sortinghat_logs | Shadow Event Log

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Shadow Event Log

WHO: Everyone, affected and not
TONE: Ranging from paranoid to angry
RATING: PG to PG-13
WHEN: After the memorial on October 31st through November 2nd.
WHERE: Hogwarts
WHAT: Those who have passed too near to a certain goblet may find themselves haunted by whispers of their unconscious insecurities. From themselves.
STATUS: ONGOING
NOTE: Details for the event are here, feel free to use the log for the whole event

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[And that's the one voice he didn't want to hear. Not like this. Not with this thing exposing him like this. The shadow however, was really happy to see Dave.

Dave! Best bro, new mancrush extraordinaire! Boy, have you been trying to avoid him, haven't you, Egbert? Not easy to bury all that sudden crush when he's around all the time, is it? That's how you do things, isn't it? You bury it all, and hope it goes away.]

Will you shu-

[His reply was cut short when he noticed the shadowy figure following Dave. It finally registered on him that a voice similar, but not quite like Dave's had said something too.]

What... What did you say?

[The shadow's words make Dave go silent, eyes wide behind his shades. He can't get his throat to work around the words as he stares at this not-John in frank disbelief.

The not!Dave, however, has plenty to say, when he notices he's been seen.

Oh, yeah, I've been trying to help old Dave here realize that everyone would be better off without him. He's a selfish, whiny little bitch, and he's really just going to drag everyone else down. Isn't that right?

Dave shook his head and then looked at his shadow.]

Wait, stop talking to him. I'm not listening to you.

[Oh.. Ohohohohoh, this is awesome! Look John, it's proof that you're a bad friend! You didn't know Dave was feeling like that, and you call yourself your best friend! Say you're learning to read his pokerface. Clearly, you're not!]

Dave... You have one of these too?

...Yeah, I got one. Lucky us, huh.

[Really, he owes you one, man. If you hadn't put everything in perspective for him, he'd never have realized what he was actually missing. How could he go back to kissing Jade after you literally knocked him to his knees with that whopper you planted on him?]

Hey! I told you to shut up!

[Was that a crack in the coolkid's voice? Sure sounded like it.

Oh c'mon, Davey, what's the matter? Doesn't he deserve the truth that you're too chicken to give him? Look, you're scared even now. You're head over heels for him and you can't even get up the nerve to say it to his face. You're scared he'll think you're a freak. Because that's what you are, Dave, you're a freak who's fallen in love with his best friend, and you're too big a coward to admit it.]

Shut UP!

Dave...

[Weeeew, you fucked him up good, didn't you? And your dick didn't even touch him!

But John wasn't listening. He was looking at Dave in a way he'd never looked at before. It hit him that if these shadows were what they said they were, then he really had wrecked a lot of things between him and Dave. He really had hurt his best friend.]

I'm sorry...

[And it comes out! The admition of guilt is out!]

[Dave was just about to turn to John and tell him to ignore this asshole, when the protest died in his throat. His eyes were wide behind his shades.]

Wh-what?

[Man, he really must be blind. He never actually noticed that you'd rather die than take off the shades he gave you? He never noticed how you've been hanging on his every word since first year? You've been carrying that torch for him ever since you first got a boner, and it takes us telling him to get him to see the light? You really know how to pick 'em, Davey--

Dave turns and swings a punch at his shadow with a primal yell, seething. The shadow fizzles and reappears a few feet away, but stays silent this time.]

God...

[So now what was he supposed to do? It's not like he had much choice.

Well John?]

You're...

[A deep breath, and then he turns to his Shadow.]

You're right. I've been afraid of everything you've been saying about Dave. I didn't want to think that I've been hurting him all this time, but...

[He turns to Dave.]

It's true, isn't it? I... I really messed up with you, did it?

[Dave didn't turn back around until John spoke again. He hadn't planned to even then, but John was agreeing with the stupid thing.]

Wait, John, don't--

[but his protest died in his throat. John turned to him with those big kicked puppy eyes. Dave was silent for a moment, pushing his shades up to scrub at his eyes. He finally moved forward and pulled John into a hug. His voice cracks a little and catches on his words.]

Don't look at me like that, man. Nothing fucks me up more than knowing it's my fault you're not smiling.

If you're happy, I'm happy. It's my fault I'm shit at showing it. Just don't...pull away from me. I'll go fucking crazy without you.

[And John just... hugs Dave. Because that's the best way he can think of to comfort Dave and just... Really tell him he's sorry.]

[Yep, making a nice long stop in brohugtown. Dave sucks in a deep breath and smiles, closing his eyes and holding onto John like John is going to change his mind if he lets up for even a second. He doesn't even care about kissing John silly. He's just happy to have his best bro back, the dream team reunited.]

[Yeeeees, Bro hugs, he missed those.

But the Shadow isn't having this for too long.

I'm still here, you know.]

Oh for the love of...

[Yeah, touching as this all is, you can't get rid of us that easy.

...Motherfucker.]

What the hell do they want now.

[Weeeeeeeell, John here has his lameness to own up to. All the shitty Muggle 'magic', the lame way to be a movie nerd, his shitty coding...]

I never said I wasn't a shitty coder!

[But you pretend that doesn't make you lame!]

Would you fucking lay off him already!?

[Dave's arms tighten around John as he glares down the not-John from behind his shades.

The not-Dave shuffles a bit and then takes out his own pair of shades to match the real thing, slipping them on.

I'm not saying he's cool or anything, but... You are being pretty harsh on him.

He is technically supposed to represent Dave's feelings, after all.]

[I'm only being as hard on him as he is on himself! You still remember some of the graffiti, don't you? The one you did with your magic, but erased right after before you could control it. You still do it when you sleep sometimes, you know. Your dad probably erases it before you wake up, but you've seen it, haven't you?

John turned around to face his shadow like he'd just been whip lashed.]

What? I... I have no...

[Bull...shit.]

[Dave out and out growls at the spectre of John.]

Leave him alone before I make you leave him alone! So what if he's not perfect? He's not-- You're not--

[He holds John at arms' length, fingers gripping John's biceps tightly.]

John, listen to me. You are the biggest, dumbest nerd I've ever met. You cry at b-movies and I honestly have no idea how you stand to watch the same thing so many times like you've never seen it before in your life. You've never made it through your great-grandpa's ten-ton joke book. I have no idea how you get away with half the pranks you pull. Not to mention, sometimes you start acting like somebody put sand in your panties and it's been chafing your taint all day.

But I legitimately could not give less of a fuck about any of that. You're my best friend. Hell or high water, I've got your back no matter what. And I know for a fact that you've got mine, because so what if you're an enormous dorkbutt, you're still a good goddamn person. And I'm not gonna let that thing stand here and trash talk my best bro without getting my two cents in. You're not worthless, you're not a bad friend or a bad person. I don't know what I'd do without you, John. Dweebyness or no dweebyness. It's what makes you you, dumbass, and I wouldn't change you for anything.

[And then he's gonna hug you again because whoops he made himself cry.]

[Wow, John. You don't deserve him, do you? Look at him! You fucked him over and he's still holding on to you for dear life. Are you sure you're up to that?

John doesn't say anything for a while. He just breathes a little heavily for a while. He couldn't deny what it said any more. It was too true, too exhausting, too much for too long... The confession was just bubbling in his throat. Finally, he opens his mouth and speaks.]

You're right. I do feel that way. I do remember them all. You may not be telling the absolute truth, but... You were saying how I feel. You were telling the truth. You're me. That's what I've been feeling all this time.

[The shadow, suddenly calmer, almost serene, nods as John finally understands, and disappears.]

[Oh, I give very good advice, but I very seldom follow it. The not!Dave is a high falsetto, an attempt to imitate a tinny Disney princess. You don't have an original thought in your head. How many shitty movies did you rip off for that heartwarming pep talk? You watch every movie John wants you to because you don't want to alienate him. You read all sorts of bullshit books so you'll seem even half as smart as Rose. You put on your coolkid's mask and sing the praises of irony to be worthy of being your Bro's son. Dirk and Roxy worship you, but it feels like the pedestal is on you, not the other way around. You're trapped under the weight of your own inadequacies, and all you can say is don't leave me, don't leave me, but guess what? They can't wait to get away from you. Who the hell are you to act like you deserve any of their attention? You're just a pale reflection, a cracked mirror, the shitty cast of a broken mold. You don't have a single original thought in your head, and yet you expect everyone to like you? You're just scared they'll learn the truth about how stupid and unoriginal you are. You're scared they'll all leave you when they know the truth, aren't you, Davey?

Dave let out a muffled whimper and clung to John harder.]

Hey...

[And his hands go over Dave's.]

It's ok. I don't care. You're my best friend. I won't leave you again. ever.

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Shadow Event Log

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whoops hi verbal diarrhea

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