Retaliation: the beginning

Chapter 47: "Living up to the expectations"

"I'm impressed." Timothy admitted after evaluating Ely's, somewhat, illegal hacking skills.

Elias smirked quite proud of himself "Thank you." Giving a slight bow.

Timothy snickered then stood up walking around aimlessly.

He noticed Aaron's eyes locked on him, he sat down the nearest surface he could find, feeling even more awkwardly uncomfortable than he already was.

He was in somebody else's bedroom, it was hard to get this new concept. Of course Elias didn't mind, he was too preoccupied with his computer to notice.

Clay always warned his three little hunters about making 'contact' with others, by contact he definitely was referring to friendship.

Timothy rolled his eyes, no wonder he wasn't married. Who would want him?

He sighed assailed by guilt, still frustrated by his inability to socialize with people the same age. He saw himself as someone weak unable to communicate like a normal human being which had led to this situation. He was prisoner of this vicious circle in which he had gone head first and was unable to find the exit.

He got up again looking around the room, let's start with something simple, he thought. "nice collection" he picked up one of the Gundam figurines on the desk. "Otaku I suppose?"

"since 2012" Ely looked up and smiled "you?"

"Neh are you implying that I am because I'm Asian?" Timothy's grin widened when he saw Ely's embarrassment.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." Elias said with an awkward snort "maybe you're the 'kpoper' kind of Asian?"

"Neither actually," he said putting down the figurine, "We barely have time to breath, let alone have a hobby. It's always mission here mission there." He said with narrowed eyes.

Elias sympathized with him, the first time he met with Clay felt like it was his last day on earth. He wasn't surprise to find that the huntsman was too strict with his novice. "Must be tough, the life of a hunter."

"Hnn, comes with lots of expectations," stated the hunter slightly tilting his head. "expectations that we can't live up to."

Pressing his lips together, Ely scrutinized him for a long moment before asking "How did you end up one? A hunter I mean."

Timothy shrugged and forced himself to a smile, "It's not something we choose to be, it's decided way before you're born." He said moving to the bed.

Aaron watched him sit next to his friend with careful eyes "Who is Clay?" He asked startling both of them "To you?"

The hunter wasn't obliged to answer, but he felt like getting it out of his chest would make him lighter. But in the back of his mind, he knew that somehow it wouldn't.

"He's my godfather actually" he told them "my parents were huntsmen too; all our parents were friends in the past. They passed the hunter exam together, became huntsmen together, died together-"

Elia blinked surprised and looked immediately at Aaron who averted his eyes, "what happened?" he asked Aaron but it was Timothy who answered.

He licked his lips before he started, "I was five, my parents told me that they were going out that night to celebrate with their friends, something about a successful project they had been working on and the other kids, their friends', would be here any second with a babysitter. I sat there and waited, a girl came; she was fifteen or so, with her baby brother and Kimberly, I think the kid was you but I'm not sure."

"Fifteen?" The blond interrupted; if Timothy was the same age as him then the girl must be his sister.

"Yeah, we spent the night playing, everything was fine until Clay came with Shane in his arms, he was gasping for air, his face was all dusty and all, he took that girl with him." he paused getting increasingly anxious, as enhanced by the acceleration of his heartbeat, "A woman was there afterwards, she took us somewhere she said it was safe. I was just a kid I didn't know what was happening but I felt it, I knew it was something bad. And the next day Clay tells me that my parents died in a fire and I could never see them again."

"A fire?" Elias looked down for a moment, His mother certainly didn't die in a fire she must be the woman. It seemed that some had survived the fire incident, his parents and Clay.

Was it really an incident? He didn't say it was...

"Yeah that's how they all died" The hunter said and slumped against the bed with a sigh. "That girl set the house on fire while they were inside."

Elias blinked, horrified.

It can't be, why would she do that?

Why would Marah want to kill their parents?!

Aaron opened his mouth like he was going to object but the door flew open and Isaac stepped in.

"I'm heading out, you boys need anything?"

Elias gave him a bewildered look tinted with contempt, it was the first time he heard about this story and hearing it from a stranger stung him the most.

Timothy shook his head and turned to him "You?"

"No," He said with bitterness. "I'm good."