His Soul (Chapter 11)

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?”

Cursery:The crooked man and crooked cat

pleaaaaseee please tag me again when you draw him ^_^_^_^_^ heeehee he’s veeeery handsome in your style 💗💗💗💗

(@arsene-fixates)

Of course! I'll tag you each time I draw him, you have my promise!

Here's a couple of quick sketches I made just now! @arsene-fixates

his teleporting is so cool

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.

in my grandpa era (suddenly really into corny low budget point & click/hidden object games)