Gypsy man

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Heart fluttering. Breath labored. Ears fine.

His mouth is on mine. Lulian's hands explore my body. Our hearts beat together in harmony.

I practically wake myself up.

What the fuck. What the hell. What the hell. Why did I dream THAT? I'm not gay.

Why am I dreaming of some weird man who is eleven years older than me!

Is there something wrong with me?

I get out of bed and wander to the bathroom. A loud crash and yelling comes from downstairs.

My body flies down the stairs to the living room where I find my mother on the floor.

My drunken father is yelling incoherently and throwing stuff at her.
She's crying, her body shakes violently.

I don't think as I grab my father from behind.

He instantly falls backwards. Ow my legs. Ow my back. My arms loosen and my father takes his opportunity.

Before I can react he's punching me. Beating me. I try to fight but I can't.

It's useless.  All I hear as I fade from consciousness is my mother's repeated cries of leave him alone.   

I wake up in my bed. My face stings. My whole body hurts. 

Mom is weeping at the side of my bed.

"Mom..." I groan.

"Don't move." In seconds she's standing over my. Her fingertips trace my body from my face to my chest. "My baby." She rests her head on my chest.

The pressure hurts a little but I don't make a sound as she sobs. "I'm so sorry, Alex. I wish we could escape from this."

As she repeats I'm sorry I fall asleep again.  Once I wake again it's dark.

Mom's asleep next to me.

Even as my body aches I force myself out of bed. I close the bathroom door behind me and switch on the light.

Hideous. The first thought that crossed my mind when I saw my reflection in the mirror. My face has never been much to look at but now it was completely ruined. My nose was definitely broken. My cheek is slightly swollen.

I struggle to sleep the rest of the night. Everything hurts. The next morning I leave the house before either of my parents wake up.

The hood of my hoodie hides my face as I ride the train just outside of the city.

I love the woods. It's quiet and peaceful. No abusive fathers hitting their sons here.

I stumble to my favorite spot. The big rock is in its usual spot creating a small shelter. I sit down and let my tears fall.

I haven't cried in a long time. "Alex!" I don't look up until he violently shakes my shoulders.

His face goes from worried to pissed.

"Who the fuck did this to you?" He says each word slowly with his clenched jaw. I can't tell him I just cry harder.

"Alex!?" He growls. I don't answer and he hugs me.  He holds my body against his for a few minutes before he picks me up in his arms.

He effortlessly carries me off into the woods. I hear a horse whiny. A huge black and white horse greets us eagerly.

"Not now girl." Behind the mare is a colorful caravan. Like an actual fucking gypsy caravan.

Lulian carries me into his caravan.  Or home. I don't know.

He lays me down on the big bed in the front of the van. He starts making tea at the small fire place.

The van is very neat. There's a small altar thing close to the bed.

Lulian is rummaging through some herbs, using a pestle and mortar to crush the ones he picks out. After a few minutes he brings me some kind of green tea.

"Drink." He orders. "It's not poison." Well that's good to know. I reluctantly swallow. It tastes disgusting.

"Wait. I don't feel any pain." I realize.

"That's good. Now." Lulian's eyes harden. "Who did this?" 

Can't trust him. After a moment of silence he climbs onto the bed. I lean back and he expertly positions himself over me.

"Don't make me force you, Alexander." 

How will he force me? After a minute or so he leans down press his lips against mine. His feathers tickle my face. He kisses every inch of my face before he moves down to my neck.

On instinct I push against his chest. "St-" his hand is on my mouth as he whispers into my ear. "I'll only stop when you tell me who did this."

I don't answer. Instead I cover my face with my arms.

He pulls off my hoodie and shirt before he pins my arms above my head. I can't move.

For a moment he just stares at my body, an angry look on his face. His free hand travels from my face to my neck,to my chest, stomach. It feels good, somehow.

No. Get a grip Alex. Lulian's hand fiddles with my jeans. He rips off my pants and underwear. No. He runs a finger over my thing, making it jump up.

"My father!" I scream.

In a calmer voice I say. "My father did it." I turn my face away from him.

He climbs off the bed. I turn onto my side and pull my knees to my chest. I feel his hand on my lower back. It's an odd sensation against my skin.

"Y-your father." I don't like the sound of his voice. "The black eye you had when we met?"

He's putting two and two together.

"So? What? He's abusing you. Why?"  His voice is all over the place. I don't answer. I don't look at him. I can't. I can't bear to see him.

"Alex?" His voice is calm now.

"I only wanted to protect my mom..." I mutter. I'm so weak and vulnerable. I'm pathetic. What is wrong with me?

"And he did THIS to you." It wasn't a question, it was an angry statement. Why is Lulian furious?  "How long?"

"What?"

"How fucking long has he been doing this to you?" He demands slowly. I dare to look at him. I have never seen a more angry look on anyones face. Not even my father.

"8... 8 years..." he looks even more angry. I didn't think it was possible.

"8 years?!" He practically wheezes. "8 fucking years? He stole 8 years of your life?"

I look down at the bed. "I'm used to it." I shrug.

He puts a hand under my chin and force me to look at him. His voice is like ice and it's more terrifying than his yelling. "You shouldn't be." His black eyes are hard and cold. He's more terrifying than my father. But he actually cares about me.