The tangled mess of anxiety in his chest is almost making it hard to breathe.
He canāt remember the last time he felt like this. Most of his problems can be solved with a sword or through talking, butā
This time, it's all out of his hands. He canāt affect anything.
Maybe the last time he was this weak and useless was when he was facing down Darkza, then mutilated and forced to hear Dee be robbed of his wings.
A bluejay and a falcon. Dee's wings had been a beautiful chocolate color, sleek and silent. Theo's own had been vibrant and glorious, bringing him up above the clouds with his Dad.
Then those wings were taken from them by a cruel, vindictive man. So much was taken from them that day, and in the years to come.
The losses had been almost more than they could take.
But they escaped. They're free nowā free to be happy, free to be safe.
Free to have actual friends, too. Maybe even a partner, someday.
Yet they're not really free, are they? They're entertainment for a pair of gods.
Gods who have proven themselves to be cruel and capricious.
He jumps when he hears a static-y laugh.
Oh, boy, aren't you just a ball of sunshine!Ā
Shit.
No need to look so dismayed. Or, well, you probably won't like this. So maybe it is justified!
Wary, he asks, āAndā¦what can I help you with, Showrunner?ā
Well, y'see, I'm a little peeved! A certain clever little mortal decided to make a deal with someone else! Can you believe the nerve of that?!
Fuck. He may have tried to appeal to The Scribe's ego, but he didn't account for The Showrunner taking offense.
He laughs nervously. āIā¦see. Uhā realā¦real fuckinā bold, that mortal.ā
Scribs wouldn't like it if I broke their mortal, so I can't show you the true meaning of terror.
Their voice is cold and bitter. The threat makes him shudder, wings curling around himself.
He's not stupid enough to think he'll escape their wrath entirely.Ā
Swallowing, he asks, āSā soā¦what happens, then?ā
You're lucky, Theseus. Being bold is a quality I don't dislike. What's going to happen is that I'm going to make you an offer. You can refuse itā¦but we both know you won't.
AFTER ALL, I KNOW YOUR WEAKNESS. NOTHING SAYS I CAN'T MAKE THEM SUFFER IN YOUR PLACE.
His heart drops.
Fuck, fuck, fuckā
So, with that in mind, I'll be generous and give you a fancy warning system! You'll be able to check the bastard's mental health. In exchange, you won't be able to explain that side of the deal and you'll see both his and Asterās lives! Oh, and they may see yours as well.
There could be infinitely worse terms.
He gives a bow, trying not to show his fear or anger. ā...Thank you for your mercy. I'll accept, nā remember not to overstep again.ā
Hmph. See that you do that.
Theo feels the presence of the Showrunner fade, leaving just the observers.
He collapses onto his bed, almost dizzy with relief he wasn't subjected to worse.
Gods don't like their egos being bruised. He knew that, and yetā
Fuck, though. He may very well end up triggering Daz into another spiral.
Keeping it a secret won't help, so...
Well. He supposes he'll be talking with the two of them soon.
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=The cold air blows as the swirly clouds above get together to cry a soft but chilly song. From the little opaque swirls to the bigger, grayer and thundorous ones=
=Ever since you woke up, you have been exploring the vast place you call a "Home" but never stopped to think why you never saw anyone else there. From the brightest side to the darker one, there has never been anybody else in sight. That is... until today=
onlyanime88(.)files(.)wordpress(.)com/2015/08/chronicle-book-mini(.)jpg Why do you guys look like you're about to kiss angrily here...? //This was for the series' 10th anniversary. <3 I love that by that point Kishimoto had given up all pretense that Sasuke wasn't the co-protagonist by then.//
I donāt see how that looks like weāre going to kiss,Ā āttebayo!! Maybe the tilt of the head?? Plus, if I were to kiss him, it would not be angrily, believe it!!
I find your honesty to be brave and kind of amusing but do you really hate Naruto that much? He's just as human as you why is it that you think of him so harshly?? Do you really believe he'll be as useless as the other Hokage, don't you believe in him? You've known him for a long time do you still not have some faith in him?
I donāt hate Naruto but he is an idiot.
Actually, let me rephrase that: I donāt hate the moron but he is a scaredy-cat. Konohaās people have their Nine-Tails whipped and on a leach. He is so afraid they will reject him again (which they might, if he dares contradicts them) that he wonāt do anything to bring actual change and peace to this country.
I did believe in him twelve years ago, and I would still believe in him now if he really put his mind into changing the system that pushed people like Nagato, Madara or even myself over the edge. Iāll admit I had the wrong approach, but Iām standing by my word: that system must go.
I want to believe in him. Heās the only person I trust to actually pull it off. But itās been twelve years, and nothing changed. With someone else in charge, Konoha could very well carry on with another Uchiha massacre.
I came back to Konoha for him. I still answer to Konoha only because of him. I sacrificed my ideals of change, my avenging duty to my clan, I even keep on livingĀ onlyĀ for him. I am, technically, Konohaās willing prisoner, strong enough to break free (letās face it, I would kick his ass), yet I stay because of Naruto, because I do believe in that light-head.
A member of my family used to say I was foolish. Maybe he was right. Itās been twelve years, I work for the village that ordered the butchering of my whole clan, and nothing changed.
I wish I could hate Naruto. I wish I was strong enough to stand against him yet again. But I know if I tried he would stop me, because Iād let him. Maybe youāre right. Maybe Iāve lost faith. Iāve always been so weak, while he never doubts himself. Maybe Iām the useless scaredy-cat who canāt stand up to a worthless system just because heās afraid to lose his only friend.
So Iāll defend Konoha until it kills me, and hope the next Hokage wonāt be as much as a moron as the actual one. In the meantime, mind your own business.
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Aster gets the distinct impression that the Showrunner is upset at him.
That, or they just think that making him lose to Theo five times in less than an hour is the height of comedy.
He curses to himself, rubbing his throatā leave it to Theo to go for his neck so oftenā as he flops onto a nearby bench.
His best friend seems concerned. Given heās come over to the training area in Summer Hills instead of working his anxiety out at the training hall, thatās a fair response.
āYouāre kinda shit today,ā Theo notes.
Instead of thinking about how he keeps seeing visions of what theyāll look like at some pointā candy-sweet domestic bliss, the three of them obviously in love and enjoying every moment of itā he grumbles, āSo sue me for being distracted.ā
Theo shifts, his wings flicking anxiously. ā...Trouble in fuckinā paradise already?ā
āWhat? No, weāre going on a date tonight. Everything is fine with us.ā
Why the fuck would Theo assume things were bad with Daz?
He reminds his friend, āHe didnāt see me cheating on him with you.ā āYouāre both being real fuckinā cagey about it, soā¦I dunno, I feel like youāre both lying.ā
Aster winces. āI meanā¦Daz is, uh. Needingā¦some time. To admit it. āCause itāsā kind of a lot.ā
āThatās so fuckinā sus,ā Theo groans, plopping onto the bench next to him. āThe fuck does he have to be concerned about?ā
More than Theo can ever fathom. ā...Future might have changed,ā he says, knowing Daz might get mad at him for admitting even that much.
Theo looks concerned. āDāyou two not getāā āNo, weā we do. Itāsā¦ā he chews on his lip.
This is such a dangerous path. The fuck can he even do to appease Daz, assuming he missteps?
āWeāreā we still get married,ā he finally settles on.
His friendās head cocks to the side. āThen why the fuckinā weirdchamp shit?ā
It seems like Theo listens to the Fates, because he frowns. āKid you two have still exists, right? I was kinda interested in being an uncle.ā
Aster blinks, and heās in another vision.
He boggles at the sight of not one, but three kids flinging themselves at future-Theo.
Two girls, one younger boy. The girls both have gorgeous bluejay-like wings, though the boy doesnāt.
Future-Theo scoops all three into his arms, beaming at them. āKids!ā āDad, dad! Doctor Aryll said my wings are gonna come in soon!ā
Visibly thrilled, Future-Theo asks, āYeah? You ready to go flying with your old man, uncles, nā grandpa?ā āYep! Grandpa keeps saying he can teach me if you donāt wanna, though.ā
āDad can fuck off, youāre my kids. Iām gonna teach you all myself,ā Future-Theo grumbles.
Future-Daz teases, āYou sulk every time he brings it up.ā āHe had his fuckinā turn, nā againā my kids,ā Future-Theo complains.
The future version of Aster snorts, āAnd here we were, thinking youād be less overprotective.ā āShut. Now, Boreas, did Aryll say about how much longer itād be?ā
And thatās all that Aster gets.
He stares into space, and then says, āThree?!ā
āHuh?ā āThree kids, with wings! Who the fuck evenā I donāt even know anyone with bluejay wings, let alone a woman,ā Aster groans, raking a hand through his hair.
Theo freezes. āYou two have kids with fuckinā bluejay wings?ā āApparently!ā āThatāsā¦ā
His friendās brow furrows. Itās like heās trying to put the pieces together.
ā...Aster, if I fuckinā guess what you saw, youād tell me if Iām rightā right?ā
ā¦Fuck. If he guesses directly, itād be kind of a dick move to say no.
He grimaces. āUhā¦maybe. Itā yeah. If itāsā¦close enough. Daz justā needs some time, soāā
Theo grabs his shoulders, making him jolt in surprise.
Hands gripping him tightly, Theo demands, āYou two keep fuckinā seeing me with you, donāt you? Nā thatās why youāre both being so fuckinā weird about it.ā
Damnit.
He averts his gaze. āPlease donāt say anything to Daz. Heāsā uh, heās actually deeply insecure. I had to strongarm him into telling you after a week, soā¦ā
A noise of distress escapes Theo, whose head thunks onto his shoulder.
Aster frowns. āTheo?ā
ā...Three kids, huh?ā ā...Yeah. Iā it looks like youāre really happy to be their dad.ā āNever fuckinā pictured myself in aā¦marriage? We get married?ā
āSeems like it. We all have earcuffs that look like wedding jewelry.ā āBet Dadād love being a grandpa.ā
Awkwardly, Aster pats his back. āHe apparently kept offering-slash-threatening to teach them how to flyāā āAbsolutely fuckinā not, Iād teach my kids myself,ā Theo snaps, sounding affronted.
āWhich you got mad about.ā
A grumble escapes Theo, who seems sullen.
After a moment, his best friend asks, āSoā¦what if Iāmā not really fuckinā...sure about that?ā āAs in?ā
Theo pulls back, seeming uncharacteristically serious. āI dunno that I really want to get into aā relationship. Feelsā¦weird. Nā with both of youā¦ā
Aster resists the pang of hurt he feels. Itās not even like he seriously considered it before, so it doesnāt shock him that Theo is hesitant.
He shrugs. āI meanā things changed once, right? Soā¦enough time and big enough ripples, theyāll probably change again.ā
āNā if you see something where youāre not with Daz?ā
That feels impossible. āThen Iāll fight against that future. Iām pretty set on being with him now. Even if the details change, I want to be at his side. Heās complicated and deeply traumatized, butā¦I think I like the futures Iāve seen with him. I think I like seeing him so happy to be with me, too.ā
With a snort, he adds, āAnd, uh, Iām kinda hooked on his cooking? Itāsā itās really nice, actually. Iām not really used to food being soā¦thought about. Or sharing it like that with someone else. He keeps threatening to make clothes for me, too, which is sweet.ā
In this new future, Daz has a carved bangle thatās clearly from Aster. Given the disparity between the two timelines, maybe itād be better to justā¦make something similar but different.
Enough to prove heās not being lazy about it, and whatnot.
Daz would probably cry if he gave him something like that. The insecurity would ease, because heād be proving that heās not discarding Daz for Theo.
Assuming it ever happens, Aster would accept nothing less than all three of them being on equal footing in the relationship.
āHeās a good guy, though. Even if you decide not to be with us like thatā¦heād still end up basically your brother in law. You might as well get to know him better.ā
Theo sighs deeply. āItāsā¦yeah, I fuckinā guess. Justā weird. Didnāt think any of us would everā¦ā
A flash of annoyance shoots through Aster. āApparently, people keep asking him out.ā
ā...Daz?ā
Aster rolls his eyes. āAccording to him, he turns people down all the time. Something about being the primary support for refugees?ā
Theo grimaces. āAhā¦yeah, the hero worship shit. When you put it like thatā¦yeah, I fuckinā know what that's like. Kinda annoying, actually? Nā I guess he did mention he has to fuckin'-- turn people down a lotā¦ā
Uhg, right. āTrue, you have a lot of experiences with people asking you out.ā āLots've āem in life-or-death situations, too! Weird as shit.ā
His friend squints. āWait, didn't you say he's stupid fuckinā rich?ā āI didn't know it was possible for anyone to have as much money as he does.ā āNā he's a good cook.ā āBetter than your dad, and I don't say that lightly.ā āNā powerful as fuck in a bunch've ways.ā
ā¦Goddamnit, he's starting to see Theo's angle. āFuck, he's actually a crazy good catch. I mean, I knew he wasā really great, but not everyone has seen what I have. So I justā I guess, subconsciously, I assumed nobody else has thought about itā¦?ā
Theo snorts, but his amusement quickly turns serious. āAsterā¦man, you know you can't walk away, right? If you choose him, I mean. If Daz is so fuckinā fragile he tried to kill himself over what you were seeingā¦? I don't wanna fuckinā know how hard he'd snap if you left.ā
Theo sounds genuinely concerned.
As much as Aster knows he's right to make sure the stakes are clearā¦it stings to think that Theo would assume he would abandon Daz.
āWe're both loyal to the death. I've seen a softer side to him latelyā a side I want to keep seeing. I'm not planning on leaving. Iā I've seen what abandonment does to admins. To him.ā
A cold sweat runs down his spine at the thought of how Daz tore himself in half to be good enough for his own family.
If Aster broke his heart, the best case scenario would be if Daz became his mortal enemy.
Worst case scenarioā¦Daz would seek the ultimate refuge.
Even if that wasn't the case, he would shatter everything about himself to become whoever, whatever, Aster wanted.
Because Daz is lonely. Even in a sea of people, he feels isolated. He doesn't think the real him is worthy of love or kindness.
At the same time, heās desperate for affection. He's starved himself of touch out of a misplaced fear it would hurt others.
Strangling his soul in exchange for love would be easy. He would pour himself into a mould so lovely that Aster would be smittenā lie until even Daz himself believed it.
He shudders. Even if he would never want that, Daz might think he needs to do it to earn love.
Theoās hand grips his shoulder. āAster? You okay, man?ā
āDaz could break so easily. It scares me. I want him to be happy. Iā I want us to be happy. I wantā¦I'm kind of warming up to the idea of eventually being a dad.ā
He sees himself, gently swaying and cradling young, fussy kid in his arms. āShh, shh. It's just a nightmare, Hemera.ā
āBut, but, woke up, nā, everyone was, was goneā!ā
A kiss is pressed to a mop of golden curls. āAurora was just in the bathroom, and you know that Mama, Daddy and I are always right down the hall. Plus, all your uncles, your grandpa, Lucid, even Sanā¦thereās a whole server out there. The whole world would end before you'd be alone, sweetheart. And we love you too much to let that happen, hmm? We love you too much to leave you all alone.ā
Future-Daz, who was watching from the doorway with the other little girl dozing in his arms, melts at how much he likes seeing future-Aster comforting their daughter.
Aster blinks a few times. āAurora, Hemera, Boreas.ā āHuh?ā āThe kids. I think Aurora and Hemera might be twinsā¦? Boreas is younger.ā
Theoās head cocks to the side. āDawn, day, nā the north wind? Interesting fuckinā choices for gods.ā
āDawn makes sense; gold, stars faintly there, and the sky. It's the three of us combined. Not sure about the othersā¦?ā
Oh, wait. Aster points out, āNorth wind.ā āAh, yeah. Nā it's also the winter wind.ā
āWhat a cruel father, to set our poor son up for snowflake jokes for the rest of his like,ā Aster teases. āOr maybe you like being called that, huh?ā
āShut the fuck up,ā Theo grumbles, visibly sulking.
If he really thinks about itā¦Aster can see how they'd work together as a trio.
He and Theo are already closeā best friends, and as many people say, cut from the same cloth.
Aster knows Theo pretty damn well. He knows that Daz, the real Daz, would fascinate him.
If it were just Theo and Aster, very little would change in their dynamic.
But with Daz in the mix, he'd strongarm both of them into shutting up. The ruthless, clever man Aster is increasingly seeing the charms of would coax and threaten them as needed, until they did whatever he wanted.
He sees just a flash of all three of them cuddled up in what looks like Dazās bed.
Both he and Theo are messing with that fluffy blond hair, Daz completely conked out between themā¦and Theoās wing draped over top of them.
Huh. Yeah, once Daz gets past the stage of jealousy, he'd probably be very interested in having a second fanatically loyal husband.
God knows Daz melts into physical affection from those he trusts, and Theo is used to giving affection to loved ones pretty freely.
There's a sigh from Theo. āEh. No fuckinā point stressing about the names. Bigger fish to fryā I have questions why the fuck I'm the bio dad!ā
Aster frowns. āWhy would you think that?ā
Theo stares at him. āThe fuck d'you think made me figure it out? My original fuckinā wings were bluejay ones! I have Dad's wings now, but those aren't genetic!ā
That'sā¦not right.
āThat doesn't make sense.ā āThereās no reason to fuckinā lie aboutāā āNo, I meanā that makes sense. I donāt think you're lying. But the kids seem like admins. Eyes are all really vibrantā which I'm pretty sure is a sign of that.ā
He's pretty confident they're admins, but it's such a weird thing to pair with the wings.
ā¦Wait.
āDaz is an admin.ā ā...Yeah, kinda a big fuckinā deal.ā āAdmins can do impossible shit.ā
Theoās brow furrows, and then his eyes go wide. āWait. Are you fuckinā assumingāā āHe's exactly stubborn enough to find a way toā to let you both be the bio parents.ā
It actually makes a lot of sense in that context; neither Lucid nor Lee would stop Daz from doingā¦whatever process that would entail.
Huh. It'sā¦sort of weird, sure, but knowing Dazā¦it's shockingly plausible.
It makes the most sense for it to be the two of them, anyway. As far as Aster is aware, he's just a normal human.
Both of his eventual partners would get so much more out of being the biological parents than Aster would; not just because of what they are, but who they are.
He does think he wants kids, sure.Ā
But the kids having his genes isā would it be nice? Probably, sure!
Daz, however, deserves to raise kids who are admins. Theo would be thrilled to raise kids who could eventually fly.
He's stared at. āThat's fuckinā crazy.ā āI'm actually fairly sure he could do it.ā āLot've faith in him.ā
Aster snorts. āI got a peek in his head when he coded something on the fly. It'sā¦hard to think he's not smart enough for it after that.ā
A long, tired sigh comes from Theo. His friend stretches his legs out one way and his wings another.
Weird to think that he may raise kids with wings.
In a good way, obviously. In a way that, despite how unfamiliar it is, he feels a sense of bittersweet yearning for.
ā¦His arms feel a little empty. Like something that's meant to be there isn't.
He's pretty sure he knows what that thing is.
Shaking his head a bit, he says, āI think you'd like Daz, the real Daz, if you gave him a chance. No matter if you end up with us or not, I plan to stay with him. You should get to know him.ā
Theo groans, scrubbing a hand over his hair. āFeels fuckinā weird!ā āI'm not saying you have to fall in love. Butā¦ā
Aster shrugs. āHe's going to be an even bigger part of my life. Kinda weird for you to keep my partner at arm's length, y'know?ā
He knocks their shoulders together. āYouāre my best friend. I wouldnāt tell you to make nice with someone you'd hate.ā
āItāsā it's just real fuckinā weirdchamp, man! I'm not real used to you two beingā¦together.ā āNeither am I, honestly. But it'sā¦ā
He smiles to himself, thinking about the candy-sweet life he's gotten glimpses of. He wouldn't have considered being with anyone, especially not Dazā¦
But, gods, heās already a little charmed by him. Stubborn, clever, mercurial, damaged Daz; someone just as fiercely and fanatically loyal as Aster, someone who has suffered in silence out of a misplaced sense of guilt.
Aster finds himself wanting to shore up the walls of Dazās heart and mind. Not to close people out, but rather to be stable enough to let people in.
Even now, he sort of wants to go bother Daz at work. Surely there's something he can do to help out, right� Some little task he can do to ease what he's pretty sure is a Sisyphean work load.
He's heard Raine, Aleph, and Khons all complain about how much there is to do, so he's reasonably sure there's more than his wildest estimates.
ā¦Actually, heās pretty sure heās only heard Daz complain about people doing things he doesn't like.
If Daz has complained about his job otherwise, it wasn't to Aster.
However, Daz has admitted that he was overworking himself well past the point of exhaustion to try and sleep, so that doesn't mean much.
He knows Daz, or at least his work ethic. For a long time, that was one of the only things that Aster could bring himself to praise.
Hmm. Maybeā¦he should plan to go in at some point.
There's a shove against his side. When he looks over, Theo has bumped him with his wing.
Rolling his eyes, his best friend says, āYou look like all fuckinā lovesick.ā āI'm shocked you can put a name to that.ā āOi, fuck off! I was just sayin'--ā
There's a long sigh, Theo rubbing the back of his neck. āYou have your date later, right? Orph has talked about the fuckinā Welcome Wagon hours enough that I'm pretty fuckinā sure he'll be off soon. You should goā¦I dunno, do you even have nice clothesā¦?ā
There's a brief vision of himself trying something on in Dazās sewing room.
āI think I will be, soon,ā he says, feeling a little excited about that fact.
Maybe he should figure out what exactly a claim looks like to Daz.
If Aster is in it for the long haulā and he isā then it's only right to declare those intentions in the right way.
He nudges Theo back, grinning widely. āThanks, Theo.ā
āForā¦?ā
āBeing my best friend. And, uh, being chill withā¦everything. I'm going to make sure that he never feels trapped again. Even if you decide not to join us, I hope you'll be proud of my efforts to make him happy.ā
There's an unreadable expression on Theoās face, before it shifts into a smile. Slinging an arm and a wing over his shoulders, Theo tells him, āYou'd better. I'm gonna be real fuckinā pissed if shit goes south nā you're both miserable. But forā joining you twoā¦ā
The warrior makes a face. āI dunno. Maybe, eventuallyā¦? But you said he's real fuckinā insecure, nā it'd beā real, real fuckinā weirdchamp to do that right now. Need to sort my own fuckinā thoughts out, nā whatnot. Even if I did wanna do that, it's kindaā¦fast. I'd rather give it some fuckinā time, let you two figure out if you want it.ā
Why wouldn't they? If it's the current future, then of course they'd accept him.
Theo sighs. āFuture clearly isn't set in stone. Just ācause you see it doesnāt mean it has to fuckinā pass. We've gotā¦agency nā shit, yeah? Soā¦maybe one or more've us isn't okay with that. I dunno, maybe I decide I wanna be monogamous or never be with fuckinā anyone at all. Maybe Daz isn't comfortable sharing youā maybe the reality of us being together isn't any good for you, either.ā
ā¦Huh. Theo has already given it a lot of thought, hasn't he?
Well, he canāt really say that any of that is wrong. He knows he wants to be with Daz, but beyond thatā¦he's willing to keep an open mind, if nothing else.
āYouāre right. I mightāve jumped the gun a little. I'll have to tell Daz I admitted what happened, butā¦maybe after the date. So, uhā¦if you get a sudden demand to meet, that'd be why.ā
Daz is going to be furious, but Aster didn't see a point in lying to Theo when he guessed correctly and would be hearing about it soon anyway.
And Daz feeling insecure doesn't have to be a big problem now, right? Aster is going to do his best at all that sappy, romantic shit.
Given the nature of the information they're dealing with, the decision was made to drag Vio and Lucid into the mix as well.
Aster is relieved that Daz agreed to do so. Heās even more relieved that because Lucid is involved, they can't meet in the secluded bunker of the Council HQ.
It's a dual-purpose meeting. Firstly and most importantly, they need to share the information they learned about the Showrunner.Ā
Not just the new stuffā though those bombshells are, of course, the driving force of this. The older information that the Council is aware of will have to be shared, too.
Secondly, thoughā¦they need to figure out how to free Innit.
Regardless of Dazās stance on the matter, leaving Innit trapped isn't an option.
For one, it's unimaginably inhumane. Innit clearly just wants to be able to do basic things. Its willing to be enchanted with loyalty to be able to do something as simple as look where it wants to and read books.
Daz and Innit being forced to stay together like that is a recipe for disaster, too. Innit can't get therapy when it doesn't have a voice, after all.
Plus its already proven willing to punish Daz. If it decided to go nuclearā¦what could they really do to stop it, bar putting Daz in a coma?
So, yeah. Innit deserves to be free, and Daz deserves to have his head to himself again.
ā¦Even if thatās a bit hypocritical for Aster to want for him.
Their chosen gathering place is the Welcome Wagon. It's meant for discussions, there aren't currently any people in the rooms upstairs, and all four employees are a part of the meeting.
The first matter of business is to give Vio a brief rundown of Daz, the Council, and associated information.
Daz is the one who starts the main topic, and he does so by projecting a drawing of the Showrunner on the screen.
Raineās style is immediately obvious, at least to Aster.
Deadly serious, Daz says, āThis is the Showrunner. What we knew as the Scribeā that entity is someone else entirely. Their name was justā¦borrowed. Aster and Iā we met the Showrunner.ā
Aster adds, āInnit, too.ā āAre you seriously stillā this is fucking important!ā
He snaps back, āCan you stop being petty for like five seconds? Its presence there was kind of a big deal! The Showrunner likes your admin half, asshole! We can't ignore that fact!ā
Daz glares at him a moment, then turns to the others. āThe bigger piece of info is that Time isn't real.ā
Day, Vio, and Theo all look incredulous. āTheyāre very fuckinā real, don't say shit like that,ā Theo tells them. Itās a warning, because to Theo that kind of disrespect is liable to earn the wrath of a god.
Since Theo is not only a mythology buff but has met several godsā¦if anyone has reason to be twitchy about that sort of thing, it's him.
He is the that started the knock-on-wood trend of assuring Time that any potentially negative thing is said without any negativity, too.
āI'll humor this if you can explain who the fuck we've doneā everything for. If you can't, I'm walking out right now,ā Day warns.Ā
Itās clear heās not kidding about that.
Aster takes a deep breath and says, āThe Scribe, apparently. The Showrunner claimed that Time was just a āsockpuppetā to be used as the Scribe needed.ā
He grimaces. āWhich, I meanā¦if the two of them are working together, and the Showrunner is the one behind the questions and Observersā¦ā
Theo suddenly straightens up in a way that Aster realizes means heās actually using his head. When he wants to, Theo can be smartā¦he just generally doesnāt bother to want that.
āAre you fuckinā sure the one who was chatting with us was the Showrunner? Not the Observers, but the fuckinā-- the other shit. You two must know what I mean, yeah?ā
Dazās expression is grim. āThereās no doubt in my mind.ā
A soft hiss escapes from Theo as he slumps backwards. He scrubs a hand down his face and looks to Day.
āThey fuckinā-- first time we heard them, you remember what they said? We fuckinā pointed out that Time would be pissed, nā--ā
Realization visibly washes over Day as he finishes, āAnd they laughed. That we āwerenāt supposed to knowā, but it was still funny that weād try to get Time involved.ā
āFuckinā shit.ā
Thatās a sentiment that Aster can fully get behind. None of this is remotely fun to learn, and in fact radically alters what they assumed were core facets of their lives.
Lucid looks stricken. āWhat are we even supposed to do with this info, anyway?ā
Rolling his eyes, Daz tells him, āYou? Nothing. But given your position and how big of a deal this is, I canāt justify keeping you out of the loop.ā
Thereās a long beat, and then Daz adds, āAnd I wasnāt going to bring anyone else to the Council rooms. If itās not a full secret from you, itās pointless to shut you out.ā
Aster sighs. āYeahhhh. The Council HQ is kind of special to us.ā āYouāve always hated how it looks,ā Daz scoffs. Aster rolls his eyes and tells him, āYeah, well, itās grown on me. Kind of hard for it not to, with how much time I spend there.ā
āThis is so fucking weird,ā Lucid mumbles.
Raine pats his shoulder and tells him, āYouāll get used to it. They fight constantly.ā
āFor fucked up reasons, apparently,ā Khons reminds them.
āDo I want toāā āItās literally none of your business,ā Daz hisses at the admin.
Lucid shrinks down in his seat, hands raised defensively. āOkay, not asking then!ā
Daz scrubs a hand through his hair as he swipes the screen to show the next image. āThis is the Showrunnerās domain. I have no fucking idea how useful knowing this will be, but Iām not leaving something like that on the table.ā
Aster studies the art piece for a moment. Itās very close to what he remembersā Dazās memory and Raineās skill are an excellent combo.
He says, āThe seats seemed like they stretched forever. A few were occupied, but only two were clearly taken. The figures had different levels of definition and the Showrunner called them ārepresentations of the audienceā. Iāmā¦guessing those are Observers.ā
With a nod, Daz confirms, āIf I had to make a theoryā¦the more clear they are, the more frequently they show up.ā
He reaches up and smacks a hand on one of the solid ones in what seemed like the VIP section.
āOne of these two is probably the new one whoās been an asshole.ā
Aster grimaces. āSpeaking of Observersā¦ā āThereās no need to bring upāā
Ignoring the bastard, Aster continues, āInnit needs to be given a body. Keeping it there goes beyond caution and into inhumane. It fucked up, yes, butā shit, didnāt all of us do that, too? Half of Sanctuary are war criminals in some capacity!ā
Theo immediately argues, āItād fuckinā attack Lee, wouldnāt it?ā
Aster shakes his head. āNo. Itā Theo, I spoke to it. I saw aā a timelapse of its entire life. Before the Observers came, the only people who knew about it were Dream and Daz. Both of them hurt it deeply.ā
He gestures at Daz, continuing, āYouāre asking a fully sentient and sapient person to be trapped with someone who tortured it for three years. Daz didnāt just ignore it, Theoā he shut it out entirely. He trapped it in a room and left it to rot.ā
āIt put me in a coma because I refused to kill a child,ā Daz snaps. āA child it still hates!ā
āI believe it wants freedom more than it wants revenge,ā Aster argues.
Dayās arms fold across his chest. āHow can we trust that? How can we trust it wonāt try anything?ā
Aster stares him in the eyes. āIt said it would willingly be enchanted with loyalty, as long as I was the one it was bound to.ā
The room is quiet.
āDayā you know how bad Dazās enchantment was. The fact that it wants freedom so badly that it would be the one to suggest thatā¦ā
Daz tells them, āIt couldnāt feel it. Itās never had any senses beyond sound and sight.ā
Hands thrown wide for emphasis, Aster snaps, āAnd you think that isnāt fucking horrifying?! It wants to choose where to look, Daz! To be able to listen to the music it wants or eat or walk outside!ā
Aster huffs at that.
āThe reason I got on this topic is because Innit has at least three Observers it considers friends. I saw them as animals with a silvery-lavender swirly colorāā
Vio sighs softly. āSame as the portals. No wonder you realized the connection.ā
Sneering, Daz corrects, āNo, this dipshit didnāt put the pieces together himself.ā
Choosing to ignore that particular jab, Aster continues, āAnd, again; the Showrunner likes Innit. They sure as fuck donāt like Daz, but theyā literally gave his admin half headpats. And squished its cheeks.ā
He points out, āAs cynical as it sounds? We have a person who the omnipotent ruler of time and reality is fond of. That same person is, as most of this room just heardāā
āI fuckinā heard it too,ā Theo tells him. āFuckinā Observers love it back. Enough to ask for it to be treated fuckinā nice.ā
Aster nods. āEither we have someone with all that weight behind them on our side, or we make an enemy out of all of them.ā
āInnit wants to see Sanctuary burn,ā Daz tries to tell them. āIt fucking hates every single person here, and none more than Lee.ā
Eyes narrowing, Aster argues, āPretty sure it hates you the most, actually.ā āYeah, wellā Iām used to dealing with it.ā āItās proven willing to make you suffer, and forgive me for not wanting to see what a full mental break looks like from you.ā
Daz opens his mouth, but Aster cuts him off by turning back to the others. āOne way or another, Innit will be freed. I havenāt just been seeing Dazās pastā Iāve been seeing the future, too. And Innit was sure as fuck walking around there!ā
The bastard looks alarmed. āWhat? When theā why the fuck didnāt you say anything?!ā
He folds his arms over his chest. āI didnāt exactly want to get into it.ā āYou know full goddamned well thatās not good enough. Answer the fucking question, Aster.ā
Uhg, thereās no way heāll let this go.
Reluctantly, he admits, ā...At some point in the future, Daz and I get together. And, uhā I saw Innit at the wedding. Itā¦handed Daz over to me, actually.ā
Daz takes a deep breath, and guessing what heāll say, Aster rolls his eyes and adds, āAnd Day handed me over to you, before you get pissy.ā
āExcuse me?ā
He shrugs helplessly at Dayās bafflement. āI desperately wish I were making it up. The idea of getting together with Daz, of all fucking peopleāā āSays the one who apparently gets fucked by me.ā āReally? Really?ā
Like a lightswitch, Daz flips his personality to a much warmer one. Unfortunately, Aster can tell the differenceā thereās too much of an edge of malice in the way he smiles as he drapes his arms over his shoulders.
Cooing, Daz asks, āWhatās the matter, baby? Worried youāll think too hard about it here?ā
He feels his face heat up despite himself. āFirst of allā I havenāt actually seen anything, just enough to know thatā that happens. Second of all, get your hands off of me before I break your arms.ā
Pouting at him, the fucking sociopath he apparently marries says, āBut, Starā¦despite claiming you hate it, youāre getting all flustered.ā
Aster gets a split-second flash of a warm giggle from Future-Daz of, āMy sweet, snuggly Star!ā
He grimaces. āIām pretty sure I suffer a psychotic break to actually be interested in you.ā
And he sees himself yet again, this time sitting in the Swords and Shields training hall. Heās next to Future-Theo, who seems like heās really looking at Future-Aster for the first time in a long time. ā...If itās not too weird nā personal, uhā¦how did you know? That you, yāknowā fuckinā liked him.ā
Future-Aster seems to need a while to gather his thoughts. āOnce I got closer to him, I started seeing all the things that wereā¦really good. His quirks stopped being annoying and started being charming. I would get excited to come home, not because we did anything all that interesting but just becauseā¦I liked spending time with him.ā
Thereās a soft, fond smile as Future-Aster absently runs a thumb over what looks disturbingly like a bite mark on his shoulder. āI donāt really even remember what itās like not to love him. Heāsā¦heās everything to me. The world feels brighter and happier now that I wake up next to him every morning.ā
Future-Theo opens his mouth, but is interrupted by Future-Daz coming into the room.
The moment he clocks Asterās lack of a shirtā which is how he usually works out, itās annoying to have them get soaked with sweatā Future-Daz turns bright pink and demands, āStar, why are youā where is your shirt?!
Instead of a normal, reasonable answer, Future-Aster just grins and leans back. āI forgot you bit me, sorry.ā āYou donāt look sorry at all.ā āAnd you donāt like you hate seeing me like this, sooooāā
Future-Daz huffs, hands going to his hips. āYouāreā youāre the worst.ā āMm-hmm.ā āAwful. Just, just terrible.ā āIndeed.ā āA jerk who likes making fun of me and making me embarrassed.ā
Future-Aster reaches out and tugs his significant other into his lap. āAnd yet you still like me.ā
Despite another, somewhat sullen huff, Future-Daz doesnāt argue that point.
When Aster is back in the present, Daz is staring intently at him. That faux-flirting is gone, though heās still got his arms over his shoulders. āWhat did you see?ā
Though he could answer this in a dozen ways, he chooses the pettiest he can think of. āYou being easily embarrassed and down bad for me.ā
Ignoring the way Daz splutters, he shoves his arms off and turns to face the others again. āAnyway. It doesnāt actually matter if you agree or not. Either you cooperate, or I use the wish Iāve earned via seeing Dazās bullshit and grant it a body myself.ā
Lee finally speaks up. āIgnoring all ofā that? I think we should do it. Itās fucked up to keep it locked up like that. If Iām the one supposedly in danger, I should be the one to decide if itās worth it or not. I think it is. Innit doesnāt have to like meā the server is plenty big for both of us.ā
Breathing a sigh of relief, Aster smiles fondly at his charge.
Then Lee continues, āAnd I donāt think itās fair to make it be enchanted, too. It sets a really nasty precedent and would erode trust in not just Lucid, but everyone who had a part in that. Myself included.ā
Itās an extremely good point. Aster nods, brow furrowed. āItā the idea of doing that makes me really uncomfortable.ā
He gestures at Theo, who seems unsure. āYouāve got oceans of blood on your hands. I donāt think Innit was right, but I think it felt it was justified.ā
āLee was fuckinā six,ā Theo tells him. āIt felt a baby admin, one who could control them because heās a Dream. Unlike with Day and Lucid, who Daz did not trustāā
āWait, you didnāt trust us? Then why did you let us undo the loyalty? Especially if you knew about code already,ā Lucid interrupts.
Daz, visibly annoyed, snaps, āWe could track your coding. If you had done anything we didnāt like, Iād have ruined you.ā
Despite the adminās doubt, Lee nods. āHe can do that. Heāll correct my work when Iām not even showing him my console and when I didnāt even think he was paying attention. Itās freaky.ā
That little side path resolved, Aster continues, āDaz was way less willing to hurt Lee. Innit, freshly betrayed, deeply traumatized, and desperate to die, went on high alert because it saw Lee as a threat.ā
Theo repeats, āHe was six!ā
Aster responds, āAnd when Daz was six, he decided to rip out the parts of him that were ābad and wrongā because his brother is a fucking monster. Again, Iām not saying Innit was right! It was a fucked up thing to do! But it was also a trauma response. For trauma that has only festered in the meantime, because unlike Daz, Innit has been alone.ā
As much as he hates to do this, he appeals to the one who will hold ultimate authority in this matter.
āYou know damn fucking well what isolation does to a person. Youāre debating condemning someone to a fate very literally worse than death because you donāt like that they fucked up. Let me remind you that you fucked up pretty damn bad, too. And, againā if all of you refuse, Iāll use the wish on this. Having the memories of its life in my head is bad enough, but knowing Iāve abandoned someone in those conditionsā¦Iād never be able to live with myself.ā
He can tell Daz is seething, but for once he doesnāt care.
The bastard is wrong about this. Whatever punishment Innit may have deservedā what its gotten has far outstripped that.
Vio says, āAster has a point. I know this is a touchy matter, but leaving Innit in thereā¦thatās not acceptable. Not only would we incur the wrath of the Observers and likely the Showrunner, but we have no guarantee that it wouldnāt find another way to escape. We can extend a hand, or risk Innit being free with no reason not to raze the server to the ground.ā
Day scrubs a hand down his face, which has a sour expression. ā...If weāre doing this, its getting put into therapy with Iatros, too. And I want it nowhere near Summer Hills.ā
Thereās a sudden, bitter laugh from Daz. āOh, wow. Thatās actuallyā actually an interesting idea.ā
The bastard grips his shoulder with more force than Aster was aware he was capable of.
āIt proposes that it could live with Aster. If its so fucking attached to him, and Aster is so goddamned determined to go forward with this stupid fucking planā surely he can open his shitty little house to that thing, huh?ā
He considers where would even work. āIā thereās literally nowhere for it to go. Iām willing to have an extension or something, I guess?ā
Dazās fingers dig into his shoulder. Voice a low, dangerous hiss, he warns, āIf you canāt keep it in line, Iāll personally make your life a living hell.ā
A shudder goes down his spine. Dazās wrath is not a small thing, as proven by him killing his ex-mentor in cold blood and destroying him the worst way he could.
āAnd you should try group counseling with it. Maybe youāll be less of a fucking sociopath when you learn to at least tolerate a fundamental part of you.ā
Flippantly, and forcibly removing Dazās hand from his shoulder, he adds, āIf you want to do the whole song and dance about me getting on your good side? Maybe be less of an insufferable bastard, first. Your trauma is valid but your responses to it sure as fuck arenāt.ā
Getting into his space, he growls, āI should be at your throat for the fact that youāve spent three fucking years conditioning me to hate you. I should be furious youāve actively abused my trauma to make sure you never had to deal with yours! Youāve refused to actually let yourself heal because youāre a coward, Daz.ā
Dazās eyes thin into slits as he snaps back, āI donāt need your preaching, considering youāā āIāve fucking told you, I had no idea it would be like this! I also, shockingly, didnāt realize exactly how broken you actually are! I was sure youād hate me for not taking the offer. Itās a wish that can bend the laws of reality, and I thought you would be mature enough to recognize that even though it sucks to have someone know more than you wantedā¦that youād agree itās worth it.ā
He takes a step back and scoffs, āFuck, at times like these, I can see why the Showrunner hates you. Youāre a selfish asshole who only seems to do good things when itās convenient for you.ā
As he turns on his heel and stalks out, he finishes off with, āLately, I wonder if I was right to take your hand at all.ā
Aster knows heāll regret those words later, in one form or another.
But heās also sick and tired of Daz kicking him in the dick because heās pissed that heās lost control.
At no point did Aster ask for any of this! He hates having to be the one to drag Daz kicking and screaming into a better place! He hates seeing his past and the trauma that have shaped him into the paranoid bastard that he is today!
A lot of the time, he kind of hates seeing the future, too. It only makes their current relationship feel worse, because Aster can see that Daz is capable of being good to him.
Even something as simple as the two of them watching a movie together feels so fucking bittersweet, because itās clear they do eventually come to love each other.
Yet, right now, Daz hates him. Whatever his actual feelings before, right now theyāre at the lowest theyāve ever been.
ā¦There arenāt many times that Aster has seriously considered the benefits of getting drunk. The idea of losing control of himself gives him hives.
But, honestly, the chance of shutting off his own heavily leashed anger and resentment for the night sounds amazing.
Thisāll be fun to discuss with his therapist. The poor Puffy has no goddamned idea the shit heās kept bottled up until now, but itās beyond time that he start doing so.
It's not often that Theo finds himself struggling to sit down and talk with his best friend.
But after learning what massive secrets he's kept, Theo hasā¦
Honestly?
He's avoided Aster.
It's been weeks since the truth behind Dazās shiny facade was stripped away. Theo was the first āoutsiderā to see the broken, mangled, wretched thing underneath all that carefully-crafted image.
In the moment, he had felt a numb sense of horror.
Out of everyone on the server, he should be able to spot someone like.
Someone using care for others as a form of self-harm; someone hiding their trauma behind a smile; someone who has been running for so long that stopping feels like death.
ā¦Someone exactly like his dad.
He still remembers the first time he saw Daz. He had been wrapped up in the arms of his Dream, looking up over the back of the couch like he was waiting for them.
His surprise had been so genuine that he wrote it off, butā¦
How much was a surprise?
Maybe it doesn't matter. Daz had bluntly said he planned to use whoever showed up to commit a form of suicide by cop, soā does it really matter if he was surprised it was them or surprised it was anyone?
The awareness of how close Theo came to doing that the second time leaves him cold in a way he hates.
Frost is his refuge. When rage and fire fail, he knows he can retreat to the ice and become something untouchable.
This chill, thoughā¦it leaves him feeling small and helpless.
He knows Aster didn't enjoy hiding this from him. He also knowsā or is pretty damn sureā that Daz didā¦all of that, as a fucked up form of self defense.
But heās still hurt by it.
Aster had been in tears from whatever he's seen of Dazās past.
He explicitly said he'd rather deal with the monster that made him sit still as he carved a brand into his neck than Daz's own brother.
If Aster was so distraught about Dazās pastā¦was it worse? Was it reallyā
He scrubs his hands over his eyes. Sleep is gonna elude him again because of how jumbled and chaotic his thoughts and feelings are, so he reluctantly gets to his feet.
Pretty much the only thing he can think to do is go upstairs and try and watch something, but he spots Lee's light on.
Worried, he pokes his head in.
Lee is hunched over his desk, hard at work on what looks like a bracelet.
Calcite beads! For Daz? Aww he's serious about claiming him!! Baby bro best bro
He walks up and taps Leeās shoulder. His little brother yelps in surprise and jumps in his chair.
A snort escapes him as heās glared at. āDonāt sneak up on me,ā Lee snaps, putting his work down to try and smooth his ruffled feathers.
āSorry, baby bro,ā he replies, glad that this, at least, hasn't changed.
His brother huffs softly, looking away.
A sudden and familiar shift comes over Leeās expression, though.
āYou'll find what you need at the Swords and Shields building,ā his brother murmurs.
Brow furrowed, Lee asks, āWhat do you need Aster for?ā
Theo grimaces. āI meanā¦ā
Lee straightens up. āYou've talked to him since everything, right?ā ā...In a manner of fuckinā speakingāā
āTheo.ā āItās a lot to fuckinā deal with!ā
Not the smallest part of which is that Aster and Daz apparently get together.
Which is weird! He and Astet had a goddamned heart-to-heart about how they had no interest in that sort of thing!
Lee points at the door. āGo talk to your friend, coward.ā āI'm not aā!ā āGo.ā
He sounds just like D3! Oh my goddd he's adorable Best!! Bro!!! He do got a point tho Face the music my guy it's time to dance
Uhhhg.
======
After a flight filled with mild bickering and trying to figure out what to say, he opens the doors to the Swords and Shields training hall.
He can hear the sounds of a fight. Huh, weirdā who the hell did Aster call to spar with him at this hour?
Silent as possible, he slips in andā
Holy shit! Oh my god?! THE BASTARD CAN FIGHT?!?!?
He finds himself in mute agreement.
Daz doesn't look to be having an easy time, exactly, but heās also wielding an axe like heās right at home doing so.
ā¦Wait, doesn't he use daggers?
He sees that familiar, feral grin on Asterās face that says he's enjoying himselfā giving him another weird pang that he definitely doesnāt want to identify any time soon.
That expression suddenly falters and Daz lunges forward, slamming his axe down.
Aster stumbles as he respawns on the spot, then glares at Daz. āThatās cheap.ā
āThatās pressing the advantage against a stronger opponent,ā Daz scoffs, leaning on his axe.
āSo you admit I'm stronger.ā āIt's been years since I thought otherwise. Unlike some people in this room, I'm not fixated on my physical strength.ā
I think he means you? Yeahhh sounds like you crazy to throw shade after what he's done but he's also not wrong lmaooooo
Annoyed, Theo stalks forwards. āDonāt be a fuckinā bitch.ā
Daz rolls his eyes and turns to sit down on a nearby bench.
Without his shirt on, Theo gets a glimpse of weird scars across his back.
Those are magic burns. What kind of magic? I don't recognize that one.Ā
He clears his throat. āWhat made that mark on your fuckinā back?ā
Daz squints at him. ā...What?ā āFates say it's from fuckinā magic. Was that the fuckinā enchantment?ā
Understanding seems to dawn on Daz. āAh. No, but it was the inciting incident.ā
Lightly, Daz answers, āI was shoved in a one-by-one cage and pelted with dozens upon dozens of potions, poison and instant health back and to back, in the span of about twenty minutes.ā
There's a pause, and then Daz amends, āForty-nine, apparently.ā
He remembers Daz mentioning that cage years ago. It pissed him off at the time that anyone would think of doing something like that.
Daz hadn't mentioned he was actually inside it, though. Actually, he explicitly said he only saw it.
Aster sits down heavily on the bench, looking ill. āWhat the fuck wasā all of that was for Dream?ā
āI was just bait. The only thing he gave a shit about, unable to do anything but wait for rescueā¦again.ā
The words are bitter, and understandably so.
Slowly, Theo says, āThat much magic is fuckinā lethal.ā Heās picked up enough from his dad to know that much, even if he's never come anywhere near abusing potions to that extent.
There's a little shrug. āDreamās obsession was probably kept me from dying. My theory is that that's the same reason the enchantment didn't immediately kill me, too.ā
Tone way too fucking light for what heās saying, Daz muses, āThe world itself was even more closely entwined with admins than here. His will could have been powerful enough to bridge the gapā¦probably.ā
Aster looks horrified. āProbably?!ā
āI saw what he did to the program. I should be dead.ā
Itās said so matter-of-factly that Theo doesnāt even know how to begin to respond.
Daz studies him, and Theo realizes that the scars on his back arenāt the only ones he has.
The guy has seen more fighting than Theo ever gave him credit for, huh?
Swallowing, scrambling for something that isnāt deeply depressing to latch onto, he mumbles, āThought you used fuckinā daggers, not an axe.ā
He gets another shrug. āAxe is what I trained with. Iām too good to write off but not good enough to hide it better. I donāt have bullshit reaction time like you and the Comet, here.ā
āI hate that fucking nickname,ā Aster grumbles. āI know. Thatās why I started it,ā Daz tells him.
Wait, Daz came up with it?
āThat was you?ā āAmong many other things, both good and bad.ā
Daz gestures at the room around them. āAll of this is because I went to him with a vision, after all. His switch from copying you in combat to being his own damn person was from me, too.ā
ā¦Shit, Daz really has done a lot, hasnāt he? Those two things alone really lead credence to why Aster didnāt ever come forward about him before now.
Aster is who he is because Daz pushed him into it. His best friend would beā¦fuck, he would be so much smaller, if he hadnāt been put on this path.
Heās not sure how to feel about that.
Thereās a stretch from Daz, who idly notes, āHe planned to keep an eye on me and report what I was up to, by the way. At least, at first. After a whileā¦it was harder and harder to admit I didnāt have a point.ā
Aster sighs deeply, not quite looking at either of them. ā...Heās persuasive. Iā I never liked keeping his secret, butāā
His friendās face twists. āTheo, you know I donāt really like him. I think heāsāā āCareful how you speak about your future husband, dear.ā āYouāre a borderline sociopath who fucks with others for reasons ranging from petty to unresolved trauma, youāve positioned yourself so you canāt be effectively helped, and you have so many fucking secrets it gives me hives,ā Aster finishes.
Daz clicks his tongue softly. āIām sure weāll deal with this in coupleās counseling one day.ā āIāll setting for you dealing with your shit in regular counseling, thatād be a great start.ā
Weird dynamic Familiar tho?? Yeah nah they obviously do this a lot Oh I meant that theyāre, like, Theo and Day lmao
āExcuse the fuck you, Dad nā I arenāt like them!ā
That outburst makes Aster grimace. āI meanā¦ā Almost smug, Daz hums, āApparently Iām ājust like Dayā, and you and Aster are practically twins, soā¦ā
He glares at both of them. āFuck you.ā
Dazās eyebrows shoot up. Amused, he says, āCareful, Aster seems the jealous sort.ā
Aghast, Aster tells him, āShut the fuck up.ā āBut hon, itās really funny to see you all flustered!ā āI could strangle you. You fucked with the server code so deaths wouldnāt show up here, anywayāā āYeah? How sure are you about how that works? Because I could have given it a limit, Aster. I could have made it so that it shuts off when I kill you,ā Daz cackles, and fuck is it still weird to see him acting like this!
Asterās jaw ticks, and then he slams his eyes shut. After taking a long, deep breath, and visibly calming himself in a way Theo suspects he learned mainly to deal with Daz, Aster answers, āIf you keep being a bastard, I wonāt sleep with you again.ā
WHAT NANI THE FUCK HOLY SHIT WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN THEO GET AN EXPLANATION NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW
Face turning red, Daz snaps, āDonātā say it in a way thatāsā fuck you, donāt imply shit!ā
Sounding and looking smug, Aster tells him, āDoesnāt it suck to get your bullshit turned back on you? Iāve already told youāā
Oh, so this isā so fucking weird, because Aster grabs Dazās chin and continues, voice low, āIāll go as low as you do.ā
Daz all but throws himself away from Aster, ending up on the floor.
Evidently satisfied at whatever the fuck just happened, Aster turns back to him and explains, āHe went missing for about sixteen hours yesterday. Apparently he was in a hidey-hole we overlooked, working on code with Innit. After he tried to storm off and failed miserably because he hadnāt eaten in ages, we had a chat. I made him lay down and have decent sleep for probably the only time since before he showed up here.ā
Having apparently recovered, but still a bit red-faced, Daz mutters, āThe coma was pretty good sleep.ā
Hmm, thatās definitely not a good enough answer by literally any metric.
Instead of even beginning to touch onā literally any of that, Theo asks, āThe fuck did you do before?ā
āDream. It stopped working when he betrayed me.ā
ā¦Shit, thatās depressing.
Aster adds, āDaz was working on that code because he made a deal with the Showrunner, by the way. He sees me like I see him, soā¦ā
Daz suddenly squints. āYou two had an entire pow-wow about how aro/ace you are? When the fuck was that?ā āFirst party you inflicted on me about my earring from Theo. You know, where you riled up my own goddamned subordinates into thinking it was an engagement thing?ā
Scoffing, Dazā who seems to not want to get up off the floor, at least for the momentā tells him, āIn my defense, it wasnāt my idea to start with.ā āYeah, no, you still caused enough parties and well-wishes that that doesnāt actually matter, Daz.ā
Theo remembers that party. He also remembers how Daz had seemed so damn hangdog about upsetting Aster.
Yeah, Asterās dislike of him continues to only make more and more sense.
Flippantly, Daz says, āPissed me off that you got earrings.ā āWhy the fuckāā
Aster goes quiet, suddenly looking stricken. Weakly, he says, āOh.ā
ā¦Is this what itās like to see him talk with the Fates? Or with his Dad?
Annoyed at being left out of the loop, he asks, āThe fuck did you see?ā
Daz looks up at him right as a beam of moonlight hits him. He looks surreal and dreamlike as he answers, āI abandoned my only claims before I came to Sanctuary. I couldnāt properly reciprocate anything I got here because I thought it would kill the other party.ā
His heart sinks and squeezes at the same time.
Theo knows, better than pretty much any other non-admin, the impact that bond items have on an admin.
His mind is cast back a long, long, long time ago. When his dad was teetering on the edge of deciding if heād take Theo and his brothers inā¦his eyes had gone to little trinkets they had given him.
Those were claims to him, he suddenly realizes. His dad had spent a literal lifetime adrift, but what seemed like clumsy attempts to reciprocate his kindness were the lifeline he had so desperately needed.
All over it again, it hits him how mangled Daz actually is. He was never a wounded baby bird, but instead a weasel that a cat had gotten ahold of and torn to shreds.
Even if he left plenty of wounds in return, heās still been bleeding out in plain sight for years.
ā...Why did you fuckinā-- why Lee?ā
Heās stared at almost like heās stupid. āIf I was going to reject half of myself because I wasnāt ready to kill him, itās dumb to do that by halves.ā āBut why,ā Theo presses, still not understanding.
If it had been the Fates screaming at him, he doesnāt know that he could have held strong. At the time, Lee was basically nothing to himā so why was it so important to Daz to keep him alive?
Daz sighs, stretching his legs out into a more comfortable position. āKindness like that is easy to snuff out. Is it really so hard to believe that I needed a liferaft, too?ā
ā¦Thatās it? Everything Daz has done, all the secrets and lies and schemingā all because Lee was kind?
Thereās a wry smile. āThere was only ever one other person who was kind for mostly-selfless reasons. Even Dream, for all he did for meā¦he needed me. He needed to have someone who could never leave. I was his salvation, his chance at turning his prison into a paradise.ā
Quietly, Aster murmurs, āFriendship isnāt selfish, Daz.ā āTubbo didnāt have anyone else to turn to, but he also wasnāt completely trapped. Not untilā¦ā
Despite Daz trailing off, Aster looks sad. āYou still blame yourself.ā āI was the one who made him stay. Without me, he would have gone off to sail the seas with his cousin. At every step, he stayed for meā¦and it led to a shallow grave.ā
Almost unconsciously, Daz rubs the bracelet on his wrist. Dark green and redā bloodstone, Theo is pretty sure.
Has heā¦worn that in memory of his Tubbo? Theo remembers him getting it before he even left Summer Hills.
āNobody stays without a reason. In Sanctuary, Iāve made sure people had ample reasonā power, manipulation, food, even gratitude. The useless and worthless are discarded, so I made sure nobody would ever see me like that,ā Daz continues.
His need to be useful wasnāt just a part of the lie? The shape maybe but not the content fuuuuuuuuck heās soā soā can we go back and kill his Dream I feel like thatād be good for everyone Yeah actually letās go kill him Murdertrip!!
Theo doesnāt dignify the Fates with a response. They damn well know that nobody is going back to that placeā a berserk admin with nothing left to lose is too dangerous to go against if thereās any other options.
He sighs deeply. āReally need to do fuckinā therapy, Daz.ā āItās easier to talk to people I know. I donāt like most Technoes.ā āIsnāt fuckinā Aleph in your secret club? Nā donāt you fuckinā hang around Attie all the time?ā
Daz rolls his eyes. āMost is the operative word, Theo.ā
Reaching up to yank his hair out of its ponytail, Daz continues, āAtlas is one of my closest non-Council friends, actually. I think highly of him and like watching him work.ā
Wait, donāt they have duo items?
Aster notes, āYou should probably back that up if you really care.ā āShut up.ā āConsiderā no. You never have, after all.ā āLet me work on the people I care the most about first, then Iāll work my way outwards.ā
Resting his elbows on his knees, Aster stares Daz down and tells him, āAnd where do I fit into that?ā
Daz looks like a deer in headlights. āIā what?ā āI meanā we already know we get literally fucking married, Daz. With a kidāā āThatās then, this is now!ā āI dunno, if weāre not fightingā¦maybe itās worth working towards that future.ā
They have a kld?!
āA kid?!ā
Both of them seem to startle, almost like they forgot he was even there. Aster laughs, āYeah, we uhā with the wholeā¦future vision shit, uhā we both saw her.ā āThe fuck did this happen?! Why didnāt you fuckinā say anything?!ā
Aster opens his mouth, and then breaks out into laughter. Daz joins a beat later, smacking his hand on the floor. āHoly fuckingā gods, yeah, that tracks!ā āOh my gods, sheās gonna be untouchable. Literally, the aura of her power will make people part in fear,ā Aster cackles.
Heās not following. āThe fuckāre you two on about?ā
Theo is definitely not grumpy and feeling weird that the two of them have thisā shared knowledge that Theo canāt even begin to touch, on top of years of existing secrecy.
Daz snickers, āYou bawling like a baby when she says your name for the first time.ā āLooks about ready to pass out the first time he holds her, terrified heāll drop her,ā Aster adds, grinning at him.
Yeah that tracks honestly idk man maybe Theo shouldnāt be trusted with a tiny kid how do they adopt her actually??
Disgruntled, he asks, āHow do you two fuckinā adopt?ā
Still amused, Daz tells him, āNo. Surrogate, I think.ā āShe has your freakishly blue eyes, Daz, even as a newborn.ā āAnd sheās named after you, soāā
Ohhhhh fuck, thatāsā thatās a whole different ballgame, then.
After giving himself a minute to let his brain reboot, he says, ā...Dadāll have a fuckinā grandkid, huh?ā
They both give him weirdly similar looks of confusion, so he stammers, āIā uh, if dad walks Aster down the fuckinā aisleāā
āIām already family in all but name, soā yeah, actually, she would be his grandkid,ā Aster murmurs.
Daz snorts softly. āDonāt look so sour, Theo. I know youāre jealous Iām stealing your fianceāā āI can literally snap your fuckinā neck, Daz.ā ā--but youāre gaining a godchild and niece.ā
Thatā¦is so fucking surreal to consider that he doesnāt even know what to say.
Daz continues, āAlongside Lee and Raine, obviously.ā āCan you even do three?ā āWhy not? Our kid, our rules. Anyone objects and we can direct them to the three of them and say, āokay, so you get to tell them to duke it out for who gets to stay the godfather.ā Actually, wait, that sounds funny.ā
Do we even know how to likeā¦deal? With girls? Uhhhh should we start looking into shovel talks now? I feel like now. What why literally LOOK at Daz. a kid thatās the spitting image of him??? A GIRL??? Oh my god that poor thing sheās beauty, sheās grace, sheāll probably be able to supplex you into your FACE
The server is in no way, shape, or form ready for a kid of any gender raised by those two.
Theo is reminded of how Daz ever so gently pleaded with Lee to let him go. How his primary reason had been to protect Lee, no matter the costā how he had been willing to throw his own life away because he thought that Leeās safety was in jeopardy.
It had been his primary angle when trying to convince the rest of them, too.
He shivers at the idea of that kind of loyalty and devotion being given to anyone, but especially a kid that theyāll be planning for.Ā
Deciding that, actually, he doesnāt want to think about that right now, he switches topics. āSo whyāre you both out here this late?ā
āI was indulging the fightslut tendencies of my future husband. He did something nice for me, I did something nice for him,ā Daz answers, evidently unbothered by the shift to something else.
Aster rolls his eyes. āI am notāā āUp until apparently me, the closest thing youāve had to that kind of feeling is during a fight,ā Daz retorts, looking smug, āTell me Iām wrong, bitch.ā
āIā shut up.ā āIām totally convinced, what a persuasive argument.ā āIā!ā
Obviously floundering, Aster sputters, āIf I am, then so is Theo!ā
His eyebrows shoot up. āDonāt fuckinā drag me into whatever the fuck is happening.ā āIām just sayingāā āAww, babeā¦are you already bored with me? Iām sure I can find some way to make things more funāā
Euuhg, gross gross gross, hearing that kind of simpering tone from Daz, directed at Theoās best friendā
Aster, evidently in agreement, lunges forward and slaps a hand over the bastardās mouth. Daz looks painfully smug as he ends up flat on his back, looking up at his evidently future husbandās bright red face.
āIām going to kill you,ā Aster growls at him.
Daz reaches up and rips Asterās hand away. āGo on, do it. I fuckinā dare you.ā
Thereās a long moment of seething, before Theo visibly sees a lightbulb go off in Asterās head.
Grabbing both of Dazās wrists, he slams them against the ground and leans in so close that Theo would swear theyāre kissing.
Instead, his face moves to Dazās ear and he tells him, voice low, āI thought you didnāt want to play this game, love. I can stake a public claim on you any time I wantā make the server think of you as mine. If weāre going to get married eventually anyway, I donāt see the point in waiting.ā
Daz squeaks in dismay, looking like heās trying to shrink away.
āWhen you arenāt being a bastard, itās not hard to see why I turn into such a simp for you. Having someone like you all to myselfā¦Iām starting to see the appeal.ā
Holy shit When did we start watching a romcom is this likeā how you catch an admin?? Nah fam I think Daz is just a freak
Aster suddenly pulls back and grabs Dazās shirt. Tone back to normal, he demands, āYour paycheck is what?!ā
ā¦Huh?
āYou goddamned bastard, you bitched and moaned about getting me paid more when you make that much a month?!ā
Daz gawks at him, still bright red, but eventually seems to recalibrate to the shift. āIā yeah, dipshit, I perform a vital service! Iām one of the highest paid people on the goddamned server, right after Management and the T3!ā
Aster shakes him. āTheo does not get paid that much!ā āWait, really? Huh, then I guess only Management makes more than I do.ā
Thereās a long moment of silence, and then Daz rolls his eyes. āYour paycheck isnāt nothing, asshole.ā āItās notā that!ā āThat money is literally going to be half yours eventually, why are you bitching?ā āIāā
Aster sits up so heās kneeling. He sounds unsure as he says, āThatāsā¦not the pointā¦?ā āYou already know Iām stupid rich, this shouldnāt be a shock to you.ā āStill not the point.ā
A long, annoyed sigh comes from Daz. āIf you can promise to keep your fucking mouth shut and let me work, Iāll let you spend a day watching me at the Welcome Wagon so you see why Iām worth that much. Shockingly, I do actually have a lot of things I have to get done, and if Iām busy answering stupid questions, I wonāt be able to be as productive as I need to be.ā
Thereās a long, contemplative silence.
ā...Only on one condition.ā āThe fact that Iām graciously allowing you watch a master at work is more than you deserve, so choose your words carefully.ā
Aster leans down just a little again. Staring into Dazās eyes, he demands, āFeed me.ā
Daz is silent for a moment, and then asks in a tone both exasperated and confused, āWhy?ā
āI have spent literal fucking years having you spike any food you make for me. I want the real thing. I want to actually enjoy your cooking for once, without being afraid itāll come back to bite me later.ā
ā¦Is Dazās cooking actually that good?
Clicking his tongue, Daz answers, āIncentivize me.ā ā...What do you want?ā
Thereās a long silence, and then, very quietly and not looking at Aster directly, he mumbles, āYou should know what I want.ā
With a weirdly gentle expression, Aster says, ā...That can be unrelated to the wholeā seeing what you actually do. Cook for me and Iāll be your sleep aid.ā
āDoes yourā¦nevermind. We can talk about it later.ā āItāll have to be your room, obviously.ā
Daz turns his head to look up at Aster, seeming to search for something.
Then he blinks and says, āI donāt go in tomorrow. Today, technically.ā Aster snorts, āIāll grab something to sleep in, then. Make me lunch or something.ā
Thereās a relived smile, and then Daz says, āIāll go get ready. See you!ā
Theo canāt even begin to move fast enough, even if he wanted to, to stop Daz from opening his console and teleporting away.
Aster is left kneeling on the ground, a look between happiness, frustration, and confusion on his face.
Slowly, his friend gets to his feet, then looks at him. āThatās the best conversation weāve had since Iāve known him, by the way. Heās justā like that.ā
Finally able to find his voice, Theo demands, āThe fuck was all that?ā āAll what?ā āAll ofāā Theo grimaces, gesturing at the place Daz had been.
It seems to take Aster a moment to realize what he means. āOh! Yeah, thatāsā psychological warfare. I already told him that if he wants to take the low road, Iāll go lower. Iām sick of putting up with his petty bullshit, soā¦Iām punishing that, but rewarding good behavior.ā
That very much does not sound like something one should say about their future spouse.
āLike a fuckinā dog?ā āTheo, I understand you arenāt aware of his sociopathic tendencies, not really,ā Aster laughs, an edge of mania in his voice. He grips Theoās shoulders, saying in a way that sounds almost like seething, āI finally have a way to give just as good as I get. Maybe heāll stop being a bastard once I stop letting him shove me around.ā
He squints. That sounds even less like a good thing for a partner to say.
Then again, what does he know about this kind of thing?
Daz IS kinda a bastard tho Maybe some snork mimimi will fix him? Power of love, baby!! He literally thinks any kind of affection is like, transactional, though I dunnoā¦Aster seems to kinda just want food? That seems like a low price??
He shakes his head. āIām not gonna fuckinā understand it. Go fuckinā appease your man, or whatever you fuckinā are.ā
āNo idea, honestly. I might have to actually ask him out or somethingā taunting him like thatā¦ā
Aster laughs a little, far less villainous-sounding, as he starts to walk towards the door. āI think I get part of why he targeted me so much. Itās kind of fun, actually? Itād do his ego good, too, remembering that heās not untouchable.ā
Theo is left in the Swords and Shields training hall, struggling to figure out how the fuck heās supposed to explain literally any of this to his therapist.