sincerely-some-guy

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ the letter is carefully tucked away with the previous one in the same drawer, compliments kept close to his heart. he swears his heart fluttered when he read what jimmy had sent to him, his hands tracing carefully over each letter, as if to memorize the indents of the ink and to think of jimmy himself writing it. ]

to my dearest jimmy ♡,

it's nice that you think i'm cute. not sure how else to word it. ah, anyways, i never claimed i was good at naming things - it was a spontaneous decision that seemed to make sense at the time when i tried to name myself! :( please do not take 10 psychic damage. but, hehe, thank you - i'm glad you think my name is nice. (i look forwards to that, i'll hold you to that statement. ♡)

of course i told her good things about you - you've been nothing but wonderful to me ever since we've met. that time that we spent together was filled with nothing but happiness - i really did almost regret sending you back home. i miss you so much that sometimes i wonder what would have happened had you stayed - but of course, who am i to cage a bird who needs freedom? i could have never trapped you there with me forever. unfortunately, though, illux is... much more chaotic in nature than i am, but for my sake, i hope you two get along. (also, you're adorable. ♡)

i'm not flattering you, jimmy dear, i'm being honest, really. that truly is how i perceive you and a few of the thoughts that i have about you, and that barely scrapes the surface. please don't die, though, it's not very fun (even if you can respawn). i like it when you ramble, though. it's cute. you're cute. i think a lot of things about you are cute, though, and that's just one of them, you know? of course i think your eyes are beautiful, too. i think you're beautiful in general. everything about you is just downright gorgeous, jimmy. you're... ah, what do they call it? eye-candy. ♡

i take back my threat, then. although i want to see you so much it aches, i'd really prefer that you take care of yourself, okay? please? for me? :]

with even more love (:P),

lethe ♡

sheriff,

should i start addressing you as that? sheriff? consistently? the outfit is quite fitting on you, though, i must say. you're flattering. it flatters you, i mean. [ the next line is scribbled out in ink so thoroughly it's impossible to make out what he'd originally written. ] the outfit is good on you, is what i mean to say.

i've been away for quite some time, i feel. or maybe time has just passed differently. or perhaps, time is not real at all, and i have only been gone for moments, minutes. it's hard to tell. however, i write you this letter to tell you that i have missed you, and i sincerely hope you are doing well.

i promise that i am a law-abiding citizen, though. i have never done a crime (to my recollection, that is.) ah, imagine if the 'me' of before was a criminal! i wonder what kind? perhaps i'd be some sort of thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor... what an excellent plotline, if i do say so myself. wouldn't that story be intriguing? however, if i was any sort of criminal... please have mercy on me, sheriff? :]

sincerely,

your friend.

@sincerely-some-guy

[ as soon as he gets the letter, jimmy's eyes are drawn to the blotted-out words. he tries hard to read what it says, but his efforts are fruitless. whatever it is, it's completely indecipherable. damn it. he's curious, especially considering what the earlier sentences had said. he stares at that spot on the paper for maybe a little too long. ]

[ unsolved mystery of the scribbled-out sentence aside, though, jimmy writes back pretty much immediately. it's been way too long since he's heard from his friend, after all. ]

evening!!

it's definitely been way too long, you're right. it feels like it's been ages since we last talked, at least. i've really missed you too. how's all the fogging and stuff going? or whatever you do all the way over there, haha. i've been doing well, don't you worry, you really aren't missed much. i do wish you were here, though!

and hey, you like the outfit? that's really sweet of you to say, honestly. haven't broken out the old sheriff clothes since empires, which was, like, ages ago. i'm glad you like it! you should come see it in person LOL

as for mercy, though... well, to be clear, i was a really good sheriff back in the day. catching bandits and stuff was my thing, you know! (please imagine me flexing my muscles at you right now.) none of those bad guys could ever escape me. and i definitely couldn't be bribed. ever. but, well, i think i would have to make an exception for you. privileges of being my friend! don't tell the others, though, because i absolutely would not let anyone else go free. you better feel special, haha.

love, jimmy!!

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ a sucker for a pretty face. he glances down into the river to try and glance a glimpse of his reflection, but once again, is greeted with nothing. he still doesn't know how he looks, but jimmy is looking at him with this look in his eyes that makes heat rush to his face, a fierce blush overtaking his skin. the tips of his ears feel red-hot, and he gapes openly at jimmy, before remembering to close his mouth (lest he look like a fish). him. his face. pretty. he stares into jimmy's eyes (gorgeous eyes), wordlessly, feeling like him in his entirety has been frozen in time. ]

[ jimmy is pretty. of course, this is a natural fact of life, but oh gods, jimmy is pretty. he sees it so clearly now, in the midday sun, shining down on jimmy's wings, golden and beautiful and his eyes, his eyes are this gorgeous shade of brown and his lips beautifully pink and he's looking, looking right at him with this expression he can't quite decipher but it is like his heart has been ripped out of his chest and is being inspected by those eyes. those soft, doe-like eyes full of kindness and his breath is just stolen because jimmy is pretty, but he is not just pretty he is handsome. ]

[ his hand raises out of the water, still dripping with droplets as he tucks a stray strand of hair behind his ear, even as he can't bear to rip his eyes away from eye-contact. it comes out in a singular breath. ]

"does this mean i'm weak to handsome men, then?"

[ it's an innocent enough question, but the layers are there and the tension is thick and jimmy is so much more than handsome. he is beautiful. gorgeous. ]

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

my dearest jimmy ♡,

don't tease me like that! now i'll think about it even more than i've already been thinking about it, which is, admittedly, a lot more than i should. and my stand in name was great. even if it was thought up in like five seconds when i realized i had to sign off with a name while writing letters. how unfortunate. still. it is nice. but it'd be nicer to hear it with your accent. it's a nice accent.

i told you about her, by the way, so i'm sure you'll be on the list of people who she'll drag to see me. if you see a lady with green hair and sort of intimidating red eyes, that's her! her name is illux, by the way, but she'll probably introduce herself anyways. don't feel too intimidated, and if she gives you a nickname, it's probably just meant to... acquaint you more with her. trusting my gut feeling with that. but, really, i'm excited by the prospect of seeing you again. ♡

i'm sure she can tell you some stories herself when she meets you. i honestly sort of both dread and hope that i'll remember more. an explanation for my night terrors would be lovely. but as soon as she did tell me something about the 'soldier' bit, all of a sudden the amount of bloodshed does just logically make sense, doesn't it? it is unfortunate i had to take the fall, but i still have this thought that it was better me than her. i suppose subconscious care extends through even memory wipes.

awww, thank you, by the way. it's always lovely to know you love my company as much as i love yours, jimmy. ♡ well, if we're complimenting one another, i think you should know that i also think that your eyes are beautiful. they're just this lovely shade of brown and they catch the sunlight just right when i stare at them, especially right after you've woken up. you're very cute when you're sleepy, you know? the timbre of your voice is also very nice to listen to and i like it when you get all excited about something you're interested or passionate about. your wings, of course, are also gorgeous and they have this wonderful texture and i like preening them for you. you've also got this handsome face that i adore. i like to think about you trying to figure out how to word something correctly when you're writing back to me. i wonder if you kick back your legs and think or if you frown like i do, and lean forwards? i'd like to see it for myself, one day. i miss you more than i think i say, and i say it quite often. ♡

this letter was sent quite late, by the way, so i hope you're sleeping early tonight, jimmy. don't make me break the laws of the strange creatures that imprisoned me here to force you to go to sleep!

with adoration,

lethe ♡

[ it takes him some time to gather up the nerves to write back. he'd spend the day pacing around, trying to think of an appropriate way to respond - the last paragraph is one he's read countless times, and he had stashed the letter into his drawer in the nightstand. it's precious to him, now, to take it out and read it every five minutes - and he has a feeling he'll be coming back to read it again whenever he misses jimmy. ]

[ writing that last part was like starting and being entirely unable to stop. he just hopes he isn't crossing some sort of line, but he think it's sort of due with how that letter from jimmy had left him giggling, squealing, kicking his legs, burying his face into his pillow, and then giggling some more. he rereads jimmy's letter one more time before sending his own back - is this real? is jimmy real? surely someone as lovely as him couldn't possibly be complimenting him like that. ]

[ but before he can contemplate even more, the crow steals the letters from his hands - and despite lethe's yelp of surprise and protest, it takes off into the night. lethe stares at it almost with regret. he had been thinking about rewriting it... but clearly fate had other plans. ]

sheriff,

should i start addressing you as that? sheriff? consistently? the outfit is quite fitting on you, though, i must say. you're flattering. it flatters you, i mean. [ the next line is scribbled out in ink so thoroughly it's impossible to make out what he'd originally written. ] the outfit is good on you, is what i mean to say.

i've been away for quite some time, i feel. or maybe time has just passed differently. or perhaps, time is not real at all, and i have only been gone for moments, minutes. it's hard to tell. however, i write you this letter to tell you that i have missed you, and i sincerely hope you are doing well.

i promise that i am a law-abiding citizen, though. i have never done a crime (to my recollection, that is.) ah, imagine if the 'me' of before was a criminal! i wonder what kind? perhaps i'd be some sort of thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor... what an excellent plotline, if i do say so myself. wouldn't that story be intriguing? however, if i was any sort of criminal... please have mercy on me, sheriff? :]

sincerely,

your friend.

@sincerely-some-guy

[ as soon as he gets the letter, jimmy's eyes are drawn to the blotted-out words. he tries hard to read what it says, but his efforts are fruitless. whatever it is, it's completely indecipherable. damn it. he's curious, especially considering what the earlier sentences had said. he stares at that spot on the paper for maybe a little too long. ]

[ unsolved mystery of the scribbled-out sentence aside, though, jimmy writes back pretty much immediately. it's been way too long since he's heard from his friend, after all. ]

evening!!

it's definitely been way too long, you're right. it feels like it's been ages since we last talked, at least. i've really missed you too. how's all the fogging and stuff going? or whatever you do all the way over there, haha. i've been doing well, don't you worry, you really aren't missed much. i do wish you were here, though!

and hey, you like the outfit? that's really sweet of you to say, honestly. haven't broken out the old sheriff clothes since empires, which was, like, ages ago. i'm glad you like it! you should come see it in person LOL

as for mercy, though... well, to be clear, i was a really good sheriff back in the day. catching bandits and stuff was my thing, you know! (please imagine me flexing my muscles at you right now.) none of those bad guys could ever escape me. and i definitely couldn't be bribed. ever. but, well, i think i would have to make an exception for you. privileges of being my friend! don't tell the others, though, because i absolutely would not let anyone else go free. you better feel special, haha.

love, jimmy!!

[sincerely-some-guy]

"a little water never hurt anybody," [ he agrees with a small smile and a nod of his head. he watches jimmy get into the water, admiring his wings again. genuinely, what beautiful wings they are. the elf hopes that he won't accidentally get them too soaked. ]

[ however, the urge is quite strong, so he leans over and gives the sides of the wings a soft little pat. ] "i'll help you dry them off, i promise," [ he says, before the last words register in his brain. and then- ] "oh."

[ it's not his fault that he blushes easily, averting his gaze to stare at jimmy's wings instead (and not at his bare chest, hooray!), face pink. ] "that's very sweet of you, jimmy," [ he manages without stuttering over a singular word, but his voice is slightly strained. ] "you're very sweet, i mean." [ this man has apparently just gotten into the water just for him. what's the normal way to react to this? he does not know how to react normally, apparently. ]

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

dearest jimmy ♡,

well, it's a bit of a long story, and if i miss any details when talking about it here, you can always ask me about it when i'm there with you. but. thank you. i'm glad you think my name is pretty. i wonder how you'd pronounce it? i think it must be in a manner that would be pleasant to hear on the ears.

about my sister, though - she's very good with like... code. she told me all sorts of stories about her exploits from before. it's honestly baffling - she and i apparently got up to a multitude of insane things. what do you mean we jumped from server to server together, i had to stop her from trying to behead someone, and then we left when we felt like it was time? well. other than that, apparently she's the reason i'm stuck here. it was an accident, of course - she fucked around with some beings that were incredibly powerful by rigging a game of theirs in favour of the players, and i willingly took the repercussions, which is. i can't even say that i wouldn't, because i would. i'm a little upset with her, but i understand why things played out the way that they did. she doesn't have an exact quota for time for when she's going to get me out, and she told me she's going to start stealing people to take them to me if she can't get me out soon and try and connect with someone else who's good with the code in order to let me leave. so. progress! more than nothing!

if you came to bother me all the time, i think nothing else would make me happier, by the way. spending time with you always brings me this sort of warmth that just makes me feel. loved? cared about? consistently, and it's lovely. you're lovely. (and yes, i do think you're adorable, jimmy. ♡)

hehe, it's very unfortunate i wasn't there then to give you a few tips and tricks. i think systems of judgement and power are genuinely fascinating in how they work and how they come to be, as well as how they're managed. that's very sweet, though, the notion that you could do things better if i was with you - if i could help out in any way, i'd be honoured and very pleased. (apparently, i was a soldier. well, she didn't tell me this directly, but she calls me 'soldier boy' every once in awhile, so i can pick up the very obvious hint.) so, i'm very well-versed in how they work, at least subconsciously. besides, if i could be by your side, i think i'd do just about anything and weather anything with you. thank you for listening - or, well, reading, what i have to say.

i suppose you're right, though, too. 'with one another' does have this sort of ring to it, doesn't it? ♡

with love (and also thinking about you always),

lethe ♡

[ as he packages the letter and hands it to one of the crows, he feels like some sort of teenage girl with a crush for the first time, giggling and kicking her feet. he sends off the letter with a kiss to the seal and watches as the crow soars away with something like hope. ]

sheriff,

should i start addressing you as that? sheriff? consistently? the outfit is quite fitting on you, though, i must say. you're flattering. it flatters you, i mean. [ the next line is scribbled out in ink so thoroughly it's impossible to make out what he'd originally written. ] the outfit is good on you, is what i mean to say.

i've been away for quite some time, i feel. or maybe time has just passed differently. or perhaps, time is not real at all, and i have only been gone for moments, minutes. it's hard to tell. however, i write you this letter to tell you that i have missed you, and i sincerely hope you are doing well.

i promise that i am a law-abiding citizen, though. i have never done a crime (to my recollection, that is.) ah, imagine if the 'me' of before was a criminal! i wonder what kind? perhaps i'd be some sort of thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor... what an excellent plotline, if i do say so myself. wouldn't that story be intriguing? however, if i was any sort of criminal... please have mercy on me, sheriff? :]

sincerely,

your friend.

@sincerely-some-guy

[ as soon as he gets the letter, jimmy's eyes are drawn to the blotted-out words. he tries hard to read what it says, but his efforts are fruitless. whatever it is, it's completely indecipherable. damn it. he's curious, especially considering what the earlier sentences had said. he stares at that spot on the paper for maybe a little too long. ]

[ unsolved mystery of the scribbled-out sentence aside, though, jimmy writes back pretty much immediately. it's been way too long since he's heard from his friend, after all. ]

evening!!

it's definitely been way too long, you're right. it feels like it's been ages since we last talked, at least. i've really missed you too. how's all the fogging and stuff going? or whatever you do all the way over there, haha. i've been doing well, don't you worry, you really aren't missed much. i do wish you were here, though!

and hey, you like the outfit? that's really sweet of you to say, honestly. haven't broken out the old sheriff clothes since empires, which was, like, ages ago. i'm glad you like it! you should come see it in person LOL

as for mercy, though... well, to be clear, i was a really good sheriff back in the day. catching bandits and stuff was my thing, you know! (please imagine me flexing my muscles at you right now.) none of those bad guys could ever escape me. and i definitely couldn't be bribed. ever. but, well, i think i would have to make an exception for you. privileges of being my friend! don't tell the others, though, because i absolutely would not let anyone else go free. you better feel special, haha.

love, jimmy!!

[sincerely-some-guy]

It's so strange. One moment, he is alone, and the next, he has a sister, tellig him she's going to get him out of here. His head spins with unanswered questions, with queries that haunt him. His nightmares, the before, who had he been, what had happened? What event had spurred this all to happen? But for now, there's so much going on. He invites her in. Makes her tea. Illux tells him he always used to make tea this way for her, too. They share stories. He tells her about all the mailboxes, and meeting his friends. She tells him about how she'd gotten involved in some scheme about beheading a guy. Lethe can't help but chuckle - for some reason, that feels right when associating that with Illux.

They talk. He asks questions. She hesitates before answering, sometimes, like she's considering lying. He asks about his past, and Illux shakes her head. "Let's not talk about that right now, with all that I've already dropped on you, I don't think you could handle it." The worst part is that she's right. She knows him well, if he had doubted her words before, he can't now. She reads his body language like it's second nature, catches onto what he really means to say - she knows him, knows who he is, knows what kind of person that he is. They talk. She tells him about the event.

Apparently, Illux had decided it was a great idea to hack into a game of these creatures called the Watchers, and he had wanted to go with her to protect her (and he knows he would do that kind of thing. It's just in his nature). They had caught him instead of her, and he had been sentenced to this entire thing in the pale garden. That is why he had been stuck in this limbo for ages.

At first, Lethe wants to blame her. He wants to blame her for everything he's gone through. He had breathed in deeply, hands tightening around his cup, and then he had left to go outside. Illux had watched him, and then when he had come inside, asked if he was angry.

He told her he was upset, but that he wasn't going to take it out on her. Illux's shoulders, which had been tensed, relaxed. He asked if he did that before. Illux shook her head, and told him that she was just anxious. He left it at that. So they turned to better topics.

Back to better stories. Better times. They didn't talk more about the past, or his unanswered questions. He made her laugh, she made him laugh, and through the course of that night, Lethe came to understand why they were siblings.

It takes her so, so long to track him down. Finding him is one of the hardest things she's ever done in her life. The Watchers are thorough with their work in the code, after all - isolating him as punishment and making sure that people don't get through so that they can revel in the solitary punishment and the sorrow, she can already imagine it. (It makes a part of her heart squeeze - leaving him behind, running away like that, how cowardly - she's Illux, she's unstoppable, unbeatable, she's more than that. And yet, in that moment, she had fled. How pathetic.)

It doesn't matter, though, because she's found him, after all this time of searching. Wandering through the fog and bashing through every single piece of code that tries to stop her, making a path through and forcing it aside through sheer force of will - that is what brought Illux to, finally, the other end. She knows she's near, heartbeat thrumming and fluttering like that of a hummingbird's in anticipation as she sees the first clearings of the fog up above. She's been checking the code every other second to make sure she's still moving forwards, still moving towards him. The anxiety makes her almost ready to puke - so many hours of work, all leading up to this moment where they will finally be reunited.

She pushes through the last remnants of the fog, and makes a break through it, the fog dispersing around her form as she steps through onto grass that is much less green than it should be. The Pale Garden eats away at the colour of things, turns them lifeless, saps the energy from them - Illux knows this well. She's been researching this place, after all. Her boots crush the grass as she approaches, pushing past brushes and trees.

It's a beautiful day outside. The sun shines through the branches, the sound of crows are chirping - and those must be his. Illux remembers that he always inexplicably seemed to have them gather around. She pushes through, step after step, hands shaking with the effort. And then, there it is - the sound of his voice. He is singing.

Illux chases.

(We will be reunited.)

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ for some reason, as he picks up the pen to write the letter back, his heart does a little stutter in his chest as he looks at the placement of the heart. they'd been exchanging letters like these - a little bit of a border over the label of friendship for some time, and the little hearts are so lovely and after the day he's had, for some reason, it makes him feel warm. he begins to write. ]

dearest sheriff ♡,

i've had.. an eventful day, today. i've met this girl. i've dreamed of her face, before, but today i met her actually in person. she told me that she knew me from before i was in the pale garden. we didn't talk for long. the fact that i've forgotten all about this... sister, that i used to have, is... well, admittedly upsetting. but she's said she's going to come back and that she's going to find a way to get me to leave, so i think we have good news. on another note, she told me what my name is. my name is lethe. it's never felt so real before, and i know it must be true, because it feels so right. my name is lethe.

enough about that, though. i'll admit you've made me feel quite warm and fuzzy with that first paragraph. you're very important to me too, jimmy, and i do my best to reply as quickly as possible because i like updating you about this, i like talking to you. i love spending time with you or being with you in any way possible, even if that's just through a letter. thank you for always writing back.

unfortunately, i think i might find it more adorable when i actually see it on you. ♡

well, if you want to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies, establishing the fact that you will actually do something drastic to implement the idea of power into other people's hearts is definitely a classic way to go. i could talk more about this and how people respect raw power and an establishment of power through typically violent means more rather than passive, but i'm not sure if you want to hear me rant about how people respect systems & how to set up one. especially since they're so easily corruptible, especially if you're using violence as a way to subdue other people (which i don't always agree with, i think it should be a last resort if people really and truly do not listen). but, that aside, of course i would say that. if it's something from you, i think i would truly adore anything you made.

i'm not sure if i'd look good in 'just about anything', but i'll take your word for it... and.. every other compliment. ♡ ♡ [ the ink dries here, as if he had to think very hard before writing what he wrote next. ] you're also very handsome, in my opinion, jimmy. i'll wear that deputy badge and anything you give me without complaint at all. it's like almost an official statement that we're in cahoots, or with one another.. isn't that cute?

i also don't think that's weird. i think it's very sweet. when you come back to visit me or when i leave, i'll sing for you as much as you want.

love,

lethe ♡

sheriff,

should i start addressing you as that? sheriff? consistently? the outfit is quite fitting on you, though, i must say. you're flattering. it flatters you, i mean. [ the next line is scribbled out in ink so thoroughly it's impossible to make out what he'd originally written. ] the outfit is good on you, is what i mean to say.

i've been away for quite some time, i feel. or maybe time has just passed differently. or perhaps, time is not real at all, and i have only been gone for moments, minutes. it's hard to tell. however, i write you this letter to tell you that i have missed you, and i sincerely hope you are doing well.

i promise that i am a law-abiding citizen, though. i have never done a crime (to my recollection, that is.) ah, imagine if the 'me' of before was a criminal! i wonder what kind? perhaps i'd be some sort of thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor... what an excellent plotline, if i do say so myself. wouldn't that story be intriguing? however, if i was any sort of criminal... please have mercy on me, sheriff? :]

sincerely,

your friend.

@sincerely-some-guy

[ as soon as he gets the letter, jimmy's eyes are drawn to the blotted-out words. he tries hard to read what it says, but his efforts are fruitless. whatever it is, it's completely indecipherable. damn it. he's curious, especially considering what the earlier sentences had said. he stares at that spot on the paper for maybe a little too long. ]

[ unsolved mystery of the scribbled-out sentence aside, though, jimmy writes back pretty much immediately. it's been way too long since he's heard from his friend, after all. ]

evening!!

it's definitely been way too long, you're right. it feels like it's been ages since we last talked, at least. i've really missed you too. how's all the fogging and stuff going? or whatever you do all the way over there, haha. i've been doing well, don't you worry, you really aren't missed much. i do wish you were here, though!

and hey, you like the outfit? that's really sweet of you to say, honestly. haven't broken out the old sheriff clothes since empires, which was, like, ages ago. i'm glad you like it! you should come see it in person LOL

as for mercy, though... well, to be clear, i was a really good sheriff back in the day. catching bandits and stuff was my thing, you know! (please imagine me flexing my muscles at you right now.) none of those bad guys could ever escape me. and i definitely couldn't be bribed. ever. but, well, i think i would have to make an exception for you. privileges of being my friend! don't tell the others, though, because i absolutely would not let anyone else go free. you better feel special, haha.

love, jimmy!!

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ jimmy shouldn't fault himself for staring, because lethe stares, too. seeing someone else shirtless for the first time can be his excuse, but it's a poor one, considering the truth is that jimmy is - jimmy. jimmy is solidly built and aesthetically pleasing and nice to look at. do not stare at his muscles do not stare at them do not stare at them is his internal monologue as he rips his eyes away. great. he's not staring! exactly what he wanted. ]

"n... no," [ he replies, wincing as he stutters. ] "yeah, no, it's okay. not that cold at all."

[ he slides off of where he'd been sitting next to it to fully sink down into it. he's chosen a part of the river where it's not that deep, it goes a little bit up further past his waist, and he does worry about jimmy's wings. ]

"are your wings going to be alright if you get in, actually?" [ he questions. his gaze wanders to them, instead. beautiful, gold, shining in the sunlight, catching it just right - they do look like the wings of an angel, he realizes. they are so beautiful. they had been so soft to preen. if they get wet, he wonders if he could have the honour of preening them again...? ]

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

The days go by slowly, sometimes, even more so after Jimmy is gone. He finds himself missing the presence of his friend more and more as time passes, the letters they exchange not enough to fill the gaping, vacant hole in his chest. Jimmy had brought with him this sort of warmth - and he was a man who had never known it before. He is left craving the last ebbing traces of sunshine. To fill in the gaps, he writes. He talks to his crows, and now, he is singing his song. He does not notice the approaching of another person until he hears the cracking of a branch, and his voice comes to a trembling halt. Nobody had told him that they were coming. Is someone here to hurt him? It could be a surprise visit, but he doesn't want to assume.

The guitar is set aside, and he pulls out his sword with practiced ease. Why is it so easy? Why is it natural? What life has he lived before? And then, he waits. Waits for someone to come.

And come she does.

She steps into the clearing, eerily familiar, and yet a stranger all the same. Her long green hair, the black streaks in them, the eyes that are red - they are things that hold this sense of deja vu, in dreams that he scrambles to remember. He remembers the rain, the billboards, the neon signs - who was she? The woman that had been haunting his dreams for the past few weeks? He could get his answers now it seemed, because inexplicably, she is standing in front of him. Right up in the path that leads up to his house, she stands, hands shaking, eyes wide.

They hold eye contact. He opens his mouth to speak, to say something, anything - what's going on, why have you been in my dreams? But she speaks first.

"Lethe," she breathes, and-

("Lethe, soldier boy, you're gonna do me a favour-"

"Lethe, my friend-"

"Lethe, my most valiant knight, I beseech this of you-"

"Protect him with your life, Lethe-"

"Lethe!"

"Lethe, what are you up to?")

It's his name. His name, she knows him, she's known him from this before, this before, this thing he thought he almost might have not had. The thing he - Lethe! - has been searching for, for so long, she has come and she brings questions but an answer and she brings his name and his face opens into the widest smile he's had in so long.

"Is that my name?" He breathes, out loud, staring at her with wide eyes.

She frowns back at him. "What do you mean?" She says, and that excitement that had been on her face has now twisted into this confusion that makes Lethe's mouth go dry.

"I..." He tries to form a word, a sentence.

"Lethe, what do you mean, is that my name?" Her voice comes out sharper, now.

"I'm sorry, it's just - who are you?"

It takes her so, so long to track him down. Finding him is one of the hardest things she's ever done in her life. The Watchers are thorough with their work in the code, after all - isolating him as punishment and making sure that people don't get through so that they can revel in the solitary punishment and the sorrow, she can already imagine it. (It makes a part of her heart squeeze - leaving him behind, running away like that, how cowardly - she's Illux, she's unstoppable, unbeatable, she's more than that. And yet, in that moment, she had fled. How pathetic.)

It doesn't matter, though, because she's found him, after all this time of searching. Wandering through the fog and bashing through every single piece of code that tries to stop her, making a path through and forcing it aside through sheer force of will - that is what brought Illux to, finally, the other end. She knows she's near, heartbeat thrumming and fluttering like that of a hummingbird's in anticipation as she sees the first clearings of the fog up above. She's been checking the code every other second to make sure she's still moving forwards, still moving towards him. The anxiety makes her almost ready to puke - so many hours of work, all leading up to this moment where they will finally be reunited.

She pushes through the last remnants of the fog, and makes a break through it, the fog dispersing around her form as she steps through onto grass that is much less green than it should be. The Pale Garden eats away at the colour of things, turns them lifeless, saps the energy from them - Illux knows this well. She's been researching this place, after all. Her boots crush the grass as she approaches, pushing past brushes and trees.

It's a beautiful day outside. The sun shines through the branches, the sound of crows are chirping - and those must be his. Illux remembers that he always inexplicably seemed to have them gather around. She pushes through, step after step, hands shaking with the effort. And then, there it is - the sound of his voice. He is singing.

Illux chases.

(We will be reunited.)

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ he laughs, and crouches down to undo the laces on his shoes. ] "i absolutely do."

[ he tosses one boot aside. then off comes the sock, carefully tucked into the shoe itself. he's preparing to get into the water and swim. then, comes off his shirt, unbuttoned and set to the side carefully. he takes the time to fold it, making a semi-conscious note about the scars along his arms once more. ]

"and, you're sort of right. i do come here a lot, and sometimes the crows like to get into the water with me, if they're feeling adventurous." [ as if summoned by his words, a few crows caw, fluttering down to the ground to join him and peck at his boot. it makes him laugh. ] "swimming is nice. especially when it gets warmer, it's a nice way to cool off. i once had a day so warm that i spent basically the entire day inside of here."

[ off comes the other boot and sock with ease. ]

[ he dips his toes into the water - and once satisfied with the temperature, he drops most of his legs inside, all the way up to his knees. and then, he turns to jimmy with a smile, and asks- ] "wanna go for a swim together?"

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

sheriff ♡,

of course i'll get back to you quickly. i'm always, admittedly, very excited when your messages come in and i almost always start immediately replying as soon as i catch a second. you mean a lot to me, after all. i'll make sure to tell the crows that you miss them. and of course i return. the time you spent with me i think is the happiest i have ever been.

aww, you do have a little badge and a hat! that's adorable, i love that. i will be looking forwards to seeing you in that outfit, by the way, i'll have you know.

i don't think i've ever messaged this 'fwhip' individual personally - he does not seem to have a mailbox, unfortunately, because what you two have done together sounds quite incredible and very interesting. thieves tormenting your empire? had you ever considered publicly executing them for disrespecting the law? (is that still a thing? for some reason, i feel like wherever i've come from originally must have had that as a thing, because it feels natural, but now that i think about it, i'm sure other places must have different ways of going about things.) that would have probably scared off the rest of them, but TNT is good as well. and, i think i would have liked the town. if it was yours, i would have loved it, actually.

when i get out of here, we'll go visit together. and if that's what you want from me, i'll absolutely dress up in the clothes. i wouldn't mind a change of my closet or of my fashion - i think i could probably pull it off, don't you? i wonder how i'd look in that sort of fashion (and i have no frame of reference, considering i don't know what i look like). do you think i'd look alright?

i miss you too, jimmy.

with lots of love,

your friend ♡

sheriff,

should i start addressing you as that? sheriff? consistently? the outfit is quite fitting on you, though, i must say. you're flattering. it flatters you, i mean. [ the next line is scribbled out in ink so thoroughly it's impossible to make out what he'd originally written. ] the outfit is good on you, is what i mean to say.

i've been away for quite some time, i feel. or maybe time has just passed differently. or perhaps, time is not real at all, and i have only been gone for moments, minutes. it's hard to tell. however, i write you this letter to tell you that i have missed you, and i sincerely hope you are doing well.

i promise that i am a law-abiding citizen, though. i have never done a crime (to my recollection, that is.) ah, imagine if the 'me' of before was a criminal! i wonder what kind? perhaps i'd be some sort of thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor... what an excellent plotline, if i do say so myself. wouldn't that story be intriguing? however, if i was any sort of criminal... please have mercy on me, sheriff? :]

sincerely,

your friend.

@sincerely-some-guy

[ as soon as he gets the letter, jimmy's eyes are drawn to the blotted-out words. he tries hard to read what it says, but his efforts are fruitless. whatever it is, it's completely indecipherable. damn it. he's curious, especially considering what the earlier sentences had said. he stares at that spot on the paper for maybe a little too long. ]

[ unsolved mystery of the scribbled-out sentence aside, though, jimmy writes back pretty much immediately. it's been way too long since he's heard from his friend, after all. ]

evening!!

it's definitely been way too long, you're right. it feels like it's been ages since we last talked, at least. i've really missed you too. how's all the fogging and stuff going? or whatever you do all the way over there, haha. i've been doing well, don't you worry, you really aren't missed much. i do wish you were here, though!

and hey, you like the outfit? that's really sweet of you to say, honestly. haven't broken out the old sheriff clothes since empires, which was, like, ages ago. i'm glad you like it! you should come see it in person LOL

as for mercy, though... well, to be clear, i was a really good sheriff back in the day. catching bandits and stuff was my thing, you know! (please imagine me flexing my muscles at you right now.) none of those bad guys could ever escape me. and i definitely couldn't be bribed. ever. but, well, i think i would have to make an exception for you. privileges of being my friend! don't tell the others, though, because i absolutely would not let anyone else go free. you better feel special, haha.

love, jimmy!!

[sincerely-some-guy]

am i gay quiz

h

[sincerely-some-guy]

sheriff,

i've not done much, unfortunately. i think you know better than most that life in the pale garden isn't exactly exciting. don't think i didn't see you pacing before i had to force you to go back home. i occupy myself, though. do you remember that river i brought you to? i've been down there quite a few times. i tend to go there now when i miss you. i've been writing a bit, and tending to the crows - they're more hungry for seeds than usual. i think they miss you, too. i always wish i was there with you.

as soon as i figure out how to get out of here, i'm forcing you to get into those clothes if you've ditched them by then. you'll have to do it. i must see it happen. do you have a badge? i remember sheriffs are supposed to have badges. i don't remember ever meeting one other than you, though. i'm curious.

and now that you've written that, i'm incredibly curious. what escapades were you up to on empires that involved bribing? catching criminals? your stories intrigue me - all these things that have happened between you and your friends are always fascinating. it makes me want to have been there to experience it as well. if i had been in empires, i wonder how things would have gone. i would have gotten to see a lot more of you, at the very least, under a blue sky where i could do as i liked. wouldn't that be lovely?

(thank you for making an exception for me, though. i won't tell a soul! i feel very special and very honoured, sheriff.)

i'm so glad to have heard back from you.

love,

your friend. ♡

sheriff,

should i start addressing you as that? sheriff? consistently? the outfit is quite fitting on you, though, i must say. you're flattering. it flatters you, i mean. [ the next line is scribbled out in ink so thoroughly it's impossible to make out what he'd originally written. ] the outfit is good on you, is what i mean to say.

i've been away for quite some time, i feel. or maybe time has just passed differently. or perhaps, time is not real at all, and i have only been gone for moments, minutes. it's hard to tell. however, i write you this letter to tell you that i have missed you, and i sincerely hope you are doing well.

i promise that i am a law-abiding citizen, though. i have never done a crime (to my recollection, that is.) ah, imagine if the 'me' of before was a criminal! i wonder what kind? perhaps i'd be some sort of thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor... what an excellent plotline, if i do say so myself. wouldn't that story be intriguing? however, if i was any sort of criminal... please have mercy on me, sheriff? :]

sincerely,

your friend.

@sincerely-some-guy

[ as soon as he gets the letter, jimmy's eyes are drawn to the blotted-out words. he tries hard to read what it says, but his efforts are fruitless. whatever it is, it's completely indecipherable. damn it. he's curious, especially considering what the earlier sentences had said. he stares at that spot on the paper for maybe a little too long. ]

[ unsolved mystery of the scribbled-out sentence aside, though, jimmy writes back pretty much immediately. it's been way too long since he's heard from his friend, after all. ]

evening!!

it's definitely been way too long, you're right. it feels like it's been ages since we last talked, at least. i've really missed you too. how's all the fogging and stuff going? or whatever you do all the way over there, haha. i've been doing well, don't you worry, you really aren't missed much. i do wish you were here, though!

and hey, you like the outfit? that's really sweet of you to say, honestly. haven't broken out the old sheriff clothes since empires, which was, like, ages ago. i'm glad you like it! you should come see it in person LOL

as for mercy, though... well, to be clear, i was a really good sheriff back in the day. catching bandits and stuff was my thing, you know! (please imagine me flexing my muscles at you right now.) none of those bad guys could ever escape me. and i definitely couldn't be bribed. ever. but, well, i think i would have to make an exception for you. privileges of being my friend! don't tell the others, though, because i absolutely would not let anyone else go free. you better feel special, haha.

love, jimmy!!

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ he lets out a delighted little hum, excitedly tapping his fingers against his legs with a large smile as he catches jimmy's gaze. ]

you're a wonderful friend.

[ a friend who he had pledged to die for less than 24 hours ago. ]

i promise that i'll try to make the time you spend with me here - a good time.

[ and so he tries. he takes jimmy through his house, shows him the interior of his room, and the place that he uses to write his letters at. he shows him the quill and ink that he fashionably uses sometimes, sat right next to the pen - the kitchen, his cupboards, even the basement that has materials that he doesn't have access to in the overworld to use in it. ]

[ he shows him around the house, and then to the farm in the back of the house that he uses to grow his crops - and then, he takes jimmy for a walk down to the river. it's one of his favourite places to be. he spends hours staring at it, sometimes, waiting for his reflection to appear - waiting for something to happen. there are no fish in the water, after all, but he enjoys sometimes swimming in it as well. he leads jimmy by the hand to it, afraid to lose him, even though they are nowhere near the border of the fog. ]

"this is one of my favourite places to be," [ he informs jimmy with a bright smile, gesturing to the little clearing where the river runs through. ] "i swim in here sometimes, you know. the water's a little cold at first, but i get used to it fast. plus, there's no fish in here, so it's just a generally gorgeous place to be, don't you think?"

[ the clouds have let up today, and the sun shines against the water in a way that makes it glimmer golden in the light. ]

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ jimmy's faith in him makes him want to believe. it almost makes him believe. but something in the back of his mind says that it just won't happen. that it's impossible. that it could simply never be. his grip on jimmy's hand tightens a little as he considers his words - so kind, so assured. there is no way to be assured that this will happen, but he wants to believe, so badly so. he... ]

you've made me the most happy i've been in ages, jimmy.

[ he admits. because it's true. having people over is wonderful, and jimmy is a wonderful guest. it makes the elf want to just. ... he's not sure what he wants to do. so instead, he rubs his thumb over one of jimmy's knuckles. ]

life here is monotone. but when - when, [ he repeats. ] you get me out of here, i'm sure i'll find more joy in my everyday life. but with you here, there's no way i can find my life repetitive and boring. you're here.

[ he repeats it, as if he only just now knows that he's here. ]

you're here.

[ again. because jimmy is here. he can hardly believe it, even if he's just sang him a song and made him breakfast. a silly smile spreads across his face as he stares down at their hands, intertwined. ]

so. i won't worry. i trust you, after all.

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ he dreams of green. not the green of grass, or the green the trees, but rather a neon-green, billboards, flashing lights. he dreams of green and blue, dark skies, rain dripping down like a leaking faucet, hitting what feels like stone but more smooth, more well-built, less rudimentary. he dreams of neon green and blinking lights and a girl who stands with her back faced to him in the middle of empty streets. ]

[ he dreams of green. he dreams of reaching out to her, asking her what her name is, why she is here, why he is not dreaming of screaming and crying and mountains of blood. he asks her who she is, what he is, where he is, what's happening, what's going on- ]

[ she turns around, and he dreams of red. ]

[sincerely-some-guy]

[ the elf is sure that his face is bright pink, blushing down to the tips of his ears. ] you're too sweet - your flattery is greatly appreciated.

[ he says, nearly tripping over his words as he does so. receiving so many compliments... even if he doesn't know who griande is... it's enough to make him run even more warm than he had felt before. jimmy had watched attentively. does... does he like attention? ]

[ it's a fact that he stores about himself n his mind. knowing anything about who he is is important to him. to start to slowly recover who he is... that's important to him. ]

but i would... i would like to leave this place. there are so many things that i would like to see. a blue sky, like i... like i know it to be. rain in a place that isn't this forest. i want to see what you've built too, jimmy. what everyone has built. i want to taste freedom again.

[ the tone of his voice becomes sombre, but he looks up to meet jimmy's gaze again, and he finds himself smiling. ]

but i'm okay. i get to spend time with you. and that makes me very happy. so thank you.

... continuation from here. @jimmys-mailbox

[ the next morning, the light shines through the curtains of the living room where jimmy is sleeping. it's accompanied by the sound of someone singing a slow yet hopeful tune. the words are a little out of reach, but most of it is simply open-mouthed singing, the sound filling the cabin with the feeling of 'home'. ]

[ it seems that jimmy's companion got up earlier than he did, and is making breakfast for the both of them. ]