Whispered Secrets Morbid Obsession - Tumblr Posts
The inside of Curioso's box is super interesting - it's filled with masks/heads, dolls, mannequins, etc. and a singular room along with a theater/puppet show space.
Seeing as Curioso has artificial arms & legs, I can see him taking the limbs from one of his figures. A lot of the mannequins are dressed up as part of a theater play - which points to my theory that Curioso was part of a carnival/circus act under his curse. Either that, or he lives for the aesthetic. Another possibility is he made them himself - since in the Bonus Chapter, we see him making a similar present for Emily, the girl he likes at the time.
Some of the mannequins are blank - and I wonder if Curioso traps some of the souls he captured inside these dolls? Or if he just keeps them around as company?
"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?"
--
If anyone is interested in following the story off this blog, I posted His Soul onto AO3 and Wattpad! I'll keep the story up-to-date on here and these sites as well.
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.
Hey, all! I've opened my Art Commissions for the season! I want to make more Hidden Object fanart, so anyone who is interested can feel free to DM me!
Full Comm sheet + Prices below:
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.
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.
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
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.
His Soul (Chapter 11)
Passing Time
Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?
Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective
--
Having a dangerous magical jester around you wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Actually, the more you brought Curioso out of his box and allowed him to linger, the more his presence grew on you. Your paranoia and distrust gradually simmered into slight wariness, as you were no longer focusing on his every move and worrying about the possibilities of what could happen. You trusted him to follow your rules. So far, he hadn’t done anything that was a cause for concern.
…Well, that wasn’t entirely true. There was one instance you weren’t all too happy with.
Your friendly neighbor, Audrey, had stopped by one morning to drop you off some sweets and breakfast. She wanted to catch up with you due to your prolonged absence from her shop. You usually frequented it to get some of your groceries and the morning paper - something you’ve been neglecting to do ever since your jester friend had captured most of your attention. You’d been meaning to visit her again, but time kept slipping out of your hands…
You’d let out Curioso an hour prior and had been in the shower when she stopped by. After you dried yourself off, your apartment sounded eerily quiet. It didn’t assure you when you found the creature completely missing from your home, which meant there was only one other place he could be.
…He had scared the living daylights out of Audrey by greeting her at the door. His tall frame and sharp teeth evoked an immediate scream from her - it wasn't helped when he insisted on getting closer to her. He backed off when you came rushing down the stairs screaming out his name. You trapped him back in the box again and it was mutually understood as to why.
You recall how silent he had been after putting him back, seating down Audrey and placing a damp rag on her forehead. She was clutching at your arm tightly, fear laced in her brown eyes when she turned to you.
“Detective, what - was - that?” She breathed deeply, flickering her gaze repeatedly to the box sitting across the room.
“My…new friend,” You sat down beside her and patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry you two had to meet like that.”
She sounded distraught. “What is he!?”
You felt worse knowing you couldn’t give her a good answer. What was Curioso, really? You focused on getting your friend to calm down instead and offered her some tea. It was a long conversation you two had that day - catching her up on your situation while also trying not to disclose too much. You made it clear that he couldn’t escape from the box, which was her biggest worry as she was constantly watching it behind you.
It took some time, but she finally came to terms with what you were saying. With your assurances that he meant her no harm, she was able to relax and have a proper chat with you. You caught up on what she’d been up to and made a firm promise to go back to visiting her again.
After she left, you gave Curioso a good scolding for scaring her, but he didn’t respond to you. You were positive he heard it, though, and put him in a “time-out” that day.
Otherwise, you were fine with regularly letting him out to venture around your office and home. He was curious and seemed to enjoy the freedom, despite how limited it all must feel. Neither of these places were as spacious as Andrew’s home. You always felt some guilt about having to cage him in here.
But his encounter with Audrey reminded you why this was necessary.
You walked up the stairs back into your apartment and shut the door behind you. The tall jester caught sight of what you were carrying and followed after as you headed to the kitchen. You dropped the box onto the table with a flourish and grinned.
“Pizza!”
He clapped his hands. “Finally ! You’re eating something not healthy!”
You snickered as you threw open the top. His trademark expression seemed to have fallen when he got a good look at the fruit on your dinner. His disgust was evident as he clambered onto the counters and pointed at it like it offended him.
“ Pineapple!? You’re mad!”
“What?” You defended with a shrug, sitting down and chuckling at his reaction. “This place has the best ingredients. I tell you, nothing’s better than fresh pineapple on pizza.”
He crossed his arms and refused to be any closer, choosing to watch you eat from the counter. You got a kick out of his behavior and made a show of enjoying your food, causing him to dramatically turn away. When you grabbed a second slice, he dangled his long legs from the edge and glanced in your direction.
“Pizza is what I most miss eating,” He confessed sadly. “I liked mine with anchovies.”
You made a face. “-And you think pineapple is bad?”
He jumped off and sat with you, reaching over to ruffle your hair. You didn’t necessarily hate it whenver he did that, but it made you feel like a kid again and you were getting picked on by your parents. You shot him a glare when he sat back and attempted to flatten down your hair.
“Fine. I guess we both like something pretty abnormal.”
You shook your head and finished your serving for the night, closing the box to store in the fridge in the meantime. You really wanted to make a plate to give to him, so Curioso could try your favorite topping and confess that it wasn’t THAT bad. But you couldn’t. It wasn't possible to have that exchange.
It bugged you more than usual.
He must’ve noticed the change in your demeanor. You were still staring at the inside of your refrigerator, clenching a fist at your side. He curiously called out, “Detective?”
“I’m fine,” You insisted sternly, moving to take your seat again. When he tilted his mask at you, you sighed. “I just wish you could try it. You’d probably like it.”
“I wouldn’t. But the thought means so much to me.” His grin grew wider. You smiled back and fidgeted with your sleeve.
“...By the way, I’ll be getting that book back next week. She called me while I was out today and told me she’s nearly done translating it.”
His posture fell. “I see.”
“...It’s a book full of instructions for your box.” You stated, seeking out eyes that he did not have. You wished you could have that contact right now. “..Do you care to tell me about it? Before I get it?”
“My words won’t change anything. You’re going to get that book and you’ll be able to read it. What is it you want from me?”
“Your input. Your feelings. They do mean something to me, you know.”
He studied you for a while. After this long pause, he told you, “Then you’d be the first.”
You blinked. “You mean the first to…care about how you feel?” He nodded and your lips fell. “Curioso…will you tell me now? About your past?” Your eyes flitted around his mask nervously. “Am I ready for that yet?”
“I"d rather wait for that conversation,” He bowed his mask. “But I promise I will reveal everything.”
You nodded in understanding, appreciative that he was willing to tell you. He certainly didn’t have to - he could keep everything about himself a secret if he wanted to. You were grateful he was choosing to open up to you, but you felt that the presence of this book was warranting that somehow.
“I’ll be patient,” You promised. Curioso leaned forward and booped the end of your nose, making you squirm in your seat and bat his hand away.
“You have no choice!” He exclaimed cheerily.
Really, it wasn’t that bad. You didn’t normally have company around your house. You once thought of taking in a pet of your own - a cat or a bird, maybe. But you decided it wasn’t worth the hassle of having to take care of it while also juggling your job. Sometimes you were out of town for cases and had to spend nights elsewhere. You hated the thought of leaving a companion of yours frequently like that.
Curioso was more or less your guest. Except he had no use for any of your amenities - he didn’t drink water and he couldn’t eat food. He didn’t even wash himself in your bathroom, though you had a feeling his limbs and clothes could use a good cleaning. He mentioned something about not being able to take them off, and you weren’t sure if asking him to undress was a conversation you were comfortable with having right now.
All he did around your apartment was watch television, read your books, play board games, and join you while you ate. He did sometimes look out of the window for a long time. You assumed he was enjoying what part of the outside he could see. There were times you debated offering to take him on a walk, or a quick trip to the park, but you weren’t sure if those experiences would be the same if he had to be in his box the entire time.
While you were washing dishes, you decided to be curt about your curiosites. He was right - he had nowhere to go and couldn’t possibly evade whatever you chose to ask. Sure, he was stubborn about some things and refused to give you an answer, but you still had the opportunity to pry.
“Can you sleep?” You asked, raising your voice so he could hear you over the faucet.
He was currently fiddling around with a small puzzle box he found in one of your drawers. He seemed to love puzzles as much as you did. “I can and I can’t.”
You arched an eyebrow. “Meaning..?”
“In the box I can.” Something clicked and you smiled hearing his small victory. “But when I’m out, there’s no need. I can be awake for weeks..!”
“Another reason to keep you in at night, then.”
“I can pretend to sleep if that’ll make you happy...”
You scrunched up your nose at the thought. “I’d rather not keep you up for eight hours. Wouldn’t it get boring?”
“It’s not any worse than inside that box.”
You grabbed a towel to dry the dishes and turned around. He had disassembled the puzzle box so he could try again. You knew he was attempting to get a personal record, a habit of yours as well.
“What do you do in there?” You crooked your head to the side. “I remember there being a lot of puppets and mannequins, a little theater stage and a room…do you use those?”
“Perform without an audience? I can’t think of anything worse,” He scoffed. “To answer your question, Detective, I draw and make things. Sometimes I write little plays and act them out…hoping that, someday, I can show somebody.”
“Now why didn’t you do that instead of kidnapping all those collectors?”
“It was a fun game..! You played along and enjoyed it, didn’t you? You got to see some of those acts yourself. Remember when you uncovered the mystery of Nancy?”
You shook your head and turned back to the sink. “I wouldn’t call that ‘fun’.”
“Agree to disagree.”
He redirected his focus back to that little puzzle box. You liked seeing him enjoying himself…you had to get more things for him to play with. You would hate for him to have nothing to do around here if there wasn't anything to distract him with.
He might cause mayhem again, and you didn't want that.
A few days passed and you spent your time with Curioso. You had the free time to spare while you waited for your next big case. You were glad for the distraction. The way you passed the time before was through picking up a new book or getting invested in a TV show. But having your eyes continually glued to something all day wasn’t healthy. You did try to get out more, jogging to the park and back…but you were only ever able to keep it up for a week before you’d be dragged into your next job. It was a ruthless cycle.
You were playing Operation with Curioso. Something to pass the time with before you’d have to go to bed. You made it a goal of yours to engage in something with him every night. It was the last fun you two would have before he’d return to his box and you would turn in for the evening.
Your fingers slipped and the tongs came into contact with the metal edge, sending a strong vibration to your hand and causing the printed man’s nose to light up brightly, announcing your failure to retrieve his Adam’s apple.
“Ugh!” You scowled, passing the miniature instrument over into Curioso's artificial hand. You watched as he smoothly grabbed his next piece and dropped it aside.
“Don’t worry, you’re not as bad as I was at this,” He assured you. “When I was little, I couldn’t grab anything for the life of me.”
“I bet it’s easier with those hands,” You gestured over to his flexing digits. He smiled at you.
“It is! I have no nerves to give me jitters anymore. I bet you’re jealous.”
“Oh, terribly.” You rolled your eyes. You were finished with this game so you collected your cards to tally the total. The end result wasn’t surprising at all. “You win, I guess.”
“Don’t be a sore loser. You did wonderfully..!”
You eyed all the plastic pieces he had on his side and snorted. “No wonder you beat me at Jenga.”
“That was fun..! It was hilarious when you knocked the pieces over yourself!"
You cleaned up the game and returned it to its box. These were old ones you’d found at a yard sale years ago and kept around in storage. You only recently surfaced them while trying to find things to do with Curioso. A deck of cards could only play so many games, and you had the faintest feeling he was cheating in them, sometimes.
“Well, time to hit the hay. Tomorrow we’ll play Monopoly. Probably.”
He stood to his feet and watched as you returned the game to its cabinet. When you came back, he grasped onto your shoulder tightly and looked you straight in the eyes. At least, you believed he was doing that, with how close his ‘face’ had suddenly gotten to yours.
“Detective,” He breathed, his voice quiet. “I believe it is time.”
“-For bed?”
He shook his head. “To tell you everything.” It clicked in your head and your eyes widened in surprise. “You get that book tomorrow, don’t you? It’s best if you know all of this beforehand.”
“Are-Are you sure? It’s getting late-”
“-Please.” He implored. “I’ve been holding off all day. If I procrastinate any longer I may never tell you."
He sounded desperate and anxious. It made your chest swell in anticipation. What was he going to tell you? And why did you need to know all of it? He leaned even closer to you so his set of teeth was only a few inches away. You gulped at the close proximity.
Two small blue flames lit the sockets of his mask. “Would you like to see inside my soul?”
His Soul (Chapter 12)
Reliving a Memory
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
Contains spoilers to the Bonus Chapter of the game.
--
Curioso’s wording surprised you. ‘See inside his soul’? You assumed he wanted to have a deep conversation with you. Despite how tired you felt right now, you were more than willing to endure a few more hours of consciousness if it meant you could get an insight into this creature’s past and feelings. It was everything you’ve been waiting for.
Filled with trepidation, you nodded your head, the words failing to leave you as you were stunned into silence.
That was when it happened - you got a clear look at the blue flames flickering in his mask’s eyes when he moved closer towards your face. Your eyes widened as your heartbeat quickened, unsure of what he was going to do. Bite you? Kiss you? Both of those options had your head spinning. Before you had a chance to protest, a bright flash blinded your sight and senses.
-----
. . .
. . .
When you opened your eyes, Curioso was gone. You could only see in black and white until your sight adjusted and the color gradually returned to your surroundings. Your eyes darted around as you realized you were no longer in your small apartment. Instead, you appeared to be standing in a run-down bathroom.
Actually…you weren’t standing at all . Your perspective was farther down below, like you had fallen to your feet and were sitting in the far corner of the room. When you went to stand, your knees buckled beneath you, and you realized this wasn’t what you thought at all.
You were already at your full height, but that couldn’t be. You felt little and…different? When you held your hands in front of your face, a small pair of light-colored palms met your eyes. You felt the familiar sensation of fear and anxiety swell in your chest. You were about to call out to your jester friend - ask what exactly was going on here, but you were interrupted before you could.
“Curioso! Unlock this door! You can’t change the fact that nobody wants to see you at the party!”
You jumped at the voice and whipped your head over to the door - where a woman’s silhouette met you on the other side. She appeared to be holding a piece of paper in her hand, but you couldn’t make out what was on it. You blinked stupidly at the sight and frantically searched around the room. She was talking to Curioso, but how did she know him? Where were you exactly?
The woman attempted to open the door but the handle would not turn. She banged angrily on the tinted glass, hard enough that something abruptly fell off from the wood and landed onto the floor. It looked like a panel, which had clearly been concealing something underneath it. Before you could move, another figure joined the woman across from you, urging her away with a hand on her shoulder.
“Come on, mom! I don’t wanna be late! Leave the freak!”
She was led away despite her insistence. The paper slipped from her fingers and slid underneath the door. As their footsteps disappeared, you realized your chest was heaving and you were pressing yourself flat against the wall. You felt terribly confused and disoriented.
“Curioso?” You called out weakly, your voice still sounding as your own, but everything else about you was feeling…odd.
“I can feel that you're scared, Detective.” His voice sounded from around you, distant like he was in another room, but clear enough for you to understand. “None of this is real. You can calm down.”
“What is going on?”
“You’re inside my soul, reliving a memory of mine. A day I remember so clearly…”
“Huh?” You looked at your arms and legs confusedly, knowing this was not your body and definitely not your clothes. “Where am I? Where are you ?”
“You’re seeing things from my perspective. And as for me…I am still here with you. Don’t worry.”
You noticed the bathroom mirror above the sink and walked over to it. It was too high for you to peer in, but a smaller mirror was sitting on the back counter. There, you finally caught your reflection - which was the image of a young brunette child. There was an open wound on your upper lip. Now that you realized it was there, it started to sting with a harsh reminder that it was fresh.
Your hand hovered over it and you flinched in pain. You looked around the room for a second time, unsure of what was happening exactly.
“So, what are you saying? I’m in your memory?” Your gaze returned to the little mirror, staring back at yourself in awe. “...Is this what you looked like?”
“Yes. That cut on your lip - it happened before I ran into this bathroom. I got into an argument with my mother when I got that invitation in the mail…I was hurt and I locked myself in here.”
Your eyebrows furrowed together in concern. You wanted to ask more about this injury, but decided there were more important things to worry about right now. You looked around and started gathering useful things, taking a look at the open panel on the door before you decided to speak again.
“I guess you were serious about me ‘seeing your soul’. How exactly did you manage to do this? Am I inside your box?”
“It’s magic, Detective. I can make almost anything happen. And letting you inside my soul was the best way for you to understand what happened to me. Find the missing pieces to the lock and leave the restroom when you’re done.”
His voice disappeared, which was a good indication that he wouldn’t be here to entirely guide you. You supposed he still got some enjoyment out of watching you solve puzzles and move forward on your own. Except this time, it wasn’t a game you were playing - it was a memory of his. You were inside Curioso’s soul right now…which you still had a hard time wrapping your head around.
During your brief search of the bathroom, you stumbled upon a photograph of what had to be Curioso and his family. He was standing next to a man and a woman. The boy’s name was Albert and his mother was simply labeled…’mom’. Your eyes lingered on the old picture for a long time, noticing that he was the only one not smiling. It had to be a relic of the past.
Why was he letting you see this? Why now ?
------
…
It was the most confusing yet intriguing experience you’d had.
You got to experience this memory of Curioso firsthand. You got to maneuver the world around you as a child again, except it wasn’t your own past. You saw your friend’s childhood home, but you also learned that Curioso’s family despised him. You learned of his feelings for Emily when he was a child, a little girl who was famous for collecting figurines, and that he and his brother fancied her. You used his hands to make one special for her Birthday party. Then you chased after a cat who had stolen your finished work, and learned that Emily wanted her guests in a mask and costume with a gift. When you found a disrepaired jester outfit someone left on a bench outside, and won a special mask from the machine next to it, you quickly pieced together the source of his attire.
As you went to walk through the masquerade-themed event in the park, you were quickly drawn away from the memory. You had no choice but to watch the scene from afar, everything happening completely out of your control. You watched with mesmerized eyes as he approached his childhood love and presented the gift he had worked so hard on.
..You realized he had spared you from the embarrassment he must’ve felt. You were filled with the emotion secondhand as you witnessed it all. When Emily ripped off his mask, being the only one who had his true identity revealed. The ridicule. The laughter. The mean faces of the children around him - who had to have been his friends and acquaintances at the time. The girl he crushed on, mocking him like the rest of the crowd was…Like his own family had treated him.
His voice sounded around you as you faced this difficult scene.
“ Nothing went as I’d imagined. Of course, Emily wanted to see the mysterious presenter’s face. I was ridiculed and humiliated. I felt like my world was ending. But then I met someone who seemed to accept me.”
That was when you were forced back into the memory, shifting back into the small figure who sniffled and tripped on small rocks and dirt. You were facing a wagon surrounded by pitched tents and colorful flags. It reminded you of one of those traveling circuses who hastily set up their tents in focus for their performances…not that you’d been to many before…
When you approached the wagon, a woman was sitting on the other side, looking at you with her eyes full of sympathy. She had curly, brown hair and big silver earrings, wearing one of those outfits you’d often seen fortune tellers in.
“Why would a nice boy like you cry? Perhaps I can help,” She leaned towards you. You sensed clear intent in her actions. “But I need your help first. I’ve lost a precious medallion from my collection. Please find it.”
And so you lived through this next part of Curioso’s memory - solving different puzzles from various boxes and things, getting from one place to the next, in the task of fixing this stranger’s medallion. You wondered why Curioso had so willingly done all of this…you understood he was vulnerable and lost, but you had a hard time understanding what this lady’s deal was. After all, what adult would recognize that a child needed help, but didn’t call the authorities or try to find his parents? She refused to assist him until he found something she lost - which wasn’t something any reasonable person would do. You just couldn’t grasp why she had taken advantage of a lost child for her own personal gain.
..You eventually learned why , and it wasn’t a good reason at all.
It was after you finally fixed the medallion and proudly placed its cover back on. You handed it over to the woman, who looked delighted with your compliance and greedily snatched her possession from your hands. Her grin was wide as she regarded you from above.
“What a wonderful job! Here, open this box and find your great reward.”
She handed you a box… Curioso’s box . Your jaw fell agape and you refused to touch it, but your hands acted on their own at that point. You didn’t feel in control anymore and watched with fear as your fingers worked at restoring an image on the top of it. It looked to be of a specter in a hooded outfit conjuring blue flames. When it was reassembled, more parts of the box opened itself to you - where you had to match magical symbols that you were sure you’d seen before.
The image deconstructed itself again, disappearing in the air with an ominous sound. That was when you felt something peculiar in your chest - and your surroundings faded into those black and white colors again. You were pulled out of the memory once more, faced towards the kid as the box opened itself in front of him and began to pull him inside…
“No!” The child exclaimed, his eyebrows furrowing in anger. “You will pay for this! All of you!”
The woman grabbed the box and looked inside of it longingly, with that sinister smile played out on her lips. “Such a nice, trusting boy…you will serve me forever!”
-----
…
…
It felt like the memory itself was being peeled from your eyes as the colors returned and you were finally back in your apartment. Curioso was in front of you, sitting on the edge of the couch with his mechanical hands clasped in his lap. He regarded you as you returned to the present, speaking in a sad tone:
“I’d been her servant for so long…until the box came to Andrew. You already know that story.”
You wiped your eyes with your hands, looking around to make sure everything was real. You touched your chest and looked at your arms…everything looked normal. You were at the right height and you felt like yourself again. You sighed with relief as your gaze returned to the jester, who bowed his head at your reaction.
“I’m sorry for putting you through all that, Detective, it’s just…I don’t know how I could have told you using words.”
“That…” You narrowed your eyes suspiciously. “...Was all of that real?”
“It happened so long ago ... .but everything was as I remembered.” He seemed to look away as his mask faced elsewhere. “Except maybe for a couple of things. But they’re not that important.”
Your mouth fell open as everything came rushing back to you. That bathroom, the house, the party…it felt like you had lived every second of it. But you didn’t, really. You were merely reliving his memory. Every emotion you felt in there felt just as real as everything around you. You could feel pain, embarrassment, excitement….how had he managed to pull you from your apartment and bring you somewhere else?
You shook your head. That wasn’t important. What mattered was what you saw…what you heard…you clutched your jaw as your stare focused on Curioso - the image of that child conjuring up in your mind, trying to match the two together…
“What…what happened to you?” You whispered. “You were human. A child…”
He looked down, not saying anything at first. Your throat tightened as tears threatened to sting your eyes. You don’t know why, but you were getting emotional. Thinking of that woman, of Curioso doing everything for her, of him getting trapped in that box after he opened it…
The jester brought his mechanical hands to his mask, clawing around it like he was searching for skin. “I was fine at first. But then she brought me out, and she kept sending me back in . Things started to happen. It was like the flesh and bone fell off of my body, while I was being squeezed into something that was too small for me. Everything I was…I wasn’t anymore.” His voice lowered in defeat. “I had nothing left.”
Your eyes watched his hands and his arms as he moved. You observed the joints connecting them. You pointed weakly at his limbs. “..Where…how did you get those, then?”
“I took them. They were from decommissioned puppets at the carnival’s theater. I made them my own.”
“So, wait…” You knitted your eyebrows together, trying to piece it all together. The room was getting hot and stuffy. “You were reduced down to nothing? You had to take possession of dolls to make yourself whole again?”
“Oh, Detective. I’m far from whole.” His tone dropped. The grin permanently etched onto his being failed to convey how sad he sounded. “There are still so many parts of me I have never gotten back.”
He sounded so sad and it honestly broke your heart. You had no doubt in your mind that he was telling the truth. It all made sense. Why he was so aggressive over that woman, why he’s wearing what he is and the source of his obsession for collecting…it had something to do with Emily, you thought. Iit didn’t help that it was a medallion part of a collection that brought his undoing. There was something deeper to it; you were sure you’d learn about that soon.
..For now, you inhaled sharply and moved forward, wrapping your arms around Curioso and crushing him in a tight hug.
It was one of the most peculiar sensations you’d felt.
His clothes felt empty yet they weren’t - like you were touching a presence that was there but also was not. Despite it all, you knew he was there and that you were embracing him. And that was all you needed as you held your jester friend. After a minute, you felt the clothes shift and artificial hands clutched at your back. He was returning your hug. It filled you with a special warmth and elation.
You wanted to take back all the pain he’d gone through. You wished you could give him his body back.. He was missing so much. A family, a body, a face…it was all taken from him. You shivered imagining it happening to yourself…to lose everything and be trapped under someone’s service for decades…it explained everything yet didn’t.
Your gaze traveled the floor, tracing the moonlight coming in from the window. You had so many questions. But one particularly found its way out of your lips:
“What…didn’t you remember? You said it was a couple things. They’re important to me.”
He released you and you found this opportunity to step back, not even feeling embarrassed for comforting him. You wanted to do it and you felt that he needed it…come to think of it, how long has it been since he’s shared any human contact?
“My name,” He replied weakly. “I don’t remember what it was. And I never learned my mother’s, either.”
You rubbed the back of your head, feeling confused but nodding along anyway. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone naming their son ‘Curioso’...”
Something about him looked tired…or maybe he was just feeling vulnerable right now. “Curioso is…was…my stage name. She never bothered learning my REAL name before she trapped me.”
“...She said she made you her servant. What did that mean? What did she do?”
“Exactly what you think. She made me run her errands, do everything she pleased. Carry out all her hard work so she could sit back and take it easy.” He spat this out spitefully and you couldn’t blame his anger. “But then the box changed me, and…I had no choice but to don this costume and these limbs…it gave her the idea to lend me to the circus. I was part of a theater puppet show.”
“A what?”
“A puppet show. The ones with marionettes. She thought I could pass for one…I was forced to play in these ridiculous shows, wearing these stupid clothes I’d stolen years ago for a party…I had to perform well, because if I didn’t, she would force me into that box for weeks. I was craving nothing but freedom at that point.
The name ‘Curioso’ became my whole identity. I used my magic during the shows, and the crowd loved what I could do. They thought it was all a performance - that everything was fake. They had no idea I was real.”
“Is that where those things came from in your box? The plays?”
He sounded giddy. “Dolls and figurines were my very first collection, in remembrance of Emily. I made a lot on my own, but I also collected some of the puppets from the retired acts. I would make more for them, anyway. They kept me company in the box and I got to practice my performances each time I was trapped inside.”
“That sounds…terrible...”
His enthusiasm died down at your words. “It was the only escape I had from it all…”
You were learning so much about him and his past…it was like all your questions were being answered. But it all felt terrible, because they weren’t the happiest things to learn. His past was tragic and you felt nothing but sympathy for him. You still couldn’t help searching for more. “I get why you got obsessed with collecting things, but…why human souls?”
He folded his hands and stretched out his pearl-colored legs. “I spent decades observing everything around me. There were some awful people in the carnival business. People with their own obsessions. I got to see the ugliest parts of their souls, behind closed doors."
He picked his head up to stare at the moon outside. "-And then I realized: I'd done nothing to deserve my imprisonment. I was a mistreated child, lost and vulnerable. Meanwhile, these people willingly take advantage of others and feel no remorse for it. They even made money off of tricking them like she did to me..! Why must I be cursed, while people like * them * get to prosper?"
"They didn't deserve their souls getting taken. That doesn't justify-"
"--That's the thing, Detective…they were suddenly regretful over everything they'd done, once they were in my hands. They didn't realize the harm their obsessions caused until I had them. Isn’t that proof of justice?"
"But it could have been done another way! Just like Raymond or Julia, they got to atone for what they did."
"And that's why I so badly wanted your judgment. You proved how fun my game could be…although I wished you’d made different decisions.”
He was returning back to his usual playful self. You were relieved to see it, but had a feeling it meant he was going to stop answering your questions. This might’ve been a good place to end, anyway. You learned a lot and had the whole night to digest everything. You’re getting the book tomorrow, so…you’ll continue this conversation then.
Still. You had to show your appreciation…you were grateful he finally told you more of himself and his past. It was more than he had to do, and although you wished he wouldn’t have poured this on you so late at night, you were ever so grateful for it.
“..Thank you for telling me all of this. For trusting me.”
“I wouldn’t call it ‘trust’...” He tilted his mask. “...But a precaution.”
You arched an eyebrow. “A precaution?”
“...If you truly care about me, Detective, then it is nothing more than a precaution.” He sounded uneasy. Why did he always have to confuse you like this? You held down your frustration. “You can send me back now. I hope you sleep well.”
“...You, too.”
You sent him back in the box, still reeling from everything you learned.
His Soul (Chapter 13)
I Would Rather Be Your Prisoner
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 that next morning with your mind still buzzing from everything you learned last night. You’d thought about it endlessly, determining how this would change your relationship with Curioso. You had a few questions you wanted answered, so you let the jester out for the morning and told him you were going to have some breakfast. He was happy to watch you move about your apartment, perching himself on your counter like he always did. He didn’t look to be affected at all with what he revealed to you. But how could he be, if this was the reality he had to live with for so long?
It probably wasn’t as jarring to him as it was for you.
“Hey,” You spoke up while pouring some orange juice. “I’ve been wondering a few things. You don’t mind me asking some more questions, do you?”
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” He answered playfully.
“I mean, you do …I don’t want to overstep anything.” You winced as you replaced the container in the fridge. You hoped that wouldn’t be the case. “Did you ever see your family again? After what happened?”
You took a seat at the table and started eating, choosing to watch him out of your peripheral vision. You didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by staring at him. Curioso shook his head.
“No. They saw me as a burden and wanted me gone. They were probably glad I went missing. I bet their lives got better when I wasn’t there.”
You whipped around defensively. “I’m sure that’s not-”
“-You saw it yourself, Detective. Everything in that memory is what I had to live with every day. My brother and my mother hated me. My father wasn’t in the picture, but if he was, I’m sure he’d despise me, too.”
“But what if that wasn’t the case? What if your absence made them change and realize who they were missing?” Your mouth moved faster than you could think. “What if we went out to find them again-”
“Not a chance in Hell! They’re probably old now, anyway.”
You chewed on your lip in thought. “..What about Emily? Have you ever seen her again?” When he shook his head ‘no’, you pressed some more. “..What about finding her someday?”
He hesitated. Something in your chest twisted anxiously in fear of his response. “I don’t feel too kindly about her anymore. She revealed my identity that day and ruined my life. It’s because of her I’m trapped in this curse. I don’t love her anymore.”
Well…you couldn’t blame him for that. Your lips thinned into a line as you decided to stop your line of questioning. You finished your breakfast in silence while he watched you. You washed your plate in the sink and handed it to Curioso, who placed it on your drying rack. You smirked at the sight. At least he was being helpful.
“I’ve got that appointment to get the book in a bit…you want to watch something to kill some time?”
He nodded enthusiastically, following after you as you went to check the day’s programs.
A few hours later, you were sitting in Audrey’s shop, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and reading from your newly-obtained folder spread out on the table. You held a small doughnut in your left hand, which you nibbled on while you read. After some time, you had to set it down to digest what you were reading. Your friend came by to check on you and even poured you a second cup of the treat. You thanked her with a kind smile, which dropped the moment Audrey was out of your sight.
The translator did an excellent job and you saw to it that she was tipped appropriately. Your first impression was that it would be something simple - a list of ways to open and close the box, the patterns one would have to enter for it…but it was much more elaborate than that.
It wasn’t just about the box itself - it was about Curioso’s curse.
Admittedly, that part of the book was one you thoroughly read through, learning everything you could about your friend. The curse itself had an odd name you weren’t sure you could pronounce correctly, but it was where a victim’s soul was magically sealed in a box and acted as a servant to its user. It made the victim immortal, but at the cost of their physical being - they instead existed as a space, who could manipulate and possess objects. It ultimately rewarded them with magical powers - at a cost of their autonomy.
It answered a lot of your suspicions. Now you were skimming the pages about the box itself…until you stumbled on the passage you were on now, which listed all the possible combinations and outcomes one could enter on the box.
One particular line caught your attention, which claimed that there were two types of ‘freedom’ .. Judging by what you read, Curioso was under what was called a ‘limited’ freedom, which meant that he could only be freed from the box at the owner’s control. A ‘temporary’ freedom, the book informed you, was where he could freely return and emerge from the box on his own accord, whereas his current situation was reliant wholly on who controlled it.
It got the gears in your head turning. You searched some more through the book and found some material that made you…uncomfortable.
‘Victim’ was the best word you could describe Curioso, or anyone under this curse for that matter. You found a page describing a spell that could trap him forever in the box - and a few more pages listing ‘punishments’ that the user could give, should its servant disobey or rebel against them. Your stomach twisted as you read through a list of instructions on how to make the victim feel ‘pain’. At that point, you promptly snapped the book shut.
..Is this why he didn’t want you to have the book? Did he think you were going to punish him? Make him feel pain? Just the thought made you feel sick. Why would you ever do that? He was your friend ! Not a… servant…
..But that’s what he was, wasn’t he? His purpose? His curse ? To serve and belong to the owner of whoever held his box?
You decided to stop reading and paid the bill for your meal, leaving a tip for your friend and receiving the day’s newspaper in exchange. You opened your umbrella once you were outside, using it to shield yourself and your bag that held the book and translated folder. Your trip to the office took only a few minutes. You shook off the excess water as you headed inside. You hung up your coat and took off your gloves, climbing up the stairs quietly into your apartment.
You’d left Curioso out of the box while you were gone. You trusted him not to do anything bad. But you wanted to get that impression out of your mind - he was your guest and friend now. It wouldn’t be right to keep assuming these things about him. But you couldn’t exactly erase his wrongdoings, either. You weren’t sure how to proceed with things…but you were hoping, with his good track record thus far, that he wouldn’t resort to anything bad again.
..And besides, now that you learned more about his past and his curse, it was all making sense. That enchantress couldn’t have treated him well, trapping a vulnerable child and forcing him to serve her for decades. It made sense why he’d snap, but he took his anger out on innocent collectors…well, they all had their faults and things to certainly learn from, but he could’ve handled it… better! Agh ! It was too much to think about right now.
You opened your door and took off your shoes. You found the jester sitting on your couch with his hands folded in his lap. The window was open, which made the room a little humid, but you could also hear the sounds of the raindrops and occasional rumbles of thunder. When you stepped forward, his mask turned to you and he bowed his head.
“Sorry, Detective. I just wanted to listen to the rain.” He confessed. You didn’t bother closing the window, sitting in your chair nearby and gently setting your bag down by your feet.
“It’s fine. Were you outside?”
You noticed that his hands were wet. He shook his mask.
“I…had my hand outside to feel the drops. I apologize if that wasn't allowed.”
“Well…” You bit your lip. “It might be safe for you to be on the balcony, if my neighbors aren’t home. Is that all you’ve been up to?”
“Wondering about you , of course.” He turned to face you completely. “Have you finished the book?”
“...Not exactly. I skimmed and read a bit of it.” You frowned as you leaned down to grab it and set it in your lap. “I need to ask. Have you read it yourself?”
“Never. I wasn’t allowed to.”
“..But you know what’s in it? Your reactions-”
“Here’s the thing about the book , Detective-” He held up a long digit and gestured to it in your hands. “I only ever saw the Enchantress bring that out when it was bad . Awful things happened when she used it. Does that make sense?”
You winced as your eyes fell to the cover. Yes. It did.
“Look…” Your voice softened. You decided to get up and change seats. You were next to him now. He made a brief flinch and leaned away from you, which you ignored. “Whatever you thought I was going to do with this book, I’m not. I just wanted to learn about you. And now I know about your curse.”
He sighed. Which was an interesting sound and sight, because he had no lungs to do it, but he made it possible, anyway. “I never read it, but I knew it meant bad things. I didn’t want you to resort to her methods…”
“I get that. Look…would it make you feel better if I read it to you? I mean, is it possible for you to follow the instructions?”
“I have no control over the box. Only the owner of my soul does, which is you , now.”
You leaned forward, intrigued. “Does that mean Willy owned your soul when he got the box? Did Andrew own it when he had it, too?”
“Neither of them did. You see, Detective, it’s part of the seal to my curse. It’s the only control I have over it. Anyone can own the box, but I am not their servant until they own me. I allowed you full ownership of my soul…and let you trap me.”
“Wouldn’t you have been trapped, anyway, if they didn’t own your soul? Since no one could take you out?”
“If being stuck in that box was my alternative to being owned by somebody I didn’t want , then it wasn’t much of a trap to me.” He answered adamantly. “But letting someone own my soul…I wanted that to be my choice , for once.”
Your mouth fell agape in surprise. “So, you let me own your soul? Why?”
“I would rather be in your hands than left to be in many others for the rest of my life. On shelves or in garbage somewhere. With you, at least I know I’m safe.”
Your heart thudded rapidly in your chest, completely mesmerized by this creature sitting beside you. “You trust me that much?”
“You’re the only one that I can ,” He replied softly.
You stared at him for a minute with moistened eyes before swallowing and moving your sight back to the book. You reached over to grab the translations and opened it before you two. “Okay, even if you can’t do anything, I think you at least have the right to know what I can and can’t do.”
“Are you sure you want to show me all this?” Despite his hesitancy, he was eagerly reading what you opened to him. “You’d have no control over me..I’d know everything you’re doing.”
“As you should!” You replied firmly. “That Enchantress had no right to hide this book from you and hurt you with it. You deserve to know what your owner’s doing, if they won’t tell you.”
He looked awestruck with you. You cleared your throat as you moved your attention back to the page, pointing to the lines and reading them out to him. The two of you got to discuss the book openly, and Curioso seemed very appreciative of this. You still couldn’t believe he’d never read it and only saw it when he was getting punished…it was all terrible. You were determined to make things better for him and get to him to understand the situation he was in.
While you two were reading, something occurred to you and you looked at him. “So, wait. How did this book end up here if it belonged to the Enchantress?”
He clapped his hands together and sat back in the cushions. “It was a very wicked thing. She wanted to see to it that no one but her could ever own my soul - so I would be trapped in that box for the rest of my existence. She even put a spell on the book so no one else could read it, so that I truly belonged to her.”
“My god…”
“Willy got a little nosy when he bought the box. He looked around her belongings when she left and grabbed anything he thought was valuable. I saw the whole thing happen. It was a good thing, anyway, so I could keep track of it.
“So if she encrypted the book, and Andrew couldn’t read it, how did you escape?”
“I guess it was a bit of a loophole..! Since I grew obsessed with collecting things of my own conjuration, my magical aura got powerful and allowed me to escape. I didn’t know I could break free, but I sure as Hell am glad I did.”
“But if Andrew didn’t own your soul and couldn’t control the box, then why did you destroy it?”
“To give me my complete freedom..! If the box was out of the way, I would never have to go back in it. I intended to never return to that thing, but…you beat me in that game for my soul, so here we are.”
“Well…” You dropped your head to look back at the pages. “I’ll make sure it’s not all that bad. In fact, I think I’m going to give you temporary freedom from now on.”
Little flames flashed in his sockets. “You will?”
“Yeah, that way, I don’t have to keep looking around for that combination to let you out. You can just…come and go as you please.” You narrowed your eyes. “That is, if you agree not to cause any trouble and stay in this building. We still need to have an agreement before I do anything.”
“Oh, of course..!” He sounded excited. “I will work on your terms!”
“And since you are a servant, I think you should start doing some chores around here.” Your smile was smug.
“Detective, I am more than happy to do all of these things…I just have one thing I want to ask in return.”
At this, the smile was wiped from your face and you sat up attentively. “What’s that?”
“You remember when you brought me on that case with you?” You nodded, still a little on edge remembering how that ended. “Can you… will you…bring me with you on another? I so enjoy watching you do your detective work, and I’d like to help! I can even be your partner..!”
Your eyes widened. “Really? Even after what I did?”
“All water under the bridge.” He sounded like he genuinely meant it, which relieved you. “I’ll be a very good boy if you make good on this promise. That's all I really want.”
“I’m surprised you’re not asking me to just destroy the box and have you be done with it.”
He slouched in his seat. “It can never be completely destroyed. You were able to reconstruct it for a reason…I’m afraid, I’ll never have my freedom again.”
You fidgeted with the end of the page shyly. “You’re free with me .”
“-Under the condition that I stay only here and out of sight...”
“Alright, I get it. But can you blame me? You scare people. You nearly made Audrey faint when she saw you..!”
You meant this lightheartedly, but it affected him more than you intended. He looked down as his posture fell. “I know I do. I’m no longer human and I never can be. I understand why it needs to be this way, but it doesn’t mean I’m still not a prisoner.”
You hesitated before reaching over and patting him on the shoulder. The same sensation as before reached your hand. “I promise to make things better, at least. For one - you’re not my servant. You’re my friend . And two - I care about you and I promise to never hurt you.”
His teeth moved over to you. But you didn’t even notice them with the way you were determinedly looking into his mask. “That’s a big promise you’re making.”
“And I intend to keep it.”
He looked away for a moment before turning back to you. “What do you get out of this, exactly? What is your goal in treating me this way?”
You blinked in surprise. You hadn’t expected such a serious question. “I believe you can be better. You were just mistreated. I can’t blame you for lashing out at the world which had done you wrong, but…I want to show you that it’s good, too. That not everyone is corrupted by their collections or want something out of you.”
He took you aback by taking your hand and clutching it close to himself. You jumped at the tight grip, but it wasn’t hurting you. You looked up at him in alarm and he simply grinned, moving closer towards your face.
“You are the only person who has been so kind to me, Detective,” He stopped only when you were inches away. “I will make sure the favor is repaid.”
You didn’t know what he meant, but you had a feeling it was going to be a good thing.
His Soul (Chapter 14)
Me And You
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
--
Your eyes were narrowed as you focused on your breathing - trying to utilize your nose as much as possible while you jogged on the uneven terrain. You hadn’t gone on a run like this in awhile. The cool air felt good as it hit your face and roughly blew through the strands of your hair. You grinned when you made it to your desired location - the top of a small mountain overlooking your town below. You remember coming here in your early days, making use of your healthy bones while you adapted to the new work you were overtaking.
You shrugged off the backpack from your shoulders. Bringing the box with you was a testament of your agility, and you decided it was not something you were going to do so often. You felt more tired than you used to…it must be because you were aging , and not because extraneous exercise was more difficult than it used to be.
“We’re here,” You announced. You set Curioso’s box on the lone bench overlooking the edge and placed your fists on your hips proudly.
“Am I allowed to come out now?” Came your friend’s voice.
You grinned and dipped your head in permission. “Go ahead.”
You were expecting the bright flash that came with his entrances, so you had your eyes closed before it even happened. When you blinked them back open, you found the tall jester staring out into the vast sight before you. He seemed to be frozen in place. You took this opportunity to sit down and get some rest. You took a swig from your wattle bottle while dabbing the sweat from your forehead.
“It’s wonderful,” He sounded amazed.
Your own eyes flitted to the stars and satellites in the sky. Light pollution made it a bit more difficult to find constellations nowadays, but it was still a lovely sight, nonetheless. One you’d been hoping to share with somebody else. It was fortunate not many people knew about this area, and you had purposefully left later in the night so less people would be out and about. Sure, it was a little darker and colder than you were used to, but…as long as you had some company, you didn’t feel as uneasy about it.
Curioso was soaking it all in, and you couldn’t help smiling while you watched him.
It had been a couple weeks since you learned of his past and read the infamous book Andrew handed to you. The two of you had been settling into a routine, and now you could easily recite the days you spent with Curioso. Your mornings were filled with companionship as the jester would always greet you from your bedroom and watch you make your breakfast. Then he’d keep conversation with you while you read the paper, and follow you down into your office to see what work you had for the day. What happened after that varied - sometimes you got calls, visits from interested clients, or nothing would happen at all. Either way, your friend was more than satisfied by simply watching you write and work, or would help you pass your time by organizing things and tidying up for you.
He hadn’t lied - he was happy to fulfill the duties you asked of him, which was to upkeep your office and apartment. You sought out his help to sort your paperwork and work out a better system for your desk. He did all of these things and went above and beyond - becoming your faithful assistant in the hopes that you would make him your partner in return.
You’d only gotten a call to visit the police department and investigate something small. Despite promising him he would only be bored out of his mind, Curiso still insisted on joining you. He remained in his box while you carried it on your person, getting to see you in action once more and offering his own commentary and theories on what you were doing.
You hoped you would get a big case again soon. Having Curioso witness the mundane days of your life wasn’t…the best thing in the world, and made you a little insecure about how highly he viewed you. But if this changed his impression of you in any way, he didn’t show it at all.
Things were going slow once more, so tonight, you decided to get moving again. You were determined to take more walks around the park and resume your morning jogs. An idea popped into your head, and you invited your jester along, who was more than happy to actually get out of the house and have another glimpse into the real world. You hadn’t let word out about where you were going and what you were going to show him, in the hopes that it would be a surprise.
…So now, here the two of you were, listening to the leaves rustling in the wind and crickets chirping around you. Your eyes scanned across the many lights and colors spotted around the city. You perked up when Curioso strode over and sat right beside you, crossing his legs and straightening his back.
You bit your lip at the sound of his bells ringing with his movements. It was always so amusing to you - a constant reminder of the ensemble he was wearing. “Well? Are you glad you came?”
“Oh, very much,” He sounded so happy that your heart ached. “Thank you for carrying me here. I’d have spared you the effort and ran right along with you, but…”
You waved your hand. “Don’t worry about it. The weight on my back’s going to help me get in shape.”
“You look good. I don’t know why you’re worrying so much.”
Your ears burned at the compliment. Your eyes inadvertently glanced down to your body, and you quickly looked away. “I don’t really like sitting around and waiting.”
A moment of quietness passed as the two of you sat there and enjoyed the scenery. He clasped his hands together and turned to you curiously. “Does it ever get lonely? Having to be by yourself, in anticipation for something to happen..?”
Your lips fell as you dwelled on your days before getting the box. Yes, you did spend your time dawdling around your abode, trying to distract yourself and ignoring the fact that you were alone. You had no significant other, no pets, no roommates…only Audrey down the street, who you saw nearly every day, but your visits together only lasted so long. You thought of the hollowness you always felt when she’d leave, where you’d have to figure out yet again how to bide your time.
But you didn’t feel that way anymore. You had someone else to talk to, spend your time with. It was a striking comparison to your days in solitude from before.
“I guess so.”
He looked down to watch the grass moving with the breeze. “It was lonely for me, too, when I was in that box. Never knowing if I’d be let out again, or if I was doomed to spend the rest of my days there by myself…”
You looked up with concern displayed on your features. His stare moved to his lap, where he began to fidget and flex his mechanical fingers.
“Your company is nice, is what I’m saying,” He finished.
“You don’t really have a say in the matter, though, do you?” You smiled sheepishly. What was he supposed to do? Insult you and risk being trapped inside again? He returned your grin.
“Oh, but I do. Remember, Detective…I chose you to own my soul. I didn’t know if you’d ever take me out, but…thank you. For doing so.”
Your face burned again and you could do nothing but nod dumbly. Truth be told, you never would have taken him out if he hadn’t made himself appear on the box. You were under the impression he was trapped for good - witnessing him still seeing and talking with you changed everything. Letting him out was to make up for your misstep, but it was so much more than that now. You gave him his due freedom, made sure he could control whether he was in or out…and Curioso had taken that to his advantage.
He still returned to the box, of course - when you would have nothing else for him to do and the two of you eventually ran out of conversation. You were sure he was returning there sometime during the night. He said he could rest there, so that’s what you assumed he was doing…but he was usually around you, in person, clearly preferring to be out than in . And you could understand that completely. But it was an interesting observation, all the same.
“I made you something,” He spoke up quietly. He was avoiding looking at you, which only made you tutter in response.
“Oh, yeah? What is it?”
His grin stretched a little wider as a small flash came in his hands. Presented before you was a figurine of… yourself ! Your eyes widened as you looked over all the small details, admiring your signature getup when you were out in action. Your hat, your coat, your long sleeves and shoes…he even modeled you with a magnifying glass in your hand, quietly showing to the world that you were, indeed, an investigator.
You were too stunned to speak as it was gently laid in your open palm. A teasing voice drew you from your thoughts.
“It’s you .”
“I-I can see that…” You cleared your throat when your voice cracked. “When did you have the time to make this?”
Your fingers trailed over the material, feeling the paint strokes and cuts etched into the figurine. It was clearly hand-crafted. You were well-aware Curioso could conjure up anything with his magic; back in Andrew Collin’s house, it was usually the scales of judgment he’d hold while you mulled over the awaiting fate of the collectors. Nowadays, it was anything you asked for and whatever he wanted to hold and use.
A smirk grew on your face when you remembered the first request you made - which was an encyclopedia. You’d only been teasing him and wanted to see if he would actually do it. He did, but not without calling you a ‘nerd’ , and plopping a big book in your lap whose pages were filled with nonsense. You knew he did that on purpose, and you remember how hard you had laughed. It was a good memory.
But this …he took his time making it; you could tell how many hours was poured into its execution. He was undoubtedly talented.
“When you were sleeping and I had nothing else to do, I’d go in my box and work on it. It must’ve taken me about a week…do you like it?”
Your eyes glistened as your sight became slightly blurry. “I do. Thank you.”
This was when he shifted himself on the bench, appearing uncomfortable but clearly having something else to say. “I…I also made something else, to go along with it, but…you don’t really need it…” It looked like he sucked in a breath with the way his chest expanded. “Actually, forget I said anything-”
‘What? No. Show me what you made.”
His mask turned away before something else was conjured in his hands - a taller yet thinner figurine of…himself. It was still admirably made and well-painted. You couldn’t help grinning when you saw the sight. The opportunity to tease him was just too good to pass.
“Self-absorbed, much?”
“It’s not for me ,” He snapped. You hunkered back down and he bowed his head in apology. “It’s..to go along with yours. The Detective and their partner! A-At least, that’s what I was hoping it would convey…”
You swiped it from his hands with a smug smile. “Alright, then. I’ll keep it.”
“You - You really want it..?”
“You made it, didn’t you? Like you said - they’re a team, so it’s better if they’re together. You know?”
Curioso let out a nervous, disbelieving laugh. Like he couldn’t believe what you were saying. But you made your point by lifting your head and holding the figurines close to your body, turning away from him protectively.
“They’re mine, now, so don’t even think about asking for them back.”
“Of course not..!” He was still chuckling. You enjoyed the sound - you’d never heard him laugh so genuinely. It was a sound you instantly grew addicted to. “I have so many in that box. In fact, if you want any more-”
“No, no. Only these .” You lifted them up for emphasis. He leaned over to ruffle your hair.
“And you can keep them.”
Heat returned to your face as you looked down at what you were holding. Suddenly, you were breathless, uncertain. “I…don’t have anything to give you. It never really occurred to me-”
“-You don’t owe me anything. Just bringing me out here is plenty.”
“Come on. A walk this short and you give me handmade figurines that probably took you weeks to make?”
“It’s what I’ve been doing for decades..! And really, it’s not the walk itself that’s the gift, but the freedom you give me. Your company. That’s what I get out of this.”
“My company? A gift ? What an absurd thought.”
“People have to pay to have you around, don’t they? I get that for free.” The white of his teeth became illuminated by the moon above, and you felt hypnotized by the sight. Were they always that sharp?
“I, um…” Words failed to leave your tongue. You found your mouth was dry and had to swallow. “I never did ask you about an allowance, or anything you wanted in return for all you’re doing for me I know you wanted to join me on my cases, but if there’s anything more-”
He ‘tsked’ at you. “Detective! Have you forgotten I am your loyal servant? You need not offer me anything.”
“But surely there’s something else I could give you..? I don’t really like having a servant. I don’t even like people paying for me–”
He stretched out his legs and pretended to crack his back, despite the lack of bones in his invisible body. “As you said, I am your friend, not a servant. Doing friendly things for you. As your truest friend.”
You carefully set down the figurines beside you and took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Well, as much as the pollution and smog would allow it to be. There were still remnants of a blush painted on your face, in disbelief at the gift given to you and his reasoning for it. You’d never really been given a gift like that before…’thank you’ presents from some clients, sure, but nothing this…personal.
“Curioso?” Your eyes narrowed in thought as you looked out into the darkened horizon. “If you could have one thing in the world, that’s not getting your body or your freedom back…what would it be?”
He jumped up in his seat. “Is it time for 100 questions already?”
“Come on. I’m being serious.”
He joined your view and you heard him clicking his teeth together. What a curious sound. “I already have it.”
You arched an eyebrow in disbelief. “Do you?”
“Yes. A companion - a friend. To make my life a little more...full.” He turned to you quickly. “And what about you? What would you have?”
You looked down. Your feet were close to his - calves nearly touching but not quite. It was then you realized the small space between you two. You’d been huddled next to him without any second thought. It just felt so…natural. He was your best friend, wasn’t he? You’d been living with him for a bit now. Closeness wasn’t so strange. It wasn’t anything you thought about at all. But here you were, sharing it with him. Like it wasn’t something you were ever deprived of. He wasn’t even warm - the feel of his artificial ‘skin’ was rather cool with the weather tonight.
You really wanted to say, ‘someone to love’ , because that’s what’s been missing in your life, hasn’t it? A close partner to share your living with, to come home to and wake up beside? A friend was nice, but you already had Audrey. Two friends were…compensating for something, surely. Not that you couldn’t have as many friends as you wanted, but you would always be missing something closer.
Something you never bothered to reach - focusing on your career and dismissing all attempts at socializing at bars and clubs. But now, the itch was inside you again, regretting what you have and haven’t done in these years. You only had so much time to live, and you didn’t want to spend it alone.
Meeting his imaginative eyes, a smile played across your face. “I already have it, as well.”
Except you knew you were telling a lie. With the curious tilt of Curioso’s head, he didn’t seem to believe you, either. But he said nothing, and you figured this was for the best.
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 16)
Morals and Promises
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
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“How did you get so good at magic?”
The words inadvertently blurted out of your mouth while your eyes locked on the fire Curioso lit in your small fireplace. The rain that had been going on for a couple of days has gradually turned into a thunderstorm raging outside. Your town often dealt with this weather, so the harsh wind and hard drops on your roof wasn’t anything alarming - but it meant that your apartment was frigid. You weren’t comfortable running your heat all night, knowing your bill would skyrocket for the month.
So, when you asked your jester assistant for help with starting a fire, you hadn’t expected one to magically catch on the wood you’d just placed behind the grate with a flick of Curioso’s wrist.
He was lounging on your recliner with a book propped open in his lap. His attention was fully on you instead of the pages. “It’s the only thing I have to thank the Enchantress for. I used to steal her books and learn all I could from them. I had no clue I even had magic until I kept practicing my tricks for the show, and I learned I just naturally had the powers.”
You stood from your crouching position and sat over on the couch, leaning over to pop open your bag of chips and throwing a couple in your mouth. The fire was lit seconds ago and it already made the room warm and comfortable. You assumed that was something purposefully done and not just a side effect of the magical embers.
“You know, you have yet to tell me more about your ‘show’...”
This was when he returned his attention back to literature. “What is there to tell?”
“I mean, what was it like? Did you have a lot of people there? What kind of tricks did you do?” You munched away on the junk food and pointed at him. “See? I have a lot of questions.”
He shut the book with impatience and it disappeared into little blue and red particles. You were amazed each time he did something with his magic - it was fun having a magician around your home. Things constantly appeared and disappeared, and while sometimes you found it annoying, most of the time you were impressed and couldn’t help wondering where they went and came from. Having anything conjured up at your request wasn’t something you tried to make a habit of, but you couldn’t reject the convenience of it all.
“It was a run-down carnival that barely cleaned the stage. The children there were always eating something that was sticky or buttery and some of them ALWAYS insisted on trying to touch me or the props.” You imagined him grimacing at the memory with the way he paused. “-But it was colorful. It was fun. And I made it one of the best side performances anyone could watch.”
“Oh?” You crossed your legs and leaned forward, trying to imagine the pretty colors and music of a carnival, and Curioso’s voice in the midst of it all. It was a pretty captivating image. “How did your shows go?”
“Like I said, it was a puppet show. But because of me , it was so much more than that.” He mirrored your stance and bent his long legs, leaning forward to close the distance between you two. He sounded excited retelling this to you. “Sometimes, I was the puppeteer narrating the show, moving and bending the puppets to my will. Other times, I was among them - making the marionettes as real and big as the audience itself, with no strings attached..! That one was the most popular, I’ve been told.”
“And you made them tell your jokes?”
He spread his arms out theatrically. “I had a whole act full of jokes and tricks for them to see..! It was hard getting little children to sit through long performances, so I made many short ones that made them laugh and gasp in awe. My puppets would do the stunts all the professionals did - but I was able to do anything and everything. I conjured up my own fire, I broke the laws of physics, I did things my audience couldn’t fathom! When I was on stage, I was the life of the party.”
“I could imagine,” Your smile was genuine, playing this out in your mind. He must’ve entertained many people, and delighted so many kids. If he put his powers to that use, you had no doubts he’d be an excellent performer and entertainer.
He shrunk back on the cushion and suddenly looked away. “It was all great…except for when it wasn’t. I’d perform all night if I had the audience for it, but if any of my shows did badly, and I was taken in early... well .”
Your eyes grew wide with worry. “Well… what? ”
“She used the book, and I would have shackles and chains on me, to sit there and be gawked at by anyone passing by. It deterred my magic, so I couldn’t escape or do anything. It made my reputation hard to maintain, when kids would see me sitting there in time-out..! It was why my show was so good, and why I couldn’t be anything BUT the centerpiece of it all.”
Your posture fell at this information. “Oh…I’m…I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“It only happened a few times. I made sure of it.” His voice became determined and he soon shrugged. “Of course, I didn’t get a share of any of the money my shows made. She kept it all. She was always there, watching and making sure everything went well. Her deal with the circus must’ve been good because she had plenty of money after I started performing. Although I think she had a habit of gambling it all away, sometimes.”
Your eyes lowered to the bag of chips and you gently put them aside. “You said the carnival business wasn’t great and you saw some things…might I ask about that?”
Flames flashed in his eyes for a brief second. “A lot of the employees fixed their games and would steal from their customers. So many of them smoked and drank liquor, and I would watch them get carried away most nights and do.. deplorable things. Did you know there could be so much sex in a carnival?”
Heat climbed to your face at the topic. “I - I mean-”
“Disgusting, really. They never clean the floors and all the animals defecate everywhere…they must’ve gotten so many infections! Anyway,” He grinned at your embarrassment and you cleared your throat to regain your composure. “It wasn’t just her with a gambling problem. Many carnival lackeys did. People were always in debt to each other, and some weren’t as kind or patient with collecting their dues. My Enchantress was never in danger because of me, but I wish she could have been. If I had any choice, I would’ve seen to it that she was short on her payments.”
“I’m sure you know that would’ve not been the right thing to do.”
You weren’t defending her, but you knew how bad it would’ve been if that happened. Despite what she did to Curioso, you refused to feed his desires for chaos. The jester regarded you silently and shook his mask.
“No, but It would’ve been fun to see. As you can imagine, I had a lot of bad things around me to observe. All I wanted was to see these people facing the harm their obsessions caused. I had such a fun view of the carnival when I was a little boy, but that quickly got ruined, and it hasn’t changed since.”
“Huh, so I guess taking you to one isn’t an option…”
“I don’t want to step foot in another one ever again,” He confirmed. He seemed to think about something before asking, “Have you ever been to a carnival yourself, Detective?”
“Yeah, when I was a kid. I used to get my face painted like a tiger.” You chuckled at the memory, recalling those colorful and sugary nights with your parents so many years ago. You couldn’t remember ever having a bad time at a carnival…but you could understand why Curioso had. “I mostly went to the fair, though. I was a bigger fan of rides than watching shows.”
“Oh, what fun..! I’ve only ever been to an amusement park once in my life.” He jumped from the chair and into the seat beside you, getting close and comfortable beside you. “What was your favorite ride?”
“Bumper cars.” You grinned.
“A classic..! You can torment so many people in those..!”
You had to agree with him. That was the point of it all, after all. You couldn’t get much enjoyment if you just rode around doing nothing. Bumping into others, cornering them, and laughing was what made it fun. And it made all the more sense why Curioso liked it as well.
You realized you were smiling and allowed it to slowly fall. Despite his change of topic, you couldn’t stop thinking about what he just told you. Softly, you asked, “Did you ever like doing it, though? Performing for kids and for people, to see them laugh and smile during your show?”
“You’re asking if their enjoyment was worth the pain and imprisonment for when I failed them?” His tone was flat. You cursed yourself for asking such a stupid question. But then he shifted beside you to look into the fire from afar. “..Honestly, Detective, it was. If I couldn’t be happy as a child, then I had no problem fixing that problem for someone else.”
The smile returned to your face. Without your permission, your hand landed on his knee, and Curioso’s mask whipped around to face you in surprise. You were only aware of it at the last second, but you didn’t retract your touch, and instead you squeezed it and leaned forward.
“It’s good that you felt that way,” You affirmed. “I’m sure that happiness was far better than whatever vindication you got from torturing those poor collectors.”
He tsked and waved his finger at you. “Ah, but can’t two things be true at once? I have no reason to favor the fun that I have.”
You grit your teeth. “You know what I mean.”
“You’re trying to get me to be good.”
It wasn’t even a question; he stated it like it was a fact. You withdrew your hand finally and returned it to your lap, looking away with a frown. He figured you out and it must’ve not been hard at all. It wasn’t like you’d been trying to hide it, but…to hear it stated aloud, and so emotionless from him...almost like it was a helpless cause?
“I’m trying to get you to be better. To want better.” You sighed tiredly. “I wholly believe there’s good in you and you can use your powers for better things, rather than putting people on knife boards and trapping old women in burning photographs.”
“When one is stripped of their humanity, it makes it easy to favor the madness you used to shy away from.” His tone turned to something wicked and it made your heart still in your chest. “Why would I want to live a boring life when I can have something so much better?”
You quirked an eyebrow at him. “Then why choose a life where you’re a servant to a detective? My life isn’t that eventful.”
Curioso sounded offended. “Don’t say that..! We found such delicious things on your last case together-”
“-Finding dead bodies in a murderer’s home is not the fun I want!” You exclaimed. You tried to grasp words. “It’s part of my duty, to find and try those responsible for it. I don’t like seeing others suffer and I don’t think you do, either, after you suffered yourself. You should break the cycle rather than continuing it!”
He was sitting back and looking at you like you were a different person. You supposed that outburst wasn’t much like you, and his reaction was sort of warranted.
“What if I’m unchangeable?” He asked quietly, barely audible to your ears over the cracking of the fire.
“You aren’t. No one is. And I don’t care if you’re not human anymore - a magical jester giving me a figure of myself is still a gift, no matter how you want to look at it. And caring about someone else like that is always a sign of humanity.”
Things were quiet for a long minute as you sat there dwelling on your thoughts. Then your tall friend huffed and sank in the pillow behind him, crossing his arms and muttering quietly.
“You’re not very fun when you’re being preachy. Even when you have a point.”
You smirked and flicked one of his bells, making it chime under your finger. He turned his mask to glare at you for such an action.
“No matter how inhumane you were treated, you are still a person. You deserve to be respected, to be shown compassion, to be… loved. ” You hesitated with that last word, taking in a breath for far too long before letting it out. “Can you let me show these things to you?”
He uncrossed his arms and laid there looking at you. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable but it made you squirm under his gaze. But it wasn’t like he was studying you. It felt like he was appreciating you. And that sort of attention made you feel… something .
“If you are the only person in the world who would want to give me those things, then I suppose I can let you.” He whispered back.
You were feeling vulnerable right now and decided to snap out of it. You sat up straight and held your chin high, placing a hand over your heart and holding up a flattened palm with the other. The smile couldn’t help finding its way on your lips as you did this.
“Alright, then, I’m going to make you swear it.”
He looked at you curiously. “Swear what?”
“That you’re only going to use your powers for good from now on.”
“Haven’t I already been using them for good? Tell me when I’ve misbehaved, Detective.”
“Hiding my keys and my wallet the other day when I needed to go to the grocery store wasn’t very kind of you.”
“Oh, but it was so hilarious..! You were looking for nearly half an hour-”
“-Curioso, stop laughing and swear it! Rest one hand over your hear- your, ah , chest…and hold the other high, like this.”
“You look stupid.”
“Look stupid with me! Come on, then.”
You had a feeling he’d be rolling his eyes right about now. He copied your stance and held his mechanical hands where you wanted them. You grinned at his compliance. None of this was really necessary, but having his word meant just as much to you as a promise. And you wanted him to take this seriously.
“Repeat after me. I, Curioso, solemnly swear to use my powers for good and only good.”
“You didn’t say ‘me’.”
You lightly smacked his chest and he laughed again. At least he was feeling good.
“I swear to use my powers for good.”
“...Good! That should, uh, do it, then.”
“Do I get something for being such a good boy? Your car, perhaps?”
“No, but…” The excitement grew in your chest as you recalled something you’d been meaning to tell him. You must’ve gotten sidetracked with your questions about the carnival. What a turn this conversation had taken. “..I have some good news to tell you.”
“You’re finally going to get a haircut? That’s wonderful, because I’ve been telling you-”
“-No, it’s not that.”
You made him wait for a few seconds longer, snorting when he became visibly impatient and tapped the cushion with exaggeration.
“...We’ve been put on a case.”