The Bubbles Weren't Fun Anymore

Silence and Juggling

ONE:

Silence is a beautiful sound.

Through the window shone scarce light, the moon perched high in the sky. It was full, which bothered him. He wasn't especially superstitious but he was alone, and his mind ran circles. Monsters run amok at night but he lay curled up in bed, eyes half shut. He was thinking so much yet so little all at once. Thoughts flashed by so fast they gave him no time to recall them. All he knew was that his mind was full and the house was quiet.

Normally, he'd go downstairs and find his mother watching TV. She'd always welcome him and pull him closer to her side, stroking his hair and giving him the rundown of what he missed. He listened so closely with no intention to remember, no ability to care. It wasn't very often his mother spoke so much, so enthused. It was something to cherish.

The house was quiet, devoid of life. He sat up. The duvet hung limp on his knees that were pulled close to his chest. The rustle echoed. He was too alone.

Silence is a beautiful sound that he almost missed, but not quite.

Through the window shone scarce light, the moon perched high in the sky. It was full, which he didn't even notice. He wasn't especially superstitious and he wasn't alone. His mind was at ease. Monsters run amok at night but he sat up, hand in a packet of crisps. He wasn't thinking much of anything, saying the first thing that came to him and leaving the rest to his friends.

"What do you think then?" Jisuk asked, raising himself on his elbows. "About the Patricks?"

"I don't think much about them," He answered, with the slightest shrug. "Why?"

"Just that Jurion obviously likes Jisuk's sister, no other reason" Subin wasn't facing the main group, she was too preoccupied with the new dog.

Wooin sat amongst wrappers and he still had one of several bowls resting on his lap. He had nothing to say but he'd nodded along to everything so far.

"Yeah but... Yeah, Jiyoung rejected him though?"

"Doesn't change anything"

"Nope. Men don't stop at rejection, Jiwoo" She sighs, wistfully staring off as if thinking of someone or something in particular.

"Neither do you" Jisuk scoffed. How many times have Kayden and Kartein dodged your gaze and-"

"They're just playing hard to get. Shh! I'll get them, of course they want me" She stops. "Look at me. Who wouldn't?"

"Literally all of us in the room"

"Kill yourself"

TWO:

A hospital room isn't anyone's idea of fun. Right? Neither is juggling. Juggling is a very medieval hobby, or so Arthur thinks as he tosses the ball in the air for the millionth time.

Going on his phone was pointless because it always led him back to his contact list. It wasn't a very full list but it still had names. Names who now showed no interest in him as the emptiness of his wound sat by his side.

It throbbed a dull throb constantly which was starting to drive him mad. Not the pain, but the reminder it brought.

'Duke betrayed you'

What he wouldn't give to forget that.

Not that he'd ever liked Duke, but Duke was a constant and hell, for an awakened one a constant is pretty special. When you can lose your life, your title, your everything at any time, knowing something is there to stay is reassuring. What constant did Arthur have now? If Duke could turn his back, what was stopping everyone else?
Certainly, nothing was stopping his family. They hadn't visited him since they assured him he was a failure. Kind of them to remind him, he thought.

The room was void and so was he.

Until the phone rang. 

Hello! It's been nearly a year since I posted here (sorry)

I got really insecure about my writing (still am). However, I think I'm going to return to this account now. I'm really thankful for all the comments. I read them all smiling/laughing/both. I also want to thank anyone who has ever voted on my stories. Thank you! ALSO I want to thank everyone for reading. 

I also want to issue a very special thank you to the wonderful person who reposted my work on Ao3. I was scrolling for fics earlier and thought 'wow, that title is familiar...' It was a wonderful thing to wake up to. I very much appreciate it. 

I posted two short works I made in college (like the diligent student I am) just to announce that I'm back.

Finally, thank you for reading the author drabbles. While I have your attention, I'd like to shout out Operation Olive Branch. It's a spreadsheet dedicated to promoting the GoFundMe's of Palestinian families in urgent need of evacuation. There is a link in my bio^