Author's Note This story in a non-linear format, so if you're get confused that's ok. It's my first time writing in such a format, so I don't know how it will turn out.I have three storylines currently. The first one takes place in the present, the second in the past and the third in the future. Enjoy!
This is a summary/synopsis of the previous chapters. It is short and not very detailed. I give you the essentials here. If you get confused, please read the author's note in chapter 1. Seres and Wolf haven't seen each other in twenty years. In the present Wolf has found Seres and told him that he has a part of Seres' soul in the compass that he was carrying. Seres is skeptical, but eventually absorbs the part of his soul that was in the compass. In the past, Wolf has been searching for Seres. He finds an anomaly on a planet called Zeyaethay. He talks it over with his sister Crane and decides to check it out. Then Deucalion, Hiram's right hand, shows up and tells Wolf that the Collective can cure his mother if he brings Seres back. The last scene is a repeat of the first scene in chapter one, but from Wolf's side. In the future, Seres and Wolf have found the last piece of Seres's soul. Seres absorbs it and tells Wolf that he's going to rip out a piece of his soul because he doesn't understand. Since Seres calls him by his real name, Wolf knows he's being serious. Wolf is too shocked to stop him and gets his soul trapped in the same compass. Back in the past, we find out how Seres' soul is ripped from him and what his reaction was, not happy. The Collective had to restrain him and Wolf wasn't there when it started. Seres yells at Hiram and collapses again. Wolf decides to check up on him and Seres yells at him, then vanishes. Wolf tells Hiram who declares that they should leave him alone for a while and then go find him. Crane shows up to try and talk Wolf into looking for Seres. In the present, Wolf and Seres talk about what Wolf is doing in Cerina. Wolf tells Seres he has lied to him and tells him that the Collective has offered to cure his mother if he brings Seres back. Seres tells him that he will go with Wolf it if will make Crane happy.
4 months in the future
Wolf stiffens when he hears the knock on his door. He is back in his old apartment, looking listlessly out at the rocky landscape. He makes no move to open the door. The knocks turn to hammering before he gets up. He wrenches the door open and blinks. Crane is standing on the doorstep. Her face is creased, frown lines deepening as she looked at him.
"Zellera," he says and hugs her.
She slaps him, "Where the hell have you been!"
"Around," he says vaguely, walking back into the apartment. "You coming," he calls. She stands in the doorway, stammering, before she enters the house closing the door behind her. He's already on the couch, buried under a pile of blankets.
"Are you sick," she doesn't let the concern leak into her voice. He winces and burrows deeper into the blankets.
"It's been a bad...I just want to stay away from the world for a while." She sighs sharply and moves to sit beside him.
"You can't do that you know," she says softly, "the world will just come knocking."
"I found Seres," he says.
She tightens her grip on the blanket, "And"
"I lost part of my soul."
She twists her hands in the fabric, "Why would he do that?"
"He said I didn't understand," Wolf says quietly, voice slightly muffled by the pillow, "what he was going through."
"How could you," she snaps," you aren't him. You'll never understand exactly what he's going through. "
"Tell that to him."
She gets up, "I will” She looks around and turns back to him slightly abashed, “where is he?"
"I don't know," he sighs, "I haven't bothered to look."
"Oh" There is silence. Wolf sighs and sits up.
"You find the book you were looking for yet?"
She shakes her head, "I did find this though." She pulls a medallion out of her bag. It glitters in the sunlight, flashes of rainbow dancing across its glassy surface. She hands it to him, "Here" He takes it, watching the colors play on the wooden, floor beneath him. There is a feeling of peace that doesn't quite touch him. He hands it back, "It's not for me." She tucks it away into her bag and sets it next to the couch.
It is midnight when Wolf shows up on Seres's doorstep. Seres stares at him, but opens the door wider.
"Come in," he says. After a hesitant glance at him, Wolf steps in. Seres points down the hallway, towards the kitchen, Wolf remembers. He follows. Seres is making them tea. Wolf leans in the doorway and watches him for a few moments. Seres sees him and sighs, "I'm not going to poison you." Wolf does not move. Seres sets the cups down, picks up one and takes a sip. Wolf does not touch the tea. "I didn't poison it," Seres repeats. Wolf does not move. Seres gestures to the chair closest to the doorway, "At least sit down."
Wolf sits, watching Seres warily. Seres takes another sip of the tea and curls his fingers around the cup.
"This is a mess," Seres begins, "and I've just made it worse." He gets up and leaves the kitchen. Wolf tenses, but does not move. Seres returns, carrying the compass. Wolf is on his feet before he realizes what it is, backing away from the table. Seres sets it on the table, takes his cup and leans against the counter. Wolf slouches against the door frame eying Seres warily. Seres flinches, glances at the compass and then back to him. "Sorry about this," he murmurs. He puts the cup down, steps toward the table, snatches the compass and has Wolf pressed to the wall in one movement. Wolf's eyes stare into his, as he struggles. "Release," Seres breathes against Wolf's lips and the compass begins to glow. Clover-green light fills the kitchen contrasting sharply against the tumbleweed colored walls. The light splits into tendrils, most of them wrapping around Wolf. The light illuminates a faint scar that cuts him in half before tumbling into his skin. Wolf gasps, sliding to the floor, as the feeling of completeness fills him. When he comes back to the kitchen, Seres is watching him. He is leaning against the counter, leaving the table in between them.
"I'm sorry," he says. His fingers grip the cup. It shakes slightly, the tea making a sloshing sound.
Wolf sighs, looks at the compass and then at Seres, an odd look on his face, "Can we start over?"
"What?"
"Can we forget the past few months and start over?"
'I don't," he trails off, looking at the cup.
"You know this would be easier if you looked at me," Wolf says, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Do you really want to," Seres asks, meeting Wolf's gaze.
"Yes"
They were back at the table again. Wolf sipping a cup of tea. He studies Seres, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the way his skin looks like blanched almond.
"When was the last time you got some sleep," he asks putting the tea down. Seres startles, splashing some tea on his wrist. He gets up and goes to find a napkin.
"Well," Wolf prompts. Another cupboard door closes. Wolf looks up and sees little tremors in Seres's wrists. He gets up. Seres finds the napkin and harshly wipes his wrist.
"I get enough," he frowns at the tea and dumps it into the sink. Wolf steps beside him.
"Actual sleep," he demands. Seres does not look at him.
"Yesterday" Wolf grabs his chin, tilting his head in the soft light.
"Liar," he says, "You need sleep"
Seres shakes his head," I’m fine”
"Then why aren’t you getting enough sleep?" Seres does not reply. Wolf is pacing again. Seres makes himself another cup of tea, this time stronger.
"Do you have nightmares," Wolf asks abruptly.
"No," Seres lies, "now can we drop this."
"You're lying," Wolf says.
Seres takes a sip, frowns and dumps the tea down the drain, "Still not strong enough."
"You've become addicted to that stuff."
Seres looks at him, "I thought we were starting over?"
"Aren't we?"
"No," Seres says patiently, "we're falling into the same patterns we had before this whole mess started."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"No," Seres says flatly, a trace of something else in his voice, "it's not. It's what got us into the mess to begin with. You were always persuasive and I, as the fool, went along with you."
"I-" He starts to defend himself. Seres slams the cup into the sink. It cracks.
"Drop the subject, now.”
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