Welcome one and all to the third chapter of AEC!
I'd like to thank the lovely messages I received about the release of the Echo Verse blog – more on that at the end of this chapter! Thank you to Remus98, who reviewed the last chapter, and thank you to all the people in the An Echo's Call channel on Discord for their lovely, supportive messages.
Now, it's time for us to start getting into the body of the story. I'm well aware that the flamboyance of this tale has already reached new heights, but in honour of LGBTQ+ History Month, I figured that I'd keep the chaos coming. Make sure to reach out to your LGBTQ+ friends this month – some may need it more than you realise – and it's an important time to stay educated and aware of LGBTQ+ issues.
Are we ready for more shenanigans and mysterious timey-wimey stuff? Let's do it!
A choice to make, or two or three,
a fracture in our destiny,
but if we change we're flying free,
our space and time in harmony.
Rufus Rabanne, Twenty-Three, Timekeeper (Rank III)
For just a moment, he was drowning.
The next, he was aching.
"Rufus, get up!"
The familiar sound of Blake's voice in his ears was a little too loud, an assault on his senses as he tried to breathe through the ice-cold water that had been promptly splashed across his face.
Wait…that couldn't be right.
Blake poured water over him this morning, so why was he back here, reliving this moment again?
He sat up as a headache greeted him, blossoming fiercely in his temples. His eyes burned and his body felt sluggish. Hazily, he focused his gaze on Blake and willed himself to be at least somewhat attentive as he tried to gather his thoughts. He was confident that he'd been here before, but déjà vu was a real thing; he just didn't expect it to feel so strong. Then again, it wasn't uncommon for Rufus to spend a night or two a week blind drunk and posting photos of his ass on Panegram.
Maybe he'd forgotten last night and skipped ahead to the next morning in his dreams.
"What the hell, Blake?" he whined as he rubbed his eyes and shook the droplets of water from his hair.
"Rufus, I need you to tell me I'm not crazy."
Wow, Blake. Rufus thought. That's out there for a Monday morning.
"…What?" Rufus muttered, frowning as Blake rushed over and opened the curtains in a panicked flourish.
He groaned as he tried to shield his eyes from the razor-sharp light, squinting through the brightness to look at his friend.
Blake looked like shit.
Aside from the dark circles, Blake looked nothing short of terrified. His entire body was tense like a coiled wire, his hair a little messy as if his hands had run through it numerous times. His blue eyes darted from left to right, with his nose wrinkled slightly at the sight of Rufus and the faint stale smell that hung in the air. Blake seemed on edge, a nervous energy about him as he waited for Rufus to grow accustomed to the light levels in the room.
"I swear to god Rufus," Blake spoke. "If you're drunk right now, I'm going to scream."
"I mean, I'm hungover," Rufus told him but changed the subject. "Are you okay?"
Rufus stood up and reached out a hand to pat Blake on the shoulder. Being there for his friends had always given Rufus a sense of purpose. If he was able to change someone's life by being able to support them, then perhaps he could be distracted from his difficulties. His life wasn't exactly a walk in paradise, so making a difference to someone else's day always filled him with hope. Ignorance was bliss, after all.
"No, I'm not," Blake muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I thought I was at the shop about to serve someone, and then suddenly I'm back here."
"Wait, you have customers?" Rufus asked jokingly.
Blake sighed and shook his head, missing the joke.
"It's like this day has started again," he continued. "I swear I've been here before, pouring water over your dumb face to wake you up."
"Well, you have," Rufus pointed out, recalling the number of times Blake had woken him up with a disapproving look after a night of partying. "I'd edit out the 'dumb face' part though. I'm flawless!"
Blake scoffed but Rufus got his smile, even if it was a small one.
"Trust me when I say that you're not crazy," Rufus told him. "Don't worry about these things. You're tired; I kept you up last night partying. You need to rest."
"I do," Blake admitted, yawning widely. "But I can't. It's Monday, and I have a shop to open."
A ringing sound came from the hallway, and Blake's eyes widened at it.
"I swear that's happened once already too," Blake told him, rubbing his forehead.
"Really?" Rufus raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Go on, go steal my brand by being delusional."
Blake laughed at that, a deep, rolling sound that escaped him freely. Aside from a lover's moan, Blake's laugh was a sign that he was doing something right.
"So, who'll be on the phone?"
"It's Halle," Blake told him confidently. "She'll talk to me about her orange chocolate. I'm sure of it."
Rufus wrinkled his nose.
"Ew, orange chocolate," he commented. "Well, go on then. I suppose I'll wait here to find out."
As Blake moved swiftly down the hallway to take the call, Rufus stretched, feeling the faint heat of the morning sun across his back. He felt like Blake's concerns had reason to them, but in all honesty, he couldn't remember a great deal. Even so, the sharpness of Aubrey's glare had seemed so real…how could someone's eyes and tone be so memorable to him, even in a dream?
So Blake was right.
Was he? Rufus didn't have many reasons to doubt Blake, but that didn't know he meant everything. Blake tended to get wrapped up in his own dilemmas, and this could well be another one of those. Then again, Rufus had some semblance of memory that he couldn't deny, even though it seemed to escape him whenever he tried to pinpoint it.
Wow, being a hoe surely didn't score him marks in the memory department.
He glanced down at his bedside table, where the cold glass of water had left a transparent ring on the edge of a handwritten note. Rufus instantly recognised Blake's loopy cursive as it spelt out a reminder.
Don't forget about Aubrey this morning! I hope you're not too hungover. ~Blake
"Rufus!" Blake called. "I need to go, I'll see you later, okay?"
"Wait, was it Halle on the phone?" Rufus asked, sticking his head into the corridor.
"Yes," Blake nodded. "It was."
Blake was standing by the door, carrying a few bags, dressed in his usual black jacket. His Escala was clipped to one ear, the light flashing a bright blue. Blake had mentioned that he'd bought one for his sister a year ago, and then gotten another for half price. The portable telephone was even more advanced than a solar mobile, so much so, that Rufus had bitten down on his jealousy. Blake claimed to be unlike most Capitolites, but sometimes, Rufus couldn't help but draw comparisons. Neither of them were frivolous spenders, but Rufus knew that the triple-pad memory foam in the cushions and the spongey underlay of the carpet were a tell-tale sign that even Blake enjoyed his comforts, however minimal he made it look.
"I'll see you later," Rufus smiled. "I'm meeting Aleksander for lunch at Rosemary's."
Blake grinned. He'd forgotten to put on his concealer this morning, Rufus noticed. Blake seemed very swept off his feet, so different to the well-dressed, well-mannered confidante he was used to. Maybe there was truth to his concerns?
"Okay," Blake nodded. "I'll see you there."
Rufus gave his friend a wave and watched him leave, before darting back into his bedroom. Throwing himself carelessly over his sheets, he yawned again. Blake had always reminded him of the big brother he'd never had, so ready to deal with whatever came his way (with maybe a rant here and there).
Rufus could tell something was wrong with his friend.
He just didn't know what.
"There's so much to know, it's insane,"
Aleksander flicked through his pocketbook nervously as Rufus smirked at him over the rim of his coffee cup. He'd taken the Rank Ones on their tour, dealt with Aubrey's death glares, and there was no déjà vu this time, so Rufus was pretty confident that he was in the clear. He couldn't deny the fact that the day's events had followed the same timeline in his so-called dream, however. Spooky.
Regardless, he'd escaped Aubrey's wrath and met his friend Aleksander at Rosemary's, Panem's best pizza place.
Rosemary's was a café by day, and a restaurant/takeaway by night, specialising in pure deliciousness. It had originally started out as a tiny little restaurant just off Patrell's Parade before it had expanded to several more sites across the Capitol. It was the pizza that gained its notoriety, however, it soon expanded to serve a variety of other dishes as well.
"So you're a Timekeeper who's training to be a Doctor," Rufus summarised.
"Well, I am a Doctor," Aleksander smiled. "But sometimes patients ask me all these weird questions."
"So that's why you carry a Medical Dictionary around with you?" Rufus questioned, jerking his chin in the direction of the small book in Aleksander's hands. "Doesn't anyone question you?"
"Uh…no they don't."
"Hold on, Alek," Rufus chuckled, trying not to laugh. "You're not really a Doctor, but you're pretending to be one?"
Rufus couldn't believe this, simply because it was comedy gold. A Doctor who didn't know how to, well, be a Doctor? Aleksander Armistead was giving him some free entertainment, and watching him sweat about it just added to the fun.
Alek looked around carefully, before leaning in a bit more.
"Don't tell everyone!" he hissed. "It's just a cover-up for my powers. I'm hoping I can learn something useful from it."
"Okay, so can you tell me if a mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell?"
"I don't know, Rufus, can you tell me why your ass was on Panegram last night?"
"Bitch?!" Rufus gaped. "Are you dragging me right now?"
"Well, maybe?" Alek laughed. "It adds to the fun."
"Well, my followers ate it up," Rufus shrugged. "So I guess I did something right?"
A plate slid between the two of them; several quesadillas spread out across a bed of rocket leaves and spinach, filled with various fillings of chorizo, carnitas pork, mushrooms and chopped peppers, drizzled in gooey cheese. A small side plate slid up next to it, holding small pots of salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
"Sup guys!" a cheery voice called. "Fancy seeing you two here!"
Rufus looked up to see Laissa grinning at him.
A Timekeeper at the academy, Laissa Galeo was a waitress by day and held her own Games podcast by night. Laissa was upbeat, if not a little awkward with new people, but Rufus always dipped in if she was on shift to say hi.
"Hey Laissa," Rufus grinned. "How are you?"
"Just peachy," Laissa smiled but pretended to roll her eyes. "You know how it is when it's busy. Oh, I got lacto-free cheese for you, Alek!"
"Ew," Rufus wrinkled his nose. "You mean the one that smells like feet?"
"Yes, the very same," Aleksander chuckled. "Uh, thank you, Laissa."
"It's okay," Laissa said. "I wish I could get out of work but my manager is probably going to kill me if I'm out here for more than five minutes, so I gotta go."
"You can do this!" Rufus encouraged her.
"Thanks," Laissa sighed. "Nothing like selling pizza for a living."
As Laissa left them alone and Aleksander dug in, Rufus took a quesadilla and bit into it thoughtfully. He noted the rich flavours of his meal as he leant back in his chair and indulged in his moment of relaxation.
His gaze moved over to the other side of the street, enjoying the fresh breeze as it ran across his skin, ruffling his hair as it sped past him. He was sure he could spend the rest of the day here, basking in the easy sun and watching the world go by. He glanced at the people that walked across the street, watching a couple buy croissants from a cheerful baker, and a cat turning over onto its belly as a young girl giggled and reached out to stroke it.
His eyes soon met another pair, a face that watched from him a nearby alleyway – no, two faces. Hidden partially in the shadows in the lip of a sidestreet, two young individuals were standing, watching him. His eyes danced over their forms, making out the faint tattoos of a watch and star on the skin of the taller figure, whose sleeves had been rolled up. Creeped out but curious, his eyes searched for understanding as he squinted against the sunlight to see two faces of whom he recognised.
Elyse and Chance…two Timekeepers from the academy. He recognised Elyse's blonde waves and Chance's bright eyes, even from this distance. He knew of them; they too, were students at the academy, but he hadn't spoken to them beyond simple pleasantries. Even so, the way they were watching him seemed strangely odd, as if they were merely observing his daily existence.
A sudden buzz came from before him as he looked down at his mobile and Rufus' smile faded into nothingness.
His Father was calling.
Quickly, he cancelled the call and slipped his mobile into his pocket.
"Is your Dad still troubling you?" Alek asked, frowning in the direction of his phone.
"Yeah, it's probably nothing," Rufus muttered.
He didn't care what it was, really. Rufus' father was a bitter, manipulative man who didn't care for anything other than money or power. Rufus had been a side effect of his Father's marriage, and he hadn't seen his Mother for nearly twenty years. Rufus' hopes for a warm and loving family had ended before it had even begun. Hence, he was very grateful to Blake for providing him with a room recently, purely so he could escape his Father's grasp.
He looked up again in the direction of the alleyway.
There was no longer anyone there.
Blake Burlei, Twenty-Five, Timekeeper (Rank III)
This was no longer a dream.
Whatever was happening, it was real and Blake was growing more confident that he wasn't the crazy one.
Since he'd left his apartment this morning, almost everything had been exactly the same as before. He'd seen his regulars come into the Chrystalis to buy the same things, each of them with the same conversations. Every little detail seemed as if it had already been played out, just following an endless script that he no longer knew the words to. He felt like a puppet on a string, forced to dance around in this world for someone else's amusement, only to be the one who wasn't let in on all the backstage secrets.
The day had replayed itself, and Blake had waited for the one moment he knew was already coming.
The bell rang as the mysterious man walked in once more, the light of morning casting shadows across his form. Blake recognised the same fleeting features he'd seen before, from the oak coloured brogues to the navy peacoat and the neatly styled stubble. This time, however, he made the effort to move forwards almost immediately, for fear that he may be taken away once again. He didn't know this person, but new customer or not, he was most definitely intrigued.
The light shifted as he walked forwards, coming closer to the taller gentleman, making out the dark copper of his hair and the deep brown of his eyes. The man oozed warmth, gazing fondly down at each of the crystal pieces as he inspected them one by one, an expert's glint in his gentle gaze. Broad shoulders led to a slim but athletic build, an emerald band glistening on his left hand.
He was attractive, his eyes certainly weren't lying, but business came first, as he often reminded himself. Even so…
"Excuse me," Blake spoke. "Can I help you?"
His words made the poor man jump, startling him.
"Holy-" the man began but turned around to see Blake before him. "O-oh…"
"I'm sorry!" Blake apologised sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, internally cursing himself. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"No, no, it's no problem," the man answered, shooting Blake a smile that made his heart stop. "I was looking for something, actually. A pendant of some kind."
"Oh yes," Blake answered, trying to make sure his voice wasn't shaking. "Yes, we do pendants! We have them in most jewels if that's what you're looking for."
"I'm looking for one in my birthstone," the man explained. "Do you have any emerald?"
"Oh, emerald is my birthstone too!" Blake grinned.
"Really?" the man chuckled. "Weird coincidence, huh?"
"Yeah," Blake answered, moving back to business. "So we do nuggets of emerald, cut and polish, rings, and hearts. We have different chains as well; gold, silver, bronze, and stainless steel, but we also do leather cords."
"Wow, you do a lot here," the customer acknowledged. "I don't think I've found a crystal shop where there's so much variety. How long have you been open?"
"A couple of years," Blake explained. "I know it's a bit out of the way, but I've got some loyal customers and they've been brilliant, to be honest. I've done alright considering I'm not right on the parade."
"I haven't heard of you before," the man smiled sadly. "Well, I'll definitely come back again. What was your name?"
"Oh, I'm Blake! Blake Burlei," Blake answered, feeling a slight heat rush to his cheeks. "What's yours? I'd love to- I mean, I'd be happy to see you come back, I'd really appreciate it."
"Jaune," came the reply. "Jaune Perroux. Don't worry, I'll definitely come back."
"Great," Blake grinned. "Well Jaune, feel free to have a look around, and let me know if there's anything you want help with."
"Thank you, Blake."
The way Jaune spoke his name left butterflies in his stomach; a feeling that Blake wasn't used to. Sure, he'd had lovers before, but not the kind he'd kept for long. Blake had never really found anyone who'd made him think of romance. He was always so swept up in the running of the Chrystalis and his Timekeeping duties that nobody had ever factored themselves into that equation, at least, not until now.
The outrageous Capitol fashions often disturbed him – he appreciated art and the designs people had made but held no interest in wearing it or involving himself in any cosmetic procedures. He felt the same way about the people who'd changed themselves in that way as well. They were interesting to watch and the colours were beautiful, but Blake himself had never found much attraction there.
Jaune was different. Dangerously different.
Even so, he couldn't help but acknowledge the slight tremor in his hands as his heartbeat raced, or the number of times his eyes flicked over to Jaune, who was peering at the various pendants in the glass case by the counter.
He had to tell Rufus about this. He fully expected thirsty comments and ruthless teasing, but for once, he figured that his friend would be happy for him. Rufus had been trying to get him to explore his options, but Blake had refused, too worried about everything else to focus on the idea of romance, or clubbing or just…sleeping with people, as Rufus tended to do.
Finally, Jaune brought an emerald crystal to the counter; a cut and polished pendant. They were Blake's personal favourites; a clean, simple design that said what needed to be said and nothing else.
"Just this one, please," Jaune said, placing the pendant on the counter. "Oh, and a silver chain as well."
"Great," Blake answered. "Thank you."
"Not a problem," Jaune winked, and Blake almost died right there on the spot. He could feel the heat rise to his cheeks once again and turned to take a silver chain to conceal his emotions.
When he turned back, Jaune was smiling at him, twinkling eyes looking over him carefully. Blake dropped his gaze and focused his undivided attention on wrapping the pendant and chain, packaging the jewellery in a small purple box with shaky fingers. After everything was paid for and done, Blake eventually handed Jaune the box.
"I hope you like it," Blake told him. "Let me know how you find it."
"Well, actually," Jaune spoke, leaning in. "I wanted to ask you about something else."
"Sure," Blake answered.
Please don't let it be creepy, please don't let it be creepy…
"Well, it's kind of a weird situation," Jaune admitted awkwardly. "Basically, I won two tickets to the Spring Promenade in a raffle and uh…I have no one to go with."
Jaune looked nothing short of embarrassed, but Blake was taken completely off guard. He'd expected a lot of things; cheesy pick-up lines, suggestive comments, or just a goodbye. He'd never thought of being asked to go to a ball.
Blake knew about the Spring Promenade. Tickets had been advertised over the last couple of weeks and would be taking place at President Snow's mansion. Naturally, the tickets were incredibly expensive, and Blake hadn't even considered the possibility of going anyway. He wasn't exactly rich for a Capitolite, nor did he have anyone to go with. Sure, Rufus could probably have been his plus one, but he didn't seem like the type to go to a ball.
Jaune looked at Blake for a beat longer and then moved away.
"I'm sorry, I-I should never have asked," he told him. "It was rude of me. We've literally just met."
"No, no," Blake reassured him. "I'm just surprised that anyone would ask me. I'd love to go if you're happy to take me."
"Alright then," Jaune smirked. "It's a date. See you tonight at half-past seven, just outside here?"
"Yes!"
It's a date. It's a date. It's a date.
Somehow, Blake couldn't quite comprehend this reality in his mind, but as he waved Jaune out of his shop, grinning from ear to ear, he could barely contain his excitement.
Rufus would never hear the end of this.
"Rufus, stop it!"
Blake glared at Rufus as he roared with laughter, Alek giggling at his side. The duo had finished their food when Blake arrived and sat there like grinning idiots while Blake had shared his news with them. Blake had figured that there would be some light teasing, but nothing like this.
"Did you enjoy the sight of your sweet prince?" Rufus teased him. "Oh Jaune, Mr Jaune, how ever can I take your big dick?"
"Shut up, Rufus," Blake narrowed his eyes. "It's just a guy."
"One that you happen to be interested in," Alek pointed out. "We support you but uh…don't drop the ball."
Blake rolled his eyes to the heavens at the bad pun.
"Seriously?" he asked, his eyes darting between the two laughing men beside him. "There's no way a Dad joke is that funny."
His irritation, mixed with his obvious embarrassment was only making the duo laugh harder, especially as other customers had turned around to watch their antics.
"Can you even dance?" Rufus smirked. "You know, actually dance. To music?"
"I can," Blake crossed his arms. "I just don't know how to dance ballroom."
Alek and Rufus began to calm down as the two of them settled themselves in their seats and watched Blake's cheeks grow red.
"Aw, Blake," Alek said. "At least you've found someone."
"Do I need to teach you how to twerk?" Rufus asked. "It's always a good option."
Blake threw a stray tortilla chip in Rufus' direction.
"I don't want to learn how to twerk," he told him. "Trust you to slut it up at a ball."
"Don't I always?" Rufus puffed out his chest proudly. "I like to make an impression."
"He could always lend you his chaps," Alek smirked, setting the two of them off into another round of laughter.
"For the love of Snow," Blake breathed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Dealing with this chaotic duo was testing his patience more than he cared to admit. Blake sighed, closing his eyes and trying to keep himself calm. Relentless teasing was one of his least favourite things, especially when his friends were laughing at him for something completely innocent. Jaune was a handsome man, and Blake rarely got the opportunity to engage in romance of any kind. Of course, a date to a ball was an unconventional first date, but it was a cute idea. That, and Blake really needed a night out.
Rufus' laughter soon died down, and he wiped a tear from his eye.
"You know I don't mean to hurt you, right Blake?" he asked.
"Yeah I know," Blake muttered.
He drew his eyes away from his friend to look up at the various plants hanging from building to building, a botanists dream in the centre of the Capitol. He always liked plants and the peacefulness they held; how still they seemed and how unbothered they were by everything else going on around them. Plants made him feel at home like he was welcome beneath the cushions on his sofa or under the blankets on his bed.
"Er, Blake?" Rufus asked.
"Yeah?" Blake asked, not really paying attention.
"Something's wrong."
Blake moved his gaze to Rufus and suddenly took note of an unexpected silence around him. He looked to Alek, who was right next to him, frozen in place mid-laugh. Across the street, a flock of birds were in mid-flight, caught in suspended animation, stopped in their tracks.
"Rufus, what-" he began, but his world descended into darkness once more.
The darkness left his vision, and almost immediately, he found himself pouring ice-cold water onto Rufus' sleeping head.
"Blake!" Rufus spluttered, coughing as he sat up violently, desperately wiping water from his eyes.
"Rufus, it's happening again," Blake said, his hands shaking. "It's happening again!"
Shaking the water from his hair, Rufus looked around his bedroom. As he did so, the familiar scent of stale sweat and alcohol assaulted Blake's senses once more. Rufus looked up at him grimly; Blake knew that he too was seeing exactly what he was seeing right now. They were, once again, back in Rufus' bedroom on a Monday morning.
"You don't think-" Rufus began, but Blake raised a hand and cut him off, moving around the bed to open the curtains and the window.
The morning light greeted them both and Rufus winced and held up a hand to shade his eyes. Blake could feel a headache blossoming, tiredness settling in behind his eyes. This was happening again. They were here again.
"Rufus, what the fuck is going on?" Blake asked, trying to keep his breathing even.
"I...don't know," Rufus answered unsteadily. "But if it helps, you're not crazy."
"Thanks," Blake sighed, rubbing his eyes.
A ringing sound came from the hallway and Rufus' head snapped up.
"No…" he whispered. "You don't think-"
"It's Halle," Blake said, remembering his conversation with her earlier. "I know it is."
The two of them shared a look, one mixed with worry and fear as they came to terms with their current predicament. They were reliving the same day once again, over and over and over.
It didn't seem possible. It didn't make sense.
Yet, it was Monday morning once again.
Oop- and here we go!
So…yes, Rufus and Blake are caught in some kind of time loop and they're not exactly sure why. How are they going to get out of this, I wonder? More shenanigans and assless chaps? Who knows!
Rufus has been living his life, pretending it's all okay, because it is, right? Why do you think Rufus is being watched by other Timekeepers? What will he get himself into now?
Blake's mysterious customer seems very sweet! Do you think Jaune can be trusted or not? What about Blake's correct prediction about their situation - a lucky guess or is he hiding something?
What do you think about Aleksander, who appeared in this chapter? Thank you to Alecxias for submitting your inspired character – here he is in full force. Don't forget the fabulous Laissa as well, who made an appearance as well, submitted by ladyqueerfoot – you might have seen her in BT 10, but here she is again! She's too iconic to stay in one story :D
Also, THE BLOG IS HERE! Woo! It took a lot of time and effort in between everything else I've been doing, but you can find the full Echo Verse blog at:
theechoverse . weebly . com
Well, that's all from me for now. I already have AEC 4 written, but I'm going to get some more writing done before I drop it in here! Don't worry, it'll be on its way soon enough~
Over and out!
~Mental
