Actions

Work Header

Would you still love me if I was a worm? [Stickman ver.]

Summary:

Ratio thinks he might’ve gone insane, or well, was in the process of it, because there, amidst the bleach white tiles, was a…figure flailing and waving its…appendages? At him.

He blinks. Once. Twice.

It's still there

He takes off his reading glasses, inspecting the lenses for dust only to find it was, unfortunately, pristine and clear.

Closing his eyes and willing his imagination to stop deceiving him, he looks again.

Still there.

Or

Through a series of unfortunate events (aka: Aventurine does not heed warnings), Aventurine turns into a stick man.

Notes:

Written for Aventurine Week!

Lux, this is what you made me do. Are you happy

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

It’s a simple mistake.

 

The clamorous rattle of the air conditioner rang loud in the sudden stillness, creating waves that crashed violently against the shore of silence, it used to be a comfort as Veritas immersed himself in the sea of his research, a comforting buzz that drowned out the footsteps that would sometimes pass by his door.

 

Now, it was too quiet.

 

Everyone knew the dangers of entering a lab while in active use.

 

Veritas organized the sound of his pounding heart into a box; the cold dread trickling down his spine into a folder; the dread that held his lungs in vice grip into a neat package and pushed it to the back of his mind. His eyes trailed calmly across the manual in his hand, glossing over serious injury or death, explosion hazard and high risk of radiation as if they were advertisements in a newspaper, bothersome, meant to divert his train of thought.

 

He couldn’t let his mind stray now, lest he ruminate on the implications of what he’d done.

 

Everyone knew to obey the warnings printed in bright enough colors to blind the blinded.

 

His footsteps were loud, each clack echoed and reverberated into his ears, piercing into his eardrums and knocking over the tidy pile he’d made of his alarmed reactions. All at once, he could feel the sweat trickling down his temple as he reached the plain blue door that led to the room to the entrance of the lab, the room that no one should’ve been in as he’d activated the machine; his throat felt oddly dry as he stared at the pristine doorknob that merely glinted in response, the blaring ceiling lights flickered above him like a cliche horror movie as his palms felt cold metal; the door made an almost comical creak as it swung open, though the air felt no less stifling.

 

Everyone except-

 

“Damned gambler, where’d you run off to?”

 

The room he stepped into was empty, which shouldn't be possible because he could've sworn-no, the gambler's voice was unmistakable- he knew Aventurine had entered when Veritas had emphasized many times to not disturb him when he was in the lab lest Aventurine wants to be lab rat on top of being a lapdog for the IPC-

 

But the room was undoubtedly empty.

 

He cautiously looked around the bare room, the plain walls, the large glass panel that was too thin to act as a barrier for any rays, as if Aventurine could pop up any moment to scare him which would be preferable to how quiet it was, like the world itself was holding its breath for the other shoe to drop.

 

Veritas was aware of his pounding heartbeat as he looked behind the door, swinging it open and close as if willing Aventurine to materialize behind it but he remained gone even though he was here a moment ago-

 

“...!”

 

Veritas whipped his head around, he could've sworn he heard-

 

“...here, Doctor!”

 

The sound came, inexplicably, from the ground and Veritas felt particularly idiotic as he squinted at the plain flooring, still as pristine and white as when he'd entered, looking for a head of blond hair and flamboyant suit.

 

“I'm over here!”

 

Veritas thinks he might’ve gone insane, or well, was in the process of it, because there, amidst the bleach white tiles, was a…figure flailing and waving its…appendages? At him.

 

He blinks. Once. Twice.

 

It's still there

 

He takes off his reading glasses, inspecting the lenses for dust only to find it was, unfortunately, pristine and clear.

 

Closing his eyes and willing his imagination to stop deceiving him, he looks again.

 

Still there.

 

“Took you long enough, I was beginning to think you've forgotten me, doctor!”

 

Veritas continues staring, incredulously, as it started moving towards him, ‘Perhaps I shouldn't have drank that cup of coffee.

 

The Thing approached his feet, it did a performative bow, circling its stick like limb around its middle and taking of its…was it a helmet? A hat? Before straightening back up and tilting its, circular, head at him, as if awaiting his applause for the little show.

 

Rather than be on the verge of insanity, Veritas thinks he might be completely deranged, because that familiar flair could only belong to one person, the person that was currently missing in the room.

 

He feels like a madman as he asks the Thing, “...Aventurine? Is that you?”

 

The Thing-Aventurine replies, in a voice that was too many octaves too high, “So you can speak! I thought you had gone mute because I was too rough last n-”

 

Veritas kicks him.

 

Aventurine lets out a particularly loud squeak as he fell flat, literally, on his back, it looked as if a child had doodled on the floor with coloured crayons. Veritas uses the time Aventurine takes in that he'd been, unjustifiably, kicked to look over his new…appearance would be too kind of a word.

 

A crooked circle with a head of blond for a face and Aventurine's signature fedora crudely drawn on top, penciled lines for limbs that flailed around comically and was, miraculously, intact as Aventurine leaped back up to hit his shoe in retaliation.

 

“Hey! How could you do that doctor, I'm hurt!”

 

Veritas squats down, loathe as he is to let his lab coat touch the floor, he couldn’t deny the need to take a closer look. His shadow casts a gray sky over Aventurine’s form, even so, he could still make out the stick figure indignantly kicking his shoe to no avail.

 

Aventurine finally gives up, arms splaying to his side as his twig-like chest moves up and down as if heaving in exertion.

 

If this was a dream he'd really wish he could wake up right this instant.

 

Veritas lets his curiosity take over as he tries to pick Aventurine up, tries, being the keyword because he's not sure how much structural integrity those lines have and he's not looking forward to finding out.

 

“Gambler,” he opts to place his hand, palm up, on the ground instead for Aventurine to climb on, ‘Like a rat,’ He thinks, “Get on, I'm not laying on the ground.”

 

Even without discernible features he could still make out Aventurine pouting pettily at him, ‘Dear Aeons, I might be utterly crazy.’

 

“Get on or I'm leaving you down there.”

 

Aventurine twists his head up at Veritas in affront and Veritas mourns that he knows the gambler so well he doesn't even need to see his face to know his reactions.

 

It didn't feel…weighted enough that there was something on his palm as Aventurine got on, but it was heavy enough for there to be something on his palm, no more heavier than a feather, somewhat ticklish like one too.

 

“So…” Aventurine does a twirl on his palm and Veritas holds in the urge to immediately shake him off, “how do you like my new look?”

 

Veritas releases a sigh that seems to come from deep within his soul, “Be serious, I'm not playing your games.”

 

Carefully, he stands, curving his palm to give Aventurine support should he fall and raising him to Veritas's eye level, “I've told you before to refrain from visiting me especially when I'm in the lab.” He gives Aventurine a pointed look, “Have you learnt your lesson now?”

 

Aventurine brushes it off with a wave of his arms that was so imperceptible Veritas had to squint to make sure he wasn't seeing things, really, he shouldn't have taken off his glasses.

 

“Yeah, yeah, doctor's orders, but I have something very important to tell you, doctor.” Aventurine curls his stick like limb around the left of the circle that makes up his head, “Come a bit closer will you?” He whispers conspiringly like they were schoolgirls gossiping in the toilet, ‘Don't drop him,’ Veritas thinks to himself as he foolishly leans in and indulges Aventurine like an imbecile, ‘no matter how much you want to.’

 

“Would you…” Veritas unconsciously furrowed his brow, Aventurine sounded unexpectedly serious, he holds in a bated breath, “...still love me if I had stick for limbs?”

 

Veritas, mercilessly, drops him.

 

Aventurine’s high pitched screech was music to his ears.

 

-

 

Aventurine, obediently, stayed put in the mused strands of Veritas’s hair as he sulked, spitefully pulling on the roots as Veritas walked fast enough for Aventurine to bounce with every step, “That was rude, doctor! What if I got hurt?!”

 

Even without seeing his doctor’s face, he knew Veritas had adorably scrunched his face before rolling his eyes at the comment, “A tragedy that you did not.” Veritas took another turn, passing by the multitudes of identical pecan doors and glass panes so fast Aventurine felt dizzy, how does anyone even get to the correct classroom?

 

“Perhaps, if you did,” Veritas continues down the winding hallway, the haste in his steps was audible as they neared the entrance, “you would learn to be less care-”

 

“Dr. Ratio, one moment, please!”

 

Veritas, on instinct more than anything, froze in his step and Aventurine nearly careened off at the sudden stop, it, unfortunately, gave this…was it a student? A professor? Enough time to catch up to them, “I’m glad I caught up to you, I thought-”

 

“Stop stalling,” There was an irritated tick to Veritas’s voice, his patience was thin, Aventurine could tell, and rightfully so! They were so close to freedom, “spit it out, what is it?”

 

“Ah it’s just-” the student frantically flipped over the disorganized papers in his hands, “I didn’t quite understand this- A-ha! Here it is,” Aventurine had never met this person in his life and will, most likely, never meet him again, but he already hates this random student for stepping way too close to his Veritas for Aventurine’s liking.

 

Seriously, he knew Veritas needed to be within speaking distance but did the student really need to step close enough to touch knees?!

 

Veritas already moved away from the contact, obviously, he wouldn't be unfaithful to Aventurine but most likely because he was uncomfortable, which was completely unacceptable in Aventurine’s book.

 

The student was just below Veritas’s height, which allowed Aventurine to peek out from within violet strands undetected and he already dislikes what he sees, because the student eye’s weren’t trained on the paper Veritas was explaining but rather on Veritas himself, leering up from his sandals to the glasses dangling innocently on Veritas’s chest, staring intently at Veritas’s lips like it was a particularly enticing dessert.

 

They were in a hurry and Veritas said he wouldn’t need his bust for a quick trip, if Aventurine knew this was going to happen he would’ve insisted himself! It was completely deplorable! Only Aventurine was allowed to stare at him like that!

 

Mind made up, he furiously took a brave leap into a head of black when the student continued staring at Veritas’s chest (again, deplorable!) and avoided the hand that came up to scratch him with roll into the dark strands.

 

Aventurine laboriously crawled through the coarse hair that was nearly indistinguishable to his limbs, already missing being hidden in Veritas’s smoother ones, he heaved a huge breath as he finally made it to the end, dropping down onto the student’s shoulder.

 

He could see the exact moment Veritas saw Aventurine, his eyes adorably widened in shock and stumbling on his sentence, imperceptibly shaking his head to discourage Aventurine but Aventurine had to retaliate for the slight this student has done to his beloved! Aventurine vigorously nodded his head at Veritas instead, mouthing a ‘don't worry’ that Veritas definitely could not see, ‘But,’ he huffed to himself, ‘Veritas will surely thank me later!’

 

He used the lobe as a step ladder, strenuously climbing onto the inside of the curv and nearly falling into the cavity, he let out an unintentionally high pitched, “Woa-”

 

The student immediately whipped his head around in terror and Aventurine held on for dear life, “What was that!”

 

“If you insist on being distracted,” ah…Veritas sounded quite mad, “then get out of my sight.”

 

“But professor I swear there-”

 

Aventurine was never one for horror movies but it was quickly approaching evening and they were the only ones left and, well, he was never one to miss out on an easy opportunity, “Oh~,” pitching it so high his voice cracked in protest, he could see Veritas's eye twitch in irk, “don't you wanna play with me~?

 

“There it is again!” His trembled in fear and Aventurine resisted the urge to laugh, that is, until he latched onto the lapels of Veritas's clothes, the cloth crinkling in his grasp made Aventurine cringe, “Professor you have to believe-”

 

Stop touching his Veritas!

 

Why don't you stay with me so we can play~?”  if a little bit of anger leaked into his voice, well, Forever~

 

Before Aventurine could indulge in the thought of chopping his hands off for the audacity to touch Veritas when he was right here, regardless of his current predicament, the student ran off, screaming all the way to exit like a maniac and Aventurine wished he had his phone right now.

 

Ah but…he supposes that plummeting to ground as he is, Aventurine has bigger matters to focus on.

 

Face planting on the ground doesn't seem fun nor painless in any form but he guesses he was about to find out?

 

Aventurine scrambles on air, anticipating the mountainous drop and inevitable pain that will follow. He's not…sure, what would happen, exactly, were he to die like this, shatter apart? Become one with the ground? Turn back instantly and leave his bloodied corpse for Veritas to clean?

 

He's not afraid of death, no, but the thought of Veritas's horrified eyes makes him want to, inexplicably, save himself.

 

‘Hilarious,’ Aventurine thinks, as the ground was mere centimeters away, ‘I'm turning into a comedian as I die, Veritas would think I'm crazy.’

 

He shuts his eyes tight, if only to not catch Veritas terrified gaze.

 

The pain never comes.

 

Instead he's spun around so swift he felt sick in the stomach, could he vomit like this? His gut certainly thinks so.

 

“You are an idiot,” Veritas grips him a bit too tightly, Aventurine's not sure if the vertigo he's experiencing is from Veritas's walking speed or the subtle tremble (from anger?) in his palm, “and we are going home before you can do something even more stupid.”

 

-

 

“Home, at last!” Aventurine thought his ears were gonna fall off from Veritas’s scolding that he may, or may not, have been spacing out throughout the ride home. The rusty creak of the door Aventurine had promised to fix last week was music to his ears.

 

“You,” Veritas briskly walked to the sofa, nearly tossing him onto the couch as he stared Aventurine down with a vexed gaze, “are to stay here and not move a single inch,” he used a finger to pressed Aventurine down as if to meld him to the couch, “while I will shower with no disturbances,” he took off the finger and Aventurine could finally breathe, “am I understood?”

 

Aventurine rubbed his aching chest, “C’mon Veritas,” Aventurine looked up at him pleading, “even like this,” curse this form, truly, he’d perfected his puppy dog eyes just to effectively persuade Veritas to do whatever he wanted and he couldn't even show it off! “We can still shower together can’t we?”

 

He mustered the most piteous voice he could and hoped it would work.

 

Veritas continued staring, displeased but Aventurine could tell he was chipping away at that iron-willed resolve.

 

“I just want to stay with you,” he continues, only a matter of time now, “what if I stay like this forever?” ah… that irritated expression was back, no matter, “What if I perish tomorrow and all I wanted was-”

 

Veritas gives an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temples as if Aventurine had managed to singularly cause a migraine, “Do shut up,” he looks at Aventurine with a glare strong enough to pierce, “I agree on the condition that you won’t go into the water,” he picked Aventurine up with a grasp, bringing him to Veritas’s eye-level, he couldn’t help but notice how…red, they were.

 

‘Is he…that angry?’

 

“Do I make myself clear, gambler?”

 

Well, no matter, Aventurine’s always the best at calming him down, “Crystal, doctor.”

 

-

 

Aventurine rocked back and forth on the rubber duck Veritas had graciously given him to keep company, well, more accurately, he’d skid on it, as it turns out, a stickman did not have enough mass to do any strenuous and non-strenuous activity.

 

In other words, he was bored.

 

He laid on top of the ducky and stared at Veritas laying in the tub, it was quite a sight if he did say so himself, he ogled intensely as water trickled drop by drop down violet strands, shimmering iridescent all the way to the end where it formed lustrous bead around the tip, its tail stubbornly sticking to Veritas like Aventurine dearly wants to; the droplet fell, glinting as it did, perhaps it was because Aventurine had shrunk, but he thought they way it circled looked almost like a pearl, glistening until touched Veritas’s shoulder, it held onto him like an oasis in a desert, perversely clinging on as it fell from his shoulder blades, down his back, and joining the sea of the tub once more.

 

What Aventurine wouldn’t give to be the droplet right now…

 

He was so bored out of his mind he’d started reading Veritas’s prized codex over his shoulder, which he understood absolutely nothing of, but it was better than counting the droplets that fell from his hair for the past half an hour.

 

Veritas stretched his shoulders and Aventurine glowered at the water slipping down from his arm to his shoulder, ‘That should’ve been me!’

 

When Veritas placed his arm back down it blocked the entirety of Aventurine’s view of the codex as if Veritas had deliberately done so to drive him insane from boredom and lust.

 

Well, Veritas did say he couldn’t go into the water, but he didn’t say anything about Aventurine moving around the sink.

 

Aventurine stepped cautiously off the rubber ducky, one eye kept on Veritas at all times as he ambled his way over to the edge of the sink, one stick-like foot after the other, he didn’t dare breathed too loudly, Veritas had a penchant for knowing when he was about to cause trouble.

 

Which he wasn’t! He just wanted some entertainment while Veritas enjoyed his bath in a peace and tranquility Aventurine wasn't going to disturb, like a good lover.

 

That was his plan, anyway, before he slipped on the soapy surface at the edge as he tried to lean in for a closer look, foot comically arcing into the air he plummeted directly into the water.

 

Veritas was immersing himself in the silence, letting his tense shoulders from Aventurine’s reckless actions loosen up and the mild migraine from Aventurine’s rash exploits fade away, the waters soothe his irritated nerves as he tried harder not to be lulled into it’s embrace.

 

That is, until he heard a shrill shriek of, “Veritas!-” before a small splash could be heard by his side.

 

Adrenaline pumped into his blood immediately and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest as he stood up, feeling the vertigo swirl his vision into a miasma as he looked around, distressed, for that familiarly idiotic fedora, ‘That idiot!-’

 

There!

 

Veritas hastily scooped him up, letting the water flow through his palm and drench the floor as he swiftly grabbed a towel and tried to dab at Aventurine without too much pressure, “You imbecile! I won’t forgive you if you di-”

 

Aventurine hacks painfully as air finally enters his lungs, his limbs lay uselessly by his side, not a twitch even if he willed it to move. It seems water truly is his weakness, as ever, his esteemed doctor was right to advise him against it.

 

Aventurine’s voice was so scratchy it hurt even his own eardrums, “Hey, sorr-”

 

“Shut up,” Veritas brings Aventurine to his shoulder where he, given Veritas’s furious tone, obediently sat without moving an inch, “I will not speak to you until you’ve learnt your lesson.”

 

Aventurine, wisely for once, keeps his mouth shut.

 

-

 

Aventurine, once again, sulks, this time, it was to the darkness of their bedroom the image of Veritas’s back stubbornly turned to him. After his…stunt, Veritas had firmly refused to talk to him, dinner was a quiet affair as Aventurine begged for forgiveness and Veritas simply walked to the kitchen counter and ate there instead.

 

He’d toss Aventurine on the bed after that, ignoring Aventurine’s protest and silently walking towards their bathroom before shutting the door. When he came out, unlike most nights where Veritas would sit by the night lamp and read for a while more as Aventurine finished up the few matters he hadn’t in the office, he’d simply turned off the lights, crawled into the blankets and soundlessly faced away from Aventurine.

 

Again, unlike most other nights! Because now, Aventurine couldn’t admire Veritas’s face as he fell asleep which was a tragedy in itself.

 

“Veritas, I’m really sorry.”

 

“…”

 

“I really didn’t mean to do it, you have to believe me…”

 

“…”

 

“Baobei, please…”

 

“…”

 

Did Veritas actually fall asleep??

 

Mulling in silence would get him nowhere…

 

Aventurine climbs out of the blanket as audibly as he could, letting Veritas know that he was coming over the check on him if he was still awake, “Listen, I didn’t mean to scare you…” The bed hardly sank under his feet, instead, he tried not to let his legs pierce into the holes of the fabric like a needle as he waddled over to Veritas’s pillow, “I just wanted to look at your codex…” What felt like a few inches was an arduous enough journey that he had to catch his breath is he nearly tumbled, “I was just bored out of my-”

 

“You never really listen…” Aventurine stopped in his tracks, was Veritas finally speaking to him?! Granted it was whispered, soft, quiet, almost meek, amidst the comforting whur of the AC, but it was better than the nothing he had for the past few hours,  “When I tell you the odds are not in your favour,” Aventurine…supposes he was right, he’d always tell Veritas- “What’s life without a little danger? You’d reply all the time.”

 

“Sometimes,” Veritas takes a huge breath, it sounded…concerningly damp, “I wonder if that will be the very last words you will ever say to me.”

 

“Veri-”

 

“You believe life is some large, complicated, gamble,” Veritas continues, there was a shakiness to it, that Aventurine didn’t like one bit, that sort of pulled and tugged at the strings of his heart “a roulette, even,” Veritas gave a small laughed, but it didn’t seem like a humorous one, and something in Aventurine urged him to fixed it, “and miraculously, you will always emerge as the final victor.”

 

Veritas’s voice sounded…small, too small, for a man as talented as he is, infamous and renowned across the galaxies, “I wonder…” he turned over, the rustle of blankets wasn’t enough to break the tense atmosphere in the room, but Aventurine’s shocked gasp was, “do you expect me to believe it…” Veritas placed a finger under Aventurine’s chin, lifting what should’ve been his eyes (but it isn't and that was the issue, wasn't it?) into Veritas’s, “When even you don’t believe yourself?”

 

Veritas’s eyes were damp, tinge of red taint the edges as if Aventurine had deliberately sliced them just to see them bleed, denoting a sin he hadn't even known he'd committed, and he would gladly be sentenced if it meant Veritas would stop, “Tell me…Kakavasha,” Veritas sniffled as Aventurine leaned into the finger as some terribly inadequate version of comfort, ‘Useless,’ his heart hisses, “how long…until you leave me behind?”

 

“How long…”

 

The water droplets no longer seemed like pearls.

 

“…until I lose you forever?”

 

They seemed like tears.

 

Veritas shuts his eyes as if unwilling to look at Aventurine any longer and maybe that makes his unmoving body snap into work, adrenaline pumps into his limbs as he wades through the sheets, his heart pounds and ache as a tear clinging stubbornly to Veritas's lashes break away, creating a cascade effect as it starts the stream of Veritas's sadness.

 

The pillow starts to dampen, a dark patch on white fabric and Aventurine feels himself shrivel a little.

 

‘This is your fault, fix it.’

 

“Veritas-” Aventurine nearly tumbles, just barely able to catch the pillowcase for stability, “Veritas…” Has their pillow always been this high? He leaps with as much strength as this body allows, hooking his arms into the threads just before he falls off.

 

Walking didn't seem like it was going to work…

 

Aventurine got on his hands and knees, ‘I look like an idiot…’ he crawled over to the darkening patch on the pillow, aware of the way he wants to tear himself apart because he made Veritas cry, ‘...but I have to fix this.

 

His limbs numb uselessly as he touches wet fabric, flailing around like a particularly limp noodle while he kept going, but it was nothing compared to the pain Veritas must feel for Aventurine's stupid actions, “Veritas…”

 

Veritas slowly blinks open his eyes, wet lashes sticking together like particularly strong glue before breaking apart at the sight of Aventurine, “You imbecile! You can't come in contact with wat-”

 

“Veritas,” Aventurine sits in front of him, disregarding the paralyzing numberless in his legs, taking in the slightly swollen lids of his eyes, the shiny film over his irises, the labored breaths that came out stuttered and wobbly, ‘…All for me,’ he felt at once unimaginably delighted but also incomprehensibly distressed.

 

“Veritas…” how Aventurine aches to brush away his tears and lay a soothing kiss on those swollen lids, “...I can't promise you that I will be here forever,” Veritas squeezes his eyes shut as if in pain, Aventurine knew he was bad at this but…Veritas deserves the truth, “...I can't promise that I won't leave you behind either,” Aventurine thinks he hears a sob, it sounded choked and painful, a wad of cotton he'd shoved down Veritas's throat, and even though his lungs ached in tandem, a ball of hurt that gets caught at the back of his tongue, he still wants to grab that ball of cotton and push down his own instead.

 

“But…” Aventurine stands, or he tries to, his legs wobble ineffectively as he crawls towards Veritas's face, his hands flail vainly as he tries to caress Veritas's face, ‘This body…really is useless,’ his touch must be featherlight, no- even more so, yet Veritas, so in tuned with Aventurine in way that makes him want for something he couldn't understand, looks at him anyway, with teary eyes that held too much love for a gambler with a death wish, “I promise I will do my best to always come back to you.”

 

His head touches the soft skin of Veritas's face, the stream of tears soak his form but he couldn't care less, “Even if it means I have to play the fool in an Aeon’s game,” he felt like there was a noose around his throat that kept constricting the air he could take in as Veritas stares at him with too sad eyes, “even if it means blurring the borders between life and death,” distressed and sorrowful as Veritas was, Aventurine still thinks he's the most beautiful image he's ever laid his eyes on, “I will return, for you.”

 

Mused hair and sleepy eyes that held at once relief and misery, “After all,” lips curled up in a small smile that was both bitter and at ease, “I have once, haven't I?” A sensible scholar and an attentive lover, perhaps it is the best blessing his luck could give him, “I'm sorry for giving you so much grief.”

 

Veritas, through the blur of his vision, looks at Aventurine, the damp, stick-like limbs that lay uselessly on his side; the flaxen legs that sit worthlessly behind him as he lays his head against Veritas's cheeks, he looked cartoonishly silly, a poor caricature of those animated films Aventurine had insisted to watch on Penacony, a foolish sketch for for a terribly foolish man with foolish promises that Veritas foolishly believes in.

 

It makes him incomprehensibly fond, like a fool.

 

“Keep your promise and perhaps…I will forgive you, someday.”

 

Veritas couldn't see it, but Aventurine let his mouth stretch into a grin, “You got it, Doc.”

 

-

 

Aventurine, through the sleepy haze in his mind, hears birds chirping too loud and soft breaths too close to his ears.

 

He turns to his left, making direct contact with Veritas's cheek, ‘Ah…that's right…’

 

He's still stuck like this it seems.

 

But, well, he wouldn't complain of the opportunity to admire Veritas like this, soft and pliant in slumber, his lashes flutter like the flap of a wing with each breath, he always knew they were long but now, small as he is, they were the length of his arm, a hair brush almost, that tickles him everytime Aventurine goes in for a kiss; his eyes were delicately shut, a light pink dust the edges like a blush, but their swolleness was undeniable, he really did bring Veritas too much unnecessary sorrow…Aventurine'll make it up to him, once he returns to normal, he swears it; his lips were closed, soft breaths that parts a small opening between them every once in while, their plumpness seem to shine opalescent as Aventurine crawls over for a closer look.

 

Well Veritas probably wouldn't allow it if he was awake so Aventurine might as well take his chances while he was asleep.

 

Aventurine stands on his tip toes, praying that his feet wouldn't wobble and shake into the fabric as he leans in, his face touches Veritas's lips for a featherlight kiss.

 

All of a sudden, he's no longer the size of a finger, rather, he'd return and just fell on top of Veritas.

 

“Oof-” “Aven- Aventurine?”

 

Aventurine keeps his face hidden in Veritas's chest, wrapping his arms around Veritas's waist so he wouldn't buck Aventurine off, “I swear I didn-”

 

Veritas sighs tiredly, Aventurine instinctively squeezes him tighter as he hears Veritas's arms rustle out of the blanket, even sleep addled, Veritas still packed quite a punch…

 

Instead, a hand comes to lay gentle on his hair, rustling it like he was a puppy and Aventurine didn't resist the urge to lean into it, “I'm glad you're back, gambler.”

 

He perks up, slowly peeking from his spot to see Veritas's drowsy eyes curved with affection and relief, slowly dropping close as he fell back asleep; his lips were up turned into a gentle smile and Aventurine didn't resist the urge to lift himself up to lay a kiss; his messy hair stuck out in random strands and Aventurine tried to push the ones covering Veritas's face away.

 

‘I should be getting breakfast but…’ Veritas was a sight for sore eyes as he peacefully slumbered in Aventurine arms, leaning into Aventurine's finger as he pushed away a strand sticking to his lips, ‘I suppose I can wait a while longer.’

 

Aventurine laid back down, ear against Veritas's chest, listening to the comforting pattern of badump badump lulling himself to sleep.

 

‘We have all the time in the world.’

Notes:

come join...the aventio discord...we..we talk about...stickman aventurine... (in bio of @aventio_txt)