Chapter Text
My alarm went off at the usual time of 6am. Dark had been up all night working on his super secret project that I'm not allowed to see yet. Fine by me, I'll just head downstairs and start a pot of coffee. Dark finds it strange that I'll drink coffee black, but his mug has more sugar and cream in it than actual coffee, to the point that I wonder if the caffeine is doing all the work of keeping him hyperactive, or the sugar. Nevertheless, the pot of coffee is done percolating, and I pour myself a cup of joe for the day.
Neither of us exactly has a "day job" that we can do during the day, but I find ways to keep myself occupied. Sometimes I just fly around in the sky, far above the clouds where no one could ever dream of seeing, far from the ground or sticks or anyone I could cross paths with. Sometimes I just freefall for the thrill of it, the wind rushing past my ears at a deafening decibel. I always catch myself before I finish the freefall, though. Sometimes go into the woods and birdwatch. I've spotted at least thirty different kinds of birds in the area around our house, and at least two or three birds have taken a liking to me.
Sometimes, on a good day, I take a chance, and I go to a playground, hide in the bushes or anywhere out of sight in my hoodie, and I just watch the kids and parents play. I just... watch as they have fun. Little sticks swinging and giggling as if they were flying. Oh, if they only knew what real flying was like! It really is thrilling. I watch as the parents watch over the little sticks with an expression I'm not quite familiar with, but I believe I've heard it was called love. Maybe also pride? Something positive. Something that makes my stomach feel warm and fuzzy, like when I saw my first sunset in that weird blocky game, or built my first house, or when I first met Dark, and we became brothers...
Today, I would do all of those things, as I did every day. After a simple breakfast of toast and sausage links, I'd go outside and just sit in the backyard, listening to the wind blow through the trees. Then I'd take to the sky just to see how far I could go or read the stupid names some people will give to their PCs. When I've finished with my round of flying, I'd check on my little bird friends before taking a hike through the woods. I knew them well enough to know I wouldn't cross paths with anyone.
Then I'd eat lunch with Dark, unless he was still working on that project. I don't know what's so fascinating about it that he has to work on it day and night without stopping, but he promises I'll like it, so who am I to intrude? So alone at the table, I sit with my ham sandwich and glass of water. There are some books on our bookshelf with stories I've read before, but I never tire of reading them again anyway. Something about reading brings me comfort that is different from flying, but too unlike it. Without leaving home at all, I've traveled the world, met new friends, conquered fears, saved the world!...
What if I were the hero?
I shake that thought from my head, knowing that getting Dark to settle down this much was hard enough. He still goes out to commit crimes sometimes. I stopped asking where the groceries were coming from and was just grateful that I wasn't the one who had to go out into the city to get food. I read for about an hour before I decided to stick watch again. The same sticks were at the playground today at their usual times. This routine was nice. This one tall stick with his child always caught my eye. They seemed so happy, playing and fighting together, though I'd hardly call it a fight. There was a sparkle in his eye I wish I could receive for myself.
I'd never had a childhood before, since I was drawn as an adult, but it looks nice being a young kid or teenager. Sometimes I watch the other sticks and wonder what would have happened if I'd been drawn as a normal stick and could live here, maybe with a "parent," as they're called. If someone were taking care of me, I think I'd like it a lot. I guess Dark takes care of me, but not like that, not like they do. Sometimes I wonder why I was made at all, and it's about that time that I realize I've been staring too long and that I've left myself vulnerable and out in the open, so I head home.
Back in the safety of the house again and all sticked out despite not talking to anyone the entire day, I rest on the couch, flipping through my books again but not really reading them. Sometimes I just look at the covers and admire the detail put into them. When it's about time to make food to eat for dinner, I call Dark to fix it. Toast and sausage is all I can manage to cook, and while I'd gladly eat toast and sausage for the rest of my days, Dark thinks we need to "round out our palate more." This just means more than one kind of meat for dinner, but it's still a little different. Dark goes back to his cave office, and I lay under the IP grid, about the closest thing to stars we'll see outside of a video game, and just watch.
I lay there until my eyes risk drifting to sleep, and that's when I know it's time to retreat inside. I'd fallen asleep outside once before and woke up cold and drenched in dew. I'd rather stay warm and dry, thank you very much. So I'd head upstairs, brush my teeth, put on my pajamas, and crawl into bed. Tomorrow, I'd do the same thing again, and Dark won't show me a virus, and I won't have to fight it to save a bunch of innocent sticks. Tomorrow, I won't wake up and suddenly have to be a hero or fight my best friend. Tomorrow, I won't lose my only known brother.
Tomorrow will be another day like any other.