I managed to get some free time to write this story. Sorry to all my readers, but I ended up going to my aunt's funeral a little while ago, puls I still have my other stories I'm working, but this was already half written, so I decided to finish it. Enjoy!

Stahn towered over his son, pure hatred and anger etched into his face. "What have I told you about calling me 'dad?'"

Aldrick's head was turned away, trying his best to avoid the glare. "I'm sorry...It just slipped..."

"You didn't answer my question. What have I told you about calling me 'dad?'"

"...You don't have a son anymore. Not since he died..."

A sneer formed on the 'father's face. "And what are you?"

Aldrick's eyes watered slightly, his body tensing. "...Just a fag who looks like your dead son..."

The sneer left, and was replaced with a scowl. "You sound like you believe otherwise."

Getting no response, the man drew back his fist, and then belted Aldrick in the eye, sending the teen to the ground. "I'll make you learn yet."

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Aldrick awoke with a start, his back slightly sore from his awkward position on the couch. Straightening himself to become more comfortable, the teen stared at the television, which showed a commercial for pizza. Hearing his stomach growl, the teen picked up the phone and ordered a medium sausage pizza, then went into his bathroom, turning off the television along the way and passing a tear-away calendar that read September 29.

Taking off his pajama pants, Aldrick chanced a look in the mirror. Yes, his father had hit him. Had given him a black eye, too. Today was day four of being out of school from the shiner his father had given him, and it was almost healed enough for the teen to go back to school.

/Well, I guess that Stahn not being here is a plus...\ Aldrick thought as he took the bandages off his wrist, revealing lines of scabs from healing cuts. Grabbing his razor blade, he cut himself again, not even flinching as the sharp edge cut into his flesh and blood flowed from his veins into the sink.

Rinsing the razor blade clean, as well as washing the cuts, Aldrick quietly stared at his eye in his reflection, remembering his dream. He hated how he would sometimes dream about those events, but could never block them out. They always forced their way into his mind, into his dreams, causing nightmares and tears. He hated how he would wake up from a nightmare and feel where the tears had traveled down his face. So what if he was gay? That doesn't give his father the right to beat him...does it?

Leaving the bathroom, the gray-eyed teen placed the now clean cutting tool back in it's resting place beneath the mattress. Heading back to the bathroom, Aldrick turned on the shower and stepped into it. He let the warm water wash over his stiff muscles, relaxing in the warmth.

Done with his shower, the teen dried himself off and started wrapping new bandages onto his wrists, throwing away the old ones. Putting on some black boxers and a baggy pair of jeans, Aldrick tossed the towel in the corner of his bathroom, and went into his room to search of a shirt when he heard knocking at the door. Sighing, assuming it was the pizza, he went to the front door, saying "Thanks. If you wait a minute, I'll get the money." as he opened it.

"...What money?" Aldrick looked at the speaker, and was surprised to find Cid standing at the door, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Oh! Sorry, I thought you were the pizza guy. What brings you here?"

Cid started to rummage through his bag, pulling out papers. "I figured that I would deliver Palazzo's work. The bastard could pretty much care less about who's absent, anyway."

Aldrick reached out to grab the papers, but froze when Cid, his tone cold and serious, asked "What happened?"

Blinking, Aldrick said "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Cid repeated himself. "What happened?"

The gray-eyed teen followed the gaze of Cid's sky blue eyes, and he retracted his hand as quickly as possible as he noticed the faint trace of red on the bandages. /Damn. I must have opened them without realizing it...\

"It's...it's nothing. I...I think you should go..." Aldrick tried shutting the door, but the lacrosse player easily held it open. The larger blonde stepped into the apartment, grabbed Aldrick's arm, and removed the wrappings from one of the wrists, revealing scabs and a fresh line of blood. "Who did this to you?"

"C-Cid! You're hurting me!" The tight grip Cid had on Aldrick loosened, but still held on firm enough so Aldrick couldn't run away. Once again, the larger blonde asked "Who did this to you?"

Aldrick looked away, and Cid immediately let go and went deeper into the home, the smaller teen quietly following, shame coving his face. They made their way to Aldrick's room, and Cid asked "Where?"

Lifting his arm weakly, Aldrick pointed to his bed. Cid went over and flipped the mattress up, revealing not only a razor blade, but a pile of money and two pictures. The pictures held different images. One was a woman by the ocean, her gray eyes shining in the light of the setting sun and a silver angel charm hanging from a chain on her neck. The other was of a boy, only nine or ten years old, playing in the surf of what appeared to be the same beach. Cid turned to Aldrick, saying only "What is all this?"

Aldrick walked over to the bed, and picked up the two pictures, a small smile on his face, but his eyes were blank. "Once, a few years ago, there was a boy. He was so happy. He was smart, had many friends, a mother who he thought the world of...everything seemed perfect for him."

Cid became confused, saying "What are you talking about?"

Aldrick continued as if the lacrosse player said nothing. "However, happiness is fleeting. The mother died of a brain tumor when the boy only thirteen, leaving him with his father. The father was devastated, turning to booze to drown his sorrows. The boy ended up moving around with his good for nothing father, losing his friends. For a few years, he worked to pay the bills and his father's bar tabs, saving as much as possible so when he's eighteen, he can get away from it all." Aldrick turned to Cid, his eyes still blank. "The boy still wants to get away...but can only wait until he's of age...it's so stressful, waiting for something like that when it seems like it'll never come..."

"Aldrick..."

Aldrick's eyes, while still blank, started to water as the teen approached the lacrosse player. "Why? Why can't I be happy like I used to be? What did I do to deserve this?"

"I...don't know..."

The gray-eyed teen started to sniffle, then cry as he grabbed onto Cid, burying his nose into the larger teen's chest. Cid, not knowing what else to do, wrapped his large arms around the crying teen, gently shushing him The pictures fell from Aldrick's hand, and the sun shone through the window and onto the picture of Aldrick's mother, illuminating the silver angel that sat on the woman chest.

Cid: Oh, Aldrick, you poor thing. Here, let me comfort you.

Aldrick: Cid! Not in front of the readers...at least not yet...

Byne: Go get a room, you two...or at least a closet...-fantasizes- wow! Yes, you should get a closet. It would make a nice little oneshot later on :)

Anyways...yes, it might be awhile before I update on my stories...still...but, R&R. Please? It's really easy, I swear!