They said humans react to perceived threats with a flight-or-fight response. So when Bijou Legrand faced off against his tiny sister who couldn't even reach his waist, he wanted to flee for his life and curl into a ball of safety forever.

But he knew he could not.

Not Maëlle grinned up at him, her eyes twinkling with something dangerous. The flowers in her hands were of pretty things, but he already knew not to fall for her trap.

"They're very pretty, right?"

"Maëlle!" Master Legrand bounded towards them, the hard lines on him loosened to stretch a cheerful smile. He ruffled her hair affectionately. Fear gripped at Bijou's heart, gazing into his father's milky eyes. "Do you want me to create you a toy?"

It had been years since he abandoned his passion for tinkering.

Bijou cleared his throat, trying to ease himself from looking too afraid. He smiled at Not Maëlle. "That's wonderful. Good job! Please don't disturb me for a while, alright? I have work to do."

And when he closed the door, he faltered to the floor.

How could this have happened? The Fae. The monster from his childhood, overwhelming feelings of lost desire deep in the roots of his heart when he was under the Fae's dominating gaze. And this Fae had taken control of his father. As for Maëlle...

He gritted his teeth, running a hand through his hair. They took Maëlle.

They took his core. His beloved baby sister. Lovely, sweet Maëlle Legrand.

Bijou looked at the book he dropped on the floor and flipped straight towards the stories of the Fae. His hands shook but he clamped them down to the pages, taking a deep breath. His mother had given him the resources, and he shall use it.

He might be a coward. A normal, spoiled boy. 

But his love for his sister would tower all.

*****

He twisted his shoe on the carpet. His grandmother stayed with him outside the room, watching doctors come in and out of the room. He heard a babe's cry. And then it was quiet.

Soon, his father came to him. Papa patted his shoulder and nudged him to come forward. To come into mama's room with her big tummy. Bijou was eleven, and he knew that meant he would no longer be the lone child.

He would be a big brother.

He didn't want to be a brother. He wanted to have all the toys to himself. He heard his friends have to share things with their siblings, and he did NOT want to be a brother. The baby should be sent back where it came from.

But as soon as he got in, the first thing he saw was mama cradling the delicate baby.

Mama had never looked happier. She smiled at him, through her pale, tired face. "Come, Bijou."

He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "I don't want it."

"Come here."

He pouted. But as much as he disliked it, he obliged. He walked slowly, mindful of that odd, flushed creature in his mother's arms. Then mama leaned and pulled him close.

The first time he saw her face, he was awestruck. He was silent. He let her pull his fingers to touch the small, small face. Such a little thing. He had never seen anything so adorable and precious in his life.

"Her name's Maëlle," she whispered gently, kissing his hair. "You have a baby sister now."

And his heart melted with love.

*****

"Maëlle!" he called. "Can you come over here for a bit?"

Was he really going to trust gut instincts alone? A few oddities in her behavior and the coins were surely coincidences. What if he was wrong?

You're not wrong and you know it.

Maëlle arrived, and he shoved the thoughts way to the back of his mind. He squared his shoulders, twirling whatever small coil of courage around his resolve. He had to do it. For Maëlle.

The real Maëlle.

"Brother," she chirped. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing much." He closed the door, shifting his weight against it and slowly scooted his chair towards it. "I just want to show you the spicy pie we got."

Her jaw went slack. "Spicy...pie?"

"Yes. You like spicy food." His hands lingered at his desk, tapping on his guide book. "Remember?"

"Oh, yes!" she nodded. "Yes, sounds delicious."

That was all he needed to hear before grabbing the Eiffel Tower.

Got you.

He pushed her down to the floor, pinning her with his knee to her back. He was lucky for her small size, for he didn't have that much muscle on him either. She cried out, thrashing from his grip on her shoulder.

He almost regretted attacking her like that; how could he have done that to his sweet sister? But this was not Maëlle.

This was a beast.

"Brother!" she gasped. "What's happening?"

"Who are you?" He asked. The miniature Eiffel Tower felt like a weapon in his hand. "What have you done to my sister?"

"What? How could you! Am I not your sister?"

He drew the trinket close to her neck, just an inch from touching her skin. And he could already see the fear flashing in her eyes. "If you don't tell me, I'll stab you with this." He gritted his teeth, his grip tightening. "I've met your kind."

At first, she was struggling to be free, but she stopped. Horror snatched his insides, queasy, and dropping to the depths when he saw her lips pulling back to a grin. Too poisonous to come from his Maëlle.

"My kind?" she sneered. Her voice changed, echoing yet soft, sweet honey coating a blade. "My, how lucky of you."

"Shut it," he snapped. He knicked her with the Eiffel Tower, and she screamed, howling in pain along with the burnt mark spreading where it had touched. She was stronger now, almost pushing him off, but he was resolved in it. Especially knowing his intuition was right. "Tell me. Where is my sister?"

"I'll tell you," she panted. "In exchange for--"

"I'm the one giving demands." His hands shook, but he kept on. Never make pacts with the Fae. "Tell me. Where is she?"

"Foolish human. How dare you--"

He stabbed her in the neck.

Her shrieks rang in his ears--seeing Maëlle's body and face in so much misery--but he did not let go. Not as she turned and clawed at him, nor as the doorknob threatened to open. His father's thundering knocks and the rattling chair shook him to the core, skin burning at her scraping nails.

He held it in, taking the tower off one last time, ignoring the drops of blood that stained everywhere. Her neck. The tower. His hands.

His hands.

"Where. Is. Maëlle?"

"Paris," she blurted, fragile. "For the Hollow's Eve sacrifice."

He plunged it deep inside her flesh. But he didn't hold her down anymore. Trembling, he stood up, pushed the window open with bloodstained hands, grabbed what he could--money, trinket, anything, and leaped out, running for his life.

Fear had imprisoned every part of him. He heard glass breaking and his father shouting after him. He felt the sharp, cold doom falling over him from all sides. His chest caged his heartbeat, cold and hot at the same time. Something chased him. He needed to run, run--

Run to Paris.

And knees toppling, overwhelmed by the wave of emotions and events, that was the last thought he had, before seeing him. His furrowed brows. His arms holding his collapse. The bare-chested Degrado.

And passing out.

Woo-hoo! The action starts! Bijou goes with his instinct and the Fae makes a flaw in its disguise. So he runs away and ends up fainting in Inocencio's arms. How will he get to Paris?

If y'all wanna know, I have 3 sisters. I do not need one more lmao. They're already devils. Dk if I did it, but trivia time! Notice how Maelle had called Bijou by his name before, but Not Maelle had not called him by his name even once ;)

Please vote for this story if you like it, and don't be shy to talk to me! Next, Bijou plans his next step while bonding with his new friend!