Baby End. Like really baby. Maybe from the perspective of Hestia watching on as these tiny kids play this game. How much she wants to keep Endymion being happy and having friends and just being a kid. And she’s just 5 years older than him, she’s a kid too, and she’s bruised and battered but at least she has food for him.
It would be a waste. The body of his dearest was still, free of all of the dark taint that had until recently covered him from head to toe. And yet there was still the sunlight substance left in the jar. It would be a waste to leave it.
Of course, he valued the life of Nola. She was his friend. But they both agreed to this sacrifice, right? She built the device, she had to have known this was the use. For End. She would have wanted this. She loved End too. Not as much as Faust did, but she loved him too.
And it was in respect to her life that he realised he couldn’t waste the last ounces of her life. It must be used.
The process this time wasn’t as taxing and invasive as it was for End. End needed to be purged from the inside out. For Faust, the taint melted off his hands under the the pouring of Sol.
Sol. He hadn't ever seen it in his early life. It was new, something of this time. Of Muna's jars. Of it dripping over tainting hands followed by a sharp slap.
But as it settled beneath his skin it reminded him of the old. The gold she moulded around jewels. The sparkle in her eye as she raved about what she loved. It was a piece of her within him.
And it hurt.
It was a dull pain if left alone. Like the numbing pain of ice burn. When it was touched, a sharp spark of pain rattled through his whole body. When he thought about it, he could only think of the pain she would have gone through. Pain he could only imagine based on an old letter addressed to him.
It reminded him of his dear friend. Reminded him of the moments they shared. Reminded him of the terrible events that he never even witnessed.
Nostalgia on his arm. Horrible, terrible nostalgia.
((U KNOW THIS GOTTA BE HEARTPROBLEMS I KNOW THAT’S WHAT U WANT UNless I’m misreading and I’m just a sappy butt))
Home was with people. With Hestia, splitting food she had aquired. With Nola looking over her shoulder as she worked. He was most lost not when he had no stable home, but when he had no person.
End’s current home sat in his arms, dozing off, afternoon light streaming through the windows. He didn’t blame Muna. It was comfortable and warm together here. End was trying his best not to sleep as well. He didn’t want to miss this moment together.
Muna sat, half laying, with his back against End and his head over the taller’s heart. End had an arm dangled over his shoulder, which Muna clung to. It was peaceful and nice and End knew that he would probably lose feeling in that arm in no time.
This was home. Home was also paddycake. And holding hands. And shared looks in hope that the other wouldn’t put himself in harms way when danger threatened again. And recovery.
Home was also the odd words Muna muttered as he drifted off that made End’s cheeks colour. End wasn’t sure where Muna had aquired this habit. He was just glad that they had this moment alone. He wondered if anyone had heard about Muna mumble these things in the past. He hoped not. And if they did he hoped they just assumed that Muna was in a honey coated dreamland and nothing more.
End wasn’t sure how long it had been- he may have started to doze off himself -by the time Muna stirred. He felt Muna’s breath shift as he moved to awaken; still slow but heavier. His grip on End’s arm loosened and he untangled one arm to hold End’s hand.
“Morning,” Muna said in hoarse tone, too comfortable to move his arms to sign. It was late afternoon by now.
End gave a small smile, that couldn’t be seen. “Morning…”
Muna moved slowly to stretch himself out, trying to keep his hand in End’s while doing so.
“Do you….. want some tea…?”
Muna hummed in consideration. By the way Muna looked at him, End guessed that he was considering rejecting tea so he could settle right back in to End and go back to sleep.
Obviously Muna convinced himself not to do that as he responded with “OK.”
End shifted to leave. Muna placed a kiss on the back of his hand before letting it go. A goodbye present, even though End would be out of the room for maybe only 5 minutes.
“Thank you…” End muttered in response to the kiss as he left. He caught sight of Muna’s smile and gave a small smile back before turning the corner into the kitchen.
