Chapter Text
You can easily find a broken soul in this world. It's not hard to see someone struggling daily. Different pain can cause different outcomes. Someone just more lucky and can live on with it, while someone will start to question they're existence. No matter what pain you suffer– pain is still pain. Even when you think, that just maybe it will go away with time, most likely it won't. And even when you think that the reason for your pain is something useless, for you it not. Don't just assume that the thing, that bothers you, isn't something worth mentioning. Don't make your pain small, because other suffer from something more serious. It's your life and if the problem you have is causing you pain– you should definitely sick help, or just vent to someone. At least one person should get you. And even if you don't have this special one right now, sooner or later they will show themself. Promise you, the one will show themself and be by your side.
---
Never, even in her wildest dreams, Lumine would have imagine that one day she will cry next to the statue of red vultura. It was a tough day. Or maybe not even a day. Or no! It was going on for about month. For one month she was suffering and even though she thought, that she did a great job hiding her emotions, it wasn't like that. In truth it was hard for her to keep acting all happy. But even alone she just couldn't let her mask down. Tears just refused to come out. Maybe if I can't force myself to cry, that's means that I'm okay? So she continud living as nothing was going on.
But in truth, she was suffering. Someone, including Lumine, might find her reason for such a breakdown an absurd, but still this small things bother her for long and eventually, because she just couldn't acknowledge it, they simply grow bigger and bigger until one day she finally snapped. It was a sensitive topic for her. She just didn't want to belive that all those things made her stress and upset.
If we looked back, the reason for her sadness is in the past. Actually all her life she struggled in her own way and due to her nature, she just didn't want to tell anyone, what was going on inside her. She kept it a secret. Maybe even for too long. Maybe just if she told anyone, she could at least had a support that she so desperately needed. But she just wasn't like that.
It all begins in her childhood. She didn't have a wealthy family. They were poore. Really poore. It was hard to live for a one day. Worth to mention, she wasn't the only kid. She has a twin brother Aether. The only member of her family that she cherish so much. Maybe even too much. Just like him, she could easily sacrifice her future for the sake of her brother.
They parents wasn't the best, but they wasn't the cruelest, at least at some point. They had clothes, a few, but still it was better than not owning one. They had meal, once a day, but it was something. They didn't have toys, they knew that Santa wasn't real, their parents told them. Through out they're childhood they didn't have the child imagination, they face the harsh reality of life. And even though they were kids, it just didn't showed much, they acted mature.
Even though they came from a poore family, kids at school didn't bullied them. They had friends. Mostly because Aether is too much of an outgoing person, everyone just wanted to be around him. And people still do. He just have some indescribable charm that helps him be close to people, be friends with them. He is a comfortable person, like a sunshine or home.
Sometimes Lumine envy his communication skills– she just wasn't like him. For her it was always hard to talk to people, make friends almost impossible. But even though she wanted to have friends, she had Aether and it was enough.
After some time things begin to change. They're parents became cruel. Before they just didn't care about they're kids, it was like they didn't exist, but now, whenever they feel angry or upset they decided to relive they emotions on them. They started to beat twins. Mostly beaten always was Aether, because as a brother, he wanted to protect her. As for Lumine, she cried under her bad, she just couldn't help her brother and it made her sick. He did everything for her and she didn't. He always was there for her and Lumine wanted to even once in life do the same. Not be a burden, but be a person he could rely on.
But will her decisions ever bring him happiness ?
She cried and cried until she just suddenly stopped. She wiped her tears and took her phone out of the pocket. It was already 8pm, she should definitely go home. It's late plus Aether going to call her soon and she didn't want to worry him.
"Bye mister red vultura, I will probably see u tomorrow. You were a great listener."
After approximately 30 minutes she was back. It was a long way home and finally she was back. Lumine lived alone in the small apartment. One small room, but it was great decorated with plushies, flowers and pictures, small kitchen, and a tiny bathroom, which was so small that even Lumine wonder how the hell did she fit in.
She looked in the mirror right beside her front door – her whole look was a disaster. After crying for so long her face was swallowed, red puffy eyes and mascara all over her face, her hair wasn't better. She had short hair with two long front locks which she usually didn't style much, but today she braid it, or at least tryed to. And it was a mess. At least her outfit looked nice.
"I should probably wash my face, because if I don't, Aether would definitely see the state that I'm in right now. And he probably shouldn't. At least today."
She took a quick shower and change in her cute baby blue pajama. It was already time for her daily call with Aether. Unfortunately for Lumine, her brother currently was away from her, but he was super to return next week.
Lumine took a deep breath and press a call button. Soon she saw her brother, smily as always, on her screen.
"Hi Lums!"
"Hi Aether. You look energetic as always."
"Yeah, I had lots of sleep today, that's why I have so much energy. And you as always look so calm. Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, all good. Just as always, nothing new", she said, avoiding eye contact with her brother
"That good. I'm going to be back soon, so save your energy for that time. Promise me!"
"I will."
"By the way how your studies? Not to exhausted?"
"No, I'm actually doing better that I thought I would be."
She lied.
"Good to hear. I was worried that you might feel tired and stressed. I'm happy that your doing well. But if something will bother you, you can always call me. I always have time for you."
"Yeah, I know. You always had time for me. Let's not talk about me, I want to know how my brother is doing. Care to share?"
"Well, if you insist."
They talked as usual, till midnight, and as usual she fall asleep listening to her brother talking. His voice is like a lullaby for her, this gentle voice makes her fast asleep.
She wake up in the morning feeling already tired, even though she slept for more then 12 hours. She lazily get up from her bad and took a cold morning shower. Today she didn't want to do makeup or wear a fancy clothes. She just put her worn out sweatpants and sweater. It was already time for her breakfast but there was nothing in her fridge. Well, at least she had tea. And there is nothing better in life that a cup of hot tea in the broad od daylight.
Lumine didn't have any plans. She was free, which is usually rare for her considering it was Thursday. But it didn't matter anymore. She was free now. And so she decided to visit her friend from yesterday. She desperate needed to talk to this statue again.
After 30 minutes of walk she was near her friend.
"Hi mister, I came back, as promised. I wanted to talk to you again. Hope you don't mind."
Lumine talked a little about her day and how she misses her brother and how she feels, that when he come back, she will eventually disappoint him or make him angry at her.
At the end of her monolog, tears started to roll out of her eyes. It was an uncontrollable force, that she used to known how to stop, but in this moment, Lumine was to exosted to controll her emotions.
She didn't know how much time pass, since she enter this state of unstoppable crying, at first she thought that she cried for a minute, but it probably wasn't a minute or 10, most likely cried for an hour. Her eyes sore and puffy, probably extremely red, but she didn't care about it. She wanted to cry and cry, froze time and stay there. But she suddenly stop.
Something cold landed on her cheek and it wasn't her tears. She looked up. The sky got silky with dark colors and ,just like her soul, it shattered a millions little tears– the rain came unexpectedly and it looked like it isn't going to stop soon.
The rain was cold, but to Lumine it felt refreshing. Like it was a sign from above that she had the right to cry here. Maybe rain can wash away all of her problems? Probably not, it just a silly thought.
She stand there, soaking from all of the water droplets, looking like a crazy person, all messed up. She should probably find shelter or she will get sick. The thought of Aether, worried about her lying sick turned her mind back to the reality. She should probably go.
She close her eyes, trying to get a hold of herself, when suddenly she didn't feel the droplets of rain anymore. Did it stop? No, she still hears she sound of the water crashing to the ground. But she safe from it. How? Suddenly her body feels a heavy something, landing on top of her shoulders, a coat perhaps?
She slowly opened her eyes, and meet somehow familiar and warm gaze. She couldn't focus on the person in front of her, but she felt safe. A man was holding an umbrella, shielding both of them from the rain. It looked like he was slightly shivering from cold, probably because his coat ended up on Lumine's shoulders, she needed it more then him, but still she was embarrassed by the fact, that some man would suffer from cold because of her, of course she didn't stole it, this man willingly landed it on her shoulders, but still it felt wrong to her.
"Are your alright? Do you need help?" the youth speak up.
"I'm alright." Lumine mumble.
"You don't look like it. It's raining and you all soaked, but you were standing here frozen. What if you catch a fever?"
"I'm going to be fine. I'm immune to any kind of fevers!"
"I don't believe you. At least when you were younger it wasn't truth at all and I doubt it changed."
"?"
She puzzled. What this and is talking about? It's not that he know her. Or perhaps he does?
"Your silence says it all. I guess I changed a lot if you don't recognize me. It been a while, Lumine. I never would have guess that I would meet you like this."
He smiled. This smile used to be her treasure, back when she was younger. This boy only smiled on rare occasions and most of the time it was when one young lady was present. How could she be so stupid? Not recognizing him of all people.
"Xiao."
Lumine uttered his name in one breath. It was weird to finally pronounced his name. After all its been a while.