Aelburn (WATTY'S 2020)

.nine.°°

"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart."
Haruki Murakami, Kafka On The Shore

Holding Cells
December 19th, 2199

LUCAS

Sitting in a cramped, dampened room was claustrophobic to say the least. My entire body ached but I remained upright, leaning against the wall with my hands resting loosely between my legs. I'd been beaten, practically to a pulp by Holmes and his lackeys and the pain in my body was proof of my standing in the scheme of things.

I was useless. Unwanted. Diangen.

Sighing, I tilted my head back and closed my eyes, swallowing hard. I felt like one huge bruise and, looking to my hands, I saw even they were turning a deep purple. I looked worse for wear but at this point I didn't care.

"I'll make an example of you, Lucas." My grandfather had said, glaring at me when my knees gave out and I fell to the ground, clutching my nose tightly in my hands. "The people will learn, there are no exceptions. Not even when blood is involved."

I sighed softly, looking to the ceiling with a frown. The lock of my door unlatched and I jumped, looking to it as the metal door swung open.

I barely had a moment to react before a flurry of black curls and a thick red sweater barreled into my chest, knocking the air right out of my lungs. The scent of honey and roses attacked my nose and I exhaled sharply, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist.

Alixandra.

Alix pulled away, tears in her crystalline eyes as she cupped my face and crushed her lips to mine. Pulling away, I studied her face with a quiet smile, eyebrows knitted together as I admired her features, committing them to memory.

"What are you doing here?" I breathed and she brushed my hair from my face.

"I could ask you the same thing." She said, a saddened chuckle leaving her pink lips.

"We were allowed visitation." Looking up, I saw my parents standing in the door, a guard behind them. My father smiled softly. "I had to beg quite a lot but I was able to get you this."

"Thank you." I said and Alix looked to me, smiling softly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't bring the kids." She murmured, frowning lightly.

"It's alright. I would probably only scare them looking like this." I pushed her hair from her face and she knit her eyebrows together, pressing her lips together. My mother moved to sit beside me, pressing the back of her hand against my face.

"How do you feel?" She asked and I sighed.

"Like shit."

My mother jumped at the expletive, looking to me with her lips parted before pursing them in a frown.

"Lucas..."

"You know, I didn't realize how freeing cursing was." I chuckled, interlacing my fingers with Alix's as my family watched me sympathetically. "The Diangen curse like crazy at times and I can see why."

"Oh, honey. I'm sorry you were in such terrible conditions...if only I could do more."

I looked to my mother as she spoke and shook my head, earning a look of confusion from my parents and Alix. "No, they weren't horrible." I breathed and my moms face contorted into a look of surprise. "The Diangen...they took care of me."