Somewhat Damaged
Even in the dim light, there could be no mistaking the figure that stood in the doorway. The broad shoulders, the long brown hair, the chiseled features, the mocha colored skin, the dark eyes that appeared almost black in the shadows; these all culminated into one being.
That being that was the reason for the pain and anguish that was currently swirling within the boy that sat curled in a dilapidated arm chair on the other side of the room. The being was named Lance Alvers. But, to the sandy-haired boy that saw it, it was also the representation of all the other beings that had abandoned him all the other times throughout his past.
"You bastard," the boy felt the words escape his throat, seemingly of their own accord, in a whispered hiss.
He saw the figure jump slightly, apparently having thought the room was empty, it then strained its eyes to look into the shadows. There was a brief pause, then, "Todd?"
"What the hell are you doing here?" came another low hiss.
"Where is everybody?" If Todd had not been seething with anger, he would have noticed how shaky and pained the other's voice sounded.
"They wen' out. Not like you care anyway....You're too good for us, remember? You're an X-fuck now....Shouldn't you be off tryin' to bone that Kitty bitch?" No longer a whisper, rage was causing Todd's voice to gradually increase in volume.
"Todd...I..."
"You what?! You're a stupid prick?! Yeah, I know! You're a traitor! A dumb bastard that abandons his friends for some ditzy lil' slut! Ya coulda said those too!" The sandy-haired boy stood abruptly and began to cross the room, he was shouting now, "You're just like everyone else! You don't give a shit about us! You're just like Mystique or the X-fucks and the bastards at school! You're just like everyone from all the goddamned foster homes!" Todd broke off as a sob shook his scrawny frame. He had made his way across the room and was now directly in front of the other mutant, looking up into a pair of dark eyes, and trying desperately to hold back the burning tears that had formed in his yellow ones. Trying in vain to contain the flood of emotions that was rushing forward.
"Todd, I'm so sorry," the face looking down at him whispered.
If anything had been held back before, that had released it. Shrieking in a voice slurred with sobs, the torrent began again, "You're sorry! Is that supposed to make it better?! You left us! We needed you and you left us! What were we supposed to do?! I hate you! You bastard!...You were my first friend in this hell hole! We were a fuckin' family! And you left me just like everyone else! I loved you damnit!"
With that, Todd brought his webbed fist up and struck the other boy as hard as he could, hitting him squarely in the jaw. The sandy-haired boy then crumpled in a sobbing mass to the floor.
A few moments passed, then Todd felt himself being scooped up and held in a gentle embrace. He flung his thin arms around the older boy's waist, and buried his tear covered face in his neck.
* * *
Despite the fact that his sobs quieted after a short time, Todd continued to hold on to the other boy. Feeling immensely comforted just by the solidness of the arms around him as well as by the closeness of another soul. He felt like he could stay there with Lance, sitting quietly on the living room floor, for the rest of eternity.
Todd sighed softly as the other boy softly ran his fingers through his sandy colored locks, then gently tilted his face upward toward his own.
Once again, his yellow eyes met with darkened ones. These, he now saw, were filled with sadness and regret and were flooded with tears.
"Todd, I'm so sorry...I'll never leave you again."