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

⭐ My Muse || Chapter 113

Before I knew it, a month had passed living in the hideout with Norman and everyone else. Ray had joined Norman's liberation squad, but for some reason it meant that I'd see the both of them less. William Minerva was busy planning attacks, carrying them out, and scouting new areas on the map. Sometimes it killed me that he couldn't do that as Norman. 

"You're still weak. You're still dying. More so now than before." I had heard Vincent's concerned voice from behind a door. What was he talking about? I covered my mouth, crouching underneath the knob. Norman voice was harsh, responding quite irritatedly. "I know, Vincent. You don't have to remind me. You're not my father." I heard the distressed snapping of someone's fingers, or a toy, like a fidget cube. "You're right. I'm your brother. Your friend. How long do you think you can keep this from them? From her?" The clattering of a pen. Norman had dropped the one he was holding. "She's the one who can't know." "She held your hand while Ray carried you to the infirmary, Norman!" Vincent's voice had elevated into an irate shout. "I- I'm sorry," He sighed. "I know you love them. I know you love us. I know you feel like you're the only one who can do this, and that you're protecting them from the horrors of this world. But Norman, you'll die if you do this for much longer. Your heart will explode. Your muscles will give out. You're going to break. Don't you want a life with her? A life after all of this? You need to take it slow. Not three expeditions a month, not cooping yourself up in here for days at a time." Norman clicked his tongue. "I don't have time to spare, Vincent. I have six months. Six months to change this world." The conversation seemed to have ended their, a pair of footsteps approaching the door. I stumbled away, shocked and confused. Somehow, when I returned from la la land, I found myself in front of the infirmary. This should... give me some answers, right? 

"Zack?" I called, stepping inside, looking for our resident medic. Pepe and Anna were at his desk, shifting through some records. "Hi, y/n!" They smiled, pulling out a sheet of paper. God, I'm such a snooper. I hopped to in between them, tip toeing over their shoulders. "What's that?" Anna tilted the paper towards me, grinning. "Norman's medical records. Vincent had asked for them yesterday." "We probably shouldn't be showing this to her," Pepe chuckled, snatching the sheet. "If anyone should know, it's probably her!" Anna's blond ponytail shifted with her pout, making the both of us laugh. Pepe sighed, rubbing the space in between his eyebrows. "Okay, fine. y/n," He frowned, giving me the record. "Norman suffered many physical repercussions from Lambda. And they're starting to take their toll. He's overworking himself on those missions." I scanned quickly written words in a doctor's handwriting. Sometimes it was Zack's hand, or Anna's neat script. The other handwriting I assumed to be Pepe's. 

- Wounds not healing.

- Constant headaches, constant exhaustion

- depression, suicidal thoughts

- nosebleeds, passing out

- insomnia

- loss of appetite 

So that's what had happened on the day Norman and Ray dueled. He'd overworked himself and paid the consequence for it. He went through the risk of passing out to impress me? So he could fight Ray and protect me? I'd lost him once before. I wasn't going to lose him again.

"Norman, can we talk?" He was holding my hand, leading me through the house. "After this, y/n." The door to his office opened for us, the liberation squad, and all of the older kids in the family staring straight at us. What was this? Why was everyone here? His hand slowly left mine, the boy moving to the center of the room. Ray glanced at me, unimpressed. Ugh, whatever, loser. 

"Everyone, it's my pleasure to announce this to you." Announce what? Norman's blue eyes fixated on me, like I was the one he wanted his words to reach most. "A solution. An end to this Neverland, where children can never grow up, where humans are only cattle. My proposition? It's to kill those who've killed us. The end of demonkind." 

I should have been happy, right? Ecstatic. Everyone else was. Emma started to cry, Oliver smiling as he held her tightly. They were probably thinking about a world where they could live together freely. The life they could have together, without the demons. So why wasn't I smiling? Gilda and Don cheered, the rare grin on Paula and Sonya's face. Barbara and Cislo looked relieved, like their years of suffering had finally bared fruit. 

So why was that memory the only one I could remember? 

"He has a family!" That photograph, that image. That in another world, demons were cattle and humans were the ones hunting them. Would they celebrate if their Norman proposed the same solution? Genocide? I weakly cheered, jabbing my fist into the air. He has a family, though. They have villages, towns, homes and siblings. I'm a stupid idiot.