𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐏𝐒 ✄ 𝐒𝐏𝐘𝐗𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘

𝟐𝟒

"That's rough, bud."

"The only person I've got left in my family is my older brother, but he sent me away immediately after he took the throne." Luka explained as him and Kilian sat together outside, the h/c haired boy giving his ruined handkerchief a rueful look, "I'm cared for by the butlers and maids, and I do live comfortably, but..."

"You still lost your parents and all but one of your siblings." Kilian finished for him, "And the one family member you have left sent you away."

Luka's eyes welled up with tears again, "Yeah..."

Kilian tried his best to look sympathetic, but the sympathy just wasn't making it to his face. He felt too nauseous from the human interaction.

But, as usual, his grandfather arrived just in time with that water he'd promised Kilian, "Sorry I took so long, Kilian. Here's your— oh, who's this?"

Luka gasped and hid his face, maybe not wanting to be seen crying, while Kilian smiled at his grandfather, "This is Luka, another first grader like myself. Some older kids were bothering him so I stepped in."

"Oh, I see." Alessandro murmured, looking back and forth between the two, "Well, after all that, you two must be hungry. I heard that the food at this event is very nice, would you two like something to eat?"

"Yes!" Luka exclaimed without missing a beat, eyes lighting up, "I would absolutely love food!"

Kilian, on the other hand, looked dismayed.
'Great, another snot nosed brat to deal with...'

He ended up accompanying his Grandfather and Luka to the refreshments table, watching in disbelief as this little six year old boy piled the food up on his plate to the point where Kilian was certain it would fall.

Somehow it didn't, and Luka kept talking and talking and talking until Kilian couldn't even listen anymore.

He eventually just excused himself to go to the bathroom, but went off and retreated to a room instead.

It was a study room, nice and cozy. The couch looked pretty comfy, and Kilian was pretty sleepy...

The boy stared at the couch for a long moment.

"Nah."

He trudged over to the closet and clambered inside, getting comfortable before closing his eyes. He just needed a moment of silence to collect himself, and...

"Mr. Desmond, yourself and my father have been business partners for some time. You've helped our family, and we've helped you in return. But this... this is quite a hefty request."

Kilian jolted awake at the sound of his Aunt's voice, rubbing his eyes blearily as he remembered where he was.

He carefully cracked open the door to the closet, peering out with curious eyes. He was a little alarmed by the sight of his Aunt sitting in the seat across from a tall man, her tone pleasant but her eyes dark.

Kilian guessed that the man with his back facing the closet was Donovan Desmond, and the people around the room were all Donovan's personal bodyguards or whatever.

'Seems like they're in the middle of a chat.' Kilian thought, rubbing his eyes again, 'Man, I slept through the first half.'

"That war between Ostania and Westalis took away my Mother. The very reason our family played an active part during the war was because it took someone we all loved very dearly." y/n continued, brows furrowed, "To suggest this... you're one brave man, Mr. Desmond. But why? I don't understand why you want to end the peace."