"Kim: Hold me.

Edward: I can't"

(Edward's Scissorhands, Tim Burton)

"Why are you wearing those gloves all the time?"

Ana was, to Fayez's opinion, the sweetest child he had ever seen - not that he had met many children in his life, as he rarely left the castle. The only persons he interacted with, outside of his family, were the servants, and sadly they were all adults. Needless to say that the days were long, to the point where he actually asked his parents for more lessons with his private tutor.

"Because my hands are bad" was the little boy's simple respond, one that would have broken his mother's heart, had she been there to hear him.

"Show them to me"

Ana certainly was a sweet child, clever and endearing. Too bad that she was also very curious, like most of children her age.

"I can't"

"Why?"

"Because my mum said I can't" he replied, trying to sound confident, but he could feel himself blushing when the little girl snorted, visibly amused by his comment.

"Do you always do what your mummy tells you?"

"Of course not!"

"Please, Fayez. Show them to me" Ana insisted, pleading with her big, shiny eyes that seemed to be full of tears.

Fayez hesitated. Deep down, he knew he shouldn't give in to his new friend's whims, but he never had a playmate before, and he didn't want her to get mad. Besides, one look couldn't hurt, right? He would remove his gloves, let Ana look at his hands, and then quickly put the gloves back on. His mother would never know about it, and Ana and him would resume their playing.

"I will show you my hands, but you have to promise not to touch them, Ana"

"I promise I won't" the little girl quickly replied, beaming.

"It's really important" he pressed further, because despite the little speech he just gave himself in his head, he had a bad feeling about the whole thing.

"Come on, Fayez! Just show them to me already. It is not such a big deal"

"It is", he sighs, before slowly pulling on the glove of his left hand.

It felt weird, removing the gloves outside of the safety of his bedroom. It was a scary experience, of course, for he was taking a huge risk and disobeying his mother. Yet, it was also freeing, in a way, especially when Ana looked a bit disappointed, like she expected him to have green hands or to have scales on them.

She didn't look afraid or wary of him, like most of the servants in the castle did. If she wasn't acting any different with him, it meant that he was, after all, normal. Right?

"You have such pretty hands" she finally declared. "They look really soft, like the skin of a peach or the little swans' fuzz"

"Thank you" replied the little boy, not used to receive compliments about his hands.

He was about to put his gloves back on, but Ana's cry stopped him.

"Wait, Fayez!"

"What is it, Ana?"

"Can I touch them?"

"Ana, dont!"

Years later, he sometimes thought about how all of this was his fault. He knew what kind of effects his hands had on other beings. Sure, he had never touched humans before Ana, but he had seen how the plants would die in the palm of his hand, how the food would immediatly turn rotten.

"Fayez, what's happening to me?"

"Ana! I told you not to - Don't move! You'll be okay, I promise. My mum will heal you"

"Fayez, I am scared. It hurts so much."

Everything was a blurred after that. He had wanted to hold the terrified little girl close, but he couldn't do that, because his shitty hands had already done enough damages. He remembered that as he stood up to go seek some help, Ana let out an excruciating cry, before she fell on the ground. Dead. He remembered Ana's mother face when she saw her daughter on the ground, her small face so pale and lifeless.

"We will pay for the funeral, of course. I am so sorry, my dear friend"

"He killed my daughter"

"Eleanor, I know you're in great pain, but you know my son. He wouldn't have done it intentionnally. He is a just a child"

"A child? Your son is an abomination!"

The only reason why this tragedy didn't lead to an open war, was that Ana's family were all humans, and as such, they couldn't do much against the vampires, even if they did try a couple of times to get revendge. Fayez's parents did not get mad at him, nor did they punish him in any way, but Fayez knew he had deeply disappointed them, which was somehow even worse.

"Dad, do you think I'm a monster?"

He used to often ask this question when he was even younger, and his parents's answer was always the same. They would say no, of course, you're our precious, unique little child, and they would hugged him until he begged to be released from their protective embrace. After Ana's death, though, everything changed.

"Dad, do you think I'm a monster?"

"Just go into your room, Fayez"

"Dad -"

"I'm tired, Fayez. Just do what you're told"

Seven-years old Fayez made a promise to himself that day. A promise that he intended to keep all his life.

His promise was the following one : protect the humans at all cost