A Clutch And a Half

Chp 7 - The System Always Fails Someone

"Let go of me Laito" Elliot hissed through his teeth, he needed to get Yui home before he became as helpless as her.

"But you promised me-"

"I know" Elliot held a finger to Laito's cold lips, stopping him from talking "and I'll make good of it at home". Laito smirked, this small boy just called that silly old mansion 'home'.

Laito smiled against Elliot's finger, sucking the tip of it briefly before pricking it with the edge of a fang and licking the small amount of blood that trickled out. Elliot watched in shock, he didn't know what to expect. He slowly brought his hand back and looked down at his finger, the small wound had already healed. Laito also looked with curiosity, no human could heal that fast.. even if it was a cut as small as this.

"Just what are you Elliot Komori?" Laito's eyes met Elliot's. He leant forward and sniffed the black-haired boy's cheek. "I'm not sure what exactly but I have my suspicions".

Elliot shuffled uncomfortably. He had been asked that question once before and it ruined his life. He debated his answer for a short time, not short enough clearly as he was cut off by a loud voice before he could speak.

"IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S GUEST, MR. TOUGO SAKAMAKI" Laito moved his attention to the direction of the voice, a large TV housed on the side of a building in the square a small ways down the street. "MR. SAKAMAKI IS ONE OF THE MANY POLITICIANS WHO ARE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC IN REGARDS TO JAPAN'S NEW STRATEGIC FOREIGN POLICY". Elliot also let the tv catch his attention. "AND TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM ABOUT HIS CONCRETE MEASURES".

"What is it?" Yui's voice piped up from behind the boys, neither seemed to realise that she had woken up.

"He's the statesman Tougo Sakamaki. Our Father." Laito side-eyed Yui, she watched the tv with curiosity even though she could barely see it. Another gust of cold made its way through the streets and she hugged Elliot's jacket closer to her. "To me, He's the object of my hatred."

Yui continued to watch the tv, she didn't quite catch what Laito said. "Tougo Sakamaki?..." Her eyes fluttered and her voice became weak "Karl Heinz.." Yui trailed off as she fell forwards. Laito looked at her in surprise, almost forgetting to reach out and catch her.

The sound of a kerfuffle behind him caught Elliot's attention, it broke whatever trance he was in when he looked at the man on the tv. He turned, surprise in his eyes when they landed on Yui in Laito's hold.

"Just who are you two?" Laito looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms and then at Elliot. It was quiet for a bit, the tv now mumbled in the background. "I'll take her back but you owe me" Laito disappeared, taking Yui and the school bags with him. Elliot was left alone, He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to go home but he didn't have anywhere else he wanted to go.

~

Of all the places Elliot could end up; a church was the least expected. Despite his background, Elliot had never planned to be in a church ever again. Alas, it's now one of, if not his only, place of comfort amongst the unfamiliar environments he's been forced into. It was quiet, not a churchgoer, priest, nun, or the alike in the halls. Although eerie, the silence brought some comfort to Elliot.

Before Yui and Elliot left their home, Elliot would often find himself in the church alone. It started when he was young, the Nun's would often force him to pray for hours amongst the pews as a punishment and when they got bored of watching him they would leave him alone. Cold. For hours. Eventually, the hours he would spend alone, unwatched, became time where Elliot could finally breathe; something that the priests and nuns would punish him for when they couldn't use anything else against him. 

Elliot sighed, what was he going to after this whole Sakamaki deal? How long were he and his sister even going to be there? Would they have finished school by the time they needed to leave? What would he do? Where would he go? He couldn't go back to the church, Yui sure but Elliot? no way. They KNEW what he was and they had a plan for him. A child disappearing in a church's care? Suspicious. Weird. It would bring attention, but a homeless adult with no documentation? How could a church be traced to that? Or a child that was put into someone else's care and died there? how could the church possibly have known that such a horrible thing would happen?

A slow panic arose in Elliot's chest. What was he going to do? Elliot stood in front of a table, neatly decorated with roses, at the front of the church. He picked up a rose, twirled between two fingers and watched as a few petals flew off in the process. Elliot's chest tightened and his breaths shortened. Was he just like a flower? grown only to be cut and die a few days later? Only... He would not be displayed and worshipped for beauty.

WHAT was he going to do? He had been raised to follow and believe in the Lord but at the same time, he was shown how despicable the Lord and his followers could be. Elliot wanted nothing to do with people like that. He couldn't return to the church, he wasn't welcome there. Even if he was welcome; it wasn't what he wanted... What did he want? He was not even his own person, how could he possibly know what he wants to do with a life he was never given the pleasure of believing in. Is he even allowed to believe in it now that he was away from his abusers? Would they not just come for him whether or not he returned to them?

Elliot's own harsh inhale broke himself out of his endless loop. He slammed a hand on the table in front of him for support as his other hand clutched desperately onto the fabric hiding his aching chest. Blood pooled on his hand around the roses, they obviously had not been trimmed of their thorns. He had only just realised he had stopped breathing properly. His eyes teared up, An immortal being that still suffered from the exhaustions of mortal life, he felt pathetic because of it. He clenched his hand on the table and as if on cue, he choked out a sob. A wave of dizziness following suit.

He slowly crouched down. Both hands clutching his shirt now, blood slightly staining the fabric. He stifled a sob, trying to force the overwhelming feelings that were trying to bubble and boil. He inhaled desperately, a much-needed wind of cold air hitting his lungs, and breathed out again; the tightness in his chest now moving up to his throat. His own body wanted him to cry; to sob; to scream and for once; let it all out. And eventually, it became too much.

The once quiet church was filled with sobs, screams. The chilling sounds of someone cursing the world with their whole body. It sent shivers down those who passed the church, they dared not to peak beyond the doors that hid the young boy from their eyes. He was a sight that would only confirm a truth that everyone tried to deny; the world, the system, it always fails someone.

His thoughts raced again, he cursed on his past and everyone in it; he cursed on the people who let him experience that; cursed himself for letting it happen; for not knowing what to do or where to go from here; cursed the people who put him where he is now. He cursed himself for not knowing what to do with all this information, knowledge, and emotions he held. He cursed himself for believing that his end was the only path for him, and cursed himself for not knowing what his other paths could be.

A cold hand landed on Elliot's shoulder, he fell back from his crouched position onto the hard church floor and he looked up at the unknown intruder with shock, tears still running down his pale face.

"Laito..." Elliot croaked out the unknown intruder's name, the said male looked to the side quickly. He looked almost embarrassed to have found Elliot in such a raw state.

Elliot sniffled and quickly wiped his tears with his sleeves in an attempt to fix himself up. He looked up again as Laito sighed and reached out for Elliot's arm, he gently hoisted the younger male up to his feet and awkwardly wrapped his arms around Elliot's shoulders. Elliot stood in shock for a moment and although the comfort was cold, stiff, and unfamiliar; he welcomed it with a soft smile and let himself wrap his arms around Laito's waist.

~

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