Dear Brother

29. Texts

He got a text from Dale as soon as he was home. Iyden felt a little sick, and had denied having tea with Haydrian so that he could go lay in his room.

Please don't hate me. xx

Iyden replied: I don't, from Iyden xx

Can I explain a bit more plz? I didnt get time to tlk properly when u ran away. xxx

I didn't mean to run away so fast, I'm sorry. Of course you can. Fire away,  from Iyden xxx

Iyden flopped onto his bed, wrestling with his shoes to get them off as the next text came.

I have tried to keep it a secret, but I knew it was going to come out eventually. I never ment to hurt u, and I think I know y it hurts u. xxx

You do? from Iyden xxx

Iyden felt vomit rise in his throat. Oh God, did Dale know? How? Had he not been careful enough?

Yeah. I dont want to sound forward, but I kinda guessed you've been abused, and I'm sorry for that. xx

Iyden felt a lump rise to his throat, and he gulped it down. His hands shook as he glared down at the phone, and re-read the texts.

I'm phoning you, from Iyden xxx he text back fast, and dialled Dale's number.

**

They'd been talking for about half an hour when Iyden finally got to spoke. Dale had blubbered, he's moaned, he's whispered, he's yelled- all in all, Iyden's ear was starting to hurt from listening to him warble on about how sorry he was for mentioning it, and that he didn't mean to upset him...

He was afraid of hurting him. Iyden knew Dale didn't want to hurt him- he was scared that he'd make him cut himself. Dale had even said it out right- "I'm so scared that you'll hurt yourself because of me, it's so stupid."

Iyden felt a lump rise to his throat and eyes starting to sting- he mattered so much to someone that they cared whether he bled or not.

Dale had finished his long monolgue with a sigh, and Iyden swallowed, breathing deeply afterwards and chosing his words carefully.

"So..you know I was abused. I-I get t-that bit, b-but...do you know why it upsets me that m-much? It's...it's not just that your dad...you dad hurt people, it's-"

"I h-have a hunch." Dale said sharply, making Iyden wince. "But I'm not sure if I'm right."

"You looked in my sketchbook." Iyden said monotonously, gently brushing his hand over the black cover: he'd put his sketch book by the bed once he'd come in, tempted to draw, but he'd looked at his phone instead.

Iyden wondered what Dale was thinking. There was a brief silence, and then; "Yeah, I did."

"Did you see, then?" Iyden asked, looking around his room and wondering whether Haydrian could hear him or not.

"Yes...you're an i-incredible drawer..." Dale cleared his throat. "I saw the drawing of my dad. Very life like."

There was something humerous in Dale's voice, and Iyden resisted the sudden urge to smile a little. He pushed his dark hair from his face.

"You've put the two t-together?"

More silence, tough and thick, wrapped around Iyden's body, threaning to pull him into blackness, make him pass out with anxiousness...but it didn't.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Dale's voice cracked a little. "I should be the one who's so-sorry..."

Iyden felt his chest clam up and his face go hot- water leaked from his eyes. He cried.

He'd never managed to tell anybody about what happened to him before, and now suddenly, the one person he had learnt to trust...he was related to the man who ruined him.

"It...it w-wasn't y-y-your fault."

"You're different because of him!"

Iyden couldn't help but agree- but what could he say?

"I am, but you can't change t-that. Why...why d-don't we talk about this...another day. I...I'm tired."

There, that should do, he thought.

"Okay." came Dale's voice down the phone, with a tint of relief. "I'll see you soon. Bye Iyden."

"Bye Dale." And Iyden hung up.