Fallon quietly lied down on the bed, "Aaron?" He turned to the boy on the other bed on the side of the room, "the kids are talking about that dragonkin again."
"Hmm…" Aaron hummed slightly in response.
"I feel like another rumour in this orphanage is about to start." Fallon's voice sounded exhausted. He had spent all his strength to stabilise Soren earlier.
Aaron snorted, "I feel like the rumour is about to be about that guy." He shifted on his bed turning to Fallon's bed.
Fallon stretched on the bed, "or about Soren getting sick again."
Aaron closed his eyes, "I will make sure the rumours about Soren are buried. Our big brothers had gone through enough shit."
Fallon stayed quiet for some time, "Aaron…?"
Aaron sighed, "yes Fal."
"Can you hold me…?" Fallon's voice was soft. Heat crept up on his cheeks. He gulped trying to keep the heat down, "I'm too tired to be sleeping… on my own…" What is even Fallon saying? Maybe he is just too tired, that's why his mind is mush.
Aaron did not say anything.
There was an uncomfortable amount of silence that stretched for two or three minutes but it felt like hours to Fallon.
He felt embarrassed and was about to deny it. Then he heard a whoosh of a blanket. Then low deliberate footsteps, "scoot over…" Aaron caressed Fallon's side of his shoulder.
Fallon's face turned red. He was suddenly grateful that the room was pitch dark and Aaron couldn't not see his face. He scooched over giving Aaron space to climb on.
The bed dubbed down as Aaron's weight was up on it. He slid under the covers and put his arms protectively around Fallon's torso.
A short gasp escaped Fallon's lips. But he leaned in. Burring his face on Aaron's chest.
"Better?"
Fallon nodded.
"Good, go to sleep now, Fal."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soren's eyes fluttered slightly. Slowly they opened. But what he saw. He was not ready. A boy in a hood. He can't see that boy's eyes. But the lower part of his face is still visible.
"Who are you…?" Soren breathed out the words.
The grin on the hooded person's face widened, "you will know soon…" Soren saw the sharp teeth of that figure, it looked almost sharper than Soren's when he turned into a monster, "can you sit up?"
Soren nodded. Sceptical, he sat up hesitantly. The lights in the orphanage illuminated the figure. The figure would be as tall as Soren back when Soren was still a human. By the deep voice of the figure Soren figures out, this figure is a male.
"Where are the others and who are you?" Soren asked again.
"The boy with the red hair went to his room to rest and the brown haired boy followed… and if you are talking about the elf and dragonkin. They left." the voice explained.
"Sunshine…" Soren muttered. Then his eyes widened, "where is Cyrus?"
As if the universe had heard him. Cyrus walks in holding a glass of water. As soon as his eyes net Soren's.
Cyrus let out a breath, "Soren, you're awake," relief failed the blonde boy's voice as he went up to Soren. But someone else was here too. A silver haired young elf with the most beautiful eyes that shine like emeralds, stepped in with Cyrus.
Soren does not pay much attention to the strangers in the room with them. He just stared at Cyrus. Eyes gleaming with affection, "Sunshine…" Soren wanted to get up from bed and hug Cyrus. Because it looks like his sunshine has lost a bit of weight.
Before Cyrus could respond. A low chuckle floated in the room, "you still call him 'Sunshine?'" The figure put a gloved hand on his face as he tried to stifle the chuckle.
Soren looked at him. Snarling, he said, "who even are you?" He
scoffed, "you had been just standing there and mocking me since I woke up."
Cyrus sighed, "drop the act now." He looked at the young elf and the hooded man.
The hooded man stopped laughing, but a smile still painted his face. "Fine, fine, I will introduce him." He gently grabbed the young elf's wrist bringing him to his side, "This is Aizen."
Soren eyed the innocent looking elf. Who looks almost boyish compared to Sirius. Aizen timidly looked away. Slightly startled by Soren's gaze. Soren hadn't meant to scare the young elf. He glanced at the young elf apologetically.
Soren glanced at the hooded man again, "and you are?"
The hooded man let out a quiet sigh, "I'm bummed that you still don't recognise me."
Soren sceptically cocked his head to the side.
"I would tell you who he is…" Cyrus looked defeated, "but he said that he wants to do it himself."
Soren never imagined he would see the fiery Cyrus sound so defeated as if he had heard or seen something truly unbelievable.
Fear gripped Siren tightly in its grasp. He looked back at the hooded man.
The hooded man sensed Soren's fear and shook his head, "okay, you don't have to guess. I will tell you myself."
Soren's eyes widened as the man slowly retracted his hand from the wrist of his elf companion and it went over to his hood. With one swift motion. The hood was off.
A handsome face appeared underneath the hood. The man had his eyes closed.
Soren's breath got caught in his throat. Not because the man before him was otherworldly ethereal. It's because the face resembled his. A pure copy of Soren's face. But in Soren's human form. Just the man's hair was longer than Soren's back when Soren was in human form.
Cyrus had already seen this. He was shocked but this did not bother him anymore.
The man opened his eyes. A shade of soft blended purple mixed with slight pale blue, creating a gaze deeper than Soren, "my name's Voren."
he added afterwards
"It's been so long, little brother."