When Our Eyes Met Again(A Wrightworth Fanfiction)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

[TRIGGER WARNING: HOMOPHOBIC SLURS]

I woke up the next morning gently pressed into Pheonix's chest. I sighed softly and squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't want to wake up knowing that the reality of hate crimes and bigotry waited for me when I was fully conscious. Right now I just wanted to focus on the slow pace of Wright's breathing, the softness of his skin. It wasn't long before Wright stirred awake and I was forced to face reality. 

I got dressed in silence, barely acknowledging Wright.  It wasn't a conscious choice; at least I don't think it was. I don't think it was a conscious decision when I ignored his offer of tea and instead got it myself. Or when he leaned in for a kiss and I flinched away. I don't think it was an active choice, but I really don't know. 

It got to the point where he grabbed my shoulders and snapped me out of my daze. 

"Miles," he whispered, "are you alright to go into court today?"

"Don't be stupid, Wright, I can't just skip court today. Today will be important."

"Miles, What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that people would be willing to kill over something as trivial as somebody being gay. Then again I've always wanted to kill myself for being gay so I shouldn't be too surprised."

His face filled with shock at my words, maybe I shouldn't have been so honest. 

"Miles, you're not....?"

His words trailed off but I knew what he was getting at. 

"Not anymore."

I offered him a weak smile, grabbing my keys and leaving for the car, hoping Wright would follow suit. I dropped him off at his apartment, giving him strict orders to take a shower, eat breakfast and change into a clean suit. 

"I know, Miles. I'll see you in court." He leaned into the car, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before heading into his apartment. 

My stomach fills with anxiety, what if someone saw us? We wouldn't be taken seriously in court. We'd be the target of hate and discrimination, of hate crimes, of crude fetishization...

I squeezed my eyes closed, shaking my head to clear it. I needed to focus on the current trial and not on cruel possibilities.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stood at the prosecutors stand, still trying to snap out of my haze. I couldn't even look up at the witness stand where Sean Levit stood full of cocky arrogance. I made it seem like I was studying the papers detailing the case so I wouldn't have to face him or Wright for that matter. 

"May the witness  please state their name and occupation or the court."

My voice was so chipped and cold, I don't even remember being this steely in my first case against Wright. I hated how this case got so deep under my skin to the point where all my emotions shut down. 

"My name is Sean Levit and my occupation is certified badass."

"That's not an occupation," I state blankly, my eyes still cast downward. 

"I'm unemployed. My girlfriend pays the bills."

I tensed, not only was this man a bigot but he's also a dead beat. I'm honestly not surprised. 

"Please relay to the court the events that transpired the night of the murder."

"Well you see, me and my girl, Sybill, were going out into the forest to have a little getaway. She forgot some foodstuff at home so I went to grab it. She called me later and told me not to come back because the police were here."

"If that is all, then the defense may begin its cross-examination." The judge announced.

Wright had that disdainful look upon his face. The kind that screamed, that's it? That's all I have to work with?

I felt a similar disdain though my face was set into a placid mask.  I couldn't let anyone know how upsetting this was to me. 

"Mr. Levit," Wright said, starting his cross-examination, "you say that, on the night of the murder, your girlfriend Sybill called you and told you not to return to camp is that correct?"

"That is correct. She was all like 'baby, the cops are swarmin' the place! Don't come back okay?"

"And why would she do that? Unless you had something to hide you shouldn't have had any reason to fear the cops."

"I'm going, to be honest, I and Sybill get totally high on these camping trips. I had drugs on me man." 

I was beginning to hate this man more and more by the second.

"That doesn't make much sense," Wright stated blankly.

"W-What? Whatever do you mean? Of course, I make sense. If I was high I wouldn't want to be around the police."

"Well, there would have been no way for the police to know that you were high or even possessed drugs. There was none in your campsite or your car. Unless you're telling me you went to the store with drugs on your person?"

"Wha-? How did you know?!"

"Both you and your girlfriend are potential suspects to the defense. Do you think I wouldn't have a search conducted? It seems to me your girlfriend was trying to make sure you didn't take the fall for the crime. Why would she be so concerned?"

"Beats me, man! I was at the store!!"

"Wright!" I spoke up, "Care to tell me what you're implying with all this babble?"

"The witnesses testimony contains a contradiction. Furthermore, the witnesses girlfriend was trying to cover something up and protect her boyfriend from the police. Is this true, Mr. Levit?"

The witness slumped down, resting his head on the stand. His "Break down"--If anyone could even call it that-- seemed so fake. 

"Yeah, yeah! Okay so you caught me. My girl called me up all freaked out because she killed some fag. Told me to skip town because she didn't want me to take the fall for her actions."

He didn't look up, his shoulders quaked as if he was crying, and he let out a sorrowful cry. If the situation hadn't been so serious I would have laughed at how fake he was. 

"I'm sorry but I cannot lie for her anymo-"

Before he could finish his sentence a cry rang out through the court room.

"EXCUSE ME?? I COVER UP A MURDER FOR YOU AND YOU THROW ME UNDER THE BUS!? YOU TWO TIMING PIECE OF SHIT!!!"

It was Miss Sybill. She had been sitting in the gallery when her boyfriend accused her of murder. With her out-burst, the whole courtroom desended into madness.