The cold air coated Ronin's breath as he stood in the outfield, waiting for the boy to hit the ball further than the pitcher. His mind was filled with the horrid thought of the night's outcome.
The woman's words had rung in his head, and the fear he had held back so long choked him in return.
His eyes quickly flew up as the ball shot over him; jogging backward, he held his glove out hesitantly.
He had managed to catch the ball within a fumble his elbow whipped as he threw it back with force.
Percy stood screaming from the bench, his hands tubing around his echoed voice; the team had shut him up before he could finish his long and very loud sentence.
Eventually sitting down next to the glaring boys, it was cold that night and had only gotten colder as the game came to an end, the team had lost the score disappointing Percy avoided the angry boys and quickly ran out to Ronin congratulating him frantically, he was almost pleased by Percy's excitement as a small grin killed his straight face.
Ronin's frown snuck up on him while walking home with Percy, the silent night huddling over them, Percy twisting his flashlight patiently over again, awaiting its light.
Ronin's eyes glared over before taking the flashlight forcefully. Whacking it against his arm, repetitively
Suddenly, a bright light evolved from behind their backs; the sound of rough tires and the gravel beneath them alerted Ronin as he stumbled off the road, barely dodging the black car's hard figure.
The car whipped around, and a loud screeching made itself clear when the car came to a stop.
Ronins began to breathe heavily. He knew what this was; Percy looked at Ronin, afraid of what would happen next.
The car door slammed shut as a boy hoped out Ronin's eyes drawn to the sharp reflecting blade on his hands.
"Shit!" Ronins exclaimed before sprinting off the road, grabbing Percy's collar with him. The dashing branches scraped them as they flew through the woods. Ronin's heart leaped out of his chest as he heard their voices following.
Ronin hits the ground hard, his chin smacking against the root below him; he starts to salivate while griping it, and he winces.
Percy by his side his worry palpable, Ronin. Glanced up as Percy rolled into the leaves
A strong figure on top of him, Ronin stumbled to his feet ripping the boy off Percy.
He shot through the boy's chin with his fist, watching as the figure hit the tree behind him, Ronin's adrenaline spiked, and as a strange feeling came over him, he tackled the boy, pounding his face violently.
Out of breath, Ronin rolled back onto his knees a horrid bomb of grief filled him as the boy rolled over gripping his face, Ronin backed up fumbling in the leaves he noticed Percys' absence his eyes flickering around the dark woods, pushing himself from the ground the echoes of commotion coming closer, warping around the tree Ronin began to sprint in hopes of finding Percy.
His slow pace and heavy breathing were obvious to call out as Ronin got closer emerging from the bush in front of Percy,
His sudden shriek rang in Ronin's ears as they met.
Percys flaring arms slapped Ronin before, under his restraint, "What the fuck!" Ronin exclaimed, announcing his presence as Percy calmed down.
Being to apologize, Ronin dragged him up from his pathetic position, as they began to run again.
Changing direction, the boys stumbled up the hill, splashing through the loud leaves that gave their every movement away.
Suddenly wrapped in the same leaves, the boys dove to the ground, attempting to lose the following group.
The boys sat silently on the cold damp ground, the frost slowly creeping up on them.
Percy began to speak his voice filled with fear, before Ronin's shaking hand cuffed his mouth
"Shut up, Percy," he growled quietly before looking around the dark woods, slowly filling with fog.
Ronin laid his back against the tree, and a sigh of relief escaped his mouth.
"Who were they?" Percy whispered, his voice frantic with fear
His eyes drifting onto Ronin's jagged face he had attempted to ignore, Ronin sat quietly
He didn't know why his words hesitated.
And a subtle motivation to cry washed over him as he resisted, ending the conversation that could've been.
Ronin began to stand up. He couldn't sit in silence any longer, brushing the dead leaves off himself, He turned ahead, leaving Percy to catch up.
"Ronin," Percy's voice began hesitantly, "are they the ones who hurt you?" He asked awaiting a response.
"I'm not hurt," Ronin admitted, falsely avoiding eye contact with Percy.
Their pace had slowed as they approached the familiar fields they had walked before,
Out of breath, they gasped, glancing behind at the calm woods they had once been enveloped in.
Gulping enough air, Ronin began to speak, as he subtly asked Percy if he was ok.
Surprised, Percy perked up, responding quickly, "Yeah, I'm great!" He assured Ronin with a smile.
Ronin's voice got soft, "how can you just say that?" he began. A bridged tone wrapping his voice,
"w-well, we made it out safely," the smile returned to Percy's face again as he spoke.
Ronin stared intensely at his knuckles afraid of the dark red scene that played on them.
Percy continued to glorify what never stood out his optimistic voice overtook the fields.
"God, Percy, Shut up!" Ronin shouted suddenly, stopping Percy in his tracks, his eyes widening at Ronin's tone.
"How can you just wear that fucking smile all the time" Percy's smile grew hesitant as Ronin dug his hands through his hair, "l-like nothing wrong has ever touched you!" Ronin's spasms began to deplete as his voice lost its balance.
"Why do you get to live like that" he changed his words as an argument inside him fought against his submission.
"I-it not fair." Ronin gave up, hitting the ground, and dug his head into the rough jeans that coated his legs; Percy began to apologize, as he always did.
Ronin couldn't hear it; he didn't want to. They were never true, he told himself, slipping into a place he'd wished he had forgotten.
His eyes blared open as he felt Percy's warm hand placing itself on his arched back; his mind raced as he threw Percy's arm back at him, rejecting the only thing he needed.
The dark streets felt as if they were watching him, the mean things he said pulled at his head, and the realization he had fucked up everything.
Like he always did.