#hfewakkkkbdj

[softly-mossy]

rrrrRRAAAAAA i did it dudes. wrote about @trackinghallownest‘s vessel spindle getting a happy ending after some art they made about spindle getting all forgotten n whatnot. that would not Do for my big dumb soft baby heart.

[AO3]

The City of Tears may be a forlorn, desolate place inhabited by the husks and ghost of those that once lived there, but it was a peaceful place. The pattering rain on the window next to them was soothing, droplets spattering against the pane and trailing downwards in rivulets. 

Nudge, nudge.

Maybe if Hawk ignored the insistent pestering, Hum would take the hint. They close their eyes and act as if asleep.

Nudge! Nudge, nudge!

Keep pretending.

Pat, pat!

Just...keep the act up. Hum will stop soon. It feels mean to do, but Hawk is genuinely exhausted.

Hum stops, thankfully. Hawk actually relaxes.

SHOVE!

Hawk almost falls off the bench they’re resting on. Narrowed eyes glare down at Hum on the bench adjacent to them. What greets them is a sight familiar, somewhat annoying, but soul-wrenching nonetheless. 

Hum’s eyes are pleading for something. When they notice Hawk’s aware of their state, they stand fully on the bench and lay their little hands on Hawk’s shoulder.

Hawk tilts their head to show that they’re paying attention fully. Hum grabs one of Hawk’s hands and hops down off the bench,  tugging with all the might contained in their little form. As Hawk slowly rises, Hum eagerly points to a map pinned on a post nearby. Begrudgingly, Hawk allows their sibling to drag them over.

Hum’s hand indicates a spot on the map. Leaning in and peering closer, Hawk notices where they’re pointing to: the Abyss.

The Abyss? What’s there? Does Hum want to just go say hello to all our desolate siblings there...again?

The notion of Hum being so overwhelmingly worried about the well-being of the shade-siblings was touching, honestly. It fit Hum’s character perfectly. Hawk may not want to plod all the way back down to the Abyss to do this menial thing, but if Hum wanted to, that was all the importance Hawk needed. 

Hawk points to where they are currently, nestled in the City of Tears after a short, curt meetup with Lemm to get rid of some relics Hum had gathered. Hum follows suit, gently patting a hand on the map next to theirs. Hawk analyzes a track down to where Hum desired to go, weaving and turning as their hand mapped a path that their mind memorized.

Nothing too awful. They were already in the City near the King’s Station. A quick inquiry to the Stag Beetle could get them to the Hidden Station by the Palace Grounds, right next to their destination.

Hawk rolls their eyes. The things they did because Hum gave some baby eyes. Pathetic.

Hum wasn’t pathetic. Hum was caring and kind and gentle and bubbly. Hallownest could use more individuals like that.  Unfortunately, Hum’s size and stature limited things they could achieve solo, so a little “assistance” is needed. That’s why Hawk is so tolerant of the misadventures they are led on, or so they tell themselves. 

Hawk nods to show they’re ready to leave. Hum bounces on their toes in response. As Hawk turns and begins the stroll to the Stag Station, Hum’s hurried plip-pap-pip-plap footsteps can be heard trying to keep up. Hawk pauses, extending an arm out to the side and waiting. Hum catches up, latches onto the offered arm, and holds tight.

The King’s Station approaches soon enough. For once, Hum isn’t constantly derailing their task by meandering off to look at this, to touch that thing, to stomp in that puddle, to climb up onto some crate or box. No, they’ve got a single-minded intensity that Hawk finds themselves surprised by.

Skimming by the complementary bench that always accompanies a Stag, the duo approach a directions post and a bell. The post shows a primitive, basic map of Hallownest, other Stag Stations marked by little tokens. Hawk stoops over to pick Hum up. Hum goes willingly, already extending an arm towards the bell just waiting to be rung. Firmly, Hum smacks the bell with a clang-clang-clang and preens as Hawk sets them down gently. Shortly, the Last Stag’s thundering footfalls are audible, and grow steadily louder and louder. 

The Stag skids to a halt in his typical dramatic fashion, kicking up plumes of dust as he grunts. Hum is already scampering up to him, offering a hug that he accepts gratefully. Hawk watches passively and the embrace is exchanged. 

“Where to, my small friends?” his gruff voice asks.

Hawk points to a marker on the map post.

“The Hidden Station?” Hawk nods once; Hum nods furiously. “So be it! I shall get you there swiftly, as always.”

He kneels down and waits for the two of them to clamber onto his back. Hawk lifts Hum up into one of the seats attached to the Stag’s shell, climbing up after them after ensuring they were situated. Hawk sits right next to them, a spot where they could easily reach over to steady Hum if the ride got too bumpy.

And bumpy it was.

To be fair, the Stag had never been hailed for his smooth ride to a destination. No, he was prided on being quick and sure-footed, which he indeed was. Still, Hawk found their hand latching onto the rails of the seat one one side, and the other holding Hum firmly.

Hum, as usual, is having a blast, oblivious to the ragged look Hawk gains. Their scarf whips in the wind, tickling Hawk’s face occasionally. Hawk’s on adornment, the length of black cord wrapped around their neck comfortably in a mock-impression of Hum’s scarf, thankfully dances in the breeze behind their head.

Eventually the Last Stag barrels into the Hidden Station, and again, skids to a halt. He stands stock-still as they dismount into the Station.

“Take care, little friend!” The Last Stag grunts to Hum. With a nod towards Hawk, he continues. “Make sure to keep that companion in line. When you need me next, I shall be there.”

Hawk rolls their eyes. Hum beams, waving a final farewell to their Stag friend. Hawk turns and begins to walk further into the Ancient Basin, and Hum skitters up beside them. These parts of the Basin have no real threats within them, as the only other creatures near them were the meek Shadow Creepers, which kept to their own business. 

But there was the Palace Grounds.

Hawk knew of what went on within this area. The Pale King. The Siblings. The failed vessels, all pitched over the edge into the Abyss like unwanted discards. It infuriated them. Hawk was one of those vessels. Discarded for being too stubborn. Too expressive. Too protective. That’s where they met Hum a while later. It hurt to think about. Their own discardment was upsetting, sure; but the fact that one like Hum was thrown aside in the same manner was infuriating.

Shuffling past the lifeless Kingsmould, Hum slows and looks curiously at it. Hawk throws a stern, no-nonsense look their way, reaching a hand out. Hum latches on as Hawk leads the way past the Kingsmould, away from the awful associations and experiences in that horrendous place. They swiftly pass by the ancient adornments without a second thought. Ironic. So quick was He to forget about us and discard countless vessels, when His own kingdom was doomed to fall regardless. Hawk shakes their head, jostling the thoughts away.

A small jump down here, carefully skidding down a wall a short ways with Hum clinging to their back tightly, and there they were. 

The King’s Brand.

The relic towers over even Hawk’s height. Hum pads up closer to it, watching as it glows brighter and brighter with proximity. Hawk’s seen it before, many times. It’s no surprise that Hum is still fascinated. Hawk allows them a few more moments of wonder before patting their shoulder and pointing his head left. Hum eagerly patters after him.

The Abyss... Hawk didn’t hate this place, didn’t hate the other residents of this area. It was not the Siblings’ fault they were seen as “imperfect”. If anything, Hawk felt...sad. Genuine sadness. It hurt to return here, it hurt to think about what led to all these poor souls being thrown here. Hum’s chipper mind made it less of a dreary experience than ambling this chasm alone, lost, terrified, and confused.

Stop that. Hawk shakes their head again.

Hum goes to lead the way further into the Abyss. This snaps Hawk out of their dwelling instantly. The Abyss is full of jumps that required precise timing and direction. “Platforming,” someone had called it once. While Hum is full of compassion and kindness and excitement...coordination is something they lack.

Hum had a predetermined destination in mind. Hawk would plunk down or jump over to a platform, turn around, and reliably catch Hum after them. Some had the jagged, teeth-like spikes that some landscapes in this place garnished, but they were easily avoidable. 

Instead of the steady descent to the bottom of the Abyss, Hum veers straight around halfway down. The Lifeblood Room? What was there that they hadn’t seen before?

The Lifebloods are a shocking splash of color in the scenery. Vines and buds and long-passed Lifeblood Blooms covered a door. Did Hum want inside?

Hum skitters up to a thick tangle of vines and...peers into them. Hawk wants to roll their eyes. But Hum looked like they were expecting something. Gently, Hum begins untangling the outermost vines and brambles, unraveling lengths that dwarf their own size. Deeper vines are more of a challenge for them, so they turn to Hawk’s gawking form for help.

Pat, pat! That vine? Tug! Ah, move that vine.

Hawk pulls out their double-ended, spear-like nail and sets to work. They draw it back, readying a mighty strike to slice through multiple vines in one go, but Hum intervenes frantically. 

Shakeshakeshake!! Eyes wide, arms flailing in a halting motion, their mask furiously shakes in a dissuading gesture. Hawk freezes. Hum shows them what they meant, softly making a chop! motion on the vines before looking back. Hawk nods.

The nail is as sharp as ever, but the vines are thick. They’ve been growing for ages, twining and furling and wrapping around...whatever was under them. After a span of time spent carefully, precisely peeling away the vines, Hawk sees something. Something white and scuffed.

Oh no.

Hum tries to peer over Hawk’s shoulder to see the discovery, but Hawk is working with one goal in mind: the Sibling. That was a Sibling’s mask. 

Once the majority of the vines are unraveled, Hum can see too. They immediately try to rush in to check on their fellow vessel, but Hawk holds them at bay by blocking their approach with the nail. For as much as Hawk wanted to rescue this Sibling with good intentions, the vessel wouldn’t know that at first. They might perceive it as an attack, an intrusion.

If they can still perceive.

The sight they meet wrenches Hawk’s soul.

An unseeing mask stares blankly ahead. Their body slouches against the wall behind them limply. The Sibling had been here so long that the Lifeblood Vines had actually begun to intertwine with the vessel itself, little blue roots worming into cracks in the mask and allowing blobs of blue Lifeblood to accumulate.

Hum frets immediately. They barge past Hawk’s barrier, running up to stand before the Sibling. They brush smaller twigs and leaves off the vessel delicately, eyes wide with worry.

For a moment, they wait. Is the vessel merely dormant? Will it wake like so many others have after abandonment?

Or was it...gone?

Hawk refused to believe the latter. For crying out loud, they’re entrapped in Lifeblood plants. What amount of irony and cruelty would lead to a creature dying while encased in a plant that’s literally called Lifeblood?!

So the two of them wait. Hawk stands guard, watching the Shades of other Siblings float aimlessly about forlornly. Hum plunks down to sit at the newly-found vessel’s feet, arranging little twigs and flowers into shapes.

Then the vessel twitches.

Hum nearly startles out of their lavender-colored cloak. Hawk does not ready his nail, but raises a hand, prepared to swiftly draw it if needed. They’d never harm this vessel, no. Just enough to let them know Hawk was not allowing Hum to come to harm.

The vessel scuffs a foot through the dirt, drawing their legs up to their body. Hum bounces on their toes in joy.

The vessel looks up, blearily.

What a sight to wake up to. A bouncing, excited little vessel and their self-assigned protector towering over them.

Naturally, Hum waves. Hawk watches closely.

The vessel stares blankly at the two of them. Then, feebly, raises a trembling hand to meekly greet Hum back.

Hum is ecstatic. They bounce right over to the spindly-limbed Sibling, plapping their hands on either side of their fractured mask in a mock-expression of squishing someone’s cheeks happily. For the vessel’s part, they tolerate it much more tamely than Hawk would, squinting their eyes happily at the attention. 

Hum whips around to point at Hawk and bounces a few times. The vessel turns to look. Hawk stares. Hum looks expectantly at Hawk. Hawk rolls their eyes and waves. However, not a half-hearted wave they’d fling at any other creature or bug Hum was forcing them to greet. No, this was a full-hearted wave for a fellow Sibling.

If possible, the vessel beams even brighter. Hum stands back as Hawk helps them to their feet, though they lean heavily on Hawk’s shoulder. A Hot Spring will likely help this poor, fellow soul. That, and a trip to the Mask Maker for a few repairs. Maybe getting checked over by someone that knows what they’re doing, and not just two wanderers with hearts too big for their bodies.

Hawk flicks a hand to Hum to get their attention. When Hum looks, they mimic the lines of steam a Hot Spring produces with a hand, conveying their idea to Hum. Hum brightens and nods.

Fear not, Sibling. The others forgot about both you and us, but we have not forgotten you.