When Lily's Cry: Puppet Strings

Chapter VI. Proof of Truth, Like Warm Rain in Broad Day

WARNING:  May contain mature content such as self harm, murder, suicide, abuse, swearing, etc...

A/N: More dramas coming. Hold onto your butts.

(Disclaimer: I'm not Samuel L. Jackson.)
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Alfred yawned, stretching his tired limbs. He rubbed his eyes, trying to rid himself of the sleepiness still holding onto his body and mind. Memories of hours prior flooded his brain, as his face burned with embarrassment. He had broken down, and Katyusha had comforted him through the wee hours of the morning.
He recalled why he had been so shaken by the previous events. Being touched in such a way had brought back memories of trauma that Alfred couldn't handle. He felt bile rise from his stomach, and sting the back of his throat, before he choked it back down.
A knock came from the open door on the opposite side of the room. Alfred sat up, but didn't look in the direction of the latter. He already knew it was Katyusha, and he didn't know what to say to her in situations like this. Instead of starting the conversation, she walked across the room, before plopping herself on the floral couch next to her blue eyed companion. She stared at him for a few seconds, an unnameable expression on her pale face.

"It's 8:30. Today's a late schedule for you at school right? You can stay here if you want."

Alfred swallowed the lump in his throat, as anxiety overcame his previously clear mind. His palms began to sweat, as images flashed through his mind. Images of his father, telling him they needed to 'talk', and of his brother, who accused him of lying about the drunken habits of the man. But Alfred hadn't told Matthew everything. No, there was still plenty that he was hiding from the world, secrets that he knew he would soon have to tell. He was still deciding who to tell though.

"Yeah. I'd like that. But..... you remember what I told you about my dad?"

Katyusha perked up from her previously disheartened state.

"Yeah. That he's an abusive prick and a filthy pig who-"

"Katy..."

The ash blond realized that she had been ranting and bowed her head in apology. Alfred smiled and brushed off her apology, leaning into her, and putting his head into the crook of her neck, just as he had done the night before.

"It's okay. Just wanted to tell you... well, he came home yesterday, and he gets angrier the longer he has to wait, so I can't stay. Like I said, I'd love to, but you know how he is. He'd just hurt me more if he found out I purposely ditched him. And I'm sure I'm already in trouble, so we don't wanna make it worse, right?"

Alfred gave a dry chuckle and a reassuring smile, trying to ease away some of Katyusha's slowly building stress. She ran a hand through his hair, 'softer than a chinchilla', she would say. Alfred smiled fondly at that memory, before darker ones clouded his thoughts.

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It was 9:15 when Alfred left, giving Katyusha a tight hug, and a friendly kiss on the cheek, before leaving the rose colored bar. He took in a deep breath of the morning air, and felt a smile form on his lips.  Alfred watched as children rushed past him, playing tag from what he saw. He continued to observe the people around him in boredom. He saw the occasional adult working in the front yard, on what he assumed to be a garden. The mailman, of course, going about his daily duties. The newspaper boy, riding a red and gold bicycle down the narrow streets, while quickly tossing papers to each house.
Alfred watched as one barely missed a window, while another landed on a roof. He chuckled, and continued his stroll through the neighborhood, his house eventually coming into view.
Alfred hummed curiously, as there was an unknown vehicle parked in the driveway. His face paled though, when he saw the bumper sticker. It was from Canada, and he knew exactly who had been in Canada the last two years.
Alfred's blood began to boil at the thought of his brother, but he quickly calmed himself. After all, he couldn't show any sign of emotion when in the presence of his father. And it didn't help that Matthew was also the favorite of the two siblings, to both parents.
The blond took several deep breathes, making himself light headed in the process. He regained his balance, and trudged his way to the front door. Just as he was about to knock, the door swung open to reveal Matthew.
Alfred froze, unable to do anything but stare wide eyed, and gulp down the fear building within. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as he watched Matthew clear his throat, not saying a word. He felt the flood gates behind his eyes breaking, as tears began to collect in them. He wanted Matthew to say something. Anything. He just wanted his big brother back. He just wanted his childhood back. He just wanted his life back.