Imagine

Chapter five: Home..?

The transition into Blue's house hadn't been smooth. Riddled with fear and filled to the brim with anxiety, Colorless had quickly found comfort in his new room. Blue had trouble getting him out of there every day.

The room was kept bland, with little to no decorations. There was a bed, a desk, a large closet, and a small house plant in the form of a miniature tree. The walls were a light cool grey, and the only possessions he had brought with him were his little worn-down bag, the little clothing he had, and his plush. If it hadn't been for Blue fussing over him, only the plush would have been brought over.

"Colorless, you can't stay in there all day" Blue sighed, peering into the room where Colorless was busy doodling on a couple of sheets of paper. Colorless just hummed in reply, grabbing a yellow coloring pencil for the tree trunk.

"...Dream and Nightmare came to visit you." The child immediately perked up, wings fluttering slightly. "M-Mr. Dream and Mr. Nightmare are here?"

Blue grinned, "yup!"

Colorless scrambled up, abandoning the drawings, and ran outside, only stopping to give Blue a hug.

"Mr. Dream! Mr. Nightmare!"

"Colorless!" Dream cried happily, giving the child a large hug. As it was chilly out today, he was wearing a large sweater... a very bright yellow color. "Hey kid," Nightmare said with a shyer smile, he was wearing a sweater also but a less eye-watering light purple color.

"I didn't know you two were coming today!" Colorless chirped, delighted.

"I know, it was a surprise. And we brought a gift!" Dream said sitting down on a couch, still having Colorless in his arms. "Here you go," Nightmare said, passing him the cheerfully wrapped package.

"A gift?" Colorless blinked, looking at the package. Then, carefully so as to not tear the wrapping paper, he opened it. His eyes widened when he saw the contents.

It was a plush of Colorless himself, made in the same style as his Shell one.

The child's eye sockets welled up with tears of magic, and he looked at the older two.

"Happy birthday Colorless," Mr. Error said, entering the huge with a cake. At that moment, Blue, Error, Dream, and Nightmare sang happy birthday.

Birthday...Colorless had completely forgotten.

He smiled tearfully at his small little...family. "Thank you, thank you everyone!" he laughed, hugging the precious gift closer to himself.

They all ate the sweet cake and a light meal after.

What came after was some quality time, with movies, popcorn, and cuddles. They laughed as they played little games, and a monopoly board was flipped over. All in all, Colorless felt happy. Simply happy, was the best word to describe it.

"Happy birthday Colorless," Shell said as they walked down the endless beach by the golden sea, Colorless grinned up at him. "We had cake and everything," Colorless said happily, "It was the first time ever."

"That's how a birthday should be," Shell said rubbing his skull.

"Really?" Colorless gasped. "Uncle Blue and the others are so nice. Does that mean it's going to be like this every year?"

"Of course, and maybe by then you'll be able to go to school with other children and have them there also," Shell grinned.

Hope and longing shone in Colorless' eye lights. "That would be amazing. And I could tell them all the cool stories you tell me! Like about the two princes, or the lonely lady!"

"Are you happy with Uncle Blue?" Shell asked him softly.

"...maybe?" The small child looked down. "I've only been with him for a couple of days, and he's so nice...everyone is so nice."

Colorless looked up at the sea. "But...but no one makes me happier than you!"

"That's sweet of you Colorless, but... would you like to live with Uncle Blue forever while you're awake?" he asked.

Colorless stilled, eyes dimming. "....I..."

He couldn't just forget about his mother like that. He didn't want to feel like he abandoned her.

"...maybe." He said quietly.

"Choosing to stay wouldn't make your mother not your mother, it just means that you're where you are safer and healthier," Shell said kneeling down, so they were face to face.

"So it won't make her sad?" Colorless asked with a trembling voice. He didn't think he'd be able to take seeing his mother sad. Not again.

"Your mother has some growing up of her own Colorless, she won't be sad because you'll be okay but she won't be able to see you for years," Shell said hugging him.

"Years?" Colorless asked. tears in his eyes. "I won't be able to see mother in years?"

He could almost feel his soul creak under the guilt and grief he felt. All he had ever wanted was for his mother to be happy, but not like this.

"Colorless..." Shell said gently, reaching out and wiping away his tears. "It's not your fault, she's needed help for a very long time only strangers could give. You could say she has something mentally wrong with her mind, and hopefully, this will give her a chance to heal. Once you're older and healthier, and once they deem she's no longer going to cause issues... you two can talk again."

"So I won't lose mother?" Colorless asked, smiling sadly, "that's good at least...."

"I promise, one day you will meet her again my little bird," Shell promised "Just remember there are more types of family than those of marrow and magic and they are protecting you the best they can."

The child giggled, looking up at Shell. "You know so much, Shell."

"Not really, you already know this in your soul," Shell said standing up "Now shall we finish our walk?"

Colorless beamed. "Yeah! Let's go finish our walk!"