"Where is she? She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago," The agitated Kalem stood quiet as he lifted up his wrist and looked at the needles of his watch tick away as seconds passed. Tapping the tip of his shoes on the floor impatiently.
It was supposed to be Lenna's first lesson of the day since she is homeschooled. And Kalem, as her older brother and mentor was a bit troubled when she doesn't show up on time like she usually does. He was standing alone in the studying room with the blackboard right behind him attached to the wall. Sidetracking his gaze towards the empty desk and chair in front of him, filling him with memoirs of when his youngest sibling sat at that place with variable expressions in his head.
Kalem's guts began to twist anxiously, surely he would have noticed that it wasn't a normal occurrence. But the longer he stood there in the room as time passed by and no signs of any humane atmosphere around him. The more his heart speaks out to him to check on Lenna, thumping inside of him believably to make him timid. After a few seconds of him debating whether or not he should wait any longer, Kalem decided to check on his sister for once.
As he walked down the hallway of the mansion, greeted by many thrilled maids passed by him, his mind stayed at the idea of Lenna's sudden absence. He would ask some of them to where she might be, all that he got in the end was that Lenna has been in her room since morning. She hasn't gone out ever since then which makes Kalem more concerned about this situation.
As soon as he reached the front of Lenna's bedroom, he was determined that this was either a prank that Lenna and Alphonse set up. Or it would just be because Lenna is still sleeping. He shook his head from distractions and immediately reached for the doorknob and rotated it clockwise with his right hand. A faint scent of Lavender fragrance reached his nostrils as he peeked into the large room, focusing his eyes immediately on the Queen-sized bed on the far side of the room. A lump of bedsheets on the bed indicated that there's still a person lying in the bed at that moment.... or some pillows that are stacked to look like it...
"Lenna? Are you awake?" For a few seconds, he didn't get a response. Just as he was about to assume that it was all a decoy, he saw the mass move a little bit.
"Yeah.. yeah... just give me a minute" Her voice was raspy and feeble, it made Kalem alerted in an instant.
"Are you sure? You don't sound you're doing too well," Kalem replied as he approached the side of the bed with frantic steps.
Upon reaching the side, all that Kalem could see was Lenna's face reddened with her eyes half-shut. Breathing heavily as she heaved her chest and hold on to the bedsheet with her hair scattering around the cotton coverings. It was a heart-breaking scene for Kalem to have witnessed that.
"Goodness me, since when have you been like this?!" His voice sounded panicky, squatting down to the level of Lenna's ill face. immediately removing his gloves and placed the back of his hand on his sister's forehead and the crook of his neck.
"Well... ever since I woke up an hour ago... I don't feel too good..." Lenna mentioned as she let out a light cough, her fist covering the front of her lips.
A sensation of a higher heat was felt through the hand that was placed on Lenna's temple. Spreading throughout the back of her brother's hand like wildfire, paining his heart even more when he knew what was going on.
"You have quite the fever, why didn't you call me over? Or maybe someone else such as the maids, Alphonse or Roderick?" Kalem asked with desperation in his voice.
"You guys are always occupied... and... I don't want to distract you from work... That's all...." Lenna replied as she tried to sit up from her current position
"Besides, I can take care of mysel-" Before she could finish her sentence, two palms landed on her shoulders and put a weight on it to hold her in place.
"Lenna... since when are you ever a diversion from my work? Your health matters to all of us, even a slight cough counts. And is this what you call taking care of yourself? By locking yourself in your own room and didn't call anybody to help? This is by no means is beneficial to recover your own strength," Kalem commented as Lenna sat there, not knowing what to reply to his statement.
Hearing her say such things made it even hurtful for Kalem to bear it all. "Did she really have to take it this far?" he wondered in his mind. But his decision is all crystal clear at that moment, considering that Lenna is also stubborn to the roof.
"I will cancel all of your lessons for today. For now, you need to rest," Kalem added
"But, Kalem-"
"NO. I will not take any excuses from you. All you have to do is rest and that's it, "Lenna struggled to free herself from Kalem's grasp, but since her body is frail from the fever, she couldn't.
"Damn it," Lenna muttered, still trying to make her move.
All of a sudden Kalem took hold of his sister's hands and looked her with plead in his eyes, "Please, Lenna... Rest... Refrain yourself from doing any further activities for today. I beg of you... it's for your own good," He tightened his grip as he felt slightly guilty deep inside his heart.
Lenna knew well not to break her oldest brother's heart like this, and honestly, it hurts her more than the fever itself. She finally let herself calm down and loosen up her muscles as she sat there. Her cold hands being held in Kalem's sympathetic grip, it was a gesture that made her compromise with him.
"Okay... If you say so..." Hearing those words, Kalem's face kindled up when he had finally convinced Lenna to take a break.
"Wonderful, now just lie down and wait for me. I will be but a moment," Kalem stood up as he let out a small smile towards Lenna. Stroking her hair as he was about to step away.
"Where are you going?" Lenna muttered, her voice weak and faint from the waves of heat pulsing in her body.
"To fetch myself a thermometer. I need to check your exact temperature in order to determine the symptoms for the right medicine. It will only take for a few minutes, so don't go anywhere, alright?" Kalem replied with a light-hearted tone, stopping his footing as he gazes down at Lenna.
Lenna in return, nodded and shut her eyes whole. Returning to her slumber once again as Kalem walked out to the door and opened it gently. Taking a look back at her one last time before he closed the door quietly.
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"38,6 degrees Celcius, gladly it's not too high," Kalem commented as he held the slightly warm thermometer in his hand, reading the digital numbers written on the tiny screen.
"So I don't have to go to the hospital?" Lenna asked as she tilted her head to the side, watching as Kalem sat at a chair next to the bed and shook his head.
"It's only a normal fever, you should be fine after a full day of rest," Kalem replied as he put down the thermometer on Lenna's bed stand.
It was as if a jolt of excitement ran throughout Lenna's body, she was thrilled to think about the things she's going to do that day. Her heart screams and beats at the numerous "Yes" repeating a certain tempo in her head. But Kalem knew her behavior, he could clearly see her thoughts written all over her face. Although he couldn't second guess anyone else's expression, Kalem could easily recognize the emotions on his younger siblings' faces.
"However, you still need to take some medicine. And don't even think of going anywhere, because I will be watching over you here for the rest of the day"
Well, that was a turn down for her mood, Lenna let out a whiny huff as she slumped her back into the soft pillow on her bed. Pouting with all her out as she glared at her older brother smiling like an angel to her. All behind that naive-looking smile was a mischievous grin of a fiend whose job is to restrain people from breaking the rules.
"You're such a party-pooper, Kal-Kal" Lenna pouted as she called him by the quirky nickname she always used.
"Say whatever you want, I will not change my mind, Lenna. And you know that," Kalem chuckled and stroked the strands of hair on the sick girl's temple.
"Hmph!" Lenna huffed as it seems her cheeks flushed at the touch of Kalem's hand, blending in with her already reddish face.
"I suppose I should inform this to Roderick and Alphonse. As well as getting some wet towels and your medicine from the medics as I passed by,"
"Do you really have to tell them? Can't we just keep this between us? I don't like when I involve people when their priorities are something else," Lenna shyly buried half of her face under the sheets, agitatedly averting her pupils from Kalem's gaze.
"Nonsense, your well-being is also their priority, surely they won't be bothered to at least take a look at you," As soon as Kalem finished his sentence, his ears can sense faint hurried footsteps stomping through the hallway.
He let out a sigh as the sound gets closer, the floor began to transfer its waves towards the place where he was sitting.
"Speaking of which, it seems I don't have to tell them both. Reckoning from that sound, if you catch my drift, Lenna" Kalem lifted his brows towards her and turned his head towards the door.
"Oh, I know what you mean," Lenna sneeringly added as he nodded in Kalem's direction.
Both of them lifted up their right hand with three of their fingers sticking out. Readying to start their countdown as the stomps get louder and louder.
"3...."
"LLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEE-"
"2...."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNN-"
"1..."
"and here comes the Hyena" Lenna added
"NNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!"
And as both of them suspected, the door of the youngest's room slammed open wide instantly. A figure with short Auburn hair panting heavily as he bent his body forwards, his right hand leaning against the side of the door. His head shot up with sweat gushing out of his face, eyes focusing on his little sister as he frantically sprints towards her. Throwing his panicked self into the bed with such hyperenergetic force.
"SIS!!!!"
Alphonse whined out as he lands himself on the bed, or exactly, on his sister's laps. Wrapping his arms around Lenna's waist tight and buried his tearful face deep on her stomach. Snuggling and rubbing his temple on the covered abdomen of his sister with howls of a child.
"Word travels fast," Kalem crossed his arms, looking at the traces of fallen shoes, a Midnight black blazer that was laying on the ground trailing up to where his younger brother lies.
Alphonse lifted his head up, with tears in his eyes and snot hanging from his nose,"I HEARD YOU WERE HAVING A FEVER, THE MAIDS TOLD ME ABOUT KALEM HERE SEARCHIN' FOR A THERMOMETER FOR YOU!! Of course, I ought to thank the lovely ladies for their service by giving them an offer to spend the night with me. BUT I CAME HERE AS QUICK AS I CAN TO CHECK ON YOU!! OWH MY PWOOR LIL SIS!!"
He cried even more as he plopped down his head down to Lenna's lap. Sniffing as he tightly clings to her waist with a vice embrace, glaring at Kalem with upset eyes as he was the one who noticed Lenna's sickness in the first place.
"It's only a fever, Alphonse. There's no need to get riled up or anything over-"
"EXACTLY MY POINT, YOU DIDN'T TOLD ME THAT SHE'S SICK, KALLY!!" Alphonse wailed back at Kalem, lifting up his left hand by the elbow as each of his fingers moves around like a snake.
"HOW COULD YOU?! MY OWN BROTHER!! HIDING OUR LIL SISTER'S SICKNESS FROM ME, HER LOVEABLE BIG BROTHER!!" Alphonse dramatically screamed as tears flowed down his face vigorously, surely his yell could shake the whole mansion by itself.
"A-Al... you're being too... loud," Lenna murmured, covering her ears with her index fingers as she breathed heavily.
"O-oh, right, right. Sorry, lil sis," Alphonse instantly changed his expression into a giggling child, whispering with his palm on the side of his left cheek. Winking at her little sister with a cheeky grin, showing off his brandished pristine fangs
The loud wails from his younger brother in the morning made Kalem sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose distressingly, "Look, Alphonse. Priorities first, I ought to check Lenna's temperature to make sure she doesn't have a high fever. It would be a misconception if I tell you without knowing the correct illness she's having. Moreover, you would always go overboard just like now,"
"But at least tell me to go with you, fucko. You know how precious Lenny is to me," Alphonse frowned, leaning his head against Lenna's laps as he was still hugging her waist.
"She's precious to both of us, or rather all of the crewmen in our Family," Kalem scoffed, making Lenna giggle a little as she patted Alphonse's head
"And one more thing, Alphonse,"
"Yeah?" The younger brother asked with such an innocent voice without knowing what's coming for him next.
With that statement, Kalem stood up from his chair and gripped the back collar of his brother's striped shirt. His smile transmitted some sort of telepathic message that Lenna understood well. A frightful aura spewed out of Kalem's smile as Alphonse glared at him with annoyed eyes.
"I do understand your constant concern about Lenna's health. However, I would much appreciate it if you don't get too attached to her for now," Kalem added with a light-hearted but disturbing tone.
"In terms of what, four-eyes?" Alphonse scowled, baring his teeth to his older brother. His exclamation made a vein popped on Kalem's forehead as he tightened the grip on the young lad's back collar
"IN both disturbing and possibly catching the same illness from her. I wouldn't take it lightly if the next day you would have to lie ill on the bed and take a day off in return. While on the contrary, you still owe me mountains of debts for saving you these days from the cops. it is quite difficult to pull off an act in front of them and pretend that you're not present at the crime scene. Furthermore, I have to take all the blame from our father because you made appalling mistakes in the streets. And I'm the one who has to recover it, although all of it is your doings. You're fortunate that I always picked up your call, otherwise, I would see you in the county jail. Now let's not make that happen, shall we? Or would you rather if I don't come to save your arse next time?"
Kalem's voice became deeper and deeper as his threat goes on, rubbing off his upsetting aura around his younger brother's face. It brings shivers down Alphonse's spine as the slight opening of Kalem's eyes glazing themselves upon him. Those calm and tender Magenta pupils are no more, rather a pair of translucent Vermillion irises rise within them.
"What would it be, ohh my dear younger brother? Get off our younger sister's lap and sit on the side of the bed in silence. Or be jailed the next time you made trouble? I doubt that Roderick would spare you from it," Kalem spelled each word with an abstruse and grumbling tone, disrupting a wave of fright within Alphonse's body.
While Lenna on the other hand watched as her two brothers go head to head on another bicker. The sensation of watching her oldest brother scolding the younger one always brings a sense of thrill to her as well. Sure, Lenna enjoys being spoiled by their love, but what she enjoys most is seeing the two of them go into an argument. Observing each brother to whom will win the current bickering. But her illness made it uncomfortable to watch, their long words rang continuously in her head.
"Okay. Okay. Fine, I'll move. Just gotta move these legs here" Alphonse replied as he let go of Lenna's waist and slowly climbed down to the side of the bed as Kalem carefully watched.
"Aaanndddd... there ya go" Alphonse mentioned with his hands on his lap, sitting on the end of the bed near Lenna's blanketed legs.
"So when's the medicine coming, Kalem?" Lenna asked, letting out a dry cough as she finished. Alphonse gazed at his sick little sister with glassy Saphire-Blue eyes, contained a tormented sentiment inside it.
"I will go and picked it up in a few moments from the medics. Before you take it, I recommend you to at least fill your stomach with something first. Maybe an apple or two, if you fancy it," Kalem asked
"Sure, I'll take two apples please," Lenna grinned while making a peace sign with her right hand, still being bothered by the heat reading her whole body.
"OOH! OOH! I'll go get those from the kitchen then!" Alphonse jumped from his seat and raised his right arm up high in the sky. Wiggling it with an enthusiastic hum towards Kalem to get his approval.
Kalem who saw it just chuckled and let out a light-hearted sigh, "Go ahead, and do bring a plate as well as a fruit knife. While I get the medicine for her, alright?"
"Can I peel it for her?" Alphonse added with his lips twirled up looking like a cat's mouth while pointing his index finger to himself.
".... Alphonse..... didn't you remember the last time you possess a knife in your hands?"
"Eehhh... No?" Alphonse replied, sounding skeptical, chuckling tensely
"You tried to play the finger roulette game and ended up making your entire hand gushing out an immense amount of blood," Kalem mentioned with his face flushed out pale remembering the moment his younger brother came up to him as if nothing serious had happened.
While lifting his bloodied hand towards the Consigliere's own face, unlikely due to shock seeing Alphonse like that. A rush of blood ran out from his head down to the tip of his shoes. His heart plummeted and his mouth parted voluminously as he stutters inaudible words. Seeing as the blood-red liquid flowed and trickled unto the hallway carpet. His head felt light all of a sudden, eyes turning backwards, his weakened body followed the course of gravity to the rear. And just then, Kalem had passed out flat on the floor.
"It's merely peelin an apple, Kally. Besides, I wouldn't dare doing it in front of Lenny," Alphonse resolved, making Lenna shot glares at his mischievous older brother.
"Al..." Lenna lowly growled, pouting with enraged eyes glaring at Alphonse
"Including if I'm not with her" Alphonse quickly added, glancing at Lenna who nodded at his reply.
"Just... don't do anything that would deal any harm to yourself. I won't be for too long, so I suppose that you will not either,"
"Sure, sure, whatever. Might as well grab one for myself, got a meeting with the Curtis Family in an hour after all," Alphonse put his hands on his hips casually.
"Just wait for a minute, kay, Lenny?" Alphonse walked over and rubbed Lenna's head, scrambling her hair in the end. Making her let out an annoyed frail whine.
"MY HAIR!! ALPHONSE!!" Lenna whined with a slurry tone, frowning at her cheeky older brother who's about to leap out of the room.
"I promise I'm gonna fix it when I get back!!" Alphonse shouted as he bounced through the room and deliberately paused as he catches a look at Lenna's upset frown, smirking at her as he took off down the hallway.
Seeing that made Kalem remember the old days when he used to be babysitting these two. And it never changed, those two are still as childish as ever, he thought. An image of Phoebe's, his foster mother's beaming face abruptly shove away all the nostalgia on his mind and took over. Kalem's heart drowned in the feeling of missing her, bittersweet memories are the only things left by her.
But her aura never diminished, being around his foster siblings made Kalem jovial. If only Roderick hadn't saved him years ago, he would have probably ended up at death's door. He turned to look at Lenna's pouting face, bright Emerald pupils like her father and long Dark-Chestnut colored hair from her mother. She looks so much like her mother and acts the same. Kalem could say the same to Alphonse, considering his younger brother got Roderick's looks but acts like Phoebe the same way their younger sister does.
Kalem turned to Lenna and laughed lightly at her, "Typical Alphonse, I might say,"
"Yeah, geez, it's going everywhere," Lenna muttered as she tried to brush her messy long hair with her fingers.
"Well then, as Alphonse has a headstart, I may have to fetch the medicine shortly. Since I predict that he will return in no time. Stay put, alright?" Kalem spoke, leaving a pat on Lenna's head.
"Okay, Kalem," Lenna nodded as she slithered down and laid her head on top of her pillow. Kalem helped by bringing the end of the bedsheet over his sister's shoulders, "Take a quick nap before Alphonse comes back, you may need it,"
Lenna giggled and replied "Okay" to Kalem's advice. After she closed her eyes and snuggled under the covers, Kalem felt secure to go and grab her medicine. As he strutted down the hallway, his mind was packed with his schedules and work, as well as his main objective as of now. Greeted by the maids working around the mansion yet again. As if a gentle soul cried for his heart, his steps stopped right in front of a large window by the hallway, facing towards the garden of numerous flowers blooming.
His eyes focused on the group of White Lilies blooming in the midst of colorful blooms in the greenery.
"Still blooming after all these years, she would have loved to see them up close," As Kalem's daydream was floating in his mind, it was interrupted by stomps down the hallway and made the grown-up man tilt his head towards the noise irritatedly.
"Alphonse...." Kalem muttered as the shadow carrying the things he was asked for sprinting with a huge smirk on his face.
"GET TO IT, KALLY!!! YOU'RE TOO SLOW!!" Alphonse yelled, zooming past Kalem as the objects he carried bounced in his arms. And Kalem swore that for a millisecond there he saw Alphonse let out his tongue at him before he presumably dashed off.
"How many times have I told you? NO RUNNING IN THE HALLWAYS, ALPHONSE!" Kalem scolded loudly, both of them getting gazes from nearby maids dazzled as Alphonse passed by them.
"NOBODY FUCKING CARES!! GET LENNA'S MEDICINE ALREADY!!" Alphonse shouted at the top of his lungs as he was at the end of the hallway, ready to turn at a corner.
Alphonse was stopped by a sudden force and was intrigued by one of the housemaids watching the occurrence in the hallway. Stumbling upon a young girl with porcelain-like skin as he hugs tight his belongings in his arms. Pinning them both against the wall and closed the distance by leaning his head near the maid's ear.
"M-master Alphonse!" The young maid stuttered as her and the intoxicated young master's face were inches away.
"You already know why I stopped. Get up the stairs until the second floor, two doors on the right from the library, I'll be there at 7. Don't keep me waiting, kitten" Alphonse lusciously whispered, pulling away as he gave her a wink. Making the young maid's heart fluttered and face flushed red, by also getting some nosy glares from her fellow workers.
"Hope you're prepared yoursel-" Alphonse's words were cut off when something slammed hard against the back of his head.
"WH-"
"Says the man who stopped on his way to flatter a fair maiden than to attend to his own little sister. I suggest YOU get going, Alphonse" Kalem added, using the time the young lad's flirting session to approach him from behind.
"Geez, no need to be that harsh, Kally. Besides, I already had the things you asked for here,"
"Then go," Kalem replied with a distressed sigh
"Okay, okay. I will be seeing you later, my lady" Alphonse smirked at the young maid, turning his eyes towards Kalem.
"And fuck you, four eyes" Alphonse let out an insulting tongue right at his older brother, flipping him off with his right middle finger up to the Consigliere's face.
Before Kalem could add anything, the younger brother had already taken a bolt down the hallway. Kalem looked at the swoon over maid and apologized for his younger brother's act. The maid then apprehensively apologized and bowed towards Kalem who then rushed to get back to work.
"Now I hope he doesn't do that again for the second time today," Kalem mumbled to himself, but he couldn't help but chuckle at Alphonse's behavior.
All Kalem could let out was a miniature smile of gratitude as he returned to retrieve his main objective.
"I wonder if Adrian is going to visit today, I might have to prepare some Marmalade jam and tea for us to chat,"
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Even if the three siblings like to bicker and argue with each other. Which mostly consists of Kalem and Alphonse spouting arguments towards each other. They along with Roderick are one family, and looking back at it again Kalem won't have it any other way. And deep in his heart.... he was grateful that he was given a second chance in life.... To have a whole family again...
And this time, he swore to protect them from any harm... That's a sworn oath of his own...
Alright!! That's it for the first oneshot of this series, although it's long I have to admit. But I can't help it, in fact, I might be making some more. Or even better, I'm opening oneshot requests from you readers!! (Since I'm running out of ideas on what should I make)
I would make oneshots out of the characters that have been in the profiles so far. Although there are some scripts that I will not do for the sake of the plot. Such as future occurrences, involving characters that was briefly introduced or NSFW scripts (cause there will be some in the future main arc chapters). Just leave your wanted requests down in the comments! Or maybe you want to request some drawings of them, I'll be glad to make them.
As always, thank you for supporting my story so far, my dear readers!! I apologize that I haven't been able to upload the main story chapters since I'm still stuck on finals and there are some things that needed to be revised.
Keep on supporting this story to see more! I wish you all a happy day and thank you for being here to read my story. Author OT out!!
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Yes, please! Votes: 0 0.0%
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Maybe you should stick to the main arc Votes: 0 0.0%
I am torn, but maybe you can put the one shots into a different, seperate book instead.