Justice In Shadow's Eye

Chapter III: A Warm Embrace

- - 3rd Person's POV: - -

"Damn it! What was I thinking?!" Alex thought to himself as he rushed outside of the mansion, only a few guards were on duty for tonight so barely anyone noticed the panicking older master.

After circling around to different areas of the manor on where Alexander assumed Cleo would be currently, he stopped on his tracks for a moment to properly get his mind working.

"I shouldn't have started a topic like that... Sure he may be different now but I should've taken a less invading type of an approach!" He thought.

After puzzling some ideas on where Cleo could possibly had ran towards to, there's only one place he's certain Cleo had gone off to, wasting no more time, he had hurriedly rushed to the mansion's garden.

When he arrived there, he had spotted a silhouette being bathed by the gleaming moonlight.

"Cleo!" He called out, but the silhouette did not reply nor move an inch.

Carefully approaching his younger brother, Alex cleared his throat before letting out another word.

Alex: "Listen... It seems that we've gone off to a bad start... What I said back there really bothered you I know."

Cleo didn't reply, but he was evidently listening to his brother's words.

Alex: "It's just that, I became concerned of your well-being when I learned how cruel that academy can be to its students, and after your sudden disappearance, leaving nothing but a letter... I was worried and thought that you were kidnapped... Again."

His last few words ticked Cleo's mind causing him to turn around and face his brother.

Alex: "And the truth is... I missed you, I missed our playtimes, our jokes, and our bonding together with dad... I didn't expect it to just disappear one day.

Cleo continued to be silent, Alex on the other hand couldn't look at him directly  until...

His eyes widened when he felt a pair of arms wrap on his waist.

Cleo: "I missed you too Alex...

Alex didn't know how to respond but to only return the sweet warm embrace his younger brother gave him... Both of them had missed each other but didn't know how to speak it out.

Alex: "I missed you so much baby bro'."

Their hug continued on.

Alex: "I received rumors about the countless times of tortures that academy has laid on their students... Was it true?"

Cleo: "Unfortunately... Yes, their way of teaching there was unbearable... As for me, I was able to bear the hardships they have to offer me, every minute feels like I could die there... And yet I continued to fight until I reached the finish line.

Alex: "That must've been really difficult for you to maintain yes?"

Cleo hummed as Alex gently caressed Cleo's head, letting his fingers glide smoothly on his blue hair as their hug remained tight.

Cleo: "They wanted to rip their pupils' true potentials brutally before they release us back on the outside world, and I was no exception from that."

Soon both of them released from each of their clasp as they kept hold of their hands.

Cleo: "There were no place in there for the weak... If you're not capable of the challenges that they've prepared for you to face, it's best to just quit immediately before it's too late..."

Alex: "And you passed with flying colors!"

Alex exclaimed with a gleeful attitude, Cleo could hardly form a smile.

Cleo: "Barely, and those activities are only half of what I witnessed there as casualties were also present."

Alex saw his brother's expression become even worse, he could tell he doesn't want to talk about it anymore.

He placed his hands on Cleo's shoulder as he gave them a comforting rub.

Alex: "... Hey, if it makes you feel better, we could stop talking about any of that, I could see your hurting, you can deny it or not, but I still know how my little brother acts despite of me not being there by your side.

Cleo only nodded as he went to hug his brother one more time as both of them left the garden to return back inside.

Soon when they arrived, some of the maids and butlers came and rushed towards them.

"Master Alexander! Master Cleo! You're not supposed to be exploring the manor at this late of hour!"

Alex: "Relax Victoria, father isn't home right now am I right? Therefore he won't find out am I correct?"

"Y-yes Master Alexander, but Master Alderitch keeps track of what you've been doing on his time of absence!"

Alex: "But surely you don't plan on reporting to father about this do you?

The maid was lost for words as she didn't know what to say back to him... She knows that he has a point.

Cleo controlled his urge to chuckle at this scene playing in front of him.

"N-no, Master Alex" the maid replied.

Alex: "Good, now please take some rest now so that we may forget everything of this from ever happening."

The maid only bowed as they left their two masters alone.

Cleo placed his hands on his waist as he  finally let out a laugh from his brother's devilish tricks.

Cleo: "You're mean for scaring Miss Victoria like that y'know?"

Alex: "Hey, at least their off of our tails now right? Now how about you tell me some exciting part of your adventure at the academy hm? Of course we can stop at some points if you don't want to discuss.

Cleo rolled his eyes as he only let out a chuckle.

Cleo: "Fine fine..."

Both of them decided to continue their conversation on Cleo's room.

"I really missed these types of fun times"

- - End - -