Sweet Songbird (G/T)

Chapter Twelve

Sera flinched as the cage clicked shut. As soon as they arrived back here, Lord Kaufman threw her right into the prison. She didn't dare utter a word at the giant man who loomed over the cage. Whos hazel eyes were watching her every movement. She was attacked, nearly crushed, and still hadn't gotten what she had set out to get. Her book. It was in the library though, maybe if she ever got some free time she'd yank it out and read it. "S-Sir I-"

"Silence. I don't want to hear another peep out of you until morning." Eric grumbled, turning to face away from her. She was scared, and he didn't like seeing that. But he still had to be strict about this. With the number of servants in this building; if they all saw he was going soft they could attack and bring him down.

Pursing her lips, she continued what she was going to say. "May I please have a blanket?" She squeaked out and swiftly used her arms to shield herself in case he did something. But instead, something landed, covering her completely. When she opened her eyes, what looked to be a large handkerchief draped her entire body and she could hear what sounded to be muffled laughs around her.

He kept his hand over his mouth, muffling the sounds. When he released the scrap of cloth, it landed in such a way it almost looked like how children drape sheets over their heads to pretend to be ghosts. It looked absolutely ridiculous. What made it even better was the flailing she began to do to remove it from her head. Unable to fight it off he let out a loud, deep laugh and reached through the bars of the bars of the cage; carefully pulling the 'blanket' off of her head. 

The sound almost scared her half to death. But when she saw his face, her fear immediately switched to confusion. Was he...laughing? When the smile wasn't wicked, but genuine, it brought out how handsome he could really be. Straight jawline, firm chin. Even a bright smile. She hugged the blanket tightly to her chest and managed a small smile of her own. "S-Sir...I-I've never seen you laugh before."

"I haven't laughed in quite a while, there's been nothing to laugh at." Eric cleared his throat softly, trying to brush the topic away. "Let's just get some sleep."

"It was nice...I liked it."

He froze, his back towards the human. He didn't turn to face her. Instead, his heart began to hammer in his chest as he kept his eyes locked on the wall in front of him. "You l-liked it?" He half stuttered, attempting to keep his composure.

"Yes," Seraphina responded, laying the blanket out in a way she could both lay on it and use it to cover herself. 

"Just get some sleep," Eric said softly, gripping the fabric of his shirt. She sounded genuine. She didn't sound like she was trying to get him to let her out of the cage. Very slowly he looked over his shoulder to see her lying with her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful and calm.

Silently he headed to his restroom, staring at the man in the mirror. He met his own eyes, his heart still beating rapidly against his insides.

"Mama, why are they so afraid?" 

"Because we're so much bigger than them dear. Wouldn't you be afraid?"

No. They were scared of what they could do because of their size.

"Papa, do you think any one of them would be my friend?"

"Perhaps. You'd have to trust them though, and they'll have to trust you."

Trust. The one word that was his entire downfall. Trusting got him into this mess. He hates it. The man in the mirror he sees now is not the man he wanted to be. Not the man his mother would have wanted him to be. But they're dead now, and it's all their fault. Because of them, his parents are gone.

"Hi! I'm Eric! Wait, no, don't run. Please. Will you be my friend?"

He grabbed fistfuls of his hair and sunk to the bathroom floor, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. 

"You came! Wait...why are there so many men with you? Are they going to be my friends too?"

Had he not been trying to stay quiet he would have screamed.

"N-No! Mama, papa! What are you doing?!"

Bloody images flashed through his head even though he tried to keep them away. Why? Why of all times were they popping up now?! He built that wall to keep them away, not to carry cracks for these memories to seep through. "I-I hate them, I hate all of them." He said in a low whisper, his breathing ragged and shaky. "Hate them."