Bloody fingers press against your side as you watch the crimson liquid pour out. Your eyes are hazy and your head dizzy. Your eyes trail from my side to the man standing in front of me. The grin etched onto his face made you want to punch him, but the memories made me want to hug you.

You remember the first time he walked; he was nine and a half months old. You were sitting on the floor across from Dave, who was playing with some toys you had brought over. You were flipping through channels mindlessly. But you pause when you notice movement in the corner of your eye. You practically drop the remote when you see Dave on his two feet. His arms held out in front of him in an attempt to reach you.

"Come on Dave." You coo, dropping the remote.

You kneel about a metre away and wait for him to come to you.

"Almost there."

Dave wobbles a bit, letting out some garbling sounds. You almost lean in to catch him, but he manages to stay up. Finally he collapses into your arms.

"Yay!" you exclaim, spinning the young boy around.

Dave, in return lets out happy gurgles, his ruby eyes glistening happily.

The same red eyes – which usually covered by shades – shone darkly as they stared at you. Whatever possessed him licked their lips as they watched your eyes dull. Tears began to pour from his red pools, not from the demon, but him, the Dave you watched grow up.

"(Y/n)," he sobbed, "I'm so sorry."

Dave was about 5 at the time, it was his first day of school and you were waiting for him to return home. It was around 11am when he returned, slamming the door. It was obviously hours before he was supposed to return.

"Dave?" you call out, setting your book down.

When you don't hear a reply, only harsh footsteps leading to his room, you begin to worry. You get up off of your spot and make your way to Dave's room.

"Dave." You knock on his door.

When he doesn't respond you open the door.

"Hey buddy, why'd you walk home, I could h-" you stop talking when you see the state Dave was in.

His eyes glistened with tears and his cheeks were red and puffy.

"Hey, what's the matter?" you ask softly, sitting down beside him on the bed.

"They were all mean to me." He sobs, grabbing onto your shirt.

"Oh sweetie."

You pull him towards you and hug him.

"Don't listen to them," you hum, "there's just bullies because they don't like themselves."

Dave blinks confusingly at you; you just smile at him and ruffle his hair. Just as you were about to talk again his bro walks in, he tosses something at you and you catch it with ease. It was a pair of shades. You raise a brow at him and he just nods, closing the door behind him.

You roll your eyes but hand the shades to Dave.

"Here, just wear these to school," you smile, "and then when you get home you can take them off and show me those beautiful eyes, okay?"

"Okay."

Only a few metres away sat those same shades, broken and stepped on.

"It's okay," you smile, blood dripping down your chin, "at least I got to see your beautiful eyes once more."

Dave collapses on the ground, clutching your lifeless body.

He mutters the word that he hadn't said in years, "I'm sorry, mum."