Work Text:
The black-haired man walked into the Diner. He was dreading it, dreading entering the Diner, dreading the idea of talking to them.
‘This is the last time I will do anything for Kobra.’
He walked around the Diner, looking for the red-haired killjoy. The Diner was dimly lit, a soft playing of a radio heard somewhere. Ghoul walked to the Killjoy’s regular booth, noting the pen and paper left there alone. He checked the page. It was clearly written by Party, his hand-writing in blue, the small smudge at the end of the page.
‘If any of y’all come here and look for me, don’t, i’ll be home soon.’
Panic arose in Ghoul’s chest. He could just hear Party being killed by a Crow. The fucking dumbass has no sense of self-preservation, they just go headfirst into things and hope for the best. They were lucky to make it out alive every time after nearly being ghosted. Ghoul knew that with Party’s luck, they have already found themself in a near-death situation, one that they will shrug off as if it was nothing.
They couldn’t have gone very far. They didn’t take the Trans Am, meaning wherever they went, they walked there. While Ghoul thought of where in all the Zones Party could’ve gone, the music from the radio grew louder. Soon it was the only thing in Ghoul’s head. It was too loud. He couldn’t think from the loudness. He followed the sound into the back room of the Diner. He opened the door, the music nearly ruining his ears. He grabbed the radio that was sitting on the counter, and turned it off. Now that the entire room was quiet, he could hear everything. Every single noise became magnified, the ticking of the clock, the small hum of breeze outside, the sink dripping. And even someone crying.
“Hey?”
The person’s breath quickened. Their cries grew quieter. Fun Ghoul looked around the room, and his eyes fell onto a killjoy. Specifically the one Kobra sent him to look for.
“Party?” He walked closer to the crying killjoy.
Party Poison covered their face, responding, “Leave me.”
“Kobra sent me-”
“I don’t care. Leave me alone.”
“He told me to come get you.”
Party didn’t respond. They continued to sit where they were, on the checkered-tiled ground, covering their face, trying to control their breathing.
“What’s wrong, Poison?”
They shook their head in response.
“That’s a lie.”
Shook their head again.
Ghoul decided to sit next to them.
“I told you to leave,” Party’s voice was raspy. Who knows how long they were crying for, how long they sat on the floor with music playing to cover the sound.
“And I decided not to listen.” Ghoul paused. “I know we aren’t the best of friends,”
“I can’t stand listening to you.”
Ghoul nodded. “Yea, but, y’know, if… if you ever need to talk to someone, you can talk to me. I know you can get stressed out. Just know I am here if you need anything.” Party didn’t respond. “You don’t have to respond, but I can wait for you at the front if you want me to.” He was about to stand up and wait outside before being stopped.
“Do you have to leave?” Fun Ghoul looked over at them. Their usually bright and full of life eyes seemed dull and red. Their face was stained with tears and their hair was messy. Not even the soft, dim moonlight could help them look like their normal self.
Ghoul shook his head. “I’m not leaving, don’t have to, don’t want to.”
Poison closed their eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“So much. There’s so many things that could be right, so little we can do to fix them.”
The pair sat in silence. Ghoul knew that what Poison needed was someone to listen, someone who was willing to sit in silence by them, hearing them say anything and everything they wanted to say.
“What if we made the wrong decision? What if we aren’t as strong as we think we are? And we just end up dead, the same thing we would’ve ended up like in Battery. Just bodies without a soul.” Party could feel tears swarming back. “Better Living is a whole industry,” their breathing picks up its pace. “We are just some people who think we can save others; we think we can save a little girl when we can’t save ourselves.” Tears start to fall from Poison’s eyes. “There is no guarantee that we’ll survive, or that she’ll survive. There’s no guarantee we’ll win. We could literally die tomorrow and we wouldn’t be able to stop it. What if we aren’t cut out for this? What if I’m not cut out for this?”
It clicked like a puzzle in Fun Ghoul's brain. He thought his words carefully, knowing that in the situation Poison is in is one where they are sensitive. He knows there is no way to stop death, it is inevitable, and everyday they grow closer to the fate everyone is destined to. Everyone is destined to die, that’s just how it works. No one can stop it. The Killjoys can’t save someone forever, eventually they will all meet their final destination, along with the Girl. Anyday they could be ghosted, and then the Girl will be stuck by herself, unsafe in this world, vulnerable to Better Living.
“We didn’t make the wrong decision. We chose to save ourselves from Battery City. We aren’t gonna end up dead, not by BL at least. We made the decision of leaving, of making our own family here. All of this through bravery and courage. Better Living and their Crows are not going to be the end of us, not of you, me, or anyone else here in the Zones.”
“We don’t know that!” They wiped their tears. “We don’t know anything.”
“We’ll be okay. We will beat them. We’ll keep Girlie safe, we’ll be safe. We’ll get to grow older, be safe, and eventually we will die, but it will not be by BL/Ind.”
As the two sat there a small hum from a car driving up was heard. Ghoul checked the window to see the Trans Am.
“The other two are here,” he informed the red-haired killjoy sitting next to him. They let out a small hum in response.
Ghoul stood up, helping Poison up as well. Party wiped their tears and followed the shorter individual to the front door. When they looked they saw their brother and friend.
“Ghoul,” Jet started to talk to Fun Ghoul. Poison ignored them and continued to walk to the front door.
“Hey, Poison?”
They looked over at their brother. “Yea?”
“The note and the packing up… why were you planning to leave?”
Poison felt bad for making their brother worry, but they didn’t want to admit their plan. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave.”
“You wrote a note. That isn’t exactly not meaning to.” The siblings looked at each other. Poison noticed the red in their brother’s eyes. “Promise me you won’t try to do that again. I can’t handle you being ghosted, let alone if you do it yourself.”
“I promise.”
The other two killjoys joined back. “Glad to see you again, Party,” Jet patted their back. “Wanna head back home?”
Party nodded and grabbed the keys.
Jet snatched them back. “I’ll drive. You sleep in the back.” And then he quickly walked to the Trans Am before Poison could protest.
Ghoul walked quickly after Kobra before being pulled back by Party.
“Yes?”
“Act like I didn’t tell you anything and don’t tell anyone.”
Ghoul nodded, “no worries. I won’t. Didn’t plan on it either.”
Poison smiled at the other, who also smiled back.
“Hurry before they worry too much, Festive Venom,” Ghoul said, walking quickly, before Party ran after him.
“It’s Party Poison! I’ve told you hundreds of times!”
Ghoul let out a laugh that made Party forget everything they were crying about. That made them happy they chose to become what they are, and that they are here. That maybe becoming a killjoy was a good decision and that even if they die, they at least die surrounded by people who make their life brighter and better.