Chapter Text
As silent as a mouse, light footsteps made quick work.
Even the most silent of mice would be able to be heard on a night like this. No whispers of the wind. No ruffling of grass as it’s flattened. Loud, deafening silence.
Though that very silence is interrupted by the faint tapping of shoes on a stone path in the village. The very same village that was prized for being cleansed of wolves and killers, not even a fool or anarchist in sight. But in that same village, there was a heart wrenching scream.
Hosuh heard it himself, sitting upright in his bed. The sleep and tire were long gone from his eyes as he threw the covers off him without a second thought. Hosuh tucked his phone into his pocket and grabbed a flashlight as he made his way out of his house, taking a weary step forward. He had already called the jailer in case something had happened…
But that couldn’t be.
That couldn’t be.
But that thought couldn’t last, instead it was thrown away when his neighbor, a kind young woman with tanned skin and sweet light brown eyes, threw herself onto him. She was sobbing, crying into his chest.
“Mrs. Anderson, what happened?” Hosuh stumbled backwards, mentally debating on whether he should bring her inside or not. It couldn’t possibly be safe to leave her alone. Maybe— A piercing scream interrupted Hosuh’s train of thought as she pulled herself away, tripping over her own foot as she moved. Her eyes were sunken and puffy; no doubt she had been crying far before this.
“He’s gone.” She whispered, clutching the area over her heart and grabbing a fistful of her shirt. “He’s gone; gone I say.”
“Who? Who’s gone—” Her eyes met his.
“He’s dead. I can feel it.”
Her body hit the pavement right as her eyes rolled back, and Hosuh couldn’t move quickly enough to catch her. The sound her head made when it hit the pavement was etched into his brain as he scrambled to hold her, planting his hand on the back of her head while the other frantically searched for a pulse. His mouth was partially agape and he felt foolish as he fiddled with her wrist, pressing two fingers against it.
Gone.
Gone was the man she mentioned and gone was she.
Hosuh’s breath hitched as his eyes trailed down to a small heart tattoo on the lower end of her wrist. He had forgotten she was coupled, and now the only sign of that was fading.
Hosuh had heard when a pair asked to be “linked” or “coupled”—by a Cupid role—and their significant other died, that they may flee the village in pain. And in other cases, such as this, they may die from heartbreak. Most literally too, their hearts will tear themselves apart only seconds after the other’s stops beating from whatever death was brought upon them.
Through uncertainty he explained what happened to the local jailer, and the incident was later reported.
Town astronomer, Miranda Anderson, was found dead. Her lover, Bert Anderson, the forger, found dead moments before, a curved knife in his chest. People have mentioned another co-worker, Jacob Blain, gone missing, and it is unknown if this is related to his death. With the death of Bert, being coupled with Miranda brought her down with him.
Hosuh returned home, hands still trembling from interrogations, long ones to be precise. He felt like collapsing as he fumbled with the keys to his house, when a small voice stopped him.
"When will my mom be home?" A girl frowned, hair short and dark like her fathers. "She went out and didn't return..."
Hearing her made Hosuh break down, he dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around the girl. She was startled, but eventually returned the hug slowly. He would have to explain what he had seen. To a child nonetheless.
Why would someone want to be coupled? Hosuh never understood.