Worthless Joy

Chapter 17

Akrios woke with a scream, crying, and shaking. He scrambled out of his bed, and squirmed under it quickly. He heard a soft pop, and saw Perennial through the hazy screen of tears, concerned. "Is Akrios okay?"

Akrios sniffled, shaking his head. "W-Where's 'Lexio?" he carefully crawled out of the bed, grabbing Perennial's hand.

"Master Alex-" there was a thump downstairs. "That must be him! I'll get him, Little Akrios. Don't worry," she patted his hand and helped him into his bed, smiling. She vanished with a pop and voice could be heard downstairs. Akrios cuddled Protector, waiting for Alexio to hug him and say its okay. Wiping tears out of his eyes, he warily watched the door as he heard steps climbing the stairs.

Alexio slowly opened the door, looking inside. His eyes glinted with something Akrios couldn't place his finger on. Alexio's expression grew dark, "Why are you up at 4 in the morning, brat?"

Akrios was taken aback, "I-I- What?"

Alexio came closer, and raised a hand. Akrios' eyes widened with terror as his protector brought it down quickly, and hit him across the face, knocking him down on the floor. Years of experience told him not to cry, but he couldn't help it. Alexio promised!

"Go to sleep, boy!" He yelled angrily, storming out of the room, and into his own. Crying, and trying to be quiet about it, Akrios shakily climbed into bed, pulling his knees to his chest, and hugging Protector.

"What'd I do?" he whispered through choked breaths to no one. Akrios stayed up all night long, sniffling and crying quietly.

***

Akrios got out of his bed very early, and hurriedly sneaked up to Hython's room on the verge of tears. He quickly hugged his friend for comfort. Hython's, surprised, reflectively hugged him back.

"What'ss wrong?" he hissed, concerned.

"'L-Lexio! He h-h-hit me!" he whispered in choked sobs, shaking. "He promised n-not to!"

"When did thisss occur?" Hython's hissed angrily. He wrapped his tail tip around Akrios' waist carefully, afraid the boy would fall over without the support.

"4 in the m-morning! I had a n-n-nightmare, and I was w-waiting for 'Lexio to come and c-comfort me. H-he got mad and h-h-hit me!" he sobbed.

"Maybe he was intoxicated, ssnakeling." Hython hissed, his eyes narrowed. The Naga did not like this... Not one bit.

"D-Drunk? Uncle'd always get back and hurt me.. Maybe 'Lexio was just really sad." Akrios let go of Hython, wiping his eyes. Smiling, he said, "He's probably sad he hit me and maybe he'll apologize. Thanks Hython. I'll come back later with food!"

Hython gave him a small grin, waving him out. He did not like this 'Alexio'...

***

Akrios smiled big when Alexio emerged to eat for breakfast. "Hi, Alexio! I helped with breakfast today, and I hope you like it!" Akrios was hoping it would cheer his guardian up. Alexio only glared--something Akrios had never seen directed at him. He faltered, but didn't stop smiling.

Alexio sat silently at the table, eating his food. Akrios did likewise, and the quiet was uncomfortable. Akrios was shaking a bit, and he accidentally dropped his fork. "Oops. S-Sorry, 'Lexio." he said sincerely, quickly grabbing the fork from the floor.

Standing quickly, Alexio's chair tipped to the floor, and he grabbed Akrios by the collar of his shirt, and pushed him against the wall, pulling him up to eye level. Akrios choked, grabbing at Alexio's strong hand pinning him, legs kicking. Tears pricked his eyes, "Sorry, sorry!"

"Stupid brat!" Alexio yelled, slapping Akrios across the face. "I should've never taken you here! You're better off in the streets!"

Akrios was openly crying now, kicking Alexio in the stomach, and trying to get down. Alexio threw him to the ground, and kicked him in the ribs. The boy gasped in pain, making a pitiful squeaking noise, sure he heard a crack. Or multiple. Alexio kept kicking his stomach, and Akrios forced his pain down, keeping quiet and still.

"You think you were loved here, brat!?" Alexio said in a harsh whisper, pulling up Akrios by the collar of his shirt once more. He shook the boy, hard, and threw him aside. "You'll never be loved, maggot."

Alexio stomped to his room, slamming the door behind him. Akrios didn't move for a while, his breaths ragged and pain filled.

"P-Per-ryy.." he whimpered after a while. Immediately, Perry popped in, happily smiling. Her smile dropped and she gasped, hurrying over to his side, and placing her hands on his face. He flinched, and whined pitifully. "H-Hurt..."

"I know, I know. Shh." she whispered soothingly, using her Meadowian powers for good. She was skilled in healing, thankfully. She healed his cracked ribs, and bruises from Alexio's hits to an extent. It would enable him to feel no pain for a while; a day at most. "Come. We're going to get Hython, and leave. I fear that this Alexio is not ours."

"Okay, okay. Anywhere but here. Don't want." he sniffled as he talked, wiping his eyes. He grabbed some toast, and hurried quietly upstairs and into Hython's room. He shoved the toast into Hython's right hand and took ahold of his left, pulling him to the door.

"We're leaving," he said through tears. "Gonna find the real 'Lexio. You gonna join me?" he continued quietly downstairs, looking around every once and a while.

"Of courssse." Hython hissed, slithering quickly to keep up. "I would not abandon you. I will ssave you as you ssaved me."

Akrios nodded, briefly letting go of Perennial's hand to pull open the door, and head outside, and out the gate. Leaving his first home. He wiped his eyes on his shoulders, marching forward with a determined limp.

"HEY!" A yell. "Get back here!"

They started running, letting go of each other's hands to run faster. Perry and Hython kept looking back, intending to fight Alexio if he caught up. Akrios was crying, and couldn't see straight, his tears making his vision hazy.

He slammed straight into someone, and looked up, startled and frightened. Alexio. Akrios screamed loudly, and started sobbing, stumbling backwards. Hython hissed loudly, curling around Akrios protectively. Perennial was glaring at Alexio, when she realized. This Alexio's clothes were torn...

"BOY! Get over here!" The cleaner, less rugged Alexio yelled, marching up to Akrios, who was starting to sob harder. He stopped cold as he saw the other Alexio. Alexio number 1--the cleaner one--growled, and pointed, with just a touch of fear, "You're supposed to be with Jacob!"

The look on Alexio number 2's face was murderous. He started towards the fake Alexio, before Akrios screamed as he got close. This sent the real Alexio into a rage, and he growled, circling around the group, before grabbing Fake Alexio by the collar throwing him to the ground.

***

Akrios pretended not to hear the sounds behind him as Hython shielded him, hugging him close. Then, silence.

"Akrios... Child.." Alexio's soft, soothing voice spoke.

Akrios whimpered despite himself, and Alexio stayed quiet. He turned to Perry, "Perennial..? Can you manage him to the house. Avoid that." he pointed towards the mess on the ground. He snapped his fingers quickly, vanishing it from this dimension. "Just avoid the area."

Perennial had managed to get Akrios back to the house, Alexio traveling a very long distance away. He closed the door behind him, running his hands through his dirty hair.

He would kill the King. If it was the last thing he'd do.