Chapter 6

Somnus visited Ardyn as often as he could, which wasn't as much as he would have liked if he was honest with himself. The boy could now say that he loved his brother like he did his parents, even if he could not quite understand what the latter were doing. He enjoyed being with Ardyn and wished with all his heart that he wasn't trapped in the attic. He felt it wasn't right but didn't know what to do. He felt the desire to free him but was unsure how to go about it. And if he did, what then? What would Ardyn do? What would their parents do?

A part of the child still had faith in his parents. They had to have a good reason for this, right? There just had to… But more and more Somnus questioned their motivations. Ardyn was so nice . He treated Somnus better than his mom and dad did sometimes. The child didn't think his older brother deserved such treatment from them. Surely there should have been another option other than locking him away. Why did they do this?

All these thoughts plagued Somnus's head and he was confused as to what he should do. He didn't want to get in trouble but he also didn't want to leave things as they were. Until he made a decision, all he could do was visit his brother and hope it made Ardyn as happy as it made him.

It was too risky to go upstairs every day however and the child felt far too anxious throughout every meeting that his parents would find out somehow. He felt that anxiety all the time now, even on days he didn't go up to the attic. It was rather stressful but Somnus continued to return to his brother.

Every time Somnus did see Ardyn, he made sure to bring some food. Occasionally the boy would also bring other things to show like his favorite toy sword that he'd won at a fair all by himself. He used to remember that day fondly as he'd had so much fun. But now that memory felt tainted and Somnus felt guilty as he understood Ardyn had likely been left alone at home as his family was enjoying themselves without him. He'd been left behind, all alone in the darkness of the attic.

Somnus also brought to Ardyn a colored drawing of a yellow chicken which ended up looking more like an ostrich. Some of the girls in his class had told Somnus how adorable it was and the praise had helped the child fall in love with the drawing when before he'd been upset with how terrible it looked. He'd kept it up on his wall for the last year and only took it down to show his brother.

Ardyn even enjoyed trying, and failing, to play the handheld console Somnus brought with him a couple of times. It was something the younger brother had been gifted for his birthday last year. He'd been so excited when he'd received it. Again though, the child could not help but feel guilty that he'd received such gifts while his brother was imprisoned. Ardyn didn't have much up there. No toys, no TV and nothing he could really play with or do. It was so sad.

One of the things Somnus loved most about Ardyn was that no matter what he said, his brother would actually listen to him. The boy could spend almost half an hour talking about his school and his classmates and his brother actually paid attention . His parents didn't do that as much as Ardyn did. The child could tell when his mom and dad weren't listening and didn't feel good when it happened. He often heard an absent minded 'that's nice dear' and knew from those words that they hadn't heard a word he'd just said.

Somnus loved listening to Ardyn too. He enjoyed all the stories his brother told him. He knew so many kinds and the boy wondered from where he'd learned them. Maybe they were from all the books on his shelf but maybe it was also because he knew how to make them up. Maybe Ardyn could be a storybook author one day… When he was let out.

Somnus's favorites, and it seemed even Ardyn's, were ones about a lonely boy. One who left his old life behind for a better one. Sometimes he would go alone but other times he'd have a brother. The child liked the latter best. Having a brother was great, he thought to himself. In most stories, the parents of the boy would hardly be around and if they were, they were not very nice. Somnus would always find himself wishing the boy would leave those awful parents behind and live a life somewhere far away from them.

The child attempted to stay awake for the stories but occasionally found himself falling asleep to the sound of his brother's voice. Ardyn would place Somnus on his own bed afterwards, allowing him to sleep. Not for too long, as the child needed to return to his room. Somnus would feel bad afterwards because it meant Ardyn couldn't be comfortable. His bed was far too small for both of them to fit easily if they were lying down.

The few times this happened, Somnus would have strange dreams with a voice whispering to him. Upon waking, Somnus would find himself terrified and confused with his heart beating wildly from whatever he'd just seen. The voice in his dream would sound like Ardyn but not quite right. It was darker, scarier. The boy could never recall just what was said to him before he was awakened by a gentle shake from his brother.

Ardyn would normally be sitting on the floor nearby or at the foot of the bed but would quickly move to sit at the younger's side to calm him when he realized his brother had a nightmare. Somnus always found it comforting to have someone hug him tightly and tell him it was okay. His parents had stopped doing that and instead told their son to be strong when he was afraid like this. But Somnus couldn't be like that all the time.

The boy loved that his brother didn't seem to mind comforting him unlike his parents. He knew it was because they were likely tired from their work but… Somnus just wanted someone by his side.

Throughout the next few weeks, Somnus dreamed more often than he ever had before. He dreamed that Ardyn was free and they both did all the things siblings should. The older man took him to the park, helped him with homework and most of all was just there for him. The boy's life felt perfect with an older brother that cared for him as much as Ardyn did.

Along with the dreams, the nightmares came back and they were awful . The shadowy man made a regular appearance in them. He still made an appearance outside them too but not as often anymore. Somnus still hated that his imagination and fear caused him to see such things when they did not exist in reality. He knew the shadow wasn't real. His parents always told him monsters and ghosts didn't exist. Whenever the child saw the shadow, he tried his best to ignore it and it would just disappear because it wasn't real in the first place.

One of the newer dreams Somnus began to have was of him being asked a question by an unknown voice. It was the same one every time. The child would be asked if he would free Ardyn. His brother would be there too, chained up and looking at him with such a sad expression. Even though the boy's heart cried for his brother's release, Somnus would hesitate. And so Ardyn would be dragged into the darkness and then the dream would end. The child would feel guilty when he awoke, feeling as if he had done something wrong.

Somnus felt sick and exhausted every day. When he looked at the mirror in the morning, he noticed his skin was pale and his eyes had shadows underneath them. The weight on his shoulders he'd once felt before was now always present. Occasionally, the boy might catch a glimpse of darkness behind him while looking in the mirror but nothing more. There was a constant fogginess of his thoughts. He found himself in a bad mood often with nothing but Ardyn able to cheer him up.

The child even began to lose track of time and forget what he'd just been doing. It was not for long but it was concerning. He'd be talking about something to his parents and then not recall just how the conversation went or what anyone said. The few times this happened, his parents would give him strange looks when he'd see them next. Sometimes he'd be playing with his toys in his room and suddenly find himself in the kitchen with no memory of when he'd decided to go there. Sometimes he'd catch himself as he did this, finding himself halfway to out his door. The pressure on his body would feel more pronounced those times.

Somnus wasn't sure what was happening but he didn't say anything to anyone but Ardyn. He thought about telling his parents but whenever he was about to, a sudden irritational fear would take hold of him. He began to worry what they might do. If they'd locked up Ardyn for a reason still unknown to him, might they do that to their other son if they decided there was something wrong with him? The thought didn't feel right but Somnus felt scared regardless.

Ardyn assured his younger brother that what he was experiencing was likely nothing but exhaustion. The older man guiltily apologized to him for causing him to miss out on sleeping properly for so many nights. He then suggested that Somnus reduce his visits so he could rest up. The child vehemently refused this suggestion and decided not to mention his problems to his brother again. He didn't want to worry him.

Ardyn was too nice. He was willing to be lonely so Somnus could sleep. The child couldn't do that though. He decided he was willing to suffer a little so his brother wouldn't have to be alone every night. Even if it did leave him exhausted and seeing things that weren't there, Somnus would suffer though that to make some of Ardyn's nights a little happier.

Somnus's parents had been acting strangely since the day their son found Ardyn unwell. They were more quiet and distant, always seeming as if they were lost in thought. They spoke little at all to one another in the daytime or even to Somnus. The child could hear their raised voices from their room some nights however. He could not understand what they said but he was concerned as their tones did not sound happy.

They'd forget things too. Misplace their stuff all over the house. Somnus didn't think much of it… Until they began blaming him for these mishaps.

"Somnus, you need to stop this." His father snapped at him after misplacing his keys for the third time that week. His mother stood nearby, arms crossed. She'd just scolded Somnus last night for hiding her wallet when in reality she must have forgotten it in the drawer she later found it in. She too thought Somnus was touching things he shouldn't.

"But-" Somnus began, wanting to explain that he hadn't touched anything. Before he could try, his dad stopped him.

"No buts, son. We've told you again and again this needed to stop." The cold and slightly angry tone of voice was one that was rarely used on Somnus. He found himself shrinking back with shame even though he'd done nothing wrong. "Your behavior these past few weeks has been atrocious and we've let it go for long enough. This stops now ."

"But I-" Somnus' voice trembled and his eyes began to tear up.

"Go to your room. Now." There was no room for argument. Somnus sniffled and dashed into his room. He shut the door and jumped into his bed before bursting into tears. Trying to curl up, he found Draco in his bed and looked at it for several long moments. In anger, he threw his most cherished toy across the room and then huddled in his bed without it.

The child heard his parents talking after that, their voices raised. They were arguing, something they'd been doing more often lately. Somnus didn't like it when they did. He'd felt the desire to stop them whenever he heard them but this time Somnus didn't care. He covered his ears and just cried into his pillow.

For the first time, Somnus truly hated his life.

Somnus began to wish his life was different. He wanted to be the boy in the stories Ardyn told him. He wanted to leave his life behind and go somewhere else with his brother at his side. Somewhere far happier where he wouldn't be blamed for things he didn't do and Ardyn was finally free. His brother even said that if he were released he'd do everything he could to be a good brother to Somnus.

Nowadays, Somnus only felt happy when he was with Ardyn. He wasted his days watching TV and playing only to eagerly await the next time he was with his brother. Things felt so much better when he was with him.

Somnus began to wish so fervently that Ardyn could be freed from the attic. He knew without a doubt that things would be better with him around. Neither of them would have to be lonely anymore.

When Somnus suggested that he might talk to his parents, Ardyn seemed horrified. He never explained why but his brother made him swear never to reveal that he knew about him. His reaction caused the child to feel afraid too. What did he think his parents would do?

Somnus wanted to know so badly what was going on but Ardyn rarely explained anything more than what he said that one night he'd found him so exhausted. The boy left it, not wanting to upset his brother with his prying.

Two weeks before school started, Somnus was told he was going to his friend's house once more. The child had a bad feeling about it, his parents having not even asked their son if he wanted to go. He didn't want to as he felt something wasn't right. He tried to feign sickness but was still forced to leave. The boy prayed nothing would happen to Ardyn as he was dropped off at his friend's.

The child was sick with worry the entire time he was out, unable to enjoy watching a movie he'd once been looking forward to. He couldn't even manage to eat dinner, taking only a few bites before the urge to throw up overcame him. Neither his friend nor his family noticed anything off, the mother just thinking the boy was not hungry.

Somnus returned home later that evening with the urge to run upstairs immediately. Yet it was just not possible. He had to wait even though he was so worried for his brother's wellbeing.

That night, Somnus almost forgot to stuff his toys under the blanket in case his parents stopped by to see if their son was asleep. Then, he almost tripped on the stairs in his haste to go upstairs. He even forgot to take Draco, his little flashlight or anything else with him. His mind was only focused on one thing and that was his brother. All he wanted was to see if Ardyn was alright.

When he finally made it up, the child saw that he wasn't.

When Somnus dashed past the boxes, he saw that Ardyn was lying in his bed. Once again, the man was pale, even more so than before. His face was turned towards Somnus and his eyes were closed. He appeared to be asleep.

"Ardyn?" Somnus whispered softly, not wanting to disturb him if he was asleep. His brother's eyes slowly opened, their golden gaze fixing themselves on the boy standing before them.

"Somnus." Ardyn mouthed, his voice almost too low to hear. He didn't even attempt a fake smile like last time. The man tried to sit up but his movements were stiff. He let out a few stifled cries of pain as he moved that tore at Somnus's heart.

Ardyn managed to sit up but it was a struggle and left him looking even more exhausted and breathing harshly as a consequence.

Somnus immediately went for a hug, tears already falling from his eyes as he watched his brother struggle. He didn't like seeing him like this. Ardyn was strong. Things like this shouldn't happen to him, especially when they were caused by his own parents.

"It's alright, Somnus." Ardyn tried to comfort him when he saw his brother was upset . "I'm… Alright."

"You're not." Somnus argued, his voice trembling. Ardyn wasn't alright and it was all the fault of their mom and dad. What were they doing to him? Softly, the boy whispered. "... I hate them."

In that moment, Somnus did hate his parents for what they'd done to Ardyn, for what they would continue to do to him. Why was all of this necessary?

"Oh my dear Somnus." Ardyn murmured and weakly pulled him closer. The child tightened his grip on his older brother, trying hard to stifle the sniffles that had begun. "You... Shouldn't have to... Deal with this. Seeing your... brother in such a... Sorry state."

"You… S-shouldn't…" Somnus stuttered and found he couldn't finish, his words ending in a soft sob. He wanted to say Ardyn shouldn't have to deal with this more so than anyone else here.

His brother seemed to understand what he meant and then hushed him. "It's alright... I'm going to... Be okay."

Ardyn held onto his brother until he calmed down, gently stroking his hair every so often. It took some time but the man didn't seem to mind. Somnus finally pulled away to wipe his face off from the tears he'd shed. Immediately afterwards, he tightly latched back onto his brother like he would disappear if he didn't. Ardyn let out a soft chuckle but didn't do anything to refuse his clingy brother.

Ardyn shifted the both of them into a more comfortable position, pulling Somnus onto the bed and resting his back on the headboard before closing his eyes. Somnus too, closed his eyes, resting his head on his brother's chest and taking comfort in his brother's presence. Hours passed as the two dozed together.

"Somnus." Ardyn's voice caused the younger brother to awaken some time later. The child looked up at his brother, realizing he probably had to go back. He didn't want to though. He was happy right here, where he could see that Ardyn was okay and safe. But instead of being told to go back to his room, Ardyn asked another question of Somnus.

"Can you tell me why you hate our parents? Is it because of me? Or has something happened that I am unaware of?" Ardyn looked at his brother intently as he said this. His voice was a little hoarse but it was much stronger than before.

Somnus hesitated, wondering if he should say anything. Ardyn couldn't do anything and he didn't want to worry him. But with his older brother looking at him so, Somnus decided he had to tell the truth. He began to tell his brother just how he'd been treated by their parents lately.

Ardyn was quiet for a time after Somnus finished speaking. The boy saw an unfamiliar expression on his brother's face. He'd seen it on his own many times but his brother looked concerned .

That didn't seem good and Somnus felt a wave of dread overcome him.

"Somnus." Ardyn's tone was careful. "Our parents… Once treated me as they do you. Blamed me for things I had not done. Neglected me almost everyday of my life."

The older man paused, like he was trying to figure out how to say the next part. Finally he opened his mouth. "Please, my brother, be careful around them. I… I would never wish for you to end up like me ."

Somnus froze. It was true, the boy had thought of such a thing happening but it was different when hearing it from another and out loud. His first instinct was to deny it, to say that his mom and dad would never do such a thing.

But… If they'd done to to one son, why could they not do it to the other?