→ ฬђєгє เร ๓ץ ๓เภ๔? → norman x reader

22. little lion hearts; with a soft sadness

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"[                           ]," ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴇᴇ ʜɪᴍ ꜱᴀʏ ᴀꜱ ʜᴇ ꜱᴍɪʟᴇꜱ. He is sitting at a plain white table, in a room with plain white walls except for the victorian-like paintings that hang in rusted gold frames. There is an empty chair, for you, and two plates covered by metal cloches with a napkin and utensils to accompany.

You feel two taps on your back and you turn to Dr. Dolores, who points to the seat, your seat.

You watch as the Dr closes the door and you turn back to the set table, walking, almost wobbling.

His smile is sad as if disappointed to see you, sad that you had to come back, knowing that any farm they put you in is better than being back.

"[                           ]," he says and your hand reaches your ear, the classical music playing mockingly in your ear. 

"Vincent," you say, your voice struggling to stay steady because you can't hear your own voice, and you can't hear his.

"[                         ?]," he tilts his head.

His head... his head is shaved, whereas when you remembered it, it was thick and dark with many curls. A large scar now replaces his hair. He still wears the same formal attire that they dressed him in when you two were kids. When you were just three and he was just six, a new arrival from a farm.

Now you are fourteen and he is seventeen, sitting, stuck in the Experimentation Farm, Lambda 7214, officially coming full circle.

"I can't hear you," you inform as steadily as possible, "I can understand sign though."

You watch as Vincent's eyes flash angrily behind you, you look, and unsurprisingly, one out of these four walls is occupied by a window. One in which is a window to them, and a mirror to you, reflecting the scene you sit at.

Vincent signs, "I would say it's good to see you... but... Well anyway, I'm happy you seem well."

You smile, he is straightforward like he always was, "Me too. You look so... grown up."

The dark-skinned teen nods, "Yes well, I'm only a year from being an adult. You seem taller, but I'm sure I'll always be taller than you," he adds giving you a teasing smile.

You chuckle, "Well, I've come to terms with that."

You watch as something comes to Vincent's attention, as he looks behind you at the window again, "They said we could eat now."

You nod and copy Vincent as he takes the metal covering off of the plate, revealing meals for the two of you.

You eat slowly, and Vincent perks up, "Remember when you used to get mad at me for teasing you about being so little? You would always yell at me that you'd grow to be ten feet tall and I'd shrink to two. You and your lion heart, always so hyper." 

"Yeah. I remember," you laughed behind your hand, "You always humored me in those moments. Even when I'd steal your glasses and force you to run after me."

He nods, his expression nostalgic, and begins to eat. You notice that your meal is different than his, with no meat replaced with other sources of protein.

You look around at the paintings up in the room, the one that catches your attention the most is the one with a woman in a silky white dress sitting on the ground, her shoulders slightly hunched and eyes seemingly fixated on the ground. The painting gives you a sort of melancholic feeling, a pensive moment of solitude.