Work Text:
Inspekta was a young god of only...barely three years.
Time was passing by so quick! There was still so much he wanted to do. So much to see. So much to explore with his newfound plane of existence.
He didn’t get much time to really think about it in between his many responsibilities.
Many curiosities flew through him as he snaked about his domain, sometimes forgetting to practice walking with his floaty boots.
He would trip over himself still, as he tried to explore through the endless dark expanse of his domain just to wind back up at that looming desk. He could stretch to see the top, but it felt awkward to stretch himself farther than what felt “natural” to his odd body.
...it made him feel like his coat could potentially snap if he went any further.
So he shrunk himself down, crawled under the desk and smiled as he pretended his domain was bright and colorful like his little technology den.
All he needed were these computers anyways, and how he adored them!
The keys actually press and come back up! There’s no lag! And best of all they’re not battery powered and can’t go out on him! Not battery, not electrical, god-powered!
It was nothing like it used to be for him, it was astounding.
It made work so much easier. It made him able to work harder, work faster, work work work-
He tapped away on the keys, and let his mind wander as his multitasking thoughts picked up again. Multiple different strings of thought flowed down his mind at once.
“Schedules. Get those numbers together. Post them. Figure the statistics and budget for next quarter…”
“Vib needs more fabric glue. New recruits coming in. New uniforms to be made. Make sure the newbies are comfortable. Send word to Capochin to make sure they are.”
“Latest Project: potholes in between Milldread and Hobbyhoo are causing injury on the daily, commuting or walking. Gotta send resources to fix it. Gotta make sure nobody else gets hurt. Send boys to check on the hurt, make sure it's all fine.”
Inspekta blinked tiredly to himself, as several hands worked on several things at once. One more string of thought flew through him, mumbling where the rest spoke firm.
“This body is odd. Where did my glasses go? I can still feel hunger but it's in a different part of my being…I wonder if I can eat shrimp again.”
His hands didn’t halt but his brain did cling onto that last sentence. Oh how his curiosity pounced.
He let it take hold, but didn't let it slow his fingers as he typed messages and emails of various different subjects.
He wanted to eat shrimp to see if he could. Though one thing he learned very quickly was that he couldn't exit his domain like a normal Joe.
If he focused hard enough he could converge into the other God's realms, which was always fun, but he couldn’t do that with the mortal plane. If he could, he had not yet figured out how.
So if he wanted food at all, he needed it to be offered to him. He did not want to wait until he was randomly offered it. He had all the time in the world but not all of the patience.
So he tabbed out of the schedule sheet, and clicked into his messenger.
“Okie so…hrm…daa-da-da-dada-” He saw pinned with a gold star on the top of the list there was Capochin...
Capochin always came very quick if he called, ever since his domain manifested and he set up this system. He knew for a fact Capochin would drop whatever he was doing and get him food if he wanted it.
However, he wasn’t stupid.
He knew if he called Capochin in and asked him to get him a plate of shrimp, he’d fret and worry and hum and haw about it. He knew he couldn’t eat it.
He’s the only one who had seen his reaction to it.
But that was with a mortal body and he didn’t want to go back and forth with him about it, even if Inspekta did find his worry to be sweet.
How he loved his little gold star! His other shoe!
…He always cared the most about him, of course he’d worry.
He scrolled away from him, and went wayyyy down the list of names.
He needed someone who he knew would be thrilled to do anything for their new God, no questions asked. He needed…a newbie!
So he scrolled to the very bottom, checked where the van was on another screen, and picked the first boy he saw that was nearby.
The van was currently parked in Hobbyhoo, so it made this line up perfectly.
He selected some kid who joined about three weeks ago, eager as ever! He clicked their picture, and typed the message.
“Bizzyboy L! Please report to my domain at your convenience for a private order!” He sent the vague message and smiled to himself. He’d proudly cross his arms if he could but ah, not much to cross.
He held two hands together instead, tapping the fingers together like he just got away with the scheme of the century.
Now all he had to do was wait.
---
The boy's pager dinged, and his eyes went wide as he rushed to his God.
It was exactly what Inspekta wanted to see as the little thing practically ran into the God Complex.
The boy sat on his knees in front of his desk, and bowed his head, “You called for me, boss?” He clasped his hands together and kept his head down.
Inspekta could almost laugh, using a single hand to pat the boy on the head. It made the boy freeze up in surprise.
“I got a job only someone like yew can complete for me! I need a specific offering, y’hear?”
The boy looked up at Inspekta, who was looking at him with bright (if not pleading) eyes, putting two of his own floating hands together.
It was not a sight one expects to see from their God.
“Ha?” The boy tilted his head, confused.
The boy had converted into a Bizzyboy not long ago, so he wasn’t quite sure what to expect, Inspekta could tell.
He could see in his eyes that he was worried that Inspekta was about to ask for something odd.
“A craving! Of mine. Just a simple little thing, nothing fancy! I need youuuu…” He extended a finger and poked the boy on the chest. “...to go out to dat little seafood restaurant near Clicky Towers...and get me a basket of fried shrimp.”
He pointed towards the door, and the boy was really confused.
“Dat's all?”
“And some of that red saucey sauce if you could!!”
Those were his private orders? To get his God a meal?
His God had a craving and chose specifically him to fulfill it?
What an honor!
Bizzyboy L blinked, and at that he gave a smile to his dear God. He stood, and saluted on it. “You can count on me, boss!”
Inspekta cheered, using three hands to stand the boy up and scoot him out the door. “Thank you thank you!!! Return back swiftly with dat and I’ll make sure you gets another letter for this!! Maybe even two!”
That made the boy squeal in joy, rushing out to fulfill the request. Once alone, Inspekta put his hands down and swiveled around in pure excitement. “Oooo okay. Now I should find me a little thing to watch while I eat-”
“Vib still needs her fabric and this list of supplies-”
“Meeting with Mitternacht on the next coming Sunday, gotta decide on what flower to practice conjuring to impress her.”
“New recruits coming in a batch straight out the drain, set up a support and welcoming committee to make sure everything went alright on their drive.”
Inspekta read his laundry list and moved in tandem with it, waiting oh so patiently now.
---
The boy arrived with a basket of giant fried coconut shrimp and a cup of sauce. Inspekta squealed when he gave it to him with a strawberry lemonade on the side.
Ohhhh, the boy didn't even know that used to be his favorite with fried foods!
He took the basket and drink, giving the boy a large “THANK YOU THANK YOU!!” as he gave him little headpats before scooching him off with a smile on his face and promise of two more letters.
The boy thanked him profusely as well, leaving with a beam. That boy was thrilled to finally be Lou!
When Inspekta was finally left alone with the meal, he wished his tail could wag because it would be a motor right then.
It looked and smelled divine.
The last time he had shrimp was an accident, he and Capochin went out to eat and he tossed a popcorn shrimp in his mouth thinking it was a piece of popcorn chicken.
He had been handed Capochin’s basket instead of the one meant for him.
Both baskets were dropped that day, in panic and horror at the slip-up. At the instant reaction.
He didn’t want Capochin to see something like that ever again.
Which was why he didn’t want to tell him about this idea of his, using two hands to grab his fresh hot meal.
He brought the basket closer to his face, hands unsteadily holding it because of the weird weightlessness he was still accustoming himself too.
So many of them too! It was so strange to have so many hands-
Two of them could hold this basket, another could bring his lemonade to his lips, and another could take a single shrimp, dip it generously into the red sauce and toss it into his mouth.
He braced for the usual reaction, closing one eye like something would explode for some reason.
He merely chewed, and could process the flavor.
It was a gift he asked for and received, and it tasted fantastic.
It wasn’t a home-cooked meal filling wherever his heart was now with eternal glee, but the shellfish was buttery inside and the breading was crunchy and salty.
The sauce was tangy and delightful, he can’t believe he had to miss out on this his entire human life!!
He could still breathe! He looked at his reflection in his computer and not a single hive was around his mouth!
His screens around him lit up brighter for a moment as his eyes sparkled, a few of his hands flapped around him as he squeaked in joy.
His body coiled comfortably closer to the screen as he hit play on a video of cats getting into trouble.
He ate the whole basket in a matter of minutes, eagerly, quickly, excitedly.
He intended to work as he ate and savor the experience but his hands moved faster than his mind. But there was always a chance he’d get more later!
Big handfuls of the whole shrimp, several tail and all, he dipped them in the sauce and ate like he hadn’t eaten before.
When there was nothing but crumbs and a few tails left behind on the greasy paper, he gathered them on his fingers and licked it off like he was back in his mortal body.
Enjoying a large fry, sharing it with Capochin when that and a box of chicken nuggets was all they could afford.
Capochin would wheeze a laugh at him picking each crunchy fried bit out of the box, and call him silly for it.
“Are ya done?” He’d giggle, and he’d playfully continue just to make Capochin laugh more. Until each crumb was eaten, each molecule of salt was touched.
There…wasn't much time for moments like that anymore. He missed moments like that.
Inspekta sighed at the memory, sipping his lemonade a lot slower than the pace of his eating, but all that salt did make him pretty thirsty.
He drank on it, returning his focus to his work as he had the greasy hands carry the basket to one of his desk’s drawers.
He opened it to a little trashcan on the inside, and shoved it in there. He left the hand in there too, not wanting to get smudges on his nice screens.
Another hand immediately took its spot in his focus, and his list kept running.
“Research “Pink Carnation” for Mitternacht, that one would do lovely.”
“Order supplies for Vib, carts all created, just have to assure him it's the waiting game and out of his hands.”
“Line up the next Bizzyboy Picnic, that’s next month but can never be too prepared.”
“Hobbyhoo’s latest play needs brighter blue lightbulbs, check in with Thespius on his vision for it!”
His fingers kept whizzing, and his mind kept turning. Working like a fine-tuned machine in his little bubble, not even noticing the small bit of smoke forming in the expanse of his darkness.
Slowly swirling, not rushing.
Grease dripping turning to rust.
---
The day passed by uneventfully, orders passed, orders gained, work done with precision and ease.
It was a beautiful Spring day after all! All the perfect weather for the Bizzyboys to get in some good quality work!
Capochin smiled to himself as he supervised a group of boys carrying crates of supplies into an older couple's mom and pop restaurant in the front of the Sunset Strip.
He thinks they make spaghetti, so he was happy to help.
A pause suddenly struck through Inspekta's mental list. Like a loss of ping. It made him blink.
That felt…wrong.
Like he had a signal, but there were no words…He shook his head and kept typing.
Capochin watched one of his men slip, grip faltering with one of the crates. The short boy nearly dropped it!
“Oh!” Capochin stepped in, grabbing two of the corners and helping the smaller boy make it to the pile they created in the couple's storeroom.
He gave the boy a brisk pat on the back, nearly knocking him over. “G'job, Hen.” The boy beamed at him, as they exited the shop together.
Inspekta didn't like this feeling snaking up his coat. His brain pinging on him, information in it skipping and playing back again.
Phrases and tasks repeating in an odd lucid gibberish he couldn't understand…
Keep typing. Just focus on typing.
Just…focus…
Capochin was talking to the older woman, who took his hand and shook it in gratitude. “Thank you so much, my dear, please let us make your men something to eat. It’s the least we can do.”
Capochin smiled brightly as she gave him a squeeze that was full of love only old grandmothers could put into a touch of the hand, but shook his head.
“No, Ma’am, we do this for no pay, no reward! It’s Inspekta’s will and way!”
Hearing that sentence made his men groan, as they would’ve liked a snack at least. Capochin definitely would've glared at them if he wasn't in the presence of an elder.
The grandmother looked back at them, and back to Capochin, “Some bread, at least? Would you and your men like some garlic bread?”
His screen wasn’t working correctly. The numbers were blurred and the colors were glitching.
He squinted at it, and it fixed for a moment, but when he stopped squinting it went right back to it. He growled, and put his hand to the screen.
The silhouette of the hand was blurred too.
He blinked. That was incorrect. This couldn’t be correct. He pulled away and tried to think but thinking was hard-
Thinking should not be hard-
Capochin rolled his eyes at his men’s cries for bread, and gave the old woman a pleasant smile. “I guess if it's no trouble, my boys have earned some bread. I’ll help ya put it together.”
The old woman waggled a finger at him. “Oh no you don’t, young man, you’ve earned it too! You and your men hold tight, it’ll be ready in a jiffy!”
She went back inside her little restaurant to get it started with her husband and all of his men following behind her with a cheer.
He waited outside, and sighed. Another job done, another gift given, another order carried to perfection.
He leaned on the side of the building, lit a cigarette, and pulled out his work phone, checking for his next job.
“C’mon c’mon c’mon-” Inspekta pleaded to...he figured to himself, as he pressed random keys to get his display to work correctly.
He had so much to do! He couldn’t have this happen now, it was overheating! The screen was hot- or was his face hot-
Another shake of the head, and then he noticed a few of his keys were stuck down, sending long “oooooouuuuuueeeeeeee” strings of random numbers and letters in an odd formation across the entire screen-
“nnnONONO- OH-” Inspekta smacked the stuck keys, and they didn’t move. Things around him were getting…foggy.
He didn’t know why-
Capochin breathed out his smoke, and flicked the cigarette down, keeping in mind the grass beneath him. It was short and wasn’t too dry today, so he figured it was safe enough.
He tabbed through his incomplete work and saw a lot of them had a pretty generous deadline. He was doing a good job, and he knew when he reported back to Inspekta with a plate of this garlic bread he was about to get, he’d get told so!
He read over one task, something about running fabric to Vib because she kept bugging him for more red polyester. It said in progress, but if Vib was bothering so much it must be urgent.
He bookmarked it for after this snack, figuring it’d be easy enough.
Before he could even get halfway through the cigarette, another Bizzyboy from a different group he was assigned ran up to him.
He stopped in front of him, panting as if he ran for his life. “CAPOCHIN, SIR-”
Capochin was shocked, and rushed over to help the boy stay upright, “What’s up, where’s the fire-??” He asked, as the boy frantically caught his breath.
Inspekta grabbed his hat and ran two hands through his hair as he tried to make sense of what he was looking at.
It infuriated him, as he kept trying to free his keys. He couldn't tell what he did, what did he do?
Did he do something wrong?
Was…he…wrong?
His head suddenly felt lighter than his body-
The hat dropped to the floor, and so did the hand, and so did his long noodly body. Then finally did his head.
The floor of the god complex was as cold as refreshing rain.
He sighed, and figured he’d stay like that until he figured this out…yeah…yeah he could do that-
“The- The God Complex- there’s- smoke-!”
Capochin’s eyes widened at that alone.
He threw the cigarette to the ground and rapidly put it out with his foot. He twisted it three times before kicking off into a run, sprinting in the same direction the boy came from.
No words exchanged, just moving as fast as he can. The boy tried to follow them, but the breadsticks, marinara sauce and the boy was left behind in the wind.
For all Capochin cared, garlic bread could stop existing that second. All he cared for was rushing to that van.
He made it to the side of the Sunset Strip where the van was parked, and covered his mouth at what he saw.
An odd, unnatural looking black smog was slowly filtering through the light of the domain. The door was half open, like the God inside had tried to shut the door but it did that thing it used to always do when it was a normal van.
Capochin still remembered taking a towel and drying the sides of the door, so it would stop bouncing open when he tried to slide it shut.
It didn't work half the time, but he had to try.
“Oh gods above, HEY-!!” He screamed at the Bizzyboy tasked with staying with the van to make sure nobody up and steals Inspekta.
He had abandoned his post and was sitting a good ways away from the van, staring at the smoke too in awed concern.
Capochin yanked him to his feet by the chest of his uniform, immediately grilling him, “WHAT HAPPENED-!?!”
The boy gasped, and merely waved his hands to show innocence, “I DON'T KNOW BOSS- I was doing my checks-!” He was eating a box of granola bars hidden in the glovebox and filling out a word search-
“And then I hear a BANGBANGBANG- and smelled something that smelled like a burnt fryer and next thing I knew it was like that-!” He pointed at the Complex, and the smog was floating out of the driver seat window as well.
“Well- Did you check on Inspekta?!” Capochin still yelled, and the boy blinked because he felt walking into a smoky God Domain was like walking into a death trap-
“Pathetic-!” Capochin growled, staring down at the boy with fire-spitting eyes. He roughly let him go and ran to the strange light.
He touched the smoke with his foot, and when it didn’t burn him, he rushed through it. As his body left the mortal plane, he kept moving his feet so he wouldn’t trip when his feet finally hit the metal of Inspekta’s domain.
Capochin didn’t know how…but this domain seemed darker than usual. The air was full, and Capochin could definitely tell it was smokey, but it didn’t fill his lungs like something was on fire.
It was more like…a grill. Like something was cooking and wasn’t being tended to. It more so made his eyes sting than anything else-
He shouldn’t stand it in for long-
It was all being blown around, circling around Inspekta’s desk.
The top of it was empty, all the papers and food wrappers having been knocked off into the endless dark Capochin always had to ignore when entering.
He heard a fan blowing hard and noisily, as if hair was caught in the motor and wanted to make itself known.
As he approached the desk, the world warped in ways he had never seen before. He’s in this domain almost every day and he’s never seen it grow in time with his steps like an optical illusion before…
He didn’t even care, when he saw what he came for.
Inspekta laid limp on the floor, several hands scattered and barely twitching about. He wasn’t moving, and because of his body’s shape he couldn’t tell if he was breathing.
If he even needed to properly do that anymore-
“Boss?!” He called, hesitant to scream any louder or rush and grab him like he had before.
He yearned to, but fear of taboo shot through him. “Boss, are you okay?!”
Please be okay- please be okay- Please- please please-
Capochin prayed, and breathed a small sigh when Inspekta’s head lolled around, looking at him. It didn't linger long when Capochin noted a look in those eyes.
A hazy look he’s seen before, and it didn’t help when Inspekta opened his mouth and went, “Aaaawhhh no no, nooo worries! Just was ah- just takin’ a quick lil Goddie sit while waiting on my Cappy-Chin to come around!”
Capochin looked backwards for a brief moment, concern growing more by the second. He had never heard such a godly voice slur like that- “Boss?”
Despite the heaviness in the air being blown around by the intense fan above, Inspekta pulled his head off the ground, coat barely following it like a cosmic fishing line connected them.
He squinted at him, and then his eyes widened when he realized “Oh Cappy!!!” He moved forward and the length of his body laid behind him, stretching instead of following like he intended.
“Hi hi hi! You’se early, my birdie! Iiii uh- I-” Inspekta looked ahead at his monitors and keyboard that all kept acting up.
“Iiii was doin’ bunches of thinkings and trying to figure this out-” He didn't even look at him long as he moved forward, accidentally tripping Capochin with his coat.
He stumbled forward when it flowed over him, but he still followed to see just what was wrong.
The coat was uncomfortably warm against the back of Capochin’s head, like a hot water bottle that was warmed too long.
Inspekta twisted his body, gesturing several hands around, none of them very coordinated.
“Dis! Lookit dis!!” He complained as Capochin saw his screens were glitching out and the multiplying numbers and letters only continued.
Inspekta turned towards them and pressed more keys. “They’re stuck!! Anddd I’m trying to unstick them and think and get the last of the rounds done and they’re stuck and making it all wrong and-”
Capochin hesitantly approached with a hand out, but Inspekta’s ramblings continued, “-And I wents n I lost my pace- my pk-ace blAH BLAH MY PLACE-”
He stammered to himself, “My place! In my to-do list! But I’ll find it!! I’ll go find it!! But and- and its-” He kept pressing, almost randomly, at any keys to try and fix it. It only made it worse, faster.
“I gots to be thinking about sooo many things but it gets me thinkin’ about like- about like the other things- and I should stop but-"
He wheezed a bit, teeth grinding for just a moment before he plastered that smile a little tighter.
"-AhhhAahaha-I AM-” He laughed, but his eyes flashed different colors for a brief moment.
He swiped his fingers, jamming a few of them further into stuck keys, trying to jiggle it free.
“Thinkin bout the fabric Vib needs!” He smacks his hand on the screen, trying to fill back in the blanks that formed in his list on the side of his vision.
“Or or da flowers i gotta get for the Sunday!! Or that- the- the parties the festivals the chores the meetin’s the- them times…the subday- on sunday- Sunday- ” Pain filled his exhausted expression as he kept smacking the technology like it'd fix anything.
Capochin opened his mouth to ask even a single question when Inspekta lowered his head and snapped a bit, “Like like- with-with sunday- Like I'm thinkin- why did my Mom just- up ands hang up like dat-?”
Capochin clammed up immediately in surprise, knowing exactly what he was talking about-
He didn’t know why he was talking about it- He never talked about it-
Two of his hands waved a bit as he rambled on, pressing on the screen, grabbing and dragging his mouse, trying in vain to see what was wrong with his devices as he babbled about it-
“She just- I call her to get her outta da Drain- ta invite her n pops on our roadtrip rememba?? And and like- I don't know why she was so mad- at me-”
He made that call on speaker, because his hands were full of supplies. He made it while he was making a hundred sandwiches for a hundred people.
While Capochin was packing their room, just barely able to eavesdrop on it. He heard the way his voice waver when he talked about winning the vote, and how his ascension party was in three weeks-
“Y’know I always did what she wanted!! I did it all! I'm trying to at least!!” he kept pressing the screen, poking his finger at it like it would stop the six from repeating across the screen until the end of time.
Something crackled in the air.
“But I don't know I don't know what I did-”
He was so proud of himself, as he tried to tell her about all the good he had done, but he was cut off with her asking him if he was gonna come visit if he was allegedly so successful.
Visit and give her and his father some kind of compensation for the stress of raising such a neglectful child. They had barely been scraping by, he was told.
It sounded like it was his fault.
His smile didn't linger long.
Capochin could still remember the way his Spec’s shoulders tensed as his mother asked for the rent he had been behind on before “he left” and didn't even spare them a call.
She told him she still considered that owed.
The single missed bill from when he was nineteen years old.
All because he had gotten so severely sick that he was sent home from work three days in a row. He tried to stay but after trying to come in a fourth time just to puke in the back?
His boss suspended him for his own good.
It made his paycheck too small to pay it.
She brought it up before even acknowledging his major accomplishment- the biggest accomplishment in the entire world-
“I think I did my best- did all the little thingies I was asked. Wore the girlie outfits, brushed my hair until it was as neat as could be!!” Inspekta's voice warped and sounded strained as he ran a hand through his soft smooth hair.
Electricity crackled on his fingers as his hair started standing up, spiking around the air.
“Got into clubs, did my pray-ey prayers, Let her brag ahhhbout me ta her church book club she'd drag me to ta read da scriptas!!”
Cooed at by her friends, making her and his father look like gold stars.
Raising such a little blessing, the old women would pinch his cheeks, and praise his mother and say he was just like her.
So sweet and kind and holy with such a darling little voice.
Just for her to sit him back down at that kitchen table with his report card with a single red B and drill into him the importance of getting the grade, of getting a good job, of following faith.
If you can't do that you can't be successful and you'll never get us out of here.
You can't even hope to dream about it.
The numbers and letters just wouldn't stop and he's given all he could give!
Why did they barge into his room with a box of trash bags like that-
Like he didn’t do more-
Could he give more like they expected-
How much is enough to earn being kept-
He'd give it-
“Half of every payay-check and rent- jjjust to get hung up on!! Me! And and I don't know why! I don't know WHY IT'S SO HOT-” He screamed as heat flashed across his face once more, only burning hotter and hotter.
He tugged his hair in pure frustration, springing upwards and thwacking the back of his head on the exhausted fan.
“OWIE-!!” He cried in alarm as he fell back down, a sharp sob choking in his throat.
The fan's metal crackled and sent a shock through his body. Capochin took a few steps back, worry making his heart race.
He remembered how that phone call ended. After the signal lost connection and his friend just stared at his phone, piece of bread squished in his hands.
He came and asked if everything was okay. If he needed anything.
All he got was a strained smile that didn't reach those wet eyes beneath those beautiful ruby glasses, and said “Aah…ha…no, no… just...getting the final headcount.”
And then Capochin sat with him as he helped him make those hundred sandwiches. Keeping close to him.
He didn't see him look at his phone for the rest of that day.
He didn't make another call that day.
Inspekta’s head swayed, as Capochin listened to his distressed wheezy squeaks of breath. His hair was completely frazzled and Capochin’s hair was now standing too.
“I don't get it I don't get why what I did was so bad to them- I don't know but I always have to be THINKIN- but I DON'T- KNOW-”
He gripped a few more fists, squishing his cheeks, holding his head, punching the keyboard, gripping his coat.
Tears brimmed in his eyes as the brightest glow started to become him. His face started to burn bright red as crackles zapped from his head.
He shouted to the heavens as his heart, wherever it was, raced wildly.
“WHAT’S GOING ON?!!!”
His shriek burst through the barriers of beyond as his head suddenly rapidly spun in a white-hot ball of electricity.
A massive shock-wave tore from his throat with it, the electrical surge exploding uncontrollably all around him.
Capochin barely had time to turn and hit the deck as the beam rocketed past him and tore out of his domain. It narrowly missed the back of his head, burning the top of his beret.
It spiked forth and cut through each layer of being, sending beams of the light all around.
As fast as the room crackled, it went dark. The sound of systems powering down echoed across the entire domain, pinging and coming back so slow.
The screens went black and the only light was Inspekta himself.
That red light was dim, as his breathing fell back to sharp wheezes, and his noodly body collapsed back to the floor.
Capochin huffed a deep breath, so very confused. His ears rang a bit. This was completely out of his wheelhouse.
He has no idea what happened and no idea how to help, it ate at his soul to admit it to himself.
He shifted so he was sitting on his rear, electricity still crackling and messing up his hair.
He watched his friend…er…his God, twitch on the floor, fingers still crawling to try and use the keyboard or swipe the mouse as everything around them was powered off.
He wondered if he should call for back up- Vib- Vib was always good at calming Inspekta down before his ascension, sometimes in ways Capochin couldn’t even achieve…
He grabbed his work phone and tried to turn it on but it was suddenly dead.
He smacked its sides in frustration, trying to get it to turn on but it simply wouldn’t, stubbornly continuing to refuse to boot.
He pocketed it and thought harder of how he could possibly help. Capochin could only run his hand through his staticy hair and think as hard as he could.
What could he do if he didn’t even know what caused this? Should…should he pray? Was that the solution?
Inspekta kept wheezing, and there was no way Capochin could make sense of those ramblings or thoughts. He didn’t think he’d ever see him speak that way…he didn’t know if he’d want to talk about it.
He didn’t think he could.
Capochin closed his eyes, put his hands together, and tried to think of a prayer that could help. If that was what needed to be, he’d do it.
Before he could think of a thing to say about Inspekta, the smell of roses flowed over the smell of burnt fryer oil.
He cracked one eye open and saw a glowing light from beyond in the distance of the complex’s emptiness.
Was the smoke disappearing, or just waving around?
A new noise filled the air, a noise of swift stomps that made Capochin scramble to stand and back up as the light descended onto him so fast he had to block it with his sleeve over his eyes.
The stomps Capochin heard were ones of heels clicking against the metal as the smoke cleared a path with the swoosh of a very tall skirt.
He widened his eyes as Thespius Green appeared in a rush from the light, smacking his hands on the top of the desk as he looked around.
The single vibrant yellow eye scanning around as if concernedly hunting for danger.
Capochin had visited all the gods in their domains before but seeing Thespius standing next to that desk made him feel so small.
Thespius was ginormous and absolutely radiant-
“Inspekta?” His voice, as beautiful as he was, spoke with urgency as that spotlight eye kept shining. The light moved through the room, searching for the young god.
“Inspekta??” He called again, when he didn't get a response. His head perked up when he heard the wheezing and coughing coming from below the desk.
Capochin watched in awe at the way he moved with grace and poise, twirling to the other side of the desk and falling into a kneel.
“‘Spekta?”
Thespius reached forward and using his hand he gently touched the side of Inspekta’s burning head.
“Eep!” both of them synchronized yelps of surprise as another jolt of electricity passed through. It made Thespius jolt back and barely miss bonking the top of his head on the fan too.
Thespius looked at his fingers, hesitating for a moment before trying again, running a finger against Inspekta’s cheek caringly.
“Oh my, what’s going on, little brother?” Thespius tried to ask, but Inspekta only squeaked, still trying to groggily move and tend to his keyboard, “I fix it- I fix it I got it-”
Thespius shook his head, tapping his poor friend's cheek and hushing him, “The power’s out, dear. It’s out all around Hobbyhoo. Take a rest-”
Inspekta’s head twisted, and squeaked seeing Thespius’s light. He cried and covered his eyes at the pain of it, making Thespius dim himself with a swift, “Sorry sorry!”
"I'll fix it-" Thespius watched Inspekta’s hair raise again as he kept reaching, small bits of electricity zapping off of him as he panted and coughed.
“ I can fix it- i can-”
“...Ohhhh I see what happened…Oh, Spekta…C'mere, dog-” Thespius, now accustomed to the electricity in the air, plucked Inspekta off the ground and held him in a single large hand.
It made the small God squeak, to be held like a garden snake.
He sat fully on his knees, holding him close. “You feelin’ alright?” He started to ask, but heard a small clear of the throat.
Thespius startled, and looked down. He saw Capochin standing there, looking awed and concerned. “Oh. You must be Inspekta’s little apostle!”
Capochin cleared his throat again, standing as straight as he could despite the sweat dripping down his face.
“Hello uh- Is everything…is everything okay, with him? What happened-”
Capochin clasped his hands together, wondering if the divine would hold the answers.
“I’m not sure, but I will be happy to find out.” He rubbed the side of Inspekta’s face, mumbling to himself,
“My...he’s so warm-” Concern welled in the love god as he felt Inspekta's forehead, merely getting whimpers in return because Thespius's hands weren't very cold themselves.
Thespius looked down gently at Capochin, and gave him a smile bright as the sun, “I do suggest you step out of the domain for a moment, for your own safety.”
That bristled Capochin, just a bit, “Why?” and Inspekta had the same reaction, “WHY?” With another bolt of a spark bouncing off of his hair.
Thespius luckily caught it with a giant palm before it could get near Capochin.
“This is a matter of the Gods, and I’d hate to see you get zapped, is all. I’ll call you back in as soon as I can, okay? Wait right outside.” Thespius encouraged, and Capochin just looked back and forth.
He called up to Inspekta, “I’LL BE RIGHT OUTSIDE, OKAY ‘SPEKTA? IT’LL BE ALRIGHT, I’M STILL HERE!”
Capochin hoped he heard him as he stepped backwards, not letting his eyes off of them both until he was by the door of light.
He stepped out, taking a seat right on its edge, letting the light warm his back. He wasn't going any farther.
Once alone, Thespius looked at Inspekta once more. “Okay, Spekta…shhhh shhh…” He kept petting his head with one finger as Inspekta groaned in pain.
“Can you tell me what happened?” He asked as gently as he could, while still being able to be heard.
Inspekta looked around, mostly to the left of Thespius as if trying to still read his mental list. He couldn't lean on it, it was empty. An empty line he kept trying to focus on, so he had to try to think-
Thinking was still very hard, small sparkles popping above his head.
“Iiiii…iii was doin- my rounds?” A single one of Inspekta’s hands tried to climb up Thespius’s body, and Thespius grabbed it like it was a bug and placed it into his palm next to Inspekta so he could rub his eyes.
“Uh-huh? Did anything happen in those rounds that may have…upset you? Thrown you off?”
Inspekta slowly rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. “Nnnoooo…noooo it was normal- it was i promise and i’ll get it fixed-”
Thespius hushed him again, “The power is out, it’s alright 'Spekta, fix it in a moment- what happened next?”
Inspekta hitched another breath, squinting at him as he tried his hardest to string it clearly. “I…ate an offering? And then…kept working- I gotta keep working, that's all i was doin- I don't know- what I did- but i did it and-I can-”
He kept babbling about work, and Thespius hummed at that, sending his own hands to do a bit of friendly snooping. He'd ask for forgiveness later.
“What else, friend?”
Inspekta’s hand gripped his hair as Thespius’s spare hand was opening the drawers of his desk. “I don’t…I don't know- I don’t-”
Inspekta’s mind wandered through the events of the day, through the events of his life, through the events of everything he’s left unprocessed, and tears formed in his eyes again.
His breathing grew sharper, and shorter, as he kept thinking and thinking-
Thespius’s hand found the trash bin, and the garbage stuck right on top. The hand Inspekta had thrown away was twitching a lot, and its color was changed.
It was all red, in patches around its blue right underneath the rubber that hid it.
Thespius's hand grabbed the basket, shrimp tails still decorating it, smears of cocktail sauce splattered on the side. The hand held it up for Thespius to see, and he halted his breath.
He understood now-
“Now, Inspekta, when you were mortal-” Thespius went to ask, but Inspekta’s breath burned inside as he buried his face into Thespius' palm.
“Aaaauhhhh!!” He cried, making Thespius rub the back of his coat with his ring finger. Thespius watched the hands that were twitching on the floor raise in unison and smack the powered off screens.
Forgetting his company, Inspekta couldn’t help but holler, as he looked up at him with tears running down his face, “WHY DOES MY MOM HATE ME?!”
Thespius immediately dropped the basket, creating a small mess onto the God Complex’s floor to hold Inspekta closer, “Ohhh no no no!”
He practically rocked Inspekta like a child, “Oh, 'Spekta, cinnamon-stick, Mama could never hate you! Never in a million years would she ever hate you, she loves you! She’s always going on and on about how proud she is of you, even!”
Inspekta sobbed, head lurching forward with the sudden embrace, “Wh-haat??” He cried, tears dripping down his face faster at that.
He looked up at Thespius, hardly able to see him in the haze of his blurred vision.
Thespius stood off the floor, and pulled Inspekta into fresher air than the smog that was filling the bottom of the Complex with increasing viscosity.
His skirt kept waving it away as he took the younger god on a walk around his darkness, being a light to fill it.
It gave him space to breathe and cough harsh sobs, getting it all out as Thespius spoke.
“The day you ascended, I held Mama’s hand as we waited for you. She was almost awash with tears of joy, going on about how “oh he’s so young, he’s been so brave, his heart is a blessing to this world.” and just being so excited to see you at that peak.”
Inspekta covered his eyes as Thespius kept walking in long strides, the click of his heels overpowering the ringing. The swoosh of his movements sent cold air over his electrically warm face.
It helped him attempt to breathe and try to calm his tears, even if he kept hitching. It was hardly processing-
Thespius hoped it was as comforting as he was to Mitternacht that day, rubbing the back of her hand.
“She cried for each of us, I was told. I held her when she cried for Cobigail and Clicky, and I was told she cried for me when I was carried into her arms and I will never forget how her tears fell as grabbed Huzzle Mug by the arm and shook it when she saw your soul approach the spire’s entrance." Thespius chuckled at the mental image returning to him.
"The way you held that boy's hand as the two of you savored that moment, your crowd waiting at the spire's entrance…”
Ever since Bauhauzzo’s ascension, there was never to be a crowd on the spire.
It was seen as a mark of fear and an omen of catastrophe. Mitternacht decreed that herself the day she held the spirekeeper in her arms as his light dwindled.
So she had watched with tears in her eyes as the sun set that night.
Her moon and the world's rift guided their way as the headlights of Inspekta’s van illuminated his Mortal Self and his Apostle, as he said his parting words.
Before he took a bow as they glew bright in his honor.
He didn’t want them turned off until he was gone. As a sort of tribute.
His people cheered for him, as only the two of them started that walk together hand in hand. Tails entwined.
Just for his apostle to return alone with tears staining his cheeks and a grin on his face as his golden sash passed owners.
Fists gripped the sash of gold so tightly, not fitting him quite right. Joy pulsed as they marched forward to celebrate regardless.
All because it came from him.
To add a soul like his into the pantheon...a soul full of brightness and love...it was all Mitternacht could hope for.
“Let’s just say, with the rain that fell that night, Mama was very very happy to have you, and she’s so proud of everything you’ve been doing!”
Inspekta sniffed, hardly believing what he was hearing with his face cooling and tears dwindling with Thespius’s words, as Thespius spun around in the soothing motion.
“The way you’ve cleaned up the Grove, making it more accessible and bringing so much character, you make it so homey…It’s honestly astounding!”
Inspekta coughed a little more, resting his head on his palm as he hazily took in the words.
“...Oh you should’ve seen Mama’s glow when you had your boys make that cutesy statue of her in front of that hot-dog stand! My, she was absolutely radiant as she pointed to it and held her heart!”
"My oh my, my gumdrop made me look so adorable! I could just die again right here and now, ohhhh my, that's so darling!!"
That statue still stood, made of clay and decorated with acrylic paints. Inspekta fretted it looked like a child’s school project but it stood the test of rain…so he figured it was almost good enough.
He had to make it good enough.
Thespius gave Inspekta a hug, and brought him closer to his face so he could see his smile through any blurred vision.
“Mama loves you, and I can tell you with one-hundred percent certainty that she will always love you.” He placed a small kiss on the top of Inspekta’s head, and it made his eyes widen.
“You work very hard, and you need a rest. You kinda locked Clicky in his tower with the power being out from all that energy- It worries Mama whenever our young powers go haywire from stuff like this. So I came as quick as I could when I saw the teal spark burst our bulbs-”
Inspekta rubbed where the kiss was placed, and question marks still floated around his head, “Well…I don’t know, what happened- I’ll fix it- let me fix it-”
He gripped onto one of Thespius’s fingers trying to lug himself up and Thespius just hushed him.
“Hey, we’re already fixing it by taking deep breaths, do that for me, alright?” Inspekta listened to him, taking more and more breaths, following Thespius’s breathing. It was all he could do, he didn't have much energy for anything else.
“All you did, Spekta, was eat something it seems like you shouldn’t’ve. You gotta be careful with what your followers give you, our forms are divine but the quirks of our bodies can still remain. It’s something we all find out the hard way, haha!”
Thespius laughed, but Inspekta could only sigh and pout a bit, “...I…i’m sorry-” He mumbled, hugging tighter onto Thespius's finger.
“Heyyy, hey now, you couldn’t’ve known. It’s not like Huzzle told me before I chowed down on a slice of pecan pie a follower made me! If anything, it made just a bit of fun while Mama whapped it on the back of the head with one of Clicky’s silly cartoon books he gifted me as I recovered hehe-”
Huzzle Mug rubbed the back of its head, squawking that it was just making lightfunfortune of the situation!
Mitternacht scolded it, telling it to be supportive to the struggles of its fellow God or she would be happy to tell them all of the time it, too, ate a funky sushi roll.
Bauhauzzo automatically chirped back, closing his eyes and he started recalling the tale of the heatwave it caused before it could cover his mouth. It did with a massive stretch of its limbs.
Each one, both hands, both clogs.
Thespius remembered laughing when Bauhauzzo took one of his giant hands, made a face with it, and spoke through that to deflect his sibling’s antics.
In a way it worked in cheering Thespius up when his sneezes caused windstorms through Hobbyhoo.
Thespius hoped this was working for Inspekta, the softness, the closeness, the fresh air. The stories and love given to him.
Each deep sigh made him feel like it was. Inspekta was slowly calming down, sparks fading into the air. The energy to flail and fight had all left.
“There he goes…rest, just for a minute, that’ll help. You little busy bee, you.” Thespius encouraged, watching him settle deeper into his hands.
With a deep sigh, he saw that his eyes were fluttering shut. He kept taking deep breaths, small coughs breaking them up, just a bit.
"Mmmhck-!" Inspekta coughed harder without opening his groggy eyes, making Thespius hum at all the fog that conjured around them. It was trying to rise and get to the sickly God.
Thespius had to get rid of more of his smoke-
He used another hand to grab his skirt, and with big sweeping motions he cleared the smog away. He pushed it as far away as he could, watching it fade deeper into the darkness of the domain.
That was the most he could do. Now was the time for Inspekta to get some proper rest.
He walked him back to the desk, and knelt down again. He reached into the pocket of his suit, and produced what looked like a handkerchief.
He used two spare hands to roll it up, and placed it on the floor in front of Inspekta’s computers. He then placed the young god back onto the floor, letting it be a makeshift pillow for him.
Thespius heard a gentle snore come from his mouth, and breathed a small sigh of relief.
He reached over and held down a red button on the side of the screen as the keys all started slowly unsticking and popping back up to normal position.
Each screen popped up with a blue light, and a spinning circle started rotating on each one, a percentage very slowly ticking up on the display.
“There, that’s already looking so much better.” Even if each screen had a frowny face on it, that was alright. It’d smile with time.
The percentage by it simply read "Attempting Recovery..." as the numbers ticked, stalled and ticked again.
Inspekta’s eyes closed tighter at the blue light silhouetting him, making Thespius give him a gentle sigh. He kissed two fingers and leaned down, placing one more kiss onto his forehead.
The sharp points of his hair settled a bit more back into the soft curls that cupped his head. Inspekta huffed a breath, and kept snoring.
“I’ll tell Mama you’re feeling better, okay? Get you a good rest, cinnamon-stick dear.” Thespius smiled, and stood to leave before remembering he had to alert that fellow.
Thinking of those stories...He knew he recognized him.
He looked at the light of the exit to Inspekta’s domain, and focused his own light onto it.
Capochin was hanging his head in worry, sitting on the edge of the door. He wasn’t even paying attention to the way all the streetlights around them were burnt out.
All he could think of was Inspekta’s state, bouncing his leg at a high speed, anxiously.
He didn’t know what he'd do if things weren’t okay. How’d he have to spread the word that their God was ill. He didn’t know, he just wanted to take care of him.
He didn’t want to cause a widespread panic-!
Did Gods like soup? Could he make him some soup? Could he find him some medicine? What medicine would work?
He wrung his tail, picking at it with his claws poking little holes in his skin.
He didn't know, he was still new to this too-
He gripped his tail harder, curling up to himself and picked and picked as he waited and waited…
The light grew brighter, making him straighten immediately as it swerved and swirled. A daisy-flower bloomed from it, tickling the side of Capochin’s head.
He stood and ran back in as quick as he could.
The first thing Capochin saw was the blue screens, and he covered his mouth in fear upon seeing Inspekta laying on the floor still.
He looked up at Thespius, who was standing behind the desk, leaning on it so he wouldn’t be too bright on Capochin’s eyes either. He put a finger to his mouth, as if telling Capochin to hush before he could even speak.
“...what happened?” Capochin whispered, not wanting to wake the now resting God of Leadership.
Thespius spoke lightly, gesturing a hand to the basket that was still a mess on the floor. “He had something that didn’t sit with him well, is all.”
Capochin startled, and knelt to clean it. He picked up a shrimp tail and gasped at it. “Ohhhh he didn’t-”
Thespius nodded, and Capochin could only ask as he used the napkin in the basket to clean all of the red off the floor. “I thought…I would’ve thought Gods couldn’t get sick-?”
Thespius scratched the back of his head. “It’s…it’s complicated. We can still eat, and deep inside our bodies still know what we should and should not be eating.”
Thespius put a hand to his chest, telling Capochin earnestly. “He’ll be alright, but he needs to rest and pay attention to what he eats. Food-based offerings appeal to our humanity, and there’s nothing better than a home cooked meal, but do be careful, alright?”
Capochin opened the drawer with the trash in it, shoved the basket in it as hard as he could and tied the bag.
Lugging it out to toss it by the exit of the domain to be taken care of later.
Thespius smiled a bit, watching him work as if forgetting his own company as well. “...it’s Capochin, right?”
Capochin startled at the god knowing his name. He’s interacted with Thespius before, but not often and definitely not enough to form a large bond.
“...Yes?” Capochin paused, putting his hands together to once again look respectful. Thespius smile took on a softer tone, and he put two hands together.
“I’ll let you know…Inspekta talks very highly of you.”
Capochin’s heart could burst right there and now hearing that from the God of Love-
“He’s such a hard worker, and I can tell from this he’s not going to let himself rest as long as he needs to. Help us take care of him, alright? I’m sure he’d, and all of us Gods would appreciate it to know he has such a good friend looking out for him.”
Capochin could cry, he could cry right here and now, he just nodded, and promised to Thespius. “I will! I’ll make sure he gets a rest and I’ll help him with anything that gets in his way from it!”
Thespius clapped two hands softly together, his smile now beaming. “Fantastic! Just what Mama needs to hear! I’ll let her know Inspekta has someone in his corner more often than we can. We try…ah…we try to not converge realms too often…so all of us trying to be here and with him may prove difficult-”
He couldn't imagine fitting all seven of them in this tiny space, but if Inspekta needed them they'd bend the laws of the beyond to try and crowd! All if need be!
Thespius pointed up a finger, relaying it to Capochin “But if he starts lashing out like that again, or you two need anything, please do not hesitate and send word! We’d all like to be there for him, if he lets us.”
Capochin nodded, “Yes, yes sir yes!” He kept his hands together, and told Thespius with great sincerity, “I’ll call right away if something happens!”
That was all Thespius himself wanted to hear as well, and to bid adieu he plucked a flower out of his hair and handed it to Capochin.
“As a thank you, for all you’ve done for him so far. Keep up the good work, little apostle.”
Thespius gave him a rock-on gesture before turning away and dissipating into a flow of illuminated clouds, the white fluff ebbing away into the darkness as he returned to his domain.
Capochin blinked, before looking back down at Inspekta. Watching him snore away, curling up and coiling as if all the heat had left and left him cold.
The flower was dropped immediately. Those feelings of taboo were forgotten in the adrenaline of care and being seen-
He unbuttoned his uniform’s coat, and shrugged it off of his shoulders leaving him in a mere white undershirt. Fluffing it out, he approached and knelt in front of his god, vulnerable and in need of all the patience he could give.
He draped the coat over the space where emptiness marked his head and top of his coat, hoping that warmed his body.
He watched Inspekta sigh, and ease once more. As if he was back just a few years, tucking him to sleep in that car seat when tears weren't enough to show his worries about this turn of life.
Capochin, despite everything telling him not to, ran his hand across Inspekta’s warm forehead, and tucked his hair out of his face.
“...I’ll be here for you, ‘Specs. I’ll be right here. Just give me one minute, alright?” Capochin stood, and pulled his work phone back out, getting it to turn back on as he walked out of the domain.
It pinged to life as the numbers on Inspekta’s screens kept rising and rising. As his breathing kept steadying.
As he rested.
Capochin dialed a number, held it to his ear, and picked up the trash bag. “Hey Vib… yes your fabrics are coming- Yes I know we have a lot of new recruits- listen- I need you to help me spread a word, okay?”
Capochin wanted to make sure EVERYBODY knew that from now on: Only he can make Inspekta food. No matter what.
It was the best way he could think of moving forward to keep him safe.
As Capochin walked away, making his orders, Inspekta pressed his coat deeper into his face. It warmed him, and the smell was…nostalgic. Cigarettes and pasta sauce…
Inspekta slept away and dreamed…
What does a god dream of? Many things, if they please.
Inspekta? As the dread and allergen left his body piece by piece?
As those little things remained unprocessed?
Inspekta...
...dreamed of his mother.
---
It was finally Sunday.
The moon glew beautifully above the Midnight as Ms. Mitternacht rested in her domain. She so rarely got offerings, but on this day…she had plenty to be happy with.
Mostly flowers, little chocolates, cards and kisses from a handful of people. Mostly within her beloved pantheon.
Not many people visited her. She didn’t fault them for it, even if it did sometimes bring her down...
Nothing on this Sunday could do that. Not a single thing!
She read a card and chuckled, it was from Cobigail and merely read “Thanks for Puddin’ Up With Me!” with a hand drawn pudding cup on it. Confetti flopped out of it and made a little mess on the floor.
Oh her sweet girl…
She had a gift from every God in the pantheon, except for-
Before she could even think about it, she heard a small paff at the foot of her domain. She looked over, and saw a flustered tail rushing back into a little box of light that almost looked like a television.
“Oh?” She looked where the TV had vanished in a small speck of light, and saw a bouquet of flowers.
They weren’t Roses, or Carnations, but a big bundle of Forget-Me-Nots.
Tears blinked in her eyes as she picked them up. She turned it over, and saw in a handwriting she loved written on the paper. “Happy’s Mother’s Day” with a small face and a looped heart drawn on the side.
She knew exactly what to do with them. Holding them close to her chest, she walked into the depths of her domain.
Being the eldest god was a lonely affair, but she had her own way of coping with the endless midnight.
She walked past her rows upon rows of chairs, she knew exactly how many there were.
Now it should be about…eight billion if she remembered correctly. The expanse seemed to go on forever, but each chair had a special place in her heart, even if they all faced away from her. All but one, anyway.
A name was engraved on each one. She’d read them all with time.
She smelled the flowers, as she went deeper and deeper into the sea of seats, as if she was looking around. They smelled divine, and she could tell they were grown with care.
Bundled with quick tenacity.
Handled with the clumsiness of a youngster whom she absolutely adored.
Her eyes lit up as the moon glew above her head, and moved slowly when she saw what she was looking for.
A large ornate gate she walked under, leading her to a small forest encased with walls made entirely of epiphyllum oxypetalum.
She paced through it, marching with purpose as she hunted around. This was a special, sacred place to her, she had to move with grace.
She passed an enormous Elm Tree, and ran her hand across the last bit of metal of the chair that it has grown around for so, so many years.
The name on its back was faded, but she knew it was her beloved wise Willa.
There were several more trees, all of various sizes…she regarded them all with small tears in her eyes as she looked them over.
Admiring each one…
A bright, sprawling, curly Sycamore tree for her dear creative Piper.
A forever flowering, lovely Hibiscus tree for her ebullient darling Julius.
A sturdy and mighty Pine tree for her ever-eloquent sweet Charlie.
A joyful, eccentric Mulberry tree, full of perfectly ripe berries for her treasured silly Abigail.
She held the Forget-Me-Nots closer to her chest, as she approached a chair she had moved not too long ago. Plucked away from several names like Gruja or Vibiano.
She moved to place the flowers on the chair, before pausing, grabbing a single one of the tiny blue flowers and tucking it onto her coif.
It added a lovely pop of blue to her attire, as she wanted to keep a hold of it for a moment longer.
She sat on her knees, and then properly placed the flowers onto the chair. There, the chair glew a bright light and they melted into the plastic of the seat.
Decorating the name with etches of their beauty and sending shoots of moonlight into the dirt. Little bushes sprouted around it, bushes to grow more of the Forget-Me-Nots.
Behind the chair, to one day coil and grow around it too, a little willow sapling was already growing. It had just started taking proper root.
Mitternacht gently touched the first leaves of the tree, and knew it would need plenty of support in its shaky youth.
It’s already had such a harsh life so far. Fighting and struggling to grow, but growing nonetheless. All it needed was a better spot to bloom-
She grabbed the chair and scooted it closer to it, and traced a finger over the name on its seat.
A weeping Willow for her brave, headstrong, stubborn, passionate, bold, lionhearted, sunny…
She sighed, smiling to herself as she admired his kindness, holding her hands to her heart as if in a prayer of her own, “Oh, my sweet little Hector…I pray you keep shining.”
She stood up, and left the flowers and tree to keep growing and growing.
Knowing she’d sit by all of these trees and feel loved by all of her family.
Even if the forget-me-not fluttered apart by the end of the day.
Even if something happens to them all…
They’d all take care of each other. That’s what the pantheon was built for.
No matter what the body says, or what ailment can linger on, or what blood of the past tries to decree what may happen.
The moonlight guides the water, and the flow of the water brings their family together. That moonlit water is their covenant blood.
The last thing Inspekta wanted to do was continue to walk on eggshells, or continue to tread water, but this water…he was keen to try and swim in.
If only for a fleeting moment, he felt he had someone to pull him out of the deep end when he went too far.
Mitternacht was proud of him, they all were proud of him…
Prouder than those shades of blood, who should've been over the moon. If they weren't, the moon herself was happy to take the place.
They hoped it would all last forever, as the moon guides the salty tide to a new day.
When thirty years pass in a flash…
When that willow tree stood a hundred feet tall lingering, drooping and engulfing the sky…
When everything was different…
Mitternacht would look at the chair bent backwards from the tree pushing against it, fragile back distorted and about to break from the decades of excruciating labor.
It worried her to look at. It made her feel like she may have failed it. Maybe in a way she did. Maybe in a way they all did...She couldn't think too hard about it before the guilt made her mind wander.
She would blink, let her faceplates shift to look at it with her heart, and decide to wait another day before trying to pull it loose.
She wanted to love and appreciate it in that spot just a little while longer. Sit on her knees in front of it and rest her head on the seat before it could be filled.
Hug onto the tree and hope it makes his heavy heart ease that day. To ease any pain he felt that day. To make him feel seen and loved that day.
To hold him that day.
Just a day longer, as the stream continues to flow.
If he’d allow her.