Son of Fire

Twenty

I silently stared up at the ceiling, my right arm curled under my head as my left arm was wrapped around Nico, who was sleeping on my chest. I looked down at him then softly kissed the top of his head, sliding out from under him. I looked at Hazel's bed as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, seeing she was sound asleep, then I stood and went to the bathroom that was attached to the cabin at the very back. As I walked in, I flipped the light on and stared at the scars that reached over my back and covered my chest. I stared at the ones that lined my front, the dog bites, claw marks, the cigarette burns, all of it.

"I see a man, someone who is so beautiful." I jumped and looked at the door in the mirror, seeing Nico standing there, his arms crossed.

"One who has lived through literal hell, and yet he smiles every day." He whispered and came over, softly kissing my left arm over one of the claw marks left behind by the dogs that attacked me.

"I see a man, who after going through hell, still laughs and knows how to love. I don't know how you got these scars, Andy, but I can guess based on how some of them look. I've never asked you, I don't plan on it, but I can't sit by and wait for you to come to bed as you spend your nights staring at your reflection in the mirror, probably degrading yourself or remembering bad times." He said and I looked down at him, seeing his eyes patient and happy as he looked at me.

"When I look at you, Andy, I don't see the scars or the marks." He whispered and looked at the mirror, making me do the same.

"I see a guy with crazy, natural red hair shaved on the sides, I see bronze eyes, very kissable lips, a strong jawline, cheeks that have spent too much time in a frown and don't know how to really smile for a long time." He said then looked down some, looking at my torso.

"I see strong muscles lining your arms and chest, your abs stand out a bit too, not that I mind." He said and I smiled, looking at my body in the mirror.

"I also see that, despite you being built like an ox, you're as fragile as a flower on a windy day. The slightest thing could set you off, and that's okay. As long as you know how to root yourself again, and you do. When I look at you, Andrew Price." He trailed and looked up at me, moving to stand directly in front of me.

"I don't see someone the foster system broke and tortured and shaped. I see the three quarters god who is so strong, so brave, and such a hopeless romantic, yet you don't know the first thing about romance. I see a guy who I can give my heart and soul to and you would cherish every second of the time you have with me, because you are just that hopelessly in love with me. I love you, Andrew Price, and I swear to you, nothing will ever change that. Not the way you act, not the way you defend people, and certainly not these scars my step mother so rudely brought up." He said and I smiled, leaning down and softly kissing him.

"Are you two okay?" I broke the kiss and looked at Hazel as she ruffled her hair, fresh out of bed and just woken up.

"There's something I gotta tell you two." I said and Hazel looked worried, but Nico gave me a smile and nodded.

"Let's go sit down, okay?" Nico said and I nodded, going to sit on the bed with him.

"Hazel, you awake?" Nico asked and Hazel nodded, pulling her curls back.

"Course! What's up, Andy?" She smiled and I would never know her secret to being half asleep one second and being bright awake the next.

"When I was fourteen, I was sent to this foster home." I started then cleared my throat.

"The-the foster dad, the guy there, he was a drunk, but he was a pimp too. The system didn't know this, they thought he was a middle class dog breeder. They sent me to him, thinking I would have a better chance here, but that's not what happened. He had dogs, about twelve of them, and all of them were raised to be vicious, but I knew they were sweet dogs deep down. Anyway, it wasn't long before the abuse started. It was little things at first. He'd slap me around, shove me down, throw things in my general direction. After a couple weeks of that, he got worse. He'd put his cigars and cigarettes out on me, hit me with his belt, and he'd sick the dogs after me, make them attack me. It went on like that for months, and Carrie- who I thought was my social worker still- always thought I was fine. Thinking back on it, she probably enjoyed seeing how beat up I was now that I know-"

"She was a monster." Hazel said and I nodded, clenching Nico's hand tightly, but not enough to hurt him.

"One-one day, it was my birthday, I was fifteen, and the neighbor knew this because I went to school with her kid. She-she came over to see what I was doing with the guy for my birthday. Instead, she-she saw that he-" I stopped, clenching my eyes tightly, but it didn't stop the memories or the tears from falling.

"Andy." Hazel breathed and I heard her bed move, meaning she was coming closer. She sat on my left side, carefully touching my arm, then I shook my head and took a deep breath, looking at my lap.

"He was raping me, and she walked in. I thought she was an angel, really, because I was taken from the house right after and he was exposed, all the girls he had under his thumb were set free, and the dogs were given better homes as guard dogs, K-9s, all of it. I told the cops that, despite the dogs attacking me, they also defended me from him when he came after me, so I gave them a second chance and I knew that they were actually happy for it. Honestly, I don't know when exactly he started raping me, just that one day, it was apart of my abuse and I had to take it." I whispered then Hazel hugged my arm and I felt warm tears on her cheeks.

"That's why I hate being touched, depending on people, and why I was so-so fearful of being around others, because I thought the world was just like him after that. I kept getting bad homes after him, but that family with the baby was the first good house I had been to in so long."

"The one before we came to get you?" Nico asked and I nodded.

"Creatore-"

"I-I never wanted to tell anyone what he'd done to me, but the scars and wounds told the cops and what that woman saw was enough! I didn't have to say anything, and after that-" I stopped as I sobbed, but Nico hugged me and I sobbed into his neck, Hazel rubbing my back as I hugged Nico's right arm and the right side of his neck, my tears soaking his sleep shirt.

"I just wanted to forget all of it!" I cried then I looked at Hazel as she moved, going to their fountain and Iris calling the other six to this cabin, despite it being late.