Adeline

a/n: My first fic lol, feel free to give advice and i'm so open for requests!

It a was dark, snowy evening in the late November. Wind whistled against the windows, though it was nothing that could draw attention to itself anymore as the sound of water running and dishes clattering filled the warm air of your home. But perhaps this white, two-story house is not yours, and you indeed are an impudent brat (as your aunt Karen always hisses). One’s mind always wanders to most sacred places when doing the dishes; you were no exception. A few months ago, you realized your mom’s voice had become more muffled, more distant in your head; the thought never failed to form a limp in your throat. Dad and mom always were some kind of fog in your brain, though it was oddly comforting to know you once had a family of your own, not being a liability. Your aunt never spoke of your parents much, but when she did, only insults were sourly spewed at your mother. Uncle Andrew married your aunt for a reason: he always joined in the fun, not forgetting to highlight how your mother’s skanky genes passed down to you, how you’d probably end up on highway, sucking all sorts of men off to make a living. But maybe that’s just what his always red, overly fed head fantasized about.

If only your parents didn’t get into that horrific car incident, maybe, just maybe, you wouldn’t feel so shitty about yourself.

<...>

After yet another family dinner without you, auntie and dear uncle sat you down, two of their beloved boys giggling in the background. Karen clears her throat and glances on her husband, both of them with tight smiles on their faces.

“So,” He starts, his usually narrowed eyes now not traveling down your body, but instead darting around the ground, TV and his wife. “Me… We,” he gestured to himself and the woman sitting right next to him, who had this creepily 'nice' look on her wrinkled and poorly maked-up face, so uncharacteristic of her nasty persona.

“Sweetheart, you know how we’ve been struggling financially,” the freshly bought Nintendo 64 winked at you from beside the TV screen (the one you weren’t allowed to touch) “We’ve decided, me and Andrew, that we aren’t able to feed three kids at once, and besides the boys are growing up: it’s almost a punishment to try to fit two young, growing gentlemen into one room!” She nervously laughed and looked over uncle Andrew’s smug face. He looked like a pig, you thought, tearing your stare away from his panting form. He lost his breath every time he merely spoke.

“Do you know what childhood’s home is?”

Your stomach dropped at those words. This couldn’t be happening. Hell, your craziest thought was them moving you into the pantry room, not giving you away for foster care. The last thing you remembered was your eyes watering pathetically.

In less than a week or so, came the final lunch. Cake and everything, fancy. Were they celebrating getting rid of you? You could tell by their glimmering faces and impatient squirming of the 7-year-old Jonny, sticking his tongue out to his brother Michael, who was 4. The ride to the ‘childhood’s home’ was long. What a stupid name for a place like this. You gripped your backpack with the little amount of trinkets you own (polaroid of Mom and Dad with newborn you; ‘Jane Eyre’ book alongside with your dearest diary; few old clothes and one pair of undies) when the seemingly… cozy building came to sight. It wasn’t quite big, red-bricked, 4 floor house that resembles library. You’d imagine it to look like prison. Paperwork, and here you are left alone. You didn’t love your Uncle’s family and yet you felt like you’ve been orphaned for the second time.

A kind lady, Ms. Brown, showed you around: it’s called a ‘group home’ as you found out later. Big kitchen, a living room and a lot of bedrooms, each for two or three. As she was showing you around you caught a glimpse of few kids around here. Some pre-teens, some looked almost your age. They seemed okay, at least at first sight.

“Here, baby, there is your floor.” The earlier mentioned old woman wrapped in a soft, grey shawl murmured. “Pick between these two rooms, 409 and 411. You tell me on the dinner which one you picked, alright? The dinner's at 6.30. Do not be late” She motions to the doors down the hall, speaking and suddenly her eyes soften further (if that’s possible) when a blonde, broad shouldered boy appears on the staircase, going up. Your gaze falls on him, greedily studying every inch of him. You were desperate to get at least the slightest grasp of how kids are here.

Well he isn’t exactly a kid. Maybe your age. The moment his soft, blue eyes settle on the caregiver and then you, your gaze adverts down almost immediately. His footsteps nearly silent, against the grey, endless rug as he approaches.

“Leon, here’s the new neighbor, please love and favor!"

A comforting laugh from Ms. Brown fills your ears as you glance up at him to find him looking back at you with sheepish grin on his face.

<...>

“So you just moved in today? What’s your room?” The boy, Leon, says, walking down the hall with you. He chuckles and glances at you again curiously, though not disrespectfully. “Don’t tell me 409.” That earns a curious hum from you, making you steal yet another look over his handsome features.

“W-Why?” Your mouth moves so fast, it’s pathetic.

Leon chuckles once again and you don’t miss the way his adam’s apple bobs when he gulps slightly. He has an awfully pale neck. That did something to you.

“Amanda lives there,” his voice drops to a low murmur as he explains. “She’s kind of a nympho.”

Giggling, you relax the grip on your backpack a little. His boyish grin makes your chest flutter (and you silently scold yourself for it). “Is she?”

“I’m pretty sure whole downtown been in Amanda” He snickers and stops by the door. 411. Is that his?

“So where you staying?” Leon’s curious eyes found you again, making you shrink. The question hanged in the air and you swallowed your spit down. “I.. um, I dunno yet.. I uh,”

“Stay with me. I don’t have a roommate.” He responded momentarily, his tone ever so calm.

“I-I can? Oh, I’m… Thank you, Leon.” The name rolled off your tongue so soft, it couldn’t get past Leon’s ears. Cute thing you are, newbie, he thought. Leon opened the door, extending his arm. “Ladies first.” A low cackle escaped his chest.

The room was fairly normal, two beds on each side of the room, table with two chairs and a large closet. Wasn’t exactly new but you weren’t complaining. The window was revealing quite a sight on the downtown part of the city.

You set your backpack down on the bed and sat down beside it, unzipping it. “’s all you have?” Leon snorts, making you pout subconsciously at the mean comment. “Don’t even have proper skirts or whatever you girls like.. lipsticks?” He smiles a bit sympathetic, his cocky side faltering for a second. “You still pretty though,” - he says and smiles dumbly, his own ears turning pink.

<...>

More snow, red cheeks, more laughter: here comes Christmas.

Globs of snow outside magically colored grey streets into a fairytale: blinding sunlight reflecting off of white large clumps, endless kids’ laughter outside and big, imperfect snowflakes carefully cut from paper welcoming anyone who steps into the place where children lived under one roof, learned together, played, fought and loved. They all were indeed a bit weird, a bit rough on edges, but still you somehow felt little happier than at the Uncle Andrew’s house.

Leon knocks on the door of your shared room like he always does, asking for a permission to enter. When he gets the affirmation, he comes in with the largest grin you’ve ever seen, flashing his pearly whites.

“What?” You couldn’t help but be infected by his smiling, raising up from the bed. His hands were hidden behind his back and your teeth sank into your lower lip in excitement.

“Close your eyes, dork” Leon coos and smiles, cheeks red from freezing weather outside. He hadn’t even taken his jacket or beanie off. Seeing your hesitance he whines, “Come on” - so, so adorable. You then comply playful, a shiver going down your spine at the anticipation. Few moments of rustling and he speaks again, a nervous waver in his voice as he asks you to look.

Your eyes flutter open, immediately landing upon a precious, beige & fluffy bunny plushy with long ears and pink fabric on the inner side. You drank in the imagine feeling of how soft this thing must be.

Your eyes darted from his masculine hands holding the sweet gift, up to his face. It almost made you giggle, how contrasting it was.

“Do you like it?” Leon asked after long silence, unusually timid and avoiding looking into your sparkly eyes.

“It’s for me..?” You whisper the rhetorical question, corners of your lips rising upwards. A beat, both of your eyes meet and you feel your stomach pool with warmth, head now feeling light. The baby blue eyes stare back at you, filled with uncertainty and self-doubt. After hesitating for a split second, you snatch the plushy from him (it is as soft as you supposed it was) and lean forward, capturing him in a heartfelt embrace.

Leon freezes for a moment, before utmost carefully placing his hands on your upper back, air suddenly thick with awkwardness. However, it slowly fades as you move your head to fit against his shoulder snuggly.

“I-It’s ‘lright..” He murmurs against your soft hair, feeling fuzzy inside as he inhales your scent.

You were brave, brave enough to pull back, step on your tippie toes and press a tiny peck his left cheek. Hardy a kiss; more a ghostly brush of your soft lips against his velvet skin. But it isn’t like that wasn’t enough to make Leon head over heels right then.

“Thank you, Leon.” You smile and after tearing your gaze away from his beautiful nose, you look in those blue flustered eyes once again, choosing not to talk about his suddenly pink face. He only grins in response, trying to collect himself. Moments pass before he picks you up by your sides, spinning you around, making you squeak loudly and grab onto his shoulders for support. You share the smile, laughter of both of you filling the room.