Chapter Text
July 3
In a quiet world
???
Kinich was in a field full of flowers, ringing crickets, and cliffsides.
It was beautiful.
Eerily beautiful.
And warm.
And... he felt safe.
Nothing hurt anymore.
Nobody can hurt him anymore.
Paradise.
Before him was an obsidian slate.
"The Lord of the Night," he knelt on one knee. An amalgamation of voices spoke from within the slate. "Stand, my dear child of the Turnfire."
Kinich stood, and he'd realized he had no heartbeat. His eyes widened for a split second, and the Lord of the Night seemed to understand, and an unuttered question was answered.
"Let's just say you are in a state of absolute stasis. Your mortal body currently rests on a bed, yet your soul is here. You're able to hear, but you cannot feel or see. Take a listen around you,"
"Wake up, please..."
"I'm here for you, okay?"
"Lady Mavuika and the Captain are worried sick, you know?"
"Even Ajaw."
"Everyone from the sports team and performance arts clubs are rooting for you. Kachina, Mualani... even little Norman and his parents."
"Even Lynette, Freminet, Father...
Me."
Lyney's voice.
Lyney had come to see him. Despite his injured ankle, despite the shows he has to plan, he still came.
Lyney, who had suffered by himself for Celestia knows how long. Who spent months coughing up petals because he loved to love – who loved to love him.
The beautiful boy who linked his life with Kinich.
"You can hear him, yes? But do you know that he's currently holding your hand? Of course not! Because you're in a state of total stasis."
"... So I'm dead?"
"No. I said you're in a state of total stasis!"
"... A human vegetable?"
The Lord of the Night sighed. "Close enough. Though, I do sense your confusion, child of the Turnfire. Ask away, we have all eternity."
Kinich looked around. "History text books and evidence state that the Night Kingdom is a desolate land were nothing and everything exists at the same time, and all souls converge into one. But..."
The Lord of the Night cleared her throat. "Have you ever heard of the term "no man is an island"? The Night Kingdom for each individual soul functions similarly. Your soul is now a part of a collective whole, yes, but that's to others. To 'you', you reside in your own personal utopia. And since your soul is linked to that boy, he will join you here. Isn't that amazing?"
Kinich stared. "This realm reads what you desire most, dear child of the Turnfire. You want to be with him, do you not? When your mortal body dies, the hanahaki will return and he will appear before you."
That... that was messed up.
Lyney doesn't deserve a fate like that.
Not when he'd already suffered enough.
"No. I don't want that. My lord, please, you can't..."
"I don't decide fate, my dear Kinich. Howevever you can. You can make a choice. I trust the judgement of my 'Malipo's. You've defied fate for a long time. I believe you can carve a different ending for your lover too. But for now, rest your weary mind. You've fought for your survival for a long time, even until now. You have all eternity to explore this utopia."