ANOTHER BOOK OF BS INSTEAD OF SLEEP

よくできました！

"You stumble upon old home videos of you and your siblings as toddlers. Nostalgia fades when you realize something isn't quite right."

Fairy had stumbled upon some old videos from when she was about four. Her older brothers were probably five and nine at the time, but adorable all the same. It brought her sadness as well as sweet memories. She and her siblings used to be inseparable, but not so much anymore. She was still somewhat close to her oldest brother, Holiday, but not to her other brother, Edge.

She missed him.

She still could remember the day he'd left.

She'd come home from school, and found Edge packing. He'd graduated the previous year, but it took her by surprise.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"Packing. Why?"

"Why?"

"I'm leaving," he smiled softly. He opened his arms and hugged her tightly. She stood in shock for a minute before shoving him away.

"You're just leaving? How could you?" she burst out, angry.

His face became cold. "I thought you'd be happy for me."

"But you're leaving me! And where would you go?"

"Lancer's had a full time job for the past two years on top of college classes. That on top of money I make with my part time job is enough to support us."

The mention of Lancer made her angrier. She'd never approved of him, always suspecting that he only stuck around her brother for sex. "You really think he actually loves you? You're just another toy for him."

Edge's eyes flashed. "Is that what you think?" he asked tightly. "You think sex is all there is to our relationship?"

She nodded, angered features mirroring Edge's. His fists were clenched tightly, and he suddenly turned away from her.

She could see his shoulders shaking.

"You don't know him. You don't know what he's done for me, or what he means to me. He listens to me, and cares for me, and talks to me, helps me, he does so much," his voice broke from tears, "he loves me."

"Does he, though?"

"SHUT UP!" he roared uncharacteristically, scaring her to tears. She'd never seen him in such rage before. She didn't even know her sweet brother was capable of it. "You can't take that away from me. No one can take him from me. He's all I have..."

Fairy could only watch, hurt and silent as her brother finished packing quickly and aggressively.

She watched him turn his back on her.

Now, she was surprised that Edge even picked up her call. It was strange to hear his voice after almost five years. They agreed that she could visit him at his place, and that's how she ended up in his living room, embracing him fondly.

"It's been so long," she whispered.

"How have you been?" he asks warmly, smiling at her. "You've grown well."

She smiled gratefully. "I've been doing alright. You?"

He was about to respond before he caught her frown. "What is it?"

Scars.

She could see various scars running up and down his body under his loose tank top and shorts. She saw red. "I won't let him fucking hurt you like this," she growled.

It was Edge's turn to get mad. "What do you mean?"

"All those scars? How do you live like this? How can you claim he loves you if he hurts you like this?"