A Promise

Written by Neenee Hu

[My original characters (OCS) for The Arc Of A Scythe series!]

Faith rushed through the rain, her feet splashing in muddy, murky pools as her giggles traveled through the air, her hands curled up around her bright, yellow backpack.

Reed rushed after her, their eyes gleaming as they followed, boots kicking up sodden mud as they chased after her.

"Faith!" they cried out between laughs. "Wait up!"

She turned around to look at Reed again, her little eyes gleaming with amber, chocolately brown behind her brunette wisps.

"Waiting! Hurry up!" she called back, her hair drenched in rain with each passing word, her clothes sticking to her lithe, little body.

Reed inhaled sharply as they sprinted through the pelting storm with wide, sparkly eyes, their arms outstretched to meet the girl ahead.

They both met in the middle, snickering wildly through the cloud's tears as they held onto each other, wet, draping raincoat sleeves hugging the other as they grinned, their eyes filled with love.

Maybe not the love the older are familiar with, nor the puppy love a boy gets for the pretty girl down the road, but the devotion and undying affection only children know.

Faith giggled, taking Reed's hand and leading them inside her house, falling upon the floorboard in a mess of wet clothing and childish laughter.

"I'm home!" Faith exclaimed, scrambling up from the floor and shedding her muddy sneakers.

Reed hummed, sitting up on the floor, glasses askew and hair sticking damply to their tan face. "Hi, Mrs. Darrels," they murmured, unlacing their sneakers with glistening hands.

Lilian Darrels, Faith's mother, peeked through the door, her belly swollen as she carried Maddie inside her, her hand holding the doorframe as she smiled softly at the two children sprawled on the floorboards.

"Welcome back, you two. Dry yourselves off."

Faith faked a salute as she grinned, little eyes gleaming. "Yes, Momma!"

Reed chuckled, eyes gleaming behind their spectacles as they climbed up onto the couch, falling onto the cushions and pillows in a heap.

Faith followed, nuzzling into one pink lacy pillow and giggling up at them.

"My momma says I'm gonna have a sister," she bragged proudly, kicking her feet as she lay on her stomach.

Reed's eyes widened as they leaned forward. "Really?! Does your daddy know?"

Faith nodded excitedly, a smug grin creeping up onto her face.

"Of course! He's the one who told me, silly!" she giggled.

Reed blinked, folding their arms over their chest. "I wonder what it's like to have a sister."

Faith nodded, rolling onto her back and running a limp hand through her curls.

"Reed," she suddenly murmured. "What if I were a boy? Would you still be my friend?"

Reed nodded, folding their arms and tilting their head to the side.

"Yeah," they confirmed. "I would. I definitely would."

Faith giggled, squishing her cheek onto her pillow, and shoved Reed slightly by the chest.

"Then maybe I could really be a boy," she mumbled. "Boys are cool. And I don't like being a girl."

Reed blinked a few times and nodded. "That would be cool."

Faith smiled softly and brushed her hand against theirs, gently squeezing their fingers.

"Friends forever, Reed?" she murmured.

"Forever."

. . .

The rain fell around Fernand's face as he stood in front of the door, feeling one hand against the back of his head.

His fingers brushed the choppily cut hair on the nape of his neck, a few stray strands still sticking to his damp fingers.

He knocked softly on the door, waited, and tried not to hope.

The door slowly swung open, revealing Reed in the doorway, their piercings gleaming in the light.

"Hey," they said suddenly, eyes gleaming in the light of the dreary, rainy afternoon. "You... cut your hair?"

Fernand nodded, running a soft hand gingerly through his curls again.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

Reed slowly stepped out of the doorway, laying their hand on his as he forced Fernand to meet their gaze.

"What's going on?" they murmured.

Fernand swallowed the lump in his throat, fiddling with the frayed edge of his raincoat. "I can't be in love with you anymore."

Reed's eyes widened. "You're in love with me?!-"

He shook his head and squeezed their hand.

"Not anymore," he whispered. "Not the same way. Never the same way."

Reed's eyes fell, their smile now looking more pained. "Oh."

Fernand gently ran his fingers over theirs, sighing.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

Reed nodded. "It's okay." They looked up again. "Can I ask why? Are you a scythe now?"

Fernand's eyes widened. Jackpot. He swallowed again and forced himself to meet their gaze.

"No," he managed. "Not yet."

Reed gripped the doorframe with white knuckles at those words, exhaling shakily as their eyes darted to his dirty shoelaces.

"Oh. I'm sorry," they replied- no, whispered. "Goodbye, then, Faith."

Fernand shook his head.

"No. My name is Fernand," he smiled softly. "And goodbye, Reed Leafwood. I'll come back one day to apprentice you."

Reed leaned forward and wrapped one arm around his chest, smiling softly.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

They met in the middle again, just as they did as children, their lips gently pressing together as the scent of mud and rain wafted through the porch. Reed's hand slowly snaked up his waist, Fernand's hands meeting on the back of their neck as they kissed, eyes fluttering shut.

As Fernand pulled away, he squeezed Reed's hand and managed a shaky grin, his lips still tingling from the exchange. He pushed away the need to kiss them again, to lean in and kiss Reed senseless, so maybe they could both forget he had to leave-

Reed's shaky laugh broke the fake reality that was fogging up in his mind. He snapped back to his senses, slowly retracting their hands.

"See you when I see you, Reed," Fernand mumbled.

"...Yeah. See you when I see you."

. . .

The knock was unmistakable. Confident. Strong. Reed rushed to the door, their hand shakily turning the knob as he looked up.

"Hello, Your Honor," they mumbled, eyes wide.

The scythe nodded, their pink robes bundled over the lithe body.

"Reed," the scythe mumbled. "Hey."

Reed skittered back, eyes wide. "Huh!?"

That's when the two tan hands slowly pulled down the hood, revealing chopped amber curls and sparkling chocolate eyes.

"Hey, Reed," he murmured. "I promised."