broken heart-strings (seer x embalmer, +more ships apparently)

seventeen

I'm at a stage where I really think I should build up some other characters, so I'm going to focus on two others besides my bbys for this chapter at least.

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The matches he usually joined were always warm maps, so being in Leo's Memory for the first time in awhile really seemed to make Naib's blood freeze. It was him, Tracy, and two other unimportant people. All he cared for was Tracy's well being.  

Wu Chang didn't seem to be up to par today, as they had one cipher left and no one had been struck down totally yet. As he finished the last machine they needed, a sound struck through the air, followed by a scream. 

Immediately, Naib knew it was Tracy, just by the familiar sound of her in distress, as he had seen it all too much. The sounds of people running for exit gates to open them blocked him from hearing what he needed. Without thinking, the dumb boy with elbow pads began running towards where he assumed Tracy was.

As his heartbeat became far too loud in his own ears, Naib knew for a fact that Tracy had been hit. When he rounded the last corner, he saw it clear; Tracy was terror shocked, laying on the ground helplessly. Wu Chang was nowhere to be found, but by the consistent beat in their hearts, he was close enough to take away any from of comfort that Naib wished he could hold around the girl.

"Holy fuck..." he mumbled, quietly running up to her and bending down.

She groaned softly as his hands worked to heal her enough to make it out the exit gate, where he assumed Wu Chang was. 

As soon as she was healed, Tracy jumped to her feet and spun around. The back of her hand connected with Naib's face roughly, before she grabbed it with both of her hands and ripped it down so he was eye level with her. 

"You're stupid. I hate you." she said sternly as possible, but the smile still made its way onto her face at the end. He just rolled his eyes, before grabbing her wrist and running off with her. They were getting close to the opened exit gate, when another yell filled both their senses. It was the thief. 

"Help me!"

Naib was focused on getting Tracy out of there, as he dragged her to the gate. She began to fight back against him, but his hold was too strong. 

"Come on, Subedar! We have to save him!"

"No, you have to get out of here!" 

Tracy began to push back, but he was already far inside the exit gate, pushing her out. She felt tears well up in her eyes, but it was more from the fact she couldn't do anything against him than anything. "Naib please!"

Their hearts were beating fast at this point, and Naib didn't know what to do. It would break the girl's heart not to save the thief, and he could never just do that to her. In matches, she was always sure to be the last out, usually failing to escape in the process. She was sobbing, and it was mostly because she couldn't do it this time. 

Naib bent down to her height, holding her tear-stained face in his hands. He brushed a hair from her face, making her red eyes look up at his soft orbs. "Trace, listen. The hunters seem to be targeting our group and i need you to be safe. I promise you that i'll save him, okay? I swear."

Tracy's shaky hands grabbed his wrists. She shook her head, biting her lip hard. Before she could protest, he pushed her past the barrier and ran off, not looking back to see her reaction. 

-:-:-

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Naib screamed, as his rocket chair landed in the field. It hurt badly, but he quickly stood up and brushed it off. He had managed to shove the thief out the exit gate at the last second, before getting knocked down and totally owned. The rest was a blur. 

He was sure that Tracy had been spectating, when he heard the robot running across the field towards him. he looked up, seeing that she was no where to be seen, but the robot was right there in front of him. 

"Hi, Trace..." he mumbled. the robot slowly picked up the tired boy, making his realize why it came out instead of her.

The robot carried him the entire way to his room, where Tracy was sitting on the bed. She was petting Eli's owl through the cage, looking at the journal and stuff of Eli's that were sitting in the bottom. The robot sat Naib down on the bed, before folding itself up in the corner of the room. 

"Is this all Eli's?"

"Yeah... when I let her out at night, she sometimes goes in there and takes things. he hasn't said anything to me about it."

Tracy sighed lightly, when the door swung open. It was Aesop, who had a small, worried smile on his face, 

"How was the match?" he asked lightly, walking inside. When he came in, Naib noticed that Eli and Emily were both coming in behind him. Naib moved himself and Tracy to a side of the bed, leaving room for more people to sit. 

Emily sat beside Tracy, Aesop leaned up against the door, and Eli collapsed into the floor, his legs crossed, as he began to mess with his gloves. 

The silence was comfortable, but as Naib began to speak, a high-pitched squawk came from the corner of the bed. They all looked up. Eli felt himself smile a bit, as  Naib flipped the cage open and the bird quickly flew to it's master's right shoulder. 

"i missed you too. You can start staying in my room again." 

Naib smiled gently at the reunion. he knew for a fact that the owl had missed Eli of so dearly, so to see them back together was really a great sight. 

"So, Subedar, already up to no good here in Tracy's room, huh?" Emily asked with a smile. 

Naib rolled his eyes, taking Tracy's hand and shaking it lightly. 

"Why, of course, Mrs. Dyer."

Eli let out a giggle from the floor, which made Aesop look at him. The two hadn't talked since the last thing that happened between them, but Eli seemed to be feeling better than ever. Aesop watched the boy, his face feeling hot. He really did love him, huh?

It was sort of sickening, but Aesop loved the feeling of chasing the one he would never get, even though he was sure of being heartbroken in the end. It didn't matter. he was going to try for it anyways.

"Aesop, how have you been?" Tracy spoke up, looking over at the boy who was being suspiciously silent. 

He smiled, beginning to explain how his day had gone today. 

Eli was memorized by his words. His voice, the way his hands moved with his words, his smile, his hair, his eyes, everything was perfect. it was all so so perfect. Eli's thumb gently ran against his bottom lip, as he remembered the kiss. He couldn't explain why, but he wanted more. 

He though for a little bit, then smiled. he was going to get another kiss by dinner no matter what. It didn't matter anymore. he was going to get another kiss and figure out what Aesop did in Joseph's room yesterday.

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hi bbys. My face hurts, I have a headache, and strep so- Yeah life isn't going great. I hope you all are doing good. Like always, thank you so much for reading, and feel free to tell what you though of the chapter! By my lovelies~!

-Mags++