And Then Heaven Descended Unto Earth

Sometimes We Regret Our Actions

I blink, my eyes opening slowly. The boy I found; the one who was attempting a summoning; is laying next to me sleeping peacefully. So Rin didn't hurt him. That assumption is shattered quickly.

I catch a glimpse of scars running along his ribs, claw marks running deep. His arms are littered with similar scars. So Rin did fight him but he healed him?

Then I feel the numerous scars all over my body that are healed. Rin healed both of us. Why would he....after what he said......the boy must have prooved that he loved me enough for Rin to reconsider killing me.

I come out of my thoughts to see the boy looking at me. His eyes are a light brown that I find beautiful, preferred to the off-red eyes Gale developed after Rin turned him.

"What is your name?"

"Who is Gale?"

He asks me at the same time I ask him. We both look at eachother for a moment.

"I won't answer you until you answer me."

His voice is determined but I can hear the waver in his resolve. God he must really like me. 

"Gale is; was a human I met. He was turned into a halfling by Rin. I thought I loved him. I was wrong."

The boy nods, seeming to understand that a halfling is a half-angel, half-demon.

"My name is Marcus."

I smile, replying to him.

"A perfect name for a perfect boy."

He blushes, obviously not used to compliments. I can see bruises peering out from under the collar of his shirt, and I know he must have run away from somewhere. Concern flares in my mind, followed by pity and remorse.

"Marcus? What are those marks on your body?"

He looks down at himself, confused, then looks back up at me.

"They're from when I fought Rin."

He doesn't seem to remember the bruises that mark up his collarbone and run along his ribs. I can see the painful discolored patches through the holes in his shirt; made by Rin's claws.

"I mean the bruises."

I try to keep my voice light, caring, not wanting to freak him out and make him scared. He gets nervous anyways, shifting onto his back and wincing as bruises I cannot see are aggravated by his laying down.

"The bruises are from the other boys. They have tried to kill me so many times I've lost track. I don't even tell people about the injuries because they just blow me off."

His voice is quiet, whispered, but I can still hear the pain in his tone as he tells me who gave him the horrible bruises I see on his skin.

"Jake. Jace. Aaron. Jack. Armin. Mara. Dev."

I listen as a list of names spills from his lips, the boys who hated him and beat him until he passed out and even then continued to make him bleed and scream. I feel a hatred I've never known before, an anger towards the boys who blindly hurt him and tortured him.

I hold him in my arms, feeling his tears wet through my shirt. He sobs in my embrace, whimpering each time his bruised ribs press against my arms. I want to hold him closer but I know that it would only hurt him more.

I can feel tears stinging my own eyes, can feel how horrible his past was. He must have run away because he got tired of being beaten. I don't quite think that's what happened though. I think they kicked him out.

He looks at me with tears, his eyes red-rimmed from crying. I am crying a little too, not wanting the horrible past his scars tell to be true.