September 24th, Saturday, 2022, 1:30.AM
(Trigger Warning)
This chapter contains events of domestic violence and obscene language. This chapter is NOT essential to the story and you can skip without missing out, I promise! (Alternatively, this chapter provides context to Dante's previous relationship.)
It had been a long night for Dante. He was meant to be done with work at twelve. Despite it being a weekend's night, which is when he was his busiest and made the most money. His boyfriend, Darrius, had been making him come home early as of lately. Darrius had been texting Dante all night while trying to play the part of a concerned boyfriend, but it was more of a guilt trip. Dante had sore feet and a singular drink that night, so a friend drove him home. However, Dante had no clue Darrius would be inside his apartment waiting on him.
"Just go home.." Dante says quietly when greeted by Darrius sat on his couch. He hung his coat and tossed his keys aside. "I'm not going anywhere. You said you'd be home in an hour, it's been two."
"I thought you said you were going to work today."
"Obviously I didn't need to with how late you stay out." Darrius complains and stands from the couch. Meanwhile Dante was still prying off his boots from his late night of working. Darrius was standing his ground firmly in front of Dante. Who then sighed and looked up at the taller man, "I don't remember giving you the spare key for my apartment either. You left this morning and said you were working."
"Man, I didn't say shit." Darrius said as if Dante should've been brushing this off. "Yes you did. Don't lie to me. You got dressed and said you were gonna go in-" However, Darrius interrupted, "Quit calling me a fucking liar, m'kay?" His tone changed from passive-aggressive to hostile.
"Darrius.. We're not arguing, we're not yelling. I'm not calling you a liar. I'm just saying that you said you'd go to work, and go home, and talk to me later."
"So what? You don't like coming home to me?"
"Don't put it like that. That's not what I meant. It's not like I expected you to be here. Especially after how you've been texting me all night." Dante begins to trail off to his bedroom. He passed Darrius to get to his hallway door. Though Darrius blocks the way. The two stare and Dante knows, "Darrius, just go home. I'll call you a ride-"
"Quit telling me what to do!" Darrius shouts, tensing Dante. Almost making himself appear bigger, because he was- taller and stronger than Dante, too. Dante's head fell, he gnawed at his lip and knew anything he did or said could make things worse.
"I'm sorry for staying out late."
"Yeah, you should be sorry.. Probably fucking some of those friends of yours, huh?" Darrius hardly softened up to Dante's apology. He did, at least, back off from being so close to Dante's face. "No, not at all." Was Dante's short and somber reply.
"Sure are making enough money, too." Darrius says, ripping Dante's duffel bag off his shoulder. Dante's quiet while Darrius goes through his things. Though Darrius finds a twenty dollar bill in Dante's tip bag. This sets him off even more, "Who's giving twenties? Huh? Sure as hell isn't me. I know you're letting front row have 'backstage'. You're disgusting." Darrius tosses the bag, including Dante's tips, onto the floor between them.
Dante's too strong to cry despite how harsh Darrius' words were. Besides, this wasn't the first time he'd been slut shamed by his own boyfriend. Sometimes Darrius would get close, shove, spit and holler at Dante. Normally Darrius would calm down and start to apologize after a while and they'd sleep it off. It was only at night that Darrius acted so mean to him. Yet in the day he'd hype and spoil Dante sweetly. Dante would like to think it was the booze or pills, but maybe it was destined to happen eventually..
"If you're going to stay you need to quiet down. I don't want my neighbors complaining."
"I swear to god you tell me one more time-" Darrius pushes in closer to Dante. Almost pressing Dante's back against the hallway door. Dante loses his breath in a moment of fear, "Just let me change, please.. I'm tired, and my feet hurt." Darrius finally softens to Dante's begging. So he allowed Dante to go to his room after some disgruntled huffs and sighs. Darrius began to pick the money off the floor while Dante changed. Though Dante's gut was in knots and his heart was pounding. Something wasn't right.. And he hesitated at the idea of locking himself in his room. He knew that was farthest from a good idea. So, at the time he did what he thought was best. Dante texted his sister.
"Dorothy, can you come to my apartment please? I need you. Now." - 1:48.AM
Waves of replies came afterward. No one calls Dorothy, 'Dorothy' unless she's in trouble or they're in trouble. Dante could only wish to reply but Darrius was already knocking.
"Why do you have to change with the door closed.. What're you doing in there?"
"Changing Darrius, you can come in."
"No, you come out." With some silence Dante hesitantly comes out from his room and to the hallway. Darrius was already leading him off to the living room. "Pick the rest up. I got half it." Dante gave a sigh and saw that only his money was picked up and not his belongings. He was used to Darrius 'borrowing' but flat-out stealing.. He wasn't sure if he could ignore it. "Where's my money?'
"I got your money, don't worry."
"It's.. my money, Darrius. It'll be safe with me, thanks though."
"No no, I think it's alright with me. Better than whatever the hell you spend it on."
"What does that mean?" Dante questions while continuing to pick his things up.
"Probably buying dope without me."
"Darrius, I don't do your pill-popping. I smoke weed sometimes, that's it. I don't blow my money."
"How am I supposed to believe that? All you do is lie straight to my face."
"When have I lied to you?" Dante says, tossing his duffel bag beside the couch and moving to sit down before Darrius instead decided to shove him onto the couch. "Darrius!" Dante shouted, "W-What's wrong with you! Are you.." Dante said with fear to that look in Darrius' eyes. Darrius stood over Dante huffing and sweating- probably a mixture of a drunken, high paranoia topped with irrational anger.
"Darrius, please just go home. I'll pay for the cab this time." Dante reached into his pocket for his phone but Darrius raised his arm threateningly. Dante was frozen in shock. Darrius threatened a gesture of hitting him. As much as Dante let this man control his life- this drew the line. Threatening him in his own home? Dante was too strong to put up with that, but maybe not strong enough.
Dante stood up in Darrius' face with determination and pointed towards his door, "Get out!"
With one swing Dante was sent straight back into the couch. Darrius had slapped him over his face. His hand reached to hold his pulsing cheek while looking up at the man. A few tears filled his eyes as the words left his mouth once more, "Get.. out.."
Darrius was unforgiving and gave four more strong swings. Two hitting Dante's whole face and nose, the others, the side of his head as he cowered away. Dante kicked his leg out at Darrius to stop the slapping that was progressing into plain hitting. Dante's act of defense made Darrius stumble backward and buckle over. Dante crawled over the back of his couch and fell to the floor while Darrius was distracted. Dante slowly got up on two feet and reached for his face once more. He was bleeding? His gaze swung over his shoulder to Darrius who stood almost in shock himself of what he'd just done. Dante was filled with rage, but it all came out in tears. He wasn't about to fight this man. Dante practically ran to his front door and swung it open. "Get the fuck out of my house! Or.. Or I'm going to call the cops, Darrius, get out!" Darrius was following right behind him. He slammed the door shut with all of his force despite Dante's protest. If their fighting hadn't been enough that door was probably the last straw for others sharing this floor with Dante.
"Call the cops looking like that? What're they gonna do? You got all this money and drugs in here. They'll lock you up."
"I don't care. Lock me up.. As long as I don't have to share my cell with you!" Dante said hastily behind his tears. So many had flown that it was pouring into his mouth and draining the blood from his nose and down his face. Darrius stayed holding Dante threateningly against the door. However, Dante spat his bloody tears at Darrius to get him off his only exit. Darrius then pushed Dante against the wall and caused some of his art to fall. Suddenly a knocking at the door caused Darrius' hands to fall from Dante. They both quietly look at each other, listening.
"Is everything alright in there?" An older lady's voice was heard from behind the door.
"Do it.. Answer the door." Dante whispered to Darrius. He backed off and Dante fell to the floor. Darrius wiped his face off vigorously before he answered; a neighbor lady in her nightgown stood waiting for her response.
"Everything's fine ma'am. Just go to bed."
"It don't sound fine." She says, peering over his shoulder to see crooked frames dangling off the wall. She couldn't see Dante on the floor, however, since Darrius was actively trying to block the view. "It's fine. Just a-uh.. a tussle, none of your business anyways." And he begins to shut the door. Though her hand and slipper stops that quickly. "Oh it is my business when it wakes me up out'a dead sleep! I'm gonna call the cops if you don't show me who this tussle is with boy."
"That's not necessary-"
"Mr. Murphy, are you alright in there honey?" The lady hollers over Darrius, who only grumbles and proceeds to shut the door on her. They fight over the door verbally and physically, seeing as she was fiddling with the handle. Though it seems to stop for a few seconds. It allowed him to shut the door- and he was about to lock it too. All before an ungodly force swung the door open even with Darrius' weight against it.
"Not my brother you mother fucker!" Said a petite force to be reckoned with. Seeing Dante on the floor quietly crying and bleeding sent her off like a firecracker. Smacking, punching, swinging, doing everything she could against this man to shove him out. "I'll beat the dog piss out of you! Get the fuck out of here! Or I'll pin your ass to the ground till the cops get here!" And plenty more left Dorothy's mouth while the man was hassled out into the hallway. Darrius couldn't bring himself to lay his hands on Dorothy, mostly out of fear. With most the floor now standing out in the hallway to watch and listen he knew he simply couldn't fight back anymore. Darrius stood for a few moments while everyone stared at him. He was beyond guilty, and he booked it straight to the stairs. Now that it was quiet again most went back to their apartments. Meanwhile, Dorothy shut and locked the door behind him.
Dorothy fell to her knees to meet Dante on the floor. She lifted his chin to see his face. "He hit you. Your nose is bleeding, Dante."
"I know.. I know.."
As silence falls they both begin to tear up, cry and then sob. They hold each other for as long as they needed. She eventually gets Dante up and walking, and brings him to his bathroom. Dorothy has him sit on his covered toilet to assess the situation and its damages. "Some broken skin but nothing we can't fix. I don't think it's broken, like, broken-broken.. I'm sure it hurts, it looks like it does."
"It does." Dante sniffles and tries hard not to cry anymore. He asks, "Dodie?"
"Yeah Dante?" She replies while searching Dante's bathroom for any kind of aiding for his wounds. "Don't call the cops, please."
"What?! Dante, of course I'm going to-"
"He took my money.. It's not worth all that much. I don't need it. I don't want cops here making it worse."
"Dante, you have to press charges."
"It's over. He'll never be here again, ever."
"It is over! If I ever see his ass I'm gonna taze 'em!"
They both snicker, but carry on.
"If I'm not calling the cops then I'm at least staying here for tonight. You're not going to stay here alone."
"He has a key to my apartment, I think."
Dorothy sighs in frustration and shakes her head, "Definitely will triple lock it tonight then.. And we'll talk to the office's manager. That way security never lets his punk ass back in." Dorothy then carries on cleaning his wounds. Dante occasionally winced at her touch. He was probably going to bump and bruise, unfortunately. Dorothy was rinsing him off and band-aiding any spots still bleeding, despite how painful this situation was to endure for Dante. Afterwards she helped gather up his home. She put pictures back where they belonged, straightened up the couch, and got Dante into some comfortable pajamas.
Later on they settle on the couch together. Dodie was holding Dante with a cozy blanket while watching one of their favorite cartoon movies together. Dante's face was definitely throbbing- so they ordered some late night takeout to settle their stomachs and settle the pain with medications. Halfway through the movie and having finished their food Dante spoke up, "Some of his stuff is still here."
"Oh. Yeah, he might come back for it."
"Yeah, probably.."
"Well.. It's a shame we're gonna throw it over the balcony."
...
"What?" Dante replies with a disbelieving smile.
Then they found themselves laughing away on Dante's balcony. Tossing bags of clothes, shoes, glasses, chargers, little gifts and just anything Dante found that reminded him of Darrius. "I'm definitely going to get in trouble for this Dodie."
"Oh well. Worse could happen. We could've thrown him over the balcony ourselves."
"Yeah right, you wish.. He should be glad Dad isn't here."
"Or Mom."
The two look at each other with an expression of agreement, and laugh.
"You want to drink some wine and finish the movie Dodie?"
"I couldn't agree more."
The two find themselves getting barely buzzed off Dante's little supply of 'special occasions'. It fed into the grieving process that followed. Lots of hurt and tears were shared that night. Comforting each other soon leads to falling deep asleep. It'd been a long time since this brother and sister duo had slept in the same room together. Let alone slept in each other's arms. Dodie pretty much held Dante all night on the couch, even long after the movie ended.
So Dante genuinely knew...
Never again..
Ever.