|Hello Winter| [BL]

Prologue

December 25th, 2016

"Back the fuck off!" A teen snarled at the intruders. He would call them bullies. But bullies pushed people around, called them names, threw a punch or two. No. These weren't bullies.

These were abusers. 

The oldest, the one who had brute hatred for the young boy, stepped closer to him, "You really should knock it off. You don't get in my way, don't tell my mom. Then you are safe." The smaller had too much of an instinct to shrink under the abuser's gaze. But he kept walking, pushing past the two that were previously blocking his way.

You see. This group, had a problem with taking kids from their school and taking their money, buying drugs, then selling and using the drugs for a higher price. The young teen, who was the leader's younger cousin, had caught them. Had caught them. But he had self-preservation. He kept quiet. Head down, silent. 

But this time, it was a friend of his that was being used and bullied. And the smaller would not stand for that. So he cut in between the stealing of his money and took the boy, Noah. Now, they were trying to get back to Noah's house, but Hunter and his group found it in their interest to follow them. 

"Shut up Hunter. I don't know you anymore and I don't care to," the youngest bit out as they crossed the bridge. 

"That doesn't give me an answer brat," was the reply. So the teen threw a reply of his own, pushing 'Hunters' newest victim ahead of him. Keep Noah in front of him. Get back to the house. Stay at the house. Lock the doors. That was the plan. It was about to get cut short. 

"Who cares. Just because Trish raised you to be a low-life dragged out bitch, doesn't mean you actually had to be one. But you know. Keep on surprising me, Hunter. Keep on surprising me." He snarled again and kept walking, but a hand roughly gripped his arm and shoved him against the railing on the bridge. 

The leader shoved his face into his younger cousin's, "YOU don't get an opinion. You grew up WELL. A good place. You're defensive and just because you're a spoiled bitch doesn't mean you get to play hero!" He screamed at the smaller while snatching up Noah, who looked heavily fearful.

The cool calm in the young teen's stomach swirled and hardened into nothing short of clean rage.

"Spoiled? Me. Growing up well? That's your excuse for all of this?" He asked Hunter. But clearly, there were more words. "Now is it just me, are my ears clogged? Or did you actually just use that as your defense for this? Oh, wait!" He smacked a hand against the side of his head. "It's the bullshit! That's what's clogging my ears, damn Hunter never knew you could speak it so fluently."

Hunter's eyes hardened and he held his grip on Noah's arm, "You. Don't get a. Say. What if I killed this kid? Your friend?" He asked his younger cousin, who's eyes widened a bit. He was painfully aware of the railing behind him starting to crack. 

Everything after that. Was a blur. 

Hunter shoving his cousin to throw his friend off the bridge, into the iced-over water. His cousin shoving back and clinging to his arm and yanking on it. Pulling Noah back to safety. But Hunter tried to grab Noah. 

Tried to kill his cousin's friend. 

Just to prove a point. Just to control by fear.

But instead, his arm just ended up pushing the young teen off the edge and into the semi-thin ice.

The teen felt a crack beneath his back and he was submerged into blistering cold water. It stabbed his lungs and bit his fingers off.

The small current pushed him around and he tried, oh he pounded on the ice, trying to break it again. Panic just as sharp as the cold slicing through every other feeling he had. 

Trying to be free again.

But he was growing weaker and his body was already starting to float back.

Oh god mom, I'm so sorry. I tried. Tried to be good. Look where it got me. I wish I could've spent more hot chocolates with you. I wish I could've watched more South Park with dad. 

God fuck. I am, so fucking sorry. Please hear me. 

And nothing was anything anymore.  

His body warmed, somehow, and he was somewhere that he didn't remember being.

"Hello, Gray. No more old name. But I've heard you like Gray better anyways." A girl's voice. Warm and the starting of bitter loneliness.