Scars may fade, but Memories never will.

Mikaela Hyakuya knew a lot at his age. He had come to the conclusion a long time ago that people were disturbed by his blond hair and blue eyes, calling him a foreigner. He knew his parents had hated him. He understood that they had thrown out of that car in an attempt to kill him. He had long ago realized that the other children at the orphanage had also felt the pain that he did: the pain of being hated by the people were duty bound to protect and love them. And he knew despite what they were telling themselves, that they hated them, that it didn't hurt when their parents had sent them the mean glares and beatings, that it didn't sting when people sent them the pitying looks that they didn't want, it did hurt. It did sting. And they did love them, despite all the pain and suffering. And they were all each other had left.

Yet, even knowing all this, when the small boy with angry steel gray eyes and red hair stuffed up into a messy ponytail walked into the orphanage, scowling at the man that had dragged him here, Mika had to take a deep breath, shoving down his bitterness and jealousy, because the kid's eyes shone with hurt and anger at the world. Only they shone with the sadness of being loved and having that ripped away from him, and he hated that. He had to remind himself this kid was brought here for the same reason they all were, but the thought didn't make it hurt any less. He allowed himself to think that at least the kid had a family who loved him, before he stuffed that thought down and away. Stepping away from the crowd. "Hello!" He said cheerfully, sticking his right hand out for a handshake. The boy looked at him, a slightly shocked expression that turned wary quickly. The man coughed, and Mika noticed with a wince that he had screwed up as the boy angled himself so his left side was hidden. So that his empty left sleeve was hidden.

Mika cursed in his head, but kept his smile visible. He was idiot, and he knew it: with the way the kid acted, it was like he had bad memories with it. Bad memories filled with pain and weariness were reflected in his eyes, and he cursed himself again. He knelt down to get on the boy's level, trying his best not to stare at the empty sleeve he knew that the kids behind him were staring at. "What's your name?" He said kindly.

The boy looked away towards floor, a sullen expression on his face. "...Allen." He said sullenly.

Mika smiled, ignoring the shocked and annoyed look on the man's face. Apparently, Allen hadn't bothered to share even that with the man, but Mika couldn't bring himself to care, too focused on his brotherly instincts. "How old are you?" He didn't look older than 4, two years older than the youngest in the orphanage.

Allen seemed to struggle with himself a bit, but he eventually let the angry outburst he had been holding back out. Mika was expecting it, of course. Most kids are angry and mad when they first arrive. "Why do you care?!" He snapped, holding back angry tears. "Are you some kind of pervert or some shit?!"

"Allen!" The man snapped. "Language!" The boy sullenly looked away and avoided eye contact.

"I didn't say you could use my name!" The boy snapped at the man, who turned bright red, and Mika was afraid that the man was going to hit the boy.

So Mika shrugged, doing his best to pretend that he didn't hear the man's reaction. "I don't think I'm a pervert." He said cheerfully, and he turned to the wide-eyed children behind him. "Am I?" He asked in a jokingly way. They laughed and shook their heads. Allen's scowl deepened. He sighed to himself and sat down. His legs were getting tired. Allen apparently wouldn't listen to anything he said, and Mika understood that. It was the same way with every new kid that walked through that door. "My parents abused me till about a year ago." He got Allen attention with that. "Until they finally got sick of me, throwing me out of a moving car." Allen's mouth fell open, and the rest of the kids chimed in.

"My parents left me abandoned on the side of the road!"

"Both of my parents committed suicide!"

"Car crash."

"My dad sent my house on fire in attempt to kill both me and my mom!"

And it all mixed into incomprensible blabber. Mika watched Allen's mouth drop, and he wondered if it would unhinge at one point. The man that brought Allen here looked increasingly uncomfortable, all anger long gone.

Mika spoke up when everyone was done, his quiet voice drawing everyone's attention. "We don't have a family." He said firmly, "So we made our own."

Allen was quiet for a while, and his eyes began to fill with tears, and Mika didn't have to listen to this story to understand what happened. He pulled Allen in for a hug, and the small child let the dam burst. Allen grabbed Mika shirt and cried his heart out, for all the family he lost. The small child's bitter tears soaked Mika's shirt, but Mika just pulled him closer, his heart breaking at the wails.

Together, the other children of the orphanage crowded together, offering comfort for one of their own. And together as one, they held close their new family, fresh from the grief of loss. Something they've all felt, in different ways to be sure, but it was the same panging grief that tore them apart. And midst it all, Allen cried his heart out.

o~Memories~o

"I want a new name," said a very determined Allen to Mika. It was almost a year later, and Allen had opened up to the rest of the orphans. Most of the time, Mika could see him in a separate room with some of the youngest, drawing pictures and making snarky comments rather happily. So when little Allen walked up to Mika, who was drinking some water, and said that with solid steel in his voice, Mika spit out what he was drinking.

Wiping off his mouth, Mika said hesitantly, "Why…?" It wasn't like some of the other kids hadn't done before, and their guardian was perfectly fine with it.

Allen tugged more insistently, yet his eyes showed that he was hesitating, rather out of character. Mika snapped to attention."I-it hurts to remember," he said quietly, his grip slacking a little, and Mika understood immediately. He knelt down next the child, and he smiled softly, looking the boy in the eyes. Allen hadn't mention much about his life before the orphanage, but Mika understood that Mana (the boy's father) had meant the world to him. Losing someone that close to you… Mika couldn't image the pain. After all, he hadn't had anyone that close to him…

Mika swallowed his bitterness. Allen didn't need to see it. He was a sweet kid with a disadvantage growing up in a tough world. He propped up his smile and said, "Well, do you want to change both? Or just one?"

Allen scowled, and Mika felt relieved seeing that side of Allen come back up. He just wasn't used to the shy boy full of sadness yet. "Both."

Mika hummed. "We have to the last name down at least. But, I mean, if you don't want to join the rest of us 'blind ladybugs'-"

If possible, Allen's scowled grew even deeper, and to Mika's chagrin, his ears flamed a bright red. "That was one time, ya prick!" he said rather indignantly, "Don't hold it against me!"

Mika winked. "So that's your last name down, Mr. Hyakuya. Any thoughts on your new first name?"

Allen was quiet again. "I-I dunno," he murmured, "I just want something close to my actual name." Enough to forget the pain, but to keep the memories alive.

Mika nodded, understanding what he meant. "Do you mind if it sounds a little less foreign?" Allen shook his head, and Mika murmured to himself. "Hmm...Aoi? Nah, that seems a little tame for you...Akira? Too girly….oh!" he snapped his fingers, "How about Ayumu?"

Allen's brows furrowed, and he looked at him. "Ayumu? What does that mean?"

Mika grinned. "Roughly? One who walks."

Allen's eyes glistened, but he stubbornly took his arm and rubbed it across his eyes. "Thanks….Mika."

"Anytime… brother."

And thus Allen Walker faded into distant memory, and Ayumu Hyakuya took his place. Never forgetting, but able to move on to the next chapter of his life.

A life with family

A life filled with subtle plots and corruptions.

A life that he'll walk.

A.N: New story! New plot! Lots of information in Profile! Any news regarding updates will be said there! Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I own neither DGM or ONS. Their rights belong to their respective owners and companies.