It all started with a loud obnoxious message tone sound throughout the classroom of the Black Order, a place where you go to further your education, although no one is really sure whether they are a college or a university. The obnoxious tone is muffled by a blond haired boy who's face has gone red as he tries to quiet the phone in his hand, immediately regretting allowing his friend to change his message tone. He is visibly relieved when his phone finally stops its shrill fake-moaning sounds.

That afternoon he is faced with his first ever detention and a meeting with the principal; a meeting that, for once, was not because someone else was in trouble.

With a sigh of relief, Howard Link slams his dorm room door shut behind him. Walking over to his bed he drops his book carrier onto the floor and lies down, head buried in the pillows. After a few minutes he decides to check what the message that got him in so much trouble actually said.

Sliding his phone out of his pocket and pressing the home button, he expects to Lvellie's name flash across his notifications tab only to find the message was from an unknown number. With a frown, Link sits up and goes to check the messages contents properly.

[Unknown Contact]+44 1300 655 506

{Hey there! You gave me your number last week! At theatre practice, you said that if I showed you one of my performances for free you would contact me about a possible casting? Well, you never got back to me and this is the number you gave me so I thought I'd check in and see if the deal is still going?

Oh yeah! It's A.W, by the way! In case you forgot. }

Link stares down at the message, feeling sorry for whatever person clearly just got tricked by some sleazebag looking for a free show. Link looks at the initials and scoffs to himself, 'No wonder this person's initials are A.W, it perfectly sums up their situation.'

Realising he's going to have to be the one to break the bad news to the unlucky person on the other side he decides to quickly reply and hope whomever it is doesn't take the news badly, though he somehow thinks they might as they seem to have been naive enough to fall victim to a probably scammer. Link sighs and begins the reply, not really sure how to put things into thoughts at the moment.

[Unknown Contact]+44 1300 655 506

{Listen, I hate to break it to you but you've got the wrong number. Providing you typed in the correct number in the first place. You've been tricked by someone. I never give my number out because I usually have no need to. Besides, your message got me a detention. I'm sorry about your situation.

Also, don't give out free performances no matter what. I don't know you but I feel that you probably have a lot of talent. Don't waste it on free performances. Make people go to lengths to watch you because they want to, not because they're bored. Have a good day.}

Link was just about to put his phone down when less than a minute later a reply came through. 'Damn theatre people and their speed-reading.' He quietly muses as he once again goes to open his messages.

[Unknown Contact]+44 1300 655 506

{Oh. Sorry for bothering you.}

Link stares down at the words, not sure how to reply. He sits there with his phone in his hand for a few minutes mulling over what to do. He starts to feel uneasy about A.W, they didn't seem like the type to get like this considering how bouncy and energetic the previous messages had been. Link sighs and quickly decides to write something.

[Unknown Contact]+44 1300 655 506

{Hey, are you ok? Just asking since you seemed really down.

You still there?

A.W?

Hey?}

Link stares down at the string of messages he sent over the course of 5 minutes, worry overcoming his fear of ringing someone. Link quickly hits the call button. The phone rings for about half a minute for someone picks up, the sound of mumbling and swearing can be vaguely heard on the other end.

"Hello?" A cheery voice sounds from the other line, dripping with falsity.

"Are you A.W? I'm the person you just texted. Whatever you're doing, stop it." Link says hurriedly into the phone. 'This dudes just a kid! You can tell from the voice! What asshole does 'that to a kid!?'

"What do you mean? I'm not doing anything." A.W replies, the rattle of something dropping and another muffled curse word reach Link's ears.

"Listen, I can hear you dropping things and God help you if that's what it sounds like. Don't make me track you down and stop you physically." Link says, trying to calm himself but ending up sounding more stressed.

There's silence on the end for a few seconds before A.W lets out a small sob out, "Well! When everyone just scams you out of your money and you have no one left, what else am I to do!? I have nothing! I own nothing! Not even myself! I have to scam others back just to survive. I'm too fucking nice and as much as I don't want to be in certain situations, I always end up being nice anyway! Apparently to the wrong people too many times. There's nothing left for me. I tell myself I have to keep walking, but at what cost? Why do I even try?"

Link panics and the first thought that runs through his head is 'If I don't stop this kid I'll have blood on my hands.' Had logic been applied to the situation, Link would not at all have blood on his hands, but when in a panic a human doesn't always think about the situation. "Don't you dare do anything to yourself! If I didn't care, I wouldn't have texted you back."

"But you don't even know me! You wouldn't want to know me! I can't keep staying here, living like this. I have to escape and this is the only way I know how." A.W ends the sentence in quiet little sobs and fast breathing.

"Then I'll help you!" Link shouts, cursing himself; his Guardian was going to kill him.

"How could you possibly help me?" A.W sobs.

"I could give you a temporary residence until you can get on your feet. I can try my best." Link says.

"I don't want to be a burden, besides, I can't afford anything. I have no money. How will I pay for food? I can't ask someone to do that for me, I'm not worth it." A.W says quietly.

"I can provide for you until you can stabilise yourself. My guardian might like your help in his business." Link says, 'Who knows what Lvellie will do.'

"Listen, I appreciate your help but it's impossible. I can't be saved, and I can't take the word of a complete stranger. You could be some weird pervert, you could be an enemy after Professor Cross; I don't know, I can't trust anyone." A.W sounds completely depressed.

"Professor Cross?" Link says, shock evident in his voice.

"Oh great, I just threw myself to the dogs, didn't I... Forget I said anything. Goodbye." A.W goes to hang up.

"WAIT! Did you mean the Professor Cross Marian who works for Lvellie and the Vatican? If yes then I really CAN help you!" Link shouts as quick as possible into the phone.

There was silence again and Link started to wonder if A.W had hung up during Link's shouting fit, but then a soft reply came through, "How did you know that he worked for the Vatican?"

"Because my guardian is Lvellie, and as soon as you mentioned the Professor's name I knew. My guardian is always going on about him, how he spends all his money and never pays his damn debts. But I think I really can help you now. I don't think I've ever heard Lvellie talk about Professor Cross travelling with someone, so he might not know you exist; that is, I'm assuming you don't want to be known?" Link says, quietly celebrating the bit of information that A.W dropped.

"Oh. Are any of you like Professor Cross?" A.W replies.

"Not that I know of." Link says, he can't really say for sure since he's never met the Professor in real life, but he's heard enough about him to make a safe enough assumption.

"So I guess I'll be staying in the dorms? Will I meet people around my age? I've never met many people around my age before." A.W says curiously.

Link breathes a mental sigh of relief, knowing that A.W his actually listening to his words. "Yes, there's lots of people to be friends with here. Also, how old are you? I need to know because of legal issues and stuff. Professor Cross might have to sign you over to us if you're still under 16."

"I'm 16 on the dot." A.W says confidently.

"We can always ask Professor Cross your age anyway, because I'm sure Lvellie will want to talk to him." Link says.

"Oh. I lied, I'm 15. Um, it might be a bit hard to contact Professor Cross. He spends all his days drunk and wont help me pay for anything, including schooling." A.W mutters, a breath of 'fucking piece of shit' wafts through the phone.

"Listen, text me your address and Professor Cross's approval and wait a bit, I'll get everything sorted for you." Link says, and with one hand he reaches down the side of his bed and grabs his book bag, pulling the laptop out of it.

"Thank you for this, dude, you have no idea how much this all means to me. To be honest, at the moment I couldn't care less if you want to kidnap me and do weird things because it was pretty obvious I want to die so what have I got to lose?" A.W chuckles lightly.

"Don't talk like that. Just do the stuff I asked you and I shall prepare for your arrival." Link says, "Also, before I go. Please don't hurt yourself."

Link hangs up and hopes to God he did enough. His anxiety over the situation is still high and he accepts that it wont calm down until he hears back from this A.W. He flips open his laptop and pulls up his emails. He quickly types out an email explaining the situation to Lvellie and prays that Lvellie isn't mad enough at Professor Cross to not let his pupil into the school.

A few hours later Link get's his reply email and breathes yet another sigh of relief as he reads Lvellie's words. They're short as always and straight to the point.

Howard Link

[ I received your request. I would be delighted to have Professor Crosses pupil. Have him in send in his information and I'll think about where we will put him. In the mean time, he will stay with you. If he acted as you say then his emotions will be in turmoil. Look after after him for the first week or so and see that he does not try to 'off' himself again. If he is indeed taught by Professor Cross then he will be a wonderful student, that is, if his guardian's awful habits did not brush off on him. But that is a chance we will just have to take at the moment as we are low on students.

Teach him the time tables and how our school works, provided he hasn't been taught about it already, which I doubt he has.

Good Day]

Some time during in the night, at around 3 to 4 AM the details that Link was waiting for A.W send in finally arrived. Link figured it was safe to assume that he had to try and talk to his drunk guardian to get permission. Link read over the text and forwarded it to Lvellie. Then he quickly typed back his reply to A.W, telling him of what was going to happen. They ended their conversation with a "thanks for everything, it means so much to me" from A.W.

That night Link goes to sleep with the thought 'I forgot to tell the boy my own name and get something other than his initials'.

End Chapter 1

So, I got back into DGM because I stupidly thought it was a good idea to read the books all over again. Anyway, my moral of this chapter is :

LET PEOPLE HELP YOU WHEN THEY CAN

I never let anyone help me and it ruined my entire life and future. Then one day I met a stranger and allowed them to help me. Here I am now, moving in with that stranger from years ago. We have a cat. Her name is Destructor and she eats the chairs. Despite my past mistakes holding me back from doing things I want to, I have a brighter future and a decent job.