Gray kept his eyes on Eli. Something in the boy's quietness felt heavy. He remembered his past self. It was the kind of emptiness someone carried when life had pushed them too hard.
Gray rested his arms on his knees and asked softly,
"How long have you been here?"
Eli picked at the fabric of his shorts before answering in a tiny voice. "3 years."
"3 years? You've been here that long?" Gray blinked.
The boy nodded.
"Where were you before this?" Gray asked.
"Different places." Eli shrugged.
"What kind of places?"
"Where they put kids like me." Eli hugged his knees tighter.
Gray felt a tiny crack in his chest. He was about to say something, but when he noticed that Eli seemed still not done, he just let him finish first.
"My… parents died when I was little," Eli murmured. "I don't remember them much. I only know because the staff told me." He nudged a pebble with his shoe quietly. "I used to stay in another center before this one. Then they said they didn't have space for older kids anymore, so they sent me here."
Gray stayed still. He could feel the weight of every word that the little boy was saying.
"Do you have someone you're close to here?" Gray asked gently.
"Not really. The kids… they think I'm weird because I don't smile a lot. The staff said visitors don't like sad kids. They said I should try harder." Eli shook his head.
Gray swallowed down a bitter feeling in his throat.
"Do you want to smile?" he asked.
Eli hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh.
"…I don't know how to anymore," he whispered.
Those words ripped apart Gray's heart. He swallowed deeply and didn't answer right away. He didn't trust himself to speak without his voice breaking a little.
Eli glanced up at him, unsure and cautious. It was the first time he had willingly looked Gray in the eyes.
"I didn't ask to come here," Eli said quietly. "But… I don't have anywhere else to go."
Gray felt his jaw tighten. He wanted to say something comforting. But with what the little boy experienced at a young age, nothing felt enough.
Instead of speaking, he just scooted a little, trying to get close to the boy without making things awkward.
"I'm sorry you went through all that, Eli. Really."
Eli didn't reply, but his shoulders relaxed just a little. Gray took that as a good sign.
"You know," Gray continued, "it's not your job to pretend to be happy for visitors. Kids shouldn't have to do that. You just get to be a kid."
Eli stared at him with a small confusion in his. It is like he wanted to believe those words but wasn't sure if he was allowed to.
Gray gently placed his hand on Eli's shoulder and tapped it. "You're a good kid. And there's nothing wrong with you just because you're quiet."
Eli's lips parted a little as if those words were something he was meant to hear for a long time.
Gray felt something tighten in his chest again. Maybe pity. Maybe anger toward the staff who told Eli that. But above all, it just made him want to help. Especially when he learned of the children's circumstances.
"Come here," Gray said quietly.
Before he could overthink it, he reached in and pulled the boy gently into a hug.
Eli stiffened for a second. His whole body froze like he didn't know what to do. It was the kind of reaction someone had when they weren't used to being touched kindly. But slowly, slowly… he allowed himself to lean just a little and hugged Gray back.
Gray rested a hand on the back of the boy's head.
"You'll be fine," he whispered. "I'll help you. I promise."
But then… Eli suddenly grunted.
It was small and weak, but Gray still managed to hear it.
Gray pulled back a little. "Hey, are you okay?"
However, just like their first talk, Eli didn't answer.
Gray's hand hovered near the boy's shoulder. "Did I hug you too hard?"
Eli didn't respond again. Instead of answering, he stared down. His breathing was getting shaky and deep.
Gray's brows furrowed at it. Not saying yes to him, meant that it was him. An idea crossed his mind, but it was an idea he didn't want to think of at all.
"Eli, tell me honestly," he said gently, "are you hurt somewhere?"
The boy's entire posture changed completely in just a second. His hands trembled in nervousness and his eyes widened in fear.
"Hey," Gray's stomach sank. "What's wrong?"
Eli shook his head fast like he was scared something bad would happen if he spoke.
"Did something happen to you?" Gray frowned. He was starting to get impatient.
The boy still didn't answer. Gray looked at him for a long moment. Then, with the softest voice he could manage, he asked,
"Eli… would it be okay if I check? I won't touch anything. I just want to see if you're hurt."
Eli froze again that Gray was sure he would refuse. But then, with tiny and shaky fingers, the boy nodded.
Gray pressed his lips together. He slowly reached out and gently pulled up the back of Eli's oversized shirt.
His breath stopped when he saw the thing he feared the most.
Dark bruises. There were dark bruises around the little boy's back. It was not even all of that. There was also long marks. Some looked like they were about to heal, while there were still some that looked fresh.
They were injury marks no child should ever have in their life.
Gray's hands froze in the air.
"Eli," he whispered, voice barely there. "Who did this to you?"
The boy's breathing hitched. Eli didn't answer. He only held his shirt tightly and stared at the ground with wide and terrified eyes.
Gray lowered the shirt carefully and forced himself to breathe. His fingers trembled slightly. He felt anger rising in his chest. But he pushed it down for a moment for the boy's sake.
"Eli," he said softly, "listen to me."
The boy's eyes flickered up at him.
"You didn't deserve this," Gray said. "Not any of it. And… I'm going to help you. I swear I will."