Utopia's end-story one.

Who are you?Who am I indeed?

"There we go!How is it?"
Akiya asked hopefully,folding her arms.She and Skye had made a makeshift shelter with a few tarps and some of the rubble.Gabriel nodded,smiling sadly at her,
"It's perfect."
Skye kicked the ground nervously,looking around.He sighed and rolled up his sleeves,
"Well,you're far enough from the base now,and I am not enjoying the atmosphere here right now sooo I'm just gunna-"
Skye whistled and turned on his heel to walk away,but Gabriel stopped him,pulling his elbow.He turned sharply,frowning at him.
"Stay."
"H u h ?"

Gabriel stretched,
"You got my notes Akiya?Tell him for me?Thanks a bunch."
Gabriel walked away,probably to look for Henry Akiya assumed.She turned to Gabriel,
"We were talkin'. . .shootin' the shit y'know?Stay with us.I mean I'm not sure if it's permanent since you've killed people for unjustly reasons and don't call me a hypocrite."
Akiya paused,staring at Skye.Once he didn't say anything,she continued.
"But even so.You've helped us,you didn't lie.And I can commend you for that and it's almost sundown.We'll protect you from the scary stuff that go bump in the night."
She added jokingly.Skye smiled softly but then looked away.
"I'll leave tomorrow then."

Meanwhile;
Gabriel stepped through the foliage,leaves and twigs crunching under his feet.He couldn't find Henry anywhere!Holding a lantern in his hand,he looked around,occasionally calling Henry's name.He froze as he heard a gasp behind him and quickly turned,to find Henry sitting by a stream,facing him.Henry turned back to the water,hugging his knees.Gabriel slowly walked over and stepped into the very shallow water,crouching in front of his loverbutnotofficialloveryet🤭.
"Henry?Wanna talk about it?"

Henry raised his head,wiping his tears away,hearing them fizzle in the water.He looked away,
"I don't wanna say it's her fault. . .I really don't."
Henry whispered tearfully.Gabriel nodded,
"I know Henry.Your parents would've been great people had they lived."
"They'd approve of you"
Silence between them,and then Gabriel laughed,smiling brightly,
"Talk about lightening the mood!They'll be missed Henry I assure you Morrigan's gunna take good care of em'.She'll take them under her wing and keep them warm."
Henry nodded,looking down at his hands,and then sighed,
"Shit."

"What is it?"
"I really love you."
Gabriel had to take a double take on that.He could tell his cheeks were growing roses at the moment.He smile literally glowed as he faced Henry,
"Oh you can believe me the feeling is very mutual.You sure your parents would've approved of me?"
Henry chuckled,unable to hold his laughter and tears back.
"Y-you know it!They would've whisked you away from me quicker than light itself,oh the horror!They might've just kept you all to themselves,it's a shame really. . .literally."
Henry laughed again,wiping away more tears,the red hue colouring his hands.

Gabriel felt a sudden pang in his chest,a small little tug.The mention of anyone,even his own friends taking Henry away for themselves,he didn't like it.Gabriel reached out,his knees digging into the dirt under the water and wrapped his arms around Henry's neck and hugged him closely,Henry's head resting on his chest.
"Yeah no.Not happening."
Henry felt the blood rushing to his ears,he could hear Gabriel's heart pounding against his chest soothingly.Henry snuggled closer,sighing contentedly,
"Good thing your a portable heater,it's freezing now."
Gabriel hummed,and knelt back to Henry's level.

"Feel better?"
"Better than before."
Henry said quietly,he smiled at Gabriel,his eyes shining brightly.
"Can I just keep you?"
Henry asked,feeling giddy with butterflies.Gabriel smiled mischievously,
"I'm all yours."
"FUCK THAT'S HOT I MEAN LETS GET BACK ALREADY!"
Henry shouted incoherently,his stomach twisting into flustered knots as he tried to calm down by splashing pond water on his steaming cheeks.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S BEEN HENRY!"
"WHERE HAS THIS SIDE OF YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME!?"
.

.

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"Oh jeez. . .what's happening to her?"
Henry whispered,Akiya shook her head,
"She's getting paler."
Melody lay on one of the makeshift beds,her vest and blouse unbuttoned since her body had started sweating.Henry had a feeling this wasn't just your normal change of weather fever.Melody had some sort of black cloud growing around her eyes and hands,probably her legs to. . .Skye gently took the cloth off her forehead and rung it out before placing it back on.
"It's showing no signs of going down any time soon. . .what do we do!?"

What could they do?Send a message to Morrigan?Get Henry to play doctor again!?Akiya paced in frantic circles,frowning.She suddenly gasped,snapping her fingers,
"Gabriel!?You can communicate with your folks while your asleep right?What about anyone?"
Gabriel's eyes lit up,he smiled and suddenly pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead,
"Your a genius Akiya!If I can get into the same dreamworld as Melody,I can see her,ask her what's wrong."
"Sounds great dude,but last I checked,Melody has gone coo-coo."
Skye said dryly.Henry frowned determinedly and pointed to Melody,
"Remember what the um-'other her' said?She's trying to escape,there's a way to humanly control her."

Gabriel nodded,placing a hand on Melody's forehead,
"She's scared,horrified.She can't remember why she's trapped and. . .we keep it that way.It's important to not image anything that happened today,try your best not to picture it.Melody will remember and she'll be corrupt again.I'll need something soothing,a pocket watch or something to bring me to sleep.Something familiar like the scent of charcoal or metallic oil."
"Got ya!"
Skye bought out a small pack of crumpled matches and set one aflame,pressing it on the others.

Once they fizzled out,Skye crushed them in his palm,releasing a charred scent in the air.
"It won't last forever though,do we need some sort of drug to put you in your weird lucid sleep?"
Skye asked firmly.Gabriel shook his head and knelt down next the bed,burying his head in his arms,
"I'll be fine here,just gimme a pillow!"
.

Somewhere in the great world of sleep:

.
"Am I dead?Oh wait I'm not."
Gabriel woke up and looked around,only seeing an endless void of black.He knew he had to find Melody's sleeping figure here somewhere!He walked around,keeping his eyes peeled for the unmistakable purple eyes of-
"Melody!"
He darted over to her,she was running too quickly for him to keep up with her.She had frantic tears streaming down her cheeks and black cloud filmed over her hands and eyes.
'Just like in reality. . .'
Gabriel thought in realisation.He stepped forward and cupped his hands around his mouth,
"MELODY!IT'S ME GABRIEL!"

Melody froze,and turned,her grey eyes occasionally flickering to purple.She stood there,timid and afraid.She reached out,stuttering and mumbling,
"Gabriel. . .I don't remember anything.The last thing I saw was Fletcher,his arm was torn off and my hands were covered in blood.That's all I remember before. . .I let her in."

Gabriel nodded,understanding.There was one more thing the group had forgotten to tell Henry:When the sphere shard hit Melody in the eye,the impact not only caused her eyes to change,but let something in.An evil something that took the form of Melody's negativity and saddest feelings.Like hurt,betrayal,fury or insanity.Insanity makes this being stronger,and there was plenty of abnormality for this creature to feast on.Gabriel sighed,looking up,
"Akiya's informing him now,we have to be quick!"
He said,frowning as he looked at her,
"The hazing clouds on your body are growing!If it gets too big,she'll consume you completely."

Melody nodded,music kept her whole,so she'd sing to momentarily keep the beast at bay.She knew what she had to do,she'd done this about 100 times already.Gabriel turned away,eyes wide at the hazing clouds growing around them,he could hear Melody vocalising behind him,humming an angelic tune.The clouds started to disperse,hissing and shrinking away.Once they were gone,he turned back to her,
"Time to wake up."
Melody shook her head,
"I can't.Not yet. . .I'm really tired Gabriel and everything feels too heavy.I need to replenish first."

Gabriel nodded,understanding.From the first time he had seen her in the Below,she looked worn out and battered compared to then.He nodded determinedly,clenching his fists.
"Understood.See you later?"
Melody nodded,
"I'll be around,when I feel better."
.

Back to the waking world

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🥱anyway,shits gone down,blah blah blah😀I will see you🫵next time!Next on Utopia's end:Out like a light!Melody's absence!