#norbertpickles

[sea-side-scribbles]

My Friend Norbert

link to ao3

Chapter 7

This week went better for Arthur, because he was looking forward to their next meeting. The fact that the last one had gone well filled him with unfamiliar confidence. He was simply happy and that made him enduring. He sat in class, writing on autopilot and daydreaming about Norbert. At home, he did his chores and his homework without his body protesting. The only tiny problem was that he couldn't quite focus on his upcoming exams. He tried to learn but his mind kept wandering off into the ruined district, chasing the tall boy with the freckled face.

He had never known that freckles could be so fascinating. Despite them, he missed everything else about this boy, too. While pretending to learn, he always came back to eyeing his map and imagining the buildings he would explore with Norbert. Then he began to draw another map that showed all the ruins that he found interesting enough to visit. He marked the route with arrows and made notes for every building, what they would see there and how long they would probably be there before they moved on.

Arthur felt like a tourist guide for the ruined district but he knew it was worth it for Norbert. What he missed for his tour was a place to get ice cream. They couldn't only eat the stuff they found in the houses since there wasn't much left. He noted a café he liked on the map, in case they had time to go there. They would have to leave the ruins for this, but it's delicious ice cream would be worth it. Arthur's mouth already watered at the thought. His dad would never go there with him again, that's why he had to do this on his own. He couldn't count the many times he had spent the coins he found in the ruins to get some strawberry ice cream bowl with whipped cream. Norbert would like it, too.

He busied himself like this and apparently stopped acting weird. At least his father didn't complain anymore and everything went back to the usual taciturnity. Arthur was glad he could keep his thoughts to himself.

On Friday however, his patience left him. The entire day, he felt as if he was about to explode. Even though he was excited, he couldn't focus and his geography teacher scolded him for not listening and let him do tasks in front of the class for the entire lesson. Arthur did good enough, though. After all, he liked maps and had a good memory for places, so it wasn't really a punishment. Just a short distraction. After this incident, he was just as unfocused as before. When the school bell finally rang for the last time that day, he hurried home and sat around in his room, trying to do his homework. He did enough to not make his father suspicious, but most of the time he just stared out of the window and wished to be out there with Norbert.

It was pure torture to eat dinner with his dad and not being able to act naturally. He had to pretend to be calm, indifferent and hungry. Just like his dad, mostly. He wanted to kick his legs, squirm and writhe and talk endlessly about his plans, his new map. Instead, he had to do it in his head while his father ate quietly and only asked a few questions about school. Arthur told him that he had been quite good at geography today, that he had found almost all the towns but his father only nagged at the ones he didn't find and told him to work harder. “If you're an engineer”, he said, “you can't build only half the bridge.” Arthur felt a pang in the chest at this. That one time he had opened up to his dad and what did it do? It gave his dad an excuse to nag at him even more. He considered lying to him next time, but what would undeserved praise do? Would only make him feel more stupid.

After dinner, he went through all his notes on the map as if they were part of an exam. Indeed, Arthur wanted to know them by heart. He didn't want to show his personal notes to Norbert. Also, wouldn't it be cooler if he looked like he did all this spontaneously? Reading from a paper was for grandpas.

He must've fallen asleep while repeating his notes because he woke up in the morning with the map on his pillow. He read it again until he heard his father walk around in the house. It was still hard to hide his feelings, but he felt much better than at dinner. He couldn't help smiling and he could barely eat, but he managed not to draw his dad's attention. Just when they finished, Arthur remembered in shock that his dad could still fuck this day up. He washed the dishes with shivering hands and waited if his dad would say something about leaving the house.

“Arthur, is something wrong?”, Mr. Hastings asked instead and Arthur hated himself for being so obvious. “No, no, I'm okay. Er...why do you ask?”, he croaked out of his dry throat. “Well, first, you grin like a Cheshire cat the entire meal and now you look like a rabbit caught in the headlights. What's going on?” “Nothing. I'm just careful...with the plates”, he held up the one he was drying. “Yes, you better not let another one fall.” His dad seemed to be content with that explanation and Arthur turned away from him for the rest of the time.

When he was finished, his dad hadn't said another word. Arthur sensed his chance. Carefully, as if the boards could catch fire, he sneaked through the corridor, towards the door. The house remained silent. With still shivering fingers, Arthur brought down the handle. It made a silent squeaking noise that rang in Arthur's ears, but still, there was no reaction from anyone. Like in slow-motion, he moved out of the house. His heart pounded in his throat and he listened for the horrible call back. But nothing came.

After closing the door, another promising summer day greeted him. The front garden was as cheerful as ever, if only a little overgrown because mum wasn't there to care for it. When he woke up from his stupor and realized his luck, he began to run. Away from danger and into a new, wonderful day. His dad couldn't stop him anymore. The map was engraved in his mind. No need to worry.

He happily crossed the district and went straight to that one house. Their house. There was a tiny chance that Norbert was there already and he wouldn't want to miss it. But even when he found it empty, it didn't ruin his mood. It was time to test if he remembered the map right and if it was really the best possible adventure.

As time passed, Arthur became more nervous. He was better prepared for this meeting, but the mere thought of meeting this amazing boy again and having to speak to him without talking bollocks made his heart pound heavily. Was he really ready? Well, he had to be. Norbert was nice after all. He wouldn't laugh at him, right?

Just seeing the boy though the window of their house warmed his heart. “Norbert!”, he shouted and climbed inside as quickly as he could. “Arthur, hey!”, the other boy said with his friendly voice and approached him. Without thinking, Arthur ran into him to hug him tightly. Norbert stood frozen for a second, then he laughed and patted the younger boy's back. “Careful, are you trying to crush me?” Arthur remembered that his father had said that to him sometimes when he had been to eager. Way back when he had still hugged him. Then he noticed what he was doing and promptly let go. His face felt very warm. Norbert didn't seem to be bothered by him, though.

“You're really back”, Arthur sighed out of breath with a wide smile. He just had to say it. The pressure in his chest wanted out. Norbert returned the smile, still not bothered by Arthur's awkward behaviour and also not mocking. Arthur still had the feeling that this boy was truly special. “Sure”, Norbert answered happily. “You made my mouth water last time. I wouldn't want to miss out on anything today.” “Oh, great!”, Arthur cheered and even jumped. He was so glad to be prepared. “I know exactly where we're going! Just follow me!” Norbert chuckled at his enthusiasm. “I'm right behind you”, he said as they climbed through the window back outside.

“Have you done this before?”, he asked while they strolled through the district. “Done what?” “Being a tour guide for someone in here?” Norbert himself didn't know what he was getting at this time. Every time he met Arthur, he felt like some undercover agent trying to figure out a conspiracy. Even though there wasn't much left of his first mistrust. Arthur just seemed to be a nice boy with a grieving father. That wasn't so rare. Nearly everybody lost someone in the past.

Also, he thought he should be happy about Arthur's excitement. The boy looked much better than before. He was beaming and jumping and laughing. But there were all these...things he had heard about the ruins. That certain shop owners suddenly put a lot of new stuff in their storage that had no specific origin. Of course, nobody was asking any questions aloud. The customers were rather happy about that unexpected blessing. And nobody would notice if anything went missing in, say, an abandoned household. And who would be better suited for collecting this stuff than little kids? As little as they could be these days. And it would be convenient for these kids to earn some money for their families.

But if so, what of it?, Norbert asked himself. It wasn't a crime. He had to admit to himself that he was just curious. It was a game he played with himself. Perhaps it was that place. Despite the fun they had, it still looked eerie to him. He had only wanted some peace and quiet in here, not actually stirring the ghosts of these houses.

“No”, Arthur crushed his theory with one word. “I was always alone here.” Then he found it sounded too sad, so he added: “It was more fun this way.” A second later, he stuttered: “Not that it's not fun now, I just...I mean...” Norbert laughed. “Hey, no problem. If you have enough of me, I'll leave you alone.” “I don't!”, Arthur shouted. Then he thought it sounded too needy, so he added: “Not yet.” in a cheekier tone. “If you behave.” A second later he wanted to slap himself. What horrible nonsense!

But Norbert laughed anyway. “If I behave? Well, let's see...You only get what you give.” “Are you trying to challenge me?”, Arthur played along. His face felt warm again. “What do you mean trying?” Arthur had to laugh and Norbert went on: “You can still give up if you like. I won't blame you.” “Never! You will give up!”, the younger boy blurted out between laughter. “Challenge accepted, then.” Oh, god, Arthur only thought. What the hell was he doing? And worse, saying out loud? He should put a plaster on his mouth.

When he gave Norbert a shy glance, he noticed something. “Did you forget your guitar in our house? Should we go back and get it?” “No, I didn't bring it this time.” Norbert shrugged. “It would just be in the way and in danger.” “Aww...And I thought you'd sing me a song!”, Arthur blurted out. He was really disappointed since he had missed his singing voice for two weeks now. Of course Norbert was right, it was better they didn't have to care for the guitar all the time. Still...

“So you really are my fan? I'm flattered.” Norbert seemed to play it down, but Arthur saw the spark in his eyes and his heart jumped for joy. “How could anyone not be your fan?”, he cheered. “Your voice is great! And your outfit...” He already hated that he had opened his mouth and stopped again. But nonetheless, he had made Norbert happy. “Even though it's too red?”, he teased with a wide smile. “It's not too red...I just...I wasn't prepared for it when I saw it the first time...” Norbert answered with a laugh. “You're not the only one. But thank you. That is...really sweet of you...” Arthur's heart jumped at the word 'sweet'. “You're welcome...”, he muttered, hiding his face away. “...not that I needed it”, Norbert concluded and threw his hair back. “I'm just awesome like that, you know?”

He made Arthur chuckle hysterically. “You're insufferable! I take everything back!” “Too late! Also, if you insist on that, I might never sing for you again...”, Norbert cooed. “Perhaps that's for the better.” “Excuse me? Would you kindly decide whether or not you like my voice?” “I have time until tomorrow anyway. If you bring your guitar then.” “I might decide it for you.” Arthur just had to look at him and met the most innocent smile. Norbert was the first person he knew who could hide a hideous message behind such a face. “Fine, I take back that I take it back! But you're still insufferable!” “I'm just honest.” “I didn't tell you to be honest, I told you to behave!” Norbert chuckled, but he put his hands together. “Go easy on me, okay? I promise you'll get used to me eventually. And then I'll appear very nice.” “That sounds...uh...I wanted to say 'promising', but...” “Oh, come on!”

“Yeah, yeah, I'll try...” Arthur acted as if he was annoyed when he was actually sweating. It felt so...new...unusual to joke around like that with someone who was older. Normally, they were dead serious or didn't care about him. Now it even looked like the opposite. Arthur played the serious part here. Like with Percy, but still not at all like with Percy. Norbert wasn't actually unreasonable, he was just joking. Unless he'd start running around with no pants...In this case... The thought made him blush. And grin.

Of course, Norbert had to notice it. “What's so funny?” He came closer but Arthur skipped away. “What? Hey, come here!” Arthur had to burst out in laughter again and ran away from Norbert's grip, making the older boy dart after him. “Come back!” “Catch me, old man!”, Arthur shouted back and set off to their first ruin in the tour. He was glad to shorten their trip this way because he hoped to act less like an idiot in the houses, where he could distract Norbert with treasure.

Gosh, did he really say “our house” to him? Now that he had time to think, he realized his mistake. Perhaps Norbert didn't notice, though. He hadn't mentioned it. During their race, Arthur managed to stay ahead of Norbert since he knew the best route through all the rubble. When he had reached the right place, though, he had to stop running. “Stop! Stop, we're there! This is it!”, he tried to convince Norbert to spare him, but the boy threw him down and tickled him without mercy. “Now you got a reason to laugh!” “Stop! I can't...I can't...”, Arthur panted and he was sure that his face was glowing redder than a traffic light.

Norbert stopped to Arthur's luck, or else the younger boy would've exploded. He sat up and panted too, even if he had been the one attacking. “You're completely exhausted”, Arthur dared to tease him. “And you, huh? You need some more?” Norbert poked him in the side. “No! That's unfair!”, Arthur shouted and kicked. “Hey!” Norbert patted the spot and when Arthur looked, he saw that his shoe had left a stain on the red cloth. “Sorry!” He shot up. “I...I didn't mean to...” Tears welled up in his eyes. “Hey, don't sweat it...”, the older boy said but he looked worried.

“If the tap is still working, we can save it!”, Arthur shouted and Norbert needed a moment to understand. Then they hurried into the house behind them and tried the sink in the kitchen. It worked. The sink was beyond dirty, but the water pouring out of the tap seemed to be good enough. Norbert splashed a handful on his upper leg. Arthur darted through the room, opening all the drawers. He didn't remember all the tiny detail in every house, so this was pure hope. He cheered when he found the soap.

“Oh, thank god!” Norbert smeared it over the stain and then poured more water over it. Arthur watched him with concern. His stomach cramped at the thought he might've destroyed this outfit forever. “Er...shouldn't you take it off?”, he asked quietly. “You have a second pair?” Arthur realized. “No, I mean...wait...Perhaps there are clothes in the bedrooms.” With that, he ran away to search the house. He was lucky again. Kind of. The pants he found had clearly seen better days and the moths had bitten a few holes in them, but they were at least dry.

Norbert didn't share his opinion, though. “Are you serious? Did you pull them out of a bin?” “You'll catch a cold if you keep these on”, Arthur tried to reason with him. Now this was more like Percy. “It's warm enough in here.” Norbert dropped the old pants on the floor. “But it's also dirty.” “I am careful, thank you very much!” “I'm sorry”, Arthur muttered and hung his head. “Hey, it's okay...”, Norbert put an arm around him and made him hold his breath. “I guess I attacked you first.” “You did...” “Yeah...”, Norbert sighed. “You alright?” Arthur couldn't believe his ears. Norbert still cared after what he just did? He gave him a surprised stare. “Yes. Er...my back hurts a little...I guess I fell on a root or something...” Norbert gently patted his shoulders. “I'm sorry”, he said with his beautiful, warm voice. And Arthur believed him.

[crashpill]

Foggy Jack and Nick 🫀🥰

[sea-side-scribbles]

Norbert/Nick through time ❤️​

look how this innocent child turns into a trippy rockstar 😅​

[sea-side-scribbles]

the pretty idiot ❤️ 

[sea-side-scribbles]

Norbert out in the sun and vibing ☀️​

[sea-side-scribbles]

There was this wonderful moment when Arthur and Norbert just silenced in agreement. Once again, Arthur marvelled at this boy. He could do this for hours, it defined his entire being and he wouldn't want it any other way. If they could stay in this house forever, he would be happy. He didn't need to ever walk home again, to this depressing, cold place where nobody really waited for him anymore. This ruin with all it's dirt and cracks in the walls looked more welcoming and warm than any home he had now. He was free here. And he had Norbert.

Norbert, who began to get bored by their silence, so it seemed. He looked around in the kitchen and Arthur felt his cheeks burn again. Say something, he scolded himself. Stop being awkward! But he didn't know what to say. Instead, he cleared his throat and seconds later, he wished he had not, because the sound echoed through the room way too loudly. Norbert's head shot back and he looked at him, expecting a speech or something. One could hear a needle drop. “Sorry...something in my throat”, was all Arthur could come up with. He was thankful that Norbert laughed. It motivated him to say more.

“You sure about this?” He pointed at the trousers on the floor again. “About what? That we should burn this biological weapon before it spreads a deadly disease? Yeah, I'm sure.” He leaned against the dirty sink, that certainly didn't do his pants any good, threw one leg over the other and waited as if Arthur would take a photo of him. Arthur dearly wished he could. He was fascinated by Norbert's hair, how it moved every time he spoke. How it sometimes covered his left eye before he shoved it away. Who told him to wear it like that?, he wondered. Even the girls tied their long hair in knots or braids. Nobody looked like that.

Only his mother when she came out of the shower, the short moment before she would wrap it into a towel. Who would want to look like they came right out of the shower? Norbert apparently. And he looked so good with it.

“Don't...complain when you catch a cold”, he managed to answer almost without stuttering. “I will complain when I catch the plaque.” Norbert gave the trousers a disgusted look. “Yeah, okay. I can imagine you're a pest when you're sick...”, Arthur muttered and lifted the cloth from the ground to put it away. “What was that?” Arthur couldn't help but grin. “Nothing.” Norbert slid from the sink. “I thought I heard something.” “Shouldn't you have better ears as a musician?” “I have excellent hearing, thank you very much.” The older boy approached Arthur, who began to retreat, walking backwards. “Then there must be ghosts in here...”, was his answer before he hurried out of the kitchen.

Norbert, every so obstinate, darted after him and they began their second round of chase. This time, Arthur had the upper hand since he knew this place already. He abandoned the rejected garment in the corridor, jumped through a hole in the wall into another room and climbed up to the upper floor from there. With Arthur out of sight, Norbert paced the corridor and observed the holes and other rooms, knowing that the younger boy couldn't be far yet. He heard Arthur when one of the old floor boards broke while he climbed. For a second, Arthur's foot dangled helplessly in the air, then he found hold again and pulled himself up. When he ran into another room, Norbert already climbed up.

Arthur crawled behind an armchair that stood in a corner and waited for Norbert to pass by him. His heart pounded, his face burned and he hadn't had that much fun in years. “Arthur?”, the older boy chirped. “Where are you, little brat? Found any ghosts yet?” Arthur pressed his back against the wall when Norbert searched his room. The floorboards creaked under his feet. He wasn't exactly quiet, but even more thrilling this way. Arthur heard him open a dresser and he was really glad that he didn't hide there. “Little clever clogs, are you? Well, I'll find you eventually and then...you better pray...” His deeper voice send chills down Arthur's spine. He both wanted and didn't want to be found.

Finally, Norbert went back into the corridor, so Arthur crouched out of his hiding spot and to another breach in the wall. Like that, he entered a bathroom that was halfway buried under the floor above and was only accessible though that very breach. It provided a secret way upstairs. On the second floor, Arthur didn't have many options. A narrow attic with a bedroom and old toys. He considered hiding under the bed, but he was sure Norbert would search there first. The damaged roof looked more interesting. He put his foot on a dresser to reach upward right when he heard the lower flight of stairs creak. He pulled himself through the roof while Norbert ran upstairs. Hiding behind tiles and ivy, he peeked through a hole into the attic. Norbert's red suit appeared and Arthur had to hold his breath to not burst out in laughter.

Of course, the older boy searched the bed first, then behind the curtains and even looked out of the window. Arthur was very comfortable on his roof for a while when Norbert looked around the attic, wondering if Arthur was even up here. At least, he decided to climb up to the roof. That was when Arthur decided to leave his hiding spot unnoticed. Well, he didn't slide down as carefully as he had hoped and hit the floor with a very loud thud. “Ha!”, he heard from above, struggled up, but before he could run down the stairs, Norbert dropped from the roof and landed before him, on both feet and way more confidently. The path to the stairs was blocked, but there was still his secret room...

Arthur couldn't help laughing out loud when he gave Norbert a wide berth and dashed to the collapsed bathroom. Now, when he depended on speed alone, the older boy had a clear advantage. Arthur leaped down and tried to crawl through the hole, but Norbert caught his leg. “No, no, no , little rat! You won't fool me again!” Arthur shrieked for joy and kicked. “Let me go!” But Norbert pulled him out and began to tickle him while he still lay on the floor. The younger boy squirmed and tried to push his hands away, grabbing both of his wrists. They wrestled for a while and as by a miracle, Arthur managed to climb on top of Norbert and poked his side. The older boy gasped and struggled to get up, but Arthur grabbed his wrists again and pressed him down with his entire weight.

Now, the only problem was that Arthur couldn't do anything with his own hands, either. He leaned over Norbert and suddenly, he noticed how close their faces were. He could see right into these green eyes. Every streak of yellow and blue in them. The dark rim around it. He couldn't look away. A moment later, his back hit the floor again and he had lost every advantage he might've had. All he felt was Norbert's hands all over him and he laughed until he had no breath left. Tears ran down his cheeks, but he was happy.

Norbert stopped when he noticed that the boy was exhausted. He sat up and leaned against the wall, panting himself. Eventually, Arthur found his voice again. “You...said...you said you'd be careful...” “Yeah, to my clothes. Not to you.” “But are you?” Norbert clicked his tongue, looking at himself. “Now that you mention it...I think you bit me.” Arthur chuckled. “You...deserve...everything...I did to you...” “Now, now, that's unfair.” “No.” The younger boy shook his head, still lying on the floor. “You did this to yourself”, Norbert insisted. “How? I didn't do anything. You just went nuts.” “Because you're a cheeky brat.” “But so are you.” “Really?” Norbert leaned closer. Arthur squirmed. “Really.” Norbert poked his side. “Really really?” The younger boy chuckled and rolled away. “Yeah, really! You're worse than me!”

“Huh...” Norbert leaned back again. “Well, If you think so, I guess I have to live with it.” “Be ashamed!” “Now, that's really unfair.” Arthur finally had the strength to sit up. He smiled at Norbert who seemed to pout in his corner. “Oh my god, you're so dirty.” He chuckled. “It's not that bad.” “Yes, just look at yourself.” He pointed at Norbert's shoulders. The older boy crossed his arms and pouted more. “And what about you? You look like you live here.” Arthur spread his arms. “I'm fine, these are my worst clothes anyway.” “Ah...I guess you have a point there.”

Norbert looked worried now and patted some dirt from his sleeves. Arthur felt the atmosphere change and he knew what was to come. “I'm sorry”, he said quietly and bowed his head. Norbert's answer was quicker and less serious than expected. “Yeah, you should be. I told you it's all your fault.” He was still playing their game. Arthur was confused, but went on: “Perhaps we find more clothes here, so...” “So you can dress me up as a complete bum? What have I ever done to you to....?” Arthur just opened his mouth when he held out his hand and added: “Forget it.” Arthur gave him a puzzled look. “But I still refuse your ridiculous offer. I rather live with the consequences of your actions.” Finally, he made the younger boy laugh again. He still couldn't believe that none of the accusations were serious.

“Why are you like this?”, Arthur asked and he meant it more ways than Norbert could understand. “Like what? Dashing? Graceful? Incredibly talented?” He sighed. “I don't know. I guess this is just my very nature.” Arthur huffed in disbelief. The more he learned about this boy, the less he understood him. Many other boys thought they were cool, but they were actually arseholes and only bullied everyone into pretending they were special. But Norbert...he just was. Weird, too...but not in the way Arthur himself was weird. And most bizarre, he wasn't mean.

“What? Another insult on the way, Mr. Hastings?” Norbert misunderstood his silence. “No, just...” Arthur didn't even know what to say. “Ah, spare me. I can only handle so many critics per day.” “What's a critic?” “Well, I'm glad you don't know...” Norbert got back onto his feet. “Hey, if I didn't break you yet, how about continuing the tour?” Arthur got up too. “Okay...? Should we move on to another house or...?” “Well, I haven't seen every room yet. And those I saw...I was a bit distracted there, so...” “Then you better pay attention this time”, Arthur teased before he crawled out of the room. “I see, this is going to be charming...”

They wandered though the house and Arthur, even though the tour went completely different than he had imagined, enjoyed to show him around. There was a lot of old, now forbidden stuff about the war: newspapers, books and photos. Norbert was quite interested in them. Arthur remembered that his father went to war and tried to imagine how that must feel like. Without a father, but with a mother. He couldn't help but see it as a better life.

In the end, however, what caught Norbert's interest was a porcelain plate, painted in a floral pattern in vivid colours. Very kitschy, nothing what Arthur imagined Norbert to fancy. “You want this of all things?”, he asked the older boy. Norbert held it in his hands and turned it slowly. “I think my mum would like this”, he muttered. Arthur stared at the plate and he felt a pang in his chest. Of course... He had never thought of bringing his father something, because he wouldn't care anyway. But his mother...It was ages ago since he had been able to give her a present. She always cared. She would've like this, too. How lucky one must be to still have a mother.

Arthur fought tears. Embarrassed, he turned away from Norbert and wiped his face with his sleeve. But Norbert noticed. “Arthur?” The younger boy couldn't speak, so he only shook his head. Norbert stepped closer. “Arthur, what happened?”, he insisted. After gulping back tears, he brought out: “I miss mum.” Norbert put the plate down on the dining table and whispered: “I know. And I miss my dad...” Arthur helplessly sobbed and hated himself for it. Why did he have to ruin this moment? Why couldn't he be normal for once?

But then Norbert pulled him into a hug and Arthur froze. He needed a while until he got used to the feeling and dared to breathe again. Norbert didn't seem to mind. He didn't seem to mind anything Arthur did. After a while, the younger boy didn't feel stupid anymore. It occurred to him that he didn't ruin this moment for anyone. That it was just okay to cry. At least for now. So he hugged Norbert back and sobbed into his soft, red suit.

[sea-side-scribbles]

Tiny sketch of Norbert 🎶❤️😈

[sea-side-scribbles]

My Friend Norbert

link to ao3

Chapter 4

Eventually, Arthur's tired mind got the better of him. He was sound asleep for the rest of the night. In the morning, he had a deja vu and it felt very good at first. A voice was calling for him, asking him to wake up. In his drowsy state he heard Norbert's voice and began to smile. When he opened his eyes, expecting to see the older boy's pretty face, there was only his father's frown. Arthur shot up with a shriek.

“Dad, why are you in my room?”, he shouted. He couldn't recall the last time his father went into his room. Probably to read him and his brother a bedtime story, when they were much younger... “Do you know what time it is?”, Mr. Hastings wondered. Arthur's confused expression spoke volumes. He glanced at the clock at the wall. He overslept. Dumbfounded, he gave his father a look as if he could explain it to him. “Are you sick?” “No!”, Arthur immediately blurted out and ducked under the hand that reached out for his forehead. “I was just tired.” His father didn't look convinced and continued to scan him up and down. A heavy sigh escaped Arthur. “Perhaps I overdid it with the learning...I should take a break today, go outside again...” Mr. Hastings finally nodded. “Get up now. Don't dawdle.”

Arthur hurried to finish all his chores. He was so nervous that time flew by and he stood in his front garden before he even knew what he did. He had promised to spend the day outside again, rather by force of habit than according to a plan. He hadn't seen Norbert for such a long time that the events of last weekend felt like a dream. He even forgot to fetch his map on his desk. Of course, he knew where that special house was anyway. Not that it still made sense to go there of course. It was also too early.

His mind that had been frozen all the time slowly woke up and he began to play out all the possibilities in his head. He would visit the house first, look if anyone was inside and if not, he'd go explore again as he'd always do. And if someone was inside...well... This entire story felt so far away, he was even half sure that he could handle the situation.

So he started strolling along the streets and idled here and there, looking into the shop windows and daydreaming about all the things he could have if he had his own money. He wasn't in a hurry. Arthur actually felt like staying away from his problems as long as possible. But when he entered the ruined district, there was nowhere to idle anymore. He took a deep breath and went on towards his destination as if he was in trance. His heart pounded in his chest when he crouched to the window, needed a few seconds to gather courage and then peeked through it. He was shocked that his eyes immediately fell on the chair Norbert used to sit in. The chair was empty, though. His heart needed a while to realize that.

Now disappointed, he looked around in the room. It appeared to be empty besides the dirty and worn out furniture. Arthur pulled himself through the window and softly set one foot on the parquet. It creaked a bit, so he froze and strained his ears to hear if anyone heard him. Nobody came. He put the other foot down and didn't even notice the creaking noise when he began to walk through the room and into the second one, where the couch stood. His courage left him at the door frame, so he crouched and carefully peeked around it. Also, this room was empty. His couch seemed to wait since last weekend for somebody to sleep on it. Arthur eyed it, pondering. Then he decided that he wasn't tired enough and if he had to lie on this couch to wait all day he'd go insane.

He quickly came to a conclusion that made him hurry out of the house and get away from it as far as possible. An awkward feeling spread in his stomach when he walked away. To distract himself, he let his gaze wander along all the ruins he didn't explore yet. At first, it helped.

He began to climb into one of the houses. All the windows and doors were boarded-up, so he had to climb the wall to reach the upper floor that had a gaping hole. It was finally another adventure and something to keep his mind busy. He even climbed the attic and it wasn't an easy endeavour because of the heigh ceiling and the lack of stairs. When he sat on the roof and looked around the district, he felt very proud of himself. A rare feeling. Grinning and kicking his legs, he wished that Norbert would see him now. And then the awkward feeling came back.

What did he even want from Norbert? Would he understand? Suddenly, Arthur became worried that the older boy could really spot him from somewhere and he unwillingly ducked. In this cautious position, he scanned his surroundings. Because he saw nobody, he had to assume that the coast was clear, so he climbed back down. In the attic, where he felt protected again, he found a pack of chewing gums and tried one. It's sweet taste cheered him up a little. He put the gums in his pocket continued to search the house and made notes in his mind for the map.

He was very thorough during his search, climbing even the cupboards and kitchen cabinets. Sometimes people put stuff there, to hide it from their kids...or from everyone in general. He enjoyed to do everything he couldn't do at home. Staying inside would be way more fun if he could avoid walking on the floor.

But after a while, he noticed that it was time to go back and he broke out in sweat. It could be that Norbert wasn't there anyway. That this hiccup in his life was over. But if he didn't check in on it, how would he know?

Again in trance, he left his newfound adventure and walked along the empty road. It was odd how the roads were still intact, how they just led nowhere. As if the Germans forgot to bomb the streets. As if they could've done this better. Arthur shook away his weird thought. He really shouldn't think about the war so much. His teachers were right. It didn't help nothing. Just made him weird. When he saw the house from afar, his feet stopped working. But his eyes still stared, took in every detail but avoided the window. He gulped and noticed that he still chewed the gum. It was tasteless now. Disgusting. He spit it out and wiped his mouth.

Walking on, he avoided to look at the house. Tried to look casual, as if there wasn't a turmoil in his stomach. As if his feet didn't protest against every movement. Finally, he knelt in front of the window, still hidden and taking multiple breaths. The way to here had been more exhausting than any race in school. He thought he should get a reward. However, sitting under the window would look even weirder, so he forced his hands to grab the windowsill and pull himself up. His eyes fell on the empty chair. It looked exactly like it did a few hours ago. Stood at the same spot. Nobody was here.

Arthur climbed inside, not believing his eyes and ears. He should be here. It was time. Considering how much he idled... Did he miss him?

No, that was impossible. Why would he leave, just because another stupid boy wasn't there? But perhaps he hadn't planned to stay long this time. Perhaps he didn't come at all.

Too many “perhapses”.

Arthur circled the chair as if Norbert could magically appear in it any second. He lingered in the room, looking out of the window, at the wallpaper, the empty shelves... Until the entire room was etched in his mind and still nobody came. He wouldn't come, Arthur thought. And as if that was the only logical conclusion, he blamed himself for it. Norbert had been waiting for him yesterday, all for nothing. Today he was disappointed and angry and swore to never come back to this awful place. Right now, this story made a lot of sense to Arthur. All because of his father, his mind jumped over to another culprit. Him and his stupid trip. It could have been any time but yesterday. But of course it had to happen like this. Of course he had to ruin this. Still, Arthur blamed himself the most. He could've said something, but he always stuttered like an idiot now. He had never stuttered before. But the good old days were long over.

With his mood plummeted, he sunk down into the chair and stared at the floor. He didn't feel like going anywhere anymore. He shouldn't even be here. It was all a big mistake. He should've left along with Percy, or better, alone, as he had been supposed to. Percy had thought he needed him, but was that true? Who needed him, really? He was the idiot. He should just stay here and...wither away. His dad would think it was all a bad dream and it would be for the better. With that thought, Arthur leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes. Perhaps if he tried really hard, he could vanish into thin air. He already felt like he didn't exist. He must be close.

Arthur felt his mind melt away and rejoiced for the first time today. It worked, he only had to be patient. When he waited, he sunk deeper into a comfy nothingness. He didn't feel his limbs anymore. Not the chair, either. He was floating, just a tiny cloud of a mind that was slowly dissolving. What a beautiful thought.

Then of course, someone had to disturb his peace. A voice annoyed him, didn't get out of his ears. Damnit, he had ears again. The rest of his body reluctantly followed, reshaping him, who angrily clutched the armrests. Couldn't his dad leave him alone? What was so bloody important anyway? All he ever cared about was eating and going to work. Was that so hard to do alone? But the voice didn't stop and he felt his body again. Fine! One more time, then!

He angrily opened his eyes to glare at his dad. But there was a different face. A pretty, freckled face with surprised, wide eyes.

Arthur froze and stared back. His mouth opened and closed mechanically. He knew he should say something, but he forgot all words. “Arthur?” The voice he had missed so much sounded worried. “Arthur, are you alright?” He waved a hand in front of Arthur's face. That made the younger boy blink and jerk his head away. “I...I guess...”, he produced with heavy lips. “Holy shit!” That made Arthur look back up at him and furrow his brows. “What?...Oh...” He realized that he sat in Norbert's chair, so he made an effort to get his protesting body out of it.

“Hey, hey, hey, no...” Norbert's hands clutched him and held him upright. “Stay with me...hello?” The boy patted his cheek. “Arthur?”, he shouted louder, making him move again. Arthur groaned, a little annoyed by the fuss. “I'm fine...”, he muttered and tried to get up again. “Fucking hell you're fine! Look at me!” Now Norbert reminded him of his dad. Arthur frowned as he looked at him. “My god, if looks could kill...I'm just trying to help you. Did you even eat today?” His question confused Arthur. Did he really look so sick? “Yeah, I'm alright.” “Where and what did you eat?” This confused Arthur even more. “I don't know...Scrambled eggs and toast? My dad is an arse but he feeds me.” Norbert furrowed his brows. “You don't know?” “I...I had a lot in my mind this morning, okay? Why do you care anyway?”, Arthur protested against the random interrogation.

Norbert eyed him up and down. Arthur remembered that it wasn't the first time he did this. Then he threw his arms up in a helpless gesture and shook his head. “I don't know...I really don't know...You just happen to be here...or not...whenever you please.” Now Arthur remembered his guilt and his guts began to burn. “I'm sorry I didn't come”, he went straight to the point. Tears welled up in his eyes. “I wanted, but my dad...he didn't let me”, was all he could say before he had to gulp the tears back down. “Did you tell him about me?” “No!” Suddenly Arthur was glad he didn't. Something in Norbert's tone made him feel uncomfortable. “He doesn't know anything!” “Then why didn't he let you go?” Arthur wiped his eyes. “Because he went out himself! All day! He didn't say where! He never tells me anything!”

While Norbert pondered, Arthur added: “I really wanted to come! I swear!” The tears broke through and he hung his head to sob heavily. This made Norbert abandon his thoughts and grab the younger boy by the shoulders. “Hey, you don't need to cry. It's not your fault.” Arthur still couldn't stop, even though he liked the hand on his shoulder. It was as if Norbert's kindness broke the dam completely. The older boy patted his back. “Aww, come on, just because you didn't see me? If only I had more fans like you”, he joked and Arthur cracked a shy smile. “But you're here now. You can still show me around.” The smile froze. Now Arthur remembered what he had been afraid of all Friday night. He had wasted all his time on the failed meeting and hadn't solved that problem at all. What house would he visit with Norbert? What was even worth seeing?

Norbert only saw that his tears stopped and tried to motivate him further. “See? All is well. Come on.” He stood up and made a few steps toward the window. He looked so inviting with his cheeky smile that Arthur couldn't help but smile back and crawl out of the chair. “But your guitar...now you brought it for nothing...”, he weakly protested. “Ah, I got it some fresh air”, Norbert waved him off. “You know, they sound better when I walk them from time to time.” “Really?” “Believe me, I'm the musician.” Arthur couldn't argue with that. He waited in front of the window until he noticed that Norbert wanted him to go first. He sucked in a breath and went outside.

[sea-side-scribbles]

My Friend Norbert

link to ao3

Chapter 2

The next day came and the sun brutally ripped Arthur out of his fitful sleep. Again, he had to wait for his father to wake up, but this time he didn't know what to do until then. He tried to read the book, but the words couldn't reach him. Instead he stared blankly at the pages and failed to feel the magic they usually held. Unable to do something else, he kept the book in his hands and looked at it. Then he glimpsed out of the window. Unlike his immobile hands, his mind was racing. Questions he couldn't answer span in his head.

Would Norbert be there again? Did he always practise in that house or did he also go somewhere else? Could they now accidentally meet anywhere and any time? Arthur wasn't sure if he liked or hated that new situation. The ruins had been his place, where he could be free and do as he pleased without anyone bothering him. The town was big enough. Why did Norbert have come all over from Maidenholm to play guitar in his place? But besides that, Norbert didn't actually bother him...

Arthur sat by the window, folding and unfolding his hands, until he noticed something. He went over to his desk and picked up the map. He had forgotten to add the new area. With a pencil, he drew neat little boxes that illustrated the houses and rubble. He completed them with notes, wrote what he found there and whatever was important to them. Then one box made him hesitate.

For a while, he just pondered and scratched his head. The paper was patient. Finally, he drew a little cross in the box and eyed the map to check if he liked it. Well, it wasn't really visible within all the other details. Carefully, he pulled a coloured pencil out of it's case and drew over the cross. Now it was red. Arthur huffed. Too much? He liked it more now though. So he decided to leave it for now. He could always erase it later.

Drawing the map had taken time and finally, he heard his father go downstairs. Breakfast went on as usual. A few questions about school came up. School. On a Sunday. Because the summer holidays came closer and so came the last exams. It was a surprise that his dad even noticed. Arthur shortly answered all the questions and washed the dishes, so Mr. Hastings would be pleased. For a second, he was afraid that he would forbid him to go out again because he had been late yesterday, but his father didn't mention it at all. Arthur said goodbye as always, but when he stood in the front garden, he hesitated for the first time.

What if he was there again? But why would he be? He hasn't been there the entire time, perhaps he had just tried it out on a whim? Perhaps he didn't like it and won't come back? Because some weirdo was staring at him all the time?

Arthur blushed from his mere memories. It was strange, but without Percy.... He was the odd one out. Was he even normal? He had always thought, simply compared to Percy's obviously different behaviour, but...

Arthur spend some time just walking back and forth in the front garden, finding no conclusion. In the end he just thought that he made more of a fool of himself if he kept doing this. He went into the familiar direction with his head still spinning. Maybe it was okay if he just stayed in the areas he knew this time...He didn't have to go far. Or maybe he should go very far this time...But how would he know where to draw the houses on the map? How to leave enough space for the rest?

Oh, why did this have to happen?

Arthur walked the way like a puppet on strings, not knowing what to expect from his journey. People walked by, did their usual business and he barely noticed them. The sight of the familiar ruins calmed him down again. There, he would be free again. So he began to inspect these houses, just as thoroughly as if he saw them for the first time, entertaining the thought that something might have changed in them and what he would do then. It was somewhat fun because he didn't remember exactly where all the bibs and bobs were and he decided to bring some of them home, filling his pockets with them. Also, he was more confident with climbing now and got to places he hadn't dared to go before. These new places managed to distract his mind and gave him some real fun for a couple of hours.

Then he was exhausted from all the climbing and digging through rubble and his mind began to busy him with other thoughts. He didn't have to go there. There were enough other cosy spots to nap. But what if he didn't go inside, just passed it? He would hear it if there were any...strange sounds. And if not, he could even sleep there. He really liked that couch.

Before he made a verbal decision, his legs already carried him there. It wasn't actually nearby and rather unpractical, just to find a spot to rest, but there was no way back. Later, he cowered behind a demolished wall and listened. No sound came from the place he didn't dare to look at. The coast was clear.

Arthur cautiously crouched to the house and peeked though the window. The armchair where Norbert had been was empty and Arthur felt his heart sink a little at the sight. However, he felt released that he could finally climb inside. With his last bit of strength, he pulled himself up on the window, slumped down on the other side and crawled into the other room that probably had been a living room once. The couch welcomed him with it's soft pads and cushions. His eyes fell shut right after.

When he woke up from the same noise again, his heart skipped a beat. Oh, shit... He stared at the ceiling, mind panicking about what he should do. He found no answer. Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit... The guitar peacefully played along. Arthur took deep breaths and closed his eyes again. At least Norbert didn't come running for him to yell at him or worse. Nothing happened. It was only music. He could just stay here and sleep some more. Listen to that voice... Yeah...

So Arthur curled up in a ball and tried to sleep. It wasn't as easy as he hoped, now that there was that suspense in the air. Would Norbert find him or not? But why should he? He had no reason to go into the other room. If he had, he would've found him already and wouldn't be here or Arthur wouldn't be here anymore and the problem would be solved... Arthur thought this back and forth so much that he fell asleep in the process.

The sudden hand on his shoulder startled him awake. “Arthur, hey wake up”, a soft voice whispered to him. He knew that voice. He liked it. But he didn't like what happened. He shot up, face bright red. His fearful gaze fell on a wide friendly smile and stayed there. He stared and gasped. “Er, hi Norbert...I didn't know you'd come here again...”, he stuttered, hoping that Norbert would buy it. The older boy huffed and shook his head. “You're a deep sleeper. Didn't you hear me play?” “Er, I, er...” Arthur eyed the room as if it could help him. “No...I...was too tired...” “You would be a terrible watchdog”, the boy laughed. “I guess...”

Norbert's face became more serious and Arthur could barely look at him. “It's getting late again. You should go home.” “Okay.” Arthur hurried to the window because he was glad to leave. And then he also wasn't. Turning around, he looked at Norbert with a questioning expression. To his luck, the boy shouldered his guitar and seemed to get ready to climb, too, so Arthur set himself in motion. He watched Norbert climb, sticking his long, skinny legs out of the window.

When they both made their way back though the ruined district, Norbert asked him: “Why do you sleep in there, actually? Don't you have a more comfy bed at home?” Arthur wasn't prepared for the question. He avoided Norbert's look and shrugged. “I was tired and I didn't want to go all the way home take a nap. That couch is fine”, he produced. None of that was a lie, even. “So...you come here often?” “Yeah.” “It's a good place to...be on your own, have some peace and quiet...”, Norbert went on and Arthur wasn't sure what he was getting at. Perhaps he just didn't know what to say about his weird weekend ritual. Fair enough.

“It's a great place!”, Arthur then blurted out, eager to explain himself. “So full of...stuff. And people just abandoned all of this and never come back. And it's huge! I haven't even seen all of it yet!” “So you're a treasure hunter?” Arthur's head snapped around to stare at the older boy. It was a thankful stare, accompanied by a hopeful smile. “Yeah, something like that”, he tried to play it down. Norbert didn't seem to notice what he did. “What are you doing with the stuff you find?” “Oh, I...I keep some, and the rest I just leave there. I marked all of it on a map.” “Where did you get a map?” “I've drawn it myself”, Arthur said proudly. Norbert smiled at him, looking somewhat relieved. “Wow...If I ever get lost in here, I hope you're around.” Arthur cracked a smile himself.

“Do you ever go further than...where you go right now?” “Ah...not really...I have tried a few other places and I like this the most. I think it's the easiest to get to from my direction.” “I can show you more if you like, Maybe you find something better. There are a lot of cool places!”, Arthur suggested with beaming eyes. “You know what? That's a great idea”, Norbert immediately agreed, making the younger boy's heart skip a beat. “Er...do you come here again next weekend?” “Sure.” Arthur regretted that he had to wait an entire week to meet him again. “A...and tomorrow?” “Yeah! No problem, if you like!” Arthur couldn't believe his luck. “Are you here every day?” “Er...no...but it isn't very far for me, so just say a date.”

Norbert now seemed to ponder over something. He furrowed his brows and bit his lower lip. It was very fascinating to watch. “Er, sorry if that's a stupid question, but you go to school, right?” Their eyes met and Arthur huffed, a little offended. “Of course.” “Okay. Forget I asked.” Norbert held up his hands. “Do I look like an illiterate to you?” “No...you look young.” “I'm thirteen.” Norbert scanned him, questioning. “Thirteen?” He said it very quietly and Arthur noticed what he just said. “Yeah...I was lucky...I turned thirteen just when...you know....and my next birthday is soon...”, he stuttered, trying to keep this story as simple as possible. Norbert eyed him up and down. He didn't look as if he bought it. “Well, let's get you home then, little one.”

Anger bubbled up in Arthur. “I'm not a baby, you know?” “I know, I know...” When the anger faded, his heart sunk. Somehow, revealing his age had destroyed Norbert's interest in him. He didn't look at him anymore. “What's your problem now?”, he whined. “Why does it matter how old I am? Don't you speak to thirteen year olds or what?” “I don't have a problem with you”, Norbert answered and glanced at him shortly. “You look like you have one.” Arthur's voice was gloomy. He saw all his dreams shattered. “No, no, I'm just tired myself. What direction was your home again?” Arthur let out an audible, disappointed sigh.

They went the rest of the way in silence while Arthur held back tears. He had been so close to finding a new friend. And now he would have to hide from him whenever he went into his favourite district. What was that guy's problem? Wasn't he weird himself for going there? As if there weren't better places to play music.

At White Tree Park, Arthur expected Norbert to change direction, but he went along with him. At his confused look, Norbert said: “I bring you home this time. Not that you...get lost.” Oh, god. “I won't get lost, but whatever. Follow me I guess...”, Arthur mumbled. Shortly, he wondered what his dad would say if he brought a stranger home. Well, probably nothing.

Gloomily, Arthur plodded through his front garden and came to a halt at his doorstep. He turned around to give Norbert a reproachful look. The older boy seemed to be surprised. He looked around in the garden and eyed the house up and down. Arthur sighed again and opened the door. “Yeah, wow, I made it home. What a surprise. Wanna see me go to bed, too?” Norbert eyed the dark windows. “Doesn't seem to be anyone in there...” Now Arthur noticed it, too. “Yeah, my dad is probably out with his friends or workmates or whatever...” “And your mum?” Arthur looked at him. “She's dead.”

Norbert's expression changed completely. “I'm sorry...I didn't mean to pry...” He took a breath. “Er, I better go...good night, Arthur. And if you like...I'll be back on Saturday, the same place, after lunch.” Arthur's face lit up. “Okay...” Norbert smiled. “Alright then.” “Good night.”

Again, Arthur followed him with his eyes, hidden behind the door, until the red spot was gone.

[sea-side-scribbles]

My Friend Norbert

Arthur Hastings & Norbert Pickles tags: friendship, young love, unrequited love, one-sided-attraction, canon divergent-different timeline, Arthur is alone at 13, Sally isn't there yet link to ao3 At the age of thirteen, Arthur has to deal with his dismissive father all alone. Whenever he can, he runs off to the ruins of Eel Pie Holm to hide and dream of a better world. One day, he meets a stranger in the abandoned ruins who makes his world suddenly look a lot brighter.

Chapter 1

Arthur just had enough. He couldn't stand it any minute longer. Not that he was surprised about it, though. Actually, this had become a habit. Somehow, he always managed to get through the week, behaving like a good boy, doing his homework, not getting into trouble and maintaining a low profile for his father. But it was so dull. So empty.

He had never thought he'd miss Percy so much. His older brother had always been a piece of work, unable to do anything on his own. He had always needed his little brother for help. And the mess he had always gotten himself in... Arthur had never needed to think about how to spend a day. It would pass by all by itself. Now the house was so quiet. And every day was the same.

His father would wake him up in the morning, then Arthur would help him make breakfast and clean up afterwards. If they spoke, they spoke about Arthur's grades. What he would make of himself one day. Arthur had no idea where his life went. He just wanted to get out of this treadmill. After breakfast, he went to school. Even this was duller than before, even though he had met Percy only during breaks and only when he needed help. Back home, his father would still be at work until the evening. Instead of enjoying his time alone, Arthur would just do his homework because Mr. Hastings would check up on it. Not that he would help him or actually read the text closely. But he would always notice if Arthur made an effort or not.

Well, at least he had good grades because of that. Not that his father was happy about it or anything. It seemed like his father simply wasn't able to be happy. Or proud. Anything but moping.

Luckily, Mr. Hastings wasn't an angry man. He never yelled or lashed out. It was just that constant look of disappointment and annoyance that wore Arthur out. When his homework was checked, his father would walk into the living room, turn he radio on, have a smoke, read or do something for work. Then it was as if Arthur wasn't there anymore. Sometimes he left for a business lunch or whatever. Arthur would stay in the bedroom that was now his alone. Where the empty bed was still standing. Arthur never went close to it, never even put books onto it.

He would read a novel he borrowed from the library. They were his only fun. Adventures in far away places, heroes that got all they wanted and lived happily ever after. These stories comforted him. He loved “Treasure Island”. He wished to be accidentally pulled into an adventure as well, no matter how dangerous it would be. But this only happened in books.

When the week was finally over and Saturday morning came, Arthur barely made it through breakfast. First of all, his father would get up late because he didn't have to go to work. Arthur remembered how he had loved the relaxed Saturday mornings in the past. Now they were pure torture. Arthur would wake up early and wait for his father to finally get up too. He would stare out of the window, wishing he could just leave already. Sometimes he managed to read again and dive into his dream world once more.

Breakfast would still be as dull. His father would ask him questions again, even though Arthur had nothing to tell because nothing ever happened in his life. And then Mr. Hastings would complain or just roll his eyes, depending on his mood. He never shared anything he himself did or planned. Arthur was ready to even talk about his work if he had to, just to fight the silence.

They had stopped going on family trips together long ago. When mum had been still alive, she had planned all these nice trips for the weekends. They had visited the zoo or the funfair or the big cities on the mainland where Arthur and Percy could stuff their bellies with sweets and drink lemonade. It was strange but in the past, they had looked like a normal, happy family. Even his father had smiled and bought him ice cream. He wondered why these days had to end. Alone with his father, he was stuck on this island. Every single weekend.

When the dishes were finally clean, Arthur hurried out of the kitchen. “Bye, dad!”, he announced his departure like he always did, not expecting an answer. Mostly, his dad just grunted something unintelligible. He probably wanted him gone anyway. Arthur didn't wait for a sound, also like always. He rushed through the corridor, ripped the door open - and finally, he was free again.

Still running, he made his way through the neighbourhood, shortly greeting people that he passed, until the road became empty and the neat and tidy village suddenly stopped existing. He ran by abandoned houses, fields of rubble, meadows with lush green grass and wild growing flowers. This was his world now.

He climbed up the rubble into the houses that were full of treasure. Everything a man could have was in there, either abandoned or forgotten. There Arthur could get his own life off his mind and just explore. He had begun to draw a map of the area he knew and it was still growing. It seemed that there were enough ruins to explore for a lifetime. Every day, he went a little further after revising the places he liked the most.

When he was tired, he looked for a place to nap that would also protect him from the rain. After searching for a while, he found a house which upper floors had caved in and the rubble had formed a new, solid roof. It's ground floor was quite cosy, so he stayed there, curled up on a couch and dozed off.

An unexpected sound startled him awake. A guitar was playing in the next room. And obviously this guitar wasn't playing itself, so there was someone in the house. Arthur lay on the couch, unable to move and listened with wide eyes. He had assumed that all of the houses were abandoned. Who would still want to live here? And why did he have to find the only house in the area that was still inhabited?

Well done Arthur, really great...

Perhaps this person would leave again? Visit some uncle or anyone? But then this could also become worse and that uncle visited them instead. Or the whole family. It was Saturday after all. Arthur searched the room for an opportunity to escape. The window he had come in was in the other room and this room seemed to be perfectly sealed by rubble. When he was making plans to dig though stones and logs, he suddenly heard another unexpected sound. The person began to sing. Arthur had goosebumps all over his body when he listened. It was a male voice. It was a … nice sounding voice.

Perhaps he would not scold him? Perhaps it would be okay if he just apologized and then left?

Arthur silently crawled off the couch and sneaked towards the door frame. He carefully peeked around the corner and when his gaze fell on the person, he froze again.

There was a boy in the other room. He was older than Arthur, but not an adult yet. There was a trace of a growing moustache on his lower lip. Not really much , but visible. His hair was long and covered half his face every time he dipped his head. If that wasn't strange enough, he was wearing bright red trousers. A fitting jacket was carelessly thrown onto a side table nearby. He had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, probably to keep his hands free. A red tie completed the outfit.

The guitar he played was light brown, matching his hair. It wasn't a normal one, like what his music teacher in school played, it was the kind he had seen jazz bands use.

Arthur couldn't stop staring at him. He was fascinated by the boy that was so focused on his play that he didn't look up once.

Well, until he suddenly did.

He was staring for a few seconds until Arthur realized what happened. He was still standing by the door frame, very visible and very awkwardly.

“Hello there”, the boy broke the silence and startled Arthur awake. “I...I'm sorry, I didn't know this was taken...”, he began to stutter. “ I didn't mean to break in...I'll just leave, okay? And we pretend this didn't happen?” “Hey, hey, hey chill! It's not like I own this place”, the boy said. His voice was still warm and he was smiling, slightly amused, but friendly. “I just like to come here and practise...you know?” He held up his guitar. “Can't go on anyone's nerves here. Except yours I guess.” He chuckled.

Arthur needed a moment to take his words in. And then he still couldn't speak. “So, uh...I just keep playing, or...?” The other boy didn't seem to know what to do with a silent Arthur. “Yeah”...Arthur produced. “Yeah, sure...just play...” “You like it?” The boy looked both cheeky and curious. “Yes”, was all Arthur could answer. “Alright...”

The boy was about to focus on his music again, but Arthur interrupted him. “Are you from here?” He didn't even know what he meant. From this holm, from this town, from this world... The boy looked up again. “Er, not from this holm. I live in Maidenholm, but I rather come here to play.” Arthur knew that Maidenholm was better off. No ruins there. “Do all boys in Maidenholm look like you?”, he pressed out. That made the stranger laugh. “Only the cool ones”, he quipped. And winked.

Arthur's mouth corners twitched. “Hey”, the boy went on. “Why are you laughing? You don't believe me?” Arthur really laughed. It was silent laughter, more like huffing, but it pressed all the air out of his lungs and made him clutch the door frame. It's been so long since he laughed about anything. It wasn't even that funny, but... The boy crossed his arms and pouted. It didn't make it better.

“Is that...is that your school uniform or...”, he gasped. “No.” The boy smiled again. “You mean, you're wearing this by your own choice?” “Hey, now! What's so bad about it, huh?” He opened his arms. “It's so...red. Why do you need it to be so...red?” “Because I want to be seen from afar.” Arthur furrowed his brows. “You want to be seen from the mainland?” “No. From the audience, smartypants, when I'm on stage!” “Oh...” Arthur pondered it. “So you're a real musician then?” The boy chuckled quietly.

The strangest part about this boy was that he seemed to like Arthur. At least he wasn't annoyed by him. He was so...friendly, really seemed to enjoy talking to him and devoting his precious time to him.

“Yep, I'd say so. I even have a band now. Just need to practise their stuff, so I can...keep up with them when I have my first show.” Suddenly, Arthur felt even more insignificant. “Er...wow...that's really cool...”, he stuttered, swaying uncertainly. “I told you.” The boy winked again. Arthur thought he should leave that awesome guy now and let him live his awesome life. But he couldn't. Perhaps if he waited long enough, he'd sink into the ground and be able to listen to that nice voice forever.

“What's your name?”, the boy asked, supposedly only to break the silence again. Even though he still didn't sound annoyed. “Er...Arthur. Arthur Hastings.” “And you're from here?” “Yeah...” Arthur now turned his head away because the attention overwhelmed him. “I mean, not from a ruin, from the village nearby...” “Nice to meet you, Arthur. My name is Norbert.” “Norbert, huh?...”, Arthur said awkwardly. “Uh, yeah?” “You don't look like a Norbert...” he couldn't help saying. The boy tilted his head. “What does a Norbert look like?” “Not...red...” The boy laughed. “Okay...”

With a quick movement, he shook some hair strands out of his face and began to pluck the strings again. His music filled the room. Arthur was thankful for the change. He sat down and listened, leaning against the door frame, closing his eyes. The boy just went on singing and Arthur sank into the sound and forgot everything around him, just like when he was reading books.

He woke up when someone touched his shoulder. “Arthur? Hey, wake up...” It was Norbert who leaned over him. His hair almost tickled Arthur's face. Only now Arthur could see the freckles that framed his eyes. He sucked in a breath and straightened himself, shying away from the older boy. “It's late now...I'm going home...You should, too.” “Huh? Oh...yeah...I guess..”, Arthur mumbled, not keen on going “home” yet. “Your parents are probably worried.” That made Arthur chuckle bitterly. “Sure.”

Norbert climbed out of the only window that was open and then waited for Arthur to do the same. “You know the way home?” “Yeah...I walked that way a hundred times”, Arthur assured him just as bitterly. “Okay.” Still, Arthur couldn't stop following that odd red beacon before him. With that oddly long hair that bounced and waved whenever he moved. Arthur wondered what his dad would say if he had such hair. He would most likely kill him. Or not care? Arthur suddenly considered it worth trying.

They went into the town again and Arthur was worried about the moment that other boy would change direction. He stuck to him and hoped he'd come with all the way home. Of course it didn't work. At White Tree Park, Arthur passed by Norbert and then stood alone on his side of the path. For a second, they looked at each other in silence.

“You'll be okay?”, Norbert asked, sounded a bit worried. It must've been in Arthur's face. He made an effort to sound laid back. “Yeah, just down the street. I'll be fine”, he said with a shake of his hand. Norbert relaxed and gave him a smile. “Okay. Good night then.” Arthur helplessly smiled back. “Good night.” He pretended to walk away, but then hid behind a bench and stared down the road until the red spot vanished in the distance.

Then his mind was so occupied that he turned the wrong way first and went halfway down the street before he noticed. This time, he arrived at home later than usual. But it didn't matter anyway. His dad already sat the living room and didn't pay no heed to him. As usual, Arthur ate the cold leftovers of today's dinner, went to the bathroom and then to bed. Although this time, Arthur couldn't sleep. He couldn't even read.

All he could think of was that strange boy he met in the house. Who shouldn't have been there. But now it was hard to imagine the ruins without him.

[sea-side-scribbles]

smug little boy

[sea-side-scribbles]

Just another Norbert bc I love him ❤️​

[sea-side-scribbles]

the happier days 🎤​

[sea-side-scribbles]

Just that moment when Norbert got his first guitar from Bates. Good memories.

[sea-side-scribbles]

my favorite smug little sh*t

[sea-side-scribbles]

In one of my many AUs, Arthur (13) meets Norbert (15) after running away from home.