Coffee And Cream

Chapter 1,

A/N: somewhat requested Kidcore Emile Picani, with a little twist..

TW:
-Mentions of food

-------

The game boy never ceased to click, it was truly the only other sound other than Remmington's clumsy steps, noises that pronounced his intrusion on those dead friends of old. Yet when his gloved hand touched his best friend's old radio he could hear that old song Emile used to sing to, always fabulously out of key, dancing as if he was Alice In Wonderland instead of Emile Picani.. Remy had to only close his eyes for a moment to see the smaller boy as clearly as he did all those years ago.

Emile moving around his small kitchen, his simple dress he borrowed from his mother's stash of old clothes from her childhood, layered over a long sleeved shirt, the hues all cream and coffee like his skin and hair. His limbs moving in such graceful arcs, fingers flowing before the song stops with a crackle and he placed a plate of pizza before Remy. "Eat, Rem! You're too thin..," Before and after speaking he makes miniature bows and Remy would giggle and return them before and after he thank him. Emile was really too kind.

The aroma of the food permeates the air, saliva pools in Remy's mouth. Once the food had no effect on him, it was something foreign to his palate. How quickly it became what Remy craved, so simple, homely, delicious. In moments Emile was next to him tucking into his, seven years old and already proficient with his cutlery, not daring to eat without a fork and knife.

It took a moment to figure out where the pain was coming from.. Remy's fingers had gripped the old radio so hard he was in danger of drawing blood on the sharp rim. The kitchen was bare once more, only the doll in his back-pack had a smile for the occasion. Her maker wasn't coming home and neither was the boy that made her.

"Remy! About time I saw you, I thought you would be in your room all day, either way, I'm glad to see you, breakfast is on the table hun," His father spoke softly as Remy's eyes took a minute to readjust his sight, blinking slowly before meeting his dad's eyes.

"Take your time sweet pea-"

"Don't call me that."
His voice came out more harsh than he intended, feeling his heart plummet at the sight of hurt flash in his father's eyes before settling in understanding, as the older nodded. "I'm sorry hun.. anyway, your brother's waiting for you, he said he wanted to take a walk with you after your breakfast, I'll make you a coffee."

Remy faintly nodded before disappearing into the dining room, taking a seat beside the older brother earning a small ruffle of his hair, his far away look causing Virgil to drop his arm, apologising softly as he sighed.
"So.. you know what day it is, right?"
Remy nodded again, picking up his fork, pushing around a piece of bacon around his plate before he looked up at Virgil. "5th year Anniversary of Emile's disappearance.. I'm aware.. how could I forget?"

"I.. fair.. sorry.."

Remy sighed, shrugging as he picked at his food, his hunger depleting the longer he stared longingly at it, as if it would transform into the breakfast him and Emile used to make as kids, usually being full of sprinkles, chocolate and marshmallows..  nothing out of the blue, just a pair of seven year olds who never wanted to grow up.

"I miss him.."
He accidentally spoke aloud as Virgil gently rubbed his back, sighing softly as he nodded in understanding once more. Letting the coffee addict take a moment to comprehend his own words as their father walked back over, softly placing down the black ceramic mug in front of him with a small clunk.

"Try and get something down you, I'm sure you'll need your energy, and I know you're not hungry.. but.. it's for the best bud.."
A hand clasped onto Remy's shoulder, gently shaking it as the teen just dazingly nodded, obediently stabbing his fork into the slice of bacon from before, begrudgingly eating it, though his thoughts cancelling the flavour leaving it to a bland texture of fat and grease. Him eventually gulping it down with a swig of the black coffee ignoring the burn at the back of his throat as he did so.

Soon enough, Remy pushed away his plate in distaste, standing up as he sighed, Virgil following suit as he gently wrapped an arm around his younger brother's shoulders.
"You ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be.. lemme just get my bag.." he sighed, sliding out of his embrace, walking back to his room and pulling on his already packed backpack before meeting up with Virgil at the front door.

The two brothers left the house not long after, the crisp autumn air tingling their skin with the cold as they remained silent, not daring to say a word as they walked to Emile's 'special place'. A place where him and Remy used to spend most of their times as kids, a small bridge with a stream trickling beneath it, the only blossom trees there surrounding the area in a almost surreal way..

Remy is just staring, staring and twisting the copper wire  of a small spring around his fingers upon stepping foot onto the bridge, staring below to the water. In the dull autumn sunlight it shines in that way that it was too brown to be gold, but too golden to be bronze. It wraps around his still child-sized fingers but instead of springing away like rubbery candy it holds its shape.

He pulls the new coils from each finger but instead of showing Virgil with glee like he would have done years before his face remains passive in a way that unnerves his brother. It wasn't right that he lost Emile, he would have been 8 in a couple of days.. Remy had cried all he could after hearing of the disappearance, but now he had to think of himself..

Somehow he had to survive this and he needed more than a shell of his own body to do so...