The woman carried with her a gentle step as she brought the boy into the light. A room stood before them booming with chatter, screams, and laughter vibrating through the walls with a chaotic excitement. However, with a single step, the woman brought a swift calming to the other children as their eyes flash to the newcomer.

She watches as all their eyes begin to divert to her, then with a beaming smile, she chooses to speak.

"Alright then everyone, sorry for the sudden announcement. However, starting today, we will have a new member in our family!" She smiles down at the boy beside her but is only met with his bowed head.

The red balloon above him with printed words saying "Hello Everyone!!" floats almost still as the child remains rooted in place. With his shoulders drooped, and his gaze to the ground, he's nothing like how a five-year-old should be, he appears more of a doll than a child.

The woman's smile diminishes as she watches the little boy's state of being, a deep pain grabs at her heart as she pats the boy's head.

"This here is Axel, please, everyone, treat him nicely, and give him the space he needs right now. . He's been through a lot these past couple of days," her voice graces everyone and they nod their heads in return.

And with that, she gives Axel one more fleeting smile before leaving him within the crowded room. Alone, still clutching the balloon, he moves himself to a corner, silently sitting away from everyone else.

The room is quick to return to its hectic state. Though through the commotion a boy chooses to rise with a sympathetic heart and walks towards the boy. His brown hair swishes to the slight sudden jerk of a hand on his shoulder.

Another kid shakes his blond head at the chubbier boy. "Listen to what the lady says, give him some time."

Although the chubby boy appears reluctant to do so, he eventually gives in and listens to the blonde boy.

Lunchtime.

Large umbrellas cast shade over the children as they happily eat outside. Giggles and chatter echo through the air breaching the silent table where Axel sits alone.

The older kids keep the younger ones from pestering Axel as they know he needed the time to cope. Some still peak at the small boy staring into the sky with blank eyes, some question why he'd not bothered to get any kind of food.

Yet at another table, two boys scarf down what they can before pocketing the remains of whatever is left of their meals.

Nighttime.

The sun vanishes into the horizon and the moon comes out to play. Just when the adults signal everybody to go to sleep the boys sneak outside of the orphanage. They're the very same ones who had stashed their leftovers.

They plop themselves at the end of the staircase leading back to the orphanage and in the light of an old lamppost.

The two stare out into the distance watching the occasional flicker of light from the worn street lamps. The road before them hadn't fared any better as trash was strewn along the sidewalks and several cracks left behind uneven patches of asphalt. And in the edges of darkness, a few people sleep with what little they have.

Then, from out of the darkness of the streets, something approaches them. However, they both smile as they see the stray puppy approaching them. It's small, gray, and one of its legs is wrapped in a thin bandage forcing a small limp from it. The boys pet the little dog as it happily barks and wags its tail. Then, they take out their leftovers and offer it along with a small cup of water for the little puppy to drink from.

"There you go buddy, all for you," the boy with blonde hair states as he caresses the puppy's ear.

"Glad to see the bandage is helping you recover pal, you're walking a little better now," the chubby boy points out with a hopeful grin.

The two of them had found her injured while on one of their nightly 'looking up at the stars' routine. The poor thing was at the bottom of the staircase, near where they sat now, with a bleeding leg and shivering to near death. The two boys just couldn't leave it there, so instead, they went back into the orphanage, snuck past the adults, grabbed some bandages, food, water, and a blanket, before rushing back to its aid.

At first, she was very afraid of the two, she barked and growled, but with an injured leg and barely having any energy left, she couldn't get away. It was only until the two boys offered her food, did she let them get close enough for the boys to tend to her injury while she ate the food they offered. After she finished, the two boys wrapped her in a warm blanket and took turns warming her up throughout the night.

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And now, she comes back every night to the orphanage with a happy trot as the two boys come back every night as well to give her food. They sadly couldn't keep her in the orphanage, otherwise, they would have her inside. So they vowed to do what they could to at least heal her up before ultimately sending her off

After that quick interaction, they say their goodbyes before turning to head back. By now, even all the adults were asleep so they just walk around the hallways until they find their room.

Their room is cramped, even if there's little within it besides the four bunk beds lining the walls. Light cast through a single large window at the farthest end of the room, like rays from heaven. It illuminates the withered wallpaper which clings half-heartedly to the walls. And as they enter the floorboards groan under their weight.

Nevertheless, no one seemed to mind the circumstance and grew to adapt to them. And this room, in particular, belongs only really to these two boys, they could walk with no worry. However, before they could begin preparing their beds to sleep, an unfamiliar sound halted them.

The room is enveloped in a heavy silence, punctuated only by the faint sound of stifled sobs, like a distant echo of someone's heartbreak. Its origin remains a mystery until they turn their gaze towards the corner, where a small figure sits, shrouded in darkness. It's Axel, the same boy from earlier, his tears painting a sorrowful portrait against the cold, indifferent walls.

With cautious steps, they approach him, each footfall echoing the weight of the unspoken pain in the room. Axel's quivering form becomes clearer as they draw near, his small frame huddled against the oppressive solitude of the top bunk's wall. A deflated balloon lies forgotten on the floor, a symbol of fleeting joy shattered by the harsh reality of his despair.

"I'm all alone now..." His voice is but a whisper, barely audible amidst the suffocating silence, a lamentation of a soul adrift in an unforgiving world.

He curls into himself, arms wrapped tightly around his knees, as if seeking solace in the frail embrace of his own despair. Each tear that falls is a testament to the crushing weight of his loneliness, a silent plea for someone, anyone, to alleviate the unbearable emptiness that consumes him.

"...I have no family..." The words hang heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the cruel hand fate has dealt him, stripping away the comfort of familial bonds and leaving behind only the bitter taste of abandonment.

The boys tentatively tap on the cold, unforgiving metal of the bunk bed frame, a feeble attempt to bridge the chasm of sorrow that separates them from Axel.

Axel startles at the touch, his shoulders twitching as he hastily brushes away the tears staining his cheeks, a futile attempt to conceal the rawness of his pain. He turns to face the two boys, a glimmer of fragile hope reflected in his eyes as they offer hesitant smiles, like flickering candles in the darkness of his anguish.

"Hello, my name is Tom," the chubby boy speaks first, his voice a gentle murmur against the suffocating silence that surrounds them.

"And my name is George," the blond-haired boy adds hurriedly, his words tumbling out in a rush of empathy. "We're sorry for startling you... But we want you to know that you're not alone anymore. Me and Tom, we're here for you. Everyone in this building is here for you. We're like family, just like the lady said."

Tom nods in agreement, his smile tinged with sadness as he echoes George's sentiment. "He's right. You're not alone anymore, Axel. We're all here for you."

But Axel's response is a solemn shake of his head, a silent rejection of the solace they offer. The tears flow unabated, a torrent of anguish that refuses to be contained.

"My parents... they abandoned me," he chokes out between sobs, his voice a haunting echo of the abandonment he has endured. "They didn't want me. They called me the devil's child."

The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the cruelty of fate and the scars it leaves on the soul. Tom and George exchange helpless glances, their hearts heavy with the weight of Axel's pain.

Then, in a fleeting moment of clarity, Tom's face lights up with a tentative spark of hope. "Then let us be your first friends," he suggests softly, his words a beacon of light in the darkness that surrounds them.

"...Huh..?" a sniffle erupts from Axel as he is caught off guard. His tears fade as he stares at Tom, confused.

"That's a wonderful idea! Ok, Axel, from now on, you can fill in our third slot! Together, we'll become the three musketeers!!" Excitement explodes on George's face and flails before the others.

Even more, confusion rises in Axel, but at least he'd stopped crying. At this the two shoot another wide smile to help settle his mind.

"You'll see Axel! You'll see just how wonderful our family is!! It doesn't always have to be by blood that makes you family, it can also be through friendship and camaraderie!" Tom wraps an arm around George's head as he speaks with glee.

"Welcome aboard Axel, from today and onward, you'll be one of us now," George states with a tone of sincerity.

Axel just awkwardly stares at them, he's at a loss. For all his life, he was alone, throughout the scorching days, and the shivering nights. He had just been surviving off of the streets, never had he ever been treated this way. He doesn't know what to say, what to feel, but then, his heart starts to beat loudly. He clutches his chest with one hand as he senses an odd sensation, and yet, he doesn't seem to mind it.

Tom places something covered in napkins onto Axel's bed. "Here, it's the sandwich they served at lunch. I didn't finish it and I noticed you didn't eat anything. Don't worry, this piece doesn't have germs as I ate my sandwich in pieces." Though before Axel can attempt to respond, they both go to the opposite side of the room and hop onto their bed.

As they are trying to sleep, they both hear Axel quietly eating away at the sandwich. This brought a smile to the both of them as they went to sleep with a peaceful conscience...

Little did Axel know, something beautiful was about to bear fruit. With today marking the end of his troubled past. The three of them will forge a bond that could not be shaken. And this bond... is family...