Stranded in Paradise [An II Au]

The Butterfly Grove

TW for this chapter//
Attempted Suicide
Hanging...again...
—

Yin-Yang watched from behind the bush as a little yellow butterfly flew around the open field. As if on cue, the duo popped out of the bushes and swung their makeshift net, catching the bug within their grasp. "Haha! Just like back at the hotel, right Yang? Ugh, it's not as fun as it was back home! Well...at least it's still nice to express our interests, right?" Yin chuckled before letting go of the net's netting made of vines, letting the butterfly go free. "You've really been getting better since you...got the covering taken off...Are you feeling okay at all? Not feeling sick? Since when did you suddenly care about me??" Yang paused when the duo set their sights on a grow of bright pink butterflies, fluttering around without a care in the world. Yin-Yang slowly approached the butterflies, net at the ready as they prepared to pounce.

"I just...want to make sure you're okay, is all...We'll THANK YOU...but I'm perfectly fine."

Swish!

Yin-Yang thrusted the net towards the butterflies. However, they missed, and the little pink bugs began to fly towards the trees and the greenery around them. The quarrel followed the insects as they continued to flutter away, almost like they were leading the duo somewhere. To where, no one was sure yet, but still...it felt as if they were being pulled in my a guiding force.

"That's good to know, Yang...I know you miss being home a lot, and I do to...but...do you think you can hold onto your sanity for a bit longer? Don't you tell me what to do! If I want to go insane, I can go insane! I might just even eat someone else's leg for the heck of it! You'll see! I'd...rather you not do that..."

The duo was suddenly put off by a sound.

Something...strange.

Almost like...choking?

No one else knew about this part of the forest, did they?

Perhaps...

Yin-Yang followed the sound of the choking, the butterflies they were chasing now following closely behind them. The knot in their stomach grew tighter and tighter every moment they got closer to the source of the sound.

Louder...

And louder...

And louder...

Eventually, Yin-Yang pushed back a bush to reveal a large open space filled with multi-colored butterflies, dancing in the air like little lights. In the center of it all was a big tree which the pink butterflies flocked to. Not for the tree's strange beautiful aura...

But from what was dangling from one of its branches.

Silver Spoon.

Their missing team member, now dangling by a thread...literally...from one of the tree's thickest branches. His fingers dug into the makeshift rope around his throat, practically clawing into his polished silver skin. His eyes glanced down at Yin-Yang, a look of indescribable horror on his face as gruesome chokes and sobs came from his gasping throat. Yin-Yang stood in shock, wide eyes plastered on the scene.

There wasn't even time to think.

Without saying a thing, Yin-Yang ran over to the tree and dug their fingers into the bark, beginning to climb up to the thick branch where the rope was connected to. It was a rather difficult climb for Yin-Yang's standards. Perhaps Nickel would've had better luck than them. He was good at climbing trees. Either way, it didn't matter. The duo climbed into the branch and grabbed onto the rope, Yang burrowing his sharp teeth into the vines and grinding down so they began to cut into them. They could hear Silver gasping below them, kicking his feet in protest. The action just made Yin-Yang gnaw into the rope faster.

And eventually, it snapped.

Silver hit the ground with a thud, grasping onto his throat as he gasped helplessly for air. Yin-Yang slid down from the tree and ran over to Silver Spoon, bending down to hopefully aid him in regulating his breathing again. "S-Silver! Are you okay?! Breathe! Breathe before I make you! YANG!" Yin-Yang was suddenly shoved away when Silver was able to get a grasp on his breathing. His voice raspy, far away from the polished British accent they knew before. "Y-YOU IMBECILES! I DIDN'T WANT EITHER OF YOU SAVING ME! Did you really think I could TAKE ANY MORE OF THIS when I've already KILLED SOMEOME?!" Yin-Yang slowly got up from the ground, rubbing his head before whispering to himself, "Yang, let me...try and handle the situation. Fine..." Once Yin was in control, he looked back at Silver with his now fully black eyes.

"Silver...Why...?" Yin asked, prompting Silver to chuckle in response.

"Why, he asks..." Silver went over to the large tree and sat down, still with that broken smile on his face, "When you look at me...do you see anything left to save? This island has taken practically everything from me...BLUEBERRY has taken everything from me. Candle was the closest thing I've had to an ally on this hell of a rock. And now...she's gone. I can never truly thank her now...I figured if I just...tried to finally rest...I'd see her again. But now I can't...thanks to you and your...alter ego."

"...But...You didn't even know Candle for that long...why did you have such a big bond with her?"

"...Cause...she genuinely felt like the first real person to understand me. Everyone else in my life is either paid to be my friend or just a servant of mine. For once, I thought I finally found an object who can...see me as a real person. See me for...me. Not what I'm worth...is that...too much to ask...?"

"...I can listen." Yin sat down next to Silver, crossing his legs as he sat by his side.

"You'd hardly understand anything...You're too wholesome to get it...Besides, you've hardly interacted with me this whole time...how do I know this won't be just a one-off conversation before you leave me to die?"

"...I...can stay out here with you. As long as you want me to. Is that okay?"

Silver thought for a moment, before sighing and leaning his head back.

"...Yes...I suppose...it'd be nice for someone to listen again...Thank you..."

A pink butterfly landed on Silver's hand, its wings flapping rhythmically to his heartbeat.