Countdown to Zero

Greetings: And I will write our characters’ first ever meeting.

Kiss: My character will kiss yours.

Comfort: My character will hug yours.

Date: I will write an account of what would happen if our characters went on a date.

Truth: My character will tell you what they think of yours in all honesty.

Tender: I will write some sweet fluff between our characters.

Run!: I will write some action with our characters involved.

Scare: A nightmare my character has had about yours.

Break: My character will greatly upset yours.

Oops: I will write our characters getting into some trouble.

Morning: What my character would say if they woke up in bed next to yours.

AU: I will write an AU drabble with my character and yours.

Marry: My character will propose to yours.

Drafts: For unsent texts

Wine: For a drunken phone-call/text

“I can pay for it. I’m thinking I should buy it… This is the first store I’ve been to here. Maybe this… can be the first thing that belongs to me.”

Don’t push your luck, the voices warned once more. These self-indulgent thoughts are not any solace for you. Can you call anything yours? Do you deserve a possession of your own? Crona wanted to believe there could be just one thing in his life that could belong completely and solely to himself. Perhaps just this simple clock could be the beginning of his life without her influence. If he could have this one object to call his own, could he finally start to grow independent of those memories, of those deprecating thoughts that plagued his every move?

He was spiraling into this train of thought again. This was a familiar feeling, dwindling his resolve day by day, hour by hour, yet despite its familiarity never got easier to bear. Yet he was always alone when these episodes struck in the past. But now the poor store worker was trying to pull him away from this line of thought… Crona gasped, shaking himself out of his stupor. Something in the older man’s voice held an edge of warning, and the swordsman complied, shaking his head a few times.

“Y-you’re right, I’m sorry… I’ll try not to think about it anymore.” So he dropped the subject, though he knew his thoughts would still cascade into darkness every day of his life.

Keep reading

“Is that so?” Alpha questioned, blinking, before grinning and nudging the clock a bit closer to Crona. “Well, then that’s even more reason to buy it, hm? The option’s there for you if you need to think on it, anyway.” 

But then the kid seemed fall into darker thoughts, and to Alpha it almost seemed as if he was transforming into a completely different person right in front of him with barely so much as twitch. Something about his expression, his eyes, was deeply unsettling to the blonde, and shadowy memories stole like thieves through his mind. That look in his eyes...

‘The Shade...while under its influence, would my victims have met a look like that?’

His thoughts snapped violently back to the present, and anger rushed to take the memory’s place. He snapped angrily at Crona, partly in self-defense, and partly in warning. And though the kid calmed, Alpha now regarded him warily. Anyone with such a look in their eyes like that could be dangerous, even a kid as scrawny as this one. Alpha knew that better than most... “Well, just keep it under wraps, kid. I don’t want you causing trouble in here.”

Crona seemed to get a little skittish at the sight of his sword, but as his question Alpha decided to let it slide. “Yes, it does. My sword is called Lazuli. It has a partner, a heavy sword named Lapis.” He glanced towards the back of the shop, where the owner of said blade was probably rummaging around. 

Originally, back in Shadowvale he’d had a long sword of much simpler design than the one he owned now. But when they’d moved, and Pietta and the others had found out that both he and Beta knew how to sword fight, they’d put together some money to buy them both new swords. Alpha had been too grateful about the impressive blade to find it in him to complain that the swords were partners, matching and all. “What about your sword? Does it have a name, too?”

Alpha nodded at Crona’s words, handing the screwdriver off. “Exactly. So don’t worry if you don’t get it on the first try.” As the boy introduced himself, Alpha smiled and pointed at his nametag. “Well, Crona, as you may or may not have noticed, I’m Alpha. Nice to meet you-”

At that moment, Crona sent the cog flying across the room into the back, no doubt going to puzzle Beta about why it was there if and when she noticed it. Alpha stared wide eyed after the cog while Crona screamed beside him, causing a few confused heads to turn before he waved them off with a nervous smile, reassuring them everything was fine. “...too. Well, that...could’ve been worse, actually. I don’t think I heard anything break.” He leaned down to examine the clock. “And everything seems to be fine here. Looks like you tried just a little too much...”

The apartment was much too quiet for Beta’s tastes as she surfed through her television channels in an attempt to entertain herself. Perhaps now would be a good time to go pester Alpha or Seo and see if they wanted to do anything exciting today… It seemed like as good an idea as any, given her only other options were bothering Benedict and Cassius at the store or lounging about in her apartment. She had already gone out to get lunch today, so what else was she supposed to do with herself? There were no decent sword-fighting targets in her apartment anyway…

She sighed, mindlessly flicking buttons on her remote control, her face as blank a mask as ever as she realized she was getting nowhere fast. If she was going to do anything today, now would certainly be the time… She turned off her television, lifting herself off the couch to find and ruffle through her purse. For a moment she was about to start heading for her front door, when she thought she could hear shuffling and soft voices from outside.

“Hello?” She called out to whoever it was on the other side, wondering if it was one of her friends who wanted to come in. Strangely enough, she was met with no answer but another slight ruffling, as if someone was trying to open the door themselves. Alpha didn’t have a key to her apartment, did he? She barely had time to process the question, for soon enough her front door flew open, and she could only gape in utter shock at the sight.

“…!”

“You’ll thank me later when we’ve successfully saved Beta and aren’t in jail,” the blonde replied shortly, examining the burlap sack he’d found and, after a moment, carefully snipping a few holes at the top with some scissors. Better safe than sorry.

“Beta’s always had one, as far as I know. We both do, actually. We practice sword fighting when we have the chance. You really haven’t seen it? That thing’s huge, I never imagined she’d be able to hide it somewhere.” He made a mental note to warn Beta later that Seo was aware that they both possessed large, sharp weapons and that under no circumstances was she allowed to go near them. Something about the look on her face just made him very uneasy at the thought. That, and just his current knowledge of what Seo was like. She’d wanted to drug Beta and put her in a suite case to kidnap her for goddess’s sake.

But at least for now she seemed placated with the thought that she’d still be able to break into Beta’s house. In fact she seemed almost giddy, if that grin on her face was anything to go by. He handed her the sack and wondered whether or not this whole plan was really any better than just knocking on Beta’s door and getting her to come to the beach with them. You know, willingly. Feeling as prepared as he could be, he headed out, casting a glance at her door. The lights were on, so she was home.

~Unmistakably, I can still feel your heart, beat fast when you dance with me.~

“Hehe~ If anyone asks, you said it, not me.” Beta had to keep herself from breaking out into a grin. Cassius had always said that she and Benedict would drive him crazy with all the trouble they caused. Perhaps Alpha would have to join in on their fun sometimes…~ “Alright, let’s go.” She barely even noticed how his hand was still entwined with hers, though the sensation was warm and pleasant.

There were a number of options for the both of them to embark on in this amusement park, but Beta knew they had to take on the grandest monster of the attraction. Her ruby eyes glimmered at the mere sight of the spectacle before them, even despite the distractions of the food and carnival games around them. Alpha’s surprised proclamation at the sight of it almost made her giggle. Maybe he didn’t find the last ride exactly exhilarating as she did, but he had to admit the sight of this beauty alone was something to behold. They just had to go for it, just this once…!

“Yeah, it has to be! We can probably see the whole city from up there. Please…~?” She waited patiently for his answer, hoping desperately that he would say yes, and ignoring his stammering. Finally he seemed to cave, and Beta’s smile blossomed into a soft grin at last at the prospect. So he would finally accompany her after all… The mere thought set off a tinge of pink in her cheeks, and she was grateful her company was not about to leave her anytime soon.

“Thanks, Alpha…~” She expressed her gratitude sincerely. It didn’t even bother her for once that he had called her “dummy,” if he was finally going to brace himself for the best part of the day. As the line for the attraction grew shorter, she never once let go of his hand, slowly finding herself on the verge of bouncing once more as they finally were able to board their car. “I can’t wait to see how pretty it looks up there…”

“Hmph, fair enough for now,” he conceded, grinning. “Can’t let them know I’ve begun to corrupt you, after all.” He couldn’t help wondering if Beta and Benedict would ever join him in his mischievous endeavors, like with their local mushroom. It actually sounded rather fun to him...He nodded, and they walked off hand in hand to continue seeing the rest of the fair.

As much as enjoyed the sight-seeing, his regret at coming to this fair in the first place came rushing back as he stared up at the metal monstrosity Beta wanted to be their final ride (which would probably be literally ‘final’ for him, rip). Admittedly, with the dusk coming in and the Ferris wheel all lit up, it looked rather impressive, if not imposing. While most people would figure this place great for something like a date, he was not of the same mind, but he’d already agreed so-

Wait. Date? Date...?? 

Hunny blinked twice at Alpha’s question about Japan. “I was actually born in Japan. It’s really nice there, especially in the springtime, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom! Maybe you should visit it with me some day! I bet I could arrange a quick flight for a weekend.” He found the question a bit strange. Didn’t he look Japanese? Maybe it was the blond hair that threw him off.

Once Alpha said that Hunny could have some of the cake, he was happier than before. The half that he had wasn’t nearly enough for his large appetite, and Hunny doubted that another cake would suffice. But, if he had half a small cake, that would equal to him having a total of 1.75 medium sized cakes in total, which meant that in reality, he wasn’t losing much! Obviously feeding friends came first, but it was also very important to eat as much cake as possible. Life was too short to not eat cake.

The boy watched as Alpha passed his cake to the shop assistant. The cake was cut precisely in half, possible because the assistant knew Hunny was watching. He made another mental note to himself to give an even larger tip for this person’s troubles, and possibly even a small gift.

He took the cake that Alpha offered him, and nibbled from the edge. It had to be tested before being consumed. Usually a servant would test a bit for him to make sure it was safe (and that it didn’t taste bad). The small bit that landed on his tongue tasted somewhat good, but it wasn’t a big enough piece to really judge. So, he took a forkful and ate it. The taste was better than he thought it would be, especially since the tart came from the cheaper section.

Putting a huge piece onto the fork, Hunny exclaimed, “Hey, this is really good!” and he scarfed it down.

“Really?” the taller blonde asked with interest. He’d never been particularly good at guessing people’s ethnicity from mere glance, so it was no wonder he hadn’t really noticed. 

“Sounds like a nice time. Beta would probably like the sight of that,” he murmured, half to himself, before blinking in confusion as Honey’s next words registered. “Wait, you’d take me to go visit? Really?” Alpha questioned in clear surprise. He didn’t think he’d ever heard anyone make such an offer so readily to before, much less to him, and with how little time they’d known each other. But even without that, he had to grudgingly admit he didn’t dislike Honey’s company. “That...sounds really cool, actually.”

He watched in amusement as the boy seemed to light up at the prospect of more cake, and held out the plate holding the remaining half of cake, while he picked up a forkful of his own and began to eat.

His red eyes flickered curiously as he watched Honey give the cake a tentative nibble. He didn’t think he’d ever see the blonde take such a small bite from a sweet, but here he was. Of course, that didn’t last very long once he took a proper bite of the cake.

“Isn’t it?” Alpha replied, grinning as Honey began to practically inhale his cake. “It doesn’t have to be all fancy and expensive just to be good. Sometimes simple can suffice just as well.”

Here’s how the game is played: If you want to hear me do any of these, just send me the number(s) you want to hear and I’ll make an audio post! Include whatever specifics you’d like to hear me do in the ask - these are more guidelines than actual rules. Basically, it’s just like any other ask meme, only I speak the answers instead of typing them out!

1) Give an introduction! 

Put specifics in the ask

2) Ask me a question!

3) Read a passage from your favorite book or fanfiction. Alternatively, do a one-person-show of a scene from a movie or play. 

Feel free to suggest a passage or scene in the ask. If you want me to do a dramatic reading of Green Eggs and Ham, I will. 

4) Tell a joke. (Preferably a really bad one)

5) Tell a story from your childhood. 

Feel free to suggest a story in the ask, like asking me about the first time I did x, y, or z!

6) Tell me about the most exciting thing you’ve ever done or would like to do. 

7)  Tell two truths and a lie, so that people have to guess which is true. 

8) Give an instructions on how to preform a task of the asker’s choosing. 

Example: If the ask says “teach me how to dougie,” you must give vocal instructions on how to dougie. 

9) Can you record yourself speaking in different languages/accents?

10) Sing a song, if you dare!

The swordsman nodded, dark eyes still centered on the silver clock. “I like that one. I would’ve put one like it in my room. I’ve never had a clock for myself before… This one looks like it would have belonged in my old house. But I don’t remember if we had any clocks at all…” He wondered, what would it have been like if his mother kept clocks in the house? Would he have gotten used to them? Or would his room only be haunted even further by the sound…? The shopkeeper’s words confused him to no end. How did people manage it, surrounded by this constant noise, finding it comforting?

“I don’t know if I could ever get used to it. I don’t know if I could deal with hearing all their voices. They’re always talking, and they have to talk, screaming out the time as long as time goes on, on and on and on, and never ending…” Crona’s already far-away eyes grew stormy, his mind succumbing to the abyss of black thoughts that always loomed in its recesses. How could this man ever know the horrors he’d been through…? Do you know what the real torture is? You don’t know the meaning of the word… “Stop it…” He muttered to himself, blinking a few times to try to shake the thoughts away. Now’s not the place, leave me alone. I don’t want you here…

Again he brought himself to stare at the intricate cogs inside the clock, reigning in his wayward mind. “Is that so…?” He watched the screwdriver warily as the other twirled it around. “That reminds me of when I learned how to use my sword. I didn’t know how to deal with it for a long time…” He fiddled with the hilt of Ragnarok, the thin black sword that never left his side, recalling how long it took for him to gain the courage to wield it. Perhaps learning to build a clock required the same precision and dedication. It certainly sounded like a much less violent process…

Crona met the man’s smile with the same scowl he always wore, but he was still interested none the less. “That sounds like a lot of things to think about. I don’t know if I could remember how to take care of them all the time.” He hesitated, thinking for a few moments before shyly pointing at the exposed pieces of the clock. “C-can I… Can I try that…?”

“Never, huh?” Alpha nodded slowly at the boy’s reply, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He checked the price tag on the clock and looked at the pink-haired youth. “How much do you have on you? Unless you’ve got other things to buy, like groceries or something.”

He smirked a little. “I never thought I’d get used to it myself-...” 

He blinked in wide-eyed surprise as the boy went on darkly, his demeanor suddenly seeming to change, sinking into darker thoughts that swallowed him up. The look in the boy’s eyes was jarring to say the least, and at his muttering, Alpha felt the hair’s on the back of his neck prickle. Then his gaze hardened and he steeled himself. Something about the look in those pale eyes seemed almost challenging. It reminded him of the... “Oi, kid, are you alright? Snap out of it,” he bit out, shoving his own dark memories away. “Whatever it is you’re thinking about, quit it. It won’t do either of us good now.”

He observed the boy’s fixed gaze on the cogs of the clock, even as his hand brushed the hilt of the sword Alpha had seen affixed to his side. “Mmm. Learning how to use a sword was certainly easier than this,” he replied, nodding his head toward the red sword leaning against the wall behind him. “A lot less reading involved. But it’s its own process, too.”

Alpha felt his smile turn somewhat awkward as the boy did not return the gesture. ‘Reminds me a little of Beta, if a little more unnerving,’ Alpha thought, still forcing a smile. The boy seemed interested nevertheless though, so he forged on. “It comes with practice and experience, you know?” And many mistakes, the snowglobe would argue. At the boy’s request, Alpha blinked in surprise. He glanced down at the clock, then back as he tried to make sure he’d heard right. “Eh? Oh, uh...sure. Here,” Alpha stated, reaching forward and handing the screwdriver to him, then mimicking his movements from earlier so he could see. “You’ve gotta flick your wrist quick, like this. And make sure the screwdriver is just under the cog, so if you snap it too hard it won’t get stuck or break.”

Beta almost broke into a grin, delighted by Alpha’s change in demeanor. Now she knew she was doing her job in taking care of him, his smile the only proof she needed of his feeling better. She smiled right back at him, giggling softly at his reply.

“Alright, I’ll be good. Mostly…~ You’ll be just fine, Alpha, but this is still our day to have fun.” She ignored any accusatory tone in his voice and focused instead on the relief that he was feeling better. After scaring her so badly, it was nice that Alpha could still find it in him to joke around with her. She nodded to him, her lingering smile still gentle as she walked with him around the park. “I’m happy to, Alpha. If it makes you feel better~”

The young blonde found herself rather enjoying her time with her dear neighbor, never slipping her hand from his as they sauntered around the park looking for rides. Every once in a while she would point out an attraction to Alpha, entranced by the sight of water-gun stands and dart throwing booths. She fawned over the scent of funnel cakes wafting through the air, and soon enough all her troubles were forgotten. Until she found the Ferris wheel, she scanned the vicinity extensively, hoping to find a ride to make it up to Alpha after the fiasco earlier. Reaching the wheel, she figured she’d finally hit the jackpot.

Alpha questioned her about the ride, and she nodded excitedly. There was nothing she was looking forward to now but looking over the park’s skyline, master of all she surveyed… “That’s okay. I don’t have to go on any more rides for a view like that. Would you come with me, Alpha?” Her eyes pleaded for him to join her, though deep down she knew he might still be feeling uneasy. But when would they ever get this kind of chance again…?

Her soft laughter only served to make him feel better, and he perked up a little at her words. 

“Mostly? I never took you for a trouble-maker,” he murmured in amusement. “I must’ve been a bigger influence on you than I’d thought. Of course I’ll be fine. Hm, well if you insist.” The sight of her gentle smile was enough to make him not even mind that they were still holding hands, a fact that would’ve normally flustered him to no end. As it was, he simply nodded at her words and went on looking at the rides.

He found he even kind of enjoyed it, this time to just walk with Beta and not have any other worries on mind, just listening to her point out attractions and food and replying in kind. He was particularly amused by her reaction to the funnel cakes (’Figures she’d go nuts over sugar.’), and was contemplating buying one for her, when they reached the Ferris wheel and every thought was swept out of his head at the sight of the tall ride. He felt that if he tipped his head back any further his neck might break, or he’d fall over. Beta seemed to have a...knack, for finding rides, to say the least.

“R-Really, you’re sure the view’s worth it?” he questioned in a final, vain attempt at changing her mind, and hating the stammer in his voice. Her wide red eyes looked pleadingly at him, and at the question, he knew he was a goner. He just couldn’t seem to say no to that...d-dumb look on her face. He coughed and continued in a steadier voice, resigned to his fate.

“You know well enough that I’m not leaving you alone. Of course I’ll go with you, dummy.” ‘I won’t like it, but it’s the last ride, so I’ll go with you.’