It was his short flatmate whom had been unrelenting and prompted his return to the academy. The brunette grimaced, whether it was for better or worse, he had yet to decide.
Always there, a comforting shoulder to lean against and of open ear and mind. Despite his lacking stature, his arms were ever able to envelope him in their embrace, a soothing warmth emanating from him.
Yet there was something strange.
A jade eye leered over his laptop at the albino as he cuddled with Esti on the couch, a lollipop stick dangling from his lips which were ever curled in a grin and revealing pearly teeth.
There was something oh so natural, familiar and nostalgic even, yet oddly out of place.
Abruptly, Neiro turned towards Silas and flashed him with a Cheshire smile.
Like that.
The characters and text across his screen never ceased to flow, yet somehow, even with his shades the albino just knew. He gave the impression of both omniscience and omnipresence, the manner in how he just seemed to know.
It wasn't their familiarity, though by any means it certainly contributed to that appearance. There was just something unsettling. Or perhaps it was how easily he was seen through, and in the beginning he had brushed it off as just that, but as time wore on he began harboring doubts.
But what else could it be? The albino was far too easy-going to formulate such elaborate plots, though there was the occasional set up prank.
Especially those with exceeding difficulty to reason through.
Like their run for the first prototype of the Astral Pod. Despite himself, an icy rivulet trickled up his spine at a spider's crawl.
What they had seen upon entering Somnolence had been downright unsettling, and somewhat terrifying.
It was odd, and almost like being plunged through a mirror. The brunette blinked and watched the world flip like changing slides of a stereoscope. Where his eyes should've met darkness, was a separate world awash with colors.
Giving Neiro a nod, he watched as the albino started the machine run through its full procedure. Forcibly relaxing, he allowed his consciousness to be drawn into sleep, and almost reluctantly, he closed his eyes.
It took some time to accustom himself to this mirror image of the world he was so familiar with.
Silas had regained consciousness to a looming figure that was simultaneously bathed in a piercing light and casted shadows. The creature bore a multitude of appendages like an arachnid of sorts, and very much resembled a spider for it sat poised, in the center of a weave of silvery threads. The silky strands entwined loosely around its hand and form, and on closer inspection, observed still more of these wispy threads spreading like the hyphae of fungus.
His eyes trailed the fine nigh invisible threads.
One of which led to him.
Silas jolted back, or tried to.
But his body was asleep, immobilized. Having lost motor control, trapped and unable to break free of slumber's grasp, he could do nought but lie there as the creature craned its neck towards him and paused.
Afterwards he had abruptly woken to Neiro's worried cries. Having sensed something amiss with his troubled sleeping form, had taken emergency override and woken him. Something that the invalid was grateful for.
Silas forced the thought away.
Once, what seemed now to be a long time ago, the brunette had confronted his flatmate.
It was back when they were still back in the Tea Shop as mere strangers and the albino had begun tailing him, and hanging around.
This had gone on for well over a few months and despite the cold shoulder, the other wasn't deterred in the least, always smiling and jogging to keep up with his long strides. Always merry and friendly.
It was irritating.
One evening after hours, Neiro had propped himself against the counter, blathering on about something or another. The brunette had enough and decided to put a decisive end to this charade.
Despite all indications he had given that he did not desire the other's company and wished to be left alone, Neiro had stuck to him for reasons unfathomable.
From gently letting down the other, to brushing him off, to passive moves such as leaving when the other was otherwise distracted or busy, and other such social signs seemed impenetrable to his oblivious merry self. Even flat out blatant commentary of their relation did nothing to discourage him.
Silas had intended it to be a hurtful finality, to finally put the other off. The Tea Shop had just closed and, with the mask of a star actor, put up a facade and casually threw in a snark, though perhaps made easier by his underlying annoyance, and confronting his shadow.
For a moment, he thought it a success. Neiro's smile faltered, eyes large and blinking in surprise as if taken aback.
As if it just hit him.
But just as quickly, the other was smiling again with a thoughtful hum. Though notably subdued, the smile was nonetheless there.
It was small, but just as genuine as all the rest of him. "I guess a lot of people would see it as strange."
Neiro seemed to mull it over, swiveling playfully on the rotating bar stool.
"It is pretty weird, huh?" Neiro had slanted his gaze towards a corner, a pause, before he turned to stare at Silas, "Does it bother you?"
Silas detected nothing of the upset hurt, or backlash that he had expected from a personal attack. If anything the sudden enthusiasm seemed more of a pause for Silas than anything else. A courtesy, should the brunette be bothered by his merry tendencies.
Silas grinned, fingers still tapping away at the keys.
Back then the whole thing had turned on him and it ended up being his mask that had broken.
Or perhaps Neiro just had no mask with which to break.
"Are you mad? Why do you bother returning? After all the times I've left you hanging, walked off, and ignored you, shouldn't you understand by now?" Silas grit out, a very much real exasperation seeping in and contorting his face with a scowl. In one hand he rested his head, the other folded across his chest.
To his surprise Neiro reached across the counter and wrapped his arms around his waist, face buried through the open front of his coat and in the soft sweater he wore underneath.
The brunette had half a mind to give the other the same cold shoulder he had been giving, but the other peered up at him and snickered, "Sorry Sy, I may be mad as the hatter, but I think you're the one here that doesn't get it!"
Though he knew not why, it cut deep, and his eyes prickled. Neiro just stayed there, arms wrapped around his midsection, humming softly.
"What are you smiling about Silas?"
He almost jerked at his name and glanced over at the two on the sofa, "Don't you two have other trivialities to concern yourself with? Movies to watch?"
"You mean it?"
To his dismay he realized too late what he had said. Neiro perked up, and almost immediately was upon him, "Movie night!"
Silas relented, resisting the urge to let out a dismayed groan. The albino didn't seem to notice, "... and Big Hero 6, I love that one! Oh, but then there's Ratatouille, and this other movie I've been wanting to see called..."
Esti himself let out a strangled noise of astonishment, partly out of disbelief, and the other a poor attempt to hold in a laugh as Neiro bounded back to the couch, dragging the reluctant brunette in tow.
He winced a bit, stumbling as Neiro disappeared and he fell heavily on the couch. When he looked up it was to Esti's smug grin.
The neophyte opened his mouth, but Silas cut him off, "Don't start."
Esti did so, but the smug curl of their lips said it all.
If there was one thing he did know about Neiro, it was that no matter how lacking in height, he was no pushover. Next to the albino he knew none with the determination nor persistence. He was assertive, but not at all overpowering.
Silas jerked and the redhead beside him turned a quizzical stare.
"What is it?" he whispered softly.
"A trick of the light." but Silas's gaze never dropped from the window, "A firefly I thought."
"A firefly? This high up?" Esti turned in his seat, eager to catch a glimpse of the seasonal insect, but she saw nothing save, a scant light in the far off distance where the bogs were. Most likely the lantern of a nightly round of fieldwork by the geologists.
"A trick of the light." and Silas muttered quietly aside, too quiet for Esti to hear, "Nothing more."
A stream of pops sounded from the kitchen where he assumed his graying flatmate to be preparing movie snacks. Neiro always went overboard with the whole thing.
The redhead pulled the blanket over him, condolences. No one could resist being pulled along with Neiro's pace when he was set on something.
From the kitchen his short friend appeared, hidden beneath a hazardous leaning pile of snacks, swaying threateningly.
Though the sight was far from unusual, it still filled him with a sense of trepidation.
Still, as his friend abruptly came to what would have been inevitably for anyone else, and stumbled over the blanket and hazardous array of pillows littered along the ground, he leapt to his feet and swiped at the flying snacks.
But the redhead beat him to it and nabbed the top priority ice cream tub out of the air, followed by a acrobatic stacking of the popcorn bowl and miscellaneous snack boxes on top of that. The brunette sat, and applauded as Esti let out a relieved breath, picking up the rest of the snacks which fell to the ground with a crinkle of plastic.
Strange, usually Neiro would manage somehow to save the catch if he did trip up. Apparently not this time though.
Neiro blinked up at them before breaking out in his trademark smile. holding up his hand to reveal a soft chartreuse glow.
In his hand was a firefly.
"Woah, there really was one." Esti carelessly dumped the load in his arms on the table, sufficiently distracted, and leaned in close. The glow illuminating his face and basking it in a glow separate from the dimmed lighting in the room, "Hey Silas, maybe this is the same one you saw earlier."
"You saw a firefly?" This time it was Neiro who spoke.
"Briefly. By the window."
For reasons unbeknownst to him, it seemed to bother Neiro, though he himself was relieved.
It was after all, just a firefly. Things were still within reason.
Ironically the study and advancement of science only further accentuated that which was unknown and yet out of reach.
The more they uncovered, the brighter the path of knowledge was lit, and the darker the murky shadows became. The more he learned, the less certain he became.
At the same time the more light was strewn, and the greater clarity by which he saw the world, the more he despaired at the hopelessness.
Such was the pit he had thrown himself in years before. Having tired of the competitive field and the ingrates by which their discoveries sought to help improve.
The harsh light of the screen made Esti groan and he was briefly brought back to the conversation at hand.
"... busy with something or another that Loki set on him." a scowl was set deep on his face as he spoke.
Neiro shrugged, adjusting the light in the room to match the screen, "I guess it can't be helped then. We'll watch it with Ken next time."
"If Prof. Lokius ever lets up." he scoffed, turning back to the screen.
The bitter words matched his dark maroon eyes, but he didn't dwell on it long and shrugged it off, already back to conversing with Neiro.
He grabbed a bag of snacks, tearing it open.
Beside him Esti grabbed a soggy gummy worm from a snack tray soaked from what Silas presumed to be their little accident, popping the colorful treat into his mouth.
"Guh!" The redhead gagged, "When did gummy worms become so bitter?"
Neiro gave a mischievous grin and Silas spotted a suspicious looking wedge of lemon that appeared as if-
"You marinated them with a whole lemon?!"
Suddenly Neiro's trip up didn't seem so accidental.
There was a bout of startled laughter as Esti whacked Neiro with a pillow and conversation dissolved into a pillow fight.
A few stray pillows, or perhaps not so unintentional throws, smacked him in the head.
With a growl he pulled the blanket off and over both of their heads, ignoring their surprised cries, and bundled them both up.
Neiro sulked from his cocoon but ultimately leaned against his shoulder and settled in to the movie, Esti following suit and sandwiching the albino between them.
He stared out the corner of his eye at Neiro, and felt himself awash with warmth and fond affection.
In his head he laughed, how sentimental he had become. Was this really who he was now?
No matter, he would take it in a stride if it meant having the albino beside him.
Someone like him was rare. To be one who so willingly and unconditionally gave.
That brought a sneer.
No one ever gave without wanting something in return. It's natural to distrust those who were too generous and one smile too many.
But Neiro disregarded such difficulty and obstacles. For all his simplicity, he wasn't daft or oblivious as his actions suggested or some believed. He was simply of a different perspective. One that the would do much for the world.
Simple unconditional love. He bore the hardships without complaint.
It takes strength to smile, bravery to be kind, and patience to love.
Such were qualities that Neiro didn't just have, he was all of them.
Strength, bravery, and patience.
Not just in his approach for one, but to all.
Silas jerked and the redhead beside him turned a quizzical stare.
"What is it?" he whispered softly.
"A trick of the light." but Silas's gaze never dropped from the window, "A firefly I thought."
"A firefly? This high up?" Esti turned in his seat, eager to catch a glimpse of the seasonal insect, but she saw nothing save, a scant light in the far off distance where the bogs were. Most likely the lantern of a nightly round of fieldwork by the geologists.
"A trick of the light." and Silas muttered quietly aside, too quiet for Esti to hear, "Nothing more."
A stream of pops sounded from the kitchen where he assumed his graying flatmate to be preparing movie snacks. Neiro always went overboard with the whole thing.
The redhead pulled the blanket over him, condolences. No one could resist being pulled along with Neiro's pace when he was set on something.
From the kitchen his short friend appeared, hidden beneath a hazardous leaning pile of snacks, swaying threateningly.
Though the sight was far from unusual, it still filled him with a sense of trepidation.
Still, as his friend abruptly came to what would have been inevitably for anyone else, and stumbled over the blanket and hazardous array of pillows littered along the ground, he leapt to his feet and swiped at the flying snacks.
But the redhead beat him to it and nabbed the top priority ice cream tub out of the air, followed by a acrobatic stacking of the popcorn bowl and miscellaneous snack boxes on top of that. The brunette sat, and applauded as Esti let out a relieved breath, picking up the rest of the snacks which fell to the ground with a crinkle of plastic.
Strange, usually Neiro would manage somehow to save the catch if he did trip up. Apparently not this time though.
Neiro blinked up at them before breaking out in his trademark smile. holding up his hand to reveal a soft chartreuse glow.
In his hand was a firefly.
"Woah, there really was one." Esti carelessly dumped the load in his arms on the table, sufficiently distracted, and leaned in close. The glow illuminating his face and basking it in a glow separate from the dimmed lighting in the room, "Hey Silas, maybe this is the same one you saw earlier."
"You saw a firefly?" This time it was Neiro who spoke.
"Briefly. By the window."
For reasons unbeknownst to him, it seemed to bother Neiro, though he himself was relieved.
It was after all, just a firefly. Things were still within reason.
Ironically the study and advancement of science only further accentuated that which was unknown and yet out of reach.
The more they uncovered, the brighter the path of knowledge was lit, and the darker the murky shadows became. The more he learned, the less certain he became.
At the same time the more light was strewn, and the greater clarity by which he saw the world, the more he despaired at the hopelessness.
Such was the pit he had thrown himself in years before. Having tired of the competitive field and the ingrates by which their discoveries sought to help improve.
The harsh light of the screen made Esti groan and he was briefly brought back to the conversation at hand.
"... busy with something or another that Loki set on him." a scowl was set deep on his face as he spoke.
Neiro shrugged, adjusting the light in the room to match the screen, "I guess it can't be helped then. We'll watch it with Ken next time."
"If Prof. Lokius ever lets up." he scoffed, turning back to the screen.
The bitter words matched his dark maroon eyes, but he didn't dwell on it long and shrugged it off, already back to conversing with Neiro.
He grabbed a bag of snacks, tearing it open.
Beside him Esti grabbed a soggy gummy worm from a snack tray soaked from what Silas presumed to be their little accident, popping the colorful treat into his mouth.
"Guh!" The redhead gagged, "When did gummy worms become so bitter?"
Neiro gave a mischievous grin and Silas spotted a suspicious looking wedge of lemon that appeared as if-
"You marinated them with a whole lemon?!"
Suddenly Neiro's trip up didn't seem so accidental.
There was a bout of startled laughter as Esti whacked Neiro with a pillow and conversation dissolved into a pillow fight.
A few stray pillows, or perhaps not so unintentional throws, smacked him in the head.
With a growl he pulled the blanket off and over both of their heads, ignoring their surprised cries, and bundled them both up.
Neiro sulked from his cocoon but ultimately leaned against his shoulder and settled in to the movie, Esti following suit and sandwiching the albino between them.
He stared out the corner of his eye at Neiro, and felt himself awash with warmth and fond affection.
In his head he laughed, how sentimental he had become. Was this really who he was now?
No matter, he would take it in a stride if it meant having the albino beside him.
Someone like him was rare. To be one who so willingly and unconditionally gave.
That brought a sneer.
No one ever gave without wanting something in return. It's natural to distrust those who were too generous and one smile too many.
But Neiro disregarded such difficulty and obstacles. For all his simplicity, he wasn't daft or oblivious as his actions suggested or some believed. He was simply of a different perspective. One that the would do much for the world.
Simple unconditional love. He bore the hardships without complaint.
It takes strength to smile, bravery to be kind, and patience to love.
Such were qualities that Neiro didn't just have, he was all of them.
Strength, bravery, and patience.
Not just in his approach for one, but to all.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for reading!