9 IX

Samty actually have four thoughts swirling in his mind.

First is how did he got here as the last thing he remembers is him standing at the edge of a clearing and some blurred scenarios playing at the back of his mind that he isn't sure if it's just a dream or a real scene that had played out. However, that's not the case to look at right this moment because what truly bothers him is how did he got here? It can't be his saviour again because he was injured and it can't be the other guys he met for a short period of time considering they didn't know where he had ran to. Could it be...Samty shakes off the thought that pops in his mind.

Second is why is his arms are bared? He's sure he was wearing his only clothes, the only one thin long sleeved shirt he possesses, last night before he had the audacity to sleep in the middle of his run that he didn't know what happened next. As far as what he can see on his confused state on his current situation, the one he now wore had a shorter sleeves but still managed to dangerously hangs around his narrow shoulder.

Third is what made them jump into the conclusion of him having a broken nose. It just doesn't add up to what he can recollect bits from the last night's happenings. Did he trip and fell down the slope of the clearing? Or maybe he managed to get himself faceplant on a branch of a tree from his escapade? But he's already at the clearing, that wouldn't make sense at all. Wait, did his chasers cornered him and somehow he got to a fist fight with them? No, that can't be. Samty didn't entertain that ludicrous thought of his. He's sure he'll only received a punch on his gut before he be knocked out cold. It can be the first option and also not.

And lastly is, why is there an ugly bruise adorning his pale wrist?

Samty stared with aghast in his eyes on the tortured flesh. Seeing how the color circles his whole, up to the back, wrist like a thick black brass bracelet on his poor skin. His complexion making it ten times more visible and darker. He twists his wrist and looked closely at the red lines creeping down his arms. It seems like something ruthlessly gripped it—

Samty gasps with disbelief.

"Bone crusher!"

He exclaims against himself with saucers eyes, completely forgetting that he wasn't alone and actually do have an audience from this idiocy of his. Samty, hearing a snort, immediately flicks his gaze back to the man that still is crouching in front of his excuse of a body. Hand still resting at the back of his head to prevent him from greeting the angry wood just a centimeter away from his head. Heat welcomed itself in a snap of a finger back to his cheeks when there's an airy chuckle resounding through the man's full lips. Shoulders shaking from how much straining he does to his fit of laugh. The woman far a couple of steps ahead of them isn't left behind as she's also at the same page as the other. Boney hand up to her mouth to try and block the mirth forming on her lips.

"I-I m-mean that huge man who gripped m-my hand! He nearly did broke it!"

He sputters out hurriedly and nudge his arm at their way to further explain why did he named that man as is while his two companions are doing their best not to choke on their hushed guffaw. It wasn't even that funny considering he did got this unpleasant color on his arm from him. But now that the cat is out of the bag, he wonders why it doesn't hurt—not even in the slightest possible way.

"I think we're talking about Amtari here"

The woman who's standing against the open door breathes out those words. Samty shrinks down even more on his position when his saviour continued to stifle his soundless laugh. The hand behind his head moves involuntarily against the owner's desire like it's ruffling his already messy hair. Not really keen to be take on as a joke, he frowns and pushed away the hand and carefully scrambles on his numb legs. His previous sitting position seems to completely cut out the blood flow and only did they manage to supply again his veins on his limbs when he decided to get up. The latter also stands up at his full height and Samty unconsciously leaned back on his nemesis that came about as a small shelve for numerous books. He stand there with the silence that follows, waiting for the needles on his legs to vanish as he side glance the other.

He bit his lip, hiding his frenzied eyes behind his hair that is looking to the tall grasshopper next to an ant—him. On his full height, Samty now only reach just a centimeter above his shoulder. It's also not pleasing to see how broad his shoulders is and muscled his chest is even though it's the one who helped him yesterday.

'Yesterday...'

Samty stared down on his bare feet.

It was only yesterday that everything completely collapsed around him. The initial sorrow after his father died got piled up by how frustrated he felt of fending for himself from now on. His stomach didn't do any help from grumbling non-stop from the lack of food it has. Then, just when he found food, another infuriating thing happened that left him sleeping on the soil ground with nothing but cold air and empty stomach instead in the safety of their tent. And if life really haven't got its entertainment to watch him in such miseries, he found this jewelry that sends him running back on the forest with police on his tail. There, many things happened at the same time that he still vividly remembers before he found himself under the shadows of the same forest as the sun had its rest but in a completely different town. It was only yesterday that he got madly chased by the figures in cloaks until he can't able to run. It was only yesterday. Just fucking yesterday.

"Hey...hey, it's okay. You're fine now"

Samty had been pulled out from his deep trance when he felt a vibration directing next to his ear. Late to realize that strong hands are caging him against a sturdy body. His small figure was swallowed whole, sure enough that the other person on the other end of the room can't see him from how the big man is completely hiding him. Samty felt soft hands caressing his head and the other resting on his back. The arms felt hard and  tough on him but the hands radiates calmness and softness on him. His head was slightly tilted up from where the man is coaxing him to look to him with his pointer finger. The pad of his thumb swiping on his cheeks with a small smile on his lips. That's how Samty learned that he was crying.

Why was he crying? He doesn't know.

Samty blinks and came back to his senses, his hand quickly barricading the man to his own space as he steps out of the hug the other is giving him. Thankful that he is freed, he deflates on the wall and lowers his head to get all the tears with the back of his hand. Gritting his teeth for making his self look like a weakling and a fool again to these two. But the tension inside the room after his breakdown had evaporated when a third voice made an appearance, leaving Samty to silently aid for himself.

"Breakfast ready! Come down before it gets cold!"

None of them moved.

The woman before the door, his saviour standing in front of him and him wallowing in self pity on his place. He wasn't really keen on going down for food nor ushering them both out to get some alone time or just speak for that matter. However, when his mind worked on the silent room he suddenly had the time to backtrack on their short exchange of words. Samty was left with furrowed brows and a big question mark above his head.

His head immediately snaps up with a crack and his eyes pinned down to the taller man who's also looking at him. His irises speaks something deeper but Samty never let himself fall on the deep abyss since he wants answers.

"What do you mean 'the other day'?"

A confused expression was gifted to him by the man but before he managed to open his mouth to try and answer Samty with another question, the woman, who's now standing outside the room and was about to be lost in their sight, respond to him.

"You were out the whole day after I fetched you out the clearing. I've also let Hirgo change you from your...clothes. Now come, before they inhale all the food downstairs"

~~~~~

It was a huge crowd that greeted him.

"Onpil! Get. Down.!"

"Dirma! Dirma! Feri got my mittens!"

"Dowem, help me here! I only got two hands!"

"Serpin, don't get there! No!"

"Lithi! Release your brother!"

Samty stared like a sore thumb stiffly standing on the bustle. Bodies are moving to get in every direction with an ear-splitting scream each second. He stops his further movements once he reached the last step of the stairs. Looking forward on not getting in the middle of the disarray, afraid of getting driven by the rocking bodies once he brave out his chances. But eventually, he got himself be pushed forward off his balance sending him to stand on the old carpet placed on the floor with a hidden shriek from all the chaos. Samty immediately springs up to his height and planted his self on the nearest wall when a figure zoom past by him, an inch closer into collision with his body. He craned his neck to his right when the man who pushed him without warning emerge from the shadows of the stairs. But instead of giving him glares for what he did, he clamp his mouth shut when he once again felt the same tingling sensation in his stomach. The damn man making it difficult for Samty to be angry with that sweet smile of his.

"Welcome to our humble home..."

Samty only stared.

Doesn't even really care if he cramp his neck from how much tilting of his head he has to do to continue his stare to the other. But another shriek made its way out his throat when something poked his sides making him fly away from the unknown thing that sends him stumbling back to the chest of the latter. Now that he's facing the other way, he gawk to the little girl in front of him. She only reached his hips wearing her hair into pigtails, an old looking bear stuff toy held by its one leg on her side.

"You're awake!"

She screams. However, his eyes went pass the little girl as his ears found no more sound echoing into the room. Samty's face went again one shade darker from earlier at once from much more embarrassment as he knew his shrill cry was heard by every ear. And heck they did when he side glance the whole room and all eyes are now on him.

"G-good morning"

He whispered and tried not to stammer against the dead air of the morning breeze but luck isn't well on his side. So he bowed his head to hopefully hide himself to everyone, wishing that the floor would crack open and eat him right this instant.

"Come on! Food won't wait for you!"

And he's just thankful to the an-octave-lower voice of mister bone-crusher man that works like a spell to everyone. All heads turned to him were stolen by those words at the doorway right in front of the staircase where him, and his saviour had descended. Soon, cries of hunger echoed loudly on the four walls of the room and the agitated steps that falls on the still wooded floor felt like the earth beneath him is splitting in two.

Samty just then realize when silence once again floats inside that his back is still pressed on the chest of someone when he felt a quiver of laughter on his tense back. He step forward once to gain some distance between them before craning his neck in quick motion to look at the man who holds him one hand on his waist and one hand on his shoulder. Sweet smile still adorning his face and Samty can't help the flush on his face for the hundredth time.

"I hope you're not getting overwhelmed by everyone"

Words had left him fully as he only shook his head as a no for a reply and stared some more from their awkward position. His black irises got lost easily enough to his mahogany ones that he didn't felt pairs of eyes looking at their shared small place in one corner of the room.

"Apparently, this isn't a private place to eye each other"

Samty springs away like he was burnt on the firm hold of the other when those words were uttered by the same voice that almost deafens him up the room on the second floor. Eyes immediately landing on the two figure, two pair of honey-brown eyes are both staring at them with a mischief glint. But his gaze got locked for the second time on the woman who wore the long grey dress down to her knees with her golden brown hair in a loose braid on her back

"You..."

Samty started and stared with a lost look.