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The fields were quiet, the only sounds you could hear were the soft wind flowing through the trees, the leaves rustling with it. Birds chirping, singing a song. And two small children, whispering and giggling together.
—
Their back was against the top of the picnic table, their legs swaying from where they're hanging off the old, wooden table. Clémente was laying in the opposite direction of them, their faces close together, so close that Cole could hear their every sound, every laugh, every silly thought that they were sharing, ranting about everything and nothing at the same time.
There has been a silence between the children now. Not awkward, no, a comfortable silence, with the few interruptions of humming, whistling, or the music that nature itself made.
They could stay here forever, watching the sky's colours change, going from the clear blue to a mix of pastels. Feeling the wind on their skin, tickling them with its softness every now and then.
But most important, they were here with them.
Clémente, the person they loved most. The person currently laying next to them, face to the sky, their golden hair forming a halo around their head. The person who's now tapping a soft rythm onto the wood of the table.
The person they hadn't even met too long ago, but immediately became such a big part of their life, of their heart. The person they'd want to meet over and over again in every universe.
"Do you think…" Cole starts, not really knowing where they're going with this. "Do you think that there are other universes? Out there?"
They keep their gaze glued to the sky. Mainly to get their point across, but also because they can't look the other kid into the eyes.
For a bit they think that Clémente didn't even hear their question, the comfortable silence from before slowly turning into something different, something they can't name. Until they hear a soft hum, telling them to elaborate.
"Well, since space is supposed to be infitite, who knows what's out there?!" they begin, just mindlessly rambling at this point. "A-and there are a lot of stories- storybooks, maybe those things, the- the stories are real! In another universe!"
"So… maybe I'm a knight in another universe?!" Clémente asks excitedly. Cole can hear the bells on their costume jingle as they sit up, staring at the leveret with their big (and slightly terrifying) silver eyes.
"Y-yeah! Maybe" Cole replies, as they try to cover their face in even the slightest, feeling nervous by the sudden attention on them.
Though they can't see it, they can already guess the goats reaction to this. They've watched, admired them dozens of times, enough to predict their every reaction. And when they finally dare to take a peek, their prediction seemed correct.
Clémente seems to shine at their answer, smiling brightly, joy practically radiating off them. They're like a sun, shining light and positivity onto even the darkest corners of Felicity. The fact that they're always warm to the touch seems to prove Cole's theory even further.
They don't seem to notice Cole staring at them, wachting their every move, hearing their words of excitement, but being too distracted to properly listen. They pick up a few words of their ranting: "knight" "fantasy" "kingdom" "protect" "princess", but other than that, it's all a blur.
"-Or, what if in another another universe we're a goat and a rabbit! And- and we would still meet somehow!" Clémente continues happily, finally glancing towards Cole, that same smile still playing on their face. Cole has to practially rip away their gaze to avoid melting at the sight.
"You really think so?" Cole asks shyly, the "goat and rabbit" comment being the only one they picked up completely.
Clémente nods eagerly, curls bouncing with the movements. "Of course I do! I'd like to think we would meet in every universe. That you…" Their voice softens, their tone turning more gentle. "That you would find me in every universe."
That you would find me…
The sentence lingers in their head, their mind returning to the first day they met. A cliff, a river, a child. They remember it all too well. Scratches, bruises, cuts, a runaway.
In every universe…
The second sentence that stays, carrying a sense of comfort. No matter what world, what timeline, or what universe they would be in, they'll find eachother, over and over again. The thought warms their heart and they smile up at the sky, still laying down on the picnic table, the harsh wood digging slightly in their back.
"In every universe…" they whisper softly, like the sentence itself is something fragile, something that should be handled mindfully, spoken carefully, or else it might break, it might shatter.
The two children lock eyes, this time Cole doesn't look away immediately, why should they? The moment is nice, soft, filled with comfort, they could live this moment on loop forever and wouldn't even mind in the slightest. Clémente looks at them with so much love that they could cry, in every universe, in every universe…
Clémente settles back onto the wooden table, laying down in the same position they were in a few moments prior. Their bells creating a gentle melody at the movement.
"What if…" the goat begins, staring up at the sky. The sun had almost disappeared behind the clouds. Cole didn't need the sun anyway, they had Clémente Dearworth laying next to them, and that's enough. "...In another universe, we would be the Storyteller and the Bellringer?"
The leveret looks over to the other child, who is smiling up at the sky. "Yeah?" they ask, now smiling aswell. Clémente's smile was truly contagious.
"Yeah! And we could tell tales, and sing, and dance together!" Clémente's previous smile had somehow turned even bigger, slightly giggling at the thought.
Cole tears away their eyes from the other kid, looking at their surroudings instead. It's peaceful, warm, comforting. It feels like home, they feel like home.
In every universe…
"I-I'd like that." the leveret whispers.
"So would I." the goat replies.
♡