#Just know that he isn’t happy with his former puppetries/jailers

[nuttersincorporated]

No Strings Attached

As midnight struck, Mickey felt his strings snap and he immediately crumpled to the ground. He tried to get up but only made it as far as his knees before he collapsed again.

Lying on his back, staring up at the stary night sky above, Mickey became aware of a strange whimpering sound. It took him a few moments to realise he was the one making those noises. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

He distantly wondered if he could lie there forever; just stay there until the ground claimed his bones. It seemed so much easier than the alternative. He was so, so tired.

“Mickey!” the voice sounded far away but he recognised it instantly. “Mickey!”

No, he wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t. He wasn’t the only one who’d had his strings cut.

Angry with himself, Mickey scrubbed the tears away. Then he balled his hands into fists and with a great effort of will, pushed himself into a sitting position.

“Mickey, where are you?”

“Min…” he started to answer but that was all he managed before he started coughing. He tried to stop but it only seemed to get worse.

“Mickey!”

She must have heard him because he could hear her running towards him. A moment later and she was there, flower in her hair and worry on her face.

“Oh Mickey!” She dropped to her knees beside him and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He continued to cough and she rubbed circles on his back until, at last, his body relaxed and he could breathe properly.

“It’s okay,” she reassured him, still holding him. “It’s going to be okay.”

Mickey hugged her back. He realised he was crying again and made an effort to stop. He opened his mouth and tried to speak for the second time. This time he managed it.

“Minnie.” Mickey stopped. He didn’t recognise his own voice. It was horse from all the coughing but it was more than that.

His eyes widened is shock as realised it was the first word he’d ever spoken. Oh, words had come out of his mouth before but he’d never been the one making the decision to say them.

“Minnie,” he said again. “We’re free.”