the sleepless elite

xxiii

the sleepless elite

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chapter twenty-three

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Mamma mia, even if I say, "bye-bye, leave me now or never",
Mamma mia, it's a game we play,
Bye-bye doesn't mean forever

– ABBA, Mamma Mia

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The Northern lights are pretty.

"Yeah, they are pretty." Chase says as he sits on his bike, making Darling realise she had just said those words aloud (or maybe he just understands her better, reading her like a rehearsed story?).

The two look up at the sky, shivering a little from the cold. This is ... their last stop before Darling returns back to Book End. It's not something Darling wants to think about, but it's inevitable and it makes her heart swell. It's almost funny, she's leaving after she's finally found herself and it's so unfair –

Not wanting the bad thoughts to catch up on her, Darling shakes her head and takes big steps away from Chase and their bikes. "I'm going to take pictures now." Darling announces so that Chase wouldn't get worried that she was distancing herself and pulls out her phone from her pocket.

Chase hums, cheek in hand and eyes now fluttered closed, tired from all the riding. Darling had nagged him to get to this specific spot. She states it's not her fault – the nagging, that is, she's adopted that trait from Chase.

It takes forever but when Darling finally gets the right angle, she snaps away on her phone, wanting to preserve everything. It's good for distracting her thoughts, it makes her focus on other things. Like now; getting just the perfect shot of the sky and their M.A.D. motorcycles. Yes, that's right, the White Knight and Red Knight are here! A little gift of being able to ride their own motorbikes together for the last time before Darling quits and Chase goes solo.

The view is charming – the aurora borealis engulfs everything, leaving nowhere, a beautiful midnight sun. The lights stretch on, as far as Darling's pale blue eyes can see, bathing everything green with hints of red. It feels like someone's casting a magic spell. Darling wonders, if this were true, would it be powerful enough to break curses and grant secret desires? Oh, it'd be better than her snapping wishing bones and blowing on dandelions.

"Chase," Darling calls, lowering her screen just a little from her motorcycle obsessed world. When he doesn't stir, she calls louder, "Chase!"

In response, Chase calls back, "What?!"

"You're in my way." Darling says, feeling like this is something she's said before. Something repeated. An inside joke that will never not be funny.

(Some things never change)

Not moving or cracking open his brilliant blue eyes, Chase says, "I am the way." It's such a different response from all those years ago when he did, in fact, move just so she could have a nice shot of their bikes together.

(Okay, maybe some things do change)

But ... Darling can't help but note that Chase's reply doesn't sound like he's joking back (or maybe it's just her heart wanting to follow him to the ends of the earth and cause mischief and adventure?).

"Could you –" She sputters, pretending to be annoyed. "– move?"

"No, I'm tired, you dragged me all the way here and all I want to do is sleep." He says, sounding like her on days where she is exhausted. He's adopted some traits from her too. Being too relaxed, getting babied by her at times.