Dark Side |COMPLETED|

Part title

Once I got in the 'oh-so-lovely' house I froze at the sight. Grayson was on the stair steps, his head in his hands, crying? I awkwardly cleared my throat, his head shot up, a scowl met his wet face. He sighed, "go on, I know you're dying to insult me." I had to admit, I was a lot, but I didn't feel like doing that tonight. That'd make me just as bad as him and I wasn't anything like that jerk. "Not everything's about you," I spat instead, my tone hostile but not to its full bitterness. He shook his head, "no it's not, that's for dang sure. You gonna sit or stand there?" I rolled my eyes, but regardless shrugged off my bag and sat by him on the stairs. We sat in silence for some time before he began speaking.
"Why are you here?" I held a look of annoyance, "cause some idiot told me to quit standing around." He chuckled, "gawd, you're a hostile kid. Listen, I'm not going to say some crappy sob story, but I'm sure you're wondering why I was... upset." I scoffed, "nope, I didn't even care." He smirked, "you're sitting here ain't yah? Yah care enough to stick around. My mom ain't doin' too good, she got into an accident today and is at the hospital." My breath hitched at 'hospital'. My mind went back to when my mother was there, however she never came back home. "What's up with you anyway? I know you ain't the friendliest kid, but how'd you get stuck with us? I mean, I'd figure someone would of taken yah, instead of us," Grayson looked over at me.
My walls raced to hold as I struggled to keep a calm facade. "Frick off," I snapped. His firm face changed to a smirk, "look at you with your defenses up again. I know it's all an act, I bet something really bad went down for you to throw a cold shoulder so quick. Something happen at home?" I went ridged, "shut up." My whole body tensed with uneasiness. I stood, he short up right after his eyes shined playfully. "They say when someone acts tough and pushes people away, there's usually always something going on at home. What happened Fault? Mom on drugs? Dad a drunk? Let me guess your mom got laid every night? Dad hit her? Am I even close?" I took a step back from him, my eyes hardening to their deepest glare, "don't you listen, I said shut up." He wore a smug smile.
"Ah, so I'm getting warmer. Friend got shot? Wait, both parents are drug dealers? Raped? Beaten?" I faltered slightly, but that one slip up cause a smile to ease on his face. "Beaten is it? I guess they really didn't give a cent about you. You could've been sold, shame really, they rather keep you around to get rid of the anger than a few extra dollars. That why you'll flip when I do this?" His arm gripped my wrist at lightning speed. My body locked up at the sudden contact, I held my breath in udder fear as I tried to get my arm free from his iron grip. "Ease up Fault, I'm not going to hurt you," he spoke. I didn't relax, I couldn't. The walls began to close in on me, my breathing got dangerously fast, I was in the midst of a panic attack. I swung my fist into his jaw, he stumbled but spat out a bit of blood. His eyes look lethal. He gripped my hair and spun me around. His arms wrapped around my stomach trapping my arms behind my back. He stood behind me, he bent over forcing me to do the same.
"Chill Fault, you're fine," his tone was whispered into my ear. I groaned between clenched teeth, thrashing around but it was no use. He was older and stronger than me, I couldn't move. I coughed, beginning to hyperventilate. My air came out strained, I felt as if I was choking. "Get off of me!" I yelled out, hoping someone heard me. "Ease up
kid, all I'm going is touchin' yah, I ain't gonna kill yah or somethin'." My breathing became rapid as I hyperventilated. This wasn't going to plan, none of it was. Not that I had one anyway. Out of nowhere he released me, I came crashing into the ground but shot up within a millisecond, I bolted sprinting out of the house and down the street. My body was shaking, my vision cloudy, I was vitalized. My legs moved faster than my mind, leading me miles away without as much as a thought of how I got there.
I finally came to a halt, my legs threatening to detach themselves. My throat burned with the amount of air I consumed and exhaled. My side felt like a knife had been stabbed through it. I collapsed onto a field of grass. Perspiration coated my hot body. The small blades tickled my neck, but I didn't bother to move. I was trapped, trapped in a life I didn't want, a world I didn't need, and a family I never had. I tried to slow my breathing, but as I recalled what happened just an hour ago it didn't slow. I gripped my side in agony, my entire body depleted. I looked around trying to get rid of the toxic thoughts in my head.
There were tall buildings about two miles out, I was sitting in a vast field readying for another crop to nourish. The silence was sickening, I hadn't been used to silent. My dad always shouted, cursed, or had the TV on, my supposed foster home was filled with compliant after compliant, and school never seized the noise. I didn't feel peaceful, in all honestly I was afraid. I didn't know where I was and it didn't help that Base was on the radar. I reached my hand out to shield my eyes as bright head lights came to view. The truck stopped and I was on full alert. The driver door opened slowly, I saw black shoes hit the ground. The person took their time to reveal themselves to me. Once they came to light I almost took off right then and there, almost. I took my hand off my side, eyeing them in the coldest way I could manage, I forced my body to stop shaking. Weakness had no room to show, no to him, no to anyone.
"For a second I thought I'd never find yah. Been lookin' for two hours," came Grayson's tired voice. He kept a bit of distance, knowing not to come closer. "Look, Fault, that wasn't a smart thing I did. I just wanted to get to the bottom of why yah act so weird. You honestly scare me a bit, just put me a little on the edge with yah scowling all the dead-gum time. I don't think I'd ever once seen yah smile. It was wrong of me to do you like I did, but I wanted to know you were still a human and not some thing who only carried anger. I know we ain't close to each other, more of enemies, but I want to change that. See, my dad was the victim of a homicide murder, he got mixed into a gang and couldn't pay up so they killed him. My mom married Keystone, a month later, he was rich as heck but I was mad. She moved on from Dad too soon too fast. I guess that's why I treat her the way I do, I love her, but she betrayed him. It just sucks, yah know?" I looked at him, for the first time he looked broken.
His usually confident eyes had dulled, his post he had slumped, he was hurting and has been for a long time. I felt something from within me stir, as much as I wanted to ignore the feeling I let it take control. Using every ounce of courage I could master up, I stood and hesitantly walked toward him. I stopped at an arms length away. He looked at me in shock, as if he expected me to run. "I guess we're both messed up. I don't know if I could ever be friends with you, but... I'm willing to try. Just, don't touch me," I said in a hard tone. A ghost of s smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he got in the driver's seat. I walked over to the passenger and we drove quietly back to town. Once we got to the house he killed the truck and I jumped down. Just as I placed a hand on the door he spoke, "yah know, you're not as bad as I thought, Fault." I held a sigh, without turning I said, "It isn't worth pretending to know someone until you actually do, but you aren't so bad yourself." With that, I walked inside and went to bed.

A/N:

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Turn of events I'd say! First chapter that none of the Talon's household is in😂 I'm sure they'll be in the next though, and Ash might just end up actually *gasps* going to a.... f-f-football game!!😱