Regrets and Redemption

by Forsakenling

Summary:

c00lkidd comes back after running away—only to find his house eerily quiet, and 007n7 nowhere to be seen. He’d seen the missing posters, heard calls for his name—he should’ve seen the signs. But he was stubborn, and now he’s forced to atone by losing the one person that ever truly loved him.

He eventually lives with Elliot and learns to cope.
or

007n7 fucking dies and c00lkidd copes with Elliot

Edit: gonna have to shift my chapters posting schedule from every day to every other day, i gotta focus on school a lil more + im unsatisfied with how some of my chapters sound rushed :]

alsoo shoutout to @I_give_u__words for being an awesome motivator & for making fanart ‼️ go check it out nnoww

Notes:

hiii guysss this is my first fic!! i’ll prolly continue it if people want me to ^_^
oh yeah TW suicide, not that graphic

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

Life is made up of moments. Short ones, long ones, important ones. This is a story about what happens if two moments never collide.
————————
Once upon a time, there was a exploiter named 007n7. 007n7 wasn’t a good person, not by a long shot. But he wasn’t evil. He wasn’t even bad. He was, to put it simply, a bit of an idiot.

Someone left a child at this exploiter’s doorstep. This child changed everything, inching his way into 007n7’s life—and 007n7 changed for the red creature. He battled through newborn woes, sleepless nights, and juggling three jobs, all for his c00lkidd.

One day, c00lkidd went missing after an argument—007n7 had just snapped, and instantly regretted it—but it was too late. His son was gone. He searched and searched for a week—missing posters, phone calls, et cetera. He couldn’t take the pressure—of being a failure, a disgusting excuse for a ‘father’.

007n7 went into his bedroom, retrieving a gun intended for the protection of his son, and blew his brains out.

This story is not about 007n7.

It’s about his son.

———————————————————————

C00lkidd walked through the dimly-lit streets with his hands buried in his pockets. His demon tail lashed anxiously as he stepped in front of Dad’s house. 

I hope Dad isn’t mad at me for running away… C00lkidd thought nervously, mumbling his rehearsed apologies under his breath. 

 

The house loomed almost menacingly—it felt more like a grave than a home at the moment. The garden had grown wild, the grass needed to be cut, and there were weird gouges in the wood of the porch railing. A chill ran up his spine—was 007n7 okay? 

Was this his fault? 

He bit back a whimper—he was 10 now, and 10-year-olds don’t cry. Despite that, his eyes stung as tears pricked the corners of them. He went to knock on the front door—but hesitated. What if 007n7 wasn’t happy to see him? What if he messed up bad this time? C00lkidd paced the porch, collecting his nerves as he readied himself. Exhaling softly, c00lkidd knocked on the front door. 

 

It swung open with a loud creeeeak. 

Why wasn’t the door all the way shut? Dad always tells me to close it fully! 

His thoughts raced, already visualizing all sorts of things only the imagination of a 10 year old can think of. 

“Dad? Daaaaaad?” C00lkidd called out nervously. He shouldn’t be scared—this was his house! No matter how dark or creaky it gets, it’s his home. 

 

He was met with silence. 

“…Dad? This isn’t funny…”

The front door closed behind him, plunging the house into darkness. He scampered to a light switch, dousing the shadows that threatened to swallow him whole. 

He swallowed thickly, bile rising in his throat. Maybe 007n7’s sleeping?

C00lkidd crept towards his dad’s bedroom. Why did he feel so nervous? So uneasy? He felt like a child—getting scared at the littlest things. He should be better then this, he’s 10 whole years old!

 

The bedroom door was slightly ajar. The light was on. And he could smell something—a scent he didn’t recognize. 

Coppery? Iron? …Meat? 

A prickly sense of dread washed over his senses, and everything inside him screamed run. 

His gut won out—he didn’t push the door open, fear gripping his chest and lungs.

Why am I so afraid? He’s probably…making dinner or something. 

Still, c00lkidd reached for the handheld phone, dialing the pizza place.

The other end picked up. 

“Hey-o, Builder Brothers Pizzeria at your service—what can I getcha?” A familiar voice answered—Elliot.

“Uhh…er…c-can I get a pepperoni? Medium.” C00lkidds voice was shakier then he wanted it to be, but he made it sound deeper then usual.

“Uh-huh, is that all?” Elliot responded politely.

C00lkidd nodded, forgetting he was on a call.

He exhaled softly. 

“Yep.” 

“Alright—it should arrive in 15 minutes!” Elliot looked at the address. His face scrunched up. 007n7’s home. Elliot supposed he could serve the blacklisted customers, just this once. 

What could go wrong?

Chapter 2: Pizza Delivery! 🍕

Notes:

uhh major MAJOR TW!!
TW: Graphic descriptions of blood, mentions of self-harm cuts, vomiting.
i love angst gangalang 👅

Elliot’s POV:

 

    God, he was exhausted. Just one more delivery until he could go home and do…whatever. He’s not really sure why he had the change in heart to serve the ex-exploiter and his son. Maybe it was the desperation in c00lkidd’s voice on the phone. Or his own conscience. Either way, he was at 007n7’s home. 

   

 The house was clearly old and unkempt—peeling pale green paint, gouged wood railings, a broken lamp that was never replaced. It also gave off the sense of being—well, lived in. It was clear this was a home, not just some living quarters like his own cruddy apartment. Elliot found himself a bit envious. 

  

  Weirdly enough, the grass was unruly and the garden had grown wild. It was entirely possible 007n7 just didn’t care, but the garden had several flowers that had to have been planted. He shrugged off the slight unease, ringing the doorbell. Silence. 

He tapped his foot impatiently, checking his watch. 7:14 P.M. 

 

“I swear, if this was some sort of a prank call—“ Elliot was cut off by the door swinging open. Nobody was there, until he glanced down.

“Hi, Mr. Elliot!” C00lkidd bounced on his heels, his tail swinging side to side. 

Ah. That makes sense.

“Hey, kiddo.” Elliot said, forcing a smile before pausing. “Where’s your dad?” 

   

    C00lkidd’s face crumbled, but only for a split second. 

“Well…I was hoping you could check on him. I think s-something’s wrong. He’s sick or something, I dunno.” The red child whimpered, his voice cracking slightly. “But you’re here now! You can fix it!” His tail swung giddily as he perked up again.

    Elliot opened his mouth to reply, but remembered something—missing posters. 

“Hey, weren’t you missing? What happened? Are you alright?” He asked tentatively, not wanting to scare the kid off.

“…Me and Dad got in an argument, and I just needed a break. I don’t really wanna talk about it.” He mumbled quietly. “Can you please go check on him? I was gonna, but I got scared.” He looked ashamed of himself, his tail curling inwards.

    007n7 must’ve been worried sick. The poor guy—not that I’ve forgiven him. Not completely. He amended. “Well, at least you’re back. I…guess I can go check on your dad for you?” Elliot said comfortingly, ignoring the weird prickle down his spine. He placed the pizza on a table, closing the door and stepping inside. 

C00lkidd was probably just nervous he’d get yelled at for running off or something. No biggie. I’ll just go say hi to Seven, get him an ibuprofen or something, and get out of here. Elliot planned out. “Alright kiddo, where’s your dad at?”

“His bedroom…I don’t really wanna go in there.” The kid sniffled quietly. Elliot raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Ooookay.” He arrived at the bedroom door, before an assortment of smells assaulted his nose.

 

    What the fuck…do I smell blood? And something spicy…gunpowder? Bile rose in his throat, and he felt sick. “C00lkidd, go to your room. Now.” Elliot said hoarsely.

“But—“

“Go.” He insisted.

C00lkidd sighed, darting off to his bedroom.

    “…007n7?” Elliot asked tentatively, slowly pushing the door open despite every muscle in his body screaming at him to turn and run. 

 

    Oh God. 

Yep, Elliot was definitely going to be sick. There was blood pooling the floor. And slightly upwards—007n7. He was leaning against the bed, with crimson staining the floor beneath him. There were several gashes and cuts on his arm, and a gun in his limp hand. He squeezed his eyes shut and darted to the bathroom, promptly vomiting the contents of his stomach into the toilet. 

 

    What was he supposed to do now? Some people would be jumping in joy now that their tormentor was dead, but Elliot just felt horrible. Guilty. And very, very ill. Props to c00lkidd for not going in there, he thought miserably. Fuck, the kid’s dad is dead. 007n7’s gone. He retched again, gripping the cold porcelain. The blonde swallowed thickly, tears pricking his eyes. 

    Get it together. 

He felt hollow.

    It’s fine. Everything’s fine. 007n7 is perfectly alright.

He gagged into the toilet bowl.

Yep, Elliot was going to be there for a while. At least c00lkidd would be fast asleep by now. The pizza had long since gone cold by the time he left the bathroom, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as his feet hit the tiled floor. 

 

 

Notes:

i’m (not) sorry
also i LOVE love getting comments!! they’re a big motivator for me ^w^

Chapter 3: Errands…?

Notes:

No TWs this time!! Hooray!!

C00lkidd’s POV:

 

    He tossed and turned in his bed. The covers were cold. The air felt stiff. And the shadows kept reaching, stretching snaking tendrils towards his curled-up form. He clutched the blankets tighter, squeezing his eyes shut. 

 

Bluudud would say you’re being a baby. Being pathetic. I’m a big boy now! Big boys don’t get scared! Besides, Elliot’s here now—he’ll fix everything. He’ll get Dad a doctor and everything will be a-okay! 

 

    He heard gagging noises, almost as if someone was throwing up. 

Oh, Dad must be really sick. Despite his concerns his nerves settled. Audible evidence his father was alive and well. C00lkidd exhaled softly, finally finding sleep.

 

    ————————

 

    Sunlight streamed through the window, dappling his room in streaks of yellow and gold. It felt cozy. He rolled over in his bed, facing the wall. “Daaaaad? I’m awake!” C00lkidd called out, waiting for 007n7 to come in his room. Memories came flooding back, and he shot upright, almost banging his head on the headboard. 

    I’ll go ask Elliot about Dad! Maybe he’s feeling better now!

    With a firm plan in mind, c00lkidd practically launched himself out of bed and into the kitchen. Elliot had his back turned to c00lkidd and was cooking something on the stove.

 

“Hi Mr. Elli—“ C00lkidd was cut off by Elliot letting out a yelp, accidentally flipping the egg onto the stovetop and dangling off the countertop.

“Good grief, don’t scare me like that!” He shuddered, trying to rescue the doomed egg. C00lkidd blinked at him—he wasn’t even that loud. Or trying to scare Elliot.

    Maybe Mr. Elliot had a nightmare or something. Poor guy. 

“Is Dad okay? I heard him puking last night.” C00lkidd asked tentatively.

 

Just as Elliot had finally retrieved the egg, he flinched and dropped it again. “Shiii…” His curse trailed off as his morals prevented him from swearing in front of a kid. “…iiip? Ship?” 

 

    C00lkidd stared at him like he had lost his mind. “Yeah, your dad’s fine.” Elliot’s voice cracked slightly. “Just needs some privacy and rest.”

“Oh, okay!” The red child forced a happy tone, but his thoughts were clouded. 

Elliot’s acting weird. Dad is clearly fine. He’s probably still mad at me for running away. He’ll get over it soon. C00lkidd swallowed thickly, nodding.

    “Say, why don’t we have a sleepover? Just for a little while.” Elliot assured c00lkidd.

    “Alright.” The red child agreed, albeit reluctantly. 

——————————————

    “Oookay! Welcome to my humble abode!” Elliot did a flourish with his hand, waving at his rather pathetic apartment.

 Maybe Elliot’ll let me stay up late! Or watch shows that aren’t for babies! C00lkidd thought giddily, ignoring the unease that persisted at the back of his mind. 

“So, c00lkidd…I gotta run a few errands. Stay here, and don’t set anything on fire.” Elliot said sternly. He left, locking the door and leaving c00lkidd to his own devices.

    He was in a pretty big hurry to leave. C00lkidd frowned, his tail drooping. Well, at least I have the place to myself! He flopped onto the gray sofa, landing with an oomph, and powering on the TV.

The imp yawned, stretching out his whole body as he snacked on a cookie from god-knows-where.

——————————————

 

Elliot’s POV:

 

——————————————

    What the shit? Where did he fucking go? Elliot was frantic, looking around the bedroom of the father. The bedroom that was clearly missing a body. The blood was gone too, and the gun. Any trace of 007n7 looked as if it was deleted. 

    Elliot blinked groggily.

    That’s a problem for future Elliot. Present Elliot is going to go back to his apartment, make c00lkidd some chicken salad, and sleep in until 10. Flawless plan. 

*+~~~~~~~~+*

    He drove back to his apartment on his red Vespa, trying to compose himself for c00lkidd.

How did c00lkidd hear me vomiting last night? I have to be more careful. I have to. For him and 007n7. He pushed his worrying thoughts away, staring at the road ahead.

The darkening sky contrasting with the glaring street lights hurt his eyes—he probably had some sort of eye condition that he should probably get checked by a doctor. Another problem for Future Elliot.

Wouldn’t wanna be him. 

    Elliot shoved his negative emotions away, parking his Vespa and walking into the apartment. He jiggled his keys until the lock clicked and the beige walls of his home greeted him. 

“Sup’, c00lkidd. How’d you fare while I was gone?” Elliot grinned before being met with silence. 

“C00lkidd?” His brow furrowed in concern. He shut the door behind him and checked the rooms.

 

    Living room couch? Nope. His nerves were set aflame. 

Kitchen? Nope. His panic spiked.

Bathroom? Nope. His heart reached a crescendo—Elliot was 70% sure he was having heart palpitations.

Bedroom? No—oh, there he is. Sleeping in my bed. 

    Elliot sighed, a smile on his face. “Guess I’ve been banished to the sofa,” He whispered, closing the door. He began gathering items for his hopefully restful sleep.

Blanket? Check.

Pillow? Check. 

Stuffed animal? Safely hidden away from c00lkidd.

Maybe I’ll get some decent rest tonight, Elliot hoped. “G’night, c00lkidd.” He murmured, already drifting into darkness and relief.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Houston, We Have A Visitor

Notes:

No TWs!! booyah
longer chapter, enjoy the food 👅

C00lkidd’s POV:

 

    He was standing on a grassy hill. The sky was dotted with stars, and a cool breeze was whipping his red hair back. The blue bandana he typically wore had been discarded and was sprawled on the ground—When did I take it off?

    Elliot stood several yards away with his back turned to c00lkidd. He was slouched over, and his shoulders were shaking. Is he…crying?

    “Mr. Elliot?”

No reply.

“…Elliot?”

Elliot stood up straight. He was still shaking—and it sounded like giggling. 

Why the heck is he laughing? I don’t like it when I don’t get jokes! C00lkidd bit back a whimper. 

“W-what’s so funny?” The red child mumbled quietly.

“Nothing. -.-- --- ..- .-. / ..-. .- - .... . .-. / -.. .. . -.. , c00lkidd. You just don’t know it yet.” The blonde muttered, mixing in clicking noises with his words. His pizza uniform was the wrong shade of red.

Huh?

    Elliot finally turned around, staring straight at c00lkidd. His face was tan with pink rectangular glasses, and framed with soft brown hair that drooped as if it had fought battles untold. There was a faint stubble on his chin along with a familiar grin. 

 

007n7.

 

“C00lkidd. Get up.” His father—no longer wearing that pizza uniform—spoke gently, albeit in a foreign voice.

 

A quieter voice. A familiar voice. “I love you, c00lkidd. It’s not your fault.”

“Papa?” He whispered, stepping closer.

 

He doesn’t seem sick. He looks fine.

 

“Papa, I—“ He was cut off by the world fading, the dreamland gusted away by a stiff but gentle breeze. 

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

Elliot’s POV: 

 

…Papa? Did he just call me…?

 

“Oh, sorry, Mr. Elliot…I was having a dream, I think? I didn’t mean to call you that, I promise!” C00lkidd interrupted his thoughts, dousing any tenderness that had drifted through him.

 

Right. Don’t know why I thought he’d call me Papa. He’s just staying with me until I can figure something out. 

 

    “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. How about I make us some eggs and toast?” Elliot forced a smile to hide his racing thoughts. 

“Yeah. That sounds nice.” C00lkidd responded quietly.

    Elliot furrowed his brow. Did I fuck something up? He pushed his thoughts away, yawning as he strolled into the kitchen and cracked an egg over a pan. It sizzled before going quiet with a few pops and hisses. 

 

    Flip. The egg slid across the oiled pan. His thoughts drifted. 

 

Why did Seven…I should’ve checked on him more frequently. Should’ve been less standoffish. But I was petty.

 

Flip. The egg crisped around the edges, and his nose filled with the warm smell of cooking eggs.

 

And where did he go? People don’t just vanish into thin air. Bodies don’t vanish into thin air.

 

Flip. The egg had nearly cooked through.

 

C00lkidd—I need to figure out a long term plan. I can’t hide his fathers death from him forever. 

 

Flip—the egg nearly slid off the pan, causing Elliot to yelp. His disturbing thoughts were interrupted, replaced by the clatter of plates and silverware being set. 

 

    Huh. Didn’t know c00lkidd knew how to set a table. Elliot couldn’t help the stupid grin that spread across his face. 007n7 did something right. He bit back the thought—he didn’t deserve to diss the father. Especially now.

“Eggs are ready—“ He stopped dead in his tracks. The table had two plates next to each other, the forks and knives on top of the plate, and the cups were precariously balanced on top of the silverware. 

There goes that sentiment. 

    He darted forward, moving the glasses to a less mentally-taxing spot, setting the silverware, and centering the plates. Elliot exhaled, letting out a breath. He scraped the egg off the pan and onto c00lkidd’s plate, along with his own.

 

    “…Thank you, Mr. Elliot.” The red child mumbled.

“Yeah. No problem.” He replied awkwardly, rubbing his arm. “You know…you can just call me Elliot. I don’t mind either way.” The kid nodded, shoveling eggs into his mouth. He seemed deep in thought.

    They ate in a mostly comfortable silence. Polishing off his food, Elliot gently gathered his dishes and dumped them in the sink. He glanced at his watch—it was a Saturday. Thank God. He only had to work on weekdays and occasional Sundays.

 

    A knock rapped insistently on his door. C00lkidd glanced up curiously, a bite of egg halfway to his mouth. “I’ll get it,” Elliot muttered, already walking to the door. 

 

“[Elliot.] How’s it [going?]”

 

His brain short-circuited.

Noli. Here. Why?? Oh good grief—Of course I know why.

 

“Uhh. Well. Um.” Elliot stammered. Wait—Fuck—I gotta talk to Noli out of here—out of earshot of c00lkidd—

 

“Dude, [chill] out. I’m just here to [fetch] Agent 007. Figured he’d [be with] you, since he’s not at home. Or do [you] want him all to yourself, lover boy?”

 

    Oh god. He doesn’t know. They don’t know.

Breathe.

Breathe.

He was pretty sure he was hyperventilating.

Is this a panic attack? Am I having a panic attack?

He fought the urge to claw his fingers down his arm to escape the screaming dread that threatened to swallow him whole. 

 

“Woah, [hey, it’s okay!] I didn’t mean to hit a nerve, [promise.] Are you [okay? You] look like you’re gonna [collapse.]” Noli’s theater mask twisted into a frown, and he held out his arms towards Elliot. 

 

    Elliot forced himself to breathe, to settle his racing thoughts. “I’m fine. Just need a minute. Can—can we talk outside of the apartment? C00lkidd’s here.” He whispered the last part. C00lkidd would be distracted by the TV and toys, at least for an hour or two.

 

    “Why? Is [there] something wrong with [Seven?]” Noli questioned—watching as Elliot’s face fell. “Oh [Void Stars] and witchcraft. [Lets go.] I have a spot. And [don’t] even think about lying.”

 

Oh, Elliot was fucked.

Chapter 5: Chit-Chat Panic Attack

Summary:

No TWs! also i had a hell of a time getting this posted, ao3 was bugging out 😭 sooo im not super happy w/ how this chapter turned out and ill prolly edit it later :]

 

C00lkidd’s POV:

 

    Sure, he may be a bit childish or silly at times, but he’s not that stupid. He saw Uncle Noli talking to Elliot. And the red child heard Noli ask about 007n7. His instinct was to run up to Noli right then and there and tell him that Dad was sick. 

He is sick. That was just a dream earlier. 

But something held c00lkidd back from telling Noli. He kept eavesdropping.

 

Noli’s final words lingered in his anxious mind. 

 

“Is [there] something wrong with [Seven?]”

 

    “Dad’s fine. They’re just being stupid.” He muttered firmly, staring at the closed apartment door. 

Elliot looked so scared, like he was freaking out. A panic attack, I think it’s called? He must just not know how to help Dad…Good thing Uncle Noli’s here!

    C00lkidd yawned, wielding his purple toy dinosaur as he whooshed it through the air. 

“Okay, this one is Uncle Noli…” He set it down, posing it in a sitting position.

“This one is Mr. Elliot!” He selected a fierce-looking yellow velociraptor. 

“And this one is Dad!” He placed the blue spinosaurus—wincing as the head snapped off again. He had dropped it once and the material had broken almost completely off. Glue never fixed it for long. 

    The red child hummed quietly to himself as he played with his toys, being careful with the broken spinosaurus. 

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

Noli’s POV:

 

    They had arrived—Noli plopped himself down on a secluded park bench and motioned for Elliot to come over. 

Seven didn’t—I thought he was better now—I shouldn’t have left—My fault, my fault—Fuck, settle down—

Elliot interrupted Noli’s rampaging thoughts with a light tap on his non-corroded shoulder. 

 

“Hey. You wanted me to talk. So listen.” The pizza boy’s words sounded harsh, but his tone was quiet and gentle. Soothing. Noli’s racing mind settled.

 

“[Okay.] Okay. Just tell me.” They responded, their voice glitching and stuttering.

 

“…007n7’s gone.” Elliot’s voice cracked.

 

The world drowned out. A buzzing static filled his head. 

 

He’s gone. His heart will never beat again. His lungs will never gulp in air again. His amazing brain will never make another funny quip. My best friend will never use those skilled fingers of his to code or create again. 

 

He will rot.

 

Left for the maggots and worms. 

 

Seven deserves better. He should’ve gotten eternity. Not a cruel imitation of rest and sleep.

 

 

“Noli!”

 

Not even that. Ash and dust. Sand in the wind. 

 

“NOLI!” Elliot’s words cut through the air, ripping apart his spiraling thoughts. 

 

“[What?]” He deadpanned.

 

“Focus. You can’t just—recoil into yourself! C00lkidd needs you.” The blonde tried to reason with Noli.

“The kid has you.” Noli muttered as he wrote his number on a scrap of paper.

“I—I can’t raise a child! He thinks we’re just having a fucking sleepover! C00lkidd doesn’t even know his dad killed himself for his son!” Elliot cried out frantically. He was shaking. 

“I need to go. Just for [a while.] Get some air.” He sighed, already warping away—but not before handing Elliot his number.

 

My Seven. That blind, blind, fool.

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

Elliot’s POV: 

 

    He just up and left. Just like that. God, how I wish I could do the same. 

Elliot buried his face in his hands with a groan. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. The sky was already fading to dusk. His eyes hurt. His teeth hurt. 

 

God.

 

    He hated pretending to be fine all the time. And he had to work tomorrow. Elliot grimaced, grabbing his phone and plugging in his earbuds. He was blasting loud music—some song about patches of violets. He shoved the scrap of paper in his pockets, along with his hands. He began the trek back to the apartment. He always liked night walks—they were calming. A reprieve from his constant inner turmoil. 

 

—————

 

    Elliot unlocked the door, striding in the cramped apartment and shutting it behind him. “I’m back, lil guy,” He called out. It was quiet—and he was getting deja vu. The kid is fine. He’s not missing. Still, he searched the apartment.

 

Kitchen? Nope.

 

Living room? Nope.

 

Bedroom? Nope. 

 

    He was breathing heavily. It’s fine. You’re overreacting. Elliot tried the bathroom doorknob. It opened with ease. Empty. He checked the whole apartment a second time, to no avail.

 

“C00lkidd! Are you here?” He hollered out. No answer. Elliot had a faint idea of what 007n7 might’ve been going through, leading up to his…Nevermind. Don’t think about that.

He tried to control his breathing. 

 

Where is he? Why isn’t he here?

 

 There was a couple of dinosaur toys on the floor. A purple one, a yellow velociraptor, and a broken blue spinosaurus. Its head had snapped clean off. Elliot winced at the sight. 

 

Okay. Think normally. Don’t panic. If I was a red demonic-looking child having a ‘sleepover’ at 007n7’s…friend’s place, where would I go to?

 

He couldn’t think of anything.

 

I have work tomorrow—Fucking shit, I need to calm down. Elliot slumped downwards, leaning against his couch with his knees to his chest. He picked up the broken Spinosaurus. 007n7 probably gave him these dinosaur toys. An idea popped into his head—one he dreaded. If c00lkidd was there…

 

    Oh god, please don’t let him be there. Anywhere but there. The blonde snagged his keys, already racing out the door. He practically lept onto his red Vespa, jiggling the keys and speeding to Seven’s house. 

 

Chapter 6: Don’t Bottle Your Emotions, Stupid

Summary:

TWs: S/H!!

sorry about my new posting schedule of ever other day 🥀 🥀 you can have this chapter a day early :] hope u enjoy the angst!!
966 words :P

C00lkidd’s POV:

 

    “Almost there, Dad!” He said cheerfully, his tail swinging side to side behind him as he walked to 007n7’s house. 

 

My house. Wow—I can’t believe I was too scared to check on my dad. When he’s sick, too! I haven’t even apologized yet! 

 

    007n7’s house rose in the distance—the familiar peeling green paint a welcome sight. The autumn leaves drifted to the ground. There were even fireflies—easy to see now that it was fading to dusk. 

He stepped onto the stairs, reaching for the hidden key underneath the ‘Welcome’ carpet. A loud revvv and screeching of wheels sounded behind c00lkidd.

 

“C00lkidd—huff—hold on a second!” The blonde pizza boy parked his red Vespa before rushing over to him. 

    Wow. Mr. Elliot looks terrible. Like he hasn’t slept. And really pissed off.

 

“Yeah, Mr. Elliot?” He replied tentatively.

 

“God—you can’t just leave without telling me! I didn’t know where you were—what if something happened to you?” Elliot snapped, waving his hands around wildly. 

    

    C00lkidd got that uncomfortable feeling in his gut, the one he always got when he was yelled at. He remained silent as Elliot ranted at him. 

 

“Good grief, do you even think sometimes, or do you just do whatever you want, at the expense of everyone else? At the expense of your goddamn father? You were his entire life, and you just took it for granted! It’s your fault he—“ Elliot stopped himself, taking in a deep breath.

 

    C00lkidd could feel tears pricking his eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t cry now. Not here.

 “It’s my fault Dad did what?” The red demon yelled back.

 

    Elliot just stood there, breathing hard. “You really wanna know? Fine, then. Fine! I’ll tell you!” 

 

 

“He killed himself. 007n7 shot himself in the fucking head because you were missing. There—I said it, okay? Are you happy?” 

 

 

    C00lkidd’s mind went blank. He couldn’t breathe. “Shut up! You’re lying!” The kid covered his face with his hand, sprinting into the house as tears rolled down his cheeks.

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

Elliot’s POV:

 

    As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted it. What was he thinking, just snapping at a kid for something he couldn’t have any control over?

 

Wow. I just blew up on him. He dragged his hands down his face, watching c00lkidd run inside the house. 

 

    Elliot was just—so sick of bottling up his emotions, of pretending everything was fine. 

You really are disgusting. Stupid piece of garbage. Stupid stupid stupid.

   The blonde slumped against the wall of 007n7’s house, groaning. He didn’t even feel better after getting most of his thoughts out—much worse, in fact. Elliot wiped his damp eyes as he stared intensely at his wrists. There were scars—long since healed. 

    

His fingers twitched at the urge. No. No no no. You just need to breathe. Apologize to c00lkidd. Anything but more scars.

 

    Elliot took another deep breath, and grabbed his phone and the scrap of paper with Noli’s number on it. He created the new contact without actually sending anything. Just staring at the glowing screen as dusk faded to night. Sighing, he just sent a quick ‘This is Elliot. could use some help with c00lkidd in a bit.’ The razor blade he hadn’t used in almost a year was practically burning a hole in his pocket.

 

“…Just a couple cuts. To release some steam.” Elliot reasoned with nobody in particular. 

 

He finally released a breath at the first sting and bite of metal against skin.

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~+* 

 

Elliot’s POV (yes, still)

 

Shit.

    

    He cut too much. Too deep. And Elliot didn’t even have a sweater on him. The blonde felt a little lightheaded from the amount of blood from several gashes streaming down his arm. 

 

I’ll just…close my eyes for a little bit. It’s fine. The blood’ll stop soon. 

 

He heard footsteps just as he faded out of consciousness.

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

C00lkidd’s POV: 

 

    He didn’t want to talk to Elliot right now. The red imp was sprawled out on his bed, wiping the last of his tears. Mr. Elliot’s just a liar. A stupidhead. He even swear worded at me! 

 

    C00lkidd rolled over in bed to lay on his stomach. There were faint whimpers and sounds of someone crying outside. He looked up, climbing out of his bed. The red child crept through the hallways of his too quiet house and looked out the front window. Mr. Elliot was sitting down, hunched over, and his shoulders were shaking. 

 

    He was reminded of his dream. I don’t think he’s okay. He looks really exhausted. The sight of red on the pizza boy’s arm made him flinch. 

 

    Oh no—what happened? He’s bleeding! C00lkidd pushed aside his anger from earlier and grabbed the bandages out of the medicine cabinet. The red kid raced back outside, kneeling at Elliot’s feet as he sloppily bandaged the blonde’s arm. 

 

    Elliot didn’t even react. 

“Mr. Elliot, what happened? Are you okay? I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” C00lkidd sniffled, wrapping his arm despite the blood consistently soaking the white gauze. 

    

    Silence.

He’s not awake? How could he fall asleep like this? C00lkidd tried to tie a knot after he had used enough gauze for the blood to stop soaking through. 

 

First try. It came undone immediately, and c00lkidd swallowed thickly.

 

Second try? It held—before falling loose. The ten-year-old yelped, frantically grabbing it to retie.

 

Third times the charm? He finally got it to stick. C00lkidd exhaled, letting go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

 

    “Elliot, I fixed your arm—please wake up!” C00lkidd begged, shaking him lightly.

Why isn’t he moving? Why won’t he get up?

“I’m sorry, okay? Just please get up!” The red child was crying again, tears dripping onto Elliot’s bandaged arm. 

 

    The pizza boy’s chest rose and fell, breathing softly. C00lkidd sniffled, curling up against Elliot as the red child finally fell asleep.

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

Chapter 7: Reflections and Realizations

Summary:

woohoo!! just one more chapter to go!! the last one MAAYY take a little while since I want it to be a satisfying ending :]
this one is a little shorter then usual, sorry gang 🥀

noooot edited or proof read!! let me know if ya see any typos 👅 also let me know if this felt like a satisfying chapter in general ^^

Elliot’s POV:

 

    He was seeing red. Literally. Elliot blinked a few times to clear the fog from his mind. The crimson was still there. His heart rate spiked like crazy.

Calm down. Breathe. His arm felt constricted. Too tight. Fuck. Breathe. Something shifted, and the red cleared.

 

“Mr. Elliot? Are you awake?” A small voice asked quietly. Oh. It was just c00lkidd. Sleeping on top of my lap, for some reason. 

 

Elliot’s memories finally returned to him, and he accidentally shoved c00lkidd off him. “I—I—“ 

 

“Oh thank goodness—you had me really scared! You wouldn’t get up, and I had to bandage your arm, because you were bleeding, and—“ The kid blubbered, falling over his words. 

 

    “Woah, hey, it’s okay—I’m okay!” Elliot insisted, trying to calm himself and c00lkidd down. “It’s fine, everything’s fine. I just—gotta go to the bathroom. Be right back.” He darted off, leaving c00lkidd disoriented and worried. He slammed the bathroom door shut behind him before crouching against the door. 

 

    Elliot took the moment of reprieve to look himself over. His arm was sloppily bandaged, with hints of red peeking through. He winced. God. The kid shouldn’t have had to see that. He shouldn’t have had to fix me up. I really am disgusting. He put his face in his hands, holding back sobs. 

 

“Hahaha…damn you, 007n7.”

 

“Damn you for what you did. For who you were.”

 

“But most of all…damn you, for letting me fall in love with you. Every single fucking version of you. May you rest well, Seven. I hope you’re satisfied.” 

 

    Elliot wiped his eyes, turning on the sink and looking into the mirror.

Wow. I look awful.

But I’m alive. Thanks to your kid, 007n7. You raised him well.

He gulped in air, composing his thoughts. The blonde wasn’t dead. He’d been given a second chance of sorts. It wouldn’t be right for him to waste it. 

 

Okay. I’ll try. I’ll go to the doctor, get my eyes checked. Find someone to talk to. It’s gonna hurt like all fucking hell. But I’ll live. 

 

For you, Seven.

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

C00lkidd’s POV:

 

    The red child was crying. I messed up, didn’t I? I screwed up, and now Elliot’s gonna be even madder at me. C00lkidd’s tail flicked anxiously. 

 

“Hey, [kiddo.] Where’s Elliot?” Noli warped nearby, waving at c00lkidd. “Woah—are [you okay?] What happened?” They immediately went to c00lkidd’s side, comforting the sniffling child. 

 

“Hic—I think I made Mr. Elliot mad…he was bleeding, and he wouldn’t wake up, and I had to bandage him by my—hic—myself!” He hiccuped between sobs. Noli nodded for him to continue, awkwardly patting his back.

 

“And—And he started breathing really hard when he woke up, and then he mumbled something about being ‘fine’ and needing to go to the bathroom, and then he just left!” C00lkidd sniffled, trying to stop his crying in front of Uncle Noli. 

 

    Noli paused, taking in the information. “Hey, I’m [sure] Elliot’s not mad at you—he’s just going through a lot of difficult stuff. Okay?” 

 

    “Then why’d he say my dad—my dad was dead?” The red demon whimpered hoarsely.

 

    Noli went quiet. “…Elliot [said] that?”

 

    “Y..yeah…”

 

    “…Well.”

“…Seven really loves you. [A lot.] And you shouldn’t blame him because of what happened. It wasn’t [your father’s] fault. It was…[a mistake.] A very, very bad [mistake.] Got it?”

 

I don’t understand. Is Noli saying Dad is gone? He’s not gone! He’s just…

 

    “007n7’s [just] taking a break. And—“ Noli’s voice cracked. “And—he’s not [gonna] be able to come back.”

 

    C00lkidd’s head hurt. His chest felt too tight. He wanted his dad. He just wanted to be held. “I—I gotta go pee,” He barely choked out before sprinting into the house. It felt empty. Abandoned. Just like himself.

 

    “C00lkidd?” Elliot’s voice rang out, echoing against the walls. 

 

    The red child paused, his tail curling between his legs. He hesitated for only a moment before running into Elliot, hugging him fiercely as he sobbed broken into the blonde man’s wrinkled pizza uniform.

 

    Elliot held him closely, staring into his bright red hair. The two stood there for a long time—just clinging to each other like there was nothing else that mattered.

 

*+~~~~~~~+*

 

Elliot’s POV: 

 

    They had finally pulled away after who knows how long. The blonde was making an egg on the stove while c00lkidd was laying on the couch. Elliot let his thoughts drift. 

 

Flip. Gotta figure out adoption. Maybe I can ask Noli to forge some signatures. He probably did that a lot with Seven in their hacking days.

 

Flip. The egg crisped, and steam wafted off the pan. Find some kind of schooling for c00lkidd. Feed him healthy meals. Set up sleepovers with friends and stuff. 

 

Flip. It was nearly done. Schedule an appointment with a doctor. Stop cutting. I might mess up sometimes, but at least I’m trying. I’m not giving up.

 

Flip. I’ll fight for the kid, if not for myself. I’ll try to do better. Be better. 

 

    The egg had finished cooking—Elliot flipped it onto a plate and drizzled seasonings onto it. “Food’s ready!” He served it to the red kid, who took the plate and dug in, shoving bites into his mouth. Elliot couldn’t help the dopey smile on his face. 

 

Sure, it’ll be hard. A long and painful road. But I’m trying, aren’t I? Isn’t that what matters most? 

 

“Thanks, Elliot.”

 

“Anytime.”

 

And Elliot meant it—he’d keep trying. Keep going. Again and again, over and over. He wouldn’t go and forsake this life he’d only just begun to repair.

And thank you, 007n7. For existing.

Chapter 8: The End of the Beginning, and the Beginning to Another End

Summary:

no TWs!! 900ish words, enjoy the last chapter :] i most likely WILL continue this as a series in other fics, so maybe keep an eye out for that!! don’t expect any more fics from me for a lil while though because im exhausted and i gotta focus on school 🥀 🥀

Elliot’s POV:

 

    He had just sent c00lkidd off to school. The red child was anxious and jittery—but he did his best to prepare the kid for his first day.

 

Well. I have most of the day off. No work today, thank god. And Noli’s picking up c00lkidd from school, so I should be free— His phone dinged. Elliot swiped it open, squinting at the notification. 

 

‘Eye checkup, 10:00 A.M.’ 

 

Right. So he didn’t have the whole day off after all. He sighed, studiously not thinking about the metal box in 007n7’s house. 

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

Elliot squinted at the eye chart. “Uh…is that a…H?” He asked tentatively. 

 

The doctor frowned at him, politely shaking her head. 

“Yep, you’re definitely gonna need glasses. You can head downstairs and to the right to pick out a frame you like. They’ll get everything in order for you—just hand them this prescription.” She smiled, handing him the piece of paper.

 

    He nodded, hiding the worry in his thoughts. 

 

Urgh. I don’t want glasses. I’ll just get the prescription, blow half my paycheck on buying it, and only wear it when I need it. Or figure out contact lenses. 

 

    Elliot walked into the shop, unable to get rid of his scowl. He skimmed the shelves—all of the frames were too posh, or formal, or the exact same monotone shape. None of them had a chance at suiting him. The cloaked employee watched him quietly, eying his distress, before promptly waving him over.

 

Okay. Just be polite, get the stupid prescription, and leave. 

 

“Yeah?” He said through gritted teeth. Their name tag read “Taph” in scribbled handwriting. Instead of speaking, they moved their hands around in fast, controlled motions. Elliot’s scowl faded into confusion, and then recognition. 

 

Sign language? I haven’t signed in who knows how long. “Uh…” He trailed off, before slowly making a fist on his chest and moving it in a circle—the sign for ‘sorry’, Elliot was pretty sure. 

 

    Taph nodded, pointing him in the direction of the clearance section. One pair of glasses stood out to him. 

 

Oh. Maybe glasses won’t be so bad after all.

 

    He handed over the prescription, bought the glasses, and signed ‘thank you’ to Taph. Elliot decided to text Noli that he would pick up c00lkidd instead. He ignored his weird feeling about that employee.

    Taph strikes me as the sort of person to demolish a clinic/optical shop rather than work at one. Elliot snorted at the thought. He fastened his glasses, tugging on his helmet, and lurched forward onto the road in his iconic Vespa. 

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

C00lkidd’s POV: 

 

    “Bye Pr3ttyprinc3ss! Bye Bluudud!” C00lkidd waved goodbye before sitting outside and waiting for Noli to pick him up. He heard a loud rev around the corner and immediately perked up. 

 

    “Sup’, c00lkidd.” Elliot grinned at him, pulling his helmet off and placing it on c00lkidd’s head. “Woah—I get to ride on the motorcycle?” His tail wagged giddily, and Elliot snorted. “Yep,” He replied, popping the P. 

 

    Just as c00lkidd was about to hop on, he noticed something different about the pizza boy. “Wha—you got glasses?!” He yelped in surprise. Elliot rubbed his neck sheepishly. “Mmmyeah…Whaddya think?”

 

    They were orange, and star-shaped—way cooler then any glasses he’d seen before. “They’re awesome! Super cool!” He grinned. The blonde smiled warmly. “Not as cool as you. Now hold on tight—and for the love of god, do NOT jump off.”

 

*+~~~~~~~~~~~+*

 

Elliot’s POV:

 

    “Woohoo! We’re home!” The red child cheered, running up the stairs to the apartment—but not before petting the stray cat outside. Elliot sighed in exhaustion, also petting the cat. He jogged up the steps after the rambunctious child, inserting his keys into his doorknob and opening the door with a click. 

 

    C00lkidd immediately ran to turn on the TV to his favorite show—something about multiple survivors having to fare against a killer. The show frankly creeped him out, and he wasn’t entirely sure c00lkidd should be watching that forsakened program.

    Elliot yawned, taking off his new star-shaped glasses and setting them on the counter. 

He proceeded to make dinner. It was chicken and mashed potatoes. He wasn’t just going to feed c00lkidd junk food constantly. 

 

Polishing off the food, Elliot sent c00lkidd off to bed. “‘Night, kiddo.”

 

    Stifling another yawn, Elliot trudged into his bedroom—he had recently converted the spare room into a bedroom for c00lkidd, thus reclaiming his bedroom. He flopped into his bed with a loud oof. Elliot rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He had shut the door, c00lkidd wouldn’t be able to hear him talking to himself. Like an insane person, he thought grimly.

 

    I guess my life’s in order now. Nothing to do but hold that funeral for 007n7. I’ll leave c00lkidd with Noli while I go visit—fuck. Fucking shit. Before I go visit his grave. Elliot swallowed thickly.

 

    And then I’ll keep going. Keep living. Or at least try. 

    Elliot finally, finally, allows himself to think about the box in 007n7’s old house. 

 

The one with the gun. 

 

“That’s plan B.” He growled firmly, shoving the intrusive thought away. 

 

Focus on plan A. The one where you take care of Seven’s kid. 

 

…My kid. I have a kid now.

 

Wherever you are, Seven, I hope you’re doing alright. 

 

    His eyes drift to the stupid book he had brought back from 007n7’s home. One of c00lkidd’s favorite stories, apparently.

 

Goodnight, moon.

Notes:

awooga!!

also the rest of the chapters will focus on c00lkidd and mainly be from his POV—posssibly a few diff POVs like Elliots

edit: i lied it’s like 50% elliot 50% c00lkidd