Archive of Our Own

You close your eyes, as you begin to sink deep into your thoughts…

— — — — — —

Trinity is the land of three separate kingdoms, likely the largest in this time period. Each reign presented unique architectures and designs, donning symbols Player might’ve seen before…

They easily found themselves grazing the frameworks, studying how they were sculpted. Despite everything that happened with the Ghostwalker’s trial, they’re glad that they’re starting to find joy in handiwork once more.
The thought makes them feel a little more alive, finally resonating with who they were before the quest- an artist. Makes them feel like they haven’t become so inhuman after all.

…And yet, there was so little time to stop by and just… indulge in the sights.
The destruction of the world waits for no one, so the SFOTH sword hunt had to continue. If only Shedletsky was with you, then maybe getting these swords would be less of a bother. You can only grumble to yourself and deal with it.

Something something, the kingdom was being invaded as Korblox took advantage of the windwalker’s vacant spot, yada yada- The details of the war weren’t too important to them as they knew they’d just take down everything and everyone in their way anyway, but… Another element that made their heart start to warm up again, is the presence of the princess-
Cassie.

It was a protective instinct more than anything, but Player could tell that deep within a skittish girl, there was a queen who loved her people. She’s inexperienced, yet determined- and isn’t that just enough to make a difference? All she needed to act was a push, an army who’d actually listen to her commands.
Being able to guide her, someone who believed in them so much, who quietly saw through their winged mask, without ever trying to cross personal boundaries…

It felt nice, not having their actions put into question for once. Being understood and yet respected right from the get go;
Because she believed in them, they’ll believe in her, too.

They also wanted to make up for all of the hurt they’ve previously walked right by and neglected. This time, they’d make sure to stand by their ally’s side and protect them. She’ll be able to overcome the pressure of it all, and prove herself worthy of being Trinity’s leader.
This time, they’d accomplish their goal- and not just with the sword in mind.

Thus, Cassie and Player travelled through the kingdoms of Trinity to assist the war, rescue the lost civilians and stop Korblox themselves.
They found it the slightest bit ironic how so far in their journey, it’s Trinity’s army themselves that they’ve run into and taken down the most.
But… actually…
Why are you able to gloss over entire armies of knights?
It’s a thought that’s slowly become more apparent- you’ve grown to realise how uncomfortably strong you become.
You don’t like how easily everything you touch gets destroyed.

You hear a distant echo.
In a flash, you see the face of a roughened up man, laughing at himself. He wears shiny gold armour, and a spiked helmet.
He looked like he was in disbelief, too.

“So, that’s ALL we could do?
You…

You ARE a monste-

Redcliff, Splintered Skies… As they went on, all of those journeys quickly became a blur to Player.
After Robur came down to a positive judgement of them, the duo eventually reached Astral isles, a place brimming with capable mages. By far the most annoying out of the three kingdoms, but! The best part of this area was the presence of the little cloud guys who helped them out in the fights! So cute.

Player at one point found themselves being surrounded by one, swirling around their neck- which got quiet giggles out of them as their heart fluttered; meanwhile Cassie watched with a comforted smile, gently cradling one of the cloudies in her arms. Looks like not everyone was against them after all!

Anywho, they only hoped to face Azuri soon enough, and achieve the final sanctum shard to access the Windforce.

They continued to travel, and eventually reached the high scholar’s residing area- Azuri’s observatory. It was a lot smaller than the thrones of the other factions, and yet, just the thought of facing her managed to bring shivers down the princesses’ spine.

They carefully stepped on each floating platform that led to the observatory, and as they entered inside… to their surprise, in spite of its size, it was a place full of bookshelves and astrology readings, researches scattered all over the area.
At the center resided a throne where the high scholar sat in her seat patiently, with a knowing yet blank expression.
As the duo stepped further to approach her, she began to ramble on, just like the others.

Whatever was being said at the moment, Player simply zoned it out. It was all filler dialogue to them, anyway. They closed their eyes, having let their mind wander into who knows where.

Until at one point, during her speech… Azuri locked her gaze onto Player.
Her hands clasped together as her head lowered, slightly tilted to one side.

“…owever, I can see them for what they truly are;”

Her hat casted a shadow over her eyes.

“Unstable.”

(…!)
The switch in tone was enough to make Player lock out of their trance as they realised they’re.. being addressed..? Their back immediately straightened up in surprise- but then they readjusted, just to pretend as if they were actually listening.

Azuri simply stared at them, unamused. “You are held together not through control but through neglect- you cast your emotions aside, did you not?”
They felt their body suddenly tense up.

“Suppressed them, locked them up, perhaps you thought… that maybe, just maybe…”

They started to feel their thumbs pressed against their fingers, rubbing roughly.

“…if you could numb yourself to everything that’s happened… You could hold out until you returned to the future?”
She… knew that about you. How many things did she spill- that you filtered out? The thought makes your stomach churn, still.

All eyes were on you. Your jaw clenched. Cassie looked at them with shock- and yet… it also read as if she thought of something. They were planning to tell her, but- but not like this! They weren’t ready to open up about this, they don’t-

“Y-You’re… from the future?”

Player took a deep breath in. They relaxed their shoulders and took on a more proper posture.
They slowly nodded and confirmed her statement. Their voice was monotone, fitting in with their classic “silent hero” persona.

Cassie gave a nod, glancing down. “So that’s… how you’re so…”
She quietly muttered to herself and trailed off. Their mind started to feel overwhelmed with assumptions.

Azuri continued on, but it’s not a psyche check like before. You took the downtime to gently rub your arms, soothing yourself. At least she didn’t care.
Or so you thought. The spotlight quickly went back to reflect on you.

“As filled with hatred as Player may be… Shedletsky sees something in them that I can not.”
Time slowed down as she went on. Thoughts became louder, but her voice was the clearest one as everything in their mind turned muffled.

“Just know, it is only a matter of time before the locks you’ve placed over your heart come undone.”
…

“By the time they do, I only hope you are ready to properly face what awaits upon the other side.”

Before you fully manage to register what was said- The scenario starts to contort and shift, the lilac hues of the high scholar’s observatory degrade into black- and the blues shine into a vibrant cyan. You’re staring at him in the eyes, now.
The man who led the Korblox rebellion- a Deathspeaker. You couldn’t bother to remember his name.
Cassie laid behind you, exhausted mentally and physically.

Somehow, you were still pushing.
Maybe for her sake, or maybe out of pure adrenaline.
Whatever it was, an uncanny drive led you on.

“It makes sense now, I see beyond your veil.”
He speaks as if he knows anything about you.

“That which stirs beneath, that which gives you your true strength…”
What would he know about true strength?
You could hardly call this strength. What strength is there if it’s all thanks to the swords? No- Your true strength…

“Yes… continue down this path… See where it shall take you, what your “comrades” will think of you then…”
Your true strength…
Kh. So damn loud. Your ears start ringing.

“With the help of your contributions to this… future… we will revel in your DISGRACE!”

You feel your eye twitch
The wings that cover your face come apart, revealing—

— — — — — —

Player slowly opens their eyes.

They find themselves laying down on the bed of a small room, and they soon realise it was the inn room of the Heights. They start glancing around in their dizzied state, feeling their back killing them.
Player carefully sits up to spread one of their wings and- yup… Their feathers are all damaged and rustled up.
So it wasn’t too long ago… Must’ve fainted as soon as you got here. Shame the ice dagger can’t tidy you up, too.

Their hand reaches out to their face and holds it, then it slowly slides upwards, slicking their hair back as they groan in discomfort. Their eyes start to wander, and end up landing on their backpack, laid somewhere in a corner. They glance at the belt that holds every one of the swords, double checking to see if the Windforce was truly in their collection now…
Then, they look at the Ghostwalker.

Their eyebrows furrow in frustration.

Wasn’t it supposed to get rid of any emotion you felt? Your desires, your sense of solitude, your fears and your hatred- Why… are you starting to want again? Why is everyone’s words starting to affect you so much?

God you hate feeling this vulnerable. No matter how much you try to mask it- the signs still manage to slip through the cracks. It’s your biggest weakness, you think. Sure, people have been trying to help you deal with being more open but- But then what..?
By the time they “heal” you, they won’t be there.

…It’s exactly why you avoid making new connections so much.
It makes you feel sick to your stomach, knowing that every person that loves you will hurt, will miss you for years- because of you. Because you knew all along what would happen, when you decided to love them too. And you won’t be able to do anything, unless you put a wall around yourself.
It’s the most selfless thing you can do for them.
It hurts- The knowledge that you won’t see them anymore soon enough. Because now-

Only two swords remain.
Only one sword before the Illumina.
And based on what you’ve been vaguely told, you’re gonna go through something harsh. The barriers you’ve worked so hard to build, that hide the worst feelings in your heart-

They will all come crashing down on you.

…What are you doing wrong..? Why is there no easy solution to your pain..? To their pain? Well, sacrifices must be made, right? That’s what you thought. Why is that seemingly the wrong choice?
Why does it have to be so complicated..?

You

Don’t want to think about this anymore.

Player realises that they’ve been clutching their chest, they feel their heart pound in an uncomfortably unfamiliar way. They unclench their jaw, ungritting their teeth, then sigh. Even when they’re not thinking about it anymore- the stomach ache remains. Oh Telamon, how can this make them feel so sick?
They have to do something about this.

They slowly start to get up from bed and do some stretching for the day; they get something to eat from their backpack- a half eaten brownie should do- then, they put it on, sliding right in between their wings, they readjust their belt… and finally, their head wings wrap to hide their face. They’re ready to step outside!

The sun gently shines on Player, the sky was clearer than before. Makes them wonder how long they slept in.
…Alright, now that they’re up and about- what to do? They graze their chin and think.

They do have to report back to Shedletsky about the sword, but they really, really don’t feel like dealing with the quest right now.
Well, they could warp somewhere and hang out with someone they know, just so they don’t trip back into another pit of bad thoughts. Someone to distract them.

Kyoko? Well, it’d be nice to talk to her, but if she looks too deep into you, she might get worried about you. And then you’d be forced to think of it all again.
Another time.

Noobador… Maybe another time, it’d be nice to see Red and Blue again, though. They have a feeling he’d very much enjoy hearing about the ordeal in Trinity.

…Your head hurts just thinking about Calypso.

Blackrock King… They’d like to spar with him again to blow off some steam, maybe listen to some past stories of the kingdom too, but they don’t want to deal with the cold in the throne room right now.

Ghost Chef… he’s probably too busy keeping the manor well fed. He might appreciate a quick visit, though.

Terry… He’s too much of a loose cannon to enjoy hanging out with him.

Griefer… Or well- Brad…
…

Actually, hanging out with him doesn’t sound so bad. The two have managed to peacefully come to terms with the entire venomshank situation, and actually vibe pretty well together. Plus, they did promise him they’d play with him sometime.
They should also thank him, the mayor and the king for assisting them back at Trinity’s castle against… someone they can only assume is with the mysterious figure.

Well, it’s set, then!

Player, in one way or another, warps away from the Heights town- into Turitopolis!

…And the difference in temperatures immediately hits them like a truck.
This place was, no doubt, one of the most homey areas they’ve been to. All of the greenery prettied up the place, the wooden buildings, especially the inn’s design fit the vibe really well, always accompanied by a constant smell of petrichor and flowers; but hooooly shit the heat and humidity was killing them.

Oh well, they can only brush that aside. Anyway!
They start travelling to the Thaniyel's home, sharing some greetings here and there with other citizens, but as they go on, they take note of something… a certain pink beanie sticks out from the rest of the area, someone who was brushing off a certain violet suitcase.
In the back of your mind, you feel nervous.
You can’t exactly pin down why at the moment.

Looks like she noticed their presence, too.
“…Oh? Hi there, Player! What’s up?” Kyoko greets them with a wide grin as she puts her suitcase aside, and they can’t help but smile back behind their head wings.

“Hey.”
…All of a sudden, they perk up, then start looking through their backpack- which makes her tilt her head.
She tries to peek in… but they swoosh her away! “Woosh, woosh.”

She snorts and giggles, but promptly backs off. “Cmon! What’cha got there?”

Player rustles their hand through their backpack, the other holding it, they stick their tongue out to a corner of their lips as they struggle a bit…
Aha! Got it! Their hand comes out, holding a sack of… bread?

Kyoko looks at them with confusion, before noticing the symbol on the sack…

(…!)
“No way! You- You’ve been to Astral Isles- Trinity?! Ah, for the sword hunt, I imagine?”

They nod, and gently shake the sack in her direction. …She gasps!

“Oh, is this.. for me? Aw, jeez, you didn’t have to! Thank you!” She gleefully takes the bag and looks inside, somehow the goods were still warm despite all of the time that passed. They slip in some tokens of all three kingdoms, as well.
“…And souvenirs too?! Now I really have to repay you in some way!”

They scratch the back of their head, a little flustered. They’re glad to be able to repay her. “I figured I’d… give you something, to show my appreciation.”
“I know you’re an adventurer like me, so… I wanted to share my collection.”

Kyoko giggles. “You’re too sweet.” She steps forward and gently hugs them- and man, you really needed that. You feel your heart melt into her touch, and you can just feel her smiling behind your ear. You’re really glad to have her. If anything, she’s too sweet.
They stand there in silence for a moment, but soon enough, they also wrap their arms around her back.

She eventually breaks off the embrace, much to Player’s displeasure, but her smile remains. “Really, I’m happy you’re starting to open up like this, and now that I’m getting a better look at you… it looks like you’re doing much better since the Ghostwalker!”

“You’re starting to look like yourself again.”

They lower their head a bit. They’ve noticed.

“And, uh, maybe a little… more aggressive?”
You feel your wings ruffle up.

“I’d have to imagine the way you suppressed yourself when you fetched the Ghostwalker must be waning.”

The conversation derailed faster than you thought it would.

You need to find a way out of this dialogue- or lead it elsewhere. Think Player, think! Say something, or you’ll look odd.
“…Yeah.” -Is all they manage to mutter out, their voice quivering. Their head starts lowering further, trying not to look at her, and make it seem as if they were just glancing around.

Kyoko pauses and looks at them with concern, but then gives them a reassuring smile as she continues. “Hey, listen.”
“It’ll be hard dealing with those feelings again, that’s a fact… But you’re not alone, remember that!”

Her hand reaches out to hold their shoulder. They flinch a bit.

You know, you know you know and it hurts that you aren’t- Because then you will lose all of those friendships, and she will regret ever helping you-
“…Remember, don’t bottle up your feelings, okay? If you keep it all in, they will eventually spill out- and.. It’s gonna feel even worse instead of letting yourself talk about it no-“

They harshly push her hand away, scowling.

“I know, Kyoko.”

…But then immediately switch up as soon as they see the look on her face- Ack, no no- That came out angrier than it should’ve-

“Sorry- sorry.. I’m just not in the mood.”
It’s the one thing you and her talk about every time you see her. …But you know she’s doing it for your own good, even if it makes you feel worse.
“…No hard feelings.”

She takes her hand back, but then looks at them softly.
“No, no, of course- none taken. Ah… I’m sorry if I’ve been pushing you too far.” Her eyes linger on a certain dark green house and her mouth opens to speak, but then she just gulps. Instead, after the pause, she follows up with something else.
“I’m just glad to see you doing better, yeah? Just… to remind you that your hard work isn’t going unnoticed.” She pauses. “…Both physically and mentally.”

Player rubs their arms and nods. Even with how uncomfortable it feels, every time they talk to her… they don’t feel like a hero, or a ticking time bomb. They feel like a person. It makes them feel less detached from their current reality.
Even if she probably sees them as casual friends, they trust her.
As they try to put it into words, however, words get stuck in their throat. So instead…

…Out of nowhere, they point at the sack of bread they gave her.
She tilts her head.

“The bread.” They pause. “I hope you enjoy it.” They try to add more emotion in their voice, even if it comes out quivering still. …She smiles at them, giggling a bit.
“Yeah- Yeah, I will! I’ve always wanted to try the food from Trinity, kept on hearing how good it was, but it’s so expensive just to get there… Thank you again!”

They nod happily.

(…)
After a moment passes, Kyoko speaks up again, but her voice carries a certain conviction. “You know, I… wanted to ask you something important. I like to think we’re both good enough friends to do that, you know? But- but it’d be a long talk. Let’s do it another time, okay?”

They pause, but then nod.
…So, where were they going again? Oh, right. Player starts to put their backpack on, readjusting their belt right after. “I’ll be going now. Take care, Kyoko.” They wave at her, fixing up their backpack with their other hand.

“You too, Player!”
They glance around themselves, then begin to walk away as they continue waving, eventually letting their hand fall to their side. Only a moment passes before she calls out to them again as they go:

“Hey, and make sure to stop by Turitopolis again sometime, okay? I’ll have something for you by then, I promise!” They look behind themselves and give her a big ole thumbs up.

“And remember, I’m always rooting for you.” She confidently gives them a big thumbs up back.

As soon as the two make enough distance from one another…

Player crashes their body onto a tree, hugging themselves as their gaze locks down onto the grass and their shoes. They squeeze their arms to remain grounded in reality.

“Just know, it is only a matter of time before the locks you’ve placed over your heart come undone.”
“Yes… continue down this path… See where it shall take you, what your “comrades” will think of you then…”
“…Remember, don’t bottle up your feelings, okay? If you keep it all in, they will eventually spill out- and.. It’s gonna feel even worse instead of letting yourself talk about it no-“

They
never snapped at her like that before.

They were all right. You’re starting to show a side of yourself that you thought was locked down in the darkest pit of your heart, and in an alarming way.
Is- is something terrible going to happen if you don’t confess every single problem of yours? Is that what this is? Should they have listened and just trauma dumped on the spot?

Your skin crawls just at the thought of mentioning the future to anyone, so how could you even muster up to do anything like that?

Somehow, this is torturing you worse than any ancient god or dragon could. These thoughts- they just keep on circling back, don’t they? You just get to have a different taste of it each and every time.
…What… What are you doing wrong…

Player holds their hair and grips down tight, strands sticking out of the gaps between their fingers. No, the problem is that it’s too fresh in their mind- they just need to process everything by themselves another time. That’s what they came here for, isn’t it?

…

Real shitty day you’re having, huh.
Any normal day you could ignore all of this just fine, and yet, any mention of how you’ll end up gets you going down this stomach ache inducing spiral. You’d laugh at yourself if that didn’t make you feel corny as shit.

Alright, you know what? No more distractions, they need to reach their destined location. Player picks themselves up from the tree and straightens their back in an abrupt manner, letting their hands fall to their sides with tightened fists, as they take a deep breath in…
And out.

Player basically starts dashing to the Thaniyel’s at this point, ignoring any passerby that might’ve known them and quickly makes it to the door. See how easy that was? They reach out to knock on the door- but immediately stop themselves from doing so as they feel their heart skip a beat.

…Woah, calm down. You were basically about to punch a hole clean through.
You realise your breathing is unstable.

Their fist flinches and trembles as they begin to realise their nails were basically digging into their skin- the pain only registering a bit afterwards. They slowly let their hand relax and sighed. Was it the adrenaline from all of the sudden running? They don’t want to know.
Alright, let’s try this again.

Player gently knocks on the door, and patiently waits for an answer.
The door slowly opens, revealing a familiar elderly man who greets them with a smile- Mayor Thaniyel. He steps aside, making space for them as he holds onto his cane.

“Oh, Player! To what do I owe the pleasure?” He smiles gently, giving them a signal to step right in with the nod of his head.

“Just visiting.” They nod at him respectfully, making up for the fact that he can’t see their face. They quietly thank him for the hospitality as they walk into the house, the smell of flowers becoming much more apparent than before.
…That, and muffled shooting sounds from a video game, the sound quality reminiscent of one from the early 90’s.

“I see. Any company is appreciated.” Mr. Thaniyel seems to notice Player curiously glancing around the home. “…Ah, if you’re looking for Brad, he’s in his room! To your right.”

They nod and start to make their way there- but they stop their foot just in time. Before they forget… They turn to the mayor.
“Thank you for looking out for me.” They pause. “…Back at Trinity’s coronation.”

Mr. Thaniyel’s eyes widen a bit.. but then he chuckles, waving his hand at Player. “Oh, there’s no need to thank me hero, it was only natural. You’ve done amazingly well.”
They don’t respond and awkwardly keep on glancing around the area, fiddling with their hands… but then they flinch a bit as they suddenly feel him gently pet their head. “Take it easy, okay?”

They slowly nod and mutter another “thank you”. He nods and slowly reaches his hand back onto his cane. “I’ll be in the kitchen, you two can call me if you need anything.” And so, off goes Mr. Thaniyel.

Well then! Time to get down to business.
Player walks to Brad’s room and stands in front of his door. They graze their chin and think, humming to themselves. Just what could they be thinking of?
They glance behind themselves, left and right; minutes go on as the silence remains uninterrupted, as they then blankly stare ahead.
…Until in an abrupt manner, Player suddenly raises their leg- and-

SLAM!

The door opens ajar, revealing a bright green room. It was a pretty large space, the area had a large variety of posters on the wall, but the most notable element here was the mass amount of empty soda cans pushed into one closet. Closer to the entrance there was a gaming setup, alongside a certain someone who just dropped their controller in shock.

That person was none other than Griefer himself- or well, Brad Thaniyel, local rehabilitated outlaw. They’re not sure which one he prefers being referred to anymore actually.
His gaming chair abruptly turns alongside him, his eyes wide open- but as soon as he realises what the situation was, his expression quickly turns into annoyance.

“WH- HUH? DUD3.” He fumbles to pick up his dropped controller, pauses his game and sets it aside on the desk, then pushes his gaming chair to get up. “WH4T’S Y0UR PR0BLEM?!”

“Hi, Brad.” Player just kinda stands there with a big stupid smile on their face. There’s a brief moment of silence between the two, as Brad stares at them dumbfounded.
But then his expression softens into an exasperated grin, as he just scoffs and suddenly runs up to them.

“4CKK- C’M3RE Y0U L1L PUNK!“ He puts them into a rough headlock and they can’t help but giggle as they struggle against his grip, their weak attempts end up being for naught however, because he just ends up ruffling their head with his other hand, messing up all of their hair as the two chuckle together.

Eventually he carefully lets them go and the arm that was locked around their neck ends up gently wrapped around their shoulders instead. Now he’s looking at them with an expectant gaze, his green toxic fangs stick out as clearly as ever.
“S0, WH4T’S UP DUD3?”

They hum, leaning into his touch. Their eyes wander a bit, not speaking immediately. “Could we… hang out?”

Brad’s expression immediately brightens up as he pats their shoulder. “0F C0URSE! N0 N33D T0 0VERTH1NK IT. I G0T 4 W1DE V4RIETY 0F G4MES H3RE TH4T W3 C0ULD TRY- L3T’S SEE…”
He steps back from them and starts looking through a shelf full of game titles. Player waltzes right beside him to check out his collection, hands clasped together behind their back. There were so many games they hardly even heard of before. None that they… ever saw recently.
Your eyebrows furrow a bit as reality dawns on you once more.

But that line of thought was quickly interrupted by Brad proudly picking out a title- looked like some sort of competitive shooter game. “WH4DDYA TH1NK?”
They just shrug and nod. “EP1C.”

He quickly runs off to grab another chair, dragging it alongside him as he then places it near the gaming one.
“L1STEN UP!” Out of nowhere, he steps aside, and gets on one knee- his arms stretched out to present his glorious gaming chair.

“JUST ‘C4USE 1T’S U, PL4YER- I’LL L3T Y0U H4VE TH3 C00L CH4IR!” He retracts one of his arms back, and with that hand he points one finger up. “JUST TH1S 0NCE.”

. . .

They stand there in silence. Their feathers ruffle up.

…His smug grin diminishes into a nervous one, his position crumbles a bit. Did he-

Player suddenly enters into a giggling fit as they sneak their hand below their head wings, covering their mouth. He lets out a sigh of relief as they cheerfully walk up to the chair and sit down, comfortably readjusting their position.
Brad confidently gets up from his position and follows suit, sitting down on the less cooler chair. He grabs his controller and closes his previous game to boot up the one he got for them.

While it’s loading, he hands them another controller and begins explaining the functions to them.
Player nodded along to everything he was saying, looking between him and the controller consistently. …But man- so much of the information just went through one ear to the other. Well, doesn’t matter, they’ll just learn as they play- so they think.
Eventually it gets to a point where they’re just staring at him now, studying his new plant look. Kind of reminds them of something.

…
“S0! U G0T 4LLAT?” Brad looks at them with an expectant grin which makes them lock eye contact together. They perk up a bit, and it takes them a moment to answer. “Yeah- yeah.”

They stutter a bit. “…Oh- yeah, by the way- Brad.”
He tilts his head a bit and hums curiously.

“Thanks for having my back at Trinity’s coronation.” Their mind keeps replaying that moment for some reason. Maybe in that scenario, when they were being protected by so many important figures all at once, it felt like the few good decisions they made were finally starting to pay off. Sure, it was a common consensus to keep the Windforce protected, but everyone trusted them to keep it safe. Everyone turned their back to them, ready to play defense.

It was subtle, but amongst that crowd they saw him confidently rotating his crowbar, ready as he could ever be. No matter what happened, he always supported them.

And just as that ordeal was dealt with, they remember Brad happily waving at Player with both arms as he watched them be given the sword, loudly trying to get their attention even as everyone gave him weird glances, perking up in joy as soon as they gave him so much as a peek.
In that moment, they remember seeing Mayor Thaniyel more relaxed than ever before. You remember feeling the corners of your lips stretching out in an unusual way.

Even in your beat up, exhausted state, you could’ve sworn that it made your melting, yet icy heart bump in an abnormal way. At the time, you weren’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
Even now you think it’s up to debate.
…But no matter what it is, you find comfort knowing that Brad’s presence in itself will never be a bad omen, something that makes you think of all the worst things in your life.
The only strong negative feeling you get out of it is-

“G0D, Y0U’RE S0 STUP1D. U B1G D0RK.”

His boastful voice basically snaps any coherent thought they were having at the moment, as he reaches to pinch their nose- but then they see him stop himself, his hand near the head wings that cover their face. Instead, he retracts and reaches out to harshly pinch their cheek. He rocks their head back and forth a bit. “1 ALR3ADY T0LD U, D1DN’T I? TH4T IF 4NY0NE M3SSED W1TH Y0U, TH3Y’D H4VE T0 D3AL W1TH M3 F1RST!”

“IT W4SN’T JUST B4RK N0 B1TE, Y0U KN0W?” Brad stares at them with a big toothy grin, chuckling. Player would’ve turned their head away from him, if it weren’t for Brad basically keeping their face in place. “I M3AN IT!”

…After letting the moment linger, he lets them go, carefully sliding his hand away from below their wings. Player rubs their cheek a bit.
“…S0 N0 N33D T0 TH4NK M3 D1RECTLY, 0K? W3’RE BUDD1ES! PLUS, TH3 ENT1R3 S1TU4TI0N W1TH K0RBL0X ‘N 4LL W4S PR3TTY B4D###.”

They give him a thumbs up with their other hand. He nods proudly as he proceeds to focus on the game once more- looks like the menu already booted up a bit ago.
“ANYW4Y, H3H… PUNK! H0PE U L1ST3NED T0 MY EXPL4NAT10N, CUS I’LL B3 KICK1NG UR ### INT0 M4RS!”

They smirk back at him, even if he can’t see it, and quickly get into the gamer mindset as they hold up their controller- a declaration of war.

And so, time flies as the duo kicks down Bloxy colas and Witches’ brews together. Various grunts of frustration and laughs of victory come by and go from both ends. It’s like the world around them was a blur, because in that moment the only things that they recognised was each other and the game.

Sometimes, Player would pause and simply stare at Brad. He was constantly brimming with excitement with every loss that fuelled his rage, and even when he did win, he would demand rematches by teasing them. Never failed to make them roll their eyes and scoff.

Surprisingly, so would Brad. In between quick glances, his eyes would curiously linger on their wings. Sometimes they’d fluff up and twitch, small branches or spikes that got stuck in between the feathers would fall off on their own. His eyebrows furrowed, especially when he noticed their hands.

They have a tendency to tighten and fiddle constantly with the controller. He already told Player that they should take off their gloves to ease their grip, but they told him they were fine, so he could only assume it was from a lack of experience.

Another concern was that their foot would constantly tap against the floorboards, and while it wasn’t anything that bothered him, each and every game it got more and more aggressive.

And look- He’s not gonna pretend as if his posture is anything to brag about as he doesn’t care much, but Player’s posture resembled exactly one of a shrimp! Guess they’re just… really getting into their competitive side right now.

Yeah, that’s probably it.
…
Is it?

“Got you again.” Player said smugly as Brad’s gaze quickly snaps back to the screen, a large game over text plastered onto the screen. He chuckles and shrugs in defeat, leaning back on his chair. “…WH4T, U W4NT 4 M3DAL? W4NT 4 P4T 0N TH3 H3AD? PUNK.”
He sighs and looks at the time, realising it’s been two hours of them laughing and yelling profanities at each other. He sits up, stretching out his back as he lightly groans… then he relaxes his posture.

Silence lingers and his expression turns neutral. Words get caught up in his throat as his fingers rub against his thumb. He’s never been great with words- but he’s not an idiot.
Before they could notice anything odd, he spoke up.
“H3Y. G4ME’S T1RED M3 0UT, W4NNA H0P 0UTS1DE F0R 4 B1T?”

Player perks up, tilting their head a bit.
“…Huh? And do what?” Brad shrugs in response and starts booting the game off, setting his controller aside to charge. “I UNN0. H4NG AR0UND, ANYTH1NG.”

They follow suit, groggily getting up from the gaming chair. “Didn’t know you went outside.” He clicks his tongue in annoyance and flips them off.
“0H, #### 0FF. TH3 F0R3ST IS B4S1CALLY MY H0ME, S0 H3LL IF I D0N’T! BET U C4N’T EV3N CL1MB 4 TREE F0R TH3 L1FE 0F U.”

They put their hands on their waist, puffing up their chest in confidence. “I very much could.” Brad gets up and leans in, closing the distance between them with a demeaning expression. “0H Y3A?”
They don’t move and stand their ground confidently. “Mhm.”

The tension lingers.

…Until Player blows a raspberry and pushes his hat down to cover his face, giggling as they run away. He grumbles, fumbling to readjust his cap as fast as possible, and as soon as he’s ready he starts chasing after them while laughing, the echo of his voice accompanying theirs.
You felt your heart flutter in that moment. You felt so light, like you could genuinely fly with full freedom.

The door to the Thaniyel’s home opens ajar, basically slamming into the wall as Player runs off into the jungle to find the tallest tree. Brad immediately follows along- but stops himself in front of the entrance, sticking his head back in the house to yell.
“MY B4D F0R TH3 D00R, P0PS!” He leans back and closes it with a gentleness the other hadn’t bothered to give… and immediately goes back to the hunt.

He dashes into the jungle and slows down, panting a bit.

He taps his chin, humming to himself while his eyes dart around the area like a scanner. Admittedly this area was huge so they really could’ve gone anywhere.
He grumbles under his breath but continues seeking them anyway.

He carefully walks around, sneaking behind the large variety of bushes and terrain, looking inside of open logs- even analysing the position of rocks, until he sees a certain pair of wings sticking out from a corner. He slowly peeks, and sure enough…

Player is currently looking up at the giant tree above them, scratching their neck.

They’d tried hugging the tree and slowly sliding up, jumping as high as they could, but they just didn’t have the same level of skill Turitopolis citizens had. They grumble, shaking their head as they put their hands on their waist in frustration.
But then suddenly, they perk up.

Player eyes their wings.

…

They glance around themselves, and Brad quickly retreats into a hiding spot so as to not be seen. …Soon enough he peeks his head back out, and sees Player stretching out their wings, flapping them in preparation.

Now he just can’t allow that.

“H3Y!!” His voice echoes through the zone- making them flinch and interrupt their movement in an instant. They look around again, this time in panic as they hear footsteps getting louder, and as they look behind themselves…
“Y0U D1RTY CHE4T3R! TH0UGHT U C0ULD G3T AWRY FR0M M3, HUH? H3H3!”

Through the rustling of multiple leaves, Brad runs up to them with a shit eating grin, and in the blink of an eye…
Maintaining a fair distance from Player, he jumps up from the ground at an incredible height while his body hovers over them, and as he starts landing, mid-air, he uses their head to boost himself up, allowing him to reach the tree and grapple onto the vines safely. He quickly climbs up, now standing in between two big branches. He smugly sits down while turning to Player, and sticks his tongue out back at them.

They pout and grumble. The teasing is enough to make them run into the tree and begin to desperately claw on the log once more, trying their best to grip onto any bump and remain stable, but they just kept on sliding back down.

Brad chuckles as he casually starts laying down on one of the big branches, his hands behind his head.

“Y0U KN0W, U C4N JUST ADM1T D3F3AT AND AP0L0G1SE, N0 SH4ME IN IT.” He stretches out his legs and lays one on top of the other, then he closes his eyes with satisfaction written over his face. However, without skipping a beat, they retort back. “Never.”

He lazily opens one eye, glancing down at Player. “Y3AH? Y0U’D R4THER G0 D0WN TH3 D3SPER4TE W4Y?”

Admittedly, right now they were actually doing pretty well compared to their other attempts. They started to get the knack of it and kept their grip firm, carefully climbing up. “No- because I’m not. I’ll make it- and I’ll smudge your head into the ground.”

His green eyes glisten as he watches them, following along their movements. “MHHM. WH4TEV3R U S4Y.”

Player grunts, slowly making it up to where the branches divide, all it took was a few more inches and they’d finally reach him. They stretch out their arm to reach for the edge…
Until-
(…!)

“Ah-!! NO!” Their unstable footing was enough to make them slip off of the bumps of the tall tree, widening their eyes as they yelp and reach for anything to grip onto. Anything—
In an instant, their heart skips a beat as they catch onto something. They gasp in relief.

As soon as they feel safe, they look down at the grass they were hovering above from- the sight makes them shiver. And then, they look at their hand. Something warm wrapped around it.
A pale hand that squeezed their palm, so harshly that it started to ache.

“G0T U, PUNK.”

Brad’s other hand grabs onto their arm, and with a grunt he drags them up to where he sat as Player holds onto him just as tight.

Eventually, they manage to make it. He makes space for them to sit down, gently plopping them down right besides him.

…Whew, Player feels the adrenaline wash over them as they put a hand on their chest, trying to catch their breath from all the running and climbing. They sigh, leaning against one of the tree branches. “…Thank you, Brad.”

He quietly nods, now staring ahead with a blank expression. He shuffles and readjusts his position, placing his hands down on the log, letting his legs dangle back and forth. “…S0.”

A moment of calm silence lingers. The sun shines down on them through a canopy of branches, the sunlight is filtered through the leaves of the trees, presenting a unique view. One that the two had seen before… but this time, it was in the comfort of someone else’s presence- of each other’s company. The sunshine feels like a warm blanket hugging them together.
Player has their hands on their stomach, their wings spread out to dangle from the branches as their attention remains on Brad.

He looks at them, watching as their chest calmly slowly rises up and down. He eventually leans back, and finally starts speaking.

“U G0T 4LL 0F TH4T 0UT 0F UR SYST3M?”

Your heart skips a beat. You feel your head wings ruffle up.

Player’s head tilts as it turns towards him.
“…What?”

Brad scratches the back of his head. “L1K3- I UNN0.” He pauses and hums a bit to himself before speaking.
“S4W Y0U 4 B1T STR3SS3D 0UT, TH0UGHT IT’D D0 U G00D T0 L3T 0UT 4NY P3NT UP 3N3RGY, Y0U KN0W?”

So that’s why he…
Ah, aha. It all makes sense now.
You feel your heart sink into your stomach, and if he wasn’t here right now, you’d clutch it just to drag it right back to where it belonged-

He’s eyeing them carefully with the tail of his eye.
Brad’s eyebrows furrow as he sees them completely turn away from him.
Slowly, he reaches his hand to touch their shoulder, but… he freezes mid way. His hand curls up into a fist, and he starts rubbing his fingers against his thumb once more.

However, stopping in place is what allowed him to get a clearer view on the state of their back, making his thoughts diverge to something else entirely.
So instead, he decides to slide closer to them. His mouth finally opens to speak.

“S4Y. H4V3 Y0U, UH, B33N T4K1NG C4R3 0F Y0UR W1NGS?”

Player’s head slightly perks up, blankly staring ahead. There’s nothing that allows him to read what’s going on in their mind, but judging by the silence…
“C’M3R3.”

Brad closes most of the distance between them, and gently reaches out to hold one of their wings. A lot of the feathers were loose, some damaged enough to keep dirt and other things trapped underneath.
…They shudder, hugging their arms as they hunch further in, like trying to curl themselves into a ball.
“I haven’t had the time to preen them properly.” They mumble, hanging their head even lower.

“I C4N T3LL.” His voice came out… more caring than usual. Less harsh. They could’ve interpreted it as another one of his crude comments to poke fun at them, but then…

They feel his hand gently start stroking their wing, feeling for any odd bumps. They shudder a bit.
Calmly, he untangles any damaged feathers from one another and smooths them out, he carefully scrapes off any leftover wax sheaths from the newly grow ones, and worst of all…
They feel his gentle breath down on their neck.

Player… slowly straightens their back, and before they know it, they scoot closer to him as their eyes flutter to close in relaxation. They coo, their own voice adding onto the other sounds the nearby wildlife made.
…They can hear a low chuckle from him. It makes their head wings shuffle.

Your heart… It feels so light. Safe.
Like a heavy weight has been lifted from your shoulders.

Is this… his way of caring for you?
Something still gnaws at you in the back of your head, telling you that you don’t deserve this. That you should get away right now, because it hurts to see him look out for you this much. But…

It’s every touch that they feel on their wing that makes them snap out of any thought they were having. Any negative feelings that they’re starting to build up basically vanish when they feel their back become so much lighter.

He’s so sweet, even when he pretends not to be.
It makes you want to cry.

Before they know it, they let out a low noise.
“…Brad?” Their eyes gaze down at their hands.

He slightly perks up, but continues the preening.
“…Y34H?” His voice remains low.

Player’s hands lightly clutch their shirt. Their head tilts as they lean on him, trying to glance up at him from that position. “Do you… prefer being called Griefer or Brad now?”

Brad takes a moment to answer, but then casually shrugs as he continues running his hands through their wings. “H0N3STLY, D0N’T M1ND 31TH3R. BR4D W0ULD PR0B4BLY B3 M0R3 4CCUR4T3 T0 WH0 I 4M N0W, CUS… I D0N’T R34LLY “GR13F” 4NYM0R3.”
He pauses.
“‘L34ST N0T 4S D3STRUCT1V3LY 4S B3F0R3.”

They continue, readjusting their position a bit. “How was it like being at the coronation?”

He glances elsewhere, calmly taking in the view. He lets thoughts wander, his head tilts up to look at the sunlight filtering through the leaves. “IT W4S… W3LL, I’M GL4D I W3NT TH3R3.”
“TH3 3NT1R3 TH1NG W4SN’T MY STYL3, BUT IT W4S TH3 F1RST T1M3 I 3V3R 4TT3ND3D 0N3 0F P0PS’ IMP0RT4NT M33T1NGS.”

They hum to themselves… and when they speak, their voice comes out a bit softer. “Not even as a kid..?”

He shakes his head and focuses on their back once more, continuing the preening. “N4H. H3 N3V3R W4NT3D M3 T0 D34L W1TH 4LL 0F TH3 DUT13S. PLUS, M0M W4S TH3R3 B4CK TH3N.”

That makes them think. In one of their previous conversations, he did tell them how he felt like he wasn’t enough for the role of sword guardian. How overprotective Mayor Thaniyel got over the topic, how he ended up not being there for Brad when he needed him most…
After Trinity, does he still feel that way? How has he been spending his time in Turitopolis recently? …Is he doing okay?
He told you he felt great after everything, but…

They eventually speak out one of their thoughts, before even realising it.

“…What do the citizens think of you now?”
Their feathers stopped shuffling.

It doesn’t take too long for Player to notice the pause in motion.
They abruptly turn their head further to get a better look at him, and the first thing they notice is him clutching his sleeves. Ack, no, wait…

They start stuttering, something about trying to take back what they said- but then, he just gently puts his hand on their head. They pause.
…He tries giving them a reassuring smile, but the corners of his lips are twitching.
“W3LL…”
“I ST1LL S33 TH3M GL4R3 4T M3 FR0M TH3 C0RN3RS 0F TH31R 3Y3S.”

His voice falters.
“I D0N’T BL4M3 TH3M.”

…Player’s previously tense shoulder relax. But still, they continue. “You could… volunteer to help with the crops.”

“TH3Y’D N3V3R L3T M3 N34R 4 F4RM 4G41N, PL4Y3R.”

They quickly retort back. “Then something else you’re good at.”

Brad furrows his eyebrows at the sudden spike in confidence. Even if he couldn’t see their face, the way they were fully turned towards him now…
It brings an unfamiliar feeling in his heart, and it feels uncomfortable- unusual. So used to being doubted, so sunk into the negativity that constantly surrounded him his entire life…

He grumbles. “Y0U’R3 N0T FUNNY.”
That gets him a bonk on the head in return. “-OW.”
“Come on.”

…Brad sighs and completely turns away, resting his chin on his hand. Well, he probably does have some good qualities, he just has to find them. Gaming? What would that even be good for? …Drinking an unhealthy amount of sodas? Being able to grow flowers on him?

His shoulders eventually slump down in defeat.
“…N0TH1NG C0M3S T0 M1ND.”

Player softly hums.
They readjust their position, turning their back entirely against him… then they fully lay against his body, spreading out their wings to dangle on the branches again. He flinches, suddenly feeling them so close to him.
So they’re just… gonna do that?

…Yeah okay why not.

He fixes up his posture, getting more comfortable. As soon as the two are nice and set, they finally answer him.
“I think you’d be good at keeping the wildlife in check. I mean, you tamed a gorilla.”

He glances away, furrowing his eyebrows further. “Then… you’d be good at knowing when it’s spring season.”
Brad scoffs at them. “G33, TH4NKS.”

They giggle as their head wings ruffle up. “Well, my point is that you can start from small things to build up their trust again.”

…He doesn’t share the same lighthearted reaction, however. He just keeps on staring away. “E4S13R S41D TH4N D0N3.”

…Their smile fades a bit. That didn’t land. “…Mmh.”

Clouds start to cover the sun.
It makes the sunlight that previously shined on them dim away. All that’s left, is patches of a dark azure light that now gently reflect on them. Player takes a deep breath in… and out.
Maybe you shouldn’t have continued.

Why do you care so much, anyways? You’re only bothering him like this, and you know how it feels- not wanting to think about the bad things in your life. Don’t be hypocritical.
You were having such a good time, and now, he doesn’t even look at you. Now you’re both just sitting there awkwardly.
God, you’re starting to get greedy again. Why are you even laying down on him? You explicitly remember taming that part of you, digging it down, deep into the ground- You need to stop.

You have to leave, make an excuse-

“I R3M3MB3R IT B31NG 4 B1T 4FT3R Y0U R3V1V3D M3.”

Player’s whole body suddenly perks up. They abruptly turn their head, and see a look of surprise on him. “…Z0NED 0UT?” They hum a bit, glancing at the sky.
…He giggles. Despite everything, their moments of goofiness makes their heart lighten. He looks away to who knows where, together with them.

“S4W AN 0LD L4DY STRUGGL3 W1TH C4RRY1NG B0X3S 4R0UND, S0 I DEC1D3D TO C0ME UP T0 H3R. 0FF3RED T0 L3ND 4 H4ND, Y0U KN0W?”

“SHE S33MED GL4D. ST4RTED T4LKIN’ B0UT H0W SW33T I WAS, SL0WLY H4NDED M3 THE G00DS AS SH3 4SKED F0R MY N4M3…”

His head hangs low.
“…4ND TH3N, SHE S4W MY F4CE.”

“AND IT’S L1KE THE DRE4M I W4S LIV1NG IN JUST… ST0PPED.”

“SHE ST4RT3D SHAK1NG AND EV3RYTH1NG, M4N! 4ND- AND I S4W FE4R IN H3R EY3S- H0RR0R.” He clutches his the leaf coat around his neck, pressing and crushing the leaves with his hands-

He continues, his speech starts getting hasty, his other hand moves along as he explains himself. “I TR13D T0 SM1L3, R34SSUR3 H3R TH4T I D1DN’T H4V3 ANY B4D INT3NT10NS, TH4T I W4S TRYING T0 CH4NGE AND D0 BETT3R, BE B3TTER-“ His voice starts cracking.

“4ND TH3N SHE JUST- T00K 0FF.”
…

“DR0PPED OFF EV3RYTH1NG TO ME ‘N 4LL.”

…Player gently caresses his hand, rubbing their thumb against his palm. He sighs, glancing down on to the grass.

“PL4YER… S0M3T1M3S…”

“I W4KE UP, TH1NKING TH4T I’M IN THE B0DY 0F TH4T M1NDLESS, UNC0NTR0LL4BLE PL4NT M0NST3R.”

“BUT IT’S TH0SE M0MENTS… TH4T R3ALLY H4MMER INT0 MY HE4D THE F4CT TH4T I’M ST1LL 0NE.”

Oh…

Oh, Brad…
That hit you somewhere in your heart.
You clutch your chest a bit, lowering your head as you think. You might understand how that feels- well, it’s not the same thing, but…
You get it.

You’ve been called one yourself, actually. But you can’t imagine how many times he’s had to hear it. Obviously he doesn’t want to do anything for them- and yet, he still tries.
You don’t want to do anything for the world you were trapped in, but… You still try your best.

Because it’s the right thing to do.
…And because it’s your only way home.

He does it because it’s the right thing to do.
And because it’s his only chance for a home.

…
Your heart starts beating faster. You feel invigorated.

“Progress isn’t linear nor immediate.”
Player’s hands lazily trace the vines wrapped around his arms, gently caressing the flowers on them. In the corner of their eye, they see his hands ball up into fists.

“There will always be bumps in the road, things that will remind you of where you came from.” Their head leans back to rest on his shoulder, their back closes in the distance from his stomach.
“I know you’re a good person at heart.”

“All I’m telling you to do, is to never stop trying. Redemption starts from consistency.”

You made him deal with all of this- you revived him, and brought him into a world that he didn’t want to be in anymore.
But you didn’t want to ruin him too.

…Is this a selfish thing to say?

You don’t want it to be.
“I just… want you to find your place in the world, Brad.”

Your heart skips a beat.

Arms suddenly wrap around Player’s shoulders.
They tighten around them, pale hands grip their shoulders, the embrace squeezes their wings together- and slowly, they feel his head gently lower down to rest on their shoulder.

They sit there, frozen in place, staring ahead. Before they can enter another train of thoughts, they hear him talking as he whimpers.

“…why d0 y0u st1ll b3li3ve in m3?”

Their hands lightly hold his wrists.
“I have to return the favour.”

He quickly retorts back, shuffling up a bit as he does.
“4ll I d0 is 4ss1st y0u in b4ttl3s.”

“More than you’ll ever know.”
…
He pauses.

Then, he just grunts into their shoulder, grumpily looking away.
“I’m r34lly n0t th4t gr34t.”

“Yes, you are.”

“nuh uh.”

“Yuh uh.”

His nails dig into their skin, his eyebrows furrow.
“I…”

“I tr13d t0 k1ll y0u.”

They put a hand on his, slowly gripping it in response.
“You thought I was gonna destroy your village. I seemed like a bad person.”

…Brad chuckles, and squeezes them.
“turns 0ut…”

He closes his eyes comfortably.

“y0u’re 0ne 0f the b3st 0nes in my lif3.”

Ah…
Your heart melts on the spot as you feel an overwhelming warmth in your chest, your throat closes up as you clench your jaw. You feel your body weaken.

You’ve grown to realise something.

You really, really don’t want to lose him.

Before you even make sense of this feeling, your body acts on its own- You shuffle, you abruptly turn around to face Brad- And in an instant, you tightly embrace him.
In response, he gently puts his hands right back around your shoulders, as his vines start to wrap around you. You whimper, clutching onto his jacket, tightening your eyes…

…
You’re gonna have to talk to him, Player.

If you want this to work, one way or another, you’re gonna have to tell him about your dreams, your wish for a long lasting bond, your concerns with the future and deal with your built up stress.
Your bottled up emotions, one at a time.

And right now… that thought doesn’t seem so bad anymore.
It doesn’t feel so threatening, so life defining as it did before.

He wants to understand you, Player.
He wants to know you.

He’ll want to find a solution to the time period issue, you know he will.

Please let him.

Birds are chirping in the distance, singing together in synchrony; some of them fly together in groups.
When two of them find each other, they nest together somewhere high, a place where no one can reach them.
And thus, they start a new life together.

They trust that the other will bring food, will help them build their home, will huddle with them when winter comes, and will never let them be harmed.

Because they love each other.

“…Brad?”

He quietly hums, shuffling his head a bit. “Do you like staying here, at least?”
He raises his head, glancing at their face with a tired expression.
“Like. Right here, under the trees.”

…He quietly murmurs, pressing his forehead against theirs. “y34h…”

They softly whisper back to him. “…Yeah?”
His eyes flutter to close.

“y34h.”

— — — — — —

There’s no sun to be found, as the only source of light is the moon. This time around, only owls dare to disrupt the consistent silence of the night.
…Except tonight. A loud group of footsteps crunch the grass below, as voices echo through the jungle.

“Brad! Player! Are you here?! Brad..!”

Mayor Thaniyel and a group of citizens circle the area of the forest, checking through bushes, looking inside of open logs- even analysing the position of rocks, until someone spots a certain pair of wings sticking out from branches, up high on a tree.
“Mayor, I think we found them!”

They quickly climb up the tree to check what the situation was, and what they saw…

…Was two young adults, cuddled up against each other, their limbs wrapped as they peacefully snored up on the large tree together.