broken heart-strings (seer x embalmer, +more ships apparently)

forty-nine

"Oh god. Oh fuck!"

Norton sat against the wall, shaking like crazy. Naib was sitting beside him, knees up and head in his hands. He was hiding his face, mostly because it was red from all the yelling he had just gon through from what he saw. 

"I thought... he was getting better. Yesterday he came right to my room and fucking talked to me. He went and apologized to Aesop, and they even made up. Then today he just... what the fuck is going on?"

Norton shook his head, bringing his knees up to his chest like the other male.

"There's more to it than we think. I ran into him in the hallway. He was running from something, and there was far too much blood in that room for it to just be his. It looks like... he was guarding something from being hit with a very sharp weapon with his left arm."

Naib nodded gently, pulling his cigarettes from his back pocket. He promised Tracy that he would chill with it, but now seems to be a time that he can't take it any longer. She'd have to get over it.

"What would he be protecting?" Norton questioned, looking over to the male to his right. Naib moved his legs, now sitting in a far more comfortable position with his legs crossed. 

He lit his cigarette and took a deep puff of it before exhaling all the smoke he had taken in. 

"I don't know. Maybe he was guarding his face. He'll be okay, though. He's a tough one."

Norton nodded gently, looking at the wall across from them. They could hear Emily's endless cursing and yells. "Maybe we should help her?"

"Nah, man. Emily doesn't want help when it comes to shit like this unless she asks. She likes to be in charge, trust me."

"I believe you..."

Norton sighed, letting his head fall into his hands. He wanted to know more about this group, as they were just so famous in the manor for getting into so much trouble within themselves and hunters. Well, he also just wanted more friends than Demi. 

These people may not know it, but they have the worst reps out of basically anyone else in the manor, and Norton was curious at what was so bad about them. They seemed... so much more real than all the others. Everyone else was focused only on matches and rewards, but this group of people were so lively. They were making the best out of time here, and it was fucking the system over. Norton seemed to love them all without even really knowing any of them but Naib. It was insane. 

"Tell me about your group."

Naib took another hit of the cigarette before putting it out on his left palm. Norton noticed all the other scars there from doing that a lot; it was crazy. 

"Uhm... we're just a normal group of friends. There isn't anything special about us. There's me; I'm just a mistake. I don't do much in the group. Then there's Tracy..."

Naib paused and chuckled a bit, making Norton smile gently too. 

"She's a peach. She's just so happy and makes everyone smile. Then there's Emily. God, that nagging bitch is like our mom, but we all lover her anyways. She's special. Then there's Aesop. He's totally quiet around literally everyone but us; it's kinda funny. Then you know about Eli."

Norton didn't feel satisfied with the answer. Naib told the basics of the members, but Norton wanted to know what made them so separate. 

"Why do you guys get in so much trouble? I haven't seen like any of you in many matches in forever."

Naib snorted loudly, coughing a bit with it. He couldn't doubt now that his lungs were fucked. 

"Hah... it's not that we seek trouble, my friend. It's just that we don't fear it. You can't fear death when it's not a possibility, and you can't play around a giant pit of fire thinking you're never gonna get burned. So, there are people out to get us... I say... so what? So what, people want us dead? They can't do shit."

Naib laughed harder, and Norton just stared at the ground. 

"What do you mean death isn't a-"

"Naib FUCKING SUBEDAR!"

The male jumped to his feet in surprise, looking down the hall at what him and Norton could only tell to be two people. As they got closer, Norton realized it was Aesop and Tracy. 

"What the fuck happened?" Aesop asked. The normally calm voice Norton was used to was full of panic. Norton pulled himself to a not slumped sitting position against the wall, looking up at the others. Tracy, after Naib explained to them what happened, ran over to the male and fell to her knees in front of him. 

"Thank you so much, Norton!"

"Uhm... I didn't really do anything."

Despite saying that, Tracy pulled the boy into a tight hug. Norton hugged back gently, taking it in. He hadn't really had anyone show appreciation to him in a long ass time. It was nice to have someone be alright with your presence besides just having Demi.

Tracy pulled away, a big, obviously fake smile on her face. She stood quickly, and so did Norton. Aesop quickly spoke up. 

"Did Eli say anything weird?"

"He wasn't really conscious." 

Aesop nodded gently, before sighing heavily and falling hard against the wall. 

"This is so fucked."