(KASM)

Deo looked up at Kest as she pushed into the room, tears in her eyes. He raised up his hands, brows coming together, “what’s wrong?”

Kest snuffed loudly and ran to the side of Deo’s bed. She scrambled up onto his bed and wrapped her arms around his waist. Deo raised his arms even higher, giving her the space to nuzzle against his side. “Are you ok?” Kest asked through hiccups, her tears soaking his clothes.

“Uhm...” Deo’s voice and hands shook, “hey, don’t cry over me... I’m fine.” Kest shook her head, not pulling away from Deo. “This is all my fault.”

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Deo nervously put his hands around Kest. “How... How would it be your fault?”

Kest shook far more than would be normal against his side. She pulled her knees in tighter, “they don’t like me very much, so they bullied you...”

“Do they always treat you like that?” Deo frowned.

Kest shifted until she was more comfortably sitting next to him, her head still cradled under his arm, “Mother doesn’t like me because I’m stupid and can’t be still. And the others don’t like me because Mother doesn’t like me.”

Unconsciously, Deo tightened the arm draped around Kest, stopping her from shaking, “you don’t seem stupid to me....”