Chapter Text
Roo was having a relatively good day. She hadn't argued with her older sister on the phone, and she hadn't been forced to work overtime. Yes, too good to be true.
Precisely for that reason, she was prepared for something to ruin her day when the doorbell rang. Suppressing a sigh, she went to the door and peered through the peephole. There was no one there, at least not in sight. She sighed, thinking it was just a prank.
She was already moving away from the door when the bell rang again. She looked again to see if anyone was on the other side. Again, no one.
Frowning slightly, she stepped back from the door. This time, she hadn't even turned around when the bell, now ringing with annoyance, echoed in her ears. Arta decided to throw the door open, intending to scare whoever she thought was playing a trick. She succeeded, but instead of the very angry Jehovah's Witnesses she expected to see, she was met by a child. A small, blond boy with blue eyes and pale skin with a natural blush, no more than seven years old, was carrying a stuffed duck. He was frightened by Roo's slamming door, and she couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Hello, little one, I'm so sorry I scared you. Are your parents nearby?"
The boy didn't say anything. Now that the older woman looked at him more closely, she saw small bandages and bruises all over his body. They didn't look like they were from playing, but rather from abuse...
"...I'm sorry, your name is Roo, Roo MorningStar, right?"
Her voice was almost a whisper, but upon hearing his last name—well, his former last name—the woman became serious.
"Yes, that's my name. Do you need anything? Did someone send you to get me something?"
It was as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders; he simply walked over to her and hugged her legs. Before bursting into tears.
"Let me stay here... Please, Aunt Roo..."
As if a piece of the puzzle had fallen perfectly into place, Roo understood everything. Gently, she lifted the child in her arms and kissed his forehead.
"Don't worry, Aunt Roo is here to protect you."