Haven't updated this like I'd planned but oh well. I'll make it up somehow. :')


ii. hunger

He watched quietly, waiting.

It was a little before midnight, and despite the heavy doses of sleep hitting him harder the longer he stared at the tall wooden door, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious being that fought of his family's hunger by bringing them food every night, he was determined to see it through. If his mother refused to tell him by making up excuses for him and his siblings, then that was fine with him—he'd find out a different way.

One, he realized, that was a lot harder than he'd been expecting.

He internally groaned, gazing at the door for a while until his eyes began to droop, to the point where it was nearly impossible to even keep them open for more than a couple of seconds at a time.

No! He thought stubbornly, slamming his fist onto the carpet. He'd spent too much time waiting patiently for their night visitor to stop now. Not when he was so close...

So far, he squinted at the kitchen from behind him where the stove's clock lay, he'd been awake for almost five hours, just a little past four in the morning. If it hadn't been for the movie being too long, and his mother forgetting to keep track of the time, it would've been more difficult to stay up than it already was.

But now, his heart sunk with understanding, at the rate he was going, his body wouldn't make it. Still, the boy tried for a while longer, staying quite all the while and tapping his fingers along the soft flooring of the entrance. But when what felt like hours was only ten minutes, according to the clock, even he knew it was over.

So with a reluctant, frustrated whimper the boy curled beside the fluffy maroon carpet in front of the door. It didn't take long for him to start dozing off, relaxing almost immediately once he'd stop fighting against his body's need to rest. In moments he was asleep, numb to any outside sensations even if he'd initially felt cold without his favorite blanket and warm bed.

Too numb to even realize that the door had opened, paused for a few moments as the figure stood silently, more than surprised to see the small boy almost passed out on the soft carpet, quietly assessing the situation before closing the door behind gently, crimson irises still watching as the young boy's chest rose and fell with each soft breath.

Arms came down to pick up the young boy, gentle in their hold and for a moment the child stirred, blinking slowly and revealing a matching set of eyes.

"Dad...?" He whispered sleepily, the pull of slumber too strong for his weak and inexperienced body, eyes shutting to a close as the warm body, familiar in it's embrace, continued to hold him, leading him down the hallway.


In case anyone was wondering or was confused at the ending: yes, that was Shadow in the very last scene.!