Chapter Text
It hadn't been more than a few weeks since Green came back home.
The mission went perfectly; the Ore+ got to Mira on time, without inconveniences.
Well, maybe just one small, miniscule inconvenience for Green.
"Phew, all done!" Green said, after making sure all the worms at the farm were okay. They enjoyed being there. It always helped them to relax and distract themselves from their thoughts.
Besides, they were always happy to help with the family business!
They went to a small garage they had nearby. It was filled with all of the things their family kept to run the farm and make sure every plant and worm was as healthy as it could be.
They took off his gloves and set them on a wooden table.
They prepared to close up the place, and-
They had a sudden hunch. Everything around them clouded over in an instant. So many ideas flooded their mind just by looking at the objects scattered there. They couldn't help but picture themself grabbing a shovel, a pickaxe—maybe even a chainsaw!—and then approaching their family, their little siblings, and just...
Green slammed the door shut, cold sweat beading on their forehead.
This wasn't new—not entirely. They had started feeling this way ever since the trip to the Mira facility ended. Had they contracted some kind of illness? Or was it perhaps an effect of the people they had met?
By midday, they sat down for the meal. The huge circular table connected all of their family.
"All ready!" Their mother began serving the plates; it was a stew with mashed potatoes and some meat. Green liked their mother's food; they were a great cooker. Dinner began, and their family started chatting among themselves.
"A-And then I ran toward the next street over, but my sib caught me anyway."
"What can I say? I'm pretty fast," the boy bragged.
Everyone laughed, happy.
"What about you, Green? Anything to share?" Their dad asked.
"Hehe, not really. I've been really tired lately."
"Any news from Mira?" one of their siblings asked.
"No... but I'm sure they'll consider me."
Green looked back at his plate. The meat looked better than usual. Juicier, way more delicious.
It was going to happen again.
"W-Well, I should get some rest," they said, walking away from the table and leaving their meal unfinished on the table. "See you all tomorrow."
They headed to their room.
Their siblings exchanged glances, then ran over and hugged him.
"Rest well, sib!!" they said in unison. Green was startled, and a thousand thoughts raced through their mind. They didn't want to hurt them or act on those impulses. Summoning a great deal of strength, they shoved them both, sending them tumbling to the floor after a hard impact.
They immediately regretted it. "I-I'm sorry," they said, their voice anxious and unsettled. "Just let me rest now." And with that, they went to his room.
They spent the rest of the afternoon in their room, weeping inconsolably. They didn't want to become aggressive. Not with their family! They were the most important thing in his life. It was then, in a moment of desperation, that they decided on their next move.
They gathered their most important belongings and packed them into a backpack: food, the beans they had saved up, and a few photographs.
When they were about to leave, they thought something. They didn't want their parents to look frenetically. Then, they took a piece of paper, a pencil and wrote. They didn't explain everything, but it was enough to, at least, not be taken out by surprise.
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It was freezing out there. Even with the heavy jacket they usually saved for snowy days, the cold was unbelievable. Green didn't know where to go.
...
Of course not! They had acted impulsively, as always! Now they had to go back home to his family. But... The fear seemed to overwhelm them, leaving them even more frozen than the fierce blizzard.
They wandered aimlessly for minutes—minutes that felt like an eternity to Green—until, suddenly, they saw a limousine pass by. It wasn't that limousines were particularly unusual, but they were certain they had seen this one before. And apparently, the driver recognized them too; the car quickly braked and made a U-turn, pulling up right next to them.
"W-White??" They asked, their teeth chattering from the cold.
The window rolled down.
"Green, what are you doing out at this hours? It's freezing," White said in their signature tone.
Green opened the door and collapsed inside, exhausted. They immediately felt the vehicle's heater.
"I-I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize; No worries. Want a ride home??"
"NO!!"
White was slightly startled by his response.
"I-I don't think I should go back just yet; it's already late. Besides, what are *you* doing out so late at night??"
"Ohhh, okay so look—basically I went to this pool party thrown by the daughter of some friends of my parents, but it was suuuper boring. I mean, it had multiple pools and a huge rented venue, plus the same expensive drinks as always—like, zero creativity."
"...Yeah. Boring."
A brief silence settled between them.
"...Do you have a place to stay?"
"Not really. B-But don't worry about me!! I'll find somewhere soon," They added with a cheerfulness that seemed forced.
White thought for a split second. "We're almost at my place—stay here tonight. You can look for a place tomorrow without rushing."
"A-Are you sure?"
"Of course dude—that's what friends are for! ...I suppose."
The sound of the car parking could be heard.
"Mr. White, we're here."