Bending Light

22~One or the Other

After a few minutes of interrogation, (Y/N) decided that the future-telling was for Jacob, and turned toward Millard to ask: "How did your family take it? When they found out you were peculiar, I mean."

    He paused. "Not very well, I'm afraid."

    (Y/N) sighed, wondering what it would be like if her family found out that she and Jacob had powers. It would probably result in a similar outcome as the ones Millard had hinted at earlier.

     "I suppose it would be the same for me," (Y/N) acknowledged. "After all, almost all of my relatives thought Abraham was insane. Perhaps faith is just as scarce as peculiarity. After all, only Jacob and I believed."

    She paused, thinking. "Oh yes, I've been wondering: if peculiarity is genealogical, but skips generations, what's the closest distribution there's ever been? Parent-child? Cousins? Siblings? Twins?"

    "I've heard stories of twins both possessing a peculiarity," Millard responded in a low voice. "But personally, the closest I've witnessed is a brother and sister with peculiarities. In fact, Bronwyn—"

    (Y/N) couldn't tell if Millard cut himself off or got interrupted, for at the moment, Olive exclaimed "a Moon landing?!" and all the peculiars began clamoring to speak over each other.

<><><><><>

As it neared sunset, the gathering finally began to disperse. After changing, all the children—save Millard and Emma—started home in the dying light.

"I ought to escort you home," Millard declared. "To protect you. In case something happens." He ended very nonspecifically.

"Oh yeah, from what?" (Y/N) teased. "I thought you said the wight and hollow were dead!"

"W-well, they are, but there's a chance they alerted others," he stammered.

"Pshh," (Y/N) scoffed, kicking at the sandy shoreline. "In that case, I would be obliged to point them in your direction," she replies with a grin before sprinting through the muddy woods and toward the loop entrance. "Just how many of the monsters do you claim exist?" she called over her shoulder.

"T-that's not funny, (Y/N). You know we can't get out of the loop, especially since—" This time, Millard clearly cut himself off.

Both of them stopped running, which was probably for the better, because after watching the two retreating silhouettes in front of them, (Y/N) realized they had just saved themselves from having to watch Jacob and Emma flirt for the next ten minutes.

     "Oh, so there is something you're not telling me!" (Y/N) exclaimed.

    Millard just stood there, unmoving. Refusing to speak.

    "Uh, Invisiboy," (Y/N) snapped her fingers. "You know I can still see you, right? Like, being still doesn't magically trick my peculiarity. Or me."

    He scowled and continued to walk. "I don't need a reminder from Miss Peregrine to know that I shouldn't tell you everything."

    "Because I'm going to be going home in a few days or because.....?" (Y/N) trails off.

    "Because it's not sensible." Millard replies stiffly.

    "Yeah, whatever. At least tell me you have a good reason, or I'm going to have to assume that you're just as self-concerned as my mother."