I got the idea for this in a middle of a psychology lecture and the story sort of wrote itself.

~

The first time it happened, I ran because I was scared and I knew I couldn't make it stop. I was just little after all. So I ran to the place where I'd spend my time training, and I practiced. It was dark, and it was cold and my fingers could barely grip the shinai but I stayed and I practiced until I couldn't anymore and then I stayed there and slept. When the sun rose, I went home.

He was passed out in his chair like he always was and he didn't even move when I came in. She was fixing breakfast in silence so it would be ready when he woke up. I didn't say anything to her but I saw the bruises, and it scared me that he'd made them but mostly I felt ashamed that I didn't help her, but what could I do? I was just little.

I left as soon as I'd eaten, saying I was going to school. I didn't have to be at school for hours but I didn't want to be there when he woke up and she knew, she must have known, but she just put her hand to her eye that was almost swollen shut and didn't say anything. She knew and she wanted to protect me I suppose. That was the only time anyone wanted to protect me. I swore to myself that I'd grow up to be strong, and more importantly not like him.

I'd hoped it would get better as time passed, but it didn't. Instead it got worse, and some days I'd have to fix breakfast because he'd beaten her so badly the night before that she couldn't get out of bed. I still ran away though, because I was too afraid to stand up to him. My practices would get longer and longer and sometimes I'd still have the sword in my hand as I saw the sun rise, my vision blurring from weariness, and I'd head home to make breakfast. I'd gotten very good at making eggs. I saw his face on the shells that I cracked and I promised myself that I'd never, ever be like him.

Every time it happened I told myself that next time I'd protect her, but I always ran away because I was afraid. I knew sooner or later he'd come after me and I wanted that as far into the future as possible. Maybe then I'd be strong enough to at least protect myself even if I couldn't protect her. I wanted to stand up to him and tell him that he was wrong and that I'd be different. But I never really got to.

Somehow I managed to get into a good boarding school and so they sent me away and I never got to tell him. But then at that school, when I feel Touga's hand close around my wrist to stop me and I see that smirk on his face I know, and he knows, and I know he knows.

I'm just like him.