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It seemed obvious in retrospect, that the next survivor who would have a chance to play the hunter’s role would be him, Aesop Carl.
But even while the four contestants sat at the table, watching the ominous figure that paid them no mind from across the room, they almost didn’t believe it. Every time one of them betrays their faction, it’s unbelievable.
From across the room, they could see that his eyes were closed, tear stains sitting just below his lower eyelashes, but somehow his ‘gaze’ was still tearing into the survivors. Even if his head was not turned in their direction. His essence of death that usually tainted his aura was amplified here. They couldn’t see the rest of his face, leaving his expression unreadable as those ink black hands intertwined their fingers as a replacement for his usual surgical mask. And his weapon, his shining scythe was propped up against the chair as an omen, a reminder of what they were here for.
One of the survivors finally spoke up, a rather disheveled and zany looking man, Luca Balsa, the prisoner. He didn’t seem to notice who the hunter was at first, but he did notice everyone else trying to figure out their own strategy once he realized it, “Okay—so, what does he even do?” He inquired, and he was right to do so. New hunter meant that none of them had any idea what abilities he brought to the battlefield. Meaning it was going to be hell to contain him through trial and error,
Luca continued, “Is this his first match? Any of you already had one?” He looks around the table for an answer, and a woman dressed in purple, accessorized by a veil answered,
“Not his first, but our first.” Vera Nair, the perfumer said.
“Great!” Luca groaned, slamming his forehead into the wood of the aged table, “We’re fucked!”
A third survivor piped up, Patrica Dorval, the enchantress, “Wait a minute! We have a pretty good team! I could go and distract him and see what he does, Vera can stay close by to rescue, you decode, and Victor—“
“Wait!” Luca interrupted, picking his head up. Hearing the silent postman’s name seemed to prompt an idea in his head. He snapped his fingers and pointed a finger gun to blondie, who had been silent this whole time, not unusual for him. But what was unusual was the way he seemed to just stare off into nothing, or maybe he was staring at…Aesop. Go figure, huh?
Luca stifled a laugh at the realization of where his eyes were at, “Victor! You know Aesop, right? Like—really know him?”
Victor pried his eyes away from the hunter to meet Luca’s, raising an eyebrow and nodding his head gingerly, as if he were questioning his next words.
Luca leaned back in his chair like he had just gotten a ‘Eureka!’ moment. “Aha! So maybe Victor should go and see what Aesop’s hunter powers are! Maybe he could use that soft spot to his advantage?”
The two girls furrowed their brows, but Victor seemed to perk up at the offer, raising his hands to respond in his usual way, ‘I like that! I have my dog! And I’ll make sure to send you all letters when I get a window of chance!”
It took Luca a moment to figure out what Victor was saying due to how fast his hands were moving, but eventually he nodded his head, “Right! So we have a plan!” He exclaims, giving the postman a thumbs up.
“Uh—“ Patrica intrudes, “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea…other than his dog, he doesn’t have any kiting abilities.”
Luca waves her off with a frown, “Nah, you just don’t understand my genius.”
He crosses his arms in defiance as the match sets to begin.
~~~~
The air immediately begins to drop in temperature, more-so than usual maps. Aesop cringes as the cold winds pass through his exposed ribcage in his, very refined suit. Decorated with the yellow roses he so adored.
Leo’s memory, a map that he, and so many others, despised. A winter wonderland where the frigid conditions and horrendous terrain made it almost impossible to win on.
Conditions that no longer affected him.
He immediately picks up his scythe and begins his search for the survivors, it was strange to him how he could still somehow see with his eyes closed so serenely. Maybe it was the sense of death that guided him? No matter, he didn’t have time to think so hard on it.
After a bit of aimless wandering, ending up in the slender figure walking around the walls of the warehouse in the center of the map, he wondered where the survivors could possibly be? Were they trying to hide from him long enough for him to grow annoyed and surrender? And if so, where are the crows?Aesop raises his gloved hand to his chin in thought, thinking of different hiding places and whatnot.
That is, until the crunching of footsteps against the snow pulled him out of his trance.
Someone was sneaking around under his nose! How could he have not noticed? Maybe the closed eyes didn’t help…
He went to turn around slowly, but the sudden feeling of coldness on his back was enough for him to whip around faster.
A snowball had been thrown at him, accompanied by a very familiar giggle. Aesop caught a glimpse of a figure ducking back down behind some obstacles. Funnily enough, his red postman’s hat still peeked out from the top. Revealing himself weather he meant to or not.
Aesop instinctively raised his blade, ready to attack, but some sort of feeling that was foreign yet familiar struck his invisible heart. Causing him to hesitate and freeze in place.
He could—no—should attack! It was for his mission, the sole reason why he agreed to take this form as a hunter. To send off the lost souls of the manor. A deal he had been sitting on for quite some time now, and only just took recently. This would include Victor if it weren’t for the lingering feelings he held for the other man. And the silent promises he made to him. Aesop remembers agreeing to himself that he would not embalm Victor until the end of his mission. And he was a man of his word, even in this state.
Victor seemed to take note of Aesop’s recoil and threw another snowball at him, hitting him in the shoulder. The postman knew deep down that Aesop wouldn’t attack him, which made him the best container on the team. All he had to do was pull him in and distract him long enough for the others to do their thing and escape. It was an easy task to Victor.
And he was right. After a moment of staring, Victor popped up again, holding a prepared snowball at ready. Waiting for Aesop to join the fight.
After a small staring contest, Aesop sighed in defeat, a halfhearted laugh buried within the breath. He takes a step towards the warehouse wall, and Victor follows his movements with his head, arm never leaving the throwing position. He watches the former embalmer prop his scythe up against the concrete. He failed to notice that the disembodied hands had left his face, revealing the peaceful smile he was keeping covered. It was a stark contrast to the fear he would instill in other survivors. Not Victor, though. The postman found this form to be quite pretty looking. He’d always thought the embalmer was handsome anyway, maybe he should try to convince him to let his hair down more when he returns to his survivor form?
Aesop turns his head around, a heavy eyelid raising up slightly to make eye contact with Victor. The postman basked in the sight of his face, distracted and with a fatigued arm. Long enough for the freezing snow to envelop his face. Victor jumped in surprise and let out a noise that was something in between a gasp and a yelp. He weakly threw his own snowball, missing horrendously as the lump of snow landed at Aesop’s feet, his arms reaching down to scoop up the discarded powder to reuse.
Victor quickly wipes away the snow, smiling playfully and giggling. Mission accomplished on his part. Before he goes down to grab another pile, he signs at the other, ‘No fair! Those hands are cheating!’ He jests.
Aesop hums, “Oh? I think they’re well within range of the rules…consider them a third player.” His voice was almost the exact same with his deadpan tone. Just a little deeper and gravely.
The hands floated idly beside Aesop, preparing their own snowball before chucking it right at the postman, who ducked down just in time for it to fly over his head.
The chilly back and forth between the two continued, full of laughter shared among them both. Victor did what he was told, to contain the hunter. But he would have nothing to report on his abilities other than that his face-hands seemingly have a mind of their own. Good enough for him. He was just enjoying the moment at hand, not caring about how he’d have to explain to his teammates that Aesop didn’t use any of his abilities on him.
It wasn’t like he even had to, many of the other players walked by close enough to witness the activity. Luca laughed and watched for a while, but ultimately decided to leave them to their own devices. He’d tease Victor for it later.
Aesop and Victor had been going at it for a while until the loud blaring horn sounded, indicating that all five ciphers have popped and the exit gates can be opened. They ignored it for awhile, until one of Victor’s teammates pinged that the gate on one side of the map had opened. Which finally made the two men register that the match was technically over.
“Well…” Aesop started, “Looks like it’s time for you to go.” He approached the postman and wiped off the snow that had stuck to his uniform. He noticed how Victor was shivering and frowned, “I’m sorry, I would offer you my jacket if I had it.”
The postman shakes his head, ‘Don’t worry about it! Thanks for playing.”
“Of course, thank you for giving me a reason to be alive today.” He bends down and places and soft and quick kiss onto Victor’s frosty nose, which promptly made his face heat up.
Aesop sheepishly moves away, “Sorry—it warmed you up a little, though, did it not?” Victor gives him a flustered thumbs up.
The creaking sound of the dungeon door opening echoes in the wind, and Victor catches sight of it. And so does Aesop.
“You should go now, I’d hate for you to get frostbitten, or catch a cold.” Aesop says, patting away more snow.
Victor nods gingerly. straightening up as he tries to gather any courage he could find in his heart, ‘Are you cold?’
Aesop tilts his head, his hands hadn’t returned to cover his mouth yet so he could see the corners of his lips dip down a little. “Not necessarily, I’m a little chilly but I’m used to—“
Victor gestures for Aesop to come closer, interrupting what he was saying. And he does with a slightly confused look. Victor gestures again with a little more nervous vigor. Which called for Aesop to bend down to the survivor’s level a bit. Victor took a deep breath and swiftly lifted himself up on his toes and place his lips softly onto the other. If he had gone any slower, he probably would have hesitated and missed his chance.
It was a tender kiss, and Victor was relieved to feel Aesop kiss back, the embalmer placed his hand lovingly and lightly onto Victor’s cheek until they pulled away. Aesop’s eyes widened, fully opened now. And Victor kept his head down and glued his eyes to his feet.
With shaky hands, Victor asked, ‘Warmer?’
“Y-yes…I think?” Aesop answered, Averting his gaze as well.
Victor nodded and quickly started to head towards the dungeon, basically running to it. Waving frantically at Aesop as a goodbye.
~~~
When Victor arrived, his teammates had already returned to their own activities in the manor. All except Luca, who looked to be waiting for the postman to come back with a cocky look on his face.
When Victor caught notice of it, he jumped. Face reddening once again, ‘How much did you see?’
Luca laughed, “All of it!”
Looks like he was spectating, much to Victor’s dismay.