Chapter Text
Flux doesn't know why Thomas did what he did. It's not like he can do anything about it, though. All he wanted to do now was to leave this city, Am I a coward for leaving them? and make something of himself.
He entered this city with nothing, and left with nothing, so why does it feel like he lost everything after?
Flux prided himself in being a person that didn't care. He believed that caring for other people made you weak, that caring for people created multiple weaknesses that you couldn't get rid of until you did.
The last time he ever remembered caring for someone before the hostel was his mother.
How couldn't he care for her? She gave birth to him, and tried everything in her power to give him a good childhood.
He was a mere five years old when his mother became sick. It started to get downhill after that.
There was barely any food in the fridge, and Flux had to resort to stealing at such an early age. He stole anything he could, meds, food, toiletries — yet, it was never enough.
He learnt the hard way that caring could never be enough the day his mother died. He was only seven years old into this world, and he lost his only protector.
From that day on, Flux swore to himself that he wouldn't care for anyone else, to avoid letting another piece of himself die.
It lasted long enough until...he chose to come to this horrible, horrible city. He met Thomas, Stella, Magic and Agustus, and suddenly his heart felt so much more alive than it did in years.
He grew attached to his family friends — could he even call them that anymore? — embarrassingly quickly, and even wracked up a horrible reputation among the other survivors simply because he chose to protect the hostel, and the hostel only.
It was quite ironic, in all honestly. The one group he swore to protect was the reason for his downfall.
There isn't really much he can do now though, now that he was planning to leave this stupid city behind.
He offered Thomas to come with, but he was too busy arguing with Agustus about why Thomas took the gas out of the bus.
Speaking of Agustus...
On his way to the bus, he noticed Agustus trailing behind him, looking teary-eyed. That's strange. He never knew Agustus had it in him to feel any other emotion other than sarcasm.
Sure, he and Agustus weren't exactly close but they warmed up to eachother eventually. Thanks to Thomas, of course.
It's quite ironic though, isn't it? The person who made them become friends is now the same person they were both trying to leave behind.
"You left him?" Flux asks, not looking back to check on how close he was. He knows Agustus was only a few steps behind, anyway.
"...Yeah. I did. I couldn't stay with him any longer after he told me what he did to the bus. He essentially caused all of those people's death, for— for money! For his own greed!" Agustus rambles, walking a few steps faster to catch up to Flux.
"Mm. So you're leaving too?" Flux asks, checking his backpack for any extra supplies, like food and materials. He did have some, thankfully. He had enough wood for a crafting table aswell.
"Uhm, yeah. I don't really wanna...stay in that city, anymore. There's nothing left for me in there." Agustus sighs. The two of them had a lot more in common that they thought, he supposes.
Flux puts the crafting table down, and makes one thing, and one thing only: a boat. "Are you inclined to join me, then? Strength in numbers. Also, loneliness doesn't do anything other than hurt."
Agustus freezes, tilting his head. Was this really the same Mr. Flux he met in the hostel all those weeks ago? Back then, Mr. Flux would've insisted he go alone, or with Thomas. He doesn't want to remember Thomas anymore. Even with everything he... feels for him.
"I— uhm, sure? Why not?" Agustus shrugs, watching Flux put down the boat and sitting down behind him.
Flux nods mutely, and starts rowing. He lets Agustus slump on him, even if back then, he wouldn't even come this close to another person that wasn't apart of the original members of the hostel.
He doesn't exactly know when Agustus became apart of the hostel, but he's come to be a very important person to them. Flux is just glad he isn't alone right now, and he can only guess that the latter is too.
The silence wasn't exactly awkward. It was more tense, really. It was a chaotic week for everyone, chasing Magic around, the entire situation with Saps the Doctor, and everything, really.
"So, uhm— why did you give that flower? The poppy?" Flux asks awkwardly, trying to break the silence. He winces internally. God, he sounded so pathetic. The hostel really changed him, didn't they?
"The flower? Oh. It was...ah, you really wouldn't understand—" Agustus replies, and Flux swears he can feel something hot pressing against his back.
"That's why I'm asking, you know. So that I can understand why you gave the flower to me out of all people." Flux deadpans.
Agustus sighs, shaking his head. "It was...a special day. Sort of. It's called Valentine's day. On that day, you gave people you care about...flowers or chocolates or something. I don't know." He mumbles.
Flux raises a brow, smirking teasingly even if Agustus couldn't see it. "I didn't know you cared about me that much back then. I'm surprised you didn't give the flower to Agustus."
"Dude, just shut up. Can't you be grateful that I gave it to you or something?" Agustus sighs. This is exactly why he didn't want to explain the concept of Valentine's day to Flux in the first place. The guy had the habit of annoying or ragebaiting people until they reach their limit.
"Well, I suppose I didn't thank you properly back then. Thank you, for giving me that flower. Even if I think you should've given it to Thomas considering..." Flux pauses. He and Agustus know damn well what he was talking about. "Nevermind."
"No, continue. Considering what?" Agustus says. He wasn't stupid. He knew Flux knew that he was somewhat infatuated by Thomas. He also knows damn well that Flux felt the same about Thomas aswell, no matter how much he denied it.
"Considering you're...rather, fond of him in more ways than I expect." Flux finally answers, sighing.
"Please, just say the word in love, Flux. We all know I'm in love with Thomas somehow, at this point. I know you feel the same about him too." Agustus scoffs.
Flux pauses, his continuous rowing of the boat coming to a halt. Had he struck a nerve? "Don't mention that."
"Or what, man? We're in the middle of the ocean. Just talk about it, it's not like we're gonna see him ever again." He shrugs.
"Oh my god, fine! Yes, I loved him in a way. He was the first person to care about me in awhile and I just...couldn't help it." Flux finally snaps, sighing. He continued to row the boat away from the city albeit a little slower.
"No, I...I get that. I felt that way about him too. Well, before I found out about him taking the gas out of the bus and everything. He reminded me of my past self, in a way. I just felt like I needed to protect him in a way I couldn't protect myself." Agustus admits, playing with a stray piece of wood from the boat.
"Hm. I see." is all Flux says, nodding before he continued staring out into the abyss that was the ocean.
After a few more agonizing seconds, Agustus is the one to speak up now. "So...where exactly are we going? You know, other than away from Paradise."
Flux raises a brow at the use of we and not you but he doesn't comment on it, shrugging. "Wherever the wind takes us, I guess."
"Wow, that is not a completely ominous answer and it does not sound like you're about to kidnap me or drown me in the ocean." Agustus snorts. Sarcasm has always been one of his strong suits anyway, so might aswell make use it of it, right?
"Haha. Very funny." Agustus could practically hear him rolling his eyes, from the long sigh Flux just let out.
"It's getting dark. Stop at that island over there, it looks safe enough." Agustus points, once the sun starts to set.
"Alright, alright. Did you bring any beds or something so we can sleep comfortably?" Flux asks, redirecting their boat.
Agustus checks his backpack, and finds only one bed. He didn't have time to grab anything else. "Only one."
Flux hums, nodding. "Okay, take the bed. I can keep watch." He says, as they finally make it to the shore.
"You sure? You don't wanna take shifts or something?" Agustus asks, stepping out the boat.
"I'm fine. You should get the rest, you look like you haven't had any in awhile, anyway." Flux reassures, grabbing the leftover wood in his backpack to start a fire.
Agustus shrugs. "Suit yourself, man."