Tableaux of sorrow
Summary: All things change over time, most people reason. However, change in the life of Joseph Wilson may just be the thing that could take him over the edge. One-shot, dedicated to Comicbookfan. Alternate Universe.
Authors note: This is story I did to credit to Comicbookfan and to put myself out of a long hiatus state. This is angst-y and there's mentioning of suicidal innuendo at the end, but, really, it's how you interpret it. Also, there's mentions of Jericho/Kole… wow, that's all.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen titans or any associated work… but that doesn't stop the plot-bunnies, now does it.
Joseph entered the bathroom, his apple-green eyes puffy and red from a large amount of crying. Tears ran across his usually pale face, which was now red from his sobbing. Dark red blood started to drip from his mouth as he tried to contain his loud wails, so no-one would realize he was here.
"When…d-did all… of this… m-misery h-h-happen?" he mused out loud.
At this point, his mind began to wonder away, as he took a fated trip down memory lane…
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"You son-of-a…" a female voice yelled before being cut-off from the sound of a porcelain vase breaking.
"Now, now, Adeline, control your temper" a suave male voice interrupted, unfazed at the broken vase.
"CONTROL MY TEMPER?!" Adeline screeched as she started to weep. "HOW"- a lamp fell over, it's shade protecting the light bulb from breaking- "CAN I"- an old coffee table was pushed over- "CONTROL"- a heavy book was thrown at the man, which he dodged- "MY TEMPER!?!?!?!"
"Quite easily, my dear" the masked man, otherwise known as his father, Slade, calmly replied.
Adeline, his mother lunged towards him, but he blocked the attack with his arms. Probably from all the training he's doing at the navy, Joseph thought logically.
Grunting, Adeline relentlessly tried to damage him, but Slade prevented any of her hits to get him.
Joseph watched all this from the staircase too frightened to move. Clutching to the banister, he hid in the sanctuary of the barriers' frame.
Suddenly, his mother picked up a knife, which was quite easy to obtain from the Kitchens' utensil tray, and plunged it into his fathers' face, directly in his right eye.
A yelp of pain was heard as Slade fell to the tiled floor, a red liquid seeping from his eye.
Shocked at her actions, Adeline sniffled as she pulled the knife out and tried to get to the phone.
Joseph didn't remember much after that except the phone conversation which played out like this:
"Hello… yes, I want ambulance, please…I-I-I think I just murdered my husband…"
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Thankfully, he didn't die but only because of her phone call.
"S-so ironic… the person h-he'd been c-cheating on… saved his l-life…" he outwardly pondered. After "The Fight", as he dubbed it, divorce papers were shown to him as his dad went out the door. Not only did he leave from the door, he also left Josephs' life, only talking to him a few times over the year.
Then there was Kerri. His mind replayed the moment he met Kerri Weathers and her family.
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A 4x4 Jeep drove onto the driveway of a newly built house. Next door, Joseph sat by the porch, bored to tears, since no-one would play with the nine year old boy.
Coming out of the Jeep was a tall lady with brown hair, definitely a mother as two kids jumped out of the car.
One was a bulky adolescent male, with long, black, uncombed hair and a base-glove.
The other was a small, petite girl with flaming red hair, and blue eyes that shone like crystals.
Joyfully, the girl raced to Joseph and asked "Hey, do ya wanna play a game of catch with us?"
Arching his eyebrows at her, Joseph shyly retorted with a "Uh…okay".
She smiled brightly as she introduced her brother and herself.
"I'm Kerri and he's Mark. Mark's really good at throwing, so that's why he's trying out for the big league" Kerri cheerfully announced.
"Oh… My name's Joseph. Joseph Wilson". The blonde haired boy countered.
"'Kay, here it goes" she declared as her brother readied himself with the worn-out baseball…
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Kerri and he have been best friends from Year Three until the beginning of YearEight. That's when it happened…
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It was crisp winter's day as he and Kerri went for a walk around the block. She seemed to loose some of the shine from her normally vivid eyes, but it didn't matter to him. He was just content by being with her, having her presence near him, her heart only a few steps away from his own.
They sat down on a near-by bench, gazing at the snow-covered trees. A surge of emotions raced through his body as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
With a sigh, Kerri admitted "Joey, there's something I need to talk to you about".
Joseph looked at her, worry filling his head. She continued.
"Well, ya know how my mums' lookin' for work…" A quick nod from him encouraged her to carry on.
"Well, she found some…" His face changed from excitement into concern, in a split-second.
"It's in Alaska though, so… we have to m-move" she stuttered sadly choking on the last word.
Joey froze at that line. Disbelievingly, he inquired "Move to Alaska?"
With glistening, unshed tears, she nodded. He didn't need the confirmation though. The expression on her face did it enough for him.
Hugging her, he whispered, only two words to her, over and over.
"Don't go… don't go… don't go…"
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Her mother acquired employment at a scientific research lab. She, with Mark and Kerri, left with intentions of contacting them as soon as they arrived.
It had been at least two whole weeks, without any signs of contact.
Recently, just today at school, Joey had been brutally assaulted, since he didn't have a "group" to speak of.
He winced at the sudden flash-backs of him… being hurt… being roughly bullied and intimidated… being in a pining state for Kerri… and, most of all, being forced to be quiet.
His eyes glanced over at the scattered table of bathroom-y stuff… including his older brothers' razor.
A bolt of inspiration hit him. That razor… my neck…
There was only one question… was he brave enough to do it?
He seized the cold steel of the razor. Looking at himself in the mirror, he felt a rush of anger and he viciously punched it, breaking it into a thousand pieces.
His hand hurt… his skull was throbbing… he put the razor to his neck… and, just as Grant, his older brother, busted the door down, his last thought before slashing the life-robbing razor into his neck and ultimately making him black out, was : And, you shall drip precious rubies…
Authors note: Please keep in mind I did this in a couple of hours. If you want to know whose who, then it's:
Kerri Weathers - Kole
Mark Weathers - Gnarrk (I know they're not originally related but bear with me here, people)
Joseph Wilson - Jericho
The others are the same as the comic/cartoon.
Also, I know the last line was a semi-quote from Sweeney Todd: The Demon barber from Fleet Street, but that's only because I watched the movie today and I loved it:)
In conclusion, I bid you all a good day/ good night and I hope Comicbookfan will like it.