open post; alan wake

[twains]

Comments

[youbutfun]

Hey, would you look at that? Got a reaction from you, so I think I'm doing just fine.

[Couple steps forward here because he just has to be all up in Alan's business all the time apparently.

And he could get published too! Probably! Write some books under Alan's name, how hard could it be?]

[twains]

[This would be where Alan pulls out a flare and shoves it into Scratch's face... if he'd been able to grab more than just the already empty flaregun.

Turns out when he doesn't have three different jackets on, he can't keep a lot of ammo on him.]

Not wanting to be near you isn't much of a reaction.

[youbutfun]

[Alan, do you have a jacket problem?]

Hey, I'm not afraid to admit I take what I can get. You'd be surprised, then again, no, you know that one pretty well.

[Would ask why Scratch is like this, but he just is, okay?]

[twains]

[No u.]

Yeah. I do.

[Said as frustrated as he looks.]

So this is why you're here? Because you're so hard up you had to come to me?

[youbutfun]

Hey, it's not like I don't have options.

[He could go torment other people! And then Alan gets dragged into that, assuming he's not dragged into it from the start due to them being people he knows.]

But you know, if you switched genres, I bet that sentence could be a lot more fun. Maybe change that to to a for. You'd get all kinds of new readership.

[twains]

[Alan's mouth opens.

Alan's mouth closes.

Really, how does he even begin to react to that?]

Let me guess, then you get to find new ways to torture me under the guise of proving material for the new book?

[youbutfun]

[Honestly, how does anyone even begin to react to Scratch?]

If you don't like that idea, I can always go back to the old ways of torturing you.

[Just a thought.]

[twains]

I'd really prefer neither.

[CAN'T YOU JUST... GO AWAY....

Without thinking, Alan takes another step back - anything to get more distance between them. Too bad the sudden turn of the conversation made the fact he's stepping closer to the Darkness slip his mind.

What a convenient twist for the narrative. Convenient. Hacky. Whatever.]

[youbutfun]

Well, I'd prefer...

[Hand out to push Alan as the Darkness ooze? roils? darknesses forward? Don't know what verb goes here, it just does whatever the Darkness does to ensnare Alan.]

[twains]

[He remembers too late to do anything about it.]

-- Fuck!

[He struggles against it, the remote for the lights slipping through his fingers and into the inky blackness beneath him.]

[youbutfun]

Oh look at that, your toy's gone.

[He could not be smugger about this as the darkness swirls around Alan, the remote disappearing into the void. The darkness itself is like quicksand or tar, it really doesn't want to let Alan go, but there's some give here.]

Looks like mine's still around though, so no reason to stop the fun, right?

[twains]

[Being restrained like this by the Darkness is a new and strange feeling - wholly different from when he was trapped in the Dark Place itself. It's not as omnipresent, yet it manages to feel more oppressive. An impressive feat, considering. Alan struggles as much as he can, attempting to pull himself free with little luck.

All it succeeded in doing was making himself feel worn out and sweaty, but he still struggles, feebly trying to reach into the depths to fish out the remote. He doesn't even come close. Alan glares at his doppelganger, red faced.]

We really have different ideas of fun.

[youbutfun]

We do, we really do. But I think we've had enough of your kind of fun. Flashlights and flares and that remote, that's all gone. No clicker to save you this time.

[In contrast while Alan's all sweaty and gross, Scratch just looks so incredibly smug right now. Alan's face has never looked more punchable honestly.]

Don't work up too much of a sweat now, we haven't even gotten started yet.

[twains]

[God he's never wanted to punch his own face so badly in his life. He's trying not to give into despair, and it's not like he hasn't gotten out of worse situations before, but.

He's not going to be able to write himself out of this one. And the thought of being completely at Scratch's mercy is terrifying. Alan maintains his defiant glare, unwilling to give him the reaction he's clearly hoping for.]

[youbutfun]

Yeah, yeah. I get it. You're pissed off and you'd hit me if you could.

[He knows how Alan's feeling, doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.]

Wouldn't do any good, probably less than those lights of yours but you'd feel better, right?

[He reaches over, ruffling Alan's hair and just...being an ass about it really.]

[twains]

[Scratch has done a lot of terrible things. To him, to Alice, to Barry, to... everyone Scratch has ever met. And yet, the simple act of ruffing Alan's hair is so infuriating that Alan can't help the almost feral snarl that erupts from him. His struggle against the darkness is renewed, and if it were normal rope he might succeed in getting at least part of himself free.

Too bad.]

Why don't you let me out and find out?

[youbutfun]

Oh, someone's mad.

[Not Scratch though, he's perfectly content right now.]

Here's a better idea though, how about I don't do that. I like you right where you are. Makes me feel all warm and tingly seeing you like this.

[twains]

[Alan grimaces through his anger. He really doesn't want to hear about Scratch feeling 'tingly.' Yet he keeps bringing it up.]

Can't say I feel the same way.

[The best he can do is keep Scratch talking and hope he slips up so he can get free. Except he has no idea how long that'll take or what he'll have to endure before that point comes.

Hopefully before someone else does.]

So are we at the part where you tell me your plan yet?

[youbutfun]

[Instead of answering, he's just going to walk off into the kitchen. Let Alan sit there and fume while he opens the fridge, rummages around and returns with a beer that Alan probably shouldn't have.]

What can I say? I'm a simple guy.

[Opening that and taking a drink now. Not anything amazing, but it hits the spot for him.]

Oh, hope you don't mind. But then again, you probably shouldn't, right? Interferes with whatever you're supposed to be taking?

[So he'll just continue helping himself.]

Now where was I? Oh right! My plan!

[Gesturing around before setting the beer down on a table, not even using a coaster because he's just the fucking worst.]

Originally I figured I’d take things slow, we could really get to know each other, maybe I’d buy you a couple drinks, except we just talked about why that’s a bad idea. Anyways, like I said, different. But since you said you don't feel the same way...well, I've never had a problem with things being a little one-sided.

[Back to that beer, there's definitely a ring on the table now.]

[twains]

[Sit there and fume Alan does, still furious but unable to do anything about it. Well and truly trapped in the darkness, all he can do is watch - with admitted confusion - as Scratch walks off. He can't help the eye roll when Scratch returns with a beer.]

Really?

[Alan doesn't expect an answer. He'll probably get a snide remark anyway. Even if Scratch is right and he shouldn't drink... God, he could use one right now to get through this. He'd even take the damn moonshine again.

As Scratch talks and the implications sink in, he decides that no, he doesn't need one drink. He needs twelve. Alan renews his struggling, because he does not want this to go in that direction at all, and the only way it won't is if he can get free.]

How about no-sided? It makes much more sense with our dynamic.

[youbutfun]

No-sided? Really? After all that...

[He's hurt, really. Did that get said before somewhere in this thread? If so, here it is again, he's so wounded by this. It'll take a long time to get over this except no, it really won't.]

Oh you know there's no way I'm gonna say okay to that, right?

[Another drink while he just grins at Alan.]

[twains]

[Alan doesn't care about your feelings, Scratch.

The writer is quiet for a moment, a short exhale finally escaping him as processes what was said.]

It was worth a try.

[youbutfun]

[And the can's back on the table now. Thankfully there's surely only so much, so even if Scratch helps himself to more, it won't end up looking like that elon nightstand photo from a couple weeks ago.]

Aw, do you want a gold star for trying?

[twains]

[LEAVE HIS TABLE ALONE.]

I'd settle for you leaving.

[youbutfun]

[MAKE HIM.]

After I've had my fun.

[Just let him finish that drink first and toss the can off to the side somewhere. Adding to the list of minor bullshit for Alan to be pissed off about before getting to some heavier transgressions.]