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His Soul (Chapter 6)

Morbid Obsession

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

----

Panic flooded your entire being. Your heart was racing as you stood to your feet and climbed back up the steps, frantically looking around for any sight of the newly-freed jester. It was incredibly easy for Curioso to conceal himself if he so wished to - he could teleport anywhere he wanted and reduce himself down to his mask and mouth if desired. This was why you’d been so terrified of losing your grip on him…it would be like catching lightning in a bottle to get him in that box again. 

When he escaped Andrew Collins, he had broken the box and hidden the pieces. Your grip on the item tightened as you refused to return it back in the backpack - knowing it was your only tool for containing him again. It was a leverage you needed and couldn’t afford to lose. 

“Curioso! Where did you go?” You tried the locked doors in the hallway again and made an aggravated noise when they still wouldn’t open. “You made a promise ! You said you wouldn’t try escaping again–”

“Is it really escaping if *I* wasn’t the one who let myself out?” His voice sounded from above you. You looked at the ceiling but failed to find him. It sounded like he was everywhere all around you at once. Damn parlor tricks. “Don’t worry, Detective..! Now that I’m free, I can look around for you much easier.” 

Your stance faltered. How could you believe he was doing as he promised if he wasn’t in your sight? He could be doing anything anywhere at this second. At least you could still hear him…that meant he must still be somewhere in the house. Right?

“That wasn’t what we agreed to,” Your voice was weak. You realized how little power you had in this situation. Maybe he could bend to your word? “We made a promise that you would stay in this box!” 

“If I recall, all I declared was that I wouldn’t TRY to escape, and I would help you. You’ll let me fulfill my promise, won’t you?” 

You opened your mouth to argue, but had little to say to that. He was…technically right. You never made any explicit rule that he HAD to stay in the box, since you believed there was no way he could get out to begin with. You had to accept defeat in this circumstance. You could only hope for the best and that he wouldn’t somehow…teleport away and never come back. 

“Alright, if you want to help me, then open one of these doors.” You walked up to one and knocked on it gently with your knuckle. “I need to find that missing puzzle piece so we can reach the basement. If there’s a special lock on it like that, it’s probably important.” 

“One moment..!” 

You played his game and waited by the doorway, sighing as you realized your position now. Was this how the rest of the investigation would play out? Asking things of Curioso and just * hoping * that he would do them? It felt a lot less safe than having him on your back. You made a firm decision to have him back in that box the moment you could. 

The doorknob suddenly twisted and the door opened loudly on its hinges, scaring the living daylights out of you. You know you just asked Curioso to open it, but you didn’t really EXPECT that to happen. You had to stand there catching your breath before taking a step inside. It was the study of the house, with an attractive desk and display of guns on the wall behind it. There was a bookcase, a closet, and a red chaise inside. Your attention went to the closet first, searching for a safe or any clue of some kind. 

“You’re welcome~” Your jester partner teased. He sounded like he was right behind you this time, but when you whipped around, nobody was there. You were starting to get annoyed. He clearly knew he had the upper-hand and was flaunting it in your face.

“Where are you right now?” 

“Searching the house. Finding useful things.” This time his voice was clear. You looked up and found his face embedded on one of the coats. “I’m making speedy progress..!” 

“Are you, now?” You grunted, standing to your height and checking the rest of the room. You couldn’t exactly do much while he was just a face, so you weren’t going to pay him much mind. 

“Yes. Remember how I suspected Sophie is in a cult? This all seems to match the profile, don’t you think? A hidden house, with guns and trophies…degrees and expensive decor. I’m still wondering how they’ve managed to use magic to hide all of this.” 

“Are you an expert or something?” You asked while you searched the drawers of the desk. Nothing much useful – until you found a key in the top right compartment. You grinned in satisfaction. 

“I’m well-familiar with it.” 

You eagerly turned out of the room and started trying it in the other locks. You had no success until the last door you tried. It opened upon your command, and you were faced with a standard restroom. The hope drained from your eyes as your shoulders slumped. 

You quirked your eyebrow. “Seriously? Who locks a bathroom?” 

“Someone who has something to hide in it.” 

You weren’t sure you appreciated Curioso’s commentary, but it was comforting to hear at the same time, to know he was still with you. You opened the medicine cabinet and noted the amount of things inside - a surreptitious collection of non-prescribed medication, several painkillers and bandages. There was a god-awful amount of chloroform and other sleep-inducing agents, which added to your wariness. It was suspiciously too much for even a family to own. 

The bottles of bleach you found under the sink didn’t comfort you in the slightest. You decided to move on before you looked too much into it - having the faintest feeling that you wouldn’t like it if you did. You continued surveying the rest of the house, picking up small tools like a pocket knife and a screwdriver. You never knew when you’d need them, and since no one was home, you’re sure no one would miss them. 

You were in the middle of flipping through the pages of a book when Curioso’s voice interrupted you.

“Detective, you’re never going to believe what I found.” 

His tone was what caught your attention. He spoke quietly but urgently, like there was an important matter he had to speak with you. When you looked up, the jester himself had finally made his physical appearance - leaning down towards you so his head was above yours. It almost seemed like he was about to whisper a secret in your ear. 

Your instincts acted faster than your mind did, and you reached for the box you’d set aside for the time being. Curioso’s mouth extended like he was about to say something, but you were already pointing it in his direction. Biting your lip, hoping, praying , that he would be sucked inside and contained once again. 

..And in the second that nothing happened, it dawned on you. You’d never actually… captured him in the box by yourself. All you did was reassemble the thing, and he was the one who had reached out and grabbed you. He teleported to see you inside afterwards, giving you the impression that he still had his freedom at the time. You were only released after winning the fateful game for your soul, where his had finally been sealed inside.

Maybe it needed to be said aloud - like a verbal command, instead of a literal one. 

You exclaimed, “Curioso, since your soul is mine, I want you to get back in the box!” 

And to your utter amazement…that worked . 

The box sprang to life and opened itself, ever willing to receive its prisoner again. Curioso had no chance to object before he was reduced to a pink and blue mist before your eyes, which flew into the opening and was closed tightly once it was inside. The box felt heavier in your hands. You were confident you had him in your possession again. 

The sound of something falling onto the floor caught your attention. When you looked in front of you, you found what Curioso must’ve been holding before - which was the missing piece to the puzzle on the door of the basement. He must’ve been in the middle of handing it to you before you pulled the box on him. 

You paled. The silence was heavy as you stood there and your friend did not say a word. 

“You…found the missing piece?” You asked dumbly. After getting no response, you leaned down and grabbed the small square-shaped piece, confirming that it matched the rest of the puzzle. “Where did you find it?” 

“WHY did you do that!?”  

Curioso sounded extremely angry - which must’ve been an understatement to how he was actually feeling. You shivered hearing such a tone for the first time. He’d never been truly upset with you before…just disappointed in giving his soul away, knowing he was trapped again after having his freedom. 

You struggled for words. “I….um.” 

How could you explain what you did? He was going to give you what you needed, what you asked for and couldn’t obtain yourself in time. You had no good reason to trap him again so soon. And now that you did, he was no longer outside to help you like he had been doing. You felt incredibly ashamed but also a little defensive about it. It was never planned for him to be outside the box, so he must’ve known that you intended on returning him there. It was just…a little sooner than you both thought. 

“Thank you, for getting the piece.” You managed numbly, returning the box into your backpack. “You did a lot more than I thought you would.” 

Again, the jester said nothing. You were already feeling guilty, so you shook off the situation and moved forward - returning to the basement you’d been at before and putting the piece into its position. It was a pretty elaborate puzzle that was going to take some of your time, but you knew you would solve it with no issue. You’ve had plenty of practice with these. A part of you felt proud when you finished a few minutes after, and the door opened with a satisfying click ! 

“Before you go in there,” Curioso warned behind your ear, still not sounding quite pleased. “ You should know that someone here has a morbid obsession.”

“-Morbid obsession?” You repeated. 

“The worst I’ve seen.” 

You waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Your eyes traveled the floor before continuing forward. Some part of you was hesitant after what he just said. A morbid obsession? Did he mean something like Raymond or Nancy’s fixation, or something worse than any of what you’ve seen at Andrew Collins’ house? 

You held your breath as you descended the stairs, preparing yourself for whatever was coming.

It was worse than you could’ve thought.

The sight had shaken you, and you were itching to leave already. The people who inhabited this house were either awfully grim or this really was a messed up cult like Curioso had been guessing. Either way, you were not pleased to see the unconscious bodies hidden down in that basement, nor to find where the other victims had actually been. It was hard to wrap your head around, thinking that the woman you tailed in your car a couple days ago took part in whatever practices were going on here. 

You brushed a stressed hand through your hair as you paced down the hallway. What were you supposed to tell Brianna? That her wife was mixed up in kidnapping people? 

You tried asking Curioso about what you saw, but he was playing the silent treatment again. You wished he would let go of his grudge and talk with you…you desperately needed his input right now. Just thinking about it yourself was driving you mad. 

“I can’t believe it,” You shook your head, sucking in a breath as you reluctantly turned back to the basement door. “Is this why they hid the house? So no one could find the bodies?” 

…

“Curioso,” You pleaded desperately. You couldn’t get him to stop talking before. “Please. Tell me about what you found.” 

A few moments passed before his voice returned. “I was going to share my observations with you, Detective. But you trapped me before I could.” 

“Look, I’m sorry about that,” You apologize meaningfully, taking the box out so you could look at him properly. “If I had known what you were about to give me, I would’ve never-”

“-And that’s the issue, isn’t it?” He spat out spitefully. You winced at the ferocity with which he spoke. “You told me I’m the one who needs to earn your trust, but clearly you have none for  me.”

You were tense, completely on edge with this argument. “I know. But you got out when you weren’t supposed to-”

“That wasn’t my fault. Everything that was down there released me. Someone’s obsession with collecting and experimenting on bodies…Detective, these people inject their victims with terrible things. And if they get sick, or if they are of no use to them, then they kill them.” 

Your eyes widened. “What?”

“The guns. The custom ‘hunting’ awards and trophies. The bullet holes in those victims…what else do you think was going on?”

You held your tongue. You were only at the point in your investigation of making your first theories. You hadn’t been making as much observation as Curioso - who was probably in many places at once doing and reading different things. It shocked you how quickly he had solved this entire case while you’d been fumbling around elsewhere. 

You felt embarrassed and, quite frankly, somewhat inferior. You swallowed down these insecurities. “We need to call the police. Have them run an investigation of their own…and apprehend these people.” A troubled expression grew on your face. “I just can’t believe Sophie was part of all of this. The way Brianna talked about her…she sounded so nice.” 

“She might’ve been deceiving her. Or maybe she’s under the control of somebody else - we still don’t know who was hiding this place.” 

“You’re right.” You scrunched your nose up in thought. “Should we look more into this to find out who it is?” 

“You can do whatever you want, Detective. My assistance is over with.”

“Curioso-”

The box turned dark, his voice and presence now long gone.

The way that he CARRIES this game

I've started playing the Whispered Secrets: Morbid Obsession game because of you!

YESSSS!! I LOVE that one!! Curioso is soooo great, it might just be my second fav Hidden Object game!! I hope you're enjoying it so far! :D

I IMPLORE my followers to give Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome a play as well!! That one is my FAVORITE of all time!! Oscar is so <333

your curioso x-reader is so cute!!!

I hadn't realized there was a fandom for these types of games, so I was very pleasantly surprised to see your account recommended to me :]

where did you play morbid obsessions? I checked for it on steam but I wasn't able to find it

Thank you so much!! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far....an update for that story is due, but I've been so busy working on my Commission queue. Hopefully the next chapter can come sometime in February!

I play Morbid Obsession on Big Fish Games! It seems to be a PC-only game, and Big Fish-exclusive, which is a shame since I'd like to see it on Mobile...it's normally $20, but I recommend getting it when they have a sale or a BOGO!

His Soul (Chapter 7)

A Taste of Freedom

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

----

Upon Curioso’s radio silence, you did the only thing you could do, which was to telephone the local police and inform them of what you’d found. There was still something itching you about this case, about the missing part of the story you hadn’t uncovered. Who put a concealing spell on the house? Was there someone in town capable of conjuring magic that you didn’t know about? And more importantly, were they still a threat ? 

You didn’t know what to do. You were missing several bits of information that Curioso learned in your place. Valuable intel that he was choosing not to disclose to you. For this reason, you informed the officers that there was someone still at large - but when you mentioned spells and magic, they laughed in your face and waved you off. You felt incredibly insulted as you stormed off to your car, tossing Curioso’s box haphazardly into the passenger seat in a fit of rage. 

You took a few deep breaths to calm yourself down. This wasn’t the first time you’d been ridiculed on the job. In fact, if it weren’t for your witnesses, your case of the missing collectors would’ve been a laughingstock at the police station. You turned your head and noticed the box was tipped over. Your anger gradually simmered into guilt, and you leaned over to right your mistake and buckle him carefully into the seat. 

You let out one last sigh and started up your car, heading on your route back to the agency. You had a lot of paperwork to file with this case and you wanted to get a head start on that. You also planned to make a call to Brianna tonight, hopefully before the authorities could inform her on her wife’s whereabouts…you didn’t look forward to anything that awaited you, come to think of it. 

Your eyes glanced over to the box as you drove, noticing it was still dark and Curioso had yet to say a single word. The guilt pooled in your stomach and made you feel terrible. You ruined things, didn’t you? It had all been so promising…he was helping you with this case and even gave you the last piece to the puzzle to solve it. 

You’d have to make it up to him. But how ? 

You pulled up to the building and parked your car around back, unbuckling the box and carrying it in your hands. Once you entered your office, you made sure the sign was still closed and locked up behind you. You didn’t plan on going anywhere else unless it was necessary. You’d had such a long day…and you needed to recover from the sights you’d seen. It was all terribly morbid. 

You took a seat at your desk and moved the box to the edge of your workspace, collecting your writing utensils and the paperwork you had to file. May as well get your duties out of the way before tackling anything else. 

…

…

It was dark outside by the time you finished. The lamp on your desk was the only source of light. You stood from your chair and stretched, heading to the wall so you could flick on the light switch. It engulfed the room in artificial illumination and you moved your attention back to Curioso. Still no red or blue lights…but he had to be in there, listening and seeing. 

You approached it and leaned on the edge of the wood tiredly. You doubted anything else could go wrong today. What would be the harm in testing something with him?

“Curioso,” You spoke up, clearing your throat after having not spoken for hours. “I’m going to let you out.” 

You didn’t get a response right away, and you were about to repeat yourself until the gems of the box flashed a gorgeous blue. Then the red accompanied it, and you knew he was present again. At least he wasn’t going to make this hard…why would he pass up the opportunity to get out? The thing he’d been begging from you since day one?

“..Are you sure?” His tone was skeptical. You couldn’t blame him after your actions today.

You crossed your arms and looked away. “You were right. I hold no trust for you. Even though it was completely warranted with what happened at Andrew Collins’ house…you did nothing wrong today. You hadn’t escaped and you helped me like you promised. I was the one who betrayed you, and I’m sorry for it.” 

The colors began to dim and you worried he was going away, but it must’ve reflected his emotions. His voice sounded softer as he replied to you.

“Thank you for admitting your mistake, Detective.”

You weren’t sure you appreciated his cocky words, but it was better than nothing. At least you two were communicating again. 

“I’ll let you out tonight, but you have to promise me you won’t leave this building and do anything… crazy . Just look around and get familiar here. I figure this is your home as long as I have you, so you may as well get to know the place.” 

He seemed to favor this suggestion, as a faint mist began to pool around his containment. “I won’t let you down. Not like you’ve done with me .”

“I get it. Just tell me how I can get you out.” 

You were still uncertain because you had little knowledge on how this thing worked. You’d pressed a couple of gems earlier and it altered your reality. You didn’t want to go pressing random things on it for that reason…You’d made a lucky guess earlier on how to trap Curioso back inside, but you had absolutely no idea how to get him back in . You had a feeling he wouldn’t be as willing to tell you that himself. 

“It’s simple. Press the pattern of these symbols as I show you.” 

Your eyes widened as strange markings magically presented themselves on top of the wood that protected its casing. Then, one of them lit up - holding its charge until it went dim again. You furrowed your eyebrows together as you hesitantly pressed on it with your forefinger, then heard a satisfying noise click within the box. 

Holy hell. Was it actually working? 

Another symbol lit up, but this was when you hesitated. Curioso noticed your long pause as the markings slowly faded away. He sounded confused and impatient. “Something the matter?” 

“I’ll let you out, but…” Your gaze hardened. “You also have to show me how to put you back in .” 

You could hear his dissatisfied groan. You crossed your arms, refusing to budge in this agreement. You wouldn’t be letting him out unless he showed you everything . 

“Must you worry about such trivial details? There’s no good reason for me to go back-” 

“-It’s not a punishment. I just want you in that box while I’m sleeping.” 

“I promise I won’t go through your things..! Well. Maybe I will a LITTLE, but-” 

“It’s not that I’m concerned about.”  

You were expressing your consistent worry about him escaping and leaving. He could teleport anywhere he wanted, but how far did that exactly go? He destroyed the box before, so there was no way you were letting him out without your supervision. Just…too many factors to worry about, and you still didn’t trust him completely. Even doing this was pushing your boundaries - you were way more comfortable with letting him sit in there, but…you had a feeling this would atone for the mistake you made today. 

“Ugh. Fine . To bring me back, you enter THIS pattern instead.” 

You watched as the symbols returned, a pattern flashing before your eyes. You rushed to grab a nearby notebook and pencil, demanding Curioso to repeat it so you could write them down. He seemed even more displeased with this action, but lit the markings in the correct order again. You gave him a satisfied nod and smile, still clutching the small pad in your hand so you could write down the other combination. 

“These better not be any fake or deceiving codes you’re giving me,” You warned. 

“I’m afraid there’s no way you could possibly know. You’ll just have to trust me.” 

Hmm. You’ll have to solve that predicament soon, then. You gave a reluctant nod and allowed him to show you the first pattern he was going to make, pressing it along with his instructions and writing it down afterwards. The moment the last entry was made, a bright flash came before you…much like it had in that house you were investigating several hours ago. It blinded you for a few seconds and you lifted your arm to cover your eyes while it happened. 

After a moment passed in silence, you lowered your appendage and looked forward with wide eyes. A tall jester stood before you, who was currently leaning down to properly look you in the eye. You were met with a familiar set of sharp teeth, ones that reminded you of a predator. You recalled how his mouth attempted to bite you when it replaced the handle on Andrew Collins’ door. You shivered at the memory, knowing you had barely gotten your fingers out of the way in time.

“Detective,” Curioso spoke. Despite his voice being pretty clear from the box, it had another layer of clarification to it - like you knew you were dealing with the real thing. “How kind of you to set me free .” 

You decided not to be intimidated by him. Hell, you imprisoned him twice and bested him in a game of collections. What did you have to fear? You fixed your posture and met him at your full height. You were still at least 3 heads shorter than him. He was taller than an average human, and it was almost offsetting…

“You are to look around and not touch anything,” You directed firmly. 

He tilted his invisible head at you - you could only tell by the movement of his mask and top hat. “What if there’s a really good book that I want to read?” 

“Run it by me first.” You rushed over to make sure the front door was locked. Not like that could really stop him…but still. “Try not to touch anything in the office, you can poke around upstairs in my apartment.” 

“Hmm,” Was all you heard. 

You turned around and found him looking around your office. He had his hands clasped behind his back, exaggerating it like a child would after you told them not to touch anything. You could almost imagine him whistling innocently to accompany the action, and you wondered if he could even do that . You really couldn’t tell where he was looking, either - he had no irises you could track, and you could only judge his direction by where his mask faced. It hadn’t really bothered you before when you met him, but now it made you uneasy. 

He reached the other end of the room and stopped moving. You couldn’t help following his tracks and found him staring at your previous cases hanging around the wall - your proud memorabilia that you’d once added him to. He hadn’t moved his attention from it for a long time, and when you were about to go elsewhere, he suddenly turned around to face you.

“Can I read these ?” He pointed a mechanical finger to one of the dossiers. 

You shook your head. “No. Maybe someday I’ll tell you about them, though.” 

His figure slouched, and you had a feeling he’d be rolling his eyes if he had any. “This is so lame. If I’d have known I couldn’t DO anything, I would’ve never asked you to take me out.” 

“Oh, well,” You couldn’t hide the smirk in your voice, walking back to your desk to turn the lamp off. “I guess you’ll have to get used to touching with your eyes.” You straightened your back as the implication dawned on you. “Ah, that’s not offensive to say, is it?” 

You froze when you realized he wasn’t standing there anymore. You’d just caught the strange sight of a flash when you turned around. It was clear that he just teleported somewhere, and there were really only two places he could be under your rules right now. That was, if he was choosing to follow them… 

“ Shit ,” You swore under your breath, rushing to lock up down here and hurry up the stairs. You were not okay with the idea of leaving him by himself in your living arrangements. 

You practically ran up the stairs and threw open the door to your small apartment above. You didn’t see the place in any disarray, but you also didn’t see Curioso, either. You stepped inside and locked up behind you, moving all your focus to finding the magical jester as soon as you could. You really should’ve told him to tell you before he teleported off anywhere - there was no way you knew where he was coming and going from otherwise. 

“Curioso?” You called into your apartment. It wasn’t that big of a place, you were bound to stumble on him somewhere -

“- Detective !” His voice joyfully called back to you. You followed it to see him in your bedroom looking at the pictures you had on the wall. “Was this you in high school? Look at the size of your braces!” 

You sighed in relief knowing he was still here. It didn’t take him long to start looking through your things…but you could understand that. There wasn’t much to look at up here, all your interesting things were in your office. He’d find nothing but relics from your past up here. That fact didn’t bother you all too much. 

“Can you PLEASE tell me before you go teleporting off somewhere?” Your words came out harsher than you intended. You were still worked up over that small panic you had. “I had no clue where you went.” 

“I didn’t know that was part of the rules,” He replied, sitting on your bed and feeling around the covers. “If it makes you happy, then I will.” 

A few beats passed before he stood from your bed and looked at you standing in the doorway. You assumed he meant to leave and walked back into the living room. Curioso followed you from behind, then went to poke his imaginative nose through your kitchen. You were more wary of him being in there…having not removed any of your knives or whatever else could be used as a weapon in there- 

“You have me thinking,” His voice caught your attention. You made your way to where he was and found him reading the notes you’d stuck to the fridge. The mask soon faced you. “Am I truly free if you are to cage me here, Detective?”

“I…” Your weight leaned against the door, filled with the strangest feeling of shame. 

He was right, but things had to be this way. It just wouldn’t work if he was granted unlimited freedom - people would be shocked at the sight of him on the streets. He would cause chaos. He could trap human souls within his grasp - for all you knew, Curioso could very well be a criminal. But that was a harsh label to assign to him, you thought. It was safer for everyone if he was kept out of sight. 

“It’s just the way it has to be.” You told him with a serious look in your eyes, leaving no room for questioning with this subject. 

“I see,” His voice went quiet and defeated. 

It almost drove a knife through your heart, but you held firm. It was the only choice and you both knew it. 

But something about it made you feel it wasn’t right.

I've been reading some old reviews on the Big Fish Games site for Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome, and I found a few recurring points that I...disagree with?

A common complaint was that (spoilers ahead, here) the protagonist loses to the villain, and people want to play games that have 'good endings', and not 'disappointments'. Call me a Villain Sympathizer or whatever (because I am), but I find it's much rarer to have a story where the villain actually wins, and to see that in a Hidden Object game of all things is extremely hard to come by.

-There is a plot hole worth mentioning in Oscar's framing of Sam that's been pointed out before -- the fact that Sam is actively carrying and using a voice recorder on his person, which you can revisit all of Oscar's dialogue with. All he would have to do is play the recordings to the authorities where Oscar confesses to the crimes, and he would be free to go, wouldn't he?

...Still, I love the surprise ending where Oscar frames Sam and succeeds in doing it. It's a complete turnaround from typical HOPAs where you're the hero and you effortlessly save a town/people/etc. But in Dorian Gray Syndrome, you get to see the protagonist face an unjustly ending despite doing everything right. It really is a 'Villain wins in the end' story, and I wish there were more like it, just to break from the usual story cliches of Hidden Object games.

Hidden Object sweethearts! What characters should I do next year?

His Soul (Chapter 8)

Your Guest

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

--

As much as you’d prefer monitoring Curioso the entire time he was out of the box, you still had a phone call to make. The hour was getting late and you didn’t want to intrude at a bad time. You told him you were making an important call down in the office and warned the jester not to not break anything in your absence. After giving you his promise, you excused yourself and dialed Brianna’s number.

…The call was not easy.

She was upset her wife was in custody and demanded to know what happened. You tried to spare the gruesome details of what you’d found, but even that wasn’t enough to prevent the sobbing you’d heard over the line. You could do nothing but offer your apologies. The conversation ended abruptly when Brianna couldn’t handle speaking anymore and hung up while you were mid-sentence. You weren’t really offended, just glad that it was over with. 

For now. 

You returned the phone to your desk and headed back upstairs. It was getting darker outside as the hours dragged on. You were surprised to hear the sound of your television on from your living room. When you went to investigate, you found Curioso sitting in front of the screen, his legs crossed and his attention completely entranced in the cartoon that was on.

‘A cartoon?’ You wondered with a chuckle. Your guest heard the noise and his attention snapped over to you. 

“Welcome back, Detective,” He dramatically tipped his top hat. “I trust the call went well?” 

You huffed and plopped down on the couch. “I think you can guess how it went.” 

The jester said nothing, moving his attention back to the screen. You watched him for a minute or two - noticing how still and quiet he was. His posture looked relaxed and he must’ve been thoroughly enjoying what he was watching, as you doubted he’d be sitting there otherwise. 

“You, uh, like cartoons?” You brought up awkwardly. Curioso bowed his head, and you rushed to defend yourself. “That’s not a bad thing! I still watch some of the classics myself from time-to-time. The Flintstones was my favorite when I was a kid.” 

He turned his mask just enough to see you in his peripheral vision. “Mine was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” 

A smile lit up your face. “Really? Who’s your favorite turtle?” 

“Michelangelo.” 

“Mine was Leonardo,” You got more comfortable as you began a small tale. “When I was little, I had this toy sword I played with, and I cut one of my shirts to make my own bandana so I could look like him. My friends and I would pretend to be the turtle; I got to be the leader each time.” 

Curioso fell silent. You expected him to share more with you - about why he liked the orange turtle or share some of his memories with the show. Instead, he turned the TV off with a click of the remote, then set it aside. He continued to sit there with his hands clasped in his lap. You felt awkward at the quietness that fell upon the room. As you opened your mouth to say something that was surely going to be stupid and unnecessary, your stomach growled loudly, reminding you of what you had yet to do. 

“That’s right.” You stood to your feet and hurried over to the kitchen. “Dinner.” 

You opened the fridge and looked around for any leftovers you could heat up. You must’ve finished them recently because there was nothing left. With a shrug, you gathered a few ingredients to whip yourself up a salad for tonight. You needed to use your lettuce before it went bad. Something healthy would make you feel better from today’s ordeal, you think. 

When you looked up, you saw Curioso perched on the counter across from you. You jumped at the sight - you hadn’t heard him enter the room or climb up on anything at all . You were about to scold him for scaring you until he tilted his head at the cutting board. 

“Salad? That’s a boring choice for a meal.”

“Oh, yeah?” You asked as you continued to cut the produce. “What would you have?” 

“Cotton candy.” 

You shook your head at him. “That’s not healthy at all. No nutrients in that.”

“But it’s delicious and fun!” He spread his hands out dramatically. “A salad? Nothing but greens!” 

“Something tells me you didn’t like your veggies as a kid.” 

He didn’t reply, but he kept watching you. You didn’t mind the extra company. You finished chopping up the salad and poured your dressing of choice over it, collecting a bowl and sitting at the small table. As you munched away, you glanced back at your tall friend, who was looking around your kitchen while you were occupied. 

“Can you eat?” It was a genuine question. You didn’t want to be rude and not offer him a serving if he could. 

“Not anymore. I find things go right through me nowadays.” He added that last part with a chuckle. 

“..What do you mean by that?” He could once eat? 

“I’d rather not talk about it, Detective.” 

His tone was serious, so you didn’t press. There were a lot of things you were holding back on tonight. So far, your conversations together felt cut short. You wished he would speak more like he did during the investigation earlier. You decided to keep the subject but change your questions, not wanting more tense silence to fill the room. You’d had enough of that tonight. 

“When you could eat…what was your favorite meal?” 

He seemed to think about it. Then in a quiet voice, he told you, “Dinosaur nuggets with mac and cheese.” 

You almost coughed up your food. He turned to you and you rushed to defend your reaction. 

“-I didn’t mean to offend, I was just surprised,” You took a drink of water and cleared your throat. “Most people would say something like pasta, or fish…” 

“Well, that's what I mostly had. I never got to eat much.” 

You were further confused by his words. What did that mean? He could once eat, but he didn’t have a lot? And when he did…it was dinosaur nuggets and macaroni and cheese? That sounded like a children’s meal! This made the gears in your mind start turning, and your eyes drifted off in thought. 

Curioso must’ve noticed your attention had gone away. He stood up from the counter and sat in the chair across from you. You were face-to-face with his teeth again, which made you flinch out of reaction. He didn’t comment on it. 

“Allow me to redirect the question - what is your favorite meal?” 

You relaxed and took another bite before shrugging. “Honestly? I’ver never been much of a picky eater.”

“But if you had to pick one ..?” 

“Hmm. I like lobster, but I can’t really afford it on my salary. I’d have to go with curry.” 

Curioso sounded intrigued. “I’ve never heard of that.” 

“My favorite is chicken curry, it’s in a seasoned sauce. I usually like mine with rice and vegetables.” 

“There you go talking healthy again…”

“-It’s really good! I’d make some for you if I could.” Something about it made you feel sad - eating was one of life’s greatest pleasures. You weren’t sure how you’d feel if it was taken from you one day. “But, uh…you know, homemade macaroni and cheese is pretty good, too. Have you had that?” 

“No, only the boxed stuff.” 

“Homemade is so much better. You can make your own sauce, add some breadcrumbs, maybe even a little bacon…” You leaned back in your seat, regretting that you were talking about this over a salad. “I like to cook some things when I have the time.” 

“I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to try your food, Detective.” 

“I guess that’s more for me, then.” 

You weren’t sure if that was cruel to say to him, but Curioso didn’t seem to be offended. He was studying you while you ate, and you started to grow uncomfortable. As you were about to say something, he stood from his seat and walked out of the room. You were about to chase after him until you heard the television turn back on. He was flipping through the channels…you supposed TV wasn’t that bad to trust him with for now. 

After you were finished, you rinsed off your dishes in the sink and strolled back to the living room. Your eyes were growing heavy as the fatigue took over your body. You weren’t as lively and young as you used to be. Working into the night like this exhausted you. You glanced over at Curioso, who was now watching what had to be an action movie. His grin seemed a little wider as he watched the fighting take place on-screen. 

You briefly wondered if you should be exposing this morally-questionable creature to more violence, but you shrugged it off for now. You didn’t want to seem * too * controlling after that comment he’d made earlier. As long as you laid out some more rules tomorrow, you were hoping there was nothing to worry about. 

“I’m going to get cleaned up so I can head to bed. After I’m done, I’m afraid you’ll have to go back in the box.”

This was when he tore his attention away, visibly cringing at this news. “-So soon?” 

You yawned again for emphasis. “I’m afraid I’m not that much of a night owl…sorry.” 

He was on his feet in an instant. You jumped when he descended on you. “-Detective, I implore you…just let me stay out for the night? I won’t get into anything of yours! I’ll even keep the volume low so you can sleep…” 

Your jaw hung open, surprised at how desperate he was to avoid going back in. His final comment made you wonder…could he even sleep? Did he need it like humans did? Or was Curioso going to stay up the entire night, watching God-knows-what on your television? That option sounded a little unsafe in your opinion. 

Curioso could tell you were conflicted. He backed away but continued to plead “You don’t understand how suffocating it is to be let out, then back in..! I’ve been good, haven’t I? I’ve done everything you’ve asked!” 

..He was right. So far, you haven’t had any major issue with him - but it hasn't been that long. You were sure he would take the opportunity to cause a ruckus if he was left unsupervised tonight. The jester noticed the change in your expression and his shoulders sagged seeing as you’d made up your mind. 

He sounded defeated again. The sad tone tugged at your heartstrings. “…If that is what you want.” He barely whispered. 

“Hold on-” You held your hand up, still at war with yourself. Why was this such a hard decision? Did you pity him? Maybe you did. But was that right to feel after what he did to those collectors? Ugh ! “-I’ll think about it in the shower, then I’ll let you know.” 

His signature grin grew a little more, you thought. You excused yourself into your restroom and turned the faucet on hot. You were going to need it with all the thinking and relaxing you had to do in there. 

-----

You were far too worn out for any type of argument by the time you were dressed for bed. You’d had a long imaginative conversation with yourself in the shower. You only made a decision by the time you were drying yourself. You dragged your feet into the room your guest currently resided in. The moment you made your appearance, Curioso’s head popped up from your couch he’d been lying on. 

“You can stay up, but you have to be back in the box in the morning, while I figure things out.” You told him sternly. 

His reaction was as joyful as you expected. He jumped from your furniture and landed in front of you like a spring would. “Thank you! You have no clue how much this means to me!” He exclaimed happily. 

You hushed him down. “Just promise me to keep it down and NOT leave this place or get into anything! If you break anything, I swear-” 

He held one mechanical hand up and crossed over his chest with the other. “I cross my heart and hope to die, Detective.” His grin was wide and expressive. 

You groaned. “I doubt either of those things are possible.” 

He retreated back to the couch, singing under his breath and swinging his long legs over the side of the armrest. You blinked at the noise - you’d never heard that before. His voice was pleasant and cheerful. Suddenly…the paranoia and distrust melted from you. You were just happy to see him happy. An odd feeling you were surely going to ponder tonight, but…one you didn’t mind feeling, at that moment. 

You had a smile as you tucked yourself into bed, setting your alarm and allowing all the difficulties to come tomorrow. For now, you just wanted to rest.

I cannot name a WORSE DOWNGRADE than this!!!

Confession time:

I used to play Gardenscapes when I was younger. Not any of the mobile kind - but the desktop one that you could find on Big Fish Games.

It was a lot of fun and super relaxing to me at the time. I've never played Homescapes or anything, but I might revisit this someday just to see if it still holds up.

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

Is he...y'know...

Amazes me how Oscar even managed to survive this fall. From what it looks, the ground might be solid and possibly even concrete, and he fell face-first. Man might've suffered internal bleeding and some broken ribs.

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.

his teleporting is so cool

Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome - Unknown Oscar

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.

Cannot emphasize how lovely this game looks. Bonfire Stories my BELOVED

Also I think I incidentally stumbled on one of Dorian Gray Syndrome's references