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

forty-one

His heart felt empty.

He felt that surge of energy to just end it right there come across him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Eli might've been his release from it all, but if that boy could still be alive, it was all worth it. 

Dinner would come soon, and Aesop couldn't stand Tracy's cries from the outside anymore. He stood up, but froze. 

That pitiful sound that rang through the air was enough to make his heart stop. Tracy was silent now, and the sound penetrated the thick air. It was like it swept it all away, as Aesop wiped his crying eyes and let his jaw slightly drop in shock. There was no way-

Eli... he was crying. It was him, because he was saying things too. 

It took no time for Aesop to leave the room. He threw the door open, running to Emily's bedroom door. Naib and Tracy did absolutely nothing to stop him, them both just as much in shock. 

When he threw the door open, the sight before their eyes almost made them all sick. The walls, floor, and bed were all covered in blood. Emily was on the floor, on her knees, sobbing into her hands. They could see her mouth; she was smiling widely. 

Then... there was Eli. His soft, white skin was deathly pale and covered in blue black spots and the thick red liquid they were all quite too close to. Aesop felt tears coming into his eyes, but he just stayed in the doorway, watching both of the people in the room sob uncontrollably. 

Eli was sitting up, leaning against the wall, as the bed was on the far wall of the room. There was blood all around him, and he still looked just as dead as when they brought him in, despite his red face. He was still so... 

-:-:- Aesop -:-:-

...beautiful. 

Everything within me felt relieved, but still so on edge from everything, really. It all hurt. Everything. Nothing felt okay, but it never does anymore. We just... we always get these feelings. 

They're so deadly to experience, but also so much fun at the same time. It's like... sunshine pressing down to warm you, but it just ends up burning, touching scolding water because the clear fluid is supposed to be nice, and pure agony straight from the people you love the most. 

It's so nice at first, or at least you assumed it would be, but it just burns so bad. Everything always burns so bad. You just... feel awful until you learn to feel nothing, and that's life. 

No... life is feeling. 

If life is feeling, then I guess you could say that you have to find your life or catch one way or another; take too much time to do it, and you'll have to resort to things that just make you feel alive instead or die. Ooh, yay, options. 

Well... sometimes options are good. 

-:-:-

"Please... please just-"

"You already wanted to die, kid."

The boy knew angering the hunter would never lead to a great outcome. Yes, he wanted to die, but he would never leave Aesop with this horrible man. Never ever. 

He felt a scream bubbling up in his throat, but he was too far back in the woods. He'd been on this run for his life for a long time, but the hunter finally caught up. The only issue with that is, once you can't kite any longer here, the punishment is far worse than the loss of a match. 

It's the loss of your life. 

The trees behind him seemed to continue going on forever. He could break out into a run, but naturally, the tall hunter would be far faster. The hunter was always going to be faster than the prey. 

"You can't run any longer. You haven't eaten or slept in days. Just give up. Hand me your life, and I swear to keep the ones you love surely safe."

It was a lie, and the boy knew that. He'd always know that. It was never going to be truthful from this person, no matter what he said. 

"I'd rather die at my own hands than to yours. You can't take me. No one can but myself."

"Your toy could, and you probably wouldn't even notice until your eyes shut for good."

He clenched his teeth. He didn't have a reply. 

Soft, gloved hands ran down the tree behind the body they were attached to. He couldn't feel his hands anymore, as it was getting far too cold around here to breathe. He needed a chance to run, but there wasn't one yet. Patience. 

"Exactly. Look at you. You can't even look me in the eye."

"That's funny. I'd rather not throw up today."

The hunter took a step back in surprise, before grinning widely. The boy standing there could only glance up at him in small spurts. It was unsettling in the dark. 

"Oh... throw up because you're scar-"

Ankles snapping into action. 

Leaves crunching under fast feet. 

A boy screaming while being chased. 

Heart beats dropping. 

The boy rounded a corner, running another way. Oh god... there was light. It was so close. It had to be a path to a map for the matches. 

He ran as fast as possible, his heartbeat growing like crazy. It wasn't purple this time, but that didn't matter. It all felt the same. 

He'd never feel really okay again. 

As he approached the lights, he felt a small sense of relief. It would all be oka-

The sharp object penetrated the soft skin between Eli's shoulder blades, as another hand grabbed his hair and pulled him back. He was forced into the chest of the taller person, the knife going as deep as possible, and the attacker's other hand going over the boy's mouth. 

He tried to cry, but all that came were pathetic gasps. He tried to scream, but he just gasped for air. No... this is not how he was going to leave the world. 

ITSNOTFAIR-

Eli cried out, trying to breathe as much as possible. he wasn't dead yet. He could still hold on.

"Fuck!"

Eli screamed loud, it finally leaving his throat. Joseph began running the knife all over the boy's arms and other places on his body, causing all the blood left to drip out and fall to the ground. 

"No, no... we have to make it look like you did it. We have to make you covered in your own misery."

Eli closed his eyes. He wasn't going to make it. 

"Fuck you... Joseph..."

And with that, the boy blacked out from his pain, the hunter smiling and throwing him into the ditch beside the path to one of the maps. 

Aesop was finally his.

-:-:-

Hi boys!! Wassuppppp so uhm, i fell great rn, but I also kinda wanna die, but NOT ACTIVELY so it's okay!!!

Thank you all so much for reading! If you liked the chapter, feel free to vote and comment me what you think!! Thank you all so much, again! I love you all, my loveliessss

-Mags++