#norbert pickles

Norbert observed it with a lifted eyebrow. “How old is that stuff?” “I don't know. I found it in one of the houses.” Arthur hoped to impress him. “Really? Huh.” Norbert still eyed it as if it was poisoned. “If you don't like it, give it back.” Arthur already reached out for it. The older boy lifted it up and grinned. “No, no, no, I'll try it. You wouldn't take the piss, right?” Arthur now grinned too. His chest warmed up for the first time today. “Maybe.”

He watched Norbert try it and nod in agreement. “Tastes surprisingly good.” Then he blew a bubble. “...and it's still working”, he said while chewing. Arthur chuckled and shoved a gum in his mouth too, even though his throat wasn't dry anymore. After a sweet moment of chewing, Arthur noticed he had to move on. He had to deliver whatever adventure he had promised to Norbert. “Uh...what would you like to see?”, he tried. The other boy just shrugged. “You're the expert. Surprise me.” He blew another bubble and popped it with his teeth. Arthur, for some strange reason, couldn't stop watching him.

He realized that he was staring and averted his eyes again. Trying to come up with something cool, his mind just went back to the house he found today, again and again. “I know a place where you have a good view over the district”, his mouth spilled. “Sounds great,” Norbert said with not a lot of emotion and blew another bubble. It seemed like Arthur was about to lose his attention again. He was idling too long. Nervously, he began to walk into the direction and looked over his shoulder to see if the older boy followed him. He did.

Arthur had to grin at the sight. Suddenly, he felt like playing around. He quickened his pace and climbed and jumped over occasional fences, postboxes and walls to see if Norbert could follow. And also, to impress him. Sadly, Norbert didn't comment on his climbing skills. He also didn't join in. One time, when Arthur sat on a wall and Norbert only walked around it, he saw his chance. “Hey, old man! Afraid to come up here?” Norbert looked up and laughed. “This is not the place you mean, right? With the view?” “Well, I have a good view”, Arthur said and the older boy lifted his eyebrows. “...at scared old people”, he concluded and the other boy showed his teeth again.

“Aww, you're a cheeky little brat”, Norbert teased. “No wonder you're an outcast in these ruins...” He stepped on a brick that stood forward enough to provide foothold and Arthur slid aside to make place for him. His slender fingers clutched the ledge of the wall. He was about to pull himself up, but somehow, he slipped. “Oh, sh...” Without thinking twice, Arthur grabbed his wrist. It didn't help much, but it felt...incredible. “I'm fine, don't worry”. But Arthur didn't want to let go. “Careful, you don't want to wreck your fancy guitar.” “Ah....right...I better put it down.” Norbert gently placed it in the grass before he went for another try. This time, he made it. He moved a lot more agile without the precious instrument on his back.

“Soo...is there anything interesting up here?”, Norbert asked when he crouched next to Arthur. He looked confused. He seemed to have forgotten that this was just a joke. “Yes”, Arthur deadpanned. “Me.” Norbert jerked his head around to glance at him and Arthur didn't dare to return the look. Still, in the corner of his eye, he saw that the older boy squinted. “Aah...no”, he said. Arthur laughed. “What do you mean 'no'?” “If this is all you want to show me this trip is not gonna be very interesting.” “I just saved you!” “From taking a tiny step backwards? I'm obliged.” “From smashing your guitar with your fat arse!” Norbert now laughed too.

Arthur still avoided to look at him. His face burned. He was teasing Norbert because that seemed to be the only way to hide that his chest was about to explode. “That's what I get for being nice, huh? Playing music for you, waking you up in time, bringing you home...”, Norbert muttered while looking around. “U-huh”, was all Arthur could say. “I see. And coming up here was completely useless, so...” Norbert jumped back down. Alarmed, Arthur hurried to climb after him. “You know I didn't mean it, right?”, he asked while the older boy shouldered his guitar again. “You're not fat.” Arthur's voice was about to shiver.

Norbert snorted. “Thanks.” “I'm serious!” He almost screamed. Now the older boy turned around to give him a surprised look. “Hey, it's alright. I get it. You're jealous.” “What?” Norbert turned around with his guitar and put his hands on his hips. “The bloke you see in the mirror isn't as pretty as me. I know, it's tough, but that's life.” He winked. Arthur exhaled and all the pressure seemed to leave him, too. He smiled, still a little confused about what actually happened. “So...about that place...?” “Oh...” Arthur woke up. “Yeah, this way, come on...Try to step it up a notch this time, okay?” “What's that supposed to mean?”, Norbert played offended. “If you wouldn't climb every stick and stone we came across we would already be there.” “But that's no fun!” “I guess. But it's late. I want to be there before nightfall.” He sounded more serious now. Arthur deflated. “Okay, okay.”

Actually, they weren't far from their destiny anymore. A few minutes later, Arthur pointed at one of the ruins. “There is it.” “Huh...what's so special about it?” “The roof.” “Okay.” “And it has no stairs.” They came to a halt in front of the house. Arthur looked up and found that this was a good spot to climb. “You've got to be kidding me”, Norbert commented his search. “All the way up to the roof?” “No, just to the first floor and then from there to the attic. It's easy”, Arthur said even though he had needed a while to get there. He didn't want to look concerned in front of Norbert. After all, he knew the way. He just had to trust himself to find it again.

“Alright then. But there's no way I leave my guitar out here.” “Why? There's no one around.” Norbert shook his head. “Too risky.” Arthur pulled himself up on the wall and swung a leg over it. “Just give it to me, then”, he answered and held out a hand. Norbert smiled and complied. “Careful, though. I don't want a single scratch on it.” “On that old thing?” “You call everything old.” “Because it's true.”

Despite the bickering, Arthur was very cautious to not touch the wall with it. When he had it in both hands, his heart beat up to his throat. The 'thing' shined so bright it blinded him and he was afraid of putting it down in the dirt. It was Norbert's treasure. A guitar he had never seen from up close before and now he was holding it in his hands. Nervously, he searched for a save place where they could leave it for a while. In the end, he put it on a rug that looked soft and clean enough and leaned it against a dresser.

Then he went back to see how Norbert was doing. “You're okay? The older boy was still looking for the best foothold. “What are you waiting for? I thought you're in a rush?” Norbert mumbled something that Arthur couldn't hear, but it made him chuckle. Slowly, Norbert made it upwards and Arthur stepped back to let him in. He realized that the other boy wouldn't have that much a problem reaching the attic because he was taller. Unlike himself. He had to be smart now. Oh, well, what could go wrong?

Arthur gulped when Norbert's gaze fell on his guitar. “It's good enough, right?” “Wha-? Yeah.” Norbert didn't seem to mind. “We can leave it there?” “Yeah, I guess...” He clearly didn't like the idea, but he understood that there was no other way. “Where did you get that by the way?”, Arthur blurted out. He suddenly realized that he could've asked this strange boy a hundred questions already, if only he dared to open his mouth. Other than to...talk rubbish. “Oh, that? It's from Bates' Music Shop.” “I never heard of it”, Arthur hated to admit. “Have you seen any music shop from inside yet?” “Ah...I used to play the flute in elementary school.” Norbert gave him a pitiful smile and Arthur thought he should avoid the musical topic altogether.

The older boy already viewed the ceiling and walked around as if he was looking for a good spot to climb. He would find a better one, right? Arthur remembered where he went up and moved into that direction, looking back over his shoulder to check up on Norbert. The other boy followed him immediately.

It felt good to be a guide again, Arthur noticed. To have someone who trusted him. Even if it felt different than it had with Percy. His older brother had always been like...well, like a younger brother. Someone he had to take care of or else he'd hurt himself. Norbert instead...He was capable to take care of himself. And he still followed Arthur. “I got up here”, he explained. “Like this.” Nervously, he set a foot onto a broken log that hung into the room. He had to perform some contortions get from there onto another log and he already felt how his energy left him. He remembered hanging helplessly in the air and flailing around until he had finally reached another log. This time, Norbert would watch him.

“Ah, that's too complicated”, Norbert stated and walked over to him. “Come here...” Before Arthur knew what happened, Norbert had grabbed his sides and pulled him closer to the higher log. A sound of surprise escaped him and he was very embarrassed by it, but still he clutched the log now and could move on. Norbert seemed as if he hadn't noticed Arthur's outburst. He just expected him to reach the attic now. With a very warm face, he disappeared into the attic and considered to hide there. But he had to make sure that Norbert made it, too.

He tried to play it cool and grinned down to him. “You're coming or what?” “I'm already halfway there. If you could move your fat arse out of the way...”, Norbert teased back. Arthur laughed. “Hey, that's my line!” “You should try to be more original...”, Norbert answered while pulling himself up. Arthur actually stepped back for him and watched him climb. All of a sudden, he couldn't say anything and he had already forgotten what they had been bickering about.

Then he ripped his gaze away and searched for the hole in the roof. He didn't need help to get up there. And he didn't know if he was happy or sad about it. He could still feel the hands on his sides. It was so strange. It wasn't the first time another boy had touched him. Back then in his better life in elementary school, when he had a bunch of friends, they would always help each other out when they climbed on fences...or Miss Brimble's apple tree. Or they would tussle over a piece of cake. That wasn't the same. Was it because Norbert was older?, Arthur mused. Probably.

“Something wrong?”, the older boy suddenly woke him up from his daydream. Arthur still tried to play it cool. His face didn't feel hot any more, so hopefully that was a good sign. Or otherwise it had been burning for so long he just got numb. “No, I'm just waiting for you”, he continued the desperate teasing. “Sluggish as always.” “Sluggish?”, Norbert repeated, mouth wide open. “You wouldn't be up here without me!” “Yeah, I would! This isn't the first time got up here!” “Yeah, sorry I didn't wait a couple of hours for you to grow a third arm!” “You really missed out on that!” Norbert laughed again and Arthur couldn't get enough of the sound. “I take you up on that another time.” Arthur couldn't stop grinning, so he turned around and climbed the roof to save his dignity.

The view was a reward. He sucked in a breath as if even the air tasted better up here. It actually did. Arthur wished he could fly. Over all these rooftops and off the island. Never come back. But then Norbert sat down next to him. They could fly together. He could play a song while they flew, his voice alone could lift rocks.

Embarrassed, Arthur gulped it all down and sat paralysed beside the older boy. “Hey, you're right! This is a great view!”, Norbert shouted into the wind, smiling, with bright eyes. Arthur wondered why he cared. Seeing Percy happy had been different. If Percy had ever been happy, though. Not like Norbert was now. It felt so odd to see someone who was so old, but not depressed.

“What's up with you?”, Norbert asked and poked his forehead. “Making up another insult? Just out with it.” “No, I...was just...thinking...about stuff...”, Arthur stuttered and avoided the other boy's look. He still felt the finger on his forehead. It went right under his skin. “U-huh...” Arthur couldn't tell if Norbert cared or not. “Do you know any of these buildings?” He gestured over the landscape and Arthur gave him a faint smile. “Yeah...” At first, he didn't feel like talking, then he realized that at least it was his favourite topic and Norbert appeared to be honestly curious. So he began to describe the area he had explored so far. All the houses he could see from here. The stories they told, or what he had made up from what he found. Norbert listened.

It felt good to be with someone who just listened. Arthur realized it in this very moment. Someone who wasn't stuffed up to the brim with they own problems. Someone who wasn't already too busy with himself to care about anything else. Someone who was just there and shared a moment with him. Let him talk. Enjoyed a few stupid jokes with him and still laughed even though they weren't funny at all. Forgave him for being weird. Made him feel...existent.