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"Who broke the window?" The head of the Howell family furiously shouted and his sharp voice filled the entire flat that the working class Howell family needed to call his home. The small, brown-haired boy who immediately hid under the cupboard when he heard the yelling knew that this meant trouble. The boy called Ruskin was only a servant in the household, this was the reason why Mr. Howell took him in from the street and he was afraid of the aggressive man who often beat his children when he got angry or when he was drunk. Ruskin, who knew well who broke the mentioned window, started trembling from fear. It was the youngest Howell child, Charles, who was the biggest troublemaker in the house and who was especially hated by his father - but for Ruskin, Charles was the only person who meant something for him in his new home. Something? Everything. Charles was his best friend and Ruskin wanted to stay with him forever. He loved him so much that it sometimes caused him pain - he didn't understand the nature of this love, not yet, he only knew that he couldn't let Charles get punished. Ruskin was afraid of Mr. Howell and even more of the cane he had, but he would rather take the beating than letting it happen to his friend. It was not an option to not say anything, in that case, Charles, who was in the market with his mother and older siblings, will get blamed for the broken window - so Ruskin took a deep breath and crawled out of his hiding place. He slowly walked to the shouting Mr. Howell and stopped in front of him.
"I did it, Mr. Howell. I broke the window. It was an accident." He tried to stay confident but he almost collapsed from the terror. He lowered his head to show how ashamed he is, hoping to somehow soften Mr. Howell's heart but his attempt was in vain.
"You." The man repeated furiously and picked up his cane. Ruskin's heart was racing from the panic, but he didn't run away. He closed his eyes when he felt the burning pain as the cane struck...
*****
"Ruskin! What happened to you?" Charles asked an hour later when he came home and found him lying in the kitchen while his face was dirty from the tears. Ruskin tried to sit up to greet his friend but he weakly fell back. His entire body was covered with bruises, some of them were even bleeding and he still felt the heavy pain from the beating but he tried to not show it to avoid scaring Charles. His friend knelt down next to him and his golden gaze was full of worry. He gently hugged Ruskin who felt that Charles' warm touch eased his pain a bit.
"It was my father, right?" Charles looked into Ruskin's eyes.
"The broken window..." Ruskin whispered. "Your father beat me for it..."
"But it was me who broke the window." His friend got confused.
"I know but I couldn't let you get hurt, Charles." Ruskin told on a faint voice. "I wanted to protect you. I cannot see you suffer..." His tears started flowing from his eyes. "I love you, Charles, I can't... I won't let him hurt you..."
This was the first time Ruskin told Charles that he loves him but he didn't even notice, he just kept crying silently. He suddenly felt Charles' lips on his cheek as he gave him a kiss, trying to comfort him. His friend's forehead touched Ruskin's and his arms got strongly wrapped around his waist.
"I don't want to see you suffer either. Please, don't cry. I will treat your injuries."
Ruskin tried to obey and swallowed his tears. Charles kept tenderly patting his back and this calmed him down. Soon, his crying silenced into sobbing.
"You really love me, right?" Charles suddenly asked. "You don't just say it like Mother tells it to me. I know that she lies."
"I really love you. I promise." Ruskin sniffed and hugged his friend's neck. Of course he really loves Charles! He couldn't imagine how the rest of the family was able to not love Charles and this made him angry. He felt that his friend was clinging onto him even more. Charles started to talk again, his voice was only a breath that caressed Ruskin's face.
"Then I will tell you my secret. One day, when I grow up, I will be someone really powerful. Even more powerful than Father. And on that day..." he stopped for a moment. "I will kill him. And I will kill Mother too for letting him beat us... and my siblings for always blaming their own bad deeds on me. They are all evil... maybe I am evil as well, but I don't mind if I can finally be free. I don't need them, they were never good to me and they also hurt you a lot. I only need you."
His confession made Ruskin excited. Yes, Charles' family should get killed - maybe even tomorrow! He didn't know why Charles wanted to wait until he was an adult. They can live on the street together, Ruskin can take care of Charles.
"I don't care if you are evil as well. I will still love you." Ruskin told him loyally.
"Then on that day... will you help me kill them?" Charles pulled him away a bit from himself so he could see his face.
Ruskin nodded with sparkling eyes.
"Yes. We will kill them together. And if we fail... I will take your punishment, Charles, just like I took it today." He swore.
Charles shook his head.
"No. On that day, no one can punish us anymore and no one will hurt us ever again." He stated and he sounded confident. "What I will say becomes the truth because the people will have no choice but to believe me. And you will be on my side - not as the one who takes the blame for me, but as the one I share my victories with. My faithful friend."
He leaned closer again and kissed Ruskin's forehead who felt that his face was burning, this time, not from the beating but from the blush that spread on his cheek. He smiled back at his friend with love.
"I will not leave you, Charles, and no one can make me. My wish was to stay with you forever." He admitted happily.
"And that's what you are gonna do." Charles answered and stood up to treat Ruskin's injuries.