Project, MalfunctionChapter Two,Stretch Out To the Heavens, Destination, Nowhere
"Tenain!" The demon lad, dejected, staring blankly at the clock, ignored the slightly feminine voice from down the stairs of his father's beloved house; the voice would eventually grow louder, then, footsteps would haunt him, making soft sounds as the stairs cried out in pain of being stepped on by rough feet. "Tenain!"
Bright red hair was pushed away from his eyes, as he slowly cast that same gaze towards his door, which, had been locked, for very good reasons. Maybe if he stayed quiet, the voice, so shrill, yet so bleak, would vanish. Tenain didn't think he'd ever be that lucky, however…already, he could hear the woman walk back down the steps loudly, yelling at his brother; where was Tenain, where was Tenain? Poor Leviathan, he had no choice, but to rat Tenain out. Mother was so scary when she was drunk, the red head pushed himself off, then messed up his hair, walking over to open his door.
"Don't yell at him mother…I was asleep, that's all." Came his, quiet, submissive reply, hate burning coldly in his eyes.
"Tenain, darling! What a mess you are…" She called in return, running her fingers threw messy blond hair, which was unnatural, by the way. Tenain looked away from her, then pulled on his shirt, rubbing out the crinkles that he had made earlier to better benefit his lies to her. He wasn't asleep. He never slept now days. Dreams, nightmares, they kept the almost eleven year old awake all night long, kept him tossing and turning, slowly sinking deeper into his self loathing state.
The female, his mother apparently, slowly walked back up the steps, and smirked, kissing him softly on his head, before fixing up his hair, lovingly, of course. "Your hair's getting long, dear…"
"I know." He grumbled, feeling her start to tug, not to gently, on his fiery and messy hair. "I like it long…mother…" He continued, hoping that she wouldn't get offended, let alone angry at his opinion. Tenain didn't like his hair, and, she knew, but normally didn't care. She enjoyed short hair, and that was all that mattered.
At her sharp tug, Tenain winced as she pushed his head back, causing him to stumble against the stairs and fall near his door.
Tenain, for the briefest moment, looked up at her with angry eyes, his lips pulling into a thin line as he frowned. While this show of defiance was short, it didn't go unnoticed by his wayward mother. She smirked at him, and kneeled down to his level, tempted to smack that look right off his pretty, porcelain doll face, so perfect and clean, and easily broken.
"Don't you look at me with a face like that." she warned while smiling a twisted smile, one of a demon tyrant.
Tenain could only bite his lip and look away before his mother had a chance to grab a hold of his chin, and make him look at her. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, ungrateful child!" She yelled, laughing as well for some reason.
From down stairs, Tenain could just hear his brother whimpering, probably hiding under the kitchen table, or in the cupboards. Tenain tried to look away, but her hand kept his neck and head facing her. He wanted to scream, to yell and hit her repeatedly, to make her bleed, to make her just, vanish from his life and his brothers as well…
Tenain's eyes watered, as he saw his brother, from the corner of his eyes, staring at the two of them from the hallway where he could duck back into the kitchen at any moment. If he could, he'd have told sweet, innocent Levi not to look.
'Round and round they spin
The thoughts inside my head
Marry go round of fun
For presumably I am dead'
"…I'm sorry…" He whispered, not meaning even the smallest fraction of it as he spoke in a falsely submissive tone, feeling his mother's grip loosen.
Seeming still very irate, Tenain could only close his eyes, before the sharp sting of skin to skin contact burnt his cheek, lit it up as if it where fire. It was nothing, to be slapped, again and again as she let out her frustration. He hated her, more and more, with each blow, as the open handed hits turned into solid fists, then swift kicks. He'd curled up in a ball, somehow, in the mist of all the pain and whimpered, eyes still watering. Tenain's never claimed that it caused him to cry out in pain, nor that it hurt him…but it did. Badly.
Why did this always seem to happen to him? Did she really hate him so much? No…she loved him, and to prove it, she pushed him back down when he tried to move away, pressing her lips against his own roughly.
Tenain kept his eyes closed, and winced internally at her rough kiss, tasting the alcohol on her breath when her tongue tried to urge his own into playing games with her.
"Mother, stop!" Tenain's eyes shot open, upon hearing his younger brother's soft, yet angry order, his hands shaking now in fear of the wrath his mother would surly turn on Levi. She had already pulled away from Tenain, after having licked his cheek, and her gaze met Levi's, before he winced and scrambled back into the kitchen.
Tenain gasped, and grabbed a hold of his mother's arm, holding it tight in the hoped of stopping her, before she got down the stairs, but it only earned him a sharp slap, and he had fallen back, letting her go. His mind rattled…and only vaguely, he heard his brother's scream. He gently forced himself to crawl down the steps, and, back to his feet, rushing to save his younger brother for the mother of all demons. "Levi!" he cried, watching as his brother was struck down to his hands and his knees, before running towards Tenain.
It was clear, that little Leviathan hadn't any idea what to do, so Tenain gave his mother a small sneer, then grabbed his arm and ran up to lock them both in his room. Happy birthday, Tenain…he thought silently, as his mother banged on the door, her demon rage seeping threw the walls.
"We gotta get out of here, Levi." Tenain whispered, brushing his messy hair out of his eyes as Levi shivered and held himself.
He was scared, Tenain could tell…but it would be okay. Leviathan had more of a chance to survive this then Tenain did, even in the long run. Levi was naturally able to overcome things like this, and smile it all away, while Tenain only sank deeper in his state of self hatred. Yes, Levi was able to cope. Tenain, on the other hand, only pretended to do so. Playfully tugging on one of the horns on Levi's head, thought they where small and barely noticeable to the human eye, he smiled a fake smile.
"Think about it-" Tenain shook his head, hearing his mother's voice growing louder, "We could run away, and live with humans. Humans, Levi! They've got it made…food galore, and, many places to live."
Leviathan whimpered, obviously not liking the idea. Demons? Go to the human world? Was Tenain mad? Humans where awful, horrid creature!
"You and me, we're just kids to the humans. We'll not be seen as princes of hell, Levi. We'll look like normal, for a while, till your horns grow in. That'll be long enough, ne? Lets go…I'm sick of staying here…" He pleaded still playing with Levi's pup horns, which here now being covered by soft hair.
"T-Tenain…I'm scared…" He whimpered, still holding himself protectively.
Their mother was banging the door much harder now, it might bust open soon, Tenain figured, and quickly took it upon himself to convince his brother as quickly as possible. "I know, I know…It'll be okay, hm? Look, this is my father's house, and he used to move freely between the human and demon realm using, ah, hold on…let me find it…"
Leviathan watched as Tenain first pushed a dresser in front of the door, then eagerly went threw the many drawers, searching desperately of something.
"His medallion, Tenain?" Leviathan asked, happy that his mother's yells had stopped, as well as the hits to the door. Maybe she passed out or something. "You put in in your chest, remember? Mother can't find it there." he whispered, keeping his voice low, so as not to cause any trouble.
Tenain only nodded, his expression void of all his feelings. Ah, yes…he remembered the day, when he imbedded his father's prize possession in his chest. It hurt, a little, but it was worth it.
All the carving and sewing the skin back together, was only proof of his existence anyways; the medallion was sacred to him, and if his mother ever got a hold of it, Tenain would never see it again. So, he kept it close to his heart, always. It was the only way to keep it safe from harm or separation.
"Yeah…I forgot…" Tenain muttered, touching his chest gently. Why had he skipped that detail? It wasn't a recent happening…it must have been the stress…or something like that.
Leviathan nodded a little, as Tenain looked up at him hopefully, silver eyes shimmering with the hopes that Levi would come with him. "Alright, my brother. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, the heavens, and the hell we are in now."
Tenain's eyes softened, as he got up, pulling gently at his shirt. "Thank you…my brother." he said, grasping onto Leviathan's arm, to pull him into a tight, loving hug. If anyone in the world mattered to Tenain, it was his brother…and he really hoped the feeling was mutual. Levi was too good for all this, and Tenain, well, he just wanted to get out of this place.
"But, Tenain…where will we go?" Levi asked softly, feeling the medallion prodding out form under Tenain's demon flesh.
The red haired lad chuckled, pulling away with a interesting expression. Levi tilted his head, truly curious. "Where are we going? Levi, my sweet brother, we're going anywhere, everywhere, and nowhere. Does it ever matter, anyways?"
Levi smiled. "No, I suppose it doesn't."
