What if... (hfjONE-shots)

...Airy Returned to Earth (Pt.5)

Heyo Edgelings!

Dying Sanity AU (Pt.6)

Forgot to mention last chapter but my school started back a week ago. I'm going to do my very best during the school year to stick to my normal schedule, but if there's a week I don't post, don't panic because it's probably just me being overwhelmed by school work.

Anyways... This is my most popular AU by far, so I'm just going to devote the next few weeks to it and tie up all the loose ends. I've finally got an idea of how this could end, so I'm excited for that and all the other little mini-plots I have planned!

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Aaron woke up laying on his mat on the floor, momentarily confused as to why he wasn't in the small linen closet he stayed in at Amelia's. Oh... that's right... This is Bryce's place. Aaron gently stretched, feeling very stiff and slightly sore. Why was he sore again? Oh right... he walked several miles in the pouring rain last night...

"Surprised you didn't wake me up with your screaming last night," Bryce mumbled groggily. He was already up, sipping on some black coffee as he leaned on his tiny excuse for a kitchen counter.

Aaron winced at the rather backhanded comment, "I've... been having less of those..."

"What even caused them? Are you ever just gonna spit it out?" Bryce demanded.

Aaron shuddered, instantly struggling to suppress flashbacks. His eyes glazed over as he concentrated on fighting his own mind to prevent his body from breaking down along with it. A battle he was getting better at winning, but it was never easy.

Bryce rolled his eyes and sighed, mumbling under his breath, "Guess not," then in a louder tone he addressed Aaron again, "Where were you even going last night?"

It took Aaron a minute to register that Bryce said anything, "...what?"

"Nevermind," Bryce huffed in exasperation, not having the energy this early in the morning to push further. "C'mon, I've got to get to work."

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The day passed just like any other day with Bryce, though Aaron did wish he had some of that origami paper from Amelia's place. He didn't mind sitting in the dark, sterile-smelling closet all day, he just kinda wished he had something to fiddle with. He tried to fold the cleaning cloths but they didn't stay in the right shape, they were too floppy.

Eventually the hours ticked by and Bryce shooed his co-worker out before giving Aaron the all-clear. The bright LED lights initially blinded Aaron as he stepped out of the closet, grabbing the broom on his way.

He smiled softly as he swept, enjoying the feeling of getting things clean. It was soothing, therapeutic almost.

Neither him nor Bryce said anything as they cleaned, there was always tension between the two, most of it coming from Bryce's underlying animosity towards Aaron, but also because of Aaron's fear of Bryce. At first Aaron didn't even realize this tension existed, but as he spent more time with Bryce it became more and more obvious to him.

Bryce's anger was still largely a mystery to Aaron. He couldn't fathom why Bryce would hate ONE, Aaron's pride and joy, his very own creation, so much. Aaron smiled at the nostalgic thought of his very own tiny planet, of the clouds and the trees he placed there, of all the years he spent with the sole purpose of creating a game made for others to enjoy.