Balancing precariously on the brick fence Xavier hums along to the music that flows through his earphones, calmer now after a night's rest but still blissfully high on happiness. He never thought Vincent would be the one to confess, at best he'd hoped that when he himself did that the other would humour him with a few dates. Restless Xavier shakes his head, jumping off the wall he lands gracefully.
Straightening up he walks along the road, the soft blue skies were nice and all but the sun was actually annoyingly hot, he could even feel heat burning through his shoes from the bitumen. Coming to the end of the road Xavier admires the small park, in the middle there's a large tree with soft looking grass underneath. Contemplating where to sit Xavier freezes as he hears a familiar voice.
"It's been a while Xavier."
Spinning around Xavier tugs out his earphones and growls lowly in warning. Honestly, he was surprised to see Travis, it had been so long he had started to believe he never would again. But what surprises him even more is how stunningly normal he looks; his old handsome glow has returned. Obviously healthy, well rested, and just well in general, it caught Xavier off guard. He has someone with him, and the expression on his face is irritated but nothing more.
"Not long enough Travis." He finally responds, straightening his back because maybe this wouldn't lead to a fight. Yet at the same time he finds an odd relief, this was how his life was meant to be, fights and misery. It was depressingly what he was used to, what he'd learned to be comfortable with/ Watching the blond beauty shrug at his comment Xavier frowns as he turns to leave.
"I just came to apologise, the me before wasn't… me." He says, as if that makes any sense. Frowning Xavier watches the other person turn to leave as well and feels confusion bubble. What? Why would the other just leave? Hadn't he been sending regular goons to attack Xavier just the other day? Feeling someone grab his arms from behind the raven tenses and struggles as he's pinned in place. Grunting he watches Travis turn, a conflicted expression on his face as he starts to walk back.
Frowning the raven quickly swings his leg back, colliding with his captor he hears a satisfying whimper and quickly breaks free. Turning around Xavier punches him just under his ribs to wind him and turns to Travis as the other has started coming faster. Charging as fast as he can at the other follower Xavier dodges past the fist thrown at him and crouches before launching up. Using his momentum to deliver a strong uppercut. Feeling and hearing a loud crack Xavier quickly turns to face the blond.
Dodging the first attack Xavier can't quite move fast enough and cops a hit to the chest, thrown off balance he rolls away and back onto his feet quickly. Swiping his leg out he trips the blond, grabbing his hand and falling on top of him Xavier twists it behind his back and feels his chest rumble in approval as the other whimpers in pain.
Using his other hand, he grabs the others hair, yanking his head up before ramming it back into the ground. Xavier had forgotten how exhilarating fighting was so while he wanted to repeat the action he holds back, not wanting to accidentally go overboard despite the way his chest heaved and his heart raced in exhilaration. Practically thirsting for more bloodshed now it takes effort to hold himself back.
Knowing the blond is stunned Xavier lets him go and stands up, grinding his heal into the mans back for good measure. Turning he starts to walk away but Travis grabs his ankle, the hold is weak and could easily be broken but it's purpose was just to grab the raven's attention.
"I wasn't sent to fight you, but that was a special request, if I do this he'll leave me alone! He won't do… that again!" He says, making the raven frown. "Denver sends a message, he wants to make sure you remember your lessons about how to keep quiet." Just hearing his Uncles name causes Xavier to tense up, feeling his eyes go wide with fear Xavier shakes his leg free and runs, he needed to get back to the house.
Arriving quickly Xavier makes a detour for the church, knowing Sunday service would be over by now and not wanting to see anyone. Getting inside he slams the doors shut and leans against them heavily as he pants. Everything around him shines brightly, to the point where he can't see clearly anymore. Ringing sounds in his ears, getting louder and louder until his knees buckle from the pain and he collapses. Everything is turning green, all shades of green until what's in front of him is nothing but that colour, he can't even see his own hand.
Suddenly Denver is there, crouched beside him with that stupid look on his face.
'Remember. You're not allowed to forget our time together Xavier"
His words leave his lips but Xavier feels like they're everywhere inside his head, what was happening to him? Rubbing his face furiously Xavier feels like he falls through the ground and the minute he opens his eyes he's met with the sight of his old basement.
Pain fills his body that feels much different than before, groaning the raven glances around but gets cut short as cold metal collides hard with his stomach. Crying out he coughs and retches from the pain, unable to breathe properly Xavier follows a pair of feet up with his gaze and is met with the terrifying sight of a smiling Denver. Tears cloud his vision as he watches the other swing the metal baseball bat in his hand. Watching him pull the bat up high for another swing Xavier feels his stomach drop, pleads unthinkingly pouring from his lips.
"No pl-please do-don't Uncl-!" the words are wheezes, unable to be said clearly as his lungs just won't cooperate. But Denver ignores them anyway, the bat comes down hard on Xavier's left leg, there's a loud cracking sound but Xavier can't focus through the pain that tears him apart. Screaming in pure agony he hears his Uncles laughter as the bat goes up, ready for another swing. Tears are pouring freely now as Xavier gasps for air, anticipating the next hit but unable to speak anymore due to something constricting his throat. His Uncle mumbles words in a language Xavier doesn't understand before the bat comes down again on his other leg. Xavier sees white, the sickening crack echoes again as his right leg breaks as well. The bat comes down again and again, Xavier's cries and shrieks of pain tearing his throat raw but he can't stop, can't breathe.
It hurts, it hurts so much. Make it stop, dear God please make it stop! He cries within his own mind as his hands pull desperately against the cuffs that chain them down.
Eventually the assault stops and all that remains are his shattered legs and the pure pain. Xavier's eyes flutter open, struggling to not roll into the back of his head from the pain, he didn't understand how he was even conscious. Denver's figure crouches, one pointed thumb rubbing over the raven's lips and pressing them down softly.
"Will you be silent now?" He asks, voice soft and monotone. As if he hadn't just been beating the shit out of Xavier, as if this was all normal. Fear fills him at the thought of saying no, so he manages to nod.
"Y-yes, I will b-be silent Uncle" Xavier responds, his voice barely there as he'd worn it out, but Denver seems pacified. One hand pets Xavier's head as if in reward for agreeing. Stopping he reaches down and starts murmuring again as his hands grab onto Xavier's legs.
When he moves them around the pain seems to finally be too much and he blissfully blacks out.
Moments later he opens his eyes and finds he's in a room he's never seen before. It's bright and honestly looks so peaceful and open, his clothes feel damp and when he looks down he notices splotches of red on his pants. Frowning he looks around for a door, where was he now? Feeling his body throb Xavier looks down and holds out his child-like arms, they were covered in finger-shaped bruises, so was his waist and what little he could see of his legs. Standing off the bed Xavier immediately stumbles and falls, shit his hips hurt like hell! Glancing down Xavier feels something leaking from his ass and feels his mind click as he realises what was wrong with him.
Horror fills his chest as it squeezes tightly, god no. The realisation has Xavier feeling just how filthy he was. He felt like it was under his skin, worming through his veins, tainting him, going all the way to his heart so his very being is soiled, his soul. Panic clouds his vision, it blinds him.
"Ah, you're awake Litter Xavier" Denver's emotionless voice snaps Xavier's vision to focus as he looks up quickly. Crimson eyes meet his own, staring for a moment before they fill with amusement, a demonic smile splitting across his face. "It seems it was somewhat successful." He says, Xavier doesn't understand, what was so amusing about this? Crouching down once more Denver clasps Xavier's small chin between his forefinger and thumb, turning his head this way and that. Xavier feels his skin crawl from the touch.
"'Do you feel empty now Xavier?"
...
Snapped back to the present Xavier gasps for air, his body convulsing for a few moments before calming down to shakes. He couldn't breathe properly; his head was splitting in two from pain. Clutching the ground Xavier tries to calm himself down, eventually forcing himself to stand as he pulls himself up using the edge of the chair. Were those memories? His body had been so small.
Why didn't he remember any of that? The torture, the rape. Just how much did Denver do to him that he didn't remember? Fuck he didn't care, the issue was why the hell he was remembering these things now?
Feeling a hand on his shoulder Xavier spins around, Denver meets his gaze, smirking as if this was all according to plan. Grabbing the arm on his shoulder Xavier quickly pulls and crouches, flinging the other over his shoulder and on to the ground hard. Straddling his waist the raven raises his fist, ready to bring it down when suddenly Denver is gone.
"XAVIER STOP!" Mason shouts, fear etched in to his every feature as he raises his hands. Blinking Xavier quickly stumbles back, what? ….What? Wasn't that just-? Getting to his feet Xavier shakes his head over and over before running out of the church.
Mason's calls lost on the wind as he just keeps running, faster and faster until his muscles ache, then faster still. No particular destination in mind he feels his vision cloud, feels the cold trail of tears on his cheeks. Finding the building he slams open the door, climbs the steps three at a time until he's at the roof where he collapses to his knees. Face upturned to the mockingly blue sky, how dare it be so peaceful when inside he was falling apart.
How the hell was Xavier meant to deal with it all? Wiping at his face over and over as the tears won't stop Xavier feels his body shake from them. He needed help, this wasn't okay, he never wanted to remember any of that.
"Denver wants to make sure you still remember your lessons about how to be quiet"
Falling forwards Xavier's fist pound at the ground as he cries desperately, tears falling on to the cement as it digs into his knees and hands.
"Remember. You're not allowed to forget our time together Xavier"
His mouth opens in a silent scream as he continues to hit the ground over and over, resting on his knees and shins Xavier prays to forget it all but it all comes flooding back. From his twelfth birthday to now, every little thing pounds into his mind.
"Litter Xavier are you giving up already?"
"Ahhh I want to play a new game this time, how long has it been since I fed you?"
"Xavier I found some friends for you to play with."
Sobbing Xavier's cloudy eyes flutter as hears the door open, he knew distantly that it had shut. Picking himself up on to his knees he turns his head halfheartedly, trying to pull on a blank mask as he wonders who the hell had come up here. Despite the tears clouding his vision, the memories shattering his mind he recognizes that figure. It's one he wished never saw him like this but also one that he'd been wishing would find him.
"Xavier?" He asks, his tone so soft and so concerned, he's panting, breathless but not even seeming to notice his own state. He carefully walks forwards, crouching down as he reaches the raven and just like that it crumples. The fragile wall he'd tried to build when he saw the other falls as he lays his emotions bare. The pain, the fear, all of it. Without hesitation, he clings to the other and buries his face in his chest as he begins to wail.
"Vincent!"