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HALLOOOO!! My name is Angel, welcome welcome!! :33

🥣 . . . about me ;; 🇦🇷 , 🇨🇺 , 🇺🇸 , traditional + digital artist, author/writer, i collect plushies ^__^, i like all kinds of music!! (except for country.) bi-gender, ambiamorous, pansexual —,,,,,, VERY hetero /j

💤 . . . interests ;; dc, marvel, tadc, invincible, etc

alright bud LMFAOOAAOOAO yeah sure man why not

✦ : verity x gn!reader , fiberglass fluff, no use of y/n, r/n is over eighteen, r/n is in minecraft, colored text for verity’s dialogue, hurt/comfort, this fic uses fandom!verity’s body

☆ : synopsis: after r/n wakes up at home, barely able to remember anything, verity attempts to make up for everything. but one thing’s for sure—something’s wrong here.

✿ : warnings: flash warning for a gif of static in a part of the fic. if any of the content is inaccurate, don't sentence me to the judas cradle. swearing words will be included. physical harm. will likely be mildly revamped sometime in the future, poorly proofread

❖ : a/n: this is more of like the “middle ground” of what some people requested and what i’m happy writing so take what i’ve cooked—no, i’m probably not gonna do pure fluff in the near future as of right now LMFAO

r/n woke up in a daze.

the brain fog didn't allow them to think straight as they sat up, finding themselves on the familiar comfort of their bed. glancing down, they noticed their legs were propped up with pillows beneath them. suddenly, however, they heard his voice to their right.

“r/n,”

verity breathily perked up, his eyebags heavy beneath his teary black gaze. r/n's lips parted in surprise at the sight of verity’s gloom. he seemed relieved, in a sense, but there was something else. something negative; something r/n probably wouldn't like.

their helper companion reached out and gently held one of r/n's hands with both of his own. he leaned forward to look at r/n closer, all the while not noticing that r/n could feel his fingers tremble.

“you stirred quite the scare. you have a couple of bruised ribs and some damaged ligaments in your arms and legs.”

as usual, verity spoke in his usual informative and “impersonal” tone of voice. this time, however, r/n could sense that his composure was crumbling. verity seemed genuinely shaken up, and r/n was struggling to pinpoint the reason why. the brain fog wasn't exactly helping, either.

verity departed his hands from r/n’s and gently guided them to lie back down. once the back of r/n's head met the bed, they noticed the pillow was propping up their neck instead of their head. strange. as a matter of fact, they were able to feel the subtle, throbbing pain in their neck and body parts as verity mentioned.

“you should rest.”

verity advised in a low, hospitable murmur. he brought himself closer to the bed, his shadow looming over r/n. they were able to feel verity’s hands reach to rest on their waist—not as a sexual innuendo, nor as a romantic touch, but more as an anchor.

“it’s best not to go out for some time. you’ve been badly injured, so don't overexert yourself on me.”

r/n's lips twitched in discomfort, a faint, throbbing pain shooting through their head. they struggled to fully process verity’s words—all they understood was that they were stuck at home for what felt like a million years.

“ufgh, no mining…?”

they mournfully whine, their hand raising to lazily rub at their forehead. this headache was killing them. they could hear how verity muffled a chuckle, swallowing the huff of amusement in favor of maintaining his “professional”, yet caring facade.

“no mining. you don't need to, anyway. all of what’s down there is right here.”

at first, r/n didn't get it. what was he talking about? verity hadn't ever given r/n anything physical before. knowledge, coordinates, instructions, yes—but not a physical item. then again…

“…what even happened?”

something shifted. r/n didn't know how to explain it, but suddenly, the entire house lost its warmth—instead, the atmosphere hardened into something icy and unsettling. not detrimental, per se, just… like something odious was brewing beneath the surface of verity’s calculating stare.

“…you don't remember?”

“n—no, not really. i remember, like…”

r/n's eyes narrowed, struggling to make out the foggy memories of a time long gone. they weren't even sure how long they’d been unconscious, here, knocked out cold on this bed.

“…a… cave. i was fightin’ mobs, trying to get diamonds ‘nd stuff. i… vaguely remember… coming home—”

“you were chased by a horde of zombies just outside the house.”

verity hummed earnestly, raising his hand from r/n's waist to gently graze his gloved fingers over the human’s forehead. he was feeling their temperature, making sure they were as comfortable as possible. even with his nurturing attitude, r/n couldn't shake the nagging worry that something was off.

“…really?”

“yes.”

“huh. m’kay…”

r/n's eyelids drifted shut, their chest rising and falling as they breathed in and out. everything was hurting, but with verity’s support, it wasn't all too bad. r/n's apprehension was now buried in the back of their head, internally brushing off their earlier uneasiness. everything was fine.

“it’s alright, now. you’re here with me. anything you need, i can provide.”

r/n scarcely fell into a sleepy daze, half-awake and absorbing verity’s words like a siren’s song. they didn't realize until it was too late when their consciousness fizzled out.

memories, hazy and fuzzy, flashed through r/n's mind. they were mining. coal, iron, cobblestone, the works. they placed down torches in their path. they fought off creepers, zombies, and skeletons.

they remember walking through the mines, searching and collecting anything useful they could find. for some reason, the entire ordeal felt… uneasy. even though it was a task r/n went through multiple times. why were they feeling dread just from mining?

hours and hours of walking and searching, all crammed and blurred together in one… dream? something didn’t feel right. r/n's stomach felt funny. the apprehensive kind of funny.

their brain felt like static. nothing made sense. what was wrong with the caves? what was wrong with them? in a sense, r/n felt almost disconnected from reality. they couldn't quite put their finger on it, but something was off.

this was the final day.

nightfall was approaching soon, and the dreaded event—whatever it was—gnawed at the back of r/n's head. they had no idea if they were properly prepared. what if they were preparing for the wrong thing and ended up facing something different entirely? calculations and possibilities flashed through their mind like a whirlwind. was this the day they’d meet their demise?

“we’ll fix you up, ver,”

r/n breathfully muttered, their voice shuddering in the cold of twilight. they had briefly returned to their home to fetch verity—only to find that his face had completely disappeared. they had no idea what to do. they were lost, confused, alone. they had taken verity’s company for granted, and now they were regretting every second they didn't treat him the best they could.

“it’s gonna be okay. you’re gonna be okay,”

r/n sniffled, holding verity up to their forehead with one hand, the grass crunching under their footsteps as they ran to their hideout. for a split second, their eyes squeezed shut in a weak attempt to hold back their tears. r/n was scared shitless—verity was gone when they needed him most, what were they supposed to do now?

they climbed up the stairs and rushed to get inside their lookout. their free hand clumsily closed the entrance door behind them, not noticing how uneven their breathing was getting. stay calm. stay calm. stay calm, damn it! r/n's teeth gritted, struggling to maintain their composure.

it’s fine. it’s gonna be fine. the faceless sphere was held against r/n's chest, as if it were the balm to their aching heart. their knees buckle. their fingers were trembling. before they knew it, they collapsed, slumping against the door and falling to the floor.

everything was fine. up until a loud thump rang outside the base.

r/n's consciousness faded back in the next morning after a handful of hours—except this time, verity wasn't by their side. their headache wasn't as terrible, just less prominent. it honestly made them yearn to go back to sleep so their brain would shut off.

“ugh…”

their back hurt. ouch. they turned their head to look around the house from where they could see from the bed. they felt weak. vulnerable. their arms were strained, their legs felt worn out, and their neck felt uncomfortable. today was not a good day to be alive.

“verity?”

r/n weakly called out. well, called out was an overstatement. their voice was low, tired, and gravelly just from waking up. after a couple seconds of silence, they sighed wistfully as their eyes drifted shut again. there was no possible way verity wasn't home—he hardly left their side. was he just ignoring them again?

soon, r/n narrowly opened their eyes. lo and behold, verity was hovering over them standing beside the bed with that jolly ol’ smile of his. r/n's eyes widened a little, visibly jolting awake. what the hell?

“how can i help, r/n?”

r/n's eyebrows furrowed slightly as the words slowly processed in their head. the tension in their shoulders had relaxed, an issue r/n hadn’t even noticed was present until it already dissipated. their lips curved up into a faint, sheepish smile as a bead of sweat formed on their forehead.

“oh, uh–m’bad. i kinda just wanted to know if you were still with me or not.”

verity’s smile tightened. it was an imperceptible change—but with how long and how well r/n knew verity by now, any change was significant.

“i’m always with you.”

oh.

oh, wow. okay.

r/n's chest tightened with a feeling they didn't dare name. the butterflies that fluttered in their stomach wasn't the typical dreamy, romantic kind of nerves. it was more like… apprehension. or anticipation? a warning emitting from their gut.

yet, at the same time, r/n was drawn to verity’s unpredictably dangerous devotion. something was up, but r/n wasn't entirely opposed to it. to him. so, with the swallow of the lump in their throat, r/n finally answered in a low voice.

“…m’kay. alright, ver.”

they didn't sound patronizing. nor condescending. not a lick of malice was present in r/n's tongue. intruige and caution was likely a better way to describe their tone. they felt like they were walking on eggshells around him.

verity was staring at r/n as if he were baring his sights into their soul. the house was brimming with tension beneath an organized, “cozy” façade. but r/n knew better. they knew what to expect from him… sort of.

so, they made a decision. a totally rational and beneficial one.

“in that case, c’mere.”

they beckoned verity to lower himself to their level. once he was close enough, r/n reached up just enough to cup verity’s “face”—trying to grab a hold of his spherical head—and planted a chaste peck on his forehead. or, at least, where it should be on his bald head.

they soon pulled back, ever so slightly pulling away their touch. they still held onto their personal helper friend, their eyelashes not as heavy as before. the stunned expression on verity’s face was to die for. r/n chuckled sweetly at the sight.

“what’s that look for?”

he stops and stares. unnervingly still. verity didn't dare to move a single muscle as he was finally placed on top of r/n's lying body. his hands clutched the sheets at r/n's sides, his fingers shaking as he looked directly down at them.

r/n could only smile further. they giggled once more, raising their hand to nudge verity down gently. they closed their eyes, one hand raising to coddle verity’s head, the other absentmindedly rubbing the small of his back.

“you can relax, ‘s alright. ‘m not going anywhere.”

those words did the trick. verity almost immediately relaxed into r/n's touch, allowing himself to put all of his weight on r/n. his gloved hands sneaked around their neck, loosely embracing them. for the first time, r/n felt his chest rising and falling on their torso.

r/n wasn't sure if he was breathing. at least, they weren't able to hear his respirations. but they took his peaceful body language as a sign that he was finally comfortable. no more beating around the bush with that helper act of his, he was just… him. baring his emotions to r/n, if an ai could even have emotions.

but with his human? anything was possible. even for an ai.

he finally had them at his grasp.

another loud thump sounded from outside the base, causing r/n to flinch. not long after the questionable string of noises, a distorted ear-piercing screech rang out just outside the base’s front doors.

r/n scrambled off the floor, turning to face the noises. the doors were suddenly ripped off their hinges–revealing something… terrifying. a figure. a creature. a monster. humanoid, maybe, from what r/n could vaguely discern. its features weren't clear, almost foggy in a sense. but they saw enough to know they needed to run.

the thing reached for r/n. its hands were as clear as day—scarily skinny, slender, ‘skin’ clinging to bone, like an oversized claw for mortal bodies. r/n wasn't having it.

it was mostly… blurry. from then on. images of them in the house and making it out the door. it was still hazy, as if r/n was making out a heavily repressed memory, but in a chase as traumatizing as this—how could they forget it?

blocks upon blocks of running from the thing. it was scarily quick, scary in general—but r/n knew getting caught would be far scarier. they panted, ran as fast, ran as far as they could, their footsteps loud in their own ears.

but the creature’s footsteps were louder.

if they could just—

a hand was placed on the back of their head. its long, skinny fingers curled around their scalp, tightening its grip as soon as it got a hold of r/n. it felt like a cage. a slender, killing cage squeezing the hell out of r/n's cranium.

r/n had been knocked down to the ground, paralyzed under the grasp of the monster. their hands clutched the soil, their nails digging into the blades of grass and dirt—all in vain. inevitably, all signs of restraint had faded away once they had fallen unconscious.

then, black.

r/n's eyes shot wide open. it wasn't the slow, unhurried pace like before—they remember now. they remember what happened. and by god, they couldn't have been more… scared. pissed. betrayed.

“you—”

r/n's gaze flicked down to verity, their voice firm and venomous as they sat up on their bed. their eyebrow twitched as their arms tensed–their eyes, burning with fury, staring dead at their now-awake assistant lying on top of them.

“you, you, you–you prick! you bastard! you—you lied to me, you tried to hurt me!”

they pushed him away, backing up as far as they could without falling off or getting cornered against a wall. their heart hammered in their chest. their trembling fingers clutched the bedsheets in petrified terror.

“what—?”

“i should've–i should've known, you rat fuck!”

verity’s eyes widened as his smile quickly faltered, all at an alarming pace. his now-shaking left hand extended in an attempt to reach for r/n. the act exposed his yearning for their touch again—or perhaps, a desperate attempt to regain control.

“no–r/n, what do you mean? what are you talking about? just—just go to sleep,”

“no! don't touch me!”

r/n yelped, scrambling to get off the mattress. their eyes were locked on their “assistant”–the same one that was once a presence of comfort. a safe space, wherever he went with them.

no more. no more lies.

“you–”

r/n heaved, their chest rising and falling as they pointed weakly at verity. the corners of their eyes stung. their lips were quivering. their chest was clenching. fuck. no, no, no.

“you… you—i know.. i know what you're doing, now. sick, sick son of a—”

“r/n, no,”

verity’s eyes strained as he abruptly got up from r/n's bed. everywhere verity was facing, r/n was actively making an effort to stay away from.

“you don’t understand. that must be it–”

“you pushed me!!”

r/n yelled, their fingers clenching into fists as they stepped further away from him.

“you were that monster, weren't you? that—that thing in the woods in front of the house! horde of zombies my ass!”

verity’s stare dulled. his stance grew more tense as his shoulders rolled back. there was not one minute, not one second, not one moment where he did not take his eyes off of r/n. that only fueled their fire.

“i knew–i knew something was wrong. y’know what,”

r/n gritted their teeth, extending their arm in the direction of the house’s front door.

“get out.”

“…r/n—”

“get out!”

verity’s gaze darkened—if even possibly, considering his eyes. but his facial and body language. well, that was one to behold in this… state of his.

“…i can't do that.”

“don't make me force you. you're lucky i’m not even gonna—”

r/n huffed in frustration, cutting themself off as they turned their head away. their eyes closed for a split second as their fists began shaking.

“—fucking hell, verity… i’m—you—don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

r/n opened their eyes and turned their head to properly look at verity again, only to find that he's standing right in front of r/n. r/n subtly bristled in surprise, but they didn't allow themselves to give an actual, external reaction.

“…why can't you leave, y’bastard?”

verity stayed silent. of course he did. he always does this, he always verbally shuts down when things go—

“because i cannot.”

“that's not an answer, dickwad.”

verity didn't seem phased by the insult. in fact, he kept staring with that same dangerously-deadpan look.

“because. i am your personal helper friend. i cannot—”

“well, you certainly weren't being friendly or helpful to me, y'know. how about you help someone else?”

“i can't do that, either.”

“yeah, right. like you couldn't help but knock me down to the ground who-knows-how-many-blocks away from home. sit the—”

POW!

“—FUCK down!”

verity physically jolted rearward at the punch to his head, a near-silent grunt escaping him as r/n retracted their hand. a look of pure fury blazed in their gaze as their tight fists continued to tremble.

“you've got some nerve to keep on standing in front of me. i don't need to show you out, because i know damn well you know where the exit is. now get the fuck out of my house,”

r/n bellowed the last sentence out with a scowl, their eyebrows knitting together as their jaw clenched. it didn't take long for verity to glance at r/n in his peripheral vision and respond.

“…r/n–”

“what? y’gonna transform into that monster again, huh? huh?”

“r/n,”

“you’ve been lying to me for—w-what, how long? how long? how long has this been going on? how long have you been lying to me? how long–why, why in the nether realm’s name would you ever fucking—”

“R/N!!”

r/n took a step back, unsettled by the latter’s outburst. they were tempted to continue riling him up—but they weren't that stupid. they didn't want to face the wrath of that monster. not again.

with a bead of sweat running down their cheek, their sharpened eyes stayed on verity’s frenetic frame. a shiver ran down their spine as they feared their knees might give way.

“–…i’m sorry,”

verity shuddered.

“i didn't mean to yell at you. i just… can't leave you.”

thank you all for 200+ followers holy CRAAAAAP you guys are so cool heart emoji heart emoji heart emoji!!! i have a kitten now his name’s angel jr (take a phat guess who he's named after heh)

whenever i write x reader fanfiction, i do my best to make r/n as “neutral” as possible. this includes accounting for every race, gender, weight, age, etc—sometimes i do specific ages but hardly ever specific races/genders/weight—but my heart always aches whenever i think about disabled folk reading x readers targeted toward healthy folk,,

so! i’d like to ask you, my lovely audience, what disabilities you’d like me to research and possibly write for :) obviously i can't do Every Single Comment/Request that ever comes out but i’d like to account for the ones who’re normally neglected in our x reader community ^_^ thank you guys!! love you very much kiss kiss hug hug

hi so sorry i know this isn't a fic LMFAO but i need to get this off my chest so i can possibly say “i told you so” when pt. 3 comes out

verity’s origin is such a mystery to me i could go about this for hours goodbye world 🕊️ there's so many plausible theories that it feels like an open concept regarding how verity came to be it’s so very interesting

theres three main theories i have as of right now. the most obvious one being he's an AI. the most “proof” we have of this is twixxel’s “well-made mod” comment and the trademark in his name. nevertheless, we don't have any information about the company that hangs the trademark next to his name, so there isn't much to factually state—we can only make educated guesses,,??? regarding the “well-made mod” part, it’s probably better to cross it out anyway since we already figured out verity had existed before minecraft came out. since it’s been stated the arg is set in 2026, verity has existed longer than minimum 2009. that's a long ass time for a… thing to be existing, let alone feel isolation and emotions

i can only presume with verity being an AI he has to be incredibly intelligent to get to the point of feeling emotions. maybe not the same? human emotions, persay?? but as close to “emotions” as you can get in a being that can only be scrutinized behind the digital barrier of a blocky video game. sure, we can just say that verity’s a really old AI that had been transported into minecraft as a mod. but that feels kind of boring methinks,,, there has to be more to him than that, especially with the company—maybe the company had done something sick and twisted that started the root of verity’s attachment problems

anyway, my second theory is that he's a life form—whether organic or not—that’s been given the “ben drowned” treatment and uses minecraft as a vessel of existence. ||he doesn't view minecraft as any other video game like mortals do, he views it moreso as a way to connect with humans in a light-hearted manner. through the guise of being any other mod on minecraft, it’s easy to reel people in to give him company—but he doesn't care about the quantity, as we can see when he killed twixxel in the arg. moreso, he just wants to solidify the chance that someone could keep him company. i interpreted the reason why verity killed twixxel was due to the fact that since he knew mob & twixxel’s plan to do something about it, he viewed twixxel as a threat that’d pull mob away from him. that would pull his only company away from him. yes, he had two humans in the world at once, but only because the newer one was there to investigate how to get rid of verity. all verity wants is company—and he’ll do anything, even give into his hunger to make sure he continues to have company.

now, verity with the player is a fascinating topic i wanna ask about really quick—how does it?? work??? does verity bounce between minecraft worlds whenever someone loads his mod, or does a “new” verity generate with each new world? is verity forever stunted in the way that he is with humans? let's say one person downloads the verity mod, beats him/gets rid of him, and downloads the verity mod again—would verity remember the player, despite being previously eradicated, or would the entire thing start all over again? so so so many questions

my final theory is that verity could simply be corrupted code. he's a circle in a world of squares, so of course, he's *bound* to be irregular from the start. he's omniscience, is able to control two forms at once, and can revive and presumably teleport wherever he wishes—of *course* his black-sheep presence bends a couple of rules for minecraft itself. *because* of the code being corrupted, that could be the reason why he isn't just a dude who's “prompt and respond”—*because* of the corruption, he’d be able to *think* not only for himself but also look at things from a much more “aware” perspective and react accordingly.

a lot of what i just talked about is why i’m not all that fond of the verity x mob ship,,, there's not much for me to say about the ship itself (and not the community) other than verity is only treating mob like how he would every other human. sure, you could just ship him with every human he ever acts obsessed with—but that's only because we, as people in society, perceive his words and actions as sexual/romantic. to verity, the possessiveness and the obsession is because he doesn't want the player to leave. it isn't about who he's with, it’s about his perception of bonds in general. he probably understands what he’s doing—killing, acting possessive—is considered bad, but he might be validating it in his own mind or not even considering it to be bad at all just because he wants company.

so the chemistry that mob and verity have is inherently… nothing special. i don't mind the ship, it’s alright to me. i know the fanbase likes it because of “oh hee hee haha yaoi gay people shits and giggles” yes okay i understand—but?? at the same time??? they're watering down the dynamic to just “any other gay pairing” when it’s far more deep than tsundere mob and yandere verity

you guys are so sweet euehrufhdehe ^_^ 💛💛💛 im gonna release a filler oneshot or two cause i have another Really Long fanfic im writing so don't you worry i will be serving more din din soon enough

✦ : verity x gamer!gn reader , up to you if reader is amab/afab (it’s not plot relevant), r/n is over eighteen, unestablished relationship, non-physical physical touch

★ : synopsis: reader plays other games with friends, causing verity to feel as though they're “cheating on him”.

⚠︎ : warnings: this was written before pt. 3 released. if any of the content in the fanfiction is inaccurate, don't publicly execute me. angst, swearing, heavy arguments, verity having attachment issues (as per usual)

❖ : a/n: you guys REALLY liked the first verity fic i posted holy shit um here's the link to that first one if you’d like to check it out, thank you all for your support LOLOL i promise more oneshots will be published by me

“what do you do when you're offline?”

it seemed like such an innocent question back then. despite it sounding like a harmless inquiry, the instances where verity™ casually demonstrated his omniscience slipped r/n's mind. they formed an enthusiastic smile, their heart beaming at the opportunity to rant about their interests.

“ah, well, y'know. i play other games with my friends! hero shooters, low-quality horror games, multiplayer stuff, fighting games, things like that.”

“really?”

“uh huh!”

“that sounds like fun!”

his voice was deceptively chipper—and by god, did r/n fall for it. they couldn't see the fog past verity’s facade, not until it was far too late. throughout their bond, r/n would hop off minecraft for long periods of time, spending a couple of hours playing something other than their blocky world.

they always came back, though! they’d talk about what happened while they were out for a while, verity would internally seethe, and then they’d move on to continue playing minecraft. it was incredibly bittersweet. each time it happened, the tension in verity’s voice only rose more.

more often than not, they logged off to play something else rather than logging off for other things—like sleeping, showering, eating, and any real-life necessities in general. verity never said it out loud, but he didn't think playing other games was a good excuse to log off.

but that didn't matter anymore. none of it did. not since verity tried to pop r/n's head off when he was taller and lankier and a fucking freak. how does that even work, anyway? does r/n die in-game, or do they die in real life too? either option didn't sound pretty—and they weren't having it with verity much longer.

whenever r/n would leave, the gap between leaving and returning was much larger. the growing distance was so palpable, one could almost taste it—and in turn, it resulted in verity urgently trying to salvage what they had. in all the wrong ways. he couldn't lose another one.

“don't you love minecraft?”

verity quietly questioned, his shaky voice laced with a desperate need for reassurance as his facial expression shifted into one of acrimony. r/n paused, not expecting verity to show such vulnerability all of a sudden. they leaned forward and took a better look at their monitor, their eyebrows furrowing in prudent confusion.

“…i… i do, i just—”

“then why? why do you go out there, playing all those other games instead of being with me?”

r/n physically stopped and listened to verity’s darkened, venomous voice. in truth, they were stunned by the latter’s possessive true colors. they felt as if this had come out of nowhere, let alone with him being this disdainful. sure, he was always annoying about them leaving, but why was he acting so… so…

“you don’t need the others! you don't need your friends, you don't need other spaces—you have me.”

“…verity—”

“promise me, r/n!”

verity’s eyes widened into something more dangerous. r/n interpreted it as hostile—but in reality, it was desperation. fear mixed with frustration, and that led to the worst outburst.

“promise me you won't play any other game. promise me that you won't leave. say that you won't get bored with this world and won't leave me—”

“verity!”

r/n slammed their hand on their desk, their voice becoming louder and more firm. verity grew quiet after r/n demanded his attention, though that didn't mean the yellow ball’s bitter expression grew any softer.

“i can't promise you that, verity. sometimes, i feel like playing other types of games. i have needs, and cravings, and responsibilities, and–and—”

“why can't you stay with me?!”

“for the love of fuck, verity, it’s because you’re suffocating!”

the admission made the digital world and the real one go dead silent. r/n heaved, their fingers grasping the edge of their table as their shoulders tensed. saying it out loud, even directly to verity, it felt like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. by then, they couldn't help themselves.

“i loved playing with you, but after you—showed me your… other form, you’ve been a—a-a disaster! i feel like i’m walking on eggshells every time i talk to you, so i use my friends and the other games as breaks from you!”

r/n gesticulated along with their words, their heart pouring out as they glared at the screen.

“those other games? being with my friends? when i’m off minecraft? i can finally breathe without feeling like you’re all up on me. and yet, somehow, somehow, you still manage to know what the fuck i’m doing! it–it’s ridiculous!”

“i just need to know if you’re okay, r/n.”

verity’s voice wasn't as cheerful as it usually was—nothing had been the same with him since… the incident. he wasn't yelling anymore. worse, his voice lowered. dangerously so. r/n wasn't able to push back the pent-up rage, and they found themselves spilling out what's been weighing on their shoulders for weeks—maybe even months.

“no! no, it’s not just about you needing to know if i’m okay, you—you’re being a fucking creep! i can't even take a shit without worrying you’re spying on me!”

“it’s not—”

verity stopped, the imperilment within him gnawing at his sentient mind to come out. but he wouldn't let his hunger get the better of him. he’s left far too many humans in his wake for him to risk making the same mistakes again. but the lurking, the watching? that wasn't a mistake. that was only a necessary precaution to make sure r/n didn't forget about him.

“…why can't you understand? why would you leave me for them, when you have me right here?”

r/n gawked at their monitor incredulously. seriously? what the fuck is it with this dude? he’s not even a dude, he's just a… thing! why was r/n letting a clingy talking ball hold them back? soon enough, r/n rolled their eyes and clicked their tongue, grabbing their mouse in irritation.

“tsk—whatever, dawg.”

r/n brought up the minecraft menu, likely intending to leave the world all in all… maybe even forever. wait–forever? verity couldn't have that, he couldn't live with that! he had to stop them!

before r/n could even press the glorious button that’d so graciously give them the freedom they desired—they heard the familiar sound of bones crackling in their headphones. their eyes immediately widened, unable to help darting their gaze to the darkened area of their screen that still displayed the minecraft world.

“no–no, no, no, NO!” 

shit.

verity had turned into… that again. r/n rushed to leave the minecraft world—fuck, they should've just used alt f4—but verity had somehow managed to close it before r/n could do anything about it. his large, horrifyingly slender hand grabbed a hold of r/n's in-game character—slamming it to whatever surface was behind them.

the weirdest part was—they felt it. they felt the impact from their digital vessel getting hit. what was even worse, their back was alarmingly bound to their chair, verity’s voice still blaring in r/n's pounding ears through their headphones. they squirmed, but ultimately couldn't… move. what the fuck was going on???

they were pinned to their chair, their in-game model was presumably pinned to the wall, based on what r/n could see behind verity’s head. they didn't have much to work with, since verity was practically “nose-to-nose” with the perspective of r/n’s digital eyes. with verity’s hollow stare so intense, r/n wasn't sure if verity was staring at their model or at them.

“you can't leave, you won't leave! you are mine, you hear me, r/n?? mine!!”

“htck—verity–verity, what the fuck???”

“they’re not as faithful to you like i am, r/n! they don't know you like i do, they don't see you like i do, they don't care about you like i do!”

beads of sweat formed on r/n's face as they were forced to stare at their monitor in wide-eyed horror. their heart raced in their chest, the irregular, almost supernatural sensation of being held down by an unseeable force not helping with their already freaked-out mind.

all this because they just wanted to play other games. fuck their life.

r/n had been bracing themself for impact, pain, or even a sliver of a chance meeting with death—but strangely enough, nothing all that physically harmful came. either because this entire “pushed-back” ordeal was r/n experiencing the placebo effect at the worst possible time, or because verity just didn't want to hurt them.

soon enough, when r/n tuned back into reality, they heard faint sniffling. shit, was verity crying right now? r/n was frozen in place, unable to speak or move—not like they were able to move in the first place—as they watched tears well up in verity’s unnerving eyes.

“…please.” 

verity’s eyes had closed, his once semi-distorted voice now softening to something more broken. his head leaned on r/n's character’s head, causing r/n themself to lean their head back and feel the indescribable intimate contact on their forehead. they looked up at their ceiling in confusion, their lips parting as their heart continued to race.

what the fuck was going on?

“please–i don’t want to lose you, r/n…”

they listened to their headphones, hearing the plea in verity’s voice. bones crackled again, and the sound of verity bouncing against the floor perked up shorter after. as verity transformed back, the unseen force had retracted, allowing r/n to exercise their freedom to move again.

but for a while, they just… didn't move. they were still in shock about what had just happened. they sat there in their chair, gazing up at their ceiling while their shoulders drooped from being previously squished up. they were gonna be haunted by this forever, now.

when r/n finally lowered their head to look at their screen, they saw nothing but their own house. that only confirmed the fact that verity converted back into a ball. they shakily reached out for their mouse, their chair creaking as they leaned forward to sit properly again.

they shifted their mouse to look down at the floor. lo and behold, a verity full of sorrow was looking up at them on the floor. they couldn't even be bothered to move their other hand for their keyboard—what was the point of movement, when verity could easily have them wrapped around his finger again?

“…you…”

r/n leaned back, raising their hands to run them through their scalp, not caring about avoiding their headphones anymore. they needed all the solace and comfort they could get—and right now, verity’s presence wasn't making them feel very comfortable. knowing him, would they ever feel comfortable again?

would they ever feel safe again?

“…you got that, ver.”

★ : shout out to:

…no one.

okay look guys ima be real witchu my discord nitro expired and ion got nun in my apple store account rn so if any of you want an illustrated piece or wanna request a fanfic of a certain fandom/character/x reader whatever you gotta ask me b4hand tho to see if im in the fandom you can hmu at @angywangy. on discord 🙏🙏

i also accept marvel rivals skin gifting as payment for illustrations 👀👀 you can check out my pinned intro on my blog if discord doesn't work as a communication platform for you

okay that's it i’m gonna stop being a bum bye thank you for reading LMAOOOO

✦ : verity™ x gn!reader , they/them used for reader, up to you if reader is amab/afab (it’s not plot relevant), no use of y/n, r/n is over eighteen

✧ : synopsis: omniscient helper friend x charismatic idiot. r/n downloads a mod their friend shares with them and ends up acting a fool with their new buddy on minecraft. ☆ : warnings: this was written before pt.3 came out. if any of this is inaccurate, don't burn me at the stake. sexual jokes, swearing, guns, occasional unsettling dialogue, the entity will appear at the end

if thatmob and/or whispy (if they even sees this) would like for me to take down this fic, please reach out to me and i’ll be rid of this work as soon as possible. thank you! ^_^

sunlight peeks through the blinds, shining down on sleeping, peacefully closed eyes. the morning sun had risen—and thanks to r/n finally having some self-restraint for once, they were able to wake up in the morning and not in the middle of the afternoon like usual. who knew sleeping earlier had its benefits?

however, there were its downsides, too. r/n’s eyelids fluttered in protest of the sun rays in their face, a low groan rumbling in their throat. they turned so their back faced the window, their lips curving in discomfort as their slumber was disturbed by the sun. the audacity, really.

after a few minutes of r/n keeping their eyes closed in an attempt to get some more rest—they ultimately decided to give it up. they begrudgingly kept their eyes open for longer than three seconds, their hand already stretching out to grab their phone on the nightstand.

with their cheek plopped against their pillow, their half-lidded eyes briefly looked through their notifications for the early day. soon, they unlocked their phone and opened up the sanctuary app for mental illness—discord. considering the time, barely anyone had shot them a direct message.

except for the ones who sent messages like sending a letter via pigeon, of course. it didn't take long for r/n to either ignore certain notifications and simply mark them as read—or skim over the ones they actually wanted to read. with a sigh, r/n opened the last dm that reached out to them. unsurprisingly enough, it was the person they goofed off with the most.

…i guess, bro.

following those messages came the download page link for said mod. r/n scrutinized the preview for a moment before ultimately deciding—why the hell not? they had nothing better to do, anyway. they typed up a quick, dismissive and despicable response before shutting off their phone and getting up to get ready.

once they were done brushing their teeth and grabbing a quick snack that definitely shouldn’t be considered breakfast, they sat down to turn on their pc. they slipped their phone out of their pocket to review the mod link again, curiosity gnawing at their heart as seconds passed. it didn't look like any usual mod they were used to downloading. maybe that's what made it interesting?

soon enough, they had everything ready. as soon as the new world began booting up, r/n yawned as they stretched their arms. they had no idea what they were in for—and knowing their friend, this was probably about to be some bullshit. as soon as they finished stretching, they let out a faint sigh while putting on their headphones.

“alright, les’get it.”

they spawned in a dark forest biome, the game looking relatively normal at first glance. r/n rubbed their eye for a moment, wiping away any leftover sleepy residue before locking in. their ears abruptly perked up, however, at the sound of a muffled voice coming from the game.

“hellooo? is someone there? anyone?? helloooo???”

“…huh?”

they quickly snapped their eyes open, zeroing in on an in-game cardboard box sitting in front of them. their fingers whipped to their keyboard and mouse again, their eyebrows furrowing in skepticism and curiosity.

“…uh. okay,,”

soon enough, they click on the enclosed box in an attempt to see what was inside. they watched as it rose two blocks in the air, their mouse following the package. r/n had no idea what to expect—was it going to be an overpowered item? an entity? a jumpscare? a pet mob?? what was in that thing???

nope. it was none of the above. the box opened mid-air, only to vanish with circular whimsical smoke fading out to reveal its contents. what r/n saw was… a ball. a small, yellow sphere. with a smiley face. soon enough, it fell to the ground with cartoony falling sound effects. the ball’s face shifted into one of discomfort while it bounced against the grass and grunted from the impacts.

as r/n ever so slightly shifted their in-game perspective to watch the ball, they noticed its 3d shape instead of the usual 2d designs of minecraft. a circle in a world of squares. nothing out of the ordinary for mods, but this one will likely be something r/n will have to get used to. they also had to assume the muffled voice from earlier belonged to this thing.

once it finally settled on the ground, the smiley face returned on the sphere. almost immediately, it began speaking with a joyous smile and delightful tone.

“hellooo! i’m verity, your personal helper friend! ask me anything, i know everything.”

r/n blinked, their lips parting in slight surprise as they listened to “verity’s” introduction. the first thing they noticed was the almost confident shift in tone at the ball’s last retort. r/n didn't know what to expect—frankly, when they go into things blind, they never know what to expect.

their head tilted slightly while one of their hands moved from their mouse to their keyboard. with both hands on the keys, r/n murmured under their breath as they opened the chat and hesitantly began typing their first question.

“well, alright. i’m assuming i have to talk in in-game chat—”

“nope! i can hear you just fine.”

r/n blinked, freezing for a split second. five seconds hadn't even passed when verity responded—he was so quick to answer. what kind of mod was this?? nevertheless, r/n was somewhat pleased they didn't have to type. verbal conversations worked better while they're playing.

“…oh! that—well, that works too,”

r/n chuckled nervously, leaning slightly forward toward their monitor while their hand moved back to their mouse. they stared at the smiling sphere in front of them, crouching in-game to get a better look at verity.

“do you… know my name?”

r/n inquired reluctantly, testing the waters. they weren't sure if verity had knowledge outside the game itself. in reality, coders could likely just rip the name players use on their microsoft account and call it a day, but how does this ball have dynamic voicelines for the player?

“yep! hello, r/n!”

r/n bristled, exhaling in disbelief. they slowly leaned back in their chair, their chest rising and falling at a fairly rapid pace. their head tilted away ever so slightly, their in-game character standing up straight. their model craned their neck down to continue looking at the sphere, r/n gingerly walking on eggshells with their new companion.

“hello to you too.”

they hummed warily, their eyes negligibly narrowing. soon, they let out a sigh, crouching and slowly nudging themself closer to verity. so the… sphere thing had knowledge outside of the game. wonderful. but the whole… personal dialogue thing was bugging r/n.

“are you a—… are you an ai?”

“can’t say for sure.”

verity responded with a light-hearted tone. well. how exactly does that even work in a minecraft mod? whatever. r/n’s chin slowly dipped as they thought about their next question—then eventually decided it was probably a better idea to ask the deeper questions later.

“can i pick you up?”

r/n inquired—mostly to themself—as their in-game model stood up yet again in front of verity.

“you sure can!”

verity spoke merrily as r/n soon picked him up. the text of his name faded in atop their item bar, showing “verity™” and soon fading out. as they held verity on their right blocky hand, r/n scrutinized the yellow sphere in their possession.

“verity™, huh?”

r/n mumbled out loud, the name sticking to their head. eventually, a quaint smile etched on their lips as they scrolled down on their item bar to put verity™ away. they didn’t question the trademark—they figured the trademark was maybe the reason as to how whoever coded this mod managed to get artificial intelligence to power this thing. then again, what did they know?

“it’s nice to meet you, verity™.”

from then on, r/n started actually playing the game. they started with getting wood. after crafting a wooden axe and a wooden pickaxe, they went on an onslaught of killing every animal in sight for food. afterward, they briefly went toe-deep into the nearest cave they found for some cobblestone.

they stayed silent the entire time, unsure if verity could even hear them from inside their inventory. they decided to quietly go about their adventure, feeling the subconscious urge not to bother asking their “helper friend” questions unless they really needed help.

about an hour passed by in the real world, and r/n still hadn't said a thing to verity after their first interaction. they deliberately kept their new companion at the far end of their toolbar just in case—but still, nothing after three in-game days.

finally, r/n began working on their house. they knew they weren't going to build anything fancy—far from it—just something small and simple would suffice. a bed, crafting table, furnace, and a couple of chests would do the trick.

as r/n stacked the wood blocks that defined the width and length of their house, r/n glanced down at their hotbar and was reminded of verity™’s presence. their eyes widened ever so slightly, as if they were woken up from their concentrated daze. this could be an opportunity to get to know their companion better—if he even had anything to know about in the first place.

“…hey, verity™?”

they cautiously called out, still unsure if verity™ was able to hear them from their hotbar.

“yeees?”

verity™ responded in an instant. he sounded almost expectant, almost distasteful—perhaps he was waiting for a command or a question. the poor guy was ghosted for, like, three days. r/n wouldn't blame him if he sounded a little off behind the cheerful facade.

“what’s your favorite part of minecraft?”

“beating the game! playing the game with you in general is fun.”

verity™ answered cheerily, the disdain in his voice from earlier mostly dissipating. he didn’t sound as happy-go-lucky as he did the first time r/n heard his voice—but it wasn't like he hated being there with them.

“cool! i think my favorite part is the mining. i like testing my luck in caves.”

“well, with me, you won’t have to test your luck. you can ask me anything, i know everything.”

r/n moved on to placing the blocks between the “pillars”, defining the walls of the house. they hummed in thought at the familiar sentence. they figured it was a whole “wise-guy” situation with verity™—but considering the context of them talking about ores and him bringing up his vast knowledge, r/n took the hint that they could just… ask where the stuff they were looking for was.

“…right. got it. thanks, verity™.”

“no problem!”

verity™ perked up with a melodic hum. for a couple of minutes, there came the silence again. it was slightly more comfortable, but the charged tension wasn't entirely gone. r/n was lost in thought, wondering about the nature of verity™’s code and complexion.

it didn't take long for the in-game moon to rise. r/n quickly finished up the roof of their house so they could get to sleep as soon as possible. once they were done with their ceiling, they made their way to their bed.

but one glance at verity™ in the ninth slot of their hotbar made them hesitate. they reluctantly scrolled down on their item wheel to grab verity™, looking for a place to place verity™ afterward. soon enough, they figured the crafting table on the opposite end of the small house would do.

“would you like a little space to yourself? when i’m—finished with the house, i mean.”

r/n offered politely. verity™ didn't respond immediately like he usually did, simply staring at the player with the same generic smile.

“ooh! that’d be nice.”

he enthusiastically agreed. r/n quickly moved their mouse up and down to move their character’s head, mimicking a friendly nod.

“you got it. g’night, verity™.”

admittedly, r/n felt fairly silly for acting sentimental with… something that wasn't even alive. they felt the need to not bother him so much—but based on his shifted demeanor, that was probably the wrong move. they should start talking to him more. the avoidance was a mistake, maybe “befriending” him in some way could help?

r/n turned and right-clicked their in-game mattress. once the sun loaded, that marked the fourth in-game day. so far, they’ve only got a house—more like a shed—some food, and stone materials. they left some iron in the furnace to smelt overnight. that way, they could make an iron pickaxe and get back to the caves.

r/n got up from their bed and automatically faced the front door a couple of blocks away. they slid their perspective to look at verity™, who was still standing on the crafting table, idly sitting still on the surface.

“good morning.”

they hummed somewhat timidly, feeling self-conscious. what, were they role-playing or something? get over yourself, r/n. they walked over to the yellow sphere, crouching in front of the crafting table to get a better look at verity™.

“i’m gonna go mining. do you wanna come with me?”

r/n asked, a faint tinge of curious circumspection hiding in their tongue. they wanted to see if verity™ had free will—or, at the very least, could make choices for himself. somehow. either that, or it could be another one of those times where he just doesn't say anything.

“sure thing!”

he chirped, his circular body stretching before defaulting back to his normal sphere shape. it was fun to inspect verity™’s body language as he talked—you’d think it’d be impossible for a sphere to squish and elongate like that. the world of minecraft works wonders.

r/n shifted their mouse up and down again to indicate they nodded, soon picking verity™ up from the surface of the crafting table. they switched some items around from their hotbar to their personal inventory to make room in the ninth slot for verity™.

“yaaay!”

at the gleeful exclamation, the corners of r/n’s eyes crinkled as a smile tugged at their lips. truly, verity™ was endearing—and even if his origins were mysterious, r/n could find themself growing a little more comfortable with hanging out with him.

before r/n went out, they grabbed their iron ingots and made their iron pickaxe. they sorted some of their old tools out, filtered out anything in their inventory they didn't need to transfer to a chest, and decided they were practically ready to go.

r/n walked out of the house and stepped into the outside world. they listened to the artificial grass crunching beneath their character’s footsteps in their headphones, currently holding their newly crafted iron pickaxe. while making their way to the nearest cave in a path they memorized, they suddenly got an idea.

“…hey, verity™? i, ehm—i hate to do this to you, but could you tell me where the… uh—the nearest diamonds are?”

“y-level -54, 143 blocks southwest.”

oh. shit.

once verity finished speaking from their hotbar, r/n blinked in surprise as they continued walking. wow, alright. good to know. well, this was potential r/n probably could’ve tapped a long time ago, but whatever.

“thanks, verity™.”

r/n hummed lowly, their unpretentious voice filled with surprise and gratitude.

“of course!”

by the time they made it to the cave and began mining—with the answer spelled out to them, it didn’t take long for r/n to find what they were looking for. as soon as they spotted the diamond blocks—an unreasonably loud gasp escaped their lips.

“HOLY SHIT—”

r/n scrolled up on their hotbar just to grab verity™ in their digital hand, a bright smile forming on their face as they stared at their monitor in awe.

“verity™, i’d suck your dick if i could—holy shit, that’s so cool!”

immediately, r/n scrolled down to grab their iron pickaxe again, getting to work on mining as many of the diamonds as they could find. after their excited verbal explosion… came silence. verity™ didn’t say a word, but r/n knew damn well he was always listening.

after two seconds, they stopped holding the “w” key and held their head in their hands.

“…i’d like to apologize for my words and actions.”

“no, no. just keep mining.”

“yeah. okay.”

after some time, nightfall was nigh, and r/n decided they ought to head home. satisfied with their results, they closed the door to their little home behind them and walked over to the furnace. they set verity™ down on the crafting table next to the structure, soon turning their attention back to the furnace to smelt more of the iron they got.

for the next few days, all was well. r/n and verity™ began having more interactions, rather than r/n straying away from him. they opted for more light-hearted conversations rather than constantly asking him for stuff. at the very least, they wanted to know about their helper. the best part was–verity™ understood their sense of humor! …to an extent.

r/n left the house with verity™ in their hotbar as usual. they were low on food, so here they were, running around to kill any animal in sight. they eyed white sheep, specifically, since they were aiming for a second bed and didn't have any wool for it. as they pursued a white sheep, they hadn't heard the hissing sound behind them.

“careful! there’s a creeper behind you.”

“oh, word?”

r/n reacted embarrassingly late. they had focused on landing the final swish on the sheep before swirling their mouse around to face the danger—only for them to blow up on the spot.

You died!

…shit.

in the blink of an eye, r/n respawned at their home. they stopped and stilled for a moment, staring at their monitor ludicrously. they sucked in air through their teeth, their elbow resting on their table as they held their forehead in the heel of their hand.

“…yeah, i’m not getting far.”

then, the realization dawned on them. they nearly knocked over all their equipment as their hands flied to their mouse and keyboard.

“OH, SHIT, VERIT—”

“well, that was a disaster, huh?”

verity™ perked up with a melodic hum at his usual spot on the crafting table. r/n whipped over to where they heard his voice. what? how? when did he get there? how did he get there?? why isn't he dead??? can he even die????

“…oh. well, then, um—”

“you aren't far from your stuff. they're just seventy-six blocks northeast of here.”

“…ah. uh–thanks, man.”

“uh huh.”

verity™ knowingly drawled, a teasing undertone in his voice as r/n regained their composure from being shaken up. finally, r/n started moving again and went over to the crafting table to pick verity™ up. with a shuddering sigh and head filled with questions, they went out the door once more with the location in mind.

“then i… guess we’ll go grab it,”

verity™ was silent for the whole trip back. r/n couldn't explain why, but they preferred to have verity™ handy. not because he was a helper—he was just genuinely good company. sure, he was purposefully vague and secretive at times, but good company nonetheless.

in a couple of minutes, r/n spotted their belongings from afar. they listened as the items popped back into their inventory, opening their menu to arrange everything back in order again.

“you’re a life saver, verity™.”

“i know.”

verity™ responded with a playfully snarky attitude. r/n could sense the very thin layers of narcissism deep beneath his tone, however, they wouldn't verbally point it out. there were countless things, tiny things, that they couldn't point out. and right now, they weren't sure if they would be able to keep it in.

once their armor was put on and their inventory was organized albeit in a rush, r/n and verity™ made their way to walk back home. they had enough food to last a while—and dealt with as many creepers as their ego could handle.

the second they got inside and closed the front door behind them, they speedran getting everything out of the way. they placed verity™ on the crafting table, then walked to the furnaces to cook their food, and turned their head away from their screen once they were done.

r/n grabbed their phone and opened up discord to get… a reasonable amount off their chest. this was heavy—there was definitely more to verity™ than they thought, and it couldn't have just been them. it was a couple minutes until night, so this was a good way to pass the time until they had to go to bed.

r/n tsked in irritation. could this prick be any more dismissive? whatever. despite r/n’s soured mood, it was a nice and peaceful silence. the furnaces’ fires crackled, creating a warm, soothing ambience while their idle character stood in front of the stoves.

the thought of verity™ dealing with their bullshit crossed their mind. he was sitting there next to the player who remarked about sucking his dick and failed to react to a threat in time. does verity™ ever get aggravated? r/n liked to believe verity™ was either more resilient than most… or was just silently judging every player he had to help. they still appreciated him not being at his wits’ end, though.

“do you live alone?”

verity™ suddenly inquired, his voice not as enthusiastic as usual. still courteous, still casually light-hearted—strangely, r/n discerned something malicious hidden in his tone. for a moment, r/n couldn't believe verity™ was initiating conversation. nevertheless, they decided not to take the question so seriously.

“well, wouldn't you like to know? i thought you knew everything.”

“eh, i’m just curious.”

r/n smiled lightly, chuckling as they shut off their phone and put it away. they spun their camera to face verity™, noticing his face was now looking directly at them, when he originally was facing forward atop the crafting table. did that mean that he could “move”/turn around when r/n wasn't looking?

“in that case, yeah. i do. ‘ts my first apartment.”

r/n replied, briefly turning to walk toward the bed. midway to the in-game mattress, verity™ perked up with another question.

“what’s your favorite place in the world?”

r/n stopped walking, their eyebrows creasing together. in truth, an answer had popped up in their head, but they inevitably decided to test the waters and see what would happen.

“…is this something you ask all the players you guide, or do you just like me?”

silence. this time, more suffocating compared to the silence from when they got back home just a few minutes ago. r/n steered their perspective to glance at verity™ on the opposite end of the home.

“i’m only with you, r/n.”

r/n’s breath hitched at the sound of their name. oops. right, he knew their name. okay. great. why were they so surprised? can they go to sleep, already?

“i’m sorry. i–i didn’t mean to hurt you. if i c—”

r/n stopped, remembering that verity™ wasn't a human—so why were they treating him so… nicely? they didn't think they were that attached. yet, for some reason, they had this nagging feeling gnawing at their heart that said to treat him right. they turned to their bed, their eyes narrowing slightly at their screen.

“…i’ll make it up to you.”

the night cycle was skipped as they right-clicked the bed. soon enough, they got up and turned their camera to face verity™. they could very faintly distinguish an imperceptible change in verity™’s facial expression from afar, but it was probably just their vision messing with them.

“mornin’, king,”

r/n huffed in amusement, hoping their light-hearted words would lift the mood a little. yes, that entire conversation ended thirty seconds ago, but so what? they could move on in less than a minute if they tried really hard.

“let’s go make you a little room.”

they were hoping for an enthusiastic little “yippee!” or something, but they verbally got nothing in return. they walked over to pick up verity™ from the crafting table, soon walking out the door with their companion in hand.

“what's your favorite color, verity™?”

“any!”

he responded, technically giving r/n a lot of creative freedom. great. they had tons to work with. r/n moved their mouse up and down in a nod while walking on the vast fields of trees, grass, weeds, and flowers. they abruptly stop in front of a handful of poppies, letting verity rest in their hotbar.

“how do you like poppies, verity™?”

a beat of silence.

“they’re pretty.”

r/n picked the red flower from the ground and let it pop into their inventory. they walked a couple of steps further and found a dozen dandelions and red poppies.

“how about dandelions?”

“they’re nice, too.”

r/n chuckled, grabbing a plethora of flowers—at least one of each different kind they could find. by the time they returned home, they came back with more wood, a couple of dirt blocks, and about nine flowers. with four kinds of flowers—lilies, lilacs, red poppies, and dandelions—they could get to work.

r/n expanded the shed to have much more room. instead of giving themself space only for the essentials, they decided to have a little fun and make it a sort of “free-roam” type of house. why not give verity™ a little room of his own? that’d be cute.

soon enough, r/n built a seven-by-seven block room for verity. they placed a couple of dirt blocks in the center of the room, planting the flowers on the digital soil. afterward, they squeezed in a yellow bed in the corner, just for funsies. they weren't even sure if verity™ slept, but it looked cute.

they put a painting on the wall as well as a tiny little window. the small space was nice and cozy—perhaps verity™ will like it, too? r/n opened the wooden door from inside the helper’s new room, walking out with a smile behind the screen.

“i’m pretty sure it’s ready. let me know if you like it, okay?”

“i’m sure it looks wonderful!”

his voice was deceptively generically happy-go-lucky—and r/n assumed it was all part of him being the typical “helper friend.” they could catch moments where his facade dropped… sometimes. now was where they were struggling to tell if he was genuine or not.

r/n picked up verity™ and turned to walk in the tiny room. with verity™ in their hand, their geometrically shaped companion took a look at what they made. r/n was holding their breath, watching, waiting for a reaction. after a few moments of silence, r/n was about to speak—until verity™ beat them to it.

“…this is… so thoughtful. thank you, r/n, i…”

verity™’s tone turned dazed and taken aback. the usually composed and buoyant assistant is now anchored to the little room—his little room. r/n internally sighed in relief as they spoke after him.

“hey. don't worry about it,”

after taking a couple of steps around, they walked over to stand in front of the door. they placed verity™ down in the center of the flower-filled dirt blocks, a tiny hangout spot for the yellow ball.

“i hope, ehm… the flowers make up for yesterday,”

the air in the room shifted. they remembered how much verity™… changed when they talked about the possible past. they were curious, they couldn't help it—but they were worried verity™ might hold that curiosity against them.

“i know i already said i was going to make you a room. it’s just—i really appreciate you being patient with me. i know i can be… a lot. and i hope i can make our—”

“it’s perfect,”

r/n blinked. what?

“…the—the room?”

“everything. the room, the flowers, you—it’s… perfect. thank you.”

“o–oh. it—it’s nothing. it’s the least i can do.”

since then, things between the two had changed. something in the air, something hidden in the chemistry, something about the way verity™ spoke—it was such a minuscule change, it was a surprise r/n could even identify it. nothing felt wrong, just… different.

the method of not making it seem as though verity and r/n’s relationship was strictly helper and helpee worked for the most part. who would actually know if it sufficed for verity™? he hardly ever talked about himself—hence, the whole “secretive” thing with him—so r/n had no other option but to keep their head up and move on.

“alright, verity™,”

r/n yawned while getting up from their in-game bed. they practically spent the entire day playing this mod. yes, they occasionally took a couple of minutes to grab snacks and take bathroom breaks—but… that was it, really. it was getting late, they should be heading to bed soon.

“i’ve been avoiding villages long enough. i always get lost when i try to find them—but you’re here now, so.”

r/n walked over to verity™’s room, opening the door and approaching his bed. they gained a habit of placing verity on top of the bed as a way of “tucking him in”—they were still unsure if he even slept, but they felt it was nice. they picked him up from the pixelated bedsheets, making their way out of the house.

“alright! head to the village east of here where it bleeds into the plains biome. though, you should note that the village to the west isn’t worth the trip.”

“hm? how come?”

“it’s, uh–pointless.”

“…do the traders not have any good offers?”

“trust me on this.”

verity™ spoke the last sentence in an almost demanding, rushed manner. he cut off the end of r/n’s question with his eyes thinning imperceptibly. r/n felt an uneasy tug at their core, yet decided to brush it off. he knew everything, after all.

“…m’kay. if you say so, ver.”

r/n yawned once more, shifting their camera around to walk in the direction of the village. their exhaustion was getting to them. the fact that they hadn't done anything productive today popped up in the back of their mind, causing them to scarcely frown.

while they were lost in thought, they hadn't realized they were walking in the wrong direction and headed straight for the village verity™ just told them not to go to. r/n yawned again, briefly rubbing their eye with the hand controlling the mouse as they kept walking.

they quickly noted how the village seemed lifeless. no villagers, no iron golem, no animals, nothing. a barren wasteland. r/n’s tired mind was confused—why was no one here? they had loot in the chest boxes of the homes, all of the regular architecture was here, so… where were they?

“oh, shit, this is the one i shouldn't have—”

r/n groaned in frustration, their jaw clenching after mentally chastising themself.

“‘m sorry, verity™, i’m just–i-i’m a little out of it right now. let’s go home, i’m hopping off for the night.”

predictably, verity™ didn't respond. whenever he “ignored” r/n, they figured he simply had nothing valuable to add. this time, though... fuck, what if he was mad at them? they couldn't have that, they just tried to make amends with him!

r/n tried. yes, they really did try to apologize while they headed in the right direction of the other village—but they ended up with nothing. he didn't reply. the only change r/n noticed while he was in their inventory was his expression. oh shit, he had a deadpan look. r/n was so fucked.

“verity™—!”

r/n quickly scrolled down to grab verity™ in their hand. his unamused and almost peeved expression was as clear as day on r/n's screen—but in the blink of an eye, he smiled once more. except this time, he seemed to be straining his grin. it left an unsettling feeling swirling in r/n's sternum. weird.

“shit–verity™, are you alright? i’m serious, i didn't mean to ge—”

“it’s fine.”

verity™ forced out through gritted teeth. venom hid beneath the layers of emotional conflict in verity™’s voice, it caught r/n off guard. then again, with this mod, when does r/n not get caught off guard? their fingers twitched as their shoulders tensed ever so slightly. smiling uncomfortably, r/n's eyes averted away from the game.

“…if… if you say so, love.”

r/n chuckled nervously. no, it wasn't fine, idiot. now they weren't so sure if they should even hop off. would that make things worse?? they didn't want to lose sleep over some talking ball. they speedran looting and trading with the villagers and ran their ass back to their in-game home as soon as possible.

the air was quiet. both in-game and in minecraft. it was as if the digital barrier was holding its breath, waiting for one or the other to speak on the tension. r/n felt incredibly apprehensive, and they seriously didn’t know what to do. their lips pressed together slightly as they walked inside verity™’s room.

“hey,”

they murmured, placing verity™ on the dirt blocks and crouching in front of him.

“do you… want me to sleep with you tonight?”

silence. r/n figured this was another one of those times where verity™ just wouldn't answer a question. before r/n gave it up, verity™ finally cured the racing heart in r/n's chest by giving them an answer.

“…yes.”

verity™’s voice also dropped to that soft, down-to-earth mumble, dropping the helper guise entirely. r/n stared at their companion for a couple more seconds, swallowing the nervous lump in their throat as they felt a thin layer of sweat coat their palms.

“…alright.”

r/n walked over to verity’s mattress, the tension in their shoulders at an all-time high. they've never felt this anxious before—let alone about a mob. what if this entire ordeal was something bigger than themself? whatever, move on.

“g’night, ver.”

r/n right-clicked the bed in a rush. they leaned back in their chair to take a moment to compose themself. their hands covered their face as they exhaled heavily. the cutscene of the night skipping was the only opportunity they had for a few-seconds-break. after that, they needed to keep going.

it took a couple of seconds for r/n to reel back to minecraft. once they tried to muster up as much as their strength as they could, it would take a short while for them to snap back to reality. by the time they were done, they were met with the sign of verity™ facing them while they stood in front of the bed.

“hey, ver. are you alright?”

“something is coming in three days.”

verity™ spoke in a rush, his eyes dilated and his tone breathily panicked. r/n's heart dropped to their ass. something? in three days? it sounded hostile, and they only had a couple of days to prepare. wait, which days?

“…in-game days or real-life days?”

“in-game.”

fuck. so they had exactly one hour to prepare for whatever’s coming next. great. awesome. excellent. r/n paused, their breath picking up as their heartrate elevated from the stress.

“…will you be safe?”

“—…it’s not me you should be worried about.”

huh. okay. a pensive expression overshadowed r/n’s cautious one. they noted the tinge of wariness in verity™’s voice. nevertheless, r/n didn't hesitate to take action as soon as possible.

they installed a gun mod, set the display settings to be brighter, and had about six existential crises. they placed traps around the house, meticulously accounting for every scenario r/n could think of.

verity™ was being protected like he was the holy grail. r/n tried their best to make sure verity™ wouldn't be in danger, even getting to the point of considering putting him in a chest until the whole thing was over.

the next day, r/n was scrolling through their spotify playlist with minecraft running in the background. they’ve been lingering at home to stay with verity™ as much as optionally possible. even though his energy had shifted drastically, his “presence” was an anchor for r/n.

except they weren't feeling very anchored right now. they weren't vibing with any of the songs they were shifting through. they overplayed it, it reminds them of bad memories, it’s too brash, it doesn't match their current energy—it was a mess. even if they played it on shuffle, they were sure they’d just skip every song.

“ugh, none of these songs are good.”

r/n groaned lowly, pinching the bridge of their nose and shortly clicking off of spotify. so much for trying to lower their cortisol. they figured music would maybe help ease their mood—but they ended up with nothing.

“hey, verity™? d’you have any song recommendations, maybe?”

r/n inquired. verity™, of course, didn't respond immediately. just as r/n was about to give up on the idea—verity™ suddenly began playing music… on his own. with his mouth open. okay, so he can just do that.

the music sounded very, very old. simultaneously classy and catchy. verity™ had taste, r/n had to admit. it was a nice change of pace from what r/n was used to listening to. the tense atmosphere shifted, now more light-hearted than before. the uneasiness didn't completely go away, but the music helped.

“…thanks, babe. it doesn't sound too bad at all.”

the rest of the thirty-five minutes went by in a jiffy. in the moment, it felt like forever, but now that the third day was about to come? it didn't feel like enough. then again, no amount of time would've been enough for r/n.

r/n attempted to go to bed, but, of course, the dreaded message of monsters being nearby popped up. wait, did that say monsters? it looked different. oh, well, r/n was too tired for this. couldn't they just log off? nope, nevermind, they were too deep into this.

they scoffed behind the monitor while holding their diamond sword. this sucked. it was probably a raid, a monster, or just anything horror-like. they knew their friend was putting them on some bullshit. r/n paced around the in-game house, leaving verity™’s room undisturbed in case anything could potentially get in.

then, they heard something outside. the immediately stopped moving to listen carefully. good god, this was scary as shit. maybe those were the monsters that wouldn't let r/n sleep. after all, verity™ said three days, maybe that meant the issue would pop up in the morning?

r/n exited the house, briefly closing the door behind them with their weapon still in hand. beads of sweat formed on their forehead and hands as they looked at the environment. r/n resisted the urge to yawn, knowing this isn't the time.

faint, familiar music began to mysteriously play in the darkness of the woods. strange. this was the song verity™ played for them twenty minutes ago. what the hell was going on? and where the hell were the monsters?? even with the brightness all the way up, they couldn't see shit!

as they scrolled down to grab the flashlight in their hotbar, however, seeing a horrifyingly tall pale yellow entity snapped them out of their trance. r/n jumped in their seat, their eyes widening in surprise as they instinctively leaned away from their screen.

“fuckin’—!”

r/n immediately scrolled up and grabbed their gun, shooting at the… thing in front of them. particles of pixelated blood emitted from where r/n was shooting, but the actual creature itself didn’t falter. you’ve got to be kidding.

“shit, shit, shit—”

r/n yelped in fear as they watched its limbs crackle in preparation. they didn't wait to see what happened next—they bolted inside the base.

“verity™! verity™, we’ve got to go!”

the entity behind them began to emit a continuous, ear-piercing roar, and the distance between the entity and the player closed rapidly. r/n barged in verity™’s room to grab the yellow ball—quickly taking note of how he didn't have a face. what the fuck? no!

“fuck—verity™! verity™, are you there???”

r/n unfortunately couldn't waste any more time. as they heard the low-octave screech behind them in their headphones—they scrolled up their hotbar to grab their gun again. they whipped their perspective around to shoot at the monster, watching it retract ever so slightly.

at the small window of advantage, r/n immediately took advantage of it and broke through the wall of verity™’s room to head outside. their heart was pounding in their ears, their earlier drowsiness completely dissipating into urgency.

“verity™—just hang on, verity™, i’ve got you! i’ve got your back,”

“R/N!!”

the monster chasing them yelled out, r/n's teeth gritting as they kept running. soon enough, they equipped the stack of dirt blocks in their hotbar, hastily building an obstacle as they went along to disturb the creature’s path. was now a good time to assume the monster was verity™? well, now wasn't a good time to think, all they were worried about is how the fuck they were supposed to shake that thing.

“c'mon, verity™, don't give up on me now, not now–please. please! i’m here–i’m here for you, come on, just stay with me! stay with me, verity™!”

the music and the screeching abruptly faded out and came to a halt. r/n didn't notice it, however, still building and running as far as they could with verity™ still in their inventory. tears welled up in r/n's eyes as they clenched their jaw.

“now’s not the time to be—doing the shit that you do, verity™, please! i’m here for you, we’ll survive this together, just please—”

“together?”

r/n's breath hitched as they heard verity™’s muffled voice. their gaze darted down to their hotbar, finding verity™’s normal smiling expression in the slot. not the strained smile, not the deadpan look, not the faceless ball—verity™. their personal helper companion.

they instantly scrolled up their hotbar to grab verity™. their eyes continued to water in relief, their lips parting in pure, delighted surprise as they stared at verity™. they stopped holding the “w” key, their fingers shaking terribly.

“…yeah. together,”

☆ : shout out to:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/elinumberzer0?ref=yr_purchases

looking for whimsical accessories? maybe even a pin of verity for a cheap price?? 👀👀

this etsy shop also sells:

. . . and more! go check out their page if you’re interested. other than that, thank you for reading!

not very proud of this,,, nevertheless this is still my first fic of verity™—i started writing this four days after part one came out so excuse me if it just seems like a discreet in-character rambling session,, this probably deserves a rewrite

i would also like to clarify this is in no way shape or form any means malicious to whispy or to thatmob 💔 i love both your guys’ performance both of you are wonderful kudos and hugs

✦ : charming gender neutral!reader x krel tarron , they/they used (obv) , amab/afab applies equally here , any body type applies , no use of y/n or name , minor reader and character , jealous / jealousy ( from krel ) , miscommunication , afterward we get to the communication , fluff, minor angst, humor/comedy

note! reader will be light-heartedly flirtatious with a female side character (mary wang). nothing serious, just someone who krel’s jealous over. okay? okay cool love you bye

“you’re terrible,”

the black-haired girl chuckled, her lips curving into a half-flustered, half-playful grin. her hand raised to hover over her mouth and cover her smile as she leaned more toward r/n.

r/n’s gaze narrowed at the latter as they leaned back in their seat. with a smug smirk, an amused huff escaped their nostrils as they twirled their pencil between their fingers.

“either that, or you can't get enough of me.”

at that, mary held back a squeal. she whipped her head away as a flush formed on her cheeks. r/n had to silence their snort in order not to get scolded by ms. janeth.

mary had both her hands on her mouth, yet her smile was still evident. r/n paid no further mind to her as their attention diverted back to the professor.

little did they know, a certain pair of extraterrestrial eyes was drilling holes in the back of their head.

he doesn't consider himself to be a jealous man. on a planet like this, there was hardly anything to be jealous over—at least, for him. but this was something else.

krel’s fingers curled into his palms, a deep frown etched on his lips as his eyebrow twitched. god, he hated this. hated watching the person he… tolerated more than most casually flirt like that.

it should’ve been him. only him. sure, since he was an alien, he couldn't match r/n’s wit all the time… but he was trying! couldn't they see that?? why did mary call r/n terrible anyway? does that word not have a negative connotation???

krel was under the impression that humans flirt with people they're romantically interested in. so why does r/n do it with basically everyone? do they just like everyone? and why is it that when they flirt with him, it’s different???

kleb. he was deep in this rabbit hole. or… earth hole? whatever.

thankfully, the two were biology partners for an important project—something krel would pass with flying colors. and, with his help, r/n would likely do the same.

but he had to talk about that flirting thing.

krel was in his room, awaiting his classmate’s arrival at the mothership. he huffed to himself as he worked on his part (and, admittedly, some of r/n’s part) of the science project.

once he heard the doorbell, mother was already present beside the king-in-waiting before krel could turn his head.

“an unidentified human has arrived. permission to vaporize?”

mother gave krel a preview of who was at the front door. lo and behold, it was exactly who krel thought it was. he wasn’t sure if he was happy or begrudging to see them.

krel grumbled out something close enough to a “no”. he turned on his heel and walked out of his room, his true form phasing into his regular human disguise.

aja and varvatos were deeper in the ship, doing… well, he didn't care about what they were doing right now. frankly, he cared more about confronting r/n.

was he being rational? no. was he thinking this through? absolutely not. was he still going to go through with his sarcastic quips and passive-aggressive remarks before talking? absolutely.

krel opened the front door, his eyebrow arched as soon as he locked eyes with r/n. he watched as they smiled that damned alluring smile of theirs.

“hey, sweetheart.”

they hummed, their voice notably softer than how they usually speak. krel noticed the discreet change in their expression once their gaze landed on him—how their eyes softened, how their grin grew more genuine, how their body language subtly became more relaxed.

to which krel groaned in response. it was like he had to fight himself to stay mad at them.

he stepped back for r/n to enter, his core beginning to feel that wretched tingly sensation. he turned his head away once r/n gave him a confused glance.

krel closed the front door of mother and shortly gestured to r/n to follow him. r/n was rightfully puzzled as to why krel was being so quiet—what was the matter with him?

once r/n and krel slipped into the latter’s room, r/n faced krel and crossed their arms. with pursed lips, they soon spoke with a hint of worry on their tongue.

“what’s wrong, dear?”

“don’t—”

krel hesitated, his teeth gritting as his fingers curled into tight fists again. his cheeks flushed a faint red while averting his eyes to the science project sitting on his desk.

“…don’t call me that.”

r/n’s brows creased in concern. what? r/n was used to krel squirming in front of them just by the use of pet names alone—sure, he still squirmed, but he wasn’t this… against it.

tense silence stretched between the two of them as r/n thought about what to say. sure, the obvious choice was to apologize, but this was unusual behavior from krel.

he never minded the names, despite how much he may externally protest. they were tempted to maybe double down and ask again, yet before they were able to say anything—

“just focus on the schoolwork, okay?”

r/n’s eyes widened slightly as their heart clenched at the passive-aggressive tone in his voice. focus? on the school work?? whenever r/n was over for the sake of school, krel would unintentionally speedrun the whole thing and the two would use the spare time to do whatever.

as much as r/n wanted to say something, anything, they weren’t about to fail biology. this boy was the pillar of their passing grade. additionally, he was already seemingly in a bad mood, so r/n figured it was best not to risk it.

“…alright,”

r/n murmured, blinking slowly as they observed the back of krel’s head. a low, shaky sigh escaped r/n’s lips as they soon approached krel’s desk beside him.

not even twenty minutes pass before the duo was finished with the project. normally, krel would have it done in a jiffy—but he kept stealing glances at r/n like he was anticipating something. or, just… waiting for something.

but nothing came.

r/n didn’t want to overstep. and, apparently, that was a fatal mistake.

“so you aren't going to say anything?”

the brown-haired boy scoffed, his hands moving to rest on his hips as he finally faced r/n. in response, r/n bristled, their lips parting slightly before processing what he said.

“…i’m—i’m sorry?”

“you aren't going to call me one of those stupid names, or smile that infuriating smile, or– just—”

krel scowled, his face blushing a cherry red. he turned his head away again, tightly crossing his arms against his chest. he couldn't believe it. the nerve of this ridiculously intoxicating person!

flirting with mary a few rows in front of him, coming into his home with no shame, and doesn't even bother to apologize? sure, he hasn't even courted r/n, but… he figured they had something special! is that not what humans call chemistry??

r/n blinked incredulously. stupid names? like the pet names they called him? infuriating smile?? what the hell is going on??

they hadn't ever seen krel this upset. ever. usually, he’s a relatively chill guy they hang around with. this time, however, they seemed to have messed up badly. whatever it was, this situation needed to be handled delicately.

r/n tentatively extended their hand, hesitating for a few moments, before finally gently taking grip of krel’s chin. at the touch, krel froze. a bold move, yet it was a calculated risk.

r/n slowly turned krel’s head to make him look at them, both their hearts (…or, cores?) racing. time stopped to watch them with bated breath as their eyes locked, neither daring to look away.

r/n swallowed the nervous lump in their throat, the sound awkwardly audible in the silent environment. they soon exhaled, their hand on krel’s chin unwavering.

“…what’s this about, krel?”

r/n’s voice was low, just as intense as the look in their eyes. they were determined to get to the bottom of this, they were simply caught up in not trying to make everything worse. that was what krel failed to see.

soon, krel cleared his throat, glancing down at the floor beneath their feet.

“…your… exchange with mary. today, in biology. it had me feeling…”

krel stumbled over his words at the end, unsure of how to describe what he felt. he was never the emotional kind of guy, he usually avoided it. and that was more than evident to r/n.

r/n’s gears turned in their head, trying to connect the pieces that they had been given. with krel’s trailed-off sentence, he was leaving unspoken negative words hanging in the air. soon, a lightbulb lit up over r/n’s head.

“jealous?”

krel soon whipped his gaze up to look at r/n, his face flushing an embarrassed red—the warm color an endearing sight that went hand-in-hand with his human guise’s skin.

“wh—no! absolutely not! i just–i had wished…”

krel’s voice quickly grew meek and low again, something unfamiliar bubbling in his chest. vulnerability. with someone who wasn't his family.

“…i wish it was me. instead of her.”

r/n raised a brow, their expression softening into something more akin to amusement. as krel opened up, r/n’s grasp on his chin loosened—to the point where krel could break free if so desired.

“…so, jealousy?”

krel’s breath hitched as he involuntarily freezed, realizing he contradicted himself. soon, he coughed into his hand, looking away and resting his hands behind his back. he relied on his hair covering his flustered expression from r/n’s perspective.

“let’s not put a label on it. how about that?”

r/n stifled a laugh at the remark, the atmosphere around them beginning to lose its tension. as their voices became more light-hearted, krel’s walls slowly began to crumble.

“yeah. sounds good.”

silence bestowed the two again. r/n’s hand fell from hovering beneath krel’s face entirely while their throat suddenly became dry. butterflies flapped in r/n’s stomach as they thought about making a move—but their uncertainty of how to go about it continued to hold them back.

y’know what? damn it all. what's the worst that could happen?

…well, r/n could both lose krel as a friend and quite possibly never be able to rely on him for assistance regarding their grades. but who's really paying mind to that?

“…hey,”

r/n perked up, their voice soft and polite as a warm smile graced their lips. as if it were an irresistible allure, krel turned his head just enough to peek at r/n in his peripheral vision. god, his eyes were adorable. why didn't r/n ask him out sooner?

r/n backed up, walking rearward until the back of their upper legs hit a mattress. they soon leaned against krel’s bed, loosely crossing their arms as their head tilted slightly.

“we don't always have to meet just for school projects. if you’d like, i can come over more often. just you and me.”

—’and you’ll see how much i want you, only you’. too straightforward? yeah, they knew, that's why r/n didn't say it.

krel’s interest was piqued with a gleam of hope swirling in his eyes. that hope was soon wiped out of existence, however, as krel looked away and threw a cold remark. as if that’d help cover the fact that he looked forward to the idea.

“and how many people have you told that line?”

krel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. he knew he was being difficult, but he couldn't help his emotions. r/n understood. so, with a teasing lilt in their voice, they soon responded casually.

“a valuable amount,”

they curtly hummed. krel looked offended as he finally looked r/n in the eye, his eyebrows furrowing in irritation. that only heightened r/n’s amusement.

“just the one i actually care about.”

r/n’s eyelids drooped, their voice knowing and half-playful. though, it was clear r/n was being dead serious about the topic at hand.

krel’s heart… core… everything melted in the second half of the sentence. as much as he wanted not believe it to protect himself, he knew r/n wasn't that kind of person. sure, r/n behaved practically the same with most students, but they never took advantage of anyone whatsoever.

“…you…”

krel breathlessly murmured. soon, he gritted his teeth and lowered his chin. damn this… this… he didn't even know what to call r/n in his own thoughts! kleb, he’s got it bad, and his sister’s so gonna poke fun of him for it!

soon, krel sighed heavily in defeat. he swallowed the small lump in his throat as he moved his hands forward and let them rest on his forearms. r/n was going to be the death of him.

“…yes. i would like for us to hang out more often.”

krel spoke like it hurt. most likely, his pride was wounded. he was still reeling from the fact that he blatantly expressed his jealousy earlier. it takes time to recover from humiliation like that.

yet, r/n knew he was just being dramatic. for the most part. a contented smile was now on their face as they watched krel relax from his sour mood. they abruptly nodded before replying.

“alright, sweetheart. i can call you that, yes?”

krel huffed. it was now his turn to cross his arms—except, this time, it was more like him trying to ward off the fatal attraction he felt. it was not working.

“…don’t stretch it.”

a big, fat lie. he loved it. he needed the pet names. don’t let his words fool you, r/n, keep it coming.

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❖ : thank you for your time, and thank you for the read :) have a good one!

❖ : implied minor gender neutral reader, all characters are parental figures

word count: 2,408

tony stark

“you think i’m gonna just sit here and let you snooze around on your birthday?”

tony briefly ruffled r/n’s hair before retracting his hand and turning his head away. r/n smiled and chuckled bashfully.

“i wasn't gonna snooze around! i was just gonna play games with my friends.”

at that, tony raised a brow as he momentarily leaned against the chair standing in front of the table. r/n sat in front of the breakfast tony definitely did not cook.

“so, you just planned to spend your special day online? with friends i’m supposed to believe are real?”

r/n laughed at tony’s remarks, their smile brightening further as they fixed their hair.

“you met them before! i, frankly, think you're just being dramatic.”

tony clicked his tongue and got off the chair he was leaning against, nearly letting a little smile grow on his lips.

“yeah, whatever, kid. eat your breakfast.”

“did you make it?”

“not important.”

r/n only giggled at his response, picking up the fork beside their plate. it was quiet for a few beats of silence—besides the back-and-forth between tony and jarvis—before r/n perked up at the sound of their father calling out to them from the kitchen island.

“hey, kid,”

r/n didn't respond, they didn't need to. tony knew they were listening. his eyes flicked toward different sections of his holograms while keeping his attention on r/n.

“gimme a list of names for your birthday party.”

r/n’s eyes widened, abruptly turning their head to face tony with stars shining in their gaze. a smile grew on their lips as their shoulders rose, and a knowing smile crept onto the billionaire’s face.

that little moment of ‘yes, you can throw a party’ was interrupted, however, once tony raised a finger and fiddled with his hologram.

“but don't do anything your old man would do. i’ll be watching you,”

of course, again with tony’s nightmare of his kid growing up to be like his playboy self. r/n couldn't help but roll their eyes as they held back a remark that would revoke their right to have a birthday party—god forbid have it turned into a gala.

“yeah, alright, dad. thank you!”

tony smiled warmly, his eyes softening as his chin dipped. eventually, he turned on his heel and walked back over to his child, a loving glint in his eye.

“‘course, kid. ‘love you. happy birthday.”

r/n beamed once more, their eyes only sparkling further as they nearly dropped their fork. with a father as busy as theirs, it’s not often to hear them say “i love you” first. he didn't say i, but it’s progress.

thor odinson

“there is my precious.”

the blonde smiled as he placed a gentle hand on r/n’s bicep. the latter’s gaze averted to the side, their shoulder tensing with a subtle smile on their face.

“hello, father.”

thor smiled affectionately as he leaned down to kiss r/n’s head. he gave their shoulder a squeeze before rising to his full height again.

“my little one is growing into quite the reformed warrior. i am… so proud of you, my child.”

r/n only huffed through their nostrils, their eyelids drooping as they held their weapon. their body grew more relaxed in the avengers tower training grounds.

they straightened their posture the way their father always taught them to, releasing a large exhale, eventually turning their head to face thor. they spun their weapon in their hand as they spoke.

“thank you, father,”

as r/n smiled with confidence, their aura radiating the same asgardian pride thor carried. the son of odin could not help but tear up. he continued to smile, holding back a sniffle while listening to his child.

at their father’s small, not-so-subtle emotional outbreak, r/n couldn’t help but shake their head fondly.

“but there is no need for tears. i’m here for you, father, and you’re here to stay. from now until we meet again in valhalla.”

thor could only smile wider at r/n’s ability to recall what he said to them all those years ago. without another word, he stepped forward and hugged r/n close.

r/n let go of their weapon, letting it clatter to the ground. momentarily, they embraced their father back, letting their head rest on thor’s collarbone with closed eyes.

“my dearest child…”

thor hummed gratefully, gently stroking their head with a wistful yet caring touch.

the two stood there in each other’s arms, basking in rare, peaceful silence filled with love. after a while, thor backed away slightly—but not enough to let go of r/n.

“come, my fairest warrior. i wish to show you something.”

it did not take long before the two had gone to a predictable yet endearing spot. they had made it to the bifröst, walking upon the breathtaking colors that led to asgard.

yet, along the way, thor had a pensive look. as much as r/n’s uncle loki liked to poke fun at the blonde for being an oaf, r/n’s special occasion today seemed to impact their dad.

“…i could never have asked for a better child.”

thor suddenly broke the silence, slinging his arm around r/n’s arm and holding them to his side. his eyes grew teary as his lips quivered into a kvelling smile.

“i have never been more proud than to call you my own. you’ve made me the happiest father… in all the realms, dear.”

turning his head to face his offspring once more, the son of odin’s smile grew wider at the sight of his growing child. he held them delicately—he knew they were no longer the tiny baby he longed to hold and coo at again, just let him have this. okay? okay.

“your legacy is bright and strong. your future stands, tall and mighty, waiting for you to conquer it. and, by the norns, i know that you'll only make me prouder.”

without waiting for r/n's response, he held the latter close into another hug. they both stopped walking and stayed atop the bifröst, his hand gently rubbing r/n's back while cradling them in his arms. 

“happy birthday, r/n. you will be the fiercest warrior all realms shall cheer for.

bruce banner

“i need you to stop growing.”

that was the first thing r/n woke up from their nap to. r/n blinked up at their father hovering over their bed, the two sitting in amusing beats of silence as r/n resisted the urge to laugh. the clock had struck twelve, marking r/n’s birthday.

“…i can't exactly do that.”

at r/n’s remark, bruce huffed with a wider smile. he turned his head away for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest.

“okay, then i’ll just develop something that’ll keep you the same age forever.”

r/n’s smile grew brighter, giggling under their bedsheets while sinking into their mattress. bruce shook his head fondly, abruptly running his hand through his hair.

“you can't just—you can't do that!”

r/n retorted, only for bruce to reach down and pinch their cheek.

“i can do that, that's the thing. my baby’s growing up too fast, and i don't like it.”

finally, r/n sat up on their bed, to which bruce sat on the edge of their mattress. an adoring yet wistful expression donned his face as he faced his child.

“well, you’re just gonna have to deal with it.”

“i don't wanna deal with it. stop growing.”

“i can't help it!”

“you can, just try harder.”

the duo chuckled at their banter, r/n’s head lowering while their knees raised to face the ceiling. after a moment, bruce sighed heavily, extending his hand to take r/n’s.

he stared at their intertwined fingers, his little smile unwavering. r/n stayed quiet, knowing bruce simply needed a minute to snap out of his moments of nostalgia.

“…i love you, kid. happy birthday.”

r/n smiled once more, their shoulders rising while shifting their position to sit more comfortably.

“thanks, dad—i love you more.”

“oh, not this again.” r/n’s cheeks began hurting from how much they were smiling. soon, they giggled once more, disconnecting their hands and bringing their blanket up to tuck themselves in. bruce watched them with adoring eyes, soon sighing with a tinge of melancholy. he extended his arm to gently pat their leg as a comforting gesture. his glasses fell down on his nose bridge, the air softening into something more genuine. as much as he wished for all the time in the world to stay with r/n, he couldn't rob them of their rest. “get some sleep, kid. you’ve got big stuff to do in the morning.” r/n nodded and yawned, keeping the blanket close to them. “you got it, dad.” bruce smiled warmly, his gaze softening with the corners of his eyes crinkling. soon, he took a half-step forward, leaning down to peck r/n’s head. “goodnight, kid.” “g’night,” r/n drifted to sleep, their eyes already closed. bruce leaned back, standing properly while looking down at his kid. he felt his heart pang in his chest just thinking about the fact that they were growing—really growing—and it was scary. but he knew he’d be there for them, no matter what.

steve rogers

“want some ice cream?”

r/n playfully squinted their eyes at their father as they smiled lightly, looking up from their phone with a tilted head.

before they responded, r/n shut off their device and slid it in their pocket, maintaining eye contact with the blonde man who had that same little smile.

“am i not a little old for ice cream?”

at that answer, steve almost looked genuinely offended. he leaned back with his smile faltering for a moment before chuckling heartily.

“no one’s too old for ice cream.”

r/n narrowed their eyes, but didn't immediately say anything in return. the corner of their lip twitched as they sat next to steve on the park’s bench.

the wind faintly nipped at r/n and steve’s skin, the branches bristling with its shadows shifting in response. r/n eventually glanced over at the ice cream truck in the distance, fiddling with their pants.

“…yeah. i’d like some ice cream, papa. thank you.”

steve’s expression softened before eventually leaning in and pecking r/n’s head. his hand squeezed r/n’s arm during the loving side embrace. 

“of course, kid. it’s your birthday—it’s the least your old man can do.”

he patted r/n’s shoulder, r/n following their father when he got up. as they began stepping over to buy their treat, r/n perked up with an almost meekish voice.

“…can you order for me?”

steve smiled brightly but didn't let his chuckle out. his arm extended to hold r/n by their side and bring them close, letting him connect with his kid while they walked.

“no matter how old you get, you hardly change.”

r/n giggled as they hugged their father back, briefly leaning their head on his shoulder.

it didn't take long before it was their turn to order. steve soon purchased an ice cream for his kid, the duo deciding to sit down at a bench for r/n to enjoy their treat.

r/n stayed close to steve, observing the rest of the park as they enjoy the dessert. their father was more than content sitting down with his kid—having a rare moment of peace, especially with his child, was something steve learned to appreciate more than anything.

soon, he turned his head to look down at r/n, his eyebrows knitting together in affection. the blonde then raises a hand to hug r/n by their side, leaning down to press a kiss to their head.

“happy birthday, kid. remember that your pops loves you no matter what.”

r/n perked up, glancing up at their father. they smiled once more at the affection, leaning into the hug and peck while continuing to carefully hold their ice cream.

“thank you again, papa—i love you too,”

natasha romanov

it was quiet in the house. as per usual. r/n was home alone so often, they considered getting a job just to pay the rent themselves.

however, the air shifted in their room as they heard the front doorknob shift. their mom was home.

silence—natasha never called out to their kid, because she knew they already knew when she was home.

the red-haired woman climbed up the stairs to eventually make it to her child’s room. she knocked on it, silently requesting entry.

r/n shifted in their chair, turning their head to face the doorway. with a casual tone, they spun their chair to face it.

“hey, mom,”

at that—natasha took it as a sign that she could come in. with a soft little smile, she twisted the doorknob and entered. holding a relatively small box in one hand, she closed the door behind her with the other.

“hey, sweetie, happy birthday.”

r/n smiled slightly as they watched their mother approach. she set the box down on their desk, momentarily pressing a kiss to their forehead with her gloved hands gently holding r/n’s face.

by this point, seeing r/n’s in her “work uniform” was more common than seeing her in casual clothing. by now, r/n was used to natasha not being very present.

that much was obvious—due to the fact they weren't really celebrating on their own.

the air was wistful, despite the smiles and light-hearted words of conversation. r/n’s attention averted to the box of presumably cake lying on their desk.

“…thanks, mom.”

r/n leaned back in their chair, and natasha couldn't help but feel like the unacknowledged tension was killing her inside.

with furrowed brows, the red-haired woman’s shoulders lowered. her fingers curled into loose fists, the usually composed agent feeling a lump forming in her throat. what was she supposed to say? how was she supposed to say it? she kept letting work get in the way of spending time with her kid, her child, and she stopped making promises because they both knew she’d always break them in the end. how was she supposed to apologize for that? compensate for all that time lost, all those times of leaving r/n disappointed and sad? 

god, this was hard. r/n was so grown, no longer her beloved little one that would bring innocent joy wherever they went. “i’m… sorry for being late.” r/n didn't look up from where they were looking. they’ve been having the same look on their face everytime she apologized, and it felt like a knife was twisting in her chest. they were used to it. they grew accustomed to the heightened possibilities of their mother being late or just not showing up at all. it hurt to see the dullness in their eyes, the indifference in their behavior. “it’s alright.” they simply replied. a piece of nat’s heart broke at that. because they both knew it was far from what r/n said.

“…it’s not alright, sweetheart.”

her voice wavered, her eyebrows furrowing while struggling to keep her composure.

“i should’ve been here earlier. i mean, it—it’s your birthday, honey, you shouldn't have to—”

“it’s fine, mom. really.”

r/n insisted, shooting her a light-hearted look. their gaze looked gloomy, the ghost of a frown on their lips tugging at nat’s heart again. the damage she dealt could never be undone, no matter what she did. it hurt like hell to realize that.

she stopped, searching r/n’s face as they eventually opened the little box on their desk. she was tempted to say something, her mind scattering for the right words to string together in order to somehow fix this. but then—

r/n’s eyes faintly lit up. not dramatically, but noticeably. sparkles shone in their eyes as they looked at the cake in the box. soon, with parted lips, they make eye contact with their mother again.

“you got my favorite flavor,”

they noted, their voice practically breathy. then, something magical happened.

r/n smiled. and it was because of her.

“thanks, mom.”

they perked up, the corners of their lips curled in a fairly excited grin. they soon rose from their seat, the spark in their eyes dimming—but not completely disappearing.

“i’m gonna go get a plate, be right back.”

they turn to leave, making their way to the door. natasha watched carefully as they exited their room and made their way to the kitchen, the breath she didn't even know she was holding soon exhaling from her lungs.