ic ant even fucking finsih this

what if pauper got lost at a really young age in the forest

and hes lived there forever, he never grows old, but he can never find the exit alone

children get lost in the forest all the time and pauper takes them in, he'll take care of them as long as they need it and help find them the way out - and he always succeeds, he always reaches the edge of the forest and then smiles because he always thinks that this is finally the day hes going to leave

but he always turns around to look at the forest one last time, and its as if he walked away, and the edge of the forest is gone

one day he saved a little boy, and when they were at the edge of the forest, the little boy said, "Don't worry, One day I'll find you again" and then the boy walks away

years and years lately, but what feels like just days for pauper because every day is just the same to him, a man comes into the forest and pauper is shocked because no grown person has ever gotten lost in his forest

"What are you doing here? Are you lost?" pauper asked, and the man gave a small smile

"I told you I'd come back for you," the man said

and paupers eyes widen and he falls to the floor and cries because hes been lost for years and years, helping children but never being able to help himself and finally theres real hope for him, not the kind of hope that crushes him like standing on the edge but not being able to get out, every day, every year

"Let's go," the man said and he hoisted pauper up and lead him down the path, and pauper keeps thinking 'when did this path get here? where have i been this entire time?'

and they exit the forest, theres nothing special, they just walk out and pauper is still holding the mans hand

theyre just standing outside the forest holding hands and paupers staring outside, its really nothing special, just an open, grassy plain

"I promise that with me, you'll never get lost again."