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It wasn’t doing anyone any good for them to wander around the darkness like this but still they could not help it. The darkness called to them and they yearned back for it. It was in their soul now, their very nature, to embrace the darkness now. And yet, somewhere deep in the recesses of their spirit, they also sought out the light. An endless yo-yoing of desires making them feel like a pulled string, ready to snap. They pulled up their hood and trudged onward, the din of Wandercrab not quite able to drown out the voice in their head.
Nor, even, the voice behind them. “It’s the best jazz bar you’ll ever see. Even you have to come out of that funk of yours, sometime,” Electric Eel Cookie was saying, “Come on, Ink Cloak Cookie, let’s get you out of here and somewhere nice. ‘Less you’re gonna run?” Abyss Monarch Cookie didn’t have to look to see the smirk on Eel’s face. They pulled their hood further over their face, intending on ignoring the jovial eel. “Oh, don’t be like that, Ink.” Electric Eel’s hand was already reaching for the shoulder in front of him, “you can’t run away from everything, you know.”
I am destined for solitude and yet you persist that I go with you? Abyss nearly snapped. It wouldn’t do any good. No matter how often they had pushed the other away, Electric Eel Cookie always came back. In a sense, it was actually comforting. It soothed the ache that missed the light, giving the deep sea monarch pause from time to time. Perhaps…no, it would be wise to maintain distance
The pair were now on the outskirts of town, gazing into the blackness of the ocean. Bits of rubbish from other, mysterious places, could still be seen, but nothing like Wandercrabs junk paradise. The corner of Abyss’s lip lifted, finding the irony in already missing the city despite their drive.
The warmth of Eel’s hand gave them a small start.
That Eel followed me the entire way?
The two stared out, Eel himself even looking mesmerized by the view before them. Abyss’s heart eased. No matter how the two differed, one light, one dark, it was a strange feeling knowing that both were also much the same. As Abyss longed for light despite their darkness, so to did the light energy filled Electric Eel Cookie find room to appreciate the cold depths of the sea. The Abyss Monarch felt no need to remove the hand on their shoulder. And so the two stood, enjoying a deep silence that only the dark sea could provide. Each providing the other companionship. It was Eel’s habit of befriending all, even if Abyss could make no sense of it for loneliness was their domain.
It was hard to say how long the pair stood, but eventually Abyss’s shoulder grew cold as Eel’s hand withdrew. They turned, finding Eel walking away, hands in his pockets, almost as if their moment never existed. Good, he should leave before darkness consumes him too. They mused on how if that was allowed, they could never forgive themselves. Wandercrab had become a beacon to those who were lost to the sea, Abyss couldn’t take that away from anyone, especially since the city and it’s patron, Eel, opened their arms to the deep sea monarch.
Perhaps…there could be a small light for me
Abyss turned their back to the darkness, returning to Wandercrab. It wasn’t long before they came across Eel, who had apparently stopped to wait, again smirking. Abyss’s eye twitched in annoyance but they would be lying if they didn’t appreciate the other’s waiting, even if it was done in sheer confidence. Arrogant Eel.
“So, I was saying, there’s this new jazz place. Should stop in and take a listen,” Eel was saying, not even phased by the events of the night. Abyss closed their eyes, offering no resistance and let Eel lead on.
Eel’s hand was back on their shoulder as Eel started praising this new place. The lights of Wandercrab, provided by yours truly, slowly came back into view. Abyss gazed at the lights, taking in their sparkle. Eventually, they turned to glance at Eel himself, finding violet eyes staring back. They blinked, but neither broke eye contact.
Eel smiled, his city’s lights making his eyes spark in electrified power. Abyss stopped, and there the two stood. Light and dark, gazing deep into each other, fulfilling each other’s need for the balance missing in each others’ existence. Was Eel even aware that he was staring into the darkness itself? It was a wonder to Abyss that Eel seemed ignorant of something so painfully obvious to the former regent of Sugarteara. Still, it eased their heart seeing the bright Eel staring so openly into the eyes of the cookie of the darkness.
“You know,” Eel said, a grin forming on his features, giving the already dynamic cookie an almost manic appearance. “You look pretty innocent for someone who’s stared into the darkness. This place’ll do that to you. It’s nice seeing you like that.”
Abyss Monarch blinked, surprised and turned his head. Again his lip twitched, a smile already trying to form even as they fought it back. Ah, sugar tea, Eel did it again. And just like that, any hint of the roiling storm inside Abyss was quelled. Looks like Eel knew well what he was doing.
In Wandercrab, one does not need to surrender to the dark.