*Flashback*

"Shut up, brat!"

He whimpered as the sting of the whip burned his back. Pain, pain, pain. He felt tears trailing down his face as he huddled into the corner he'd been forced into. Over three weeks. He'd been stuck with these people for three weeks. Three weeks without his father or mother. Three weeks of constant beatings and lashings. Three weeks of unbelievable torture.

His clothes, made of the finest materials, hung in tatters on his bruised and battered body. Blood stained his face; they seemed to be fond of slashing at his face, aiming exactly for the left side of his face. Dirt smudged his hands and bare feet.

"M-mommy?" He whimpered out pathetically, his tormentors laughing as one tugged at his short hair painfully.

"Your parents ain't comin' fer ya, kid. They haven't even sent out a search party fer ya. That's how much they love ya," the older demon spat out, laughing in a gravelly voice as shivers crept up Deadlox's spine.

"Tha-that's not true!" Deadlox shouted, squirming out of the man's grip, falling to the stone floor with a thud as the man just laughing, kicking the young demon in the side before leaving the small cell Deadlox had been forced to stay in.

Weakly, he struggled to the corner, leaning heavily on the wall as he clenched his eyes shut.

His mommy and daddy weren't looking for him? Didn't they love him? Did he do something wrong? Was this his punishment?

Didn't they see how much he loved them?

He's lying. His mommy and Daddy loved him. They, they loved him. That's what parents did, they loved their children with all of their hearts. Parents were supposed to care and nurture and teach and protect their children. It- it was like a law! Nodding to himself to confirm these thoughts, he did his best to forget; forget what the man had said, forget the aches in his body, forget the stings in his wounds, forget how the salty tears streaming down his face caused his vision to be blurry. He did his best to forget; forget and stay hopeful.

He clung to the thought of seeing his parents again, of feeling their love once more, of feeling safe and healthy. He clung to the hope of being rescued.

He was rescued a year later. His parents never looked for him. His captors had set him free once he stopped screaming at the lashings given to him, once his dark red eyes dimmed with the innocence of a child, once he no longer remembered how to cry.

*Flashback End*

Gasping for breath, he shot up, clutching his bare chest as wild eyes darted frantically around the room, breathing heavy and heart pounding. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he panicked, his own clawed hand gripping a slightly tanner one in a harsh grip.

"Ow!"

Letting go of the bruising grip he had had on Sky's wrist, he tried to calm himself, turning away from light brown eyes shining with hurt and a wrist covered in pinpricks of blood.

He tightened his wings around himself, feeling small and helpless and he tried to reaffirm the thought that he was in his castle, not the place he had spent so many years of his childhood in.

He couldn't bring himself to speak and instead tried not to flinch as Sky placed his hand, although much more tentatively, on his shoulder. He fought against guilt as he saw the already forming bruise on the human's wrist, little droplets of blood dripping from the marks his claws had left.

"You okay?" He questioned hesitantly. Deadlox nodded before swiftly grabbing Sky's arm, pulling him onto his bed. He ignored how the younger boy yelped as he was jerked onto the bed.

"Y-yeah," he murmured, spooning Sky, face buried in the younger's untamed hair, arms wrapped around a smaller waist, tail flicking.

He knew Sky was uncomfortable with this position, knew the younger male would rather be in his own palace, far away from any demon, but, frankly, Deadlox couldn't bring himself to care.

Opening his eyes slowly, he found himself staring at the boy's slightly wounded wrist. Reaching out to gently grab his hand, he raised it to his face, feeling Sky's curious eyes on him as he stuck his tongue out, dragging the slick appendage over the marks his claws left. He felt his chest puff out in pride as Sky squeaked, squirming slightly as Deadlox let Sky's hand go, though he kept his arms firmly placed around the human's waist.

"Your Majesty."

Grumbling, he opened his right eye, glaring at a demon maid.

"What do you want?" He hissed out, keeping his voice down as Sky's gentle snores filled the room.

"Would you like me to set up a room for your new slave?" She questioned quietly. Deadlox frowned at her, anger rising as his tail whipped back in forth in agitation.

"Sky," he muttered darkly.

"Pardon?" the maid questioned, tone laced with confusion. Deadlox narrowed his eyes at her, if he weren't holding Sky in his arms, she'd already have been beaten to within an inch of her life.

"Sky, that's his name," he hissed out warningly as the maid flinched, nodding frantically as Deadlox forced himself to relax. Sky wouldn't appreciate blood staining the room when he woke up, right?

"Don't set up another room for him. He'll be staying here with me," Deadlox muttered, closing his eyes as a way to end the discussion.

"Yes, Sire."