All was still along the worn earth road, save the melding of the splothes of golden sunlight that filtered through the trees and dappled the path with gold. Some light footsteps broke the silence as a most unusaul teen came came striding down the path. Clad in a white and gold kimono was the boy, just past sixteen and fresh into adolescence. Falling just below his waist was a mane of flowing ebony, wafting softly with the autumn breezes. Framed by his hair was a pointed face that looked as though it had never been touched by the sun. His skin tone was creamy vanilla, smooth and flawless over his slender frame. The most interesting of his features were his eyes, slanted, and brass-colored. There could be no doubt that if ever a person came along who could look into one's eyes and read one's mind, she or he would she many painful memories hidden behind the deep, black pupils and the brilliant gold irises. But until that day came, those secrets would remain buried. Marron Glace was an enigma and that was just how he wanted it. He'd never opened up to anybody, save one, shortly after a horrific experience while walking this very path...
About a year ago...
Marron breathed a sigh and used his free hand to some stray hairs from his brow. The other hand held a basket full of the fish he'd caught earlier.
The sun was making its slow descent behind the distant mountainsas its last rays splashed gold upon the boy's raven hair. The sky was a rich vermillion color with fingers of dusky purple here and there. Marron enjoyed the the rustic beauty of his natural surroundings during the sunset. Everything around him was bathed in golden strains of sunlight, and quiet softly settled upon the land. If there was one thing Marron enjoyed, it was quiet. But this evening, something wasn't right. It was too quiet. Marron skin prickled in apprehension. It was too quiet. His insides gave an uneasy lurch as a twig snapped somewhere behind him. Marron stopped. The silence was like a heavy blanket, so thick it seemed as though one could slice it, like a knife through a stick of butter. Marron truned warily around. Before he could dart away, a hard hand had locked around his slender wrist. As he tried to wrench of the grip, a second hand caught his other wrist. Panic seized the boy, but he didn't scream. Screaming was was something Marron didn't do very well. He was slammed against the trunk of a tree and pain spread through his shoulders. One of the fists let go for a second, only to come back, forcefully meeting his face. The other released his wrist and delivered a hard blow to his stomach. Marron crumpled on the spot, curling in a tight ball on the ground. He was dizzy, his head was pounding, and the wind had been knocked out of him, so he barley felt the hands shoving him so that he was on his back. More blows to his face and chest. Too riddled with pain to do much more than tremble, Marron didn't put up any kind of fight when felt the clasped of the top part of his kimono being ripped open. He felt his heart catch in his throat when the hands began invading his clothes, and he triend to squrim away. One of the hands left his kimono and clamped over Marron's neck. Applying pressure and blocking air to his lungs whenever he showed any sign of protest, the hand kept a firm grip on Marron's throat while it's counterpart conitnued to explore the inside of his kimono. Too weak to fight it, Marron went limp and surrendered himself to the torment. Just as he felt the sash around his waist being untied, Marron heaved a shuddering sigh, and his world went black.
"Freakin' hell, can a day get any worse?" seventeen-year old Carrot Glace complained loudly as he slumped in his chair. "First we had to pass through that town where the local girls kicked me three times in the face, seven times in the shins, five times in stomach, two in the head and one fiesty little bitch even had the nerve to land her boot in my (Chocolate Misu screamed)! Then we had to come to this rural, girl-free place, spend the night in this shitty cabin, and now my stupid brother can't even manage to bring us a few stinkin' fish for dinner!" Carrot let out an aggravated groan and pushed back his unrully black hair. "I hate being a sorcerer hunter! It sucks!"
Chocolate popped up next to Carrot, making him jump as her hands started mapping their way down his chest. "Ahh, but sucking isn't always a bad thing is it, Darling?” the red head said silkily as her hands began venturing beneath the boy's baggy tank. Carrot rolled his eyes as the smitten girl continued man-handling him. But as her hands moved lower, to his hips, Chocolate found a new area that interested her. Letting out a screech of disgust, Carrot leapt from his chair (nearly catching his feet in the armrest and falling flat on his face) and cowered in the corner of the room. The blue eyed vixen stalked toward him and Carrot whinmpered uncontrollably. Chocolate got down on all fours and crawled toward the trembling boy, feline style. She extended one hand. As it was about to touch Carrot's neck, Tira Misu walked in, arms full of freshly cut firewood. As she took in the scene, Carrot huddled in the corner, looking as though a dragon was about to swoop down on him, and her sister, practically climbing on top of his legs, Tira let out a furious shriek and firewoodwas scattered all over the floor.
"Chocolate! Have you no shame?!"
Angry flames burned from behind the oversized sunglasses. As Tira scolded her sister, Carrot quietly slipped out the door, nearly bumping into Gateau.
"Marron, is that you?" Gateau peered over the mountain of wood he was carrying and the excited gleam faded from his blue eyes. "Oh, it's just you, Carrot" he said dully.
"Don't look so happy to see me ." Carrot snapped. He couldn't stand Gateau. Not only did the blond have a more impressive build than Carrot and a pretty face, Gateau abused his good looks by flaunting them at whoever he was attracted to, and that usually meant Marron. Gateau wasn't all lesbian. He enjoyed having girls come up to him on the beach admiring his muscles and handsome face. But nothing gave the man a bigger thrill than leaping out in front of Marron, then sweeping the younger boy off his feet and cuddling him like a porcelain doll. Marron put up with all of this, but was not in the least big intrigued by it. Gateau knew it too. It was not like he didn't notice the way those dazzling gold eyes went cold and dull whenever he appraoched. It was clear to Gateau that Marron was rejecting him in his own quiet way, but that didn't stop him from displaying his affections to the beautiful boy of his dreams. Maybe someday the thin layer of ice around Marron's heart would melt and he'd return some of the love he'd been given. But that day was a long time coming and Gateau was already in ligation hell with the older of the Glace brothers. Carrot was not one to hide his feelings and he made it all too clear to Gateau that seeing a deranged muscle man corrupting his innocent brother really pissed him off. Gateau hated Carrot because he was a pathetic little letch who was always butting into things that were none of is buisness. Carrot hated Gateau because he was an egoistic horny hick who was on the verge of forcing himself on Marron. Marron was emotionally strong and good at keeping himself from going to pieces. But on a rare (VERY rare) occasion, something would manage to break through that barrier he'd built around his heart, and everything would spill over. Carrot knew what this cost Marron, so he was determined to guard against it. Ever since their childhood, the Glace brothers had been each other's protege. When they were very young, the local bullies often took advantage of little Marron's passive nature and visciously abused him physically and verbally until Carrot came to the rescue. Carrot could take on any of them and made sure they were all well punished for hurting his younger brother. But Carrot didn't do it for Marron. Carrot did it for himself. Marron was the baby of the family, constantly being pampered and fawned over by their mother. Carrot had hoped that by making sure that no harm came to his brother's "beautiful angelic face", his mother might actually give him some of that tender, loving care she bestowed so lavishly upon Marron. But it wasn't until Carrot discovered that Marron's beauty (something which he would never admit to being jealous of) was bringing him pain that he realized just how much his little brother really needed him. Marron was small and frail and his inner self was just as easy to damage. He could never manage on his own. So Carrot became his childhood guardian and protected him from those heartless bullies. But even if Carrot saved Marron countless black eyes and bruised shins, there was nothing he could do to guard against those harsh comments that struck Marron where it really hurt.
It was words like "freak" and "faggot" that drove little Marron to his life as an introvert. He revealed nothing and was a quiet presence among his peers. However, he was grateful as anything for the protection Carrot had provided, so he took it upon himself to do the same. After all, Carrot did have quite a knack for finding trouble and it was the least Marron could do to pull him out of the tar pit every once in a while. But the sheild had to have a few cracks in it. Marron couldn't always be there for him. If he played superman for every little problem Carrot stumbled upon, his brother would become dependent upon him. Marron was glad his big brother had been there to protect him, but because of that, Marron had never faced his troubles on his own. This had caused a weakness to develop inside of him and he didn't want the same to happen to Carrot. It pained Marron to think that he hadn't become the strong person Carrot had wanted to be. Carrot needed to try to get himself out of trouble on his own, but Marron was always behind him, should he need him. He also wanted to be more than he'd become in his brother's eyes. The fact that he was an eyesore and an embarrasment to Carrot made Marron ache inside. Sometimes it was the most Marron could do to keep from breaking down and crying. All the Misu sisters saw was a puzzle who seldom spoke or smiled, all Gateau saw was a "real slim shady" that he wanted to wuv and fondle and call sugarlump, and all Carrot, his own brother, saw was a timid weakling with no future. No one saw those earthquakes within his soul, or those suppressed tears building momentum behind his eyes. But that was just the trouble. Although Marron was fervently wishing for someone who truly understood, the truth was something he'd vowed to let no one see.
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