artifice || offgun

iv.

"Gun?" Off repeated the name of the person in front of him and unknowingly, the name slips on his lips like honey; sweet and docile.

Gun, as he claimed he is, nodded his head with his gaze still darted on the ground, fingers fumbling as he was not used of people's presence after being secluded for a long time.

Off then took a step forward, the seeping light from above gave him a clearer view of Gun's appearance. He scanned him from his head to toes, taking note that the man was barefooted and smaller in physique compared to him. 'Isn't Gun the one from the village's legend?' Off thought as he takes a hold of Gun's chin, gently lifting it so he could see his face and unexpectedly, he was not hideous unlike his vision of the Gun that Tay mentioned.

'His parents must be crazy for naming him after that,' Off concluded as the person looked at him with gleaming orbs, purity reflecting on every blink of his eyes. Off knows what a tainted person should look like as he had always seen it in front of the mirror and the Gun in front of him does not show even the slightest ambiance of harming someone.

"Totally crazy," He mumbled unknowingly, getting pulled by the other's deep stare. Gun's eyes were beautiful, mesmerizing rather as it seems to contain the galaxies in it; his raven black orbs seems to be the haven of the thousand stars, twinkling with his genuine gaze.

"Uhhh," Gun hesitated as he moves back, uncomfortable with the other's eyes on him. "Who are you?" He asked in a small voice, afraid that the stranger might hurt him if he acts thoughtlessly.

"I'm Off," He introduced himself casually, shrugging his shoulder as he puts both of his hands on the pocket of his pants.

"How did you find this place?" Gun asked, almost stuttering on his words, confused by the lax demeanor of the other.

"I just followed the stream,"

"Then why did you come here? The place is eerie,"

"I was curious,"

Gun looked at Off with a frown, doubt plastered on his youthful face.

"What?" Off asked when he noticed that the other was waiting for something else.

"Just that?"

"Just that," Off shrugged once again, getting bored with the unnecessary interrogation. "Any more questions?" He added.

Gun seemed to be faltering on his next question, looking side to side as he finds the courage to ask.

"Say it," Off encouraged the other when he noticed his subtle action of hesitation, taking a step closer so he could see more of his expressions.

Gun then lifted his gaze on Off again, pursing his lips before uttering his question, "Aren't you scared of me?"

Off was baffled on the absurd question and then lets out a light laugh, if someone should be scared of another, it should be Gun and not him, "Why would I be scared of you?"

"Because of my name," Gun mumbled, "Everyone in the village was scared of me because of my name,"

Off tilted his head as he lets out a light scoff, "I'm not scared of you," He answered, ruffling the hair of the other. Except for the reason that he doesn't believe on that mere legend, he knew from one glance that the other was harmless. Gun was a little lamb trembling in fear as a wolf appeared in front of him. It was the best description of the scenario they are in, not the other way around.

Off scanned the solitary premises again, letting out a light whistle as he finds it hard to believe that someone was living in an abandoned place. And when his eyes landed on pile of blankets which seems to be a bed, he then realized that the reason why Gun was in seclusion was because the villagers have prejudices against him; all because of a measly name.

"You shouldn't come here again," Gun mumbled when he steps away from Off's touch again, fear finding its way to bloom on his chest, "They might hate you as well,"

"They already hate me anyway," Off said and silence befalls on them, unconsciously staring on each other's irises; a penetrating gaze as if they found the slightest comfort on their respective situation. They found a common ground in which they were both rejected of company. And it says on the every glint of their orbs even though they tried their hardest to conceal it; they were both lonely.

"I'll come again," Off stated when he pulled himself from the hypnotic gaze, breaking the silence as well. He then turned his back from Gun, ignoring his cries of contradictions.

Off lets out a light laugh on the whines of the other, repeating the same words as he descends the stairs; waving his hands in the air as either a form of parting or sign of him to come by again.

"It would be nice to have someone to play with again," Off grinned to himself when he exited the structure, the image of Gun's hesitation and fumbling played on the back of his head. Judging from the other's character, Gun was really an ideal prey to toy with.

Off then thought how lucky he is. Just before he was about to get bored of his surroundings, an outcast appeared in front of him, knowing to himself how desperate the other would be for company.

He took a deep breath of fresh air before he starts walking again, the blazing rays highlighting the bright smile plastered on his face but then, Off halted on his steps when he reached the entrance of the ruins and noticed something unusual.

"The angel?" He frowned when the said statue was gone from its place, his eyes scanning the premises once again and then realized that perhaps it was from a different entrance, considering how the walls were identical from each other as they were all wrecked.

Off shrugged the sudden creep on his skin, getting familiar with the feeling as it frequently happened to him already. 'Don't come back,' a woman's low voice caressed his ears and honestly, Off was getting pissed with those whispers.

With rising anger boiling from within, Off looked back and ready to lash out on that voice, taking a deep breath to shout his frustration but even before he could utter a word, a loud ringing hammered on his head; a firm and long sound which made his vision go blank, pitch black with the torture of deafening tone.

"You will regret saying that name," Off heard a voice when the ringing subsided and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing by the side of the stream and when he shifted his gaze, he saw Tay thrown on the water.

It was a familiar scene for Off. A very familiar one.