Chapter 3

"How much for a pack, ma'am?"

"Four dollars only!"

Alex nodded and paid. With that there was only one item left.

"What's next?" Nicolas signed after Alex turned around.

"Olive oil. We're out of it. Should I buy two bottles?" Alex contemplated, "Just in case so we don't have to buy it again later..." She added.

Nicolas grunted, "Too much. One bottle is enough."

"One... is enough?"

Nicolas nodded.

"Alright, then." Alex smiled, "Where do they sell olive oil?"

"Follow me."

Nicolas walked ahead as he showed the way. Alex did as ordered, but she tried to ingrain this place in her memory. She would come here often, she was sure of it. The dark skinned woman realized she was kind of useless. She even needed Nicolas' help when searching for a mere car. She figured, cooking for them everyday would at least help the Benriya and reduced their daily expenses.

As she walked, Alex remembered when she first visited Big Mama with Nic and Worick. They were using the back alley, and they said it had always been that way. To avoid the normals' eyes. Why? The discrimination between twilights and normals here were serious. Most of the normals were disgusted with those twilights. They were scared of them because of their power and the ability to possibly wipe the normals all out.

The ex-prostitute wondered how the deaf man in front of her feels. About being discriminated so much, being a taboo being. It almost pained her thinking about the suffering.

Suddenly, Nicolas stopped.

"Nicolas?" Alex walked closer to put herself inside his vision to ask him why he stopped. But she was answered with the scene that was happening way in front of them.

"You fucking twilight brat! How dare you stole my breads, huh!? You got some nerves there!"

"I-I'm sorry! I-I'm hungry-AGH!"

"YOU THINK I CARE IF YOU HUNGRY!? DIE FOR ALL I CARE. DON'T COME HERE AGAIN. SCRAM!"

Alex gasped when she saw it. There was a twilight boy, kicked in his ribs. He quickly ran away to the nearest back. That scene invited so many stares. Some of them smirked, some of them cringed by the violence. But Alex felt anger. The upset woman couldn't think of anyone else who felt the same way here.

"How could they... He's just a child..."

Nicolas didn't say anything. Instead, he just continued walking, acting as if nothing happened. Something like that may just be a part of Ergastulum's daily basis.

"So seeing one of his kind mistreated like that is also ordinary for him, huh..." Alex mused.

The place they were heading to happened to pass the bread stand that was causing the ruckus. Alex saw the man was still grunting and could hear him curse the hungry twilight boy from before.

She bit her lips, thinking just how hungry that kid from before made her sad. So she did what's right.

"Hm?" Nicolas felt his shirt was pulled. He looked back, Alex was signing 'wait'.

"What's wrong?"

Without answering, she made her way towards the stall. Nicolas didn't have to ask again, he already knew what the kind woman was about to do. Buying breads for that miserable twilight boy from before. Knowing that, Nicolas merely sighed. Her kindness towards his kind suddenly reminded him of Nina.

Not long after, Alex came back with a bag of breads that boy would surely need.

"Do you know where that twilight boy is?" The kind woman asked.

Nicolas pointed the narrow back alley behind his back.

"Thank you. I'll be quick."

Alex went to the pointed place, searching for the hungry boy. She bought plenty enough for him, and maybe there could be some other hungry twilights with him too.

Nicolas didn't intend to idling there standing like a lost dog. He didn't feel insecure, even though he wore his dogtag outside his shirt he really wouldn't give any shit towards these normals. It wasn't like they could hurt him anyway. So with that in mind, Nicolas followed Alex towards the narrow alley where the boy from before could possibly hide.

He walked inside, but didn't see the woman he was searching for right away. "Where is she?" He thought.

The deaf man brought his loafer further away, until he saw a turn to the right. They were there, and Nicolas didn't only see that boy from before. There were five of them, possibly that boy's siblings or friends. And then there was Alex squatting in front of them.

"Here, these are some breads from that stall before. I bought plenty enough for all of you." Alex said with a kind smile.

"Th-thank you very much..." said the boy as he took that precious bag that would save their lifes for another day, "How do you know there's not only me?"

"W-well... I figured you might not be living alone and even if you're not, one bread is not enough right? So take them while it's still fresh." Alex gave an awkward laugh.

Those twilight children looked at each other, thinking whether it was a dream or not. One of them, seemed to be the youngest even pinched her own arm.

"Ow!" She yelped.

"It hurt didn't it?" Asked the boy that was stealing.

"Yeah, it hurt. It's not a dream!"

Right after that, all of them took the breads from within the paper bag and started eating it like mad men. They looked like they haven't eaten in years. Seeing their happy faces made Alex teared up. Was this what the twilights had to go through? They were human just like her, just like the normals. But they were sick. Those pills they're taken may give them super strength, but they weren't monsters. How could you possibly call those innocent and hungry children 'monsters'?

"Thank you very much, miss. Really... Thank you so much. You're really kind. Unlike all of the other normals..." One of them said while sobbing.

"...It's alright. Eat. I'll be going now." Alex patted the sobbing child's head as she stood up, "Take care of each other. Got it?"

Alex began to walk away. When she turned around, Nicolas was there, waiting patiently for her.

"Nicolas..." She muttered.

"...Come here."

"B-be right there!"

Alex walked fast towards the waiting man and finally stood beside him.

"Sorry for waiting, Nicolas." She said with a smile. A satisfied smile. Even if she happened to make Nicolas mad for waiting, she wouldn't regret it. She helped people, that's what mattered. "Let's go?"

Nicolas stared. He only stared, he didn't move.

"N-nicolas...?" Alex began to get worried. Did she really make him mad? "Um! I'm sorry if you had to wait I uh... I really couldn't let them be... I mean... Um... They're hungry so-"

Her words was cut with a sincere pat on her head. His big rough hand covered the whole of her scalp, yet it felt strangely comfortable. It really was.

Six seconds later which felt like forever for the astonished woman, Nicolas lifted his hand.

"Thank you." He signed.

"Nicolas..." Alex could swear if only she was whiter, her blush could be totally visible. She shyly looked down, her bangs covered her eyes. Her plump lips couldn't control a smile, but the happy woman decided to be just honest with her feelings.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

Together, they walked out from the narrow alley. They weren't walking side by side when they got here. However this time, they were.

A/N: Tell you what? Because y'all have been waiting for so long I updated two chaps in a row. How cool is that?

Thank you for reviewing, following, and the favorites. I really appreciate it!

I'm sorry if somehow Nicolas is kind of ooc here, but I did my best! He's my fav chara of all times now...

Sorry if there are grammar mistakes! English isn't my mother language and I'm still practicing. At least you guys know what I'm talking about xD