WARNING:
Mentions of child abuse (just a character remembering)
Chapter 9: Asta
After several minutes of silence, Asta's heart-rate spiked and not because of any fluffy feelings he may or may not have concerning Yuno. The news that Yuno had been left as a baby in the same spot, on the same day, found by the same people as Asta boggled his mind. Mimosa and Leo seemed to have known this story about Yuno because now the Vermillion cousins looked at each other in seemingly silent communication.
Asta breathed in and out before typing out something on his tablet. "That's pretty amazing. Happy early birthday, Yuno." What else could Asta say but that? It was nothing more than a coincidence.
"It's like destiny," said Mimosa, suddenly. "It's really sweet now that you two are becoming friends."
"You two have a connection that goes back your entire lives," said Leo, grinning. "That's awesome."
Yuno looked at Asta.
To his surprise, Asta didn't flinch at the golden-eyed boy's stare. Instead, Asta met the stare head-on. He and Yuno have been talking via text for the last couple of weeks, mostly talking about basketball, slowing inching towards a hastily-built friendship. This same birthday story threw Asta for a loop, but ultimately, he didn't think that it'd change anything.
It was just another thing to add to the list of things he was learning about Yuno. Asta wondered if he should feel guilty or ashamed for wanting to know everything about Yuno.
Asta smiled at Yuno.
Yuno half-smiled back
They locked eyes for a few moments, when Mimosa whispered to Leo, "You think they remember we're here?"
Later that night, Asta sat on a stool in the bathroom. Miss Vanessa came home from work and saw that Asta's hair became even more unruly. She dragged him and sat him down to trim his hair. This happened at least every two weeks. Gauche and Marie were, thankfully, busy handling dinner dishes. The last time Marie helped Miss Vanessa with Asta's hair, he had a black and purple streak in his hair for three months and had green painted nails for even longer. Asta was a true sucker for Marie's pouting face.
Asta outwardly got annoyed when Miss Vanessa trimmed his hair, but secretly, he enjoyed it. He liked when she played with his hair. It was truly relaxing.
Times likes these gave him time to think without overwhelming himself. Miss Vanessa always knew when to pull Asta out of his mind.
Life before Miss Vanessa was miserable.
He had been shuffled from foster home to foster home. The people always told his case worker: He's too loud. He never shuts up. He's too messy. He won't listen. He fights too much. He causes too much trouble. He's stupid.
Eventually, the case worker gave up trying to place him in a foster home. He was five when he went to the group home. The other boys in the group home were older. Some were just plain mean. Some had mental illness that impaired their judgement. Asta had been the youngest and the smallest—he had been the easiest target. The overwhelmed group home attendants always turned a blind-eye to the bullying and harassment.
Asta learned very quickly that being quiet made him safe.
"My little Asta, come back to me," said Miss Vanessa, gently floofing up his hair.
"Hmmm," Asta hummed.
"What's got you bothered?"
Asta opened his mouth but the words didn't want to come out today. He signed using his hands instead.
"Thinking about why my parents didn't want me."
Miss Vanessa turned him around on the stool to give him a big hug. "You think about it every birthday. I'd say that you were just meant to be in my life and Gauche and Marie's life and that's why you're here. We want you and we love you."
Asta sniffled.
Miss Vanessa had gotten approved as a foster mom eight years ago. She had been given the siblings Gauche and Marie Adlai as her first foster children. Gauche had a reputation for being a delinquent and feral when it came to protecting his baby sister. The case worker that had Gauche and Marie also had Asta as a charge. When the case worker saw that Miss Vanessa had managed to help Gauche temper his more violent impulses, Asta's case worker immediately asked Miss Vanessa if she would be able to take in another kid.
Asta had been lucky that Miss Vanessa didn't hesitate to agree (as she had good role models in the form of Yami and Charlotte), whisking him away from the group home to a place where he had a family. She saved him from a fate worse than death.
"So, what do you want for your birthday," Miss Vanessa asked, kissing him on the top of the head.
He shook his head.
How can he want anything when he has all he needed?
~to be continued
Notes:
Let me know what you think!
There'll be one chapter next month!
