And that's how it goes, Peter came every night to knock on her window.

There are nights that her father was there in the house but never went into her room since he always stayed downstairs and usually sleeps on the couch due to so much drinking.

However, Madison still moved carefully and opened the window for the boy to come in.

She carefully closed the window as Peter finally got in and decided to sit on the floor facing the side of her bed while Madison sat on her bed, facing Peter as she looked down at him.

"How old are you?", Madison asked curiously, not noticing how straightforward and sudden her questions is.

"Pretty old if I were to count the years, but I prefer being in an age of teenagers.", Peter simply replied, looking at her innocently and patiently waiting for her next question.

"How can you fly?", she suddenly asked as Peter tilted his head at her and thought for a moment before answering.

"I just can."

"Even without wings?"

Peter chuckled at how good she is with questions.

"Yea, I don't need wings to fly.

I just can without 'em.", he smiled as Madison listened to him and all she did was nod in response.

-

-

-

"What about you? Anything to tell?", he suddenly asked, making the girl raised an eyebrow and obviously not getting what he meant.

"I... I can't...fly...?", she let out in a confused tone, making Peter snort and letting out a chuckle.

He shakes his head, meaning that's not what he meant.

"No, not that. I mean, is there anything you want to share about yourself? I've been answering your questions ever since I got here. Don't you think it's my turn to ask?", he asked, making the girl stay silent.

Madison suddenly felt embarrassed, now realizing that she's been asking alot ever since he arrived. She suddenly apologized for asking too much as Peter shook his head in response, smiling.

"It's alright. I don't mind. Now...may I have the permission to ask you some questions?", he asked, politely.

"Why do you kinda sound formal sometimes...?", she suddenly asked as Peter rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's...my way of not being rude, plus, I also wanted to make sure that you're okay with it before I continue doing so.", he replied as Madison mouthed an 'oh' before nodding again.

"Oh, okay then...I guess...you could ask me some questions...", she said softly, almost sounding hesitant.

Peter raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?", he asked again.

Madison let out a sigh and nodded in response.

"I don't want to be unfair, so yes.", she said as she looked at him straight in the eye as Peter smiled and nodded slowly.

"Alright.", Peter said and cleared his throat.

"What do you like to do in your free time?"

"Mostly read books that contains a storyline."

"Books...? What kind?"

"Hm... I prefer the ones that had the fantasy genre in them."

Peter mouthed an 'oh' as he nodded after.

-

-

-

"Do you...like them that much?", he asked, curious.

"I love them.", she simply answered.

"What made you interested into those kind of books more than others?", he asked as Madison hummed in thought before slowly letting out a smile.

"I guess...it's because of my mother.", she chuckled, looking away from Peter and on to the book shelf she had just right across the room-- facing the end of her bed, rather.

Peter stayed silent, pursing his lips for a second before speaking up again.

"Where's your mother...?", he finally asked as Madison felt her heart skip a beat by the question.

-

-

-

"She...uhm...she's gone..."

"Oh...went somewhere?"

"Yea... I guess you could say that...", she said softly as Peter blinked a few times, having an unreadable expression as he stared at her looking hesitant on letting out her answers.

As if she didn't want to say it directly to him...

"Where? Will she be back soon?", he suddenly asked.

Peter immediately noticed the bitter expression in her face as she let out a sigh and forced a smile.

"She...won't be coming back...I don't know where she is...but if I were to guess, I know it's a place where she'll be more happier than being here.", she laughed as she instantly looked away from Peter.

She immediately brought up her hands onto her face and covered it, feeling tears form in her eyes.

Peter's face soften, regretting that he even dared to ask as he let himself float up until he fully stood infront of her.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have asked---"

"It's alright...", she cutted him off, forcing a laugh as she wiped her tears.

She was honestly surprised yet embarrassed at the same time...

Her tears just revealed themselves in an instant just by the topic of her .

She finds it funny at some point...

Since....It's been so long since she cried infront of another person besides her mother.

Madison took a deep breath, and exhaling it after as she thought,

She can't cry now.

She's been without her mother.

Hiding her from her father as she let him witness the sight of her frightened face.

But why...

-

-

At this very moment...

-

-

-

Why can't she get herself to stop crying...?

Peter frowned, watching her small figure trying to keep her cries silent and kept covering her face, probably didn't want him to see her face due to crying too much.

Is this what she had to go through whenever she's in pain...?

Crying to herself as quiet as she can so her father couldn't hear her...?

He thought as he just stood there, doing nothing to atleast help her ease the pain she's feeling at the moment.

He raised his hand and was about to give her a tap on the shoulder but...

He stopped himself midway and instantly pulled his hand back, feeling hesitant.

To be honest, he felt completely useless at that point.

He knew...that whenever she does the same routine of crying that way...

The more miserable and hopeless she feels by the day...

-

-

"H-hey. Don't cry... Please don't cry...", Peter said softly, bending his upper body down to her level.

"I'm sorry...I...I just...", Madison pursed her lips, stopping herself from letting out a sob as she sniffled, letting out the words as her voice cracked at the end.

"I just miss her....I miss her so...so much, Peter.", she let out, already sobbing as she still forced herself to keep it quiet.

Silence...

Peter kept silent as the only sound in the room were Madison's soft cries.

As much as it already sounds terrible for him, he decided to wait patiently until her cries calmed down.

After a short while, he then decided to speak up,

-

-

-

"Hey...you know...", he suddenly started off...

Madison, who's still covering her face, slowly put some of her fingers away from her eyes and taking a glance at Peter, who looked at her with a calm expression.

She stayed silent, Peter slightly frowned as he saw how red and swollen her eyes were from too much crying. He then sighed and spoke up.

"You...don't have to keep forcing yourself to stay quiet. Mostly if you're hearing a major sound here...", he paused and brought up his right hand to point at his head (where his mind is).

"...And feeling a major pain in here.", he then brought his hand down to point at his chest (where his heart is).

Madison frowned and looked away from him.

"Don't hide your face...there's nothing to be embarrassed of.", he suddenly said as Madison looked back at him, raising an eyebrow.

"But...I look terrible when I cry...", she said, being able to let out her words clearly as Peter smiled.

"Aren't we all?", he chuckled and grinned at her.

"Don't worry about your appearance when you're sad, that's normal...Plus, I still found you pretty. I bet you look just like your mother.", he smiled as Madison blinked at what he said.

Before she even knew it, her hands slowly lowered until it finally showed her face.

"Y-you...think so?", she asked as Peter nodded in response.

"I know so.", he replied and chuckled.

Madison suddenly smiled, her eyes weren't as red as earlier as she let out a small chuckle.

"Sorry you had to witness that...Gosh, it's really embarrassing.."

Madison's face turned red as she immediately brought up her hands to cover it again in embarrassment.

Peter chuckled and let himself float up again and crossed his legs, 'indian sitting' in mid air as he looked at her.

"You don't have to be embarrassed.", he said, crossing his arms behind his head as he let out a smile.

"Besides, it's only me here with you. Don't worry about it.", he grinned as Madison smiled at him.

"Okay, Peter..."

-

-

-

"Is there anything more that you're curious about?", she asked as Peter shook his head, chuckling sheepishly.

"That's enough questions for today. I don't wanna make you cry again.", he said as Madison raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't purposely make me cry though...", she mumbled as Peter responded to it right away.

"Yea but...because of what I asked, it made you remember something sad, then made you cry afterwards. So clearly, it was my fault.", he said tilting his head as Madison stayed silent for a sec before shaking her head in response.

"It's okay. It's not your fault, maybe I was just too sensitive, mostly when it comes to my mother...", she forced a chuckle and Peter frowned, he was about to say something yet she spoke up again.

"Can you do me a favor, Peter?", she asked as Peter stayed silent and stared at her.

He then slowly nodded as he raised an eyebrow, curious of this favor.

"What is it?", he asked.

"From now on, don't worry about asking me, even if it's something personal, I'll still answer you.", she said as Peter furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"But what if you end up crying ag--"

"Whether I end up crying or not, it's okay. Besides, just like what you've said earlier, it's only you here with me. So...I don't mind...if it's .", she said and looked up at him.

Peter was taken aback of what she'd said as both of his eyebrows raised in shock, leaving him speechless at the moment.

Peter then cleared his throat, looking away as Madison let out a small laugh, finding his reaction funny.

So that's how the night went by, they continued asking each other until it came to the point that Madison finally told him almost everything about herself along with the things she had been through before she even met him.

And as usual, before the time reached midnight or the time before the stars disappear, Peter always bid her goodbye whenever it's time for him to go and leave, which was also a cue for Madison's bed time.

And because of Peter...

-

-

-

She somehow convinced herself that it won't hurt to stay up that late...

-

-

-

As long as she doesn't sleep with a anymore...

~ ● ~ ● ~ ● ~ ● ~ ● ~

The start of their friendship became even more deep as the little girl aged 5 more years.

And as for Peter? He still looks exactly the same since the day they met. He still kept coming every night and in a time where people were already asleep in their own houses. Making no one see him go in the girl's room.

For the past 5 years, he was always the only one who greeted her in her birthday. And even without any gifts, Madison was already contented by his simple greet.

Besides that particular day..., most days, or what Peter observed that almost everyday, she gained bruises.

Because of that, he ended up being more worried and didn't let a day pass without asking her every night if she was okay or feeling okay.

Despite of Peter being worried as hell, Madison just replied that she's alright, also saying that she's already used to it.

The two got along well with each other despite of age differences and there are also times that Madison wanted to hug him because of her sudden emotions, but the boy instantly backed away from her even though he knew it was rude for him to do so while she was in a need of comfort.

Even for short moments that she wanted to touch his face or hair, or even the slightest chance that their skin almost brushed against each other gently, it made the boy move away from her as if he doesn't want to have any physical touch, like ever.

So most of the times, he avoids her hand the moment it gets near him as he told her that he doesn't want to be touched, either its done purposely or .

The girl was very confused at first, but as time passes by, she just lets it be, for now. Setting her curiosity to the side.

Another night had came and the usual thing happened, Peter knocks on her window softly while Madison sat in her bed, reading one of the books her mom left her.

She looked at the window, letting out a smile knowing that Peter just arrived as she immediately went off of her bed, walking towards the window and opening it for him and closing it after he went in. Since she was now tall enough to reach and open the window, she didn't need to step on the bench for support anymore.

Madison knew her father was in deep sleep on the couch downstairs so she assumed that he won't be up until early in the morning.

"Goodevening, Madison.", he greeted with a grin as he floated in mid air.

"Goodevening, Peter.", Madison smiled at him.

"How's your day?", he asked as Madison went back to her bed and took the book that she placed on her drawer.

"It was...the usual.", she simply replied, not giving a glance at Peter as he frowned at her answer for a few seconds before sighing, putting aside his worry and concern for now..

She leaned her back on the headboard as she open up the book on the previous page she was on earlier and started reading it again.

"What are you doing?", Peter asked again as his voice can be heard just right next to her as she placed the book down on her lap and looked back at him.

Her eyes widened when his face is just a few inches away from his. Peter looked innocently curious as he looked down on the book she's reading, not giving a notice on how close he was.

Madison raised an eyebrow and slowly raised her right hand in attempt to touch his face, but then, like he always does, he swiftly avoided her hand and flew away from her with wide eyes, making her snort and burst a small laugh.

"Can't you see that I'm reading a book?", she raised a brow, giving a slight smile as Peter's face went from wide eyed to a face palm.

"Yea, but what kind of book?"

"Fantasy genre, it's the one that my mother loved reading to me when she was alive.", she answered as Peter suddenly clicked his tongue.

"Then you could've just answer that without daring to touch me earlier.", he softly groaned, slightly annoyed that they went through this talk already for a couple of times now.

Yet, Madison still does it without her noticing and sometimes tried faking that she's about to touch him.

Just a little tease at some times.

Madison laughed softly and raised both of her hands up in defeat as the boy scoffed playfully in response.

"What's the reason of not wanting to be touched, anyway?", she looked at him with a smile, but saw the boy getting an unreadable expression.

"It's...It's not that.. You just can't touch me.", he said with a hint of careful in his voice, as if he wanted his answer to get out right.

The girl raised an eyebrow as she moved herself towards the right side of her bed and sat on it, letting her feet dangle on the side of her bed as she was now facing Peter, who is in mid air and floated down until he landed his feet on the floor.

"Why can't I touch you, Peter?", she asked again.

"It's hard to explain, I can't be touched, and neither myself can't touch you."

"Why?"

Peter stood still and slowly shrugged as he looked at the girl.

"I guess it's because it's not allowed until..."