Lilly

"Those three milkshakes please." You hum as you point your finger against the menu of the travelling van. You toss the couple of coins into the hands of the vendor before taking a step back to let them do their work.

Tamsy found his way back into holding your hand - ensuring he found himself standing right between you and Enjin as you turn your head to look towards your friend. "We can wait for the milkshakes and then walk up towards the light house out back." You let out a hum.

"Sounds good to me." Enjin glances down the street. The different stalls set up all over the streets definitely made this place livelier than. The festival has been going on for hours by now, the light was slowly going away and would let the streets light up with the festival lights.

You wanted to get going to the light house for a better viewing for the fireworks, as it was going to be Enjin's first time experiencing this festival, you wanted to make sure he got the best experience possible.

Tamsy on the other hand couldn't care about the festival - he mainly goes because you have lots of fun at it. This year he planned to stay back, but those plans changed when you mentioned about hanging out with Enjin to Olive one day when she asked about it.

Tamsy glances towards the little teru teru bozo tied onto your belt, it makes him more and more annoyed every second he stares at it. So he glances back to the threaded bracelet around your wrist connected to the hand that held his.

He got matching bracelets with you too. It's more special that you matching with that dumb blonde-haired idiot. You didn't even get it at the same time as him so it's not even matching!

"Your order is ready!" The voice called as you reach to grab the drinks, letting go of Tamsy's hand much to his dismay. You take the three cold drinks before offering towards Enjin first who thanks you before taking the chocolate drink. You give the vanilla to Tamsy which he accepts happily from you - you always know his favourite flavour.

You ended up buying the three choices, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry since the guy at the stand was so adamant about none of you getting the same flavours. So you ended up with the strawberry drink in your hands. Whether you liked it or not, you would deal with it. You didn't want Tamsy or Enjin to get a drink they each didn't like.

You take a sip as the berry flavour fills your mouth, it wasn't overly sweet luckily - as sometimes they can be - it was decent enough for you to enjoy it.

So the three of you started to walk back, you would need to walk through the festival once again to reach the light house on the other side, and then go out of town to climb the hill up. Luckily you've come use to walking that distance.

As you start to walk, You glance over towards Tamsy who was taking sips of his drink slowly as he looks in the direction beside you - looking at Enjin who somehow slipped to stand at your side once again much to his dismay. "Tamsy." The boy looks up instantly at you when you call his name. You hold your drink towards him. "Want a sip?"

Tamsy nods his head a bit, he takes the drink from your hands, taking a sip of the sweeter drink before handing it back to you. "It's good..." He holds his drink to you. "Want a sip?"

You smile and not, taking a small sip from the vanilla, the most basic flavour some would say, but it was still good.

Tamsy took a sip of his drink once you finished to wash away the flavour of strawberry. Sweet drinks and foods aren't his favourite. He would much rather a bowl of noodles over anything sweet. Vanilla is the only real flavour he can somewhat deal with. But if you keep buying him sweet stuff, he'll eat or drink it, especially if you offer him some of your own sweet treats.

Though you didn't notice right away as Enjin bent to steal a sip of your drink the moment you went to take a sip of Tamsy's you turn your head to see him pulling away.

"I was going to offer it to you too!" You let out a laugh before pulling your drink away from him. "Now I won't." You tease a bit.

"How could you. You won't get any of mine." You grin at Enjin who chuckles, taking a sip of his drink. The moment he pulled away to comment back at you, you moved to grab his drink, taking a sip onto the straw to suck up a large amount of chocolate milkshake.

"Hey! You're drinking it all!" He pushes your head away from the drink as you swallow, laughing at his answer. "Don't be a theif"

You laugh a bit. "Aw You upset Enjin." You snicker a bit and hum. You see his hand reaching towards to grab your drink, which you hold your hand out as far as you could from him as he pushes closer to you, reaching for the milkshake in your hand.

Though your antics got cut off as you feel someone squeezing between the two of you.

"Don't steal [Name]'s milkshake!" Tamsy fumes a bit as his cheeks puff out like a chipmunk while his glare gave more of a kitten towards the oldest of the trio. "Go away!"

Enjin stares at Tamsy. As the little boy started to ramble off about getting close and being mean to you. He took his oppotunity of what seemed like a harmless prank and taking a sip of the boy's vanilla milkshake was infact not harmless.

"YOU INFECTED MY DRINK WITH YOUR STUPID GERMS!" Tamsy wailed a bit in Enjin's view as the boy gave a disgusted and horrified look the moment the guy bent down to take a sip of the drink.

"Tamsy... Your milkshake is fine-" "No it's not!" Tamsy huffs a bit - your patience and doting to the boy would not solve this issue at all. Tamsy's hatred for this man was much larger than his love of you in this very moment.

"You can have my milkshake? We can take the straws out too so you don't have to worry about germs." Tamsy shakes his head as he glares towards the drink in his hand a bit. "No. He touched your drink too. He could have backwashed. He's gross." The boy grimaces at the idea.

"I can hear you..." "Good!" Enjin stood there, he could imagine this kid would start punching and kicking the air on his back if possible like a turtle that can't turn around. Enjin tells himself this is why he wouldn't want kids - though this statement is very much forgotten later down in his life.

You glance at Enjin. "Can you hold this." You pass him your drink while you take Tamsy's vanilla from his hands. "Lets go get you another one Tamsy." You tell the spoiled brat- boy who takes your hand and nods.

Tamsy turns back and points at Enjin as you start to lead him away. "You stay away! I don't want your germs infecting us again!"

Enjin stands there and stares at you as you lead Tamsy back towards the vendor. He glances at the two drinks in his hands. Some people walk past him as he just stands and waits for you.

You would return back with a Tamsy who held a new drink in his hands who was glaring daggers right towards Enjin the moment he came into view.

Enjin glances at Tamsy before slowly pushing your drink up to his mouth taking a slow long sip - which annoys the boy even more.

"Get your grubby hands away from [Name]'s Drink!"

Yup. Tamsy seems to be the best form of birth control for Enjin.

The ride there was the least bumpiest part of the journey - and that was saying something when Enjin was constantly running over potholes and not slowing down whenever he turned. You were horribly sick after that ride, especially since you can't predict whenever Enjin made a turn or hit a hole.

"Ugh..." You hold onto the top of your new cane. Pressing down on it as you were trying to get your stomach to calm down and stop wanting to throw up everything you've eaten that day. You hear the door behind you push open before shutting as you've grown use to the smell of tobacco as Enjin gets to your side.

"You good?" He glances at you as your head turns in his direction, your expression said anything but fine. You slowly pull yourself up a bit as you take a deep breath. "I will be... We're here now, right?" You smile as you grip onto the cane in your hand, a bit tighter than when you were driving here.

Enjin  looks at you. "Yeah.. [Name], Welcome to Cleaner HQ." Though you couldn't see the building, you can only imagine if it looks at least somewhat cool. You hum a bit as you reach towards your side to where Enjin stood. "Lets get going then." Though you soon felt Enjin's hand move away from you. "Get going. It's just ahead of you." Enjin hums a bit as you stand there a but confused at his pull away. You reach for him again - which he held himself back from you.

"Hey." You huff a bit. "How Am I suppose to get there without you leading me." Enjin stares at you, knowing you can't exactly see him staring at the cane in your hand, he taps it. "Maybe your gift can be useful."

You blink as you remember the item in your hand. "Oh... right." You press your lips against each other as you have the cane on the ground.

It felt wrong in your hand, the sound and feeling was nothing you were use to... You've never used this in the two years of your blindness. Somewhere deep inside of you worries that it wasn't going to work, you're going to fall and hurt yourself. Tamsy would be right in telling you that you're too dependent on him, all these years and you can't use a cane. You press those feelings back as you take a deep breath,

You were hesitant as you grip onto the item in your hand, as you take a small step, the cane pushes forward, feeling the bumps along the road ahead that vibrate slightly, long enough for you to feel what was up ahead. Though after a couple of steps, the cane bumps into your leg, as you realise you weren't pushing it forward correctly so you move it again to hopefully move properly.

Your steps were small as the cane drags along the floor, it made a soft clunk, hitting something that laid on the ground before you, holding tighter onto the end you move it to the side to feel the ground once again as you take a step to the side before you finally hit a wall, or a pillar? you don't entirely know. Your hands move around to feel what you got to.

"Yeah you got it!" You can hear Enjin still far behind you before his footsteps reach up towards you, his arm resting against your shoulder as you get use to his smell once again. You turn your head in his direction. "Yeah... I managed to." You grip onto the cane a bit.

You wonder why you nor Tamsy thought to get this sooner. Maybe then he wouldn't have thought you were so dependent on him. "Though please let me grab onto you. I don't wanna run into anything when I'm inside." You plead a bit, you can focus on learning to use this cane later, just you don't want to make a fool of yourself. He chuckled as you feel his arm hook around your arm, you relax at the familiar feeling.

You hear a click and a slight door creak as Enjin opens the door. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the boss." He leads you inside with him as he closes the door. The place was weirdly quiet, something you barely have experienced, always filled with children chatter and screams in your home. This silent entrance was something off putting to you.

Enjin looks ahead, he notices right in front was the other new face - she had been around though officially joined to become the receptionist a day before he left. She was laid against the desk infront - seemingly happy to be placed right there.

And the person Enjin was looking for stood right at the side of the new receptionist. Corvus glances over towards Enjin as he stands at your side. "Enjin, I see you came back early."  Enjin smiles in the direction of his boss. "Yeah, we came back earlier today than I thought we would." He looks in your direction - which you can only assume his boss does the same to look at you.

"Ah- My name is [Name]  Saiserit." You held your hand out infront of you. "It's nice to meet you!"

A large hand holds onto yours with a bit of a firm grip as it gives your hand a good shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you [Name]. You can call me Arkha Corvus." You nod your head a bit and move your hand away once he lets go. With him being closer, you could smell a somewhat wood like smell, it was comforting in a way, it wasn't very intense, but enough to know he wears some good cologne.

"They're going to join the cleaners." You hear Enjin tell his boss right beside him. "Yeah, I want to join the cleaners... If you will allow me of course."

Corvus glances at you before humming. "It would be a pleasure to have you join us. Let us continue this conversation upstairs in my office." You just nod a bit as your hold on Enjin's arm to signal him to help you figure out where to go. Enjin helps lead you to the front where the woman seated looks towards Enjin.

"Welcome." You hear the woman's voice as you turn your head into the direction of the voice. "Hello! I'm [Name]. It's a pleasure to meet you." She glances at you as you smile in her direction. 

"Semiu." She hummed as she touches her glasses, glancing towards Enjin who was still hooked around your arm. "Semiu is our new receptionist. Her glasses are her vital instrument." Alright she wears glasses cool. "They amp up her kinetic vision, letting her see what people are made of."

"Oh really?" You hum a bit as you smile in her direction again - which you can only assume is infront of you. "Check me out! Tell me what I'm made of!" You move your hand to press against your chest, as if you make yourself boost up and more confident.

Semiu's eyes glowed as she stares at you, taking in the information about you before she shut her eyes, deactivating her abilities. "You have a great relationship with your own vital instrument. You are also flexible." "Mhm! I can do some acrobatics. The kids at my home use to teach me how to." You tell her, you feel your ego somewhat inflate at being told what you're good at. You can't help but be proud of who you are-

"Although physically you're weak." You deflate right after. You're weak?? You can pick up some of the kids still and you use to carry out a lot of stuff from polluted zones when you were a bit younger. How are you weak? "Your body is a lot weaker from what it seems to be long exposure to polluted zones." Ah crap. You could feel Enjin's gaze on you even if you couldn't see it. Hell, you could imagine Tamsy is doing the same all the way from the orphanage if he learnt about this. You started to sweat at realising what shit your younger self [and boss] caused to your body.

"We can't do much about that. Atleast not without a healer who knows how to heal your body's long exposure." Semiu pushes her glasses up, her eyes hover around the scarring of your eyes that poke out from your bandana. She learnt through her vision of you, that you can't see - even if the cane and blindfold didn't give it away already. She didn't mention it since both you and her know it's already something that gives you a disadvantage.

"... Well I'll still train and try to get stronger." You hum a bit. "I can focus on being acrobatic, my abilities don't require me to be close." You confirm. "After all, my vital instrument is all to do with movement and manipulating my opponent's movement." You comment to yourself, nodding a bit to what you think. "Then I don't need to worry about fighting if I just immobilize with my abilities." You can work with what you got. Your past mistakes of entering a polluted zone and a No Man's Land as a child won't hold you back now.

Enjin smiles in your direction before his hand moves to ruffle at your head. "That's the way to think about it. You go boo." You grin and reach up to grab his hand before your hand moves a bit to reach up to his head - copying his movement of ruffling his hair. "Yeah! I got this." Enjin could have stopped you from touching his head, but he let you as he eventually stopped and chuckles.

Semiu glances at the two of you. "You can get going to the boss's office. Enjin will show you the way." You nod your head a bit as you thank her, linking your arm once again with Enjin as he starts to lead you.

The walk was slow, but you manage to get up. Enjin pulls his arm away. "I'll wait out here til you get back." He nudges you a bit as you reach your hand out slowly towards the door. "Oh... okay.." You press your lips together for a moment and nod your head. You hold the cane in your free hand as you push against the door. As you feel the door open, you slip yourself through the opening between the door.

"Thank you for coming up here." Corvus smiles in your direction as you were feeling around the door before turning around in his direction. You press the cane onto the ground, moving it slowly forward before it knocks against something, your hand moves down to feel for the plush feeling, you assume its a seating of sort as you move your hand around on the arm rest before seating yourself down.

"Would you like some coffee?" He offers to you - which you shake your head.

"That would be nice but I'm going to have to say no. I can't really drink hot drinks, I don't want to spill on myself." You hum a bit. Even if you did take any hot drink - you always overfill with milk and sugar, the milk to cool it down and the sugar to make it sweeter.

"I got you a uniform." You perk up a bit. "Oh thank you." You hear a soft click against the table - assuming the buttons or zipper touched the table as you reach out, feeling for the fabric between your fingers before taking it and placing it onto your lap.

"So you are unable to see correct?" You jump a bit at hearing him, considering he wasn't downstairs to hear from Semiu about your analysis - nor was it ever actually mentioned. You did get surprised at the comment.

"Oh yeah. I'm blind." You hum a bit. "I lost my vision in an accident a couple years ago." "Sorry for that." You shake your head. "Don't be. My life has gotten a lot better since I became blind... If we ignore that I can't see shit- anything!" You correct yourself, with a quick sorry.

"You don't need to apologise for the swear words." You laugh a bit. "Still, its not something I should really do in front of people, sorry again." You hum a bit, your fingers fidgeting with the fabric between your fingers.

"My blindness is something I don't want to hold me back. I've made mistakes, and I want to grow from them. So I hope you can trust in me." The silence between the two of you did make you a bit nervous. Maybe you giving some sappy speech only works on children. Maybe he won't let you join the cleaners.

Though the chuckle calms you down a bit. "That's a mature view to have." Corvus hums as he takes a sip of his own cup of coffee. "I'm sure you will find yourself at home here in the Cleaners."

Your body straightens up, perking up at hearing those words.

"Welcome to the Cleaners, [Name]."

..

After your short meeting, Enjin would meet with you once again outside the office to give you a small tour. As much as you wanted him to help lead you. You were stuck using the unfamiliar cane. You bumped into so many walls by accident, or almost walked into someone.

"So there isn't that many of us if you include the givers and the supporters. But we all work around the clock to help where we can." Enjin glances at you as you were slow, he slowed his own pace to meet with you. He stayed at your side, if you desperately needed help, he would step in. But he knows you need to get use to the cane in your hands. So you don't feel the same dependency you had before.

Soon Enjin stopped, tapping on your back to get you to stop with him. "Right here is your room." He hums a bit as he looks at you. "My room is on the right if you need me."

You stand at the door, feeling for the door handle. "How am I suppose to know this is my room and not accidentally walk into someone else's." You hum and turn to him. Enjin glances at you before he thinks. "Oh wait." He reaches into his pocket to pull out the star puffed up stickers once again. You smell Enjin as heat radiates off his body as he moved closer to press something onto the door. You move your hand up to feel the sticker under your hand.

"There." You laugh a bit and smile. "Thanks Enjin." You hold the door handle before pushing it open. "I'm gonna go get some shut eye. I don't want to be tired for my first working day." You smile in his direction. "See ya."

Enjin looks at you. "Get some good sleep."

"You too." You shut the door behind you. You had no idea the layout of the room, but you push yourself against the left wall. You feel the wall before your side knocks into something, your feel around to touch a wooden desk, as you move your hand around to feel for the chair, you continued around before turning to the next wall and as you continue down, at the end was something that hit your leg, as you bend down to feel the softer material under your hands, you finally found the bed.

You sat down first before moving to lay down. Your bags of clothes were probably located in the room already - Enjin mentioned something earlier about someone going to help him grab your bags when you were eating earlier in the cafeteria.

The silence around here was weird. Everything felt so quiet, it was weird. Your shut your eyes. Nothing was familiar, Enjin would be the only thing you truly know.

Everything was diffferent that it makes you think about what you're missing. The children, Olive... Tamsy.. You wonder if Tamsy has gone to look for you now. Is he eating well? Could he be trying to reach you to talk now?

Those feelings make your stomach turn at the last interaction you had with the person who wanted to be your forever family. You move your hands up, pulling off the bandana around your eyes. You let out a soft sigh.

"Tamsy..." You open your eyes, the couple speckles of light in your damaged vision. You sigh softly. You start humming a soft tune to yourself - one that usually soothes and calms the babies and toddlers down to sleep. Maybe it can help you too tonight.

-----------------

Hope you've enjoyed! Also how everyone feeling after chapter 167.2? :,] I was not coping well til I realised what I could do with what was given in this book even if its not permanent haha.

Don't expect semi daily updates for the next couple of weeks, with exams coming up, I got to focus on finishing my final project, celebrate my birthday and studying my exams. So please be patient with me during this June period. 

- Lilly

"I'm going to join the Cleaners."

Tamsy - who was cleaning up after everyone had left the birthday party - dropped the cup in his hand at hearing those words come from your lips, his head whipped right over towards you. You couldn't see his expression of somewhat destress and annoyance at the mere idea of joining the group.

"What?" Tamsy had to hear those words come out of your lips again to fully understand what you were telling him. "I'm going to join the Cleaners." Those words repeated didn't help Tamsy feel any better.

You were silent in waiting for some sort of reaction from the boy. You have to admit, you saying this to Tamsy suddenly must be a shock. You yourself would have never thought you would leave this town - especially after losing your own sight.

"[Name]. Do you want to join the cleaners?" 

That sudden question makes you whip your head back around in the direction of Enjin's voice. You move your hand to point at yourself. "Me? Join the cleaners?" Enjin stares at you. "Yeah. My boss wouldn't mind, we need more people like you to help." You stare at him, you blink and continue to talk.

"I'm blind. I can't see shit." Your hands wave infront of your eyes to add onto that fact. "I struggle enough already finding my way around here. Going out constantly to defeat trash beasts in environments I can't see or predict on my own is bad news waiting to happen." Enjin listened to you before rebutting your claims. "Well you can see those threads-" "Only if that object, person or beast has anima in it. Other than that, i can't see things." "Still, you handled defeating those trash beasts now. And you won't be alone. You're part of a team."

"What about this town. They need protection." "And us as cleaners will come and help when they call." You press your lips against each other at the argument before coming up with a final point.

"I'll hold people back-" You add on before getting cut off right away.

Enjin looks at you. "Even without your sight, you won't hold anyone back. It's a chance for you to step out and help people." You glance in his direction. You press your lips together. Your life now was stable, simple and easy enough for you to navigate. 

You've come to accept your life wasn't going to be that much exciting since your loss of sight, the younger version of yourself two years ago was excited at the possibility of getting away and exploring the world when you first got told you could join the cleaners. After the incident, you knew to bury those thoughts away.

Though with this offer out on the table. The chance for you to go out and discover yourself was a hard thing to not want to do. The orphanage can function without you at it's side now, you've just come of age that you would have to leave the place you've called home for the last 8 years.

This would be the best chance for you to discover the world outside of this place. If you don't like it, you can always come back here, right? "If I end up not wanting to work as a cleaner anymore... Do I still have the option to leave?"

"Yes. Though I'm sure you will discover you'll find yourself welcome there." No other options felt as open as this one. You've chosen to live your life in benifiet of others, and going down this path will give you the freedom you wanted as a child, and still allow you to help people.

"Yeah... I'd love to join." 

"You can't join them!" You blink, not expecting that sudden lash out from Tamsy who moved right up to you, his hands gripping onto the fabric of your sleeves. You take a small step back at feeling him getting so close.

"Tamsy..." Your voice stays soft and calm to the best of your ability. "It's not a choice for you to decide on. I've chosen to do this myself." Tamsy's grip tightened against your sleeves as he stares at you. "But... that means you're going to leave me behind..."

"..." Your eyes squint a bit as your lips press against each other, letting out a soft sigh. "I know... And I know it's not something you, nor I would want... But I'll be gone for at most 3 years. I'll come visit when I am able to of course in those 3 year. But I want to take some time to discover everything the world can offer me." A softer smile rests on your face once again. "If I don't like it, I'll come back and everything will return back to normal, okay?"

"Why don't you just stay here and wait 3 years and then we can both go???" Tamsy brings up which you try to calm him down as you speak. "I can't stick around for 3 years doing nothing. I need to settle in and learn myself before we can both just drop everything and go..."

Tamsy was panicking now as you answered him. "Y-yeah but..." He couldn't come up with something as his tongue twists, preventing him from saying something to argue with right away.

Tamsy's eyes glances down at the teru teru bozo still against your jacket. "Was it his idea?" He brings up. "Is Enjin forcing you to do this? You can tell me." You shake your head. "No, It's all my choice. No one is forcing me." Your hand pulls out of his hold and you move to gently pat on his head.

Tamsy stares down, his breathing was shortening with each breath. You are going to leave him? What the hell? You say it's all your choice? You're lying to him. You must be... Enjin must be pulling the strings and forcing you into this right?? RIGHT?? 

You look at him with the confident expression, no matter what he said before was convicing you to drop everything... He looks up at you as he started to spout out words, in hopes it would convince you to not do it. "Y-you shouldn't go because... Because..." Suddenly words came out that he wouldn't have been able to take back.

"You can't even see!" The harshness in his voice caught you off guard, you were use to the occasional rude tone Tamsy made towards others, though you've never heard it this bad.

"You get lost all the time, you can't even walk around without help, how are you supposed to go out there and fight things?!"

Tamsy's hands grasp at your jacket collar, making you flinch for once at the boy's touch. "The only reason it even works now is because I'm there to help!" You stare at Tamsy, the blind fold dropping down to rest around your neck as Tamsy stares up at you.

He came to some senses right then as he sees the genuine fear settled in your eyes. Your eyes shaking as your breathing was uneven. As the boy's grip just loosened slightly, you pulled yourself away from his hold as Tamsy's eyes stare right at his hands. You take a deep breath, the insulting words hit harder than you would have wanted them to, maybe because it came from the one person who has been so caring and doting at your side these past two years.

Your lips open a moment before shutting as no words come out right away. You were still processing these words that came out. Though you have to try and force yourself to say something.

"I..." Your voice was hesitant, choking you as you try to force it out to comfort the boy in front of you - trying to use it to comfort yourself as well.

"...I was hoping you would have been more supportive..." Your voice shaking a bit as you move your hand to reach for the bandana around your neck, gripping it tightly in those moments. "... I feel a bit disappointed I upset you so much..." You let out a strained laugh as you push the bandana up your face once again.

"I'm... I.... Let's calm down okay? I'll head to my room and we can talk tomorrow before I leave.... kay?" You gave a small wave before turning the corner, leaving the boy in the room.

Tamsy didn't move as he stares down at his hands, his throat was closing up as his own vision blurs. What the hell did he just say to you. He felt vomit start coming up his throat as he goes to the kitchen, grabbing onto the trash can as all the food he ate earlier came up from his stomach.

He grips onto the container tightly as he tries to breath, though it felt like more vomit would come out as he was panicking. His hand now punching and dragging against the floor to try and get the feeling of your jacket out of his hands. He bashed his hands against the tiles over and over that some drops of blood comes out as he didn't stop.

He didn't know what came over him... now you hate him right? You must hate him... 

"It's your fault They are leaving" No it isn't... "They hate you now." You would never hate him right?

The voice continued on and on. Tamsy moves to push himself off of the trash can as he moves to shove himself out the door of the house as the rain pours down that night.

..

"You ready to get going?" Enjin calls out towards you as he was parked right out infront of the orphanage. Children clinging at your sides and arms as they call out their goodbyes. 

"Yeah I'm ready." You're just glad the bandana around your eyes covered up the eye bags and redness your eyes contained. Last night didn't go as you thought it would have. You barely slept, you didn't want to intrude on Tamsy this morning so you just hoped he would have atleast come out - though Olive said that he didn't.

Olive stood right by you as she placed the couple of bags of clothes you had packed up weeks ago in preparation of moving out. She glances at Enjin, staring up and down at all the tattoos, the piercings in his ear and leans over towards your side a bit more. "You sure you wanna go with this guy. He looks like a criminal."

You laugh a bit and nod your head. "I'm sure." You reach down to pat the heads of the children at your feet, ruffling their hair and smiles softly. "I'll come and visit. This isn't a goodbye forever." You tell them as a couple wail out and hug your legs. As you manage to get out of their holds, Enjin calls your name.

"Right before we leave, I got you something." You stare at him. "You didn't need to get me a birthday gift-" Suddenly something was shoved in your hold before you could get into this argument. You grab it, feeling the material against the palms of your hands. "What is this??" You reach as it was long enough to touch the ground from your hold.

"You'll figure it out." You could hear the hint of amusement as you feel it before realising. "You got me a cane?" You turn your head towards him. "Bingo." You shake your head a bit but feel it, you stop as you touch a small bump, it was shaped in a star, a little sticker, a second one right beside it.

"August and Eisha said you like stars. So August made a bunch of stickers for everyone to put on." Enjin took out the packet of stickers that were quickly taken from his hands as children start placing stars down on your new cane, scribbling out their names on the stars with their own name.

You move your hand to place it on a spot, keeping your hand there as stars were placed all around. "Why are you keeping your hand there?" Olive asks as she herself gets a star. You move your hand a bit. "To keep you and Tamsy a spot." You move your hand a bit to let Olive place her star in the upper part of the cane where your hand was placed. 

Tamsy... Enjin glances at you with mentioning the name. 

"Yeah... I'd love to join." You smile in Enjin's direction. This decision feels like the first ever selfish one you've made in a long time. Though your mind does drift towards thinking about someone else, someone who you know won't take this as well. "Tamsy..." You murmur his name and glance at Enjin. "Do you think Tamsy could join the Cleaners too?"

Enjin looks at you in that moment. Tamsy. Enjin hates to admit it, but he doesn't want the boy to come with. He has seen what the boy was like around you in the time he use to spend with you in the past - and he doesn't seem to have improved since then from the singular interaction he had when meeting you again.

"No he can't... He has to be of age to join the cleaners, even with a Vital instrument." He lied through his teeth. Enjin sees your expression dampen a bit, and he feels shitty for lying to you, he knows it's wrong to tell you something that would be disproven almost instantly later on... Though he feels like it would be the best decision for you right now. You and him need a moment away from each other. He can't help but realise the toxic dependency you seem to have with him, that you can't go around without the kid at your side. Hell you don't even have a cane or something.

He knows what he is doing is wrong in lying. But he hopes that it will make both of you become better.

"Enjin! You gotta put a star on too." You grin in his direction as you tap the area you covered up. Enough to fit two stars right beside the one that Olive placed. One for him and the other for Tamsy.

"Where is that two-toned kid." Enjin moves to take a sticker, pressing it down onto the cane before using the pen given to him. "The one that doesn't leave your side. Tamsin? Tammy?"

"Oh Tamsy..." You seemed to dampen a bit as you glance at the house. "He and I got into a bit of a squabble last night... I was hoping he would calm down and come to say goodbye..." You glance and hope to hear the voice of Tamsy. "But it seems he still feels upset with me... Which is understandable." You laugh softly, yet there wasn't a hint of humour in it. "We can get going... Olive, can you tell Tamsy I say goodbye and that I'll miss him."

With your final words, you would get helped into the car, seatbelt buckled up as your window was down as the final cheers of goodbye yell out as the car starts to leave...  

While you were disappearing off from his life, Tamsy stood on the edge of a hill, glancing over the polluted zone in front of him. He didn't want, no he couldn't see you go. His hands pulling against the fabrics of his shirt as his own voice was telling him off.

You didn't want him around you anymore. He failed at protecting you. He stands off the edge as he stares down, one more step and he could meet the ground after a minute of falling. Though he hears a noise.

His head looks up as he sees trash raining down onto the ground. The sphere is dropping it's trash down once again... The sphere.

He wanted to go back up there didn't he? You being so much in his life made him forget that this was the original plan, to get back up there. Those 5 years went by with you that it only occurred to him now that he could have been still living up there. The thoughts of reaching up there, maybe getting back up there, out of your life could be a better choice.

You hate him right now.... maybe it would be better if he got back up there instead.

This was the first time, he sprouted those wings, full of Anima and his intense depressive feelings of getting away. He took a step off the edge as the wings flapped out, he was going to reach up to the sphere, then you won't have to deal with him anymore. The constant rain down of trash was what Tamsy dodges with ease as he goes up.

He goes past the clouds as he glances out. He stares right at it. He can't explain it out, yet that laid right at the border between the two places. As he reaches up, his wings flap as he goes up.

He can't fail here, the only thing he cared about down on the ground now dispises him. He uses his hands to cover his face from the sun as the wings flap harder and harder. He has to get further up. He glances towards the thing once more... It disappeared. He was past the border in that moment. The flight was easier as he continues up, before his body collapses right down onto the sphere, not caring the dirt and muck soaks into his clothes.

The flight up took so much energy away from him as he takes multiple deep breaths as the wings fall away, so does his ability to use his vital instrument does. He looks ahead as the place was so similar to the side of the wall, he only remembered going into once.

The metal houses look thrown together and struggling to stand up. Tamsy pushes himself off the ground, hoping the dirt won't continue to soak into his clothes as he takes a couple of steps around the place. He glances around as children run across into their homes, adults talking and whispering about who knows what.

Tamsy could only think back to the ground and how this place felt similar even if a bit cleaner. You being there made living in this type of filth so much better. Though he would be returning back to the otherside of the wall where it was clean and better. He starts to walk before stopping, as he sees someone not too far off down the alleyway. Tamsy presses his back against the wall before poking his head out.

The older male was crouched down to a boy, someone no older than 7 that was crying. The boy had white hair that faded to black while the guy had a blue toned black hair. The adult was talking, yet Tamsy couldn't hear what the older man was saying. It wasn't due to distance, it was due to something else that caught his eyes.

The black type of scarring on the boy's hands caught Tamsy's attention first - causing his breath to stop. Memories of that same pattern floods his mind in that moment as he watches the older man pull out a set of gloves, putting them onto the boy's hands.

The bulky gloves were the second thing that caught Tamsy's attention, the same way that scarring did. Memories that reminded him of something he wanted, what he admired and hated...  Tamsy stands and watches the moment, focused entirely on what the little boy was doing.

The little boy that Tamsy feels connected to - was in a way, a weird similar feeling he has towards you. Some connection he wants to have or something he wants to happen in relation to either of you. A smile rests against the teen's face as he stares and watches the little boy get taken care off by the man with those gloves. This starts to let his mind wander off as he smiles at the thought of the boy and you....

...This event begins the Act of Love Tamsy obsesses over

-----------------

Yeah so... Tamsy isn't gonna be around much next act for a while... He will come back dw! Let me cook with this or smth like that haha. 

"I want to take a day off."

The 20-year-old left his boss's office after getting permission for the next two days off. He stretched a bit as he was getting a long overdue day off in a while.

Two years ago he had joined the cleaners as a supporter before ending up through the first year getting his treasured umbrella turning into his vital instrument. All those years of caring and keeping the item ended up being worth it - even though he cared about it even if it were to not become a vital instrument.

Those two years flew by before he knew it. Enjin was part of the Cleaners - a vital member currently with the possibility of making his own team further down the line if he continued his work. He got along with most of the other cleaners and supporters. He felt like he was in the right place now. 

He went and got tattoos to cover up his past ones on his arms by a new connection he made - a guy named Gob, a different vital instrument user who works in Canvas town. He was able to cover up the tattoos Enjin wanted nothing to do with anymore. He put his past self behind him now and forever. He is fully becoming a person he wanted to be.

Though one thing never left him since he became a cleaner.

[Name] Saiserit, someone who he came to care about throughout the two years he knew them.

A promise to come back and visit you once you turned 18, in giving you a chance to escape the hell hole of your work with the human traffickers and have a chance with a better life in the cleaners - like he does now. In the last few days, its been a slow painful wait til he could go and ask for his day off.

He remembered your birthday from the one time that he managed to celebrate it with you - and the rest of the children within the orphanage. So he made sure to take your birthday and the day after off. He wanted to let you celebrate and enjoy your time with the family you've created over the last years you seemed so happy to have made and then the day after asking you the question. As you did mention that you would be forced out of the house at the age of 18 - so it would be best to go as soon as possible.

"Do you need a lift?" One of the people calls out to Enjin who turns his head towards the guy, a couple of years older than him maybe two at most. "Nah. I got my license recently. You don't need to drive me around now." Enjin tells him before he gets ready to go out.  

He goes out to grab a car, slipping into the driver's seat as he fixes everything to be comfortable before turning the key to start the car. He couldn't think what would be a good gift to give you, especially after two years of not being around you. He presses back into his seat slightly as he turns down the street, it would take him an hour? maybe two to finally get to you.

His fingers tap against the steering wheel as he drove down the silent roads with only the sound of music to fill his head to eventually reach his destination. What if you didn't want to come back with him? That thought ran through his mind in that moment, some part of him was worried at the idea you wouldn't end up coming with him and possibly forgot about him in the last two years.

Then again, he would accept that and move on - obviously still coming to visit you and make sure everything was fine. Though he would feel somewhat upset if you choose to not go with him.

Though something made his thoughts stop as his car had to come to an emergency hault. He slammed down on the breaks, pulling the hand break up in the process as he sees a couple of trash beasts not too far off, they were all hovering around the fencing that would separate the polluted zone from the safe zones.

"Trash beasts..." Enjin murmurs to himself as he unclasps the seatbelt to get out of the car after swiftly switching it off. He reaches to grab his umbrella from the passenger seat as he moves swiftly, letting the object he cares deeply about shift into it's different form as he approaches the fencing.

He got closer to see two figures standing infront of it - with a couple standing back behind them, the two that seemed somewhat familiar to him. The one of the bystanders turns his head to look back slightly to see Enjin's figure approaching. "You coming to see the show stranger?" 

"Show?" Enjin was moving to step in, though the people in front of him didn't seem to budge in letting him slip through the crowd. As he forces himself through near the front, that's when he stopped for a moment at seeing the two that were standing infront. In particular one of them caught his eye more than the other. The familiar hair colour and figure that's back faced him.

"...[Name]?"

"Vital instrument. Moirai." Your voice calls out, as the glow of color surrounds your head Your hand reaching to push the bandana down to your neck as you stretch upward, focused a head of you.

"Vital instrument. Tokushin." The boy beside you held his hand out as the wooden distaff transforms, larger and stood tall above him that the boy reaches to hold it with both his hands to hold it slightly sideways in his two hands. Your head glances towards his direction in a moment. "Ready." The boy nods as a response before you focus back on the beasts upahead

The trash beasts roar against the fencing as people stand behind cheering out for the two figures infront. As the fencing crashes open, breaking apart as a two beasts rush through instantly. You were the first one to make a move as the beast approaches you.

"Hey-" As Enjin tries to push through to step him. He stops as he sees the beast didn't touch you, your hands seemingly forced it aside as it crashes it's head into the rocks beside you. As it recovers from the attack, you move faster to get out the way before your hands moves, gripping onto something he can't see in your hand as you swing around the body before pulling something as you stand back, it seemed to cause pain towards the trash beast as it thrashes on the ground before it somehow starts to disintegrate as if you killed it.

Enjin stares at you in a shock as you managed to kill of the trash beast that looked like with only your bare hands.

"I got the other one." Enjin's eyes glance over towards the two-toned hair boy that had rope tied from pole to rock to fence to hold the beast steady.

"Great. Good work Tamsy." You started to walk over as your hand moves out, reaching to touch a shoulder before it slowly moved up to ruffle the hair ontop of the boy's head - who seemed happy at the praise. Your hands moved to copy the same movement as before, grabbing onto something as the beast attempts to swing it's head in your direction. 'Tamsy' held his hands out for your boot to step on as he pushes you up as a boost to hop over the beast before pulling on the invisible item, letting the beast disintegrate.

"You guys are awesome!" "Woo! Lets go guys! Food's on me!" The small crowd cheers out as the glow disappears off of you as your head turns towards the crowd with a smile, but that's the first time Enjin noticed it...

The large scarring around your eyes as you move to place back the bandana around your eyes. As the crowd was slowly dispursing - the children in the crowd starting to go towards you and happily cheer and chirp at you. Enjin could finally get through as he started to approach you.

"hey-" Though soon the large distaff was held in front of him as the boy that worked with you stood in front of him, his eyes giving him the same glare he use to had gotten almost two years ago from this kid when he use to live here. 

"Stay back. They are blind, so you shouldn't get in their path." Enjin stares at this kid - who's glare has gotten surprising scarier in the last two years even if it didn't affect Enjin. Though what did stick was the fact he just said you weren't able to see... Is that to do with the scars on your face?

"I just want to talk with them. We've met before." Tamsy stares at Enjin. How does this guy not get about him telling him to go away. "I've never seen you before" He lies through his teeth. He kept his weapon out to keep Enjin from walking forward.

"Tamsy?" Your voice calls out as Tamsy looks over. He changes his vital instrument back to normal, stuffing it away before going towards you. "Let's get going." He tells you. You smile and nod at him a bit as you look down towards where the children were still clinging onto your legs. "We need to get going. I'll see you all back at home."

You reach down to pat their heads as a couple of 'aws' and 'boo's came out as they started to let you go. You smile a bit as you turn towards Tamsy, though the sudden smell of tobbacco fills your nose as you move to cover your nose, you felt a hand on your shoulder - causing you to jump and pull back.

"I said to leave them alone. What do you creeps not get about that." You can hear the annoyance in Tamsy's tone as you get pulled a bit to the side by him. You stumble a bit on your spot before you get a quick sorry from Tamsy.

You are a bit annoyed that someone snuck up to you, then again, you did smell them so that could have been a warning, but still. You don't want to try and predict when people are coming up to you or just walking by.

"[Name]?" You stop as you hear that familiar voice, sure it's a bit deeper, but still recognizable to you as you whip your head around in the direction of the voice.

"...Enjin?" Enjin's shoulders relax at seeing you recognised him by his voice. With that worry gone he continued to speak "Yeah. Surprised to see- hear me..." You laugh a bit at the swapped words as you nod your head a bit.

"Yeah, its nice to hear from you again." You gently nudge Tamsy's side. "Why didn't you tell me Enjin is here." Tamsy looks away from you as he spoke. "... I didn't recognize him."

"Oh wow. Did he change his appearance drastically?" You ask, though get no answer from Tamsy before looking in the direction Enjin was. "What are you doing here. How has everything been? We should definetly hang out again!" You press your hands together as you smile at him happily.

"Definetly, we should get something to eat." He glances back at the car he drove over. "I need to go put the car in the parking area." You nod a bit and smile. "Cool beans. We can meet in town."

With you and Tamsy departing ways from Enjin for now, Tamsy held your hand somewhat tightly as he glances towards you. You were humming happily as usual, though he could notice the slightest change in your demenor was a lot happier and excited. His own hand grips on yours tighter as you both walk in mostly slience back towards your home.

You were happy, after the two years of disappearance from your life, Enjin still seems to have a good life, maybe even better than you think. It felt like a perfect birthday gift to you, knowing your friend was perfectly okay after so long. You finally come to a stop as you hear Tamsy push the door open.

Your life has improved drastically over the last couple of months as well. With the old caretaker now out of the house after finding a replacement you felt comfortable enough with. Everything started to change around the place. Every child started to pick up chores to keep the place cleaned up and cared for.

The new caretaker was active and took over all the work that he could - even if he was still slowly settling into the role. He did all the shopping and made sure fights didn't occur around - which takes of a load from your shoulders atleast.

"[Name]! Tamsy!" A voice calls out, a slight wail. "Don't come in! Go out [Name]! You'll ruin the surprise party!" You blink as you feel a set of hands trying to push you away.

"Surprise party?" Your voice slightly amused as the kid gasps at realising they let it slip out. Tamsy sighs beside you. " You know they can't see the decorations... right? You just had to act normal." You let out a small laugh before reaching down to eventually touch the kid's head. "I'll say nothing. I'll pretend to be surprised."

"Mhm... good." You hear a huff come out that you could only imagine is so cute on the little guy. You laugh once again before someone else steps in.

"[Name]? You came back early." Olive calls out as she glances between you, Tamsy and the little kid at your feet. She glances towards you as you speak again. "I'm going out again, don't worry. The surprise party hasn't been spoiled yet." The kid wails at you saying that. Olive shakes her head and laughs a bit.

"Alright." She turns her head towards the boy at your side. "Tamsy, you're needed in the kitchen." Tamsy's shoulders slouch at being taken away from you. "But I was going to go with [Name] out-"

"You don't need to." You interrupt Tamsy and hum. "I know you don't like Enjin at all. So I can hang out with him on my own." Tamsy stares at you, you aren't wrong. He hates that guy entirely. Though it was because he kept hanging out with you at all times, so you saying to let you go to hang out with Enjin alone was increasing his distaste for the guy.

"Good!" Tamsy felt a set of arms grab around his arm as Olive found herself right beside him. "Huh?!" He suddenly got pulled away from your side as your hand slips out from his hold. "Get dressed and get moving!" Olive tells you as her grip on Tamsy tightens, starting to pull him away.

"Huh?! Hey! Let go! I need to take [Name]! I can't leave them alone with him!" You hear Tamsy shout out as he gets dragged off from you. You laugh a bit before going up the stairs, your hand presses against the wall as you eventually feel a thin rope that you pull down as the ladder drops down for you to climb up to the attic. 

You move towards the closet that contains your clothes, taking off your working set, you change into the first outfit set out - Olive had organized your closet into outfits so you don't need to worry about what each outfit is.

You slip on the outfit, fixing up the jacket a bit before you close the closet. Your hands move to touch the wall right beside the closet. Your room had changed since the new caretaker came, it got improved and more children came up to paint against the walls. You feel the bumps from the layered paint as you smile a bit. You wouldn't want to change anything about your room. You move your hand down to reach for the night stand in your room, feeling for the little teru teru bozo that you have on your side table. You smile a bit as you move to tie it in the button hole of your jacket.

You move to head back down before you poke your head in the kitchen, smelling the food and desserts that were getting baked. "I'm going!" You call out. Tamsy glances back, he notices your outfit before his eyes lower to see the little teru teru bozo tied to your jacket. He attempted to throw it away, though you ended up searching for hours to find it that he eventually gave it back - without you knowing he took it.

He glares towards the inanimate object before Olive pops into the conversation. "You look great! Now get going! Don't let your friend wait on you!" Tamsy looks at you.

"I can walk you down to the-" "You aren't getting out of kitchen duty, pretty boy." You laugh a bit at Olive before giving a wave. "I'll be fine. See you later. I'll be back for dinner."

Tamsy watches you as you leave. He gets a weird, twisted feeling in his stomach. He already doesn't like Enjin, you're hanging around him now without him around to watch over that Enjin doesn't do anything to you. Enjin disappeared and last he checked, Enjin went to become a cleaner. 

The cleaners being a group of givers that 'clean up' trash beasts all over. They are constantly travelling around and putting themselves in danger to kill off trash beasts to protect others. Ugh. Tamsy could never imagine himself being a part of a group like that. The only reason now he puts himself in danger with defeating trash beasts is because you are with him and it's what you want to do.

He likes his life, you and him working together, its just the two of you with your vital instruments. He can always make sure you're safe at his side, and you can't go off too far from him. You and him in this town that are in desperate need of protection by the two of you. He wouldn't want it any other way. Even now that you're aging out of the orphanage, you will still live here and work with him in protecting the town, atleast he believes you would. You've always had a good heart, something that Tamsy loves about you, this job lets you still protect people and be close to him.

He doesn't want to doubt that you would want to stay here and protect the town. Though a part of him worries, what if you choose to become a cleaner? You would be constantly out and in danger where Tamsy may not see you. It could result in something happening to you, such as it did two years ago when you lost your sight... You could die if you wander off to far from him...

Tamsy shakes himself out of those thoughts, pushing back the voice in his mind. You wouldn't become a cleaner and leave him. Though that ugly feeling didn't go away.

...

"Enjin!" You smile as you call out in the crowd. You stopped at the last area you could fully remember how to get to - right before the busy streets of stores and restaurants.

You were waiting for an answer from the guy as you stood where you hoped he could see you. You didn't end up specifying really where to meet up, so you're hoping that he could atleast hear you. The smell of tobbacco fills your nose as a voice behind you comments. "Yo." You turn around to face the guy - atleast you hope you are. As you smile at him.

"You really shouldn't sneak up behind people like that. You're lucky I can smell you..." You reach out to grab his arm.. "We should go check out the market. Maybe we can find a treasure or something." You happily hummed as you hold onto his arm. Enjin watches you as you cling onto him, as if waiting for him to lead you both that way. You come to that realisation.

"Ah... The market should be ahead... and I think the second left turn?" You try to remember the directions. Enjin nods a bit and starts to lead you with him, he watches you take smallish steps as you go along with him. 

"Man, you really can't see." You glance up towards him at the comment. You laugh a bit before looking away, back forward in the moment. "Yeah I am. Sorry, I must have not mentioned it earlier."

"When did that happen?" You hum a bit thinking back on when it happened, it feels so long ago now. "Mhm, like a couple of weeks after you left?"

"For real?!" The guy a gape at hearing you lost your eyesight pretty much right after he left. You nod a bit and hum. "I was out working and got attacked by a trash beast. Then I got acid or something in my eyes and I ended up losing my sight from that."

"Damn." Enjin stares at you, you didn't seem too affected by that fact, by your tone of voice, you don't sound annoyed or blame someone for the events that occurred to you. You're just living your life with how it is. Enjin does wonder what if his younger self stayed longer, would he have stopped the trash beast from removing your vision?

"As tragic as the event may sound, it did make my life better." You hum softly. "I got to rebuild my orphanage again from the ground up, this time ensuring it can run without me when I age out. We got a new caretaker too and he is really nice." You smile a bit, everything you've done since losing your eyes. You can't help but feel some bit thankful for your loss of sight. It let you see the holes and mistakes you've made and give you a change to fix it.

You start hearing louder chatter among people as you perk up a bit. "We're close to the market." You grin as the two of you walked together, each stall you stopped at, you got to feel and ask about the different things you grabbed.

Enjin watches you as you went from each stall, chatting to the owners happily as you discover what you're grabbing and touching. He did end up getting a couple of questions thrown his way at his appearance at your side. "Who are you? Where is that Tamsy boy?" or "Are you [Name]'s boyfriend?" Which he swiftly debunked before anything could be taken out of context.

After walking around the stalls for a while, you bought him and yourself a crepe each with toppings of each of your choices. You take a bite and hum happily at the taste. "Mhm, sorry we can't stop and sit somewhere to eat.. Olive will kill me if I'm full for my birthday dinner." You hum a bit before stopping realising you told him that it was your birthday.

"Oh yeah, Happy birthday." Enjin comments beside you as he took a bite of his own food. "I should've found you a gift at the market."

"Don't worry about it!" You hastily told him, waving your hands to catch his attention. "Spending time with you is a gift enough. Especially since I haven't seen you in so long." You let out a sigh as you took a bite of your food. "Ish shouldn't be that important for you to get a gift or anything."

Enjin stares at you as you were eating your food. You swallow it, finishing your own food. "Changing topics! I want to know, what's it like being a cleaner? Do you guys go out everyday to clean toilets or something?" Your joking tone was obvious as it got a chuckle out of Enjin.

"We get called and sent out all over to clean up trash beasts with our vital instruments." He hums a bit, his hand tapping on the top of his umbrella. You grin a bit. "That's so cool. Getting to explore all over and help people." You glance down a bit, you're glad that you've been able to do the same, even if it's for only this town... Enjin glances at you again before speaking. "Speaking of that. You have a vital instrument?"

You nod your head a bit before moving your hands to touch the blind fold, pulling it down and off from your head to hold in your hands. You feel the fabric in your hands as you smile softly. "It's my bandana. It gives me a change to see again... Well partly." The soft glow of color fills your bandana before reaching your eyes as you look up towards Enjin, seeing the thread of green. "It lets me see and change the future moves of my opponent."

You can see the future? Those words made Enjin unintentionally touch his bag at his side for a moment before focusing back on you as the glow disappears. You blink and move to reach down to put the bandana on. "Sorry for staring at you. The scarring must be pretty bad and ugly." You laugh a bit, waving him off as you start to reach to tie it.

"No it isn't." You blink and glance up towards his direction again. "The scars aren't something you have to worry about. They don't look ugly on you." You stare at him, its the first time someone has actually commented about them. Most people around you have always avoided talking or bringing up the scars along your skin. Tamsy doesn't even acknowledge them - except when they first were appearing.

So hearing someone outside your closest circle comment and not call them gross, it felt nice. A warm feeling in your chest that you lowered your hands, keeping the bandana in your hands instead of placing it back on your face in that moment. "Thanks..." A small smile graces your face at the feeling.

Though those feelings fade as you start to feel the drops of water hit the top of your head. You glance upward as another lands on the palm of your hand. Your lips press tight as more and more start to fall down onto you.

Enjin picked up his umbrella, moving a bit closer towards you as he now shoots open the umbrella to hold above both of your heads. You hear the drops starting to land ontop of the umbrella as you sit still. The rain that was sprinkling down became harder into a small storm.

Great the rain. Enjin stares at the rain. He still doesn't like the rain at all, the only time he actually didn't mind it was the one day he ran out with you in the rain. Though the rain in general still sucks to him. He would rather deal with a drought that get stuck in a storm. Though his eyes glance over towards you. You must atleast be enjoying the storm.

"Great... Rain." The tone coming from your lips is what surprised Enjin, the distain was obvious to him as he stares at you. Your hand moving away from holding out into the rain as you push your legs up on the bench to wrap your arms around it. Your eyes lack the same sparkle it did two years ago as you stare out.

"You hate the rain?" You hear Enjin's voice as you turn towards him. "... Yeah." You let out a sigh. "I mean... I can't really enjoy it." You reach your hand out once again, letting the couple of rain drops fall onto the palm of your hand. "The rain drains out my sense of smell, everything just smells wet and the same... Then when it storms hard I sometimes can't hear anything besides the rain hitting metal or just the ground. I get lost all the time in the rain.." Enjin looks at you as you continue to rant, all the issues you have been mentioning is all due to your loss of sight and losing your senses.

"I can't see wet puddles so I constantly get my socks wet! My socks!" You huff out, though suddenly you felt a shoulder against yours, with the smell of tobbacco once again filling your nose, though underneath that smell you could get a hint of some nice perfume of sorts. You could feel the bit of warmth radiating off of Enjin's body from how close he was to you.

"There." You glance up at him, confused at what he was doing. "You can smell me, you can hear me. So, you can enjoy the rain." You blink a bit. Is that what he is doing. You move a bit, getting comfortable as you lean against him, letting the slightest smell of purfume underneath the smell of tobacco comfort you. 

"You can move the umbrella..." You tell him softly. Enjin slowly pushes down his umbrella, letting it shut as rain starts to drip down onto you and him. You kept your hands tight around the bandana as you let the rain drops sprinkle down onto you. You feel Enjin's arm wrap around your shoulder, resting against you, telling you that you can relax, he is still here.

You move your head to tilt up, the drops of water falling against your scarred skin. The water drips down your face as you take in the feeling of rain. Some part of you misses it, the feeling of silence and comfort the rain use to provide you.

Though now in the rain, the warm provided from the person beside you brings a different comfort that the rain use to never provide. You smile softly as the rain dampens your clothes, yet it brightened your mood.

Enjin glances at you, the smile on your face, how your body relaxes against his own. He watches you as the question he has wanted to ask you comes to mind. A question he planned to ask tomorrow, but the moment brought him to start speaking without realising.

"[Name]. Do you want to join the cleaners?"

-----------------

Ah Enjin, you unproblematic king we love you. [Also i swear to the watchers that if you become blind from using that watch I'm going to kill myself /j

Anyways, I'm excited for next chapter :] How do ya'll think Tamsy's gonna take the idea abt Enjin asking [Name] to join the cleaners.

See you all next chapter Angels

You've come use to your now lacking vision - atleast enough for you to walk around the orphanage without a guide and close by your home. You couldn't go out and wander freely to explore without getting lost, you still struggle walking on the streets. You use your hand to help guide yourself down the stairs, taking each step slowly, one at a time. You feel someone run into your side.

"Ah- Sorry [Name]!" The boy calls out as he rushes past you still. You could smell something in his hands that makes your stomach growl a bit. You manage to reach the bottom of the staircase as more children rush past you with their quick sorries and shoving. You kept a tight grip onto the railing as they move past you faster.

It only came to your mind that those children were probably chasing after the first boy for whatever food he had. "Hey..." Your voice came out soft as the shouts of the children's scrambling faded away. You turn your head back and let out a soft sigh.

You take a step towards the entrance, feeling for the door handle to realise it was open entirely,  as you lean forward to take the handle, your footsteps a bit forward, though knocking against the bottome small step of the door, causing you to fall forward, using your hands to save yourself from the fall.

"Shit..." You groan a bit as you wipe off the dirt from your hands before feeling around for something to grab on.

"[Name]?" Olive's voice calls out as a couple of steps came and a hand found itself in yours to help pull you off the ground as you caught yourself from falling once again. "What are you doing outside?" Olive had been coming over more and more recently - you can only assume she possibly feels some weird sort of guilt for your loss of sight or pities you. Though you honestly don't mind her coming around more now that people don't hang around you so much anymore - not including Tamsy. That boy seems to be attached to your hip with gorilla glue. 

"I wanted to go on a walk." You state simply. You want to, but you know you can't really go out alone. "Shouldn't you wait for someone to escort you?"

"Mhm, I'm gonna look for a big stick. Then I can use it to help me walk." You let go of Olive's hand as you reach out in front of you, touching a lamp pole as you got far enough before turning left towards the exit, keeping your hand out to the side to feel for the lamp poles with each step, counting them as you pass each one silently.

"There isn't that many trees around... And I doubt you'll find big enough of a stick for that." Olive's voice was right behind you - telling you that atleast she was keeping up with you atleast.

"Well I can hope. Maybe it can be like a cool vital instrument. Walking stick!" Your voice laughs and jokes softly. You had gotten a vital instrument before this all happened. It appeared during that night, you managed to attack and harm a trash beast

Your hand grabs for the bandana that shifts in appearance as you swing it, slicing through the neck of the beast as it crumbles into pieces. A vital instrument now in your hands.

You've attempted to summon it after, though it didn't seem to do anything after. What happened to it now, did it break? did you lose it and you've been wearing a different one all this time? You can only imagine what could be the reason for this sudden change. Maybe because of your injury... Your vital instrument doesn't work anymore?

Though it wouldn't make any sense, why would your vital instrument stop working when you got hurt and it didn't break? Your thoughts stop as you touch the wall, feeling along to find the arch that lead out of town, continuing your walk.

"[Name]. We should walk back..." Olive spoke behind you as you continued to walk ahead. "We're going to get lost."

"No we won't." You hum and turn towards the voice with a smile. "You're with me. So you'll make sure we can't get lost." Your voice hums happily as you turn back around, walking along the path - now one without anything to lead you along as your feet step ahead - were you going straight? did you curve into the road or dirt? You truly don't know.

You stop a moment, bending down to sit on the ground, reaching to grab your shoes, tugging them off. "[Name]?!" Your feet free as you pull your socks off as well, keeping them in your arms as you feel the dirt and rocks beneath your feet. You've trailed off the road towards the dirt atleast you can tell that. You push yourself off the ground, balancing yourself as you take a step ahead, using your feet to tell you what is ahead.

You start to speed slightly taking smaller steps as you can only assume your body adapted to going down a small hill. You reach out as you walk, feeling a wooden tree infront of you. You smile a bit, letting the bark texture press into your hands as you slowly move your hand along the bark, you can only imagine what this tree looks like, is it covered in leaves? did it's leaves fall off yet or could it be dead. So many questions linger in your mind for a moment.

"[Name]! Slow down! You're going to trip." Olive seemingly managed to catch up to you now after your walk around in the dirt. You hold the tree, walking around, using it to help spin you around and around. "I'm fine Olive! Look at me gooo!" You chirp a bit as you spin around the tree.

Olive watches you for a moment before a small smile rests on her face at seeing you have some sort of fun, the first fun you've seemed to have in a honest while... The first fun she has ever seen you have since she got adopted. She always felt you never were truly free and happy with every responsibility on your shoulders.

Now you don't seem to dread that weight anymore - as sad as you express now to be - she knows the part of you that disappeared in the role of caretaker will eventually come back up, the real [Name]... the [Name] that she had given their name to.

A sudden scream cuts off your two's fun as your head turns in the direction in hopes something would tell you what is going on. Olive reaches to grab onto your wrist. "[Name]. We need to go." The fear in her voice catches your attention. "What's going on?" You can only ask as she pulls your wrist.

"Trash beasts... They're... they're breaking into the safe zone..." Trash beasts? this far out? Considering you don't know how far you truly walked away from the town, the rattling of fences, it tells you that you walked out further than you thought you did.

You stay still for a moment as Olive grips onto your hand, though her body freezes up, stopping pulling on your hand entirely. You felt your own stomach drop at realising what could be happening. The trash beast spotted the two of you.

You should be running, yet your body didn't react that way. Something told you to stay put in that moment. You pull your hand away from Olive as you stood what you believed was in front of her. Your head focused forward as you notice something off right in front of you, a thread of red?

"[Name]... We need to-" The beast suddenly rushed forward, Olive grips onto you as her eyes shut tightly behind. This was it, her death to the hands of a trash beast.... though in a couple of moments, nothing happened. Her eyes opened to see you standing infront of the fallen beast, it was right on the ground, struggling to pull itself up off the ground.

You stood there almost still, your hands held out as your bandana fell down around your neck. Your head turns towards Olive who stares back at you.. Though something was different as she stares at you.

The soft glow in your eyes. A bright color she couldn't take her eyes off of.

You on the other hand stared in the direction she was in. Threads of colors filled your vision. Colors of bright reds, greens and orange fill your back vision. The one thread moves around in directions, such as the one infront of you moments ago

Your gaze glances at the one thread in your hand that leads right down to the floor, you just pulled on it and clearly something happened now that the trash beast didn't attack you. You look back towards the orange thread, it was shaking around in it's spot as it seemed to match the tone of Olive's voice.

"[Name]? What happened... The beast just fell to the ground"  You look back at the thread infront of you, the red thread still in your hand, did you tugging on this thread cause the trash beast to tumble forward and not hit you? the thread pooling around the ground as it slips from your hands in that moment before it moved to shoot up. You push back, forcing you and Olive to move backwards as Olive looks to see the beast shooting up from it's laying position.

"It got back up! How did you...?" Her eyes wonder back over towards the bandana around your neck, and the glowing hue in your eyes. It suddenly hit her on what was going on - and it seemed to come to a realisation to you as well 

"I think... It's my vital instrument." You reach up to your neck as you glance down, the glowing hue of color around your neck and white threads wrapped around your wrist tells you this, your ability must have adapted to your now lacking sight somehow and given you this ability.

You watch the thread of red in front of you move, following the thread as you reach and grab onto it once again. As you pull it to the right, the beast swerves right to run into what you could only imagine is a rock or tree of sorts based on the noise.

"I can see these threads... I think it's telling me what's going on!" You turn your head towards the orange thread behind you. Olive steps back as she watches you. "You can see threads? I can't see any..." Her eyes glance around, it was clearly something only you could tell. Atleast she can tell you aren't in full danger if you can predict the future a bit.

"Yeah its like.. connected to that thing infront of me. Every time I pull on it, I hear it bashing into stuff or falling like you said." You watch the thread move jaggedly up as it disappears slowly, guessing that the beast  was catching up to the thread itself.

 You back up, feeling the wood of a tree pressed against you, You glance behind, there wasn't anything to tell you what was truly there, yet the feeling of bark against your skin tells you enough to know. You glance back as the thread is going straight towards you, you pull it forward before pushing to the side, feeling the beast rush past you suddenly. The large noise of the beast ramming into the tree, you use it as a stepping stone to push you up the tree, you continue to reach and climb up, feeling for the next possible branch before reaching as high as you think you could go before deciding to jump down the tree in hopes the thread would catch you.

You hear your name being screamed for a moment as you fall, you shut your eyes for impact though you stop suddenly as the thread couldn't be pulled anymore, you push your leg out, feeling the ground maybe an inch away as you pull the string once more - snapping in your hands suddenly. As the body of the beast falls to the ground with a 'thump!'.

"It's disintegrating... " Olive tells you as she stares at the body disappearing. You stare right towards where you heard olive's voice, the orange thread fades slowly to a green then white color before the threads disappear from your own sight.

"Holy shit." Olive looks over to you as the glow of color fades from your eyes and bandana. "I just did that..." You still stuck in that awe state, a voice calls out towards you  "Hey..."  You hear some footsteps approach. "You dealt with that Trash Beast... We can't thank you enough..." The voice thanks you over and over. "Please do something for you. Anything"

"It's no problem, really." You wave your hand out slightly. You smile towards them as a warm feeling in your chest bubbles up. 

You aren't useless... 

You stop for a moment before thinking. "Actually... There is one thing you could do for me."

...

"You almost got killed by a trash beast?!" Tamsy seemed more worried about you than you are. You were stuffing your own face with fries as you finish up chewing your food and swallowing. "Mhm! I killed it too! My vital instrument started to work again. Though it was weird." You reach towards the basket of fries, feeling to grab another one in your hand.

"It's like it gave me vision or something... Like these threads or something that tells me the future." You chew on the fry after dipping it in your saurce of choice. Tamsy stares at you. You got some weird sight? You defeated a trash beast? What the hell?? 

"It's really weird, I mean, I can activate it willingly.." You swirl your fry in your sauce as you think for a moment. You close your eyes before the glow comes back as you open your eyes to glance at Tamsy, or at least the thread that would be coming off of the boy. "It's like... Oh! You know that manga about the guy with that blue and red power and his blue eyes are really sensitive but he can see information about-"

"I don't read comic books. it's not literature" "Boo Tamsy! You gotta read it! Manga is real literature!" As you finished up your food, deactivating your ability in the process, Tamsy took a thread to wrap around your wrist loosely as he takes your hand in his. 

"Let's get going. We don't want to stay out too late. You can complain about your bad literature another time." Before you could get even a bit pouty and annoyed you could hear the slightest humour in his voice that you smile a bit and shake your head.

"Fine Fine. But you gotta read them sometime! I promise it's good." Tamsy looks at you and smiles softly. "Whatever you recommend, I know it will be good." You stop for a moment before realising something.

"I can't read anymore!" Tamsy stares at you before a laugh slips out from him, a decently loud one - with a small snort - as he uses his free hand to wipe away any tears forming from the laugh. "It's been months and you only noticed now." His voice was soft and amused at you. You're so funny and adorable with that.

The rest of the walk went as normal, Tamsy continued to listen to you as you both reach the front door.

Tamsy pushes open the door to help you inside carefully to make sure you don't trip over anything. Though he heard screams and a shout from the living room. A bottle smashing against what seems to be the wall or someone's head - Tamsy honestly couldn't tell.

Your head turns in the direction and start to step in that direction. "[Name] we should go-" The tugging of the thread wrapped around Tamsy's wrist  was strong as you push towards the door to push open the door of the living room. Tamsy glances in the room at the sight.

The younger children - some his age as well - were all huddling and hiding within the room as the man who drank too much stood around the room.

"All you shits! Who went diggin' round and stole my shit. I'll kill you!" He shouts louder. Your hand tugs on the thread and Tamsy attempts to pull you back, though it snaps with ease suddenly. 

You move your hand up slowly as you push down the bandana around your eyes, the threads of different colors around the room let you figure out what was going on barely. Though based on the one bright red, and angry, you knew this was the caretaker.

"I did." You state simply towards the guy, the lie simple as it comes out. He glances back towards you as he swings the bottle right towards your head. Threads of red appear in your own vision as your hand moves, gripping onto it, pulling it down, causing the guy to stumble and smash the glass down on the ground.

You step back a bit as you glance behind you towards the children - where the rest of the threads stood - your head nudging towards the door to tell them to move. The older children grab onto the little ones and pull them out as they rush away quickly. You see a red thread aiming towards you as you move back quickly as it swings at your head. Your hand grabs onto the thread as you move to the side.

A second thread aimed for your stomach that you dodged as it swung fast past you. It swung back though as you focused on that, the other hand moved to swing down at your head. You knew you couldn't react in time so you were ready to accept your fate before you see in a single second tons of red threads around you before something shot around the room, grabbing the body and arms of the man, stringing him up like a puppet - you can only imagine it's Tamsy.

"[Name]." Tamsy grips onto what you could only assume is his vital instrument - too large for the boy to hold in one hand. He watches you as you glance back at him. Sudden a rush of children come out, crying and calling your name once again as you bend down to their heights.

"[Name]! It was scary!" "[Name] you can see again?!" "[Name] hug me!" Wails and cries surround you as they pull and tug on your arms and torso to get you down.

You missed this feeling, the feeling of being needed by them. You relax in the moment, letting it take you before your eyes glance up, the one thread that was attacking you earlier still hanging up in what you could only assume is Tamsy's ropes while Tamsy still in the back. The person still tied in blue ropes, a gaging and choking sound coming out of him.

You glance back down at the children clinging to you, these children who wish for you to be able to step up and take over the orphanage once again. The same routine as before.

You realise something. You can't do what you did before. You can't be what these children want you to be. Not again. You can't be the only one holding up the home and then let it crumble and break away again at your disappearance

You hold the children close to you before you shut your eyes, the glow disappearing as you slowly stand up, making the children let you go.  You look in the direction Tamsy the thread still red around him as you glance back at him. "You can let him down."

Tamsy stares at you like you were insane. "He was going to hurt you, [Name]." He states to you. "Why won't he do that once he is let go." You could hear the male starting to struggle to breath, the thread of red dimmed down into an orange as it became more jaggered and seemingly panicked. You could feel the struggle and pain he is in.

"He won't... If you keep doing this, he is going to die from your ropes." Tamsy would rather want that to happen. This guy has done more shit to you that he could probably count on his hands. As much as the idea of killing someone isn't good in Tamsy's mind. He'd rather watch the man be on the edge of death before letting him go and then repeating it over and over again til Tamsy believes its enough. Though as you look at him, he can't do it. He taps his vital instrument on the ground as the ropes shift back, wrapping around the distaff before it changes back into it's original form.

"Thank you." You smile softly in his direction. The boy felt warm inside at hearing your praise. Though he couldn't help but watch you. You're still so sweet and kind to someone who has brought so much suffering on you. What an angelic, passionate, and kind person you are. He smiles a bit at your praise, and praising you himself.

You turn towards the person gasping for air as the children grip onto the back of your pants. "Now listen to me." You don't see how the man's gaze glances up towards you as you stand over him.

"We are going to have a talk. Like two adults." You state out to him as you hold a hand towards him. "No cursing, beatings or using weapons. Just a conversation."

One that will hopefully create a better foundation for this home.

--

So you talked.

The first time you've ever sat down with the man who has tormented your childhood after you came into this life. Everything came out, the suffering you've lived in, the lack of food and pain he gave you and everyone.

Tamsy stood outside door while you talked with him - he could only listen as his hand grips onto the distaff in his hand.

His face scrunches up at each word that came out of that man who was probably sitting across from you. The sob story of a century. The death of his spouse due to the polluted zones as she was a scavenger. How she use to be his everything before she died and that's why he fell into shit.

Before Tamsy left, he saw the red rope imprints in the man's skin - some that would turn to blue later on - everything Tamsy did to him to hold him back from harming you. Tamsy wishes he could have continued to strangle the man. 

"Sorry."

That word that Tamsy heard come out of your mouth made him feel angrier. His grip so tight that he could have snapped the distaff in his hand apart. You never have to apologize to that monster. Why the hell are you reasoning with him. He gave you shit for years and that's what you tell him?!

You should have gotten rid of him, let Tamsy continue to choke the air out of his lungs. You don't deserve to sit across from that monster and say you're sorry.

"Sorry for what I have caused."

Like hell he is. Tamsy is seething. He grips onto his own distaff more as he glances down at it. He could just walk in and strain the guy once again. That guy is useless to his weapon... But then you would be upset. He has to let you continue to talk.

Though every moment he stands outside that door, listening in makes him more and more upset. Tamsy glares down at the weapon in his hands. He presses against the door still, his hands tight around the distaff. If he hears one more sorry or apologetic word come from your mouth, he is going to burst in there...

While on the otherside of the door, you had to make a choice. One that would change the fate of the orphanage itself. You had to decide all of this. But you knew what you wanted to do. The threads gone by now, you kept your powers off, you wanted to show the man you trusted him not to attack you.

"I want you to leave the orphanage." 

You stated simply. You press your hands together before you take a deep breath. "I'm not telling you to leave straight away. For the next two years, I will be here to take care of the place while you pick yourself up, find a replacement and get a home." You explain a bit towards the man across from you. "I may have accepted your apology, but many others won't. And I want everyone to be safe, with or without me around."

"You don't have a job any more with those men since you lost your vision."

"Earlier today, I managed to get a job. The company of people who fix up the fence around the polluted zone and build the walls around the town.  They gave me the job to keep the trash beasts from getting through when they are building or repairing. So don't worry."

The man was silent for a moment, his life in this house, one he built up from the beginning with his wife. The woman of his dreams, the one who died in bed holding his hands as she was trying to discover more plants before she got sick from being nearby the polluted zones. She started the orphanage and cared for all the children that came and went.

He loved her, he did everything for her. He fell so far from who he use to be, drowning in drinks for years - slowly killing himself. He glances back up at you. He can tell how determined you are, his heart tugging at strings at seeing the reminder of his wife in you. He turned into shit, someone his wife would have hated.

The only way to have his wife forgive him... is to let it all go.

"Alright. I'll start finding a job... and I'll get someone new." He pushes himself out of the chair before turning around. "I won't upset her anymore..."

You listen as you hear him walk away. You push yourself out the chair to reach and start walking towards where you remember the door is, you gently grab the handle before pulling it and slipping through the door.

"Why did you forgive that prick." Tamsy's voice suddenly fills your ears, making you jump slightly at the sudden noise. You rest your hand on your chest as you let out a small laugh. "You scared me Tamsy."

"Sorry. Still, why did you forgive him. I wouldn't have. Especially what he did to you all these years." You could hear the hiss in his tone of voice. You glance in Tamsy's direction.

Why did you forgive him? You could have easily just left him to suffer and force him to leave the orphanage right away. 

"Holding a grudge against him won't do anything in the long run." You hum softly. " I think that because I finally got to have a conversation with him, learn about him and what he has been through... I managed to understand and become a better person out of that. And I can hope he will too."

You smile a bit before a laugh comes out softly. "Plus, I've forgiven my parents over the years... If they never let me go, I probably would have never met you." You tell the boy softly before continuing your way up the stairs. You felt lighter than before, maybe it was getting all of that off your chest.

Tamsy was left standing there, he watches you as you walk away from him. You're a perfect person. So forgiving and understanding even to the monsters of this world who bring you down. He can only wish to be as forgiving as you.

Tamsy's eyes glance back towards the room where the man sat. He glares towards it for a moment. He would never be able to forgive someone like that who harmed you. Though he is partially hypocritical at those words. He's thankful for your parents abandoning you even if that caused you pain.

If he ever ran into your parents, he would thank them first... before making them suffer for hurting you.

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Mc's actual ability is revealed. So have a yap fest~

MC's ability is entirely focused on them seeing small bits in the future to change and use to their advantage. It comes out as a bunch of threads they can redirect and make the moves unstable for their opponent. It can immobilize or even kill. Their eyes are the 'sacrifice' made to be able to see in the future in their ability - which Enjin mentions to Semiu during chapter 131 that she could go blind if she looks into the future too far after placing her name on her vital instrument. MC had just lost their sight when unlocking their vital instrument and so they've gotten the ability of time without needing another sacrifice, though they don't have their name on their vital instrument either like Semiu yet. The threads are just a reference to Tamsy lol as it goes into showing how different they are as people. Also the colors are a small reference to tell [Name] how people feel.

Originally the caretaker was actually going to die to Tamsy's hands in the last chapter during the concept phase of writing this book. I ended up scrapping it as I changed the point in time of when Tamsy would actually be willing to straight up kill someone who hurts [Name]. And because MC's life had been so dark, I needed [Name] to have some sort of a resolution for their childhood section of the story. The caretaker is in no way a good person, the only reason he is getting forgiven here by [Name] is because [Name] as a person wants to believe that past actions don't determine a person so they can grow as a person too.

With the loss of your own sight, came the downfall of everything you've built.

"Useless." "Worthless." "You have no value with those scars."

You stood infront of your now ex-boss as those words got spat in your face - though you could hear he was writing something down - assumingly not bothered to even look at you anymore. Luckily Tamsy was standing far off by the entrance so that he didn't hear a single word being told to your face. You just had to stand there and take it before getting waved off by him to let you go.

You were lucky enough to get out of your work without hassle - not including the words tossed at you for living through the worst moment of your life due the injury your work gave you. Though you were forced into secrecy about everything you've seen - if they got exposed for their business practises, you would be too - destroying your life and image further than before. So you kept your own lips shut about what the human traffickers were doing.

Now with no one bringing an extra income into the orphanage, the lack of food started to become more and more obvious. No one was around to focus on cooking; no one could buy groceries without your job. Children started to fight over scraps once again and crying over their starvation.

You could do nothing.

You could see, figuratively, that everything you built was crumbling down without your hands able to support it.

You never truly thought before what could have happened to the orphanage the moment you turned 18 and disappeared from the place. Yet now that you are infact useless to the place you've attempted to turn into a home, you are experiencing the results of what would have happened so much sooner. What you would have left the orphanage to deal with. 

Your hand holds onto the bathroom sink, black was the only thing you could see, maybe a speckle of light here and there in your eyes sometimes when you were outside - the slightest bits of your remaining vision.  Your hands move up to trace against the roughened skin across your eyes and face, tracing each part to try and vision the scarring across your face.

You could only imagine the ugliness against your face now with the scarring that is just the additional consequences of you being selfish to try and create yourself a family in this shit of a life.

A click was heard behind you as the door pushes open. "[Name]? It's so dark in here. You shouldn't go off without telling me..." Tamsy's voice was heard behind you as a hand finds itself touching yours gently. Your head turns in the direction of the voice. 

"Mhm... I was trying to take a bath..." You tell him softly you hold his hand. You try to bring yourself to smile, though you have no idea if it looks genuine or not. "Then ask me. I'll set up the bath for you." His hand slowly lets go to rest against your back, leading you to sit on top of the toilet seat, closed, as he starts to twist the taps to fill up the bath with warm water.

"Have the acid burns been giving you issues? Did you take your medication?" Tamsy was doting on you - the same way you use to on him. You shake your head. "I took my pain medication. The burning is gone right now." 

Acid burns. The spit shot at you was a type of acid that burnt into your eyes, destroying your eyes slowly - maybe if you were found earlier your sight could have still been saved. But no one truly knows what could have been besides the fact that you somehow lived through all of that suffering while being crushed underneath trash.

The water was lukewarm at best to avoid irritating your fresh scars as you were seated in the tub, Tamsy hovering over as his hands gently scrub in the shampoo for your hair, avoiding to get any running down your face. You close your eyes and let yourself drift into your own thoughts as much as you hate the only thing you can hear now is your own voice in your head.

After getting washed and dried off, Tamsy wrapped your bandana around your eyes, covering up the scarring and what you can only imagine the horrific sight of your own eyes. You don't know what and how much got destroyed so you can only hope that it looks somewhat decent.

"Let's go shopping. I managed to scrounge up some money for food." You felt a thread wrap around your wrist, tied somewhat tight but loose to not harm you as you were lead outside.

You held onto the boy's hand as he walks into the loud crowds of people in the market area. As shoulders push and shove against you as Tamsy leads you along. A rougher push against you almost made you topple down. "Watch where you're going prick!" The voice shouts at you. Some sort of twisted irony.

You can no longer do anything you want...

...

Tamsy hopes the gods will forgive his sins. Especially his biggest one that he swears to never tell you until he dies.

His true guilty pleasure and joy at your now lacking independence.

Ever since you've become blind, you've lost your work - the one thing you've always made sure to keep him at arm's length about and took you away for hours at a time that he didn't know what was going on. That was gone that means now you're always home with him. The children no longer swarm around you as they did before, while you use to provide them comfort, food and safety. They now are ripping at each other's throats for the scraps of food. They tried to play with you, yet when you couldn't do what they wanted, they didn't include you as much as before.

So this only let Tamsy to be the one to watch over you within the orphanage. So almost every moment of your day is surrounded by him. You only pay attention to him and he is the one that helps you. He picked up a job in town - a simple stocking supplies type job - that gives him enough money to purchase you and himself food while he tosses out the scraps to watch the other children run around. 

Now with you needing to depend on him, it makes him feel like he is able to fully pay you back for everything that you've done for him since he fell from the sphere.

He stops infront of the vendor as he watches you slowly reach out to grab an apple, feeling to try and discover what it could be placed in your hand. Tamsy watches you with a small smile as your lips purse and your nose scrunches up a bit before you seemed to realise what was in your hands.

He pulls out a couple of coins from his own pocket and places it down on the table, picking out a couple of things while you select one or two items which he is happy to purchase for you.

He holds the paper bag in his one hand while taking your hand in his other. "Let's get going." He smiles in your direction even if you couldn't see. You hold his hand as he walks right by your side to match your own pace.

He watches the places he walks to ensure there was enough space for you to be right at his side. He glances at you occasionally, his focus was entirely on you while he walks. The way you were trying to take careful steps to not accidentally hurt anyone who could be in front of you. Your other hand held out slightly forward to feel for anything that could be on coming.

Everything was cute for Tamsy, his view on you never changed - unlike some others - you are still a perfect angelic person in his mind. Your now lacking vision adds to that to him. The world is shitty, he knows that on the day he fell from the sphere, learning how people view sphereites from you and how you've suffered through injury after injury from that shitty caretaker. 

Yet you always still were bright and happy as can be since the day the two of you met. You'd choose to suffer for others than let them suffer. You protected everyone around you and cared for everything they needed. You were a pillar of light that made everyone better.

It's like the gods of the world dropped you on his lap after that fall to protect and care for him while he couldn't so that he could now become your caretaker. You are everything he needs, now he is everything you need too. A perfect balance of dependency and need of each other.

The voice in his mind that use to tell him sometimes on how you would leave him, now that voice is gone, silent as you spend every moment of time at his side. That's why Tamsy promises to himself to never tell you how much he enjoys you depending on him now. He doesn't want to make you upset with him for thinking that - though he doubts you would ever be mad at him

You've never shown annoyance or anger at him or anyone else around the orphanage. At most you stepped out to take a break and then come back as normal. 

So even if it slips one day, he knows you can never be too mad at him. Afterall...

He is your caring younger brother.

-----------------

So... how's everyone feeling.. {I know my one friend is holding a pitch fork to my neck} This chapter is mostly to show you guys how the 'power' dynamic basically switched between the two of you. Poor MC got it rough right now. Next chapter it gets better I promise [for real this time]  - Lilly

PS​​​​​​​ mini doodle for funsies imagine your scars how u want to! that is just my interpretation! It will never be mentioned how they actually look. So imagine them how gross or cute you want to lol. I got a bunch of doodle pages I'll post eventually

Tamsy was out in town. He was humming a bit, the vendors seemed to have noticed his happier mood as he was collecting groceries. They may wonder what could get the 13 year old boy so excited. Some could assume a new cute simple crush on a girl or boy, maybe even getting a new toy.

But it was none of those reasons, The reason for Tamsy's joy was that Enjin was gone. He noticed over the last couple of days, the blonde haired boy was no where in sight. Even when he thought about asking you, he infact heard it from a whisper of some of the vendors - the boy left to become a cleaner, a supporter, someone who doesnt have a vital instrument.

That is something Tamsy learnt he now has a one-up on Enjin. In his desperate search for you, he ended up getting a vital instrument - his wooden distaff he has kept for so long. After properly figuring this out - with your help in explaining to him the such item. He can't help but feel a bit giddy. Especially since it helps him find you whenever he can't find you.

Speaking of not being able to find you. You were nowhere in sight at the meeting spot the both of you planned to meet up for shopping so Tamsy went ahead to show you that he would be a good brother.

Though as doubt crept in his mind, a voice calling that something could be wrong. Tamsy steps out of the street, pulling out the wooden distaff before shutting his eyes. letting the thread free and search out for you. The ends go further and futher out before stopping, one tugging on the wooden distaff to tell Tamsy where you are. Considering how long it took for the string to reach you. He knew you were still at work.

He presses his lips against each other before starting to follow the thread, slipping down some of the hill before stopping infront of a couple of teenagers who were hiding away probably from their families to drink and smoke in secret.

"What's a kid doing here." One of them question as Tamsy ignores to slip past. One reaches out which Tamsy pushes away the hand, a disgusted face rests against his own face. "Don't touch me."

"Hah! A kid is calling you gross!" One of the girls behind calls out in a laugh as Tamsy continues his way. The guy glares towards the kid who unintentionally embarrassed him infront of the other teens. "I wasn't done with you kid. Going near those polluted zones aren't safe."

Tamsy rolls his eyes a bit as he continued down. He finally sees the fence closer by, the end of the thread in his sight, though it caused more confusion to him that it stopped there.

"Oi kid!" The teen reaches out once more, grabbing onto Tamsy's shoulder to pull him back a bit, the sudden force makes the boy tupple backwards onto his butt as he looks up to glare towards the teen.

"You're gonna get yourself killed going near there." The teen tched as he tosses the cigarrette in his hand aside, smooshing it under his shoe. "Lets go before your mommy starts crying about your disappearance."

Tamsy glares towards the guy before reaching onto the ground, picking up a stone before trying to throw it at the guy, which was small so it didn't do anything than tap on the guy's skin.

"Did you just through a rock at me BRAT!" The teen was having enough of it, he would let this kid die, its his fault if he goes walking into those polluted zones-

"Ugh..." The two boys jump a bit at the noise before they glance towards the fence. A hand pressing against it as it pulls against the fence, a body pulling up out of the trash as the two bodies were frozen watching.

Tamsy's eyes stare in fear as he grips on the distaff, it didn't transform or do anything in his state of panic and fear. Though the moment he saw the face, or what remains, it caused more than fear in his eyes.

You stood there, a purple like substance half-dried and burnt into your skin around your eyes, parts of that same substance was dripping down all over your arms and clothes. Your one leg looks like it's twisted in the wrong way entirely, your one arm looked to be in the same state. You were barely standing though your body was facing towards him and the teenager at hearing the voices.

"Tamsy...?" It was your voice, the same gentle one that comforts him and the one that always seems to be chirping happily away. It was groggy and hoarse. How long have you been laying there? How much pain are you in.

"[Name]..." Tamsy calls back as he stares at you, he wanted to move, though the teen moved before him, his arms wrapping around your torso as you collapse against the guy.

"Shit man. Jake! Wren!" The guy calls out to his friends as your body was getting heavier in his arms. His arms stung as the substance on your eyes was dripping onto his own. His friends would come over. "We gotta get going!"

Everything in that moment was a blur to Tamsy, everything was ringing as tears didn't even come as he watched your body get carried by a couple of teens. The other teens try to comfort the boy and help take him back to town as he was trying to breath. Every breath felt short, like a stabbing wound constantly going through his lungs as he watches your body getting taken away.

He was forced to see the towns people watch and hover around your wrecked body as if it were a show to them, your pain and suffering, injuries were entertainment as you get hauled away to the doctor's office. Tamsy couldn't go inside. He was forced to sit outside the door in the alleyway.

His arms wrapped around his legs as he stares at a small puddle of water that reflected his face in the light. The burn scars was getting smaller than when he first got them from his fall a year ago. His hand moves up to gently touch the scarred flesh against his own skin as he was seated outside. He hears the door of the alleyway push open. The boy's head looks up to see the familiar face of a girl followed by a couple of teens behind her.

"I'm going in." The girl tells the boy behind her as she stomps forward. Her hand getting grabbed by the guy behind her. "Olive, calm down." The girl, Olive, pulls her hand away from the boy. "Calm down?! [Name] got into a fucking accident and you want me to be calm. Last I checked I'm still considered their family since I keep in contact with them. So don't say shit about them and me being calm." her voice was harsh as the guy flinches back from the girl as she reaches the door.

Tamsy glances up at her, she glances down towards Tamsy for a moment. "Tamsy. Is [Name] still getting surgery done?" Tamsy could only shrug a bit at the comment before she let out a sigh and pulls open the door and shuts it behind her, calling out to the doctor. The guy was left behind to stand with Tamsy for the moment.

"Your name is Tamsy?" Tamsy stares at guy who rubs the back of his neck. "Has [Name] been fine these part 2 years? Did they still keep up that act about making a family?" The guy, who seemed to be 20 or so, glances towards the door. He let out a sigh a bit as he got no response from the boy. "It must have been traumatic seeing them like that... Some of those teens told me a kid was there to see them."

Tamsy looks away back at his own reflection to ignore the adult talking to him before the door opens. Olive stands out there before she looks over at Tamsy. "Do you want to come in and see [Name]?" She asks softly. Tamsy didn't take any moment before he got up, pushing past Olive. "Hey wait they-"

Tamsy moved as fast as he could before getting towards a bed to see you seated up.

Your face had bandages wrapped around where your eyes are along with your leg and arms. You looked like what he did the day you saw him, atleast that's what he could think of.

The doctor stands over you, the same one who took care of him that day. She wasn't yelling out, she was speaking to you. "I've been telling you for years idiot, you're going into those polluted zones and going to regret it." You didn't speak as the lecture came.

"[Name]!" Tamsy calls out as he pushes to reach your side. Your head turns slightly in the direction of the noise. "Tamsy? You're okay." Your voice was soft as you attempt to laugh. "I heard you earlier... I was wondering if you were safe since I was in the polluted zone-"

"[Name]." Olive's voice called out next as she reaches to take your hand - which Tamsy wished he did. She seats herself on a chair right beside your bed. "What happened out there."

You stayed slient before turning your head away from the group. "I was out scavenging and then I got attacked by a trash beast. I got hit and crushed under some trash so I think it lost interest for me when that happened and then I heard voices a while later..."

Tamsy stares at you, how long have you been under all that rubble. Considering the substance looked like it partially dried against your face, he can only assume longer than he would have wanted it to.

You felt Olive's hand grip onto your own tightly. "Doctor, what is wrong with [Name]? What's the damage."

The doctor glances at you for a moment. She looks at Tamsy, Olive and as the door opened the final guy entering into the room to check on you as well. before informing the bad news to the group, the event that changes everything about your life forever.

....

"[Name] lost their eyesight permanently."

-----------------

Y'all thought the Blinded part of the title was just a meaning? Nope, you literally are blind now haha. I promise there is a valid reason behind it. You won't be useless; you'll be actually stronger than most characters in the series. I hope you stick with me throughout this arc and trust the process haha.. I've done lil hints abt mc being blind throughout the last couple of chapters if you go back and reread, including [Name]'s last name if you reverse it round. [Saiserit -> Tiresias [greek mythology] ] Hope you enjoyed!

Life tends to favour some people over others. You are not one of those people. 

XX May XXXX, 6 Years Ago

Your voice humming as you glance up ahead as you look out from the attached cart to the motorbike your father had attached against his bike for you and your mother to sit in. A couple of scraps tightened and stuck to the side that barely fit the two of you. The only thing stopping sad from getting into your mouth and nose is the bandana wrapped around your face and the goggles on your eyes.

Your eyes watch the drifting sand from the wind before the cart comes to a sudden halt on the side of the dirt path. Your father gets out of his seat, your mother unbuckling off the seatbelt to your shared seat, letting you hop out of it first. 

You take a couple of steps out towards seeing the desert, in the further distance you could see a building trash heap from the people your family curses out - Sphereites, no good, really bad people. The ones who destroyed your home by dumping trash down. You feel a hand against your back before you get pushed. Your body takes a tumble down the sandy hills as sand fills your mouth. You cough and spit it out as your head turns up.

Your eyes widened as you watch your parents get back into the vehicle. "Mama... Papa... Where are you..."

Being abandoned by your parents at the age of 10, being considered a useless piece of shit, not worthy of a family.

You try and run up the sandy hill as it crumbles beneath your feet letting you fall, trying to crawl up as those now unfamiliar words scream out towards the people who were meant to care about you disappear along the road. You reach the top, lonely without anyone to care or love you. Tears start to stream down your face as you cry out. Somewhere that no one can hear you.

You had to defend and survive out in the deserted lands the ground is now. You barely reached the closest town alive to be taken in by a caretaker. Yet when you could have thought your life improved, that caretaker was as shitty as your own parents were.

"Get the hell out you brats!" The bottle of what use to be alcohol slams against the shut door - shattering all over. Trying to catch your own breath in that moment as you hear a scream and cry from behind the door. Your hands shake as they grip onto the handle. Your head presses against the wooden door as you could hear your fellow orphans crying out as they got injured.

If you keep your eyes shut, none if its real... if you imagine a happy family, none of this is real. That's what you tell yourself as you try to ignore the cries every night.  You had to survive here. This is nothing like the desert - at least that's what you try to tell yourself... 

Thought there were a few good things...

A girl grabs onto your arm as she pulls you alongside her. You follow quickly as a group of children - maybe 5 or 6 that were just a year or two older - brought you up the ladder to see the couple of mattresses laid on the ground. Some were drawing stars against the wall. The little girl who brought you up grins a bit before she starts to draw against the wall.

A bright green star was drawn with crayons as the name 'Olive' was written down before she looks over at you with a grin. The small purple bruises against her skin were hard to notice sometimes. 

You pick up a crayon of your own colour before drawing a star, reaching for the highest point you could before pausing at writing your name. The girl looks at you seeing your hesitation before she stops and hums.

"Do you like your name?" You gently shake your head before the she thinks again and suddenly announces. "You are [Name] now!" The older children hush at her which gets a small laugh out of you before you finally wrote your name down.

[Name]... 

You stare at the name for a moment before writing down the second part of your name, the only thing that can remind you now of what you use to have in your life. Though at the time it was used as a way to hope your parents would see and find you here.

[Name] Saiseriet... 

...

The age 12 didn't make anything better. Everyone is starving, the caretaker spends everything on getting drunk at night. Your body can barely live with the couple of scraps you find all over.

You barely managed to leave your home the one night. The growling of your stomach too loud for anything else as you step through the streets. They were silent, a couple of people maybe left on the streets as you walk.

Your stomach growls louder with each step until you stop, curling right in the middle of the street as your arms wrap around your stomach. You press your eyes shut tightly for a moment before hearing someone whistle. Your eyes glance up towards a couple of figures. The one guy in the middle steps out towards you.

The light of the streetlamp shone down to cast a shadow over his face as he takes out a couple of scraps to hold out to you. Your eyes land of the food before taking it, stuffing your own face with the food to nourish your stomach.

The figure smiles as he stands over you. "Hey kid, why are you so hungry out here. It's dangerous this late out in the evening." The figure bends down to reach your height as he watches you finish up the couple bits of food you were given. 

You glance towards the guy for a moment before finally speaking. "We don't have any food at the orphanage... or money for clothes.." Your hands pull at the shirt that contained too many tears in that needs to get fixed. The guy hums a bit as he looks at you. "Hey kid, do you wanna work for me and my men."

You look up at him, the light slowly disappearing as his figure covers up the street light. A smile settles on his face. "You can get some good money and get all the food and clothes you want." Your eyes lit up slightly at hearing these words.

You slowly nod your head in agreement.

... How could you have known what these men would force you into...

"PLEASE LET ME OUT! I'M NOT A SPHEREITE!" Screams and cries of a child call out as she gets shoved into the back of the van. Your body stands frozen up as the guy pats your back, harshly. "Get going kiddo. The sphereite scraps won't find themselves."

You stare out at the waste land of trash piles - recently a storm of trash fell down onto this lands. The guy shoves you forward before you look back at him.

"But I don't have a gas mask... Shouldn't I wear one like-" The guy pulls the bandana that was wrapped around your head down over your face. "This will keep you safe. Now get going." You get shoved once again, taking a couple steps as you glance towards the truck containing an innocent person, someone who lives on the ground like you. She cries and plead for an escape - promising to not be those vicious sphereites.

You can think about going to be the hero, save her and tell someone about this. Yet the promise of providing you a stable source of food... yets you choose to turn a blind eye.

Getting scooped up in the work of human traffickers was shitty. The bare minimum amount of money you earn from the couple of fingers, guts, head, eyes, clothes and teeth. The money was enough for you to buy enough food for a couple of weeks for yourself.

"What do you mean you found nothing?!" Your boss shouts as he tosses you against the truck. The air in your lungs forced out of your lungs. As you gasp for air his hand grabs at your throat. Tears brimming out from your eyes. Your hands reaching and grasping at his hands to let you go, yet it wouldn't do anything. 

"We pay you so much to go dig out those human scraps. yet you came back empty handed!" He shouts towards you, lifting your body before slamming it back against the van to make you let out a cry. "Do you know how much we could make selling you off, a finger, your lungs, your pretty little head. People will buy anything if we call you a Sphereite." Tears were filling up your vision before he let go, letting you gasp for air at the ground.

"So never come back empty handed again. Bring us a random person and we can turn them into scraps. Or you will be the next product." As you gasp for air with tears still stinging your eyes. "Yes...sir.." You cough out as a bag of money gets tossed in front of you. The people who are considered your co-workers laugh as they swap out their drinks and cigarettes for new ones in that moment. They couldn't careless about you.

Your eyes glance towards the truck as someone is getting pulled out, a scream from them as a weapon lifts up and you look away, shutting your eyes in that moment. You reach and grab the money infront of you before pulling yourself up to go buy yourself food.

Some people didn't bat an eye as you came to buy food, your shirt pulled up to cover your neck covered in bruises as you go back towards your 'home'. 

You step in and go towards the kitchen area, starting to cut and slice some food to section it off into different containers and bags to hide around so no one could take the food away from you.

You were so focused on getting this done fast that you didn't hear a child walks into the room as he looks towards you. "[Name]...? Is that something I can eat? Pretty please..." You stare towards him. He didn't work hard for this food, you did. You had to suffer with your shitty boss to earn that money for the food. Though as the child stares as you hand off a packet of food.

Your eyes focus back and sectioning off the food - planning to make up that food pack somehow by cutting out some food from other bags. Your kindness could let you suffer for a day...

"Mhm! Wow Big Sib/Sis/Bro! This tastes really good!" You stop as that word came out from his lips as you look towards the small child, smiling as he eats up the food happily. He was messy as he ate it with the sense of desperation, he had for getting something to eat.

You stare at him for a bit before you finally point towards yourself. "Did you just consider me... your sibling?" The child nods a bit as a smile rests on his face. "Yeah! You're the best sibling ever for giving me food. We are a big family right?"

Siblings... Family. Those words that you barely ever heard made your stomach twist and turn. You felt light as a warm feeling spread across your chest. You've come to crave that feeling. 

The sense of belonging and family. You wish for that feeling to come back again.

"Yeah... We are a family.."

So that day was when you decided to turn this house into a family. You started to work more, you brought more and more human scraps to give back to your boss while bringing back other scraps to give to the town for more money.

"I'll do anything to earn more money" You tell your boss as you stand infront of him. He hovers over you. "I want to make more to help feed my family."

A chuckle comes out of him, laughing at the idea you had a family, though you were more determined to make such a place for yourself. 

"More work involves new tasks that you may not want to do, involving the other part of our work. Can you do that." You stare at him. You would do anything to create this haven of sorts. The feeling of being wanted and needed. You nod your head.

"I'll do anything I can." For your family.

That money became the only thing running the house. The next two years of your life was the slow improvement. Olive and the rest of the older children got taken in by others or they escaped once turning 18 years old. You chose to focus on taking care of the house - the children remaining started to cling onto you and call you their sibling.

"[Name] help me!" "[Name] Look!" The children would cheer at seeing you, it brought that same warm and joyful feeling to you. This is your family...

Though deep inside you knew none of this was permanent. Once you age out in the next 3 years. You will have nothing. No Family. Just a name attached to a criminal's face. 

...

You step out into the No Man's Land with the burning feeling of the poisonous air in your lungs. You continue forward as you glance around the area. The faster you find fingers and body parts, you can leave. Your breathing was harsher as you dug into the trash, pulling out a hand as blood seeps out of the end where the arm use to be attached. You press your lips against each other before you tuck it away into your bag.

You stuff it away before you continue to walk on ahead. Your eyes look around before stopping, seeing a body on the ground. You see slight movement so you decide to call out.

"Hello?!" 

You move towards the body to stop and stand over a small boy's body. Strands of blonde and blue all messed around on the ground in the mud as burns stain all over the boy's body as blood and puss pours out.

You bend down to touch against his neck, feeling a slight pulse, letting you know he was still alive as you finally look down, the clothes you've been so use to seeing crushed underneath layers of trash.

"A... Sphereite?" You whisper softly at the boy in that moment. You scoop him up in your arms before starting to walk out of the zone. His eyes stare at you before they close, knocking out within your arms.

You stare at the unconscious body - knowing he still lives with how he was still breathing. This... He could give you so much money if you gave him to your boss.

That is the first thought that came to mind as you stare at him. Though as the screams and cries resurface in your memories of the women, men and children taken by those people, makes you wonder what they would do to this boy - a real sphereite.

These people are meant to be horrible shitty people who've destroyed your lives down here. Yet this is just a child. Someone who wouldn't have any power above... You glance at the dirt and trash surrounding you. The affects these people have had on your home. Yet... does causing their suffering down here truly bring salvation?

You stare at the boy in that moment, you know your boss would be a hell of a lot angrier if you were going to let this boy go. Something he could really sell alive as well. You could imagine how much of a cut you would be given that could give you a life once you leave the orphanage.

Though as you stare at the boy. you slowly placing him on the ground, starting to take off his jacket...

...

"You barely found shit today! Just a hand and a jacket?! You better work more next week to make up for your lack of effort!" The voice of your boss echoes through your mind as you lean on the chair a bit, before a voice cuts your thoughts

"[Name], You got a death wish!" A loud voice was shouting as you glance up towards the older lady infront of you. You can only grin a bit sheepishly. "Sorry Gran-Gran Doctor. I didn't mean to worry you. But I'm perfectly fine! See" You grin towards the person you called 'Gran-Gran Doctor', holding up two fingers to make a peace sign.

Before you got a small bonk on your head and flinch. "I told ya to stop going into those No Man's Lands! Are you asking for a Death Wish you idiot! And stop calling me that!" You only pouted a bit. "But Gran-Gran Doctor." It's the only way you can take care of your family. 

Your eyes wonder over to notice the two-toned hair boy was awake and staring towards you.  "Hey you're awake!" Your voice chirps and hums as you get up, going towards the boy's bedside. You grab the chair from the desk and sit down right at the bed side. "How are you feeling? You're lucky to be alive lil guy." Your hand moves to reach and pat his head, though seeing him flinch a bit away, you stop yourself and rest your hands in your own lap.

Your voice hums happily a bit as you glance at him. The boy stares at you for a bit before down at his body. His jacket and tanktop were removed to have his whole torse and parts of his arms wrapped up in bandages. He reaches his hand up to touch his eye where the bandages cover up his eye. You can only imagine the pain he is feeling.

"You were covered up in burns. I don't know how you got them. But don't worry! Gran-Gran Doctor is the best-" You proceed to recieve a second whacking on the head after trying to cheer up the silent boy.

"You're lucky to be alive Boy. Those No Man's Lands are-" The Doctor continued her squeal about how dangerous the No Man's Lands are. "He's fine!" You interrupt, you really don't need her to start yapping the sphereite's ear off. "He won't go there anymore. Right?"

Your smile was bright as you look towards him, he only nods in a response. "When you feel all better we can head out." He watches you for a moment before he got out of bed as you finally pay off your gran-gran doctor as you lead the boy out of the building.

As you lead him to collect food and sit down with him. Your eyes glaze towards Olive - your own heart tugging at itself at thinking how you wish to be in her position... Though you should be happy for her. You decide to focus back on the blonde and blue hair child infront of you. 

"How do I get back up there."

You would have asked the same if you were in his position. Hell, you asked yourself how to get home to your parents when they left you behind. So you can only tell him what you could.

"From my knowledge, you can't get back up there. Sorry." You apologise to him. He stares at you, you could see the slightest of hopes fade away as you sat infront of him, telling him something he didnt want to hear.

"I'm saying from what I know." You finally continue to speak to the boy seated infront of you. "The place you fell from in the sky, it's called the Sphere down here. No one has ever came down or gone up, atleast not known by anyone around here." The boy deflated a bit at your answer, clearly now not being able to get back up there.

"It's not that bad down here." You tell him softly. You take a deep breath, you have to explain a lot to him. "The place you came from, the people up there haven't been the nicest to the rest down here. They tend to drop tons of their trash down here, which has accidentally hurt people, their families and more."

You glance at your own food, slowly stirring it with your chopsticks a bit before looking at the boy once again. "Because of how these people, Sphereites as we know them as since they live on the Sphere, a lot of people don't like anyone who comes from there. Even if they haven't hurt anyone."

"Why do they hate all of us?"  That question sounds simple, yet you yourself don't truly understand the feeling of hatred, you could say you hate your parents for leaving you, but you don't. Somewhere deep inside you want them back.

"Well, to place it simply... If you are in a room with 5 people, your eyes are covered and someone takes your food in front of you away so you are hungry. You don't know the exact person who did it, but you could blame everyone in the room for the actions of that one person."

"That's not fair." You nod your head in agreement with the boy. "It isn't, but some people don't think that - they believe its fair to blame anyone even if they couldn't do anything to help. Some of those people are so upset and angry that it bottles up over time and then bursts out on anything that could do with that hatred."

 You smile softly and sadly. "I know it's not something you want, but you will be down here for a long time, unless we can find a way to get you back up. You can live with me." 

The boy stares at you in that moment.  "Okay.. I'll stay with you." You look at him with a smile, clapping a bit as to cheer him up a bit. "Wonderful!"

Another child lost and desperate in need of a place. You can provide that family for him. You can give him safety til he finally gets a home down here. You'll continue to be the perfect temporary sibling for him like everyone else.

"We never properly introduced ourselves. I'll start! My name is [Name] Saiseriet." You brim with joy as you grin towards the boy. The boy glances at you before the name finally came out.

"My name is Tamsy Caines..."

You'll be the perfect fake family for him.

...

The bruises against your skin remind you of your working hours that day. You pressed some of the foundation against your neck in the backroom of the restaurant.

"[Name]?" Olive's voice calls out towards you as you spread the liquid across your face to successfully hide away the injuries before you step out of the bathroom to look towards the girl.

"Hey Olive." You smile towards her, which she just stares at you a moment. "It's getting late, we'll be closing up for the night since my pa is now getting taken care of in the doctor's office for the rest of the day..." She glances to the side a bit. 

You look towards the girl, the one person left with you in this town from the beginning of your stay in the caretaker's home. She isn't as malnourished as before, her skin no longer pale and thin. You could feel the dreaded bubbling in your stomach at thinking about her being accepted into a family instead of you, but you push it down deep away. You have to be happy for her.

"Hey... If the caretaker is giving you trouble still after all these years..." Olive spoke softly as she avoids your gaze. "You can always come tell me... I'm sure Branch can help in someway..."

"Everything is fine. Especially since I've taken up the caretaking role for everyone." You reach out to cup her face, getting her to look right at you as you smile softly. "Everyone is happy. More people are getting adopted out and I'm helping the new children that come in."

"But that isn't what you're meant to be. You're still one of the children at the orphanage." You smile at her. "I'll be fine. I'm happy with my role. Don't worry too much. I'll get going before I cause any more issues for you." You gave a small wave and left. As you walk away, your back towards Olive who was watching you leave. You finally let your smile drop. You stare up at the sky above you. 

Is your struggling that obvious to everyone around you?

You felt a drop touch your face as the rain slowly starts to come, raining down onto your cheeks. You look down as your hand holds out into the rain, letting a few drops land on it gently as you stare at it.

You love the rain... It can cry freely without worrying about appearances. It then creates a rainbow with the sun when it no longer feels so sad.

You wish you could be the rain some days. Yet you have to be the sun. A bright light to bring safety and love to everyone without showing your suffering pain. 

As you stop in front of the orphanage you take your own deep breath, relaxing yourself with a smile before pushing the door open. You hope the foundation against your face, masking the bruising around your face and neck didn't disappear from the rain.

You take off your jersey before hearing a set of foot steps to notice the boy you saved out in the No Man's Lands. You smile up towards him

 "Hey Tamsy." Your smile brightened up at seeing him. He stares at you as he was covered in the new scars from his fall. "I got us some good money! Let's go out and eat! Lets get all our siblings and get some good food!" You can feel happier once the children all call you a good sibling again, yes... Remind yourself of the family you created. 

"You're wet. And it's raining outside." You stare towards him and pout childishly. "I like the rain and i'm fine! I won't get sick." You chirp a bit, your hand pressing against your chest. As your voice echoes through the home, more children start to poke their head out at seeing you, they start to crowd around you, cheering your name as you laugh out.

"Lets go get dinner everyone!" The young children cheer around you, grabbing the couple of rain coats and boots left around the door you've bought for them over time. Tamsy looks at you before shaking his head.

You smile towards the boy before the younger children grab at your hands, pulling you out into the rain once again, before you could grab your rain jacket again - letting you fall ill over the next days that you still had to work in.

...

"[Name]! Come on! Come on!" The little girl, Remi, grips onto your hand, her other hand gripping onto her clutch as she was trying to pull you along with all her might. You let out a laugh. "I'm coming! Don't worry!" You follow the girl as she leads you out. Tamsy stood to the side as he stares at the little girl taking you away.

You glance back at Tamsy, who didn't look too impressed with you getting pulled away. He moves to follow, grabbing your free hand as the boy's face curls into a bit of a pout, cute. "[Name], We were going to hang out for the day."

You glance back towards the boy, as the girl tugs on your arm again. "Big [sib/sis/bro]! Come on!" The girl continued to pull with all her might, though an 7 year old's strength compared to a 15 year old was nothing. You look at Tamsy, a small apologetic smile rests on your face. "I know Tamsy. How about you come with and see what little Remi wants to see. Then we can continue to hang out." You gave your alternative, before the girl cut you off. "No! I only want to show [Name]!" 

"[Name] was hanging out with me first." The boy huffs out as his hold on your hand was tighter. You glance between the two children who want to drag you off to themselves.

Great. This is the one thing that comes with being an older sibling, being the problem solver - thats what you tell yourself. You have to try and solve this without either of the two getting fully upset with you. Considering your options - both these children would dread getting embarrassed in public that you slowly let yourself fall back a bit, catching Tamsy off guard as you plop onto the ground, you cross your legs as your arms were still a bit in the air. "Alright. Then we stay right here."

"No we can't." Tamsy argued a bit. He glances around at the couple of people walking past you all, staring at what could these three children be up to. "You're in the middle of the street."

The little girl continued to pull at your arm, letting out a whine. "[Name]! Come on!" Tears on the edge of bursting out of her eyes. Tamsy felt his cheeks turn a shade of pink from embarrassment. These people staring towards you, Tamsy and Remi. You didn't mind too much - you've had to deal with the gaze of people getting taken away from their homes as they plead for your help, blaming you for their misfortune.

A bit of embarrassment feels like nothing compared to that.

"Fine you can go. But you better get back here right away." Tamsy hisses a bit, it was more demanding that you realise, but you smile a bit. "Thank you Tamsy for helping me solve this stalemate. I'll be back as soon as possible." You reach over, gently patting on the boy's head, who's cheeks continue to keep the shade of red on them before you get dragged away from him.

..

You enter back into the house. The bag of money in your hand as you still were going to go out to pay for food later on. Though as you look up to see the man you never wanted to. You stare at him. "Hello sir..."

"I see you're bring funds into this household..." His words are slurring to inform you how drunk he is. You took a step back as he moved forward. Your eyes gaze down to see the bottles of glass around your feet, making you more tense at seeing the amount. Everyone was out luckily, a day of learning as one of the older children who use to be in the orphanage, came to visit for a while as all the children would have wanted to see him again and talk for a while.

This left you alone with him. The caretaker glances up at you. "So... where is my cut." His voice sneers a bit as his body leans against the wall. "I am allowing you to work. So ya better be giving me a cut for being so caring."  You stare at him, you kept silent for a moment before finally speaking, pulling out your most caring tone. "I am not able to. The money given to me is for food for everyone. I can try and ask for a raise to pay you as well but-"

"You work for those smugglers don't you." You stop speaking, confirming it to the man. "Those men traffick people, children." He sneers a bit more as he continues to speak. "How would everyone feel if I told them about your escapades... What would the law do to you." You stare at him, your own vision darkening at the implication. The destruction of everything you've built up in this home with that dirty money. You could see everything getting destroyed instantly, bringing in the law would take you away. You would have nothing left.

"So if ya don't want me-" 

You swung first. 

"You UNGRATEFUL SHIT!" 

Your vision stained with red as you found yourself going into the living room to avoid the 3rd bottle being swung towards you. Your hand reaches to grab onto anything, A lamp that you swung, whacking into the back of the man's head before he stumbles backwards. His words slurring that you couldnt understand anything before he fell back against the couch, knocked out.

"Shit man..."

Your breathing was all over the place as you stare towards him, the hints of red dripping down against the back of the couch. You place the lamp down as you stare towards him still. Hearing a slight snore, calms you down enough to know you didn't kill a man today.

You've probably killed a hundred in your work though...

You hear the slightest of movement and turn your head towards the doorway, worried who would come upon this scene. You stare at the 11 year old boy who was horrified at seeing you. You. You're a monster in his eyes now, aren't you?

"Oh Tamsy..." Your voice was soft as you glance towards him, a small smile resting on your face as if you currently aren't bleeding out from the top of your head. "Sorry you had to come in to see this... again." You don't really hear the words slipping from your mouth as you were trying to focus on cleaning the ground.

"[Name], we need to get you to the doctor." Tamsy moves to your side, grabbing the back of your jacket. You glance up towards him. "No, I'm okay... This isn't the first time he has done it." You squint a bit, hearing that he wasn't calling you anything... He must have never seen you hit the man unconscious. Your body relaxes a bit that your image hasn't been ruined.

"He did this before?!" You move to press a lip your lips shut. You have to shut up now and leave before anything else... You'll clean up later...  "Don't worry. I'll rest and I'll be back to normal. I promise." You smile a bit.

Though a knock on the door, you start to stumble towards the door.  You can't leave it unheard, or else someone will walk into the scene you've caused due to the door being unlocked. You silently wish that no one was at the door, this was a prank. You gently push onto the door to open to see someone you recognised. "Oh hey Oliv-"

A sudden scream slips from her mouth as she sees your appearance, the container in her hands drops to the floor instantly as her hands move to cup your face, pulling it down to her height as she gets a closer look at the injury.

"What happened [Name]?!" You look at her as you speak out without any hesitation. "Oh, I slipped on the stairs. I was gonna wash up. Don't worry it doesn't hurt."

You lie right through your teeth. You're glad you've come to get use to speaking these lies, and no one would doubt you if you seem this bad.  "We have to get you to the doctor." "noo, Ish fine-" "Your speech is messing up! Ah! The blood is covering both your eyes. Hold my hand! Lets go." The girl starts to pull you away towards the doctor.

You attempt to seem like normal, that nothing was wrong.  "So Olive, have you been eating well? I would love to try some of your cooking!" "Don't start doting on me!"

Yeah it failed miserably. But at least your lie kept your family safe. You can't bring anyone else to know what is still going on...

...

"[Name]. Come 'ere" You walk over towards the one co-worker as he slaps you on the back. Your body tenses up as you could feel puke trying to come up your throat that you push down.

A human corpse. A pretty woman laid against as her hair was covering up her face mostly. You move your hand to cover up your mouth at the sight. You wanted to shut your eyes but you couldn't.

"The boss said you're gonna help us with disecting now?" You glance over towards your co-worker, who grabs your hand pressing the knife handle against your palm. You grip it as you stare at the body.

"It's quite simple. Yer gonna start cutting around the joints of the finger here." He uses a second knife to slice of a finger slowly, blood gurgling up from the injury. It makes you less hungry than before.

"Now you go." The guy comments as he waits for you to do the remaining part of the hand. You stare at the body, you could feel yourself shaking as vomit was edging closer and closer to coming out. Though as your gaze looks away you saw your boss standing and watching.

You turn back before reaching to hold the wrist of the corpse. You start to slice it. It was a slow process as blood started to spew out, staining against your hands as you sliced before you stopped once the fingers fell off. One by One.

Later that day, you threw up everything in your guts.

..

You've slowly realised that you've become sloppy with hiding out your injuries.  You attempted to cover up the bruises and cuts against your wrists and neck, or the time you were barely able to walk on your leg. Even when you got a massive blue eye, you ended up trying to cover it up and lie about it not being painful.

Yet Tamsy always started to notice the injuries on you and questions it.

 You look at him with a small smile. "Hey Tamsy. I got food for dinner." You let out a hum a bit as you move towards the kitchen, Tamsy follows behind almost instantly, his eyes focusing on checking out you. Your bruises and black eye sting under the gaze.

You place the bags on the counter, taking out a couple of vegetables and a packet of mince. You smile towards him. "Let's make some spaghetti and meatballs." You chirp a bit as you start to turn the oven on. You start to hum a soft tune as you start to wash the vegetables and place them down on the counter.

You reach to take the knife from the holder as you glance at it. You stare at the object in your hand for a while. Your mind drifts back to your work life in that moment. How the corpses stare up at you as you attempt to carefully dissect their eyes out, or how hard it is to slice through the finger in being careful of the bones...

Before you could dwell on those thoughts, Tamsy goes over, taking the knife from your hands. "Let me help. You shouldn't cook when you can't see completely." You turn towards him and let out a laugh before your hand reaches over to ruffle the boy's hair a bit. "Good idea. I'll get the spices then and make the meatballs." You slowly pull away as you take out the mince, two containers and place it into the bowl, starting to mix it, adding salt, pepper and a couple of herbs.

The silence gives your mind a moment to wonder. Though Tamsy cuts out your thoughts.

"How is the veg looking?" You glance over towards Tamsy who looks up at you. "It's fine." He huffs a bit and turns his head, shutting his eyes. "I can cut vegetables just fine- owch.." The boy flinches as he lifts his right hand, a slice on his pinky finger starts to bleed a bit as he moves back from the cutting board to run water over the injury, flinching at the slight sting.

You move to push open a cupboard, taking out a small first aid kit, your hands scavenging through the couple of scraps to take out a bandage, cotton and disinfectant. You dab some of the liquid onto the cotton before gently taking Tamsy's hand. "This is going to burn."

"Ow!" Tamsy hisses a bit as you press on the injury with the disinfectant. Tamsy pulls his hand a bit to get away from the stinging, though you held it still as you clean up the blood as much as you could before finally placing the bandage on his finger. You smile a bit at him, a small comforting smile. "There, all done."

Tamsy glances at his finger a bit before he looks at you. You move to grab the knife - staring at it for a moment before eventually slowly cutting up the vegetables. "Don't worry Tamsy. I got the rest of this."

You stare at the knife as you slice down into the vegetables. The slow cut through the carrots made you press your lips against each other. You continue to cut slowly. You try not to imagine the carrots as fingers.

.

"Gran-Gran doctor~ You're so sweet! Give me something to eat!" Your voice chirps a bit, with the two children, August and Eisha going 'yeah' right after. You smile towards the two children. You've come to slowly help the doctor during the weeks that her grandchildren would end up coming to visit.

 Two children in front of you were cheering, one louder than the other, while their gran-gran doctor was patching you up. You pump your fist, which August happily copied you.

Suddenly a swift whack on their head stopped their chanting. "Where do you go on about getting something to eat huh?! I told you to stop calling me that!" Your cheeks puff out a bit at the comment. "but Gran-Gran Doctor-"

"What did I tell you about going out to the Polluted Zones! You are going to die one day you idiot." The shouting hag continued. You rest your hand against the palm of your hand, you've come use to these rants. You ignored most of it as your eyes wander to finally notice the door.

A guy, a year or two older at best stares directly at you. You stare at him before pulling up a grin onto your face. "Sup." 

"What are you doing here now!" The doctor questions the new boy that entered into the room. You hop off the bed. You smile towards the two children as you dust off yourself. "I shall see you later Sir August and Lady Eisha." You dramatically bow, getting a small giggle out of the shyer girl before you plop down a bag of money on the table. "See you Gran-Gran Doctor." You gave a lazy wave before heading out the door.

You walk down the corridor before pushing it open and getting back into the town. As you check to see you had everything, a new voice speaks catching you off guard as the guy was hovering over you.

"You go into the polluted zones?"

Your gaze looks back towards the boy, taller than you, as you hum a bit - catching yourself a bit to relax. "Yeah, my boss sends me out there."

"Are you a cleaner?" He questions you next. A cleaner? What?  "A cleaner?" He continued to explain what a clener was.. "Cleaners, they go out to kill trash beasts." You stare at him and shake your head. "Nope. I go out after a trash storm to collect stuff..." You glance away. You look to see if anyone around was from your work, you hope they weren't in that moment.

"Do you think I could meet your boss." Oh hell no. You hold that comment back as you press your lips against each other. You really need to think of an excuse for this... You can't let this stranger into the same situation as you... He shouldn't be that desperate like you are. "My boss is kinda nitpicky about who he takes." You glance up towards the guy, looking up and down before back up into his eyes. "I don't think he would think you're the best fit." The boy stares at you.

"Huh?" You shrug a bit. "Plus, I doubt he is accepting anyone else right now." 

"Can't I go meet your boss?" "Nah. He is really busy." You hum a bit, your hand reaching to fidget with the bandana around your neck a bit. Can this guy stop being so desperate to get into your work. You're trying to help him here! You smile up at him. "Sorry I can't help. But if you're looking for work I know a couple of places for you." You chirp a bit.

"Yeah that would-" The boy gets cut off by a different boy's voice, someone decently younger than him. "[Name]!" The boy calls out. His eyebrows furrowed as he stares towards you and the new guy. Tamsy huffs a bit at staring towards the two of you. 

You glance towards the boy. Seeing how his face was furrowing up and huffing out like a small territorial animal, it can't help but make you silently aw at his expression.

"Coming!" You call out. You look towards the boy with a smile. "This is a goodbye for now. But if you go down the street, the burger joint, and a couple of the stores need suppliers to help carry stock." You tell him the better job options before Tamsy comes over, grabbing at your arm.[Name]! Get away from that guy!" You could imagine Tamsy looking like a little kitten hissing towards this guy beside you.

His arms wrap around your own arm, starting to pull you away. You only laugh a bit, patting the younger boy's head. As you follow the boy, letting him drag you, you focus back on the guy behind you. "Everyone around here is really nice I promise!"

"Let's go [Name]!" You continued to get pulled, further and further away before you realised something and call out to yell towards the umbrella boy.

"I never got your name! I'm [Name]!" You grin as you call out.

"The Name's Enjin!"

"Nice to meet you Enjin!" Your grin was the last thing Enjin saw before you disappeared behind the corner with Tamsy, who was having a small huffing fit of his own for making him wait.

That wasn't the last time you've seen Enjin. He started to show up more and more into your life ever since that first interaction with him. He came from somewhere far off and does look out over the large light house in the distance of the town. 

Enjin hovers over you as you were checking through the muddied puddle on your hands and knees as you searched around for something. He stood over you with his familiar umbrella over to cover the two of you.

"What are you looking for again?" Enjin glances to the side as a couple people walk past and stare at the two of you. You continue to search around. "A toy car. It's important to Toby. I need to get it for him."

You tell Enjin as he watches you search. You know how important this is to the little boy. You can't let it disappear in the mud forever. As you touch something, you pull it out to reveal the muddy wooden car. "Found it!" You look up at Enjin with a grin. "We can go give it to him now."

Enjin looks at you before holding his hand out, pulling you up out the mud as you smile happily. Enjin watches you before a laugh comes out. You turn to look at him as you stare at your pants, covered in mud all over.

"It looks like you shit your pants." Enjin snickers, before you reach down, flinging a bunch of mud towards him, The boy got the mud all over his shirt and jacket before he reaches down, tossing some your way that you try to dodge.

The two of you continue to throw mud at each other, truly forgetting what you both were doing out in the rain.

Being only two years younger than him, you managed to find a connection to him. Maybe it was the same feeling of having no parents in your lives, or it was the fact you both happen to click during that first meeting.

You laugh a bit as Enjin was glancing at the recipe you wrote down, he ended up coming to grab dinner at your house. You were lucky enough everyone else was out - including Tamsy since he hates Enjin for some reason. 

You watch as Enjin attempts to fry the pancake before as he moves to flip it, it falls out, the burnt side up while the battered side sliding off the wall.

You couldn't help but start to cry laughing at the mistake.

Enjin gave you something that your family didn't. A moment to breath. You could avoid responsibility, become like a child once again. You felt like you didn't have the weight of many children's health and lives on your hands.

You hold Enjin's hand as you lead him along the street, the stalls set up a small market selling day for you all to buy unique and sale items. Tamsy stood beside you, holding your other hand with his eyes glaring right towards the other guy holding your hand.

You paid no mind to Tamsy's annoyance - he is just a child afterall and jealousy is a normal thing. You made sure to include him a bit as Enjin stops at a stall.

He glances at the hand crafted teru teru bozo, similar to his own one attached to his side. You glance over to look at them. "Aw they are cute." You smile a bit as you pick one up."I love these... They are cute." You smile a bit as you glance at the cutest looking one in your eyes before you get ready to place it back down.

"I'll get that one." Enjin points at the one in your hand before dropping some coins into the hands of the vendor. Enjin looks at you. "You can keep it." You stare at him, surprised a bit. "Oh thank you. I really appriciate it, but you didn't have to." You hum softly.

"Nah, you wanted it. So I got it for you." You smile a bit as you glance at the one attached to his belt - the cross eyes with a straight face. You move to tie yours to the same spot and grin at him. "We match!"

"I want to match with you too [Name]!" Tamsy calls out as you look at him. "Oh which one do you like." You smile towards the boy who huffs. "I don't wanna match with Enjin too! I just wanna match with you only!" He grips onto your hand tightly as you laugh a bit. "Ouch dude." Enjin comments as he stares at the little boy.

"We can match in whatever you want to." You smile at Tamsy, and the two of you ended up getting matching friendship bracelets made of threads.

You were just [Name] around Enjin, a child who wishes to have someone to accept them as family.

Your work day came to it's end. Your hands trying to wash off the smell of blood from your hands, yet you could still smell it after washing over and over. 

You were slow with collecting your groceries that day. Your eyes dull as you take out the couple of coins from your pouch, handing it over to the vendor.

"[Name] deary? Are you okay?" The vendor asks softly as you look up, a smile attempts to grace your face. "Yeah I'm fine." You tell them softly. The vendor glances at you before up in the sky. "A storm is meant to hit later, so you better stay all warm inside your home."

You nod slightly as you look to the side. "I will. Don't worry..." Your eyes stop on a shop, one tucked away in the corner as it hands off the bottles of alcohol and cigarettes.

You stare at it for a moment before going over, taking a couple of coins out to purchase a box of cigarettes with a lighter - using the excuse that you are getting it for your caretaker which they somehow believe.

You walk off. You've seen your co-workers constantly smoking and drinking their lives away. You don't want to touch any alcohol after seeing the effects on your caretaker. You know that it's a bad habit - both of these are. You find yourself walking off towards the light house in the distance. Enjin never mentioned about working there today, so you chose to sit out there. 

You sit over the edge, your hand reaching to pick out one of the sticks before lighting it. You press it against your lips as you breath in...

Before coughing vigorously. "Damn! This things suck." You cough and stare at the lit bud in your hand, your hand swatting away the smoke from you.

"I didn't know you smoked." The familiar voice lets you turn your head towards the umbrella boy walking towards you. He stands over you as the umbrella stays above him, now you as well. 

"I don't... I just wanted to try." You stare at the bud in your hand as you see a second hand take it from you, he finds himself seated right beside you, his feet hanging off the edge with yours as he took a breath in. "I didn't know you smoked." Soon he came out with a familiar coughing fit as you did. "Hell this thing is nasty." His eyebrows knit together as you let out a small laugh a bit.

He looks at you as he continues to smoke the cigarette in his hand. You stare at him and hum. "Smoking isn't good for you." "Says the person who was trying it first." You watch him for a moment before looking out over the edge, seeing the polluted zone infront of you is insane.

You've been down there so many times, and in the No Man's Land's where you could have died multiple times.

"So... What's it like working for human traffickers." You choke on your air a bit as you glance towards the boy that was finishing up the cigarrette in his hand. "Wha- I don't-"

He glances over at you as you then avoid his gaze. "I learnt in town that there isn't a place that really goes out to get scraps from the polluted zones. And there are smugglers around." So he put two and two together then... 

You glance down, bringing your knees up to your chest as you look at the polluted zone. "... Do you think less of me now?" Your voice wavers a bit as much as you tried to keep it back.

"No... You'd have a good reason to get involve. You aren't the type to get involved with those people willingly." You glance back over to him as he was pressing the cigarette into the ground, stopping the burning. You glance at him.

He knows... He doesn't think you're a bad person? Could you let it all go?

Rain drops hit your head as you glance up, the rain started to come down. Enjin instantly moves to hold the umbrella over the both of you as the rain started to go down harder. 

The close proximity wasn't uncomfortable in anyway. You glance at Enjin once again. You felt safe that your mouth and heart finally let your feelings slip out.

"I hate it." Your eyes move towards the polluted zone. "I had to go searching for human bodies in the polluted zones right after the trash rain. So they could sell off the sphereite parts." You think back to all those people. "Yet that wasn't enough and they took innocent people too." Your eyes blur as tears build up and pour out.

"I chose to not do anything. I watched them cut people. I watched them take people." You hiccup and move to try and wipe the tears falling down your face. "I was so blinded in trying to get money that I ignored everything happening, no matter how bad it was."

You started to bawl out crying more as you hiccup and move to wipe away the tears. Enjin sat there and listened as his umbrella still held over the both of you.

"You did it to survive right? To help them in your orphanage?" You glance up towards Enjin before a small nod came from you. He glances towards you as he held the umbrella still, tighter than before.

His eyes go to rest on his forearms, the tattoos of his past hidden underneath the layers of clothes. He knew the moment he turned 18, he was getting tattoos to cover up those scars inked in his flesh.  Enjin thinks back to his own orphanage, how everyone use to fight around, he went to find someone to help and yet... that person went and brought the worst on the place... The one connection he made in life.

So he ran away, getting saved by someone before being brought to a town at the age of 10 where he started to make better connections, worked, earned money and finally saw the guy who saved him one more time.

He looks at you, he hates to admit it. But he sees himself in you. You and him in the same situation yet chose different paths. You sacrified yourself and life into saving the children of your own home while he ran out to get help and then ran away when that problem became worse.

The two of you are so similar yet different. Enjin stares at you and he decided to speak, telling you something he would never want tell anyone else again.

"I was in an orphanage too. Everyone was fighting there and I hated it. So i snuck out and searched for someone who had money to help me." You look up towards the boy beside you, your face stained with tears and red.

"Yet that connection I made, ended up ruining everything." His umbrella tucked under his one arm as he pulls up the fabric of his shirt, your eyes wonder down onto the tattoos permanently engraved in Enjin's skin. It makes you feel sick at seeing that.

"When they were going to sell me off, I ran away." You stare towards him as he looks back towards you. "You went and tried to fix it yourself. You're a good person. I ran when I made my place shitty... You've done something that you wouldn't have. But that doesn't make you a monster."

You stare towards him as you move, closer. The movement stunned Enjin as your own arms wrap around him in a hug. You slowly move back and look at him. "You did your best. Don't blame yourself either..." You tell him softly. "You were doing your best for everyone there. Sometimes people you trust... aren't who they say they are."

The two of you sit in silence for a moment before you hold your hand out to reach the rain. Letting the water touch your hand.

"I love the rain. It's so calming. It can express it's feelings without worry."

"Really I hate the Rain." 

"Seriously? Maybe you haven't had a fun rain day yet.." Enjin shugs a bit. "No rain day could be good." You move a bit closer to Enjin before reaching for the umbrella - which he surprising let you grab and take from his hold as you close it suddenly.

"Huh-" You laugh a bit as rain water starts to pour down on each of you. Enjin reaches to grab it as you hold it away. You step away. "Come get it Rain boy!" You tease out as you move away.

Enjin gets up as you did, you kept your distance, splashing in the puddles and kick the water towards the guy. He moves to follow you, kicking the water right back at you.

You move quickly around the flat part of the hill. Running beside the light house as Enjin tries to get his umbrella back. As you try to move, you slip on the mud as Enjin grabs onto your arms, preventing you from falling down.

He sighs with a chuckle as he takes the umbrella from your hand as you smile at him a bit, laughing. Though he didn't reopen it, instead he helped you up before plopping himself down once again, letting the umbrella rest against the fence.

You smile and sit beside him a bit, laughing as rain soaked both of you. You look at him before back at the view of the town for a moment. It was so far away.

"... I plan to leave to join the Cleaners since my 18th birthday is around the corner." Your breathing stops in that second before looking back at Enjin. He looks at you. "I'm joining as a supporter, unless I somehow get a vital instrument... I won't be around here longer."

You stare at him before looking down. "I see..." You were so close to him, you told him everything that has been kept locked up in your heart and he was going to disappear soon...

"In less than two years... You'll be 18 too?" Enjin questions, which you nod as a result. He stares at you right in the eyes. "Join me in the cleaners when you turn 18."

Your mouth opens slightly at the request, you stare at him. "Me? Join the cleaners? Didn't you just hear I work with human traffickers?" Enjin nods a bit. "Yeah, but you don't want to be with them. And if we explain the situation, I'm sure they would accept you still."  You nod a bit - you want nothing to do with them, but why would they forget what you've done if you told them. Though there is some hope for you out of here...

"You should join the cleaners with me when you turn 18. By then I'll have worked for over a year and a bit... Then I can come back and get you." He looks at you. You were hesitant as you think. You will be forced to leave the orphanage once turning 18. You have nothing to your name when you leave. You'd be starting with nothing - or as a criminal if you work with the human traffickers still...

Though before you could answer, you heard someone call out for you.

"[Name]?"

Your gaze moves to notice Tamsy. "Tamsy? What are you doing out here?" The boy looks at you before glancing at the guy right beside you. Your eyes glancing at the weapon in the boy's hands before it shifts back into a wooden distaff- the same one you found him with.

"I've been looking for you. It's been hours." Tamsy focused back on you as he went over.  He looks between you and Enjin before grabbing at your clothes. "Let's go. We're going back." You stare towards the soaking wet boy. You didn't want to leave Enjin yet, this was your last chance to talk to him. "We can stay out here a bit longer if you want. I mean it must be crowded at home to see you out-" 

"Let's go. It's not safe out here." The boy demanded more as he pulls on your hand. You stare at Tamsy before letting out a sigh. He was soaking wet and you could tell he was crying earlier by his reddened face.  "Alright. You walk a bit ahead. I'll be there in a moment. I promise." 

Tamsy walks off towards the end of the hill as you turn towards Enjin. A smile rests on your face.

"Goodbye Enjin. Promise to see me again, okay?" Come see me and take me with you. 

"Yeah.. I do." Enjin looks at you. He will come back for you. 

You soon catch back up to Tamsy and the two of you would leave together. He reaches to hold your hand as you smile towards the boy. Though you could feel your tears falling again in that moment.

.

You're exhausted from the day. With the last remaining hours being spent taking care of everyone after crying to Enjin. You get ready to go to bed before stopping and seeing Tamsy.

"Hey Tamsy. Do you need something before bed?" Your voice softer as to not wake anyone else around. You smile gently at him tiredly

"I wanted to sleep with you tonight." You stare at him for a moment before a small laugh comes out. "Are you sure you do. It may not be the most comfortable." Tamsy nods his head a bit. "Yes."

You smile a bit and nod. You slowly lead him up towards a ladder, tugging it down to finally allow you to climb up. Buckets getting filled with water in corners of the attic, You go out towards a mattress on the floor. You pat the matric for him to join you as you both lay down.

"Me and some of the older kids at the time found this place and hung out here when they still lived here. They grew up and now live somewhere far away, in new homes..." You tell him softly as you stare at the scene drawn on the roof.

You glance at Tamsy for a moment before back up at the ceiling of stars. "Tamsy..." You wonder when the boy would go and find a family for himself too.

"Have you met anyone you would want to live with? Any visitors, store vendors?" Your voice laughed a bit as you continue to speak "If you keep huddling up with me you'll never find a place to call your home." You joke about yourself a bit.

Tamsy stares at you, his eyebrows furrow a bit. "I haven't. I want to only be with you." You turn your head towards him, your eyes a bit widened at hearing what Tamsy said.  He what?

"I want to stay with you [Name]... I want to protect you and be with you always...." Your gaze stays on him as no words come out your mouth. Someone wants you in his life as your family? You've heard these words maybe a dozen times and those children would go to find homes without you.

Yet as you look at Tamsy, you can see the genuine feeling and want from him. He doesn't want to lose you in his life. It starts making you tear up a bit again. You laugh a bit as tears brim the corners of your eyes, making Tamsy panic a bit. "Are you sad?! Are you making fun of me?!" 

You shake your head as you reach up to wipe the couple of tears. "No No! I'm not I promise!" You smile gently as you look towards the boy. "I would love to be your family, Tamsy. We can protect each other then, right?"

Tamsy nods his head. "We won't leave each other either right? And always love each other?" You held up your pinky towards him as Tamsy holds out his right one to copy you, before you interlink them and shake slightly.

"That's a promise."

...

Life has been going on. Your work life has dragged you out finally into the waste lands as you keep the bandana around your mouth. Breathing got slightly easier the more you wear it as you glance through the areas.

You were quick in digging up scraps before you stop and notice a wooden spindle. You smile a bit, thinking of your brother, Tamsy. It isn't made of the same wood, and could be different in size. But maybe you can take it to him so he can have a complete set.

You are proud of your brother Tamsy. He got a vital instrument too! Your brother is amazing. You can't help but feel cheery at knowing Tamsy wanted to be your family. You found a family of your own.

You hum softly as you scratch into the scraps for a moment as you hear a noise. Your head turns back as a trash beast piles up by you. It screeches as you move away quickly.

How did it sense you? You made no noise? Your breathing was rigid a bit as you move forward. You push against the trash pile as you move. The soft glow of your bandana started to appear as you move away. The danger made you feel so sick and scared. 

You cry out as you slip and fall, scrapping your knees as you fell. You look ahead towards the fencing that was the only thing separating you from getting out of the polluted zone and dying. You glance back as the beast hovers over you.

Your hand grabs for the bandana that shifts in appearance as you swing it, slicing through the neck of the beast as it crumbles into pieces. A vital instrument now in your hands. You can't focus on that fact as you need to escape.

You were trying to catch your breath in those moments as you pull yourself up from the ground. You were getting closer and closer, Though as another screech behind you comes out. You turn back in that moment as then the beast started to gurgle up, it mouth splits open before something purple shoots at you-

A scream was the only thing that came from your throat as you fall down, trash tumbling and crushing over your body at the gate's edge. Your vision disappearing as you stare up to the sky.

Life tends to favour some people over others. You just had to be reminded that you are not one of those people.

-----------------

Wow that was long so it didnt get proof read, hope you all enjoyed! The story does get lighter after the next like 2 chapters.

This chapter almost didn't exist because Name was gonna be a blank slate type reader with just a good heart. That was until the first chapter came out and I decided to actually write out a backstory which ended up being one of the darkest ones I've made.

Also dw, there is a lot more chapters after this one. This note is important for those people who need it: Enjin and Name's moments in this chapter are entirely platonic. MC is 16 while Enjin is 17 turning 18 - any romantic interactions will only occur after they are both of age

A storm was said to happen throughout this whole week. You made sure that everyone had their winter-y clothes and rain jackets all fixed and ready for this weather a few days ago. Now Tamsy has pressed his face against his palm as the lighter drizzles started to rain down onto the ground. His sweater kept him warm enough that he didn't need to worry about the storm coming while he was inside.

The rain was never his favourite weather, purely because that meant everyone was inside and stuck together. All the children, the caretaker, you and him. Which resulted in you never having a moment to spend time with him alone due to everyone clinging onto your side with the sudden proximity.

His eyes glance over as the door opened, chattering from the rest of the children as they tug of their boots and jackets to toss to the side, running into the house with giggles and cheers or whines due to the weather. Tamsy kept himself pressed against the window's side, a book nestled into his lap so he could focus on that instead of whatever everyone else was doing.

"Tamsy! Come play with us!" One of the younger children grip onto his pants, tugging and pleading with their eyes trying to look sad and pathetic as a way to convince the boy to join them. He stares at the group of children. "No. Get your hands off me." The Sphereite boy sneered a bit, he didn't care for anyone around here - with you being the exception. Everyone else could disappear and leave you and him alone. He would prefer that over anything else.

Speaking of you, you haven't entered into the room yet at all. You said you had gone out for work and then grab some groceries, yet the day was almost over already by the time the drizzling started.

Tamsy places the book down on the windowsill before getting out of his seated position and going through each room. Kitchen, bedroom area, living room and the bathroom. You weren't anywhere in sight.

The boy presses his lips against each other, his thoughts drift over to what could be, the possibility of you just being late did cross his mind yet something else came to him instead that was more worrying to himself. That guy.

The guy, Enjin if he remembers correctly, appeared into your life over a year and a couple of months ago. Ever since then, you've been spending time with that guy. Too much of your time in Tamsy's eyes. Whenever he went out with you, shopping, going to work and help around. Whenever you ran into the Enjin guy, you both would talk on and on - no matter how many times Tamsy attempted to take you away. Nothing worked.

He first tried to fake being sick - didn't work. He embarrassed himself with trying to shout and drag you off. He even tried preventing you from seeing the guy - but that stupid goddamn umbrella is always open and easy to spot.

To say it simply, Tamsy hates Enjin for taking up your own time and taking your focus away from any moments he has with you.

The thoughts of the guy made Tamsy feel like throwing up at how much he despises him. With seeing you no where in the home - as well as the caretaker - he takes a jacket - one of your spare ones that was still slightly bigger than him that the sleeves had to be pushed up. He grabbed a set of boots that were too big for himself. His own his wooden distaff tucked away in the pocket of the jacket before he moves to take a couple of steps out the door.

The drizzling was currently light as it fell down onto him. Though it wouldn't be too long before it started to get heavier. The boy takes a couple of steps down through before going straight towards where the grocery store was. 

"[Name]? You missed them an hour ago." Tamsy froze as he stares at the tender, who was hurriedly closing up their shop, ensuring all their produce was safely inside the building. What does she mean that you were there an hour ago? 

Tamsy's eyebrows furrowed a bit at the fact you never came back. The clerk manages to push away the couple of crates of food underneath the shelves as they start to speak again, catching Tamsy's attention. "Are you sure they didn't get home?" Tamsy shook his head as a response. "Hopefully they haven't been taken." The vendor spoke with a sigh. "This time of year - especially in the rain - smugglers take people who they can sell off as sphereites."

Tamsy stares at the vendor for a moment. Selling Sphereites. He felt sick in that moment, the idea of getting sold off for being a sphereite was sickening, he is more grateful having you found him out there those two years ago. Then again what came to mind now with that mentioning sent the boy on a spirtal.

He left the store immediately. He started to call down the street your name. He had a wave of panic settle in him. Are you gone? Where could you be?

He wishes, he prays for you to be okay. He stopped at the end of the street, the light house far away still as he was at the end of the street. Gasping for air as he looks around, the rain getting harder and harder as it storms down on him.

He turns back to the town, another look. He went from store to store, glancing through the window with any little chance of you being inside there. He didn't care how the water seaped through the hood of the jacket, dripping down his back, The wind pushing against his face as he tries to look around for you anywhere.

The boy felt as if a part of him was disappearing in that moment. Were you gone? He takes steps and lands back by the path leading out towards the light house. His body soaked with rain water entirely - yet he couldn't care. The hood falls down off his head against his soaked back as he slowly plops down onto the floor, his body pressed against the side of the archway leading out of town. His eyes hollow of any light.

His breaths were short as his vision blurred slightly, tears were brimming and started to fall down his cheeks as it mixed with rain water. You're gone.... You're gone.... You're gone... You're gone.... You're gone... You're gone.. You're gone.. You're gone. You're gone.! YOU'RE GONE! YOU'RE GONE! YOU'RE GONE AND WILL NEVER COME BACK.

His hand reach up, pulling and tugging on his hair as it stuck onto his wet cheeks.  "You're gone and its all my fault..." Tamsy's voice tells himself. He shakes his head a bit, shutting his eyes closed tightly. No, you can't be gone. You wouldn't leave him...

That's what you want to tell yourself. The voice continues to speak as the boy shuts his eyes. His own voice taunts him, telling him over and over how he let you go. He let you leave and now disappear from his life like how it did on the Sphere.

Tears slipping down his cheeks as his hands reach to hold onto the wooden distaff. He pulls it out slowly as he stares at the last object he has from the sphere. He stares at it before pulling it into his curled-up form. The boy worried and crying for your safety doesn't realise the light blue glow.

"Please come back... Where are you [Name]. Don't leave me. You can't too. I promise I won't let you go again. I'll be good. I'll protect you." Hiccups and tears slip from the boy's face still as his hold on the distaff stayed tight. The care the boy has taken for the item - and the love he has for you - focuses into the item in his hand.

Suddenly the wooden distaff changes into a large staff type weapon with blue strings wrapped around the top. The boy's eyes glance up at feeling the sudden weight in his hand, it was a lot larger than his body, so he slowly pulls himself up, the weapon tilts and lands sideways in his hands as he holds it close. His eyes glowing a distinct shade of blue to match the colour earlier that created the weapon. His lips press against each other.

This is it. This will find you. That's what Tamsy thought as he holds it in one hand, struggling before spinning the top. "Find [Name]." Ropes shooting out as Tamsy shut his eyes closed. as it spreads all over town, leading out towards any direction it could before running out of thread, Tamsy's eyes opened, looking straight ahead towards the light house. He gripped the weapon before sprinting ahead, his speed was slower due to the heavy-ish weapon in his hands now, but he continued faster. He sensed you with the threads, you have to be here. They wouldn't lie to him.

His shoes squish into the muddied dirt as he hurries up to finally reach the top, the weather was less tense this futher out from the town as the clouds were moving along, yet it still rained hard.

There Tamsy stopped at the top, catching his breath as he stares to see you. His body felt light, his eyes brightened as he finally saw you were safe. He wanted to collapse right there as he stares right towards you before his eyes dulled. The familiar umbrella was closed on the ground right beside the guy Tamsy didn't want to see.

Enjin was soaked with rainwater alongside you, you seem to have been laughing based on the hint of a smile settled on your face as well as your face was a bit red. 

"[Name]?" Your gaze moves to notice Tamsy. "Tamsy? What are you doing out here?" The boy looks at you before glancing at the guy right beside you. The wooden distaff soon returns back to it's original form. "I've been looking for you. It's been hours." Tamsy focused back on you as he went over. The slightest hint of tobacco stuck onto your clothes as Tamsy approaches. He glares slightly towards Enjin - who had the same smell attached to him.

"Let's go." Tamsy grabs onto you as he pulls on you. "We're going back." You stare towards the soaking wet boy. "We can stay out here a bit longer if you want. I mean it must be crowded at home to see you out-" "Let's go. It's not safe out here." The boy demanded more as he pulls on your hand.

You stare at Tamsy before letting out a sigh. "Alright. You walk a bit ahead. I'll be there in a moment. I promise." Tamsy stares at you, he takes a couple of steps back to wait by the end of the flat part of the hill as he could hear you speaking with Enjin barely.

"Goodbye Enjin. Promise to see me again, okay?"

"Yeah.. I do.."

You soon catch back up to Tamsy and the two of you would leave together. Tamsy glances at you as rain water falls down from your head to your chin. He just feels a sense of relief that you are back with him again. The voice in his head slowly disappeared for a long while.

... And so did that boy, Enjin.

.

Tamsy watches you for a moment as you were leaving the little children's room. You look exhausted after getting a bath and changed from the moments in the rain earlier though as you turn towards Tamsy, you let out a smile. "Hey Tamsy. Do you need something before bed?" Your voice softer as to not wake anyone else around.

"I wanted to sleep with you tonight." You stare at him for a moment before a small laugh comes out. "Are you sure you do. It may not be the most comfortable." Tamsy nods his head a bit. "Yes."

You smile a bit and nod. You slowly lead him up towards a ladder, tugging it down to finally allow you to climb up. Buckets getting filled with water in corners of the attic, with a dusty smell was noticeable to Tamsy as he watches you go out towards a mattress on the floor. You pat the matric for him to join you as you both lay down.

"Me and some of the older kids at the time found this place and hung out here when they still lived here. They grew up and now live somewhere far away, in new homes..." Tamsy stares at the ceiling where drawings cover the walls and ceiling with names scribbled next to each star.

Tamsy stares at each thing, eventually finding the star with your name scribbled below. He has now found his favourite star. "Tamsy..." The boy now looks over towards you as you stare up at the drawn stars.

"Have you met anyone you would want to live with? Any visitors, store vendors?" Your voice laughed a bit as you continue to speak "If you keep huddling up with me you'll never find a place to call your home." 

Tamsy stares at you, his eyebrows furrow a bit. "I haven't. I want to only be with you." You turn your head towards him, your eyes a bit widened at hearing what Tamsy said. A hint of pink dusts his cheek as he felt a bit embarrassed now telling you all of this. 

"I want to stay with you [Name]... I want to protect you and be with you always...." Your gaze stays on him as no words come out your mouth. Tamsy felt more and more embarrassed by the second.

You laugh a bit as tears brim the corners of your eyes, making Tamsy panic a bit. "Are you sad?! Are you making fun of me?!" 

You shake your head as you reach up to wipe the couple of tears. "No No! I'm not I promise!" You smile gently as you look towards the boy. "I would love to be your family, Tamsy. We can protect each other then, right?"

Tamsy nods his head. "We won't leave each other either right? And always love each other?" You held up your pinky towards him as Tamsy holds out his right one to copy you, before you interlink them and shake slightly.

"That's a promise."

-----------------

Tamsy started to notice more injuries on you ever since the incident with the 'caretaker' months ago. You attempted to cover up the bruises and cuts against your wrists and neck, or the time you were barely able to walk on your leg. Even when you got a massive blue eye, you ended up trying to cover it up and lie about it not being painful.

You push the door open, snapping Tamsy out of his thoughts as he turns to look towards you. You look at him with a small smile. "Hey Tamsy. I got food for dinner." You let out a hum a bit as you move towards the kitchen, Tamsy follows behind almost instantly, his eyes focusing on checking out any injuries across your body - besides the eye patch covering over your one eye from the bruise from before.

You place the bags on the counter, taking out a couple of vegetables and a packet of mince. You smile towards him. "Let's make some spaghetti and meatballs." You chirp a bit as you start to turn the oven on. You start to hum a soft tune as you start to wash the vegetables and place them down on the counter. You reach to take the knife from the holder as you glance at it - assumingly checking it was clean.

"Let me help." Tamsy goes over, taking the knife from your hands. "You shouldn't cook when you can't see completely." You turn towards him and let out a laugh before your hand reaches over to ruffle the boy's hair a bit. "Good idea. I'll get the spices then and make the meatballs." You slowly pull away - which Tamsy wished you didn't - as you take out the mince, two containers and place it into the bowl, starting to mix it, adding salt, pepper and a couple of herbs.

"How is the veg looking?" You glance over towards Tamsy who looks up at you. "It's fine." He huffs a bit and turns his head, shutting his eyes. "I can cut vegetables just fine- owch.." The boy flinches as he lifts his right hand, a slice on his pinky finger starts to bleed a bit as he moves back from the cutting board to run water over the injury, flinching at the slight sting.

You move to push open a cupboard, taking out a small first aid kit, your hands scavenging through the couple of scraps to take out a bandage, cotton and disinfectant. You dab some of the liquid onto the cotton before gently taking Tamsy's hand. "This is going to burn."

"Ow!" Tamsy hisses a bit as you press on the injury with the disinfectant. Tamsy pulls his hand a bit to get away from the stinging, though you held it still as you clean up the blood as much as you could before finally placing the bandage on his finger. You smile a bit at him, a small comforting smile. "There, all done."

Tamsy glances at his finger a bit before he looks at you. You move to grab the knife, before eventually slowly cutting up the vegetables. "Don't worry Tamsy. I got the rest of this."

Tamsy stares at you as you continue to cook. He won't admit, but he wanted to cook with you just to spend time with you alone.

.

The day was sunny and bright. Yet the boy still held up his umbrella as if the sun was going to burn him. He took a couple of steps into the town - he already managed to grab himself some work at the light house 3 years ago, but as a 16 year old - eventually 17 - he needs a better income. It's less than two years until he can finally join the cleaners as a support and get himself into those Polluted Zones.

His eyes glance over towards what would be the hallway leading towards the familar doctor that helped him all those years ago when he was brought by the stranger. He takes a couple of steps down the alleyway to stop infront of the door, not bothering to knock as he pushes it open.

"Gran-Gran doctor~ You're so sweet! Give me something to eat!" A voice chirps a bit, with a couple of younger voicers going 'yeah' right after. As the guy opens up the door fully to be faced with quite the scene. Two children - the boy about 10 years old while the little girl was about 7. They seemed to be cheering, one louder than the other, while their gran-gran doctor was patching up the final person in the room. They were sat on one of the beds as they were pumping their fist.

Suddenly a swift whack on their head stopped their chanting. "Where do you go on about getting something to eat huh?! I told you to stop calling me that!" Their cheeks puff out like a chipmunk. "but Gran-Gran Doctor-"

"What did I tell you about going out to the Polluted Zones! You are going to die one day you idiot." The shouting hag continued, though those last sentences did catch the boy's attention. 

Your gaze slowly lifts up to now be looking at the new person that entered the room. The guy stares at you which you just grin towards him a bit. "Sup." 

"What are you doing here now!" The doctor questions the new boy that entered into the room. You hop off the bed. You smile towards the two children as you dust off yourself. "I shall see you later Sir August and Lady Eisha." You dramatically bow, getting a small giggle out of the shyer girl before you plop down a bag of money on the table. "See you Gran-Gran Doctor." You gave a lazy wave before heading out the door.

The boy watches you. He forgot the main reason he came into here and he said his goodbyes sloppily with a couple of 'Yeah see ya' before he followed you outside. He caught up to your side as he looks at you. "You go into the polluted zones?"

Your gaze looks back towards the boy, taller than you, as you hum a bit. "Yeah, my boss sends me out there." Enjin stares at you, you're younger than him surely, the people who go into those polluted zones are cleaners from what he knows. "Are you a cleaner?" He questions you.

"A cleaner?" Your voice instantly told him that you don't know much. "Cleaners, they go out to kill trash beasts." You stare at him and shake your head. "Nope. I go out after a trash storm to collect stuff..." You glance away as you look around, the boy looks at you, wondering what you could be looking for.

"Do you think I could meet your boss." If this is a faster way to get him into the polluted zones faster, the better. You press your lips against each other, glancing to the side as if you're thinking for a moment. "My boss is kinda nitpicky about who he takes." You glance up towards the guy, looking up and down before back up into his eyes. "I don't think he would think you're the best fit." The boy stares at you.

"Huh?" You shrug a bit. "Plus, I doubt he is accepting anyone else right now." 

The boy stares at you, something tells him that you're lying. "Can't I go meet your boss?" "Nah. He is really busy." You hum a bit, your hand reaching to fidget with the bandana around your neck a bit. You smile up at him. "Sorry I can't help. But if you're looking for work I know a couple of places for you." You chirp a bit.

"Yeah that would-" The boy gets cut off by a different boy's voice, someone decently younger than him. "[Name]!" The boy calls out. His eyebrows furrowed as he stares towards you and the new guy. Tamsy huffs a bit at staring towards the two of you. Who the hell is this guy around you?

"Coming!" You call out. You look towards the boy with a smile. "This is a goodbye for now. But if you go down the street, the burger joint, and a couple of the stores need suppliers to help carry stock."

"[Name]! Get away from that guy!" Suddenly the boy appeared right beside you, his arms wrap around your own arm, starting to pull you away. You only laugh a bit, patting the younger boy's head. The most notable part about this little boy was the two-toned hair. As you get dragged away, you look back towards the guy. "Everyone around here is really nice I promise!"

"Let's go [Name]!" You continued to get pulled, further and further away before you realised something and call out to yell towards the umbrella boy.

"I never got your name! I'm [Name]!" You grin as you call out.

The guy stares at you as you shouted from the other side of the street. A smile rests on his face as a bit of a laugh comes out a bit. The new name he has been given is already 3 years old, but it still felt so good to tell people. "The Name's Enjin!"

"Nice to meet you Enjin!" Your grin was the last thing Enjin saw before you disappeared behind the corner with the boy. Though as you disappeared, he could see the boy glaring right at him before disappearing too.

"huh." What a weird kid.

-----------------

What are your thoughts on [Name] as a character? Also, what do you think their vital instrument could be :] ?

- Lilly