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2

~ A week Later~

I was running around in Deadweed Cavern with my five slugs following closely behind. A good run was how i cleared my mind, and after my little 'encounter' with Eli and the others the week before, I needed to clear my head a lot. I hadn't seen any of them since that day, which gave me the impression that they were going to leave me alone for a few more years. Dreamer was hiding in the cavern scaring the other slugs for fun which caused them to chase him around. I couldn't help but smile at the little cuties as they played and chased each other without a care in the world. While i had my back to the cavern's entrance, a hand rested on my shoulder causing me to tense and clench my fists tightly. I grumbled lowly to myself.

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" I hissed, while swatting the hand off of my shoulder and started to walk further into the cavern. Sadly, I didn't get very far since a hand grabbed my wrist. I went to take a swing at the person, but he caught that wrist too, rendering me defenseless.

"I'll leave you alone if you'd just talk to me," Eli said. I sighed angrily and yanked my wrists from his loosened grip.

"Five minutes, Shane. Start talking."

"Glad to see your temper is still the same." He laughed, but I only glared. "Anyway, what's with this whole 'me hating you' thing?"

"When you found out about me knowing your father you got pissed, correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"Well, you also yelled at me. My Parents would yell at me back when I was still..." I tried to find the right words, "a monster. They'd always say how much they hated me. In time I intiated yelling with hatred. You yelled at me which in the back of my mind said, 'I hate you and your existance!' just like my parents would tell me, but that doesn't matter anymore."

"Astrus, listen to me, I don't hate you, nor did I ever. Okay? I was mad that you were keeping the fact you knew my dad a secret from me."

"So, you're saying I can't keep secrets, and if I do, I'll get yelled at? Yeah, Eli, that's real fair."

"That's not what I'm saying..." he sighed in aggrivation. "I'm just saying that if you would've just told me that you knew my father from the start then it would've been alright."

"I lost my memories, Eli!" my voice echoed off of the cavern walls. "When I saw that note from your father I got soome memories back! How the hell was I supposed to tell you when I couldn't even remember in the first place!?" My slugs were hopping over to me with worried looks on their faces. "That's why I left, Eli! I knew that the sooner I left the better off you'd all be!"

"Who told you that?"

"No one needed to! It's the truth. I was a burden to all of you, and I knew that from the very first day I woke up in your hideout. If you didn't want me to leave then you should've made me stay."

"I wanted to!" I flinched and she softened his tone. "Really, Astrus, I didn't want you to leave." He cupped my face in his palm, trying to soothe my fears.

"Then why didn't you?"

"I was still mad, and assumed that you'd come back in a few days. But you never did."

"You thought that just because I was emotionally hurt and scarred that I'd come back the next day and act like nothing ever happened, be all smiles and hugs for everyone?"

"That's how I planned it."

I chuckled, "You were wrong, Eli. All happiness I had died that day." He gave me a slightly confused look, his blue eyes clouding over in thought. "You were the only thing that kept me happy, at least the tiny shread of happiness I even had to begin with. Then you, how to say, shattered that shard of light."

"Astrus, I'm sorry..." he looked down at his feet sadly.  He really is sorry, I thought to myself.

"I just dont get why you even care about me, Eli. I hurt you once before and it'll most likely happen again."

"It can't. Remember, we healed you from the dark water."

"Doesn't mean it can't infect me again."

"So, since we got everyting sorted out," he stepped back and held his arms out slightly, "can you be all hugs-and-smiles-now?" I sighed and walked over to him, giving him a hug. "Just like I planned." He chuckled a bit, before I lightly, not enough to hurt him, smack his back.

"Don't start celebrating yet, you're still not forgiven and won't be for a while." I simply smiled as he slightly pouted like a kid.  Things were finally going to get better from here on out.