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This has already started to turn into a routine. An unpleasant crackling sound is heard from the sky again.
He flies closer, straining, using all his gravity. And so on until the split gets smaller again.
He was tired. It's strange for a creature to have quietly survived billions of years alone. But he misses the creatures he's become attached to, he misses his friends.
He's interested in how they spend their time. Down there, without him. Oh, they must be having fun without him. In the end, he always made things worse for the people around him. He tried to be helpful, but ended up feeling guilty after every ordeal.
Now he's just been in one place for months, trying to protect the others. And no one will even say "Thank you" to him. Besides, he doesn't need it, does he? He's the only one who can do it, he shouldn't be thanked for doing what he has to do.
Why did they play such a cruel joke on him? Why was he allowed to learn about the life that was born after his death? It would be better if he watched from afar, as long as no one knows about his existence, no one knows him. When no one is interested in him or needs him, just as he didn't need anyone. When he was a star, he was alone too, so what's the problem? Just have to keep putting up with it. Nothing's going to happen. Even if he manages his abilities better every day, no one will be interested, no one will notice. They'll take it for granted and go about their business.
He was so deep in his thoughts, terrible, wrong, that he was ready to destroy everything that could lead him out of them. Any noise, any rustle, any voice... voice?
Of course, his hearing wasn't perfect, but he distinctly heard a painfully familiar, excited voice say his name. It was obvious that the sound was coming from the roof of the hotel and was spoken through a loudspeaker.
The cosmic creature takes a deep breath, and then turns his head slightly, as if casually, as if he is glad to see someone else besides the unfortunate crack in the sky.
"Tree? Why are you here? Do you need something?"
"I came to check on you. You're always near this.. thing," - he pointed to the rift, "We started to worry if you were okay.."
"Oh, really?" - Black Hole said through clenched teeth, turning away, clearly indicating, "I'm busy, go away."
But Tree didn't leave.
"Can you come down? The PACT hasn't even seen you up close in a very long time. You're here literally all the time, we can't live without you-"
Black hole turns around abruptly:
"Oh well. You haven't been bothered by my condition all this time. The most you did was wave at me as you passed by!! Moreover, I can't leave, I must-"
It looks like the plant has decided to join in "interrupting each other" game:
"I must, I must, I must!! Why don't you think about yourself a little bit, you know, you don't have to be here all the time, this crack isn't going anywhere after all!!"
Black Hole was angry, he just wanted him to leave. He clenched his hands into fists and shouted:
"Oh!! But unlike you, at least I've done something useful since we've been here!!"
He immediately put his hand over his mouth, seemingly afraid of his own words. He turned away, instantly ashamed. BH hugged himself with his arms, bent at the back.
Tree fell silent, looking down at the ground. Guilt and resentment burned through both of them.
Evergreen compresses his lips into a strip, bringing a voice amplifier to him:
"Black Hole. Come down. Immediately. I want to talk to you".
There was no response.
"Black Hole, listen to me, I-'
Tree instantly recoiled as soon as the second one let out a roar of pain, spilling all the accumulated energy out of himself in the direction of the rift, which caused it to shrink much more than usual.
Tree even felt the force of the shock wave that flew away from his friend. A couple of leaves from his head fell to the floor, and the wind began to blow them away.
Black Hole, exhausted, especially after such an outburst of emotions, began to descend. Although it was more like a slow fall. He was just... Devastated.
Tree sat on the edge of the building, motioning for BH to sit next to him. He obeyed.
For ten minutes they both just looked down and were silent. Tree felt the pull of Black Hole even from his place. And he was really weak right now, since he couldn't take control of his gravity like he usually did.
"I'm sorry".
"Eh?"
"I'm sorry I snapped at you... I shouldn't have.. I don't think you're useless, you're very important to me". Plant's voice was trembling, and he sighed heavily in response:
"You're right, Black Hole. I really haven't done anything worthwhile for the PACT, you have every right to be mad at me.."
"But I don't want to be mad at you. I didn't want it to be like this. You know, you're just.. weren't interested in me at all, my condition all this time... Even before that, I felt like an outsider in the team. But I didn't complain because you are all very dear to me. I've never had anyone like you in my life.."
"Oh, Black Hole.. But you asked us to keep our distance in the beginning. I understand that you wanted us to be safe from this crack, so we just.. We didn't want to bother you... I knew that you needed me.. That you needed us, but we were afraid to ask.."
"Yeah, it's probably my fault, too".
And again, silence. This time it was the younger one who broke it.:
"About what you said. I've never considered you to be the ballast in our team'.
Black Hole looked at his friend in surprise, as if he was about to burst into tears.
"You... Really?.."
"Of course. Everyone makes mistakes.. Me too... I said and made a lot of things that I regret now. And I don't blame you, it's all new to you".
Tree felt the gravity weakening next to the dead star, so he unconsciously touches the fingers of BH's hand, starting to stroke it with them, drawing strange outlines:
"I like to see how you are gradually improving in your interaction with subjects, I really appreciate how ardently you defend the ideas of the PACT, and I am glad that I can understand you even when you don't talk about it".
He winks, leaving the last statement to his friend's reflection that he is gradually succumbing to affection. He's trembling slightly, and it's been a long time since anyone has touched him so gently... basically, no one has touched him for a long time.
"I want to say that you are dear to us the way you are. Are you really sure they don't care about you? You're doing everything so that we can all exist here in some kind of peace. Maybe not everyone understands the significance of what you're doing, but think about those who do".
Tree felt Black Hole getting closer and closer, he allowed himself to take the his hand completely. He hears the sobs coming from the second one. Oh God, he can't keep torturing him like this anymore.
He lets Black Hole press his forehead against his chest, risking his own life. But right now, his friend needed it. He also wanted to be an important and useful person in his eyes. If only he knew that he has been for a long time.
The hand of the plant strokes the long black hair in a soothing gesture. He bends down slightly, pressing his nose against them, as if lightly kissing the elder's forehead, while he only hugged the Tree tighter.
"You will always be important to me, Black Hole. I love you."
Black Hole pursed his lips, froze slightly as he felt strangely warm and comfortable inside. He wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling right now, but the word he said was... the most suitable one.
"I love you too."