His Soul (Chapter 17)

His Soul (Chapter 17)

Undercover

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

--

Curioso’s mask moved closer as you arranged a blanket over your lap, adding more to the cozy ambience of the room. You knew there were several questions he was waiting to ask, judging by the way his fingers clawed anxiously at his thighs. You decided not to beat around the bush with this news. It was something you’d both been waiting for in these idle weeks. He must be just as excited as you were.

“They reopened the case with Brianna,” You began to explain. “Not the business with her wife - but the investigation with the house. They all laughed at me back then, but they’ve been trying to follow leads on the culprits and haven’t gotten a break since. They put me back on the case since I’ve been the only one to make the most progress.” 

“The police have been mucking around for this long? They should’ve just kept you on to begin with. Why did they take you off the case?” 

“Because they didn’t believe in my ‘nonsense’ about ‘magic and spells’ .” You used air quotations mockingly. “But now I can say I told them so! I…can only hope those people haven’t taken any more victims since our discovery…” 

Curioso raised a thoughtful finger to his mouth. “So, what have they learned? If anything at all?” 

“They tracked down the location in what they believe to be their bolthole. But get this…when they arrived at the place, not a single building could be found.” 

“They’re hiding it again.” 

The grin stretched to both sides of your face. “-Exactly. And that’s where YOU come in. You help me reveal it, we get to the bottom of things, and arrest these people once and for all.” You swiped the TV remote off of the table, sitting up straight as the excitement flooded you. “I’d been hoping to solve the case myself. It’s finally going to happen..!”

“I should apologize for how things went last time. If I’d have cooperated with you, we would’ve solved it long ago…” He bowed his head in regret.

“No, that was my fault. I trapped you when I needed your help. That’s not going to be a mistake I make again.” 

He turned to you appreciatively and moved so he was laying beside you. He lifted his mask and looked into your ceiling, muttering quietly. “I remember someone was obsessed with experimenting on kidnapped persons…injecting them with something mysterious, seeing if they would survive it.” He clasped his hands together and added quietly, “With how many bodies we saw, it must not have been very many. They enjoyed hunting down their sick victims like they were animals.”  

The spark in you slowly blew out, remembering the horrific details of what you were dealing with exactly. “The house must have been a hideaway, since the police were able to find the source of their operation.” 

“I’m not surprised they did. There were plenty of clues that showed whoever was there was writing letters and reporting back to someone by the name of ‘Aydan’.” 

Your mouth fell open in surprise. “What!? Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Oh, yes, I found documents of their call history and a collection of received letters. But you didn’t particularly want my help at the time.” 

You groaned. “Okay, you’ve got to catch me up with everything you found in that house. If we’re to tackle this investigation again, we need to be on the same page.” 

“I’ve no problem with that. I just hope you’ve gained some trust in me so we can work together this time.” 

“I believe I have,” You breathed, remembering how close his body was pressed against yours and the white hand merely inches away from your leg. “With how much you were able to do, you might just be able to solve this entire thing for me.” 

“Detective! I’m starting to think you’re only bringing me along because I have magic and can do most of the work for you.” 

“Believe me, it’s actually the last thing I want.” You pouted. He tilted his head teasingly at you.

“Is someone upset that I did really good at their job? You need not worry - I doubt they’ll hire me to replace you. I don’t believe I meet all their ‘human’ qualifications.” 

Your face was heating up and you pushed aside your blanket. It was getting hot in here. And it certainly wasn’t because you were getting worked up with the fact that Curioso just pointed out your obvious insecurities. The fire was just…roaring! 

“Just give me the breathing room to find things for myself, this time,” You muttered. “You can help me get through doors and all that, but I want to be as involved as you are.” 

“Of course.” 

You nodded to show him your gratitude, then picked up the remote to turn on the TV and scroll through the programs to find something good to watch. He settled in beside you, and you smirked feeling his warm arm pressed against yours. You didn’t notice it, but you shared your body heat with him when the two of you were this close. You wondered if he could even feel it and appreciate it.

You opened your mouth to ask him, but realized pointing out your proximity might cause him to move. And you didn’t want that. You liked his company, laying next to him and watching programs like this. You hoped he didn’t mind it, since he also did not openly address it. Or maybe it was just something you were overthinking and it wasn’t a big deal at all-

The movie began, and you forced yourself back to the present so you could enjoy it. 

You were standing in your bathroom brushing your teeth as you listened to Curioso’s singing in the other room. It was an incredibly rare sound, to hear him humming or singing, or doing anything but standing still and observing you. But it made sense, because today was the day you two were heading out and officially re-starting your investigation. You’d be following the address the authorities provided you and seeing if you could locate and search the area yourself. You were instructed to apprehend any suspects and take them in for questioning. Or at the very least, learn of their current whereabouts so they could do it. 

Your eyes wandered the mirror in front of you, observing your tired face and pajama-clad body. You still needed to complete your morning routine before you could go anywhere. You asked Curioso to brew you some coffee to save you some time, which is what you presumed he was doing in the other room while he sang. 

After you rinsed out your mouth and wiped your face, you jumped at the sudden sight of the tall jester standing in the bathroom’s doorway. He was holding out your favorite mug filled with coffee, which had such a delicious aroma that your lips craved to drink already. You took it from him with grateful hands and took a long sip, enjoying its taste and the way the caffeine took immediate effect.

You looked at him suspiciously. “You didn’t spike this, did you?”

He held his hands behind his back. His smile appeared wider. “If I did, I think you’ll be thanking me, for the big day we have ahead of us.” 

“Mm,” You nodded, licking the remnants off your lips. He was still standing there, looking at you, and you couldn’t help observing him. The imperfections of his mask still bothered you, but you weren’t going to pry about that now. Instead, your attention was directed to the sharp smile in front of you. “Do you brush your teeth?” 

He didn’t even react. “No.”

“Then how do they stay so white?” 

“Detective, I might blow your mind with this answer, but…” He wiggled his fingers in front of him. “- Magic .” 

“Hm. And your breath somehow stays nice and fresh, too?”

“I don’t breathe.” 

“...You’re an awfully boring conversationalist.” 

You nudged past him with a mischievous smile and he scoffed at your words, following right behind you on your tail. You set your coffee down and headed into your room to get dressed for the day. As the door closed behind you, your friend did not follow you in, respecting your privacy like you asked of him. But you knew he was waiting for you on the other side, because he always did. 

 “Are you excited?” His voice was muffled behind the wood. 

You slipped on your shirt and smiled to yourself. “Of course I am.” 

“Do you think we’ll manage to solve it in one day?” 

“Maybe. With your help, we probably will.” 

“...You hold me to such a high degree, but you’re forgetting that you’re the superior collector here. I gave you very little help when you solved the fate of those collectors.” 

“You’re just buttering me up.” You grew hot and bothered underneath your clothes. You always got like this whenever he complimented you or your detective skills. 

“My praise does not come so easily..! I have no doubts you’ll impress everybody today.” 

You twisted the knob and opened the door to find him seated just outside. He sprang to his feet and you pointed at him when he was up. 

“Same goes for you . Seriously, I wouldn’t be able to do this without your help. You were right, last time…I’d have been driving myself around in circles if it weren’t for you.” 

He appeared to be at a loss for words. You strolled around him and back into your kitchen, picking up your coffee and grabbing one of the oranges from your fruit bowl. You began peeling it as you sat at the table, which was littered with papers and notes. Curioso had already gone over all the details of the case with you yesterday, but now it appeared he was collecting and putting the evidence together. You arched an eyebrow at him when he came in and sat in the chair beside yours. 

“Did you keep these from the house?”

“Only some of them are real, I’m afraid the others are only what I can remember,” He picked up some of the papers and began to stack them. “Just in case you need to review what we know.”

“Great.” You blew a strand of hair from your face and sulked in the chair. “I rushed to get out of there and missed collecting a bunch of evidence.”

“Why did you leave so quickly?”

“I…” You looked away from him. “You and I weren’t talking anymore and it wasn’t great. It didn’t help when the police laughed at me when I tried to explain what we found.” 

“Our little dispute bothered you that much?” 

“Well…yeah.” Your eyes slowly met the sockets of his mask. “We’d been finally getting along and working together. It was nice talking to you so much. And then I screwed everything up and it was gone.”

He hummed and looked away. “I didn’t enjoy it, either. It hurt immensely when you trapped me again. I’d been only trying to help you. And then you threw my box in your car and everything was upside down.” 

You winced hearing this. “I hope I’ve made up for it. This time, things are going to go better; I’ll make sure of that.” 

You ate the slices of your orange while your partner went through all the papers for a second time. He used a paperclip to hold it all together and held out the stack to you when he was finished. You took it from him and slid it in your bag. You stood from the table and walked around your apartment to make sure you had everything ready for the day that stood ahead of you. 

He followed you downstairs as you entered your office. You took Curioso’s box from the memorabilia display and slid it in the last free space of your bag. He looked at you curiously and you tipped your hat at him with a wink. 

“Just in case.”

“In case you want to put me in there?” He asked. 

“In case you need to go in. Think of it as a last resort if anything goes…wrong.” 

He went quiet as you finished turning off the lights and locking up your office. You hesitated at the threshold separating your building from the city streets. When you looked back inside, Curioso was no longer standing across from you. You looked around briefly in confusion before you glanced down and found his small face displayed on the lapel of your coat. 

“Ready to go..!” He announced. You shook your head and finally shut the door. 

The drive took a few hours and you spent that time conversing with Curioso. He retreated to his box for the ride and had been speaking to you from the passenger seat. The two of you discussed more about the case and lended your theories and suspicions on what was going to happen at their main operating quarters. Who were these people, and what was their goal exactly? Were they trying to develop a medicine or test some poison on their victims? If they were kidnapping people for these experiments, then you had a feeling it wasn’t for a good reason. 

Then there was the matter of magic. Who had concealed that house? It was obvious they were hiding what they were doing, preventing anyone from finding the killed victims…but using magic was such a bizarre way of doing it. Not only did they have to find someone capable of it, but who was also okay with the reasoning for it. Because surely no one would hide a house for a bunch of people without questioning it? Or maybe they had enough money to spare and be hush-hush about it. 

You were going to find out soon. 

When you arrived at the area, you parked a little farther away so as to not be seen so quickly. You didn’t feel the strange sensation as you had last time…you had no issue pulling near the spot marked on your map. You were feeling completely at ease. It was almost off-putting, making you think you were at the wrong place or maybe the police had actually found a faulty lead. 

You leaned over and pressed one of the gems on Curioso’s box. You understood how he revealed the house last time. Reading that book has answered so many of your questions. Pressing a particular gem allowed him to extend his magic beyond the box. Therefore, he was able to dispel what was hidden. You turned your head and widened your eyes as a large estate came into view - filling the once-empty field that had been nothing but stray haystacks and junk lying around.

You pumped your first in the air. “Yes! Thank God!”

“Don’t do that ever again,” Curioso reprimanded you. You shrunk in your seat and shrugged sheepishly. “The concealing spell on this place is stronger than the last. I handled it just fine, but this definitely means it’s their home.” 

You leaned against the glass and observed your surroundings. The estate before you was a grand place with a courtyard in the back. It sat on a mountain overlooking the ocean below, whose waves thrashed wildly and unpredictably. The weather was cloudy and humid outside. You could taste the salt on your tongue as you rolled down the window. This was a desolate area in the countryside, the nearest human activity being several miles away in the city. It was an ideal spot to have a hidden base. 

Your eyes locked on some movement from the windows, spotting figures inside. There were quite a few people there despite the lack of cars and vehicles around you. You hadn’t expected a full house. You worried your bottom lip between your teeth, wondering how to go about apprehending and questioning these people. You were in their territory, now - and you’d be outnumbered if they wished to try anything. You didn’t fancy dying while handling this case. 

“I don’t know if I can sneak inside. There’s too many people here. How do we do this? Can you hide me ?” 

“Let’s say I could, but it wouldn’t last forever. You’d have to work quite fast. How’s that field & track training, Detective?”

You groaned and pressed your head on the steering wheel. “It’s been far too long.”

“How about just calling the police already? The house is here now. But there’s no telling how long until they notice their spell is broken. You need to act quickly.” 

He had a good point. You flipped open your cell phone and dialed 9-1-1…only for the call to never go through, dropping dead the instant it tried to connect. You had no reception out here and there had been no call boxes on the way. You swore audibly under your breath and scowled at the small screen. 

“ Shit! I should’ve called them before we ever came out here.” You grit your teeth together in frustration. 

“Then we need to act now…let’s try going undercover. Pretend to be one of them and say you were sent by Sophie. Ask to speak with the boss.” 

You rubbed your chin, impressed. “That’s not bad for some last-minute planning.” 

“I make a fine partner, if I say so myself..! You might want to change into something less…conspicuous.” 

You glanced down at your trench coat, hat, and gloves, the prime ensemble of a detective. You nodded in agreement and reached around to grab your extra set of clothes. You always kept an extra pair in your car for an emergency, or for this particular reason…As you were about to undergo this uncomfortable change in tight quarters, you glanced at the box and felt your face burn deeply. 

“Do you mind not looking, for a minute?”

“My eyes are closed..!”

“You don’t have any-” You decided not to bicker with him and pulled off your shirt. “Just keep an eye on the house for me, will you?” 

You managed to change into the clothes, turned away from the box while you tried not to make so much movement. Soon, you were in a change of a button-up shirt, pants, and regular shoes. You scrutinized your look for a minute, thinking deeply and turning to Curioso after a moment. 

“Do you think it’s fine? Or should you conjure me up some cultist clothes?”

“We’ll have to take the gamble. Just don’t act suspiciously.” 

You had a determined look as you opened the car door and shut it behind you. You were deliberately leaving the box behind, but made sure your bag was on your person. You glanced down to see the grinning face of Curioso attached on the outside. You sighed in relief and began climbing up, trying to keep your wits about you. You rehearsed what to say in your head several times, feeling a little unsure if you could pull this off… 

Soon, you were facing the tall front doors. You could hear the sound of chatter inside. You leaned forward and used one of the lion head knockers, wincing when the noise was incredibly pronounced on these sturdy doors. After a minute, someone opened the door, an older man with graying hair and a mustache. Immediately, he closed it behind him and stepped forward to advance on you. 

You hadn’t been expecting it and stepped back in surprise. This man’s green’s eyes were on yours in an instant, his suspicion evident.

“Who are you?” He implored. 

Despite having an imaginary script of this conversation in your head, your tongue failed to find words. “I - I am here for-”

“-For the initiation?” He asked skeptically, eying you up-and-down. You hoped your disguise was sufficient and you would not have to procure your badge and state your real business for being here. 

‘The initiation?’ You wanted to ask, but instead you nodded. “Yes, the initiation. Am I…late?” 

He visibly relaxed, but crossed his arms to show his resignation. “Forgive me - we are always suspicious of unexpected guests. Had you come here any other day, we would have killed you on the spot.”

Your face blanched. He chuckled at your reaction.

“I’m kidding! It’s nice to see a newbie come around here for once. Not many of you show up for our commencement parties. But we have been in need of new recruits ever since…one of our locations was discovered by the police.” 

His eyes appeared to peer through your soul. You gulped and tried to maintain your composure. “Yes, actually, it was Sophie who told me to come here and join you.” 

He looked at you quizzically. “The name doesn’t ring a bell, but she must have been working under Nathan. Come inside. You’ll speak with Aydan, and if you meet his qualifications, you’ll go into the courtyard to start your initiation.” 

You followed after him trying not to wring your hands together. The inside was darker than it was outside - the wallpaper a crimson red, and the carpets and furniture an ivory black. The lights were dim but they also weren’t - flickering to provide just enough light to each person who came around it. You turned your head to look at the different portraits and pictures hanging around, of various well-dressed people and animals. It looked like a wealthy scene, proving your suspicion that these people must have enough money for bribery. 

While you looked around, Curioso’s whisper came into your ear. “You are treading dangerously.” 

You whispered back as quietly as you could in the direction of your bag. “This is good. If I can get a direct look into who runs this place and what they do, it’ll make it easier to arrest who’s in charge and bring this whole operation down.” 

He didn’t say anything to that, and you followed this man as you two walked through different crowds of people. They were holding drinks and laughing, talking together as they made different gestures with their hands. You spotted one man who seemed to procure a champagne bottle out of nowhere and pour it into a lady’s awaiting glass. When your eyes glossed over to her, she pulled out a small piece of paper that had writing mysteriously appear on it without any mark of a pencil or pen. 

Are they using magic? 

Your thoughts were disrupted when he stopped in front of you and gestured to a door. “He’s right in here. Inform him you are here for the initiation, and he will begin the questioning.” 

You nodded your thanks and he dismissed himself. You attempted to watch him leave the hallway, but he stopped and turned to watch you before he could disappear out of his sight. You exchanged a polite smile before turning the knob and walking inside the room. You quickly shut it behind you and glanced forward, only for your eyes to lock with the orange ones of a stout man sitting behind a large desk. 

'Orange eyes?' You dwelled over the peculiarity for only a second before your attention flitted over to who was beside him. 

And your jaw dropped in shock.

To get around the whole Sam-having-a-voice-recorder plot hole thing, Oscar should've nabbed that and his journal when he was unconscious. So Sam could've woken up to the sight of him flipping through what he wrote and tsking.

"Sam? You seem to have written here that you were going to 'stop me' and see 'who's playing whose game'. How did that work out for you? Care to give any updates on that?"

Pointing pointing omg I also love Phantom of the Opera game i haven't played it in years but I should

I also have played True Fear Forsaken Souls and quite liked it ^-^

!!!! You really should replay it, I'm on a replay right now and it's so great!!

The True Fear games are soooo good! I can't wait for the next game coming out this October. Hope to catch some more horror-themed HOPAs too!

So Big Fish Games is having a site sale on their Detective games(up to 55% off) including maaaany Hidden Object games like Mystery Case Files!!

One of my favorites is on sale rn!!

Big Fish Games :: Safe & Secure Game Downloads

Weird Park: Broken Tune > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game | Big Fish

Explore a haunted amusement park in Weird Park: Broken Tune! Investigate a rash of “accidental” deaths and solve the case!

His Soul (Chapter 15)

Restoration

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

--

The figurines found their way on the edge of your desk, facing you as you tackled your day-to-day work. It made a lovely decoration to your space, adding more color and giving you the proud opportunity to present yourself to your clients. If anyone asked, it was commissioned work you’d gotten from an artist, and if anyone implored about the tall clown next to it, you were willing to shrug it off and say that you found it somewhere online. 

…Sure, you’d be lying, but what else could you say? ‘My magical jester friend made it for me! You should meet him!’ …That was out of the question!

As you sat down and got to business, your eyes kept moving over to your newly-acquired gifts. At first, it was in awe, admiring the presents made for you and appreciating them as much as you did the night you’d gotten them. But after a week of staring at the statuettes, it was clear that Curioso’s small likeness was reminding you of a matter you’d been avoiding. 

It would be best if the both of you confronted it sooner rather than later. 

With a long breath, you stood from your desk and walked upstairs into your apartment, where you knew he would be sorting through folders of your pictures. You were going to arrange them in a better fashion, find any from your previous cases and move them into their proper dossiers. But that was something you were going to worry about later…what was on your mind now was much more important. 

You leaned in the doorway and watched as Curioso’s long fingers flipped through your carefully-laminated photographs. He was observing each of them, lingering on an individual picture before moving to the next. He must’ve been so absorbed in this process that he hadn’t noticed your arrival. You didn’t bother announcing yourself or even clearing your throat - the matter found its way out of your mouth before you could stop it. 

“We need to talk about something.” 

Your friend jumped a good foot in the air, whipping around to you in surprise. A weird feeling of satisfaction momentarily filled you, as you had never startled him like this. He was always the one stumbling upon you, producing himself out of thin air whenever he chose to teleport. He could be talkative when you got going in a conversation, but he was always so quiet about moving around your space. Usually, the tell-tale sign of him would be his bells, if he produced enough movement to stir them.

“About what?” He inquired, gently setting your folder down on the table. 

He sounded nervous. You felt so, too. You hadn’t rehearsed this conversation before having it. You felt worried you were going to say something stupid. How could you tread on such fragile ground without having any practice? 

“About…you.” Your shoulders slumped as you gestured to him. “Your, ah, situation.” At his confusion, you decided to be a bit more detailed. “I’m talking about your clothes. They’re a mess, and I want to change that.” 

He slowly rose to his feet, his gaze never leaving yours, even as you had to angle your head upwards when his taller stature towered over you. 

“And how do you intend on doing that ?” He asked curiously. You knew your cheeks were beet red right now. 

“Well…for starters, maybe I can wash that costume of yours. And, uh, Audrey can help me sew up any holes or…whatever else needs fixed with it.” 

“Why bother? I’m in control of what I look like. If I wanted a hole mended, I would do it myself. Without ever touching any of the fabric, mind you.” He was boasting, and something in you wanted to lower his ego. You couldn’t have him walking around in such a state and feeling fine with it. 

“Then why don’t you do it?” You challenged him. 

“Maybe because I don’t want to?” He cautiously took a step back from you. “Un-Unless you’ve suddenly come up with a strict dress code that I don’t know about..?” 

“No, but that would’ve been smart.” An airy chuckle left your throat. “I just don’t like it. You should be in better clothes; you don’t have to wear those anymore. Why haven’t you changed from them?”

“I-I can’t,” He responded weakly. You took a step forward. 

“Why not? Are they glued to you or something?” 

“No, but - well,” He huffed. He didn’t say anything, appearing to be at a loss for words, so you decided to head in a different direction with this conversation. 

“And those doll prosthetics you have…they’re damaged and dirty. The least I can do is clean them and find a way to patch them up. Nothing is really impossible-”

“Why are you giving me all this attention?” He was flustered and uncomfortable, shifting away from you until he was practically backed against the wall. “I don’t need anything..!” 

“Maybe you don’t. But I want to help you clean up.” 

“I’m sure my appearance doesn’t get in the way of what I do for you-” 

“Curioso, stop arguing and let me help you!” 

“And what if I don’t WANT your help?” 

“Why would you want to live with this damage? Do you really want to look like this for the rest of your days?” 

Your tone was exasperated and you certainly felt like it. This particular comment got the jester to sag on the wall and look away from you. He crossed his arms. 

“I’m nothing,” He reminded you. “Under these clothes are nothing. Do you know what it’s like to be an empty space? It’s not fulfilling. I like to know and feel that I am wearing something. It gives me a good sense of what and where I am. Without that, I…” He seemed to lose his voice for a moment. His mask turned back to you. “...I feel exposed.” 

Your eyes widened. “You don’t have an artificial torso or anything?” When he shook his head ‘no’, your eyes traveled over the rest of his form. “What’s under your pants?” 

“Detective..! You could treat me to dinner before asking such questions-” 

“--You can’t even eat!” 

“What a pity! I guess you’ll never see what’s there, then.”

Was he play-flirting with you right now? You had no time to think about what he meant by that. “That doesn’t answer my question on why you don’t just fix your clothes yourself? If you can manipulate what you look like-” 

“-It’s hard , alright!?” He exclaimed, alarming you with his raised tone. “When I am out of that box, I feel less like I’m in control. It’s incredibly easy to fix myself in there, but out here , I…I can hardly keep my top hat on, sometimes.” His posture deflated as he lowered his mask in defeat. “I don’t know what’s causing it. I used to be much better than this.” 

You moved closer and patted him on the shoulder. You were getting more comfortable with physically comforting him now. “Maybe your magic weakened after how much that enchantress took you out?” 

“That’s not a bad theory…” He seemed to think about it. “When I’m outside, I think of myself ‘as is’ . Because..it’s what I am. I’m broken and my costume is in shambles, no matter how hard I try to fix it.”

He raised his head and met your gaze. He was finally succumbing to your request. “If you helped me, and I had a better ‘as is’ , it might make things…easier…” You gestured for him to go on, and he finished his thought with a grumble. “...So, fine , you can do it if it doesn’t bother you.”

“Why would it bother me?”

“Would having a floating mask and a mouth of sharp teeth unsettle you?” His grin appeared sinister. 

“I mean. It is you .”

“And you wouldn’t be afraid? What if I touched you with no hand? Would you be scared, then?”

“I think anyone would if you did that without their permission!” You recoiled. “I want to give you something nice in return for what you do for me.”

“My kindness is not something to be repaid, but I will be grateful all the same.” 

You smiled at him appreciatively, hoping that this was a step in the right direction, and you could help restore him to how he once was.

Curioso was extremely tense when the time came for his cleaning. But as he stood there, looking so badly damaged and torn apart from head-to-toe, you knew this was the right thing to do. He handed you his top hat first, unclasped the small belt around his waist, and then hesitated when it came to do anything more. Your eyes had been studying the part of his mask that was usually hidden from you. You were snapped back to reality when he shifted on his feet uncomfortably. 

“I - If you don’t want to, uh, undress in front of me, you can…just use the bathroom..” You suggested timidly. 

“Can I stay in there until you’re done?” He implored. You nodded, the concern still finding its way on your face.

“You know, you’re free to be around while I’m doing this…You don’t have to hide away just because you’re not-” 

“-Come, now, Detective, I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to see you walking around your place naked..!” 

He practically sprinted to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. You followed his path and waited outside, trying not to listen to the sounds from within, but recognizing the noises of fabric rustling and bells jingling. You attempted to picture what it looked like behind that door, if he was truly invisible or not, but you quickly shook those thoughts from your mind. You placed a hand over your mouth as you realized how improper that line of imagery had been. 

Sure, he might be invisible, but…that didn’t make it right. Maybe he had a point. He was maintaining his propriety by waiting in there until you were done. 

You knocked a knuckle against the door. “If it helps, you can wash up in there while I work on your clothes. Your arms and legs can wait, if that makes you comfortable.” 

“Great!” The door opened just a smidge and his costume was shoved in your hands. “Have fun!” 

It closed again and you heard the sound of the lock being set in place. You looked at the wood strangely before climbing downstairs and neatly unfolding the fabric in your hands. You’d cleared off your desk completely to make room for what you had to work on. On it was a borrowed sewing machine and a few supplies, needles, thread and the sort. Sitting in a chair was your friend Audrey, who smiled at you when you entered her sight. Her attention moved to what was in your hands and she cringed. 

“Oh, dear. How did they get that bad?”

“I imagine it’s had at least thirty or even forty years of wear,” You sucked in a breath through your teeth as you sat down. “But with a little love, anything is possible.” 

“I’ll say,” She mumbled as she inspected the top hat next. 

You weren’t sure what she thought of the costume, but you were glad she hadn’t made any comments yet. You were thrilled when she agreed to head over and help you with some mending today. She had more experience with repairs like this. Your sewing skills were pretty limited, having only taken a home economics class back in high school. She’d made some alterations to your coats and gloves before, so you had complete faith that she will do justice with Curioso’s ensemble. 

While she was patching the holes in the top hat, and you were practicing your sewing skills on his pants, your friend’s voice startled you and caused you to prick your finger with the end of the needle. Audrey was immediately apologetic - but she made sure to give you a proper scolding. 

“Detective! Do you think the thimbles are here for decoration?” 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” You rolled your eyes, sucking on the end of your finger to numb the pain. “What did you say?” 

“I was asking if these belonged to your…jester friend. What was his name again?” 

“Curioso.”

“It’s actually a pretty name,” Her eyes were focused on her work rather than you. “It’s so nice of you to want to do this for him. You’ve always been a selfless person. It’s why you do what you do, isn’t it?” 

“Of course. And I’m so happy you wanted to help me with this. I mean it, Audrey, I don’t know how to make it up to you.” 

“Just don’t forget your promise to visit me and tell me all about your cases. I’m afraid Curioso will take you away from me completely..!” 

“Come on, that’s not going to happen. He’s my best friend.” It was the first time you’d said it aloud and your eyes widened at the honesty. You worried it would’ve upset her, but Audrey said nothing to that. She looked to be nearly smiling. 

“You two must get along well if you spend so much time together.” 

“He’s - more like a roommate in that way, really…”

 “If you say so~,” she replied in a singsong way. You glared at her for her teasing, but her lips were stretched to her cheeks, relishing in your embarrassment. You had a feeling her words would be repeating in your mind in the near future. 

You didn’t want to read into anything right now - you had to focus on getting these clothes mended..! 

It took you a couple of hours, but soon, Curioso’s attire was patched and sewn back together. It looked much better than it did, and you felt proud of the work you two had accomplished. He was going to be so happy with it, you just knew it..! And you only had Audrey to thank for it all. You made your gratitude clear as you embraced her by the front door, squeezing your friend in a moment of excitement. 

“Make sure you remember to wash it,” She dutifully reminded you as you pulled back. “And for those other things…I grabbed you some special glue and some wax. Remember to soften the material so you can reshape those areas.” 

You blinked in surprise. “So you’ve done some research on this.”

“Of course. Anything for you.” She patted your arm affectionately. “Good luck.” 

“Get home safely. And save me a doughnut for tomorrow morning, will you? You make the best chocolate twists.” 

She gave you her promise and left your office. You spun around to gather the clothes from the desk and prepare them for washing. Your work wasn’t done yet - you needed these cleaned and dried before Curioso could wear them again. You wouldn’t have him looking at these again until they were pristine. You were determined to make that happen. 

You climbed upstairs and noticed the bathroom door was still closed. You knocked on it to check if Curioso was still in there, and the sound of water slightly sloshing caught your attention. 

“Decided to take a bath, have you?” You grinned coyly. 

“Your advice was good. I’ve cleaned myself up as best as I could.” Some more sounds came - he must be getting out of the tub. “Do you need my limbs now?” 

“If you don’t mind. Your clothes should be ready in an hour or so. Is that alright?” 

A dissatisfied groan met your ear through the wood. “I’d rather not be left like this for so long, but…whatever it takes.” 

“Couldn’t you just go back in the box for a bit? I’m sure your dolls won’t judge you for being naked.” 

“ Hilarious .” Curioso’s annoyed voice made you bite your lip. The door abruptly opened again and four appendages were handed to you. “Here. Try not to break them if you can.”

“You know…” You took them in your arms and held them delicately. It was a little weird, but that was fine. “...You could always just take some new ones off of those puppets you have. I don’t have to fix these up if you’d rather replace them.” 

“They’re my favorite. Not all dolls are made to be so flexible. If you wouldn’t mind…please be careful with them.” 

“Okay…do you want anything? Are you all good?” 

“I want this to be over with. Please hurry up.” 

“Fine, fine.” You waved him off as you trudged away. You’d make this quick, but you weren’t going to force your process. “I’ll be done before you know it.” 

If that meant you’d be wrapping up by dinner time, then you did a good job on being timely. You felt guilty, having cooped your friend up in the bathroom for so long, but at least you were proud of what you did. It wasn’t something quick and sloppy - you took your time and paid attention to every detail, just like he did making that figurine of you. If he took the utmost care of your gifts, then you’d do the same for him.

..Even if his nagging about how long it took was a little annoying. You hoped Curioso knew how much you were willing to do for him. 

He swiped the material from your hands the second the door was open. Then it was shut - and you idled patiently until he emerged from the bathroom. It was a wonderful sight…he looked nearly like he did in that box, except without all the fancy glitter and shimmering from the golden parts of his hat and bells. It wasn’t perfect, it looked much better under his own altering, but it was definitely an improvement from before. 

Your eyes lit up as you drank in the sight of him. “You look incredible!” 

“It’s nice not wearing something that’s been so badly abused,” He twirled on his heel for effect. “You did a great job, Detective. Thank you.” 

Your smile only grew wider as you observed him enjoying his fixed clothes. But when you faced his mask, your lips fell as it dawned on you. The one part you hadn’t fixed was his face. Parts of his mask were still torn and cut. How could you have forgotten the most vital part? Without warning, you stepped forward and reached for it. As your fingers grazed the cheeks of his visage, Curioso made a nose and stumbled backwards. 

You stiffened and automatically reached for him. “I-I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?” 

“No, no, it’s..” He looked to be catching a breath that he didn’t really need. “Why were you touching my mask?” 

“It’s still damaged. I forgot to ask for it. I should’ve fixed it, too, I’m sorry-” 

“-Don’t worry about it. Let’s, uh, leave that part alone for now, shall we?” 

You dropped your arm. “Are you sure? The mask is kind of important-” 

“Absolutely!” His tone sounded too stressed for your liking. “You’ve already done so much for me…let’s get some food in your belly and send you off to bed, hmm?” 

“Ah…alright. If you say so.” 

He had a skip to his step as he headed towards your kitchen. You followed after him with a slower pace, rubbing your fingertips together as you recalled the texture of his mask. The feeling it brought to your fingers - they were still buzzing from the contact. You’d never actually touched him there before, and the experience felt a bit more...intense. 

You wanted more of it.

His Soul (Chapter 18)

Elise

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

--

Next to the man you assumed was ‘Aydan’ stood a suited figure with their hands clasped behind their back. Their hourglass figure made you believe it was a woman, but no hair cascaded down the red shoulders of the suit. What caught your attention was the glaring fact that this person did not have a face. Or any head at all. It was simply a blank space above the collar of the suit, and from where you were sitting, you did not see any neck leading to the body. You would have believed it was a mannequin, had the figure not slightly shifted under your attention.

You didn’t realize you were gawking.

It reminded you of Curioso - lacking any human skin, almost appearing invisible. Your partner wore a mask, so it was easy to tell where his eyes would be, but what you were looking at now…it was hard to pinpoint where it was facing exactly. Your attention was directed away when the man across from you loudly cleared his throat.

“Good afternoon. I trust Clinton led you here with no trouble?” He asked politely. His voice was deep and inviting.

You took this opportunity to lower yourself in the awaiting chair, sitting up professionally. You wore the most genuine smile you could manage. “Oh, yes, he was very helpful.”

“Good, good.” He sniffed, reaching into his desk and surfacing a piece of paper. “I was told you’re here for the initiation?”

Still not knowing what you were getting yourself into, you nodded helpfully. He bobbed his head a little in return and wrote something down. In this brief second, your eyes darted over to the suited being beside him, who had not moved an inch.

“So, let’s get the obvious out of the way. What do you practice?”

You blinked at him. “What?”

He shook his head. “Sorry, I forgot you’re a novice. What field of magic are you practicing?”

You had absolutely no idea how to answer this question. Prior to Curioso coming into your life, you knew very little of magic. When you first started your detective job, your belief in the supernatural was limited. But after the cases you’ve been on and the things you’ve seen, you’ve only recently begun to truly believe in things that challenged the laws of nature. Obtaining this jester and his box flipped your whole world view upside down - as they were visible proof that magic existed.

But even the book you read about his magic and his curse supplied little to you in the vast field of sorcery, so you didn’t know how to respond. You sat there with your mouth open, the word ‘divination’ on the tip of your tongue, as that was what the translator had told you she practiced, but you were interrupted before that term slipped out.

Curioso’s voice whispered in your ear. “Tell him ‘pyromancy’.”

“Pyromancy.” You blurted out.

His eyes glistened before he scribbled this information down. You began to sweat in your seat. What was pyromancy again..? A pyromaniac was someone who was obsessed with setting things on fire…so if you combined the two in this context…

“It’s the first question we ask because anyone who comes to our commencement must be practicing magic, otherwise how else could they have come here?” He gestured around with his hands and chuckled.

You laughed as well - just now realizing that you were the only person here who was not an enchanter, and had only arrived by chance that you were with someone who was. Only people who could magically see past the concealing spell could have found this place. Dear God. There was no backing out of this now, was there?

“As for the next obvious question - your name?”

You supplied him with a fake one on the spot, knowing that your true identity would lead to your police status. You’d have to stick with this alias during your time here…you clasped your hands in your lap to stop yourself from fidgeting. You couldn’t appear nervous. You’re a novice pyromancer here for an initiation…but initiated into what, exactly?

Aydan asked for more information from you, such as your age, how long you’ve been practicing your field, and other things you could easily lie through your teeth for. It wasn’t until he moved the subject to their organization that you found yourself growing nervous.

“-And how did you hear about us?” He asked with intrigue, leaning back in his chair and looking at you.

“Ah-” You decided to try this for a second time, even though it hadn’t worked with Clinton. “Sophie suggested that I join. She told me all sorts of good things about…what you do here, and I’ve finally come around to see it all for myself.”

“Sophie…Carter?” His eyebrows furrowed together and he turned around to face the filing cabinet behind him. But the suited assistant by his side was already skimming through a drawer and handed him a folder - which he took and opened on the desk in front of him. “...As I thought. She was one of many that was recently detained by the police.”

You feigned surprise. “She was? I guess that’s why I haven’t heard from her in awhile…”

He shut it and sighed, handing the dossier back to the one in the suit. As they took it, you saw a petite gloved hand take it from him. But there was no wrist to be seen in between the glove and the sleeve.

“The sacrifices we have to make…We shouldn’t have to worry about any more police interference. We learned what we did wrong with that location.”

This piqued your curiosity, but prying about it might arouse his suspicion, so you kept quiet. You were too busy eying the one beside him, studying the slim suit and the constantly-upright posture. It almost looked like a butler, ready to serve even the slightest demand.

When you caught Aydan’s orange eye again, he was grinning at you. “Fascinated by her, aren’t you?”

Your eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t seem upset…so maybe honesty wouldn’t hurt. “I am, yes. What is she?”

You felt rude not addressing her directly, but you wanted to play things safe. Aydan turned in his seat and admired the suited woman for himself, who stood stock-still with the utmost politeness. You couldn’t imagine where she was looking - but you presumed she had her head held high.

“It’s the greatest thing I have ever come across,” His yellow teeth shined as his grin widened, reaching out to trace a hand along her suited side. This action made you uncomfortable, but she hadn’t faltered in the slightest. “Magical servants. Bounding their soul to you for an eternity. Answering to you, serving you however you’d like, giving you whatever you need…just like a real servant, but they never die or complain. Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

“I haven’t,” You lied. “It sounds incredible.”

“They are extremely rare. I was incredibly fortunate to come across Elise. She has been my servant for many, many years.” He puffed his chest out as he continued to boast. “Sure, they’re a little strange, not having any faces or bodies…but if you make them wear something, then it’s not all that bad.”

You watched the two with intrigue. “How did you get her, exactly?”

You saw a flash of mischievousness in his eye as he addressed you. He shook his head. “I can’t spill my secrets. But just know that they are one in a million, and if you ever meet someone who has one, you better try killing them for it.”

Your smile felt tight trying not to react to that last part. Aydan looked down at the paper and read over everything he’d written. He looked satisfied as he checked something off and dropped his pen. “Looks like you’re a good fit for our family. If you pass initiation, and you have enough training, you’ll be experienced enough to work with us soon.”

“Training?” You implored.

“It’s recommended for newbies like you to work under the wing of one of our more experienced employers.” He paused to shrug. “-Unless you impress me at the initiation today. But be warned: I am one of the best maguses you’ll ever meet, so leaving an impression on me is incredibly…rare.”

You swallowed to get the moisture back in your throat. You didn’t even know where to begin with pyromancy, so you had no idea how to stand out besides being incredibly…incapable of any magic. Still, you held your bright expression and nodded to him in understanding.

“Feel free to mingle and meet some of our members at the party. Initiation starts in a couple hours, where you’ll be tested with a few other newcomers for entry into our club.” He glanced you over and turned to Elise. “Get our new arrival some more…fitting clothes to wear, will you?”

She conjured up some elaborate silk clothes for you. Curioso’s magic had blue and red colors that accompanied all his conjurations and spells, but Elise’s was a bright pink. Which was a color you’d also occasionally seen from your jester. You took them from her with a polite bow.

“Thank you.”

She simply held her hands together and Aydan flicked his wrist at you. “Put those on when you have the time, and enjoy some of our wine while you’re here.”

You were finally dismissed from the room, rushing away from the door to get as far away as possible. Once you were in a more desolate part of the hallway, you slumped against the wall and let out a deep sigh. At least that was over with…and it went pretty well. You were positive you hadn’t appeared suspicious at all.

“His aura wasn’t THAT impressive,” Curioso murmured in your ear. Your eyes widened and you involuntarily gasped at his voice. He’d been pretty quiet during that whole exchange.

“Did you see her!? Elise?”

“Yes - another who is cursed.”

“It’s amazing. I never thought I’d see someone else like you.” You were still trying to come to terms with this discovery. “I wonder if you two can meet.”

“We’ll worry about that another time, Detective. You have an initiation soon.”

“Right..” You put the clothes in your bag for the time being. Why wasn't he as excited as you were about her? Maybe he just was focusing on more important things. You probably should, too. “I’m going to need your help with that.”

“Obviously. And if my magic is good, then we don’t have to worry about you actually training to become a pyromaniac.”

“What was that about, by the way?” You narrowed your eyes skeptically. “Pyromancy? What is that?”

“The magic of fire..! It’s my favorite. We’ll have fun, you’ll see.”

“Alright…” Your eyes wandered to the open floor of party-goers. You couldn’t keep isolating yourself and whispering to your bag. You’ll need to mingle and make some acquaintances to fit in with everybody here. “In the meantime, I need you to help me. If any of these people ask or expect me to do some magic, can you…ah…well-”

“-Do everything for you?” He finished.

“Yes. Exactly.”

“I will. But please tell me you’re going to learn all you can and find a way to get out of this. I don’t know how long our charade will last, but at some point someone will check if you have a magical aura, and they will find that you don’t. We need to be out of here before that happens.”

“If you’re around me, then I have one.” You smiled. “Don’t worry, my goal is to learn what’s going on here and shut it all down. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“That’s good. Keep your confidence. You’re going to need it.”

You let your bag fall to your side and began your search for some sort of restroom where you could change. These people might be able to conjure themselves some fancy clothing right on their body, but you did not want to ask Curioso to change your clothes for you. You didn’t know what he could and couldn’t see…and having him seeing you naked wasn’t something you wanted to happen right now.

…’Right now’? Your face flushed at the sudden thought, hoping he couldn’t read your mind. Or anyone else here, for that matter...Wait. Was that a possibility? Of a mind-reader being at the party, who would expose you for who you were? Oh, God. Oh, god.

“Calm down, Detective. The restroom is right there. Can’t you see through the doors?”

You scowled and twisted the doorknob to the room he mentioned, locking yourself in a decently-sized bathroom. Well. At least they had those here. You placed your bag elsewhere and turned it to the wall, with the false hope that Curioso couldn’t see you changing.

As you looked into the mirror and admired your more formal getup, you made your goals clear in your mind: learn what this operation was for, who was involved, and who is in charge. Your lead suspect in that department was this Aydan fellow. He was friendly, albeit a bit intimidating, but the most fascinating thing about him right now was that he also owned a magical servant. And you were determined to learn more about her during your brief stay here.

Is she a captive, like Curioso had been under the Enchantress? Was she in danger? If there was any possibility of that, you wanted to help. You couldn’t let the victims of this curse suffer like your dear friend had.

You thought of him and it warmed you deeply. He was with you right now. He was going to help you. And you had no worries of anything going wrong so long as he was here.