3 The Beginning of Everything, Sure is a Rollercoaster (Pt.01)

(IRYAN'S POV)

  Time really does pass by painstakingly slow when you hate it, doesn't it? An entire month felt like three eternities to me. Everyday was bland food to my poor tongue and strong antiseptic stench to my unassuming nose. It has been at least a month before I got released from that dreaded place called hospital. And of course, that meant it's time for me to go with the Crowell's, to my new 'Home'.

  Currently, I am now in their car. Which surprisingly, has a sweet Chocolate scent in it. Because, with how I've been acquainted with them over the past month, I thought their car would have a more professional scent like lavender or something. The cushions of the chair were also very soft and fluffy, I  probably would have fallen asleep over and over again If it wasn't because of nervousness. In total, I think the transition from the hospital and this, feels like heaven and earth already.  

"We're about to arrive!" someone announced chiperly, Which is quite obvious to who it was, considering how the other two were as stiff as logs.

  Which at times, do made me wonder how a single guy like him could stand being surrounded by two people who are the exact opposite to him. Especially 'Mateo'. 

  From my interactions with him, he's So... stiff. I mean, who uses formal sentences to their parents all the time? And his way of speaking, it sometimes made me wonder if he's a machine in disguise. Not that I could tell, anyway.

  When the car stopped. I hear the car door open and a pair of small hands made its way over to mine. Leading me outside the car carefully.

"Careful" he said to me stiffly, he's hold tightens,

Hmm… But I supposed, He's not that bad…

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For a machine, That is.

(MATEO'S POV) 

  It wasn't to my delight. That was one thing for sure.

  A week before he was discharged. Mother had confronted me to look out for him, as some kind of a babysitter of something. (Kind of Ironic now that I think of it, since he's older than me.) And I, of course, wanted to object to her request. It was simply too much for me, how can I look after a cripple who needs babysitting twenty four-seven? I am too young for fates sake. And I barely even know him, plus, he's too energetic for me to watch over him, just too much. 

  But as I was about to retort, Mother crouched down to my height and patted my head. I was beyond surprised at this point, It wasn't a gesture she often showed, so... I shut my mouth.

...

  "Listen to me Mateo,' She cupped my cheeks into her hands, "I know you don't want to, But before you say anything else please listen out to me." hands trailing to my shoulder, "Iryan, that boy, won't have much hope if we just left him alone with his… 'Relatives', he could get murdered immediately." She now held my shoulder tightly, not showing any signs of letting go, "So please… at least, do this for me?" her face contorted to an emotion I never seen her before..., 

Desperation.

My breath hitch, I never wanted to see her like this.

I don't like this. 

  My mother was a strong willed woman, who bows to no one. She always had her head held up high. She wasn't a renowned witch like Dumbeldor, but I know she is as strong as him. She--

  I could feel my jaw clenched tight and slowly nodded. I felt-- no, I know, know something that I don't even want to think about will happen if I object. 

And so, 

She smiled.

  She smiled in relief, and It was also at that time I knew..., My life won't be like how it used to be. And this Iryan Avery, he was not normal. He's not someone that could be thrown away like a ragdoll. He's important,

Very Important. 

  Mother stood up while stroking my cheek "Thank you," she mouthed to me, smiling. But after that, as she stood up, she reverted back to her usual self. Her cold and Prideful self, The side of her that I admired so dearly. She stood up and left me there in the corridor of the Dim lighted house. The house of the Crowell family, and soon to be, the house of the particular Avery.

I sighed

Reassuring myself that I won't regret anything,

…

Hopefully

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"We're about to arrive!" Father announced to us as he took a left turn and stopped right in front of our house.

  A medium, middle class house that has a bright flower garden at the front yard and a small pond at the side filled with fishes.  And acording to the neighbors, It was a very queer house since most of the house here is either just plain or very plain and lifeless. The walls of the house weren't covered by anything else- but the red brick and the Coral vine that latch onto the wooden pillar. Making the house has those old yet nostalgic feelings to it. The roof was made out of wood and had more curves than other houses, with potted plants hanging by a piece of thin strings. It was… as my Father would say, Witch aesthetic. 

 I took Iryan's hand and led him to the house. We went through the garden and went near the door which has stairs leading up to the door. When we were close to the staircase, I grip his hand tighter to make sure he doesn't trip and face planted to the floor, "Careful" I muttered to him as a warning. But even after I told him, he still tripped and nearly face planted to the floor. He let out a small gasp, 

I widened my eyes-- 

'Shoot'

 I quickly tried to pull him before he could do that. Thankfully, he was lighter than I expected. He stopped mid air and I could feel my shoulder relaxen when he managed to grasp his footing again, and so did the air that I unknowingly held. I let out a soft sigh of relief. 

   After that, I tried my best to guide him to the living room where there is a couch he could sit on. At least with that, he won't trip anymore and won't give me anymore minor heart attacks.

  Well with him like that  I suppose I should help Mother and Father unpack the car from all of his stuff. Sigh… how bothersome, 

"If you need anything, just call me" I told him as I started to make my way to the front door, leaving him in the living room. He look up and move his head to my general direction, then He grinned,

"Okey Dokey!" He saluted to me,

 I sighed again. Well it's official, this is going to be hell. Sigh...

…

I frowned,

I should probably stop sighing too much before it becomes a habit.

(THIRD POV)

 After Mateo left the grinning Avery, he went to where his parents were and helped them unload the car. Iryan on the other hand dropped his grin and frowned. He moved his head to the opposite direction of where Mateo had gone.  

  He felt an anonymous present there. It was a strange presence, like it was dead yet alive. Yes, he had to admit. Ever since his contact with the Crowell's, his sensitivity towards magic had been becoming more and more… well, sensitive.

"Who's there?" He asked, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible.

"No one, dear" chuckled a soft but high pitch voice, soon he heard some shuffles from the direction, followed by footsteps. But before he could ask any more questions, Mateo's voice rang throughout the room,

"Hey, Iryan, Mother asked that if you would--" he froze, his eyes widened at the appearance of the old lady in front of him. He stared at her for a while before he asked, barely in a whisper with frowned brows "Who are you?"

The old lady's dim Grey eyes locked onto his Violet orbs, and just before she could answer, like how a climatic story should be, another voice boomed,

"Hey kiddo! What's taking you so long?" his father's voice followed from the same direction he came, his footsteps stopped as his eyes linger to the figure of the old lady wearing a beige color robe, "Hmm? Mrs. Flickchered!" he beamed, "It's been a long time!" he came closer to the figure and shook her hand., which the latter took gracefully.

"You know her, Father?" Mateo carefully asked his father who still beaming with joy

"Know her?" he rolled his eyes at his son "I grew up with her! She was like a mother figure to me when I was younger!" he stated in a matter of fact tone. Then his eyes lit up, "Hey, kiddo! I just remembered something me and your Mum had to pick up. Don't worry we'll be back before six" he said, he immediately rushed out of the room. Leaving a smiling lady, Confused at what the heck just happened blond, and a very wary-weird out ravenette.

  Mateo stared at his Father's leaving silhouette as he leaves the house, then directed his eyes back to the two present figures in front of him.

"So… nice to meet you, Mrs. Flickchered?" Iryan started, trying to break the tension that was starting to build up in the room. And thankfully…

"Yes, Nice to meet you too…?"

           ...It worked,

"Iryan, or just call me Ryan, to make it simple" he replied to her with a light voice, it almost made the smile he made even more blinding.

"Yes, Nice to meet you Ryan," the lady, or known as Mrs. Flichchered nodded her head to him. Then she looked towards Mateo, "And you are?"

"Mateo, nice to meet you" he said in a polite manner, yet his face showed her anything-- but, 'nice', he seemed more wary of her, than pleased to meet her.

          ...Or not?

"I see, nice to meet you too then, Mateo"  she nodded her head at him to, which he nodded back at her as an acknowledgement. Yes, he was aware how inappropriate it was, but for once, he couldn't care less.

  After the small exchange, Iryan kept on trying to lighten the tension created by Mateo by making stupid jokes. It worked for the most part, he even managed to make the old lady laugh a few times, so that was a good sign. 

  But then, there leads to the warry ravennett. His eyes were squinted and were locked on the old lady who, either didn't notice or just couldn't care less about the scrutinizing glare that was starting to dig holes at her.

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  After a few more uncomfortable moments, Mateo stood up and excused himself after Iryan finished his twelve mouse joke.

"I'll be excusing myself"  He muttered after Iryan finished one of his jokes, he stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Hmm, where are you going?" Iryan tilt his head up and asked, making Mateo stopped at his tracks,

"My room," he answered briefly before adding "It's at the second floor, last room at the right side of the corridor, call me if you need anything" then he continued his walk.

"...Okay" Iryan answered uncomfortably after a while of silence. But by then, the ravennette had already been long gone. 

  He then dropped his head and pondered, Did he make a bad pun that somehow made the other angry? If so, then it's quite strange that the machine would show such great displeasure, plus, his Dad often made puns himself.

   Then again, in the span of an entire month he knew him, Mateo had never expressed his displeasure towards anything, any emotion actually. Maybe that machine knew what emotion is afterall?. Then, if that's not the case, what made him so annoyed to the point he forgot his alexithymia? (Condition where a person cannot understand or feel any emotions).

  With a slight confusion thrown into the mix of concern, he stood up and also excused himself to Mrs. Flickchered, who simply smiled.

  Well, he better find out. And soon. He doesn't want to live in the same house as his enemy or someone he felt awkward to, afterall. It'd be too weird and uncomfortable.

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   Iryan carefully put his right hand to the wall and started to trace it to find his way to the staircase. Which was, honestly, just across the room he had just been in and he's just making everything much more difficult.

   As he went, He felt his fingers felt like it was being tickled by the loose fiber of the wallpaper, which was Nice. But  also tripping over a few messy sandals on the front porch making it quite difficult for him to walk peacefully, which was not nice.

  After making a U turn, he finally found the staircase. Slowly ascending the staircase, he noticed the fluffy stairs and the, what he assumed, baby proofed railings. As he climbed up, he kept his right hand to the wall which led him to the first room, then onto the next. Which was at he guessed was the end of the corridor. The last room.

  The wooden door has a cold and chilling feeling to it as grazed it with his palm. He fists his left hand and raises it to knock on the door three times.

Knock

Knock

knock

  The soft collision of his fist and the door rang to his ear, there was a short silence before a quiet "Come in" sounded from behind the door. Oh, it seemed like he got to the right door. He silently sighed in relief, seeing that he didn't have to knock on every single door this house has on the second floor. Wait-- that was a wrong way of phrasing it.

  Iryan opened the wooden door and stepped in. There he was greeted by… silence.

Not very welcoming, Not very welcoming indeed.

"What do you need?" was the first thing that Mateo said to him, in a dark-- yet somehow, childishly non-threatening voice. It was a trademark of his, The Honey-blond guessed.

  Iryan felt his shoulders relaxing at the familiar voice-- not that he had anything against Mrs. Flickchere of course, but the last time he trusted some elder immediately, It wasn't pretty. He huffed and lean to the door frame, he hummed,"Nothing"

"Then why are you here?" The ravenette asked

"..."  

"Well?" he asked again, more urgently this time

  Iryan fixed his leaning position and straighten himself as he he fidgeted, "...You know" He pondered for a while, The honey-blond definetly wasn't prepared for that question, and he felt stupid because he didn't think about it. He should've predicted this kind of question from the machine. Iryan took a sharp breath before letting out a long frustrated hum, "Visiting…" he answered hastily.

"Oh?"

  Mateo raised an eyebrow while still continuing on scribbling at whatever he was doing. He wasn't impressed, and the honey-blond knew very well about that. He groaned as he panicked, 'come on, come on...' Iryan tapped his foot lightly to the marble flooring, 'Give him an excuse, a good one...--'

"Don't just stand there like a doofus--"

Iryan gasped dramatically as he held his right hand over where his heart is, "Don't call me that!" he huffed

"Well you sure look like one, Doofus!" The other retorted, putting his quill down

"And your nothing but like a machine, machine~" he mocked in a sing song voice

  With that final straw, Mateo snapped. "I am not a machine!" The ravennette growled, turning his body around in a 180' to face the Honey-blond

"And, I am not a Doofus!" The other growled back

   For a while, Mateo glared at Iryan with squinted eyes whilst the other simply puffed out his cheek, pouting. It stayed like that for a few seconds before Iryan's pouty mouth deflated into fit of laughter,

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"What's so funny?" The ravenette carefully asked the hysterical Honey-Blond as if he had gone crazy. Well, anyone one would probably do too, if they saw someone who was fighting against them one second and laugh at the next. Like the Joker for example. He's one hell of a crazy clown.

"Well…" Iryan calmed himself down, "This is the first time I've seen you act like a child!"

Mateo frowned, He acted like a what?

Sensing the other's confusion, Iryan let his guard down and laughed it off "I mean, you always act so stiff and formal around you Mom and Dad. I almost thought you were a machine if it weren't for your parents clearance that you are their son! Even your Dad laughed and agreed with me!"

The ravennette deadpanned, His Father did what now?

"Well, either way" Iryan wipe the stranded tear off of his crescent moon shaped closed eyes, "I do hope you didn't take anything to heart. I still wish to be on good terms with you, since we would be living in the same house" he pulled out his right hand for a shake.

...

  Mateo stared at him in bewilderment. Never, he tought, Never had he ever encountered such a queer human in his short five year old life. It was almost astonishing on its own, Seeing that he lived in a world of magic and many mysteries. 

  He looked at the outstretched hand and dropped his guard to an extent, he coughed awkwardly, "I'm here though?" He said with a raised eyebrow and an amused grin. Iryan was facing the cupboard which was at the right side of the table Mateo was at. So much for the drama, Mateo snorted. 

"Oh" His face smile dropped into a realisation as he turned to his right to, now, face the revennette. Hands still outstretched, "Well, sorry about that…" he muttered quietly, 

  Mateo shook his head tiredly as he walked closer to the Honey-Blond. He really is something, He thought to himself, and maybe-- just maybe, he wouldn't regret his decision. He sighed and returned the shake. 

  "It seems like we haven't been formally introduced. So for once, Let me take the lead," and for the first time, He smiled genuinely, "Greetings, my name is Mateo Crowell, the heir to the Crowell family, and the only child in this family. My family are purebloods from Asia and we specialized in the art of Alchemy. Nice to meet you"

  Iryan couldn't help but feel like he was growing older by the second the other continued on his stiff speech. It was way too Formal for his liking.

  He huffed, "Relax a bit will you?" he shook his head. But, in the end, he couldn't help but let out a chuckle, "My name is Iryan Avery, but just call me Ryan for short. I'm five and not that close with the Avery family. For my specialty… I guess Magical sensitivity? I don't know, I'm not sure. Either way, nice to meet you too, Matty" 

(OMAKE)

"Oh, speaking of introductions, why were you so mean to Mrs. Flickchered?" Iryan asked him after he let go of the other's hand from the shake, "I mean, I get it if you were a 'normal' child and was shy around her. But, since it's you, It's kinda weird how you were not all…. Formal"

"Normal?" He repeated

"Well yeah, you were always so uptight, heck. I even once heard some nurse that helped me say, and I quote," Iryan changed his voice into a high pitch one, trying to mimic the voice of the nurse "He is such a cute little gentleman, isn't he?" He cupped his own cheek, grinning "He is so well mannered for a five year old! Makes me wanna pinch his chubby little cheeks." He did a little pinching gesture towards the air and Mateo shuddered at the sight "Sigh~ why can't adult men be more like him?" he finished with a giggle.

  And just like that, Mateo unconsciously took a step back and grimaced.

Maybe, he did regret agreeing to his Mother's request. This kid was a wild card.

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CRAA SSSSSHHHHH