It's Only The Beginning {1}

† Eight †

Once The brunette had stopped shouting, the blonde left in a hurry, obviously intimidated by the young girl.

When I had first met Octavia, she was soft and innocent. She couldn't see the bad in the world yet. Now she did. Ever since she was forced to watch her brother torture Lincoln and I.

Her eyes weren't as bright. It made me sad to see the light inside of her dimming. I didn't want her to turn out like me.

No one deserves to become someone like me.

The shorter girl continues to clean my wounds gently, talking to me about her feelings.

"My brother............he's someone totally different now. I don't know who he is. He used to help me hide for routine checks. He used to let me ride on his back. He taught me mostly everything I know" I nod along at her words, watching her intently. Her eyebrows furrow and her lips curl downwards.

"But now, now he's just a ghost of who he used to be. I don't want to be associated with someone who could leave so quickly" she states, wiping the cuts.

"We'll let her get better. We'll let her go" A deep voice murmurs quietly.

She spins around to see her brother and she glares.

"What" the younger sibling asks confused.

"We will let her go once she's healed, unlock her hands, keep her feet tied up" he states before going back down the ladder.

She grins at me, her pearly whites on show.

The girl is quick to cut the ropes that hold my arms and squeals. She wraps my torso up again and wraps her arms around me, hugging me tightly.

It feels foreign, being held in someone's arms. I wrap mine around her petite frame and sigh.

It's been so long since I've cared about someone other than an animal. I'm glad it was her. She's pure and that'll change at some point, but I want to cherish it while it's here.

She pulls away from me and throws me a mischievous smile.

"We're playing 20 questions" she smiles and I have no choice but to agree. We both sit on the floor, our legs touching at our closeness.

"I'm starting. Have you ever been in love" she asks. I shake my head.

"No, I've been alone since I was five" I tell her honestly.

"Love is a foreign thing to me. I've never really felt it before. Romantically or Platonically" I continue and she grabs my hand, squeezing it.

"Well, I'm your best friend so, I love you" she tells me and my heart warms at that. Not that I would let anyone have that information.

"What does love feel like" I ask her softly, genuinely curious.

"It's when you feel an urge to protect them from all of the evil, when you're willing to put them before you. When you'd die for them. That's love, platonic or not" she tells me and I glance at her.

"Then I love you" I whisper to her and she smiles. Her hand squeezes mine tighter and she looks at me before looking away.

"Next question" I tell her and she grins.

"Lincoln. He's your brother. Do you have any more siblings" she asks hesitantly, probably sensing it was a touchy subject.

"Arabella. She's my older sister. She's...........different. She cares deeply for me, only because she was old enough to make that connection. I suppose I was too, it just takes me longer. I never got that time" I tell her.

"What do you mean" she asks, curiosity spread across her face.

"My mother. She threw me out of my village when I was five. I haven't seen her since" I explain and the brunette beside me rests her head on my shoulder, her eyes dropping slowly.

"Go to sleep, Octavia. I'll be here when you wake up" I reassure her and she nods.

"It's O, call me O" she mumbles sleepily and I nod, kissing her head before sharpening my senses.

I couldn't let myself sleep. That's when people take advantage of you. When you can't protect yourself.

I look down at the girl resting on me. I couldn't let her get hurt. She already meant to much to me.

She needed to be protected.

I could never love her more than a best friend. I wouldn't let myself. I also see her more as a sister.

She's my best friend.

My responsibility.