Sting Operation

by Zealand

Summary:

After an exploiting incident, Telamon is given a peculiar assignment by Builderman: infiltrate the life of the suspected culprit and collect evidence on him. It's strange, but Telamon is confident in his ability to deliver.

Unfortunately for him, not everything goes as it's supposed to.

--

rating, tags, and archive warnings subject to change

Notes:

oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!

I got really bored while the power was out and my phone was dying so I opened up a notepad on my laptop and started writing.

My first fanfiction in a very long time. Not beta read, no second drafts, YOLO. Not my best work, I'm real rusty, but oh well. I hope it's good enough for y'all. I'm doing gymnastics trying to make this plot logical.

Chapter 1

It was a regular morning at Roblox HQ. Builderman clocked in at the crack of dawn, settling into his chair and flipping through the tasks he had laid out for himself the day before. Coffee stood hot on his desk, birds began chirping outside his window as the sun began its ascent into the sky. 

 

There was something a little different about today, though, Builderman would soon find out. It was a simple notification on his computer, a report, usually nothing big. This one, however, caught his eye. 

 

ANOTHER C00LGUI INCIDENT, POTENTIAL SUSPECT IDENTIFIED

 

Builderman frowned, this was familiar. This exploiter, who had been given the placeholder name 'C00LGUI,' was a repeat offender. He came with his panel (his namesake), wreaked havoc, and then he teleported away. The admins had been trying to track down this man for years now. He was a menace, destroying livelihoods and buildings and being a general nuisance. He had once worked with another, a dark enigma they never managed to identify either. He had disappeared earlier, about a year before C00LGUI had. He wasn't the most dangerous, but he was one of the most destructive and most elusive. He had dropped off the face of Robloxia about a decade ago, leaving everyone scratching their heads and without answers. It seems now he decided to renounce his retirement.

 

It was significant, one step closer to catching this guy. They had suspects, of course, but no evidence. It was silly, Builderman thought, to spend so much time on an exploiter who hadn't killed any Robloxians. But something about this exploiter bugged him.

 

Builderman stopped his thinking and opened up the report. There was an incident at a park, with witnesses reporting characteristics similar to a C00LGUI hacking--a changed skybox, red painting the ground, unanchored structures. It hadn't lasted long, and there was no clear sighting of a perpetrator. 

 

ROBLOXIAN INTELLIGENCE IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL SUSPECT 007N7. LOCAL MAN, APPEARED WHEN C00LGUI WENT MIA. SPOTTED IN AREA BEFORE INCIDENT. MORE EVIDENCE NEEDED TO APPREHEND.

 

Builderman's frown deepened. He recognized the name, vaguely--007n7 had been a suspect in the past, for an incident with a restaurant. If they had identified a suspect, surely they had enough evidence to at least detain the man. Especially as it wasn't his first time being suspected of being C00LGUI.

 

He'd ask about it later. For now, he closed the report, put aside the information and continued on with his work. 

 

It was on his lunch break that Builderman ran into John Doe. 

 

"Hello, sir." John smiled. He was carrying a folder under his arm and a lunchbox in his hands. John was one of HQ's most dependable employees, always ready to help and possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of various happenings around Robloxia. Perfect, thought Builderman, if anyone could elucidate the new C00LGUI breakthrough, it would be him.

 

"Hello!" Builderman smiled back. When John went to move past him, Builderman stopped him. "Forgive me, John, but I saw a report this mornin' and wanted some more information. Can ya help me?"

 

John blinked. "Of course, sir."

 

"I hope this ain't a bad time--it is lunch after all."

 

John looked down at his lunchbox and then back at Builderman, shrugging. "I can eat later."

 

"Thank you. 'Shouldn't take too long, I hope." Builderman clasped his hands together. "It's the C00LGUI case."

 

"There was another incident yesterday." John said, "at a park--"

 

"I'm aware, John. I'm curious about this suspect. 007n7. Why haven't they taken him in?" 

 

John perked up, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Well... I'm not privy to all the details, but there's no certainty he's the one. The evidence seems to be circumstantial and not all that strong. We can't be picking up innocent Robloxians." 

 

Builderman stood in thought for a moment. "He was a suspect in the past. He was near the scene of the crime. Would ya not say that seems like enough probable cause? I think we've got a decent case on our hands here."

 

"I'm not all that sure. There is a chance it's him. A chance, sir." John had set his lunchbox and folder down, now toying with his collar. If there was one fault of John's, it was that he was meek, unconfident in definite assertions. 

 

Builderman considered saying more, but stopped himself.  He had taken enough of John's time already anyway, and he was hungry himself. He sighed, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, John. Y'can go now."

 

"I hope I helped." John said and nodded in respect, continuing on his way and leaving Builderman to stand, contemplating. 

 

They were so close, so close to catching this guy. C00LGUI had terrorized innocents for years, and had come back for more. He itched to see the banhammer come down, sentencing him to the banlands. 

 

But there simply wasn't enough evidence. Not yet, at least. 

 

He thought about what John said, doubting himself for a moment. After all, this man for all he knew was a victim of circumstance. He had managed to exonerate himself the first time, too. But if Builderman was right, and this was the guy, he knew he wouldn't be easy to catch with the evidence. No--they'd have to do this another way. 

 

He felt a slight apprehension. Builderman doesn't operate on hunches, on gut feelings. Yet here he was, convinced and acting on hunches and gut feelings. 

 

Builderman turned. "John!" he called. John, who was just making his way out the door, looked over his shoulder. "Tell 'em that I don't want anyone questionin' the guy. I don't want anythin' about him hitting the papers, either. Builderman's orders."

 

John's face contorted in confusion, but he nodded, continuing on his way. 

 

Builderman smiled to himself in satisfaction before going to get his lunch down from his office. 

--

"You desire what from Telamon?" Telamon seemed perturbed by his new task. He and Builderman stood in Builderman's office. Telamon, as always, stood menacing and tall, his emotions hard to read. Builderman was good at reading him, however. 

 

"Just until you can get enough evidence!" Builderman insisted, "just... yer the only guy here that has a foolproof disguise. We're not quite sure if it's him, yet."

 

Telamon was silent, lips curled into a frown, eyes obscured by his hood, though his brows were certainly furrowed. Then, he spoke, "you want Telamon to... collect intelligence on a Robloxian?"

 

Builderman nodded, a desperate smile on his face. "C'mon, buddy! Yer the guy for the job! We're so close to crackin' this one." He slapped Telamon on the back. Telamon flinched and his wings bristled. "Just get to know the guy 'n report back to me when you got the evidence."

 

There was no response for about a minute, before Telamon let out a sigh. "I suppose that Telamon has nothing else to do."

 

Builderman lit up, grinning wildly. "'Knew I could count on ya!" Builderman led Telamon to his computer, pulling up a file of 007n7 he'd received earlier from John Doe. "Here's the guy." 

 

Telamon gave the screen a good look. The photo shown seemed to be older, showing a man in his mid twenties, straight-faced for his ID photo. He wore glasses, had brown hair and an air of confidence that showed through the photo. The file said he was thirty-six, he had no aliases, he lived on a street in the city where the recent incident had occurred. The most notable thing about him were his horns, though plenty of Robloxians had those. He seemed to be generic, harmless, a man you would never look twice at--but Telamon knew looks could be deceiving.

 

"Is this all that is known of this Robloxian?" Telamon asked. It escaped even him why Builderman was setting up such an operation for an exploiter. A suspected exploiter.

 

"Unfortunately." Builderman said, "but I've got a good feelin' about this one."

 

Telamon blinked, though it wasn't visible from under his hood. He decided not to ask many future questions. "When will Telamon be departing on this mission?"

 

"Tomorrow mornin'. Or tonight, if ya really wanna. I've got some accommodation set up for ya." 

 

"Telamon does not need accommodation." He thought for a moment after speaking, then added, "but Telamon is appreciative nonetheless." 

 

Builderman smiled, chuckling. He handed Telamon a small notebook and a key. Telamon gave it a quick flip-through. It was vital information--the location of his temporary house, a map of the city he’d be inhabiting, and a shrunk-down copy of 007n7’s file for good measure, picture and all. Telamon nodded in thanks. 

 

"Thanks again, buddy. I'm countin' on ya." 

------

007n7 slammed the front door, shaking furiously. C00lkidd was in tears, scared of his father's anger. He still had a panel grasped in his little hands, the C00lgui. His father was blinded with rage and fear, breathing labored as he peered out the windows to make sure nobody had followed them home.

 

"I'm sorry, Papa!" C00lkidd cried. "I'm sorry!" The kid apologized, over and over again like a prayer. 

 

007n7 fell to his knees, grabbing C00lkidd by the shoulders as he weeped. "Never. NEVER. do that again." His grip tightened, earning a yelp from C00lkidd. "Someone could have seen you--someone could have taken you away. Gotten you in trouble. Gotten me in trouble." 

 

"I'm sorry, Papa." C00lkidd whimpered. 

 

007n7 released his son, snatching the C00lgui from his hands. "And we never touch this again, you understand?" C00lkidd nodded furiously, sniffling. 007n7 looked down at the panel. It was bulky, old and still a bit dusty. He never thought he'd see it again--he didn't know how C00lkidd had gotten it, but he knew he had to step up the security. Get rid of the thing, if he could.  It was beyond stupid to keep it in the first place. 

 

"No TV for a week." 007n7 said, still trying to catch his breath. "You're grounded." It wasn't the worst punishment, in fact, 007n7 knew it wasn't nearly enough for the gravity of what C00lkidd had done. 007n7 was never good at discipline, though. It was one thing on his laundry list of things he promised himself he'd do better at. He just felt too bad for the kid, seeing his desperate crying. 

 

C00lkidd pouted, his lip still quivering. His tears had stopped falling, but pooled in his eyes. "I'm sorry." he said again. 

 

007n7 took a deep breath. "I know you are, Kidd." He pulled his son into a hug, tightly pulling him to his chest. "I love you." his voice broke as he said it. He was still coming down from the anger, the fear, the panic. He knew the risks for himself--he was still a wanted man, after all--but C00lkidd had put himself into jeopardy, too, and had no idea. 

 

"I love you, too, Papa." C00lkidd murmured. 007n7 knew he had things to do: make dinner, give C00lkidd his bath, put him to bed. But that could wait. For now, he had his son safe in his arms, and he was going to savor that. 

 

 

That night, after C00lkidd had been tucked into bed and 007n7 confirmed he was fast asleep, 007n7 went to get rid of the C00lgui. He regretted not doing it the moment he retired. It was a dangerous machine, a marker of his past, cold hard proof of his crimes. And now it had almost gotten he and C00lkidd in deep shit. 

 

He couldn't dispose of the thing, it could get into the wrong hands, be traced back to him. So he decided to destroy it. A hammer he'd dug out of storage in hand, he took the C00lgui to the backyard.

 

He gave it one final look-over. This panel was so unsuspecting, but had caused so much pain, so much destruction. It had ruined lives, and nearly ruined two that day. And it was all of his making. At least it'd all be over soon. It wouldn't hurt anybody ever again. 

 

007n7 raised the hammer above the panel, his hands shaking wildly. Time seemed to slow down as his eyes remained locked on his target, his face straining, but he didn't swing. His hands, no matter how much he willed them to, refused to move. 

 

This was his past. It was his college years. It was all-nighters and ramen noodles and bunk-beds. It was young adulthood. It was a long-lost swagger, it was unadulterated fun. It was someone he once knew, someone he once loved, someone long gone. For all the running he did from his past, he couldn't seem to let it go. 

 

007n7 can't recall how long it took for him to put down the hammer, falling down to his knees for the second time that day. What was wrong with him? He couldn't do the one thing he needed to do to protect himself and his son. All for an exploit panel. It's a terrible idea not to destroy it then and there. But nobody is on his tail, he rationalizes, and he can keep it away from C00lkidd if he just secures it better. 

 

He returns inside with the C00lgui intact and a tail tucked between his legs. Shame bites at him, anxiety pressing down like weights on his chest, sadness over a life he once lived threatening his resolve. He stores the panel where he's sure C00lkidd won't be able to reach it, making a mental note to buy a safe. 

 

He checks up on C00lkidd one more time before he goes to bed, hoping that things feel a little lighter in the morning. He welcomes the sleep after what seems like hours of tossing and turning, letting himself be consumed by darkness until it's time to wake again. 

 

Tomorrow is another day.

Chapter 2

Summary:

Telamon--no, Shedletsky--gets to work. 007n7 tries not to lose it.

Notes:

good morning campers! weeeeeeee

The busy part of my summer has just begun. It's the 23rd still so I adhered to my deadline for myself. Round of applause for me.

Wrote a lot of this on the absurdly long train rides I had today. Will be having absurdly long train rides very often now. I'll try to get a chapter 3 out very soon. Still figuring out a lot about how I want this to go. Got a lot of ideas though, and I'm determined to see this one through (unlike my previous fics)

Shedletsky was nothing like Telamon. 

 

Where Telamon moved with a divine sophistication, Shedletsky was nonchalant and careless. There was intention in Telamon’s every step, it seemed Shedletsky had no regard for where his feet would land next. Shedletsky was deceptively simple, an average yet exceedingly peculiar man far removed from the deity he sometimes was. He was calculated in his own baffling way, always five steps ahead. Shedletsky was all of Telamon’s rough edges, trimmed away and given their own form. They had one thing in common, however, and that was their ability to defy mortal comprehension. 

 

Everybody knew of Telamon the admin, the deity, the sword fighter of The Heights. Nobody knew of Shedletsky. It was convenient, to avoid the paparazzi that Telamon despised so greatly--though Shedletsky would love to have people crowd him and celebrate his glory. Shedletsky was the guy for the mission, powerful yet unknown. 

 

Shedletsky arrived at his new home early in the morning, materializing into existence in his new front yard. The lawn was overgrown, unkempt as Shedletsky’s hair, with wily plants fighting for dominance. Perfectly on-brand. 

 

The house itself was unremarkable, seeming to have been vacant for many years. When Shedletsky entered, however, he found that the house had been set up for him, furnished and polished as if brand new. It was quaint, humble, simple. Not enough spice for Shedletsky, not yet at least. 

 

Upon closing the front door behind him, he immediately threw himself on the sofa with a grunt, his golden wings splaying out as he kicked off his shoes. He dug through the pockets in his shorts, pulling out the notebook he’d gotten from Builderman. 

 

He opened to the page with 007n7’s file again, refreshing his memory. He stared at the photo for a long time, studying the facial features in front of him. After all, he thought, he had to know what the guy looked like. 

 

He closed the book after a couple minutes, the suspect’s face sufficiently burned into his mind. He threw the notebook to the side, making no movement to pick it up when it missed the coffee table entirely and landed on the floor. He fished out a cell phone from his pocket, an old-looking burner phone that still had a home button. He’d have to get a couple mobile games on it--Shedletsky wasn’t about to be bored during his mission. Though, hopefully, the suspect would be entertaining enough on his own. 

 

It was too early to work, he groaned to himself, sinking deeper into the sofa. But like the good worker he was, he navigated to his contacts and called the only one present, cryptically named ‘Boss.’

 

It only took two rings for the man on the other line to pick up. “Telamon?”

 

“Shedletsky.” Shedletsky corrected, grin evident from his voice alone, “at your service!” 

 

There was a pause on the other line. “I take it ya got yerself settled in?”

Shedletsky snorted, “‘Course. No place that ol’ Shedletsky can’t settle into.” He propped himself up on his elbows, sweeping the room with his eyes again. “Nice place you got me here.  Bit drab for my tastes, but it’ll do. Permission to decorate?”

 

Another pause and an audible deep breath. Shedletsky knew Builderman was pinching his temple, just wishing he was speaking to the aloof and direct Telamon instead--”’Guess so. Glad ya made it there safe, buddy.” There was a silence between them before Builderman spoke again. “I expect periodic updates. Don’t go disappearing.”

 

“Got it, boss.” Shedletsky saluted, though Builderman couldn’t see it. 

 

“Keep yerself out of trouble.” Builderman’s voice was serious. “I don’t feel like comin’ to bail ya out of whatever hijinks ya get into.”

 

“Do you have so little trust in me?” Shedletsky pouted, “All will be well, and soon you’ll be thanking me for such a job well done.” Builderman huffed, responding only with a skeptical hum. 

 

“Well, it’s been a great talk, but I’ve gotta go. Whole lotta work to do.” Shedletsky said, ignoring Builderman’s objections. “I won’t let you down, boss. G’bye!” He hung up before Builderman could get in another word, flopping back onto his back. 

 

Shedletsky had no intentions of working, at least not now. He’d figure out a game plan later--for now, it was time to relax. He needs his energy, after all. 

---

007n7 was brought back to the land of the living by a blaring alarm, startling him awake. The night had been dreamless, mercifully, and his initial moments awake were disorienting and thoughtless.

 

As he went to slap his alarm clock off, the memories of yesterday came rushing back and weight returned to his body. The C00lgui was intact, somewhere in his house. He hadn’t destroyed it. 

 

His hands came up to grab at his head, running down his face in an attempt to ground himself. His alarm went off, that meant it was 7 AM and that meant it was time to get up. C00lkidd had school, after all. 

 

It was only his obligation to get C00lkidd to school that got him out of his bed, the warmth of the bed and the heaviness of his thoughts trying to push him back down. He made his way, slower than usual, to C00lkidd’s bedroom, letting himself in and approaching the sleeping child.

He tapped C00lkidd on the shoulder, “Kidd, it’s time to wake up.” The boy stirred immediately, swatting away his father’s hand.

 

“‘Don’ wanna go t’ school, Papa.” He mumbled, still half asleep. “‘m tired.”

 

007n7 felt another pang of guilt. He briefly considered letting C00kidd stay home today, due to the stress of yesterday. He shook his head to himself, dismissing the thought. He had to stop letting C00lkidd get off easy, be a more assertive father. 

 

“Papa’s tired too, kiddo.” 007n7 said gently. “You have to go to school.”

With a bit--quite a bit--more prodding, 007n7 got C00lkidd out of bed, dressed, and in front of the table for breakfast. The boy was still blinking away the sleep, frowning at having to go to school, but brightened when he saw 007n7 pull out a box of Pop-Tarts. 

 

It wasn’t the healthiest, 007n7 knew, but it was quick, cheap, and easy, and C00lkidd wouldn’t throw a fit over having to eat it. He was very particular about his food, and Pop-Tarts were one of his safe foods.

 

The events of the day before seemed not to affect C00lkidd, at least not visibly. He was as he always was, if not a little more tired, bouncing in anticipation in his chair. He had a wide smile on his face. 007n7 felt a little weight leave, because his son was back to normal, and soon—hopefully—he will be too.

 

After breakfast, he corralled C00lkidd into the car, buckling him into the booster seat he hadn’t quite yet outgrown. He always asked when he’d be able to sit alone, and 007n7 always smiled softly and promised him it’d be soon. C00lkidd didn’t ask today. 

 

The drive was tranquil, uncharacteristically quiet for any space occupied by C00lkidd. It brought the nerves back. Normally 007n7 would have welcomed silence with open arms, but not today.

 

C00lkidd only spoke once, when he was being let out of the car. 007n7 said his farewells, a forced smile he hoped wasn’t transparent on his face. He paused, turning to his father with big eyes. “I love you, Papa.”

 

007n7’s heart swelled, a genuine smile returning to his lips. “I love you too, Kidd. So much.” His thoughts quieted.

 

007n7’s thoughts didn’t return in full force until he pulled into the Bloxy Burger parking lot and stepped out of the car. He held his uniform in his hands, standing in front of his scuffed and aged vehicle.

 

He couldn’t say he was totally satisfied with his life. He had a lot of potential, at least in his youth. He had squandered it, though. Now he worked minimum wage jobs, drained and unsatisfied. He lived in constant fear of his past. A past that now more than ever seemed to be in pursuit of him.

 

His one saving grace was C00lkidd. His son, who appeared on his doorstep one fateful day. He was messy, he was rowdy, he was loud—but all of the annoyances fell away when 007n7 was graced by his smile, his laugh, his love. His son was his reason to live, the reason he wasn’t rotting in perpetuity after he retired.

 

007n7 took a deep breath, holding the uniform tight. He could think when he wasn’t on the clock. It was time to get to work. 

He tried to stop all thoughts as he started his shift, activating the autopilot he’d developed after years on the job. Flipping burgers doesn’t take much brain power. 

 

“Yo, 007,” A coworker said, leaning on a counter as 007n7 lowered another batch of fries into the deep fryer, “They’re sayin’ that old hacker--y’know, C00LGUI--they’re sayin’ he struck again.”

 

007n7 froze, his blood turning to ice. A little oil splashed onto him as he dropped the basket, snapping him out of it with a wince. Feign ignorance. “...Mhm?” Is all he could give in response, not trusting his voice. 

 

“You didn’t see? Man, it’s all over the news! ‘Was real close to us, too.” He blew a bubble with his gum. “Real scary stuff.”

 

Yes, 007n7 thought. Real scary stuff indeed. His thoughts began to race, and he had to lean against a counter as well as he lost his balance. It’s all over the news. What if someone had seen him, or even worse, had seen C00lkidd? The news had certainly hit the admins. It was probably a story all over Robloxia. 

 

“You good, man?”

007n7 nodded, clearing his throat. “Y-yeah. Dizzy spell. Didn’t sleep well last night.” He lies, gathering his strength to smile, forced and obviously so. 

 

His coworker doesn’t care enough to push back, blowing another bubble and nodding.

 

007n7 was painfully mentally present for the rest of his shift, juggling the stress of the job and the stress of the news as he tried to keep his composure. He just had to stick it out. 

 

Maybe he’d stop for some pizza. C00lkidd would be over the moon, and he needed a way to drown his sorrows other than alcohol, he’d sworn off of it years ago. Yes, that was a good plan. Pizza it was. 

 

--

 

The plan was simple. Stay out of 007n7’s sight.

 

Not forever, just for a week or so. Shedletsky figured that a new face appearing too often so soon after the incident would be suspicious, paranoia-inducing. This man supposedly evaded capture for over fifteen years, he had to execute everything perfectly.

 

The first day, after deeming himself sufficiently rested, Shedletsky went lurking—well, he’d prefer to call it exploring. Getting to know the streets was important, and if he ran into a certain maybe-exploiter, that’d always be a plus. Of course, he had to identify his target. 

 

His strut was casual as he basked in the sun, shooting toothy grins to anyone who passed by. He scrutinizes the face of everyone passing by, looking for one to match the one in the notebook--even the women. Sure, the last time the guy was spotted he was a man, but one could never be so sure. None were his guy, either that or he was worse at identifying faces than he thought he was. 

 

Would the C00LGUI be so bold as to walk around in broad daylight so soon after his last attack? But attacking after a decade of silence was also quite bold, so Shedletsky wasn’t sure. He had to get into the mind of an exploiter, think of what he’d be doing if he were C00LGUI.

 

He loitered (though Shedletsky wouldn’t describe it like that) around all day: in the supermarket, in the park--scene of the crime--, in front of the school (he was promptly asked to leave), and finally he found himself sitting on a bench, empty-handed and empty-stomached. 

 

Shedletsky could not work on an empty stomach. He knew what he wanted--fried chicken, as always--but there were no fried chicken places in this town. Preposterous, he thought, for Builderman to send him to a place where there was no on-demand chicken. Preposterous for the town to have no on-demand chicken. 

 

He found himself choosing between the local pizzeria, a little place by the name of Builder Brothers’, and Bloxy Burger. Bloxy Burger was familiar, consistent, dependable. They were everywhere for a reason. Shedletsky considered it, admitting a cheeseburger sounded good, but ultimately chose to go to Builder Brothers’. He had to know the local establishments, and from the decals stuck onto the front door, everyone here loved Builder Brothers’ Pizza.

 

A bell chimed to announce his arrival, and he puffed out his chest and spread his wings in response. Yes, Shedletsky was here, and now everybody knew it. There were a few patrons already there, and the smell of fresh pizza wafted through the building. 

 

There was only one employee manning the front counter, a man with a perfectly rehearsed customer-facing smile who was a perfect match with the image on the wall designating him as EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. Shedletsky waltzed up to the register, looking straight up at the colorful menu. 

 

“Welcome, sir!” The employee cheerily said. Elliot was his name, from a quick glance down at his nametag. Shedletsky grunted in response, eyes fixing back on the menu. It was an awkward minute or so, at least for Elliot, as Shedletsky considered his options. 

 

“Sausage pizza. Extra large. Please and thank you.” Shedletsky said abruptly, just as Elliot had opened his mouth to speak. He blinked, his smile wavering for a moment before being plastered back on. 

 

“Of course, sir. Anything else?” Elliot chirped as he punched the order in. Shedletsky stared into space for a moment, thinking at a mile a minute. 

 

“No, thank you.” He said after a beat. “Nice place you’ve got here.”

Elliot’s smile seemed genuine this time upon hearing that. “Why, thank you! Family business.”

 

Shedletsky grinned (with teeth) and nodded, offering a wad of Robux he hadn’t bothered to count out. Elliot flipped through the money.

 

“This is too much, sir--”

“Keep the change. ‘Got plenty. Consider it a tip.” Shedletsky didn’t wait for Elliot’s response before he turned and went to seat himself. Builderman had supplied him with plenty of Robux and was in no position to refuse him more during the mission. 

 

Service was quick, and very soon Shedletsky was chowing down on his extra large sausage pizza like it was his first meal in days. It sure felt like it was.

 

Shedletsky was sitting in his booth, face in his phone and hands grabbing for slice after slice when the bell chimed again. He didn’t look up, too engrossed in some puzzle game he’d found on the first page of the App Store.

 

“Hey Seven,” Elliot said to the new arrival when they reached the counter. Shedletsky looked up then, brows raised in interest. He tried to look at the person’s face, but they were turned away from him. “Same as usual?”

“Hey, Elliot. Yeah--and add an extra pepperoni on top of that. Small.” The person--man, Shedletsky assumed, though again, one could never be so sure--sounded exhausted. 

 

“Long day?” Elliot asked, earning an affirmative hum from ‘Seven.’ Shedletsky kept his eyes fixated on the new man. 

 

After he paid, the man turned around to look at his phone, and then Shedletsky saw his face. He was aged, seeming much older than the file photo, with a tired face and bags under his eyes, but he was unmistakably 007n7. He was twitchy and nervous, fiddling with the device in his hands. Gone was the confidence in the photo, that was apparent. He wore a Bloxy Burger uniform, wrinkled and fraying at the edges, with a burger hat atop his head. That wasn’t a part of the uniform, Shedletsky knew, so it was a personal choice. An odd one, but Shedletsky couldn’t judge anyone considering his, well, everything. He still wore glasses, although they were pink now. 

 

He didn’t look like an exploiter. He looked far too weak, too timid to ever commit such crimes. But again, not everything is as it appears. Shedletsky himself is walking proof of that fact.

 

He closed the puzzle game, shooting a quick text to Builderman. ‘found him’ He went to eat another slice, his gluttony having been interrupted by this new development, but kept his eyes squarely on 007n7. 

 

Shedletsky leaned back in the booth, wings fluttering in satisfaction. He found 007n7 on the first day, and man , this pizza was deserving of all its boasted accolades. Now it was time to monitor him, learn more about him, and eventually, introduce him to Shedletsky. First order of business was finding his place of residence.

As to how Shedletsky followed him home without him noticing, he can’t say. Shedletsky has his methods, and he divulges none of them.

Notes:

I've been shutting down my perfectionist brain while I write this because surely what I'm putting out is not as bad as I think it is. Didn't really proofread this lmk if there's any egregious errors or anything.

Hope you enjoyed see you sooner rather than later I hope

Chapter 3

Summary:

A first encounter.

Notes:

hi chat whats good m bad at summaries

im getting informal in these notes bc who cares anymore lulzers

turns out telling people ur gonna post on a certain day has the same effect to me as a hard deadline so i enter the same lock-in mode that i do when i have a paper due at 11:59. anyway i'll get next chapter up hopefully in two days. if not sooner. don't count on sooner though i'm busy as hell now

this 1 is a lil shorter than the last 2 soz i am so busy and tired all the time now haha. this fic has been living in my head rent free though and whenever i have downtime i'm either brainstorming or writing

again lmk if any egregious errors lol i finish my first draft and click post aint nobody got time for proofreading

enjoy!!!

This guy might not be the exploiter. 

 

He had been following the guy—not stalking, no, Shedletsky doesn’t stalk —for a few days, and he was so… normal. 

 

Shedletsky had caught him at Bloxy Burger once, hiding behind a newspaper. He didn’t expect that method to work, but it did. Maybe he should try sunglasses and a moustache next. He was perfectly average, somewhat diligent, clearly pushing through his shift one second at a time. His customer service smile could use some work, Shedletsky noted. 

 

He had found out a fair bit about 007n7. Where he lived, where he worked… and he was often flanked by a kid. The kid’s relation to 007n7 was unclear, considering they looked nothing alike. They could be brothers, 007n7 could be the kid’s babysitter, or, and Shedletsky had trouble accepting the possibility, the kid was 007n7’s son. It felt weird to be following (again, not stalking ) a guy with a kid, but when duty called, Shedletsky answered.

 

Speaking of duty--Builderman had answered his text with a call later that first night, when Shedletsky had retired to his temporary dwelling. He wasted no time cutting to the chase. 

 

“You found ‘im?” 

 

Shedletsky grinned. “Sure did. Bit old looking, but he’s the guy. Are you sure he’s 36? Really a normal-looking guy, wears this ridiculous hat, though.”

 

Builderman spoke after a moment, “Did ya find anythin’ else?”

“Oh, of course.” Shedletsky scoffed, “did you know that this city has no place to get fried chicken? It’s absurd!” His wings puffed up at the reminder, “I guess I could get it at the supermarket, but you know that supermarket fried chicken is never as good. Real lousy place you’ve sent me to.”

 

He could hear the facepalm on the other line, and definitely heard the exasperation when Builderman answered, “about the suspect , Shedletsky.”

 

“Oh, yes, him.” Shedletsky hummed as if in deep thought. “Looks like he’s a Bloxy Burger employee. Lives in a little house--nice place, by the way.” 

 

Builderman hummed in interest. “...Anythin’ else?”

 

“You have to try this one place in town. Builder Brothers’ Pizza, it is great. Really, I didn’t think pizza could be so good. I’ve got to--”

“ Shedletsky .” 

 

Shedletsky put one hand up in surrender, the other one still holding his phone. “That’s all I got so far.”

 

Builderman took a deep breath. “Good work, buddy.” He sounded hesitant to even say it. 

 

Shedletsky’s wings puffed at the comment. “Why, thank you! I have to agree.” He mimicked Builderman’s accent as he spoke, "Excellent performance from Shedletsky, no notes.”

 

Builderman didn’t even respond to that. “I’m sure ya got more great work to do, I’ll be outta yer hair.”

“Oh, oh no. I’m done for tonight.” He let out an exaggerated yawn, “Long day, hard work. I need rest.” He hummed, “bye-bye!” 

 

The call had ended there. He started monitoring 007n7 the next day, getting up fresh and early to go prowling. 

 

It wasn’t too entertaining, other than finding fun ways to hide. People didn’t really look up, making it really easy to watch from above. They were too busy on their phones. Shedletsky was also busy on his phone, but he would say it doesn’t count. It’s different when he does it. He also was too busy on his phone to notice that people did see him, though in the end he wouldn’t have cared.

 

He hoped things would be more fun when he actually got to talk to 007n7. For now, the fun came from the games on his phone. 

 

— 

 

007n7 simply could not get over it. 

 

It had been days since the incident at the park. It seemed to have opened the floodgates for all the bad things 007n7 had been desperately keeping away from his active mind. He was paranoid, squinting at shadows in case someone would pop out, looking over his shoulder, squinting at everybody looking in his direction.

 

He hated it. Nothing had come of the incident other than a couple news articles, soon buried under new headlines and pointless reporting to fill space. He didn’t know why it was eating up at him so much. He would see a shrink, but that would require opening up, something that was wholly out of the question for 007n7. 

 

Maybe it reminded him that his past isn’t as far away as he thought. It’s always there, ready to be dug up and force him to confront what he’d been running from. The C00lgui lived on, hidden away in the safe 007n7 said he’d buy. He couldn’t stop thinking about… he didn’t want to even think his name. In his memories he was now nothing more than a concept, a foggy representation of better times. He’d prefer him to stay that way.

 

C00lkidd had clearly gotten over it. There was no more silence on the drives to and from school, C00lkidd back to chattering about his day or whatever was on his racing mind. It was comforting to have his son back to normal, hopefully he’d soon be as well. 

 

C00lkidd was even more hyper without the TV. He bounced around, treating every little thing like a toy as he tried to ease his boredom. 007n7 was reminded of when C00lkidd was young, his destructive impulses less contained as he rampaged through the house, breaking all his toys and then some. 

 

Those were interesting times. Not better, 007n7 couldn’t describe them as better, but interesting. Every day was something brand new, every day action-packed but still low-stakes. 007n7 was still new to fatherhood back then (and to be honest, he still felt like a newbie at times), figuring things out as he went. There was nostalgia, with his rose-tinted glasses sweeping away the images of ripped curtains and destroyed furniture and a smashed-in microwave. 

 

He wouldn’t go back, but his mind would. 

 

“Papa, I’m bored!” C00lkidd said from the couch as 007n7 prepared dinner. He peeked his little head over, staring upside-down at his father with pleading eyes. “I want TV.”

 

007n7 shook his head wearily, dumping some spaghetti in boiling water, “No.” C00lkidd had said the same thing yesterday, and the day before. “You’re grounded.” 

 

“But, Papa!” C00lkidd cried, orienting himself right-side up. “I was just playing! I don’t know what I did wrong!” 

 

007n7 paused to put his head in his hands, briefly. “You know what you did, Kidd.”

 

“I don’t !” C00lkidd seemed to be getting more agitated, standing up on the couch. “I was just playing!”

 

“You caused a lot of damage. You hurt people. You took my…” 007n7 cut himself off. He didn’t want to say the name, not in front of C00lkidd. “You took something you weren’t supposed to.” 

 

“What’s the big deal about that tablet, anyway?” C00lkidd shouted, “What even is it?”

 

007n7 froze, his hands balling into fists on the counter. They came up and came down again, making a resounding thump that startled even him. His teeth were bared, jaw tensed so hard he thought it might break. C00lkidd looked terrified, just as terrified as he’d been on the day of the incident. 

 

“We do not talk about that anymore.” 007n7 had to stop his voice from raising, speaking through gritted teeth. “You understand me? No more questions. No more bringing it up.” He took an intentional breath, trying to ground himself. “Sit down, C00lkidd.” 

 

C00lkidd let himself tumble back down to the couch, tears welling in his eyes. He was silent, not even offering an apology. 007n7 didn’t know if he preferred it or not. 

 

Dinner was similarly a silent affair, C00lkidd poking at his food and twirling spaghetti with his fork. He didn’t look his father in the eye, a guilty, dejected look on his face as he kept his eyes fixed on his food. 

 

007n7 sighed, his heartstrings sufficiently pulled at to warrant the set-in of guilt. “I’m sorry, Kidd.” 

 

“I did a bad thing.” C00lkidd breathed, his voice hardly over a whisper. “I made you mad. I’m a bad kid.”

 

007n7 shook his head, at himself more than at C00lkidd. “Kidd--no. You’re a good kid. You were just asking a question.” He sighed again, “I’m sorry I got mad. Just--don’t… bring it up again. Okay?”

C00lkidd nodded and hummed in agreement, finally meeting 007n7’s eyes. “I’m sorry.” 007n7 reached across the table, his hand landing softly on C00lkidd’s head. 

 

“It’s okay.” He gave a tired smile. “Now eat your food. I don’t want you going to bed hungry.”

 

C00lkidd came into his room that night after being tucked in, nervously fidgeting with his hands. He seemed hesitant to say what he wanted to say.

 

“What’s going on, Kidd?” 007n7 asked, sitting up in bed. 

 

C00lkidd’s eyes flitted from his father back down to his hands. “Can… can I have the TV back tomorrow?”

 

007n7 couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face, and couldn’t help the quiet laugh that escaped him. 

 

“No, Kidd. It’s still a no.”

 

--

 

Shedletsky was really starting to get bored. 

 

This guy wasn’t that plain, but far too plain for Shedletsky’s standards. He went to work, dropped his (his?) kid off at school, went home, ran errands, and then went home again. Shedletsky did not envy him, not for his career nor for his daily routine. He wondered how 007n7 kept himself together. Shedletsky would have pulled out all his feathers by now if he were him.

 

It would soon be time to introduce himself to 007n7. He hadn’t figured out how quite yet, but Shedletsky always figured it out. Well, he did most of the time, but that was close enough to always in Shedletsky’s book. 

 

In his one call since the first night with Builderman, Shedletsky didn’t mention the kid. It just didn’t feel like a detail he should mention. And he didn’t even know how 007n7 was related to the kid--that was the explanation Shedletsky preferred for not having mentioned it. He still burned with curiosity about the kid. He was a little beast, with a totally red body and little horns. Peculiar, but not in a bad way. He was looking forward to getting to know him. 

 

It was the fifth day where Shedletsky slipped up--literally. He had been following 007n7 as he walked with a couple of groceries in a reusable bag. He jumped from tree to tree, thankful that the city’s landscape was full of them, looking down at his target. 

 

Shedletsky hadn’t been able to follow 007n7 into the supermarket, it was too risky to do so, but he was still hit by an unmistakable smell. Fried chicken. It was hypnotizing, the scent feeling like drugs after so long of not having had any, not having smelled any.

 

It was grocery store fried chicken, but Shedletsky couldn’t care less anymore. Five days without his lifeline… he couldn’t take another day of it.

 

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he miscalculated a jump from one tree to another, his foot landing on the branch but then sliding off. He tried to regain his footing, and when that failed he tried to grab onto the branches with his hands, but he fell unceremoniously to the ground, right in front of 007n7. 

 

Shedletsky squawked, wings fanning out in panic as he scrambled to get away. His frantic flapping only got him a couple feet off the ground before he fell, only to repeat it again as he ran, covering his face. He scattered feathers everywhere in his hurry.

 

007n7 stood in silence all the while, clearly stunned. Perhaps he was shocked to see such a magnificent figure such as Shedletsky. 

 

Shedletsky stopped in his tracks, turning back to where 007n7 still stood, staring wide-eyed right at him. He pointed at the bag still firmly in 007n7’s hands.

 

“Are you going to eat that? The chicken, I mean.”

Notes:

thoughts on 007n7 and shedletsky going on a date where they do crack cocaine? my friend offered me plot idea and this was it what's everybody's opinion

also ConsciousEXE thank you for the falling out of a tree idea. I used it. You are awesome

 

On a more serious note, thank you everybody who's commented, left a kudos, bookmarked, or even just read this fic. The response to this has been really heartening and even if I haven't responded to your comment just know that I've seen it and I appreciate it so much. Just don't know how to respond in a non-generic way. <3

Chapter 4

Summary:

First encounter pt. 2

Notes:

i'm late with this chapter y'all have permission to form an angry mob and beat me to death

no shedletsky mpreg this chapter sorry

very 007n7 centric this one is

gonna go back and edit some things cus i want to make 7n7 have horns and a tail bc i like that. i'll do that soon i think

enjoy

007n7 was paranoid, sure, but not even his paranoia-addled brain would have conjured this up.

 

It was a routine trip to the grocery store to pick up something for dinner, because C00lkidd was tired of his cooking, or so he said. 007n7 knew he shouldn’t indulge him, but he was weak, disturbingly susceptible to pleading eyes and begging. He picked up some fried chicken and potatoes, knowing C00lkidd would appreciate it. At least he didn’t have to cook anything.

 

He’s taking his time, enjoying the scenery and trying to keep his mind off the obvious. 

 

It was a great day out, the sun beaming down and the light flitting through the trees. It made a pattern on the floor that 007n7 had always appreciated. The scenery had been a big part of why he’d moved here after his retirement, that and the modest home prices, at least at the time. 

 

He was on his final stretch home. He already anticipated the reaction C00lkidd would have when he came home to see dinner. He’d cry out in joy, jumping up and down and clapping, before demanding to have a bite. 

 

Then an avian man came plummeting out of a tree, landing right in front of him. It was chaos immediately, the man thrashing in his attempts to avoid being looked at, feathers flying in all directions. 

 

007n7 was overwhelmed immediately, frozen in place as he tried to process what was happening. At first he was terrified that it was some monster out to get him and he would soon be history. Next, it was that his worst fears had come true and it was a person that had come to get him. But the man didn’t seem interested in apprehending him. 

 

The man started to flee, seeming desperate to get away, but then he stopped dead. He twitched before turning back to 007n7. There was a pause, and then he brought his hand up to point at the grocery bag.

 

“Are you going to eat that? The chicken, I mean.”

 

007n7’s mouth fell open--though not entirely in shock--and then closed again. What?

“Where are my manners? I’m very sorry.” The man slapped his own forehead, as if telling himself to knock it off. The man outstretched a rough hand, weathered from tree-climbing and whatever else he got up to. “Shedletsky.” His smile was wide, toothy, and his eyes insisted on making contact with 007n7’s. 

 

He was rather tall, taller than 007n7 by at least a few inches. His hair didn’t look dirty, but it was a mess of brown curls that clearly hadn’t seen any hair product in a good minute. He wore a graphic tee and shorts. 

 

007n7 blinked, looking at the hand and back up at Shedletsky. Shedletsky’s smile didn’t waver, unsettlingly still. Nervously, after a beat, 007n7 placed his palm in Shedletsky’s.

Shedletsky tightened his grip on 007n7’s hand immediately, shaking forcefully while still keeping his eyes locked on his face. It had 007n7’s nerves spiking, feeling constricted and far, far too intimate for a first encounter. 

 

“007n7.” He said, finally. 

 

Shedletsky’s face changed upon hearing that. 007n7 found it indescribable. A twinkle in his eye, perhaps, a knowing smile, but that didn’t seem quite right. He didn’t know what any of it meant. This man was hard to read, and 007n7 hated when he couldn’t read people. 

 

“ Double Oh Seven Oh Seven .” He echoed, drawing out the words. He let go of his hand, and 007n7 felt like he could breathe again. “That’s a good one.” 

 

007n7 blinked again, his discomfort evident. “Thanks?”

 

“Oh, you’re very welcome.” Shedletsky sounded but didn’t look smug when he said it. “I’ve heard many names before. It’s a high compliment.” 007n7 watched his eyes as they drifted downwards, towards the grocery bag. 

 

“That stuff any good?” 

 

007n7 supposed they weren’t going to address the whole falling out of a tree thing—did avians spend a lot of time in trees? He didn’t want to ask in fear of sounding offensive. He was still trying to wrap his head around what just happened. 

 

“Uh, it’s… I enjoy it.” 

 

Shedletsky looked thoughtful, scratching his chin. “And you would recommend it?”

 

007n7 shrugged, eye twitching from the nerves that hadn’t left. “It’s good.”

 

Shedletsky nodded, slowly. He continued to look at the bag. 007n7 shifted in place. He had to get home.

 

“Look—“ he started, but he was cut off.

 

“No, no. I’m sorry for stopping you.” Shedletsky said, shaking his head. He glanced back up at the tree from which he fell. “Lost my balance. Silly me. I’ll be out of your hair.”

 

007n7 nodded, not knowing what to say again. Shedletsky sent a little wave his way before starting to walk off. 

 

When he arrived at the school to pick C00lkidd up, he was grumpy, bouncing on his feet in irritation.

 

“You’re late.” He grumbled when he got into the backseat of the car. “You’re supposed to be here at 3:00.” 

 

007n7 glanced at the clock in his car. It was 3:10. “I’m sorry, Kidd. I had to stop for something.” He still hadn’t processed the events of earlier today, half-convinced it was some hallucination of his paranoid brain.

 

C00lkidd’s face didn’t change, his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. He didn’t like when anything was late. 

 

“I have a surprise for you when we get home.” 007n7 said softly. 

 

That seemed to do it, C00lkidd’s eyes sparkling with curiosity as to what the surprise would be. 007n7’s lateness was soon forgotten, C00lkidd going into an excited spiel about all that happened at school that day.

 

He was out of the car before 007n7 was, unbuckling himself and jumping out as soon as the car came to a halt. He ran in as the front door swung open, head swiveling wildly looking for potential surprises. 

 

He found the chicken rather quickly, predictably elated. He ate quickly, leaving nothing on his plate. He went for seconds, too--devouring it in the same amount of time. Even though he was particular with his food, C00lkidd had a monstrous appetite. Sometimes 007n7 would sacrifice his meals to make sure C00lkidd had enough that he wouldn’t get upset.

 

C00lkidd also had the energy to balance it out, immediately going to bounce off the walls. 007n7 watched him with a tired smile as he ate. It was his last day of being grounded, and the TV acted as a pacifier for two hours of the day that he was allowed to watch it. 

 

007n7 knew he should take C00lkidd back to the park soon, but he was scared of returning. He knew that likely nothing bad would come of going, but he seized up whenever C00lkidd asked to go, making up some excuse.

 

When he retired to his bed that night, C00lkidd tucked in and assumedly asleep, he ruminated on it more. Perhaps he was too paranoid, or perhaps he wasn’t paranoid enough. He wished, as he often did, that his past would be erased. That he’d be able to smash the C00lgui into a million pieces and be done with it. That he wouldn’t be haunted by memories of a certain someone.

But life didn’t work that way. 007n7 had dug his grave--he had committed the crimes, he had run, he didn’t destroy the C00lgui--and it was his grave to lie in.

 

His thoughts returned to the man he’d met earlier, Shedletsky. What an odd man.

 

But what an odd life 007n7 led. 

--

It was the next day when he saw Shedletsky again, at the grocery store. He had gone back to pick up a box of ice creams--he told himself they were for C00lkidd, but they were also for him.

 

Shedletsky was pushing a shopping cart, wings fluttering in childish excitement. The shopping cart was filled to the brim with packs of fried chicken. 007n7's first thought was to wonder how much it would cost. Then he wondered how a guy like Shedletsky could begin to eat all that chicken.

 

"Hello there!" He called when he spotted 007n7 down the aisle. "I decided to listen to your recommendation. This stuff really does smell good. I've been having cravings--so many cravings. It's ridiculous how there's no fried chicken place in this town."

 

007n7 stared at the shopping cart and then at Shedletsky. 

 

"Oh. Just stockpiling.” Shedletsky understood what he was internally asking, explaining as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

 

007n7 nodded slowly, avoiding eye contact. Shedletsky, thankfully, moved first, continuing past him. 

That wasn't the last time he saw Shedletsky, either. 

 

It seemed that now Shedletsky was around every corner, peeking his head out to say hello. 007n7 didn't quite know how he should feel about it. 

He said as such to Elliot one day, while Elliot was on his break. They stood together behind Builder Brothers’, as they often did. Elliot was the only person he really talked to these days, and it had become a ritual of theirs to talk during Elliot’s breaks, provided 007n7 wasn’t working himself, which he often was.

 

“Someone’s been… following you around?” Elliot asked, clearly concerned. 

 

“I don’t think so?” At least, he didn’t want to think so, “He just keeps showing up. Sometimes he talks to me, sometimes he doesn’t.”

It didn’t seem to ease Elliot’s concerns. 

 

“He’s a… strange man.” 007n7 admitted, and when Elliot looked alarmed he rushed to clarify, “not strange strange, just out of the ordinary…” he looked for a word to sum it up, “Eccentric.”

 

Elliot leaned in, curious. “How so?”

 

“It’s impossible to describe him. He’s an avian guy, yellow wings—fell out of a tree in front of me.”

 

Elliot’s eyes narrowed. “Brown curly hair? Walks like he owns the place?”

 

007n7 blinked, “Yes, actually. Do you know him?”

 

Elliot leaned back into the wall, his hand coming up to rest on his forehead. “Yeah, yeah. I think I know this guy. Came in like three times this week.”

 

007n7 deflated. Maybe he was also appearing in other people’s lives just as often. He wondered again how the guy had the money for that much fried chicken on top of three pizzas in a week. Must have some cushy job, though 007n7 saw him enough that he didn’t believe he worked at all.

 

“He always overpays for his food. It’s like he doesn’t care about money.” That checked out for 007n7. “I wonder where he comes from. He’s not from here, that’s for sure.”

 

Well, neither was 007n7. But unlike 007n7, Shedletsky wasn’t concerned with blending in with the locals. It was admirable, in a way, to have as much confidence as he did. To be so unbothered by what others thought of him. 007n7, despite his age, was more caged by other people’s perceptions than he was when he was younger. 

 

Their conversation shifted to other, more standard topics before ending, as Elliot had to go back to work and 007n7 had his shift to get to. 

 

007n7 couldn’t get Shedletsky out of his head, but he found he didn’t mind that as much. His thoughts had been so full of his past, that thinking about a random oddball was refreshing. 

 

And when Shedletsky waltzed into Bloxy Burger during his shift with his chest puffed, 007n7 smiled.

Notes:

i want to make an extra long chapter soon but idk which one to make it

will try to get next chapter out very soon... will work on it today and tomorrow probably hope to get it out tomorrow? i know how it's gonna go already so it should be easier

Chapter 5

Summary:

Builderman interlude

Notes:

Hiii sorry about that… writers block + having papers to write. I come home at the end of the day and just wanna play roblox so thats what I do

Not a day has gone by where I haven’t said some form of “i gotta lock in on sting operation” or “my readers r gonna kill me”

Anyway this is really really short— it was initially gonna be part of my planned chapter 5 but that needs more time in the oven and I figured I’d upload this to give y’all a bit of food.

The wait WILL NOT be as long for the actual chapter 5 (now chapter 6) and i’m hoping to make it longer than usual to compensate

Enjoy!

Life went on as normal at Roblox HQ. Normal as life at Roblox HQ could go, at least.

 

It was a busy day today, and the offices were bustling as employees and admins alike vied for Builderman’s attention. A new case here, a project proposal there. None of it required his immediate involvement, although some of it piqued his interest. Roblox HQ loved to work, even when it didn’t have to. 

 

As he went through his day, consulting projects and confirming details, the mission lurked in the back of his mind. His doubts still remained, growing bigger and more insistent with every day. 

 

It seemed everybody had all but forgotten about the C00LGUI reappearance. Builderman found that worked to his advantage. John Doe had brought it up once to him, shortly after he sent Telamon--now Shedletsky--on his way, but Builderman had waved him away. 

 

The mission was top secret, and had to remain so. Not even John Doe was in the know. Builderman didn’t want people looking for C00LGUI right now, lest the suspect be tipped off. 

 

The operation was going as well as it could with Shedletsky at its helm. It was a miracle that Shedletsky was effective at all. Builderman had to compose himself after every check-in call, though he couldn’t say he didn’t know what he was getting into when he asked Telamon to do the job. 

 

Shedletsky wasn’t subtle, he wasn’t intentional, he certainly wasn’t efficient--but he was damn good at getting people to like him. Combined with his low profile, he was really the only person Builderman could have trusted to do the mission.

 

Builderman often wondered how a public-facing Shedletsky would look. He would likely be basking in his fame, demanding public appearances. Telamon, in contrast, was so infrequently seen that many had only seen him in art or media depictions. He hated his stardom.

 

Sometimes Builderman wondered how they were the same person. Maybe they weren’t, at least not entirely. He never let himself think too hard about it.

 

Speaking of Shedletsky--

 

A ringtone startled Builderman out of his thinking spell. He shook his head wildly to bring himself back to the moment, and then he peeked at his phone. Shedletsky. The possibilities started to jump around in his head: it could be a little update, a major problem, or a breakthrough. He looked around, making sure the coast was clear before he answered.

 

“Heey, boss!” Shedletsky opened, his voice cheery and light.

 

“G’day.” Builderman said, “got somethin’ new to tell?”

 

There was a pause. “No, nothing new.”

“What’re ya callin’ me for, then? Come to say hi?”

“I was hoping you could send me more Robux, well’s dried up.” 

 

Builderman pinched his temple, a puff of air coming out of his nose. So he called to ask for money. Shedletsky might be good at getting people to like him, but he was a master of driving people up walls, Builderman included. “‘S been one week, Shedletsky. How’d ya manage to spend five thousand Robux in one week?”

 

“Look—I miscalculated. Happens to the best of us. Work expenses add up, you know!” His voice wasn’t defensive, more matter-of-fact, as if Builderman was out spending exorbitant amounts of money.

 

“Work expenses? What would ya even--” Builderman took a deep breath, straightening his voice, “Ev’rytime. Ev’ry damn time I give ya money, ya spend it all.” 

 

“Please?” Shedletsky begged, sounding like a pleading child, “Just five thousand more. You can trust me.”

 

Builderman sighed, he couldn’t be having a flat broke Shedletsky on the loose. “‘M only sendin’ this ‘cause I have to.”

 

“Thanks, boss!” Shedletsky exclaimed. “I’ll call if I got anything new.”

Builderman was going to respond, but he was interrupted by the sound of Shedletsky hanging up on him. He put his head in his hands for a moment, exasperated, before he continued on. He had to make the arrangements to send the money, after all, lest Shedletsky come calling again. 

 

“What a character ya are, Shedletsky.” He said to himself, under his breath. “What a damn character.”

Notes:

my friend told me that they had to throw rocks at me after seeing how short this was

plez dont throw rocks at me :(

Chapter 6

Summary:

007n7 remembers, and an extra c00l introduction.

Notes:

"the wait for the next chapter won't be nearly as long" *loud incorrect buzzer* *pinocchio nose starts growing*

mb chat

i was busy GETTING BUSY :flames: (i am swamped with work sorry)
been chipping away at this for the entire time though

see you guys soon... hopefully in less than two weeks sorry about that i hate it too

also peep new rating

 

007n7 was in a place he hadn’t seen in a very long time.

 

Campus seemed as it had when he left it. Trees sparsely dotted the landscape, old elegant ornation clashing with modern edges in the architecture. It was as he remembered, though something was off. The colors were faded yet all too vibrant, shifting slightly every time he blinked. 

 

There was nobody here.

 

Nobody except 007n7, and the figure next to him. A barely intelligible shape, a mass of dark color, a cheap representation of something he once knew-- someone he once knew. He recognized him immediately. How could he not?

 

“Noli.” he found himself saying. He didn’t will himself to do so, it just came out. It didn’t come out right, strained and distorted. ‘Noli’ stared at him, stared through him, his eyes unblinking and blank. “Noli.”

 

Noli didn’t respond, standing stiff and tall. 007n7 didn’t remember him being so tall. He was clearer now, only a little, and just barely now could 007n7 make out his features, devoid of emotion or life. 

 

When 007n7 blinked, they were in a different place. He didn’t recognize it consciously, but something about it felt as familiar as campus did.

 

“Come on, Noli.” he heard himself say. Now he remembered, with a jolt, where he was. He didn’t remember it being here. It seemed his memory was failing him. His heart lurched and panic swelled in his chest as he begged himself not to say any more.

 

Noli was moving now. He looked different--older, as he had been the last time they had seen each other. 

 

“I don’t know, Sev.” Noli fretted, looking down at something. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”

 

In front of them, and what Noli was looking at, was a crown. Coal-black and silver, shiny in the dim light, almost nondescript to one who didn’t know what it was. The Void Star. 007n7 tried to force control of his body, to try and change what he knew would happen next, but to no avail. He wanted to destroy that crown, break it into a million little pieces and then burn it. 

 

He heard himself speak again, “It’ll be fine. What could happen?” He laughed. He didn’t feel it in his chest, in fact, he didn’t feel his body move at all. He wasn’t himself, wasn’t in control. He was doomed to simply watch himself make the worst mistake of his life. Again.

 

“Are you sure about this?” Noli met 007n7’s eyes again. They were uncertain, pleading, almost. 007n7’s heart ached--no, it hurt . It felt like he was being stabbed through the chest, his emotions bleeding out. 

 

“I’m sure.” His voice was confident, reassuring, loving . No, no , he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t. Not anymore. 

 

Noli hesitated one last time, before he shook his head and reached down to pick up the crown. 007n7 wanted to scream. He didn’t. Why didn’t he scream? Why couldn’t he?

 

Why did he make Noli do it in the first place?

 

Noli held it in his hands as if it would burn him. He still looked uncertain.

 

“Come on! Put it on!” 007n7 egged him on. 

 

Noli gingerly placed the crown atop his head, his hands shaky and face still uncertain. There was a moment--maybe two--of peace before his whole body began to shake. His form was wracked by tremors as he bared his teeth and hissed, chaos soon erupting.

 

Noli morphed into something too real. His skin began to rot, it melted and dripped off his face. His skeleton exposed itself, unnaturally dark. What skin remained rippled, bursting into sparks and a sickly purple glow. 007n7 noticed the particles he emitted, unmistakeable. He’d seen it thousands of times before.

 

Code .

 

Code jumped off Noli’s shivering body and dissipated into the air in 1s and 0s. 007n7 couldn’t tell if it was Noli’s or if it was the Void Star’s code, or even both of theirs in tandem as the Void Star took control.

007n7 had never looked at code the same way again. There was a reason he didn’t go into the cushy software jobs he was qualified for after he retired. On top of the nagging anxiety that he’d be caught if he stayed a coder, the sight of code never failed to make him sweat, to make him want to keel over and empty his guts out. 

 

Noli’s mouth opened in agony, his entire body jerking as if he were screaming, but there was no sound. It was so quiet, impossibly quiet. His hands reached out to grab the air, desperately, as if there was something there to ground him, to comfort him and take away the pain. 

 

007n7 wanted to run. He wanted to run to him and to run away. He wanted to hold Noli close and never let him go, never let him leave like he had so stupidly done before. He wanted to escape from the monster before him, a horrific distortion of the person he loved. But he was frozen, in terror, begging his body to move but remaining bolted to the floor.

 

There was a primal fear, heartbreak, helplessness, and then of course, regret. The same regret that had struck him in that very moment, all those years ago. 007n7 couldn’t forget the feeling if he tried, and he did try. 

 

Noli continued to writhe, his exposed teeth gritting and his eyes turning to 007n7. They were so empty again, gaping voids that bore into his soul. 

 

Noli lurched forward, mouth gaped impossibly wide for a Robloxian. The noise he made was sharp, deafeningly loud and screeching in his ears. 007n7 couldn’t make out what it was. 

 

Noli moved in an instant, and all 007n7 saw was purple before everything went dark.

007n7 was greeted by a spinning world and a dull white ceiling. Light streamed in through the window blinds, the birds just starting to chirp outdoors. He stared at nothing in particular, eyes unfocused and wandering as he processed what he saw.

 

With Noli, he’d prefer his memory to fail entirely. He tried not to think about him, lest the guilt and the grief overwhelm his already overwhelmed psyche. 

 

They’d met in college, two computer science freshmen shoved into a dorm together via random roommate assignment. It was a reluctant friendship at first, although it didn’t remain that way for long. Their friendship quickly blossomed into a bond that truly seemed unbreakable, something beyond even romance. 

 

It had been Noli who pitched the idea of pranking a fellow student in their sophomore year, and 007n7 who’d proposed doing it again. And again. 

 

They’d both been young and dumb--though more dumb than young--and their little pranks didn’t stay little. Once 007n7 developed his C00lgui, a labor of love at the time, they spiralled out of control. The thrill was exhilarating, and they’d come home laughing both about their actions and at the thought of the admins pulling their hair out. They saw the news articles and the desperate pleas for information on them. It was the biggest stroke to a young exploiter’s ego to outsmart Roblox HQ. 

 

007n7 had tried to exploit alone after the incident, but he couldn’t stand it. It seemed he finally came to his senses far too late. So the exploiter they called C00LGUI disappeared from the headlines, and eventually, the minds of Robloxia. 

 

He was a terrible person. He had been a terrible person, at least. 007n7 couldn’t tell if he had changed, or if that was something he told himself to ease his conscience.

He was a criminal, a fugitive criminal at that. He’d always be a criminal, no matter how far removed he tried to be from his past. He had tormented innocent people, destroyed their livelihoods and he’d laughed about it. 

 

How could he say he was a good person if he had done all of that and ran from the consequences?

 

How could he say he had loved Noli when he so brazenly led him to his downfall? He had ignored his doubts when he should have listened. He shouldn’t have pushed, shouldn’t have pressured Noli into anything . He had been stupid, but he had been old enough to know better. 

 

He turned onto his side, finally, reaching for his phone on the nightstand. He brought it over his face, squinting as the blue light attacked his eyes, still blinking sleep away. 8:32 AM, Saturday.

 

At least he didn’t have to get up to take C00lkidd to school.

It was a little past nine when 007n7 finally exited his room. He decided that he’d had enough thinking for the day. He’d probably thought enough for two days. 

 

C00lkidd was already at the kitchen table, waiting for his breakfast. He swung his legs back and forth and rocked in his chair, bopping a golden feather in his hands. Shedletsky’s . 007n7 recognized it immediately.

 

“Where did you get that?” 007n7 tensed, moving swiftly to grab the feather. He gave it a careful look-over. He knew it was Shedletsky’s, but he just needed to confirm. The scuffed feather, with its split ends but brilliant shine, was unmistakably from the avian man. 007n7’s mind went to the worst--he was fine with Shedletsky approaching him, but approaching C00lkidd ? As charming as the man was, he was still a stranger with unknown motives.

 

“I found it in your bag!” C00lkidd seemed oblivious to his father’s concern, and equally as oblivious to his relief. “What’s for breakfast?”

 

007n7 composed himself quickly, internally slapping himself for assuming the worst so quickly. He put on his best calm voice. “Well, what would you like for breakfast?” It was dad-speak for I haven’t the foggiest clue.

 

C00lkidd jumped out of his chair and ran to the fridge to survey his options. 007n7 cringed. There wasn’t much in there. 

 

C00lkidd indelicately grabbed the egg carton from the fridge door, swinging it to face his father. That earned another wince. C00lkidd had dropped many an egg in the past doing the same thing. 

 

007n7 took the carton from his hands quickly, much more careful as he set it down on the counter next to the stove. C00lkidd took back his seat as 007n7 ignited the stove. 

 

There were only three eggs left in the carton, 007n7 noted with a frown. He’d have to get more. All three eggs went into the heated pan, just enough to sate C00lkidd’s monster appetite.

 

While the eggs sizzled, he placed a cup of applesauce in front of C00lkidd. He also took a cup for himself, and went to turn on the coffee machine.

 

Saturdays were the only days 007n7 didn’t have work. While he could certainly use the money, he chose not to work Saturdays so that he wouldn’t be so often away from C00lkidd. It also kept babysitting costs down. 

 

“How about we go to Builder Brothers’ for lunch today?” 007n7 suggested. It was more for his sake than for C00lkidd’s, considering the dearth in food in the house. 

 

It was the easiest decision in the world for C00lkidd, whose eyes sparkled and body bounced in his chair in excitement. “Can we go now ?”

 

007n7 smiled, shaking his head. “For lunch.” He turned back to the eggs, prodding at them with the spatula. “You have to have breakfast first.”

 

C00lkidd drooped, but still remained excited at the prospect of pizza. It was harder than usual to get him to eat his eggs when they were ready. He was distracted by the promise of Builder Brothers’.

 

007n7 couldn’t deny that sometimes, just sometimes, he felt the same way.

 

---

Shedletsky was a genius. The brightest mind in all of Robloxia. 

 

Fried chicken pizza. It was brilliant, the best thing since sliced bread, if you asked Shedletsky. It was pure greasy goodness, crunchy and chewy and bursting with flavor. He'd hit gold.

 

Builder Brothers' was busy today, buzzing with activity--mostly high school students who had just gotten out for the day. They chattered and boomed with little regard for their surroundings. Shedletsky paid them equal regard.

 

Elliot was composed, smoothly dealing with everything with little sweat. Shedletsky supposed it came with the job. He flew from station to station with his customer-service smile still plastered on his face, taking and delivering order after order as if it were nothing at all. He caught Elliot looking his way from time to time, his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Shedletsky held up a piece of his new creation and winked. Elliot tore his gaze away. 

 

"You should really consider it." Shedletsky said, leaning against the front counter. The taste of the fried chicken pizza was still fresh on his tongue, although said pizza was now history after Shedletsky was finished with it. 

 

"Sir--I have customers to get to." Elliot said, peering over Shedletsky to where there was a building line. 

 

"You'd have more if you implemented my idea. Fried chicken pizza--people'd go wild over it! You don't even have to credit me." Shedletsky spread his wings to block Elliot's view of the other customers. "Credit would be appreciated, though." 

 

"Please leave." Elliot was exasperated, wary of the customers growing restless. "We're not making any changes to the menu." 

 

Shedletsky frowned, dejected, but he relented. He pulled away from the counter, wings withdrawing to their rest state. A few stray feathers landed on the counter, earning a grimace from Elliot. He stood for a moment, staring off into nowhere in particular, before he rummaged through his shorts pockets.

 

He pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, ripping off a small corner. Pulling off the pen cap with his teeth, he scribbled something and slapped it down on the counter. "My business card. Consider it."

 

He was out the door before Elliot could say anything.

 

---

 

"Look at this." Elliot shoved a piece of paper into 007n7's hand, incredulous. "His "business card."" 

 

Shedletsky's business card was not much for business at all, let alone a card. A flimsy little shred with his name and number on it in big, messy lettering. Without context, it looked more like a slip from a suitor.

 

During visits to Builder Brothers’ he often went outside with Elliot, even if C00lkidd had tagged along. He was tight enough with the employees that they’d keep an eye on him if he left to talk for a few minutes. 

 

007n7 couldn't help but crack a smile, a laugh escaping his chest. “He really gave this to you?” 

 

“This guy.” Elliot groaned. “Drives me crazy. I don’t know who he is or where he comes from or what he wants. He’s everywhere now. Everywhere .”

 

007n7 nodded in agreement, amusement obvious on his face. “It’s like there’s multiple of him.”

 

“Exactly!” Elliot said emphatically. “Ex-actly. I really do wonder about him. I mean, I can envy the shamelessness.” 

 

“It sure would be nice.” 007n7 mused. He knew all about being shameless. He’d prefer to not admit it. Even to Elliot, his past remained a closely guarded secret, spoken about only in vague terms and half-truths. Elliot made it no secret how much he hated exploiters. 007n7 hated himself, too.

 

Sometimes he felt guilty--often, he felt guilty--about it. But he wasn’t an exploiter anymore. He was past that, and it was fine not to mention it. 

 

“Is it cannibalism?” asked Elliot, unprompted. “All the chicken, I mean.”

 

007n7… didn’t know, actually. He said as much. “I haven’t really thought about that. I mean, clearly it’s okay with him, but…” he trailed off, not knowing quite where he’d go with that statement. Likely about how little Shedletsky seemed to care about what was normal.

Elliot understood what he meant. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

 

“PAPA!” C00lkidd shouted, standing in the doorway. “I’m finished!” Pizza sauce and cheese stained his shirt, crumbs all over his waving hands.

007n7 look at him and sighed, his head briefly falling into his palms before he straightened out. “Alright, Kidd. I’m coming.” he said, turning to Elliot with an apologetic look.

Elliot nodded to him, a knowing smile on his face. 007n7 shot him one right back. Kids . 

 

He had some laundry to do. And someone to bathe. Such came with the life of a father.

 

--

 

Shedletsky was a satellite, and 007n7 was his Earth. It was fun to describe it that way. 

 

Pure unadulterated fun was Shedletsky’s description of his mission so far, in general. He loved mortals, with all their Robloxian norms that made Shedletsky stick out like a sore thumb. He wished Builderman would send him on more missions like this in the future. 

 

007n7 was still boring, and Shedletsky didn’t mean that in a bad way--007n7 had gotten a whole lot more interesting once Shedletsky was able to interact with him--but his life was plain and average. 

 

It could be that his averageness was a front for criminal activity, or it could very well be that he really was just an unremarkable Robloxian, blissfully unaware that the most powerful man in the world falsely accused him of being a criminal on some whim. Shedletsky still couldn’t tell. 

 

But Shedletsky was enjoying his time thoroughly. 

007n7 was at the mall today. Shedletsky had found that out through an intel-gathering technique he called also being at the mall. It was busy today, although Shedletsky didn’t know if that was typical or not. 

 

007n7 was with the kid again, who stuck close to him. His face was blank, eyes narrowing and widening as he watched the people around him. 

 

Shedletsky took care not to be seen by the two, slipping in and out of the crowd with his wings tucked and made as unassuming as possible. The child seemed to be the more observant of the two, although he wouldn’t be familiar with Shedletsky. 

 

Of course, in true Shedletsky fashion, he was unceremoniously distracted by a window display. 

 

He was torn away from his admiring by a loud noise, something like a whine. When he turned, there was a little commotion. The light sea of people parted, maneuvering around the source of the noise: a familiarly red disturbance. 

 

The child groveled and twitched, eyes screwed shut in pain as his hands clamped over his ears. He thrashed, his whines audible from where Shedletsky stood. His teeth were sunk into a drakobloxxer toy, piercing the soft exterior. He let go of it abruptly, recoiling as if he had burnt his mouth as he spit out cotton stuffing. Then he bit it again, to repeat the process as if there would be any other outcome.

 

007n7 was distraught, kneeling down to try and comfort the boy. Every time he tried to take his hand, the boy spasmed and rejected the touch violently. He saw 007n7 speaking, no doubt softly, trying to calm the boy down, though his efforts were futile. 

 

Shedletsky kept his face steady and moved with intention. Slow, serious, and sleek, wings slowly outstretching. 007n7 spotted him only when he loomed above them, a suspicious look on his face. Justified, thought Shedletsky. 

 

Shedletsky met his eyes as he began to lower himself down, his wings wrapping carefully around the distressed boy. He took care not to make contact otherwise, as to not disturb the kid further. 

 

“What are you doing?” 007n7 asked, quiet but urgent. Shedletsky didn’t answer. He stayed focused on the kid, eyes closed and his body uncharacteristically still. 007n7 looked distressed.

 

At first, the kid resisted, kicking wildly to get the new sensation away. Shedletsky gritted his teeth as the boy’s feet pounded at his chest and his claws disturbed his feathers, sending a flurry up into the air. 

 

Slowly but surely, the kid’s breathing slowed. His hands fell from his ears, his flinching muted in comparison to before. His jaw fell open, releasing the ruined toy. Following it came a mouthful of salivated-on stuffing to land on the floor and all over his shirt. 

 

Shedletsky didn’t speak, wary of the kid’s reaction to a sudden, unfamiliar voice. He was still, silent, but when he thought it the right time, his wings unfurled and came back to their rest position, revealing a huddled but calm shape now exposed to the world. 

 

007n7 had returned to his feet, silent and in awe of the scene before him. He looked from the child to Shedletsky, blinking. 

 

The kid looked at him, eyes narrowed and surveying his face. Curiosity, not suspicion. He started to speak, although Shedletsky couldn’t hear him right.

 

“...feathers.” he caught the end of the boy’s mumbling. 

 

“You like them?” Shedletsky flexed a wing, letting it fall down again to where the kid could reach it. 

 

“Mmmhm.” The kid hummed, although his eyes were narrowed and his face deceptively straight. He reached out a clawed hand to grab at his wings. Shedletsky flinched as he dislodged one of his feathers, but didn’t move otherwise. 

 

“Papa,” the boy said, “it’s the same feather.” 

 

Papa . That confirmed it, then. This 007n7 guy was a father. He didn’t know how to feel about it, although it did explain how worn-out tired he looked all the time.

 

007n7 was startled out of his silence, shaking his head to bring himself back to the space. He reached down to touch the boy’s shoulder, but brought it back to his side as he seemed to decide it wasn’t a good idea. “We don’t pull feathers, Kidd.” 

 

“It’s alright,” Shedletsky said, hiding his grimace, “‘was a loose one, anyway.”

 

The kid was entranced by the feather he had plucked, nodding absently at his father. He reached out again, and Shedletsky braced for him to pull another feather, but the kid only ran his fingers through his wings tenderly. 

 

“It’s the one I found in your bag!” He shoved the feather into his father’s face. Shedletsky’s eyebrows raised, looking to 007n7 with a smirk. The man was avoiding eye contact. 

 

He cleared his throat, “I’m sure they look the same, Kidd.”

 

“They are the same!” the kid insisted. 

 

“Say thank you, Kidd.” 007n7 said, directing the conversation away. 

 

“Thank you.” The kid turned back to Shedletsky, voice flat as if it were a rehearsed phrase. “I’m C00lkidd.”

 

Shedletsky’s face wavered, but only for a moment. C00lkidd ? That name was evidence in itself. Builderman would love to hear about this. If this guy was the culprit, it sure wasn’t all too smart of him to name his son something so close to the name his crimes were known under. 

“Hello, C00lkidd.” Shedletsky offered a wave, “I’m Shedletsky.” 

 

C00lkidd nodded absently again, attention already fixated on a dog walking by. It seemed he was unbothered by whatever had set him off in the first place. 

 

007n7 finally met his eyes, putting his hand on C00lkidd’s shoulder to keep him from running off.

 

“There has to be some way I can repay you,” he said. “I’m sorry for this. This doesn’t happen much anymore, I thought we were past it.”

 

“I don’t have to be paid.” was Shedletsky’s response, although he recognized what an opportunity this was--to get closer to 007n7. “It’s no big deal.”

 

“I insist. Anything--a coffee at least.” 007n7 fidgeted, gaze darting around. “For your troubles. And to say thank you.”

 

Shedletsky looked thoughtful, but he had already made up his mind. After a beat he nodded. “If you insist. Coffee it is.”

The other man smiled timidly. He turned his attention to C00lkidd, still making sure he stayed relatively put. “Right!” he said suddenly, turning back to Shedletsky. He hesitated, as if nervous to say what he wanted to say. 

 

Shedletsky guessed for him, pulling out another one of his business cards. He decided to make more of them after his encounter with Elliot, so that he wouldn’t be unprepared. Elliot hadn’t reached out to him. His loss. 

 

He grinned as he placed the paper in 007n7’s palm. It was the second time 007n7 had had one of Shedletsky’s business cards given to him in that way, though Shedletsky wasn’t aware of that. The man in the burger hat flushed. 

“No need to be embarrassed.” He assured, before stretching. “I suppose I’ll be on my way.” 

 

Before he left, he plucked a feather from his wing, ignoring the sting. “Hey, kid,” he handed the feather to C00lkidd, who was now paying attention to him again. “Another one, for the road.” He winked at 007n7, who flushed even more. 

 

Then Shedletsky went home, eager to call Builderman tomorrow. Tomorrow, because he had done enough today. It was 5PM, but Shedletsky needed his beauty rest.

Notes:

there's a vending machine on campus and it speaks to me and it really bugs me and i dont know why i have to step away every time i use it

did u spot the telamon

Chapter 7

Summary:

Coffee date! Except it's not a date. Not really.

Notes:

hi im kinda free this next week so maybe i'll get more done but who knows i might get lazy. i dont have the busy excuse anymore.

i dont got much to say this time

enjoy

Builderman was just as he‘d imagined him to be. 

 

A short-statured, divine yet scruffy man. Handsome, humble, still youthful in appearance despite his years. Stern-faced, scowling, with eyes that spoke of centuries lived. Serious, slow-moving, angry . Angry at him . 

 

The banhammer he carried seemed weightless in his hands. If he were not a celebrity--a figure of legend, even--007n7 would have not thought much of him. Nobody would, not with his construction gear. He didn’t look like a god. Looks can be deceiving. 

 

It was unbearably hot outside. 007n7’s legs felt like they were going to give out at any moment, knees weak and buckling under the weight of his body. He tried to make out the landscape, grasping for any familiar shapes. There was just a glow, a glow that he slowly and groggily recognized as flames, licking up to the sky and spitting out dark smoke. He couldn’t smell it. 

 

“Don’t ya take one more step.” announced Builderman. His voice rang in 007n7’s ears. It was just like he’d heard it on the TV, just now devoid of its usual cheerful, paternal spark. “This ends here.” 

 

007n7 shrunk into himself. 

 

Builderman narrowed his eyes even more than they were already narrowed. “Yer gonna act all guilty ‘n’ small now? After everythin’ ya’ve done?” 007n7 didn’t meet his eyes. 

 

“Look around.” he spat, and when 007n7 didn’t obey he raised his voice, “ Look around ! This is yer work! Ar’nt ya proud?”

 

007n7 shot up, head whipping around. No, this wasn’t his work. 007n7 did many things with his C00lgui, but fire ? No, he never did anything like that. His voice escaped him, mouth opening uselessly. He shook his head desperately. 

 

“ No ?” Builderman’s accompanying laugh was sardonic, mocking. “No? Are ya kidding me?”

 

He took a step closer. Then another. They were equal in height, yet 007n7 felt as though Builderman towered over him. He brought a fist up to grab at 007n7’s collar, pulling him off his feet. For a man so high above, he had a worker’s grip and strength. 

 

“Yer the exploiter. Where’s the cockiness?” he growled, voice venomous and dangerous, but all the while quiet. Private, for 007n7’s ears only. “ C00LGUI , are y’not? I spent years hunting you down and ya laughed the entire time. Where’s yer pride now?” 

 

He let go, sending 007n7 falling to his knees. Now he smelled the smoke--no, he felt the smoke. It gathered in his nose, filling up his lungs. Though he tried to cough and wheeze, the smoke stayed, solidifying and constricting his breath. He felt choked, gasping for breath, but there was no sweet unconsciousness creeping up on him. He stared at the ground. Dirt.

 

When he looked up--slowly, as if his neck would break if he went any faster--the banhammer was lifted over Builderman’s head. He held it steadily in his arms.

 

It reminded 007n7 of himself readying to destroy the C00lgui. But Builderman didn’t tremble, didn’t seem to hesitate at all. There was intention, but no effort in his movement. He was smiling--not frowning like 007n7 had been--, relieved that he would finally be plucking out the thorn in his side. 

 

007n7 could only envy his composure. 

 

The seconds crawled on, seeming to last an eternity. 007n7 couldn’t get his mind off of the comparison, of that night where he tried to bring the C00lgui to an end, but failed. Because it was more than his past--he was the C00lgui, a good-for-nothing thing borne of good-for-nothing people, a dangerous thing best kept locked away. 

 

Unlike the C00lgui, he would be properly disposed of. 

 

The hammer came down, and 007n7 woke up.

 

Another nightmare. This one took less time to recover from, 007n7 immediately sitting up. It was odd to him how vividly that image of Builderman appeared in his head, as if he were someone he knew. 

 

He checked the time. 7:00 AM. Monday. Shaking out his head, he climbed out of bed and found his way to the bathroom. 

 

His reflection was always a weird thing to him. Looking at it was an acknowledgment of his being. It forced him to take accountability for the way he looked, the way he stood. His eyes were wild whenever he made eye contact with himself, yet droopy and tired. He looked too old--and he was, in some ways more than others. Did he look like that all the time? 

 

He always did want to get rid of the mirror in the bathroom. He’d never gotten around to it.

 

His phone buzzed next to him as he tended to his basic hygienic needs. 

 

> [###-###-####]: Today.

 

Although cryptic, it wasn’t frightening. It was Shedletsky, he recognized, confirming in his own way the plans they had made the previous day. When 007n7 had gotten home, he’d decided to bite the bullet and send a message over.

 

Shedletsky had responded eerily quickly, a response typed up seemingly as soon as 007n7 heard the sound of his own message being sent. 

 

He thumbs-uped the message, not feeling it worthy of an actual text response. They’d decided on 8:30 AM, today. 

C00lkidd made a fuss, whining as he was ripped from his slumber and forced to get ready. 

 

“‘Wanna stay home.” he grumbled.

“You always want to stay home.” 007n7 chuckled, helping him into his jacket. 

 

C00lkidd nodded, “‘Cause home is better. I hate school.” 

 

007n7’s smile was sympathetic. “You have to go to school, Kidd. It’s important.” 

 

C00lkidd, like always, was in higher spirits as soon as he’d eaten his breakfast, starting to tell his father all about something 007n7 admittedly wasn’t paying much attention to. He kept talking until 007n7 let him out of the car in front of his school.

 

007n7 appreciated the enthusiasm, but sometimes it was overwhelming to have a kid yapping about whatever in his ear. He left the school, making sure C00lkidd went into the schoolbuilding as he was supposed to. He had to make it in time to his and Shedletsky’s… he didn’t want to call it a date. His and Shedletsky's meeting.

 

He decided to walk, mostly for his own sake, as walking cleared his head. 

 

007n7 couldn’t stop looking at his phone as he walked to the local Starblox, checking the text messages he and Shedletsky had exchanged confirming their date and time. He checked it obsessively, as if one of these times the date and time would be totally different and he’d be made into a total fool for showing up at a time they didn’t schedule.

 

He didn’t know if he wanted it to be the case or not. He didn’t know why he was so nervous about this--it was nothing serious. He just needed to repay the man for calming C00lkidd down. It wasn’t some business meeting. 

 

He was always nervous about stuff like this, when they happened--which they didn’t. He used to be a lot better at it when he was younger. He used to be better at a lot of stuff when he was younger. 

 

He supposed that was the trade-off. He traded being a better person for being worse at everything else. And for the mountain of guilt he carried on his back.

 

Shedletsky was--fortunately or unfortunately, 007n7 still couldn’t decide--leaning on the wall by the door when he arrived, fiddling with his phone. He didn’t notice 007n7 walking up, too engrossed in whatever he was doing. 

 

It seemed to 007n7 that Shedletsky only owned a few pairs of clothes, oscillating through them. He was wearing the same outfit he had been when they had “met”--if you could even call that a meeting--shorts and his graphic tee which 007n7 now noted had a figure on it that looked suspiciously like its wearer. 

 

“Hello.” 007n7 decided to say to catch his attention. Shedletsky looked up, disoriented, before he smiled in a way that could only be described as Shedletsky-like. It was weird how well he knew this guy’s mannerisms already, though they were distinct and uniquely Shedletsky .

 

“Look who finally showed.” Shedletsky said. His voice wasn’t serious, but 007n7 still looked down at his phone in a panic, worried he’d been late. It was 8:28AM, two minutes early. He shot Shedletsky a puzzled look. Shedletsky only smiled wider in response.

 

007n7 narrowed his eyes. Sometimes, it really seemed like this guy was playing games with him. 

 

Shedletsky had already turned, holding the door open courteously for him. 007n7 awkwardly stepped through, avoiding eye contact--much harder to do when the guy in front of you insisted on making it. “Thank you,” he said. Shedletsky hummed.

 

The two of them placed their orders. 007n7 was pleased that Shedletsky didn’t order something extraordinarily complex, having prepared himself to give a bigger tip as an apology if he had. He left the tip anyway--it didn’t hurt anybody but his wallet.

 

They got their drinks and sat down, an awkward silence falling over them.

 

“You’re… new around here, aren’t you?” 007n7 started, cringing at his words immediately. 

 

Shedletsky didn’t seem to care--in general, people didn’t care about 007n7’s words as much as he himself did, for better and for worse--nodding in confirmation. “Sure am. Great city you’ve got here.” 

 

007n7 fidgeted, “Thanks?” No, not thanks. Not how you respond to that, he thought. 

 

“Solid seven out of ten. I would give it an eight, but no fried chicken places,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “immediate dock in points.”

 

007n7 didn’t know how to respond to that. It seemed Shedletsky knew he didn’t, as he moved on, “How long have you been here for?” 

 

007n7 didn’t feel like lying, although his nerves told him he should. “I’ve been here a little over a decade.” He said. “What brought you here?”

 

“Came here for work.” Shedletsky answered.

 

“What do you do for work?” 007n7 mused, mostly unconsciously. He froze when he realized he’d said it aloud. “I mean--I see you around all the time, it’s like you’re never working!” 

 

“You’ve been watching me?” Shedletsky’s feathers puffed up in pride, and he continued despite 007n7’s panicked denial, taking an unfazed sip of his drink, “I do software.”

 

007n7 was stunned for a moment. “Software? Like code?”

 

Shedletsky nodded proudly, oblivious to 007n7’s unease. “Yep! Great job, get to choose my hours.”

 

007n7 nodded as if he didn’t already know what it was like to work in code. “...Must be nice.”

 

“Sure is.” Shedletsky grinned. “Ever considered it?”

 

007n7 tried not to look alarmed. He shook his head, keeping his movement controlled, not trusting his words in the moment. 

 

“You never know. You might be good at it.”

 

“Oh, no--” 007n7 found his voice. “It’s… not for me.” It wasn’t a lie.

 

Shedletsky shrugged.

“That kid’s your son?” Shedletsky changed the topic. 

 

007n7 nodded, eager to get away from the thought of coding. “I apologize again for what happened.”

“I told you already, it’s alright.” Shedletsky’s smile was genuine, more genuine than any of his self-satisfied grins. “You’ve made it up to me anyway. Real nice place.” he referred to the shop around him.

 

“Starblox is hardly anything fancy.” Shedletsky shrugged again at that. 

 

“Doesn’t need to be fancy.” He returned to the previous topic, “You’ve got the same horns as him.”

 

007n7 brought a hand up to touch his horns, half-unconsciously. He hummed. “It’s a coincidence, really. I adopted him.”

 

Shedletsky nodded in understanding, as if a major question in his head had just been answered. “Did you name him?”

 

007n7 tilted his head at that question, but answered. “He came with the name. I didn’t want to change it.” He had wanted to change it, quite a bit in fact, the name reminding him far too much of what he tried not to remember. But he didn’t tell people that.

 

Shedletsky nodded in that same way again, thoughtful. The conversation moved on quickly after that.

 

The meeting overall was only a little over an hour long, the two parting and saying their goodbyes, but not before Shedletsky proposed meeting again sooner or later. 007n7 had agreed, because what else could he do? 

 

007n7 decided to set a contact for Shedletsky when he got home. It seemed warranted, now. Shedletsky was here to stay, in his life and in his phone.

 

---

 

Shedletsky arrived home ready to make a call. 

 

He headed straight to his bedroom, throwing himself belly-first onto the bed and navigating to his phone app. He pressed the top contact, which was always Builderman. It rang twice before picking up.

 

“Hey there, Boss!” Shedletsky beamed. “I’ve got some updates!” There was silence on the other line.

 

“...Boss?” That wasn’t Builderman. 

 

Shedletsky jumped, sitting up with his eyes widening as he looked down at his phone. He knew from the voice, but it didn’t stop him from checking the name of the contact he had just dialed. 007n7 . Shit. 

 

He recovered quickly, as if he had not just nearly pissed himself, stating matter-of-factly, “Yes. ‘s a term of endearment.”

“I… didn’t know we were there yet.” 

 

“We are now.” 

 

“O-kay…” 007n7 trailed off. “Updates?”

 

“Yes.” He made something up on the fly, “We could go to Builder Brothers’.” It was a terrible suggestion, but Shedletsky had to think fast and pizza came to his head the fastest.

 

“Sure.” 007n7 paused, “anything else?”

 

“Nope! That’s all.” 

 

“You called me to say this?” 007n7 sounded incredulous. “Why didn’t you just text me?”

 

“I thought I’d call. I always like hearing people’s voices. Texting is… boring.” Shedletsky didn’t really think that last part, he did like texting, “Not boring--just not as fun.”

 

“Guess so.” 007n7 said, though he didn’t sound sure of himself. “I’ll see you around?”

 

“Yep! See you around!” Shedletsky chirped, hanging up immediately after he said it. 

 

What a careless mistake. Shedletsky flicked himself in the head as punishment. Shedletsky does many things, he does not make careless mistakes. He opened the phone app again, less eager but still obliged to make the call he intended to.

 

Shedletsky checked the contact twice before hitting call, confident that this time, it was indeed Builderman he was calling. It rang only once before picking up.

 

“Hey there, Boss!” he greeted, “‘Got some updates here for you!”

Chapter 8

Summary:

Emotions are dangerous. Shedletsky doesn't like them.

Notes:

shorter chapter soz only about 1.4k words. i had more planned for this one but decided to bump it to the next chapter instead.

bit more character development for shed here. i started this fic with very little planned out but i have a few things that i want to investigate now, especially about shedletsky/telamon/the admins. just wrote some character profiles for reference purposes bc i finally got how i want to portray these guys down.

enjoy and hang tight

“Hey there, Boss! Got some updates here for you!”

 

“‘Good to hear.” Builderman replies immediately. “What’ve ya got?”

 

Shedletsky opens his mouth to speak. 

 

Then, in a way that is very unlike him, he hesitates. 

 

He had made up his mind already. He was going to tell Builderman all about the new evidence he had gathered, the most damning being C00lkidd’s name. He had stalled this call long enough that it 

 

Then he thinks about C00lkidd. 

 

He was a sweet kid, even though he wasn’t very gentle with the feathers. He hadn’t done anything wrong. It was likely he had no clue about his nominal connection to the exploiter C00LGUI.

 

Though, when Shedletsky thought about it, someone had probably pointed it out at some point or another.

 

Shedletsky was no stranger to…it wasn’t fatherhood, but something quite like it. Although the relationship he had with his… creation was no longer what it once was. He knew that at least once upon a time he was a fiercely protective father--to a fault. He saw a bit of his younger self in 007n7; tired, trying to do his best, crushed by responsibility, and fucking up royally along the way.

 

The kid was evidence. He couldn’t deny that no matter how much he wanted to. C00lkidd was the most solid link to 007n7’s being C00LGUI. If Shedletsky truly wanted to, he could pry information out of the kid--with his filter less developed and his will to stay quiet weaker, it’d be a lot easier. 

 

It didn’t feel right. 

 

Shedletsky wasn’t above illiberal methods. Neither--he knew--was Builderman, to whom the ends often justified the means. It was a part of the job, being an admin. Morals are different among those who face no consequences, and when one’s been alive half as long as they had been it’s impossible not to have a different perspective. Robloxian becomes a “lesser” life form, something to be protected and respected but never to be regarded as an equal. 

 

Shedletsky, in all his forms, had mastered emotional detachment. For Telamon, it was easy--simply don’t engage unless absolutely necessary--but Shedletsky took a different approach. A Robloxian was a source of amusement and nothing more. He could talk to them, make them happy, toy around with them. Shedletsky always did his job, had his fun (and he had a lot of that), and got out with little fanfare. Calming down C00lkidd was an aberration. Shedletsky did not take time out of his day to calm down children.

 

But something was different about this time. Shedletsky figured it was his proximity, but it disconcerted him that he hadn’t been careful enough to emotionally disengage himself. Getting attached was never a good idea, not to any mortal, and especially not to a suspected criminal. It was a lesson every admin had learned in the past, and they’d all learned it the hard way.

 

He was not attached to 007n7--he hardly knew the guy. He also wasn’t stupid enough to think it couldn’t happen.

 

He decided, against his better judgement, to omit the detail of C00lkidd and 007n7’s being a father entirely. Surely it wasn’t actually all that relevant. He didn’t want to rope the kid into all this, he justified himself. 

The name C00lkidd was evidence, sure, but 007n7 said he hadn’t chosen the name. Shedletsky didn’t know how much he believed that. He might be grasping at straws. He was. In all likelihood, the suspected criminal was lying through his teeth. 

 

“I’m getting closer to him.” he says instead. “In no time we’ll be friends! You know--when you told me he might be the exploiter I was expecting someone more sure of himself.”

 

“It could be a façade,” Builderman said after a moment of consideration, “stay vigilant. Don’t let yer guard down. Y’never know what these types are capable of.”

“Sure thing, Boss.” he said, not entirely convinced. Guilt bites at him. Shedletsky is reliable, trustworthy even with his annoyances. Shedletsky does not lie to Builderman. 

 

Yet there he was, lying to Builderman.

 

“...and what else?”

 

Shedletsky hummed inquisitively. 

 

“Y’said updates. Plural.”

 

“Did I?” he played dumb, “well, that’s my bad, then.” 

 

Builderman didn’t buy it, but he moved past it. “What’s yer game plan now?”

That Shedletsky could answer without guilt. “I set up another meeting with him. I’ll try to keep the momentum.”

 

“Good, good--very good.” Builderman paused. “Yer awfully to the point today.”

 

“I meant to get back to you earlier,” he says, truthfully. “Blame it on the guilty conscience. Oh--have you ever tried fried chicken pizza ?” 

 

Builderman sighed. 

--

007n7 was hiding something.

 

That was clear as day. Shedletsky had known that all along. He saw it in the way he moved, the way he looked at everyone around him, the way every word he spoke seemed carefully chosen, as if the wrong ones would incriminate him. 

 

What he was hiding exactly--that was less clear. The obvious answer, and the one Builderman would insist on, was that he was hiding his identity as C00LGUI. It made sense, considering his--although a tad flimsy--very existent ties to the crimes. 

 

He seemed to be a guilty man. If not of any crime, then of something else in his past. 

 

“Hey there.”

007n7 nearly jumped out of his skin, hands flying to his chest in a way that made Shedletsky think for a moment that he was having a heart attack. 

 

“What are you doing up there?” 

 

Shedletsky looked down at 007n7 from where he was seated in a tree. “What are you doing down there ?”

 

007n7 opened his mouth to protest but closed it just as quickly in defeat. 

 

Shedletsky was in a tree again. Not for any surveillance purposes—just because he felt like it. It was always good for his soul to look down on the world from above. Although in this case, the world was the pavement and the occasional Robloxian walking by.

 

It just so happened that 007n7 was one of those Robloxians passing by.

 

“Are we still on for tomorrow?” 

 

The man on the ground looked confused for a moment. He must have forgotten about their plans. Shedletsky stopped himself from feeling offended—he had to watch himself. Those real feelings—the ones that hid beneath his theatrics—were dangerous to feel in a situation like this. 

 

He’d already been sabotaged by them once in this very mission. 

 

“Sure.” 007n7 said, after seeming to remember what they had planned. 

 

“‘The kid coming?” Shedletsky asked, standing up on the branch before moving further up the tree, much to 007n7’s visible confusion. 

 

007n7 looked troubled by that question. “...Do you want him there?”

 

Shedletsky shrugged. “I don’t care either way. He likes pizza, doesn’t he?” he found a comfortable spot on a higher branch, swinging his legs back and forth. “Of course, if it’s just us, I sure wouldn’t mind that.” He winked.

 

007n7 stared wordlessly, gears turning in his head as he tried to process what Shedletsky could have meant. For a guy so withdrawn, it was easy to tell what was going on inside his head, at least for Shedletsky. 

 

Shedletsky thought Robloxians were the cutest. They were easy to throw off, so set in their predictable Robloxian ways that a bit of Shedletsky confused them. It wasn’t like wiking was all that strange, yet it always seemed to work. 

 

“How was the shift?” 

 

007n7 blinked, looking down at himself to find he was still in his Bloxy Burger uniform. “It was a shift.” He smiled like he had told a little joke.

 

“Do you usually walk everywhere?”

 

“I have a car.” 007n7 explained, almost defensive. “It’s just nice sometimes. To walk.” 

 

Shedletsky nodded. “I can get behind that.” He absentmindedly picked a leaf off the tree. “I’m not holding you up, am I?”

 

007n7 shrugged and tilted his head. “It’s fine.” He checks the time on his phone, frowning. “I do have to get going.”

 

“No problem.” Shedletsky smiled. “Goodbye!”

007n7 also looked confused and thrown off at that. Shedletsky noticed that Robloxians didn’t like it when he jumped straight to goodbyes. “Y-yeah. Bye.”

 

007n7 continued the way he had been going. He looked back once, only to be met directly in the eyes by a smiling Shedletsky. He whipped his head back around and sped up. 

 

Shedletsky let out a breath when he was no longer in sight, staring directly down at the ground. He felt nothing. That was good. 

 

It unsettled him greatly that he took note of that. It unsettled him that he had to watch himself. It unsettled him that he didn’t know why things were different this time. And of course it unsettled him that he felt unsettled. 

 

He shakes his head, thumping it against the tree trunk and scratching his head on it. 

 

Thoughts away. Much better.

Chapter 9

Summary:

Pizza? Pizza.

Notes:

hiiii i im so sorry lol this took me forever for like 2.5k words

writers block yadayada and also i had no idea how busy life was gonna get and how my brain and physical body decided to start giving me hell at the same time so i've been very occupied... tried to chip away at this but got stuck but im finally done with it!!!!!!!!!

i did NOT proofread this. i might have fucked up somewhere.

seeyounexttime appreciate y'all

It was not a good day.

 

007n7 woke up groggy and disoriented, flopping lazily onto his side and grabbing for his phone. He squinted at his screen, still blinking the sleep away from his bleary eyes.

 

He sat up in a panic when he saw the time. His alarm must not have sounded. 

 

He rushed out of bed, not bothering to tidy up behind him as he scrambled to get ready. His clothes were haphazardly thrown on—he didn‘t have time to look presentable.

 

He approached C00lkidd’s room with caution. He flinched as the door opened with a loud creak.

 

C00lkidd lay stationary in his bed, eyes wide open with a frown on his face. His head snapped over to his father when he entered, eyes narrowing and lips curling into a deeper scowl.

 

“I’m sorry, Kidd.” 007n7 said softly, holding his hands up in front of him as a gesture. “I overslept.”

 

C00lkidd didn’t say a word, climbing out of bed now that his father was here to start his day. His tail lashed back and forth, a clear display of his irritation. 007n7 frowned. 

 

Even on the weekends, C00lkidd insisted on being woken up at the same time. 

 

C00lkidd didn’t make much of a fuss, but still remained agitated. Going through the usual motions of dressing and breakfast seemed to pacify him, but only a bit. 007n7 was just grateful that he made it into the car with little issue.

 

He had to go to Builder Brothers’ today. More to his dismay, he had to see Shedletsky. It was a bad day and certainly meeting with the avian man, and having to sustain conversation with him, wasn’t going to help a damn. He took a breath, and steered left instead of right as he typically did.

 

007n7 had no choice but to take C00lkidd with him to the meeting, considering he had no babysitter lined up and he wasn’t about to bother his usual one on such short notice. It was just Builder Brothers’ anyway. 

 

C00lkidd lit up when he realized where they were going to, smiling for the first time that day. 

 

The quaint red brick and friendly logo sign of Builder Brothers’ felt less welcoming than it usually did. He pulled into the parking lot, parking as far away from the building as he could. 

 

He put his head on his steering wheel, breathing steadily while not taking his hands off the wheel--mentally preparing himself, as he often did before doing things he did not want to do. 

 

He heard a loud knocking on his car and whipped his head up. His eyes looked around wildly before settling on a familiar smiling face. 

 

Of course it was Shedletsky. He gripped his chest briefly, to inform the other man of the heart attack he’d almost just given him, before rolling down the car window in courtesy.

 

“Took you long enough.” Shedletsky said, though he as last time didn’t seem bothered when he said it. This time, however, 007n7 was actually late. He looked to the backseat and then back to 007n7. “I’m hungry. Let’s go.”

 

007n7 climbed out of the car. Slowly, as if his body were made of sandbags. He met Shedletsky’s eyes as he let C00lkidd out of his carseat.

 

Shedletsky reached out to grasp 007n7’s hand. 007n7’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t get long to think about it before Shedletsky turned around and dragged 007n7 along. His shoes scraped on the asphalt and his feet tripped over each other as Shedletsky hastily led the way as if 007n7 hadn’t been here more times than Shedletsky had. 

 

007n7 kept looking back to make sure C00lkidd followed, and thankfully he did, breaking into a run and gunning it for the doors. 

 

Shedletsky let go of his hand when they reached the doorway, an interesting look on his face as he glanced down at his hand. 007n7 noticed how his hand trembled in a way it usually didn’t. Shedletsky didn’t bother with courtesy today as he barged in. 

 

007n7 entered the restaurant only a step behind Shedletsky, who entered as he always did--with a regal self importance that never failed to catch people’s attention. 007n7 hung his head at the display, slowing down as he walked in to distance himself from the avian man. He didn’t fall too far behind. C00lkidd was alongside him, his teeth bared in a big excited grin. 

 

He noticed Elliot at the front as he caught sight of Shedletsky, a brief grimace gracing his features before reverting to his typical working smile. The confusion when he spotted 007n7 right behind took longer to disappear, his brows furrowing and head tilting to the side. 

 

007n7 shook his head, really to nobody but himself. He supposed it was denial, saying no, I’m not with this guy. We’re together but we’re not. He stayed by the doors while Shedletsky continued on.

 

Shedletsky waltzed up to the front counter and placed his order. It was brief and disturbingly normal the way he did it. He turned back to 007n7 with a smile when he finished. The man in the burger hat resisted the urge to run his hands down his face.

 

Instead, he gave a reluctant and slightly strained smile back and gestured to the booths. Shedletsky, much to his relief, got the memo and sat down. 

 

007n7 tried to avoid Elliot’s eyes as he approached the counter. The Builder Brothers’ employee was perplexed , with a healthy dose of astonishment. His eyebrows were raised. 007n7 shot him a look that quietly begged him not to make any comments. 

 

“The usual.” he said, flatly, before adding, “please.” He handed a calculated wad of Robux over, which Elliot took without checking. It didn’t escape 007n7 how easily he could scam this place, considering how much Elliot trusted him. It scared him how quickly that thought had come to him, his anxieties of still having criminal ways rekindling when he least needed them. 

 

Elliot didn’t take his eyes off of 007n7 and the look didn’t leave his face as he punched in the order he had punched in many times before. 007n7’s face burned under Elliot’s gaze, fidgeting. 

 

He dreaded the conversation they would inevitably have. But that conversation wasn’t until later, ideally not until at least tomorrow. Right now, he had a bird to pretend to like to talk to. 

 

He sat down at the booth and Shedletsky immediately began to talk. 007n7, still frazzled, had trouble keeping up. Most of what the other man was saying went in one ear and out the other, and he simply pretended to keep up with it all. C00lkidd was talking, now, and seemed to have issues keeping up as well, although he was much more engaged than his father. 

 

007n7 noticed his feathers. They were split at the ends, crooked, not sleek like other avians he had seen. He’d have expected them to be dull as well, but Shedletsky’s had a brilliant shine to them in the light. He spent a moment trying to figure out why that was, but he shook the thought away from his head quickly.

 

The man was simply not to be understood. But 007n7 wanted to understand. Nowadays he hated the unpredictable and the unfamiliar and the unexplainable. He didn’t hate Shedletsky, but he sure did hate how he was all three of those things at once and also so unapologetic about it at the same time. 

 

He soothed himself with one thing--at least the longer he spent around this guy, the more predictable he would become. He hoped, anyway. He was already warming up to Shedletsky’s ways, so surely, he told himself, he’d get used to them and they’d be easy to predict. 

 

He really didn’t know how true that was. 

 

He wanted to sink into the chairs when Elliot approached their table with the pizzas. He, of all people, was their server. At least it wasn’t a sit-down restaurant, so they wouldn’t see him again, but still--he saw them sitting together. 

 

007n7 didn’t even look at his expression, staring down at his legs instead, and then at the pizza as it hit the table.

 

Shedletsky proved he was an unpredictable being again when he pulled, from nowhere, fried chicken and began to place it on his pizza. 

 

Shedletsky popped a still piping hot slice of pizza, fried chicken on top, in his mouth. It was gone in seconds. Noticing 007n7 looking at him, he said through a mouthful of his second slice: “It’s good.” 

 

007n7 didn’t get a chance to respond, if he was going to anyway, before Shedletsky continued. “Real good. I proposed it to that Elliot guy--to have it on the menu, I mean, and he just blew me off. Didn’t even give me a call back!”

007n7 nodded along, eyes darting away. 

 

“‘Wanna try it?” he asked, holding out a piece of fried chicken. It did look rather good, golden brown and crispy and juicy. 

 

“Oh,” 007n7 stared wide-eyed at the fried chicken leg that had just been offered to him in all its greasy, shimmering glory. That was also a somewhat apt descriptor for the man who had offered it to him, he realized with amusement. “Uh--no thank you. ‘Sure it’s great… I just, you know. Like this type of pizza.”

 

Shedletsky withdrew the offering, smile unwavering. “You’ll have plenty of opportunity to try it another day.”

 

“I want it!” C00lkidd chimed in. Shedletsky smiled wider at that, gladly giving the chicken over to the kid. C00lkidd squinted at Shedletsky’s chicken pizza before trying to replicate it exactly on his plate. 

 

007n7 shook his head, but watched his son with fondness. Shedletsky had fallen quiet, and when 007n7 glanced up he found Shedletsky was looking right at him. He looked to be somewhere in his head, maybe not entirely paying attention to 007n7. His eyes were glazed over, but only slightly, and his smile had lessened but not disappeared. 

 

007n7 decided not to address it, not in his mind and certainly not verbally to Shedletsky. Today wasn’t the greatest, and he’d rather not make it worse by worrying about things.

 

---

 

Shedletsky’s mind moved at a mile a minute, his mouth having no trouble keeping up. He led the conversation, having already sensed 007n7’s off mood. 

 

His mind wasn’t all on the conversation, however. 

 

He was fighting them, the emotions. The no good, very bad emotions. It had been a mistake to touch 007n7. Even worse to hold his hand.

 

But Shedletsky didn’t make mistakes, no, he made calculated errors . But even as he tried to wish a memory of it into existence, he didn’t remember thinking before reaching out for 007n7’s hand. 

 

He rarely touched Robloxians like that. Touch, in general, was risky, requiring a reason to do so. But Shedletsky hadn’t had a reason when he did it. In hindsight he could rationalize it--007n7 looked off and tired, he needed to be led over. And Shedletsky was hungry, he wanted to get to the pizza quickly. That’s why he’d done it. 

 

It felt like he was lying to himself. He didn’t like that either. 

 

He told himself he didn’t know what feeling he had felt. It was another lie to himself, one so bold-faced it’s a wonder he even tried it. It was affection , though he couldn’t say it was anything romantic. He played it off like it was the affection one would feel towards a pet. After all, Robloxians were endearing at times.

For a moment he wished he was back up on The Heights, where he was alone and utterly unfeeling. But right now he was in Robloxia, chatting incessantly with a guy who looked like he didn’t really want to be there and his kid, and feeling . 

 

It upset him. It upset him very much. 

 

None of his internal conflict showed on his external face. He had gotten plenty good at controlling what showed up and what didn’t. He was also plenty good at controlling what he felt. Usually, at least. 

 

He stared silently as 007n7 looked at C00lkidd. It was affection as well—the feeling that 007n7 was feeling. There was no doubt about it, with that look in his eyes as the child assembled and tried fried chicken pizza (quite good taste of his, if Shedletsky said so himself). It was a very unique affection—parental—one that Shedletsky hadn’t felt in centuries, at the very least.

 

“How is it?” Shedletsky asked as C00lkidd took his first bite. C00lkidd had an unreadable expression on his face at first, eyes looking upwards in thought as he processed the new tastes and textures. After a moment or two he broke into a smile.

 

“It’s,” he began, shoving the rest of the slice into his mouth before continuing, mouth full as he spoke, “good!”

 

The child ate animalistically, chomping down and spilling everywhere. 007n7 had to remind him to slow down. Shedletsky couldn’t help the pride and satisfaction that he felt, knowing another appreciated his creation as much as he did. They were the few good emotions, because they were ultimately about himself.

 

It was easier when it was all about himself. 007n7 and C00lkidd seemed determined to make it hard, though. His feelings about them were about them.

Shedletsky opted to do what was easiest, and began talking again. 

 

--

 

Morning was ordinary at Builder Brothers’ Pizza. Elliot, still blinking away the sleep, was the first employee in as always. He set up the cash registers, swept away any debris remaining from last night in the kitchen, and kindled the fire in the ovens.

 

Slowly, the other employees arrived, and the smells that had begun to fade away soon came back in full force, garlicky and doughy. Indeed, it was a day like other days. 

 

Customers streamed in when the clock struck ten and he was soon occupied punching in orders, stretching dough, and delivering orders to tables.

 

Elliot was used to oddities. A career like his forced him to get acclimated to weirdness early on. He was no stranger to it. Weird customers were a given, strange happenings frequent, and at this point Elliot didn’t make note of very much. 

 

But this. This caught Elliot’s attention.

 

It wasn’t too noteworthy when he saw Shedletsky come in. The guy was coming in so much he had begun to occupy the space in Elliot’s brain reserved for regulars. He braced himself for antics.

 

He did not brace himself for seeing 007n7 and C00lkidd in tow, coming in right after Shedletsky. It was clear they had entered together. It was confirmed when, after Shedletsky ordered, 007n7 gestured to him. Elliot shook his head and squinted his eyes to confirm he was seeing things correctly. 

 

Elliot didn’t have the mind to hide his reaction. 007n7 looked humiliated when he came up to the counter, giving his and C00lkidd’s usual order. Elliot looked forward to the conversation they would have. 

 

The questions were hard to stop. Why were they eating together? When did they get to the point that they would eat together? How? It wasn’t that long ago that 007n7 complained about the weirdo popping up everywhere. Clearly something had happened, and Elliot was dying to know what . 

 

He wouldn’t have to wait all that long, he knew, but in the mean-time it was in the back of his mind.

 

Notes:

I hoooopee that I can get the second chapter up tomorrow but no promises I'm really bad at meeting my self imposed deadlines