Activity

“No, no…I should’ve expected it.”

Alessio squeezes his eyes shut, trying to block out the words. He’d always taken the responsibility like that, as if it was his fault whenever someone hurt him. Nithel didn’t deserve any of this. What if Alessio was just as abusive as his family, inadvertent or not?

They called people with special powers aberrants. There was so much fear in a society that had seen what they could do.

‘You’re not a person.’ He could still feel the stinging finger indents across his face, but it was really numb, it hadn’t even hurt compared to the rest of his body. This isn’t then this isn’t then this isn’t the—Alessio’s knees buckled, even as he thought it.

You’re just doing this for attention, Some sick voice in his head screamed, just get over yourself already.

Nithel was saying something, Alessio really couldn’t tell what, but the sound of his voice was comforting. If Nithel was here everything would get better, eventually?

‘You think you have feelings, you and your kind.’ He’d stared brutally at that man, defiant more from habit than will. It churned his stomach, being looked down at like a disobedient animal. That was the only reason he stared back, he couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t believe someone could actually look anybody in the eye and really tell themselves…

‘You think that gives you rights, that you act like you’re human. But you and I both know it’s an act.’ The last sentence had been whispered, and he could feel the man’s breath on his ear.

Someone wrapped an arm about him.

A noise escaped Alessio, somewhere between a gasp and a whimper. He almost made a motion to yank out of that grasp, but everything was blurry. There were a sharp in and out sounds that he didn’t instantly recognize as his own breathing.

‘You’re a weapon. A defective one at that.’

“Easy.” All the fight drained out of Alessio, he hated his body for shutting down completely, he hated it so much. He was so tired of being so so scared, no matter how hard he tried, or how far he got, he always landed here. It was like life was always waiting for him to slip. All he wanted was for it to stop.

Nithel was trying to pry his arms looser or something. Reflexively, he started to struggle but soon went limp, firmly wrapped close. It was so warm all resistance was lost in the stupid hope that someone’s grasp could shield him. Like being a child again, thinking grownups would protect you.

He clutched his friend so tightly his knuckles hurt and didn’t move any more than he could, only thinking if he let go for a second he’d have no protection.

He broke. No matter how long he fought, and how hard.

“Alessio.” Nithel was trying to look at his face, but he wasn’t ready for that. It made people uncomfortable when he stared them down, and then they’d hurt him again. But disobeying meant they’d hurt him even more. His brain was freezing up and he squeezed Nithel even tighter, struggling to come up with coherent words.

Alessio wanted it to stop, he’d do anything to make it stop. But there was nothing, nothing he could fix. His mind, his heart, his soul; they were all shattered pieces on the floor.

Was it even possible to get any help? He needed it so much, but no one could fix him…He couldn’t even ask for help if it was offered. He’d do anything to make it stop. No one would help him, there wasn’t a point in asking.

“Don’t let them take me,” He didn’t mean to say that, he knew he wasn’t there. But asking for help was physically impossible, and he didn’t even know what Nithel could do for him that he hadn’t already tried. He couldn’t imagine there was anything that could help him but he’d try anything. “please..”

 

@kimlikesart @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium @denali-christianson @skylarynn