My Muse || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

📷 My Muse || Chapter Thirty One

He turned to leave but I grabbed his hand, "P-Please, stay..." I whimpered, in between tears.  

---------------------

His eyes were dull, taking a seat at the foot of my bed. "Okay..." He said. 

Isabella walked in, an assortment of medical supplies in her arm. Along with it, a thing metal stick the size of my calf. She held it upwards, glancing at me. Ray immediately jumped in between us, holding his arms out. "Don't fucking touch her." He hissed. 

The woman looked at him confusedly, tilting her head. She giggled, understanding. "This is for a splint, Ray. To help her heal." She put it down with a clink. "Would you rather she not?" His arms fell downwards, still protecting me from her gaze. 

She sighed exasperatedly. "You've always been protecting her, haven't you?"

Isabella smiled at me, tip toeing over Ray's shoulder.

"Ray was four when he learned that you all were cattle. He watched it with his own eyes, someone being shipped. The few days following, he was so distraught that he refused to eat, only sitting underneath that little tree with a pile of books." She lightly shoved Ray aside, placing my broken leg on her lap. "As you can guess, he got sick and was forced to quarantine inside the infirmary, on this very bed!" She laughed to herself, recalling the memory. Her gentle hands wiped a cold swab of alcohol across the joint, making me wince. "But guess who kept sneaking their way inside to play with him?" She patted my head warmly. "You, y/n. Much to Ray's protests, though." She placed the cool pole on my leg, wrapping it securely tight with the bandage. "You see, Ray didn't want to make friends. After he learned that each of you were headed straight for death, he accepted it. Making bonds, friends, giving and reciprocating love would be so painful at the end." 

Her violet eyes turned sad, the bandages coming loose. She immediately noticed, tightening it. I winced at the sudden discomfort. "But still, every day you found your way inside, bringing another book. You would read it out loud, even when he pretended to be asleep. You said 'Ray is my family! And I'm never going to let him be alone!' I think that's when he fell in love with you." The splint was secured snuggly around my leg, Isabella tying the loose ends. "Well, that's it," She said, standing up. "Please, give up your escape. I would hate to do this again." She turned to Ray, his fists clenched tight. His glare was icy cold. "You shipment will be January 14th. The day before your birthday. For her sake, you should stay quiet and cherish the days you have together." 

She silently walked out of the room, leaving Ray, Norman, Emma and I terrified. 

Norman had cleaned the gash in Emma's head, both of them completely inaudible during Mama's monologue. 

We all slowly turned to the white haired boy, who looked rather unfazed. 

"N-Norman, you have to get out, you-you have to escape! Before the rest of us, please!" Emma choked, in between tears and pain. 

Ray fell to the floor, slamming his knees. "God damn it, god damn it!" He mumbled agonizingly. Norman nodded, smiling. "Okay." He turned to Emma and I, grinning softly. "You two must be thirsty, right? Let me get you some water." Norman left the room, closing the door behind him. Emma's eyes were wide open, tears flowing like a waterfall. 

My heart churned. Norman's cheerful, smiling face flashed in my mind. 

I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't lose him. 

When he returned, Ray grabbed his arm, staring at him. "T-Take the book and pen. You have to l-leave tomorrow, be-before you get shipped." He said. Norman grabbed Ray's hand, squeezing it warmly. "I will, thank you." 

We spent the rest of the day planning his escape. We were confident Norman was going to make it out alive.