♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
ᴀᴍᴇᴛʜʏꜱᴛ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱ, ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ʙᴏʏ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴏʟᴅɪᴇʀ. The two of you stare at each other, watching, analyzing every single thing about each other.
You look to Dr. Osore and then back to the boy. He seems about the same age as you.
His stance is prepared and his posture perfect, hands at his sides and chin held high. His eyes are the most striking purple you've ever seen, like jewels, shadowed by long dark eyelashes. His skin is flawlessly smooth dark brown, his black hair has short tight kinks and curls, and his expression is totally neutral.
Norman's eyes are the only other ones similar to precious gems, in some lighting, they shine brighter than sapphires. (Honestly, though both are beautiful, you prefer sapphires to amethysts. In a similar way that you prefer blue to purple.)
Nonetheless, you couldn't stop staring at the remarkable purples in his irises.
He's staring at you with those eyes, notably absorbing as much information as he can about you, just from appearance.
You don't make it easy, matching his stoic stance and blank stare.
He is a balance of both built and lean, clearly trained in combat. Interestingly enough, he has no scars, unlike the many visible on your arms, so it must mean he's never seen real combat.
A battlefield is no place for a teenage boy parading as a soldier anyway.
He is the same generation as you, as his number ends in '—94', like your number does, but you guess that maybe he is a year or two older.
Osore says something to him, and he nods.
You watch as she signs to you, "Introduce yourself."
Her expression is tighter than usual... you guess that something about his arrival may be unsettling to her. Though you can't quite figure it out right now.
You look him up and down, then sign, "Y/N. 15."
You wait for a moment expecting that he does not know sign, but he surprises you when he effortlessly answers:
"Nova. 17."
What an interesting name...
The two of you stare for a moment longer, until Dr. Osore instructs the two of you to pay attention. Her words seem... a bit more careful today, perhaps a bit coded. Either way, her word choice is much more hesitant than usual.
"Welcome Nova. I am sure you are... glad to have this... opportunity to be here permanently. As I am sure you know, from now until you and Y/N are notified, the two of you are to be... partners. Partners in training as well as academics and other important subjects."
Osore gives the two of you wary looks, "See to it that you are always at the top of your game as training and academics will be more rigorous than ever."
"Though remember... the two of you will be— are partners, so you should act as such."
Dr. Osore gives you a special look during that line, practically telling you to 'play nice' with Nova.
She pauses for a moment, watching as two young teenagers look at her with outmost determination (well, Nova mostly). Osore then says one last ominous warning to the two of you.
"I suggest that the two of you become... acquainted. Because... in this lab and in the future, the two of you will only have each other, so naturally, you will have to look out for one another. I feel that it is easier for a partnership to... flourish... if the participants are not strangers."
This is especially odd to you, she wants you to become friends with this guy!!?!? What does she even mean 'in the future'???
What in the world does this lab, does Peter Ratri plan to do with you??
You thought that your destiny was nothing short of what your mother's was. Doomed to unwillingly contribute to the creation of another child taken advantage of and forced into the over-exertion of their 'gift.'
Perhaps that is why Dr. Osore told you to work harder, so that your fate may be different. Maybe that is why she is telling you and this new kid to work together, to forget everyone else and just get the two of you out of a failing cycle.
But that's where Dr. Osore overestimates how much she may think she knows you. You can't just give up on everyone else. You will not give up on Emma and Ray and the children you hope they escaped with, the people you pray are still alive. And you most certainly will not up on Norman.
Unfair as it is, you and this teenage soldier, Nova, seem to be a part of a long-term scheme.
While Norman will be forced into a short life of labs and tests and dreadful pills you've seen the others take. The ones that 'help' and slowly kill at the same time.
You can't allow him to live a life like that, you won't allow him to live a life like that.
You have bigger plans. And trust, that they will be explosive.
If Nova becomes an obstacle, you will not hesitate to get rid of him.
All for the sake of Emma and Ray and Norman, and the fates of every child in a farm, unbeknownst of their captivity.
You open up your body language, and offer a small smile, ignoring Dr. Osore's obvious surprise.
You soften your gaze and hold out your hand, "[I look forward to working with you.]"
Nova smiles back, it's a charming smile, and oddly enough, it seems genuine. He takes your hand and shakes it firmly, nodding once, you read his lips: "[Me too.]"
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
Norman walks down the same hallway he does every day. Expecting to go through the same heart wrenching ten seconds he somehow finds himself looking forward to every single day.
Expecting to see you a little bit more grown up than the last time. Sometimes he feels that you've left him behind in that sense.
Well, no matter. He'll save you, now that he's involved with Vincent and Smee. He'd asked each of them to keep you out of the loop.
That vision that he had, long ago, when you stood before him with bloody hands and a trail of bodies behind you. Norman couldn't take it if you did something so... gory. It would tear him apart of you turned yourself into something you'd regret just to escape.
It was surprising how easily they had agreed to it.
Norman walks.
But you're not walking down the hallway.
It's empty.
Norman finds it horribly painful that you and he are so, so, so, so, incredibly close, yet so far.
You are the sea, and he is the sky. You are up and he's down. You are hot and he is cold. You're in the house and he's in the car, waiting, always, always waiting for you. You are always walking the same hallways as Norman, but he can't help but feel as if the two of you exist in different worlds.
And does he so badly want to be a part of your world. No matter how painful or what hardships there may be.
Despite the both of you turning fifteen, despite feeling so far away from you.
Norman stills wants to be with you. He can't help it.
Norman walks wordlessly along the halls next to his assigned doctor, and finds himself looking into a window, where a tall man stands with a clipboard.
And there you are. In the window.
Standing with a boy with amethyst eyes, smiling at him, and shaking his hand.
Norman looks away.
And pretends he didn't see anything.
He just wants to be with you. He just wants you.
You and him to be happy, to be with Emma and Ray and everyone. To be living and together and so stuck together that he won't ever feel so alone ever again.
Norman will do it, he will find a way to save everyone.
So that you and he can get away and live happily, that was always the plan, it was always his dream, your dream.
And he would do anything to achieve it, anything to get back to you.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
"Dolores. I see Nova and Y/N have been introduced."
Dr. Dolores looks up from his clipboard, his stomach queasy when he hears the familiar cheerful tone of Mr. Ratri's voice.
"Yes. They are training right now. Then they will go on to the classroom."
Ratri nods, smiling as he looks into the window.
"You know. I will be the first Ratri in history to finally tame the (L/N) family. Isn't that exciting!"
Dolores nods, "You will be the first to finally move the project forward in years."
Ratri's smile widens, "It's true. My little Y/N couldn't be more perfect. Powerful, intelligent, and obedient! And Nova! Nova, Nova, Nova. Top of his classes I hear!"
"Yes, I made sure to pick only the best candidate for the Atropa-Belladonna Project."
Ratri hums, "Did you know that there has never been a boy born to the (L/N) name?"
Dolores raises his eyebrows, "Really?"
"It's true, generations of spineless," Ratri grits his teeth, "Ratri men could not conquer generations of stubborn (L/N) women. Isn't that something?"
"You're making history."
Ratri chuckles, "That I am! Oh, how sad it is, both families forever subject to the shackles of time. Well, in a couple of years, Y/N will be the first (L/N) to get a taste of the other world. So exciting!"
"...Sir? If I may speak freely?"
Ratri waves his hand dismissively, "Yes, yes, what is it?"
"It is not often that you visit this faction, is there something important that I should be aware of?", Dolores asks carefully, studying Ratri's expression.
Ratri smiles inhumanly, watching Y/N through the window, "Sharp as ever Hector Dolores! Yes, today there shall be a momentous occasion!"
"There shall?"
You stare at the window for a moment, the hairs on your neck rising and feeling chills run throughout your entire body. Something bad is happening, you know it.
You continue to stare until a water bottle is thrown at your face. The metal bottle clocking you right in the cheek. Ouch...
Enraged you turn to yell, "[WHY THE FUCK DID YOU THROW IT!?]"
Nova's hand covers his mouth as he suppresses a laugh, shrugging at you, "Thought you would catch it?"
You grip the bottle and glare, huffing and scoffing.
Nova sweat drops as you think he hears you mumble something about the ways you could go about murdering him.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
Dr. Osore stands between you and Nova, you stand on one end of the sparring mat while he stands on the other.
"Now, I want a good fight, first one to tap out twice is the looser. Nothing is off the table."
You crack your neck and knuckles, narrowing your eyes at Nova who stretches his arms, smirking at you. The audacity!! Well, it doesn't matter, time to get revenge for hitting you with a damn water bottle.
Osore raises her hand to single you to be ready, she chops her hand through the air and quickly steps back and off the mat.
You and Nova immediately pounce towards each other. Lucky for you, he's heavier on his feet, while you are far more agile.
His punches are a bit slower, but it's a struggle to head on block instead of dodge as they are incredibly strong.
You step back, gritting your teeth in pain from the impact of his fist.
'Let's kick it up a notch, shall we?', you think, the pace of the fight going far too slow for your liking.
You lunge fainting with your right, only to duck and sweep your leg, he jumps back but you swivel kick, hitting him straight in the jaw, sending him stubbling.
You stand, smiling, waving him towards you.
Nova cocks his head and charges.
Back and forth, back and forth. Exchanging blows and trying to outmaneuver each other.
You find yourself having a bit of fun, it's been a while since you've fought with someone in an even match. Usually, you're the one getting thrown down every thirty seconds.
'Nothing off the table huh?'
Exhausted with how long the fight has dragged you doge a nasty upper cut and round house kick as hard as you can, managing to send him on the ground. You wince a bit, your shin hurting a bit from his muscle.
Unluckily for you, the moment he falls he grabs your foot, taking you down with him, the both of you end up hitting the floor hard.
Before he can recover you hop on top of him, straddling his waist, your right forearm pressing on his throat and your left fist millimeters from his nose.
You feel him chuckle, his Adam's apple moving against your arm. His smug look pissing you off.
Suddenly you are being flipped over and onto your back, he sits on you, pinning your arms over your head.
Nova and his smug little smile and gleaming purple eyes look down at you, amused by your glare and piercing scowl.
You spit in his face—
catching him off guard and allowing you to get out from under him, pinning him as he lays helplessly face down into the mat.
You use your weight to keep his legs down, one arm holding one of his arms back, and the other pressing his face into the ground.
He quickly doubles taps, and you wait a moment before letting go.
You get off him and plop onto the ground, sweat dripping down your face.
You look to Dr. Osore, who claps, and though you can't hear it, it fills you with pride.
Just two feet away Nova wipes his face, sitting on the ground. He gives you a pouty look, and you raise an eyebrow at him.
"Did you have to spit in my face???"
You scoff and stand over him, cocking your hip, "All's fair in love and war."
You see Nova laugh, it's so odd, seeing someone happy in a place like this. You don't remember the last time you laughed, or genuinely smiled. Perhaps Nova won't be so bad... perhaps he isn;t so different from you or Norman.
You decide to play nice, for now, only so you can use him later, and hold your hand out for him to grab.
Nova seems surprised at first by the gesture, but he gladly takes it. A moment passes and he doesn't let go, making you whip your hand out of his, wiping the sweat and disgust off on your pants.
"You're sweaty as shit."
"So are you."
You roll your eyes and turn to Dr. Osore, who watches you and Nova carefully, her hesitation has seemed to go away a bit.
Nova...
You wonder how far you'll take this whole 'being nice' thing.
You are— were— only ever have been— especially nice to Norman.
But... you decide to be a little benevolent... for now.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
ᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴅᴀʏꜱ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ
Mothers. Right?
They're here, they're there. They mother and sometimes they don't. And you can't help but love them. Biological or not, you can't help but want and need the kind of acceptance that motherly love can bring.
You can't help it.
Because you didn't choose your mother, and she was the only thing you had.
Your mother was so beautiful. Her hair was silky, and her smile was bright, and her eyes, the fiercest eyes you've ever seen. The eyes that you inherited.
Your mom was so pretty.
When she was normal, it was so long ago, but you remember it so well. When you were allowed to see her, she spoiled you so much, smothered you in kisses and played with your hair.
You wish you could have more.
She was so soft and gentle with you, when she hugged you when you cried. And boy, were you such an emotional child.
She'd kiss your tear-stained cheeks. You cried because you were to happy to see her after a while of being kept from her, and your cries were endless when your sessions with her were over.
She'd always hug you and pat your head, telling you about how strong you needed to be, how proud she is of you, how she'll always be there when you'd come back.
One day you came back, and she was different.
It was like she was gone.
And her hair started to gray and thin, and her skin wrinkled and her eyes dulled.
It was like she was gone.
She could barely speak. She barely even blinked.
But at least she was still there, and you could pretend like she was still the same and you could talk to her and still try to be a good child.
You always knew it was those goddamn pills. Those goddamn pills they made her take.
But at least, at the very, very least, you'd come back, and she'd be there.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
You and Nova sat in the classroom, you'd just finished your academic session with Dr. Dolores and now had free time.
Usually, you'd read, and Nova would draw. You often wonder about what he draws, but you are too stubborn to ask. You haven't spoken one-on-one with him much, just small talk, and it was dreadful, you hate small talk. Pointless talk about the training, about the academic subjects, about what book you were reading.
A doctor barges into the room and heads straight towards Dr. Dolores, whispering something in his ear.
Dolores looked to you with such a pitiful gaze.
"Y/N. Come with me. Nova. This doctor will stay here with you."
You stood up and followed Dr. Dolores, unaware of where he was leading you.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
Norman stands over the sink, coughing into his hand.
He pulls his hand away and gasps.
It's barely noticeable, but drops of blood stain his palm.
He feels a headache start to come on.
Norman grabs the orange bottle on the sink, putting a tablet into his mouth. It's painkillers, different from the pills they giver him in the lab.
He swallows the pill, and then downs water from the sink.
The headache subsides, for now.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
"You have about fifteen minutes."
It's a totally different room, an infirmary.
And there your mother lays, in the tangle of tubes and the machines crowding around her.
You walk to her, taking a chair and pulling it right next to her.
"[Hey Mom.]"
Her eyes are closed, and her breathing is soft, the beeping of the machine the only other noise in the room.
"[It's been a while. I know I've been such a shitty kid, not visiting you more...]"
beep... beep...
"[I know it's been hard for you, and it sucks that I've been gone for so long. But I'm here... I'm here now."
Your voice cracks and you choke up, grabbing her hand.
beep... beep...
"[I wish I was always here. I'm so sorry. I wish I could understand what you were whispering, but nothing ever clicks. I just hope you don't regret me.]"
A tear falls down your face, and your breathing is shaky.
"[I'll be strong. For everyone. I promise.]"
You think you feel her clutch your hand.
Suddenly you're in a dreamscape, but it's not yours, despite how similar it looks.
It's a field of flowers, but somehow in the distance you still hear the steady beeping of the machine.
There, your mother stands in a white dress, her back to you.
You run towards her, and she turns to you, her arms open.
You cry and her pats your head, "It'll be okay baby, I know you'll be strong."
"I can't, I can't. You can't leave me."
She wipes your tears with her thumb, and it's like she never got sick, her beauty restored, "Don't worry Y/N. You have the others. I'll always be with you. We are connected forever."
"How can you believe that??"
She smiles, "Because our gift links all of us. You saw her right? The first? We will always be in here," she points to your head, "and here," and your heart.
Her smile falls for a second, her hands resting on the sides of your face, "Y/N. I don't ever regret you. You are the light of my life, and always were. Even when I got sick and changed. I was listening, always."
She slowly let's go of you after giving you one last squeeze and a kiss on the forehead. As the beeping somehow fades you see her walk with other women in white dresses.
They greet your mother kindly and link their arms with hers, guiding her farther into the feild of flowers. You watch them walk away until they disappear into the rolling hills of grass and wildflowers.
We will always be with you
You open your eyes; the machine has stopped beeping.
♗ ♔ ♕ ♘
(unedited - 04/13/22)
A/N:
Hi ;3
I know it's been a while, but I hope you liked this ch. 💞
how do you like the new character ~nova~
it took so long to come up with a good name
y do u think he's here 🤔
any theories about why ratri is back?
damn did writing the mom make me cry
AND WRITING NORMAN UGH TEARS (i can't wait to reunite them)
fav characters?
And as a speical treat for taking so long ~
NORMAN — 15
Y/N — 15
NOVA — 17
that is all!
thank you for being so lovely, i been having a hard time writing ngl lol
until next time~
stay safe & take care ♡ ♡ ♡
- noli