(This chapter will contain abuse. Things will get a bit bloody. Do be warned.)
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Hours passed.
No sign of Gauthier, which was a good thing and a bad thing all at once.
Although it meant he'd be out longer, meaning the five siblings could have a break from him.
... But it also meant he'd be even drunker.
And the more he drank...
The more violent he was.
It was a cycle. Gauthier would go drinking in the evenings, come home at an ungodly hour when only the older ones were awake, only for someone to get hurt - Usually Gilbert taking a punch to the face, him being the apparent brave one of the bunch. After the violence would calm down, he'd drunkenly stumble his way downstairs and go to sleep, only to repeat it again almost every night he could.
Usually, they had some kind of plan for it. Lilli would usually be asleep downstairs by that time, and Roderich would usually stand by her door, as a way of protecting her. Vash, Gilbert and Ludwig would remain upstairs on the main level, in an attempt to calm him down. First aid kits were hidden all around the house, in places Gauthier wasn't smart enough to check when he randomly searched around the house.
It was a scary moment, no matter how many times it was repeated. But still, it became... A common occurrence.
And someone was bound to get hurt each time.
It was comparable to that of a game of Russian roulette - Someone was going to get hurt, but nobody would know who it would be until the impact occurred.
And the Germanics knew it all too well.
By the time the drunken stumbles of Gauthier coming towards the front door occurred, most of the plan was already in place. Lilli was already peacefully sleeping, while Roderich stood near her door - Notably next to the hole from the time Gauthier punched the wall. Believe it or not, it wasn't the only hole that was on the house's old walls.
Vash stood near the front door, just by the door leading to the garage. Ludwig instead stood by the kitchen entrance, while Gilbert was back by the stairs. "Is he coming?" Asked Gilbert. The other two nodded, Ludwig gulping. "Nearest first aid kit is hidden in the garage, right?" Vash questioned, opening the garage door slightly. "Mhm. It's... It's hidden behind the deep freezer, right?" Gil nodded at Ludwig's response. "Yea. Lud, the nearest one to you is in the back of the couch. Y'know, that torn part."
"Yea. Still no idea how that happened." Ludwig muttered. The three's attention quickly focused on the doorknob, watching Gauthier from the door's window struggle to open. Gilbert chuckled, his head hanging to try and hide it. "He's so drunk he can't even open doors. Might as well lock him out for the night, huh?"
The door-opening struggle lasted for only a few seconds longer before Gauthier stumbled in. "... What the fuck do you three want?!" He exclaimed, irritated. "We just... Wanted to make sure you're okay." Said Ludwig, although his sentence was full of lies. Gauthier mumbled an insult under his breath, going to the kitchen. "Are you getting more alcohol?!" Vash asked, walking over to him. "Only reason I'm home is because the bar fucking closed early."
"Father-" Vash was cut off by him. "CAN YOU NOT?!" Gauthier yelled, slamming his fist against the fridge door. Vash sighed, lowering his head with his hand on his face. Vash walked away, but Gauthier pulled him back by the collar of his shirt. "Where do you think you're fucking going?!"
Vash kept his breathing stable, trying not to show any type of fear. "Leaving the kitchen. Since it seems you don't want me annoying you."
"Not until you've had your fucking scolding."
"Woah, woah," Gilbert said, cutting in. "Father, don't get worked up over this." Gauthier rolled his eyes. "For fucks sake Gilbert, you're just trying to get hit so you can have some sob story to whine about to those imbeciles you hang out with." He grabbed Gauthier's arm, pulling it away from Vash's shirt, surprising considering how much he couldn't have cared less about him. "If anyone has a sob story, it's you. It's all about how you apparently loved mother, when all you ever fucking did was use her and her body-"
Gauthier couldn't hold back anymore. In a matter of seconds, Gauthier's fist smashed into Gilbert's nose. Ludwig watched from the side. Despite his apparent bravery, he was petrified with fear. Gilbert covered his nose with his hands, blood beginning to fall as if it were a waterfall.
Despite his injury, Gilbert stood his ground. "You son of a-" Vash pulled Gauthier back by the hood of his jacket, preventing him from hurting Gilbert any further. Although unexpected, considering they might just have the sourest relationship out of all the Germanics...
Vash and Gil were still brothers.
Gauthier snapped around, facing Vash. He pushed Vash back towards the counter, pinning him. "What do you fucking think you're doing?!" He snarled, Vash still refusing to show even a bit of fear. "If I knew that damn woman would have given me you as children, I would have left her with that ho-" Vash cut him off. "Take mother's name out of your fucking mouth."
"Why should I?-" Gauthier said with a smirk plastered on his face. "BECAUSE SHE LOVED US UNLIKE YOU!" Gauthier was taken aback, besides, if Gauthier didn't love her, how would he be born...
Right?
"... You know what? You're right. I DON'T LOVE YOU! NOT ONE OF YOU FIVE ABSOLUTE PATHETIC EXCUSES OF MY CHILDREN! YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! NOT ALIA!" Without hesitation, Gauthier slapped Vash right across his face, leaving a red mark plastered onto his cheek.
"You-"
"EVERYONE SHUT UP!"
All of them turned to Roderich, who was standing in the doorway.
"LILLI IS FUCKING BAWLING HER EYES OUT DOWNSTAIRS BECAUSE OF YOU! SHE CAN HEAR EVERYTHING HAPPENING UP HERE! HAVE YOU GUYS NOT ONCE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW SHE MIGHT FEEL DURING ALL OF THIS?! EVERY SINGLE FUCKING TIME THIS HAPPENS?!"
Everyone else stayed silent.
"I'll be going to Elizaveta's and bringing her with me, since you immature bastards can't seem to stop this." He said, walking back downstairs.
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"Lilli?"
Lilli looked up, tears still making her vision blurry. "Go pack. I'm taking you to Elizaveta's for the night." Roderich said, just slightly poking out from the hallway. Lilli nodded, getting up from her bed, where she was curled up into a little ball, sobbing earlier. She just wanted a normal family - One that wasn't fighting every single night. One where you wouldn't get hurt over a simple mistake. One where she had a mother to confide in.
In the meantime, Roderich went back upstairs. He could still hear fighting, because Gauthier just couldn't give less of a shit about his daughter at that moment. They never did have a good relationship, Lilli was completely overworked with chores from him, doing much more than her older brothers, while he didn't do a thing. She was underfed for her age, resulting in her being much smaller and skinnier than average. She was also very strictly monitored - Gauthier demanded to know almost all of her personal life. Much like her brothers, if she did even one thing out of order, she'd be hit, with some mistakes even resulting in a full-on beating.
... Yet, Gauthier still wondered why she was scared of her own father.
Lilli quickly packed their bag, only grabbing the first items she saw. This wasn't a rare occurrence - In fact, Lilli leaving the house for the night was quite frequent. Her eyes looked over at the time - It was roughly 11:00. Gauthier usually wasn't home till much later, but tonight was an exception. She knew she would probably have to go to sleep just after she arrived, since she had somewhere to be in the morning.
Roderich already had a few items over at her house, but still packed a few extra things he would need.
Although he tried to focus, the arguing upstairs was crystal clear.
"LOOK AT LUDWIG! HE'S OBEDIENT UNLIKE YOU FUCKERS!"
"HE'S 'OBEDIENT' BECAUSE HE'S ABSOLUTELY FUCKING TERRIFIED OF YOU!"
Roderich sighed, moving along.
Once both were done, they headed upstairs. Lilli kept her hands over her ears, desperately trying to block out the arguing. Lilli rushed straight for the front door, going to get her shoes and coat. Roderich headed towards the kitchen. He stomped his foot onto the ground, grabbing their attention. His stare shot daggers at them, not breaking eye contact. "Would any of you like to apologize to Lilli before we leave?" Silence remained for a few seconds, before Vash gulped and nodded, walking out of the kitchen.
Lilli was quickly getting her jacket on. It was July, but the nights were still sometimes cold. Vash walked up to Lilli, startling her. "Vash-" He cut her off, crouching down to her level. "I am so sorry, Lilli. I should have realized that you were downstairs and that you really don't like arguing-"
"I- It's okay, Vash. Are you hurt?" Lilli asked, worried. "I was only slapped, but Gilbert's got an absolute waterfall of blood coming out of his nose right now."
"Oh my!-" Vash sighed. "Still one of the less serious injuries."
Lilli steadied her breathing, trying not to think of some of those injuries - Not just some of the ones she'd gotten. Cuts weren't as common as bruises, but that didn't mean that they never happened. Gauthier always tended to use just his fist when it came to what he called 'Discipline' - Occasionally, if he was drunk enough, some kind of object would be used. Most commonly, an empty beer bottle.
Vash hugged Lilli. "You'll be home tomorrow, right?" Lilli nodded, her head on Vash's shoulder. He sighed, letting go of her as Roderich walked into the porch. "See you tomorrow, Lilli."
"See you, big brother." She responded, holding Roderich's hand and heading out the door.
Vash waved as they headed into the car, driving off. Ludwig had gotten an ice pack for Gilbert, while trying to stop his bleeding nose. Gauthier looked at the two, able to see them from the living room's entrance. He stood there in the living room, looking at it in all its mess.
Gauthier didn't feel like picking up drinking again this time. He just felt like going to sleep, only to repeat the cycle of violence tomorrow. He headed downstairs, a blank, remorseless expression on his face.
The other side of his bed had been empty for years. (Unless Romulus was over) It was always just him in that bed. Much like the house's other beds, it wasn't very comfy, but it was bearable.
Although he debated going up from the basement where everyone else slept to have a quick smoke to clam his nerves, he eventually abandoned the idea, sleep soon coming to him.
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