Red's Chill Zone

General Rules

IF YOU ARE A MINOR OR UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PLEASE REMOVE YOURSELF FROM MY BLOG. I am looking out for the both of us when I say this; There’s no hard feelings here. I will do my best to tag my work appropriately so please keep up your end of the bargain. Every so often I will check my followers to look for any kind of age within their bio and if I do not see one or you are under 18, I will block you to protect not only myself but you as well.

If you are sending in any form of a request, please ensure you are specifying what character/fandom you would like and what you would like to be written. I write anything from fluff to angst and even smut on the occasion. If it happens to be something off a prompt list I shared, please send me the title of the list along with the prompt number so I’m aware of which you are requesting.

You may request something anonymously, I have no problem with that! I will reply to your request when the writing is ready and even leave a link to the request when it’s posted.

As stated above, I write just about everything but know I do have my limits for certain things. I will not go about listing everything here that I do and do not write, but I will give a short list of what I will certainly not write for: Anything vore related, any form of sexual assault/rape/incest, any kind of drug use, even if it’s recreational (Sorry, I just cant do it), and so on and so forth, you get the general idea.

Please be patient with me. It’s been quite some time since I’ve gotten back into writing. Currently it’s a hobby and not my life style, so as I balance work and personal life, be rest assured I will get everything out at some point one way or another.

If sending in just an ask to talk, please be mindful of what you say. Just a simple rule, nothing too crazy.

Fandom List

Listed below are a couple of the current fandoms I’m apart of and some of my favorite characters from said fandoms. Please note that if you see a character not listed, it doesn’t mean I won’t write for them! 

Witch Hat Atelier

Qifrey, Olruggio, Alaira, Easthies, Utowin, Lucluci

Iron Lung/In Space with Markiplier/Markiplier Egos

The Convict (Simon), Head Engineer!Mark, Actor!Mark, Darkiplier, Annus 

Honkai: Star Rail

Dan Heng/Imbibitor Lunae/Permansor Terrae, Trailblazer (Caelus/Stelle), Aventurine, Boothill, Sunday, Blade, Jing Yuan, Feixiao, Castorice, Phainon

Solo Leveling/Solo Leveling: Arise

Sung Jinwoo, Cha Hae-In, Woo Jinchul, Goto Ryuji, Choi Jong-In, Baek Yoonho, Min Byung-Gyo, Gina 

There’s more fandoms but that’s just a couple to list. Here is the link to my old masterlist which will contain all of my blogs older writings. When I get more pieces published I will go ahead and form a new masterlist to keep track of my current writings. 

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Just Us | Summary: After a very long and tedious joint teaching session, Qifrey and reader take some time to themselves without interruptions.

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A Sky Full of Stars | Summary: Reader creates a spell to help ease Qifrey on a rather rainy night and provide him with happy, long lasting memories; Oh and Olruggio is there too.

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White Blank Page | Summary: When Qifrey’s secret comes to light, Olruggio and you find a way to help him, no matter the cost.

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Mutated Love | Summary: Reader is one of the first few convicts to explore the blood ocean as part of the conviction realization and thus, is one of the first few to die within the ocean. What they didn’t expect was to wake up after their death with murky memories and a new body.

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Starlight, Starbright | Summary: After engaging with the Light in the Blood Ocean, both Reader and Simon are forced through a wormhole that dumped them on a strange, unknown ship in an unknown galaxy. Would they be allowed to stay? Or dumped out into space?

Staring out over the vast lake, your attention wasn't drawn to what creatures may lurk beneath it's waters or what creatures perhaps claimed the skies around it; No your attention was drawn to the tower just across the water. You hugged your knees tighter against your chest, your nose scrunching up as you made a face; Qifrey had gone in several clockmarks ago and had yet to return and it was making you worry. You knew deep down that if any of your masters had found out what you were doing, you were almost certain there was bound to be some kind of serious punishment awaitng you when you returned. Despite that, it wasn't the thing that brought you the most anxiety, it was that fact that something might've happened to Qifrey and neither you nor Olruggio knew of it.

Your mind all but ran with those questions and worries; Did something happen? Was he trapped within the Tower? Did he need your help? All these questions made your mind swim and the more and more you thought about it, the more twisted your stomach became to the point you felt physically ill and were almost certain it showed. The only reason you were pulled out of those thoughts was because you felt someones hand placed on your shoulder and it caused you to slightly jump in response.

"Hey, what's with the face huh? I don't think I've ever seen you look this worried before." Olruggio asked as he removed his hand from your shoulder, an eyebrow raised as he sat himself beside you, crossing his legs as he looked out towards the Tower of Tomes with a small frown. "You're thinking about him, yeah?" He questioned, head slightly tilted as he looked at you once more. You gave a small hum, a small nod of your head as your attention was turned back across the water and to the tower.

"I'm worried, that's all… I mean, he's been in there for awhile now…" You answered him, your grip tightening even more around your legs as the thoughts slowly began to creep back into place. Olruggio could only sigh in response as he leaned himself back, placing his hands back on the ground to keep himself propped up as he tilted his head up towards the sky.

"Yeah he has, hasn't he?" Olruggio spoke, thoughts of his own beginning to form in his mind before he looked at you with a shake of the head. "But I mean, he said not to worry about him and that he'd be back before we knew it, that he only wanted a quick peek. Maybe he just found something really interesting and is trying to retain all it's knowledge so he can pass it along to us, you know?" He offered you, hoping his words would somehow calm your nerves in the same way he was keeping his own in check.

Olruggio did have a point, Qifrey said he'd be back as quickly as he went in but still, you had grown quite fond of them and wouldn't wish harm on either of them so for him to be gone for so long without knowing what truly resided within the tower, it made you anxious. As you opened your mouth to speak, you turned your head to the side at the rustling of the bushes, your shoulders visibly tense. Was it some kind of creature that called the forests it's home? Or was it Qifrey?

As you squinted into the shadows, you began to make out the familiar witch cap that belonged to Qifrey and before long the boy was fully stepping through the bushes. Only something was wrong, very wrong. He was crying, his hand pressed against his eye as the tears ran down his face in streaks. You and Olruggio were quick to get to your feet, rushing over to your friend with worries now highly elevated.

"Qifrey! What happened?! Is something wrong?!" Olruggio shouted, arms reaching out to grab Qifrey by the shoulders to inspect his friend to ensure he wasn't injured anywhere but after a quick once over, he deduced there was no injuries. As Qifrey tried to bite back his sobs, rubbing at his eye harder, he attempted to speak, but no words would come out; Only soft sobs and the shaking of his shoulders as he attempted to calm himself.

"Do you remember now? I take it you sorted out your memory at the Tower of Tomes?" Olruggio added on to his original sentence, gently squeezing the boys shoulders as if trying to comfort him without fully hugging the boy. You stood on the other side of them, frowning as you reached out to gently take Qifrey's free hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as if offering your own comfort to him.

"It's all right, Qifrey. Everything is gonna be okay-" You began to comfort him, watching as he let the hand that was pressed against his eye to drop to his side to look at you with a red stained eye that was clearly puffy from his crying, tear lines already stained onto his cheek. It made your heart shatter and as you squeezed his hand tighter, you spoke words of truth. "Listen, Olruggio and I don't care what you were like in the past if that is what you found out while inside- We'll always be your best friends. no matter what." It was in this moment as he looked between you both, still quietly sniffling and holding back more tears, that he felt the need to tell you just what he found.

As Qifrey explained what he had read on that simple scrap of paper, of what was done to him, you and Olruggio watched with wide eyes as silvery-white foliage began to sprout form his hands and before long, his limbs were taking shape in that of roots and a small tree began to form around him in what could only be described as a simple embrace. Olruggio had tumbled backwards, having fallen over his cape in the process to move away but you remained where you were, your eyes never leaving Qifrey's as the tears began to yet again pour down his face. Where his right eye should have been, the same silvery-white foliage sprouted.

"N-No… This… This can't be happening. So everything you just told us…" Olruggio began, his eyes still wide as he remained on the ground, eyes never leaving Qifrey. "About that parasite inside you that grows when you feel safe… It wasn't just some sick joke?!" He shouted, still amazed at what was happening before you both. You had clasped your hand over your mouth, tears of your own welling in your eyes at the thought of this having happened long before Qifrey had arrived at the Great Hall, before he had you and Olruggio as friends to confide in. You shut your eyes in response, quickly shaking your head as a way to remove the tears that began to fall before you grabbed hold of your palm quire, starting to flip through what spells you had drawn and at the ready.

"There's.. There's gotta be a way to help you, right? We'll think of something- We'll come up with a way to help-" You began, but you were cut off quickly by Qifrey, who sounded utterly broken that you and Olruggio had to see him like this.

"Don't." Qifrey had begun to plead, "This... This is how it should be. I mean… Look…" He began, shifting his head ever so slightly as the roots of the tree began to crawl closer to Olruggio while some began to gently wrap themselves around your ankles. "My roots… They're reaching for you… And I'd rather let this tree take me than have to endure hurting either of you." He had finished as he lowered his head, his eyes shutting as a couple tear drops fell from his face.

You'd quickly free your ankles from the roots with Olruggio's help, afraid of what might actually happen should they entangle you completely. You'd take a few steps back as Olruggio clutched your arm tightly, a look of confusion on his face as he began to wrack his brain for ideas. He needed to help his best friend, that much was certain, and he knew deep down there had to be some way, but he just wasn't certain as to how to go about it.

"There you go again." You began suddenly, ripping Olruggio out of his thoughts as he turned to look at you; Tears had begun to run down your face as you began to grow irritated at the situation at hand. "It's always the same with you, isn't it? You think we're just gonna let you talk us out of this?! Leave you to die like this?! Well, you're wrong!" You shouted, looking over the tree once more to try and figure something out. There had to be a way, there had to be a spell that could reverse the effects-

"Wait-" Olruggio began, tugging on your cape before you could move closer to the tree; You'd turn your head to Olruggio, about to ask what was going on before you noticed he was no longer looking at you; He was looking out past the water. Your gaze would follow his and before long it clicked; The Tower of Tomes. There had to be something there- If both you and Olruggio went…

"Qifrey! Hey! Wake up!" Olruggio shouted, his palm quire extended out with a pyreball burning bright over it. Qifrey would tilt his head up, his eye now open as he slowly blinked in confusion as to what was going on. "Listen to me. I want you to keep your eye on this pyreball. Don't look away from it, not even for a second, you hear me?" Olruggio informed him, crouching down and tearing the page off, placing it against the ground before he stood once more. "We'll be back before it burns out- Just promise us that you won't give up on yourself!" He shouted, running to your side and, taking your hand, pulled you along towards the Tower of Tomes. With one last glance to Qifrey and the tree that surrounded him, you both set off towards the tower. With determination as your guide, you were more than ready to take on whatever challenges awaited you inside.

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He wasn't sure how long it had been since you and Olruggio had left to take on the Tower of Tomes, but to him however long it was truly felt like days at a time. He had grown tired and with the pyreball slowly growing weaker and weaker with each passing clockmark, he had clearly begun to give up on both you and Olruggio finding something that could help him. So when he heard the sudden cracking of tree branches before him, he opened his eye and was surprised to see both you and Olruggio before him, tired for sure but there was a certain glint in both set of eyes that watched him now.

"Good! You're still awake!" Olruggio spoke, clearly proud that his little pyreball did it's job in keeping Qifrey awake for so long, even if it had burnt out upon return.

"You're here…" Qifrey spoke, eye wide as he looked between you both before he frowned. "What happened…?" He questioned, voice quiet and almost afraid to ask what you two may have found or even come up with that may help him.

"Well, we thought long and hard about it and… We came up with a way to put the anxiety back into you and keep it there for a very, very, very long time!" Olruggio explained, looking to Qifrey with a bit of a smug grin. "I must say, I don't wanna give myself too much credit or anything." He'd begin, that smugness from his grin transferring into his voice as he was about to go on a long rant about how great the idea was. You could only roll your eyes in response to Olruggio, grabbing him by the back of his cape and yanking him down before he could get going and waste any precious time you all had left. He would yelp in response, falling back against the ground with a soft 'thud' and small wince before he'd glare up at you now.

"Rude…" He'd quietly mumble from where he sat on the ground.

"What… What did you come up with…?" Qifrey questioned, feeling as if he wasn't about to enjoy the answer he was going to receive as you came into his view, hand gently resting on the branch beside him.

"We're going to take the hit for you. We're going to wipe our own memories." You explained, watching as Qifrey's eye widened at your words with pure shock.

"What?"

"You heard them!" Olruggio spoke as he stood up, grabbing your hand and pulling you down beside him, his arm wrapping around your neck as he looked up towards Qifrey. "We're gonna erase each others memories!"

Qifrey could only stare with his mouth agape, nothing but worry beginning to flood his body as his heart all but hammered in his chest. You both were going to erase your memories, just to save him? No, no he couldn't have that. He wouldn't allow that; He was so wrapped in his thoughts that he didn't even realize that a few of the branches recoiled in his anguish.

"Hey- Did one of the branches just recoil? Huh, who know just telling him the idea would get it to work." Olruggio would observe, looking at you with a shocked expression. You would blink as you took notice of where the branch was, watching as the leaves fell as you looked towards the dark haired boy with a small nod.

"Guys… Guys please-" Qifrey began, but Olruggio had already gone into a rant beside you about how the idea might work out after all, how everything would go back to somewhat normal afterwards and you all could return to the Great Hall and how you could-

"Can you two just knock it off?! If this is a joke, I'm not laughing! I-I won't let you!" Qifrey had interrupted, the tears running down his face again as you and Olruggio fell quiet. You'd look towards Qifrey then towards Olruggio, digging around your cloak before producing a small ink bottle and would pop the top off without another thought.

"We're not joking, Qifrey. In order to cast the spell we found…" You began, stepping closer to the white haired boy and, raising the bottle, collected a few of the tears that fell from his face as he silently listened to you explain just what you two had found there. "You have to first concoct a special mixture. A blend of conjuring ink and the tears shed over a bitter memory. After they've mixed, you draw the casting seal that erases memories." You explained to Qifrey as you stepped away, watched as the tears began to mix with the very ink in the bottle with very little need to swirl it.

"And just like that, you can wipe a person's mind of the memory behind the tears." You finished, showing Qifrey the ink. All he could do though was stare at the bottle with nothing but anguish in his eye, not believing that you and Olruggio would go through such trouble for someone like him. Someone that couldn't see a future for himself so long as this curse remained.

"No.. I can't let you do this- I won't let you sacrifice your memory for me! Just erase mine instead, what's another wipe anyway?!" He shouted at you both, causing you to lightly jump at his outburst and grip the bottle tightly to your chest as you watched his outbrust unfold. "I've forgotten everything that happened to me all those years ago anyway! I know what it feels like to have your memories lost over and over and over again! Just, please-" Qifrey began to plead, fresh tears coating his face as he lowered his head down, his voice dropping to that of a low whisper now. "Just erase mine instead."

As much as it pained you to watch Qifrey plead for his own memories to be wiped again, deep down you and Olruggio were already hell bent on the decision to wipe your own. It was decided way back in the Tower of Tomes, when Olruggio had found the spell.

'This one. This is what we'll use to help him!' Olruggio shouted, catching your interest as you came over and looked it over with wide eyes.

'A memory wipe spell? Olruggio that… That's dangerous-' You began to explain but as you turned to look him in the eyes, you saw the determination in them; The determination to save his best friend. Your next set of words would die on your tongue as you looked back at the spell once more before slowly nodding.

'Alright. We'll do it- And we won't let Qifrey change our minds.' You informed him, turning to look at Olruggio and holding your pinkie out to him. 'We'll pinkie promise each other, that no matter what he says or tries to do, we won't change our minds.'

Olruggio would look at your outstretched pinkie, his gaze going from it to you before he nodded, linking his pinkie with your own. 'Pinkie promise.'

"Listen Qifrey," Olruggio began as he crouched against the ground, taking up his pen and beginning to work on the spell within his palm quire. You'd kneel across from him, taking up your own pen to start working on the very same spell. Qifrey could only watch as he lifted his head, realizing that there was, in fact, no way to stop you both. His words wouldn't persuade you and he had no way to physically stop you, regardless of what he thought or said, there was no changing the outcome of what was to come. "we've already come to the conclusion in the Tower. With our memories erased, you'll live knowing that you have to hide the truth from everyone again and that anxiety of wondering when your secret will come out again will keep you from having this happen once more." Olruggio finished explaining, leaning over to look at how your spell was coming along.

Your hands were shaking, he noticed and he immediately realized that just like himself, you were scared; What would it feel like, having your memories erased? Would it feel like you had only fallen asleep for a few moments? Or would it feel something like deja-vu? Regardless of what you thought, you supposed you'd find out in a few very short moments.

"Guys… Please… You don't-" Qifrey began once more until Olruggio stood up suddenly, whipping around to glare at his best friend with such emotion you swear he could've lit the tree ablaze.

"Just shut up! You told me before you wanted to become the greatest witch there ever was! To Settle down under the open sky and to be happier than you ever have been! You can't do that if you're dead, now can you?!" He shouted as he stormed over to the boy, carefully climbing up onto the roots as Qifrey cried for what might have been the nth time that day. As Olruggio climbed high enough, he would take the cap off the white haired boys head, tossing it over to you before he would jump back down.

"From here on out, the three of us will be partners in pain! But, I need you to promise us, Qifrey, that you won't throw your life away." He'd tell Qifrey, not even waiting for him to give him a proper answer before he'd look back at you, watching as you would remove the ornament from not only your cap but Qifrey's as well. Olruggio would join your side seconds later, removing his own ornament before he'd place it onto Qifrey's cap.

"Here, we'll all exchange cap ornaments so that way our pact has some proof! Your tassel for my ribbon," Olruggio would began, attaching the ribbon to the top of Qifrey's cap with ease before he'd hand you Qifrey's tassel.

"And my tassel for your tassel. So whenever you see them, you'll be reminded of the promise you made to us." You'd giggle lightly at the thought of simply exchanging tassels, but you knew at the end of all this, Qifrey would know exactly what promise was made here today, even if you and Olruggio forgot all about it. You'd quickly place your own tassel onto Olruggio's cap before placing Qifrey's original tassel to your own. With everything set and the spells prepared, you and Olruggio would place the caps down nearby before taking hold of your palm quires, tearing off the piece of paper that held the spell.

The two of you would move to stand near each other, your heart racing as you stared down at the seal before you. The dark ink that surrounded the spell made it look terrifying and in a way you understood why the adult witches would never explain such a spell to their apprentices. You'd look down at your hand as you felt Olruggio's free hand grab your own, gently squeezing it for reassurance. You'd look at him, giving him a weary smile before you'd look away from him and towards Qifrey. You'd offer him the same smile before you felt the tears well in your eyes yet again.

"Hey Qifrey?" You asked, watching as the white haired boy could only watch as the very leaves from his tree began to fall around the two people he considered his closets friends, about to sacrifice their own memories just to ensure he walked away from this moment.

"Y-Yeah?" He'd ask, swallowing hard as you both raised the seals to your foreheads.

"Go easy on us, okay?" You'd say with a more genuine smile. Once the spell touched your forehead, you and Olruggio collapsed to the ground with soft 'thuds'. Qifrey would fall to his knees moments after you both collapsed, the tree suddenly disappearing around him as more of the leaves fell, covering you both in a silvery-white blanket.

What occurred after was nothing short of expected; You and Olruggio woke with memories gone of the previous events. You'd have asked Qifrey about the Tower, about his past, but when he said he wouldn't attempt it again, you let it be until Olruggio became confused as to why all your tassels were switched but with the outburst from Qifrey, you'd decided to just keep them the way it was. With nothing coming from the Tower of Tomes, you'd all head back to the Great Hall for some well deserved rest. Qifrey, though, was certain he would not rest easy that night. Or perhaps any night in the near future so long as he held onto this secret.

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"-frey? Hey Qifrey!"

The words would reach his ears before he'd properly wake himself up, but when his eye did open, he'd squint at the blurry figures that loomed over his form and the streaks of sunlight that surrounded them. Slowly he'd blink before you'd come into his line of sight, a warm smile on your features as your head was slightly tilted, his old ornament hanging from your cap.

"Ah good! You're finally awake." You'd laugh lightly, extending your hand out to help him up. You three were just outside his atelier, or at least the one you all had agreed to help him fix up for when the time arrived to take on apprentices, when he had fallen asleep underneath one of the trees nearby. "I was afraid you were never gonna wake up. You looked quite comfortable." You informed him as he took your hand, slowly getting to his feet with a light chuckle.

"Ah- My apologies… I must have shut my eyes for a bit and simply dozed off." Qifrey replied, dusting off his robes. He would hear a scoff from Olruggio nearby, his arms crossed as he gave his friend a look.

"Meaning you dozed off so we would do most of the hard work? Yeah, that checks out." He'd tease which would make you laugh lightly in response, gently hitting his arm.

"Olruggio! Give him a break. Qifrey has worked just as hard as we have if not more!" You'd inform him which would cause the dark haired adult to simply roll his eyes in response.

"I don't think falling asleep under a tree counts as working, my friend." He'd tease you, to which you and him would go back and forth in an argument that simply didn't need to be. But to Qifrey, he couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips before a small laugh would escape him seconds later.

He owed it to both you and Olruggio for allowing him to continue his life, to fulfill the dream he once had when he was younger. Sure, there were times where your memories would have to be wiped again because his secret came out, but in those times he saw the same two determined looks you both had back then.

The crackling of the fire within the fireplace, alongside the sound of a water spell being used and the sweeping of a broom, was just a few of the noises that rang through the atelier so late into the evening hours. The atmosphere that currently surrounded you was something that was much calmer, much softer, but you didn't mind it. If anything, it made you laugh at how quick the change was when just a few clock marks beforehand it sounded nothing like this; The atelier was bustling with the giggles of girls and the chuckles of boys, the scratching of pens on paper, the sounds of spells being completed and coming to life, and the ever unforgettable noise of Puffpuff whenever he attempted to get into a pot of magical ink when he believed no one was looking.

You, alongside Qifrey, had decided to take the fifth test to become a teacher, wanting to pass on the very knowledge your master had instilled into you onto your own students. While Qifrey may have taken on an apprentice long before you did, you took your time in waiting for your own apprentice, as you had to look for a suitable witch to become your watchful eye anyway. Qifrey was lucky, having already picked Olruggio to become his own watchful eye. Before that decision became final, the two of you did in fact argue over who he should've gone with and of course in the end, Qifrey had successfully persuaded his best friend to come with him. Despite that though, Olruggio wasn't intending on leaving you hanging until you had found another witch to assist you.

'Listen, if you ever need any kind of help, I'm just a windowway away, alright?' He had told you with that tired smile he had suddenly grown into over the years. You three practically grew up together in the Great Hall, the adventures you embarked on were ones you certainly would never forget and while you were certain that your bond with both Qifrey and Olruggio would never break, you hoped that once you had taken on your own apprentices, they would go on to forge their own lively and adventurous memories just as you three did.

With Olruggio's help, you were introduced to a young witch named Juniper. She was only a year younger than yourself and had a knack for creating contraptions as fast as she thought of them. In a way, you saw a bit of Olruggio in her and you supposed that's why you were able to get along with her as well as you did. Regardless, you gladly welcomed her into your atelier with open arms and developed an extremely close bond with her. It wouldn't be much longer before you had your first apprentice; A young boy named Ronan. And while he may have had an incredible mind and retained the knowledge of various spells well, he had difficulty drawing them and bringing them to completion. That's where your second apprentice, Lucien, came in. He was an energetic boy, having enough energy to constantly keep both you and Juniper on your toes. While he had issues retaining what he read as he had said multiple times that 'books are stupid', he had an amazing skill for drawing spells on a whim; His lines were always neat, his keystones always in the correct positions and then some. He was a natural, to say the least, and yet the exact opposite of Ronan. The two boys, while completely different in personality and study technics, completed each other all the same.

While it took some time and a lot of trial and error, you slowly began to fit into the role of teacher and would help the boys in ways you didn't think you ever could; And they did the same to you. They taught you lessons you never thought you would have needed to learn, thought in ways that you never thought of before. It honestly made you laugh at times, just how imaginative and wild a child's mind could be, when you were once a child yourself making the same mistakes and learning the very same things they were. As you taught your students, Qifrey would teach his own and at times you two would agree for a joint learning session. Today just happened to be one of those days which resulted in where you currently were.

While Qifrey swept the common room and tidied up the books, ink bottles, and papers, you worked on cleaning up the kitchen from the dinner you all shared together after clock marks upon clock marks of teaching and learning. Qifrey had offered for you all to stay the night, as it was far too late to return to your atelier. You couldn't help but question him, as your windowways were connected so it would only take a few turns of the window to return home, but with the way both Lucien and Ronan (plus Tetia and Coco) looked at you at the prospect of a sleepover was something you just couldn't say no too. To see their faces all light up, for the squeals of the girls to ring out, it was more than enough to put any questioning aside.

With you completely lost in thought as you worked on the dishes, you were oblivious to the witch that watched you closely from where he stood. While he leaned himself against the handle of the broom, he could feel a warm smile grace his features. In the time he has known you, you had claimed a special place in his heart. Ever since you two were little did he have the biggest crush on you, suffering through relentless teasing from Olruggio and Beldaruit before he finally had confessed how he felt to you; It was hard for him, harder then he ever thought possible. He wasn't allowed to have such nice things in his life, having to constantly live in a state of anxiety just to keep his secret hidden from not only you but anyone else he dared to get so close was a challenge only he had to suffer with, but after that day outside the Tower of Tomes when both you and Olruggio made that promise, he told himself he'd make it all work out in the end. He told himself to not to linger too much on what may happen and focus on the present instead.

With that in mind, he moved the broom aside, resting it against the wall before he quietly made his way down the steps and into the kitchen where he moved to stand behind you, gently wrapping his arms around your waist to rest his head against your shoulder. You shifted your gaze down upon feeling his arms around you before you turned your attention to the white haired man beside you, a smile gracing your own features.

"Well hello there." You greeted, gently leaning your back against his chest as he let out a low hum in response, his arms tightening their hold around your waist.

"You did a wonderful job today, starlight." He complimented you, turning his gaze to your own. "The way you taught the apprentices the dangers of not drawing the correct keystones in their correction locations was simply outstanding. I don't believe I could've done it any better myself." He praised you, watching as your cheeks were dusted a faint pink as you shook your head and finished washing the remainder of the plates.

"Oh stop it- You're just as amazing as I am if not better." You replied back, drying your hands on the towel nearby before you properly turned in his arms, resting your hands against his chest as your thumb gently swept across the black top he wore. "The way you helped Ronan draw those keystones? Absolute perfection, I must say." You responded with a sly grin which would cause Qifrey to raise an eyebrow as he looked down at you, a small scoff escaping his lips.

"I beg to differ..." He began, all but ready to stand his ground and argue with you on this matter. You two never had full blown arguments and if you did, they were resolved quickly and never lasted very long. Moments like these though were something different; The back and forth could go on for clock marks at a time.

"But are we really about to do this? The night is still young after all…" He continued, his arms moving from around your waist to resting his hands on your hips, his thumbs drawing small circles against them. "The apprentices are in bed, our watchful eyes are busy with one another… Perhaps we could busy ourselves with one another as well?" He finished, looking down at you with nothing but love in his eye.

You would hum lowly, moving your hands up his chest to warp around his neck, fingers lacing into each other as your head slightly tilted to the right. "And what would you suggest?" You questioned, an eyebrow raised. Surely he wouldn't risk anything so scandalous with so many little ears and eyes around even if they were asleep, but it was just something you both certainly didn't want to try and explain. Sure you both could leave the atelier but with it being so late you thought it best to stay in for the night just in case something occurred.

"Mmm… I have one idea." He replied to you, moving his hands off your hips to take hold of your hands, leading you out of the kitchen and back into the common area where he was just moments before. The fire that resided in the hearth continued to flicker, providing both a warm glow to the room and a subtle warmth that seemed to engulf you both upon entry into the space. You followed Qifrey's lead, an eyebrow raised all the same as you both now stood in the center of the common room, confusion swirling in your eyes.

"And this idea is…?" You questioned, watching as he placed one hand on your hip while keeping hold of your other hand in his free one.

"Dance with me?" He responded, his head slightly tilted as another smile crossed his lips. He wasn't much of a dancer, that much he would admit but it didn't take much to sway with your lover now did it? You would stare at him with slightly wide eyes at his suggestion before a gentle smile appeared on your face, a nod of your head as you moved your hands accordingly, gently squeezing the hand you held while you rested the other against his chest with a light tap of your pointer finger against his chest.

"I'd love that very much." You'd answer him which caused that smile on his face to grow even wider. With your answer now secured, the two of you began to gently sway throughout the common room; Your shadows dancing along the walls as the fire continued to flicker and dance as if attempting to follow the motions of you both.

The days activities and the stress of them all seemed to melt away from you both as you stared into each others eyes, everything seeming to come naturally to you both as you swayed and gently spun around the room as if you were not in the atelier, but in a grand ballroom. To the two of you, nothing else mattered in this moment; You were no longer teachers watching over six energetic and adventurous apprentices, no longer witches that had to uphold a secret so dangerous that if it were to leak out the perfect balance that was set in stone would shatter, none of it mattered. The only thing that did matter right now was each other.

Qifrey would lift your hand above your head at one point, having you do a small spin that would have you letting out a small laugh as you followed his actions before resuming your position from before, a grin now on your face. Qifrey would return the grin, moving to wrap his arm around your waist now as he pulled you flush against his chest as he returned you both to a gentle sway.

"I love you, my starlight… Please, never forget that." He spoke, gently resting his forehead against your own. Oh how it pained him to say those words, how it would pain him more to have you forget such a moment if he allowed himself to fall too far into your calming embrace, but he would ensure to keep himself on edge. To ensure that this moment that you two shared wouldn't be lost to you and only kept to his memories alone.

"I love you too, Qifrey… I'd never forget the love you've showered me in and will continue to do." You responded, gently squeezing his hand in response to help ease his worries. With confirmation of your love for him, he'd take the next step in forming this perfect moment that was unfolding before him. Keeping hold of your waist, he'd gladly dip you close to the ground which would cause a small squeal to escape your lips as you stared up at the man before, hand moving to cluch his bicep to ensure he wouldn't drop you. Qifrey would grin at your reaction before he'd lean in, gently pressing his lips to your own in a gentle yet loving kiss, one you'd gladly return with little to no hesitation. In this moment, it was just you and him.

Until you heard the faint squeal of a younger girl come from behind you.

"Now you've done it!" You heard Agott whisper yell, shooting the pink haired girl beside her a look.

"I'm sorry! Just- Look at them!" Tetia squealed once more before quickly grabbing hold of Agott's arm and shaking her with such force it was surprising to come from such a young girl. Qifrey would lift you back onto your feet after hearing the hushed whispers, a blush clearly evident on his face along with your own as you both looked towards the gathering of apprentices that attempted to hide themselves within the kitchen. Coco was peaking around the corner with Lucien and Ronan just below her, eyes blown wide and filled with nothing but admiration for their teachers. Meanwhile Aggot, Richeh and Tetia were hiding on the steps, attempting to make themselves look small to avoid being seen though it was obviously far too late now. These were the very same apprentices you both had thought were fast asleep, though now you see were here staring at you both with nothing but interest at the actions that were unfolding before them. A small laugh would escape you as you looked towards Qifrey, the blush still dusting your face with no chances of leaving anytime soon.

"So much for a quiet night, hm?" You joked, letting go of his hand and pulling away as you made your way over to the bundle of apprentices. "Come now, let's get you all back to bed." You began, attempting to change the subject but it only caused Tetia to whine in response as she slowly got to her feet and dusted off her nightgown, Agott and Richen following suit.

"But we wanted to watch a bit longer! You and master Qifrey are so cute together!" She'd explain, to which you would blush even harder. Qifrey could've sworn he felt his ears burn as hot as the fire beside him as he rubbed the back of his head, letting out a nervous chuckle in response.

"They are very much right though, you all should be getting back to bed. It's very late and we have an early morning tomorrow." He reprimanded his apprentices alongside your own, watching as they all seemed to groan or whine in response as you ushered them back towards the stairs to return to their rooms and followed them to ensure they actually made it to their beds.

As Qifrey watched you go, a fond smile appeared on his face as he glanced back towards the fire, crossing his arms as he watched the flames flicker and dance as if still imitating the motions you both had repeated earlier. He would wait for you to return, to continue where you both left off at before you were interrupted by six sets of peering gazes.

"Are you seriously still working on that spell? I feel like the last time I saw you earlier this afternoon you were still trying to perfect it." The young man spoke as he moved to stand beside you, his head tilting ever so slightly to try and catch a glimpse at the spell you were currently throwing hours of your time into; He assumed it wasn't anything that your master had instructed you to work on, so it was obviously just a spell you decided to create on a sudden whim for whatever reason he was unaware of. You shifted ever so slightly in your seat though your head turned to give him a look.

"Yes seriously- It needs to be perfect and I'm not gonna stop until it is. Even if it takes all day and all night." You spat at Olruggio, looking back at the paper and frowned when you noticed one of the signs inside was off; Most likely caused by your sudden shift in posture or from the ache you suddenly began to feel in your wrist from drawing so long. You huffed in response, taking the paper and tossed it aside before you leaned back in your seat, extending your arms out behind you in a large stretch that certainly had a few of your bones popping in response. Even so young you already felt like you were well into your elderly years with how sore your back would become when you were hunched over working on your spells.

Regardless of how long you were sitting there working though, you could still faintly hear the pitter patter of the rain above. Even if you were in the Great Hall and were well below sea level, somehow the rain never seemed to be silenced.

"It's still raining, right?" You asked Olruggio for confirmation as you turned your attention back to him, allowing yourself to relax for a few short seconds before you dove back into the creation of your spell. Olruggio, the tossed paper now in his hand as he looked it over, would turn his attention away from the spell in progress to you with a small nod.

"Sadly, yeah. Means we more than likely won't be sneaking out tonight on any sort of adventure with Qifrey. Though I think after our last one we may wanna lay low for awhile…" He replied, placing the paper down as he sat himself down beside you with a small sigh, recalling the events from the previous night. You couldn't help the small giggle that escaped you as you recalled the events of that night; How far you all had gone, how long you all sat under the starry sky and just talked until you returned to the Great Hall and had quite the scolding from each of your masters, though the three of you could only laugh it off later on. It was a lovely evening, one you would recall forever; And it was because of that night that you were creating the spell in front of you.

Determination set in your eyes once more as you leaned forward, grabbing a fresh sheet and took hold of your pen before you began to scribble the same signs as before, only this time you began to add new ones. Olruggio would lean forward on the table, his chin resting in his hand as curiosity swirled in his eyes as he watched you work. He was trying to piece the spell together before you finished, but with each addition of a new sign he could only tilt his head more and more to the side until he felt the sudden pain in his neck and his cap almost fell off his head.

"What… Exactly are you working on?" He'd ask though was quickly shushed with a 'shh' from you as you put your full focus onto the spell. Olruggio would frown before he'd huff himself, now crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.

"Fine! It's not like I wanted to know anyway." He'd say, though it was clearly obvious from the tone of his voice he did in fact very much wanted to know. As your spell began to change from seconds of work to minutes, Olruggio decided it best to work on his own spells.

The both of you would fall into an enjoyable silence, the sounds of scratching and the clinking of ink bottles was all that could be heard from your study room for several long minutes. Before long, you'd quickly stand, your chair sliding across the ground and breaking that silence with a loud screech. Olruggio's head would whip up at your sudden motion, confusion on his face as he opened his mouth to ask what was going on but he would quickly take notice of the way your eyes were glowing with excitement as you stared at the finished spell before you'd turn your attention to him with a wide grin now on your face.

"Where's Qifrey?"

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

He didn't think he could pull the blanket any tighter around him; He could us a spell, of course, but he felt like his hands would shake far too much for the spell to be properly symmetrical and thus would be rendered useless. Qifrey could only curl in on himself tighter as he covered his head with the blanket as much he could. Why did the rain have to be so loud to him? Why was it that he was the only one who seemed to really suffer whenever it rained? He knew, partially, as to why but even still the noise was getting to him. Everything was so loud, and he just wished for silence.

"Qifrey?" A voice broke through his thoughts as quickly as they began and before long he heard the door to his room slowly open; He knew the voice, he knew the shuffling of the feet that followed as the door slowly shut. He'd carefully remove the blanket over his head, his eye peaking out to his two closest friends standing beside his bed with worried looks.

"How are you holding up…?" You'd ask, clutching your spell book close to your chest as the white haired boy slowly shifted around to sit up, though he didn't dare remove the blanket from around him just yet.

"I'm here. Simple as that." The boy would respond, watching as his friends joined him on the bed. He seemed to relax a small bit, with them present the rain wasn't so bad now and while he hoped for silence earlier, he appreciated the words of his friends.

"They had something to show you, been workin on it since the moment they woke this morning." Olruggio said, motioning across the way to where you sat, a light blush on your face as you fidgeted with the book covers edges.

"Olly! You said you wouldn't tell him right away!" You complained with a small whine as you placed the book down, to which the dark haired boy could only laugh in response.

"Oops- Sorry. Curiosity is killing me. I wanna see this spell as much as you wanted to show Qifrey!" He shouted in response, which caused Qifrey to raise an eyebrow as he turned his attention to you.

"You made me a spell?" He questioned, his eye slightly wide as the blush on your face began to grow. You looked between the boys before looking down, flipping open the book and to the page where the spell now sat, the casting circle not yet fully closed.

"So um… The other night we all went out, and looked at the stars together," You began, your blush slowly subsiding as a smile graced your features. "It was… One, if not currently, the best night of my life. I wanted to find a way to remember it, a way for us to always be under the stars together." You continued, pulling out your pen that was already tipped with ink and, leaning over, completed the ring.

The spell lit up and from it, small pieces of crystal began to dart out and hover in the air, arranging themselves in various points in the air around the three of you. Afterwards, light would begin to circle around the pieces of crystal before binding itself to it, generating clusters of fake stars within the room. Qifrey's eye would widen as he stared up at the creation before him, his mouth slightly open as he looked around.

"It's… It's like we're outside under the night sky." He spoke, slowly freeing himself from the blanket as he reached out to touch one of the stars. Though they did not burn as the real stars did, he could feel the slight warmth that came from them; One that would provide comfort to those who looked towards them. Olruggio would look around the room himself, his head whipping around in all directions.

"This- This is amazing!" He'd say as he turned his attention back to you, watching the way your own eyes would stare up at the stars. It was your spell, you know what it would do and to what degree after all, but to see it actually working was something else; Pride swirled in your chest, as did your excitement from seeing your close friends reactions. You looked between the boys now, giving them both a warm smile as any worries and anxieties from before began to flee from your body.

"I figured with this spell, no where we are or what time of day it is, we could still at least have the stars with us and thus make a lot more memories together." You explained, messing with the edge of the page. Qifrey and Olruggio would both look at each other then at you, fond smiles crossing their own features.

"It's… It's wonderful, truly something we'd never forget." Qifrey would say as he looked back up at the stars, his eye twinkling from their faint flickering effect; He could begin to make out that within the clusters, small constellations were present and he began to wonder if somehow these were the very same constellations that would illuminate the night sky currently if it weren't for the rain. He'd have to have you cast the spell again the next time you all went out just to see if what he saw was true.

With a smile on your own face, you adjusted yourself on his bed, laying back against it to stare up at the stars. Olruggio, with his excitement now calmed and the exhaustion from the day clinging to his body, would follow suit after you on the opposite side of where Qifrey sat. Qifrey would be the last to settle back into his bed, gaze never leaving the stars above. It was like the rain was silenced now as he listened to you and Olruggio talk between him and as he'd listen, he'd eventually quip in with his own tid-bit of information; Whether it was of conversations you might've overheard that day from other apprentices or perhaps a useful spell one of your masters had told you about during your lessons, the conversation just flowed naturally.

Before long, each of you would fall asleep; Olruggio would fall first, his light snores echoing through Qifrey's room. The two of you would quietly giggle, for such a young boy his snores were quite loud. It wouldn't be long before a yawn would come from your own mouth as your eyes slowly shut, a low hum escaping you as you mumbled.

"I hope… You liked it, Qifrey." You quietly spoke, sleep lacing your words as the white haired boy would look at you. He would feel that feeling in his chest, the one that worried him so before he'd just quietly nod as he shifted between you both.

"Simon- Simon please we need to leave!" You pleaded, your grip tight on the seat as he stood nearby, his eyes blown wide as he stared at the speaker before him as if coming to a realization, one you weren't aware of. If it wasn't for the sudden pounding in your head, which you assumed he was suffering from as well but was somehow masking it a lot better than you were, then the voices you were hearing surely clouded his own sense of hearing as they whispered and spoke the same promises to you both.

"Something isn't right- We shouldn't be here!" You pleaded once more as you attempted to move closer to him, your hand outstretched to grab his arm but the sudden throbbing in your head only worsened and you winced, moving your hands to grip at your head as the voices all but continued their sickly promises and talks about god, causing you to slowly curl into yourself as they grew louder.

"Simon-" You whispered as his gaze finally turned to you, immediately moving to be by your side before the sub was suddenly jostled forward, the movement so rough that it caused you to lose your footing and for your head to slam onto the corner of the console, your body going limp as you fell onto the metal flooring of the sub. Your vision swam as Simon crouched over you, having tripped but caught himself on the console unlike yourself. He yelled your name, you knew he was yelling because you saw his lips move yet your ears didn't register his words. The panic that grew in his eyes as he reached out to cradle your cheek to try and keep you awake as the sub was jostled once more, causing him to catch himself by extending his arms out beside your head and glare towards the front of the sub. Your vision slowly faded to black despite your best efforts to not fall unconscious, the voices slowly leaving you as you drifted off into a rather peaceful darkness.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

You felt something wet against your cheek; Not once, not twice, but three different times. You'd let out a small noise as you began to shift, your body all but aching and your head still pounding. If you were dead, surely you wouldn't be feeling this much pain, right? Let alone something wet against your cheek. Slowly you opened your eyes, trying to adjust them to the rather dull lighting in whatever room you were in, your ears slowly growing accustomed to the low humming of what sounded like technology around you. What really caught your eye though was the furry creature standing over you. It's fur, from what you could tell in the dark, was this pale golden color though most of it seemed to be hidden under a bright orange jumpsuit that hung off her frame loosely, her tongue hanging out of the corner of her mouth as she breathed heavily against your face.

Well, at least it wasn't an underwater mutated monster. You'd take the little win there and even allowed your head to fall back against the floor, your eyes shutting yet again as you began to relax against the rather cool flooring. Wait- Furry creature?

You suddenly sat up despite your body all but screaming in protest at the sudden action, the creature before you taking a few steps back before she happily sat before you, her tail wagging across the floor below her. So many questions ran through your mind as you stumbled ungracefully to your feet, your gaze finally being torn off the fuzzy looking creature and falling on your surroundings; You certainly weren't in the sub, that much was for sure. Everything was… Clean. New, almost; Not a single speck of rust coated any of the walls, the server towers behind you were what illuminated the room in a light blue color as they hummed with electricity and a warmth that was pleasant unlike the submarine where it felt like you were on the surface of the sun.

"Where am I…?" You began to question before a new if not more important question crossed your mind as you began to quickly look around the room, spinning at least once or twice and almost loosing your footing in the process.

'Where's Simon?'

You were about to move to try and find him but didn't take into account just how sick you felt, the room suddenly began to spin as you raised an arm to brace yourself on one of the server towers nearby, making a pained face as everything hit you at once. Your body ached in all the worst ways, your head continued to pound from where it had collided with the console on the sub, and the previous injuries you sustained while within the submarine were still very much present. You could only let out a shaky breath as you shut your eyes for just a few moments, though none of the pain ever subsided. As if sensing your pain, the creature whined and moved closer to you after rising to her paws, gently nudging your free hand as if to get your attention.

You looked down towards the creature through half lidded eyes, your brows furrowing together as you tried to get your thoughts straight. You needed to find Simon, that was top priority right now. After that you would attempt to figure out where you were and what this rather adorable looking creature was beside you. You were ripped from your thoughts just as they began to form though as you heard voices outside the door, the sound of boots on metal growing closer to the very room you were in. Not long after, the door let out a hiss as it opened to allow entry to whoever it was.

"Come on Chica, don't tell me you ran off in here again. You know you're not suppose… Too…" The man spoke, stepping foot into the room to look around before his gaze landed on you and his sentence fell into a long silence. His frame remained in the doorway, his eyes wide as he took in your rather beaten and ragged form through the light that shined in through the hallway. It honestly made your head hurt even more, but you wouldn't risk taking your eyes off this strange man.

"You're not Chica." He simply stated before he looked down towards the creature you now knew as Chica, who all but wagged her tail and made her way over to the man in excitement. She nuzzled against his hand before she turned to look at you with a small whine, her gaze flickering up to the male beside her in worry. Confusion quickly found it's way to your face as you slowly took in the features of this man who, for some very strange reason, seemed to resemble the very same man you were looking for. Same height, same features, though his hair was much shorter under the bright orange beret he wore atop his head.

"Simon…?" You questioned as you slowly straightened out; Had the alcohol you drank within that med-kit finally kicked in? Or perhaps it was the radiation poisoning? Or maybe even the lack of oxygen. Regardless of which reason it was, this man looked eerily similar to Simon but the look on his face after you mentioned the name clearly told you this man was not him.

"Simon? Who the hell is Simon?" The man questioned as he crossed his arms, cocking his head ever so slightly to the left as he continued his sentence. "Better question is who are you and how did you get into the server room?"

"I don't… I don't know how I got here." You answered truthfully, moving to take a step forward before your knees all but gave out under you and you began to fall. You allowed your eyes to shut and your body braced for impact, though you quickly realized you never collided with the ground and instead fell into something. Or better yet someone. As you opened your eyes again, you shifted your gaze to the ground below before you turned your head to look at the man who, for some unknown reason, had stepped forward to catch you in his arms. You both remained in silence, just staring at each other intently before he began to clear his throat. Was that a faint blush you saw dusting his cheeks or had you gone crazy?

"You um, you really don't look to good." He inquired after having gotten a really good look at you; The main thing that grabbed his attention was the blood that ran down the right side of your head, the glazed look in your eyes also added onto it. Most of the blood looked dried from what he could tell, but there was still a nasty gash left behind that if not treated sometime soon would surely get infected.

"Given the fact that you just fell trying to take a single step, I'll just go ahead and carry you to the medical bay." He began as he shifted you into his arms, lifting you up bridal style before he adjusted you accordingly and continued his sentence. "We can discuss everything after you've gotten looked at and taken care of. Hopefully the Captain doesn't mind…" He muttered the last sentence under his breath, hoping you were too delirious to actually hear him before he turned and made his way out of the server room, the door opening with a hiss as he left with Chica following closely behind.

You wanted to argue with him, tell him you could walk just fine on your own and most certainly didn't need to be taken to any kind of medical bay, but after moving into the brightly lit hallway against your will, you decided to just shut your mouth as your head all but pulsed in pain as your eyes tried their best to adjust to the sudden change. You shut your eyes in an attempt to block out the light but it did little to no difference as the man walked under overhead lighting. After some annoyance, you decided to bury your face into the mans jumpsuit to try and make your surroundings as dark as possible which honestly seemed to help even if it was just for a fraction of a second. You heard hushed whispers as he carried you along, most likely from other people who inhabited this place, but at this moment you really couldn't give a damn what anyone had to say.

By the time you both had reached the medical bay, you had somehow fallen asleep against the man. He honestly hesitated in placing you down onto the medical bed, sensing some sort of need to keep you close to him, to protect you from… Something, but he couldn't place a finger on exactly what it was. Regardless, he reluctantly placed you down onto the bed to allow the medical team to being their assessment over you. He never left, only lingering in the corner of the room and out of the medical teams way as he kept a close eye on them, ensuring they never overstepped any kind of boundary that may even make himself uncomfortable. Throughout it all, Chica remained right at his side, as if she was waiting for her new friend to wake. He'd be around when you woke to answer any and all questions you may have had for him, though he still wanted his own questions answered. Like just where did you come from? Why did you look like you fought in a war of some kind? And just who the hell was Simon?

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

"And this is the Invincible II, my pride and joy." The man, who you've come to know as Mark, spoke with a wide grin as you adjusted the jumpsuit you had been given to get you changed out of those nasty, blood stained clothes you wore earlier. Whatever medicine this space ship had, it did wonders for you. You felt a thousand years younger and any pain you had felt earlier had long since gone. Sure you still had some bandages wrapped tightly around your head where the gash was from and across your forearms to cover up some of the cuts you received while on the sub, but the medicine didn't exactly instantly heal wounds. Regardless of that fact, you still felt fantastic.

"So… We're in space?" You questioned as you turned to look at Mark who nodded at your question.

"We are. Lightyears away from any known planet or solar system that we've been able to actually log but I assure you we're on the right course." He informed you as you slowly nodded, trying to take it all in at once. Somehow, someway, you ended up on a spaceship known as the Invincible II which was currently on a journey to take over 100,000 colonists in cryogenic suspension to a new planet to begin anew.

"And… All the planets and stars are still here? None are missing?" You questioned again, watching as Mark's face contorted into one of pure confusion as he gently petted Chica who sat nearby; Mark had kindly informed you that the 'fuzzy creature' you kept mentioned was none other than a dog named Chica who, to your suspire, was also a very valuable member of the crew. He had begun to spiral into insanity when you mentioned that where you were from, animals had long since disappeared. Little did he know the current question you were asking was about to send him into an even bigger spiral of insanity.

"Missing?" He said with a laugh before continuing. "Why would they go missing? I mean, sure the stars die out every so often but nothing ever just… Vanishes." He finished, looking at you as if you had grown another head or suddenly sprouted teeth along the side of your head.

"Where I'm from an event known as the Quiet Rapture happened… All the habitable planets and stars just suddenly… Vanished. We were forced to live on space stations just floating about space." You informed him which caused him to fall silent real quick, his eyes growing wide.

"Wait wait wait- Just suddenly vanished?" He questioned as you nodded, adjusting the fingerless gloves you were given before you sat yourself back down onto the medical bed, looking down at Chica as she all but forced her furry body between your legs, her head resting against you as she sat herself down. You couldn't help the small smile that graced your lips as you gently reached out to pet her, your fingers running through her soft fur as her tail swiped across the floor below her.

"Vanished without a trace. It's what forced a group known as the COI to begin investigating leftover moons for any sign of life or information as to what occurred." You began, making a pained face as you kept your gaze on Chica who began to sense your unease and anxiety and moved even closer to you.

"I was apart of Eden," You began, motioning to the tattoo that was burned off the side of your neck, "one of the larger space stations at the time that contained the last few trees in the universe. Eventually with lack of resources, the COI and Eden clashed which… Caused a fight that lasted quite a few days." You continued to tell your tale to Mark, though you never dared to lift your head to look at him and decided to keep your gaze on the fluffy companion between your legs. In a way she brought you some comfort as you told Mark your rather traumatic and depressing past.

"The fight ended on Filament Station when it exploded. The COI arrested me and Simon as a result despite our surrender and enrolled us within the conviction realization program. In that program, we were sent to explore AT-5, a moon that contained an ocean of blood, in a submarine that they welded us into. At first things were fine for awhile but little did we know something was living down there… In the end, after so much damage to the submarine and to ourselves, we were led to something that we thought was another person who could help us escape. But I guess that resulted in me being here." You finished recalling it all to Mark, though flashbacks began to hit you as hard as you hit your head on the console in that sub.

Flashbacks to you and Simon being welded into that sub, of the blood ocean itself, of the monster that hunted you down like sport just to drive you to the point of insanity so you'd become a part of Her in the end, of the so-called Light you and Simon made your way towards after the COI had all but deemed you both dead. It made your stomach churn and your heart ache the more you recalled, just where was Simon? Was he somewhere on this ship with you? Perhaps he was transported to a inhabitable planet where he was safe, somewhere nice with tall trees and lush green grass where he could live out his life in peace.

"That... That sounds really rough… I'm so sorry that happened to you and your companion." Mark said with an exhale of breath, his eyes never leaving your form as you just fell silent and continued to stare Chica down, almost as if you were in some kind of trance. He didn't know exactly what to say. I mean, who does after being hit with that much information all at once? Not to mention it wasn't the good kind of information either.

He barely knew you yet you were more than willing to tell your story to him, to place that trust in him and he was glad that you did. He wanted to understand you better, to get to know you more, to find ways to help you through whatever it was you just came from. You wouldn't be leaving this ship anytime soon, that much he knew. Like he said earlier, the Invincible II was far away from any inhabitable planet that they could leave you at, so you'd just have to become part of the crew. He just hoped that the Captain would be alright with the idea.

Just as he was going to speak, shouting could be heard from the hall. A voice Mark hadn't heard before but clearly you knew who it belonged to with the way you suddenly sprang from the bed, scaring Chica in the process.

"Don't fucking touch me!" The voice shouted from the hall, rough and hoarse and overall just exhausted. You knew that voice; It was Simon. Quickly you dashed out of the medical bay, following the commotion with Mark right behind you. By the time you turned the next corner, a yelp was ripped from your throat as you stumbled backwards but quickly caught yourself this time. Looking up at what you collided with, your eyes widened immediately.

"Simon!" You exclaimed, quickly wrapping your arms around his frame as you buried your head against his chest, even if he did still wreak of blood. His body tensed as you suddenly engulfed him in a hug, his breathing ragged as he tried to comprehend just what was happening and just who was touching him.

"Starlight…?" Simon spoke as his vision finally became clear, wrapping his arms around you as he pulled you in close to him, burying his head into your hair and tightening his hold mere seconds after when he began to realize you were actually here. You were safe, you were real and not some trick his mind was playing on him; He could smell the fresh shampoo in your hair, the smell of antiseptics on you from your injuries and overall, he could feel your heart beating. It was enough to finally force his body to relax.

His thoughts began to leave him as he realized you weren't stuck in that blood ocean, welded into that sub alone without him and on the verge of death. Slowly his body began to go limp against you as the exhaustion finally caught up to him, causing you to squeak as Simon passed out against you. You struggled to keep his large frame up, but Mark was quick to help you lift him and carry him to the medical bay without another word spoken. Mark had a lot more questions that yet again needed to be answered, at least this time you were awake so he could ask them.

You had kindly asked Mark and those within the medical team to stay outside the room after Simon had been properly treated; You didn't want to risk him getting violent with the few people who were kind enough to actually patch you both up and not throw you out into the vacuum of space. Mark gladly ushered the medical team out after your request, telling you that it was no worry at all and gave him time to quickly run an errand while you waited on Simon to wake.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

Currently you were sat in a seat beside Simon's bed, his hand in your own as you gently ran your thumb over the back of it as you quietly looked him over. Similar to yourself his forearms had been bandaged tightly to help the healing process of the wounds he suffered, and although the remainder of his body seemed to be clear of any other noticeable injuries, there was this lingering scar across the bridge of his nose that flushed the skin there a faint red. You were almost certain it was some effect from the blood on AT-5 that had shot across his face and into his eye, but the medical team had assured you no harm would come from it though it would remain like that for the remained of his life.

You couldn't help the shaky breath that escaped you as you released your hold on Simon's hand, putting your head into your own hands as you shut your eyes upon feeling the sudden flush of welling tears. You had found Simon and, for the most part, he was safe. You were both safe, but something inside you didn't feel safe. Was it really that simple? That you both managed to escape that hell hole without something much more serious happening? What would happen to everyone else that was left behind? Would that thing be able to find you all the way out here? Wherever here was? The more and more your mind thought, the more and more you began to spiral as you tried to come to some kind of understanding of it all.

It was all too much in the end, your body began to shake as you did your best to conceal the broken sobs that escaped you in your seat though even that was becoming difficult. You were exhausted, both mentally and physically and honestly? You prayed to whatever god was out there that this was the peace of mind both you and Simon deserved, the freedom you both so desperately wanted. Through your sobbing, you didn't even hear as Simon began to stir in his bed, his gaze snapping awake when he began to hear your quiet sobs.

"Starlight? Hey hey... What's wrong?" Simon spoke quietly, shifting in the bed to gently reach out and place his hands over your own; Despite having just woken up, you were his first and only priority. He could figure out the rest later with you beside him. Your gaze suddenly snapped up onto him, tears still vividly falling from your eyes as you attempted to speak, but it was as if the air in your very lungs was ripped away from you. Simon could only frown seeing the tears, his thumbs moving to wipe away the tears before he shifted and pulled you in close to him. He felt you bury your head within his neck, felt the tears begin to soak the shirt he was given for the time being and it made his heart ache at hearing your hiccups and sobs.

"We're alright… We're gonna be fine… Shh shh…" Simon began to console you, gently rubbing your back as he swayed you both from his spot on the bed. To be quite honest, he wasn't sure if you both were gonna be alright. You were somewhere entirely new, in a galaxy he was almost positive neither of you could plot on any type of star map, with a crew that neither of you were able to fully trust. Despite that, Simon would tell you whatever lies you needed to hear because regardless of the situation, you both were together and he was okay with that. You'd get through this crazy adventure together, one way or another, just as you were doing together back in the sub.

After several long minutes, your sobbing died down to quiet sniffles which caused Simon to gently move his hands to your shoulders and push you away just enough to see your face. He quickly took notice of your reddened eyes, the tear stains that ran down your cheeks and moved his hands back to your cheeks to gently rub at your eyes and any remaining tears that lingered.

"How do you feel now?" He questioned to which you hummed, moving your hands over his once more as you spoke in a hushed voice.

"Better… Thank you, Simon…" You informed him, gracing him with one of your small smiles. Simon couldn't help but return the smile, bringing you down to gently press a kiss to your forehead.

"You're welcome."

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

After your little session in the medical bay, Mark was kind enough to get Simon a jumpsuit of his own to match your own; Dark in color as if to match the clothes you and Simon had previously worn while on the sub, a pair of fingerless gloves and a new pair of black combat boots. Simon was quick to grab the medallion you both had found within the submarine and after several questions from Mark, tied it back around his wrist without another word. Attached to your jumpsuits were quickly made tags that Mark insisted everyone needed to have. You could only guess that it helped keep tabs of everyone on the ship, or perhaps sorted them into their respective departments.

Simon's simply read 'S0013' which you couldn't help but snort at; Regardless of where you were at, it would seem the numbers of that submarine would haunt your remaining days for however long you lived. Simon even asked Mark what the chances were of getting a new number, but Mark just gave him a questionable look and went about making your tag which read 'R5140.' You weren't quite sure what it stood for, but honestly you just shrugged your shoulders and went about it without a care in the world.

Once you both were ready, Mark began to lead you guys through a series of halls, informing you both that you would be meeting the Captain of the ship and they would be the one to decide whether you both could stay or if something else would occur, but he did his best to assure you that the Captain was a nice person and that they wouldn't dare do anything of the sort to cause you both harm. Regardless, it had your mind racing but before it could spiral out again, Simon was quick to distract you as he lanced his fingers with your own, giving your hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance. It relaxed you in mere seconds and you moved yourself close to Simon's side out of instinct.

It took quite awhile and you passed through several parts of the ship that interested you, but eventually you three stood just outside the main doors that lead into the main control room. Mark turned to face you both with a rather serious expression, something that just didn't look right on his usual cheerful face as you had noted thus far.

"Are you ready?" He questioned, his hands on his hips. You and Simon could only glance at each other before looking at Mark and nodded. He flashed a quick grin, spinning on his heel before he placed his hand on the panel beside the door. It opened with a hiss and the dual doors opened wide to reveal the large control room. Various screens littered the walls, a large control panel in the center of the room where someone stood with their back turned to the both of you, but that wasn't what grabbed at your attention.

It was the large window that looked directly out into space. You heard Simon's breathing hitch, your eyes growing wide as you stared out into space, at all the stars that littered its dark sky. It was beautiful and it simply took your breath away; You honestly hadn't realized just how long it had been since you've seen a sky full of stars like that. It left both you and Simon distracted long enough that you didn't even hear the person clear their voice in front of you. Snapping out of the daze you fell in, you turned your attention the person before you who, for some odd reason, wore a helmet to hide their face. Their jumpsuit was certainly extravagant and very clearly read 'I'm the Captain.'

"Captain," Mark began, now standing beside them and motioning to you and Simon. "These are the two I was telling you about earlier."

The Captain turned their attention from Mark to you and Simon, taking a step forward and extending a hand to you. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the two that are causing such a ruckus on my ship… May I put a name to a face?" They questioned and Simon was the first to act, taking the Captain's hand in his own after letting go of your own hand.

"I'm Simon. This is [Y/N]." Simon told the Captain, motioning to you at the mention of your name. It felt weird hearing it fall from Simon's lips, so used to the nickname he had given you. You gave a small nod of your head towards the Captain, taking their hand after Simon had let go.

"It's nice to meet you. I apologize for any trouble we may have caused you and your crew…" You apologized, though you weren't exactly sure for what. It just felt like the right thing to do; You wanted to make a good impression after all to ensure you both could stay. The Captain only let out a laugh at your response which caused you to blink.

"Ah please- We could use a little excitement here every once in awhile, though with Mark around there seems to be enough of that." The Captain informed you which left Mark slightly blushing at the comment, completely lost for words as any remark seemed to die on his tongue. It caused a small laugh to escape your frame while Simon let out a small grunt of a laugh.

"Regardless, Mark had informed me of your… Situation." The Captain's tone switched to something more serious which had you and Simon standing at attention, your hearts all but pounding in your chests. You were pretty good at reading people's faces but with that helmet on, you couldn't tell just what the Captain was feeling or possibly thinking and it made your heart pound even harder in your chest.

"I would like to propose something to you both. A deal, if you will." They began and Simon immediately began to make a face; He was tired of deals, tired of false promises that fell on deaf ears. Seeing the face Simon made, the Captain quickly added on. "I promise it will benefit all of us in the long run."

"Go on." You urged the Captain, already getting squeamish in your boots the longer they took to answer.

"You both help out around the ship. Whether it's with Mark and the other engineers or perhaps with the astroid defense systems. Whatever you're good at, I want you there." The Captain began, shifting their weight as they held their hands behind their back, looking between you and Simon. "If you can't find something to help in, we'll find you something to do. In return, you are allowed voyage upon my ship. Whatever you need we shall provide. Seem fair?" The Captain finished.

You turned your head to look at Simon who in return did the same; It was as if a silent conversation was happening between you both but in reality it was a simple answer to give. There was nowhere else to go unless they decided to kick you both out into space and as nice as it would be to see the stars again on a closer level, you'd like to do so within the confines of a spaceship. Turning to look at the Captain, you gave a nod and extended your hand out to them. "You have a deal."

The Captain must surely be smiling under that helmet because as they took your hand, they spoke in a rather joyful tone.

“Beginning the descent. Cruising depth in roughly two minutes. Standby.” The voice on the speaker crackled, causing your attention to be drawn to the noise on your left side. Your head turned slightly, just enough to keep the speaker within your field of view as the small orange light lit up to the frequency being broadcasted through it, but you didn’t dare turn your entire body away from the console before you. Your gloved grip was tight on the surface before you as the ship you were welded into swayed and jerked as it was lowered into the bloodied ocean, the hull creaking as it began to grow accustomed to the sudden movement. 

You only turned your gaze away from the speaker for a moment to look out the porthole before you, watching as the ocean’s blood began to slosh and spray, covering the piece of glass as you were lowered deeper and deeper into the murky depths. Your heart was racing, your ears already ringing as your mind was scattered into various different thoughts before you eventually just shook your head gently, attempting to calm yourself by taking a small breath before releasing it as your gaze landed on the four sets of green lights beside you clearly labeled as ‘O2.’ You didn’t have the time nor the oxygen to send yourself into a panic attack so soon, yet you couldn’t believe that this was happening. That this was all very real and not some sick twisted dream you were experiencing while you slept away in your comfortable bed back on Eden. 

You were being sent to your death, yet they labeled it as an expedition in the hopes of expanding their knowledge and reasoning behind the Quiet Rapture; You wanted your freedom, they wanted an execution. The COI could lie all they wanted to you but you knew the truth, you knew what was happening and it made your stomach twist in disgust and rage as your grip tightened on the console.

“I'm seeing some voltage irregularities on the instruments, so keep an eye out for sparks, or flames, or anything like that.” The speaker crackled once more, your attention being drawn away from your thoughts as you turned to face the speaker, confusion written on your face. Had you heard that right? Sparks or flames? Or anything like that? “Flames…?” You muttered, looking around the rather small sub with a critical eye; There didn’t look to be anything out of the ordinary from where you sat but then again this entire sub was a floating hazard in and of itself; Rust covered walls, exposed wires that went to god knows what, various valves that if you probably touched or turned would end up killing you, and then the back wall where a singular button rested in the center of various gauges that read who knows what. Beside that was a large black screen which, if you had to guess, would display whatever that button did. Your gaze eventually fell onto the rusted fire extinguisher on the wall opposite of all that and a frown formed on your face; How wonderful of them to provide you with means of saving yourself from a fiery death, even if it looked like it had been through a few rounds of firefighting already. You could only huff before you looked at the speaker once more.

“Why would there be flames? Did you all seriously not test this thing before sealing me in here?” You spoke, annoyance clear in your voice; You knew it was pointless to argue, but you wanted to expel any if not some of that rage that was building inside you to someone who could hear you for quite possibly the last time. That thought alone made your stomach twist even more, your heart physically aching as you allowed that thought to simmer into your mind longer than you would’ve liked. The speaker remained silent for quite some time, its small light remaining off before it flashed that dull orange color as the female voice on the other end was heard once more.

“This is the test.” The voice spoke, the speaker fizzling before the voice continued, not allowing you a second to raise another issue or concern. “We welded you in there as tightly as we could. Just keep an eye on your depth while you’re down there. The terrain can be unpredictable so make sure you’re not wandering too far down into the red. The sub can take pressure but there’s a limit.” 

The hull let out a low groan as as if to testify to what she had said and as you turned your gaze towards the left side of the console where another bar was, you watched as its bright green light slowly moved its way down the gauge to reveal just how far down into this ocean you were and just how much was left before you even hit the bottom.

“Closing porthole shielding.” The speaker rang out and as you lifted your gaze towards the window before you, you swallowed hard as you noticed the shield sliding up into place to protect the glass before you. That was it, the last you saw of the outside world and it was nothing but red. Another breath escaped you as you tapped your fingers against the console, shifting your gaze back towards the speaker as curiosity finally got the better of you. “So what is it I’m supposed to find, exactly? You didn’t explain anything before shoving me in here.” You hissed out, that rage bubbling inside you once more.

“We don’t know, convict.” The female voice on the other side spoke in a rather harsh tone before continuing, causing your face to scrunch up at the title they had so graciously given you alongside many others whom the COI held. “You’re the first one down there.” Ah, there it was again. That little lie the COI kept pushing down everyone's throats; You began to wonder how many more lies they’d told you in the past couple minutes you’ve been sealed in this bucket of bolts.

“All we have are surface scans, that's why you're there. Well... one of the reasons.” The voice continued, but you weren’t paying attention to it anymore. Your attention was now zoned in on the drop of blood that had hit the console during the woman's speech. Your attention then zoned onto another drop that suddenly fell from above you. Your gaze lifted up, leaning back in the seat just enough to properly look above you as you squinted under the flickering light as the sub was jerked yet again during its descent causing you to jerk alongside it in your seat. Yeah, sealed in tight, you believed it alright.

“Reaching maximum depth in 30 seconds.” You lifted your gaze hearing that, your eyes landing on the depth gauge and felt your stomach drop. You were hitting the red mark that she had warned you about earlier on. 

“H-Hey- I’m hitting the red. I thought you said not to go to the red?!” You yelled, spinning in the chair to face the speaker but felt your heart drop as the voice on the other end came in broken, static breaking apart every other word.

“Losing radio — Head to the coordinates — map and catalogue as instructed — consider your penance served. Be careful, you’re — own. Good —.” Was the last you heard before the ship jerked violently causing you to grip onto the console once more to prevent yourself from falling, watching as the console suddenly lit up with bright green numbers that read your current X and Y coordinates within the two black boxes just above what you assumed was the throttle. You looked down at them with furrowed brows, your hands starting to shake as you looked back at the speaker. It was happening, this was it.

“Hey- Hey! You can’t be serious about this!” You shouted as you stood up, moving closer to the speaker as you stood on your tiptoes to tap at it, attempting to see if there was any kind of feedback you could get. A frown reached your face when you realized you were in fact on your own. Just you, your thoughts, and whatever was around you.

“Great…” You muttered to yourself as you looked around the sub and sat yourself back in the seat, your gaze landing on the various binders and what looked to be a folded piece of paper beside the console neatly nestled within a large bag.

A low hum escaped you as you leaned over, fingers brushing over the binders before you grabbed the folded piece of paper instead, unfolding it and spreading it across the console before you. This must be one of the many surface scans that the woman had told you about; In certain parts of the map were what looked to be the points of interest they wanted you to investigate. Some close together, others more spread apart. With a small nod of your head, you leaned over to grab one of the binders next, reading through it with quick glances as you muttered to yourself the writing there to ensure you understood certain parts better.

Eventually you got the gist of it; Go to one of the spots marked on the map and take a photo using the button on the back wall then repeat the process until all the points had been captured via a photo. Seemed easy enough, though curiosity did get the better of you. Carrying the binder with you to the back wall, you stared down the button with a tilted head. Reaching out carefully, your fingers brushed against the warm surface of it before you gently applied pressure. A noise rang out before the screen beside you flashed white and the photo appeared; It caused you to flinch, blinking several times to allow your eyes time to recover from the sudden flashbang before you stared at the photo. Nothing out of the ordinary, just what seemed to be the rocky floor of the ocean. 

“Interesting…” You spoke quietly, looking down at the binder once more before you snapped it shut, walking back towards the console and taking your seat once more as you tossed the binder back into the bag. You looked over the map after having checked your coordinates and, after finding which point of interest was first, gave yourself a small nod as your hand gripped the throttle.

“Well... If I want to see him again I better get started.” You muttered to yourself, pushing the throttle forward and beginning your exploration of the blood ocean.

—

“I’m telling you there’s something down here!” You shouted towards the speaker, your heart hammering in your chest as you looked back towards the black screen with nothing but fear in your eyes; The photo of that creature was burned into your very eyes. The image of those sharp teeth, its deformed body, those glowing pinhole eyes staring directly at you. Not just at the ship, but at you specifically. As if it could see you through the rusted metal of the sub you piloted.

“Convict, is there an issue with the ship? Did something happen to it?” This time a male voice spoke through the speaker, his attention diverted to anything but the clear panic in your voice as if the sub itself took a higher priority then your own life did.

“Fucking- Fuck the ship! It’s fucking fine! But I’m telling you there’s something down here with me! I’m not alone!” You screamed, your grip tight on the back of the seat as you felt the tears well in your eyes. You didn’t want to be stuck in this fucking sub anymore, you didn’t want to take anymore of those fucking photos and most of all you wanted Simon; You wanted to see him again, hear him talk, feel his warmth as he held you close and calmed you down, helping you forget this nightmare. You wanted to go home.

“You’re delusional. There’s nothing down there so we’re sending you back down. Finish what you started and we’ll bring you back up once you’ve finished.” The speaker crackled and you felt the sub begin to drop once more, watching the gauge as you were slowly approaching the red on the depth meter; You didn’t have long. If you wanted to be spared, saved from whatever was lurking deep in this bloodied ocean, you had to think fast. Think of what they would want, think of what would be of such high priority over your own life that they would bring you back up. Through the panic and anxiety, you began to scream once more, tears running down your face as you said the first thing that came to mind, the one thing you were certain they would want.

“The fucking photo- It’s in the photo! I have a photo of it!” You felt the sub jerk to a stop, your knees giving out as you lost your grip on the back of the seat, falling to your knees as silence fell in the sub, the only noise being heard was the creaking of the hull itself and the occasional sniffle or sob from your shaking frame.

“You took a picture of it?” A female voice this time, the one from earlier. You could only sob as you nodded quickly, as if they could see you. 

“Yes- Yes there’s pictures- Please just.. I want to go back- Take me back to prison I don’t care. I just don’t want to be here anymore.” You sobbed, curling in on yourself as you pressed your forehead against the warm sub flooring. The speaker continued to fizzle and crackle, an argument happening between those on the other side of the speaker but you couldn’t hear them, not over the pounding of your own heart and the sobs that tore through your chest and throat.

“Bring them u-”

—

“If we could go anywhere in the galaxy… Where would you wanna go?” Your voice spoke softly as you stared at the wall in front of you, your knees pulled up to your chest as you rested your chin on top of them.

“Well, anywhere you go is where I’d want to be.” He replied, his voice muffled by the wall behind you but not enough that you couldn’t hear him through the door to your cell. It brought a smile to your face regardless before you gently shook your head, a small laugh escaping you.

“You’re just saying that because we’re in love, Simon. I want a real answer, I promise whatever you say won’t upset me.” You replied once your small laugh session had calmed down, looking back towards his cell which just so happened to be right beside yours; Maybe the COI had some form of a heart, or perhaps just enjoyed the suffering of two lovers forced to be near each other but never see or touch one another. He would only let out a small laugh of his own at your response.

“Oh come on, I think it’s a very good answer regardless of our relationship!” He commented before letting out a low hum as he thought of a better response for you; You could already see the way his face contorted into though, the way his brows would furrow together the longer he thought about it. “I mean… If I had to give a serious answer, I guess wherever the stars went.”

The two of you would fall silent as his answer hung heavy in the air; It was a valid answer, one you weren’t surprised he gave. If the Quiet Rapture hadn’t happened, you both wouldn’t be in this position. Perhaps in another universe you’d both be happily married on a planet filled with beautiful trees and nature that stretched as far as the eye could see, or perhaps exploring the stars together in some far off galaxy that had yet to be explored to find a planet to claim as your own. It made your heart ache in a way you didn’t know it could and you wished that, in a universe unknown to you both, it was true and you were at peace.

“That’s a good answer…” You’d respond after a few moments of silence before deciding to release the tension in the air. “But I think I like your previous answer better now.” You teased him to which a laugh erupted out of him; Oh how you’d kill to see him laugh once again.

“Oh now you enjoy that cheesy answer? Alright well, I retract my previous statement then.” He informed you as he shifted on the other side of the wall. A silence fell between you both once more, one that Simon broke after several minutes.

“Hey just… Remember whatever happens to us, I love you, alright? I always will.” 

—

The blood ocean was an unforgiving place, and she made sure to keep such things in check even with these humans pestering Her waters with their expeditions, though she did enjoy their sacrifices. This was Her domain after all, she knew when even the slightest shift in the ocean's current was changed by something entering its bloodied waters and yet, for all of Her vast knowledge, couldn’t place why you didn’t become a part of Her as so many others had. She had punctured your sub, torn through its hull and watched as it all but imploded on itself just as she had done to the previous convicts the COI had sent down and yet, you didn’t become a part of her collected consciousness as they had. 

No, your body was mutated by not only the ocean's blood but by the radiation within the camera that was attached to your ship that the COI very poorly failed to warn you was nothing more than a giant x-ray machine. She watched as your body lay still on the ocean floor, the occasional twitch of your body alerting Her to your body's very brutal changes as the radiation ravaged your body, though she didn’t stick around for long. It was a first for her but she didn’t deem you a threat and honestly, she thought it to be quite amusing if you happened to survive. A mutated human living within Her ocean? She wanted to see how you’d survive. She’d be around, nothing happened in this ocean without her knowledge.

And thus, you were born within a mutated body and a memory as thick and murky as the ocean of blood you now called home. Your legs had fused together, the skin there having torn and disintegrated leaving nothing but bone behind that had grown into a long, mermaid-like tail that helped you swim about the ocean’s floor, jagged spikes sprouting from the tip of the tail all the way up along your back where a fan-shaped fin grew between your shoulderblades. Your arms, now having grown in length like the rest of your body, helped guide you across the ocean floor as you scouted the ocean; Your webbed fingers tracing across the ground, sharp nails dragging along and leaving small, jagged marks in their wake.

You never swam far from the destroyed sub that, for some odd reason, you felt attached too. It was your home, your hiding spot from Her whenever she would swim past as if searching for you to check if you were still alive; She would know when you perished, one way or another, so she never searched long for you. During those moments you’d find yourself curled into one half of the damaged hull, staring at yourself within a piece of shattered glass from the porthole. 

You still had human features, your hair somehow surviving your mutation but your eyes changed; Black scalia with a pure white iris that seemed to glow and more often than not allowed you to see clearly within the bloodied waters. Your ears grew backwards into sharp points, jagged fins growing along the edges and while your face looked relaxed, the moment you opened your mouth your jaw became unhinged. Your cheeks tore during the mutation process and revealed the muscle beneath, strips of flesh hanging by a thread as sharp jagged teeth were mixed within the muscle, some even settled on the sides of your lower jaw and yet you were able to close your mouth just fine. Despite all that, your skin seemed to become see-through in certain patches, the most noticeable being around your ribs and parts of your arms where your very skeleton was visible. You couldn’t help but feel sick whenever you looked at yourself and each time, you’d toss the piece of glass aside only to pick it back up later and repeat the process once more.

This was your life now, set out for eternity to just swim about this blood ocean and live out whatever remaining days you had left; Surprisingly you never felt the need to eat or drink, some days you never even felt the need to sleep but you were never sure why. Regardless, you’d just go about your days without putting too much thought into something that made your head pound so hard you were certain you were just slamming it into the nearest wall you could find. You’d pass the time by finding other creatures, your favorite thus far being the frog-like creature. It was curious of you the first time you ran into it, though it was never bothered by your presence one bit. It would allow you to swim with it for quite some time on the days you’d search for it, only returning home when you realized just how far out you strayed from the sub. Other days you’d run into Her. She would only spare you a glance, content with knowing you were alive before going about whatever she was doing.

Today was different though, you heard a strange noise coming from further up towards the surface of the ocean. Something… Mechanical? Something loud. It wasn’t Her, you’d know if it was; Her voice carried several voices varying in pitch and tone, different variations of female and male voices all at once. It hurt your head whenever she spoke, feeling as though she was the voice within your head and not your own voice of reasoning. Because of this, it was why you never sought Her out for conversation, though you knew whatever questions you did have she would gladly answer, most likely with some kind of price attached to it.

Regardless, this strange sound caught your interest. How often was it that something like this happened within this ocean? You haven’t been here long, but even you knew something odd was happening. So, you decided you’d investigate before she had the chance and ruined whatever fun you could possibly have. As you swam in the direction the noise was coming from, you noticed something oddly familiar within the roughly shaped silhouette that was formed from the bright lights above it. Whatever it was looked exactly like the sub you called home; And as you swam closer as the sub was dropped deeper into the depths of the ocean, you were able to make out the white paint on the side of the sub that looked hastily painted onto it with a very rough stencil outline.