Alastor’s father had died of alcohol poisoning after returning alone while the boys were at school. Al had to report to the police at the station and Angelo wasn’t allowed to be beside him. He could only watch as Alastor was taken away in a cop car. Angelo didn’t know what would happen now. He received no phone calls that night or the next morning. There was nothing in school the next day except the news that Alastor would be missing school for a while. Angelo offered to get Alastors class work for him, but the task got passed off to the class rep. A cute spunky little thing named Charlie. Angelo would have been pissed if he didn’t already know she had a not-so-secret girlfriend.
Angelo moped around between school and work for a week.The lights in the butcher shop always off on his way home. Every job he did, every fight he got into, he used far more violence than necessary. What could he say, busting kneecaps made him feel better. That ended up being the week Angelo made his first kill too. Some asshole stabbed Aurick’s leg, so Angelo shot him right between the eyes. His father wanted to celebrate both his boys becoming men, but all Angelo could think about, while he got wasted on a bottle of whiskey, was alastor.
It was another week before Angelo heard anything.
“Did you hear? They’re closing the butcher shop!” Angelo whipped his head around. “That’s such a shame! Wonder whatever happened to that kid.” His feet felt like lead. “I don’t know, probably a ward, can you imagine? First his mother, now his father? His mother was at least ill!” “Orphaned at only fifteen. What a tragedy!”
Angelo didn’t care if he got expelled. He ran out of that school as fast as his legs would carry him. He ran even when his lungs burned and threatened to buckle underneath him. The cold dry air making him feel like he was being torn apart. He needed to see what was happening. Why didn’t Alastor call him. Who was at the shop? The apartment. What was happening.
The butcher shop was boarded up. It hadn’t been boarded up yesterday. Every window, every door. The windows covered in heavy paper.Had he just not been paying attention? He ran around the side, even Al’s window was boarded. Even if he climbed, he wouldn’t get in. He screamed. Angelo screamed and punched the dumpster next to the shop. He kicked and swung his fists throwing a fit trying hitting anything he could until his knuckles were bloody and until he couldn't breathe anymore. What was happening? Where was his Al? Angelo slid down the side of the building and just let it out. Sobbing, not caring who saw him. He’d just knock them out if they said anything.
They had just made more progress in their relationship. Alastor’s birthday was supposed to be coming up. They were supposed to go out just the two of them. They were going to go see a picture show and hold hands in the dark. They were going to walk through the graveyard as the fog rolled in. They were supposed to make out in the woods and maybe more if Alastor was feeling up to it. Angelo had a present for him and everything. Angelo was going to ask Alastor himself if he wanted to make it official.
After Angelo felt the chill set into his bones, he stood and made his way home. Taking his sweet time and walking the long way around the back of the house. He didn’t want to see his dad at all if he didn’t have to. Especially not with bloody knuckles. Angelo climbed the breaks in the wall up to his room and slid in through the window. His lights were off the way he left them, but his room seemed cleaner somehow. His bed was made, his clothes from doing laundry the night before were put away.
“Hope you don’t mind. I cleaned while you were out…”
The soft, somber voice startled Angelo. The blonde flicked the light on and smiled. Alastor was standing there by the door to his and Aurick’s joined bathroom. Angelo felt his heart both mend and break at the same time as he ran over to the other. He hugged Alastor tightly. Alastor’s head falling to rest on Angelo’s shoulder.
