Sam had carefully packed up the three tiny suitcases he owned and walked three miles to his cousin Mike's house. The countryside was beautiful on that spring day but little did he know what was lurking behind the doors of Mike's apartment.

Mike himself had never had a child or anything that constituted as a relationship of any kind because he liked his own space. Just so, he had no idea how to deal with anyone else living under the same roof as him.

So when Sam's father died three years ago, Mike had read his mother's will and saw his name right next to Sam's. Meaning that his mother wanted Mike to be Sam's caregiver being that he was a living relative whom she trusted, having no knowledge while she was living of his abusive nature.

Sam of course didn't either. Mike picked him up in a ratty old car with broken headlights and grungy seatbelts. He had to clutch the suitcase of his favorite things to his chest to keep it from falling all over the floor of the car and making Mike angry as if he wasn't boiling mad already having to see Sam in person.

His aunt had lived across the country from Mike and he had liked her well enough. Sam just had a few quirks that Mike wasn't used to and he was doubting his ability to even comprehend what was going on with his father dying.

When they got to the house, Sam held his hat to his head and held his suitcase even tighter.

The door opened revealing Mike's messy apartment and the kitchen full of dirty dishes. Sam swallowed nervous and told himself he had to clean the sink out when Mike got him settled in.

"Hmmm." Mike grumbled walking away after he tossed the rest of Sam's suitcases to the ground.

He picked them up as best he could and adjusted his hat so that Sam could see better. Mike flopped down on the couch and he cranked the tv volume up loud as if to drown out the existence of Sam altogether.

He tried to sit down but Mike was on his feet.

" Get outta my way!" He yelled and Sam sat at the kitchen table until the house became dark and cold. He rubbed himself a little to get warm and waited as Mike went upstairs to bed.

" Uh Mike?" Sam asked finally having enough courage to ask his cousin straight on.

"What dorkus?"

"Where- do I sleep?"

Mike looked around at his suitcases still full and his hat and cane on the kitchen table.

" Get the hell off my couch!" Mike yelled ripping the suitcases off the couch and grabbing the hat and cane of Sam's off the table.

" Sleep?" Sam asked and Mike threw open the sink cabinet.

"Here."

"There?"

" Yeah are you blind?"

Sam was confused but slid down into the space anyway.

" Mike? Why no bed?"

" Because you aren't good enough for a bed."

"Why?"

His brown eyes were so innocent looking and Mike was so harsh in his expression that Sam had no clue what he had done wrong by being there in the first place.

" Sleep. You get the sink." Mike said and Sam was uncomfortable in such a small space. But he had enough room to breathe if he slept upside down.

Mike was on the stairs as he said "Breathe through your nose jacka**."

Sam heard the cabinet doors close and Mike's footsteps descended the stairs leaving his cousin all alone downstairs.

Three years later, Mike wondered why Sam was busy polishing forks and silverware and too busy watching crappy old movies to sleep.

Sam was dyslexic courtesy of spending three years in a lonely house with a cousin who didn't like him breathing in kitchen sink cleaners. He mixed up N and U and thought he was a bad person because Mike abused him constantly. He never got hit it just was verbal abuse and Sam didn't understand why he received it because all he did was live there with Mike.

Mike brought him to a poker game with Benny Pearl and his friend Thomas just to get the sound of his cousin's voice out of his head who stayed up all night, after getting promoted to the floor of Mike's kitchen, watching old movies with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. Mike was wishing, praying that somebody was dumb enough to actually take him home and off his back.

Benny was that sucker when Joon lost a hand of cards putting a genuine yet evil smile on Mike's face as he dropped Sam outside on his butt and left him there.

Sam was getting used to the way things were at the house and had accepted them for what they were as is. So when Benny gave him his own freaking couch to sleep on and didn't make him get off of it, Sam was overjoyed.

"Thanks for the couch Benny."

"No problem Sam." Benny said as he went upstairs for the night. "Sleep well."

Sam was astonished. Nobody had ever cared enough to say that to him before. He was happy and went to sleep smiling.

"I will Benny. Thank you."

It had been a few weeks and Sam was adjusting to his new life as a member of the Pearl household. He liked the housekeeper job and Joon was really cool. She was mentally ill but he still saw her heart and loved when she showed him the way she felt on the inside.

"Joon?"

"Yes?"

"Is this okay with you?"

He kissed her. It was sweet and soft and Sam had never done it before. He of course knew how his body was supposed to move against hers as they kissed each other but he wasn't sure entirely how to go about it.

"I love you Joon." Sam said and she responded with the same words.

Benny was sitting at the kitchen table with a freshly cleaned up Sam and Joon after another one of their rendezvous. He had no idea they were having sex and she wanted to keep it that way but it was so awkward with the three of them in the same room that Joon told Sam it was okay to tell her brother their secret.

"You what?"

" I had sex with Joon. We love each other and I promise I will take care of her." Sam said.

Benny was so angry that he grabbed Sam and carried him outside.

Back to Mike's all over again. He thought but was surprised when Benny threw him out on the porch anyway.

" No! Don't."

But the door slammed and Sam was left alone again.

He heard Joon screaming from inside and felt a smile form its way across his face as she said "Stop! I want him!"

I do too. Sam told her telepathically even though he knew Joon had so many other voices in her head that she couldn't hear him.

She got louder.

"I love him!"

"You're crazy!"

He felt bad that Joon and Benny were fighting over him but he was proud that Joon was standing up to him. Sam had never really learned how to do that with Mike or with Benny for that matter because he had a lot of respect for him.

Sam respected Mike for years too it's just hurting someone is not love and Joon doesn't hurt me. Sam said to himself as Joon ran upstairs away from Benny.

I'll come back later. Sam said as he looked up at Joon's room.

He left for a while. He knew he couldn't come back.

So, instead of upset Benny more than he already had by telling him secrets, Sam climbed up his tree and slept there all night, crying because he missed Joon so much.

The next day, Joon got sick and had to go to the hospital. Sam stayed with her and waited as the doctor took her into a back room to examine.

Benny came in and Sam cautiously looked up, with his brown puppy dog eyes and full lips waiting for judgement.

" You're a first class moron. Idiot." Benny said. He grabbed him by the jacket ends and slammed Sam up against the wall.

"I hope you're happy with what you done to her. Stay the hell away from Joon. My sister."

He knew Benny was angry at him but Sam shook his head telling the truth.

"No. No."

" What?"

"I can't do that Benny. I meant what I said yesterday. I love her. I love Joon and want to take care of her. It's not going to go away. No matter what you want to do to me or how hard you hit me."

Benny slapped Sam's face.

It only hurt for a second and Sam welcomed it with honor and gratitude because he did like Benny. At least better than Mike.

Benny gave him a bed.

Sam said "Mike made me sleep under the sink. You gave me food and clothes and a real bed. I am grateful for that. Even if you want to hit me."

Benny softened and put Sam down.

" I'm sorry Sam. I didn't mean to hit you. I just want to protect my sister from-"

"You're scared Benny. I see it and it's because of me. I see the way you love her but I love Joon that way as well. Differently than you do but still the same love that you have for her."

"I know. I see that too."

They smiled at each other and Sam straightened himself out.

Benny hugged Sam and he was pleasantly surprised by that not being loved by Mike at all.

But Benny and Joon were different and he liked that they loved him.

" Benny I look up to you." Sam said and he smiled again.

"Let's go get Joon. I got a surprise."

Sam followed and Joon jumped out og bed and hugged him tight.

Sam and Joon now live together in their friend Ruthie's apartment building. Benny of course still visits sometimes but he trusts Sam to take care of his little sister. Sam is loved and never to be abused again by anyone living in the Pearl household.