"stop" he sobbed, holding his hands above him, "i'm sorry"
"sorry doesn't cut it, danny boy. you have to learn. this is a lesson." and with that, his father raised his belt. he cowered, his hands covering his face. the leather landed on his back and he winced. and then again. and again and again.
his father kept going until his skin was raw.
"if we see you cry once more," his mother grit out, gripping his hair and pulling his head back, "it'll be her at the end of the belt"
she turned his head into the direction of her sister, who was sitting at the edge of the room and crying because her brother was the best thing ever and she didn't understand what was happening.
"no," he whimpered, "no, please!"
"act like a fúcking man." his father shouted, and slapped his back.
they walked out, and he cried. he didn't want to cry.
he wanted to be a man.