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Liam Wilhelmina had never fit in.
Not in Castle Manylicks, not in Castle Candy, certainly not anywhere in Comida.
He enjoyed spending time with the Rocks family and Sir Theobald and even in a way, Lapin. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that they didn’t really like him. Especially Lapin.
Lapin didn’t like him. That was okay, at the time. He’d had Preston.
Then suddenly it didn’t matter if Lapin liked him or not because Lapin wasn’t around and Preston, the closest Liam had ever really felt to a friend, wasn’t either. And before Liam could really process that, everything else was happening and Jet was dead and Liam was home again, sitting in Castle Manylicks.
There was more to come, he knew that. There was a battle to be had, a castle to be taken, a land to be won, and so much to be avenged. So Liam just needed to take a breath and ready his crossbow because there was more to do.
In a way, he felt closer and further to everything and everyone. He didn’t fit in, and it didn’t matter because there wasn’t a place to fit in. Everything was collapsing around them, there wasn’t a safe place to be. And even being at “home” wasn’t safe, as if it had ever felt that way to begin with.
They would make things safe. He just kind of wondered what he could do.
There had been someone who’d always known what to do and always had a plan and was always confident. But she wasn’t there.
“Hey, Jet?” He said aloud. “I know we didn’t really talk and I know you’re dead. Obviously. But uh…I don’t know, I guess I was just wondering…what I should do?”
He fidgeted with his gloves nervously.
“You always kind of, you know, knew what to do, so uh…I guess I want to know what you would do. You didn’t really want to be queen, so uh…I feel like you’d be kind of happy about it all. But uh…I don’t think Ruby really is. And I know you said I should keep her safe but uh…it’s kinda hard without you here.”
There was no answer from his empty room. He sighed, hugging himself tightly and leaning forward on the edge of his bed.
“I’m really sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I think we’re gonna be okay. I think it’s gonna be okay. And uh…I’m gonna try and be more like you. Sweet, but strong.”
He glanced down and caught the movement of his shadow, dark and mysterious. When he tilted his head to look, it almost seemed like there was a nod in the shadow. The locket he was wearing got just a little bit warmer on his chest, as if there was some kind of agreement.
For a moment, he heard a voice, sweet and sharp and some twist of something beyond.
“You belong here. You’re one of us, no matter what.”
He smiled a little bit, despite it all.
“Thanks, Jet.”
When he grabbed his crossbow and stood, he knew where he fit.