Chapter Text
Chapter one
"There was once was a tale of a young boy. It was a tale of a love destined to be. Walking home one pale moon night, a young boy looked upon an old man standing beneath the moon. The man looked ageless and wise beyond this world. The man begins to explain to the boy that he is attached to his destined wife by a red string. He shows the boy the young girl who is destined to be his wife. Being young and having no interest in having a wife, the young boy picks up a rock and throws it at the girl, running away. Many years later, when the boy has grown into a young man, his parents arrange a wedding for him. On the night of his wedding, his wife waits for him in their bedroom, with the traditional veil covering her face. Raising it, the man is delighted to find that his wife is one of the great beauties of his village. However, she wears an adornment on her eyebrow. He asks her why she wears it and she responds that when she was a young girl, a boy threw a rock at her that struck her, leaving a scar on her eyebrow. She self-consciously wears the adornment to cover it up. The woman was in fact, the same young girl connected to the man by the red cord. The old man turned out to be Yuè Xià Lǎo, the god of marriage and love, he had shown the former young boy that they were connected by the crimson thread."
Four small figures sat huddled in a shadowed room at night. A light shone on the old pages of a book. The words upon the pages told stories, they spun webs of lore that were built upon the foundation of ancient proverbs. And the children giggled to themselves at the silly antics of some wayward animals finding their way, they rejoiced to the stories where everything turned out alright in the end, and naturally they ‘eww-ed’ and ‘gross-ed’ in response to the inevitable kissing scenes shared between hero and princess.
As they became older but still remained innocent and young, obviously things changed.
The two young girls realized that romance was something magical, something spellbinding and rather than ‘eww-ing’ they began ‘aww-ing’ at the sweet sight of their parents sharing a tender peck on the lips.
As for the two boys, they still found delight in animals being silly, but they no longer were impressed with the epic legends of a brave hero saving the princess. They noticed that their mommy was not in fact a princess, she didn't need daddy’s help all the time and she was strong and stable when her baby boys could not be.
But despite their aging minds and bodies, the children never stopped sneaking out at night to throw themselves into a heap of tittering limbs. They never ceased their moonlight meetings under the large tent like blanket.
At least, not until they grew up.
Red.
Tangles upon tangles upon tangles of red. They spun, floated and sagged all throughout the hallways, they stretched and pulled without the force of a rope, but remained solid as a wire.
All these ties, all these symbolic there-but-not-there strings that connected everybody to everybody.
And only he can see them when he wants to.
A gentle finger poked at his arm and he looked down.
No, that’s not right.
She can see them too. She with her short wild obsidian hair and wide expressive eyes. She with the energy of a jack rabbit and a personality that could fill a room to the very brink of bursting. She with a smile that brightens days who sees the good in almost everyone. She who is fascinated by the red lines that tie one to another, she who is happy to see them.
She is Nepeta Leijon, and she is his sister. And she dances ahead cheerily, the grip on his arm unwavering as she simultaneously pulls him along the hallway and smiles at anyone and everyone she sees.
He is Kankri Vantas, and he’s accepted the fact that he can see the thin crimson threads, he has accepted it and is content to just leave it alone.
Nepeta however, is not. She figured out a long time ago that she couldn't force people to meet the ones they’re tied to. She understands that, though that doesn't stop her from ‘shipping’ the people closest to her. She loves these red lines and the potential they hold to make people happy.
Kankri can easily ignore them, and since he cant see who he is connected to it makes it easier to detach himself. He isn't involved in these lives so he doesn't really care who's connected to who.
Really, he is happy to be uninvolved.
It doesn't matter that he can see his best friends aura. His aura that used to be so bright and purple with excitement and love for all, he can see that purple darken and dull. Cronus wasn't as happy as he used to be in middle school, middle school Cronus didn't care for romance he was content to be friends with his friends and have the prettiest woman in his life be his mom.
Now its different, high school is different and though Cronus is still full of love for all, there isn't anyone to accept it.
And that makes his purple hue murky with frustration and sadness.
Kankri isn't involved.
He really isn't involved, he lets his dark amber eyes sit on Cronus. Cronus who at the moment is talking calmly about something or other with an animated Meulin. He had a fond smile on his face as Meulin bounced joyfully looking up at him. They talked, paying no mind to Kurloz as he stood leaning against the lockers next Meulin. He looked calm enough if not slightly irritated at Cronus’ presence.
Kankri isn't involved.
Meulin is his other sister and one of Cronus’ only friends aside from Kankri himself and it makes him happy to see his best friend content. His eyes drifted to Cronus’ left hand despite his best efforts to not look again.
He is not involved.
Kankri’s face was impassive as his eyes settled on the thin red thread tied neatly to his best friend’s pinkie. He saw it, clear as day the crimson line attached to Cronus Ampora. He saw it floating in the air, wrapped around a clueless Meulin. He saw it not being acknowledged by anyone but himself and Nepeta as it sat, tied to the wrist of one oblivious Kurloz Makara.
“You see it too, of course you do.” Nepeta whispered solemnly as they approached the trio.
Kankri nodded deftly, pretending not to see the red string glow brightly in the brief moment Kurloz’s shoulder brushed against Cronus’.
He can not get involved.
He watched as Nepeta launched herself into Cronus’ waiting arms, swinging her around with a laugh. He put her down and Kankri tired not to understand why her smile faltered a bit as the string stretched and lengthened.
Kurloz and Meulin departed with a quiet nod of acknowledgement and a jubilant smile that was truly blessed.
Cronus left with a one armed hug for Kankri and a kiss on the head for Nepeta, walking in the opposite direction of Meulin and Kurloz.
Kankri and Nepeta stood there watching the fated ribbon grow longer and longer as the people attached to it drifted further and further from each other.
He really can’t get involved.
He shouldn't get involved.
It would be wrong, Kurloz and Meulin are happy with each other, the love each other.
But who said that they have to break up?
That's right, they don’t. The people connected don't have to be romantically involved.
It could work.
It could.
He just won't get too involved.
NOTES:
Okay so I know exactly what I'm doing with this one. Leave a comment if you so wish.
Peaxe~