Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hows the work stuff going” shedletsky asked, slipping into buildermans office, sandals clacking against the tiled floor of the hq.

“Stressful, just like it was yesterday” builderman replied dryly, hunched at his office computer, the few cups of coffee he’d had skewed across the desk.

Shedletsky nodded thoughtfully, taking a bite of his chicken leg in hand, chewing while thinking to himself about how to reply,

“wha’cha working on?” He said, finally deciding what to say.

“Trying to fix the mess they left for me money wise” builderman laughed dryly, a grimace laced his face as he leaned back into his chair looking at Shedletsky tiredly.

“Their old finance department head must’ve been blind or never came in because barely anything seems to be necessary expenses” he sighed as he stretched lightly from exhaustion.

The yellow admin cocked his head in curiosity, “how so?” He asked as he put the chicken drumstick back into the reclaimed popcorn container.

“Y’know that mandatory code ‘vaccine’ thing we’ve been doin’ for decades?” He set up, shedletsky nodded in response.

“I cant find a single explanation in the ENTIRE database as to why we’ve gotta’ do such a’ expensive annual treatment” his eyes flicked back to his monitor, then resting on shedletsky again.

“Why not ditch it then?”

Builderman took a second to respond, brows furrowed.

“I feel’ like there was prolly’ a good explanation as to why they did it though”

He looked back to the computer again, eyes narrowing as concern traced his face.

“But i’ also dont wanna sink any more money into something that don’ have an explanation in th’ first place” he muttered to himself, he looked away from the bulky piece of technology as he put a hand up to his chin.

“I trust you to make the right decision builds” shedletsky sent the græy admin a reassuring smile.

“Thanks shed-“ builderman attempted to reply only to be interrupted by shedletsky being called.

“Oh sh- i mean ill see you later builds, Good luck!!” the other admin left, trying to carefully close the door only for the vague draft to make it slam shut.

Builderman took a moment to soak in the silence and the decision.

Breathing in deeply as he closed his eyes, his head resting in his hands.

“I hope im making the right decision here.” he muttered as he looked back to the computer.

He was going to fix the mess that roblox hq was left in when he got it, and he would do what he had to do to get it at least above near bankruptcy.

Chapter Text

Builderman had been absorbed in his work when shedletsky came in- again.

(He was thankfully able to fully notify the extended admin force to not start the ‘procedure’ this year (or any future years) due to time restrictions and budget constraints, even if it was mere weeks before the event was stated to happen)

“Builds we gotta talk..” he said, putting on a serious face.

“Bout’ what shed?” Builderman confusedly replied, raising an eyebrow.

“You…” he started the faux seriousness facade slipping as he continued, “have been working WAAY too much, you deserve a break!”

“Shed.. you know i cant do that right now” he interjected looking shedletsky in the eyes, hoping he could get through to the yellow robloxian.

“Relax, I’ve already asked clockwork to help out with your workload, overworking yourself wont save robloxia builds” he shook his pointer finger in a stern manner before walking up to builderman and taking his arm.

“I… i can’ try, i just dont think ill feel very ‘relaxed’ is all” builderman said giving in to the others pull as he was practically dragged out of his office.

“Where ar’ we goin’ anyways?” He questioned shedletsky as he was taken down the many stairs of roblox hq, every so often gaining stares from the few passing employees.

“To the point!” He exclaimed with a vague non helpful answer.

“Wait you dont mean-“

“Yep! We’re goin’ to the cliff!” Shedletsky enthusiastically said beaming as he looked back to the græy admin.

‘The place we first met.. huh..’ builderman thought passively, mind seeming to fade out of the present.

‘I just hope its as safe as it was back then, ‘nd not overrun by those rabid creatures’ he shuddered at the thought as the ground became soft beneath him.

‘Im just glad them hybrid ‘folk’ dont frequent around ere’, the monsters’ he looked around him as the world faded back in, and he realized he hadn’t voiced his concerns to his companion.

“‘Ey shed?” He half mumbled on accident.

“Yea builds?” He replied almost immediately, looking to builderman and slowing down significantly.

“You sure this place s’ safe?” He said as shedletsky came to a halt.

“With all th’ hybrids goin’ ‘round im worried one of em’ might try t’ ambush us” anxiety leaked into his voice as he started grinding his teeth together, an act of his subconscious most likely to try to calm himself down.

“Naaah, ive been here tooons of times, and have never seen a hybrid here- day or night” he reassured builderman, letting go of his friend’s hand to pat his shoulder.

“I.. okay, i just wanted to make sure’ “ he said anxiety dampening but still there.

He had heard horror stories growing up of hybrids brutally murdering people, or torturing the weak and helpless. And his limited contact with them had only proven the violent image more true in his mind.

Though he had never been directly harmed, he had witnessed death at the hands of hybrids. He had nearly forgotten how to grieve, since as an administrator- part of the job was to ban people, sentence them to hell.

But when witnessing a hybrid kill it felt.. different. He couldn’t explain it.

He was again shaken back into reality as shedletsky stated “we’re here!” Putting his hands to his hips as he let go of builderman’s hand, looking out upon the sunset.

“Jeez its late” the græy one commented dryly, to which shedletsky only nodded.

Letting the peace seep in as the forest settled.

It was nice.

And the only calm builderman would have, for a LONG time to come.

Chapter Text

When builderman was young he had sympathy for the outcasts.

The many hybrids that were driven out of their homes.

The hackers who were driven to extremes to even start exploiting in the first place.

Builderman wanted to become an admin to change things, to make things better.

He wanted to help.

But then he awoke to a scared hybrid having broken into his house.

Seemingly hiding from something- or someone.

Builderman groggily walked down the stairs to see a person pressed against his door, making sure it was locked from the inside, then sinking to the floor.

“You ok’ there?” He ignored every instinct telling him to get his tempo-banhammer, to cave the strangers skull in.

Their head snapped to him, cuts, scrapes, and bruises littered their build.

They shuddered, as they looked like they had just been hit by a car, “please dont hurt me” they whispered, the words barely reaching builderman before they collapsed.

Though whether it was due to exhaustion, fear, or both was difficult to pinpoint.

He walked over carefully to the other one picking them up (though struggling due to buildermans tired state).

Builderman gently set the hybrid Robloxian on his couch as he gingerly made sure his front door was indeed locked, careful not to wake the other up- they seemed like they needed the sleep.

They couldnt have been older than fifteen or so, skin covered in dapples of what he assumed to be fur, it was thin and scratchy from how the texture looked.

Two small horns peeked through their hair as they slept. The hybrid wore an off yellow orange vest, some blue jeans, and a blue roblox official tie.

‘Could they be an intern of some sort?’ He pondered as he sat on a chain across from the couch.

He crossed his legs in the chair, ‘if so im glad roblox hq is finally diversifying’.

‘But why would they be running then..”

He brushed off the thought leaning back into his chair.

He mindlessly started grinding his teeth against each other before abruptly getting up and grabbing a blanket and a medical bag from the storage cabinet and started cleaning the wounds and patching them up- seemingly just remembering the state the ‘burglar’ was in.

After bandaging them up, he pulled out the thick blanket.

He then placed the blanket on the stranger. Hoping they wouldn’t react negatively to being in a strange place.

Or more specifically, that they wouldnt try to kill him in his sleep.

Before he nodded off, the exhaustion getting to him, he wrote a note explaining what had happened, telling them that they could stay if they’d like or leave if they wanted to, and to raid the cupboard if they ever got hungry.

It was foolish to let a stranger who seemed to be on the run, stay in your house. But builderman was too tired to be able to make any other decisions at the moment.

When builderman woke up, he found the blanket had been transferred over to him, he eventually got up and headed to the kitchen where the hybrid was struggling to cook- or do anything for that matter, the hooves on their hands and feet that builderman hadnt noticed before aiding to that.

He explained his name was john doe, and that he was suddenly taken from his home.

He had managed to escape, but his sister wasn’t so lucky, having been taken.

John sheepishly said he picked buildermans house because it was the first one that he could get the door open to.

Builderman proudly introduced himself, making sure to state he wouldnt turn john in, but telling him that he was currently a low ranking admin for roblox.

John profusely apologized multiple times for breaking in, though builderman made sure john knew he wasnt mad.

And so builderman became john’s somewhat caretaker, having to get specific foods and cutlery due to his diet restrictions and physical limitations.

And john flourished, builderman felt like a proud older sibling when john started to learn to code on his own, builderman providing lessons and support when needed.

John eventually was able to make his own meals consistently, though still needing the occasional help from the græy robloxian.

Life was kind.

“Builderman.. i think i might’ve found where they took my sister”

Chapter Text

awesome fic that inspired this one should be linked now, incase it isnt heres the link!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66120331/chapters/170400127

Incase that doesnt work

Its A Forsaken hybrid! Au by Mrsevelynevelyn and its SO COOL!!! so yeah go check it out if you haven’t already

Chapter Text

John had insisted he go alone, stating the fact builderman had an assessment of his skills as an admin coming up to deter the græy robloxian from going with him.

Builderman tried to reason against the statement, though in the end he needed the job as an admin to pay the bills, he had only just gotten a stable income of robux.

And so john left, though before fully leaving he decided to leave builderman with where he was going, insisting he should only come if john sent a distress signal of some kind.

Builderman memorized the coordinates until he could recite them upon being suddenly woken up.

And as he continued working through the ‘courses’ on moderation and the warnings of admin abuse, he grew more concerned.

One day grew to two, which grew to one week, which climbed to a month, which settled at two months.  Thats when builderman decided he needed to find john.

He first went to his closest friend, shedletsky, asking if he would help him.  Shedletsky having met john prior, obliged, wanting to make sure john was safe too.

He then went to dusekkar, originally someone he intended to go to if shedletsky refused, he was persuaded by shedletsky to invite him to since he had been sent to work at an admin-run hybrid containment station before, so he could provide useful support.

Dusekkar agreed to help, despite not knowing john.

“Those centers are not fun and games, ive seen people die there without names” he warned cryptically.

Builderman had simply nodded to what the pumpkin headed one had said, unsure of how else to respond.

The planning was rushed, only a day or two dedicated to it but they were able to roughly outline a plan:

Step one would be to actually get to the coordinates, which thankfully (and somewhat alarmingly) were close enough for the journey to not be too long.

Step two; infiltrate it.  Dusekkar had said they may be able to claim they were there on a college assignment, though if that didn’t work shedletsky and dusekkar could make a distraction.

And step three, find john of course, search where ever they can, and find him ans his sister.

The first step was the easiest by far, as dusekkar had recently gained access to teleport permissions, they god there nearly immediately.

The second step wasnt as simple.

“Ok ill go up first, you guys follow once i give the go-ahead, alright?”

“Why ar’ we lettin’ shed do this ‘nstead of you again matt?”

“If I approached with guests it would be suspicious, though auspicious it will be if we enter more slowly”

Builderman sighed as shedletsky started heading down the trail in the deep forested area, approaching the large building devoid of features.

After a bit of muffled chatter shedletsky subtle made a gesture for them to come over, however dusekkar stopped builderman before he could get out of their hiding spot.

“Stay back here for a moment friend, for you must see this to the end”

Builderman was practically buzzing with anticipation but simply sighed as dusekkar exited the bush and he looked off, the world growing fuzzy around him.

Builderman looked around suddenly startled  back into consciousness as he was surrounded by dark walls and doors locked by lines of code and access requirements.

He walked what he presumed to be forwards as the cell numbers climbed.

‘700..’

‘800..’

‘900…’

The rooms were lined with doors, long claustrophobic hallways with doors equally as claustrophobically placed.

Around nine hundred and fifty doors in is when he felt something, a faint tug.

A familiarity.

“John? Yer in here?” He said voice growing shaky.

He waited a moment in the silence before continuing on.

A muffled voice suddenly came from one of the steel doors, “builder?” It was quiet, though whether due to fear, the half a meter thick steel door, or another factor- builderman couldnt tell, but he immediately stopped trying to pinpoint where the voice had come from.

“Which cell ar’ you in john”

Voice firm but still wavering.

“N-number seventy two i think” his voice sounded tired, tired and lacking much depth, the wall not helping.

Builderman nearly sprinted to the cell, pulling out his admin panel without thinking and deleted the door, his surprise on how he had permissions was nearly immediately masked by the sight of-

“John!” He ran forwards and hugged the kid, who almost immediately hugged back- though wincing a bit as he did so.

“Are yer injured? What happnd’?” He released the hug after noticing johns pain.

The other shifted a bit before nodding hesitantly, attempting to speak before going silent once more.

He gingerly raised his arm to reveal small chunks where his flesh were seemingly ripped out, then pointed to a pile of softly glowing gui shards on the floor.

“Oh, john im so sorry i didnt get ‘ere sooner” he shivered at the thought of his own admin gui fragmenting into his skin, though summoning his own panel again after it closed on its own and started to work on something to put the others gui back together.

John put a hand on his arm, nodding his head to the exit.

“We can leave n’ a sec i just need t’ make sure yer safe” he grimaced as he went through johns rig, parts of his code missing or changed to adjacent parts.

He decided to shift his attention to johns gui, the shards strewn in the corner of the small cell, he selected the script for it, trying to add in a new function, though he found there were a few already in place he could build off of.  So he used them as a starting point.

After a bit of fiddling around with the script he felt good with what he’d inscribed and executed it.

The splinters of light shook slightly as john backed closer to the door in surprise, having started keeping watch before.

But then something went wrong.

The craters in johns flesh sunk deeper into his skin, veins blackening as the panel started reforming out of his arm.

John let out a scream as his flesh tore to accommodate the gui being encrusted into his arm and skull, still not fully reforming, the skin that now encased the gui registered as presses of the digital keyboard, adding lines of nonsense gibberish directly into his own being.

Builderman desperately tried to remove it, but the code was so overridden with nonsense it caused a data overload.

His gui immediately closed upon trying to inspect the kids code, the system crashing.

He looked at john whose eyes had become vacant, as john started slowly walking away, the doors that attempted to check johns code for security permissions disappeared due to their memory being overwhelmed.

Builderman tried to get through to john, the hybrids that were once encaged though were quick to hold him down, a few put together that john was the one freeing him- and with his gui still down he couldnt do much else.

He still fought, tooth and nail, grinding his teeth as he briefly freed himself, only to be immediately delt a blow to the head, and then the world faded to black.

He never fully recovered from that day.

Chapter Text

The guards working at the now nearly empty facility were quick to place the blame on john for the incident, putting him on wanted lists, and sending out psa’s on the hybrid that instructed any robloxian to turn in any hybrid they suspect might work with him.

Buillderman was in hospice for a concussion, having found out from a security camera that a chunk of the thick metal roof became unanchored and fell, nearly killing him.

Surprisingly though- that was one of about, two cameras that were able to capture any footage, builderman assumed the lack of his presence before the attempted breakout on the cameras was partially why john had been pinned for most of the blame.

He was brought in for questioning, though he was able to play off most of them with ‘i dont remember’.

One of the more noticeable consequences of the concussion was re-learning motor skills, his memory was fine strangely enough- but he struggled to be able to grab things.  Having to take a roughly six month long leave from the course he was near completing.

Though after the six months he was able to return to school, though had to go through the rest of the class at a slower pace as to not undo his progress via stress.

Shedletsky visited him often, matt slightly less so- though he had more admin duties as of late.

Even then he was alone for a majority of the time, he spent most of that time reflecting on what he could have done.  He was upset, not quite angry, he could understand why they would keep a stranger from presumably their ‘savior’ but he never got the chance to make things right.

He frequently had dreams of john just.

Staring at him, blank gaze never wavering, eyes never blinking nor moving.

They weren’t nightmares.

Sometimes he cried in them, sometimes he just sat there.

And then he’d wake up and feel horrible.

He was eventually allowed back onto the field, immediately he picked a ‘risky’ task, needing something eventful.  Though dusekkar tagged along after a lot of attempts to convince builderman.

It was a hacking incident, an entire town destroyed- fires spreading quickly.  Though once they got there the hackers seemed to be long gone.

Dusekkar started by putting out fires as builderman went to look for survivors and the injured, walking carefully as his tempoban hammer (temporary ban hammer) was stored in his inventory just incase.

He found a few dozen people, they were in too much shock to be able to tell him what happened, but from the small bits of information he gathered it seemed like a coordinated attack from two hackers, one a reptilian hybrid, the other with no identifyable hybrid features.

He eventually went near the middle of the town, a large crater punctuated the ground.

As he walked closer he noticed what seemed to be a hybrid and a still robloxian.  The robloxian lying- unmoving.

His boots met the cracked and melted asphalt of the impact site as the figures of the two became clearer.

The hybrid- a deer hybrid from the looks of it was hunched over the body, shaking arms around the bodies neck.

Builderman immediately pulled out his hammer, catching it with both hands as it impacted the ground.

“Step away from th’ body” he shouted, grimacing as he took another step forward.  “Step away from the body,  i won’ hesitate t’ attack”.

The deer hybrid froze then looked to him, red agitated skin around their eyes from crying.

They quickly reached for the body attempting to pick it up- barely able to before builderman brought his hammer down on their leg as they barely dodged last second, the rig for their leg deleted.

They screamed as the muscle was crushed, no rig for it to cling to, and their hoof utterly destroyed.

They managed to dodge the second hammer hit, and before builderman could lift it back up they kicked- the dull hooves still piercing his flesh, exposing part of his rig.

Builderman stumbled back in pain, holding his now mangled forearm.

He hadnt built up the muscle to wield his tempoban hammer with one hand yet.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

‘You let another hybrid hurt someone’ his inner monologue noted as builderman felt a hand on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes to dusekkar, telling him something about how he would handle it.

He looked back to where the hybrid was- emphasis on was, a trail of blood leading out of the town square, heading towards the forest, dusekkar was gone too.

All that was left was a burger the dead Robloxian seemed to have worn in the past.

‘How strange’ he wondered before shaking off the thought.

Builderman sighed, opening his gui.  A surface level injury to the flesh could be healed via code, though anything deeper would require longer treatments, or a hospital visit.

He put his hands to his head, knees pulled close.

He let a hybrid kill someone.

He could have done something- SHOULD HAVE done something.

‘Why did they havta’ take the body too?’ He thought brain screaming and dead silent at the same time.  ‘Couldnt’ even give the poor guy a’ funeral’.

He mentally sighed as he saw dusekkar approaching from the direction of the forest.

Empty handed.

He met buildermans eyes, shaking his head solemnly.

“Im sorry friend they got away, though fear not we will find them another day” he offered his hand to the græy robloxian, who took it with his good arm, the other one still healing.

Dusekkar thought for a moment before continuing again, “I can finish up here, you should go rest i fear” gesturing for builderman to use his teleport to return to his home or HQ.

“Y’ sure yer don’ need my help?” He replied not wanting to be cooped up in a room for days again.

“Please i insist, i can do what i will to assist” he urged, putting a hand to his shoulder again, most likely attempting to be reassuring, it didn’t work if that was the case.

“I-.. fine i guess’” builderman mumbled as he pulled out his panel and set the coordinates for his house.

He was so tired of being set back and losing things.

And then he was alone.

Again.

———————————————

[ ‘present’ day ]

Shedletsky seemed more skittish than usual, the last month or so having been filled with more and more reports of hybrids, but worst of all.

More reported sightings of john doe.

He couldnt tell builds, if he did it would destroy him.  Having to make a decision between the supposed entirety of robloxia or his brother.

He couldnt do that to him.

Shedletsky sighed, builds was already extremely stressed from the heightened hybrid sightings, and a few staff members taking sick days off.

He could tell he was paranoid that something would happen, even after ordering more hybrid containment facilities to be made, more security, more checks.

It wasn’t sustainable though, shedletsky knew this.

Something else was bothering him though, shedletsky had caught a few glances of something in the weapons storage unit, no one but him should’ve been let in there.

Though after leaving out some chicken on accident, only to return to it gone, the bones the only thing left, he realized it might be more than a cockroach problem.

Chapter Text

Builderman chewed on his pencil, peeling his eyes away from the screen as anxiety settled in his gut.

There were more hybrid sightings, not just more sightings-

There seemed to be more of them appearing out of thin air, the hybrid facilities builderman had (foolishly) funded were being raided, the hybrids were broken out.

Builderman swiveled around in his office chair, mind wandering.

Thoughts like ‘who were th’ previous owners of roblox?’ And ‘what am i suppos’ t’ do?’.

Questions he didn’t have the answers to.

He was told by previous management before he was ‘promoted’ that the owners of roblox typically chose to be anonymous, to provide a barrier of safety.

He understood the idea, though he chose to tell his friends- mostly so they would be able to help him.

Builderman exhaled a long sigh as he stopped chewing on his pencil- the wood thoroughly destroyed, the lead clearly cracked.

He shook his head as he put the writing utensil down on his desk, spinning his chair back to face the computer, going back to the monotonous tasks of reading through emails and reports the higher up admins had forwarded to him.

His eyes eventually landed on one.. particular email.

He gingerly opened it, skimming through the words until he landed on the two attached photos.

One depicting a guest in a graduation photo, maybe high school judging on how old they looked.

The second showed the same guest with scales, a drakobloxxer tail behind them, they seemed distressed.  Appearing blurred due to continuous motion.

Builderman froze, scrolling back to the top of the email, fully reading it this time.

“Hey builderman, it’s Doombringer.

I got this report and, after confirming with a few other admins that this was indeed true and other cases have propped up, though this is the only one with pictures.  I thought i should tell you:”

Below was presumably a copy of the report.  Buildermans eyes widened as he kept reading.

‘Dear admins: please help me, my friend was a normal guest i swear! One day they said their skin was itchy, and the next they started growing scales!  Then they got a tail, i think they mightve been growing horns too- but when i tried contacting someone for help they just took them away.

Please let them go they didnt do anything wrong. Their in pain and need help!’

“These were the images attached to the report, good luck working through this builderman, you have my condolences”.

He reached the images again as he leaned back into his chair, anxiety bubbling.

‘#### what m’ i supposed t’ do ‘bout this’ he said swallowing thickly.

He quicky messaged shedletsky, despite the fact he’d been visiting him less, siting being busy as the reason, he needed to inform him first.

He then started drafting a reply email to doombringer, pausing momentarily at the notification of Shedletsky replying to his message, saying he’d be there asap.

Builderman eventually finished the email.

“To Doombringer:

Thank you for informing me about this, i trust you to share this information with those you trust, but dont let this get out to the public yet.  There would be too much chaos to manage.

From,

Builderman”

He sent the message, going to print the report next, trying to relax though his rig remained rigid.

He heard a knock and a muffled voice, “hey builds, its shed.  Can i come in?”.

He let out an affirmative tone as the door opened slowly, shedletsky looking tired and like he’d just spent an hour chasing a goose.

Builderman simply grabbed the printed copy after it was done and simply handed it to shedletsky.

“You sure this is real builds?” He said as his eyes widened while reading through it, looking back to builderman. “Bringer said’ this wasn’t the only case shed” builderman looked away.

He curled up into his chair, “I don’ know what to do ‘bout this”.

“Hey builds, dont worry youve got this, im here to help too if you need it” he tried to give builderman a reassuring smile. “Could you print another copy of this- one that i could give to dusekkar i mean” the yellow admin added on, “and could i keep this?”.

Builderman nodded tiredly, going to print another copy.

The room went silent, mechanical jutting as the printer layered ink onto the paper.

“Hows’ work been’?” Builderman tried striking up small talk.

“Its been work.  Lots-a… hybrid sightings..” he trailed off, builderman raised an eyebrow at the tonal shift of the sentence, though the printer fell quiet and he knew shed had to go.

He reached out to the mildly warm paper and handed it off to shedletsky who muttered many thank you’s as he left.

The room going a loud quiet again.

God what was he going to do.

He got up from his chair, looking out the window.

“Lets hope this isn’ anythin’ too serious” he muttered watching the clouds streaking across the skybox, the sun moving nearly imperceptibly slow.

It was all wishful thinking in the end.

Chapter Text

Shedletsky set out various methods of traps, all of them being bested by what he thought was a cat or animal of some sort- either that or an extremely quick and coordinated colony of ants.

Eventually he caught what seemed to be feathers in a stray mouse trap he had forgotten that he placed.

They were green and white, a light gradient from one color to the next on each of them.

He went to dusekkar, someone he knew used to be an avid bird watcher.  Shedletsky had also picked up the hobby a long while ago but stopped once entering the intensive admin college courses.

Dusekkar however continued to the current day, very well versed in the local birds and a few subspecies as a whole.

The feathers were downy feathers according to dusekkar, though far too large for most birds.

He posited the idea of an ostriches downy feathers that were dyed, but then they would be far too small, as adult ostriches were typically three meters tall.

They couldn’t be an adolescent ostrich since there was no way an egg could have gotten and survived in the warehouse for that long, or a way for an ostrich to get there in general.

Shedletsky eventually just started bringing more chicken, hoping that would satiate the appetite of the possible ostrich.  (Shedletsky still held out hope that it was an ostrich since it would be an incredibly funny story to tell)

He left it in the same spot when he would first enter the storage unit, then when he was done working on balancing patches for the weapon of the day, or finished testing a new one, he would collect the empty bucket.

He put in the six digit passcode as the unit’s garage-esque door slid open, he placed one bucket of chicken on the table that had a thick layer of dust except where the bucket was placed.

“You burnt the chicken last time” a small voice came from a pile of boxes, shedletsky merely nodded in response before pausing.

“Just thought you’d like to know” the voice was strained, like it hadnt been used in a while and shedletsky could only assume the dust in the unit didnt help.

Shedletsky nearly jumped out of his skin after realizing someone was in his weapon storage unit.

He then had a second heart attack realizing he’d been feeding what sounded like a child.

A poorly stifled giggle came from where the kid seemed to be hiding, “talk about a delayed reaction”.

Shedletsky didnt know quite what to say, he was shocked but wanted to make sure the kid was ok.

He took a step back towards the table with the chicken, “where are your parents?, do they know you’re here?” The questions left his mouth, the first things he thought to ask hung in the air until the other replied.

“Wouldn’t you like to know- chicken boy” the insult came across, though more as a stutter, and shedletsky nearly laughed, though tried to keep on track of making sure the kid was ok.

“Im serious, i need to make sure your parents are looking for you” he reasoned, his own bucked of chicken tucked neatly under his arm.

“If you want to know so badly i dont have any anymore.” The kid sneered, shedletsky felt a pang of distress and sadness.

“What about an orphanage, im sure you could find another family there”

“I dont want parents, the first pair were bad enough, and the orphanage already kicked me out for… being trouble” they trailed off, regret and spite leaking into their voice.

Shedletsky grimaced, thinking before talking again, “could i at least see you? Id like to know who ive been feeding these last two weeks” he let out a light laugh, hoping to lighten the tone.

“Only if you promise to keep bringing me food” he could hear the underlying fear in their voice.

“Promise” he replied instantly, what could possibly make him purposefully not feed a child who couldn’t go else where.

He heard light scrapes as they emerged from a fort of boxes he hadn’t noticed, an old decorative carpet- the kind without a firm base- draped over the top, providing a roof.

He sucked in a sharp breath, they were an avian- a young one too.

Their wings were large, but not large enough to get them off the ground, only soften a fall, headwings on their head too, their feathers were incredibly messy, he should- No.

They looked at him like he was going to do something, like he was going to go back on his promise.

They EXPECTED him to go back on his promise he realized with the guilt in his gut worsening.

He took a deep breath before saying something, “well, you gonna take the chicken? Because if not ill gladly-“

“No ill take it” they replied dragging the food off the table, disrupting the thick coat of dust.

They crawled back into their little fort, chicken in hand.

He looked at the stale furnishings before quickly leaving- making sure to lock the door behind him, teleporting back to his house since he was in a rush.

He grabbed many pillows, blankets, and other items.  A pen and notebook being among them, the leather-bound book being blank.

He then teleported back, the command taking a lot of his energy, though he still managed to open the sliding door again.

Carefully walking near the entrance of the fort- nearly tripping on the table, and dropped the soft furnishings in front of it.

They stuck their head out of their cave-fort, “whats all this for” they asked, eyes narrowing.

“If you’re gonna live here you might as well be comfortable” he replied simply as if it was fact.

They seemed at a loss for words, pulling the cushions and blankets into the tent.

Shedletsky took this opportunity to open the book, writing down the code to the unit, and the emergency back up code.

He clicked the ballpoint pen to make the nib retract as he closed the book holding it out to the kid.

They took it hesitantly, “whats this?”

“Entrance code so you dont have to be all cooped up in here”

They stared at it for a second, looking back to him.

“Why are you helping me”.

He paused- why was he helping this random fledgling hybrid?

He shrugged in response, “i mean who wouldnt help a kid who needs it?”

“But..”

The ‘im a hybrid’ was left unsaid.

They stared at the journal, the leather covered in bruises and scuffs, the thread visible from the cover.

“Thank you”

“Hmh?” Shedletsky nearly missed the quiet expression of gratitude.

“I said #### you” they replied, wit taking the centre stage in their tone.

“Alright kiddo, sure” he grinned at their reaction, shock and disbelief covering their features.

“Im not a kid!!” They crossed their arms wings flaring.

“How old are you then?”

“Thirteen, nearly fourteen!” They raised their head high, clearly proud of this fact.

“Eeh still a baby” shedletsky made a mock so-so motion to go with his words, he started giggling at how mad the kid got.

“Says you chicken-boy” they replied grumpily, trying to regain their composure.  Shaking out their head, a few loose feathers falling out of their medium length curly hair.

“If you want me to stop calling you a kid you could tell me your name” shedletsky prompted, hoping it didnt come across too demanding.

They went quiet for a moment, “1x”.

“Pretty cool name for a little guy” he would have ruffled their hair if he wasnt worried about hurting their headwings.

“I am not little!” They nearly screamed, taking a moment to regain their composure.

Shedletsky smiled, mind wandering to the topic of builderman.

He wouldn’t- no he couldnt show builderman 1x, he didnt know how he’d react but he knew it most likely wouldn’t be good.

’hes still recovering from john’ he thought, the thought itself justifying his newly made decision.

Chapter Text

The break room was quieter than usual, coffee pot nearly full as opposed to the usual lack of the warm drink.

Most employees didnt know the other employees outside of their floor, so builderman could go without worrying about raising suspicions.

Every so often someone did ask, though he was able to brush it off or redirect the conversation.

He opened the door, making sure it didnt slam behind him.

“Hello there my friend, i had feared your tasks would never end”

He jumped slightly, looking to one of the few tables in the room, eyes meeting dusekkar’s as he held a mug with tea.

“Didn’t see ya’ there duss’” he said, taking the opetunity to stretch, relaxing the aching muscles in his back.

Dusekkar nodded, gesturing to a seat next to him, “since you are on a break, this opportunity i will take”

“A discussion id like to have, about your concussion, and current path”

Builderman thought, “ ‘an i getta’ coffee first?”.

The other nodded again, seemingly deciding his tea was cool enough to drink as he took a sip.

The græy admin couldn’t pretend he understood how his friend’s head worked, he could only assume it was just a cosmetic difference rather than a physical one, though his head seemed hollow.

He shook his head, throwing off the steady migraine as he opened the office cupboard and grabbed a mug, pouring the lukewarm coffee into it.

He briefly inspected it, looking at the design.

He bit back a laugh reading the text, “Don’t COFFEE to me until I’ve had my TALK”.

Builderman chose to focus on anything but the mug, it reminding him of his parent’s cheesy humor.

“Are you in any pain, hiding it is nothing you will gain” dusekkar pointed out.

Builderman got settled in his seat, placing his mug down before answering, “a bit, I must’v’ slept wron’ last night, my back s’ killin’ me”.

Before dusekkar can respond builderman cuts in again.

“Oh right, uh- did shed’ give ya’ the report?” He asked turning to meet the others eyes.

“He did indeed, and yes the report i did read” dusekkar pulled out a crumpled parchment from his robe pocket, carefully flattening it out.

“Good- good” builderman nodded in return looking to his own pocket before deciding to pull it out.

A silence fell over the room as builderman took a swig of the coffee, hoping it would kick in.

Dussekar broke the silence, voice uncharacteristically quiet, “People have been calling in sick, im worried the puzzle pieces will click”.

Builderman leaned back into his chair, ignoring the flare of his pulled back muscles as he let out a sharp sigh, half from pain, half from stress.

“Shed’s been visiting less” he didnt quite reply, though it wasnt entirely unrelated.

He waited a beat before continuing.

“The cases of hybrids showin’ up ar’ rising by the hundreds” he wired his jaw shut while closing his eyes, grinding his teeth together in hopes to ground himself.

“Are there any new symptoms,  or perhaps select mannerisms?”

“I think i remember a report bout’ pain, fatigue- stuff like that” he reopened his eyes hunching back over the table, carefully holding the coffee mug.

The more hybrids the more potential for injury. Thats what he told himself.

Dusekkar looked him in the eyes, as if to try and find something, builderman averted his.

“Why do they make you worry? The most that they can do is scurry” he questioned.

“I- you know why-“

Dusekkar interrupted, “if i knew i wouldnt ask, please just tell me why you mask”

Builderman cupped his chin with both hands, propping his own head up.

‘Well it’s ‘cause they’re violent’ he thought, then mentally shook his head- dusekkar wouldnt take that for an answer.

He tried to dig deeper into his mind.

‘Is it because of what happened with jo-‘

“I said you know why” the words left his mouth before he could process the guilt that hammered into his gut.

Dusekkar seemed taken aback by the response, though the facial expression quickly left the others face as he nodded.

Builderman swallowed.

He had just snapped at his friend.

He mentally cursed himself as dusekkar cleared his throat, preparing to speak once more.  “I must go for now, but before I depart i must ask you how?”.

The confusion of the græy admin must have been more apparent than he thought since dusekkar clarified.

“That your pain is not of something more, though i understand you have bigger hoops to score”

Dusekkar got up and opened the cupboard, pulling out a thermos for his tea, before pouring the remaining tea into it, making sure the teabag got in, and poured more hot water into it from the water boiler.

“I- the symptoms ar’ so vauge, i feel like i’d know if i was becomin’ one of them” he rationalized, every justification he had thought of against the fact seeming to disappear once asked.

“I understand your fear my friend, but please acknowledge others appearing is not the end”

He seemed to pause, as if waiting for a response, before quietly muttering something as he screwed the thermos lid on tight.

He left without another interjection from the other, door clicking shut behind him.

Builderman just sat there, looking at the now cold mug of coffee.

After waiting too long, as his mind decided to categorize the length of time, he walked to the counter and rinsed the mug out, the half full cup diluting with water then rushing to the drain as he tipped the cup over.

Builderman sighed, opening the door and closing it behind him as he traced the carpeted halls.

He messed up.

He just hoped he didnt mess up too horribly.

Chapter Text

Doombringer sighed, shedletsky had been ‘slacking off’ as he had regretfully put it.

Being the assistant manager of ‘weapons’, the excess work fell onto itself, on top of xis responsibilities of holding the banhammer.

Xe had already made up its mind that xe’d have to confront him, which he had already been dreading, though on top of that it would have to FIND him.

After forming a somewhat sound plan he stood up, stretching while preparing to walk for a while.

He put on his helmet, concealing the ears he had painfully grown mere days ago, so far it’d been successful at keeping them hidden, aswell as the tail that had made itself known when he woke up in the morning.

It left the arena it had remained in for some time, the air cooling as xe headed to the first stop on xis list.

He was surprised to see the storage unit wide open, but even more confused at the fact that shedletsky seemed to be in the storage unit, and talking to someone.

Its ear twitched against the bucket, trying to listen in though xe was too far away.

“Hey, shedletsky” it tried to make its tone warm as it projected its voice, it coming across more as an accusation though.

The yellow admin visibly scrambled forwards, looking extremely tired and clearly trying to hide something.

“Oh, doombringer- what brings you here” he chuckled nervously as doombringer cocked xis head at the obviously suspicious behavior.

He wasn’t going to press though, his eyes set on getting shedletsky to not dump an extra workload onto it, even if unintentionally.

“You’ve been slacking off, ive had to work overtime these last few days to keep up” it again tried to make its voice lighter, though this time the tone was seemingly noted by shedletsky as the other relaxed significantly.

Its ear twitched again, this time in frustration.

“Sorry doom- ive been caught up with alot of stuff lately, ill try to do more” shedletsky scratched the back of his neck nervously, averting his eyes.

“Thank you, i can handle the workload, i would have just liked a bit more than- no heads up” doombrinder deadpanned, earning a light laugh from shedletsky.

“No that’s completely fair, i should’ve tried to keep up more”

“Look if you couldnt keep up because of personal issues thats fine” xe reiterated, shedletskys eyes met xis as xe said this.

“I.. uh- do appreciate you doing the work, even if you shouldn’t have”

“Yeah, its- fine, i just wanted to let you know” Doombringer was tired, and hoped that was enough to make shedletsky at least try to catch up.

“Well ive got to turn in now- its getting incredibly late” it stated.

Shedletsky seemed to look around, as if he hadn’t realized the sun was setting.

“Night shedletsky” doombinger said, walking towards the hq, it not being far from the storage units.

Shedletsky never responded from what doom bringer could hear.

His ears uncomfortably pinned by his hat.

It shook its head as it entered the front entrance to the HQ, heading to the shift manager clockwork to well- clock out.

Doombringer was amused at the seemingly unintentional pun, tail wagging as if to agree.

Xe went to the elevator, only to be met with dusekkar, who merely floated out, not sparing a glance nor word to doombringer.

He could sense dusekkar was upset, and he didnt want to upset him further- dusekkar was the type to talk when he wanted to- at least thats what doombringer had gathered from experience.

It shook off the worry it felt as it entered the elevator and went to floor two, the stairs being on nearly the opposite side of the building of the check in/check out office.

As xe approached the ‘window’ clockwork seemingly already knew xe was coming as they handed out a sign out sheet immediately.

“Here ya go!” They exclaimed in their clearly customer service voice.

Doombringer took the paper, and grabbed a pen from the ‘clean’ pen holder.

It quickly signed the paper, only stopping to check the time before handing the paper back.

“Night clockwork” he said turning to walk back to the elevator.

Clockwork had said something about staying safe which doombringer could only nod to, exhaustion washing over xim.

Xe eventually made it out the front entrance and pulled out xis admin panel and typed in xis home coordinates.

He suddenly appeared back in his house, thoroughly drained, barely making it up the stairs before collapsing on his bed, not even bothering to take his ‘armor’ off.

It would hurt like hell in the morning but it couldnt bring itself to have the energy.

Chapter Text

Shedletsky had made it a point to not leave as much work as he had been to Doombringer, due to that though he’d gotten less chances to check in on 1x.

The poor kid had caught a cold of some sort, shedletsky was worried he had caught it too, having felt congested the last few days, his skin being inflamed as well.

After pulling a late night shift, he couldn’t even remember when he got to sleep.

Though when he woke up he did feel as though he got hit by a car and fell asleep right there on the road, his throat raw enough that he could have been screaming all night.

It hurt to talk, he tried though only getting a couple tones out before breaking into a coughing fit, eventually hacking up a clot of blood.

He initially panicked at this, though managed to calm himself down.  He was still able to hum, which should provide enough tone to answer some questions.

He grabbed a pencil and an old used college notebook, and set in the coordinates for the entrance to the HQ.

He appeared there in an instant, the sun rising quickly.

Shedletsky knew he was probably late.

He quickly rushed up to the elevator, impatiently shifting from leg to leg as he waited for it to open.

When it did he rushed in, the slowness of the travel only intensifying his impatience.

The elevator dinged again as he quickly walked to clockworks clock-in station, him and clockwork had spent many hours trying to come up with the worst pun imaginable for clockworks new-found confinement to the small room.

When they had suggested ‘clockworks clock-in and clock-out timelord headquarters’ shedletsky had immediately agreed, and while in the end he could only persuade builderman to make the first half of the name official, it was still something he found joy in Everytime he clocked in.

He walked up to the window to the small room as he slowed his pace.

Clockwork visibly relaxed as they noted the person approaching was shedletsky.

They waved, “Hey shed!” Clockwork greeted before turning around to grab one of the sheets.

Shedletsky waved back, though he couldn’t tell if clockwork saw.

He quickly grabbed a pen, clumsily signing the boxes with his name, stopping for a second to think of the time.

“It’s 10:47” clockwork chimed in, recognizing shedletsky’s furrowed brow.

Shedletsky nodded, humming a affirmative tone hoping it came across as a thanks.

He quickly finished as he pushed the paper back before waving again as he half sprinted back to the elevator.

Upon going back to the ground floor he realized he didnt have any chicken prepared, he started panicking- not because 1x wouldn’t eat something else, but because what else was he supposed to eat?

He had very few foods he could actually eat.

Most would come back up, or he just couldnt take the texture.

Chicken was something that took a bit to prepare yes- but it was something he’d spent years making because outside of the seasonal boxed gingerbread mix, or pho- which took nearly a week to make, chicken was all he had.

He took a deep breath, trying to ground himself as he thought.

He needed to check in on 1x first, to make sure they were ok.

He breathed in again before heading out the front entrance, starting the ten or so minute walk to the storage unit.

The gravel from the worn path kept getting into his sandals as he did his best to focus on the ground.

After many jabs from the gravel path he made it to the storage unit, shaking out his sandals before inputing the code.

His mind was slightly fuzzy from hunger and overstimulation, his skin feeling as though ants were crawling under it.

He saw 1x poke their head out from their hiding spot, looking slightly better, though their feathers were strewn across the floor, not in large amounts but still noticeable.

He pulled out his old college notebook, trying to find an empty page before settling on a mostly empty page before scribbling down a few sentences.

‘My throat hurts cant talk

You ok?’

He looked it over before handing it over to the chicklet kid, who seemed to study the whole page before landing on his message.

“Yeah” they muttered, voice less gravelly than the time first time they spoke to him.

“Did you- bring food?”

They seemed almost cautious, as if they were afraid to ask.

He gestured for them to hand the book back to which they complied, he scribbled something before erasing it, writing something else in its place.

He handed the book back to 1x who read it over quicker this time.

‘Fell asleep late woke up early

Dont have any prepared

I can go make some’

They squinted trying to make out the erased part though unable to.

They nodded slowly before hesitating.

“Could i..” they trailed off, making a confused gesture with their hands.

Shedletsky’s eyes widened slightly as he realized what they were asking, he nodded slowly- clearly trying to keep his excitement in.

They handed the notebook back as they got out from behind the table, the farthest shedletsky had seen them go so far.

He took it before writing one last thing as he pulled out his admin panel.

‘Hold on tight’

They slowly grabbed his arm as he set the destination for his house.

His eyes somewhat drooped, as he pressed enter, the world melting away from him.

And they were off.

—————————

1x was not prepared for the nausea that came with teleporting.

Though the process itself was quick the lasting effects lingered.

It took them a second to realize they were in the admins house, to which they froze not knowing how to react.

They felt an arm on their shoulder, they turned to look at the admin.

They knew his name- shedletsky they thought, though it felt wrong to say it.

Like calling your dad by his first name

His demeanor was different than usual- face more neutral, though they could sense he was trying to comfort him.

They let go of his arm as he guided them to what they assumed was the kitchen.

He opened the fridge, gesturing to a few sealed containers of raw chicken, whole ones at that.

1x soon realized he was asking how many they wanted, “i- uh” they stumbled over their words.  He held out one finger with a questioning gaze, to which 1x nodded.

There was a chair, to which shedletsky nodded passively without them even asking.

They sat on the cushioned seat, it was oddly nice- no back of the chair to crush their tail feathers, and it was tall enough to comfortably rest their legs.

They watched shedletsky pull three raw whole chickens out of the fridge, carefully- not quite robotically though his demeanor was less expressive than usual, cutting the plastic wrap that covered them.

He gingerly lifted them off the plastic trays, throwing them away before starting to debone the first one, careful to keep most intact- though removing the ribcage and other bones that would be to thin to use as support for eating off of.

1x watched in morbid curiosity, flinching every time a crack was heard, though fascinated by the process.

Shedletsky seemingly noted this, gesturing for them to come over after he deboned the first chicken.

He pointed from them to one of the wrapped chickens to which they stared for a moment before speaking up.

“I… never learned how to cook more than ramen or.. cereal.. sorry”

Their wings twitched, headwings folding in shame.

They looked away before they saw his shadow moving away, they looked back to him washing his hands, drying them off carefully as he turned to his notebook and flipped to an open page.

‘There is always room to start, telamon can teach you’

“Telamon..?” They unconsciously muttered under their breath, the other must have heard since he started writing again.

‘Yes, telamon handles most important tasks, shedletsky has told telamon about you’

They nodded, not out of understanding but because they didnt want to ask any questions that pried to much.

‘Do you have any inquiries for telamon young one?’ He (?) wrote with patience, making sure each letter was legible.

“I- … are you still shedletsky?” They clumsily worded the question, worry not even trying to conceal itself.

His (?) eyes softened slightly,  as he looked back to the paper, thinking.

They eventually started writing.

‘Shedletsky is still here, telamon is just-‘

They paused, thinking of how to phrase it.

‘Filling in for him’

‘He will come back soon though, telamon can promise you that fledgling’

1x took a moment longer than they had intended to process the ‘nickname’ shed-telamon had given them, they must’ve spaced out since they were shook lightly by telamon, headwings flapping slightly in alarm as their ‘downy feathers’ as shedletsky had called them, puffed up in surprise.

Telamon gently gestured to the paper.

‘Telamon must inquire what your pronouns are young one, as well as if you would like to cook with telamon’

“Uhm, they and them” they muttered before adding a, “if thats ok”.

Telamon nodded in response before replying on the paper.

‘Telamon uses ‘he’ and ‘it’ ‘

1x nodded, before realizing they hadn’t answered the second question.

“Also yes- i would you to teach me how to make chicken”.

Telamon made a small smile at the answer before gliding back to the counter with the nearly forgotten chicken.

It carefully slid the knife down the plastic wrap on both, unwrapping the chickens.

He slid one and a pair of what looked like gardening gloves that were many sizes too big.

1x knew they would most likely need them, though they shook it off, they had to learn and not take the easy way out.

Telamon started by tracing where it was going to cut, making sure 1x saw as he handed them its knife.

They held it and repeated the motion as telamon and them both broke the ribcage open, talons making the knife difficult to hold though.

Telamon gingerly pulled the spine out from the flesh, to which 1x again repeated.

A few left over ribs were left though they were east to pluck out.

Telamon ripped the arms and legs off as it waited for 1x to do the same, 1x waiting for a moment before again copying the act.

They didnt feel sick.

They didnt feel sick.

They were fine.

Telamon then divided the remaining flesh into chicken nugget-sized bites, offering to do the same for 1x’s- noticing their slight hesitation, thought they insisted they could do it.

It took a moment but 1x did do it.

Telamon guided them again, this time to the sink to wash their hands- or talons, telamon doing the same afterwards.

1x had never noticed the splotches of burnt flesh that were on shedletskys hands- telamons? They’d need to ask more later.

Though they couldnt dwell on it too long as telamon grabbed eggs from the fridge, writing down a request for 1x to grab some flour and spices whose names were too long for 1x to remember.

They struggled carrying the giant bag of flour, though the small plastic spice containers were much easier to carry.

Telamon cracked a bunch of eggs into a bowl, grabbing a fork and whisking the yolks together, the color of the mix settling on a light yellow.

It then grabbed a separate bowl which it put a few cups of flour and a large amount of the spices into.

They watched him grab a bit of the raw chicken and put it into the egg, then the flour mixture, and back again, eventually putting it to the side as it started an oil fryer.

1x hadn’t noticed the contraption before, putting two and two together realizing it was most likely the cause for shedletsky’s scarring on his arms.

After getting a few more pieces ‘fryer ready’ telamon turned as a ding was heard, the oil now boiling.

It brought the metal tray up from the bottom of the fryer, the mesh pattern allowing the oil to escape through the gaps.

He loaded the first few pieces onto the mesh and put it back into the oil, the sound of sizzling filling the air.

1x shook their head slightly, worry and anxiety being stamped down in favor of doing their part in helping, they forced their wings to remain still and not shake or fidget.

They grabbed a piece of raw chicken, the texture making them feel a bit sick though they ignored it in favor of dunking it in the eggs, then moving over to the flour.

Telamon soon became the one to put it in the eggs, then handing them to 1x to be covered in the flour mixture.

Telamon had to stop briefly to load in the second batch of chicken as the first was finished, though they both got back into the rhythm quickly.

The older one showed 1x how to properly coat a larger piece of chicken with egg, the flour being a bit easier.

It didnt take long for them to finish- though most of it after they were done was waiting to cook them all.

1x went back to the sink to wash their hands, going to sit back on the chair as they saw telamon writing something.

‘Could you take over for telamon, telamon needs to change attire, shedletsky made telamon wear pajamas’

1x snickered slightly at the words, the distain for casual clothing apparent in its messy hand writing around the word ‘pajamas’.

They nodded after considering it,

They needed to prove they could do this one thing for themselves.

Telamon nodded in return, it was counting on them.

They initially panicked after realizing they didnt know what a finished piece of chicken would look like, though they realized they could use the ones that were finished for reference.

They got up from the chair as their tail feathers were pushed in the wrong direction, skall pricks of pain they shook off as their wings puffed up again.

They could do this.

It was fine.

A chirp died in their throat.

They couldnt let shedletsky- telamon? Whoever could hear to hear that.

1x carefully inspected the fryer, the chicken nuggets seemed to be done.

They picked the handle up and put it to the side, trying to remember what telamon had done.

It had… right it had put them on the plate!

They turned the mesh upside down over the plate, making sure none would fall.

They then loaded more onto the mesh.

‘Telamon had done such small amounts, it could probably handle a few more’ they thought.

So They added a few more, realizing the flour was still out as well as the spices they went to put them away.

Which they started with the spices, putting them back where they had been shown them.

Then was the flour.

They made it to the entrance of the kitchen before slipping on a bit of oil that went astray, their talons ripped through the soft paper bag, the grain going everywhere as they froze in horror.

They quickly picked up the bag setting it on the counter as the rips in it leaked more flour.

They looked at the horrible mess that they cause.

They were then alerted by a crackling noise, the oil overflowing slightly as the boiling liquid leaked out the top.

Their chest restricted itself, breathing growing heavy as they did what they could- pulling the undercooked nuggets out, the oil momentarily overflowing more before it receded as the tray was removed.

In their panic 1x put their hand in a puddle of the oil on the counter, as they dropped the tray to cradle their arm.

Curling up into a ball on the floor as their wings shielded them.

1x’s breath grew uneven and quick as they heard footsteps.

Hes going to hurt me He hates me I messed up the one thing i promised i wouldnt hes going to kick me out and never talk to me again.

Why do i mess up everything why couldnt i do something right for once.

Im going to get sent away arent i? Hes going to send me away.

1x couldnt hear anything over their own panicked thoughts and hammering heartbeat.

They felt a gentle hand on their shoulder, tapping lightly.

1x didnt realize they were crying, turning to look at the older one slowly.

They prepared for him to scream, or tell them to get out.

But it never came.

They whispered apologies and worries before they hears a strained voice.

“It-s not yo-ur fau-lt youn-g o-ne” telamon said not sounding sick- but sounding like it’d gotten its vocal chord’s clawed out.

He quickly broke into a coughing fit before spitting something out, it turned back to 1x- who had partially gotten upright by this point, and opened its arms up, presenting the offer of a hug.

They took it near instantly, gripping the older one so tight they feared he’d make them let go.

But it didnt, it sat there and gently ran its fingers through their hair.

At some point they must have fallen asleep.

The darkness taking them.

——————

Once telamon heard soft snores from the fledgling young one it took them to the couch in the living room, careful not to crush their wings under the blanket he placed, telamon decided one blanket wasn’t enough and quickly gathered more from the bed.

Telamon was less well versed in admin commands, not ofter having access to the panel, so it chose to grab a vacuum and hope the little one wouldn’t wake up.

He managed to do so successfully, the flour cleaned up, telamon went and grabbed a plastic bag, pouring the flour on the counter and in the broken bag into the new one.

It then went and turned on the oil fryer- having turned it off after noticing 1x was having a panic attack, though it thought it could probably turn the device back on.

It made quick work of the last few pieces of chicken and finished cooking the undercooked ones after realizing they weren’t fully cooked.

Telamon then put the egg bowl in the sink, it being nearly empty while transferring the flour and spices bowl to the fridge for storage.

Telamon’s stomach let out a noise which telamon took as a sign it should eat something.

He made sure to divide the food equally, though adding a few extra pieces to 1x’s plate.

Telamon finished his dish faster than it’d like to admit, usually shedletsky was adept at keeping them fed though it seemed he pushed himself too hard.

Telamon placed the plate on the living room table near 1x so when they woke up they could eat as well.

Telamon noted the pressure in its head as it heard shedletskys voice faintly, telamon fell back into the recesses of their mind, they hoped shedletsky could do with helping 1x.

——————

Shedletsky woke up to gentle shaking by 1x, he groggily opened his eyes as the world came into focus.

He felt nearly painless, aside from his face hurting more than it had before.

He realized he had fallen asleep face first into his plate, though he felt full.

Had he-

“Mister telamon are you alright?” 1x’s voice sounded so small, scared almost.

Wait-

Had he-

He could hear a faint affirmation from the back of his thoughts as he mentally sighed.

Oh right- 1x

“Sorry ya’ got the wrong guy kid” he took the opportunity to ruffle their hair.

He then froze for a second, “huh.  I can talk without coughing myself into an early grave”

“Shedletsky?”

He only nodded in confirmation.

He sighed as he realized he was wearing a Christmas sweater and sweats.

“Did you get some food?” He asked head snapping to them, face etched in worry.

“Oh- uh, yeah” they nodded sheepishly.

“Didnt burn it this time did i?” He joked, easing slightly at the fact that the fledgling 1x was fed.

“No, uh- telamon actually showed me how to make some”

They seemed anxious for a reason shedletsky couldn’t pinpoint.

“Cool” he said, grabbing his plate and taking it to the sink, 1x following behind him with theirs.

“Y’know” he started, grabbing a sponge from the side of the sink and adding soap to it. “You dont need to live in the dingy storage unit”.

1x paused, searching his face for something then looking away.

“Its fine” they mumbled rubbing one arm awkwardly then flinching before putting it down to their side again.

“Im serious, if you wanna live here i always have an extra room ‘n bed” he made a mental note to check their arm later, to make sure they were ok.

“…” they remained silent at that.

Shedletsky paused as he finished the dishes, then started panicking as he checked the time.

“Whats wrong?” 1x sounded worried? Scared? He couldnt put a finger on it.

“Its about three pm and i havent done any testing yet” he pulled out his panel before taking their arm quickly, as he typed the coordinates in.

They flinched at the sudden moment, though shedletsky was to panicked to notice as they arrived at the storage unit.

“I have to go test stuff im so sorry” he apologized as he ran in to grab a handful of unfamiliar swords and miscellaneous items.

He was barely in earshot as he heard something.  “Wait!- i..”

“Could i come with you?”

Shedletsky had stopped, turning back, head cocking slightly in confusion.

“I- uh, sure?” He didnt know how to respond, though he was happy.

1x offered to carry a few of the items, to which Shedletsky insisted he could.

Shedletsky found 1x’s presence.. nice- comforting?

He didnt know how to describe it other than he was proud they had taken an interest in one of his major ‘hobbies’, and by extension his job.

Chapter Text

Ok. So do i make more shorter chapters, or, less longer chapters, and they’d be posted farther apart mostlikely.
Or do i make a mixture of both?
Or do you have any other ideas
(Note: this is about what you guys would like to see, i personally dont mind either way)
Tell me!
Also uuh.. thsnk you guys for 50 kudos?!! And like 650 hits?? Holy shit?? Oh my god???
Anywyas yeah thats about it.

Chapter Text

Dusekkar hadn’t spoken to builderman in a few days, though not due to lack of effort on buildermans end, the græy admin trying to apologize or strike up conversation whenever dusekkar was in sight.

Dusekkar needed a break from him, or some time to cool off atleast.

He understood the other admins bigotry on some level, trauma not being an easy thing to overcome.

Though it irked him how blatant and insensitive he was being to hybrids who hadn’t done anything wrong.

Dusekkar walked into the break room, reaching to the top cabinet and pulled out a bottle of painkillers.

He took two just for good measure and swallowed them dry, hoping they could subside his growing migraine.

He wasn’t ignorant, he knew whatever was happening to the civilians and other admins was happening to him.

He stopped to take a breath, he didnt want to be upset at builderman- he really did understand what the other was going through.

‘Being upset will accomplish nothing, focus one something else to a different ring’ he tried reminding himself, though he knew he couldn’t just bottle up his feelings though.

He chose to focus on making some tea, grabbing the tea kettle and filling it before putting it on the old gas stove.

Dialing the gas on, setting it to medium.

Dusekkar reached for a slightly lower cabinet, eyes widening as he spotted one of his favorite tea flavors- peppermint.

He reached for the box, his fingers pulsing with pain slightly though he ignored it as he opened it.

‘Hope this makes ya feel better

-builderman’

His mood soured significantly, though he still took it knowing no one else would use it.

He grabbed a plain mug, looping the teabag’s string around the handle to keep it in place.

Dusekkar made sure everything was ready aside from the water before he went to sit at the small tables usually meant for small talk.

He leaned his head on his hands, the smooth pumpkin skin meeting the dry and calloused flesh on his hands.

Dusekkar passively traced the minuscule blemishes and scarring on his head, the sensation strange and normal at the same time.

He was alerted by the whistle of the kettle that the water was done boiling.

He almost tripped over his own boots before regaining his balance and continuing to the counter, lifting the kettle off the stove as he turned it off and poured the water into his mug.

Despite the risks that came with drinking warm liquid, the main one being that if it was too warm it would melt and soften the pumpkin flesh in his head, leading to him having to painfully remove the soft flesh and wait for it to regrow.

Though it was a risk he was willing to take despite the risk factor, he needed to be hydrated in order for his skull to not shrivel up.

Dusehhar shuddered as he remembered a time where he was so stressed from a school project he didnt drink or eat anything for almost three days.

He remembered the unpleasant ER trip thats was when he tried to have a normal meal after the unintentional break from self care.

Though that was when the hospital staff had done a scan of his head, he had no skull they found out- as well as no brain.

Well- he did have a brain, it was just made of plant matter.

The miracle was that it didn’t show through his hollow face.

They had tried to get a better look at his ‘brain’, only for pumpkin guts to get all over the operating room, they later realized that his main code, what usually is stored in the brain, was stored in his head as a whole.

He shook off the memory as he went back to his spot, his migraine subsided slightly.

His posture stiffened slightly as the door clicked- only to reveal doombringer, dusekkar let his posture relax, though he lied on the chair wrong, catching a sore muscle off guard.

“Hello friend it’s nice to see you, is there anything you would like help with to brew?”

He greeted, dusekkar hadn’t talked to doombringer in some time- more than small talk at least.

“Dusekkar, it’s good to see you too!” Xe walked to the tables taking a seat across from dusekkar, “and im good for now” it finished, though he looked like xe had more to say.

“Is there something You want to ask? If so i would be up to the task” he pried lightly, doombringer letting out a sigh at this, he couldnt tell if it was from relief or due to being ‘caught’.

“Two actually- but ill just start with one” it twiddled its fingers through the thick metal gloves xe wore, dusekkar nodded, xe took this as a queue to continue.

“Why have you been so upset these last few days?”

Ah,  that was a question he should have expected.

“I.. confronted our mutual friend, though well it did not end” doombringer nodded seeming to understand.

“Are there any more details you can tell me?” He asked, clearly wanting a bit more context at the least.

Dusekkar shook his head, he wouldnt be able to objectively explain what happened without getting upset.

“Alright… oh right my second question, have you noticed any aches or pains as of recent?”

Dusekkar squinted at the question, was xe trying to get information out of him, possibly for builderman.

“What prompted this, some context i fear i miss” he took this opportunity to check the temperature of his tea, the water he found- was still too warm.

“I was just curious” it replied, trying to quell the other’s perceived nerves.  “It wasn’t prompted by anyone else if thats what you’re asking”.

Dusekkar nodded thoughtfully, though his migraine seemed to return.

“I.. don’t think..” dusekkar started before gripping his hollow head, Doombringer quickly got out of his chair before trying to pry the other’s hands away from his ‘skull’.

Doombringer recognized the cracks in the other’s organic head as not natural, two brown twigs seemed to be making their way out of his skull.

Xe eventually pried his hands away from the now scratch ridden pumpkin flesh, it carefully moved the mug of tea away before picking the other up as he went slack- knocked out cold.

Doombinger was panicking- dont get xim wrong, but xe was trying xis damned best to make sure it was there for dusekkar, his own experience being painful- it wouldn’t wish that upon its worst enemies.

It gingerly opened the breakroom door, debating on where to go.

Xis office was about a fifteen minute walk from the entrance- that left way too much time to be spotted.

He settled on going to dusekkars office, it being only a floor or two up.

It anxiously walked to the elevator door, as it went to press the button to add xis floor to the queue he heard an extremely loud whisper shout “PSSST!! OVER HERE”.

Xe turned to see clockwork, beckoning him over.

A flash of uncertainty must’ve ridden xis face since clockwork rolled their eyes continuing to whisper shout, “I WONT RAT YOU GUYS OUT LOL”.

Doombringer eventually gave up and walked over, the door to clockwork’s office space closing behind him.

“You can set him over there” they pointed to a spot behind a large filing cabinet, large enough that no one should be able to see him unless they were looking.

It didnt look the most comfortable but doombringer promised ximself xe would move him later.

After doombringer did so it leaned back onto a wall, taking a moment to breathe.

“So why’d you decide to help him?” Clockwork inquired, not asking why dusekkar was unconscious, but why doombringer was helping.

“Could ask the same for you” xe mumbled through the thick helmet.

He needed to take it off, his ability to breathe being inhibited already by the thick armor it wore everywhere, the mask only making it worse.

“I-“ they cut themselves off as doombringer took off xis helmet, ears returning to their resting position of straight up.

Xe took more deep breaths, eventually its breathing returned to normal.

“Here’s your answer” xe raised a gloved hand and flicked one ear gently, it moving a bit before going back to where it was before.

Clockwork was silent for a moment, “could i feel them?”

Doombringer puzzled for a moment, “i mean- sure i guess, but arent you part robot or something like that?”

Clockwork took this opportunity to sit next to the armor clad one and poke one ear.

“Yeah but only kinda” they replied half hazardously, fixated on doombringers ears seemingly.

They jumped slightly when one of xis ears twitched, Doombringer stifled a bit of laughter at that.

“You’re acting like I’ve got a spider on my head” it pointed out as it got up to move dusekkar, the small- now slightly larger antlers pushing out of his pumpkin skull.

Clockwork paused, lost in thought.

“To answer your question earlier- i dont really have a reason not to” they spoke with a slightly softer tone, “i mean.. you’re my friend, and so is matt over there” they gestured to dusekkar who was now in the middle of the floor.

“I dont really have a reason to not help” they shrugged as if that was that.

Doombringer pulled xis glove off, running its hands through its matted hair, the metal landing on the ground with a soft thud.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, no one coming in to ‘clock-in’ due to it being midday- doombringer still put on xis helmet just incase.

Dusekkar seemed to be leaking pumpkin guts on the carpeted floor, though clockwork assured it that it was fine, worrying that dusekkar could still feel the seeds and strands of pumpkin flesh leaking out of him.

Doombringer started chewing on his nails when a groan made xim turn to dusekkar who seemed to have woken up- or rather regained consciousness.

——————

“Where am i? The lights so bright it could blind my eyes” dusekkar squinted, trying to stand up though tripping over himself.

He nearly doubled over in pain after the aching hit him, he raised a hand to feel his head only to be met with something small and fuzzy coming out of his organic head.

He tried moving it, though it wouldn’t budge, the base of his head where it met resisted the act.

He went to cover where his ears would be, trying to keep the world quiet so he could process, an action he picked up when young from shows.

It never helped, though this time his hands were met with small fuzzy appendages, he flinched back as he could feel them.

He felt an arm on his, holding it in place, it felt strange.

His eyes met doombringers through xis mask.

“Take a deep breath before you do anything rash”

Dusekkar obliged.

“Ok- good.”

“Are you hurting anywhere, or aching in any place?” It questioned, dusekkar nodding before replying.

“My head, legs, and back, they feel as though i was attacked”

“Can i check your back?” Doombringer asked after a beat.

Dusekkar nodded again, Doombringer gesturing for him to turn around as he obliged.

Doombringer poked something to which dusekkar flinched back.

“Sorry i know tail’s can be pretty sensitive” Doombringer apologized.

Dusekkar felt his lower back and was met with fur mixed with what seemed to be pumpkin flesh strewn across it.

It twitched as he retracted his arm.

He pulled his knees close, his ‘new ears’ making everything far to loud.

Doombringer gave him a second, before asking him if he wanted to move to his office.

Dusekkar gave a hesitant nod, this room was far too small.

Doombringer got up and offered an ungloved hand, it felt strange, the skin too scratchy, though he didnt comment on it.

This was when Dusekkar realized he had hooves instead of feet, his boots sliding off the now much too small appendages.

He could feel the ears on his head move back in frustration.

Doombringer having noticed this asked him if he had any extra fabric lying around or if he wanted to walk without boots, to which dusekkar didnt have any.

Doombringer said xe’d carry them, carefully leading dusekkar out the office, though not before thanking clockwork, whom dusekkar hadn’t noticed was there before in his anxiety.

The journey to his office was awful, no one saw them- though the fear of someone coming around the corner and catching them both.

Dusekkar pulled the key to his office out and inserted it into the lock, twisting the door handle with a click.

He nearly sighed with relief when he entered the room, sitting on his office chair.

After a moment he realized doombringer was awkwardly standing in the door, to which he gestured for xim to come in.

Though before dusekkar could ask doombringer took off its helmet, “to answer your eventual question”.

Dusekkar nodded, though curious.

“When did they come upon you, since this is something i find new”

“Few days ago, maybe a week at this point” he replied, one of the ears twitching.

Dusekkar thought back, the signs were there though definitely not something he could have deduced without knowing.

“I do appreciate you helping me, without you i may have lost the key”

“No problem matt” Doombringer replied moving one of its ears in a circular motion.

“What do we do now? I know not much more than i may be a cow” dusekkar half joked, though the question lingered in the air a bit longer than either of them would have liked.

“Well we co-“ xe was cut off by the door opening, builderman looking as if he was going to say something though stopped by the scene.

Doombringers ears pinned to the back of xis head, presumably due to fear, dusekkar did the same, though more so in frustration.

——————

Builderman just stared, eventually taking a step back.

He felt scared- not just scared.

Betrayed.

“You- you lied to me”

“Builds- you need to understand why” doombringer reasoned, trying, hoping to get through to builderman.

“You do not need to do this.  Please do not make me go a-miss”

Dusekkar sounded more reserved, like he’d already accepted his fate, though part of his words radiated a hope, that maybe something would- could change.

“Why.. why did- “

Builderman took another step back, reaching for his panel as dusekkar jumped towards doombringer pulling out his own panel and putting in the coordinates for a teleport.

And they were gone.

Builderman remained rigid as he called the organization he had been working with.

“I-i’d like t’ report two hybrids on th’ loose by headquarters”

He didnt wait for a response, hanging up and messaging shedletsky.

He felt eyes that weren’t there on him, bugs crawling up his back.

He entered the elevator as his eyes bore into the floor, tears welling in their sockets, threatening to spill though never doing so.

They lied to you.

They betrayed you.

They never did like you did they?

His thoughts were loud.  Too loud.

He exited the elevator at his stop.  Entering the office and turning off all the lights and closing the curtains.

He sat on the cold carpeted floor, thinking.

Where did it go wrong.

He pulled his legs close and lied on his side.

Where did HE go wrong.

The tears steadily trickled down his face, no doubt staining the carpet.

Why did he chose THEN to go check on matt.

Why did he have to react like that.

He didnt notice the knock on the door, nor the stream of light that came and faded as it closed.

He felt someone rub circles into his back.

“T-they lied to me” he managed to get out.

He knew it was shedletsky.

Builderman closed his eyes.

He.

He cared for dusekkar.

He cared for doombringer.

Why was he so upset.

He didnt know.

His mind slowly came to a stop as he felt he had drifted off to sleep.

‘What am i supposed to do now’ Were the last thoughts that came before a dreamless sleep.

(Some art for this chapter)

Chapter Text

Builderman had woken up in his office alone, checking the time revealed it to be about two in the morning.

The consequences of falling asleep midday he supposed.

He got up, wincing at pain in his back as he tried to get into his office chair, the seat twisting under his hands as it rolled away from him.

He shook his head attempting to clear it as he regained his balance, he pulled the chair back sitting on it as he powered on his computer.

Builderman sucked in a breath as he noticed the email responses to his… call last night…

He cringed at the memory, thoughts of everything he did wrong spinning in his head.

‘They hadn’t found anythin’. His mind came to a halt as he read the header to the email.

He paused, letting the harsh yet soft light from the monitor settle on the once dark room.

The breath builderman had held in was let out in a slow but steady flow of air, something akin to relief washing over him, pushing the guilt down a bit farther.

He opened the email fully, eyes glazing over the body of text itself as he clicked the option to reply,

‘Thank you for helping but it has come to my attention that the original call was a false alarm, you do not need to investigate further.
- roblox HQ’

Occasionally clicking backspace when a key produced too many of one letter, reaching the end of the message builderman read it over again, eventually sending it.

He lay back into his chair, the hinges creaking as he did so.

He sat there for a while as his neck was craned to look at the ceiling. It hurt- yes but he couldn’t care to do much else.

Though against his better judgment he eventually got up, his stomach echoing a faint pain.

He walked to the door of his office, opening it hesitantly as the dim hallway lights nearly blinded him.

‘Were they ok?’

‘Are they safe?’

Thoughts swirled through his mind, ones he didnt have answers to. his body going on autopilot as he wandered through his memories.

Why did he react to them so poorly.

He didn’t remember much from the night before, but he could see the hurt on dusekkars face and the fear on doombringers.

Builderman thought back to john.

What would he think of builderman now.

He hadn’t even registered he was at his house, the dizzying after affect of teleporting snapping him back to reality.

“God this places’ a mess” he mumbled, noting the papers and books strewn across the floor.

Though he hadn’t been here in over two months he could have sworn it was less messy.

He remembered the notice he got ‘passing on’ the ownership of Roblox to him, not more than a days warning that he needed to be in office.

He knew he was picked at random, the many other employees who were better than him- or more qualified in the technical sense being the main factor of this reasoning.

He shook his head as he walked to his kitchen.

The ‘house’- if you could even call it that, was small, compact.

He opened the fridge to see nearly nothing in it, aside from a container of yeast.

Builderman hesitated for a moment, eventually letting his hands pull the cold glass mason jar out.

Last time he’d baked had been…

A long time ago.

He set the jar on the counter and walked to where he kept the flour, the bag about half empty.

He gathered a few other ingredients, aswell as some mixing bowls and a pan.

Builderman started at the cluster of things on the counter before shaking his head.

“What am i doin’?”

Baking wouldnt bring matt or doom back.

Baking wouldnt fix any of his ongoing problems.

Baking wouldnt make john suddenly better.

But it would distract him, and a distraction is something he desperately needed right now.

Chapter Text

Builderman sat down, the tv programming playing words he couldn’t decipher but knew where being spoken.

Images crossed the screen, reports of the weather and current events.  He mindlessly leaned back, further disassociating until something caught his focus.

“John?” He muttered as a photo of the familiar broken hybrid, presumably taken in a rush, came into view.

He looked worse for wear, vest in tatters though his shirt mostly intact.  He tried desperately to listen to what was being said, though nothing came through.

He stood up, walking closer to the tv hoping to get an understanding of what was happening.

Though when he did, when the words finally started making sense, it shut off.

Builderman puzzled at this, reaching to the dial, attempting to turn it on, though when he did so the knocking at the door started.

He kept fiddling with the dial, though it only made the knocking louder.

Eventually he gave up, turning to the door and opening it.

His eyes met his brothers, and he stood there.

“Hello builderman”

The voice was wrong.

It was all wrong.

“You’re not john”

The doppelgänger merely took a step forwards.

Builderman tried taking a step back though stepping on something, slipping as pain engulfed his spine (?).

He landed on his back only worsening the pain, he grimaced as he looked to see what he’d slipped on-

A beaver tail.

There was no beaver in sight.

He tried pulling at it only causing himself more pain as he felt something move by his head.

He instinctively went to flick off any potential bugs resting on his head only to be met with small furry appendages that stung when he tried to.

it was wrong, so wrong this wasnt his body it wasn’t familiar, it didnt feel right it was wrong this was wrong.

He looked back to the fake of his brother, its face remaining neutral as his own panic set in at the slightly off body he was inhabiting.

“You were never human you know”

It spoke with indifference, moving closer to the græy one.

“T-thats not-“ he moved farther back, panic seeping into his voice as the world became louder, the copy mimicking his pace, never reacting.

“It is true, what reason would i have to lie to you brother” its tone held no malice, yet it words did, they snapped something in him, though again his voice was one of a monotone quality, not bitterness, not taunting, just a statment.

Builderman flinched at the words of the doppelgänger, tail subconsciously smacking the floorboards in warning, he noticed but was too focused on moving away from the doppelgänger.

“Yer not my brother” he felt anger piling up as he felt his back meet the couch, the ears that weren’t his pinned against his head, the sound of the knocking came back, the indecipherable chatter of the tv making itself known aswell.

The fake managed to look hurt yet it still approached, builderman dug his nails into the floorboards as the pulsing light of the gui illuminated the room.

It then froze, the light flickering too as it looked in to the kitchen.

“The dough has finished rising, you should go bake it”.

And before builderman could even think to respond he was suddenly thrust awake with the sound of his kitchen timer going off.

He sat there momentarily, attempting to process the dream.

After a few minutes he got up, the pain had intensified though he didnt want to acknowledge it, the phantom limbs and senses slowly fading away, becoming easier to forget.

so he simply put the bread dough into a pan, cutting a few holes to help the bread rise as he put the sourdough into the oven.

He set another timer, hoping this time it wouldn’t be his alarm.

Instead of going back to the couch where he had been sitting he chose to sit in a less comfortable chair to lessen the chances of falling asleep again.

He checked the time in the silence of the house,

‘5:05, still early’ he thought, putting away his panel and looking outside.

He sat there listening to the birds, contemplating on whether he should tell shed about his… nightmare.

He decided against it, though…

He started messaging shed.

‘Hey shed you heard anything about john recently? I havent seen much activity from him”

He sent it, leaning back into the wooden backing to the chair, he sat back up when he saw shed was typing- especially this early.

After a few minutes of typing he got his response.

“Eeh, not much sorry builds”

He sighed, before replying.

“Your all good shed”

“Just, let me know of you do find him, alright?”

He stared into the screen, not taking his eyes off it this time.

“Will do boss!”

He chuckled at the message before smiling softly, ‘i hope john’s ok’.

His mind wandered back to the dream- back to the body that just barely wasnt his, back to the fake of john doe.

His smile quickly faded as his eyes drifted back outside.

His attention was quickly recovered though as he heard another notification from his admin gui.

“What are you doing up this early anyways?”

“Could ask the same for you”

He replied quickly, then sent a second message.

“Falling asleep midday kinda messes with yer sleep schedule”

“I just couldnt get to sleep i guess”

His eyes narrowed at the message, ‘shed’s never had troubles sleeping in the past, and if he did it was always sleeping in too late’.

He paused, hands hovering over the digital keyboard as he started typing again.

“Was it ‘cause of last night?”

It took shedletsky longer to respond than before.

he felt guilt pile in his chest, he tried sending a follow up message- though nothing sounded right.

“Not entirely? I just havent been feeling the best lately yk”

“Alright just checking in”

“Also if yer feeling that sick you should take a day off”

He looked back to the timer on the counter as over half of the time had gone by for the bread.

He was then struck with an idea-

Surprise shed with a breakfast and medicine for a cold, if he did have one.

He needed to at least be there for him.

He quickly went to the savory cabinet and checked for any canned soup, being met with one for chicken noodle and one for spaghettio’s.

He frowned at this- neither of those being on shed’s safe food list he’d given him.

He had remembered him asking builderman to make him bread (builderman at the time had made sure shed didn’t feel pressured to ask, to which he had mentioned he genuinely liked the bread builderman had made).

He quickly glanced down to his panel as he got another notification.

“If that’s alright, i dont think i could make it to work today”

Bingo.

“Of course! You haven’t asked for a day off once so i think you deserve atleast a sick day”

Builderman didnt read the next message, as in the pop-up for the notification it only read a thanks, he just went back to fixing a loaf of bread.

He stared at the kitchen timer until it went off, clicking it as he opened the oven, initially forgetting gloves though he stopped himself before inserting his hand onto the burning metal.

He pulled out the tray the pan resided on, then sliding the pan out and setting it on a third oven mit, then going back to the oven ans turning it off, closing the hinged door.

While he waited for the bread to cool to a normal temperature he searched his cabinets for anything else, trying to distract from the throbbing pain in his skull, to distract from what it could mean.

Eventually coming up empty handed aside from an expired container of frosting, he looked around his bedroom for anything he could bring, while he hoped to be able to talk to shed- it he was too sick he might as well bring something.

He came across the knitted blanket shedletsky had made for him, though shed’s own one went missing builderman made sure it was always in a spot he could remember.

Though this time it wasn’t in its usual spot resting over the couch- a fact he hadn’t noticed until it was strewn on his mattress.

He couldnt shake the building suspicions his house had been, ransacked-or robbed.

He ignored it though, picking up the carefully crafted furnishing and folding it neatly as he went back down the stairs.

The blanket wasnt too soft- incredibly scratchy actually (a fact shedletsky had attributed to him getting the wrong kind of yarn), though the design was a nice checkerboard pattern, the one shedletsky had had had stripes.

The bread was eventually cool enough to be held by his bare hands, before going though builderman did another quick check of his house- hoping for a painkiller or two, though again coming up empty handed.

He opened his gui and put in the coordinates for shed’s house, making sure to not just teleport inside though.

The slightly work and chipped paint of his friend’s door greeted him as he knocked, he shook his free hand out after he did so.

The he breathed and pushed away the memories of the nightmare he’d had earlier and the pain he felt he could ignore forever as he heard the lock snap out and the door open with a click.

Chapter Text

Shedletsky spent an hour or so sitting with builderman, the dark room blanketed by silence.

He eventually left when he heard builderman’s breathing steady and tears run dry, sudden wave of exhaustion falling over him as he made his way out of the HQ.

He desperately wanted to teleport to avoid the walk, though he knew it would only drain his energy further and possibly cause him to pass out.

He hadn’t pushed builds to tell him what happened, though upon trying to contact most of the other administrators, he either got no answer or couldn’t fond their contact.

He eventually landed on clockwork’s contact, messaging them a greeting to start a conversation.

They did read it though didnt reply, shedletsky didnt push- maybe a mistake, but he was too tired to act on the thought.

The gravel on the worn pathway tumbled around in his sandals, digging into his feet as the leaves of the trees above blocked out the sun in patches.

Nearing the end of the path he was surprised to see 1x sitting by the entrance of the storage area, staring off into space.

He carefully approached, trying not to be too loud, though noticeable as to not scare them.

They turned to look at him face morphing from curious to worry near immediately.

“Jeez do i look that bad” he tried joking, though his strained voice made it sound more genuine.

1x faltered for a second, seeming to struggle for an answer before hesitantly nodding.

“You look like you’re about to pass out” they added quietly.

“And feel like it” Shedletsky muttered before a wave of nausea hit, barely avoiding throwing up as his skull felt like it was playdoh.

Despite him not expecting 1x to be able to hear him their headwings twitched as they looked to him, “you need to go home- i… i feel like somethings about to happen- like..”

Shedletsky focused on breathing, not aware of the noise around him he was drowning out.

In

And out

Inhale

Exhale.

He opened his eyes, not having realized they were closed, “yeah- i should probably go home now huh?” He laughed a bit until it devolved into coughing.

He didn’t realize 1x has walked up to him, attempting to provide support.

Though he did pull up his panel, typing in the coordinates to his home without realizing 1x tried grabbing his arm to get his attention, though it was too late as he sent the command, the both of them arriving to his house as he fell to the floor unconscious.

1x- despite the differing situations, recognized the signs.

They remembered their own skin becoming itchy, the pain in their back, the migraines.

They remembered waking up to a body that wasn’t theirs.

1x knew there was nothing they could do, shedletsky had been.. there for them, a- a father figure.  And now he was being cursed with the same fate as 1x.

They could see the same red patches on his skin, guilt, fear, and self-loathing eating their gut alive.

Its your fault

They steadied themselves as they attempted to pick up the older one, though they hadn’t been able to exercise properly since… what happened, bones too hollow to lift anything too heavy no matter their muscle mass.

They tried waking him up, shaking him but all they got back was his shaky breathing, chest rising and falling.

They pushed down the panic in their chest, looking around for anything that could help him.

Nothing.  There was nothing.

They closed their eyes, racking their brain for anything they could do to help, they needed to do something, they weren’t sick anymore so the least they could do was help someone who did so for them so many times before.

‘Painkillers!’ The thought popped into their head, they scrambled to the kitchen wincing as their talons scratched the tile.

They fiddled around the various cabinets eventually finding some ibuprofen, taking two out of the bottle before twisting the cap back on, putting them on the counter.

Their eyes were then caught by the couch cushions-

How do you think he’ll feel when he wakes up to his house trashed?

They shook their head out, as they wandered back to the main room of the home.

It was… getting late- last they saw it was four pm, it had to be atleast four thirty or five pm at the earliest.

They cautiously walked up the stairs, opening a few doors- nothing too unusual, a closet filled with large sweaters, 1x was surprised to see what looked like a binder though they closed it as the closet had nothing that could help them.

They opened another door, finding it to be a laundry room, many dirty clothes piled up.

They wanted to clean them- though the exhaustion that clung to 1x’s limbs stopped them from moving.

Eventually they closed the door, opening another- though not the last in the hallway.

It was the older ones room it seemed, blankets and pillows halfway put onto the bed, as if someone was interrupted half way through making it.

They walked forwards, gathering the soft cushions and quilts as they made their way down stairs.

You’re making a mess

They knew, they always knew.

1x threw the furnishings out, making sure their father figure friend was fully covered in blankets, as they huddled near him, exhaustion and aches dragging their eyes closed.

They just wanted to be selfish just this once.

——————

Shedletsky woke to being smothered by blankets, head pressed against the hardwood floor.

He groggily got up, pushing himself into a sitting position as the blankets slid off him, he looked around, spotting 1x curled up next to him, sound asleep.

He gently ran his fingers through the little one’s hair, they shifted slightly making a soft ‘cheep’ in their sleep.

Shedletsky gasped slightly at the small noise, smile crossing his face at the sight, his throat aching painfully as he fell into a coughing fit

He took a second to wake up before being hit with what had happened earlier, his smile lessened as he felt his face and forehead for injuries, nothing… hurt, not too much at least.

His fingers grazed something soft, pausing at the shift in texture.

He poked at it realizing it was a…

A feather?

It seemed to be small, it seemed to be near his ear and temple, the small object lodged in something.

He carefully gripped it and pulled it out, assuming it was one of 1x’s that had gotten in his hair.

Boy was he wrong.

Pain and discomfort erupted from the spot where he pulled the feather from, the sharper end seemed to be bloodied.

He made what seemed like a choked chirp in response, this only worsening his condition as his throat momentarily closed in, panic seeping into every stud of his being.

He got up, legs shaking as he climbed the stairs, managing to only slam his jaw on the floor once while tripping.

He stretched his arms to graze both walls, not quite leaning for support though prepared to.

He opened the door to the bathroom, not noticing the door slamming against the adjacent wall as he went up to the mirror and flicked on the light.

He was momentarily blinded though turned his attention to his curled fist, uncurling it and revealing the white feather with black splatters, dappled like freckles.

He looked to the reflection only to see patches of the same feathers scattered across his face and shoulders, his ears nearly coated in the things though, somewhere between wing and ear.

He stood there shell shocked, he felt something twitch behind him, swiveling to see a few barely visible tail feathers.

He swallowed hard as he brought his hand to his ears, flinching away at them when they twitched under his touch, when he felt them meet his hands and his hands meet them.

He felt the tail feathers, they were surprisingly soft though they hurt much more, the muscles in his back flaring up.

He looked into the mirror again, his face the same it was before.

The places where the feathers came through felt achy, a feeling that wasnt quite pain though not quite anything else.

He let out a sharp breath- opening his panel to check the time.

4:45 am.

He didnt know whether to feel relieved or worried.

Regardless he shook off the pain, ignoring the pressure building in his chest as he walked back down the staircase.

He walked into the kitchen as his eyes locked on to something on the counter,

Two ibuprofen.

Had 1x..

He looked back to the fledgling little one sleeping, a small smile realized itself on his face.

He pulled a plastic cup from one of the cabinets and brought it to the tap, filling it half way.

He popped the painkillers into his mouth and took a sip of water, swallowing them.

Going back to the small nest pile of furnishings on the floor wrapping himself in the blanket, he couldn’t have a negative reaction to…

Whatever was happening to him.

He knew what was to come

Mostly for 1x’s sake, he worried over the possibility they might misinterpret his distress as rejection or something worse.

He shuddered at the feeling of the blanket rubbing against his feathers, it felt as though someone was pressing a finger to his scalp, dragging the skin with them though not painfully.

He reached his hand out to 1x again, this time splaying his hand over their head, and retracting his fingers inwards, repeating the action.

He could tell there were tears pooling in his eyes- the painkillers having not kicked in yet.

He was distracted by a notification, he worried 1x heard it, turning to them before realizing they were still asleep, his ears twitched slightly- uncomfortably.

‘Hey shed you heard anything about john recently? I havent seen much activity from him’

Guilt swelled in his gut as he read the message.

Before he could process what to do he started typing back, stopping and rewriting parts until he eventually just sent the message.

‘Eeh, not much sorry builds’

It was lackluster- he knew, but he just couldn’t tell him- not right now at least.

‘Your all good shed’

The message only worsened the feeling, enough so he didnt reply right away.

‘Just, let me know of you do find him, alright?’

Shedletsky looked away from his panel, 1x still sleeping.

What would he do if 1x had gone missing and builds didnt tell him?

He ignored the thought.

‘Will do boss!’

His response was far too cheery, builderman would know though he couldnt take it back now.

As much as he was fine with the conversation ending there, the absence of something else to focus on left nothing between him and- the sensory overload that was having feathers pressed against fabric, every subtle movement felt like it was directly connected to his brain.

He reached into his mind- looking for a question that could qualify as small talk.

He eventually sent another message.

‘What are you doing up this early anyways?’

Builderman replied soon afterwards

‘Could ask the same for you’

He knew it was meant to be joking, though it poked at the pufferfish that was his anxiety, threatening to agitate it.

The fire was quickly quelled with another message from builds.

‘Falling asleep midday kinda messes with yer sleep schedule’

It made sense he supposed, either way he couldn’t judge, though he decided to reply to the first message.

‘I just couldnt get to sleep i guess’

It was a weak excuse.

Builderman took minutes to reply, and they felt slow.

Sheldetsky directed his eyes to the window, the sun peaking over the horizon.

His attention was then caught again by the notification noise, this time seeming to stir 1x slightly.

‘Was it ‘cause of last night?’

He stared at the message- not quite knowing how to respond.

Eventually managing to send something that he hoped wouldn’t prod too many questions.

‘Not entirely? I just havent been feeling the best lately yk’

‘Alright just checking in’

He nearly sighed in relief, batting slightly at his ears in annoyance as they twitched against his head.

‘Also if yer feeling that sick you should take a day off’

Shedletsky thought for a second- he definitely couldnt go to work today- maybe he could go tomorrow? Yeah- that might work.

After a moment of hesitation he sent another message, ‘If that’s alright, i dont think i could make it to work today’.

‘Of course! You haven’t asked for a day off once so i think you deserve atleast a sick day’

Relief washed over him as he brought his knees close to his chest, he wouldnt need to face him today.

He texted back a simple, ‘thanks builds’.

He was somewhat hoping for a response though builderman hadn’t read the message, he chocked the lack of a reply to the other going back to sleep.

He looked back to the window, the sun much more visible as he turned back to his panel,

This was going to be a long day.

Chapter Text

1x hadn’t spoken much that morning, not due to lack of things to say, but more so an inability to communicate them.

Shedletsky had seemingly noticed though didn’t prod them for answers, instead choosing to use some of the gingerbread cookie mix and make breakfast.

1x didn’t look at the other avian, guilt settled in their being.

No matter how irrational the thought was- they couldn’t help but feel like this was their fault.

Before they could spiral any further they noticed the older robloxian approaching them, presumably having just put the gingerbread in the oven.

“You ok?” He said while crouching down to the floor, making sure he was level with 1x.

They tried to respond though their throat closed up as they resulted to nodding while averting their eyes to the ground.

He sat down beside them, wincing slightly as they assumed his tail feathers brushed against the floor.

They pulled their knees to their chest as he seemed to be staring at them.

When they met his eyes again, his head was rotated slightly- at just an unnatural enough angle to be noticeable though even then they barely caught it as he uncocked his head.

“Could i- i dunno, fix your wings or something?” He fiddled with his hands as 1x felt a confused look cross their face.

“They look unkempt and i just wanna make sure they’re not in pain- you don’t need to say yes just..” he trailed off slightly.

1x hesitantly shook their head, the feathers in their wings bristled as they outstretched one towards him.

“Y’know” the other started as he gently picked a loose feather out, “i remember my friend duss’ used to tell me birds would do stuff like this”.

He squinted slightly before picking out a few other feathers, “as much as i love birdwatching, the behavioral stuff was more of his thing than me”.

1x’s shoulders relaxed a bit as they listened, curiosity overrunning any dread or fear they had previously felt.

“He said it was- preening i think” he spoke the word with uncertainty as he paused to think for a moment.

It didn’t sound too familiar to 1x, the word not quite giving them a reaction though they didnt notice.

He stopped again when they let out a hiss as he pulled a healthy feather out accidentally, though apart from that he was able to get one wing done well enough.

As he proclaimed his finishing of the wing 1x gingerly flexed it, it felt better than before- less prickly.

“If you’d like i can do the other one” they nodded, going to turn before he stopped them.

“Uh- before i do that, could i ask you a question?”

They nodded again, though slower- more cautious.

“How did you… know”

1x swallowed, not sure how to explain, explain the feeling that something would happen, explain how they recognized the same things in him they did in themselves, explain the- just knowing that that feeling was true.

“I dont know- i just did” they muttered, unable to fully communicate.

“It reminded me of something”

Shedletsky looked lost in thought for a second until his eyes widened, the puzzle pieces seeming to click.

He nodded as he gestured for them to turn around so he could pick at their other wing- though not before the oven beeped signaling the finishing of the cookies.

“Oop- let me get that real quick” he said as he clumsily got up and half-sprinted to the oven, worry of it burning evident on his face.

They stopped and nodded, “alright”.

1x spoke after realizing he couldn’t see them.

They shook their head out, a few loose feathers falling to the ground as they let out a breath, they needed to do something- to help him.

As if on queue a knock came from the door, they looked to the kitchen where the other was too focused on the slightly overcooked gingerbread to have noticed.

They shook out their hands and wings as they approached the door, the knocking didn’t persist thankfully though they were still hesitant.

After a moment of mentally berating themselves they turned the lock, sliding the bar out of its slot in the doorframe, and twisted the door handle.

Chapter Text

Im gonna take a break from writing this for a bit (as im sure a few people picked up due to the already 5+ days i havent written) im a bit burnt out right now, i do still want to continue it but writing is nearly impossible for me as of now.  (Do note that there is a chance this may just be discontinued as over time i might lose interest)

hope to see yall soon!!