stormy weather (dreamnotfound)

chapter 21 - jump scare

possible tw: talk of abuse

last chapter was cute but i ruined it :p angsty time 🥶🥶 then funny time

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"How often do you come here?" I asked, breaking the comfortable silence. We had been laying on the forest ground for quite a while now, listening to each other's breathing and enjoying the company we usually didn't have.

He rolled to the side and placed one hand over my chest, pulling himself closer to my side. "Not very often anymore. I used to come a lot to get away from my dad, though," he mumbled into my shoulder.

I stared into the trees above as I replied. "Tell me about it."

When he didn't reply quickly I decided to rephrase. "I mean your dad. What's he like? Is he really that.. I don't know..."

"Fucked up?" he replied before I could finish. I nodded slightly and snuggled closer, waiting for him to tell his story.

"He's.. well, he.. yeah, he is." he paused as if I was going to reply, but I wanted him to talk and I just wanted to listen.

"He hasn't been the same since my mom died. He used to be... he used to be great." I closed my eyes so I could focus better, feeling his hand clutch my shoulder.

"Every time I think about the way she died it makes me feel so helpless all over again. I don't even-"

He cut himself off when I turned on my side to face him, giving him a soft smile. "Don't tell me about the bad stuff. Tell me what she was like."

I felt him nod and he took a short breath before continuing. "She was loving, and funny.. everything a mother should be. The best thing I remember was her eyes. They were green, but also hazel looking sometimes... I used to think she was magic because they would change color in some lighting."

"Sometimes we could go for walks in these woods when I was little. I remember reaching up to hold her hand, and how she seemed so far away." he smiled at the distant memory.

"But one day, he was so dr-"

"Don't tell me if you're not ready. You don't have to explain right now," I said gently, but he shook his head.

"No.. I've been ignoring the subject for too long." I nodded and turned so I laid on my back, letting him rest his head on my shoulder.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "I don't remember why, but he got so mad at her for some reason. I had never seen him that pissed off before."

"He had never... hurt us before. I honestly can't remember why he was so upset and why he did this." He squeezed his eyes shut as he rubbed his forehead with one hand, like he was trying to find the memory in the back of his mind.

"Did what?" I asked, taking hold of his other hand in mine.

He sighed as he dropped his hand from his head.  "I remember him holding an empty glass bottle... probably drunk off of whatever had been in it. I don't think he knew I was in the room at the time."

"He raised it in the air, and the next thing I knew she was on the ground and the bottle was broken.."

I sat up and stared down at him, my expression blank except for my wide eyes. I felt my lips part slightly while I took in the terrible information. I started to zone out as my mind processed, my vision starting to blur when my eyes unfocused.

I expected him to keep talking, but after silence for a few moments I zoned in back in and felt sadness squeeze my heart. He wasn't crying, but I'd rather see him cry than witness the sight in front of me.