Were all MAD here

"Never Mind."

—Wren—

He felt warm, but he smelled even better. Like the cinnamon French toast he would make on special mornings for breakfast. I couldn't believe it was him. He looked just like he did before he left for war, except less serious and more gentle.
"Hi." He said stiffly, awkwardly moving around my embrace and angling the bowl he was mixing with his shin so it wouldn't spill. A long awkward pause came as I awaited his response. He didn't even recognize me.
"Dad it's me, Your Daughter." I explained, happy tears begging to pool. He stared at me long and hard, then tilted his head at an angle, trying to figure out if he knew me from somewhere. He straightened his posture back up.
"I'm sorry sweetie...you look like a great daughter...but you're not mine, I've made sure of that." Sweetie. He didn't know my name. He didn't say 'Little bird' like he used to. He didn't even remember Mom.
"Regina, you married her, you had a kid, but you couldn't be there for her because you went off to fight." I whispered softly, snot clogging up my nose, dry throat making it hard to breath. "Dad, please." I muttered, looking for any sign of familiarity. I remembered the sole possession I had in this place.
"We read this book every night together." I held up the ragged copy, voice cracking at this point. He had to remember.
"My name is Onyx Vira. I can be your friend or dad, whatever you need. I'm a shelter for the younger kids, but you can always help out, the older ones help chip in by working, we have a nice community here." He held out his hand with a crippling smile. Feng stood awkwardly in the kitchen, grabbing my shoulder to pull me into a hug. He felt bad for me. He pitied me. He was trying to make me feel better.
This was my home. My rug, my house, my little brothers and sisters and siblings of all kinds. He didn't remember, no one believed me. I. Looked. Like. An idiot. I was an idiot. My face flushed red, teeth clenched. The tears couldn't stop flowing now. I missed my dad. This wasn't my dad. Where was my dad? Where was Robin Crawford? I stopped crying, and wiped away the tears. He wasn't here. This wasn't him. I put on a brave face, lip still slightly quivering.
"My apologies sir." I exclaimed, voice still shaking, stepping backwards to fall into Feng's hug again. This poor man, he had brought joy to many kids and was taking me in as his own.
"I won't be needing your hospitality." I explained, protectively crossing my arms.
"But the Queen-"
"I want to go to the Queen," I remarked. "So if you'll kindly turn us away..."
"That's stupid."
"But there's legend that said—"
"The One about the 'Rabbit?' that's a story. You're going to get yourself killed." He continued. This was going to be harder than I thought. Dad wouldn't have told me it was 'Just a story.' He would have had me go for it, and he'd be by my side while I did.
"What if I break something?" I desperately asked. His face softened as he had a quiet chuckle to himself.
"I have twenty seven adopted kids below three right now. Anything here has either been broken, is broken, or is being broken." He grinned. He set the bowl on the counter and walked over to Nick, toddler still attached to his leg.
"Fifteen." Onyx offered.
"For all of them?" Nick asked, looking frankly confused as to why Onyx would want all of us. "Eighty seven at the least, fifteen per kid, then you got the other two, who I wouldn't expect for more than two." Nick bargained. Onyx looked at Feng and Charli sympathetically.
"Are they..?" He asked, fear in his eyes. Nick nodded solemnly. What was Feng not telling me?
"I'll buy the..." Onyx paused.
"Naturals." He finished, glossing over Charli, five clustered girls, Feng's girlfriend, and I with golden brown eyes.
"No please!" I pleaded, begging him to let us go.
"I'm not going to be responsible for you getting killed." He explained with an overprotective step in front of me. He glanced at Feng and Charli again.
"Thank every god you believe in that you have friends like this one." He said, brushing my cheek gently. I didn't want to be here. He wasn't my dad, this wasn't my house, this wasn't my family.
Nick quickly brought them back out of the house, practically throwing them onto the lawn and into the throned roses. They closed the door behind them, the last drop of glowing sunlight that was leaking through, gone.
"I know you'll hate me forever." Onyx whispered into my ear. He frowned.
"Let me show you your room." He exclaimed brightly, changing the subject. He skipped over to the hallway. It was quite different to see a grown man skipping. He looked over his shoulder, checking to see if we had all followed him.

There was a tall oak door, with a tape bound knob, with one word scratched into it; GIRLS. And a nearly identical door mirror it on a different wall, but this one said BOYS.
"It's pretty self explanatory, just pick your corresponding room."Onyx explained.
"My rooms right there." He gestured down the hall to a smaller door with his name engraved in it.
I was the first to open the door and step inside, then Trisie, then the five other girls that soon followed, the red haired teen was the only one that stayed out. Onyx gestured helpfully to the girls room.
"Nah, I'm unqualified." They joked, stepping away from the girls room. Onyx frowned, then pointed to the boys room. The red haired teen shook their head.
"Just,"
"I'll sleep on the couch." They decided, attempting to bargain out of sharing a room.
The room was large and spacious, bunk beds and lofts scattered along the wall, pink carpet lay in the middle, where a couple of girls where braiding each other's hair, holding hands, reading books together...it really looked like a nice community. Charli would have loved it. I wonder what was happening to her and Feng? Were they going to the Queen already?
I set my only possession gently on the bottom bunk of a bed, white sheets stained and covered in crumbs. Feng's girlfriend always seemed to be drifting over to me, but I couldn't blame her. I was the only person she probably knew here.
She climbed up to the top of the bunk, bare feet springing off of my bouncy mattress. As soon as she got up, she curled up into the thin sheets, quivering slightly, and drifting off to sleep.
This place was nice. But I needed to leave. I quickly shoved my pillow under the cover, making a neat, sleeping human like shape, and bolting to the door. The hall was slightly dark, and the boys room was covered in a good layer of dust, but it was nice. This was one safe haven where kids could come and just...be kids.
The door swung open with a loud creak, familiar face in the doorway. He had a well sculptured figure—he seemed to have lost his shirt—and a recognizable smirk, complimenting his otherwise hideous bruised eye. He blew hair out of his face flirtatiously, eyeing me up and down. It was Cooper—Trisie's twin. He still had marks from the 'Incident' with Feng.
"Didn't expect to see you here." He remarked smoothly, lounging across the doorframe and blocking the way of everyone behind him. I knew better than to judge someone without knowing them for a while...but what an asshole.
"Didn't expect you to be shirtless—need me to help you find some clothing?" I retorted.
"Only if it's yours."
"I'm sure you'd look really pretty in a dress." I smirked, testing his arrogant masculinity. Anger flashed through his face. He wasn't getting his way. I sighed, annoyed. There was strength in numbers but...did I have to?
"Will you," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Help me kill The Queen."
"For a price." He smirked.
"Never mind." I mumbled stepping aside to try to find the red haired teen. They could help me out more that that flirtatious idiot.
"I didn't even get to tell you what it was!" He called after me, but I was already walking away.