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The sun was filtering through the window, bright light seeping through, as Mike hopped over to the window, face pressing on the glass. That was a brighter life, beyond his reach. If only he could hold this view forever, absorb the cheery atmosphere through his eyes and keep it engraved in his brain. It was a place that would stay happy forever.
Norton appeared behind him, smiling at the blond as he put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him towards him, away from the window. "Do you see it?" Mike asked Norton, excitement building up in his voice.
Norton peered out, frowning. "What am I supposed to see?" he asked.
"I see a happy place," Mike said. "A place where we aren't allowed to go to."
"Oh yeah," Norton replied, dully turning away from the window, into the shadows of the room. "I miss life before coming to the Manor. I was free. I wasn't afraid. There were no such things as Hunters. I didn't have to be chased. I didn't have to get hurt."
"But I met you here," Mike whispered. "So I'm glad I came."
He nodded and smiled. "So do I, but... don't you wish that one day we could leave this place? Leave together and explore the world outside that we've been locked out of?"
Mike stared out of the window again, the sunlight so bright, and he could imagine the warmth. "Yes," he said. "I always wish."
Norton's hand fumbled in his trouser pockets, pulling out a magnet in each hand. Mike frowned at that and Norton gestured for him to move away from the window. After Mike was out of the way, Norton threw both magnets at the window as it smashed from the force, a hole taking the place of the glass. Norton stepped carefully over the glass and climbed out of the window, Mike following him out. "Be careful," Norton said, his arm out to help Mike over, but the Acrobat's movement was so light as he flipped over easily.
They ran down the field, the softness of the grass crumpling beneath their feet as Mike found a spot to lie down on, Norton lying down next to him. They were staring up at the sky, mostly blue, with faint white lines of clouds drifting by. Mike grinned and as Norton tilted his head to look at him, he noticed that this was the brightest he had seen him. His pale face, glowing in the bright sunlight, beaming blue eyes glittering. Golden light was sparkling in his eyes and Norton guessed his eyes must've appeared orange-brown in the light. Norton closed one eye and let the other squint at Mike, admiring his features that were sharper in the sunlight; one side of his face was lit up and the other was shrouded in the shadow of his blond fringe.
The air was so warm. The sun was so bright.
They were so happy.
A golden bird flew by - a nightingale - with black feathers flying out from its head, before it transformed to a human sized figure, wearing a black caged dress and a yellow cape of feathers and a black feathered hat. Miss Nightingale raised an eyebrow at them both, scrutinizing them, hands by her hips. "You broke out through the window," she spoke, words paced.
Norton and Mike sat up, Mike's smile getting dimmer, but Norton's smile completely vanished.
"Yeah, I did," Norton admitted openly. "You have a problem with that?"
She narrowed her dark eyes at them. "You must pay the price for it to be fixed. And one more thing," she said, her tone laced with poison. "This is your final warning."
"It's our first warning," Mike squeaked.
"Yes," she confirmed. "Your first and final warning. Don't ever try to break out again."
"Or what?" Norton demanded, daringly. "You'll send us back to the Manor? We're already stuck here. There's nothing worse you can do."
She smirked. "I'll make your life at the Manor hell."
"It already is," Norton said, but remembered Mike standing next to him. Mike was the one that eased his pain, quelled his rages. It couldn't be hell if Mike was there. He was innocent, he was happy and pure and -
Mike looked dull. "Sorry," he muttered. "We won't leave again. Or try to."
She smiled. "Good. Then go back in, and fix the window. I'll be off." She transformed back into her bird form and flew inside, through the hole where the window had been.
Norton cursed. "Dammit. How did she know?"
Mike smiled and pointed. "I mean, it's pretty big. And very noticeable."
He sighed. "I guess. So what now? We fix it and now we can never leave?"
"Yeah," Mike said. "You heard her. This is our last warning. She might kill us if we go against her."
"Kill us?" Norton asked, then laughed. "Nah, she wouldn't. She can't. She needs us in the Manor. She could torture us," he added unhelpfully and Mike looked frightened, "but I doubt it. Someone would help us. Naib would beat her up. So would William -"
"So let's just go back. Escaping is a faraway dream," Mike continued as they hopped back in through the hole, slowly picking up shards of broken glass and throwing it away. "An impossible dream."
"No," Norton insisted. "We aren't gonna listen to whatever a stupid bird tells us to do. We're gonna get out of this place together. One day. I'll get a plan and we can -"
"Nort," Mike complained, "It's too dangerous. We don't know what she'll do."
He bit his lip. "She can't hurt us. I know she can't. And if she tries to take you away from me, I will kill her. I'll protect you. You don't need to be afraid when I'm here for you, Mike. I'll save you any day. I'll put you before anything else. I promise."
Mike nodded. "I'm scared," he whispered. "I'm scared."
Norton sighed, and pulled him in, his head on his chest, lips breathing down into blond hair. "I'm here. I'm here," he repeated. "No one is going to hurt you while I'm here. You don't need to be scared, okay?"
Mike looked up, big blue eyes staring into brown. "Okay," he said, voice filled with hope. "I believe you."
***
Yellow roses surrounded the dark coffin, as a tall man stepped out from it, his silver hair rolling stylishly past his shoulders, his grey eyes glowing faintly out from the shadows. There was a yellow illumination on the ground where the petals were falling. His shoes stepped over them lightly as he delicately brushed past, letting the coffin drop down into a black puddle, collecting it in his dark case. Picking it up, he strode over to rest it on his worktable, sitting down on his chair as he swivelled round and pushed it to one side. He knew someone was behind him, but he made no movement to indicate he was aware.
"Hey, Aesop," said a quiet voice from behind, and he did not turn round. His eyes were cast down as the other moved closer, stopping right next to him, staring down at his case. "Are you alright?"
Aesop moved his hand down to his abdomen, which was throbbing, his shirt stained red. He grimaced. "I got hit, but I got out. I'm alright," he muttered, looking up into his eyes, "Norton."
Norton watched in dismay as Aesop turned away from him, stepping out from his chair as he approached his bed. Norton followed, sitting down on the bed beside him as he reached for the wound. "You're hurt," Norton said.
"I know."
"What happened?" he asked, examining the wound more carefully, seeing a deep slash across his flesh. It must've been done by a sword of some sort. But as he got closer for a better look, he noticed that Aesop tried to cover it up. "It was the Photographer, wasn't it?"
Aesop did not look back at him, nearly flinching from the name. "Yes..." he spoke slowly. "It's fine," he brushed it off. "It doesn't hurt."
Norton looked worried. "You should get it checked out, though," he suggested. "You never know... you might get some kind of infection."
Already been infected, he thought, dully, hating this feeling he had towards the Photographer. He was a Hunter. He was ruthless. How could Aesop even spare a thought on someone like that? Someone who hurt him, and yet, he liked that. Some part of him wanted more, and he knew that it was wrong of him to even feel like that. He hadn't told anyone, though, as he could barely admit it to himself. "Why did you come here?" Aesop asked instead.
He was wide-eyed. "You didn't want to see me?"
"No," Aesop said, "I never said that. But there must be some kind of reason. I'm not someone who people want to visit."
"That isn't true," he replied. "But yes, there is something. I'm worried... about Mike." Aesop watched out of his peripheral vision as Norton swallowed hard, a lump moving heavily in his throat. "He... he's gone. I tried searching, I tried everything, but it's -"
Aesop's eyes stared into his with so much concentration. "He can't be gone. We wish we can leave, but we never can. Miss Nightingale wouldn't have let him leave. And he wouldn't leave you behind."
"I -" He started, but looking at Aesop's lack of fear discomforted him. "- I don't know. Maybe we should see the others."
He raised an eyebrow. "Who are the others?"
Norton stood up, heading over to the door as Aesop followed him, dragging his feet on the grey carpet. "You know, Naib, Eli, William..." He looked back at the wound. "But you should seek help first."
"No," he replied firmly without hesitation. "I'm fine."
"Okay..." Norton said, not really trusting him. "Let's go, then."
"Wait," Aesop said. "Meet up in our normal place. There's something I want to do first."
Norton turned to look at him and said, "Okay," before he disappeared out of the door. Aesop turned back to his desk, jerking his head away as he opened his case, letting the coffin bleed out onto the ground next to the desk. Lifting it up, he pulled out his brush, and started designing. Features were appearing on the empty shell, and a body was forming, colour was coming to life, and the texture was being shaped. Blond hair, blue eyes, a freckled face and small figure appeared on the shape. "Let's bring you home, Mike," he said, as he turned away from the coffin, following the same steps that Norton had taken. "Wherever you are, I'll save you."
***
Naib stared in horror, his face widening in shock as his blue eyes shone bright. "Mike is gone?!" He shouted, looking for some kind of denial from Norton, but he only shook his head. Naib looked at Eli next, then at William, but the three of them looked as dismal. "No, there's no way!"
Aesop slid into the room, his fingers picking on the wood of the door. "I think it's not as bad as you think it is."
"I disagree," William said realistically. "There's no way for us to locate him. We'd have to ask Freddy or something."
"No," said Eli. "I've already searched for him. I sent Brooke Rose out but she couldn't find him. There was just... darkness... nothing to visit."
Norton looked more worried than he had been. "We have to find him, fast."
Aesop stared at the ground. "I will rebirth him if he gets hurt. He will be okay."
"What if I ask Jack?" Naib asked, gulping a little as his relationship with Jack was always difficult. It had been Jack that had chased after him while he struggled to stay with Martha, and he had always denied his love. By asking Jack for anything, Naib knew he would regret it soon after, but rescuing Mike was his priority at the moment.
Eli looked at him, concerned. "That's not fair on you," he said earnestly. "I know how hard it is already for you to avoid Jack. Asking him for help would only make it harder for you to escape him in the future."
"I don't care," Naib snapped. "I can fight him off. We need to save Mike, and Hunters are the best at locating Survivors. He could find him."
"I could ask Joseph," said Aesop quietly. "If we can't ask Jack."
"You're injured," Norton replied. "You should probably keep some distance from Hunters. Especially one that hurt you."
William turned to look at Aesop, his arm shifting over the wound almost instantly. "Whoa," he called out, running to his side, pulling his arm out of the way and seeing the blood dried over his skin beneath his shirt. "What happened?!" William demanded.
Naib moved too. "Did Joseph do that?" Aesop nodded his head stiffly, but remained silent. "Oh my God," he said. "Go and see Emily or something!"
"It's fine," Aesop emphasised. "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt. I'll be okay. Mike -"
"Alright," Eli said slowly. "We'll find Mike first, then we'll help you -"
"I don't need help," he insisted. "It will heal on its own."
***
Eli closed his eyes, beneath the blindfold he always wore, stopping in his tracks while his arm gestured for Brooke Rose to fly away. The other four stopped ahead, staring back at him and waiting, though he did not know and expected to catch up to them later. Brooke Rose was flying, seeking, soaring... the sky so blue and the air so - then darkness consumed his vision. That was where Mike was. It wasn't nice. It was cold. It was dark. It was lonely.
He could imagine that there was nothing but silence. Space, but no time.
But then, he saw something flicker. Something red flashed in front, then there was a silent explosion. A red ball exploding into a puddle of flames. It died away in seconds, but the room lit up. It was some kind of storage closet... something that could be in a basement of some sort. Then Brooke Rose was flying back, nesting on his shoulder and the four Survivors were staring at him, waiting for some kind of response.
Eli sighed. "I saw something this time," he said. "It's a dark room, but he isn't hurt... not from what I saw, anyway. It looked like an underground storage room. Not a big one; it looked really small, mostly because there were shelves and other unwanted items there. And he had his items. He threw his fire bomb and there was fire. But he couldn't move. I think he was tied up."
"Who would do something like that?" Naib demanded, enraged.
Norton shook his head. "It's Miss Nightingale," Norton whispered. "It must be. And that's my fault."
"How is it your fault?" William asked, confused.
"Because I was always saying that we need to get out of this place. Leave and - " Norton started, swallowing after every word. "- We got caught once. He never would have broken rules if it wasn't for me. I just wanted to leave and I wanted to take him with me."
"You never said!" Naib shouted back. "Dammit, Nort, I would've helped you!"
Eli looked shocked. "So... what did Miss Nightingale do?"
"Punish them both," Aesop assumed. "But why are you here and he is not? Where's the equality?"
"We both got a warning," Norton explained. "Our first warning. There was no punishment... I don't know what happened."
"He must've done something else after without you knowing," said William. "But we have to go find him now." He looked at Eli. "Do you have any idea of where this storage room is?"
"There's a rug in the main room where Orpheus is," Eli said. "I think he could be there. It leads to a basement and I'm pretty sure there's a storage room there."
"Is that where Brooke Rose went?" Aesop asked, frowning.
Eli nodded. "I think. It was so fast and my vision flashes a lot. The journey there wasn't so clear. I don't remember it."
Naib ran ahead, using his elbow pads to propel him faster. William made a sound of disapproval and muttered, "I guess it's a race to there," before he dashed after him at full speed. Watching the two figures trail down the path at speed, Norton sighed, keeping a steady pace next to Eli with Aesop on Eli's other side.
"Who do you think will win?" Eli asked, a little cheerfully.
Norton shrugged, lacking hope. "Probably Naib. He had a head start and no matter how fast William goes, elbow pads are -"
"He's super fast when he plays football," Aesop said. "He might win. Naib has like four elbow pads? Then he has to run."
"They both have to run."
***
Silence.
Darkness.
Emptiness.
This was not what he was used to. He was the bursts of energy. He was the happiness. He could fill the world with so much light and colour. Yet this was where he was, and he was trapped. He couldn't escape. He was hidden.
Time passed by, but he was not sure how much time had gone. He was waiting, hoping for someone to come in and burst through the door, the light raining down on him... but there was nothing. No one. Seconds moved by but there was no movement except the occasional shuffle of his feet. He had two balls left.
He had used his fire bomb, but he still had the sticky and nitro one left. He juggled the two in his hands, imagining the colours spinning in a blurred loop in front of him, but all he could see was black. He had trained well enough to be able to do it effortlessly in the dark. He could feel them. He could catch them.
It was too easy.
And he was bored. Time would get slower while he waited. Patience was hard to maintain.
There was a sudden thud accompanied with pattering footsteps coming from outside of the door. Light was seeping out from the gap between the door and the floor. The door was shaking, the handle rattling, before it finally gave in, collapsing down onto the ground as Mike inched closer, two dark figures entering, using the fallen door as a plank across. "Mike?" a voice called out, and Mike recognised it instantly.
"Naib!" Mike called out, voice rasping, a bitter taste in his throat, like rubber. "I'm down here!" He coughed through the dust, stumbling to his feet as he headed over to them. William and Naib grabbed him out, pulling him into a hug.
"Dammit," Naib said, "are you okay, Mike? What happened?"
Mike shook his head, eyes on the verge of tears, but he refused to let them fall, smiling through the hug. "I'm so glad you came," Mike shrilled, his smile bursting out on his face.
"Of course we did," Naib said. "And Nort and Eli and Aesop are on their way here. Me and Will are fast," he smirked.
Mike laughed. "Yeah," he said. "Maybe we could get out of this grim place."
"Did Nightingale put you in there?" William asked as they exited the basement.
Mike nodded nervously. "It was my fault, not Nort's - he should know. I - I did something stupid, that's all, because I -"
"Hey," Naib told him reassuringly, putting his arm around him. "Look, it's not your fault either. It's no one's fault. Don't worry. You're out now."
As they turned the corner out of the room, Aesop, Eli and Norton came running up to them. Norton pulled Mike into a hug straight away and Naib inched back. "Mike!" Norton cried, hugging him so tightly, feeling his chest heaving tightly against his own. "Mike! I'm so sorry!"
Mike wanted to burst out in tears too, because watching Norton cry for him could easily break his heart. "Please, Nort, it's not your fault!" Mike replied. "Don't apologise. I - I love you!"
Norton sobbed into him, Mike's blond hair a tissue for his tears. "I love you too," he murmured. "I'm so glad you're okay... but... how-how long were you stuck in there for?"
Mike did not know himself. "I don't know. I couldn't see the time."
"Oh God," Norton cried, sobbing louder. "Must've been... ages!"
Naib bit his lip, looking awkwardly between them as Eli patted them on the shoulder gently, Brooke Rose hooting miserably, perched on his shoulder. Aesop's expression remained blank, eyes fixed on them and William let out a small sigh of relief.
"I'm here now," Mike beamed, but his eyes were watering as he tried to contain his own tears - tears from relief - yet, Norton's eyes were clearing up, his cheeks red with dry marks running down, but he was smiling too. Mike's happiness was infectious and his smile could hypnotise him forever. And he would wish to stay bewitched, because he was forever happy, in this moment, with Mike. That was all that mattered. And they would stay like this together. No matter where they were, they would be together. In the Manor... or escape together.
Mike pulled Norton in closer, so that he could feel the heavy heaving of his chest, his heartbeat against his own, but Norton couldn't see the tears rolling down his face in that moment.
I wish it was okay. Mike cried, but Norton didn't know.
***
Norton rolled out of bed the next day, gently pushing his covers back neatly as he headed to his door. Surprisingly, as he opened it, Mike was already standing there, silently, his hand near the knocker but not reaching for it. He was dressed in his normal clothes, which was a bright and colourful skin-tight costume he liked to wear while doing acrobatics. Norton frowned at him. "Did you knock?" He asked. "I couldn't hear - I was asleep -"
Mike shook his head, hiding his misery under the shadow of his hair, his frown at the ground only. "No... I - I wasn't sure if I wanted to come," he spoke softly.
Norton's mouth dropped. "Oh." He looked briefly away from the Acrobat, before slowly feeling for his hand, but the Acrobat tore out of his grip, keeping his hands by his sides. "Mike?" Norton asked, knowing that he had never seen him so cold, so distant before. "What's wrong?"
Mike said nothing, but walked in, past Norton, sitting down on one side of the bed as Norton followed.
"Mike... you can tell me anything, you know?" Norton continued, an unsettling feeling washing over him.
Mike just stiffly nodded. "I'm sorry, Nort," Mike sniffled. "I messed up... real bad."
"What?" Norton asked in a soft voice, his dark eyes searching for the blue that wasn't looking at him, looking elsewhere... towards the darkness. "What happened? What did you do?"
He shook his head. "I don't know, I - I don't know how long I have left, but I... I just wanted to spend some time... happy with you, but I realise that I can't be happy knowing we can't have an eternity together..."
Norton stared at him, alarmed. "What are you talking about, Mike?" He asked, almost incredulously. "We have all the time in the world. I'm staying with you, 'til the very end, Mike. I'm never gonna leave. I'm never gonna let you go."
A tear fell down his freckled cheek as he closed both eyes, head tilted upwards, towards the ceiling. Norton wasn't sure what was happening, but watching Mike cry like that... he knew it must've been something so shaking. He pulled him into a hug, to placate him, hushing him that things weren't as bad as he thought.
He shook his head, wanting to believe Norton, but...
Mike moved away from the bed abruptly, staring out Norton's open window. The sky was bright blue, as bright as his eyes once had been, and the clouds were so solid, so white. Not a hint of grey in them, yet, they allowed plenty of sunlight to sparkle down on the world that surrounded them. But the Prospector's room in the manor was darker. Everything in the manor was darker.
Norton rushed to his boyfriend's side, brushing his blond hair out of his face, and stroking his hand across one of his warm cheeks. Mike was smiling, grinning, showing his teeth that shone as bright as the sun, as white as the clouds. However, his eyes... they were dark blue, like a stormy sea, the sky a darkening gradient beyond the window. For the first time, seeing Mike smile like this, Norton let his own smile fade. It wasn't natural. He always knew Mike to be like that. He was the kind of boy who would fake a smile when things weren't great, to keep a happy show up for everyone else. As an Acrobat, as an entertainer, it was what he had been trained to do. The audience couldn't know, but Norton was more than just an audience member. He knew what was natural and what was forced.
He stared down at Mike, lifting his head up, hand tilting his chin up. Mike struggled to keep his eyes on him - his eyes that weren't really seeing. Then, in that moment, a black bird flew in through the open window, before transforming into Miss Nightingale, who towered over them, a thunder in her air.
Mike almost flinched as Norton turned round abruptly, standing in between them, as if to shelter Mike from a predator. "What do you want?" Norton demanded as Mike whimpered behind him.
"Nort..." Mike tried to say, but Norton couldn't hear him.
Miss Nightingale smirked, pushing past Norton, who couldn't keep hold on Mike. Norton was flung against the wall roughly, his spine jarring as he stirred, trying to keep his consciousness, shocked by her strength.
"Mike," she spoke his name in disapproval. "Mr. Morton, you know what the consequence is, don't you?"
He looked away from them both, mostly away from Norton, who was watching him constantly, but nodded once... only a slight inclination of the head.
"Well?" She demanded, seemingly amused. "And what did you do?"
"I broke the agreement," he said quietly, voice restricted and reluctant. He stretched a smile across his face as he looked back at Norton. "I'm sorry."
Norton pulled himself up hastily and staggered over to Mike. "No, no, no -" He was starting, but Miss Nightingale got in his way again, shoving him out of the way. Norton found himself on the ground again, his back against the wall as tears blurred his vision. "Please... let me just hold him..."
She smirked at him. "Absolutely pathetic," she commented. She pushed Mike towards Norton, as he stumbled on top of him. Mike's eyes were so big, so bright blue, yet there was a sense of urgency in them. Something he couldn't really understand, even after knowing him for so long. Mike wrapped his arms around his neck as Norton embraced him back, the feeling of exhilaration fuelling him and it was the best feeling ever. It was all he wanted, for time to stay still in this moment. Now he could understand the Photographer's obsession in pictures... pictures that wouldn't change, that would remain happy forever. Where love could last.
"I love you," Mike smiled, tears falling down. "I love you so much, Norton."
Norton shook his head. "Don't say that just 'cause you think you're gonna go, you -"
Mike stopped his words, placing a kiss on his lips and Norton returned it, the air so warm around them, the heat in Mike's cheeks and the coldness of his tears. It was shortly interrupted as Miss Nightingale pulled the Acrobat back by the shirt.
"Say your final goodbye," she mused.
Norton stammered. It wasn't a goodbye. Mike was going to stay there forever... right? He stared back at his significant other, his eyes burning brightly, his smile so strong, but tears... tears were marking his cheeks... but why?
"Say you love me," Mike said. "Please."
Norton flinched, only realising now he had never told him that back after he had said. "Mike..." Norton started, then his eyes were back on Miss Nightingale, and in a flick of a wrist, Mike disappeared. His presence, that was so real in front of him, was gone. Empty air closed around her hand as she dropped her arm by her side.
Miss Nightingale sighed. "I don't have the patience," she said. "Take that as a warning to deter you in the future for breaking Manor rules. So..." She turned back into her bird form, and flew back out of the window, out of sight. The air was hissing outside and it was cold.
It could not be true. He could not be gone. Mike would rush into his room again as his usual bubbly self... his room would be filled with so much energy, so much chaos again. It must've been some kind of cruel prank they had put together. But why would they do that?
Norton collapsed onto his bed, noticing the rotation of the balls on display that Mike had given to him on his last birthday.
I'm sorry, Norton thought, realisation hitting him, guilt consuming him. He wished he could've done something to stop it... it was his stupid idea and Mike had gotten in trouble for it. For breaking rules, for trying to escape, but Mike wanted to do it for him. I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect your smile.
Norton's smile faded, and he doubt it would ever come back again. He felt something heavy fall down on him, something weighing him down as he grimaced, letting tears sting as they fell down his hot cheeks.
It stung and he let it.