You tugged the hoodie over your head wincing as it constricted painfully over your bruises. It was hot out today, but you doubted you'd overheat. You had worn baggy clothes to hide your scars and bruises since the second grade.

You grabbed your bag and headed out towards your school. You were already late from cleaning up after a recent beating. But you were ecstatic to escape even just for a few hours.

You walked to school hurriedly but paused near an alleyway to catch your breath. That's when you heard someone speak from the alleyway.

"You! peasant girl!"

The shout made you flinch but you looked into the alleyway to see a redhead wearing a red overcoat and blue pants all tangled up in a net hanging from a fire escape.

"What are you doing up there?" You asked wandering slightly closer.

"What does it look like?!" The man shouted struggling in the net.

You bit your bottom lip but still some giggles slipped through.

The man shot you a scathing glare so you swallowed your giggles and climbed up the fire escape.

"I-I'm not very good with knots, but I'll try. Try to hold still please."

"Hmph." The man huffed folding his arms.

As you untied the knots holding him up, you studied his features. This was when you learned how handsome he was.

You slowed your work staring at him a little more.

"What are you looking at?!" He snapped his hair setting ablaze.

You yelped, and at that moment the knot you'd been working on came entirely undone. He fell and the startling motion caused you to loose your balance.

He hit the ground landing on his feet and began dusting himself off when he heard a scream. The man looked up.

Your feet slipped out from under you and your form plummeted to the ground. You landed right on top of the stranger. He barely caught you against his chest before your weight could crush him.

You landed with your noses nearly touching. Your cheeks burned red. At that moment, you could have swore his cheeks twinged pink before he set you down hurriedly.

"You should be more careful, peasant girl."

"Sorry, I didn't expect the knot to come undone." You mumbled tugging on your hoodie. "But- But my name isn't peasant girl." You whispered to yourself.

"Oh? Then what is it?" The man asked impatiently leaning closer."

You whispered your name feeling butterflies in your stomach.

"Speak up, peasant girl! I can't hear you." He near shouted.

"Y-Y/n." You responded flinching away.

He paused once he saw your reaction and sighed.

"Well...thank you, Y/n. For he-helping me." He ground out almost unwillingly.

You giggled a bit at the resistance.

"What's your name?"

The man stood proudly touching a hand to his chest.

"I am Red Son! The son of the powerful Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan."

You clapped quietly at his introduction with a small smile.

"That's so cool. They must be very proud."

Red son smirked at the compliment.

"Well of course."

That's when you heard the school bell toll in the distance and your heart dropped.

"Oh no! Dad's gonna kill me!" You yelped before grabbing your bag and running towards the school.

Red son watched you go about to ask a question but you scampered away too quickly.

Few hours later.

You walked home quietly as blood dribbled from your right cheek. A few bullies had caught you just as you were leaving and you simply weren't a pretty sight.

Your gut sank as you wondered internally about what your father would do when you got home. The school had called him to inform him that you had missed first period.

The punishment would be severe and you hoped you could take it silently. Cries and screams always made him even more angry.

You were so lost in thought that you walked right into someone and fell back. The force opened your backpack and your books fell out onto the sidewalk.

"O-Oh sorry." You mumbled picking up your things and refusing to look up.

"Perhaps," Red Son said kneeling next to you and picking up your belongings as well. "If you kept your eyes ahead instead of on your feet, you would avoid running into people." His tone sounded irritated but you smiled at how he returned your belongings.

"Th-Thank you." You stammered shyly.

"It was only f-...What happened to your face?" Red Son asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh!" You touched a hand to the cut on your cheek. "I was clumsy and fell."

Red Son looked entirely disbelieving but he offered you a hand.

You took it and he pulled you to your feet.

"Since you helped me down I thought I would atleast walk you home."

You smiled shyly.

"Thank you, Red Son."

He stared at your shy smile for a moment before looking away.

"Yes well I have duties to attend to so if you wouldn't mind."

You nodded and led the way. You cheerfully talked to him about everything you could think of. He told you a bit about his powers and even showed off for you.

You gasped and stared at his tricks with amazement giving little shy claps for him after each trick.

This seemed to please him as he would grin and stand straighter.

Eventually though, the walk came to an end and you had to go inside.

Your father was livid.

"How dare you miss a class!" He yelled while you shrank back a bit. "Do you know how much I pay to keep you in school?!"

You kept your eyes on the floor as he screamed and took the beating as silently as you could.

That night you fell asleep crying silently to yourself.

The next day.

You awoke two hours early and did all the chores you could before getting ready for school. You did your best to keep quiet as your father slept then worked on your homework until it was time for you to leave.

When it came time for you to leave you rushed out the door and speed walked towards the school.

"In a hurry are we?" Red Son asked matching your stride as you walked.

"Red Son?! What are you doing here?" You asked excitedly.

He chuckled to himself and pressed up his glasses.

"I was on my morning walk when I saw you. Since I was bored anyway, I figured we might as well chat."

You grinned happily to yourself as you walked.

Weeks passed and you two spent every walk to school and every walk home together. You loved every moment. That was until your father picked up a knife one night.

He'd cut up your cheek with a large X shaped gash.

You'd tried everything you could think of, but you knew hiding it wasn't going to happen.

So, the next day you tried to avoid your regular route to escape Red Son. It worked and the entire day you felt ready to cry. When the day finally came to a close you had only walked out of the school when you saw Red Son leaning against the building.

"Would you care to explain the new route you took on the way here today?" He asked with a frown. He looked angry, but you could see the hurt in his eyes.

You kept your head down and tugged on your hood.

"Sorry, took a shortcut. Was late." Your words were clipped as you tried to walk past him.

"Y/n don't you dare lie to-" Red Son grabbed your wrist and you screamed involuntarily. Red Son released immediately, but froze when he saw your face.

You held your wrist as the pain throbbed and tears gathered in your eyes. You didn't dare look at him. You didn't want to see the annoyance.

Red Son stepped closer and gently removed your hood. You looked up ready to run depending on how he reacted.

Red Son's eyes were glued to your cut and his frown turned to a scowl.

"Who did this to you?"

You looked away and rubbed at your wrist.

"No one."

"Y/n, don't lie to me." Red Son growled.

You flinched away from him. Red Son seemed to note your fright and took a deep breath.

"Alright. You don't have to tell me. But may I atleast walk you home?"

You nodded and allowed him to lead the way. This walk was silent and you could see the tips of his hair turning to flames as you walked. He was attempting to keep his temper down. It was an admirable effort.

Once you got home you had barely shut the door before your father burst into the room yelling at you for leaving chores undone.

"You ungrateful, little brat!" He shouted reaching for you.

You tensed, but a wall of flame erupted infront of you before he could touch you.

"So, you hurt her." Red Son growled walking from the flames. "Let me show you what happens to people who hurt her." Red Son's eyes turned to flame as he grew a malevolent grin.

You couldn't hear or see much as the roar of the flames blocked out any noise and they blurred the room beyond them. You kept as far from them as possible expecting them to burn you.

Yet the flames nearest to you burned luke warm and kept a good distance from you as well. After a few minutes Red Son walked from the flames and offered you his hand.

"Wha-What did you do?" You asked timidly.

Red Son sighed.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to."

Slowly, you took his hand and allowed him to pull you to your feet.

"Now what am I going to do?" You sighed.

"You can stay with my parents and I." Red Son stated matter of factly. "Now let's go. I wouldn't want you to get burned." Red Son led you from the burning building almost gently. "You've suffered enough for tonight."

Weeks later you had stayed with the DBK family for a while. The Demon Bull King didn't seem to mind your presence and Princess Iron Fan shot Red Son smirks each time you were present.

Your scar on your cheek healed but you were awfully self conscious of it. That was, until Red Son pointed out that now you two matched. And each time you grew worried of it, he would kiss your scar.