Serendipitous Act 1: Danoloma

Insight The First: Youth

｡☆✼★ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙  ★✼☆｡

Drowned out by frantic mumbling and the insistent screaming of crickets, two pens scratch simultaneously on two pieces of paper. Both held by the same person.

Shirley Devine has been finding herself more and more grateful for the skill with every passing day.

"- Tomorrow's school lunch will be spoiled, don't eat outside." Amanet says, bright eyed in the relative darkness of their bedroom, looking out the window. "A blue kid is gonna eat it and go to the hospital."

"I bet it's gonna be the same one again."

Amanet smiles in Shirley's general direction, but remains firmly facing North. "Two more- Daddy and you will have trouble sleeping tomorrow." They think for a moment. "And you'll trip down the stairs if you don't wear your pink socks."

"How delightful," Shirley scribbles it down. Amanet's grunt of pain interrupts her before she could comment further. Shirley's brow furrows and she stands from her desk. She picks up the little silicone cat lamp like a lantern, and guides Amanet to their bed.

They reach out. Shirley hands them the second set of notes.

A sharp tearing noise rings out. Amanet hands the shredded papers back, and flops down to cover their head with a pillow.

Shirley throws the shreds into the fireplace, and goes back to her sibling's side, carding a manicured hand through their curls.

"Shirls, the, the last one, you gotta-" Amanet tries to sit up, only to be pushed back into the cushions with a small 'oof'.

The Shirls in question gives Amanet a sharp look. "Weird power hour is over, it is now rest time."

Amanet inhales, ready to protest, before groaning again and clutching their head. They nod to Shirley's offer of aspirin, and stuff their face into one of the many bright colored pillows littering their bed.

Shirley makes sure they're looking away before hiding the surviving notes. She also pointedly ignores the writhing shadows and twinkling jewel colored eyes surrounding Amanet and looks back at them, leaning on the doorframe.

"Tea? Father should be home by the time you recover."

"Yeah, sure. No sugar an-"

Shirley rolls her eyes, "Yes, yes, don't strain the leaves." She says, closing the sticker-clad door softly behind her.

｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡

Awareness comes back to Amanet slowly, like the sun warming the earth after a cold night. They spend an unknown amount of time just staring unseeingly at the popcorn ceiling of their room. Memorizing all of the slightly dirty bumps and curves in their mind's eye before Shirley complains about it once more and Dad finally gives in and scrapes it off.

Amanet flexes their hands slowly, being reminded that they still have a physical form when they involuntarily flinch at the sound of the front door shutting.

Their tongue feels heavy and thick as a slug. They can hear their eyelids close and open. Blinking is overrated.

They stand carefully and change into a nightgown, conscious of every breath filling their lungs and of the quiet voices of their sister and dad. In the house's cozy kitchen/living room, Shirley and Nathan speak in hushed tones, sipping hot chocolate and coffee from their mugs respectively. A third mug, patterned with small jewels sits on the table, while a fourth has made its home on the windowsill, right by 'Armajn'. Amanet's eyes meet their mother's through the painting for just a moment, before looking away.

"Heya, dad!" Amanet walks over, and picks up their mug. The tea burns their tongue.

Nathan Devine smiles, eyes kind despite the bags weighing them down. It takes on a shade of guilt before he speaks. "Hi sweetie, sorry for waking you."

The three spoke quietly, even after finishing their drinks, and ended up huddled together on the couch under a single thick blanket.

Amanet falls asleep quickly, and Nathan runs a hand through their curls, pensive.

"It's almost summer, d'you have any... Any plans yet?"

Shirley raises an eyebrow, unseen by her father from her spot snuggled up by his side. The question sat in a heavy, cold knot at the back of her mind. "Not particularly," She whispers, eyes on the floor.

"Haven't had any swords fall from the sky?" Nathan jokes, patting her on the shoulder. Shirley snorts.

"You'd be surprised." She glances at Amanet, snoring and stretched out across her and Nathan's laps. "I still want to be a surgeon, and continue to work at the club. That sounds nice."

"Yeah?" Nathan asks, eyes kind yet unreadable. Shirley raised a single, well sculpted eyebrow, urging him to continue. "It's- it's just that I expected some sort of, higher ambition from you, dear."

Shirley huffs, eyes narrowed and nostrils flared, "Yeah? Like what, father?"

"I don't think I need to tell you that you and Amanet are... Special, in a way."

"Amanet can't avoid it," Shirley shakes her head. "But I can. I will."

Nathan puts an arm around her shoulders, sighing. "I know you're scared, Curly, I'm sorry for pushing."

"I don't want to end up like mother." Shirley's voice wavers. "And I don't want to leave you."

Nathan smiles sadly, ruffling her hair. "It's been a long day, you should get some rest, dear."

She can almost feel Armajn's gaze digging under her skin as she turns her back to her father and walks away. Amanet was always a spitting image of her.

After a fitful night of sleep, Shirley will receive the acceptance letter to her university of choice. Amanet will hug her, ecstatic. Nathan will cry and tell her that he's proud of her, and everything will be as it should be. At least for the time being.

｡☆✼★ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙  ★✼☆｡