My Precious Child 15- Captured!
Well this took a while…oops, sorry about that. *Runs fingers through hair* I just lost inspiration and found myself not as interested. Oh well, Ima continue!
Thanks are extended to
ZakuroU: Sweden would make an amazing dad. Do want! And thanks for being excited, here's the update
The Little Chibi: Benjamin is New Zealand. And your review had me laughing. Please don't sulk!
Enigma-Hare: Wooooooo hugs! You'll just have wait and see ;)
NikkiKirkland: Wooooo! He's so damn hard to write
MewTangerine: Poor Toris, he's a bit silly. Here's the update!
And to all who favourite and follow and such and such. Your support means a lot!
Disclaimer: As it stands, Hetalia is regretfully not mine, deepest apologies
When Toris slipped back into the ward where the kids were staying, Roderich was nowhere to be seen. He was obviously doing the swap with Vash or he could have been getting a coffee because Toris hadn't come back or he could have been going to the toilet. Either way, he wasn't there.
Everyone seemed to be asleep but on closer inspection, Toris saw that Benjamin was awake. The boy was staring blankly out the window, his eyes staring but not seeing. His hands were fisted in the blue blanket over his legs. His face was a sickly white colour though sweat beaded his forehead. His drip was nearly empty.
"Hello Benjamin," Toris said lightly though he still managed to startle the boy who jolted in his bed and began to breathe heavily.
"You scared me." He complained quietly, drawing a smile from the Lithuanian as he said so.
"Sorry," Was all Toris said though and he went to drag his chair from next to Elizabeta's bed to Benjamin's bed. "Are you ok? Need me to call a doctor?"
At this, Benjamin stiffened in place and shook his head firmly, biting his lip.
"I just miss Keith…that's all." He whispered, looking down and blinking hard. Toris reached out to ruffle his hair, surprised at how domestic he was acting. "And I wanna go home."
Toris sighed and let his gaze wander over to the window. "You and me both buddy."
Benjamin tilted his head and poked Toris gently to get his attention.
"Did you grow up in an orphanage like us? Is that why you 'dopted Felicks?" The question wasn't one Toris was expecting and certainly wasn't one he wanted to answer, especially when a child was involved. Toris had been a child once, he knew they found it hard to keep secrets. It was just their nature.
"Uh no, I grew up with my family in Lithuania." Toris said carefully, trying to edge his way out of the conversation. "What about you? Were you raised at the orphanage?"
Benjamin pouted at this, something Toris found adorable and very childlike. He puffed out his cheeks and scowled at the Lithuanian, obviously not wanting to answer just as Toris hadn't. Finally he spoke up. Toris was oddly yet pleasantly surprised by this.
"I grew up on a farm for the first five years of my life. Keith was like an older brother…he even calls me his brother; he was the son of one of my father's workers. But Keith's dad died when transporting cattle during a storm so my dad took him in. My mum died on the same trip and dad couldn't take it so he started drinking. The state removed us from his care and placed us in the orphanage." The boy puffed out his cheeks again. "You can't tell anyone ok?"
"Of course." Toris said in playful seriousness. "This'll be our secret."
Benjamin settled down, content with the promise and closed his eyes wearily, much like what Toris wanted to do. The boy slumped down till the covers bunched at his chin and the IV was almost taught.
"I felt scared before," The boy mumbled, delirious due to the effects of medicine and illness. "Something's coming for me."
"What do you mean?" Toris asked worriedly but Benjamin had surrendered to the pull of sleep and was now deaf to anything anyone said. "Benjamin," Toris said again though half-heartedly, a vain attempt he'd said automatically.
There was a scraping at the window as the wind picked up and smashed a branch against the glass pane. Toris found himself shivering automatically though the room was warm and his coat stopped any drafts from freezing him. The room was silent now apart from raspy breathing occasionally. Toris let his eyes wander over each of the slumbering patients.
"Ugh," Toris groaned, his head drooping forward as he voiced his grumpiness. He was tired and uncomfortable and worried and irritated. All he wanted to do was find a comfortable place and sleep. He hadn't slept properly since the last night he'd spent with Felicks. He'd slept for a bit at Vash and Roderich's but that seemed like an eternity ago and he'd been told he hadn't slept for long that time.
The door opened and Toris sat upright, expecting Vash or Roderich or both or perhaps a doctor but he was greeted with yet another stranger, one who had a flock of kids around him. Kids who seemed very familiar.
"Alfred?" Toris stared in shock. "Matthew? Keith? Lukas?" He named the kids bar one he didn't know, too shocked to say anything else.
"Hello," The stranger said warmly, a tall blonde woman. She had a royal air to her and Toris got up from the chair to approach her. "I'm a social worker. Mr Zwingli called me to help take care of the kids. It's actually illegal to not have at least one registered member of the community caring for the kids so to avoid a fine and possible arrest, he called in a favour from me."
Toris blinked at the long and confusing explanation but accepted it considering she had five of the kids with her who were meant to be at the orphanage. She also sounded very professional and very sure of herself so he didn't bother asking for proof.
"Speaking of Vash," Toris said after remembering Zwingli was his last name. "Where is he? He and Roderich were doing a swap over."
The woman smiled again but didn't reply at first. She was busy fussing over the boy Toris didn't know who wanted to run over to Romano . Now that Toris thought about it, he looked awfully like Romano . Perhaps they were brothers.
"Vash and Roderich are back at the orphanage." The woman suddenly decided to reply. "They were both very tired and we decided that they should stay there."
"What about Arthur?" Toris asked as he watched the kids fidget at the woman's feet. Surprise flashed across her face before it smoothed out again.
"He's there with them of course." She laughed shrilly. "Where else would he be?" Toris's eyes narrowed.
"At home. He was only helping out. He doesn't really know anything about the orphanage."
"Oh really?" The woman said with polite interest. "I wasn't aware he wasn't a volunteer worker. He seemed very relaxed and the kids adored him."
"Right," Toris let the matter go though there was something about the woman that bothered him. Even the kids seemed nervous though they were at a hospital and they didn't have a reputation of being a calming place.
"Ok kids go say hi to everyone." The lady made a waving motion with her hands, an obvious dismissal and the kids scattered. Keith was like a bullet as he moved quickly to Benjamin's side, clambering into Toris's discarded chair and reaching out to stroke the boy's hand.
Lukas toddled off to Tino's bed. He was holding a fluffy dog plushy which he pushed under the covers so that Tino could hug it. The boy's usually stoic face melded into something softer and akin to love…or something like that.
The boy who looked like Romano was with said boy, trying to clamber onto the bed and slipping a few times before his short feet found the frame and he pushed himself up. Romano moaned in his sleep and rolled over leaving plenty of space for his lookalike to snuggle up next to him. Toris wasn't sure if he should be letting it happen but the social worker didn't have any complaints and she was the person who would know the most about sick children.
Matthew and Alfred stuck together, wandering over to stand next to Yao. The Asian teen didn't seem to be much better but he was breathing at least. Toris wasn't sure why Alfred and Matthew had come, they didn't seem too attached to anyone here but he changed his mind when Alfred beckoned him over with a subtle flick of his wrist. The social worker was occupied by her phone, a strangely unofficial thing to be doing.
"What's wrong?" Toris asked once he'd gotten close. Alfred just handed him a scrap of paper before pushing the man away and turning back to Yao just as the social worker looked back up. All she saw was Toris standing in the middle of the room and Alfred and Matthew with Yao.
"Perhaps we should leave now." The woman said, narrowing her eyes at the twins. "Vash and Roderich will be expecting us back."
"But I wanna stay," Keith was the one who vocally complained though everyone else looked just as annoyed.
"Well we can't." The lady said firmly. "So come along." She marched over to Keith, her hand brushing casually along Benjamin's drip as she did so. She grabbed the young boy and gently dragged him over to the door. The other children soon followed, whining but complying.
"Can you ask Roderich or Vash to come back here or at least call me?" Toris asked as she moved to leave.
"Of course," The lady said smoothly though she looked vaguely annoyed. Perhaps it was because she didn't see helping Toris as part of her job. "Though they might not want to come back. I'll call you if that happens. Your number?"
"I'm sure they can call me myself," Toris said icily, now more suspicious than ever.
"Oh of course," The social worker was again calm. "But still, perhaps we should exchange phone numbers."
Even though every inch of his body was screaming no, Toris handed the phone over and received her shiny one in return. He couldn't help but 'accidentally' click onto contacts. The first and only contact was 'Boss' which did not help to ease the Lithuanians suspicions. He wanted to confront her about it but she was already impatiently holding out his phone impatiently and he had no choice but to hurriedly add himself to contacts and swap her phone for his.
"Well see you," She said lightly and hurried the kids out of the room, Alfred staring imploringly back at Toris over his shoulder. Once the kids were gone, Toris sat back down and tapped away at his phone to find the new contact. It seemed her name was Rachel or at least that's what she'd put her name down as. Toris didn't trust the woman.
He suddenly remembered the note from Alfred and unfolded it, not sure what to expect. What he found was not at all what he was expecting and certainly something he didn't want to be seeing.
Toris this is Roderich. Call the police. He has the orphanage hostage. Don't trust Rachel! Call for help!
Again I'm sorry this took so long but then…it hit! The inspiration that is, not the sickness that's sent me home to bed. I'M SO SORRY ZAKKIE!
Well can't be helped, it's mum's fault for sharing. Please review!