Time passed slowly for Ink's taste, the seconds seemed to take a minute to advance a locker, the world was constantly in slow motion, everyone was walking slowly, it did not seem to be a good day for anyone.
The leaves fell without much encouragement delicately decorating each empty space on the ground, allowing each branch to shine with a sad splendor in the environment, the mist was powerful and pale, you could not see more than two meters ahead and around. The cold was not intense but the weather was humid and increased the bad mood of many passers-by who tried not to pass by the sidewalks and the cars in not continuing to see the neglected red lights of the vehicle in front, barely having the respect of the allowed distance.
Ink walked slowly with his bag at his side, he had adjusted his patch that covered the black spot on his cheek, hiding it out of insecurity and the risk of being disturbed, before he had been seen by someone strange with spots on his face and body, species of wounds or birthmarks that made his sockets look ridiculous, only his friend had liked the marks he had on his ribs the only times he saw him after a physical education class, a subject that he would sit and secretly observe everyone, avoiding looks because he was the only one who did not play sports in today's high school.
He did not like to move a lot because of the lack of food and his weakness with his bones, he was weak and a lot because of the mistreatment he received from his aunt and from himself. At lunch he did not eat due to lack of appetite, he barely ate the salad that was a minimal portion and a glass of water that he received from Blueberry. He would go to those places like the dining room specifically obliged by him, and he seldom gave up so that Ink could eat something else, he only got a spoonful of the food and always at recesses offered him part of his snack, Ink didn't understand it, he didn't understand why so much care for him to eat and take care of his health, after all the weeks that he never spoke to anyone and tried to ignore and elude each of his companions, even Lust seemed bored with his silent behavior, Ink was just a hindrance.
He sighed when he got to the entrance of the building, and looked to his sides, he did not feel very well, there were several more people who arrived alone or accompanied by friends who surely met around the corner, while others were in the main courtyard gathering in groups, they all seemed to have their place there.
That day he had woken up with a horrible slump that he could not control or reduce with the shower, and he had already cried so much that his sockets hurt, they felt very heavy and itchy, several times he yawned because of how badly he had slept, he felt that that day it would be tiring, any misstep, and he would cry again.
He sat in his seat in the living room without attracting attention, surely those who were there in their positions would look at him sideways knowing that he would never be a normal young man, someone who spoke, the dumb were boring, and even for Ink it was overwhelming. The fact of not saying a word, he began to hear things and he was already fine with the murmurs of others.
"Good morning, Ink." Greeting Blue when he arrived at the living room with Dream, he always smiled shyly by his side, without much inspiration to speak, the blueberry always had the turn to express his feelings and it did not bother him, but Ink did, he was overwhelmed that his world was destroyed with only the shrill voice of the boy, who rested his hands on the table he shared with the prostitute "How did you wake up?"
Ink nodded reluctantly, as he never smiled and remained stiff in his neutral but suffering expression, it was hard for Blue to deduce if he was lying or not, he always saw sadness in those dull pupils of his, and he wanted to help.
But Dream, who had a slight ability to perceive emotions, would give him a sticker on his table, or some sweet, with his yellowish pupils and with a radiant expression that for many was adorable in person.
"Have a good day, Ink."
They both went to sit at their posts, leaving the aforementioned with the sticker of a gold star on the table. He took them out and pasted them on the pages of his notebook, and continued with his own while he watched with little tranquility at his benchmate who smiled coquettishly when he waved at him. He had managed at the expense of patience not to greet him with a kiss on the cheek, it was a disgusting act.
The first hours were silent, the teacher spoke without emotion with the chemistry classes and everyone copied the blackboard with the same depressed attitude, any sound that was not the superior could be perceived by everyone, they were uncomfortable. Ink did not continue to improve in his feeling either, he was pressed and his chest slightly hurt, to the point of having to cling to his clothes to calm the pain for a moment, he was finding it difficult to breathe, from time to time he lost himself in his world and remembered the days that he did not try to commit suicide, something that left him much more withdrawn than normal, little by little he was getting dizzy, this was not good.
By the time everyone, including Ink, stopped teaching, they went out into the corridors and corridors, to start a conversation with other classes or to stretch their legs. He walked carefully, without much encouragement to have to do it but he really wanted to breathe open air in the patio and feel the humidity between his bones, he did not usually do it, but it had also been to escape from Blue and not have to force an indifferent expression, he was upset and the crowd was not helping.
He arrived at the funereal open air, with the same feeling of discomfort and low morale, the pressure stayed in his chest and he felt like he was drowning, he was panicking without knowing why. They used to give him those attacks when he was alone, and what he resorted to was sleeping by force with his aunt's pills or bathing, sometimes he went out for a walk in the streets to get lost, although many times he was persecuted by thugs for the bad looks that he was carrying, or by dogs.
Right now he wanted to calm his breathing, agitated and accelerated, the sweat was powerful and it was passing through his face without permission, making paths as his tears wanted to do at that moment, pale he looked for a bench to sit on, but everyone was busy, some began to look at him and those pupils were penetrating for him, he had to flee.
With anxiety and dizzy, he staggered to the interior of the institute, looking down and fearing the people, he urgently looked for the bathroom and when he found one, he locked himself in, advanced to the wall at the other end and dropped down, hugging his legs and breathing Suddenly, he could not bear the pain and various things were going through his mind, the tears came out and he began to sob, luckily there was no one inside, so he had more freedom from being desperate.
"Who is...?"
The voice of certainly a stranger stunned him more, because when it came to hiding he was not the best. Sobbing he could see with difficulty a skeleton with a red snort, who had approached and took his shoulders quickly.
"H-hey? Can you hear me...? Hey, hey, everything is fine... What's wrong?"
Ink completely forgetting about his attempt to be mute, he began to babble incoherencies, but he tried to say to leave him alone, the contact of the skeleton hands on his humerus seeking to calm him made him worse, he was remembering when his only dead friend had been with him when he had something similar.
"L-leave me... Leave me..." Ink said between sobs, crying and unable to push him, but who he was seeing double prevented the attempt to escape from him.
"Ink. Everything is fine. Breathe, don't think bad things. Inhale, exhale."
The aforementioned hugged himself denying, he could not stop crying or imagining, his chest was hurting and his breaths were being very audible, he heard other steps and having to be seen made it worse, he wanted to die. On the contrary he had a gentle and motherly voice, something he did not remember hearing from another person, such a dedication to calming him for years that he had not seen her.
"Geno, what is happening?"
"Reaper, don't let anyone in, please."
Ink was not paying attention to anything, he had felt how he was wrapped in the arms of the patch in his socket, they were hugging him while he received pampering on his back, with a certain massage to loosen his bones, and for the child, that made him feel a lot Calmer than he expected, he felt... Safe and secure, that everything would be fine if he let himself be carried away.
He continued in the middle of the cry while hugging, closing his sockets while hr could regain stability in his breathing and his sobs decreased in volume, he swallowed, letting out a long ragged sigh, he had never received such a sweet hug from someone who It was not his uncle from a long time ago, without remembering more he wanted to continue like this for longer.
Geno, seemed to understand his wishes and was silent as he passed his phalanxes down the improper back, delicate in his touches as he rested his own skull in Ink's, cradling and cuddling with patience, he seemed to have experience when it came to reassuring someone, he did very well.
After a moment, he slowly separated, and wiped Ink a few tears with his thumb, gently passing his cheek, the minor had opened his tired eyes to better see the scarf, there was no one else, because Reaper was at the other side of the door was either not close to his range of vision.
"Better? You can speak calmly, there is no one else around..."
He did not pretend to speak for a moment, unconsciously he had clung to the other's sleeves, and in a hurry when he noticed it, he released him, lowering his eyes, the other people's phalanxes were dedicated to gently rubbing his shoulders, and a friendly smile was drawn on his face. To listen to everyone's problems, Ink for once in his time at school felt safe to say something.
"U-uh... Thank you..."
He was lifted up with the help of Geno, both of them standing discreetly moved towards the sink to wash his face, being careful not to wet his patch, the scarf sighed without ceasing to express relief, to stand by his side, without much closeness.
" Don't thank me, I was really worried about not seeing you with Blueberry or in the living room... Can you come out?"
More relaxed, Ink looked in the mirror and out of the corner of his eye at his partner, he was not as overwhelmed as with Blue's company and that more than anything left him in doubt, he did not want to become fond of someone because something horrible always happened, he did not want to be alone for the selfishness of others, who play with feelings, but the trust that was born was comforting, not just anyone stops to calm someone down and give a mere stranger a hug, those were points in favor.
He nodded, wiping his wet face with his sleeves, and Geno pleased, went forward to the door to knock a few times, then the boy in the black tunic that opened at the waist was opened, revealing his pants of the same tone and polished shoes, it was elegant and flirtatious clothes, in addition to the fact that his gaze in his sockets was lost but his dark sight was covered by a smile of the same let his clothes, playful, however right now he was with a worried face, and a pupil was staring to Ink.
"Oh, it's the little one." he said with a tone so that it was heard by only Geno who was next to him, however the aforementioned could hear, Reaper got a good nudge from his partner. "Ouch. Hey!"
"More respect. He just came out of an anxiety attack and you tell him that." he shook his head and returned with Ink, offering a protective smile, saying with his gaze "Quiet, he doesn't bite, if he does, I'll personally kill him. He's Reaper, he's an idiot. I am Geno, we have never presented ourselves properly."
"Ink... I'm Ink..."
"Your name is of death, Ink." Reaper said mockingly, that gave him a chill, should he make jokes about mortality? "Now we go because those mirrors really give me chills."
Likewise, they came out slowly, more because of Ink whose legs were still slightly trembling, little by little he recovered the color of him in his bones and the dark circles were no longer so visible, Geno had his arm held so he did not fall.
Geno was taller than Ink and a little shorter than Reaper, his red scarf had a lively color and his coat was white with red touches next to his shirt, his shoes were also that same tone and in his basin he wore a larger patch for That he only covered his right eye, there was a certain story behind that smile that was very safe, but it was not going to be a bother asking, he was going to continue with his ideal of remaining silent and he hoped they would not tell his secret.
They arrived at the room and no more people had arrived yet, there was still an uncomfortable climate but for Ink everything was lighter, somewhat heavy but he could bear it so as not to fall into despair again, he wanted to sit down but someone stopped him, and that was Geno.
"We'd better change you from that Lust position, nobody wants to sit next to him and you're a hero for putting up with it these days, hm..."
"he can sit next to Outer, he is also unoccupied."
"No. Sometimes he sits with Ganz and it's not the idea to bother them in his honeyed plans, Reaper." Geno began to walk around the room until he was at his place, he seemed to have an idea when he smiled as if he were enlightened, and without pity or regret to do the following, he took the Reaper bag that was next to him to leave it in the empty stall that was next to Outer. "That's better."
"But! Hey, it took me two months to get to sit with you and now you change me that easy!?" The one in the tunic exclaimed more than angry; hurt, hugging the lower arm recreating sadness. "You just said Outer was busy, sniff."
"I no longer remember anything, where is the evidence? Let go of me or I'll place you next to Lust."
Ink took his things in silence seeing that peculiar scene, really the two seemed more than friends, or something worse, maybe that Reaper was harassing Geno because apparently the latter did not enjoy his touches and hugs, he being someone careful and like an older brother of excellence, there was a kind of distorted hatred, but as always, he preferred to keep quiet and shyly leave his things at the post with Geno, he was nervous about that new place, and it showed in the slight tremors in his arms when he tried to leave your bag on your seat.
"Are you okay, Ink?" Asked under the red scarf when he stopped paying attention to the poor Reaper, the aforementioned could not open the closure of the object because of the little force and tremors he was having, with help they sat him down. "Hey, calm down, you'll be safer here and we won't talk if you don't want to, okay? I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but I'll be with you when you need it, no one wants you to panic again."
People began to enter the classroom at the bell ringing, ignoring the scene, not many were interested or realized the change of position of our protagonist and thus it was better for him, it was better to have that company than his soul needed to be more calm, although doubts continued, would it be the right thing to be his friend? or get together with him, he seemed to be mature enough to take care of him, although that would be a nuisance, and already with Reaper he seemed not to be happy with the results, he just had to wait and wait for the decks to choose his fate.