DHMIS TWO OF US AU FANFIC
(Sneak peek because I am waiting for my new ao3 account to work)
... kinda short but whatever
(TW murder/gore?/violence/disturbing actions??)
(Context: David is upset with Mr Duckly because he tends to bring up his parents, which is a sensitive topic for him. So to help him out, Mr Duckly invites him over for tea! and to give him a special gift!)
David knocks on the door, he hoped he got the address right. He thinks about turning around and leaving, but the door eventually opens.
“David! I’m glad you showed.”
“Are we actually going to talk?”
“Yes, of course.” Robin steps aside, allowing David in. “I hope you don’t mind the clutter, I am a bit of a collector of all sorts of rubbish.” David doesn't reply, but nods. Robin turns the kettle on and pulls out a seat for David. “I am truly sorry if bringing up your parents bothered you, I was only trying to keep their memory alive… I suppose..”
David picked at the scab on his hand. “I- I don’t know why you care?” Robin looked shocked upon hearing that. “You don’t know why I care!? Your father Leroy, he was a good friend of mine. I understand you are still grieving them, your parents. But can I at least remember them as my friends?” David exhaled. “... Yes. I- I’m sorry. I just-” Robin shushed him. “There is no need for apologies, it’s alright.”
The scab on David's hand started to bleed. “I don’t know…why I-”
“It’s alright! It's alright.” Robin then put his hand to his own chin, thinking. “Hmm, say, why don’t I show you some of my ancient artifacts? Whenever I’m feeling under the weather, I take a gander at them.”
David tilted his head slightly in confusion. “Ancient artifacts..?”
“Yes! Unlike my other countless collections, buttons, dials, and decorative spoons, I have a special interest just for oddities.” David exhales again, rubbing his forehead. Mr Duckly stands up, and begins to walk towards the hallway. “Come on.”
David rolls his eyes, and gets up to follow his teacher.
The pair walk down a dark and dusty hallway, fancy lamps illuminate paintings and old wallpaper to the best of their ability. Then, they reach a door. “Here we are. Try not to touch anything that looks valuable.” “mhm.”
The hinges of the door creak, and the room has a deep red carpet, and more fancy lamps and light fixtures. Along with a huge bookshelf, a bit of taxidermy, and lots of shiny jewels. The shelves were full of pottery, framed insects, and trophies. On the ceiling, hung stuffed doves and a giant world map. Stained glass windows, abstract artwork, hand-made tapestries all over. Even a mounted head of what looked to be a real tiger hung with its mouth agape and its face locked forever in an haunting angry expression. David didn’t want to admit it, but it was all very impressive. Robin took notice of David taking in each detail. “Like what you see?”
“It’s very captivating, where did you even get all this stuff?”
“I travel a lot, also I happen to know a guy who sells these kinds of things.” David gives a short hum and begins to look at one of the paintings. The old man chuckles. “Y’know I’ve never really believed in the supernatural stuff myself, but some of these objects are claimed to be cursed and haunted! Isn't that just hilarious!? Ha!”
I had no idea he was this eccentric?? I mean- I knew, but I thought-
David pondered while studying the painting.
The short man searches his many bookshelves for something. David turns around, waiting for him to finish his sentence…
“Here, take a look at this.” He blows dust off of this old leather book, most of which lands on David's face, who sneezes it away. It has strange symbols on the cover. He hands it to David, he holds and inspects it. “This is my book of Necromancy. It’s super old, but I want you to have it.” David looks surprised. “Necromancy?? Isn’t that like black magic?” “Indeed, I don’t exactly remember when or who I got it from, but I wanted to give it as an apology.” David stares at the book in his hands. His face hides his uncertainty. “... By giving me a book of black magic?” Robin laughs, his eyes a soft squint. “Well, I wanted to give you something interesting, maybe you will start an oddities collection yourself?” David scoffs. He runs his fingers over the strange symbols. Its font has an almost golden tint. He couldn’t tell if he was imagining it or not, but he swore he could feel the book vibrating.
“I mean, thanks… but what am I supposed to do with this? Magic isn’t real.”
Mr. Duckly furrowed his thick brows and shook his head. “Only If you let it be. Sometimes all you need is a little imagination, and creativity.”
“Uh-huh…” “I’m serious!” David sighed, and flipped through the pages. His eyes reading over some of the strange text, and many odd pictures and symbols. Hooking him in like he was a fish caught by a lure. “..Where did you say you got this from?” The short old man scratches his elbow, lost in thought. “I don’t remember, honestly I think half of this stuff just showed up on its own.” He laughed. But David didn’t change his expression.
“..Transfigure..Transmutation spell?? This is really bizarre.” One page showed a very disfigured face, and David jumped at the sight of it. “Woah! -I uh, didn’t expect to see something like this…” Robin chuckled. “You should've seen the shrunken heads! Ha!” David groaned. He scans through a few more pages before stopping on a certain one. “I don’t know what any of this means…” “That’s the point!! It’s the mystery, the intrigue, the curiosity!! That’s what makes starting a collection so fun!” Something manages to slip through the old man’s facade, and he looks strangely self conscious all of the sudden.
David almost chokes on his own breath when he sees something written on a page. “Ressurect The Long Dead or Forgotten..?” He reads it aloud, quietly. Robin is completely distracted with something else now, avoiding bringing up anything else. Something was worrying him. Perhaps he had told David too much, and was afraid of threatening his own ego. Wanting to start a different conversation, he turned on his heel. Now facing David again, he cleared his throat. “I remembered something your mum used to say to me. ‘Never dawdle!’ What a funny word, I use it often now.”
David couldn't believe he was talking about this again.,
His teacher laughed with a hoarse voice. “I also remember, when you were very young, your father brought you to the studio, and he went off and bickered with another bloke for hours!! It was just you and me. You probably wouldn’t remember now, but you liked spending time with me once.”
David scoffed, and shut the old leather book in his hands. “Look, I have to go, do you want this book back or not?” David spoke through gritted teeth.
Mr. Duckly waved out his hands. “No, no, I’m giving it to you!”
“Well, I don't want it.” Robin handed the book back. “Please, I insist! It’s a gift!”
“I need to go. I don’t need this.” Robin shook his head. “David, I'm giving this to you personally, as an apology.” “-I get that.” David begins to sweat, slightly agitated and uncomfortable with his teacher's persistence. “-and you won’t accept it?”
I don’t want the damn book!
What don’t you get about that!?
“Goodbye Mr. Duckly.” David forcefully places down the heavy leather book onto a nearby table. “David, I understand if you are upset…but running away from your feelings will not make things better!”
David snaps- shouting abruptly at the old man.
“I AM NOT RUNNING AWAY!!?? -Who are you to tell me that-!?”
Robin stumbles back, surprised at David’s harsh outburst. “I only wished to help-” “Help how!? By telling me to hoard useless junk like you-!? To sit in all this disguised misery you call a collection!?” Robin gasps, like those words seemed to physically hurt. But David didn’t care, he was furious. “Who do you think you are, acting like you knew my family, like you knew me!?”
Robin has a sad look in his eyes, like an old dog. He walks calmly past David, who is now breathing heavily. He lifts up the book once more, and holds it in front of David. “Take it. I don’t need it anymore.” David snatches it from the old man’s hold. “Fine-! I’ll take your useless-” Robin interrupts him, not by saying anything, just holding his hand up. “I’ve heard enough. You can leave.”
David growls and mutters as he walks down the hallway. This time, Robin doesn’t follow. David thinks about what Robin had told him, useless things that didn’t need to be brought up. Like he was opening a wound, but taking forever to break the skin. His nails grip onto the book and dig like it was his very own flesh. It had this buzzing feeling, too overwhelming.
David suddenly stops dead in his tracks. He freezes. He couldn’t tell if it was the book itself shaking or his leftover nerves. Then, an impulsive thought comes to mind. Except this time, it's in control. He idly turns around, calmly returning to the oddities room. He holds the book close. Robin is still in there, staring out the window.
David inches close, then closer…
He lifts the book above his head. And with a quick slam- he throws the book down as hard as he could onto Mr Duckly’s head. It makes a sickening crack upon impact.
Robin gasps, before falling onto the carpet with a thud. David, with realization of what he had just done, holds his hand over his mouth. The old man is groaning, wincing in pain as he reaches for the spot where the book had hit him. His hand shaking, now stained with thick, red blood. He cries out. David stands just out of his line of sight. Sounds of pain and confusion fill the room, making all the oddities seem all the more eerie.
Blood was beginning to pool out from his head. He groaned and rolled onto his side, trying to get up. David was also panicking, but for a much different reason. Robin caught sight of David, who was still holding the book. Once he had realized what seemingly happened, Robin began to groan louder. David dropped the book, and stood over his wounded teacher. “Oh, no…no,no no No NO!!” David leaned down, shaking Robin. “Hey, are you okay-c-can you hear me!?” Robin mumbled angrily. He spoke, his hoarse voice now harsher. “Get away…from me…” David looked around desperately, as if something from within the room would reach out and help. “I-should I- call for help!?” Robin groaned loudly, simply repeating his frequent request for David to go away.
(This DHMIS au belongs to @bunnieswithknives!! go check them out for more information about this au!!)
