His Soul (Chapter 9)

His Soul (Chapter 9)

The Book

Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?

Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective

--

You woke up to your alarm on a quiet morning, which would normally calm you, but it felt like your nerves were on fire when you made a realization. You jumped out of bed and rushed out of your room first thing. You found Curioso laying on the couch. The TV was turned off and he instead clutched a large book in his hands, open to a page that looked something like a collage. 

When you got closer, you recognized it as one of your high school yearbooks. When your steps became audible, the jester shut it instantly and sat up in surprise. He sat it down and turned to you with his smile which now appeared sheepish. 

“Detective! Good morning,” His tone was nervous. You blinked at him, still trying to wake yourself up. 

“Were you looking through my yearbooks?” 

He glanced at the large edition sitting beside him and shrugged. “I got bored and then I got curious. You don’t have a lot to do around here.” 

“Mm,” You waved him off and headed towards the bathroom. You could take care of your morning business now that you made sure he was still here. 

While you were brushing your teeth, your eyes were blinded when a flash of light entered the room. You swung around to find the jester teleporting through the door to hold up a picture to you. “-I can’t believe you were in the photography club!” 

“ Curioso !” You scolded, swatting at him and trying to keep some distance. Your bathroom was small and he was nearly 7 feet tall. Surely he knew what ‘personal space’ meant? “You can’t just barge in here!” 

“The door was locked,” He responded simply. 

“For a reason !” You exclaimed, twisting the knob and pushing him out. You slammed it behind him and rinsed out your mouth, grumbling to yourself the entire time. 

“-You were in track & field, too? I didn’t think you were the athletic type,” His voice resumed from the other side of the wood. At least he wasn’t trying to get back in. 

You dried your hands off and sighed. “Those days were long ago. I’m not as fit as I used to be.” 

“Detectives usually aren’t,” He replied. 

You opened the door and found him standing right outside, grinning down at you. You shook your head and swiped the yearbook from his hands, returning it to its proper shelf. You headed to the kitchen and he was on your tail, sitting on the counter again as he watched you make yourself some coffee. 

“What’s for breakfast?” He pried. 

You thought about it. “Eh…A bagel with some cream cheese, I guess. You don’t want anything, do you?”

“I can’t,” He replied sadly. 

You sifted through your drawers. “Well…what did you use to have? Back in those good ol’ days?” 

“Cereal. I remember having a lot of cheerios.” 

That checked out, if his favorite dinner had told you anything about himself. You smiled to yourself as you toasted the bagel and applied some cream cheese. You sat down at your small table and he joined you from the other aside - a replication of what had happened last night. You found yourself appreciating the company…it was always so quiet and boring in the morning before you got to work. 

“I think you mentioned something about setting some ground rules?” He reminded you. 

“Oh. Right.” You swallowed your bite and drummed your fingers on the table. “Uhh…well, rule number one: You can’t invade my privacy, which means not teleporting wherever you want. If my door is locked, then I DON’T want you in there.” 

“I apologize,” He offered with a humble bow of his head.

“Rule number two: No teleporting without telling me. And that includes if you’re about to barge in on me somewhere!” 

His smile was coy.

“Rule number three: No touching any of the knives around here.” 

“What? You think I’m going to try and kill you?” 

His tone was teasing, but it sent shivers down your spine. While you were sure his intent wasn’t to ever KILL any of the collectors, you couldn’t get the imagery out of your mind. With Raymond strapped to that machine as sharp knives hurled at him…and when that poor woman, Julia Hadey, was close to burning alive after Curioso trapped her in a picture. This creature clearly had a sadistic side, and you didn’t want to ever see it again. 

“Rule number four-” You tried to keep your voice steady. “You go back in the box when I tell you to. No fighting me on it.” 

He sighed. “I assume that time is coming soon?” 

“It is.” You stood to put your plate in the sink. “Oh, and…final rule: Don’t go through my things without asking.” 

“Come on, it wasn’t that bad…”

You shook your head in amusement, excusing yourself to get dressed for the day. Curioso finally granted you some privacy and only greeted you when you stepped back in the living room. You motioned for him to follow you down in the office. He obeyed, albeit a little slow and clearly disappointed. 

When you held the paper up that had the code to get him back in, a mechanical hand grabbed it from you. You were about to reprimand him until it flashed and a different order magically appeared on the lines. You narrowed your eyes and looked at him skeptically. 

“I may have lied to you, Detective, and I’m sorry for that,” He handed it back to you and clasped his hands behind his back. “What matters is that I fixed it.” 

You rolled your eyes and grabbed the box, pressing the symbols in the new order that he gave to you. You had a feeling he erased the correct code and was presenting you with a distraction, but the purple mist claimed its prisoner once more, and you were satisfied when he was finally brought back. Patting the top of it with satisfaction, you left to go get your office ready for the day.

----

Despite the pleasant morning you two had, there was still something important on your mind. You had to get this business done while you could - it was imperative that you had better control of this situation, and to understand the predicament you’d gotten yourself into. 

You strode down into the office and threw on your coat, placing your hat on your head as you double-checked your pockets. As you were about to leave, you paused in the doorway. You didn’t need to inform Curioso where you were going, but you felt some sort of inclination to announce your absence, anyway. 

“I’ll be out running an errand,” You raised your voice so he could hear. “I’ll be back soon.”

Without another word, you shut the door behind you. 

---

Your eyes were focused as you drove to Andrew Collins’ house, the large structure looking better since the last time you’d seen it. The gates were clear of any thorns and roses that blocked it before. They easily opened the moment you pulled up. You called the owner an hour prior to ask if you could visit, and he seemed intrigued when you stated your business. 

You paused to admire the clear sky above you as you stepped out of your car. You climbed the steps to the front door and rang the doorbell. It wasn’t long before Andrew answered you, and he smiled politely. He stepped to the side and motioned you in.

“Detective! What a pleasure to see you again. Please, come in.” 

You helped yourself inside and hung your coat and hat on the rack by the door. It wasn’t long before you were looking around, dumbfounded. It was strange to see the place in no disarray at all, everything was lively and bright. The rooms and stairs were completely repaired and there had been no implication of any trouble here before. It looked like an eloquent place. Andrew noticed your admiration as he moved around you. 

“We’ve been working on getting the estate repaired since Curioso’s… game caused such a ruckus.” He finished with a pause. “I’m having it listed on the market tomorrow. I’ve decided to move towns since we last spoke.” 

Your expression grew interested. “Oh? What made you want to move?” 

“As dangerous as it was, the game did enlighten me on a few things.” He led you over to the sitting area and motioned for you to take a seat. You gladly rested in a comfortable chair. “While collecting things was something that kept me financially happy, I realized it was no way to live. I’m going to leave my past behind me and start anew in the countryside, to find a way to help people.”

“That’s good to hear,” Your voice brightened at the news. “I hope things go well for you, Andrew.” 

“As do I.” He cleared his throat. “I…understand you’re here to ask me some questions?”

“Oh, yes,” You replied, sitting forward and taking your gloves off. There was no need for them right now. “I understand you were the one who obtained Curioso’s box…and since you’ve given it to me, I’ve been curious about some things.” 

His grin turned sheepish. “I apologize for giving it to you without asking.. I simply didn’t want it anymore, and seeing as you were the one to put him back, I figured it was you who deserved to have it. But I know it was a dangerous thing to gift someone-” 

You waved a hand at him. “-I’m not here to accuse you of anything. I should actually thank you for the gift, as it made a great momentum of the case. I’ve taken good care of it.”

“I see. What is it you wanted to ask, exactly?” 

“You received the box from a friend of yours, if I remember right. I wanted to ask if you knew about its whereabouts before then?” 

“You mean Willy? He is an old friend of mine who owed me for quite a few… things . I didn’t expect him to give me that box, but I thought it was beautiful and erased all his debt for it. He claimed it was something special, but I hadn’t known what he meant back then.” Andrew paused to think. “-I’ve known Willy to take odd jobs and go different places from time-to-time. His latest employment at the time was at a local circus in his town.” 

“Circus?” You repeated.

“Yes, he was one of the janitors there that cleaned after the performances. I didn’t ask too many questions, wanting to add the box to my collection right away. But I would assume he got it from there…I wish I could give you his number, but he disappeared after giving me that box. I haven’t been able to contact him since.”

You were disappointed, but carried on with the conversation. “-So you think Curioso’s box came from that circus?”

“I would have no better guess. And as for anything before that, I’m afraid I can’t tell you.” 

Your lips thinned into a line as you took this information in. It certainly looked like something that came from a circus - it was colorful and grabbed the attention of onlookers. And seeing as Curioso was a jester…maybe that idea wasn’t far-fetched. You only wished you could’ve asked this ‘Willy’ person yourself to know for sure. 

“When you first got the box, it freed Curioso since your collection woke him up. Had he ever…spoken to you before that? Or was there anything amiss that you could see?”

“I’m afraid I saw nothing wrong at first. I had no idea there was anything even in it. I did try opening the thing, but the box didn’t budge, so I assumed it was a decorative item. I didn’t want to damage it in any way. It wasn’t long before Curioso jumped out of it…I had barely been in my house when he sprang out. It scared the life out of me!”

“What was your guy’s first interaction like?” 

“He wasn’t friendly at all, if that’s what you’re asking. He told me he collected human souls and that I was to help him to obtain people. He threatened me when I refused - and I was too terrified to fight back. When I brought the other collectors, I learned what he was doing…he was collecting the dark secrets and vices of these people. I had no idea what they were like when I met them, but Curioso told me their deepest secrets and wrongdoings.” 

“-He threatened you?” You were still surprised by this part of the story. 

“He made it clear that if I didn’t work with him, my soul would be the next of his that he would cage and never let go. I was afraid to challenge him after seeing his powers. He seemed angry, Detective. I’m not sure if it was towards me , or the situation he was in. I think he holds a grudge against humanity, since his only goal was to expose the darkest secrets of those he was collecting.” 

You drummed your fingers on your knee, trying to theorize for yourself. Curioso emerged from the box angry and determined with his goal…so you had to assume something happened to him to cause this. But why would someone be so vexed if they came from the circus? You knew some had poor treatment of their workers, but…he was just a box, wasn’t he? Why would he despise humanity so badly? 

Andrew noticed your silence and stood from his seat. You were snapped back to reality when he reached over and grabbed something from a nearby table. 

“When you called me about the case, I remembered something that I forgot to tell you about. When Willy gave me the box, he handed me something else. He told me it came with it but he had no clue what it was. I assumed it was some sort of instruction manual or how to clean it - but I never had the opportunity to read it, as Curioso hid it from me after breaking his box. While we were cleaning up the other day, I found it, and thankfully, it’s still intact.” 

He handed you a book. You blinked twice as you took it from him - there was no title on it beyond a strange symbol on the front. You opened it and glanced through the pages, only to see odd diagrams and several pages of text. You’d have to read this later. 

“Do you know what it is?” You asked. 

“I’ve only read a little bit of the book, and most of it is cryptic. It must’ve belonged to some magician or educator, because it gave me a headache. I think it has something to do with the box…but I don’t know what . If Curioso hid it from me, then it must be important.” 

“I see.” 

“I regret that I have little more to tell you. I’ve checked in with the others and we are recovering rather well,” A grateful look washed over his face as he leaned over to shake your hand again. “I don’t know how to thank you for freeing me, Detective. It was mad to be in that monster’s control!” 

A hum escaped your mouth, remembering something else you hadn’t asked about. “How exactly did Curioso know about me, by the way?” 

He gestured to a newspaper sitting on the table. “I grab the paper every day to read during my spare time. Curioso happened to catch your name in one of the articles and demanded that I retrieve you for him. He seemed rather eager about it.” 

That made sense. You completed a case not long before Andrew retrieved you for the missing collectors. You have that print at home among your other things with the cases to remember it by. You recall reading it several times that morning, beaming in your seat at the time, proud to have made it in the town’s publication again. You had a feeling it would bring more publicity your way…but you would’ve never predicted what happened next. 

You grasped the book tightly in your hands, standing and tipping your head. “Thank you for your time, Andrew, and I wish you well.”

“And I hope the best for your business. Just be careful of Curioso. I’m not sure where he’s from and how to control that blasted box…I hope you can figure things out.” 

“I’ll try,” You headed towards the front door and shrugged your coat back on. You couldn’t help smirking. “It looks like you’ve given me a new investigation.” 

He sighed melancholy. “Hopefully it’s an easier one than the first I gave you. Good luck, Detective.” 

----

You sat in your car for an awful long time, the book opened on your lap and your eyes narrowed in confusion. 

Andrew was right - it was extremely cryptic. It was either written in another language or a code you couldn’t understand. Why would Curioso go through the trouble of hiding this thing if no one could read it? You struggled to understand its importance but you knew it held significant weight. Maybe, if you were lucky…the jester himself would tell you. But you had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen so easily. 

You shut it with a defeated sigh and got out of your car. You locked it and headed into your office - unlocking the front door and announcing your presence with a tired groan. Trying to read that thing gave you a massive headache. You should probably lay down for a bit. 

“Why do you have it?” 

You were snapped to attention by Curioso’s voice, which came from his box that you left on your desk. It was glowing a bright purple…you didn’t know what that meant exactly. You approached it and tugged off your gloves casually. How he knew you had the book was beyond you…but you were going to try and tread carefully.

“What are you talking about?” 

“You know what I’m talking about. Tell me. Why do you have it?” 

He sounded upset, so honesty sounded like the best route to you. “Andrew Collins gave it to me.” 

“You visited Andrew?” Curioso’s voice was a mix between confusion and anger. This didn't bode well for you. “Why?” 

“To check on him, of course. He’s not the first client I’ve visited after closing a case.” You moved to hang your coat by the door. “The others are doing fine, by the way. Nancy and everyone else. They’ve been recovering well since your ‘game’.”

The jester either didn’t care or decided not to address that for now. He was still hung up on your new possession. “You need to get rid of it. Do you understand me, Detective?” 

“Woah. Hold on.” You held your hands up as you stepped towards him defensively. “What is it about this thing that you don’t like?”

“You don’t need it, ” He growled. You blinked a couple of times in surprise. That was a new sound.

“Maybe I do. Andrew told me it came with your box, so I should keep the collection together, right?” 

A frustrated noise emerged from it and you were half filled with amusement. The other half was fear…as you’d only heard him this angry when you betrayed him. You much preferred his playful attitude over whatever was currently going on. 

“How about you give it to me and I can hold onto it for you? That way, it never leaves the box!”

You crossed your arms, the word easily leaving your tongue. “No.”

“Ugh! Why are you being so difficult?! Just hand it over to me!” 

“What is it, really?” You leaned on your desk so you were right beside him. “I have the funniest feeling that there’s something you’re not telling me here.” 

“...”

“Andrew said you hid this from him the moment you broke free. You didn’t want him to see it. But..” You furrowed your eyebrows together in confusion. “..He couldn’t even read it. So why bother?” 

“...” 

“What’s in this book and why do you not want anyone reading it?”

“...”

“Curioso, come on. You can tell me.” You waited a minute before adding, “-You can trust me.” 

“ Get rid of it. ” He repeated. You could hear the strain he was putting himself through and decided this would be the most you would get out of him. You decided to approach something else in the meantime. 

“Alright, then…” You leaned against the desk. “Andrew also told me Willy gave you to him from the circus. Is that true?

“I am not telling you anything until you get rid of-”

“Fine, fine, fine.” You snapped, growing impatient with this game. If he wasn’t going to answer your questions right now, then you weren’t going to pry. “Forget that I asked.” 

As you were about to storm out of the room, his voice stopped you. “Detective…that part is true. But I am not willing to indulge you any more until you’ve listened to me.” 

“I’m not going to get rid of this book just because you don’t like it.” You turned around impatiently. “Even if it’s bad, I’ve got to know what it is.” 

He was exasperated at your stubbornness. “Why?” 

“Because…it’s a part of you, and I want to know everything.” Your heart beat nervously as you said these words. “If you like seeing the dark vices of human souls, then I want to see yours .” 

It was a fact you didn’t want him to know…that you were curious about him and his past. Where he could’ve come from and what he is exactly. You were determined to learn about this creature no matter how difficult it would be. And that included whatever was in this book. If it turned out that it had nothing to do with him at all…then you would apologize. But you had the greatest feeling that it was some secret he was trying to hide. 

He grew silent, and you took this opportunity to leave. You’d have to find someone who could help you translate this book.

Happy International Women's Day to Anna, who single-handedly took down Oscar

drawme.share-on.me

Draw for Arsene ~ Secret Drawing Box

Secret Drawing Box is a web game that allows you to get drawings from your friends but you will never know who sent you the drawings

! been seeing this circulating lately !!

I made a Story Directory page for His Soul , for anyone who's on desktop! The only downside is my blog's theme doesn't seem to show any italics/bold/etc if you read on there.. :(

I'll make a mobile Directory post when/if the story gets long, it'll definitely come when the fic's finished. Still unsure of the total chapter count, but I do have an idea for the ending..!

As always, you can find the fic on AO3 and Wattpad.

His Soul (Chapter 11)

Passing Time

Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?

Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective

--

Having a dangerous magical jester around you wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Actually, the more you brought Curioso out of his box and allowed him to linger, the more his presence grew on you. Your paranoia and distrust gradually simmered into slight wariness, as you were no longer focusing on his every move and worrying about the possibilities of what could happen. You trusted him to follow your rules. So far, he hadn’t done anything that was a cause for concern. 

…Well, that wasn’t entirely true. There was one instance you weren’t all too happy with. 

Your friendly neighbor, Audrey, had stopped by one morning to drop you off some sweets and breakfast. She wanted to catch up with you due to your prolonged absence from her shop. You usually frequented it to get some of your groceries and the morning paper - something you’ve been neglecting to do ever since your jester friend had captured most of your attention. You’d been meaning to visit her again, but time kept slipping out of your hands… 

You’d let out Curioso an hour prior and had been in the shower when she stopped by. After you dried yourself off, your apartment sounded eerily quiet. It didn’t assure you when you found the creature completely missing from your home, which meant there was only one other place he could be. 

…He had scared the living daylights out of Audrey by greeting her at the door. His tall frame and sharp teeth evoked an immediate scream from her - it wasn't helped when he insisted on getting closer to her. He backed off when you came rushing down the stairs screaming out his name. You trapped him back in the box again and it was mutually understood as to why.

You recall how silent he had been after putting him back, seating down Audrey and placing a damp rag on her forehead. She was clutching at your arm tightly, fear laced in her brown eyes when she turned to you.

“Detective, what - was - that?” She breathed deeply, flickering her gaze repeatedly to the box sitting across the room. 

“My…new friend,” You sat down beside her and patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry you two had to meet like that.” 

She sounded distraught. “What is he!?” 

You felt worse knowing you couldn’t give her a good answer. What was Curioso, really? You focused on getting your friend to calm down instead and offered her some tea. It was a long conversation you two had that day - catching her up on your situation while also trying not to disclose too much. You made it clear that he couldn’t escape from the box, which was her biggest worry as she was constantly watching it behind you. 

It took some time, but she finally came to terms with what you were saying. With your assurances that he meant her no harm, she was able to relax and have a proper chat with you. You caught up on what she’d been up to and made a firm promise to go back to visiting her again. 

After she left, you gave Curioso a good scolding for scaring her, but he didn’t respond to you. You were positive he heard it, though, and put him in a “time-out” that day.

Otherwise, you were fine with regularly letting him out to venture around your office and home. He was curious and seemed to enjoy the freedom, despite how limited it all must feel. Neither of these places were as spacious as Andrew’s home. You always felt some guilt about having to cage him in here. 

But his encounter with Audrey reminded you why this was necessary. 

You walked up the stairs back into your apartment and shut the door behind you. The tall jester caught sight of what you were carrying and followed after as you headed to the kitchen. You dropped the box onto the table with a flourish and grinned.

“Pizza!”

He clapped his hands. “Finally ! You’re eating something not healthy!” 

You snickered as you threw open the top. His trademark expression seemed to have fallen when he got a good look at the fruit on your dinner. His disgust was evident as he clambered onto the counters and pointed at it like it offended him. 

“ Pineapple!? You’re mad!” 

“What?” You defended with a shrug, sitting down and chuckling at his reaction. “This place has the best ingredients. I tell you, nothing’s better than fresh pineapple on pizza.” 

He crossed his arms and refused to be any closer, choosing to watch you eat from the counter. You got a kick out of his behavior and made a show of enjoying your food, causing him to dramatically turn away. When you grabbed a second slice, he dangled his long legs from the edge and glanced in your direction. 

“Pizza is what I most miss eating,” He confessed sadly. “I liked mine with anchovies.” 

You made a face. “-And you think pineapple is bad?” 

He jumped off and sat with you, reaching over to ruffle your hair. You didn’t necessarily hate it whenver he did that, but it made you feel like a kid again and you were getting picked on by your parents. You shot him a glare when he sat back and attempted to flatten down your hair. 

“Fine. I guess we both like something pretty abnormal.” 

You shook your head and finished your serving for the night, closing the box to store in the fridge in the meantime. You really wanted to make a plate to give to him, so Curioso could try your favorite topping and confess that it wasn’t THAT bad. But you couldn’t. It wasn't possible to have that exchange.

It bugged you more than usual.

He must’ve noticed the change in your demeanor. You were still staring at the inside of your refrigerator, clenching a fist at your side. He curiously called out, “Detective?” 

“I’m fine,” You insisted sternly, moving to take your seat again. When he tilted his mask at you, you sighed. “I just wish you could try it. You’d probably like it.” 

“I wouldn’t. But the thought means so much to me.” His grin grew wider. You smiled back and fidgeted with your sleeve. 

“...By the way, I’ll be getting that book back next week. She called me while I was out today and told me she’s nearly done translating it.” 

His posture fell. “I see.” 

“...It’s a book full of instructions for your box.” You stated, seeking out eyes that he did not have. You wished you could have that contact right now. “..Do you care to tell me about it? Before I get it?” 

“My words won’t change anything. You’re going to get that book and you’ll be able to read it. What is it you want from me?” 

“Your input. Your feelings. They do mean something to me, you know.” 

He studied you for a while. After this long pause, he told you, “Then you’d be the first.” 

You blinked. “You mean the first to…care about how you feel?” He nodded and your lips fell. “Curioso…will you tell me now? About your past?” Your eyes flitted around his mask nervously. “Am I ready for that yet?” 

“I"d rather wait for that conversation,” He bowed his mask. “But I promise I will reveal everything.”

You nodded in understanding, appreciative that he was willing to tell you. He certainly didn’t have to - he could keep everything about himself a secret if he wanted to. You were grateful he was choosing to open up to you, but you felt that the presence of this book was warranting that somehow. 

“I’ll be patient,” You promised. Curioso leaned forward and booped the end of your nose, making you squirm in your seat and bat his hand away. 

“You have no choice!” He exclaimed cheerily. 

Really, it wasn’t that bad. You didn’t normally have company around your house. You once thought of taking in a pet of your own - a cat or a bird, maybe. But you decided it wasn’t worth the hassle of having to take care of it while also juggling your job. Sometimes you were out of town for cases and had to spend nights elsewhere. You hated the thought of leaving a companion of yours frequently like that. 

Curioso was more or less your guest. Except he had no use for any of your amenities - he didn’t drink water and he couldn’t eat food. He didn’t even wash himself in your bathroom, though you had a feeling his limbs and clothes could use a good cleaning. He mentioned something about not being able to take them off, and you weren’t sure if asking him to undress was a conversation you were comfortable with having right now.

All he did around your apartment was watch television, read your books, play board games, and join you while you ate. He did sometimes look out of the window for a long time. You assumed he was enjoying what part of the outside he could see. There were times you debated offering to take him on a walk, or a quick trip to the park, but you weren’t sure if those experiences would be the same if he had to be in his box the entire time.

While you were washing dishes, you decided to be curt about your curiosites. He was right - he had nowhere to go and couldn’t possibly evade whatever you chose to ask. Sure, he was stubborn about some things and refused to give you an answer, but you still had the opportunity to pry. 

“Can you sleep?” You asked, raising your voice so he could hear you over the faucet. 

He was currently fiddling around with a small puzzle box he found in one of your drawers. He seemed to love puzzles as much as you did. “I can and I can’t.” 

You arched an eyebrow. “Meaning..?” 

“In the box I can.” Something clicked and you smiled hearing his small victory. “But when I’m out, there’s no need. I can be awake for weeks..!” 

“Another reason to keep you in at night, then.” 

“I can pretend to sleep if that’ll make you happy...” 

You scrunched up your nose at the thought. “I’d rather not keep you up for eight hours. Wouldn’t it get boring?” 

“It’s not any worse than inside that box.” 

You grabbed a towel to dry the dishes and turned around. He had disassembled the puzzle box so he could try again. You knew he was attempting to get a personal record, a habit of yours as well. 

“What do you do in there?” You crooked your head to the side. “I remember there being a lot of puppets and mannequins, a little theater stage and a room…do you use those?” 

“Perform without an audience? I can’t think of anything worse,” He scoffed. “To answer your question, Detective, I draw and make things. Sometimes I write little plays and act them out…hoping that, someday, I can show somebody.” 

“Now why didn’t you do that instead of kidnapping all those collectors?” 

“It was a fun game..! You played along and enjoyed it, didn’t you? You got to see some of those acts yourself. Remember when you uncovered the mystery of Nancy?” 

You shook your head and turned back to the sink. “I wouldn’t call that ‘fun’.” 

“Agree to disagree.” 

He redirected his focus back to that little puzzle box. You liked seeing him enjoying himself…you had to get more things for him to play with. You would hate for him to have nothing to do around here if there wasn't anything to distract him with. 

He might cause mayhem again, and you didn't want that.

A few days passed and you spent your time with Curioso. You had the free time to spare while you waited for your next big case. You were glad for the distraction. The way you passed the time before was through picking up a new book or getting invested in a TV show. But having your eyes continually glued to something all day wasn’t healthy. You did try to get out more, jogging to the park and back…but you were only ever able to keep it up for a week before you’d be dragged into your next job. It was a ruthless cycle. 

You were playing Operation with Curioso. Something to pass the time with before you’d have to go to bed. You made it a goal of yours to engage in something with him every night. It was the last fun you two would have before he’d return to his box and you would turn in for the evening.

Your fingers slipped and the tongs came into contact with the metal edge, sending a strong vibration to your hand and causing the printed man’s nose to light up brightly, announcing your failure to retrieve his Adam’s apple. 

“Ugh!” You scowled, passing the miniature instrument over into Curioso's artificial hand. You watched as he smoothly grabbed his next piece and dropped it aside.

“Don’t worry, you’re not as bad as I was at this,” He assured you. “When I was little, I couldn’t grab anything for the life of me.” 

“I bet it’s easier with those hands,” You gestured over to his flexing digits. He smiled at you. 

“It is! I have no nerves to give me jitters anymore. I bet you’re jealous.” 

“Oh, terribly.” You rolled your eyes. You were finished with this game so you collected your cards to tally the total. The end result wasn’t surprising at all. “You win, I guess.” 

“Don’t be a sore loser. You did wonderfully..!” 

You eyed all the plastic pieces he had on his side and snorted. “No wonder you beat me at Jenga.” 

“That was fun..! It was hilarious when you knocked the pieces over yourself!"

You cleaned up the game and returned it to its box. These were old ones you’d found at a yard sale years ago and kept around in storage. You only recently surfaced them while trying to find things to do with Curioso. A deck of cards could only play so many games, and you had the faintest feeling he was cheating in them, sometimes. 

“Well, time to hit the hay. Tomorrow we’ll play Monopoly. Probably.” 

He stood to his feet and watched as you returned the game to its cabinet. When you came back, he grasped onto your shoulder tightly and looked you straight in the eyes. At least, you believed he was doing that, with how close his ‘face’ had suddenly gotten to yours. 

“Detective,” He breathed, his voice quiet. “I believe it is time.” 

“-For bed?” 

He shook his head. “To tell you everything.” It clicked in your head and your eyes widened in surprise. “You get that book tomorrow, don’t you? It’s best if you know all of this beforehand.” 

“Are-Are you sure? It’s getting late-” 

“-Please.” He implored. “I’ve been holding off all day. If I procrastinate any longer I may never tell you."

He sounded desperate and anxious. It made your chest swell in anticipation. What was he going to tell you? And why did you need to know all of it? He leaned even closer to you so his set of teeth was only a few inches away. You gulped at the close proximity. 

Two small blue flames lit the sockets of his mask. “Would you like to see inside my soul?”

His Soul (Chapter 10)

Show and Tell

Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?

Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective

--

It took a bit of searching on your end, but you finally tracked down a translator who was able to make any sense of the book. You had reached out to several other people for a week, all of whom sadly informed you that they couldn’t understand it. Still, you remained determined and you were glad your patience finally wore off.

You were sitting in a small office across from a woman who wore a blue suit. Her eyes were wide as she read the book that you left open on her desk. You were still dumbfounded with the news she’d just given to you. 

“You can really read that thing? I haven’t met a single person who could.”

She nodded and leaned back in her seat. “You see, Detective, I used to delve into magic - divination back in my day. This book was written by an enchantress. I recognize the spell that is decrypting it from normal eyes.”

“Huh…” Your mind went back to the time Curioso disabled a concealing spell on that house in your last case. Had he done the same thing to this book to make sure Andrew couldn’t read it? “Are you sure it was an enchantress? Not a…creature of some sorts?”

“Her name is written right here. I can translate this for you, but I’m afraid it will take some time.”

“That’s fine; I’m in no hurry.” You waved your hand. “Just…do you know what it is?”

“Instructions, I think,” She rubbed her chin as she observed the pages. “But what they say and what they are for…I will have to get back to you on that.”

“Great. Just call me on the phone when you make any progress - I’ll pay you in advance.”

She stopped you when you stood from your chair, her eyes lit up in fascination. “I am curious, where did you get this book? I have never seen anything like it.”

“....A friend of mine gave it to me. I’d like to know what it says.” 

“Very well. Expect to hear back from me in a few days…thank you for such an interesting job. I will have fun translating this.”

You stood and dusted off your pants, relieved to have finally found someone for the job. You were antsy to know what this book contained…if she was right, then they could possibly be instructions for Curioso’s box. You desperately needed that, as you couldn’t keep relying on him for its codes and instructions. He lied to you about that before and you were sure he would do it again if it benefited him. 

You handed over some cash and shook her hand, already wishing time would move forward. 

-----

You returned to your office and sat down in your chair. If Curioso sensed that you had the book before, then he must know it was out of your possession now. When you looked up, you found his box lighting up from your shelf. A sign of his presence.

Before he could say a word, you beat him to it. “I don’t have it. Are you happy?”

“Did you destroy it?” 

“No. Just…loaned it to someone. I’ll get it back, but I still don’t know what it is.”

Mist pooled out and you found the projection of his mask greeting you from across the room. He tilted his head. “Who did you give it to?”

“A magician,” You spread your hands out theatrically. 

You thought he might take it as a joke, but that didn’t happen. “You’re smarter than you look, Detective.”

You narrowed your eyes with skepticism. “You still don’t want to tell me what it is? Even if I don’t have it with me anymore?”

“You should have gotten rid of it, that’s all I’m telling you.”

You paused. Something just occurred to you that you should’ve thought about before. “Just a silly question here, but…it’s not going to kill me, right? Or bring a sudden end to the world?”

“Only an end to mine.”

You jumped out of your seat. “It’ll kill you!?”

Curioso laughed really hard. It made you feel ridiculous as you slid back down into your seat. Your face was as red as a tomato for overreacting the way you did. 

“How kind of you to care about me..! But, no. That won’t happen. I’m sorry.” 

You groaned and tried to hide your face. “Believe it or not, I actually WANT you here. Otherwise, I would’ve given you right back to Andrew.” 

“Yes, that’s right. You want me here as part of your things …your collection. Your memories.” 

“No, I-” You were getting flustered over this and you didn’t know why. “I want to get to know you. Isn’t it obvious that’s what I’ve been doing?” 

“You don’t need a book for that. You can ask me all your questions, Detective. I don’t really have anywhere else to go.” 

Your face was still hot and your heart wouldn’t calm down. Something about this conversation was embarrassing you. You grabbed a piece of paper from your drawer and took a deep breath before walking over to Curioso’s box. You held it up and prepared to enter the correct pattern, then you hesitated.

“Do you…want to come out? I mean, if you’re not still mad at me?” Your voice was timid. 

“I always want a breath of fresh air.”

You gave a wryly grin. “You wanna’ watch me do paperwork? Do all the boring detective stuff?” 

“Please. The anticipation is killing me..!”

You chuckled and let him out of the box. The same bright flash ensued and he was standing before you again. You rubbed your eyes as you stumbled back over to your desk. It felt like getting your picture taken with the flash on. You wondered if there could ever be a way to change that. 

“Take a seat anywhere, you can explore my office. Just don’t touch anything.” 

You sat down and grabbed a pencil, preparing to do some work. To your surprise, Curioso didn’t stray very far and instead perched himself on the edge of your desk. He really wasn’t in the way of anything, but his close presence made you nervous. His set of sharp teeth was closer to you than you were comfortable with. 

“There’s another chair right over there,” You pointed across from your desk.

“Ah, but this is annoying you, isn’t it? He grinned. 

“It is, actually. Yeah.” 

“Then I’m not going to move anywhere.”

“Fine."

You began filling out paperwork in spite of his close proximity. You pretended he wasn’t there and you were just doing some work as usual. You were actually able to get a bit done. You paused to stretch your arms and crack your back, suddenly remembering Curioso was right beside you when you accidentally smacked your elbow on him. 

“Whoops - sorry…” 

“I like your name,” He whispered.

You blinked twice before glancing back at the paperwork and found your first and last name signed on the sheet before you. You hadn’t thought he was seriously paying attention to what you were doing. Who in their right mind would willingly watch someone fill out boring papers instead of looking at pictures of your heroic cases? Curioso, apparently. 

“Ah, thank you,” You grew warm again and cleared your throat to change the subject. “So I can ask you questions, right?”

His voice was dramatic. “I guess you can.” 

“Apparently, that book was written by a woman. Do you know who she is?” 

“...” 

“Her name is in there. I’ll be able to find it soon. Is she someone I should get into contact with?”

“NO!” He exclaimed loudly into your ear. 

You flinched and nearly stumbled out of your chair. He noticed your state and withdrew into himself, moving away from your desk and into the seat across from you. He was deliberately trying not to face you.

“Alright, geez.” You rubbed your ear in pain. “So, she’s nobody I should know, apparently?”

“Detective.” His voice cracked. Your heart broke at the sound. “Don’t dig any deeper than you already are. You’re keeping that book despite my wishes - please listen to me and never find that woman.” 

It felt like you lost all your strength. “Okay…I won’t. I promise.” You waited a second before adding, “Can you at least tell me who she is? Why is she so bad?” 

“Patience is a virtue.” He tapped a robotic finger on the edge of the wood. 

You wanted to groan and throw a fit, but now wasn’t the time. He sounded like he was on the verge of crying. You didn’t know if that was possible or not, but you didn’t care to test it. Your eyes traveled down Curioso and you realized you’d never gotten such a good look at him up close. Observing him for too long hadn’t been your goal back at Andrew Collins’ house. You’d been too preoccupied worrying about him getting into anything to really study him before. 

He wore a blue-and-red jester costume, but it was torn in places and had many holes in its fabric. It was also dirty, like it’d been through hell and back. His top hat was in a similar condition, torn at the ends with its colors dull. When you looked at his hand, you found holes, scrapes, and cuts on his mechanical digits and palms. Even his mask, when he turned to look at you, was damaged and missing pieces of its decoration. 

You never noticed how… rough he looked. Like he was something someone had left outside and forgotten about for years - equally as damaged from the weather as he was from the neglect of his owner. Pity swelled in your throat. 

“Are you alright?” The jester queried. 

“I remember you looking a little different,” You confessed. Something was off about him…he was missing those little hats on top of his big one, and you swore he was more colorful before. “Did something happen?” 

“This is how I’ve always looked.” 

“But..” You leaned forward and squinted your eyes. You probably looked ridiculous doing this. You didn’t care. “Your mask isn’t supposed to look like that, is it? Your hands…they’re all damaged. Did…did something hurt you?”

He promptly moved his limbs out of your view. “Just wear-and-tear. I’ve been around for a long time.” 

“When we were in your box-” You pointed at him, the memories flooding back to you. “You looked perfect. Your mask was glittery, your clothes were bright, everything was fine…what happened?”

“I can bend anything to my will there. Anything I want.” His voice grew quiet. “Even myself.”

“You mean you made yourself look like that?” 

“Do you ever want to relive your glory days?” He threw his head back and grinned widely at you. His teeth still remained pearly white and as sharp as always. The only part of him unchanged and intact. “That’s how I used to look. I’m sure you remember a time when you were young and full of energy…” 

You shook your head and sat back down to give him some space. “Alright. I don’t know anything about your kind. But I’m going to assume that’s normal unless you tell me otherwise.” 

“Completely normal.” He insisted. “If you had to wear the same clothes everyday, you’d look just like me after a while.” 

“I don’t have holes in my face or my hands,” You pointed out. 

Curioso slouched in his seat. He clearly wasn’t happy that you were pressing this as much as you were. “They’re artificial. It’s not me. Not really.” 

“What do you mean..?” Why was it always a guessing game with him? Why couldn’t he explain anything to you? “Curioso, I don’t really understand what you are. Can’t you just tell me?” 

“I wish I could, but even I don’t know what I am.” 

“I still don’t understand…”

“What is there to know? I’m a jester in a box. I like collecting human souls and exposing their dark secrets. That’s all there is.”

“I don't think that’s the case. What were you at the carnival?” 

You could’ve sworn his smile grew smaller. He must’ve thought you’d forgotten about that detail, but you didn’t. He confirmed himself that what Andrew said was true. If you couldn’t find out WHAT he was, then you could at least learn where he came from. 

“I was a jester,” He responded. “Telling jokes, making fun, you name it.” 

That , you could believe. But it felt like he was only telling a half-truth. “Really? With all your powers, you only told jokes?” 

“They were good ones..!” 

“Tell me one.”

“ ‘Why don’t cannibals eat clowns? Because they taste funny !’”

“Yeah, there’s no way you were telling that to kids.”

“Maybe I didn’t perform for kids..?”

Now you are getting concerned. “Curioso-”

“-Honest, Detective! I was an entertainer at the circus. For both adults and kids! They loved my show, I’d been doing it for a long time.”

You went quiet as you tapped your pencil on your desk. You were neglecting your paperwork now, but you were far more invested in learning about your friend. Not many people could say they've held conversations like this one. 

“Did you like it?”

He sounded strained. “Of course.”

“Then why did you come out of your box angry? Why did you threaten Andrew? If you loved what you did, why did you want revenge-”

He did something you did not expect - which was to learn towards you, pinch your cheek in between two white fingers, and pull a little too hard.

“You’re so nosy.” He hissed. “Must you know EVERYTHING?”

“Ow!” You swatted his hand off and rubbed the red spot left on your skin. “You said it yourself - I’m a detective. It’s in my job description.”

“Hmm. And you’re putting together the mystery of my past ?” You swore you saw a small flame flicker in his mask’s eye socket. You blinked twice and it was gone.

“If you’re going to make it this much of a challenge, then I might as well.”

He tittered. “You’re so fun. That’s why I like you.” You blushed at his words and scolded yourself for feeling so flattered. “I suppose I can help you solve it, but…you may find things that you don’t like. Are you okay with that?”

“I found a room full of bodies in my last case.” You shuddered at the image left in your mind. “I’m sure that whatever it is, I can handle it.”

He hummed, looking at you for an awfully long time. Then, he said, “I’ll tell you when I feel that you’re ready.”

You wondered when that was going to be.