Fate (DISCONTINUED)

XVI

A/N:
I had originally planned to update the whole thing last Monday as a 1-year-special of this story being published but sudden writer's block be doing me dirty tho.💔

Anyways, here we are with another update! I seriously would like to thank you all for bearing with my uncertain update schedule that has been getting beyond messy and all. This might be my gazillionth time saying this, but you guys rock!

Fate has nearly reached 40K, and I couldn't have done it without all of you!
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I did not remember much about how that BlackJack match went in detail.

The only thing my head remembered before the thoughts within me zoned me out is the two manor officials of Oletus Manor, Jack the Ripper and Hastur the Feaster explaining how the match goes and that the participating hunters must not, in any way, hurt or harm their assigned survivors regardless.

It was the impact it had on me.

Sleep never came in easy on me ever since that very stare and how he had put everything with all his might just for the sake of me not having even a single scar being laid.

The hunter. The one I have been teamed up with.

Jack the Ripper.

I had it playing in my mind, the way he muttered something under his breath as he handed out the cards.

I had it playing in my mind, the moment he would always shoot short glances to where my scar is no matter how much I kept it away from me.

I do not know if it is just my mind messing with me, but I somehow the sound of that little smirk under his breath the moment William alerted every of us that Aesop was hogging the first round by passing the round to Joseph, having to protect me from being gone after being taken into account.

Something is off.

It is like he had once been someone I knew before-

No.

I gave my cheeks a hard slap as I put my usual green hoodie on. Emily had prepared a special celebrating ovation for Aesop's record of being the first one to win in this newly made game mode and having doubtful thoughts on this very occassion would not be the expression everyone is looking for.

But, still.

Is he just doing what he should be doing, or is it true that he had once shared a bond with me?

His gestures. His reflexes. Those few seconds midmatch where he tried to get my attention as I worked on a cipher, despite him having the white long mask covering his face.

A slight surge of pain shot through my head, pounding its way to my skull. This is too much for me to process. There is no way this can be true.

Dismissing the whole state I am in, I opened the door leading to where the lounge is. All my wounds from the battle preceding that BlackJack match are still there, but at least I was able to carry out a good play and that I can move around freely without having to wince once in every five seconds.

It was when I caught a glimpse of two tall figures of Jack and Hastur with papers on their hands, making the way to their side of the manor with Jack somehow noticing me as he walked, the look of concern and all sorts of mixed feelings drawn all over the two eyeholes on his mask.

I shrugged it off, ignoring everything my head is telling me.

It might be just my imagination.

I really hope so.