Poison

We Are Made From Broken Parts

The students had something to chatter about as class began, however. "That new kid is in here," one said. "The red head." "Augustus? Ew." They chattered and insulted. Ethan didn't pay too much attention to them, letting them talk before the bell rang and closed his laptop. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. August came in a couple seconds late, taking one of the seats in the main back corner. The boy gave off a weird vibe as soon as he walked in the room. He had bruises on his wrists and neck, and a busted lip. But he didn't try to hide them. He seemed to have more.. fire about him. His knuckles were bruised badly as well, with scrapes and blood on them. The kids seemed to pick more on him than they had Gram, a boy Ethan had adopted not too long ago, throwing shit at him when they thought Ethan wasn't looking.
    Ethan stood, the tardy bell finally ringing. "Shut up." He said in a flat tone, grabbing a stack of papers, handing them out. "Get it done." Though, Once he got a glance at the boy, he couldn't help but stare. The bright red hair matched his own, the bruises and bloody lip caught him by surprise. He looked away quickly, finishing handing out the papers and walked back to the desk as he muttered to himself quietly.
  He looked at the teacher, giving him an odd look. He resembled himself, and his father. One of the kids, Jason, kept calling him "Augustus" in whispers to another, and he heard it. "Don't call me that." He ordered, loudly and sternly. It was a bold move, everyone else was silent. With his order, the kid smirked. "Augustus." He urged. As the boy sat nearly next to him, he drew back quickly on impulse and punched him. Right in the nose.
  Ethan jumped, grabbing the boy by his shirt, throwing him across the room. "What the hell?!" His voice was loud, echoing through the room with a growl hidden beneath it. He snarled at him. "I told him not to fucking call me that name." He was taken back by being thrown and yelled at, so he was telling back. He had the same stubbornness as Ethan. "Get out of my class!" He didn't like the tone. He was not letting any kid run over him. No one. And this kid was no different. He growled angrily, pushing him towards the door.
   He snarled loudly at how much he was touching him and he shoved him away. "Don't touch me!" He hissed, being snarky and not moving. He wasn't gonna leave and let him have that win. "I said, get out of my class." Ethan was being pushed to his limit. "And what do you do if I don't?" He crossed his arms. "Hit me? You can't." He pushed him. Daring him to do something. The other kids in the class sat in silence, the ones in the back hiding phones as they recorded it. It was going viral- something neither August nor Ethan would want.
   Ethan growled under his breath, clenching his first and his teeth. "Kid, get the hell out." Ethan could feel the blood rushing, he was on fire. He used everything in him not to beat the hell out of this kid. "Now." He shook his head and nodded, finally leaving and obeying his orders. Ethan sighed as he sat back down at his desk and brushed his hair out of his face, putting his hands to his temples. He looked over at the book across his desk, the one with the boy's home phone number. He flipped it open and started searching for the number, picking up his phone and dialing the number written down.
    After a couple rings, a raspy voice greeted, "Hello?" It was a drunken, deep voice. One that was sickeningly familiar to Ethan. It stunned him, taking the breath from his body and paralyzing him. He couldn't speak, he just held still. "Hello?" The voice repeated, getting more agitated. After another moment of silence, the man on the other end sighed. "If you're gonna waste my time, don't fucking call here." Click. Hung up. Ethan's eyes started to water slightly as he set the phone down, thinking over what he just heard. That was his father. The one he ran away from. The one he feared. How was Augustus related to his father? Maybe it was a joke, all a big joke. That's what he hoped at least, but he couldn't breathe. This room seemed to be suffocating him. He had to get out.
    He instructed the others in the class to go to break, getting up and walking outside. He got in his truck and dialed his wife's number, the woman he loved so much, and prayed that she would pick up. He needed to hear her voice. He needed her to calm him. Luckily she picked up on the first ring with a concerned, "Hello?" And just the sound of her voice seemed to bring him back. He decided not to tell her about Augustus, or his father, and to make something up. "I just missed you. I want to come home." He whined like a child, provoking a little laugh from her. "Just twenty minutes left." She said. "I love you too, baby.." though she knew something was off by the tone of his voice and the way it was shaking ever so slightly, she chose not to ask.
    "Right.. I guess I have to head back to class." He said, dreading having to go back and lose her. "I love you." He said one final time, listening to her respond before hanging up, and returning to the classroom. When he got back, the wild red headed boy was standing at his desk. He'd come back to grab his things and seen the phone book, seeing his home number. "You called him?" He asked, his voice a sinister whisper. Ethan looked at him, feeling the anger and confusion rise. He couldn't let the boy know about his father. He'd have to keep it secret, even if he wanted to ask about it. "I did." He replied quietly, which sent the boy into another fit of rage. "Do you have any idea what you've done to me?" He snarled, practically yelling as he swiped his arm across the table and knocked everything off of the man's desk.
    Ethan balled his fists up angrily, glaring at the boy. "No one answered. Get the hell out." He said, trying to keep his patience. August bit his lip, storming past the man without another word, but rammed shoulders with him as he walked by. The next twenty minutes of class were anxiety filled, Ethan so anxious to get home to his wife. He left the school when the bell rang, a few minutes after. He put all his papers in his bag and threw the book bag over his shoulder, going out to the parking lot. As he left, he saw a truck in the parking lot with the man he called father for so many years sitting on the hood, as the younger red haired boy made his way to him. As the boy walked, he had visibly lost all the strength and adrenaline he'd shown off when he first met Ethan.
   Ethan froze in his place as he watched, in shock. He hadn't seen that man in so long.. he was around fifteen when he'd ran away. That was fifteen years ago. The man stood up, glaring at the teen, not noticing Ethan. "The school called me today." The man hissed. "Wanna explain?" He asked, not giving the boy a chance to speak before bitch slapping him, knocking him to the ground with a painfully loud thud. That forced Ethan to move. He called him. He's the reason this is happening. But he could only force himself to take a single step forward, enough for the man to notice him. "Ethan?" The man smirked. "Is that you?"
   Ethan's body stiffened and went cold, terrified of the man in front of him. He couldn't say anything, he couldn't move. The man made his way towards him, not giving him a chance to fight back or anything, simply reeling his arm back and knocking his lights out. "NO!" August screamed, scrambling to his feet. He didn't understand the connection between his father and the teacher, but he had a bad gut feeling. "He's coming home with us." The father growled, lifting the man up by his hair. "I wanna talk to him." He laughed, dragging him to the car and throwing him inside, August fighting him all the way but unable to stop him.
  On the drive home, the man spoke to the boy. "That's your older brother. He ran away fifteen years ago, stole my truck and a little over twenty five thousand dollars from me." He explained. "He's the reason you're alive."
When he awoke, Ethan sat against the cold wall of the living room in his father's house, his knees to his chest. The room was barely lit. His face drained of all color and finally gave in, tears poured from his eyes. His shaking worsened and he rocked slightly.
Their father got on top of him practically, and reeled back and punched him over and over. "You stole my truck. You stole over twenty five thousand from me. You little bastard! You should've been the one to die, not your mother!" He screamed. Augustus was paralyzed in fear, knowing what was coming, though, he tried to stop the man. He knew better than to talk back to him, to yell at him.. to tell him what to do. But the bastard was bringing someone else into it, someone who didn't deserve it. "Leave him alone!" He begged desperately. "Just let him go!" He grabbed the man's arm and tried to stop him, knowing it was a bad idea.. but wanting to help the other instinctively, did it anyway. As he did, though, the man turned and grabbed the boy's neck. "Little shit.. you think you mean anything? Trying to save him won't fix the fact that you're a fucking mistake. You're just like her, you know?" He asked, pushing the boy to the floor. "And you know something, Ethan? He wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you leaving. He wouldn't have been born. He wouldn't be here to be her replacement..." he licked the boy's neck. "So thank you. Thank you for leaving me, son." He grinned. "Watch closely.. Then I'll let you leave."
   Ethan was paralyzed. He was struggling to keep himself breathing, let alone moving or talking. He looked at the boy, unable to speak, he couldn't help. He couldn't do anything and it killed him. The man did as he wanted, keeping his eyes on Ethan the whole time. When he was done, he glared at him and went to him, grabbing him up by the collar of his shirt. "It was a test.. you sat there. You sat there the whole thirty minutes. I raised a PUSSY." He screamed, raising his voice. "He's your baby brother, and you didn't even try to help." He was guilt tripping him, and he slapped him. "You're nothing but a waste. GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT, BOY." He screamed. His voice being raised scared the shit out of both of them.
   Ethan let him go. Let him do as he pleased. But in all truth, he just couldn't find him. His body refused to work. He just cried. The whole time, hiding his face. And hearing what he had said, finally putting it all together, he wasn't lying. And it only made him feel worse.He screamed louder when he didn't move. "I SAID LEAVE, DAMMIT!" He smacked the shit out of him, making him fall over. He fell to his side, and stumbled as he half crawled, stumbling out the front door and falling on his knees by the front yard.
   His phone started buzzing in his pocket. Izusa. She was worried for him. He rushed to get it before he might have noticed, his breathing heavy and whimpers under his breath, he used everything in him to stop the loud cries as he accepted the call and holding the phone to his ear. "I-Izusa..."
"Where are you? You're not at work. I'm coming for you... tell me where you are." She sounded rushed. She had to be with him. She had to save him.
   "H-he..found..me...." He spoke so quietly. Not just because the angry man in the house that would be Even more angry.. but he couldn't. He couldn't talk. But he forced it. He used every bit of strength on this. "Help...." She stayed on the line with him. "I'm on my way.. it'll be okay. I'll be there..." she was almost instantly there, but those minutes in between were agonizing. She threw herself out of the car and knelt down to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. More tightly than ever. She rubbed his back gently. "I'm here. I'm here... it'll be okay.." she promised. "I'm so sorry.. I'm sorry I wasn't here.."
    He stayed silent, he didn't move. He just sobbed. But he remembered Agustus. "T-there's someone else... in there..." "What..?" She asked. "What do you mean..?" She hated seeing him cry. She wanted to take all the pain away from him. She wanted to protect him, but she knew she couldn't. And that killed her. Ethan took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He still shook but his voice was a little better. His mind slightly more clear. "He said.. I have a brother. He's.. he's in there with him." He grabbed her arm, looking at her. "We have to get him. We have to save him!" He shook her a little, tears falling faster.
   She jumped at his sudden strength, looking at him. "Get in the car. I'll get him." She said softly. "Call the police. Tell them everything that happened so they can come get him." She wanted to shoot the man. But she knew they'd have no chance of a normal life. No chance of going back to their happy little life. He nodded, still a little dazed but doing as he was told, climbing into the passenger side, dialing the 3 numbers and trying his best to explain what had happened. He was so terrified and shaken. He could barely talk. He wasn't even thinking letting her walk in there alone.
   She had a gun on her, just in case. She wasn't going to be an idiot and walk in there unarmed to take someone from him. After several minutes, she came back out with the stumbling teenager being led out behind her. She'd pulled the gun, but only shot the man's leg. She couldn't kill him and risk going to prison. His head was on the dashboard, finally his tears were out. He just sat there, breathing lightly with his eyes closed. He didn't even notice the two. He was spaced out.
   She climbed in the front seat and let August get in the back. Once inside, she looked at Ethan. "Baby..?" She asked quietly. Ethan didn't look up. He felt so ashamed. He hated himself. How could he had sat there and let that happen. How could he be so damn selfish. His dad was right. He could've saved him. But he was too much of a pussy. "Yeah....?" It was quiet. Almost silent. Almost like he didn't want Augustus to hear. He didn't want him to know of his presence.
  August was ashamed of it to. Now he knew what happened to him everyday. Now he knew what kind of a whore he was. The boy sank into the seat, holding himself. He was drowning himself with tears, but it was silent. Not making a sound. He stared out the window at the house. Izusa reaches over to rub Ethan's back. "I'm sorry.." she leaned over to kiss him gently and started the car up. "Are we taking him home or are we putting him up for adoption?" She asked quietly. "That's up to him." Ethan responded hesitantly, glancing back at the boy, who was still staring out the window, not responding to the question.
    Izusa nodded, glancing back at him as well and starting up the truck. "Lets give him some time.. yeah?" She asked. "Let's go home." Ethan nodded a little without looking at her as she pulled out, getting back onto the road and driving off. Once they got home, she got Ethan to sit on the couch with her to calm his nerves, and August ran upstairs to find a room to stay in. He didn't want to leave, but he didn't want to stay either. He was scared. He had nowhere else to go, but he knew he was a burden here. To Ethan and Izusa. After a little while, Ethan got up, Slipping into the kitchen and started pulling out things to cook for dinner. There's wasn't a lot. He had to go buy some stuff soon. He managed to throw together stuff to make cheeseburgers, Mac and cheese and some frozen fries he could throw in the deep fryer. His stomach felt sick, the smell, even the thought of food pushed him to the edge of throwing up, but he knew that the others needed food. Izzy and his two boys, Gram and Zayne, and now August.
   Izusa couldn't let him be alone. Not after all that had happened in just the past few hours. She followed him and began helping him to cook it. "You can sit down if you need to." She said quietly, noticing how he hesitated for everything and she could tell he felt ill.
   "Thanks babe." He forced the little bit of a smile he could possibly do, returning to the living room and sitting on the couch by Gram, who'd come downstairs to comfort his dad with Izzy when he heard them come home. Ethan heard August's movements upstairs, he felt so bad. He felt so shitty. He felt like a bad person. He didn't know what to do. He looked down at the floor and wiped some sweat off his forehead from being in the hot kitchen and tears that decided to show. After a minute, he turned his attention back to the tv with Gram he mumbled to himself quietly. He'd been doing that a lot lately.
   Izzy finished what she was doing in the kitchen, walking in to join them in the living room when she noticed his mumbling. "Baby?" She asked, looking at him. "You've been doing that more often.. the mumbling. Are you okay?" She asked, leaving the stove long enough to go and hug him. She knew that her embrace calmed him, and she knew he needed it. She just.. didn't know what was going on. The internal conflict he felt. She didn't know the extent of his torment.
   He torn himself from his own thoughts and nodded, a tiny bit dazed but not nearly as bad as he thought. "I'm good babe." He hugged her back a bit tight and closed his eyes. He didn't really want to let go. Ever. But he knew he had to. She held him there for several minutes, not even hesitating. But had to let go to return to the food.
   He thought about it for a moment, looking down. "I think I really messed up.." He admitted under his breath. "What did you do?" She asked, turning and looking at him. "I watched him. I was so scared I just watched while he.. he hurt him.. he did so many bad things and I couldn't do anything." He sat down with his legs apart, his elbows on his knees and his hands his hair. His hands started pulling at his hair and he felt a tear fall. "I could've stopped him. I could've helped."
   Her heart  broke a little. She knew what he meant. "You were scared.." she said quietly. "You didn't know what to do. When I found you, you could barely even talk.." "It's my fault." He stood, his eyes still on the ground. "If I hadn't left.." he pulled at his hair more, almost ripping it out. His voice raised. "If I hadn't left none of this would've happened." He ran out the front door without hesitation, no second glances. He just left.
   She jumped, following after him. "Ethan! Where are you going?" She called out, chasing after him. "Please!" But he had to get away. He had to get away from everyone. He ran down the street as fast as he could, he wanted to run away from everyone.. from everything. He couldn't stop himself. After a few minutes, he stopped. Sitting at a bridge and panting awfully. Izzy hadn't been able to keep up with him. She was too short to keep up. She didn't want to lose him. She couldn't... but she decided to let him have his alone time. Maybe that's all he needed.. so she turned back, heading home. Maybe it was a dumb decision to let him be by himself, maybe it was a bad judgment. But knowing him, Izzy thought that's all he needed. She wanted to go comfort him, she did, but she couldn't. She knew he wouldn't like it.. he needed his space, and when he got home, he'd want everything to be okay, right? So she decided to just.. work on making food for her love, and the kids.
   He sighed and didn't fight back any tears that made their way to his eyes and down his cheeks, he was stained with sweat a small amount of dirt and blood from Gram. He pulled at his hair more, mumbling to himself for a few minutes. He stopped abruptly, listening to the sound of the rushing water.
August had the same idea as Ethan had. He climbed out the window, climbing outside. Just... get away from the house and everyone long enough to get his thoughts together before he hurt himself. He ended up walking in the same direction of Ethan, and the two met on the bridge. He froze a little before thinking of whatever he could say. "I'm.. sorry.." He was apologizing for showing up in class and causing trouble, for bringing Ethan into this mess, for him having to see his dad again.
   Ethan's mind seemed so much more clear, blank almost. The sounds was almost soothing yet it drove him to the edge. He looked at the boy, standing to his feet. He walked a little closer to the edge of the bridge. He could feel the water calling his name, he heard it yelling and screaming and pleading for him. His body felt so numb, he felt like he was being controlled. He couldn't really comprehend what was going on. Another step. And then another. Half of his right foot was hanging off. He gave the boy a quick glance and back at the water again.
   "Don't!" August panicked, realizing what he was going to do. He ran over and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him away from the edge and holding him there. Away from danger. "Ethan don't.." he begged, using his name. "They need you. Your wife and your kids." He said quietly.
  Ethan snapped out of his daze, hearing the boy's voice full of panic and looked at the ground. "I.." He didn't say much. He sat down sloppily on the pavement and buried his face in his hands. He wanted to die. He wanted it all to be over. Of course his family made him happy. They kept him alive for this long but.. it seemed like the magic it was working once before.. had faded into nothingness. Nothing was stopping him anymore.
  He fell down onto his knees next to him. He realized just how close he was to being too late. He held him tightly in his arms still, even though he was much smaller and couldnt fit his arms all the way around. "It'll be okay.. okay..?" He promised. He didn't want him to die. Not now. Not like this. "They need you.. you need them.." he said, staring at the water and imagining him falling in, just how close he was to letting go.
  Ethan just sat in there silence, tugging at his hair again. It wasn't alright. It wasn't going to be alright. Ethan made it worse for himself and he would continue to do so. He couldn't let himself be happy, not anymore. He didn't deserve it. He never had. He didn't know why he thought he could live normal because there's no getting out of that life. Ever.
  August didn't know what to say help him. He'd never.. he'd never dealt with someone like that. So he told him what he would want to hear if it was him. "It's rough right now.. I know.. I'm sorry.. but it'll get better.. storm before the beauty.." he tried. He knew Ethan needed it. He needed.. something. Anything. To help him. "You deserve to live.. look, You saved me. And you hate me." He smiled a little, still holding him. "You deserve to live.. you don't deserve it to end.. not here. Not like that."
   Ethan took in all the words, words he's not been told by anyone but Izusa. Hearing it from him was different, yet they still stuck on him. He repeated a couple of the words. "Saved.. not here... hate.. hate.." that one word was repeated multiple time. "Hate.." he mumbled to himself. Then realized, looking up at the boy. "I dont.. I don't hate you.." it's all he could manage to choke out, protest against him. He kept his eyes on him. He almost looked like a child again, the tone of his voice, so innocent and child like. His eyes were wide and tearful.
   August hated seeing anyone looking that miserable. As vulnerable as Ethan looked in that moment, as apposed to the intimidating teacher in class. He shook his head slightly, making eye contact with him for the first time. He didn't care about himself right then, he only cared about Ethan.. so the man's words didn't properly register in his mind. "Okay.. just.. trust me, Alright?" He asked quietly. "It'll be okay. You'll be okay.. you just gotta give it time."
  Ethan nodded still dazed and standing to his feet, stumbling a bit. He looked at the boy again. "I don't hate you." He repeated himself. Mumbling and playing with his fingers. "I don't. I don't hate you, I don't." He followed him to his feet. He examined the man, keeping himself ready to grab him if he tried to walk off again. He wanted to man to come fully back to his senses before taking him home, he knew he wouldn't want to lose that little bit of dignity, wouldn't want them worrying. He wiped his own tears away, though, they seemed to keep coming back. "It's okay.. just breathe now, Okay?" He asked, demonstrating taking deep breaths to him.
   He paced back and forth, clawing at the back of his hand and nodding. He didn't listen though, he continued the pacing, clawing more until blood was drawn. He mumbled to himself, keeping his eyes on his hand. His mind was still blank, he couldn't think.
   "Stop that.." he said softly. He didn't like this. He didn't like seeing him break so bad. It was his fault. If he hadn't been there in school, if he hadn't been the way he was- Ethan's life would've continued the way it was. Their dad finally managed to break him. He knew he wouldn't listen. But he was trying. He needed to try. He grabbed the man's wrists and held them together, stopping him from clawing himself. "You're bleeding.." he mumbled, and Ethan just looked at his wrists in the boy's hands. "Let go." He murmured. "Breathe. And I will." August ordered, looking the man in the eyes and demonstrating breaths again. "Please?" He said, more pleadingly than before.
   Ethan gave in, taking a shaky, deep breath with the boy. "Okay.." he said quietly, finally calming down. They repeated this a few times until Ethan was calm, breathing normally again and the shaking had calmed. "Ready to go home..?" August asked, looking up at him. "Only if you come with me. I'm not leaving without you." Ethan said, his voice still shaken. August hesitated but nodded, looking into his eyes for the first time. "Fine.." August agreed. "Let's go."
    Ethan nodded lightly, looking at the ground. "Okay.." He said quietly. "Thank you.." Ethan sighed a little and waited for him to catch up. He pulled his phone back out, deciding wether not to cal her again. He caught up quickly, walking towards the house and rubbing his face to make it look like he wasn't crying. "Call her, it's been a few minutes." August said as he passed the man up.
   Ethan watched and actually smiled a bit before dialing the number and holding it to his ear. He sped up a little bit, calling out for him to wait. "Hey August!" August instantly stopped, turning and looking at him. He raised a brow slightly. "Eh?" He asked. He smiled a little wide at him and catching up, he looked at him. "I'm hungry, let's hurry." "Alright." August smiled a bit and decided to play a little. "Race!" He yelled as he took off in a dead sprint.
    Ethan laughed, putting his phone away and chasing after him. "FUCK!" He yelled happily. It'd been a little while since he's felt so.. happy. He needed a moment like this and with his brother, it only helped that much more. August laughed at him, turning his head to look back at him. "Slow ass!" He teased him. For some reason, this kind of moment made him happy. Something he hadn't truly felt in a long time.
   "Fuck you!" Ethan laughed and forced himself to go as fast as he could, passing him and laughing louder. When they got back To the house, They practically tied as they both couldn't skid to a stop in time and ran smack dab into the house, making a loud smack sound. August fell back on his ass, panting and laughing. "Shit!" He giggled. Ethan fell on his back, holding his head and laughing as well, he turned to look at him for a second, his breathing heavy and his voice weak.
August stared up at the sky, panting for a few seconds. His mind was a jumbled mess, but for once.. it wasn't full of dread. It was happy. He let his head roll to the side to look at his brother, a big smile on his face. "I won." He smiled mischievously. Ethan's eyes went wide with the remark playfully, shaking his head. "What? No. I clearly got here first." That was their first real.. bonding moment they had, and August couldn't be happier about it. Maybe.. this wouldn't be as hard as he'd thought. "You keep telling yourself that." He said quietly, lifting an arm to run his fingers through his messy hair.
Izusa has heard the loud thud and instantaneous laughter, poking her head out of the door to look at them. "Hi boys." She giggled, seeing their red, smiling faces. "Dinner is ready if you're hungry." She prompted, not questioning them. She didn't want to ruin that moment for them, knowing they both needed it. August heard dinner, grinning and forcing his body to a standing position all in one move. "Come on." He said, reaching his hand down to help Ethan up, rather than just leaving him in the dust. Ethan looked up at him, taking his hand and pulling himself up. He looked down at the boy, seeing more than just the boy he watched their father hurt and didn't save, he saw his little brother. "Right." He said, turning and grabbing the door, holding it open for the other to walk in first, following after. By now, Izzy had the other two seated at their spots, waiting for them at the table. Gram sat in his spot next to Zayne, Izzy seated at one end of the table, and then the empty chairs. Ethan walked forward, taking his spot at the other end, across from Izzy. His plate had already been made by his wife, along with August's.
   August stood for a minute, hesitating to join them at the table. He'd never.. had anything like that before. "What are you waiting on?" Ethan teased, turning around to look at him, his mouth already full of food. "Your food's gonna get cold." August smiled a little, rubbing his arm nervously as he walked forward, taking his spot that Izzy had chosen for him with his plate, joining the family dinner for the first time. "We don't have to do that.. praying thing do we?" He asked, not wanting to. Gram looked over at him, giggling. "Do we look like the kind of family to do that?" He asked. Gram was thin, you could wrap your arms around him twice over, but ever sense Ethan had adopted him he'd been eating a lot more. He was getting better slowly but surely. "N-no.." August said shyly. Izzy giggled at the two's conversation, looking over at Ethan. The man's mouth was stuffed full of food, despite the thought of food being sickening not too long beforehand. "Is it good?" She asked, waiting to take her first bite until she knew Ethan was content. "Extremely.." he confirmed, almost choking on his food due to how fast he was munching down on it.
   Izzy nodded, happy with the answer. She had no idea.. how exactly Ethan left in such a bad mood, alone, but came back with the teenager, happy and smiling brighter than he had in a while. But she was thankful for it. August took a bite, looking up at the woman shyly. He didn't really know how he was suppose to act in situations like these, not growing up with them so he wasn't taught. "Um.. thank you." He said, his voice silent, almost inaudible. But Izzy heard it, smiling happily. "You're very welcome." She responded, showing him that she'd heard it. Zayne spoke up, mouth full of food. "Who are you?" He asked. He was asleep when Ethan and Izzy had gotten home, Gram being the babysitter and staying awake. So Gram knew they had another member in the family now, but Zayne didn't.
   August looked at the younger boy, who looked like he was around six or seven. "Um.. I'm August." He said quietly, introducing himself. "Ethan's little brother." Gram looked at him, and at Ethan. "You look like brothers." He said, trying to make conversation with August. Gram had always had.. troubles communicating, having too much anxiety to really speak up, but sense he'd moved here with Ethan and Izzy, he was learning to be a little better. At least here on the house. "I'd say so myself." August joked, smiling a little. Ethan listened in on the conversation, letting August get comfortable with everyone. He was happy that everything was starting to work itself out.