Truly Ours ✔️

Chapter Five

trigger warning: mentions of self-harm and past abuse

a//n: look up "The Prayer" by Celine Dion and Josh Groban when Nanook sings

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝐹𝒾𝓋𝑒 / 5 / 𝐻𝒾𝓈 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝓁 𝒮𝓂𝒾𝓁𝑒

Cadence had immediately called Taz in sick for the rest of the day when he saw the shifter after gym, and after the text Xerum had sent. Taz was quiet, and withdrawn, and his fingers were white from his tail curling too tightly around his wrist. Olivia was with him, and immediately relayed what had happened. Cadence was shocked, and amused. Olivia had bid them both farewell, and wished Taz to feel better soon.

    The ride back, Taz was freakishly quiet. He showed no emotions, his facial expressions completely blank. It took Cadence a few tries to even get Taz's attention when they got home. After ensuring that Taz was safe in the arms of Trinity's pampering, Cadence drove right back to school and hunted down the assholes who'd managed to revert Taz back into that meek and withdrawn boy with the snap of a finger.

    "Oi! Fido!" Cadence practically snarled as he stormed up to Mikael, who was standing with his sister, Shiro and Aspen. Mikael's eyes widened when he saw Cadence approached, and he immediately tensed, looking skittish. Satisfaction raced through Cadence's blood when he saw the prominent handprint on Mikael's cheek. Olivia was right when she said that Taz had one hell of a slap.

    "Oh shit I forgot to ask." He heard Pyro mumble. Mikael shot her a desperate and confused look, to which she promptly ignored, folding her hands behind her back.

    "What the fuck is your problem?" Mikael took a shaky step back at the pure venom in Cadence's voice, and his hand darted out to snatch Aspen's hood as the other tried to leave. "Stay right there." Cadence sneered, before whirling around. "And you insensitive assholes stop fucking filming before I break all the bones in your bodies! Fuck off!" The students who'd gathered instantly backed off, hands in the air and fled the hall. Cadence could barely contain his anger.

    "You assholes," Cadence spat, "saw my brother's shifted form for the first time yesterday like everyone else. When everyone would greet him like they usually would, you two, people he considers his friends, people he trusts," Mikael and Aspen flinched at that.

"You refuse to meet his eyes and then avoid him like the plague. You and Aspen broke his fucking heart. Do you know how hard it is for him to finally open up to people? Do you know how long it took for him to trust me to tell me about his past?" Shiro and Pyro were looking pretty ticked as well. Mikael parted his lips to speak, but Cadence was on a roll.

    "He spent the entire first period curled up and crying to Olivia and I, then ended up crying again when he fled the gym." Mikael's golden yellow eyes were wide, full of pain and regret, but Cadence was beyond pissed. "You made him trust you. You made him like being around you, but now you fucking shattered him by ignoring his greeting and acting like he was a monster. Greeting him! One of the simplest things to do. Do you know how long it's going to take for Taz to piece himself back together, even with help? He's worse off than when he came home with us at the beginning of the summer!" Cadence was ready to sock Mikael in the nose, Aspen was curled up into himself against a wall.

    Pyro suddenly grabbed the front of Mikael's shirt, slamming him into the lockers, and he flinched, hissing slightly in pain.

    "You made him cry?" Pyro's voice was low and threatening. Mikael nodded helplessly.

    "Yes." He whispered, voice hoarse.

    "Aren't you supposed to be in love with him or something?" Shiro spoke up, and Cadence was momentarily surprised at the amount of venom in her voice. Mikael nodded miserably, but Cadence had no sympathy.