Little Game

Chapter 41

"Ezri, please." Isabella pleaded hopelessly as Ezri gently pulled her towards a towering and intimidating building where her family had locked themselves in to work, work and work. Isabella wondered if they were trying to prove that they were useful.

It has been a couple of weeks after Ezri came. No brother or father of hers has come to visit and it was starting to burn her out because she needs them to talk. She needs them to at least tell her that they're not in a ditch somewhere.

Ezri has took it upon himself to fill the aching void inside her heart. Despite her suspicion of him, the boy was nothing but kind——always being there but not too close for her to be uncomfortable.

It felt like he knew how to take care of her. If she were mad, he would silently give her a cookie and milk while he sat there and did nothing, knowing that his presence was enough to make her see sense. If she were sad, he'd invitingly give her a friendly hug and everyone knows that Isabella desperately needed it because she loved physical contact. She was used to her family embracing her. Her friend, Nicolai, had hold her hand in anywhere he went because he was used to the physical contact as well.

And Ezri seemed to know that.

It's sad how the boy was just thrown to her like a dog for her to take care of. Nobody called for him and nobody even came to their home to take him away, not even his mother that Ezri would talk about every once in a while. And that's sad because it felt like he was there at the right moment to actually soothe her aching heart and fill the void that her family left.

And it makes her guilty because she's actually enjoying his presence. But, she feels like she was taking advantage of his kindness and that she was doing a bad job at taking care of Ezri.

But he seemed like he didn't care.

But now, Ezri's stubborn today as he gently drags Isabella towards the tower with her guards in tow. He wasn't forceful but he was also not letting her go.

"You at least have to try, Isabel." He said, stopping to look at her. Everyone was looking at them but the boy didn't look like he cared. All he cared was the girl who seemed all too aware of their surroundings. "They're your family, así que no tengas miedo."

(So don't be afraid.)

Dmitri looks at people as they look at them weirdly, probably wondering why there's children in front of a building, and waved at them in a friendly way. Rafael gave the man a shake of his head in disbelief.

"They're just going to be mad." Isabella whispered to him, scared. "And I'll get hurt."

"But you're also hurting by not talking to them, Isabel. Wouldn't it better to get hurt like this than not knowing why they're ignoring you?" Ezri asks, holding her hand tighter to comfort her.

Isabella willed herself not to cry. She huffed a tired laugh. "Aren't you eleven like me?"

Ezri smiled. "I've experienced this before. It wasn't fun not knowing why you're being ignored."

Isabella cooed sadly. "Ezri..."

Ezri shook his head, not allowing her to pity him. He gave her a comforting pat on the head that's very much like a person petting a cute animal. "It's fine. It was a long time ago."

"You're such a brave kid." Isabella sniffled, all sad as she waddled towards the boy to lamely place her head on his shoulder. Ezri laughed and patted her back.

"There, there." He said jokingly. "You don't have to be sad for me. It was a long time ago. I hardly remember it."

"You still deserve a hug for being so brave." Isabella said, wrapping her arms around the poor boy, making him make a face that's in between looking like he needed it badly and looking like he didn't want to seem weak in front of her.

He did need it because he didn't have this kind of interaction with any children of his age. He was more closed off, starved for any affection that his mother would give him.

He cleared his throat while reluctantly hugging her back. "Gracias, Isa."

She looks at him after she broke her embrace. "It was hard, wasn't it?" She asks, a frown forming on her lips as she looks at the boy sadly.

"What was?"

"Being alone."

That made him clamp up, Dmitri noticed. The way the boy clenched his jaw, the way he flinched a little, the way his eyes squinted a little as if he wanted to blink away the possible tears that could fall. He watched the children with observant eyes, watching their body language and their expressions.

Dmitri didn't care what that boy went through because he's just focused on Isabella. Having two kids to take care of would be anything but fun.

Isabella's too kind for her own good and that's why she's 'not right', according to her grandmother. It's because she's not meant to be in their world. She's too trusting, too kind, too normal. And everyone knows that and people outside of their family are hungry to manipulate the girl and mess her up until she's the opposite of normal. It's like tainting something addicting. Some would be a sheep in wolf's clothing just to get a taste of that tantalizing innocence and kindness.

And that's why Dmitri's there.

Dmitri doesn't care for anyone but the person he will take care of. He will watch anyone, kind or not, like a predator carefully circling around its prey like he's toying with them while knowing fully well who's going to be eaten in the end.

And Ezri, for Dmitri, seemed like he was telling the truth but not the whole truth. Like he's still hiding something much more sinister but is still being truthful and genuine with his actions.

Dmitri glanced at Rafael with narrowed eyes. Rafael also has the same vibe as Ezri and that's just not making any sense.

Ezri cleared his throat, making Dmitri snap out of his thoughts. Ezri looks back at Isabella with some renewed determination, like he's willed  himself forcefully not to feel saddened by the girl's words. "Today isn't about me. Es sobre ti, Isabel. Do not fret about it today. I promise I'm fine."

(It's about you, Isabel.)

The bot obviously didn't want to continue the conversation so Isabella dropped it. "Okay..."

"But," Rafael piped in for the first time, "if you need someone to talk to. I'm here. We all are."

Something flashed in Ezri's eyes that was too fast for Dmitri to know what it was. The boy smiled thankfully. "Thank you. It really means a lot to me."

"Yeah. You don't have to hold back on anything. Just say what you want to say to me. Or any of us, honestly." He was pushing it—— was pushing the boy but Dmitri didn't care. He needed some reaction that could be labelled as suspicious.

Rafael just gave him a weird look because he knows that he doesn't really mean any of those bullshit.

Isabella looked at him oddly but at least it looked like she wouldn't question it. Dmitri smiled a little because miss gem's a smart cookie and she knows when Dmitri's bullshiting or not.

Ezri just looked at him with eyes sparkling with gratitude that hid something Dmitri can't see. "Thank you, sir. That honestly means so much to me."

Damn it, the boy's good.

Dmitri sighed in frustration. It's so hard being a guard when he's supposed to be a psychiatrist. If Isabella's family don't swoop her up by her feet then there would be more consequences in the future and her family wouldn't be able to take it back, Dmitri can feel it.

Isabella held Ezri's hand and nodded at him. "Okay. I'm ready as I'll ever be."

_____

I'm so sorry. I haven't been updating as much as I should be. Sorry for keeping you waiting (●´⌓'●)

So, what do you think about Ezri? And what do you think about Dmitri? Do you think Dmitri's on to something? 🤔

Maybe ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ

Maybe not (ㆁωㆁ)

Who knows? Not me 👀