Chapter Text
“ISAAC!” Lui’s black dress shoes sunk into slick cold mud as he went from sidewalk to woods, watching his friend’s silhouette disappear past a thick tree. Isaac was faster than him, he knew that. Lui stabilized himself by planting his hand into a tree, and taking one look back at the church behind him, he finally took off after Isaac Brooks.
It was still winter in Deadwood, but whoever controlled the weather out there decided to cease it for a moment– just in time for William Wisp’s funeral. He didn’t like the snow too much, so it seemed fitting to stop it on the day that made it official that he wasn’t coming back. The air was still icy around him as Lui chased after Isaac, following mainly the sneaker footprints left in the thin layer on snow across the forest floor.
He could feel his cheeks grow red hot as he yelled “Please!-- Isaac– come back!” through coughs and harsh pants. Nobody else chased after Isaac and nobody even noticed Lui slip away after him, besides maybe Norah. But Norah always kept her eyes closed at the church, though. He could feel warm tears begin to slip down his face, feeling almost instantly frozen by the air around him. He was loudly sniffling, but his priority was his friend.
It was just a moment ago, but the sight of Isaac sneaking out of the church and sprinting away immediately after slipped from Lui’s mind, as the footsteps he followed dove behind a fallen tree. His own pace began to slow as he stopped at the tree, peeking to the other side and seeing Isaac crouched down behind it. “....Isaac! There… there you are…” His hands fell onto his knees as he leaned over, catching his breath.
Isaac had curled himself up into a little fetal ball, with Lui eventually sinking down next to him to join his friend on the forest floor. The other was sniffling into his knees, hair had fallen out of his ponytail recently in his sprint away from the church. Lui wanted to say something to him. Anything. Both of them were absolutely hurting though, Lui had been friends with William since he was old enough to remember, and Isaac had been introduced to the Unwitness Protection Program through Will too.
Instead of saying anything, he just leaned his head onto Isaac, one leg outstretched and the other put up to his chest. Isaac returned it by leaning himself against Lui, soft sobs coming from him occasionally. The cold didn’t matter, even as the adrenaline from the run ran off and hypothermia probably began to set in. Being there for Isaac felt more important, at least in this moment.
Eventually, he lifted his head towards Lui, and looking at him, his soft brown gaze that initially looked so enticing now looked… tired. Exhausted– if anything. “I can’t go back.” He had muttered up to him. He understood– there was so many bad memories surrounding the church already. His own father’s funeral had been held there maybe a year before William’s death, and priest incident he had been only told briefly about during his time in Italy.
He helped Isaac up with shaky legs from both of them. “...Let’s– go back. Not inside– I can walk you to your house if you want. My parents probably won’t even notice me gone, I think.” He suggested as he looked back towards the nearby road. They were maybe a block away from Isaac’s house.
“...I know this is usually a Will thing– but can I stay at yours tonight? Please?” Isaac hesitated to ask, voice cracking as they began to make their way back to the sidewalk.
“I’ll ask, but… you know my parents. I’ll try my best though, pinkie winkie swear.” Lui held out his pinkie finger as he stumbling from mud to pavement. Isaac held back a small laugh as he returned the promise, locking pinkies together briefly. Even now, Isaac’s hand was warmer than his own.