DOLL's✔

10...

Guys i'm sorry it took so long just for a short page ToT It's almost over, so i will update quicker! 

Tanner

I shan't believe it. Emily had been with me for a little bit, 

but my hunger for knowing reasons grew. I sometimes wonder, if I'll ever get an answer?

Tanner...

The noisy voice kept on calling to me. I pushed it to the back of my noggin and went downstairs to lily. Two years have passed in the space. Emily still looks like the darling youth I fell in love with, the only one i could fall in love with at the time, too.

"Papa!" Lily got off the high stool which was way too tall for her, but asked Uncle Strife to help her out, and ran to me. I smiled down at our child. We had wanted to start a family, in such a confined space such as this, it ain't suitable. I know that. But it happened anyway, Emily couldn't wait. at least lily likes it.

"Come on, Mama wants to read to ya." I picked her up with a minor grunt and headed back up the stairs. I know I don't have to make old man sounds, but I still feel old. Time doesn't pass here. Nother' one of Emily's discoveries that we've probably shoulda figured out thanks to our appearances not changing much. Will lily stay the little girl she is? She has been growing accordingly, though.

"Lily, aren't you too old to have your old man carry you?" Emily looked at her daughter playfully bantering with the 2 year old.

"Mama," Lily toddled towards her. I sat down on the bed, my two loves sitting on the floor taking out the galactaria map for something to do. "I am two years old." she humphed. "I am allowed to be cwaddled."

"Coddled. And don't learn such words," Emily whispered to her, "Keep it secret so you can keep being coddled." she smiles. Lily nodded in agreement and made a shushing noise towards her mother that garnered a laugh.

They went on about where she is, how I can hear her speak, and how Emily came here and fell in love with me. Little did she know, she slowly made me saddened and heartbroken at the fact that I don't know why I am here. Why all this is.

"Tanner?" I snap out of my thoughts and look at Emily who held a tuckered Lily in her arms. "Thinkin bout? Don't know, but make sure you answer when I call. Lest Lily thinks it's okay to be impolite," she states.

She came to Lily's makeshift crib that we made out of old wood and books. The only thing comfy about it was the pillows we stuffed on the books so Lily won't wake up sore in the morning.

I lay in bed after a fresh bath. Emily climbed up onto our bed after she kissed Lily goodnight. Cuddling into my chest and wrapping her arms around my waist. I feel her light breathing as she goes to sleep slowly, drifting. After some time into the night, i move slowly out of her soft grip and push her hands down onto the mattress, tip-toeing out of the room and closing the door slightly to not let the gas light leak into the room, awakening both.

The voice never came back to me as I wandered the halls. I gasp as I feel something soft touch my back, "Whatcha up to?" Candy raised an eyebrow and held her little candle.

I take a breath in in relief that it wasn't Emily, ushering Candy to meet me in the Kitchenette.

"Alright, loverboy," Candy sat on the stool with her surprisingly clean white pajamas covering everything. Her bonnet hiding her hair, making her look older.

"What's up?" Candy put the candle down and clasped her hands together, placing her chin on top of her intertwined hands and gesturing for me to continue my explanation—threatening my credibility.

"I know, I promised. I know. I just," I can't place it. I really can't. Somehow, im getting a really fucked up bad feeling, that if i find her, ill regret it. And, if i don't, i'll end up regretting that choice too. either way, i was fucked.

"Come on. Talk slower, I'm here, it's fine," Candy looked worriedly at me. She quit interrogaten' mode and became the sweet Aunt Candy she was with Lily, semi-holding me in her arms and patting my back.

"I just need to know. That's all, that's it. Maybe, I'll forget after it." I managed to say.

"Ya sure about that." I look up to answer Candy's question, but she's looking ahead and her mouth is closed. Did she not speak to me? I turn to find Emily with her arms crossed. Her darken gaze and her shades of gray undertones her eyes from no sleep made her look ghastly.

I gulp down my nervousness. I try to hide it. I get out of Candy's comforting hold and turn around facing the door; unlocking it and exiting, closing the door behind me to be met with white blankness. Only thing with color is the Black house; which porch I now sit on to get away from the gazes inside the house. Wondering if i'd ever give up on the dream.

Emily

"Tanner?" I reluctantly open the front door to find my lover sitting down, leaning on the building while holding himself. My heart aches that I put him in this compromising position. I was impulsive and wanted to stay safe; his dream was the price to pay.

"Honey, talk to me." I pleaded. "Come on," He shifts a little, but not to face me, to face the white void. Ignoring me to the fullest, as he wanted too.

*

It's been two years, to today.

I had finally convinced Tanner that it was for the best for us to stay here. Honest to goodness it was. We worked on cleaning his room and low and behold the amount of space in his room was amazing! We tried for a baby that year; he refused at first, but thanks to my advances, I succeeded. It was a tough nth months. Even tougher to give birth. Candy was the one telling me to push and keepin the baby from dying or falling off the makeshift baby delivery table.

Lily was a godsend. After all the suffering and tension Tanner had something to focus on besides glactaria. He became her father, the one who spoiled her and the one who stopped her from wandering out the door into the void while i slept away my fatigue from feeding or watching her as well when i was in recovery.

I had woken up thanks to the blinding lamp that was in the hallway. The only indicator that Tanner left was from the warmth that turned cold from his side of the bed and from the candle making me catch his glistening fury red hair.

As I snooped on their conversation; i couldn't help but feel like caving in.

That's right.

I know,

Where galactaria is.

Really, it was stupid how I found out, and even stupider how no one has figured out where she was.

I was gobsmacked.

"Tanner will you-" I wince, pinching my side to keep the words coming, "-You...stay here if i show you where she is?"

Tanner whipped his towards me with confusion and enquiry. I nod at him and he mumbles, "shit."

I sit down next to him and hug him in my grasp. I tell him, in the morning we'll go. Just for this time. Nothing more.

Tanner kisses my lips and backs away, smiling so bashfully I swear it was like the first time we met, "I love you, Swear"

I mumble back to him, "Swear."

We headed back inside; one was thinking of finally finding out why he was here, and one, equally curious about her, and maybe, somehow, finding out her own truth as well.