Chapter Thirteen:

Tyron woke up screaming. He curled up on the mattress, his blankets protecting protecting him like a shield. He could feel Baron right beside him, preparing his punishment. He was loading a machine gun that he had stored away and would only use for gang fights, if necessary.

"Please," Tyron begged, "M'sorry! M'sorry, please!" Baron simply chuckled, as if amused by his cries of terror. He pointed the weapon, and fired.

Tyron's screams seemed to rock the entire tower. The pain of hundreds of thousands of bullets colliding into his body was overwhelming. Tyron's body absorbed each and every one, but the shock of it, the collision against his skin, it was mind-shattering.

After the man had finished, Tyron was sobbing freely, his entire body shaking. He had pulled so hard against the ropes that rope burns were left around his wrists. Baron smiled, his dirty teeth as yellow as the sun, as he prepared the next round,

The door opened slowly, and Tyron's screams died a little, falling to whimpering and heavy breathing. "Hey, Tyron," it was Natasha. "Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?" At the reminder of the horrible memory, Tyron inhaled sharply.

Natasha came to his bed, sitting beside him, "It's gonna be okay," she whispered softly. Tyron sniffed, leaning against the woman and closing his eyes.

For some reason, Natasha reminded him of his mother, before he came out to them. The memory of Anita Brown brought tears to Tyron's eyes. His mother was beautiful and smart. She worked in the city, which always seem far from their little town in New Jersey, but Tyron didn't mind. He would always brag to his friends of how awesome his mother was to be able to have a job like that.

Then, he came out to his parents... And she had practically disowned him. Then, there was the alien attack on New York City, and... She died.

Tyron inhaled, remembering when he heard the news. He stayed in his room for a week. His dad took it harder. He turned to drinking, and he became angrier than usual. He would attack Tyron, hit him until blood had welled up in his mouth. Toss him around, tell him that he was the most useless, ungrateful child that anyone could ever have.

Tyron began to stay locked up in his room more and more, in order to stay away from his father. He had used the window several times in order to just go to school. But school wasn't any better. He was the girl pretending to be a boy, he was a joke to everyone.

"Tyron," Natasha spoke, and Tyron looked up instantly. He had gotten so lost in thought that he almost forgot Natasha was there.

"Sorry, m'sorry," he said immediately,

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize. Do you wanna talk about it, your dream?"

"I..." Tyron sighed, remembering the dangerously entertained look in Baron's eyes as he shot him. To him, watching Tyron scream in pure agony was as good as watching a Sunday football game. "No," Tyron finally said, "M'good. I jus'... Need a break..."

Natasha gave him a sad look, as if sorry for him. "Okay. Well, I'll always be in my room, or not to far away. And, the others are here, too, if you ever wanna talk." Tyron nodded dully, and Natasha stood to leave.

Tyron watched her go, then fell onto his bed and sighed, "JARVIS," he spoke aloud.

"Yes, Mister Tyron," JARVIS replied.

"Do... Do ya think m'useless?" Tyron asked hesitantly.

"No, I do not," JARVIS replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I dunno," Tyron muttered, turning back to his pillow. "Jus' a random thought..."

- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

After a few days of terrible fever dreams and vomiting mostly anything he ate, Tyron was feeling better. He hadn't been to school during this time at all. He didn't want to accidentally vomit gray slush and have all of the students, and the teachers be confused.

Tyron laughed a little at the strange thought. He imagined them being very confused, and that stupid ass jock, Miles Forbes, he would slip and fall on it. Then, he'd scream, and Tyron would relish in it.

Tyron moved to get out of bed, but then, he winced, a sharp pain piercing his abdomen, like a knife going into his side. Tyron hissed in pain, laying back down. "Is everything alright, Mister Tyron?" JARVIS asked, having heard his cry of pain.

"Shit, I... Yeah, m'good," Tyron groaned. He needed to go to Natasha's room, she'd have a tampon, or a pad.

God, Tyron hissed, as he gingerly stood, he hadn't had his period in months. He'd have to stay home for another few days, or at least he could make it bearable.

He gritted his teeth, looking at his mattress. Blood stained the sheets. It was so bad that he swore aloud, "JARVIS, how do you get blood out of sheets?!" He demanded, almost desperate at this point.

"Take them off and bring them down the laundry chute," JARVIS replied easily. Tyron obeyed his orders, then he changed out of his clothes as well, tossing those down too.

"Is... Is Natasha in her room?" Tyron asked, making his way to the door. His floor was still empty, the only thing he used was his bedroom. Everything else had yet to be filled.

Tyron turned to the emergency staircase. Natasha lived right above him, so he'd be able to get to her in emergencies and vice versa.

"No, she is currently making breakfast. Do you want to talk to her?"

"No," Tyron denied firmly. "I need to get to her room. Do you know where she keeps her pads and shit?" Tyron asked as he stood by the door, waiting, and watching.

He slowly opened it, happy it didn't creak on its hinges.

"No," JARVIS spoke, but it was quiet. Tyron bit his lip, hoping Natasha didn't hear.

"No what?" He heard her say and he gritted his teeth.

"I apologize, I experienced a minor glitch. Master Stark is tending to it now." Tyron said a silent thank you for JARVIS' lie, hurrying to Natasha's bedroom, not making a sound.

Natasha's room was very neat. The bed straight, clothes hung neatly in the closet. Tyron almost felt bad as he rummaged through her meticulously arranged dresser as he searched frantically for something that even looked remotely like what he needed. When he couldn't find it, he moved to the nightstand beside her bed, then her bed, and finally the closet. However, he came out dry.

Tyron was beginning to get frustrated and angry, at himself, and even a little at Natasha, although she hadn't done a single thing wrong. He hated this side of him. It was so inconvient and stupid. As if he had to be reminded on a daily basis who and what he was.

"Goddamn it," Tyron muttered angrily.

"Didn't Cap talk to you about swearing?" Natasha's voice sounded from the door and Tyron almost screeched in surprise. He turned, clutching his chest, as if it'd help his pounding heart. "Why are you in my room, Tyron? Better yet, why were you looking through my drawers."

Tyron stared at the woman, unable to answer. He felt shame and embarrassment well inside him, and he looked down. He could feel Natasha's confused stares. "Do..." He choked on the words, but managed to swallow his pride. "Do ya have a pad...?"

- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"I don't understand," Natasha said, staring at Tyron's dejected expression. "Why didn't you tell us?" Tyron hadn't spoken a word. He simply glared at the counter, holding back furious tears. He couldn't help but wonder what they would do to him now. Maybe they'd make him someone's whore in order to earn his place in such an expensive place. Or, send him back to Baron. They signed up for a teenage boy after all, not some 'gender-confused freak'.

"Tyron, please. I want to help. Should I call Steve or Tony up here? Would that—"

"No!" Tyron screamed, and then flinched at the sound of his own voice. "Pl–Please, don't. I... If they find out, I..." Tyron felt sick at the thought. Them using him for his body just as Baron had done as soon as he had figured out what he was.

"I won't, I wont," Natasha assured, easing his panic. "But, Tyron, why hadn't you said anything? We don't care who, or what you are, you know. We just want you to be who you feel comfortable with." Tyron didn't look at her, closing his eyes, as if it'd help block out the world.

"How about you stay home today, okay?" Natasha suggested with a smile. "You deserve it." Tyron nodded, and Natasha held out her hand, leading him back to his floor.

"M'sorry," Tyron finally managed to whisper.

"Don't be," Natasha replied. "You did what you needed to do." Tyron couldn't even look at her. He couldn't stay here now, he knew it. He wasn't sure if Natasha would keep his secret. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, he... He just didn't want to end up in the same situation like he was with Baron. They would yell at him. They should yell at him. He was a horrible person, they had given him so much and he repayed them by lying to them?! He was a bad, bad, bad, bad pet. A very bad pet. Baron would not be pleased if he found out what he did. Maybe he should just go back, or leave altogether. He couldn't stay here now, it wasn't safe here. They would kill him, they should kill him. They should—

"Calm down," Natasha murmured, pulling him close to her. Tyron had been so lost in thought that he didn't even notice that they were in his room already. Natasha sat him on the bed, "Breathe, okay? You can do this, Tyron. Just breathe for me." Tyron did as she instructed, and felt a bit of his worries fall away. Natasha smiled, "Good."

"M'sorry," Tyron said again.

"Why?"

I–I should'a just told ya. I... I was scared because... Last time he figured out, he..." Tyron closed his eyes, trying to surpass the memory, but it didn't work.

He could hear Baron screaming at him, after he found out that he was biologically a girl. He sent him on a job to kill this little girl who had seen him and some other guy kill a man that Baron didn't particularly like. Apparently, she was the man's daughter. He was supposed to find her, kill her, and make it look like it had been an accident.

When he got there, though, he couldn't do it. She was innocent and scared. He couldn't bring himself to kill her. Tyron had told her to run as far and as fast as she could, then he went back to the 'Yard.

As soon as he got back, Baron knew what he had done. He had told someone to follow him and listen in on what happened, and then they reported back to Baron what Tyron had done.

Baron was furiously. He beat Tyron until every inch of his body was bruised. He had pulled on his shirt so hard that the ace bandages that hid his breasts came undone.

Baron had stared at him, in disgust and anger. Then, he dragged him to his bedroom and threw him on his bed. Tyrom was too terrified and in too much pain to realize what was happening.

Baron ripped his clothes off, then started undressing himself. Tyron was panicking now, he tried to move, to squirm away, but it was helpless. Baron forced him down, and raped him. Tyron cried out, tears lining his cheeks. He began to sob, his entire body trembling.

Baron screamed at him, telling him from that moment on, he was his little pet, his little slut. This was his punishment, and it didn't stop there. He would continue to rent him out to people, because he disobeyed him. Tyron begged him to stop, but he recieved a sharp slap instead. Now that Baron knew his secret, he exploited it to everyone. He made Tyron's life a living hell, and he hated himself because of it.

"Tyron?" Natasha said, snapping him out of the vivid memory, "Are you okay?"

Tyron was silent for a moment, then he turned to lay on his bed. "Can I... Jus' go to sleep...?" Tyron asked, his voice small. "Please...?"

"Yes, of course," Natasha said. He felt her stand, the weight on the mattress shifting. "Tyron. You know that this is a safe place, right? We would never do anything to hurt you here, okay? We won't treat you like Baron did. We'd never do that to you. We want you to feel safe and loved. I won't tell anyone about your secret, but I think you should tell them. They won't think of you any different, they want you to feel like this is a safe place, too. So, don't feel bad, because those boys really care about you. They want you to be happy too." Natasha gave him a warm smile before she turned and left the room.