Esmeralda sat in the back of Ace's car while Bradley sat in the front. Sosuke sat with Esmeralda; his arms were around her. He could still feel her body trembling. He couldn't blame her; she was about to be raped if he and the others weren't there to save her. The mere thought of that made Sosuke want to go mad. However, he was just relieved that she was safe.
They all arrived at Bradley's place. Ace parked his car, they got out and went inside the house.
Meanwhile, Amelia was in the living room knitting. She knew about the plan and was a bit anxious about the situation. The older woman hoped that everything would turn out okay. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened.
Amelia put her things aside and went to greet them. Once there, she stopped in her tracks; her husband and nephews looked grim. The older woman saw Esmeralda covered in a jacket, trembling. "Auntie, is there a room she can stay in?"
This broke her out of her thoughts. "Y-Yes. Go upstairs, and she can sleep in any of the rooms."
Sosuke nodded; he led Esmeralda upstairs as the rest stayed downstairs. Bradley let out a sigh. "Ace, you can go home. Sosuke and I will be here."
"Uncle Brad, I can stay and help keep watch."
Bradley looked at his nephew. "It won't be necessary; Yhwach won't make an appearance yet. Come back tomorrow; we all need to have a discussion."
Ace was about to persist, but his uncle gave him a warning glare. Ace knew that his uncle could sometimes be a jokester, but when he became serious, all bets were off." The young man let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll go. Call me if somethin' happens."
"Of course, rest well. Come by the house at 10 am."
Once Ace left, Bradley went to the living room and poured himself a bourbon. Amelia was shocked. It has been years since Bradley drank. He only had those types of alcohol for guests.
Bradley was in the military in his youth but was sent off to the gulf war while working in the United States. He wasn't the same when he returned home. Bradley became a mild alcoholic. Amelia remembered trying to help and motivate him to speak up about his experiences. He wouldn't budge. Bradley's drinking had gotten so bad that their sons saw Bradley pass out on the floor, thinking he was dead. That was the last straw for Amelia, and she threatened to divorce him unless he got help.
Bradley loved his family, and the thought of them leaving him was too much; he got help. His alcoholism stopped. He was given high positions in the military when he moved back to Germany. He was asked to go to Afghanistan; Amelia didn't want him to go, but he promised only to take commanding positions. He won't go to the battlefield, but he saw many of his men come back injured or dead. After two years, Bradley returned but refused to return to the bottle.
"Darling, you're drinking."
"Don't worry; this will be my only drink. I needed this, especially after what happened today and what might happen in the future." Bradley finished his drink and put the cup down. "Yhwach tried to rape Esmeralda."
Amelia gasped in shock.
"Luckily, we were there. If we weren't, then the outcome would have been different. Everything is going to hell, Amelia. I'm scared, specifically for the young lady."
Amelia walked and hugged her husband. "Darling, you, Ace, and Sosuke are there for her. Besides, don't feel that you three are alone. You have the rest of your brothers that don't mind helping." She then held his face, making him look at her. "Please, my love, don't make the same mistake. Ask for help; there's no shame in it."
Bradley hugged his wife as she did the same.
...
Esmeralda was in the restroom, changing into another dress. While changing, she noticed bruises on her arm and chest; she shivered. Once done, she walked out of the restroom. Sosuke was standing by the window; he looked at her. Sosuke looked thoughtful.
"Sosuke?"
He didn't look at her. He closed his eyes. "It's my fault."
"What?"
"It's my fault that you're going through this. I should have told you 'no' when Yhwach made you the offer."
"We didn't know this would happen, Sosuke. Please don't blame yourself. It's also my fault; I thought about the opportunity and what it could bring for my father and me." Sosuke sighed and didn't realize that his right hand was trembling. Esmeralda noticed. She walked to him and held onto his hand. The young woman saw redness when he beat Yhwach.
Sosuke also noticed but was surprised when Esmeralda lifted his hand and kissed it. Then, she began to cry. "I'm the one who should apologize, Sosuke. I made everything worse for you and your family."
"No, you have no blame. Yhwach always had his demons that he could never control. His past so consumes him that he refuses to get any help."
The young woman still cried silently as she put her hands over her lips. "I'm scared, Sosuke. I had never felt this scared in my life. I'm afraid of what he might do to you, all because of me."
"You're not at fault! Yhwach is mentally unstable; he always was." Sosuke hugged her, and she did the same. The two were silent until Sosuke separated a bit from the hug. He noticed that she was looking at the floor. He lifted her chin, making her look at him. Tears dripped from her eyes. "I know you're scared, but I promise Yhwach won't hurt you. I won't allow him."
Esmeralda gently got away from Sosuke's grip and put her arms over herself. "It's not that; it's just...never mind."
"What is it?"
She shook her head. "It's nothing. I-"
Sosuke made her look at him; he held a stern look. "Tell me."
Esmeralda wiped her tears, trying to prevent new ones from forming. "Yhwach forcibly stole my first kiss. I always wanted my first kiss to be a special moment, but..." A tear formed. "My first kiss was a moment of violence and fear."
Sosuke was stunned. He couldn't believe that her first kiss was with Yhwach. His heart was beating rapidly. The thought that Esmeralda's memory of her first kiss was an act of violence. She didn't deserve that. "Esmeralda." He got a hold of her face, gently pulling her forward. Sosuke closed his eyes as his lips touched hers.
Esmeralda was still; her eyes were wide with surprise. His lips overcame her small ones, but they felt warm and suitable. She also closed her eyes as she put her arms around his arms.
They passionately kissed.
They eventually separated from the kiss; both were breathing heavily. Esmeralda looked at Sosuke; his expression was unreadable. However, she couldn't stop the blush on her cheeks. "Sosuke..."
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I-I didn't want your first memory of your first kiss to be of Yhwach."
Deep down, Esmeralda was a bit disappointed and hurt. "So that's why you kissed me?"
Sosuke looked down; he could feel his heart beating rapidly. "I-I well..." He didn't know what to say. He couldn't find the right words for the first time in his life. Sosuke immediately walked out of the room, leaving the young woman alone.
Esmeralda stood silently, trying to grasp everything that had happened. Her heart was beating rapidly. She then put her hand over her lips. The memory of Sosuke kissing her overcame her mind. She admitted that he was a very good kisser, but more was to the kiss. It was passionate.
Sosuke mentioned that he didn't want her first kiss to be with Yhwach, but she wondered if that was the only reason. Sosuke's kiss was filled with emotion and gentleness. She put her fingers on her lips. Esmeralda smiled.
...
Sosuke walked out of the room quickly and then to the living room. "What have I done? Why did I do that?" he asked himself. He unknowingly walked to where his uncle and aunt were.
Bradley and Amelia were sitting close to one another. Amelia felt her muscles getting weak, and she had taken her medicine to help gain their strength. The couple saw Sosuke; they noticed that he was talking to himself. "Sosuke dear, are you alright?" asked Amelia.
This snapped Sosuke back to reality. "Oh, I didn't see you both here. I-I'm fine, nothing to be concerned about."
Bradley, on the other hand, noticed his nephew's face. "You're blushing. Is Esmeralda alright?" An amused smirk formed on Bradley's face. "You kissed her, didn't you?"
Sosuke's blush got darker; Amelia let out an excited gasp. "You did!? Oh, how romantic!"
"I-It's not like that. Esmeralda was distraught that Yhwach was her first kiss, so..."
Amelia and Bradley looked at one another. Suddenly, Amelia stood up, although her body was trembling since the medicine was still trying to take effect. "Amelia." Bradley was about to motion her to sit, but his wife motioned her hand to make him stop. She got in front of Sosuke. "Don't tell me that you kissed her to wipe the memory of Yhwach's encounter."
Both men were silent; they could feel Amelia's anger. Bradley knew how to draw fear in others, but his wife was on a different level. She had a temper that even surpassed his. He will never forget the slap he received when he tried to pursue her. Although he did like that about his wife, a chill ran through Bradley. As for Sosuke, he noticed his auntie's expression; she was angry. "Um, well, I..."
Without warning, Amelia slapped Sosuke across the face. The slap echoed throughout the house. Sosuke was shocked by the slap but did feel a sting on his cheek. He remembered that as a child, he did behavioral issues since his mother and father abandoned him. Bradley was very strict, but his auntie Amelia was the one he feared the most.
It got so bad that Bradley was going to send him to military school, but then Sosuke got in trouble for fighting. Amelia had enough and slapped him very hard in the principal's office. Sosuke would never forget his pain and embarrassment when others witnessed it. However, he could never forget the tears his auntie shed. The tears were for him. Since then, he promised not to make his auntie cry or get one of her slaps. However, now it was different. "Auntie?"
"Please don't tell me you kissed her out of pity."
Sosuke was silent as he looked down at the floor. He couldn't answer her; his pride was too great.
Amelia let out an annoyed sigh. "I lost my temper, and I'm sorry. However, kissing her for that reason won't improve the situation. You know this, right?"
Sosuke merely nodded. He noticed that his auntie was swaying a bit. He and Bradley got a hold of her before she lost balance. Bradley gently put his wife on the sofa. "My dear, you shouldn't strain yourself."
Amelia gently patted her husband's right hand as she looked at Sosuke. "Your uncle and I know that you like Esmeralda. Even though I barely knew the child, I know she had a good and innocent spirit. Please don't take advantage or play with her emotions, Sosuke. Also, if you have feelings for her, don't be afraid to admit it."
Sosuke cleared his throat. "I-I don't know if I can. I brought her in so much trouble."
"I understand you feel guilt, Sosuke. However, please don't give in to it. We all didn't know that this was going to happen with Yhwach. Women tend to view kisses as an emotional connection to the kiss. We can get hurt if the kiss means nothing to a man. Lastly, tell her how you feel whenever you are ready. If you don't, someone else may get to her, like Ace." Amelia let out a smile, but her husband and nephew knew what the smile meant; a threat. "I like that girl, and I would hate it if you hurt her. If you and the girl don't end up together, I can motivate Ace or my son Miyabi."
Both the men sweatdropped while Amelia giggled.
...
Ace decided to go to his parent's house for a visit. It's been a while since he visited. He texted his mother to ask if that would be okay; she said yes.
The young man made it to his parent's house. Before he could knock, the door opened. His mother, Rouge, opened the doors and hugged her son. "Ace, I'm so happy you came to visit us! I thought you didn't love us any more!"
"Mom, I was just busy; I didn't have much time!"
"Well, you came at the right time. I made your favorite dessert, chocolate pie!"
Ace blushed as his mother led him inside the house. Once inside, Ace saw his father in the kitchen, trying to sneak a piece of the pie. Rouge noticed and immediately went to her husband. "Roger, you know you're diabetic! Put that piece down!"
Gol D. Roger looked at his wife and made a child-like face. "But why did you make the pie in the first place!? Besides, I've been watching my diet for months; I deserve a little award. Please."
Rouge sighed. "It was for Ace, but only a tiny piece."
Gol D Roger ate the piece in contentment as he noticed his son. "Ace, what a miracle you came to visit your pops!" Without warning, Gol D Roger got a hold of his son and hugged him tightly while patting his hair roughly. When Gol D Roger put his son down, he noticed something from his son. "What's wrong? You look like hell, son."
Ace fixed himself up and hesitated to speak but knew everyone would know. "Yhwach tried to rape Esme."
Rouge gasped in horror while Gol D Roger flinched violently; his expression turned serious. Ace explained the entire situation; his parents were silent. "The poor girl, is she alright?"
"Yeah, she's with Uncle Brad and Sosuke." Ace didn't realize that he was trembling. He was worried for Esmeralda. Sosuke saw more than he did, but he imagined Yhwach's hands on her; it pissed him off. He remembered Esmeralda's clothes, her tears, her fear. It got to him.
His mother noticed her son's trembling form and put her arms around him. "Calm down, Ace. At least she is safe."
"Tomorrow, I'm going to Uncle Brad; we're gonna have to plan our next step."
"I'm going with you tomorrow Ace."
"This ain't..."
"Ace."
The young man almost flinched at his father's tone. Ace knew his father would sometimes be a jokester, but he knew his father had limits.
"I will go tomorrow. If Yhwach went that far, the situation would be more serious; you three won't be able to protect her all on your own. Understand?"
Ace thought it was best not to argue. "Gotta go to the restroom; I'll be back for the pie." Rouge and Gol D Roger watched their son. "He likes her, doesn't he?" asked Rouge.
Gol D Roger chuckled. "Without a doubt."
