Waves (Gray)

"I can't believe you left me in there," Raze grumbled, rubbing his shoulder as he and Sevyn stepped out of the school building. The warm orange rays of the setting sunbathed the old-fashioned yet oddly charming Sydria Academy, casting long shadows across its walls.

"Be glad I even bothered to wait for you," Sevyn shot back. "I hate staying after school. That place is creepy when it's empty."

"You're telling me," Raze muttered. "I just spent two hours scrubbing the cafeteria floors in the dark while Mr. Griggs loomed in the shadows like some kind of low-budget horror movie villain." He shivered at the memory.

"Pretty sure I saw a rat scuttle across the room on my way out," he added as they walked down the sidewalk, the street eerily quiet.

"That's what you get for making chicken nugget skyscrapers during lunch," Sevyn said with a smirk. "Seems like a lot of people are getting tired of telling you off."

Raze rolled his eyes. "If you're talking about Professor Arohn, don't worry. I already spoke with him earlier. He said I could turn in any missing assignments to bring my grade up before the semester ends. I've got this." His voice brimmed with optimism.

Sevyn glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Well… I don't think he believes he's getting through to you."

"Yeah, well, it is. Look, I can feel myself on the path to redemption already," Raze said dryly and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out a couple of tens, a five, and a crumpled two-hour Raze Buck before handing it to Sevyn as some form of bribery.

Sevyn took the money and looked it over with a furrowed brow in mock seriousness, slightly tempted to take it, but he shook his head with a sigh. "No, I won't let my greed consume me this time," he said, a hint of humor in his tone. Straightening up, he placed a hand over his chest with exaggerated grandeur. "Professor Arohn entrusted me with the sacred duty of making sure my little brother completes his assignments and does his own work, and as Mr. Arohn's top student—and your older brother—I simply cannot allow you to procrastinate any longer!"

Raze stared at him, his face scrunched up in disbelief before shaking his head. "Get a load of this guy," he muttered sarcastically. "Grown-ass man still tryna be teacher's pet."

"Coming from the grown-ass man-child playing with chicken nuggets in the school's cafeteria," Sevyn snapped back,

"Hey, at least I've got a pass—I'm still under eighteen," Raze shot back. "You, on the other hand—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a hooded figure bumped into his shoulder, almost sending him off balance. Raze winced at his tender shoulder from before. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" he called after the man.

The figure stopped in his tracks.

He slowly turned around, most of his face being cast into shadow by the shade of his black hood. He simply stood there in silence, unmoving, as Raze and Sevyn looked at each other in confusion.

"Hey! What's your deal? You got a problem or something?" Raze asked, furrowing his brows.

Sevyn instinctively stepped Infront of his brother, his eyes locked on the man. On its back, a faint symbol shimmered faintly in the fading light, though Sevyn couldn't quite make it out.

"I'm… sorry," the man said, his voice calm and measured.

And then, Sevyn heard it, though barely—the sound of ringing bells. It wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down his spine. The tone felt hauntingly familiar, a memory he couldn't place.

The figure turned and walked away without another word, his steps quickening as he crossed the street and disappeared into a shadowed alley.

Sevyn scoffed. "I can't wait to move out of this city. It's always something new," he muttered, walking ahead.

"What the hell was that? Who was that guy?" Raze asked, his voice still uneasy.

"Probably some fiend out of his mind," Sevyn replied dismissively. "Come on, let's just get home." Still, his thoughts clung to the hoodie—the strange, scribbled symbol etched into his memory.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep oranges and purples, the brothers finally arrived at their quiet home. Sevyn pulled the keys from his lanyard, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. The house greeted them with silence, its darkness thick and consuming.

Raze shut the door behind them as Sevyn fumbled for the hallway light, flicking it on.

"Mom and Dad out at work again?" Raze asked.

Sevyn nodded. "Guess so."

Immediately, Sevyn walked up the staircase towards his room, making soft and careful steps. Conversely, Raze moved to the living room, where he threw his bag on the floor, turned on the light, and turned on his gaming console. Taking a controller, he made himself comfortable for the night, with his yelling and laughter soon hearing throughout the house.

In his room, Sevyn turned on his desk lamp and dropped his backpack onto the cold wooden floor with a thud next to him. Sitting down, he pulled out a notebook from his bag, flipping to a section labeled Drawings: December 2024. Finding a blank page, he let his pen move freely, sketching as his mind wandered.

Raze's muffled gaming commentary became background noise, fading into nothing as Sevyn's thoughts consumed him. His hand moved faster across the page, lines and shapes forming unconsciously.

A faint creak snapped him out of his trance. His head shot up, heart skipping, only to see a small black Pomeranian pushing the door open with its nose. The dog's claws clicked softly against the wooden floor as it walked in.

"Hey, Midnight," Sevyn said with a small smile, leaning down to scratch behind the dog's ear. Midnight jumped onto the nearby bed, his fur now more gray than black with age.

When Sevyn turned back to his sketchbook, he paused. The rough outline of the Orpheum logo stared back at him, faint and hastily drawn but unmistakable.

"This doesn't look bad," he muttered, tilting his head to study it. "Could use some work, though. Later, I guess." He stretched, glancing at the window as moonlight rushed in.

Sevyn rose from his desk, walking to the window and sliding it open. Cool night air filled the room, brushing against his skin as he leaned out to admire the sky.

It's beautiful tonight, he thought to himself, looking upwards. But something felt…off. Ripples of bright yellow light spread across the dark sky, unnatural yet mesmerizing. The waves moved outward, spreading farther and farther until a low, bellowing hum filled the air.

What was that? Sevyn's eyes darted across the sky, searching for the source of the sound. It seemed to grow louder yet brought with it an odd sense of peacefulness, like the hum of an forgotten melody.

The sound seemed to vibrate through his body, filling him with that same sense of peace. Sevyn's eyes flickered, a faint glow moving in them briefly, before disappearing.

Abruptly, pain came—sudden as a bolt. Like a needle, a shooting headache pierced his skull and Sevyn recoiled, clenching his head in his hands as he stumbled back from the window. The hum grew indistinct, overridden now by the pounding beat of his own heart.

With a thud, Sevyn landed on the floor, the impact shuddering through the house. Rushing steps on the stairs came within seconds.

"Hey, buddy, you mind—" Raze had said, pushing the door open mid-sentence. His words caught in his throat at the sight of Sevyn on the floor, clutching his head. "Oh shit--Sevyn, you okay?" His voice faltered as he hurried over, dropping down beside his brother.

Sevyn groaned, his head hung low, before Raze tried to help him to his feet. "I-I'm fine. I just—" He paused, looking around the room. His eyes landed on his sketchbook, which was lying on the desk. "Tripped over something," he finished, though Raze didn't buy it.

Raze followed his gaze, glancing at the desk. "You sure? Did you hit your head or something?" he asked, waving his hand in front of Sevyn's face.

Sevyn's eyelids fluttered, snapping out of his daze. "Huh? Oh, yeah—no. I think I have a headache." He flinched, rubbing his head. "C-Could you go grab me some ibuprofen from the bathroom cabinet?"

Raze nodded absentmindedly, helping Sevyn sit on his bed. Midnight, who had been watching from the corner, padded over to Sevyn and sniffed him curiously.

Raze picked up the dog, cradling him like a furry football. "Mmm, nah," he said with a grin, already out the door. "Sleep it off." He says, slamming it shut.

Sevyn sighed, running a hand down his face.

Suddenly, Raze popped his head back into the room, still holding Midnight. "Just kidding," he said, tossing a small pill bottle toward Sevyn with a lazy underhand throw.

The bottle thudded softly onto the bed as Raze closed the door with a flourish.

Sevyn shook his head and unscrewed the cap. He tossed two of the pills down his throat without water, his face scrunched up a bit before he stood and moved back over to his desk. He picked up the sketchbook, looking at the page he'd been working on earlier.

His heart sank. The outline of Orpheum's ouroboros logo was gone. In its place was a hastily drawn circle—simple yet foreign.

"What the hell...?" he muttered, flipping through the other pages. He searched for the drawing he'd made earlier, flipping back and forth through the notebook.

It was nowhere to be found.

I must be seeing things. I should go to bed, Sevyn thought as he rubbed his eyes. He walked to the door, shutting it softly behind him before collapsing onto his bed. The faint noise from earlier still rung in his ears. And as he drifted closer to sleep, the sound grew louder, more clearer, morphing from the wail of a distant siren into something entirely different—the soft voice of a young woman, humming.

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Sevyn sat up with a start. His breath caught in his throat as he saw his surroundings. He wasn't in his room anymore but sitting atop a hill bathed in golden sunlight. Dandelions surrounded him, their seeds drifting lazily on the cool breeze. He turned a shoulder and froze.

Behind him, a young woman sat with her shining presence demanding his attention. She had long brown hair that moved with the breeze and a plaid dress she was dusting, brushing off bits of grass and stray petals. Her face was obscured by the bright sunlight streaming down.

Sevyn looked up, startled, realizing he had been lying in the lap of this woman.

"Are you okay? I thought you liked this song." she said, her voice soft and melodic as she stopped humming.

Sevyn's chest tightened. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Where am I? he tried to say, but his voice was silent. Panic set in as he clutched at his throat.

The woman laughed gently, her voice as light and soft as the dandelion seeds drifting around them. "I don't get why you're so afraid to fall asleep in public," she teased, tilting her head.

Who are you? Sevyn tried again, but his efforts were met with the same muteness.

The woman laughed again, her tone playful yet warm. "Really? Is that it, or do I just make you nervous?" she asked, a hint of teasing laced in her words.

Heat rose to Sevyn's cheeks, though he didn't understand why. Why does this feel so familiar? he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. Who is she?

The woman's smile faltered slightly, a look of disappointment crossing her face. "I wish he wasn't so persistent about training you. We barely spend time like this anymore." she murmured, reaching out to place her hand over Sevyn's.

Training me? Sevyn thought, his heart racing as he stared at her. His surroundings felt surreal, like a memory he couldn't quite place.

As the woman leaned closer, Sevyn's pulse fastened, a strange mix of anticipation and dread flooding through him. Just as her presence felt almost overwhelming, she suddenly jerked back, as if she had remembered something painful.

"You know I can't do that," she said with a sigh, her voice tinged with regret. "We've been over this."

Her words were a weight which fell upon Sevyn, and without an explanation he could discern his heart felt leaden; he gazed on her, unmoving and silent, as if she was almost talking with her self.

"I know, but." she whispered, her voice hardly carrying over the wind. She looked down, fingers toying with the hem of her dress. "I can't help but worry about you." Her tone was unsteady, almost hesitating, as if frightened to say too much too soon.

Sevyn turned his head just slightly, watching her face.

"You've always been so reckless," she continued, her voice trembling slightly now. "It's like you don't even care what happens to you. But I care. I care more than you realize."

She glanced away, swallowing hard, and Sevyn could see her struggling to hold herself together. The wind stirred around them, catching strands of her hair and tossing them across her face.

"When we found you that night—back in the warehouse." Her voice broke, and she caught her breath shakily. "I thought you were dead."

"You were lying there," she said, her voice breaking now. "Your body was charred, a-and burned so badly I almost didn't recognize you..." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she blinked back tears. "Do you have any idea what that did to me? To see you like that? To think I lost you forever?"

Her words stood in the air, heavy, as she turned back to face him. "I don't want to do this anymore," she said, her voice cracking. "I'm so tired, Kaedryn. I hate fighting, I hate running—I hate this life we're trapped in."

The wind had risen, rustling the dandelions about them, as if to amplify her emotions. "And all because of what we are," she went on, her voice rising in anger and frustration. "Something we never chose. Something we can't change."

She moved closer to him, her voice shifting with both anger and desperation. "And everytime, I have to watch you jump into the darkness, going out there to fight monsters like---like you're invincible, But you're not, You're just...a kid." Her voice lowered, "And if the DOA's comfortable with letting kids fight their battles for them, then they're just the same as..." Her voice trailed off.

The wind howled now. "I just want to run away," she admitted, barely above a whisper. "From everything. From this nightmare. But we can't. And I hate it. I hate that we're stuck in this."

Sevyn stood silent, though he found the words to answer, for he knew it would not come out. His voice was gone, and so he could only watch this enigma of a woman as she stared toward the slice of sunlight now exposed in the parting clouds, her face half-veiled in shadow.

A moment of silence settled over them. Sevyn, instinctively, it seemed, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, turning her toward him. The world slowed as if to come to a complete stop in this little moment, where the heavy silence between them hung unbroken.

She turned her head, lips curling into a gentle smile, her lips the only part of her face visible. "I guess you're right," she said, "I hope you know though, that we're in this together. You and me, partner." Her smile grew wider, teasing and tender, as the clouds above began to break apart, allowing the sun to flood the hilltop once more.

Sevyn felt an odd heat run through his entire body. He did not know what he was feeling, but deep down, he knew the significance of this moment—something he could not look away from. As he leaned in just a bit, he thought, This feels right… lingering doubts flickered weakly in the back of his mind but were slowly burned away as he drew closer.

The woman saw his moment of hesitation and, with a quiet laugh, began to lean in toward him, too. Her face softened, her eyes locked on his as the space between them grew smaller until their lips were only a few inches apart.

And then, they kissed.