~•°.•.°~~~

-Naib-

There's no way he could have left the manor is there? the fences are too high after all so where is he?

~•°.•.°~~~

..•~Aesop POV~•..

Defeated I walked to my room, at this point you could see all of my hope draining out of me just from a quick glance. It was past twelve am again and there were no traces of Eli, on top of that all I had done when trying to find a lead was be a burden that they had to look out for. We didn't even end up finding anything that could help us finding him but instead we now have one more reason to worry and for the rest to hate me. 

Once I finally reached my room I got reminded of the mess that it was thanks to whoever the witness was. I sighed while walking to the shower ignoring all of the make up containers, deduction papers and clothes that were sprawled all over, I couldn't deal with it right now. After taking a shower my eye caught that purple-ish bruise on my neck, I still didn't understand who would do it or why but I didn't care much about it anymore. There are better things to worry about.

I grabbed some clothes that were on my bed and called it a day falling head first into my bed. I wish I could have said I had a well rested night but in reality I barely slept. There were just too many things on my head to ignore, I didn't want to be alone again after meeting Eli, just the thought of going back to how my life used to be before meeting him, when I was with Jerry, back to when it was all too dim and cold as if it was a constant and endless winter, no attachments, no friends, no anything. It may be cheesy and a stupid thought but Eli was like the spring after winter, everything that was thought to be dead suddenly comes back to life ever so gently. 

I chuckled at my thoughts before slowly drifting to sleep after. Knowing I had no chances given who I am, how many better choices he has or the thing I would never dare to ask, I had really fallen for him the past year hadn't I?

Such a foolish crush..

The morning came shortly with its cold breeze blowing through my window, winter sure was cold the past few years. I stood myself up and off my covers to start the day. It was going to be tough. After getting ready and having breakfast I decided it would be time I cleaned up my room, I didn't have any matches today anyway. While putting all the deduction papers away I kept on reading bits and pieces, it was hard to believe I had done all of that but it was true, almost nostalgic. I hated that. I never wanted to see those papers again or be reminded of the road I would have gone down if he, Jerry hadn't died yet, he was still like a father to me. 

I stacked all the papers away into the desks small drawer and folded the clothes back in their places. After shorting out my equipment back into my makeup box I wanted to check if Eli had come back, that wouldn't be easy with Tracy being his neighbor but not impossible. I got off my chair slowly unlocking my door and making my way over to his room as humanly quietly as possible, I debated whether I should knock or just try to open the door for a minute but I guessed it would be best to not be rude. No response. The door was unable to be locked after Tracy broke it with that screwdriver so I opened it, there was still no one there.

That's about when I heard a creak come from behind me, it was Tracy.

"He didn't come back last night."

"yea.."

"You don't have to worry about yesterday, Naib was just being a five year old again, he can be a headache I know just don't take it like you did something terrible"

"But the letter-"

Tracy cut me off before I could finish with a stubborn expression taking over her

"We don't know if that's true or not! there is evidence of a stolen container that you wouldn't be able to reach on your own and caution from your background and that's all there is to it! whether we choose to believe the letter or not is for people to decide whether they should really trust a nameless nobody leaking your past or you."

"I'm.. so you trust me?.."

"I'll admit I am still suspicious but I will remain as neutral as I can until we get ourselves some solid proof"

While she did try to reassure me and lift me up, all I felt was a sense of false relief. She was changing her mind too fast to know if she would turn on me or not.

"Luchino went to speak to Melly, apparently she had nothing to do with any of this. He searched the hunter's side too, there were no clues as to who may have stolen the bromide or where Eli could be."

~•°.•.°~~~