#when finished

Gertrude stared at the two delivery men. She was well acquainted with the pair who call themselves Breekon and Hope. However, she didn't think she was due for a delivery, especially considering she was planning on traveling to disrupt a ritual in America, taking Micheal with her. "What do I owe the pleasure?" She replies dryly.

Breekon smiles, unsettling to look at. "Evening Archivist, we appear to need your help."

"We've run into an issue with a delivery." Hope finishes.

Gertrude raised a brow, intrigued. "And why would you need my help?" She steps back as a child reveals themselves from behind Breekon. She honestly couldn't tell if it was a little boy or girl, but it wasn't a stranger, just a normal human.

"We tried to return it..." Breekon trails off.

Hope continued. "The things mother refused it."

The small child clings to Breekon, looking up at Gertrude. They were small, malnourished, and filthy. They had matted red hair and freckles or dirt she couldn't tell. Their clothes were hastily stitched together, and she had a feeling the mother had just left the kid for dead without clothing. The kid couldn't be more than 2 generous. She didn't want to think about the fact she knew that was a lie.

Gertrude blinks. "I'm not taking the child. Just send them to an orphanage or police."

The two strangers look at each other and frown.

"I reckon we help you." Breekon grabs the child's shoulder who doesn't seem startled more confused.

"Then you help us. We ain't fans of Nikola and that circus." Hope smiles.

"We tell you how to stop the unknowing." Breekon matches the smile.

"You tell us about human children." Hope finishes.

Gertrude can't help but have a shocked look on her features. She wouldn't pass up on an opportunity like this. "I suppose I can give advice on a child's needs and wants."

"Perfect"

"Glad we have a deal."

The child just stared at Gertrude.

......

Gertrude learned about the unknowing and how to stop it. She was shocked, to say the least, that they were so forth coming with information.

Breekon narrowed his gaze, and Gertrude wasn't sure that was possible. "You're end of the deal."

Hope adjusts the child on his lap. "Teach us."

Gertrude leans back. "For starters, how old is the child, and are they a boy or a girl?"

The two starters exchange a look then look back to Gertrude.

Gertrude sighs and rubs her temples. This was going to take a while. "Ok, to start, do they talk?"

"The child has not said a word." Breekon gives a look to his partner then to the child.

Hope nods. "They have tried, but no sound comes out. It appears the child has damaged parts."

The child looks between them and decides to yawn silently and curl up in Hope's lap.

Gertrude sighs. "Before you ask, humans need sleep, and it appears the child trusts you enough to sleep in your lap. Humans need sleep to function." She sighs and gets up. "You two can read, right?" The two strangers nod. "Good, I'll be back. I'll have books on human health and biology and parenting books that will have all the information for you."

The two strangers watch the archivist leave.

"The human is defenseless." Breekon points at the small child.

"I don't think it understands it should be scared." Hope points at the sleeping child.

"Too small, I reckon." Breekon tilts his head.

"I don't understand why I desire to protect it." Hope rests his hand on the child's back.

"To raise for the stranger like the desolation?" Breekon responds for an answer, but it sounds like a question like they don't believe it.

"Never been human." Hope pauses.

"Don't think that matters now." Breekon reaches out a hand to the child.

"Is this fear?" Hope sounded quiet.

"I don't know." Breekon matched the quiet voice.

......

Gertrude sets down the large stack of books down. "Read these, and I'll get the child as clean as I can using the archives supplies." She approaches Hope to retrieve the child, and to her surprise, he pulls the kid closer to him. "Now don't do that, humans have to get clean or they get sick you know of the corruption. Good now, I'm going to clean them and tell you if they are a boy or girl, yes, it matters for human development due to hormones." She picks up the child who wakes up, but they don't cry. "An odd thing, aren't you." She watches the two strangers reach for the books and begin to read.

The small child waves goodbye to the strangers as Gertrude carries them off to a bathroom outfitted with a shower and, thankfully, a towel.

Gertrude places the child down and takes a breath. "I wish I knew your age and if you understood me. Alright, I'm going to unclothed you and wash you to the best of my ability."

The child blinks as Gertrude strips them.

"Ok diapers, you're quite little then, and ah, you're a boy. Ok, I can work with this." Gertrude sighs as she watches the boy, and it is freckles, not just dirt. She shaved the boy's hair with the buzzer she understood why they had due to an incident with the Leitner. Thankfully, one of the librarians brought a diaper bag with them rather than a normal purse, and she managed to get a diaper, which again thankfully matched the boy's needs. Overall, he was still too skinny and small, but he looked better.

The boy was wrapped in a fluffy towel since Gertrude didn't have clean clothes to put him in.

"Hopefully, the time it took to clean you, they have gotten through at least one book." Gertrude picks up the small boy. "Maybe I can get some food in you. I'm sure they don't understand the concept of food."

The boy blinks his impossibly blue eyes at her.

Gertrude sighs. "I'm not cut out to be a parent."

.....

"He's a boy." Gertrude places the boy down on her desk with a plate of cut-up bananas. "By the amount of teeth in his mouth, I hazard a guess that he's nearly two or approaching 2 years of age. I hope you both got some of the reading done while I cleaned and gave him food."

The boy was eating the cut-up bananas as he waved again at the two strangers.

"We've finished the books." Breekon tilts his head.

"We understand what has to be done." Hope hums.

Gertrude pinched her brow. "Don't kill the child."

The two strangers looked offended.

The boy continues to eat quietly.

.......

A rough knock on a yellow door. The door creeks open, and a man that is tall, unsettling, and hair that seems to curl unnaturally. Hands longs and sharp clawed.

"Evening." Breekon tips his hat.

"We reckon we can leave him with you." Hope nods as well adjusting his hat.

A small boy looking healthier and bigger stares up at the twisted tall man.

"Excuse me?" The man from the yellow door stares at the strangers.

"You were human.... once" Breekon laughs.

Hope nods.

"I, yes?" The spiral tilts their head.

"We have work and can't bring him." Hope mutters.

"The archivist is unavailable." Breekon sighs, pushing the boy forward.

The boy waves.

The spiral man matches the movement.

"The boy is Martin." Hope continues. "He is 4 and can't be left at school. Humans have tried to steal him."

"His mother has harmed him when we tried to return him. We request help on watching him as we work. The boy doesn't speak." Breekon pulls his hat down.

"Don't harm the boy, and we will help with any request." Hope crossed his arms.

The spiral nods, but it is a more confused reaction.

"Good." Breekon smiles.

"Well, be back tomorrow." Hope hands a bag to the boy.

The boy stared up at the spiral man.

The spiral stared at the boy as the strangers left. "Hello."

The boy waves and holds up his lunch box with a cow on it. He grabs a clawed finger and smiles.

"Micheal.... I'm Micheal." The spiral felt sanity bleed into his mind as a sense of self returned like an infection.

The boy tilted his head, watching him return to his tall human form.

"Martin?" Micheal watched the boy nod. "Ok, how about lunch? Although I don't think time really exists but a boy needs food like you."

Martin nods and hugs Micheal's leg.

Micheal blinks and realizes he is now both the spiral and Micheal. Has this ever happened before? He didn't know or care he was an uncle now, and he also now had a bond with the stranger. That was good he thinks he wasn't used to coherent thoughts.

Martin tugged on Micheal's arm and held up a candy bar Micheal could not recognize.

"Do you want me to open it for you?" Micheal stared down at the bow who shook his head. Martin pushed the bar into his hand. "Ah.... thank you."

Martin grins and follows Micheal through the yellow door.

......

Micheal scowls, and he forgot he was capable of anything but a smile. "Do I have to?"

"We finished our job." Breekon holds his hand out, and Martin takes it and waves at Micheal.

"What is the payment you like?" Hope shows off teeth that shouldn't exist in his mouth.

Micheal blinks, grabbing his yellow door. "I would like to watch Martin again." He can feel himself grow taller and more twisted.

The two strangers share a look and a silent conversation.

"Humans call it babysitting." Breekon picks up Martin on his hip.

"You want to watch the human child? He is ours." Hope brushed a curl out of Martin's face.

"Yes, that is agreeable." Micheal smiles. "I won't keep him if you agree."

The two strangers nod.

......

"The act of babysitting requires the guardians to not be available to care for the child." Breekon seems to narrow his gaze with eyes he doesn't have.

"We are home to care for the child. You shouldn't be here." Hope adds matching a scowl.

Micheal laughs, and it echoes unnaturally around the room. "I see no harm in visiting...." He shifts back to looking like a normal human as he looks around. "This is a very sterile apartment."

Martin wasn't paying attention following a spider around who led him to one of his "toys," which were crude plastic mannequin parts and a blanket that he wrapped around a plastic arm.

Micheal frowns. "I uh huh you two are doing ok..."

The two strangers glare at the spiral avatar.

"Ok, so I have experience raising my siblings and making me babysit has given me back my humanity kind of? I'll help you guys. Have you've even enrolled him into school yet?" The blank stared answered Micheal's questions.

.......

"I reckon we understand." Breekon has grabbed Martin and placed him on his lap.

"Very informative to train a human." Hope nods.

"Not train." Micheal can feel his hair grow out and spiral. "Raise. Now I don't know how you got a phone, and I'm not one to ask questions anymore, but calling around, I got Martin registered for classes next year. Having friends is important, and I set him up with a doctor about the talking thing and general health examination. Also, he needs normal toys unless you want people to get suspicious, and yes, you can feed on the fears of other parents if they upset Martin."

Breekon nods. "So Martin is set?"

"We don't want to hurt the little guy." Hope fusses with Martin's hair and finds a spider who he places gentlely on Martin's shoulder.

"Not hurting him. Just to avoid suspicion from normal human people. Martin, do you like the strangers?" Micheal leans over to face Martin.

Martin puffs out his cheeks. "Not strangers." His voice was quiet, and the three men stared at the boy stunned. He points to Breekon as he sits in his lap. "Breekon." He then points to Hope. "Hope." He furrows his brows pointing to Micheal. "Mik- Mike - Micheal?" He was having a hard time producing Micheal.

Micheal blinks. "Ye-yeah, I'm Micheal."

"I'm never going to change my name again." Breekon and Hope say at the same time as they embrace Martin.

Martin smiles.

.......

The teacher sat nervously at her desk. It was a normal meeting it had to be a normal meeting. She swore she saw a yellow door in the corner of the room, and she knew she didn't have yellow doors in her classroom. The two men that sat in front of her desk they were unnatural. They wore the same uniform, but that's the only normal thing she can see on them.

The larger man with straight black hair and a frown, maybe she couldn't tell it didn't look natural on the pale skin even if the color of his lips was wrong. "What are we here?" His accent sounded fake, but she was terrified to ask or even comment.

"I reckon the boy has done nothing wrong." The smaller man had lighter hair, and it curled, but it also didn't. His eyes were purple, but like as if his eyes were doll eyes.

The teacher laughs nervously. "I uh nothing is wrong." She stiffens as a creak of a door is heard. "I just wanted to share some concerns I had... nothing bad." She swallows her fear the best she could. "Martin is excelling at his schoolwork and already reading books made for kids older than him. He really likes spiders and dolls, but uh he hasn't been talking to any of the other children, which is concerning. A boy his age should be more. Have you had him tested if he's on the spectrum?" The door that shouldn't exist was open and what.... she let out a breath of relief.

A tall blonde man rushed between the two other men. "Hey, sorry, I'm Micheal. I'm helping these two with Martin."

She didn't care what their relationship was he looked normal and she could breathe again. "R-right."

"Get the boy tested for what?" The larger man growls.

"Our boy is healthy." The smaller one adds.

Micheal smiles. "Not that kind of tested. No, no, it's fine ma'am, he just started talking last year, and the doctors are aware of it. He loves his books on spiders and dolls. I'm sure Martin will come out of his shell."

The teacher nods. "Great, and that's really great, but that's all I needed to speak about. He's a very smart and sweet boy. Just needs to be a bit more social, that's all for healthy development." She sighs in relief, watching the blonde man guide them out through the yellow door.

"You can't scare that woman to death. Martin likes her." She chose to ivory that from Micheal and how his voice started to echo. She needed to warn the teachers for older students.

.......

Martin waves as the yellow door creeks open as the three step out. He gets up and shoves a drawing into Hope. "Present!"

Hope held up the drawing and showed it to Breekon. It was a crayon drawing of the two, and Martin has written their names. "Reckon our boy is an artist."

"We will hang it up." Breekon smiles as Martin giggles.

Micheal sighs, returning to a more human look. "Martin, have you made any friends?" The two strangers glare at him.

Martin shakes his head. "The other kids think I'm weird."

Micheal sighs. "You'll find friends who appreciate the weird."

Martin shrugs and looks down.

.......

"You're weird." A blonde boy sits next to Martin. "You don't have any weird fleshy tendrils around you."

Martin blinks and tilts his head. "What?"

"I see them in my dreams." The blonde boy huffs, pulling out red crayons. "You're a mystery. Mommy says they don't mean anything, but they do. I swear they do."

"What do they do?" Martin watched him draw.

"They give me dates and time, dunno what that means yet, but I think it's important." The boy was drawing red tendrils.

Martin pauses, Uncle Micheal told him to make friends. "I'm Martin."

"Oliver." The boy smiles, holding out his hand. He was cold like Hope was he wasn't good at keeping himself warm like Breekon was.

"Are you a stranger?" Martin blinks his blue eyes at the blonde boy who looked confused.

"No, you know my name." Oliver hums.

Martin hums. "Breekon and Hope are strangers, and I know their names."

"Then what does stranger mean?" Oliver hums raising his brow.

"Dunno Micheal won't tell me, and neither will Breekon or Hope." Martin shrugs.

"Huh, do you think they know what these are?" Oliver holds up his drawing.

"Wanna ask after school?" Martin smiles.

Oliver matches his smile. "Yeah! Wanna be friends, the other kids don't like me."

Martin nods excitedly. "Yeah, I wanna be friends."

........

"Uncle Micheal!" Martin ran out holding the hand of another boy as they approached.

Micheal smiles and forces himself to look even more human. "Martin, did you make a friend?"

"I'm Oliver. Do you know what these are?" He shoves a drawing up at Micheal. "Mommy says dreams don't mean anything, but they give me a date and times for the people I see in them with the tendrils. Martin doesn't have them."

Micheal takes the picture, and he can smell something off about the boy. It hit him suddenly that the smell reminded him of a mourge, and he knew what that meant. The End took a child avatar. Is everyone copying the Desolation? "This is important. You should tell everyone their date and time."

Oliver eyes widen. "Thank you, mister Micheal. Oh wait, can I hang out with Martin this weekend? I wanna meet his pet spider." He stops. "I have to ask my mommy though..."

"Oliver!" A woman huffs as she made her way over.

"Hi, Mommy!" Oliver smiles, holding up Martin's hand. "I made a friend. Can we hand out this weekend?"

The woman sighs and smiles. "You made a friend?"

"Hi, I'm Martin, and that's my uncle." Martin points up to Micheal, who smiles nervously, adjusting his glasses. "My mommy doesn't like me. Breekon and Hope tried to bring me back, and she threw a knife at me."

The woman stared at Micheal. "Go talk to your friend for a moment, Oliver." She watches the two boys run by the odd yellow door. "I uh..."

"Everything is fine, legally speaking Breekon and Hope didn't adopt Martin, but everything they tried to return him to his biological mother er she responds with violence. However, Martin has a safe home with them, and I help out when I can." Micheal gives a nervous smile.

"Geez, I thought my situation was shit." The woman chuckles. "You can call me Kat. My husband died recently, so it's just been us, so I'm glad he's making friends. Uh, how about the park this weekend? I have time off on the weekend thanks to my government job, and I'm sure it will help Oliver to have a friend." Kat smiles.

Micheal nods. "Oh, that sounds lovely. Martin hasn't been the best with other kids since they single him out. Did you guys just move here?"

Kat nods. "Is it that obvious? Yeah, we did, but we have to get home." She sighs. "Oliver, come here it's time to go home."

Oliver runs up to his mom. "Yes."

Martin runs behind him. "Cannwe hang out?"

Kat nods. "Yeah, this weekend the park is a nice place, and I can meet uh Breekon and Hope?"

"Life partners." Micheal raised his brow, gauging her reaction.

"Oh huh, I understand the adoption problems. Ah, no worries, I'm sure they are doing great. He seems like a good kid." Kat waves and picks up Oliver.

Micheal smiles and feels his hair curl. "You made a friend."

"I made a friend that isn't a spider." Martin corrects.

"Of course, little Mr. Web avatar. I don't know why Breekon and Hope encourage that. Please warn me when you grow new eyes." Micheal sighs, holding his hand out.

"I got new teeth?" Martin opens his mouth to show fangs.

"Don't bite anyone." Micheal smiles. "Unless it's a nasty adult."

"Ok." Martin smiles and follows him into a yellow door.

......

Kat freezes as the two men approach her. She puts her son behind her and swallows. The taller man she didn't think he had eyes but she couldn't see through his hair. The smaller man was smiling, but it looked all wrong. "Can I help you?"

The larger man smiles, and it somehow looks worse than the smaller man. "I'm Breekon."

"And I'm Hope." The smaller one finishes, and their accents sounded so fake and unnatural.

Kat gkes to speak before a boy pops out from between them.

"Hi!" The small red head covered in freckles relaxed Kat.

Oliver ran in front of his mom. "Hi Martin!"

"Hi Oliver!" Martin points to the larger one. "That's Breekon." He points to the smaller man. "That's Hope. They help care for me. They are strangers."

"Are they strangers because they look weird?" Oliver tilts his head they didn't look right, and he couldn't place why.

"Dunno." Martin shrugs.

"Wanna watch me tell people dates and times like your uncle said I should?" Oliver smiles.

Martin nods. "Yeah! I wanna help you." Oliver grabs his hand, and they run off.

Kat relaxes slightly. "Boys, you know. I, uh, mean well kids, they tend to grow up fast." She gives a nervous smile but doesn't feel the fear like last time. "Right, my name is Kate, but I go by Kat. It must be hard raising a boy like that all by yourself, poor thing rejected by his mother. I'm sure he cares about you both deeply."

Breekon raised his brow, but Kat wasn't entirely sure. "We were told having him form a bond with his mother would help."

"She doesn't seem to want him, but he's a good lad." Hope finishes and grabs Breekon's hand.

Kat smiles at the pair. They were probably nervous, probably the first public outing as a couple. "How long have you've been together?"

"Ages." Breekon hums.

Hope smiles.

"I miss that. My husband passed recently, but I'm glad you both have each other." Kat hums. "How did you guys adopt Martin? I know there isn't anything official, but I won't tell the boy is happier with you two. Oh, where are my manners? There's a bench off to the side. We can sit and watch them play. I don't like being out in the open either." She leads the pair to a bench where they sit, and she sits in between them. "I apologize if this is forward, but I don't want anyone giving you guys dirty looks. People aren't too kind to those like you both. This way, we can keep talking and not separate you two."

"You're a kind one." Breekon pauses.

"I think it would be beneficial to keep in contact." Hope nods at Breekon.

"Oh, that's great. So how long have you two been guardians?" Kat smiles, waving at her boy in the sandpit with Martin.

"He was 2 when his mother left him with us." Breekon hums. "Wouldn't let go of Hope's leg."

"You wouldn't put him down after you wrapped him up in a blanket." Hope smirks.

Kat smiles. "A sweet little thing. I'm glad you both found him."

The two strangers have a silent agreement to protect this human. They made a friend like Martin. It was a lot less messy than using actual parts like they thought was needed.

......

Kat was worried, which was an understatement, Oliver just turned 13 a little over a week ago, and that's when the problems started. She just thought his complaining was just normal teen stuff she knows she annoyed her parents. Then, she started to find bloody handprints around her home. She knew Oliver and was complaining about his hands hurting, but she brushed him off, explaining that he would see the doctor for his physical soon.

Oliver wasn't fast enough to hide his hands when his mother burst into his room. "I uh..."

Kat covered her mouth, staring at her son. His hands were bloody, and his skin seemed to slough off. She swallows her work isn't supposed to follow her home, let alone affect her own son. She knew her son's friend Martin, his adopted parents weren't human, but they seemed harmless, but she knew better than to go to work for help, and they seemed to understand the inhuman nature of things. "Oliver, are you ok?"

Oliver was crying. Blonde hair fell in front of his eyes as he got up and ran to his mom. He clung to his mom. "I couldn't stop it, and it hurts so much. Am I dying?"

"Not if I can help it." Kat hugs her son. "Alright, we're going to visit Martin, and I'm going to ask his guardians for some advice. Now, don't argue with me. I'm going to get you some gloves and I'm sure they can help."

"Did i... did I get Martin sick?" Oliver hugs his chest.

"No, sweetheart. Well, I hope this isn't contagious. However, his guardians can help. I just know it, so let's head over there." Kat smiles.

......

Breekon answered the door, Kat only knew this because he was the bigger of the two she couldn't tell you any stand-out features. She made it a point to not stare at them she knew it made them uncomfortable. "Kat and Oliver. What brings you to our humble flat?" He gave a smile that didn't look right.

Kat smiles back. "Look, I know I've never brought it up, but I know you two aren't human, and uh... where's Hope?" She shakes her head. "Not important, but I don't think I should ask my place of work for help. Oliver, please take off your gloves."

Oliver nods, and flesh comes off with the glove along with blood sluggishly seeping out of the wound.

Breekon's lips thin to a neutral expression." Aite, come in. Don't touch anything living, Oliver."

Kate pushes her son inside and follows behind him. "I apologize for the sudden interruption as well. Do you know what's happening?"

Breekon turns to his side as if he was waiting for Hope to answer, but he wasn't here. He grimaced. "Martin is going through the same...." He bites his lip with mismatched human and animal teeth. "Different patron.... preparing their bodies for becoming fully fledged avatars not..." He huffs, crossing his arms.

"You can stop. I know it's hard without your other half." Kat smiles softly. "Oliver, go find Martin."

Oliver nods and dissapears deeper into the flat.

"You serve the stranger?" Kat knew it was true, but the nod eased her suspicion. "Are yes and no questions ok while Hope isn't here?"

Breekon nods as tension drains from his shoulders. "We didn't want to leave Martin alone..... the Web never made a fully fledged avatar before. Let alone so young."

"You don't have to talk without your partner. You're probably curious why I'm not freaking out more. It's uh complicated." Kat smiles and follows him to the couch. "I work for the government never lied about that, but it's a secret branch, and thankfully, there are more safeguards than the Magnus Institute or just the normal police. I don't want to lose my son but I have a feeling that the End chose him."

Breekon nods, sitting next to her.

"I mean, I didn't think they would start going after children. It's pretty clear these fears enjoy adults more than kids. Uh, no offense, but uh, Martin is a different patron than you." Kat pauses at the small nod. "I see you didn't want him to be like you?"

Breekon frowns. ".... He wouldn't be our Martin anymore..... we didn't want him to be a Stranger like us..... no, that isn't right." He swallows. "We were never human to begin with."

Kat reaches out and holds Breekon's hand. "Don't force yourself to speak without him. It's ok to be stressed. You both are basically Martin's fathers. He's changing just like my boy is just different gods?" She smiles at the nod. "I'll keep your secret. Of course, if you promise, you'll help keep my boy safe."

Breekon nods eagerly.

"Good now, do you need to eat....?" Kat pauses at the odd hand movement. "Ok, wrong question." A nod. "Do you want to eat?" Anotger odd hand movement. She sighs. "If I make food, will you eat?" That earned her a nod. "Ok I can work with that."

Breekon pauses for a moment before deciding it was ok to speak again. "We don't have to eat like humans.... we can eat like humans... we feed on fear to sustain us."

"Ah OK that makes so much more sense than the theories we had at work. I assume all of the other types feed on different fears, then? OK, good going to have to figure out how to help my Ollie, but that's a future problem. Right now, I'm going to make them some food, and could you check on the boys?" Kat, let's Breekon's hand go and get up.

Breekon nods. "You are a good human..... we uh Hope will be happy to hear."

"Maybe it would be better if you both got cellphones." Kat pauses. "You don't know what that is.... ok, check on the boys, and I will explain it to you they are still kind of new."

Breekon nods and gets up to head to Martin's room.

......

Martin was shirtless laying on his bed with his arms up. He had four open sores, two on each side of his body. "You're lucky."

"How? I'm a freak look at my hands." Oliver huffs, sticking his hands back in his gloves. "I can still feel them."

Martin raised his brow. "Breekon and Hope said I'm getting new arms."

"That's cool, though." Oliver sighs, looking over. He makes a face. "Er, well, it doesn't look cool now."

"I don't really understand it, but apparently, the female voice I've been hearing is the mother of Puppets and the spiders, but uh, technically, they are the same thing, kind of. I dunno." Martin sits up. "My actual mom is a lot meener than her."

"Really?" Oliver frowns. "You don't talk about your mom."

"She doesn't like me. Breekon and Hope try to bring me to her at least once a year, and it doesn't go well. I don't tell them to stop because maybe one year she'll be happy to see me." Martin hisses in pain as he puts his arms down. "Ugh, can't I just get the new arms already?"

"I don't think it works like that." Oliver holds up his bloody hands. "You know I started to hear a voice too, but I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl. My god seems weird. Yours is at least a mother."

"I just think that's a title. They're known as the Web." Martin shrugs. "I like spiders, though."

"I like spiders too. Why can't I be a spider creature?" Oliver hisses and pulls up his shirt, showing off a rash starting on his chest. "I probably should tell my mom."

"I've got a rash on my back and legs if that makes you feel better." Martin sighs, looking up seeing Breekon in his doorframe. "I uh nothing I said nothing."

Breekon chuckles softly. "It's too be expected both of you are the first....." He huffs. "The first fully fledged avatars of your patrons who picked you...... we will help you hide after you're done.... Kat is making food...."

Martin smiles. "Thank you, Breekon."

"Can you help us?" Oliver can feel his glove slip off with a wet splat on the floor. "Sorry...."

Breekon shakes his head.

Martin smiles. "It's ok, Oliver. It's just blood and flesh."

"Still kind of gross." Oliver frowns.

.......

The front door opened, and nobody made a comment on how Breekon rushed for the man who entered. "Deliveries went well?"

"As well as it can without you." Hope smiles as they share a kiss. "Is Martin ok?"

"Bleeding is sluggish. Kat is here." Breekon locks his arm with Hope, and they relax in each other's presence. He led his other half into the kitchen where the two boys were eating, and Kat was getting then their third helpings.

"Welcome back. I kind of stormed in earlier, but Breekon insists it's ok. It's probably better if Oliver stays while he is changing, or at the very least, he stops visibly bleeding and losing flesh." Kat smiles. "I also made you both some food you guys don't have to eat, but the offer is there."

"Kat has been very understanding." Breekon smiles unnaturally wide.

"We are in your debt." Hope tilts his hat at her.

"Right well again, I'm cashing that in. Please look after my son. I don't want to alert anyone at work that something is amiss, and he will be safer here because of you two." Kat sighs. "And Oliver insisted that freaks stay together."

Oliver nods and so does Martin.

Breekon and Hope share a laugh. "We would happily look after him with Martin." They speak in unison.

.......

Martin pulls his hood over his head. Kids were awful, and he knew he was only 16, but the statement held up. They always had a comment on how he looked or just his stutter or his shy behavior. Oliver doesn't live near him anymore his mom had to move due to work they still hang out during the weekends, but now that meant he was alone at school. It didn't help that he was big and tall and he was still growing.

A short teen bumped into him. "... can't you see with those glasses." He had a bright blue scarf and was trying to hide a scar on his cheek that seemed to travel down extensively to his body.

Martin stopped. "....cool scar." He covered his mouth and turned on his heel and tried to walk away when the boy reached out and grabbed his hand. He had impossibly green eyes that seemed to have a ring of sky blue around them.

"What did you say about it?" He scowls, and Martin didn't recognize him. He stepped back, and Martin knew why.

Martin blinks and covers his face. "I'm sorry!"

The teen raised his brow. "Who are you?"

"Martin Blackwood, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to point out the scar. I just thought it looked cool, and I don't know."

"Mike Crew." Mike shakes Martin's hand he was already holding. "You like falling?"

"I uh... huh." Martin tilts his head. "You've been claimed by a fear, haven't you?"

Mike let go and furrowed his brows. "No, I was struck by lightning."

"Same thing, I think. Uh, my guardians have been trying to teach me about all of them. I can tell you if you want?" Martin shifts nervously.

Mike nods. "Yeah, my dad doesn't really care what I do after school. I just have to be home before sundown."

"Ok, yeah. Is the library a good place?" Martin smiles as the other boy nods.

......

A yellow door creeks open, and a blonde teen jumps out. "Martin!"

Martin places a finger over his lips. "Shhhhh, we're in a library."

"Not fair. I can't sneak up on you anymore." Oliver huffs and stops raising his brow. "Oh, uh hi...."

Mike looked over his chair. "You another fear freak?"

"Mike!" Martin huffs.

Oliver raised his brow. "You've got weird eyes, and... no time... huh, then yes, I am. Did you figure out what?"

Martin shakes his head.

Mike rolls his eyes. "You've got dumb blonde hair."

"Rude." Oliver hops in a chair next to Mike. "Anyway, have you narrowed it down?"

"Yeah." Martin holds up the list. "Obviously not the dark since he can still see, and not the corruption because he isn't dirty and invested with any sort of bug. Not the web, Mother would have told me, and I would be able to see strings he also doesn't have extra arms."

"You've got more than two arms?" Mike smirks. "Show me."

Martin pulls up his sweater to show the two pairs of arms wrapped around his chest and stomach. "I have to wear baggy clothes, can't really hide them like my spider half, or extra eyes or mandible. Oliver just needs gloves because he can use hide with normal clothes."

"I'm mostly just a spooky skeleton." Oliver chuckles as Martin pulls down his sweater.

"I wonder if I'll get anything cool." Mike hums grabbing the paper.

"Well, we got to figure out what picked you first." Oliver takes the paper from Mike. "Maybe the Desolation."

"He hasn't set anything on fire." Martin puffs out his cheeks.

"I need a lighter." Mike raised his brow as it's crossed out.

"Ok, that answers that...." Martin stops as a elderly man approaches them.

"Huh, I thought it was just rumors from the stranger from all things. The desolation should have just waited for their God to pick than." He chuckles, adjusting his glasses. "Now, now, no need to stop on my account, or I can solve this little conundrum for you three."

The three teens stay quiet.

"Now, now I won't bite." The old man laughs. "I'm Simon Fairchild, and I believe your friend developing the blue eyes has been picked by my patron."

"Who do you follow?" Oliver was the one to speak up.

"Oh my dear boy, I would show you, but I'm not one to pick fights with the other patrons. I am part of the great Vast." Simkn smiles and lowers his glasses to show off impossibly blue eyes.

"But don't people get a choice?" Martin frowns. "We didn't get a choice in this."

"Aha, that's right, you three are complete anomalies. Never happened before, the patrons don't exactly choose, but you three are the exception to the rule, old Jonah will be pissed, well he already is dealing with his own anomaly. Anyway, enough of that, I'll be your teacher and show you the best ways to feed our lovely patron. You know feed them before they feed on you." Simon chuckles and hands a card over. "Call me when you start feeling peckish."

Mike hesitated but took the card with a number on it. "Do you guys feed on people?"

"Kind of? I don't really need to scare people about death. I did accidently kill a few animals before I figured out that I can't touch them without gloves." Oliver frowns.

"People tell me their deepest secrets, or I can control them. I really don't enjoy controlling people, though, but sharing facts about spiders and showing them off seems to work, too." Martin hums. "I can make webs too."

"All I'm able to do is tell people how and when they will die." Oliver huffs.

"Deaths touch seems pretty cool." Mike hums.

"Only on my hands." Oliver sighs.

"I mean, it's pretty obvious. I meant hands you don't touch with your foot." Mike snickers.

Simon chuckles. "Oh, the folly of youth. I'll see you guys again." He seems to vanish as he looks through the open window.

"Whoa... do you think I'll be able to do that?" Mike gasps.

"You guys get all the cool shit." Oliver huffs crossing his arms.

"You have all the medical knowledge on like everything." Martin smiles.

"Maybe I'll be a doctor. Easy to feed the End that way." Oliver shrugs.

"That seems a bit on the nose." Mike raised his brow.

"Oh fuck you." Oliver huffs.

"I would say you can, but you can't seem to use your hands." Mike smirks leaning forward.

Oliver blushes a deep red. "I uh... well I...."

Martin looks away, trying to ignore the red thread between the two.

......

A eerie voice echoes around as it laughs. "You're new." A long crooked finger points till it glitches and looks normal. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you."

Mike steps back from the yellow door and the blonde man.

Martin waves. "Hi Micheal, what brings you over?"

"You made a new friend." Micheal smiles. "I apologize then for scaring you again uh..."

"Mike." Mike gives a nervous smile.

"He's the spiral, but also Micheal." Martin smiles.

Micheal nods. "That is correct, I just wanted to pop in and say Breekon and Hope are out on delivery and won't be back till next week. Nikola is giving them problems, and they don't want them to find out about you."

"Oh, alright." Martin frowns and looks away.

Micheal frowns and looks over to Mike who just shrugs.

Mike nudges Martin. "What's wrong?"

"My adoption day is in three days, I just I dunno I wanted them there." Martin sighs. "It's fine."

Mike frowns. "Maybe next year will be better this Nikola sounds like a bitch."

Micheal's frown deepens.

"It's whatever. I'm getting too old for that stuff, right, so I'll be fine. I'll uh head to the store to pick up food and stuff for the next week or so don't know how long they will be. I'll see you later, Mike."

Mike holds his hand out watching Martin go. "I wouldn't if I was you. He doesn't want us to interfere." He sighs. "He talks about them, Breekon and Hope like they're his dad's yaknow. I haven't met them yet, and Simon tells me I should be careful, but if they are the ones to raise him, I don't see why I should be worried. He's probably the best influence I've got left."

Micheal crosses his arms. "I helped raise him too."

"I don't think it's a competition." Mike sighs. "It's nice to meet you, though, for what it's worth."

Micheal watches Mike walk away as well. He was going to find the two strangers and rip them a new one.

......

It took Micheal three months to find the pair. His voice was twisted and angry, echoing off nothing. "Where the fu- oh... ah, " He seeming poofs into a normal human form in an instant.

An older teen boy and a preteen boy hide behind Breekon and Hope.

"Why do you have two kids?" Micheal tilts his head, trying to get a better view.

"Younger kid found Nikola exploring..."

".... we handled breaking him from the mark....."

"...older lad wouldn't leave..."

"....followed the boy..."

"....Nikola thinks we ate them...."

"..... we didn't...."

"... we had to hide..."

"... we have to return them...."

Micheal holds his hand up, stopping them. He knew they were panicking their voices completely identical to each other. "You both. .. you both changed...." He adjusts his glasses, walking around the pair. He doesn't even look at the two boys. "You two are changing."

Breekon and Hope grip each other hands tighter.

Micheal smiles softly, and his door opens. "Time to go home, and you boys are coming too. Martin will forgive you both, and I'm sure we can find some clothes for the two of you that aren't dirty."

.......

The creek of a yellow didn't distract Martin from his work. He started to knit and crochet, having multiple arms helpful for his new hobby, and Micheal got him a lot of yarn. He hoped that when Breekon and Hope came back, they wouldn't be too upset. He wasn't mad at them he's worried and trying to distract himself. He wants to tell them about Mike and that Oliver was moving back closer.

Two pairs of strong arms wrap around Martin. "We're sorry for abandoning you."

Martin gasps and shakes tears falling down his cheeks. "Dads?"

The embrace is tighter.

Micheal clears his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but Martin, can you spare some clothes?"

Martin pulls away and turns around. "I uh oh new people hi I can make tea." He drops his needles and yarn. He hugs two pairs of arms to his chest and forces his extra eyes to close. "I uh, I'm sorry."

The younger boy approached eyes wide as he got close to Martin. "Are those real?"

"Danny!" The older boy hissed.

Martin blushes and nods. "Y-yeah, most people are scared of them."

"Can I touch them?" Danny looked up at him.

"If you want to. They're just normal arms. They even have my dumb freckles." Martin gasps softly as the boy touches them.

"That's so cool." Danny smiles and waves to the other boy. "Tim, come on, he isn't going to bite you!"

Tim, the older teen, walks cautiously over. "I'm sorry, my brother can be a bit touchy, and I uh..."

Martin blushes a bright red, spotting a red string around the older boys wrist, and it connects to him. He stumbles back. "It's fine. You're probably scared it's fine. That's normal. I heard Nikola is quite nasty right, yeah. I'm going to make some tea, uh, right clothes, uh, the dryer, the dryer has some stuff, too." He rushed out to the kitchen.

"Tim, you scared him!" Danny crossed his arms. "His dad's saved us, and you scared him."

Tim sputters. "I did not scare him." He huffs. "You probably scared him since you rushed at him."

"I did not! I asked him first." Danny pouts.

Breekon grabs both of their shoulders, pushing them together. "That's enough, lads."

Hope smiles. "One of you shower I'll get you clean clothes."

Micheal laughs. "Boy wasn't scared." He slips back through his door, and it vanishes.

......

Martin pauses watching Tim from the doorway. He was looking into some history books about Robert Smirke, Breekon, and Hope, who said he was the first human to categorize the fears into separate entities, and he was right. Tim was odd he was the opposite of himself, outgoing and loud. He was strong and athletic. He had that red string too, and he was honest when he finally had the courage he told him, then ran away.

Tim waves spotting Martin. "Hey Martin, still fighting fate?"

"N-no, you deserve a choice." Martin stutters but approaches. "I uh are you ok?"

"Danny is fine, and I'm ok. Just because Breekon and Hope are strangers, they are nicer than the clown." Tim shuts his book. "Can I ask you something?"

"I uh, I have no control over the red strings. Mother can't even control them. You know, I thought it was only fear and secrets we fed on, but it's connections too, and I uh...." Martin stops. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

Tim shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I uh wanted to ask about the avatar thing."

"Oh, uh... ok?" Martin crosses all his arms. "I didn't have a choice in it."

"How did you know? I mean, did it just happen? Was it a slow change over time? I uh..." Tim adjusts his glasses. "I uh dunno I feel off since the theater."

Martin frowns and sits down next to Tim. "You don't look different."

"I feel different." Tim frowns. "I don't want to accidently hurt Danny."

"Ok, well, I think I can help." Martin smiles softly, reaching one hand out.

Tim sighs in relief. "Thank you. I just I don't know."

"Well, what are the things that are different?" Martin tilts his head. "You look normal, and I suppose I do too. People are born with extra limbs."

"Well, I mean, once the lights are off, I'm different." Tim frowns. "That's the dark, right? But I'm not a little kid, and I mean I'm not even afraid of the dark."

"I'm not afraid of the spiders that the web controls, and I'm still an avatar of the Web." Martin tilts his head. "I don't exactly think being afraid is a prerequisite."

"If that was true, I would be a stranger." Tim shudders. "No offense to Breekon or Hope. They seem pretty cool, all things considered, and they did save our lives."

"You're changing?" Danny poked his head through the door.

"Danny!" Tim huffs. "How many times have I told you not to spy on me?"

"Doesn't matter. Are you going to get extra harms like Martin? Can you feed on my fear? Oh, oh, do you get a weird pocket dimension like Micheal? It's like a video game fast travel!" Danny rushed into the room, dropping himself down next to his brother.

Tim sighs. "Danny, I don't even know if I am. What about you? I'm not going to feed on your fear."

"But that would be so cool." Danny huffs.

Martin chuckles.

"Don't encourage him." Tim huffs but was smiling.

"Well, we have 14 choices to get through." Danny was practically vibrating with excitement. "Oh, once we figure it out, you could be like a fear superhero."

"That is the opposite of what the fears are... uh... wait." Martin pauses. "Being more well known could get more food and stuff, and maybe fear could evolve into a different emotion to feed on, but I dunno."

Tim smiles softly, staring at Martin. "Well, once we figure it out and I get a handle on it, we can go home, and then well, I can protect you guys."

"See superhero fear avatar." Danny smirks.

Tim rolls his eyes. "You read too many comic books."

......

A yellow door creaks open slowly, and Micheal steps out. Well, he tries before a hand grabs him and drags him out.

"Explain away this then!" It was Kat she looked annoyed and Micheal didn't exactly know where he was.

"I must say the dramatics are excellent look at his costume." A dirty blonde hair woman crossed her arms. "You really think I'm that gullible to believe that? It's almost as absurd as my brother being the head of an institute."

"Uh..." Micheal glitches to look human. "Um Kat, what am I doing here?"

The dirty blonde hair woman steps back.

"Two things, one to prove to Miss Bouchard that there is actual meaning behind what we organize. Secondly, why do Breekon and Hope have Diane's kids with them?" Kate huffs.

"Two boys...? You know where Diane's boys are?!" The dirty blonde haired woman growls. "That woman has been breaking down for the past 4 months."

Micheal pauses and in a soft voice. "Uhhh, Breekon and Hope stopped the boys from being killed from Nikola, and it doesn't matter Elias has a sister?"

"You know Eli, too? Don't tell me you also say he's the head of an institute. Last time I've talked to him, he left after college and worked in artifact storage. That man is not built to run anything except a drug deal if I'm being generous, which I'm not."

"Gwen shut up for a second. What do you mean the boys were almost killed?" Kat crossed her arms. "I thought I asked you guys not to involve my coworkers if I didn't ask."

"Ok, first off, technically, they aren't your coworkers they are your co-workers' children. Secondly, the two stumbled upon where Nikola was by exploring and would have been killed, and there parts used for the stranger if Breekon and Hope didn't interfere. Tim is becoming an avatar for the Dark, so they are waiting until he has some control until they come back." Micheal frowns. "You already knew the second bit."

"Oliver told me, but I'm glad you've also confirmed it." Kat smiles. "Also, thank you again. See, I told you! I swear what we go through the actual accounts and things are connected to fear creatures. Also, I really don't believe the bit about your brother, though. You've decided him as a pot head."

Micheal waves his hand. "Wait, wait, wait. Again, I can not stress this enough. You're Elias's sister?"

"He's ten years older than me and has a different mom." Gwen raised her brow.

"Time isn't real." Micheal says automatically. "I used to work with him, well we worked on the same building. I was in the archives, and he was in artifact storage and then the head of the institute."

"Bullshit." Gwen throws her hands up. "You show me proof of other avatars, and in exchanged I can tell you stories about Elias, and you'll understand how now qualified he is."

"Please." Micheal's door opens automatically.

"We have to pick up my son first." Kat sighs. "And probably Diane."

"Sure, sure tell me about Elias, though." Micheal drags them through.

.......