Sorcerer Hunters Fan Fiction ❯ Starting Over ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lemony Chocolate 
Anime/Manga: Sorcerer Hunters Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Angst / Psychological / Romance / Sci-fi | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.25.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 458 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Sorcerer Hunters Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Angst / Psychological / Romance / Sci-fi | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.25.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 458 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 6
Carrot rested his head on Marron's shoulder as he opened the letter with trepidation....
My darling boy,
If you are reading this letter, then it means
that I am dead and failed to get you out of
Onion's clutches.
I know that he must have told you that I had
abandoned you, but never believe that! You have
always been and will always be my darling boy.
When I found out what your father was doing, I tried
to get help. Everywhere I went, the doors were closed to
me. I even tried the police. They called your father to
come and get me. They old him I was making wild statements.
I didn't know what to do. All my life I had been raised
for one purpose: marry a rich man and be an obedient wife.
But when you came along, all my priorities shifted and now
my purpose in life was to see you grow up, get married
and have children. For the first time in my life, I didn't
mind getting old. I didn't mind getting wrinkles.
Your birth was the single most important event in my
superficial life. Before, I was all about parties and make-up. The
typical things of an empty headed debutante.
How I hated being pregnant. God, I wish I could go back in
time and relish that feeling of having my first born nestled
beneath my breast. I wish I could SLAP some sense into
that empty-headed fool I was.
But all my priorities changed the instant they put you in my
arms. Everything I once was didn't exist any longer, and now I
was simply MOTHER. You, at that moment, became my
reason for being, for living. I knew in that timeless moment,
gazing into your eyes, that I would fight the devil himself
to protect you. And I tried everything I could think of. I even
starting reading mystery novels for any ideas.
And I finally came up with a plan and if you are reading this
you'll know that my plan failed because I was too weak to
protect you like a mother should. But God willing,
I have at least gotten one of you
out of the house. I don't want to think
that I failed you both.
I failed you for not noticing your father's abuse.
At first, I simply thought that he had
been harsh with you and that's why you were so
afraid of him. I learned better. I knew that it
was no use confronting HIM. He would
just deny it and hurt you more.
So, I made plans to escape with you and your brother.
I tried to make sure that I stole some evidence, enough
to force him to leave us alone.
I left a similar letter to your brother, along with tapes
your father secretly made of his sessions with you. And no,
I didn't watch them.
Find your brother, Carrot, if you have not already. And
remember that I've always loved you and am so
proud to have you for my son for such a short time.
I love you,
Apricot Glace
Loving mother of Carrot and Marron
Carrot's mind was in a whirl of joy and terror. On one side, he was happy that his mother didn't deliberately leave him behind. On the other side was his panicky thought, "They know. They know what he did, what WE did." His body shook. He was going to fall apart right then and there.
Marron felt the body against him first become rigid and then begin to shake. He murmured comforting words and pulled the body into his lap. Slowly he stroked up and down his back as he tried to calm his terrified niisan. He had seen the letter and read it along side Carrot.
"What's wrong," he asked anxiously.
"You know," Carrot choked out, burying his face in Marron's chest.
"Know what," Marron asked, honestly bewildered.
"You know what HE did, what I did with him," came the shamed whisper. Tears fell down his face, wetting Marron's shirt.
Marron closed his eyes at the softly spoken words understanding finally what his niisan was talking about. "It wasn't your fault. You did nothing wrong," he said firmly, trying to convince the shivering boy in his arms.
"Hey, luv, look at me," he said softly attempting to get his niisan to meet his eyes, not stopping until he had his full attention. His eyes were gentle and open as he looked in the guilt-ridden face. He could see his niisan fighting desperately not to cry. Quivering lips threatened to crumple before firming up. Hitching breaths shook the too-slender form as the boy fought for composure.
"First, Onion was-is-a pedophile. He preyed on your weaknesses and your defenselessness. You were a child. Dear god! Carrot, you were a six-year-old child, luv. He knew better. You fought him. You fought for me, to protect me," he exclaimed softly, holding Carrot's eyes willing him to believe him.
"I should be the one ashamed. Mother managed to get me to a safe place, and all I did was cry for you," he said tracing a gentle finger under wet eyes.
Carrot frowned as he said, "But you were a baby…" He faltered and then stopped upon seeing the smile on Marron's face. "You were a child, I was a child," he said tentatively peering up at Marron and was rewarded by the widening of the smile on Marron's face.
"We weren't to blame," he continued determinedly, with a firm nod of his head, hearing the voices saying a chorus of 'we told you so's. He scowled at them to shut them up. Marron wondered what that look was for, forgetting the thought as Carrot turned his attention back to him.
Then something Marron said struck him as he asked, "How did you know that...what I…that I did what I did to protect you?" He cringed at the babble of words and hoped that Marron understood.
"Mother made copies of tapes that Onion had made of his sessions with you," Marron said, his arms protectively tight around the suddenly pale and rigid form in preparation for the inevitable reaction to this announcement.
"Nooo," Carrot moaned, his hand clamping across his mouth to hold back the sickness he felt roiling in his stomach. Quickly getting them off the bed, Marron raced to the bathroom just in time to position Carrot over the toilet. Gracelessly he emptied the contents of his stomach, crying at the thought of anyone seeing the tapes.
Marron flushed the toilet and, wetting a cloth, washed his niisan's face with it. Carefully, as though he feared breaking him, he picked up shivering boy in his arms and carried him back to the bed. Settling him on the bed and then getting in himself, he pulled the shuddering boy firmly into his lap and stroked the shaking back.
"We didn't watch it all," he said in the silence trying to comfort him.
"We?" Carrot moaned at the thought.
"We," Marron confirmed gently, trying to soothe his niisan. "Our mother had left a box with Cinnamon and gave me the key. Cinnamon brought the box here and there were tapes inside. We managed to get through about ten minutes of the first tape before we were all heaving our guts out. Eclair threw a statue through the TV to stop it."
"Tira and Chocolate too," Carrot queried in a small, tremulous voice.
"Yes," Marron said, his arms tight around the shivering form for comfort.
"I'll never be able to look at them again," he moaned into Marron's chest, small sobs shaking his body.
"Oh, luv, they've known for over a week now. Has their behavior changed towards you? No, it hasn't. They still love you and are your friends. When we realized what Onion was doing, it took a lot to stop us from going over to the house and carving Onion to pieces," he said trying to get Carrot to smile, which he did when the boy imagined gentle Tira with a knife in her hands and vengeance in her eyes.
"You don't believe me, do you?" Marron asked observing the small spark of amusement in Carrot's umber eyes.
Carrot shook his head firmly.
"Ask Mama what happened that night. Chocolate and I got into a fight over the letter opener before I won. Then she found a hunting knife and gave one to Tira. We were headed out the door when Mama stopped us." Marron remembered that night with a rush of protective wrath.
"We wanted to make him pay for hurting you. We wanted to slice him and watch him die of a thousand cuts, slowly and in agony," Marron growled, lost in the memory of that night. A gentle hand on his face brought him back to Carrot's worried face. He broke into a shy smile as Marron's attention focused back on him.
"I'm glad you didn't," he said quietly. "I like this ending much better," he added with a small smile peering up at Marron. He yawned suddenly, looking astonished at his tiredness.
"You're tired," Marron remarked with indulgent amusement as his niisan's big eyes tried to stay open.
"I don't know why."
"Well, after the day you've had, I think you have cause to be a little tired," Marron mocked gently, pulling on a messy lock of hair. "Come on, let's get you to bed. He prepared to move off the bed to let his niisan sleep, but was startled by the sudden rigidity in the body on his lap, wondering at the cause.
"Can…c-c-can you stay? Until I fall asleep?" Carrot pleaded in a stammering rush, quickly looking down, ashamed to sound so needy.
A hand gently raised his face as Marron said, "I'll be happy to stay until you fall asleep. Just let me go change. I'll be back. I'll bring you something to sleep in too, okay?" He wanted nothing more than to erase the look of unhappiness on his niisan's face. A fierce exultation shot through his body when he received a tentative smile in return. Quickly he kissed the boy on the cheek before getting to his feet and heading out the door to the waiting crowd of people. They all started asking questions as soon as the door shut behind him.
Raising a hand to quiet them he said, "Look, right now he's okay. He's tired and sleepy and wanted me to stay the night with him. I'm just getting something to wear and getting something for him to sleep in too. We'll all talk in the morning, okay?" Marron was anxious to get back to his niisan, missing the warmth of his body.
Gateau frowned, wishing that Marron would be a little less impulsive about the situation with his brother. He snorted thinking that he would never have used the words 'impulsive' and 'Marron' in the same sentence before Carrot came in their lives. He just didn't want Marron to get hurt.
Marron watched everyone leave and sprinted to his room. There he changed into his usual night attire: a pair of black silk pajama pants; no shirt since Eclair always wound up taking his and Gateau's to sleep in. Quickly snagging a blue pair that he had that were too small for his long legs, he headed through the connecting bathroom back into Carrot's room.
Seeing Carrot start at his entrance, he explained, "Your room connects to mine." He watched, entranced, as a small shy smile appeared on Carrot's face when he looked around at the richly appointed room.
The room back home was stark in comparison to this room. But the best part of the room, he thought as he struggled into the pants Marron had tossed him before turning his back politely to give him privacy, Was that he was close to Marron.
"Ready," he said with a cheerfully forced smile. He waited for Marron's reaction when he saw his half-naked body and the pale, silvery lines of old whip marks crisscrossing his chest and the redness of the latest. Other that a slight narrowing of his eyes, Marron said nothing.
Carrot sighed in relief as he climbed back into bed. He waiting until Marron had climbed in on the other side and cut off the light before scooting closer. He wanted to feel his arms around him again, giving him comfort and feeling safe. He wiggled with joy as a long arm came out of the darkness and pulled him close. With a smile, he slept and, for the first time in over fourteen, he sleep without nightmares, without waking as each of the Church family and Misu family made their way up to check on the boys. The females smiled softly at the picture the two boys made, curled up like puppies, while Gateau frowned hoping that Marron wasn't making a mistake.
Carrot rested his head on Marron's shoulder as he opened the letter with trepidation....
My darling boy,
If you are reading this letter, then it means
that I am dead and failed to get you out of
Onion's clutches.
I know that he must have told you that I had
abandoned you, but never believe that! You have
always been and will always be my darling boy.
When I found out what your father was doing, I tried
to get help. Everywhere I went, the doors were closed to
me. I even tried the police. They called your father to
come and get me. They old him I was making wild statements.
I didn't know what to do. All my life I had been raised
for one purpose: marry a rich man and be an obedient wife.
But when you came along, all my priorities shifted and now
my purpose in life was to see you grow up, get married
and have children. For the first time in my life, I didn't
mind getting old. I didn't mind getting wrinkles.
Your birth was the single most important event in my
superficial life. Before, I was all about parties and make-up. The
typical things of an empty headed debutante.
How I hated being pregnant. God, I wish I could go back in
time and relish that feeling of having my first born nestled
beneath my breast. I wish I could SLAP some sense into
that empty-headed fool I was.
But all my priorities changed the instant they put you in my
arms. Everything I once was didn't exist any longer, and now I
was simply MOTHER. You, at that moment, became my
reason for being, for living. I knew in that timeless moment,
gazing into your eyes, that I would fight the devil himself
to protect you. And I tried everything I could think of. I even
starting reading mystery novels for any ideas.
And I finally came up with a plan and if you are reading this
you'll know that my plan failed because I was too weak to
protect you like a mother should. But God willing,
I have at least gotten one of you
out of the house. I don't want to think
that I failed you both.
I failed you for not noticing your father's abuse.
At first, I simply thought that he had
been harsh with you and that's why you were so
afraid of him. I learned better. I knew that it
was no use confronting HIM. He would
just deny it and hurt you more.
So, I made plans to escape with you and your brother.
I tried to make sure that I stole some evidence, enough
to force him to leave us alone.
I left a similar letter to your brother, along with tapes
your father secretly made of his sessions with you. And no,
I didn't watch them.
Find your brother, Carrot, if you have not already. And
remember that I've always loved you and am so
proud to have you for my son for such a short time.
I love you,
Apricot Glace
Loving mother of Carrot and Marron
Carrot's mind was in a whirl of joy and terror. On one side, he was happy that his mother didn't deliberately leave him behind. On the other side was his panicky thought, "They know. They know what he did, what WE did." His body shook. He was going to fall apart right then and there.
Marron felt the body against him first become rigid and then begin to shake. He murmured comforting words and pulled the body into his lap. Slowly he stroked up and down his back as he tried to calm his terrified niisan. He had seen the letter and read it along side Carrot.
"What's wrong," he asked anxiously.
"You know," Carrot choked out, burying his face in Marron's chest.
"Know what," Marron asked, honestly bewildered.
"You know what HE did, what I did with him," came the shamed whisper. Tears fell down his face, wetting Marron's shirt.
Marron closed his eyes at the softly spoken words understanding finally what his niisan was talking about. "It wasn't your fault. You did nothing wrong," he said firmly, trying to convince the shivering boy in his arms.
"Hey, luv, look at me," he said softly attempting to get his niisan to meet his eyes, not stopping until he had his full attention. His eyes were gentle and open as he looked in the guilt-ridden face. He could see his niisan fighting desperately not to cry. Quivering lips threatened to crumple before firming up. Hitching breaths shook the too-slender form as the boy fought for composure.
"First, Onion was-is-a pedophile. He preyed on your weaknesses and your defenselessness. You were a child. Dear god! Carrot, you were a six-year-old child, luv. He knew better. You fought him. You fought for me, to protect me," he exclaimed softly, holding Carrot's eyes willing him to believe him.
"I should be the one ashamed. Mother managed to get me to a safe place, and all I did was cry for you," he said tracing a gentle finger under wet eyes.
Carrot frowned as he said, "But you were a baby…" He faltered and then stopped upon seeing the smile on Marron's face. "You were a child, I was a child," he said tentatively peering up at Marron and was rewarded by the widening of the smile on Marron's face.
"We weren't to blame," he continued determinedly, with a firm nod of his head, hearing the voices saying a chorus of 'we told you so's. He scowled at them to shut them up. Marron wondered what that look was for, forgetting the thought as Carrot turned his attention back to him.
Then something Marron said struck him as he asked, "How did you know that...what I…that I did what I did to protect you?" He cringed at the babble of words and hoped that Marron understood.
"Mother made copies of tapes that Onion had made of his sessions with you," Marron said, his arms protectively tight around the suddenly pale and rigid form in preparation for the inevitable reaction to this announcement.
"Nooo," Carrot moaned, his hand clamping across his mouth to hold back the sickness he felt roiling in his stomach. Quickly getting them off the bed, Marron raced to the bathroom just in time to position Carrot over the toilet. Gracelessly he emptied the contents of his stomach, crying at the thought of anyone seeing the tapes.
Marron flushed the toilet and, wetting a cloth, washed his niisan's face with it. Carefully, as though he feared breaking him, he picked up shivering boy in his arms and carried him back to the bed. Settling him on the bed and then getting in himself, he pulled the shuddering boy firmly into his lap and stroked the shaking back.
"We didn't watch it all," he said in the silence trying to comfort him.
"We?" Carrot moaned at the thought.
"We," Marron confirmed gently, trying to soothe his niisan. "Our mother had left a box with Cinnamon and gave me the key. Cinnamon brought the box here and there were tapes inside. We managed to get through about ten minutes of the first tape before we were all heaving our guts out. Eclair threw a statue through the TV to stop it."
"Tira and Chocolate too," Carrot queried in a small, tremulous voice.
"Yes," Marron said, his arms tight around the shivering form for comfort.
"I'll never be able to look at them again," he moaned into Marron's chest, small sobs shaking his body.
"Oh, luv, they've known for over a week now. Has their behavior changed towards you? No, it hasn't. They still love you and are your friends. When we realized what Onion was doing, it took a lot to stop us from going over to the house and carving Onion to pieces," he said trying to get Carrot to smile, which he did when the boy imagined gentle Tira with a knife in her hands and vengeance in her eyes.
"You don't believe me, do you?" Marron asked observing the small spark of amusement in Carrot's umber eyes.
Carrot shook his head firmly.
"Ask Mama what happened that night. Chocolate and I got into a fight over the letter opener before I won. Then she found a hunting knife and gave one to Tira. We were headed out the door when Mama stopped us." Marron remembered that night with a rush of protective wrath.
"We wanted to make him pay for hurting you. We wanted to slice him and watch him die of a thousand cuts, slowly and in agony," Marron growled, lost in the memory of that night. A gentle hand on his face brought him back to Carrot's worried face. He broke into a shy smile as Marron's attention focused back on him.
"I'm glad you didn't," he said quietly. "I like this ending much better," he added with a small smile peering up at Marron. He yawned suddenly, looking astonished at his tiredness.
"You're tired," Marron remarked with indulgent amusement as his niisan's big eyes tried to stay open.
"I don't know why."
"Well, after the day you've had, I think you have cause to be a little tired," Marron mocked gently, pulling on a messy lock of hair. "Come on, let's get you to bed. He prepared to move off the bed to let his niisan sleep, but was startled by the sudden rigidity in the body on his lap, wondering at the cause.
"Can…c-c-can you stay? Until I fall asleep?" Carrot pleaded in a stammering rush, quickly looking down, ashamed to sound so needy.
A hand gently raised his face as Marron said, "I'll be happy to stay until you fall asleep. Just let me go change. I'll be back. I'll bring you something to sleep in too, okay?" He wanted nothing more than to erase the look of unhappiness on his niisan's face. A fierce exultation shot through his body when he received a tentative smile in return. Quickly he kissed the boy on the cheek before getting to his feet and heading out the door to the waiting crowd of people. They all started asking questions as soon as the door shut behind him.
Raising a hand to quiet them he said, "Look, right now he's okay. He's tired and sleepy and wanted me to stay the night with him. I'm just getting something to wear and getting something for him to sleep in too. We'll all talk in the morning, okay?" Marron was anxious to get back to his niisan, missing the warmth of his body.
Gateau frowned, wishing that Marron would be a little less impulsive about the situation with his brother. He snorted thinking that he would never have used the words 'impulsive' and 'Marron' in the same sentence before Carrot came in their lives. He just didn't want Marron to get hurt.
Marron watched everyone leave and sprinted to his room. There he changed into his usual night attire: a pair of black silk pajama pants; no shirt since Eclair always wound up taking his and Gateau's to sleep in. Quickly snagging a blue pair that he had that were too small for his long legs, he headed through the connecting bathroom back into Carrot's room.
Seeing Carrot start at his entrance, he explained, "Your room connects to mine." He watched, entranced, as a small shy smile appeared on Carrot's face when he looked around at the richly appointed room.
The room back home was stark in comparison to this room. But the best part of the room, he thought as he struggled into the pants Marron had tossed him before turning his back politely to give him privacy, Was that he was close to Marron.
"Ready," he said with a cheerfully forced smile. He waited for Marron's reaction when he saw his half-naked body and the pale, silvery lines of old whip marks crisscrossing his chest and the redness of the latest. Other that a slight narrowing of his eyes, Marron said nothing.
Carrot sighed in relief as he climbed back into bed. He waiting until Marron had climbed in on the other side and cut off the light before scooting closer. He wanted to feel his arms around him again, giving him comfort and feeling safe. He wiggled with joy as a long arm came out of the darkness and pulled him close. With a smile, he slept and, for the first time in over fourteen, he sleep without nightmares, without waking as each of the Church family and Misu family made their way up to check on the boys. The females smiled softly at the picture the two boys made, curled up like puppies, while Gateau frowned hoping that Marron wasn't making a mistake.