Author’s Note: Most films and media gifted to the people of Ancora are derived from the Logs; a mysterious record that religious scholars claim contains the will of Sion’Dri. It has only ever been accessed once and by a single being known as the Keeper. From it sprang knowledge of their God, it’s will, and the artistic base of many of Ancora’s societies. But why does this matter? It doesn’t. Yet. Enjoy the short!

Additional Note: Neither Sylus nor Jeron had much of a childhood, so we’re going to have to twist this prompt a bit.

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I fell back into the couch with a heavy sigh of relief. Sylus was already sitting with his legs pulled up onto the cushions, flipping through the few television channels left since the Void’s invasion.

I leaned over until my head was on his purple-boxer-clad thigh. Complete with a tiny squid print of a slightly darker shade. Thick fingers rubbed at the back of my head.

I, too, was in my underwear. Boxers and a tank top. White. Uninteresting. Plain.

“What’cha watchin’?” I murmured.

“Nothing yet.” He sighed. “They took all the good channels. It’d be nice if one of these Lords had some taste in culture.”

“Can’t you pick up a channel and put whatever you want on it? You are a Lord afterall.”

“Broadcasting requires infrastructure I don’t exactly have access to.”

“So it’s not magic?”

“The Void uses both magic and technology in its invasion. They both walk a fine line together.”

I squeezed his foot. “You know what I meant.”

“Did I?”

I slid a hand under his butt and pinched.

“I suppose I did.” He smirked.

“So what are you looking for?”

“Something, anything, that’s entertainment and not just news and/or propaganda.”

“Hm.”

As he flipped through the channels, I caught a fleeting moment of something I recognized.

I sat up abruptly. “Go back.”

“Hm?” He muttered before slowly turning back the channels.

“There!” I pointed at the screen.

It was a live action movie about talking animals on some kind of adventure.

“You know this?”

“Vaguely… I think I watched it with Ma when I was little. I remember that it made me cry.”

“Then why would you want to watch it?”

“I’m not sure if they were sad or happy tears.”

He smiled. “Do you want to watch it then?”

“Unless you have something else in mind.”

“I do not.” He turned up the volume and put down the remote.

I laid back down on his lap and let his fingers weave through my hair.

Sure enough, and even though I tried to hold it back, I cried at the end when the animals made it home to their family.

A tentacle gently wrapped itself around my waist and pulled me up closer to Sylus’ chest.

The crying turned ugly as the music swelled and the credits rolled.

“I-I’m sorry.” I sniffed.

“Why?” He cooed.

“I’m an adult crying over a kids film.”

“Everyone was a child once. These films are part of formative years. You’re not alone in still feeling something that you once did a long time ago. We grow, we change, but in some ways, we stay the same.”

“Well, thank you Dr. Synclaire.” I slid an arm around his back. “What did you watch as a kid?”

His body tensed up for a moment before relaxing again. “Nothing.”

“Come on, you had to have seen some-“

“No. I didn’t. We didn’t have television in my home.”

“O-oh… I-I’m sorry…”

“But I liked this and I understand where your feelings come from. They found their way home to a loving family. Isn’t that all anyone wants? A home with people they love and care about?”

I pulled the fabric of his t-shirt into my fist. “She was the only person who ever loved me.”

He held me tightly.

I cleared my throat. “Until you, of course.”

I watched the credits scroll across a black screen as powerful, passionate music filled the air. I could see our reflection in the television.

“A loving home…” I murmured.

“Hm?”

I nuzzled my face into his chest, still clutching his shirt. “That’s all I ever wanted. A safe, loving place. I’m 32 and until now… I never had that.”

“I’ve got four years on you and I could say the same.”

I held him as tightly as I could.

“I never thought I’d find it, either.”

“Same.” I croaked.

“And then you hit me with your truck and the rest, as they say, is history.”

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Author’s Closing Note: Close enough 🤣