dreams that make you go hmmm

[h2no]

WHO: archie and lu, maybe others if u wanna tag in
WHERE: helix
WHEN: hmm.
WHAT: So You've Had A Shared Dystopian Nightmare
WARNINGS: probably discussion of violence and death



[firstly, a very important message to the network:]

what the fuck

[secondly, archie goes to helix. he doesn't really want to be at home after what he remembers and feeling so... off, so he goes to helix. probably the only other place he feels safe in.

then he orders about twenty pizzas. at least three are for himself.

finally, another message:] if you know what's up come to helix
see last message for details

Comments

gremlin spotting

[h2no]

[it takes him, he's ashamed to admit, a couple days to pull himself out of his confusion induced stupor and remember that people outside of helix exist. a couple houses he checks are still empty, but one...

maybe he was leaving this one last for a reason. he... kind of remembers what rex did. he's...

worried? kind of?

mostly terrified. archie hovers around the door, then knocks.]

Yo, anyone home?

its mimosa time

[hatejakku]

[ Finn had trouble remembering what had happened other than knowing something happened. Hadn't Poe been there? Did Finn... die or something?



Anyway, he didn't bother texting Archie back. Instead, he just slunk over to Helix. When he did find Archie, he walked over with slumped shoulders, a confused/tired/worried expression on his face, and a way too big sweater on that was practically dripping off of him. Sue him for choosing comfort over... literally everything else right now. ]

Hey... Saw your message... What're those for? [ The pizzas, he means. ]

[fauxmarth]

[he doesn't have to wait long for a reply.

...well. he kind of does, because she doesn't answer immediately by phone, but she's come to Helix in a hurry and hastens to seek him out, herself disheveled and harried in her own right, apple-cheeked from flying so fast in the freezing cold.

it doesn't matter.

she's breathless and worried that, maybe, she hallucinated this? that he's still gone along with the rest of them and she's just going mad.

half trotting, half floating, she yells down the hall:] Archie-?!

[darkov]

[it's not long before the deadbolt clicks and the door opens -- yanked open, really -- and Martin's wide eyes are searching and fixing on him. gaunt, distressed, and more anxious than he usually is, that's the state of him now.

it's been days. many days.]

Ar-archie...you're...you're here... [he speaks as if going above a whisper risks some kind of retaliation, and his eyes wince, already welling up, as though he's braced for something bad as he realizes it's his friend, actually in the flesh come to see him.]

[h2no]

Yeah--! [oh, god. are rex and andy not back yet? archie crouches and holds his arms out, if martin wants a hug.

god knows the poor kid looks like he needs one.] I'm here. I'm sorry. They'll be back, okay? We're coming back slowly, but they'll come back.

MIMOSAAAAAAAS

[h2no]

[archie's halfway through his second pizza when finn gets there-- why is he so hungry? not sure. this is good though. he pulls himself up from the table he's at when he sees finn, sliding an arm around his shoulders for a brief, awkward hug, then directs him to one of the nicer chairs. non-plastic. good shit.]

Hungry.

[...eloquent.]

[h2no]

In here, Lu! [he calls out, not getting up. he has eaten

way too many pizzas. ugh.

mightyena does the honours and bolts out of the room, tail wagging and whining. lucina can probably tell he's upset, because he doesn't jump up on her. he rolls onto his back in a submissive position when he gets to her, whining still.

sorry he tried to eat you :(]

[darkov]

[he wavers in place, hesitant, as if doing so was going to make something bad happen. but it's only for a moment, and then he leans forward and lets himself get embraced, his own arms a bit limp on Archie's shoulders.

they'll be back, he says. is that true? or is this like the desert city? wasn't that supposed to be over?

quietly mumbled:] I thought that...it was just a bad dream. I thought all of this stuff was supposed to be over.

[...]

But I woke up and...nobody was here. Nobody's been back. Their names aren't there, either.

[fauxmarth]

Oh! You, there...! [she's braced for the jump, but...instead just stands there with her arms out and watches the poor thing go belly up. she blinks, then clicks her tongue, bending down to scoop him up with ease, smushing her face against his fur.]

Don't be like that. It's alright. I'm always happy to see you. [she coos other such assurances while walking into the room of pizza stink, peeking out from wiggling dog to spy Archie, her heart immediately lifted just as much as it's squeezed.]

Thank gods...you've come back... Did anyone else-? [Guzma? Darin?]

[h2no]

[this is a throwback. what must've happened to the poor kid? archie doesn't know. he doesn't think he wants to know.]

Yeah, me too. [he gives martin a squeeze before he pulls back.] Have you eaten?

[h2no]

[mightyena groans and burys his face against her shoulder. perfect. this is perfect. crobat's in the room with archie, sitting in a corner and looking quite ashamed with himself. sharpedo and muk are not present for obvious reasons.]

No, I haven't seen anyone else. Sorry. [he exhales lightly and pushes a box towards her. if she opens it, she'll see he's arranged the peppers and pepperoni on it to say "sorry i tried to kill you"

must've got it with extra extra peppers. damn, archie.]

[darkov]

[he blinks slowly, then takes a moment to rub at his watery eyes and gulp against the lump stuck in his throat. he wouldn't have minded that hug for longer, but he won't protest aloud.

with a crack in his voice along the way:] I dunno. I'm not hungry.

[h2no]

[he watches for a moment, then takes martin's hand gently.]

You wanna get Fish Rex and Fish Andy and come with me? I'm stayin' at Helix. That big place nearer the centre of the city. It's safe, and there's any food you want there. I can get a room for you. Y'can stay safe until they're back, yeah?

[fauxmarth]

[unfortunately, the bitter gift is not opened right away, not when she's got an armful of dog and other things besides pizza on her mind.

while still scratching Mightyena in her hold:] And you... [pause.] You remember? That place? That city?

[darkov]

What if they come back and I'm not here?

[as if Archie didn't just say "until they're back."

he swallows again.]

What if they--don't remember me? Or are...mad about what I--what happened. If it was real, then...

[then it wasn't good.]

[h2no]

Yeah.

[he looks away, tone even. he's not really... sure what to tell her or what to make of it. he looks ashamed the same way crobat does.]

I got back earlier, after Poe gutted me like a damn fish. What the hell was it? Some OTO last hurrah?

[h2no]

You can come back. You don't need to stay. You don't even need to come with me, if you don't want to.

[...

he sighs a little.]

We'll just have to deal with that when we get to it, huh? I think Andy and Rex understand you enough to know that whatever happened, it wasn't... right. That whole thing was like a nightmare.

[fauxmarth]

[she doesn't answer right away, instead spending some quiet just holding dog. eventually, though, she sets him down and lets him go where he pleases while she dusts the fur off her clothing and face, all the while gutted me like a damn fish echoes in her ears and makes her stomach knot.]

I saw no sign of them. OTO. Unless they wore new masks, then...it was something different. [she shakes her head, her expression cloudy.] Nothing they'd done ever took us away; it only...brought things here.

[h2no]

Fucking hell.

[he leans back with a groan, cupping his face with his hands.]

Did you get back the same way?

[darkov]

[and if they don't come back... if it's like Cassandra...

cold dread fills him like a fog, tinging thoughts and feelings with its temperature. it keeps the little flare of frustration from boiling over into proper anger at how unfair this all is.

dipping his head, he backs up, and he leaves the door open as he turns away to go find where the fish have gotten to, wordlessly returning and holding the bowl out to Archie.]

[fauxmarth]

...

[she lingers in silence for a beat before approaching the table and having a seat. she picks at the box lid and lifts it, staring at the arrangement of peppers and meats with a fraught expression.

she closes the lid and scoots the box away a bit.]

It wasn't Poe.

[h2no]

[he exhales lightly, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze.]

Sorry. I hope it was quick. I hope that's not the only way back.

[h2no]

[yeah, he's not feeling great about it either. archie takes the bowl.]

Do you want to bring anything else with you? We can come back when I've got you set up in your room in Helix, if you'd rather.

[fauxmarth]

[she doesn't say anything, but after a pause she does uncurl her fingers from their fist to squeeze his fingers back.]

...Is Ashley here right now? I shouldn't dawdle. We have to get them back here, back to their senses. All of them.

[her voice got thick at the end, forcing her to hesitate and swallow.]

Jacob was there...

[h2no]

...I don't know. I didn't check. I just didn't want to be at home.

[he groans. not out of frustration, more a quiet, grief-filled sound.]

Of course he was. I didn't see him. I wouldn't have... known him if I did, anyway. [which hurts more than he cares to admit. after a moment, he pulls himself up.] What's the plan?