Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Soft clicks echoed from the slightly ajar bedroom door. The tapping of a controller could be heard and the screen emitted blue light that illuminated the dark room.

“No, I’m not getting up there! You get up there instead!” A girl’s voice rang outside the room, a playful frustration laced in her tone. The girl was stretched across her bedroom floor, one leg curled lazily over a pillow and the other tapping rapidly against the carpet while she pressed buttons on her controller. Her back was resting against the edge of the bed, and the light from the TV screen flickered softly across her face.

Yawning slightly, she skewed her headphones back in place—not paying too much attention to the outside world so why not just put her full attention on the game in front of her? Her room was a typical mess with tangled blankets, empty snack wrappers, and a plush or two poking out from a pile of laundry in the corner. The kind of area that seemed inhabited. Safe. Normal. "Hey! Dude, you’re the one who missed the jump! Not me!” she shouted, voice carrying through the mic.

On the other side of the screen, her teammate winced at the loud exclamation. “I didn't see it. You didn't even tell me WHEN to jump!?” “It should've been visible! It’s literally right there! Right there I’m telling you!”

MountPARRY, her teammate, groaned in frustration. This wasn't new to him; it was basically their normal routine at this point—just another day of her doing whatever she wanted to do or with him and her bickering back and forth about just about everything.

“This is supposed to be teamwork, Fern,” Mount said exasperatedly. The girl, whom we now know as Fern, chose FernBee as her gamer tag because it was very close to her full name: Aki Fernsby. “You say teamwork, I say freelance,” she responded confidently. She couldn't see from the other side of the screen, but he deadpanned before answering back, “You freelance us straight to failure every time.” Aki gasped, clutching her chest with one hand, making her character stand in one place.

Mount hits her character and moves to the other side: “Get moving, drama queen. We have a time limit on this part.” Unfortunately for him, she is still committed to her small bit. She sets the controller down and moves the mic closer to her mouth as she sighs loudly. “You know… I didn’t know that I’d live a day to be betrayed by my own teammate... Especially one whom I’ve known for years…!”

He groaned and hit her character again, fed up with her behaviour. “We are not doing this again, not right now.” If only she could see him right now, there would be frown lines on his forehead paired with muttered profanities and aggressive controller mashing.

“Okay, okay, geez louise!” She gave up on her theatrics and picked up her controller, making her character sprint and follow Mount’s character close by. “You know, sometimes I feel like you need help. Loosen up a little dude, have some tea or therapy… or both.” 

“Both. I definitely need both.” He muttered, not really caring if his mic picked up what he said. His words carried out to the other side of the screen (Aki’s side) in which in response, she only rolled her eyes before they both settled down. Both of their play styles were very different which made others wonder how they could be in the same place without having any conflicts.

Of course, there are some disagreements here and there, but they somehow managed to make it work. 

An hour later…

Aki stretched her limbs after setting her controller down on the floor. “Okay but, technically, I did get the final hit. So you should say thanks to me.” 

“Technically, you got us both killed.” Mount clicked his tongue before looking through his menu. She shrugged and slumped down to the floor and took a deep sigh. Her toes on her right foot went and grabbed the blanket that was hanging off her bed and settled it on her body.

Her eyes flickered across her room.

Empty cans on the desk. Clothes were in the corner of her room that hadn’t been put away in weeks. Wrappers were shoved halfway under the bed. She turned to her side and curled like a baby in a mother’s womb as she clutched the blanket closer. Mount was still talking from time to time, but she tuned him out and just focused on his breathing and the background noise from his end.

She bit her lip, suddenly too aware of the mess around her. It wasn't gross or anything... Maybe. Sure, there’s a bad smell coming from one corner (presumably a dead mouse that she had trapped in a glass and forgotten about but that's for another story) and from another corner (her trash), but it’s not that bad, right? It’s not messy… just- organised clutter.

She wasn't sure when she last changed her sheets, but it shouldn't be a huge deal, right? The sheets don't smell, so it should be nothing. She scrunched her nose, realising how pathetic her room was under the pale light that was still radiating from the screen.

“Alright, I’m gonna log off.” Aki suddenly spoke up, cutting him mid-sentence of his rant she wasn't even paying attention to.

Mount paused. “…already?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some stuff to do in the morning.” She was feeling tired but it wasn’t because of the lack of sleep. But, it is true that she had to do something in the morning.

“Okay, you can go. Don’t bail out or leave me the next time we play with each other.” “Got it, boss, no promises though.”

She yawned as she reached for the controller she had left on the floor and exited the game before taking her phone from her bed. “Okie, bye.” “Bye Fern.”

Tap!

And just like that, her call with Mount ended. She disconnected her wireless headphones from her phone by turning off the Bluetooth and then stood up as she walked towards her TV. The Xbox menu music hummed low as she stared at it as if she might queue for another game out of habit, but today was enough for her. Her eyes were burning already and her limbs felt like jelly.

She leaned down and pressed the power off button on the Xbox and then proceeded to unplug her TV. The screen went blank, leaving her standing there barefoot in silence as it got louder with no more of Mount’s talking or music to fill the empty room.

Her feet dragged her back to her mattress and made a mental note to buy food from the supermarket as her mini fridge in her room was running out of food to binge on and her refrigerator was also running out of food. She plopped down on her mattress and used her toes to grab the blanket on the floor and throw it on herself.

She became frustrated and scratched her head as she remembered that her phone was still on the ground. Being too lazy to pick it up, she decided to just pick it up in the morning when she wakes up. She turned to her side and closed her eyes as she began to doze off.

🌅

Morning arrived, light peeking through her curtain in strips. Aki groaned as she turned over to her other side and scrunched her nose as she opened her eyes. She starts to pat her bed, trying to find her phone but ends up panicking. Her heart starts to beat quickly as she sits up.

‘Shit- where the fuck is my phone I swear-’

“Oh.” Her lips pressed into a thin line as she spotted her phone lying on the ground. She inhaled deeply before sighing as she hides her face in her hands before getting off her bed. She bends down and picks up her phone, checking the time. It was currently 7:01 AM which leaves her 49 minutes to get ready before going outside to buy food.

She sluggishly went to her desk, almost tripping down, then started to look for her charger. As soon as she found it, she plugged it in immediately in a nearby outlet and charged her phone. She then took her towel which was resting on her chair and walked her way to the bathroom.

After getting in, she set aside the towel on the bathroom counter and looked at her reflection as she took off her clothes.

“Damn. I look like shit.”

She got into the shower and turned the cold knob all the way. 

The moment the icy water hits her, she jolted for a moment before relaxing as she gripped her arms. It made her wake up and get her brain cogs working. Sure, she doesn't mind a hot shower but cold showers are a win in her book. She stood there for a moment, letting the water stream down her entire body.

She sighed and loosened her grip on her arms before letting them hang at her side. She reached for the shampoo bottle and flipped it open, squeezing a blob into her hand. The scent hit her nose and it was a fruity floral-y scent. She put the bottle back and then scrubbed it through her hair, fingers dragging across her scalp with a slow rhythm. She worked her way towards the end of her hair, struggling a bit since it was tangled. ‘Should’ve brushed before getting in…’

After she was done shampooing her hair, she rinsed it out; feeling relieved as the cold water hit her body once more. 

She squeezed her hair for the water to come out even though she knew it was useless because she was still under the showerhead. (She only wanted to watch it go down and feel it.) She then proceeded to take her soap bar that was between a rusting razor and of course, her shampoo bottle.

She lathered it on her body—every part of her body. Even though she was taking it slowly and her brain was empty (basically on autopilot), she was getting the job done anyway.

She rinsed herself and turned the shower off before stepping out and patting herself dry after she took her towel that she put on top of the bathroom counter. Wrapping her body with it, she lazily kicked her dirty clothes to the side intending to put it in the laundry basket later as she got out of the bathroom.

She stood there for a few minutes, blinking a couple of times as if she was rebooting before continuing to walk to her room to get changed.

Back in her room, she tugged a drawer open and started to look through it. She took some shirts and threw them on the floor and proceeded to open another drawer. After finding what she needed, she then picked up the shirts she threw on the floor and walked towards her bed.

She sat down and put on her underwear and then her black denim shorts. She clenched her teeth, checking the two shirts: attempting to decide which one she wanted to wear. She shrugged, standing up, she walked back to her drawer and took out a shirt that had a Neapolitan ice cream palette. It was one of those fake-layered styles: a short-sleeved top stitched over a long-sleeved one.

A cute fit without trying too hard. A white shirt with some cute design made with rhinestones and the sleeves were brown and pink stripes.

She arched her back to crack it before walking towards her chair and sitting down. She turned on her phone and checked the time; it was currently 8:06 AM, realising she had taken a bit more time in the bathroom than she had expected. She shrugged it off and looked at herself in the mirror that was on her desk. She dried her hair off with the towel that was hanging on her shoulder. (It was there the entire time after she put on her underwear and shorts.)

Yawning, she grabbed her deodorant and popped the cap off before swiping it under each of her underarms. She then did a few flaps, shoulders rolling slightly as she moved her arms back and forth to spread the deodorant better. (Which surprisingly worked.)

After that, she pulled her shirt over her head and tugged it down to completely wear it.

She opened her desk drawer and took out a necklace and put it on before rummaging through the desk for her bracelet she usually wore outside. She then found it and stood up from her chair and unplugged off her charger, taking her phone with her.

She lazily picked up some socks that were on the floor not caring if they were mismatched and put them on before walking towards her door. She turned off all the lights and grabbed her shoes that were near the door. But before she could actually go out of her room, she rushed back to her desk to take her keys and wallet before turning the AC off.

She shuffled back to go outside: phone, keys, wallet, and shoes in her hand. She locked her bedroom door and sat down on the sofa to put her shoes on.

Throwing the shoes on the ground, she picked one up and started to undo the laces so her left foot could go in. She finished putting her foot in and then proceeded to tie the laces in a bunny knot. One ear, then the other, cross, pull and then done. 

She did the same thing with her right foot and then stomped her feet when she was finished. Her laces weren't tied perfectly, but as long as they stayed, it should be fine. She stood up and put her wallet in her pocket as she walked out. She turned her phone on as her other hand was on the handle. She went through her notes app to make a new note for what she needed to buy today, but she gave up making it and just shrugged, “I’ll figure it out when I get there.”

She opened the door handle, still focused on her phone. She walked out the door and locked it, shoving the keys into her other pocket. 

She turned off the phone and focused on her surroundings, only to be shocked.

“What the actual fuck?”

Chapter Text

“What the actual fuck?”

Aki grabbed her chest as if the wind was being knocked out of her. Her head snapped left and right, taking in her surroundings. Giant clocks. Weird-shaped clocks. The grass was way too green for her liking as if someone turned up the saturation way up in real life.

She slowly turned in a circle to fully take it in. It felt like a fever dream. There was no doubt she was in a maze. There were flowers that looked suspiciously fake. And there stood a tower with a heart flag waving proudly very far away, like it was perfectly normal to exist.

Taking a step back, she didn't like it one bit. The soft rustle of grass against her shoe felt too real and sounded too real. She bit the inside of her cheek as she thought to herself, ‘Holy fucking shit. What type of Alice in Wonderland situation is this!?’ She blinked multiple times and pinched herself as if that would make anything better and get her back to where she was before. 

This wasn't outside of her house. This wasn't anywhere near her place. This wasn't the supermarket she was supposed to go to. 

Everything felt too unreal.

She wasn't sure if she was hallucinating, because if hell she wasn’t, then this was probably not her universe anymore. She didn't want to believe it- how can she be isekaied into someplace she doesn't even know of!? That type of thing is only supposed to happen in fiction!

Her legs moved on their own and went to a nearby hedge wall. Her fingers ran along it, even plucking it. It didn't feel like plastic. It felt real. Her head was spinning in multiple directions, and the giant clock beside her? It functioned like a normal clock, but it didn't look like a normal clock. The ticking was loud in her ears as if to mock her confusion. 

She swallowed a huge lump in her throat and squinted at the tower from far away. She straightened and pushed herself away from the hedge wall she was leaning against. 

Her phone was still in her other hand and she rushed to open it. There was no signal- and no matter how much she tried and waved her phone around for one, she never got one.

Clutching her phone tightly, she began to walk slowly, half-stumbling due to being dizzy from confusion about where she was. 

She followed the trail instinctively as if she knew where she was headed to get out of the maze (she’s just following her gut). The only thing that was grounding her right now was her fingers that were grazing over the hedges as she walked.

Every twist and turn looked the same, and the clocks that were placed on random spots on the hedges weren’t helping. Some ticked normally, others were just spinning, and one of them was literally counting backwards. It was making her go crazy. If she wasn't a mental patient, she’d be one now.

She’d look behind her from time to time, sceptical about what might happen to her if she didn't keep her guard up.

After what felt like an eternity of walking around, she finally came to a stop and saw a long road that led to a town.

She stared blankly at the town that was still far away. It didn't look like anything she recognised at all. She was now sure this wasn't her universe. This isn’t where she was supposed to be. 

The wind ruffled her hair as if to comfort her. Spoiler alert: she’s just delusional. 

She swallowed her saliva and started to run. She didn't know where she was heading, was it to danger or was it to safety? Right now, all she knew was that she can't stay still. 

Her breathing became jagged, quick—half from the run, half from the mess of thoughts reeling in her head. Her lungs burned as she ran. It didn't hurt in an unbearable way, but sharp enough to remind her body that she hadn't done this in a while. 

Her legs had already started to ache as she kept going. She was almost halfway to getting close to the town. She could hear her heartbeat thudding in her ears, loud and fast, mixing with the wind and the footsteps that echoed loudly in her ear.

She started to slow down, tiredness catching up to her. She slightly bent forward with her hands on her knees, attempting to catch her breath. She looked behind her and saw the tower she had seen earlier when she was still inside the maze now very far away.

She decided to trudge forward, not wanting to take a break. Who knows what would happen to her if she just stayed in one place for more than a minute? Nobody. 

She continued to walk down the cobblestone path while clutching her chest.

🏠

She wasn't sure how long it took for her to get to the town, but she was finally there. She hesitantly stepped forward as the air around her shifted.

“Okay… now what?” She muttered to herself, feeling out of place. She didn't want to continue walking because it didn't feel right walking around as if she belonged there. The houses looked like they belonged in Europe- from her point of view.

Her lips pressed into a thin line and she bit her lower lip as she continued to walk. People were minding their own business, so nobody paid too much attention to her. But since she doesn't even belong here, she felt as if all eyes were on her.

She tugged at her sleeves and pulled it over her hands. The town was neither loud nor silent—it just felt off. The cobblestone path underneath her feet clicked faintly with each step. Her eyes darted around everywhere, mostly on the ground.

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt while her legs moved on their own, not knowing where to go. It felt as if the whole world was closing in on her, her breathing became shallow like she was being squeezed tight.

She then passed by a man who wore a long trench coat that had pieces of fabric stitched on unevenly. Something about him made her uneasy and she clutched her phone tightly.

They both locked eyes and she freaked out internally. The man did not pick up on her anxiousness and gave her a polite nod, maybe even a slight smile too. He then proceeded to continue on his way as he put his hands in the pockets of his trench coat. She felt guilty for finding him suspicious, but she couldn't help but be jumpy in an unfamiliar place.

His eyes hadn't been unkind, but they were distant. His expression didn't show malicious intent, yet she couldn't help but be wary of him. Maybe it was how he moved? Or maybe it was how he seemed to suddenly pop out of nowhere?

Many questions, but no answers. She looked behind her to see if the man was still there, but he wasn't anymore which confused her. There weren't any nearby alleyways for him to disappear to.

Maybe he was just too quick? Maybe he wasn't walking but he was brisk walking?     

Swallowing her concerns, she tightened her jaw and faced forward once more as she exhaled slowly. Maybe she was just overthinking. Maybe he was just a man who had… a unique fashion choice. 

She tugged her sleeves down again, seeking the only comfort she could have as of now. Her breath felt tight as if the town was compressing her.

Then, as if the man from earlier wasn't enough, she nearly collided with someone else. A woman stood there, leaning slightly forward from the sudden collision. 

The woman had dark navy hair that was streaked with beige-grey, cut into a bob. 

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” the woman said, voice soft but steady, kind. There was no edge to it. Only concern. The woman offered her hand to her and she begrudgingly took it, “It’s- fine…”

Aki’s voice sounded small- but there was something about the woman that made her calm down just a bit. Surprisingly, the woman’s presence was strangely comforting.

The woman spoke up, “Are you new here? I don't think I’ve seen you around before.”

Aki bit the inside of her cheeks before replying as she fiddled with her hands, “Uhm… yeah.” She weakly said while nodding slightly.

The woman looked her from head to toe then offered, “Well, if you don't mind, I can show you to the main square? It’s easy to get lost if you don't know where you’re going.”

She swallowed and met the woman’s eyes. “That… would help.” Her lips awkwardly pressed into a thin line, trying to give a smile.

The woman didn't say anything about it and nodded as she started walking, pausing for a bit to let her follow. 

“I’m Dylla,”

“—I’m sorry?”

Dylla let out a small chuckle before giving her full name to the kid, “Dylla Spade.” Aki’s mind went blank for a second, not knowing how to respond. She knew what to say, but she didn't know how to.

Before she could say something, Dylla added, “I work as a delivery driver around here so I know the place well.” She faintly smiled at the girl.

“Oh. Nice to meet you… I’m Aki.” Dylla nodded at her response, looking her up and down once more, briefly—calmly, but not unkind. “Well it’s nice to meet you too, Aki.”

They continued to walk in silence. The tension in the air wasn't too uncomfortable which bothered Aki. She expected it to be tense since she was a stranger- but surprisingly the stranger—Dylla, didn’t brush her off as one who was harmful.

Of course it doesn't hurt to be careful, but something about her just made her refreshed. Dylla’s presence made her calm but not warm like how strangers faked it.

She stopped flinching at every sound now that she was with Dylla. After a while, Dylla spoke up, “You look like you're trying not to be noticed.”

Aki faltered in her steps just slightly. “…I don’t belong here.”

Dylla hummed in response. Aki was fine with no response, she’d rather not engage in more talk. She bit the inside of her cheek and just stayed close behind Dylla, still wary of the place. The air was a little easier for her to breathe now as she was accompanied by a stranger who didn't seem to have any ill intentions. She had that motherly vibe, so she couldn't help but ask-

“…Do you have a kid?”

Dylla perked up at the question slightly and replied, “I do. I have a son, just one. He’s about your age, give or take.”

The woman’s tone didn't change much—still calm and practical—but there was softness present around the edges now. Aki didn't reply right away, she didn't know this woman, and she didn't even know why she had asked. Her own curiosity got the better of her.

“Does he ever get into trouble?” She asked quietly. “Most of the time. I know he’s a good kid,”

Aki fell quiet, focusing her gaze on the road. She didn't know what else to say other than ‘Sorry’ or ‘Oh, I see’, but she’d rather keep her mouth shut than accidentally offend the woman beside her.

“He’s still figuring it out. Life can be messy, I mean- I’m stressed out by what he does at times, but I’d rather have him be messy rather than be numb and lifeless.”

Dylla then looked at the girl beside her, “You strike me as the same kind.” Aki blinked, startled at the sudden statement. “Me?”

“Yeah. You don't know where you’re going, but you’re still walking. That’s enough for now.”

She stopped in her tracks making the girl beside her also stop. They finally reached a wider street of where the main square is.

Dylla gestured her forward, “You’ll be fine here. You’ll see new faces, some friendly, some not.”

“Will… I ever see you again?” The woman smiled at the quiet question the girl asked, “Probably so. If you’re staying here? You will, so don't you worry.”

Dylla slowly stepped back, preparing to go to wherever she was going next. “Just try and be safe, alright? I’ll see you around kid.”

And with that, Aki was left in the main square of the town as she watched Dylla walk away.

“…I didn't get to ask her son’s name.”