Chapter 9

3rd PERSON POV

Survivors' Side

"So we have received an information from one of the hunters that we will be having a brand new match mode. It will be hosted by Jack the Ripper and will be taking place in one location only."

Emily. She had gathered everyone in the survivors' side for a heads-up regarding updates related to the Oletus Manor.

As expected of the one who is the first few survivors of the manor.

Everyone has always thought that she takes a big amount of dedication towards her role without knowing that deep down inside that fact had hurt her very feelings. Every bits of it.

She is well aware of the fact that she likes helping people recover towards deep injuries, even with no one telling her what to do, and that happens to be the main reason she came here.

But no one told her that all those injuries she tended to would be caused by bloodlust eyes, sword slashes and to make it worse; killings.

Not to mention she has to deal with different types of people every day starting from the one that goes hyper all the way to the one who hates being social more than anything.

Aesop. That name had somehow popped inside her mind the moment the train of thought made its leave from her head.

Come to think of it, he is nowhere to be seen in this dining room.

"Have you all seen Aesop? Eli, Naib?" The doctor said, much to her dismay as the two men shook their heads.

Most of the survivors gave her the same answer, but it was Kevin Alonso who gave just the exact response she has been hoping for.

"He went to the garden just one hour ago and hasn't came back, so I think he's still there. You know that man likes to zone out on his own. You should head there and see."

Emily deliberately stood up, letting all the papers she had been holding scatter around the table.

"Thank you, Kevin! You're a lifesaver!"

The cowboy showed off his lasso.

"Of course I am, my sugarbaby bunny."

Emily shuddered at Kevin's words. He had always been flirty to every woman in this manor. She remembered it crystal clear the moment he tried to hit her up during a match, and she hated it.

He would be using words such as babe, honeypie, sugar bunny, amd much more towards her, making it more than enough for goosebumps to stand on the ends of her skin.

She then headed out for the garden, leaving Kevin and the rest of the survivors eyeing the papers she dropped earlier.

                                ***

JOSEPH

"Can we talk more?"

It felt like time had stopped again the moment the words came into my ears.

I turned to face the man sitting on the bench behind me, my heart thumping inside my chest.

And sure enough, he is no longer sitting down. Instead he is up on his feet, hands curling into fists with his grey eyes locked into mine.

He was frowning, but his eyes screamed for an answer. A yes.

"Please, Joseph. I--"

That was when I took notice of his hands. Though they were fists the moment he asked me to stay, I had came into realization that he had been hiding something in them.

His deliberate standing made everything fall out of his hands.

Meds. Pills.

"What... are those?" I asked, the feeling of concern taking over me.

"It's nothing." Aesop said, shoving everything back into the pockets of his grey jacket.

By now my nervousness and uneasiness on having him right here before my eyes had changed into the feeling of concern. Those things he has.... what have he done to himself?

Ignoring the insecurity piling up inside me, I grabbed into his hands, putting up the force I had to prevent him from struggling, in which to my surprise, he is not. He just stared right at me holding into his hands, saying nothing.

"Aesop Carl. What have you done to yourself? What are all these?"

Silence.

"You want me to stay here with you, but here you are saying nothing at all! What's inside your goddamn head?! What's your point to stop me from heading back when the only thing you do right now is silent?! Are you out of your mind?!"

The words slipped out of my lips like lightning and I had no absolute control of it.

It was the embalmer's teary eyes that brought all my senses back to me.

I had pinned him into the wall of the survivors' side with my hands grabbing into his clothes. I had spat out harsh words towards him despite me only knowing him hours ago. And the worst of all...

I made him hurt. All the way without me realizing it.

Aesop said nothing. He was in a whirlpool of emotions.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to.... I...."

I had always wanted him to stay out of trouble, yet I'm here causing it all on him.

My legs felt like jelly and by the time I realize it, I was kneeling with him standing right before me.

"I'm sorry....." I sobbed. Heavy tears had flowed down my cheeks all the way to my clothes.

I was in a crying mess.

"Joseph."

I was still sobbing uncontrollably in remorse and my face was still wet in tears when he bent down to my level, his hands holding into mine, intertwining it.

"Get up. You're a mess. No one should see you this way."

I looked at him. I expected him to yell his heart out and let rage take over him the way it took over my whole control earlier, but instead I was given the act of kindness.

His kindness.

I grabbed his hand and let him walk me back to the bench.

Isn't it just awkward that you had the intention of consoling someone, but that someone ended up being the one consoling you?

He patted my back before smiling at me.

That goddamn smile.

No words came out of his mouth, but it was more than enough to let me know that he forgave me.

***

"So how is it like to be a hunter? It must be really amazing to be the one who is always able to have all the spotlight in the match."

Aesop and I are now in a decent conversation, which is a bit unbelievable to me despite the breakdown we were in earlier.

"Nah. Most of the peeps in my side might have that feeling but not me. You might not believe this, but I feel very bad everytime I have to swing this sword. I am aware that I have to.. but I can't bring myself to take injuring someone as an accomplishment. That gave me cancer. Ew."

Aesop said nothing, but I noticed him chuckling under his breath.

"You're laughing." I pointed out, much to his face turning red.

"No I didn't! I was taking a deep breath!"

"Don't deny it. It's obvious, Aesop Carl the Embalmer."

He then had his both hands in the air.

"Okay, Mr. Cameraman. You win. Fair and square!"

We then broke into massive laughters.

I was beyond happy that me and him are now in a very good situation, but something inside me keeps on playing its part, making the guilt I had from whatever I did to him seep back into me.

"Aesop..." I said, moving closer to him.

"I just wanna say sorry again for being mad at you and going all bonkers on you. It's just... seeing all those pills out of you and you hiding it just made my heart break. I don't want you to do harm to yourself. You can say that I was concerned about you, but I don't know how to get it on you, and in the end I had let anger win over me. I'm sorry..."

It was pure silence for quite sometime when I felt his head on my shoulder before lolling to his left side.

I took notice of him only to find out that he had fallen asleep with a bottle of water on his left hand, the bottle cap down on the grass in front of him.

Guess the meds must have done its job.

He must have taken them when I didn't realize.

He looks cute when he sleeps.

I placed my hand on his forehead. It's a bit warm.

I know I need to take him back now that it had gotten dark with the stars shining above my head, but something inside me decided to not do it.

I let his head rest on my shoulder before noticing a smiley drawn with my name under it on his right hand.

It was the moment I realized that it had some writings under it:

Thank you, Joseph.

I can't help but let myself broke into tears of happiness.

I pulled him into a hug, in which I did it in a slow motion since I don't want to wake him up.

Thank you too, Aesop.