(Triggers warning: mentions of abuse.
Flash back.)

WHEN GABRIEL ELMSTONE WAS TEN HE BURIED THE ONLY CREATURE THAT HAD EVER LOVED HIM. A crow by the name of Nox, deep in the small wood at the edge of the Elmstone manor. Nox brought him flowers to dry for his books, lost things that shined, accompanied him most places and dived on the other boys that bullied him. Now Nox was dead. He'd been Gabriel's only friend.

Or so that's what he'd believed. Until he turned around. "You?" He demanded, squinting his eyes at the small girl standing before him.

She beamed happily at him revealing a crooked set of teeth, with three of them missing. "I thought Nox might like these."

Clutched tightly in her hand was a bundle of scarlet roses.

Gabriel's long lashes fluttered closed momentarily as he sighed. Defeated, he tightly muttered, "Nox is dead." Before reclaiming his shovel to pat the dirt flat atop the shallow grave.

He'd actually been done with the burial for some time but he had been rooted to the spot. Hoping that Nox would somehow rise from the ground, shake the dirt clean of his wings and fly free. But he hadn't. He wouldn't ever fly again.

Now a girl had appeared out of thin air. And he couldn't think, couldn't breath under her scrutiny. He could imagine what she must think. That he was pathetic for going through such lengths to burry a dead bird. And strange for having considered that bird his friend. His only friend.

Subconsciously he found himself attempting to soothe the loose curls wild atop his head, straightening his posture and clearing his throat. A poor attempt to gain some semblance of composure.

"Nox loves roses, he can take them with him to remember me when he's in heaven." She replied, stepping closer and into the sunlight.

"No, you love roses, and you are old enough to know, heaven a children's tale for ensuring 'good' behavior." He retorted in a matter-of-factly tone, giving her a pointed look.

"Nox adored roses, he'd drop one off at the garden every sunset." She sternly insisted, stepping closer with her clenched fist. "He wasn't only your friend you know."

"No—" Gabriel had turned once again to the girl, to tell her off but his words tuned to ashes on his tongue once he seen her in the sun.

She stood in a gleaming ray of sunlight that had poked through the shadows born of the tall trees. It was if heaven casted a spotlight up her and demanded he take notice. Her brown skin glittered like soft bronze, her lengthy chocolate hair danced in the wind like ribbons of curled silk, her brows were deepened with sincerity of her fierceness and her lips painted in blood from being chewed.

In that moment, in her white linen dress and bare feet she was so ill-fitted for the dreary wood, ill-fitted for reality.

Her dark eyes met his and he saw an eternity blinking back at him. Even then, he knew. It was her, it had always been her.

The boys heart trembled in its beating and he stumbled backwards. "No!" He repeated firmly, but this time to himself. No! She could never care for you. She is golden and you are nothing.

"Fine then!" She pushed past him, marching to the head of the willow tree where the bird, was buried beneath. "Be that way."

Gabriel blinked watching her with the   same wary eyed keenness that you'd watch bear. She muttered to herself rather loudly as she stomped about, throwing down the roses and kicking up dirt.

The girl had marched a good distance away when she seemed to recall something and turn on her heels at a stand still. " I suppose then, that you also do not want the chocolates that, Auntie Ette made. No matter, then I shall keep them for myself."

Harriet was Gabriel's nanny, the cook and the overall head of the household. But most importantly she was the closest thing he'd ever had to a mother. His most favorite thing about her was her cooking particularly her sweets.

"You wouldn't dare." He warned, narrowing his eyes and dropping his shovel.

She threw him that ear to ear gummy grin again, only this time it seemed wider and her eyes shined a little brighter. "Bet?" She challenged raising an eyebrow.

He was taken aback by her lack of manners. He was her better, her superior. And just in few years time he was to be her boss, her master. "You god awful creature I'll have you spanked for disobedience."

She shrugged, skipping back to him. "I'm not afraid of you." She giggled teasingly and with that she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, skipping back off towards the house before he had time to react.

The poor boy stood there dazed. When was the last time he'd been kissed? Why, Gabriel couldn't recall being kissed before at all. His skin was laden in goosebumps, his thoughts were a blur of hums, his knees were ready to buckle under his weight.

He'd reasoned long ago that kissing and such other affections demonstrated with skin-ship were unhygienic. And likely the cause of widespread disease and early death and therefore he'd much rather not. But the brush of her lips against his cheek hadn't felt so bad. In fact against his will he'd found the feathery soft sensation rather enjoyable. Lovely even.

Perhaps death in result of kiss would not be so bad entirely.

"I'm gonna beat you!" The girl hollered over her shoulder, half way to the manor.

The chocolates! A voice in the back of his mind demanded he recall and cease his idling about the lawn.

Gabriel Elmstone did not run. Oh no his legs were much too long and skinny to be of service carrying him anywhere at high speeds. But he ascended up the hill towards the manner in what can only be described as a determined march. Eyes narrowed, his hands turned fist at his sides, his knees almost raising to his chest with every well placed step.

"There you are child!" His step mother, Constance fumed, jacking him up by his collar to pull him along with her. "Covered in dirt with guest due to arrive any minute. Harriet!"

Gabriel pried him self loose straightening back out his sweater, but the repulsion he felt from being touched resonated through him in angry shock waves. She had no right! "You know how I feel about contact."

Constance clicked her tongue in dismissal , rolling her eyes. "Boy, this is no time to be peculiar. If you make things difficult for me tonight I'll make things very difficult for you. Do you understand?" She turned on her heel, warning him coldly with the warmest smile.

Constance was a stunning woman. With glittering azure eyes, a rosy complexion, silky dirty blonde hair and a good figure. She carried herself with an unmatched grace and wore the most alluring dresses and jewelry.

But she was not kind. No there was nothing kind, soft or arguably humane about Constance Elmstone. It only appeared that way and Gabriel had long since figured out there wasn't anything that she wouldn't do to to keep it appearing that way.

The boy shivered. Thoughts of protest were blown away on a bitter breeze of his reoccurring memories. Memories like ghost, memories of darkness.

Weapons become of the same hands that are supposed to soothe him, the very ones leaving bouquets of bruises. She punishes with hunger, bloody noses and isolation in too small dark places.

"I understand."

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(A/N: Pt, 2 should be up sometime on Thursday by the latest. Also that character interview no one asked for. For which I've chosen Dean.)