Steal

Part One - Taken

This is completely my own work. Similarity to any other works are completely coincidental. This may not be copied, built upon or rewritten in anyway. Steal should not be seen on any other site, under any names other than my own.

STEAL (c) Chiara Marshall and Cara Mallon / Kao-Kuria and kuria-kao. All Rights Reserved.

IMAGES (c) All rights go to respective owners.

COVER (c) totv.wikia.com/wikiFile:Magic-Hand.jpg

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Sota opened his eyes to the sudden crack of thunder. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he sat up, not sure why this particular crack had woken him up - he had slept through the storm easily until now.

Looking around his room, he saw the single window showing dark trees, the shadowy doorway leading to the rest of the house, the scratches on the floor where he had pulled his chair back and forth hundreds of times. He overlooked all these images when he saw the slight, shivering form of his younger sister standing next to his bed.

He looked at Aoi in the darkness and saw shining tear tracks down her cheeks. Sota made a space for her to sit down next to him and when she did, he laid his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. "Nightmare?" he asked.

Aoi nodded her tiny head, and a sob escaped into the silence of the house. She looked at Sota, her beautiful blue eyes drowning in tears.

Sota smiled back and gathered Aoi up in his arms, cuddling her against his chest. His chin brushed her honey-coloured hair as he whispered, "Hey, hey. It'll be fine, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

As he reassured Aoi, Sota felt a chill down his neck, as if someone was watching him. Sota told himself that he was being silly.

Aoi bit her lip. "Promise?"

Sota grinned and ruffled Aoi's hair. "Absolutely. It's just a storm. Bet you it'll be over by morning."

Aoi responded by pressing her head into Sota's shoulder. Sota enveloped Aoi in a hug and kissed her on the forehead.

A click.

Sota froze. Even though he wasn't sure, the click didn't sound like it was anything from the house or the forest that surrounded it. He was silent and heard a low murmur of voices, which were quickly silenced. Someone was here.

Aoi raised her head slightly. "Sota?"

Sota stayed still, hoping to figure out who was in the house with him and Aoi. "Aoi-"

Sota's voice was cut off as people in military green and helmets flooding the room, guns at the ready. Sota's eyes widened. The soldiers from the Empire were here. The freaking Empire.

"Sota?" Aoi's voice broke and Sota moved so that he was in front of her.

"Out of the way, boy," one of the soldiers said roughly. They levelled their guns at Sota.

Sota swallowed, hard. "No."

The loud bang of a gun broke the dead silence in the room. Sota let out a scream as his arm erupted in pain. As he fell to the floor, he felt the butt of a gun press into his head and he watched as the soldiers grabbed Aoi.

"Sota!" Aoi screamed. As the soldiers moved farther away, Sota couldn't do anything but watch.

"Sota!" Aoi's voice broke again. Sota didn't move until the gun was taken off him.

"Aoi!" he yelled. He ignored the burning pain in his arm and pushed against the soldiers who held him back. "Aoi!"

The soldiers shoved him to the ground and without hesitation fired.