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The fresh ocean air filling his lungs and the wind blowing through his hair was less of a relief than Eleven had thought and yet it was the most relaxed he had been since he had woken up in Nautica.
With Sylvando, Jade and his grandfather close by he felt more at ease and less lonely. At this point even him and Hendrik had managed to put their differences aside and had grown closer,finally feeling comfortable at each others side during battle. Yet, he couldn’t help but be on the edge as long as he didn’t know where his remaining friend were. The thought of them hurt or lost tugged at his heart and he knew he couldn’t forgive himself if something had happened to them and he didn’t even want to consider worse.
Eleven allowed his thoughts to wander as he looked out into the sea, which might have been a mistake on his part as it caused feelings to stir up, that he had tried to low ever since he had been pulled out of the sea.
He couldn’t help but fear for Erik. Each day that passed without them finding him was torture to Eleven, causing the fire of anxiety within him to grow, flames licking at his heart. The thief had been at his side ever since he had set out into the world as the Luminary and Eleven liked to believe that the other wouldn’t have forgotten him so quickly and was looking for him.
After all, Erik was his closest friend and companion - his partner in crime and the one he loved. He trusted him more than anyone else and the idea that Erik might haven given up on him pulled at his heart.
However, he refused to let himself believe that the other had simply forgotten him and moved on and that for all he knew Erik was still out there looking for him. Eleven knew that as long as they hadn’t found him, he couldn’t just give up. Maybe he’d gotten into trouble? It wouldn’t be the first time that Erik accidentally upset someone and got himself into a rather complicated situation - that is at least if Eleven could trust what he had told him.
What if he had somehow managed to get himself locked up again in a prison somewhere? It wasn’t like he didn’t trust the other to handle himself, but anxiety and worry still ate at his heart and it was hard to ignore the what if’s, especially considering the state the world was in. It wasn’t only at night that he was plagued with thoughts of what could have happened to him when Yggdrasil fell - no - the thoughts stayed during moments like these. Moments in which Eleven thoughts were allowed to drift away from the task at hand and shift to the longing for Erik.
“-es! Honey, are you listening to me? Anyone home in that pretty little head of yours?”
It’s Sylvando’s voice that eventually pulls him out of his thoughts and back into reality.
Feeling a little rude at ignoring his friend, he gives the other an apologetic look and straightens himself to show that he had his full attention now.
‘
Sorry. Was just thinking for a little.
’, Eleven signs, a slight blush of embarrassment dusting his cheeks. ‘
What were you saying?
’
The look Sylvando was giving him made it rather obvious that he seemed to be knowing what Eleven had been thinking about and he assumed it wasn’t too hard to guess. He knew that the jester was rather talented in reading other people, despite what others - including the Luminary himself - might think at first.
Just as Sylvando wants to speak again, he’s interrupted by a dull crash coming from underneath the deck and caused him to jump a little.
He looks from his feet to the rudder and from the rudder to Eleven.
“Well that sounded quite concerning, don’t you think?”, he says, sighing dramatically.
All he earned for that was a smile and a short nod, Eleven already making his way to get under the deck.
‘
I’ll go check it out
.’
It was easy to locate where exactly the rummaging is coming from once he climbs down into the cabin as the noises in the back continued and led him to their storage room. With careful steps and a hand on the hilt of his sword he approaches.
If they were lucky, the sound was merely a few rats or mice having knocked something over in their frenzy to find something edible, but if the Luminary had learned one thing since he left Cobblestone, it was that you should always be prepared for the worst - which in this case was a hostile intruder or maybe even a monster that had snuck upon their ship.
As quietly as possible he placed his hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath before pushing open the door, drawing his sword.
However, instead of an intruder or a monster the only sight that greeted Eleven was a familiar face twisted in surprise - almost too familiar to be true. The striking blue hair, the matching blue eyes-
If he wasn’t too caught up in his own surprise and the way his heart was jumping in his chest, he would have noticed not only the shock but also the panic in the others face upon seeing him enter the room, and maybe Eleven would have noticed how Erik took a step back just for his back to hit the shelves behind him.
The Luminary could tell that the other was talking to him, but his heart was beating too loud in his ears to understand him. His legs seemed to grow weak in disbelieve and he just stood there for a few seconds, too stunned to move or do anything else.
When he does move, he drops his sword and it hits the ground with a clatter. Eleven legs act on their own as he crosses the distance between him and Erik and wraps his arms tightly around the other, almost expecting the thief to be a figure of his imagination and evaporate in his embrace.
Erik doesn’t, though, and the luminarys arms only hold onto him stronger not realizing how the other tenses up at the contact.
Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, Eleven eyes grow watery and his vision becomes blurry and he allows himself to hide his face in the others shoulder, closing his eyes tightly. It felt like he could breathe freely again without the pressure in his chest weighing him down and even though he was shaking, he felt steadier than ever before.
Erik was back.
Erik was safe, unharmed and alive.
In moments like these Eleven wished he could talk, not wanting to part from the other to ask him where he had been or to tell him how glad he was to have him back; how much he had missed and longed for him ever since they had lost one another.
There were so many questions he had, but he couldn’t bare to lean away, still scared this might just be a simply illusion or trick and he could vanish into thin air every second.
It’s only when there’s steps behind them that he dares to turn his head, just to see his friends rushing into the storage room as well.
“Eleven are you alright, we-”, Sylvando abruptly stops talking the moment his eyes find Erik’s. “Erik, Darling is that you? Oh yes it is!”
The concern from split seconds ago has vanished completely, Sylvando now beaming with excitement. Even as Jade, Hendrik and Rab make their way in the now crowded space, Eleven arms stay wrapped around Erik, no quite daring to let go.
“Erik!”, Jade says, obviously overjoyed at seeing the other and with a relieved smile on her face and for a moment it looks like she wants to step closer to pull the thief into a tight embrace as well but decides against.
“Laddie! Where have ye been? We’ve been worried sick.”, Rab sighs but it’s obvious that there’s not sternness behind his scolding and he looks just as happy as all of them to have Erik back at their side.
Just as he wants to continue, the thief himself raises his voice but it’s far from what Eleven remembered.
Instead of the confidence they all were used to, it was small and shy - as if Erik was holding himself back in fear and uncertainty. It’s then that the luminary notices how stiff he was in his arms and how it seemed like he was resisting the urge to pull away.
“Erik? That’s- I think that is my name.”, there’s a short pause in which he looks around the room, face twisted as if he tried to desperately remember something. “Do you I- Do I know you?”
Eriks was small, barely audible over the waves crashing into the ship, and he seemed to be trying to make himself as small as possible, not comfortable with the attention that was given to him and Eleven had the feeling that if he wasn’t still holding onto him, he would have moved into a corner of the room.
His words were puzzling not only to the Luminary but seemingly to everyone else as well as Sylvando tilted his head in confusion while a places a hand on his chin, thinking hard before he speaks next.
“What are you talking about, Honey? You certainly haven’t forgotten your friends after being apart for a bit, haven’t you?”
“I’m sorry. I- I really don’t remember you”
Eriks words make Eleven heart drop and cause his fear and panic to return. He pushes himself away from the thief, looking him up and down as if to see anything that indicated he was joking with them, that all of this merely was a jest to shock them a little. Some time of revenge for him having to find them instead of the other way around.
When he doesn’t find anything, his hands drop from Eriks shoulders to his sides and the thief gives him a confused look that slowly turns into one of apology.
“All I remember is waking up in the middle of nowhere.”, he continues, shifting a little now that Eleven wasn’t wrapped around him anymore, rubbing his arm as he obviously thought about what to say next. “I’m sorry I sneaked on your ship, but I- I haven’t eaten in days. I was just so hungry and- you said you know me, right? Maybe if I tag along I’ll remember?”
The words pulled the ground away under Eleven feet and his heart skipped a beat before pain settled in his chest, eating away at him. He wanted to sign something- anything - to make Erik remember who they were, to let him know just how important and close they had been and he had the desperate need to let him know about their adventures in hopes it would magically bring his memories back.
However, for all he knew Erik wouldn’t even understand what he was trying to tell him.
To think that he was forgotten all about what they’ve been through - all about him - made sickness curl into Eleven stomach and as he felt nauseous, he takes another step back, eyes filling with tears yet again.
He knew he was earning a few worried looks from his friends and maybe even Erik himself.
Eleven knew that, even if his heart was aching and his world once again threatened to break into pieces, he had to pull himself together, no matter how hard it may be. Yet, the way that the other had looked at him with no recognition, as if he was meeting eyes with a stranger, was tearing him apart - haunting him even. He had the sneaking suspicion it wouldn’t let him sleep, worry already causing his chest to tighten painfully.
“I- I promise not to be a burden.”, Erik says eventually, eyes jumping from Eleven to the rest of the group, looking like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself as he stood there in front of people he might have known at some point but were complete strangers to him now.
“Darling, don’t you worry. Of course we won’t just send you away.”, Sylvando chimes before anyone else can open their mouth. “I’m sure you will remember in no time. For now, how does a meal sound? I’m sure you’re incredibly hungry.”
At the mention of food, Eriks eyes lit up and his stomach churned and after a moment of hesitation he nods, the thankful and shy smile on his lips seeming so unfamiliar to Eleven.
Everyone seems happy with the idea of something to eat, he himself nodding when asked, trying to push the thoughts tugging and pulling at his heart and mind aside for now. After all, what mattered was that they had Erik back and that he was safe.
So even if he had to force himself to smile as they all pulled Erik on deck, he did.
Though, he knew there was a fear that would last, eat away at him at night.
What if Erik never remembered?