Kid

109

Neon awoke to something rustling, but his eyes remained closed. He mentally understood that Live was no longer snuggled next to him, and only opened his eyes then. He saw her, sitting before the window looking out into the rain.

Neon felt his muscles ach as he managed to sit up. "Live? You okay?" he asked.

Live remained quiet as she stared out into the rain. Neon watched as some of the rain's mist flew through the window and doused Live every now and then.

Neon slowly walked over to her as he put his coat back on, "Live...?" His gaze followed hers outside.

There were Shades.

Shades everywhere.

Neon gasped in shock as he slowly retreated backwards in an attempt to get away from them. But Live remained sitting there, until she kneeled and opened the window completely, allowing some of the bolder ones to venture inside the attic. They glided over to Live and brushed against her, climbing up her body like a cat, reacting to her touch with either a hiss or a purr.

They were the size of small pillows and looked like see through smoke clouds.

"You don't have be afraid of them," Live informed holding one, "They're harmless at the moment."

"At the moment?" Neon asked, not allowing his security to go down, he needed a flash light or something.

Live looked to him, "They haven't found someone to attach to. They haven't mimicked someone else's personality. They're just like little mice, curious little mice." She tossed one in the air, making it freeze mid-air before slowly drifting back down to Live.

"Why are they here?" Neon asked as he slowly inched forwards.

"All babies need someone to take care of them," she informed holding another one. "Every time a new shadow is created there's a new Shade. With just that little bit of independence, they can become creatures too. Creatures that'll protect you no matter what," she informed lifting her hand.

Neon kneeled down to her and stared in shock at where her had was meant to be, there was nothing there.

"How is it doing that?" Neon asked reaching forwards to touch her hand, but something burnt his finger and he retracted his hand with a hiss of pain.

Live pulled her hand away and saw it was fine. "It's what they do. They hide what wants to be hidden," she explained, "that's why Shades are often considered horrible creatures, because they mimic the horrible things they hide. But if you meet them beforehand, they're actually quite sweet." She passed one to Neon, his whole body tensed under its odd touch. "They just... don't know any better."

Neon's hands felt a little weird. It was a tingly sensation, like mini raindrops just not touching his fingers.

"I'm not taking Kid back," Live informed. Neon looked to her. "I don't care what you say, but Kid shouldn't be there, because that's where everything knows she is. She doesn't belong there, we don't belong there."

Neon sighed as the Shade flew away from him, "Okay."

"Okay?" Live looked to him.

He shrugged, "Okay. You can go, and I promise I won't stop you, and I won't tell them where you go. But I don't think I can let them go, I'll most likely go back them."

"But why?"

He shrugged, "They're like the family I never had. They get on my nerves, they tease me, they treat me like a little kid, but they protect me like a family should, like the family I had tried to do and the one before that didn't even try to. I'm happy to go back them out of loyalty, Live. And I'm happy to let you go, but I'm almost going to beg you not to take Kid away from me."