p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ef7102d9fdcba76cdd67ca8957fabfe4"Diego had truly screwed up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61212a6f837975d3c02a660408c280bf"He could hear the em style="box-sizing: border-box;"tip tip tip/em of the school nurse's heels as she walked up to him. She kneeled down next to the plastic chair he was sitting in and gently peeled away the ice pack that the eight year old boy was holding to his face. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="370df96bbbbe3d8714e901b6d7e20d09"He didn't make eye contact with her, opting to look at his fingers as he nervously chipped at his nails. The nurse said something, but he didn't hear her. Before he could ask her to repeat herself she was gently pressing the ice pack back to his cheek and he took a hold of it so he could numb the physical pain. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd280e92f67821c76f201f4140d5a9e9"The nurse walked away, and Diego was left alone again in the school office. He let his thoughts wonder as he sat by himself, about how he ended up here./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eed7c0de83b8afa8ef774810439140e3"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Three Days Earlier/u/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="26478db11a74b3c8675f463fee30cba7" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="76b99ae77cdedcb370329a6505c77a90"Diego shot up in his bed. The air in his lungs was unable to escape his chest, and it set the boys fear in high gear. He looked around, gasping for breath in a panic. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I'm in my bedroom...Luther is asleep in his bed...Dad and Papa are down the hallway.../em "I-I-I'm safe." Diego stuttered, getting control of his breathing and trying to shake off the nightmare. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="120f057aa576be2ed35877dde9f7ff2c"He didn't bother looking at what time it was, since it was still dark outside his window. He got out of bed and quietly left Luther asleep in their bedroom and crossed the hallway to the bathroom. He shut the door and turned on the light, rubbing his itchy eyes for a few seconds. Once they stopped burning he faced the mirror and looked at himself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfe201de5943405c840233fec4378a45" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3d83e6d4bd4a837336dff84f95168fc0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Remember Diego, just picture the word in your mind."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b7d02b64f9e47354bf0b62bf4c2cd954" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="72df33d0756923cb2082597c99af7b55""I'm safe...I'm safe." Diego said with no stutter, his mother's words ringing in his memory. He sighed and left the bathroom. He felt tired, since this was the third night he had woken up from nightmares. But he knew that he couldn't go back to sleep. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b5156140640626c388b4371ea9909025"He felt antsy, and he needed to move, to distract himself. So he quietly went to the basement and turned on the video game console. He let his mind turn off as he focused on the glowing screen in front of him. He knew his Dads would not be happy with him breaking rules and playing video games in the night, but he couldn't just go to them and tell them he was having nightmares. "That shit's so embarrassing bro." He said to himself in the dark./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="892156b4c3276e05e9f9eac595a7c07a" It wasn't embarrassing for Luther, because he had to deal with the really hard shit. He could hear his brother talk in his sleep sometimes, and he heard some of the things that Hargreeves had done to him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3ab64629d646184946acb37659cd9825"Things that the man never did to any of the other siblings. That jerk had been the hardest on Luther. Diego's gut twisted with guilt as he remembered the jealousy he used to have towards Luther for being 'em style="box-sizing: border-box;"number one/em'. Now? Now Diego was grateful he was never Hargreeves favorite, and that made his gut twist uncomfortably with a new type of guilt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="540d855ce10dec9451a448e63c7c6fa4"Hours passed, and once the sun started shining through the window the boy turned off the TV and quickly made his way back to his bed upstairs. He lay his head on his pillow, facing Luther, and he watched his brother's chest fall and rise with his breathing until he heard heavy footsteps down the hall. He closed his eyes, just as the door to his bedroom opened, and Spencer walked in to wake them up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="714e797025a55e6b0e4a0fb86b5af67a" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="95f2609df98d92dc3b4dae00fcd74d9a"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"-Morgan's POV-/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="844caa35a7f72a90d497fe3a1a42c1f8""Victor, Allison, and Hank! Grab your lunch boxes." I shouted over the commotion in the kitchen as the three children ran in. Victor holding his backpack on one arm, and his violin case on the other. "Let me help ya out buddy." Morgan said, stopping the boy in his tracks and adjusting the bags on the boy's back, before handing him his lunchbox. "Thanks Papa." Victor said with a grin, and Morgan couldn't help but kiss the boy's forehead. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8bab77090f46ab28cd6356fc950f01bf""Where is my kiss?" Allison asked, standing beside Victor with an adorable pout. "Oh, well I'm not sure." I said jokingly, looking over my shoulder. She giggled as I pretended to look for a couple of seconds getting on my knees in front of her. "Oh, oh here it is." I said, kissing her forehead. She leaned in and kissed my cheek before pulling herself out of my arms and following Victor out of the kitchen. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b96ca6836afb89c2dad1ff786e0760eb"Hank grabbed his lunchbox off the counter, but before he could get away I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him into my chest. I kissed his cheek and the boy rolled his eyes. "I don't recall asking you where em style="box-sizing: border-box;"my/em kiss was." He sassed. "That's because you don't need to ask. I will always have your kisses right here." I said, grabbing his head and pressing multiple kisses into his hair, cheek and temple. He started wrestling around, trying to get out of my grip. I heard Spener call for Hank from the front door and stopped my affection attack."This domestic environment is unbearable." He muttered (with a grin he was trying to hide) as I finally released him. "Love you too." I called as he raced to the door. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d9024c1e914b9383eedb252b68f61aa6"Spencer let Hank run through the door and turned to face me. "See you soon, pretty boy." I said with a smirk. He blushed, grinning as he waved goodbye before shutting the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="56cbca56698b1ca08663012810f4f691"I looked at the shut door, took in a deep breath, enjoying the peace and silence for a mere moment. Hank, Victor, and Allison all had morning activities with various school clubs and such. So the dads took turns each week taking the kids who had to go early to school, while the other stayed back at home and took the other kids who didn't have to be at school till classes started./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e8b4474f73cb9ec98d2f534df11ebab6" "KLAUS! Give it back!" Ben shouted. I huffed out a laugh, the moment of peace short and sweet. I walked back into the kitchen to pull the two brothers apart. As the morning passed Luther and Diego joined us and it quickly became a whirlwind of making sure everyone had their homework done, dishes in the sink, sports equipment for after school practices, and everything else all the kids needed. I had grown used to the hectic mornings, and I found myself smiling. Until I got to Diego's plate sitting full in the kitchen sink. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="de6f5de57b4f9ef7f615830f3bcc41d7""Hey Diego." I called from the kitchen. He came running in from the living room where his brothers were all putting on their shoes and school jackets. 'Why didn't you eat your breakfast?" I asked, kneeling down to his level and putting my hand on his forehead. Diego didn't get sick nearly as often as his other siblings, but it wasn't unheard of for him to try and hide symptoms of illness. He shrugged. "I wasn't hungry this morning." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="da626387a4ecff689d37d67a13431a96"He said, looking me in the eyes. An honest answer. I smirked, standing up and picking up a green apple from the fruit bowl. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Can't give him red, he hates red apples./em I thought to myself. "Well you can't skip a meal just cause you're not hungry. You can eat this on the way to school." I said looking over my shoulder at the clock as I tossed the fruit to him. He caught it, but not without an eye roll. "Why?" He asked as he followed me to the door. We both kicked on our shoes, and I tossed Luther the car keys so that the other boys could start getting into the car. "Because you will get hungry before lunch, and I'm sure your teacher won't allow snacks if you don't have enough to share with the whole class." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c89113c1710ed95aed6964c7588dd294"I said, part of my thoughts trying to follow this conversation, while I was also thinking about getting the boys to school on time, and did they have everything they needed? Who was staying after school today besides Klaus for his after school arts club? "Come on Papa! We're running late." Luther called from the car window as Diego and I walked out the front door, and I had to quickly lock the front door before jogging to the car. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="892e4d21198704128ec5f4414ed622a9""Alright, alright! Let's go boys!" I said with a grin. As I pulled out of our driveway I smiled, listening to Klaus and Diego talk about one of their videogames...sure life was crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I also couldn't wait for next week, because I'm sure Spencer was already at a coffee shop. Dropping off the other three kids and having time to himself before going into work with me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f38f085c1b938f2edbdd66de2f73e709" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b65bb31a1c70a61c8b00876e872b4de4"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"-Diego POV-/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1f7cdf788f714778039f9e6c4f71a6a1" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c24b5d73e33904799cf4df31d3dc80f7"The school day ended, and Diego was on the playground with the other students waiting for their parents to come pick them up. The boy was sitting on top of the dome jungle gym, watching everyone around him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="afc9ba0f679166654e0f8538ca2c3919"He didn't feel like running around. Diego rubbed his eyes, and bit his lips together to hold in another, tired, yawn. Papa had been right about being hungry before lunch, but Diego hadn't eaten the apple that his Papa had given him. Diego opened his backpack and pulled it out, about to take a bite out of it when he heard some shouting. He looked over towards the sound and saw a few boys in an older grade than up standing around Victor. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97eb5821080d4afb89703178d28a91ba"He was sitting under a tree, and Diego could tell from the top of the jungle gym that his brother was upset. Diego stood up and pulled his apple back, aiming at the tallest kid and throwing it at his back. He cried out when it hit him and he turned around in confusion, his eyes getting angry when they landed on Diego. He started climbing down, but all the boys ran off before Diego could reach them. Victor was sitting on the ground, tears in his eyes as his brother made his way over to him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3bd856538540b1a85814407ef43cb7a9""What happened?" Diego asked, sitting next to Victor. "Nothing...they stepped on this ant hill." Victor said, poking the now flat hill with a tiny stick he had picked up. "They're a bunch of jerks." Diego noticed his brother was kneeling on his feet pretty unstably. He smirked and used his fingers to nudge Victor, and it was enough to send him flailing onto his side. "Hey, I thought you were protecting me from bullies." Victor said with a whine. "The only people who can pick on you are your brothers, and Allison, but she's too nice to pick on any of us." Diego said, pulling his brother up into a sitting position. "They don't ever do anything else to you do they?" He asked. Victor hesitated, and Diego had his answer. "Nothing physical." Victor said with a frown. "If they ever bother you again, come get one of us...you don't have to deal with all this new crap on your own." Diego said, Victor nodded with a shy grin. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="893af30598ad9ae17d0870df20b09657"They sat together until Dad pulled in the car rider line and they both jogged to the car and joined our other siblings who weren't staying behind for extracurricular activities. "How was school today guys?" Dad asked as he drove away from the school. Everyone told him about their day, all things that they had done in class, or during practices. Diego looked out the window, watching the trees fly by in a blur and rested his cheek on the cold glass. his gut twisted again, but this time the feeling was different again. This time he felt sad. Victor's transition had been going well. Diego didn't know that people were picking on him. He looked up and saw that Victor was smiling, talking to Allison about something in the backseats of the car./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="04b0d01c2c79205f13d4ea6709bf79df" Victor had it way harder than diego did. The boy couldn't imagine how confusing it would be to feel like a guy in a girl's body your whole life, if anyone deserved to be sad it was Victor. But he looked so...happy. If Victor could still be happy, then Diego could pull himself together and be happy too./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eea0ab1b24836163e680845d52062b84"That night Diego went to bed, and woke up from nightmares again. He got out of bed and walked by Dad and Papa's room and gently opened the door to Victor and Hank's room. He watched Victor sleeping peacefully, and asked "What the hell is wrong with me?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fd28fa46e51d32fdcf8be80b3f7acb6b" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1351209ea5473dc1cbc545d857fbb99d"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"The next morning/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61c22ce214eacb255a119af4f7e85ff6" Diego went through the motions of getting ready for school. He was so tired, but he shouldn't complain. Diego couldn't complain. If he complained he would have to explain, and if he told Dad and Papa that he was having nightmares about...about that. Then they would get worried, and then they would have to talk about it. Diego's problems weren't as big of a deal as Victor's, or Luthers, or Klaus, or Ben's health issues...Diego's problems were on the bottom of the priority list, and he preferred it that way./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f4d9ff191a2c6027883be8a51e5dfded"As He climbed out of the car with his other siblings he noticed Dad was staring at him. "What?" Diego asked with a frown. "Hmm...Diego-" Dad had a thoughtful look on his face, like he was about to say something and Diego felt a spike of fear run up his spine. "I'm okay Dad, have a good day!" The boy said before jumping out of the car and shutting the door. He jogged up to the school. Dad must have dropped whatever thought he had, and Diego was thankful as he went to class. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="052f74a99d93e3d5480ab325ff4f9367"All the lessons were a blur, and before he knew what was happening they were being released to the school yard for recess. Diego walked around a bit, thankful for the chance to stretch his legs. It was hard to not fall asleep during class on a normal day, but he was more tired than usual. Diego stopped walking when he noticed the same group of boys that had been bothering Victor a few days ago surrounding Ben now. The twisting in his gut happened again, except now it felt tighter. It hurt more. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eba38e9f2bdab665508d512bb4a894b8"He jogged over to them and when he saw that Ben had tears in his eyes Diego felt his anger boil. He reached the group of boys and grabbed the shirt of the first guy he could reach and pulled him with all his strength, sending him flying onto his ass behind himself. "What the hell?!" The boy shouted as Ben ran over to his brother. "Diego, what are you doing?!" He asked. "What the hell are th-they doing to you?" Diego asked him, glaring at the boys behind him. "They were...they were saying mean things about Victor. I was about to walk away." Bed said, gently taking Diego's hand in his to help calm him down. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f07a6b1d3ae466fa5e85e48195f08c95""Oh God, it's a home full of freaks isn't it?" One boy said with a grin, the other laughing. "Why don't you two go play dolls with all your other freak siblings and leave us the hell alone?" The boy behind Diego said standing up and shoving him. Diego was able to catch himself before falling over and he spun around to face the pusher. Diego gently nudged Ben to the side of the group and turned to the bully. "You wanna call my siblings freaks again?" He asked sarcastically, shoving him back. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="55ca14a6e5ca663012c155c42b507323""See what happens...I d-d-dare you" Diego shoved him again, harder. The boys gut twisting tighter and tighter with each shove. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1e9fbeadd2d475b0744237b5a465b3e0""What? You and your em style="box-sizing: border-box;"sister,/em Vanya, gonna vomit rainbows all over me fag-" Diego grabbed the boys shirt collar before he could finish that God awful word and swung his fist into his face. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6c57d008f1096d6f58297470175f16d"After that there was a blur of fists, pushing, and pain./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="931399f0a3b6c2440ae21d18f2fea804" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c3c3a1c4cf38c31c4f8b93cb33fa126f"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Present time/u/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="162c27afa3b81e793cecac4d0af25846"The twisting feeling in Diego's gut was still there. No matter how many times he had punched those jerks who wouldn't stop saying mean things about his family...it just got tighter and tighter and. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dced92af6b010e615c0a65d78fcab030""C-c-come on Diego...pull yourself tog-gether." He whispered to himself, gripping the plastic seat he was sitting on in a death grip. Diego was momentarily distracted by the twisting in his gut when Dad and Papa ran into the office. He must have looked like a deer in headlights, but that didn't stop Dad from walking over to Diego and gently removing the ice pack so he could see the damage. He didn't say a word as he looked over his boy's injuries, and he held his sons hand in such a way that made the boy's skin burn with guilt, and the twisting in my gut worse. He didn't deserve for him to hold his hand so gently. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1388db3a68af05f634368072b98fc085"Hargreeves would have slapped his hand, slapped Diego everywhere for doing something so stupid as losing his temper. Diego closed his eyes to stop the tears from falling. He didn't even know why he was crying, shame, or embarrassment? "Come on kid, let's go." Papa said, Diego looked up and saw him walking out of the principal's office. When did he go in there? How long had his eyes been shut? Diego looked in front of him and saw that Dad had that thoughtful look on his face again, like he did this morning when he dropped the kids off at school. He reached his arms out, like he was going to pick Diego up out of the chair. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e4aa33cc1245ceeff4ab44d8ec4648c7"The boy quickly jumped out of the chair and stood on his own two feet before Spencer could reach him. Diego refused to look him in the eyes as he walked over to Papa. Dad stood up as well, and the three walked out of the school office. Diego kept his eyes on his shoes as he followed his dads through the school. They stopped by Diego's classroom and picked up his backpack, talked quietly with his teacher, then they all walked to the car. The silence from the school to the house that filled the car only made the twisting in Diego's gut grow. It felt like his gut was going to explode. He looked up at the front seat where Dad and Papa silently drove, they were holding hands across the cup holder like they always did. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c497e3aed84bc98d4f45d384d83f285"Diego wished they would just start yelling at him, get it over with. They have never gotten mad at him or his siblings before, but surely this was crossing a line. Diego had officially pissed them off./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9a09bd6ed3123ecea1e0524ee47bf4e3"The car pulls into the driveway and the three go into the house. Diego doesn't know what to do with himself, so he kicks off his shoes and stands behind his Dad's, waiting for his punishment. The two whisper to each other for what couldn't be longer than a minute. Then they both turn to Diego and he stand straight, flashing back to the house he was in before this./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="652faa6540b00655acf977b2937ddf8b"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""ATTENTION!" Sir Reginald Hargreeves, aka. daddy dearest shouted as he entered the dining room. We all stood at attention, scared of punishment./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c5e98310fa28a7f2bc6a7b5bdaa9453"'Your not there anymore, you don't need to be scared anymore.' Diego thought to himself as Papa sighed, it sounded sad, and he kneeled down to where he was at eye level with his son. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="21cd6858d2613de931e39e5570c67eee""Go up to your room and chill out there while we talk down here okay." He says, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder and turning him to the staircase. He was so confused by the command that he simply started walking up the steps. He couldn't remember the whole journey to his room, but suddenly he was laying on his bed. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="831c857726de38c4625fe201d5bdc6da"Tears spilling out into his pillow resting under his head. Diego wrapped his arms around my chest, the twisting in my gut had moved up to his chest. It felt like I was going to spill over any second now, or explode inside of him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="530c1c43ae5dc39e47f20b067e9ff306"The door opened to Diego's bedroom and Morgan walked in, he gave the boy a sad smile. "How are you feeling?" He asked, looking at the tears on Diego's cheeks. He wanted to say fine, but the twisting in his chest stopped that word from coming out. Diego decided that, for better or worse, the twisting in his chest needed to stop. He couldn't keep living with it in him, even if he wanted to. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c9b2e7c9fa8926607c707ccb526dc957""Why do you care?" is what Diego chose to say. It isn't until the words are finally out there that the boy realized just how long he'd been waiting to say it. It felt oddly good to say that./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c465b2501979f570ded3e23014dde2c" "Because I love you Diego, and I'm worried about you." Morgan said, walking over to the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="aa1ebf3d2b9e71634dee7925071dbe0b" "You shouldn't," He muttered through gritted teeth. His jaw was starting to ache from the constant tension and clenching. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="940cbe68f1962d53de918c13f903b443"Diego could feel rage slowly building up inside of him from the twisting ball in his chest. It's not something he allowed himself to linger on, so Diego jumped in head first. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="68c8e2a80cb8ad594ad6d3daec82b24b""Diego, why would you-" If someone would ask Diego about this later, he might say that it felt like a snap inside his chest. Like his ribs are cracking open from the sheer amount of lies and memories and feelings he'd been keeping locked up inside them, far away from anyone who could use them to hurt him. But in the moment, that heavy, awful rock in his chest has sparked a bonfire , and it's started burning up all of his insides. "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="014bb1a3a6526cb667645d7908033fa9"Stop LYING!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="230843b787e3b92b89e08568bdb0515c"Suddenly, Diego is on his feet, voice rising to a level he's never dared reach before. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f95cd6a02339dda106a77b2115570c17""You don't really care about me! How can you when I'm so much to deal with? Victor, and Luther, and everyone else went through so much worse than me and they're completely fine! I DON'T GET IT!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="25732e377e0750b0db7773da7e7a3f10"And then, that fire expands from his chest, flaring out into his limbs so much that his fingers feel like they're burning. When he glances down, the comforter is still clutched in one fist, ripped out from the bed where he usually tucked it into the footboard. Dad would fuss at him if he didn't, and he would never normally do something like this, but something in him felt so free doing this. From there, Diego became unstoppable./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9246997da17e9de932154041040a523" "STOP ACTING LIKE YOU CARE!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f66a0f20e15776849a9836af8612c8d2"A kick to the bedside table./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2f81288156c28d52b4f6f0c8f8501d1c" "I KNOW I'M NOT AS GOOD AS MY SIBLINGS!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2808e5bba237efca2bf7c5c60eda5314"With barely any thought, his backpack flies into the wall. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="81289a7d7fd52b80d79a72017aaef252""I KNOW I'M BAD!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e098d6b5a68edf8c7f58a3fa94e4de5"His fist slams into the dresser, but Diego barely registers the pain. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0da0b9c73333a1dab99b2e63b05e6c59""EVERYONE ACTS LIKE I BELONG HERE BUT I DON'T! I'M NOT GOOD OR SMART OR BEHAVED SO JUST STOP PRETENDING THAT I AM! I KNOW THAT ALREADY!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dc76c755a3853badcf9ff17fb2342c1b"Diego has to pause in order to gulp in some breaths, his yelling taking up all the energy his chest can handle, but the anger continues to burn through him. As he gathers the power to speak again, his throat has already begun to fade and his volume falls from shrieking to impassioned yelling./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="594e6e6d1dffd4fa2f5115a9c1e16a7f""I KNOW I'm going back to my dad! I KNOW you don't want to keep me, no one has ever wanted to keep me, and you're not any different!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2f8a5d28011b6cd8611b212250bd3933"The breaths he's dragging in are ragged and rough, but Diego continues on anyway. He still has more to say. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5424d531c6f0b1466290096de9b26a01""Just STOP PRETENDING, please! I don't want to be lied to anymore! Just stop - stop - stop it. Just stop it." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d39f2520cc94008a8645ee221bd1c8e"Morgan is still standing by the bed, but now Spender is standing at the door too, giving Diego nowhere to go. He can't fully register the look on his dad's faces, something like surprise twinged with sorrow and distress. Diego's anger only intensifies at the knowledge that the truth has shocked them so much. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cba8a2740fbab10ec2fc34e139ee8367"Unfortunately, without being willing to rush past Spender to leave the room, and left with nothing else within reach to damage, the fire in his body starts to flicker and dim, anger giving way to shame as he begins to comprehend the destruction he's caused. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf17329f1fd47acd032aa2db55097de9"Defeated, Diego collapses to the ground and pushes his face into his knees to hide the burgeoning tears from his dads, but he still can't stop talking. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3393c2ada637e7fa0e1277fdfa19770d""I can't pay attention in class," Diego hiccups. The confessions continue to spill out, that fierce fire now transformed into a waterfall of grief. "I always make a mess, I get in fights at school. I never sleep, and I don't know how to not be sad like Victor. I can't finish homework on my own, or remember my projects. Dad always has to check my spelling because I never get it right. I'm a liar and I can't behave and I ruin plans! I don't deserve to stay here!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c36eb8ecdfbdbf0f1391b3441a588e5" With his final confession, Diego breaks down into complete, gut-wrenching sobs. He's hollowed out, his lies laid out on the floor for his dads to read and punish him for./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ee951b830ef62b0bdc3f854631020d59"And yet, it isn't punishment that meets him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2100051a4009fe248cac6fedcc7eb349"Instead, Morgan sweeps him up, still sobbing uncontrollably, into his large, warm arms. Morgan is shushing him softly, rocking him and murmuring something to him, but Diego can't hear anything over his tears. They wrack his whole body, shivering and shuddering all the way down to his fingers and toes, consuming his whole being with the years of sadness and disappointment that have marked his soul./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bc1c887f452cccff8f10fc4462bb10ab"He wants to break away and hide, shielding his dads from his real form. But Diego knows that after this breakdown, he'll be leaving. No one would let him stay after getting so "wild," like Hargreeves used to call it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="48772c3372afd00da170c478f9847f78"So Diego just. Gives in./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f07ec6449a8854a3507a06449b1ecd56"He lets himself be held by Morgan, savors the feeling of being wrapped in someone's arms, pretends for a while that Morgan is his real dad and actually loves him, because this is how real parents treat their children. At least, how they're supposed to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32ed0df2149f8585a8866504b95f5a80"Diego doesn't know how long they sit there, him curled up in a ball and hitching constantly with huge sobs, and Morgan cradling him against his chest, shushing and humming to him like a baby. Time starts to fade away as Diego sinks deeper and deeper into his shame./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="41cf1cee9e3d466e85e4a6be573a0c91"Eventually, he goes completely limp, all energy drained from every atom of his body save for his eyes, which are unable to stop producing tears. When that happens, Diego feels himself being lifted up into another pair or arms. His head is turned to see Spencer holding him against his chest now, but his dad is crying. Why is he crying? Had Diego messed up em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that/em bad?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="10a3e12f3833475a3166463366c5307f"Spencer crosses the hall into his own room, never letting up on his grip on Diego, and sits down on his own bed. Diego refuses to open his eyes, so he jerks when a blanket is gently laid over his shoulders. He isn't cold, but he has no willpower to question his dad's actions. And he doesn't want to, anyway./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4d8fd65e9c70581dc04a82bd97af0ac7"Diego fights the exhaustion sweeping over his body as much as he can, but the fear of what is to come is no match for the weariness that has permeated deep into his bones, only made worse by the lack of sleep from the last three days./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="63cd9cfd0774d01936520788ef64fb5b"Eventually, Diego's eyes close for good, consciousness fading away into his first real, deep sleep in days. The last thing he registers thinking is em style="box-sizing: border-box;"It's still light out/em ./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="626e45a941404ad038da1d4231459581"He sleeps so deeply that he doesn't even dream. That hasn't happened in months. At one point, he stirs at a movement coming from beside him on the bed. Sleep keeps his body lethargic and his eyelids shut, but he has just enough awareness to hear a slight creak of bedsprings and quiet shuffling around the room. It takes a long while, long enough that the door creaks open and clicks shut, that deep in the back of his brain he finally registers that someone had gotten out of bed and got dressed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="51f5256afe003ed72193e05377102ac8"He can't wake up enough to be bothered by it, though, when someone else on the bed adjusts something heavy over his shoulders - a quilt - and gently shushes him, whispering for him to go back to sleep./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfa4eac5163c50b376033f72dc89d563""No school today, pal," comes a rumble from the chest Diego was leaning on. It's nice and warm and comforting, and, not wanting to push himself out of this heady cloud of slumber yet, Diego follows the command easily./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fba968cc540e803f72ccf437d4a1831a"The next time he wakes, it takes several long minutes for Diego to even gather the energy to open his eyes. His eyelids are gummy, and it seems to take an enormous amount of effort to move his arm to clear them. Lead weights seem to be attached to each of his limbs, keeping him pinned down in this soft, quiet place./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c7b33e1badf0186a4fc383a5ec2c57ee"Before he can untangle himself from the quilt to wipe his face, a large, calloused hand beats him to the task. Morgan's voice murmurs, distantly in the way that clogged ears catch the sound, "Hang tight for a second, I'm gonna get a washcloth."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bb775817e7731fc6ef0df4999360d26e"That's when Diego's brain finally wakes up all the way. He's in Dad and Papa's bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="88a296af508a916e3995ef89fd3f9212"The next thing he registers is the complete silence in the house and sunlight fully streaming in through the window. "Wha' time'sit?" he mumbles./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="96b1e69f11e2b2e8e2ac24cbbe849053"God, even his mouth is tired. How does that happen?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9d8bada4d5e2fe2978ada728c210107b"Spencer's hand brushes his hair from his forehead as Morgan emerges from the bathroom, holding the promised damp washcloth. "About 9:30."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="102b636f7c7f0cc9bfaabac3b86962d5"Morgan gently runs the cloth over his entire face, and Diego registers a moment later that Papa is washing away the tear tracks that have dried on his face from the night before. His cheeks heat with embarrassment, but all Morgan does is give him that gentle, no-judgment smile. "We would've given you a wash-over, but we didn't want to wake you up. You needed sleep."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5f54ded2089f4f2a04e5e38039b80d88"Embarrassing as it is to know that he'd fallen asleep crying in Morgan's arms like nothing more than a baby, Diego can't say he would've wanted them to wake him up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b19056a86b38476ea73bb2ad8c2b7aa"He slept deeply, too, Diego realizes once he takes in his surroundings. Papa is dressed and the kids are in school, which means Diego slept through the entire hustle and bustle of the morning routine. "Don't you need to be at work?" He asked, slowly sitting up in the bed. Spencer who was still in his pj's and in the bed pulled the boy against his chest and Diego snuggled into the warmth despite himself. "We called in sick...do you think you're ready to talk about yesterday now?" Morgan asked, sitting on the side of the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8ab07027210581925efb5cf15c3f4cb9"Diego looks down at his fingers, picking at his nails. Spencer gently takes the boy's hands into his so that he won't pick his fingernails off. His Dad leans over the side of the bed and pulls up a squishy ball and puts that in his son's hands instead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a4a11a2674dc5a1e462cfd9e9184d45d"The three sit together and they talk, they cry, and Diego gets all the reassurance that he could even need that he is loved and needed in this family. They spent the whole day together, Diego's real parents reassuring him throughout the whole day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1ad465f18714c5af1b5be1478d8b741f""It doesn't matter what you have gone through vs what your brothers or sister have gone through...it's not a contest. We all deal with our own trauma's differently. You are not broken or any less than your siblings for any reason. Do you understand?" Morgan asked, holding the boy in his arms with tears in his own eyes. They had just been watching a basketball game when Morgan suddenly said that to Diego, and the boy started crying again, but this time from relief, from joy, from feeling loved. "We will love you everyday Diego. The good and bad days. Everyday."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fccd17932d576aef447ca0bde942ed3c""It's okay to dream about your mother, she loved you the best way she could in the situation you all were in. You can talk to her about us, we want to hear about her. Anyone important to you is important to us." Spencer whispered as Diego sat on the counter, helping Spencer bake some cookies for his siblings that would be home soon. The boy took some uncooked dough and ate it from the bowl, smiling at Spencer who laughed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eafe096ddbba784fb35c6bac5590da9a"Later that night he was laying in his bed, thankful that his dad had told his siblings to not be too pushy about asking him how he felt. The door to the bedroom opened and Klaus's head poked in. "H-hey, can I come in?" he asked. Diego nodded and his brother quickly and quietly snuck in and climbed into the bed with Diego. "I'm glad you're feeling better now." He whispered, cuddling in close. Diego smiled and pulled his brother into his arms. "Me too, thanks Klaus." He whispered. The two fell asleep shortly after./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfa8c827b9b1174532d4ec73999ffa3a"Spender came to check on them during the night and couldn't help but take a picture of them in the same bed, Klaus's foot somehow ended up under Diego's armpit in their sleep. "He will be okay. They all will be." Morgan whispered, looking over his husband's shoulder at his sleeping boys. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61212a6f837975d3c02a660408c280bf"He could hear the em style="box-sizing: border-box;"tip tip tip/em of the school nurse's heels as she walked up to him. She kneeled down next to the plastic chair he was sitting in and gently peeled away the ice pack that the eight year old boy was holding to his face. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="370df96bbbbe3d8714e901b6d7e20d09"He didn't make eye contact with her, opting to look at his fingers as he nervously chipped at his nails. The nurse said something, but he didn't hear her. Before he could ask her to repeat herself she was gently pressing the ice pack back to his cheek and he took a hold of it so he could numb the physical pain. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd280e92f67821c76f201f4140d5a9e9"The nurse walked away, and Diego was left alone again in the school office. He let his thoughts wonder as he sat by himself, about how he ended up here./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eed7c0de83b8afa8ef774810439140e3"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Three Days Earlier/u/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="26478db11a74b3c8675f463fee30cba7" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="76b99ae77cdedcb370329a6505c77a90"Diego shot up in his bed. The air in his lungs was unable to escape his chest, and it set the boys fear in high gear. He looked around, gasping for breath in a panic. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I'm in my bedroom...Luther is asleep in his bed...Dad and Papa are down the hallway.../em "I-I-I'm safe." Diego stuttered, getting control of his breathing and trying to shake off the nightmare. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="120f057aa576be2ed35877dde9f7ff2c"He didn't bother looking at what time it was, since it was still dark outside his window. He got out of bed and quietly left Luther asleep in their bedroom and crossed the hallway to the bathroom. He shut the door and turned on the light, rubbing his itchy eyes for a few seconds. Once they stopped burning he faced the mirror and looked at himself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfe201de5943405c840233fec4378a45" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3d83e6d4bd4a837336dff84f95168fc0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Remember Diego, just picture the word in your mind."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b7d02b64f9e47354bf0b62bf4c2cd954" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="72df33d0756923cb2082597c99af7b55""I'm safe...I'm safe." Diego said with no stutter, his mother's words ringing in his memory. He sighed and left the bathroom. He felt tired, since this was the third night he had woken up from nightmares. But he knew that he couldn't go back to sleep. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b5156140640626c388b4371ea9909025"He felt antsy, and he needed to move, to distract himself. So he quietly went to the basement and turned on the video game console. He let his mind turn off as he focused on the glowing screen in front of him. He knew his Dads would not be happy with him breaking rules and playing video games in the night, but he couldn't just go to them and tell them he was having nightmares. "That shit's so embarrassing bro." He said to himself in the dark./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="892156b4c3276e05e9f9eac595a7c07a" It wasn't embarrassing for Luther, because he had to deal with the really hard shit. He could hear his brother talk in his sleep sometimes, and he heard some of the things that Hargreeves had done to him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3ab64629d646184946acb37659cd9825"Things that the man never did to any of the other siblings. That jerk had been the hardest on Luther. Diego's gut twisted with guilt as he remembered the jealousy he used to have towards Luther for being 'em style="box-sizing: border-box;"number one/em'. Now? Now Diego was grateful he was never Hargreeves favorite, and that made his gut twist uncomfortably with a new type of guilt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="540d855ce10dec9451a448e63c7c6fa4"Hours passed, and once the sun started shining through the window the boy turned off the TV and quickly made his way back to his bed upstairs. He lay his head on his pillow, facing Luther, and he watched his brother's chest fall and rise with his breathing until he heard heavy footsteps down the hall. He closed his eyes, just as the door to his bedroom opened, and Spencer walked in to wake them up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="714e797025a55e6b0e4a0fb86b5af67a" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="95f2609df98d92dc3b4dae00fcd74d9a"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"-Morgan's POV-/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="844caa35a7f72a90d497fe3a1a42c1f8""Victor, Allison, and Hank! Grab your lunch boxes." I shouted over the commotion in the kitchen as the three children ran in. Victor holding his backpack on one arm, and his violin case on the other. "Let me help ya out buddy." Morgan said, stopping the boy in his tracks and adjusting the bags on the boy's back, before handing him his lunchbox. "Thanks Papa." Victor said with a grin, and Morgan couldn't help but kiss the boy's forehead. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8bab77090f46ab28cd6356fc950f01bf""Where is my kiss?" Allison asked, standing beside Victor with an adorable pout. "Oh, well I'm not sure." I said jokingly, looking over my shoulder. She giggled as I pretended to look for a couple of seconds getting on my knees in front of her. "Oh, oh here it is." I said, kissing her forehead. She leaned in and kissed my cheek before pulling herself out of my arms and following Victor out of the kitchen. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b96ca6836afb89c2dad1ff786e0760eb"Hank grabbed his lunchbox off the counter, but before he could get away I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him into my chest. I kissed his cheek and the boy rolled his eyes. "I don't recall asking you where em style="box-sizing: border-box;"my/em kiss was." He sassed. "That's because you don't need to ask. I will always have your kisses right here." I said, grabbing his head and pressing multiple kisses into his hair, cheek and temple. He started wrestling around, trying to get out of my grip. I heard Spener call for Hank from the front door and stopped my affection attack."This domestic environment is unbearable." He muttered (with a grin he was trying to hide) as I finally released him. "Love you too." I called as he raced to the door. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d9024c1e914b9383eedb252b68f61aa6"Spencer let Hank run through the door and turned to face me. "See you soon, pretty boy." I said with a smirk. He blushed, grinning as he waved goodbye before shutting the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="56cbca56698b1ca08663012810f4f691"I looked at the shut door, took in a deep breath, enjoying the peace and silence for a mere moment. Hank, Victor, and Allison all had morning activities with various school clubs and such. So the dads took turns each week taking the kids who had to go early to school, while the other stayed back at home and took the other kids who didn't have to be at school till classes started./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e8b4474f73cb9ec98d2f534df11ebab6" "KLAUS! Give it back!" Ben shouted. I huffed out a laugh, the moment of peace short and sweet. I walked back into the kitchen to pull the two brothers apart. As the morning passed Luther and Diego joined us and it quickly became a whirlwind of making sure everyone had their homework done, dishes in the sink, sports equipment for after school practices, and everything else all the kids needed. I had grown used to the hectic mornings, and I found myself smiling. Until I got to Diego's plate sitting full in the kitchen sink. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="de6f5de57b4f9ef7f615830f3bcc41d7""Hey Diego." I called from the kitchen. He came running in from the living room where his brothers were all putting on their shoes and school jackets. 'Why didn't you eat your breakfast?" I asked, kneeling down to his level and putting my hand on his forehead. Diego didn't get sick nearly as often as his other siblings, but it wasn't unheard of for him to try and hide symptoms of illness. He shrugged. "I wasn't hungry this morning." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="da626387a4ecff689d37d67a13431a96"He said, looking me in the eyes. An honest answer. I smirked, standing up and picking up a green apple from the fruit bowl. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Can't give him red, he hates red apples./em I thought to myself. "Well you can't skip a meal just cause you're not hungry. You can eat this on the way to school." I said looking over my shoulder at the clock as I tossed the fruit to him. He caught it, but not without an eye roll. "Why?" He asked as he followed me to the door. We both kicked on our shoes, and I tossed Luther the car keys so that the other boys could start getting into the car. "Because you will get hungry before lunch, and I'm sure your teacher won't allow snacks if you don't have enough to share with the whole class." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c89113c1710ed95aed6964c7588dd294"I said, part of my thoughts trying to follow this conversation, while I was also thinking about getting the boys to school on time, and did they have everything they needed? Who was staying after school today besides Klaus for his after school arts club? "Come on Papa! We're running late." Luther called from the car window as Diego and I walked out the front door, and I had to quickly lock the front door before jogging to the car. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="892e4d21198704128ec5f4414ed622a9""Alright, alright! Let's go boys!" I said with a grin. As I pulled out of our driveway I smiled, listening to Klaus and Diego talk about one of their videogames...sure life was crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I also couldn't wait for next week, because I'm sure Spencer was already at a coffee shop. Dropping off the other three kids and having time to himself before going into work with me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f38f085c1b938f2edbdd66de2f73e709" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b65bb31a1c70a61c8b00876e872b4de4"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"-Diego POV-/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1f7cdf788f714778039f9e6c4f71a6a1" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c24b5d73e33904799cf4df31d3dc80f7"The school day ended, and Diego was on the playground with the other students waiting for their parents to come pick them up. The boy was sitting on top of the dome jungle gym, watching everyone around him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="afc9ba0f679166654e0f8538ca2c3919"He didn't feel like running around. Diego rubbed his eyes, and bit his lips together to hold in another, tired, yawn. Papa had been right about being hungry before lunch, but Diego hadn't eaten the apple that his Papa had given him. Diego opened his backpack and pulled it out, about to take a bite out of it when he heard some shouting. He looked over towards the sound and saw a few boys in an older grade than up standing around Victor. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97eb5821080d4afb89703178d28a91ba"He was sitting under a tree, and Diego could tell from the top of the jungle gym that his brother was upset. Diego stood up and pulled his apple back, aiming at the tallest kid and throwing it at his back. He cried out when it hit him and he turned around in confusion, his eyes getting angry when they landed on Diego. He started climbing down, but all the boys ran off before Diego could reach them. Victor was sitting on the ground, tears in his eyes as his brother made his way over to him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3bd856538540b1a85814407ef43cb7a9""What happened?" Diego asked, sitting next to Victor. "Nothing...they stepped on this ant hill." Victor said, poking the now flat hill with a tiny stick he had picked up. "They're a bunch of jerks." Diego noticed his brother was kneeling on his feet pretty unstably. He smirked and used his fingers to nudge Victor, and it was enough to send him flailing onto his side. "Hey, I thought you were protecting me from bullies." Victor said with a whine. "The only people who can pick on you are your brothers, and Allison, but she's too nice to pick on any of us." Diego said, pulling his brother up into a sitting position. "They don't ever do anything else to you do they?" He asked. Victor hesitated, and Diego had his answer. "Nothing physical." Victor said with a frown. "If they ever bother you again, come get one of us...you don't have to deal with all this new crap on your own." Diego said, Victor nodded with a shy grin. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="893af30598ad9ae17d0870df20b09657"They sat together until Dad pulled in the car rider line and they both jogged to the car and joined our other siblings who weren't staying behind for extracurricular activities. "How was school today guys?" Dad asked as he drove away from the school. Everyone told him about their day, all things that they had done in class, or during practices. Diego looked out the window, watching the trees fly by in a blur and rested his cheek on the cold glass. his gut twisted again, but this time the feeling was different again. This time he felt sad. Victor's transition had been going well. Diego didn't know that people were picking on him. He looked up and saw that Victor was smiling, talking to Allison about something in the backseats of the car./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="04b0d01c2c79205f13d4ea6709bf79df" Victor had it way harder than diego did. The boy couldn't imagine how confusing it would be to feel like a guy in a girl's body your whole life, if anyone deserved to be sad it was Victor. But he looked so...happy. If Victor could still be happy, then Diego could pull himself together and be happy too./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eea0ab1b24836163e680845d52062b84"That night Diego went to bed, and woke up from nightmares again. He got out of bed and walked by Dad and Papa's room and gently opened the door to Victor and Hank's room. He watched Victor sleeping peacefully, and asked "What the hell is wrong with me?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fd28fa46e51d32fdcf8be80b3f7acb6b" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1351209ea5473dc1cbc545d857fbb99d"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"The next morning/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61c22ce214eacb255a119af4f7e85ff6" Diego went through the motions of getting ready for school. He was so tired, but he shouldn't complain. Diego couldn't complain. If he complained he would have to explain, and if he told Dad and Papa that he was having nightmares about...about that. Then they would get worried, and then they would have to talk about it. Diego's problems weren't as big of a deal as Victor's, or Luthers, or Klaus, or Ben's health issues...Diego's problems were on the bottom of the priority list, and he preferred it that way./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f4d9ff191a2c6027883be8a51e5dfded"As He climbed out of the car with his other siblings he noticed Dad was staring at him. "What?" Diego asked with a frown. "Hmm...Diego-" Dad had a thoughtful look on his face, like he was about to say something and Diego felt a spike of fear run up his spine. "I'm okay Dad, have a good day!" The boy said before jumping out of the car and shutting the door. He jogged up to the school. Dad must have dropped whatever thought he had, and Diego was thankful as he went to class. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="052f74a99d93e3d5480ab325ff4f9367"All the lessons were a blur, and before he knew what was happening they were being released to the school yard for recess. Diego walked around a bit, thankful for the chance to stretch his legs. It was hard to not fall asleep during class on a normal day, but he was more tired than usual. Diego stopped walking when he noticed the same group of boys that had been bothering Victor a few days ago surrounding Ben now. The twisting in his gut happened again, except now it felt tighter. It hurt more. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eba38e9f2bdab665508d512bb4a894b8"He jogged over to them and when he saw that Ben had tears in his eyes Diego felt his anger boil. He reached the group of boys and grabbed the shirt of the first guy he could reach and pulled him with all his strength, sending him flying onto his ass behind himself. "What the hell?!" The boy shouted as Ben ran over to his brother. "Diego, what are you doing?!" He asked. "What the hell are th-they doing to you?" Diego asked him, glaring at the boys behind him. "They were...they were saying mean things about Victor. I was about to walk away." Bed said, gently taking Diego's hand in his to help calm him down. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f07a6b1d3ae466fa5e85e48195f08c95""Oh God, it's a home full of freaks isn't it?" One boy said with a grin, the other laughing. "Why don't you two go play dolls with all your other freak siblings and leave us the hell alone?" The boy behind Diego said standing up and shoving him. Diego was able to catch himself before falling over and he spun around to face the pusher. Diego gently nudged Ben to the side of the group and turned to the bully. "You wanna call my siblings freaks again?" He asked sarcastically, shoving him back. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="55ca14a6e5ca663012c155c42b507323""See what happens...I d-d-dare you" Diego shoved him again, harder. The boys gut twisting tighter and tighter with each shove. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1e9fbeadd2d475b0744237b5a465b3e0""What? You and your em style="box-sizing: border-box;"sister,/em Vanya, gonna vomit rainbows all over me fag-" Diego grabbed the boys shirt collar before he could finish that God awful word and swung his fist into his face. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6c57d008f1096d6f58297470175f16d"After that there was a blur of fists, pushing, and pain./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="931399f0a3b6c2440ae21d18f2fea804" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c3c3a1c4cf38c31c4f8b93cb33fa126f"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Present time/u/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="162c27afa3b81e793cecac4d0af25846"The twisting feeling in Diego's gut was still there. No matter how many times he had punched those jerks who wouldn't stop saying mean things about his family...it just got tighter and tighter and. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dced92af6b010e615c0a65d78fcab030""C-c-come on Diego...pull yourself tog-gether." He whispered to himself, gripping the plastic seat he was sitting on in a death grip. Diego was momentarily distracted by the twisting in his gut when Dad and Papa ran into the office. He must have looked like a deer in headlights, but that didn't stop Dad from walking over to Diego and gently removing the ice pack so he could see the damage. He didn't say a word as he looked over his boy's injuries, and he held his sons hand in such a way that made the boy's skin burn with guilt, and the twisting in my gut worse. He didn't deserve for him to hold his hand so gently. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1388db3a68af05f634368072b98fc085"Hargreeves would have slapped his hand, slapped Diego everywhere for doing something so stupid as losing his temper. Diego closed his eyes to stop the tears from falling. He didn't even know why he was crying, shame, or embarrassment? "Come on kid, let's go." Papa said, Diego looked up and saw him walking out of the principal's office. When did he go in there? How long had his eyes been shut? Diego looked in front of him and saw that Dad had that thoughtful look on his face again, like he did this morning when he dropped the kids off at school. He reached his arms out, like he was going to pick Diego up out of the chair. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e4aa33cc1245ceeff4ab44d8ec4648c7"The boy quickly jumped out of the chair and stood on his own two feet before Spencer could reach him. Diego refused to look him in the eyes as he walked over to Papa. Dad stood up as well, and the three walked out of the school office. Diego kept his eyes on his shoes as he followed his dads through the school. They stopped by Diego's classroom and picked up his backpack, talked quietly with his teacher, then they all walked to the car. The silence from the school to the house that filled the car only made the twisting in Diego's gut grow. It felt like his gut was going to explode. He looked up at the front seat where Dad and Papa silently drove, they were holding hands across the cup holder like they always did. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c497e3aed84bc98d4f45d384d83f285"Diego wished they would just start yelling at him, get it over with. They have never gotten mad at him or his siblings before, but surely this was crossing a line. Diego had officially pissed them off./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9a09bd6ed3123ecea1e0524ee47bf4e3"The car pulls into the driveway and the three go into the house. Diego doesn't know what to do with himself, so he kicks off his shoes and stands behind his Dad's, waiting for his punishment. The two whisper to each other for what couldn't be longer than a minute. Then they both turn to Diego and he stand straight, flashing back to the house he was in before this./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="652faa6540b00655acf977b2937ddf8b"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""ATTENTION!" Sir Reginald Hargreeves, aka. daddy dearest shouted as he entered the dining room. We all stood at attention, scared of punishment./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c5e98310fa28a7f2bc6a7b5bdaa9453"'Your not there anymore, you don't need to be scared anymore.' Diego thought to himself as Papa sighed, it sounded sad, and he kneeled down to where he was at eye level with his son. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="21cd6858d2613de931e39e5570c67eee""Go up to your room and chill out there while we talk down here okay." He says, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder and turning him to the staircase. He was so confused by the command that he simply started walking up the steps. He couldn't remember the whole journey to his room, but suddenly he was laying on his bed. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="831c857726de38c4625fe201d5bdc6da"Tears spilling out into his pillow resting under his head. Diego wrapped his arms around my chest, the twisting in my gut had moved up to his chest. It felt like I was going to spill over any second now, or explode inside of him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="530c1c43ae5dc39e47f20b067e9ff306"The door opened to Diego's bedroom and Morgan walked in, he gave the boy a sad smile. "How are you feeling?" He asked, looking at the tears on Diego's cheeks. He wanted to say fine, but the twisting in his chest stopped that word from coming out. Diego decided that, for better or worse, the twisting in his chest needed to stop. He couldn't keep living with it in him, even if he wanted to. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c9b2e7c9fa8926607c707ccb526dc957""Why do you care?" is what Diego chose to say. It isn't until the words are finally out there that the boy realized just how long he'd been waiting to say it. It felt oddly good to say that./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c465b2501979f570ded3e23014dde2c" "Because I love you Diego, and I'm worried about you." Morgan said, walking over to the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="aa1ebf3d2b9e71634dee7925071dbe0b" "You shouldn't," He muttered through gritted teeth. His jaw was starting to ache from the constant tension and clenching. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="940cbe68f1962d53de918c13f903b443"Diego could feel rage slowly building up inside of him from the twisting ball in his chest. It's not something he allowed himself to linger on, so Diego jumped in head first. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="68c8e2a80cb8ad594ad6d3daec82b24b""Diego, why would you-" If someone would ask Diego about this later, he might say that it felt like a snap inside his chest. Like his ribs are cracking open from the sheer amount of lies and memories and feelings he'd been keeping locked up inside them, far away from anyone who could use them to hurt him. But in the moment, that heavy, awful rock in his chest has sparked a bonfire , and it's started burning up all of his insides. "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="014bb1a3a6526cb667645d7908033fa9"Stop LYING!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="230843b787e3b92b89e08568bdb0515c"Suddenly, Diego is on his feet, voice rising to a level he's never dared reach before. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f95cd6a02339dda106a77b2115570c17""You don't really care about me! How can you when I'm so much to deal with? Victor, and Luther, and everyone else went through so much worse than me and they're completely fine! I DON'T GET IT!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="25732e377e0750b0db7773da7e7a3f10"And then, that fire expands from his chest, flaring out into his limbs so much that his fingers feel like they're burning. When he glances down, the comforter is still clutched in one fist, ripped out from the bed where he usually tucked it into the footboard. Dad would fuss at him if he didn't, and he would never normally do something like this, but something in him felt so free doing this. From there, Diego became unstoppable./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9246997da17e9de932154041040a523" "STOP ACTING LIKE YOU CARE!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f66a0f20e15776849a9836af8612c8d2"A kick to the bedside table./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2f81288156c28d52b4f6f0c8f8501d1c" "I KNOW I'M NOT AS GOOD AS MY SIBLINGS!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2808e5bba237efca2bf7c5c60eda5314"With barely any thought, his backpack flies into the wall. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="81289a7d7fd52b80d79a72017aaef252""I KNOW I'M BAD!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e098d6b5a68edf8c7f58a3fa94e4de5"His fist slams into the dresser, but Diego barely registers the pain. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0da0b9c73333a1dab99b2e63b05e6c59""EVERYONE ACTS LIKE I BELONG HERE BUT I DON'T! I'M NOT GOOD OR SMART OR BEHAVED SO JUST STOP PRETENDING THAT I AM! I KNOW THAT ALREADY!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dc76c755a3853badcf9ff17fb2342c1b"Diego has to pause in order to gulp in some breaths, his yelling taking up all the energy his chest can handle, but the anger continues to burn through him. As he gathers the power to speak again, his throat has already begun to fade and his volume falls from shrieking to impassioned yelling./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="594e6e6d1dffd4fa2f5115a9c1e16a7f""I KNOW I'm going back to my dad! I KNOW you don't want to keep me, no one has ever wanted to keep me, and you're not any different!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2f8a5d28011b6cd8611b212250bd3933"The breaths he's dragging in are ragged and rough, but Diego continues on anyway. He still has more to say. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5424d531c6f0b1466290096de9b26a01""Just STOP PRETENDING, please! I don't want to be lied to anymore! Just stop - stop - stop it. Just stop it." /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d39f2520cc94008a8645ee221bd1c8e"Morgan is still standing by the bed, but now Spender is standing at the door too, giving Diego nowhere to go. He can't fully register the look on his dad's faces, something like surprise twinged with sorrow and distress. Diego's anger only intensifies at the knowledge that the truth has shocked them so much. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cba8a2740fbab10ec2fc34e139ee8367"Unfortunately, without being willing to rush past Spender to leave the room, and left with nothing else within reach to damage, the fire in his body starts to flicker and dim, anger giving way to shame as he begins to comprehend the destruction he's caused. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf17329f1fd47acd032aa2db55097de9"Defeated, Diego collapses to the ground and pushes his face into his knees to hide the burgeoning tears from his dads, but he still can't stop talking. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3393c2ada637e7fa0e1277fdfa19770d""I can't pay attention in class," Diego hiccups. The confessions continue to spill out, that fierce fire now transformed into a waterfall of grief. "I always make a mess, I get in fights at school. I never sleep, and I don't know how to not be sad like Victor. I can't finish homework on my own, or remember my projects. Dad always has to check my spelling because I never get it right. I'm a liar and I can't behave and I ruin plans! I don't deserve to stay here!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c36eb8ecdfbdbf0f1391b3441a588e5" With his final confession, Diego breaks down into complete, gut-wrenching sobs. He's hollowed out, his lies laid out on the floor for his dads to read and punish him for./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ee951b830ef62b0bdc3f854631020d59"And yet, it isn't punishment that meets him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2100051a4009fe248cac6fedcc7eb349"Instead, Morgan sweeps him up, still sobbing uncontrollably, into his large, warm arms. Morgan is shushing him softly, rocking him and murmuring something to him, but Diego can't hear anything over his tears. They wrack his whole body, shivering and shuddering all the way down to his fingers and toes, consuming his whole being with the years of sadness and disappointment that have marked his soul./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bc1c887f452cccff8f10fc4462bb10ab"He wants to break away and hide, shielding his dads from his real form. But Diego knows that after this breakdown, he'll be leaving. No one would let him stay after getting so "wild," like Hargreeves used to call it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="48772c3372afd00da170c478f9847f78"So Diego just. Gives in./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f07ec6449a8854a3507a06449b1ecd56"He lets himself be held by Morgan, savors the feeling of being wrapped in someone's arms, pretends for a while that Morgan is his real dad and actually loves him, because this is how real parents treat their children. At least, how they're supposed to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32ed0df2149f8585a8866504b95f5a80"Diego doesn't know how long they sit there, him curled up in a ball and hitching constantly with huge sobs, and Morgan cradling him against his chest, shushing and humming to him like a baby. Time starts to fade away as Diego sinks deeper and deeper into his shame./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="41cf1cee9e3d466e85e4a6be573a0c91"Eventually, he goes completely limp, all energy drained from every atom of his body save for his eyes, which are unable to stop producing tears. When that happens, Diego feels himself being lifted up into another pair or arms. His head is turned to see Spencer holding him against his chest now, but his dad is crying. Why is he crying? Had Diego messed up em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that/em bad?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="10a3e12f3833475a3166463366c5307f"Spencer crosses the hall into his own room, never letting up on his grip on Diego, and sits down on his own bed. Diego refuses to open his eyes, so he jerks when a blanket is gently laid over his shoulders. He isn't cold, but he has no willpower to question his dad's actions. And he doesn't want to, anyway./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4d8fd65e9c70581dc04a82bd97af0ac7"Diego fights the exhaustion sweeping over his body as much as he can, but the fear of what is to come is no match for the weariness that has permeated deep into his bones, only made worse by the lack of sleep from the last three days./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="63cd9cfd0774d01936520788ef64fb5b"Eventually, Diego's eyes close for good, consciousness fading away into his first real, deep sleep in days. The last thing he registers thinking is em style="box-sizing: border-box;"It's still light out/em ./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="626e45a941404ad038da1d4231459581"He sleeps so deeply that he doesn't even dream. That hasn't happened in months. At one point, he stirs at a movement coming from beside him on the bed. Sleep keeps his body lethargic and his eyelids shut, but he has just enough awareness to hear a slight creak of bedsprings and quiet shuffling around the room. It takes a long while, long enough that the door creaks open and clicks shut, that deep in the back of his brain he finally registers that someone had gotten out of bed and got dressed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="51f5256afe003ed72193e05377102ac8"He can't wake up enough to be bothered by it, though, when someone else on the bed adjusts something heavy over his shoulders - a quilt - and gently shushes him, whispering for him to go back to sleep./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfa4eac5163c50b376033f72dc89d563""No school today, pal," comes a rumble from the chest Diego was leaning on. It's nice and warm and comforting, and, not wanting to push himself out of this heady cloud of slumber yet, Diego follows the command easily./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fba968cc540e803f72ccf437d4a1831a"The next time he wakes, it takes several long minutes for Diego to even gather the energy to open his eyes. His eyelids are gummy, and it seems to take an enormous amount of effort to move his arm to clear them. Lead weights seem to be attached to each of his limbs, keeping him pinned down in this soft, quiet place./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c7b33e1badf0186a4fc383a5ec2c57ee"Before he can untangle himself from the quilt to wipe his face, a large, calloused hand beats him to the task. Morgan's voice murmurs, distantly in the way that clogged ears catch the sound, "Hang tight for a second, I'm gonna get a washcloth."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bb775817e7731fc6ef0df4999360d26e"That's when Diego's brain finally wakes up all the way. He's in Dad and Papa's bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="88a296af508a916e3995ef89fd3f9212"The next thing he registers is the complete silence in the house and sunlight fully streaming in through the window. "Wha' time'sit?" he mumbles./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="96b1e69f11e2b2e8e2ac24cbbe849053"God, even his mouth is tired. How does that happen?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9d8bada4d5e2fe2978ada728c210107b"Spencer's hand brushes his hair from his forehead as Morgan emerges from the bathroom, holding the promised damp washcloth. "About 9:30."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="102b636f7c7f0cc9bfaabac3b86962d5"Morgan gently runs the cloth over his entire face, and Diego registers a moment later that Papa is washing away the tear tracks that have dried on his face from the night before. His cheeks heat with embarrassment, but all Morgan does is give him that gentle, no-judgment smile. "We would've given you a wash-over, but we didn't want to wake you up. You needed sleep."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5f54ded2089f4f2a04e5e38039b80d88"Embarrassing as it is to know that he'd fallen asleep crying in Morgan's arms like nothing more than a baby, Diego can't say he would've wanted them to wake him up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b19056a86b38476ea73bb2ad8c2b7aa"He slept deeply, too, Diego realizes once he takes in his surroundings. Papa is dressed and the kids are in school, which means Diego slept through the entire hustle and bustle of the morning routine. "Don't you need to be at work?" He asked, slowly sitting up in the bed. Spencer who was still in his pj's and in the bed pulled the boy against his chest and Diego snuggled into the warmth despite himself. "We called in sick...do you think you're ready to talk about yesterday now?" Morgan asked, sitting on the side of the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8ab07027210581925efb5cf15c3f4cb9"Diego looks down at his fingers, picking at his nails. Spencer gently takes the boy's hands into his so that he won't pick his fingernails off. His Dad leans over the side of the bed and pulls up a squishy ball and puts that in his son's hands instead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a4a11a2674dc5a1e462cfd9e9184d45d"The three sit together and they talk, they cry, and Diego gets all the reassurance that he could even need that he is loved and needed in this family. They spent the whole day together, Diego's real parents reassuring him throughout the whole day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1ad465f18714c5af1b5be1478d8b741f""It doesn't matter what you have gone through vs what your brothers or sister have gone through...it's not a contest. We all deal with our own trauma's differently. You are not broken or any less than your siblings for any reason. Do you understand?" Morgan asked, holding the boy in his arms with tears in his own eyes. They had just been watching a basketball game when Morgan suddenly said that to Diego, and the boy started crying again, but this time from relief, from joy, from feeling loved. "We will love you everyday Diego. The good and bad days. Everyday."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fccd17932d576aef447ca0bde942ed3c""It's okay to dream about your mother, she loved you the best way she could in the situation you all were in. You can talk to her about us, we want to hear about her. Anyone important to you is important to us." Spencer whispered as Diego sat on the counter, helping Spencer bake some cookies for his siblings that would be home soon. The boy took some uncooked dough and ate it from the bowl, smiling at Spencer who laughed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eafe096ddbba784fb35c6bac5590da9a"Later that night he was laying in his bed, thankful that his dad had told his siblings to not be too pushy about asking him how he felt. The door to the bedroom opened and Klaus's head poked in. "H-hey, can I come in?" he asked. Diego nodded and his brother quickly and quietly snuck in and climbed into the bed with Diego. "I'm glad you're feeling better now." He whispered, cuddling in close. Diego smiled and pulled his brother into his arms. "Me too, thanks Klaus." He whispered. The two fell asleep shortly after./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfa8c827b9b1174532d4ec73999ffa3a"Spender came to check on them during the night and couldn't help but take a picture of them in the same bed, Klaus's foot somehow ended up under Diego's armpit in their sleep. "He will be okay. They all will be." Morgan whispered, looking over his husband's shoulder at his sleeping boys. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p