We kept chatting idly about all the things we wanted to. From likes and dislikes, experiences, hopes for the future, and many more things. After a while, Noux stopped talking and looked at a part of the abyss. Then they let out a light from their hands, it was magic.
Noux using their magic, they created a house in mere seconds out of nothing. I watched as their magic went into the abyss and slowly formed the walls and foundations of this house. First it made the land it would be built, then the walls, and then the roofs. With every passing second adding a new room or object to fill the empty space.
From just a space in the abyss to a fully fledged home filled with decor and all the daily necessities you would expect in a home. The deep purple, almost black, coloured home stood tall in black grass floating in nothingness. It was hard to imagine that only a few seconds ago there was nothing here.
"Wait, you don't need a house right since you already have the abyss, so why make all of this?" I said in awe watching the house construct itself.
"Well, I might not need all of this. But you might." They said, looking at me fondly
"Wait? This huge house, Is it all for me?" I said, shocked.
"Of course it is. Well I could possibly make a room for myself there if you desire to, but it's all yours."
"You should! You made this big house, and you're telling me that you didn't even make a room for yourself?" I asked.
"Is that a wish of yours? That I also have a room?" They laughed at the thought of it yet seemed genuinely interested.
The house was gorgeous, it's not like I didn't want to stay there, but is Noux not really gonna stay here with me? Is it just gonna be me, alone, in this big house?
"No…, no it's not that…. it's just…. I just feel like it would just feel so empty with only me living there." I said, looking at the ground, anxious about returning to that state of loneliness again.
They looked at me, somewhat surprised by my statement and more shocked at themselves.
"Oh… I'm sorry Thane. I'm... disappointed with myself, I didn't consider that…" They said, filled with guilt.
Silence filled the abyss. Noux's magic had stopped and the construction had been halted. Their hand that was casting magic slowly fell to their side. It stayed like that for a while. Their eyes filled with guilt and they were clearly upset with themselves.
"Uh Noux, it's fine! Really! I don't need another person to live here. It was just a thought. I'm fine. We all make mistakes, it's not your fault." I said, trying to comfort them while pushing my feelings aside for that moment.
"Thane… you're.." they sighed, stopping mid sentence.
"Please… don't do that." they said looking at me with the same sombre look in their eyes from before.
"Do what exactly?" I asked nervously.
"Don't disregard your feelings like they're nothing but a trivial matter." They said with that sombre tone still remaining in their voice.
"But really it's fine…" I said. It's fine if I feel sad and lonely for only a moment, if it means the people around me don't get sad because of me. So really I was fine.
Noux just stood there with a look of sympathy, looking at me with a sad look in their eyes. Knowing that they were unable to do anything to get me to open up. And then looked to the ground contemplating, whereas I was in complete silence.
They sighed, "I suppose it's not too much to add another room in this house." They said while avoiding looking at me as they continued the construction of the house.
A long awkward silence filled the void as we watched the house being constructed by Noux's magic. Then Noux speaks
"Thane, I apologise for earlier. It's my first time ever having to take care of someone so I may not be the best when it comes to certain things. But I hope I grow to be a better father to you in the future." says Noux still avoiding my gaze. But even so, this message felt heartfelt and sincere.
"Noux…."
"So when I make a mistake, please feel free to lash out on me, be angry, scold me, or many other things. I wont mind, for I don't want you to bottle up all your feelings."
"But.. I don't want to inconvenience you." I said sheepishly.
"Thane, we are family. Everything you are feeling, everything that annoys you, makes you sad, happy, angry, scared, disgusted, always know that you can share that with me. Time with you will never be an inconvenience for me. Whatever you are going through, we go through together." They said affirmingly and in a way that also consoled me.
"You know, a good friend of mine once said 'Every passing day, our minds continue to grow and evolve. And as it grows knowledge will find its way into it. So for every day we live, we will always learn something even if it's small or big.' and I think this applies to now. Since I think I'm learning how to be more and more like a proper father with each passing moment."
"I may not be the best father now, and there is so much more about fatherhood and about you that I have yet to learn. But I hope that as time goes on, I become someone capable of being a father of such a precious being like yourself." they said with a tone that was somewhat somber, yet optimistic at the same time.
"Then… let's learn together.. I may not be the best daughter, but I also hope that in the future, I become a daughter you are proud of." I said with them finally meeting my gaze, and then we smiled.
"There is no need for that Thane. You're already someone I am very proud of. The only thing I want from you is your happiness." they said with a proud, soft, comforting voice.
"The same goes to you too, Noux. You're already the best father I could ask for. And I'm already happy with you here." I said looking into their eyes, and realized that the awkward silence was gone and it was back to the same warmth it used to have and we returned to our moments of random idle chatter.
"Well child, the house is finished. If you want to, you can explore the house now." they said.
"Really?!" I said with a visible spark in my eyes, excited to see the contents of the large building that was constructed only a few moments ago.
I got off of Noux's large arms and stood on the ground that was made by their magic and started to run off to the entrance of the building. But I stopped halfway there and turned back to face Noux and said something that I wanted to say before I went exploring.
"Before I go, thank you Noux." I said warmly. And turned back onto the house, fast enough that I wasn't able to see Noux's reaction when I said those words.
I ran towards the front door out of sheer excitement to finally see the house, the place I will stay, my home, a place I can call mine.
As I opened the door. I was welcomed with a grand entrance filled with light, with ceilings taller than Noux, hallways leading to different sections of the house and a grand staircase which led to the upper and lower floors. There was a kitchen with a never ending supply of food, a dining area with a table that could fit a village, a living quarters with a warm fireplace with a dark blue fire and areas to play, a library filled to the brim with books, dozens of guest rooms, a greenhouse filled with black plants a basement, an attic, a walk in closet filled with beautiful clothes both masculine and feminine, and there was my room.
My name 'Thane' was engraved on the door, so it was somewhat obvious that this was my room. As I looked inside of my room, I saw a room filled with all sorts of things, I saw a large purple bed, bookshelves filled with so many interesting books about adventure and the world, a place where people could rest and visit, and a large window that looked in to a large sky filled with stars and planets with long curtains that fluttered with the wind.
After many long yet exciting moments, I familiarised myself with the house and all of its little trinkets and wonders. And found myself on a little adventure searching each room with what they have. And after that I laid on my bed pondering about the present and the things I'm grateful for.
"Magic is truly amazing," I said thinking of all the things that have happened.
After being alone for a while, I had some time to collect my thoughts. And one thing that bothered me was, I found it quite awkward and difficult to call Noux 'father'. Not because of discomfort or anything, I wanted them to be my father. I just want to be greater, to do better, for their sake, for my family. I want to have the confidence to properly introduce myself as their daughter and the confidence to be me.
Moments passed, with me messing and playing with all the trinkets and things I could see in my room. Then I heard a voice calling for me, it was Noux. I found them waiting for me in the living quarters sitting by the fireplace. It was the first time I saw them out of the darkness. This time I could see more of their features instead of just their eyes. They had long dark hair that spread to the ends of their feet, proper yet comfortable looking clothes that complemented their completely black body and white eyes, and they gave the demeanour that was old and worn yet wise filled with knowledge and experience from the countless years they had lived. I then sat on a seat next to them enjoying the warmth that the dark blue fire gave.
"How do you like the house?" They said, sat comfortably on a chair, reading a long book by the warmth of the hearth.
"It's amazing! There's everything I need and more. Like there were dozens of rooms filled with all sorts of stuff I had never seen before." I said as I ran towards another chair near Noux and the fireplace, also making myself comfortable with warmth.
"So I take it that you had much enjoyment from your little journey." They said with a smile.
"I did! You can really make some amazing stuff." I said joyfully, like a child in a candy store.
"You flatter me." they laughed.
We sat there enjoying the warmth that exuded the hearth, watching the flames flicker. Reading the books on the bookshelves, often chatting in between and snacking on food from the nearby pantry. I immersed myself in stories about other people and the worlds that they were in as Noux watched over me.
"Oh yeah!' I shouted disrupting the peace created in the moment prior. With me suddenly remembering a thought I had a while ago.
"Hm? What is it my child?" they asked
"I almost forgot to ask you. Where were you when I was looking around the house? I tried looking everywhere but I couldn't find you." I said
During my little adventure around the house, though I did find what seemed to be Noux's room, there was no trace of them anywhere. So I began to wonder what happened to them.
"Well," They think for a moment remembering the past "I went on a little trip to my friend's place." they said.
"Ooh was it Heme?" I asked.
"Yes it was him"
"Why didn't you bring me there?"
"Well the things we talked about were meant to be a surprise for you, but I think it's best to ask for your consent now before I move on to further planning." they said as many thoughts came into their head, made obvious by them looking absorbed in their thoughts.
"A surprise? Like a party or something?" I asked out of curiosity.
"No, not a party, it's something that you dreamed of when you were alone."
"Well, what is it?" I said as I tried to remember everything I had dreamed of when I was in the abyss.
Was it a family? But I already have one. Home? I have that too. I continued thinking about it for a few more moments with a confused look on my face.
"If I remember correctly, you wanted to make friends and live life right?" they asked.
"Yes, that's right.. but what does this have to do with the surprise?" I aswered.
"Oh, because that desire has everything to do with the surprise." they said.
Making friends? It's almost impossible to make other people come and stay here, so unless I go to the mortal realms myself, I wouldn't be able to make any friends. Then the thought hit me, they couldn't possibly be able to, there was no way they would be able to do that, yet they were gonna say exactly that.
"Wait.. you don't mean..."
They just smiled, with a somewhat smug look on their face as if they were expecting this reaction yet it didn't come off a arrogant. They looked at me fondly as they said those words that would forever change my life.
"Thane... do you want to visit the mortal realm?"
I stood there stunned. Yet filled with joy. I would finally be able to see the world, I can go to the world outside... I can finally make friends. And based on both of our expressions, I think Noux already knew what my answer was.
I was about to go on a journey, a journey that could possibly define my life. And I knew at that exact moment, that my story had only just begun, and this will be the start of it...