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The blonde clicked his tongue in annoyance before lifting his hand and muttering a few words to himself. He stared at the monster before him as it burst into flames and the people around him gaped before bursting out their cameras, taking pictures and commenting loudly on the “magic trick” they had just witness. The son of magic rolled his eyes as he heard the mortals wondering how the trick had been done.
He truly was impressed with the mist.
Turning, he dashed away, thankful to get away from the crowd. To be honest, he had no love for people. He’d rather be alone because people were distrustful, horrible, and cruel. He had enough experience with his father and step-mother, both who hated him and ignored him. He couldn’t blame his step-siblings who loved him for the love he didn’t get from his parents…though it was their fault that he did leave.
Not because he hated them. Oh no…it was because if he stayed, they would get hurt.
Pocketing a few wallets he stole as he ran away, the teen kept one out and took out the cash, ignoring the credit cards. He counted the cash and nodded, his lips curling to a very slight smile at the sight of two £10 notes and he idly thought of what he could have for breakfast the next day.
Slowing to a halt, he stretched his arms and looked up at the sky, admiring the beautiful dark blue color with the stars that sparkled through the dark.
While he enjoyed the beautiful deep blue, it was too close to black and to be honest, he prefers the beautiful sky blue of a nice day (even though it was difficult to get that in England where it rained quite often)…Though the ocean’s beautiful blue-green could compete with sky blue for his favorite color. It was hard to decide between the two colors, both which he loved more than any other color.
Twirling a few coins with his fingers, he continued down the empty streets. People were leaving the streets, heading into their homes or hotels. Many restaurants were crowded with people, many of them including foreigners.
Especially the Americans.
The boy’s nose wrinkled a bit. Not that he had anything against Americans but he didn’t quite appreciate their accent. Nor their rude comments and attitude that made the British gentlemanly side of him bristle in annoyance and slight anger. But there was no point in acting out because really, would they learn? Perhaps not, considering they only stay for a few months at most and then leave for their country once again.
…Then again, perhaps he was just looking at their stereotypical ways…
He paused at the entrance of a park and his eyes softened at the sight of a woman with a child. His heart hurt a bit as he saw the woman pick up her sleepy child, whispering sweet words into the boy’s ear and he wished once again for a love like that. But then he shook his head and his eyes hardened.
Even if he wished for it, there was no point…because there was no way he would ever get that feeling of family love ever. Not even from his own father who didn’t even care when he ran away. Nor his step-mother…or his birth mother who had abandoned him. Not that he hated her.
The woman spoke to him once. She told him to go to America, to a place where people like him could live peacefully.
…Well, obviously, he didn’t listen.
He lived fine and he believed he could take care of himself. Plus, he didn’t trust those people, people who chased after him. He didn’t care if they were like him. He preferred to be alone.
The teen pocketed the coins in his hands, tightened the muffler around his neck, bringing it above his mouth, and then stuffed his hands into his thin coat, his mood worsening. He kicked a few rocks back into the grassy park and he sighed, the autumn cold letting his breathe show in the air. He watched as it disappeared before continuing his way.
It was peaceful and quite, something he enjoyed.
So of course, it had to be shattered by a loud scream that made him jump a bit.
His eyes widened as he looked up and dashed forward, towards the scream. It sounded frightened, terrified, so much like his little step-sister who was attacked because of him. He turned past a tree and he paused at the sight of a boy running towards him before slamming into him. He must’ve been really surprised since he didn’t react and dodge that…
His breath was knocked out of him as the boy slammed into him. There was a squeal from the boy and he groaned after falling to the ground, rubbing the back of his head that hit the concrete ground. He glared slightly at the trembling boy who seemed to have found hugging him would help. The son of magic tried to pry the boy off him but the boy’s strength was quite impressive. He wouldn’t let go of his jacket. “Oi, get off!” He grumbled but the boy shook his head.
“The monster! I-t a-ate him!” Just his luck; he was attacked by an American kid…who apparently could see a monster.
The boy’s sentence finally processed in his head and when he heard snarling and hisses, he looked up, gaping at the monsters before him. He couldn’t believe the boy’s horrible luck. Three hellhounds stood before him, growling and snapping their strong jaws. Their hellish eyes locked onto him and one of them pawed forward, looking rather hungry for a good snack.
The teen glared at the hellhounds and wondered why his luck was bad as well.
He already faced five other monsters today, one being just less than an hour ago.
He waved his hands and fire attacked the creatures. He could hear the gasp from the little boy fisting his coat and he was reminded of the mortal he had to protect. An image of a sweet girl flashed through his head and his eyes narrowed in determination before he brushed the kid off him (the kid loosened his grip when he saw his magic) and he stood up, sending an energy blast the creatures.
The beasts roared and one exploded into dust. Not that it mattered. He knew it would reform one day. They always came back.
Then reaching down, he pulled out a sword from a pouch on his waist. The sword, upon being taken out, grew larger until he held a Greek sword in his hand. The fire he created had died down and the two remaining hellhounds were advancing towards him. He could feel a fist clutching onto his pants and he looked back to see the boy trembling, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Don’t worry,” He comforted and the boy looked up.
Immediately, he froze and his eyes widened.
The boy’s eyes bore into him, wide and terrified. They were so expressive and looked as though they held so many emotions. But that wasn’t really what caught his attention. The boy’s eyes were a beautiful blue. It seemed to change color from bright blue to a darker, sea blue. There were few specks of aquamarine and green in those blue eyes, reminding him of the ocean. It was so…beautiful that he couldn’t help but hitch his breath just a bit and he tensed as those eyes stared at him, observing him, questioning him…
Then the eyes tore away from him and back to the monsters and they expressed fear. “They…a-ate…” He whispered and the teen looked back at the monsters.
One of them growled threateningly at them and he could see pieces of cloth on its red-stained teeth and he immediately wondered who was with the boy before he or she got eaten by a Greek monster. He felt bad for the boy. And now, he had to make sure this boy didn’t get eaten as well.
“Don’t worry,” He repeated and he felt the boy’s curious gaze return to him. “I’ll protect you.” He promised. “But now, get away!” He yelled as he charged at the beasts. Both roared and lunged at him, claws gleaming underneath the park street light.
He ducked and rolled out of the way before slashing upwards, immediately destroying one hellhound. The other fell back and paused, looking as though considering if it was worth fighting him. But then it turned its massive head and charged at the other boy who squealed and turned to run. “No!” The teen yelled, his green eyes widening in horror and he waved his hand in the air.
The boy turned to the right but the beast continued forward, only to smash into a streetlight. The hellhound whimpered in confusion as it backed off, slightly dazed. The teen immediately ran to the boy, scooping him up into his arms and running away to a safer distance while the hellhound looked around in confusion.
At a safer distance, he put the boy on the ground. The boy looked up at him in amazement and said, “W-Woah…y-you’re so cool!” His voice was full of excitement but still laced with fear.
The teen resisted the urge to flush and only turned back to the beast, his posture protective. The hellhound seemed to have returned to its senses and was glaring at him. The beast padded around for a bit before lunging forward and the teen raised his legs, smacking the beast’s head and kicking him to the right.
He grunted from the pain while the kid behind him whooped.
The hellhound shook its large head before looking back at him with a dark glare. The teen only smirked and went to an offensive posture and ran forward. The beat lunged as well but then the teen twisted to the side and slashed the beast’s side, the monster exploding into golden sand and the smell of sulfur reached his nostrils.
Disgusting as always.
A small sigh escaped his lips and he drew back his weapon, the shrinking into his pouch. He sighed and brushed away the monster remains from his clothes before looking at the boy several feet away from him.
The boy was looking at him in awe, his eyes wide. The teen sighed and went over to the kid. “Hey,” The boy jumped a bit from where he stood and looked up at the other with curious eyes. The teen tensed at the blue eyes. Gods of Olympus…the color really was beautiful. He shook his head slightly and sighed. “Let’s get you home.”
Immediately, the boy’s eyes became saddened. The boy looked down and shook his head, mumbling, “…body…home…” The teen narrowed his eyes. The boy flushed under the stare and repeated, “Nobody…home…my dad got…” He trembled. The memory was probably too much and the teen sighed and felt pity for the boy.
“Any mom? Siblings?”
The boy shook his head. “I was adopted. Dad’s wife died years ago. I never met her.”
The teen blinked in surprise and frowned. “…I…I see.”
The best thing to do was probably turn the kid over to child services. He wasn’t sure if the kid had any other family members and he was too young to be on his own. But…there was no way he could tell the officials what really happened. If he went up to a mortal adult and say, “Here’s a boy. He has no family because his adoptive father had been eaten by a Hellhound that came from the Underworld.” The police would just brush him off as crazy…
Wait…why did a Hellhound go after the kid?
He frowned and knelt down in front of the boy and looked straight into the boy’s surprised eyes. “Why was that…monster…going after you?”
The boy tilted his head and shook his head. “I don’t know.” The teen frowned, and then opened his mouth to say more when the boy continued, “But it’s not the first time.” There was a pause from the teen as the boy added, “There was this weirdo with one eye that followed me to the orphanage back in New York! And one of the orphanage’s ladies was a monster. She had creepy snake eyes! It was weird because she only came to the orphanage when I was six but everybody kept saying she’s been there for years. She called herself Ms. Maria and tried to stop my dad from adopting me…now that I think about it…I think she was eating the kids there…The last monster I saw in America was a big dog like that! Hey, how did you defeat it? You were so cool! Like a hero in the stories and cartoons!”
The teen was slightly numb from what the boy had said, no longer listening.
This kid was just like him…or at least, one of his parents was an immortal, a god or goddess. And just like him…the boy…he’s all alone. He no longer has somebody to take care of him and if he just turned the boy into the officials, it was no guarantee that he’d be safe, considering monsters would still go after him, much like he was always pursued by monsters.
“Say…what should I do now?”
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the boy. The kid looked scared and saddened.
“I lost another family…I don’t have anymore…what’cha you think I should do now…?” The boy asked softly as he shuffled in place, his eyes downcast and his blonde bangs obscured his face. “I shouldn’t get another family, right? Monsters might come after me again…” He paused and sniffed. “They might…die because of me…just…just like dad did…”
It was amazing how the boy could be cheerful in one second, and then depressed in another. He had no doubt that the boy’s personality could be rather charming, if not annoying as well. But what the boy said made his heart ache. It reminded him…of the decision he made at what seemed so long ago just so that he could protect his half-siblings.
So he reached forward and brought the boy into a small, unsure hug. “…I…” He wondered if this could be a good idea.
They were both lonely children. They both needed somebody to help them, guide them…he wondered if he could possibly be that person for this boy. His hands trembled slightly at the thought and he closed his dark green eyes before saying, “Everybody…deserves a family…and if you’d like, I could…”
“You’ll be my family?” The boy finished in a tiny voice. The teen pulled away and looked at the kid’s face. It was full of hope, “Really?”
Again, he wondered if this was a good idea. Both of them together could attract so many monsters that would love to main them and eat their flesh and bones. It was actually pretty dangerous to be together. But seeing this kid’s…hopeful look…he knew immediately that he couldn’t say no.
So he smiled softly, something he rarely does and nodded, saying, “If you’d like.”
The kid’s face broke into a big grin and the boy suddenly lunged at him, wrapping his thin arms around his neck and cried, “Yes! Yes, yes, yes!” The boy laughed happily. “You’ll be my big brother, right? I always wanted a big brother! I’ll take care of you!” He giggled and pulled away while the teen flushed deeply at the title of ‘big brother’. He had always liked being an older brother… “Dad…” The boy paused and looked sad again before smiling. “Dad said that I would find somebody to be my big brother one day. He was right.”
A soft chuckle left his lips and the teen ruffled the boy’s hair. His cheeks still felt hot but there was an uncontainable joy in his heart for finding somebody to be with. “Right…your dad must’ve been smart…” He said softly.
The boy nodded. “Really smart,” He whispered and sniffed again. Then he straightened and said, “I’m Alfred. Alfred F. Jones. What’s your name?”
“I’m…Arthur Kirkland…”
Alfred tilted his head to the side cutely, his eyes wide with surprise and there was even a hint of sadness that Arthur didn’t quite understand. But then a sweet smile curled on the boy’s lips. He happily said, “Nice to meet you Arthur!” He reached forward and clutched the teen’s hand. Arthur flinched a bit but then relaxed. The boy’s kind nature was…wonderful. “Promise to stay?” The boy asked childishly.
Arthur smiled softly and nodded, “Promise.”
“Pinky promise?”
He heard about the adorable acts children did to secure their promises. So he chuckled and held out his pinky. The boy looked happy and wrapped his own tiny pinky around the other’s. Arthur smiled at the childish antics.
“Pinky promise.”