosen's shoulder and leans heavily into him. Chosen resisted the urge to flinch away. He still wasnt used to touch yet, even gentle or playful touch. It was too sudden, too jarring. A month or two back, a sudden touch always meant pain.

Sometimes Alan got bored when he opened his pc. Or upset. Or angry. It didn't matter. 

Then he would start to play with Chosen. And not the fun type of play. At least not to Chosen anyway...

Chosen suppressed a shudder. 
It's OVER now. Stop going back there.
Turning his head, he glances at Dark slumped against his shoulder. Something inside him stirred, something warm, like a fire but... Nice. Chosen didn't know what it was but he liked it.
"We using powers, or just our fists?" He asked.

Dark raised his head lazily. He waved his hand about in the air. "It's a bit early to have a barbecue, no?"
Chosen rolled his eyes for a second time this morning. It would never go that far. 
Dark knew his skin didn't burn. Fire had never burned him before and Dark knew it. 
Chosen knew fire did affect Dark in some ways, like mild burns, but it was never bad. Even so, he always used his ice/ water powers if they were ever sparring with powers, and he avoided his firepowers/ lighting.
"Is that a no?"
"Who cares? Let's just get this started!"
'no then' Chosen confirmed with himself.
Dark stepped forward and-
Fell off the edge of the roof.
Chosen followed.
Using his firepower to land lightly, he dropped gently to the ground and spun round. Dark stood a few meters away, arms crossed with that smug smile forever plastered on his face, further putting his fangs on display.

'why does he even have fangs?' Chosen wondered momentarily before setting up a fighting stance, his fistsed raised high. Chosen himself had very tiny canines, nothing like Dark's large ones. And they weren't very sharp too. He didn't understand why Dark was created with them.
" Ready buttercup?" Dark called out.
Chosen tried not to roll his eyes for the third time that day. He failed
"As I'll ever be!" He called back.
"Can we just hurry up? I'm starved!"
They circled around eachother, guards up and fists raised. Chosen had learned years ago to never let his guard down, so this came easily to him.
A slight twitch in Dark's left fist told Chosen he was about to strike.
Suddenly, Dark throws a punch, and just as Chosen had predicted, with his left arm. 
Chosen ducks, and shoves his body into Dark's stomach, pushing him backwards. 
Dark regains footing and jabs his elbow down at Chosen's back, repeatedly. 
He drops to the floor and rolles away as Dark punches down at the ground next to him, cracking the floor and sending bits of dirt and gravel flighing.
Jumping to his feet, he grabs Dark's front jacket and pulled him towards him, slipping out a foot so Dark trips. 
He lands frontwards on the ground.
Chosen jumps on top of him, and suddenly, it's no longer a professional, clean and good looking fight, more of a beat down between two toddlers over the last cookie in the cookie jar.
Kicking, punches and gut strikes, mixed with Darks aggravated groans, and Chosen's grunts as they roll around in the dirt.

Suddenly, just as Chosen had gotten Dark under him, a sharp pain tore through his left leg. A burning agony as his leg seizes up, as though the muscles  in his calve were twisting around eachother, growing tighter and tighter by the second. It felt like thousands of needles were injecting him with lightning and acid at the same time. 
Chosen pauses, trying not to cry out.
 And that's when Dark strikes. 
Kicking Chosen off him, he throws himself onto him, straddled himself onto Chosen's stomach, fist cocked back to punch, a victorious smile on his face as he had finally won.
 Chosen suddenly let out a low groan and clenched his eyes shut. Dark noticed his face seemed paler then usually.

Dark paused. This wasn't right... When did he sound like that? Like he was in...pain?
"Hey Cho, you... You good?" Dark asked uncertainty, lowering his fist slightly. Was this a trap? No, Chosen's not like that, and besides, he looks like he was in genuine pain. Did he go too far? Punch him too hard?

Dark knew Chosen had a crazy pain tolerance. 
He had seen it first hand in their fight at Alan's pc before, and he knew it would take something serious for  Chosen to even utter a sound.
The color slowly returned to Chosen's face as he half opens his eyes.
Dark lowers his fist completely and slides down next to him.
"I-I'm ok... Just l-leg c-cramps again," Chosen mumbles with a faint smile.

"You want me to take you inside? I can get oil if you want, or medicine or-"

"I'm fine! It's okay, really!" Chosen held up a shaky thumbs up. He sits up slowly, wincing.
"However, I would like to go back inside now."

Dark immediately stands up and extends a hand to Chosen, to which he pushes away and stumbles to his feet. Dark forces him lean against his shoulder as he helps him limp back to the house.

He didn't understand what happened. Sure, sometimes, Chosen's leg played up, he had from time to time, gone quiet when the were chilling together at home and stare out into space, hands clutching his left leg tightly. But it had never been this bad.
Maybe he shouldn't have asked to spar so early. Maybe Chosen wasn't feeling good. But how was he supposed to know Chosen wasn't okay, he never said anything!

As they reached the door, Chosen paused. Dark tensed up.
Was he having another cramp??
Chosen turned and faced him. And smiled.
"Congrats on finally winning, by the way."

Chapter Text

"Where did you even learn how to make these?"
Chosen inquired curiously, finishing off the pancakes Dark had made for them.
 They sat on opposite end of the couch together,  curled up and leaning on the armrests.
"Saw some old lady making it through a window," Dark replied nonchalantly, scraping the last of the pancake off the plate and into his mouth.
"The one that lives in that village a few miles away?"
Dark gives a half nod before leaning back onto the couch with a heavy sigh, shutting his eyes.
His head hurt.
Oh yeah, didn't have coffee today.
Should probably get up and make some.
" What, you just stalking other sticks for fun now?" Chosen teases lightly.
Dark grins, sitting up and stretching.
"What can I say? If some random grandma decides to catch my interest, how can I not observe?"
"I don't know if thats normal, Dark" 
" Possibly," Dark yawns, stretching his arms up like a cat who'd just awakened. "But If I didn't stalk her, you wouldn't be able to keep stuffing your fat face,"

" Idiot!" Chosen laughed, giving him a playful punch in the shoulder.
Dark chuckles,purposely pulling exaggerated pained expressions and clutches his shoulder in pretend agony.
All of a sudden he paused, laughter gone.
The smile was wiped of Chosen's face in an instant.
"...Dark?"
"Hm?
"You... Okay?" Chosen hesitated, his head tilted in concern , eyes  fixed on him with worry.
"Yep yep yep, I'm fine. Had a rough night and my head's killing me," Dark assured him quickly, giving him a thumbs up.
 Standing up, he started walking in the direction of the kitchen.
" I assume you haven't had your coffee?" Chosen called after him.
"You would be correct!" Dark yells back before disappearing into the kitchen and slamming the door shut.
Great. Kitchens a mess. Dirty pots and pans littered the counter the sink piled up high with dishes.
Ugh.
 The least Chosen could of done was clean up while he was away, all he does is sit and mope in his damn room all day-
Wait, he was the last person in here.
Which meant...
....this was his mess...
Oops
'my bad Cho.'

He shook his head furiously, causing it to throb harder.
Need
Coffee 
He strolls over to Chosen's coffee machine, and pushed the on button.
Immediately, the machine whirred to life, letting out that beautiful purring sound he had so desperately missed during his stay at the labs.
 Dark loved that hum. That noise always meant one thing, and one thing only:
Coffee.
He started the machine in an almost robotic way, having done this dozens of times before.
But a thought pestered at the back of his mind, like an annoying fly that wouldn't shut up.
Chosen said he was fine.
 Dark somehow didn't believe him. He'd snuck a glance at Chosen's leg after the incident and hadnt noticed anything off about it. The scar that ran from his below his ankle and halfway up his leg hadn't split again, and Dark had wondered if he'd somehow hurt him by accident, but there wasn't any sign of injury there.
Maybe it was just a cramp like always. Only a little more intense.
Dark had noticed that Chosen only got cramps in his left calve and sometimes his arms. While it wasn't really strange, he couldn't help but think about it. 
If he didn't get cramps, why did Chosen?
The machine suddenly beeps, snapping Dark from his thoughts. 
Rude. But acceptable since it's coffee. 
He snatches an empty, cracked mug from the drying rack and pours the coffee in. The bittersweet smell hits him first before anything, making him give a content sigh.
'Now this is what I need' he thought as he takes the first heavenly sip.

As his head starts clearing up, his mind wandered back to Chosen and his cramps. 
Cramps seem like something only one of old age should experience. 
Him and Chosen were made by the same person, so why did only he get them? It didn't make sense.
Maybe something happened before Dark was created?
He dismissed the idea immediately. Chosen couldn't have been more then a few days older then him. He didn't think that Alan guy would keep Chosen alive for more than a few hours based on how his sole reason of existence was to obliverate Chosen.
He frowned as he gulped down the last drop of coffee in the mug and set to work clearing up the kitchen.
He was slightly worried about that code Alan had implanted into him. It wasn't as if he wanted to hurt Chosen but sometimes....
It's fine, it's okay. As long as he kept it under control, nothing would happen. It's bound to delete itself after a while.
Chosen was his best friend. Only friend. Only person he knew actually.
How could he ever hurt his only companion?

Chapter Text

And there they were

Two best friends laying side by side under the stars again, with nothing but the concrete roof and two pillows.

Technically, it wasn't a rooftop Saturday as it was Sunday, but Dark hadn't been home yesterday, so Chosen forced him to make up for it by staying out with him tonight.

Chosen didn't want to admit it but... He loved rooftop Saturdays (or Sundays in this case)

He loved the soft, cool breeze, the rustling leaves from swaying trees the crickets croaking songs that filling the air with a kind of peace.

But what Chosen loved most was the stars. They shone like little glittery lights in a purplish black sky. It seemed neverending, a vast ocean.

But Chosen also loved stars for a different reason. A very different reason...

Whilst still trapped in Alan's pc, occasionally Alan worked late, sometimes pulling all-nighters writing homework essays, studying or doing some other crap Chosen didn't care about. Those nights were basically torture for Chosen.

 He'd work all day, and his arms would be aching, eyelids would be heavy with sleep and he would long for rest.

So when Alan forced him to stay up even later and use him when he was already exhausted, when his arms felt like floppy noodles from overuse and his head was spinning so hard he might be sick, it was safe to assume the nights were not easy for Chosen.

Night-time was when Alan was generally most tired, and Chosen was most clumsy and careless. And when Alan was tired, he'd be quick to anger at any mistake. 

A sleep deprived Chosen was prone to make many, many mistakes.

And mistakes=punishment

Punishment=pain

Simple as that.

The one and only good thing about those torturous nights were the stars.

If Chosen wasn't being held in his containment box (the black box that haunted his nightmares which he was stored away in when not needed) at night and was working late, Alan had an open window opposite his pc in the real world. 

While Chosen destroyed ad after ad, he'd gaze longingly at the stars that gleamed to him from outside. 

It was almost as though they were...calling him somehow. Inviting him to escape and float up in the big galaxy with the them, playing beside the moon and craters, 

A place he'd be happy.

A place he'd be free.

Chosen rolled from his side onto his back, gazing up at the stars. Dark was beside him, his back turned, breathing in and out slowly. Asleep.

As usual, Dark always fell asleep first.

If he squinted really hard, Chosen could see faint boxes. Pc boxes.

His stare lingered on one box in particular, one he knew was labelled 'Alan's PC'.

It made him feel slightly uneasy. The muscles in his arms tensed up. His left leg twitched.

It's fine, he's safe now. It's okay, everything is okay now, he's not there anymore, it's okay, it's okay it's-

Then a thought struck him.

'If the PCs up there, a place like this is down here under it, and I was up there in the pc then....'

He sat up suddenly.

"It was beneath me the whole time," Chosen whispered.

 Everything suddenly felt different now. All those months spent thinking a haven like this could never exist when it was literally beneath his feet the whole time.

"What was?" A voice cut in.

"Ack! Dark! You scared me!" Chosen yelled, head turning, glaring down at the now seemingly wide awake Dark, grinning from ear to ear laying on the ground.

He props himself up on one elbow, before drawling out:

 "Were you just talking to yourself, cho?"he teased, smirking, eyebrow raised in a mockery of question.

Chosen felt heat rushing to his face.

"I- wha- NO! I wasn't-

How long have you been awake for??"

Dark sat completly upright, stretching his arms a little.

" Not too long, just long enough to hear you muttering away to yourself like a madman,"

His expression softened slightly as he smiled at Chosen.

"I'm not mocking you cho, even I enjoy talking to myself from time to time, typically whenever an thought hits me;

What were you thinking about?"

"I... " 

Chosen stared off the roof and up to the stars.

"I was just thinking...isn't it odd how a place like this could exist under that pc?"

"What pc- ohhh you mean ALANS PC? What's so odd about that?"

"I'm...not sure but...

Don't you think it's weird that this place was right under our feet the whole time, and we had no idea?"

Dark gave him a confused look.

"No? If I'm being honest, I've never even thought about it."

"Oh..."

Chosen stared off into space. He knew Dark wouldn't understand; he never understood Chosen's thoughts, but he had hoped Dark might of understood this now because he had escaped the pc with him.

....No, it's unreasonable of Chosen to even hope that.

It's not Dark's fault he didn't get it. It's not fair for Chosen to be upset with him.

 Dark was created the same day they escaped, how could he ever know what it felt like to be free after years in captivity?

Chosen still hadn't told him about the whole ad-blocker thing yet. He felt like it was too soon to open up, even if Dark seemed to be a good friend.

Chosen just wasn't ready yet.

Dark had layed back down on his pillow, and within moments, Chosen could hear the steady intakes and exhales of his breathing.

Chosen assumed he was asleep, but wasn't fully sure.

He stood up and walked to the edge of the roof, sitting down on the ledge, gazing down into the still ocean stretching beneath him. 

The water was still, so still he could see clearly reflections if the stars and moon in the water.

'perfect night for a swim honestly. Wish Dark was awake so we could splash about in the water for a bit,' Chosen thought. He didn't want to disturb Dark while he was sleeping. Not'til morning at least.

Picking up a small concrete stone next to him, he brings his arm back and flings the rock as far as it'll go.

It sails over the water and hits a decent amount of distance away. The rock bounced over the water a few times before being swallowed while by the black ocean.

Chosen brought up both legs to his chest. His left one tensed a little. 

He traced the scar that ran down half his leg to his ankle. It was jagged, smooth, the skin still thin and weak.

 He still remembered getting that.

It had been quite recent to when he was first made and 'tamed' as Alan put it. Maybe a week or two.

He wasn't used to the chain ball that was stuck under his ankle and he hated it. Like actually, gut down hated it.

The ball itself was bigger then his head, (which was quite large) and it weighed more then himself!

Walking was hell.

 Imagine trying to drag some huge hunk of metal heavier than yourself by your leg. Not to mention the infuriating chain that was attached to it.

Not only did it imit an annoying clanking noise whenever he shifted or moved, it often got caught between his feet, resulting in him falling face first to the floor may times.

Chosen had been quite rebellious when he was forced to block ads at first.

Instead of burning ads, he burnt some of Alan's files, including a homework document in an act of defience against Alan. When Alan opened the pc and found out, he was mad. 

Like, really mad. 

The kind of mad that made even Chosen feel like maybe.... he shouldn't have done that. 

The next few minutes had been nothing but blur and pain. Alan clicked the chain ball with his cursor and had flung Chosen into a pc wall. Then he did it again. And again. And again.

Chosen could barely register what was happening. He felt so terribly sick he thought he was going to vomit right there in the air.

Everytime he was picked up to be thrown, there was a brief moment of panic before he was flung into the air and smacked into a wall with his head, back, chest and other parts of his body. He was barely conscious when Alan finally stopped. 

He lay there trembling, hands shaking, head throbbing. And his chained leg burned. It hurt. It hurt so bad he wanted to start sobbing. Deep pain burned through his bones like a wildfire, from his leg to his ankle.

Pushing himself up on shaky arms, he slumped against the pc wall. The chain clinked, as if insulting him.

He had examined his leg after that.

 It was bad. 

A bloody wound was stretched from half his leg to just below his ankle. He could only assume it was made mid throw, that the chains edge got caught on his skin and tore open.

It hurt to touch, and was bleeding like crazy.

It was scary... seeing his leg torn open and gushing out blood.

For some reason, he was terrified Alan would close whatever window he was currently on and see Chosen bleeding out on the floor.

Looking back on it, Chosen guessed he thought Alan would be angry if he saw him injured, though he wasn't sure why Alan would be angry with him.

In a hazy panic, the world spinning and tilting around him, Chosen ripped of a piece of his shirt sleeve and used it as some kind of makeshift bandage.

It was agony tying it on, but at the moment, Chosen hadn't even cared.

Securing a knot over the wound, he could see a dark patch beginning to form over the bleeding parts, transforming the blue cloth to navy in the space of a few minutes. 

It worked though.

 Alan hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary with Chosen, and Chosen himself hid his limp by barely walking at all, and never if he thought Alan was watching.

The scar still remained, a constant reminder that he could not escape his past, no matter how hard he tried to run.

Chosen swung his legs back over the ledge.

It was all so frustrating! He'd escaped, he'd found a new home, heck, he even had a friend! Why? Why even after all of this, his mind won't let him forget about his captivity? 

Chosen slumped slightly. He would never escape his past.

...

But why does he need to escape it?

Maybe he's looking at this wrong.

Chosen's eyes gaze lifts to find Alan's PC's box. A star shone brightly beside it.

Maybe... instead of running from his past, he should try and accept it? Accept and move on?

Chosen fell onto his back. The cresent moon greeted him and the shining stars glimmered.

'Huh... How do I do that?'

He wasn't sure about it. But he was sure of one thing.

He'd heal eventually. It'll take time, but as long as he's here, safe with Dark as his friend and supporter, he'd be okay.

Chapter Text

"Hello? Dark?"

The rooftop was clear. Hallways and rooms empty.

The only place Chosen hadn't checked was Dark's room.

He tiptoed down the hallway, ignoring the growing unease he felt in the quiet house. It was getting to the kind of quiet that felt like it was waiting, waiting for something or someone to jump out at you.

Maybe he was just being paranoid.

Of course he was just being paranoid.

Chosen had woken up to what seemed like an empty house. Dark was nowhere to be seen.

He reached Dark's door, paused outside for a moment before giving it a timid knock. 

....Then again. 

And again, harder this time. 

The door creaked open from the force.

Chosen hesitates before stepping into Dark's room. 

He wasn't allowed in here and he knew it. 

Dark would be furious if he found out.

But Chosen couldn't take not knowing whether Dark was home or not. He hated uncertainty, it made him feel like he was in danger because he never knew what was going to happen. It felt like losing control he had fought so hard to gain.

Back in the pc, uncertainty and powerlessness had been his life. His entire existence was a gamble on whether his creator was in the right mood or not.

He never chose anything that happened to him, Alan controled everything. 

A part of him had always been terrified that one day, Alan might get sick of him and delete him.

Chosen stared into Dark's room. The bed was a ruffled mess, the floor filled with odd mechanical parts, wires, switches and anything related. The desk was littered with half finished machines, gadgets, wires, messy blueprints and ink-splattered paper, each being bathed in the soft dawn sunlight that spilled from the open, circular window above the desk.

"Dark?" Chosen said, voice barely over a whisper

No reply. 

He's not here.

He's gone... 

Didn't even tell him he was gonna leave...

Why???

Chosen exited the room, carefully avoiding the gadgets covering the floor as to not step on them.

He walked down the hallway and to the backdoor. Once outside, he didn't stop.

Just kept walking and walking and walking. He wasn't sure why or where he was going, he just knew he couldn't stay alone in that house for a moment longer. 

If he did, the voices would start again. The same ones that tormented him in his black room would come back to drive him mad.

The sun rose slowly, the sky colors transformed from orangy purple to pale blue, with the fluffy white clouds decorating it of all shapes and sizes.

---

He was hot. 

And tired. 

And hungry. 

His legs ached, and he had started unintentionally limping, dragging his left leg behind just like he used to do when he was tied to the chain ball.

One step forward, drag the other.

One step forward, one drag.

Forward step, drag.

Forward step. drag.

Step. Drag.

Step. Drag

Stumble. Step. Drag.

Step. Drag.

Stumble again.

Trip. 

Falling.

Ground. 

Try to get up. Fail

Fall back down. 

Chosen curled up into a ball on his side. He wanted to get up. He needed to get up to keep walking. He needed to keep walking so that....so that...?

Where was he even going?

 Where was he now??

He couldn't see much. He could make out swaying grass, a bit of the blue sky. 

The ground seemed to be some sort of gravelly path. The loose stones dug deep into his body, some blunt, others hard and sharp.

He curled up on his side tighter, clutching his knees.

Why did Dark leave without telling me first? 

Did I do something wrong? 

 I don't think I did anything wrong, so why did he leave?

Was I being too much trouble?

....

Of course I was.

 My stupid cramps. That's why Dark left.

I'm probably more trouble then I'm worth to take care of

Chosen tried so hard not to make it that big of a deal, but that cramp was one of the worst he'd ever gotten. 

....But Dark hadnt seemed annoyed at the time, he'd actually seemed... worried.

...And he'd be back.

 Of course he'd be back. 

He'd never leave him all alone for more than a day or two. 

And when he did return, Chosen would try his best to help him in anyway he could.

 He'd pretend his cramps were gone. Fake it. Say they miraculously healed. 

Dark wouldn't leave then.

But for now, Chosen was alone.

Alone. Alone. Alone.

All alone.

It's okay.

 It's okay it's okay it's okay

 Hes been alone before. Most of his life actually.

He could take a few more days, couldn't he?

He'd survived 4 years of torture, isolation and forced labour, he coul live two days alone. 

He's strong. 

He's not weak.

Not weak. Not weak. Not weak.

Not anymore at least.

'....Should probably start getting back to the house,' Chosen thought wearily. He wasn't sure if he locked the door or not.

Not that it mattered. He doubted anyone even knew that old house existed, let alone plan to break in.

But his body refused to move. It was like he was stuck to the ground. A piercing headache throbbed through his head, his eyes dropping shut.

He really needed to get up...

He really shouldn't be sleeping out here...

He was just so tired.

So, so tired.

Sleep felt so nice at the moment. All he wanted was sleep. 

" Just five minutes..." He mumbled to himself, allowing sleep to claim him.

Five....minutes...

---

"Mama! Look, there's a someone on the floor here!"

Chosen's eyes fluttered open. He groaned. His whole body was stiff and hurt. The stones were still pressing into his ribs, promising an aching body tomorrow.

Where was he?

Oh yeah, outside.

...OUTSIDE?!

How could he let himself fall asleep outside!? Anything could of happened to him! 

....Somebody was standing over him. A purple stick that seemed about 6 or 7 years old. His eyes were wide in suprise and a little fear as he stared at Chosen.

Suddenly, someone else appeared on his sight. A female stick, pink in color with an expression of worry on her face, small picnic basket in hand. She seemed to be her mother.

Chosen suddenly felt embarrassed. He didn't know who these sticks were, and here he was, sprawled on the ground like he'd just got hit by a truck or something.

Great he's causing trouble for random sticks now.

Pushing himself up while suppressing a grown, he sat up, staring up at the two unfamiliar faces.

"Oh my goodness! sweetheart, are you alright? Was there an accident?" The pink one said in an anxious tone.

"I... No no, no accident, I'm fine," Chosen stammered out. Inwardly, he cursed himself. Ugh, he sounded so cringey! Why was he so nervous? He was only interacting with other living beings!

The pink stitch figure extended a hand and helped pull Chosen up with surprising strength considering her small frame. The purple stick hid behind her, gawping at Chosen as he rose shakily to his feet.

" Why were you on the ground Hun? Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?" She asked in a gentle, slightly worried tone as she helped brush the gravel and dust off Chosen's clothes. 

"No no, I'm fine- I was just... Taking a rest."

What's  a hospital?

She raised her eyebrow. "Outside? In the middle of the path?"

Chosen winced, looking down at the floor. "Was just very tired ma'am."

She didn't look convinced

(even though he was telling the truth!)

"...Mama?" Came a small voice. 

She turned away from Chosen to the purple stick that clung to her legs, still staring suspiciously at Chosen. " Yes love?"

"Who's that boy?" The purple stick whispered, eyeing Chosen up and down.

Chosen gave her a comforting smile and knelt down to her side, offering his hand out to her. "Hi there! I'm Chosen, nice to meet you!" 

Chosen tried his best to sound as friendly and not to look as lethal as he usually did. Inwardly, his heart was pounding. 

Was he doing something wrong?

Why is the mum looking at me? Am I unknownly threatening her child by some unwritten society rule?

Do I look scary? I don't think I look scary...right?!

Why am I such a scary color? Why couldn't I have been something friendly like...blue!?

Slowly, the purple stick, with a nudge by her mother, took Chosen's hand and allowed Chosen to shake it, before yanking it away and rushing back behind her mother.

Her mother gave an exasperated sigh. 

"Sorry dear, she's not really a people person," she said with a smile. "My name's Orchid,this is Purple and it is a pleasure to meet you Chosen"

With that, she took Purple's hand, who was still staring at Chosen and started pulling her away.

"Come along Purple, the picnic place is this way." 

She continued to stare at Chosen as he was dragged away, his a expression a mixture of wariness and a little curiosity. Chosen saw him tug his mother's sleeve and say something he couldn't hear. Orchid whispered something back to him, basket swaying in her hand.

For some reason, a lump rose in Chosen's throat as he watched them walk away. He'd only just met them, why did he feel like he was being abandoned?

That kid was cute tho... Chosen would of given anything to be able to play with her at this moment.

Now what?

What was he supposed to do all day?

He was afraid of going home, afraid of the voices inside his head that spoke to him. Sometimes they were so loud, he was having trouble convincing himself they were just his imagination.

The voices first appeared when he was stuck in the black box for a few days without being let out.

First, they were small, like little whispers at the back of your mind. But by time, they grew louder, and louder, and louder until Chosen couldn't distinguish them from his imagination anymore. They sounded just like a real person.

In that box, he used to converse with himself.

There was nothing else to do.

He thought he was going insane....maybe he was.

The voices whispered stories about the real world, about what playing with the stars truely felt like. They told him what freedom was like, and why Chosen would never, ever be able to have it.

He hated and loved his voices then. They were like... Some sort of distraction from the quiet. For the loneliness. From the pain.

But the brought their own pain with them.

Now he was just scared of them. They kept bringing back painful memories.

He felt so... Alone back then. Abandoned.

Probably why it hurt so much Dark wasn't here.

Secretly, Chosen wondered if Dark would ever leave and never come back. He tried to convince himself that it would never happen, that Dark was a good friend, and Chosen was stupid for ever thinking about that but...

He was still afraid that one day... He'd step out the front door and never come back.

Chosen shook his head furiously. That'll never happen. He's safe here. He's not alone anymore. 

... Chosen looked around. Where was he?

To his right, he could see a blob of a small village in the distance. It was evening, still plenty of time before nightfall, so why shouldn't he explore a little?

Launching himself in the air, he flew over the clouds, fire blasting from his hands.

There was something so beautiful in flying, the way the wind rushes past you, the feeling of being weightless.

It felt good, exhilarating even.

...The voices had been wrong. He had freedom now. 

And it felt amazing.

Chapter Text

The village seemed so tiny in the distance to Chosen, but when he finally reached it, he found that it was much bigger then he thought.

Yeah, it technically was small, but was still much larger than originally anticipated.

Chosen lands a small distance away from the village as to not alert the villagers and starts walking a sandy yellow path leading to it. 

The sun was setting fast in the background, casting shadows and an organgish glow to the village.

The village itself seemed like a quiet place, not too crowded, with simple yet pretty single story brick houses with wooden roofs and circular attic windows.

As Chosen came closer, he could see few sticks around

They didn't notice him.

Certainly wasn't a very populated village.

He abandoned the path and began walking around the village houses, staying hidden in the shadows, clinging to corners and walls like his life depended on it. 

He wasn't sure why he was doing this, it wasn't like he was doing anything wrong.

He might of been a little shy of all those strangers, even if there wasn't many.

Slipping past the house, he spotted a blueberry bush a few meters away. Rushing forward, he dove smoothly into it. 

The branch's scratched his skin and leaves fell down into his jacket and all over him, but he was safe.

...Safe from what?

Being seen by other sticks?

Existing?

Chosen didn't know why he felt like he had to stay hidden, like he was doing something illegal. He had a right to explore didn't he?

Part of him felt guilty he was doing this without Dark. He should have waited, should have had his best friend by his side. 

Maybe then they could have some fun.

Chosen hugged his knees inside the bush, watching the passerbys walk on the path a little way away from the bush while he pulls blueberries off the bush and eats them.

It was almost like watching a movie.

A blue male stick with a white jacket wearing some headsets jogged by. 

Then a emrald green lady in a pretty white summer frock with a pale green toddler giggling in her pram strolled past the bush, a pink child sprinted past laughing, followed up by a dark purple and blue stick chasing after her. An elderly couple sat on the bench opposite the bush. Afterten minutes of feeding the birds, the got up and left.

Nobody saw Chosen hiding in his bush.

The sun was setting fast. Soon it was almost night, the sun barely visible over the hills. The first few stars made their appearance.

Chosen had a belief that the first stars to show at night were always the brightest, best ones. They seemed to shine and sparkle more than the rest. Chosen used to wait out for thoses stars when he was working with Alan through the night. They never failed to make him unreasonably excited. Or at the very least, calmer.

Soon, fewer sticks passed, which lessened to none and the path was empty. 

'I should really be going back.... I didn't even know if he locked the door or not...' Chosen thought, popping another blueberry into his mouth, savouring the fresh tang it gave him.

He felt a little stiff from being curled up for so long, and it was getting colder by the minute. The leaves rustled as the icy wind rushed past it. A couple branches and leaves brushed against his face. He flinched.

'Just a couple more...' Chosen convinced himself, throwing a few more into his mouth.

At this point, he wasn't even enjoying them, he was just stalling.

While it's true the voices didn't come all the time (hardly ever actually), he was still scared they might. He could stay in the house, there was just the risk that the voices would come back, sooner or later.

He saw things too sometimes.... Giant cursors hovering above him, about to click, throw or hurt him, or another stick figure that looked exactly like him, with red cuts and scars marring his face. He still smiled, even as blood seeped down his cheeks like tears, paired with bloody, jagged scars that ran down his cheeks and neck.

Chosen was terrified when he first saw that stick figure, frantically backing up and pressing himself against the pc wall, trying to get as far away from the stick as he could. He wasn't in the black box then, he was on the desktop, hidden behind one of the windows. 

Alan had left the pc, probably to go to a friend's home and had forgotten all about Chosen.

Chosen wanted to scream (not like that would do anything, no one would come and he knew). And he was too paralysed to move.

But the figure would just disappear as fast as it arrived. Over time, Chosen developed a sort of 'friendship' with the figure, even though he knew it was just his mind playing tricks on him. 

He was pretty sure at least.

He named it Thomas. Thomas slowly began to appear closer to Chosen, sometimes standing, sometimes sitting. When he talked, he had a richer, deeper voice then Chosen's, on that could only be described as calming. He never spoke much, it was mainly Chosen talking. Tom would nod his head sympatheticly in agreement with Chosen, though he would usually turn a little weird before he left, telling Chosen he deserved to be punished, deserved to be locked up, deserved to be alone. 

He never touched him though. Didn't lay a finger on him. Only spoke.

The crack of a branch breaking beneath someone's foot pulled Chosen from his thoughts.

Footsteps.

More then one set.

Holding his breath, he peeked through the bush leaves.

It was dark now, sun vanished, the sky still contained traces of orangey red, though it was mainly purply black, with a few stars scattered here and there, twinkling brightly.

A young couple was walking down the path. The female stick was white, with a droopy grey pony tail hanging down her shoulders to her back. She wore a lighter grey dress that swirled around her legs, hands that were incredibly pointed, like knives. She was holding another sticks hand.

A grey stick with.... 

Chosen froze.

H...how?!

That stick had a hollow head just like him!??

Chosen crouched down farther into the bush, momentarily forgetting about blueberries as he watched the grey stick invite his partner to sit on the bench where the elder couple had sat, before falling back into the seat himself with a loud sigh.

Chosen had never seen another stick with a hollow head before, other than Dark.

Then again, alot of things were unfamiliar in this strange new world. 

Maybe hollow heads were just less common then average sticks? Rare perhaps?

The girl stick giggled, cuddling against him, while the grey stick smiled and wrapped an affectionate arm around her.

Chosen felt a pang. He all of a sudden felt so lonely, he wished Dark was there with him. They could of shared the blueberries, could of had a wrestle, or maybe just talk about random things.

"It's nice out here," the girl said, making Chosen jump. She had a sweet, soft, energetic kind of voice, a voice you knew was kind and fun.

The grey stick leaned back and turned his head to the sky.

"Indeed," he replied, closing his eyes and resting his head on the back of the bench. The contrast of their voices was astonishing. His was youngish, but mature at the same time, had a deep, soft, slightly melodic ring to it.

The girl pointed up towards the sky, no, towards a cluster of stars.

"Remember what that constellation was called?" She said, a mischievous grin appearing on her face. " Or have you already forgotten our lesson yesterday?"

His eyes shot open and he sat up straight.

" No no, I recall that one being...er..."

He squinted his eyes up at a stars constellation. Chosen did the same. It looked like a rectangle with a long tail, consisting seven stars in total.

Chosen didn't understand. What was a

 stars constellation'? 

"I believe that one was called.... Libra?"

She chuckled. "Nope! Vic, y'know... 

I think you've forgotten everything!" She gave him a look of Mock horror, covering her mouth in suprise.

The stick, or 'Vic', looked slightly bewildered, staring harder at the stars.

"Forgive me... Might it had been Corvus?"

"Oh good lord Vic, do you remember anything I taught you?" She falls against his shoulder, hand raised dramatically to her forehead in distress.

"After everything, 

my brilliant teaching and amazing explanations, you tell me you can't tell the difference between Libra and the most well known constellation in the entire universe?!"

She groans, sinking deeper against his shoulder.

"I'm a failure of a teacher," she moaned.

"Ah wait, now I remember!" Vic exclaims excitedly.

 "Ursa!"

"Yes! Finally!" The girl throws her arms around him, squeezing so tight he makes a choking noise.

"But the more common name is the big dipper!"

"Yes yes Mitsi- ngh! Could you possibly be kind enough to release me-!— wheeze—, I can't seem to breath properl-!"

Mitsi squeezed a final time before letting go, leaving Vic coughing. She stands up suddenly from the bench, pulling Vic up with her.

"Five whole days of trying and finally success! Great job Vicky!" She grabbed his arms twirled around with him.

"God, I'm so proud of you!"

Vic, still dizzy from spinning so fast, beamed, a smile widening across his face. He staggered forward once she let him go, swaying slightly.

"Perhaps... Perhaps we should be returning home? I must admit, I am feeling rather peckish," he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"You promised we'd go for a walk tonight!" Mitsi said, jabbing an accusing finger at his chest.

"I recall no such thing!"

"Did so!"

She crossed her arms and faked a pout.

Vic rolled his eyes. 

"Very well, if you are so determined on it."

He offered his hand.

"Shall we?"

She took it, face breaking out into a pretty, satisfied smile.

Chosen watched them too walk away, slowly disappearing into the distance.

The wind seemed louder now. So did the crickets

...

Yet it was quiet. Too quiet.

He wished Dark was with him more than anything at that moment. 

Letting out a deep sigh, he stood up, brushing the leaves off his clothes and hair. He could feel a few twigs stuck in there, though he didn't have the energy to pull them out.

He should really go back now.... 

He darts a glance at the blueberry bush behind him.

"Just take a few more for the road," Chosen though to himself as he yanked the remaining blueberries off the branches and stuck them into his pocket for later.

He'd somehow managed to finish an entire bush... Again. 

Dark always said he was a big eater.

Chosen grinned to himself as he began walking in the direction home. His eyes automatically went up and found that star group that girl was talking about.

What was it called again? A star constellation?

Chosen guessed a star constellation meant the name fore a specific star group. He remembered that one being Ursa. It looked kinda like a wheelbarrow Chosen had seen villager in the other villages use to carry things in.

He never knew star groups could have names... Wonder if there's more...

---

A long, long walk later and a brief flight when no one was around, Chosen steps through the front door. A part of him had been anxious incase anyone had broken in, but the place seemed untouched.

 And silent.

Climbing up the steps, he found himself outside Dark's room instead of his own. He stands outside the doorway, contemplating whether he should go in or not.

He didn't want to sleep alone in his room again. 

He missed Dark. Missed him so damn much it hurt.

Or maybe he just hated the quiet. The feeling of emptiness lurking round every corner, every shadow. The horrible familiarity of silence that reminded him far too much of memories he'd rather forget.

'Dark wouldn't mind too much if I slept in his room, would he?'

Chosen was lying to himself and he knew it. Dark would mind VERY much if he knew. But the room was already a mess and... It felt better than sleeping in his own room.

Dark wouldn't come home till at least tomorrow afternoon, he had time.

Making noise in a silent house felt wrong, so Chosen tiptoed through the room.

Almost at the bed, almost at th-

Crack!

Chosen froze as pain sprouted under his foot.

No

No

Nononono

He bent down and shakily picked up a broken piece of tech. It looked like some kind of prototype, had a circular body and what seemed like legs attached to the side, like some kind of spider. It was grey, metal and seemed unfinished, if not abandone. 

And now completely destroyed.

Chosen swallowed his panic as his chest began to tighten.

What would Dark say when he found out he was in his room??? 

Found out he broke one of his machines???

He'd hate him.

He'd abandon him. 

He might even kick him out.

He couldn't kick him out, could he?

God, why was he always such a problem?

"Chosen, your such an idiot," He whispered, holding up the broken, crushed metal to his face.

"Stupid stupid stupid dummy-"

He cut himself off as he began looking for a place to hide it.

There was still time. Dark might not notice the missing tech as it seemed forgotten about. 

Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.

Chosen repeated these words in his head in an attempt to loosen his tight chest. It felt like he was being crushed between two walls, unable to expand his lungs and breath properly.

He pushed the tech under the bed, promising to bury it outside in the morning.

He should probably get some rest now.

Climbing into bed, he threw off his jacket and flopped onto his side, hugging the blankets.

They smelt like Dark (Basically like coffee).

Usually he hated the scent of something so strong and bitter, but now it was kinda comforting. 

Slowly, his chest loosened, and he could begin breathing normally again.

Slowly, he could feel his eyes dropping. All of a sudden, he was exhausted. It had been a long day, and he'd been up since the crack of dawn.

As sleep claimed him, he heard footsteps echoing in the hall.

Clicks sounded in the background. 

Whooshes of cursors hovered above him

Great. More hallucinations. Just what he needed to end the day.

Pulling the covers over his face, he shut his eyes, trying to block out the noises.

And somehow... He fell asleep.

Fell into a deep, troubled and nightmarish sleep.

Chapter Text

He broke my prototype...

Dark stared at the crushed remains of what used to be his scrapped version of the virabot he was trying to create poking out from under his bed.

Chosen lay on it, sleeping as though he hadnt destroyed valuable parts that could of been reusabled in the next model lm

For a moment, he felt... absolutely nothing. Blank. Empty.

Then the rage came in. Anger bubbled inside him like an overflowing pot. His breathing quickened.

Stupid.

 Stupid stupid stupid Chosen!

He could of actually strangled him at that moment.

'You didn't even need that! It was a scrapped design!'

But I needed the parts! And look at what this idiotic imbecile has done to them! Crushed! Gone!

'Buy new parts, it's not that big a deal, anyway, it's not like he did it on purpose!'

...

Dark glared at Chosen sleeping in his bed, hugging his blanket, on his pillow, his mattress, why the hell was he sleeping in his bed, the irritating-

Chosen let out a small moan and turned in his sleep.

Dark paused, staring at Chosen.

The hell was that about??

He seemed... Stressed? Tense?

Chosen turned again, mumbling incoherent words in his sleep. Sweat trickled down his forehead, brows creased in what Dark could only describe as... fear?

No no, thats- that's not right, Chosen was never scared, he-

Chosen let out a sharp noise, somewhere between a whimper and a yelp, thrashing out with his right leg. He tried doing the same thing with his left, but it was entangled in blanket, being yanked back each time he pulled. 

He seemed to be growing more frantic by the second, tugging desperately on his left leg.

Dark took one step towards Chosen, hand hovering in the air, as if trying to reach him somehow. 

He didn't understand. 

Was he having a nightmare?

He never mentioned having nightmares before...

Chosen gave a small frantic yelp again, whining, hands clawing on the blanket that wrapped around his leg.

Dark took a small step back.

 It was...weird. He knew nightmares sometimes caused physical movement or sounds, but he never thought it he'd see Chosen doing it.

Come to think of it...

He'd never actually seen Chosen sleep much in the past... Let alone like this.

He'd never slept much infront of him.

It was... unsettling.

Unsettling to see someone who seemed so powerful, so untouchable in such a state.

Dark too another step back.

This was stupid.

 He just wanted to grab a blueprint he left behind and return back to the lab. Almost finished with his 3rd test model for the virabot.

 It was gonna be perfect, thought would take quite a while to make, and alot of hard work.

He was wasting time. He had better things to do then watch Chosen unravel in his sleep.

Perhaps he deserves the nightmare, breaking his prototype.

...that sounded a bit harsh.

Blocking out the moaning and occasional sharp sounds from Chosen, he reached over to the table, grabbed the blueprint that was rolled up neatly under the window and looked out of it. 

Would be faster if he just flew out the window instead of through the front door like he did to get in.

He didn't come earlier because he hadn't wanted Chosen to be awake.

Recently, the mission code embedded in him had been stronger then ever before. 

He'd woken up last night while on the roof with Chosen, and had felt a sudden urge to....

hurt him in his sleep.

 He looked so...peaceful...

He's never wanted to punch someone so bad.

He forced himself to leave the house.

He couldn't hurt Chosen! 

He was his best friend and brother for crying out loud!

But the desire.... The desire remains.

Dark finds his hands clenching and unclenching themselves. His eyes drift to Chosen's bed, watching the stick struggle to free himself from the blanket.

He looked almost... pathetic. Weak.

Vunrable.

This was such a good opportunity to just-!

NO! 

Dark forced himself to tear his gaze from Chosen and focus on the window.

He wanted to hurt him

He wanted to hurt him so bad.

He wanted to watch the blood dribble down his mouth, wanted to savour the delicious satisfaction to the bottomless pit of emptiness it promised to fill.

He wanted to watch him suffer, watch the eyes tremble in fear, body shaking, relish the fearful noises Chosen would make.

He wanted it.

He needed it.

He needed it!

Dark clutched his head, doubling over on himself, trying to calm the intrusive thoughts invading his mind.

It'd be so easy...

He's right there, laying out infront of you.

Imagine how simple tying him up would be if he's already unconscious? No need for a long, wasteful fight.

And just think of the image of a scared, pathetic Chosen!

Dark couldn't stop himself from licking his pointed fangs, picturing a terrified Chosen curled up in a corner, trembling arms protecting his face in a pathetic way of defence.

His breathing quickened. Saliva dripped down his lips as he stared at Chosen, unmoving apart from the occasional leg yanks.

So peaceful...so easy....

Just do it. Just do it. Just do it.

The voice in his head chanted him on. 

Imagine how nice it would be to finally get rid of emptiness inside him, a kind of hunger he couldn't feed, a desire he hated he had.

There was a rope downstairs in the kitchen... Maybe if he tied him up first, he could-

He let a frustrated growl, frantically pulled himself over the window ledge and launching himself out into the sky.

Fire crackled and whizzed from his hands as he zipped through the starry night

He couldn't take it. He could of done horrible things to Chosen.

 And the worst part was...it didn't even feel like that was the mission codes desire.

 He felt like it was his, and it was a disgusting craving that hid behind every thought and action in his life.

He knew he, as a person, would never EVER think about something as horrific as that, let alone crave it.

Dark spotted a tree below. Perfect place for a rest.

Landing, he walked over to the tree and curled up into a ball against the truck.

His eyes grew tingly, mind foggy, head throbbing. 

A lump rose in his throat, tears welling up.

Then it all came gushing out.

Hot, burning hot tears spilled down his face as he coughed on the sobs that ran through him. 

Why? Why did he have to be like this?

Dark choked on a sob that shook his entire body, curling into himself tighter, hiding his face in his knees.

He was a horrible, disgusting, sick, psycho.

'Insane. I'm insane.'

'I'm was just so hungry.... All the time....

Just want to not be starving all the time...'

More tears dripped down on the grass beneath him.

His thoat hurt. Lungs ached. Eyes stung. Head throbbed.

He was hungry. 

Starving.

Not the typical hunger, this craving was deeper, it felt like something in him was missing, like there was a hole inside his body somewhere that he must fill.

He needed to hurt Chosen, someone or destroy something or he'd go insane If he wasn't already.

 He tore at the grass beneath him, ripping out dozens of little green blades. Not enough.

Leaping to his feet, he spun round and punched a dent into the tree. Still not enough 

He let out a frustrated growl. 

The hell was he supposed to do now?!-

His fingers found his way into his coat pocket, pulling out a small hand knife he always carried around with him.

Without thinking, he flicked out blade, pulled up his sleeve and pressed the sharp blade against his skin. Hard.

The skin tore open instantly, red blood dripping down his arm.

His eyes widened slightly at the sight. It was... Reliving in a way, but scary.

Scary he felt this much joy seeing blood. Especially his own.

He dragged the knife upwards, splitting the skin further.

It hurt. God it hurt so much.

But it felt good too. Pain made the emptiness go away, or at least distracted him.

He brushed away the remainder of his tears with the back of his bloody hand, relishing the burn, the sting that the cut was offering.

It was shallow, just enough to draw blood but not enough to damage too much.

He lifted the knife and moved to the inside of his forearm, slicing downwards to his wrist.

He shuddered as the cuts began to burn.

Stung like hell.

But.... Something about the blood...of how pretty and red it was... Was disturbingly calming.

He smiled.

Felt so good to see someone hurt.

Made him feel a little less empty.

Even if that someone was him.

---

Chains.

So many... Chains...

Wrapping around his legs, arms, neck like cold metal snakes.

Tighter and tighter

And tighter still

Chosen tried screaming. Shouting. Yelling for help.

All that came out was a weak cry that echoed through the empty black void stretched before him.

No floor. No roof. No walls. Just him, suspended in the air by chains round his wrists and ankles.

He started wriggling his hands out of the chains. 

Didn't work.

Tried yanking.

Still didn't work.

Exhausted, he slumped forward in his chains.

Swoosh

Chosen froze.

Click click

His heart stopped.

He...he knew that sound

His breath caught in his throat

Please...

Click.

The chains vanished.

And he was falling.

Falling and falling into what seemed like a bottomless black pit of nothingness.

He closed his eyes.

Seconds dragged out like hours passed.

Suddenly, he felt something change.

Slowly he cracked open one eye.

..?

The void was gone. 

He found himself sitting on a pc floor, slumped against the wall.

Pc...pc floor?!

Why was he back here-

Click

His stomach dropped as a gigantic shadow engulfed him.

No.

No this isn't happening again.

He sat there, paralysed as the cursor advanced on him.

Click 

His left leg felt heavier... And he felt weaker somehow... Like the energy had been pulled right out of him.

And that's when he saw it. 

Innocently attached to his ankle, a chain ball. 

His chain ball.

His breathing quickened as his chest tightened

'Not again... please not again...'

The cursor came closer. Chosen pressed himself back against the wall.

He couldn't run. Couldnt even walk properly.

He attempts to summon his ice powers to form some kind of protective shield around himself.

Not even a flicker of power came out from his hands.

He...he was completely defenseless.

Panic rose up inside him.

Click.

He found himself being flung upwards.

Smack !

He hit the roof of the pc before falling back to the floor.

The cursor didn't stop.

Click

He felt himself being pulled into the air.

Nonononopleaseno

"Wait-!" Chosen started, eyes widening in fear.

Wham! 

His head cracked against a wall. He landed a crumpled heap on the floor. His breathing grew faster, uneven, shaky. He felt warm blood trickle down the side his head.

The cursor swooped down again.

Chosen scooted back frantically, hitting the pc wall, arms stretching out infront him like he could somehow stop this.

"PLEASE! What did I do-!"

He flew through the air, back hitting an open window tab, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

He fell to his hands and knees, wheezing and moaning out in pain.

Click

Chosen found himself dangling upside down in the air, suspended by the ball that the cursor held.

His arms grasped the chain and yanked with all his strength. Wouldn't break.

Never broke.

He let out another fearful moan, and he felt the cursor preparing to to throw again.

He flew through the air and-

---

Chosen bolted upright in bed, covered in cold sweat.

His body was trembling.

His breathing was uneven, short and panicky.

'Just another nightmare'

He let out a deep, shaky breath. 

Strange, he could still feel the chain around his leg-

Oh.

Chosen uncoiled the blanket twisted around his ankle and swung both his legs over the edge of the bed, and standing up.

He needed water.

Anything that would distract him.

In a few minutes, he was drinking icy cold water from a glass cup. The cup clanked against his teeth slightly, as his hands were still trembling.

'Third nightmare this week... This was getting ridiculous.'

Chosen felt frustrated. He wasn't there anymore, why would his mind not understand that?!

He was safe now!

He was happy now!

...right?

Chosen pushed the thought away.

How could he not be happy? He didn't have to live in fear anymore, he wasn't alone anymore.

That was all he wanted.

He was definitely happy the first week after the escape.

Dark was with him then.

But now... He felt distant.

Dark had never been one to show much affection or love in a obvious way. Chosen couldn't blame him as he did that himself. But Chosen knew he cared about him, and he didn't seem so far away then.

Now however...

Chosen stood up, rinsing the cup under the sink.

Chosen knew Dark cared about him deep down. 

Of course he did.

He wouldn't abandon him.

He'd never do that.

Chosen had tried not to be much of a burden on him. 

Tried hiding his cramps. Tried hiding that he was coughing up blood for the first few weeks after escaping the pc. He didn't cough up much anymore, just a drop every few days or so mixed with alot of spit.

He hid his nightmares from him. He was trying so hard not to be a nuisance.

Was it still not enough?

Chosen let out a groan as he felt his left leg starting to cramp.

Great. Just what he needed.

He started pacing the kitchen in an attempt to prevent the cramp from getting worse.

Dark should come back tomorrow.

Or the day after. 

Either way, he'd be back. He had to.

Chosen saw a shadow moved from behind him. Spinning round, he saw nothing.

Not real. 

Chosen shook his head furiously, sinking down to the floor into a ball. 

He could hear the haunting swoops and clicks from the cursor coming from upstairs.

Not real.

"Why aren't you here, Dark?" Chosen

whispered, rocking backwards and forwards.

"I'm trying, I-I swear I am!- 

I... Its just.... I'm tired."

He fell onto his side on the group. Tired.

Tired of what?

He had everything he wanted.

He should be grateful.

He didn't know, he just knew he was tired. 

Tired of the nightmares

Tired of always being tense

Tired of flinching

Tired of the cramps

....and tired of being alone.

Chapter Text

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

The wall clock seemed so much louder than it had any right to be as Chosen paced the kitchen floor.

New sunrise.

New day.

Same problem.

Still alone.

Still waiting for him.

'He's probably not going to come till late.'

'That's okay! Just... The rest of the day to go!'

'I can do a couple more hours!'

'just gotta find a way to pass time!'

'can’t be that hard...'

He couldn't stay in the house, and he didn't really want to be alone at all if he could help it, especially after that nightmare. Even just sitting in an open space was better than being trapped inside.

Though he didn't really know where else he was supposed to go, or who he was supposed to meet. The only stick he knew was Dark, and Dark wasn't here.

Chosen groaned to himself in frustration.

He really couldn't stay inside much longer.

 He could almost hear the thumps of footsteps and clicks coming from upstairs, of his mind playing games with him.

He paused as a sudden thought struck him.

What was had that girl been teaching the grey hollow head yesterday? Star constellation?

Chosen didn't really know what star constellations were, but he figured that it must be a name for a special group of stars. he wasn't really sure how one could tell the difference between hundreds of thousands of other stars though.

 Don't they all just drift away from each other, like leaves in a lake? Scattered like glitter over a black ocean? Or was there more to this then he thought?

Chosen didn't know, and his mind was overrun with questions. Questions he didn't know the answer to.

Maybe he could just take his laptop outside, find a nice spot and research over there.

Yeah, that sounded nice.

Better than staying inside.

Better than being stuck here alone.

Anything was better than being trapped in here alone.

Chosen walked upstairs to his room and rummaged under the bed for his long lost laptop.

 He never really used it much, unlike Dark who seemed to use his own every day.

Chosen had never really seen the big deal with electronics though.

Sure, a screen that lights up. You could watch funny cat videos, play Tetris or ask Google something.

That was basically it.

The laptop was covered din a thin layer of dust, causing Chosen to cough.

'Damn....it's been a while, huh?'

He held it under his arm and went back downstairs. If he was going to be out all day—which he was— he should probably bring food with him.

Sandwiches maybe.

He placed his laptop in the kitchen and opened the top cabinets, pulling out bread, cheese and-

Honey...

'Erm... Is there nothing else in here?'

Chosen rummaged through the cabinet, searching for any better option. Maybe a tomato? salami?

Anything else??

Ah wait, here's something!

He brought a glass jar down to his face in triumph, examining the label

...pasta sauce

Okaaaaay, not using that…

(But then the sandwich will be too thin, and you'll get hungry all over again)

‘...Ah well,’ Chosen thought dismissively, bringing out two slices of bread and slathering each with a very generous amount of pasta sauce and honey, then slapping on a cheese slice.

Might not be the ideal sandwich, but food was food!

He made another 2 sandwiches, before stacking them all inside a plastic black bag, and adding a bottle of water.

Right, all set to go!

---

Dark hadn't slept a wink last night.

Tossing and turning, before finally giving up, he rose from the floor he was laying on, pushing off the old, tattered blanket and moved to his desk.

There weren't really any beds in the lab, nor mattress.

Just a grimy pillow and a worn blanket that looked like it had been there since the creation of the outernet.

He'd started out his first few sketches for the virabot model 3.

 It wasn't going so well...

He was struggling with the design, as well as several other issues, including the expensive equipment Chosen had crushed in his last module.

 Groaning, he slumped over the desk.

‘Idiotic Chosen. Ruined good parts.’

He sighed, straightening in the chair and pulling out a clean sheet of paper.

'It's not like Chosen did it on purpose... Or maybe he did, as some sort of sick joke.'

'No, Chosen wouldn’t do something like that.'

‘right?’

Dark began sketching out a stretched circle, adding two long hind legs and two shorter front ones.

While spiders actually had eight legs, Dark figured it be easier and more convenient if he gave it four to make.

Less coding and a lot less pricey.

***

The sketch kept going wrong.

Obviously

The body looked more like a wonky hexagon, the legs crooked as though their bones were broken, and the fangs...

Okay there was nothing wrong with the fangs.

(Could of been cooler though)

Dark let out a deep exhale, and pinching his nose, rubbed it out with an eraser and restarted.

(Patience Dark. Patience is key.)

Then he rubbed it out again and restarted...

Again

And again

And again

... and again

Dark groaned, frustration clawing at him. His head grew heavy though he wasn't sleepy, and sent waves of agony down his neck and shoulders.

In an act of pure anger, he scrunched up the butchered sheet of paper and threw it across the room.

It bounced of a wall and skidded to halt in the corner of the room.

Dark glared at it, inhaling deeply.

‘Stupid sketch... Stupid problems...stupid Cho sleeping in his room-‘

‘Where the hell did that come from?’

He considered trying to get back to sleep, before deciding against it. It was already past 8am and he wasn't even remotely tired.

He brushed the pencil absentmindedly across the edge of the paper, creating little grey stars that decorated the edges.

God, Chosen was infecting his mind with all those dumb, useless rooftop nights.

Dark personally would never sleep out there. It was kind of pointless, as he viewed it.

He was doing it for Chosen...and because he didn't really have a choice. Chosen could be quite stubborn when he wanted to be.

Dark suddenly started grinning.

He recalled a certain conversation they were having, approximately three or four days after they left Alan's pc.

They sat in a little field, nattering about nothing and everything at the same time.

Chosen stuffed his face full of wild strawberries as though he'd never eaten in his life (and honestly, he looked like he hadn’t, back then he was so incredibly thin) while Dark picked little daisies and daffodils, giving each a delicate sniff before beheading them and maliciously tearing off each petal.

Somehow, the conversation twisted onto the subject of insects.

Specifically favourite insects.

"Spiders," Dark had said confidently, ripping another petal from the poor wretched remains of a flower in his hand. When Chosen wasn't looking, he stuck his tongue out and licked the flower head to see if it tasted good.

It did not.

Bees were weird. And anything else that ate flowers.

Chosen took a long time thinking, before admitting he didn't know much about bugs.

A pretty little monarch butterfly fluttered down and rested on one of the flower heads. It was bright orange in color, edges covered in black and black spots inside the wings.

Chosen stared at it for a few moments.

"What's that?" He asked, pointing.

"Butterfly Chosen. You seriously don't know what a butterfly is?!"

"And how do you know? You’re not even a week old!"

"It's common knowledge Cho, everyone should know that."

"Then why don't I?"

"Because... I'm not sure actually. You just should."

Chosen gave him a glare before turning back to the butterfly. There was a pause.

"I think that's my favourite insect," Dark heard Chosen mumble.

He raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"A butterfly cho? Really? There are literally thousands of better options I could tell-"

"I like butterflys," Chosen cut him off flatly. Dark shrugged.

"Okay sure, but your weird man."

Chosen had ignored him.

Dark (snapping back to reality) suddenly was suddenly aware he was drawing.

Not doodling, not sketching random lines, but actually drawing.

It was a silly little picture of Chosen with butterfly wings and himself with four spider legs sticking out from his upper back.

It didn't look too bad honestly

In fact, it was quite nice...

Dark leaned back in his chair, picturing a Chosen with wings.

 He smirked.

Someone so powerful shouldn't have looked that good in fairy wings.

Chosen was far stronger then he let on, and Dark knew that.

Even when he had all the pc icons on his side, Chosen somehow still managed to emerge victorious. He wasn't one to be underestimated, though it was quite easy to assume he was, as he could barely make eye contact. And he was afraid of other sticks. Other sticks talking to him in public that is.

...Why was he even thinking about Chosen? He left home to focus on working on his project, not.... Whatever he was doing now.

Dark pushed the drawing to the side, flipping it upside down and opened his laptop.

As he was filling in the password, a persistent thought appeared from the back of his mind.

How long was he really going to avoid Chosen for?

It's not like he could stay away forever...

He'd figure out a way to delete the mission code once he had better equipment.

He tried time and time again, but it was incredibly dangerous, as if he accidentally deleted the wrong data, he would either forget something (or someone) important or just straight up die. Dark’s code was not like that of a normal sticks' for reasons he couldn't understand. It was messy, disorganised and a nightmare to even try to check out.

He promised himself he'd get better tools and delete the code one day. It'd be amazing to not feel so hungry, not have this itch to destroy and hurt whatever he could all the time.

And...

He could go back to living with Chosen again.

Well, he still kind of lived with him, but not as much as they used to.

'Poor Cho....he probably gets so bored on his own' Dark thought.

Dark wanted to tell him about the mission code, but he didn't think that was a good idea. Chosen already was a very jumpy, mistrustful stick and something told him that if Dark tried to explain he had urges to break every bone in his body do questionable things to him... He wasn't sure if Chosen would understand.

To be honest, he himself wouldn’t either.

...His worst fear was that Chosen might pull away entirely. Might think of him as evil.

He's not evil though 

 He would never try and risk that.

Because... Chosen was his friend after all. He had spared him in the pc, something Dark felt like he didn't deserve. He showed him mercy when his own creator didn't give a damn whether he lived or not.

Chosen had fun ideas and interesting concepts when he wasn't sulking in his room and Dark genuinely enjoyed his companionship with Chosen.

...He had work to do. He didn't have time for this.

Dark fished out another clean sheet of paper and started re-sketching the virabot.

When was he going to go home?

When was it safe enough to go home?

Definitely not today. He felt like if he even caught a glimpse of Chosen, he'd start feeling like he did yesterday.

And he was terrified that this time, he'll lose all control over himself and...

Yeah... He should probably make something to control himself.

...hey that's an idea.

...

That's a brilliant idea!

He pushed away the sheet of paper and rapidly typing on the computer 

He would finally be able to spend some time with Chosen again!

‘Might take a little longer to get back home, but it’ll be worth it’

Of course it would.

Chapter Text

It's been four days since Dark left.

He's still not back.

Chosen could barely sleep last night. 

The silence was overwhelming. 

Too loud, if that made sense.

He couldn't sleep inside. 

Not even Dark's room was helping anymore. He slept (with much difficulty) on the roof instead 

Now, Chosen was once again pacing the kitchen’s cold tiles, the birds twittering their early morning songs outside.

 It was dawn, the sun rising, giving the kitchen a dim yellow glow.

The food finished yesterday...

Chosen rechecked the cabinets for the fourth time.

Nothing but a basically empty honey jar. 

He'd been living off honey and pasta sauce sandwiches (which were quite good, surprisingly) and anything else he could find for the past few days.

Dark was always the one who bought the groceries.

Chosen’s stomach gave a deep grumble. He hadn't eaten anything since lunch or breakfast. Yesterday.

‘Maybe it's time I visited the city?’

---

Chosen weaved himself through the crowded streets of Stick City, clutching a worn brown cloak round his shoulders and hood pulled down, hiding his face.

It was really, really loud here. Cars were horning, sticks shouting, random background noises, stray dogs barking...

It was getting a tad too much...

Chosen never liked loud noises. Especially unexpected and unpredictable ones.

 Too sharp, too jarring, too sudden, too much.

He clutched the few banknotes he had crumpled in his hand, looking for a place he could get something to eat. 

He wasn't really sure where he could, as he'd only been to the city once, and even then, Dark had been guiding him that time.

A male stick shoved past him, causing him to stumble to the side. He steadied himself against a wall.

He really didn't like the city.

Something caught his eye.

A cafe sign.

His eyes lit up.

Making his way through the noisy crowd, he manages to reach the cafe and push the door.

It wasn't a very busy cafe; barely any sticks were in there.

The racket outside reduced to a hum as Chosen nervously stepped over to the front desk.

The bright orangey-yellow lights bore down on him, exposing him, as the chatter of the few customers at their tables and chairs grew louder. The air was filled with the smell of pastries, very, very sweet tea and the strong scent of bitter coffee, similar to how Dark smelt.

 Chosen felt like everybody's eyes were on him, silently judging him for reasons he didn’t know.

‘Am I doing something wrong?’

‘Walking wrong? Breathing wrong?? ’

As he approached the counter, a pale green stick, probably around her late teens or early twenties, greeted him with a smile.

A wave of nausea churned in Chosen’s stomach — the anxiety was nearly unbearable.

He fiddled with the edge of his cloak and, feeling a little self-conscious, pulled back his hood, exposing himself even further.

He could almost hear the whispers of customers commenting on his uncommon hollow head

He darted a quick look around.

Nobody seemed to notice... or even care

 Maybe he was over thinking this?

They are other sticks, just like himself after all.

"Hey kid, how can I help ya?" The cashier exclaimed in a loud, bubbly tone, resting her arms down against the counter.

Chosen noticed a large sign behind her, displaying the different options of cakes, sandwiches and coffees.

The words were stuck in his throat, his stomach churning with anxiety. 

That or the fact he hadn't eaten in over 16 hours.

He forces them out.

"Hello..." He mumbles, cursing himself for sounding so pathetic.

"What can I get for 5 dollars?"

By some miracle, the cashier heard him. She pauses in thought for a moment, before replying.

"Well you could get a tuna sweetcorn sandwich, or a chicken sandwich or my personal favourite-"

A sudden pain jabbed itself into Chosen's upper arm.

 His muscles twisted in on themselves, tightening painfully with every passing second. Chosen stiffened, the cashier’s words slipping into static.

The lights flared—too bright. The whispers swelled, louder and louder and louder and—

“Hun? You with me?”

Chosen gave a quick nod, though his arm throbbed with agony. His muscles seized, locking up—each twitch sharp and unbearable.

It hurt so bad, he had to bite down on his tongue to prevent groaning aloud.

 His chest tightened, making breathing extremely difficult. It felt like he was breathing through a straw and his lungs refused to expand properly.

He could see the cashier’s mouth moving, her lips going up and down, her expression growing worried but he couldn't respond. He knew she was speaking, but it all felt like static. 

All the chatter, the whispers, the street, the shouting, the clang and clatter of dishes merged into one big incoherent buzz.

He was barely aware of the fact that the cashier had come round the counter and taken his of his unaffected arm, leading him into somewhere darker, quieter. Not very wide, filled with disregarded cardboard boxes and one old wooden table.

The pain was still there.

 Still there.

It wouldn’t stop—

wouldn’t stop—

wouldn’t stop—

why wouldn’t it stop?

...The girl's lips were moving again. She sat him down over one large box and flicked on a switch.

Instantly a dim blue light switched on, flickering slightly. 

Chosen blinked, before whispering, "sorry..."

A strange look of crossed her face. 

She was saying something again. 

Chosen tried to focus on the words with no result. 

His head was lost in past memories of cursors, walls, metal balls, pain and chains...

The ones that wrapped round his arms, clamped down on his ankles like snakes, forced him to his knees Infront of a gigantic cursor that hovered over him, his very existence at risk from deletion by two simple clicks.

Two clicks was it all it would take to end him.

Blood seeping down from an open head wound. Blood running down his ankles and arms, the jagged chain edges cutting into his skin. Blood leaking out of his mouth and dripping onto the floor-

"…call a doctor?"

Chosen blinked again, looked up at the girl and shook his head. She knelt down in front of him.

"Are you in pain?"

Her voice was muffled, hard to follow, but he understood. Barely.

Chosen gestured to his arm, wincing as stabbing pain ripped through his arm like electricity.

"My...arm...I...

-its fine, it'll go soon-mngh!"

Chosen grabbed his arm as the muscles twisted further, feeling as though they might tear apart, and dug his hand into his arm.

The lights started blurring and flashed. His mind was filled with a kind of noise he couldn't name, like a loud humming that was deafening.

The girl was gone.

-Oh wait, there she was.

She re-entered the room, a bottle of water and something else inside her fist.

She knelt down and pushed something small, white and circular against Chosen's mouth. 

"Eat it."

She pushes it in, and Chosen didn't resist. It didn't really matter. What was a fight going to do? He was already so weak

He never should of left the house.

She uncapped the bottle and handed it to him, to which he gulped down, helping him swallow the bitter flavour of whatever she had given him.

Why didn't he just stay home? Dark was coming today (probably), he couldn't have waited for Dark to get something?

Where did Dark even get food from?

Did he even have food at his lab?

How was he still alive without his coffee?

Did he have coffee there?

What did he even do in his labs anyway?-

...his arm cramp... Was gone???

"You good?"

Aside from the lingering pain, his muscles had unseized, the stabbing pain reduced significantly to barely anything. He examined to her arm, stretching it out and curled it up before staring up at the girl who stood over him in confused wonder.

"H-how did you...?"

"Painkillers." the girl replied in a matter-of-fact way. She looked at him with concern.

"How you feeling now?"

"...I'm fine...

-Why did you help me?"

The girl seemed a little surprised by the question.

"What do you mean? How could I not help?"

She eyed him up and down. "You’re a little young to have cramps..."

Chosen didn't say anything. 

His stomach suddenly let out a loud grumble. He blushed and turned his head away in shame.

The girls face cracked into a smile. "I'll get you your sandwich. Do you wanna wait outside or stay here in the storage room?"

Ah, this was the storage room. Explains the boxes.

Chosen stood up. He didn't want to cause more trouble for this poor cashier then he already had.

He was such a nuisance.

Following her out of the room, the bright orange lights hit him again, blinding him for a moment.

 If the noise in the storage was loud, over here it was even worse.

Faint shouts rang from the streets, the never-ending chatter of the costumers echoed through the cafe, a baby was crying somewhere in the back of the cafe and he could make out what sounded like somebody watching on their phone.

"What sandwich you want Hun?"

His mind went blank. What was the options again...?

"Anything is good," he mumbled.

"Chicken it is then!"

She turned around to leave.

"Wait-" 

She turned back around to face him again.

Chosen swallowed, his cheeks going hot, the floor swaying under his feet.

"T-thank you for the pills.... How much do I owe you for-"

"The pills are my own honey, you don't owe me anything," she cut him off quickly… gently even. "Quick question, do you have any health conditions?"

What was a health condition? Like… an illness?

"I-I don't think so?" He stammered.

"You should probably get checked out with a doctor. Just to be sure y’know?"

Chosen nodded, though he wasn't really sure what she meant. He knew doctors helped the sick and injured people but he wasn't sure if this counted. It was just a cramp.

The girl disappeared off into one of the back doors, leaving Chosen standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

Suddenly self-conscious, he sat down at an empty chair at the counter and traced the bumpy edge of the polished stone counter.

A sudden vibration came from his hoodie pocket under his cloak, making him jump.

Chosen pulled out his phone from his pocket and opened it.

A message.

More importantly, who the message was from.

Chosen only had one contact on his phone. Dark.

"Where are you?"

Chosen's fingers flew over the letters.

"Coming home now."

Chapter Text

Chosen half landed, half fell from his flight in front of the house.

Hastily picking himself up, he stumbles up to the door.

Pushing it open, he looked around eagerly, expecting to see Dark sitting on the couch, coffee in one hand, phone in the other.

... He's not there.

Okay... maybe he hasn't made his coffee yet, and he's brewing one in the kitchen?

Chosen dashes to the kitchen.

Empty.

Then he bolts upstairs.

Nobody

Checks his room.

Still empty.

A cold feeling formed in the pit of his stomach.

He approached Dark’s room door, his heart already sinking.

He gave it a light knock. 

And another knock, louder.

No answer.

Chosen turned the handle.

The room was exactly how he had left it two nights ago.

Bed still undone, blanket still a rumpled heap on the ground. 

He's not here.

His stomach gave a twist

'Did I... did I imagine the whole thing?'

How bad are my hallucinations getting?!'

A shuffling sound comes from upstairs.

Of course! The roof!

 Chosen, with new hope fluttering in his chest, practically flew up to the roof.

Bursting through the empty door, his eyes immediately landed on the red stick standing near the edge of the roof, looking over.

Dark. 

Dark apparently heard him approaching, turned around and faced Chosen.

Chosen had to stop himself from running into the Dark and hugging him, and instead, forced himself to walk at a only slightly fast pace.

He had been so scared, Dark might've left him. 

Chosen was wrong of course; Dark was his friend.

As Chosen came closer, he realised Dark looked a little...

off….

The red pupils in his eyes were larger than usual, barely any black in them. 

Under his eyes were darker, kind of hollow, and he looked tired.

Really tired. 

Exhausted even.

He was wearing long sleeves...

Dark always rolled his jacket sleeves up.

That's... odd.

Dark’s face broke into a large grin.

Chosen instantly felt more relaxed.

If Dark was smiling like that, it was probably just a sleepless night.

"Can't believe you actually left the house," Dark smirked, crossing his arms.

Chosen rolled his eyes, but smiled. 

He'd missed Dark.

"Well, where else was I supposed to get food from? Everything’s finished."

Dark stared at him. "I left enough food to last a week..."

Chosen looked at him in confusion. "What food?"

"Did you... did you not check the cabinet under the sink?"

"That can open?! I thought it was just a design!"

Dark groaned, clutching his head.

 "Oh my god, Chosen, you absolute dumbass, what have you been eating these past four days?!?!"

"Um... sandwiches."

"With what bread?? We ran out last week!"

"The bread that was next to the bin."

"Chos- THAT WAS MOULDY YOU IDIOT!"

“How was I supposed to know that????"

"It was literally GREEN!"

" No, it wasn't-

... Now that I think about it, the sandwiches did have a weird tang to them, but I thought it was just the sauce."

Dark gave an exasperated moan.

"The frick you mean sauce-

What did you put in those sandwiches?!"

“...Honey and pasta sauce.”

Dark looked like he was about to explode.

Chosen's stomach let out deep growl.

Dark stared at him and slowly exhaled, as if trying to stay calm.

"When...when exactly did you last eat Chosen?"

"Yesterday mornin-!"

Chosen jumped as Dark's hand shot out and clamped tightly around his wrist.

"Get. Downstairs. Kitchen. Now." He hissed, dragging Chosen across the roof and downstairs.

---

Chosen watched in admiration as Dark sliced the onions, knife rising and falling so fast it was a blur.

He lifted the cutting board and slid the perfectly cut and tiny onions into the old rusty and black burnt bottomed pot over the stove, adjusting the flame to low.

Pouring in a bit of oil and some kind of tiny brown things that looked like extremely small seeds, he spun round to Chosen and tossed him a wooden spoon.

"Mix," he ordered, examining a couple of fat red tomatoes and running them under the tap.

Chosen stirred slowly, pushing the onions from one side of the pot to the other. The little brown dots clung to the onions and oil, small flicks of oil jumping up out of the pot.

Chosen liked the way it smelt, the way the oil crackled, the way-

"Faster!" Dark barked, knife practically invisible by how fast he was slicing the tomatoes.

"You’re going to burn the onions slowpoke! Even a snail could do it faster!"

Chosen quickly nodded and immediately stirred faster.

 The oil splashed against the sides of the pot, drops flying out. A couple landed on Chosen's hand and wrist and he hissed out in pain.

Dark suddenly appeared next to him, dumping small square cut tomatoes into the pot. He pushed Chosen aside and snatched the spoon.

"Like this," he demonstrates, stirring, quickly yet careful so the oil didn’t slosh against the sides.

 He pushes the spoon back into Chosen's hands.

Chosen stirred again, cautiously this time.

Dark grabbed a large knife off the counter and began cutting a raw, pink chicken's breast into small, chunky cubes.

The smell of hot oil and browned onions drifted upwards. Chosen took a deep sniff. 

It smelt good. There was something very pleasant in the smell of cooking onions

He cleared his throat. 

"So, what have you been working on in the shed?"

"Labs," Dark corrected, eyes fixed on the chicken he was cutting. "Not much, trying out a new virus module."

He dropped the knife onto the counter, seized a few spices from the shelf and shook them into the pot. Chosen watched anxiously.

"You sure that isn't too much?"

"Dunno. Hopefully not," Dark went back to cutting.

He paused for a moment, and turned to Chosen.

"Mix Cho," he reminded, turning back to the chicken 

Chosen watches as the reds, oranges and yellows swirl together into the pot, leaving a brownish red colour to the onions and melting tomatoes.

 They had developed into a kind of sauce by now.

"How's that going?" Chosen asked.

"What?"

"The virus model How's it going?"

"Ah. Okay I guess, few problems though."

"What problems?"

Dark gave a frustrated sigh, tossing in the chicken pieces into the pot, and taking the spoon from Chosen, he started mixing, though a little more aggressive than before.

"The virus body is functioning, I just need..."

He scowled, mixing faster still, adding water to the pot from a large glass jug.

"I want to make my virus to be good. Really good.

Better then all those lame ones with their useless pop ups and dumb freezes."

Chosen stiffened slightly at the mention of pop ups.

Dark sniffed the pot and threw in some salt.

"So, what's the problem?" Chosen asked.

"To make a strong virus I need...a base virus."

Chosen looked at him, confused. "Base virus?"

Dark scooped up a chicken piece on the spoon, the chicken now brownish red, tore a tiny bit of and nibbles it.

He offers the rest to Chosen.

"I need to buy an expensive virus if I want it to be good, and you and me both know I can't afford it."

Chosen grabbed the chicken piece and threw it into his mouth, barely chewing before swallowing.

"Damn Dark, this is good!" Chosen exclaims, licking his sauce-stained lips and fingers.

Dark grinned and mimicked a bow.

"Why do you need to buy a virus anyway?"

"Because my virus is going to be different! Stronger! Smarter! And to do that, I need to study another powerful virus, maybe steal some of their code, do some experiments and other crap."

"And we can't afford one?"

Dark groaned. "Hell no, not even close."

He sank down into a chair, and smirked.

"Would’ve stolen it if I could, but all the best viruses locations are unknown. Probably somewhere on the dark web."

Chosen watched Dark.

 He looked irritated, annoyed.

Maybe even upset.

His viruses were everything to him.

Chosen wished he could help.

...There was one way

"Had my eye on this pretty little virus. Zedie virus's the name. Genuinely amazing construction, an incredible hacking system, a-"

"Dark, if you did have a virus, what would you do with it?"

He shrugged. "Probably just study it, maybe extract some code-"

"Would you have to kill the virus in the process?"

Dark looked horrified. “NO! Are you fricken insane?!

...Why are you asking me all this? You never usually ask."

Chosen paused, and sat down in the chair next to Dark.

"I think I might have a way for you."

Dark rolled his eyes. " What, ya got 5,000 dollars hidden under your bed?"

"Focus Dark, I have to tell you something."

"Mhm,” Dark leaned back into the chair and shut his eyes. It annoyed Chosen that he wasn't taking him seriously.

He took a deep breath.

"I'm...I'm a virus Dark."

Darks eyes flew open and he shot up in his chair.

"WHAT?!" He spluttered, eyes wide and staring at him in astonishment.

"You can...Use me if you want.

"What in the-how-? When were you- how are you-"

"Dark! Focus!"

Dark took a deep inhale, then exhaled slowly. Relaxing his posture, he opened his mouth.

"How are you a virus? How do you know-?"

"I am a virus."

Dark didn’t look convinced and raised his eyebrow.

"Are you sure-?"

"Positive." 

Chosen knew. He could never forget that.

 Never forget the blaring sirens the day he tried ending Alan's pc, the voice echoing around him that a virus was inside the computer, the lightning bolts flying at him, pinning him down, points digging and slicing through his skin.

Never forget when the chest clamped shut around him, trapping shut so tight he could barely breath. Never forget how black and silent it was in there.

Never forget the beginning of the end of his short-lived freedom.

Dark leaned forward, staring into Chosen's eyes.

"And you wouldn't mind if I were to... Study you?”

“Yup, as long as its not dangerous, there’s not really a issue right?”

“Yeah, but still, there is a lot of physical tests and endurance I want to do.

It might be...difficult. You really sure about this?"

Chosen met his eye with confidence.

Dark seemed a little taken aback by that. He wasn't used to Chosen making eye contact.

Or being confident.

"Look at it this way, I get to spend more time with you, and you get to make the virus of your dreams. I am very sure."

Dark’s face glowered, smiling at Chosen, a genuine, real smile that reached his eyes, making them light up.

He flung his arms around Chosen's neck, shocking Chosen almost out of his skin.

Was Dark... Hugging him?!

"Thanks Cho,"  he whispered happily, hugging tighter.

Chosen was stiff at first.

He couldn't believe Dark was actually hugging him. Then, he slowly relaxed. He wasn't really used to any physical touch other than pain but this felt...

Nice.

Warm.

Comforting.

Chosen breathed in the light scent of coffee that clung to Dark, shutting his eyes.

This really was nice-

...was that smoke?

"MY CHICKEN!" Dark screeched, shoving Chosen away and bolting for the pot.

"AH FU-!"

Chapter Text

"So, what do you think Cho?"

"Wow... you really changed things up in here huh?"

Dark led Chosen through the shed's door. This wasn't how Chosen remembered it.

 What he remembered was a small, rotten and falling to pieces shed with cobwebs and dust in every inch of the place, random crap like empty wrappers or cardboard boxes littering the floor.
Not…this
 Now, tables were attached to the freshly painted grey walls, with dirty coffee mugs, blueprints and pens lay scattered on them.
A single laptop sat on it, surrounded by a tangle of multicoloured wires and multiple usb plugs sticking into it.

Chosen slowly approached a large picture on the wall, displaying the insides of what he assumed was Dark's new virus.

It had a semicircular body, sharp fangs and four legs.
Looked like a spider.

 Made sense; Dark loved spiders.
Chosen never really understood why though.

Probably because he was squeamish of them

"Is this the virus?" Chosen asked, hand reaching out and stroking the smooth paper.

“That’s her alright, isn’t she a beauty?”
He heard Dark move behind him.
A hand grabbed his wrist.
Chosen flinched.

Idiot why would you flinch you freaking weirdo he's your friend what's wrong with you

Darks fingers loosened slightly as he tugged Chosen to a wall, free of any posters or tables.
Completely empty.

"Um...what are we doing?"
"Shut up and wait," Dark said, letting go of Chosen's hand and running his fingers under the closest desk.

A low beep was heard, making Chosen jolt back in surprise.

A square patch of the floor, around the size of a large coffee table slid back, revealing a long, deep hole in the floor.
Chosen cautiously walked over peered over the edge.
Black.
It was pitch black down there.
"Woah..."he breathed. "When did you make this?"
"Me? make this? Nahhh," Dark scoffed, stretching out his arms.
 "It was here before, hidden under some junk, probably how we missed it the first time. Just a big, fat, gaping hole in the floor."
He strolled over to the edge.

"What's down there?" Chosen asked.
It was so...deep... and black.
Like if you were to fall in, you would keep falling and falling and falling forever.

"Jump in and find out," Dark smirked, standing up.
"What?"
"Just make sure to slow down with your fire when you get near the bottom."
"Okay..."
Dark flung himself forward and disappeared into the hole.

Chosen hesitated, before following
 

Falling.
He couldn't see anything. Only black.
Just like in the dream.
Wind rushes past his face, through his clothes.

Falling.

Falling.

Fallin-
Wait, there was light coming from the bottom!

Fire flickered in chosens palms. He slowed down, landing lightly at the bottom.

He looked round his new surroundings.

He stood near a grey rocky wall in a dimly lit square room.
A desk stood in the far left corner of the room, a large computer on it, messy multicoloured wires twisted and tangled around each other.
Dark sat in a black spinny chair next to the desk, typing something on the computer.
Spinning round in it, he leaned back, and with a smug, and said,
"Like my lab? Not just a shed anymore is it?"
“it… it really isn’t a shed.”

Chosen moved towards another large metal desk, bits of wires with exposed copper ends, breadboards, electric chips, screws and other things random things.
Picking up a broken piece of glass and examining it, he says,
"This...is actually really cool Dark,"
Dark grinned. "Knew you'd love it."

Then his face went serious.
"So Cho..."
"Yeah?"
Dark stood up and hesitantly walked over to Chosen.
"I need to see your code, so erm..."
He snatched Chosen's arm and yanked him over to the computer, pushing him (rather rough) down on the chair.

"What do you mean- how are you going to see my code?!" Chosen half asked, half exclaimed. He hadn't expected Dark to just push him into a chair like that!

Dark scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"As much as I love you Cho, I can't believe you're a virus until I have proof."

Chosen felt a little offended. Dark thought he was lying? Chosen would never lie!
Usually

Dark, noticing the change in Chosen's expression quickly said, "it's not that I think your lying, it's just that..."
He paused, trying to find the right words. "Just that I need to see evidence or I physically can't believe you."

"...Fine." Chosen muttered, a little saltyly.
"How do we check the code?"
Dark grinned, moving towards the computer and rapidly typed the keyboard keys.
 They made a satisfying click click every time they were hit.
Chosen liked that sound.

"Gimme your hand," Dark commanded.

Chosen raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"
He stretched out his arm and Dark took hold of his wrist.
A little too tight though.

He clamped something around it.

 It looked like a metal chain braclet, with a glowing green outline. A single, yellow wire was attached to it.

 Dark plugged the wire into the computer and started pressing a few keys.


Chosen's chest suddenly tightened. His lungs wouldn't expand properly, making breathing difficult.

The cold metal locked around his wrist, it felt like...felt just like those chains...

He needed to calm down.

These were not chains, he wasn't back there again, he's with his best friend hes not alone anymore and everything is fine now and he's safe now he's happy now-

"Cho?"
Chosen's eyes snapped to his. He wasn't aware of the fact he had zoned out.

"Cho...you good?" Dark asked, a note of concern in his voice.
 

Great. There you go being a nuisance again.

Chosen gave a quick nod, forcing a smile. Dark continued to look at him with a worried expression.
Look what you've done, you've made Dark worried you stupid idiot.

"Is it another cramp?"

Chosen shook his head quickly.
 "I...I don't get cramps…anymore..." he mumbled.

Dark looked a little confused. "Eh?
What do you mean by 'you don't get them anymore'???"

Chosen shifted in his seat, avoiding Dark's eye.
"They... they went away after you left. I haven't had... one since."
Liar

Dark frowned. "You sure? Not even one?"

Chosen shook his head a little too fast.
Dark didn't seem to notice.
 He ran his fingers around the smooth edge metal clamp his chains had rough jagged edges, his chest slowly loosened, making breathing thankfully a lot easier.

Dark scratch his head. "You've been having cramps since we first came to this place… are you doing something different? New routine or something?"
"I... I started stretching. Every morning. Saw an article on google that says it helps."

Liar liar liar
Such a liar.

"Wow Cho, that's great news!"

"Yeah I know! No more pain heh..."

'I am such a liar'
'At least you’re not such a burden anymore'
 
Dark turned back to the computer and the hit a few keys.
"Right, now you see that metal around your arm?"
Chosen nodded.
"That things gonna scan your blood and see your code. Might feel a lil weird tho. Ready?"
"Yep."
"Then let's start this sucker up!"
Chosen winced back as Dark slammed his hand on one of the keys, bracing for the clamp to glow, or vibrate or blow up.

And nothing happened.
A few more seconds passed.

"Er...dark, is this thing on?"

"Shut up idiot and wait a sec."

A few more seconds pass.
...and still nothing happened.

Dark glared at the machine as though it had personally insulated him.
"Every time! Every single time I need this stupid computer, it crashes! What's the flipping point of it?!"

The clamp started a low humming noise, vibrating.

Must of gotten scared.
Dark gave a sigh of relief.

"It works!" He cheered, throwing his arms up in excitement.

The green outline of the clamp glowed bright.
 Chosen felt a weird sensation run through his wrist inside his arm.

 It felt kind of like electric, only without pain, that went fizzing through his bloodstream. He felt it travel through his body like dozens of tiny eels swimming through his blood.
It felt weird.
Chosen suddenly felt the urge to laugh even though nothing was funny.

As quickly as it started, it was over.

 The humming halted, the vibrations slowed and the green lights dimmed.

 
Chosen realised his hands were trembling, fingers twitching.
Holding them up he asked, "this normal?"
"Hm?" Dark looked back from the machine.
"Yeah, don't worry about it, should stop in 30 seconds."

Chosen stood up. His legs felt a little shaky and weak.

He didn’t like that.

"So when will you get the results?" He inquired curiously, peeking at Dark’s computer. The screen was filled with random numbers, symbols and letters that he didn't understand the meaning of.
"Like, half an hour or something."
"Oh, so what should we do in the meantime?"
Darks face broke into a grin.
"I have to show you something," he proclaimed excitedly, moving towards the open hole in the ceiling that they had come in from.

"C'mon!" He yells, his voice muffling as he flew up the hole.
Chosen paused, before rushing to catch up with him.

‘This better not be another coffee machine’ he thought grinning.

Chapter Text

Dark stood at the edge of the cliff, the sea waves crashing against the rocks and the wind roaring in his ears, swaying the tall green grass behind him.

Chosen ran up next to him, out of breath

“What... what did you want to show me?” He pants.

Dark smirks, grabbing Chosen’s wrist.

Chosen yanks it away. “What’s up with you grabbing my wrists today?!”

Dark rolls his eyes.

“May I have the honour of holding it, Your Highness?” He asks in a sarcastic tone, extending a hand, a smug smile on his face.

Chosen glares at him, but allows Dark to take his wrist.

Dark’s head tilted upward as if scanning the air, before a burst of flame shot from his free hand, jolting them both up into the air.

“D-dark?! The hell you doing???” Chosen screeches, forced to use his own fire with his other hand to keep up with Dark.

Dark cackled with laughter and sped up.

“Just wait Cho! Lil bit higher and you’ll see!” he yells back, grinning, his sharp fangs gleaming white in the sunlight.

The waves below them grew quieter as they flew higher and higher, wind whipping past Chosen’s cheeks, stinging his eyes and causing tears to well up.

He blinked them away.

Soon they had raced past the clouds, the water’s waves only a faint hum below them. the sky was a pretty pale blue, fresh like someone had just washed it.

What was Dark doing?! Where did he want to go that was this high-

Chosen glances upwards, and his heart stops.

...no

No

Nononono

He’s not...he’s not doing that right?

Yeah, of course he isn’t.

The computer IP boxes grew closer and closer, thousands of different names written on each of them. Some were bright blue, meaning the user was online while others were a dark, faded blue, indicating nobody was using it.

Dark dragged Chosen higher and higher, speeding towards one of the faded boxes.

“D-dark! Stop!” Chosen shouted, trying to be heard over the wind.

Either he didn’t hear him or he was ignoring him, Dark flew even closer, only a few meters away now...

Panic swelled up in Chosen’s chest.

What was he doing?! Has he gone mad?!

Is he trying to break into a computer? What if the user finds out? What if they trap them and chain them up and use them to-

Chosen couldn’t breathe.

His chest tightened for the second time that day, but this time it felt like his body was being crushed between two walls. His breaths came out hitched and uneven, like a sort of gasping.

They were so close to the pc now...

“Dark! Hey D-Dark STOP! Please!”

Dark appeared to not have heard him.

With the wind roaring in their ears, it made sense he didn’t.

Dark stretched out a hand to the box as if to touch it, mere inches away.

And that’s when Chosen had enough.

He abruptly cut off his own fire.

Dark was suddenly left carrying both their weight with one hand.

He faltered. Fell down a bit.

He looked down and stared in surprise and irritation at Chosen when he noticed he wasn’t using his fire too.

His mouth flew open, and muffled frustrated noises Chosen couldn’t make out spurred from his lips as he struggled, trying to keep them both up in the air

Chosen seized Dark’s hand and blasted them both downwards.

Surprised and furious sounds came from Dark as he tried to tug away, but Chosen held him tighter, dragging him down until they could hear the waves again, louder than ever now.

A little too loud. And close.

Too close, too close, TOO CLOSE-

SPLASH!

They both crashed headfirst into the sea

---

Dark pulls himself over the cliff, collapsing on his hands and knees on the hard whitish-grey stone, gasping for air, choking up bitter, salty water.

He was soaked to the bone, the wind making him shiver as more coughs wracked his body.

He heard Chosen pull himself up behind him, panting.

Dark turned his head back to see Chosen crawling over the stone cliff and flopping down onto his back.

His clothes were drenched, shirt clinging to his body.

He met Dark’s eye, his expression guilty and nervous.

“I...” He started, looking even more guilty, and sat upright.

Dark glared at him, anger burning in his chest like a fire, fighting the urge to push Chosen off the cliff.

“What. The hell. Was THAT?” Dark yelled, sitting up and giving Chosen a dirty look.

Chosen winced and turned his gaze downwards, fiddling with the ends of his shirt sleeves.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- I don’t know what happened-

are you okay?”

“Oh, absolutely—I’m perfectly fine, after being dragged into the sea by my idiot brother!”

Chosen flinched. “I’m really sorry, Dark I... I don’t know what came over me...”

The fire inside Dark grew, raging and begging to destroy, his fingers itching to hurt something, his pupils thinning as he glared at Chosen.

“Why did you do that? We were almost there!”

“I-I know... I just couldn’t-”

“Couldn’t what, Chosen? What couldn’t you do?!”

“... I don’t know... I’m sorry...”

Dark let out an aggravated growl, clutching fistfuls of his hair in his hands.

Chosen looked up, a worried expression on his face.

He scooted over next to Dark.

“Look, we’re both soaking, let’s just go home and I’ll make you some coffee,” Chosen said in a somewhat soothing but cautious voice, placing a hand on Dark’s shoulder

He whacked it away, scowling.

“Don’t touch me!” he snarled.

The anger, the fire inside him, Chosen’s hand, the desire to cause pain, to hurt something... It was all too much!

Chosen looked a little hurt.

“Dark, come on, you’re gonna get sick if-“

His hand lingered near Dark’s, inching closer with hesitation.

‘Don’t touch me’

‘Don’t touch me don’t touch me don’t touch me!’

He shoves Chosen back roughly against his chest.

Hard.

Too hard.

Surprised by the shove, Chosen jerks back, his head slamming into the stone with a sickening crack

Dark froze.

Chosen didn’t move at first. He just lay flat on his back, blinking slowly, as if trying to piece together what had just happened.

He sat up slowly, wincing slightly, clutching his head with one hand.

And he stiffened.

His eyes darted towards Dark’s as he brought his hand over to his face.

It came back with dark red liquid dripping down his fingers.

Chosen stared at it before his trembling pupils met Dark’s thin ones.

“D-dark?” He barely whispered, voice trembling.

‘That’s... That’s not- it can’t be blood- I didn’t even push him that hard!’

‘What... what did I do?!’

Dark scrambled over to Chosen’s side, seizing his hand and holding it up.

Blood.

It was dripping with blood.

He... He made Chosen bleed.

He made his friend bleed.

He made his best friend BLEED.

“I didn’t mean to push you that hard! I- crap- are you ok?!” Dark fumbled over his words, hands hovering over Chosen, unsure whether he could touch him.

“I...” Chosen swallowed. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Dark gazed across an open gash in on Chosen’s head, still trickling blood, staining his black hair with maroony red.

A flood of guilt consumed him, his heart overwhelmed by sharp, aching pangs.

I did that.

I didn’t even mean to... It was just a push!

It was an accident

I pushed Chosen a thousand times before!

Accidents happen

...I didn’t even push with all his strength

Chosen is fine.

I was just so angry...

He shouldn’t have upset you.

That not an excuse to crack his head!

Chosen gave an awkward chuckle.

“So guess we’re even now, huh? I drag you into the sea and you push me.”

“God Chosen I’m so sorry, I swear I didn’t mean to push that hard!-“

“It’s fine, really. it was just an accident! And I’m sorry for drowning you.”

“I really didn’t mean to-“

“Dark, it’s FINE,” Chosen cut him off firmly.

“No it’s not! I made you freaking bleed damnit! BLEED!”

“And I forgive you, it was an accident.”

“You shouldn’t! You should-“

“Should what?” Chosen cut him off.

“I don’t know, be mad?! Hit me back?”

“But you're my friend,” Chosen says softly, turning away and staring out into the raging ocean, the setting sun sending rays of golden light skimming over its surface.

Dark looks up at him, frowning. “So?”

“So It’s okay, I forgive you,” Chosen states, as if Dark had done nothing more than steal his cake from the fridge.

Dark stares at him, still trying to understand what Chosen was saying. It was... okay?

He made a bleeding gash in his head and that’s okay? And Chosen didn’t look mad, or even upset, It made no sense; why would he just….

forgive him?

Chosen stands up with a grunt and extends a hand to Dark, a reassuring smile on his face.

“C’mon, do you have any spare clothes at the shed-i mean lab we can change into?”

Dark nods, hesitating before placing his hand in Chosen’s and allowing him to pull him up.

He let Chosen lead him toward the labs, trying not to stare at the blood drops now rolling down Chosen’s neck and the red patch in his hair.

“…Cho?”

“Yeah?” he replies without turning around.

“Does it... Does it hurt?”

Dark cringed. Obviously it hurts dumbass!

“No, not really.”

“... I’m sorry Chosen.”

“It’s fine Dark.”

No it’s not.

Chapter Text

Dark rummaged through one of the drawers in his desk.

He was pretty sure he had bought loads clothes once from a charity shop for emergencies. Or extra fabric for his experiments.

Water dripped down from his wet clothes and hair onto the floor, the cold air making him shiver.

Ah wait, here was something!

Dark pulled out a plastic holey black bag, and threw it down. Multicoloured clothes spilling out onto the cold stone floor.

Turning around, he catches Chosen staring at the mountain of clothes, then at him.

"Where did you get all that from?" He asked, pointing at the clothes.

Dark waves his hand absent-mindedly, brushing him off.

Sitting down, he began digging through the enormous pile for something relatively decent to wear.

God what was all this crap?

Short sleeved shirts (can't wear that)

Is that a crop top? (Definitely not!)

A purple sweater? PURPLE??

He scrunched the sweater into a ball and was about to throw it over his shoulder, when a voice piped up behind him.

"Oh, can I wear that?" Chosen asked.

Dark spun round and stared at him.

"What? It looks warm." Chosen said defensively, giving a small shiver.

"You have terrible taste in clothes Chosen." Dark stated flatly.

"I don't care, if it'll keep me warm, I'll take it."

Dark rolled his eyes. "Sure weirdo."

He tossed it over to Chosen.

---

Dark had finally managed to find something remotely wearable (an orange, long sleeved shirt with baggy green jeans) and quickly began changing into it while Chosen was changing upstairs in the actual shed part of the lab.

As he was about to put on his shirt, he paused, catching sight of his arms.

Long, ugly lines stretched across his arms and wrists, mainly on his left, especially on the insides.

 They were thin, and had turned a darker shade of red then the rest of his skin, making them stand out on his arms.

 Some of them were still scabbed, while others had scared over.

The skin was thin, weak on the scarred parts. All it would take to pierce them was a small press from a sharp object.

Dark exhaled slowly and threw the shirt over his head.

Why didn't he feel... horror at the fact he was cutting his own body?

Isn't that the normal reaction one was supposed to have?

Why didn't he feel... Anything? Just.... numb? devoid of any feeling or emotion?

Was this normal?

Was he going mad?

'I don't think I am mad'

'I don't feel mad'

'But I do mad things'

'Is this how crazy people feel?'

'Do they not realise they were going insane?'

‘Until it was too late?’

Self-harm was a bad thing, and Dark knew that it was.

Yet...

It was better than hurting Chosen.

And it made him feel better.

Looking back on it, he didn't think that worked too well.

He winced, recalling Chosen's wide eyes, staring at the blood that dripped from his hands before looking up slowly, meeting darks eye.

 There was disbelief in his eye, like he knew what had happened, but was refusing to acknowledge it.

Like he couldn't believe Dark hurt him.

Like he wouldn’t believe it

Dark felt a sharp pang in his heart

He thought he would have been okay for a few hours without wearing the clamps... That was a mistake

He needed to put them in before he did something to Chosen again.

...Why did Chosen forgive him so fast? Why did he act like it was okay? What wasn't-

A low beep echoed through the lab, followed by the muffled sound of the stone sliding open.

Chosen dropped into the centre of the room from the hole in the ceiling, a few sparks of fire still flickering in his palms.

He caught sight of Dark and immediately burst out laughing.

Dark scowled.

"Your outfit isn't much better than mine, y'know" he mutters, annoyed to find he was embarrassed.

He rarely ever felt embarrassed.

It's not like Chosen was wearing anything better.

In fact, what he was wearing looked worse!

Baggy purple sweater with far too long sleeves and paired with far too bright blue trousers that crumpled at the bottom and hid his feet.

"At least I don't look like a flipping pumpkin," Chosen spluttered helplessly, doubling over and clutching his stomach.

Dark, to his annoyance, found his cheeks glowing hot.

He was too tired to fight back.

Hadn’t slept a wink last night…or the night before…

Dark typically wore black jackets and shirts, giving a cool and confident air to himself.

 He was very particular in his tastes and never wore...Whatever the hell these clothes were.

Chosen usually wore whatever he was comfortable in, didn't matter whether it was neon yellow or sooty grey, if it was soft and loose, Chosen would wear it.

Safe to say Chosen would never work for the fashion industry.

"Oi, the results should be done by now," Dark announced, trying to change the subject.

It worked. Chosen's face straightened and he darted towards the computer.

That's when Dark notices the red patch in his hair was still there, the stains of blood still on his neck.

He could of groaned out loud.

"Cho, did you not clean your cut??" Dark demanded, striding over next to Chosen.

"No? It's only a small cut-"

"Idiot! It could get infected- and is it still bleeding?! Doesn't it hurt you!?"

"Only little bit! It's fine, I've had worse-!"

Chosen yelps out in surprise as Dark pushes him into the chair. "Dark!?"

Dark ignores him and pulls out a roll of bandages, antiseptic cream and wipe from the desk draw behind him.

"You keep medical supplies in your desk?" Chosen said with a raised eyebrow.

"Shut up and hold still."

Dark moves behind Chosen and examined the gash. It wasn't too deep thankfully, and it wasn't bleeding as much as he thought.

'Still... I did this to him' Dark thought guilty.

He pushed the thought aside and began wiping his wound clean with an antiseptic wipe and cleaning his neck.

"I don't need this Dark! Really!" Chosen protested, starting to rise from the seat.

Dark yanked him back down.

"I said shut up and hold still remember?

 I don't give a damn whether you want it or not, you're still wearing these bandages."

Dark couldn't see Chosen's face from behind him, but he knew he just rolled his eyes.

Squeezing out a dollop of cream from the half empty tube, his finger hovered over the gash.

"Now this might hurt," Dark warned before pressing down and carefully rubbing it in.

Chosen hissed, flinching.

"Damn... This stings more than when I actually hurt my head," he joked.

"Tell me when it gets too much." Dark muttered.

"It doesn't hurt that much," Chosen brushed him off, jerking slightly when Dark applied more cream to a deeper part of the gash.

"Sure about that?"

"Yep."

When Dark was done, he unwrapped the bandages and slowly began rolling it round Chosen's head, firm so it stayed in place but not so tight it hurt.

Chosen didn't have much of a reaction, seemingly have given up trying to persuade Dark he didn't need them.

Once he secured a tight knot over the back of Chosen's head, he stepped back and examined his work.

Hmm...not bad actually.

"Thanks Dark," Chosen mumbled, gingerly touching the bandages over his forehead.

"How long do I gotta wear this for again?"

"Until it scabs over, so probably a few days," Dark replied, returning the cream and bandages to the drawer and tossing the reddish brown wipe into the trash.

"Do you have anything to eat here?" Chosen asked suddenly, spinning round in the chair. As if on que, his stomach let out a growl.

Dark grinned. Typical Cho.

"Got some instant noodles upstairs, but you'll have to heat it up with your hands cause I don't got a stove."

Chosen's eyes lit up at the word 'noodles'.

Leaping out of the chair, he turned to Dark.

"Should I make you some?" He asked.

"Nah, I'm good."

"Alright, suit yourself- hey what was my results?" Chosen asked excitedly, suddenly reminded he never found out.

"Ah yeah, right!" Dark spun round and checked the computer.

"Ugh, the stupid thing’s not opening!" He growled through gritted teeth, clenching his fist to stop himself from punching the computer.

Out of all the times his computer could freeze, why now???

He needed a new one ASAP

"Okay, I'm just gonna go up and start the noodles then. Let me know when it works yeah?"

Dark nodded absentmindedly, waving his hand, signalling Chosen to leave.

"Er... Dark?" Chosen called out.

"What?" Dark yelled back

"How does the stone trapdoor slide from the inside?"

"Just fly into it and it'll open!"

"Huh?!"

"Trust me it'll work!"

"Okay..." Chosen's uneasy reply echoed through the lab as he flew upwards, disappearing through the hole.

A few moments passed. Dark heard the trapdoor slide open and slide itself back shut.

He waited a few seconds to be sure Chosen really was gone.

Okay, seems clear…

 Glancing at the still loading computer screen, his hand reached into his pocket and pulled out something circular and metal, like a bracelet.

A metal arm clamp.

Rolling his sleeve up and ignoring the glaring scars, he snapped the cold metal around his upper arm. The cold metal meeting his hot skin made him shiver, two small studs on the inside of the clamp digging into his arm uncomfortably.

He hid  it under the orange shirt's long sleeves. The clamp was too thin to make a noticeable change to his appearance, didn't even stick out under the sleeve.

After a few seconds, strange sensation coursed through his body, sending shivers up his spine.

All of a sudden he felt... Calmer.

Less hungry.

His eye lids drooped involuntarily as his body relaxed, muscles unclenching themselves, a low sigh of relief escaping his mouth.

This felt good... Not having the horrible urge to kill kill kill.

Falling into the chair, he looks up to see the computer screen loaded.

"Let's take a look then," he mutters, sitting up and rolling forward in his chair. He read over a few lines of the results.

He frowned, leaning forward and squinting at the results.

"That.. that can't be right..." He muttered quietly.

He reached the mouse and scrolled down, eyes gliding over each line. With each sentence, his eyes grew wider and wider, his mouth falling open slightly.

No way! Impossible!

He jumped out of his chair so fast it toppled backwards.

With a burst of flame, he shot into the air and up the hole, eyes shining in excitement.

This was amazing! Impossible!

He had to show Chosen!

Chapter Text

Mix mix mix

Chosen hummed a little tune to himself quietly as he stirred the pot of noodles with a small wooden spoon.

Glancing up, he gazed across the raging ocean beyond the cliff he stood on, waves crashing against the sides of the rocks and bay.

Chosen had found while exploring the area that Dark had never actually gotten rid of any of the junk that had been cluttering up the lab; rather, he tossed them into a shallow hole in the ground behind the lab and forget about them.

Chosen had rummaged through it and had retrieved a large, rusty metal pot, a fork, a couple of spoons, cracked plastic bowls and a few wooden cooking spoons.

The noodles bubbled in the pot as Chosen increased the fire that sprung from his hands.

The savoury smell drifted upwards and hit him straight in the nose.

He let out a satisfied sigh. Smelt okay.

Chosen wished he had peas he could chuck in, or spiced chicken.

Those extra ingredients always made noodles taste even better than they already did.

Soon Chosen was pouring soupy noodles into two of small, cracked blue bowls.

Hot noodle soup dripped onto the grass below from the cracks.

Steam floated upwards from the bowl, the golden light from the distant setting sun making the noodles glow a nice yellowish orange colour.

Chosen heard Dark say he didn't want any, but he made some for him anyway.

‘He had to eat too after all.’

Seizing a small metal spoon, he moved over to the cliffs edge, and sat down slowly, swinging his legs over it.

The sun was almost down, the sky a beautiful mix of oranges, purples, yellows and blues.

Chosen marvelled at the fact that yet all these colours were so different, they seemed to blend into one another perfectly.

Harmoniously if that made sense.

It was like gazing into a painting, fluffy pink clouds and squawking black birds flying overhead, rushing back to their nests to feed their babies.

A cool breeze passed, whistling through his ears.

The first stars appeared, twinkled high above him.

Chosen shut his eyes, the bowl warm in his hands.

This was nice.

"CHOSEEEEEEEN!"

Chosen almost jumped out of his skin, the soupy noodles water splashing against the bowl's sides.

Heavy footsteps and panting rang behind him as Dark thumps down next to him, his face flushed, eyes wide and shining.

"Dark?" Chosen gapes, staring in disbelief.

He'd never seen Dark ever get this worked up before.

His hair was dishevelled, his chest rising and dropping unevenly from the panting, his eyes glittering like stars.

‘What is wrong with him??’

He clutches Chosen's sweater and starts shaking him, eyes somehow going even wider.

Chosen began to feel slightly disturbed, his head shaking back and forth.

"Chosen Chosen Chosen YOU'RE AMAZING!" He shrieks, a wide grin stretching across his face.

"Thank you but um...are you okay Dark?" Chosen gave a dazed smile and pushed Dark back gently.

"Okay, OKAY?! Why Chosen, my friend, I'm better then okay! I am ecstatic!"

He stopped shaking Chosen and clutched his sweater tighter, his knuckles digging into Chosen's chest.

Chosen fought every urge not to flinch back and shove Dark away as he placed a calm hand over Dark's...Incredibly hot ones...

Why were they so hot?

"Dark can you...er..."

He gestured to his sweater.

Dark let go immediately, an apologetic grin on his face.

"Sorry Cho, got a little carried away. Hey! You'll never guess what-" Chosen pushed the other noodle bowl into Dark's hands, handing him a crooked fork.

Dark looks at it, then glanced up at Chosen in surprise.

"I said I didn't want any."

"Too bad, now eat." Chosen replied in a surprisingly firm voice.

Dark stares down into the soupy noodles, before a grin broke across his face

"You know me too well Cho," he chuckles gratefully, already shovelling a mouthful of the hot noodles in his mouth.

Chosen rolls his eyes, picking up his own bowl and scooping up noodles with his spoon.

They slipped off the spoon.

Annoying

"Why are you so excited anyway?" He asked, trying (unsuccessfully) to scoop up the slippery noodles into his spoon.

Dark's eyes lit up, and for a moment, Chosen was afraid he was going to start yelling again

Seeing Chosen's worried expression, Dark paused, took a deep breath, and exhaled before he opened his mouth again.

"You’re not a virus Cho-" he began.

The spoon cluttered loudly against the bowl as Chosen looked at him, mouth dropping open slightly

"What do you mean not a viru- I-I AM! I-I- there's a mistake or s-something! I swear I-"

"Chosen, listen! I'm not finished! You’re not just a virus. You’re a hybrid!"

Chosen stared at him, studying Dark's face. Was this some kind of joke?

He didn't look like he was joking...

He set the bowl down.

"What exactly is that?"

Darks eyes glittered as his face flushed slightly.

It was obvious he wanted to start yelling again.

"A hybrid," he began slowly, his voice steady.

"Is something so rare it's considered almost impossible. You’re not just a virus, but an antivirus too!

Do you have any ideas of how precious you are?!"

Chosen flinched back as Dark's tone rose.

"I... I'm a what?" He mumbled, utterly lost.

 What did Dark mean, antivirus and a virus?

Chosen was a virus, always had been! Where did he get antivirus from???

Dark's grip tightened on the bowl as he leaned forward, his voice barely concealing his excitement.

"Don't you understand?" He almost whispered.

"You’re a mix! A beautiful mix of two complete opposites! You know how valuable that is?!" His voice rises again until he was basically yelling, his hands gesturing up and down so fast the soup sloshed over the sides and staining his clothes

He didn't seem to notice or care though.

Chosen's arms shot out as he grabbed Dark's shoulders, forcing him to hold still.

"Let me understand this," He swallowed.

"I'm not a virus?"

"You’re a hybrid! You're both a virus and an antivirus! Isn't that amazing?!" Dark says smiling, tugging free from Chosen's grasp.

‘H-hybrid? I'm an antivirus too? How does that even make sense?!’

"I don't understand Dark... How can that- I mean- how can I have two things that are made to kill each other inside of me?"

Dark scratched the back of his neck.

"Sorry Cho but erm... I don't actually know.

I don't understand how or why the antivirus code hasn't already killed your virus code, and I'm still trying to figure out how your actual code even works.

 But!" Dark's shouted out suddenly, making Chosen jolt back.

"That's excellent for my virus research! Just imagine all those unique test findings I'll get to study from you!" He let out a content sigh.

"I'll be able to push you to the virus limits without fear of killing you!"

"K-killing-?!" Chosen spluttered, eyes widening.

"Relax Cho, I'd never go that far," Dark assured him quickly, slinging and arm around Chosen's tense shoulder. He put down his now empty bowl on the floor.

"So what kind of tests do you want me to do?" Chosen asked, relaxing slightly.

"Physical endurance, fighting strategies and maybe a few needles here and there."

The sun had vanished under the water, the sky now a breathing view of purples and blues, stars dotting about here and there.

"The sky is kind of pretty tonight," Chosen says softly, gazing upwards.

Dark hummed in agreement.

Chosen turned his head towards Dark. It was harder to see now, his face shadowy. But his large red pupils glowed bright red, like two stars of their own....

"Dark, your- your eyes- I mean- pupils-"

"Yeah?" Dark replies lazily, falling onto his back, arms crossing under his head.

"Their kinda...big. really big..."

"Mhm."

"Like I can barely see the coloured part of your eyes big. Is that normal? Are you feeling okay?" Chosen asked anxiously.

"Your such a worry wart Cho, chill,  I feel fine."

"I know, it's just-"

Chosen's cut of as Dark yanks him down, falling flat against the soft grass.

"Ay!" Chosen said indignantly, smiling, giving Dark a friendly punch on the shoulder.

Dark laughed, ruffling Chosen's hair (while carefully avoiding the bandages)

He pauses.

"Chosen?"

"Yes?"

"You got a dent in your head."

"I-I have what?"

"A dent," Dark repeats frowning. "When did you get that?"

Chosen froze, his mind blank.

Think think think

"I think I was created with them," he smiled nervously, focusing on the stars stretching above him

Liar

To his dismay, Dark didn't look convinced.

"I have more! I think my code was just buggy or something, here, let me show you." He said quickly.

He took Dark's hand and led it to his own shoulder, where a large dent in the collar bone around his neck could be felt under his sweater

"Damn..." Dark said quietly. "Got any more of them?"

Chosen forced a smile. "Loads."

"Weird glitch, never heard of it."

"Yeah...weird."

The crickets croaked in the background, the sky darkening by the minute as bats zipped overhead. The trees swayed softly in the hot summer wind, the leaves rustling against each other.

"We sleeping outside then?" Dark spoke up suddenly.

Chosen blinked, before settling into a more comfortable position curled up on his side, a hand under his head.

"Yeah it's nice out here."

---

Hours later, Dark's deep inhales and exhales confirmed that he was in fact, asleep.

Finally.

‘That guy had insomnia or something.’

Chosen rolled over onto his back, looking up at the glowing stars and big white crescent moon.

His hand moves towards the edge of his sweater around his waist.

Sliding a hand underneath it, he travels across the faint jagged scar across his ribs, his fingers dipping when they reach the deep dent in one of his ribs bones near his lungs.

This one was by far the worst out of all the dents.

He could feel every crack under his skin on his bone, the smooth weak scar that had bleed so much when he was hurt-

He blinked, pulling his hand out from his shirt and curling up on the opposite side.

Not there anymore.

Not there anymore.

Not there anymore.

Why does his mind always wander back to...that place?

Why couldn't he just forget? Just live?

It's over.

It's over.

It's over.

Never going back there.

Safe now.

…Right?

Chapter Text

Almost 4 years earlier

‘I thought it was a trash document.’

‘The animator wouldn't be too mad surely?’

 ‘It was only half a page long... And I was so hungry-I-I couldn't stop-’

Slam!

Chosen flinched in his corner of the desktop as watched  the animator moved from the door to the desk and sit down in his chair.

Chosen tensed, hugging his knees close to his chest.

The cold metal chain against his ankle rattled, feeling heavier suddenly.

It was an accident…

‘I didn't mean- I would have never eaten it if I knew…’

‘Wasn't even written that well...’

The cursor appears in the middle of the screen.

Why did he feel so cold all of a sudden?

Why were his hands trembling?

Why did he feel lightheaded?

It moved towards the files.

Then the word documents.

Scrolled through it.

Paused.

Clicked over the empty homework file.

Loading screen

Chosen’s heart sunk, bile rising up in his throat.

His chest tightened.

‘It was just half a page.’

‘He won't be angry.’

‘…Not very much hopefully’

‘He won't punish me too hard...’

‘…Right?’

The file opened.

Nothing but a blank page stared at the animator.

Like it was insulting him.

The cursor froze, the shadowy animator beside the screen pausing as he took in what was on the screen

Chosen swallowed, biting the inside of his cheek.

‘I'm in trouble.’

The animator eyes widened in horror as he realised all his hours of work was gone

He turned his head down glared at a tiny, trembling Chosen.

Chosen shrunk back.

"What did you do you idiotic little twit?!" He hissed, slamming his fist on the tables.

The pc shook. Chosen flinched, his eyes fixed on the motionless cursor.

It darted towards him.

Click

One moment he was huddled on the ground, the next he was up in the air.

 Time seemed to slow as he fell back down, the ground grew closer and closer and closer and-

Smack!

Chosen cried out as waves of pain shot up his elbow where he had landed on it in an odd angle.

Wait-

Chosen's eyes darted around.

Where...where was the cursor-?

...Oh, there.

...why was he opening the drawing app?

The tab opens, an empty white canvas appearing at the center of the screen.

He pushes himself up onto his knees, watching the cursor warily as he cradled his throbbing arm.

 The cursor was drawing something, but he couldn't make out what it was.

‘...Was that it?’

‘That's all I'm getting?’

‘Maybe the animator’s in a good mood today.’

‘On second thought,’ Chosen glanced through the screen at the animator who was scowling, his mouth set in hard thin line.

‘He looks scary.’

‘He still looks mad though... He usually wouldn't stop until he had calmed down....

 Why didn't he-’

The cursor sliced through the air, yanking Chosen up by his chain.

Chosen let out a choked scream.

He flew through the air.

Slam!

His back smacks into the inside of the canvas's tab walls, the air knocked out from his lungs.

He slides down the wall and hits the floor, falling onto his hand and knees wheezing.

His lungs felt like a popped baloon, his heart pounding against his chest.

He lifted his head.

He was inside the drawing tab, the walls white and empty.

No escape.

In the center of the tab was a drawing of some kind of object with a thin handle and what looked like a large rectanglular stone connected at the end of it.

 It was around the same size as himself, maybe a little larger.

What was that?

....!

His eyes widened in horror, his blood turning to ice.

‘Was that...was that a hammer?!’

The cursor picked it up, and turned to Chosen.

Chosen stared, paralysed.

‘Nonono he's not that cruel- he wouldn't- he's not actually going to-!’

Crack!

Pain exploded across his shoulder.

He cried out as he fell onto his side.

His collarbone felt like it had snapped in two.

‘Was it broken?’

‘Nonono that can't happen! I can't afford for it to break! How am I supposed to burn the pop ups-’

His head snapped up as he heard the cursor swoop again.

Scrambling to his feet and he took a quick step back.

The chain yanked at his ankle.

He slipped backwards and hits the floor.

Crack!

Painpainpainpain

A scream bounced across the empty walls as Chosen clutched the back of his head in agony.

His hair felt...wet.

He could feel the cut on his head, the skin torn open.

He swallowed.

His pupils trembled as the cursor advanced again, the enormous hammer still selected.

‘Please...stop-’

The cursor swung again.

He screamed before it even hit.

---

Chosen lay curled up on his side on the floor, his head surrounded in a pool of blood.

The red looked kinda nice on the boring white floor…

Shaky sobs wracked through his trembling body, his bloody head protectectivly hidden under his throbbing arms.

His body felt...broken.

That was the only way to describe it.

Back hurt, ribs hurt, neck hurt, head hurt-

He coughed weakly, swallowing the blood that flooded into his mouth. He grimaced

He wasn't sure how many times the cursor had hit him with that...Thing.

He was never assuming documents were trash and eating them ever again.

An aching headache pierced through the back of his skull.

He tried to ignore the gaping wound on his head, still bleeding.

His collar bone felt wrong.

Still throbbing. He didn't dare touch it in case it hurt more.

So did his ribs.  They felt shattered. Especially one of the lower left rib bone that the hammers sharp corner had caught on.

He had heard the skin tear as it hit him.

The cursor, who was hovering over him, made a motion as if it was going to hit him again.

Chosen cried out, tears streaming down freely as he flinched back hard.

‘No more! Please!’

"I didn' mean to...'m sorry" He whispered hoarsely, curling into himself tighter as more sobs shuddered through his chest.

Not like begging was going to help. He’d tried that yesterday. The cursor never seemed to hear him.

His throat burned from all the screaming, voice raspy and weak.

His vision blurred, the world spinning.

He tugged weakly at the chain with his leg.

It didn't budge.

He couldn't even run.

Couldn’t escape

Just lay here and wait at the mercy of that...Cursor.

The cursor selected the hammer and...

Deleted it?

Chosen watched it with wide, scared eyes as it moved towards him.

He wanted to run.

He wanted to scream again.

He wanted to hide.

He wanted to disappear.

But he couldn't move. His limbs locked in place as the cursor hovered down next to him.

It's so big...

The best he could manage was a small whimper as he shrunk back into himself, tears welling up again.

Click

He tried struggling against the cursors hold on his arm but every movement made sharp waves of pain roll through his body.

He went limp and the cursor to carried him out of the drawing tab, like a kitten when grabbed by the scruff of the neck.

It dropped him down in his usual corner of the writing tab.

Chosen gasped out as his bruised back hit the hard ground, his face screwing up in pain.

The animator began typing what Chosen assumed was another homework essay.

Chosen slowly leans back against the wall, barely noticing the tears that rolled down his tear-stained face.

A pop up appeared.

The cursor paused, the animator's head turning to Chosen's direction.

Chosen immediately sat up straighter and slowly raised an arm, wincing as his ribs and shoulder screamed in pain.

The pop up was destroyed in seconds.

The animator went back to typing, muttering something under his breath about how essays were a waste of time and energy.

Chosen lowered his arm and slumped back against the tab wall.

The bitter metallic taste of blood still lingered at the back of his tongue.

His face felt hot and sticky.

He knew there was an injury on his chest. He could feel it burn every time he moved and every inhale he took.

He tried to ignore the wetness around it, the dark stain on his shirt on his chest, but that was almost impossible.

‘Should probably check that...’

His hand moved under his thin, flimsy shirt.

He gulped as his fingers were immediately soaked in blood.

Finding the injury, he traced the outline of the jagged cut.

‘Was kinda big...’

‘Gonna take at least a week to heal...’

.

.

.

‘...didn't think he would actually… do that to me...’

Chosen darted a look at the animator, who was typing away as if nothing had happened.

A cold feeling formed at the pit of his stomach.

‘I know he hates me but…’

‘He could have killed me... Would have killed me...’

‘Does my life mean that little to him?’

.

.

.

‘...I really am nothing but a tool.’

‘And when tools break, they are thrown away so that means... If I were to upset him again he might-’

Chosen blinked away the remainder of tears in his eyes as he burned the next pop up.

‘Just be a good tool’

‘And don't mess up’

‘ever’

Chapter Text

The song is called safe and sound

'Today was exhausting,' Chosen thought, wiping the sweat of his brow and flopping onto the soft grass below, resting his arms over his chest as he gazed up at the setting sun in the orangery purple evening sky.

He let out a content sigh and shut his eyes, his chest still heaving up and down from panting.

'Dark wasn't kidding when he said the testing would be hard...'

He made Chosen's run miles, shoot dozens of massive fireballs till his arms felt like jelly, do push ups until he almost collapsed and climb almost every tree in the goddamn forest!

'And it was only the first day!'

Chosen heard Dark's light footsteps approaching.

"Not so strong now, are you, The Chosen One?" He teased, thumping down next to him.

Chosen opened one eye and glared at Dark, who was sitting cross legged next to him.

"Doubt you could have done half of all the crap you made me do today," Chosen muttered, groaning as his pushed himself up into a sitting position, his aching arms protesting.

Dark chuckled. "Your right, I wouldn't.

 And that's what makes you such a perfect lab rat-ow!"

Dark rubbed his arm where Chosen had punched him, nudging him back with a grin.

He stood up and extended a hand to Chosen.

"I need to check your readings on my computer," he said, pulling Chosen up.

Chosen lifted his sweater sleeve and unclasped the metal clamp around his wrist, handing it to Dark.

He had felt rather uncomfortable wearing it, as the cold hard metal kind of felt like a thinner version of chain cuffs, but forced himself to wear it anyway.

It tracked all data about Chosen while he was being tested like his heart rate, his code jolts, and his powers energy

Then Dark would plug it into his computer and read the results.

Dark took the clamp and began a brisk walk towards the shed.

"Can you find something for us to eat Cho?" He called out.

"Yeah, sure!" Chosen shouted back as Dark disappeared into the shed.

‘Right, something to eat...’

‘No noodles...or anything else for the matter.’

‘Might have to fly back to the house and get something.’

The thought of flying already made Chosen feel dizzy.

He was so tired...

…Buuuuut his stomach threatened to cause an earthquake capable of shaking all of Stick City if he didn't eat something quick, and besides...

Dark asked him to make something.

He barely ever asked Chosen to make food for him.

He couldn't disappoint him

Chosen braced himself and launched up in the air with a burst of fire from his palms.

The sky darkened a deep purple as he sped through the air, no stars or moon appearing yet.

The wind rushed past his face, stinging his eyes.

The forest trees stretched out under him, like black bushes.

He could barely see now, they sky black and empty, no stars decorating it tonight.

Minutes passed.

‘Almost there-’

A tingle formed in his right arm.

‘Nonono not now, please!’

The muscles began twisting round each other.

‘No no no!’

Tighter and tighter.

Chosen winced as the cramp spread across his upper arm.

It felt as though hundreds of needles were stabbed into it.

An agonizing jab his arm, making his face screw up as his flight went off balance and he fell sideways-

Straight into a tree.

His eyes widened and before he could try and steer away-

Crash!

---

"I'm not cooking tonight," Mitsi said firmly, crossing her arms.

Victim grinned as he shifted closer to her on the couch and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Alright, I shall take the honour of cooking tonight then," he said, cuddling her.

Mitsi rolled her eyes and tried pushing him away, though she was trying not to smile at the same time.

"Please, you can barely make a decent sandwich without setting the kitchen up in smoke!" she scoffed.

"Come now, it happened only once—and it’s not as though any real harm was done!" Victim protested.

She stared at him. "Victim, honey, the stove exploded."

"Oh, hush—it was falling apart anyway."

She groans, burying her hands into her face.

"Let's just get Chinese," Mitsi mutters, sinking into his arms.

Victim got out his phone, and half an hour later they were sitting around the table if the living room eating noodles, the lights dimmed to a comfortable orangey yellow glow that coated the whole room with its soft golden glow.

"So how you feeling about tomorrow?" Mitsi asked, picking at a few peas with her chopsticks.

"Hm?" Victim looked up at from the box.

"About visiting grandma Anni I mean."

Victim choked. “In our old village? That's tomorrow!?"

"Relax Vicci, it's just a quick visit, then we can go on a picnic," Mitsi assured him.

He relaxed slightly

"Good lord, the visit had completely slipped my mind, though I must admit, it would be rather nice to see her again. She was a kind dear, taking us in those first few months we arrived at Newgrounds," Victim said fondly.

He smiled. "She's always had a soft spot for you, Mitsi."

Mitsi rolled her eyes and grinned.

She stood up and began walking out of the room with her container.

Victim followed her into the kitchen.

She moved towards the pile of dishes in the sink.

"Here, I'll wash them, and you dry," she said, picking up the sponge.

Victim grabbed the white towel.

A few minutes passed, the only sound being the clatter of dishes and the running tap water.

Then...

"I could lift you up~," Mitsi sang out suddenly in her soft, melodic voice. She turned her head to Victim expectantly.

Waiting.

This was their special game.

 He paused, before smiling and opening his mouth.

"I could show you what you wanna see and take you where you wanna be~" he sang in his own soft, rich voice.

They caught each other’s eye

"You could be my luck~" they both sang in unison.

"Even if the sky is falling down, I know that we'll be safe and sound~"

"We're safe and sound~"

Victim took a deep breath.

"I could fill your cup~"

“You know my rivers won't evaporate, this world we'll still appreciate~"

"You could be my luck~" she continued

"Even in a hurricane of frowns, I know that we'll be safe and sound~"

"Safe and sound~"

"We're safe and sound~"

"Safe and sound~"

"We're safe and sound~"

Victim let out a deep sigh as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

 She leaned into him.

"You have a beautiful voice Vic," she murmured.

"As do you, my love, as do you." He replied softly, planting a kiss on her head.

Chapter Text

Thunder clapped overhead, the rain pelting Chosen as he leant against the trunk of the tree, water drenching through his hair and rolling down his face.

He was lost.

'Urgh...my head'

A blinding pain throbbed through his head.

His clothes were soaked, as were his bandages which weighed down on his forehead, making him feel sluggish and heavy.

He clutched his head as another stab pierced into his skull.

'I should really start carrying paracetamol on me.'

'...Would that even help??'

'It worked with normal headaches, so why would head injuries be any different?'

'It probably wouldn't though.'

'...The forest was a lot...darker than I realised.'

'…Quite black actually.'

He had tried finding his way back for hours but every tree looked the same, every path he took identical to the last.

'So cold and black...'

Eventually, he'd given up and sat slumped against the nearest tree trunk.

His arm hurt.

Aftermath of cramps he supposed.

Hurt a little more than usual obviously

The pain was sharper, burning, and had a deep throbbing ache in the muscles.

Crack!

Chosen jolted upright as another bang of light lit up the forest, showing the shapes of the trees and rocks before plunging it all back into darkness.

His heart still racing, he leant back against the tree and shut his eyes.

Swoosh

'C-cursor?!'

His eyes shot open and he looked around.

‘Nothing... Must of imagined it.’

'Y’think Dark's wondering where you are right now?'

'...Probably not. He's most likely engrossed in the test results.'

'So no chance of him coming to look for yo-me?'

'Yep.'

'Oh...'

Crack!

Chosen almost jumped out of his skin.

'I don't like it out here...'

'It's cold... And wet... and loud...'

'And alone...'

As much as Chosen hated to admit it, he was slightly afraid.

‘Especially while it was raining.’

He couldn't use his firepower to fight, nor fly in the rain, and that was two of his most important means of defence gone.

Chosen curled up into a ball and watched the rain pellets drip down the trees trunk and into the muddy earth below.

Snap!

Chosen's head spun to the side.

He scanned the shadows between the trees’ silhouettes, searching for any sign of movement.

Just his mind playing tricks with him...again

He suddenly felt the sensation of ants crawling under his skin, their tiny legs tickling his back.

Chosen ignored them.

He had learnt long ago those feelings weren't real.

Just... imagination.

Heh...heh...

Crack!

"Ack!" Chosen yelped.

'Stupid lighting.'

He scowled, shivering as icy water dripped down his neck, staring down at the short grass that were swished back by the force of the howling wind.

He shivered again, cold biting him deep in the bones

Things could never just go the way he wanted, could they?

Just needed to go to the stupid house and get some stupid food and then all this crap has to-

Thump

He paused

Thump

Footsteps...

Who the hell was-

Or was it just part of his mind’s sick game too?

"Chosen One."

His breath hitched, heart stuttering.

He looked around wildly.

The trees towered over him, shifting into dark, black figures.

 Rain pattered down. The wind screeched.

No one is here.

No one is here.

NO ONE.

He hadn't noticed his heart beat quickening, his breathing coming out uneven and shaky.

'Was...that real?'

'Or did I just make that up?!'

'...it wasn’t real.'

In the corner of his eye, he saw something move.

White. Pointy. Floating.

His eyes darted to the direction.

'Oh god please-'

He scrambled backwards on his hands, sharp stones cutting into them as lightning cracked overhead, illumating the enormous cursor's figure looming over him.

‘gotta be at least twice my size…’

Chosen’s back hit the tree.

His heart was pounding against his chest so hard he thought it might burst out of his chest.

He couldn't breathe.

His vision blurred, the ground tilting under him.

‘Its not real.’

‘It's Not real not real not realNOTREALNOTREA-‘

The cursor swung at him

He screams

---

'Chosen was...stronger than I thought'

Dark typed a new line of code into the virabots’, copied off one of Chosen's.

'Very strong indeed...'

He paused.

'Speaking of Chosen...'

Dark blinked as he pushed himself away from the computers glaring light and looked around.

'He still isn't back? He left hours ago! What time is it??"

He checked the time on the computer.

1:55am.

"What the hell is he playing at!?" Dark growled, jumping out of his chair.

Chosen left at evening

It was past midnight!

'What if something happened to him??!'

'Nah, he's probably just fallen asleep somewhere.'

Dark grunted as he clutched his stomach, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything since lunch.

'Asked him for one bloody thing, can't even do that right.'

'...But what if he's not okay? What if something happened to him?'

'You saw the results! He's strong! He can take care of himself.

He’s probably just fallen asleep on the couch or something.'

'He's never done that before... Especially when I asked him for a favour...'

'He's angry with you for pushing him so hard today. That's why he's punishing you by not bringing the food.'

'...That...makes sense I guess.’

 (But Chosen's not spiteful...)

'Bet he made food for himself and ate it himself, the lazy pig.'

(I didn't mean to call him that!)

'...Would Chosen actually do something like that though?'

(No, he wouldn't)

The more Dark though about it, the more sure he felt it was(n't) true.

Chosen probably thought of it as a prank.

The familiar sensation of something burning in his chest flared up, the anger bubbling inside him.

(Nonono stop! calm down!)

'He thinks this is funny?! I've been working all day and haven't even eaten a freaking thing!'

(he's never done anything like this before though!)

The anger didn't stop.

It grew

 It grew and grew, bigger and bigger, like a raging fire inside him until he could hardly think straight.

'That moron thinks he can do this and just get away with it?!'

(Calmdowncalmdowncalmdown!!!)

‘Just wait till I get my hands on him-’

BZZZZZT

"Mngh!"

The air was stolen from his lungs as electricity coursed through his body, through his blood and deep into his bones.

His body was shaking like a leaf in the wind as his muscles began seizing up, twisted around each other painfully.

As quick as it started, it stopped

Dark dropped to his knees, gasping.

‘Ow’

‘God, that hurt more than expected.’

His fingers and muscles still twitching, he lifted his sleeve and adjusted the setting to his arm clamp.

Lowered the shock setting.

Dark never thought it would have hurt that much.

Deserved it though.

As intended, the clamp was supposed to supress his destructive thoughts but it couldn't hold all the anger, so there was a stunner that shocked him whenever his code was acting up.

And it worked!

He wasn't angry anymore!

This was much better than slicing himself with a knife.

For one, no scarring!-

Chosen wasn't back. It been almost 7 hours since he left-

Dark's face paled, heart sinking.

‘What is wrong with me?!’

‘Where the hell is he!?’

Yanking down his sleeve, his palms burst out flames as he shot through the lab's ceiling hole and out of the trap door.

Like a bullet, he zipped out of the shed and up into the air.

Fire and smoke trailed behind him as he flew, searching the ground hoping he might see Chosen walking back.

He zoomed over the forest, the trees tall and black

And that's when he saw it.

In the distance, a section of the dark forest lit up, glowing. Smoke drifted up.

In the same second, the light vanished.

Then it lit up.

And stopped.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Dark immediately dropped to the ground and ran in that direction.

'That's Chosen alright, and something's definitely up.'

---

Tears streamed past his cheeks as he spun round and blasted yet another frantic fireball at the cursor hovering above him.

The cursor vanished before it hit.

Again.

Chosen’s breaths had turned gasp-like and unsteady.

His eyes were wide, pupils thin and trembling as they darted around, searching for the cursor. 

He wasn't sure how long he had been hallucinating for.

An hour? Maybe two?

His hands were shaking as he lit another ball if fire in his hand.

‘This doesn’t feel like a hallucination…’

"What makes you think you deserve to be free, my little tool?"

Chosen let out a sob, looking round for where the voice had come from.

Something shoved him. Pointy and sharp.

He stumbled and fell onto his hands.

Tears dripped onto the muddy earth.

Staring at the floor, the shadow of a cursor fell over him.

A whimper escaped his lips as he scrambled backwards, fumbling with a pathetic excuse of a fireball and weakly throwing it.

It didn't even reach the cursor, falling in front of it on the ground.

The fire died out almost instantly.

"You were always so goddamn useless. Such terrible adblocker. You barely tried-"

"I tried!" Chosen shrieked back, his back hitting into a tree, momentarialy forgetting how terrified he was

"I t-tried so damn ha-hard every f-freaking day!

And I st-still messed u-up!

I-you-he still h-hurt me! And it wouldn't stop, you wouldn't stop, you never st-stopped!"

He broke down into more sobs, hiding his face in his hands as he rocked back and forth, curled up in a ball, waiting for the cursor to hit him with something, or throw him, or even delete him.

Chosen started coughing violently, wrenching forward from the force.

Blood splattered onto the mud, over his clothes.

"You’re a terrible friend too.

 Can't even get him to stay in the same house as you."

His chest shuddered up and down, each inhale burning down his throat to his lungs like acid.

"He's probably going to leave you-"

"No he's not!" Chosen shouted hoarsely, tears rolling down his face, his messy dark hair falling over his face, half blinding him, lips stained with a deep red.

‘Dark wouldn't leave-he wouldn't he wouldn't he wouldn't-‘

‘Would he?’

‘N-NO! He's- he likes me! I...I think he does at least.’

"I wouldn't blame you if he left y'know."

"..."

Silent sobs wracked through his body as he curled up tighter.

'I'm such a goddamn burden.

First I break his machine thing, then I drown him, and now I don't even do the one thing he asked! It was just one thing! And I couldn't even... couldn't even do that...'

"...I...I don't think… I'd blame him either."

"Chosen!"

His head shot up and snapped to the side with wide eyes.

A blurry dark figure in the distance shoved past the trees and bushes.

It was too dark to tell the appearance, but Chosen could make out his silhouette.

They were around the same size as him.

... And were running straight towards him.

‘Another...another hallucinations- I can’t-please! I can't take another one!’

His hands shaking, Chosen makes the biggest fireball he could manage, aimed and-

Whoosh!

Bang!

Hit its target.

...hit...it hit...?

The hallucinations...they always disappear before it hits…unless-

The figure screams in agony, falling to the floor.

Chosen's eyes widened, recognizing the voice.

His heart stops, blood running cold.

In seconds he was on his feet, stumbling in the direction towards the figure, vision blurred for tears.

He coughed, tripping onto the muddy, rocky earth.

Blood spilling out his mouth, staining his face and the stones below him

"Dark!" He screamed, crawling in his direction.

‘What did I do?!’

Chapter Text

Being unconscious was weird.

Or was he unconscious?

Dark wasn't sure.

Stuck in darkness. A black, empty void.

Can't move. Can't breathe, can't see-

A muffled sound echoed through his head.

Someone shaking him.

"Dark!" The voice cried out.

Gradually, Dark came back to his senses.

He felt...cold. So very cold.

His face hurt. So did his right shoulder and upper arm.

The skin felt tight and hot. Really hot.

His head ached, like someone had struck it with a hammer.

The ground was hard underneath him, stones pressing into his body.

...Somebody was holding him, their arms wrapped tightly around his upper body.

He felt the weight of a head pressing into his chest.

The person holding him was trembling.

Their breathing was loud and uneven in a frantic sort of way.

"Dark-please hic wake up! pl-please please please-'m so s-sorry!"

Oh...oh god that was Chosen.

It couldn't- was he crying???

Dark forced his heavy eyelids open.

The forest was even blacker than it was before.

He could barely see the trees around him, just their shapes and silhouettes

The black empty sky stared at him from above.

No stars tonight.

Chosen's forehead was pressing down on his chest, his face hidden by short, messy black hair falling around his head.

He was clutching him like he was holding on for his life, his knuckles digging into Dark's shirt, digging into Dark’s skin.

His chest shuddered up and down as silent sobs wracked through his body.

‘Chosen...Chosen crying...?’

‘That's not...he's not...he doesn't-what happened???’

"Ch-chos-sen?" Dark croaked in a raspy, low tone.

Chosen's head shot up, his head snapping round as he caught Dark's eye.

He could barely see Chosen's face, just the silhouette of his hair and glowing red eyes...

His pupils were so thin and…scared...

Tears glistening in his eyes, he flung himself down against Darks neck and hugged him even tighter, sobbing.

Dark stared at him in shock.

He briefly wondered if he was dreaming.

‘Chosen looked so...broken.’

‘He was supposed to be strong not…?’

‘ I've never seen him look this terrified or vulnerable before.’

‘even back in the pc… when every single app rose against him, he had never looked like…this.’

"I-I th-thought y-yo-you d-died, “Chosen whispered, his voice cracking, tears dripping onto Dark's shirt.

"Cho...Chosen, wh...what...what hap...pened?" Darks voice came out breathlessly.

Chosen froze against his shirt.

"I'm sorry I'm so so sorry!- I didn't mean to- I th-though- I didn't know it was you- I-I- I'm so sorry!"

His voice broke at the end, a muffled sob coming out.

Dark didn’t understand what was going on.

‘Chosen’s crying’

'Why does half my face burn?'

‘Chosen’s crying’

'Why does my right arm and neck feel so raw?'

‘Chosen’s crying’

'Why was Chosen apologising?'

‘Chosen’s crying’

'And most importantly, why was he crying!???'

‘Chosen’s…crying’

'He never...he never cries...'

As these questions raced through his mind, he felt his heavy eyelids begin to drop.

The world began to spin, floor tilting and swaying like a ship on  stormy sea.

 He tried forcing his eyes back open but it was no use.

‘Why am I...so tired?’

Through the darkness of his mind, he felt somebody pat down his trousers over his pockets, stick their hand in and take something out.

They lifted him slow, one hand under his back, the other under his legs.

Darks head unwillingly lolled against the sticks chest.

They were moving now, bobbing up and down with each step.

The person holding him was panting quietly, their arms straining from his weight.

He felt them tremble slightly as they continued walking.

Dark wanted to struggle.

He wanted to open his eyes.

 He still had so many questions.

 But he couldn't move.

His body wouldn't respond.

He wasn't sure how, but he slipped into a deep sleep.

---

Something wet pressed against his right cheek.

Dark winced.

It stung.

"Sorry," a voice whispered apologetically.

Chosen.

Memories flooded back.

Chosen not home. The forest. The bright light. The...tears?

The ground he lay on was soft, comfy, kind of spongey so it dipped down with his weight.

There was the sound of a clock ticking in the background, and soft, steady breathing.

Darks eyes shot open.

He was...home?

The lights were dimmed to the comforting orange ones instead of the usual blinding white.

He was thankful. His head already hurt enough without adding glaring lights piercing into his skull.

He was laying in the living room on the couch, the curtains drawn so no light from the outside could come in.

Chosen kneeled on the floor beside him, a wet cloth in hand.

His hair was a mess, hiding half his face, leaving out part of his left eye.

He couldn't see Chosen's face very well, especially not in the dim light, which was casting a  shadow across his face.

"What...what are you do...doing?" Dark mumbled.

The small movement made his face burn even more.

Chosen didn't say anything, pressing his lips tightly together as he brushed the cloth against Dark's cheek again.

Pain erupted across his face.

"Ack! What's that?" He yelped, jolting back.

" S-sorry!- I shouldn't have- I should of warned you- I didn't mean to-

it'll make you heal faster," Chosen stammered quickly, whisking the cloth off his face.

‘Why was he stuttering so much??’

Heal? What did he mean by heal? I’m not hurt...

(A blinding ball of light shot towards him, exploding against his face and sending him flying into a tree.)

He felt his stomach sinking.

"...Chosen...what's wrong with my face?"

"..."

Uneasiness grew in his chest.

"Chosen! Answer me!"

"I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to!"

Dark sat up quickly, then immediately regretted it. He groaned as he clutched his throbbing head.

It felt as though somebody with a knife was stabbing through head repeatedly.

Chosen flinched.

"Cho...get me a mirror." He muttered, trying not to move his face too much as it hurt, even just by talking.

He looked up at chosen and caught his eye.

Chosen's eye widened, as his expression became more panicked.

"N-now? Can't you look later or-"

"Now.

...Please Chosen." His voice softened and forced a small, reassuring smile.

Chosen glanced at him, eyes darting to the door, then back to his.

With a small sigh, he muttered a quiet, "okay," before standing up and leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Dark lay back down, resting his throbbing head against the armrest and straightening his legs out.

His face wasn't the only part of him that hurt.

His right arm and part of his shoulder's skin felt tight and painful to touch.

'Wait a sec-'

Dark became aware of the fact part of his clothes were burnt off.

Burnt orangey-black edges near his neck opening on his shirt that exposed his right shoulder and part of his upper arm right at the elbow.

His arm was covered with splotches of red marks, each raw and darker than the rest of his skin, some of which were bloated up to enormous white-pink, fluid filled blisters, skin weak and easy to burst.

Damn...

'What even happen...?'

'Did Chosen...do this to me?'

Dark couldn't remember much from the forest. It felt foggy and unclear, like a dream.

He could recall rain...but it must have stopped moments after he left the house as he remembered flying over the forest... can’t fly in rain…

He remembered bright orangey white light...kinda like a fireball...

And Chosen screaming words he couldn’t understand...

‘Chosen…Chosen did this, didn’t he?’

‘That would explain why he looks so tense, and all the apologising.’

The door creaks open and in walks a hesitant Chosen, clutching a small square mirror a little bigger than his hand.

He lowers down next to Dark and sits, knees curled up beneath him and hands on his lap.

His face is tight with anxiety, his eyes wide. He looked restless, fidgeting and tense.

Dark began to feel uneasy.

'What does my face look like?'

'Why does Chosen suddenly look even more nervous?'

'...And if my arms look this bad...what does my face look like???'

"The mirror."

"D-do you really...Want to see-"

"The mirror Chosen."

Chosen swallowed, offering him the mirror.

Before could take it, Chosen whispered something.

"Please don't hate me."

!?

Dark froze.

'H-hate him? Hate Chosen?'

'How could I ever hate Chosen?'

'Why would he even think something like that!?'

Chosen placed the mirror on Dark's chest and quickly left the room, leaving the door open.

Dark watched, too dumbfounded to stop him.

‘I’m not… I’d never hate him-he’s my friend!... my brother.’

Blinking, he ran his fingers over the mirrors square edges.

'What do I look like?'

He imagined himself with a butchered eye and ugly black burns splattered across his face.

Swallowing his panic, he sat up slowly, and raised the mirror to his face.

Oh god…

‘...It...wasn't too bad...kind of...’

‘Definitely not as bad as I imagined but...Damn’

The burns were ugly.

A large stripe across his cheek placed under his right eye was a burn stretching from close under his ear to mere milometers away from his eye.

'A little closer and I could have gone blind...'

It looked horrible, the dark maroon scarring contrasting with his skin, it bloated and delicate.

A single wrong touch could make the wound tear.

'Oh god, they’re on my neck too'

Splotched and spots of first and second degree burns ranging from large to small decorates the right side of his neck, shoulder and a few on his collar bone.

Some were blistering, others were mildly darker than the rest of his skin.

A lump rose to his throat as he stared at his reflection.

'I look... horrible'

To his shock, Dark felt tears stinging on his eyes.

 'I'm crying? Over this!?'

He swallowed, his throat aching and blinked.

Lifting a finger, he gently touched his face, before hissing out in pain and pulling his hand away.

'My face...my face is ruined.'

'…Why do I care so much?'

'It's just a little scar.'

'...well not so little but...'

'It's okay, it's fine, I don't care, just a huge scar on my face that'll probably never go away. It's fine, I'm fine, this is all fine-'

"Dark?"

Dark's eyes snapped towards the door, where Chosen was standing awkwardly with a mug in his hand.

The mug trembled slightly.

He moved towards Dark and placed the mug on the floor right next to the couch.

"I... I know it doesn't make up for what I did to you but- I don't know, thought this might help a little..."

The smell hit Dark before anything else.

‘Oh sweet code and computers was that-

COFFEE?!’

Dark sprang up into a crossed legged position on the couch and yanked the cup up from the floor, ignoring how hot it was, taking a deep sip.

'Ohhhhhhh'

'Haven't had this piece of heaven since... Not sure actually.'

Chosen stood on the side, watching him gulp down coffee with a relieved yet equally concerned look in his eye.

'Y'know, maybe having an enormous ugly burn on my face isn't so bad.'

'Could make it look all gangster like, or wear a cool bandana over my face.'

"Oh god, that's what I needed! Thanks Cho-...sen?"

Dark looked around.

The room was empty, the door swaying as if it had been pushed open.

'Where did he-'

A sound from upstairs caught his ear.

'Huh... Why'd he go up there for?'

'And we really need to talk about all this drama.'

Ignoring the jarring pain in his head, he slowly made his way outside the room and up the stairs, almost tripping on one of the steps. He finally made it to the top and clutched the wall for support.

"Chosen?" He called out.

It echoed through the empty hallway.

"Cho-!"

Slam!

The bathroom door shut quickly.

Click went the lock.

Darks head turned in that direction and he limped towards the door.

"You okay Cho?" Dark asked cautiously, knocking.

He heard heavy breathing at the other end of the door.

‘Something's not right...’

"Chosen! You okay??"

A pause.

"F-fine! I'm fine," came the muffled reply.

"P-please- just give me a minute... I'll be out in a s-sec-"

Coughs rang out from behind the door.

Even though the sound was muffled, Dark could tell it was bad, and must hurt like hell.

Heavy, loud coughing that burned the lungs and made the throat feel raw.

‘This wasn't normal.’

‘There’s something really wrong here.’

Dark banged on the door.

"Oi! Open the door!"

A short break from the coughing.

He could hear Chosen's shaky inhales and exhales.

"Just a...minute D-Dark... Wait downstairs, I-I'm com-"

He was cut off by another fit of coughing, this time somehow sounding even worse than before.

The sickening sound of him gagging and choking sent Dark into a panic.

"Chosen! CHOSEN ONE! Open this door NOW!"

'What was going on in there! Was he vomiting???'

He slammed his fist against the door, hitting it with all his strength

"St-stop Dark... you're gon...na break it..." His quiet, gasp-like voice came out.

A choked sound rang out, followed by more gagging.

A frantic feeling overtook Dark as he punched the door again.

"Open it you idiot! OPEN IT!" He yelled, slamming his fist against the door a final time.

Crack!

The handle broke, falling to the floor.

Dark was bout to rush in when a heavy weight fell against the door, blocking him out.

Dark rammed his uninjured shoulder into the door, ignoring the agony that sprouted across his burns as his skin stretched.

It jolted, opening a crack, before chosen shoved it shut again.

‘He must be leaning against it,’ Dark realised.

‘Crap. Crap crap crap crap!’

‘Now I have to try not to injure him while trying to break this stupid door down!’

"Cho-I swear to God OPEN THE DOOR!" He bellowed, his voice a mix of rage and desperation.

"W-wait downst-stairs...'m coming," was the shaky reply.

He shoved the door with his shoulder again.

Bang!

"Open-"

Bang!

"The-"

Bang!

“Freaking-”

Bang!

"DOOR!"

Crack!

"Mngh!"

 The wood on the door cracked, a few jagged, blocky pieces shooting off, hitting something.

Choked coughs rang out from the other end of the door.

"Shoot!- Chosen are you okay?! I-I didn't mean to hurt you!" Dark stammered.

A pause.

The door opened a crack, and half of Chosen's face appeared, the rest hidden behind the door.

Dark froze.

Red stuff was smeared around his mouth and across the back of his hand, like he tried wiping it away. A little rolled down his mouth and dripped onto the floor.

His clothes were a muddy red mess, worn and ripped.

The bandages on his forehead were loose and had turned a filthy grey, with dark brown patches here and there.

His eyes were wide open, pupils two small black, trembling dots.

He looked exhausted, breathing ragged and slow.

‘And...scared?’

"Cho....?" Dark whispered, still trying to process what was going on.

‘Was that-

Blood!?’

Chosen gave a small, tight smile.

He looked even more scared now.

"Just...Juice...." He whispered.

Chapter Text

“Just...Juice."

Chosen regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

'Juice?! Really??'

'Who the hell drinks juice in a bathroom???'

Dark stared at him in silence, his large eyes moving down to Chosen's bloody mouth, then back to his eyes. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

'Why does he look so horrified?'

'Did I really mess up that bad!?'

Chosen swallowed and gave another awkward smile, clutching the door for support as a wave of nausea rushed over him.

The world swayed, the floor tilting beneath him.

It was a struggle to keep his balance.

The horrible taste of copper coated the back of his tongue, making him want to gag.

He wanted to curl up on the floor, shut his eyes and...stay there.

Only for a few minutes.

"Chosen...y-your-that's… that’s b-blood..." Dark finally stammered out in disbelief.

He put his foot between the door crack so Chosen couldn't shut it again.

"Blood? N-no it's...it's juice I said," Chosen repeated, cursing himself for choosing such an awful lie.

"What kind of idiot do you think I am!? I can smell the blood! And it's dripping out of your mouth for crying out loud! Why didn’t you call me???"

Chosen flinched at his raised voice.

"It's fine," Chosen said, attempting to push the door shut.

Dark shoved back roughly, jolting it along with Chosen

"Chosen, you better start telling me what’s going on here before I break this damn door open," he threatened through gritted teeth, ramming into the door even harder.

Chosen grunted, his back pushing against the door with all his body weight.

"First you disappear, next you burn half my goddamn face off and now your coughing up blood?! What the hell is going on??"

Chosen let out a small cough, his hand flying to his face and clamping over his mouth.

'Please not again'

He jolted as Dark slammed against the already cracked door.

"D-dark please-!" Chosen protested, coughing out again.

It didn't stop.

Heavy coughs burst out his lungs, burning all the way up.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

"Move! Y-you need help!"  His voice was higher now, a slight tremor in it, more strained, almost like he was pleading.

"No-(cough cough)... J-just go back downst-hrn-"

His face screwed up as he wrenched forward, doubling over.

Painful chokes and gags echoed through the hallway.

Warm scarlet liquid splattered the white tiles.

His throat was on fire.

'Notinfrontofhimstopwhatareyoudoingidiotjuststopwhydoesthishurtsomuchstopstopstop-'

Chosen tried to stop, clamping his hands over his mouth but that only resulted in it splattering over his clothes.

He spluttered, choking on his own blood as more exploded out from his mouth.

"Are you okay!?" Dark frantically shouts from behind the door.

The ramming momentarily pauses.

"Ye-" he wheezed as another cough punched through his throat.

His throat felt so raw, burning like acid.

He choked

More blood.

‘Hands....Red...Floor red...sink was already red from before...’

'Why...is everything spinning...?'

Chosen felt sick, the heavy taste of copper at the back of his tongue disgustingly thick.

The floor lurched.

Chosen dropped to his hands and knees.

The coughing finally stopped.

He slumped, gasping for air.

‘Vision so...blurry...getting darker...’

‘Red over white...lights too bright... Dark yelling too loud...blood smell too strong...’

‘Making...such a mess...the animator is going... going to punish me...Didn't...mean to...Gotta get up...clean it... before...he-’

The door flew open, jabbing Chosen in his side.

He barely noticed the sting at his side as he threw up red all over the tiles.

‘Even more mess...’

‘In so much trouble...’

His arms were shaking so much they might collapse.

Somebody rushed through the doorway.

And halted.

Chosen could barely see them as his vision was so blurry, black spots appearing.

They paused, looking around.

Turned their head down to Chosen.

Chosen's stomach flipped.

They took a step towards him.

'Don't hit me-!'

Chosen flinched away from the fuzzy figure.

They froze.

Chosen’s chest tightened up.

He could barely think straight.

His mind was mess, stuck inside memories of him, of the empty black box, the cold heavy chains, the thin, stinging ropes, the agonizing, never ending pain, the screaming and screaming, begging, pleading but he never listened, never stopped-just kept hurting and it hurt hurt hurt-

'Please don't hurt me please please please-'

They crouched down next to him.

Chosen could hear them speaking, but it all sounded like static. Nothing made sense.

His ears started ringing.

The world was a blurry spinning mess.

'Might throw up...that's not good... already in so much trouble...'

'So loud...too bright...way too bright...'

'Might pass out…not be a bad thing actually.'

---

Dark froze when he saw the bathroom's state.

Red hand marks and stains all over the sink...splattered across the floor...a few drops on the wall...

'What the hell...-'

His eyes fall to Chosen.

'O-Oh god'

'He's shaking so much...What on earth happened to him!? (Why does he look so small...)'

The floor around Chosen was deep crimson, the front of his shirt splattered with blood, his mouth dripping blood as he gasped for air.

'He looks...scared...'

'That’s not right...Chosen's never scared...?'

Dark swallowed the lump in his throat, taking a step forward.

Chosen jolted back, his breath hitching.

Dark paused.

‘?’

‘Why did he do that?’

Chosen's eyes were wide open but...they were empty.

Had a dull, glassy look in them.

Like he wasn't even in the room anymore.

"H-hey!" Dark crouched down next to Chosen.

'What am I supposed to do??'

Chosen was usually the one taking care of him.

'He's coughing up blood! And so much!'

Swallowing his panic, Dark inched closer.

Chosen's chest heaved up and down, wheezing in gulps of air.

 His arms were shaking like a leaf in a storm.

"Ch-chosen...You need to lie down," was the best Dark could choke out.

Chosen didn't respond.

It appeared he didn't even hear him.

Panic flared up in Dark's chest as he placed a hand on Chosen's back.

Chosen flinched so hard he collapsed into a ball on the floor, covering the back his head with his arms.

'Oh c-crap! That was supposed to comfort him!'

‘Maybe he just needs to snap out of it’

"Chosen! Come on, get up!"

Chosen tensed, curling up tighter, protecting the back of his head and stomach.

'Why is he...doing that? As though somebody was going to hurt him?'

Darks hand hovered over Chosen's trembling form, unsure of what to do.

‘He doesn’t think I’m going to hurt him…right-?’

---

Can't breathe can't breathe can't breathe why can't I breathe properly why are the lights so bright what is that ringing sound why can't I breathe properly why are my lungs closing why do I feel like I'm sinking why is he not hitting me why can't I think clearly, what is this red stuff? Blood? Why am I coughing up blood? When is he going to hurt me? Or is he going to lock me up or use-Stop it just stop it stop it stop IT-

---

"Ch-Chosen! What are you doing!?" Dark stammered, a frantic edge to his voice as Chosen's breathing quickened, becoming unnervingly loud.

Each breath was a gasp, shaky and uneven, as though he were drowning.

Chosen clutched his head hard, fingers digging deep into hair and dirty bandages, clenching and tugging so tight they ripped.

'What to do what to do what to d-!'

His eyes landed onto the blood-stained sink.

In a flash, he stood and was at the sink.

Emptying the toothbrush cup, he filled it with shaky hands.

Once half full, he turned to Chosen.

'Really bad idea, but I don't have anything else.'

-And threw water all over his head.

Chosen froze.

He slowly sat up and blinked a few times, part of his hair dripping, soaked in icy cold water.

Dark took his chance.

He approached Chosen slowly and extended a hand.

Chosen flinched back, pulling his knees up to his chest, hands raised protecting his face.

'Why does he keep flinching?! I'm not going to hurt him! I've never hurt him before! Not intentionally at least'

"Let's go to my room," Dark said softly, silently praying Chosen would accept.

Chosen stared at him, his large eyes moving from his hand to his face, before hesitantly placing a hand in Dark's.

 ‘Yes!’

Dark gently pulls him up and together they walk through the hall, Chosen squeezing Dark's hand.

‘Why was he limping... actually, was that even a limp?’

Chosen was dragging his left foot across the floor as though it had suddenly become incredibly heavy.

‘Weird… must of hurt it…could of sworn he was walking normally a few minutes ago…’

Dark pushed the thought away.

The top priority right now was getting Chosen on a bed.

They enter his room and Dark guided Chosen to his bed, sitting him down.

His face, hands and clothes were still blood stained, but Dark would deal with that later.

‘Probably gonna get blood all over my blanket’

A blinding pain shot through his head.

He groaned, clutching it.

"You...you good Cho?" He grunted out.

"...Cho?"

Chosen sat unmoving, his eyes fixed on the floor.

With no warning, he started gasping again, even worse now somehow, hands tearing at the front of his shirt.

Darks heart sank.

"C-Cho? Stop that..."

Dark began to feel scared uneasy.

'What's wrong with him?!'

'Why did it look like he can't breathe?'

Whipping out his phone, he quickly typed in Chosen's symptoms on Google.

'Panic attack...'

He searches how to help.

'Just...calm him down...distractions help...'

Dark sat down next to Chosen and placed a hand on his back, rubbing in soft, soothing circular motion.

Chosen winced like the touch was hurting him, clawing harder at his collar of the sweater.

Dark took his hand back.

'Crap. Now what?!'

'Oh, doesn't music calm people down?'

Dark rapidly searched up random songs on YouTube.

'It can't be too loud...'

'No rock music...or anything too sudden or noisy...'

A title caught his eye.

'Counting stars'

'Chosen likes stars.'

He pressed it.

Chosen jumped as the first few lyrics played, clutching his collar so tight his knuckles looked like they were going to burst.

His breath hitched, eyes somehow widening even more.

Dark swallowed nervously.

'Maybe this was a bad idea...'

Chapter Text

Sweet, silent melodies of the song played in the background.

Not that anyone payed much mind to it.

Dark hesitantly brought a hand over to Chosen's clenched fists, placing his hand over them.

Chosen tensed.

Gently, Dark pried his fingers open and clasped the trembling, cold hand.

He gave it a light squeeze, shooting a comforting glance towards Chosen.

---

'This isn't...a punishment?'

'But why?'

'I-I messed up...'

'Maybe it is a punishment'

'Maybe this is all just to make him trust you so he can hurt you.'

'...Doesn't feel like a punishment-'

'Don't trust it'

---

Chosen weakly tried tugging his hand back.

Dark's grip tightened

He brought it to his chest, holding Chosen's hand above his lungs.

"Google says this'll help." He muttered.

"You feel my chest moving up and down yeah? 

Try and do the same thing with your own breathing."

Dark took a deep breath in, then exhaled slowly.

He did it again

And again

'...Man do I feel silly.'

'But it's working!'

Gradually, Chosen's gasps quietened to breathy inhales and shaky exhales.

Dark couldn't help the feeling of pride that swelled up inside him.

'Though...he still wasn't exactly calm yet'

'Hmm…-Oh!'

"Y'hear that song playing?" He asked gently.

Chosen nodded.

"How about we...hum along to it?"

Dark cringed inwardly as soon as the words left his mouth.

He couldn't sing to save his life.

Then again, it would be a very good distraction for Chosen.

Taking a deep breath and pushing his dignity to the side, he began a terribly off-tune hum in an attempt at following the song.

'Urgh! The humiliation!'

'Pleeease do this with me Cho!'

Chosen stared at him.

-But eventually started croaking out his own hum that was...

alright actually.

If his voice wasn't so raspy and weak, it would have been quite nice.

'Never thought Chosen could sing- or hum at least'

The song reached its end, fading into the background.

"Replay?"

Chosen nodded again.

He seemed a lot calmer now, no longer breathing as heavily as he was before.

He seemed to be enjoying the humming.

‘Musical weirdo’

Dark pressed the replay button.

After the second replay had finished, Dark turned to Chosen.

Besides the blood dried round his mouth and fingers, he looked okay.

Sort of.

"You want some water?" Dark said.

A pause.

"...Y-yes pl-please," he murmured after a beat.

Dark stood up and left the room, walking downstairs slowly.

---

'What...happened?"

Chosen slowly stared down at his dark bloody fingers.

His face felt sticky with dried blood and his head was throbbing.

"I've coughed up blood before but... never like this..."

His throat hurt so much, burning and raw.

Chosen's eyes turned slowly to the phone, still playing the same song.

'That's a nice song...'

'Humming along to it was quite fun...'

'Might just do it again.'

---

Dark stood over the sink, filling a glass with cold water.

Once he was done, he noticed the curtains were still drawn.

Setting the glass down on the counter, he pulled them open. Soft, golden light hit him in the face.

'Dawn...'

Dark suddenly became aware of how painfully empty his stomach felt.

'When was the last time I ate? Those noodles yesterday?'

'Damn, it's almost been a full day.'

'Should make something.'

'Chosen's probably starving too.'

'Maybe there's some snacks we can eat for now?'

He snapped open the top cabinets and rummaged through them.

'Crisp packets...when did we get those?'

He reached out, about to grab them when he paused.

'Might hurt Chosen's throat-'

'He can handle it'

'He just coughed up blood!'

'It's a fried potato, it's not gonna kill him'

'Wha-are you friken serious right now?!'

'To be honest, he doesn't really deserve to eat after what he did to you'

'Shut up.'

'Those scars he gave you are gonna stay there'

'... I said shut up'

Dark clutched his hair. His heart pounded in his chest.

Why did he feel so dizzy?

'You'll always look...like that'

'Shut up shut up shut up!'

'Like a hideous monster.'

'I'm not hideous'

'Yes you are. Half your face is ruined. You're ugly now'

A lump rose to his throat.

'N-no I'm not-'

'Ugly monster'

'I'm not a monster!'

'You sure? I'm pretty sure you've wanted to murder your friend multiple times.'

'ME!-You want that you psycho!'

'Heh'

Pain erupted inside his skull.

‘I am you Dark.’

Dark let out a stifled gasp as he grabbed his head.

'What did you do?!'

'Aw, you don't like that Darkie?'

The pain increased, stabbing the inside of his skull like dozens of tiny needles.

Tears welled up.

'You...you couldn't hurt me before-'

Pain again.

But a different pain.

Shocking, burning pain through his body, not his head.

His vision blurred, fading for a moment.

Dark blinked.

The voice was gone.

The floor beneath him was cold and hard.

'Why am I on the floor?'

He sat up, groaning. The back of his head was throbbing.

'Was that an electric shock?'

'Huh..made sense. Code was going crazy.'

'…It hurt me.'

'Nahh, that's impossible. Probably aftermath from hitting my head against that tree.'

Ignoring his twitching fingers, he stood up.

The world lurched.

Dark clutched the counter for support.

The crisps packet was on the counter next to the glass of water.

'Strange, don't remember putting it there.'

'Ah well, I'll eat that and make Cho somethin' else.'

Dark brought out a can of tuna from the cabinet

'Should be soft enough for him.'

Opening it, he scooped it out into a bowl, squeezed a bit of mayonnaise in it and mixes it with a spoon.

He wrinkled his nose at the strong, fishy smell.

'Dunno how he likes this stuff'

He grabs the bowl, glass and his bag of crisps and exits the kitchen, climbing up the stairs and carefully balancing the glass so it doesn't spill.

A sound hits his ears as he reaches the hallway.

A strange, soft, musical sound.

'Was that song still playing?'

'It sounds different though, the same but...not the same somehow'

Dark reaches outside his room.

The sound is even stronger.

'That is the song! Only...’

‘Did he find a violin version?'

'Oh cool!'

He pushes the door open.

The music ceases abruptly.

Chosen's head snapped up, meeting his eyes.

'He looks embarrassed...why?'

"Got some food- and why'd you stop the music? That's some good violin version!"

"I-”

“You think that was...good?" Chosen said in astonishment.

"Yeah," Dark said, moving towards Chosen.

He notices his phone was at the other side of the bed, way out of Chosen's reach.

'...eh?'

'That doesn't make sense'

"Cho? How'd you turn off the phone all the way over here?" Dark asked raising an eyebrow and handing Chosen the glass of water.

Chosen swallowed, putting the glass onto the floor.

"That er...was me.”

“I uh...was humming like you showed me."

Dark's eyes widened

‘NO WAYYYYYYY’

"That...was you?" he squeaked in shock.

Chosen turned his head to the floor and gave a small nod.

Dark had seen sticks in the city, able to somehow manipulate their voices to sound like instruments.

It wasn't a particularly rare ability, but he never thought Chosen would be able to do it!

"Oh my god Chosen!"

Chosen looked up in alarm

Dark dashed next to him and flopped down on the bed.

"Can you do it again?!" He exclaimed, clasping his hands together excitedly.

Chosen gave a mildly confused look, but reluctantly opened his mouth and sang a few notes.

“🎶”

'Oh that was a violin alright.'

"How do you do that???" Dark asked, eyes shining.

"I...don't know," was the quiet reply.

"That's so cool!"

"It...is?"

"Yeah!"

Chosen looked up from the floor.

"Honestly?" He whispered, looking at him.

"YES CHO! It's awesome! I never knew you could do that!"

Chosen gave a small smile.

"Didn't think you would find that cool."

"Are you kidding! You could play in one of those no-instrument bands!"

"They have those?"

"Yeah! Actually, I saw some in the city a few weeks ago on one em big television screens."

"Huh, sounds interesting."

Dark pushed the bowl of tuna into Chosen's bloody hands.

"Bon appetite, weirdo."

Chosen looked mildly surprised.

"Aw...you really shouldn't be doing this for me, I don’t deserve it, not after I-"

Chosen's eyes moved towards the blisters on his face.

Dark, suddenly feeling self-conscious, covered half his face with his hand, wincing as his palm made contact with the stinging burns.

Chosen frowned. "Don't touch it."

He looked down at his hands, his fingers still stained in red.

"I should probably clean up before eating," he said after a pause, standing up.

He moved towards the door.

Dark contemplated whether he should help him clean up or not.

He decided against it.

Chosen was alright now, and besides, he didn't want to risk sparking up his mission code again.

That wasn't the mission code. It can't hurt him. That was impossible.

He was just a coward.

Before leaving, Chosen stopped outside the door.

"Thanks for everything Dark. I'm so sorry for what I did to you. I'll make it up to you."

He left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Dark stared at the door.

The

The room suddenly seemed so much quieter.

The faint tang of blood lingered in the air.

'Damn right you'll be sorry'

He fell onto the pillow and his eyes fell shut.

Chapter Text

'He wasn't angry'

Chosen scrubbed his fingers raw at the slightly bloody sink.

He watched the soapy red bubbles sink down the drain, before catching a glance at himself in the mirror.

‘Oh yeah, face dirty too’

‘Bandages filthy, need to take them off.’

‘And my clothes...’

‘God, should have just taken a shower.’

‘Later. Definitely taking one later.’

‘Not now though.’

‘Showers too cold.’

‘And loud.’

‘And sometimes the water feels too...wet?’

‘I just really don't want to right now.’

Splashing his face with icy water, his mind wanders back to Dark.

‘Why wasn't he angry?’

‘Why doesn't he hate me?’

‘Why did he make me food?’

‘I shouldn't get food after what I did to him.’

‘Yet...’

‘He made it himself. For me’

‘And he...fixed my breathing? How'd he do that?’

Chosen reached up and tugged the ragged bandages free from his forehead and felt the scab at the back of his head.

‘Good. It’s healing.’

‘...Wonder what the animator would of done  if I...shot a fireball and burned half his cursor.’

Chosen shuddered.

‘Probably would have been tied up to that post and burned with flamethrowers.’

‘Or worse.’

Chosen swallowed.

‘Not there anymore. How many times do we have to go over this?’

---

‘Aw, he's asleep.’

Chosen half smiled as he tiptoed through the mess over the floor and carefully sat down at the edge of the bed.

Darks head was turned to the wall, blanket hiding his face, his steady breathing filling the air.

He picked up his tuna bowl and water.

Bringing the cup up to his lips, he winced as the cold water ran down his aching throat.

Setting the glass to the side, he began eating the tuna, savouring the tang and fishy taste.

It stung as it travelled down his throat.

Not that he cared

‘Dark knows exactly how to make it.’

His eyes moved to the lump in the blanket that Dark’s head again.

His hair was a mess.

‘Should probably help him sort that out.’

‘And find some new clothes for him.’

‘Could borrow one of my-…’

Part of Dark’s neck peeked out from under the blanket.

Raw, maroon splotches covered it.

A pang of guilt stabbed Chosen in the chest.

‘God, what have I done?’

With a lump rising to his throat, he put the bowl down and climbed onto the bed.

Pushing the blanket covering Dark’s face aside, Chosen grimaced.

His hand hovered over the burns and blisters.

‘Look at his face...’

‘I hurt him.’

‘I hurt him I hurt him I hurt him’

He clenched his fist, nails digging into his palms.

‘God, I hurt him!’

Dark’s cheek was full of  blisters, spots on his skin maroon and discoloured.

Parts of his burns was ripped open, others exposed, skin completely torn off

 ‘So close to his eye...I could have blinded him!’

Tears stung at the back of his eyelids.

‘Why? Why did he have to come for me? Why didn't he leave me in the forest? I freaking deserve it!’

‘God why did he come for me!?’

‘Why do I have such a good brother?’

‘He freaking went out in the rain for me and this is what I do?!’

‘Horrible.’

‘I'm freaking horrible!’

‘Don't deserve him.’

‘Should have died in that forest instead.’

‘Freaking deserved it.’

‘I hurt him.’

‘I-I hurt him just like...’

Chosen blinked.

‘Idiot. What you should be doing instead of feeling sorry for yourself is cleaning out his wound. Might get infected because of you.’

‘That's the least you can do now.’

---

"What would you do if Chosen were to...die one day?"

The voice echoed around Dark.

he spun round wildly in the empty void.

So black.

Blacker than coal.

Can't see anything.

Not even my own hands.

'Why am I here!?' he yelled out to the voice.

Laughter rang out.

It sounds like...me

"I asked ya somethin' Darkie!" It sang out.

“If you’re oh-so-sweet friendship were to…end?”

“Possibly… because of you?”

A cold feeling settled at the bottom of Dark's stomach.

“SHUT UP!” Dark shouted.

The floor lurched.

Disappeared under his feet

"Wha-!"

Falling.

‘FallingfallingfallingI’mfalling!’

He let out a strangled scream.

Down

Faster and faster

Round and round

Deeper and deeper

The black void transformed into a blinding white, then red, then black again.

Static rang in his ears.

Thump!

"AHHH!"

The air’s knocked out of his lungs as he hit the floor.

Bone deep, throbbing ache spread across his spine.

"Any chance you want to answer now?"

Dark grit his teeth as he shakily stood up.

"W-Where am I!" He shouted, trying not to let his voice quiver.

"Dreaming Darkie. You're dreaming."

‘Dreaming?’

He paused.

It felt so real! His back still hurt!

"How do I wake up?!" He demanded.

"Tsk tsk."

"Manners Dark."

"Perhaps this'll help...remind you."

Dark’s heart sunk.

The floor tilted.

Dark shrieked as he slid down, losing his balance.

He tumbled off the floor, falling back into the endless void.

The void transformed into black and white squares shapeshifting into one another.

Tears flew past his eyes.

His heart pounded.

The ringing in his ears grew louder.

He dreaded hitting the floor for the second time.

The shapes turned into circles, each with swirling patterns and turning slowly.

They got so bright, dark clamped his hands over his eyes, praying for it to be over.

"Stop it!" He cried, voice cracking.

Splash!

Water.

Everywhere.

Black water.

‘Can't breathe...’

‘Can't breathe!’

He thrashed violently as the water swallowed him whole, sucking him down deeper.

Water pounded in his ears.

Struggling only seemed to make him sink farther into the black water.

The water was freezing.

His lungs felt like they were going to burst.

His limbs might fall off.

His vision blurred.

‘Can’t…breathe…’

The water disappeared.

He was sitting up on the floor of the black void again.

Curling up into a ball, he started crying into his knees.

His body shook, breathes frantic, like he was still trapped under water.

His lungs burned.

"Why...Why'd you do that?!" He sobbed.

"And let that be a lesson," the voice said cheerfully

"Ready to answer?"

Dark coughed.

‘Chosen dying? The hell did he mean?? I’d never let that happen!’

"I don't know! I don't know what I'd do!" He shrieked.

A chuckle that sent chills down his spine echoed.

"Very well."

Fire erupted across his face.

Agony.

Pure agony.

"STOP!" he screamed.

All he heard was laughter.

---

Dark winced as Chosen gently wiped the cloth down his burns again.

‘Good thing he's not awake.’

‘Would of burned like hell’

‘Why does antiseptic hurt so much? Isn't it supposed to help?’

He brushed it down a particularly bad spot.

Dark whimpered.

'...The hell?'

'He’s not supposed to feel this,' Chosen though, pressing down in the spot harder.

"AHHHHHHH!"

Chosen jumps back in shock.

"D-Dark!?" He whispers, eyes wide.

Dark began clawing at his face, his eyes still clamped shut.

"N-no! You can't!" Chosen said frantically.

He shot forward and pinned both Dark's hands to his side.

Dark squirmed and wriggled under his grasp, whining as if in...Pain?

‘But I'm not even wiping his face-’

Darks face screwed up and he let out another pained whimper, louder this time.

‘Oh’

Chosen's eyes widened in realisation.

‘Nightmare.’

"Dark! Hey dark! Wake up!" He shook him.

Darks eyes shot open.

They widened in panic and he tried pulling his hands free from under Chosen’s.

"M-my face!" He gasps breathlessly.

"It's okay, it's okay, just a bad dream," Chosen reasurred him quickly.

Dark stared at him for a moment, before going limp.

Chosen slowly let go of his hands and crossed his legs next to Dark.

"Are you...okay?"

Dark didn't answer.

Chosen gently took one of his hands.

It was trembling.

"Hey," Chosen said.

"I'm here if you wanna... talk about it?"

Dark slowly met his eye.

There was a pause.

"Of course, if you don't want to, that's absolutely f-" Chosen began.

Dark sat up and flung his arms around Chosen's neck.

Chosen froze in astonishment.

‘What on earth?’

"D-Dark?!" He gasped.

Dark sobbed into his shoulder, clutching him tighter.

‘No...’

‘Oh god he's crying’

‘Dark's crying.’

‘Darks crying!’

‘Nonono he's not supposed to have nightmares-!’

‘He can’t turn into me! I won't let him!’

Chosen wrapped his arms round Dark's shaking body and hugged him tightly.

"It's okay, I got you,” he whispered into his ear.

He squeezed tighter, hardly noticing how wet his shoulder was getting from tears.

"I got you Dark."

Chapter Text

Chosen stroked Dark's back soothingly and Dark's sobs quietened, and subsided.

"My face was on fire again..." Dark whispered, his voice raspy.

Chosen cursed himself.

"It hurt so much... everything was so black...and th-there was this voice..."

Chosen froze.

'Why does this feel so…familiar?'

'Like how it was in the pc...'

"Your awake now. It's not real Dark," he said, trying his best to sound comforting.

‘What did I do to him’

"My face Cho...the voice said I look horrible...”

‘I’m such an idiot.idiotidiotidiot.’

“He was… laughing at me while I screamed-”

"I'm sorry- I'm so, so sorry!" Chosen burst out, squeezing Dark even tighter.

"I didn't know it was you- I didn't mean to shoot you, I was aiming for the cursor and- o-oh shoot I-I mean-”he spluttered.

'Oh god what did I just do.'

Dark pulled back sharply, staring at him.

His eyes were bloodshot, dark underneath them. He gripped Chosen's shoulders.

"Cursor?" He whispered

'Crap'

‘I didn’t mean to say that!’

"What do you mean 'cursor'????" Dark demanded, his vulnerability vanishing.

Chosen was taken aback by his sudden changed.

'How'd he switch up so fast?!'

"I-I uh...I-" He stammered

"Chosen! What did you mean???" He shouted.

Chosen flinched back.

"Sorry-I didn't mean to say- there's no cursor-"

Dark's hold on his shoulder tightened.

Chosen winced.

"Speak dammit! Is he back?! He's looking for us, isn't he? Crap! knew he wouldn't let us go that easy-!"

"No! It's not...he's not coming for us Dark, don't worry."

"What are you talking about??? I don't understand-" he paused.

"And now that I remember, why didn't you come back home?? Who were you talking to in the forest? And why the hell were you crying???" He almost shouted.

Chosen froze.

'He heard me'

'How the hell am I supposed to get out of this?'

'What excuse can I possibly give him that he'll believe?'

Darks gaze softened, his grip loosening.

"Hey, sorry for scaring you... y'know I'm your friend right? If somethings up...you can tell me." He said in a lighter, less aggressive tone.

Chosen stared at him, lump rising to his throat.

He wanted to.

But he shouldn't can't.

"I-I can't...it's not important I...you'd think I'm weak." He mumbled, lowering his gaze.

"YOU? WEAK?!" Dark spluttered in astonishment.

Dark let go of his shoulders and reached down, holding one of Chosen's hands between his.

"Cho, look at me," he said, forcing Chosen to look up and staring into his eyes.

"You're the strongest freaking person I know! Who else could take out an army of apps, me and the cursor all by themselves?"

He squeezed his hand.

"You're not weak, idiot. Dunno why’d you ever think that."

‘Oh…does he actually think like that?’

Chosen's eyes stung.

"Th-thank you..."

It never occurred to him Dark thought about him like that...

'What if it wasn't real? What if he's faking it? Why would he care about me?'

Dark shifted, eyeing Chosen hesitantly.

"Why were you crying then?" He asked softly.

"Really scared me y'know? Woke up and first thing I saw was you sobbing over my body. “Didn't...think you could cry honestly. Never occurred to me"

Chosen's eyes moved to the floor.

'Maybe I should be honest with him.'

'But what if he doesn't like me after?? What if he leaves-'

'Why wouldn't he like you?'

'The animator never liked me.'

'Dark's not the animator, and besides,'

'You don't have to tell him everything.'

'...good point.'

Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth.

'Can’t believe I'm doing this.'

"I...hallucinate sometimes..." He started quietly, looking up.

Darks eyes widen but he didn't interrupt.

His stomach twisted.

'Is it too late to turn back?'

'No. I'm doing this.'

"When I'm scared. Or alone. Or in a dark place. Mainly when I'm alone."

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I can hear things calling my name...feel ants biting my skin...see things that I know, I KNOW aren't real but...I don't like it...they still scare me."

Chosen's eyes moved back to the floor.

"I'm terrified of him... The animator I mean, Dark..."

"Why?" Dark blurted out with a look of genuine confusion.

"I mean, I dislike him too but I’m not afraid of him-"

"Before you were created, he...did some things to me that I... really don't want to talk about."

Darks eyes widened even further.

"H-he did?- You were- how-?”

 His voice rose.

“How long were you fighting with him before he made me??"

Chosen didn't answer

He clenched Dark's hand harder, holding back tears that threatened to spill.

'Years of pain...of desperation...fear that he might just...erase me. Kill me.'

'And nobody would help. Nobody would stop him.'

'Nobody stopped him while he had me tied upside down and whacked me with a bat over and over.'

'(What did I even do that time)'

'Nobody stopped him when he dropped me into that water tank and... left me with those electric eels.'

'Nobody stopped him while he...tore my freaking arms off...for fun… replaced them and did it again...and again...'

Chosen sniffed.

"It hurt Dark...what he did...It hurt so goddamn much"

A tear slid down his face.

'Great. Crying again.'

"Cho..." Dark murmured.

'He...he actually sounds upset...?'

He jumped as Dark wrapped his arm round Chosen's neck again, gentler this time.

"You idiot...Don't you dare think your weak because of something that was completely not in your control." He said through gritted teeth, his voice thick in emotion.

"I can't believe you never told me.”

 “And I knew the animator was a jerk but I never-…he's even more horrible than I thought."

Chosen gave a small, watery smile.

"How the tables have turned...I'm the one supposed to be comforting you.

You just had a nightmare."

"Argh, drat that stupid nightmare for a minute."

Chosen chuckled.

"Anyway," he cleared his throat, pulling away from the hug.

"Last night I had another... episode."

"The cursor hovered over me, people screaming my name, all of that. And I... thought it was real."

Chosen gave a weak laugh.

"Pathetic isn't it? Deep down, I knew it wasn't actually happening but...it felt so...real. that's why I was...crying."

Dark went silent for a moment.

"How long...have you been hallucinating for?" He asked quietly.

Chosen paused, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"A while..."

"Which is?"

Chosen glanced down uncomfortably.

"...rather not say..."

Dark looked mildly annoyed but nodded.

"How'd you find your way home? I thought you were lost," he asked suddenly.

Chosen paused.

"About that..." He began.

"I may have borrowed your phone." He grinned sheepishly.

Darks eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

"How'd you get through the password?!"

Chosen raised an eyebrow.

"You do know 'qwerty1234' is not actually a very hard password to guess right?"

Dark opened his mouth. Then shut it.

"Should probably change that..." He mumbled.

Chosen snorted with laughter.

"Shut up," Dark grumbled, yawning.

'He looks exhausted.'

'And to be honest, so am I.'

'We've been awake for how long?'

'Definitely over a day.'

Chosen noticed a crumpled packet of crisps on the ground.

Reaching down and picking it up, he handed it to Dark.

"Here, think this is yours."

Dark took it gladly.

Chosen settled down on the bed, laying his head against the cool pillow.

Dark did the same, laying down next to him.

"You not going to eat?" Chosen asked, eyeing the unopened bag in his hands.

"In a minute," he replied.

Chosen hummed in acknowledgement, letting his eyes droop down.

He was almost asleep when-

"Cho?"

He cracked open one eye.

"Yeah?"

"Did Alan...try to kill you before he made me? Is that what you meant by he hurt you?"

Chosen tensed.

"S-something like that."

"Oh..."

A pause.

"Chosen?"

"Yes?"

"..."

"Dark?"

"I…I'm...I don't want to sleep...but I'm tired..."

Chosen felt as though a dagger had gone through his heart.

He knew how Dark felt. Nightmares sucked.

Chosen knew that first hand.

He found Dark's hand and held it comfortingly.

"I'm here Dark, I'll wake you if you get another one."

He let out a quiet but noticeable sigh of relief.

"Thanks Cho."

Chosen pulled him into a hug.

He let out a muffled yell as he was smothered in Chosen's arms.

"Idiot!" He gasped, but smiled.

Chosen squeezed tighter.

"You are such a nice hot water bottle," he mumbled into Dark's hair, his eyes falling shut.

Dark rolled his eyes.

Secretly, he enjoyed it.

It was nice.

Felt safe and warm.

And he felt small...in a good way.

He let out a content sigh as his eyes slowly drifted shut, everything fading to black.

‘Just a stupid nightmare.’

‘Code couldn't hurt them.’

‘Just gotta find a way to destroy it.’

‘Sure, it'd be a pain in the neck to try and extract it but...’

‘How hard could it really be?’

Chapter Text

Dark groaned, forcing his heavy eyelids open.

The curtains were drawn, though a crack of light split through them, letting in the soft golden glow of the afternoon sun.

It leaked through the windows and spilled over the bed, bathing its golden shine over the blanket and bed posts.

...He felt like something, no someone was missing.

He looked around. Chosen wasn't here.

Wasn't even in the room.

'Huh...must have woken up earlier.'

He slowly shut his eyes again.

His body ached. His mind was in whirl.

'So many things happened...'

'First nightmare... Burns... Blood... Tears...

 The animator...and Cho...'

He coughed.

'Wonder when their fight started. How long was it going for before I was created?'

'At worst a couple of hours, right?'

'Why did he never tell me? I'm his best friend!'

'Does he think I can't handle it? That I'm not worth telling?'

Dark felt a little hurt.

He was trying so hard to be a good friend, and this is what Chosen thinks of him?

‘What's the point of trying?’

‘Ungrateful b-’

‘Woah’

Dark paused in surprise.

‘Where'd that come from?’

'What'd that jerk do to Chosen anyway?'

Dark rolled onto his side.

'He always flinches if I touch him suddenly, or raise my voice,' he thought.

'Those point to physical abuse...which isn't surprising, since the animator was trying to kill him and all...'

Dark tensed.

'Out-numbered and his life at stake'

‘Must have been terrified…’

He felt a lump rose to his throat.

‘He probably felt like he was going to die…just like…’

Presses against the tab wall, arms raised in surrender, body shaking as the paintbrush The Chosen One held jabbed inches away from his chest.

He couldn't breathe.

"Pl-please...mercy! I y-yield..." He whimpered pathetically.

He hid his face in his arms as if they could shield him from his fate.

'I'm going to die I'm going to die I don't wanna die I'm going to di-'

Chosen tossed the paintbrush to the side.

Dark stared at him in astonishment.

'What is this?'

Chosen pointed towards the animator who-

‘WAS PLAYING WITH CARDS?!’

‘WHILE I'M RISKING MY LIFE FOR HIM-’

‘HE'S PLAYING A STUPID GAME?!!!!’

Chosen scowled as he gestured to the animator, clenching his fist and punching it into his hand.

'Ah, he wants to fight it?'

Dark grinned, mimicked the action.

'Sure'

Dark couldn't understand why Chosen saved him back then.

But now...

‘Did he really loathe the animator that much?

‘To team up with me? Just to destroy the animator’s computer? The stick trying to kill him?’

‘That doesn't sound like him...he's not the destructive type.’

‘Unless he wasn't trying to destroy but escape.’

‘Huh.’

These thoughts made his head spin.

‘Why am I only hearing about all this now??’

‘What else is he hiding from me?’

His mind felt fuzzy, like static.

A hand rested on his shoulder.

"The hell?!" He spluttered, jumping upright.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to-crap!" Chosen stammered pulling his hand away, stepping back from the edge of his bed.

He was holding a glass of water and some pills. His clothes had switched into a black hoodie and his hair looked slightly wet, as if he had a shower a few hours ago.

Dark raised an eyebrow, heart still racing.

"For your burns, helps with the pain and all," he explained, holding them out to Dark.

He sat up and hesitantly took them, popped the pills in his mouth and chugged the water down in one gulp.

"I was thinking, maybe we could go on a walk to er... Get our mind off all this stuff?" Chosen said with a cautious smile.

"Of course," Chosen started quickly.

"If you’re not up for it, it's fine-"

"Nah, sounds like fun," Dark said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and standing up.

His muscles ached in protesting.

"Really?” Chosen’s face lit up.

“Okay, so firstly-"

Chosen yanked Dark's arm and dragged him outside towards the bathroom.

A bleach scent hit Dark in the nose.

Chosen shoved him into the...clean bathroom.

"Did you...?" He turned.

Chosen had raced off into his room.

Dark rolled his eyes.

‘Of course Chosen had cleaned the blood by himself.’

‘How was he this energetic after that? Any normal person would have stayed in bed for at least a few days.’

Chosen came and pushed a towel, some baggy pants and a white shirt into his arms.

"Have a shower quick, it'll be dark soon!" He called out, scrambling down the stairs.

Dark stared after him, clothes limp in his hands.

'He should really be resting...'

'But he looks so excited.'

'Sure he's fine.'

Dark shut the door and locked it.

He undressed out of the filthy clothes and threw them into the counter of the extremely shiny tiles.

'Chosen really worked at it.'

He left the clamp on.

A strong scent of soap and bleach hung in the air.

Dark hung up his clothes in the peg and stepped under the shower.

Once he was done, he dried himself and reached for the shirt-

'Oh no...'

He stared in horror at the short-sleeved shirt, and glanced down at his scarred arms.

Scars still as ugly as ever, the long cuts clear as day covering his forearms and a few on his upper shoulders.

'Why did I pick my arms to cut??" He thought regretfully.

'Why not anywhere else?!'

'He's gonna see everything now!'

'Can’t even go back in the room and try and find something else in case he's there...'

Dark slipped the shirt over his head and put in the pants.

'Okay okay okay, I'll just drape the towel round my shoulders and try and find something to cover myself there-'

He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

"Oh god..." He whispered.

It was him but...he looked so…marred.

Wet, dripping hair, burned skin on his face, knife scars marring both arms.

He subconsciously hugged his arms to his chest and tried hiding the marks.

They still peeked out under his hands.

He felt so exposed...Why does it have to leave scars??

He noticed the skin around the clamp on his upper arm was slightly discoloured, lighter red than usual, with wave-like marks around it.

'Electric burns...looks old, probably from when I set the electricity too high.'

Gingerly, he poked the marks.

He didn't feel pain...or anything really.

It was weird.

He was touching his skin, he could feel the weight of his finger pressing into it, but he couldn't feel whether the finger was hot or cold. The skin had lost its sensitivity.

He tried with the knife scars. Same thing.

'That’s not good...'

'Bet it felt good though.'

'What did?'

His eyes trailed over his arms.

'Doing that to yourself. Must have been nice to take your frustration out on something.'

Darks grip tightened.

'...It was.'

'So why not do it again?'

'What?! No! Already damaged myself enough!'

'Besides...there's nothing sharp in here.'

'Fingernails work.'

'You want me...to scratch myself...till I bleed?'

'If you get a drop of blood, I'll be impressed. Much harder than a knife, y'know?'

He found himself raising a hand to his forearm to an unscarred part of his skin.

'I'm not doing that...' he realised, heart sinking.

It was like he had lost control over his own hand

'What the hell are you doing???'

Pain sprung up as his fingernail dug into his skin and dragged down a few inches.

'N-no! Stop it!'

He grabbed his wrist with his other hand and tried pulling it off.

Didn't work. Whatever was controlling his hand was too strong.

A loud knock at the door made him freeze.

"Dark! You've been in there for twenty minutes! Hurry up!"

Dark swallowed. His mouth was so dry.

"C-coming!" He croaked.

"I'll be waiting downstairs for you."

Chosen's voice faded as he left.

The voice was gone.

His trembling hands fell to his side.

‘Wha…what was that…’

---

Chosen finished packing the sandwiches into plastic bags as he heard Dark's footsteps creaking down the stairs.

"Made some sandwiches and snacks for-are you okay???"

Dark looked shaken, his eyes blank and wide.

He wore one of Chosen's hoodies and had a scarf wrapped over his mouth and burns, hiding them.

Dark straightened.

"Yeah..." He muttered.

Chosen moved towards him.

"Is that nightmare bothering you?" He asked softly.

"Hm?-yeah, just...can't stop thinking about it..."

Chosen's felt a pain in his heart.

He reached out and rested a hand on his arm.

"Aw, Darkie-"

"DON'T!" Dark snapped, whacking Chosen's hand away.

Chosen flinched, a hurt expression in his eyes.

"Don't...call me that."

'What did I do wrong?'

Dark looked up at Chosen with a guilty expression.

"Sorry," he said, lowering his gaze.

"I don't know why I got so mad."

Chosen sucked in a breath.

"It's o-okay."

An unbearable silence passed between them.

"Should we... go?" Dark said awkwardly, shifting on his feet.

A beat.

"Yeah, let's go." Chosen said finally.

 ;

Chapter Text

"If I were a colour, what would I be?"

"Hm... perhaps yellow? Or a creamy shade of white.

 How about me?"

Mitsi paused thoughtfully.

Victim gazed up at the orangery blue sky, pink clouds swirling and shapeshifting above them.

The soft grass tickled beneath his cheek. He twisted his head to see Mitsi stretched out flat on the ground next to him, her hands fiddling with the short blades of grass beneath her.

Soft wind whooshed through the air, and mingled with the twittering of birds, adding to the peaceful atmosphere

'This is what perfect must be.'

"I'd say you'd be blue- no cyan!" Mitsi announced.

Victim smiled.

"Those are pretty colours." He commented.

"I know right!" She exclaimed.

His gaze averted from her face to watch a small bird on a tree hop across the branches, before flapping its wings and taking off to the skies.

'Wish I could fly.'

A soft sense of calm washed over him, mixing with a kind of sudden inspiration.

"Fancy a song?" He asked.

"Sure, nobody else's around," Mitsi replied.

"What's that one Annie showed us?"

Victim frowned, trying to recall it. His face lit up.

"I was a bird~"

His hand reached out and curled around her pointed, soft ones.

She squeezed back and took a deep breath.

"He was an arrow~"

"I felt allured~"

"By the straight and the narrow~"

"What could I do~?"

"His aim was true~"

---

A tight feeling knotted in Dark's stomach as he stumbled over the rocky pathway, Chosen half dragging him forward.

'This was supposed to be fun,' he thought gloomily. He wasn't sure why he felt so awful.

The headache wasn't helping him feel any better.

‘…Probably because of what happened before... with my arm…’

‘Nothing happened, what are you talking about?’

‘...did it? Was I just imagining it? Do I hallucinate too?’

A few trees with long droopy leaves were dotted on either side of the pathway. They were on a kind of steep hill, overlooking a large field below.

The sun had almost disappeared from sight as the world darkened, making it much harder to see.

Black shadows hid rocks and dents in the ground, much to Dark's inconvenience.

He noticed Chosen didn't seem to have any difficulty in seeing the pathway, avoiding the rocks and dents with ease. Never lost footing once, which seemed almost impossible.

‘Huh... interesting.’

"Hey..." Chosen stopped abruptly, making Dark almost slam into him. "Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Dark said impatiently. He wasn't in the mood for Chosen's stupid observations just yet.

"I can hear one, maybe two? sticks. And they're...singing?" Chosen said in confusion.

"Eh?” Dark wasn’t sure if he had heard right.

Chosen crept behind one of the trees and peered over the steep slope down to the field.

"Pst, look Dark!" He beckoned, gesturing with his hand.

Dark rolled his eyes and reluctantly trudged forward, hands in his pockets.

'Okay, two singing sticks are here at the goddamn night. So what-'

'Is that another hollow head?'

Dark stared.

down below, laying in the feild were two sticks, one with white skin and grey hair, an the other with a grey hollow head

Chosen's eyes shone as he looked back at Dark. He grabbed Dark's shoulders and shook him.

"Do you hear?! Their singing about birds!" He said in an excited whisper.

'Singing? I don't hear anything…'

'There he goes being a weirdo again.'

Dark looked at him, face blank. "What are you talking about?"

Chosen's expression changed. His mouth tightened, brows upturned anxiously.

His eyes darted back to the couple then at Dark's.

"They...they are there, aren't they?" He asked nervously.

Dark glared at him, head pounding.

'Of course they're there you idiot.'

"Yes, they're there Chosen," he said in an exasperated tone.

Chosen sighed in relief.

"Sorry," he said apologetically, smiling.

"Thought it might have been...y'know, another hallucination." He shrugged.

‘Oh.’

Dark instantly felt bad.

'Why do I have to be so judgemental?'

'Man, hallucinating must suck, he can't even trust his own eyes.'

'There has to be a cure for this, right?'

Dark mentally made a note to do some research on hallucinations and treatments.

"Why does that guy look like us? Dark said, glancing towards the greyish stick below them.

'He looks a little like Chosen…'

Chosen didn't answer, instead staring intensely at the couple, as though he was listening.

'They can't actually be singing, can they?'

Dark strained his ears.

He heard a faint murmur. It sounded like a singing, but it was barely hearable.

'Oh wow.'

He shot a look at Chosen, who was engrossed in listening and didn't even notice.

'Can he... actually hear them? Clearly?!'

'He says they're singing about birds...'

'How is he...did his senses become…better? How? And more importantly why?'

'God, what is going on!?'

''Chosen!' he hissed. He was sick of feeling confused.

 Chosen jolted back, his eyes snapping to his.

"Sorry, what did you say?" He asked breathlessly. He looked unsettling, his red eyes glowing red in the blackness, almost disturbing.

Dark was stunned momentarily, before regaining his control.

"That guy has a hollow head!?" He whispered loudly.

"Oh him, yeah, he does," Chosen replied calmly.

'?????'

"Why are not surprised??" Dark spluttered.

"I've seen him before. Think he lives in a village close to here.”

"You've...seen him before?" Dark said, dumbfounded.

His heart rate increased, stomach flipping summersaults.

"I came around this area once when you were in the lab, and saw these two sitting together. Don’t know why his head looks like that though, but I figured hollow heads are just rarer than most sticks, that's why we don't see em much," Chosen explained normally, as though it didn't matter.

Dark tried to grasp the information he had just learnt.

‘He left the house while I was away?’

‘Without me...’

 ‘Couldn't he have at least waited for me to come back?’

"Why'd you leave the house without telling me?" He asked, his voice strained in an effort to hide the emotions. He didn't understand why he felt so hurt.

‘What else does he do without me? Does he have other friends? No no, that ridiculous, he couldn't have... right?’

‘Chosen probably just needs some time away from you.’

‘Wh-what?’

"I got bored. You took so long coming back. I didn't think you'd reply to the message even if I sent it. You never do..." Chosen replied, his voice quieting at the last sentence.

It was hard to see his expression from how dark it had gotten, the sky a blend of blue, purple and a little orange.

‘He couldn't wait mere days for you.’

‘Just had to do it by himself and make you feel bad for it.’

‘Little manipulator.’

"Oh," Dark said flatly.

Chosen seemed taken aback by the tone. His hand reached out and touched his...arm... right over a scar.

‘GETOFFME’

Dark bit his lip, the unpleasant feeling of pressure mixed with the lack of any temperature making him want to yank his arm out of Chosen's grasp.

But he didn't, just stiffened.

"You okay?" Chosen asked softly.

"Yup. Fine. Can we go home now?" Dark said quickly.

"B-but we barely did anything, I thought we could-"

Dark tugged his arm away. He couldn't handle the horrible feelings anymore.

"I'm tired Cho. It's late. And to be honest, this is kinda boring."

Silence.

Dark momentarily felt guilty. But it didn't last.

‘Chosen could just go out by his damn self if he wanted a walk.’

"Yeah, you're right, sorry. let's go," Chosen mumbled quietly.

He sounded so let down, upset even.

And yet... Dark didn't feel bad.

Or anything.

He knew he shouldn't have been so affected by Chosen leaving the house without him. He knew Chosen loved him. He knew Chosen would always be his friend.

And he knew he should feel bad for hurting him.

And yet...

Seeing Chosen so dismayed from something he did...

Was strangely satisfying... Filling, if you will.

The emptiness is his chest eased.

He could have moaned in relief.

‘Oh...oh god that felt good.’

---

Chosen couldn't sleep.

Again.

But it was different this time.

He didn't understand what he did to hurt Dark.

‘What was wrong with going for a walk by myself?’

‘There was nothing to do! And I might have had another hallucination.’

He rolled onto his side, the pillow hot under his cheek.

He could faintly make out the quiet tap tap of Dark typing on his laptop in his room.

He checked the time.

3:46am.

'He should really be sleeping now.'

Chosen considered getting up and telling him to go to bed, before deciding against it. He didn't want to risk annoying him further.

But on the topic of anger, Dark seemed a lot calmer then he had been a few weeks back.

Before, he'd usually take his temper out in a spar against Chosen, or locking himself up in his room.

It was a good change, yet...

Chosen kicked the blanket off himself, them being too hot.

‘It was weird. Something's not right.’

‘You're being ridiculous, Dark's changing. That's normal.’

‘But it doesn't feel right!’

‘Just because you think it's weird doesn't mean it's not normal.’

‘True...’

‘But why has he started covering up so much? He never used to cover his arms before!’

‘Could just be a style change.’

Chosen groaned, covering his face.

‘The voices don't stop’

‘Just let me sleep, I'm so tired-‘

Click.

Chosen’s breathing hitched as he clamped his eyes shut.

‘Not again please not again’

Swoosh.

Cold air rushed past his face.

He held his breath, chest tightening.

‘Don't move don't move don't move’

He could feel something close to him, hovering over him.

‘Just don't...move.’

‘It'll go away.’

‘It's not real.’

‘Can't hurt me.’

‘Can't hurt me.’

‘Can't hurt me.’

After what felt like hours but were probably just a few minutes, Chosen cracked open one eye.

Black. Just his room. Nothing else.

He let out a deep sigh of relief.

Ants crawled under his skin on his upper arms and down his back.

He lifted his shirt sleeve to check if there actually were bugs there.

Nope.

He winced as he felt something pinch his lower back.

Then his arms.

‘Perfect. Now I can hallucinate bugs biting me.’

‘It's going to be a long night.’

---

Tap tap

‘The virabot’s getting along nicely.’

‘Once plugged into the actual robot, this code would allow it to walk and follow orders.’

‘But it needed to be better. Much better.’

‘How so?

Dark let out a huff.

‘God, this was hard.’

The room was black, besides the glow coming from his laptop he had resting on his lap. The soft blanket beneath him made him feel tired.

At the back of his mind, he couldn't stop replaying the horrible bathroom scene...Chosen had look so small...

Dark wasn't used to that.

As much as he felt annoyed with Cho, he was still his brother after all.

Red had always been his favourite colour, but after seeing that bathroom...

Dark shuddered.

Blood...all over the floor...on his face...clothes.

He pushed those thoughts away and hid them in his mind.

What puzzled Dark most was that Chosen was apparently fine now.

‘Seemingly better than before, with an energy increase and possibly heightened senses.’

‘Being able to hear from long distances? Seeing in near darkness?’

‘It's weird. So weird.’

He couldn't help but feel a little concerned.

‘Coughing that much blood, hell, coughing up any blood can't be good for you.’

But he's The Chosen One.’

‘Should be fine.’

‘A virus. An antivirus.’

‘A hybrid.’

‘A little blood never killed anyone.’

With a slow exhale, he shut the laptop and pushed it under his bed.

He rubbed his stinging eyes.

‘Man, I need to sleep.’

He flopped down on his back and stared at the ceiling.

The window let in a little light, a thin streak of the moon's glow shining across the floor. Distant crickets could be heard croaking songs outside.

He shut his eyes.

'So about making that virabot better...'

Chapter Text

Ants covered his body. Ropes curling round his wrists like snakes.

Can't see anything

So black

He struggled against them, only resulting in the ropes tightening.

The tiny pincers stabbed into his arm. His blood became as hot as lava, burning up his veins like acid.

He screamed

---

Chosen shot upright gasping, scratching at his arms, the tickle of bugs crawling and biting under his skin still there.

Someone who had been over him jolted back. Dark.

'What... is he doing here?'

"You were screaming, I-I came to... check if you're okay," Dark explained quickly, crawling backwards and sitting at the edge of the bed.

He hesitantly reached out and put his hand comfortingly over Chosen's.

Chosen snatched his hand back without thinking.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to-I- sorry," Chosen stammered.

'You idiot.'

Dark nodded understandingly.

"Not a big deal. Bad dreams again?" He asked.

Chosen stayed quiet.

A pause.

"...You...hungry?" Dark asked, breaking the silence

"Kind of. Did you eat anything?" Chosen asked.

"Was gonna make something now," he replied, standing up and moving to the door.

"Come down once you're ready yeah?" He called over his shoulder.

"Okay."

The door clicked shut.

Chosen unclenched the blanket he had balled in his fists.

'Funny...don't remember sleeping with these...'

Chosen's right arm throbbed just below the shoulder, his whole body still tingling.

He shuddered at the memory of feeling the pincers sinking into that flesh, the burning sensation beneath his skin traveling through his blood like acid.

His eyes moved to his wrists and shook them in the air, the feeling of ropes still there.

Chosen coughed weakly.

He felt like garbage, head spinning, body aching and the sensation of bugs still on his skin.

'I'm not even dreaming anymore! Why do I still feel like this???' He thought frustratedly, swinging his legs over the beds edge and standing up.

---

"CRAP! CHOSEEEEEN!"

"What-?!" Chosen started, bursting into the kitchen.

Dark stood staring at the stove that was...on fire.

'Oh god.'

His eyes widened.

'The thing would explode!'

"Move back you idiot!" Chosen yelled frantically at Dark, who seemed to be frozen. He obediently stepped back from the ever-growing flames.

'God, what to do?! Water?? No, that'll make everything worse! What to do what to do-!"

He notices Dark chewing the string of his old, oversized hoodie's sleeve.

'There's an idea!’

"Gimme your hoodie." He ordered.

"W-What?!-"

"NOW DARK!" Chosen almost screamed in desperation.

'Why is he taking so long???'

Darks eyes moved to the fire, then at his eyes.

"What are you doing?!" Chosen snapped.

Dark's eyes widen and he lets out a blood-curling scream, staring straight at the fire.

'?????'

Chosen spun round.

Something hits him at the back of the head.

His hoodie.

Without wasting another moment, Chosen threw it over the fire and used it to smother the flames.

They died down slowly, large holes burning deep into the hoodie as the flames licked around it.

He sighed in relief, stepping back from the stove and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

'That was close.'

'The hell was up with Dark??'

He spun round.

"Dark, Why'd you take so long-?"

He wasn't in the room.

'Weird.'

'Probably retreats to his in case the stove exploded.'

Dark wasn't very resistant to explosion like Chosen was, due to some...past incidents.

Chosen pinched his nose.

'Stop thinking about then. About him. Safe now safe now I'm safe now.'

---

'No, no, no!'

Dark scrambled through his clothes drawer, tossing sleeveless shirt after sleeveless shirt over his shoulder.

His scars seemed even brighter when exposed to the sunlight slipping in through the window, making them even more noticeable.

'He'll see everything'

The sound of footsteps echoing up the steps caught his ear, making he dig even faster.

'Yes!'

He quickly slipped a bright lime jacket over his shoulders just as the door was flung open.

'That twit didn't knock'

"Dark, what was- what on earth are you wearing?!"

Dark plastered a grin onto his face and stood up, slowly turning around.

Chosen stared at him like he had gone mad, eyes moving from his face to his jacket.