20 Runaway

Gray was completely lost into his own world of thoughts as the day progressed in the little store, and if it weren't for Anthea yelling at him, he would've been stuck staring blankly at the same wall for hours.

He stood silently behind the register, staring blankly down at the number-filled machine.

After being reborn, he didn't plan on getting involved with the Association anymore, so to meet up with someone from the capital nonetheless; he didn't expect to cross paths so soon. He'd fought them for quite a few years before his initial death, but never once had he met someone from the senior executive from Lunis.

It was like fate wasn't letting him run.

He wanted to stay away from his past, which contained much bloodshed between the two parties, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen anymore. Their association had killed people loyal to him, he'd killed members of the latter many times too. He wasn't exactly sure how everything was to play out from now on.

And most importantly, that kid wanted to join them.

Before, he didn't mind. Really, he didn't. He can't control someone else's life. The association was the best path for mages in this society. If not, then the smaller organizations. Yet after seeing that woman attack him so leisurely knowing she already had such a huge advantage against him, he couldn't help but be on guard.

Her people had killed so many that were close to him in the past, if she were to go overboard with the kid and do as much as draw blood...then-

"Um...sir?"

Gray snapped out of his thoughts in surprise and looked up from the register that a small line of three customers had formed before him, and they looked at him in confusion.

He opened his mouth to speak but was suddenly pushed to the side.

"I got this," Anthea said, beginning to run the items through the scanner. She looked up at Gray with an eyebrow raised, a bit concerned. "You...you can take a break."

He didn't complain and gladly exited the counter, not bothering to remove the keys hanging around his neck or his worker's tag. He left through the back door into the street, where he was greeted by a cool breeze, gently sweeping by.

He lowered his head as a few passerby's passed before him, chattering lively amongst themselves. Gray stared after them as he watched their shoulders shake with laughter, carefree. It reminded him briefly, the memories in which he had spent with his only friend, Zeke.

Will there ever be a time when he can talk with someone he trusted so leisurely again?

...Perhaps.

Maybe one day he'll cross paths with him again, assuming that he was still in the city...

He stood alone with his back pressed against the side of the building, taking in every bit of refreshing silence. He was there for a while, he didn't seem to realize how long he'd been standing there until a car pulled up in front of him on the curb.

A pink-haired man stepped out the driver's side, his neck buried into the collar of his beige coat. Milo smiled as his eyes fell on Gray, and he quickly ducked back into his car to grab a bag of burgers from the passenger seat.

He pushed up his glasses with one finger before digging into the paper bag. "Here, catch," he said lightly, tossing the wrapped food into the air.

Gray caught it without a bat of the eye and stared down at the white wrappings, the heat seeping quickly into his hands.

"I thought you'd be inside," Milo said as he made his way around his car onto the sidewalk. He leaned against the side of his car and smiled brightly as he began to unwrap his share of the food. "But outside is nice too. Convenient."

Gray released a small breath, but only held the treat in his hands. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

The latter stopped chewing and dropped his gaze, as if he came knowing what was going on, but wasn't prepared to face it. Milo scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and forced an awkward grin. "Heh...well, I was driving past Emrys and Jade, and...they told me what happened," he admitted. He shrugged. "I don't know, I just...I just drove them back home as they went into detail. So I figured I should come to check on you, cheer you up with a little something."

Cheer him up?

"...You're not going to ask or anything?" he said suspiciously with a squint of his eyes. Since he was here standing before him, that was the least he had predicted.

Milo shook his head, the pastel pink strands of his hair bouncing slightly. "No," he answered. "If you don't want to talk about it, of course, I respect that. It's your privacy after all."

Gray looked up from his hands to see Milo's light and kind expression, the genuity was clear on his face.

How...unexpected.

Gray snorted softly.

To think there would be such a person in this world, he never thought it was possible. Humans were greedy, mages were too proud. Yet the person that stood in front of him didn't seem to be either of these. Such a pure aura, Gray would say he was an angel compared to all those he'd come to know in his past life.

Compared to him, even Zeke would be lacking.

And so he had his respect.

With a small quirk of his lips, he unwrapped the treat and took a bite. Somehow, he felt glad for that answer. "Quite the simpleton you are," he mumbled.

_______________

Emrys pursed his lips as he reached the front steps of his home, a two-story complex with a trimmed lawn and clean sand paint on the exterior. The design wasn't necessarily brazen or eye-catching, it nearly matched every other home in the little court.

However, his family was still considered to be part of the higher class citizens of the city of Cille.

Nice home, parents with sufficient jobs, it would seem he'd grown up in a comfortable, harmonious household.

He took in a deep breath and dug into his pockets for the keys. They all decided to go home early today, Jade and Milo, so technically he didn't have anywhere else to roam for the day.

...And he didn't want to bother Gray either.

Milo said that Gray seemed to be those people that would rather be left alone in these types of situations, and he took his word for it. He didn't see how he would be wrong, anyway.

Coming home earlier for one day wouldn't hurt.

With a jangle of his keys, he quietly unlocked the front door and kicked off his shoes at the entrance, stepping in with only his socks onto the carpet floor which he too, pulled off.

Other than the noise coming from the kitchen to his left, everything else seemed nice and calm. The living room was empty to his right, the hallway to the stairs was clear...

He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding and turned around to close the door, suppressing the slight sense of terror within him. He stopped midway when he caught one more glimpse of the bright sky. It was still a bit early, but since Gray won't be available, maybe he can go train by himself-

He choked on the air as the collar of his shirt suddenly yanked back against his throat. It all happened so fast, and he was stunned when a stinging pain slapped across his face, forcing his head to the side.

"So you finally know to come back home," a woman's voice said tauntingly.

Emrys remained silent, eyes fixed on the ground as his cheek burned. His fingers began to curl at his sides, knuckles turning ghastly white as he forced down the swelling emotions in his chest.

The person standing in front of him was none other this his 'dear' mother, who glared down at him with cold, dark eyes. Emrys was tall for his age, usually standing inches taller than most of the students at school. But at home, he could never, as both his parents stood like a stone tower looking down on him.

"Where the hell do you think you've been going for the past few weeks?" she upbraided, her sharp words stabbing through his eardrums painfully. "Useless b*stard, you've been coming home near midnight every day and you think your father and I wouldn't notice? We sent you to school so you can study, but what have you gotten yourself into? Drugs? Gangs? Answer me."

She raised her arm to strike in once more, but this time his instincts from training kicked in, and he dodged before she could hit him.

At first, she was surprised, but a look of rage quickly flashed across her face. Her eyes were ablaze, and she was fuming. "Answer me! You are living under my roof, you abide by my rules. Don't you dare lie. I already found out that you've skipped school at least twice. Are you trying to rebel, you ingrate?!"

Emrys clenched his jaw, keeping himself from saying anything stupid. He knew this was going to happen one day, but he was taken completely off-guard from that slap.

"Are you seriously ignoring me?" his mother hissed through her teeth. She flung up her arm as if to slap him again, but lowered it as she saw her son couldn't do as little as flinch. It frustrated her, seeing how she seemed to lose more and more control of him as time passed. The thought of the possibility that he might fight back one day made her blood churn.

So she seized his arm and yanked him down the hallway to the stairs, throwing him up the steps so that he almost tripped, satisfied that she could still do that much. "I'll have your father deal with you when he gets back," she said scornfully. "Stay in your room till then, you know fully well what the consequences are if you try anything."

Emrys didn't look back as he trudged up the steps into his room. He shut the door slowly with his blanched hands and closed his eyes as the pounding in his chest slowed down to a normal heartbeat.

Home? This was no home.

Perfect family? What a lie.

He suddenly felt jealous of his older sister, who was miles away in the dorm of her dream college. She was near the point of her freedom, yet he was nowhere close. Though she texted him once in a while to check on him, never once did she come to visit him in person.

Of course, he didn't blame her. What kind of lunatic would voluntarily give themselves up to the devils?

He turned around, staring silently at the contents of his room.

Books, papers, clothes...nothing special.

How much longer was he going to stay in this house? He always wanted to run but didn't know where to nor had the courage.

The more he thought about it, the more pathetic he felt. He was different now, he wasn't the same as the powerless boy he was months ago.

He had powers. He was a mage.

He had a future that neither his parents could ever dream of, and this place wasn't going to hold him down much longer.

Quickly, he grabbed all his school things from his desk and shoved it into his backpack, along with his cellphone, wallet, and some clothes. He swung the bag over one shoulder headed for the window, sliding it open with both hands.

A small ruckus downstairs indicated that his father was back, and if he were to stay any longer, he would only get himself beaten up mercilessly.

His heart skipped a beat at the thought.

So without hesitation, he climbed onto the sill and jumped off the second floor, landing on a small platform of ice he managed to create mid-air.

He hopped off the freezing block onto the concrete sidewalk and waved his hand, the entire thing dissolving away like it was never there, the same way Gray had taught him to do.

If he said he wasn't scared, he would be lying. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins, and he was breathing shortly as he stalked away from the house and out of the neighborhood.

There was a chance he would get caught in the end, but there was no knowing if he didn't try once.

And so he ran.