After the World Has Fallen~ John Egan x Reader

A Reflection of the Past

.ೃ࿔ ✈ *:･ ᯓ ✈︎ ⋆°•☁︎ .ೃ࿔ ✈ *:･ ᯓ ✈︎ ⋆°•☁︎

7 years old

A girl runs down the sidewalk, chasing after the ball her father had thrown too far over her head. It was rolling quickly, slowing down ever so slightly over each bump, dip, or rock it hit in its path. Quickening her pace, the little girl's feet picked up speed as her father shouts at her to be careful. She reaches her hand out, she could almost touch the bright pink sphere that slowed down to match her pace after passing a few houses. Her fingertips grazed the ball, making it come to a stop as she smiles in accomplishment before she runs into something - or more so someone.

The two kids fall the ground, landing on their butts as they let out a quiet 'ow'.

The boy was the first to stand back up, rubbing his side and muttering a sorry that was thick of an Irish accent.

The girl looks up at the boy who was staring down at her apologetically, his brunet hair and bright blue eyes glimmering in the summer sun.

Another woman, presumably the boy's mom, runs out from the house and helps the little girl up, hoisting her to her feet by grabbing her sides under her arms.

"Are you alright?", she asks, scanning over her bare arms and legs for any sign of a scratch. The girl replies with a small nod, looking at the woman who now knelt in front of her. "Curtis, I told you to look both ways"

"But mom, I didn't see her", the boy complains with a whine.

The little girl's father runs over after seeing his daughter hit the floor, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the woman. "I am so sorry about her. She never pays attention to where she's going", he laughs off.

"Oh, it is quite alright. Mine doesn't either. I'm Anne, and this is my little boy Curtis", she introduces, sticking er hand out for a handshake.

He takes her hand and shakes it firmly, "I'm Ben and this is Y/N. We live just down the street."

"Well, it was nice meeting you Ben, and Y/N, but we're running late to my parent's house. See you around?"

"Yeah, see you around", he nods curtly, grabbing the pink ball from earlier and grabs her daughter's hand, pulling her away with him.

Y/N looks back at the boy she had bumped into and smiles, waving a goodbye to which he returns.

.ೃ࿔ ✈ *:･ ᯓ ✈︎ ⋆°•☁︎ .ೃ࿔ ✈ *:･ ᯓ ✈︎ ⋆°•☁︎

8 years old

The happy birthday song choruses through Y/N's living room. She was sat at a table, wearing the new dress she had gotten from her mother along with a golden coloured birthday crown with the number 8, sparkly, big and bold in the center. The little girl's grin could be seen from miles away. She was surrounded by family and friends, she got to eat all her favourite foods, she made crafts, swam in her pool, and of course, is about to eat cake.

Curt sat beside her, almost as excited as she was in the moment. Once the song was over, he couldn't contain telling her to make a wish.

The birthday girl closes her eyes for a moment, then takes a deep inhale before using all the breath she had just stored in her lungs to blow out the eight candles that surrounded the edges of the cake in front of her.

"What did you wish for?", the boy asks from beside her.

"If I told you, then it won't come true", she says standing her ground and crossing her arms as her parents take the cake away to slice into pieces.