Time - (Identity V-Elisop)

Chapter 28

(CW: PANIC ATTACK)

Eli gave one last goodbye to Naib before he left his room. Luckily his robes did manage to cover the dark bruises on his upper body. He had been sleeping in his room more often, even before his break up, and he cleaned it a few days ago so it felt nice and comforting. He didn't regret what he had done with the mercenary, even though it was stupid and irresponsible, it ended up making him feel slightly better.

Aesop had this small habit of leaving him small notes, whether he was going out to play in a match, or even just going to hang out with some other friends. The notes were written in neat handwriting, hardly any mistakes, and they always had a small doodle of a heart on them at the end. Obviously the seer saved small notes like these, they were sweet and beautiful judging who they were written by.

Eli found these small notes when he opened the top drawer of his dresser. It was a surprise to say the least, he had actually forgotten that he saved them there. Unsure what to do with them, he closed the drawer and walked away, silently thinking back about how his mood lifted when he saw them left on his bed or desk.

Brooke was in his room, waiting on the windowsill as she had left Eli and Naib alone last night, flying off to the woods to do her own thing for a while. When she saw how sad and quiet Eli looked, she flew up to his shoulder, nestling down and rubbing against his face. The seer smiled as he stroked her soft feathers, she hadn't had much direct attention from the seer in a few days.

Eli allowed her to sit on his arm whilst he took his hood down. He shut his window, not letting the cold winter air into his room. The seer definitely preferred his room to be more warm and cosy, ironically the direct opposite of the embalmer.

He didn't have any matches until tomorrow, so he would make the most of that. It was still 6 AM, he would go back to sleep but he was already dressed so there wouldn't be a point, and whilst breakfast wouldn't be ready until 8 AM, he could still go see if anyone was downstairs yet, even if it was just Emily.

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Eli made his way down the main staircase, his blindfold was on and he had his hood back up again. He noticed the sun was rising, casting the main entrance room in an orange glow. The windows by the double doors didn't have covers of any sort, and the downstairs living room windows only had heavy curtains Emily would draw every night.

He entered the kitchen and was surprised when he could see Aesop sat at the dining table from a small distance. Aesop had clearly not seen him and he preferred to keep it that way, at least for the meanwhile. Edgar was in the kitchen as well, mopping up the floor for some reason, perhaps he had spilt something? Eli didn't bother thinking about that.

Then he heard Emily come in the other room. He turned around and saw she had some medical supplies in her hands. The doctor noticed him but didn't say 'Good Morning,' or anything along those lines. The seer assumed she was just busy or in a rush maybe.

He ended up getting some cereal for the early morning, he knew he would get something else later as well.

In the other room, Aesop was sitting across Emily while she examined his hand. Luckily, It wasn't anything that would affect his performance in matches, maybe just some other things he did in his spare time, but otherwise everything would be fine.

"Just be careful next time," Aesop had zoned out whilst Emily was speaking to him, but he heard the last words she had said to him.

"Thank you Emily," The embalmer said before he went to go back upstairs.

As he passed by the kitchen, he saw Eli, by this point he knew the regret and guilt of his actions wouldn't leave him. He didn't know if Eli had seen him, in the kitchen or only just now, but he avoided eye contact and rushed back to his room.

"Fuck..." Aesop hissed under his breath, he closed his door, leaning against it as well. He pulled the mask down and took it off his face. He practically slid down the door and was left on the floor, legs spread out under him and arms grasping his head.

"It's my fault, it's my fault.." Aesop kept repeating those three words to himself, but they were so painfully true. "Why am I so stupid..?" He whispered those words as he felt tears brim at his eyes.

His vision was blurred with tears and he could only her his own ragged breathing and thumping heart in his chest. Now wasn't the perfect timing for a breakdown, but it wasn't like he could control it. He crossed his knees and leaned his elbows on them, head still in his hands. He gently rocked himself back and forth, the way Eli would comfort him if anything happened. You never realise how much you miss someone until they are gone.

That was something Eli often said to him. A year and a half ago, when the seer was coping with his late fiancee's loss. He couldn't imagine that, falling so deeply in love amd not even getting to marry the person, before you recieve an invite to a hell hole like this. Not that he had much experience in the subject of love, he just had a few months of experience, whilst some of his friends had more.

He closed his eyes again, he had calmed down slightly but was still in a shaken and disheveled state, his thoughts were racing with ever possibility about the seer. He dropped his arms and let himself rest, head rested on his arms, limp over his legs. He didn't know what he would do, but he certainly had to do something. And that 'sonething' wasn't thought out yet, maybe even just a kind-hearted apology, and acceptance from himself to move on.

He fell asleep shortly, thoughts still racing but body limp and calm. He hadn't even noticed or heard someone was outside his door.