come_sailaway | Are you on the square? Are you on the level?

Entry tags:

Are you on the square? Are you on the level?

Who: Deputy Pratt & You
What: A reckoning is upon you (He's storming the halls looking for Sharky)
Where: Everywhere!
When: Mid-October
Warnings: Violence. Cult stuff. Cannibalism. Skinning. Gore. The standard Pratt warning buffet.
Notes: Bracket or prose, live your truth.

1. The World Is Weak - Laundry Room
It's already been well established that the best place to have a breakdown on the ship is in the Laundry Room, so that's where Pratt is. Though he's not crying, he's not yelling or throwing things or freaking out over a jacket like last time. No, he's pacing. Back and forth and back and forth, again and again while staring at the ground. He has his arms folded, clutching across his chest, which is an awkward position while walking but he doesn't move them.

He doesn't know what to do. Well, he knows what he wants to do, but he also knows that he is the master of terrible decisions so maybe he should think about it?

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Enjoying yourself?

"Shut the fuck up."

2. Eviction Notice - Decks

When Deputy Pratt leaves his room in the morning, he's wearing his full uniform, his belt jangling with every step, along with the dog tags around his neck. Idly he trails his fingers along the wall as he goes, dragging through some of those bloody notes left on doors without even seeming to react to it.

"Sharky! Shaaaaarkkkkyyyy..."

For all that people have seen him sobbing into mashed potatoes, enjoying himself in the arcade, or just generally being a morose but kind of endearing dork, there's another side to him that even Clarke hasn't seen. The last time he was walking like this he was losing himself to the conditioning and barely knew what he was doing. This is different. Pratt is in absolute control of himself and that is so much worse.

"It's been a day and we had a deal. A pact even." Pratt normally sounds like a raven with laryngitis, but right now his voice is so low and controlled when he talks that it could probably be used to grind glass. If it's not obvious Pratt is pissed. He's fucking furious. And that cold fury is being bottled up, saving it for later, for when he needs to act.

"It's okay, you can come out. We just need to talk. We're going to have a little chat. That's all."

He gets to the end of the hall of cabins, blood trailing from his fingers across all the doors from the loving notes left to Ebalon. He reaches up to his forehead, using the blood to draw a cross down his nose and across his forehead.

"Did you think you were finally free?"

This is probably fine.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yeah I... I could use some crazy stories because man... I have been holding myself together for months and I can feel it all unraveling. And maybe it needs to I dunno."

Maybe you actually can't bottle up everything forever. Who knew? Other than literally everyone.

"I just need to keep a grip on myself for long enough to do one thing. Just one. And then be normal again. That's totally a thing I can do. I got this." He's very worried that he does NOT have this and the minute he kills Sharky he'll go nuts and kill everyone else until Clarke shows up.

"So yeah. Bowling alley fight. Give me deets."

Shit's fucked is basically what he's gathering from the whole situation. "I don't even know what holding myself together looks like...so you know...I'm proud of you for making it this far, buddy."

But sure. He can...hope his weird stories will help you cling to that shred of sanity and self control.

"So we went to this bowling alley to like...try to figure out what we were going to do and I wanted to prove that I could see Ben and we could do like...cool ghost shit together. Viktor was definitely in full destruction mode at this time...but that's not important. Anyway. So this kid Kenny..." He thinks that was his name? It wasn't the most important detail anyway. He was just some kid with a mom that was trying a little too hard for her kid...which was probably sweet...somewhere.

"It was his birthday. His mom mistook Diego and I for Five's dads and asked if it was alright with us if he went to hang out with her kid. Now, Five's like a fifty-something year old man trapped in the body of a teenager as the apocalypse is about to happen, so obviously he shuts that down. Rudely, but he's Five. What are you gonna do?"

Just let him be Five, really. Klaus isn't going to be axed by his own brother. Not that he thinks Five would actually do it, but still. "Then the assassins that were after him showed up at this kid's party and started shooting at us all, so naturally we had to hide to not get shot, right?" Right. Of course.

"So I took Kenny's birthday cake and basically lobbed it at these guys and then I'm pretty sure some bowling balls were thrown also??? But yeah. We had to make a break for it and run down the bowling alley....alleys? Whatever those are called and escape from the back. And that's...uh...the story."

He looks over. "Want any more stories?"

He concentrates on all of that as they head towards the stairs up to the main deck so he can get some fresh air. He knows which one Ben is. Viktor might be the guy who thought he couldn't do anything and didn't have powers. No idea about Diego or Five though. But there's gotta be at least six of them given the whole numeric system.

"Dude you owe that kid a cake, and maybe some cool ghost shows." But he smirks. "You got away tho right? Also you got to live a dream I think everyone has which is to wear regular shoes on the bowling alley floor. What even are those special shoes for? What's the point? Just something to charge you for?"

"I mean, sure. But does that kid even..." Exist anymore? It doesn't seem like a time to question someone's general existence, so, he goes with, "Remember. Universe reset weirdness. Probably wouldn't know me. Also I don't know where to find him."

There was a nod at the question. "Yeah. We got away. We even survived the general danger that was Viktor trying to kill all of us with his powers. Allison shot a gun next to his ear, so it kind of fucked with the vibrational turning noise into sound thing, you know? Which helped us because we were super fucked. But no. Actually we were wearing bowling shoes. RIP to my shoes I had to leave behind as we were shot at running down the alleys."

"Imagine the stories he's telling about you guys tho. Like he has an amazing intro for his first day on a job and they make him tell an interesting fact about themselves. Assassins showed up at his birthday party and his cake was used as a diversion tactic."

"OH damn, sucks for your shoes. And bowling shoes suck. Why was your brother trying to kill you guys? Seems like it's the dad he should be murdering."

“In one timeline, sure.” Assuming he wasn’t killed. Klaus doesn’t know what happened. “At least he can always have a fun story to remember us by.”

There’s a long sigh at that. “Well, yes. But in this timeline, Dad killed himself to make us come back home. I found out in the ambulance after OD-ing the minute I got out of rehab.” He shrugs, but doesn’t actually look sorry about the whole ambulance thing. “So we couldn’t kill him if we wanted. And we were sort of trying to take him down to keep him from causing the apocalypse after Luther decided to leave him locked up in the basement after he almost killed Allison by slitting her throat. So uhhhh. It was kind of a time by then. And we were also dicks for not fighting harder to get him out. Especially when he was so upset about having almost killed Allison. It was an accident.”

They shrug, looking down at their feet. “You could say we put the dys in dysfunctional. Also we didn’t succeeded in preventing the apocalypse, but that’s why Five tried to jump us back in time. Only then we ended up in the 60s but none of us at the same time. I was there almost 4 years.”

"Guess rehab didn't take, huh?" He arches an eyebrow, bro how are you going to OD like immediately after rehab. At least wait to get home or something.

"So you're used to this timeline copy bullshit then? Honestly with everything you tell me, this pleasure cruise of the damned must be almost like... boring."

And that's with him not even following sixty percent of what Klaus is saying.

"Starting to think with all the shit you've been through, I got off easy just being tortured for months."

Klaus shrugs. "Yeaaaah. Never really worked out. I didn't want to be sober, though. Not that I really care to be here either, but I'm trying to be good about not drinking myself to death or OD here. Consequences or whatever. But I also end up sleeping in the weirdest places sometimes. Like once I woke up in a broom closet?"

"Yeah. I'm used to that." They hum thoughtfully. "I mean sometimes there's not a lot to do, but Five would at least be glad to have a retirement vibe. Even if this is a really shitty retirement. But you know...it still sucks. Also not getting to see my siblings ever again sucks."

There's a look on his face right now and everything in his soul makes him want to hug Pratt real bad, but he is resisting. "Hey. Your shit is still shitty even if someone else has more shit. So you know. I'm...fine. I mean, no. Probably not fine, but you know..." They wave it off. "Torture for months sounds like a real fucking bitch of a situation, you know? And I'm actually sorry Five and his crazy axe-wielding ass can't be here to axe the fuck out of whoever. They wouldn't stand a chance against him. Especially if he can still blink." Which won't make sense, so he adds, "It means he can teleport. Disappear and reappear somewhere else. But he can also do that through time. That probably won't work here, though. I can't see the Captain allowing that."

"I'm trying to pretend this is my retirement cruise and I can have all the junk food I want and play in the arcade til 2 am. But I can only really delude myself for so long. This is way better than back home but it isn't... good. And it sucks seeing everyone else so fucking miserable - so many people have things to get back to. Lives to live. And now they can't because they're not that person anymore. That's gotta blow to deal with. I mean, not - destroy the whole fucking ship and everyone on it, sort of sucking, but it's up there." He'd prefer they not sink the ship out of despair since he kinda lives on it.

"I think if Jacob actually ever shows up, I mean real Jacob not," He gestures behind them as they walk, "not this shitty hallucination. If he shows up there's gonna be a line of people waiting to curb stomp him. And I'm gonna love every fucking second of it. Wanna see that asshole choke on his own teeth." He glares, then makes a choked sound, because one of the people who'd want to end him is Sharky. And Sharky apparently isn't here right now.

“Well, I think you still need to teach me a lot about the arcade games, so I’m willing to indulge your fantasies of late nights and junk food.” Cause he can’t get home, but he kinda likes the people here. Some of them. Like Pratt and Sharky and some of the others. “I’m not the brains of the family, so I’ll just have to hope I get pieces of my family. Reminders. Except of Dad.”

Things are making a little more sense. Probably who he was yelling at. Hallucination Jacob. Got it. “I’ll find popcorn so you can eat it while you watch. I wanna see that guy get fucked up, too. And then like probably disappear.” The noise makes him frown. “You good, buddy?”

"You might get shit from home of them too. Sharky got some pictures of his kid and of the town we're from and all that. You know, kinda sweet and nostalgic but also real sad cuz you won't get to see it again." He's not sure if it's better to try and move on from all of that, or to keep the memories alive. Even if they're copies it's still their memories so...

"Yeah I'm.. Yeah." He pushes his hair back from his face, staring down at the ground as they walk. "Do you know Sharky?"

“I hope…well, actually you might like the pictures from when we were The Umbrella Academy. The little shorts and all. I’ll let you guess which of the little assholes is me. Other than that…I dunno. I guess there’s the weird murder book my aunt made of all the moms that died because Harlan accidentally killed them with powers he didn’t mean to have. Unfortunately.” He misses his mom a little. She’d seemed so nice and so…different from what he’d originally pictured.

At the question, Klaus nods. “Yeah. Sharky’s one of my best bros now. Like you…and…well…Johnny feels a little fancy to call a bro, but he still counts. And Ava, too. Even if she falls under sibling squad.” He looks over, gesturing to Pratt’s general self. “Is this about Sharky?”

Edited 2022-10-21 22:51 (UTC)

"I absolutely want to see your awkward family photos. Especially if you had some sort of terrible uniform." He'll even do his best not to laugh if Klaus looks dumb in any of them. He's a bro like that.

"Oh good, yeah good. So uh.. here's ... the thing. Sharky is acting fucking weird. He claims he's just kinda depressed and having an existential crisis but fuck that noise. He's not himself. Ava thinks literally. So .. I'm gonna have a little chat with him later and uh... I think I'm looking forward to it. Which is.. bad. And weird. But also bad."

You shouldn't get all hyped up because you think you might have to kill your best friend.

Klaus smiles. "Oh. You can bet you will see our dumb uniform. We didn't get the Sparrow uniform which seems...weird. But also we all fucked off as soon as possible, so..." Klaus wouldn't even be mad about it.

"Oh. Huh." There's a slight frown at that. "Do you want me to like...tell you not to do...whatever you're gonna do or?" Cause they can. Not that they expect to be listened to, but...they can. "Or just like...bring you little treats after? Be on standby for an SOS text? Fire emoji if it's bad." But like...Klaus doesn't think he's really the person to tell people not to do shit after every fucking thing he's done in his entire life.

"I mean...he'd do the same for you if it was...you...right? Would I be the one? I hope someone else is the one, to be honest. Probably Ava."

"Nah. I'm gonna do it anyway no matter what you say and then you'll just be bummed I didn't listen. But it's not you, it's just.. something I gotta do." He huffs, clenching and unclenching his fists anxiously.

"So, the problem. It's uh... I'm kinda stoked I might get to kill someone for a good cause, like without repercussions. Except it's my best friend and I should be horrified, but I'm so fucked in the head that I'm not. It's weird, in movies and shit people who are crazy never know they are, they think they're normal and everyone else is being weird. But I know I am and I think that messes with me more."

There's a nod. "That's super fair. Then I guess like...I'll be around after the fact? You can text me after if you need?" That seems the best he can do. But this still seems like something's that's bound to be...an adventure. Whether it's actually going to be good for him or not? Well, Klaus has no idea. But when has he ever done anything that's good for him? Like...never.

"I mean, yeah. I guess it should definitely fuck you up and probably will a little. But I mean...I think I'd want someone to kill me if I was possessed. Unless it was Ben. We've done that once. But it was temporary and then I projectile vomited him out of my body and it was really gross in the end, but...oh well." They look Pratt over for a moment. "But like you can come sit in my room after if you want to. We can just talk about stuff."

"That'd be good. I'll probably be a mess. Or I won't be which might be worse in the long run. I don't think there's a win condition here."

He's gonna end up too depressed to take Klaus up on that offer, but he appreciates it nonetheless. "I would too, but it still sucks on both ends."

At least he chuckles at the thought of Klaus projectile vomiting an entire person out of himself, "That sounds super gross and kinda uh, uncomfortable? To puke up a person?"

"No. It doesn't really seem like winning." If Allison was here, she could rumor someone. She could make this...well, he doesn't want to say easier. He's not sure he should encourage that.

"Yeah. I get that. Definitely not stoked about murdering people I like. But like...yeah."

He smiles. "It just got super uncomfortable being two souls in one body, you know? He wanted to talk to this girl he liked in a real body, which...sure. I get it." And they do. Sometimes you wanted to kiss someone you actually liked and feel like a real person. "But it was definitely gross and it felt kind of like the worst hangover you've had in your life. Like when you were really high and really drunk at the same time and waking up the next morning's a real bitch, you know?" Does he know? Klaus squints for a moment at Pratt. "Maybe not, but...anyway. Yeah."

"I just dunno what the alternative might be. But we'll see. I am actually gonna talk to him first not just... throttle him. Even though I kinda want to."

He wrinkles his nose cuz, gross, "Talk about being a third wheel literally. Was he gonna use your body to get with her because that's super uncomfortable and weird. Like are you aware of what he's doing? Just watching him mack on some girl like you're a backseat driver?"

Pratt opens his mouth to say that he absolutely knows that feeling, but maybe he shouldn't admit what a total disaster he was. Klaus probably doesn't need to know how fucking dumb he was going home with random guys in strange towns and doing whatever drugs they handed him.

"I get it. I mean not really, but...you know." He's saying that a lot. Does he even know at this point? Doubtful.

"Yeah. I guess I am a lot indebted to him a bit. Also it's like...whatever? Things happen. And they didn't do anything really. He was sixteen when he died, so it's not like he's done that much?" But they understand why it feels super weird. It was more the continued possession when he was ready to be done, but apparently it was planned.

If it makes Pratt feel better, he has probably done just as many bad things in that regard. He's also traded sexual favors for drugs, so...you know. Woops?

"Man you are super casual about being possessed. It's not really like, whatever when there's someone using your body." He shudders, even the thought of it creeps him out. He's pretty sure this 'talk' with Sharky is going to go absolutely terribly because he's just so weirded out by this. Maybe if it wasn't his best friend he could do better wrapping his head around it.

"So when I uh... when I snap, I don't remember what I do - it's basically like being fucking possessed by the version of me Jacob tried to make me into. And waking up after that is fucking miserable. I don't know what I did, I'm usually covered in blood and feel like absolute shit and people are always yelling at me. Fucking blows. I dunno how you can act like its whatever."

Klaus considers this. “It’s…the circumstances aren’t the same? So it’s different. Like, sure, there’s some general weirdness and shit’s like…questionable. But I gave him permission. He asked and I said yes.” So that’s not the same with this. No one was asked and…the shit that Pratt is talking about is different. That’s…definitely different. Trauma related. Not great.

“I’m sorry it’s so bad for you. And I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with that and everything else because of some asshole that should have been throat shanked a long time ago.” Their hands itch with the desire to reach out and touch. Assurance with touch is just something that comes naturally, but he crosses his arms over his chest instead. “I wouldn’t be whatever if it was just some random ghost.”

He tries to think about that, right now being rational is hard for him, he's so fucking amped up for murder, but he genuinely tries. "Okay maybe it would be different if they asked. And I you know, trusted them. So yeah. Different."

He'd let Sharky use his body if he needed. Probably Klaus too. With the caveat neither of them do anything too weird with it, he's scarred up enough.

"It is what it is. I can't do anything about it now. And I've only gone ballistic once being here. And I've been here since uh.. right before my birthday so," He counts on his fingers, "five months. That's fucking awesome considering how bad it was back home. But now... I think... I might need to. I dunno. Hope not."

"Yeah. Consent is the key to the situation." Klaus isn't necessarily fond of the feeling of being possessed, but there's years of guilt and bad vibes surrounding Ben and that's...just one of those things. He might still let someone possess his body, but he wouldn't even know if they were asking at this point.

"Yeah. Yeah, I get that." He grins a little. "I'm proud of you, buddy. When was your birthday, though? Sucks that I missed it." Not that he has any idea what sort of present Pratt would have liked. Or if he even likes celebrating his birthday. "I mean...it sounds like...something I don't...really know much about on that front. So if you feel like you gotta, then...maybe okay? If it's a bad time, though, just...let me know. Then I can uh...be a bigger pain in the ass next time."

Okay that gets a grin, "Just like anything worth doing yeah?"

"I don't think you were here. It's in June. The twentieth. I got a roommate for my birthday actually, she showed up that morning and we almost killed each other because she woke up in a weird place with a strange dude in her room and then she scared the shit out of me waking me up and I almost stabbed her." It was actually kind of funny looking back on it, but now sorta... depressing. "She uh.. she disappeared though. A few weeks ago."

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cw: mention of suicide, drug OD mention

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