Already

He wakes up in the house and it's cold. Shivering black the wind is strong outside, whistling as it brushes tight against the landscape. The snow thickens in the air and smudges the house to greyness.

Out there in the white figures move, but Leviathan cannot see them. He watches frightened from the window shaking, and slowly it envelopes him. Its fingers dig into his skin as he grows distant, and greyness overtakes him.

They follow him and keep distant, seeping themselves into the walls of the house. They become these hallways, stretching on long and blue. He walks with a paw to the ice as he deeps into this throat.

And in the deepest ventricle my Ribbon stands alone, sitting in a pool up to his waist. It stretches out before him and from its deep it calls to him to wade inside. His heart beats far away and opens itself to the ocean. The world seems distant dark and lightheaded feeling dread creep into him. The blackness of the pool is all these voices calling like the sound of crashing waves. Anxiety overtakes him now so much stronger than before, and slowly it defines him. His skin begins to change, smoothing. His facial features delongate, wide eyes staring and gills forming on his neck. Against his will he lurches forward, dark hands reaching to clutch him hold him tight. They grip and with deft fingers smooth the fur to skin, touching deep to hear footsteps behind him.

Leviathan holds to Ribbon and pulls him from these hands, clutching tight and resting with him on the sand. Holding a paw to Ribbon's heart he feels the beating and shh spreads the smoothed skin to fur. They stare mirror each other and gently quietly Ribbon begins to cry. He holds to Ribbon close and laying him on his lap begins to gently pet. They rest here in darkness and slowly meet their gentle lips. Touching again to Ribbon's heart Leviathan holds a valentine, his lonely ace of hearts. It is held and captivated, red eyes upon it wet with tears, and they embrace each other deep underground.

The heart beats all around them and the light flickering in. Little fish of twenty colours teem up from the depths, brush their scales against the surface and fill this space with light. The aurorae paints water marks upon them, stretching up to wave about the cavern's heavy dome. We stand in this bathing glow together, and whiteness overtakes them.

They lay on the couch before the fire, eating white berries with sugar. Gently they lick the sprinkles from each other's cheeks, giggling silently and soft love nips.

Black stars blossom, whispering their black glow. The snow falls like static in this place, whisping across the landscape. Ribbon lays within his copse, and breathes deep the stars' faint light.

They lay on the bed together, lapsing into sleep. The snow brushes against the window soft, its light flickering in. In the distance a song begins around d minor scales, and slowly they fall deep asleep.

In a dark place somewhere far away I sit alone against a plaster wall, one knee raised and in my hand a half drunk liquor bottle. As always I hear them walk behind me, their eyes drawn to me. They stand invisible with their faces pressed to mine, the weight of them sinking me into the carpet floor. My head rolls back and deep breathing in the darkness I lay my eyes closed and fight the air for sleep.

Everything fades to white.