Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When you had found something so damn exciting, would you also have the inexplicit urge to study it further?

Lukey, an energetic archeologist, was the sole explorer for the Reverie. He’d rather explore alone, he said to the Overseer, enjoying the rusted walls of the run-down abandoned hotel. It was said that the Reverie was the greatest hotspot for those who were immensely isolated, bringing them to a dreamland of hopes for them to be happy again. Lukey was fascinated at the idea of pure happiness.

His footsteps echoed in the dusty pavilion. The two-story building, completely shut-down since 1950… all to himself. The scent of withered roses filled the air, dust and ashes swept with each step that Lukey takes into the magnificent building… as his voice- his laugh echoing throughout the empty hallways.

“The Reverie, how you fascinate me!” Lukey shouts into the distance, a shrill laugh escaping his lips. Now, he wasn’t always like this, maybe still a little crazy over interesting monuments across the globe… but this was extreme. “I’ll prove to Bad that this was worthwhile !”

Lukey dashes into one of the rooms, sharply coughing into his sleeve at the assault of dust that formed into a cloud at Lukey’s sudden movement. He basked in the beauty of the Reverie, each of their well-crafted rooms spacious enough to keep a suitor wanting more. 

All the furniture was still intact, well-kept and polished, unlike many other abandoned buildings that Lukey has been to. On the outside, the building was beaten by a flurry of punches from Time… yet on the inside, Lukey observed that the building was barely touched at all by age. Lukey took the liberty to examine each furniture, several voices screaming in his head to take in every corner, every nook and cranny of the room to the best of his ability. Notes, chests, wardrobes and diaries… all items that Lukey hoped to find.

Yet Lukey found nothing. 

Bad was probably going to give him yet another earful again.

But Lukey had to persevere.

No more ‘hamster’ talks. No more ridicule from the Kingdom ever again. No more people sitting on him like a duck– he meant business with this discovery.

Lukey turned around, only to see someone pale, with red scales lining in splotches around his face. He had sunglasses, a black vest, sleeveless. That was the last thought he was thinking of before he passed out from both exhaustion and absolute fear.

***

“Hello?” 

Lukey shrieked awake, unceremoniously punching the shadow above him in response to fight or flight. “Oh my god–” He put his hands to his mouth, covering it in shock. The man he punched doubled over, but didn’t seem to budge. “I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

The man with red scales, was that a tail– just stared at him for a moment before bursting out into laughter. It barely seemed like Lukey did anything to him, judging by all the wheezing… 

“I’m fine- I’m…” 

More wheezing.

Lukey was starting to get annoyed. He’s a freaking famous archaeologist! Quit laughing at him! So what if his punches came off as weak?!

The tailed-being had finally stopped doubling over to laugh his lungs off, which Lukey was eternally grateful for. He wiped some tears off of his eyes, accumulated by all the teasing that he put Lukey through. “Anyway. I’m Pangi, the Reverie’s most trusted Attendant for everything and anything.” He said, a cool tone bleeding through pursed lips. “Welcome!”

Lukey paused. He looked around frantically.

The walls were suddenly polished and clean, beautiful wallpapers cleaned of dust and grime from years of aging. Each little detail was woven, crafted together by intricate hands that clearly conveys each bloodsucking detail to the suitors within the Reverie. 

He turned around. The bed was also fixed, somehow each hinge that was broken off by damages unknown were shiny and new. It smelled like vintage roses, as Lukey patted the sheets that felt more silky and carefully crafted. The bed seemed to blossom, beckoning for Lukey to lay upon it…

“...sir?” Pangi piped up from behind him, as Lukey whirled around to see the attendant staring in utter confusion. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost?”

“I-I probably have.” Lukey responded, touching his own face and pinched his cheeks to show himself that he wasn’t dreaming. In fact, he was not. It hurt. Lukey screeched, rubbing his cheeks. “Ow. Shouldn’t have pinched so hard…” 

Pangi snorted in amusement. He crossed his arms. “Well? Is this your first time at the Reverie? Why so shocked?”

Right. The Reverie. I’m literally in the Reverie for goodness sake…

The Reverie closed down in 1951 because of a wildfire. It was, at the time, the most luxurious hotel that anyone could have gone to in the United Kingdom, as many suitors who lived to this day of 1957 have claimed the soft bed sheets, the seductive looking walls and floors that beckoned each suitor in… even the kind attendants that helped each suitor throughout the Reverie were the best of the best. Nothing else in the world would ever top the Reverie.

So, it was May 17th, 1957. Why was Lukey here in a restored Reverie? Had he accidentally pissed off some omnipotent gods that could change time? Time travel was only in fantasy stories, where people would get ‘isekai’d’ or warped to another time. 

Pangi looked quite annoyed in the corner, crossing his arms with a frown. He had obviously realized that Lukey was ignoring him. “Hey.” He piped up, which snapped Lukey’s attention over to him. “Are you okay, dude? You seriously look like some ghost’s right there.”

“N-No… I’m fine.” Lukey replied, a little bit too hasty to the point that Pangi had a raised eyebrow. “Uh… sorry. J-Just came off as a surprise that I’m in the Reverie! You hit it into the nail for me! Yeah! Mhm!”

Pangi still looked suspicious, but decided to not pry any further. He plastered on a fake-looking smile and bowed. “Then I’ll leave you be for now. Call my name when you need me in the lobby, people’ll call me over to assist you. See you!”

“Yeah! See you-”

The door slammed shut.

Lukey clicked his tongue. “Fair.”

Chapter Text

Although Lukey arrived with nothing in tow, it seemed that Time itself wanted him to bring suitcases nonetheless. There were three large bags of things that Lukey apparently brought with him to the Reverie. Curious, Lukey decided to pry open each bag.

The first bag was colored brown, the texture thick as leather. Lukey examined it for a moment, then popped it open. The sickening smell of perfume decided to punch Lukey’s nose, as the latter started to start a coughing fit with a scowl. He groaned, forgetting how most of the perfume around this time was way too concentrated on the actual scent, with not enough water to dilute it out. The smell practically drenched the entire room, which prompted Lukey to frantically bail out of the room, gasping new air into his lungs that smelled much less like a flower bath. 

Woah.

Lukey’s room directly led to the golden lobby of the Reverie. Red and gold dotted the entire hotel lobby, people flooding in and out doing the exact same as Lukey– fascinated by its walls and splendor all for the suitors who were able to pay absurd prices for just one night. Lukey’s fascination was cut short, however.

“I didn’t take you for the perfume type.”

Lukey screamed, leaping from his original position and ending up clinging to a pole closest to him for dear life. Laughter quickly pursued the action.

“You’re like a hamster– pfft-” Pangi was there once more to mock him. He couldn’t help but continue laughing at Lukey’s pathetic stance. 

Lukey scoffed, his cheeks red from embarrassment. He crossed his arms, brushing his hair to one side with a scowl on his face. “Yeah, yeah… very funny, Pangi.” He muttered, awkwardly walking back in front of the chauffeur. “You just caught me by surprise. That’s all.”

“That’s what happened last time!” Pangi teased, playfully ruffling Lukey’s hair to mess it up again. He opened the door to Lukey’s room, after taking a whiff of the perfume within the room, he swiftly closed it behind him in shock. Pangi started coughing, his eyes watering from the strength of the odor. “I’m going to have to call someone to fix that…”

Lukey stuck his tongue out. “Oops?”

“It’s entirely your fault.” Pangi deadpanned.

Lukey just chuckled as Pangi slouched away, covering his nose with his scaly arm.

***

POV: Pangi

Pangi was so traumatized by the scent in Lukey’s hotel room that he called upon the only person he knew, who was basically immune to all strong perfume smells. 

“Aimsey!!” Pangi called, cupping his hands to his mouth for full effect.

On cue, Aimsey arrived, with Ros in tow. The two looked moderately confused, but excited nonetheless. Aimsey was practically skipping, their body never seemed to always stay on the ground– constantly moving with a beaming expression on their face. The Reverie’s most trusted Attendant was Pangi (self proclaimed, of course), but Aimsey was a close second. 

Ros was more down-to-earth and preferred to stay excited only reserved for friends and family. She came from a lonely background which nobody dared to ask her about, and one of the receptionists in the Lobby for the nighttime shift. She looked like any other suitor of the Reverie at the time, but at night, she springs into action like any other employee would do. 

“Pangi!!” Aimsey shouted, right in front of Pangi’s face. They grinned at Pangi’s look of dismay. “What’s up??” 

Pangi spotted Lukey around the corner, he smirked. He genuinely enjoyed toying around with him, just for the shits and giggles… 

Aimsey looked confused, looking over Pangi’s shoulder and also spotting Lukey. They gasped loudly, catching Pangi’s attention. “Somebody has a crush~”

“I do not.”

“Yes you do! You never give that look to anyone!”

Ros glared at the two of them with a sigh. “Gay men… the pinnacle of life.”

Pangi flicked Ros’ forehead, he looked panicked. “Aimsey, Ros, you’re going to get me in trouble . You know liking people of the same gender is illegal. I could get sent into jail!” Pangi scoffed, ruffling his hair in annoyance. “Whatever, his room needs the horrendous perfume out of there. Aimsey, your nose is basically nonexistent. You can deal with it.”

Ros pouted. “You’re mentioning work when we’re on break?” She replied instead, crossing her arms with a disappointed look on her face. Aimsey nodded in agreement, trying to stifle her giggles at the obvious sarcasm lacing Ros’ voice. 

Pangi just rolled his eyes and playfully walked away, honing in on Lukey like a missile.

Aimsey and Ros just watched as the scene unfolded in front of them before getting called in for their shift. 

***

POV: ???

“The pangolin is getting attached to him.”

“To whom?”

“Lukey.”

“Hum… and what do you want me to do?”

“Befriend him, and steer him away. Bribe him with our lush gold… and kill him as soon as you get him hooked.”

“Understood.”

A certain figure, his face covered by shadows and a cloak to conceal his identity… was ready to strike.

Chapter Text

“You act like you haven’t seen anyone in ages.”

Although Lukey understood that Pangi was probably jabbing fun at him again, that statement hit home. Archaeology was lonely, especially in his type of field where he was the team of people going out to examine archaic artifacts underneath the earth. The Honey Badgers were exemplary in their work, but only two people kept going; Bad(ger) Halo, and Lukey. 

They had the funds to keep going, but were struggling to be relevant in the modern world. All the newspapers talked about were the latest discovery from the Kingdom of Fools, led by their own exemplary team. Foolish, Bad’s sole rival, and two others, Clown and Sneeg.

Albeit weird names, the public took it as fake names for personal relevance. Nobody would like their real name leaked to the public by the rapidfire newspaper. Lukey remembered the shovel talk that Bad gave him at the start of the job, introducing himself as a nickname for his actual name rather than something on the flipside. 

Which meant that Lukey’s closest friends were able to catch on.

Hold on, what close friends?

Lukey was the quick-witted kid in class. He never showed up on time, given terrible grades which only held up because of Lukey’s interest in history. The private academy for inspiring archaeologists took him in, much to his parents’ dismay. “It would be a failure of a job,” said his father, clicking his tongue in disappointment. “You won’t be my son by then.”

“We’d die giving birth to an ungrateful child.” 

Lukey, guilty, started paying attention. He was secluded from everyone else, started to get better in private school, but still retained average grades at graduation. Lukey was given plain labor work under his father’s name, and started getting a coin purse to check his savings. Often dangerous work, Lukey almost lost a finger or two just manning the stupid machines behind manufacturers. 

It was when Lukey was dirt poor, taking three jobs at the same time when Bad found him. That point of time, the Honey Badgers were promising– the new and upcoming archaeology company led by a young, mature owner. Lukey was lured by its golden name, joining like many others. 

The namesake fell off after 2 weeks. Lukey and Bad were the ones left.

Then the Reverie showed up.

Lukey remembered the Reverie, a luxurious hotel that existed for only an average 4 years before it burned down in 1951. He was intrigued by the promise of women for suitors, the promise of forever gold… 

And the disgusting murders behind its glittering walls.

Being the lonely boy all his life, Lukey was willing to throw his life away to study the Reverie. Whether it be a homicide, Lukey was interested by the Reverie. In an unnatural, sick kind of way.

Bad commented how Lukey was falling for it as if they were a manipulator.

Lukey didn’t care.

This was his salvation.

***

June 6th, 1957

“Lucas Newton? That’s his name?”

Bad nodded, trying to keep up a shopkeeper's smile. The standard smile you would give someone if you just wanted to be polite. It’s been three days since Lukey disappeared, the Honey Badger’s headquarters growing dimmer in personality by the day. 

“We’ll tell you when we find him, Mr. Halo.” The officer drawled, the same sentence spoken by 5 others. “Mr. Newton will be found.”

They closed the case 5 days later due to the lack of evidence and the case going nowhere.

June 8th, 1957

Foolish eyed the wolf in the room, sitting by himself in a corner of the Fools’ main office. Most of the Kingdom of Fools were out researching their own interests, only coming back to report back to Foolish, their makeshift emperor because he so claimed to be. 

Bad had come to the Fools for help, afraid and alone of being… alone. Foolish had seen the type of crap Bad would subject himself to by worrying bullets for the people he cared about. 

The multitude of bottles, shattered and broken into finer pieces of glass across the marble floor… the quiet sobs of Bad echoing across the room. 

Foolish sighed. “He’ll come back, right? He’s your only employee after all.” 

Bad hadn’t responded to anything Foolish had said. Not even any of his friends and employees were able to get Bad talking. 

Except… one.

“What if you went to where he went missing?” 

Owen crossed his arms, wearing his uncanny jester hat and deceiving smile. 

Bad thought it was a beautiful idea.

Foolish looked perpetually terrified.

The Reverie was known not for the fire, but for the series of killings within its golden walls. There was a homicide case that was never solved, 5 corpses never pulled out of the Reverie as the walls came crashing down in a flaming inferno. The culprit was never caught, free to roam the streets… whilst others thought it was supernatural because the Reverie was built right above a cemetery (that was, of course, demolished for the Reverie to be built on top).

“Are you sure that’s safe?” Foolish questioned, grabbing Bad’s arm in a fleeting moment of desperation. His tone was more neutral, anyone with an ear or two could hear a question… but to people who understand to read his face rather than his voice, they would know Foolish was quite concerned at Bad’s sudden impulsiveness. 

Bad smiled softly. “How else would I get back the only person who’s tolerated me for years in this industry?”

Foolish froze, Owen flashed an even larger smile. 

Bad walked out of the building, with the rest of the Kingdom except for Foolish and Owen to wonder why the sole Honey Badger member came in unexpectedly to talk with their leader.

June 9th, 1957

Bad looked up the walls of the destroyed Reverie. 

He entered, quiet, brushing his hand against ashened tables and blowing off the dirty germs that he himself accumulated on his fingertips. Bad had noted some areas being cleaner than others, wondering if Lukey had practically done the same thing– mull over how beautiful the Reverie was, even in its destroyed form. 

“Lukey?” Bad called out, cupping his hands together around his mouth for dramatic effect. 

His heart ached for company. Lukey was the most talkative out of everyone he’s met so far. The only employee that stayed and the only one who brought Bad genuine joy. 

“Hello, and welcome to the Reverie!”

Bad flinched at the sudden voice, whirling around in surprise. He was met face-to-face with a pale, and scaled individual. They had orange scales around their eyes, chin, cheeks, arms…

“My name is Pangi–”

Bad held out a finger close to Pangi’s mouth. He had shushed the strange individual with a slight smile. “What did you do to Lukey,” said Bad, his tone passive-aggressive. A threat that nobody, even Foolish, was able to retort. 

Pangi sputtered. “...uh? I didn’t do anything.” Pangi flashed Bad a nervous smile. “He’s a suitor in the Reverie, no? So are you, well-esteemed suitor!”

Bad pushed Pangi to the side, shooting him an apologetic look before walking outside the room he was in. Embezzling golden met Bad’s eyes, the true splendor and beauty of the Reverie in front of him. How? Wasn’t the Reverie burnt down?

And this Pangi… Bad did extensive research on the Reverie to be most assured of everything that happened within it. 

If he remembered correctly, Pangi with no last name, was missing in the Reverie. He was the ‘golden boy’, the perfect bellboy for the Reverie… and he either was murdered or kidnapped. No bodies were retrieved from the burning hotel anyway.

“Sir?” Pangi said, practically seething. “First was Lukey staring into space… and now you? What’s going on with people nowadays?”

Bad huffed, crossing his arms. “For muffin’s sake, please be quiet.” He replied, earning a glare from the scaled individual. “Why do you have scales?”

“Uh, ‘cause I’m a pangolin.”

“No, my records said you were a normal 20-year-old man.”

“Records?! What, are you stalking me?!”

“No, it’s called being from the future and knowing that you die .”

Pangi froze at that sentence, raising an eyebrow. “What the hell do you mean by that?”

Bad scoffed, plainly smiling at Pangi with false enthusiasm. Were they stuck in some kind of time loop?

Most importantly, where was Lukey?

***

“It was nice talking with you, Aimsey.” Lukey said, genuinely smiling after a conversation. It was a great breath of fresh air from the serious talks with Bad, and all the politics surrounding the Honey Badgers and Kingdom of Fools on newspapers. It wasn’t for jobs, or was it for an interest with another agency. Just another conversation with another normal person.

Aimsey practically beamed, giving Lukey a thumbs up. “You’re welcome, Lukey. Come to Ros and I anytime for another chat!” They responded, happiness radiating off of their figure. “Unfortunately… It is time for me to pass the torch to the people who take morning shifts. Goodbye!”

“Bye, Aimsey!” Lukey said, waving happily as Aimsey trotted away. His heart was flying around in its little cage, proud of himself for holding a conversation with someone he had just met.

Lukey descended down the stairs of the Reverie’s huge lobby, intending to take a break in his hopefully cleaned room from the horrendous perfume. Until he spotted someone he had recognized.

“Bad?!” Lukey exclaimed, surprise coating his voice. Bad’s head shot up from contemplating, looking towards where Lukey was with an expression unreadable. “Why are you here?!”

Pangi looked powerless, angry that he was ignored by two suitors who decided that they were better than him. Not just that, in fact, the new suitor’s words had struck something within him.

Anxiety.

He knew anxiety well.

The Reverie was the last place for him to ever feel anxiety. 

“Pangi, are you alright?” 

Lukey’s sweet voice lulled him out of his spiral. Pangi looked up, frowned, and nodded. He made it clear he didn’t want to talk.

So Lukey didn’t push it, but gave Pangi a reassuring smile.

Bad watched, interested in their relationship, but also didn’t speak. However, a knowing smile plastered on his face.

I know what you are.