Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/143723.
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Category: Gen
Fandom: The Pretender Character: Jarod, William Raines, The Clone (the Pretender)
Collections: Yuletide Madness 2010
Published: 2010-12-24
Words: 408
He is a very logical young man. He always has been. He has no choice—he doesn't have the freedom to be emotional or whimsical or child-like, even. Mr. Raines makes sure of that. Mr. Raines makes sure of a lot of things, whether he is actually there or not.
Mr. Raines says he is his family, the only person he can trust to care for him. He learns at a young age to fear him. Mr. Raines tells him the man with the sad eyes killed his parents, but he sees more humanity in that man's eyes than in anyone he met in his life.
The man he is supposed to hate takes him away from Mr. Raines. Not once does he threaten or try to hurt him. In fact, he is very cautious around him. He seems to make every effort not to frighten him. He's been warned not to fall for the man's tricks, but for once the logical part of his brain and the emotional part—bruised, beaten, but not yet defeated—are not at war with each other. Mr. Raines says not to trust the man, but Mr. Raines hurts him; the man doesn't. How bad can he really be?
He takes a chance. He decides to trust the man. It is his first independent decision. The adrenaline rush is more than he ever felt during a sim—because it is real. His world tilts.
He has all the freedom he never even dared to dream could exist, now. He wakes up when he wants to; no one bangs on his door at 0700, at 0800, even at 0900. When he finally wanders out of his room, the man Mr. Raines tells him is evil incarnate greets him with a nod and a grin.
His world tilts a little more when the man jumps to his feet to make him breakfast, as if it was a pleasure instead of a chore or an unfortunate necessity. The man doesn't really know how to act around him. If what he says is true, he can understand why. Talking to a younger version of yourself is probably extremely uncommon. Still, his enthusiasm is infectious. And his breakfast is delicious.
When he pulls back the curtain and bright morning sunlight pours in, a window becomes more than an abstract concept. There truly is a world outside his concrete walls and now he is a part of it.