The Butterfly Affect

Chapter 4||This is my Family||

-My Art

I slipped into the room, Thorn was sitting holding a photo and looking at it. Grabbing my lenses I pulled them in and walked behind her leaning on the couch and my orbs widened, it was Thorn and a dark-skinned babe. Is she a mother? "Undertaker?" She whispered glancing up at me as I smiled and she grinned; "hey," I spoke causing her to chuckle, and turn her gaze to the image. She didn't have her necklace in this image and she looked beautiful. "This is my baby sister, Ari. My mother passed away giving birth to her, so I took it upon myself to be the best female figure I could for her." My gaze softened, her sister, I see. I wrapped an arm around her as she leaned into me. "I am the eldest of three, this includes myself, it's me my brother then Ari." She whispered, smiling at the image and I slipped onto the couch sitting beside her. I pulled the woman close and she leaned into my chest. "Your a strong woman Thorn." I spoke making her pause and look up at me, those brilliant icy orbs gazing at me through thick white lashes. For once she hadn't dyed the white with makeup. She smiled and leaned up, I noticed how her lips were naturally a light red and her cheeks matched the color, rosy. I leaned forward letting her cup my face and trace my scars as I held her. Then she slipped her fingers into my silver locks and slipped them over to see my glasses. She grinned, I smiled seeing a dimple on her right cheek and how her smile made her eyes light up. She's adorable, my gaze softened as I pushed her hair back revealing those elvish ears and making her giggle. "Did you have siblings?" She whispered and I shook my head; "no I'm an only child," I spoke as she hummed and ran her thumb over the scaring with folded brows. "May I ask?" She questioned about the scaring and I smiled and nodded; "cinematic records, they got me pretty good." I answered making her purse her lips, "it doesn't hurt?" She questioned making my smile grow, "not at all," she glanced up smiling softly. "Undertaker I'm curious," she started making me hum, "did you retire? Or?" I pursed my lips and she paused, "you don't have to," she whispered and I shook my head, "no I trust you," I felt her body fall into mine, a beautiful happy smile filled her features and my gaze softened at the woman. "I am a deserter," I spoke taking a moment as she waited patiently with folded brows. "I spent centuries serving the association and I wanted out, I spent seventy years and in term destroyed half a building and didn't make it. It took me twenty more years to get out and become a deserter, in that time I met a woman named Claudia Phantomhive." Her orbs widened as she realized the names. "Looking back on it now, I'd say I was more infatuated than in love. But we married and had our son Vincent, I became the mortician formally here once my late wife had passed. I was blamed for it and so I was kept away from my son, or they tried to, he was grown by the time Claudia passed and I held all the information he needed for a Phantomhive." I told her as she listened, "he started his own family and  I began to," I paused butting my lips as her brows folded and shifted wrapping her arms around me as I chuckled and she hummed softly. "I tried to find ways to die after my son died. He was murdered," her grip tightened as she pressed her body into mine holding me tightly as I gripped the woman. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, I was relieved that she held no pity just genuine kindness in trying to comfort me and it was working. Then she looked up and cupped my face as she sat on her knees between my legs; "please don't do it again," she whispered, pleading me almost as my orbs widened. "You're an extraordinary man, and I'm so sorry for what happened. But reapers don't get an afterlife, don't send yourself to disappear, please." She begged making a tear fall and land on my cheek; my orbs widened as a tear slipped down. "You are the only one who truly cares for me," I whispered out my orbs widened at my own words and hers did as well as she ran her thumb under my eyes. "I don't believe that, what of your friends at the association, I'm sure they understand where you come from." My orbs widened as I remember my group, Ryuko, Edward, and Axel. Her gaze softened as I folded my brows. "I don't deserve them," Ryuko hated Claudia; Thorn hummed as I wiped a tear away. "I don't believe that; because people make mistakes and just because you're a reaper. Doesn't mean you're perfect, it doesn't change that you have emotions, nor will it change who you are. Because I'm looking at a man in front of me, who can do extraordinary things, who can be amazing and is amazing." She sat on her thighs as I held her, folding my brows I spoke; "you say that but all I do is wear a mask all day, I drown myself in work and before you came here all I did was creep people out." I spoke my voice rising as she smiled; "but I'm here now, that doesn't mean I can magically make things disappear but I can be here for you and help you if you want. Yes, you wear a mask for your customers, but are you doing that right now? Yes, you work hard but when your done you come up and talk to me or I help you with paperwork." She giggled, "you won't even let me help you," she argued as I grumbled, and my gaze softened as I thought about the past two months. Her, the laughter, learning about her, she, the woman who wasn't even an inch away from me, the one I was holding onto as if she were to disappear who was crying for me, holding me, lecturing her giving me advice, reassuring me. Thorn became so important so quickly, I looked at her, her gaze softened as she smiled and I cupped her face carefully with my nails as I wiped the tears she closed her eyes my gaze slipped to her lips. And I leaned in pressing my own to her forehead, she paused as I pulled away. "Thank you, Thorn," I whispered looking at her wide eyes and cute red face. "I want to try and rekindle my old friendships, would you come with me?" Her lashes fluttered against her skin and she smiled, "yes." I grinned pulling her into me as I held her, I shivered feeling her nose in my neck as she giggled holding me as I leaned into the couch. Her photo sat on the table as we cuddled into one another.