Guide to Breaking Guardian Rule

Part 1

I awoke to the smell of the usual eggs and bacon in the morning cooked by my roommate. I desperately wished he could cook anything else, but took the comment back swiftly realizing I probably wouldn't eat if he didn't cook the same greasy, crunchy bacon and over easy egg for me each and every morning. A new smell tickled my nose as I steadily got up from my silken sheets.

Toast. Buttered Toast. Please don't burn it...

My roommate Kitsu had always avoided conflict in any way he could. Being a demon, he became living proof that not all demons are evil. I'd almost argue that he should be in the "good" portion of this forsaken fortress. He said once that he had great power, but he had no idea how to explain it to me nor would he show me. He struggled in class because of that. Well not just that, being a reddish black entity with bright white eyes scares most people he knows. Not me. Not ever since I spoke to him.

His appearance was frightening, but his heart was nervous and kind. He never spoke. He only sat silently not raising his voice even once. I spoke to him once before we became roommates.

In the hallway in between classes he got knocked down. People pushed and shoved him and he never said a word. Finally a student had knocked his books from his hands and pushed him up against a locker. I hastily sprung forward and caught his books before they fell to the floor. The demon didn't move. He only stood in complete fear with his eyes shut securely. I shoved my fellow student back and guarded over the timid demon. The students words pierced my heart as usual. I always wondered when I would be numb to their words. That time never came. The student spat insults with crossed arms like "Get out of the way Weakling Whit!" and "What can you do Five Hour Energy?" After the flurry of insults the bully sauntered away. The kind demon grinned nervously.

"Thank you." He had said.

"Whit? Breakfast is ready!" Kitsu turned and grinned.

I lazily rose from my position and yawned, "I saw you made toast. Trying something new?"

He only continued to grin. I stretched as I stepped tenderly added with another yawn. I grabbed a chair and prepared to eat. I set the table for both of us and smiled at him. Kitsu placed the tasty morsels on each plate carefully.

"Dig in!" Kitsu stuck his fork in and ate.

He ate carefully and warily, unlike me. I ate rapidly almost like the food would be taken from me. I never feared that, but I always had felt breakfast was a waste of time. Time is something we never know how much we have, until we're all out.

"Wonder what we'll do in class today?" He got up and started to clean plates.

"The same thing we do almost every day, Kitsu. Mom is-"

"She told you not to call her that in class..."

"Well, that's what she is! Sorry... I raised my voice."

"It's okay..."

The air in the room tensed. I could suffocate in the silence created by what would seem like mere words. Words always find a way to show their power. The quiet subsided when Kitsu clanged the clean plates into the other side of the sink for drying.