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He fell to the ground. His eyes watered, and he held back a sniff. If he showed his weakness, he would only get hit harder.
"Again!" the man shouted. "Get up!"
He got up, sore all over, arms and legs trembling, and lifted his sword.
"Luke!" Luke blinked, staring down at the book on the table, holding his head and not recognizing any of the words. He felt his tutor standing over him, could feel the glare on his skin like a flame. "Pay attention. No more of that daydreaming. Now, read the next sentence."
But he couldn't remember where he'd left off. He couldn't even make the words come into focus anymore. Hadn't he just been training with a sword? The sigh from above him made him flinch, and he peered up as the tutor walked over to the desk to grab the switch. Luke, eyes widening as his memory spilled over him--weak and hurt and can't show tears--quietly left his seat and scrambled out the door.
He was done with his tutor for the day.
It took time for Luke to find a place he could be alone. He had been learning more of the quiet places as he learned how to get around his whole home, but getting there without being spotted was hard. It was worse when he kept seeing little things he didn't want to see.
"No one cares you're gone," said a tall, harsh man. He looked like the sword-teacher who came to see Luke sometimes. He stared down coldly, so tall but standing so straight. "They've already moved on. Stop being such a child."
When Luke wouldn't go with the maids he'd stumbled into, he flinched, hearing one mutter, "He's such a child now." Luke sprinted away.
He wrapped himself with the few bandages he had. He couldn't see the seventh fonists most of the time, and he couldn't heal himself, so he had to take care of his own wounds. He sniffled as he pressed a hand to one of the few wounds still bleeding. He hated red now.
When he heard more talking, Luke pressed back into a wall, covering his ears and clenching his eyes shut. He didn't want to be found. He didn't want to keep seeing himself hurt. Breathing and breathing, until that was all he could feel and hear, eventually Luke peeked his eyes open again. No one had come into the small room he'd hidden in. He crept over to the window, and seeing it lead into a little grassy area, he carefully pushed it open and climbed out, stretching his feet down until he could drop to the ground. Then, he walked even further into the corners, hiding near some bushes and flowers.
It was only a little while from then that Guy found him. It had started raining, but the sun hadn't gone away. Luke felt himself getting wet but couldn't stop looking at the sky. Never had he seen a sunny sky rain. Why had no one told him about it before? All the water droplets sparkled, and even the sky changed, mostly blue, partly grey, but with shimmering colors brushed over it.
"Luke?"
Luke didn't look at him, only said, "Hi."
He heard a little sigh, but Guy did walk over to him. "You're getting wet."
"Yes."
"...Can we go inside, then?"
"No."
Another sigh. It made Luke's stomach squirm, but not as much as having to see any of his tutors or other servants right now. Eventually though, Guy sat down at his side, legs bent at the knee and pulled to his chest, just like Luke. Something in the moment, the quietness, let Luke try for words to explain.
"I got a... a head ache."
"Another one? Are you okay?"
Luke started to nod, then shook his head, finally looking down, away from the sky, and at his own knees. He blinked, feeling like water had gotten into his eyes. Guy was the only one who asked him things like that. The only one who asked, and then listened, and didn't tell him he was stupid, or to stop.
"I'm sorry, Luke." Guy scooted closer, pressing their arms together. It was nice, sitting with someone who was only a little bigger than Luke.
"Why sorry?"
"Well, uh... you said you weren't okay. Doesn't that mean the headache made you feel bad?"
"They make me see... sad things."
Guy reached out pulling some of Luke's limp hair out of the way. It was darker from the water, almost red like- like the things Luke saw. Guy locked eyes with Luke, his face pinched like he was worried.
"Your headaches make you see things?" Luke nodded. "And they are sad? Not happy?"
"I remember things."
Guy froze, eyes widening.
Luke felt his lips tremble. He knew what his family wanted, but- "I remember things that- that not- are not real."
"Not real?" Guy asked, voice rough and quiet, after a few seconds of silence. "Like what?"
"My sword teachers hit me. I am by myself, and hurt, and no one helps me."
"Oh." Guy pushed the hair behind Luke's ear and used his hand to pull Luke closer instead. It was a wet hug, but warm. Luke snuggled in close. "Then, that's a good reason for me to be sorry. Sorry you see things that hurt you."
"I'm not hurt."
Guy hummed, his hand squeezing Luke's shoulder. "Do you feel hurt inside?"
"Inside?"
"Like... Your stomach hurts. Or your chest. Or you feel like you are going to cry."
"Oh." Luke nodded, feeling more water on his face. Maybe from his eyes.
Guy frowned, but in the way which made Luke feel a little better. Guy never yelled at him. Eventually, he looked back up at the sky, so Luke did too. It really was pretty.
"If I tell you about this," Guy said, waving his other hand at the rain and the colors, "will you go inside then?"
Luke felt the squirming in his stomach. "I'm tired of inside."
"...How about just inside the window of your room?"
Hm. No one would be in Luke's room. And he could still see out windows. "Okay."
"Okay," Guy said, and he looked a little happier. "Then let me tell you about rainbows."
And it didn't make Luke forget the head aches, or feeling scared and lonely when they happened, but being with Guy made Luke feel safer, and together, they weren't alone.