Escape! 10 (Patreon)

You decide to inquire about your name.

As to avoid suspicion, you determine it would be best to find the answer in a roundabout way.

“H-hey!”

Yam: “Yes?”

“So um, have we met before?”

Yam: “Hum. I know of you, but you probably don’t know me, Mr. Showstopper.”

“Showstopper? that sounds familiar… wait..."

The image of a horseman pops into your head. A horned stallion with a face scar who confidently stands on stage. You’re quite familiar with this person, because, well, they’re your boyfriend, Gryphon.

“Eugh, are you one of those people? Wait, is that why I’m here!?”

Yam: “Ah, so you do remember, Showstopper, although nay, that is just a personal grudge I hold. You are here for other reasons beyond me, also, we’re called FANS.”

“The legal definition is stalker.”

Yam: “Hold your tongue, floozy! While I am bound to provide assistance I will not sit idly by and be lectured by the person who defiled and dragged down our rising prodigy!”

“You’re actually insane. We were together before he even started his career, we met on the internet!”

He went by Griff. After many years of digital communications, you agreed to meet up in person. While he was pretty eccentric online, he was overwhelmingly timid in person. Soon you had moved in together.

Griff: “W-wow, um, sorry, I got kind of overwhelmed. That was really hot… you're great at this!”

“Haha, that’s the power of imagination I guess. If you enjoy role-playing so much we can do it more often?”

Griff: “Yes!- I mean, I think that would be pretty cool.”

After some time exploring each other's kinks he ended up adopting an online persona and eventually became a sensation. At some point, he had shifted away from his artistic pursuits and begun vlogging. Unfortunately, there were a few fans who weren’t as accepting of the shift, and due to your growing visibility as his partner, the blame ended up in your lap.

Your mind is brought back to the present by Yam’s squabbling.

Yam: “I’ve gone over the timeline again and again and you clearly didn’t pop up in the equation until he began to wane. The dots all connect, Showstopper!”

“You’re as crazy as they come. Please stop calling me that by the way.”

Yam: “Do you have some preference for what you wish to be called?”

“Um, usually people refer to others by their name?”

Yam: “Hmm… How about Dogtective?”

“You really hate me, don’t you?”

Yam: “Think of it as meeting halfway. I can express my disdain for you, and you don’t have to be reminded of your checkered past.”

Well, that got you nowhere. Part of you believes he’s deliberately avoiding your name, but the memory of Griff at least sparked something.

Griff: “So your n-name is uh, Sherlock?”

“That’s just my username! You can just call me Dog####”

Griff: “Ah! I guess that would be kind of on the nose for a detective, although… Dog####?”

You consider that it’s unreasonable your name is Dogtective, because, well... obviously it’s too stupid. So your name must be Dog-something. With limited options, you decide to...