what used to be, no longer is

by JaybirdBox

Summary:

10 years, post-high school, 007n7 has moved out of his home town with his son in hopes of attending university with a fresh start. His past, however, seems to be unescapable as his number one worst classmate shows up to his very first class of the semester.

Bonding occurs, a friendship he never thought he'd achieve, followed by many more.

*Chapters tend to vary, the summaries should give you a solid idea on what its gonna be.

Chapter 1: University, Day One

Summary:

007n7 attends his first day of classes at university... but so does someone else.

It took a lot to get here, settled in a university miles away from his home town. Working three or more jobs at once just to get himself and his son through the week on top of preparing for a whole move nearly several states away. 007n7 was grateful he’d waited until C00lkidd had gotten a little older- he was 10 now, still experienced some issues being in public school, but he was doing better than he was when he’d first put the kid in preschool. He still vividly remembered all the concerned calls from the teachers and caretakers that he got in the middle of double shifts, talking all about how he’d been starting fires and throwing large tantrums that seemed outrageous for a child his age.

 

The behavior had been a learning curve for everyone involved. Due to his child becoming the well-known problem child , it led to him being even more well known as his parent , as much as he avoided showing his face where he didn’t need to. Luckily, most of his graduating class had either moved out of town already, or just weren’t frequently in any of the areas he worked at. 007n7 had tried out the nearby community college, but the obvious dislike from nearly all of his peers made it difficult to get things done- group projects in particular. His friend Noli had been kind enough to house him and his son up until this point, but he couldn’t rely on his old high school companion forever. So, he had to move out.

 

Shockingly, to him, Noli had decided to move towns with them, saying something about not wanting to be too far out of reach in case the two still needed support. He appreciated it, by all means, as his friend continued to help out with occasional groceries and keeping an eye on C00lkidd during particularly long night shifts. It was also a much appreciated help once he started classes and just couldn’t be home for most of the hours that his son wasn’t in school.

 

Of course, his nerves and anxiety were still going to be shot his first full day away at university classes, worried about how C00lkidd was going to adjust to the new school he’d been placed in. It unfortunately couldn’t be helped- he needed to move forwards with his education in hopes of a better job, especially if he was aiming for a business degree. The new setting had been a relief to 007n7, most of his fears sitting in not wanting to be recognized by any of his old classmates. Here, those worries were practically nonexistent as he moved through the first classroom of the day (which he, admittedly, struggled to find), up until a head of blue hair came peeking through the door, questioning if he was in the correct class.

 

Guest 1337 . Just his luck, ending up in the same room as the one classmate he had the worst relationship with, miles away from the town they’d both grown up with. A deep pit sank in his chest as he hunched himself over and lifted a hand to cover his face, begging for the man to not recognize him, praying that he would sit absolutely anywhere but the empty seat next to him. There were still plenty of other seats available, so there was no reason for Guest to meander over to where he sat and make the first day of classes awkward for the both of them.

 

-

 

Guest 1337 had already deemed the massive school to be a full, proper maze , incredibly difficult to navigate with the large campus and most likely outdated signage. He’d seen a good handful of new students struggling to read weathered outdoor maps, the central information desk flooded with people who had no clue where they were going. Though, he was never one to let himself get lost in something like this, even if he’d shown up to class just a minute or two late. His wife had managed to convince him to return to school after being forced to retire from the army due to a training accident that cost him his right arm. 

 

A quick scan of the room after confirming that this was in fact the right class had him making a double take of a man seated in the far back corner of the room. Guest almost didn’t recognize him at first, a kid he used to know as incredibly scrawny with a god awful attitude was sitting there looking like he’d aged thirty years with a few extra pounds to go with it- but there was no doubting who it was. The man could recognize the tail and horns anywhere, even with the drastic change in appearance. 

 

His next decision was made quickly and without much thought, leading him to take a seat directly next to the other man who had instantly curled away as if it would make him smaller, more invisible . This wasn’t at all like the 007n7 he knew in high school, an aggressive bully that had nothing better to do than to piss him off every day of the week when they were younger. Admittedly, his temper had been a lot worse when he was a teen, boot camp having swiftly straightened him out on top of his wife trying her hardest to reason with him about his old classmate. She’d brought up the common factor in kids like 007n7 being a poor home life, and judging by how the guy had disappeared the moment they graduated- it was probably true.

 

Guest slid his backpack off the one shoulder, setting the bag on the floor next to him as he stared at the top of the desk while the professor began to go over the syllabus for the semester. He stole a couple glances at the anxiety-ridden man next to him, noting early gray hairs and obvious stress wrinkles in the expression he was trying so desperately to hide. Honestly, he looked like a hot mess. The man almost felt pity for him, having no clue what the other had gone through between graduation and now to leave him in such a state.

 

Class seemed to drag, horribly so. The awkward and tense feeling at the table was making him almost regret his decision, but if he hadn’t chosen this seat next to 007n7, he might’ve had to wait until their next class together to even speak to the man. 007n7 had tried to get up as fast as he could once class was dismissed, only to be stopped by a low voice from the man seated next to him. 

“Seven,” Guest started, standing up from his seat with his backpack in hand. “Could we talk for a second?”

 

Well if that wasn’t absolutely nerve wracking, 007n7 wasn’t sure what was . He’d held onto a small string of hope that he’d be able to get out of this smoothly without confrontation, a lump sticking in his throat that he quickly swallowed.

“Uh… yeah, sure.” The shorter man muttered, draping his cross-body bag over his shoulder. “Did you need something? I-I know we weren’t on very good terms in high school, so I understand if you just want to get things over with. Do I need to change classes?” 007n7 started stumbling over his words, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth as Guest raised a hand- his only hand… how did that happen?-  to stop him from continuing to ramble on.

 

“I just wanted to ask how you were doing.” Guest spoke with a stiff look on his face, like this wasn’t exactly what he wanted to be doing, but it would be better than continuing on through the semester with the air as tense as it was. 

 

“How I’m doing?” 007n7’s tail stilled in its anxious twitching, his eyes widening behind pink frames. “A-Are you joking? I…” 

Upon seeing no shift in the blue haired man’s solid expression, he slowly moved out into the hall with the other trailing behind him, the two settling into a set of plush chairs with a small table between them. The horned man started fiddling with his hands in his lap, legs pressed together as he swallowed another lump of nerves.
“I-I, well… I really haven’t been doing much, just- working, supporting myself and my son.” 007n7 spoke softly, quickly, and with as little stuttering as he could manage with Guest 1337’s hard gaze upon him. His expression had faltered momentarily, the tenseness in his shoulders loosening at the mention that this man had a son .

 

Guest’s mouth twitched up into a smile as he leaned back more into the soft back of the chair, his hand idly pulling at some stray strings on one of his pants pockets. “I’ve got a daughter myself. I didn’t take you as the settling down type, Seven.”

 

007n7 sputtered a forced laugh, his hands gripping his old, tan pair of slacks as his face turned a bright red. “Oh, no, I’m not married- I’m not even with anyone, it’s just me and my son… and Noli, if you remember him. We used to hang out a lot, mostly at… parties.” He calmed down his nervous laughter and cleared his throat, tucking some loose hair out of his face. “How old is your daughter?”

 

“She’s five. Cute little darling, looks just like her mother. She’s starting kindergarten this year.” Guest 1337 spoke with obvious fondness in his voice, clearly quite proud of his daughter. “How about your son, how old is he? Is he starting kindergarten as well?” The taller man’s brow furrowed as he watched 007n7’s face fall, a pitiful attempt to keep a smile up evident in the way the corners of his mouth twitched. His red tail circling around his ankle didn’t go unnoticed, taken as a sign of more anxiety from the man. Had he asked the wrong question?

 

007n7 seemed to struggle in getting his words out, shame swallowing him up as he hunched his shoulders and lowered his head. “He’s ten,” the man spoke with a tremble in his voice. “So he should be going into fifth grade, but he was having some issues in school and was held back a grade…” 

 

The shorter man fell silent after that, his hands still outside of a barely noticeable tremble. He watched as the words rolled over in Guest’s mind- they were both 28, which would leave 007n7 with his son-

 

Right out of high school. No wonder he vanished off the face of the earth after graduation. 

 

Guest 1337 nodded slowly, lips pressed into a firm line. He didn’t want to make the other man any more uncomfortable than he already had , sighing slowly out his nose. “That… makes sense, actually. Everyone was wondering where you’d gone, especially after you’d dropped the bullying for a solid three weeks before we all graduated.” The two sat in a heavy silence after that, Guest feeling bad for having brought it up at all. He started thinking, what would Daisy do in this situation ? She was always better at handling things like this, and probably wouldn’t have left his poor classmate sitting anxiously after a heavy conversation.

 

The retired man opened and shut his mouth a few times, thinking on what to say before he actually said it, standing up from his seat and unintentionally startling 007n7. Guest took out his phone and opened a blank contact, handing it to the other for him to put his number in. “How about you shoot my wife and I a message? I’m sure once I tell her who I ran into, she’ll want to have you over at some point.”

 

007n7 looked up in shock as he hesitantly took the phone, carefully typing in his number and name, saving the contact before handing it back. “I- well, if you’re sure… You really don’t have to-”

“Don’t.” Guest spoke sternly, a gentle undertone beneath the word. “How about this- I’ll text you, alright? We’ll figure out something. She’ll be ecstatic, don’t worry.” He pat 007n7 on the shoulder once he’d gotten up, still in shock from receiving anything other than criticism from the taller man. 

 

007n7 nodded, tilting his wrist and looking at his watch. “O-Of course… I’m- sorry, I really should be going. I’ve got another class in a few minutes and I still haven’t figured out where the room is.” The man started walking as he spoke, glancing over his shoulder at Guest who calmly waved him off with an uneven smile.

“Go on, don’t let me keep you. Just- don’t be a stranger, alright?” Guest 1337 nodded as he turned the opposite way, not having another class for an hour, which left him enough time to find out where it was before it started. The retired soldier actually found himself concerned for his old classmate, something he didn’t expect would come from day one of classes- he hadn’t expected to even see him at all , but things happen. He did, however, now fully expect his wife to suggest inviting the man and his son over the moment she heard the news. Charlotte could use a new playmate anyways, and getting closer with 007n7 didn’t seem like such a bad idea anymore.

Notes:

I have a lot of content planned for this AU. Be not afraid

Chapter 2: Does it Haunt You?

Summary:

A little blast to the past, to what 007n7 felt like was the end of his life, and to what became of pushing through.

Notes:

This chapter contains references/descriptions of an abusive mother, teen pregnancy, postpartum depression, underage drinking and irresponsible high school parties. Towards the end of the chapter, it lightens up. Yes, you get comfort with your angst in this household.

The music felt extra loud this time.

 

It didn’t help that he’d gotten drunk out of his mind, on top of being high before arriving at the party. Normally he didn’t get this drunk. Normally, he’d at most be high with a drink, maybe two.

 

Normally he had Noli with him. Not this time. This time, he’d gone to the party alone, desperate for a distraction. 

 

This time, Noli was in the hospital. Had been for weeks by now, and he’d been very good at avoiding parties up until now, not wanting to go without his one friend- the one guy that actually had some common sense to be reasonable during a party. This time, 007n7 couldn’t bear to be reasonable. His best friend had just been getting sicker and sicker, worsening over time despite the doctors’ attempts. 007n7 was hoping that Noli’s extended stay at the hospital would bring something good , would remove the cancer eating away at the one person that gave a shit about him.

 

Or at least help it, just a little. 

 

007n7 had told himself he wouldn’t drink it all away, but he never was good at keeping promises. There was no Noli here to keep him from making dumb decisions under the influence, no Noli waiting for him to spend the night at his place after it all. 007n7 was amazing at making bad decisions. He excelled in them, even.

 

One night stands, he also excelled in. Most of the things he was best in, his mother would absolutely kill him for. That was part of why he even did it- a way to say ‘fuck you’ where she couldn’t reach him. 007n7 was even careful, using his well crafted aggressive nature to ensure any boy that even came near him knew exactly where the thick boundaries stood. He was careful, as long as he was sober enough to care. This party wasn’t just some normal get-together someone threw without their parent’s knowledge on a weekend- well, that too, but this one was special . More parties were being thrown more frequently, all growing to be crazier than the last in a way to celebrate the class’ senior year.

 

So of course he had to participate in at least one .

 

He should’ve stayed home.

 

If he’d stayed home, he wouldn’t be sobbing in the arms of his best friend’s mother, without the friend himself there to be an additional, more secure comfort. If he’d stayed home , he wouldn’t be forced to hang his head and break the news to a mother exhausted from work that had just wanted to sit alone with a beer that night. If 007n7 had stayed home from just one last party , he could’ve avoided all the cuts and bruises he’d shown up at his friend’s house with, a backpack stuffed with whatever he could carry.

 

Noli’s parents were always so kind to him, always extending the invitation that their door was always open for him. If they had hated him, resented him like his own mother did… 007n7 didn’t even want to think of the alternative. His mother had never texted, never called after he left- he wasn’t even sure she had noticed he was gone. All his energy felt like it had been sucked out all at once, the moment he’d felt sick, the moment he’d looked back on a night he could hardly remember and realized- shit, I fucked up . He wanted his friend to be alright. He wanted himself to be alright, but the first want far outweighed the importance of the second. Noli’s parents were trying, practically taking him in as their own from the moment he’d become friends with their son, but he wanted Noli . 

 

Noli would understand. Noli would look at him and go, hey, that was stupid, but I’m still here for you . Noli would know not to hug him too tight, not to shush in his ear in a sad attempt to soothe him.

 

Noli would’ve dragged his ass out of the party before it had even gotten that far. 

 

007n7 didn’t know what to do. 

 

“What, no petty insults today?” Guest had spat at him. He’d started an argument the previous day that had gotten them both detention, but now- now, he just didn’t have the energy for it. At best, he mustered an irritated glare and a weak shove to the other boy’s chest, a silent ‘fuck off’. A plea to just leave him alone .

 

He’d hung his head too low to notice the confused look and the scoff of ‘whatever, man’ as the blue-haired young man walked away.

 

His last few weeks of high school were spent in a blur, only really coming out of it whenever Noli seemed to be faring well enough to have a good chat with him, to listen to what was going on. Graduation came and went, and as he stopped leaving to go to school, he stopped leaving the house at all.

 

Noli’s parents had tried their hardest, at best getting him to leave the room he would proceed to share with his friend, but never outside . He couldn’t go outside, not like this, not when it felt like there was nowhere for his life to go, not when it felt like his life now belonged to one bad mistake . The parents tried to be supportive. Noli’s mother was a little too supportive in the wrong way, but she was trying. 

 

The only highlight that came was Noli coming home , and staying home, aside from minor appointments that came and went like routine. His best friend, now able to be there when he could hardly stand the attention from people he just didn’t know as well, people he wasn’t as close with. Noli would still care, even when his stomach swelled, even when the weight came on faster than he cared to even worry about, even when some days felt like he was glued to the bed in fear of another horrible day. Noli still cared about him, knowing him on a personal level that nobody else could dig up out of him. Always there to support and comfort when the mirror stared back a little too hard, when he was a little too aware of a body that just wasn’t masculine , a body that didn’t make him feel good about himself.

 

He cared when it hurt, he cared when his eating habits shifted. Even if he joked about strange cravings, it was never cruel. 

 

Noli could never be cruel to him.

 

But 007n7 could be cruel to himself. It always snuck up on him, and it seemed to just get worse after the thing was finally out of him, living, breathing, crying . Crying constantly, so loudly , always hungry, always tired but never wanting to rest. 007n7 couldn’t even care for himself, how could he care about something so helpless, something of his own blood ?

 

It tore him apart, but Noli was still there to glue him back together. Pleading with 007n7 to just rest , to let himself and his parents take care of things just for him to have a chance to breathe. He felt like he owed everything to the infant, while simultaneously feeling like it had taken it all away. Guilt ate at him just as much as the self loathing did. 007n7 had only half listened to what his friend’s mother had said about ‘postpartum depression’, and he wished he’d listened a little bit more.

 

Though… It was okay. 

 

007n7 did love the little guy. It was hard not to, but everything still dwindled down to being oh so grateful that he had even an ounce of support left to turn to. Caring arms to lift him back onto his feet as both him and his son grew older, care he’d never had at home. He’d become desperate to be kind to his son, almost petrified to even scold the child in fear of becoming his mother. Desperate to parent as gently as he possibly could while still ensuring the kid wouldn’t go trail off a different hell of a path as he grew up. Sure, he was a little bit spoiled… 

 

A lot spoiled, but it felt worth it. It felt worth it when he was able to keep a home for them both, able to return to pursuing his education for the sake of not only his, but his son’s wellbeing. 

 

It all came back around to being alright, even as he’d gone home returning to being in contact with a boy he used to get into bloody fights on the daily with- having gained an invitation to come socialize with his family, even. 007n7 had been worried- afraid, even, that he would have to start it all over again, but of course they’d both matured by now. Maybe a little differently, at different times, but the reconnection felt good. Even as he wearily begged his son to please wear something other than a drakobloxxer pajama onesie to the play date, he didn’t feel afraid of the outcome… even when he lost that small battle and watched his son climb into the backseat of the car in pajamas and rainboots.

 

The anxiety when pulling up to the small family’s home didn’t feel like it stemmed from something awful- it was more tame, anxiety simply surrounding meeting a new person. C00lkidd, of course, didn’t care about any anxiety. All he cared about in that moment was being the one to knock on the big, dark blue painted door and pout when he was stopped from also ringing the doorbell.

 

All he cared about was a new friend who was just as excited to see him, who eagerly took his hand and dragged him off to the backyard while 007n7 was welcomed inside by Guest and his wife. Seeing his son be so carefree even in a new environment helped the man himself to lighten up a little bit, of course aided with just how welcoming Daisy turned out to be. He did end up recognizing the woman from their very same senior year- in fact, he vaguely remembered teasing Guest about his hardcore crush on the girl back in the day, kicking up yet another fight over something so small.

 

Being in such a warm household with somebody other than himself, his son and Noli felt almost rewarding. Hardships were left in the back of his mind for once, and it was pleasant . It left him with a stronger bond of friendship with his classmate, growing to a point where they were able to chat comfortably not only during class, but any time they’d caught each other between their respective classes. They were able to talk about their majors- 007n7 in business, and Guest 1337 in law of all things. It felt… normal.

 

007n7 rather liked normal.

Chapter 3: How to Domesticate the Rich

Summary:

Another situation across town blooms as Shedletsky, heir to one of if not the richest families in Robloxia, is given a "gentle nudge" into a humbler lifestyle. Unfortunately, Builderman was decided to be the best person to take him in.

Notes:

I'm gonna be doing bits and pieces with different characters and such, giving looks into their backstories for the AU. Hence the kind of all over the place chapters.

Never did Builderman think that family ties would land him a new roommate, let alone one from the singular family his own had been working for for years . Hell, they were close enough that his dad was frequently invited over, nonchalantly, by the parents of the other home. Outside of work . His own family and the Telamon family- a large power in the city that were basically modern gods at this point- had decade, maybe even century long ties. 

 

In no way should it have led to him gaining a roommate. A rich, spoiled roommate that was roughly twice his size and gave him a headache just thinking about all the things in his own home that this guy was guaranteed to complain about. The large man already seemed irritated getting in his small vehicle, a beat up sedan that he used for commuting rather than the truck he used for work. Builderman never thought he’d see a grown man this size pout , and refuse to put on a seatbelt. He kept his eyes on the road and his hands firmly on the wheel, breathing stiffly through his nose as he tried his hardest not to absolutely lose it on the other man’s behavior.

 

“Yer gonna get hurt if ya don’t put yer seatbelt on.” Builderman muttered, reminding his new roommate for the third time to simply put a seatbelt on. The man scoffed, shifting in the leather seat of the small car and squirming to cross his arms.

 

“I’m already breaking my neck hunching over in your tiny ass car, a seatbelt is the least of my worries right now.” Shedletsky snipped through clenched teeth, the wings adorning his head ruffling with further irritation. “What, are you a bad driver or something? Here I thought someone from your family line would be a little more careful.”

So he was bringing up families now? Builderman could play that game, too.

 

“At least my family didn’t boot me out . Yer gonna live just like the rest of us commoners, and yer gonna like it.” The smaller man snapped as he pulled into his driveway, watching the anger bubble in the man riding in his passenger seat. Getting the call from his father that he’d been asked to house the avian was the last call he expected- or wanted. Shedletsky was supposed to get into college and learn to live on his own, but his father had so generously suggested that he keep an eye on the spoiled brat . Builderman threw himself out of the car and pulled the couple bags of luggage out of the backseat, leaving them on the paved driveway for Shedletsky to get the hint that he was expected to bring it in himself instead of glaring at Builderman until he did it.

 

Builder clenched his jaw and shook his head as he locked the car and unlocked the door to his house, leaving it open as he entered and watching with mild amusement as the larger man had to actually duck to come through the doorway. Shedletsky seemed uncomfortable at the low ceiling, which he supposed was fair given the man’s height being abnormally above average. The size of the home was just right for Builderman, but very obviously too small for the avian. Builderman himself hardly even reached chest level on the other, so he couldn’t be upset about him being irritated over having to duck through doorways. 

 

“Yer gonna be a joy to live with…” He went to the couch and tossed the seat cushions aside, pulling out the built in pull-out bed and gesturing to it. “You’ll be sleepin’ here. Shut the door behind ya.” 

 

Shut the door? Shedletsky was expected to-

 

He was expected to do a lot of things now, actually. The large man dropped his bags by the pullout couch and threw himself down on it, cringing at the pained creaking sound the crappy metal frame made. Builderman’s head snapped in his direction as he started filling the dishwasher in his kitchen, pointing a finger at Shedletsky.
“Don’t be breakin’ shit in my house! You’ve hardly been here five minutes!” The smaller turned back to his work with muttered curses while the avian shrank in, face scrunching with upset as he pulled himself up from the pull out couch and wandered into the kitchen.

 

Shedletsky stood in an awkward silence filled by the sound of running water from the sink, eyes wandering to all the cupboards in the room- where the hell did he keep the-

“Whaddya need?” Builderman’s annoyed tone sounded from below, head down and focused on the dishes and not caring to look up at the man that he could just tell was already lost in his kitchen. 

 

“A cup?” The bird muttered, eyes still wandering. He caught Builder pointing towards the cupboard right behind his head and turned around, prying it open and trying his hardest not to make a disappointed sound at the sight. “Don’t you have glass?” 

 

A long, stiff inhale from the smaller man as he gripped the edge of the counter was almost intimidating. His arms looked strong, and as big as he was, he wouldn’t put it past the other to be able to beat his ass if need be. He saw how easily he tossed around his heavy luggage.

“No, there’s no glass. It’s mighty expensive, and if yer wantin’ expensive shit, yer gonna have ta get a job and buy it yerself. So for now, you can suck it up and drink in microplastics just like the rest of us.” Ouch. The man’s tone made Shedlestky wonder if he’d nudged just a little too hard, especially with the pinched look he was being given as he pulled a cup down. He hardly opened his mouth before Builderman continued. “There’s water from the fridge, or from the sink. Pick yer tap water poison, I don’t have that fancy bottled fuji water shit, or whatever ya might be lookin’ for.”

 

“Jeez, fine.” Shedletsky grumbled as he pressed the cup to the button on the front of the fridge, watching as water filled the cup while the man now behind him slammed dishes into the dishwasher, slid in the soap and pressed the door to the appliance shut. Builderman had almost immediately gotten down and pulled out a medium sized pot and a few boxes of mac n’ cheese, filling the pot with water and setting it on the stove for it to boil. The avian’s eyes watched carefully from where he stood idly sipping at his water- it didn’t taste at all like the water from his parents’ house, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. “Are you making boxed  mac n’ cheese? Usually-”

 

“Say one more rich guy thing and I’m hangin’ ya off the roof.” Builder didn’t even look up from opening up the boxes and setting aside the packaged, powdered cheese. “Again, yer welcome to get a job and buy all the fancy shit you want, but until you do so, yer gonna have to deal with ‘commoner food’.” 

 

Shedletsky rolled his eyes, setting his now empty cup next to the sink and crossing his arms over his chest while he leaned back against the counter. “I’m just saying. It’s not that hard to make it from scratch.”

 

Builderman gave the larger man a look, brow raised with disbelief. “Have you ever made it?” He huffed a laugh when the bird shook his head. “Then shut up. It’s quick, and I don’t have the patience today for from scratch mac n’ cheese. A little bit of chemicals ain’t gonna hurt ya.” It was almost amusing how stupid the guy seemed to be, fumbling around his humble home like he’d just hatched. “What are ya even doin’ in college, anyways? Ya don’t seem much like the type to even study .”

 

The larger man took the bowl of mac n’ cheese handed to him once the noodles were done cooking and the cheese was mixed in, staring down at the bright orange color for a moment before shoveling a spoonful in his mouth. “Computer science.” Shed stated simply, sliding over to the small dining table Builderman kept off to the side and taking a seat in one of the old wooden chairs. He got another warning look of ‘don’t break anything’ as it creaked, returning the look with an annoyed eye roll. “I’m assuming you’re just working with the family business yourself?” 

 

Builder nodded, taking small spoonfuls of his own portion of dinner, blowing at the still hot noodles gently before eating. “Ain’t no reason for me to take all those classes when I got a steady job already. Besides, school’s expensive. Yer quite lucky they’re still payin’ for ya to go.”

 

“So I’ve been told.” Shedletsky mumbled through a way too big mouthful of noodles and chemically orange cheese. “I think that’s the only thing my parents are still willing to pay for- as long as I pass my classes and stuff. They made sure I understood that even still continuing to pay for my school was lucky enough.” The man licked stray cheese sauce off the corner of his lips, not caring about whether Builderman thought he ate messily in the slightest. “Now I gotta live here , which I’m sure you’re not too fond of.”

“Not in the slightest.” Builder stated matter-of-factly, standing up from his seat with his empty bowl and rinsing it out before setting it in the sink. “I expect ya to help out around the house, too. Can’t have ya makin’ a mess and not pickin’ it up, ya hear?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Shedletsky got up after Builderman did, craning his neck to see if there was any mac n’ cheese left in the pot despite complaining about it earlier. He smothered the disappointment of finding the pot empty- rinsed out, even- and copied what Builder had done with his own bowl. 

 

Builderman ignored the side comment and started shutting off lights, save for the lamp next to the pull out couch. “Well, I’m headin’ to do some work before I hit the hay. If you need anythin’, it’s the last room on the right.” 

 

… That was that. He just- left Shedletsky standing by himself in the dim living room as he retreated to his own room, the avian muttering complaints under his breath as he rummaged for the singular blanket and pillow he’d brought with him. Shedletsky laid himself down on the makeshift bed more carefully this time, tossing and turning a bit to make himself comfortable to begin doomscrolling for a good couple hours before deciding to fall asleep. He’d have to get used to this eventually, as irritated as he was with his situation. It’s not like it was Builderman’s fault, he’d been dragged into it just as suddenly as Shedletsky was. They were in similar boats, so all he could do was settle in and hope it wasn’t going to stay tense in the home forever.

Chapter 4: Recover is Easier With You

Summary:

A glimpse into another set of 007n7's classmates, a couple that had met in a strange cult years before.

One of the classmates 007n7 just couldn’t wrap his head around was a tall, slender individual with an eerie smile that had introduced themselves as TwoTime. Their first impression could’ve been better, if he was putting it lightly. He still remembers the conversation that followed the classmate sliding into a chair next to him after class had ended. TwoTime had looked at him with a subtle twitch in their eye, but he doubted it was from irritation. Probably connected to some sort of mental illness that he had no right digging into.

 

“Salutations.” They had greeted him, eyes curving as their smile widened, offering out a hand for 007n7 to shake. He’d taken it hesitantly, their pale palm cold to the touch and mildly concerning to the single father. “My name is TwoTime. I have been encouraged to engage and make some friends, and I couldn’t help but notice you participating in class all alone.” TwoTime was observant. Unsurprising, due to how they stared at everything with wide eyes that rarely blinked. The individual seemed to be non-human, like he was, but he couldn’t quite name the species, nor recognize it. His classmate continued talking without enough pause for 007n7 to introduce himself.

 

“I have selected to pursue mastery in the visual arts. My beloved Azurewrath had so kindly suggested it, I absolutely had to try.” TwoTime leaned forwards, chin propped up in a palm with a distant, almost dreamy look in their eyes. “I quite like it so far. You seem like a man to pursue a different mastery. Have you selected?”

 

The way the individual spoke was a little unnerving to 007n7, and there wasn’t any sign of them leaving him alone until he answered their questions. “I’m 007n7… but people just call me Seven- it’s easier.” He swallowed, pushing his glasses up his nose with a knuckle. “... Business major.” TwoTime’s expression didn’t change, and he briefly wondered if he’d said something wrong before their head tilted to the side.

 

“I heard rumors you have offspring.” 

 

What.

 

“I’ve heard it as you’ve come and gone, speaking with the soldier. I spoke with him too- his daughter sounds lovely. Spawn has blessed many with such wondrous offspring, so excitable.” TwoTime’s expression shifted only slightly with a scrunch of their nose. “Yet, quite noisy. I wonder how it is done, raising such noisy creatures.”

 

007n7’s mouth opened and closed, eyes wide as he was taken aback by the sudden shift in conversation topic. Did this person have zero social skills? It felt worse than C00lkidd asking mothers if they were having babies when he was roughly four years old, but maybe it just felt that was because he was on the receiving end. The single father began rummaging in his brain for a response to this mildly uncomfortable topic shift from his classmate, interrupted by the lanky individual being scooped up by the sides like a toddler .

 

“I am so sorry, I turned around for five seconds, I didn’t realize they’d run off…” A tall man dressed casually with the string of a sun hat around his neck, the hat itself against his back. His hair was long and pulled back out of his eyes in a half ponytail, compared to the messy pigtails of their smaller companion. The man looked flustered as he shifted TwoTime in his arms, holding them against his chest as their limbs wrapped around and clung to his broad form. “We’re still working on not asking appropriate questions to strangers.”

“Ah, but my dear Azure- We aren’t strangers, we’ve introduced!” TwoTime chirped from their delightful spot in their partner’s arms, their tail swishing back and forth to display how content they were.

 

Azure’s brow furrowed, a tired smile gracing his features. “Aquaintances, at best. Again, I’m very sorry… I don’t want to make you late to your next class, so I’ll be taking this one to my own next class. They have some spare homework to do, so…” He trailed off, glancing at the lanky partner rubbing their cheek against his shoulder. With a short nod, he picked up TwoTime’s bag and left the room, leaving 007n7 to contemplate his luck in classmates- again.

 

-

 

Azure considered himself and TwoTime to be very fortunate in their situation. He’d been a convert to the Spawn Cult, compared to his partner who had been unfortunately born into it with no outside influence to their undying devotion. It had been concerning to him, seeing someone who had been raised from so young into a cult that he had steadily learned had quite… concerning practices… yet he’d fallen in love, hard. There were the small things about TwoTime, and affection that seemed to hit his senses in all the right ways. Perhaps it was his own love for them that ended up with him slipping into unconsciousness with a dagger in his chest, the same love that left him denying they’d had a hand in it when a group of hikers stumbled upon them in the night.

 

Being dragged into town didn’t go well with TwoTime. It was a struggle, even when Azure himself tried desperately to convince them that they weren’t guided out with malicious intent. Azure had quickly been rushed to have their wound tended to by professionals while their partner absolutely refused to be looked at unless they remained in the same room as Azurewrath. The larger of the two noticed the concerned looks from the doctors, the furrowed brows and wary glances while TwoTime just seemed annoyed- inconvenienced, even. 

 

A couple had even been kind enough to take them in, the pair also being horrible at masking expressions as they realized the large difference in mental stability between the two. Azure had made it his mission to ensure TwoTime felt comfortable in their home, away from the cult that they broke out of the house repeatedly to run back to.

 

Then they’d been put in a psych ward after the poor old woman caring for the two caught them sacrificing a deer in the backyard to Spawn. 

 

It was surprisingly hard on Azure, having them gone and out of reach for so long . The couple caring for them decided to place the man in therapy once they noticed his behaviors becoming sluggish without TwoTime. His appetite had dropped and he shook with worry nearly every night, concerned for their wellbeing, despite having lived in society himself before joining the cult. It had raised various concerns across the board, struggles being painfully present even when the more frail of the two was released from inpatient and returned to the home. The lovely couple had been quick to lock up any harmful tools, the locked cases put into hidden spots as extra measure after TwoTime picked the lock to the bathroom just to climb into the shower with Azure.

 

University had been a good decision, suggested by Azurewrath himself as he wanted to get back into pursuing a degree in botany and implying that having something like school to focus on might help TwoTime redirect their energy before they destroyed anything. Suggesting art had probably been one of his best decisions, watching how the creative outlet brought a clear decrease in anxious behaviors in their partner. 

 

Sure, plenty of their creations held concerning imagery, but after a while the professors got used to the odd submissions from the ex-cultist. They had even started presenting paintings and sculptures with pride and messy hands, gaining a softness to their smile that just made Azure’s love for them blossom further. Seeing TwoTime develop so nicely outside of the cult brought a sense of pride, even. He helped them get here, he helped them be able to express their complex thoughts and emotions in such a healthy way. 

 

Health looked so good on TwoTime, and Azure was desperate to see more. Desperate to see his partner flourish and blossom in a proper setting.

Chapter 5: Parties Vary With Age

Summary:

007n7 hadn't attended in a party in years, for obvious reasons. Guest drags him along to one as a plus one, where I smoosh all (most of) the characters into one room because I said so.

“You… want me to go to a party. With you.” 007n7 looked at Guest over the top of his glasses, hands frozen in place over his laptop keyboard. Memories of the last party he went to flashed in the back of his mind while he slowly turned back to his essay in progress. “Why don’t you bring Daisy?” The man muttered, chewing his lip over a sentence he just couldn’t figure out how to word properly. 

 

“She insisted I bring you instead. Said something about the two of us taking some time off to relax.” Guest 1337 sat himself in one of the comfortable chairs across from his classmate, running his fingers over the stitching of his backpack strap. “Even offered to watch the kids. Both of them.” He stated, watching 007n7’s brows twitch into a more confused expression. The horned man looked unsure, as if Guest was somehow planning a kidnapping instead of inviting him to a party. “Could be fun.”

007n7 gave up on his sentence and shut his laptop, sliding it into his back with a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, I haven’t really gone to a party since high school. Plus, a lot of our peers seem to be much younger than we are.” He paused, narrowing his eyes at his friend. “... Where did you get a party invite?”

Raising his hand up in a surrendering position, Guest chuckled at the other’s reaction. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. Some rich guy in my writing class stopped me on my way out today, said I should come- encouraged me to invite a plus one.” The man shifted in the cushioned seat and rubbed at the back of his neck. “You don’t have to come, of course. Just thought I’d ask, cause if Daisy isn’t going and you’re not going- well, there’s not really much reason for me to go.” 

 

That made sense. 007n7 was a similar way, not wanting to go to parties without Noli. It was always easier to go anywhere if he had someone he knew along with him. He was almost relieved that Guest was the same way, it meant that they shared yet another thing in common. 007n7 rolled it over in his head as he packed up his things before deciding to agree to attend the party with Guest 1337. It had sparked some anxiety in the man, unable to get the last party he attended out of his head as he got ready in his bedroom. Was he dressing too formal? Were college parties- was he supposed to dress… slutty? Was that the word? God, 007n7 hoped he wasn’t supposed to be dressing even remotely slutty. There was no way he was pulling off those outfits anymore.

 

Well. Maybe. Depends on the day, and the outfit.

 

007n7 ended up in a sweater and jeans, feeling relieved to see Guest only in an old t-shirt and cargo pants. What was this rich classmate expecting anyways when he invited someone like Guest to a party? No offense to the guy, of course, but this guy never seemed to wear anything more revealing than a thick-strapped tank top at best . This was compared to the tube tops and shorts that 007n7 used to wear in his youth, the man briefly mourning the loss of his old fishnets and platform boots. 

 

It wasn’t hard at all to drop off C00lkidd either, the kid packing in almost record time for the playdate-turned-sleepover the moment the words had left his mouth. Daisy had even gone as far as to push Guest out of the house, a wide grin on her face as she waved the two off. It was a long drive afterwards, trying to make small talk about classes and home life while Guest followed the GPS to an expensive looking beach house that had a very clear lack of flashing lights. By the looks and sounds of it as they approached the front door, it seemed to be a much smaller party, anything but packed with people. Good… that was good. 007n7 was worried he would have a heart attack if it was a busy party full of young, fresh out of high school college kids. 

 

Guest hardly knocked once before the door was pulled open, a lop bunny eared individual in sunglasses (in the dark??? indoors ?) greeting them with a bright smile. 

“Yo, Guest! Glad you came, man- you too! Come on inside, we’re all just hangin’ out in here!” Chance tipped his hat as he stepped aside to let the two fathers in, shutting the door behind them and strolling over to a large couch where they hopped over the back and right into the lap of a large and awfully intimidating man. “Make yourselves at home, lemme know if you need anything, cool?” 

 

007n7 gave a side glance at his friend, the blue haired man standing with his lips pressed thin. Was he overwhelmed? He hoped not, because if Guest was overwhelmed, he might as well just explode on the spot himself. “Are they-”

“Yeah, that’s them. I know, they dress like some weird cross between a rich man and a homeless person.” Guest muttered under his breath, eyes wandering across the party crowd as he made his way to the kitchen where a drink cooler sat on the ground. Everyone seemed to be huddled together in small groups that looked more like just the pairs that they all arrived in. An avian and a much shorter man sat at a small table off to the side, playing cards with a pumpkin-headed person and the TA he recognized from the university’s ASL course. It looked like they were winning, eyes creasing with a grin hidden underneath their mask with a simple cat mouth on it. 

 

Another group was the one on the couch, consisting of the host, Chance, the intimidating rabbit hybrid that seemed completely uninterested in the conversation that the smaller was having with the blonde stretched out across a separate seat. From the moment Guest and 007n7 had walked in it seemed like their conversation had slowed, turning more into just Chance yapping at the poor guy while his eyes watched the two migrate to the drink cooler. The last two pairs of people were in a scarily silent game of Uno, both being what looked like couples that consisted of The Scary Big One and Their Smaller Partner. Guest turned his attention towards 007n7 who had taken a seat at the kitchen island, a can of sparkling juice in his hand which he tapped an anxious claw against while his tail snaked around one of the legs on the stool he was sitting on. 

 

The retired soldier approached his classmate and pat his shoulder firmly. “Hey, why don’t we try getting to know some people? I’ll go chat with one group, you with another… Cover our bases, you know?”

 

007n7 had jumped at the unexpected contact, glancing out the doorway at the small party in the other room. He cleared his throat and got up, sliding his drink into the fridge. The single father wasn’t a huge fan of carbonated drinks, but enjoyed the flavor, so he took the opportunity to let it flatten for now. 

“I… guess so, I’m just not sure- it didn’t look like there was a good spot for me to enter any of the conversations.” 007n7 muttered as he leaned out of the doorway and scanned the room, looking at the separate groups doing their own things. 

 

“You could try for whatever conversation Chance is having. Doesn’t look like you’d have to do much talking.” Guest spoke lightheartedly, giving his friend a nudge as he started wandering towards the ones playing cards at the table where they were wrapping up a round. “I’ll be over here, okay? Just come get me whenever you’re ready to go, or if you need anything.”

 

Well. Alright, then. 007n7 shuffled over to the pair of couches, the blonde occupying the one quickly sliding to make room for the larger man as he approached, leaving a spot for him to sit. The man muttered soft thanks as he took a seat, a chill crawling up his spine as the larger bunny’s head slightly turned in his direction, cold dark eyes boring into him before they returned to paying attention to whatever story Chance was telling. Elliot had immediately gone back to finishing up an email he was typing up for a professor, pepperoni pizza patterned phone case up and blocking most of his face due to his unfortunate habit of having his face as close to the screen as possible. Once his email was finished, the phone lowered, the light of the screen highlighting his deadpanned expression.

 

“So. Plus one?” Elliot spoke, watching as his sudden words made the older man next to him flinch. He raised a brow at this, waiting for the man’s response.

 

“Yes… I came with, uh- that one.” 007n7 pointed at Guest who was attempting conversation at the small table. “He has a class with… Chance.” Yes, that was their name. Good job, 007n7. “And you’re-?”

Elliot huffed a small laugh. “I’m their roommate. So, you don’t seem like you get out much. Is there a reason for that? I mean, not to pry , but…” The pizza boy trailed off, leaning forwards slightly to catch the small twitches in 007n7’s expression. This guy had a really bad habit of letting his face betray his emotions, but it was making things interesting.

 

“No, not anymore. I used to go out and party a lot, but after I became a father, I kind of… stopped.” 007n7 laughed with a tinge of awkwardness. He watched as the blonde nodded slowly, seeming to be thinking things over. There was an odd look in his eye, almost like he was plotting something. Did he say something wrong? Offended the other somehow? What a great first impression…

 

“I get it. No worries. Just, uh- you don’t gotta stress about this one, you know? Chance isn’t one to throw a risky party.” Elliot nodded towards his roommate who hadn’t even noticed they’d been mentioned. “Have a good time, relax.”

 

007n7 looked around the room again, looking at all the groups sitting and enjoying themselves, whereas he’d just sat here anxious about- he wasn’t even sure what anymore. “... Yeah, I guess you’re right… Relax.”

Chapter 6: What is This?

Summary:

The party wraps up, I'm a sucker for pizzaburger.

“So,” Elliot began, propping up his feet on the low coffee table between the couches. “Ex-partygoer turned father… Got a wife or something?” The guy leaned over and picked up an opened can of cheap beer that he’d set on the floor, taking a sip as his eyes scanned up and down the older man sitting next to him. His eyes caught the gaze of his roommate, shades tilted down just enough to make eye contact with a raised eyebrow. Elliot rolled his eyes and brushed them off, swirling around the beer in the can idly. 

 

007n7 shook his head while looking around at all the various people anxiously, afraid to make eye contact with the man he was sharing the couch with. “No wife, I’m single.” Seven missed the glint that appeared in the pizza boy’s eyes, his posture shifting against the plush cushions. 

 

Chance laughed. They better not have been laughing at him , or else Elliot was having bunny stew later tonight. 

 

Elliot tilted his head to the side slightly with another sip of his drink, gesturing softly towards 007n7. “How about your kid? Are they in school?” He hoped all the questions weren’t about to scare off the very skittish looking man- in all honesty, he just wasn’t the best at making small talk. Or conversations in general. “You uh- doing alright with them? Financially, mentally-”

 

The older man was surprised by the questions about not only his home life, but his son in particular. 007n7 paused to see if there were any hints in Elliot’s expression that showed he either didn’t care or had some ulterior motive- finding none, he started to speak. “My son is in 4th grade.” He made sure to increase the volume of his voice so he’d be well heard over the noise, as much as he wanted to quiet down and shrink in on himself. “I’m working three jobs right now. I have a close friend who helps sometimes, which is nice… it’s still difficult, but you know…”

 

There was a mildly uncomfortable stretch of silence between the two after 007n7 finished speaking, Elliot looking deep in thought while drinking up the last few drops of his beer and setting the empty can aside. Elliot leaned forwards with his forearms on his knees, holding one hand out to the other. “I don’t think I actually introduced myself. I’m Elliot.”

 

“I’m… 007n7.” Introductions had completely slipped the man’s mind, and now he felt mildly bad for not getting to it the moment conversation had started. He hesitantly shook the hand outstretched to him and put his hand back in his lap, running his fingers over the texture of his jeans. 

 

Silence grew between the two again until Elliot got up from the couch, gesturing to the kitchen. “I’m going to grab another beer if you want to come with me.” 007n7 blinked at the other before following quietly, glancing back and catching Guest 1337 watching the two with an intrigued look on his face. Once in the kitchen, 007n7 grabbed his drink from the fridge- now flat, just how he liked it. Elliot noticed this as he cracked open another beer.

“Not a fan of carbonated drinks?” The younger man huffed a small laugh as he started to chug down half of his second can. “Do you drink? There’s plenty of beer in here if you’re interested. Unless, of course, you were the one driving yourself and your friend out there.”

 

“No, Guest drove us. I’ve been trying not to drink as much, though I used to drink a whole lot more when I was younger.” 007n7 startled as Elliot started to laugh louder this time, leaning against the counter with his face flushed as he continued to glance across and stare at the small unique features the man possessed. The horned man looked confused at the other’s sudden laughter combined with his eyes grazing across his body- what could he possibly be looking at, anyways? Seven didn’t find himself all that attractive, much less towards someone like the younger man in front of him.

 

Elliot wiped the start of a tear out of the corner of his eye, gesturing for 007n7 to come sit in one of the stools surrounding the kitchen island. “You keep talking like you’re 60 or something! Seriously, you don’t even look that old. You look pretty nice, actually, from what I can tell.” The pizza boy slid into one of the stools himself, lounging and leaning on the counter while watching as a soft pink blush creeped up 007n7’s face.

 

“I’m 28, and I… appreciate it, but I’m really not all that much.” 007n7 slid onto a stool with a small hop, taking a long sip from his now flat sparkling juice. “Maybe you should slow down on the alcohol if you’re finding this attractive.”

 

The younger man’s eyes widened in a small panic as he clumsily set his beer can aside, putting his hands up to show he meant no harm from it. “No- no, really, I swear! You look great. I promise.” Elliot’s face had turned a bright red, propping his elbows up on the countertop and burying his face in his hands out of embarrassment. “I’m not that drunk.”

 

“Elliot.” 007n7 started with a raised brow, now more intrigued with the situation than anything. “I’m a fat, single father you just met. There’s no way you’re not drunk.”

 

Elliot rolled his eyes and went back to his beer, chugging down the rest of it and discarding the can. He didn’t make any move to grab another one, deciding that two was good enough for the night. “So? I mean, seeing me kind of drunk at a party surely isn’t the greatest first impression, but I’m still interested in getting to know you- you know? You seem like a great dad, like… you still work three jobs to take care of your kid. Lotta parents won't even work one .” The younger man paused, chewing on his lip as he sat and thought for a moment, taking out a worn notepad and pen from his pocket. He scribbled down his name and number, along with a little smiley face, and slid the paper towards 007n7. “So like… could call me, maybe. If you need anything, y’know? My family owns the pizza place a couple towns over. Could stop by sometime, maybe?”

 

007n7’s eyes seemed to light up as he took the piece of paper and pocketed it, giving Elliot a small smile. Elliot genuinely seemed like a nice guy, just a little tipsy and flustered under the kitchen’s fluorescent lights. “My son really likes that place. We usually order delivery whenever he asks for it, so we don’t usually actually go there.”

 

“Well that works out, then!” Elliot beamed, running a hand through his hair. “Bring your son in for some pizza and we can chat! Give me a chance to meet the little guy, too.”

 

It really didn’t sound like that bad of an idea, one that 007n7 was genuinely considering taking into thought. Taking C00lkidd to the pizza place would give them both a chance to get out of the house, something that didn’t happen very often given the father’s busy schedule. 007n7 nodded, sliding off the kitchen stool as he noticed Guest standing in the doorway- probably wanting to go home.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll find a day for the two of us to stop by between my classes and work. I assume you’re usually always there?” The man paused on his way over to his friend, watching Elliot as he nodded a confirmation from where he sat.

 

“Yep! Just stop by whenever. You two get home safe, okay? Glad you came.” Elliot smiled, waving at the two as they bid quick and quiet goodbyes, Chance hollering an enthusiastic ‘thanks for coming’ on their way out. 

 

Their walk to the car was quieter, both men fairly worn out from the gathering as they slid into their respective seats in the vehicle. Guest rubbed at his face, trying not to look as tired as he felt. He smiled at 007n7 as he started the car and pulled out of the lengthy driveway. “Looks like you had fun. New friend?”

 

007n7 nodded, covering a yawn with his hand as he watched out the window. “Yep. He seemed nice. Chance’s roommate, apparently. How was the game?”

 

Guest barked a laugh, shaking his head. “Insane. Taph- that ASL TA- is insanely good. Made me doubt my own skill several times, kept pulling out tricks and- I swear, he was hiding cards up his ass or something. That guy won every time.” 007n7 laughed softly hearing Guest recount playing games with the group, resting his head against the window until they pulled up to his small home. “Alright- hey, thanks for coming with me. I had fun… even if we didn’t spend all that much time together.”

 

“It’s no problem, really.” The horned man nodded as he got out of the car, pausing before he shut the door. “I’ll be over to pick up C00lkidd after my morning shift. Thanks for taking him tonight.”

 

“Hey, anything to get you a little bit of rest. I know what it’s like. Get some sleep, Seven.” Guest smiled and waved goodnight to his friend as 007n7 shut the car door, making sure the other was inside the house with the door shut before driving off.

 

007n7 didn’t even bother turning any of the lights on in his house until he got up to his bedroom, changing out of his clothes for the party and into a set of pajamas. He set aside the paper Elliot had given him and threw himself onto his bed, taking out his phone and saving the written down number under a new contact for the pizza boy. The man’s remaining plans for the night consisted of going right to bed and getting a hearty amount of sleep for his shift the next morning. 

 

So, reaching over and shutting off his bedside lamp, 007n7 rolled over under the covers and headed right to bed, no regrets from going along with Guest to the party- instead pleasantly remembering the experience as he drifted off.

Notes:

Elliot is 22.

Notes:

twitter is @JaybirdBox btw