The mills of his heart

Dolent- full of sorrow

TW: mention of violence, child abuse.

Van finally caught up to the little kid who was crouching in pain and weeping in silence. He ran towards him when he noticed how he held his bird as if protecting him from the cold of the floor, pressing his arms gently against its plumage trying to hide him from the harshness of the environment around. Where were they anyways? It was frigid, the gray walls were almost blue and the floor was slippery, just underneath the kid's wimpy body was laying red droplets which Van assumed to be blood, making him rush towards its source.

William had fallen from quite the height, Van thanked Heavens for his survival, but he was suddenly rethinking his gratitude when he turned the little boy over and finally took a closer look. William was drenched in a pool of blood, he had hurt his side badly enough and by the looks of it he did not stay put like Van had asked him to previously, perhaps had he tried to find a way to escape the cold, or he was searching for his bird? 'I have to help him first, think later.' Was all Van had to inwardly say to put himself back on track. Just when he was about to heal the kid did he notice the frightened look he was received with from the trembling, sobbing figure underneath him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"William..."

"I know you told me not to move if I was hurt but it was so cold-"

"William stop talking you need to keep your strength."

"Please, please, I'm sorry."

His pleadings would not stop here, Van tried calling him over and over again but the consciousness of the younger boy was somewhere lost between irrational rambling from the tremendous pain he was feeling, and deregulated screams from a deeper cut that wasn't shown. Only when Van raised a hand to calm the kid did he understand what was happening:

"Don't please!"

"William..."

"No, I'm so sorry, no." His scream was muffled by his sleeves in which he hid his face, squeezing his eyebrows, trying not to face the older man.

"William I'm not going to hit you. Let me heal you, you're bleeding. A lot."

Van's voice was calming but wincing at the realization of the concerning habits the kid grew on. 'How harsh', he thought while caressing the white tuft on the little one's head, who had now calmed down his sobs, steadied his breath and was looking around, embarrassed and still hurt.

"Can I come closer?" The silence was then followed by a very small "yes" that would've come unheard if not for Van's attention for details.

William couldn't help but a small yelp escaping his lips as he felt, not only a warm cape wrapping him, but also strong yet gentle arms pushing him forward till he reached the chest of their owner. He would never ask loudly, but at that moment he could only think 'why?'

"I'm not mad at you William, I was worried. Sorry, I should've been more clear from the start."

William didn't answer him, he did hear him though, but his mind was drifting away to a complete darkness as his eyes closed slowly, tired of the sounds around him, tired of his cries, tired of the stone cold room he was in. Maybe he was relieved, maybe he felt in peace at that moment, maybe that was all he needed after all, just a sweet and soothing voice telling him to not worry, and loving arms bathing him with comfort. No one would believe him if he says it, he wouldn't either if it was for other circumstances, but for once he didn't dream of anything, and it was probably the best night he had in the lifetime of his nine years.

∞

"You didn't deserve this. I'm the only one at fault for having allowed such inconvenience get to that large of a scale, don't feel responsible for it is my mistake that got us to where we are today. If anything, I owe you all my sincerest apologies, none of this was right."