The Raven & The Spider (CURRENTLY UNDERGOING HEAVY EDITING)

Chapter 20 - A Welcoming Family

Your POV (Second Person):

You patted the horse's muzzle lightly as you waited for Doll and Smile outside of the showers. You shivered slightly in the cold air and wrapped your cloak tighter around you.

"Hurry up already." You muttered under your breath to no one.

After a few minutes of waiting, you heard quick steps running towards your direction. You turned your head around to see Smile, who was sopping wet and looked on the brink of tears.

He made eye contact with you, but only for a moment before running past you without another glance, until he was out of sight.

"Wha- Smile!" You yelled out for him, but he didn't turn back. You were about to run after him to see what was wrong, when you noticed Doll approaching you quickly.

She stopped at your side as she hunched over to catch her breath.

"Doll!" You shouted angrily. "What the bloody hell happened?"

Doll huffed and panted, then stood up to face you. "I'm not quite sure..." She mumbled while looking at the ground in shame. "We were in the shower room, and I offered to wash 'is back."

Tears started pouring down her cheeks silently and she shook slightly. "I hadn't meant to! I- I didn't know!"

"Didn't know what?" You inquired as you wrapped your cloak around her shivering figure.

"Robin... he- he has a brand on his back." She whimpered.

"A... brand?" You breathed.

"I'm sorry, Smile." Whispered Doll. "I'm sorry."

_____

After calming Doll down, and taking her back to your own tent, you decided to go look for Smile. You searched the bustling camp for a few minutes until seeing him sitting on a fence post nearby.

You approached him cautiously, then sat next to him. He seemed slightly shocked at your presence, but said nothing.

For a few minutes, the two of you just sat in silence as you watched the performers scurry about, preparing for the show later.

Finally, you sighed and asked with concern, "Hey... are you... alright?"

He breathed out in an irritated sort of way, then said, "Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

You decided to not question it. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about whatever had happened, so you simply sat there together in silence as the cold, winter wind blew around you.

"I'm sorry." You whispered.

"Whatever for?" Asked Smile with confusion.

You stayed silent. Why did you apologize? Was it simply because you felt pity towards him and the mark on his back? Were you apologizing on behalf of your friend's actions? You didn't know yourself, but saying sorry had seemed like the only thing to say at the time.

As Smile waited for you answer that never came, he sighed quietly then said, "You did nothing wrong, Robin. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine."

I'm fine. You used to say that all the time, no matter how upset you were. You never wanted to involve anyone in your own problems. You smiled sadly as you remembered yourself saying the very same thing to Jim all those years ago after being beaten again by the village kids. You had known that if he knew why you were crying, he'd get into another fight, and you didn't want that. You didn't want big brother to leave you and risk getting hurt.

You simply nodded at Smile's response. After a few moments, you said, "I know circus life can be hard to get used to at first. It's so... busy, and messy, and crowded... but, it's a family."

Smile looked up at you questioningly as he waited for you to continue.

"As insane as everyone 'ere is," You began with a small smile, as you looked at the grass decorating the cold ground. "We all care about each other. We'd never let anyone get hurt, and we always protect one another." You smiled brightly. "That's what I love about this place. No one judges you from your past. No one cares where you came from, or who you once were. No one cares if you were friendless, or homeless, or even a criminal... they accept you for who you are now, and who you wish to become."

You felt your eyes brimming slowly with tears, but you wouldn't let them fall. "Here, a person can be free to change their ways. Here, a person can find a family to love them, even if they're not related by blood. The people here, are all so diverse and interesting. I wonder in what ways people have changed after arriving here. I know I used to be completely helpless. I didn't have a family, and the only people I considered my family were killed. I had no where to go, and no hope left for me. Then, Joker and Doll found me and I had a family again."

You finally turned to look at Smile as he stared at you with an expression you couldn't pin-point. Maybe it was a mixture of shock, and amazement... and... and admiration, though you didn't know for sure. "You're welcome here, ya know." You said with a warm smile. "It doesn't matter your background, who you once were, or what you've lived through. Everyone here has gone through some torturous thing in their past. Everyone here... we all help each other get back up on our feet, and we continue walking the path of life together... as a family."

Smile continued staring at you for the longest time, but your attention had gone back to the black boots upon your feet.

"Thank you, Robin." Said Smile quietly. "I admire the outlook you have of this place. It really is something remarkable."

You looked up at him and grinned. "Think nothin' of it." You replied. "I just want you to know that you're not alone. People here care, even if they show it in peculiar ways."

After that, you and Smile slipped off the fence post and headed toward the main tent for the big show that night.

Smile's POV (First Person):

I stared at the girl next to me in awe as we walked together, side by side. I had never met anyone like her. It was apparent she'd been through so much in her life, yet she still held hope for the future. How could that be?

I smiled at the ground as I thought back to a few minutes ago when she'd smiled like that at me. I hadn't seen a smile that genuine directed at me since my parents were alive.

Why was this girl so different? Why did she care about me? The only person who could even come close to caring for me was Sebastian, but he was impelled simply by something he would receive. Robin however had nothing to gain from being friendly towards me. She was sincere in her actions, and wasn't paid or motivated by money to comfort me.

Why was she so different?