De-aged Cale where its roksoo right??
He's sitting there anxiously as the adults discuss what the do with him. It's happening again. He knows they're going to get rid of him like some old, unwanted toy.
His stomach gurgles and growls. He keeps his eyes trained on the shoes everyone is wearing, ears burning. How embarrassing... He's usually better than this.
He jumps when a pair of shoes move in front of him. It's hard to hear what's going on when the cotton in your ears keep blooming. Suddenly, he's face to face with an old man... whose smile is.. pretty scary. Not that he'll say anything about it though. He can't figure out where to place his eyes. Adults don't like it when he looks at them in the eyes. They say he's being defiant, that they don't like the way he looks at them. But then they don't like it when he doesn't look them in the eye, something about finding the situation unimportant. He doesn't know what to do... So his eyes jump from meeting the old man's and back to things around the room. Back and forth, back and forth.
"young master," the man starts, "why don't you follow my son to the kitchen? My son, Beacrox, will get you something good to eat."
Oh! He can do that. He's been in kitchens before, so he willed himself to meet the man's gaze one last time before giving a small, but firm nod. Then, he hops off the plush couch and trails after the guy who must be Beacrox.
This man is stoic looking and not much of a talker. It's okay though, he isn't much of a talker either. They walk in silence to the kitchen, he tries to keep his breathing in check as he jogs to keep pace with the man. His steps must be too loud though since the man turns towards him and then slows his pace. So nice!!
Even when they get there, the man still hasn't said anything. He stands at the doorway, unsure of what he's needed for. The kitchen is clean... Extremely clean. How will he earn his food? What is he supposed to be doing here??
We makes his way up to the counter where he finds a rag. That'll do!! He takes it and wets it in the sink before making his way back to the sitting area. He drops to his hands and knees and begins to scrub at the already clean floor. The adults at home say that even if it looks clean, it's never clean enough! So surely this should be enough to earn his keep.
He hears a clatter and startles as the knife falls to the floor. The man's face isn't stoic anymore. The man is mad?? Is he cleaning wrong?? Roksoo is scared.
The man storms up to him and begins to reach out towards him. Roksoo fails to hold back a flinch. He's messed up, adults don't like it when he's scared. He squeezed his eyes shut, in hopes of hurting less.
Nothing comes. The pain never comes. Only a warm hand on his head?? He slowly opens his eyes and meets Beacrox 's. There's nothing, but hurt and anger swirling in the man's eyes. Why's he sad? Roksoo doesn't understand.
"young master..." Beacrox sounds strained. Again with that weird title.
Roksoo wordlessly watches the chef try to string together words. His own throat feeling too clogged up to ask what he did wrong.
"why.. why are you sad?" His words come out like small croaks. It's getting hard to speak again. Adults don't like it when he can't speak.
Beacrox's eyes just fill with more hurt, hurt, hurt as he opens and closes his mouth uselessly.
He seems to figure out what he wants to say though.
"young master, why are you on the ground?" Beacrox keeps his voice soft, keeps his tone open and forgiving.
"I didn't know what else I could do," he confesses like he's sinned. His eyes make their way back to anything other than the other's.
Beacrox brews silently, waiting for his master to finish his thoughts. Beacrox doesn't like where this is going.
"how else can I earn.." roksoo's palms feel sweaty where they're clenched at his sides.
"I don't deserve food yet," roksoo's words are firm and believing as he meets Beacrox's eyes.
The man's eyes seem to tremble as he processes what roksoo had said.
(Beacrox wants to skin whoever taught his young master this. He wants to make them beg for the sweet release of death as he slowly guides them towards it. Having them teeter on the edge of death and consciousness).
He snaps out of thought, saving them for later. The others will be hearing of this, they can all come up with the plans together.
"young master," Beacrox hopes his words will reach the boys heart, "you deserve everything."
He watches as the boy takes his bottom lip captive between his teeth. How the boy clenches at the hems of his shirt and tries to calm his breathing. How the boy is trying to blink away tears, but is failing.
"you are worthy" he whispers, removing a glove to pat roksoo's head. Beacrox looks seconds away from jumping back and escaping. Roksoo let's put a shaky laugh at the thought.
Right now it's hard to believe, but.. he wants to. He wants to believe that Beacrox is right. He'll try...
But he still follows Beacrox back to the counter and begs to help. He feels too antsy not doing anything.
All he's handed is a small bowl of snacks and he's told his job is to finish them by the time the meal is done cooking. He feels his heart swell. Roksoo feels like his heart is doing flips in his chest. He feels so safe.
Feeling like I probably post too much on this,, but I will.. continue. :)
