[A/N: Still sensitive stuff for the sensitive lovelies]
Arriving at the game room, Angela folded her arms and plopped down into the couch.
Jason followed suit, joining her on the sofa. Him being the big man he was, the cushions dipped under his weight as he lowered himself down. He kept his machete on his right side, so he chose to keep Ange on his left for her safety. He didn't want her to accidentally cut herself. Though she wasn't his, he already became attached to the strong headed children who entered his life. Just thinking about them having to leave so soon made him frown. He didn't like it.
His gaze slid down to the little girl next to him. Her facial expression startled him. She wasn't grinning playfully like she usually was, and her eyes seemed so sad. Staring out into nothing in particular, he could tell she was lost in thought. She seemed so different when she wasn't around her brother. So empty and robotic. Children were supposed to be carefree and happy, so why did these two look so mature and aged. It was unsettling to Jason.
"Comfort her Jason, dear. She needs a friend right now."
Agreeing with his Mother's echoing words in his head, but not wanting to scare the girl, he tried to think of a way to cheer her up. Or in the very least, smile.
After a while of racking his brain, an idea finally popped into his head, causing him to stand up abruptly. But this unexpected action had Angela wobbling over at the sudden evened seating. Having to unfold her arms to not fall on her side, she steadied herself.
"What's wrong?" She started, but he held up a hand.
Gesturing her to stay, she nodded in confusion, but thought it best not to argue with him. I mean, come on.
"What a weirdo." She hummed to herself, watching the burly man charge to goodness knows where.
Leaning back on the now empty seat, she gripped the upholstery near her thighs, anxiously like it was a stress ball.
"He better return soon." She grumbled, eyeing the direction Jason vanished off to before shutting her eyes. "I hate being alone."
"Well they never show up again anyway. Just like that one day.."
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"Angela's thoughts: The lonely days with me and my weirdo brother."
That's way too dramatic Ange." Blake said, observing his sisters diary entry. "And I'm not weird, you little brat."
"Shut up you are, and also nobody is going to read it but me, so who cares right?"
When he didn't answer she looked up from her desk with a glare.
"Right?" She repeated firmly.
Backing away from her desk he held his hands up in defense.
"Right, right fine."
Satisfied with that answer she turned back to her array of pens and pencils, decorating the first page of her new diary.
Blake had given it to her for her birthday, because as much as he loved her, he was sick of hearing about her weird thoughts and kid gossip from class. He thought she needed a new "friend" to talk to. And that friend was a beat up pink notebook he'd found in a discount bin. He said he paid for it, but she still was skeptical. But no matter, she was thrilled to "talk" to something that didn't give snarky comments back, or just straight up didn't listen.
Coming up behind her again with a single carrot in hand, he ate noisily by her ear.
"Your spelling is so bad."
"Ugh! Go away!"
Pushing him away, she covered her sloppy words with her arms to hide what she wrote.
"Fine, but don't forget dinner is soon." He relented, smirking in victory.
"Okay already! Leave!!" She yelled as he laughed, walking to the kitchen.
Though reaching the doorway he turned serious, lowering his voice.
"Mom gets home soon, so hurry up."
Sitting back up, she also dropped her volume, as if her voice caught in her throat.
"O-okay."
After leaving Angela to finish her entry, Blake set out their food and waited. There was also a cupcake in the fridge, but he wanted it to be a surprise.
"I'm here, I'm here."
She hurried to the table moments later, sitting in front of him at her place.
"Finally."
She rolled her eyes and said a quick prayer before diving in. No matter how much she bickered with Blake, meals were always their time to reconnect and not be mad. Comfortable silences even. Not that they'd admit it to anyone.
After the indulging was completed, she smiled and said her thanks. But before getting up to do the dishes he stopped her.
"Hey wait, sit down." He said, pushing her back down.
"What gives? You know I have to be out of sight before they get home." She frowned, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"I know, but it's your birthday Ange." He went on, getting up to open the fridge.
"And?" Shrugging, she didn't understand. "Not like anybody cares."
"I care."
Lighting the candle on the counter were she couldn't see, she tried peeking over his shoulder.
"Not my problem, and you're being weird tonight." Straining her neck to see, he smiled with the lit candle on the single cupcake in his palm.
"Yeah well don't get used to it."
"Blake!!" Ignoring him she made a sound that could replica dog whistle. Wouldn't surprise him if the neighborhoods dogs started barking.
"What was that sound even Ange, jeez my ears!" Holding the one ear he could with his free hand she laughed.
"Sorry, I got excited. But is that for me?" Pointing at the dessert he nodded.
He placed it in front of her, letting go of his head.
"Yeah, so make a wish or whatever, nerd."
"You're the nerd." She restored quickly but regretted it. "But thanks."
He grinned again but she was already squeezing her eyes closed and her hands so tightly together that her knuckled turned white. She quickly made her wish.
"I wish we could be in a happy family together."
Opening her eyes she blew out the candle and cheered along when Blake shouted "Alright!"
Chomping down the cupcake she gave half to Blake who happily accepted and ate in one bite.
But all cheerfulness died down once the sound of keys made the room deathly quiet. She held her breath in response, somehow thinking that would make her invisible but Blake had other plans.
"Come on!" He harshly scream whispered and started cleaning up with as much speed as he possibly could. There wasn't much to pick up, but he needed them out of there. And fast.
Tossing mostly everything in the garbage bin, he was never so thankful for that shitty door lock in the world than at this moment.
"Dammit! Open, you stupid fucking door!" His Mother cursed and kicked outside the front door, when it didn't open.
That bought them just enough time as he grabbed Angela's wrist and practically yanked her off her feet into their room, slamming their door behind them.
"Pretend you're asleep!" He continued to hiss at her, throwing the large quilt over her head as she desperately crawled into bed.
Heart ramming against her chest, under the heavy blanket, she stilled; her breathing being the only think she could hear. That is until the door flew open.
With a large bang, it practically came off it's hinges, the dent in the wall from previous door problems taking more damage.
There stood their Mother, enraged and smelling like she drenched herself in alcohol. The pungent stench was too strong to handle. Blake held back a cough, and smiled weakly at her.
"Y-yes?" He asked, feigning innocence and praying she was too inebriated to noticed the quiver in his voice.
Hobbling from one foot to the other she pointed at him.
"Feed me now."
When he didn't follow right away he could've sworn he saw red in her eyes. That thought alone was enough to hurry him along.
As he cooked, she downed the beer cans that were in the fridge. Cowering lower when she threw the empty can at him, he stayed hunched over, focusing intently at the food in the pan.
"That wasss yer faa-therss drinkss." She slurred, faking a laugh as she crumbled another can, missing the trash can when she threw it.
"He doesn't care about me at allll." Holding her face in her hands, tear started to swell out. She wailed and thrashed about like a toddler would.
Blake was silently still serving the food.
Once more, at no response to her drunken rants, she started to scream. He flinched and dropped the wooden spoon, making her scream more.
Angela was still hiding under her blanket, but from what she could remember hearing through her own sobs was just broken yelling.
"Don't touch-"
"You're just like your father-"
"I hate you!"
"It's all your fault I-"
"Where is she-"
Through the crashing of plates, and shrieking and crying, it was all a nightmared blur. Singing a song that Blake always did to cheer her up, as she plugged her ears, was something she was used to. But it kept getting worse and worse. Day after day. The curses were meaner, the words cut deeper, and the insults hurt more. Their Mother was more vocal, as their Father just didn't even care to come home. They didn't know what was worse. Each day was hell on earth and they took to it as regular life. That is, until the morning they left for camp.
Angela wasn't the sharpest but her bad habit of forgiving her mother and believing that one day she'd go back to normal was really just her living in denial. But when she brought home that flier, it made her heart soar.
"Maybe she feels bad?" She told herself while they packed.
"Could she actually though?" She thought again, fighting an internal battle with herself on the ride over.
Though this was the last chance she gave her Mother, it went down the drain as she soon stood next to her brother, watching her speeding car leave them behind.
Feeling her heart shatter, her stomach hurting from emotion, she told herself she didn't need anybody else. As much as she wanted her family to be normal, she felt so useless and disheartened, only being a young girl with no power to fix such a big mess.
Blake squeezed her hand and she squeezed back.
"Hello there!" They turned to the owner of the voice. A short, rounder young woman came towards them with the brightest smile they had ever seen.
"I'm Y/n, L/n, what are your names?"
"Blake and Angela." Her brother said, releasing her hand and shoving it in his short pockets.
"Well, it's nice to meet you both. Let's go meet the others okay?" The lady said, offering her own hand to her.
Hesitantly reaching for it, she nodded.
"Alright."
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Returning to where he left the little girl, Jason entered the room, something clutched in his hand.
He found her sleeping peacefully, so he tucked the teddy bear he had retrieved next to her. She stirred and snuggled into the plush. Jason smiled and gently laid a blanket he got from the other couch over her resting form.
She must've been tired.
He didn't want to leave her by herself again so he sat on the free sofa as to not disturb her.
Wondering how Y/n was doing with Blake, he twirled his machete ill at ease.
✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ (',,•ω•,,)♡ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯
Hello my lovely Riceballs, hope you're staying safe in this wild time. It hurts me that racism is still so apparent but our generation is working hard to fight for the ones we love and people who deserve it. Happy Pride month as well. For the Black Lives Matter movement, be sure to keep updated on all that is happening. Sign petitions if you can't send money or protest. Love you all, we got this. My heart goes out to the lives lost unjustly. I hear you and will defend you to the best of my ability. ♡♡♡
I apologize for my lack of writing, I really didn't like how the chapter kept coming out. Hope you enjoyed regardless, thank you for your support. :D