Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

~

"Get ready for the greatest tournament of all time!" announced a young boy to the camcorder he proudly held before him.
"Courtesy of yours truly!" he grinned, pointing at himself with a tiny finger only barely emerging from a long, red sleeve.
"You know me, you love me, drumroll please..." he began, quickly running on the spot to imitate a drumroll.
"It's-"

"Roby!" boomed a furious voice from down the hallway.

The boy gasped and quickly ended the recording.

"Yeah?!" he called, the camcorder beginning to tremble in his sleeved hands.

"In here! Now!" the voice commanded.

With silent footsteps, Roby cautiously made his way across the vast hall, all the way down to the door which the yelling came from. He slowly opened the door, which let out a creak that pierced his ears.

"Uncle...?" he muttered, stepping through the consistently organised bedroom and towards the desk where his uncle sat, his back turned away from him and towards his work.

Or, at least, what was supposed to be his work.

"Roby," he began, standing up...

"...Yeah?"

"What is this?!" he snapped, sharply turning to look down at him, displaying a page in his ledger.

Recognising what he was being shown, Roby happily explained what he'd made.

"It's me and you!" he answered, pointing at a crayon drawing of a little boy holding hands with a taller, older man, both smiling.
"I ran out of my own paper," he explained.

However, his uncle was clearly less than pleased. He snapped the book shut.

"So you vandalised my-..."

Suddenly, he took a closer look at his nephew.

"What are you wearing?!" he demanded, scaring the poor boy into hiding his face in his hands as the camcorder fell to the floor.

"Daddy said I could play in them!" Roby pleaded.

"Your father should know that our ancestor's robes aren't a costume! What would Roake think if he were alive to see you disrespecting his vestments like this?!"

"Maybe he'd-"

"Quiet! It's clear that you know nothing about honour. You vandalise the ledger with your-"

"But I used an empty page!" he justified in a quivering voice.

"Don't argue with me! You vandalise the ledger, and you do so dressed like that! This is no way a future tournament host ought to behave!" he scolded.

"But-"

"Silence! Before I send you to your room for the fifth time this week! All you've done is mess things up, and now you're making a mockery of our tradition! I'm very disappointed in you, Roby."

"I- I'm sorry, I..." he breathed, trying to take a step back. Eyes widening, he looked down and tried frantically to move his feet, but to no avail.

All of a sudden, the room began to darken as a low growl was heard. What Roby saw upon turning his head was a shadow, dark as ink, in the shape of a monstrous tiger creeping closer.

Unable to escape or turn away, his breaths quickly went from short and shallow to deep and dreadful the closer the shadow drew.

Eventually, with tears streaming down his face, the child unleashed an earth-shaking, hysterical scream...

...just as Roby's eyes snapped open. He flung himself up into a sitting position, seizing as much air as possible.

Though he'd escaped that 'memory', in that moment he felt just as little as he did while he was asleep.

His hands felt nearly microscopic as they frantically scrambled across his bed, rigorously burrowing under each of the several blankets and pillows, such that although he was sitting in almost total darkness, he could tell that his bed had begun to resemble a nest of sorts. However, it became clear to him, given the birdsong outside, that he didn't need his phone to know it was the morning. The early hours, to be exact, he figured from the darkness of his bedroom.

Such darkness, however, only served as a reminder of his nightmare. His eyes began to cling to the fairy lights strung in his room. Around his mirror, around his posters, and circling the base of his bed. Those were the only things reminding him that there was no need to be afraid anymore.

He couldn't recall the last time he changed all their batteries.

They were still glowing. They would surely be fine for a little longer, right?

And even if they did go out, there'd be nothing scary about total darkness, anyway.

Nothing scary about shadows.

But, he thought that maybe he should replenish them just in case.

But darkness had always been there, and he'd never been scared of it before, even as a young child.

He never used to be so desperate to keep the shadows away.

He never used to think the dark could hurt him.

He never used to be afraid of something he'd known all his life.

He laid back down and stargazed at the stickers on his ceiling that glowed in the dark as his chest continued to rise and fall.

But no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't fall back asleep.

And he didn't want to.

~

Chapter Text

~

'Dear Diary,' he wrote, his words taking the form of shimmering purple ink that sparkled in the golden sunlight which was beginning to flood the room from the window behind him. He still had yet to leave his bed.

'okay I kinda wanna stop opening like that. I mean it's just kinda it's just that with my 16th birthday almost here, I feel like i out ought 2 grow up a little. anyway I had another nightmare again. i've been getting a lot since my uncle tried to'

Why'd it feel that way?

Why couldn't he just say it for what it was?

Why was it all so weird to put down on paper?

'after what happened. their They're like stuff that happened when I was a kid, only scarier for some reason. don't like them. at all.' he scribed, droopy-eyed.

'I couldn't get back to sleep, but now I'm kinda wishing I did. Geo's meant 2 be coming today 4 a commission and i don't wanna be falling asleep right next to him as he works. What if it looks super duper rude on me? i'll just have 2 brave it and stay awake. I guess.'

'Love, Roby' he concluded, adding a heart on the end.

~

Chapter Text

~

Roby's days at home had changed drastically. All of a sudden, he was allowed his phone at the table, he could decide all the meals, and he could rollerskate indoors without anyone telling him otherwise. He never had to reason with anyone, as there was no-one to reason with. It was almost exactly like how he'd imagined it when he was younger.

Almost.

It was now much later in the morning, almost midday, and his day had long since been underway. He'd clearly managed to adopt a stable routine for himself. His bedroom was tidy, he was dressed and wide awake, and he'd had something to eat. He was ready to meet Geo at the museum. Strangely, it wasn't much like this before his parents retired and left him with Bleckt.

As he rolled out of his room on his skates, he shut the door quietly behind him. For a few moments, his glide down the hallway was calm. However, as he was about to pass a certain door, it wasn't only his vibrant, red and yellow skates that began to accelerate, but his own heart-rate as well.

As it turned out, the very hallway he was in was the same one from his dream.

And he knew all too well who was behind that door.

Bracing himself, he sped to the end of the hall where next to the staircase as old as the place itself, there stood an elevator which was clearly a newer addition. Of course, he had to use that as his way to the ground floor. To take the stairs would only be inconvenient.

As he came to a stop in that metal box, he watched the hallway disappear behind the doors. But still, he felt a sting in his heart.

Over what?

Over what?

...Why would he take the staircase? He had skates on! Who cared if the stairs were old and reliable and had been there from the start?

They could have been dangerous.

After all, the lift was harmless. It was only a new fixture. A renovation. A change made for the better.

So then, why was he feeling so strongly about such a trivial matter?

He avoided that staircase for his own safety.

He always did when he had his skates on.

He always knew that he was allowed to avoid things that put him in danger.

~

"It's quiet 'round here, isn't it?" noticed Geo, knelt with his head down, working on a sculpture. His visits to the city had become rather frequent since the tournament. He found that Roby had a lot of ideas for the museum, and that he was more than willing to pay good money to bring them to life.

"Pretty quiet, yeah," responded Roby, sitting on the floor next to him. Though his eyes were on his phone, he found himself paying almost all his attention to his conversation with Geo.
"But you should've seen it right after the tournament! The whole place was packed with tourists! But I guess the trend fell off quickly, as they tend to," he commented, his thumb and index finger twirling around one of the beads on his phone charm, which was adorned with yellow stars and various shades of red and pink. There was a gentle rattle as he played with it.

"Eh, I've never really been one for huge crowds. I can understand if it's a big event like the tournament, but I couldn't deal with it every day even if I tried!" he admitted with a chuckle.

"When it's what you've been waiting for all your life, you kinda get used to it super quickly. But then before you know it, things go back to normal. But then 'normal' doesn't feel normal anymore, y'know?" he suggested, glancing up at the almost empty museum.

"You startin' to miss the hustle and bustle of it all already?"

"A little..." he began, "...but it's also more-..."

Silence followed, causing Geo to lift his head. He saw that Roby's eyes had shifted down to the floor.
"...More what?" he asked, his voice softening slightly.

Roby briefly shook his head, "Nothing, nothing. Don't worry about it."

But in his mind, Geo questioned whether or not it was really "nothing". Roby didn't seem quite like how he was during the games. Still, who was he to pry?

His eyes widened a little when his attention was drawn to the beads on Roby's phone.
"Did you make that?" he asked.

"Yeah, a few days ago... I was just bored," he told him, turning away with a light blush on his cheeks.

Geo looked over it for a moment. His eyes traced over every bead and every star, including all the ones that didn't quite match. He smiled.
"It's beautiful," he commented.

"It is?" Roby asked, turning towards him again.

"Of course it is."

Roby looked at the charm, and then at Geo.
"Thanks," he smiled meekly.

But as Geo saw Roby's face, his smile faded; he couldn't shake the thought that something was wrong. It clung to his mind like a child to a parent. For a second, he let his mind take control of his face, and he adopted a concerned expression.

"What's wrong, Geo?"
Roby's face seemed to have done the same.

"...You sure everything's alright, kid? I don't wanna pry, but you were so different not too long ago. You've not been so loud, and you've not been using all those made-up words you like," he noticed.

"It's okay. I'm just not used to the quietness, or all the work I'm in charge of now. I mean, I'm on top of it, sure, but... I dunno, it's just very... adult-y. Does that make sense?" he confessed as he looked up at him.

"It makes perfect sense to me."

"Don't get me wrong, I knew what I was getting into with all this Master-of-Ceremonies stuff, but..." - his eyes turned to the floor - "...I guess I didn't realise I'd be doing it so... independently," he hesitated.

"That's alright. It can take a long time to adjust to change. Heck, we've all had to adjust to the merge!" Geo recalled, before his voice dropped a little.
"And... it can be even harder for the kids. Our two little ones back home were lost before they found us. They left their old homes. I can't imagine what the start of the merge must've been like for them all alone, without a grown-up..."

Upon hearing the last few words, Roby looked up.

Geo continued, "But enough about me. Point is, you'll find your footing soon enough. Nobody's expecting you to get everything perfect straight away," he comforted with a smile.

"Really?" he sighed.

"Well, I know I'm not," Geo told him, before realising what he'd said.
"Not that I don't believe in you! I do! But-"

"Don't worry, I get what you mean," Roby understood, now smiling with his braces showing.
"Thanks, Geo."

"No problem, kid. If you need to talk about anything, well... I can't say I'll give perfect advice, but I'll listen."

"You- you will?" he stammered.
"I- I mean, thanks."

The two exchanged a smile, and Geo returned to his work. Meanwhile, Roby found himself gazing up at nothing in particular, all while those last words of Geo's echoed in his mind. They seemed to reverberate on the walls of his skull before settling down into his heart. It was a kind of feeling he thought he knew, but didn't recognise.

His eyes began to wander around the museum walls. Specifically at the paintings. Those of his family, to be exact. His gaze moved from portrait to portrait of ancestor to ancestor, before he eventually locked eyes with a painting of his father: a young man, dressed in the robes of Roake. He looked only a little older than Roby himself; it must've been painted when he first inherited the tournament. The robes in particular looked noticeably loose on him, just like how they were on Roby. The next depiction was one of the same man, only noticeably older, evident by longer hair and a beard. He wore those same vestments, though this time they looked like a perfect fit. He stood next to a familiar woman, one with a proud posture. His father had his forearm held out, on which she'd laid her hand. That lady would later become his mother.

After that was another picture of someone else he knew.

He quickly skipped past it.

In the final image he looked at, there stood his father once more, along with his mother. In her arms was a child. A child who relentlessly complained about having to stay still for so long during the painting process, something he continued to do as the years went on. He'd question and question why they couldn't just take a photo, only to be given lecture after lecture about honour and tradition by none other than the final person in the painting.

It was the same man who was featured in the one Roby ignored.

As he gazed at that portrait of him and his family, Geo's words repeated once more in his brain. Particularly the final two, "I'll listen."

And all of a sudden, he was a little boy again, telling his mother, "I don't like Uncle Bleckt. He always yells at me. It's kinda scary."

Only to be told, "Oh, don't be silly. He's only disciplining you. It's because he loves you."

And the more he stared at that portrait, the blurrier it became. Suddenly, his throat ached too. But he swallowed that lump quickly, and blinked until his vision was clear again.

He finally turned away, and he shuffled a little closer to Geo.

~

Chapter Text

~

'Dear Diary (i guess.),'

By now, the day was long over. Roby was in bed once more, his room lit up by those fairy lights, now with new batteries.

'I spent my whole day sat next 2 Geo as he did a commission. i wasn't planning on being there the whole day, but once he started talking to me, I really didn't want to go. Dunno why. It's weird. But he's nice. i told him a little bit about how I was feeling and stuff, and he was sweet. he was kind and all that. He was warm. I think. That word just feels right. He complimented my phone charm too. I think next time he comes i'll show him some of my drawings cuz we both like art. I kinda didn't even want him to leave!! but I know he had to anyway. i missed him as soon as he left tho. for some reason??? but yeah. 2day was okay I guess. because of Geo, I think. anyway those 4 hours of sleep are finally catching up 2 me. i gotta go!!!!'

'Love, Roby'

~

And that night, it all went away for just a little while. That night, the dark wasn't so scary. That night, there was no nightmare.

He didn't really understand why, but he was just happy to have some peace.

~

Chapter Text

~

Though his peace didn't last through to the morning, it was what lingered in his mind for the next few days.

As he woke again to an empty home, he longed for peace.

As he roamed the streets he once did with his uncle, he longed for peace.

As he sat in the office opposite an empty desk, his eyes avoiding that rotary phone like a plague, he longed for peace.

And for the next few days, he had no visitors.

He was alone again, just like that.

He'd tasted something new. Something sweet. Something soft. And without it, he starved.

In fact, since that conversation with Geo, his hunger had worsened from before.

At least before, he didn't know what he was missing out on.

And he'd constantly find himself wondering, "Maybe I'm just missing Mom and Dad?"

But what he wanted was something they'd never fed him before.

Before he knew it, he found himself skating down to the museum one evening and reflecting on those paintings once more.

His view stuck to the faces of his parents. Faces that he felt he didn't see quite enough. It made sense though, didn't it? They were constantly busy with their work. Even shared between them both, it took up a lot of time.

...But, who was the one that stayed with him?

Who was the one that kept him in his place?

Who was the one that had always been there?

His focus slowly shifted to that portrait he dismissed a few days prior. He locked eyes with the man depicted. He swallowed his fear. He steadied his breaths.

In his mind, he told himself that he was the one to thank.

He told himself that he needed this person.

He told himself that he loved this person...

...and that he loved him.

Otherwise, why would he have looked after him?

His mother was right; he was only trying to discipline him. And he was so good at it too! He did it all the time! It was so clear that he cared for him so much! Right?

...Right?

After all, if his chastising and scolding and yelling was only discipline, he must've been excellent at it.

Even the last time he saw him before his arrest.

All those horrible words that cut through him were only discipline.

Even if they still hurt to remember, even if the pain was enough to fill his eyes with tears all over again, even weeks later, they were only discipline.

He was looking at a man that loved him, he told himself, over and over and over again.

With each internal repetition of the statement, his heart-rate began to quicken and his breaths strived to catch up to it. Tears had joined the race too, it seemed, as they rushed to the corners of his eyes, on the verge of escape, until...

"There he is!" someone whisper-shouted from afar. It was a voice he recognised very well by this point.

Roby instantly dried his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"Go on, then!" encouraged another voice he was familiar with. Silence followed. The second voice spoke once more with a sigh, "Come on, you're really-"

"It's not my fault! He has this weird ability to turn my voice silent! I told you we should've let him know we were-"

"I told you that!"

Gradually, the two voices grew closer.

"Really? It was a pretty good idea, so I just assumed it was me."

"Whatever. Just- oh, you're hiding now? Yeah, I'm sure he definitely won't see you even though you're right behind me," laughed one.

Roby tried to suppress a smile, but to no avail. Beaming, he turned around to face them. His grin grew wider at the sight of Wyldfyre's poor attempt at obscuring herself behind Kai, who seemed to be trying not to laugh himself.

Kai opened his mouth to speak, but Roby leaned to the side as Wyldfyre peeked her head over Kai's shoulder. He waved at her before making claws with his hands and snarling quietly, under the impression that she was feeling shy. However, Wyldfyre returned with a much louder roar, and Kai winced as she dug her nails into his arm.

"Oh, now you wanna do the talking?" Kai complained.

She accidentally looked Roby in the eyes, however, and promptly recoiled behind him again with a squeak.

"Okay..." he sighed.
"She's not normally like this," he clarified.

"I wasn't expecting visitors," Roby remarked.

"Yeah, we probably should've let you know we were coming. Sorry about that," he apologised.
"But Wyldfyre was really excited when Lloyd brought up this idea, weren't you?" he teased, glancing at her behind him as she nodded.
"We wanted to see if you were able to come and join us at the monastery tonight, for dinner. Now, I know what you're thinking: short notice, probably already eaten, blah blah blah. However," he began with a finger in the air, before lowering it again, "...yeah, don't worry about it. We can do another day."

"Wait, really?" he questioned, eyes widening.

"Yeah! We'd love to have you over!"

"...You would?"

"Yeah, is..." - his eyes rose from Roby's face to the man in the paiting behind him - "...is everything-... how are you holding up, kid?" he asked, his voice softening.

"It's..." he began, suddenly unwilling to face that man again now that these two had arrived.
"I-I'll be fine," he insisted, trying to smile at Wyldfyre, though she only looked back at him with a concerned look before leaving her hiding spot to speak to him.

"I don't think family's supposed to do stuff like what he did. I know Heatwave would never, and Kai would never," she voiced, now standing close to Roby.
"Why do you still have his painting up anyway?" she protested, glaring up at said painting.

"Because he-..." he hesitated, "...well, a museum's all about honouring the past," he insisted in a trembling voice, before Kai spoke up.

"There's nothing honourable about what he did to you."

Roby meekly hung his head as the words sunk in, only to drown under a relentless flood of questions in his head.

Then why did he need it to remain up so badly?

Why was his uncle so insistent on respect and honour if he didn't act like he respected Roby at all?

But he did, didn't he?

He looked after him, didn't he?

He cared, didn't he?

"We-" Kai voiced, "we can do another day, if you-"

"No!" insisted Roby, correcting his posture so suddenly that he almost lost his balance on his skates.
"Today's fine! Please... I- I mean, I insist. I'd really like to, if that's okay..."
It felt like the words took the first chance they had to escape.

"You sure...?" he asked, noticing how Roby's face had acquired a red tint, and how he seemed to shudder for just a moment.

Roby's response was wordless, instead he swiftly nodded his head, having dragged his lips up into a grin.

As for Wyldfyre, as much as her face smiled, her mind seemed to have forgotten excitement. It was a feeling that left her confused and frustrated. Frantically, she searched for something to say to make it go away.
"...Great!" she grinned, "I'll... I'll race you to the-"

As soon as he heard the word "race", Roby's eyes lit up and he immediately dashed ahead.

"Hey! Your shoes have wheels on them! That's unfair!" she laughed, following behind him.
"You didn't even let me finish!"

Kai, having yet to follow the two, watched them speed away and let out a sigh, almost to reassure himself. Still, he glanced back up at that portrait one last time before taking his leave.

His motivation for the night had gone from having a laid-back evening as a family to providing Roby with at least a little bit of peace.

~

Chapter Text

~

"Are you sure there's nothing I could help with?" offered Roby, stood timidly in the doorway.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Kai insisted, taking the last few cups into the kitchen.
"There's normally like," - he stopped in his tracks and began silently counting on his fingers, mouthing various names as he did - "...nine? Nine of us here anyway. I think."

"Nine? You all live together here?" Roby questioned.

"Not Cole," Kai told him, tilting his head towards the kitchen, from which running water could be heard.
"Why? How many people are you living with?"

"It's just me at home now," Roby admitted.

"Really? Just you?" he echoed, noticing Roby's head tilt downwards slightly.

Roby nodded.
"And even before my parents retired, it was just me, them, and..."

"...Your uncle, yeah..."

"I... I think I'm gonna go find the others now, if that's okay."

"Course it is! Let us know if you need anything, alright?"

Roby left wordlessly, only with a nod. Kai spent a moment simply staring at the empty doorway before returning to the kitchen.

"Okay," Kai sighed, approaching the sink where Cole had taken it upon himself to wash the dishes. He flinched as what Kai was holding fell into the water with a splash.
"This kid, man..." he added, now stood next to him drying what had been cleaned.

"Before I left, Geo told me to check up on him," Cole told him, keeping his head down.
"As if I'd need to, really. I mean, look at him."

"Yeah, when Wyldfyre first introduced me to him, he was different. But then little by little, he became more... like this. I dunno, I'm just... I'm starting to really worry about him," he confided, his voice barely audible over the running water.

"I think we all are. Let's remember that his own uncle tried to have him killed, and we don't even know when or if his parents are coming back."

"Yeah, that's..."
"...That's gonna do some damage."
As he continued to speak, his words gradually grew louder, "I- I mean, his parents aren't there, he's got no siblings, so he's living alone, this fifteen-year-old kid almost died and he has nobody to turn to!" he eneded up yelling.
"That's what it is! I swear, when I find his parents - and I will find them - I'll-"

"Kai."

He turned abruptly to face Cole, who was now looking at him. He remained silent, as he continued.

"Let's just focus on being the people he can turn to, alright? When he's ready," he suggested.

"...Yeah," Kai agreed, his volume having returned to a calmer one.
"Yeah, you're right."

~

In Wyldfyre's hands was a book with a cover that read Roby's name in shiny letters, surrounded by all kinds of stickers depicting all kinds of shapes in all kinds of colours. Even without the name on the front, she'd easily be able to tell who it belonged to. It was bright, fun, bold...

And she was drawn to it like a moth to a lightbulb. The triumphant voices of Sora and Frak playing a game in front of her began to fade, and so did the bright lights on the screen. However, her hand hadn't even touched the pages when she heard Arin next to her.

"Um, Wyldfyre? I don't think you should-"

"I know! I know," she insisted, swiftly discarding it beside her.
"I was only... keeping it safe! For him. It was just sitting here! On the couch! Out in the open for anyone to just open it and go snooping and read it and see what's been going on with him and find out what the matter is, and-"

"Wyldfyre," he began, softening his voice.
"We're all worried. But it's rude to just invade his privacy, even if you think it's gonna help."

Her face dropped.
"I know... I know, I know I know..." she muttered, bringing her knees up to her chin.
"I know what's wrong, we all know what's wrong, but Roby's not Roby anymore..." she told him. It was the quietest Arin had ever heard her speak. The other two couldn't hear them at all.

"Well, Bleckt was his family. Wyldfyre, how much do you trust Heatwave?"

"More than anything in the entire world."

"That's how Roby must've felt towards Bleckt. And then look at what Bleckt did."

Though she remained quiet, there was a profound rage in her voice when she spoke again.
"He... he didn't just break Roby's trust, he stole it, and tore it into a million pieces, and burnt it to dust, and threw that dust right into his face and watched him cough and sneeze and choke."

"I couldn't have put it better my-"

"When I find that guy I am telling you now-"

"Wyldfyre."

"...Sorry..."

"Threats aren't going to make Roby himself again."

"I... I guess..." she admitted.
"Where is he, anyway?"

"He might've gotten lost. You wanna go look for-"

They both perked up when they heard Frak gleefully announce the name of who they were just about to look for. He'd quietly entered the room without either one of them noticing.

"Hey, you wanna give this a try? I think I'm finished," offered Frak, extending out an arm with a controller in hand as Roby came up to the group.

"You're getting finished alright!" jabbed Sora.
"I've been absolutely destroying him for the past five or so rounds," she told him.

"I'm good," Roby insisted, taking a seat next to Wyldfyre where there was practically no empty space between them. He was now holding that book she noticed earlier. Holding on to it was all he could really do, since he'd grabbed it in a hurry before leaving and failed to remember anything to write with.

Frak passed the controller over to Arin, who had decided to give it a try instead. And Roby couldn't exactly tell how much time was passing from then on. Soon enough, he'd forgotten what it felt like to open his mouth, his eyes had began to sting from gazing ahead at the screen, and the conversation happening around him had transformed into white noise.

Sometimes, he'd hear his name, and the noise would go silent, before resuming again.

At one point, a warm hand had appeared on his shoulder, and although it never left, it blended into the background just like everything else.

He wanted to have fun, he really did. But it was slowly becoming more and more difficult to for the past few weeks.

And at that point, it seemed almost impossible.

That's when he thought to himself, making a tiny, seemingly harmless suggestion...

...maybe he should go home.

For some reason though, the thought alone was enough to quicken his heartbeat.

But he didn't know why.

He lives at home.

Home is... well, home.

As the saying went, home is where...

...

...Roby's home felt like such an exception to that phrase.

Mindlessly, he turned his head toward the doorway, the hallway's soft, warm light being a welcome change from the piercing light of the screen.

That's when someone was about to pass by.

Walking past the room, Kai turned his head to face the people inside. He smiled for a moment, before catching Roby's expression. Trying to maintain his grin, he mouthed 'You okay?' and sheepishly lifted a thumbs-up.

Roby shook his head.

Kai's smile quickly dropped. Then, he briefly tilted his head out into the hallway and looked back at him with a questioning yet patient glance.

Roby suddenly remembered what he'd been told earlier, that he should let Kai know if he needed anything.

He nodded his head, and left the room to join him in the hallway.

The other four saw him leave, and all exchanged a glance of obvious concern. From then on, they spoke quietly about him.

~

"Come on," Kai whispered, gently guiding Roby outside, where they then sat on the front steps.

There was a gentle, refreshing breeze. The stars had started to come out, and the sun had almost set, leaving the sky a deep purple.

"I wanna help you out, okay?" Kai told him, keeping his voice soft.
"Is there anything I can do? You want me to take you home or-"

"No..." Roby breathed.
"I-... I don't wanna go home..."
His head fell into his hands.
"I don't wanna go home..." he repeated, starting to tremble.
"I don't wanna be alone again, even though it's like he's still there and I-... I want him to go away... but he won't... he won't go away, he's still at home, I can't go home..." he sobbed.

"Roby, he's-... listen, it might take a while to realise it, but he's gone. Okay?" he reassured.

"I know, but... I'm still just as afraid as I would be if he was still there..."

"Hey, I'll promise you this: no matter how scary back home might be, he's not here. He'll never be here. Do you know that?"

"Yeah..." he sniffed.

"You know you're safe here?"

"Yeah."

"Would it make you feel better if you stayed here for a while?" he offered, as Roby lifted his head and dried his eyes with his sleeve.

"I- I would but... I've got stuff to do back in the city. Work, and stuff... I wish I wasn't so busy, then I'd come here way more often," he mentioned, his voice quivering.
"It's way more like a home than home is..."

"Oh, kid..." Kai sighed, his own eyes tearing up a little as he looked at the boy sat next to him. The boy who, as far as he was concerned, had no family left.

Roby looked back at him. What he saw was someone who cared. Someone who he knew wouldn't hurt him. Someone who he could trust.

All of a sudden, he threw his arms around Kai and clung to him like he'd disappear if he let go. And when Kai chose to hold onto him, Roby felt something like what he'd felt with Geo during their seemingly insignificant conversation a few days ago. He was given exactly what he didn't even know he'd been wanting for years.

And he still couldn't name it just yet.

But, just for those moments, he felt that was alright.

All he knew was that it was something Geo could give to him, and it was something Kai could give to him.

Kai was honest.

Kai was understanding.

Kai was trustworthy.

Those traits made for a kind of person Roby had never really come across before.

But it was a kind of person he knew he needed.

"Can I stay just for the night?" Roby asked quietly.

"Of course you can. When you do go home though, are you sure you'll be okay all on your own?" he worried.

"Um... I- I dunno..."

"I'll tell you what: Wyldfyre and I could stay with you in the city for as long as you need. Is that okay with you, or would that not help?"

"I think it'd help a lot."

"Okay. I'm sure she'd love to, anyway."

"Thank you, Kai... thank you so much..."

"Anytime, kid."

~

Chapter Text

~

Dear

I'm in the office right now. not easy to focus. but. i'm my own boss, so who cares? nobody can te

He glanced up to the empty desk opposite him, though he lowered his head again just as soon as he did.

Yesterday was

Not so good :/

IDK it was just a lot. i guess.

I was

looking at the paintings in the museum. And I saw one of

Then Kai and Wyfy showed up, and I went with them to the monastery for dinner.

I really liked it there but I still didn't have a very good time. it's weird.

i cried a little bit

good news is i'm not all alone here anymore. kai and wyfy came back with me this morning. they're staying with me until i for a while.

Once more, he looked up from his diary. This time, his eyes stuck to the space before him once filled, but now empty. His stare clung to the phone. Then abruptly, he withdrew his gaze again.

i really should get back to my stuff now

The words hurried out of his pen. He shut the book.

~

Chapter Text

~

Something unusual happened that day.

Roby came back home to food already on the table.

Another unusual thing: having a pleasant conversation over the table.

Talking with Kai and Wyldfyre was almost nothing like talking to his family. It suddenly became clear to him that he rarely spoke with them, rather to them. At them.

But talking with someone that cared? Over dinner?

Talking with Kai?

Kai was attentive.

Kai was thoughtful.

Kai was caring.

...He'd tasted it again. That thing that he didn't even know he was craving until recently.

Whatever it was, it was making him smile all the way through dinner.

And for the rest of the evening, he smiled.

And as he laid down and shut his eyes, he felt peaceful once more, but...

...

It was clear things were only a small step closer to truly feeling better again.

All of a sudden, he was little again. All of a sudden, he was in the corridor once more. And all of a sudden, there was Kai. There was Geo.

Like a magnet, he was drawn to them. And so, to them he bolted. Like his life depended on it, but also in the most joyful way imaginable.

His grin had continued into his dreams, it seemed. And he outstretched his arms. Ran faster than he ever could in real life. All just to get to them.

Then, he paused abruptly. Turned around.

At the other end of the hallway, right next to that old staircase, was his uncle.

Breath quickening, he watched himself walk back. Back to his uncle. Away from Kai. Away from Geo. It was as though he was on strings. He so desperately wanted to cry out, "No! I like Kai and Geo! I wanna be with them!" but his lips were sealed shut. And he could feel no emotion on his face.

Eventually, his uncle seized his hand and led him down the stairs, then all the way outside into the shockingly freezing air.

Roby wanted to say, "Uncle Bleckt, I'm cold..." and yet, nothing.

As they walked, his uncle's grip on his hand tightened.

"Uncle Bleckt, that hurts," he wanted to say.

Nothing.

He'd led him to the office.

The floor seemed to have opened behind Bleckt's desk.

As Roby stared down at what looked to be an abyss, he didn't know why but he told himself in his mind: "Don't look at him. Don't turn your head. Don't say a thing."

"Uncle-..." he began.

Gasping for air, he swiftly opened his eyes.

Not even giving himself a chance to wake up, he got up and took his keys from his desk, strapped on his skates, disregarding the ridiculous hour of the night it was and the fact that he was still in pyjamas.

He made his way to the end of the hallway as slowly as possible, to reduce noise. And without thought, he mistakenly took the stairs, having to walk down on his skates' stoppers. Several times, he stumbled.

As soon as he was out of the building, he was set on making it to the office through the lit-up streets. And as he shot through the city, he panted, gasped, and sobbed all at the same time.

At the office door, he dizzily fumbled through his keys until finding the correct one; it was almost impossible to tell, given the tears blurring his eyes.

Inside, he frantically switched on the first light he thought of: the pink, neon sign that read his own name.

And there it was, on his uncle's desk. Two things, in fact: the ledger, and that rotary phone.

That phone.

He knew what it led to, he just hadn't seen for himself.

He...

He didn't need to, did he?

He didn't need to.

There didn't need to be anything down there.

He tentatively approached it.

But there was nothing down there.

His blood ran cold.

There was nothing down there.

With a trembling hand, he almost...

There was nothing down there.

There was nothing down there.

But what about the ledger?

There was nothing in the ledger.

There was nothing in the ledger.

There was nothing in the ledger.

He left.

He returned home.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

...

Why would he be afraid of Bleckt?

He knew best, didn't he?

It was only right for Roby to leave his things alone.

There was nothing terrifying, nothing haunting or awful about Bleckt.

Bleckt loved him.

~

Chapter Text

~

i cant sleep

im so sorry im sorry i

~

Chapter Text

~

His diary remained open on his bed.

It remained untouched.

Even through to the early hours, Roby remained wide awake.

Bleckt often scolded him for being up late.

But it was just impossible for Roby to fall asleep again.

By now, peace was impossible.

He simply didn't deserve it at this point, he decided.

It was his own fault though, he figured.

If only he'd kept himself out of business that wasn't his.

If only he'd just moved on already.

He never was so good at keeping to himself, anyway.

Always a handful.

Always curious.

Always all over the place.

Never quiet.

Never easy.

Never normal.

But it was okay, because Bleckt disciplined him.

Every time he yelled, that was discipline.

It was the only way to get Roby to listen.

Every time he scolded, that was discipline.

He always needed to be told.

Every time he ignored, that was discipline.

Too much attention wouldn't do him any good.

In that moment, laying in bed hours past midnight, Roby didn't blame Bleckt at all for what he almost did. And the more he told himself that it was all his fault, the more correct it seemed. So, that's what he kept on thinking about.

As he laid there, cutting himself to size, "Bleckt loved me" slowly became "Bleckt wanted to love me"

There was no way he actually wanted Roby gone, because he was his family.

It must've just been him, then. He must've been so much of a problem that the only way to sort him out must've been...

Surely, that was it, right?

Yes, definitely.

...And that must've been discipline too, because he only did it to keep Roby under control.

Discipline.

Bleckt wanted to love him, but Roby just made it difficult, it seemed.

He sat up.

Maybe Roby would feel better with just a little bit of discipline?

He picked up the keys once more.

He almost put on his skates, then thought of what Bleckt would say if he caught Roby rolling around this late.

Any other shoes would still make way too much noise, he figured.

Socks would've had to suffice.

For a moment, he reconsidered. Wouldn't the ground outside hurt to step on?

Whatever, he thought.

And consequently, he occasionally winced in pain as he walked through the streets again, telling himself to make it quick before people started waking up.

Before they started waking up.

~

Wyldfyre knocked on Roby's bedroom door, hoping he'd be up this early, though not 100% certain. Sleeping in a bed had proven to be less than ideal for her, as she was dozing off and waking back up again for the whole night.

No response.

Then, he probably was still asleep... right?

In actuality, her concerns for him were at an all-time high, and she considered just taking a slight peek inside. Just to make sure he was-

When she saw his empty bed, her heart skipped a beat.

Getting ready! He was probably just getting ready!

But, though the sun hadn't fully risen yet, the sky had lightened. And she could see his diary laying open on his bed.

...

No! Like Arin said, invading Roby's privacy wasn't the way to fix things.

Her attention was drawn to the rest of Roby's room. When she'd been inside previously, it was always neat. Though, right now, it looked a little like someone had left in a hurry. Most notably, his skates were separated. Even though cleaning certainly wasn't her style, she decided that it couldn't hurt to sort things out a little, just for Roby. It wasn't much of a mess, anyway.

So she made his bed and tried to correct the little odds and ends of the room. As for his diary, she'd shut it quickly and let it rest on his desk, above which she saw hand-drawn, very colourful pictures taped to the wall. They'd been there for ages, but only now did she really take notice.

There were a few depicting her, obviously. All adorned with heart-shaped stickers, which she smiled at. But she saw others, too. Surprisingly, there was one of Arin, one of Sora, and one of Frak. She adored all of his art, of course, but wondered why he'd chosen those three, especially considering he didn't talk to them very much after the tournament.

There was also... Geo?

Why Geo of all people?

Perhaps he just found him interesting to draw?

Other than those, and an unfinished piece depicting Kai which laid on the desk, there was no other artwork that she could see.

...And she found herself observing that diary, again.

A little peek couldn't hurt, she supposed. And hey, maybe she'd find out what he wanted for his birthday?

Ignoring her guilt, she opened the book without thinking of any specific page.

Dear Diary,

2morrow is MY FIRST EVER DAY HOSTING THE TOURNAMENT!!! EVERYTHING IS READY EVERYTHING IS PERFECT!!!!!! its gonna be THE BEST!!!!! im SO EXCITED! and i dont care what ANYBODY says! ESPECIALLY BLECKT! im gonna prove to him most of all that i CAN do it!!!!! and its gonna be awesome, and he's gonna see that he underestimated me! and i'm gonna make him, mom, and dad so proud!! OK I GOTTA GO TO SLEEP NOW ITS A BIIIIIG DAY TOMORROW!! :)

Love, Roby

And as she expected, the next few pages were talking about what went on during the tournament. Notably, he initially described the underlying mystery as "kinda spooky.. but kinda COOL!".

She could hear his voice and see his smile so clearly in her head. Truly, it was as though he was right in front of her telling her this, no matter how wrong it still felt.

Then, she turned the page again.

Dear Diary,

today was supposed to be awesome. it wasnt. turns out my own uncle fu hate didnt lo just saw me as a nuisance. i dont get it. why was it such a big deal to him? he knew how important it was to me, so why wasnt he happy?

why wasnt he proud of me?

it makes me wonder what i even need to do just to make him lo feel proud of me.

and i couldn't even say anything about it. we were live. he just admitted to it all. live. in front of everyone. with no shame at all. and i was the one who had to keep it light hearted.

i almost died today too. but like, whatever. wyfy saved me though, which was really brave of her. i wish i was that brave.

i got to declare sora as the winner! i really like sora. she's super nice and i bet shes a great friend. and speaking of friends, arin seems nice too. he seems sweet. i'd give anything for friends like them. i got a chance to speak to frak too. we like some of the same stuff. i ended up mentioning my birthday though, like he was even gonna remember. i mean, like we were even friends in the first place.

i could really use them right now. anyone, really.

but not my uncle. i dont think i want to think about him anymore. it doesnt even feel right calling him that.

i dunno. i guess i just have to move on now. with him gone, i have to take over his work.

i should go now.

love, roby
i guess.

And with a thud, she slammed his diary shut. Through tearful eyes, she looked up at his drawings again.

There was no time for her to cry, she thought. She needed to be there for Roby.

So, she wandered around the halls looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

His absence made her heart race. Roby was struggling, and she wasn't there to help.

At least, not for long.

The office! Maybe he's already there! But this early? Without breakfast or anything?

Whatever! It was worth checking anyway!

~

The door creaked open. It had been left slightly ajar. But she looked around, and nobody was-...

The phone.

Her breath quickened as she saw the handset dangling from the wire.

And as for Roby, when he heard loud footsteps coming down, he let out a sound somewhere between a gasp and a sob as he instinctively hid his face in his hands, dropping the ledger onto his own two feet.

"Roby!" he heard someone yell.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I-" he blurted, peeking through his fingers.
"...Oh... I..."

The sight of him in a state like this shattered her heart to pieces. Seeing him leant against the wall, stood in the corner looking guilty, surrounded by constant reminders of what had happened.

"What are you doing down here? Get out of here!" she pleaded, rushing over and tugging on his arm.
"Come on! Let's-"
He withdrew himself from her hold.

"I- I can't... I shouldn't be in here... he wouldn't want me in here... but I can't leave, I-"

"What? What is it?"

"I- I just need to... learn, don't I? I just have to remember..."

"Learn what?! Remember what?!"

"Respect!" he gasped, his hands now on her shoulders.
"That's it! That must've been it... if I'd just respected tradition- respected him! Then he wouldn't have had to-..." he laughed.
"If only I wasn't such a... such a problem child-"

"But, Roby-"

"I know he loves me, Wyldfyre, he did that because he loved me. That was just discipline, like everything else!"

Each time she tried to open her mouth to get through to him, he beat her to it with something somehow always worse than the last thing he said.

"He was only trying to teach me... he was only trying to- to help me..." he insisted, sinking to the floor, looking down with a shameful expression.
"All of these words, all these words that seem hateful, that seem... hurtful... they shouldn't be. They're not. I just need to... I need to stop being so..." he breathed, reaching a trembling hand out to the ledger where everything was written down in horrid detail.

Within seconds, he was skimming through a page, and all she could do for those moments was watch his eyes redded and overflow with tears and his body tremble.

"I- I need to stop being so..." he panted, grasping his own face in his hands as the ledger sat open, propped up on his knees.
"I just need to grow up!" he cried, feeling the sting of his own nails as he thoughtlessly dug them into his own skin, leaving scratch marks as he pulled them down his face in spite.

"Roby! This- this is crazy! You have to stop, that's what!"

"I can't! If I just mature a little, I swear I'll be okay!" he tried to reassure, smiling up at her.

His face and eyes had reddened with emotion, and tears were rushing to escape. And through it all, he kept on grinning. And the sight of such a disturbing expression, coupled with his words and the trembling and the pain he was clearly putting himself through was enough to make Wyldfyre snap.

"You nearly died, Roby!" she sobbed.
"He tried to have you murdered! If things went a little differently, you wouldn't be here right now, you'd be dead!" she argued, dropping to his level. The first thing she did was seize the ledger from him and thoughtlessly throw it across the room. Roby watched it slam against the wall, before his attention was drawn to something else.

He got up, and approached something that resembled... him?

It was flimsy, and poorly-made, evident by the head and body being completely separated.

And Wyldfyre's words echoed through his mind.

"Died."

"Murdered."

"Dead."

And for a moment, something horrific flashed through his mind as he looked at that... thing.

An image of something hateful.

An image of something spiteful.

An image of something wrong.

Something so, so wrong.

But something so, so close to becoming true.

He took another look at where he was, as Wyldfyre came and stood next to him.

It suddenly felt so... unreal.

So absurd.

So absurd that his uncle was willing to go to all these lengths, just to...

And yet Roby was somehow made to be the one who needed to grow up? He was the immature one, all of a sudden?

"He wanted me dead..." he realised.
"He hated me."

"We'll burn it. Kai and I will burn everything, okay? We'll get rid of it all," she promised, guiding his face away from everything else and towards hers.

"You look exhausted..." he noticed.

"Don't worry about me. I just didn't sleep much last night. I'm worried about you, Roby," she told him.

"...I didn't sleep much, either," he admitted.
"I think I'd like to go back to bed, but..."

"You've been having nightmares?"

"How'd you know that?"

"I..." she began, looking down.
"I read your diary. I'm sorry. I know that wasn't the right thing to do, but... I didn't know what else to do!" she apologised.
"It won't happen again, I swear!"

"It's alright," he forgived.
"I get why you did that, honestly. I'm sorry for not telling you much."

"You don't have to do any apologising! It's not your fault he-... come on, let's get out of here."

"Yeah," he agreed, almost silently, as he took hold of her arm.
"Could you maybe stay with me then? If I am gonna try and get some more sleep?"

"Obviously."

And they left.

~

Chapter Text

~

"...Wyfy?" he mumbled, his eyes slowly opening as he felt the sun's heat bathe his face.

A hum followed, coming from right next to him.

"You awake?" he asked drowsily. As the rest of his body woke up, he felt warm arms around him.

"Duh," she mumbled, eyes still shut. "Otherwise I wouldn't have gone 'hmm'."

"You sleep well?"

"Didn't think I would, but did. What about you? How'd you sleep?"

"Perfectly, somehow. No nightmares or anything."

"Let's go," she cheered weakly.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Thanks, Wyfy."

"No prob'." 

Just then, there was a soft knock at the door.

"That you, Kai?" she yawned, sitting up.

"He can come in," Roby told her, reaching for one of his soft toys. A dragon, to be exact.

"Come in!"

Sure enough, there was Kai, with only his head through the doorway.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he whispered, noticing their groggy states.

"Nah, we just got to bed really late," Wyldfyre informed. "Because---..." she stopped and turned to Roby, who'd sat up next to her but had his eyes down at the friend he was cuddling.

"I was in Bleckt's basement," he confessed, practically spitting out his uncle's name.

His words came out sounding so blunt it even shocked him.

"Oh..." Kai gasped quietly, hand over his mouth. He'd heard enough from Wyldfyre and Arin's account of their time in the city to know the significance, the horrific significance, of such a place.
"You wanna talk about it?" he offered, stepping into the room.

"Yeah."

In that moment, as Kai sat down on the edge of his bed, ready to listen, Roby was finally able to find the words that said how he truly felt.

"He's not my family. He never acted like it. Ever. He never liked me, he never respected my ideas, he only cared about that tournament. And even before I took over, all he did was yell at me and use 'respect' and 'our ancestors' as an excuse to say horrible stuff to me," he realised, voice breaking. "And my parents never even helped. It was always 'discipline' this, 'discipline' that. And they just kept on dumping me into his hands every time they were busy. My question is, if they were so obsessed with discipline, how come they've not come back to 'discipline' the guy who hired someone to assassinate their son?!"

He took a shaky breath before continuing, his voice growing louder and louder.

"'Oh, look at us! Look at our family! Our family's perfect! Look at our ancestors! We care more about honour than we do our own children!' I bet my parents would care more about me if I did die, since this family loves dead people so much! Hey, fun fact: Roake's not alive, Bleckt! How do you know what he thinks of my ideas? Maybe he thinks I'm the only genius to come out of this family! Who knows? I sure don't, 'cause he's DEAD!"

And the other two couldn't think of what to say. Neither of them had seen Roby quite like this before.

"But no!" he shouted with a sob. "Treat me like a joke! Treat me like--- like an obstacle! A thing that you need to get rid of just to have your way! And not your nephew, who all this time, just wanted---" - his volume suddenly dropped as he held that little dragon tighter - "...just wanted someone to be proud of him... I just wanted someone to care..."

That was what it was, wasn't it?

As he sat there, sobbing into a plush toy, it hit him.

When Geo was over and actually checked on him, had a conversation with him, Roby knew he didn't have to do that. Yet, he did.

Because he cared. He had an opportunity to check on the kid, and he took it, even though he didn't know him all that well.

And Kai?

Making sure he's alright, being there when he isn't, even going out of his way to come all the way out here for no reason other than that he knew it would make Roby feel safer, all because he cared.

And there he was, right next to him.

"...Can I have a hug? Please? Both of you?"

And then he was warm.

And then he was safe.

Safe in the arms of two people he knew he could trust.

People who never thought him to be a handful, or too much, or an inconvenience.

People who saw him as a person, with feelings.

People who cared enough to look after those feelings, and never try to hurt them.

"I was always so worried about you, Roby..." Wyldfyre mumbled.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologise," Kai told him. "I get it. Feeling like you don't have anyone you can trust, and feeling like you have to fend for yourself so young... it's scary. I know it is. But there's going to be people that care, alright? Like us. No kid should ever have to go through anything even close to this, and you deserve a family that cares for you, Roby."

A family that cares for him.

A family that cares for him...

...A family that cares for him!

That's what it was! That was the feeling! A feeling of being looked after, of being seen, of being cared for! It was care, it was attention, it was peace, it was comfort, all at once!

And he loved it. And he didn't even know how much he needed it until now, and he felt so many things just then; he felt pain, he felt guilt, he felt confusion, but hidden amongst it all: happiness.

"I feel a little better now..." he hicced. "Thank you..."

And even after their hug concluded, the warmth remained.

"Just remember, you can always talk to us, okay?" Kai reminded, now stood up. Seeing how Roby nodded with such a wide smile, he smiled back, before perking up. "Oh! I came in here to talk to you about something anyway. Apparently the other kids are wondering what you wanna do for your birthday."

"Yeah, I've been making sure they don't forget!" Wyldfyre boasted.

"My birthday?!" Roby gasped, standing up abruptly. "Tell them--- wait, I--- I wanna talk to them! Did they text? Did they call? Tell 'em I'm coming over! Both of us, as soon as we're ready!"

~

Chapter Text

~

"Wyldfyre, wait up!" Roby giggled.

"You're not so fast without those skates, are you?" she teased.

The two raced through the city, then out towards the monastery. Wyldfyre was already inside when she turned around and found nobody behind her.

"...Roby?"

Upon making her way back out, she found him stood eerily still, staring down the edge of the mountain in a spot that was familiar to them.

As he stared down, an image of him hanging on for dear life flashed by almost every time he blinked.

As she approached him, she heard his breaths. The sound alone was enough to cut her heart into bits. The noise only calmed when he felt her warm hand take his.

"I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you ever again, okay?" she swore.

And instead of words, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, as though she'd disappear if he let go.

"...I know you won't," he mumbled into her shoulder, "...it's just that none of this would've happened if it weren't for him."

"Well, he's not gonna try anything again. And if he does, I'll be there," she promised, hugging him tightly.

"...Can we go somewhere else quickly? Before we go see the others? I think I wanna talk to someone."

~

The robe he always wore finally proved to be inconvenient in the Imperium heat as they wandered through what looked to be a huge junk drawer if it were big enough to walk through.

"Maybe I shouldn't wear this thing so much anymore. It's boiling."

"Don't worry! For your birthday, we'll get you lots of cool new outfits!"

"Really?!"

"Yeah! I have an idea actually! You could try shopping in Ninjago City! There's all kinds of clothes. Ask Arin and Frak! They'll know all about it! We could even go before your birthday, so you have something nice to wear!"

"I--- sure! What's trending right now over there?"

"Trends?! Who cares about trends? Just get whatever you want!"

"Well... okay!"

Their chat lasted until they'd finally arrived at the Rookery. When they knocked on the door, however, it opened but there was seemingly nobody there.

...Until they looked down.

"Who are you?" asked a kid who seemed to be... dressed as a crow? Or a raven? "Wait. You're Wyldfyre. But who are you?"

"I'm Roby. Is Geo---"

"Roby!" His face lit up. "Bonzle! Spitz! Roby's here! Come in! We've been waiting for you to visit!"

"I--- thank you! But... why?" he stammered as he and Wyldfyre made their way inside.

"Because - here, sit down - because Geo's told us all about you, and we think you're totally..." - he briefly held his chin in his small hand - "...stang-zoot! Was--- was that it? Oh! Oh! Is Kai here too?"

"Hold on, hold on!" he laughed. "Okay, one: this couch is the comfiest thing I've ever sat on. Two: he has? Three: you do?! Four: yes! And five: no, not today."

Wyldfyre nudged him. "Someone's got fans!" she smirked.

"It is super comfy!" the kid agreed, sitting right next to Roby, who was now in the middle. "When we found it ages ago, it was all bashed up. But then we fixed it!"

"D.I.Y! Nice!"

"Oh. I'm Fritz, by the way!"

Just then, Roby jumped as he heard a mellow voice from behind him.

"You're Kai's little buddy, right?"

"Bonzle! Stop scaring people!"

"...Soz," she shrugged. "Hey, Wyldfyre."

"Kai's--- huh? I--- I guess I am?" Roby agreed.

"Sick. He talks about you a bunch."

"Does he... call me that?"

"Nah, but you're totally, like, a mini version of him. But that's good, 'cuz Kai's cool. You too, Wyldfyre."

"Oh! You two were looking for Geo, right? He's just outside around the back. Cole and Spitz must be with him, too."

"Oh, cool! Wyldfyre, can---..." - his voice dropped - "...could I maybe go talk to Geo, like... alone? Is that okay?"

She nodded understandingly, and continued to talk to the other two as Roby left to go find Geo.

Surely enough, he was outside. He sat at an easel and seemed to be painting a picture. It looked like his muses were Cole and someone else. Probably that "Spitz" kid that Fritz mentioned. Cole was seated on a rock with the child on his lap.

"How much longer do we have to stay still?" complained the younger one, emphasising his 's' sounds.

"I'm almost done. You've done a great job at being patient so far, Spitz. Just a few more moments now, okay?"

As Roby squinted to see what Geo's picture was looking like, he was taken aback. Geo had captured what he saw before him and brought out the joy from the moment using vibrant, beautiful colours. He couldn't help but think about how much nicer the museum would look with more paintings like that instead of the boring, old ones. Sure, they were impressive, but Geo's were fun and impressive.

When he turned the canvas around to show the other two, Spitz reacted by jumping for joy and Cole smiled at the picture, and then at Geo. In fact, it was Cole who noticed Roby and gestured him to come over.

"Roby!" Geo noticed. "It's good to see you! How've you been?"

"I've been..."

Just then, he realised he couldn't exactly name what he was feeling. On one hand, it felt like he could finally see after being blindfolded for years of his life. On the other hand... did he really want to see?

"I--- I dunno," he muttered, his eyes now on the ground. "Stuff's gotten better, but... also kinda---... I dunno. I thought I'd come and talk to you about it, though."

Geo's eyes widened.

"Oh! Of course."

"Us two can head inside if you'd like," offered Cole. Roby only nodded, with a somewhat forced smile. Though, when Spitz turned back and waved at him, it was a genuine one just for a moment as he waved back.

"Geo, yesterday... or this morning, I guess, I..."

"Here, sit down." He got up from his stool. Roby mumbled a quiet "thanks" as he took his place.

"...I--- I guess it just hit me... when I was looking at all the stuff he wrote about me, when I was in the room underneath the office..." he tried to explain through a weak voice, "...that I was just--- that he---... that all this time, I've been lying to myself without even realising it. I've been telling myself I'm okay, and that there's nothing wrong, and that everything's perfect. Just repeating the same stupid lies that my family was telling everyone. But---..." - he let out a sob - "...but I can't lie anymore." His head fell into his hands. "I can't hide the fact that no-one ever cared in that family. The only people that have bothered to think of me and check on me recently are you, and the others, and the people at the Monastery," he sobbed, "...and I don't want my real family to be my family anymore because they're not my real family, are they?!"

His face was in his sleeves. It seemed the outside world didn't exist anymore, and all that existed was him. All that existed was a lonely boy without a family that cared. Until...

"Well, sometimes in life, it takes a little longer to find your family. Not everyone's greeted with a real family at first. Some people have to find one."

"...What?"

His focus was on Geo now, who looked at his own hands for a moment.

"I know I had to find mine."

"What do you mean?" he asked, wiping his face with his dampened sleeves.

"I was something of an outcast back 'home'. A child of two different species, which was a huge 'no'. I don't know what became of my parents, but for as long as I can recall, they just weren't there. Until I ended up out here, I'd gone my whole life believing I just wasn't supposed to be loved, or accepted, or just... be. But of course, eventually, along came the other Finders, and along came Cole, and I realised that actually, this is my family. It was them who reminded me that I deserved care and love just as much as anybody else. That's how I knew they were my real family."

"...Reminded you?"

"Sometimes with words, other times just by... being there for me, you know?" he smiled.

"...Kai told me this morning that I deserved a family that cared for me... that made me feel better, I guess..."

"And it's the truth, Roby."

"Hey, I guess you're right. This is a family. You and Cole are like the parents, and Fritz and Spitz and Bonzle are the kids!"

"Well, Bonzle's the oldest, out of... all of us, actually. By a couple... hundred, maybe thousand, years. But yes, exactly! See? If families were as simple as the group of people we were born into, then we'd live in a much lonelier world. I guess what I'm saying is if you don't feel like your 'real' family is your real family, then it doesn't have to be, okay?"

"...Yeah... yeah, I guess you're right."

And they exchanged a smile, before Roby remembered something.

"Oh! It's my birthday next week! Next week exactly. I..." - his excited tone shifted to a softer one - "...I'd appreciate it if you could make it," he requested meekly.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it, kid."

~