Fearless Child, Broken Boy (ManxMan)

Prologue

Aeres is often referred to, as a country of steel - cold, harsh, a void of everything that is tender or precious. 

This place doesn't understand the concept of peace - it is either at war or is preparing to be. 

That description, consequentially, also fits its citizens. Different means dangerous, and gentle is weak. Tough boys don't cry, and good girls don't speak. In a world of violent silence, it's priceless to hear someone's voice, loud and clear. 

Jason has been always this, for me... A clear, fearless voice, a defiant echo. Something so solid, yet so...soft. 

I think that's the very first thing I've noticed when I've met him initially. Those unshakable, soft eyes...

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I've never known fear, I suppose. Most things in life seemed like a necessary hardship to me, not danger. People get hurt, and people die... that's something that unfortunately must happen every now and then - and being scared of it will not push the reaper any further...

Though, as I said, fear felt like an almost alien concept to me, terror and panic were close to my heart. I felt them often during my early childhood - and even now, before I entered my father's office, I felt my knees shake with the undestroyable, dog-like urge to run and hide. There was something deeply primal about this sort of state. I couldn't reason with myself not to feel it, however, every time it filled my chest, I completely ignored it. I pushed the door handle down and stepped in - even though I knew, I was gonna get the belt for scoring second in the competition. 

I deserve this. 

I knew I did.
...but still, I couldn't help the part of my mind that wanted to avoid my rightful punishment. That's why it wasn't fear; I wasn't afraid of anything... there was nothing scary in there -  

Yet I felt primal, naked terror. 

I was annoyed. The victory was so close - if not for that guy, I could've easily won it all, without much of an effort, and this thought kept repeating in my head, like a defiant little last word, fueling my anger and frustration, even after I left the office to escape to my hide-out. 

Well, it wasn't that much of a hide-out, but for a 14-year-old, an ancient, unused emergency exit - that led to a dirty, also not very often crossed alley  - seemed like the world's coolest, and most secretive spot. 

I, myself, was convinced for a long time, that it was humanly impossible for anyone to find it, other than, obviously, myself, but this theory had been proven wrong that day.

Exactly the moment when I walked out of the building, there he fucking was... 

Mr number one...

Mr let me just ruin your day. 

Mr I had to humiliate you in front of your father.

Need I go on? It was that little prick, who had the audacity to push his perky little nose over the line, a millisecond before I did. 

It was an annoyingly perky, straight nose, with a few freckles sprinkled over it. 

"Hi" he broke the silence in such a tone, that I assumed he hasn't recognised me at all. He was friendly... Welcoming, even. A cigarette was sticking out from between his full, slightly beaming lips, so he only mumbled whenever he spoke up. 

"Vincent, right?"

"To you, it's Price" I scoffed, mentally debating if I should go back into the building, or just sit down and wait for him to leave... Or better yet, make him leave; it was my hide-out after all. I've known this Academy since I... well since I remember.