[Winter, Year 1608]
Someone opened the door to Yuki's room, closing the door behind them.
"Hey, you. That's my book, give it back." Yuki glanced at Xavier who has his arm extended, palm opened upward in a 'hand it over' stance.
Yuki quietly handed the book over, watching Xavier run out, slamming the door shut.
— — —
"Son, what are you burning?" Mr. Revs asked, tilting his reading glasses down while raising one of his brows.
He sat on the wooden rocking chair, reading.
"Nothing, dad. I was just checking if the fire you imbued in the stone got weaker. I think it's still good, so there's no need to replace it." Xavier replied, smiling innocently as he watched the flames engulf the book quickly like a dangerous, infectious disease.
"Son. Since you're the oldest, make sure you take care of Yuki and be kind to her, got it? She's going through a lot." Mr. Revs emphasized, his face full of worry.
"I understand, dad." Xavier nodded as he clenched his fists.
— — —
"Hey." Yuki knocked on the door to Xavier's room.
After a few seconds, the door slowly creaked open with a figure standing behind.
"What? Go away, I don't want to see your face." Xavier said with a 'tch.'
Just as he was about to shut the door, Yuki stopped the door with her right foot.
"Where's the book?"
"Hmph. I don't know where I left it okay? It's gotta be here somewhere, right?" Xavier said with a hint of annoyance.
"You—"
"That book isn't yours anyway. Go find it if you can!" Xavier smirked.
"...It's fine." Yuki muttered.
'I finished reading most of it anyway.' She thought, retracting her feet.
The door shut with a bang. Yuki stood still outside, weighing out the positives and negatives of staying here in her little head.
Yuki understood she cannot be a bother to Mr. and Mrs. Revs or else they might kick her out. So what if she does not get along with their son? In Yuki's head, at this moment, the easiest way to survive is to stay with these people. All the necessities are provided: food, water, shelter. Here, she could live freely. She even has access to shelves full of books!
'I can deal with this.'
Yuki walked away, going downstairs to find something else to read. Every night, in her room, she would secretly try to apply what she learned to small items she found laying around.
— — —
[Spring, Year 1612]
A few years passed by quickly. Xavier, who is two years older than Yuki, is now 12-years-old.
Despite his age, quite often, Xavier would secretly try and find a way to make Yuki leave, being as stubborn as a mule. In front of Mr. and Mrs. Revs, Xavier acts like the well-behaved son he is, being kind and caring to Yuki. Without his parents around, however, in Yuki's eyes, he acts like an evil little demon who always has some trick up his sleeve, acting two-faced with ease.
Xavier, the only child of the Revs family, is spoiled by his parents ever since he was born. He is smart, but he is also a cunning attention seeker who selfishly wants his parents to pamper and look at only him. Back then, out of nowhere, a dirty little girl appeared in his home, unannounced, taking away his parents' full attention on him.
'How dare you! I'll make sure you regret staying here, leeching off of us for so long.' Xavier thought, glaring at Yuki sitting across from him at the dinner table briefly before going back to aggressively munching on his steak.
After chewing, he looked at Yuki again. This time, Yuki stared back at Xavier, curious as to what new thing this little demon is up to.
"Yuki," Xavier began, "do you want to explore the area near the forest a little?" He asked.
"Xavier, no. What if she gets hurt?" Mrs. Revs said firmly.
"Mom, dad, I promise I'll protect Yuki. We'll only explore the borders of the forest. It'll be fun! Plus, all these years, Yuki hasn't really seen the outside world. I can show her how pretty the flower field is too. Pleaseee?" Xavier begged.
"What do you think, Yuki? It's up to you." Mr. Revs commented, patting his wife's back as a gesture to let her know it'll be fine.
"Okay." Yuki answered, nodding her head slightly.
Yuki knows Xavier is up to no good, but she too wants to see more of the outside world. Mr. and Mrs. Revs, due to worry, never let her out unless she's with them. This is the perfect chance for her to freely explore. Who says she needs to stay with Xavier the whole time? If that little demon is up to no good, she'll dip and do what she wants. The consequences are a problem for Xavier to deal with later.
Yuki smiled gently, finishing up her lunch happily.