Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Thank you so much.” A teenage girl says as she hands over the payment to a person wear a hood saying ‘Bythorne Paranormal Society, BPS’ on the back.

The man takes it and nods. “No problem, hope that lil raccoon problem can be fixed soon. But if you have any more issues that are along the lines of paranormal and all that, feel free to call BPS and we’ll have someone sent out to see what’s up.” 

The girl nods before closing the door to her house leaving the man alone outside. He lets out a sigh as he begins his trek back to his van.

Once he’s in there and drives away from the clients house he lets out a scream when he’s down the road.

“This is fucking bullshit. What are we? Paranormal Investigators. But nooo most are cases of animals getting inside to leaky pipes.” He grumbles as he presses a number on his phone.

It rings for awhile before hitting voice mail.

“This is Sarah Heathcliff, head of Bythorne Paranormal Society. Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, if it’s a job offer call again at 6 AM or if it’s one of our investigators leave a voicemail after the tone.”

Beep

“Hey Sarah, it’s Jonah. Job ended up being a family of raccoons in the attic.” He says to nobody as he drives down the road.

“I’m going to get dinner so let me know as soon as possible what you and the others want. Bye.”

He presses end and goes back to staring at nothing.

Jonah grumbles as he drives down the road from his last job. It was so stupid in his opinion, like a fucking call over a supposed Alternate. Sarah could have asked Mark or Cesar to go but no, they aren’t “official BPS members” or some shit like that.

His grip tightens on the wheel as he tries to focus on the road. He should have just taken an edible before leaving that shithole of a job, there wasn’t even anything besides a family of raccoons in the basement. His eyes wander towards where he keeps his stash, after Sarah finding them last time he had to get more sneaky so to say for where he stores his shit.

“Fuck this. I’ll deal with the lecture later.” He says while grabbing an edible from its compartment.

———————————————————————

It looks at the cars as they pass where it has claimed as its resting spot. None seem like a good hunt, when was the last time it even had a successful kill? Maybe two years prior?

,What are you doing Jester?, 

It grumbles as another of its kind voice rings throughout its head. Of course its ‘father’ decided to check in at this time.

,Nothing., 

It replies as it continues to stare at the ongoing traffic. Seems a crash had occurred just great now it needs to find a new spot to stalk and rest.

With a grumble the alternate begins its trek to find a more empty road to stalk or just rest at. 

Surely nothing can go wrong right? It’s just finding a new spot.

———————————————————————

Rain droplets hit the roof of the van as Jonah drives down a back road. It’s surprisingly peaceful. Or well as peaceful one that’s high can find.

“I know Cesar, I'm getting dinner on the way home. Or as soon as I stop seeing the citrus fairies and their call to candy mountain.” Jonah replies to the muffled voice of his housemate. He gets what sounds like a disappointed sigh from the older male.

“Look Cesar, it's fine. I’m competent when driving high. Shut, that was one time.” Jonah rolls his eyes at the worry from the man.

After a few moments of talking Cesar hangs up as apparently Mark found out the coffee is decaf and he needs to deal with a over tired trigger happy Mark.

“This is why I want to save up for my own place…”

He drives in silence besides the sound of rain hitting the roof. It doesn’t take long for him to zone out and just drive.

What he didn’t expect was to see a man standing down the road stopping and staring at him directly with a look similar to a deer caught in headlights

“HOLYMOTHEROFGODSHITFUCKSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITFUCKOHFUCKWHATTHEHELLISTHATWHYISHESTANDINGTHEREFUCKSHITFUCKMELIKEITSATEUSDAYACTUALLYDONTPLEASE!” Jonah screams nonsense as he turns the wheel quickly leading to him going off road into the woods.

Before Jonah realizes what’s happened, everything goes dark.

———————————————————————

It stares in shock and terror at the van approaching it. It can barely make out the man behind the wheel as the light blinds it but in a blink of an eye the car swerves off the road and hits a tree dead on.

Should it go see if the person is alive? What the hell is it thinking it shouldn’t care about humans.

But something tells it that it needs to check on this stupid human.

It grumbles as it begins to walk towards the crash site. The wreck looks bad, low chance of survival from what it can tell.

This is why it refused to take driving lessons.

It pauses. Where had that thought come from? It’s only existed for a few years or well has had sentience for a few years while the rest it’s ‘father’ made sure it was safe until it gained sentience away from the hive 

———————————————————————

“Breaking News. A local teen went missing from his home early this morning.” 

The anchor says from the tv. Not that he cared much, it’s probably a parent over reacting as their kid is at a friend's place.

Though of course he knows the truth. 

He feels a weight press into his side as his ward curls closer in his sleep.

———————————————————————

The closer it gets the sound of groaning can be heard. Had it been thinking to itself for so long that the driver was up? It shrugs as it continues to walk to the sounds of pained groans.

“Fuck…Mark is gonna kill me…” the man grumbles as he grabs a hold of his head only to feel blood. It watches in fascination at how calm the human seems to be. Much different to the ones it’s hunted down previously.

snap

The human and it jump as the stick it accidentally steps on alerts the human to its presence.

“Oh my god. Either I am hallucinating like mad or that’s a fucking Alternate.” The human says in a tone it quite can’t understand.

“Ar…are you…you okay—kay—kay?” It tries to ask in a voice understandable to humans and slightly succeeds but it glitches.

Why does it make it sad to use this voice?

The human just stares in fear before trying to speak.

“I’m fin—“ the human passes out once more, making it jump abit.

Great, now the human is unconscious once more. And it has no idea what to do. 

Does it abandon the unconscious human? Does it take way to kill a prey? No, humans not inflicted with MAD taste awful….

It’s stumped. It genuinely has no idea what to do.

It is brought out of its thoughts by the sound of what it believes to be a phone ringing. The sound hurts to hear. Why do humans even carry around those things?

Letting out a hiss as the phone rings again the alternate begins to look through the cars rubble to find the phone that is causing it to have a headache.

After a few minutes it finds the phone. It can’t really read what the contact name is but it just shrugs and answers as it thinks that will make it stop.

A woman’s voice comes from the other end.

“Jonah? Where are you? You were supposed to be back with dinner a hour and a half ago.”

It stays silent debating on if it should talk. Know what fuck this it will speak to this strange woman in the device.

“Jonah?”

“Uh…Your friend was in a wreck and seemed to have driven off the road into a tree—“ It cringes at its voice, it’s not as bad as before but still one can hear the unnatural part of it.

“Is he okay?! Oh gods, I’ll be there soon—MARK CESAR I’M HEADING OUT! JONAH HAD A ACCIDENT!” The woman panics before yelling to people in the background which it can vaguely hear concern voices on the other end.

“Uh…“

It starts but is cut off by the woman talking again and the sound of someone grabbing a coat and running outside

“Can you stay with him until I get there? He was at a regular customer area so I have a vague sense of where you two are at. Thanks.”

Before it can get a word in, the woman hangs up.

The alternate just stares at the human, Jonah. It can’t exactly take a random form before the woman gets here as it hadn’t…killed someone for their form yet.

,Fuck me…, 

It hisses out before going to make sure that if Jonah was to wake again he won’t be under a fucking car. 

Chapter Text

Jonah groans as he slowly sits up. His head hurts like hell. What the fuck happened.

Or this is what would have happened had he not seen an alternate hovering over him once he opened his eyes.

“Oh my god a kitty.” The alternate gives him a blank stare. Okay Jonah may still be high but infront of him is basically a giant kitty. 

He raises his hand to give the alternate a pat on the head but it jerks back from his hand and lets out a hiss. Oh this is not stopping Jonah from seeing a giant kitty.

“Aren’t you adorable.” He coos while trying to beckon the alternate closer so he can ruffle its hair. The entity only backs away as it lets out a warning sound.

What happens next is quite hilarious with Jonah trying to ruffle the alternates' hair while said alternate backs away and repeatedly hisses at the possibly concussed man…or high man.

The alternate is so confused by how this human doesn’t seem scared of it. Hell it can’t even taste the fear from him! The creature wonders this as he tries to evade the man’s hold, was he giggling now? This is fucking weird and that’s saying something from it being a alternate.

Now back to hissing and running from this maniac.

———————————————————————

Eventually Jonah manages to grab it and just begins cuddling the alternate as if it’s an animal and not a murderous demon of sorts.

The alternate in question looks like it may shut down at the amount of positive affection it’s getting from the giggling man. Though it does wonder why it’s just melting into the humans embrace.

Tebk txp qeb ixpq qfjb eb bsbk exa x mlpfqfsb bjyoxzb? Txp fq tebk eb txp Xaxj?

It shakes the thought out of its head. Where had that come from? It shouldn’t care, it can’t care but why does it feel sad.

Maybe it needs to visit ‘grandfather’…

The alternate is shaken from its thoughts when it feels something poke its nose.

“Bloop.”

Jonah just stares with his eyes in a daze and shining with absolute positivity that it’s sickening. But why does it crave for more?

It blinks as Jonah once again pokes its nose. This is its life now? Stuck having its nose booped by a clearly not sober human.

———————————————————————

Sarah looks ahead and stares at the road with clear worry and concern coming off of her that an alternate could sense it miles away.

She barely had time to let Cesar and Mark know what’s happening entirely besides some basic info that she got. Hell she doesn’t even know the entirety of shit going on.

“Come on Jonah, be okay…” she repeats to herself for the hundredth time in the last half hour. 

She barely thinks when she sees her brother's contact appear on her phone screen and presses answer.

“Sarah where the hell are you?!” Mark's worried voice rings from the other side. It’s funny to think most assume Mark is the one who cares the least and Cesar takes up the mom friend role, which is correct but when it comes to her and her safety Mark is worse than Cesar.

“Getting Jonah and then heading home.” She quickly replies as she turns down another road to where she is hoping and praying Jonah is. A voice in the background is becoming more clearer as who she assumes to be Cesar goes over to where Mark is sitting, most likely the couch. By the gods she is not ready to hear a lecture from Cesar.

“Look, I’ll explain what’s up once I’m home. Jonah’s location is getting close and I need to assess the damaged state he’s in and if we have to get him to urgent care or not.”

Before either men can say something, Sarah hangs up on them.

Upon seeing what looks to be Jonah’s van license plate she lets out a sigh, already preparing for the worse.

“Showtime…”

———————————————————————

“And that’s how I met kitty! Ain’t he cute!” Jonah exclaims as soon as he finishes retelling how he had met and somehow terrify the alternate into being passive.

Said alternate looks like it wants to hide even more as it attempts to lay fully flat against the cars backseat.

Sarah just stares at Jonah with a flabbergasted look. How had he survived?! Much less how did a alternate of all things think to help him?

So many questions roam through her mind as she pulls into the McDonald’s parking lot to get Jonah some food…and everyone else dinner.

“Okay…we’re talking when we get home. Anyways apple slices or apple juice? You can only have one or the other.” Sarah begins to get Jonah’s order which changes every time she has to do this run. She notices how the silver haired man seems to be taking a longer moment to think.

What she doesn’t notice is the alternate tick its head on top of the drink holder spot of the car with eyes light up like a kid on Christmas.

“aPpLe?” it asks in a voice similar to the one she heard on the phone. Though it does scare her causing her to drop her notepad with the already placed orders. Sarah just stares at the alternate in surprise while Jonah begins to coo at it again.

“Wha—“

“Apple?” It tilts its head as it stares at Sarah like a confused dog. Does it want apple slices? Or apple juice?

As if sensing her confusion Jonah pipes up.

“Can it get apple juice and slices while I get a spicy crispy mcchicken with a large fry and coke?” Jonah asks while the alternate begins to scrounge around the trunk of the car now for whatever reason. Sarah is just at a loss for words.

“I—Sure????” Some part of her screams to not leave Jonah alone with the monster but another part knows Jonah can handle himself. She shakes both thoughts off and just goes to place the order, grab the food and go…okay she may be getting a little bit more(more like a lot more) than what’s listed but the alternate doesn’t seem that bad so far and has behaved so maybe it’ll like a semi proper meal or as proper one can get at a fast food joint in butt fuck nowhere.

Oh Cesar and Mark are going to kill her for this. Or Sar will instead of her brother and his best friend.

Well that depends if Sar is even home at the moment and on good terms with Cesar.

———————————————————————

When Sarah is back with all the food she’s surprised to see Jonah sipping an apple juice box while the alternate behind him seems to be in heaven with ten empty juice boxes behind it.

“It found the remaining amount of apple juice from when Ces went shopping last. Speaking of which, do we have any apple products at home? Not the technology shit but like food apple.” 

Sarah just stares at Jonah for the millionth time that night before giving him his food and the alternate it’s apple slices, it fucking whined when she said no more apple juice.

———————————————————————

Now the trio is back on the road and Sarah is debating life while Jonah happily eats his chicken sandwich and the alternate stares at the happy meal toy it got(look happy meal was way cheaper if she got multiple and each had apple slices!) with a look like it’s a child on Christmas. It could also be the apple slices being the reason why it’s like this…Cesar and Mark are going to freak out.

“Soooo am I in trouble?” Jonah asks as he takes a sip of his coke. Sarah just gives him a look as if saying guess.

“I’ll take that as it depends on those twos reaction to…that.”

Jonah looks towards the back which now has the alternate doing a made up scenario with its happy meal toys. He’s about to question if it’s high before he sees an empty bag of his edibles.

“Damn…going to need to get a new bag of edibles soon. Dude ate the whole thing and is probably high as a kite right now.”

Sarah and just feel her hair getting greyer as the drive continues on and the more Jonah fucking talks.

“You’re in charge of it then. I can see our drive way.” She grumbles as the front of the house comes into view for the cars occupants.

The silence the remaining minutes of the drive is deafening and only broken by what sounds like vhs or staticky giggles from the back seat.

The humans can clearly see the lights on and three people out on the front porch, one being way taller than the other two.

“Crap.” Both teens say upon realizing just how much of a predicament they are now in. The alternate meanwhile is just unaware of what’s happening and is high out of its mind.

———————————————————————

The teens stare at their guardians from where they are seated on the couch, though Jonah is more laying down with a bag of ice on his head as whatever he was on has worn off and he’s now in pain.

Cesar and Mark have the least thrilled expressions that the duo has ever seen. They have royally screwed up this time.

“So care to explain…” Mark gestures towards where Sar is now trying to corral the alternate as it acts like a over caffeinated child. The taller seems incredibly done as he was probably called back from a hunt of his. It’s obvious he’s referring to the alternate.

Jonah lets out a pained chuckle and gives Sarah a look. 

“It's your turn to explain. The rest. I’m sleeping.” And with that Sarah is left to explain what happened when she got to the crash site as Jonah lets out snores from where he now slumbers.

“Okay so….”

———————————————————————

As she slows her car to a stop, Sarah can feel her heart drop. In front of who she assumes to be Jonah is an alternate.

Though what’s odd is how human it looks. Actually she’s seen more human looking ones before, they usually end up just chilling when not on a killer spree…or are in the alternate that lives near BPS’ house office thing. the only true trait making her aware it’s a alternate is how oddly gangly and tall it is.

“Sarah! Come look at the kitty cat! He’s a good boy, aren’t chá? Who’s a good kitty.” Said ‘kitty’ looks like it’s seen the horrors, which probably likely as Jonah is way more childish than normal when he’s this high. Last time though he did talk about ancient torture methods to get information…so the monsters fear is warranted. Much like that Nagisa guy talking about the ‘party clown’ that wasn’t one in reality but a friend of his…she’s getting off topic.

“Jonah, that’s an alternate. A predator.” 

All she gets is a blank stare from the man. 

“He ain’t a predator. We’re blooping. Bloop bloop bloop.” Jonah then proceeds to boop the nose of the alternate multiple times.

Okay he’s definitely stunned the alternate somehow. Thank god for that as she’s pretty sure in another life Jonah would be dead. 

She can only stare as the Alternate seems to just zone out and crawl into whatever inner mind it has.

“…let’s get you in the car bud and then you can tell me what the hell happened here.” She says walking over to the two and helping Jonah stand up. The alternate just sits there on the ground still clearly dazed.

“You, follow us.” She shouts from where she stands a few feet ahead.

Jonah’s van can wait until morning. 

Said man is also giggling to himself again.

“Hey Sarah can we get McDonalds?”

She just sighs. “Fine.”

Jonah lets out a hooray as he’s helped into the car. She has her hands full tonight doesn’t she? 

Also the alternate is still a issue.

“You, back of the car.” The alternate just nods as it crawls into the cars backseat after Sarah opened the door. It looks like it’s cramped but she can care less.

“Sarahhhhhb can we please put the seats down for him?” Jonah begs from where he sits up front. She just rolls her eyes at him.

“Him? Jonah it’s a genderless monster who probably is using someone else’s stolen form.” This seems to just fly out of Jonah’s ears as he stares at her with puppy dog eyes.

Sarah just sighs before helping the alternates seating issue by lowering the cars back seats so it has more room if barely any.

“Now tell me what happened.” She starts up the van and begins to drive away.”

“Okay so…”

———————————————————————

The adults just stare at Sarah in more confusion than what they had before. Any anger is gone now that much is obvious.

“What the fuck.”

Sarah just shrugs.

“Yeah I’m as confused as you guys. Anyways, McDonalds is still in the car.”

She gets up and heads to her bedroom leaving the adults to question shit while Sar continues to try and get the alternate into the basement for bed.

“WHY WON’T YOU JUST COOPERATE!”

“FUCK YOU!”

“HOW FUCKING DARE YOU—“

Chapter Text

It grumbles as the sound of the older alternates alarm clock goes off. How long had he lived amongst these humans that he’s taken their habits? It doesn’t know but it does know that it’s in the elders territory.

Now if it was an older alternate, it would avoid this area at all costs. But it’s a child compared to Sar and thus its following base instincts. Blend in and also annoy the elder so he wouldn't cause harm to it in case his chosen clan is harmed.

“Get up.” Sar snaps from where he stands at the bottom of the stairs. It just rolls onto its other side, ignoring the older entity.

It can hear the disappointed sigh Sar quietly lets out. Good seems it’s already succeeding in annoying the elder.

“Adam Murray.” 

It freezes as Sar says that name. It forgot a vital bit of information that is now coming back to it. 

It’s father is good friends with Sar and Sar knows exactly who it is.

Adam lets out a grumble as it sits up and turns to look at the well dressed man. It hasn’t been called that in years now, even Adam’s father has called it Jester and not Adam for who knows how long. So hearing that name again may have made its brain snap to pay attention, but who’s to say that’s true?

Sar somehow seems to be unbothered if not slightly peeved at the teens stubbornness.

“Cesar is making breakfast and so help me Jester if you harm any of my clan. I will stab you.” It’s not hard to hear the threat being made. All Adam does is nod, maybe it needs to think shit through with the other around.

A small smirk makes its way onto Sar’s face.

“Why don’t we play a game? Or well watch as those four try and come up with a name to call you while I sit back and say nothing. Sounds fun, yes?” 

Oh it agrees full heartedly. Tricking humans is more fun than killing them.

———————————————————————

It—Adam didn’t expect to see chaos when it goes upstairs. There’s so much chatter that it wonders if all humans are this chatty in the morning.

Sar doesn’t seem to mind this as he leads it into the heart of the chaos, the kitchen. The room is loud. Hell it doesn’t think it’s ever been in a room with this many people.

Xu xqi. Xu ADEMI xu xqi. Yj’i ruud ie bedw. Tyt jxu isxeeb ulud sqbb?

It’s so lively. Jonah and Sarah bickering about…the proper way to say caramel? Cesar cooking and joining in on the teens conversation every now and again. Mark seems to be just staring at the coffee machine waiting for it to be done brewing.

It’s loud and chaotic but peaceful as if this is a common morning routine.

It—Adam doesn’t notice when Jonah dragged it to the table, or when Sarah began asking about the most randomest of things.

“How can you eat apples? I thought alternates didn’t eat anything besides freshly killed prey and ate the fear from them.”

That confuses it, didn’t the humans know that there’s one human food an alternate can taste and digest without repercussions? Did Sar not explain that to them? How much did these two not know?

“Uh-h I just can? Fear and raw meat is more preferable but apples are a good source of sustenance if I can’t find a prey.” It answers truthfully, it can’t lie to these humans they’re Sar’s clan.

Sarah just nods as she writes in her notebook Adam’s answer. She seems slightly annoyed at who it can only assume is towards the only other alternate that lives here.

This goes on for a while, Sarah asks a question and then Adam answers it. Jonah pops in from time to time to ask his own but it’s mainly Sarah who is asking them.

Before it knew it the adults had joined the table and everyone besides Sar and Adam were eating breakfast. Some small talk is made but overall it’s more peaceful than earlier.

But once the humans finished eating? That’s when the name game began.

“We still don’t have a name to call you by. Can’t just keep calling you ‘The Alternate’ forever.” Mark says from where he sits sipping at his coffee.

It just shrugs. Adam has his name but these people don’t know it. What’s the fun if it says it outright and not make a game out of the situation.

“Oliver.” Jonah blurts out randomly earning him a light slap on the arm from Sarah.

“Oh that's an awful suggestion Jonah. I think Willow is better.” Sarah offers yet another name suggestion which earns a sigh from Cesar and Mark.

“I say Elliot.” Mark suggests which gets a groan from the other humans.

“Adam maybe?” Cesar asks the others which just earn him a shake of the head from all three. Adam has to stop himself from perking up at its name being said, Sar is busy hiding his laugh behind a napkin.

This leads to a long time of names being offered up.

Oliver, Aiden, Cain and Tyler being suggested by Jonah.

Willow, Kasper, Julius and Brutus are suggested from Sarah.

Mark suggests Elliot, Stanley, Bryan and Anthony.

Cesar’s suggestions only have one right of its true name. Those suggestions being Adam, Victor, Andrew and Jacob.

Adam struggles to contain its laughter as the four humans bicker about what to call it. It’s hilarious and it’s thankful Sar suggested the game of watching the humans struggle to ‘name it’.

Eventually Cesar turns towards Sar ready to ask a question but closes his mouth quickly upon noticing the state his alternate is in.

“He has a name already doesn’t he. And you know it don’t you, Sar.” The tone Cesar uses makes Sar stop his attempt at hiding his laughter. The fear in the older alternates eyes as he sees Mark slowly grab something is hilarious to Adam.

It shoots Sar a look that’s telling him not to spill or Adam will cause chaos.

The pure look of fear on Sar’s face is amusing to Adam. It can only watch as Cesar continues to question the man on what he knew.

“Sar.” After that Sar just sprints out of the room with Cesar and Mark not that far behind.

“Welp, this is an interesting morning.” Jonah lets out a chuckle as he turns towards Adam. 

“So you going to spill or do we now guess over suggesting names?” 

Adam shrugs.

“I will say my name is among the ones suggested.”

Sarah lets out a relieved sigh, that cuts down their guesses by a LOT. Still a lot of names were suggested.

“Anyways, Jonah we need to get your van from the crash site.”

Jonah just groans and lays his head on the table.

Adam and Sarah just laugh at the man’s misery.

———————————————————————

Adam grumbles as Sarah goes about calling it two of the names suggested throughout the day. It’s funny but one can only handle hearing Oliver and Willow so much before going insane.

It heads towards the spot in Sar’s ‘bedroom’ that it’s claimed as its resting area. It’s oddly silent despite it seeing Sar come down here earlier and not seeing him come back up.

This doesn’t matter as it can honestly care less. It’s tired of socialization and just want to take a long nap. Or plot plans to annoy Sar.

It’ll decide when it’s staring at the ceiling.

When Adam steps foot into the room, it can tell that something is up. It knows Sar is near and can feel eyes following its every move.

Maybe it should take a nap in the living room. That seems safer. 

Mind made up, Adam begins to head back upstairs to the living room.

It only stops when it sees those cursed red berries it despises. They’re  innocently sitting there on a table that holds random items in the hallway. They’re staring at it.

Menacingly.

“WHAT THE FUCK!” It screeches and bolts away from where the berries are and runs down the hallway, not paying attention to its surroundings.

“What the—“ Mark steps out of Adam’s way and stares at the fleeing alternate. What the hell happened.

It doesn’t know where it’s going, it’s already seen a second bowl of strawberries which caused it to change direction into the living room. Adam only stops as it hears something crash and shatter on the floor.

It turns around to see a vase that was sitting on a side table, now on the floor shattered with its flowers scattered about.

“What’s happening…” Cesar stops in the doorway and stares at the destroyed base and the guilty but scared Adam.

“¿Qué demonios pasó? ¿Por qué el jarrón de mi abuela está destrozado en el suelo?” Mark steps around the shattered vase and beckons for Adam to flee.

“I advise runnin—“ 

“…tienes diez segundos para correr, perra.” Cesar grumbles as he stares at Adam with a look that makes it know it fucked up.

“Cesar! Hey mi querido hermano, let’s calm down okay? It’s my fault. I put strawberries in front of Adam and scared the crap out of him. He’s innocent I swear—SHIT!” Sar starts sprinting as Cesar starts his chase.

“¡CUANDO TE PONGA LAS MANOS EN LA CABEZA, SE ACABÓ, IMBÉCIL! ¡NO TE ATREVAS A CORRER! ¡VUELVE AQUÍ, PUTA VEZ!“ 

“I’M SORRY! CESAR, PLEASE!”

Mark and Adam just watch as the alternate runs for his life trying to escape the wrath of Cesar.

“So…Adam?” Mark asks. 

It nods, too tired to be upset the game is over but happy it doesn’t have to be on the brunt end of Cesar’s wrath. 

———————————————————————

Who knew going out grocery shopping with Cesar would be so stressful.

“Okay, stay close. This market is the only decently crowded area in the county.” Cesar says while making sure Adam remains close.

After the fiasco with the base and Sar almost getting murdered, Cesar decided Adam needed to get out of the house. And this also means he can keep a close eye on the alternate. He still doesn’t trust the newcomer fully but would rather take his chances on this grocery run.

“Got it.” Adam sticks close to Cesar and just eyes at the people passing by and at the assortment of goods. There seems to be some stalls set up by local small business owners and those who want to sell excess vegetables and fruits from their gardens.

After what feels like centuries the two manage to make it to the inside of the store and head towards the fridge section.

“Okay Adam. If you see a woman ranting about how eggs we buy and how it’s absurd. Run. That’s Becky and she is one of those people who don’t know when to mind their own business.” Cesar explains while scanning around the aisle the two walk down.

Adam doesn’t understand what the deal is. This ‘Becky’ is another human correct? Should humans get along and not not get along? It’s confusedz

Thankfully the trip is going rather smooth….

Until Adam accidentally bumps into a woman with very obviously bleached blonde hair.

“Mierda. Justo cuando el día iba tan bien.” Cesar hisses as the woman turns around and gives Adam a glare that would even make its grandfather cower. And Grandfather is the fucking Devil and creator of alternates!

“Torres. I see you brought one of those roommates of yours with you. Is this one new? Who cares, atleast your egg quantity is still the same atrocious amount.” She sneers at the man.

Cesar just lets out a laugh failing to hide his displeasure at Becky’s presence. Who knew this Karen looking woman can easily make the most calm and sensible person Adam knows become  agitated and ready to beat her ass in seconds.

“Hello Rebecca. Lovely seeing you, how’s your wife? Oh right she left you after that affair you had with your twin daughters history teacher, Mr.Mihm,  how long ago now? A year? Didn’t you end up marrying that man?” He sneers at her with some snarkiness very present in his voice.

Becky lets out an offended scoff at Cesar’s comment.

“How dare you—“

She gets ignored as Cesar drags Adam away to a different aisle to get the remaining items.

“Maldita perra…” Cesar grumbles as the two continue shopping.

Adam just shrugs and grabs an extra large bag of freeze dried apple slices as they pass by them.

———————————————————————

Mark hums as he drives into the range. It’s odd seeing the usually beyond tired and slightly annoyed man look so happy, including this early in the morning.

“Welcome to the shooting range. The local Lieutenant of the Mandela Police won’t mind us using this old thing. Now get out.”

Adam nods as it scrambles out of the truck. The human has a tone to his voice that it recognizes as a possible threat.

Mark hums as he opens his trunk and pulls out some guns ranging from pistols and handguns to hunting rifles and shotguns.

“If you ever harm any of my family. I won’t hesitate bitch.” He says in a tone that it is far too familiar with but not towards it.

Adam just nods. It understands…it thinks. Maybe one day Adam will fully understand when it’s older.

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What confuses it though is Mark handing it a gun similar to his own.

“You’re living with me now. May as well see how well you use a gun. Hopefully better than Sar of all people.”

Adam just stares at the gun. It’s the same exact model as Mark’s gun but also obviously a newer model.

“You and I are similar but also extremely different. So grabbed the one gun I had lying around that is the same as mine.”

It can only stare. How can the human go from threatening it to giving it a weapon? Sure Adam may have no idea how to wield it but isn’t this dangerous? What if it were to use it on Mark?!

Adam is brought out of its thoughts by a hand on its head.

“Calm yourself. Geez, I have to pull a Cesar here to calm you. We are truly alike aren’t we?”

It just stares.

———————————————————————

Jonah stares at Adam from where he stands in the kitchen. The alternate has just been sitting at the couch since he got back from the range with Mark a few hours prior. There’s a far away look in his eyes but he looks as if he’s nostalgic of all things. 

One question repeats in Jonah’s head though.

Why did Adam help save him when he had the option for a quick meal. Sure it was almost a week ago but…

Nobody would have missed Jonah, he knows Sarah, Mark, Cesar and Sar don’t really care.

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“Why did you answer Sarah’s call that day? You could have had a quick snack dude.“

Silence is what Jonah gets.

This frustrates him. Adam had saved the coward, the screw up of the group and us sat here like he didn’t change Jonah’s potential end.

“Adam.”

This snaps Adam out of whatever state he’s in. For someone the others claim to not be human he is far too human for an alternative. 

The alternate turns his head towards Jonah. He tilts his head as if confused why Jonah is asking such a question. 

“Like, I wasn’t in a sober state. Hell I was injured from hitting a fucking tree. Nobody here would have cared and chalked it up to me killing myself and then a rogue alternate just feasting on my corpse. I—“ warm arms wrap around Jonah. His face feels wet.

When had he started to cry? Why was Adam hugging him?

The questions in his mind fades as he just breaks in the alternates arms.

How funny such a display of humanity being shown by the supposed to be heartless entity. 

If Mark and Cesar come home and see Jonah passed out on the couch next to Adam who is busy flicking through tv channels. They don’t tell him they saw it.

The two don’t talk about Jonah’s breakdown when the man wakes up. That’s for a later time but not now.

But the more human Adam acts makes Jonah wonder. Had he seen Adam before all this? If so where.

———————————————————————

Sarah looks across towards where Adam is seated across from her. It finally caved to an interview on Alternate biology.

So far it’s more than what Sar cared to share.

But she notices how it’s showing traits that are so human it’s odd to see. Yes she’s lived with an alternate nearby for practically all her life but even Sar doesn’t show such human traits. 

“Most alternates are created by Grandfather but there are those of us who are children of those creations…my father isn’t exactly a creation of Grandfather but is still a alternate like myself. I think.”

Sara jots down the information Adam shares. It’s mostly talked of his recent memories before meeting BPS and co. Adam is a strange man and has knowledge Sar refuses to share with her. That makes the two different.

Hell she’s learned more just by observing how he interacts with the others. It has some sort of care in him. 

The way he fidgets when asking Cesar a simple question.

When Mark showed him how to use a gun he wouldn’t shut up until he went and stared into space for hours. The pure excitement in his eyes.

How he is there to give Jonah company when his own mind brings thoughts that aren’t true to the fore front.

He’s shown excitement, worry and compassion. And not the fucked up version that Sar ‘shows’. 

Adam’s is more human.

When had she stopped calling him a it? He isn’t a it.

Adam is Adam. A very human acting Alternate.

“Sarah? You okay?” There it is the ever so slightest change to Adam’s voice showing concern.

She just lets out a chuckle. Nobody will believe her if she was to explain her realization.

“Anyways, what exactly is an alternates diet? I’ve seen you eat apples or apple products but gag at the sight of anything that isn’t raw meat.”

And so she’s back on track for her learning. Adam’s eyes light up a smidge as he starts to explain how his and also Sar’s diet works.

By the end Sarah learns some things.

Alternates aren’t all bad. They have one human food they can eat while one they’re allergic to. Adam is very human for an alternate.

And…Adam wasn’t always an alternate. 

Sarah wants to deny this but Adam is so similar to a human that it's obvious the first years of his life before something happened to make him how he is today.

——————————-————————————

Jonah stares at his computer as he searches through hundreds of missing persons reports. Davis was rightfully reluctant to give him these reports but he has to know.

And then he found it.

Adam Murray

Age of dissapeance: 16

Sex: Male

Height: 6’1

Hair color: Blonde

Eye color: Blue

Last seen on Friday 1/20/07 at 3:40 pm leaving a club early.