A/N: TRIGGER WARNING*** DESCRIPTIONS OF ABUSE, DIVORCE, SEXUAL RELATIONS*** also, dianacarolina03 requested this, and though I don't normally write angst like this I had quite a good time with it. Maybe because I tried to add humor to balance out the angst. I also love a good strong character. Love always xx
You got off the train, a familiar calmness rushing over you as you made your way out to the street. You hadn't been there in so long, it was nice to come back to a place that felt like home. Your first order of business was to find your best friend. You hadn't seen him in over six months, though you FaceTimed at least once a week. You approached his house, a feeling of nostalgia washing over you. You knocked on the door and waited.
"(y/n)," Isaac breathed when he opened the door. You gave him a smile as he pulled you into a hug, burying his face in the crook of your neck. He lifted your toes off the ground, stepping out onto the porch.
"Isaac, honey, who is it?" a female voice called that was definitely not his mom. Isaac's eyes grew wide.
"Go home. I'll text you later, just please go home," he growled in your ear quietly. You furrowed your eyebrows, unsure of what had gotten into your best friend. As you took a step back onto the pavement, Isaac turned and shut the door. As he answered the unseen person, all you heard was "just someone I went to primary school with". You shook your head in disbelief. You hadn't told Isaac that you were coming back to the town you had grown up in to visit your grandparents. You wanted to leave it as a surprise, since he's your best friend... or so you thought.
You found yourself back at your grandparents house, sitting in their kitchen with a plate of your grandmother's cookies in front of you.
"I just don't get it. We grew up together. Why would he be ashamed of me?"
"Maybe he wasn't expecting you," your grandmother suggested, a calm, caring look on her face as her hand lightly touched yours.
"He wasn't, but I used to show up at his house unannounced all the time. On nights when the fighting would get really bad at home, I'd sneak out my window and spend the night with him. I was considered part of his family on all accounts. They even invited me to their family reunion two years ago," you said.
"Sweetie, things have changed since you left," your grandfather added. You shook your head.
"It just doesn't add up." Your thought was interrupted by your phone going off on the counter. You grabbed it at lightning speed, seeing the text from Isaac.
Ize: meet me at the pond?
(y/n): be there in 6 minutes
You threw your shoes on and ran out the door with only a quick goodbye to your grandparents. You walked through the dusk to a pond that you and Isaac had been to a billion times before. You saw him standing in your favorite spot by the water, his hair ruffled like he'd just gotten angry at a SkyWars game or something.
"Fancy seeing you here," you said as you sat down on a boulder.
"I'm really sorry about earlier. I didn't realize you were coming," he said.
"Why should it matter? It's not like we've ever needed an invitation before," you pointed out.
"We're not kids anymore," he said.
"So we're not best friends? What the hell has gotten into you?" You were starting to get mad, an Isaac-ism that had rubbed off on you from spending so much time together.
"It's nothing," he said, but you didn't believe him.
"Who was at your house when I showed up?" You knew when to choose your battles.
"My girlfriend," Isaac said defeated. After knowing each other for your whole lives, he knew he wouldn't win that argument.
Your jaw dropped.
"Why didn't you tell me you have a girlfriend!!??" you practically yelled. Isaac got quiet and hesitated, then you had a realization.
"Don't come up with a crap excuse either, Ize. I know you too well for that."
"I didn't want her to get jealous," he said.
"Jealous of me?" You asked, confused. Of all the people in the world, you were the least of Isaac's girlfriend's worries. Though you'd been asked if you were dating your best friend plenty of times, the answer was always no.
"She doesn't like it when I talk to other girls," he said, looking away from you and moving his hand up to his bicep.
"Ok but the world is 51% female. You're going to have to talk to girls at some point. And why would I want to date you anyways? You smell funny," you cracked a smile. Isaac didn't laugh with you though, just kept his gaze on the water in front of you.
"If she knew how close we are she would have torn you apart," he said.
"I can handle myself. I've been friends with you for my whole life and I still turned out pretty normal," you said, still trying to keep the mood light.
"How did you meet this girl anyways?" you asked, filling the silence Isaac was letting sit between you.
"I went to this YouTube event in London with Will and Darach. She was a fan, and she was hot, and she was interested in me," he said, shrugging.
"OH MY GOD ISAAC YOU ARE LITERALLY A WALKING FANFIC" you yelled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.
"It means every time someone writes a crappy fanfic about the Cube it's always either 'I'm in the Cube' or 'I was the one fan that he noticed'. I always laughed at those because it was so unlikely but here we are," you said, gesturing with your hands at the surrounding area. Isaac became defensive really fast.
"It's not like that at all. Amy loves me and I love her," he said, though his voice shook. Something felt off to you.
"How long have you been dating her?" you asked.
"Three months," he answered. You felt your stomach clench. You chewed on your lip, thinking of a response.
"Where is she right now? How were you able to come out here and meet me?" you asked.
"She's at my place sleeping. After you left we...uh..." Isaac paused.
"YOU'RE FREAKING SEVENTEEN" you yelled again. Isaac threw a hand over your mouth.
"Keep yelling and someone's gonna call the police," he said.
"Sorry," you mumbled into his hand.
"Can I at least go meet her?" you begged. Isaac sighed.
"Fine, let's go," he said, walking in the direction of his house at a brisk pace. You followed him like a lost puppy, considering what you were going to say to this 'Amy'.
"Hey," Isaac said, shaking her awake slightly when you got to his house and were standing in his living room, his girlfriend sleeping on the couch.
"Hi Baby, where did you go?" Amy asked, sitting up. She was blonde, skinny, and almost too perfect.
"I just went for a walk and ran into (y/n). She wanted to come meet you after all the great things I told her about you," he said. You wondered why he lied to such an extent.
"Why don't you go make some food, while I get to know (y/n)?" she said, pulling Isaac by the chin and kissing him deeply before pushing him towards the kitchen with long fingernails. Isaac nodded dumbly, then left the room.
"How do you know him?" She fired the first question at you straight away. You had been preparing for this.
"Our mothers met at a pregnancy group and became friends. Isaac and I grew up together," you said, keeping a stone face.
"How come I've never seen you around before?"
"My parents got divorced a few years ago and I moved to America with my Dad. I'm here visiting my grandparents," you told her. You were unsure if you should be telling her your whole life story, but because Isaac's safety was on the line, you chose to ignore that feeling.
"Get any ideas of fairytale romance out of your brain then, because Isaac's mine," she hissed.
"Ok first of all, you have no claim over him. The only person who Isaac belongs to is himself. If you knew him even for a fraction of a second you would know that. Second, I have no intention of dating him. He's moody, rude, and a douche and a half. He has a messed up sleep schedule, and he plays a video game made for seven year olds for a living. Yeah we're more than just friends, but that's because we're family. It wasn't really my choice to hang out with him. He's like that odd cousin that you can't help but love. If you're too self-centered to realize that then you shouldn't be with him," you told her flat out. Amy looked at you, eyes wide, but her response was interrupted by Isaac coming back into the room where you were sitting.
"Isaac, can I have a word with you in the kitchen please?" she asked him. Isaac nodded and followed her into the other room. You sat in silence, pleased with what you had said. When they came back, Isaac looked defeated, and Amy had a smug look on her face.
"You need to leave now," she said to you.
"You can't tell me what to do. If Isaac wants me to leave he can grow a pair and tell me himself," you retorted. Isaac looked at you with panicked eyes.
"I'll walk you out," he said. You stood up and walked to the door, back out onto the porch with him.
"You don't know what you just got yourself into," he said.
"I very much do," you replied.
"I can fight my own battles."
"You're admitting it's a problem," you pointed out. Isaac slouched down, defeated. His eyes were tired. You sat next to him and put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. He winced and pulled away.
"What the-" you said, concern lacing your tone.
"Take your shirt off," you commanded. Isaac didn't say anything, just pleaded with his eyes.
"Come on Ize. There's something seriously wrong here, I want to help," you said. You were half expecting him to blow up at you, but instead he pulled the fabric over his head, revealing bruises and scratches all over his arms, shoulders, and back.
"Don't even tell me these are from having sex," you said quietly.
"Amy just gets mad sometimes. She always apologizes," he said.
"How long has this..." you couldn't even finish your sentence.
"About two weeks after we started dating," he said. You took his hand in yours, rubbing your thumb over his knuckles.
"I'm here for you, Ize. You're not alone in this."