Ch. 1 Broken
Sam had gone through the nine rings of hell to be presentable by dinner. Her wounds stung with the amount of makeup she used, and the turtle neck she wore to hide the bruising was a bitch to get on. Not to mention the short amount of time she had to figure out serving the night with minimal movement of her right arm. Even so, it was nothing compared to actually attending the mandatory family gathering.
Family nights were always painful. Both in the physical and emotional sense. Sam was the youngest of six. Three boys and three girls. Five rising Heroes under their now-deceased father's agency. One a quirkless shut-in with a chip on her shoulder.
You could imagine the family drama that has ensued.
"So, Sam, how's school going" Lark - the third oldest -was the mature sibling of the six. He had their mother's green eyes and brown hair while receiving a mixed combo of both their parent's quirks. Metal feathers grew along his shoulders and arms that he could either take off and use as a weapon or shoot out like quills. He was a simple person and thus gave it a simple name. Metal Feather.
Sam shrugged, using her fork to separate the mixed veggies into individual piles. "It's been alright. Normal stuff. Bored out of my mind."
"Come on," Millie - the fourth oldest - stood up and slammed her hands on the table, "give us the juicy details. High School is full of drama, there's no way you haven't seen some of it or been in the middle of a few."
Millie fell on their father's spectrum of looks. Her hair was more sandy blond than gold, but the brown eyes were the same. She had her mother's quirk, steel nails. Both their nails were made completely out of metal and could manually grow out into cat-like claws. The metal never dulled and could cut through nearly anything.
Sam rolled her eyes, not giving the soap opera fanatic a response.
"Millie, you should know better than that, Sam isn't part of that life," Jezebel - the oldest - tutted while wagging a finger, "what we should be asking," her devious grin appeared, "is about the potential love interests."
Sam nearly choked on her own saliva. Though, she really shouldn't be surprised. Jezebel wasn't as dramatic as their other sister, but she was a bit too interested in people's personal relationships. The blond green-eyed woman was worse than any fangirl Sam had met. The amount of 'shipping' she did just with the pro hero's was terrifying. Even with her insane hobbies, Jez was a strong hero. She had a mutation of their father's wing quirk. Besides the ones on her wings, she had feathers along the ends of her forearms and legs. Her hands and feet were covered in hard skin material like a bird's claws, and her nails were just as sharp. The woman was a force to be reckoned with.
"Sorry to say," Sam said after regaining her composure, "but I'm far from interested in anyone at that shit show of a school."
"Sam, language." Juniper Windsor - their mother - gave the girl a sour glare. The woman may have been in her late forties but she looked barely over thirty. Most likely from her years as a Pro-Hero. It was a serious loss to the Hero community when she retired early, but no one could blame her. Losing your husband in a fight was horrific.
"The rest of you stop badgering your sister. I don't have all of you here just to gang up on each other."
A resounding, 'yes mom' was heard across the table. Sam was appreciative of her mother. The past year had been hard for all of them, but she'd been the stone pillar for Sam. The blond was becoming a ticking time bomb with less and less time every day. And her mother was the only one who managed to diffuse the explosion. She could admit it.
"Well what about you Cal, hero course been treating well." Milli pointed her fork at the second youngest.
Calvin's eyes lit up at the mention of school, "Yeah, we are training for our provisional licenses. The test is next month, and if I pass then I'll finally be able to intern at the agency."
Calvin was the meeker one out of the six. The boy had what some would call, the perfect mixture of genes. Sandy blond hair with green eyes and a sensational quirk. He was gifted with their father's wings, yes, but it was the metal from their mother that made it amazing. Each feather had metal weaved in, making them more durable and a great weapon when in a pinch. It was called Winged Steel. However, what he achieved in genes he lacked in confidence. But the family made sure to give the growing prodigy loads of support.
Like Mike.
"When you pass the exam."
The second-oldest, and cockiest of them all. Mike had their father's quirk, sporting a pair of yellow wings. The brown-eyed burnet was the leader. Whatever he said was done. No room for disagreement. He was always in the right.
Sam wanted to rip his vocal cords out sometimes.
"You are going to do great Cal, we all know it. You are a fantastic Hero." Milli wrapped him in a hug. Too which the teen allows but not without an awkward discomfort.
"Seriously," Jez added in, "you've got this kid. You'll be flying with the rest of us in no time."
The rest of the table nodded in agreement.
"Just do your best and good things will come, love," their mother gave the nervous teen a smile. A smile full of warmth. They all did, their gazes were full of pride.
Sam felt sick.
"Your offer still stands to Sam."
The blond looked to Lark, pity laying heavy on his face. It took everything in Sam not to throw her plate. She'd do anything to erase that look.
"Yeah, with your brain we would become unstoppable." Jez leaned over and - before Sam could react - slung an arm over her shoulders. The youngest bit the inside of her cheek till the taste of iron engulfed her tongue. She was not prepared for that to hurt so much.
Lark nodded his head, "You know how to assess a situation and plan the best course of action. And with her mechanical abilities, I'm sure we can make cameras for our gear so she can see the fight live from the agency."
Sam drowned the conversation out. This conversation had become ritual in the past year ever since Lark made the suggestion. It was a good start towards her integration back home but fell short when it was clarified she'd be helping from the sidelines. It was insulting. It had destroyed everything they tried to build at that point. All the fighting and training Sam had done to get her. To make her point. And all it had gotten her was a promotion from useless to somewhat useful. She'd only be seen as an additional plus to them. Never an equal. Never a Hero.
"Why is your shoulder tense."
The teen flinched at a screech. The fork she held scraped the plate with force. She hadn't even noticed stabbing her organized vegetables to mush.
"What,"
"Your shoulder," Mike folds his hands, eyes narrowed, "it's been awfully stiff this entire time."
"Mike," their mother warns.
Sam looked to her mom and shook her head, "It's fine. I'm just stiff is all. Haven't had much time to work out and my body is rebelling because of it." she pushes her plate away. Her appetite had been lost long ago, "I'll make sure to take care of myself more if you're so worried."
Brown met brown. The intensity of their stares sending the others into a tense silence. There was a reason the two sat on the opposite end of the table from each other. Experience has proven that disaster strikes whenever they are within five feet of each other.
"I think that's enough." Juniper placed her silverware down. Her eyes were stone cold as she looked between the two.
"I'm sorry, mom, but I don't think I can." the chair screeched as Mike stood.
Sam was seconds away from either bolting out of the room or throwing fists. Yet she managed to hold herself in place when the older sibling walked towards her. He stopped inches away.
"Let me see your right arm."
Sam's jaw clenched. "No."
"Why not."
"Because you're being ridiculous, and when you want to see something it ends in a strip search for some imaginary weapon."
Lark frowned at his brother, "Mike, cut it out."
Millie nods, "This really isn't the time bro, you can talk about this later.
"Neither of you denies it's suspicious though," Mike glanced over the four siblings. Like dogs, they looked away with tails between their legs. Satisfied, Mike went back to the youngest.
"Sam, show me your arm."
Sam gritted her teeth, "Fuck off."
"What are you hiding,"
"Nothing you crazed skeptic."
"You did something again, didn't you."
"Why do you care about what I do and don't do so much."
"Because you are a danger to this family and its reputation."
The table rattled with a slam.
Juniper's hands lay flat on the wood, face twisted tight. It wasn't a look Sam liked to see on her mother but had grown accustomed to. "That's it, both of you," she turned to her youngest, "Sam, are you alright."
"Fine," Sam fiddled with a fork under the table.
Juniper turned to Mike, "You have taken this too far, Mike." her eyes narrowed, "Again."
Mike scowled back, "How. I'm just making sure she's following the rules under her prohibition, and," he gestures a hand towards Sam, "she's clearly hiding something."
"For the love of," the mother pinched her nose, "of course she's going to act all defensive when you're always on the attack. Why can't you just let it go for this one night, Mike. This is supposed to help bring us together, not cause more rifts."
Mike's scowl turned to a full baring of teeth, "Well maybe she shouldn't have gone and broken the fucking law."
Like a bucket of ice being dumped over them, the conversation went cold. Everyone else had shied away. Their eyes averted and bodies tense. At this point, Sam was the only one with her head held high.
And she was the one who's pride was damaged.
All eyes darted to her when she stood up. Sam didn't pay them any attention, grabbing her plate and silverware instead.
"Sam."
"It's like you said mom," Sam turned to her, "family nights aren't for badgering each other. Therefore, this is not a family night and I am allowed to leave."
She proceeded towards the kitchen, glaring at Mike when she came closer to him, "Night."
That should have been it. Sam should have left without another word and forced herself into sleep. But Mike was never one to back down, as the bastard reached out and gripped the upper half of her arm.
Plates shattered on the ground with the scream that echoed across the house. Sam yanked herself away, holding her arm like it might fall off. Her wide eyes were on Mike, who had a victorious expression. There was no doubt in Sam's mind he was not only narcissistic but psychotic as well.
There were voices of concern and scolding from the others, but Sam was far away at that point. He found out. How was Sam going to deal with this? She could say she fell down the stairs, but that was skeptical. If she told the truth Sam was sure what little freedom she had left would be stripped. Mike would make sure there were eyes on her twenty-four seven. Even if she told them that she was chased and nearly killed by a group of bullies there would be complications. Mom would go barging into the school demanding punishment, and that would make the target on her back even bigger. Mike would either twist it into being her fault or find the truth. Neither was good.
In the midst of her crises, Sam's mom had tried to examine her arm. The blond jumped back, holding the arm closer to her chest. A few feet away her mother was reaching out but was quick to pull them back. She was waiting. Sam wasn't sure why at first until she realized her entire body was trembling. It was unbearably hot, and she wanted to claw right out of her skin. Her heart wasn't helping, each racing thump felt like it broke her ribs.
Sam closed her eyes and began taking deep breaths. Clearing her mind, she focused all attention on counting down from ten. The heat faded to a dull burn, her skin didn't feel as tight, and her heart had calmed down enough to leave the ghost of an ache.
Opening them again, she saw her family in a series of positions. Sam's mother was still watching her. The woman's body was poised to jump in like she was watching an antique on the brink of tipping over the edge. Milli and Calvin were still in their seats. They held uncertain looks as if they didn't know which door led to a treasure or imminent death.
Jaz and Lark had both jumped from their seats and stood on the battlefield. The eldest was looking back and forth between Sam and Mike, ready to intervene if worst comes to worst. Lark was focused solely on Mike, whose jaw was tight in an obvious attempt to hold his tongue. The younger one was giving Mike a glower that screamed 'say one thing and I'll shove my fist down your throat.'
"I'm fine."
The words managed to cut the tension as all but one person relaxed. It was short-lived as Mike stepped forwards. His mother whipped her head towards him.
"Not another step."
She really was the only person that could make him stop.
"Sam, please," tears shined in her mother's eyes, "I don't care about how it happened, but I am worried about the damage."
Sam watched her mother move towards her like one watched a rattlesnake slithering up. Frozen in place while praying it passed without lashing out. Only Sam was hoping her mother would keep her word and not ask any more questions.
So the blond allowed her to pull her shirt up and leave Sam in just a tank top. She was looking away at this point, not wanting to see their faces. The gasps were enough to make her uneasy.
"Holy shit Sam, did you get hit by a truck." Jaz had appeared by her side, doing her best to handle the arm with care. She practically feels the eyes roaming over her upper arm and shoulder. It was pretty nasty, some spots a sick yellow.
"It's fine, nothing that won't heal," Sam pulls away from her sister and mother's examination, "just painful."
"An injury like that doesn't come from nowhere."
Sam snapped to Mike with an ugly look. The idiot was the only one looking at the bruise with disdain. There could be a plethora of situations running through his head, all worse then what had happened. So Sam wasn't going to let him vocalize any of them.
"No, it doesn't," there was a sharp intake of air as she braced herself for the worst, "I let distracted a group of shady teens and it caused some kid they were bullying to escape."
Sam shoved her hands into her jean's pockets, "They weren't happy and attacked me, so I ran. They chased after me and used their quirk that caused me to go flying and hit the ground hard." She takes a hand out and gestures to the injury, "Thus the injury."
Calvin's brows furrowed, "Shouldn't we report it then. The use of a quirk for harm or fighting is highly illegal." He turned to Millie who nodded.
Sam snorts, "trust me, that would be the worst thing to do." she sees her left arm and flinches. The scars still managed to haunt her, "it causes more problems then solves them."
Juniper moves to speak, but hesitates and shrinks back. The other four didn't speak either.
But Mike did.
"You can't keep putting yourself in dangerous situations, Sam."
She wasn't surprised at his words, Sam already knew what was coming.
"I swear you're doing this on purpose."
"Mike."
"No, Mom. I'm sick and tired of watching her act indestructible," he threw his hands up, "Sam is quirkless, she has no powers, no means to protect herself."
"Again, Mike, this is not the time." Lark grabs him and tries to pull the older sibling back.
"There is never a right time. Sam, this is the last straw. From now on I'm assigning one of our sidekicks as your bodyguard."
Sam's eye twitch. He calls it a bodyguard, but she knows it's a babysitter. Worst of all, her hunch was right. She was losing what freedom she had left. Still, she didn't speak.
"Calm down, let's not make rash decisions. You're upset, we all are, but we need to deal with this later." Jez had jumped in, standing in front of Mike and trying to push him back as well.
"You are quirkless Sam, when will you get that in your head. You are a weak, quirkless, civilian with no way to protect yourself."
It was like poison had hit her heart.
"Why do you make us worry all the time. We want to keep you safe Sam, and yet you run around like a dumbass thinking you can take on the world when everyone is stronger than you."
The world was swaying. Her vision blurring and cheeks wet. The others were screaming at Mike, but she couldn't tell what they said. In the white noise that consumed her, she could only hear Mike's words.
"When will you finally accept reality, Sam. You will never be a Hero."
And like that, Sam broke.
No one had the chance to stop her as Sam ran out the door. She ran from the shouts of her siblings. She ran from her mother's cries and screams at Mike. She ran and ran and ran because that's all she could do. There was no fight left in her. Just scattered pieces of her hopes and dreams. They had been shattered when she failed the only shot she got at proving them wrong. Too many pieces to put back the way they once were. The only chance she had left was to try and mold them into something new. But she didn't know how without it crumbling once again.