Heart Beats

Prologue: Make Me Love You

"Raven? You're being weird again." the dirty blond haired boy said to the little girl he cradled on his lap. Her hair is really pretty, he thought, stroking the silky strands.
"I-I'm na being weid, Moppy. A-and I towwd you my name'th Miwwia!" the black-haired girl said, sobbing into his chest. Her name was Ravener Amelia Sparks, she made sure to tell him. He preferred to call her Raven, because "when you wake up you look like a floofy raven!"

She had "humph"-ed at that, and he picked flowers for her to say sorry.

She started to call him Moppy in retaliation, saying his hair was like a dirty mop when she really thought it was like caramel and chocolate, two of her favorite things.

"Raven, don't cry. I'm sure mom will let me visit you." said the boy, even as tears made tracks down his chubby cheeks as well. Mommy will never take me back here. I can feel it.

"But you pwomithed me, Moppy! You thaid you'w pwotect me! That we'w get mewwyed jutht tho nobody hurted me! Now you'w weaving me!" the little girl's body shook with heartbreaking sobs. The boy cradled her closer.

"I know what I said, Ray-ray. But mommy..." he knew he chose the wrong words to say when she started bawling and clutching at his shirt.

He pried her little fingers from his shirt, and took her to his room. The lack of items in there were depressing him, but he had to leave something for his Ray-ray.

He dropped her on his bed carefully, her thumb automatically going to her mouth. His seven-year-old self hadn't seen anything more cute than that.

Her wide brown eyes followed him around the room as he jumped from box to box. He ripped into annother before he realized his mom hadn't packed his clothes yet and ran to his closet.

Her eyes were half closed when he came back to her. His heart broke when she clutched the sheets as if it would keep him with her. Slowly, his face came into her vision and she tried to snap her eyes open and say, 'I wasn't sleeping.'

Chuckling, he said "you just said, 'ah wadnt leepin.'" His laughter faded quickly when he remembered what he had in his hands.

"Ray-ray... this is my favorite shirt." he said, bringing out the black cloth from behind his back. The shirt was several sizes too big, and when he wore it once, it hung like a dress on him, touching the floor. The sleeves reached his wrists, almost. But he loved it anyway, because Raven wanted him to get it so badly she threw a tantrum just so he could get it.

"I wemembew..." she whispered. He handed it over to her, and it draped like a blanket over her tiny body.

Her eyes got heavy almost immediately.

"Go sleep, Ray-ray. I'll take you home." he whispered.

"But if I do, you wo na be thewe when I wake up." Tears streamed down her half-lidded eyes.

"You can keep my shirt, Ray-ray. So when I get back all big and strong, you can give it back because you kept it safe for me." he smiled at her. "and I'll protect you forever."

Slowly, she fell asleep. When he was sure, he carried her home. It was a short walk. They were neighbors, after all.

He opened the door and called out to Mrs. Sparks, careful not to wake the precious cargo.

Mrs. Sparks opened the door, cooing at her daughter and her neighbor's son. She let them in and opened the door to her daughter's room.  The boy set her down carefully. He stepped away, and just before he left her room he looked back.

She was clutching the shirt like a lifeline, her nose stuck to the material. Her chubby face was serene, smiling. "Sammy..." she whispered.

He ran away before his friend's mom saw his green eyes glistening in tears.

♡♢♡♢♡♢♡♢♡♢♡♢♡♢♡♢♡♢

"MILLIA! WAKE UP! YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE, LAZY ASS!"

I'm jolted awake by my brother's harsh yelling.  I look at my clock and groan. It was 6! On the friggin' dot! School doesn't start 'til 8:45!

I stomp down the stairs in my Justin Bieber shorts. Don't get me wrong I hate the shrill-voiced little shit with a passion, and he can kiss my ass. But how do you propose I do it? Get the shorts of course!

My long black hair looked like a bird's nest, and I have drool on the side of my face, but I don't care. I'm punching my brother.

"TOSTE! Get your SLIMY ass here, NOW!"

He comes over, walking casually. As soon as he sees me he scrunches his face. "Why do you insist on wearing that?"

"I told you, so Justin-"

"-Bieber can kiss your ass, yes I know you told me several times already." He rolls his eyes. "I mean that. The shirt. It's a little too tight for sleeping, don't you think?" He raises an eyebrow at me and I shrug.

"Don't care. I love it, and I'm batman's wife."

I pretend to cough, covering my mouth. "-and it's all I have left of Sammy."

I suddenly remember why I called for him. "Care to share why the FUCK you would wake me up at such an UNGODLY hour?" I say as I turn to him and scowl. He just rolls his eyes, and says, "You know it takes you ten years to bathe, Millia. I'm just trying to help."

"You know I don't Toste! What the fuck! And you also know I can NEVER get back to sleep now!" I throw my hands in the air in exasperation.

Toste only smirks at me and says, "Well, now you can get there earlier."

I release a war cry and start chasing my brother around the breakfast bar, occasionally snatching up some french toast Toste made. He forgets we're in a war and comes to scold me for a second before he remembers and bolts.

The war ended prematurely when Toste slips and faceplants into a bowl of flour. I couldn't stop laughing.

Well, that was until I looked at the clock.

"Shit!" I started to run upstairs. When I get to the stairs my brother calls up to me, "Hey! Millia! You look like a bear raped you!" He dissolves into a fit of giggles, occasionally sneezing when the flour climbs up his nose.

I roll my eyes. "Well, you look like you gave Hulk a blowjob." I smile sweetly. He freezes on the floor and I decide to book it before his synapses fire. "sorrynotsorrybyeTosteloveyoupleasedon'tkillme!"

I slam the door to my room and laugh like a maniac, and anybody who knew me knew that when I start laughing like crazy I start saying weird things...

"Oh my God-!" dropped a lung, "that cherry tomato-! BAHAHAHA- His FACE! HAHAHA! It's just like Sammy's when I-" my laughter dissolved pretty quickly then when I thought of Sammy.

Sam Corvus. My Batman.

I didn't notice before, but my brother's right. Sammy's shirt is a little too tight on me now, the Batman logo in front a bit cracked and faded. Sometimes I sniff it and pretend I could still smell him.

But like always I fall asleep and dream of when he left me, and broke his promise.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Yea, new story! Don't give up on me now, it's summer! I'm going to brain-fart so hard it's gonna last more than a couple of chapters! ;)