blood runs red ✓

XLIX

'the only thing you gave me was a fear of you' 

- unknown

august

Things had never felt better. Ever since August told Ares about Sean's abuse, their relationship had never been stronger. Ares had never taken so much care of August. He improved himself and tried to be better, for August, and it made the Venezuelan man fall harder for the boxer.

It had been two months since then and life had never felt better. That's how August knew something was going to go horribly wrong.

On a random Thursday evening, August was planning to sneak out to go see Ares. He still hadn't gone back to the man's apartment, but he was planning to that day. He thought he was finally ready to make better memories there, to make that one awful memory have less of an effect on him.

But then Sean barged into his outhouse and slapped August hard enough to send him stumbling back onto his bed. It was so sudden and unexpected, and August didn't know what he did wrong or how to make things better.

"Sean?"

"Shut the fuck up you cheating whore." 

August's stomach sank in fear. There was no way Sean could've found out about him and Ares, right? They were careful. "What did I do?"

Sean lifted his boyfriend up by the neckline of his shirt and slammed him onto the nearest wall, still holding him up as he got his phone out with the other hand. Without saying anything, he showed a video of August and Ares making out in Ares' car. 

The video was zoomed in to the point you could barely tell it was them, but Ares' arm was covered in tattoos, one of which being the August month birth flower, and August's curls were hard to miss. And if you knew Ares well enough, or stalked him enough, it was obvious that the car they were in was his.

August felt his stomach drop impossibly further. "That's not me."

"Do you think I was born yesterday? That's obviously you, you fucking whore." 

August didn't know how to respond. Was there any way he could get out of this and make Sean believe it wasn't him? He was pretty sure he was completely fucked. 

Sean let go of his boyfriend, laughing when he hit his head on the wall behind him. Immediately after, he started kicking the shit out of him, picking him up and throwing him onto his bed. August knew where this was going. 

He wanted Ares.

He hated that his first thought was Ares, because he was the reason why Sean was doing this. August didn't blame him, no, it just felt wrong to think of him at the moment. It felt wrong to want to call his name and beg him for help, but it also felt so right, because he knew Ares would be there as fast as he could.

August didn't fight when Sean tore his clothes off and forced him down into the bed by pushing him down on his neck. He didn't fight when Sean undressed. He didn't fight when he slipped away from reality and dissociated until the sun had set and Sean was gone.

And when he was gone, August ran.

He didn't get far, though, because Sean had found him a few streets away. The man followed him in his car and threatened to run August over if he didn't get in. The worst was already done, in August's opinion.

"Andrew is out of jail."

August stopped walking immediately. Last time Sean was bluffing. There was a possibility he was bluffing this time too, but despite that August stayed still.

"I don't believe you."

"Alright." Sean said simply before passing his phone to his boyfriend through the window.

August took it hesitantly, and as he read the article saying Andrew Davis, convicted for being physically abusive towards his wife, was let out on good behaviour, his lungs felt like they weren't working anymore. His legs felt like they couldn't carry his weight. 

His father was out of prison, he was really out of prison, and he could be anywhere. He could be with his mom right now. August couldn't hear what Sean was saying, and he couldn't see because tears were clouding his vision, but he could feel his heart and it was racing.

All he could think about was his mom, and how much danger she was in. His mom was sick, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself if Andrew returned. August was all she had. He'd always been all she had. 

His legs buckled and he fell, but he fell in someone's arms, and for once in his life, Sean wasn't mocking him for his panic attack. Sean was holding him tightly, his hand in August's, telling him to listen, to focus on breathing. 

It wasn't working, not as fast as Sean wanted it to, and despite his impatience, he forced himself to help August until eventually his mind caught up with the world around him and he breathed. When August could breathe normally and think straight, he launched himself out of Sean's arms and forced a distance between them.

"You did this. You got him out. Stay the fuck away from me."

He had Ares now. Ares could get his mom away, keep both him and his mom safe. 

"I know the timing is awful, but I swear, I didn't get him out. If you stay with me, I promise I'll protect you August. I'll protect your mom. I've already put up a security detail at her place."

"Can I see her?"

"Call things off with Ares." Sean demanded. "Call things off with him and we'll see your mom. If you don't, the only person seeing her is Andrew."

"I don't understand you, Sean." August admitted quietly. "You say you love me, and you want me to be with you, but you force me to stay with violence and blackmail. You cheat on me and get mad when I do the same. My father gets out and you want me to stay in order for him to stay away from my mom. I don't get it."

"I love you August." He said simply. "That's all that matters."

No you don't, August wanted to say, but he kept the words unsaid as he forced himself to go into Sean's car. He kept quiet, tears streaming down his face the whole ride, because a single mistake could get his mom hurt, and all he cared about was her.

Even if his heart ached at the thought of losing Ares when he'd only recently got him back.