soulmates lovers and other useless human relations

xxvii

[a/n: there's a section where it says y/n drowns in Norton's eye colour so before any one of you weirdos comments it, I wanna say it first; "hello, how are you, I am under the water, please help me, there is too much raining."]

A snort escaped through the small gaps between your lips - the corners pulled into a wide, amused grin as you stared at the prospector beside you. Laying on your bed. Hair messy but relaxed.

He was pretty - you noted. He had an appearance that was rough, scarred and battered from past events and match accidents, but he still had that gentle look, and you could bet your entire life savings that if he only used some moisturiser, face masks and took better care of his scars - he would be beyond beautiful.

But he seemed to prefer you being the beautiful one between you both. From the way his eyes lingered on your face, switching from looking at one eye to the other, to your hair, to your cheeks and to your lips. From the way his hand laid relaxed beside his head but fingers seem to itch towards your direction. From the way his entire body was angled to you, to show you had his utmost attention.

His eyes sparkled, and for a second you let yourself drown in their colour. "You look pretty when you laugh." He hummed, cheek gracing the cover of your bed.

You hesitated to reply - not because you were flustered (quite the opposite, actually.), rather because it was incredibly suspicious of Norton to be complimenting you and acting so nice without having some ulterior motive.

But ah! He was your soulmate - of course. How could you have forgotten such an important detail? But his face? Why did it have so many new, open cuts and bruises?

You lifted a cold hand to your your face, placing nimble finger pads on your cheek - mirroring the placement of a scrape he had. There was nothing. No stinging, no cut, no numb ache at the feel of your soulmate gaining yet another superficial injury.

"Norton I-"

He quickly raised a hand, smiling softly before quietly silencing you. "Just let me enjoy this moment." His reply came so smoothly and warm, it worried you. "Just let me enjoy this moment."

———————————

"YOU DREAMT ABOUT HIM?!"

While your body froze with a violent flinch, the two girls beside the one who had the outburst merely raised their hands to rapidly - but softly - slap the head of the obnoxious priestess.

"Geez Fiona, any louder?" Patricia hissed, nudging the girl with her hip.

"Sorry." Chuckled the pinkette, shaking her head before looking back to you. "You dreamt about him?" She whispered this time.

You rolled your eyes at her antics but decided not to hold her agains it - thankful that at least the living room was deserted when it happened. Everyone must have been in the kitchen preparing breakfast. "Yeah, and it was weird."

"How so sugar?" Vera tilted her head - she was wearing a perfume with a much sweeter scent than her usual ones. She smelled more like vanilla than roses.

"Well, we were laying in bed-"

"HOW SCANDALOUS."

Two slaps connected with the head of the priestess again and you were able to finally speak again while she pouted in her seat.

"We were just talking. I don't know what I was laughing about but he called me pretty. Then I noticed he had a lot of scars and other injuries on his face, but when I went to touch my face, there were none."

The three, despite fiona's prior outbursts, listened intently - nodding their heads and humming in curiosity. "Maybe it's stress?" Vera suggested. "I mean; this entire situation has been frustrating, even for me and I'm not even part of the problem."

Patricia nodded in agreement, throwing an arm over the shoulders of Vera. "Yeah. Not to be rude or to offend you, but you have been putting too much thought into them."

"Too much thought?"

"Yeah, like..." she waved her free hand in circles as if to reel in the right wording. "You gotta just relax and forget about them. Forget about both Aesop and Norton. You can focus on them again but give yourself a week to rest and relax; just let them handle the situation."

Fiona nodded enthusiastically before straightening her back. "Don't try to get involved with them any more."

"I don't try to get involved with them." You frowned. "They either come to me themselves or I find myself in an awkward situation with them that I can't escape."

"Okay, true, but for now just ignore them. Stop complaining about them. If either does approach you during this next week; let them, but don't overthink it afterwards. If they wanna spend time with you great, but forget about it once it's done and don't give any further thought into the situation."

In pure shock, both you and the two girls stared at Fiona wordlessly. She let it happen for a minute, but eventually shifted uncomfortably under the heavy gazes. "What?" She whined, dragging out the 'a'.

"That..." Vera furrowed her brows at her, Patricia wordlessly nodding in agreement before finishing the sentence of the perfumer.

"That was probably the smartest thing I've ever heard you say."

"YOU GUYS ARE SO MEAN TO ME."

Obviously, you ignored her and nodded. "That doesn't sound like a bad plan at all. Honestly, it's been weeks since I've last spoke to Aesop and it doesn't seem like he wants to associate himself with me ever again; so maybe a break to actually focus on myself is good."

"And us!" Patricia added with a chuckle. "Don't forget to focus on us too, love."

"I would never." You winked.