Work Text:
Black's reign over the land was over. His death marked the end of one of the darkest periods in the time of the region's existence. As his rotting body decomposed into the ground once and for all, it felt as if the violent tendencies that the other Sprunki had under his influence just progressively went away. It felt as if a war had just ended, and the bloodshed had finally came to an end, just like the people would've wanted. However, just like wars, there would come a period of having to reconstruct and mend what was broken in the dark age before it. It would have to take a long duration of time just for all to go back to the normal. Rome and the Mali Empire were not built in one day, so why would reparations take just the same amount of time just so things could go back to normal? Progress has to be made for anything like that to happen. With work done, one by one, the world can finally go back to the good times like before, which is what hard work eventually pays off and creates.
...
From his slumber on his comfortable bed, Oren arose, face up. Though another man's presence was gone, some things were still present that he brought. The sky still as dark red and distressing, like walking in on a crime scene. Since the day that felt like the Armageddon, he never wanted to leave the house, out of fear that his already mangled body would become more and more destroyed. He never even left the house to see his boyfriend OWAKCX, though missing him a lot. His windows were covered by the curtains that he closed, light barely escaping, leaving his lamps as the only source of light for him. He would only leave his house to eat, careful in his step, fearing a surprise attack. Bread and deli meat, which he would put together to make sandwiches, were the only things keeping him full.
...
OWAKCX's speech was always sort of hard to understand, but with an onslaught against him during Black's conquering, it only got worse. His voice became more static-like, only certain people being able to understand him, like Oren. He was scared of the world, scared to ever approach anybody. Unlike Oren, he never left his house after the attack, ever, not even for food, resulting in his body being unhealthily skinny, starving for food. He missed Oren. He wanted to see him again. After all of it was over, he wanted to run straight to him like a dog seeing it's owner come back home from the hospital. He wanted that day to happen, he wished it would come soon.
...
For the first time in a while, Oren stepped out of their home, not for food, but for the gut feeling that he wouldn't be fearing an attack like he did before. It felt empty, just him, and the wind blowing across the blackened grass. It felt lonely, he hoped someone would come out of their place to see him, no matter who it was. He was unknowingly in eyeshot of a certain someone's home, being able to be seen from their window. For the first time in forever, OWAKCX opened his curtain to see what was outside. To his surprise, he could see Oren. Despite longing to see his boyfriend again, he was terrified of what he would possibly say if he saw him in this state, not only mangled, but malnourished as well. Sooner than later, he swallowed his fears, and he burst out of his door, running straight towards him.
"¡¡¡¡NNNNNNNNƎɹO"
Oren turned to the voice, which he recognized immediately, and saw OWAKCX sprinting towards him, teary-eyed. Seeing him after feeling like he was never going to see him again made him almost feel like he was about to cry, too. It felt like a half of his heart was being sewn back together seeing him. Almost immediately, he felt the embrace of OWAKCX's hands.
"∩O⅄pƎSSIWƎΛIHƆ∩WMOHHƆ┴Ǝɹ┴S┴N∀ƆINƎɹONƎɹONƎɹO", he rang out, feeling like he was beginning to cry.
"I, I missed you too, OWAKCX", Oren responded. He hugged him back, but his hand accidentally touched a painful spot.
"˙˙˙S┴ɹ∩H┴∀H┴S┴ɹ∩H┴∀H┴MMMMMMOMMMMMMO", he screamed out. Oren immediately repositioned his hands and wrapped them around OWAKCX's upper body.
...
"˙˙˙NƎɹO"
Oren tilted his head.
"¿˙˙˙ƎWƎΛO˥˥˥I┴S∩O⅄OpSIH┴ƎʞI˥פNIʞOO˥NƎΛƎ"
"Do I? Will I still love you despite the way you look...?"
...
"Yes. I do. You will always be beautiful to me, no matter what has happened to you. Your state right now will never make a difference."
OWAKCX's eyes shot open.
"˙˙˙ƎℲI˥⅄WNI∩O⅄ƎΛ∀HI┴∀H┴p∀˥פOSWIHƆ∩WOS∩O⅄ʞN∀H┴∩O⅄ʞN∀H┴∩O⅄ʞN∀H┴", he said, about to cry.
"Oh, oh OWAKCX, please don't cry, what's wrong?", Oren said with a faint smile.
"˙˙˙p∀SOS˥ƎƎℲI⅄HMMONʞ┴NOp┴S∩ſI ˙˙˙MONʞ┴NOpI", he responded, voice feeling like it was about to break.
Oren assured him everything was alright.
"It's going to be okay, even if it takes a long time for anything to be normal again. You're everything to me, forever."
...
"Let's get you something to eat now, is that okay?"
"˙˙˙SƎI┴ISSƎƆƎNƆIS∀q⅄WפNI┴ƆƎ˥פƎNɹOℲ⅄ɹɹOSWI'SƎ⅄'SƎ⅄"
"Oh no, it's alright. I just want you happy and healthy, honey."
"NƎɹONOSɹƎԀpNIʞ⅄˥˥∀Ǝɹ∀Ǝɹ∩O⅄ ˙˙˙ƎWɹOℲ┴∩OפNIʞOO˥ɹOℲ∩O⅄ʞN∀H┴"
"You're welcome and thank you, too."
The two, huddling with each other, went to get something to eat. For the remainder of the day, they stayed with the other, Oren with the intent of looking out for him, and OWAKCX because he feels the most comfortable around Oren. They were inseparable from the other.