Starlight | completed

Chapter 2 | when everything crumbles

❝Yeah? Well I don't fucking want to be what you want.❞

Chapter 2 - when everything crumbles

It was a warm sort of day, the sun was bright over the green grass. Everything shone in the brightness, the world had a fuzzy sort of light to it. Yellow and warm. And unbearably bright, Luce was squinting. He was still tired from yesterday. Yesterday, he'd just held Aera in his arms. Unable to fall asleep, his mind restless and wandering to realties he could not be part of.

"Luce" Aera whined and he turned around to look at her. God, she looked even more radiant in the light of the sun. All glowy skin, and starlight eyes.

"Yeah" he mumbled out voice barely coherent as he yawned again. "I'm so freaking cold" Aera mumbled, her arms wrappped around herself as she stared at Luce.

"What do you want? A hug?" Luce mumbled rolling his eyes, Aera frowned and nodded at this jacket. He looked down at it, it was wrapped around him. Keeping him very much warm, and sleepy.

"Please Luce" Aera mumbled, pouting a bit as she did her best to look cute. Luce sighed, it's as if Aera knew he had a crush on her. Like she just knew Luce would do anything for her.

Rolling his eyes once again, he took off his jacket and handed it to Aera. Aera smiled sheepishly at him as she wrapped it around herself. "Thanks Luce" she mumbled, leaning back on the tree as she ate her lunch.

A passerby, one of his classmates shot them a odd look as they ate their lunch, eyes drifting to Aera. The look in those eyes was easily recognizable, it was always reflected back at him in the mirror. Luce glared at them, and they nervously backed away. A frown encasing their dark face. Luce sighed and rested his head back on the tree next to Aera, mind drifting to what Aera had said yesterday.

She said she wanted more friends, and Luce damn well knew he was the reason they didn't have more friends. Aera was as friendly as could be, and there was Luce in the corner just glaring at everyone who dared talked to them.

"Luce I was thinking of getting a makeover" Aera suddenly said out of nowhere, snapping Luce out from his thoughts. Luce choked on his water, and turned to stare wide eyed at Aera.

"You wanna what now?" he asked voice a pitch higher than earlier. Aera frowned "I-I just thought looking hotter or something could help me make more friends."

"You're already hot" Luce mumbled, and then froze as if realizing what he had just said. Aera froze as well, mouth dropping open a bit, she turned a bright shade of pink.

All flustered she replied "T-Thanks L-Luce, but no one else thinks that" she mumbled wrapping Luce's jacket tighter around her small frame. Not noticing how Luce shivered next to her.

"Then they're missing out" Luce mumbled eyes downcast, Aera was gorgeous. Why did she need to go and change herself? He, he stupidly loved Aera.

And he loved Aera just the way she was. She was the only thing in this world that would tempt him to fall into a abyss of unrequited love. He was an absolute idiot. Aera looked at him then, a hard set to her rosy mouth as she glared. "Easy for your to say Luce, everyone actually thinks you're good looking."

Now it was Luce's turn to flush, as he turned a bright shade of red, the color heavily contrasting against the milky skin. Aera suddenly giggled "Expect me of course, since you're my best friend and everything." She laughed again, softly as she jokingly hit Luce's shoulder.

Ever since he was a mere child people liked to tell Luce he had a temper, and he denied it. He was a patient person, he liked to listen and think. At least he tried to, but  sometimes it was just so hard to resist. And Aera had always to make him exactly what he was not. Flush instantly disappearing from his cheeks, he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah? Well I don't think you're hot either, you're actually pretty ugly now that I think about it. " He mumbled, voice tense and hard. He sounded dead serious, unlike Aera who had sounded like she was joking. Aera froze, and faltered at that. Eyes wide she stared at Luce, a frown settling itself into her ever smiling face.

Flashing Luce a crooked smiled, she said "Yeah, I know. That's why I want a makeover Luce" Luce flinched, Aera wasn't happy with him. She'd spoken in that tone she liked to do when she was mad. Maybe he'd gone a bit far, but Aera just had to crush him like that.

"You don't need a makeover. It doesn't matter. You'll just look the same." Luce replied as stubborn as ever. His mouth speaking faster than he could think.

Aera slowly raised a eyebrow "And what is the same, is it ugly?" she asked. And suddenly a laugh burst out of Luce, and he nodded his head. His mind still trying to comprehend what he was doing.

The sun was glinting down at them bright and joyous. Someone's laughter rang out through the courtyard, a sense of pure joy displayed in that small sound. He hated this day, and he hated the pretty and bright atmosphere it set. Because he felt exactly the opposite as Aera stood up and glared down at him. His dark colored jacket falling off her shoulders and onto the ground.

Merely tossed aside, as if worth nothing more.

Maybe he was the same way to her.

"I swear to god Luce, first you call me hot, then you say I'm ugly. And now I tell you I want a makeover so I can be happy. And then you laugh about it." Aera chuckled and rolled her eyes "God, Luce who are you? Because at this point I don't recognize my own best friend."

The wind whistled softly in the corner of his ear, as if reminding him this was his reality. And that he was a fool. His usually smiling eyes stared up at Aera, a glint of unfathomable longing in them. She glared down at him, she didn't seem to realize she'd screamed those words at Luce. Nor did she realize, the whole courtyard was staring at them.

Some guy whistled, a loud startling sound that caused Luce to flinch from where he sat. "Y'all the nerds are fighting." Another mere person and a few chokes of laughter escaped other people. Luce felt his throat close up, he could deal with people. But he didn't know if Aera could. Softly he said "Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else."

Aera rolled her eyes, and reaching down yanked him up from the ground. Grabbing his jacket, Luce hoisted himself up. "Aera you don't need a makeover." He mumbled.

Aera groaned, a loud and very unlike her sound. "You don't get to decide what I need." She said, voice as steady as ever. "B-but I don't want you to get one" Luce replied meekly, eyes flitting to the ground as he stood there unsurely and awkwardly.

"So what? You don't want me to be happy, you don't want me to make new friends? What the fuck do you want from me Luce?"

Luce flinched, oh god. Aera never cussed, not unless she was very pissed. And that type of anger had never once been directed at him. "Yes, exactly. I don't want you to get a makeover." He whispered back.

Aera slapped him, a large stinging sound and someone gasped. Luce froze, and slowly in a trance reached up to touch his cheek.

"Yeah? Well I don't fucking want to be what you want."

And with that Aera stormed away, never once looking back.

~~~~
Yeow

That's not good.

Thoughts? What side y'all on?