'Cause I'm just a D33nage dirtbag, baby

[d33tached]

WHO: D33 + various
WHERE: Archie's house in Heropa (mostly)
WHEN: 07/10 - 07/16 (age event)
WHAT: D33 is 13 and confused and only trusts Archie
WARNINGS: potentially lots of sad stuff with cw: abuse, torture, etc.

((Ooc: prompts below))

Comments

Archie

[d33tached]

[D33 wakes up in an unfamiliar house, surrounded by unfamiliar animals in the comfort of an unfamiliar bed. Perhaps it's that comfort that's the most jarring - had R01 taken him back into his quarters last night? No, he's certain that K31 should be next to him when he wakes up this morning, but she's nowhere to be found, nor is any malevolent god.

[He spends at least part of the day wandering through the house, his curiosity outweighing his fear, but after an encounter with an unfamiliar roommate as well, he takes to the bedroom he woke up in and hides.

[He's certain that they will be coming for him. At any moment, one of the Numbers - perhaps that man, T19, with the cold eyes and heavy hand - will bust down the door and take him back kicking and screaming.

[So, he hides, squished between the headboard of that comfortable bed and the wall, his communicator discarded behind him. What is that thing, anyway? How did he get here? What's going on? The more it buzzes, the farther he pushes it away, squeezing his eyes shut and silently wishing to fall back asleep and wake up in his dormitory, if not K31's. He'd even take R01's room over this. He knows that he'll be killed if this isn't a dream. He just knows it.]

[h2no]

[archie sends d33 a few texts when he realises there's something fucky going on. he doesn't expect an instant response, of course, and isn't too bothered when a couple hours pass and he doesn't get one. it's when half a day passes that he decides to call him. leaves a message, which is worrying. d33 always picks up phone calls, at least.

...checking on him couldn't hurt. there's not much going on right now and it won't take very long for him to get to the café. archie arrives with mightyena, standing outside the closed door for a long while. odd. he knows kaneki, at least, is always around. trying not to think too much of it (though it's pretty clear by now that something is afoot), archie swings by the few other haunts he knows d33 frequents.

still nothing.

his actual house is the complete last resort-- archie doesn't always like going directly to import houses. the amount of times he's done it in the past, he can't help but associate it with the utmost disaster.

it's easy for him to get the front door open when no-one replies. tommy and d33's puppy accost him-- mightyena distracts tommy but archie scoops up the little puppy.]

Dee? [he calls out, looking around. god, this is already too much. he doesn't want to go upstairs. though he also doesn't really want to explain panic-breaking-in. he might end today stabbed? ugh, he'd deserve it.

the little puppy chews at his fingers as he looks around, eventually deciding to edge half-way up the stairs.] Hey, is anyone here? You assholes are freakin' me out!

[d33tached]

[Tommy recognizes Archie immediately, and though it isn't uncommon for the dog to accost him as son as he walks in the door, he certainly does it with more vigor this afternoon. Once Archie is halfway up the stairs, the mutt is frantic, running over to D33's room and barking outside of it. Fumio joins in mostly because his brother is barking, but it's clear that Tommy wants Archie to open the door.

[Inside, D33 shudders at the sound, covering both hears with his hands and sinking further down between the headboard and the wall. What are those things? Dogs? Why are they so loud? They'd seemed friendly enough before, but now D33 just prays that one won't break down the door. He hasn't even heard Archie yet.]

[h2no]

[he gives scritches behind fumio's ears, trying to get the smaller puppy to quiet down. tommy, he expects, will be distracted by mightyena.]

Dee? [he call out again, now directly outside the door.] I'm gonna come in. You're not like-- messed up or somethin', right?

[if unlocked, he pushes the door open.]

[d33tached]

[Tommy is distracted by Mightyena, but only for a moment. As Archie calls out to D33 through the door, the dog whines anxiously.

[It's nothing compared to the anxiety that D33 feels. He must not have locked the door - stupid, stupid, stupid - because it swings open with ease. He curls up behind the bed, heart racing.

["Dee". They called him Dee, just like R01 would before bringing down a plank against his back. This guy must be one of his men with that cruel, friendly tone they use. He tries to hold back from whimpering.

[Hiding will only make things worse. They'll kill him for sure if they think he's run away. His mind races with the possibilities, and before he can stop himself, he jumps up from the bed and stands at attention like a tiny shoulder.]

I didn't defect. I didn't. [His voice wavers only slightly. He sounds firm, almost defensive, but he lowers his head. Maybe that's why he doesn't notice that this man is unlike any he's ever seen underground. He keeps his head down.]

I-I don't know how I got here. Please, take me back, I am ready to serve him.

[He feels sick saying so. He wishes he could stab this guy, whoever he is. He wishes he were ready to kill the way he's been trained to. But he knows there are others. Please, don't kill me, he wants to say, but that will only provoke him further, he's sure.]

General Pokéhaus Prompt

[d33tached]

[For the rest of the week, D33 can be found peeking around corners of the Pokéhaus and occasionally sitting nervously in one of the rooms, nibbling on something and waiting for Archie to return. As far as D33 can tell, he's the only one that can be trusted so far, and when he's away the boy feels on edge - jumpy, nervous, ready to strike if he has to. He still keeps a knife on his hip, but he's not too adept with it yet. He tries to keep quiet and to himself, but this world has brought about maddening curiosity in regard to almost everything - especially these bizarre creatures wandering about everywhere.

[He has his own dogs - they're apparently his dogs, anyway - and they stay rather close to him despite his state. Tommy, the larger one, seems to be particularly protective when anyone gets too close. The puppy, Fumio, is simply confused that his owner (?) doesn't want to play with him. He sleeps on D33's lap when he can, but that just ends up confusing the poor kid more. What are these things?]

[bentspooner]

[ Sabrina's only ever talked to D33 on the network, all she knows is that there's a skittish kid lurking around Pokehaus. She's met a great many kids around his age, and the longer she does that job, the stronger that protective, maternal instinct becomes. She's going to take care of this kid whether he likes it or not.

She's not going to come on too strong, though, just poking her head around the kitchen to the living room, once D33's finally wandered in. ]

Are you hungry? I'm making soup and sandwiches, should be done any minute.

[d33tached]

[D33 flinches visibly when he's spoken too. T19 and the other higher-ups are always getting on him about his stealth ability - curse him always peeking around corners at things. He recognizes the woman somewhat - he's seen her wandering about the house herself, but this is the first she's spoken to him.

[She looks familiar with that long black hair, and it puts a pit in D33's stomach. He stands there frozen for a minute, unsure of how to answer. He almost nods - he starts to, but then stops himself.]

Who are you...?

[bentspooner]

[ Sabrina sees the flinch, and senses the strong, nervous energy. Poor kid. She smiles down at him, soft and nurturing instead of bright and chipper. You can trust her, kid. ]

I'm Sabrina. A friend of Archie's.

[d33tached]

[D33 clenches his jaw, little fists balling up nervously at his sides. Then, he crosses his arms over his chest and looks the other direction, entirely unsure of how to respond. He barely even knows this Archie guy, so why should he trust some random woman?

[Her voice is gentle, though, and he can't help but think that woman in his dreams. When he looks back to her, something in his expression looks different - slightly hopeful, maybe, or even pleading.]

Do you know me?

[fehus]

[D33 might be either alarmed or intrigued, when another (older, certainly) teenager shows up in Pokehaus' front yard. rather than come inside, he -- drives the cats, dogs, and pokemon inside apparently crazy by not coming in, instead sitting out in the grass. it is possible Archie invited him, it is possible he just dropped by -- either way, he looks pretty at home, laying down in the grass after a few minutes and putting his arms behind his head]

[d33tached]

[It's true. The second Tommy notices someone outside, he starts to bark, which of course sets Fumio off, then the little yapping Chihuahua that D33 is not terribly fond of, and that other dog that he's yet to get to know. At first, D33 doesn't know what to make of all the noise - he sinks into the couch and covers his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. Once he sees them all sticking their noses against the window, it dawns on him that someone (or something) must be outside. The idea makes his heart seize up and then start beating harder.

[They wouldn't be barking at Archie, right? Maybe it's one of the other people that lives here? He considers hiding behind the couch, maybe locking himself in a room, but that dangerous curiosity gets to him and he ends up sticking his head up behind the other window instead, staring at the strange man in the grass. D33 stays like that for a long time - Magnus might feel eyes on his back? He doesn't dare go for the door just yet, though.

[He does cover his ears again. Those dogs are loud.]

[fehus]

[the dog thing -- has gotten better since he started understanding animals, but not by much (since, well, monsters talked, too). so at first Magnus is in no hurry to get up and go in the house, to where all the barking is happening (it sounded like there were more dogs than usual, even?). eventually, though, after almost falling asleep -- far from what he came to Archie's to do-- he gives in]

[sort of. after standing up and brushing grass (though not grass stains) from his knees, he walks up to the porch. he doesn't knock or ring the bell immediately; rather, he bows his head. a pulse of peace and calm goes out from him, and suddenly the dogs -- stop, quiet, ease, tilt their heads. Magnus knocks on the door after that, calling out]

Archie? It's me.

[before opening the door]

[d33tached]

[All at once, the barking stops, the sudden silence cause D33's heart to jump. Then, there's a knocking at the door and a voice asking for Archie. He takes a couple of steps back from it, his intention being to run off and find somewhere to hide rather than answer it, but then the door opens and he's left standing there, frozen in apparent fear at the boy on the other side.

[He looks young, but not so young that he couldn't be one of Royce's men. But he asked for Archie. He must know him. He must be of this world, right? Still, D33 is frozen.]

[fource]

[Quatre originally came over to check in on Blue, who didn't show up for work (and also to say hello to the pokemon). He wasn't expecting to find what appeared to be a 10 year old version of his coworker. That's weird enough in and of itself, but he's going to have to realize that this isn't limited to just him.

He doesn't associate the boy with D33 right away; for one, he doesn't know how much D33's social circle overlaps with the people from the pokemon universe, and he wouldn't expect him to be in the home in the first place. The boy's tension comes to him surprisingly quickly, but that doesn't inherently mean that he's met this boy before. It could just be that it comes through so clearly because of just how uncomfortable he is-- because he is extremely uncomfortable. Poor kid.

Quatre hesitates at the doorway, then smiles and knocks to purposely announce his presence.] Good morning. Did you just arrive here? This world can be very confusing, but I'd be happy to help you out if you have any questions.

[Anything to help him relax a little bit; he doesn't notice the dogs yet or maybe they're just not around I'm godmodding you fool]

[d33tached]

[D33 sits bolt upright on the couch when Quatre enters the house, looking almost as though he's about to dive behind it (the half-eaten sandwich in his hand makes this look somewhat comical). Fumio waddles toward the door to nip at Quatre's feet and roll around like an idiot, but Tommy stays glued to D33, ready to protect him if he has to.

[The boy stays quiet, eyes wide on Quatre, though still cold-looking, somehow. He must be one of Archie's friends, he thinks. This place seems to be a revolving door for strange and new people. After a moment, he finally opens up his mouth to speak, trying to keep his voice even, calm.]

Who are you?

[fource]

[Quatre holds back a reflexive wince as the boy panics at his entrance; luckily D33's dogs are here as a distraction. He bends down to give Puppy Trowa a well-deserved belly-scritch (this dog is such a fucking Trowa) as he answers, his voice still cheerful and calm.] My name is Quatre. I work with Blue, and I came here to check in on him since he didn't come to work today.

[Does this boy even know who Blue is? Hmm.] Do you have pokemon as well?

Abigail

[d33tached]

[It's nothing less than jarring for D33 to wake up in a comfortable bed. Last he knew, he was asleep in his dormitory - possibly K31's, but nowhere like this. Once he's up and out of bed, he's entirely unsure of what to make of this place.

[How did he get out? Did R01 bring him here? When will he be back?

[D33 tries to keep himself in the room, to wait patiently for the man to return and give some explanation, but when it doesn't come after an hour or so, he can't keep himself from exploring the house.

[A house. The entire thing reeks of familiarity, but he can't remember ever being in one before. He creeps through as quietly as he can, hiding behind various pieces of furniture and the walls between rooms. It seems empty, quiet, aside from the variety of animals - actual animals - roaming about. He thinks he might truly be alone until he sees her, a young girl sitting in one of the rooms.

[He freezes behind the doorway, eyes going wide, entirely unsure of what to do, whether to run or hide. He's not very stealthy about ducking behind one of the nearby chairs and trying to remain unseen.]

[am_i_a_monster]

  [Just sit and wait.  That's what Abigail's been taught to do if she's ever lost, and to call her father.   Only her phone isn't with her.  So, she sits quietly despite being terrified.  Is this house an elaborate police set up?   Or has one of the families of her father's victims brought her here?   Either way, she won't talk.  She's more afraid of her dad than anyone else.]  

[She looks around her, taking in the pictures on the wall.   There are some of a girl that looks remarkably similar to her.  They could be twins.  That must be it.  She's been abducted by someone like her father, to be used as a substitute for the girl in the photos.  Some kind of karma.   She doesn't even think to run and instead watches the door, hoping that her killer will be quick.]

[She's surprised by the sudden appearance of the kid.  He can't be the one that brought her here. He looks as afraid as she is.  Others in her situation might assume he's another kidnapping victim.  Her first thought is that he's the son of the kidnapper.  Another child being raised by a criminal.] 

Hi.  I won't hurt you.   Did your dad bring me here?

[d33tached]

[She's talking to him. So much for hiding, but he still stays behind the chair for a moment anyway, hoping that she might disappear if he just waits long enough.

[But her question...it's so peculiar that he almost can't help but bring his eyes up to meet hers, brow furrowing. Who is she? Another Number, perhaps? Maybe they will both be punished.

[But then why would she ask him about a "dad". Numbers don't have fathers. They don't have parents at all.]

Who are you?

[am_i_a_monster]

  [That makes her curious.   Didn't his father tell her who he was, what he'd done?   She knew all of her father's crimes.  Maybe he was too young to be exposed to it yet.] 

I'm Abigail.  I'm not supposed to be here. My parents will be wondering where I am.  They'll be looking for me.  Can you tell me where I am?   

  [She pauses.  Maybe there's hope.]   

I won't tell anyone what you tell me.  I don't want get you into trouble.   I just want to go home.  

Archie 2: Electric Boogaloo

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[For the first couple of nights at Archie's house, D33 is able to find somewhat restful sleep. Something about the entire situation is just mentally exhausting enough to put him out, and having the dogs to cuddle up with certainly does its part to help. On the third night, however, D33 tosses and turns, whimpers and cries. His head is filled with images of a young girl wandering underground corridors, crying and calling for him, but he's unable to respond. Before long, she's found, her neck broken or strangled, her face bloody and beaten. The dream cycles again and again, sometimes picturing the young girl, and sometimes that familiar woman, sometimes even that friend of Archie's who looks like the woman.

[In the dream, it feels like hours go by. In reality, it only lasts a few minutes, but those minutes come to a head with D33 nearly screaming, thrashing around in his bed and causing the dogs to jump off and begin barking and licking, trying anything they can to wake their young master.]

[h2no]

Dee?

[archie was awake-- he's been forgoing hypno's assistance the last week or so while everyone's still very young for this... exact reason, actually. he hears the dogs snuffling and whining before he hears dee cry out, but... well, the response is the same.

he pushes the door to the spare room dee is staying in open, shushing the two dogs gently.

he knows enough about dee by now to know to stay out of swinging distance.]

Dee! [he says, a little firmer. there's no stick or anything in here he could poke hime with, jeez... archie leans forward to put a hand on dee's arm and give it a little shake.]

[d33tached]

[Archie's presence does little to calm D33, of course, and when his arm is grabbed, the boy lets out a violent scream, then jolts awake and rips it away, huddling up against the wall on one corner of the bed and cowering there.

[He's disoriented. The room is unfamiliar, the bed even more so. It takes a minute just for his eyes to adjust in the darkness, and when he sees Archie, he almost screams again before it dawns on him.

[Archie. D33's shoulders sink rather than ease, and he stares at the man with wide, pleading eyes, now dripping beyond his control. His stomach twists with a nauseating mixture of relief and residual terror, and before he can stop himself, he throws himself against the man, hands curling around the fabric of his shirt, desperate for any sort of comfort or security. He is just a kid, after all. Normally K31 would be there to cling to instead, but she's still trapped in his dream with a broken neck. He lets out one strangled sob at the image, shoulders shaking silently with the rest.]

[h2no]

Hey, hey--

[he wraps his arm loosely around dee's waist, the other one going to his shoulders.]

I got you, Dee. I'm here.

[archie's willing to sit there and let dee hold him las long as he needs. he won't ask about what happened just yet.]