Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Ponk, you have everything? Your communicator? Snacks, clock, sword, compass?"

"Yep, I'll be fine, Niki. Myy goodness. I won't go out too far or too long, ok? I'll message you if anything goes wrong."

"Alright! Sorry, I know you're responsible. I just don't want you to be too overwhelmed. Stay safe!"

          Ponk waved briefly before turning and immediately going off the path. Not that he wasn't supposed to. He just wanted to be alone for a while, and the walk would clear her head.

Their eyes still felt puffy and her sinuses were finally clear. It was nice, though, to feel the air on his face. His boots rustled the unruly grasses that they made their way through, the hypothetical path occasionally dotted by wildflowers and tall vines-

Oh. Ew. Ew? When had he stopped walking? To look at the random green vine? It was just a random plant. It didn't belong to it. Ponk has fine. It had been a long time since then. The thing didn't have any grasp on her anymore. She was passed that.

Keep walking, Ponk reminds no one but herself.

          This why he lives alone. Because although there are many hybrids on the server, none of them shed velvet. Or shed their antlers.

Case in point; Callahan had a headache and the blood on the couch (that he wanted to keep clean!) didn't help.

It was just frustrating, is all. Shedding velvet could get messy and it freaked people out. Not to mention the itch. It was like a reptiles shedding, in the way that it was itchy and a little uncomfortable.

But instead of getting towels to try and scrub out the blood, he just set them on the couch and tried his best to peel away at the velvet that remained on his antlers, stationing himself on the floor and facing the couch instead of the coffee table.

Again, messy.

But gratifying.

Another strip was gently tossed onto the pile. He had been at this for at least an hour. 3 hours at most. His thoughts felt like cotton and hus finger were like felt. It wasn't a feeling he wanted to dwell on for much longer. So, Callahan got up and stretched briefly before grabbing a sword and a compass.

He needs to stretch his legs anyways.

     Thank God he brought the compass. Because if he hadn't, then he would probably take hours to get back to Niki's.                                  Ponk didn't have any specific destination. Just wandering aimlessly and letting her legs take her wherever they would end up. 

That plan, however, was short-lived after stepping into a thin stream of water. It flowed down the slight angle downhill, not seeming to run dry for a while. 

Was there a pond nearby? He had never heard about it from Niki. And they didn't bring their map, so it's not like she could've checked.

   Ponk came to the conclusion that following the stream would probably lead to something more interesting than wherever she would end up by wandering. So why not follow the stream?

It wasn't an unfamiliar path; in fact, Callahan often took this route in Decembers when his antlers would shed. But the pounding headache and mild derealization made it all very disorienting.

He felt like he was stumbling from a path off of vague directions rather than taking a mindless walk. Nevertheless, he trusted himself to go the right way. This was a pond that he built after all (not that it was a recent creation). It's not that easy to forget the directions to something you worked on for a week.

It was definitely refreshing.

The air was warm and a bit humid, but it brought him back to reality after awhile, and the sound and feel of the grass rustling while he walked to the pond was familiar.

----

Before he knew it, Callahan was at the pond.

Almost.

Technically? He was still in the woods, just kind of lurking. But it didn't make any difference.                                                    Again: more reasons to live alone. As embarrassing as it could be, he usually just used trees to get the velvet that he couldn't reach, scraping off the remains against it (which usually left the tree bark a tad bit bloody, as horrific as it could look).

But he was alone in this place.

     There wasn't really anyone to judge him for this. This was a special place he made for himself and the few that lived in the woods, if they were even close enough to know he was there. He would discard his shedded antlers in the winter here, where smaller animals or flora could thrive off the nutrients. 

(Not mention that he also ate the strips of velvet, at least the ones that he didn't rub off on the trees. They were a great seasonal snack and also had many nutritional values as well as being delicious.                              But apparently that didn't really make up for the fact that it looked unsettling, thanks to the light amount of blood and the raw-looking velvet and antlers.)

He enjoys the silence, though it could get lonely. It was rare; but whenever he came across/crossed paths with someone in the woods, the silence was a common ground no matter the person. People come to the forest to seek isolation (whether it be on a smaller scale or not). It's a hard truth that people don't like to swallow. So it was nice to come across people once in a while. It's something he didn't want to take for granted anymore, at least.

But this person is new, their right hand clutching a vibrant red fabric stained with red and yellow. 

It's not often you get someone new so deep into the woods. But again; not something Callahan wants to take for granted.

It seems, Ponk thinks, that following the water was the right idea.

He looks at the ornate pond, the flora around the edge of the water glistening under the streams of light that peak out from the trees.

Pretty (almost stunning, even), but definitely not natural.

She's seen the L'Cast pond, and has heard his fair share of complaints from HBomb about how much work it took to set it up and make it look as pleasing as it does.

They're taken out of their train of thought and borderline ogling by a figure in the dense line of trees.

Chapter Text

"What the hell?"

A lilting voice rand through the trees as Callahan stumbles his way through grasses. Ponk's voice was absent of its casual tone, stitched with alarm instead.

Honestly, that's a valid response, Callahan thinks as he grew closer to the pond.

And, for lack of a better term, Ponk almost shat their pants. But who could blame them for going wide-eyed at a looming figure through the expectedly empty woods? Not the mention the large, red antlers that branched through the underbelly of the trees' twigs, lurid under the scarce sunlight. 

But as soon as Callahan's face came into view, Ponk released tension she didn't know she had. He looked normal enough (despite the Capitan America mask, but they've seen weirder things).

A grin spread across his face. Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I never really expect to see people here, let alone newcomers. 

Ponk looked at him with confusion, until ultimately realizing what the stranger was doing. Or rather, saying.

"Sorry man, I don't really know sign language. You have your communicator?"

Callahan shook his head.

"Really? Huh. What about a book?" They though it was a little off-putting that the man didn't have it with him. Was there no one for the guy to talk to?

Callahan pulled put his inventory, before briefly searching for a book in the search bar (as he didn't have one on hand) and pulling it out in his off hand.

He didn't miss the expression on Ponk's face. It was unreadable and a little uncomfortable.

I have one now. Anyways, I didn't mean to scare you earlier. I didn't expect to see anyone here. Plus you're new.

Callahan passed the book to Ponk. Her gaze lingered for a short moment, confused at the first sentence, but continued quickly.

"It's no problem. I didn't know there would be people this far out. Have you lived here for a while?"

I guess. Time just kinda blends together sometimes when you've seen stuff yk? I live pretty deep into the forest though. Why are you out here? I guess you live closer to the main parts of the server?

"I get that. I uh," Ponk shifted uncomfortably, "I needed to get out of the house for a while. Had a panic attack. Not that you needed to know that, though. But anyways, yeah, I'm staying near the edge of the woods."

Callahan just looked and nodded.

I get that. Same here, kinda. I was peeling velvet off for while. (Hence the antler situation.) Too long. House got stuffy, everything felt kinda fake and I was all buzzy.

"That can happen if you're focused for too long. Tunnel vision, yeah? Can't say I have a lot of experience with it myself, but my-"

She abruptly stopped himself. What... what exactly was Sam to her now? An ex-boyfriend? An enemy? An acquaintance? (A stranger, he doesn't say)

They cough. "I know someone who does that a lot, y'know? He overworks himself when he's on shift. (But honestly, when is he not working?) He loses himself at work. He gets- he- He's harsh."

Callahan and Ponk look at eachother for a second. 

you wanna talk about him? I don't mind.

"I- no. Not now, at least. Thank you, though."

A comfortable silence washes over the tension. Neither of them talk for a few minutes, both just enjoying the sound of trickling water and quiet breathing.

"Did you build this? It's really pretty. Reminds me of the L'cast pond a little bit."

Callahan looks at them for a second, his eyebrows disappeared under the mask on his head. Ponk looks at him, a little concerned.

"I-uh. It really is, y'know? Didn't mean to compare it, no offense."

Snapping out of his slight daze, Callahan picks up the book again.

none taken. Just caught me off guard. I built it a while ago, so I don't give it much thought.

"I'm really impressed. I've never been that good at the delicate stuff, I guess. I've grown my fair share of lemon trees. Not that they end up staying long," Ponk says, her face melancholy. It hurt to reminisce on the memories of the trees that were now mussed with smoke and flame.

Callahan pursed his lips, not finding words to fit the situation. Instead, he hovered his hand over Ponk's shoulder, silently asking if they were ok with touch before patting him on the shoulder. She nodded.

Two pats and a reassuring head tilt. Callahan picked the book back up.

I've heard about L'Cast. Have you been on the show? 

------

Ponk took the clock put of their inventory. He and Callahan had been talking for a few hours; much longer than what either of them had expected. The company was welcome. Solitude was generally a default for the two after numerous conflicts (all of which were physically, mentally, and emotionally violent to some capacity), with one having too much responsibility to power to become involved and the other wanting to remain neutral when necessary.

"Shit. It's later than I expected. I should head back before mobs starts spawning, yeah?"

guess so. Would you want to keep in touch?

"Sure. You have my in-game name, right?"

Callahan nodded.

I was thinking about something else. Dont freak out too much. Nothing too serious.

As anyone would be, Ponk was concerned. And confused.

"I- look man, don't takes this wrong way. But that's real suspicious. Can you explain it more?"

Callahan bit his tongue, seemingly considering her words. He pulled up a communication log, one that floated and was almost holographic like an inventory, contrasting the regular hand-held compact communicators other people had.

Ponk's communicator lit up shortly after.

<Callahan> we both know I was an original member 

Their eyes widen at the sight of the sudden message.

<Callahan> I have "connections" ig or whatever it's not a big deal

<Callahan> I don't usually tell people at first but I think you get my drift???

A few seconds pass.

<Callahan> I guess not? Idk I'm like

<Callahan> god sort of (admin)

"Huh. What the fuck? Ok? I- give me a second. I'm not in my right mind to process this right now. But what does this have to do with keeping in touch?"

Callahan points to her right hand, to which she lifts it, confused. He lifts a finger, as to say 'hold on'.

He clasps the other's wrist with his hand before a honey-soft light seeped from under the contact and from under the blue mask on his head that reflected onto his features, disappearing as the hand is removed.

Don't worry about it. See you later, then, he signs, and leaves after peering back and holding a finger to his lips.

Ponk doesn't know what to say. Since when did she know sign language?

It doesn't matter right now. She'll sort this out next time they see him.