previously titled beserk
A young gay witch with deadly powers on the fringe is traveling the U.S. in search of a substitute for suppressing his magic and a way to control his powers. Ezra Pierce was born into a religiously strict family with no one...
"i think we were meant to be but we did it wrong" w o r d c o u n t : 1,191
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"You lied to me." His voice was eerily calm and for a moment, Ezra wished he would scream. He wished Paul would yell and shout at him, tell him he was stupid. Tell him he was a selfish dick. Anything would have been better than the heartbroken look that consumed Paul's gorgeous features, his voice cracking as he spoke again. "You lied to me about the death of my best friend. You lied to all of us. And for what? To keep the kill to yourself? You want to kill a human being?"
Ezra swallowed thickly. "I did this to keep you safe. If I took care of it then no one would have to worry, no one would get hurt or have their grief dragged on by the fact that the scum who killed Nik is still out there." He promised loosely, his shoulders slumping forward as he felt his knees weaken but didn't dare collapse into a chair.
"I've told you everything. I told you about my dad and you've been lying to me about my best friend! You told Rosalie. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Paul snapped, his voice sharper than his teeth.
"I was just trying to protect you! She was my best friend too! I watched her bleed out and it was my fault!" Ezra argued, standing stoically as Paul began to pace.
He rolled his eyes, his nose curling with unbelievable disgust. "You've barely known her for two years. She and I have been friends since fourth grade. She was the only one that would talk to me after my dad and I came back because my mom left us. She was the only one that defended me when others called me a freak." Paul tore his hand through his hair, yanking out thin strands as he went. "You're so goddamn selfish! You only do things for yourself. You kept the truth about Niki to yourself so you could get all the glory of hunting them down! You don't care about her! You probably never did! You just want to play hero!" Paul accused, glancing away as Ezra's lip began to tremble.
"Fuck you, Paul! Fuck you! I never wanted this! I just wanted to keep you and the pack safe! And you have no fucking room to talk. All you ever do is try to keep things from me! Victoria, for one!" Ezra shouted, his fingers trembling.
"Oh, bullshit! You didn't just say you were going to take care of it, you kept it from everyone! Billy can't sleep at night wondering who killed his niece! Jake can't forget how she looked laying dead on that table and we have to see it too! Emily cries every single night and as much as Sam tries he can't stop thinking about it! Kim has panic attacks and Jared's even worse! He hardly eats, hardly sleeps, he'd be talking to a therapist if there was one in this god-forsaken town." Paul shouted, his anger peaking through for one of the first times ever since Ezra met him.
The trembling started in his hands, radiating through his arms and shoulders as he got angrier. "You stop me from helping constantly because you just want just want to boost your ego by pretending I'm some damsel in distress that will always be there to rub your feet when you get home! I'm my own damn person, Paul! We're equals. And you don't get to demand to help when you have never extended the same courtesy!"
"You lied. I've never lied to you!" Paul argued as Ezra yanked a hand through his hair, rolling his eyes in irritation. "You have no right to lie about Niki!"
"She was my best friend!" Ezra shouted and Paul let out a bitter laugh.
"You knew her for two years! I've known her since fourth grade! How good of friends could you really have been!" Paul shook his head. "You're an outsider here. Leeching off the resources of murderers." He hissed, his voice full of venomous rage.
For a moment, each of them stood in shock before Ezra headed to his wardrobe and grabbed his bag, shoved deep into the corner full of his old belongings. A small amount of cash, toiletries, clothes, and two cans of food for Pads.
He collected his books and papers, cramming them into a second bag that he strapped to the first,
"Where are you going?" Paul asked, his voice cracking painfully. "Ezra, I'm-"
The witch sneered bitterly, scooping up the cat and slipping her into the bag so her head would poke out like she liked. "You said it yourself, Lahote. I'm an outsider and a leech. Might as well go somewhere I won't be seen as a burden."
Paul flinched at the use of his own words against him, following Ezra out of the room and down to the living room.
"Thank you, Carlisle, Esme, for your courtesy. But you've done far too much for me and at this point, I'm doing nothing more but leeching off your generosity." Ezra smiled tightly at the couple.
Esme put a hand on his arm. "Ezra, you have no need to think that way. You're a part of the family and you've done a lot for us. If you're not going to stay, at least take some money and a car."
Ezra shook his head. "That's alright, Esme. Might as well return to my roots." He pressed a kiss to her frozen cheek.
"Ezra, please!" Paul begged, following him out of the house. "Ezra!"
Ezra turned sharply on his heel. "Go. Go away. I don't want you here, I don't want you near me. Just leave me alone, you egotistical fuck head! Go back to your old friends, pretend I never existed, pretend you're not a fag. I'm not just your plaything! I'm a person and I can take care of my own problems!" He shoved Paul away. "I'm an outsider."
Ezra flipped up his hood against the harsh wind and began walking. He couldn't help the tears brimming in his eyes, just thinking that Paul saw him as an outsider. He knew that lying to everyone was so wrong but he just wanted to protect them.
A coven that size was a force to be reckoned with and if anyone else got hurt he'd never forgive himself. At least if Ezra died everyone else would be fine. He'd been an outsider his entire life and there was nothing he could do to change that.
Ezra had one place in mind as he jutted his thumb out along the only semi-busy road in Forks, Washington, leading to Seattle. At least there he'd do his part.
He could finally be among his own people and as long as he had been dreaming about it, it was one of the last places he wanted to be.
