I started writing this fanfic long before For the Future was released. I started writing it but couldn't find the motivation to finish. Until I saw that not-so-subtle moment of shipteasing between Alador and Darius in the finale. So, this final version of the story is an amalgamation of ideas from before and after I saw For the Future.

The Collector's game is the same as in canon - turning people into puppets and using them to act out Luz's adventures. Raine is still turned into a puppet. The rest of the CATTs, however, escaped being turned into puppets and took refuge in Blight Manor with a handful of other witches. Eda was able to evade the Collector long enough to discover King's collar in the Titan's skull. She put two-and-two together that the sigil on King's collar is a cloaking spell, and she shared that information with the refugees before going to save King and Raine herself and getting captured.

So, enjoy my now officially AU fanfic about Alador and Darius. You can interpret them romantically or platonically in this fic. It's up to you.

It was crowded in Blight Manor. When it was just the amazing Blights and their three gifted children living there, the manor had plenty of places you could go for peace and quiet. Now the mansion was housing some thirty-odd witches, leaving hardly any room to stand because of all the sleeping bags everywhere. No one would have expected Odalia Blight to open her home as a refuge against The Collector's mad game, especially when most of those thirty-odd witches were "common." But it seems having the magic violently ripped from your body has a way of putting things in perspective.

Darius didn't mind having the manor as a refuge. There was plenty of room for the survivors to sleep, an extensive back garden to grow food in with Luz's plant glyphs, Odalia even let the CATTs (Titan, he still hated that name) carve the strange sigil that cloaked them from The Collector's omnipotent gaze into the mansion's walls. The only problem was Odalia and her stooge of a husband - no, business partner - Alador being the owners of the refuge.

Darius couldn't step two feet in the manor without making eye contact with one of the Blights. Odalia would quickly turn away, likely to hide the wounded pride that clouded her usually cold gaze these days. Alador, on the other hand, would stare right back at Darius. A thoughtful, sombre stare that made it clear there was something on his mind.

Darius would have liked to have asked what was wrong, but he had too much on his plate to ask. Without Raine, this ragtag resistance needed someone to take charge. That's what he told himself day after day, and that's why he was now retreating into the Blights' basement.

You would think Alador's workshop wouldn't be a good place to get a break from the abomination crafting hack. Alador, however, hardly went down there these days, preferring to spend his time reconnecting with his children, or rather the children who were still with him. But Darius couldn't think about that. He went down to the basement to find out how to bolster their forces. They had to try another assault on The Collector's "owl house" sooner or later. There had to be something they could use to recreate Alador's Abomatons.

As Darius dug through the pile of abomination goop on Alador's workbench, he touched something solid. Darius pulled it out and smiled smugly at what he found. It was the book he wrote on abomination creation.

"Looks like the Blights needed some help after all," Darius said to himself. "I had a hunch that goof couldn't have come up with those abomatons himself."

"I might have taken some small inspiration from your early prototypes," said a voice behind Darius, causing him to jump to attention, and definitely not scream in a shrill, girly way.

Darius morphed his arm into a fist made from goop as he turned to meet the attacker. It was only Alador, with that same sad look on his face.

"I thought you'd be with your kids," said Darius.

"Edric and Emira are busy tending to some of the wounded," said Alador matter-of-factly. "I was thinking I could make myself useful by repairing the Abomatons."

Alador looked the same as Darius remembered him. He still always seemed tired whenever he stared at someone. But something in his staring struck Darius with the thought that he was down here for more than just the Abomatons.

Well, whatever it was, Darius didn't have time to deal with it. He didn't need Alador and his pitying looks getting in the way of preparing their big offensive against a crazy star child.

Darius shifted his arm back to normal, straightened his cloak and flicked his hair to restore some of his all-too-important composure.

"Well, I'll let you get to it then. Good day."

Darius was about to go up the stairs when Alador's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Would you like to assist me?"

Darius looked back.

"I mean, since you obviously think I'm a goof and a hack, I figured you'd want to show me how to do it right."

Darius rolled his eyes. "A Blight asking for help? This really is the end of the Boiling Isles."

"Well, the Boiling Isles do seem to be ending now, don't they?"

Darius chuckled. He decided to give working with Alador a chance. Alador's walking piles of scrap needed to be at their best if they were going to combat a godlike star child, and Darius knew that Alador outranked the very best abomination crafters of all.

The time seemed to fly by as the two of them pored over blueprints and half-formed mounds of abomination goop. Alador would knead and pound the goop like dough, while Darius would make the goop shape itself with but a wave of his fingers. Darius let Alador handle the mechanical components of the Abomatons.

Darius thought that Alador had gone crazier than normal when he first pitched the idea of steel abominations during their Hexside days. But whenever they put a limb into its metal socket, Darius couldn't help but be a little amazed at how well-constructed these abominations were. Not that Darius would ever say that out loud to the Alador.

The thought of Hexside reminded Darius of a trick he used to do in his youth. He drew a small spell circle, levitated three small spheres from the mass of abomination goop, and made them spin around like a carousel. Alador noticed Darius' trick and, just like he did all those years ago, he flicked one of the spheres, sending it splatting onto Darius' cheek. Darius tried to fake a stern glare, but giggles started to break from his mouth. Alador's impish smile made Darius lose control and start chuckling. Alador quickly joined in with the laughter.

Darius felt like he was laughing for a while before he suddenly remembered why they were down in the basement. Alador's smile had vanished and he'd reverted to the same mournful staring he'd been giving Darius all week. A swirl of emotions tumbled about in the pit of Darius' chest. Damn it. He didn't have time to waste on getting lost in the past. He had work to do. Darius quickly turned back to the mound of goop he was working on.

"I'm sorry," said Alador.

"Sorry about what?" Darius knew perfectly well what Alador had said sorry for. He just didn't want to think about it.

"I'm sorry that I made you give Odalia your shares in Blight Industries. I mean, Abomination Securities."

"Okay," Darius simply said before going back to his work. Unbelievable. How could Alador still be thinking about the damn company when everyone's lives had been uprooted.

"I'm sorry I never contacted you afterwards. I should have stood up for you back then. I should have stood up for our dream, our company."

"It wasn't your fault. I had an offer for the Emperor's Coven and I took it. Giving up my stake in a fledgling company with barely any sales was an easy decision back then."

"But you didn't want to give it up, did you?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. We can't change the past. Just let it go and help me with these Abomitons like you're supposed to."

Darius tried to get back to work but he just couldn't ignore the way Alador kept staring like he was some lost chupacabra puppy looking for his owner.

"Darius, I am very, truly sorry."

"I know."

"Then why are you still upset?"

Darius was getting angry. He wanted to say, 'Because we shouldn't be having this conversation right now when there's so much to do'. Instead, he decided to just focus on making an Abomiton arm, thinking Alador would take a hint and get back to doing work. For a minute, Alador was silent and Darius thought it had worked. Then the pest piped up again.

"I get it," said Alador. "You're upset about the designs we threw away. Well, I know it's getting repetitive, but all of those were Odalia's idea."

"Shut up!" said Darius, pounding his fists into the mound of Abomination goop. His hard work was reduced to mush. Instead, Darius inhaled deeply and straightened his back.

"Alador, I don't care about the company." Darius raised his voice a little more than he would have liked. He just wanted Alador to let this go. "All I care about is making sure that everyone is safe. If you want to help, focus on making us some soldiers."

Darius conjured a spell circle, levitating the mass of abomination goop to another workbench. After a while of letting his anger simmer down, he turned back to Alador, expecting the Blight to be working on the mechanical components again. Alador, however, just kept staring at him.

"What? "What did you really come down here for? What do you want me to say? That I forgive you?"

Alador stayed silent.

"Do you want me to say that I missed you? That all I ever wanted was to have my dearest friend by my side again?"

The goop in front of Darius began to boil, along with the ex-coven head's lightly concealed anger.

"Do you want me to tell you that it's water under the bridge and things can go back to the way they were? Do you want us to cry and hug it out?"

Darius froze up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jerked himself away from Alador.

"You are meant to be helping us recreate your so-called perfect defenders," he said through gritted teeth.

"This isn't some therapy session where I'm supposed to tell you some sickly sweet kind words just to make you feel better about your own issues."

"That is not what I want," Alador protested. "I just want - no, I need - to make up for my mistakes. After the Day of Unity, I realised how much time I spent pushing away what was really important to me. I don't want to lose anyone else."

"You're no different than when I left that Titan-damned company. Only focusing on yourself and everything else in your little bubble. We have bigger things to worry about than a silly childhood friendship, in case you haven't noticed. People have lost their friends and their families! We've lost some of our soldiers in our last attempt to storm the Collector's castle!"

"I lost someone too." Alador's voice raised an octave. Not full-on yelling, but his words had more conviction than Darius had ever heard from him before.

The abomination goop on Darius' workbench bristled behind him. Pointed tendrils formed from the mass, aiming at the abomination crafter's head. Darius' eyes turned black and green. "This is not about you! Get your head out of your ass and stop guilt-tripping me about something that died long ago!"

"Don't talk about my daughter that way!"

That was the first time Darius had ever heard Alador yell or be angry. His shout was accompanied by a purple shockwave that shot from his body and knocked Darius back against the workbench. The goop tendrils melted into a puddle as if they'd been scared into submission by Alador's fury.

Darius picked himself up. Alador's eyes glowed purple as he kept glaring at Darius, making him look like a creature of the night that was ready to pounce. Suddenly, the glow vanished from his eyes and he looked left to right as if he'd woken from a daze. The abomination engineer straightened his back (at least as straight as he could go with his perpetual slouch) and tried to stare Darius in the eyes.

"I'm sorry I ruined the Abomatons," he said, trying to get the words out as quickly as possible. "I'll go."

He turned sharply and made for the stairs.

"Alador, wait."

Darius now understood why Alador was bringing up Abomination Securities. He was carrying a lot more guilt than just the way things ended after Hexside. Darius sighed heavily as he realised he had to be the one to comfort Alador.

"This is about your youngest, isn't it?", he asked, doing his best to retain his well-practised stoic composure. Alador stammered for a moment, wringing his hands. It would be funny how he still acted like an awkward kid, if he wasn't in the middle of trying to have a serious emotional conversation. Darius knew that those conversations with anyone were never his or Alador's strong suit. But he was going to try.

"It wasn't your fault she disappeared," he said. Alador's unemotional face gained a slight tightening of the eyebrows.

"I've never met your daughter, but from how much Luz talked about her, I've gleaned that she is a fiercely determined witchling." Darius reached up for Alador's shoulder, waited a moment to see if Alador would accept the touch, and then put his hand down. "She went after Emperor Belos because she would never stand down when she knows what's right. I guarantee she was thinking of protecting you most of all when she went to the Titan's skull."

Darius didn't think that he fully believed what he was saying. After all, he didn't really know the extent of Amity and Alador's dysfunctional relationship. But as he talked, he felt a lump start to creep up the bottom of his throat. This was hitting too close to home.

"Your daughter is doing everything she can to get back to you, and she'd be proud to see how much you're trying to be better."

Alador's eyebrows got tighter but he kept staring blankly at Darius. Titan, Darius really forgot how hard it is for Alador to emote. But Alador did stop fidgeting, so Darius took it as a sign his kind words were working.

"I know all of this, because, from what you and Luz have told me, she's a lot like some kid I know," said Darius. "A kid who's still learning, but who I've seen stand by those he holds close."

"You have a kid?", Alador said bluntly.

"No," said Darius loudly. He stammered a bit, mentally kicking himself. No, he couldn't get defensive, he had to be supportive.

"He's more like an…apprentice," he said after finding his words again. "His name is Hunter. The Golden Guard."

Alador nodded. "I've met him. I must say, I'm surprised to imagine you having an apprentice. When I knew you, you never got on with kids."

"Well, he was probably the best thing to happen to me since I was ousted from your company," said Darius. "Or at least his predecessor was."

Alador looked at the ground ruefully. "My children were probably the best thing that happened to me since we…".

"Despite everything between us, I don't regret being ousted from the company. I'd probably be serving Odalia and the Emperor's selfish goals if I'd stayed. I found something else worth living for, worth fighting for. And now I've lost him. But I can still fight for a better tomorrow, for myself, everyone in this house and for Hunter." Darius clenched his fists by his sides and struggled to keep looking at Alador for probably the first time in his life. His instincts as a coven hold told him to not let anyone see the tears in his eyes, not see any sign of weakness. But his old partner didn't need a military leader or a rebellion commander right now. He needed a friend.

"I-I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"For forgetting that people in this fight have suffered a heavy loss in the wake of this insanity."

He put his hand on Alador's shoulder.

"Let's not worry about finishing the Abomatons tonight. Why don't you tell me about your daughter instead?"

"She's smart, talented. You're right about her being brave. The things she does with abomination magic is, well, graceful. She has so much potential, and I only wanted that potential to be put to good use. I thought that meant the Emperor's Coven."

"We all thought the Emperor's Coven was the greatest thing a witch could achieve." A bitter chuckle escaped Darius' lips. "If I'd known that the Emperor was an insane witch hunter, I would have said a hard 'pass' to being left on a frozen mountaintop."

"That's what they do to Emperor's Coven recruits?", Alador said with a shocked look.

"Let's just say your daughter made a smart move going to the Bonesburrough Brawl on tryout day. She posted it on Penstagram. Cute picture with you by the way."

Darius was an adult when he tried out for the Emperor's Coven, just after he had been ousted from Abomination Securities. Alador couldn't believe that any coven would be willing to do that to a child, his youngest child.

"Odalia told me the Emperor's Coven was best for the family. That everything must be done to get in the Emperor's good graces." Alador's teeth clenched as he said this but tears still poured down from his eyes. "Everything I did was for my children. And I was too focused on that, on being a Blight, to recognise that the Emperor was a monster. To realise that I was drifting away from my children. I didn't realise it until it was too late."

Alador stalked over to a half-finished Abomaton. He got to work trying to magically mold the remaining goop into its legs. Darius just watched. He would have been happy to see Alador back to work not long ago. But something felt off. There was panic in the way Alador levitated bits of goop, rather than the surgical ease Darius knew him for.

Then, when Alador drew a spell circle to connect the legs to the torso, the legs exploded. He slammed both of his fists down on the lump of goop, taking heavy breaths with each swing. When the goop was pounded completely flat, Alador picked up a wrench and started whacking the torso. Goop and sparks flew as Alador tore apart the machine.

Darius didn't care about all the progress they'd lost on their assault against the Collector. He was too shocked to care. He had never seen Alador truly despise something that he had created, or even explode with such emotion before.

When the abomiton they were working on was reduced to scrap and slime, Alador stayed hunched over the table. His shoulders heaved as he let out heavy sobs.

"I'm sorry," he choked out.

"No, no, it's okay," said Darius. He approached Alador, opened up his arms and read Alador's expression to see if the man was comfortable with physical contact at that moment. Alador threw himself into Darius's arms and wept into the taller witch's chest.

"I'm such an idiot," he said between sobs. "I always was."

"Well, I became a coven head. I was a component in the draining spell. So, if not knowing you were a pawn in a long game of genocide makes you an idiot, I guess I am too."

Darius spent who knows how long letting Alador release all the stress he'd been holding in since the Day of Unity. After a while, Darius couldn't hold back his own tears.

He let himself think of Hunter and how desperately he wished the boy was alive. Let himself feel every thought he ever called silly: thoughts about how he couldn't save the previous Golden Guard, and how he couldn't even protect his mentor's clone. Thank Titan nobody saw them now. The people upstairs still needed a leader to inspire them. But, just for that night, Darius and Alador let themselves fall apart. It's something they never did when they were kids, and never expected to do now, but it was just what they needed.

The next day, Alador and Darius picked up where they left off and made a whole fleet of abomatons by midnight.

'This is for Amity, for Hunter and all the people in the Collector's castle', Darius thought to himself. 'Whatever it takes, we will find a way to bring you home'.

That's the end of my extremely AU fanfic. What do you think of the backstory I came up with for Alador and Darius? I think it makes the most sense without necessarily saying they used to date. Favourite and comment, every bit of feedback makes me a better writer. And have a Merry Christmas!