Lullaby

[igiko]

They move to a remote region of Aernas, close to familiarity yet far removed enough to be comfortable in their new routine. Dorothy has left behind that which shackled her; Rufus, meanwhile, can be said to have followed her with nothing left for him in the Underworld. They relocate with almost empty hands, save for the essentials to carve out an honest living for themselves, which definitely includes a trunkful of firearms.

Their childhood homes and all that they house remain in their respective worlds. The memories, however, soon find their way to the polished doorstep in the form of a muted hum.

Back when he was working himself to the bone, there hadn't been the time to stew on recollections outside of maintenance on his arm or the occasional commute on the train. Nowadays, Rufus can go where he must on foot, and the sparse visits to the technician involve an update on the Underworld's goings-on, leaving room for little else. The lullaby, stifled by the wall between them, reminds him of a time past as he lies sleeplessly in bed, and he pushes against the weight one night by getting up.

Daisy stops humming when he emerges from the darkness of their bedroom, regarding him with a curious glance as she goes about her business. Rufus wordlessly lays himself down on the couch, rests an arm across his eyes to block out the light, and settles. Eventually the humming restarts amid the shifting of Daisy's movements, clearer than before, and Rufus slips into a doze past the lighting and ambience while the gentle cadence of his mother's voice fades away until all that remains is Daisy.