Norman x Reader || SAUDADE

21-M-ujika

Jin refused to leave and this was turning into a full-blown attack. 

"Gilda, Don, quick, protect Mujika!" I told them as we readied our own weapons, making a circle barrier in between Mujika and the Lambda kids. 

That was until one point, they started falling down on their own, shaking and seemed to be in a lot of pain. I was taken aback at the sudden event, but I somehow recognized these symptoms. Seizures, just like what Norman got back then. 

"Seizures. Why did it happen so soon?" Jin asked in the undesirable situation. 

Mujika quickly went to one of the kids, examining their state. 

"This isn't good, they're not breathing." Mujika muttered. 

"Gilda, get the herbs from my pouch. Don, _______, Sonju, help me out here!" She quickly ordered all of us to help. 

I quickly took one of the kids along with Don and treated them according to Mujika's instructions. Sonju was hesitating to take any actions, which I could understand, they were planning to kill Mujika and Sonju earlier. That was until Mujika told him that they're humans and they need immediate treatment. 

"That won't work, we have to give them their medicine, it's a seizure specific to Lambda." Hayato yelled out in exasperation. 

Specific to Lambda? Is this what Norman was having as well, he was contained at Lambda at one point. He told me that it was his first time though, no that must be a lie. 

"Specific to Lambda, what do you mean?" I gritted my teeth in anger and concern. 

"Did all of you have the same condition? Norman too?" I asked Hayato and Jin, a little more desperately. 

"If-If he's getting experimented on, then he must be too. But, the boss said he didn't have one." Hayato trembled at my question. 

That boy! I felt my body tremble at the thought of Norman having to endure all of this without anyone else knowing. Keeping everything to himself, putting a fearless dependable facade, in the end he's just a boy. He must've been hiding his fear, his pain, all those experiments, all those trauma. I felt really infuriated at the thought. Jin surrendered and gave each of them their medicines. Everything was getting less chaotic and everything seemed to be in order. I was getting away from the crowd, Sonju was looking at the captives to make sure they won't try to escape or do something dangerous. Is this what he meant by hurting me? Not physically, but trying to kill my friends? Don and Gilda explained the whole thing about our expedition and the attack to Mujika and Sonju, while I decided to pull away trying to collect my thoughts for a little while. I felt tears welled up in my eyes, I did get hurt, even though Norman told me not to go. But, if-if I did not go, would I just be living peacefully in a beautiful lie, sparring myself from the hurt you've been taking on yourself? I felt Gilda and Don also gradually becoming more quiet at the moment, I noticed that Gilda was tearing up as well. 

"I'm sorry Mujika, Sonju, I'm sorry. Norman, the guy who tried to kill you is my older brother. I know we did not deserve to ask you this, but at this rate everything is going to be too late for everyone. A war is about to happen, they'll start killing off demons even if Emma returns, and I don't want that. Help us, I want to stop Norman." Her crying just got a lot stronger. 

"Please help us." She hiccuped and attempted to slow the tears coming out from her eyes. 

I gasped feeling dreadful myself, so intensely that I need to close my mouth to muffle the cries I've been trying to hold back. It was so painful. 

"Okay Gilda, we'll go to the imperial capital too." Mujika smiled softly grasping her hands. 

"What? Wait, but you have been running away from the royal family." Gilda immediately intervened, she didn't expect it to turn out this way either.