FLIGHTLESS BIRD // Detroit Become Human High School AU |Connor x Reader x Markus

Chapter 3: Secrets and Truths

You didn't watch the dance. The vision of Kara's little sister Alice, spinning around in her slippers brought back too many hurtful memories for you. You could still see the lights falling from the ceiling, the sound of screaming resonating in your ears. You too winced, but it was too late for you to move as the beam knocked you from the stage.

"[F/N]... [F/N]...?"

You snapped out of your daze. You realized with gasping breaths that you were not on stage anymore. You were at the Detroit Elementary School hall, and Alice had just finished her dance. Kara was giving you an odd look as your eyes darted around frantically.

"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." She reached towards you, but you flinched back.

"I-I'm fine... sorry..."

"It must have been quite a stressful day," Luther said, and you craned your neck to look at him. "After all, it was your first day at a new school."

"You're right... I think I'm just tired," You laughed as Kara's concerned look turned to a smile.

"Kara, Kara!!" The little girl tugged on Kara's arm, and Kara laughed. "What did you think of my dance?!"

"I thought you were a perfect little swan!!" Alice squealed with delight as Kara spun her around. The mention of a swan made your mind fall back to previous memories, the ones you had lost yourself so deeply in before. You had been a swan before too...

Before everything had changed.

After you parted from the group, you decided to take a longer walk home. Although it was almost evening, and the sun was beginning to set, you enjoyed this time the most. You liked watching the birds as they returned to their nests, the people calmly walking, relaxed, knowing that the day was finally over.

Luther had offered to give you a lift, but you had declined. The truth was, you enjoyed walking. It was a way to see the city, and you certainly still had a lot to explore.

As you exited Detroit Elementary, you walked back towards your high school. Further along the path, you noticed a building you hadn't seen before. Blended in with the pine trees outside it, the old building looked almost like a place from a fairy tale. You approached it, reading the sign outside to find it was a library.

You walked closer, peering through the window in the hopes it was open. You could see a librarian shuffling around inside, and the bookshelves were stacked with neat books. It was as if it was all calling to you, as you opened the door.

A little bell rang to signal your arrival, but the librarian didn't so much as glance up. 

You wandered towards the shelves, your eyes dancing over the titles. Books that you had read shone out at you, but amongst them were worlds you had never seen.

One thing you rarely told anyone was your love for books. At your previous school, you never mentioned it. Yet when you returned home, you let yourself fall into the worlds of those books, your mind traveling to a different place every night. You loved the stories those tomes told. You wanted so badly to be a part of those places, and you dreamed about them each night. You loved dancing, but in books you could be anyone you wanted to be. In your dancing, you were only... you.

As your eyes trailed up a high shelf, they fell on a particular book. This spine of the book was a dark blue colour, almost black, and the white letters stood out on it. Could it be?

You stood on your toes, stretching up to try and reach it.

Like every book reader, you had a favourite book. But your favourite book was one you had only ever read once, until it had disappeared, never to be found again. When you saw the spine of the book, it brought back memories for you, memories of a world almost forgotten.