The Mimic (HE/HIM VERSION)

63

As y/n explored his hometown, that feeling of numbness begun to come back. His face showed no emotion, and he kept a neutral composure. Nobody knew who he was. Nobody recognised him as the 'Little Sorcerer' that they strived to remember. If he cried, nobody would understand the real reason why. To them he was just an outsider, a tourist to a tiny town. So y/n stayed numb. It was easier that way. He was able to push away the pain that way.

Y/n visited every store and stall, taking his time to look at all the homemade products up for sale. All the little trinkets and toys, all the jewellery and hand-sewn clothing, everything. But one store stood out from the rest. It was his father's old store.

His father was a shoemaker. The only one in town, and God, was he good at his craft. Y/n and his mother used to visit the store every day to spend lunch with him. It was never anything special, just a few basic sandwiches, but that didn't matter. The time they spent together was far more valuable. Y/n used to stomp around the store in the biggest shoes that he could find, off in his own little world whilst his parents watched from behind the counter. Life was good.

As soon as y/n stepped inside the store, he could feel the tears bubbling up again. The smell of leather and the chime of the bell at the door brought so many bittersweet memories back. He took a deep breath, smiling politely at the man at the counter as he begun to walk around the store. Everything was the same. Of course the shoes weren't, but the layout was, even down to the way each shoe was displayed. But, what caused y/n to freeze was the picture frames on the wall. They were photos of him and his parents. Y/n carefully stepped closer so he could have a better look, smiling fondly at the sight of it. The photo was in black and white, and displayed his mother and father smiling in front of the store, seeming as they'd just bought it. His father was holding up a baby proudly - it was y/n - whilst his mother laughed and reached out to take the baby from him.

"That's the family of the Little Sorcerer. They used to own this store."

Y/n was suddenly ripped from the happy memory by the man behind the counter, glancing over at him with wide eyes. God, he had no idea. "There's a remembrance site not far from here that'll explain the story a little better, but after they passed away, my great-grandfather took over the store. My great-grandfather was his best friend, so we decided to honour them after their tragic deaths by keeping the layout the same. From what I know they were a great family. Gone too soon." The man explained with a sad smile. He turned the photo frame around on the counter to display a picture of y/n's father beside his great-grandfather. "Supposedly they did everything together." He hummed. Y/n took in a shaky breath as he listened, a polite smile on his face. He recognised the great-grandfather. He was like an uncle to him. He'd always take him out to play in the fields and give him candy that he knew y/n wasn't allowed to have. He was an amazing man. "Here, these are the directions to the remembrance site." The man smiled, holding out a piece of paper for y/n to take. "Thank you." Y/n said with a weak smile, taking the paper before he made his way out of the store.

As soon as y/n stepped out of the store, he threw the piece of paper into the nearest trash can. He'd already been to the remembrance site. That used to be his home. She was the Little Sorcerer. Yet nobody recognised him. He felt like an impostor in his own hometown, as if he was a missing puzzle piece. He didn't fit in anymore. Y/n was a man out of time. Ripped from the happy life he was supposed to have and turned into a tourist attraction by his own town. Of course he admired the work they'd done to remember him and his family, but nobody alive understood any of it. To them, he was just another local story.