Twenty days and five hours.
His feet aligned with one another as he stood before the family of brunettes, his burgundy orbs calmly looked over them. As the only son of the former countess, his mannerisms and attire have always been sorted out to perfection. By his beloved mother and the tutors teaching him.
Which was why, even with the uncomfortable clothes, the redhead seemed unfazed as he watched. Those brown eyes looking at him with sheepishness, guilt barely even colored those eyes.
The days of solitude have done quite a number on him, a bit in a sense. For he couldn't exactly understand the words uttered by his own father's lips.
"Cale, you need to apologize for your behavior at the ball."
What? Surely, his mind was tricking him.
Those burgundy eyes went to his father at a calm pace, hiding the quiver in his hands. Clenching onto the blooming rose he had plucked a moment earlier. Those unfamiliar eyes nauseated him; it was too calm, too unshaken by what was uttered by the man who owned those eyes.
He opened his mouth before closing it, not trusting his voice. Instead, he bowed his head and heeded the words.
"Understood."
He watched. From the corner of his eyes, as the man he once respected walked past behind him.
The man's presence no longer brought upon the same familial warmth he once sought; instead, it was a touch of the blizzard.
Time was something he had forgotten as he stayed, stayed. Only to rise when he no longer heard the sound of humans around him.
He looked back toward the direction that the family had gone.
"Heh…" he couldn't help but let out a laugh softly as he looked away.
"Twenty days all for a naught," he started, not allowing any words; his voice sounded no less like before.
The hall echoed with his laughter.
Etched with nothingness.
⥢◈⥤
Hah. Hah. Hah.
With eyes like gold, they stared down at the bowed head pressed against him; deceivingly calm as the owner of those eyes stroked the crimson locks. He could feel the unnatural tangles that were hidden within the color he was too familiar with.
"Cale, breath…" he advised calmly, practically able to feel the young one in his arms heaving like he had run from a terrible nightmare that was this household.
His other hand stroked the young one's back, able to feel every tremor and trembling that spoke volumes of what the boy was mumbling about that he was unable to understand. However, one thing that the golden-eyed young man understood was that his little sworn brother was currently not in a good state.
Even without meaning to, Aeternus discerned more than he would like the moment he came in through the balcony.
Severe malnourishment. Dehydration. Extreme psychological stress.
That was what he caught on with just a glance, if he were to truly examined the young one—
Those gold irises that always held a warm hue turned ablaze, condensing into a color more vivid than more. Those eyes gazed quietly at the crimson-haired boy as he hugged the boy even tighter.
Even when muffled, the sound of heavy breathing and remnants of anger could still be heard. His heart felt restricted even more upon feeling that there was not an ounce of sadness in the boy.
No, this breakdown was more of frustration and anger more than sadness and helplessness.
His weak arms wrapped around the boy, who was starting to be taller than him. The young boy in returned clung to the front shirt of his sworn brother.
Hidden away from everything, from the world he refused to exist in.
The silver-haired young man pressed his lips against the crown of the orphan's head, letting the boy hide from the world—even if just for a moment.
"Come with me, Cale. Abandon this place…" His words were like temptation that held too much honey for a broken boy.
The frustrated boy looked up slowly, meeting a pair of eyes he was both familiar and unfamiliar with.
A thump silently brushed under his eye, wiping away the drop of tear.
"Be The Catalyst."