The Villain's Hero

Twenty Nine

"All moved in" I said smiling at Pete.  He started shoving his clothes in his drawers.  I hugged his waist tightly.  "Why do you seem angry?"

"I just really hate my mom, and I'm glad I never have to live with her again" he grumbled. 

"What happened?" I asked.

"A lot" He said "Just a big fight.  It doesn't matter" he sighed.  We heard a loud banging on the front door.  I kissed his shoulder, and made my way to it.  I carefully opened it up.

"Dad?" I asked.  He grabbed my shirt balling it up in his hands.  I got a waft of whisky from his breath.  "Are you drunk?"

"You think you can l-leave me?" he asked.  He burped, and held me tighter.  "You cant just leave me!" he yelled.  "You're all I got left!" he cried and pushed his head against my chest.  I looked over at Pete in horror.  "Damn you all!" he yelled "You, your brother, and especially your mother!" he slurred. He shook  me violently crying his damn eyes out.  "I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!" he sobbed "God, I'm so sorry!" I slowly pat his head "Come back to me!"

"No, dad, I'm staying here" I said "With Pete" he cried harder.  I sighed and led him to our couch.  I helped him lay down, and covered him with a blanket.  He fell immediately asleep.  Pete stared at me with a scared look on his face.  "I've never seen my father cry" I said quietly.  "Not like this at least" Pete laid his head on my shoulder.
——
When my dad finally woke up I had a coffee made up for him, and ibuprofen.  He stared at me in confusion.

"You uhm, came to my apartment crying" I said "And then passed out on my couch" He sat up slowly gratefully taking the ibuprofen with the coffee. 

"I fell off the wagon" he mumbled.  I sat down next to him on the couch.

"You tried to get me to move back in" I said quietly. 

"Yeah, that sounds about right" he mumbled "Where's Pete?"

"He's in our bedroom, he's tired, and he knew we needed to talk" I said.

"So I guess you're not coming back" he said.  I stared at my hands folded in my lap.

"Dad, I'm not happy, or mentally okay in that house.  And neither are you" I said "Pete loves me.  I'm eighteen, I'm young but, I'm old enough to do this.  My whole life, Brendon took care of me.  It's time for me to take care of myself now.  And for Pete to take care of me when I can't, and me to take care of him when he can't.  You need to go back to the rehab dad.  You need to get sobered up.  I don't have a mom, she doesn't talk to us.  And I can't have a dad that's gonna beat the shit out of me for looking at him wrong because he's so fucked up on bourbon he can't think right.  And I need time to heal.  To forgive you, and maybe even mom" he nodded "I love you"

"I love you too Patrick" he said gently. 

"You'll always be my dad"

"You'll always be my son" he said smiling.  I smiled back.  "Thank you"

"For what?" I asked.

"Reminding me who I am" He said quietly.