chapter one: the beginning

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Being stuck on an evolving planet for 7,000 years had its challenges. For starters, evolution was a long and arduous process. And when you're put in charge of protecting an entire species from murderous deviants with a handful of Eternals that you'd never known until you'd woken up, it puts everyone in a difficult position.

Think not of yourself, but of the humans. Work hard, play hard, trust in Arishem.

When you'd first landed on Earth, Druig had been the first to introduce himself to you. There was something about him that struck you immediately; not his knowing stares or his subtle cockiness or his impressive power, but the almost ticklish way his voice surrounded you with every syllable.

"Who are you?" he'd asked, beneath the statue of Arishem on your ship. You told him your name, and he shook your hand. Within seconds, his shoulders had relaxed. He let out a deep breath. "You—you just did that? You just calmed me?"

You pulled your hand from his. "I was created to do this," you explained, smiling at him. "And you are?"

"Druig," he answered, shooting you back gleaming smirk. "I can alter their minds," he let out.

"Only if you need to?" you raised a brow at him. He chuckled to himself.

"Only if I need to,"

What followed was a thousand years of fighting, protecting. The Eternals fought valiantly under Arishem's wishes, and when you all grew to know each other; life was better.

You threw a stone into the deep, vast canyon below you. "Do you ever think about what else could be out there? Away from Babylon?"

Druig laughed behind you, strolling towards you. "You'd have to be an idiot to not believe there was more than this," you turned to him.

"Then why don't we go?" you questioned.

"You know Arishem's orders as well as you know my face," he said, peering at you from the side. You smiled to yourself, ignoring the warmth that welled in your gut. Druig liked to flirt.

"Ah yes... you have a nose, I think. Eyes too, maybe?" you quipped. He kissed his teeth, turning swiftly to grab you by the shoulders. You let him pull you towards him, eyes on eyes, face to face.

"Come on," he said. "You know it better than that," his eyes skimmed your own face with some kind of schoolboy excitement. It was just Druig. He just liked the flirt, that was all.

"I guess I don't know Arishem's orders as well as I should," you said, whispering slightly. You loved it when you left him stumped for a response, just for those few seconds, before the cogs in his magnificent brain started to whir and picked the perfect comeback.

"I'll get Phastos to invent something to make you remember. You can carry me around in your pocket, so you never forget,"

You smiled. He smiled back. It was always the same, but you loved the feeling of him being near. After each battle, he'd come to you. You'd calm him, while his presence calmed you already. Physical touch was something he enjoyed, you found. The subtleness of fingers skimming skin, the playfulness of an elbow or a fist to your ribs.

There was a time where you thought this could be it, and you'd be happy for however long you had to spend time on this planet. Druig, the others. You felt honoured to be part of their ranks and to know them personally.

How Thena and Gilgamesh were inseparable. The bond between Sersi and Ikaris. Sprite's ease when making everyone laugh. Phastos's incredible mind and Kingo's egotistical smile that you couldn't hate even if you'd wanted to. Makkari's playfulness that left you in stitches and Ajak's strength as a leader— and then there was Druig. He was everything.

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