Chapter Text
Norton and Eli stood in a small pond, pants rolled beneath their knees to avoid getting their clothing soaked. They were holding hands, swinging them back and forth as they made their way through the cold water.
Norton didn't care that their surroundings was empty. The skies, the land, the water, everything was white except the blue ripples created by their movement. No, he didn't care of any of that. What was most important to him was Eli, who carried his usual smile that washed all his worries away in an instance.
They laughed, walking through the pond while they chatted. He didn't know what exactly they were talking about. Eli's voice was distorted, but he didn't mind at all. He enjoyed the sound of it.
“Norton?”
Norton’s steps grew to a halt as Eli called his name, who was smiling as he turned to face him, taking both of his hands and intertwining them with his own. Why couldn't Norton feel his warmth? Eh, that wasn't important right now.
“Can we talk?” Eli continued, squeezing his hands gently.
“Course.” Norton nodded. “What's up?”
Eli chuckled.
“Don’t you think you deserve punishment for what you've done?”
Norton felt his blood run cold the second those words left his beloved’s mouth, tensing with a hitched breath. He tried to pull back with a nervous laugh, but the seer kept a firm grip.
“Taking a human life is the greatest sin you can commit, Norton, yet you believe you can get away with it and continue to pursue your selfish desires? Pursue a relationship with me?” Eli tilted his head, his smile dropping. “You think you deserve to be by my side after what you've done?”
His vision turned red.
Several hands jumped out from the water, grabbing hold of Norton, and they began to drag him in. He screamed, pulling against them as he reached out to his beloved. “Eli! Help me, please!”
Instead, the seer took a step back, unphased. “No, Norton. I can hear the cries of those you killed, and they demand you suffer in hell with them. That is the fate you deserve.”
Norton gave out a desperate cry, the water rising to his waist as he tried to pry the hands off of him, but they grabbed him again and again. Fear consumed him. His heart was racing against his chest, his breathing rapid as he helplessly fought against them.
All while Eli watched them pull him under.
The prospector couldn't breathe, bubbles of air escaping from his mouth as he tried to swim up, but his hands were held behind his back. He tried to kick instead, but they were forcibly pinned. Water filled up his lungs as he instinctively tried to gasp, only to swallow more water.
He didn't want to die, he didn't want to die! He couldn't die! He couldn't die without knowing a life of rest, a life filled with comfort and happiness he was stripped from experiencing his whole life.
His head began to spin, his vision darkening.
He couldn't…
Norton woke up with a sharp gasp.
He sat up, breathing rapidly as he gripped at his chest, his heart racing. His rapid breaths were replaced with harsh coughing and gasps for breath. He didn't want to die, he didn't want to die, that was the last thing he remembered before he woke up.
He felt someone stir next to him, but he couldn't bother checking who it was. He couldn't stop coughing, a stinging pain forming in his chest at each cough, wincing in pain.
“Norton..? Norton!” A voice gasped. Gentle hands cupped his face as someone moved to his line of vision.
It was Eli Clark, the kind and gentle seer of the manor. His brows were furrowed with worry, ocean blue eyes checking for any injuries. He brushed the prospector's bangs away from his sweaty forehead. “Shhh, shhh. It's okay, Norton. You're here, you're here. Take deep breaths, it's okay.”
The sound of his favorite voice instantly calmed Norton down, his harsh coughs gradually becoming light coughs instead, his breathing steadying.
“There you go. There, there.” The seer let out a sigh of relief, running his hand through the prospector's dark locks. “Good, good. You're okay, you're here.”
Norton sucked in a shaky breath, closing his eyes. He hoped Eli didn't mind the way he leaned against his touch, moving to grab his other hand and squeeze it tightly. “...Thanks, Eli.”
The seer nodded, returning the squeeze. “Of course. Are you alright?”
It was the prospector's turn to nod. “Yeah, just a stupid nightmare.”
“Oh…would talking about it help?”
He shook his head.
There was no more need for words. They've been through this more times than they'd like to admit. They knew what needed to be done. Cuddle time.
Eli lied back down in bed, opening his arms and inviting Norton to an embrace with a warm smile. The other obliged, lying down beside him and making himself smaller before him, resting his head on his chest.
The seer wrapped one arm around him, one hand rubbing his back while his other hand petted Norton's head. A low hum vibrated in his chest, and he took a deep breath before singing to him with a soft voice. A lullaby with tragedy at the end of the song, songs Eli sang often.
Norton closed his eyes and soaked in the warmth of his beloved’s arms, the comforting touch of his fingers running through his dark, curly hair while his back was rubbed, the beautiful soothing voice that belonged to the most important person in his life. It all blended together into a comfortable feeling washing over him. He felt relaxed, melting deeper into the embrace as he let out a sigh of content.
Within minutes, he was fast asleep.