Freedom {LGBT+}

33. Who you are

🖤

Phoenix remembered the first time he met Rocco. He was stubborn and had a loose tongue. Phoenix chuckled at the memory, Rocco was the hardest person he had to help. Rocco would always sass him or simply clicked his tongue. Phoenix remembered how he used to insult him about everything.

Never once did he find it insulting. He knew that Rocco was just guarding himself and Phoenix never thought he meant all the insults he threw his way. Phoenix would always laugh and counter him in a way that made him glare. It wasn't insulting, just to get Rocco to know that he wasn't going away so easily.

Rocco was only twelve when Phoenix met him. Three long years had passed since Rocco said,"are you here to tell me who can and cannot like." Those three years felt like a lifetime to Phoenix. Like he's known Rocco all his life.

All the time they spent going to the river to catch water. Sharing a loaf of bread and laughing. Rocco was his first conquest, the first member of a family he didn't know he would have. Phoenix was glad for his persistency. That he saw not only a boy who directed his hate towards others. Phoenix saw that boy who was hurting.

When Rocco finally took his hand and walked home with him. When he cried for the first time since he was in Area Fifteen. It was also the first and the last. Phoenix remembered his words that night, "What's wrong with liking anyone regardless?"

Phoenix only responded with, "There's nothing wrong Rocco. Don't you dare stop liking anyone regardless." Thinking back it wasn't the most comforting words. It was the moment that they shared. The healing of another heart and the feeling of helping someone who deserved it.

They never talked about it. It was like their own little secret. Rocco had been there through the arrival of Rebel, Mae, Poppy and Siobhan. He was close with Rebel and cared for Mae and Poppy. He was the caring older brother. They've all been through a lot: Mae was covered in bruise and was trapped in her shell. Poppy was lost and just as covered in bruises as Mae. Siobhan was broken and drowning in fear. Rocco hated himself. They were all broken.

Phoenix was also a broken soul himself. He had lost his friend and coped in a way that led to finding those five. They became the people he loved and the people he called a family. The people who he woke up to, who he risked his life for. Those who he laughed along with, shared happy, angry and sad moments with. They argued and cry and never once did he thought he would lose one of them

Never did he thought he would have to be holding the lifeless body of his own family in his hands. Phoenix knew the others might already know, still breaking the news, confirming it to them would be hard. Phoenix allowed his tears to fall, to stain his cheeks as he sobbed. He wanted for Rocco to wake up. For him to wake up and throw his insults at him. For them to argue and apologize by the end of the day.

Why did things have to end up this way? Countless persons were dying and what were they dying for? If the King truly wanted to kill someone, Phoenix would let him have him. If it could've prevented everything that's been happening, he wouldn't mind giving up his own life. Rocco and the others had started at a new life, they were happy. Why was their happiness being taking away from them? 

"Iker," Phoenix said in shaky voice. He held Rocco's lifeless body in his arms desperately.

Iker stood before him, clashing swords with the other man. Iker overpowered him, injuring only his leg. He was glad to have made it just in time. Iker knew he couldn't have stopped what was happening. That he couldn't save the people who have passed. If it was just one he was glad to have saved Phoenix's life.