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 Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 11:37 am
Autumn sighed as they lay back on their bed, staring up at the ceiling while Numb by Linkin Park played in their headphones. What is this, my teen emo phase finally showing up? they wondered with a snort. It wasn't their usual type of music, but it felt fitting for the turmoil they were experiencing, ever since they got home from the fight with the Calamitous Hollow and saving Earth. They still didn't really know what they wanted to do with their life now. That Chaos cannon.... The memory of it forced a shiver down their spine. It had done so much damage. The Negaverse had so much power. What could the White Moon do against that, really? But would corrupting into the Mirror Court even be safer? Would the Negaverse eventually turn their eyes onto the quiet Court who just wanted to live their lives in peace? Autumn could go into the Negaverse... but the very thought of it made them want to cry and be sick at the same time. Ultimately... they didn't really want to abandon their planet. Even if it was still dead. Even if they didn't do much as Demeter to heal the place. They felt... obligated. Groaning, they lifted one of their extra pillows and buried their face into it. They really needed something to distract them. They didn't want to think about this anymore.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 6:34 pm
There was a sort of...weight, lifted off of Emer, as he slipped back into Autumn's home. Entering quietly wasn't exactly a problem, and he was fairly certain there was no chance he'd disturbed their parents; he'd snuck into much more secure places with much less preparation.
Hopefully Autumn themself was still awake. He moved to their room quietly, and knocked on the door carefully.
"Autumn?" He called, softly. "Are you alright? And do you have a moment?"
He'd have to tell her everything that happened--given that ideally he wouldn't need to stay at their place any longer. Sneaking around their parents was less than ideal, and Amateru was sharing space with a single Knight who ideally wouldn't mind a second body in Amateru's room.
Just the thought of sharing space with his fiance had him giddy again. Almost enoguh to override how upsetting the entire battle against the Hollow had been. But they'd all made it out alright, hopefully.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 6:56 pm
Well. That was... oh, there was a fancy word for it. Not ironic... Fortious? For... something. Fortuitous? Close enough. Autumn sighed quietly into the pillow and sat up, hugging it in their lap and relaxing a little at the thought of their new friend. It was nice, having someone around who they could talk to other than their parents. Was this what it was like, living with people who liked you for you? Who you felt safe around? Wasn't it so darn... no, damn, damn tragic that they didn't feel that way around their parents? "Yeah, I'm free. Just, uh, moping, I guess," they said with a soft laugh. "You're free to enter. I'm not wearing anything scandalous." They paused their music app and tossed their headphones gently to the side.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 7:30 pm
"Understandable," Emer acknowledged. He opened the door, and let out a soft laugh, shutting it behind him. "You know, I wasn't worried about what you were wearing until you said something," he confessed.
He took a seat in their desk chair, casually.
"How did you do, in that fight?" He asked. "I'm sorry I didn't stick by you, I got...distracted." By Cyrus. Being alive. "I saw that some people were badly hurt...you weren't, were you?"
It felt like being brought back down to the ground, seeing Autumn moping like that. Hopefully they had been okay.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 7:52 pm
Autumn laughed, shifting to sit cross-legged. "Hey, it's cool. I was with my girlfriend. You know, the Dark Mirror Court. Their prince protected all of us pretty well." They chewed their lip. "I was lucky. Didn't die or anything, like so many did. But it was still... I have nightmares, Emer. I don't think I'll ever be the same. You know, I'd actually been looking into snakes for pets? Not sure I can do that now. Snakes are spooky all over again." They grinned weakly. "I'll probably live, though. At least I can still get away with wearing long sleeves right now, though my parents are starting to get suspicious, because I love dressing in short styles the moment it's consistently over sixty, usually," they said, rolling back their right sleeve to show off the lightning scar that looked like a snake. "But what about you? Distracted? Hot guy? Someone from before that you hated and needed to punch right away?"
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 8:15 pm
"I'm glad you were well protected, then," Emer said, genuinely. He wasn't entirely certain he trusted this "Dark Mirror Court"--they were Chaos, after all--but a Royal was a good ally to have under any circumstances, and if he was willing to protect ostensible enemies, that was, perhaps, a positive.
"The nightmares, and the rest....they'll remain for a long time," he said, honestly. "Perhaps forever. But you survived, Autumn. You stared down a great beast, something whispered of in myths and legends, and you not only survived it, you helped defeat it. Helped seal it away to protect future generations. So treat that scar as a mark of pride. Even if you have to hide it."
They should not have to, Emer thought. But given their parents' attitudes....
"Ah. You aren't far off." Emer couldn't help but smile. "My fiance is alive. And himself. After all this time, we found each other on the battlefield. It was...a great relief to see him again."
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 8:26 pm
Mark of pride, huh? Easier said than done. They shifted a bit, then tossed their pillow to the side to roll onto their stomach, feet propped in the air, and chin on their crossed arms as they looked at Emer with a wide grin. "Your old fiance was—er, is—still alive? That's awesome! Cyrus, right? Aww. That's so good for you two!" they squealed. "Sooo, when's the wedding? Am I invited? Oooh, can I cater it? At least, the desert part?"
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 9:00 pm
Ah, it was good to see Autumn so excited. A little good news would clearly do them well, and Emer was glad to provide it.
"We're still figuring out the details," he admitted, "but I suspect there will be more than one. We've had to delay for a thousand years, after all. It only makes sense to throw as many parties as we can."
He laughed, softly.
"But I'm sure we'd love to have you cater." He crossed one leg over the other, and was quiet for a moment. "Ah, but that's the other thing I wanted to talk about, besides making sure you were as well as could be expected. I...will probably be moving in with him. He's living with a Knight, and it's...not that I don't greatly value the hospitality you've shown me, of course I do, but I have missed him. Very much. And I would like to be with him again."
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 9:13 pm
"And you want to get out of the stifling attic and away from the presence of people who are struggling to pretend they like you," Autumn added with a soft, sheepish grin. They knew their parents too well. "I'll help you get your stuff together. I want you to go and be happy." Could they ever be happy like that? They didn't know.
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