A Splash Of Paint (MCYT Oneshots)

🌱 Kiss of the Living (Wilbur-centric)

When you were younger, your mother would sing you to sleep. Her voice was soothing, weaving unSeen threads that could be used to manipulate and charm. She never used it on you, because it wouldn't work, anyways. Even after her death, you can still remember the Song of the Drowned all too well.

It goes like this, my darling one,
Some charming words with eyes of the sun.

You grew up somewhere in Britain. You had a father, and you had a mother. The past tense is simple enough: your mother is dead, and your father has practically forgotten about you. So long as you don't try to 'steal away his company', he does not care for you.

You don't want to take his company, anyways. You have much higher desires and ambitions to stoop so low, too stoop to be so mortal.

Your mother decided to be Mortal, and she Drowned. You do not want to Drown.

Growing up, the other students called you a freak. A monster of nature. Or whatever insult they could come up for that day.

They called you beautiful, too. A handsome prince. Or whatever compliment about your features they could say about.

You suppose they're not that far off. You are a prince. You are a monster. You're just not the kind they were thinking about.

Your father is Human. Your mother was something Else. You are a freak of nature.

And freaks of nature always gravitate to Elsewhere University.

One, two, red, and blue,
The bird spread its wings and flew.

Your safe name is Soot. You stay in the L'Manburg dorm, with Nihachu and Eret and Innit and Tubbo (and Fundy, but he doesn't appear until later). You are part of the Sleepy Boys, with Technoblade and Hardcore and again, Innit. You adore them. You want them to stay safe.

You are double majoring in Visual Arts and Music. You are also minoring in Theatre. You only show up to half of the classes. You don't really need a good grade in that, anyways. It's not like they could throw you out, either. You're the reason why the Fair Folk are more likely to leave them alone and focus on you.

It's why you rarely show up, too.

You befriend the fishes and the creatures that linger in the sea. You think they recognise where your blood came from, because they take to you easily. Almost too easily, but you know your mother's heritage will keep you safe.

Count the stars resting on your fingertips,
Raise them high and glance at how the water laps.

In Elsewhere University, you are a freak amongst freaks. They are Human, they are Knowing, and yet...

You are not quite Human, you are far too Knowing, and the Fair Folk take a notice in you. Enough of a notice for people to pick up on it.

Once, you attend a Summer Fair, and you end up talking to the Summer Court.

The Fair Folk are old. They are ancient. They Know too much and too little at the same time.

The Summer Queen offers you a trade.

"Knowledge about your past," she offers you. "For protection."

You muse over it, but you know you don't have much of a choice in the end.

"Don't let the ones who are Mine be stolen," you say. "And we have a deal, milady."

You wake up the next morning with a knife made out of rain droplets and seaside shells sheathed in a sheath you are holding in one hand, and a satchel of sunflowers clutched in the other hand. You are laying outside your dorm.

You get up, and you head inside.

When the sea calls for you to return,
Do not listen, and stay with your brethren.

Nihachu is beautiful. You do not give out compliments easily.

She is so kind, and so sweet, and yet there is a danger hidden in her that makes your skin tingle. You love it.

She is expressive, too. You can pick out her emotions like you're picking out a yellow dress out of a sea of blue waves. Easy to spot, easy to find, and yet hard to realise the danger lying in her.

You aren't supposed to trust others with your heart. Love is a concept you can't truly wrap your mind around just yet, too afraid, too tired, too Mortal, but Nihachu makes it so hard.

She's as fierce as the storm waves of the sea, as soothing as the waves that lap on the beach, as determined as the waves that rise high above all. She will not Drown so easily. You love her so much.

You think, one day, you'll tell her of you before you tell it to Your other ones. It's a daunting thought.

But you know that, should you have to Drown, she will breathe life back into you. And that's enough for you to take that risk, should that day ever come.

For if the dead won't let you leave,
A kiss of the living will set you free.