| Linoleum | (mxm)

17

|■□■□■|
say can you help me
right before the fall
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***

Moving around a lot as a child is hard enough for anyone, though it wasn't any better when you were practically invisible to your parents. Through the unfilled void the young male's parents left, he found comfort in the family butler.

Gerard, his name was. A very tall male with a large patch of crazy, curly black hair and a matching curly mustache. Warned to never interact with the tall man, for he was just there to work. Though the young boy always felt drawn to the man. With his fixed sleeves and how he smelled of cedar wood and marshmallows.

One day in particular was a bad one for the small child, getting in trouble at school and being scowled at by his mother. Always a sheepish, frightened little one. Wincing to any slight movement from years of trauma and verbal abuse. He wedged his way under his bed, his father made many attempts to get him our from under the slightly raised bed. Making the child grow even more restless and the father getting angrier. At one point grasping the child's arm and causing him to shriek when he was forcefully being pulled out. The nails digging into his skin making him wail and cry.

The father never one to be used to children, nor not having wanted one in the first place. In a heated frustration, he stalked out and didn't come back until midnight that was hours and hours away.

The child sniffled and whined, rubbing his arm. Desperately trying to self soothe.

A pair of black shoes walked in, causing the dark haired brunnette to wince and wedge himself even further under the bed.

"Now now little one," the light voice of the barker called out.

A plate was set down by a gloved hand and a small teacup was placed down on it, sparking the small boy's interest.

"Juice, I know how you like your juice."

The child softly started to crawl out, meeting the eyes of the butler who gave him a soft smile. One so bright it made the child feel safe.