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Chapter Text

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

William stepped out of the car, spinning something in his left hand. Elizabeth squinted to see it more clearly, and saw some sort of glass vial. The liquid was a strange, glowing purple.

"Fuck." Michael spat. Elizabeth spun her head to look at his expression, concerned. He was gritting his teeth, eyes narrowed. His fists were clenched, getting tighter every time William stepped closer to them. He tried to avoid eye contact with his father.

"Oh, Mike, Liz." He greeted when he reached their location. He smiled at Elizabeth, before turning to Michael. He shook the vial in front of Michael's face with a taunting smile, and Elizabeth bit her lip, cautious and confused.

"You see this, Michael?" Their father taunted, swishing the liquid inside. Michael glared at the man, finally looking up.

"Yes," he answered bluntly. "I'm not blind, unlike you, old man." He leaned further against the porch. William rolled his eyes before entering the house.

"Do you know what the liquid is?" Elizabeth broke the silence.

"Remnant," Michael answered instantly. There was annoyance in his tone. "He's been obsessed with the stuff since I was your age."

Elizabeth arched her eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"I read about it in one of his files. I couldn't read all of it, though," Michael was still glaring in the direction William went. "I wish he'd get rid of it."

Elizabeth frowned. "It didn't look that bad. I dunno what you're on about."

"It stings like a bitch," Michael grit his teeth again, looking back to Elizabeth.

"You drank it?!" Elizabeth blurted, leaning back.

"Injected," Michael retorted. "It's a different thing."

It hit Elizabeth like a truck.

William was injecting this remnant stuff into Michael.

"And you didn't tell anyone about this?!"

"Who was gonna believe my own father was drugging me?" Michael spat back. "You idolize the ground he steps on, and Evan's been manipulated by that Fredbear plush for years. Mum's always at work, and my friends could care less if I died in an explosion." He would have been shouting if William wasn't able to hear it. "You wouldn't even believe me if I told you this sort of thing happened before."

Elizabeth's eyes widened, and she clutched her Circus Baby plush tighter. "How come?" She asked weakly. Her voice cracked.

"You wouldn't wanna know." Michael waved his hand. "William's never done something like this to you, so why would you care?"

"You don't understand," Elizabeth argued. "I've seen and heard the things he says through that Fredbear plush. I know he's more than he seems, but no matter how much I ask, he never tells me shit." She crossed her arms. "I don't care anymore. This family's already chaotic as it is, and one day dad's gonna start hanging us all on strings anyway. So tell me."

Michael stared at her. For a good while.

"You're good at faking." He said blankly. Elizabeth blinked.

"Thank you." She replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She waved a hand for him to tell her the story.

"This is really something Ray should be telling you," he muttered. "But you came to know more about my intentions and thoughts, so fine."

Elizabeth leaned forward, strangely excited.

"I don't remember much about it, but I should remember enough." Michael scrunched his nose uncomfortably.

"Okay, so we were eight." He started. "William-just like now-was nonstop researching and innovating with Henry. Since Mum worked all of the time, we the ones that had to get the groceries."

"Seriously?" Elizabeth's eyes widened. "You were eight and getting groceries?"

"You're seven and you swear more than Mum and Evan combined," Michael pointed out. "Just because you're children, doesn't mean you can't mature slowly or be innocent forever. A lot of people don't realize that, especially one of the ladies at the supermarket." Michael sounded annoyed. "She always asked us to 'bring your parents, or I'm not putting this through'."

"Rude," Elizabeth helpfully commented.

"Yeah," Michael agreed with a sigh. "We always had to avoid her. Back to what I was saying," he tried to get back on track, "This trip was about our... eleventh... I'd like to say. I don't remember much about those things. Anyway, Mum always told us not to interact with anyone on the way, so it's not like anything happened before."

"What happened that time?" Elizabeth frowned. The wording made it seem off.

"Well, we didn't know about it, but at the time, there was this group of people, who kidn-uh... stole-kids from under some people's noses, and they went missing for the longest times." Michael glared at nothing as he looked at the sky. "Mum tried to get William to stop working so he could shop instead because she was worried the same thing would happen to us. But because he is the way he is,"-he didn't elaborate, but Elizabeth knew what he meant-"He said he would stop, but didn't anyway. Mum went to work everyday thinking William had cut back, but he never had."

"This group you're talking about," Elizabeth swallowed. "They're involved with this, aren't they?"

"Ha," Michael laughed humourlessly. "Me and Ray had no idea that they were stalking us the whole walk down-"

"What's stalking?" Elizabeth blurted, then winced. "Never mind."

"They followed us the whole way down," Michael changed his wording so it made more sense to the 7-year-old. "When we passed an alleyway..." he paused with a wince. "They covered our eyes, and I think they knocked us out."

"What the-?" Elizabeth reared back, surprised. "You were-uh-what's the word again?"

"Kidnapped," Michael answered immediately, annoyance in his tone. "We were knocked out the whole way to their little facility."

"Facility," Elizabeth recognized, before her eyes widened. "They didn't-"

"They did." Michael growled under his breath. "They separated Ray and I, and sent us to different sections. Now don't ask me what those sections were, I don't know." His eyes narrowed. "The only thing I remember is a small, white room, and this... scientist." He hissed the word scientist out like it was venom to his thoughts.

"Scientist." Elizabeth repeated nervously.

"Scientist." Michael repeated. "He was one of the worst humans alive, way under William."

Elizabeth swallowed again. Michael was starting to get riled up now.

"I don't know why he did it," He seethed. "But i remember every detail."

"Michael..." Elizabeth started, "Calm down a little."

"Right..." he took a deep breath in and out. "You shouldn't be seeing me like this."

Elizabeth just gave him a sad smile.

"Anyway," Michael cleared his throat, "He would come in every two days-I think-with a new syringe, still filled with the same thing."

"What was it?" Elizabeth inquired curiously.

"I don't know." Michael frowned. "Either way, I could tell it was the same. And whatever it was, he always wanted to inject it through my neck."

Elizabeth shuddered on the spot.

"Pretty much," Michael agreed. "It was cold, and it stung my throat. It-" he paused for a moment to take another deep breath, "It made me completely mute for so long, because it stung my throat every time I tried to talk. And better yet, it made my heartbeat faster than light, through panic or otherwise, sometimes skipping a beat, I would start shaking rapidly for no reason, would randomly fall unconscious, stuff like that." Michael closed his eyes. Elizabeth reached out to grab his hand and squeeze it tight. He opened his eyes at that, and even gave her a sad smile.

"One time, when I fell unconscious, I woke up to a completely dark void." He looked to the sky again, and Elizabeth followed his lead, scootching closer to him so she could half-hug him for comfort. "I didn't understand what was happening. Voices would fade in and out, but I could never decipher what they said."

"Do you know if Ray had the same thing?" Elizabeth asked quietly. Michael looked down.

"It may have something to do with why she's still missing, but that's the most I know." he replied carefully with a sigh.

"You don't think... she died?" Elizabeth asked, looking into his eyes, which then stared into hers.

"She probably did," he sighed again. "Do you know how I escaped that awful place?"

"How?" Elizabeth asked, playing along.

"That dark void... do you know the tales I told you before about how some humans believed the afterlife worked?" Michael asked slowly.

"Heaven, Hell, and Limbo." Elizabeth nodded as she counted the three dimensions.

"Mmhhmm." Michael confirmed. "Whatever that substance was... it kept putting me under until my body couldn't take it anymore."

Elizabeth froze completely, looking into his eyes again. "Wait... but... then..."

"You figured it out." Michael sighed as he looked to the side. "Honestly? I don't know either. In that dark void, there was a voice, that told me to wake up, I'm here. And... that's what happened."

"You came back to life." Elizabeth's eyes widened. "H-how?!"
"I have no idea." Michael looked at her again. "But while I still feel cold inside, I can still breathe, talk, and do normal things as if I was alive."

"Are you sure you died, then?" Elizabeth frowned in thought. "Maybe you didn't."

"Thinking about it... I don't know." Michael shook his head. "I don't remember much from that, and I was extremely drugged, so maybe it was some form of hallucination."

"A what?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrow.

"My imagination," Michael explained. "Something that isn't real, but feels real."

"Hallucination." Elizabeth repeated. "You think you imagined the whole dark void thing?"

"Well, when I woke up, I was standing on the streets where me and Ray were kidnapped." Michael informed. "I thought it was a dream, but I couldn't find her, and soon after I had started walking, someone ran to the police, and I was taken home."

"Huh?" Elizabeth tilted her head in confusion. "Why?"

"When people or pets go missing for long periods of time, their friends, family, or owners go to the police and explain the situation. Police promise to be on standby as they-or the friend/family member, I don't really know-put up posters saying to contact either them or the police immediately if that person is found." He explained, before taking a breath. "That's called issuing a 'Missing Person's Report'."

"Oh... and they did that for you?" Elizabeth tried to understand.

"Yeah." Michael nodded. "I don't know who issued it, but they found me, and quickly returned me home. Mum was crying and holding onto me for a couple of hours, I'd like to say." Michael closed his eyes as he took another breath. "But they still haven't found Ray."

Elizabeth looked up, unsure how to respond.

"Do you... want to do something later on?" She asked, earning a confused look from Michael. "Like a family activity, or something. Just me, you, and Evan." She smiled. "I get that you're probably really focused on finding Ray, but I think you're overstressing yourself, like dad."

Michael looked at her, contemplating.

"Wouldn't you regret it if we disappeared too?" Elizabeth asked slowly. "I'm just asking to spend time with you while we still have the chance."

"Well, if that's the case, then sure, I'm down." Michael smiled at her as he took off his mask and laid it on the deck beside them.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked.

"Getting ready, of course." Michael grinned as he stood up, and offered her a hand to do the same. "Have you heard the saying, 'There's no time like the present?'"

Elizabeth looked at him, like really looked at him. He was traumatized, and here he was, dealing with it alone for... she counted in her head. 9 years. 9 years he had been dealing with everything by himself, and no one but, and here he'd just told her everything, only because she asked. While he bullied Evan on a daily basis, it wasn't anything too major, and Elizabeth realized that he had to let go of some stress.

There's no time like the present. Michael's voice echoed in her head, a couple of times.

She smiled widely and laughed, "Yeah, let's go!" as she grabbed Michael's hand, allowing him to pull her up and into a new side of her life.

Chapter Text

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

William sits completely still outside the vents. He can hear Molten Freddy screeching as he retreats, and Lefty muttering things under her breath.

Or should he say someone else entirely when he's referring to Molten?

He knew that Funtime Freddy couldn't leave the underground, unless he used the body of a human. While he seemed possessed, that seemed unlikely either way. The scooper could've been used as a weapon to be able to crawl into the stomach of a human and possibly take control like a puppet... but Funtime Freddy was too stupid for that, and he doesn't traverse the facility anyway, so he doesn't even know if the control rooms or the other auditoriums. Circus Baby? Sure, she could've. She was smart enough, too, but this thing wasn't Circus Baby. He knew how he designed her personality. Ballora? Ha. She probably wanted to escape the underground, but she wouldn't resort to straight stealing and murder just for that useless goal. It was just how she was designed. Funtime Foxy? Hmm... probably not. She would be like Circus Baby, but she wouldn't be able to pull it off, and she wouldn't sacrifice the other Funtimes for her goal.

So who this robot really was, William didn't know. If it wasn't the four, it had to have been another robot who came in and sacrificed at least Funtime Freddy for its own goals as it somehow escaped the underground. If it had a human form... it should've been using one now. So that means that it should've gotten a skinsuit, but somehow lost it, so it became reduced to this form again.

William sighed. Why was he attacking this nightguard anyway? Thinking about it seriously, there wasn't a point to continue killing all these nightguards. What would it acomplish? An extra death under his belt. That's about it.

"Are you gonna move, or should I?" Lefty hissed beside him. "You know what, I don't care. I'm going anyway." She didn't wait for a response as she crawled into the right vent in a hurry and crawled down it.

William was alone, with nothing but his thoughts to occupy him.

Lefty hated him, that much was clear. And it was very obvious as to why.

How Lefty ended up in this dump, William wasn't sure. He was sure, however, that the robot had done its job. The Marionette was inside of it, meaning that Charlie was most likely controlling it.

Then why was she trying to attack this nightguard? Well, William didn't know that either. Sue him, he can't read people's minds. He doesn't know why humans do half of the things they do. Maybe she's taking out her anger on the nightguard. Or at least trying. Maybe... just maybe... there's a short possibility Charlie wasn't controlling it at all, and Henry had programmed the thing to hate him. Another thing he didn't know.

His mind wandered to his family next.

His family. The family that he crushed with his desires and obsessions.

Evelyn, his wife. Who'd gone missing in 1987. He hadn't seen a trace of her since.

Ray, the child he'd never gotten to see again after she and Michael were kidnapped so long ago. Why did only Michael return to him that day?

Michael, who probably hated his guts and was thinking of a plan to exterminate him from the shadows.

Evan, the fragile and easily breakable child that had gotten his frontal lobe chopped off by Fredbear's teeth. William hadn't seen him since, either.

And Elizabeth, the child with his stubbornness and imagination. He didn't see anything of her after the day Evan was bitten... he assumed she'd gone to see Circus Baby after all.

I suppose that's my fault. William sighed. I shouldn't have told her it was for her like that.

"Hey, shit-for-brains."

William opened his eyes and searched immoderately for the female voice. He frowned (as much as he could inside Scraptrap) as he saw a figure standing by the door to the maintenance room, where the two were. She had shut the door behind her.

"Who are you?" William hissed back. Unknowingly, she'd shut off the only exit to him. If the place burned like his last one did, she better get out the way-

"Is that important?" The girl (teen?) frowned. She stepped into the sight of the barely working light in the room, and William looked her over more closely.

She had messy, curly red hair, with a ginger ponytail around the back. She wore a zipped up dark blue jacket with camo sleeves, reaching to her wrists, with had fingerless gloves on them (is that a style these days?). She had a dirty red tie on. Her bright green eyes seemed to glow slightly as she smiled creepily.

"Yes." William narrowed his eyes. "Moreover, why are you here?"

"Now that's the question I was hoping to answer!" She laughed as she grabbed something from her jacket pockets. "Now, the nightguard probably doesn't know anything about this, but meh, who cares?"

William watched the teen's movements very carefully. She reached to her wrist, and William frowned at the small 'click' that was heard.

"Illusion Disk, powering off."

William froze in place as the teen in front of him morphed into someone he knew all too well. She became shorter, her hair became more ginger, and her clothes changed into a dark pink jacket instead, the sleeves pulled up to reveal bandages and purple skin-rot. He backed up slowly as he looked into her glowing eyes, now blue and red. Her red eye was covering more purple skin underneath, with a black sclera probably caused from the rotting. She glared into his eyes as her tail slapped across the ground like an angry whip. Her horns looked sharp enough to murder someone.

William swallowed. If she was here, then-

"William!" Elizabeth Afton greeted with a wide smile, clearly fake. "Father, dad, psychopath, etcetera etcetera, should I move on to why I'm here?"

"I'd rather you didn't." William choked out.

"Well, I'll do it anyway!" Elizabeth chirped, showing him what she'd grabbed from her pockets earlier.

A box of matches. And a lighter.

"I'm sure you're smart enough to understand?" She tilted her head innocently, not waiting for a response.

"You're going to burn everyone else, too?" William hissed.

"Meh, I don't think any of them care. Michael? Definitely not, he wanted this to happen anyway. Henry? Burning this place down was his intention, too. Charlie? She wants to rest, so I doubt it. Ennard? Mmm... maybe he doesn't want it, but he'll be fine. You? You don't want to burn, but sue you for being an asshole. And me? I'm willing to die 1000 times if it means you get to die with me." Elizabeth chuckled. "You look surprised."

"Michael? And Henry, he's here too?" William asked. "They trapped us here on purpose?"

"You didn't know that?" Elizabeth looked up. "Jeez. You've devolved."

"So I'm going to burn anyway." William swallowed.

"Pretty much." Elizabeth shrugged like it was nothing, with a heavy sigh. "I just want you to know, I regret nothing."

"You played right into our hands." Lefty informed the nightguard-Michael, he now knew-in the room a couple meters away. Elizabeth grinned.

"Did you really think this job just... fell out of the sky for you?" Lefty continued. Elizabeth flicked the top of the lighter off, and William felt himself tense. Elizabeth grinned wider at his suspense.

"No. This was a gift, for us." Lefty insisted. William wanted to tell her to shut up. To stop talking. That there was more to worry about.

"You gathered them altogether, in one place,"

William stepped back. Elizabeth snapped her gaze back to him, holding up the box of matches. A threat.

"Just like he asked you to. All of those little souls... in one place."

"Charlie, shut up." William hissed under his breath. Elizabeth lit the lighter. The place lit up with a menacing orange tint.

"Charlie?" She asked as she tilted her head. "You think Charlie would say those things?"

"You're saying that she isn't possessing Lefty?" William snarled back, ignoring Lefty's next line in her monologue.

"She's in there, but she can't possess Lefty." Elizabeth answered. "Uncle Henry created it that way."

"Watch. Listen. And be full." Lefty finished, and William noted that Elizabeth was right-Charlie wouldn't say these things. As the Marionette, she had been trying to release all of the souls chasing him down. Maybe she did. He hadn't seen them recently.

He felt his body freeze as Elizabeth lit the first match, and released it to the floor. She was really doing this.

"Connection terminated."

Henry.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, LEFTE." Henry said coldly. He probably regretted nothing. "But I'm afraid you've been misinformed."

"Shit-" William reared back as the room started heating up. Elizabeth scrunched her nose.

"You are not here to receive a gift."

"Fuck it," she hissed. "He's stealing my spotlight."

She grabbed the whole box of matches.

"Elizabeth wait!" William called out. Desperation.It was the only emotion he was feeling right now.

Elizabeth stopped.

But only to revel in his desperation.

"Nor have you been called here by the individual that you assume, although you have, indeed, been called." Henry continued.

Elizabeth's eye twitched.

"It sucks that only this room is gonna burn by my hands." Elizabeth sighed sarcastically. "Eh, Henry will burn everything else anyway."

"Wait-" William begged again.

"I'm not waiting," Elizabeth interrupted with a snarl. "Say goodbye!"

And she lit the whole box of matches, the box included. she specifically tossed the fire towards him, and he scrambled to get as far away as possible. He didn't hear the rest of Henry's speech, the sound being covered by his own screaming and begging for Elizabeth too let him out of this hell. Elizabeth simply stood there and watched, grin on her face as she got to watch her wretched father burn. She was burning too, of course, but she would do anything too make sure William fell into the deep pots of hell and despair.

Henry continued through his struggles, complimenting Charlie for her efforts and calling William a monster a couple of times. Congratulating Michael for his help and letting everyone else know that they were working together to set everyone free.

By that point, William had already passed.

Chapter Text

The Tormentors would describe Sophie and Michael's relationship as extremely varying.

Mainly because the two would completely pass each other one day, then start randomly working on a new project the next. The two were opposites, then like magnets, stuck together all day. It was like a routine that didn't have an my sense behind it at all. But one that everyone had gotten used to, nonetheless.

"Think they're in love?" Marcus snickered as he drew closer to the group.

"We don't have the right to snoop into it." Fredrick warned, nearly slapping off the tormentor's Bonnie mask as a warning.

"It's pretty weird, Fred, admit that, at least." Maverick pushed his Chica mask up his face with a small smile. Marcus was a little snoopy, but Fredrick was too un-snoopy. Whatever that meant.

"Hey, how did they meet, anyway?" Zela drew closer to the group, putting her phone away. Her Fredbear mask was off for some reason.

"A group project," Marcus sighed. "Michael got randomly paired with her. The two had the idea to make that new costume, remember?"

"Did they make a name for that thing?" Maverick grinned. "Collectively?"

Zela slapped her brother on the head.

"Ow!" Maverick helpfully commentated.

"Stop being the way you are." Zela said coldly. "What if I snooped into your private life, huh?"

"I tell you everything anyway, so... that doesn't matter to me." Maverick frowned.

"Oh shit." Marcus nearly shouted out of nowhere, interrupting their definitely continuing conversation.

"Marcus?" Fredrick asked, slightly concerned.

"No, it's nothing much." Marcus shook his head. "I just remembered the school dance is in a couple of days. I have to prepare something for my girlfriend."

"Calypso, right?" Zela asked. "I can help you with that, if you want."

"Sure, I'll take any help," Marcus sounded embarrassed. "I suck at gifts."

"We know." Maverick muttered, which earned another slap from Zela. Fredrick just sighed.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

You didn't tell me the school dance is in two days!!! Sophie screamed in her head as she quickly started brainstorming gift ideas on her phone's notes app.

"You didn't ask." Erebus sweat-dropped beside her. "If you asked, I would've gladly told you."

Well, thanks for that now. She pouted against a tree in the schoolyard. Please help me...

"Jeez..." Erebus sighed as she floated around the tree. "Okay, well, you could ask Fredrick. He's the least probable one to make fun of you?"

"Or Zela." Sophie frowned. "But I guess she's still under Fred."

If anyone saw her right now, they'd think she's insane. Mainly because they couldn't see who she was talking to. The ghost of Erebus just "came across" her one day, and she made a deal that she definitely regretted at the time.

At that time.

She realized now that if she was alone, it felt weird. Erebus was always there, sort of like another personality that had your same experiences and could give you logical advice about it.

She didn't have DID though. It was a completely different situation.

She subconsciously rubbed the bracelet on her wrist.

"Your mind's wandering." Erebus warned.

"A-ah, fuck!" Sophie jumped in a hurry. "Okay, think! What do people normally get for thing like this?"

"At my place, they offered chocolate to all of the kids that were there as servants for compensation." Erebus suggested weakly. "Does he like chocolate?"

"I don't knowwwwww!!" Sophie panicked.

"Are you seriously panicking right now?"

"This is serious!" she shot back. "Leave me alone!"

"...Sophie? What're you doing here?"

She turned. And saw him.

"M-Michael!" She recognized, immediately turning red and stammering. "I-I was just thinking!"

"This is pitiful to watch."

Shhhhh!Sophie nearly hissed out loud.

"By a tree. Shouting." Michael pointed out. "You know what-never mind, I don't want to know." He sighed. "I've been looking for you, y'know."

"M-me?" She stammered again.

"Y-you." Michael rolled his eyes. "We still haven't finished our latest project."

"Oh, the mini bunny!" Sophie stopped stuttering, her nervousness covered by excitement. "Did you bring it?!"

"I did." Michael grinned. He took his backpack off his back, and slowly took it out.

It was inspired by toys Michael used to have, that were passed on to his brother, Evan. He mentioned how they were good stress relievers for his brother and thought it was a good idea for Sophie to match. She had been absolutely destroyed by the cuteness of the request, but managed (somehow) to not start fangirling. Michael had a couple of those already. Except they did more gossip than anything. Disgusting.

"It's progressing really well."Erebus smiled at the creation. While Evan's toys didn't naturally move, Michael thought it would be a cool idea to make it into some sort of robot, too, like the ones his father makes. Sophie had replied with "just no springlocks, thanks," and he'd just said "that's fair."

The problem with the doll in front of them was that it was hard to get it to move. Since it was a doll and everything, it was a standard to have cotton inside, but at the same time, the cotton blocks the ability to add any sort of mechanism to allow movement, at least without the possibility of the thing exploding. Michael mentioned it to his father, and the man had suggested a different fabric (she couldn't remember the name) that could cover the mechanisms without a potential fire hazard. Michael and Sophie had planned to put that inside soon.

The doll wasn't stitched yet, obviously-that was the last step. Michael had collected some of that other fabric, it seemed. His bag was full of the stuff.

"So this is my bit, huh?" Sophie sighed. "You better have brought the tools, mister."

"Of course I did." He rolled his eyes sarcastically, pointing to his bag. "Who do you think I am?"

"Michael-fucking-Afton." She replied immediately, grabbing the fabric like it was candy floss, but carefully lining the mechanisms with the stuff, making sure the wires still passed through safely.

"Hey, I wanted to ask." Michael cut in the silence when she was in the middle of working.

"What's up?" She looked up.

"Well, you heard about the school dance coming up soon?"

She froze in place, looking up so slowly the human eye probably wouldn't have seen it until she stopped.

"I've heard about it, yes." She spoke just as slow. "...why...?"

"You're the only sensible girl I know that would agree to this, and I kind of want to shove it in Marcus' face." Michael sighed. "Are you picking up what I'm putting down?"

"I-I-" Sophie completely blanked. "Yeah, I am. I've been thinking about that, too."

"Sorry, you blanked!" Erebus apologized before Sophie could even think anything.

Well, you hooked it up,Sophie gave a small smile. So, thanks. Even if I don't really approve of you speaking through my mouth.

"I get it, I get it." Erebus sighed.

"That's a relief." Michael muttered under his breath. "I was actually thinking of this robot as a gift to you."

"For what?" Sophie frowned.

"You're the first girl to talk to me without being completely silent or completely insane in the head." Michael explained. "The first one who really just talked to me to be a friend, not to use me for leverage."

"What about Zela?" Sophie sent him a look.

"She hasn't spoken to me yet, at all." Michael looked irritated. "Every time we're together, she just is completely silent. Maverick tells me that she's always like that, but... it's honestly a bit creepy."

"I get it." Sophie sighed. Zela was a strange character, even to her siblings. No one could deny that.

"I'm done, by the way." Sophie scratched the top of her head. "Your mum's doing this next bit?"

"Yeah, I can't stitch for shit." Michael sighed. "Oh yeah, by the way, I got you this, too."

He tossed something at her, which she caught on instinct.

"Is this... a hair piece?" Sophie asked slowly, tilting the thing in her hands. It was long, made out of black and yellow decorative beads. There was a feather hairclip at the top of it.

"I know it's weirdly long, but yeah." Michael snickered. "The top bit is the hairclip, and the rest just sorta hangs like earrings."

Sophie immediately clipped it in her hair. It felt weird, but she liked it, and she felt it moving whenever she moved her head. The first gifts between them, and they were both from him? She had to step it up a bit.

"It looks good on you." Michael admitted, before freezing and taking out his phone, which was vibrating like hell. "Hi?"

Sophie gave him a smile. He rolled his eyes and sighed. Whoever was on the other end said something dumb, she assumed.

"Yeah, I'm in my way, whatever." Michael grumbled. "Tell Liz to shut her ass up."

And he hung up, not even allowing whoever was on the other end to speak.

"I gotta go." He sighed again, standing up and picking up his bag, carefully stuffing everything back inside it. "Catch you later."

"See ya!" Sophie waved as he began walking home. She exhaled loudly when he left her line of sight.

"I gotta admit, that was an improvement." Erebus admitted. "By the way, I just wanted to inform you. I think everyone got the date wrong, because when you were swooning, I went to find a poster advertising the school dance."

"...where is this going?" Sophie raised an eyebrow.

"Not in a good direction."Erebus looked neutral, but trying not to smile. "The dance isn't in a couple of days, it's tomorrow night."

Sophie's head whipped around so fast, she got whiplash. "What?!"

"That's my point."

"Oh god." Sophie stood up like a rocket. "I've gotta go to the gifts shop tomorrow! And I gotta get something good to wear!"

"I can help with the clothes, but not with the gifts."Erebus snickered. "Have fun. I'm gonna go to sleep now."

"Goodnight?" Sophie asked, before looking at the time. "Oh god, it's 9 already?! The schools gonna kick me out soon!!"

She never ran faster than she did then.

♧♧♧

Sophie opened the door to her home quietly. Her adoptive mother usually went to bed early, and had a little bit of a short temper.

She tried walking as quiet up the stairs to her room, but that was like asking for a tequila when you're 4 years old. The stairs were creakier than an already fallen-down building.

Thankfully for once, her mother was a very sound sleeper. I'd gotten her out of some of these situations before, too. With a quiet sigh, Sophie practically stumbled into the bathroom.

Why am I so wiped out? She asked herself, before she looked in the mirror.

Oh.She winced, the mirror following suit. Those eye bags are not healthy.

She immediately gave up on what she was going to do in the bathroom, and just stumbled right to her bedroom, and falling face-first on her bed.

Summer sucks.She cursed one last time as she made herself comfortable against her pillows.

♧♧♧

"-phie. Sophie. SOPHIE!!!"

"Fuck!" She hissed at the sudden pain in her head, bolting upright. "Erebus, we talked about that!"

"Your alarm clock didn't do anything again, and you need to go hardcore shopping today."Erebus crossed her ethereal arms."That counts as a feasible excuse."

"Shopping-oh god, shopping!" Sophie immediately jumped up, sprinting out the room.

"Get changed." Erebus sighed, tired, as Sophie muttered, "oh yeah," and went running back.

She rolled her eyes again. She was lucky to have met Sophie in that forest, but did it really have to be her? Her attitude about life was less careless than a driver running over a snake.

"Was that a new record??" Sophie's voice came back clear as day as she slammed her bedroom door open again.

"Technically no, because there has been multiple times where you've been to lazy to change anything and therefore made it out of your room way faster." Erebus frowned. "But otherwise, I think so."

"Sick," Sophie grinned, running down the stairs once more. "Oh, mum left me scotch eggs."

"Those are pretty good."Erebus admitted."Don't you dare ask me if I need any, I'm a ghost and you need energy."

"Worth a shot." Sophie grumbled as she took the plastic container with the two eggs in it and shoved it in her bag. "Okay, I got my wallet this time."

"Thank the heavens."Erebus groaned.

"Shut up." Sophie retorted immediately. "You said you'd help with the clothes, right?"

"I assume that means we're going there first."Erebus guessed. "Sure."

"Alright, school dance, I will come prepared!!" Sophie shouted at the ceiling. "Erebus, follow me!"

"Not much else I can do." Erebus sighed, doing just that.

♧♧♧

"For the last time, dress or skirt?"Erebus gritted her teeth, frustrated.

This was about the 30th time they've been over this. Sophie shopped with no intention of staying cheap. Though while that was sometimes the better option, Erebus was tired with having to stop Sophie from getting something that wouldn't even look good with the current selection they had picked.

Okay, dress. Sophie nodded as she thought this. I promise I decided this time.

"Good." Erebus took a deep breath."If that white dress is what you're going for, I'd suggest using the short shorts and white heels for that."

Not the white one, I'm not getting married, and it's long sleeve, too.Sophie shook her head. Option number two-oh.

"Do I need to explain why we won't like that one?" Erebus asked as she looked at the same dress, on the same hanger. The dress was yellow. Sophie and Erebus' least favourite colour. Why did someone make that a dress colour anyway?

No, I get it.Sophie sighed. The next one is black.

"It's summer, but it does look alright." Erebus listed the pros and cons. "You'd be very hot in that, so I wouldn't suggest that."

Good idea, Sophie sounded disgusted.

"Hmm... well, this one is actually okay." Erebus frowned as a combination came into her head.

This is the same white dress form earlier. What? Sophie narrowed her eyes.

"That was a long sleeve,"Erebus pointed out. "I think you can pair this short sleeve dress with the short sleeved white jacket over there." She pointed. Sophie walked over to look at it.

It feels like leather, she admired. This is one of your better ideas, I think.

"Thanks."Erebus deadpanned.

The two ended up somehow only buying three things-the dress, the jacket, and a pair of white heels (though Sophie was reluctant to do so). It was only just enough to take 75% of Sophie's past savings.

"Well, that's unfortunate." Sophie puffed out her cheeks as she counted her remaining pounds. "I only have 10£ left."

"And 30 pence?" Erebus smiled awkwardly.

"In this economy? That'll get you nothing." Sophie snickered. "Oh, wait! I have an idea!"

She started running off with no further notice or words.

"...oh no." Erebus winced as she hurried to catch up.

♧♧♧

The chocolate and sweets shop! Sophie's eyes were sparkling. You thought that holding me back in the clothes store was bad?

"Great, this sounds like the best idea." Erebus sighed. "Well, we do need some sort of sweets for him anyway."

"Something 10£ can get me." Sophie muttered to herself as she opened the door, and began to look around.

"Hello!" The cashier greeted. "Looking for anything specific today?"

"I don't really know," Sophie started. "I'm looking to give a gift to my partner for a school dance. But I'm not sure of what he likes or what he's allergic to, or anything like that." She sighed. "Any recommendations?"

"Not sure of what he likes..." the cashier thought for a moment. "I'd suggest either a chocolate collection, or a cake of some sort."

"Well, chocolate was my original plan..." Sophie ruminated as she turned around. "Where's the chocolate collections?"

"By the window to he front of the store." The cashier pointed with no hesitation.

"Alright, thank you!" Sophie waved to the nice girl as she walked over to the window to look at the prices.

"No way you're this lucky." Erebus' eyes nearly popped out of her head as the two viewed the prices.

"Hey, it's selling for 10£!" Sophie declared with a grin, grabbing the box immediately. She turned it over for any signs of things Michael could be allergic to, but found nothing too suspicious (other than the hazelnut, but she'd seen him eat that before with no repercussions, so it should be fine?).

"I'm buying this one," Sophie declared as she placed the box on the counter. The cashier simply smiled as she cashed it in. "Here," Sophie handed over the bill before the cashier even asked. With a wave, she started to leave.

"Good luck at the dance!" The cashier called after her, and she smiled wider.

♧♧♧

"It fits you really well," Erebus smiled.

"Thanks." Sophie did a small twirl. "It sucks mum's always working-she would've loved to see this."

"That's true." Erebus sighed. "Well, whatever's whatever, I suppose. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I can be." Sophie replied. "Let's go."

She made sure everything she needed was in her bag. Her phone, headphones (she couldn't leave without them), pack of tissues (look, she was an overthinker)-yeah, that should be good.

She made sure to grab the chocolates as she rushed out the door.

♧♧♧

"Woah." Sophie admired as she stepped through the doors. "They really decorated the place."

"It looks amazing." Erebus agreed.

The whole place was dark, but there was a singular light coming from the ceiling of the gymnasium-a disco ball, of course. It was flashing different colours every second, in no particular order.

Looking to her right, Sophie saw the snacks table. It was surprisingly pretty untouched. There were crisps, fruits, drinks-why was there a vending machine too?

To the left was just empty space.

If you could call anything here empty space right now. The place was completely packed, filled with couples or friends. Spotting her own group of friends, she quickly ran over.

"Oh, it's Sophie." Frederick smiled as he waved. "Hi."

"Hey." She greeted back. "...Are you all wearing the same suit?"

They looked pretty similar-they were all black, all with white undershirts, and with a white tie. Sophie decided not to mention that Maverick had tied his completely wrong.

"Marcus forced it on us." Maverick sighed as he rolled his eyes. "We wanted us to match. He got a laugh out of Calypso, so I guess it was worth it for him."

"That's a nice jacket you're wearing." Zela cut into the conversation. "Not my style, personally, but it does look good on you."

"Thanks," Sophie smiled. Zela did not smile back.

Cold as ever, I suppose...

She was about to say something again when Maverick noticed something behind her, and grinned, grabbing the others and running off as quickly as they could. Sophie was about to ask before another voice was registered by her ears:

"There you are." Michael greeted. Sophie turned around to look at him-

And immediately froze up. Her face went pink, and she remembered why she was so skittish around him all the time.

He was just stunning to her. He was wearing the same black suit and white tie, but instead of blue jeans like the others (which was so unfitting), Michael was wearing black jeans, too. He had even replaced his shoes with a black pair of... something that looked like it belonged to an old man. Probably William then.

His heterochromatic eyes looked into hers, and she found herself adoring how they looked again. One blue, one red. A weird mix of colours to most, but to her, the were the most unique thing on a person, and it belonged to him. It made him more than just a normal person.

His hair... gods, his hair.

It was actually somehow brushed for once, despite how curly it was. It was neatly combed, and Sophie would've thought it was straight if she couldn't see the curls. He didn't wear his foxy mask-good, that would be weird-but he was carrying a bag on his back. One of which he immediately took off.

"Mother finished the stitching." He revealed, taking out the finished product of their latest project. "Revel in its glory."

"I'm reveling." Sophie admired, sparkle in her eyes as she slowly took the rabbit from his hands. It looked exactly how she had imagined-no, it was better, because it was made by both of them. The rabbit was completely white, just as requested, and the ears were a bright red, also as requested. She slowly attempted moving a joint, and it worked!

"Thanks..." she shook her head. "Thank you so much for this."

"Oh, please." Michael waved his hands. "You did most of it."

"With your guidance," Sophie argued. "Don't even say anything else!"

Michael put his hands up in mock surrender. "If you say so."

The two stood in silence for a bit.

"Sophie, this is a dance." Michael interrupted it, with a strange tone in his voice.

"Uh huh?" She asked slowly. Then her eyes widened, and she stepped back at Michael's next moves.

He was holding a hand out, stupid little smug grin on his face that told her he knew what he was doing to her, and he was amused. She would've punched his face if it wasn't him.

"This is a dance," he repeated. "So, let's dance!"

"Um-" Sophie started, but she didn't even get a chance to say anything as Michael grabbed her hand and dragged her onto the dance floor.

She didn't remember much after that, but she did remember feeling incredibly embarrassed after failing to do the dances correctly about 1000 times. Surprisingly to her, Michael was the most patient person she knew, and simply snickered and helped her through her suffering.

She remembered every time they got too close to each other during steps. Every time they got close, she felt the urge to go closer, just one time-just one time, and she could claim him as hers-and she had to resist it. It felt like that was etching a hole in her heart when she did that-but she wasn't that kind of person. She doesn't violate personal boundaries, even in this kind of situation! Even if her very soul falls for the touch, for the feeling.

When she thought about it then, her immediate response was this feels good, though, as she was spun again through his arms, before falling back into a steady pace once more. This feels like nothing I've ever felt before in my life, and it feels so refreshing!

The last thing she remembered was when the music stopped to give the dancers a break.

"Now, we know you wanna just keep dancin', but we wanna make sure you don't drop down dead anytime soon. We'll start the music up again soon, don't worry-just get a sip of somethin' and catch your breath until that time comes!"

"Wow." Michael gasped as the announcement was over, and many couples started to exit the dance floor to cool off for a little. He was really out of breath. Saying that, Sophie realized she was, too. "Sophie, you-"

Sophie swallowed. He could've said anything right then, and she wouldn't know how to reply to any of them.

"You're really bad at this."

...but she knew how to reply to that one.

"Okay, screw you." Sophie slapped him as soft as she could while still allowing herself to breathe as the two stepped off the dance floor to get a drink (or two. Or three. Maybe four.)

"I'm kidding," Michael snicked behind her as he followed closely. "It wasn't that hard for you, was it?"

"I don't remember much." Sophie admitted. "I felt like I was under the influence that whole time. Like I zoned out."

"I get it." Michael nodded. "I think that's normal when you get tossed around like a ragdoll then fall on the floor because you don't know how to dance."

"That's not what I mean." Sophie shot back, slapping him again for good measure. "I mean, that whole time, I felt like I was under a trance or something."

Michael didn't respond for a little after that. Sophie couldn't blame him-it was hard to do that when you're chugging water so fast you'd choke.

And she was still hot, not matter how much cold liquid she drank!

"Music's comin' back on!" The announcer called again. "Couples, friends, bros, dance yourselves silly again!"

"Wanna go again?" Michael turned his head to look at her. She looked at him like he was insane.

"I know you're hot right now." He rolled his eyes, and Sophie tried not to think about the other side of that comment. "But you don't even crave a little more of that trance feeling?"

"Read me like a book," Sophie sighed. "Alright, bet. I won't fall this time."

"Good luck with that." Michael laughed as he led her back to the dance floor once more.

Sophie welcomed the feeling of familiarity as they started the songs again. Somehow, when she was in that weird trance earlier, she memorized all the steps to all the songs. Maybe it's because (unknowingly to her) they'd been dancing before for a whole hour.

"You've seemed a little worried about something the whole time you've been here." Michael said one time as they got close. "You're alright?"

How on earth's name did he notice?

"I'm fine," Sophie answered as she swallowed, trying to resist the urge again. Some unpleasant thoughts came into her head at that-and she very quickly pushed it down.

"If you say so," Michael seemed worried now, too, for the rest of the dance, in fact. The two didn't exchange any more words, but maybe they didn't need to. The kept looking into each other's eyes when they got close, almost as if they were both thinking of the same things-and Sophie had a sinking feeling that maybe they were. There was one time where Michael accidentally pulled too hard when pulling her up, and they got this close to doing what Sophie had been waiting for all night. But she forced the feeling down again, much to her chagrin.

With each step on the floor, Sophie felt more and more exhilarated. Being tossed around-"like a ragdoll," Michael had said-was weirdly fun for her. She felt so happy, in fact, that she even thought she was high on life a couple of times. Getting close and resisting the urge immediately squished those happy moments like squishing a fly with a fly swatter, but it wasn't long until those feelings of happiness, excitement, and exhilaration returned to her body like a jackhammer.

She almost felt wilted when it was all over.

The music stopped again, but this time was the last one, according to the annoucements. "It's time to start leaving," they said, still with a cheery and somewhat high tone in their voice. "We know you had fun-but the fun's gotta end eventually!"

Sophie pouted.

"You're being childish." Michael joked, tossing her jacket at her, which she caught.

"Wait, when did this come off?" Sophie blinked a couple of times as she slung the jacket right back on.

"I think it was the time where I accidentally tossed you across the room." Michael snickered. "You're really light, you know."

"And you're really strong." Sophie sighed. "I guess we better leave, huh?"

"I suppose." Michael responded. Before Sophie could leave in her own, he grabbed her hand again (why was her heart beating faster than the speed of sound right now?!) and dragged her out with him, out the side door instead of the main one.

As if being hit in the head, Sophie blinked, and everything was suddenly calm and quiet. She forgot that everything was so loud in there, that it probably damaged her ears.

"Wow-" Sophie coughed, before lowering her voice, which had been practically been shouting for the past however long it had been. "It's so quiet now."

"That's what happens when you leave a loud area into a quieter one." Michael sighed.

"Why'd you bring me out here?" Sophie frowned.

"To thank you, obviously." Michael smiled, and Sophie felt like her whole world got turned upside down in seconds. "It's impolite to not thank someone for a dance, for your information. And I had a fun night."

"Well, if it's impolite, then fine," Sophie smiled back. She wanted to do nothing other than smile right now. "Thanks for the dance. I had a fun night, too."

"It sucks that it had to end." Michael let go of her hand with a sad sigh. Sophie just wanted to grab his hand and bring him closer again, but personal space-

Wait, she should respond.

She simply nodded.

"I should head home," Michael smiled at her again. "Elizabeth's probably worrying that I got kidnapped or something."

"I wish I had siblings," Sophie grumbled for the millionth time. Michael had the audacity to laugh.

This was the first time she'd heard him laugh so genuinely. It was like when he asked her to go with her to this dance-she completely blanked out. His laugh was so cute-he should do it more often, why didn't he?

"Your laugh is cute." She blurted, before coughing embarrassingly and trying again. "You should really laugh more."

"Y-yeah, thanks." Michael smiled awkwardly back.

Was his face pink too?

She didn't notice, because he said, "see you next week," and waved as he started walking away.

Yet as he was walking, and as Sophie was still waving, she couldn't help but think that she forgot something so, awfully important.

Erebus appeared beside her, in a rush of luck.

"Did he like the chocolates?" Was the first thing she asked.

"Fuck-that's what it was!" Sophie started panicking again as she frantically searched through her bag. "The chocolates!"

"I thought you gave them to him already." Erebus frowned.

"Nono, it was for a different thing!"

Sophie looks at the box in her hands. Maybe she should've done her research-does he even like chocolate? Will he even consider the idea?

"Won't know if you don't try." Erebus' voice echoed in her ears, and she clenched the box tighter, swallowing nervously.

"This time, I won't back down," she looked up, determination in her eyes. "This time, I'll pull through."

She hurries to catch up with him before he walks home.

♬♬♬

Michael walks down the street, half-dejected, half-still exhilarated.

He felt in Sophie's whole demeanour that she was worried about something. And somehow still, with everything he tried, not only would she not tell him, but she was still somewhat worried when he started leaving.

He just couldn't take the aura of failure.

He'd let her down. He promised to be her partner-but couldn't even stop her from feeling miserable, so what good was he anyway?

He was walking slower than a zombie, just letting his self-hatred flow in more.

If she's still worried by Monday, it definitely has something to do with me-

"Michael!"

Michael stopped, and immediately pivoted on the spot.

"Sophie?" He recognized the voice, and the outfit, and the face. Her face.

"Michael, I'm so sorry!" She apologized quickly.

"Sorry? For what?" Michael frowned.

"For making you worried about me," Sophie answered. "Look, I didn't mean it, but I forgot to give you my gift for you, and it was bugging me all evening."

"You got a gift for me?" Michael blinked.

"It was, um-" Sophie shook her head. "No, uh-"

"I'm here." Michael encouraged.

"Okay, well, uh, here." She extended her hands, pink all over her face. Michael's eyes widened.

"Chocolates?" He asked, admiration in his voice. "You really did this for me?"

"Of course!" Sophie almost shouted. "You helped me make Vanny, so of course I'll repay the favour!"

"Vanny?" Michael asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I named the doll we made together." Sophie smiled wider. "Vanny came to me."

"That's a good name." Michael smiled too. "Creative."

"W-well, I best be going." Sophie laughed embarrassingly.

"Wait." Michael stopped her. "You were going to say something else earlier, weren't you?"

Sophie swallowed. He noticed.

"Sophie, I'm alright with whatever you say." Michael didn't know how to comfort her. "Just get it off your back."

"O-okay, it's a... question I've had for a long time." Sophie swallowed again. "It's another reason why I got those chocolates. Chocolates in my adtopted family were said to be used for romantic occasions and stuff..."

Michael kept listening, attempting to hide his own swallowing.

Romantic occasions.

"A question..." Sophie shook her head again.

"I promise I won't say anything bad." Michael tried to encourage her again. "Let it out."

"Okay..." she paused again, before stepping closer and grabbing his hands. He immediately tensed, feeling his face get hot very fast. They noth didn't notice the chocolate box tumble to the floor from the action.

"Michael, ever since I met you, you've been the only one willing to be close to me and care about my feelings," she started slowly. Michael felt his heartbeat get faster. "You're the one who inspired me to keep going through my insecurities, through my stress, through my whole family situation."

Michael looked into her eyes, at the same time she looked into his.

"Your eyes... I never said this, but they're so unique to you. Everyone says it's a condition, I say it's a blessing." She smiled, gripping his hands tighter. "Tonight, I felt something I never felt before when I was dancing with you-the feeling of exhilaration, of pleasure... I realized, just now, that that's something... I always felt, just from being around you, not just dancing with you. And I decided a while ago to ask you-can you be my one and only boyfriend?"

Michael's heart felt like it was going to stop.

Sophie had said that to him before. In a fantasy. A dream. A dream he refused to acknowledge whenever he was near her. He took everything slow, nervous about the consequences if he went too far with something.

This wasn't a dream, he knew. This was reality.

And he stared into Sophie's emerald green eyes, nevous of overstepping and worried about his answer-he saw himself in her.

He realized when he was dancing with her before that he wanted to see her happier. More energetic. More... out of the dumps, like she usually was when he first met her. He felt glad that he could pull her out of that dark phase in her life.

He smiled, and gripped her hands just as tight as she was gripping his.

"Yes." Was the only word he needed to say. And he said it. With more conviction than anything he'd ever said-hell, even thought-before. He watched Sophie's face light up with excitement and disbelief. It was infectious-his heart rate must be through the roof at how fast it was beating now. He knew already-and it was only strengthened just then-that he wanted to see her smile all the time.

"Yes, I will."

Chapter Text

Rabbit Duo

If you were to meet Sophie, she’d seem normal at first, but… off at other times.

She was a recently new student, and having no connections to anyone yet, she seemed a little lonely. Though, she was a social person, speaking whenever she felt necessary, especially when she thinks it’s unjust. She can’t tolerate when something wrong is going on, and she’d try her best to resolve any issue she might have created.

Michael’s first opinion of her was just like that – in fact, he admires her sense to just speak up when she had issues. He could never really bring himself to do something like that – especially since his “issues” in question was just the existence of his father. Well, it was more complicated than that, but it was all his father’s fault, so that could be summed up to his issues just being William.

Yet sometimes when he was near her, he’d hear her talking to herself.

Okay, yeah, that was normal too. Everyone does that sometimes. But Michael wasn’t sure that when people talk to themselves, they give them a different name altogether.

Erebus.

He learned quickly that asking about it (her) was just going to cause a light “ah, nothing, haha!” from Sophie before he would force himself to drop the subject out of respect.

He wasn’t expecting her to bring it up on her own, either.

✩✩✩

“Hey, Mike, can I talk to you about something?” Sophie asked slowly, making him look up from his phone to show he was paying attention.

He didn’t realize it earlier, but their other friends were all busy right now. He didn't look who came to his locker, okay?! At least not until they started talking! But... maybe he didn’t pay attention to them as much as he thought. They didn’t tell him anyway, which was fine with him. He doesn’t like to meddle in other people’s business – it’s not his place.

“Where’s this coming from?” Michael put his phone in his pocket. Judging by the way she asked, she definitely was talking about something serious. They’d been friends for a little over half a year now, so he should know by now. He was pretty good at reading other people.

Unless it was about romance. That wasn’t a subject he was educated in.

(Elizabeth teases him about Sophie being the girl he hangs out with the most. He doesn’t know why. He’s sure he hangs out with her and Zela an equal amount.)

“Um…” Sophie bit her lip. “I don’t really know how to answer that. I guess um… my past?”

That was pretty serious. Nearly everyone in their friend group has some sort of thing in their past that they don’t talk about to anyone else (For Michael, it’s the beginning stage of his life.) Everyone makes sure never to ask, letting whoever it is tell them when they want to. Sophie knows this.

So Michael leans closer to her. “You sure you want to tell me that here?”

He knows how many people unintentionally listen in to conversations when they pass by in the hallway. He knows because he does it, for one. The lockers is just not a good place for secrets to be told. "You don't have anywhere better?" He slightly teased.

“Oh, yeah, good point.” Sophie winces. “Okay, follow me.”

They end up in some little corner outside, Sophie sitting on a short tree stump while Michael simply sits on the ground across from her. Because of a school wall, it’s slightly hidden. Probably how he never noticed it before.

☾☾☾

…And now she doesn’t want to do this.

“Coward.” Erebus snickers, and she winces again. How easy is it to just tell someone about her? But then again, this is Michael, who’s probably had his own fair share of weird experiences (she hopes.) That would make this easier to believe.

As if sensing her inner turmoil, he sighs. “If it’s something weird, I should say that I’ve been through a lot of weird things myself.” He says, and Sophie already feels a little better.

She keeps asking herself how he does that. How he manages to hear her thoughts and say the exact perfect thing to calm her down.

Maybe it’s because he has little siblings. She doesn’t, nor does she want any. She’s happy living her sad life by herself, thank you. She does not need a little brother or sister coming in her room every now and then asking, “who are you talking to?” Just like her mother does already.

“Focus.” Erebus’ voice made her zone back in again.

That is exactly why she likes having Erebus around. Sometimes it’s so much easier to remember to do something, or zone back into conversations when she starts getting off track, like now.

“I thought so.” She answers Michael – finally – and clears her throat. “You’re fine with this, right?”

“Of course I am.” Michael sounds like it’s obvious – and maybe it is – but Sophie still likes to ask. She doesn’t want to say it if he’s not going to listen.

And Michael does seem like he’s going to listen – his phone is nowhere in sight, and his eyes are trained directly into hers, which makes her feel a little more pinned to the spot, but at least she knows he focused only on her right now.

“Okay,” she sighs. “Where do I start…?”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

“Are you going on a walk again?”

Sophie’s standing by the door, about to open it. She swears her mother has a sixth sense for when she’s about to leave. It scares her every time.

“Yeah,” Sophie answers, short and sweet. Her mother raises an eyebrow, and Sophie rolls her eyes. “I was going down the forest path.”

The forest path is well known to her mother – said path being their fastest way to the cemetery. She darkens a little at the mention of it – but she quickly smiles again and wordlessly opens the door for her, allowing her to leave.

Sophie nods her head in thanks as she says, “I’m not going there – I’ll start coming back in the middle of the forest.”

Her mother nods her approval. “Be quick,” she smiles, “or you’re not betting dinner tonight.”

Sophie gasps dramatically. “Mom!”

“Just be home by 6.” Her mom laughs, and Sophie quickly checks the time. 5:40. Fine.

She nods, before turning around and entering the forest.

The forest itself is small; but once inside, it looks way bigger. It’s not small small, considering it goes on forever (which is why Sophie had said she was only going to the middle of it), but it wasn’t too big, either. As it was autumn currently, most of the trees’ leaves were either orange, red, or gone. The leaves never seemed to fall on the actual path; making it easy to see the gravel, even at nighttime (like now).

Now, she had planned to reach a small hut midway on the path – where some people liked to sit and chat while they tried to gain back energy; Sophie and her mother often stopped there on their way back from the cemetery themselves.

However, she spotted a small bracelet on the path in front of her, and she quickly stopped, looking around. She hadn’t seen anyone when she walked here, so either they were up ahead, or this had been lost a long time ago, and the owner was no longer nearby.

“Cool.” She grumbled to herself, leaning down to pick it up. She didn’t really want to go further than the shed, so she might have to rush this and just hope they were still close.

As the picked up the bracelet, she frowned, surprised. It wasn’t just a cheap bracelet like she expected – it was heavy, and the silver jewels lining it didn’t seem to be fake. The bracelet itself was also gold – and Sophie quickly figured out that if the bracelet was this heavy, then the bracelet was in fact real gold.

Who would just lose this? Sure, maybe it didn’t fit whoever bought it and it fell off somehow, but this was worth a lot. Anywhere. If it didn’t fit, don’t wear it in public, or this would happen. That seemed easy enough to her.

“Are you done gawking?” She heard a teasing tone right in front of her, and she flinched in surprise, looking up quickly.

A young girl (at least, she looked young) stood there, arms crossed and smug smile on her face. Her red eyes were off-putting, staring into her like that. She was wearing a red scarf, her hazel brown hair only just being long enough to cover some of said scarf. She had a while long-sleeved shirt on, and a short blue skirt, covering dark blue jeans and short, white boots. She wore white gloves, and an expensive-looking star-shaped earring.

“Oh!” Sophie noticed the way her look screamed ‘rich’. “Is this bracelet yours?”

The girl looked down at the bracelet, before humming in thought. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“It’s not owned by me, but I’ve become attached to it well.” The girl said again, smiling down at the bracelet, but not taking it.

Doesn’t that just mean it’s yours?

“Are you going to take it?” Sophie asked, blinking at her. She quickly looked at the time. 5:50. “I need to be somewhere.”

“No,” The girl frowned. “Hm…”

Sophie looked at the girl, even more confused now. This bracelet was hers, right? So why didn’t she want to take it?

“I need you to take that. For your own safety.” The girl bit her lip. “But I do need to tell you about it.”

“What?” Sophie asked. This girl was starting to make her head hurt. She wasn’t making much sense.

“That bracelet’s cursed.”

Sophie froze in place. Even her thoughts froze, halting to a stop at this new and crazy info. “…What?” she repeated. She felt like she was going to say that a lot today.

“It came from several decades ago.” The girl looked down at the bracelet too, eyes closely inspecting the jewelry. “I do not know where it came from, but it was given to 'someone', and that 'someone' was cursed with misfortune. 'She' died young.”

Sophie looked back up at her. “Why do you want me to take this, then? What about it is 'for my own safety'?”

“Because now that you’ve touched it, it’s already cursed you. Getting further away from it only makes the curse worse.” The girl deadpanned.

“I’m assuming this is yours, then.” Sophie gritted her teeth. “You’re cursed, too? How does this work?”

This was ridiculous, but if Sophie wanted answers, she might as well ask all the questions. She didn't know if she believed it or not. Either way, she needed to deal with this bracelet, cursed or not cursed.

“It was mine.” The girl corrected. “Now that I’ve died, the bracelet needed to draw in a new victim for the curse. That new victim is you.”

“You… what?” Sophie stepped back, slightly reeling from the new information. “You’re what?!”

“Huh? Oh… sorry, I didn’t mention that. When you eventually die to the curse, the curse keeps your spirit confined to said bracelet. No one can see me, at least not until they pick the bracelet up.”

“So, I can see you because I picked up the bracelet, I’m cursed now and I can’t get rid of it, and I have to take this bracelet back home with me.” Sophie summarized her new misery. “What about you? Do you just… follow me home or something?”

What the hell. Is going on.

“I’m confined to the bracelet.” The girl repeated. “So yes, I have to stay with you until you die.”

“Really happy stuff here.” Sophie muttered sarcastically, quickly checking her watch again, before panicking. “Shoot, it’s nearly six!”

“What does that mean for you?” The girl tilted her head.

Sophie spun, beginning to run, as she carefully slipped the bracelet on her wrist for now. Since she couldn’t really tell her mother about this, she’d put it in her pockets before she opened her front door. “I need to be home soon!”

She startled at the girl simply floating beside her, and she winced at the new addition to her life that she didn’t ask for.

“My name is Erebus, by the way.” Erebus smiled beside her. “I’m so sorry for this – there wasn’t anything I could do.”

“It’s… alright?” Sophie asked, not really sure that was the right answer. “Look, we can talk about this later, okay?”

✩✩✩

Later came, against her wishes. She’d quickly said goodnight to her mother after dinner – since she wasn’t going to come down again – and faceplanted into her bed, wincing at the bracelet cutting into her stomach from her sweater’s pockets. She quickly sat up, pulling the bracelet out and slipping it back onto her wrist. It was just as heavy as before, which was a little annoying, but she didn't want it in her pockets, either.

“Sorry again.” Was the first words Erebus said in a while, looking around her room.

“Truthfully I… don’t know how to think about this.” Sophie looked down. “But I can’t do anything about it now, can I?”

“No, and I’m sorry for that, too.” Erebus sighed guiltily. “Everything here is my fault. Sorry.”

“It-“ Sophie swallowed, before changing directions. “Um, how did you get the bracelet?”

“My mother.” Erebus seethed at saying that alone. Sophie quickly picked up the hint – don’t ask any specific details about her mother. “I don’t know where she got it from, but she gave it to me as a birthday present, fully intending to kill me.”

Sophie snapped her head up, eyes wide. “She intended to kill you?”

“I don’t know why, but yes.” Erebus sat down against the bed with a sigh. She ran her hand through her hazel hair nervously.

Sophie didn’t know what to say to that. Her own mother was the best mother she could ask for – at least in her opinion – so she didn’t really know how to comfort Erebus. While her father could lose his temper at times, he was mostly a very good parent, too. She didn't really have experience in this.

“You don’t need to comfort me. I’ve already accepted that.” Erebus told her, looking into her eyes.

“Can you read my thoughts or something?” Sophie sputtered, looking at her own eyes.

Erebus laughed. “Yeah, actually.” She grinned at the younger girl. “Bracelet things. As long as you’re wearing it, I can.”

“Don’t you disappear if I’m not wearing it?” Sophie asked slowly.

Erebus shook her head. “No, I’m attached to you now, too.”

“Oh, lovely.” Sophie muttered. Erebus laughed again.

She was going to have to get used to this.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Michael blinked slowly, looking a cross between shocked and awed. Either way, he was completely speechless. Something Sophie expected, and laughed at for a few seconds.

“It’s… a lot.” Sophie smiled sheepishly. “But that’s why I have bad luck.”

“It’s a miracle you’ve survived this long, even.” Erebus sighed. Sophie smiled back at her. Michael followed her gaze.

“I assume she’s there?” he asked, looking back at Sophie, who looked back at him at the same time.

She nodded.

“Not even a single question. What a guy.” Erebus noted.

Sophie laughed at her, and as if sensing the joke, Michael grinned, too. Erebus sort of startled under his look, and even though he couldn’t see her, they shared an unreadable gaze.

Sophie was too busy thinking that for the first time in a while, she didn’t feel so lonely with this anymore.