Writer's Block

Aiden set his pen down and sighed.

"Writers block?"

Aiden looked up, "In a world full of blocks, that isn't even remotely funny."

Jesse leaned against the wall, grinning that spirit lifting grin only Jesse can produce. "Come on, you've been on plenty of adventures, there should be enough inspiration there to write something?"

Aiden frowned deeply, "Hmmm let me think. I could write about my week or so from hell when the Wither Storm tried to eat us all." He held up a finger, " Or, I could write about how I almost destroyed an entire society in the sky, forcing them to relocate on the world below all because of a nasty jealous streak. I don't think so," He flicked the pen away, "I should have never tried to be a writer."

"Okay, so don't use yourself for inspiration." Jesse pushed away from the wall and came to rest on the edge of the desk, "You know, you need to ease up on yourself."

Aiden's actions had left a black stain on him. Many of the citizens of the former Sky City where still very angry, and not bound to let him forget anytime soon. Isa and Milo tried where they could, but they were still strangers in a way.

So there was Jesse, crazy, stupid, Jesse. Who treated him normally, and not like Aiden had almost committed mass genocide. Along with Jesse there was Lukas, who he was now on amends with. Thanks to Jesse's - Dammit, you're best friends stop hurting each other and make up, cause I'm not moving another inch towards home till you do- speech; their once fragile relationship was now on the road of recovery.

Now whenever Jesse and Lukas came back to town to resupply for the seemingly never ending journey to their home world, they always stopped by Aiden's. Even spent the night if it was late enough. It was actually nice - save for the time Lukas caught an unknown disease from a random world and spent multiple hellish nights trying not to die - all was good.

"Easy for you to say," Aiden replies, shoving his thoughts aside, "Everyone actually likes you."

Jesse's eyes shifted looking uncomfortably towards the door, and Aiden felt his mouth clamp shut again, regret leaving a vile taste.

The statement had been uncalled for, Aiden knew it. It had surprised him at first, but he had soon discovered that Jesse wasn't fond of the fame. Jesse often got weary of the attention and the expectations of the populace.

The only never ending patience applied to the children. Who asked again and again - not matter how many times they had heard it before - for the story of the Wither Storm. So again and again, Jesse would settle in the park; located outside of Aiden's house, and tell the story.

Word for word, it was always the same. Aiden would listen everytime, and soon had come to memorize the adventure as if he had been there.

"Any luck with finding home?" Aiden asked, breaking the tension.

Jesse sighed, "Nope, thought we found it….Almost exactly the same world, just a few months behind us in time…..I guess we were in an alternate universe. But almost everything was the same, except….." Jesse stopped.

"What?"

"I was the opposite gender."

Aiden laughed the mental image was priceless. "Oh my Notch!"

Jesse flushed a little, "Well we didn't stay long, still gotta find home you know? But it's been months, I'm not sure if -"

"You'll find it."

They fell momentarily into a content silence then,

"You staying tonight?"

Jesse stood, "Wish I could, but everyone else is back at camp, and I've got the food." moving toward the door. "I'll let you know as soon as we find it."

"Good luck."

"Oh and Aiden?" Jesse stopped at the open door. "You'll find a story to write. It might be about you, maybe someone else. Just tell the truth and it will be one heck of a story."

There was that smile again.

Aiden paused, before smiling back, "Thanks Jesse."

Then with a wave Jesse was gone.

Aiden sat there a moment, before reaching out and twiddling the pen between his fingers. Then it went down, the ink barely touching, waiting for direction. He smiled softly, the words already piecing together.

The pen started to move…..

"Would you rather fight ten zombie sized chickens, or one hundred chicken sized zombies?"