Alastor whimpered and covered his ears, tears streaming down his face as the sounds of plates breaking and his parents screaming fills the house. He trembles, every muscle in his body wanting to run out and protect his mother, to hit and kick his father, even stab his father and finally get him out of their lives. He flinched as he heard the door open, squeezing his eyes shut tight, covering his mouth in an attempt to muffle any whimpers or sobs that might escape his mouth. His eyes slowly fluttering open, his bright red eyes glistening with tears, as he finally gazed upon the bruised and battered face of his mother, her own bright red eyes locking with his. His dear mother pulled him close to her chest, holding him close with her arms wrapped around him in a protective manner, just like she always did. Alastor sobbed into the his mothers dress, his mother whispered sweet nothings into his ear and gently pets his hair, the child's tiny fist gripping his mothers dress for dear life. This was everyday now.

   Alastor kept his eyes down as he stumbled his way to school, the strap of his backpack clutches in his hand as tightly as he can. Like most days, he felt a hard tug on his backpack as the boys from the white school across the street attempted to steal it from his unrelenting grip. However, the small and scrawny boy ended up being pulled back along with his back pack, the boys laughing as they kicked the thin boy, dirt and bruises quickly covering his body as he curled up with tears in his eyes, it would only get him in trouble if he fought back. "Hey, what are you doing!?" A somewhat low voice suddenly yelled out, as footsteps could be heard from the dirt shifting, Alastor didn't bother to look up. "Just putting this little negro in his place" one boy said, causing the rest of the group to erupt in laughter, young Alastor curling up as he tried to hide his face. The laughter was suddenly silenced as the sound of something making impact rang through the air, only then did Alastor look up, to see a boy only a bit older than him had hit the bully boy and sent him tumbling down. The rest of the boys started to run, tears streaming down their faces as they screamed in fear, that's when Alastor started to truly take in his savior. The boy had pitch black hair, narrow grey eyes that had the kind of gaze that pierce right through you, and much to the young boys surprise, he had milky white skin. The older boy kneeled down and stretched out a hand for him, but Alastor remained motionless, unsure if it was really ok to trust this new person. "Hey, you look beat up pretty badly, let me help you" the boy said, his tone taking a much gentler and caring tone than he had earlier with the bullies. That was the day he met Hank, his first, and only friend, through out his life.

  As the boys spent more time with each other, the more Alastor started to open up to Hank, until eventually he could show his full personality to the older boy. Yet, Alastor always kept the terrors of his home life a secret, locked away from his dear friend so he wouldn't worry, or lose the only friend he had to his fathers abuse. "As long as father never knew about Hank, everything will be fine" Alastor told himself, knowing full well his father would do anything in his power to make his life as miserable as possible, just for being born. He wasn't aware of the fresh tears rolling down his cheeks until he felt Hank's callused hands gently wiping his face, he flinched away on reflex, but he quickly calmed down as he was brought back to reality. The tears in his eyes making them sparkle a bright and vibrant scarlet, Hank's cheeks turning a similar hue as he looked at the mixed race lad. Alastor smiled as he hugged his only friend, the other boy turning more red as he awkwardly pat Alastor's back, "Al we're in public" Hank mumbled in embarrassment. Alastor laughed as he looked up at him, his own cheeks turning shades of red, he felt the warmth of the other envelope him as Hank finally wrapped his arms around his waist, in that moment, he started to feel like he belonged.

  Hank looked on in horror at the sight of what was in front of him, Alastor on his knees over his own fathers corpse, his mothers body inches away. The creole boy caked in blood, a kitchen knife clutched tightly in his tiny hands, and his once bright and vibrant scarlet eyes, were now a dark and dull crimson. Hank's face turned pale in horror at first, only to turn to a sickly green as he started wrenching. As he wiped his mouth, soft and quiet sobs caught his attention, he looked up to see Alastor shaking and sobbing as tears rolled down his cheeks. Hank felt fear clench his heart, he had just watched this person tackle and stab his own father over and over again, all with a smile spread wide across his face. Yet, as he watched the creole boy before him breakdown into heavy sobs, Hank could not help but to feel sorry. Alastor had just watched his abuser kill his own mother, it was only a matter of time before he finally snapped. Hank stared at his friend, his friend he'd spent the better half of five years with now, and throughout that time he had come to know Alastor better than anyone but his own mother. Hank knew, deep down in his heart, Alastor was not evil.

Now here they were, almost one hundred years later, and they were both dead. Husk downed another bottle of cheap booze as he watched Alastor talk about hotel plans with Charlie. Hank had signed his soul away to Alastor that day, not in a literal sense, but in the fact that he would dedicate his everyday from life to death to being at Alastor's side. Hank sighed as he let the memories consume him, only to be quickly washed away as he fell back into reality. It wasn't so bad being the unofficial right-hand-man to The Radio Demon, that's what Husk thought as he looked at the shiny metal ring on Alastor's left hand, he busted his ass in poker to win that damn ring, and he knew it was worth it. Alastor was a murderer, this couldn't be anymore true, but even after all these years, Husk would tell you the same thing he thought all those years ago. "Alastor is not evil".