Photographic Memory

Sneaking is an Understatement

The embalmer did not turn to look back at him. He kept the photographer right were he was. "I think I heard footsteps." He whispered.

Joseph felt his heart on his throat. He heard what?! When he stopped to hold his breath, he heard it loud and clear. There was someone behind the garden door, and that became definitive when light suddenly streamed through its fissures. If they didn't think fast, they were going to get caught.

Aesop got down from Joseph's lap and helped him up. "Hide behind the bushes near the stairs. Quickly."

The blonde got there at the speed of sound and was safely hidden when the door creaked open.

"Aesop! There you are! I've been looking for you!" Emma stood at the end of the stairs. She was already in her pajamas.

"F-for me? Why?" The embalmer tried to look as normal as possible, however, he was still bright red, sweating, his breathing accelerated, his heart pumping at a hundred.

Emma was visibly worried. "I... Emily wanted to take a look at your arm. Are you all right? Oh, no! Did you blood sodium drop again?!"

"I'm ok, but... isn't it a bit late for an examination?"

Aesop could see from far how her face heated up at the question. "Uh... she was... busy!" She dismissed. "Come, I'll take you to her."

But he didn't want to go just yet. He wanted to say a proper goodbye to Joseph, maybe ask him when they were going to see each other again. "You go first. I'll catch up."

"Ok, then. Don't forget your mask." Oh, right. Aesop didn't even remember its existence. It was still laid out on the bench.

The photographer waited for him to signal it was safe to come out of his hiding. He was also anxious by the look on his face, but he still wore a cute silly smile.

"Things really got out of hand there, didn't they?" He asked in a low voice and wrapped his arms around Aesop in relief.

"Do you regret it?" The shyest boy questioned.

"Not in a million years." Joseph squeezed him against his body. They spent a while like this, both realizing how special this night had been, even with the inconvenient interruption. "See you tomorrow, then?"

The embalmer tiptoed against his chest. He was feeling greedy. "Goodnight kiss?"

Joseph chuckled. "Have you not had enough?" He complied to his request before hearing the answer. "I have to go." He whispered.

"I know... Sweet dreams."

"Dream of me, dear." He winked before planting one more peck to his lips.

Getting back to the hunter's manor was an easy mission, but the look he was given to when he arrived was anything but easy. The geisha had been waiting for him in the dining room for who knows how long. She was sat on the table clenching her hands and biting her nails. She had asked every single hunter at the manor if they had seen Joseph or not at this point. When they're eyes locked, the photographer felt like he could physically see the madness take over her pupils. The smile he had when he got there had vanished.

"Where the hell were you?!!" She screamed. "Seriously, are you crazy, disappearing like that?!"

"Michiko, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?! Waiting for your ass to show up so we can have a talk!! You've been sneaking off to see that boy, haven't you?!"

"You mean Aesop?"

Michiko laughed sarcastically. "No, no, there is no Aesop in this manor, it's embalmer. Now, have you?"

"I have, jeez! You have nothing to do with this, stop fighting over nothing!"

"Over nothing?! I warned you so many times! He is a survivor! You can't be in a romantic relationship with a survivor! It will wreck you!"

"It's my life, my relationship, my Aesop. You don't tell me what I can and can't do."

"Exactly! It's your life! You chose to play this game! Now accept the consequences! You can't be with him!"

"You know what? It's too late for this, I'm out." Joseph turned around and ignored whatever his fellow hunter had to say.

"Just wait until the Host hears about this."

Aesop felt so much lighter now after taking a shower and having his bandages switched for new ones. He couldn't wait to fall into bed and ponder for hours if this day had actually happened. He needed to sleep, but he didn't want to, he didn't want to wake up from this dream.

There was a knock at his bedroom door. He put on a long-sleeve shirt, expecting to see Emily asking if he needed something else but instead...

"Hello there."

Aesop pulled the man inside that second without a word and closed the door with force. "How the hell did you get here?!" He whispered, not that it would make a difference right now since he had made so much noise closing the door.

"I thought you would be happy to see me." Joseph smiled suggestively.

"The dining room door is locked!"

"I may have put a hidden camera at the garden just to get to visit you more easily." He smirked.

"You...!" The embalmer had his fingers on his temples. Joseph was having loads of fun seeing him flustered like this.

He made himself at home. He had never entered Aesop's bedroom before, it didn't even cross his mind how a survivor's room would look like. It was definitely smaller and less luxurious, but it was as organized as he expected it to be, considering who it belonged to.

The photographer sat on the corner of the bed with a bit more seriousness on his face. "How is your arm?"

"Oh, the stitches opened in the middle of a match, but I'm fine now."

Joseph gulped. Fine wasn't the word that came to mind when he imagined stitches giving up on holding your skin together.

"What about you? You don't seem well..." Aesop took a seat next to him. The only other person who could see through him like this was Michiko, but she didn't seem very friendly at the moment.

"I'm all right, don't worry." He tried to deny.

"No, you're not. You're mad. Tell me what happened." His words were demanding, yet his tone was so gentle. Joseph wished he could stay here hearing his soft, deep voice and never go back to that stupid manor.

"Michiko found out I was sneaking here to see you." He said getting more comfortable and laying down on his back.

"Sneaking is an understatement."

They laughed together.

Joseph genuinely thought he would rot inside this hellhole and his friends still wouldn't understand his love for this man.