Alley Mutts. |Brance|

Mercy

Robins uncle was sitting out back smoking. It was usual for him to smoke in the evenings.
He noticed all the dogs running to the side yard, tripping over each other to look out into the front yard.

Was someone out there? He stood up, abandoning his cigarette on the ground and crushing it with his boot, and walked over to the side yard.

Oh there was someone alright.
Bruce.

He furrowed his brows.

Bruce's eyes were a little red and his left cheek was, too. His clothes were wrinkled and stretched a little, and his hair was messy. None of it seemed like something he'd do willingly, seeing as how he had been painted as 'the perfect boy' clean and never messy, mature and understanding. Something was off.

He walked inside and to the front door. Bruce was still there, looking anxious and hurt. Something that seemed more common for him now.
He opened the door and Bruce stammered back.
"S-sorry, sir! I didn't mean to disturb you or your dogs.." He smiled nervously.
His smile was oddly.. perfect.

Perfect in an unnatural way, as if he needed it to be. As if he feared it being not good enough, not perfect enough.

Bruce was shocked. He didn't mean to disturb anyone, really he was just about to leave. Probably never to show up at the small house again.

He kept his smile that looked a little out of place with his broken and worn down exterior.

"Why don't you come on in?" The man smiled.
Bruce hesitated but really didn't want to be rude. What could it hurt anyways? Maybe he could play off the damage as a fight? Or just tumbling off his bike?

As he walked inside the few memories he had made flooded his mind. Last time he was here he had damaged at least a few things, such as, a small picture frame, bent the entirety of a book and broke the spine on two other ones, and ripped the arm of the couch in accident. He also stayed far, far away from the bathroom.

Devin pulled out a chair for him and he sat down in it politely, sitting up perfectly straight and quiet. Just the way he was taught.
He straightens his shirt and wiped his face when Devin turned to grab something, presumably tea, out of a cabinet.
"You like tea?" The man asked.
"Yes, please. Thank you, sir."

Devin noticed how stiff he looked, and sounded. It wasn't stiff in the 'I hate doing this, I hate sitting straight and actually using manners' way Vance seemed to use, actually it was more the opposite. More 'Shit, this place is so free. I don't know what to do' type.

He wasn't used to not having to be perfect, Devin guessed.

And he was right.

Bruce didn't know what to think, or do. Especially after Devin told him to just call him Devin, no sir needed.
That honestly sent Bruce halfway into shock.

Every adult he'd met made sure you called them sir or ma'am, and if he didn't his father would make sure the lesson had ingrained into him after they left.
He took the hot tea gratefully and stared at it, expecting to be interrogated harshly in the way that all adults seemed to love doing when they caught you even a toe out of line.

"So why are you here?" He asked rather softly for such an intimidating man.
"I swear, I didn't mean to bother you, Mr. Arellano. I was just wondering around and stumbled here." He spoke quietly.
"I told you to cut the 'sir' and 'Mr. Arellano' crap, didn't I?" He joked until he saw a look of terror on the boys face.

He was scared.  Afraid of the consequences of such a insignificant act. It baffled him a little.
"Sorry sir! I- I promise I won't do it again!" He put his hands in his lap and looked him in the eyes, almost as if begging for mercy.

Who hurt this fucking kid.?

Enjoy, please.

Man idk if I'll update as often. Bc idk how much longer I can 'fuck it we ball' this shit. :]
Thanks for reading tho!!       -author