🍉VIP Watermelon🍉

Jay stared at the rubble from the demolished building. It wasn't uncommon for things to be destroyed and rebuilt in the N109 Zone, but he always figured the penthouse he grew up in might've remained the same, just with different decor. Now, he'd never see the same view from the window of his father's study, or the sunset from his mother's bedroom window. Of course, he knew the skyline had changed, especially after the Chronorift Catastrophe, but there were other memories he had there.

As much as he stared at the pebbles that remained, he knew he couldn't stay long. You could never stay in one place outdoors here before something came at you. He snapped a sentimental picture of the rubble before turning heel onto his motorbike and heading home.

Jay often thought of himself as an emotionally strong individual, someone whose feelings had hardened with the brutality of time and repeated grief. He had lost many people and things in his life, and each time, he always supposed it would get easier.

Instead of bee-lining home, he could feel a ball building in his throat and took a turn straight for another destination. He pulled up to the garage before punching in the familiar code. The door opened as he pulled in, bringing him and the vehicle up in the elevator up to the garage floor where he parked his bike beside the three others already there.

His helmet thudded as he dropped it to the ground. Footsteps sped up faster as he walked into different doorways, searching and searching. There wasn't even time for a greeting before his face buried into Sylus' chest.

"Stormcloud, what happened?" His arms wrapped entirely around Jay's small frame, pulling him closer. His only response was the first time he has ever heard Jay sob, heaving in broken breaths, unable to get out a word.

He nodded to the twins in the doorway to cancel their plans. The door to the room closed as Sylus reached down to pick up Jay's legs and carry them to the couch. It was about twenty minutes later before Jay calmed his breathing, puffy eyes vacantly staring at the opposite wall. Strange how the bags under one's eyes grow darker in the swollen red from dried tears. Sylus handed him a glass of water, "Drink, or you'll get dehydrated." After his command was followed, he intertwined their hands.

"Sweetie, can you tell me what happened?"

Jay nodded and took a deep breath. He explained the news of the demolition, not quite believing it mentally. The full week of work taken up by projects and tasks, common events of life. Then deciding to stop by - just curious what it would look like. Then the rubble. The memories. The collapse of history, long left behind.

The first time he drew a reactor schematic to show his father, all the times they watched movies and shared snacks late in the night, the last time he shared dinner with his parents. All of it gone, turned to nothing but ground up rock.

Sylus continued to trace circles in Jay's arm, a passive reminder of his listening until he was done. It had been the most vulnerable Jay had ever been - crying so brokenly, torn up over something that shouldn't have been as big of a deal as it felt. It was so many years ago, it shouldn't have mattered so much, and yet it felt like the last stand of his everything had been wrecked. Sylus wasn't too familiar with the feeling, but he stayed by Jay's side, helping by listening and supporting, loving and caring.

Jay stayed the night with Sylus, going to shower off the dust before hugging up to him for the night, tracing hearts in turn on his bare chest. "Thank you, Sylus."

"Is there value in your pain?" Sylus tried a different approach.

"What?"

"How much is your pain worth?" His hand spread on the arm rest as he leaned in, his face inches from their own. This time, they shrunk away from him, unsure how to answer.

"That isn't the point-"

"Then why do you let yourself suffer?" They've been on this unmerry-go-round before, and Jay continued to give deflecting answers. This time, however, Sylus was not backing down. He gently grasped their chin to look into his ruby eyes, an eerie glow within them, or just the one, but it vanished as soon as Jay could notice. After a moment of silence, Jay answered.

"It's weird, but when I get really happy with you, it feels weird. It feels wrong. When I get these aches or I feel bad, it makes up for that joy."

"Makes up for it?"

Jay's gaze lowered to the ground. "I know how you feel about this, but it doesn't change that I- it doesn't feel right. I am supposed to be sad or in pain. If I'm not then, something is wrong."

Sylus didn't move for a moment. The air conditioning system turned on, an almost imperceptible switch. The sound of ruffled feathers denoted Mephisto perching just outside the window. The discomfort in vulnerability began to subside as Jay hoped this was the end of the conversation, their confession. But as he tried to get up, Sylus grabbed their wrist and gently held it in his hands, which engulfed their own.

"Who made you feel this way?"

There was no hesitation, only a thoughtful moment. "I grew up not having good friends. My friend group manipulated me, but being a naïve, undiagnosed neurodivergent child, I thought they were my friends." Their eyes became hazed in a collection of memories. "I spent half my childhood being manipulated by peers, and the other half being taught reality slightly wrong. It's hard to unwork that kinda shit."

They looked at him, "Sylus, please say something."

His red eyes met theirs. Something melted in his eyes, to something Jay didn't recognize was in their expression. They became wrapped in his embrace, warm and safe. "Your joy is worth more than your pain." When he pulled away, he held their face in just his palm and spoke in almost a whisper. "You've been through enough pain. Let me take care of you, sweetie."