Isiah patted Ciel's head gently, his touch aimed at calming the child who had been sobbing since their reunion. Ciel continued to repeat that he was a good kid; a heartbreakingly common response from someone who had experienced severe trauma.
"Hey, Ciel... let's go home now," Isiah suggested, his voice laced with an unusual hint of softness.
Ciel's eyes seemed to shimmer in the darkness at the prospect of having a place to stay. He giggled softly before responding, "Thank you, sir!"
Isiah started to walk, and Ciel followed closely at his heels. The child's polite inquiry about how he should address his savior brought a quiet smile to the older boy's face.
Isiah decided to keep it simple. "Just call me Isiah," he replied, intentionally withholding his family name.
