Violet Maudie

How did it come to this? Me filling a plastic bag with ice for the boy now sitting at my kitchen table, and Ansel rummaging through my hall closet trying to find the med box. I finished filling the plastic bag, I closed it, grabbed a paper towel, wrapped it around the bag and then set it down in front of the boy. The boy just glanced at it and then continued to watch me. 

I went to the hall and grabbed the red and white med box on the third shelf Ansel turning a little red for not noticing it. He walked to the table and sat in the seat next to the boy, I set down the box in front of Ansel and then took my seat across from them. 

 The boy was still watching me, his emerald eyes seemed to pierce me but I just stared right back. We continued this for what seemed hours but was most likely seconds before the boy looked away his oil black hair winging to the right as he faced Ansel. “Well I’m here now what?” The boy asked, his voice a silky smooth voice like the night. 

Ansel had started to go through the box taking out bandages, antibiotic, and salve. Once he had it all out he turned to the boy. “Can I touch your face to put some salves?” Ansel asked. The boy only nodded and then turned his head so Ansel had better access to the bruises and cuts on his pretty face. If he did not have so many cuts and abrasions on his face he could have been beautiful his skin a golden tan, sharp cheekbones but just the right amount. Perfectly thin lips and eyebrows, and his stunning green eyes like a plant just budding. All of this framed by his gleaming jet black hair that fell to his torso tied back. He was stunning but he also had a aurora of darkness, calamity, predatory that seemed to stick to him like sap sticks to the tree. 

Ansel started to put the lavender salve on the bruises, the boy to his credit did not so much as flinch. Instead his eyes flicked to me, a predator sizing up its prey indeed. This time I looked away, “So are you going to tell me what happened and why you have a bleeding bruised boy sitting in my kitchen right now?” I drawled looking to Ansel. He had finished with the salve and was putting antibiotic on a nasty gash on the boys left cheek right under his eyes. 

He opened his mouth but before he could answer the boy spoke. “He saved me from a fight and bought me enough time to get away that's it” he said looking at Ansel daring him to speak. “As heroic as your making Ansel out to be there has to be more then that or he would never have helped he's to shy.” I glanced at Ansel “Sorry.” He just kept working like he didn't hear it. The boy did not respond for a minute before mumbling “ I may have helped him the other day with bullies and they came back for revenge today because of it." “Ahh that make much more sense now” I responded. Ansel finished putting a band aid on the boy’s cheek. “So what's your name then?” I probed. “Raven,” the boy obviously was not going to share more so I let it go. 

“Can you take your shirt off?” Ansel said taking the salve out again. “I know you got hit there a couple of times.” “No. I am not taking off my shirt and it does not hurt so it's fine.” Raven insisted. “There is no way you’re fine I saw how hard they hit you, now take off your shirt.” Ansel was raising his voice, not too much though. “No it does not hurt now, stop bothering me you annoying bastard.” Raven yelled. Immediately Ansel started to tremble and Raven saw his mistake. “Enough take off your shirt young man or I will make you take it off” I said sternly. “I'd like to see you try old hag.” The boy sneered. “I am not that old and if I can't take you down there is a doctor waiting outside for this party to end, so he can come in, and I’m fairly certain he could.” It was not a lie, I saw Eric's car pull in the garage and I had sent him a text to stay outside till I dealt with this problem. 

The boy glared at me but finally didn't reply he slowly pulled his shirt over his head and I sucked in a breath. Ansel mirroring me a moment later. Raven’s body was covered in bruises of different severity some blue, purple, and yellow. There were also cuts running up and down his body many scabbed over, but what I had gasped at was not the same as Ansel. He was staring at Raven’s back and when I looked closer I saw them. Scars some big others small, old and new, deep and shallow. The newest ones still had pink skin where he had been cut. “How… why... “ Ansel stuttered. The boy just looked at him with a sad look. “This is why I didn't want to take my shirt off I didn't want to scare you. I am an orphan. I go to extreme extents to get money. In one of my ways if I lose I get punished” he motioned to his body. Ansel slowly opened the salves and stared to apply it to the bruises on Raven’s stomach, this time he did flinch. 

I stared at him and it clicked. “You participate in underground fight pits.” I breathed. Raven’s eyes shot to mine “ How do you…” he shut his mouth and then said nothing. “How could you join that” I ask. His eyes flash, “You do not know me don't act like you do. You don't know what I have gone through, hell I bet you have never had to a threatening day in your life. So don't you dare question my methods when you don't even understand what i'm going through.” By this point he was seething his eyes seemed to swirl with anger. I just calmly looked at him,  Ansel was looking back and forth between me and Raven. “You’re right I may not have been in the same circumstances as you, but don't be a hypocrite and think you know about my life because you will be sadly mistaken on some of your threats. I have felt abuse and witnessed rape don’t think for one second you are the only one with hardships to bear. Every person in this house bares scars whether they are physical or not does not matter. "Now…” I glanced at Ansel who was putting on the last of the badges on Raven. “Take him to the empty bed room on the second floor.” “Why” Ansel asked. “Because we're going to have a new addition to our family” I replied. 

Then glanced over at Raven who was just staring at me for once he looked a little shaken. Good I thought, “Give him some of your clothes to borrow they might be a little small but it will work also makes sure he takes a shower he stinks.” Rage flared in Ravens eyes. “When he's done take him to my study I need to go over some things with him.” I was done. I got up and walked down the hall to my study. This was going to be interesting.