Little Red Robin Hood

XXV - Speaking From Experience?

"Raine?" I looked up to see Cloud descending the stairs, a concerned look on his face. His grey hair was messy from sleep. "Raine, how long have you been up?"

I let out a long breath, then looked at the clock. "Few hours?"

He sat next to me on the couch, "Bad dream?"

I nodded.

"Wanna talk about it?"

I hesitated, then shook my head.

He glanced at my ice cream, "Want some real breakfast?"

I looked down at the pint, now empty, then nodded.

Cloud took the empty pint and spoon from me, standing up and walking towards the kitchen. I laid down on the couch, breathing deep and trying not to think about the drunken memories that kept piercing my brain. I tried to focus on Eli, but that just made me think about how confused and scared he was when I stumbled home drunk.

"Raine, what's wrong?!" Cloud ran back to me, kneeling in front of me.

"Wh-what?" I breathed, blinking.

"Raine, I can feel your emotions," he reminded me. "By Grandfather, you're in so much turmoil right now! You're so scared." He took my face in his cold hands. His remaining ear was pinned back, eyebrows upturned. "Please, tell me what's wrong. Tell me how I can help."

"I-I...," I hesitated. I bit my lip, sitting up and gripping my blanket.

"Raine, talk to me, please," Cloud whispered, sitting beside me with his arm around my shoulders. "I can assume this was about your bad dream, but what triggered the dream, if there was a trigger at all? Please, tell me."

"I-it.... It was the wine," I muttered, looking away.

"You didn't have any," Cloud gently reminded me, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I looked up at him, tears in my eyes, and shakily whispered, "Two of them liked me better drunk. I-I was 17 the first time." I looked away, focusing on the empty fireplace and elegant mantle. "J-just the thought of... alcohol... of any type...." I shook my head, whimpering. I closed my eyes.

Cloud took a deep, slow breath. He held me tight, almost hurting me.

"I'll tell my brothers to not mention alcohol," he softly said. "We can get rid of the wine if you want. It's not like it gets us drunk, so we really have no use for it."

"N-no, you can keep it," I muttered. "Just... keep it away from me."

"Of course," Cloud nodded. "You... wanna come help me with breakfast? Well, you don't have to help, you can just watch. Might help get your mind off all this."

I took a deep, trembling breath, then nodded.

He helped me up off the couch, arm around my shoulders.

He lightly touched the edge of the red blanket, "Is this a baby blanket?"

I nodded, "The only clue I have to my biological parents." I soon added, "Not that I would want to find them; apparently they just... left me on a doorstep. Like something out of a shitty young adult fiction about a long-lost princess." I pinched the bridge of my nose, letting out a sigh.

"Here, wanna sit on the counter?" Cloud offered.

I paused, then nodded.

Cloud wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up and setting me on the counter next to the sink. I swung my legs, looking down at the tile floor. I held the blanket around my shoulders, watching as Cloud rummaged around the kitchen.