Epilogue: Reorientation

Joshua zoned out while his mother raved in the background about something meaningless. He'd fucked up with Manfred, and since then he hadn't been interested in much at all. Even the bits of paper and grit that usually gravitated to him only rattled half-heartedly where they lay as he passed. Titania grabbed at his hair and he yelped.

"Didn't I just ask you to help me out here, Joshua? Honestly. Is there anything inside that empty head of yours?" Joshua got ingredients down off the shelf and watched half-heartedly as Titania brewed her witches' stew. After a while, he left the room without her notice, shrugging on a coat. He walked out into the cool night air and closed his eyes, feeling the breeze and slight fog mist on his face. He didn't know where his feet were taking him but he was content to be walking away from the dreary, entombing academy.

Some warm lights still glowed out of windows on the deserted street. Two figures embraced inside the Blue Moon as he passed. Joshua's eyes widened as he recognized the fiery hair and lanky, pale figure. The wind outside suddenly turned cold, and Josh shut his eyes against it, forcing his feet to move.

He hadn't been a powerful enough magnet to force his way between the two after all. Maybe he didn't have a matching opposite pole out there. The moon rose slowly, painting the boy's tortured face with a silver caress. It glinted off the tear sliding down his face.

Someone bumped into him gently. "Oh, sorry." The teen who had bumped him adopted a concerned face as he looked at Josh. "Are you alright?" The magnet nodded. The boy reached out and swept the tear off his face with a gentle thumb. Smiled. "You're going to freeze dressed like that, Joshua."

Josh froze, wondering how the boy knew his name. But before he could ask, he was winding his warm scarf around Joshua's neck. "Keep warm, doll. I'll see you around." Josh turned to look after him, but he was gone into the fog. The boy smiled, and inhaled the warm, spicy scent still lingering on the warm scarf.

Titania was stewing as silently as her brew when he returned, but not even her selfish ranting could make him feel cold like he had until recently. He hung the scarf on his bedpost and looked at it in the moonlight as his eyes closed that night. He'd have to find the boy, to thank him. Tomorrow...

xxxxxx

AN: There's no real follow up to this, I think we just felt guilty leaving Josh hanging like that even though he was a huge piece of crap in this story lmao I can only imagine dealing with a mother that outwardly shitty. Imagine whatever you'd like to for Josh's little happy ending there.

Thanks for hanging in there with us. I never imagined I'd be finishing up a story for FFN, especially not ten years down the road. Now, that said, since these last chapters were pretty much already written and just needed some sanding and detailing, it was very easy with my limited time and energy to get it into postable shape. Please do not expect this for anything else that's still on hiatus.

Any new works we do post will be in different fandoms over at Archive Of Our Own as dremma. Feel free to send a pm there or here! We will still get the notifications in email.

Thanks again, and we hope you enjoyed the story!

-Isaiah (Suchan) and Nyx (Twelve)