With You

Tears and Flames

You step outside and look around, the sun just peeking over the horizon past the houses. Just in time for the game. You walk in silence to the school, mostly just replaying current events in your mind. Preferably your first kiss. Smiling to yourself, you step onto school grounds and navigate your way to the student parking lot. Your eyes scan among the cars, not finding his familiar face. Wandering around aimlessly through cars you call out his name.

"Eridan..?"

Nothing.

You call out again, louder this time as you exit the parking lot and step onto the walk leading around the school. You sigh and stuff your hands in your jacket pockets, looking down at the ground as you walk. The whoops and laughs in front of you from a distance cut through the silent night. You look up, hearing the laughing again. It just sounded like group of people having a decent chat. Then a cry ripped through the air. Your hair standing on end, you run and follow the hoarse laughing and cries. The muffled noises lead you to the baseball field, the voices and laughter drifting from the dugouts. You slip past the open gate of the chain link fence and stalk towards the dugouts. Peering through the doorway, you lean in more to see.

Cronus had Eridan shoved against the wall, his shirt balled up in his fists. Kankri and Kurloz were standing a few feet back, with stupid smirks on their face as they watch the pack leader maul his brother. Eridan was already bruised up and bloody, a small trail of blood was running from his hairline and down over his eye. Cronus leaned his head in and spoke hastily in Eridan's ear, speaking lowly so his friends wouldn't hear.

"How dare you try to confront me! Now dad won't even look at me you little asshat. It's about time I knock the living shit out of you."

You can't move. You were too scared. All you could do was watch as Cronus kneed Eridan in the gut, letting go of him as he collapsed to the ground with a groan. Kankri and Kurloz whoop with feedback as Eridan receives several kicks to the torso, making him lay on his back. Cronus gets down and straddles over him, pinning him down as he lights a cigarette. Eridan squirmed under the weight, but he was too weak to fight back. Taking a long drag, Cronus grabs Eridan's arm, pinning it down and slipping the sleeve up. He laughs at the sight of the tender and scabbed up cuts on his skin. Pulling the cigarette out of his mouth, he presses the hot tip to a cut, making Eridan cry out. Cronus silences him with a punch to the jaw, leaving Eridan and trembling mass between his legs.

"Quit your crying. You fuckin' pussy. If you didn't want this to happen then you shouldn't have snitched to dad."

Eridan growls at him and squirms more.

"Get OFF!"

"FUCK YOU!"

Cronus pulls out his lighter and flicks it to life in one movement, then brings the flame down to Eridan's hand, burning the skin and making it bubble. He cries out and pleads, only making Cronus continue on. The flame, still touching his skin, runs down from the back of his hand and over his wrist to the swelled cuts underneath. Cronus smirks as he holds the fire over each cut, making the smaller ebony haired boy scream. You couldn't take it anymore. Swallowing up all of your anger you run up and kick Cronus in the head, knocking the larger boy off the smaller one. Eridan looks up at you and breathes out your name, sitting up and standing. Cronus groans and stands, holding his jaw as he looks at you.

"What the FUCK do you think you're doing?"

Kankri laughs.

"Now now. Cronus I think she's come to save her boyfriend."

Cronus scoffs and cackles as he points at you.

"You're dating this loser?! This fucking pansy?? I'm sorry but, I don't understand how you can date the lowest person in the school."

You state back blandly.

"I was just getting ready to ask you the same thing about your boyfriend. Kankri, isn't it?"

Kankri choked and sputters, clenching his fists to his sides. Cronus glares at you and sets his jaw. Kurloz stands and looks between the three of you.

"I'm sorry what?"

Eridan spats blood at Cronus's feet, directing his words to Kurloz.

"They're fucking queers. That rumor a few years back referred to Cronus. But he wanted to keep it secret and planted it on me instead."

Kurloz looks at both Cronus and Kankri, who were looking at each other silently. Eridan nods his head to you.

"She saw them today in the alley. Grabbing each others dicks like it was all they depended on."

"HEY!"

Kankri advanced towards Eridan, but he just held his ground, and your hand. Before he could walk past Cronus to slug Eridan, you speak sternly.

"You two should be ashamed of yourselves."

Kankri stops and stares at you as you continue. Cronus met your gaze as well.

"Bullying your own brother like this. Because of your sexuality. What the hell is /wrong/ with you people? Instead of just keeping it secret or coming out of the closet, you ruinhis life! Which would have been gone today if I hadn't found him!"

Cronus blinks and looks at Eridan, his words laced with confusion.

"W-what..?"

You scream at him, letting go of Eridan's hand to lash out at Cronus.

"He fucking tried to KILL HIMSELF TODAY! JUST BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR BOYFRIEND WERE BEING FUCKING ASSHOLES TO HIM!"

Eridan grabs your arms, holding you back as you try to charge at Cronus.

"You fucking made him hate his life! You made him hate himself for being something he isn't!! Why couldn't you just keep your secret to yourself and leave him the FUCK ALONE?!"

Cronus looks at you, then to Eridan and holds his gaze.

"You... Tried killing yourself..?"

"Oh does that surprise you??"

Eridan snapped as he finally calmed you down, gripping your hand tightly. Cronus looked at him sadly and spoke.

"Look I.. I'm sorry... I didn't mean-"

"You didn't mean it?! You didn't mean to bully me to my edge so I would break?! If you didn't mean to bully me, THEN WHY FOR FUCKS SAKE DID YOU CONTINUE?! If you feel so bad for what you did, THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN START TO HARASS ME IN THE FIRST PLACE?!"

"I.. I just didn't want the others to find out.. And.. Doing this helped me seem more tougher than what I actually am.. Helped make me seem more.. Manly I suppose.. I'm sorry, Eridan.."

"You aren't fucking sorry. You're just a fucking cock bobber from way back. Why don't you do us all a favor and go choke on a hard one."

Cronus blanches and opens his mouth, getting ready to speak again. Eridan cuts him off.

"Don't even bother trying to apologize, because I won't fucking accept it. I will /never/ forgive you. Ever. I'll make sure dad knocks the living shit out of you when I get home."