Chapter Text
"i swear aesop, i'll be fine," emma promised, sitting on the infirmary cot. thick, white bandages wrapped around her chest, splots of blood bleeding through the cotton. most of her deep wounds had disappeared when the gardener was embalmed, yet aesop couldn't help but worry.
"she really ruffled you up, didn't she?" emily asked, swiftly disposing over her medical supplies.
"i don't get what she has against me! i mean, i stay out of her way, both in matches and in the manor. what could i ever done wrong?" emma exclaimed loudly, waving her hands before wincing from the studden movement.
"for somebody who almost got bled out, you're very clamorous." aesop mumbled, earning a scoff from emily.
"well, stay safe out there, emma. i don't think i want aesop basically bolting into my dorm room with somebody half-dead." emily smiled, aesop apologizing under his breath.
"thank you, emily!" emma squealed, grabbing the doctor and squeezing her into a hug before running out of the door. "i'll be sure to watch out!"
emily smiled, directing her attention back to her syringes.
"th-thank you, emily," aesop stuttered, waving before he followed the brunette.
"you're a good man, aesop. look out for her for me, okay?"
the embalmer looked at her wide grin, face full of an emotion he couldn't read. he nodded, and stepped out of the infirmary quietly, looking around for any sign of his lover.
he immediatley headed over to the garden, assuming it was time to water her flowers.
to his suprise, emma sat at the bench, staring at the rows and rows of flowers. her expression was blank, clearly deep in thought.
aesop sat by her, unnoticed. what would have happened if he never set this rule with the headmaster? what if he wasn't in the match as she bled out? would anyone would have saved her?
he shook his head, fumbling with his fingers as millions of thoughts raced through his head. it must've been so scary for her, thinking she would die with somebody who hated her so much. emma just wanted peace, was that too much, even here?
"kyaa-!" emma screamed.
aesop jumped, practically falling off the bench as emma entirely did.
"aesop! goodness darling; i didn't know you were here," she huffed, heart racing at unwelcome speeds.
"i-i'm so sorry! i didn't mean to scare you like that, i'm so sorry," he rambled, picking emma up from the ground.
"it's very inconvenient that both you and mary have white hair. i thought you were her!"
"i.. don't have-"
"i'm glad you're here, though. look at our flowers," emma smiled, running over to the pile of light blue and purple flowers. aesop had learned them from emma while they were planting them together; they were crocuses.
"how beautiful," aesop whispered, crouching by the small brunette. she smiled as she plucked one out of the dirt, handing it to aesop's hands.
"ah, it's surely dead now, isn't it?"
"not really. these are fake," she said in a low tone, calmer than the one before. aesop raised an eyebrow.
"everything in the manor is fake, darling. these flowers are not the exact same as the ones outside, despite them growing." she winced as she stood up, her lover aiding her up. "mary.. what did i ever do? is it all my fault?"
aesop stayed silent, allowing the other to stay in her thoughts. he thought about it, and nothing seemed to come to him. what ever happened between the two?
"i.. it's not your fault," aesop set her back onto the bench, holding her in his arms. "i'm sorry for the death rule. i'm so sorry, emma. you're such a strong person, you're so strong for fighting back,"
aesop couldn't feel any more guilty, for if he was even a second late, she wouldn't be here, in his arms.
"i love you," emma whispered.
and for the first time in forever, everything felt okay.