Eerie, Indiana fanfiction: Divergent
Dec. 8th, 2017 08:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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eerieindianaA/N: So, this takes place in the Microwave/Holmes Brothers verse, but it references the events of Pay Attention.
Dash X stared at the sheaf of papers on his desk without seeing them. Slowly, he reached for the silver knife taped to the underside of his chair, using his body to block the movement from the sight of whatever unholy beast stood lurking in his bedroom doorway. Only once he felt the cool, reassuring weight of the engraved handle against his palm did he turn to face the intruder.
"Satan," he said, surprised. "I didn't hear your thundering hoof beats."
Harley Holmes stared at him from beneath a red hood topped with a pair of lopsided plastic devil horns. For a moment he looked confused, and even a little hurt. Then he glanced down at the fleecy red onesie he was wearing, and the flame-patterned trident in his hand, and his expression cleared. His bright blue eyes returned to their intense scrutiny of Dash's face, and he said nothing.
Dash felt himself growing increasingly uncomfortable, and a correspondingly increased amount of annoyed at that fact.
"What?" he said. "If you're looking for someone to take you trick or treating, Teller will be back in half an hour."
Harley shook his head.
"Simon already took me," he said, jiggling a grinning pumpkin pail full of candy for emphasis.
"Okay?" said Dash, not sure where this was going. "Do you need me to check for razorblades, or...?" he let the question trail off expectantly.
"I had a dream about you," said Harley. He crossed the threshold to the master bedroom, paying no attention to the dozen sigils that burst into phosphorescent flames as he passed beneath them, and sat on the edge of the bed. Dash turned slowly in the stolen office chair, tracking his movements.
"Uh-huh," he said.
"I was older," said Harley. He studied Dash for a long time, then added, "You weren't. Or maybe you were and you didn't show it, or you were older in a different way. I don't know."
In the flicker-quick way of a nightmare, he was beside the desk, gripping Dash's hands in his own. He turned them over, examining the markings on the back, the soft pale palms strangely free of the usual lines. Then he was back on the bed, his small legs swinging as he stared aimlessly about the room.
"Your hands didn't look like your hands," he said. "You'd bled for a long, long time before I found you, and afterwards they never healed quite right."
His gaze snapped back to Dash, who had to tamp down a sudden urge to run. Cold sweat prickled at the back of his neck and along his spine, and he swallowed, the sound loud in the suddenly too-quiet apartment.
"Where-" he croaked, then tried again. "Where's your brother, kid?"
Harley cocked his head to one side, as though thinking about it.
"He's here," he said. "He's in the kitchen, making me a sandwich. He sent me to see if you wanted one." He upended the plastic jack-o-lantern, spilling brightly coloured candy across the unmade bed.
"In my dream, he wasn't here," he said. "You were, and I was, and there was a girl who smelled of turpentine and wood shavings and whose face was never her own."
He was sorting through the glittering foil wrappers with one finger, separating them into various piles. Dash noticed quite a few full-sized chocolate bars in the mix, and wondered how many households had been terrified into offering up better tribute by this strange terrycloth devil.
"You were much, much angrier," said Harley. "Way angrier than the you that you are now. Angier than this you has ever been, I think. But you were my friend."
He arranged the full sized treats into a neat stack, topping the pile off with a carefully balanced row of Hersey's Pumpkin Spiced Kisses.
"You were my friend," he repeated. This time, when he moved, he did it in the normal way, small feet making a shush-shush noise as he dragged them through the thick carpet. He dropped the candy, full-sized bars and seasonal limited-edition Hersheys and all, into Dash's lap.
"Wait," said Dash, who as it turned out did baulk at taking candy from a baby. "Kid, I can't take your Halloween loot because of some dre- hey, are those Thin Mints?"
Harley flung his arms around Dash's neck. Up close, he smelled like a forest fire and his skin burned with icy cold.
"Thank you," Harley whispered, his breath hot and the click-click-click of three dozen supernumerary teeth loud against Dash's ear.
Then he was gone, the shushing sound of him dragging his feet against the carpet retreating down the hall.
Dash stared at the abandoned spoils of the Holmes' trick-or-treating. Already some of them were slipping off his lap and onto the floor.
He sighed and began scooping them up, using the expense report he'd abandoned as a makeshift basket. After a moments' hesitation, he removed the box of Thin Mints - how the hell had the kid wrangled a full packet, and at Halloween, no less? - and shut them inside his desk drawer.
Holding the sheaf of papers carefully at the edges, moving slowly to avoid spilling, he followed Harley down the hall and into the kitchen.
Simon looked up from the chopping board. He had a smear of peanut butter across the back of one hand, and more of it on his left cheek.
"Hey," he said. "PB and J alright with you?"
"That sounds great," said Dash, depositing the mound of sweets on the kitchen table where Harley sat colouring. His eyes were hot and he turned away. "I'll get the plates out."
Pay Attention and Side Stories
Preparations by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
froodle. Winston Chisel, the morning he became Mayor.
Blue byfroodle: Sara Sue and Marilyn Teller in the laundry room.
Reflection byfroodle: Sara Sue in Paris.
The Storm byfroodle, in which Mayor Chisel has a very specific job for Eerie's resident weatherman
Pay Attention Part 1 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 2 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 3 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 4 byfroodle
Echoes byfroodle: the worlds where Simon and Marshall stayed are very different
Pay Attention Part 5 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 6 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 7 byfroodle
Sculpture byfroodle, in which Sara Sue must face off against the forces of municipal artwork
Pay Attention Part 8 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 9 byfroodle
Pay Attention Part 10 byfroodle
Civil Disobedience byfroodle, in which Sara Sue objects most strenuously to the Mayor's behaviour
Christmas Morning byfroodle; takes place in the Pay Attention-verse, after the main story
Pay Attention: Coda byfroodle
Holmes Brothers
The End byfroodle, in which Simon reads Harley a bedtime story
Drains byfroodle, in which clowns are evil, murderous sacks of shit, and Simon is having none of it
Kaleidoscope byfroodle, in which Simon has cause to regret buying cheap toys at the World o' Stuff
Sneakers byfroodle, in which the latest Sky Monsters are released
Reception byfroodle, in which Simon has problems with his mobile phone
Festival byfroodle, in which Eerie's local businesses celebrate the summer
Strawberry byfroodle, in which there is unauthorised hubbub in Eerie
Anticipation byfroodle, in which Simon and Harley look forward to the Equinox
The Hut byfroodle, in which Simon takes on the forces of Eerie solo
Microwave-verse
Bonfire byfroodle, in which Pinocchio is ruined forever
Gingerbread byfroodle, in which there is a witch in the Eerie Woods
Leaves byfroodle, in which plantlife finds Marshall entirely too enticing
Offspring byfroodle, in which there are dragons
Based on Your Previous Purchases byfroodle, in which Mars should really pay attention to Amazon's reccomendations
Housework byfroodle, in which a rota cannot be agreed upon
Breakfast byfroodle, in which Dash's attempts at cookery do not go well
Ghost in the Machine byfroodle, in which a new laptop opens an old wound
Consequences byfroodle, in which an encounter with leprechauns leaves the boys very tired indeed
The Microwave byfroodle, in which Andrea Fantucci returns to Eerie after a considerable absense
The Eldritch Abomination in the Room byfroodle, in which the microwave is most definitely not discussed
Basic Household Maintenance byfroodle, in which manticores are inconsiderate houseguests
Torrential byfroodle, in which there is a storm, and the boys eat ice-cream
Linens byfroodle, in which Dash X makes a bed
Night Music byfroodle, in which Simon is woken by a nocturnal visitor
In For The Night byfroodle, in which Dash refuses to leave the house
Hound byfroodle, in which Simon makes a friend
Errands byfroodle, in which Simon has a to-do list
Waterlogged byfroodle, in which Eerie experiences heavy rainfall
Wildlife byfroodle, in which Simon and Marshall go to the beach
Rainbow byfroodle, in which Dash fails to properly appreciate Michael Flatley
Jackolantern byfroodle, in which the local pumpkin patch has a problem
Dash X stared at the sheaf of papers on his desk without seeing them. Slowly, he reached for the silver knife taped to the underside of his chair, using his body to block the movement from the sight of whatever unholy beast stood lurking in his bedroom doorway. Only once he felt the cool, reassuring weight of the engraved handle against his palm did he turn to face the intruder.
"Satan," he said, surprised. "I didn't hear your thundering hoof beats."
Harley Holmes stared at him from beneath a red hood topped with a pair of lopsided plastic devil horns. For a moment he looked confused, and even a little hurt. Then he glanced down at the fleecy red onesie he was wearing, and the flame-patterned trident in his hand, and his expression cleared. His bright blue eyes returned to their intense scrutiny of Dash's face, and he said nothing.
Dash felt himself growing increasingly uncomfortable, and a correspondingly increased amount of annoyed at that fact.
"What?" he said. "If you're looking for someone to take you trick or treating, Teller will be back in half an hour."
Harley shook his head.
"Simon already took me," he said, jiggling a grinning pumpkin pail full of candy for emphasis.
"Okay?" said Dash, not sure where this was going. "Do you need me to check for razorblades, or...?" he let the question trail off expectantly.
"I had a dream about you," said Harley. He crossed the threshold to the master bedroom, paying no attention to the dozen sigils that burst into phosphorescent flames as he passed beneath them, and sat on the edge of the bed. Dash turned slowly in the stolen office chair, tracking his movements.
"Uh-huh," he said.
"I was older," said Harley. He studied Dash for a long time, then added, "You weren't. Or maybe you were and you didn't show it, or you were older in a different way. I don't know."
In the flicker-quick way of a nightmare, he was beside the desk, gripping Dash's hands in his own. He turned them over, examining the markings on the back, the soft pale palms strangely free of the usual lines. Then he was back on the bed, his small legs swinging as he stared aimlessly about the room.
"Your hands didn't look like your hands," he said. "You'd bled for a long, long time before I found you, and afterwards they never healed quite right."
His gaze snapped back to Dash, who had to tamp down a sudden urge to run. Cold sweat prickled at the back of his neck and along his spine, and he swallowed, the sound loud in the suddenly too-quiet apartment.
"Where-" he croaked, then tried again. "Where's your brother, kid?"
Harley cocked his head to one side, as though thinking about it.
"He's here," he said. "He's in the kitchen, making me a sandwich. He sent me to see if you wanted one." He upended the plastic jack-o-lantern, spilling brightly coloured candy across the unmade bed.
"In my dream, he wasn't here," he said. "You were, and I was, and there was a girl who smelled of turpentine and wood shavings and whose face was never her own."
He was sorting through the glittering foil wrappers with one finger, separating them into various piles. Dash noticed quite a few full-sized chocolate bars in the mix, and wondered how many households had been terrified into offering up better tribute by this strange terrycloth devil.
"You were much, much angrier," said Harley. "Way angrier than the you that you are now. Angier than this you has ever been, I think. But you were my friend."
He arranged the full sized treats into a neat stack, topping the pile off with a carefully balanced row of Hersey's Pumpkin Spiced Kisses.
"You were my friend," he repeated. This time, when he moved, he did it in the normal way, small feet making a shush-shush noise as he dragged them through the thick carpet. He dropped the candy, full-sized bars and seasonal limited-edition Hersheys and all, into Dash's lap.
"Wait," said Dash, who as it turned out did baulk at taking candy from a baby. "Kid, I can't take your Halloween loot because of some dre- hey, are those Thin Mints?"
Harley flung his arms around Dash's neck. Up close, he smelled like a forest fire and his skin burned with icy cold.
"Thank you," Harley whispered, his breath hot and the click-click-click of three dozen supernumerary teeth loud against Dash's ear.
Then he was gone, the shushing sound of him dragging his feet against the carpet retreating down the hall.
Dash stared at the abandoned spoils of the Holmes' trick-or-treating. Already some of them were slipping off his lap and onto the floor.
He sighed and began scooping them up, using the expense report he'd abandoned as a makeshift basket. After a moments' hesitation, he removed the box of Thin Mints - how the hell had the kid wrangled a full packet, and at Halloween, no less? - and shut them inside his desk drawer.
Holding the sheaf of papers carefully at the edges, moving slowly to avoid spilling, he followed Harley down the hall and into the kitchen.
Simon looked up from the chopping board. He had a smear of peanut butter across the back of one hand, and more of it on his left cheek.
"Hey," he said. "PB and J alright with you?"
"That sounds great," said Dash, depositing the mound of sweets on the kitchen table where Harley sat colouring. His eyes were hot and he turned away. "I'll get the plates out."
Pay Attention and Side Stories
Preparations by
froodle. Winston Chisel, the morning he became Mayor.Blue by
froodle: Sara Sue and Marilyn Teller in the laundry room.Reflection by
froodle: Sara Sue in Paris.The Storm by
froodle, in which Mayor Chisel has a very specific job for Eerie's resident weathermanPay Attention Part 1 by
froodlePay Attention Part 2 by
froodlePay Attention Part 3 by
froodlePay Attention Part 4 by
froodleEchoes by
froodle: the worlds where Simon and Marshall stayed are very differentPay Attention Part 5 by
froodlePay Attention Part 6 by
froodlePay Attention Part 7 by
froodleSculpture by
froodle, in which Sara Sue must face off against the forces of municipal artworkPay Attention Part 8 by
froodlePay Attention Part 9 by
froodle Pay Attention Part 10 by
froodleCivil Disobedience by
froodle, in which Sara Sue objects most strenuously to the Mayor's behaviourChristmas Morning by
froodle; takes place in the Pay Attention-verse, after the main storyPay Attention: Coda by
froodleHolmes Brothers
The End by
froodle, in which Simon reads Harley a bedtime storyDrains by
froodle, in which clowns are evil, murderous sacks of shit, and Simon is having none of itKaleidoscope by
froodle, in which Simon has cause to regret buying cheap toys at the World o' StuffSneakers by
froodle, in which the latest Sky Monsters are releasedReception by
froodle, in which Simon has problems with his mobile phoneFestival by
froodle, in which Eerie's local businesses celebrate the summerStrawberry by
froodle, in which there is unauthorised hubbub in EerieAnticipation by
froodle, in which Simon and Harley look forward to the EquinoxThe Hut by
froodle, in which Simon takes on the forces of Eerie soloMicrowave-verse
Bonfire by
froodle, in which Pinocchio is ruined foreverGingerbread by
froodle, in which there is a witch in the Eerie WoodsLeaves by
froodle, in which plantlife finds Marshall entirely too enticingOffspring by
froodle, in which there are dragonsBased on Your Previous Purchases by
froodle, in which Mars should really pay attention to Amazon's reccomendationsHousework by
froodle, in which a rota cannot be agreed uponBreakfast by
froodle, in which Dash's attempts at cookery do not go wellGhost in the Machine by
froodle, in which a new laptop opens an old woundConsequences by
froodle, in which an encounter with leprechauns leaves the boys very tired indeedThe Microwave by
froodle, in which Andrea Fantucci returns to Eerie after a considerable absenseThe Eldritch Abomination in the Room by
froodle, in which the microwave is most definitely not discussedBasic Household Maintenance by
froodle, in which manticores are inconsiderate houseguestsTorrential by
froodle, in which there is a storm, and the boys eat ice-creamLinens by
froodle, in which Dash X makes a bedNight Music by
froodle, in which Simon is woken by a nocturnal visitorIn For The Night by
froodle, in which Dash refuses to leave the houseHound by
froodle, in which Simon makes a friendErrands by
froodle, in which Simon has a to-do listWaterlogged by
froodle, in which Eerie experiences heavy rainfallWildlife by
froodle, in which Simon and Marshall go to the beachRainbow by
froodle, in which Dash fails to properly appreciate Michael FlatleyJackolantern by
froodle, in which the local pumpkin patch has a problem
no subject
Date: 2017-12-08 10:33 pm (UTC)And Thin Mints!
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Date: 2017-12-08 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-12-09 05:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-12-09 05:59 pm (UTC)