#time stuff

Kind of depends? If you're addressing in specifically in a fic as deterministic that's one heck of an existential horror vibe.

Okay, I was thinking about stranger things 5 and I had a really, really crazy theory. What if on the last episode of season five, Mike is holding a dying Will in his arms. Tears are streaming down Mike’s face, because he and everyone else knows that there’s no saving Will, he sacrificed himself to save Hawkins. As Mike feels Will’s body get colder he decides to tell him all the things he never got to. “Will I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t keep looking for you that night after I found El. I’m sorry I argued with you that night in the rain, I shouldn’t have said that stuff to you. I’m sorry that I ignored you that spring break, I should’ve hung out with you more. I’m sorry I never told you how much I loved you. I’m so sorry for everything. I should’ve never let you bike home alone that night, if I hadn’t none of this would’ve happened.” Mike hears Will whisper something….something that made his heart break. “ I….forgive you…” then Will took his last breath and his eyes closed forever.

Mike woke up with a start, he had just had the worst nightmare ever. He looked around and everything was weird. He was in his sitting up in his bed in his childhood bedroom with nerdy posters on the walls and action figures on his dresser. He got up and looked around, something felt different. He went to the bathroom to look in the mirror, his was tiny and younger looking, like a child. He went downstairs and saw the calendar in the kitchen, November 7, 1983. Will went missing last night Mike thought as he started to panic. Then he started walking around the house until he heard his mom on the phone, she said “no Joyce, I don’t think Will stayed over last night. Yes. Oh of course, if we see him we’ll let you know. Bye.” Mike started hyperventilating, trying to convince himself it was all just a dream, that Will would just be in his house somewhere perfectly fine. But deep down he knew, that he would have to experience all of that suffering….twice.

……………

What???

So there are 60 seconds in a minute

60 minutes in and hour

24 hours in a day

7 days in a week

Around 4 weeks in a month

12 months in a year

Right? So what about just seconds?

Right, back to 60 seconds in a minute

3,600 seconds in an hour

86,400 seconds in a day

604,800 seconds in a week

2,628,002 in a month

Wow that’s already at a million! Let’s try to make it to a billion! I mean, look at the jump from the thousands to millions, this shouldn’t be hard, right? After all, a year is a very long time!

31,536,000 seconds in a year

Now wait a minute, a year is a super long time! How come we’re not at a billion yet?

I’ll tell you why…

1 billion seconds is a little over 31 and one-half years.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, “that’s crazy! The only difference between a million and a billion is just three spots! How could the difference be that much!” Or maybe you aren’t, I don’t know I’m not you, anyway

“Let go, Ei’lithene, you can do it.” Her mother’s voice was sweet and gentle. But six years old, it was the first Lunar Festival that Eilithe could recall clearly.  “Careful of the edge,” her father warned.  The whole village had traveled to the edges of the mountains of Eastern Feralas, folded paper lanterns yet to be lit. It was a trip that Eilithe would make many times, even after the destruction of Shalla’Sil. After her parents. After everything. With a brother on each flank, Eilithe opened the lantern an held it for An’Set to light. Carefully, she held it to the edge and let the wind take it, up and over Thousand Needles and out to sea.

Six thousand years later and Eilithe recalled standing on the cliff side, watching her lantern until she could not see it in the distance any longer-- waiting there still to glean one more look at it. 

In Moonglade, Kurel had left her with all of their children. She was not angry, Kurel could only stomach so much festivity and in truth it warmed some cold part of her heart that he had even come. The first year she had taken their eldest daughter, the girl was but eight-- Kurel was gone. Eleven now, Karkah sat excitedly on the rooftops awaiting the final fireworks display beside an equally excited Eilonwy. Threshad laid out on the rooftop, smiling thinly at his mother when he caught her glancing. 

They were getting older. 

The realization settled in, yet even as the crowds of people hummed below--Eilithe’s mind drifted to the weeks prior. To her office on the top floor of the Cock and Candle. 

Anaise beamed a smile, “Congratulations, Lady An’Diel!” Eilithe looked quizzically at the woman, who came in to deliver a giant bouquet of flowers.  “On..what?” “The baby!”  The word alone made Eilithe’s throat sink into her stomach. Diligently, she took her potion each night even when Kurel did not lay with her. The look on her face must have read embarrassed, because Anaise did not give her a chance to protest.  “Zara and Selene..might’ve overheard Kurel and Zelphie! They are very very sorry, but don’t you worry, we won’t tell anybody!” Anaise said, shaking the flowers for Eilithe to take.  “What..exactly did they overhear?” Eilithe’s mouth made the words, somehow.  “That you’re having another baby! Zelphie said something about hoping for twins. Kurel must have been eager, huh? You two have been together a long time.”  “Why do you say that?” Again, her mouth spoke on its own.  “Dumping out your potions, sounds romantic!” She put on her best Kurel face and voice before mimicking the Captain, “’We’re havin’ another chil’, woman’ Then sweeping you off to the bedroom. He’s such a man’s-man!” The prostitute fanned herself. 

She still didn’t know why she was the last to know about it, nor why after all they had been through, after the last time-- why now did Kurel want her to bring another life into the world? A life that would be given to the sand, as all An’Diels were meant for the sand. 

“Min’da!” Eilonwy called, snapping Eilithe from whatever hill she was rolling down. “Min’da it’s starting! The lanterns! The lanterns!” 

Eilithe smiled and nodded, beckoning the children around her. Each one was handed a folded up lantern to open up and stick a small candle in and each one she lit carefully. In a line, Eilithe positioned the kids on the rooftop. “Careful, keep your balance. Let go of last year and think of the future to come. One...two..three! Let go!”  Eager, Eilonwy let go of hers first- then Karkah. Threshad lingered on the lantern a while longer after his sister’s, then gave the thing a gentle push into the air. Eilithe was the last to let go and with that lantern she sent all her grief and twisted up confusion off into the night air. She sent with it all her why nows, and what ifs. She sent her hurt and anger. 

A hand brushed her stomach just briefly. There was no life there-- not now. But as the lanterns drifted up into the reaching skies above them, she wondered how long. How long Kurel would lie. How long before she would know the truth. They sat on that roof as the fireworks boomed in the background, giving them small glimpses of the lantern lights Eilithe stood longing for on the cliffs of Feralas so many years ago.

That night, she would come home to Kurel seeking warmth and comfort, seeking his touch, affirmation that for all the lies he was keeping up--he still loved her. 

[ @kurel-andiel​, and a short OOC note below the cut]