dedicated to Crimson-Gemini for encouraging words that motivate me :)

Ezekiel was excited.

Mom's babies were finally coming back home from the white building where sick people went. He had been preparing a list of stories that he would read out to them. He had never been near a baby before, and now he was to have two brand new baby sisters. He was eleven years elder to them, so he knew he would have to be responsible now. Gone were the days where he could just loiter around in the hot sun with his dad and play polo in the grounds. 

He skipped along the corridors of the palace, wondering what he would call them. Auntie Lisette had named the babies Jessebelle and Annabelle, but according to him, they were way too pompous.

He finally reached his aunt's room. He knocked on it and waited for a response that never came. He slowly swung the door open, wondering where she could be.

He walked into the room, calling for her before his eyes fell on the ornate, golden cradle near the window. He walked tentatively to it. He was still too short to see the top of the cradle, something that he was often teased about. He could, however, see something bundled up inside from its side grills.

He walked over to it, his eyes shining and heart beating with excitement. He almost leapt in joy as he caught the first glimpse of his two baby sisters and walked closer in amazement. They were tiny, even compared to him.

One of them wore a baby pink jumper and the other a yellow one that reminded him of the soft spring sun. They slept peacefully, their tiny arms ending in balled up round fists. One of them had a significant amount of dark curly hair on her head, the other more or less bald. Ezekiel walked close to them and leaned over them. He gazed in wonderment at his sisters, his heart brimming with pride. 

They seemed to have a soft, innocent glow radiating off their little bodies. Their cheeks were round and chubby. Ezekiel wondered if they would wake up if he poked their cheeks.

"I don't know who you are...but I'll call you Jess."

He smiled as one of the babies stirred at his voice. She was the one with the yellow jumper and scarce hair. Her round eyes were fluttering open and closed as she gazed at him. She cooed softly, the irises shining guilelessly. 

Ezekiel's smile beamed further. "Hello. I am your big brother," he declared, tentatively picking her up. He had to rise to his tiptoes and had to strain his arms to reach her. After some struggle, he managed to hold her.  

She was lighter than he had expected. He had never held a baby before and had to adjust his arms, so she was relatively comfortable. A tornado of emotions swirled in his chest. He suddenly felt protective of the little girl in his arms. But he was afraid that he would hurt her. She was so soft. So small. Fragile. He gently rocked her up and down, his entire strength utilized into it. He carried her over to the bed and sat down, her in his lap, gazing at her adoringly.

"I know you probably are too small to play right now," he said. Jess looked at him with wonderment, curious, open eyes unafraid of the stranger. "But maybe if I start teaching you from now, we can play as soon as you get a little older." 

He giggled as the baby reached out a hand towards him. He clasped her small hand in his, amazed at her tiny fingers. "Your fingers are like...those small French fries left at the end."

The baby suddenly called out, as if trying to say something. Ezekiel giggled and gently shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Miss. I am Ezekiel J. Hunt." 

He was surprised as to how warm, how soft, how small her balled hand was. He peered at her curiously, his heart fluttering with pride and joy. 

"Ezekiel!"

Zeke's head snapped upwards at the sound of the shrill, terrified voice of his aunt. She stood near the door which Zeke had left open. Her chest was heaving, her face pale with horror. Her dark hair was flying wildly around her face. He dropped the baby's hand, straightening up as his eyes widened in bewilderment. "Mommy-"

His aunt, however, didn't seem to be listening to him. She ran towards where they sat and wrenched the baby roughly away from him. "How dare you?" she asked, her ordinarily mellow eyes wild with fury. "How dare you touch her after what you did to Ezra?"

 Ezekiel stared at her open-mouthed. His throat was dry as she towered over him.

"Mom-!"

He tried to speak as she placed the baby back in the cradle and roughly pulled him to his feet by his arm. She half dragged him outside the room as he screamed out in shock, flailing his arms.

"Mom!" he yelled, his blood turning to ice.

"Who allowed you to barge into my room and touch my daughters? How dare you even go near them?"

His aunt appeared livid, screaming like a deranged animal. In the almost three years that he had left his father's palace and moved to hers, he had never seen her in such insurmountable rage. 

Ezekiel stared at her, his mind frozen in shock as he trembled slightly at her outburst. "I...I was just playing mommy."

"Don't call me mommy!" she shrieked.

Ezekiel flinched and took a step back, his heart racing in his chest. He suddenly couldn't see his aunt anymore. He watched, horrified as her form was replaced by Geoffrey's. Her warm grey replaced by his bloodshot, wild eyes that had terrified Zeke since forever. He could suddenly see his claws glinting under the lights. He could feel the anger and hatred radiating off him. He could see his snarling mouth and dagger-like teeth that belonged to the devil. 

"And don't ever let me see you near my daughters ever again!"

"I...I...sorry," Zeke stuttered, bewildered. His eyes pricked with hot tears as his heart wrenched in pain. "I don't..."

"Get out of my sight this instant, Ezekiel. Get out!" she said, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. "Go!" her words shook with emotions and ended in a maniacal shriek.

Something inside Zeke broke.

His tears welled over and spilt. He turned away from her and ran. Through the hallways. Down the staircase and out into the garden. He didn't stop running till he reached a secluded corner of the garden where unwanted weeds were disposed. He collapsed against the wall, his entire body shaking as tears racked his thin frame.

 His heart spiralled into an unending chasm and shattered into a million pieces.


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A/N: So here was the story behind the relationship between Zeke and his aunt Lisette. What do you think? Was his anger justified? Was it a cause strong enough to hold on to for so many years?

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