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The sky was once blue.
At least, that was what Techno heard. He wasn’t sure just how much truth there was to that sentences. It was one of the many whispers that had spread throughout the camp that he was settled in. (They also said the water sparkled a pretty blue, and the air was ‘clear and fresh’)
Techno didn’t really think they were real at all. He was looking right at the sky and, staring at the fumes of orange that were spread throughout the air, accompanied by that constant smokey scent, there was just no way that the sky could be the light shade of blue the rumors had described it as.
It wasn’t as though it mattered, though. Techno was born into a war after all, and had never had the opportunity to live a life that he had read about in the few books that he had rummaged for in trash piles. The life he had lived was filled with smoke and loud bombs, running and hiding, searching and begging. And most importantly, it had been all on his own.
He can’t remember a time when he was with anyone. He had no family to speak of since he couldn’t even remember their faces or names. And if he couldn’t remember those, how on earth could he remember their traits?
No, Techno had no one he could call a family. He didn’t have anyone to call a friend really, either. He had spent his whole life trying to find a safe place to stay for the short time that he knew would run out eventually. He sometimes got lucky and was offered a place in a camp. But even then, he felt isolated. He never could bring himself to connect with the others. Not when he knew their time together would run out eventually.
…what was he talking about again?
Right, he was talking about how it didn’t matter what colour the sky really was. That wasn’t his priority. Surviving was his only priority.
Still…it would be nice to have someone that he could rant all these wild thoughts in his head to. It wouldn’t hurt to not have to be alone.
They say the night sky has stars.
Wilbur has asked the adults in the camp what they meant by that. That had earned him pitying looks from them all, something that annoyed him to no end. They did answer his question though, and he was fascinated.
"Stars," They said, with nostalgic eyes, "They're just balls of gases that burn in the middle of space. But when they burn, they burn so brightly. So brightly, in fact, that it gives the night sky the millions of twinkles it had,"
"And they decorate it so beautifully, enchanting people for as long as people existed. People created myths about them, crafting characters from the designs in the stars," Another had said.
They sounded wonderful. And Wilbur couldn't help but mournfully look at the dull sky he had instead. There were no twinkles to be seen, not a ray of light could penetrate through the smokey sky. The moon's reflected rays barely made it through.
What wouldn't he give to be able to see that sky, the one they told him about. But instead, he was stuck with this poor excuse of a thing.
So instead, he pestered the adults in the camp for more and more of the stupid myths that have come from the stars. They all sounded nonsensical, but they were all poetic in a way that Wilbur liked. Then once they ran out of those, he asked for more and more about the stars, and how they worked, until-
"A shooting star?" He asked, tilting his head, "What's that?"
The grown-up he was talking to chuckled, "Well, they're not technically stars. But people call them that since they shine just as bright as one,"
Wilbur leaned forward more, eyes curious, "And the shooting part?"
"Well, that's because they fly across the sky, through space. They only last for a few seconds though, and they're rare to see," The adult hummed, "Did you know? People used to wish on those shooting stars. And if you managed to wish on one in time, your wish would come true."
Wilbur really wished he could wish on a shooting star.
He started at the lonely tent that he had, knowing soon enough, this camp would be attacked as well. And that the adults he knew would soon be passing figures, if not corpses, he knew.
He wanted something more permanent. He had never got the chance to have that, and he so desperately wished for it. Just as the stars were permanent in the sky, for decades upon decades, he wanted something permanent of his own.
That was what Wilbur thought when he looked up at the night sky, closing his eyes and whispering his wish, the words only heard by the wind. Maybe there was a shooting star behind the smoke.
He hoped there was.
.
.
.
Techno still couldn't see the blue sky, but that didn't matter much. It didn't matter because he has met Wilbur.
Wilbur, who was as curious as the stars as Techno was about the blue sky in the daytime. Wilbur, who had apparently been one to pester the adult from his last camp into telling him myths that Techno ingrained into his memory. Wilbur, who wanted to see a 'shooting star'.
Wilbur, who declared Techno his 'twin brother'.
They hadn't known each for even that long, but Techno never denied the statement (though he never confirmed it either, much to Wilbur's chagrin. He didn't care what nicknames the brunet would call him either, as they snuck around their newest camp in search of anything interesting.
Wilbur was the first person to come into his life like this. It was rare that he ever met kids besides ones who were already under the protection of other grownups. And as they got to learn more and more about each other, Techno realised just how much he and Wilbur had in common. That they were both alone in a world that was stubborn to its core, aching to see the sky in its truest form.
Techno had these thoughts running through his mind as he lay beside Wilbur, staring up at the rather dull sky.
He felt the other nudge his shoulder, "Whatcha thinking about, king?"
He shifted his head to look at him, his own pink locks hindering his vision. He didn't bother moving them. It felt like too much of a pain to bother with it. Instead, he let out a huff, "Just about stuff,"
Wilbur noticeably raised an eyebrow at that, "Well, are you gonna elaborate on that?"
Techno chuckled, turning his head back towards the sky, "Did you just learn that word? 'Elaborate'?"
Wilbur grinned, even though he definitely knew that he was teasing him, nodding his head firmly, "I got it from one of those books on astronomy,"
"Glad those books could be of interest to you. I didn't really find them all that interesting though. I like your myths a lot more," It was true, he really did prefer the stories filled with monsters and heroes, though he liked the ones with the more flawed heroes a lot more.
"Mmm, I guess I just like knowing more about the stars," Wilbur's eyes turned back to focus on the black sky, his eyes dulling a bit, "I mean, it's probably the closest I'll get to ever seeing them in truth,"
"....When I get to see the blue sky, I want you to be there with me," Techno whispered, so soft that the others could barely hear him.
Wilbur turned back to him, "What?"
"You asked me what I was thinking," Techno explained, shrugging his shoulders, "I was thinking about how I want to see the blue sky with you,"
"...oh," Wilbur's eyes shimmered with tears, " oh,"
("You're such a crybaby,"
"Fuck off, fucking pig in a crown")
.
.
.
There was smoke everywhere.
Wherever Wilbur looked, there was smoke clouding his vision, the camo engulfed in flames. The enemy soldiers had found them, and they weren’t merciful at all. Not even when faced with children. They never were, but that didn’t make it any less painful to see. It didn’t make it hurt any less.
“Come on!” Techno yelled, tugging his arm, “We have to go!”
And Wilbur…Wilbur hesitated. He wanted to go with Techno, there was no question about that. They had moved out of so many camps together already, with only their bags and each other. But in all those times, he had never seen an attack as vicious as this. He had never had to hear the grownups he knew scream so loudly. He…He never had to see them be cut down right before his eyes.
He- He heard some loud noises in the middle of the night. It couldn’t have been the enemy soldiers though, the patrol had told them that it was fine. That the nearest camp of soldiers was a good few days away. But he can guess that they lied and left them in the middle of what was a massacre.
Wilbur wanted to go with Techno, but he was terrified. He didn’t know what was going on around them, not clearly, and that scared him so much. He didn’t want to move an inch at that moment.
And that was all it took. One small minuscule moment is all it took for everything to go so wrong.
He doesn’t even remember what exactly happened. Just that one minute he was looking back at wide ruby eyes before a bright light flooded his vision, rendering him temporarily blind. He crawled on the ground for purchase, hoping that he wasn’t about to be caught. That he wasn’t about to be-
He had promptly blacked out, his head throbbing from what must have been an explosion. And when his vision came back, slowly and (and a little painfully), he first realized that he was left behind in an empty camp, surrounded by corpses and ashes. It probably rained while he was unconscious because the ground smelt wet (and the awful smell of blood felt stronger than it was supposed to be). The second thing he realized was that Techno…Techno was gone.
He shouldn’t feel this upset. It was a life-or-death situation. Techno literally watched Wilbur get blown up, so it was fair if the other thought he was long dead. Wilbur should be happy that the pinkette ran away from a horrendous massacre.
….He really wanted to see the stars with him though.
.
.
.
It’s finally over.
Techno stares up at the sky, still the ugly shade of greyish-orange with his sword still in his hand. His attire was that of his own country’s army uniform, with bloodstains on nearly every part of it. There was even blood on his hands, and some smudged on his face that he tried his best to rub away.
He had done atrocious things, joining the army being the first of many. He had become numb to the sight of blood and corpses. He had stopped flinching at the sound of the bombs being set off. He had changed, and he knew it was for the worse.
But he couldn’t help it as he let out a pathetic laugh, dropping his weapon to clatter against the muddy ground, feeling the tension he had held in his body for so long finally seep out. He could tear apart this uniform and start anew again. He didn’t have to spend another day wondering how many lives he would have to take. After spending his whole life suffering from the consequences of a battle that was not even his own to fight, he could let go.
The war was finally over….
And he could maybe live to see the blue skies again-
“Hey, you!” A voice called out from the distance, “The pink hair fucker, yeah you!”
…Well, there goes the short-lived hope that he could start his retirement right away. It seems like there was a civilian who needed him for god knows what. Techno wishes he could just walk away and let someone else deal with this annoyance, but unfortunately, he was still a good person…he thinks.
With a sigh, he stood up straight and turned to the direction of where the voice was coming from, “Yeah, yeah, what do you need-”
He was cut off mid-sentence, arms coming to wrap around him as a heavy weight crashed into him, tackling Techno onto the hard dirt floor.
“Wha-” Techno pushed at the man that was still clinging onto him, annoyance only growing with every passing second, “Bruh, what the heck was that for? Why did you have to tackle me to the ground like a crazy person?”
The stranger paused at that, slowly pulling away from Techno to leave him still sprawled on the floor. Techno could only tilt his head with a silent question as he took in the man’s appearance. He didn’t look too out of shape and wasn’t hurt in any way that was obvious. The clothes he wore were slightly torn and old, but still usable. His fringes were covering his eyes, with the rest of his hair hidden beneath an old, ratty beanie….wait, he could recognize that beanie-
“Wilbur?” Techno whispered, eyes shining with recognition (and maybe just the smallest of tears)
Wilbur smiled at him, eyes bright as he kept his tight grip on Techno, “Took you long enough!”
“You’re alive,” Techno continued, his own hands trembling as he reached for Wilbur, “I thought- I thought you were dead-”
“I should be the one saying that!” Wilbur cut him off (again), glaring light-heartedly at the pinkette, “You went and joined the fucking army, you fucking-”
Techno could only smile back at him as his brother went on a rant about how stupid he was. He could finally see the blue skies with his brother.
.
.
.
The stars were just as beautiful as Wilbur thought they would be.
His arm was stretched out, reaching towards the sparkling night as he rested on the green grass. The flowers around him were bright and colorful, posing as a sight for anyone who came across them. It was these flowers that seemed to fascinate his brother to no end.
“I never thought you of all people would like flowers,” Wilbur said, turning his head to Techno who was knelt at a small group of yellow flowers (he could never remember the names of any of them,)
Techno let out a snort at that, eyes still fixated on the flowers he was picking, “Neither did I, but there’s just something about them…they feel peaceful to me. I guess that’s a bit of a comfort to me,”
“I would say that was stupid, but I think-” Wilbur’s eyes turn to stare at the twinkling stars again, “-that the stars are a comfort to me as well,”
“Well obviously,” Techno deadpanned, “We’ve been out for hours and you’re still staring at the sky. I get that it’s pretty and all, but haven’t you looked long enough?”
“Have you had enough of the blue sky?” Wilbur bluntly said, remembering how earlier that day when they had gone to the market, Techno stopped several times just to s=gaze at the fluffy clouds that filled the pretty blue sky.
“...I suppose you win this time,” Techno conceded, still plucking the flowers that filled the grass field.
Wilbur smirked at that, “I always win,”
They chose to sit in comfortable silence past that, only interrupted by the excited screeching that Wilbur let out at the sight of a shooting star flying across the sky. He was so busy screaming that he missed the chance to make a wish. (Techno wasn’t occupied though, making a silent request to that shooting star for him to be able to live like this with his twin forever,)
.
.
.
Wilbur finally got to share his stars with his brother.
Techno finally got to share the blue sky with his brother.
And the both of them were finally family again. (Though they both know they never stopped being family)