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It’s a calm night in the Acacia Kingdom.
The moon hangs high in the sky, painting everything in silvery light. The air is cool, a refreshing break from the usual constant heat of the desert. Hundreds of stars glow above the void, constellations stretching endlessly across the sky, on and on forever.
Ruby stands at one of Acacia's many balconies, leaning against the sandstone railing as a gentle breeze blows through their hair.
They can see most of the other Kingdoms from here, countless islands sprawling out across the otherwise empty void, filling this desolate world with builds, shops, games, colour, community, laughter and life. They’ve all come so far from those original eleven small islands, every Kingdom only having one tree and a cobblestone generator to their name.
Acacia itself is coming along beautifully, every new island and build always adding to its charm.
Ruby’s so proud of what they’ve managed to do here.
For a while they stand there and just breathe, letting the cool breeze ground them in the moment and quiet their mind. They feel a lot better out here than they usually do most nights, lying wide awake and restless in their bed until the sun rises and a new day begins. The bone-deep tiredness that has become their constant state of being is still there, but… for once, Ruby also feels content.
It’s nice. Peaceful.
Their gaze absentmindedly drifts northwards, where the lights of Spruce Kingdom are visible, and a stab of anxiety cuts through the calm.
Ruby groans, dropping their head onto their hands as they’re immediately reminded of why they came out here for a distraction in the first place.
“–maybe that’s why it’s always there when you sleep, because you’re at the most vulnerable.”
“Maybe... yeah. I don’t even know if I’m asleep in the first place–”
They had that conversation with Leon two nights ago, and it’s been replaying in their mind nonstop since. Ruby doesn’t usually sleep– a fact that they’ve managed to keep well hidden– but just resting has felt even more difficult than it does usually. It’s... really been bothering them.
“-it was like time had stopped, it was weird.”
Ruby glances back over at the antenna of the Spruce starter house in the distance. Leon’s face, confused and scared, flashes in their mind and they feel a twinge of guilt. They really hope that whatever’s happening to him isn’t their fault.
But is the alternative any better?
The thought of something or someone– who apparently knows Leon somehow– actively reaching out to him in either dreams or visions of some kind, claiming that he “isn’t supposed to be here” doesn’t sit right with them. That’s Ruby’s friend. Leon’s pretty much everyone’s friend. He’s got an island partner like everyone else, he builds shops like everyone else, his shenanigans are always fun to get involved in and he just slots in perfectly with everyone here. It doesn’t seem right that this is supposedly somewhere he’s not meant to be.
If it’s just nightmares, if it’s all Ruby’s fault, then that sucks, but it’s easier to deal with. Ruby will just isolate more and... well, if that doesn’t work then– then maybe they’ll build an island even further out and live there!
(Ruby knows that realistically that Acorn would never let them do that to themselves and so would Leon if they told him, but they could still try.)
Besides, nightmares/weird time-related stuff is Ruby’s thing. Even if they’re kinda fuzzy on some details about it, there’s something they’re forgetting, something just out of reach, what is it?– it’s definitely something they could use to help.
If it’s a mysterious person-entity-thing that nobody knows anything about, antagonising Leon and trying to tell him to leave? Ruby has no idea what to do about that. And that scares them.
“Ruby?”
A voice jolts Ruby out of their thoughts, although the brief burst of panic fades when they turn around and realise who it is.
“Oh! Hey, Acorn."
“Hey.” Acorn replies. She’s standing in the entrance to their bedroom, one hand resting on the doorframe. Despite it being way past midnight, she looks more awake than Ruby’s ever felt in what feels like forever.
“I thought you were asleep?” Ruby questions as their sister joins them at the railing, mirroring their position of leaning against it.
“I wasn’t. I felt too awake.” Acorn shrugs. “I heard you leave.” She glances at them. “You okay?”
Ruby sighs, turning to look back out across the void. “Just tired. You know how it is.”
Acorn makes a sound of sympathy. “I figured.”
Silence falls between them.
Ruby resumes worrying, chewing on the inside of their mouth as anxiety bubbles back up in their chest.
Should I tell Acorn about Leon?
They probably shouldn’t. Leon trusted Ruby, and Ruby specifically with that information, and while they weren’t told not to tell anyone, they don’t want to break their friends’ trust. Besides, Acorn’s been focusing on making her new game, and making more plans for the Kingdom, Ruby doesn’t want to distract her with their own worries.
Their train of thought is cut off once again as Acorn gently knocks her shoulder against Ruby’s.
“Well, if we’re both awake I see no reason to stand around and brood.” She says, stepping back from the railing.
Ruby makes an offended noise. “Wha- I wasn’t brooding!”
Acorn just laughs, offering Ruby her hand. “Come on, you can help me plan out the area for Sandy Land. Might as well do something productive.”
— — —
It’s almost sunrise when they stop to take a break, the sky slowly brightening on the horizon as the moon sets behind them.
Ruby sits on one of the small sandstone hills, one of their legs tucked against their chest. Acorn’s fiddling with some redstone next to them, figuring out the card shuffle system. She’s humming under her breath as she works, a song neither of them can remember the origins of, but one they’ve both known since childhood.
It’s comforting.
Ruby’s a little reluctant to admit it, but this was exactly what they needed. Gathering materials, building and doing something with their hands, joking with Acorn as they worked... their brain feels a little quieter.
They hadn’t realised how lonely they’d been feeling. Sure, there was Catmaid Con when the two new Kingdoms appeared, and of course talking to Leon a few nights ago, but Ruby’s been spending most of their time alone. It was for a good reason of course– they don’t want their friends to suffer because of them– but they hadn’t properly realised how negatively the isolation had been affecting them.
At one point while building, one of them had said something, Ruby can't remember what, and it had ended up with both of them in a loop of laughing hysterically, calming down, but then immediately making eye contact and setting each other off again.
This is the happiest Ruby’s felt in a while. They can't remember the last time they laughed that hard without forcing it.
They’re still worried about Leon, but there’s not much Ruby can do about it right now. They’ll figure it out together, but it’s not something they can just solve in a single night.
The gentle background noise fades as Acorn finishes up her redstone, putting the spare pieces in a shulker box before climbing up to sit next to Ruby.
Wordlessly, she wraps an arm over Ruby’s shoulders, and they instinctively melt into her, curling against their sister’s side, fitting perfectly there in a way they always have since they were kids. Acorn squeezes their shoulder, adjusting to get more comfortable. She starts humming again and against their will, Ruby feels their eyes drift shut.
Time passes.
Ruby doesn’t sleep, can’t sleep, doesn’t want to, but they doze, not fully awake but not fully asleep either. Acorn stays, free hand running through Ruby’s hair. Her humming has become quiet singing, a lullaby that Ruby doesn’t really remember, but hearing it makes them feel a little safer.
When Ruby drifts more fully into wakefulness, the sun is high in the sky and they feel... well rested? They didn’t actually sleep, they still feel tired, but at the same time they feel less... drained.
“Hi.” Acorn’s hand finally stills in Ruby’s hair.
“Hi.”
Ruby yawns, sitting up straighter to stretch. Acorn takes the opportunity to stand up and stretch also, looking a little more tired than she did before.
She must recognise the look on Ruby's face, because she rolls her eyes, albiet fondly. "I'll be fine." She says, offering Ruby her hand and pulling them to their feet. She briefly hooks her pinkie with Ruby's before letting go. "Promise. I would have been up all night anyway."
Ruby makes a face, but also knows it would be hypocritical to insist Acorn sleep, when they literally don't.
"... thanks, by the way." They say as the two of them start walking back to the main part of Acacia. "For staying up with me." Then, just to be sappy, "I love you."
Acorn grins, arm around Ruby's shoulders again to pull her sibling into a side-hug as they walk. "Love you too."