Within a Space

Oliver felt himself sucked into another place, he didn't feel alive nor dead. He stayed in that empty place- or rather, somewhere, he couldn't really describe it as he couldn't use any of his senses. He couldn't smell, he couldn't hear, he couldn't feel. He just knew he was, well, somewhere.

He also knew he was... floating? That was the best way to describe it, he was just drifting along and waiting for something to happen. He felt another thing beckon to him from time to time, but he felt like he had to wait. Sometimes he had to fight against that pull and evade it.

It was like someone continuously attempted to tug his hair and he had the choice of pulling back or cutting his hair off to stop that pull. He only avoided those tugs as he felt that he would eventually give in to it and let it haul him away from the place he was in, to a better place, perhaps. Though, Oliver also felt a faint refusal from that idea. He felt that he would be better off waiting for that something to come to him. So, he resolutely cut off that tug and aimlessly drifted, waiting for it.

Lots of things came by, some swirled around him and was dragged away from the tempting pulls, while others hung around before disintegrating into the space they were in. No trace of them could be found when they dispersed. Lack of determination was what he felt as to why those things disappeared. There were a few that were insistent on staying, some before he came and some after he came. He instinctually knew that they had waited a while, but also not that short. Maybe a few years of just waiting? He hopes he doesn't have to wait that long.

He never tried to float up to them as they may lose their concentration and get pulled into a different place or just all together disappear. They were all waiting for something, including him. So, he let them be and they let him be.

It felt like a year passed. Oliver still existed in the space with a few others hell-bent on waiting. Eventually, that something, for him, came. He floated excitedly to the other thing, he just knew it was what he was waiting for. As he approached it, he felt the chilliness of a brewing storm and knew that it was him. A familiar feeling of a beautiful storm that came to help quench his drought of waiting. Oliver was waiting for him. Oliver was waiting for Aiden for a year.

He felt a bit aggrieved at how Aiden made him wait that long but also felt it was pretty short. Aiden had many people around him, yet within a year, he came to him instead! He chose him over his loyal subordinates, the beauties waiting in line for his attention, and the citizens of the base who worshipped him. Oliver felt a little narcissistic and a bit shy over his strange thoughts. He swept away his feelings and floated and spun around Aiden, but the man paid no mind to him, seeming to submit to the tug that pulled him away.

Oliver, for the first time in a year, felt a sense of urgency and panic. He could only bounce around and twist about, he knew that the pull was going to take Aiden elsewhere. He felt that Aiden does not deserve to go to the "different place." He deserved to go somewhere else. Anywhere else. As long he was with him, Oliver will try to find a place that Aiden deserved.

At that moment, he felt himself tremble in desperation and he felt his former ability in the apocalypse emerge stronger than ever, using this chance, Oliver cut the pull that was trying to drag Aiden away and brought him into that portal. As he jumped through with Aiden, he innately felt those things, well people, follow right behind him into his desired "somewhere." Only three people followed them through the slash in space, while the rest of the ones that were waiting, continued to wait.

Nonetheless, Oliver securely grabbed Aiden as he felt space and time itself distort as to lead him "there" along with three somewhat expected passengers.

He saw, yes, saw for the first time in a year. It was a bright and colorful world where he spent all his life and where he plans to spend even more.

Home. It wasn't filled with the most fantastic people, it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine, but it was where he met Aiden and felt that it would be best to come and meet him again, and spend their time more wisely.

However, he felt like the moment he enters the world, he would forget everything that happened in "that" space. How he waited so long for Aiden. He never had a lot of patience, but he still waited and waited for him. He would forget all his dedication and determination to remain a second more for him. What if Aiden doesn't even want to see him anymore, was that why he accepted the pull so easily? Maybe they should go back...

It felt stupid of him to have hesitation at the last moment. It plagued his mind like a strange disease.

The three people behind him waited patiently for his decision. Waiting a little more was no big matter.

Before he could make any decision, he felt Aiden respond slightly, a little wind blew past him with slight moisture, like a soft rainstorm. He felt himself become giddy as he somehow knew that Aiden wanted to go back too. Not just to live again, but to meet him again.

Oliver doesn't know why he wants to go back "there" and spend more time with him. But, he knows that him in the future will eventually find out why he was feeling this way. This feeling kept building up over the years of the apocalypse and during his time in the space.

He immediately integrated into the world, urging Aiden to do the same. The other three followed suit. And soon, the rift in space closed up as the people re-integrated into the world.

The world before the apocalypse.