In the VR room, January was suddenly embarrassed. River knew he came to Tharsis alone, but having them see that he had no one even back then felt shameful. He felt like a caricature of a refugee: orphaned, empty-handed, and unclaimed. oh January
Younger January was strapped into a jump seat listening to a voice count down from ten in a language he didn’t understand. really good little detail that drives home how everything is going to change for him
His lips moved around the syllables, careful with the tones, and earnest in a way that makes January, in the present, feel like he’s aged decades. He practiced the oath until the words sounded nonsensical yes the oath matters!!
Through the daily routine—breakfast, tones, push-ups, verbs, laps, lectures on Tharsis etiquette, lights down—they could both hear past-January practicing the oath under his breath. aaaaaaaah he takes it so seriously
Comment on rendered in water
world_wanderer on Chapter 3 Sat 01 Nov 2025 05:04PM UTC
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