68 | abilities; to act upon curiosity

Lucas, their very own Sleeping Beauty, had his eyes shut in a picture of dreaming, the slow rise of his chest the only telling of life from the pale figure.

Why was it that the others—the ones still living—woke, while Lucas' body remained in a state of coma? Nobody could say for sure, though anxiety ran common through his companions.

Kane hadn't slept for two nights now, head hunched over on a stool by the bed, hands clenched and trembling at the idea of losing his little brother again.

Nora sat beside Rome and Will outside the room. The pair of boys had grown close in the Story, bound by death and despair. A bond like that was one not easily broken or torn, because after suffering through ordeals, it became a tie of life and death.

Rome sniffled. "Mister—he's still not awake?"

Nora's voice was soft and soothing, attempting to sound certain when she was anything but. "He'll wake up soon. His chest still falls and rises; he's not dead yet. He won't die. After all, he has a lot left to do."

Will peered over, exhausted and deep, dark circles under his eyes, more prominent than they'd ever been before. "What does he want to do?"

At the words, Nora fell into silence. In fact, what did Lucas want to accomplish, moving forth as if he had an end goal in mind?

He had fully intended to find Kane, the doctor whose relations with that man remained unknown, but where else did he want to go? What else did he want to do? She realized, sitting on the seat, how little she knew about the man called Lucas Silvius.

"I... don't know. But since I don't know where I'll go either, I plan to follow him as long as he lets me." smiled Nora gently.

Will tilted his head, and nodded. He rolled his thumbs together, a deep ache in his chest that would likely remain till the end of his time. A gaping hole where laughter and joy once filled from the lives stolen in that Story.

Only after, when they'd finally escaped, did the reality of death fully settle. Only when he was finally at peace, surrounded by quiet and calm, did his mind understand.

And that was a fact that shattered him.

They'd held a funeral on the first night back, insistent on burying the bodies as soon as they could, before rot could make their way to the fingertips and paint the bodies grey.

Outside in the hospitals gardens, handmade gravestones sat, all beside each other. The remaining children had stared, covered in dirt as they buried the bodies themselves.

Together, they cried and sobbed, or remained painfully silent with no tears left to give, exhaustion draining them entirely.

A mess of children collapsed over each other was the tragic scene.

Kane and Nora had helped them gather the bodies, while Wren cleaned up the beds that they'd rested on.

But Will couldn't let his mentality completely break down. No, because there were still others he needed to protect, and would stake everything in his body to do so. He straightened, staring ahead as a viscous flame renewed itself in his gaze.

Inside the hospital room, where a single adult slept, the door opened.

Elias walked in, but Kane didn't bother to lift his head. The man raised his eyebrows, hands casually stuffed in his pockets as he leaned against the doorframe "One would assume that you were the one dead, judging by your appearance."

"Ironic, coming from you." muttered Kane lowly, his voice hoarse and irritated. "Have you seen yourself?"

"Yes. And I found myself to be charming as always."

Kane glared up, too tired to argue. To begin with, the doctor wasn't one to partake in trifling arguments, especially with fools such as Elias. How his little brother put up with that man was beyond him.

No, Lucas likely didn't put up with the man, biting back with sarcasm or blunt complaints to be quiet.

"You won't argue back?" wondered Elias, walking over to stand by the bedside, remaining utterly still. "And that's why I don't prefer you, dear big brother."

Kane shook his head, annoyance evident on his stone face. "Say as you please."

"How boring. I hope Lucas wakes soon. But more importantly, I've come to kick you out." Elias smiled unpleasantly, languid and relaxed as if nothing mattered. "A request from Nora."

"You'd agree to requests?"

"Well, I took pity on my darling's elder brother. I don't think he'd want to see you in such a pathetic state when he wakes up either."

"When?"

"When."

Not if. Elias had no doubt in hid mind that somebody as tenacious as Lucas would wake up, with a fight in his body, and rude words to spit out. Or, even if he didn't think it was likely, he didn't want to think otherwise.

Elias didn't want to indulge in the idea of that sponge's death.

Kane considered it, and absentmindedly, though reluctant, agreed. He staggered to his feet, walking outside to grab a drink of water before taking a nap.

It wouldn't be good for Lucas to see him in a more miserable state. He should present himself as a reliable older brother, not some scruffy, gloomy man with dark eye bags under his eyes.

When the door closed, Elias walked to where Kane had been sitting.

The impatience and worry that made his limbs tingle with irritation was both strange and unwanted. The fear that lingered, and that Elias did recognize, was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

To worry for another person's life or death. Feelings that couldn't be properly explained. All Elias knew was that he didn't want Lucas to die.

He didn't want Lucas to leave his side.

As he thought that, the body on the bed moved a millimeter.

So faint, Elias thought that he'd imagined it. He stared silently for a second, before nearing and lowering his head to listen to Lucas' steady breathing. Bent over the sleeping body, Elias reassured himself knowing that Lucas was alive.

But the movement—was he miserable to the point of hallucinations? He didn't think so. Although it was true he didn't want Lucas to die, he wasn't like Kane.

He didn't love or need this man. Yet.

But he wouldn't abandon the hint of emotions that had taken root. Not if he didn't have to. "God, darling. I don't know what it is I'm feeling, but you can't die yet. I won't allow it."

His mutters ghosted across Lucas' skin, and the closed eyelids twitched.

Slowly, a pair of empty white eyes opened, and a hoarse and quiet voice said irritably, "I don't need your permission to die."

Elias, still leaning over, laughed. A wretched sound that forced out of his throat. Then, without reason or much meaning further than a random thought he acted on without waiting to think or dwell—

—he tilted the frowning head up, and pressed his lips down.

He considered, as he felt the warmth seep into his mouth and the bewilderment that flashed on the other's expression, pressing deeper, further.

Lips that were dry from countless nights of coma, and squinted eyes both scrutinizing and startled. Elias smiled against the lips, relentless. Hardly romantic, he knew, but neither parties desired sweet, gentle intimacy.

Then, the awoken man bared his teeth and bit down, hard. Elias pulled away with a short laugh, blood streaking past his lips.

Lucas' sleepy eyes narrowed sharply, the blood painting his mouth an enticing red. "The hell are you doing?" spat the man, though the hoarseness from his voice stripped away the menacing layers behind his tone. "...are you in love with me?"

Elias smiled, thinking. "I don't think so, no."

"Then, are you interested in me?"

It's a blunt question, but Lucas doesn't care to spare Elias' feelings or embarrassment. Expectedly, there wasn't a hint of shame on the man's face.

"I'd say I'm under no obligation to answer you?"

Lucas scowled at the answer. "And I'm under no obligation to accept you."

"That's hardly fair. I can't answer because I don't understand what I want, or feel. I just know that watching you die wasn't something I enjoyed."

Lucas felt his mind spin, not from surprise or wonder at the man's half-assed confession. He figured, that while what he felt wasn't love either, and he wasn't sure if it could ever be, that in the Story he'd learned how fleeting things were.

He was brought to the harsh reality that things could easily slip past his fingers. That there was no time like the present—he could only regret what he didn't do.

And that Elias' abrupt kiss wasn't entirely terrible.

It tore him away from the darkness creeping into his mind; a distraction.

Elias' hand sunk into the bed, his weight pressed down as he thought, observing Lucas' expressions. "I think that there's a rather high chance of you accepting me."

Lucas angled his head, scoffing. "I think that a person who has no interest in understanding others shouldn't assume my thoughts."

"You're right, I'm not interested in others. I'm interested in you."

"Fuck." cursed Lucas, body heavy like lead against the mattress. "That sounds like a nightmare."

The man's rude remark didn't deter Elias, who smiled pleasantly. "Why don't you stay stuck in this nightmare, then, darling? I can't say I'm pleased either."

"Tsk."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, as in, you expect me to accept your confession that involves attacking a helpless man who just woke from a coma?" wondered Lucas sarcastically.

"You're hardly helpless." Elias paused. "Well, I won't force it either."

There was no earth-shattering confession that Elias had to give, or to lie to obtain the slight interest he obtained. He couldn't give Lucas what he didn't feel—but if it was a matter of interest or curiosity, than it existed.

And for Elias, he didn't wait for something magical to happen later. No, relationships could be further developed and dissected through the experience.

More so, he acted on what he felt.

Lucas was a similar sort, not thinking too much over emotions related to himself, more intrigued in other's changing expressions that influenced actions.

And maybe that was it, a trifling curiosity, that made Lucas move.

Maybe it was because of that, that when Elias pulled away, Lucas stretched out a tired hand and forcefully yanked the man's collar down, pressing a harsh kiss against the other's blood-stained lips.

In an entanglement of curiosity, and feelings that had barely begun to brew, they kissed with an exchange of thoughts and agreement.

That these feelings—they were both willing to explore them.

And even if that wasn't entirely romantic or special, in fact, it was rather dreary and impulsive, it didn't matter. Because the world was dying, and there was no time to waste in thinking of the future.

When they broke free, Lucas calmly stated, through his laboured breaths, "I don't understand either."

Elias, equally breathless, raised his eyebrows. "Then what should we do?"

"I don't know why you're asking me—you brought it up."

"You're not wrong." Elias pondered over it. "Then, there's something I want to do."

Lucas' glance was full of suspicion, as Elias recalled Nora's deal with him. Though it seemed that the deal was unnecessary, now that Lucas had given into randomness and curiosity.

Elias briefly mentioned Nora's deal, which Lucas held no argument for and agreed simply, though his sharp gaze told that he'd riot if it was anything ridiculous.

Lucas had left a mark on him, unwittingly, in the way that Elias couldn't indifferently wander as a bystander, listening to screams and despair. Therefore, he thought, it was only fair he left a mark back.

One that meant he couldn't be forgotten—even in death.

When Elias mentioned the idea, Lucas propped himself up with his arms and scrunched his eyebrows. "You're just saying whatever you want at this point."

"No time like the present, don't you agree?"

Lucas stared, and then nodded. "I'll agree to it, then."

Elias smiled, delighted. "There'll be no going back on that, darling. But for now," He moved away carefully, pressing a firm hand over Lucas' eyes. "It's time to rest some more."

"I'm pretty awake—"

"Shh—sleep."

Lucas' lips twisted with disgust, making Elias laugh at the other's vivid expression. He stopped messing around and walked to the chair, taking a seat.

"You're still recuperating. Sleep a little longer, to ensure you'll wake up properly."

Hearing Elias' words, Lucas didn't protest any longer and closed his eyes. Any excuse to sleep was a reason that should be accepted, without question!

Exhaustion still weighed down his body, and within minutes, he'd fallen back into a quiet slumber. Elias leaned back, watching carefully as he pulled out the ragged sketchbook, filled with ugly and terrible sketches.

He spun a pencil in his hand, shook his head at his foolishness, and pressed the tip against the paper. Under the sunlight's waking rays, the sound of pencil scratching intertwined with soft breathing.

Lucas was trapped in a terrible dream—one that was terrible in the way in was realistic and genuine. The memories that had been held back rushed in all at once.

In the background, he distantly heard the sound of pencil, bold and sharp strokes dancing across paper. He attempted to focus on it, even as his mind violently tugged him away.

In that Story, he'd killed 2 dozen children. His thoughts shuddered, slowly processing. 5 during the game of tag, and 19 more from the corpses that had dropped to the ground.

All the puppets that Maleficent, the Teller, had made from the dead.

There were also the two brothers, who he killed separately to save them.

Of them, excluding the brothers, only 5 others has an ability that Lucas could steal, with the others being proper victims, unable to even twitch. Though the children with abilities had little understanding of what they were, or how to use them.

The memories rushed through him, slamming without rest as his head screamed in pain, latching onto the distant paper crumpling in the background.

One who made a wish in their death, listening to Lucas' lies that had been told to convince the children. 'I... want everybody to survive together. And then, I want to paint my room pink with dinosaurs!'

And a more prominent thought that followed. 'I... I'm scared. I'm really scared.'

Miserable, wretched sobs trapped within a snapped throat, torn and bruised. A raised body hanging in the air, gaze remaining on the crowd of her friends below.

Them, still alive as jealousy and sadness ran through her small body.

The scene changed, and Lucas saw himself, slicing through the girl's body with no hesitation as her thoughts went mute with betrayal.

'Didn't... he promise to save... us...'

[The skill of 'Ghost' has been successfully reaped!]

The power of invisibility granted by a girl who was scared of being seen, hiding in the background with a harsh fear of people.

It seemed that the memories were split in half, since they'd 'died' at the Teller's whims, but also in Lucas' hands.

Without giving him a moment to rest, the next memory flowed through him.

A boy, pants soiled with fear, too terrified and numb to the bones to feel a semblance of mortification. Hot liquid ran down his trembling legs, and the unmistakable oder of piss clogged his nose.

A filthy, shaking and terrible mess. Wide eyes that shuddered, forced to remain open as they stepped towards the woman with twisted limbs, gleefully waiting.

'I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared.'

'Please, please. Wake up, wake up, somebody, please wake up!'

'Help me!'

And once again, a blackness shifted over and reflected in the boy's manipulated daze, Lucas swung through the air and cut through all thoughts of misery.

[The skill of 'Coward's Salvation' has been successfully reaped!]

The power to escape one time, limited in its potency and belonging to a coward that could do nothing more than weep, to the bitter end.

Then, two memories that intertwined, of the two girls that denied facing each other in the dead night, bearing witness to the other's end.

The first, with a selfish yet burning desire to live as she watched the pale face float towards her frozen body, screaming in anguish through her sewn lips.

'I don't wanna die! Kill her... kill her instead! I don't want to, no, no, no, it's not fair. It's not fair!'

She would die with resentment to the other standing girl. Because in the young and fragile body, as her finger plunged mercilessly onto the needle and she helplessly stabbed deeper, she could only hate and despise the one still living.

And as her reflected self flickered in Lucas' weapon, she felt a new dread.

'Why do I have to die again?'

[The skill of 'Princess' Decree' has been successfully reaped!]

A power of a singular absolute command that couldn't be rejected, limited to once a month, by a girl too used to being denied her desires.

And then the other, who watched as the selfish child died in a grotesque collapse of blood and flesh. Lucas felt the girl's strong will imprint on his mind with a boiling determination, and a deep, caring heart.

'She's in trouble! Why... why can't I move? I need to help her!'

'...the woman is staring at me now.'

'Will I die? Because I couldn't save my friend?' A sniffle broke through the thought, as the still legs urged to move. 'She's dead... dead... I couldn't help her...'

'Will I die like that? Looks... scary... but if I die, will I see my friend again? If she's gone too, then will I see her again? I'm not so scared if I can see her again....'

She closed her eyes calmly, nervously stretching a smile onto her face. Reassured, that it wasn't really dying, but that she would be seeing all her friends who had disappeared. It was a lie told on repeat, but she didn't know it.

Moments before her second death in Lucas' cold hands, she felt an overwhelming peace. Salvation and joy ran through her body.

'Thank you...'

[The skill of 'Follower' has been successfully reaped!]

The power of tracking a singular person once a day, belonging to a girl, loyal to a fault, who found solace in the thought of following her dead friend in the afterlife.

And the last...

Lucas' eyes grew wide in his muffled haze as the imprint of pain and horror twisted into his body as if it were his own. An explosion of terror and tearful clawing at life that faded into a faint, sweet smile.

The last child, a girl with twin-braids who trusted Lucas more than she should.

Mina.

———XXX———

[Lukiyo is typing...]

I think to feel and experience vividly the death of many others is a great burden. I wouldn't be able to bear it, feeling my body collapse in many different ways, feeling a different type of despair each time.

I want to say! Lucas and Elias' relationship is not typical. It's hard to describe and to write (I'm hoping the complexity is somewhat noted) but they are both people who don't trust easily, but also don't do things they'd regret.

With Elias realizing his interest in Lucas, he could only regret not making a move. And then Lucas, having found comfort in Elias' partnership after wandering around alone for so long, wouldn't reject him either.

Because Lucas, who is often clear about his emotions, isn't sure.

Ahhh I don't know if that makes sense, but hopefully! I just wanted to state this, since I know it isn't exactly a super passionate love (yet) or anything that sweet, but I think their relationship just has to build like this (rigid, with sharp angles all around before becoming something genuine)

Sorry for the long note! Hope you're all doing swimmingly well~ and having the absolute best of a weekend!! <3 I'm not too active comment wise rn , but I appreciate you all so, so much!