so there's this professor... - 05 the price of my smile (a.l spin off)
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what if we could turn back time? back to alvin's childhood?
“my childhood...?” alvin repeats your question, his voice tinged with annoyance. “why do you want to know, busybody?”
after a brief, heated exchange with you, he storms out of your room, clearly upset. he slams the door behind him, a loud reminder of his frustration. who gave you the right to ask such personal questions? who do you think you are?
with a heavy sigh, he somehow finds himself in the garden behind his mother’s flower shop. wait, how did he get here from your house? he doesn’t know, and at this moment, he doesn't care. he settles into his usual spot by the pond, watching the ducks quack in what seems like a greeting. he gazes at the water, his mother’s eyes, those same eyes he inherited, staring back at him
why is he crying now? his chest feels tight with emotions he knows but refuses to accept. he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his nearly empty cigarette pack. he places one between his lips and lights it, inhaling deeply. the warmth spreads through him, momentarily soothing the emptiness inside. he knows you hate it when he smoked, but for once- he breaks the so called ‘rule’
“clara,” he whispers softly, as if she’s right there beside him. “i think i’m in love, my angel”
…
…
…
12 years old alvin, walking with his mother and father into the hospital. they were going to see his younger brother, a daily routine he developed because his other half was sleeping every time he went. he never was awake to play and just seems be in a bubble he couldn’t reach
his parents allow him to roam around the hospital, promising to stay on the same floor. alvin stumbles upon the last room of the hall, a girl? a girl was sitting on her bed with a book in her hand. she looks up, noticing him standing in the doorway
“do you want to come in?” she asks. “i’m clara”
“... i’m alvin,” he replies softly, stepping into the room
he gets a better look at her. like his brother, she’s hooked up to several machines, but unlike him, clara is awake. alvin pulls a chair closer to her bed and sits down, his gaze drifting to the book in her hands
“what brings you here? no one visits this side of the ward,” clara asks
“my brother’s here. i come after school to visit him, but he’s never really awake,” alvin explains, his voice growing more comfortable. “i just want to play with him, but... he’s always asleep”
“well, you can hang out with me!” clara offers with a bright smile
and so, each day became an adventure, clara always played with him until he had to go home. it was his new routine, he would invite him to his brother’s room so they could all play. today was no different, they were sitting on the swings of the hospital garden
“when i get out, i want to marry you,” clara says, glancing over at alvin
“m-me?” alvin stutters, shocked
clara giggles and looks down at her hospital gown. “i like you... i love you, al. don’t you love me?”
“of course, i do!” alvin exclaims, his face turning bright red
“then we should get married!” clara declares, raising her fist to the sky
“wouldn’t that be too quick? and where would we even get the rings?” alvin asks, confused
clara freezes, her plan crumbling. she stares at him for a moment, then bursts into laughter, clutching her stomach. she hadn’t thought through the important details. alvin, hearing her laugh, can’t help but laugh along. they agree to make paper rings, promising to get real ones when they grow up
“i have to go, clara,” alvin sighs, standing up from the swing
“i’ll be waiting!”
clara gets off, rushing over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before dashing back into the hospital. alvin stands frozen, his hand on his cheek, blushing furiously. the girl he liked... kissed him? how would he ever sleep now?
he didn't sleep at all that night. instead, he spends hours attempting to make paper rings, determined to impress clara, even if it means sacrificing sleep. the rings.. they don’t exactly look like it but he hoped that his dedication would make her happy. morning finally comes. alvin, bed hair looked more like a bird’s nest from the restless night, stands in the doorway of his room, not quite ready to leave
why is he still standing there? he can hear voices from the living room. it’s normal for his parents to talk before his father leaves for work, but there’s another voice- a man’s voice. alvin grips his favorite blanket tighter and peeks around the corner
“al, why are you standing there?” his father asks, noticing him. “did you sleep well?”
alvin drops his blanket and raises his arms, silently asking to be picked up. his father lifts him, and alvin wraps his arms around his neck for comfort. something feels off, though. his father is wearing a smile, but it wasn’t the same smile he grew up to see
“this is my first son, alvin,” his father says, introducing him to the man sitting at the table with a cup of tea
“it’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man says, smiling at alvin. “i am albert james moriarty, first son of the moriarty family”
it clicks. this is the man clara mentioned- the one funding her treatment. it wasn’t out of kindness; her procedure was backed by a wealthy moriarty family who were doing it because it was an attempt to please the lord’s mistress. alvin’s parents, servants in the moriarty household, had to rely on their charity to afford the treatment for his brother. this was the man everyone spoke so highly of, but alvin couldn’t help feeling a strange sense of admiration for albert
“i must take my leave,” albert says, standing. “i apologize for not bringing the news you expected, mr. leroy”
alvin gives him a small wave, and albert returns the gesture, his servant escorting him out of the house. as the door closes, alvin notices the tension in his mother’s face. she looks... worried? sad? he couldn’t think of a proper word to describe her reaction
“he’s so different from his father,” alvin’s father remarks, looking at his wife
“aren’t they all the same...?” she replies quietly, sharing a sad smile with him
alvin, still in his father’s arms, doesn’t understand the sadness in their eyes. all he knows is that he’s going to the hospital again- another chance to spend time with his brother and, especially, clara. he can’t wait to give her his paper rings!
© saioratral 2024-25 -- do not repost, translate, alter, etc on any platform without permission. Any characters used in my work do not belong to me, they are created by their original creator. all images used are from pinterest
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