Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Evan always answers The Call, for himself and for Philip. He knows how Philip hates the trials, cant stand the idea of hunting people like animals, and Evan hates to see him hurt when The Entity chews him for not scoring a single kill. So yeah, Evan takes a few extra trials here and there, to keep her eyes away, to stop her from hurting the greatest thing to exist in this hellscape. That’s why Evan feels bad when Philip steps out of the fog and up to the fireplace, fresh paints and bell in hand. He hadn’t done enough.

Philip doesn't look to Evan when they're at the campfire, where Her Upstairs, and any other killer, can see. He knows this is no place to show weakness, no place to show they find comfort in anything. This was a place to leave your personal morals for the kill. Evan knows Philip cant do that though, and feels ever bad about it.

Evan is taken before he can see Philip off. He’s placed just outside the light of the survivor campfire, its meant to be a gift from the Entity, to see their prey before the hunt, to adequately prepare. It helps, a small bit, to be able to formulate plans beforehand (Like reading how to swim before being shoved in the water, you know how , but knowing and putting into action are completely different things), and against this team? All girls who know what they’re doing, the plan time is useful.

None of the survivors toss their offerings into the flame, they just stand there, looking slightly concerned as they converse amongst themselves out of Evans earshot. Odd.

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The map Evan is placed in is familiar, but also strange. He’s used to Her Upstairs randomly mixing it up sometimes, but to this extent? so. many. walls. Evan places trap at the first pallet he sees, turns, takes a few steps and then there’s another pallet, fuck is She trying to make him lose? Oh well, all Evan could do is his best, he’d deal with the consequences. Hopefully Philip doesn’t get this bad of a map generation.

Evan steps away from the dual pallet loop, towards where he knows Shack always is, ignoring the urge to sigh at another double pallet loop. A flash of orange in a bush catches the corner of his eye, and Evan swings. If Ace didnt want to be found he shouldnt wear that fucking tiger suit. And thats odd, Evan could swear the pre-trial campfire was only girls. 

Ace ends up standing in the first trap Evan placed.

The final thing’s that clues Evan into something being truly wrong is when Evan picks the survivor up, turning to look for a hook only for there to be none. He hadn’t been paying attention initially, the hooks blend into the background when Evan wasn't actively looking for them, but this wasn't that, the hooks are gone . And then Ace dissolves from his grasp and the chime for a hook plays but Evan can’t see it, doesn’t just instinctively know where they are. She doesn’t show him.

Theres the sound of crunching grass behind him and Evan silently curses, he’d been stood in shock and not hunting. He turns, weapon raised to try and catch the survivor before they run and- A bell, a familiar bell, the Wailing Bell , and a rumble that distinctly is Philip. And Evan freezes.

Something isn’t right. Something is odd. Extra walls. Extra pallets. Survivors that weren’t at the campfire. And now Philip being here. Very wrong indeed.

Someway, somehow, She Upstairs had placed Philips trail and his in the same map, had manipulated said map to house two sets. Double pallet loops, more walls, Ace .

Evan could win this for them, put in the work so Philips doesn’t have to deal with it. The chime of a generator finishing and Evan instinctively turn to it- he had been so caught up in the pallet spawns that he hadn’t noticed 13, now 12, generators dotting his vision. Theres the sound of the Wailing Bell and Philip is gone, he’s trying , and Evan will too.

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