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It is at this moment that you are entrenched in darkness. You feel yourself sinking deeper. You don't know how long you’ve been here. Your legs and arms are numb, the sound of static is all you can hear. It's cold. A figure stood at a bridge, that figure was you. The smog of the city filled your lungs, didn’t it?
Surrounded by bustling streets you couldnt help but feel alone. You have always been alone. It is a fact of life, a fact you’ve gotten used to, but you’re tired arent you? Your grip on the railing is slipping. You jump. Your eyes droop as you surrender to the cold sea, You did not fight back as you felt yourself fading. But it is not the end for you. You will continue to do what you always have. Wake up.
You're dragged from the depths, their hands are warm, you think you hear a cry for help, faint footsteps rushing toward you. Then suddenly, light. The state of the universe rushing into you, your body split into shards and woven back together. You feel the sun inside of you pushing you to the next sunrise. You feel the air in your lungs, and you do what you always do; wake up.
Immediately you hack up water, gasping for air, barely managing to lose your delirium you look up to see two strangers in front of you, a blonde kid and a boy with goat horns. This is not normal. You notice a faint light from your chest begins to fade.“Hellooo?” The goat boy waves his hand in front of you as you try and process the situation. “Welcome back to the world big man.” The blondie next to him chimes in. You give him a confused look. Blondie scoffs before another kid chimes in. “We found you in the river while we were setting up camp, are you okay?” They have horns too, skin split into black and white as he towers over the three of you.
It’s sinking in that you are not in the city anymore. You are somewhere very different. In your core, you know that here, with these strangers you will have to make a choice. But not all decisions must be made quickly. “It’s fine you don’t have an answer.” the tall figure says. “I’m Ranboo, that is Tubbo, and our blond friend is Tommy.” He points to the goat kid and Blondie next to him. Tubbo helps you up, “Enough waiting around guys! There’s gonna be a meteor shower tonight!” Tommy gives a couple cheers in excitement, “I bet I could beat you two to the top of that hill” he adds, before immediately booking it. “YOU DIDN'T EVEN DO A COUNTDOWN CHEATER!” Tubbo screams before pulling you with him.You feel the air in your lungs and the grass beneath your feet as you run across the vast field around you. Each pebble, each blade of grass feels a little bit like heaven. Every step you take propels you closer to Tommy, a little closer to being alive, your heart is pounding in your chest, and you have never felt so young.
Tommy makes it to the crest of the hill just in time for Tubbo to yank him to the ground, crashing into you as you finally catch up to them.Your face eats dirt and all you can hear is the laughter ringing through the field. It is sweet and full of youth, you can't bring yourself to stop smiling. Tommy staggers up as Tubbo clings to him, “LET GO OF ME YOU B-”. Tubbo simply laughs and slaps his hand over Tommy's mouth before recoiling. “EWW DID YOU JUST LICK MY HAND,” Tubbo shrieks. “THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR MESSING WITH TOMMY DANGER KRAKEN THESEUS INNIT.” Tommy retorts. You turn to see Ranboo make their way up the hill to find Tommy and Tubbo wrestling WWE style.
It's at that moment, a feeling–akin to spring's first rain after the drought– a calm sweeps through the field. Awestruck, you look upon the night sky as it lights up in an ethereal glow. You see one by one as stars crash through the night sky, lighting it up in a kaleidoscope of color. The world seems to stop. Your friends watch in awe as the cosmos unite into a divine symphony of stars. The universe thrums through the four of you, watching as the heavens and the skies meet at their apex. Their zenith reaches an ephemeral light like no other. It is as if you have been watching for an eternity, and by gods are you okay with that.
Ranboo holds your hand out to cup the sky. It must be clear you don’t understand because you can hear a muffled snicker from Tommy. The vivid colors of the night sky surround you as the world isolates itself to just the four of you. All at once the meteors guide themselves to you as a star falls and draws itself to you. It shines within you and as it stays clutched to your chest. It is on this fallen star that you make a wish, a childish one. It slips past your lips as you utter it (as if it were sacred, as if they were the only words you knew).
“Please, let me stay.”
It rings throughout the vast universe, the stars shift, the grass stills, the lights dissipate as you breathe back into the summer sky. You feel your friends pull you into a hug as the star begins to fracture and break until all four of you are surrounded by a soft light. You think, no… you know you will never be able to return to your old life. But you are okay with that. Because you are not alone.
You feel the universe within you, its stars pulse and synchronize into a symphony of supernal truths. You lock eyes with at Ranboo as he whispers softly, “Ad astra per aspera, to the stars through difficulties.'' You can hear the rhythmic sounds of Tubbos' heart against your back, Tommy’s warm hands embracing you, the glimmer in Ranboo's eyes as they look upon you three–as if that is all he’s ever known.
They don't seem disappointed by that fact. Rather, he looks happy, content. You murmur his words back to him as if it might slip through your fingers. Because it is here, in a field, beneath the stars, you are surrounded by your friends. “Ad astra per aspera.” It is out here, in a field, worlds away from the city you knew, You are home. To the stars through difficulties, you are finally home.