If Anyone Cared (Open)

Five feet, ten inches tall; slender build; pale skin; eyes that aren't sure if they want to be gray, hazel, or completely colorless; straight, dark brown hair that is cut jagged; skin so pale thin blue veins are visible just beneath the surface; he is a beauty. That is undeniable.

It is early September in a small town in Massachusetts. Despite the fact that it is still summer, he is bundled up in a black hoodie that nearly reaches his knees. There are black, fingerless gloves on his ever shaking hands, and his long, thin legs are encased in black denim. Even though his body is hidden by layers and layers of clothing, one look at him and he seems...thin. Maybe it is because his cheeks are hollow, and his eyes nearly look sunken in. Maybe it is the too-sharp shape of his jawline. Maybe it is just the way his shoulders are rolled forward against the wind, making him look much smaller than he really is.

The weather isn't so beautiful. Overhead, the sky is gray and murky. It looks as though there is a storm brewing. The branches on the trees sway and shiver, their colored leaves singing eagerly, rattling, but not quite ready to spring into the air.

Store fronts are decked out in complimentary attire, each one more red and orange than the one before it. Wares and wonders are on display, people peddling their subpar products without shame. Their finer products and best merchandise are tucked away inside, hidden from the light fingers of the visitors, there to see the leaves early. As more and more tourism flows into the small town, they shall become more and more guarded, but for now, they proudly boast of a supposedly trusting neighborhood.

Not all in this small town is jaded and cold. Just a few blocks away, there is a beautiful park with an unblemished playground. Unlike many other places, there are no crude phrases scrawled, scratched, and carved into every surface. Instead, smiles and flowers still decorate much of it. It is a beautiful and youthful place, and beautiful and youthful faces fill it. Some are flushed from excitement, while others are split wide with devilish grins. A few hide behind their mother's skirts, eager to join in with their future classmates, but still somewhat afraid.

His cold, dead eyes take this all in and so much more. Beneath the surface, he sees that the weather is too cold, and this means that while none of his classmates will be concerned, the farmers will be. Frost and snow are on their way, and the crops won't grow as long as they should. He sees that the merchants aren't laughing as easily with each other, and behind their friendly smiles are frustrated looks as past friendships are strained by the lack of business. Most of all, his attention is caught by the little boy shoving his companions around, swearing rudely, but staying quiet enough the adults around don't notice.

He sees how the boy's mother and father aren't there. He sees that they gave him a mark so that he wouldn't forget them though. The bruise just barely peaks under the hem of his shirt. Dark blue and black, it calls a loud hello to him, and he finds that he returns that hello, coming closer.

Though his eyes are trained on the boy, unseeing of the adults around, he can feel the parents eyes on him as he crosses the distance and enters the park. Their mix of mistrust and aggression watches over them. He smiles as they half reach for their children, wanting to protect them from him, because they don't realize he is there to protect them. He lives for them, all of them. Not just the children, but his classmates and the adults as well. From the worried farmers to the colicky babies, he wants to save them, because he cares about them.

All of that care and all of that love go into one hug. As he reaches the little boy, one that many have already marked a bully, he tries to impress upon the child all of the love in the world, and the fact that he is not along. Even if his parents have failed and abandoned him, there is still so much beauty, and much of it is waiting for him.

In his arms, the boy stiffens. For a moment, he wants to cry out for an adult. He hates the touch, because it hurts. Everything hurts. Even pushing the other kids around hurts. It hurts on the outside, where his mother and father's fists and feet hit him. It hurts on the inside, where their words struck him even harder. It just hurts, and nothing can break through that hurt and save him.

But the love does, and without quite knowing why, the boy breaks down, crying in his arms.

He smiles softly and strokes the little boy's hair. Holding him close, he silently promises that it will be alright. Even if things are bad again tonight, there is always tomorrow, and someday, the little boy will escape.

OOC: I am looking for someone to play the little boy's older brother. He doesn't live with his mother and father-because he got emancipated. My character is 17 (and a Leo) and I would prefer if your character was a little older. Your should be struggling to keep his job on a farm and a high school drop out. Despite not being in school anymore, he knows my character as the freak. Basically, I want them to have a rocky relationship, but the two stick together, because my character looks out for your character's little brother.
Looking for: Literate and descriptive (300+ per post average); seme/seke; 18/19
PM me if you have any questions~