Archive of Our Own ^beta

The lantern flickers, casting soft shadows through the Ship’s common area that rise and fall with every breath from the ocean waves. A breathless lullaby. One familiar and just on the edge of his lips but no sound could reach.

Michael reach his hand out and blocks a bit of the light, changing from incoming waves to vines crashing onto land and running rampage. Red bleeds through, washing down the walls and draining the colour from the room.

“Everything okay?”

The Piglin pulls his hand back, sitting up on his elbow to look over at the door. Standing in the doorway is a spider hybrid dress in a red and white stripe shirt with four sleeves for each of his arms. Just some simple black pants with a golden buckle to match with a pair of black boots. On top of his head sits a green bandanna which Shroud is never seen without.

“Michael?”

Shroud steps into the common area, dropping his top hand from the doorway. The spider push Michael’s legs off the couch, earning a gruff and glare before he force himself to sit up. Shroud pat his knee and the Piglin takes a seat on the floor in front of his friend.

“I been thinking about a time before all this, back when we were kids.”

“You mean when you were a kid.” Michael wince when Shroud pulls on his hair. “I’m pretty sure I was just a normal spider for the first two years of us traveling.”

Michael huff and leans back a bit against his friend’s legs. It’s strange to think about a time before Shroud. When he was just your normal spider mob with a piece of rope tied around his body to keep him from running off. Though the bandanna was still a staple even back then.

“I remember my room and the smell of fresh baked pie.” His eyes gently shut and a soft smile appears. “Michelle and Yogurt would visit, everything was nice.”

There were many memories that were similar to one another. Even after years had passed, Michael will always remember the layout of his room. He’ll remember every day that passed with his only friend before Michelle. His hand drifts to the locket around his neck; a picture of the chicken that stood by his side in that room and his parents.

“Though,” Michael open his eyes and lean his head back. He grins when Shroud glares down at him, two of his eyes narrow at him. “I think my favourite memory was the day I got to meet you.”

Shroud rolls his eyes and gently push his friend’s head back. He scoff at the sight of the braid, all messed up and needs to be redone.

“And I’m not talking about how you were beating up a vine. I’m talking about the day when Junior turned you into a hybrid.”

“Yes, that was very nice of him.”

Michael laughs lightly and tap his hand against the Spider’s leg. “Remember when you hid in that closet. You scared the innkeeper half to death. One of my favourite memories right there.” He taps twice more before relaxing again.

That town been one of the better ones. Allowing them to stay for up to a week and do odd jobs here and there for the people. It’s been nice but nothing can last forever. It bound to catch up to them eventually. Red covered the town and the people stare at them like the dead.

It was tricky running away with Shroud since he has to learn everything all over again. Michael never gave up on his friend, even going as far as to stay behind with the Spider just for the others to escape. It never came to that but Michael was willing, and still is.

“There was a flower field,” Shroud says. “I remember a good friend of mine made me a flower crown with an allium as the center piece.”

Michelle allowed them to finally stop running once they believed they were far enough. They hid down in a small cave with what supplies they managed to escape with. Thankfully, only Shroud and Yogurt needed the food or else they wouldn’t have survived that night, or the nights after. Michael wouldn’t be surprised if that experience is the reason why Yogurt hoard things now.

During the night, Shroud left the cave and went over the hill with Michael hot on his heels. A flower field filled to the brim with all kinds of flowers, some Michael have seen and others that he only read about. He cried when he found a small patch of alliums, four grouped together. Michael took the smallest from the group and made a flower crown for Shroud. Welcoming into their new and strange world.

Michael still remember the bright smiles and the lopsided crown sitting on his new friend’s head. It’s one of his most treasured memory.

“Sounds like a wonderful memory, and an amazing best friend” Michael said, leaning his head back to see his friend’s face upside down and not looking all please. It changed into a smirk as Shroud push his head back up.

“You believe that you’re my best friend?”

“What I’m not?”

Michael twist his body around in disbelief and stares Shroud down but the Spider isn’t backing down that’s for sure.

“Well, Yogurt could be my best friend. Have you thought of that?” Shroud said, reaching over and grabbing a hair tie from the coffee table.

“You tied Yogurt up in your web this morning” Michael said, deadpan.

The Zombie Piglin turns back around and allows the Spider to continue working on the braid. Shroud tend to make them small and out of the way so no one can just grab Michael’s hair as a cheap tactic to win a fight. It only happened once when Michael was younger and wasn’t as skilled. Finley had paid for Michael’s mistake. It won’t happened again if the Piglin can help it.

“I’m allowed to change my mind, you know” Shroud said, drawing Michael back out of his mind. He fluffed up the hair, probably just a simple braid for walking around in then the battle ones that he’s more use to.

Michael scoffs before standing up and stretching his arms out.  “Sure but I’m still your best friend.” If Junior was here he would have jumped in saying that Michael was his best friend then Shroud and Junior would playfully fight over it. Michael should go check up on his friend before heading to bed.

Shroud have gotten up, tapping his shoulder once. He picks the lamp up. When he turns to face Michael, he sees the Spider rolls his eyes.

“You’re so clingy.”

“Oh, I’m the clingy one?”

The Spider stop to think for a moment, placing his top right hand on his chin, before nodding. “Yes” he said while challenging Michael.

The Piglin nods his head slowly before lifting his hand up to show Shroud that he’s holding Michael’s hand with his bottom hand. “Then why haven’t you let go of my hand?” he questions, challenging the Spider right back.

“Oh screw off!”

Laughter went between the two before parting ways. Shroud heading back to his share room with Yogurt, probably to share gossip and plans for the next dock which is the Subbin Empire. Michael head towards the Totem Siblings’ room to check on Junior and how he’s making out.

For a moment, Michael forget about his worry and fears. Forgot why he and his family went on the run in the first place. Forgot, for only a moment, about his family all those years ago. However that was only a moment. The Egg weren’t let them go that easily, not allowing them to share moments and fears between one another. For a moment, Michael forgot what it meant to be afraid.

For a moment, Michael lived.