Chapter Text
The two boys walked back to the dorm.
Ness could tell Lucas was on edge, but he didn’t want to pressure him in this time of vulnerability.
“Hey, um, Ness?”
Ness glanced over to Lucas. He was sweating bullets. It seems like whatever happened just earlier was stressing him out.
“What is it, Luke?”
“You’re not... mad at me, are you?”
Ness’ eyebrows raised. He fiddled with his thumbs. He was mad earlier, yes- but not at Lucas. More like... at himself.
“No, I’m not.” Ness looked side to side nervously. “Did you... think I was?”
Lucas began sweating harder.
“I mean... it kind of seemed like that. But I didn’t really think you were, Ness. It doesn’t seem like you to get angry at someone over a fight.”
The two arrived at the dorm. Ness unlocked the door and walked inside. He didn’t realize just how exhausted he was until he crashed onto the couch.
He groaned, trying to get comfortable, turning on the TV. He felt the weight of the couch shift next to him.
“I’m... sorry about your loss, Ness.”
Ness looked over to Lucas, who looked oddly sad despite winning.
“Oh, it’s okay, Luke. Happens to everybody at some point.”
“I dunno, it doesn’t sound okay. I’m still sorry.”
Lucas looked at Ness, skepticism in his eyes.
“I already told you, it’s fine, really!”
~~~
Lucas didn’t trust Ness’ judgment, but he was too tired to say anything. He slumped down and mindlessly watched whatever was on the TV. Some game show where two families were competing, or something. He quite liked it.
His mind flashed back to earlier, where he was about to jump over the railing and help Peach. He was glad that Ness stopped him before he did anything stupid. Master Hand would’ve certainly kicked him out. The familiarity of the scene still nagged at him, though.
The scream of his mom as the Drago punctured her heart, the traumatized wail Claus let out... he could hear them as though he was right back there, running as fast as his little legs could carry him. His breath audibly quickened, his hands reaching up to plug his ears.
Next thing he knew he was hopping out of a window onto the roof of the Smash Mansion. He noticed a sunflower field in the corner of his vision. He steadied himself and jumped off the mansion in the direction of the flowers.
~~~
“What the- Lucas?! Where are you going?!”
Ness looked out of the window at the blonde running to who knows where.
He vaulted himself over the windowsill and hit the cold, damp grass below him. As Ness stood up, he had to shield his eyes from the rays of the sun. He took off running toward Lucas, hoping to catch up with him.
“Lucas! Lucas, get back here!”
Ness’ running speed was somewhat faster than Lucas’, and thankfully caught up with Lucas as he came to a stop in the field.
“Lucas, why won’t you answer me? You have to tell me what’s wrong!”
Lucas sighed deeply.
He took a few steps forward, inspecting a sunflower. Ness could only watch in confusion.
“Sunflowers were my mother’s favorite. She said they represent optimism, always looking on the bright side of things.”
Ness wanted to say something, anything, but couldn’t muster the will to say anything.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to do for so long. To find some ray of sunshine in my life. Yet everywhere I look, I can’t find any. The only person I can find that in... is you.”
“Lucas... I’m sorry about what happened with your mom. I can’t say I understand what losing a loved one is like, but... I want you to know you aren’t alone.”
Lucas seemed to chuckle weakly at Ness’ words.
“Sometimes... when I’m looking at a sunflower... I feel... connected to her, in some way. Not like, connected to her in a psychic sort of way, but... I swear I can hear her gently remind me to change out of my pajamas, or see the warm smile on her face as she tucks me into bed, or hear her call me and Claus in for dinner. And every time I step away from the sunflower, it hits me that she really is gone. Forever. And there’s nothing I can do to get her back.”
Ness approached Lucas, not sure what to say.
“I wonder what she’d think of me now, her bright, timid boy... turned into someone this weak and useless.”
Lucas turned to Ness, tears pooling in his eyes.
“But at least I have you, right?”
Ness finally managed to say something to Lucas.
“Yeah. We’re in this together till the end, and don’t you ever forget that!”
Ness flashed his iconic smile at Lucas, who smiled in return.
Ness suddenly felt Lucas’ arms wrap around him, pulling him into a gentle hug.
“Thank you, Ness.”
Ness was taken aback for a brief moment, before returning the embrace.
“No problem.”
~~~
The two boys returned to their room, Lucas feeling much better.
They sat on the couch, once more embracing each other.
“Today sure was exhausting, huh?”
Lucas stifled a chuckle at Ness’ words.
“Yeah, and in more ways than one.”
Ness cracked up hearing that.
“Glad you’re feeling better, Lucas.”
“I’m just glad you followed me. Beats being alone, that’s for sure!”
The two boys laughed in each other’s arms for a while, before releasing the hug.
Ness quickly fell asleep, and Lucas draped a blanket over his curled-up body.
Lucas smiled wearily at Ness, before drifting off to sleep himself.
~~~