Baby steps

"I will help him with it." Rain rose from the chair before any of them could, and headed to the fridge, to get the ice cream.

Lyre sat still and watched the entire family. He nervously swallowed as they all peered at him.

"Do you want to have this here, or in your room?" Rain gently asked, much to the amazement of his family.

Everyone was shocked by his actions.

Lyre nodded.

"Okay, let's go." Rain said as he started walking towards the stairs, and Lyre followed him, but not before partially bowing to the family.

"I wish to go with brother!" Clar folded her arms as she watched them leave.

"Don't worry, darling. When you finish your meal, you can—"

"Really?" Clar smiled.

"Yes." The mother nodded as she gently caressed Clar's hair.

"Is it only me or is Rain acting strange?" Jewel asked the moment Rain was out of earshot.

"I thought so earlier." The mother nodded as she glanced towards the stairs.

"Hmm."

"Can you two quit gossiping for now? The food is getting cold." Their father frowned.

"What of Rain's food? Isn't he eating?" Clar inquired as she glanced at the plates of food on the table.

"I will microwave it for him. Just eat your food, and stop worrying about Rain."

"Okay, mom."

Rain glanced back at Lyre, who was having difficulties climbing the stairs.

"Do you need help?"

Lyre shook his head instead of outrightly telling Rain that he needed help.

All the times he has climbed the stairs, it was with Clar's assistance.

He hasn't gone up alone, before. This was his first time, and he was having difficulties with it.

Rain frowned as he watched Lyre climb.

And despite Lyre's strong resolution that he was okay, Rain can see he wasn't.

"If you needed my help, all you would have done is just ask." He placed the plate of ice cream and cookies on the floor before he climbed down to meet Lyre.

"Let's—"

Lyre flinched when Rain touched him.

"Why are you afraid of me, Lyre?" Rain was pissed that Lyre won't allow him to touch him. However, if this was Clar, Lyre won't have a second thought about that.

It made him mad. But at the same time, he knew it wasn't Lyre's fault.

Compared to him, Clar seemed more harmless and cute.

"I won't hurt you, okay? All I wanted to do is help you up. Don't be afraid, okay?" He said in a gentle voice to avoid spooking him.

Lyre blinked at him.

"I won't hurt you, don't be afraid." He said before he took Lyre's hand in his.

Lyre shook a bit, but when he saw that Rain wasn't lifting a hand to hit him, he decided to allow him to lead him up the stairs.

Rain smiled when he felt Lyre relax. It made him so happy, he wanted to jump down the stairs, screaming at the top of his lungs.

But he kept those emotions in check.

This was just his first step. He needed to be composed.

Rain led him up the stairs before he reluctantly let go of Lyre's hand, to carry the plates of ice cream and cookies.

Lyre watched Rain as he thought of how warm and gentle his hands were when he held him.

Oddly enough, Lyre wanted to feel the touch of Rain's hand on his, again.

"Let's go." Rain said before he started heading for Lyre's room, leaving a disappointed Lyre behind.

Lyre frowned as he watched Rain who didn't even glance back to check on him.

However, it seemed his thoughts caused Rain to turn.

"What are you still doing there?" He furrowed his brows as he tried to think of what was running through the pretty boy's head.

He was afraid the boy was still spooked by his hand on him.

"Come on, let's go. The ice cream is melting. And I know you won't like it then." He said as he continued walking to Lyre's room.

And Lyre followed him, wondering about the things he said.

Rain walked into the room, and dropped the plates on Lyre's bedside table since that was the only free place as his mother had books stacked on Lyre's study desk.

"Come." Rain motioned for Lyre to come closer when he noticed that Lyre was still standing by the door.

Lyre didn't wait for him to call him again. He hastily walked towards Rain and sat on the bed when Rain asked him to do that.

Lyre just can't explain what he was feeling right at the moment. All he knew was he wanted to be near the handsome boy.

You can say he wants to feel the warmth he felt when Rain guided him up the stairs.

"Good boy." Rain smiled at Lyre as he sat next to him on the bed, half expecting Lyre to flinch.

However, Lyre only inhaled sharply. He didn't fall from the bed, and neither did he flinch.

This is progress.

Rain thought as he watched Lyre who was trying to control his breathing.

Indeed, he wasn't as afraid of the handsome boy as he was before, but that doesn't mean his body has gotten used to being near others.

Whenever he was near a male that isn't related to him, he was sure to get a thorough beating from the mother who was determined to set him on her supposed right part.

Rain opened the plates of ice cream first, and motioned for Lyre to take it.

Lyre didn't do as was expected. Instead, he was looking at the pink-coloured thing in awe.

He has never seen food with such bright colours.

"What's wrong?" Rain frowned at him. "Haven't you had an ice cream before?"

Lyre nodded.

Ice cream?

He thought as he kept on glancing at the pink thing.

"What of cookies?" Rain raised a cookie. "You have had this, right?" He asked, hoping to get a positive reply. But he got none.

What he got was a shake of the head.

"Hmm." Rain frowned at the peculiar boy. "What do you eat in your home if not these?"

Fish.

Lyre wanted to say, but no words came out of his mouth.