Chapter Text
“You left Violet?” Buddy all but screamed at Chase.
“I didn't know she was with you!” Chase replied, pacing his floor. “I was too busy trying to get you out of there. And now we have to go back to the Ex Libris hideout to get her!” He threw his hands up in the air in frustration.
“It is alright, Chase! You said you got the Old Man arrested!” Silver chimed in, resting a hand on Buddy’s shoulder to comfort him.
Chase huffed and hugged himself, back turned to the keys.
“Yeah. But that's one out of six . We left… oh fates. We left Harley with the others. I gotta go tell Deacon. We need to go back. We need to get Harley. We need to get Violet. Why didn’t I realize this before? I messed up, I need to go.” he felt himself start to ramble. He didn’t care. He needed to go get them.
He was about to race down the tower ladder when he felt a tug on his soul strings. He turned around to see both keys pulling him back. Both Silver and Buddy looked worried.
“Chase. They're probably long gone by now.” Buddy said, moving to the edge of the desk. “Look. I'm sorry for yelling. I’m just…”
The key sighed and turned away, hugging himself.
“Hey. Hey it's okay.” Chase hurried over to his soulmate, picking him up in his hands and holding the smaller to his chest. “It’s okay. We’ll get her back. We’ll find all of them. I promise you.” To prove his point, Chase pulled Buddy up and pressed his forehead against the key’s. “I promise we’ll get them back.”
“Okay.” Buddy whispered. “But you won't do it alone.”
Chase almost asked what he was talking about when there was a knock on the downstairs door. Quickly saying goodbye to the keys, Chase made his way downstairs. Grandpa Ralph stood by the front door talking with…
“Harley?” Deacon’s voice came from behind Chase. “W-wha-what are you doing h-here?”
Chase was impressed he was able to make it through a whole sentence.
“Hey, Deacon.” She smiled softly at the older cousin. “Can we talk? I've got a few questions.”
Deacon nodded, his ears turning a soft pink.
Well, it was good to know some things never changed.
“You lovebirds have fun, I'm going back upstairs to talk to my soulmate.” Chase waved his hand as he spun on his heel to go back upstairs.
“Not so fast.” Harley’s voice was stern. “This conversation involves you, too.”
<~--~>
The three decided that the best place to have this conversation was in Chase’s room. Ralph was in the kitchen, and the front room was too close to him. Deacon refused to let Harley into his room to see his poetry. And the Tower… that was where the keys were. They didn't need Harley snooping around and finding the keys.
“So.” Harley started.
“So.” Chase repeated.
They sat in a circle in the middle of the floor, Deacon and Harley’s hands resting next to each other. Not on top of each other even though Chase could tell they really wanted to hold hands. For the Fates, Dorkin. Make a move!
“I have a few questions. And it involves this.” Harley reached into her pocket and pulled out a key. A purple key. With a vial embedded into the center. And a diamond engraved on the head.
“W-what? A key? Why would we have answers about a key?” Chase shifted in his spot slightly.
Harley fixed him with an unimpressed stare.
“Violet, if you would?” Harley told the little key.
With a small POP, the key was replaced by a small little woman. Violet stood on Harley’s palm, staring up at the boys.
“Chase and Deacon, I’m assuming?” Violet dusted off her dress. The boys nodded. “I would first like to thank you for taking care of my siblings. Secondly, I would like to warn you. Ex Libris is not defeated. All you did was make them angrier–”
“Nope. Not listening to this.” Chase replied, cupping his hands over his ears. “Lalalalala. We won. We did it. We can worry about them later . For now, I’m taking this win.”
Violet opened her mouth to protest but Harley cut her off.
“I agree with Chase.” Harley nodded. “Let’s enjoy what we have. I just took out five cousins today. My grandpa went to jail. And all because they’re part of a weird magic book cult. I think we all just need a week to rest up. We found our soulmates today for crying out loud! At least let us have that!”
Deacon flushed a deeper red and avoided Harley’s gaze. Chase glanced at them before rolling his eyes.
“Violet, let’s leave these two alone. If I'm not mistaken, there’s someone who’s going to be excited to see you.”
Chase took Violet from Harley and made his ascent into the Tower. Up there, he saw Silver, Bronze and Goldie all conversing with Buddy. When Chase cleared his throat, the four keys spun around to look at the human and, evidently, who was with him.
“VIOLET!” Silver called, rushing over to Chase.
The blond gently set the villainess key onto the ground next to her sister before moving to sit by the window. They deserved to be reunited. He glanced outside. It was becoming sunset. Today really had been quite a day, hadn't it? He sighed and leaned his head against the window.
He stirred when he felt a small figure climbing up his sleeve.
“Oh.” Buddy said softly. “I didn't mean to disturb you.”
Chase smiled and helped Buddy up onto his shoulder.
“You didn't. Don't worry.”
Buddy nodded and fidgeted with their red string.
“I'm…”
“If you say sorry, I'm gonna feed you to the chickens.” Chase threatened, though they both knew it was empty.
Buddy chuckled.
“I was going to say I'm glad you found us. Me, I mean. You technically didn't find Violet. Don't want to give you an ego.”
Chase chuckled and leaned his head against Buddy, closing his eyes.
“Already have one, Buddy.”
Buddy chuckled and leaned into Chase’s cheek. He let out a soft sigh.
“Nox.”
“Hmm?” Chase hummed, glancing down at his soulmate.
“My name is Nox.”
Chase smiled softly.
“It's beautiful.”
[End.]