I alone presented a replica of childhood

[wegotlucky]

Characters: Neal Cassidy and Mr. Gold
Setting: Midnight of June 1st. Starting out in the dorm halls and then moving elsewhere
Format: Action spam
Summary: Neal goes to look for the last person he wants to see, but the one person he needs.
Warning: Massive body horror, freaking out, etc.


[He didn't know what was going on. This was all too much on top of everything that had already happened to him. He didn't know what to do, couldn't think.

He was a monster, a freakish creature that even the twisted mind of the Dark One couldn't create.

The Dark One.

He paused, trying to think through the chaos that was him refusing to understand the situation. Before he even knew what he was doing, he was rushing to Mr. Gold's dorm room, pounding on the door, praying that he was there.]

PAPA! PAPA! OPEN UP!

Comments

[trulybecomedust]

[Fortunately for Neal, Gold is in his dorm room. Unfortunately, he was awake during this. His reaction was far less panicked than his son's, a jolt of surprise running through his--well, he couldn't exactly describe it as a body now, could he?--form until his Neal's knocking and shouting pulls him out of the shock.

Gold doesn't care about his roommates or their reactions to this, instead going straight for the door and opening it up. The fact that Neal is in the same situation as he is turns whatever shock over his own situation into a cold simmering fury. Thankfully, he's able to keep the fury out of his voice when he speaks.]

Bae, I'm here.

[wegotlucky]

[There's a moment where Neal stares for a very long time a the vaguely man-shaped form that is his father. Neal stared, for about thirty seconds, completely still, one hand still resting against the wall.

And then he let out a long, wailing scream.]

[trulybecomedust]

[Paternal instincts kick in for the first time in centuries at Neal's scream and he pulls Neal into a hug, dropping the thing that he had thought was his cane and holding him tightly as he speaks gently to him.]

It's alright, Bae. Your papa's here. It'll be okay.

[wegotlucky]

[This is wrong. Everything about this is wrong. This thing holding him might sound like his father, but it can't be.

Neal can't even possibly be himself, this monstrosity full of orange liquid. It's just some horrible nightmare that he'll wake up.

A worse nightmare than normal but that's all it is, right? Right.

He doesn't speak, though his strangled scream turns to sobbing after a while, leaning heavily against his father.]

[trulybecomedust]

[Gold doesn't let Neal go, hugging him tightly as he continues to speak softly to him. It's all he can do right now since he can't fix this for his son.

All while he's doing this, he's thinking. He'll have to find out what's going on eventually and once he does, maybe then he can make sure he doesn't have to see his son like this ever again.]

[wegotlucky]

[It's a long moment before he calms, still clinging to his father even after he stops sobbing loudly.]

We... we can't stay here. Monsters roam the halls.

[trulybecomedust]

All right.

[He affectionately pats Neal on the top of his head where he knows his hair would be. This whole situation is unnerving, to say the least, but he keeps his expression calm.]

I'll need your help if we're to go somewhere else. As you can see, I'm without my cane.

[He is not going to pick up that thing that was pretending to be his cane. Nope, not doing it.]

[wegotlucky]

[It's the sheer strangeness of the entire situation that keeps him from protesting. This entire situation is ridiculous. It can't be real.]

I don't even know what's safe.

[trulybecomedust]

We'll find somewhere safe.

[The determination in his voice is clear. Even if they don't find somewhere safe, Gold is willing to fight off whatever monsters with his bare hands if need be.]

Perhaps we can locate a room that isn't currently occupied.

[wegotlucky]

[Neal laughs, his voice cracking oddly.]

I doubt they keep the unused dorms unlocked.

[trulybecomedust]

[There's a slightly amused look on his face.]

I was thinking more of finding a room where the occupants are elsewhere, Bae.

[wegotlucky]

[He snorts loudly before running a finger across one of the loops of his neck-collar nervously.]

I'm not sure I want to go back to a room anyway. Have you seen the beds?

I can't deal with this crap!

[trulybecomedust]

I did, since I was in one before you showed up.

[Gold is really calm about all of this. More so than any person has a right to be.]

Then we'll go elsewhere. [And he pauses to look over at him.] I think you're dealing with this quite well, considering the circumstances.

[wegotlucky]

[Neal glares at him, eyes narrowing with growing suspicion. What the hell does Gold have planned? It's not like he can do anything at all in the state they're in.]

The hell is there to be calm about in this situation?!

[trulybecomedust]

Absolutely nothing.

[He's surprisingly blunt about it, but then again he's never been the sort of person to lie about things.]

If you weren't here, I would probably be curled up in the corner of my room screaming and crying over this whole situation. Some things haven't changed after all these years and my cowardice is definitely one of those.

[Acknowledging it makes him tremble slightly, a hint that he's absolutely terrified by all of this.]

I'm not going to leave you, Bae, especially when something like this happens. I will be here for you, even if that means being the Dark One to be strong enough to be calm for your sake.

[Now the cold fury that he had previously is visible, though not directed at Neal.]

I will find who is responsible for this, get them to reverse it, and then I will kill them.

[wegotlucky]

[He doesn't understand any of this. It's not like he has much in the way of memories of his father as a good man. Not after everything else that has happened to him- Rumplestiltskin as a human is a distant memory in too many ways.

But, his father is here.]

No one told you about Ruana, huh?

[Not that he expects that his father is the type to ask questions.]

[trulybecomedust]

[Gold asking questions? Never.]

No, they haven't. I take it Ruana is the one behind this?

[TARGET ACQUIRED]

[wegotlucky]

[He laughs a dark, uncharacteristic laugh.]

She killed one of her fellow administrators. Ate him so the entire tower could see.

You think you could take on someone who would eat their own?

[trulybecomedust]

Not alone and without magic.

[He's not suicidal anymore. Come on now.]

[wegotlucky]

You think magic's going to help you, even now?

Look at us! We're stick figures with souls in our throats!

[Seriously now, papa.]

[trulybecomedust]

I've lived with magic for around three centuries. It's somewhat difficult to think of doing things without it, especially in a situation like this.

And I was speaking more of the fact that I'm not foolish enough to believe that I could take anyone on alone.

[wegotlucky]

[He sighs loudly.]

Don't do anything stupid.