stardust|completed

eight|parents and pizza

"take some time to simmer down, keep your head down low."

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I was on idea number 23 of how to kill Orion (this one involved a pencil and four minutes alone with him) when the same officer appeared at the cell door.

"You've been bailed out get up," he said gruffly.

I sat still for a few moments in surprise then slowly got to my feet and followed him out. The only logical explanation was Orion coming back and bailing me out. But as I rounded the corner he was no where to be seen. Instead my mother and father stood a few feet before me.

I almost walked back to my cell when I saw their faces. The whites of their eyes were colored red, they were fidgeting in their spots, and it seemed as if they hadn't showered or changed their clothes for serval days. What finally convinced me to walk out with them was the thought of my brother, I couldn't leave him alone.

As soon as we pulled away from the station their lecture started. I half heartedly listened to their insistent talking and stared out the window until we arrived. From what I gathered they insulted me for half the trip and explained that they expected their money back in a month. As soon as the old station wagon sputtered to a stop I jumped out and sprinted up the stairs to check on Leo.

He was sleeping snugly under his Lego printed covers. I tiptoed over towards him and placed a small kiss on his forehead, then continued to exit his room and softly close the door.

I almost collapsed on the dirty hallway floor in utter exhaustion, but I somehow gathered the energy to make it to my living quarters. A few moments later I was dressed in an old t shirt and sweats, the sun was rising and the clock read 6:15 am. Deciding neither I or Leo were going to school today, I fell on my bed and closed my eyes for a much needed sleep.

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I woke up around 10 hours later to the sound of my mother screaming in my ear.

"Nyx! Get your ass up, your little brat of a brother is crying for some reason or another. Your father and I can't take it anymore, we'll be back in a few hours." She snarled at me with red painted lips; her body was clad in a slinky sliver dress and she smelled of cheap perfume and beer.

She slammed the door on her way out and a few moments later I heard the car peel out of the drive way.

Sighing I made my way towards Leo's room, where muffled sobs made their way from his closet. I knocked on the closet door and waited for a response, when none came I opened the door and quickly slid in the vacant spot next to him. The light that poured in from the bottom of the door gave me a clear view of the fresh black and blue bruises that colored Leo's wrists.

Seeing them made me dig my finger nails into my palms until the skin broke, I tried to contain myself from searching for my "parents" and strangling them with my bare hands. Rage bubbled underneath my skin; but for Leo's sake I took a few deep breaths and started to draw patterns on his back.

Since the 3rd grade Leo had panic attacks, he would hyperventilate and once passed out from lack of oxygen.

It was tough for the first few months, but I soon found a way to calm him down.

In a sense it was like pictionary, only my fingers were the markers and his back the canvas. I would continually draw an image on his back, like a tree or a bear. He would focus on the movements and guess until he got it right, my picture for the day was a house.

I lightly pressed a square in the middle of his back and a triangle on top ending at the bottom of his neck. I added some details, such as windows and doors, and began the process over again until his breathing slowed down.

"House?" He finally broke the silence.

"Damn, you're getting too good at this."

He shrugged and took a few more deep breaths. Leo opened his mouth but a loud grumble cut off his words.

"Food?" I guessed.

He gave me a sheepish smile and nodded his head. We both exited the closet and made our way down the stairs. As usual the cabinets and the refrigerator were completely empty. Sighing I made my way outside so we could hop in my truck and grab some cheap fast food.

As soon as we stepped outside I stopped in my tracks and let out a loud groan. My car had been left on that old mans property, no doubt it got towed.

"Come on Leo the trucks not there, we might have enough to order a pizza." I called out to my brother who was already around the corner.

"What do you mean? Your truck is right here."

I scrunched my face up in confusion and rounded the corner to get a clear view of the driveway. It was parked neatly on the left side; walking over to it I noticed a neon yellow paper stuck under the windshield wiper.

Slowly I removed it and read the short message that was scrawled with silver ink.

I almost died getting your truck back. Sadly it was still better than playing 20 questions.
-Orion

I crumbled Orion's note and threw it somewhere in the backseat. Leo hopped in and we immediately began arguing over where to eat (in my humble opinion pizza was always a good idea.) In the end I won, with the condition that he got to choose the music.

Some weird techno song started pouring from my speakers. I glanced at him watching as he did a very bad rendition of the robot and tried to beat box along with the song.

I smiled because in this moment everything was alright.

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A/N
this was more of a filler chapter with some extra information about Nyx's family, but I still hope you enjoyed! my next chapter might get a little heavier so beware. feel free to comment ☻
-d.c.