Norman x Reader || SAUDADE

10-E-nunciate

"_______." Norman's voice cuts me out of my trance. I let out a slight hum in response. 

"Thank you for taking care of me today." He showed me a smile that seemed to make my heart race a little. That's odd. 

"No problem. It's just the right thing to do, I'm looking out for my family now that we only have each other to depend on!" I responded almost immediately with a smile. A moment of silence accompanied our walk back once more. 

"I too, wanted a safe place for my family to live in. I promise I'll create that world for us to live in." He said with a very serious look painted on his face. I felt like he's bound to achieve whatever he sets his eye on. 

"I know you will. But Norman, we want to live peacefully as well and fight for it. It's not your burden to carry, it's ours too. We will create that world together. Trust me, Ray, Emma, you, me and even the smallest kids, are all capable of achieving that. We grew a lot during the last two years, trust us a bit more." I chuckled at the thought of Yvette showing interest in archery this afternoon. He stiffened up a bit before reverting back to his calm smiling facade. 

"We will. I'll make sure that we won't lose anyone else." He stated with determination laced on his voice. 

"Of course we won't allow losing anyone anymore. Including you." I felt my hand clutched the inside of his cloak a bit too tight. He stopped in his tracks to question me further about my statement. 

"You told Ray that you'd make sure everyone survived, especially Emma. And that you'd be willing to give your life to protect her and us." I told him softly. "But, that's exactly what we'd do for you as well. Everyone has the same thought as you, we'd jump in to save the other anytime." I continued with a smile. 

"So, please depend more on us too, don't work too hard alone. We're always more than ready to help. Just like when we decided to open up and trust Don and Gilda back then." I looked at him, he had a surprised look on his face. I know an internal battle was raging on that mind of his as well. 

"Well then, good night Norman." I smiled and opened the door to the house. He nodded slowly with a signature plain smile on his face, not the best one he mustered up, but a smile nonetheless.

*****Major flashback, a certain someone had that night*****

'Even if all fail, for you at least, I'll create a world safe for the both of us.'

"You both are crazy." Ray yelled at Norman. 

"What if Emma died in the process?" Ray continued with his logical reasonings. "I won't let it happen. I'll make sure she will not die even if it costs me my life, but I did not plan on dying either. And lucky for me, once I set my eyes on something, I'll usually be able to achieve it." Norman smirked at Ray with certainty. 

"It's impossible Norman! It's like sailing with a sinking ship." Ray pressed on. 

"That's where you're wrong Ray, I don't mind sailing on a sinking ship. Even mud can harden once baked." Norman smiled in a very daring way. 

"I didn't want to see Emma cry and worry, but I also wanted to protect someone else's smile." Norman continued. 

"Emma?" Ray asked, uncertain of his friend's way of thinking anymore. But Norman's face said otherwise. 

"_______?" Ray felt like his brain cells were bustling with the information rush as he put two and two together. 

"Why?" His gaze traveled to where Emma and _______ were, they were wandering off to the walls at a distance. "Because I like her."

****End of Flashback*****

The next morning, during the laundry duties, Ray and Emma told me they needed to talk to me about something. Well, it's more like Ray needed to reconfirm something to the both of us. Emma and I carried the baskets full of clothes piles inside of it while Ray set up the clothesline which would be used to dry the freshly washed outfits. They gave off a very nice scent of lavender and mint, probably due to the new detergent used to wash the clothes around here. It was such a familiar fragrance, I wonder. 

"So, what is it that you want to ask about Ray?" Emma broke off my trance and I tuned in to the conversation. "You're against Norman's plan on eradicating all of the demons in this world aren't you?" Ray shot out those words immediately, catching me off guard. His statement made me think back to what I really wanted. I wanted a peaceful life, I didn't mind eradicating all demons if that's what it takes to achieve that. I like Mujika and Sonju, but maybe this might be the only way. Unless, there's another way, that thought made me snap back to reality. Before I could say anything, Emma seemed to tense up beside me, her face hardened at Ray's question. 

"I am." She said. 

"But why?" I asked her. 

"Of course I want to live peacefully with everyone else, but I didn't want to kill all the demons as well. Some of them are just like us. They eat us to live, it's not like they have a choice." Emma clenched her fists in distress. 

"I knew it, you have your doubts." Ray smirked. 

"But, they killed our family, they killed Conny and our older siblings. They created so many suffering for us." I reasoned. 

"I know. That's why I don't know what to do either. I want to escape, I don't want anyone else to die." Emma fell into her knees. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her. I know, this dilemma, it's been haunting me too, but I know we have to make a decision for ourselves too. I looked up at Ray for any answers towards our problem. 

"I wasn't against the plan at all, but if you have your doubts, we have to talk it out with Norman." Ray crouched down. 

"I actually have nothing against Norman's idea either, but it might help a lot if only we can propose an alternative solution. I'm afraid, we don't for now." I spoke softly. 

"However, maybe Norman could come up with something. We've come this far. Norman, Ray and Emma, you three came this far together by thinking it out together, planning it out together, and of course it's important to voice your doubts in the process. Doubts make a plan whole." I smiled. 

"Heh, you gave us too much credit yourself _______. You helped us a lot by reminding us of what's important, even in the most difficult times." Ray pats my head several times and Emma nodded vigorously. These two successfully made me flustered as I was not prepared for the compliment. 

"Alright! It's settled then. _______, Ray, let's go! We'll talk to Norman right now!" She stood up and dusted her skirt. 

"That's our Emma." I chuckled and rose up hugging her and Ray.