Julius Robotnik! Emptiness In My Core - Blog Posts

julius stood there, in that ginger wig, a medium aqua-teal short sleeved shirt with tropical patterns, tan loose straight-legged pants, and a beach hat with a ridiculously massive brim. he had on green coloured contact lenses, with full whites in order to hide that black sclera julius naturally had. he felt completely and utterly moronic, and the sounds of all those hundreds of people and distant music and laughter growing closer as he and sonic walked towards the street for the event was causing a discomfort to broil and simmer deep within his chest.

"okay, so, remember: you're a tourist from another continent and can't speak english too well, which is why you'll be quiet," sonic's glancing up at him, and seems to still a second, "hey," julius feels a soft gloved hand grip at his own. his shoulders twitch and he glances over, shadow of that massive brimmed hat eclipsing and shielding sonic from the sun as julius does so. sonic smiles up at him, squeezes at julius' hand, "you'll do great, julius. it's gonna be alright."

how do you know that? how can you say that so assuredly?

"....let's get this over with." he couldn't stand having sonic's hand in his and so julius let go of it before briskly walking on ahead.

"these are...." his face scrunches just a touch, as though julius were discomforted by saying the word. how childish. " 'badniks', did you call them?" he stares at the little white droid that's floating, nudging at his hand curiously. julius and ivo were technically the same person albeit different lives & circumstances. so, to the little bad-drone, julius supposed he wasn't considered a threat or a target. he gives it a small pat on the bit he supposes is the top of it's 'head', the motion awkward. hoping that'll sate the thing enough to have it leave him be.

@robotn1k julius is visiting ivo!

johnny: exists

julius: INTERNAL GAY PANICK CAUSE OHNO HE'S HOT???

julius externally: must be polite, he has value because he's a person first and foremost & i want to get to know my fellow soldiers

also julius internally:

don't stare at his arms, don't stare at his chest, don't stare at his arms, look at his face,

"oh, er, ha, no. no, i've been stationed here for...." how long had it been again? it takes him a second - the days here blur, so easily. day after day, the same exact routine. he liked the consistency of it, the order, but it always felt like he could be doing more. "nearly a year, i believe."

he straightens his posture ( is he wanting to make a good first impression on the shorter, buffer male? ), flashing a little fleeting, awkward smile, "i'm," he was about to say julius but catches himself. G.U.N was a stickler for last names only, never first names. something about 'it sounding better' and 'being the principle of the tradition', or whatever. never liked that, felt too distancing, to julius. he hadn't heard his first name spoken since he'd been recruited.

"robotnik." he holds a hand out, for the other to shake. usually they didn't do this either, but julius' old polite habits died hard. it didn't even register to julius that they were currently stood in the middle of the door into the room, thus blocking anyone from trying to enter or exit the breakroom.

Johnny was not having a good time right now.

When he was first recruited at G.U.N, he had expected it to be more fun than this. Perhaps he would meet some like-minded guys that he could bond with—and hey, chicks dig the military-type guys, right? So he'd thought joining would fulfill him in some way...

That is, until he'd had to get his head buzzed. His beloved hair, his pride and glory, was now gone... All that remained was the sorry excuse of length he'd been left with. He certainly had the army man look now, but at what cost?

The man had been pouting ever since, moping about the break room. He was so miserable that he hadn't even brought himself to talk to anybody yet, aside from the occasional higher-up barking various demands at him. He'd decided he may as well sleep the grief of his lost hair away, and had stood up to walk to the sleep quarters—until he nearly ran straight into somebody, promptly taking a step back.

"Oh! Uh... Yeah. Yeah, sure am." He gave an awkward chuckle. "...You?"

@maaskuline

he was new to the whole G.U.N business; not exactly a greenhorn, but a little wet behind the ears. still, julius had just turned 24, and was slowly trying to make his way up the ranks of G.U.N's frankly bizarre 'status' system. it was infuriatingly annoying trying to navigate what exactly he was supposed to do or say in order to impress enough to be risen up a rank.

julius stood at 6'3", trying not to slouch as much nowdays but couldn't help it. he also struggled with eye contact, primarily because everybody here always looked so serious. did his best to emulate them, not wanting to tarnish G.U.N's name or reputation while out and about in the field or while on missions. though, lately, julius had been noting that G.U.N's methods were... er, different than what he had expected of a military's to be.

his thought was that their job was to protect the people of earth first and foremost, and then the planet itself. G.U.N's higher ups, however, felt it was more important to keep the shareholders & those that helped fund the military happy and pleased. which meant following government orders & working so closely together with them. julius hadn't enjoyed that.

he also hadn't enjoyed his own work being passed over or looked down upon. what was so wrong with building machines with the intent to help people? to help enrich the planet; to shield nature and revitalize it? didn't these people realize that earth's resources and it's nature were finite if they weren't careful with it??

a sigh huffed from julius, as he pushed his hair back and his bangs fell against his eyes again. he should probably look into cutting his bangs, that or slicking his hair back somehow. wouldn't do him any good to be caught unawares by something just because he couldn't see past his own bangs.

"maybe i should just quit..." it's muttered, mostly to himself, turning to head into the break room that G.U.N used for it's lower-ranked soldiers. the higher ups had their own wing/unit and quarters. julius'd even heard talk of some high ranking G.U.N members having their own bedrooms / mini-apartments around certain bases--

not paying attention, julius nearly slams into someone that was leaving, "sorry," he starts, then glances up and stills. he's looking down at probably one of the most muscular men he's seen in a while, since he'd quit the gay club. jesus, those arms. no focus julius.

"....are you new here?"

🎶 ACTUAL CANNIBAL JULIUS ROBOTNIK!!!!! 🎶

You're walking in the woods There's no one around and your phone is dead Out of the corner of your eye, you spot him (Julius Robotnik )

@drrobctnik

"julius, y'gotta sit still!"

"i am TRYING to," he winced at the way sonic's grabbed at his hair, moving and slapping the hedgehog upside the head, "YOU are the one who is yanking on my scalp hard enough to bald me." sonic's swift to boot julius in the side from where he's stood up on a nearby chair. sonic's helping pull the longer strands of julius' hair back away from his face to clip them down, in order for a ginger wig to settle on his skull,

"i've almost got it, stop whinin', y'big baby."

each time julius thought he had found his footing, his bearings, sonic would go and pull the rug out from beneath him with such ease. he stared, stunned again in such a short span, at being asked if his eyes hurt him. unable to look at him much longer, julius' gaze lists over to the pond. his eyes narrow.

".....i, suppose, in a manner," the recoiled looks, shouts of disgust and fear, his own inability to look into a mirror for terribly long. "yes. yes, they do hurt. that is why i hide them. that is also why i know for a fact that this festival idea of yours is foolish at best. a dream at most." he can feel sonic staring, and finally does look back over at him. there's no anger, there isn't even disappointment.

sonic is still looking at him with that determination in his eyes. like he just believes.

what is that like, julius wonders.

to believe.

"....." he exhales, "an hour. that's the most i'll spend at this," sonic's all grins now, and julius points at him, "but if i see anything that so much as makes me feel i need to run or raise a fist, i am leaving. and if you stop me i will throw you through the nearest building."

right then. at that, sonic smiles. "full eye contact lenses. people use them for cosplaying all the time." he sees an eyebrow of julius' lift in silent confusion.

"do i even want to know what cosplay stands for."

"costume play."

"ah, of course, how silly of me."

"....does it hurt?" sonic wonders. julius blinks.

"does what hurt, i don't know what 'it' refers to."

"your eyes. do they hurt you, is that why you hide them?"

his gaze flicks down to sonic's hand that brushed his arm, gaze narrowed behind the sunglasses. fun. he doubts that. a good time, julius doubts even more. eyes shift back to sonic's expression, and julius pauses. he takes those sunglasses off, not looking away from sonic's expression. he expects a recoil, or a scream of surprise. there's nothing like that, sonic's just, looking at him. "and what do you plan to do about these, hm."

"it'll be fun." sonic reaches out, and lays a hand on julius' arm. "i promise. you'll have a good time." he can't see julius' eyes, but he figures that julius' looking at him. there's hesitation there, but then julius reaches up and removes those sunglasses. sonic stills, staring at red irises and a darker black than the night sky overhead. oh. well, all right then.

he can feel a headache threatening him, more out of annoyance than any actual sheer anger. julius inhales, running a hand through his hair as if that'll help. what an insistent little- "neither of those colours would suit me." he sees sonic frown, and quickly amends, "but. if i must choose.... ginger. i suppose." sonic smiles then, and julius huffs, "....you'll not stop until i relent, will you."

"yeah, i know you know what wigs are," sonic returns, smirking at the scowl that julius gives him, "i'm thinking blonde. or maybe a ginger." his hand lifts up, 'framing' julius' face through some of his fingers as though imagining it. "we can grab one'a those massive floppy rimmed hats, for the sun."

of course he was right, what kind of idea was that? totally out of left field, completely lacking in any thought, entirely out of the realm of possibility-

"unless," no. no no no no- he knew that look on sonic's expression, knew that grin most of all. lips could barely part to begin to say 'sonic' before the shorter's off and running his mouth, and at what he registers julius just stares in mute disbelief before a sharp laugh bursts out of him at how stupid,

"a wig?" are you serious.

julius' refuting sonic's flimsy reasoning immediately, and sonic gives a short, brief smile. like he's, sad, that he knows it's the truth too. doesn't want it to be, not really. "....yea, guess y'got a point there," he's looking back to the pond now, leaned back on his hands, sort of lounging. hears the rock splash hard along the water's surface before plummeting.... "....unless," there's a spark to his gaze, and sonic glances over at julius with a cheeky grin,

"we can putcha in a wig, n'get you all fancied up. different coat, pants, make you look real tourist-y. no one'd ever know," he snaps his fingers, points at julius as though it were the best idea in the world.

of all the things sonic could have said, julius didn't expect to be invited. his eyes widened, lips parting briefly as though too stunned to process it. which he was. catches himself, and steels his expression, a frown etched into features. sonic's telling him no one would recognize him, there'll be so many there. five minutes.

"you know as well as i do that i would be 'recognized'. immediately." his height, his appearance, not to mention his eyes. "i've never eaten and would never eat a candied apple. i'm also not fond of inhaling food grease." he feels strange still kneeling, and hesitates a fraction before just sitting down in the grass. a sigh leaves him, and julius throws that rock, too hard, awkward angle. it sinks immediately.

sonic glanced over at julius then, not breaking his gaze, "and you should come to the festival." he sees the flit of, stunned shock and confusion that crosses julius' expression, although he tries to hide it. sonic keeps on, "there'll be hundreds of people in the streets you know, no one'd notice you. 5 minutes, you can pop in, get a candied apple or something, smell the gross greasy food air, pop out."

sonic's doesn't go quite nearly as far as his had, which causes him to puff with silent glee. julius is in the midst of finding an even flatter rock, wanting to skip it the absolute farthest so sonic can't hope to catch up, when sonic mentions station square and a festival, of all things.

he stills, staring down at the grass. knelt on a knee, he glances over at sonic, gaze squinting at him behind those sunglasses. holding that rock, but he doesn't move to try and throw it. thumb roams along that flat top of the rock tucked between his fingers. "....and." his voice is rather flat, weary.

he waits, knowing. julius was always a curious, competitive kinda guy. it doesn't take long before he's in the grass, and sonic watches him with a small smile, before julius is tossing that rock. it does go pretty far, and at that, sonic whistles, impressed,

"hey, not bad." a thumbs up. his hand grabs another errant rock, and tosses it, watches it go about five before sinking. finally, his mind settles on something. knows it's a long shot, but sonic wants to try,

"you know. station square's got some kind of festival coming up. think they're setting up stalls on a cleared out street."

curious, julius glanced over when he noted movement, and saw sonic rummaging around the grass. what was he doing? then, sonic's picking up a - rock? julius' eyebrow raised. tossing, it skips before going into the water. sonic mentions it not being 'flat' enough. if that's the case.....

he bends down, gloved hand feeling through the grass, until he feels a sizeable rock, flatter than sonic's. smirking, julius lifted it and closed an eye, staring at the pond as if that'd help him aim better.

he tossed that rock, and it skipped about several times before finally submerging. a smile crossed julius' expression at the realization. hmph. how stupid.

at that, sonic gave a soft, understanding smile. he shrugged a little bit, "no problem," then thought about what to talk about. not like he and julius ran with the same circles, or really talked outside of fighting or battle quips. his gaze lowers to the grass, fingers roamed until he felt a small pebble. lifting it up, sonic tossed that rock and watched it skip across the pond about twice before sinking, "drat, not flat enough."

ah. hm. julius simply stood there, night breeze causing the end tails of his coat to sway in that light wind. his gaze dipped down to sonic, who was sitting there, studying him. before julius looked back toward the pond as sonic wondered if they'd be fighting today or not. tonight, julius wanted to correct, since it was after sundown, but,

"no. if it's all the same to you, i want to just talk."

[julius]

"of course i do. you're implying i'd forget?"

a clear laugh rising out of sonic; but it isn't mocking, or mean-spirited. good natured, like an old friend just told him something that made him unable to stop. sonic smiles laxly, "nope. was just wonderin'." he was sat in front of a small pond, glancing over at julius. "so. we gonna fight today, or?" never knew which one it'd be.

❛ do you remember when we first met? ❜

the question catches him off guard ⸻ trust it to sonic to be able to accomplish such a thing. his expression softens. "....of course i do. you're implying i'd forget?" he sounds almost offended. they had met countless times since, always fighting, nagging, 'catching up' as sonic liked to put it. julius never understood why they sought one another, but they did. for better or for worse ( no doubt the latter ).

'doctor'

julius stared down at him. hm. curious.

'how are you here?'

"wrong question. it isn't how, but when, when am i here," he's stood not too far from the crater that shadow had created. no doubt from warping here via an errant chaos control. nasty things, those. julius at points had encountered them himself. "or rather: when you are." seeing how he wasn't getting anywhere with his metaphors & here julius thought he was being funny, he clarified,

"this isn't your universe. this is a different universe. things didn't play out quite the same here, as they did there."

@drrobctnik Liked for a starter

Ringing was all the hedgehog heard. Eyesight blurry as he tries to open ruby colored eyes. Everything spinning as he lays in the crater of where he landed. Pain rearing through his body as he raises a hand to his head. Easing it against the throbbing in his head he felt as he simply lays there. Letting air enter his lungs he tries to recall the events of what happened.

Where was he even ?

Shadow hadn't the slightest idea but he knew he needed to get up. He couldn't lay here. Summoning what strength he had to roll onto his stomach. Tucking his arms under him to push himself upwards. Pain flaring as he cries out to himself. ❝ Damn ... ❞ He swears under his breath. Something was definitely broken.

He had to keep going as he feels around. His fingertips brushing against something cold as he glances at the item. The familiar golden sheen of his inhibitor hitting the little light he could see. Grabbing it he sits on his knees a moment. Slowly reattaching it to his wrist as he rubs the back of his head. He didn't see any of the other inhibitors. That was going to be a problem in the long run.

Slowly eases himself back up to his feet. Wobbling as he found his footing as he climbs out of the crater. Oh how everything ached as he hisses through his teeth as he takes a deeper breath. Finally he takes in his surroundings. Seeing a form familiar yet so different he thought was imagining it ...

❝ Doctor ? ❞ He questions. But how was that possible ? The Doctor was inside of the Eclipse Canon as it exploded. What was going on ? ❝ How are you here ? ❞

⸻ ft. imad stone x julius robotnik ⸻

( "i can't lose you." )

crafted by iggy & marker.

he hadn't heard the name julius uttered in, so long. nowadays it was Robotnik, or Doctor, or Monster, Villain ⸻ but julius? he hadn't thought he'd ever enjoy hearing his name again. nor how much he'd missed being called that, in that absence. maybe he hadn't let himself think on that for too long to really register the depth.

at being told he had a nice name, a blush crossed his expression, and that sincere, awkward smile was back. & as imad said that julius was the first, oh. oh his heart.

he wanted that. more; more, selfishly, greedily, wanted to be the first for imad. a need coiled in his body and he did his best to stifle that, not wanting to get too overwhelmed. might make his chaos energy go out of control again.

a little chuckle leaves him, the noise soft and an airy sort of breath to the sound. "i'm glad." is this what that feeling was? he wouldn't know, hadn't had anything to feel glad about in quite some time. if he had ever. couldn't put a name to most emotions, at points ⸻ but he'd said that without thinking. so it was probably true. maybe that had come from his heart.

"i," a slight hesitation here, but julius pushes through that, "is there anything you might want to do? now that you're here."

julius... what an interesting name.

he doesn't mind that the handshake went on for longer than was considered polite, figuring julius just might not be used to doing such things and perhaps didn't know the unspoken rules of it. then again maybe he just liked having physical contact, given julius' stone was no longer in the picture.

despite it though stone keeps his smile, feeling a bit happy that the man was willing to open up a bit more, even if it was brief.

"it is nice to properly meet you as well, julius. you have a rather nice name yourself. I do not think I've ever met someone named that before, so you'll be the first."

⸻ ft. imad stone x julius robotnik ⸻

( "i can't lose you." )

crafted by fritzi & wilhelm.

Be so completely yourself that everyone wants to kill you

i'd like to know you ⸻ hearing those words felt, bizarre. as precious and as warm as sunlight, they felt & yet that ever present and nagging fear, numbness threatened julius at the mere notion. the mere fraction of a thought: until you won't. until julius said or did something that was too much, too confusing, too outlandish or too contradictory, or too selfish or too sensitive or too⸻ he was scared, at the thought of losing this. losing him.

& just how much of himself was he willing to give, could he give? could he give parts that stone would help him to understand? julius had always wondered that, how he was supposed to just KNOW things innately when no one ever bothered to teach him, to explain, to show him. to let him feel, not that he felt very often or for very long.

at the reassuring smile, julius gives a small, awkward, brief one in return. like he isn't used to smiling very often, never sincerely. at what is said next, julius blinks, his turn to be caught off guard. oh. right. he supposed they never introduced themselves, did they?

"julius," he steps forward, reaching a hand out and shaking imad's, "it's nice to meet you, imad. er, properly." julius' touch lingers, not wanting to let go of imad's hand. he's probably shaking it for too long. how long did one normally shake another's hand?? julius glanced down, cleared his throat, finally stopped shaking imad's hand after probably 30 seconds, rubbed at the side of his neck again.

considered, but then stepped back, wanting to give imad space. "....your name suits you, i like it."

the little apology caught him off guard, and he chooses to nod as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, seeing yet another change in the man's demeanor. stone figured julius was likely pushing himself way out of his comfort zone, and he really did wonder just why that was. the man had shown he was very capable of deflecting, of being indifferent to what stone said and even expressed, so why the change of heart?

"I'd like to know you, as much as you feel comfortable telling me. In turn I will tell you about myself, that way it is an even exchange."

he offers him a reassuring smile, his previous look of annoyance fading away as he takes on a more friendly stance. "We could start with our first names, yeah? I am Imad, what is yours? I'd at least like to properly address the person I am speaking with."

the silence was strangling. felt like it had a vice grip on his throat, threatening to close up his windpipe. great job being quiet, julius, you stupid piece of shit⸻ say something. SAY SOMETHING, FUCKING TALK⸻

"......i'm," his fingers shift, and he moves to rub a hand along the side of his own neck, not looking at stone as he says this, "i'm sorry you never got to tell ivo," that felt strange to say, "the things you wanted to." he felt jealousy nip in his chest and knew that was irrational and stupid. he barely knew stone after all. & clearly they were both lonely from, everything either of them had gone through. but julius wanted to throw caution to the wind and let himself feel jealous, want stone, want, want⸻ he always wanted but never knew how or if he should sate that wanting. if he had the right to.

what had stone called it? marinating? just marinating, coasting through life, he supposed. doing what he felt he had to. a death without dying.

he exhaled, not sure he had it in him to explain more. there was so much more he felt he wanted to say, it was conflicting. he was scared that if he didn't now, the opportunity might never present itself again. he wondered if that itself was irrational, or maybe stupid, or naive. too emotional, too sensitive. he also couldn't stand the silence. wanted to speak with stone, but didn't know how. was he afraid of judgment? rejection? stone recoiling?

was he scared more, maybe, of stone stepping forward to meet him, and accepting it? what would that mean? to be seen, accepted, wanted not in spite of his ugliness or his horrors or his darkness but because of it.

"...i want," he swallowed, inhaled shortly, exhaled, and finally looked at stone again, "i want to tell you. i do. i just... i don't know how. no one's, ever bothered to ask, before. to want to know," he isn't sure how to express that, so he, he just lays a palm against his own chest. as if to silently say 'to know me', all of him.

stone knew by the silence that seemingly yet again he'd said the wrong thing, and a small part of him was starting to grow irritated at that fact. he tries to do his best to listen and be reassuring but it's perceived as anything but, and he practically has to stop himself from letting out a frustrated sigh at the entire scenario.

he knew very well when to pick and choose his battles, and right now his annoyance was not needed nor welcomed.

so instead of speaking and potentially further souring things between them he just stands there, arms resting loosely over his chest as he watches julius stand up. there really wasn't much in the way of anything that he could say to the man, it seemed.

he could feel himself starting to clam up again. julius hadn't been finished, he'd just paused to try and figure out how to word the rest of it. if he could. it'd been hard enough to even get out those small bits and portions. & where stone might think his words were comforting, they were the exact opposite.

⸻ all that did was reaffirm to julius that he was supposed to be the one to be in that position. to be the one leading. to be the one that was meant to be sadistic. or to be the one that was meant to ⸻ what had he said? 'enslave humanity'? not unlike that time julius'd been told he was to lead his squadron despite not wanting to at all and feeling as though james had been better for the job.

if he had the energy in him, he might've gotten angered. but that odd numbness that settled into his heart and mind, sort of felt like a fog. like what little bit of hope he had for that ever happening cracked and slipped away. & julius just, let it.

"....." he isn't certain what to say, to stone telling him that he was happy that he trusted him enough. he exhales, and lets go of his hand before standing up, forcing himself to, even though he doesn't truly want to.

a big part of stone wasn't surprised with the reply julius gave, as he figured they had to be something someone wouldn't want to actually voice. the thing stone was surprised about was the man's willingness to humor him and actually give an explanation. stone knew it was likely very difficult if julius' body language were any give away.

however when the topic changes to him, or rather the stone that belonged to julius' timeline, he felt his heart start to race. how odd it was to hear those words come from his mouth, as if julius were some sort of mindreader and was voicing the thoughts stone had a long, long time ago.

it was the same explanation he would have given to ivo if he were able, but that didn't matter. not anymore, not since...

he meets julius' gaze with a soft one if his own, trying to figure out how to reply.

"I know how you feel. those thoughts that you have. they were the same words I wished I had told to ivo, before he..." he quiets, clearing his throat as he wills the tears away, "before he sacrificed himself. I'm not sure what happened to your stone, but I have a feeling we are in the same situation where we are missing our respective companions."

again silence on stone's part, but it is only a moment before he speaks again. "I am happy you trust me enough to share such a personal and vulnerable part of yourself with me."

at the question, a laugh bubbles out of him, the sound equal parts disbelief that stone is genuinely asking, and maybe some shock that someone wants to hear. mostly, a sort of bitterness, at everything and everyone else⸻

"....h," voice catches, stuttered breaths, gasped exhale. feeling that squeezing on his shoulder, julius grips at stone's hand so tightly. & yet it's conscious enough at least to ensure he isn't hurting stone while doing so. if julius weren't careful he was more than capable of shattering stone's hand without much thought. "horrible thoughts, or at least i've been told they're horrible. directly, indirectly."

his fingers twitch but still upon feeling stone's skin on the top of his hand. his gaze is darting along the ground as he tries to piece together what it is he wants to say, how to say it. whether or not it'll make sense. whether or not he means it. whether he should. can he?

finally, julius glances upward, meeting stone's face. he pauses, gaze locked with stone's. though that self-conscious, anxiety spiked pit of himself wanted to look away, afraid, he didn't. wouldn't. h-he had to, face this, even if it meant being vulnerable. only with stone,

"i wanted, to give you everything. i thought you deserved a throne. if you'd wanted to kill everyone, then i'd help you with that. not because i get any real joy out of it ⸻ well, maybe a little ⸻ but it'd mostly be by proxy of you. knowing that's what you wanted. ....so long as you're, fulfilled, then i'd be content just to be there."

he trails off, gaze dropping again.

there's more, of course there is. that barely scratches the surface, and julius isn't even certain that he's explained that properly. he's never trusted his own words. he could barely make sense of his own emotions mentally, how was he supposed to vocalize his wants and desires in a way that anyone else would understand, or listen to, let alone ever accept or view as 'healthy' or 'good'?

whatever brief smile stone had on his face was wiped away instantly when he heard what julius said, which caused stone's blood to run cold. 'I can't lose you', words that paralleled the ones he had said to ivo in desperate attempt to get him to stop what he and his grandfather had planned. he clears his throat at that as he buries the memory, planning to revisit it at another point in time.

at least he seemed to have an idea on what happened to this robotnik's stone...

he listens to him, his grip on julius' shoulder never faltering. if anything, he gives it a gentle squeeze, a silent affirmation that stone would not judge him for anything he was saying or would say.

"what thoughts do you have?" he asks, voice soft as he waits for julius to answer.

What is Your Hate Language?

VIOLENCE

Physical Violence is a common, yet bold hate language. It’s old as time and is as natural as rain. It’s often one of the first thoughts that come to us when we feel hatred, but you actually have the moxie to go through with it. Fist fights at bars and you think assassination is the best option in politics. You’re an absolute loose canon. Your most likely crime would be murder. The only down side of this hate language is how hard it is to get away with it.

he was healing, of course, quicker than it'd scar. it'd need extended prolonged contact to do any actual lasting damage. julius is trying and failing to breathe properly, but stone's voice causes him to lift his head, hands still lifted up close to his face but no longer clasping or hiding. "talk to me, please."

how? HOW? he didn't know HOW to⸻ what to say⸻ how to explain⸻ if he should⸻ what if he fucked it all up⸻ what if⸻

"i'm here to listen to you and help." a hand on his shoulder. gaze flicks down to stone's hand. stares. julius focuses. exhales unevenly, focusing on his left hand, that feeling of warmth leaving his palm. his fingers twitch, but he moves to lay his palm overtop of stone's on top of his shoulder, eyes closing. inhales, exhales.

"....i can't lose you," the words are weighted: an ache and a sorrow and yet a guilt and regret and self-anger causing them to sound like even the very air from julius' lungs are burning, "i⸻ i can't, control.... s-sometimes, the energy," he falters, shamed, gaze now on the ground between himself and stone. unable to look at stone. not trusting himself to be able to handle whatever expression stone was making or whatever look stone was lobbing his way.

"it goes, haywire, a-and then my mind," fingers twitch slightly against stone's hand, pressing into his hand a tad more. as though needing to grip tightly to stone and never let go, "i start, having these⸻ thoughts."

stone doesn't flinch when julius suddenly grabs his wrist, though he does briefly knit his eyebrows together as he tries to figure out just why the man had done that. perhaps to ground himself? that was likely it, until...

he felt like his wrist was on fire, and just as quick as he had looked down julius had rescinded his grip and quickly backed away. what was more odd was the fact stone could have sworn he smelt burning flesh, the scent unmistakable to the former agent.

julius was... burning? mumbling to himself as well. stone doesn't move towards him however, simply choosing to remain where he was and just observe the other for a minute or so before finally speaking.

"hey... what's happening? talk to me, please. I'm here to listen to you and help," he says softly as he kneels down in front of him, reaching out a hand to rest on the man's shoulder in an act of comfort.

MUSE'S HANDWRITING

Go HERE and find a script that suits your character's handwriting!

mother and father issues are so valid like yeah i do take issue with the way you two behaved. Actually