Black and Blue

18 - I Ruin Things a Little

"I didn't choose this! Who do you think I am?! What do you think I am, you still don't understand me, anyway!"

"Mind your tone."

A healer...? My mind flew to the one other person I knew in this place, and for some reason I felt a soft but painful sensation in my chest. Nyx?! But he hates her. What are they even arguing about?

"Whatever. It's not like you're trying to do anything about it, either, you probably don't even know who it is." He stuffed his hands into his pockets like that was the end of it.

"We can guess." There was an unsettling pause. "Is it the one listening to us outside this hall?"

—

I didn't hesitate in getting the hell out of there once he said that.

Even through the sound of my heart pounding in my ears as I ran, I could still make out scuffling and a groan of exasperation in that room, and turned a corner just in time.

"Nyx? I know that was you. Mind your own fucking business for once, is that so hard?!"

Jack was probably peering out into the hall, but didn't bother checking any further. I could almost see him digging his nails into the wall and scrunching up his face before heading back inside, in usual annoyed-Jack fashion. I was about to sigh when I realized they probably would have heard that, and began walking away with my head low and my eyes wide in panic.

Nope. Not today, not listening in to one more conversation with that demon. How did he even know I was there? I held that thought in my mind for quite a while, but didn't try thinking up an answer. My only objective for now was to head back to wherever I was supposed to be and act like nothing ever happened.

Stupid thing sees through walls. Definitely reads minds, too. I'm not messing with that shit, not again.

After a long walk of shame, I arrived at my sorry excuse for a room and sat down on whatever surface was closest to the door. Gripping the edge of the table and taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried to organize this new information—at least, in a way that would make any sort of sense to me.

"He...likes Nyx? That—well, to put it simply, no. That doesn't add up. He's either a really good actor or just a complete dick when he's in love." I tilted my head and focused on a crack in the wall near the ceiling.

"I guess that part adds up; he was already a little mean to me, and we're just friends. I mean, I do it back, of course, and we still help each other, and he's been really considerate lately..." I scoffed and tried fighting back a smile. "Ha. If anything, he should be in love with me. But his enemy? The sister of the girl who would've killed him for good, if his boss hadn't found him? I-I don't get it. He hates her, she hates him." Several tiny waves of emotion started crashing over me, one at a time. My breathing became unsteady, and the pain I felt in my chest came back with a vengeance.

"Why do I care? No, that's a stupid question, I don't care. I shouldn't. It's his life—well, not-life—and I need to leave him alone." I was starting to glare at the wall for no good reason. "But I'm not doing anything. I'm just thinking. People are allowed to think, right? I'm allowed to think that they're not good for each other, I just can't say anything, it might hurt his feelings, or..."

All of a sudden, soft footsteps started coming closer to my room, and I realized that I hadn't closed the door. I jumped up from my seat and nearly took the poor thing off its hinges pulling it shut. The footsteps stopped outside, right in front of my doorway as if they were trying to make me more uncomfortable. After a short moment that felt like forever, the person sniffed and muttered, "Hm. New human," in the worst possible tone of voice. One that said "murder" loud and clear. At least it's not Jack, I found myself thinking. If the creature could hear my thoughts, they didn't show it; only sniffed again and walked away as if I wasn't worth their tormenting.