Chapter Text
He turned six this year. He got a cupcake while two of the adults in the orphanage sang him happy birthday.
He shared it with his sister. She deserved it too, especially with what she had to go through with the other adults here hating her. He didn't really get why. Sure she was loud and really gross, but that wasn't her fault. She didn't know better.
"Here." He split it in half, giving the bigger piece to the now three year old. She grinned widely, clapping her hands and snatching it from him and leaving crumbs on the table.
"Thank you!" She said while eating. He patted her back, smiling at her. It was a good day today. Maybe they could go outside and watch the clouds turn.
"You two. Would you follow me please?" One of the nice adults, Celine, said. He got up and held his sister's hand.
"Guess what?" He tilted his head curiously at her excitement. "You're getting adopted today!
He almost dropped her hand, completely in shock. What, now? Like right now?
They were led into the front room where they came in. Two adults and a boy sat in chairs, the woman standing when she saw them. There was a big smile on her face.
"Hello sweetie." A woman crouched down to his level. His sister reached for her face, the woman giggling.
"My name is Mi-Cha, this is my husband Evandor, and our son Demetrius. We're so happy to meet you." The boy to her left waved. He liked him the most so far.
He pouted in confusion and pulled his babbling sister into his side, holding her protectively.
He didn't want to go with them. They looked weird. And scary.
A swift punch on his forehead knocked him out of the memory, knocking his head into the brick wall next to him and stumbling in shock, a cut opening along his hairline.
Roy's foot caught on a loose cord in the tight space, making him fall on his back. Really? Now? Noticing what was happening, the man grinned, pinning him to the ground with his shoe.
Of course someone would be trying to murder him.
"You're the 'Vampiric Assassin' everyone's so afraid of?" The man taunted, bending further in and drawing a choked gasp from him. The mask was yanked off his face, exposing his annoyed grimace.
"How pathetic." He was pathetic for being taken by surprise? If only the gun on his bed could've just teleported into his hand by now.
Pointed nails digging into his skin. Roy yawned, which made the man angrier, earning him a kick to his side. He should just let it happen. He had nothing to live for anyway.
The worst time to get tired. This sucked.
"You put up a good fight, I'll give you that." The man laughed, pulling out a knife from nowhere. Great.
The cut along his forehead started to bleed, running down his face. He retreated briefly into his mind with an accepting sigh.
Maybe this wouldn't be a bad way to go.
His sister appeared in his mind with her hands on her hips, looking at him disapprovingly. "Get up, Leena! Don't let this bully beat you!"
No. He couldn't die now.
The man turned his head to reach for something. Taking this opportunity, his hand shot out in desperation, knocking him sideways, causing his foot to slip out from underneath him.
The man shouted when he felt a hand grab his ankle. In one swift motion, he was thrown onto the ground, hitting his tailbone hard.
He shot to his feet in an instant, lunging for the discarded knife. It was here somewhere.
The last thing he saw before his end was bright yellow eyes looking at him with hesitancy, before plunging the blade into his stomach.
His heart thumped against his chest as he stumbled along the sidewalk. It hurt like hell.
His mouth hung open as he let out puffs of air from exertion.
He normally wouldn't be this out of sorts, but from the unexpected attack from earlier, and the adrenaline, he was exhausted.
He clicked his tongue anxiously, thoughts about what was going to happen once he got there. He just wanted to sleep.
In his condition, he wouldn't even think twice to go here, but he was, unfortunately, too tired to search for a healing ability and didn't feel like waking up tomorrow feeling like dying.
Running a trembling hand through his hair, he stepped into the dark well kept yard. A feeling of peace made him take a much needed deep breath, clearing the fog from his head. He walked up to the house, lifting the welcome mat to pull out a key.
Roy sighed heavily, mentally bracing himself and twisted the handle.
The smell of cooked meat wafted through the air, instantly calming him down. The spirit always found strange times to cook, it being one in the morning.
A head of bubblegum pink peeked around the corner to see who entered, a welcome smile coming onto her features. Their hair was much shorter now.
"Hello Roy." Cerise spoke warmly, keeping its attention on the stove. They held a spatula, pushing around a patty then flipping it.
"It's a surprise to see you here so late." They turned to face him, pausing and doing a double take when eyes roamed his face. Yeah he probably didn't look too great.
Roy sat at the dining table across from her, vision doubling before refocusing on the lights above. He squinted, squeezing his eyes shut in pain.
"You look weird." His voice was strained, hunching over as his headache got worse by the second. An inhale left him, eyes squeezing shut.
"Thank you." The spirit smiled, snapping its fingers to pause the stove. She dragged a chair to sit in front of him and reached for his face.
Cerise gently took his head in their hands and pressed their foreheads together, eyes closing as she focused.
Roy breathed in deeply as the pain began to recede, like water receding from a shore. He opened his eyes slowly, meeting the aged eyes of the spirit. A long time ago it would've scared him to see someone look at him like that, like he meant something to someone.
"Is that better?" It asked, smiling when she received a grateful nod in return. "Do you mind telling me what happened?" Her eyes studied his face, showing only patience instead of judgment.
"Got ambushed." He whispered, wringing his fingers in his lap and scowling at the memory. They'd figure it out if he lied, anyway. Going on a run and almost getting beat to death was certainly an experience.
"I-I killed him."
Cerise let out a thoughtful hum. "It was in self defense, it's alright."
He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. It was laughable, how hypocritical he was now. "I didn't want to-"
"Roy, look at me." Hands held up his face, forcing him to look into resolute eyes. "It's okay. I'll deal with it."
He really was pathetic. Just two years ago he wouldn't have cared about taking a life.
"Sorry about all this."He breathed slowly, gesturing weakly at himself and scowling at something in the distance.
Cerise brightened instantly, laughing as they stood up from their seat and waving him off. Her tail swayed gently, going back to the stove.
"Don't worry about it."
Resuming her earlier task of cooking, she turned to address him when he went to stand up.
"Would you like one too? This one is almost finished."
Roy blinked, catching their gaze. He hummed in thought, resting his arms on the back of the chair.
"Sure. I'm gonna shower first."
"Go ahead." They smiled, turning back to the stove. She watched as he turned the corner into the hallway, then opened the freezer.
Roy walked down a dark hallway, switching on the light. He looked left, peeking cautiously into an empty bedroom. Hakkun wasn't here, great. He must've went home earlier. He backed out, turning around to search through a closet.
He looked up, grabbing a red and black striped sweater and leggings. Good enough.
He held the items up to himself, humming in approval as they seemed to fit. Walking a little further down was another bedroom.
He swung open the door, feeling a sense of nostalgia from entering. He hadn't stepped foot in here in a while, so it was a surprise to see it was well kept.
If only he could have the energy to clean his own space.
He stumbled into the room, placing the new clothes on a rocking chair. He walked back to the bathroom and took a deep breath.
He pulled back the flower printed curtain-
He opened his bright sunny eyes, laying on his back on the grass and gazing up at the clouds. They were very beautiful.
Twisting the knob all the way to the left-
He stood up from his prone position, skipping across the glittery grass. He looked across the expanse of the world, searching for his sister.
The girl stood infront of an easel, rainbow paint on her fingers and flicking them on the canvas. It was random and didn't look like anything, but it was pretty.
He hissed as the too hot water ran over his scars, reveling in the pain-
"Leena, look what I made!" She gave him a big smile, holding out her paint splattered arms in a grand gesture.
The boy giggled as he ran into her, causing them both to fall to the grass-
Roy blinked, closing the door to his old room. Was he finished already? His eyes glazed over as he let go of the towel around his waist, shivering from the usual after shower chill. He stared at the wall as he got dressed.
Walking back out of the room, he strolled towards the kitchen to see two plates and cups at the table. His stomach grumbled at seeing it, sitting down crosslegged on the chair.
"Are you going back home after eating? You can stay here for the night, if you want."
Cerise smiled gently at seeing the faraway look on his distant face, lifting up a hand to rest atop his fingers.
He hadn't been out of it this bad in a while.
Roy's head turned slowly in their direction, wanting nothing more than to sleep here, but he had other things to do. He sighed heavily.
"I have to check on Flare, and my brother." He spoke after a while, taking a small bite of his burger. It was very good. The inside was filled with mustard and pickles, just how he liked it.
"Hm, okay. When you get home please get some sleep, alright?"
Roy nodded halfheartedly, finishing up his meal. He downed the apple juice in his cup, getting up from his seat. He hesitated for a moment, then wrapped up the spirit in a tight hug.
"Thank you for taking care of me." He mumbled, grateful, wanting to say something else, but stopped.
Cerise blinked, caught off guard, before grinning, returning the embrace and rubbing his back comfortingly.
Roy closed the door to his home, immediately feeling the space getting warmer. He watched as a white furred mass ran up to him, jumping up on her hind paws to greet him.
"Hey girl. You missed me?" Roy crouched to her level, holding the small frame close to him. A neon blue colored tongue licked at his face in earnest, the small thing letting out yips of happiness at his appearance.
His brother sat on the floor at the foot of his bed, rolling a pen between his fingers and holding a piece of paper. It seems he was writing today. A look of disapproval framed his face.
"Yeah, I know." He went over to see what he was making.
It was nothing.
His brother used to write in his spare time, stacks of papers hidden in a case in his closet. He doesn't do it as much anymore. Maybe he was just not in the mood for it right now.
He missed his voice.
He felt guilty for leaving him here alone, but it was the only way he could be safe. He needed to be safe. He would never lose him again.
He yawned, his exhaustion coming in full force. Flare followed after him, four tails swishing in the air. He kicked off his shoes somewhere on the floor, only to make them neater when he heard his brother clear his throat.
His apartment was small, but comfortable. There was a messy desk against the wall, and a smaller one next to his bed. The bed lay in the middle, blanket barely hanging onto it. Scattered clothes and shoes lay on the carpet, looking scarcer than normal.
The door to the balcony was closed, but not locked. His brother liked going out there.
"I cleaned up." His gaze was still on the paper, running a hand through his choppy hair. The dye had long since faded. "Hope you don't mind."
"Thank you." He knelt down to hug him.
Roy plopped himself on the bed, digging into his pocket for his phone and plugging it in for the night. He lay his arm around Flare when she jumped in beside him, running his hand through her fur.
"Good night."
"Have sweet dreams, okay?" His brother responded quietly.
He dreamt of clear skies.
Michelle left the cafe with a pep in her step, the door swinging shut behind her.
She let out a breath of air as a blast of cold wind hit her from the side, her hair swaying from the force. She huddled deep into her coat, tucking her purse into it.
Her walk was hurried as she slipped into the alleyway leading her a block straight to her home, holding her hood tighter to protect herself from the cold.
Thoughts about a nice warm meal, cuddling with Tsuky and chatting with Lottie made her smile, making her walk slightly faster to get out the cold.
They haven't been able to talk as much when the other woman started taking more commissions and Michelle doing overtime to get ready for their vacation, making them too busy to talk with one another.
She was definitely going to enjoy her weekend. Hopefully, things would go well.
She glanced up momentarily, eyebrows furrowing when the alley started to get darker. She was probably just tired.
Today was busy, customers seeming to roll in to get hot drinks and gossip with their friends, especially since it was getting colder. Atleast she was getting better at it.
She sighed, then perked up when her phone rang. She kept walking while pulling it out, about to turn when-
"Ah shit!" Michelle cursed aloud, colliding into a brick wall. She stumbled back, holding her nose with her sleeve when it started to sting. The wind seemed to pick up all of a sudden, her coat whipping around her legs.
She looked up in irritation, then went away when she seemed to look into an everlasting darkness. That was not there before.
In the shadows, she could see a figure, standing still.
The girl stumbled back in surprise, her heart lurching in her chest. Her head swiveled side to side in disbelief, uncomprehending the scene infront of her.
What the hell?
The figure spoke in a soft voice she wished she could here again, phone almost falling out of her palm if she hadn't gripped it in time.
"Shelley?"
"M-mama? Is that you?" Michelle's voice was small, eyes widening at the woman looking down at her with a faint smile. She was wearing a ruffled baby blue dress, the fabric and her black hair flowing in the wind. Her glasses were, strangely, nowhere to be found.
She had her hands behind her back, a gentle smile gracing her features. She hadn't seen that in so long.
Suddenly wary, she walked forward, albeit in a much slower pace, steps slowed as she took in the sight of the older woman. Her soft, mint green eyes jyst like her own seemed to glow in the increasing darkness.
Something about the sight unnerved her, but she kept walking forward, reaching out a tentative hand. Was she really here after all this time?
Mother and daughter stared at each other, an eerie silence enveloping them.
A sudden pain erupted on her face.
A shrill cry escaped her lips as she staggered backwards, dropping her purse, the contents scattered everywhere. She looked up in shock, clutching her face as she saw the woman with a knife in her hand, expression unchanging.
Her breath quickened, uncomprehending the sight infront of her. That wasn't her mother. She wouldn't do this. This was just some monster wearing her face.
She could feel blood start to trickle down her cheek.
She kept her shaky gaze on the woman as she backed up slowly, wanting to get out of there.
Her back hit something soft.
Turning around sharply, she froze, looking up at the sight of her father. His wavy magenta locks was kept in a half up style, just like her mother always loved. His gentle white eyes looked at her with fondness, crinkling with the smile on his face.
A look that would have made her overjoyed a long time ago, just filled her with terror. They wouldn't be here or look like that.
Michelle's movements became hurried, reaching down in a hurry to gather up her things and putting them in her purse as she ran as fast as she could.
She needed to get out of here.
She didn't get very far however, as another sharp pain bloomed across her left shoulder, slicing through her coat and shirt sleeve.
She clutched the area with a gasp, hissing as her hand became drenched in blood.
"Where are you going, little bunny?" Her father hummed.
"Don't you miss us?" Her mother smiled. It was unnatural how her mouth split.
"Stop it!" She shouted desperately, crouching and putting her arms around her head as tears flooded her vision. Why was this happening?
The wind itself seemed to mock her, before her right side erupted in pain.
She let out a terrified scream as she fell on her back, sobbing hysterically as her nerves felt like they were shot through. She looked up in horrifying fear, the sight of her parents carrying bloody knifes clowding her vision.
Why were they doing this?
"Leave me alone!" Michelle sobbed in devastation and agony. She got up to crawl on her knees, fingers scratching at the dirt when she felt something clamp down on her ankle.
She cried while trying to bat away at whatever the thing was, catching a hint of something black and lavender in her peripheral, before she blacked out.
Awareness came back to her slowly. She was jostled as the wind picked up, her ears picking up the sound of someone cursing.
That same someone was touching her.
Before Michelle could register what was happening, she balled her hand into a fist, swinging it blindly towards whoever it was. She would not be taken off guard again.
A hand caught her wrist, the sudden action sending a wave of pain through her entire arm. A wince escaped her but she ignored it, her hair unravelling out of the buns she wore and shooting out in a razor sharp arc towards them.
"You're bleeding." A male voice caught her attention, the tone unusually calm. Her irises darted around in panic, looking into dull yellow ones.
Michelle looked around slowly, taking in her surroundings with a furrowed brow. She was still in the alleyway, although the darkness was gone and the wind seemed to flow at a regular pace.
Her body ached.
"There's an ambulance on the way." He spoke up again, staring at the strands of hair. They wavered slightly, then fell at her side like normal.
Just then, she heard a blaring siren coming towards them, growing louder as it rounded the corner.
Michelle tensed as he looked at her. It was unsettling how distant his eyes were.
"Wait, m-my phone..." She said, looking around for it. Why was it on the ground?
"I got it, don't worry." He picked both of them up and handed it to her, which she squeezed gratefully in her dazed confusion. What was happening?
A hand rested on her back and under her legs, wincing when her side was pressed into his stomach. He picked her up, her arms wrapping around his neck as she mumbled incoherently to herself.
