Eyes of Azure | Assassination Classroom

:: Attempt 24 | Treat You Better ::

:: Attempt 24 | Treat You Better (Unedited) ::

"It's all right to love someone who doesn't love you back, as long as they're worth you loving them. As long as they deserve it."
-"The Infernal Devices" Book One: "The Clockwork Angel" by Cassandra Clare

x + x

< Eren L. Basil >

Once upon a time, there was a boy who had everything. He had it all—nice but not perfect parents, and a kid sister who looked up to him and whom he loved the most.

"Baz?"

I look at my sister, and I wince as she dabs the cotton ball against my cheek. It's soaked in alcohol, the touch of it stinging the open wound. She'd offered to help me clean up the cut, but it wasn't a particularly nice act, since it meant she could punish me for being 'stupid'. And punish me, she does.

"Yeah?" I say, and I sigh in relief as Abel pulls the cotton ball of pain away.

She's pouting.

I almost laugh, but I don't. She'd probably get mad at me if I do. And I'm not that cruel. Not really.

She's worse than I am, anyway.

"Why'd ya' protect me?" There's more to that, I can tell, but she doesn't say anything else. And I don't pry.

She'll say it if she needs to; she'll admit it when she wants to. Right now I'm the big brother who's being taken care of by his little sister because he got into another fight.

Again.

So I reach out and ruffle her short brown hair, and I grin. "That's 'cause you're my sister, Bel. Do I need ta' have any other reason?"

She huffs, attacking me again with her fluffy weapon. Pretty weird how one small cotton ball can make a damn good substitute for those horrifying torture weapons back in the Middle Ages, and I yelp, hissing in pain as she laughs like the good ol' torturer she is. "You're an idiot, Baz—ya' really are."

I grin. Well, I can't always let the little sister get away with torturing her older brother, can I? "I don't need ta' be smart to know that I have to protect you." I reach out, attempting to ruffle her hair again. My efforts are put to waste as she swats my hand away and childishly sticks her tongue out at me in victory. Damn. "'Sides, I promised ya' that a long time ago, didn't I?

"I'm always here for ya', Bel."

Abel stares at me, unimpressed. Seriously, where did I go wrong in trying to raise her up to be like her awesome older brother? Where did her respect for me go?

I notice her mouth starting to twitch, and before long she bursts into laughter.

"God, you're such a sap, Baz!"

"Oi!" I protest as she snickers, "At least I'm a 'sap' who knows how to fight pretty damn well!"

"Yeah right," she rolls her eyes, "ya' look like somebody thrashed ya' and left ya to bleed out."

"That ain't true, ya' know that, Bel!"

"He had everything, until he screwed up and nearly lost one of those things he held close to his heart." I whisper under my breath, just enough so I don't disturb the redhead sitting next to me.