Soren winced as he was slammed roughly against the metal locker. He still had a bruise on his back from his last ever so cheerful meeting with the cold and unfeeling lockers.

"Don't ever let me catch you looking at Ike again or I swear to god I'll rip your throat out," hissed the green haired teen, Boyd.

"Sorry," Soren gritted out from clenched teeth, gasping when he was released to slide to the ground.

"Damn straight you are. Now get out of my sight."

Soren groaned as he stood up. He hated it when Ike's 'friends' found him after school. But he couldn't help but gaze at the blue haired teen whenever he thought no one was looking. He was too beautiful and too out of reach.

"Soren. Stop letting them beat you up," said a voice as he emerged from the high school.

Soren turned to see his only friend, Ilyana, standing there. Her light purple hair was braided that day and she wore a simple white blouse and green skirt. Gentle eyes were filled with worry and Soren couldn't help but feel a little guilty for making her feel that way.

"If I fight back I'll get in trouble," Soren sighed as they began walking for Soren's house.

"So tell someone."

"Haven't we been over this?" Soren grumbled. "Just let it go."

"Are you ever going to tell Ike how you feel?" Ilyana wondered.

"And have him laugh at me? Yeah right," Soren snorted.

"Ike is a lot nicer than that. He wouldn't laugh and you know it," Ilyana argued. "You really should tell him."
"No! So would you stop asking?" Soren nearly exploded. Nearly. Soren never shouted, only raised his voice a little bit.

"Sorry Soren I just really do think it'd be a good idea. You're going to feel really guilty if you don't and let this chance slip away," Ilyana told him.

"What chance? I don't have one against Mia. She's like the freaking Goddess to him," Soren growled as they walked into his house.

"Who's like the Goddess?" wondered a voice.

Soren and Ilyana glanced up to see Soren's half brother, Reyson, looking down at them. Despite the fact that they both had half the same genes they appeared to be polar opposites of each other.

Reyson had long blond hair that flowed down his back and nearly to the floor. Ilyana still didn't understand how it was always tangle free, no matter what he did to it. He was extremely thin as well and sickly pale on top of that. But he never showed how fail he truly was. Appearing weak was not acceptable in their household, at least according to their father.

"Mia," Soren replied to Reyson's previous question.

"Ike's girlfriend?" Reyson inquired as he followed them into the living room.

"Yep. And he's still to chicken to ask him out," Ilyana chirped as all three dropped onto the couch. "You say something to him."

"Not asking him out is a sign of weakness. So is getting beat up after school," Reyson said simply. "What if Dad knew?"

Soren's red eyes widened in surprise. "Are you threatening me?"
"Goddess no!" Reyson cried. "I wouldn't tell Dad! But he's bound to find out at some point."

"Why do neither of you ever say God?" Ilyana wondered. "I've known you two forever and you've never told me."
"Different religion," Reyson and Soren replied in unison. "Barely anyone practices it anymore," Reyson added.

"Does your dad approve?" Ilyana wondered.

"Don't know," Soren said.

"We've never told him," Reyson added for clarification.

Just then, the front door was thrown open and their dad stepped through. He had the same color hair as Reyson and the same pale skin but he was anything but frail. His eyes were light blue which was very different from Reyson's forest green and Soren's unnerving crimson.

"You're home," he stated. "Who's the girl?"

"Ilyana," Reyson sighed patiently. "She's here everyday."

Ilyana winced. Their dad never remembered her due to the fact that he always came home drunk.

"Well get her out of here," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," Soren said quietly.

"I'll see you later I guess," Ilyana muttered, quickly grabbing her back and darting out the door.

Soren got to his feet, heading for his room when a hand curled in his black hair, jerking him back and then onto the floor. He didn't say anything when he was forced all the way down and kicked brutally in the side. It was an old bruise that was hit and Soren bit his lip so he wouldn't cry out. Crying was weakness and weakness would lead to more pain. There were several more hits and then his dad walked away, satisfied with his work.

"Get the mutt out of my sight," he ordered, sitting down beside Reyson on the couch.

"Yes, sir," Reyson mumbled sullenly, kneeling beside Soren.

Soren whimpered softly, not loud enough for their dad to hear but enough to make Reyson feel a bang of sorrow, when Reyson picked him up. Reyson carried him up the stairs as quick as he could without charring him, wanting to escape their dad as soon as possible. When he reached Soren's room, he gently laid Soren down on his bed.

Soren winced and then turned onto his stomach, face in the pillow away from Reyson. It wasn't anything new for either of them. Soren would never let Reyson see him cry. In the seven years that Soren had lived with them Soren had never let Reyson see him cry. So instead Reyson sat beside him sob wracked body and rubbed his back comfortingly.

It infuriated Reyson to no end that his father thought Soren was worth less than trash because his father was someone else. Suddenly, Soren's breath hitched, indicating Reyson had brushed across a bruise.

"That isn't from Dad," Reyson mumbled, gently rubbing his fingers over it again.

Soren shook his head into the pillow, still not looking at him. He wasn't done crying yet.

"Who did this Soren? Ike's friends?"

A nod. "But you can't do anything Reyson. Dad won't let you go to school."

Yeah…because I'm too weak to walk around all day, Reyson thought. But at least Soren is talking now.

"Even if he did, I couldn't do anything anyways," Reyson sighed. "Last time I punched Dad I shattered the bones in my knuckles."

Soren turned his head, looking at him with puffy red eyes, still leaking tears. Reyson reached forward and gently wiped them away with his thumb.

"Please don't do anything to get yourself hurt Reyson. I wouldn't be able to get through life with him if you died," Soren mumbled, curling his fingers around Reyson's hand.

It reminded Reyson of a small child, clinging to his mother for comfort. Reyson felt the nearly overwhelming urge to kiss his half brother's forehead but refrained from doing so. He knew that having feelings such as the ones he harbored were a sin, even in his Goddess's eyes. And he also knew if his father discovered it, he would be beat despite the fact that his father didn't hit him because he was so weak.

"Go to sleep Soren. Just rest a bit. I'll help you with your homework when you wake up, alright?" Reyson murmured.

"Okay," Soren whispered, pulling Reyson's arm towards him and hugging it. "Stay with me please."

Reyson sighed. "Fine. Come here."

Reyson laid down beside him and let Soren cuddle into his arm without saying anything. When his brother was finally asleep, he gently kissed his forehead. I have gotten myself into such a mess, he thought.