oblivion [druig]

14

PRESENT DAY
AMAZON RAINFOREST

AURORA

He led us through the doors silently, making sure that everyone filed into the small building. I looked around the inside, noticing that they'd changed the wall colors and rearranged the benches.

Still, I could almost remember like it had been yesterday when Druig and I had built this place.

The team sits on the benches, with Druig going to the front of the room, leaning against the desk that stands alone at the center.

He avoids my gaze, his eyes flitting over me, under me, and beside me, but never actually at me.

It felt like a stab in the heart. I did not know what I had been expecting, but this felt wrong. Foreign.

After all of those years, I'd grown used to his warmth; his laugh and the way he'd always need to be touching me. Not in a sexual manner, but it seemed like physical contact reassured him that I was there. That I was real.

I was the same with him. There never seemed to be a moment where we weren't holding hands, or where I wasn't touching his shoulder or hour knees touching beneath the table at dinners.

Right now, seeing him from the other side of the room, I wanted nothing more than to envelop him in my arms.

I take a seat at the back of the room, not wanting to be part of the explanation, rather more just witnessing what was happening.

"Go on, what is so important" He motions for someone to speak, and Sersi starts talking.

She explains everything. From the Deviant in London and the Deviant that attacked me, to Ajak and the sphere and Arishem. She went on to tell him about how we weren't actually real. How a Celestial was about to destroy earth and kill everyone in it.

For a second, when Sersi mentions humanity ending, his gaze falls on me. He knows how much I care about them. He knows how humans have been the only thing that kept me going insane some days.

At the end of the explanation she takes in a deep breath, turning to look at Druig to see his reaction.

He inhales slowly, arms crossing over his chest.

"You've given me a lot of bad news in one go, milady" His accent marks his words. I feel my heart skip a beat at the nickname he's given her.

That fucker knows how to make me jealous.

Still, I give him no reaction, only pursing my lips and leaning on the wall behind me.

"Will you help us?" She asks, her tone hopeful.

"I am glad–" He's interrupted by a loud ringtone coming from Sersi's backpocket. She scrambles for her phone, watching the caller ID before shutting it off as quickly as possible.

From the other side of the room, Kingo perks up, looking at her like he's just seen a miracle happen.

"Hey! What's your service" He whispers at her. "I'm not getting any bars"

There's a small moment of silence, and then Druig stands up from the desk, walking forward towards Gil and Thena.

"Do you all remember this forest?" He asks, looking at them. "It's the last place we all lived together" He points out. He puts his arms behind his back, pursing his lips.

"I–" He pauses, turning to me. "We." He corrects himself "Aurora and I, we protected these people for 20 generations from the outside world and from themselves."