For the next few days, Xiver slowly began opening up to Emelia.
At first it was only small things — short answers, brief glances, quiet moments sitting beside her — but those moments slowly grew into something warmer. Day after day they spent time together, sometimes reading, sometimes practicing magic, and often sneaking out of the house without Elizabeth noticing.
Their relationship grew stronger with every passing day.
Xiver found himself laughing in ways he hadn't laughed in years, the sound almost unfamiliar to his own ears. Meanwhile Emelia's smile seemed like it could burst off her face at any moment.
They held hands when they walked outside, like siblings who had known each other forever.
Before they realized it, a full year had passed.
One afternoon they were planning another escape from the house.
Emelia leaned against the table, resting her chin in her hands.
"Hey, Xiver," she said cheerfully. "What do you want to eat today?"
Xiver thought for a moment.
"Last time I saw that cake… the one with strawberries on top. The cream was almost spilling off the sides. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."
Emelia snapped her fingers.
"Papyrus cake! Oh yeah, I love that one too!"
Xiver paused.
Papyrus?
The name felt strange… yet oddly familiar.
After thinking for a moment, he remembered. Papyrus was a writing style from his old world.
Food named after a writing font?
He forced a small smile, trying not to overthink it.
Meanwhile Emelia looked extremely excited.
They checked the house for food, opening cabinets and drawers.
Nothing good.
Nothing edible.
After a quick search they both looked at each other and nodded.
They had about five hours before Elizabeth returned home.
Perfect.
Xiver hated almost everything about this world.
But Emelia made it a little brighter.
For a long time he had spent nights awake, drowning in sadness, sleeping for long hours just to escape his thoughts. The loneliness had slowly eaten away at him.
Yet now…
Maybe things could change.
Maybe this world wasn't just a prison.
Maybe he could start again.
Maybe he could even become happy.
Emelia adjusted her glasses and grabbed her purse.
Xiver looked up at her and smiled.
She returned the smile.
Then they walked toward the door.
But the moment Emelia opened it—
She froze.
Standing right outside was Alexander, his fist raised mid-knock.
Both of them stared at each other in surprise.
A few minutes later the three of them sat around the kitchen table.
Emelia looked extremely embarrassed.
She kept apologizing.
Meanwhile Xiver sat silently, irritated.
Of course Alexander had to show up now.
Right when they were about to leave.
Right when they were about to eat cake.
Alexander calmly sipped from a glass of water before speaking.
"So," he said. "What were you planning to do, Emelia?"
"I—I'm sorry," she replied nervously. "We were just hungry… and there wasn't anything edible in the house."
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing to eat?"
She nodded.
"You could have left Xiver here and brought food back."
Emelia shook her head.
"He would get bored alone."
Alexander shrugged.
"So? He's a man. He should learn how to handle boredom."
Xiver immediately looked up.
"What does being a man have to do with boredom?"
Alexander looked at him calmly.
"I was worried," he said, "that being surrounded only by women would influence you badly."
Xiver tilted his head.
"Well, I've never been around men either."
"XIVER!" Emelia shouted.
Alexander raised a hand to silence her.
The room fell quiet again.
After a moment Alexander spoke.
"Tell me something, Xiver."
"What?"
"What makes a man… a man?"
Emelia frowned.
"That's not really a question for a child—"
"Please," Alexander said softly.
Xiver answered without hesitation.
"A man is someone who doesn't need to be told what makes him a man. A man keeps his word. A man protects the weak. A man doesn't put others down. A man stands by his responsibilities."
Alexander raised his hand again.
"I'll stop you right there."
Emelia looked confused.
"What's wrong?"
Alexander leaned back in his chair.
"You described what a good person should be," he said. "But you never answered the question."
Emelia blinked.
"Then what makes a man a man?"
Alexander replied calmly.
"His dick."
…
Silence.
Xiver and Emelia stared at him.
Then slowly turned to look at each other.
"Huh?" they both said at the same time.
Alexander repeated it.
"His dick."
Emelia's face turned bright red.
"We heard you the first time!"
Xiver frowned.
"So if a man doesn't have one…?"
"Then he's a woman," Alexander replied simply.
"That's stupid," Xiver said.
Alexander sighed.
"Tell me something then. Why do you hate your father so much?"
Xiver's expression darkened.
"I don't hate my father."
"Then why—"
"I said I don't hate my father!" Xiver shouted.
The room froze.
"Not a single day passes without me thinking about him. I miss him."
Alexander stared quietly.
"So… I'm not your father?"
Xiver laughed bitterly.
"Don't make me laugh. You're nothing to me."
Alexander nodded slowly.
"Interesting."
Then he said casually:
"So when you go outside with Emelia… do you call every man you meet 'Daddy' too?"
Emelia immediately prepared to apologize.
But Xiver moved first.
He jumped over the table.
"YOU FUCK!" he screamed.
His fists slammed into Alexander's chest again and again.
"You took EVERYTHING from me!"
Punch.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Punch.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
He grabbed broken glass.
A knife.
Anything he could reach.
But nothing worked.
Alexander didn't even flinch.
Finally Emelia grabbed Xiver from behind.
"Stop! Stop!"
Xiver struggled violently, scratching her arm deeply.
Blood appeared.
Still he screamed at Alexander.
After a long struggle Emelia used divine magic.
Xiver slowly fell asleep.
Tears still running down his face.
Later that night.
Emelia cleaned the wound on her arm and healed it with magic.
Alexander quietly watched the room.
Then he noticed something strange.
The water Xiver had thrown earlier had frozen into a small piece of ice in the corner of the room.
A faint smile appeared on Alexander's face.
He picked up the sleeping child and carried him to his bed.
Afterward he helped Emelia clean the broken kitchen.
"Thank you," Alexander said.
Emelia looked confused.
"For what?"
"You brought life back into his life."
She stayed silent.
"Please," Alexander continued softly. "Don't leave him."
Emelia frowned.
"Then why don't you act like his father?"
Alexander paused.
"I don't think we'll ever be a family," he said quietly. "Maybe in name… but not in truth."
After a moment he put on his coat.
"You were planning to eat outside, right?"
Emelia blinked.
"Yeah…?"
"Take my ride into the city."
Her eyes widened.
"Really?"
"I can walk home."
She shook her head.
"I can't. I put Xiver into deep sleep."
Alexander nodded.
"Well… if you ever need a ride, tell me."
He laughed softly.
"Just call me Alexander honey ."
"Don't call me honey!" Emelia replied immediately.
Alexander laughed again before leaving the house.
Meanwhile Xiver slept.
And dreamed.
He was Jeffrey again.
Ten years old.
Standing beside a girl with blonde hair and warm brown eyes.
"Sara," he whispered.
She smiled.
"Jeffrey… when we grow up, let's get married like Mama and Papa."
The memory faded.
Another appeared.
A different girl.
Kate.
"Jeffrey," she said. "Want to go eat something?"
Everything turned white.
Then suddenly—
Sara's corpse appeared.
Her skull shattered.
Her eye hanging loose.
"YOU PROMISED ME FOREVER!" she screamed.
Her dead hands grabbed him.
Behind her, darkness opened like a bottomless pit.
"HELP!" Jeffrey screamed.
Then Kate appeared.
He smiled in relief.
"KATE! HELP ME!"
She smiled.
And pushed him into the darkness.
More faces appeared.
Friends.
Neighbors.
Teachers.
His father.
All watching him fall.
All smiling.
"LIARS!" Jeffrey screamed.
As the darkness swallowed him.
In his bed, tears rolled down Xiver's face.
His small voice whispered in his sleep.
"Liars…"
"Mom…"
"Why did you leave me…"