What do you intend to do with my brother?

Rain frowned as he watched him.

"Are you okay, Lyre?"

Lyre nodded but said no words.

"Don't worry, even if you've not eaten these before, I will teach you how to. Trust me on this, I'm an excellent teacher."

Lyre blinked at him but made no sound.

"This one is called an Ice cream, and these are cookies." Rain picked up a cookie and ate half of it. "You chew it this way."

Lyre scoffed as he watched him.

Even if he doesn't know what the brown thing with black dots is, he knows how to nibble.

"Now, do it with this." Rain got him to open his mouth, and he placed the cookies in them. "Now chew," he said with a smile.

And Lyre dutifully chewed like he was asked.

His eyes widened at the burst of sweetness.

Wow!

He thought as he worked down the remaining cookies.

In all his life, he hasn't eaten something as delicious as this.

"Delicious, Right?" Rain smiled.

Lyre nodded as he kept on glancing at the plates of cookies as he ate as if he were afraid they will disappear if he didn't watch them.

"They are all yours. Now, let's taste the ice cream, should we?"

**********

Rain fed Lyre until he finished both the ice cream and cookies.

"Do you like them?" Rain asked as he slowly caressed Lyre's lovely hair.

Unlike when they came in, Lyre has gotten used to having Rain beside him without stiffening when he gets closer.

Lyre nodded with a smile.

Rain's heart skipped a beat at the beautiful sight in front of him.

When he's not smiling or laughing, Lyre looked like an angel who descended on Earth to grace everyone with his presence. However, when he smiles, it was indescribable.

His eyes shone a bit, and it seemed like his hair glittered.

"You are beautiful." Rain whispered as he caressed Lyre's hair.

He wanted nothing more than to kiss that pink mouth, but he held himself.

Lyre's mind was telling him to run as far away from Rain as he could, but he couldn't bring himself to take the first step.

He was rooted to the floor as he watched Rain.

The boy's mesmerizing blue eyes and handsome face made Lyre ache for nothing else but to embrace him.

"I—"

"Brother!" Clar rushed into the room without knocking.

Her presence, caused Rain to reluctantly let go of Lyre's hair.

"What are you doing here?" He frowned at his sister, who doesn't know the right time to barge in, and when not to.

"Brother!" Clar ignored Rain and went straight to Lyre, who looked like a deer caught in a headlight.

"Brother, did you take the ice cream? How was it? Do you love it? I will have—"

"Mother is calling you, Clar. She said you should come and have your bath." Rain rose from the bed and dragged a reluctant Clar.

"Let me go! Mom said I can spend some time with my brother! I would rather not bathe!" Clar struggled to free herself from her brother's hold, but he didn't relent at all.

Instead, he dragged her out of the room.

"Go and have your bath, Clar. Your so-called brother needs to rest, and also have his bath."

"As—"

Rain shut the door in her face and locked it.

"Hey, let me in! What do you intend to do to my brother? Hey, you, Rain, let me in!" Clar banged on the door.

"Shoo. You are disturbing your brother." Rain said as he turned to look at Lyre, who has a frightened expression on his face.

Lyre shivered as he watched Rain.

"Let me in!"

"You mentioned you wanted a princess outfit, right? I will have—"

"No, I don't want it any more. I want my brother!"

"What of the game you asked me to lend you?"

"I don't need it any more!"

"The car? I will let you sit in the front when we start school." Rain tried once more.

"Really?" Clar's eyes perked up.

"Yes, I will."

Rain promised something he knew he won't be able to fulfil.

Should Lyre start schooling with them, he's the only one Rain will permit to sit in front.

"Don't go back on your words!" Laughing, Clar ran downstairs to tell the mom of Rain's promise.

"Good riddance," Rain sighed before he started walking towards a still-spooked Lyre.

"Don't be frightened, okay?" He smiled at Lyre, hoping to ease his fear with a smile. "I only took her out because I don't want to disturb you. You need to have your bath and rest. Today has been a long day for you." He sat on the bed but kept a notable distance between them.

This way, he won't spook the already-spooked boy.

Lyre relaxed when he saw the boy meant no harm.

However, he didn't completely let his guard down, for fear Rain might attack when he least expected it.

"Mother said we are going shopping tomorrow." Rain stood up from the bed. "I will get the clothes you need, okay?"

Lyre nodded as he watched him.

With Rain's back to him, Lyre relaxed on the bed.

"You can go ahead and take your bath. There's a towel in the bathroom, you can wipe yourself down with it.

I will keep your clothes on the bed. And don't worry, I won't be here when you exit the bathroom."

Lyre watched him but said no words.

He just doesn't understand all Rain spoke. The only words he understood were 'have a bathe'

But he doesn't know how to go about that.

In his kingdom, if they want to bathe, they either swim in the ocean or his case, he goes to the small bath the mother made for him at the back of the house.

And the last he checked, there was no ocean or river around.

So, he doesn't understand how he was going to bathe.

"Go ahead." Rain pointed at the door not too far from Lyre's bed, "that's your bathroom. Go in there."