Forgotten memories (rewritten)

Chapter 3: Nickname

Eirix didn't move an inch. He watched the middle-aged man, who was making a painting on the wall. His hair was chocolate brown. His green eyes got Eirix's attention. It was like the trees in heaven. He felt like these eyes brought him back a little, which gave him a little relief but anxiety.

"I'm fine, did you find the ingredients."

"Yeah, I did." he hands the bag to him.

Koen noticed the angel in the corner of his eyes. First, he looked surprised, but his eyes softened, and smiled softly. Walked closer to him. The man was taller than him and he just looked up on him.

"Who are you angel boy?" his voice was as deep but gentle as Nayuta's.

"He's Eirix... but I think he's too shy to say something."

"Oh? I'm Koen, a pleasure to meet you." he bows.

"Nice to meet you, Koen." As he sees his bow. He got down on one knee and put his hand on his heart like he used to against his father. Nayuta and Koen just looked confused and soon they looked at each other and started to laugh. "W... What's wrong? Did I somethin-?"

"No, it's fine... you don't have to bow like that..." Nayuta reaches out his hand to help him to stand up. "Here, just do like this." the boy showed him how he needed to do the bow in the right way like they used to do.

"Oh, I'm sorry" he runs his hand to his messy hair and seems slightly confused.

"It's okay. Koen, can he stay for a while?"

"Just forget it, I can sleep in the forest," Eirix said, he didn't want to bother them, they looked kinda peaceful. He got used to that when he spent his nights in the forest after a fight with his father. Their quarrels can be rough many times, and his father wasn't afraid to hit him. When it happened, he just went to the nearest forest and spent a night or a whole day there.

"You won't... you'll stay here. Out there you'll catch a cold." he puts the top of his hand on his cheek, like Nayuta did. "Your skin is cold. Just try to warm up a little, Nayuta will show you the house and find out where you can sleep. But first I'll make you some food. Just take a seat I'll make you something."

Nayuta decided to show the house to Eirix. He started with the living room and the kitchen. It was the same room. The only thing that separated the kitchen from the living room was the kitchen floor was a little higher than the living room's. There were some shelves on the wall. He leads him to Koen's room now. It was a regular bedroom and Nayuta's too.

"I think, it's the interesting part now..."

"But we finished the house...?"

"Now, it's Koen's workshop. I hope you're not afraid of the dolls or puppets..."

"Afraid of... dolls?"

"Yeah, some people are afraid of dolls, so that's normal."

"I understand... And you? You can make dolls?"

"I made one doll, but I never was good at that."

"Now... let's go inside," he said but he was a little unsure about that.

They walked to the other building and Nayuta pushed the door open. He grabbed a lantern from aside, to lit up the place. He entered. The lantern was enough to light up the whole place. It was full of many things, which can a person use for carving. Some dolls were put on the wall, and some of them were scary. Eirix was scared a little, but he tried to keep himself calm.

"And what did you make?"

"Oh," he seemed a little surprised when the angel showed some interest in his doll. "Here, there it is." He pulled a chair in front of him and picked up a doll which was covered with a dark blue blanket. When he took off the blanket, the angel flinched a little and stepped back. The doll almost looked like him. The doll's hair was blond, his eyes were purple and blue and it had wings, but the doll had horns. The part that he finds the scariest, the doll has a mark under his left eye, the same as Eirix has. "Oh, so you're afraid of that doll, I think I'm not that bad."

"The, doll almost looks like me..."

"Oh, really... how strange... I saw that boy in my dreams."

"What, dreams?"

"I don't remember what happens in my dreams, just that boy, but I used to have nightmares too. Never mind, I'm hungry. What do you think, Koen is ready with the dinner?"

"Maybe? Let's just ask him."

They headed back to the kitchen, and Koen was done with the food. He made ramen. When they arrived the plates and the chopsticks were on the table. Koen was already sitting on the table.

"Hurry, I thought you would never come back. Your dinner is getting cold."

Nayuta and Eirix take a seat at the table. The dining table was small. Eirix found it strange, because they just sat down on the floor, and he just used that table in heaven as a coffee table. The table was lower on the floor, so they had a little to sit down, but not enough. He just watched what Nayuta did and he did the same. Nayuta and Koen put their palms together and said "Itadakimasu".

"Ita- what?" Eirix asked.

"That's what the people's used to say before they eat. Itadakimasu, try to say that after me."

"Itadakimasu."

"Good, it's time to eat." he chuckles softly and puts his hand on his shoulder.

Eirix noticed another problem. He doesn't know how to use the chopsticks. He saw how Koen and Nayuta did and tried to imitate them. Koen noticed that and looked at Nayuta and signed Eirix in confusion. The boy just smirked and he's enjoyed a little when he tried to use that. Koen smiled too.

"Okay, okay, let me help you. I think it's not working." he lightly held his hand and showed how he could do it. He moved his hand to the angel's mouth. "That's how you can eat..." chuckles again.

"Oh, god... It's delicious." his eyes flushed a little and he smiled.

"That's good to hear" Koen smiled.

Soon, they finished their dinner.

"I think we will share on one bed," Nayuta said.

"Wait, what?"

"I just have only one bed, we can't cut that half. Just follow me."

"I know where is your room don't worry." Eirix stood up and walked to his room. For his luck, the bed was large enough for them. A few minutes pass when Nayuta tries to find a blanket and a pillow for him. At the time he succeeds, he lies down on the bed. He's exhausted because of what happened, and he wasn't a good sleeper too, like Eirix but can hide it so well. His usual nightmares make sleeping difficult, but now he tries to show a normal face to the boy. Like everyone does when they meet with new people. Keep cold-blooded, without a piece of anxiety.

"I don't know what you wanna do... but I'll sleep."

"I'll sleep too... I think."

Nayuta laid down on the side of the bed and turned his body to the wall. He was on the edge of the bed, he tried to stay far from Eirix. He saw that the boy was anxious about their whole situation. He tried to stay far, even if he didn't want it. Eirix just let out a sigh and laid down next to him. He just watched the roof and tried to fall asleep. Nayuta turned on his back too. He supported his head with his arm, while the angel just watched the roof and kept his hand on his stomach.

"So, what's your story," Nayuta asked.

"Story?" Eirix flinched at his question. He felt he was not ready to tell him the truth, but deep inside he wanna tell him.

"You're here because of a reason... so tell me what is it?"

"I... I'm a prince in heaven. But my father... I hate him..." he can't finish what he wanna say. He felt like something was trying to prevent him from speaking, and eventually, he was scared.

"Prince... then that will be your nickname," He chuckles. "but I see you're uncomfortable with this..." chuckles. "So you don't have to talk about it, but if you ran away from home, you'll stay here for a while." He turned away.

Eirix turned on his right side where Nayuta lay. Almost a half hour later he fell asleep, but Nayuta couldn't, he just rolled over in bed. He notices Eirix's sleeping face and it calms him down a little. Soon he could fall asleep too.