𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒. Michael Kaiser

2. Quit

"My little Liddy used to always quit, but she never really quit, she just says she did."

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With her hands against his skin, she smiled. She wished he would have been able to smile to. "Michael, where did you get that?" Money. There was a lot of money on him. She wasn't going to assume it berate him, but she would ask. "I found it." Her eyes widened. She knew he was lying. She just didn't want him to lie to her. "If you need money, just ask." Nikita never struggled with money. She didn't want him to either. She wished he would quit stealing. It's dangerous. She didn't want him in danger.

Michael nodded. "I'll stop." He found it hard to say no. To refuse the person who brought him back to life. He couldn't. He couldn't risk letting her fade away from him. He didn't know what he'd do. She smiled. Her hands reaching for his head. He didn't flinch. Pat Pat. "Good job." He liked it. When she said good things about him, when she took care of him, when he took care of her. He wasn't good at comforting, but she seemed to always calm down when she was in his arms.

He had an effect on her. He hopes he's the only one. He hopes nobody else gets to know her the way he does. He hopes nobody else gets to honour of holding her the same way he does. Because if someone did, he fears what he would do to them. Michael didn't love violence. But he understood what it meant to protect someone. He understood that sometimes it's better to let go, but he's never letting go of her. He wouldn't be able to. Hopefully, she wouldn't be able to either.

But as time passed, he couldn't keep to his word. The money in his hand. He was careful so she wouldn't know. But Nikita always kept an eye on her possessions. She trusted him. She just didn't trust his circumstances. She didn't pry into his reasons, but she knew things weren't going well for him. "Michael." His feet stopped instantly. His face showed no reactions but his fists clenched. The rise and fall of his chest repeating rapidly. "Michael, come here." His legs led itself to her uncontrollably.

She didn't do anything to him. She didn't hurt him even if she was upset. She didn't let her emotions define her actions. "Why didn't you ask me?" But he looked away from her. She placed a finger on his chin and turned it back to her. "Tell me, Michael." He shivered. "I'm sorry." Those were the only words the boy let out of his mouth. An apology. But she didn't want an apology from him. She wanted him to explain. To tell her everything that happened. She scanned his body once again.

A bruise. He had been hurt again. She sighed. "Sit down." He sat. She took a first aid kit out her bag. She always carried one. She was clumsy herself. Bruises, dried up blood, a sight she began to feel familiar with when she saw the boy. It was sickening. But she cleaned them properly, dressed the wounds. Plasters when needed, bandages when needed. Some just needed to be exposed to the air. Her hand drifting through his hair. "You never really quit." She told him.

In a way, he felt himself being compelled to nod. "So you just say you did?" He couldn't face her. He hated it. She seemed disappointed. "I'm not angry, Michael. I'm not angry that you stole. Not that you're a thief. But just angry that you lied to me." She didn't care if he did the worst possible things on earth. She chose him already. She had glued herself to him permanently. "Because you're mine forever, Michael. Forever." She took his hand. She reached for her pockets to find something. A pile of cash placed in the boy's hands. "This should last you a while, right?"

However, no response. After a long pause, he nodded. "Even if it's just this week. Don't do anything dangerous this week, please." He nodded. "Promise me, Michael." He bit his lip. A promise. "I promise, Nikita." Her eyes widened. Her body stunned. He never said her name. She spoke for most of their conversations, but she didn't mind. But the sweet sound of her name on his voice made her want to hear it again. She smiled.

Ruffling his hair slightly, she spoke. "You're so good, you know that?" He nodded a little. She smiled. She felt so proud of herself for having managed to earn the trust of such a pretty boy. Such a pleasant boy. Although he may be a little problematic, she had no escape from him. But she didn't want to escape. She wanted to save him from everything that was thrown his way in life. So that when the winter came to pass, he was not stuck with a cold in the middle of summer. She wanted him to be warm, even during winter. Wanted him to feel cool when the summer sun hit.

The weather should not disturb her boy. She wouldn't let it. She was scared too. Just small children. She was scared for her boy. Scared that his small self wouldn't be able to endure all of this. The injuries were so often it made her sick. She guessed where they were from, but nobody would help her. Her mother never listened to anything she said. She couldn't save him because she was just a small child. She was oblivious to how much that boy needed her. He needed a motivation to keep living. Just one. Just one reason until he finds something to keep him stable. Something to finalize his will to live.

But he needs to have something to keep him going before he found that. And that something was Nikita. She may not have known how useful she was to this boy. However, he was just grateful that she spoke to him. Grateful that he cared for her. She cared for him too. He was important to her because unlike everyone else, he listened to her words. He didn't see her as another weak child. Another nuisance demanding attention. Instead, he saw her as important.

Michael was the only boy she wanted. She didn't feel the need to question everything else. As long as she had him by her side where he belonged, then everything would end up being okay again. In a way, she was right about that. Everything was going to be okay in the end. Everything would be alright as long as she was with her boy. Because who else would bandage his wounds if not her? What would the injured do without first aid? What good would the beauties of spring do if nobody was there to help him survive the winter.

She promised herself she would help him survive the winter. Help him through the summer. So that one day, when her boy's suffering begins to reach its end, she'll be there with him. So that her boy would never have to live his life alone. Never have to live his life without her.

—★—
Chapter end

Thank you guys for reading. I actually love Kaiser so much and this fic is actually ficcing for me. Like not blocking my creativity for story plot. Yipee

Hope u liked it. Sleep well, eat well and hydrate so that you can live long enough to see the final moon with me.