Chapter 1: Coming Down From The Mountains.
There it was a large old oak door, purple as it could be, standing in the middle of the orphanage floor. Eren shifted off his bed and crept over to it. It had been there all day, no one else saw it. People, even the nuns there called him a nut job because there was absolutely no door right there. He moved closer and pressed his hand on the oak door, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. This door was impossible, for all this time at this damn place he had never seen it before now. The bruise on his face ached a bit.
No one could see it, no one but him. That means no one but he would know what was in here. His hand moved to the doorknob and twisted, pushing it open. First he peeked his head in, and then moved a little into the area, then completely in. He left the door cracked but that crack quickly disappeared along with the door.
His green eyes scanned the area for a moment, it looked like a wooded area, and there was a mountain, it was a pretty weird mountain, one side had ice and the other had armor on his. His head cocked to the side until his eyes landed on the two large figures standing on either side of the mountain. His eyes widened a bit in alarm, suddenly he felt really weird. He turned to open the door and race out, but, it was gone.
He didn't care; he could hide in the wooded area. He moved to bolt towards it but then he noticed the figure from the armored side was gone, he began panicking more. He was going to die. He was about to cry.
Suddenly loving arms wrapped around him and pulled him close with a soft whisper. "Don't worry little one, you've been through so much we'd never hurt you." A hand brushed through Eren's brown hair in a way a mother would when her child woke up screaming in terror.
Eren took this moment to glance at the mountain again, the other figure was gone.
A new voice appeared, just as close as the warm one but not too close. "You've also had too much happiness. An orphanage that actually treats a brat like you kindly? Please."
Eren opened his mouth and fuss at the new, harsher voice for being mean. But he didn't have to the warmer voice spoken instead. "You, be quiet, we are not here to call children brats." The warm voice stopped talking for a moment and took one of his hands back from Eren, which made him feel a little open to attack, and reach up to the harsher voice, yanking the figure down. "Now sit, we have much to discuss with this boy."
The harsh voice murmured something about all children being spoiled brats who had way too much happiness in their lives, but he didn't voice his opinion too loudly. Instead he opted to press a kiss into the warmer voices cheek before sitting in front of him and Eren.
The warm voices hand returned to Eren. This made Eren feel safer.
The young boy finally found his voice to speak. "If you're not going to hurt me, then tell me who you are and what you want." He demanded almost childishly.
The warm voice chuckled softly. "I am Happiness, but you are to call me Marco. That is Foulness; you are to call him Jean. We are here to make your life better and worse. That is what we do." Marco, that's what he was told to call the warm voice, returned to stroking through his ratty hair.
Eren decided to be nice and greet them the correct way. "I'm sorry about, overreacting, Marco, John." It was done, Eren, pronounced Jean's name wrong. Foulness growled lowly and only was chided by Happiness.
"Jean, dear, he is a child, you'll have to give him a few tries to get your name right." He tilted Eren's head back gently. Only now did Eren notice how the smile on Happiness face made his whole body flutter with joyful warmth, and how looking at the freckles that laid on his skin was like looking up at the stars on a warm summer day. His thoughts were quickly interrupted by Marco once again. "It's Jean, French J and all that jazz." He chuckled softly and pressed a warm kiss into Eren's head. "You'll have to forgive him, he always gets upset when people say his name wrong, he even gets mad at me when I call him Gene, and it's pretty funny because his anger usually puffs off into poutiness."
Eren furrowed his eyebrows, why was Marco telling him this? Probably to make him feel more comfortable around them. Eventually he mouthed Foulness' name a few times before trying it out loud. "Jean, Jean, Marco, Marco, my name is Eren." He smiled toothily at Marco and then his gaze turned Jean. The warmth from Marco's face defiantly differed from Jean's. It mad Eren angry, he couldn't see Foulness' eyes, that scowl made Eren want to punch him, and his hair was stupid!
Jean noticed the change in Eren's facial expression, and he spoke. "Marco, maybe it'd be best if he looked at you, don't you think?" Jean's voice was soft when he spoke to Marco. It was pretty much funny how Foulness was soft on Happiness; it amused Eren a great deal.
The green eyed boy's gaze returned to Marco, and his whole body was filled with peaceful warmth once again. Jean hummed softly. "He's a sight isn't he, Eren?"
Eren only nodded softly as he kept his gaze on Happiness. He didn't dare turn around or he might hit Jean on pure impulse.
Marco leaned his head down and pressed a kiss in Eren's hair like a mother would, then he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss into Foulness' nose. "Now, boys, we must get to our discussion."
Both he and Jean nodded.
Marco began. "Eren do you know what this place is?"
"No, all I saw was a purple door in the orphanage and no one else saw it and everyone called me a nutjob!" The young boy pouted.
"Mm, that's because out of all those girls and boys in that orphanage we chose you. Now look up to the mountain, Eren. Do you see how you see both sides?" Eren nodded. "That's life, the hard cold foulness of life, and the warm guarded happiness of life. You've had both, and you'll have more."
Jean began talking at this point. "You'll lose loved one, three of them. The ones you love the most. But you won't know which until the time comes. You'll also be betrayed at the worse possibly time in your life." The scowl that Jean wore turned into a smirk while he said this, like; he enjoyed talking about a person's pain. "You'll let these either fuel your rage and anger, or you'll let them eventually let those feelings drift into happiness." He moved his hand towards Marco's which was greeted by the others happily, their fingers intertwined, Eren watched carefully.
Marco began speaking again. "Eren, foulness and happiness come hand in hand; you cannot have one without the other. Now for the happiness in life." He seemed to smile more, if that was possible, and still kept hold of Jean's hand. "You'll gain a best friend, a personality very different from yours, but you'll never lose him. On this I swear. You'll gain a loving family; you'll live peacefully for a long time, and at nineteen you'll be able to visit us once again."
The two seemed to speak at the same time, this time around. "That is if you want news about your future life to see if it has changed from the way it is now, would you want to risk it, young boy?"
Eren tensed at the last words. He was thinking over everything that was just said. Would he really risk coming back just to know if there silly words changed.
Jean spoke sharply. "Do not call our words silly, boy. Marco takes offense to having his promises silly."
Eren's eyes flickered to Marco's face seeing that the freckled males smile wavered into something of sadness for a moment. Eren almost laughed. Could Happiness get sad?
"He can. It is not pretty, sad happiness is never a good thing."
Marco hadn't said anything since they finished their prophetic little warnings and promises. Eren spoke slowly. "I didn't mean to make Marco sad. But I'm guessing you guys can hear what I say in my mind?" Two nods. Eren inhaled. "I'm sorry." He suddenly felt bad for sounding so rude to these people would were trying to help him. He moved slightly and buried his face into Marco's chest as third apology. Marco smiled sweetly, and held Eren.
Finally Marco stood with Eren in his arms. "Jean, I'm going to put him to bed." A nod. "I'll be back and we'll discuss your behavior." A flinch. Eren held onto Marco as he was carried back through the purple bed and into his bunk in the orphanage. Marco leaned over him, tucking him in and whispering softly. "Very sweet dreams, young Eren, we look forward to your choice at nineteen."
Before Marco could turn and return to Foulness, Eren grabbed his arm and murmured. "What happens if someone doesn't call you by the names you've asked someone to call you by?"
Marco turned. "Something bad, so bad, not even Foulness himself likes it." He let out a small breath and walked towards the purple door. "Goodnight and goodbye Eren."
He walked in, the purple door disappeared.
-
Upon entering the door again, Marco looked at Jean who slinked back a bit. "Foulness." Jean knew that he was only called that when in trouble and no one but they were around. "It's been a hundred thousand years since we've started, what's it going to take for you to stop calling kids brats? They don't like, it makes them feel small."
Jean scrunched up his nose and tilted his head. "Is 'you' a significant answer, Happiness, my love?"
Happiness snorted. "No. Since you've got me till the end of time, my dear."
"Unless everyone in the world, in every world, and every year and timeline stops believing in happiness, then I'll be left without you." It was a small and sad reply, but honestly true, they both knew it.
"Pandora was created to plague man, given a box and told not to open it, she did."
"She closed it before hope could get out," Jean closed his eyes repeating the words he had so many times before. "But with hope comes happiness, eventually, and the world couldn't get along without hope." He cracked an eye open to watch Happiness near him.
"Exactly, so therefore, I shall always exist, my dear Foulness."
Jean moved his hand up to intertwine their fingers for the second time that night. "And foulness and happiness live hand in hand."
"Always." Marco leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss into the others lips. "Now, stop calling children brats, yes?"
"Mn, what if they piss me off?"
"They always piss you off." Marco grinned and attempted to mimic Jean's scowl and voice: "They never listen and never sit down and listen to me! Blah Marco you're a wiz with kids." The voice didn't sound right in Marco's mouth, and the scowl that he attempted to mimic looked completely twisted on his face.
Jean ran his free hand across Happiness' cheek and spoke. "I've never once said that, and I don't sound like that you ass." He chuckled lightly for a moment. "But we should continue to our next child, yeah?"
Marco giggled softly and then nodded. "Yes, Armin Arlet, Eren's future best friend."
Jean hummed. "That's you by yourself I suppose, but you know it's cruel to not tell someone something like that, don't you think it is going to make it hard for Eren to figure it out on his own."
"No, it's not cruel, isn't learning stuff half the fun of life? Plus, his fuck ups only fuel and amuse you so I wouldn't complain."
Jean shrugged and stood up, once they were both looking at each other they let their noses touch briefly. "Good luck, Happiness."
"Be good, Foulness."
With that said the air around them began whispering around them as a blue door appeared near Marco, and with that Jean vanished back to the mountain till he was needed.
-
Armin sat at the blue oak door for a good four hours, staring at it. He was going over all the possibilities that came with the door; both good and bad. Eventually he decided to walk in. His eyes widened when he saw a tall freckled man standing there, smiling, he was about to shrink back and shut the door after apologizing for barging in. But he stopped that idea when the man held out his hand and spoke gently. "Come, we have much to discuss."
Armin gaped at him for a moment then he looked back at the area he spent hours pondering about, then he placed his hand in the large man's hand, allowing himself to get pulled more into the new area. The door disappeared.
"Who are you?" It was a logical question, plus he didn't know if this guy was going to possibly going to hurt him or not, every morsel in his body told him that this guy looked like he couldn't hurt a fly, but his brain argued back that that's how all good serial killers looked.
"I'm Happiness, you can call me Marco," His eyes flickered down to the boy. "Shall we walk, Armin? I'm sure you'll like the view." Marco's voice was soft, and careful.
Armin blinked for a moment, mostly because he had no idea how Marco knew his name. "S-Sure... Yeah, that'll be fine." He figured if they walked this man wouldn't be able to pull a fast one on him and kill him or worse, mentally scar him for the rest of his life.
Marco laughed softly, of course Armin didn't know that Marco everything that the small blond thought. Finally the man spoke again. "I'm sure you're quiet curious about why you're here, are you not?" Armin nodded. "As I suspected, I know you're a smart boy, not a stupid morsel in your body, that's why I'm sure that's why you pondered your choice on entering for hours."
"How did you know?"
"It's my job to know, dear Armin. Now listen, here I shall give you hope." The blonde's blue eyes widened a bit in hope, but then there was also a trace of curiosity in them. "You'll earn a best friend in the next few years, one you'll never lose, and they'll always be there for you whenever you need them. They'll protect you." Marco was careful not to give away the gender. "Your grandfather will care for you until he is no longer able, that time won't be for a long time, lastly, and Armin you must read to escape. I know how you listen to people and let them get to you; I know they call you names."
Armin looked like he was about to cry over the fact Marco knew of the bullying he went through. The large man kneeled down to the boy and placed his hands on the boy's small face. They stared at each other, neither of them saying anything. Finally the man spoke again. "For a while more you must fight for your happiness, I believe you can do this."
The blond opened his mouth, and in a small voice he replied. "Why do you believe I can do it, I'm so tired of fighting for it, why can't I just succumb to the darkness?" There was desperation lacing the boy's voice.
"You must fight, because I know you can, you're stronger, smarter than you let yourself believe. Burden you think? No, never, one day you'll save and help many because of the strength and wisdom you'll develop. Fight, Armin Arlet, Fight."
Armin began crying as he collapsed into Marco's arms. Marco held him, stroking through the blond strands of hair for a few minutes, murmuring things a mother usually would; 'its okay, let it out, I'll be here till you're done, let it go.' and then 'you're so strong, and I believe in you so much.'
After a while Armin stopped and looked at Marco, before whispering in a small scratchy voice. "Alright, I'll try, for me, for everyone." He gave a slight determined nod. This made Marco smile brighter.
"I'll see you at nineteen, Armin, then you'll be allowed to see me again, if you come I will know you've become stronger, smarter, and fulfilled your destiny."
It was time for Marco to part from Armin; it was time for the small human boy to go back. He led Armin to the door, opening it so the blond could return to his own world. Which he reluctantly did.
-
Upon entering high school, years later from that night, only did Armin realize the words he heard Happiness, Marco, say were correct. His seventh grade year he had met an angry, well only sometimes, boy with intense green eyes and a passion about the weirdest things. But the days this boy comforted Armin, were the days the boy reminded Armin of Marco. Sometimes it made him wonder if the boy met Marco too. This boy, his name was Eren.
Days later from the day he had met Marco so many moons ago, the door appeared again. Except this time it was red. Armin laid his hand on the handle and stared at the door. It shouldn't be here, Marco said nineteen, and he was only fifteen. He had another four years to wait. He opened the door anyways.
Expecting Marco, Armin walked in smiling softly. But instead of Marco he got another guy who had darker clothes than Happiness, he was blindfolded, and he had a scowl on his face that made Armin uncomfortable.
Without another thought he blurts out exactly what he was thinking. "You're not Marco, where is he?"
"I'm not Marco, he's too good for me to be him, plus you'll see him in four years at nineteen if you choose to rejoin us a third time."
Armin furrowed his eyebrows and cocked his head and took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, that was rude, who are you?"
"Armin Arlet, had Marco not told you Happiness and Foulness walk hand in hand?" A shake of blond hair. "Of course not, you see, after getting a visit from my beloved, people's lives tend to run too smoothly, I am here to straighten this out. I am Foulness, you shall call me Jean."
Armin's nose scrunched up his nose slightly. "So you're going to undo all of what Marco did?"
Jean laughed, "No, no, no. He would kill me. Plus his saying are promises if they don't happen he gets upset and curses the skies and worlds for a good hundred years before calming down. No, I'm here to balance his promises out with warnings, y'know promises of my own."
Armin cocked his head. "So my life is going to turn bad? Or just balanced out?"
"Balance, everything must be balanced. Ask Eren, he knows of my warnings." Armin's eyes widened. So he was right about Eren meeting, well, he didn't expect it to be this guy Jean and not Marco. "No, no, he met Marco too." Armin blinked rapidly and squinted at Jean.
"Are you reading my thoughts?"
"Your thoughts are out loud for me to hear, now would you like my warnings."
"Fine, lay it on me." Armin wasn't ready for he was going to here. He never would be.
"One you love will die, another you love will get sick, and another will never return your love the way you love them." Jean glanced back for a moment at the mountain, almost like he was reading it. "The greatest tragedy of your life will happen once you reach twenty eight. These are my warnings, head them carefully."
Armin stumbled back lightly, and he almost fell, until Jean caught him. He thought Jean's touch would sooth him like Marco's it didn't. It enflamed a small rage he held inside of himself, his nose twitched and he jerked his arm away from Jean and stood up straight. "Thanks." His voice had went from regular warm neutral to a cold bearing tone, Armin didn't like the tone of his voice, he wasn't sure why he suddenly felt like this.
Jean let a small smile fall on his lips for a split second, mostly because he knew Marco transformed Armin into what he was a few minutes ago, now he; himself had changed the blond a little more. Life was shaping lovely for this boy.
Armin couldn't stand in Jean's presence anymore so he turned and tried not to stomp off to the red door and back into his own world.
-
Once Armin and the door was gone, Jean let out a small noise of displeasure, and turned around to find Marco standing there, smiling softly at him. Foulness trudge over to the taller male and fell into his embrace.
No matter how long they lived, no matter how many times they had fights, no matter how many times they made love (which sometimes made good people who eventually turned plain nasty), Foulness would always love the warm embrace Happiness brought with his presence.
"Did you see him? He looked happy, and proud of himself, and I ruined that demeanor."
"I saw him, I'm proud of him, I'm also proud of you, it's your job to bring too happy people down a few notches. But only the best people can still find happiness in the foulest times, and I believe he is one of those people."
Jean nodded slowly, pressing his body against the others, letting a small hum escape him lips. Marco ran his hand through the darker part of Foulness' hair. After a long silence Marco spoke quietly. "I think it's time to a visit to the lovely Earth, to find more candidates? What do you think?"
"Yes, I believe so, but not now, not today, tomorrow."
With a small nod Happiness led Foulness off so they could rest and head off tomorrow. They had to find more candidates for their little four year off offering.
-
Once they stepped on Earth, Happiness and Foulness walked through the streets of the first city they appeared in, which happens to be the one where Eren and Armin lives in, hopefully they don't run into them.
As they walked past a row of houses, Marco stopped, tightened his grip on Jean, and stared quietly into the house of a girl, maybe in her teenage years flinching back from a particularly large male, who was yelling. Marco only spoke one word. "Her."
They both knew this would be another candidate for their four year offering, Sasha Blouse, this girl would soon find a door.