𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 ⌜𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿⌟

02. 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗠𝗘

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 02. 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗠𝗘, 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗧 𝗡𝗢𝗪?

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗦𝗔𝗧, his hands reaching for yours that rested on the table. His hands practically swallowed yours, and you could feel his fingertips pressing against the inside of your wrist. The room was silent.

"I-It's true then? You're really not a human anymore," He said, unable to feel your pulse.

"Apparently," You muttered.

"Are you hungry, do you want something to eat?" He asked, standing up.

"I don't eat human food. I'll probably just throw it up," You said. Harry looked down.

"Oh, y-yeah. Sorry,"

"Michael, Helen, Samantha, James....where are they now?" You asked.

"Michael is working, and Helen and Samantha are taking care of Dad. He...fell ill after you were gone. The doctor says it's tuberculosis," He replied.

"I'm sorry. I should have been there--"

"No, don't blame yourself," He said, grabbing your shoulders. "We don't blame you, Y/n. Not one bit. We know what happened. Robert came to us. He told us everything. By God, Elijah was ready to kill him, but Dad laid him to the ground faster than anyone of us have ever seen him move."

"Elijah? What was he doing there?" You frowned.

"He hadn't heard from you in months. Got so worried he'd come to our house, demanding to see you. Dad said he'd lost it, and when Robert came, his hat off, we knew somethin' happened to you. When...he told us you'd fell...Dad...he...why, I think it was the first time any one of us had seen him cry. He mourned you like he'd lost his own child," He said quietly, messing with the edge of the table, rubbing dirt that wasn't there.

You looked down at your crossed arms, eyebrows furrowing together. You bit the inside of your cheek, slowly closing your eyes.

"B-But, I have this," Harry said, making you raise your head. He reached onto the top of the refrigerator, pulling a wooden box down. He placed it on the table and lifted the hatch. Unfolding the cloth, he held something out to you. You felt your eyes widen.

"Where did you get this?" You asked, looking at the handle of your blade and the pocket watch.

"Robert and Jonathan gave it to Dad. But, he didn't want them in the house any longer. He said it would only remind him of you, so he gave it to me. Elijah wanted them, and fought me for them," He said, showing you his palm, lined with a long scar. "Kicked his ass, and sent him all the way to Wales. Never seen him since."

"Harry--"

"They're yours, Y/n," He smiled. "Take them. I'm so happy I can actually give them back to you."

You placed them to the side and brought the boy closer to you. His eyes widened as you let his head rest against your shoulder. He hugged you back tightly, gripping you as if his life depended on it. You placed a hand on the back of his head.

"I'm sorry for everything, Harry. And I'm sorry for this, but you're going to have to keep me a secret."

He quickly pulled away. "What? Why?"

"The others have no doubt accepted my death. It's best not to dig up graves. Our meeting was just a mere coincidence. I still have a job to do," You said.

"You're going to go after him, aren't you?" Harry said uneasily. "That blonde man, Dio. You're going to try and find him, aren't you?"

"My business with him isn't over. He'll continue to wreak havoc on everyone until he's dead. I'll just have to clean his mess up along the way," You replied, standing up. Harry followed your movements.

"I know you won't stop, no matter who tries. So I'm not going to. Just...let me give you a few things."

"Alright."

A change of clothes, a jacket to keep you warm, a cloak to keep you concealed, glass vials to store animal blood in (currently filled with pigs blood Harry got from the butcher), gloves, a new set of boots, and a satchel filled with pounds. These were the things Harry insisted you take.

You sat at the table, the curtains in his home pulled shut tightly, covered by sheets he collected. In your hands, rested the brass pocket watch. Your thumb traced over the engraving on the back. You traced his name.

"Tell me something, Brando."

"Hm?" He looked up from his book, spotting you standing in the window, arms crossed over your chest. Your gaze was stationed outside, watching the snow trickling from the sky.

"Why me?"

You flicked your eyes to him, e/c hues brightening in the bright sunlight. Dio closed the book, crossing one leg over the other. "What do you mean?"

"Why, out of all the people in London who could have done it, why me? I know for a fact that you had other friends in the slums," You stated, your eyes following him as he stood. He strode towards you, placing his hands on your arms with a thoughtful hum.

"You were the most...promising. There was something about you that stuck out to me. And I'm glad I stayed with my choice. You've been quite the partner in crime," He grinned.

"You're only saying that because I haven't betrayed you," You said.

"Do you plan to?"

"Of course I don't," You scoffed. "Do you take me for a snitch, Brando? If I ratted you out, I'd been digging a hole deeper for myself."

"Oh, and that would be absolutely horrible, wouldn't it? We wouldn't want you to get into any kind of trouble, would we, Vex?" He chuckled.

"You're being awfully ballsy today, Brando," You hissed, twisting your arms around his, moving them away from you. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"Come on now," He said, amber eyes gleaming with amusement. "Why are you always so serious all the time? Try relaxing for once."

He walked away, allowing you to have your personal space. He returned to the couch, picking his book up from where he left off. You glared at him from across the room, eyes narrowed.

"It's not like I'm going to hurt you or anything," He said seriously, looking up at you. "I care for you, Vex."

Yeah? Where was it now?

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 02. 𝗘𝗡𝗗
𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 14 𝗠𝗔𝗬 2021
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