Dreams and Realities

<4> After

Auski held the smaller hand tightly. The shorter remained quiet the whole time, not once grumbling or complaining about the long walk.

When Auski had first designed the building — yes, him, because he didn't have enough morals to trust other most definitely unreliable people (ugh, trust issues) — for construction, he had wanted it complicated and messy, like a maze. Why? It was definitely because he wanted to challenge his memory and durability (and totally not to torture spoiled brats of a child).

The child, wary and on guard. Auski halted for a bit, the child following suit. Draco shuffles around on the spot, head down, hair covering his face. The hair would probably look nicer grown out but knowing Lucius, it'd be cut later. Maybe Draco could grow it out a bit but Auski'd make sure to cut it nicely later when Draco returns back tot he manor.

"Draco, are you tired?" It was a fairly normal question he would ask the kids living here for the place was big. And any other adult would as well when outside a big area, offering their help to carry the child. But Draco just looked at him weird, like he just said something he couldn't understand. With this reaction, Auski evaluated, he must have not been ask if he was tired. Lucius Malfoy, this heartless father.

"N-no! I'm okay, I'm... Fine," Draco frowned. It was an obvious lie. Many would say Draco resembled Lucius. Sure, in terms of looks. But to Auski, Draco was more like Narcissa. Kind and sweet, shy and quiet.

Narcissa Malfoy was another. She was definitely the type to be loving and show love towards him outwardly. She would be a loving mother and show care towards her child. But what would lack would be praise. And with Lucius being most likely abusive and negligent, Draco would feel stressed and try to be the perfect son that they wanted. Auski had come across many of these cases, but what makes Draco's different and join the rare ones was that Draco hardly showed emotions. He obeyed. The child was defintely scared and question why and what he did for him to deserve it, and/or the child is far too obedient and think he deserved it. This was one of the outcomes of having being abused. He felt that he didn't deserve the abuse and tries to be different, to be the unexpected.

Most abuse come with emotional abuse, but Lucius wasn't the type to degrade his child because he needed his child to be the one making everyone obey. He would likely show him that the higher of status one is, the more powerful they would be. That was one thing Auski wanted to change from Draco's mind.

From young, one wouldn't know what's right or wrong unless corrected by the parents. But if the rules and what they follow at home is wrong, it would be hard to change their perspectives in the future, so thus it would be better to correct them from young.

"You sure? I can carry you if you want. It will be quite a while," Auski offered, reaching out his other hand. "For about a next half an hour." Draco hesitantly shook his head and Auski shrugged and walked again.

>•𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤•<

It wasn't more than five minutes before Draco tripped and fell, scraping his knees on the rough carpet. Auski knelt and picked Draco up to stand. "You okay there?" But when Draco lifted his head, his eyes were filled with tears. "Please... P-please carry me..." That's good. The first step to recovery is always to ask for help. Auski grinned and picked up the boy, bouncing him lightly on his hips. "Don't ever be afraid to ask for help, Draco. I'm always here." Draco sniffed and snugged his head in his neck, trembling slightly.

Draco's grip on his collar was tight, as though Auski would let go and drop him is he were to let go. He was afraid.

Auski put his free hand atop of the child's head and brought Draco impossibly closer to him. He hoped that the Carmel scent that radiated off of him could help relax Draco more. After all, a child deserves the warmth and love of an adult.