A-Z Enoch O'Connor

A - Aging

aging - the advancement in years; increasing in age

You grunt as you lug your heavy suitcase up the stairs. "Are you absolutely positive that you would not like any help with your bags, Y/N?" Miss Peregrine asks you from the bottom of the staircase, a questioning smile on her face. "Oh, I'm sure. Thank you though." You heave, pulling yourself up another step.

Finally, you get to the top of the stairs, leaning against the handle of your suitcase to catch your breath. You're content to collapse in place, but you hear a weird sort of scraping coming from an open door. Placing your tongue back in your mouth, you follow the noise to a room not too far away. Inside is a boy watching two misshapen dolls fight each other.

The show has you amused, keeping you against the door to watch the two dolls. The fight is suspenseful, even pulling a delighted gasp from your throat when one doll snatches the heart out of another. "Is there a specific reason you're standing in my door?" The boy asks, pulling your attention to him now. As your eyes meet, you feel something change in your body, you don't quite know what it is, so you ignore it.

"Well, yeah," You say, still in awe from the fight you just witnessed. "That was absolutely fantastic! Amazing, really." You beam, welcoming yourself into the room, your hand outstretched for his. "I'm Y/N. I'm new here, obviously." The boy narrows his eyes a bit, taking your hand in his, "Enoch." Your head nods slowly at his lack of conversation holding.

"I'm um, I think I'm gonna go put my stuff in my new room." You tell him as you backpedal out of the room to escape his awkward silence. "But you'll have to show me how you do it one day. Really. Nice meeting you Enoch!" You call from the hallway now.

*     *     *     *     *

It's been a week now since you've moved into the home. You're still trying to get used to it, but for the most part it's enjoyable. Everyone is sitting down for supper when you speak up, "You know, today would have been my birthday. When I was still aging and the days changed." You say before forking a piece of broccoli into your mouth. With a giggle, Emma looks to you from across the table, "How about it, Y/N? Do you feel any older?"

The joke is funny, and you're about to join her in her laughs, but then your brow furrows, "Yes. I - I do actually. It's quite odd because I haven't had this feeling in years - not since I entered my first loop - but all of a sudden recently, I get the feeling that I am actually getting older. It's quite strange seeing as -" Emma cuts you off quickly, her eyes wide as she looks to Miss Peregrine, "May Y/N and I be excused please?" She asks excitedly, receiving a curt and knowing nod from the headmistress.

You haven't exactly caught on yet, but you thank Miss Peregrine and leave the table anyway. "What are you on about?" You ask in a hushed voice as Emma pulls you into the parlor and closes the door. "You know what it means when you begin to age don't you? Especially with you living in a loop? Y/N, do you know what this means?!" She questions again, this time almost screeching in excitement.

"I know what it could mean, yes." You say with a smile. "Then we have to find out who it is. We have to keep a very close eye on everyone, see who seems to be growing older, even if it's something so small as needing a shave. We will convene every night before bed, right after the reset and talk about our day's observations." You start to tell her that all sounds a bit excessive, but she's already gone, still mumbling ideas to herself. "I guess that's the plan." You say to yourself before making your way back into the dining room.

For the next few weeks, you and Emma follow the plan, you even make sure to spend lots of time with all of the boys in the house to see if there's any kind of connection you feel emotionally.

The two of you are currently on Emma's bed, you lying spread eagle as she sits criss cross applesauce. "Emma, I don't know if I can do this anymore. The special attention to everyone - even the twins! - it's got me stressed! I've been accidentally creating dust storms left and right. It's driving Fiona crazy, her well kept soil disappearing without a trace. That is, of course, until she and Miss Peregrine find it all over the house. I'm a mess Emma! I'm going crazy! I'm growing old!" You wail dramatically.

Emma tuts at you, shaking her head, "If you would let me get in a word in, you would know, that I know, that you have been cheating." When your brow furrows, she smirks at you, "I know that you've been skipping Enoch. I saw him before he put on his mask tonight, and he was growing facial hair! It's Enoch!" She says excitedly. Your eyes widen as you get up from her bed, wishing her a good night on your way out.

As soon as you close her door behind you, you feel your mood change. If everyone wasn't sleeping, you would be stomping, but they are, so you settle for huffing as you make your way to Enoch's room. Pushing the door open and finding him awake, you step inside and pull the door closed behind you, "You knew, didn't you?" He just lifts his eyes to you lazily, "Knew what?" Enoch says, which irritates you since you know he knows what you're talking about.

"You knew you were my soulmate and hid from me none the less. Why?" You ask, your anger turning to sadness as you approach his bed. Enoch's heart aches a little bit seeing the sadness in your eyes, and while some of him loves the fact that he cares so much, a part of him hates it, fears it even. "Why? This is a lot to adjust to! First a new girl moves in, then I begin aging like the stories say? We all know what that means, but it's supposed to be a story, especially for peculiars in loops. It's scary stuff, Y/N."

Now you're sitting on his bed, "That's why I'm here, Enoch. We're going to grow old together, I need - we need to get used to leaning on each other." You see another question getting ready to leave his lips, so you crawl beneath his comforter and rest your back against the headboard, the same way he's sitting. "And we can start by talking."