Author's Notes
I'm sorry this chapter is a day late, but I think its length should make up for it, right? Thank you TM Industries for following my story!
Also! We have a cover for the story now! Thank you so much GiggiEba for your help! :D
And now, Reviews!
ThinMint, ah, sorry to hear that. I like the cutesy names too. I'm glad someone agrees with me. :)
GiggiEba, yeah, they've got it rough. Sadly, I don't think Darkness will simply back off...
Mage-Of-Space-12, well it was kind of to be expected. :P Thank you for the support!
Anywho, let's get on with the story!
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Eba's POV
I sat down at the table and summoned a pear, nibbling on the juicy fruit's flesh. Thomas and Sarah were lounging on the couch he and Simon made a while back. They were discussing resources, and Thomas said he was planning on going mining. I kept quiet, wanting to hear the whole conversation before volunteering to go.
Simon had gone from bad to worse. Izabell had taken a nap, and when she came back down feeling much better, she realized that the creeper boy had a fever. He would mumble nonsense when awake, and would fidget a lot when asleep. Izabell was terrified for him.
"I don't have any medicine," she told herself worriedly. "Only bandages and ointments. What should I do? Oh, lords, let him get better..."
We all tried to comfort her, even Snowdrift, the little snow fox. But she sort of pushed us away and spent most of her time cooped up in the med-bay. Simon was awake and conscious very rarely, but he always asked the slime girl how she was and if she'd taken care of herself.
"There's nothing more you can do, Z." The creeper boy spoke in a quiet and hoarse voice. "I'll be fine, don't worry. Go outside. Play with Snowdrift. He needs you more than I do right now."
Still, the slime girl almost never left the med-bay. Everyone worried more for her than for Simon. Movement jerked me from my thoughts, and I looked up. Thomas helped Sarah to her feet, their conversation clearly over now. I waited expectantly for him to call everyone into the room.
You're exited.
Of course. We haven't gone mining in a long time. I kinda miss it.
I don't. I hate caverns.
I suddenly remembered that Blight had been trapped by Darkness inside a cave for half a century. Right... sorry.
Don't be. Pay attention or you'll miss your chance.
I blinked and realized that Thomas was looking at me with a warm smile. He chuckled.
"Do I have your attention now, Eba?"
I swallowed a lump in my throat and let go of a nervous laugh. "Sorry... yeah, I'm listening."
"Right. Um... is everyone here? Where's Jack?"
"Here!" The stray ran down the stairs, stumbling and almost falling on the floor. "Sorry, sorry. Had been cleaning my bow."
"It's fine," Thomas told him. "Sarah and I were talking, and we think it's about time we go on another mining trip. We have plenty of iron from the mountains, but there is no diamonds or gold up there. And we're running out of coal."
Everyone murmured in agreement. Thomas sighed and straightened his wool jacket. "Right. Who's coming with me?"
I raised my hand immediately. Sarah and Jack did too. Thomas nodded at us and turned to look at Izabell. The slime girl had been staring distractedly at the med-bay, no doubt still worrying over Simon. Thomas took a couple steps towards her and cleared his throat. Izabell's gaze slowly drifted towards him.
"Yes?"
Thomas sighed again. "I want you to come with us. We're going on a mining trip."
Izabell shook her head. "No thanks. I'll pass."
"Please, Izabell. It's doing you no good to stay in here. You need to take your mind off Simon's sickness. Come on."
Sarah stepped forward too when Izabell was about to argue. "You know that's what Simon wants you to do. Isn't he always telling you to go outside? I think it's about time you listened to him."
Izabell frowned, but nodded after a few moments of hesitation. "Okay. Let me say goodbye first."
Sarah put her hand on Izabell's shoulder as the slime girl turned away. "It's not necessary. You'll be back before he even realizes you're gone."
Izabell nodded again and turned away from the med-bay. "Fine. Let's go."
Thomas nodded. "Could you guys go out and hunt?" he asked Valory. The spider nodded. Thomas then turned to Adrian."And could you chop down some trees? I'd like to keep our stocks of wood full."
"Sure," the wither skeleton answered.
"Great." Thomas clapped his hands together. "Okay, let's go."
We followed Thomas out. Izabell hugged Snowdrift one last time before trailing along, still looking uncertain. Everyone else filed out one by one, heading off to do what Thomas asked them. Snowdrift, Kaitlin, and Flick watched us go from the door. For once, the baby creeper seemed to realize that this wasn't a time for his antics.
We walked in silence through the forest and entered the cave sistem without a single word passing between us.
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Simon's POV (2 hours later)
"Fu-uck. Ehm... dammit."
I tumbled off the bed, laying in a heap on the floor. I lifted my head and held it in my arms. It felt like a million hammers were pounding at it. My eyes burned, and my throat felt as dry as a desert. I sniffled and tried to stand up. It took a couple attempts, but I finally got to my feet, albeit a little unsteadily.
"Where's everyone..." I mumbled to myself. I felt out of it, like everything in front of me wasn't real.
"Um... g-...guys? Uh... hello?" Nobody answered me. "Maybe I'm hallucinating," I mumbled. The thought made me giggle. "Tha's funny... I like that... let's see..."
I wandered unevenly into the living room. It was deserted, except for Snowdrift, who was dozing happily on the couch. "Okay... they must be outside..." I told myself.
My eyes wandered to the metal hatch beneath the stairs. Thomas had asked me to start building the underground workshop at the beginning of last month, and it took me around three weeks to finish. It lay mostly unused because of this cursed sickness. I smiled.
"Should at least make myself useful, no?" I asked no one in particular. My mind felt foggy. I stumbled up the stairs, heading for my room, then opened the door quietly and started choosing sketches from the wall.
"For... Lila, and Thomas, and Jack... for, um... what's his name... Adrian, and Sarah, and Jack—not Jack, um... Valory, right, yes... aaand Kait, and Eba..."
I stopped and stared at the doodle before me. It was me and Izabell, holding hands, sitting atop a hill overlooking the plains, watching the sun sink below the horizon. My mind focused for a second, and I smiled. But then the fog returned, and I blinked sleepily.
"Right... and Izabell." I plucked one last sketch from the wall and wobbled down the steps of the staircase. It took a lot of effort, but I finally managed to open the metal hatch and climb down the ladder into the workshop. I closed the hatch behind me and got to work.
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Kaitlin's POV (3 hours later)
I finished drying Flicker with a towel and sat back. My baby creeper blinked and hissed happily at me. I smiled and caressed his head gently with one hand. I picked him up and brought him onto his cushion/bed. He was still too small to need an actual bed, so he slept on a red pillow I asked Valory to make for this specific purpose. Flicky flopped onto it and got comfortable, hissing softly the whole time.
I giggled and covered him with a small blanket. My baby creeper hissed happily again and closed his dark-green eyes. I sat on the edge of my bed and waited patiently for him to fall asleep. I didn't want to leave him alone, but Snowdrift needed care too. I had been feeding and taking the little snow fox out on walks since Izabell hadn't been able to.
Once I was sure Flicky wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, I quickly walked downstairs. Snowdrift blinked sleepily and pricked his ears. I smiled at the little snow fox and pet him between the ears the way I know he likes. The fox cub yipped almost sadly, and I sat down beside him.
"What's wrong, buddy?"
The little fox whined and curled up in my lap, staring at the med-bay wistfully. I brushed his fur with my hand. "Do you miss Izabell? Is that it?"
He pricked his ears but didn't look away. Instead, the little snow fox put his chin on top of his front paws and whined again. The sight melted my heart. "Don't be sad, Snowdrift. She'll be back. And Simon will get better soon. Come on."
I picked him up and brought him to the door. Snowdrift stared at the wooden slab through unfocused eyes. I kissed the top of his furry head and brought the little fox outside. He half-closed his eyes against the sun's glare. I set him down on the soft snow. He didn't do anything for a few moments, letting his eyes adjust to the light.
Then he began sniffing around. There were foot-prints left from when everyone had left, and Snowdrift began following a trail of them, the one headed towards the mine. I followed curiously and shivered. I only had my turtleneck sweater on, and the cold got to me very quickly.
Snowdrift was already going on ahead. I called for him. "Wait! Snowdrift!"
The little fox looked over his shoulder at me and pricked his ears. I rubbed my arms, hoping to ward off some of the cold. "Please wait. I should go with you, just let me get my coat okay? Stay where you are."
Snowdrift blinked at me. Then he sat down and began washing one forepaw. I rushed into the house and threw on my coat, still shivering. Once I felt warm enough, I opened the door and walked out. Snowdrift was still sitting where I'd left him, but he was staring into the forest now. I walked up to the little snow fox.
"Okay. Let's go." Snowdrift blinked again and stood up, padding hurriedly along the trail of footprints. I followed him as quickly as I could. His size and fur color made it hard to distinguish him from the snow. We entered the forest soon enough. Snowdrift darted between bushes, sniffing carefully along their frosty leaves. The little snow fox would occationally rub his cheek against fern fronds where he found the smell he was after.
He led me deeper and deeper into the forest, ignoring critters and prey just to follow the trail. I had an idea of who he was looking for. I started gather dry sticks on the way, wanting to be prepared for anything. Soon enough, we arrived at the cave entrance Thomas and the rest of the mining party must have taken.
Snowdrift walked into the cave, his paw-steps echoing softly off the walls. I sat down on a smooth rock formation and started piling up the sticks. The little snow fox wandered towards the tunnel that led into the cave sistem below and yipped. There was no answer, and a couple moments later he yipped again.
I lit the bundle of sticks with my fire and turned to look at the little fox. I watched as he yipped a third time, more desperately now. I left the fire and walked up to him. His tail twitched nervously, and he looked tense. I crouched down and pet his head.
"Don't worry, Snowdrift. They'll be out soon. We just have to wait for them here. Come on. You'll get cold if you stay there." I picked him up, and the little fox whined at me. I pet him gently and put him down next to the fire. Snowdrift stared at it and curled up nearby. I sat down and started playing distractedly with my flames.
We waited there, on the cold hard stone of the cave, for a couple hours before the mining party finally returned.
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Izabell's POV (2 hours later)
I picked up the heavy burlap sack and threw it over my shoulder. We had been gone for almost seven hours, and had gathered plenty of metals and coal. Jack had even found some lapiz. We trudged on through the maze of caverns, heading back towards the sunlight. Thomas and Sarah had been right; leaving the house and focusing on something different had made me feel better.
We'd gathered enough ore for about 17 bars of gold, 22 of iron, 21 piles of redstone dust, and 12 pieces of lapiz. We didn't find any diamonds like we'd hoped, but what we do have is plenty. Sarah walked beside me on the way back. She spoke to me after some time.
"How do you feel?"
I smiled at my friend. "Much better, thank you."
She nudged me playfully. "See? All you needed was some fresh air."
I giggled and fake-coughed dramatically. "The air down here is everything but fresh."
Sarah chuckled. We were getting close to the exit; I could already see a small, bright speck of light getting closer and closer. We continued walking in silence. My arms were sore from all the mining and heavy lifting. My clothes were caked in dust and grit. But, despite all of that, I did feel better.
I froze in surprise as a little yip echoed down the walls of the cavern. I shielded my eyes from the bright light and a little gasp escaped me as a shape hurtled towards us. I dropped to my knees and was almost barreled over by Snowdrift. The little fox was yipping and weaving around me excitedly. I giggled and hugged him tightly.
"Hi! What are you doing here, Snowdrift? Why are you down here all by yourself?"
Another shape walked towards us. It was Kaitlin. "I brought him here. Or, well, he brought me here."
I picked up Snowdrift and he licked my face, making me giggle. "No! Don't do that!"
Thomas picked up the burlap sack I had dropped and heaved it over his shoulder. "Let's get this junk back home, alright? Izabell, lead the way."
I nodded and started walking. Snowdrift rubbed up against me, making happy little sounds all the while. "I'm sorry I neglected you," I whispered to him. "I promise I won't do it again." My little snow fox blinked at me and snuggled closer in my arms. He looked at the forest over the crook of my elbow, and I put him down so he could play in the snow.
The little white fox bounded happily in circles around our little group. I spotted Adrian dragging a large log over the snow, with Valory and Lila helping him. There was a new pile of wood next to the storage shed. We walked up to them as the dropped the log next to the others. Thomas waved, and the three of them walked over.
"Hey, guys."
"Hi, Thomas," Valory said. "Lila and I went hunting, like you asked. We caught a couple rabbits and a chicken, but that's it. So we came back to help Adrian with the logging."
Adrian noded. "And I really needed their help. I can barely drag a log over here by myself."
Snowdrift nudged my legs from behind. I stared at the little fox as he padded over the snow towards the house. My worry for Simon suddenly returned and I followed him towards the front door. He reached it before I did, and began scratching it with his little claws. I opened the door and walked in, headed for the med-bay.
Dread filled my chest. Simon wasn't in his cot. The bedsheets and pillow were strewn on the floor. I walked back out and started calling for him. "Simon? Simon!"
Everyone had been chatting amongst themselves at the table, and they turned to look at me in confusion. Sarah stood up. "What's wrong?"
"Simon's not in his bed," I explained. Fear made my hands tremble again. "I can't find him."
The skeleton girl walked over to me. "It's okay, calm down. He must be in here somewhere."
"What if he isn't?" The idea of Simon wandering across the cold snow-covered plains in a feverish daze made me feel sick.
"We'll find him," Thomas assured. "You haven't even checked the rest of the house. He might just be in his room or something."
I forced myself to calm down. "Okay. Let's look for him."
We spent twenty minutes checking and double-checking every room to no avail. I felt miserable, sitting at the table with my head in my hands. Snowdrift tried to comfort me by weaving around my legs. "Are you sure you haven't seen him?" I asked Valory.
"Totally sure," she replied. "We didn't even enter the house when we came back; just dumped our catch and ran off to help Adrian."
"Where could he have gone?" I mumbled to myself. Sarah had been by my side the entire time, and she began rubbing my back soothingly.
"I'm sure Simon's fine, Iza. You know him, he probably just... wandered off wanting to finish one project or another."
"But he never wanders off by himself."
"He's been sick. He might not be thinking straight."
"What if he got hurt or lost out there?" I searched her gaze for reassurance.
My friend sighed. "I don't know. What I do know is that he's resourceful and clever. No matter what, he'll be fine."
A million things went through my head. If he's fine, why did he leave? Is he combing back? When? Did he get hurt? Did his fever worsen? Has he forgotten about us in his daze? About me?
I was about to voice my concerns when a muffled thud reached my ears. I closed my mouth and raised my hand for everyone to be quiet. Snowdrift pricked his ears. A couple seconds passed before another thud rang out. The little snow fox started sniffing the ground. He stopped next to me and started scratching the floor.
I stood up and crouched down on the ground, pressing my ear against the floorboards. I heard a third muffled thud, quickly followed by a triumphant little 'yay'. Relief made me feel weak. I closed my eyes, a tiny smile blooming on my face. "What is it?"
I looked up to see everyone looking down at me with worried eyes. I smiled at them. "I found him," I explained.
"Really?"
I giggled. "Yeah. You won't believe it." I stood up and walked over to the metal hatch beneath the staircase, the one that led to the underground workshop. I pulled it open and gestured for everyone to follow as I climbed down the metal ladder. The lights were on, as well as the metal forge. Simon was standing in the middle of the room, fiddling with something. I ran up to him and enveloped the creeper boy in a tight embrace.
Simon tensed up, startled, but then hugged me back. "Hello, Z. What, uh... what are you doing here?"
I took a deep breath and stepped back. "What am I doing here? You're supposed to be resting in the med-bay!"
Simon frowned. "Oh. I felt cooped-up and restless, so I decided to work while everyone was out. Were were you, by the way?"
Thomas and everyone else gathered behind me, looking at Simon. "Some of us went mining, others went hunting and Adrian went logging."
Simon waved at everyone. "Hey, guys."
Everyone murmured a greeting at Simon, and the creeper boy turned back to his contraption. I groaned and grabbed him by the wrist. "Come on. You're going back to bed."
Simon stumbled a little but held his ground. "Aw, What? No. I just... I'm making stuff for everyone."
I tugged harder. "You shouldn't be walking around, much less making things."
The creeper boy freed himself and took a couple uneven steps back. "Wait, Okay? Just a second. Please."
I glared at him. "Do you know how worried I've been? When I couldn't find you?"
The creeper boy blinked at me and sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you again. But that's why I came down here. I wanted to make it up to you, to everyone. So... um... who's was... Lila? Could you come here?"
The cave spider blinked in surprise. "Me?" she said, pointing at herself.
Simon nodded. Lila walked up to him, and the creeper boy wandered over to a wooden box sitting on a table. He brought out five metal... things. They looked like stars with holes in the middle. Simon gave her four of them and showed one off to the rest of us.
"They're shurikens," he explained. "Your knives haven't been exactly reliable in combat, so I thought I'd make you something more effective."
The creeper boy brought the throwing star close to his chest and threw it with all his might at the four wooden targets set up at the far wall of the workshop. It missed all four and bounced harmlessly of the metal wall. Simon chuckled.
"Well, They're supposed to be more effective, but I'm not really the best at using them. Why don't you try?"
Lila stared at the metal stars and stood next to Simon. "They feel different," she commented. "But I think..."
She drew back and threw them all at the same time, quick as a snake. The four stars sailed through the air and landed, one by one, in the center of the wooden targets, halfway buried in the hard wood. Lila smiled.
"I think they could work." The cave spider turned to face Simon. "How many did you make?"
Simon frowned. "Uh... four sets... six... twenty... four? I think?" He walked to the far wall and picked up the stars that were lodged in the targets. Then he wandered back over to the box and pulled out a bag, slipping the shurikens in there. He handed it to Lila. "Here. I'll try to come up with a more efficient way for you to carry them."
The cave spider nodded and rummaged through the bag. Simon's gaze traveled over all of us and landed n Adrian. He waved the wither skeleton over and walked to the wall the metal forge was set up against. There was a row of hooks on the wall, some of which held weapons and tools.
Simon pulled a large broadsword from the wall, as well as a weird double-stacked sheath. Adrian took it, staring at the blade in wonder. "It looks just like mine," he said, swinging it around slowly. "Feels like it too. How did you manage that?"
"I took a couple measurements. The sheath should also work for the obsidian sword, so you can carry both on your back."
Adrian took off the sling where he kept his obsidian sword and pulled said weapon out. He then put on the new sheath and put away both swords. He stepped towards the targets. The wither skeleton grabbed the hilts of the swords. He drew and swung them outward in one fluid motion, leaving deep, nasty scars on the two closest targets.
Adrian put the swords away again. "Thanks, Simon. I think I'll stick to using one at a time since they're both pretty heavy, but the sheath is rather neat."
Simon smiled. "I'm glad you think so. Right... Jack?"
The stray stepped forward as Adrian walked back towards the rest of us. I crossed my arms, feeling rather impatient. Simon picked up the contraption he had been messing with off the table and handed it to Jack. He stared at it for a couple seconds before frowning.
"What is it?"
Simon chuckled. "It's a crossbow. Sort of. Look." The creeper boy brought out a few of crossbow bolts from the box. "You pull this back... and shove a couple bolts in there and then you aim and fire."
Jack listened intently as Simon explained how everything worked. Then he aimed the crossbow with both hands at the closest target. "That's a nice addition," he commented. "The reticle. I like it."
Simon nodded. "I do too. It should make aiming the weapon easier."
The stray took a couple steps back and aimed the weapon again. "I want you to know that I've never fired anything like this," he said. Jack fidgeted a little, trying to find a comfortable way to hold the weapon, and took a deep breath. He pulled the trigger, and the metal bolt shot out of the crossbow's front, piercing one of the wooden targets all the way to the metal wall.
Jack blinked. "That... that's awesome."
Simon walked over and reloaded the crossbow. "I know you and Sarah tend to lean towards fire rate and not power, but I think you'll find the crossbow to be the best of both worlds. It just takes a little practice."
Jack stared at the contraption in his hands and aimed it up again, at the farthest target to the left. He took another deep breath. Then he started firing, really really fast. In less than 3 seconds he had fired all four shots he had left, all of them hitting at least close to the bull's eye. Jack grinned like a madman.
"No way... that's just awesome! How did you make this?"
Simon shrugged. "With lots of difficulty. Shivering because of a fever makes it hard to calibrate and adjust small pieces."
I walked over to the creeper boy and tugged at his hoodie's rolled up sleeves. "That's enough Simon. Come on, back to the med-bay."
The creeper boy drew away from me. "Just a little while longer, okay? I'm almost done."
I sighed and let go of him. "Fine. Only a couple more minutes. I don't want you to get any worse."
Simon smiled. "If anything, being down here has made me feel better."
I shook my head. "Just finish up."
Simon shrugged and walked over to the box on the table. He brought out a wonderfully crafted serrated hunting knife and sheath. He walked up to Sarah, and the skeleton girl took it with a frown.
"Thank you Simon, but I don't need another knife. Mine works just fine."
Simon scoffed. "Yours is more dull than a smooth pebble. I thought you might welcome the replacement, but if you want, I can fix the one you have."
Sarah thought this over for a second before sheathing the knife Simon gave her. "Fine. Might as well put this new one to good use."
The creeper boy walked back to his box and ru,Magee through it. "Eba, I have something that isn't for you, but for Blight."
Eba blinked. "For Blight?"
Simon nodded. "You've told us he doesn't want to wander about the house for fear of damaging it. But he can stand on metal, right? On non-organic stuff."
Eba's eyes turned grey for a split second and she blinked. "That's what he says."
Simon nodded and pulled some boots with metal soles from the box. They looked like black leather from the outside. "Could you ask him to make a shadow so he can try these on?"
Eba nodded. "But the boots are leather, right? Wouldn't they rot?"
Simon made a so-so gesture with his left hand. "Not quite. The material is similar to leather, but, well... you could say it's burnt sap. My theory is that Blight won't be able to rot through it because it doesn't really count as organic at this point."
Everyone stared at Simon as if he'd grown a second head. "Burnt sap?" Jack asked.
Simon sighed. "Not exactly. Come on, let Blight try them on."
Eba nodded, and a trail of dark-gray sand drifted down and formed Blight's 'shadow' standing next to her. Simon nodded and placed the boots on the floor in front of Blight.
"Are you sure this will work?" the demon asked.
"No," Simon answered. "But they were fun to make, and it's worth a try."
Blight stared at the boots and started taking off his own. "How will you test it?"
Simon walke dover to the wall and pulled an extra target from the hooks. "You'll stand on this. It's the same stuff we used for most of the walls and floor. If it rots, I'll try out something else. If it doesn't, then good for both of us.
The demon nodded and put on the new boots. His turned to dust when he let go. Blight hummed thoughtfully as he slipped them on. "Well they haven't dissolved yet, so that's a start."
Simon nodded and placed the wooden target on the floor. "Alright then. Step on the target."
Blight slipped in the other boot and carefully nudged the target with his foot. Then he moved to stand on it. The circular wooden slab didn't move, or melt, or break or whatever was supposed to happen. Eba's demon smiled.
"Looks like you were right. Thank you, Simon."
"You're welcome," the creeper boy replied. He picked up the target, hung it up again, and started going through the stuff in the box once again. "Okay... Kait?"
The blaze princess walked up to him. Simon nodded to himself and pulled out a helmet from his box of trinkets. It was wonderfully crafted, with metal points drawing back like crests on the top and sides. The front had a sort of heart-shaped opening for Kaitlin to see through. She inspected the helmet.
"I know it's not much," Simon began. "But after many projects and ideas, I figure this is the most I can offer you. Your fighting style is unique; you don't use any weapons except for the flames that erupt from your hands. So, if I can't make you a sword or bow or any other other weapon, I might as well give you some armor."
Kaitlin blinked at Simon and slipped on the helmet with a smile. "Thank you, Simon. I like it. And it's comfortable."
Simon smiled back. "Well, I'm glad you like it." He turned around and started going through his box of trinkets again. "Valory, come here please."
The spider walked up to Simon, and he brought out a gauntlet and a weirdly-shaped metal frame. "For you and Falconheart. The gauntlet should make it safe for him to grip you tightly, and it has a small compartment for a pen and paper if you want to send a message."
The creeper boy showed her the gauntlet, and Valory put it on. "Now this," Simon went on, "I think you'll really like. It's armor for Falconheart."
I blinked and took a closer look at the armor. It did kind of look like Falconheart, Val's big, mean pet phantom. Valory looked just as surprised at Simon's words. "Armor?"
Simon nodded. "Yeah. You place it on top of Falconheart's cloak so it's comfortable. Most arrows should bounce harmlessly off the plates, and they're not so heavy that it'll weigh him down too much."
Valory nodded, a smile tugging the corners of her lips upward. "Thanks, Simon. I'll have Falconheart try it out as soon as I can."
Simon nodded and rubbed his eyes, but he was smiling. "Great. Thomas?"
The guy left Sarah's side and stood in front of Simon. Just like Adrian and Eba, he towered over the creeper boy, but he didn't seem fazed in the least. Simon pulled out another box from beneath the table and brought out a metal chest plate.
"I know how you like running head-first into battle, so I thought armor would be the most beneficial thing for you." The creeper boy handed him metal elbow and knee guards as well as a helmet.
Thomas tried everything on. "It's a bit heavy, but comfortable."
Simon shrugged. "I think the protection it offers is well worth the weight."
Thomas nodded and started taking the armor off. Simon rummaged through his box and stopped. "Okay... now... Z, come here."
I blinked at him and frowned. "Could it Wait? You need to go back to the med-bay."
Simon's shoulder's sagged and he blinked tiredly. "Come on, Z. Please."
Sarah walked up to me and pushed me forward a little. "Play along. Go."
I sighed and walked towards Simon. His eye brightened a little and he went back to searching in his box. I crossed my arms and waited. "To you... I give..."
He lifted something out, hidden in his closed hand. The creeper boy eased my arms to my sides. He opened his fist, and something attached to a chain tumbled out. It was a beautiful glittering pendant, shaped like a heart with a star in the center. A little gasp escaped me. The chain shone as if it were made from tiny suns, and the firelight from the metal forge cast an orange light on the little heart. It was gorgeous.
"To you, Izabell," he murmured, moving closer to place the pendant around my neck. The pendant's chain felt cold but comfortably heavy. I looked up from the pendant to stare at Simon, feeling dumbstruck. His gaze held nothing but warmth and affection, his eyes dark-green pools of pure love. He connected both ends of the pendant's chain and moved his hands to cup my cheeks.
"I give my love and devotion. There is nothing I can make... with my own two hands... that will show you how much I care. How much you mean to me. You are my best friend. My beloved. My inspiration and muse. My everything."
My heart pounded against my chest, so hard that I thought he'd be able to hear it. I could do nothing but stare. Simon smiled and gently kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry I scared you, he whispered. "It wasn't my intention."
I broke into a smile. Tears were forming in my eyes, blurring the edges of my vision. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him close to me. I knew our friends were watching, but I didn't care. He reacted instantly, and with the same hunger. The rest of the world faded around us, until the only thing left was me and Simon.
It felt like ages when we finally pulled apart, gasping for breath. I buried my face in Simon's chest and hugged him tightly. "I love you," he whispered, holding me close.
I squeezed him tighter. "I love you too," I murmured back. A thought crawled it's way into my mind and I giggled softly.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I forgot," I replied. "You're sick."
I felt Simon smile, his mouth next to my ear. "Sorry. I'll take care of you if you fall ill."
I pushed him playfully away. "You can't even take care of yourself."
"I'll get better," he said, trying to wrap his arms around me again. I struggled a little before giving in and leaning against me. A happy little sigh escaped me, and I closed my eyes. Thomas cleared his throat, causing me to open them again. His cheeks were tinged with red.
Everyone looked a little flustered, even the skeleton cousins, who's poker faces usually helped them conceal such emotion. Thomas heaved a sigh. "Um... should we leave you alone?"
I giggled. Simon kissed the top of my head and pushed me forward. "No, it's alright. We should go prepare lunch anyways."
Everyone nodded, looking slightly relieved. I felt my own blush crawling on my cheeks and let Simon guide me to the ladder. We waited patiently as everyone else climbed out of the workshop. The creeper boy shut off the forge and flicked off the lights before following me out.
Snowdrift had been waiting quietly and by himself beside the open hatch, and he jumped to his feet when he spotted my. I picked him up, and the little snow fox began rubbing against me happily. He yipped at Simon, wriggled out of my arms, and wove around his legs. The creeper boy chuckled and picked the little fox up, caressing his flank with a hand.
"Hey, Snowdrift. How are you, buddy?"
The little fox yipped excitedly and nuzzled his cheek. I smiled at the tender sight. Simon put down Snowdrift and took my hand. His other hand tucked some strands of hair behind my ears. His hand rested on my cheek, warm and comforting. "It looks good on you," he commented, gesturing at the pendant with his head.
"Thank you," I replied. "I love it. How long did it take you to finish it?"
He smiled again. "Much longer than I'd like to admit. It just had to be perfect."
I felt my blush deepen slightly. "It didn't have to be."
"Yes it did," he replied.
I kissed his cheek quickly and started walking towards the kitchen. "Come on. We need to help with the food."
Simon took my hand again and walked by my side. "Alright then. Let's help."
I heaved a happy sigh, finally letting go of the worries that had weighed me down for days. Simon was getting better. And everyone was happy. Nothing would sour this moment. I'd cherish the memory for the rest of my life. I mentally promised myself to never forget. Not until the end of my days. Days spent at Simon's side, always.
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Author's Notes
looooooong sigh* That felt good. I enjoyed writing this chapter. :D
Thank you all for your time and patience. Have an awesome day!
~ LeMafiaKreb