I can't believe I'm doing something I said I would do, like, holly shit, progress!

Every once in a blue moon I'll write a chapter like this one


8. The fates must be trying to make amends

When you actually, really, deeply, think about it, the world is a contradiction, because, in the boundaries of everything? It's such a small, minuscule, thing; and yet. Yet to those of us who are stuck in one fixed point, who don't have the means to explore it, it feel just as infinite, just as vast, as everything

In this infinitude, in this particular place and setting, in this specific moment where it's just the two of them, dancing to a non-existing melody; here it's where permanence sounds like a blessing, if either could stop time, freeze the earth on its axis, and just live in right now, they would in a heartbeat

But time moves forward, and even the feet of deities grow tired, so they come to a stop, and it takes a few beats to realize they have yet to let go, it isn't all that hard to decide they don't want to

Instead they talk, Evan tells Connor of his life in the north, tells him all about his friend nymphs and how they perished because of a nature goddess, how hopeful he had been when spring had come back, and how deeply his hopes had been crushed, he didn't say anything about the time in between but Connor could guess what had happened, his heart ached as Evan glanced away through his story, and he squeezed him shortly for comfort, there was a small grateful smile painting his lips now

So in return, Connor told Evan about his life in the south, what had driven him there in the first place, what had made him stay, even went as far as to tell him about the deities that had come and gone in the south, how nobody ever stayed, explains that spring isn't a common thing in the south, and Evan gets this particular look

"So that's why it felt so young"

Connor doesn't know what to make of the statement, neither of them will ever completely see the world the way the other saw it, but he could live with that if it meant he could make his time with Evan longer. The nature god will leave, and this is a truth Connor is aware of, when whatever Evan was avoiding by being here settled, then he'll be gone like any other god, Connor can only hope to convince him to visit every once in a while, if nothing else

So when Evan stays, long after spring has taken over, Connor doesn't mention how long it's been, and it should make him feel guilty, being so selfish, but then he sees Evan avoiding any place too close to the border, and he thinks that at the very least, he's not the only one