Chapter Text
The soft sound of the wind flowed through the trees, wrapping around the branches and leaves like old stories. Every tree and leaf moved as if it were dancing gracefully but at the same time peacefully. Sunlight shone through the leaves and the greenery, forming small bits of gold on the ground. The air smelt of the fresh, clean smell of nature. It was the beautiful and peaceful smell of the world around us.
The shrill sound of the school bell rang loudly throughout the school buildings and surrounding area. The bell rang out into the air, sending its echo deep into the trees and far away from the building. Most people barely acknowledged it's ringing, some only heard the sound as a signal to either start or end the day's learning. But within the simple sound rang the truth; that time never stands still for anyone. Every ring of the bell marked yet another day passing.
Students filed out of the building all at once, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Some ran towards their friends and others walked calmly with their books in their hands. Some wore grins as they went but others wore masks of happiness to hide the pain within. All of them walked unknowingly on a path, which none other but themselves could take. For no matter how many people were around, everyone walked a lonely path.
The trees stood tall and still, as if not wanting to disturb the world around them. They had watched over the children for years, standing proud as the students walked beneath them. They had seen friendships form and grow, watched dreams start and end. They had heard the promises whispered between friends before they had parted ways.
A soft breeze blew through the trees, brushing against the backs of passing students. They all unknowingly carried the same message with them. Life flowed on, just like the wind. It simply couldn't be captured or slowed down. Even though the students barely took notice of it, the world around them was just as amazing as anything else. The simple life of the students and the world around them would one day become a memory. Every moment lived and breathed was a moment that couldn't be repeated. Even the boring, everyday moments became precious once they were gone.
Maybe that was why youth was so cherished in later years, because it was truly what made up the world. The simple days were often longed for by many but rarely appreciated at the time. The students didn't realize it, but one day they would look back on all the memories and long for just one more day to pass. As the school bell rang off into the air, the wind flowed through the trees once more, as if trying to tell the students something. After all, even the end marked the beginning of something new.
Sword took a few gentle steps through the open gates, all a sudden a flash of students rushed past through him making his body hit the ground hard. All of the curiosity leads to Sword making him think about why all the students were in a hurry. He gently pushed the students who were on his way, and saw the glorious, striking campus star.
That person is.. Rocket
Rocket stood outside of the school and radiated a certain air of self-confidence that immediately pulled all of the class members’ attention to him. Everyone crowded around him and tried to get his attention. Everyone laughed heartily when he told a joke. Every girl fell at his feet when he gave them a wink to signify that he saw them. He was perfect with everybody, charming them, making them laugh. He smiled at them, and they smiled back, trying to catch his attention. To everyone, Rocket was simply irresistible; a perfect being who seemed to have natural charisma flowing through his veins, unaware that he made so many hearts flutter whenever he walked by.
But standing right beside the crowd, Sword was silent.
Not a single person noticed him, not even Rocket.
He stared intently at Rocket’s every move. He saw how the latter gave his classmates silly smiles, saw how he laughed heartily when his friends cracked a joke, but then noticed a strange flicker of interest in his eyes every time Rocket caught a certain boy’s gaze.
Perhaps it was silly to think that a mere glance could stir emotions in one’s heart
but the moment Rocket accidentally caught Sword’s gaze, time seemed to have stood still as if the whole world had stopped to watch his reaction
What stirred uneasiness in his chest, however, was not admiration nor interest.
It was something else entirely.
In the next instance, as if a part of him had already permanently resided in Rocket’s heart, Sword quickly left, unaware of what exactly had just happened. It was strange, really. How could a person, whom he barely knows, affect his heart so profoundly? How could just a single look pierce right through his soul and make him feel so utterly lost?
They say love grows through time. It blossoms when the couple spends more time together, sharing countless moments of joy and sorrow. But it seems that some people are simply not meant to meet with each other, at least not in this lifetime. In an instant, without saying a word, Sword knew that he had fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with the one he had just met.
"Urgh... What is this feeling... why do I have this sensation of warmth?" Sword asked to himself as he unconsciously brought a hand on his chest. Right under the palm of his hand, his heart was beating furiously so loudly it almost seemed to drown out all other sounds around him. It wasn't painful, nor was it uncomfortable, but it was deftly strange. Its rhythm was growing faster and faster as if it was trying to say something to him that he just could not understand. His heartbeat surged furiously through his veins until it seemed like it was everywhere in his body. He could feel the warmth, the pleasant sensation of heat running all the way from his heart to his shoulders, down his hands until it reached his cheeks. He expected the cool breeze blowing gently from the leaves of the trees to have numbed the feeling, but instead, he felt something strange. As if there was some tiny little spark of warmth inside him.
Sword took a deep breath as he walked away from the chattering group of people. He took slow, steady steps as he moved away from the school gates, his mind however unwilling to follow his body. Every step he took seemed to only make his legs walk further and further away, while his heart was stubbornly beating right there under the warm afternoon sun, with Rocket. He could see him clearly even without turning around; all smiling, all laughing with friends as he effortlessly made funny jokes that made everyone around him giggle. He could remember it all so vividly, so clearly, even now. Even without looking, he could "see" that confident, charming smile Rocket wore. He could see the kind, caring eyes Rocket had, the smile on his face... everything about him, even now, refused to leave his mind.
"What is happening to me..." Sword murmured to himself with a frown, his voice barely audible from the rustling leaves around him. His eyes were narrowed in thought as he tried to figure out what he was thinking. It didn't make any sense at all! He hadn't talked to this guy, ever. They didn't know each other's name. He barely even knew anything about him for crying out loud! They just passed each other on the street for a few seconds and yet, even now, the feeling of seeing his face just stuck in his head. It was like it had been engraved on the deepest part of his mind.
Sword shook his head, dispelling the thought. "It's ridiculous..." he chuckled to himself. "What am I thinking? How can seeing this guy make me feel this way?" He tried to think of a logical reason. Maybe it had just been the surprise of seeing such a famous guy on the first day of school? Maybe it had just been because he was so popular, so well-liked amongst all those girls? After all, it was natural, wasn't it? It was natural for everyone to feel a little bit curious, a little bit interested upon seeing someone so loved by others. It was only natural to feel a little bit surprised when seeing something you've only heard of up close. Maybe, just maybe, this was all there was to it. This was all there was to feeling this way, and by tomorrow, it would all disappear.
If only it was that simple.
It was all too simple to brush it off as mere curiosity. It was all too simple to think that it was just some kind of natural response to seeing such a popular guy.
It was all too simple to lie to himself.
Sword frowned as he slowed his pace, staring blankly at the serene landscape ahead of him. Sunlight pierced through the eaves of the trees, casting dancing shadows on the ground as he walked past. Beautiful golden rays of sunlight shone right on top of him and the path of smooth stones beneath his feet. It was all so pretty, so breathtaking, but it was all too painfully similar to the feeling he had back then. It was all too similar to how he felt when his eyes locked onto Rocket's. Time seemed to freeze, if only for a brief moment. The laughter of the girls around Rocket died down. The chatter of the students walking around grew quieter and quieter until it all drowned away into nothingness. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath, only for it all to return to normal after only a second. It had all happened so fast, but he still remembered it all too clearly. It was like it was burned into his memory forever.
Heaving a heavy sigh, Sword looked up at the bright blue sky above. "Everyone says that love grows gradually," he muttered to himself. "They say that a relationship only truly begins when two people who care about each other meet. They say that after meeting each other, after years of being together, loving each other and supporting each other through thick and thin, is when you truly fall in love... isn't that right?" He smiled to himself, a small, sheepish grin as he stared blankly at the sky. "Then why is it that my heart seems to have already fallen for someone it barely even knows?"
"...why is it that my heart seems to have already fallen for someone it barely even knows..."
Why did his beating heart know the name of this guy it barely even knew?
Sword had always hated the phrase 'love at first sight', ever since he had heard it for the first time. It had always seemed so cheesy, so unrealistic for someone like him. It had always seemed like something that only happened in books and movies, something that only happened to fictional characters. It was beautiful, sure, but it had no place in reality. Realistically, it was entirely too absurd for anyone to actually believe in. After all, you couldn't just fall in love with someone you hadn't even met yet, could you?
His heart was stubbornly beating in response.
That beating heart of his knew that what it was feeling certainly wasn't attraction.
It wasn't mere curiosity either.
It was something else, something entirely different. It was something that only belonged in books and movies. It was something that no one was supposed to feel, especially not someone like him.
And yet...
His heart refused to lie.
Every beat told him the same thing. It told him of a name he had barely even heard before. It told him of a guy he barely even knew. Even thinking about that name sent a weird, warm sensation running through his whole body. Sword quickly brought a hand to his face, mortified. "I've lost it completely this time, haven't I..." he moaned in despair. If anyone had heard him, anyone heard what he was thinking right now, then they would have most definitely laughed at him. He could imagine telling a friend about what had happened and how he was thinking now. "Hey man, I saw this guy today!" he would say, before pausing to let the words sink in. "We just looked at each other for a second and now all I can think about is him!" How embarrassing! Even thinking about it made him groan in shame.
At the same time, deep in his heart, he knew he wasn't lying at all.
Even though it all was a little ridiculous, even though it all was a bit embarrassing, there was still something special about it. Something that made him feel weirdly happy inside. Something that made him feel like there was a little part of his heart that had just changed forever. Maybe, just maybe, this really was love. Maybe, just maybe, this really was what love at first sight was like. However, whether it was fate bringing them together or just some kind of childish crush, he had no idea. All he knew was that, somehow, somehow, this single meeting had changed something in his world. It had changed the way he saw everything.
Sword took his hand away from his face and smiled, his heart still beating faithfully. He brought a hand to his chest again, feeling the steady, reassuring rhythm of his heart. Slowly but surely, it was calming down, growing steadier and more stable. That weird warmth still burned inside him. It wasn't scary or unpleasant, but rather something that made him feel comforted. Whatever this feeling was, it certainly was going to stay with him for a while. It would take him a while to understand this new emotion inside him. Perhaps one day in the future, he would look back on this memory and laugh at how silly he was being. It would take a long while until he would accept this feeling for what it was, but for now, for now, he could only smile at the strange sensation inside his heart.
Whatever it was, it was going to change his life forever.
With that thought in his mind, the warm afternoon breeze blew gently as Sword slowly walked under the eaves of the trees, only one thought lingering constantly in his mind.
Ah, Rocket.. beautiful like always, Sword thought.
Sword was cautious enough not to draw too much attention to himself as he slid his hand into the pocket of his bag. His fingers brushed against the various objects in there before finding the familiar shape of his camera. He pulled it out of the bag and enclosed his fingers around it, gently pulling it out.
Once he got it out, he turned his attention to the other being in the room. The one called Rocket stood out from the rest, for reasons unknown to Sword. A certain spark in the being's movements, the way he acted and carried himself, everything about him screamed for attention. Without a sound, Sword raised his camera, focusing on the being in question.
He moved his fingers over the device's surface, zooming in on the smaller being with practiced ease. The camera's lens was focused on Rocket, capturing the most minuscule detail as he got ready to take a picture. A hush fell over the world as Sword waited for the perfect moment to come.
The camera flashed, capturing the being's expression for eternity. Sword wasted no time and took a second picture, the flash unveiling the other's features. The camera clicked again, taking a picture from a different angle. Every detail and expression was noted by the camera, but not by Sword.
The device in his hand clicked again, capturing another side of the being. He made sure to take the pictures with the perfect focus, not wasting a chance to get a good click. He was intent on capturing this moment, storing it away as far into the past as he could manage. Each flash was a beacon that signaled another moment lost forever, and Sword was determined to keep track of every single one.
He kept clicking away, the camera growing heavier with each picture. He had to steady himself as he looked through the viewfinder, making sure that he was clicking the pictures at the best possible moment. He took a few more shots, his keen eyes observing the being in the center of his gaze.
Even as the other moved, Sword was able to keep up, the camera clicking away as he kept his focus on the being. He had a talent for such things, one that allowed him to get perfect shots. He waited for the perfect expression, the perfect moment, before moving to take another picture.
Each picture clicked from the camera was like a chapter, telling a different story about the being. Some showed a better side of the being, while others showed more of his playful nature. Even as he moved, Sword took pictures, making sure to capture each and every one of his best expressions. It was a skillful endeavor, but one that Sword excelled at.
He wasn't one for flashy pictures or sudden flashes. The camera in his hand was his way to capture a moment, to store it in a place where it would never be lost again. He took another picture, zooming in on the being with the perfect focus.
With a final click, the camera opened up for a closer inspection. He took one last glance at the picture before lowering the camera from his eye level. A soft smile made its way to his lips as he realized that he had captured the perfect moment. A flash of inspiration told him that he would look back on this moment with nothing but fondness, remembering how it all started.
He kept his hand on the camera as he waited for another moment to come, storing another memory for the future. And he would keep clicking, as long as Rocket kept moving.
Ah.. You’re so cool, Rocket. Sword muttered under his breath.
Sword barely realized he'd spoken the words aloud. He slipped from his lips, carried away by the evening breeze before he could stop them. His face warmed immediately, and he looked away, pretending to be interested in the cracked pavement beneath his boots.
He slips his camera gently inside his backpack, he’d taken a quick glance at Rocket, feeling the warm breeze across his cheeks, and took a few steps inside the high school opening doors welcoming Sword in. Sword decided to explore the school hallways slowly memorizing the paths, a gleaming light through the windows hitting the floor, a swoosh of leaves slowly falling to the floor, and the sound of gentle waves—a song came from birds. Sword finally reaches his classroom but he wasn’t expecting to see someone..
Rocket.
“Err.. Huh? R-Rocket is my classmate!? This must be my lucky day, hahaha.. This is a miracle!” Sword mumbled to himself while standing outside the classroom like a weirdo, soft giggling sounds coming from Sword which made people turn their heads to him making them think he’s special or just a basic weirdo at all. Sword walked towards his seat, and his hands slipped his bag against the desk legs making it rest there.
The teacher still wasn't here. The room continued circling around them oblivious to the fact that something much bigger than a reunion was occurring in the space between them. He had the chance to leave, to feign ignorance, pretending he never saw Rocket, pick a different classroom, a different seat, a different start to this day. But he didn't. He stepped forward until he was in front of an empty desk, sliding into it with his hands resting lightly against its worn surface as Rocket continued to loom over him from across the room.
Another leaf curled off the branch outside the classroom window drifting lazily past the glass before vanishing beneath the windowsill. Sunlight stretched between them and somewhere far away the waves rolled against the shore. Everything continued as it always had. The world did not pause for their frayed friendship, their regrets, or the fact that it had taken so long for them to meet again by chance. It simply continued on, unfazed by the fact that they were here, or that they were not ready to be here.
Sword turned his eyes back to Rocket, a thousand questions warring in his mind for the right to be asked and just as many memories fighting to resurface. Perhaps they would talk, perhaps they would not. Perhaps some things could only be healed through time and acceptance. Perhaps they would say nothing at all. It didn't really matter either way, not anymore.
It was always exhausting having to fix everything, to justify every choice, to explain away every heartbreak as if it would make things easier, but maybe he was done.
Maybe growing up just meant understanding that some things could stay unfinished.
He looked down at his hands, the warmth of the sunlight pooling across his skin as he exhaled a slow breath. Maybe courage wasn't about fixing things in the end. Maybe it was simply about staying even when your heart was telling you to run.
Rocket was not some ghost he had to lay to rest. He was real, sitting before him, his life unfolding just like anyone else's, just like his own. And Sword understood in that moment that perhaps, maybe, the past only asked for one thing. To stop running.
So he sat and he let the silence stretch between them, unspoken words dissipating into the warm hush that had fallen over the room. The birds continued their song outside the building and the leaves fell and the waves rolled on against the distant shore. Life went on, as it always had, and perhaps that was an answer in itself. Perhaps he really did not need one.
Perhaps some mysteries only unraveled in time.
For now though, he simply watched Rocket and wondered what it was that they would do next, not because he feared the answer, but because for once, he was determined to find out.