Work Text:
Ranboo couldn’t remember his past.
He couldn’t remember anything, really. Everything he could recall with clarity was written in his memory books, hidden where no one could hurt him.
It.
Hurt it?
You’re forgetting you’re forgetting I can help you you must help them choose choose choose—
Whatever he couldn’t remember was lost among the folds of time (time is fluid time moves around him) , wandering the endless maze of his (hallways) mind. He was used to it. He didn’t mind that much. He had his books and he had his friends and that was all he needed.
Sometimes, though.
Sometimes he had dreams.
Dreams of things he couldn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend, of things that felt familiar and yet not.
Things
Like
Two doors black and white neither good nor bad clock is ticking ticking ticking on forever inside him around him above underneath who cares focus on yourself you can’t focus on yourself when they need you choose you have to choose little one you have to you have to YOU HAVE TO—
He didn’t understand it, so he didn’t pay attention.
It was usually the same, a pattern of images and moments that didn’t make sense and never would. Sometimes it changed. Like one night, when he slept and his mind filled with
Arena battleground new camera guy protect him keep him safe tell him the danger our paths are crossing here and now this is the ONE CHANCE YOU GET —
The day after, he saw Karl Jacobs walking by on the Prime Path, and the other man looked at him strangely. He didn’t pay it any mind. Sometimes people just looked at him weird. That was a fact of life. (He didn’t always look like this before he had not a spot of white on him quiet and obedient follow the path step off the path choose you have to choose)
And then
One night
It got worse.
So much worse.
Two doors black and white you have to choose he has to choose because you failed and you bear the mark of it on your skin spiral on his chest he’s not like you he’s not weak (strong) he’s not stupid (desperate) he will choose like you never could he’s forgetting just like you but here’s the chance no he has to save them choose choose choose a SIDE I CAN’T CHOOSE HE CAN’T CHOOSE YOU HAVE TO PICK Karl
Ranboo this was always your choice yourself or others pick a side little one or lose everything forever one not both and if I say no if I pick both what will you do WHAT WILL YOU DO find another find another to take your place take his place step up to the plate because he
you can’t and he doesn’t know doesn’t know dOESN’T KNOW—
He gasped awake. He didn’t remember much of that dream. All he could remember was the panic. All he could remember was the fear and the pain. All he could remember was choose people not sides choose people not sides people not sides people not sides PEOPLE OVER SIDES—
He scrambled out of bed, gasping in a fearful breath. He didn’t know why he was so scared. All he knew was—
He had to find Karl.