I Wish You'd Just Shut Up Already (completed)

Butterfly Kisses

~*At Travis's house~* ‼️Tw. Abuse‼️

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...", Travis covered his eyes, breathing heavily, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Go to your room. I can't stand too look at your face anymore", Kenneth's words slurred.

Travis didn't dare uncover his eyes, bolting to his room, bursting into tears, trying to keep himself quiet.

His mom had left the house minutes prior to get food, and hasn't gotten back yet. It was for the best. If she would have been here she would have gotten hurt instead of him... And Travis wasn't sure how much more his frail mother take of his father's physical abuse.

Travis sat on his bedroom floor, the chilled wood and the cool air sending a shiver down his spine. He brushed his thumb against his lip, pulling it away to see smeared blood on his hand.

He took in a deep breath before letting out a lonh sigh, the lump still in his throat from crying as he tried to calm himself down.

Minutes passed and Travis just sat there until he finally heard the front door unlock and swing open with a small squeak. Travis slowly stood up, rubbing his eyes and turning around to look at himself in the mirror. His right eye looking worse than ever, blood still smeared on his lip and chin.

Travis cleaned himself up with an old T-shirt he had laying on the floor, before changing his tattered clothes into something more "proper". Before he opened his door, and went down stairs for dinner.

Once he entered the kitchen he saw his Mom, standing at the kitchen counter, pulling small boxes out of a plastic bag. His father sitting at the kitchen table, a beer in one hand, and a newspaper in the other.... Almost as if nothing had happened when he had gotten home from school earlier that day.

"Hello... Hunny", His mother smiled weekly at the boy. He voice shaky, almost as if she were... Scared?

"Hi mama", Travis smiled a little and took a seat across from his father. His gaze peering over him.

"Here you go, baby", Travis's mother snuck up behind him, setting down one of the boxes infront of him, and pulling his hair back out of his face. Placing a gentle kiss on the boys forehead.

Travis smiled gently, opening the box with a burger sitting inside. He looked up from his meal. Seeing his mother place another box infront of his father.

"Thanks honey", The pale man set down his newspaper, to kiss the poor woman on the cheek. Her eyes widening and forcing a quiet chuckle.

She then sat down next to Travis, placing yet, another box infront of her. "Travis... Would you like the say grace?", The woman crossed her brown arms, as she faced her son. His father putting everything he was holding down.

"Sure...", Travis sighed, crossing his arms and leaning his head down. "Dear heavenly father.... We are thankful for this meal-", He choked on his words. "And we are thankful for this nice day, And I'm thankful that mom's getting better... And hope that very soon she'll be okay and off her meds, and...", He fumbled with his words a bit. "And I hope I'll be able to make some new friends, Amen",, Travis looked up to see his father, ignoring almost everything he had said, and jusy taking a swig of beer.

"That was very nice hunny...", His mother smiled, opening the box infront of her.

Travis had hope... He hoped the dinner would be peaceful today. It seemed to be going just fine. But his father.... Always had to start something.

"Why do you never sit next to me anymore", his father said to the frail woman, leaning his elbows on the table.

"Oh.. it's just... I mean", She laughed in a panic. "I mean I didn't want Travis to be on the entirely other side of the table of us-"

"Why would he care. He never seems to care about anything", He scoffed, his speech still slurring, and yet he still had a sarcastic smile on his face.

"... Can we please just eat...", The woman sighed, staring down at her food.

Travis started eating, trying to ignore everything that was going on. He just wanted a normal family... Why couldn't he just-

"So how was school darling?... Did you make any friends?", His mother seemed excited about the last part, her eyes filling with joy... Travis... Really didn't want to disappoint her again.

His father staring him down in a menacing way.

"Um... No.. I was close? I guess... I mean. I started *talking* to someone... But I'm not sure if we can call eachother friends", Travis swallowed hard, setting his food down.

"Oh that's good... I'm proud of you", The woman called.

".... Very proud Travis. Very... Proud.."