A B U S E (re-write)

Honest

"Larry! Larry!" Lau screamed running down the hall, Afro bouncing as he bolted like a track star. The bell had rung and usually they met up outside of Lau's history class but when he saw Larry walk straight past the door, he knew shit was going left. His cornrows glistened with oil as he walked down the hall, he was pissed and was looking for his target. He had caught word from Reggie that a nigga named Trey had put his hands on Lau and he won't fucking with it. Making his way down the hall he nodded in greeting everytime someone spoke to him, walking up on Trey he stood behind him like a demon lurking over his shoulder. Sensing his presence Trey turned around grinning automatically "what's up Larry!"

Larry didn't spare him a greeting he just glared, Lau sharply hit the corner witnessing in horror as Larry swung and hit Trey in his jaw. Once he hit the ground Larry followed him continuing to swing on him, each punch connecting brutally. "Don't ever fucking touch him again! You touch him again you die bitch ass nigga!" Larry continued to yell profanities as he swung on Trey not allowing him to get a hit in. "Larry stop it! Larry he's done! He's done!" Lau pleaded but couldn't bring his feet to move and pull his brother off of him. Reggie yelled too while Ray came running up, his two braids swinging behind him. "Aye Larry c'mon man!" Reggie and Ray worked together pulling Larry off of him while Larry saw straight red stomping him out. Once they succeeded in pulling him off he delivered one last kick yanking himself out of their hold glaring at the crowd that stared at him "The fuck y'all looking at!?" He yelled storming off leaving Lau in shock who soon followed behind him.

That was the beginning of Larry's anger issues showing themselves completely.

Ever since then no one bothered Larry or Lau, they went out of their way to show him respect after he'd put Trey in the hospital. Larry became more angry, more irritable. Everything seemed to piss him off: Everything but Lau.

———

They sat on the stoop of Ray's house, book bags piled up in a chair on the porch. "So what we gonna do about this?" Ray voiced glancing down the block at the drug deal they just witnessed. Reggie sighed shaking his head "there's nothing we can do, we're only seventeen Ray" Ray sat back defeated but also disgusted. Yeah he smoked weed but that other shit had to go, it was poisoning their community. They glanced at Larry who had been silent throughout the entire conversation and transaction, he looked pissed. They looked at each other gulping a bit at his facial expression, Ray would be the first to address him "what you wanna do Blaze?" In the deepest most serious voice they'd ever heard he broke his silence "take out the trash"

From that day on he was Larry by day and Blaze by night, taking out gang leaders one by one recruiting their men until he was the only existing gang on the block. He kept Lau away from all that not wanting him to see the things he saw, once they graduated he kept his gang life separate leaving Ray and Reggie to run shit when he was away at culinary school. When he graduated and opened his own restaurant he made sure Ray and Reggie were good before moving them out to where he was, the streets were clean for now but he kept his eyes open.

He knew this was just the beginning

———

Lau gazed at Larry from across the room in disbelief, he felt like he was looking at a stranger not the man he fell in love with. He knew of Larry's anger but never did Blaze come up in any conversation "you lie to me... all these years you lie to me, me of all people". Larry sighed softly crossing the distance taking Lau into his arms, he'd just told him about Blaze. If they were gonna be in a relationship he had to be honest with him, honest about everything including his past, including who he still was. "Yes bebè, I lie but I no want you and mama around that shit. You two are the most important people in my life and I no want you two hurt in any way. I know you no approve of what I do but it's who I am bebè... I'm sorry". Lau was upset with him but he respected the fact that Larry was honest with him, it'd take some time for him to get used to Blaze but they'd get through this.