Something Lost - A DSMP Story (OLD)

Strangers

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Trigger Warnings -  blood, violence, distress, death?

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"Rune..." 

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Each person in the room took to one of the round tables, but Rune was unsure of where to go. Ponk and Sam had disappeared, and she didn't know most of the people in the room well enough to ask for a place at their table. So when she saw a young man sitting by himself at a table, Rune walked over to him.

"Mind if I sit here?"

The man jerked his head up to look at her, obviously surprised someone was talking to him.

"Yes! Wait, no! No, I don't mind."

Rune sat down next to him. Unlike everyone else in the room, his clothes were simple. A blue t-shirt with blue jeans and simple black tennis shoes. Perched on top of his curly brown hair was a pair of glasses with thick white rims. He seemed to notice her noticing his lack of fitting attire.

"Yeah... I didn't know it was gonna be this fancy. Coming was a last minute decision."

"Mind if I ask why?"

"I didn't want to relive the past. All these people..." he gestured across the room, "...are celebrating something that I didn't want to happen. But I can't not be here, because that would mean I think Clay was right. But L'Manburg hates Clay, so they would hate me. And then I would have nowhere to live."

"Who's Clay?"

"The love of my life. He did some things that he shouldn't have, but haven't we all?"

Rune still looked confused, and the stranger realized what she was asking.

"Sorry, Clay is Dream. I sometimes forget that not all people know his actual name."

The conversation was interrupted by the server who placed a dish of perfectly seared ham atop a hill of baked potatoes and carrots. Rune thanked him and then realized she knew him. He was the man with the wings. They were covered now, by a cloak, and perhaps that's why she didn't recognize him at first, but they were definitely the same person.

"Hello again, young one."

And he was out of sight in the sea of people before Rune could even respond.

"You know him?" the stranger beside her asked.

"I met him once, quite a while ago."

The pair fell silent as they dug into their food.

"Who is he?" Rune asked.

"That's Phil. They call him the Angel of Death, but he's really just a nice guy. Unless you hurt his friends."

"He did mention a friend the government didn't like."

"Honestly, I don't really know the whole story. I had my own crap to deal with at the time."

By now, almost everyone in the room had finished eating. The band changed their music from quiet and slow to jazzy and upbeat. Couples began to get up from their seats and make their way to the dance floor. This time it was different. Rather than organized and practiced dances, they twirled and stepped in an unorganized boogie.

"Wanna dance?"

The stranger turned to Rune.

"You sure you want to be associated with me?"