Attachments can cause death.
He remembered the day a butterfly approached him, so pure and fragile. Its tint of yellow has grasped the sun, the well-written pattern shadowing as his freckles. The creature flew away, a beautiful paper airplane contrasting his view. It gave him the urge to fly, the inspiration building up his heart. Though he had the insticts of a cat, his curiosity growing his claws as he starts to jump. He took the little insect, holding it tightly until he felt its lonely body sitting on his hand. Its dry response sulking his temper, its wings flapping for the very last time.
It's dead.
As an adult, the feeling of guilt never formed into their brains. But as a todler, he had enough conscience to share his tears for a poor butterfly living to survive. The title of a criminal rose to his blood, his body running away from the silent garden. He held the corpse in his hands, the ball of crystals silently pouring under his bangs. Reaching the door of his hostile home, he opened it with the creak sound squeaking in his ears. He panted loudly, hearing only his breath with the quiet living room.
"Mom, dad!", Hoping for comfort, he searched his only family. His cry was unstoppable, searching every corner for his parents. Opening each door of the room he was exhausted, seeing no single soul showing.
"Where are you?", He lightly shouted, running back down the stairs with no energy. His child form was gone, the copycat of a zombie roaming inside their house. He walked like a hopeless creature, searching for love with the music of Agape chanting at the background.
His senses went back, getting closer to the kitchen. The noise of a human was heard, his pupils turning big with happiness. Running and stumbling, he wasn't concerned about anything at all. He only seeks for answers, the questions of his actions stuck on his mind. The door was opened, seeing the shadow moving jiggly on the sink. He approached with his hand full, most likely not wanting to crush the body of the butterfly.
"Mo-", due to his dismay, he stood there in horror, immediately hiding himself at the side to listen in silence. He cried silently, opening his fist as his tears reached through the wings of the insect.
"How could you do this?!"
"I don't love you anymore! Let's prepare the divorce papers"
"What? I'm not letting our child live without a mom"
He hissed, letting his anger pour on his hand as he crushed the body. He ran, opening the door without noticing the honking tears of the clouds. The rain kept falling, the mix of his salty tears and the fresh liquid of the sky kissing his cheeks. His mind had no destination, promising to go far away from his home that had the dignity of a dirty jail.
What a cruel world to live in, his small shoes sliding in the pool of water. His bottom reached the dirty street, his hands emotionally feeling the cold wet ground. He can't stand it, he's been cutting his throat for a long time. The power of his crying screams surrounded the neighborhood, a child affected by the long lost warmth of a family.
He surrendered. He didn't want to explore another torture of Earth's booby trap. He was not selfish of asking for another life, but sticking to his old routine would lead down the land, deeper than the ocean floor. The butterfly scattered like a circle, forming a place for the poor boy. He didn't like it. The way the insect's life was taken, the way each wings were ripped from its main, he never wanted his ending to be like that.
Although he was in darkness, he knew very well that in this story he was the butterfly.
The society, his environment, was the culprit of killing his future.
And yet, the calloused hand of his mother-like figure touched his frail body.
"Oh my! Tetsu-chan, are you okay?", She panicked, the shaking of her umbrella defining her reaction. She held the handle, putting it close to his hand.
"Hold it, hm?", Kuroo agreed, taking the object away from his Auntie. He hid his crying state on its shield, not wanting to be humiliated by another person he cared. The feeling of her long arms reached on his wet pants, her nod signalling him to not worry. She carried him, his weight folding her back a little.
"And here", she plopped the boy on their bathtub, having a warm bath prepared for him only. His temperature changed, cooling off the last cold touch of his body.
"Seriously, not all the time I'm there to save you Tetsu-chan", she chuckled, ruffling his stone hair before closing the door for some privacy. He sighed, taking water to sprinkle on his top. The red tint of his palm was gone, swaying it on the dull water.
'It's warm'
"What?! She cheated on you? No brother I-", hearing those words slipping on the woman's lips, he parted his chapped lips, sinking slowly onto the warm sensation that he wished would stay forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Seriously, what now?", She carried Kuroo who had a red bloody mark on his knee. She wanted him to experience the other side of the world, but was hopeless because even with the pain he never cried as he was already used to it.
"Auntie", he called, a small hint of frown printing on his face. He pointed the red part, looking at the sky to let his tears evaporate itself. Though that's not how it works.
"Boo boo", he quietly whispered, holding it with her hand as a sniff escaped in his nose.
"I know sweetie", she kneeled down, her age controlling the pain she felt on her back.
"Hop on", feeling his hand clasp on her neck, she counted to three then carried him as she perfectly had control on his bottom.
Walking silently, she ensured the boy to stop thinking about his bruise. She was sure he was taking it seriously, feeling her shirt getting wet with his embrace.
"D-don't worry Tetsu-chan! Later home, your boo boo will be gone, okay?", He nodded, hugging tightly with his head buried on her shoulder. She sighed, successfully calming the nerves of her nephew.
"Auntie"
"Hm?", She looked badly on her lower right, seeing the fresh skin oozing painfully with the blood clot. Before speaking, she heard a usual sniff, chuckling at the sight of him sneezing at her shirt.
"Will, Achoo!", Smuggling like a little kid, he took his sausage arms and used it as a wiping cloth for his cloggy nose.
"W-will they be okay?", The curious worried kid shoots arrows on the woman, his sincere question showing pure hope and opportunity. She sighed, a little sad with how this figure got to witness such burden in his life. What's more, the determination of his heart that was willing to get a glue for their broken picture.
"Let's go home first, hm?", He nodded, intertwining his little fingers below her chin. They arrived at his Auntie's house, the still bland taste grimming his eyes with fire. Taking him gently on the couch, she slowly cleaned his soft skin, caressing with care like taking him as her own. Kuroo hissed in pain, but slowly drowned when a big hand gripped onto his other hand.
"You see Tetsu-chan, this is us", she explained, grabbing the medicine kit.
"A... Booboo?"
"Exactly", she booped his nose, correctly kneeling down to his knees to see once again his scratch.
"Inexperienced in this suffocating world, even words can make us cry to our pond"
"Growing up, we tend to leave scars in our body, living fully to heal the wounds that was left untouched"
"If we are treated right, you'll be fully healed. Your down to Earth sins and all complicated sufferings will end in one swift", She said, taking the very known liquid used for any bruise.
"But, getting the wrong treatment will more give pain. The boo boo will still be-"
"A boo boo?"
"Yes", she took a soft ball cotton, unnecessarily taking the twizzer to hold it firmly.
"So you mean my dad's the one getting the wrong treatment from my mom?", She stopped, plopping the cotton on the side while pinching his nose.
"Aren't you a genius, Tetsu-chan", she giggled.
"But"
"It was more like", she took back the twizzer, pressing the fluffy white fur onto his bruise.
"Daddy didn't want to let go", she took a Spiderman bandage, swinging it on her finger with grace. She raised her eyebrow, seeing the convincing nod of her nephew.
"Your father never wanted the right treatment. He was not prepared for that", she sighed, the sight of her stupid brother still clinging into his wife. She clicked her tongue, oriented at her own little brother's mistake. But was not there to stop nor support. She was stuck in between, not forbidding herself to stay neutral.
"I see", he lowered his head, the ball of independent water slipping in his eyes. She zipped her lips, intentionally forcing herself to not say anything that contains the concept of love. The main goal was to convey the specific information to Kuroo, innocence and child-like point of view must be shown.
"Then who'll be papa's bandage?", He started to sniff, a little mesmerized with the design stuck in his buckle. The sticker folded with wrinkles whenever he moved his sausage leg.
"Baby, don't cry", she cupped his cheeks, the flow of his tears filling her palm. She wiped it with concern, the liquid not well deserved for the situation of their family, especially his mother. She never deserved to have such kind son.
"Don't forget he has you", booping again his nose, she scrunched hers, giggling to calm him down.
"You are his Spiderman bandage", she smiled, tucking his surprisingly long bangs that swung to oppose her request. Behind that rooster hair, no one can describe the hook of his frown sunking deeply under his eyes.
"I'm also a boo boo"
"W-what?"
"I don't have my treachment", he said, the cute accent of his mistaking the word. The sunny side up decoration of the room giving concepts of their mood.
"T-then!", She stuttered, completely away with that possible question of his. She quickly found a away, keeping herself calm due to the situation she's in.
"Let me be your bandage!", She smiled, arousing the beautiful glow of his face. Kuroo didn't smile, but the milky way never disappoints in his orbs.
"Really?!"
"Mmhm", closing her eyes, she exposed the long eyelashes that was not appreciated that much.
"Then", he paused for a while, considering to leave his thoughts unanswered. But his eagerness won, his small delicate hand surprising the adult face with peach ink freckles.
"Who's yours?", Seeing the way he persuade his own first move, the woman smiled in delight. Taking his hand, she sneakily puts it on her belly. Their hands rubbing against the cloth, her wish of Kuroo taking a hint of the sudden movement.
"It'll be this furry baby", she chuckled, the boy's wonderful reaction winning against any other vine from the internet. His eyes travelled from her stomach then her little smirking face, the cycle going on and on.
"But-"
"Don't worry. You weren't that heavy enough", she gave assurance, the cute potato toddler nodding while taking his good time over her tummy. The scenery was so perfect, the capturing waves of air sneaking at the small hole of the window.
He never knew this day would come. His tears would be the result of his joy. The baby he never met was something he awaited, planning to be the best cousin he could be. Kuroo held firmly onto her belly, almost hugging from the excitement growing into his beating heart.
"Then I'll make sure to find her bandage"
"Her? We aren't sure yet, Tetsu-chan"
The long awaited birth was still at the corner, their everyday meeting was not a disappointment. Whenever the parents would fight again, Kuroo will go to his Auntie's house, only to be greeted by her morning sickness.
It was still perfect. They were trying to fix the balloon that was tingling to pop anytime.
But they don't know.
The trial of her pregnancy would lead to a popping mess.
As they soon introduce the father of this growing bean.