soulmates lovers and other useless human relations

xxi

[a/n: this story got 10k reads !! :D]

As promised, Percy did lead you to the dungeon, the hunter dropping in after you secured the four survivor win. Struggling your way through the stinky tunnels of the dungeon with the hunter behind you, he brought up some small talk.

"So Robbie and Michiko have told me a lot about you. You're a teacher, right?"

You nodded, your hand grazing the old stone walls of the dungeon as you blindly walked. "Yeah."

He smiled and looked ahead (thankful that being a hunter gifted him with a better view in the dark. For some reason.) "I remember when I was young I had a teacher that was really nice to me. He was my favourite person."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm." He continued, adding; "I didn't grow up in a very nice home, so going to school where someone actually cared about me felt like a blessing."

"I had a boy like you in my class." You hummed thoughtlessly, squinting your eyes when spotting the light at the end of the seemingly endless tunnel. "He had problems at home and with the kids in my class. He would hang out with me a lot, especially during his lunches and free time. He'd just come and sit with me at my desk - sometimes even asked to stay a little longer after school."

Percy stayed silent, thinking to himself before asking. "And before you came to the manor, did you find out if he ended up safe?"

You hesitated, your pace slowing to a stop. The light of the manor entrance now lit up your path and you were thankful that you could see without using your hands, but you couldn't help but grimace the fact Percy would be able to see the dismay on your face. "Yeah, I know what happened to him."

He looked down at you, not on you, and frowned - if anything, feeling sympathy as he laid a comforting hand on your shoulder. Looking up at him, he smiled. "You're a good person. Whatever happened, I have a feeling it wasn't your fault." He finished, letting you go and walking out the dungeon - disappearing behind the opening to the manor.

For a minute you just stood there, staring idly at the wooden interior of the place you now called home, waiting for you to return. But your feet felt like bricks and your breathing felt frozen - hard to exhale and even harder to inhale. You knew what this was. Percy's words (which you knew were harmless) had triggered something you had tried endlessly to bury and forget about. When everyone around you had told you to open up and talk to someone about it, you denied and said you were fine, that 'it didn't really affect you' - the first person who was willing to listen to your story had fallen asleep before you even started telling him what happened, and to make matters worse; now he was gone.

How were you supposed to trust and speak to others about your inner troubles when they all have their own problems to deal with? When they're too tired to listen. When they don't know you enough to truly understand you. When they've got their own trauma and haunting past that they, themselves are running from - a past so dark that they can't spend five minutes stopping and listening to you in fear that their memories will find them and catch them.

A shaking hand lifted up and patted your chest - where your heart is - the beating fast and erratical. The last time you had felt your heart beat this fast was with Aesop.

You forced in a deep breath (even though it felt like you didn't even inhale any air at all.) and blinked your eyes a few times, swallowing back the tears and pain numbing screams that followed you around whenever you were somewhere too quiet. And so, much like you had the entire time since arriving here, you forced yourself to move - to continue running from whatever was trying to reach out to you from the dark.

———————————

That night, for the first time in a while, was your turn to cook dinner. However, you were thankful you weren't alone as Tracy had gotten picked to cook with you - the mechanic smiling sweetly as you walked into the kitchen.

"Hey! So hear me out, I was thinking we could make some-"

She rambled on about meals to make, as one would not be enough for the occupants of the manor. In the end, she settled on three different plates. (being conscious of those whose diets consisted of differing meals.)

Tracy was a lovely girl, one you hated yourself for not spending more time with. She was kind and funny, smart and so incredibly bubbly. In a sense, she was a lot like Emma, if Emma was more knowledgeable on robots and overall mechanisms rather than nature.

Getting straight to work, the meals had been done and prepared just in time for the others to arrive and demand their much needed food. Mike walked into the kitchen with a laughing Victor, the two blondes smiling at you and the girl. "Hey, we'll help you set the table up."

Despite their kindness, you knew better than to believe Mike's innocent, helpful statement - especially with how his eyes twinkled with mischief when he glanced over you.

You quirked a brow but shrugged and handed him a stack of large white plates, Victor grabbing the box of cutlery as they both filed out. Tracy continued setting the last finishing touches as you went to clean some of the pans you both had used.

When Mike and Victor returned, you again couldn't help but spot the way the acrobat studied you, turning to Tracy and Victor. "Hey, can you two take the food? I'll help y/n with the plates. We'll be out soon."

Oblivious to the hidden plans of the boy, they nodded and headed out - happily chatting about the upcoming event; the lantern festival that the manor owner had announced just that morning.

"Hey." The blonde smiled once they had both left, walking to stand beside you on the large sink - quickly picking up a spatula to wash. "I heard what happened with Norton at the library."

You rolled your eyes and scoffed. "Listen, I know you both mean well and he's my soulmate, but right now just isn't the time for him to be trying to make moves on me."

He glanced at you from the corner of his eyes and shook his head. "He isn't trying to woo you, he's trying to support you. I know he hasn't been the best at showing his intentions when making advancements - especially when we first arrived at the manor - but please just take my word on it." He finished off the last dish and fully turned to you, face fallen serious without a single trace of playfulness on his expression. "Right now, he just wants you to know he supports you. He wants to help you."