Note: I've currently stopped updating here for the moment due to multiple issues on this site. The story can still be found at:

archiveofourown,org/works/47237509 (replace comma with . )

Preview of chapter 10:

Ignoring him was doing him a favor. Just putting up with his existence without admonishing him was something that should have been appreciated, or so he told himself, even though it made him angry. Even knowing he deserved worse than Annie acting like he didn't exist, the action was like powder from a keg fueling him when others decided to actively scorn him. He wanted to lash out at someone. It would prove to everyone that he really was worthy of being erased, but that was already true, wasn't it?

The first guy Butch decided to fight was someone he was pretty sure he could beat. They were alone, and this person decided to continue with the derision that everyone seemed to have become comfortable with when it came to him. Having just had enough, Butch decided to punch the person. Even having tried to retaliate, the opponent ended up fairly messed up by the end.

The actions indeed spurred on any rumors. In addition to being stupid, abrasive, and close-minded, Butch was becoming violent and dangerous in other people's eyes. But they were right, weren't they? The second time he started a fight certainly encouraged any talk like that. It was in a group this time, attacking a random guy who made some comment about Butch being trash that should be left outside, not caring about how he was outnumbered. The other guys split up the fight instead of ganging up on him, then left him behind.

Everyone started avoiding him after that for the most part. It kind of hurt in a way to have no interaction with anyone else, but was still preferable to how he'd been treated before. Maybe being treated like trash or left completely alone were the only two options a person like him might expect. Not fitting in and not even liking it there, Butch supposed he might just up and walk away from Team Rocket, but what better could he expect elsewhere? He really was trash, wasn't he? This kind of place was where a person like him belonged.

Even adapting such a low opinion of himself, Butch became angry at the next guy that acted like he felt the same. After he'd spent a few hours cleaning up the muddy training equipment, some guy came in with his comments. At first it was only about the rushed job with Butch as the sole person completing it, but then things got personal, calling Butch an idiot, a fuck up who might need some hand holding to get anything done. As the other man began talking about the kind of idiot that might do better, Butch punched him.

He wouldn't need any help at all to beat the hell out of this guy. This opponent seemed like the type that might actually beat him, but surprise had given an advantage, and then the fight just kept going. In his anger, Butch decided he didn't care even as this person started to bleed. What were they going to do, call the police on him? Maybe he belonged in jail. Or maybe his fellows in Team Rocket would administer a beating themselves as a punishment. That kind of thing might well be deserved too.

The sound of the opening door caused the fight to pause. Butch glanced back quickly at the doorway, noting a person there, and then back to the obviously defeated asshole. This really had been overkill. Silently, Butch decided to stop and just leave. Going to the door, he got a better look at the interloper.

It was a woman, someone he had seen before though not really interacted with. From what he could recall, she was part of a group from out of region that had joined only slightly before him. She stared at him poignantly, appearing tense, though her expression was blank. Her eyes didn't leave him even with his beaten opponent right there as well, cursing and moaning.

His gaze didn't move from her either as he passed by. He was wary of her, and the same and then some could be said of her to him. He hated how she looked at him. The cold expression didn't reveal much about her thoughts, but still felt judgmental. She was probably scared of him as well, the thought of which triggered some guilt. Such a sentiment was completely justified, but even so, undesired. That was how he actually was though, wasn't it? He walked past her slowly, being the first to break eye contact as he left. It was only when he had rounded the corner that he started to rush away.

As ought to have been expected for a trouble maker, he was soon called into a higher up's office. There was the guy he'd beaten up, wanting some kind of retaliation. The woman who had witnessed the end of the fight was also there, standing to the side. After the guy went on and on about how terrible Butch was and what deserved to happen to him, the woman asked a single question, "Are you sure you're not the one that started something?"

The question was for Butch's opponent and not himself. The guy continued to go on, but the woman just turned away, rolling her eyes and not saying anything at all. "Can I go now?" she eventually asked. "I don't see why we have to waste our time listening to some loser complain about getting beaten at a fight he probably started himself."

(end preview)

this is a longer chapter. again, the rest is here:
archiveofourown,org/works/47237509 (replace comma with . )