The Sad Brother
Svenne14
Summary:
Four weeks have passed since Daniel found out. Four weeks since... his dad died. It's all his fault. He knows it, he just doesn't say it. He's not much for talking anymore. What's even the point? He's in pain, he's suffering, and he... deserves it.
Chapter 1: Felipe The Freak, Daniel The Demon
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Willamette National Forest, four weeks after Seattle…
Daniel Diaz was sitting inside a tent. A tent, not outside, but inside, on the floor, in a room. His room. Or, the closest thing he had to a room these days. He was crying. He didn't know how long it's been, since he found out about their father. But it felt like months, years. He felt like a completely different person. Everything had changed that night… at the motel room.
Finding out about his father's death… was horrible. He felt… broken. It physically hurt, just thinking about it. Upon realizing that he had a… "Gift" as Sean would put it, he didn't even feel human anymore. Daniel Diaz felt like a freak, a monster, an abomination, he felt… cursed. The worst part was that… he deserved it. He knew he did. It was his fault. If he didn't slam the door open, upsetting Sean, he would never have got out, spilled the fake blood on Brett, meaning… dad would still…
He knows he shouldn't be sad. Not when he's only getting what he deserves.
After they had gotten off the bus, many weeks ago, Sean had told him. Everything he could remember. The fight with Brett, how Sean accidentally made Brett hit his spine on a rock. The police officer showing up, dad… a gunshot, and Daniel screaming. Sean had told him how he passed out, only to wake up to a dead cop and a neighborhood, looking like a small war zone. His big brother had tears in his eyes, telling him. Daniel became completely paralyzed. A cop, or anyone, dying that way?
It was him.
Daniel.
He killed the police officer.
It's his fault, they're on the run. Because of him, his brother goes through a living hell, being the center of a nationwide manhunt. Daniel deserves all the pain, all the sadness he's feeling right now. All of it. He sighed, not bothering to wipe the tears from his face. He grabs Mushroom, putting her in his lap. That dog was, probably the only thing that could cheer him up nowadays. He smiled a bit, looking at her, thinking back to… how they ended up here.
The first few days, after the motel, Daniel had just been following his brother. Walking aimlessly in the middle of nowhere, obviously without any kind of direction. Then, winter came. Winter's a bitch. Especially, if you're not dressed for it. Neither of them was. At least Sean could put his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. Daniel didn't have that luxury. Not even close. Everyone's been cold, at some point in their life. Fallen in the snow not wearing mittens, or when their father's late paying the bills for the hot water. Meaning everyone had to shower, bathe, and wash their hands, in ice-cold water. That was painful.
This was different. He knew that there's no warm, comfortable, cozy bed, waiting for him. Just more… pain. He lost track on how many days and night had gone, not that he was keeping count, to begin with. There's no point. He had that feeling more and more often. Things just feel… pointless. Always.
Eventually, after days of just wandering around to nowhere, they had literally stumbled upon an abandoned cabin. This cabin. Sean tried to open the front door, but it was locked. A huge storm was making Daniel desperate to get inside, at least it won't be any storms there. Daniel had asked Sean to open the back door, as a hint for his brother to "break the damn glass, so we can get in, bro." He was not prepared for Sean's answer.
"I think there's another way, Enano. Do you think you could use your… gift, to open that door? The lock isn't anything special, should break easy." What? Is he serious? Daniel at this point hadn't even tried using it since the motel room. Now, his big brother wants him to break open a door?
"I- I don't know, Sean… I- I'm not sure if I can…" It's not what he wanted to say. He wanted to say no. No, because he didn't want to do it. Not because it was wrong. They needed shelter, he was old enough to understand that. He just didn't want to do it… like that.
"Sure you can, man. Remember what you told me about… that night? When you saw the… television? You said you reached out with your hand and then… it just happened? You said… you could feel it, Enano." Daniel hates it when Sean gets all talkative like that. Daniel just wants to pretend like… it doesn't exist.
"I- I know Sean, but-"
"I think it's possible for you… to control this, Daniel. I've thought a lot about it, but I'll explain another day." Sean just smiled at him. The same you-can-do-it-i-believe-in-you smile, he always had.
"Fine…" He had opened the door, with ease that, surprised even himself. He wasn't sure how to feel. Part of him felt… proud, strong. However, the other, larger part of him, felt… used. Like the monster inside him was… growing. It made him afraid. Very afraid.
They had been here for maybe two-three weeks now. All alone, in the cabin.
"Yeah, that sounds about right, Mushroom. Sean's been… gone… three times before, so it can't be more than three weeks, am I right?" God, he's so glad Mushroom's here with him. Otherwise, he'll never be able to sit alone, with his dark thoughts, when Sean's on his supply runs. Once a week, he did it. Every time, more painful than the last. For both of them.
Daniel couldn't come with him on the first run, Sean had no clue about where they were and needed to find the safest way to town. Also, he didn't know how long it would take. That was the day. The day Daniel began feeling like he's nothing but a burden to his brother. What Sean said, it made no sense. Daniel's not going, because Sean might get lost. But if Sean gets lost… what happens to Daniel? Like anyone cared. Had this been in Seattle, Daniel would have been angry, screaming. Now, he doesn't scream. Not anymore. He rarely even feels… angry. Just sad, hurt. Broken.
He had cried, begging Sean, not to leave him alone. He's so terrified of the forest, especially when it's dark. But Sean had to. He had to go, and deep down, Daniel knew it. Daniel asked him if he could at least bring back a Chock-O-Crisp. Sean promised him, he would do so.
Eleven hours later, Sean returned.
He did not bring a Chock-O-Crisp for his little brother.
Eleven hours.
All alone.
During those eleven hours, Daniel never left his tent. Not a single time. He was too scared. He didn't leave the tent to eat, or drink, or keep the fire alive, meaning the cabin was ice-cold for hours. Daniel didn't even get up to go to the bathroom. Instead, he sat for hours in his own filth. Too scared to get up, and even if he wasn't, he's too ashamed at this point. He started to believe, Sean had left him…
When Sean came back, he had expected his brother to come running towards him, full of both anger and joy. Sean was angry at himself. The failure he was, leaving Daniel alone for so long. When he enters the house, he can immediately feel how cold it is. Freezing. No one coming to greet him, the fire's long dead. Quiet. Nothing. He found Daniel, still sitting inside his tent, crying, shaking of both fear and cold. Daniel didn't even acknowledge his existence. He ignored him for the rest of the night, actually. Something that Sean, to this day, still isn't sure if Daniel did on purpose, or if he was in a state of shock.
That night, after helping his brother… clean up, Sean had been sleeping right next to him, in the tent. They did that more and more now, especially when Daniel had had a rough day. It felt… safe. For both of them. The next morning, Sean had woken up, courtesy of Daniel punching him. Hard.
Right in the nuts.
"Don't EVER leave me like that again, Sean! Ever! You fucking asshole!" Sean couldn't be angry, although he wanted. He fucked up, and he knew it.
That was the first time. Now, Sean's on his fourth supply run. The results have been… mixed, to say the least. Daniel knows why. It's the same reason he wasn't allowed to go with him, to begin with.
Sean's stealing.
Sometimes, Daniel gets upset when Sean treats him like a five-year-old. He's a lot smarter than Sean gives him credit for. It's just… he doesn't have the energy to talk about it with his brother. All that energy he used to have, it always felt… too much, like it never could run out. Now, it's negative. More than out. He can't understand why. Is this what it means to be… sad? Is this what they call… depression? To never care about anything? Feeling like everything is pointless, or too difficult? It could be. Either way, Daniel doesn't like it.
Sean also promised, he would never lie to him again. Daniel knows he still lies. Probably more than ever before. About where, and how, he gets their food. Telling Daniel he's not going to take long when they both know, he will. But that's not the worst part. Far from it. Very far. Sean always tells him, that he's fine. Nothing's wrong with Sean, he's… fine. Strong. Invincible. Looking back, Daniel feels like an idiot for believing him. He had to admit though, it did make him feel… better. Knowing, that Sean could deal with it. If Sean could, maybe he could too?
Then, he heard him.
Daniel had woken up one night, and couldn't fall back to sleep. He decided to get up, stretch his legs a little. It helped him sometimes, during… bad nights. As he got up, he heard something, a low-pitched sound. From the bathroom. At first, he panicked, thinking someone, or something was inside the cabin. Then, he heard what it was, who it was.
"Please… dad…? Come back, I miss you, so fucking much. Help me, I- I can't do this… I can't take care of… him. Not on my own. I- I just can't." Sean's inside, whimpering words, filled with loneliness, despair, and… sorrow. His brother cried. Daniel's scared. So scared, he went back to bed. When he heard Sean come out, he got up again. They still didn't sleep in the same bed. He wanted to be there for Sean, comfort him as Sean does with him. His brother's not invincible, obviously.
"Sean… is- is everything alright…?" He asks, not really sure what to say. He puts his small hand on Sean's forehead. Sean just made him feel even more pathetic and small. He pretended Daniel woke him up, told him he's fine, and that's that. The next day, he denied everything, when Daniel asked.
That is just one of the many reasons he feels sad these days. He looks at the watch on his wrist. He wanted this so badly, he stole it from Sean's room. Things were… different, back then. It's been seven hours since Sean left. The sun's down, long ago. At least now, he was a little braver, or… less scared. During the day, he was outside, alone, by himself. As soon as it got dark, however, he entered the tent. Waiting, and thinking. Lots and lots of thinking.
About what he's become. How much he misses his dad. The changes in Sean's behavior, he used to be cool. Now, he's just… bossing me around. He thinks of all the pain he's caused and still causing, to the people he loves. Sean, dad, Lyla, Noah. But most of all, he thinks about his life. What it's become. Nothing to look forward to, nothing is even remotely fun anymore, nowhere feels… safe. He's always scared. Scared to wake up, and discover that Sean's left him there, to die. He wouldn't blame him at this point. It's the truth. Scared, of being captured, his… abilities, they scare the shit out of him. Strange as it may sound, he's not afraid of death. Right now, he would almost, not quite, but almost, welcome it. Just so he could… rest for a while. Not be a burden to anyone.
Daniel's pulled out of his deep, dark, thoughts. It's the door. Sean's back. He walks out to the kitchen to greet him.
"Hey, Enano. How you've been? Doing ok?" That smile. Ever since the night he heard Sean cry, his brother's completely changed. Or maybe, it's just Daniel, seeing him in a different light. Who knows? Sean's smile, something that always has been a source of comfort, approval, kindness, and safety to Daniel. It just looks like… a plastic smile. Like Sean's just putting it on, faking it, looking happy, just for the hell of it. Daniel knows his brother's not happy. He sees right through it. He might still be a kid, but kids tend to notice more than people think…
"It sucks, Sean. I- I don't like it… when you leave me… like this. I really don't." Daniel, on the other hand, isn't even trying to hide his sadness. No point.
"I know, Daniel. I hate it too. And I'm sorry. I really am. I… I wouldn't do it if there was any other way." Sean looks at him, his brother looks sad. Daniel wants to believe him, he does. But he feels trapped, in a web of lies, created by his older brother. Sometimes, he's not sure what to think, of anything.
"Whatever…" Daniel's not even angry. Just… disappointed, and hurt. Again.
"I know it sucks, man. But hey, I got you this!" Sean smiles, handing over an XL-sized bag of Chock-O-Crisp.
"Thanks, Sean…" He doesn't smile. Not even a little. Daniel just takes the bag, putting it inside his backpack. Chocolate couldn't fix what was wrong with him, nothing could. Besides, stolen chocolate, three weeks later? Well done, big brother. Well done. He just wants to lie down, and never get up again. Ever.
"Daniel, can you get in here for a second?" He can, sure. But he doesn't want to. It's got nothing to do with Sean, it's… him. Like always.
"Please, Enano. I want to… talk. It's… important." Few things, very few things could make Daniel smile these days. Being called "Enano" by his brother was one of them.
"Ok, Sean." Please, no more you're-not-a-freak talks. Please.
"Sit down, bro. Eat some food." Sean says, smiling widely. Somehow, Daniel's got no clue how, but that's probably for the best… Sean had brought back two pizzas. Daniel could not care any less if Sean stole it. He wouldn't have cared if Sean beat up a five-year-old, and took his money because if said money went to this, it's fucking worth it.
"S- Sean… I- I…" He was legitimately crying… over a pizza. Then again, he cried a lot now. Every day.
"We'll talk later, Enano. Now, let's eat." And eat they did. Daniel ate the entire pizza, using nothing but his bare hands. He was that hungry. He didn't care if a slice of pepperoni fell on the filthy floor of the cabin either. Not because Mushroom would eat. She tried, one time, two times… after seven attempts, the poor pup admitted defeat. Daniel was quicker, every time. For about twenty minutes, twenty, wonderful minutes, Daniel Diaz was able to forget about the misery that is his life. Just as soon as the pizza disappeared, however, the pain came back.
"Listen, Enano… I've been thinking…" Oh, yeah. He forgot about this. Daniel starts to wonder, it might not be a coincidence Sean had brought him pizza today. Great. Why can't he ever have… anything? Oh, right… because he deserves nothing…
"I've been thinking a lot about you, and your… abilities." Daniel doesn't like where this is going, but at least appreciates Sean not calling it a gift. Because it's not. More like… a curse.
"Ok…?" Sean's always so… awkward when he's trying to be serious. Daniel never understood why. He used to find it funny, laughing at his brother, stuttering his way through sentences. Now, he doesn't find anything fun. He doesn't even remember the meaning of the word… "Fun?"
"I- I know you're… uncomfortable, with it. Afraid of… what can happen…" Yeah, no shit, Sean. Figured that one out by yourself?
"… which is why I think it would be… good for you… if…" Sean's so nervous, he can barely speak. Daniel's even worse, his entire body's shaking. He won't like what he's about to hear. He just knows it.
"… if you were to…" Come on, Sean. Just say it. Daniel just wants it to be over, so he can go sit in a corner, away from the world, not hurting anyone, but himself. Not hurting anyone… that matters.
"… if you were to… train it, you know…" Oh… Daniel wasn't expecting to hear that. Actually, what was he expecting to hear? Train it. Train it? He's in deep in thought… for a long time. Sean's finding the silence extremely awkward, considering how sensitive of a topic this is to his younger brother. After staring at the floor for a good ten minutes, Daniel looks up at Sean. Daniel looks him right in his eyes, something he tends to avoid these days. Then, he answers.
"I uh- I think- I think I'll like that, Sean." He looks Sean in the eyes, smiling. A genuine smile. For the first time since… dad. Sean had seen him smile many times since then of course, but never at him. To be honest, it was kind of painful. Daniel's shocked by his brother's idea at first. When thinking about it, he knew Sean's right. No matter how much Daniel hated this… curse… that he had upon himself, he had to admit that, part of him, was curious about it too.
"Really? That's- that's great, Enano." Sean's now speaking with a lot more confidence.
"I- I need to, no, I want to, tell you something first, Daniel." Shit… there it is. Everything has a price, doesn't it?
"When we got here, to this… cabin. I told you… no… I made you break the lock, with your abilities. Even when I knew that you probably didn't want to. That was wrong of me, Daniel. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. We will train your… abilities, yes. But never, for a purpose like that, ok?" Sean's ashamed, deeply. That much was obvious, and he should be. But Daniel feels like he doesn't have the… right… to be upset. Not after the things he's done.
"It's- it's fine, Sean. I- I forgive you." The easy way out, tell him what he wants to hear. That way, he'll stop talking about it.
"Thank you, Daniel. Thank you. It won't happen again, I swear." Yeah… you swore a lot of things, didn't you?
"So… what do you mean with training, Sean?" Daniel asks. Partly to change the subject, but also because, he's a bit curious. Something he hasn't been in… a long time.
"Well, Daniel… you're just gonna have to see that for yourself… tomorrow." Sean says, and Daniel realizes he almost, almost, sounds like… Seattle-Sean. The brother Daniel had before… ruining his life. It made him sad. But hearing Sean's answer, made him feel something. Something he's been missing, for a long time.
Excitement.
"Awww, come on, Sean. Not cool…" Daniel pouts, still a bit confused, as to why he's excited about… something.
"Yeah, I know, I suck. But you'll see tomorrow. Now, off to bed, Enano. Big day tomorrow, especially for you."
"Can I- can I… sleep in your bed, Sean?" He doesn't know why, he just feels… safer. He feels like he needs that now.
"Of course, Daniel." The wolfbrothers went to bed, side-by-side. Sean, exhausted after walking through snow for seven hours, fell asleep within minutes, leaving Daniel alone. With his thoughts. For once, it wasn't the dark, self-loathing thoughts, that dominated his mind tonight. Instead, he thought about tomorrow. When doing so, he felt… good. Excited, happy. Well, not "happy" happy, but at least, less sad.
"Training…" He says to himself, quietly. Is it really a good idea? After what he… did? If he can control it, yes. If he… can't? Then what? He still remembers it, as it happened five minutes ago. Reaching out with his arm, towards the television, how it felt… he could feel every single object inside that room, feel every flickering light outside, what shape the lightbulbs had, how much dust they're covered in. He could feel everything. Daniel felt Sean, running into the room before the door had even opened. The only thing Daniel didn't feel, was control. And it scared him. More than anything else. It scared him more than any dark forest, or Hank Stamper, or any of the dozens of nightly horrors that wakes him up, screaming. That is his biggest fear.
"No, dude. Stop it. Tomorrow! Wait until tomorrow!" He tells himself to calm down. Then he turns towards his brother. Daniel carefully puts his hand on Sean's still, nasty-looking eyebrow. Still hasn't healed, and Sean refuses to let Daniel help him clean it. Sean twitches a bit in his sleep, causing Daniel to remove his hand.
"Thank you, big brother. For being there for me. I don't deserve it. Goodnight, Sean." He smiles. Then, Daniel Diaz falls asleep. For once, he would sleep the entire night, without nightmares. Which was good, because would be needing it for tomorrow. Why? Because tomorrow…
Tomorrow his training begins…
Notes:
Ok, this is more like an introduction to episode 2. We know how Daniel's mind is, which is, not good. Along with a few other things. Next chapter: Power training!
Chapter 2: A Trial By Ice, Blood & Ravioli
Summary:
It's finally time. Time to train his... abilities. He trusts his older brother to know what he's doing, but does he? Is this really a... good idea? Daniel's starting to doubt himself. Making room for more dark thoughts, and some unexpected results...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The next morning…
Daniel woke up early. Very early. He couldn't sleep. Not because he had nightmares, or was afraid. He couldn't sleep, because he was too excited. Daniel had no idea what his brother had planned for their… training. He's still lying in bed, next to Sean. The latter's sleeping and is unlikely to wake up for at least a couple of hours.
"Training…" Daniel whispers to himself. He looks at his hands. Part of him thinks this is the coolest thing in the world. A few months ago, he would have killed, to be able to do these… things. Now, he's actually killed someone… with… these… and it didn't feel good. Even if he thinks the officer deserves it, for taking his father away from him. He feels disgusted with himself, he's got blood on his hands. Not literally, but it's still there. He can feel it. Still, he is a kid. Even, if said kid is buried beneath a dark sea of depression. Sometimes, this means that curiosity can get the better of him…
"What… am I…?" A question asked, to no one in particular. Daniel stares up at the ceiling, looking for something, anything. That old ceiling fan would have to do… Daniel takes one last look at his brother, Sean's still sleeping. Then, he slowly reached out with his right arm. Terrified and curious, both at the same time.
"What am I even doing? I feel like an idiot…" He really felt stupid. Daniel's got no clue what to do here. When opening the door to the cabin, he had been exhausted, he barely remembered doing it. The other times, it just… happened. He plays around a bit. Tries pointing a finger, but nothing happens. He tries closing his fist, still nothing. Just staring, definitely nothing. It pisses him off. Not even when he wants to feed the monster, growing inside him, that he never wanted there, to begin with… not even then, things go the way he wants them to. It angers him. A lot.
"Why can't I ever do… ANYTHING?!" At first, he whispered. Then, he screamed. As Daniel screamed, he quickly moved the palm of his hand towards the ceiling fan. For a brief second, he could feel it. Everything. The strange… tickling sensation, going through his entire body. But he also felt the different parts of the ceiling fan. Electronics, wood, metal, dust… it was like his right hand actually touched it, even though it's way too high for him to reach. It felt… odd. A weird, almost euphoric type of feeling. Is this what… power, felt like? He didn't have time to think, because after about two seconds…
BANG!
"Ow! What the fuck?!" The ceiling fan semi-exploded, with the remains falling down… on Sean. Daniel had lost control… again. Of course. He can't do shit.
"Oh, no! Sean! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I- I was just… messing… around… trying stuff." He can't look Sean in the eyes. Daniel's ashamed. How could he be so stupid? What made him think, that he could handle this? Or anything, for that matter…
"Did you… try out your… abilities, Daniel?" Sean's quiet for a long time before asking him. He didn't seem… hurt, or even… upset.
"Y- y- yes, Sean. I'm sorry. It was stupid." Daniel's awaiting the inevitable lecture, but instead, he feels a hand on his shoulder.
"Enano. It's ok. I… Uhm…" Sean scratches the back of his neck, clearly about to say something he's not comfortable with.
"I know you… don't like it. When I just say that everything is fine, because it's… not." Wow… speaking the truth for once, bro. Plus one.
"I also know that you… you're not… doing too good. A lot of it, because of… what you can do. That's why I want you to train it, so you don't have to fear it anymore, Enano. So, shit like this…? Fucking around, breaking shit, because you're curious? It's fine, Daniel. Actually, I think it's fucking amazing! It… makes me really happy, man." Sean smiled, this time, it didn't feel fake. It felt like… Sean.
"So… you're not mad? Or… injured?" Daniel asks carefully. He's learned over the past month, that everything has a price.
"No, Daniel. Absolutely not." Daniel really believed him, for once.
"So, when are we gonna start training, Sean?" Daniel's temporarily forgotten all about his misery, only focused on the upcoming training.
"Come on, dude. It's like… five in the morning. That means, not yet." His brother's sounding a lot like the Sean he used to know… back home. Hearing this is only making Daniel in an even better mood.
"Dude, you don't know that. You don't even have a watch. But I do, right here!" Daniel proudly presents the old Power-Bear watch. The same one he wanted so badly, he sneaked into Sean's room and stole it. His brother was… not happy, but they made up. Daniel returned the watch, only for Sean to instantly letting him keep it. Like a brother should…
"Oooh, I don't think so, man… I mean, I did buy that for like, three bucks. It's definitely broken by now…" Sean's definitely being sarcastic now. Meaning he knows he's lost.
"So, it's eight in the morning. Shouldn't you be making me some breakfast, Sean?" Daniel giggled, he knew he's already won.
"Yeah, yeah… I accept my defeat… I guess." Sean pretends he's a sore loser. In reality, he's more than happy to get up. It's been a long time since Daniel's been like this.
"What do you want for breakfast, Enano?" Sean asks his brother, both of them, knowing the answer.
"Please not ravioli, please not ravioli, please not ravioli…" Daniel thinks, but he knows there's no point in doing so.
"You know there's only ravioli in here, right?" Damn. Two weeks ago, Sean brought back, as in stole, two hundred cans of ravioli. Two god-damn hundred! Daniel was never any good with math. But after doing some counting, he had come to the conclusion that if they kept this up, it would be ravioli-only. Three times a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for a total of four weeks. Daniel never liked it, to begin with. He's had enough after four days. Two more weeks of this? He'd rather eat those berries again.
"Yeah, I know…" Daniel sighed, doing his best to force the disgusting mess down his throat. He needs the energy today, he knew it. For once, he can't wait for something.
Immediately after finishing breakfast, the brothers went outside. Sean had wanted to bring Mushroom with them outside, so she could get some exercise, but Daniel refused. Mushroom had to stay inside… just in case… something happens. They went down to the small river, running down below. Sean had brought a couple of old cans. He put one of them on top of a rock, gesturing for Daniel to stand next to him.
"Ok, Daniel. This is it. See that can over there? I want you to try and… lift that… ok, man?" Sean's got no clue of what he's doing, Daniel can see it. How could he be so naive? So stupid? What the hell is he doing? What, and why…?
"I- I don't know Sean. I don't know… how…" Half-lie, a half-truth. He didn't know. But he was starting to get a better understanding of how… it… worked. It's just that, all that earlier excitement, the curiosity? All gone. Replaced, with fear, insecurity, self-loathing, guilt, and… a monster. A demon. A freak.
"Ok, then… how about we try this?" Sean walks behind a small bush, picking up a snowball. When the hell did he make that?
"Sean… what are you doing? I'm not in the mood, Sean. Seriously…" He wasn't. At all. Not even a little.
"Don't worry, Enano. Just a good old-fashioned snowball fight… brother against brother. Except that, you know, only I get to actually throw…" His brother reveals a smug smile. What the hell is this?
"No… I don't wanna. Can we just… go back inside, Sean? This was I bad idea." Once again, he wonders why he can't ever have anything good. Only to remind himself immediately that it's because he doesn't deserve to have anything good.
"What? You scared of a little snow, huh, Enano?" Sean's still got that playful tone in his voice.
"Please, Sean. I don't want a snowball in the face." He really doesn't. Not now.
"You won't let it hit you… right? Only one way… to find OUT!" Sean throws the snowball, which at this point, was more ice than snow, towards his little brother. His little, defenseless, nine-year-old brother.
Hitting him right on his nose, causing him to bleed instantly.
"Shit… I'm- I'm so sorry, Daniel. I- I didn't mean to-" Sean panics. Plan "A" failed miserably, so he moved on to plan "B", that being the snowballs. Now, Sean's got no problem with being called a cop-killer. Granted, he's innocent, but the asshole deserved it. However, child abuse? That's something completely different. Especially, if said child is his young, helpless brother, who's in desperate need of some support now. Fuck!
Sean's half-assed attempt to apologize is interrupted, however. He realizes two things. The first being that, he can't speak, and the second… he's completely unable to move. Anything. Anywhere. At all. He can't even move his tongue or his eyes. At least, he could still breathe. That's always something he guessed. Sean's gaze focused on one thing. Daniel. His younger brother stood there, head slightly tilted down, looking right at Sean. Blood was pouring from his nose, tears out of his eyes. It seems that plan "B" worked out after all. Still, this was a fucking scary sight. Literally impossible, to look away from.
Neither of them knew how much time passed. Minutes, hours, or days even? Daniel just stood there, bleeding from his nose, fists closed. Sean could… he could feel it. And he didn't fucking like it. Not one bit. It didn't hurt. But an invisible, all-mighty force… or power, holding him down. Making sure he can't move a single muscle. It's the worst thing he ever felt in his life. Sean would rather break his leg again than experience… this. Eventually, he could feel Daniel's grip… loosening. He could at least move his eyes around. Leaves, small rocks, twigs, all kinds of things were floating in the air around his brother. His brother… that seemed to be in a world of his own right now. At least, until Sean met his eyes again…
"I SAID NO!" Daniel screams, reaching out with his arm towards Sean as if he wanted to push him away. Sean instantly dropped to the ground. He could hear Daniel sobbing. It broke Sean's heart. Why did he fuck everything up? Then, Daniel screamed. A painful scream, like he was in physical pain. Like something was… broken inside him. Afterward, everything went dark for Sean.
At least for a few seconds.
When he finally managed to get the fuck out of there, Daniel didn't scream anymore. He didn't cry either.
He laughed.
Oh, how he laughed.
As he screamed, Daniel had, without intending to do so, caused a minor avalanche. Sort of. His powers had activated, making the snow on every tree nearby, fall down on the ground. The tree right next to Sean was very large. As in, really freaking huge. Sean had been buried, top to bottom, in snow. He crawled his way out, full of panic, thinking about how he has just broken his little brother. Only to dig his way out to Daniel, collapsed on the ground, laughing like he's never laughed before.
Sean couldn't be mad.
He just… couldn't.
"Oh my god, Sean! That- that was the best thing- that was the best thing I- I- I have ever seen!" Sean might be freezing his ass off, right now. But he felt a bit warmer on the inside, hearing his brother so… happy. If only for a moment. He takes his time, savoring it.
"I told you, Enano… I knew what I was doing." He laughed. Still, he had no fucking clue. At all. The whole training idea? He's not even sure if it's more for Daniel, or himself.
"Yeah yeah, you did, Sean." Daniel admits as he gets up.
"It still hurt like hell..." He wipes his still-bleeding nose, using his hand.
"I know, Daniel. I didn't mean to hurt you." Sean gets down on one knee and puts his hands on Daniel's shoulders.
"Daniel, I swear, I will NEVER, EVER, hurt you again." Sean's more serious than he was at the motel… that night. Daniel? Not so much. He's actually… starting to have… fun? Is this fun? Is he allowed, to have fun? Does he deserve, to have fun? For now, he decides to just say "fuck it".
"It's fine, Sean. I forgive you." If he was being honest, he had kind of forgot about it already.
"Thanks, man." Sean embraces his brother.
"… asshole…" Daniel whispers into Sean's ear, teasing him. He always loved messing with Sean whenever the latter's been feeling guilty about something. He never did anything big, obviously. It was just one of many, ways for one younger brother to bond with his older brother. The older, knowing fully well, that his smaller counterpart, wasn't upset anymore. The younger… suspecting it. Yet, both of them, playing along. This was one of those moments.
"Hey? What the hell, man? You said you forgave me, right?" That's the Sean he's been missing the most. Joker-Sean. Pretending like he's extremely serious. While simultaneously, speaking in such a dorky tone, it's impossible to not laugh. Times like these, are what Daniel Diaz lives for. Perhaps, even the only reason he's still… alive?
"I tooold you, Sean. Don' . . !" Daniel pokes Sean on the forehead, one time, for every word.
"Yeah… I- I think I've learned my lesson, Enano." Sean's look went a bit more serious.
"Oh…" Daniel's already feeling it. The downward spiral's beginning. Sean, however, quickly pulls him out.
"You did nothing wrong, Daniel. Nothing. You did… awesome, actually." The look on his face, a combination of shock, amazement, and… a bit of fear. This time, Daniel stopped paying attention after hearing the word "awesome."
"Do- do you really mean that, Sean? Really?" He looked at his older brother. Sad, hopeful eyes, begging for his approval.
"I would never lie about that. You were awesome, Enano, never… never let yourself believe otherwise, ok?" There it was. One of his favorite things about Seattle-Sean. The pat on the back, followed by Sean telling him "that's awesome, Enano." It almost made him feel… home.
"Thanks, Sean. It- it means a lot to me… hearing that." More than Sean could ever understand, probably.
"That's great, man. Listen… I think we should get back inside. We really should take a look at your nose, Enano." Oh, right. His nose. He forgot about that. It didn't really hurt any longer. Would it leave a bruise? Probably. But who cares? Not like anyone's going to see it. Time for… payback.
"Yeah? What if I don't… WANT TO?" He yelled, before taking a handful of snow, rubbing it in his brother's face. Then, he ran off, giggling as any kid should.
"Oh, you are just SO…" Sean stopped mid-sentence. He realized he almost said "so dead". Not… the best choice of words these days. He instantly could feel tears coming. But he forced them back.
"No, dude. Gotta hold it together. For him." He took a deep breath, inhaling.
"Ok, you little brat? Where are you, huh…?" For hours, the wolfbrothers ran in the forest, throwing snowball after snowball. Both of them, forgetting all the pain, all the misery, all there was now, was fun. Good old-fashioned… fun. Daniel swore he would get even with Sean, giving him a bloody nose in return. He never genuinely tried to do so, simply because, he didn't want to. Sean, in turn, swore to bury Daniel under a massive pile of snow. Or at the very least, rub some snow in his face. He did neither. He didn't want to.
Instead, they ran around, screaming and laughing. Throwing poorly aimed snowballs at each other, pretending to be upset as they purposely missed their mark. Daniel, aware of the fact that Sean, would never bury him in a pile of snow, or rub it in his face. Sean, aware that Daniel, would never want to make him bleed. Both brothers, knowing, his own bluff's been called. Yet, both pretending like it hasn't. Solely for the purpose of messing around in the snow, because they needed to have a bit of fun. That is what real brothers are like.
When it began getting dark, Sean calls for his brother.
"Enano? It's getting dark soon. We should go inside, get something to eat." Ravioli… yay.
"Ok, Sean." Daniel's coming out behind a tree. Sweating like a pig, after running around for hours. Today was a good day. Or was it? His tone completely changed, as Sean told him it's time to go inside.
"Come on, man. You need some food after all this running around." Daniel doesn't answer. What the hell? The past hours, he's only laughed, nothing else. Where's this coming from? Sean decides to ask after they get inside. He turns around and begins walking towards the cabin.
Right before entering, he notices Daniel's not with him. He's panicking, for about a millisecond, then he sees him. Standing there. Where they began. This morning. Sean walks down to talk to him.
"Is everything alright, buddy? Stupid, stupid, stupid! Sean knows it's not alright, still, he never fucking learns. Daniel just sighed.
"I couldn't do it, Sean. I couldn't, but… I- I think I… want to." Daniel's not looking at Sean, instead, staring at the empty can Sean put on the rock, this morning.
"I know you do, and… I think that's… great. We can train some more tomorrow, Enano. Right now, we have to get inside." Sean's cold, and hungry, and really god-damn tired. The things he does for his brother sometimes.
"No, Sean. I want to do it. Now!" Sean hasn't seen his face yet. But he's known Daniel long enough to recognize that tone in his voice. He dreads it. He dreads it because it means Daniel's made up his mind. If his little brother's made up his mind, no one can fucking change it. Not even… dad. Shit.
"Ok, Daniel. Give it a shot. Concentrate…" Sean's words are well-meant, but his voice just isn't feeling it. He just sounds bored. Daniel reaches out, right palm towards the can. Nothing. Another sigh.
"Aw… it's like… I can feel it, Sean, the can. I'm so close! I know I am!" This time, all that excitement was back in his younger brother. Seeing it, made Sean lighten up. He stands behind Daniel, setting his hands on his brother's shoulders, whispering in his ear.
"Try again. You can do it, I know you can. Wanna know why? Because you're Daniel fucking Diaz, and I believe in you, Enano. I always have." Daniel feels a lone tear, making its way down, across his face. He ignores it, taking a deep breath.
"Focus…" Sean whispers. Then, he hears a sound, a strange sound. Not even remotely close to anything he's ever heard before. Sean looks around, trying to locate whatever source is making the said sound. Still keeping his hands on his brother's shoulders, not wanting to disturb him.
"HOLY SHIT! SEAN! LOOK!" Sean looked. And looked. And looked. Every time he did, it was still real. The empty can was floating in the air, while Daniel's holding his arm out towards it. He actually can control it? Holy shit!
"Holy… what the fu… I don't even… wow." Ultimately, he settled on "wow." In a way, less was more, this time. Daniel drops the can to the ground. Running into Sean's arms.
"I- I did it, Sean… I- I fucking did it." He cried. But it was happy tears. He felt like he… accomplished something. Like he just reached a major milestone in his short life.
"You damn right, you did, Daniel!" Sean hesitated, for just one second. He's not entirely comfortable with his brother swearing. But he doesn't want to ruin the moment. Besides, Daniel needs this. So badly.
They finish their embrace, Daniel, now having learned what to do, and how to do so, picks up the can over and over again. Sometimes, just to let it fall to the ground, or trying, and failing, to move it towards the cabin. At one point, Sean walked right out, slapping the can with his palm, wanting to see if it would fall, which it did not. Daniel just laughed at him.
Daniel would be thinking about this day many times, in his future. It was the first day, since dad died, that he actually enjoyed himself. He had fun, he laughed. Most important, he didn't care if he deserved having fun, or not. He knew that he didn't deserve it. But today, he just chose to ignore those thoughts. And even when they came back after he went to bed, ten times worse, one thing was certain. Today, wasn't a good day.
Today was fucking awesome!
Notes:
I just really felt that I needed to give Daniel a little break, just a little bit. He deserves it. I also feel like Sean must have had a hard time figuring out what to actually do, in order to train it. He didn't even know what "it" was, at the time. Daniel's curiosity, in the beginning, is his "normal" self, Seattle-Daniel, appearing. The side he's buried, deep inside.
Daniel laughing, after burying Sean, is him letting go, for a while. Letting go of all the darkness he's stuck in, and just... laughing.
Anyway, here's the thing: Tomorrow, I'm going back to work, after a month of vacation (sucks). This means I won't have as much time to devote to writing as I would want. However, I will post new chapters, just not every single day. I'm just getting started on this fic...
Chapter 3: The Killer & The Captain
Summary:
It's been a good few weeks. Daniel trains his powers every day. It makes him feel... strong, powerful, more confident. Sadly, he never learns, he's not meant to have good things in life. Or, is he...?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The last couple of weeks had actually been… good. Daniel had been training his "powers" as they now called them, with Sean every day. It did wonders for both of them. Daniel became less and less afraid of himself. Sean's happier and happier, seeing his brother just being a kid again. He was making progress too. A lot of progress. Fast. Perhaps, too fast… Sean knew, his brother would sometimes lose control of his powers. Not on the same scale as in Seattle, of course, but he knew. One loud bang here, one small tree on the ground there… Daniel was playing around with something dangerous. Far more dangerous, than any of them could imagine.
He knew he should find a way to help him control it, anything else would be stupid. Sean just… can't. He doesn't know how to control it. Who the fuck does? But that's not the real reason. The real reason is that he doesn't have the heart to tell Daniel to stop messing around. The kid's finally starting to, sort of, act like himself again. He doesn't want to ruin that. These… powers, as much pain as they caused his brother, are now a huge comfort for him.
And they were. That's the truth. Daniel felt safer. He felt… stronger, powerful. Gone was the child, sitting for eleven hours, in a room with a tent, covered in his own filth, because he was too scared to get out of the tent alone. That version of Daniel is gone. Replaced, by a completely new, more confident Daniel Diaz. Sean thinks it's great, seeing his brother's feeling better. But he doesn't know what's happening inside of Daniel's mind. More often than not, Daniel doesn't even know it himself anymore.
He still felt… different. Sometimes, like a freak. A monster… a demon. But he's actually starting to, strangely, like it out here. But he should have known better… he said it himself, "everything has a price."
It seemed so harmless at first…
"You ok, Enano?" Daniel's out of breath, again. His throat hurts, just a little… nothing bad.
"Yeah, Sean. I'm fine. It's nothing." The same night, he started coughing. Nothing huge, just a… cough. He didn't even wake Sean up. During the following days, Daniel could feel himself slowly getting worse. But he did everything he could, to hide it from Sean. He just didn't want to be a burden to his brother. Or, a bigger burden than he already was. When Sean had found out, he just returned from another supply run. He called out his little brother's name, receiving no answer. After looking, he found Daniel, passed out, pale as a ghost.
After regaining consciousness, Daniel told Sean. He told him how he's been hiding the fact that he's sick. Sean's furious and terrified at the same time. That night, Daniel's cough was bad. Horrible. Neither of them slept anything. Daniel, due to being sick. Sean, worrying about his brother and thinking… a lot. He made a decision that night. This was the only option they had. Daniel needs medicine. Now.
Early December…
Sean seems… off, today. At least, that's what Daniel thinks at this moment. His big brother's never really been great at hiding his anxiety. Daniel, however, is too tired to ask. He feels more tired, every day. Everything hurts.
"Daniel, we… need to talk. Come here, sit down." No. He's done something wrong, as he always does.
"Ok, Sean." Daniel's sounding mildly amused, preparing himself for a lecture. Why does Sean have a map laid out on the table? Weird…
"I- uh- I think… it's about time, we hit the road again." No. Please, NO! He was just starting to like it here. Now, they have to leave? Please… don't.
"W- what…? Why, Sean?" Daniel did not expect to hear that.
"Daniel, you're not getting any better. You need… medicine." Fuck! Like everything else going to hell in their lives, it does so, because of him. And him only. Daniel the demon. He truly is cursed. Tears are slowly making their way down his face.
"It's- it's my fault? Again…?" Why did he even ask? He knows the truth.
"No, Daniel. It's not your fault. It's… out of anyone's control, Enano." Sean tries, and fails, at convincing him.
"Come on, Enano. I haven't even told you… where we're going." Sean's got that look again. Daniel can't help but get a little curious, even if he's sad.
"Where are w- we going, Sean?" He asks, holding back a cough. Sean looks at the floor as if in deep shame, sighing.
"To Beaver Creek, Daniel. To grandma and grandpa." Sean's voice is low, filled with shame.
"What? But- but you told me- you told me grandma and grandpa were dead, Sean?" He did tell Daniel that. Not exactly his proudest moment in life, but he was bitter, he still is.
"I know. I was… angry. Fuck, I still am. I'm sorry, Daniel." Daniel's not quite sure how to feel here. He just found out his grandparents are alive, and that his brother lied to him.
"Are- are they… good, Sean?" He doesn't know why he asked it. Maybe, he just wanted to confirm that he's going to a nice, loving grandma. The type who makes cookies and stuff. He would really like it, having a grandma like that…
"Yeah, Daniel. They're good people. A bit… special, but good." He tried not to think about what that could mean.
"So, Enano… how about we do something fun for our last night here? Maybe, a few rounds of dice?" Daniel might be excited about seeing his grandparents, but he's still pissed. Pissed that they have to leave. Because of… him.
"No, Sean. I'm just gonna… go to bed. Goodnight." Daniel slept alone in the tent that night. He knew that he wasn't being fair to Sean. His brother was only trying to cheer him up. But he just can't help it sometimes. Daniel fell asleep, angry, sad, hurt, and sick. He believed he would wake up to a two-day walk, which is bad enough on its own. He had no idea, just how wrong he was. Not a clue. When looking at Daniel Diaz, sleeping, one would see a normal, albeit dirty, nine-year-old boy. Seemingly innocent, someone that, would never hurt a fly.
On the inside, however, things were different. His powers were stronger than ever before. With them, also his trauma. Creating a lethal combination, that could explode, at any given time. And the time was close. Because the freak inside him? The demon? The monster? It was awakened in Seattle. Since then, it's been lurking in the shadows. Now, the beast is hungry.
For blood.
Next morning…
Daniel sighed, packing his bag, with the few belongings he had. This sucked. This really sucked. Why did he have to get sick?
"Enano? How are you doing?" Sean's happy of course.
"Yeah, at least you're happy, Sean. You get to meet your grandparents again. I've… never even met them before. They… probably never heard of me…" It's what he would want to say, but he doesn't. No point.
"It… sucks, Sean. I hate it." Sean comes to his brother's aid.
"Hang on…" Sean helps him pack, then, he gives Daniel the look. The time-for-a-serious-talk look.
"Listen, Daniel… I know-"
"Wait, Sean. Move." Sean moves, allowing Daniel to open the door with his powers, letting out Mushroom.
"Ok, Sean. Now you can talk." Not that Daniel really wants him to…
"I know you don't want to leave. And I know that you love to use your… powers. You've been doing it a lot lately, Enano. I hate doing this to you, but when we get to Beaver Creek… you CAN NOT, under any circumstances, use your powers. I'm… sorry. You know I am." Deep down, Daniel knew it was the smart thing to do. But he felt so hurt, just hearing it. Still, he didn't show it. Instead, simply nodded, like everything was fine. In reality, it felt like his big brother had just put a dagger through his heart.
"Good. I'm counting on you, Enano. Hey, where did Mushroom go…?" Sean's looking around, already forgotten that Daniel let her out, like one minute ago.
"She's just out, Sean. I'm gonna go get her. Then… we can go, I guess." Daniel sighed heavily, walking outside.
"Muuushrom?! Where aaaare you?!" Daniel's not really thinking about how he doesn't hear her barking, or running. He just walks around, playfully calling out after her. Then, he freezes. He stops breathing. His heart stops beating, and yet, his pulse is ten times higher than average.
Blood.
He had recognized Mushroom's footprints and followed them. Only to realize, they ended in a pool of blood, followed by another set of footprints. From a different, much larger animal. He knows he shouldn't follow, he should… he should go back. Get Sean. He can help. But then, maybe it's too late? Too many thoughts at once. Daniel's running after the trail already. He goes under a fallen tree, and… something's on the ground. Something red. It was Mushroom's red bandana, covered in blood. Daniel, however, barely registered it was there. He… heard something. He heard Mushroom barking, followed by the sound of bones crunching, and limbs being torn apart.
No.
NO!
He was too late.
He fucked up. Again.
The nine-year-old now stands, face-to-face, with a fully-grown cougar. A cougar, prepared to defend its most recent prey, even if it means taking a new one. The most recent prey was Mushroom.
Daniel couldn't breathe. He began hyperventilating, more and more. And still, he was suffocating. Unable to take his eyes of poor Mushroom's mangled corpse. Daniel felt so small. So very, very small. That dog, at times, had been his only friend in the entire world. The one that didn't see him as a freak. Just a… friend, just… Daniel. Daniel can feel the tears, like a flood. He doesn't care. He's scared, but he doesn't care, he's not afraid of… death.
"Daniel… do NOT move-" SEAN! He's still got Sean. Sean cares about him, and he cares about Sean. Suddenly, Daniel doesn't feel very small anymore. He's not even… scared anymore. Instead, something else begins to show.
Anger.
The beast has awakened.
And it is fucking starving!
His blood is boiling. Anger, rage, sorrow. He knows he deserves it, but right now, he doesn't give a fuck! Why did it have to be Mushroom? His only friend? He stares the cougar down, as Sean carefully tries grabbing his hand.
"It KILLED her! She- she was my FRIEND!" Daniel's words, full of pain and anger. He instantly slaps his brother's hand away. Sean tries again. That, as it turned out, would be a BIG mistake.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Daniel once again shoved his big brother away. Then, turning towards the cougar.
"You…" One, short, and simple word. Yet, anyone hearing it spoken would have heard how much suffering there was behind them. Daniel reached out with his powers, quickly lifting the cougar. It seemed… confused. Like it had no idea how to react.
"Daniel! No, don't-" But it was too late.
He was in a world of his own, fueled by a beast. Daniel reached out with his powers. He literally pulverized, both the neck and the entire spine of the creature. The sound was… not of this world. Then, Daniel slowly crushes the skull of the now-dead cougar. The blood is… fucking everywhere. Afterward, he dumps it, on the ground. An unrecognizable, bloody mess. Then, he just… stands there, silent.
Then, he realized what just happened.
"Oh, no. Oh, no. Shit. No, please-" He couldn't comprehend his own actions. He threw up, collapsing on the ground.
"Fuck… Daniel? Are- are you hurt? What- what the fuck was that?" Sean's in shock. This isn't good. At all. This is bad. Really fucking bad.
"It- it just… happened. What- what's wrong with me, Sean?" Sean can tell that his brother's sorry. The kid's been through a lot of… shit. But, does that justify… that? Is there… something wrong with him?
"It's- it's ok, Enano. You just… wanted to… protect us, that's all." Sean looks towards the slaughtered cougar, not sure if he even believed it himself. Whatever the fuck this was, he would have to keep a very close eye on his brother, from now on. Nobody can ever know about his power. Never.
They buried Mushroom down by the river. Or, what was left of her. Daniel couldn't watch, as Sean filled her grave with dirt. When Sean's done, he went looking for his brother, to tell him, he could say… goodbye. Fuck. Sean never cried when Daniel saw it, at least he thought so. This was a rare time, when both brothers cried, alongside each other. Daniel said goodbye, thanking Mushroom for all the memories, promising, never to forget her. Sean, thanking her for being there for his little brother, when he needed it the most.
Then, Daniel had told him, he was sorry. Sorry for killing the cougar. Sean being… Sean had said it's fine, but he did have that one thought in the back of his head. Not a pleasant one, but it's there, no denying it.
"What the fuck happened to my sweet little Enano? What happened to the Daniel that stopped me from kicking Hank Stamper's ass, saying it would make me just as bad as him? Why did my sweet little brother, turn into… this?" No. Sean doesn't like it. But it's there.
Daniel sat alone, for hours on Mushrooms grave. Crying. He wanted some time alone there, he had told Sean. It fucking hurt, in so many horrible ways. It just wasn't fair. He doesn't deserve all this shit. Eventually, he can see his brother getting up. Sean can notice how Daniel takes something out of his pocket, putting it on the grave. He admits it, he's curious. But whatever that was, it's between Daniel and… someone on the other side, close to Daniel.
"Ok, Daniel. Are you ready?" No answer. He just nods, looking down at the ground. Shame, sadness, deep in mourning.
"Ok. Then, let's go. Let's go to Beaver Creek." Sean spoke as if they would be there today. Both of them knew it was at least two days of non-stop walking. Great. Just… great.
Five days later…
It didn't take three days, why would it? Why would anything, ever, go smoothly? Daniel doesn't even know why he's still asking himself that question. He knows why. Because of him. It's the truth. It should have taken them two days, getting here. But Daniel's cold got worse. They had to rest a lot, and Sean had to carry him for two whole days. But eventually, they made it. His brother has come to a stop at a mailbox that reads "Reynolds".
"Well, we made it Daniel." Sean sounds… nervous again.
"When- when was the last time you… were here, Sean?" Daniel's always wanted to know more about his extended family and his… mother. Sean's never really… liked, talking about it. He actually hates it.
"I don't think you were born yet, Enano. It's… a long time ago." He- did he almost… cry?
"Well… aren't we gonna like… ring the doorbell?" Daniel's freezing. He tries to snap Sean out of it.
"Yeah, yeah… come on." As they're closing in on the house, Daniel realizes how massive it is. At least, three times the size of their house in Seattle… back home. It looks… really nice too. Sean rings the doorbell. Then, instantly turns to Daniel.
"Hang on, let me check you out. Claire likes everything… super-clean. She got pissed at me once for bringing a snowball into the house." Daniel's mind becomes split. His first thought being that, a grandmother like that, doesn't sound fun. At all. Still, he settles for his second thought.
"Sean…" He looks at his big brother, wondering.
"Yeah, Daniel?"
"Is Claire… my grandma?" He actually never knew his grandparent's first names. Sean told him, years ago, that they were dead, and his father never spoke about them. Now, however, Sean just smiles.
"Yes, Enano. Claire is your grandma. And Stephen's your grandpa." The brothers look at each other, having a moment of calm for a few seconds. They're interrupted, however, by the front door opens. Sean's been scared shitless for this very moment. Face-to-face with grandma Claire, someone he was terrified of as a child. Obviously, he's somewhat shocked by the fact that the person opening the door, isn't Claire. Nor Stephen.
But a blonde-haired boy, about Daniel's age.
Who the hell's this kid? Sean could have sworn, the mailbox had the name "Reynolds" on it.
"Hi, can I help you?" The blonde boy said to Sean, sounding way more excited than he has any right to be.
"Chris, I told you! Don't open the door at this hour-" Sean recognized the voice, preparing himself. Then he saw her, and she saw him. Claire Reynolds froze on the spot. Not moving.
"Hello… grandma…" Sean can't even look her in the eyes. Daniel always knew their relationship had been… complicated, at best. But he can see that his big brother's about to freak out. Someone needs to do something. Daniel fakes a coughing-fit, snapping Claire out of it.
"Ok, inside! Both of you!" Daniel didn't like how she sounded. Not very… nice.
"Come on, Enano. Let's go inside." Sean's shaking. Out of cold, or fear, Daniel doesn't know. Claire was staring them down, as they took off their coats. Both of them are dirty, smelly, and just not a good fit for this house in general. She gestures for Sean to sit down at the kitchen table, Daniel immediately follows, only to have his mountain of a grandmother standing in his way.
"Chris, why don't you take…" She looked at Daniel, almost like she's about to cry.
"Why don't you take… Daniel up to your room, ok? I need to speak with Sean. Alone." Daniel could see the fear in his brother's eyes. Before he knew it, the door's closed, leaving him alone with… whoever this kid is.
"Hi, Daniel! I'm Chris. Come on, follow me upstairs." Ok, the kid's name is Chris. Progress. Chris runs up the stairs, lightning-fast. Daniel, however, walks. Slowly. He's completely exhausted, having walked non-stop for days. But, that's not the reason he's lagging behind. The reason is, he just doesn't have that drive anymore. That energy, that makes him feel like pushing forward. He's starting to feel like, the last part of his childhood, died with Mushroom.
Eventually, he catches up and follows Chris to his room.
"So, this is my room. Make yourself at home… I guess." Daniel doesn't notice how Chris keeps staring at his own feet, every time he mentions his room. Instead, Daniel just walks to a corner and sits down on the floor. He could admit it. Chris did have a bunch of cool stuff. He really did. But… all this… just feels like a past life to him.
"So… Daniel, right?" Great. Time for awkward small talk. Chris sits down opposite him.
"Do you like superheroes?" He used to. Then, he became… a monster. Oh, how he envies this "Chris" character. He wasn't planning on talking really, but, curiosity…
"Who… who are you, really? Do- do you live here? With my grandparents?" Maybe they just… replaced him and Sean? Either way, Daniel could see that he struck a nerve. Chris looked down, nervously scratching at the back of his head.
"No. No- I- I don't live here. I live in the house next door. It's just… I have to stay here sometimes, for a few nights. My dad can get… very… sick." Chris let his fingers touch a couple of stitches on his forehead. Then, when realizing it, immediately pulling his hand back. Daniel didn't see it. He just sat there, thinking, at least this kid's got a dad. I don't. Chris must have a perfect life. A dad, a loving mom, although in a different town perhaps… yeah. He had it all.
"I'm sorry, Daniel. I know I probably shouldn't… have said that." What? Does he- does he… know? About dad? About him and Sean? They really have been cut off from the world.
"Do you mean… you… you know? About my… dad?" It wasn't an easy question to ask. Apparently, Chris was having trouble, answering it. Almost like… he's lost someone too?
"Yeah, I do. Everyone knows, Daniel. It's all over the news. They're looking for you guys. People- people saying you're freaks… monsters." Daniel freezes. There it was. "Wanted: Daniel Felipe Diaz: a.k.a. Freak, Monster, Demon." He can't take it.
"No…" One silent whimper. Then, he buries his face in his palms, sobbing. Freak, monster… that's him.
"Daniel, I'm- I'm so sorry. I- I didn't mean to…" Daniel can feel an arm around his shoulder. Chris had moved, sitting right next to him. They sat like that, for a long, long time. It felt… good, having someone his own age, comforting him. After a while, Chris is the one to break the silence.
"I- I didn't say anything… stupid, did I?" No, he didn't. He hasn't known Daniel long enough… to know the truth.
"No. Why- why do you ask?" Daniel's not even sure why he wants to know.
"It's just- my dad says… I can do stupid things, sometimes. He… says that a lot… when he's sick." Sounds… weird?
"So, why don't you just live with your mom, Chris?" Two seconds of complete silence. Then, it was Chris's turn. He broke down, crying, a complete wreck. Daniel understood instantly. He fucked up. AGAIN! His mom's dead.
"Shit, Chris! Sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" No answer. Shit. Daniel's got no clue of what to do here. Or if he even… cares. He leans backward, mumbling curses to himself.
"Damn it! Why can't I ever do anything right? I'm a monster… deserving of… nothing." He didn't think Chris would hear him. He was wrong. Chris instantly snapped out of his crying spell.
"Daniel? What- what are you saying?" SHIT!
"I- uh… I don't…" How does one explain this…?
"Is that how you… see yourself?" Chris almost looks shocked, just asking the question. There's no point denying it anymore.
"It's true, Chris. I am a monster… a freak, a demon… an abomination. A failure." These had been the thoughts inside his head for the past month or so. But it was the first time, he had said it out loud. Sure, he said one or two things to Sean. But never everything. To Chris, he said everything. It just felt… good. Safe.
"Why would you say that? There is nothing wrong with you, Daniel? What could possibly make you so different, compared to me, or any other kid our age?" Well, there's the telekinesis. Oh, and he's killed a police officer and slaughtered a cougar.
"I- I… can't… tell you, Chris. I'm sorry." He avoids Chris's face. Daniel wants to tell him. Show him. But he can't. Every time he does, something bad always happens. He… doesn't want Chris to get hurt.
"You can't tell me, because you don't have any proof, Daniel. It's all in your head. But, sometimes you need to be strong. Like- like a superhero, with- with awesome powers. That way, you can overcome everything. Just like Captain Spirit!" Who? Daniel knew his superheroes, but he's never heard of anyone called "Captain Spirit". Exactly how long were they in that cabin, really?
"Who- who's Captain Spirit?" Chris's entire face turns red. Like he's embarrassed. His voice, however, is full of confidence.
"Captain Spirit is… a protector of the weak. Leader of the Spirit Squad, and the greatest superhero of all time." Daniel wished he had that kind of confidence. Or, any confidence, for that matter. The way Chris speaks actually manages to catch Daniel's attention. Making him forget his troubles, for a few seconds.
"Can I let you in on a super-secret, Daniel?" He also wishes, he could be that happy again. He knows he used to be.
"Sure, I guess." He tries to sound more… excited. But it's just not there.
"The protector of the weak, leader of the Spirit Squad, and the worst fear of every super-villain? It's me. I'm Captain Spirit, Daniel." Part of him is slightly excited, actually. Still, he already figured it out himself… kind of. He doesn't feel like a kid anymore. He wished he did. So much. Daniel doesn't feel like a kid, but not like an adult, either. Just… lost.
"Then, I guess we can't be friends, Chris." Why the fuck did he just say that? Stupid! Stupid!
"Why is that, Daniel?" Chris chuckles a bit.
"If you… Captain Spirit, is the worst enemy of every super-villain, then… that includes… me."
"Ok, now you're just being silly, Daniel. Why would you be a super-villain? Or, a villain at all? You're not a bad person, Daniel. Besides, you're even shorter and skinnier than I am. You couldn't be mean to someone if you tried to." That last part got a smile out of Daniel. Apparently, that was the final push he needed.
"Chris…?" Sean said no, but, Sean's not here now.
"Yeah?" Chris looks at him, definitely noticing the change in Daniel's tone. More… confident.
"Can you… keep a secret too?" Please say yes. He wants someone, needs someone to talk to, someone that isn't his brother.
"Sure, Daniel. Anything. I won't tell anyone." Ok, this is it. Daniel gets up, making sure the door's locked, and pulls down the curtains. Chris, sits still, on the floor, more confused every second.
"Uh- can I- can I just… borrow this, for a minute?" Daniel picked up a Power Bear toy. He needed something to use, during his… demonstration.
"Yeah, sure." Chris's even more confused. Daniel sits down opposite Chris, placing the toy between them, on the floor.
"Chris. You can't tell anyone, ok? And, please don't… panic." Daniel quickly wiped away a small tear. Not now. Focus!
"Ok, Daniel. I understand." He did not. They both knew it. Either way, it was showtime.
Daniel slowly reached out his hand. This was the first time, since the cougar, he used his powers. He didn't like it. But it was too late to back out. He focused on the small Power Bear toy in front of him, with ease, he makes it levitate in front of Chris's face. He expected Chris to panic, call him a freak, a monster, then run for his life. Chris did neither.
He just sat there, mouth wide open, staring. Amazed. Like he couldn't believe his own eyes. Eventually, he snapped out of it and started poking on the still-flying toy, checking if it would fall. It made Daniel feel… something, he didn't quite know what, just that it was good. It made him feel good, watching Chris's reaction. He wasn't scared. It made Daniel want to… tease him a bit. Both of them, caught up in the moment, Daniel raising the toy, up and down, in the air. Chris trying and failing, to catch it. Daniel's exhaustion catches up with him eventually, causing him to, accidentally, throw the Power Bear, right in the face of Chris, knocking him to the floor. Shit. Did he ruin it again? Is- shit, is he crying?
"Chris… are- are you… ok?" He can't see his face. He really screwed up now. All those negative emotions, however, immediately disappears when Chris rolls on his back. Daniel hasn't seen a smile that wide since… forever. And he laughed. He laughed. Then he got up, and, in an attempt to tell the still-scared-shitless Daniel Diaz, shook his hand. When Daniel didn't react, Chris hugged him. Daniel did not exactly expect that. He didn't mind it. Actually, just the opposite. This time, it just came out of nowhere, causing him to stumble, and lose his balance. He fell flat on the floor like a dumbass, and at the last second, grabbed Chris by his wrist, pulling him down with him. Both of them, went down like idiots, right next to each other, on the floor. Daniel felt incredibly embarrassed until he met Chris's eyes. He knew, there's only one thing to do here. Just one thing, that makes sense. So he did it. Chris did the same.
They laughed.
Laughed until they were out of breath. Laughed until all of Daniel's problems just… disappeared. It felt great. He hasn't felt like that in a very long time. When they've emptied themselves of all the laughter, all the giggles, they were just lying there. On the floor. They haven't known each other for more than a few hours, but it feels like they've been best friends for a decade. Daniel realizes the fact, that he's made a friend. A friend. A friend. As he contemplates the actual meaning of that, and the meaning of what he just showed his friend, there's a knock on the door. It's Claire and Sean… holy shit, he looks horrible.
"I got some great news, Enano. We can stay here… for now." They could stay here? A real house? Electricity, running water, heat, real food? All that was great. To Daniel, one thing, felt like it mattered more. He actually had a friend here. A real friend, someone who didn't lie to him all the time.
"Really? That's great, Sean? Thank you, grandma! Thank you, grandpa!" Daniel feels like he's about to cry. But not in a bad way, he feels… safe… here. He runs towards his grandmother, and the unknown, but kind-looking man, he assumes to be his grandfather, hugging them both. He's got grandparents now. He can see Sean in the corner of his eyes, wiping a few tears off his face, thinking his little brother doesn't notice.
"Oh my… well, you must be hungry? Let me fix you boys something to eat." Daniel wasn't hungry anymore. He just wanted to sleep. In a warm bed, in a warm room, with clean sheets, a real pillow… yeah, that's what he wants now.
"Actually… I kinda just… want to go to sleep, grandma." He's about to fall asleep right where he's standing.
"Oh, well then, let me just prepare the guestroom, Daniel." Daniel looks towards Chris, the latter smiling at him.
"I- uh… I was wondering… can I sleep in Chris's room?" He just made a friend. He's got someone to talk to, for the first time since… before. Daniel wants to enjoy every second of it.
"Oh… I guess that's ok. Sean?" Claire definitely wasn't expecting that but didn't question it. Instead, she left the decision to Sean.
"Of course you can, Enano. I'm- I'm glad you're making friends. I really am, Daniel." As Daniel's on the receiving end of a hug from his brother, he can hear it. He never actually saw it, but he knew, he heard it. Sean's crying like a baby, happy, that his little brother made a friend.
After Daniel's taken a shower (DAMN, that was badly needed.), he goes to bed. In Chris's room. Chris lies on a mattress on the floor, while Daniel gets the premium-sized bed. He almost feels like a king. After spending a month homeless, this feels… almost unnatural, somehow. Still, it feels pretty damn good.
"Daniel?" He's almost asleep when Chris speaks to him.
"Uh… yeah, Chris? What?" Barely able to answer.
"What you showed me… that was- that was the coolest thing I've ever seen. If you can do those things, Daniel, you're not a freak. You're awesome. Awesome." Daniel's not responding. He just smiles. He's smiling, thinking…
"Awesome? Am I… awesome…?" He repeats it, several times, in his mind. then, he whispers, silently.
"My name is Daniel Felipe Diaz, and I'm... awesome."
Notes:
So, the wolfbrothers have finally made it to Beaver Creek. I felt like pairing up Daniel and Chris right away, since tbh, Sean's story here, isn't that interesting. I also changed it, so Daniel shows his powers to Chris by choice, since Chris is supposed to make him feel like less of a monster. The next chapter will be Daniel and Chris, just having fun, but also, a deep talk.
BTW: The extreme way Daniel slaughters the cougar? It's because I "want" him to feel as miserable as possible, when he comes to Beaver Creek. A place he feels safe in, has a friend, and- well... you'll see, later on...
Chapter 4: The Spirit Squad
Summary:
Daniel gets to know his new friend a little better. Both of them, finding out dark secrets in the process. Maybe... they can help each other out?
Notes:
The final chapter of episode 2. Hope you enjoy it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next morning…
When Daniel woke up, it was almost lunchtime. Just as he opened his eyes, a massive wave of panic hits him. Where the hell is he? Sean? Where's his brother? Then, he remembered. He's still here. With his grandparents, and Chris… his friend. He doesn't want to get up. This bed is just… the best. Daniel feels like he could live here. Forever. Maybe not live in the actual bed, but, definitely in the house. It seems as if everyone else is already up. Plus, is that… bacon… he's smelling? Yep, time to get up.
He walks downstairs, wearing some clean clothes, courtesy of Chris. Just the feeling of wearing something clean… almost feels weird. Daniel walks around a bit, this really is a big house. He was never able to take a look last night, finding the kitchen took about a minute. The first thing he sees is Sean. His brother looks… good? Is that it? Like he's not as worried as he used to be. Maybe… maybe he wants to stay here too?
"Hey! Morning, Enano. Sleep well?" Wow. That's a Sean he hasn't heard in a long time. He sounds happy, alert, and… he's smiling. A real smile. It's probably the best thing he could wake up to. He embraces his brother, almost getting a feeling that… it's over. All the running and hiding. They don't need to go to Puerto Lobos, they could just stay here.
"Morning, Sean." He really didn't know what else to say. Daniel eats his breakfast, a real breakfast, enjoying every bite. As soon as he's finished eating, he realizes something's missing. Someone's missing.
"Hey, grandpa? Where's Chris?" Daniel didn't notice how Claire immediately froze.
"Oh. Well, Chris is back home now. With his father." Stephen's trying to not really get into details, but he's never met Daniel Diaz before.
"So, his dad's not sick anymore?" Kind of weird, being so sick and completely fine the next morning.
"Uh… it's- it's a lot more complicated… than that, Daniel." His grandfather's clearly not comfortable talking about this.
"I can go see him, right? It's just next door." Sean closed his eyes, feeling like this was a lose-lose situation. Stephen just sighed.
"Enano, you can go-"
"YES! Thank you, Sean! You're the best!" Sometimes, he actually was.
"… you can go, but remember that we're hiding out. Be careful, don't go anywhere else, and absolutely do not… you know." Sean felt like he just couldn't deny his brother this. He saw how happy Daniel was last night. So happy, Sean had cried. The kid needed a break… to be a kid.
"Yes, Sean. I know, thank you." Daniel said, feeling a bit of shame. He had already broken one of those rules. Before he can think more of it, he finds himself outside, walking to the neighbors. "Eriksen" weird name, Daniel thought. Is he like, Norwegian, or something? Daniel walks towards the house. A house that, in this neighborhood, really stands out. And not in a good way either. All the other houses, like his grandparents, were big, expensive, and in supreme condition. The Eriksen's house, was small, rundown, had at least two broken windows, and the paint's falling off. Poor Chris. The stairs are blocked by several black trash bags, filled with beer cans. Daniel doesn't think much of it, instead just carefully moving them, so he can get through. Then, he rings the bell.
Nothing happens.
He rings again.
And again.
"GOD-FUCKING-DAMN-IT, CHRIS! I told you, open the fucking door if someone rings the fucking doorbell!" A loud, angry male voice screams inside. Is that his dad- OH SHIT!
It took Daniel about two seconds to put the pieces together. The stitches in Chris's face, the bruises on his wrist, his "sick" dad… the beer cans, and finally, all that screaming. His father was… hurting him. Chris's own dad was hurting him. Daniel doesn't have time to act or react, because now, Chris stands right in front of him. Chris stands in front of him, desperately trying to hide the fact that his nose is bleeding. Daniel's already seen it. The look on Chris's eyes, says only one thing.
Terror.
"Daniel? I- uh- I-… backyard, treehouse. Ten minutes." Then he slams the door shut. What the fuck was that? Did his dad… hit him? Causing him to bleed? Daniel slowly walks towards the treehouse and begins to climb up. Every step of the way, he can feel it. The monster's back, begging to be unleashed. He could do it. He would probably do Chris a favor. Daniel's fucking fuming right now. He wants to scream. Just scream. But he's afraid, doing so would cause the entire treehouse to collapse.
"… so get the FUCK out of my house. You ungrateful little shit. I don't know why I still put up with you… it's your fault your mom's dead… it's YOUR FUCKING FAULT!" Daniel watched everything, obviously, hearing it too. Everyone must have heard it. Chris looked so… small. Helpless. Never said anything. Just… stood there. After his father slammed the door in his face, Chris climbed up to the treehouse.
"H- hi Daniel. I I-" Chris has his eyes down, on the floor, uncertain of what to say. Daniel interrupts him.
"Did your dad do that, to you, Chris?" Daniel asks, confident, angry, and worried while pointing at his friend's nose. Chris, not prepared for the question, begins to shake.
"Well… I mean… I did something awful, Daniel. He- he had to… I- stole a couple of cigarettes from his room." Chris looks deeply ashamed. Daniel's just even more upset.
"I stole a watch from Sean once. Wanna know what he did when he caught me?" Daniel's almost screaming. He's so angry. It's not fair. Chris doesn't deserve this.
"W- what happened?" Chris still doesn't meet his eyes.
"He gave it to me, Chris. Sean let me keep it, and promised, he would be a better brother." This caused Chris to look up, appearing almost shocked.
"What…? But how- you- you did something bad, Daniel?" Daniel feels sorry for him.
"Yes. I did. But it doesn't mean that Sean would beat me up! He would never even think of doing that. Family doesn't beat each other up, Chris." Daniel needs to sit down. He sits in a corner, watching as Chris slowly sits down, next to him. Daniel hesitates, at first, then, he remembers how much better he felt last night. He carefully puts an arm around Chris. The latter, completely silent. Shaking, more and more. Finally, Chris buries his face in his palms, sobbing silently.
"You're right, Daniel. You're right." He didn't know how long his new friend had lived under these… conditions. Either way, he let it all out now. All the abuse, whatever the deal is with his mom, everything. Daniel's feeling a bit… awkward here. He's glad he could make Chris realize what was happening, but sitting here, silent, when his friend is crying? He just feels stupid. Without a second thought, he slowly rises, preparing to leave. It only took a second, maybe two (maybe).
"No, Daniel, please. Please don't… leave. I- I don't wanna be alone… please?" Chris is literally begging him, to stay. He didn't have to ask twice.
"It's ok, Chris. I won't leave you, ever." At this point, Daniel's genuinely starting to believe it to be true. They sit like this, for a long time. Daniel, silent, arm around his best friend in comfort. Chris, crying, having a best friend as his comfort. When Chris isn't crying anymore, Daniel's got one question to ask. Just one.
"Chris?"
"mhm?" Chris was now laying down, studying his superhero posters in the ceiling of the treehouse.
"What did he mean with… it's your fault that… your mom… died?" Daniel tries to put it as nice as possible. Not exactly easy, if it's even possible. Chris instantly sits up. Looks like he definitely touched a nerve.
"He's… he's right, Daniel. I'm- I'm a murderer." Daniel knows that look. The look of someone, so sad, he can't even cry anymore.
"H- how?" Did he want to know this? Really? Either way, too late to back out now.
"A few years ago, around… Christmas. Mom came home. She had done all the shopping for that year. I- I was so stupid, like always… I asked her if she bought me a Playbox. Like, why would she tell me if she did?" Daniel's seeing a whole other side of Chris. He sees… himself. Bitter, angry, self-loathing, guilt… broken. Chris is broken. Just like him.
"She said that… she would go back to the mall, just for me. She did. She really did. But… she never came home, Daniel. She- she never came home." Chris's voice is completely devoid of emotions. So broken, he can't even talk about it. At least, not without creating a facade, a strong person, capable of fighting through the pain.
"So… how-" Damn it, he's on very thin ice now, and he knows it.
"How- how did she… die, Chris?" Shit, that's the most brutal question you could ask.
"Her car… crashed." Chris wasn't lying, but Daniel still felt like there's a lot more to it.
"But how does that… make you a murderer, Chris?" He's not following. Did he miss something? Maybe, because Chris looks at him like he's an idiot.
"Because it was my fault she left the house, Daniel. If I hadn't been so stupid, she- she would still be alive." That's… it? Chris, you are NOT going to feel guilt over a car crash. Even, if it's your own mother.
"Chris, listen to me. You are not a murderer." Daniel looks deep into his eyes.
"Really? Are- are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. You didn't kill anyone." He got Chris smiling, finally. Daniel, feeling a bit braver, decides to make a joke. A joke, he instantly regrets.
"Besides, Chris… you're too nice. You couldn't kill anyone, even if you wanted to." Shit. He talked himself into a corner. Please, Chris. Don't say it, don't say it, fucking do not say it!
"Oh… and I guess you can?" FUCK! SHIT! His instinct tells him to run, not looking back, his brain tells him to lie, his heart… is just broken. A long time ago. The beast inside him, screams at him "attack." Daniel does neither of these. He feels like he… needs… to talk about it.
"Uh- I- uh…" Now, Daniel's the one looking down at the floor, deeply ashamed.
"I do, Chris." His friend's smile disappears, now turning to a more serious look.
"I have… done it. Before." Daniel's voice is silent, shaking.
"What- what do you mean, Daniel?" Chris asked, and Daniel replied. He told Chris everything, in full detail. The explosion in Seattle, his dad's death, and Sean lying to him about it. The redneck gas station. How Daniel was alone for eleven hours, in his own filth, in a cold, abandoned house. About… Mushroom. Everything. Leaving no gruesome details out. During the entire time, Chris sat silently, just listening. Sometimes, he was shocked, sometimes mad. Towards the end, he cried, hearing about poor Mushrooms fate.
When Daniel's finished talking, he nervously awaits Chris's reaction. Simultaneously, he's realizing that talking about… it, actually felt… good.
"Daniel… I don't even know what to say. I- I don't blame you. For anything. Seattle… you didn't even know you could do this. You can't blame yourself for that. And Mushroom… you couldn't know what would happen if you let her out. What you… did… to the cougar, it's brutal, yes. But you carry a lot of anger, Daniel. Anger… and sorrow. I- I can see it in your eyes, because… I'm like that… too." Is Chris saying what he thinks he's saying?
"Are you saying… none of this is my fault?"
"Daniel. Nothing, of what you told me, is your fault." Chris has a certain look on his face, telling Daniel that, this is a fact.
"So… I'm not a mo-"
"NO! Stop calling yourself that. Don't ever do that again, please. You're not a monster, or a freak, or a demon, or an abomination. You are my best friend, and you're awesome!" Daniel needed a few seconds to take it all in. Chris just called him his best friend, out loud. Plus, telling him he's not… that.
"Th- thanks, Chris. So much. It really means a lot to me… hearing that." If he only knew…
"You just have to… be careful, Daniel. Don't feed the beast, you know? Learn to control it, instead." How is he always so confident?
"I don't know if I can, Chris. It's… hard." He's learned a lot about his powers over the last few weeks. However, that doesn't mean it's easy to train them.
"Come on, Daniel. Captain Spirit will help you. He knows a safe place, deep in the forest. A place nobody ever goes to. We- I mean you- will be safe there, with him. Let's go!" He can already hear Sean, complaining. Why he always does the exact opposite of what Sean tells him. Daniel doesn't care. Not now. Call it "the lure of adventure" perhaps. Either way, he follows his friend. Deep into the forest.
Eventually, the two friends reached a secluded area. No roads, no houses, no trails, no nothing. Just the two of them. All alone. It's obvious, no one ever came out here. However, Daniel could see tons of used firecrackers on the ground. Chris probably spent lots of time here… alone.
"Ok, Daniel. I think- I think that Sean's been training you… the wrong way." Literally, anyone else telling him that would have pissed him off. Badly. But not Chris.
"Sean's only trained you to get more powerful, never to really control it. You need to be in control of this, Daniel." Daniel's considering what he just heard. It makes sense. If he's the one in control, he's less likely to have any more… outbursts.
"How, Chris?" That's just it. How? Daniel doesn't know. Does Chris know?
"Practice on smaller things. Like… this." Chris bends down, picking up a handful of gravel. Hundreds of tiny rocks.
"Try lifting as many of these, at the same time. Slowly, Daniel. Slowly." He's never tried that kind of thing before. It was… different, compared to Sean's training, that's for sure. Here goes nothing.
Ok, Chris. I'll try." He reaches out, focused, only at the task at hand. This was difficult. Really difficult. He gives it a couple of more tries, before ultimately giving up.
"I… can't, Chris. I'm sorry." Daniel's disappointed.
"Control is difficult, Daniel. You can't control something like… this, within five minutes. No superhero can."
"But, I'm not a superhero, Chris. I'm just-"
"Stop! Yes, you are, ok? You are a superhero. You're awesome. Sure, you did some… mistakes. But, who doesn't?" Something's starting to change now, inside the mind of Daniel Diaz. The kid, from Seattle, slowly begins to rise up, after being buried, long ago.
"You- you mean it?" All he needed now, was one last confirmation.
"Yes, Daniel. I mean it. I'm Captain Spirit, and you're… you can be…" Chris is deep in thought.
"Oh, I know. You can be Superwolf!" Daniel liked that name. Superwolf. Immediately, upon hearing it, he starts howling. As loud as he possibly can. All those bottled-up, negative emotions, leaving his body simultaneously. When the howling was over, the two kids began having a snowball fight. Nobody really knew which one of them threw first. It didn't matter. What mattered was that Daniel Diaz could, after all his suffering, relax. Be a kid again. Not a care in the world. The beast wasn't lurking in the shadows anymore, neither was it sleeping. The beast was dead, buried. Daniel the demon, or Felipe the freak? None of those two ever existed.
The only thing now, was two friends, broken, but still, able to have fun. Chris doing his best to hit Daniel with a snowball. Daniel raising a protective snow-barrier with his powers. Training and fun, at the same time. They spent hours there, just… having fun. Little did they know, however, that at one point, for a brief minute, they were being watched…
"Sean? It's time for dinner. Can you get your brother?" Ah, yes. How he's missed that tone from Claire, the tone of asking-you-but-not-really-I'm-ordering-you. End his misery, now.
"Yeah, sure." At least now, he gets the "privilege" of being outdoors. He walks over to the Eriksen's.
"Shit. That's a lot of beer. Lyla would be impressed… miss you, Lyla. They probably just had a party, it's almost Christmas." Sean rings the bell. After about thirty seconds, he can hear slow, heavy footsteps inside.
"Yeah, what the fuck you want this time, huh? Wait… who the hell are you, kid?" OH, FUCK! One didn't have to be a rocket scientist, to figure this out. Sean's friend Eric back in Seattle had a father with a drinking problem, he knew the signs. The man in front of him, Charles Eriksen, the father of Chris, shows every single one of them. A single parent, a child that, at times, stays at his neighbors, he reeks of cheap beer. Not even the good kind of cheap. His clothes are dirty, and he looks like he's just given up on life in general. Sean could relate, sort of. But he would never let himself turn into… this.
"Uh… hi Mr. Eriksen. I'm Sean, Daniel's brother. Just here to pick him up." Ok. Just a quick exchange of words, then, we leave this place, never to return.
"Who the fuck's Daniel? Huh? HUH?! My own brat… took off… again. Probably out in the woods, pissed at me. Like everyone else. Ungrateful bastards." He really is drunk out of his mind. Sean looks at him, almost feeling sorry. Then, he leaves Charles to his own misery.
"Out in the woods, it is then… shit. Why can't he ever listen?" Sean thinks while going towards the forest, already in a bad mood.
He almost believed he would get lost until he heard someone howl. No, not a wolf. But a boy. A young boy. Sounded like… yep, Enano. Sean follows the sound. After a while, he hears Chris and Daniel. He's glad to know Daniel's alright, and Chris too. However, he's not exactly thrilled about Daniel leaving the yard. All of those thoughts, immediately disappear when he sees Daniel and Chris. And what they're doing. What his brother's doing. No…
Daniel's using his powers to raise barriers, protecting himself from snowballs, only to grab about ten of them, launching them back at poor Chris. Neither of them, noticing the person standing there. Sean feels like his vision's split into two pieces. Two, black and white pieces, and time have frozen, waiting. Waiting for him. To decide. His first impulse, the very first thing he thought about doing… walk up, grab Daniel by the wrist, and not even bother with a lecture. Instead, just ask if he's fucking retarded. Then again, Sean loves his little brother, his Enano. He could just… go back. Pretend he didn't see it, and maybe, bring it up at the right moment. He's never been so clueless about what to do.
He's pissed, disappointed, worried, scared. Daniel needs to know, that he did wrong. Really wrong. But Sean's not sure if he can tell him that, without screaming at him. Hell, who's he trying to fool? He knows he can't! And if he just ignores it, then who's next to find out? Claire? He really has no idea. One second later, however, he knows. Clear as day. He knew it. As soon as Sean heard it, he knew what the right call was. What did Sean hear?
Laughter.
He heard his brother laugh like he used to back home. Sure, Daniel had laughed a few times in that cabin, but never one hundred percent happy laughs. They always had a thick layer of darkness around them. Now, this was the real Daniel. The innocent kid, just having fun with a friend. Sean couldn't take this moment away from him. It just wouldn't be right. Sean looks at his brother, how happy he is. It brings a tear to his eyes. He's already decided. Sean quietly walks back, trusting them to soon find their way back. It is almost dinner, and Daniel's always hungry… yeah, they'll be fine. Sean realizes now, how happy he is for his brother. He really deserves a break. Needs it too.
Christmas Eve…
It was Christmas. Their first one without a dad. Claire, Stephen, and Chris, all did their best, but this day's destined to be a sad one for Daniel. Sean's equally sad, no loving father to cheer them up. Not even any presents. This day sucked. Others did not. Daniel liked it here. A lot, actually. Every day, he and Chris, went outside, training. Not to become more powerful, but to be… in control. And he was. With the help of Chris and a certain captain, Daniel had learned how to be in control of his powers. Instead of the other way around. He felt like a kid again. Normal. Human. He's just… Daniel. Superwolf.
The less his powers troubled him, however, something else had dominated his mind, more and more. A person. Someone he's never met. A person that he's never even seen. That person?
Karen Reynolds.
His mother.
He knew from the start, his mom had grown up inside this house. It's just that, he never had any time to process those thoughts. Until now. That's why he's been up at night, walking around the house, desperately trying to find some trace of her. A photograph, a drawing, anything. He just wants something from his mother. It's all he wants right now. The mother he never got to meet. He never finds anything. Daniel draws the conclusion that anything related to his mom, must be inside that locked room. That no one's allowed to enter. He's given it a lot of thought, and it's time. He needs to know.
Everyone's just finished eating, Daniel's shaking. He's nervous, no, scratch that. He's terrified. Sean's going to hate him for this, and grandma? He's seen the looks she sometimes gives Sean. Daniel doesn't want to be on her bad side. But he has to try.
"Hey, grandma?" He says, really working hard, in order to pull off the please-can-I-because-I'm-nine-and-cute voice.
"Yes, dear? What is it?" Oh, crap. Here it goes.
"I was wondering… about the locked room… upstairs?" He's pulling all the cards now, the look, the voice. Everything.
"DANIEL! What the fuck?" Sean's not too pleased, as expected.
"Sean! Language! Do not ever, speak like that at my dinner table again, do you hear me?" This wasn't a question. Next, Claire turned to Daniel.
"I really don't want you to go inside that room, Daniel." Claire says, looking sad.
"But- no, please-"
"However, Sean's told me a lot about you, and I don't think that you'll just take no for an answer. You're just going to find a way in, no matter what. Like… she … would." The entire room is silent. Claire and Stephen, mourning deeply. Sean, looking like he just wants to sink through the floor and disappear. Chris, staring, feeling misplaced. Daniel? Excitement! It's back!
"Does that mean- does that mean?" He's not even able to finish the sentence. Shades of his old self, hyperactive-Daniel, resurfaces.
"Yes, Daniel. But only for ten minutes. Just you, and your brother. And don't touch anything." He's going to see his mother's room. Mom.
"Wait, what?" Sean did not expect this.
"Your brother's too young to be… in there, on his own. I don't… I don't go in there, Sean. You have to watch him." Well, great…
"I'm not getting anywhere near that room!" Sean's just stating a fact.
"Please, Sean. I know you don't like it, and I know you hate that I asked to do it. But please… it- it really would mean a lot to me. I- I don't have anything to remember my mom, Sean. Please." Daniel's not faking anything now. He doesn't have to. Every single word he says, the way he says it, the look on his face when doing so, is him speaking honestly. From the deepest, depths of his heart. Sean almost hates him for it. Almost.
"Ok, Enano. Merry Christmas." He tries pulling a smile.
Claire unlocks the room, turning towards Daniel.
"Remember, ten minutes. Do NOT touch anything." That look… screams of both sorrow and anger at the same time.
"Don't worry grandma, and… thank you. I mean it." He smiles, wiping away a tear. Claire says nothing, instead just opening the door, and walks away. Three people stand outside. Sean, Daniel, and Chris.
"I'm happy for you, Superwolf. Go, hurry." Chris says, then runs away. Daniel doesn't wait, nor hesitate before entering the room. Sean, however, does. He can't move.
"Sean? What's wrong?" Ok, Daniel. Dumb question. He mentally facepalms.
"I- I don't think… I can, Daniel." His little brother goes towards him, reaching out a hand. Not to use his powers. Just a hand… a helping hand.
"It's just a room, Sean. She's… not here anymore. It's ok, you can do it, big brother. I'm with you, every step." He manages to get Sean inside, but precious minutes have been lost. Where should he begin? There's… actually not that much left. A bed, some boxes he's absolutely not allowed to even breathe on. His heart sinks. At the very least, there could have been a photo.
"It's… empty , Sean. Empty." Sean can hear the hurt in his brother's voice. He doesn't want Daniel to go back to… that . No. never again. Making sure that never happens, is more important than his own… issues… with their mother. He looks around, desperately trying to find something to cheer Daniel up. He sees an old teddy bear, immediate flashbacks… no, go away. Go back to the back of my head. Sean picks it up.
"Hey, Daniel. Check it out. I think his name's Ulysses." It's difficult for Sean to even touch something belonging to his mom. But seeing Daniel smile again makes it all worth it.
"Oooh, hi! Were you a friend of my mommy's?" Daniel's talking with a stuffed animal. Sean feels like that bear's been more of a mother to Daniel than Karen.
I t all seemed so… harmless, at first.
Sean saw something, on the floor. He must have knocked it down when giving the bear to Daniel. He bends over to pick it up. It's a letter. He doesn't want to know what says inside. Still, it feels… recent. The paper's still white, not that yellow-ish color that old paper has. It doesn't matter. He's not looking. Unfortunately, Sean can, at times, be curious as well.
" Date: 2016-11-21 "
Shit, he looked! Wait…
Daniel's still messing around with his new friend, Ulysses the teddy bear, not noticing what Sean does. Sean sits down on the bed, takes the letter, opens it, and reads.
" Date 2016-11-21
Dear mom & dad. I've heard the news… about Seattle. I know you don't owe me anything, but please, please help my boys if they come to you. Karen "
Sean reads it. Over, and over again. After the fifth time, he drops it, watching it fall to the floor. What the fuck?
"That FUCKING bitch!" In his mind, it's supposed to be him, screaming in anger. In reality, it comes out as, more of a silent whimper. Either way, he's got Daniel's attention.
"Sean?" All Sean manages to do, is point at the letter. Daniel grabs it and reads. His smile just keeps growing, and growing, and growing, and… OH, SHIT!
" Just what do you think you're doing?" Enter grandma Claire. The matriarch of the Reynolds household. And… she's pissed.
"Listen, we- uh." Nice going, Sean. Idiot.
"I specifically told you NOT to touch anything! And what do you do? This? You have no respect!" The "no respect" thing, got to Sean. Meaning, it pissed him off.
"Oh, WE don't show YOU any respect? Then, explain this, huh? This letter's dated one month ago! You never cared to tell us." He holds up his mother's letter.
"It doesn't matter what she says now. About you, or anyone else. She's not your mother anymore, not after… that. She just feels guilty." Claire yells, taking the letter from Sean.
"Oh, and you don't? Feel guilty?" Claire's a bit shocked by Sean's brutal words. This meant that someone else saw a chance.
"I have the right, to see my mom's stuff!" Daniel walks right past his brother, taking the letter back from his grandmother's hand.
"You- how dare you?! It's time you learn to respect the rules!" Claire's tone is menacing. Sean takes his arm, slowly moving his little brother so that the latter stands behind him. Protected. No matter what.
"What's that supposed to mean?" They never found out what the meaning was. Their argument's abruptly ended, by the sound of something falling. Something large, and heavy. Then, someone screamed. Stephen.
As if Claire just didn't threaten to beat Daniel up, all of them run downstairs. Stephen was never a man for arguments. He just… walked away. To his "study" or, more commonly known as "the train room." inside said room, was a huge antique cupboard, heavy, and barely able to stand, due to decades of wear and tear. The damn thing had fallen on Stephen. Chris was desperately trying to get it off him, obviously failing since the cupboard weighs ten times more than he does.
"Get this- god-damn thing- off me… NOW!" They all tried. They all failed. It's too heavy. Sean's starting to debate if he should, or shouldn't. Somebody else made the decision for him…
"Superwolf! Come on! This is your chance. Remember what we trained? Focus. Be in control. I believe in you." Daniel didn't even answer or nod. When he heard that Chris believed in him, he entered a world of his own. Sean and Chris had to get Claire to move, not an easy task. But all Daniel saw now, was his grandfather, and an object causing him pain. The object needed to be removed. Fast.
He focused. More than he's ever done before. Sweat starts pouring down his face. But he's in control. The cupboard starts moving, slowly, but still, moving. Finally, Sean's able to pull Stephen to safety, and Daniel can let go. He falls to his knees in exhaustion.
"You alright, Enano?" Instantly, Sean's at his side. He likes hanging out with Chris. Still, only one person calls him Enano…
"Yeah… yeah, I'm good." He just… saved someone. He saved a life. It feels… great. Wonderful.
"Oh my good lord, Stephen? Are you alright?" Claire almost runs, believe it or not.
"I am now, thanks to… whatever Daniel did…" Oh, right. Now, there's this. Both grandparents, staring at Daniel in… amazement?
"Maybe- maybe it was a miracle. Thank you, Lord, thank you!" Oh, well, that's settled then…
"That was AWESOME, Superwolf! I knew you could do it! I knew it!" Chris tackles Daniel to the ground with a hug. Both of them giggling, as Sean helps Stephen, setting him down on the couch.
As Daniel's being thanked by his grandfather, Sean's been wanting to talk with a certain someone for quite a while. This seems like an opportunity.
"Hey, Chris?"
"Yeah, Sean?" Chris always seems so… happy. Sean can't figure out… how he does it. Maybe… it's for the best.
"Can we… talk? Like… in private?" Real smooth, dude. Not creepy at all.
"Sure, Sean." Chris follows him to the guest room. Sean's room.
" There's something I need to tell you, Chris." Ok. Keep it together. Don't get awkward now…
"Sean, if it's about the… powers-"
"It's not. I saw you two, in the forest one day. At first, I was… angry. Disappointed. Almost walked straight forward, and dragged my brother with me back here. But I didn't." So far, so good.
"Oh…" Chris seems a bit… confused, as to what Sean's trying to say.
"Wanna know why I didn't?" Chris looks at him. Sean looks back, trying to pull off the most serious face possible.
"You, Chris. You." Sean bit his tongue. Chris almost fell off his chair, hearing it.
"ME?!"
"Yes, Chris. You. When we got here, Daniel was… in a bad place. An evil place. I didn't know what to do anymore. Felt like I had tried everything. Then, he met you. I'm not going to ask what you two have been up to, it's none of my business. But, whatever you did, Chris. You made my brother feel like a kid again. Made him feel… normal. You did what I… couldn't. I just want to say, thank you. For being here for Daniel." Great job, dude. An entire speech, without fuck-ups. First time for everything.
"Wow, Sean. I- I haven't even thought about it… that way. Actually, Daniel being here… it's… done a lot for me too." Chris looks sad. Sean knows why, obviously. His father. He carefully puts his hand on Chris's shoulder, the same way he would do with Daniel.
"Chris, I want you to listen to what I'm about to say." Chris nods.
"I know… about your father." That's all it took. A hand on his shoulder, him saying that he knew. Chris almost threw himself at Sean, crying. Sean's almost surprised the kid's lasted this long.
"Shh, it's ok, buddy. It's ok. No one can hurt you here. You're safe." It took a long time. Sean let Chris decide when it was time to go downstairs again. As they did, Daniel and Stephen are watching television, while Claire bakes cookies. Sean and Chris sit down, watching. Then, a sound. Everyone freezes.
It's the doorbell. Late on Christmas night.
I don't wanna talk to him, please?" Chris says.
"Don't worry, dear. I'll… take care of it." Great. Charles's drunk-ass paying them a visit…
"Oh, no! Sean! Daniel! You have to go! Now, hurry!" Both brothers are somewhat in disbelief. They kind of forgot that they're actually on the run.
"What? What are you talking about?" Sean asks.
"It's the police." Claire looks genuinely heartbroken.
"Claire and Stephen Reynolds? Open the door! We know you're grandsons have been here! Your neighbor called us, he said Sean knocked on his door. Open up!"
"That son of a bitch!" A fitting choice of words, actually coming from Stephen's mouth.
"Come on, boys. Get your bags, go out the back door. I'll keep him occupied." Shit. What happened. Are they really leaving? But… he- he wanted… to stay. He wanted to stay. With his grandparents, with Chris. Now, they're homeless again.
"Come on, guys. I know a better way. Follow me, quick!" It's not like they had time to argue. Both brothers followed Chris, through what he had named "The Troll Forest". As they reached Chris and Daniel's training spot, Chris comes to a halt.
"Chris? Why are you stopping? We… have to go, man?" Sean's almost panicking. Chris turns around, facing him, tears in his eyes.
"I know. This won't take long. I just have to…" Chris sets his own backpack down, digging inside it. Taking out something from it. Something red.
"Daniel. You're the best friend I've ever had. I'm gonna miss you. I- I think you should have this. You're the real superhero. Never forget that." Sean knows they can't just stand here, but he can't ruin the moment for them.
"I- I- thank you. Captain Spirit. I swear, I will never forget it." They share a long, sad hug. Both of them are crying. Sean desperately tries to hide his own tears. He hates this. His brother was starting to feel… good. Then, this happened.
"Now, let's go!" Already having said their goodbyes, they keep following Chris.
"You see those train tracks?! We just have to get there, then you can just jump on a train and be gone!" Chris shouts while running. Seems like a decent plan. Almost there. Now, all they had to do was-
"Daniel?" Where is he?
"Daniel?" Seriously, where's his little brother?!
"DANIEL?" … Enano?
Oh, fuck!
Sean had been running on adrenaline. He never even realized that he just crossed a road. Now, as he turned back. The sight terrified him. Daniel Diaz, little brother, Enano, stood in the middle of the road, not moving. Frozen. In fear. Sean could see why. Hear it too. Towards Daniel, came a police car, sirens on, with a rapidly increasing speed. He just stood there.
"DANIEL! MOVE! MOVE!" Sean ran, he screamed. But he was too far away to reach his brother in time, and he knew it. His brother's about to die. Die. He failed him. Sean closes his eyes.
"Superwolf! Watch out!" At the last moment, Captain Spirit, once again saves the day, by pushing Daniel out of the way.
Daniel snapped out of it. He could see the car, coming towards him. Just… he could not move. Chris literally saved his life this time.
"Oh, my god! Thank you, Chris. Thank you so-" Silence… Daniel, once again, just stands there. This time, however, not in fear, but shock.
Sean heard a loud crash. His heart physically hurt, as he thought Daniel had been killed. Then, he heard his voice and immediately ran over.
"Daniel?! Enano?! Are you ok? Oh, there you are. Thank god, you're ok. I thought I lost you, Daniel. I thought-" Sean becomes completely silent. Horrified, at the sight in front of him. In front of Daniel.
Chris Eriksen was lying on the ground, not moving. The snow under his head, colored dark-red by blood. Chris wasn't moving, his eyes were open, yet… nothing was… there. Those eyes, that gave Daniel so much comfort, laughter, happiness, are now just staring emptily at the sky.
He was dead.
Chris Eriksen was dead.
Captain Spirit, gave his life to save Superwolf.
Sean somewhat snaps out of it, as he hears sirens in the distance. They have to go. Fuck. Poor Daniel. He carefully tries putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Daniel? I'm sorry. I know how important he was to you. But… we have to go no, Enano. Please." Daniel's face… it's like a waterfall of tears.
"NOOO! CHRIS! PLEASE, WAKE UP!" God, it hurt Sean, just listening to this. It hurt him even more, knowing what he must do. He lifts his screaming brother up, and he runs. Towards the train. Trying to avoid thinking of what just happened. Trying to ignore all the horrible things his brother screams at him. Daniel deserves better. So much better.
"Let me go, Sean, you fucking asshole! It's all your fucking fault! I wish you were DEAD! I fucking hate you!" After a long struggle, he's finally able to get himself and Daniel on board a train. Daniel's too tired to scream. Poor kid. Lost his best friend. On Christmas Eve. Sean sits down next to him, not sure what to say. Or if Daniel even wants him to say anything. It only takes a few seconds, however, before his little brother leans towards him. Sean pulls his brother into a hug, letting him cry into his chest, that way, he won't see Sean crying.
"I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm so, so sorry." Both brothers held each other close, crying themselves to sleep, on a train, heading to parts unknown.
Notes:
Well then, how's THAT for a twist...?
Yes, I know. I'm evil.
As for staying true to canon, I believe that this is still somewhat acceptable. considering how Chris's part in the story is now played out, either way. Hope you can forgive me...
I've enjoyed writing chapter 2. a lot, actually. Especially the early part, at the cabin. We'll see how I do episode 3 exactly. I think I'm gonna do one chapter Sean, one chapter Daniel, etc. Daniel's emotions in episode 3, are just too important to just leave out.
Anyway: Hope you enjoyed this. And you know... hope you can forgive me…,