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Connor opened his mouth, then closed it, thinking against voicing his conspiracy theory.

Tsurai looked down from Connor, suddenly self-aware. He swallowed before saying, "Maybe I should go, Isiah. I don't really feel like doing this anymore."
Isiah was the one person out of everyone he had ever met that he confided in to teach him how to read. Tsurai was more self-concious about being illiterate than everything else. He didn't feel comfortable feeling like he was naked infront of a lot of people.
He already felt that way around Connor, but for the DuPloy-hater to see Tsurai like this? It was unbearable.

Connor thought it was an act, though. There was no way Tsurai couldn't know how to read. Why would the DuPloys keep that from their kid? Something wasn't adding up, here.
Staring down at Tsurai as if he were simply a dead animal on his car wheel, he stated, "I think it'd be better if you did go."

Tsurai let out a deep breath and began to slowly get up to go. He didn't like Connor. Tsurai was afraid of him. The boy felt like nothing when he was being looked at by that man.

Connor "Hmphed" while he watched Tsurai pass him, the boy's posture low. The thought passed Connor's mind that Tsurai should act like the omega he was all the time, but it quickly passed when he looked back to Isiah.

"I can't protect you if you invite trouble into your home," he suggested.

Connor furrowed his brows, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Putting aside the fact that I truly doubt he's illiterate, I thought you weren't going to get involved with him again?"

Connor really was just looking out for Isiah. He didnn't trust Tsurai anymore than Hannibal. What was that guy thinking, having an army of elephants?

Tsurai slunk back to Braeden's and sat on the cot, putting his shirt back on and buttoning it up.
"Braeden," he asked, "Why do you sleep all day?"

Tsurai frowned, pulling his knees to his chest, "And you want to be dead?"

Connor laughed. For the only time anyone had ever seen it, he actually laughed! But it was short-lived. "Yeah, you're a softie, alright. But you're my softie."
He came forward and wrapped his arm around Isiah's shoulders, then getting serious again, as he usually was.
"You know I'm only mean to this kid because I really do care about you, right? I'm worried. Too many things about this guy doesn't add up."

Connor mused with Isiah's hair before pushing away and sitting on the cot.

"Think about it, though. With the work DuPloys do, why would they keep their kid from being able to read? Wouldn't he have to read for home addresses? To off someone, if he were assigned? Too many things depend on knowing how to read. It doesn't make sense that they'd just take their kid- their key worker, and blind him like that."
He sighed. "Not to mention the differences in character. How much could've happened in two years with his rapist that would change him into being a goodie-goodie?"

Tsurai looked worried. "Braeden." He rested his chin on his knees. "So much bad stuff has happened to me. I don't even know how old I am.. But I don't want to die. Sometimes, I know I delude myself into thinking it'd be better... But I really want to live. Even if it is crappy, I don't want to die. Why would you even think that? You're.. A hell of a lot smarter than I am."

Tsurai sighed. "I know you probably had a job and everything, so the war kind of ruined it. But, you're free now. You can do whatever you want. Why would you want to waste that on dying? Then everything we struggled with would all be for nothing. All that wasted effort. Didn't you want to kill me or Isiah at some point? What happened to that?"
He suddenly realised what he said. "I mean. Not that you should actually do it, but you didn't want to kill yourself then, did you?"

Connor grimaced. "He doesn't look like much of an attack dog, now, does he?" He was moreso thinking outloud to himself.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I am overthinking it. He could be different." He looked at the makeshift door.
"But what if he isn't?"

Tsurai softened up. "I had a girlfriend and daughter, too. But I didn't lose them in the fall." He gave that spaced-out look for a moment, then snapped back. "Still, I want to live. I mean. You get over people's deaths eventually. Now there's no law or prison or anything. You can do whatever you want with no consequence. Isn't that worth looking forward to?"

Connor sighed, putting his elbows on his knees and interlocking his fingers. "I know. I just worry about you." He perked up, "Did he ever say anything else that might be important? I mean, it doesn't seem like he'd tell just anyone he couldn't read."
Connor was getting a little jealous. He wanted to be wary of Tsurai, yet at the same time, Isiah seemed to love the kid more than himself.
Maybe if they made sort of an agreement.. They might be.. 'Parents'. Oh, what an idea. Easy, Connor. Don't let your attention-seeking get to you too much.

Tsurai looked awkwardly to Braeden, a little confused as to why he was on the floor instead of the cot. "So then you're saying you want a job? Or, one that you like, I mean."
Tsurai was beginning to feel sorry for the Denzien; he didn't understand why anybody would want to kill themselves.

Connor sighed in realization. "You're right. I understand." He yawned, falling backward onto the bed, hands behind his head.

Secondguessing himself, Tsurai got up and straddled Braeden, not knowing any better.
"Hey, look," he smiled pointing to the dragon on Braeden. "This thing. Regardless of what it means to you, I think it still is pretty. And if you die, I wouldn't get to look at it anymore."
Tsurai sat back, most of the weight on his own legs rather than the Denzien's. Frowning somewhat, he began to trace the dragon's outline. "Can you draw like this?"