Are you scared of me?

Munching quietly on the grapes he’d taken from the fridge, Xue Yang eyed the boy. He was quite strange but he didn’t have any normalcy to go off of. His own mother isolated him, going so far as to lock him in the closet in the attic at times when she did have someone over. Like he was—

A grape burst in his hand as he hadn’t realized he’d closed his fist around it. Xue Yang stared at it for a long moment before wandering off back into the kitchen.

“We won’t have to run if they don’t find the body.” It seemed to make perfect sense to him.

Turning the sink faucet on he cleaned his hands, watching the dried blood chip away. Ah, right. They should probably get rid of their clothes for new ones. Maybe there were some upstairs? He’d gotten blood all over Wen Xun’s outfit, too..

Instead of waiting for Wen Xun to scold him further he disappeared up the steps, the sound of doors being opened following shortly after. Xue Yang was rummaging through things. As neatly as he could, at least.

Wen Xun felt a slight tremor run through him as Xue Yang burst a grape in his grip. Had he upset him? Was he going to need to scrap with him, or walk on eggshells, or…? What was he thinking, running off with a stranger?

He didn’t want to go back, though. He had made up his mind, and now he had to live with his choice. Besides, he shouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions. He would take things one day at a time, learn about Xue Yang, and treat him fairly and kindly. Any doubt or fear he had, he’d learn to navigate in a way that wouldn’t hurt him.

Wen Xun didn’t want to bring him pain.

He forced himself to sit up even though his legs hurt, tracking Xue Yang’s movement through the house so he wouldn’t lose sight of him in the dark. He didn’t want to be alone.

“Don’t kill anyone,” he closed his eyes and huffed. “Please. I just want a life that’s as free from stress as we can manage. Okay? I’ll never be able to sleep at peace if I know some innocent person is stuffed under the floorboards or something…”

Ah, he was talking to himself. Xue Yang had just blown him off and gone upstairs. Fine, so be it. He still wasn’t going to let him kill anyone, or harm them, or give them any reason to even know they were here at all. Whether it were juvie or his own home, he refused to be locked up.

Hugging his legs, he let his forehead rest against his knees. It didn’t seem like there was anyone running by outside, and Xue Yang wasn’t being loud enough doing whatever he was doing to alert anyone anyhow. He didn’t want to be alone, but he also didn’t want to risk upsetting the fragile balance of the night. They could get to know each other better come morning, right?

Besides, walking alone through the dark house didn’t feel safe at the moment. 

Even if Xue Yang wasn't like other kids, he wanted a friend.

Not hurting someone just because he had been told not to do so might be hard, though. He had no impulse control and always did what he wanted. Well, as much as his mother would let him before now. She wasn't in the way anymore.

Picking out some clean clothes, something caught his eye. Xue Yang silently moved over toward the shelf, picking up an action figure he had always wanted since catching a glimpse of it on the television. It was even more spectacular in person!

It was a figurine of a young boy from an animation he'd seen from time to time. His mother refused to get him anything he wanted, though. He never had toys.

Xue Yang hardly seemed worried about leaving fingerprints inside the home. As long as nothing attracted attention from the police to lead them there. So he casually opened up the fridge with a pensive frown, briefly letting go of Wen Xun’s hand to grab a snack or two for them both. “Here.” He murmured, offering a small box of grapes.

It seemed whoever kept the house up while the owner was away kept snacks here in case they got hungry during their daily work.

“.. Xun..” Xue Yang hummed his name, like he was biting into something sweeter than grapes.

He took the teen’s hand again, it seemed he liked physical touch in general, and brought him over to the livingroom. Xue Yang easily settled on the carpet between the couches and the coffee table, audibly sighing as his body felt heavy with exhaustion. Yet he did not yawn.

“If someone comes by we will hide. If they find us, I’ll deal with it.” His words were so cold, lacking any empathy towards the house worker. It’s how he had always been. More so over the years.

Wen Xun took the grapes rather gingerly, but ended up stuffing them in his mouth. He’d been too excited about his potential freedom to eat much dinner, so even though he felt a little nauseous, he was also hungry (a very odd sensation, he noted). He figured he shouldn’t let his blood sugar drop too low anyhow, and medication was always best taken with something in his stomach.

“Thank you,” he said softly, despite the fact they were definitely stealing. None of this was legal, and it was completely impulsive, but he wasn’t going to back out!

Despite the situation he found himself in, and the circumstances that had led to it, he felt his lips form into a smile at the sound of his own name on Xue Yang’s tongue. It was nice, to finally hear it from someone who wasn’t family.

Allowing himself to be led to the living room, he dropped down to the carpet as well, deflating as soon as his back came into contact with it. His legs burned, now that he had a moment to process everything, and his heart was beating so hard. Did they leave tracks on the beach? Why was this floor so comfortable?

He turned his head to look at Xue Yang as he mentioned ‘dealing with’ whoever came by. His face slightly contorted into a frown as he asked, “what do you mean by that?”

The way he’d spoken had been chilling!

A grape burst in his hand ass he hadn't realized he'd closed his fist around it. Xue Yang stared at it for a long moment before wandering off back inti the kitchen.

"We won't have to run if they don't find the body." It seemed to make perfect sense to him.

Turning the sink faucet on he cleaned his hands, watching the dried blood chip away. Ah, right. They should probably get rid of their clothes for new ones. Maybe there were some upstairs? He'd gotten blood all over Wen Xun's outfit, too..

Xue Yang had been checking his pockets but he hadn’t brought anything with him. And it didn’t seem like there was much around so when Wen Xun produced a key of all things, Xue Yang stared at him. How had he known where to find one..? He didn’t watch very many movies nor had he been able to go out.

Had his mother hid the key to the house like this too..? Thinking about her made something sore spring up in his chest. But instead of sadness he felt anger. Shaking it away he gingerly took the key from Wen Xun with the clean part of his sleeve. Wiping Wen Xun’s prints away the best he could.

“Do you know magic..? How’d you know..” He murmured, completely serious.

Xue Yang hurried to open up the door and pulled Wen Xun in, being sure not to directly touch the door knob. He didn’t want to leave anything on the door at least in case they used that strange UV light for whatever reason.

Hopefully no one would find out they were in here at all. After placing the key back, the door was shut and locked. The alarm didn’t go off, thankfully. Some folks set it to where they had to disarm it as soon as they walked in the door, too.

“Erm..” He began, looking around at the dark empty house. It was quieter in here. Taking Wen Xun’s hand he shuffled over toward the kitchen. “Hungry..”

Wen Xun’s eyes sparkled slightly as his cheeks turned darker in color. If only he knew magic! Then he would’ve never been imprisoned, or he’d at least be able to fly away from home, or maybe he would’ve been able to save his mother… It was nice that Xue Yang thought so, but, unfortunately, he didn’t think magic existed.

That hurt to come to terms with, as there was a time in which he really, truly believed it did.

“No, I just saw it in a movie. It was a shot in the dark, but I was right,” he offered a small smile. “The only thing is that, oh!”

Before he could finish his thought, he was dragged into the vacation home. He could barely take in his surroundings before the door was locked behind him, so he took a deep breath and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Would he be able to touch anything, or would it be too risky to leave fingerprints around?

“The only thing is that I think keys are left like that when the owners expect company,” he managed to finish, squeezing his hand around Xue Yang’s. He was surprised at how comfortable the other boy appeared to be with touch. “So maybe a cleaning person or an actual guest will swing around soon. What’ll we do then?”

Allowing himself to be guided into the dark kitchen, he glanced at the time displayed on the oven. 11:20. His father would be home in an hour. 

He couldn’t back out now, though. He didn’t want to go home. 

It was then he realized something that made him feel a little silly.

It seemed whoever kept the house up while the owner was away kept snacks here in case they got hungry during their daily work.

".. Xun.." Xue Yang hummed his name, like he was biting into something sweeter than grapes.

He took the teen's hand again, it seemed he liked physical touch in general, and brought him over to the livingroom. Xue Yang easily settled on the carpet between the couches and the coffee table, audibly sighing as his body felt heavy with exhaustion. Yet he did not yawn.

This boy just kept surprising him! Where Xue Yang had thought that he was going to walk away alone, and rightfully so, Wen Xun had eventually taken his hand. Not only that but he had started running and pulling him along! Xue Yang’s eyes blew open in surprise but he was quick to react by catching his balance.

Using his strength he ended up scooping Wen Xun up into his arms and booking it down the shoreline. He had spotted an empty beach house not far from here they could reside in for awhile. If they kept the lights off while the police searched for him then they would be fine. Or, he would be. They would most likely assume Xue Yang had taken a hostage and wanted to hurt him but that was far from the truth despite what he had done.

Running in sand was difficult and his legs burned but he clutched Wen Xun close so he wouldn’t drop the other boy. He could hear the static of walkie talkies behind him but getting further away. But night time was on his side.

The beach was dark and the ocean before them even darker even with the moon out it would be hard to see him running along the shores. If they had dogs out sniffing then this would be another story but he heard no barking. Maybe they hadn’t brought them out yet. Maybe it was good they had fallen into the water after all. The smell of salt water was pretty strong.

It took some time to get there but he reached the beach house a couple blocks down the beach line and placed Wen Xun down on the porch. It was a vacation home and it wasn’t in use. He could see a security system inside but that was only an issue if they used the front and back door.

“Hold on, and don’t touch the door, okay?” He shuffled around toward a window, peering at the clasp keeping the window locked. Something thin could probably be slipped in to move it..

Wen Xun had to stifle a squeal upon being lifted, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence. The great thing about running on sand was that it was hard to hear, especially with the ocean roaring nearby, so all that would really draw attention to themselves would be sounds from their own mouths.

He held on tightly to Xue Yang, surprised by his strength for a moment before remembering what he’d managed to do. His heart beat rapidly at the thought of it, so much so that he felt he might be sick. He was doing a terrible thing, running away with a murderer at the age of fifteen, but the thought of returning to his cage after tonight was too much to bear.

Besides, he felt like this lost soul needed him. Perhaps that was presumptuous of him, but for such a thing to happen on the one day he chose to escape… Xue Yang needed somebody, so why shouldn’t it be him? Why couldn’t it be? 

It was only then that he realized he hadn’t given his name. Or maybe he had, but he’d just forgotten… Either way, he’d bring it up when the danger was past; if that moment ever came.

The atmosphere was nothing short of eerie, with the sound of sirens and static in the distance being night-drowned out by the waves crashing against the shore. Both sky and sea were dark as can be, with the light of the moon only outlining their surroundings. He felt like he was in another world.

As he was set down on the porch, he immediately found it hard to sit still. His legs were wobbly and his vision was blurring, but he refused to buckle. Taking a deep breath, he did as he was told, yet poked around the space instead of simply standing in one place. He’d seen something like this in a movie, under a flower pot or doormat…

“Xue Yang,” he called out softly, holding up a small set of keys. “We can still go in through the window if you want, but.”

Had his mother hid the key to the house like this too..? Thinking about her made something sore spring up in his chest. But instead of sadness he felt anger. Shaking it away he gingerly took the key from Wen Xun with the clean part of his sleeve. Wiping Wen Xun's prints away the best he could.

"Do you know magic..? How'd you know.." He murmured, completely serious.

Xue Yang hurried to open up the door and pulled Wen Xun in, being sure not to directly touch the door knob. He didn't want to leave anything on the door at least in case they used that strange UV light for whatever reason.

Hopefully no one would find out they were in here at all. After placing the key back, the door was shut and locked. The alarm didn't go off, thankfully. Some folks set it to where they had to disarm it as soon as they walked in the door, too.

He wasn’t going to turn him in..? That was— wait, had this boy snuck out? It was getting late and he certainly didn’t see any guardian or parents around to come shoo him off so did that mean Wen Xun didn’t tell his parents he wasn’t here? If Xue Yang truely had other motives this would spell disaster for the poor boy. It was a good thing he didn’t.

But the shock of knowing this also lead to him falling forward over Wen Xun, soaking them both. The water turned red and even stained the boy’s clothes due to this because of the fresh blood on his shirt. Xue Yang caught himself before they could knock heads. That would’ve been painful. But due to their position he stared down intensely at Wen Xun, lifting a hand. Like with the crabs his touch was incredibly gentle.

Xue Yang wiped away the sand sticking to one of Wen Xun’s cheeks. “You’re clumsy.” He said. The sirens were getting closer. They must be searching the area.

Sitting up and standing he offered his hand again, more prepared this time. “If you’re not supposed to be here then do you want to come with me? I won't—” He frowned. “I won’t let myself hurt you.”

Wen Xun lay there, with his heart caught in his throat, as Xue Yang loomed over him, covering him in his mother’s blood. He felt the urge to cry more, the thought of someone’s blood staining him, no matter how horrible they’d been, proving to be a distressing one. He prayed the waves would wash it all away. Maybe they’d take him with.

He closed his eyes as he felt an impossibly soft touch brush sand off his cheek. Could this really be the same boy who had just shoved him away and told him to leave? Did he forgive him for his assumptions?

He couldn’t even argue and say that he’d stumbled because he was nervous. 

His hair must be covered in sand…

Feeling Xue Yang move off him, he opened his eyes to see him standing, hand outstretched anew. As he was about to reach for it, Xue Yang spoke again, and what he said next made time slow down.

It was an absolutely hare-brained suggestion. No one in their right mind would just ask a stranger to run away with them, but that was perhaps exactly why Wen Xun was considering it. Something about the honesty of the offer made his chest warm up; after all, he’d left the house looking for freedom and adventure, and, in a bizarre way, Xue Yang embodied both.

Wen Xun believed him when he said he wouldn’t hurt him. He’d had plenty of chances to do just that, but had instead told him to run away. One might think it was all just a plan to get him somewhere remote and dispose of him, but one, Wen Xun had already decided he’d die a free man, and two, the look in Xue Yang’s eyes was always genuine. He said things as they were. 

He thought about his suffocating father, who would surely be destroyed if he disappeared. He thought of his brothers, one who was never around and one who reminded him of how much of a burden he was every day. He thought of his medication, tucked away in his dress pocket, along with his switched-off phone. He thought of his sweet, darling mother, who told him to always stay with those who loved him. 

He took Xue Yang’s hand.

Using his strength he ended up scooping Wen Xun up into his arms and booking it down the shoreline. He had spotted an empty beach house not far from here they could reside in for awhile. If they kept the lights off while the police searched for him then they would be fine. Or, he would be. They would most likely assume Xue Yang had taken a hostage and wanted to hurt him but that was far from the truth despite what he had done.

Running in sand was difficult and his legs burned but he clutched Wen Xun close so he wouldn't drop the other boy. He could hear the static of walkie talkies behind him but getting further away. But night time was on his side.

The beach was dark and the ocean before them even darker even with the moon out it would be hard to see him running along the shores. If they had dogs out sniffing then this would be another story but he heard no barking. Maybe they hadn't brought them out yet. Maybe it was good they had fallen into the water after all. The smell of salt water was pretty strong.

It took some time to get there but he reached the beach house a couple blocks down the beach line and placed Wen Xun down on the porch. It was a vacation home and it wasn't in use. He could see a security system inside but that was only an issue if they used the front and back door.

Xue Yang had expected this. Not in this way perhaps but they all looked at him like he wasn’t human and treated him as such. He wasn’t.. that bad. Was he..? He had no proper interactions with people to be able to tell the difference in what was normal and what wasn’t. This was his first time out of the house in years and he only wanted to experience what it was like on the beach for awhile before he was caught by the police.

Stopping in his steps when Wen Xun called out to him, he hesitated before turning part way to face his direction. The boy was mostly soaked with sea water now and Xue Yang felt… he felt? It wasn’t guilt but more like displeasure with knowing he had made Wen Xun look so miserable.

This was stupid.

“Why’re you concerned..? I’m better off being caught for what I did. I don’t want to be but I’m not exactly human to you guys, am I?” He sounded harsh but it was because he was upset. That dead stare was back. “Or do you plan on following me? You can if you want but you’ll just stay scared of me.”

He really didn’t like Wen Xun huddled up like that. Scowling for a moment he allowed himself to walk back over and offer his hand out to him. No apology left his lips as he didn’t see the need to.

“… Xue Yang. In case you want to give them my name.”

Wen Xun knew the boy was probably right, that he might be better off being caught if he thought he was going to kill again, but that just didn’t seem right to him. According to what he’d said, he’d killed someone who kept him locked up and denied him the care he needed. In a way, he could make a case for self defense.

“I don’t know, I…” He covered his face and wiped away the tears spilling down his cheeks. This really wasn’t how he’d wanted this day to go. “I didn’t say that…” 

The only thing that could possibly make this moment worse would be for all this stress to trigger a seizure. He’d surely be left to die after making an ass of himself, and his father would find him here and be emotionally destroyed. Fortunately, he didn’t feel any of the few signs he got that one would start.

He shook his head and covered his face again. He wouldn’t follow. What was the point? He’d only anger and upset the boy further. This was most likely why he wasn’t allowed anywhere, he didn’t know how to act.

He stayed silent as the boy, Xue Yang, finally told him his name. Then, slowly, he lowered his hands, only to be met with one extended to him.  He looked up slowly and blinked a few tears away.

“I’m not going to turn you in,” he sniffled. “I’m not even supposed to be here.”

But the shock of knowing this also lead to him falling forward over Wen Xun, soaking them both. The water turned red and even stained the boy's clothes due to this because of the fresh blood on his shirt. Xue Yang caught himself before they could knock heads. That would've been painful. But due to their position he stared down intensely at Wen Xun, lifting a hand. Like with the crabs his touch was incredibly gentle.

Xue Yang wiped away the sand sticking to one of Wen Xun's cheeks. "You're clumsy." He said. The sirens were getting closer. They must be searching the area.

People killed others all the time, didn’t they? Or was it Wen Xun’s first time hearing about something like this? Whatever the reason, Xue Yang didn’t care. The crabs in his palms tickled and he started to let them crawl over his arm like before but then he was being shoved into the sand.

Xue Yang didn’t know what he felt first but they both showed on his face. Both shock and ire bubbled up within his being. The crabs fall back into the water while Xue Yang pushed Wen Xun away. Mostly out of instinct but also anger. He hadn’t even thought about hurting them!

Maybe it was because he felt so angry that his eyes swelled with tears but he pushed himself up hurriedly, moving away from Wen Xun. Usually he would’ve retaliated by choking the person but he just couldn’t bring himself to hurt this boy.

Why?

“I wasn’t going to..!” He shouted, showing proper emotion this time. “You’re scared of me, right? Go away..! You’re horrified but you already think I’m some kind of—” Xue Yang grimaced, hearing his mother echo the word he refused to say out loud. He refused to call himself a monster like she did even though he knew everyone thought so.

Instead, he turned to stalk further down the shoreline of the beach. “Forget it.”

It was more of a hug than a tackle on Wen Xun’s part, but his intent to bring the boy down was clear. He wasn’t the strongest person, certainly not stronger than someone who had been able to kill an adult woman, so he’d relied on the element of surprise. Well, relied was a bit of a strong word, as he’d mostly acted on instinct. The fleeting thought that the crabs might turn to mush had made him leap before he looked.

And now he’d hurt the boy’s feelings. If it hadn’t been obvious from the look in his eye, it was certainly obvious from the way he shouted. 

The shove had knocked him back on his ass, getting him wet with seawater and covered in sticking sand. That didn’t hurt nearly as much as knowing he’d made someone else feel bad. He’d not made any friends since he was little, and although he knew befriending this boy would be impossible, he still hadn’t meant for this encounter to go so badly.

“I’m sorry, I just thought…” He tried to explain. His own eyes were brimming with tears. “I didn’t mean…”

He had judged him unfairly, jumped to conclusions. To others, this might have made perfect sense, but he didn’t want to be someone who made others feel small by making assumptions. He should’ve listened, should’ve kept asking questions instead. 

Now it looked like he was going to be alone again. He rested his hands in his lap and hung his head, whimpering before he was able to stop the sound from leaving his mouth.

He shouldn’t have run away. 

But…

Stopping in his steps when Wen Xun called out to him, he hesitated before turning part way to face his direction. The boy was mostly soaked with sea water now and Xue Yang felt... he felt? It wasn't guilt but more like displeasure with knowing he had made Wen Xun look so miserable.

This was stupid.

"Why're you concerned..? I'm better off being caught for what I did. I don't want to be but I'm not exactly human to you guys, am I?" He sounded harsh but it was because he was upset. That dead stare was back. "Or do you plan on following me? You can if you want but you'll just stay scared of me."

He really didn't like Wen Xun huddled up like that. Scowling for a moment he allowed himself to walk back over and offer his hand out to him. No apology left his lips as he didn't see the need to.

“…” Wen Xun was still here crouched next to him. Was he not scared of who he was? This peeked Xue Yang’s curiosity but not enough for him to bring his attention back to Wen Xun completely. Instead he focused on trying to gently gather the crab in his hands, frowning a bit in concentration. The crab got away, though, so he started digging again.

It was then that he finally gathered enough thought to speak. “You’re pretty.. and I don’t like how scared you look like I do the others.” Xue Yang spoke truthfully, managing to catch not just one crab but two. He cradled them in his hands, watching them stumble over each other in his palms.

Crabs seemed so useless to him but he liked the way they looked. He had never seen them before and had no plans of hurting them. But to someone who had just met him after what he’d said surely they would think otherwise. But he didn’t care.

Everyone thought badly of him.

“You looked better when you were curious before I told you what I did. I don’t know..”

Wen Xun had been called pretty tentatively a few times by the few people his father allowed him to meet, but it had never really meant anything. They’d all initially thought he was a girl, anyhow. It felt different when this boy said it, even under these circumstances. It made him feel like it was an honest compliment, and not flattery.

Of course, this didn’t change the fact that this situation wasn’t the greatest. Did he mean to say he liked to see other people be scared? He wasn’t sure if he was grateful to be an exception to the rule.

“Of course I’m scared,” he figured he’d be honest, too. “I’ve never met someone who just… I mean, I didn’t know there were kids who killed their…”

Everything was coming out wrong. He wanted to kick himself for making things awkward, and for making this person, who he knew so little about, feel bad. Because he just knew he’d make the other feel bad, and that hurt. 

He was about to apologize when he saw what he’d been doing. When he’d walked up to him, the boy had been letting a crab walk over his arm, and hadn’t seemed to want to hurt it, but he couldn’t shake the worry that the boy was now in distress and might take it out on the small creatures.

He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him down onto the sand.

Xue Yang didn't know what he felt first but they both showed om his face. Both shock and ire bubbled up within his being. The crabs fall back into the water while Xue Yang pushed Wen Xun away. Mostly out of instinct but also anger. He hadn't even thiught about hurting them!

Maybe it was because he felt so angry that his eyes swelled with tears but he pushed himself up hurriedly, moving away from Wen Xun. Usually he would've retaliated by choking the person but he just couldn't bring himself to hurt this boy.

Why?

"I wasn't going to..!" He shouted, showing proper emotion this time. "You're scared of me, right? Go away..! You're horrified but you already think I'm some kind of—" Xue Yang grimaced, hearing his mother echo the word he refused to say out loud. He refused to call himself a monster like she did even though he knew everyone thought so.

That was strange. Seeing fear in this person’s eyes wasn’t as satisfying as everyone else he’d ever met. And he hadn’t met very many. This face was too brightly like for fear to look natural on his expression. Xue Yang frowned a tad though he was impressed the boy didn’t just dart off running. Or was he too scared to?

Of course he was scared now. Everyone was scared of him. No one— a flash of anger crossed over his face but he turned from Wen Xun, hunching further into the water. Maybe he could find another crab.

“No, she wasn’t.” He said bitterly, digging around in the sand of the shallow water. “Not to me. Wouldn’t even tell me why she hated me and kept me locked up. Wouldn’t take me to get help. All because I..” He paused, looking over at the boy but then away again. “It was a cat she owned. I killed it and she was horrified. Had every right to be but I was only five. I didn’t necessarily know at the time that meant something was wrong with me but she locked me away anyway.”

His words were a mumble by the time he finished. It wasn’t that he showed remorse for the cat either, he just knew it would further scare the boy next to him so he had hesitated for that one moment. Maybe he didn’t like fear in others as much as he thought. Or was it just this person?

“Go on, you’re scared, right?” Xue Yang motioned down the shoreline with a nod of his head. “There’s no point in chasing you. Too pretty.”

Of course he was too scared. Wen Xun was terrified, but at the same time, somewhere deep down, he was excited, too. He wasn’t about to run back to the comfort of the resort, since that meant being locked up again, only being able to go where his father told him to go, and with Wen Chao glued to his side. 

No, this, despite how scary it was, was far better than that. If he died here, so be it. At least he’d die free.

(He was fifteen and a little bit impressionable.)

Hearing that the woman hadn’t been kind was a small comfort. He still wasn’t entirely sure who he was dealing with here, but by the sounds of things, she hadn’t been kind to her son. For a moment, he wanted to reach out again and comfort the other boy when he heard he’d been locked up, just like him. He’d had fleeting thoughts of killing his custodians too, just for a taste of a proper life; he couldn’t judge. Not when he understood.

However, he did bristle slightly at the mention of an animal being killed. A five year old killing a cat was cause for concern, but why hadn’t the woman sought help? Why had she locked him away instead? That didn’t seem right at all. 

None of this did.

“Why did…” No, it wasn’t his business and the topic was making the boy uncomfortable, he could tell. He couldn’t even look him in the face! Wen Xun didn’t want to make him feel bad, either, especially when he’d seemingly already been through so much. Instead… “What do you mean by too pretty?”

This was asked in a quiet, wavering voice. He wasn’t going to run unless he was chased first.

It was then that he finally gathered enought thought to speak. "You're pretty.. and I don't like how scared you look like I do the others." Xue Yang spoke truthfully, managing to catch not just one crab but two. He cradled them in his hands, watching them stumble over each other in his palms.

Crabs seemed so useless to him but he liked the way they looked. He had never seen them before and had no plans of hurting them. But to someone who had just met him after what he'd said surely they would think otherwise. But he didn't care.

Everyone thought badly of him.

Xue Yang peered at him from the corner of his eyes, a bit surprised the boy crouched down next to him after he had shown signs of force. What a strange person. Not that he could speak considering who and how he himself was. Still, to not run off in a panic and seem so calm around him even if the boy was startled was kind of strange.

Most kids his age tended to avoid Xue Yang merely because of how he looked at people.

“…” Ah, there it was. The dreaded question. Xue Yang knew he wasn’t going to lie. That was one thing he didn’t do often. But that didn’t make him a saint by any means. Far from it.

Using a little more water and a dry part of his sleeve, a clean part, to wipe his face he turned to look at the boy again. Would he show fear in those big beautiful eyes if he told him? Xue Yang wanted to see it. “You’ll run off once you know.” He said, voice low.

“But if you’re that curious, I just killed my mother.” There was no remorse on his expression. Not for that woman who used to treat him sweetly until that single day.. And then it all changed. The tired look in his expression did increase, though. Like he was disappointed he ended up having to.

This didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it because he did. This was what was wrong with him. He enjoyed crushing things. Living things. But he still understood many things about morals and such. Internet access at home had at least helped him research his own quirks, trying to figure out why his mother shunned him so much.

Well, if the boy wanted to see fear in Wen Xun’s eyes, he certainly got his wish. He jolted in surprise, said eyes widening momentarily. It wasn’t that he hadn’t subconsciously expected a similar response, it was more that he didn’t expect it to be so forthright. His own mother, no less!?

He wasn’t sure how he knew it wasn’t a joke. He thought the look in the boy’s eye was far too serious for it to be, even though he wasn’t that much older-seeming than him. Just how strong was he to have killed a woman? Why had he done it, and why was he confessing to it?

“I…” Yeah, running away did sound tempting, but if he ran, wouldn’t he just be chased? “I thought maybe you’d… Been in an accident, not…”

He shook his head and wondered how much ground he could cover before being caught. But then again, did he really want to run? Would that be fair? He didn’t know the full story, maybe it was in self defense?

He just missed his own mother so much, it was difficult for him to envision anyone wanting to kill their own.

It was chilling, especially, because aside from that same tiredness, he couldn’t discern any way the boy felt about what he’d done. He didn’t seem affected in the slightest. Not in shock, not scared, nothing.

Wen Xun did wonder if he’d become a liability by being told. He also wondered why he couldn’t just keep his mouth shut. Why was his first day of freedom going like this?

It wasn’t that he resented the boy. He didn’t know him, and he still felt something pulling him towards him. He just…

Of course he was scared now. Everyone was scared of him. No one— a flash of anger crossed over his face but he turned from Wen Xun, hunching further into the water. Maybe he could find another crab.

"No, she wasn't." He said bitterly, digging around in the sand of the shallow water. "Not to me. Wouldn't even tell me why she hated me and kept me locked up. Wouldn't take me to get help. All because I.." He paused, looking over at the boy but then away again. "It was a cat she owned. I killed it and she was horrified. Had every right to be but I was only five. I didn't necessarily know at the time that meant something was wrong with me but she locked me away anyway."

His words were a mumble by the time he finished. It wasn't that he showed remorse for the cat either, he just knew it would further scare the boy next to him so he had hesitated for that one moment. Maybe he didn't like fear in others as much as he thought. Or was it just this person?

What was he to expect? Anything but what this person was doing. Approaching someone clearly covered in blood and using their own clothes to try and wipe him clean instead of questioning him about why he was here and in this state. Hell, Xue Yang had expected the boy to run off in a panic. Surprise clearly showed on his face and his hand instinctively snatched the boy’s hand.

Tight at first but then gentle when he realized the intent was harmless. He seemed to struggle with what to say at first so he opted to simply stare at him a little longer. Probably too long.

“.. You don’t have to.” He said, now looking down at his stained skirt. “You’ll ruin it.”

And with his mother’s blood no less. Not that he would outright say that. That would surely scare the boy off into running and finding the police. Actually, he could hear distant sirens further into the city where he had…

Xue Yang slowly turned away to kneel back down and try to scrub his face clean so the other didn’t have to ruin his clothes for him.

Wen Xun gasped as his hand was gripped, startled by the force used by the boy, up until he seemingly noticed he didn’t mean to be threatening. He stared back at him, big black eyes shimmering as he looked him up and down, expecting something, but not knowing what. His skirt was dropped in his surprise, pooling at his ankles anew as the waves lapped at the hems. 

Oblivious to the sirens, as he was too focused on the sound of his own heartbeat to even think to listen for them, he held his hand to his chest and held his breath as the other boy knelt down and washed at his face. 

He’d spoken. It was hard for him to pick up on the tone he was using, but he sounded tired. Whatever he’d gone through, Wen Xun imagined it must have taken a terrible toll on him.

“I don’t mind doing it,” he managed to force out after a while, crouching down to be level with the other. “What happened?”

Most kids his age tended to avoid Xue Yang merely because of how he looked at people.

"..." Ah, there it was. The dreaded question. Xue Yang knew he wasn't going to lie. That was one thing he didn't do often. But that didn't make him a saint by any means. Far from it.

Using a little more water and a dry part of his sleeve, a clean part, to wipe his face he turned to look at the boy again. Would he show fear in those big beautiful eyes if he told him? Xue Yang wanted to see it. "You'll run off once you know." He said, voice low.

"But if you're that curious, I just killed my mother." There was no remorse on his expression. Not for that woman who used to treat him sweetly until that single day.. And then it all changed. The tired look in his expression did increase, though. Like he was disappointed he ended up having to.

Xue Yang was sure he must’ve been a strange sight to see. Especially at night with nothing but the sun nearly set and street lights in the distance. Not a soul was on the beach. Which was perfect because this meant he could enjoy it by himself all he wanted to. His mother had never let him visit the ocean before.. Something so trivial just because—

His head snapped up, seeing movement from his peripheral. It seemed like he wasn’t alone after all on the beach.

Looking down at his shirt he frowned then looked back up at the other person. Xue Yang probably looked scary. And so what if he did? The teen tried to wipe his face clean with the back of his hand as he stood, the small crab plopping back into the water, but he only managed to smear it and make it more obvious.

The smell of iron was stronger now and it made his nose crinkle a little. He didn’t seem worried about being seen like this, though. Xue Yang merely glared at the boy with an unfeeling gaze, studying the bright features and curiosity of the other person. His face reminded him of the sun that would wake him up in the mornings. Maybe that was just because the last glows of daylight shined on him, though.

“…” He shifted his weight from leg to leg some. It sort of made him look anxious if it weren’t for his dead stare.

The fact the strange boy was trying to wipe his face of blood was enough for Wen Xun to stay here with him. He wasn’t sure why, but such a small gesture was enough to make him feel like whatever happened, the boy wasn’t looking for a fight. Even if his blank stare did unnerve him some, it wasn’t enough to drive him away. He wanted to know more. He wanted to know so much… 

Freedom meant everything that came with it.

It was a shame about the little crab hitting the water. He would’ve liked to get a better look at it… But the boy took priority now. The moon was rising higher, just as the sun began to disappear, and with the way the other was shifting his weight, he knew he shouldn’t just be standing there and staring. He probably seemed so incredibly rude right now…

Draping his hair over one shoulder, he stepped into the water, allowing it to cool his slowly aching legs. He leaned down, not stopping until the edge of his long skirt was wet. He was wearing a bathing suit underneath, so he didn’t mind lifting it and showing off his legs once it was sufficiently soaked with saltwater.

“Here,” he offered in a soft voice, dabbing the boy’s face with his skirt to try and get the blood to come off. 

Tight at first but then gentle when he realized the intent was harmless. He seemed to struggle with what to say at first so he opted to simply stare at him a little longer. Probably too long.

".. You don't have to." He said, now looking down at his stained skirt. "You'll ruin it."

And with his mother's blood no less. Not that he would outright say that. That would surely scare the boy off into running and finding the police. Actually, he could hear distant sirens further into the city where he had...

The ocean was considered incredibly beautiful despite how dangerous. In fact most people respected the waters for that reason and feared or even praised it. Xue Yang was envious. He shared those same dangerous qualities if the specks of blood on his shirt and cheeks were any indication but no one respected him. Why would they? He was just a teen who’d run from home after doing goodness knows what.

Well, the police knew. But that’s why Xue Yang was here, standing on the sands of the beach with bare feet at the water’s edge. The boy was knelt down, letting the salt water wash his hands clean of his deed. She hadn’t loved him. Instead choosing to lock him away from society and hardly feed him once she knew something wasn’t right with her child.

If she cared she would’ve sent him to that place where everyone wore white. Where they could help him. He’d read about it but didn’t care enough to seek it out himself. But that didn’t matter. Xue Yang decided to avoid the police and any foster home they wanted to take him to. Other kids would just give him the same look.

The legs of his pants were getting soaked but instead of bothering with it he focused on a small blue crab that scuttled just along the shore of the water. Xue Yang picked it up but did not crush it. Why would he? It was more fun to let the thing crawl over his hand and arm.

It made him smile. Just a little.

Running along the shoreline, he’d never felt so free. He’d let his hair back down once he was sufficiently far from the house, letting it billow behind him like a cape as he raced through the sand. It was going to be full of tangles whenever he got a moment to rest, but what did he care? He’d be able to smell the sea air in every brushed strand afterward…

Laughing breathlessly to himself, he nearly allowed himself a cartwheel, only to remember he wasn’t quite sure how to do it and was certain to land on his face. Would it matter, though? No one would see, and even if they did, he could just laugh it off! He was free for once, and his heart was beating so fast from the sheer excitement of escape that he felt like he could scream. 

He would’ve, too, if it weren’t for a sight on the horizon. As his running turned into a light jog, he could make out more and more of a figure standing hunched over in the waves, illuminated by the glow of the full moon. They looked to be standing still, unaffected by the water licking their legs, with their hand out. Were they holding something? 

Not wishing to alarm the person, Wen Xun went from jogging to simply walking, figuring he was far enough away from any potential pursuers to let his guard down a little. As he did, the person became more clear;

A boy, not much older than himself, if at all, with long, windswept hair and blood all over his shirt. Wen Xun would’ve believed it to just be a quirky design were it not also decorating the boy’s face.  Maybe it was a prank? Or maybe he was in shock, and that was why he was standing so still, allowing a little crab to crawl along his arm.

His head snapped up, seeing movement from his peripheral. It seemed like he wasn't alone after all on the beach.

Looking down at his shirt he frowned then looked back up at the other person. Xue Yang probably looked scary. And so what if he did? The teen tried to wipe his face clean with the back of his hand as he stood, the small crab plopping back into the water, but he only managed to smear it and make it more obvious.

The smell of iron was stronger now and it made his nose crinkle a little. He didn't seem worried about being seen like this, though. Xue Yang merely glared at the boy with an unfeeling gaze, studying the bright features and curiosity of the other person. His face reminded him of the sun that would wake him up in the mornings. Maybe that was just because the last glows of daylight shined on him, though.

Wen Ruohan hadn’t taken his family on vacation in years, and had purportedly only done so this time to lay low and avoid being in some hot water, as he often did by himself. This remote resort, located in a peaceful little beach town, was one of many getaways owned by his eldest, Wen Xu, and was a lush two-floor house with a swimming pool and a home cinema…

And his youngest was having none of it.

The moment his brother began to drunkenly flirt with someone over the phone, Wen Xun closed the door to the bedroom, turned on the shower, and slid the window open. He’d calculated the drop already; if he landed in the bushes, he should be fine. Sneaking past the guards should be an easy feat, as there were only two and they were by the front.

His father was having dinner with who cared who, and Wen Chao was probably already knee-deep in his intoxicated professions of undying love, so there really wasn’t a more perfect day to do this. 

With sparkling eyes and the ocean already in sight, Wen Xun held his breath and dropped off the balcony into the bush below.

“Ow,” he hissed, forgetting for a moment that bushes weren’t the softest of things! 

He was a bit tangled and scratched, but he managed to free himself without bringing much other harm to the poor plant. Then, after quickly looking around, he put his hair up and grinned, making a mad dash towards the beach.

By the time anyone checked the security footage, he’d either be back home, or too far to care. 

Well, the police knew. But that's why Xue Yang was here, standing on the sands of the beach with bare feet at the water's edge. The boy was knelt down, letting the salt water wash his hands clean of his deed. She hadn't loved him. Instead choosing to lock him away from society and hardly feed him once she knew something wasn't right with her child.

If she cared she would've sent him to that place where everyone wore white. Where they could help him. He'd read about it but didn't care enough to seek it out himself. But that didn't matter. Xue Yang decided to avoid the police and any foster home they wanted to take him to. Other kids would just give him the same look.

The legs of his pants were getting soaked but instead of bothering with it he focused on a small blue crab that scuttled just along the shore of the water. Xue Yang picked it up but did not crush it. Why would he? It was more fun to let the thing crawl over his hand and arm.