𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕞𝕡 𝕠𝕗 𝔻𝕦𝕣𝕪𝕠𝕕𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕒

Ch.07

The Potatoes and Rudy met up in the middle of the Bazaar, not wanting to look at each other. Aiden noticed the tension between the others, and decided to find out what was happening. Before he could question however, all of them blurted out, at once, their sincerest apologies to one another. Aiden's confusion grew, and it went out the roof, but before he could say anything again, the Potatoes seemed to notice his expression and burst out laughing, clearly not wanting to talk about what had happened to them before. Aiden smiled before he started laughing with them.

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛Lexandra the Time Skip ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

Krithika and Suyodhana were worried about Aru. Suyodhana was especially worried for the daughter, for he just recently got her back. The rest of the Potatoes had asked the two parents if they had seen Aru, but the last time they actually saw Aru was when she packed a few bags and walked out without leaving a note or telling them anything.

The Potatoes sat down on the couch in Aru's house trying to brainstorm ideas about what to do next, until Nikita and Sheela came up with a brilliant idea: they would project one Potato into Aru's dream to find out where she went and why...and they had the perfect person for the job.

Sheela smiled mischievously, "Aiden...you're going in."

Despite Aiden's cries of refusal, they shoved him into Aru's dream which was, unsurprisingly, taking place at Home Depot. Aiden scoffed and wandered through the multiple aisles of the make believe Home Depot, wondering how Aru knew every nook and cranny of the place. He finally found her meandering through the paint isles, collecting all of her favorite colored paint strips.

Aiden cleared his, surprisingly dry, throat before speaking, "Aru?"

Aru jumped and dropped her cards, trying to find the source of the voice. She calmed down when she realized that it was just Aiden, "Aiden? What're you doing here? I know for a fact that I didn't dream you up, " Aiden smirked at Aru, flusteing her, "N-Not th-that I would do that or anything! It's not like I dream about you! I-I mean-"

Aiden cut her off with a chuckle, "Calm down, Shah. Your secret's safe with me," Aiden frowned, remembering what he was here for, "Anyway...where are you, Aru? You left without a trace. We're all worried about you."

Aru looks at the ground, "I-I can't say. I'm just somewhere in the woods. Okay? Don't look for me."

Aiden unexpectedly started crying. All the worry, all the fear, all the concern, was washing out of him, as he collapsed to the floor, leaning on one of the paint racks. He was showing her his sensitive side for one of the first times, and Aru's shock was beyond comprehension as she rushed to his side immediately, "A-Aiden! Are you okay? What's happening?"

"I-It's fine. I'm just so worried about you. Aru, if something happens to you and- and I'm not there to protect you, then...then I don't know what I would do with myself," Aiden confessed, shaking.

"Why," Aru asked softly.

Aiden glanced at her, wondering if he should say anything or not, "Because I," Love you. Aiden stopped short before saying those words, not knowing if Aru felt the same way anymore.

"Why," Aru asked gently, but authoritatively. Aiden just looked down, not willing to say anything. Aru sighed as she picked him up off the ground, "Aiden...the only reason I left was because of the prophecy. It said that I would save the day, and that all of you would be trapped in time. I don't want that to happen. Especially to you, Wifey. I-I love you way too much to let you die on my watch, and I'll prolong the prophecy as long as I can. Forever, if I have too...just to keep you safe," Aru kissed his cheek and smiled softly, "Now, I think it's time for you to go. Don't come looking for me. Promise me," Aiden nodded.