Work Text:
Once, Twice, Thrice
You snatch the coin from the air, roll it across your knuckles before holding it forward. Standing before the favor tree for one final time. The universe looks down upon you and the wind blows still.
It had been roughly a week since you escaped the loops, you may or may not have been bed-ridden for a few of those days due to your craft sickness flaring back up. Heavily using crafts immediately after being told to not do such may not have been the best decision you’ve made, but it’s not like the alternative would’ve been any better.
…You still haven’t told your pa- family about what exactly happened when you went to see Loop that final time, by all means you probably should. You promised Loop that you’d communicate with them more after all, however how would you tell them?
The star they had met only a week prior, the one that led them through the house, to help them find you.
That this star was another you? One who never had someone like themself to lean on- to help them?
You meant what you said to Loop after all, if it weren’t for them, you likely would’ve given up so much sooner. You couldn’t be sure when, but to put up with thousands of loops of trying to beat the King? When you only just barely broke a hundred?
You couldn’t say you really blamed them for any of that.
You’re due to finally leave Dormont tomorrow, the Doctors in the House wanted to keep you for just a tiny bit longer to make sure your sickness wouldn’t flare up again- While you couldn’t be happier to leave, there’s always a part of you that you know will remain here.
Figuratively and literally in a sense. You never could find where your hat had been taken off to after all, the ghosts of yourself you had seen in the House. In some way, you doubt you’ll ever be able to fully move on from this.
…
The one thing you know now is the fact that at the very least, you aren’t alone. Mira, Isa, Bonnie, Odile. You have your family to hold you up for the foreseeable future.
You HAVE your future again.
And…
You hope that wherever Loop had ended up after they had faded away, wherever it may be… You hope that they aren’t alone there either. That they have someone to lean on to, even if it isn’t them.
One day, hopefully, you’ll get to see them again as well. You will be able to, won’t you?
Either way, you came here for a reason and there’s likely not much time left before the others notice that you’re gone, so…
You pick up a leaf as you once did what feels like ages ago, whisper a message into it as many times as it takes, and let it go.
The breeze picks up, carrying the leaf away in the wind. With that, you turn and make your way back to the clock tower.
You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow after all, may as well try and get some sleep to make up for the lack of it you have gotten recently.