The Touch of Self
A dull thump echoes in a once lively restaurant of Mendoza’s, each thump sounding off with frustration and anger. A much older man follows, an expression of sadness hangs on his wrinkled face.
“Jason! Wait!”
“I need to do this!” Jason wrestled his father’s grasp off of his long sleeve, leather shirt.
“I’m heading out with Ricardo, just wait here, please.” He says much more softly.
“You boys are going to be the death of me! Do not do this!” He practically pleads, hobbling over as fast as he could, pain in his face.
“And what, have this place go under? Not pay for your treatment? Hell no!” Jason reasons, brushing him off.
“We gotta keep going, dad, ever since that day it’s been downhill! I can’t sit around and do nothing!”
“Well doing something is going to get you killed!” Jason reared his angry face at his father.
“So?”
“And leave me alone? The result is the same!” Jorge bellowed out, making Jason freeze up.
“Sure you keep being a dastardly criminal, but then your day comes, what then? Yes, I may die sooner than later, but do you honestly think I want to lose someone else? The both of you? I should've talked to Ricardo when I had the chance, a plain fool I was, thinking that my brother would’ve been set straight after prison…” Jorge looks deep into Jason’s eyes, full of contempt and utter sadness.
“I thought you cared much more, hijo…”
“I…” Jason bit his lip, trying to stifle the tsunami of emotion that lurked beneath his tough facade.
“I thought you knew what you would do to everyone around you when you do this, to me, to Ricardo… To Julia.” Jason’s breath starts to pick up.
“Like I said, I will be damned if I lose any of you, so please, let's do this together…” Jorge sticks his hand out, an attempt to reach his son.
Jason looks at his hand, swallowing the spit that accumulated in his mouth, before solemnly looking away.
“We tried that, and nothing worked. You're getting sicker and sicker, and we’re getting poorer and poorer. Just sit back and wait… you’ve already done enough.” He affirmed more to himself than anything.
“You will die! All of you will die!” He pleaded, trying to reach out, but almost toppling over himself. Jason looked at his emaciated shell of a father, having been recently diagnosed with Liver Cancer, the man has lost weight and has been vomiting. This can not go on. It’s still early, so if he and Ricardo can go a little faster…
“Worry about yourself, we will get the money, no problem, just wait.” He says as he begins to walk out.
“Jason!”
It has to be done.
“Jason!”
Not again, he thought.
“JASON!!!”
Sit tight, and watch me work, he thought.
Whatever it takes, he thought. Delivering drugs, beating up targeted people, smuggling, anything to get that money.
Even if he had to kill someone.
~~~~~
[Jason POV]
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In My Steed (OC x MHA)
Fanfiction(Formerly known as Just the Pizza Guy) (Cover isn't by me) The past never leaves you. Jason Mendoza is forced to accept this thought as he is thrust into the world of heroism and villainy by powers greater than he is, in exchange for a dull taste of...
