2. His little space

Xenorr was stirring the still cooking porridge when the shattering of glass caught his attention. No one is in the house except him and the unconscious young man. 

He put down the ladle, closed the stove and quickly ran toward the room. As he expected, the sleeping male is gone. Wasting no time, he goes to check the bathroom, surely he was there with the piece of sharp mirror against his throat. 

The bathroom mirror was broken by the young man's head, blood dripping from the fresh wound, its numerous pieces scattered across the floor. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Xenorr yells as he grab the young hand and throw the sharp object away

The sudden intrusion leaves the young man confused and stunned, rooted in place until the newcomer drags him outside.

“W-” he paused “Who are you?” 

It had been a while since he last spoke, hearing his voice once again was rather strange. 

“I’m Xenorr Synder” introduced the latter “Are you alrig-”

“Why did you help me?” 

Xenorr gives the disbelieving looks “What do you mean why?”

“You almost died out there,” said Xenorr

He attempted to examine the wound on the young forehead only to meet with the harsh words.

“Let me die” 

“Why did you interfere?”

The young man turn toward the bathroom, intending  to walk back in and retrieves the pieces of glass when a hand catch his arm 

“You are not going back there” said Xenorr “I saved your life not for you to kill yourself like this”

The young figure said nothing as he tried to tuck away but Xenorr iron grips kept him still. 

“I said you are not going back” Xenorr

He expected the person to struggle but the bite came as a surprise. The sting spread throughout his hand as he hissed, standing there waiting for the other person to withdraw. 

Seeing no sign of retaliation Asher slowly withdraws, his eyes to find Xenorr anticipating stares. Something in those stares seem to seep some warmth into his numb body. Asher continued to gaze, as though it was his first time. 

“You have such beautiful eyes,” said Asher, he extended his hand to gently caress beside Xenorr's eyes “Can you give them to me? Then I will not go back in there” 

The sinister smirk flushed on his lips “So what do you say?”

 Xenorr’s cover closes his eyes before leaning into the cold hand, “I love your eyes too. How about we exchange them?

Asher giggle happily at the question, the once lifeless eyes shine with excitement “Yes yes” 

“But first you have to answer listen me,” Xenorr said as if coaxing a stubborn child 

Asher pout in contemplation as if he really wanted the eyes he nod “Okay”

“Tell me your name” said Xenorr 

“N-name?” Asher repeat the word as if the word was new to him

“Your name, how can I call you?” Xenorr 

“Name, name, name” Asher keep mumbling the word, his memory was blur 

His name, what was his name? 

“My poor Asher,”

“I love you, Asher”

“Asher, can you do this for me?”

“Asher”

“Ash-”

Asher blink a few times before coming back with those pieces from his memory “Ash? Call me Ash”

“Ash,” Xenorr repeat “That’s a beautiful name”

Ash deny with a shook of his head as he said “Not as beautiful as your eyes”

“Alright alright. If Ash said so” said Xenorr “ Now go sit on the bed, I will treat your wound” 

Ash obediently waits at the bed, Xenorr brings the kit to clean and bandage the fresh wound. He expected the young figure to feel the pain but all he received was nothing as if the bleeding was no more than a scratch. 

“Does it hurt?” asks Xenorr softly

Ash shook his head, lost in his own world, absentmindedly playing with his fingers, oblivious to his surroundings. It wasn't until the older one called out to him that he snapped out of his daze.

“Let's go eat. Dinner is ready” Xenorr “Come on up” 

Xenorr softly sighed, he bend down to eyes level with sitting figure “Listen to me alright”

“But I don’t want to eat. I want, I want your beautiful eyes” said Ash innocently oblivious to the horrendous thing he just blurt

“You will get it only we you listen to me” said Xenorr

Ash stares at the older figure before placing his arm on both side of Xenorr’s shoulder “Carry me,” 

Xenorr agrees per the younger request, carrying outside toward the dining table and placing him onto the chair. He then fetched the hot porridge and set it down in front of the latter.

Ash simply gazes at the food, making no further effort to begin eating. Sitting down beside him, Xenorr settles and takes up the spoon, feeding the young figure. It took a few seconds before Ash finally agreed to open up and taste the porridge.

Xenorr smile in return as he pinch the young cheek “Good boy” 

It took a full two hours, with several coaxings and compliments, before Ash finally finished the dinner.

Xenorr wipes the young body, cleaning his face and hand before putting him to sleep. The process is much easier as Ash was strangely obedient, he was silent and droopy, he fell into a deep sleep as soon as he touched the bed. 

Only this time did Xenorr have a good look at Ash, he is too pretty for a man, without the bruise and wound his body is that of an elegant flower, white like that of a lotus petal. His hands and feet are soft like cotton candy, his sweet eyes assemble the moonlight only if it doesn’t look so lifeless, so disdainful, so empty. 

The sign and scar left behind from the painful past, this grown man's mind right now is that of a child. The trauma has forced him into the little space where nothing else matters, only the fun and freedom.  

“I will do what I can to help you,” Xenorr said to the sleeping beauty “Ash”

He keeps the nightstand lamp on and closes the light before going to the bathroom and clearing the mess from earlier. The blood stain sent chills down his spine as he could feel the excruciating pain from thinking about it, not to say the younger one used his head to break them. 

He takes a quick shower, puts on a simple black outfit, dons his glasses, grabs his phone and quietly leaves the house. 

TO BE CONTINUED…