The daily life of a ghost in Oletus manor

Chapter 19

"S-sure, though I am not the best company around..."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Aesop gathered up his courage and took the seat on the bench, not that far away from the hunter, and at the same time, not exactly close to him. He sat at a relatively safe distance, so if things were to go wrong, it would be easier for him to flee from the scene.

There was a long beat of silence. Joseph himself wasn't really worried or nervous to be near the deathly silent, uptight boy, who was sitting with his back straightened, his whole posture looking somewhat stiff. It was clear to him, that the little survivor was not happy with his company- and yet, he couldn't help himself letting an amused chuckle out. He was curious about the reactions he could get out of the other male- what kind of expressions could he make that emotionless, lifeless face to morph into? How long would it take him to make the little mouse lose control, breaking that carefully built-up mask into small pieces? Would it crack easily? Or would he need to give it a little more effort? He wondered how he should proceed, what would be more effective in his case. Simple teasing or should he bully the little one? Make him bleed, make him shake in fear until his eyes would be no longer mirroring the stagnant emptiness Joseph was so familiar with?

Oh, yes. The reason Joseph was so interested in this boy was that his eyes reflected his own pain. The grief, the emptiness, the feeling of being alive, yet not living at the same time. Wanting to disappear, to just stop existing altogether- for the pain and the hurtful thoughts to just stop.

Joseph could not save himself. He was never able to do that, to get better and forget, but he will be damned if he doesn't try to help this boy, this person who reminded him so much of himself before it would be too late. Damn, he hoped it wasn't already too late.

No one deserved to feel like that. Not Joseph, and not the Embalmer, no matter what was the reason behind it. It didn't matter what the boy did, what they all have done because everyone deserved redemption. A chance to live, to be alive.

Even though none of them were really, truly alive. Not here, at this place. Most of the hunters? Almost all of them were dead outside of the Manor, with no chance to ever go back to their old lives. The survivors? The only reason their hearts were still beating was the Manor itself, the moment they would step outside, the life would leave their eyes, forever, with no chance to ever get it back- and this was something that was clear to everyone except the survivors themselves.

And the hunters didn't have the heart to break their little hearts- to crush their dreams, their hopes of having a life outside. (or they simply didn't care enough to tell them the truth)

And still.

And still, he wanted to help. He wanted them all to get better, to be able to cast their past mistakes, their regrets aside, and enjoy the remaining of their existence, even in a place like this.

To make the best out of the situation, as Emily told him once.

"So, tell me, little survivor, how are things on your side of the manor? How did the rest of your team react to the news?" Joseph tilted his head to the side, his blue orbs not betraying his dark, grief thoughts from just before.

"Complicated." Aesop was not stupid, he knew what the hunter was asking about. If they got a letter, it was more than likely, that the hunters got the news too. "Some of them are angry. Some are taking it lightly. And some remain neutral to the case."

"Oh?" Joseph hummed softly, leaning even closer to the smaller male, curiously. "What about you, then? On which side do you belong?" he was truly curious about what his new little mission was thinking of the situation. Was he angry? Was he okay with it? Neutral?