Linx had given up on the idea of opening up to the boys. He knows he didn't even put that much effort into trusting the boys in the first place, but now it just seemed like a silly idea. He can't even imagine himself telling the boys anything personal, just the mere thought makes him want to run away from that situation.

Plus, he's being doing this for years and he's completely fine with how things are, it's just the people around him who want him to trust. He doesn't know why they can't leave him alone because there was no chance of them taking away his freedom he's had since he was a small child. Father certainly didn't care and Mother...

Mother tried her best, but even she gave up.

Linx liked the silence either way because if no one was around then who could hurt him?

"Is the rice too hot? You can eat the salad while it's cooling down." Remi tapped the counter top to get Linx's attention, and to Linx's annoyance, Remi was radiating the word 'worry'.

He didn't respond to Remi's question and looked back down at the plate. He stopped fidgeting with the fork and scooped up the fried rice, making sure it was very clear he didn't want to talk. Remi looked at him for a few more seconds, perhaps wanting to comment but nodded and turned towards the stove top.

Linx ate at a leisurely pace to not agitate his arms and also so he won't have to be bored again. With his decision to lock himself in his bedroom and the snow stopping him from escaping, sleep has become his friend and the window his new entertainment.

So once he finished his food, a silent sigh passed through. He got up to start cleaning but stopped when he saw Remi pull out construction paper and scissors. Linx would've left right there and not given Remi a chance to explain what he wanted, but boredom is a powerful force. Thus Linx stared at him and waited. Feeling Linx's stare burn holes through the paper, Remi explained right away.

"I know you've been quite bored these past few days, so I thought you might enjoy making snowflakes for my students? But if you don't want to, you can at least make them for Ivy!" He spread out all the colored paper on the counter and slide a pair of scissors to Linx, a bright giddy smile on him.

Linx examined the materials for a while more, not sure if it was worth the interaction or not, but sat down either way. He fiddled with the scissors and chose the green construction paper, as Remi got himself situated and ready to teach Linx.

"Alright, so this is how..." Remi showed him how to make the snowflakes, though he wasn't sure if Linx was paying attention either way. He would glance up every few seconds then continue snipping the air, over and over again. Remi finished his snowflake with a large smile, which Linx responded with a glimpse and another snip to the air.

"You think you got all that or do you need any help?" Another snip cut through the silence. Remi slowly nodded at that, a strained smile plastered on but worry still oozed out of him. Countless situations flashed before him of this same scenario and response from Linx, six years worth of flashbacks.

He needed to talk to the boys because they can't just let Linx shut them out again, not with the progress they've finally made.

"Well, I'll be right back! I have to make a call real quick, shout if you need anything!" Remi pushed the paper closer to Linx and left him with a small smile. Linx waited a minute to make sure he was completely gone, when he didn't come back bursting through the enter way, Linx leaned over the counter and reached for Remi's snowflake.

He folded the paper and followed Remi's instructions, snipping the air like there was paper instead. Once he got it down, he went back to his green paper and started to snip. No thoughts flew through his mind as he cut away, just Remi's directions.

After four snowflakes, the doorbell rang. Linx didn't bother with it, even when it rang another three times. He set down his snowflake on his pile and chose the yellow paper, but the person at the door seemed very persistent as they rang another two times.

He started to fold the paper and was about to grab his scissors when soft tapping was heard from the living room window. He leaned back to get a look and almost toppled to the floor when he saw Rose's face.

Rose and Linx made direct eye contact and her eyebrows arched up into her forehead. Linx ducked back into the kitchen, thought about what he should do, and chose the obvious option; he left the kitchen and escaped to his room.

Linx went to lay on the bed and hide under the blankets. Darkness encompassed Linx and the air was getting harder to breathe, but the weight of the blanket and silence of the room managed to make it seem like everything was okay.

Until he heard soft taps against the door.

Linx curled in like a shrimp and his nails scratched the wrist brace. His mind stilled and all he could focus on was that soft tapping. It happened two more times before Remi's voice spoke out,

"Linx, is everything alright? Rose wanted to talk to you, something about apologizing and news about Rooster." Remi listened out, but no response came. His previous agitation from the kitchen increased as he realized Linx might really start going back to his old ways. He called Austin and Trev for advice, but their suggestions were all over the place that it only made Remi more nervous.

Go in, don't go in. Confront him or let him hide in his shell again.

Remi looked over at Rose and at the gift bag she was clutching. Maybe he can use that as an excuse? He waited for a bit to listen for any movements from Linx, but nothing came.

"Linx, I'm going to let Rose come in really quick. She has a gift she wants to show you, is that alright?" He bit his lips and wished for a sound or a sign about how Linx felt, yet his expectations weren't met as he predicted.

He motioned over for Rose to come over before gently opening the door. He poked his head in and saw the bulge in the bed, surrounded by blankets. Perhaps he's taking a nap and that's why he couldn't respond? Remi hoped that was the case as he opened the door wider to let Rose in, and left the door open in case Linx wanted a quick escape.

Rose nodded at him and walked in, setting down the bag near the foot of the bed. She stood still until she heard Remi's footsteps walk away, before kneeling in front of where Linx's head should be. She placed her hand on his shoulder and steadily swayed him back and forth to wake him up, though she knew he wasn't sleeping.

"Oh Linx, sweety wake up. Jazz bought you some candy and board games to play, isn't that nice of him? And Ivy drew you more masterpieces to put on the wall because they'll make you feel like a fairy. Don't you want to feel like a fairy?" Her rocking continued until two pairs of stoic brown eyes stared at her from under the blanket, like a small raccoon.

She smiled and petted his shoulders, the motion repeating itself for another three minutes. She got comfy on the floor and rested a part of her body on the bed because she knew she was going to be here for a while.

"Why are you here?" Linx's gruff voice finally spoke out and Rose started to rub smoothing circles on his arms through the blanket.

"Just wanted to chat. You know, I think the last time we really chatted was when you hurled yourself on my stomach. Ivy kept on asking why I couldn't bend down to pick her toys, so she gave me a stick to stab and grab items off the floor. Pretty effective, wouldn't you agree?" Linx just stared and then shut his eyes.

Rose wasn't deterred by this and kept talking about small trivial things. She didn't mind it either, because this was how the two of them used to interact in the first year they met. The only difference now was that they know each other, and Linx might respond back and not just simply exist in their conversation.

But once she finished talking about what she's making for dinner, a void of silence dropped down.

"Why are you here?"

They both knew this wasn't why she was here, to talk about the new neighbors and her newfound online job. Though only Rose knew why she was taking such a long time, Linx wanted her to rip the bandage off and get to the point.

"Do you want me to be here?"

"No."

"Oh yeah, why's that so?" Linx dug his head deeper in the blanket, pretending he was asleep. Rose nodded her head at that, not surprised at his reaction. Her massaging continued alongside the quiet. She thought of getting up and hanging the drawings, but it didn't feel right. Showing Linx the candy and make light talk again didn't feel right either, so what did feel right?

She looked around the room and let whichever words flow out,

"I know that I was in the wrong Linx..." she inhaled and retracted her hand, "but I was scared for you. The only things you cared about were Ivy and fighting. Just fighting. I thought you were just calm when you first started to get a lose streak, but after your tenth lose..." She closed her eyes and saw the lanky Linx with blood dripping down his nose. He stuffed the blood rag to catch the blood, yet the look of carelessness and no sense of emotion messed with Rose for a few days after.

"I got worried, really worried. I wanted to know more about you and I all got were stares in return. When Ivy was born and you started to react more, to smile and make weird sounds just for Ivy, you don't know how much joy I had. I wanted to whisk you two away and protect you from everything." Rose laid her arm down on the bed and rested her head on top of it, not seeing the slight raise of the blanket and two pretty orbs staring at her.

"A few years passed, Ivy grew up and so did you, but I still didn't know you. Sometimes Ivy would be retelling stories of what you did and she'll mention how you think worms are cool or that wet swings are the best, and I would be jealous. Jealous of my own daughter, isn't that ridiculous?" She shook her head with a silly smile at that turn of events.

"So imagine my shock when Trev came up to me and asked if I knew Linx. Not Roftkal, but you Linx. I was ecstatic. He said he found out about Rooster through their social media page and he managed to find us from there. He was quite secretive about you, that rascal, but from what he told me, my worry for you increased so much." She looked up and made direct eye contact with Linx, which then made Linx close the blanket on himself again.

"I- We weren't sure what might happen to you if you kept yourself so hidden, so bottled up. Your boys started to come to the matches to observe you, and we were supposed to peacefully tell you about all this, but you caught onto us before we could explain why. And that's what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to get through that beautiful mind of yours that we care and we'll always be here." Rose waited for a reaction, maybe a shuffle from the blanket or a middle finger, but nothing,

She needed to get through him, but what else could possibly get past that thick wall of his?

The room grew still as Rose tried to think of anything. She didn't care if he forgave her, she just wants him to know that the boys will be there for him, at the very least.

"I... Do you know why I care about you, Linx?" Nothing came from him.

"It's because I adore you. I saw how you grew up, dealt with your loses, and became like an older brother towards Ivy. If your two Ma's didn't adopt you, I would've done it even quicker. But do you know why the Boys care for you?" A slight shift came from under the blanket. Maybe he moved to get more comfy, or maybe that a shrug to continue.

"It's because, at the bare minimum, they like you Linx. Not like how I like you though, but how Trev likes Kade or how Orion likes Finn. Do you understand, they'll never give up on you because if they give up on you, then they give up on themselves." Rose went back to stroking Linx's arm, mostly as a way to relax herself.

But with her questions going unanswered, she knew there was no reason to keep on drilling her words. Rose got up and bend down to hug Linx, but not too long that he'll think she's attacking him. She brought the gift bag closer to Linx in case he wanted to feast on some candies and soon left him.

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