People often fear what they can’t understand

"Ever since I was four I remember always waking up to darkness. I have never once been allowed to step foot outside this room even though it’s cold and empty with a worn-out bed that creaks every time I lay down a blanket with holes and a barred window. No warmth enters through the window being that the window is too high up.

My only comfort is at night when a big round shining thing appears in the sky lighting up the room just enough so that I can fall asleep…… I’m afraid of the dark. The only good thing about this room is occasionally someone slips me books and food, I don't know who but I’m grateful for that person.

I spend my time just like this in darkness with my mother occasionally coming in with food, but I never eat it. I think mother did something to my food….. I always end up hurting. At first, I just thought it was because mother was bad at cooking, so i would just have to wait until mother gets better at cooking then it won’t hurt anymore...…but mothers cooking never got better. I was stupid.

 One day the door to the darkroom opened and a kid with silky lilac hair that only reaches his nape with light blue eyes poked his head into the room looking around. As soon as he saw me his expression darkened then almost instantly he showed a dazzling smile.

Puzzled I tried to get a closer look “Why does he look familiar?”

As he walked closer to me I noticed he was wearing a white button-up shirt a royal blue blazer with matching shorts and knee-high dark blue boots he held his hand up as if wanting me to take hold of it.

Of course, I was more interested in what he was hiding in his other hand behind his back. As I stared at his hand he seemed to have noticed, whipping out his hand from behind his back leaving me wide-eyed, mouth hanging open at the loaf of bread in his hand. The kid giggled his hand covering his mouth but slowly couldn’t hold it in, tears started to form at the corners of his eyes shaking as he tries to hand me the bread.

Looking at him suspiciously I grab the bread and take a big bite. The kid looked at me surprised yelling as he walked over to snatch the bread out of my hands. “ DO YOU HAVE NO SELF AWARENESS! WHAT IF I PUT SOMETHING IN THAT?!

Dodging his hand I raise my eyebrow at him “Did you put something in it? looking down at the bread I mumble “Even if you did it’s not like you would be the first.”

The kid’s eyes widened and a flash of sadness and guilt showed  in his eyes, face turning red he smacked the wall “OF COURSE NOT THAT'S HORRIBLE I WOULD NEVER HURT YOU!”

Surprised at his outburst my eyes widened and for some odd reason my nose started to burn and my eyes started to water, I feel like crying. Feeling guilty the kid starts to apologize, his eyes tearing up also.

After both of us calmed down he asked if he could sit on the bed With my permission he sat down on the edge patting the space on the bed next to him, shaking my head I sat on the floor near the bed instead. This made the kid sad he looked down and played with his fingers as he started to talk. He talked and I listened.

Talking to him for a while he told me I was his elder brother and he was my younger brother I was from what he told me two years older than him. He said that his name was Adio Lefae but his friends called him just Adi but I could call him little brother. Which to me is embarrassing. Afterall from our bodies alone, one would think I’m the younger brother.

From what I remember I did meet this kid on the day he was born I had turned two years old in those years when I wasn’t locked up…....back when I was still loved But that's all in the past.

We talked for a bit more then he said he had to leave because mother and father were going to be back soon. After that day he …..’ Ahem’ my little brother would often visit me when my parents left the house leaving him home alone or so that’s what he would say but I know he was lying and was faking an illness. He would always bring interesting books and snacks, we would talk and play games.

It was the happiest at that time that I had ever felt. But I knew our time together was limited. 

 

 A month after my little brother started visiting me my parents found out someone was sneaking food and books in through the window, when they looked into it they found out that it was my younger brother, they also found out about my younger brother coming into the room to play with me.

The window got sealed the door got more locks and worst of all my brother got sent away. Slowly I started to lose my sanity time continued to move forward and days seemed to get longer and longer.                                            

Its been ten years since I was first locked in this room and today I turn 14.

Being held in the darkroom having not slept for days, negative thoughts started to fill my head. I’m tired……I’m scared its dark. Why?  Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Hysteria was getting to me I started to yell and bang on the door. I’ll be good please I'll be good just let me out Please! MOTHER FATHER PLEASE! LET ME OUT!   ADI PLEASE! 

Suddenly the door opens and I can feel the warmth of someone’s arms cradling me. Adi seems to have come back. 

As he holds me in his arms, I realize he’s gotten taller again. His hair is longer almost reaching the middle of his back. In my daze, I start to run my hands through his silky lilac hair. Lost in my thoughts I feel something wet drip onto my shoulder. Humming I smile slightly, of course, this is something that will never change. I look up at him as I cup his face with my hands wiping his tears with my fingers.

Suddenly Adi gets up dragging me with him heading towards the door causing me to stumble "I will help you escape. Run and don't look back!"

Shocked I start to struggle but I can’t seem to break away as he leads me outside to the brick wall that surrounds the house. Adi walks to the wall and brushes aside some vines that have started to grow over a small wooden door. Shoving me through the door Adi hugs me then hands me a bag with money and a couple of other things. "I'm sorry for what they did to you I wish I was strong so I could protect you but this is the only way I could think of getting you out of here."

As if a bucket of cold water was splashed on me I shivered 'But what if they find out it was you, Adi?" 

"It's OK they wouldn't dare do anything to me now go hurry!"

"BUT Adi I can't just leave you!" I hug him tears falling down my face causing my vision to blur.

Adi grabs me "Big brother Look at me, neither of us are happy right now but I still have freedom, I'm fine." "Please just go I'm begging you." Seeing the serious look in Adi's eyes I know he's right I'm just holding him back if I manage to escape then Adi won't have to worry about me as much anymore.

Nodding I give Adi one last look as I turn and run "bye big brother! is all I hear before he's out of earshot. 

I don't know how long I was running but my lungs start to burn. I slow down to a jog as I get a good distance away looking up at the sky I sigh wiping the tears from my face. 

 

A week later 

I'm hungry I think as I look around. I groan as I remember how stupid I was letting that guy run into me and steal my bag. ‘Ah so annoying’ I violently ruffled my hair as I look down at my feet lost in thought “How f*cking stupid am I, Your little brother got you the opportunity to run away and you go and f*ck it up. As I walked I who had my head down wasn’t paying attention.

As I turned a corner I fell on my butt as I hit something hard. Cursing in my mind. What the hell did I just hit?! I look up and see a pale man with brown messy hair and silver eyes wearing basic clothes, a plain white button-up shirt black pants black shoes and is holding a weird-looking…. Bag?  He stares at me for a moment as if analyzing me then asks "Are you hungry would you like to accompany me for dinner?

I sit there in complete shock for a second, his eyes look like the shiny orb that comes out at night, No that isn’t right Adi said its called a moon?. I think in a daze.

Coughing I answer "No thank you I’m not hungry" He cocks his head to the side "I don't believe you." lifting me over his shoulder he carries me walking down the street. Panicking I start to thrash around. Chuckling the silver-eyed man tells me to stay still or I might fall and hurt myself.

He takes me to a well-known restaurant and much to my surprise instead of going to the front door he goes around the back, knocks on the door three times and waits. In a matter of what seem like seconds, someone opens the door.

The person at the door seems to be a waiter? or at least he dresses like one seeing as he's wearing a white shirt a black fitted vest, a black-tie black pants and black shoes he has semi-long straight light-pink hair with half of it tied up in a man bun keeping his fringe out of his face. He looks at the silver-eyed man then at me. Confusion flashing through his green eyes for a brief moment before rushing us inside.

As the waiter leads us down a hall the silver-eyed man speaks up. "Reuben I don’t need a table. I want to borrow the kitchen that way Jasper can’t say I “wasted food” The silver-eyed man rolled his eyes as he talked.

The waiter or should I call him Reuben? Reuben looked amused as he nodded and started to lead us to a kitchen. Reuben stopped at a door and turned to look at the silver-haired man nodded and then left.

Inside the kitchen, the silver-eyed man put me down on a stool then got to work cooking. To be honest I'm very skeptical about this silver-eyed man’s cooking skills But they let him into the kitchen so he can’t be that bad right? Also, is that a tattoo on his wrist? interesting.

A couple of minutes later I'm starting to question my life choices. I look down into what this guy calls ramen. It doesn't look all that…nice my eye twitches as I look up at him he catches my stare.

"Just eat it it's really good despite what it looks like I promise" he smiles.

I hesitantly take a bite, as I chew the hot meal makes my stomach feel warm and as the warmth starts to spread, I realize I’m crying. wiping my eyes I look up and smile. “It’s delicious.”

Then I feel a sensation that I haven’t felt in so long. The silver-eyed man reached over and placed his hand on my head ruffling my hair. This weird guy that kidnaped me was patting my head "I told you it was good didn't I." I nod my head as more tears come flooding out.

After calming down I finish eating and look over at the silver-eyed man. The man smiles at me, his eyes turning into crescents. "If I come to this town again I could bring you here again and cook for you what do you say?"

My eyes widen in surprise, crap I’m about to cry again.  I look at him as I held out my pinky. I and Adi also did this and I know if you promise you have to keep it no matter what. The man’s silver eyes widen and then he smiles hooking his pinky on mine. "Promise"

 As we walk out of the restaurant I ask the silver-eyed man his name. "what's your name?

"hmmm, my name? 

"My name is sh---" just as he was about to tell me I feel someone hug me and whisper "if you don't want us to hurt him you better come with me quietly!" a sense of dread came over me. It was my mother. She found me.

The silver-eyed man looked confused lips pressed together in a thin line. My mother noticing his discomfort turned to him putting on an act Sobbing "Thank you so much for finding my son he got separated from me while I was shopping. He always wanders off I don’t know what to do with him at this point, " she gripped me tighter.

The man’s silver eyes seemed to be peering into the woman’s soul with his icy stare                                                        

 "I'm fine now thank you for the food it was delicious just like you said it was!"   The man’s icy stare slowly thawed out as he turned to look at me hesitating he looked into my eyes as if searching for something. I couldn’t take it anymore as I blurted out “You have to keep your promise ok?”  “You have to come back.”

The silver-eyed man’s eyes once again turned into crescent’s. Nodding as he ruffled my hair he squatted down so that he was around my height. "Mmmm l always keep my promises, Don’t worry also be careful on the way back alright. Take care bye-bye" 

I try not to cry as I reply "yep bye-bye" Mother finally snapped out of her daze said some thank yous and sorry and then dragged me away.

 

It's been two years since then and I still wait for the day that I can see those pretty silver eyes that seemed to give off such a gentle glow. Wondering when he will come to keep his promise. 

My living conditions worsened my parents added chains that connect my ankles and arms to the wall.

That day two years ago when I came home my dad beat me for trying to stop him from smacking and kicking Adi, not that he wouldn’t have beaten me otherwise. They also sent Adi away again but this time they sent him far away.

They bought him his own home, as far as they could from our house so that when he comes back to town for visits he doesn’t have to stay in our house. Adi still managed to get me food and books by asking one of his friends that lived nearby to deliver stuff to me.

It's been two years since I last saw Adi. I wonder if his hair reaches his ankles like mine does or did he decide to cut it, I hope he’s eating well, I hope he doesn’t blame himself for my failed attempt at running away two years ago. That would be the worst.

These days I can’t seem to stay awake often. I spend my days more asleep then I do awake. Maybe I should be worried but then again what’s the point.

 One day while I was barely conscious I heard my mother and father arguing.  

Mother was saying something about selling me and getting money at least then I wasn’t a complete waste. My father disagreed and was arguing that they should wait and see if anyone else would come for me then maybe they would be willing to pay more, What if they lost the chance of getting more money by rushing into things.

Mother angrily scolded my father saying that ever since the embarrassment I caused her to go through at my banquet for my fourth birthday the day everyone found out I wasn’t a blessed child but a cursed child instead. My beautiful white hair turned into a filthy black and my light blue eyes turned a sickening red color and the room full of white roses turned crimson red, she’s been called a witch that gave birth to a disgusting vampire.

Then a third voice could be heard. "I HOPE YOU KNOW WE CAN HEAR YOU". “NO ONE ELSE IS COMING FOR THE KID. WE MADE SURE OF THAT, so it's US or NO MONEY choose wisely!” 

"Aki let them have their privacy geez."

For a second I thought I heard the silver-eyed man’s voice but it couldn't be him right. I've hallucinated before.

I’d been two years since we last saw each other he couldn't possibly be here right? just as I was about to dismiss the idea the door opens and light floods in.

The first thing I hear is "Hey you still remember our promise? Messy brown hair and beautiful silver eyes come into view. His outfit is different this time he’s wearing noblemen’s clothing but it's still a white button-up shirt though it has golden stitching a black vest on top, black pants and instead of the shoes he wore last time this time he’s wearing black knee-high boots and a black overcoat

"What do you say we go so I can cook you ramen again?

I can't believe he came back for me. I try to get up to hug him but I have no strength in my legs as I stumble, the silver-eyed man catches me. After steadying me he puts his arm under my legs and picks me up, holding me close to his chest. Panicked, I wrapped my hands around his neck as he carried me out of the room.

Outside the room, I see a spiky white-haired man wearing almost the same clothing as the silver-eyed man except for his pants, his vest, and his overcoat being a nice tan chiffon color while his shoes are a dark brown. He's in the middle of handing my parents a bag of coins.

I scoff of course they’re selling me.

I look around and spot Adi leaning against the wall his long lilac hair is pulled into a high ponytail and he’s wearing his riding gear it looks like he just arrived. Our eyes meet and he pushes himself off the wall and comes toward us looking at the silver-haired man "I know you're not demon hunters like you say you are. No demon-hunter would hold a demon bridal style but as I’m sure you're aware my older brother is not a demon so please take good care of him.

Touched by Adi’s words I start to tear up. The silver-eyed man sensed that we probably wanted to talk alone and gently puts me down making sure Adi was supporting me before walking away.

As he walked away he went and put his arm around the spiky white-haired man. The spiky white-haired man smacked the silver-eyed man’s arm away from him.

The silver-eyed man sighed deeply " Aki are you still throwing a tantrum because I didn't buy you the candy apple earlier.” The silver-eyed man raised an eyebrow at the spiky white-haired man “You had already eaten three what if you got sick?’ The spiky white-haired man threw a punch at the silver-eyed man. "I told you that's not why I’m angry you ass!" Dodging the punch the silver-eyed man holds back a laugh "oh really my bad then Aki" 

As I was distracted by the two men Adi stared at me watching my every expression, Without me knowing a soft smile slowly emerged on my face. Adi’s voice brought me back to my senses. “It seems like you’ve found where you belong, older brother” Adi had a smile on his face but he couldn’t hide the pain in his eyes as he looked at his older brother that still looks as if he was twelve.

Noticing the pain in his eyes I held his hands in mine. “Adi you might not think you were of much help to me but you were the only light in my life, I love you more than anything but I know even if I stay I would just cause you more trouble. Adi, you fill both of our parent’s places in my heart When I felt like I had no one or I was at the end of my stick you would burst through the door like a knight out of the faerie tales that you would smuggle  to me through the window.”

Adi hugs me and much to my surprise doesn’t cry. “Brother, I'm stronger and tougher now are you surprised?” Adi says. I smile “Of course not, my Adi is a very strong and caring person even if you cry that’s ok because some things are worth your tears.” Adi chuckles as he lets go of me he holds me by the shoulders and looks me in the eyes. “I’ll miss you big brother” “I’ll miss you too my one and only precious little brother.' Before it gets too hard for me to walk away I hug Adi and as I pull away I landed a kiss on his cheek saying goodbye to him.

I have the feeling it’ll be a long long time before I can see Adi again.

"Alright is everyone ready if so let's head home Aki, Sai"

As we start to make our way out of the house I start to wonder Eh, who's Sai? Since the silver-eyed man called the spiky white-haired man Aki that means Sai is….the silver-eyed man’s name? EH, but then why did he refer to himself when asking if everyone was ready to leave?  That's weird.

As we get outside I work up the courage to ask “Um…... so your name is Sai? I ask the silver-eyed man while looking at his chin that's right above me.

 both Aki and the silver-eyed man look stunned because of my question. Then Aki starts to laugh so hard he sits down on the floor, As for Sai? or not Sai?  The silver-eyed man is blushing while telling Aki to "shut up"

Aki speaks up "Little one I'm Aki and Sai is the name me and this guy carrying you- he says pointing at the silver-eyed man -who came up with it for you. "Sai is your name," he said as he chuckled.

Stunned I whipped around and looked at the silver-eyed man."Then what's your name? Laughing he looks down at me.

"Oh, yea last time I didn't have the chance to tell you. My name is Shiro.  

Welcome to the family Sai.

 

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[Author~ Hhhhh I stayed up until 6:07 Am to edit this chapter. *Sigh* I have such unhealthy habits. Don't be like me haha]