Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Watchers and vexes have tormented Listeners for thousands of years ever since one of their own went against them. Xisuma fled from his fellow watchers and started the Listeners to try and fight against the Watchers and their beliefs. His will was strong but wasn’t strong enough. His dreams of fighting the watchers soon faded but returned to his adopted son, Scar. Scar was full of imagination and dreams. The young listener was determined to help his people and end this yearly suffering. With the help from his father, he was able to build a hotel to help hide his true intentions. 

A hotel to learn and brainstorm how to win against the watchers. All he needed was people. Scar now watched the world from inside his hotel. His elbow rested on the window sill as he started to think about how he could get people to join him. “You alright there?” A familiar voice said from behind and the young watcher quickly quickly looked over to see Cub. His short partner who had his arms crossed, just watching. 

“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine! What about you..?” Scar smiled as he adjusted himself to look at Cub who was chuckling to himself. Turns out his partner was amused by him just suddenly shifting around. “Good..good now! Wouldn’t you say we have stuff to do?” Cub smiled as he held out his hand for Scar to take. The young listener quickly took it and Cub helped him up. “We do, but I don’t want to!” Scar complained as his partner sighed. “I'm just trying to help you with that dream of yours. I wanna see you succeed. You’re doing this for a good reason! You can’t procrastinate now,”

“Alright, alright, you have a point.” Scar chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. “I’ve set something up so you can tell the whole quarry about this!” Cub smiled as he placed a hand on Scar’s shoulder and his other arm reached out into the distance. “It sounds like you want this more than me!” Scar laughed as brushed his partner off. “I’m just as passionate about it as you are. I just express it differently.” Cub shrugged as he looked off into the distance. 

“Now what exactly did you set up?” The listener asked as he pushed Cub’s head to look at him. “A tv interview. It's even being hosted on the Cynis Trio’s network so it should reach everyone.” 

“Wait really?” Scar was personally surprised that Cub could even get such an opportunity just for him. Now he was wondering how the hell did his partner even convince them to allow this. “Yep, now you better get ready for it. It's in about three or so hours so,” Cub seemed much calmer about it than Scar.

In fact, Scar quickly went over to his wardrobe and started looking for the perfect outfit for the occasion. “Scar?” Cub spoke up and his partner quickly turned to look at Cub with two outfits in hand. “Which one do you think would be best?” Scar asked as he held the two outfits up. “Should I go with the suit my father gave me or this spacey kinda one?” The one from Scar’s dad was a mostly black suit but had purple accents to it, while the other one had a black base but was covered in white dots that were supposed to be stars. Near the bottom of it, it had an ombre into purple.

“The one your dad gave you. The other is a bit too bright and the other one fits the purpose of this hotel.” Cub replied as he walked over to Scar who took a second to look at both suits. “You’re right..thank you! This is why you’re my partner,” Scar smiled before putting the space themed suit away. “You’re welcome. Do you want me to help you with the rest of your preparations?” 

It took a second for Scar to respond as he laid the suit out on an empty chair. “I would appreciate it if you could help me with my hair.” Cub walked over and the two held hands as they walked to their shared bathroom. The bathroom was rather big with it being neatly decorated. One side of the sink was organized and the other was a bit of a mess. Having many products surrounding the basin of the sink. “One day, I'm gonna make you organize your side.”

“Are you really?”

“Of course I will. I am gonna make sure of it.” Cub reassured as he leaned on the counter as Scar gave him an annoyed look. “You are gonna have to put up with it. This is what you get for loving me.” Scar sighed as he crouched down to get a few more things out of the cabinet under his side of the sink. He set each on the counter and Cub crossed his arms. “I feel like all of this is unnecessary.”

“I don’t know what you mean! This is very necessary! I must look my best,” Scar smiled confidently as he handed Cub a brush. “I will never understand you,” His partner sighed before he began brushing Scar’s hair. “I don’t expect you to.” Cub continued to help Scar with his hair and took a second before putting product into it. “So what are we going for?” 

“Uhm, looks serious but actually isn’t.” Cub tilted his head to get a better angle as he rubbed product into Scar’s hair. “So, how you normally look? Even though you don’t look serious?” Scar leaned away from Cub, acting offended. “How dare you. I’ll have you know that I always look serious!” This ended up making Cub laugh which wasn’t exactly what Scar wanted but accepted it. 

“I hate you,” Scar sighed as he looked away from Cub who was amused by this situation. “I love you,” Cub finished working on Scar’s hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “No need to be dramatic now.” Scar finally faced Cub and smiled. “Thank you,” 

“You’re welcome. I’m gonna go make sure your suit is fine so you do whatever you need to do,” Cub smiled before walking out of the bathroom, leaving Scar alone in the room. The listener looked into the mirror. His hair almost seemed exactly the same but a bit neater. Cub knew exactly what Scar wanted. Almost just reading him like a book. Now it was time to get his head back in the game.  

Scar didn’t plan to do much with his makeup. Just moisturize his skin. Cub sometimes complained that his skin was dry when he came back a few years ago. In his partner’s exact words, “It feels like you've been in a desert for a month.” Cub normally said something off every other year. His partner would always ask where he was going. Cub always said that Scar was gone for a month but he didn’t believe him. He was the one going on the trip. It was just a week. 

Scar thought Cub was just overreacting but his partner insisted that he had really been gone for a month. Even brought up the calendar at one of these arguments, but Scar never believed him. He sighed as he tried to just focus on his skin at the moment. As soon as he was done, he opened the door to get out of the bathroom. He should not be left alone with his thoughts. Cub was waiting for him. His partner was sitting at the little bench by the window, simply reading one of the many books they had. 

“All done?” Cub asked as he lifted his head from his book. “Yep! Now you shoo, let me put on my suit.” Scar smiled as his partner sighed. “Alright alright..” Cub placed a bookmark in his book before closing it and getting up. “If you need me then I’ll be outside the room.” Then he left, leaving Scar alone once more. 

While Scar was getting dressed, Cub waited in the hallway. He could just sit down and read like he once did, he decided to just wander around. Just walking around the blue and white hallway. It was a mostly dark hallway since he was sensitive to light mostly due to the sculk that grew on him. He normally wasn't really, but this sculk messed with his senses. At least it didn’t take over, if he did then he wouldn't know where he would be. 

Cub didn’t really wanna think about it. As a distraction, he leaned against the wall and opened his book back up and began reading once again. He was just reading how black holes were formed. It had been a few minutes of him reading then he heard a faint voice. He decided to shrug it off but it grew louder. Then he could finally hear what it was saying. “Cub! Cub, snap the hell out of it!” 

Scar shook Cub to snap him out of his reading trance which was successful. “Scar, you know there are other ways of getting my attention right?” Cub placed his bookmark in the book before crossing his arms. “I have been trying for a few minutes now! Now how do I look?” Scar started off upset but soon grew back to his normal happy self. He backed up and opened his arms before spinning. “Yeah, yeah, I would say so. Look at you in your suit.” Cub smiled as he stopped his partner. “Do you think it's gonna go well?” Scar asked as he grabbed Cub’s hands. “I know it will go well. Even if it doesn’t, it's gonna be memorable. After all, you are the heir to Listener's Quarry so that already gives you a stepping stool.” 

“You’re right. This is why you’re my partner,” Scar smiled as he gave his partner a soft kiss. He cupped Cub’s face before pulling away. “Do you want me to walk you to the door?” Cub asked as he covered the hand Scar placed on his cheek. “Yes, if you don’t mind of course.”  

“Shall we go then?” Cub asked before Scar nodded. His hand moved away from Cub’s face and their hands soon intertwined. The couple walked out of the hallway and started walking downstairs to the foyer. It was fairly large. On one side of the room, there was a seating area that surrounded the fireplace. The fire lit the area with a faint orange glow. On the other side, it was empty. They had planned to add something there but they didn’t know exactly what to add. 

So instead of choosing something themselves, they were gonna get suggestions on it. Well once they got people. The couple stopped at the front of the two front doors and turned to each other. “I wish you luck. I hope that this interview is one step closer to the Watchers losing. I love you,” Cub smiled as he let go of Scar’s hand. “We’ll see how it goes,” Scar softly shrugged as he reached for the doors. “Almost forgot something,” He pulled his hand back and gave Cub a kiss on the cheek before opening the door. 

“Love you,” That was the last thing Scar heard before closing the door behind him. Now he had to go to the TV station. He was gonna make sure people heard his cause.

Chapter Text

Scar happily walked around in Listener's Quarry. The place was always alive no matter the time. He softly hummed a little melody as he grabbed onto a pole of a truck that was driving by and jumped on. Deafen lined the streets. Each of them minding their own business, not paying attention to the elf. 

He couldn’t wait for this interview. With the amount of Deafen, there had to be plenty of people who would listen to him. Hear him out on this idea. When the truck stopped at a red light, Scar got off and started walking around himself. He could see the glowing sign of the tv station. He smiled as he began walking towards it. 

The T.V station was a large dark building that had green accents. The entrance had a pair of double doors with handles in the shape of a tv remote. Scar reached for the handle before the door opened itself. The person who opened it was some form of security. “Scar GoodTimes?” They asked as Scar nodded. “Right this way,”

The guard held the door open for the elf who quickly went inside. Despite how tinted the windows were, the inside was well lit. The lobby had a desk in the middle with a seating on the side. There was a rather large balcony that looked over the foyer. “The room you’re looking for is upstairs and to the right.” They pointed over into the distance where Scar could only assume was the beginning of the staircase. “Thank you,”

Scar started walking towards the staircase and the guard sat back down at the desk. Thankfully the staircase wasn’t that tall and he started walking up. Holding on to the railing as he took each step. While he could walk, his legs were still pretty weak to the point where he sometimes needed a wheelchair. Today was not a wheelchair day. 

He wanted to be able to express himself without being stuck in a wheelchair. He looked out from the balcony as he reached the top of the staircase then he started walking again. Going down the hallway and looking at the signs on the doors. All he knew that the room he needed to go into was one on the right. 

Scar softly muttered each sign until he found one that said studio. It had to be where he was supposed to be. It was on the right side of the hallway so he opened the door to see a whole crew working on the cameras. He silently closed the door behind him and watched as they recorded a segment.

“Hi, I'm Scott Smajor.” The blue haired reporter smiled as he waved at the camera. “ Welcome back to What the fuck is happening now? We have sightings of a Deafen who has been ‘terrorizing’ Listener’s Quarry. We say terrorizing in heavy quotations.” Scott said as he emphasized on the quotations. 

Scar looked over at one of the screens showing the footage that wasn’t Scott. Instead it was footage from a camera man who was out filming everything. There was a sheep hybrid with three other guys who all had a rather steampunk aesthetic. One of them seemed to be a short demon, one was a blaze hybrid, and the last looked similar to an angel. 

The group was mostly just destroying anything that they saw. To be honest, it just looked like a group of friends just having fun. “As you can see. They are trying their best..oh wait! We got news from the scene. Looks like a duo that goes by Renchanting is trying to take them down. Just a good ol’ classic turf war!” 

Scott smiled as he held his hands together. Now on the screen there were two new people. Someone who was a wolf or at least part wolf and the other an elf. “It's wizard time mother fucker! Fireball!” (thank my friends for this line) The wolf hybrid cried out before a large ball of fire was hurled at the other group. 

“Tango!” The sheep hybrid called out as the blaze hybrid jumped up into the air and started manipulating the fire. The once large ball of fire turned into rods that surrounded Tango. “Looks like fire won't work, my liege..” The elf spoke up as his partner looked over at him.

The footage of the battle went back to Scott. “We will be resuming that story in a minute, but we have a special guest here at the studio! Jimmy, can you be a dear and guide him over?” Scott smiled as Jimmy, a canary hybrid, walked up to him. “You have your whole bit planned, right?” Scar nodded before Jimmy guided him to an area where he could walk in and handed Scar a mic. 

Scar smiled as he waved to the camera and stood beside Scott who looked over at him. “Well? Introduce yourself,” Scott slightly shrugged before Scar said something. “Right, right..Well I'm Scar GoodTimes! The prince of Listener's Quarry but enough about me..So!” Scar pulled out some illustrations he did just so the viewers could have a visual, flipping through them as he spoke. “I know our population is out of control. It's a bad situation, it's taking a toll. If we simply listen, and join the Listeners at my ConCave Hotel! Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself!”

Scar took a deep breath before continuing. “Right so! I know Watchers fly down, just to torture us once a year. And it must be annoying to deal with all that pain. If we fight against them, that pain disappears! You can wave that pain farwell! It will be a happy day in- '' Scar opened his arms before he was interrupted by Scott. “Let me stop you right there, save us all precious time. If what you’re suggesting is letting them fight, oh they rather stop their suffering? Sorry darling but there's no defyin’ our fate.” 

Scott stood up as he stood a step forward towards Scar. “Cause our hell is forever whether you like it or not! Had our chance to defy them but now we are boiling in the pot.” Scar took a step back as he started to grow concerned. “Cause the rules are black and white, there's no use in tryin’ to fight it. We are burning for our lives until they kill us again!” 

“Ok but,” Scar started before Scott held a finger up to his mouth. “Just try and relax, you’re wasting your breath. Did I hear you imply that they don't deserve this? Are they winners? Are they sinners?” Scott switched his weight and leaned on his right leg as he put his hand on his hip. “Because it's cut and dry. Fair is fair, an eye for an eye!” The reporter cried out before grabbing on to Scar, who was rightfully concerned. “And when all's said and done, there's the question of fun..And for those with divine ordainment, our pain is entertainment!”

“But we can change our fate!” Scar spoke up before Scott let go of him. Then Scott continued this time in a soft, sadden tone as he leaned on the table. “Our hell is forever, whether you like it or not..Had a chance to fight back but now we are boiling in the pot. We are burning for our lives until they kill us again..”

Scar reached out to Scott, holding his hand out to the reporter who only slapped it away. “Our fucking hell is forever and its meant to suck a lot! So please give up your endeavor, cause we don't have a shot..” Scott’s tone was aggressive but softened as he continued. “Look, I understand you have dreams but this isn’t gonna work..Cut the broadcast,” 

That's exactly what Jimmy did, he ran over to the cameras and stopped recording. “Leave,” Scott said as he looked at Scar who looked away before nodding. The elf turned around and walked out of the studio. He didn’t think his ideas would be shot down. Why would they be? It was such a great plan! Scar just couldn’t wrap his hand around it. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tall figure in a large fluffy winter coat peeked over at the tv’s that were playing the news. Scott was still there but there was a new person. Someone, he was interested in. The young Listener prince, Scar GoodTimes. The prince wanted to fight the Watchers while hiding it away in a hotel? What an intriguing idea. “Bdubs,”

“Yes, Etho?” The mossy gremlin next to him looked up with his normal large smile. “Lets go pay this hotel a visit. Shall we?” Etho smiled as he looked down at his friend who quickly shook his head yes. “Let's go!” Bdubs quickly grabbed Etho’s hand before he started guiding his friend towards the large blue and white hotel with a glowing sign that read, ‘ConCave Hotel’

Chapter Text

Scar groaned as he flopped onto the couches in the hotel lobby. “Scar? Are you ok? I'm guessing it didn't go well…?” Cub asked as he looked concerned at his partner. 

“It didn't. They ended up shutting it down.” Scar sighed, leaning more into the couch. “It's gonna get better ok? I'm gonna try and pull some strings for you,” Cub smiled as he gently grabbed Scar's chin to make his partner look at him. 

“I appreciate it but this is my dream! I wanna try and make it work myself,” Scar declared as he sat up. “Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for what you're doing but..I wanna do stuff to help too,” 

 Cub sighed as he looked away. It took him a moment before looking at Scar. “I understand. I really do. I appreciate you telling me. But no matter what, we are gonna get through this. Don't give up on your dream,” 

Cub sat down next to Scar who was quick to put an arm around him. The couple snuggled a bit before Scar got up. “I'm gonna go do something. I’ll be back.” He smiled as Cub waved at him. 

He took a deep breath before stepping outside and pulling out his phone. He soon dialed an old friend of his. Scar didn't know him well but the two cared about each other. Seeing the older deafen as a father figure in a way. 

The only reason he called the number was to think about his friend. Remember how he was full of joy and how he cared about everyone. “Hey..it's been awhile! It's me, Scar..” 

He started before he took another deep breath. “TFC, I know you have been gone for a while..but that doesn't mean I can't still talk to you. After all, you care. So you remember about that passion project I have? Cub set an interview up and it..didn't go well,” 

Scar started to tear up and he pressed his back against the wall of the hotel, only to slide down and sit on the cold ground. “I don't know if I'm going to make a difference..I don't know what I'm doing. I could really use some advice from you, TFC.” 

He started to wipe away his tears and just breathe. “I think I should stop before this gets long. I know Cub is waiting for me. I’ll talk to you soon..Take care old friend.” Then he hung up. Scar tried to compose himself. He didn't want to just sit outside crying. 

Thankfully, Jellie showed up. He quickly scooped up Jellie and held her in his arms. She gave a soft meow to check on her owner before trying to help Scar calm down. He took a deep breath as he looked back down to see his beloved feline.

But she was gone. She had been for a few weeks now. “Jellie..” Scar cried out softly as more tears started to stream down his face. Then he heard a door click. There was his partner, looking at him with worry and concern.

Cub quickly pulled Scar into a hug. Letting his partner get all his feelings out. Scar deserved it. After all, it has been rough for him for the past few hours.