~Brooklyn
Waking up just barely after the sun rose really sucked, since that meant I would still be sore from the bullet wounds and I hardly got two hours of sleep. Then again, that’s happened before many times where I only get two hours of sleep only because I’m on the run.
I sat up and heard movement going outside of the house and I slid out of bed, wondering where Benign went after I talked to her about two hours ago. Hopefully back to bed, if anything. Hopefully, Calamari would know, at best, German. I didn’t like German all that much, even though I know he’s not like the other humans, how he knows not to harm us and that he used to be like the police on the streets. Different. Just different.
Once I was able to stand up and move, I headed over to Calamari’s and the German’s bedroom. I leaned against the open doorway and looked at German, who was awake and looking up at the ceiling with Calamari sleeping on his lap. They are the sweetest two, though, I will admit, even if I didn’t like German.
"Tha' you, Brooklyn?" I didn’t answer. He knows I don’t really talk. At least, to him.
I could hear how steady Calamari’s breaths were and I knew he was awake. German knew I was here too. He really needs to get over looking at me. I had seen them enough, anyways, to where he should be used to me.
"Mornin', Brooke. Now'sa bit'tuva bad time. Kai gettin' sum shuteye an' all." He had sighed a few times before and I knew something was on his mind. More than just Kai. He was using his goofy grin and I knew he was faking it.
There was a bit of silence before I asked my question.
"Where's Benign?"
"Bed. Obviously. It's dawn; I don' care wha' day it is--can't let'er stay up too late. Imma good dad, y'see?"
"Mhm,” I murmured, not wanting to answer. Like I said, uneasy.
After a bit of German looking down at Calamari, he laughed dryly. I guess he realized that Calamari was awake.
"I dunno 'f I kin take this," he breathed. "This...isn't m' story. I'm notta halfer. I'm'n enemy. Haha. I dunno if I kin take 'nother year o' watchin' ya fall apart o'er yer...yer ol' best friend. An' our daughter...Benny blames me fer th' world she 'as t' live in, Kai, m'daughter hates me. Ha. Thisis jus'...so funny t' me, Kai." He continued and I just listened, standing there. German probably forgot I was here. German stood up after laughing again.
"Thisis yer show, Kai. Play th' hero. Find yer buddy. Betcha 'e's been lookin' fer ya all along. Me, I'm gone. I give up. I can't be look'd at like...like I'm human, e'ery time I walk out th' room. I can't stand our li'l girl...lookin' at me like m' scum. I can't do it, Kai, I can't...sit 'ere an' watch ya...jus'..." I made a low, derisive noise in th' back o' m' throat, "Fake sleep while I up an' go. I hope ya find happiness in Pierce. I obviously couldn't 'old it fer ya." German than stormed out of the room and Calamari chased after him. I just slowly followed.
Calamari started talking to German, telling him not to leave or anything like that, and then German just turned around in the middle of the hallway, some of the other halfers sticking their head out their doors. I just shook my head and they went back in. They could figure they were just arguing again.
"I can't stay 'ere, Kai,” Ennis said, he giving up after everything. Ten years? I highly doubt that.
"Don't, then," Kai said quickly, his words jumbled with everything else on his mind. "I'll come with you. We'll take Benny, we'll go, Ennis. Right now, just us. If it makes you happy, anything, En, really, please, don't go, not tonight, En, gods, please." Ennis just stared at Kai.
"...Really?"
"Really."
"Serious?"
"Serious."
"Mhm?"
"Mhm."
"I love ya?"
"I love y--" I knew Kai didn’t say it often, especially around me or the other halfers, but he quickly wrapped his arms around Ennis and I heard what they were saying. "I love you. I'll find another owner and we'll leave, if you were truly serious. We can pack up and be gone within a week."
After a while, Ennis just nodded and hugged Kai back with a small peck on the cheek and that’s when Kai turned around and noticed everything going on and the scene those two just made. I was leaning against a wall, looking at him. He didn’t notice me until Benign came out and looked over at me.
“Hey, Brooke,” She smiled, glad to see me, pretending like she didn’t talk to me two hours ago. I gave a small smile. I knew she still wanted to see my ugly Halfer form. Even if she saw my tattoo, she would probably freak out.
“Hey,” I said back and she smiled and went into the kitchen to start up her breakfast. I must’ve been bleeding again in my leg because Kai spoke up.
“So much for keeping out of trouble?” He asked as he came beside me and looked at me curiously. He always tried to figure me out.
“Got that right, Calamari. Got shot a few times for stealing food,” I told him truthfully. “And then they noticed my collar not being on and I had to run away again,” I shrugged and looked at Ennis, who looked embarrassed after everything and then he caught my eye and I just blinked at him and gave a small nod, telling him in my own way they he did the right thing.
“Did you bandage yourself up last night?” He started to sound like my mother. I looked at him and he realized that it was stupid to ask that. “Right, sorry,” Kai said nervously and I went into the kitchen to find Benign eating and a few peaches on the counter. I picked one up and stuck one in my mouth before spitting it out into my hand.
“Sorry. You mind?” I asked Kai and he just scoffed.
“Not anymore, I don’t,” he laughed and I rolled my eyes and dug my fangs into the peach and started to eat it. “You’re very lady-like,” and then I flipped him off and he just laughed and I walked over to Benign and sat beside her. She looked at me with a smile. I had an idea.
“Hey, German, why don’t you tell Benign a story? I need to talk to Kai,” I said, and Kai knew if I actually said his name, that it was going to be a serious talk. Were they honestly going to leave and go away from this place?
“A’ight. I’ll do just that,” German said and he came over to where I was sitting and took my seat when I got up. I walked out of the kitchen and to the outside, where there were mountains and trees galore out there. I wonder what it was like, going up there. No one in their right mind would go up there. Not anymore. Not since Halfers started to lose themselves in the animal form.
“So you’re going to leave?” I asked and Kai nodded.
“It seems sensible. All of these Halfers will stay here. This place rarely gets inspected anyways. Why?” It didn’t seem that this was the only place I could go. The place where I could get healed. I wouldn’t survive. How sad is that really…
“Hello? Me? What can I do?” I asked and he looked at me like it was obvious.
“Why not come with us? You’ve been a part of this family for a while,” Kai said and I was surprised and I staggered backwards. I never heard this before. Not since my family died. Never. I had been on my own for a long time. I… didn’t…
“Why? I’m just a lonely, disgusting Halfer. Why should I make a difference?” I said simply, not looking at his eyes.
“Hey, if you can make Benign smile and help us open us to her, why not?”
All I did was blink and nod and Kai knew my answer. I would go with them. I just wasn’t used to being in a… family.
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Hope this was alright with you, Chiyuki-chan :DD
Featured in post: Brooklyn, Kai, Ennis, and Benign
~Anime
