A/N: This is my first fic, I'd appreciate it if you'd review.
This is rated for strong language and some violence. I've
screwed around with the timeline here too, as you can see, but
remember, it's just fiction.
__
From Here to Heaven
__
I guess the day my life changed was the day Shawn and I were walking down the street across from a line of clubs in Salem. It was late, so late it was almost dawn, and Shawn was as drunk as pig. I guess that was the day my life changed. For the better, or for the worst, I wouldn't know. But it changed.
"So, Hunter," Shawn said, slinging an arm over my shoulder. I was sober, at least more than him. He was a damn fool for getting as drunk as he had, that was for sure. "So, Hunter, fucked anybody lately?"
"Shawn, shut up. You're drunk, we need to get home, and it's late. I have to work this morning, unlike some people."
"Yeah, who would that be? Your lover-fucker?" He laughed, a high, barking sound.
"Shawn, shut your trap." Sighing, we reached the car parked on the side of the road. Why I had let Shawn talk me into a night on the town would forever be my mystery. It had been a long day, a day of hard training at Walter's gym in his ring- if you could call the damn contraption of rubber and boards a ring. Shawn had convinced me we needed a time out. A very good time in the town.
Of course, I'd be paying for that night the rest of my life. Either in gold or in pennies.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
My head snapped up. I looked up, across from Shawn's scraggly blondish hair across the street. The lamps illuminated an alley. I could see dark forms fighting one lone figure, a short figure, which stood stocky and weak. The people rushing on the sidewalk ignored them. But I could see the long figure was being beaten badly and senseless by his assailants, all laughing drunkenly.
"Stop it! Get away!"
It was the voice of a kid. Oh well. Kids were bad these days. Kids were idiots who put themselves in stupid positions. This kid probably deserved this beating. I continued with Shawn towards the car.
But Shawn's head shot up and he gazed across the alley with his glazed eyes. "Hunter, they're beating up a kid."
"He's probably a drug dealer," I snapped.
"Hunter, he's a kid."
"Shawn, you're drunk as hell. Come on; let's just get the fuck out of here."
He suddenly and violently threw his arm from me and started to race across the street. He moved sluggishly, but he moved. By the time I realized what he was doing, he was halfway across the road. Roaring, I charged after him. Count on Shawn to be like this. The guy wore his heart on his sleeve, and he was an ass at it.
"Get away from me!" A loud cry of pain followed the young voice.
"HELP ME, HUNTER!"
Shawn slashed down the nearest attacker swiftly. There were cries of disbelief from the others as they turned their attacks from the kid to Shawn. If I hadn't arrived in the next instant, they would have torn Shawn to shreds. I always save that guy's ass.
I took down two of the other attackers, roaring loudly at them, partly in anger at Shawn. By the time we finished with them, they were running down the alley, yelping. I was surprised no one had stopped to watch on the street, but no one had. Half the people in this world are morons.
"Hey, kid, are you okay?" Shawn helped the kid to his feet, but as soon as he got there, the kid collapsed.
"Get away!" he roared, his eyes closed in pain. He had long blonde hair, tangled, and streaked with grime and blood. He wore old clothes, and there were bruises surrounding his body. He was on the ground, curled up, and then his blue eyes opened again, clear as day. "Go away!"
"Kid, we just saved your fucking life, I'd expect some gratitude," I snarled.
His expression softened. "Thanks, then. Fine job, but get away. I can take care of myself."
"Nice fucking job," I snorted.
"Hunter!" Shawn said sharply. "Kid, let's get you to a doctor."
"No, I'm fine."
"Where are you hurt?"
"Go away!" the kid protested hotly.
"Let's leave him, Shawn," I said, already turning. "He's acting like a fool."
"He's a kid, Hunter, come on, let's get him!"
"Excuse me, last time I checked, this was my life. Get the fuck out."
Ooh, this kid deserved to be beaten with a stick. "You heard the prick, let's go."
"No," Shawn said firmly.
"I thought you were drunk," I accused.
"I like making you think that. It gives me power."
"Excuse me, but I have an appointment," the kid interrupted rudely. "Can I go now?"
"No, you're coming with us until we see you're cleaned up," Shawn said, shaking his head, and grabbed the kid's arm. "How old are you?"
"Fifteen, and will you please let me go?"
"What's your name?"
"What's yours?" Shawn quizzed.
I guess I should say his name, because his name was the only thing I knew him by then. He changed me later, changed me in ways Shawn doesn't even know. He deserves respect. He deserves everything I have to give.
He looked up at us with his fierce blue eyes, and he said, fiercely, "My name's Chris Irvine."
__
From Here to Heaven
__
I guess the day my life changed was the day Shawn and I were walking down the street across from a line of clubs in Salem. It was late, so late it was almost dawn, and Shawn was as drunk as pig. I guess that was the day my life changed. For the better, or for the worst, I wouldn't know. But it changed.
"So, Hunter," Shawn said, slinging an arm over my shoulder. I was sober, at least more than him. He was a damn fool for getting as drunk as he had, that was for sure. "So, Hunter, fucked anybody lately?"
"Shawn, shut up. You're drunk, we need to get home, and it's late. I have to work this morning, unlike some people."
"Yeah, who would that be? Your lover-fucker?" He laughed, a high, barking sound.
"Shawn, shut your trap." Sighing, we reached the car parked on the side of the road. Why I had let Shawn talk me into a night on the town would forever be my mystery. It had been a long day, a day of hard training at Walter's gym in his ring- if you could call the damn contraption of rubber and boards a ring. Shawn had convinced me we needed a time out. A very good time in the town.
Of course, I'd be paying for that night the rest of my life. Either in gold or in pennies.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
My head snapped up. I looked up, across from Shawn's scraggly blondish hair across the street. The lamps illuminated an alley. I could see dark forms fighting one lone figure, a short figure, which stood stocky and weak. The people rushing on the sidewalk ignored them. But I could see the long figure was being beaten badly and senseless by his assailants, all laughing drunkenly.
"Stop it! Get away!"
It was the voice of a kid. Oh well. Kids were bad these days. Kids were idiots who put themselves in stupid positions. This kid probably deserved this beating. I continued with Shawn towards the car.
But Shawn's head shot up and he gazed across the alley with his glazed eyes. "Hunter, they're beating up a kid."
"He's probably a drug dealer," I snapped.
"Hunter, he's a kid."
"Shawn, you're drunk as hell. Come on; let's just get the fuck out of here."
He suddenly and violently threw his arm from me and started to race across the street. He moved sluggishly, but he moved. By the time I realized what he was doing, he was halfway across the road. Roaring, I charged after him. Count on Shawn to be like this. The guy wore his heart on his sleeve, and he was an ass at it.
"Get away from me!" A loud cry of pain followed the young voice.
"HELP ME, HUNTER!"
Shawn slashed down the nearest attacker swiftly. There were cries of disbelief from the others as they turned their attacks from the kid to Shawn. If I hadn't arrived in the next instant, they would have torn Shawn to shreds. I always save that guy's ass.
I took down two of the other attackers, roaring loudly at them, partly in anger at Shawn. By the time we finished with them, they were running down the alley, yelping. I was surprised no one had stopped to watch on the street, but no one had. Half the people in this world are morons.
"Hey, kid, are you okay?" Shawn helped the kid to his feet, but as soon as he got there, the kid collapsed.
"Get away!" he roared, his eyes closed in pain. He had long blonde hair, tangled, and streaked with grime and blood. He wore old clothes, and there were bruises surrounding his body. He was on the ground, curled up, and then his blue eyes opened again, clear as day. "Go away!"
"Kid, we just saved your fucking life, I'd expect some gratitude," I snarled.
His expression softened. "Thanks, then. Fine job, but get away. I can take care of myself."
"Nice fucking job," I snorted.
"Hunter!" Shawn said sharply. "Kid, let's get you to a doctor."
"No, I'm fine."
"Where are you hurt?"
"Go away!" the kid protested hotly.
"Let's leave him, Shawn," I said, already turning. "He's acting like a fool."
"He's a kid, Hunter, come on, let's get him!"
"Excuse me, last time I checked, this was my life. Get the fuck out."
Ooh, this kid deserved to be beaten with a stick. "You heard the prick, let's go."
"No," Shawn said firmly.
"I thought you were drunk," I accused.
"I like making you think that. It gives me power."
"Excuse me, but I have an appointment," the kid interrupted rudely. "Can I go now?"
"No, you're coming with us until we see you're cleaned up," Shawn said, shaking his head, and grabbed the kid's arm. "How old are you?"
"Fifteen, and will you please let me go?"
"What's your name?"
"What's yours?" Shawn quizzed.
I guess I should say his name, because his name was the only thing I knew him by then. He changed me later, changed me in ways Shawn doesn't even know. He deserves respect. He deserves everything I have to give.
He looked up at us with his fierce blue eyes, and he said, fiercely, "My name's Chris Irvine."