Irithyll was only known as a cold and lonely place to Nina Legonne. Her mother, Stephanie Legonne, insisted that their family never dared set foot outdoors and that the family help would do so for their essentials instead.
Nina often wondered what good it would do for them to be so isolated toward the community that surrounded them. She didnât believe a beautiful place could harm her. The lake that spread around the town was beautiful. It sparked every night with the moon and stars. Nothing that breathtaking could ever harm her family, thus believed Nina.
Her father, Jonathan Legonne agreed. He would sneak out to their patio and stare at the night sky in wonder. The sound of the water beneath their home brought him peace and calm that he cherished.
But he had felt fortunate enough to marry into Stephanieâs family, share her name and money that he couldnât find it in him to try to vocally disagree with her rules.
Jonathan was happy but even so, it wasnât quite the life he thought heâd share with her.
Thatâs when he made a vow to Nina to never let her to lead a life of regret. Heâd help her find a route to sneak out without letting Stephanie find out so that Nina may enjoy life exploring the woods.
They have done this since Nina turned 13 and only if she promised to not travel too far and if she returned at a certain time.
By the fourth year of her endeavors, Nina found herself knowing most of the layout of the woods and Irithyll in general. She taught herself many things such as how to start a fire with both wood and through the study of magic. She didnât quite understand magical arts as much so she had mostly stuck to physical activities.
Nina also had herself a couple siblings. They were twins named Roger and Alex.
Because of this, Nina was expected to watch over her baby brother and sister. This made sneaking out a bit more limited, so she gave herself a more strict curfew of just an hour of outing.
One night, she took a break from exploring and simply sat at the lake to relax. She heard footsteps approach and a voice speak to her. It wasnât in a language she understood and Nina turned to see who had spoke.
It was a small wood figure, perhaps the size of a young kid. They pointed at the night sky, seemingly wondering what it was.
âThat?â Nina had pointed at the stars.
âStars. Thatâs what I was told to call them.â
âSs⌠tar. St.. ar.â the figure uttered back.
âThatâs right. I learned all about them from my father, but I can teach you all the things I learned myself if youâd like.â
The wood figure titled their head.
âI wonât ask anything of you other than to sit here with me tonightâ Nina continued.
She pat the grass next to her, inviting them to sit with her as they stared at the water and sky together. The figure nodded and sat next to her.
Nina was very happy. She felt like she had made her first friend. They werenât from immediate family and yet they wanted to spend time with her. She wondered what possible reason her mother would want to keep them all from this joy.
Nina wanted to share her experience with everyone to show that it was something to embrace, but first she had to build it up before she showed her mother that it was okay.
The two bid farewell from the lake and Nina went to bed, still blushing from meeting her new friend.
Nina and the wooden figure continued to meet in the same place every night for months. She gradually taught them everything she knew about Irithyll and from her solo outings.
Eventually they spoke full sentences together and the figure even listened to Nina whenever she needed to express her concerns about her family or the town in general.
It was nearly two years since they had met each other and Nina just thought of something she found strange. They never said each otherâs names, so she sought to change that. She asked the figure theyâre name, but they insisted that she went first.
âMy name is Nina! Nina of the Legonne family. Normally I wouldnât tell anyone that but I trust you.â
The figure joyfully responded, âMy name is Lina!â
âOh! Quite similar to mine. Thatâs a miraculous coincidence, as if fate wanted us to meet. Like we were meant to befriend one another.â
This is what Nina convinced herself.
A month later, she saw that Lina grew a bit and had long black hair not unlike Ninaâs own if she wore it down instead of in a ponytail.
Nina was very happy at her friendâs progression, it was as if she and her best friend had a journey of growth together.
Lina was very interested in knowing more about their friend. They were curious about what her parents were like. How close she was to her siblings Alex and Roger. Where she lived.
Lina would really pay attention to Ninaâs words and would often repeat them back to her. How far Linaâs speech had improved impressed Nina. She was proud to be their friend.
Usually an individual is the one to receive gifts on their own birthday but Nina wanted to give Lina one that year because  nothing would give her more joy than seeing her friend smile.
Nina had gathered a bunch of flowers into a bouquet for Lina. She wore a white dress for the special occasion.
When they met at the usual location, Lina also wore something surprising. It looked like similar clothing to Ninaâs normal attire. They had a formal dress shirt on and comfortable trousers. The blue scarf around their neck was familiar too.
Nina was flattered that her friend was inspired by her style. She hoped they can learn even more things together in the future.
âHappy Birthday Nina. Would you like to come over to my place tonight? We can put those flowers somewhere special together.â Lina said.
Nina happily agreed. They had never gone to each otherâs homes so she was very excited.
But the trail was familiar to her. She recognized that it lead to a cave and nothing worthwhile was ever inside. Only danger awaited. It wasnât a place of comfort. Nina stopped.
âWhere are we going?â She asked.
âYour new home.â They responded.
It was very sudden. She didnât know of Linaâs intentions. But if thereâs anything that Nina trusted most, it was her instincts.
She started to run but the roots from the ground began to impale her ankles.
Before Ninaâs screams could echo through the woods, Lina covered her mouth with a hand. Their hand of flesh.
Linaâs face turned isnât something familiar.
They learned well from Nina. So well versed in Ninaâs ways that she may as well  be Nina herself.
Nina couldnât believe it. For years the one she thought to be her best and only friend⌠The only one to know everything about her with absolutely no filter and no judgment⌠Was only thinking about her for this.
For a moment, Lina was her everything.
Even more it rang true.
The figure Nina turned into her everything.
The girl was now nameless. To be forgotten.
There was no hope to beat Nina back to the home with those wounds.
No way to tear out without causing permanent unrecoverable damage.
The girl watched speechlessly as Nina walked back to her home.
The flowers were left beneath her. The flowers for her grave.
What felt like an eternity later, voices around her were heard.
It looked like a trio of villagers. Two women and a man.
The girl couldnât find it in her speak.
No sounds of agony, no greeting. Simply a blank stare at the villagers as blood slowly trickled out her legs.
âWeâll get you out of here!â
âWho couldâve done this?â
It didnât matter to her who said what. All the voices melded together to form a noise of pointlessness.
âWhatâs your name? Where are you from!â
They continued to ask her questions but she hardly reacted.
The villagers patched up her wounds. One of the women carried the girl into her home.
What felt like days passed and they couldnât get a reaction from the girl at all.
âSo much stupid pestering. These idiots donât know how to leave me alone.â
The girl spoke. It was clear she didnât think anyone could hear her.
The woman tried to use this new information to try and help the girl.
âThink about your name and Iâll fix up your favorite meal for you.â The woman said.
The girl scowled.
âWhatâs with the face? You donât think I can do that? Iâm a pretty impressive cook. So, help me out here. My name is Barbara. And yours is?â
There was a long silence. The girl looked around then stared at the woman.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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everything under the stars is in your arms (benxgally dancer au)
For @mazerunnerbang I was matched with @kathsilverâs prompt for a benally dancer AU, which was an absolute joy to write for. Ben x Gally is a rare pair that needs more loving! You can listen to her spotify playlist here
Read the fic here on AO3
Enjoy and SPREAD THE BEN X GALLY LOVE!
Bonus: This is absolutely the vibe Ben and Gally had in The Glade donât even argue with me theyâre a power couple an absolute unit
This is a Free To Play story told through the RPG Maker VX Engine.
A young boy known as Eric attempted to win the heart of his childhood crush. However, as mysterious masked person attacked the town, he began to experience an inconsistency of memories. Vowing to protect his town and discover the truth behind his doubts, he set out on a journey to isolate the attacker and defeat him without involving any more innocent citizens. In the midst of his journey, the boy noticed that he wasn't the only one who was suffering. A decision to either continue on his adventure for the sake of himself, or for the sake of the world, must be made.
There are three ending routes: Bad, Good, and Secret.
Should he choose to let people handle their problems themselves, it earns him the Bad Ending
But if he accepts that there are things greater than himself that are worth protecting, he gets the Good Ending
The boy might even destroy the five hidden evils, in which the truth is revealed through the Secret Ending
No matter the path, the boy will discover that his life wasn't as small as he originally believed, and that, in his life, there's no such thing as a coincidence.
Shirley has been invited by her friends to play a fun and challenging escape room! But it is not as simple as that. Her friends have unknowingly agreed to a death game!
Their first "game" has them in a dilemma. One person must grab the key in the middle of the room to free the others, but whoever takes up the role will die!
Can these five friends live through Joyful's Escape Room and capture the ghoul who has abducted them?
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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She softly sat down in the subway and breathed a sigh of relief.
It was sad that she had to miss such a big event, but witnessing the one she wanted laughing with her rival wouldâve been even more tragic.
Or so she felt.
Her only lament was knowing the disappointment everyone would have of her since she backed out at the last second.
But there was nothing left she couldâve done at that moment, so she gave up.
The sorrow was her lullaby, and it wouldâve led her all the way home.
Martin, however, didnât let that happen.
Adelyn momentarily opened her eyes and saw him standing there with eyes of melancholy, whilst her eyes filled with agitation.
âOf course the one who I wanted to see the least is the one who shows up. What are you doing here?â she questioned.
âI could ask you the same thing. You looked forward to this trip more than anyone else, so I donât get it. Why are you on the train back home?â replied Martin.
She looked away with dull eyes.
He stared for a minute then realized an eternity could pass and she still wouldnât have responded.
So, instead, he took a seat next to her.
âI canât go back without you. It just wonât feel right.â he said.
ââŚAre you trying to guilt trip me or something?â
âNo, not at all. I just canât believe the class would have fun without you around. I also donât believe itâd be right to leave you alone now that I know you clearly wish you didnât leave.â
âAnd what makes you so sure?â
âWell⌠If you took pleasure in ditching us, you wouldâve been doing something along the lines of happily snickering or dining at a restaurant, not⌠Scowling.â
âYou havenât stopped to think that maybe youâre the reason of that scowl?â
âI have, actually. Not for now, though. But for before.â
Adelynâs eyebrow twitched, and Martin knew he was spot on.
âArenât you just the knight in shining armor? Just assuming that people who are alone hate the isolation.â she said in attempt to change the subject.
âThereâs nothing wrong with some alone time, but thereâs a difference between preferring to have no company and having something preventing you from company. Something like jealousy.â
âIt looks like you donât have to wonder why I hate you anymore because now youâll know. Itâs because you think you know me.â
âReally? I think you hate me because I know you too well.â
âEnlighten me, then. What could I possibly be jealous of?â
âThat I was with Winter. The fact that she and I happened to be in the same group bothered you. Before the grouping period, you were just fine.â
Adelyn felt her stomach drop.
She figured that her secret was out.
She felt betrayed.
âThen, why did you ask me why I left if you knew?â she asked.
Martin shyly looked away.
âI just canât give myself too much credit.â he said.
âTo be fair, I thought I hid it well. Giving yourself a little credit wouldnât hurt.â
âNo, I mean⌠I just canât believe anyone would actually like me.â
âLike you? What are you talking about, Martin? You know I like-â
Adelyn paused.
Then her face got red with embarrassment.
He didnât know her secret.
But she gave it away.
The two made wide eye contact for a few seconds then slowly turned away.
âArriving at Dasdun. Dasdun Station.â the transit system said.
As the train doors opened, Martin grabbed Adelynâs hand and began to run.
âHey! What the hell are you doing?â yelled Adelyn.
âI was just thinking, you canât think Winterâs going to wait for you forever. Besides, itâs already November!â Â said Martin.
âI canât tell if youâre talking about the person or the season!â
âSure you can! Just read the sentence thatâs right above your reply! Itâs not that hard!â
âYouâre an idiot!â
The two headed to the Northbound platform and barely made it onto the train back to the lodge.
âYou should be there. I promise Winter will be happier with you around. She was the one that did her best to convince you to come, after all.â
She finally managed to crack a smile to him.
âI guess, in the end, I should be glad youâre a moron.â
âHey, whatâs that supposed to mean?â
âEven though we only spoke a few times before today, you seriously thought I liked you. And⌠Without that, I wouldâve kept believing you were some stuck up jerk. You couldâve left me, but you gave me a chance to spend time with her again. ButâŚ. You shouldâve seen the look your face after you found out!â
âWhat?! You mean your face that was as red as Hidden in the last episode of New York Ghoul!â
âI-Iâll show you red!â she yelled as she pulled on his cheeks.
Ever since then, she knew he was her best friend.
ăChapter Two: Falling for youă
âHuh, Adelyn? Whereâs Martin?â asked Estelle, not aware of Adelynâs hour long absence.
âHe was insistent in joining the group I was in. Mustâve really wanted to ski with Jaime or something.â she replied.
Of course, this was planned by Martin and herself a few minutes before their arrival. It took him a while, but Martin had finally convinced Adelyn a second time to be brave when it came to Winter.
âOh I see⌠So he wants to ditch us for the beginnerâs group, huh?â smiled Winter.
âBeginner..?â asked Adelyn.
âYeah. Donât you remember? We were split into three groups: Intermediate, Casual, and Beginner. This group being intermediate.â said Estelle.
âDammit! That lil sackbag used me!â Adelyn thought.
Martin sneezed. After he regained his composure, he graced his eyes upon the bunny hill.
âIt still looks pretty damn scary for a beginnerâs course.â shivered Jaime.
âDonât worry man. The trick to not falling is to never stand up in the first place.â said Martin.
âYou mean like squatting your ass down on the skis?â
âYeah.â
âUhh, thatâs missing out on the experience. Whatâs the point of that?â
âTo not wipe out like the dinosaurs.â
Winter and Adelyn stood atop of the intermediate mountain.
âIâm probably not ready for this, Winter. I mean, this is the first time Iâve ever worn skis.â
âI know, Adelyn. Donât worry. It may look kind of intimidating, but itâs actually the same as the bunny hill. The only difference is that thereâs trees and multiple paths downwardâ
âYou mean multiple ways our bones can break while falling down.â
Winter gave a warm laugh.
âThat can happen, yes. Even for me. But if itâs falling for you I doubt Iâd mind since with every moment of pain thereâs a moment of experience to learn from.â
Adelynâs face beamed and, without her noticing, subconsciously took a step forward and began the downhill journey.
âNo! You donât want to stop too abruptly! Try slowing down first!â Winter shouted back.
âOkay, whatâs the slow down maneuver?!â
Winter took a deep breath.
âHold on!â
She sped down the hill to catch up with Adelyn, and she did it with much grace and such speed.
When the two finally met, they grabbed each otherâs hands and they started to slow down.
âNot bad for your first time, Adelyn.â said Winter.
âYou too, er, I meanâŚâ
The two shared a gaze for a moment.
After a few seconds, a squat skiing Martin crashed into Winter, causing her to flip twice in the air then roll down the hill.
âWhatâre you doing?!â screamed Adelyn.
âLosing control! I never thought skiing like this would be so difficult! I also never thought the bunny hill was connected to the intermediate one! Like that just makes no-â
Before he could finish his sentence, Martin crashed into a tree.
In the distance, Adelyn saw Jaime also making his way from the bunny hill to the mountain.
âAhhhh, Adelyn!â he cried.
He tried to grab onto Adelyn to stop himself from falling, but she dodged, causing him to trip. As a result, though, she slipped on his back and began sliding down the hill while dragging him on her ski.
âOh God! This hurts a lot more than you think it does, yo!â yelled Jaime.
âYou shouldnât have tried to grab me! What wouldâve that done, huh? This wouldâve happened anyway, with my head on the snow and all!â replied Adelyn.
The two of them kept tumbling until eventually they flew up a few feet into the air. Â
It was then that Estelle showed up and opened up her arms.
âItâs alright! Iâll catch the both of you and then weâll-â
And before she finished her sentence, they crashed into her and the three shot down straight to the bottom.
ăChapter Three: After you wină
âIâm really sorry. I thought Iâd be able to catch the both of you⌠I have been working on my upper body strength after all.â said Estelle.
âI think youâd require a lot more than that to catch a falling boulder, butâŚâ replied Adelyn.
âLook at all of you so beat up and stuff. As for me? I havenât got a scratch on me. Oh, a splinter.â Martin said as he pulled out one of the fifty pieces of wood in his forehead.
âI think most of this happened because of you, butâŚâ Adelyn once again replied.
âYeah, I wish I were more like you, Martin. Iâm still working on my balancing. I mean I canât even do it when it comes to chemical equations either.â sighed Jaime.
âI think those two things are completely different, BUTâŚ!â
âHey, we canât be too hard on ourselves. On the bright side, Martin taught me that back flips are a lot less painful that I thought theyâd be. Rolling down a hill on the other hand⌠Well, anyway! With every moment of pain thereâs a moment of experience to learn from!â Winter said.
âThen heâs gonna get a full lecture today!â angrily said Adelyn as she pulled Martin from the splinter in his head.
His eyes teared up from the pain of getting dragged from the piece of wood. After the two of them were alone, Adelyn harshly pushed him to the side then began to scold him.
âI thought you were good at skiing! Whatâs the big idea?!â
âI am good at skiing! But squat skiingâs a new thing for me, so canât expect a guy to master something that difficult so quickly. Like shuffling, youâre either really bad at it or really good at it, thereâs like no in between.â
âRemember when I said I was glad youâre a moron? I think I take that back.â
âGood, because now youâll be glad to see my genius side.â
ââŚ.Iâm not sure I follow.â
âThatâs also good, because youâre not gonna follow, youâre gonna lead. You see Winter all cold and stuff over there? Nowâs a great time to grab her some hot chocolate. I think sheâd really appreciate it. Oh and everyone else unless you wanna be all suspicious, which you already are, by the way, since weâre talking right in front of the bathrooms.â
âYou trying to get a free hot chocolate off of me?â
âYes- uhh no.â
âUgh, I couldâve still been having skiing lessons with her if it werenât for you.â
âA lesson on death mountain? Iiiii think you already learned that one. Look, Iâm sorry about losing control on my squat ski crusade. I didnât mean to interrupt the both of you, but with one closed door, another one opens.â
âIn haunted houses, maybe.â
âAnd ski lodges. Look around you. Itâs warm and cozy, and hey thereâs even a fireplace. Wait no, thatâs just a flat screen with a heater beside it. Anyways, I think itâs better to have more of a intimate environment when it comes to doing confessions.â
âConfession?! I donât want to do that yet! I⌠I just want to get closer to her, thatâs all.â
âYou could get closer to her after the fact.â
âWhy? I mean, itâs not like I have to rush into things.â
âAdelyn, if you take the time we have while weâre young for granted, you might regret it. I wonât have any time rewinding powers either, so you gotta decide for sure whether or not you want to go another day keeping her oblivious.â
âI guess. But what will I do when I get rejected?â
âYou donât have to be scared of not having hundreds of chapters to delay an inevitable confession. Readers love when all the fillerâs cut out, trust me. You wonât get rejected.â
âHow do you know?â
âIf youâre that worried, you can practice on me. Come on, pretend Iâm Winter.â
âPsh. Youâre barely Autumn.â
âI-is that a compliment?â
âNo itâs not a goddamn compliment!â
âI was mimicking Winter just then because I thought the âwhat ifâ scenario already started. Was that seriously what you wouldâve said to her?â
âI am so done.â
âWait! You didnât tell pretend Winter you like her yet!â
âIâm not gonna tell Winter I like her!â
As Adelynâs sentence left her mouth, Winter walked into the hallway that led to the bathrooms.
Martin and Adelyn shared shocked expressions and huddled together.
âQuick, help me think of something to play it off!â
âDonât play it off! Nowâs your chance to be honest and just let it out in the open! You can talk to me again after you win! Not many stories continue after the main couple get together, so maybe you can make this one an exception!â
âW-wait, I canât!â
Winter noticed the both of them and decided to let them know she was there.
âSo this is where the both of you were hanging out. Come on, we ordered hot chocolate already. Itâll get cold if you donât hurry back.â she said lovingly.
âOh shit. The hot chocolate plan failed like me in math class.â thought Martin.
âYeah, no kidding! What are we going to do now, order bagels?!â thought Adelyn.
âWait, Iâm thinking this in my head right now! Howâd you reply to me, Adelyn?â
âI took your advice and read the text above my sentences!â
âIf itâs bagels you want, we ordered those too.â said Winter out loud.
âSo she could read our minds toooooooo?!!!â they thought in unison.
Adelyn took a deep breath and began to speak.
âA-about that sentence I said earlier that you heardâŚâ
âSentence I heard?â
ââŚI! I meant it! Iâve been in lo- li- lo- like with you since a few days after we met!â
Adelyn was completely flustered. She wanted to turn to Martin so that heâd give a thumbs up of encouragement, but he was gone.
ăChapter Four: The coolest person ă
âThat asshole ditched me!â thought Adelyn.
Winter had a calm expression but her face was as red as Rudolph. Rudolph himself, not just his nose.
âWowâŚ. I donât know what to say! I mean, I always thought you were the coolest person who ever spoke to me. So, hearing you say this makes me really happy!â said Winter.
âCoolest person? Me? Noo no! W-wouldnât that be you?â
âOhh, I got you! Is that a joke about my name?â
âNo, but it is a joke about how you tumbled down the mountain.â
Adelyn stuck her tongue out then turned away. It was the first time she felt truly comfortable with casually speaking with Winter.
âLetâs go out!â Winter said with a smile.
âWait, whatâd you say?â
âI said we should go out with each other!â
âYouâre not going to say you want to know me better first? B-but the first time we like spoke spoke was when you convinced me to go on this trip.â
âNo⌠To be honest, I didnât expect someone as cool as you to like me. But now that I do, I donât want to let go of that, you know? And Iâd be happy to get to know you more, so letâs go out with each other!â
Adelyn tried to keep eye contact with Winter but was too flustered.
âIâd be happy to.â she managed to reply.
The two began to walk back to the lodge cafe to rejoin the others.
âSo, about us⌠Do you think we should tell everyone or should we just-â
Before Adelyn could finish, Winter saw their friends and said:
âHey guys! Adelyn and I are dating!â
Adelyn made an almost inaudible squeal.
Winter looked over and saw that Adelyn was caught off guard with the announcement.
âSorry! I was excited and I wanted to let them know. I could say I was just kidding if you-â
Before Winter could finish her sentence, Adelyn held Winterâs wrist and shook her head.
âItâs okay, Winter. I want to tell them too. I just didnât expect you to do it like that.â she said while smiling.
âIâm sorry. Next time, Iâll ask you before I do anything. Alright, letâs go tell them together!â Winter replied happily.
The two sat down with their friends and let them know of their new status together.
Everyone was excited for them and they held a toast to celebrate. After a good thirty minutes, they returned to the ski lifts and spent time together till it was time to head home.
Jaime and Winter lived near each other, so they took the same bus home. Estelle got picked up earlier at the lodge by her mom. So, that left Martin and Adelyn.
âWhy did you ditch me at the most crucial moment, you jerk?â asked Adelyn.
âI didnât need to be there. It was your special moment, right? Youâre dating her, and Iâm not the âpackage deal datingâ kind of bestie. I mean unless you really wanted to but Iâm thinking thatâs a no?â Martin replied.
Adelyn raised her eyebrow then changed the subject.
âSpeaking of⌠How did you know sheâd say yes? Are you from the future? You did mention something about rewinding time.â
âIf I were from the future, donât you think Iâd change the part where I crashed into a tree?â
âI thought you didnât have a scratch on you.â
âYeah, I didnât have A scratch on me, I had like a million.â
âHm⌠Okay, then youâre not my imagination either, right? You seem to be too supportive to me and I didnât even notice when you left.â
âImagination? This isnât Might Club. And Iâd be worried if your attention was on me during your own confession.â
âCurious. But I still donât believe you. Tell me something I donât know.â
âWhat? Okay⌠Uh, I usually wait 2 months after a foodâs expiration date before I say itâs not edible.â
âThatâs a bit disgusting. Why would you say that? But yeah, thatâs not really relevant trivia. Tell me something else.â
âUm⌠Thereâs a place called Eromanga located in Australia.â
âWoah, really? Thatâs actually kinda funny! I didnât know that one, I guess that means youâre real.â
âOf course Iâm real! How else was Winter gonna back flip like that?â
âPractice makes perfect.â
âMm, yeah that was a pretty perfect moment, I canât argue with that.â
The two paused then shared a laugh as their train drew closer and closer.
ăChapter Five: Self defenseă
âHey, we should take some self defense classes.â Adelyn suggested to Martin.
âSounds like fun. Which styles were you thinking?â he replied.
âHm. Karate, Tae Kwon Do, JujutsuâŚâ
âEveryone learns those. We should try something unexpected⌠like Drunken Fist.â
âYou mean try sitting your ass in jail.â
âNo, Iâm serious. I mean thereâs gotta be countless assholes who recognize the usual styles so theyâd know how to counter us. We gotta be the hipsters of combat in order to survive.â
âOkay⌠Why donât you suggest something other than the Drunken Fist?â
âIf you say so. Hmm, I know, what about Muay Thai?â
âWeâre learning self defense, not how to kill someone.â
âMuay Thai wasnât designed to kill! Nothing is.â
âThen explain guns, dude.â
âGuns could just be a device that emits a loud noise to warn people that theyâre about to get shot by a gun.â
âYeah, Iâm not sure thatâs the best example to help your case.â
âTrust me, the best defense is a good offense. Not a great offense though, thatâd be too offensive.â
âOkay, fine. Weâll look for a place that teaches Muay Thai.â
âAnd if we donât find one, we could always use ThouTube.â
Adelyn narrowed her eyes and glared at Martin.
âYou better show up to every class.â she said.
âI will. Unless I have homework- Oh, who am I kidding? I never do school work anyways.â he replied.
Adelyn sighed in response.
âHey, donât worry. This whole thing was my idea, I wouldnât ditch it after all this.â
âYou mean our idea. The killing stance was your idea, and self defense was mine, so our idea.â
âAlright. Our idea.â Martin happily agreed.
Thus marked the first activity they have committed to together.
ăChapter Six: Our bar date thatâs probably not a disasteră
âSo⌠Weâve been on a couple dates now, right?â
Adelyn took a couple sips of her mojito before she nodded and replied with a âMhmm.â
âWell, not that Iâm counting but itâs been about 2 years, 7 months, and 10 days since our last appearance together so I was wondering⌠Is why you brought us to a Barcade? To change it up for the readerâs lost time?â asked Winter.
The glass in Adelynâs hands that was once a steady fellow became more akin to a person at a club, judging from the way it was shaking.
âNo! W-Who would care about those two people anyways? Because I do, a lot and I appreciate them but Iâve just been busy with learning Muay Thai that Iâve wanted to become a bit more spicy. You know, pick you up in this bar because I canât do it physically.â Â
Winter stopped her laughter so fast that it sounded like a sneeze.
Though that and Adelynâs words to made it impossible to suppress the rest of it and let out bursts one after the other. Â
âYouâre too adorable. You picked me up once already Adelyn. I think you can do it again.â she said while moving closer to Adelynâs side.
Oh God. I mightâve confessed to her first but I swear Iâm not a top. Iâm not a top. Iâm not a top! thought Adelyn.
âOh yeah! Totally! All meâŚ!â
Adelyn said that in a convincing voice by the way.
Winter put her hand on Adelynâs shoulder then slowly slid it down to her hand, interlocking their fingers in the process.
âLetâs see what kind of spicy things we can do here then, shall we?â
I donât need to be a top.
The two noticed some sort of special event happening at one of the motion sensing game cabinets.
âCome beat me and my partner at TekklStreetMortalFighter to get five rounds of shots on the house!â
It was one of the managers with his buddies. Apparently theyâve been beating customers left and right with their incredible skills of getting motion detected.
However, Winter knew she and her girlfriend also have skills of motion. Spicy skills of motion, one might say.
âAlright! Weâre gonna kick the ass of the manager and get shot up because of it!â said Adelyn.
Wow that sounds really bad without context she thought.
âOh yeah?! Just try it! My brotherâs auntâs sisterâs nephewâs roommateâs online friendâs catâs dadâs ownerâs made this game and Iâm not about to let some awesome paying customer take that away from me!â
âDefeating you wonât take away that fact dude but we will beat you anyway!â challenged Winter.
The four players took their stand at the cabinets and were ready to pick some brass.
A referee began to speak.
âNow the rules are simple. Each character looks different but is exactly the same. They have the same movesets, same specials, hitboxes, et cetera. Itâs poetic, really. Just like in this game, we all look different on the outside but are the same in the inside. Amen.â
âYo whyâs a priest the ref?â asked a viewer.
âI donât know.â said Chris Evans.
The players had a few seconds to check the controls, so Adelyn did what any first timer would do. She flipped the bird. It buffed her character with something called BDE.
âOh hey, check that out! Itâs really radiating with the aura and stuff!â she said.
âVery sexy hot and/or mild! Now letâs flank em!â yelled Winter.
But unbeknownst to them, the manager and his buddy already got the drop on them!
The two made punching motions at their screen which one could probably imagine what happened in the game⌠It made them kick Adelyn and Winterâs avatars over and over!
âShit! They did the move where our HP bars go down a little bit!â
âDonât worry, I have a plan!â
Winter copied the middle finger gesture with both her hands, giving the two of them massive buffs of BDE.
âWow! Sheâs going even further beyond?!â asked a hyped customer.
The buff was making their HP heal faster than they were getting damage⌠No⌠It made their HP bar grow even bigger than the screen!
âChrist! I didnât even know that was a feature! But it wonât be enough!â said the manager.
The combo stun locked Winter, making the extra health pointless.
Dammit. Is there nothing I could doâŚ? WaitâŚ
Adelyn noticed something about the base combo.
âWinter! Try moving after the third hit!â
âOkay!â
Winter took the first two kicks of the combo then was able to dodge the third, just like Adelyn advised!
âWhat the funk?!â yelled the managerâs friend.
âI know the secret of the combo. Youâre done!â
Adelyn did a quick kick then stopped. After a half second, she did another one. And another one. The ultimate technique has been discovered: The first hit is a stun! Using only the first attack without triggering a combo allowed the ăTrue Stun Lockă to be used!
Winter joined in, making it impossible for their opponents to move, even in real life!
âAnd the winner is Adelyn and Winter!â announced the priest.
The crowd chanted their names and ordered more shots of their own to celebrate the hype.
âWow, that was quite the game. I learn new things everyday. Hey, Iâd love for you guys to be regulars here. Itâs been a while since weâve got crowds this excited.â said the manager.
Winter looked at Adelyn and smiled. She nodded back.
âSure. I think we had a lot of fun too.â said Winter.
The rounds of shots just arrived at the bar.
âAnd I think itâs about to get a lot more interesting.â Adelyn smirked.
ăChapter Seven: Leg musclesă
Adelyn noticed Estelle heavily panting as she struggled to make her way down the hall.
âAdelyn! Help me!â said Estelle as she fell face down.
âThe nurseâs office is right there. You can make it. I believe in you.â
Estelle instantly got up and put her hands on Adelynâs shoulders.
âDo you remember what you said at the ski trip? I took it to heart!â
âUmm.. Whatâd I say again?â
âThat itâd take a lot more than upper body strength to catch a boulder.â
âOh-â
ââŚBut now I know! It was leg muscles that I lacked! So I leg pressed 500 pounds for like 40 minutes just now!â
âNow thatâs hefty.â
âIt sucks now since I could barely crawl. Itâs like the opening to Metal Gear Solid V!â
âYeah, maybe. Though unlike that game, youâre looking like a finished project so letâs get you to that office, âkay?â
Adelyn looked around for a second then squatted down reluctantly.
âCome on. Weâre doing the anime thing where I carry you to to the infirmary then we have some deep talk.â said Adelyn.
Estelleâs eyes lit up as she hopped on her back.
The two made their way into the office and Estelle was dropped gently on one of the beds. Not even a second after, Adelyn made her way towards the door.
âMarianas Trench.â said Estelle.
âHuh?â
âYou said we were gonna have deep talk so I said Marianas Trench.â
Adelyn turned around to hide her smile.
âNot that kind of deep. Though yeah some of their songs get sorta deep.â
Estelle was different though. She couldnât hide her joy from Adelyn.
She was glad that they got a chance to talk a little more.
âIâll catch you next time for sure, Adelyn.â
Adelyn nodded and waved as she exited the room.
âIâm counting on it.â
ăChapter Eight: Two yearsă
âYo dude. Am I really the right one for Winter?â asked Adelyn.
âWe had a two year gap in chapters and youâre only wondering this now?â Martin asked in reply.
âWhat? Knowing like some Muay Thai doesnât count as athletic. Also I donât really like talking to people if I could help it⌠And⌠Did you just call me beautiful?â
âCourse I did friend. A Martial Artâs an art and you practice it ergo you are beautiful.â
âOh. I thought you meant like physically or something.â
âYeah I meant that too, friend. Thatâs why Iâm not really seeing your point here.â
âThe point is Iâm just not as composed as she is. I donât think that I have anything figured out.â
âAnd you think that she does?â
âOf course I do. Havenât you seen her?â
âA couple of times I think. Yeah.â
âI donât know⌠It just seems that nothing phases her. Everything we do, sheâs just so knowledgeable and good at it. I just seem to screw up at everything I do. Even the simple things. Like⌠Did you know I didnât even know how to tie a knot till like a couple years ago?â
âI did not know that. But everyone experiences shit at different times anyway. Look at me, I havenât still havenât even asked anyone out like you did. Best I can do is send them a playlist and hope Christina Perri's Distance is enough for them to get the hint â
âUh huh, I suppose thatâs a point.â
âItâs been like a two year hiatus. You donât think Winter wouldâve moved on by now if thatâs how she felt? She chose to commit to you. You might have to stop and think that maybe sheâs just as flustered when it comes to you sometimes.â
It took a second, but Martinâs words really stuck with Adelyn.
Then instead of wondering why she chose me in spite of my flaws, I will focus on what she does like until it drowns out all my doubts. Iâll give to her as much as she gives me and more. Much much more. This I do swear to both myself and Winter.
âYeah. Youâre right. Even if our story isnât written for two or three or ten more years, Iâll always be Winterâs. Iâll always⌠Always commit to her!â
Adelyn made her way to the gym where Winterâs volleyball club activities were held. When she got to the doors, she kicked it open and slid in.
âWinter! You go! Be better than Shoyo Hinata!â
Winter noticed her girlfriend cheering from the side and smiled.
âSorry! What was that last part? I donât understand French!â
Ah well we canât all be anime. Yes.
Adelyn waltzed up to Winter after her match, with a nice red Gatorade to quench her thirst.
âHello Mon Winter, how was your game?â asked Adelyn.
âIt was great! Really inspiring to see the talent we got out here⌠Even better to see you around. I thought you didnât like going here.â
âWell⌠Maybe going anywhere you are is a place Iâd like to be. From now on. I mean only if itâs chill.â
Winter was a bit surprised and flattered.
You see, truly, Winter did have the similar doubts about herself. She would often go to Martin for advice just like Adelyn did.Â
Everyday she would ask him if perhaps they were too different for each other. Maybe Adelyn wasnât attracted to someone whose interests were of going out often or speaking to people on the regular.Â
Perhaps sheâd find it exhausting. And yet there Adelyn was, willing to and even voluntarily spending time with Winter in an environment she would probably avoid regularly.
âThe things I find myself avoiding arenât because I donât like them. Itâs because I was scared. Scared of⌠Being too pathetic or being too boring. Being nothing really. But you helped reach out. I probably wonât be able to be good at everything right away so⌠If youâre okay with walking me through a couple things, Iâm here.â continued Adelyn.
âYeah. Always.â said Winter.
Winter took a sip from her bottle then set it down. She glanced at Adelyn as she pat the empty space beside her on the bench.
The two found that they were both scanning each other. From their legs, chest, shoulders⌠Then to their eyes.
Winter looked to the side then back to Adelynâs eyes nervously.
âItâs just that Iâm a bit sweaty, soâŚâ she said softly.
What? Wait⌠Is this� Could it be that this is our chance?
After our dates and confession.
After all the doubts and promises.
After our broken bones from a ski trip. And after winning free shotsâŚ
Will we finally⌠have a kiss described in text form?
Adelynâs shaking hands found their way to Winterâs wrist.
She carefully slid it up to her shoulder to her neck, and finally to her cheek.
âI like you, Winter. I really like you. Iâll alwaysâŚâ
Before she finished her sentence, Adelyn leaned in.
The tips of their noses touched and the both of them let out a small laugh.
Adelyn then chomped Winterâs lower lips then they began making out for an undisclosed amount of time.
It was rad.
ăChapter Nine: The narrative perspectiveă
The reason Iâm having this monologue today is to show that I, Jaime, can also have a chapter dedicated to myself. Iâm here to show Winter, Adelyn, and Martin that they canât have all the screen time to themselves! Uh, sorry⌠Is screen time the right thing to say? Iâm not really sure. I suppose technically yes because this  sure wouldnât be shown on actual paper unless someone printed this or if we got some sort of publishing deal.
But I digress. While everyone else has been ranking up their Social Links and Confidant levels, I have been doing the important duty of studying academics. Yes. Unlike the rest of them, I actually pay attention in class!
I mean my grades arenât very good at the moment but itâs still my passion. When you learn about the world and its functions, youâve already attained the most basic foundations to becoming a great help to the rest of the planet!
And learning about curing all kinds of diseases is especially important to me, because you never know whoâd need that kind of help.
âWhy are you trying to change the writing style to first person, Jaime?â interrupted someone at the lecture hall entrance.
It was Estelle. She took a running start then jumped from her end to Jaimeâs desk, skidding on the edges while avoiding everyoneâs school supplies except for Jaimeâs. His notebook was the only thing that flew off and burst into flames upon her stopping momentum.
âWhat the feudal are you doing?!â he asked.
âOooh, yikes. You might need to grab a new one.â she answered, well sort of.
After the room calmed down a little bit, she took a seat on the desk.
The professor was mad yet impressed with her athleticism so they simply ignored her and continued with their lecture of the selfish gene.
âNice. Theyâre still going. Come on, you can borrow my tablet.â Estelle continued.
After she handed it to a slightly fuming Jaime, she took out a small sketchbook of her own.
The hell does she have that for? This isnât an art classâŚ
Estelle crossed her legs and began to sketch. Every so often, she would pause to stare at the professor. After they were done with a point, she continued to work on her picture.
âAnd thatâs all for today! Be sure to blah blah deadline blah blah homework and blah blah exam!â
Most of the students were surprised that the prof actually said blah blah but continued on with their life.
After the class was mostly empty, Jaime went to pick up his banged up notebook. It was mostly okay in that it resembled old and burnt notebooks from a world war, so he was only mildly upset.
âIâll email you the notes you took- Oh itâs just an angry emote.â said Estelle as she took back her tablet.
âI didnât take any. It seemed kind of like a philosophy class this session anyway. So⌠Whyâd you come here again? Did changing up the narrative perspective make you hate me that much?â asked Jaime.
âNo.â
She held up her sketchbook to show him what she was drawing.
In the picture was an elephant. It lifted a capybara with its trunk to put it on its back. On the elephantâs back was a bunch of fruit and there were plenty of other animals surrounding them in what seemed to be an oasis. There were so many trees. The lake was enormous.
âI just wanted you to know youâre not the only one. It might be a little different from what youâre used to but yeah, it is what it is. You might think youâre all alone in this, but if you look closer, youâll notice who sees you for who you are. Really, sees you.â Estelle continued.
Jaime realized her picture really matched up with the lesson. Estelle wasnât trying to interrupt the lecture. She was there to be by his side⌠To show him that even if he thought he wasnât in anyoneâs spotlight, heâll always shine somewhere else.
This narration doesnât need to be in first person. Because it would be too selfish. The only writing style out there needed is the one that has Estelle, Winter, Adelyn, and Martin too.
Okay here goes, Could you possibly make a fic where everyoneâs in the scorch and Newt is the one who always carries the water around so his backs always sore but nobody notices? And one night when all the others are asleep Thomas gives him a massage? Weird request but.. eh
Itâs not weird at all!! I love writing about them taking care of each other so here goes ;)
The Scorch is a harsh, unforgiving place.
Theyâve been walking for hoursunder the blazing sun, the air around them arid and parched. Fatigue doesnâteven begin to explain what theyâre feeling; itâs more of a mixture betweenexhaustion, desperation and hopelessness.
Well, at least for Thomas, it is.His friends are faithfully following him and he canât even say for a certainwhere theyâre heading to. Itâs hard not to doubt himself when everythingâsfalling apart.
Some of their friends were lost tothe Scorch, and yet there isnât enough time for them to properly grieve. And atthis point, with water running low, there isnât even enough tears to be shed.They can only direct whatâs left of their energy to survive.
Night approaches after what seemslike a never-ending day. In the Scorch, itâs more or less a blessing. They stopto recuperate, taking shelter under the remnants of a bridge, and as usual,Thomas is the last to sleep.
Or so he thinks.
Thomas is settling when he noticesNewt stretching his limbs out in one corner, away from the others. Heâs bendingto his side to try and reach his back, but fails. For some reason, with everymovement he makes -especially involving his back- Newt winces as if in pain.
Watching silently, Thomas scansover Newtâs figure, trying to figure out whatâs actually happening, until hespots the stack of large bottles tied up to Newtâs backpack next to him. Someare filled, some are empty, but the bottles themselves appear heavy and bulky.
Their water supplies. Newt hasbeen carrying them all this while.
Thomasâ eyes widen inapprehension. He scrambles to get to Newt, an overwhelming sense ofprotectiveness washing over him in strong tides. How could he have not noticed?It must have hurt to be carrying that load around in the Scorch, and he hadbeen so transfixed on their destination that he had not bothered to check on him.
Newt stares at Thomas in confusionas he approaches him. Heâs about to ask whether Thomas needs anything when theboy suddenly grabs the back of his T-shirt, pulling on it. Realising whatThomas is up to, Newt frowns, shrugging him off abruptly. Thomas doesnât missthe slight grimace he makes.
âLet me see,â Thomassays, reaching out to touch Newtâs back again. He attempts to lift Newtâs T-shirtup to look for any injuries, but Newt is making it difficult by squirming toomuch.
âThomas, itâs nothingââ
âHold still and let mesee!â Thomas insists, and in one swift motion pulls the clothing up toreveal the expanse of Newtâs skin. He hears Newt hiss at the contact. âShit,Newt,â he whispers, trying to take the extent of the damage in. Two angrywelts run down Newtâs back in a straight line from the tips of his shoulders, nodoubt left by the bag straps, and even in the dark only illuminated by thefire, Thomas can make out the deep blue-black imprints the heavy bottles hadmade on the sides. Thomas feels his heart being ripped apart by the sight. âYoushouldâve told me.â
Newt turns to look at him, oneeyebrow raised, questioning. âAnd then what?â He asks, hastily fixinghis clothes. âEveryoneâs shucking exhausted, and we just lost our friends.I couldnât possibly push it onto someone else.â He avoids looking at Thomas,but once he does, he catches the worry on his face. Newt sighs, giving a weaksmile. âTommy, I got this.â
Thomas feels his throat go dry. âNewt,I donât want you to get hurt.â
âIâm used to carrying things aroundlike this. That machete klunk I had on back in the Glade? Didnât exactlyweighed a feather, mate,â Newt says, chuckling a little. Behind them, thefire crackles and sways to the gush of cold wind blowing over. âIâm fine.Besides, everybody has their roles to play, remember? Yours, Tommy,â he placesa hand on Thomasâ shoulder, âis to focus on getting us to safety.â
Thomas nods, not so much inagreement but more of understanding. It still doesnât sit well with him. Surelythereâs something he can do to at least relieve Newtâs pain? He canât bear tojust look at Newt struggling like this. Their journey is far from over, andknowing Newt, heâd be willing to suffer silently for the rest of it.
Thomas canât let that happen.
Instantly, an idea lights up inhis head. âStay right here,â he tells Newt before quickly gettingonto his feet, making his way to where the rest are sleeping. Finding Frypanâsbag, Thomas searches for the little vial of medicated ointment and rushes back,plopping onto the ground behind Newt.Curious, Newt cranes his neck to peek at Thomas but to no avail. His headshoots up in surprise when he feels an unexpected coolness splashing onto hisback in a wet slab. âBloody hell, what are ya trying to do, shuckface?â
The coolness slowly spreads outall over his skin, directed by the glide of Thomasâ fingers. âIâm givingyou a massage,â Thomas says casually, like itâs the most obvious thing onearth.
âOh Tommy, thatâs sweet ofyou butââ
âShut up and relax, Newt.â
Newt does. Once Thomas has hismind set on something, hardly anything can deter him. Thereâs no point inrefusing, so he stays in the spot, preparing mentally for whatever thatfollows. However, he could never have prepared for the jolt of shocking painthat sweeps over him as Thomas presses into his shoulders, right where thetight knots accumulate. "Holy shit, your shoulders are tense as hell,âThomas points out.
"Yeah, well, constantly beingaround someone named Thomas does that to you.â Newt jokes, trying to takehis mind off the pain.
Thomas starts massaging carefully,taking his time. The droning noise of the Scorch, the refreshing scent oflemongrass from the salve, the rhythmic motions of Thomasâ hands⌠all are gentlyhelping Newt unwind.
Thereâs a point in the middle ofhis back thatâs especially sore, and Thomas being the oblivious little twat heis, runs his fingers over it in a hard, long swipe, prompting Newt to let outan involuntary moan.
It feels⌠good. So fucking goodthat he almost whines when Thomas suddenly stops moving. âUhh, you okay,Newt?â
Newt can no longer resist the appeal.All he knows is he wants, needs, tofeel that relief once more. "I donât know what you just did but that wasbloody brilliant,â he says, almost breathless. âDo it again.â
With that, Thomas continues hisministrations, massaging over a small patch of Newtâs back at a time. The salvehas started to warm up, and the slickness eases the movements of his handsacross Newtâs skin. Whenever he stumbles into knotted muscles, he will give sharperjabs, slowly smoothing it out.
Gradually, Newt melts into Thomasâtouch, turning into putty under his fingers. Heâs letting out the cutest soundsin response to each of Thomasâ stroke, much to the latterâs delight.
As Thomas moves lower down hisback, the sounds Newt makes grow in frequency in volume, making him squirm inhis seat. This canât be good. Touching Newtâs skin directly is one thing, butThomas isnât so sure he can survive listening to these⌠sounds. Heâs never been this vocal, and the newfound knowledge whatNewtâs capable of is going to land Thomas indeep trouble.
âShit⌠ahhhâŚâ At aparticularly precise, deep press, Newt groans, letting his head fall forward.âNgh⌠There!â
Thomas gulps. At this rate,somebodyâs going to wake up. Itâll probably be Minho, the guyâs got sharp ears.
âUmm, Newt?â Thomaswhispers.
Feeling floaty, Newt can onlyreply with a soft âHmmmâŚ?â thatâs so endearing Thomasâs heartflutters.
âYouâre getting kind of loud.â
âOh, sorry.â Newt claspsa hand over his mouth and glances around. âDid I wake anybody up?â
âI donât think so.â From thecorner of his eyes, Thomas thinks he sees someone move, but itâs too dark. Heshrugs, getting back to work. Newt starts moaning again, though this time muchquieter than before. Thomas doesnât know whether to be disappointed orrelieved. He canât help but to wonder if Newt has ever had a massage before.Maybe in the Glade? "When was the last time you had something likethis?â He asks.
âJeff used to treat our backpains with massage, he was proper good at it,â Newt pauses, turning alittle to give a cheeky grin, âbut you might be better.ââYeah?â Thomas senses a smile creeping on his lips. âGood tohear.â
They continue like that for alittle longer, until Thomas is sure that most, if not all, knots on Newtâs backhas disappeared. The swelling has also gone down considerably, thanks to theointment. Thomas makes a mental note to check the healing progress from time totime. He canât be ignorant now, not anymore.
He gives one last pat to Newtâsback, standing up to brush the sands off his pants. Below him, Newt peers athim with glassy eyes, looking almost completely out of it. Thomas fights the suddenurge to kiss him.âThat felt bloody fantastic,â Newt sighs dreamily. He collapses ontothe sand, resting his head on a folded jacket. âYour fingers are shuckingmagical, Tommy. Thank you.â
âYouâre welcome.â Thomas laughs,lying down as well, taking his place a few steps away from where Newtâs slowlydozing off.
âTommy?â Newt calls, eyes stillclosed. âYou know weâll all be there with you, every step of the way, right?â
Thomas steals another glance atthe boy before quietly whispering to the sky, âYeah.â
âGood that,â Newt hums, satisfied.âGet some rest, long days ahead of us.â
That night, Thomas has a dreamlesssleep, the first in a long while.
(The next morning, as theyâregetting ready, Thomas is quickly tugged to the side by Minho whoâs looking bothamused and annoyed, if thatâs even possible.
âListen, I donât wanna be toonosy but⌠you and Newt,â Minho says, looking at him straight in the eyes likehe means business. "Might wanna keep it down next time, yea? Some of usneed our beauty sleep to function.â
Thomas splutters, earning a weirdlook from Frypan. Â "Min, wewerenâtââ
"Slim it, Greenie, ainâtgonna work on me.â Minho flashes a sly grin and punches Thomas lightly in thearm. "Just, take care of him, okay?â
Have a weird lil drabble i wrote during the word wars on the TMR discord! It's in 2nd POV, as for who the character is, well... read and find out? :)
---
Itâs another cold and quiet morning on the island, and youâre sitting on the beach hugging your knees, feet just shy of being kissed by the rolling waves. Thereâs the vast blue sea stretching as far as it can go in front of you that looks inviting. Even with one look, you can see how freezing the water is, if you were to take a dip you are sure itâd be cool and refreshing, and yet-
-you canât.
You canât, because the iciness reminds you of the harsh night in the Glade when everything changed and the peace was snatched away from you, leaving only deaths and destruction in its wake. You canât, because the chill reminds you of the coldness of Winstonâs skin against your palm when you held his hand at his weakest moment, as the Flare rapidly spreads through his body, merciless.
You canât, because sometimes itâs just too much.
âHey Fry!â You hear someone calling and you turn around, seeing Brenda standing near one of the small huts a couple of waving her hand in excitement at you. Ah, Brenda. Sweet Brenda, always so captivating, her warm smile infectious enough to put one on your own face, even though the muddled cloud of storm is still brewing in your mind. âMinhoâs going for a run, he said he found some kind of waterfalls near the cliff. Wanna come with us?â
With one last deep breath to will the thoughts away, you stand, feeling a dull ache in your knees. Youâve been running so much all this time ever since the Maze that you feel like you donât want anything to do with it anymore. But maybe you do need that run, a little bit of moving around wouldnât hurt, right?
Slowly, you leave the shoreline and approach Brenda, who greets you with a playful punch to the shoulder. âLost in thoughts, thinker? You looked like you were going to be washed away by the sea,â she teases, and you canât help but laugh at how her words actually ring true. She doesnât know, no ones does yet, of the pain and fear youâve kept silently bottled up inside, but you know that everyone on this island carries their own demons with them, some more apparent than others. You just happen to be one of those who are better at hiding it.
One day, the voice in your heart says. One day, I will share these feelings with them and let it go.
Healing takes time. Maybe the wound will never close up completely. But as you race Brenda across the sand to the other end of the beach where Minho waits, her playful laughter fleeting through the morning air, you think to yourself, youâll get through it, at your own pace.