Sunflower Milk - The Music Freaks Oneshots - Requests Closed

Autumn - Lander Fanfic

A young lad with gentle, purple hair passes by the bench I'm seated with a curious look. 

He abruptly stops from his play but returns soon after. Not too far from us comes running his friend with eyes the colour of the harvest. It's autumn, a beautiful autumn like always. Crisp golden leaves drift and twirl with the wind as if dancing traditional folk dance. When the chilly weather finally arrives, all of the neighbourhood children are bundled up outside at Rose Creek Park. The two boys link their hands together as they run past the gentle pond, the croaking frogs and a pair of chirping robins. The group that they mix into seems like Lillian Swetzler, clearly recognizable by her copper streaks. Josh Sterling, with his excited voice and horse-patterned shirt. Of course, there's also Elania Halliday with a loveable, goofy laugh. They giggle and cheer like never before and chase each other in circles. 

They dance around a tall, broad tree carved with "LP ♡ ZW". I give up to smile along with the children's' laughter and rest my hand on the space on my right. A familiar hand touches my hand that leads me to turn around. Luke. 

"How did you get here?" I look away from him before asking.

"How you got here, by the machine."

"Why, you out of all people should know the dangers of it. After all..." he moves away at my words and I lose his touch.

"I know. You don't have to remind me," he pauses before coming closer again, "I came because I'm worried for you. Both of you." My heart pounds at his words, they're, heart-touching. 

"You have better things to worry about, your sisters yo-"

He surrounds me with his warmth by pulling me into a tight, even straggling hug. I can't pull myself together now, tears rolling down my face.

"Luke... why? Why after all these years do you still stay with me?"

"It's because of your brilliance, your passion, your sarcasm that was just like you as a child."

"Luke... you haven't changed a bit either."

"Of course I haven't, not until I get you, Zander. Get you back to our current world." He loosens his grip on me, before taking my hands and handcuffing them. 

"Zander Wickham, as much as I love you. You need to go back to jail, back to our timeline. You out of all people should know you didn't get your license."

I sigh with a pleading look, giving one last look to my past self and past Luke, I wish I could have convinced myself not to drop out of college. Not make the wrong decision...