***
"What is your name boy?" Axel asked as Myriah placed a hot bowl of soup in front of the boy who was munching on a sandwich. One look at Kain and Tyler had the boy screaming and wrapping himself around Myriah who was too shocked from his outburst to intervene. Axel, who was short on patience, sent the two additional men a scathing glare that had them scurrying from his sight. Myriah coaxed the boy from her torso and almost succeeded in getting him inside when he was met with Jasmine who was surrounded by a pile of books. The boy curled into himself and refused to move until Myriah gently picked him up and held him to her torso.
"Come now, no one here will hurt you." The lavender eyed girl murmured. "You can come and cook with me, okay?" The boy nodded and let Myriah carry him to the kitchen. Axel sighed and followed them.
Axel watched Myriah prance around the Kitchen gathering ingredients and he couldn't help but to smile at the small boy following her every movement. Once they got the boy clean and in a fresh set of clothes, Myriah gave him a pate with a sandwich on it. "Here, eat this." The boy moved to shove the whole sandwich half into his mouth when Myriah placed a gentle hand over his. "Eat slowly. I don't want you to get sick on your first night here."
The boy nodded and took a small bite of his sandwich.
"What made you take him?" Axel asked.
Myriah shrugged, "He's cute." Axels jaw slacked, Angalo and Atoli shared a concerned expression. Anglao, however was the more upset of the two, "You're seriously telling me that you attacked a random lady and possibly kidnapped her son because he's cute?" Angalo asked on behalf of everyone present: which was himself, Atoli, Axel, Myriah, Jasmine, Edymond, and the boy.
"He's not her son!" Myriah snapped, empathizing her point by shattering the trio of vases behind Atoli and Angalo.
After a reprimanding expression from Axel and the boy curling into her embrace. Myriah sighed, "No." She murmured, "I just wanted to see how you'd react." Axel palmed his face. "Myriah… we can't joke about this…"
Atoli, who was typing away on her computer nodded, "You must also be mindful of the child, and what he has been through."
Myriah sighed and she ran a hand through the boys hair.
"He was taken…" She murmured, "His human mother wanted him to be kept safe, so she gave him to that woman to do so…"
Axel rested his elbows on his knees as Myriah spoke. "I see…" He murmured. "This changes things…" Myriah nodded, and she perked up.
"Does this mean that we can keep him?" Axel sighed, but Angalo spoke up: "Myriah. That's a whole breathing child. Not an animal." "If we're being technical, humans are animals. The chimpanzee is their primate." Angalo willed himself to be patient and Axel ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "I can't…" he sighed.
The boy and Myriah looked at one another, "Can you tell me your name?"
The boys shrugged, and shook his head, "I don't have one." He murmured. Atoli covered her mouth with her hands, and Angalo hissed a breath. Myriah simply pulled the boy into her form, "Well, from now on you will have a name." She murmured. "Hmm why not Lucien?" She asked, which earned her a nod and a giggle. The sight made Axel smile. Seeing Myriah dote on and assure this boy of his freedom warmed his heart in more ways than he could imagine. "No one will ever leave you nameless again." Axel murmured. The boy looked at Axel with wide eyes. Axel sat a few inches from him, but he still looked intimidating. Compared to him, Axel was massive, enormously tall, and full of muscle. He doubted anyone could fight this male and win. The boy climbed from Myriahs lap and trotted over to Axel who stared at him with curious grey eyes. Angalo, Atoli, and Myriah were watching their every move. Angalo more than most. The elder male watched the boy lift his hands and silently asked Axel to pick him up.
Axel tilted his head. Of all of the people…. 'I am mean…cruel… like ice …' Any distortion that could have kept axel from reaching for the boy died before it could fully surface. Axel could feel his future reaching for him.
Atoli and Angalo had closed fists to their open mouths as Axel extended his hands and gathered the small boy into his arms. Carrying him for the first time.
Myriah blushed. Axel had always been handsome, it was a given. But seeing this tiny boy in his arms, made him seem less intimidating…
It made her wonder: 'what if…'
The boy leaned toward Axel who remained perfectly still and alert at the same time. Part of him was internally panicking at the thought of this boy somehow falling from his lap.
'He's so frail…. I can see the bone through his skin.' He observed, 'This boy is supposed to be ten, approaching the change, and yet he resembles a child half his age…' Axel felt his stomach turn at the thought. 'How could anyone be so cruel?'
The boy continued to examine Axel as well, solidifying the thought: 'With this male, I am safe…' His gaze briefly wondered to Myriah who offered an assuring smile which was all he needed to curl into Axels embrace and wrap the males arms around his tiny body.
"Is he…" Axel didn't want to speak too loud, and startle the boy. He also didn't want to make any sudden movements and risk any harm to the boy.
"Wow Axel, you'd think that's your first time holding a child." Angalo laughed as he watched his younger brother observe the boy in his arms. Myriah quietly stood and took a throw from beside Axel. "he's so little, he must be freezing." Myriah murmured as she placed the blanket over the boys curled body.
"It is…" Axel murmured after a moment of staring at the boy. Angalo's jaw dropped.
"I beg your pardon?" The elder male asked, astonished. Myriah sat beside Axel, stroking the boys bangs from his face. "It is." Axel repeated, "This is a nameless boy with no family." He murmured as he caught Myriahs gaze, "Now he has one." Myriah nodded and offered a small smile with stained cheeks.
***
Alexandria has searched everywhere- she even travelled from Virginia to Washington and back… she could not find a trace of the man with silver eyes. Her hazel eyes narrowed in determination as she eyed the door that contained her younger brother. With his resources she'd be able to find the silver eyed man… she pursed her lips. No she wouldn't. Even Alexander didn't know of the silver eyed man.
However.. the white haired boy… she heard him say: "Vampire." Alexnadria scratched her chin, 'to think like her brother was beyond irrational… However… if… if she entertained the thought of her brothers lunacy… vampires originated in Transovania… perhaps…
Alexnadria started to pace, 'I have plenty of vacation time… I can go to Europe… find Transovania… I can do research…' she started to feel excitement. Hope. She could say that she felt something other than dread for the first time in a very long time.
The red eyed man watched Axelandria pace about the small space in front of her younger brothers room. 'I wonder if she wi succeed…'