Band One-Shots (boyxboy)

Unbroken (Andley)

I got this idea in the shower. Isn't showering just wonderful? I would shower all day if I could. Waterproof phone and paper and pencil and waterproof food. *Sighs* That would be the life.

Andy and Ashley were sitting at home one quiet afternoon, sorting through fan letters and other various junk mail. They were both very happy to be home after a three-month tour. Being home meant that they would be able to spend time with children again. Their oldest was Max, a tall fifteen year old who they had adopted five years ago. Their other two kids were twins, Evelina and Saeran, both eleven.

Max would get home before the other two since he was in high school and the twins were in elementary. They hadn’t told their kids they were coming back today. In fact, the kids thought that they would be back next week. The couple had told them they would be spending a little extra time in their final destination, but they decided to come home before then.

Ashley looked at the clock, seeing that it was already three o’clock. Max usually walked home from school and typically came home around then. He set down the letters he was going through and sighed loudly, combing through his long, black hair with his fingers.

“Shouldn’t Max be home by now?” Ashley asked his husband. Andy looked up from reading and chuckled quietly.

“Ash, calm down. It only just turned three. He’s probably walking with his friends or something. Just wait. I’m as excited as you are to see them again.” he gave him and a smile and went back to reading. His particular letter was about, as many of their letters seemed to be, how Black Veil Brides had saved this young girl’s life. Andy thought it sad how someone so young could get so low.

It was half an hour later that Andy started to grow worried. His son should have been home at least fifteen minutes ago. A million different situations ran through his head, but he assumed he was just overreacting. If he was worried, Ashley was almost ready to call the police. He convinced him not to, telling him that he probably went to his friend’s house or something like that. That seemed like a logical assumption.

Ten minutes later, they heard their front door open. They watched as Max came in cussing up a storm, tears streaming down his face as well as blood from his eyebrow and lip. He punched the wall and fell against against it.

Ashley jumped up from his chair at the kitchen table and ran to his oldest son. He knelt down next to him and gently took his eyes away from his face. Max looked up at Ashley, surprised that he was here.

“Papa? What the hell are you doing home? You weren’t supposed to be back for…” Max suddenly realised that his papa was in front of him, seeing him cut up and bruised because some homophobic arseholes decided to beat the crap out of him that day. “I’ll be right back!” Max ripped himself out of Ashley’s grasp and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

“Andy, go get him!” Ashley exclaimed. He was practically hysterical. Andy nodded his head. He wasn’t going to bash in the door like Ashley probably would, but he was going to talk to him.

Andy knocked on the bathroom door. The only reply he got was his son telling him to go away. Of course, Andy wouldn’t do that. He knew what it was like to be bullied and harassed. He didn’t know if his son knew he did. If not, he would enlighten him.

“I won’t come in, but will you at least tell me what happened? Please?” Andy asked. He didn't let the emotion show on his face, but he was worried. He was very worried.

He heard Max sigh, leaning against the bathroom door. Andy waited patiently for Max to gain the courage to talk to him. He wouldn't leave until he did; itdidn't matter how long he had to sit there. He needed to make sure his child was okay and safe.

"I just... Dad, I can't. I go to school everyday hoping that things will be better than the previous day and I just crushed. It seems that it gets worse and worse and I hate it. You know, I'm the oldest one here. I grew up in the foster system. I should be able to kick ass, right? Well, I can't. I just end up get my ass kicked for something I have no control over. Why are people so mean? I never did anything to them! All I ever did was try to be happy! They don't know anything about me, but it doesn't matter to them. They know I'm gay and they think that makes me a terrible person. It makes it worse when the people who beat me up go off later and start talking about Black Veil Brides and how amazing they are. I want to tell them you're my dad, I want to scream in their faces that you guys are married, but it would just make it worse. They wouldn't believe me! No one ever believes me..." Max's voice faded off. Andy listen, painfully, to Max's sobs on the other end of the door.

"Hey Max," Andy started. "have you ever really listened to Black Veil Brides or watched any of our interviews?" Andy knew that this would be the time to tell Max his story.

"No." Max whispered.

"Then let me tell you this. So, I was always a punk rocker. Being a rocker already makes you vulnerable to be bullied. And hell, I was bullied a lot. Your papa was lucky, he escaped that stuff because he was athletic and rugged. Anyways, people would always call me terrible names and I even got beat up a few times in my childhood. I had a YouTube channel and I modeled and I was a musician, but it didn't matter to them. To those arseholes, I was still an emo fag. My life became about just getting by. But I made it. See what I made of myself? I'm a successful musician who makes it his goal to save lives and help victim's of bullying. Max, if we stand together, we will be unbroken. The only thing you need is to have someone by your side and then even the most horrible of things seem easier. I know life is hard, but you have to get by. If you don't, you'll never know what you could have been or done." Andy finished, pursing his lips at the memories. He had told his story a million times, but it was different when you were telling your son just so you could get him by.

Max opened the door, tears streaming down his young face. He walked up to his father and hugged him, crying into his chest. He may be fifteen, but you're never too old to need your dad to help you through the hard times.

"I'm sorry daddy!" Max cried. He repeated the words over and over again, trying to get his point across.

"Wait, why are you sorry? What's going on?" Andy asked the boy who was slowly catching up to him in height.

"I... I haven't been dealing with it very well. I'm sorry daddy..." Andy's heart stopped. He was confused.

"Maxwell, what do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Max, crying harder than before, slowly started to take off his numerous bracelets. Andy now knew exactly what was going to be under the plastic, and it hurt. It really hurt knowing that his son would do something like that to himself.

Bracelets now on the floor, Max showed his father his scarred and cut up wrists. There were so many new and old cuts. Andy wanted to cry, but he made his voice stay void of emotion.

"Maxwell, please, self-harm isn't the answer to your problems. Your body is a temple and you should never, ever put a blade to your skin. You need to treat your body as though you could lose it at any second. Max, this hurts me, a lot. I love you so much and it hurts me that you feel like you need to hurt yourself to feel better. Me and your papa both love you." Andy's voice cracked. He pulled his eldest son into a hug and took a deep breath, calming himself.

Ashley soon came to the pair, seeing the bracelets sprawled across the floor, Ashley knew what was going on. He joined in on the hug. He kissed Andy's cheek as well as the top of Max's head.

"We're home now. We're home and we're going to stay for awhile. Together, we're unbroken." Ashley whispered.

"Unbroken..." Max agreed.