14 years later

Two figures lay in the dark curled up together with nothing but a starch soaked cotton sheet covering them, doing nothing to stave off the cold which blew through the broken roof window.

The two figures shivered fiercely as the wind picked up chilling them to the bone. The two were used to the cold winter nights but this was worse than the others. It had been snowing earlier and the added cold from the snowflakes drifting through the broken glass and onto their pale skin made all the difference.

The bluenette stirred as another flake landed on his pale flesh. Letting out a tired moan he turned onto his back pushing the redhead behind him.

"What the hell Kai" the redhead whined as he pushed his brother.

"What? I woke up there's nothing wrong with that" he retorted as he pushed himself up from the bare floorboards which were riddled with cracks and chips making the boys prone to getting splinters.

"You woke me too. Christ all I want to do is get more than three hours sleep" he muttered to the other as he pulled the covers up higher, though that did nothing to warm his frozen body.

"Sorry didn't mean to. Just couldn't sleep" he apologised as he laid back onto the bare floor.

"I'm cold" the redhead spoke trying to fill the silence as they knew that neither would fall back asleep now they were awake.

"Same here. It's always cold."

"Kai? Do you think it'll ever get better?" He asked his twin as they rolled onto their backs looking out the broken skylight; staring at the glittering jewels in the sky which were only visible during the brief clearing in the snow filled clouds

"I have no idea Tal but I hope it does. I don't know how much longer I can take it" the blue haired boy answered as he took his eyes off the sky looking at his brothers bruised and cut skin.

Feeling the others eyes on him he looked into the bluenettes crimson eyes. "I want it to change but I don't think it will. I'm starting to doubt it more and more as the days go on. I'll be happy if it only changes the most minute way possible. Like proper blankets and a hole-free roof over our heads. But I know it'll be practically impossible to get that but I hope and that's all I can do"

A hand on his shoulder made him turn to the other in the room.

"I hope it changes too. I really do and don't stop hoping for change because it is possible; unlikely but possible besides I need you to be the optimist in the room" he laughed slightly at his brother, of the two he was the one who at least tried to look on the brighter side.

If they weren't fed instead of complaining he would say that they were lucky it was only for one night; if they were locked in the loft he would use the light from the moon to make shadow puppets to make his brother laugh.

"When are we getting up?" The bluenette asked, only to receive an 'hn' as an answer looking across he saw his brother staring at the star spotted sky. Nudging him with his elbow he urged him for a response. Letting out a sigh he looked over at him.

"I guess in about an hour why?"

"No reason I was just wondering in case I wanted to attempt to get warm" he answered as he snuggled deeper into the starch covers, pulling them over his head as he let out a sigh as he was warmed though only minutely and the warmth was from his twin who was curled up close to him.

"You know that's a good idea I'm freezing" he answered as he too buried himself under the almost pointless covers moving closer to the other boy who moved in slightly. They were particular when it came to the other they barely touched out of their room but inside they would cuddle up together, in hopes of generating some heat using their body warmth.

Cuddling into the other they tried to create some warmth but very little came but the little that was there was much appreciated. They were constantly cold and the small change felt like so much to them.

Closing their eyes they cuddled the other close and both could feel the embrace of sleep just touching distance away. Yawning the ice eyed boy looked over his brother. He cared for the boy far more than his parents and would happily lay down his life if it meant the boy would be spared. He had always thought that he would feel that way for his parents but he felt nothing for them. Not even love.

"Kai?"

"Yea?" The other replied suppressing a yawn.

"If I fall asleep make sure not to wake me"

"Not a chance am I doing that, I'm not doing all the chores" laughing slightly at his twin the blue eyed boy held onto his brother as he slipped into a very light sleep.

oooo

"Tala" a small shaking on his upper arm roused the redhead who cracked open a cerulean eye a fraction.

"What" he mumbled though the word was barely comprehendible it sounded more like a grunt.

"It's time to wake up. Come on if we don't get our chores done they'll be mad at us" opening his other eye his brother let out a long yawn before pushing himself up off the bare wooden floor.

"Yea, ok." Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked out of the skylight at the still pitch black sky. "You know sometimes I wish we were granted a lie in even if it was only for one day" he told his brother as he threw off the blanket that held in only a fraction of heat for the two boys.

"God am I cold" the bluenette whined as he felt the draft hit his bruised legs all the more as the thin extra layer was removed. Rubbing his arms in a futile attempt to rid himself of the goose bumps which lined his pale skin he pushed himself up off the floor.

Looking across the dust caked floor he searched for his shirt which was only in slightly better condition to the homemade shirt that was masquerading as his nightwear.

"Here" the redhead threw the black tank top over to the bluenette. To anyone else it would have seemed insane to be wearing such a thin shirt in the current weather conditions, the ground was covered with inches of snow and the wind caused the temperature to drop below freezing. However the boys were not allowed to wear anything that may shield them from the sub-zero temperatures.

"Thanks" he muttered to his brother as he looked up at the sky after feeling a cold drop on his bare shoulder. Sighing in annoyance he saw the storm clouds which had rolled in earlier that night were breaking again. "And I always thought hell couldn't be cold" he spat talking more to himself than to the boy stood mere feet from him.

"Well when unexpected things happen people do say 'when hell freezes over' this could be a good thing" his brother, ever the optimist of the two, tried to cheer him up. If only slightly.

"Keep hoping cos I ain't convinced" crouching down as he pulled the shirt down he moved aside the starch bed sheet. Revealing an aged and cracked floor board, the board wasn't as well fitted in the floor as the rest making it easily recognisable for the two boys but well hidden from the rest of the world as the rest of the floorboards were also ill fitted.

Hooking the tips of his fingers into the sides of the old board he lifted it from its too big slot in the ground. Underneath the floor board was a hollowed out compartment inside was a small box covered with a thin fabric spotted with dirt. Picking out the box he sat back on his knees and began to unwrap the box.

Pulling off the last of the wrapped fabric he lifted the lid off the box, inside there were two small chips each with their own chain threaded through. The white wolf and red phoenix shone in the dim light the stars provided. A small smile graced his features as he looked down at the only possessions they had left from their childhood.

Picking out the wolf he tossed it over to the redhead who was stood waiting for it. Catching it with ease he looked down at the wolf before tucking it into a pocket on the trousers he had slept in.

Their parents didn't know they still had these, they had been ordered to throw them out at age just four but the boys had felt a strange pull to the pieces of plastic and had hidden them in their room, taking them out every morning and hiding them in their pockets till they had left for school where they would hang them around their necks.

Removing the phoenix from the box he placed it back into the floor hiding the empty box in the hidden compartment and covering it with the crumbling floorboard. Dropping the phoenix chip into the deep pocket on his trousers he looked over at the other.

"Come on it'll be warmer downstairs" the bluenette assured leaving the spot he had been stood in for the past few minutes, but not before kicking the sheet back over the floorboard.

"I hope so, that is if they haven't shut it off till they wake up" following his brother he watched as the other wrenched open the latch that separated them from the rest of the house. Dust caked steps folded out as the hatch was opened allowing the boys to walk down the stairs into the hopefully warmer house.

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