Pumpkin Pie 11
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy universe, Pre-NIEE: Real World AU
Challenges: Pumpkin Pie 11 (in the shadows), Green Tea 21 (recently), Papaya 20 (you remind me of someone)
Toppings & Extras: Whipped Cream, Chopped Nuts (RWAU), Sprinkles (Mick)
Word Count: 803
Rating: PG/PG-13 (discussions of child abuse)
Summary: Mick knows the signs. What he doesn’t know is what to do about them.
Notes: First part: 2000 - Mick’s 8 and Ren 9. Second part: Spring 2006 - Mick’s 14 and Sorin 15. Next one gets light again!
It took Mick longer than it should have, considering his first six years, to recognize what was going on in the Opalin house. When he did realize it, it hit him hard and left him worried and shaken. Should he say something? Should he hope someone else would? What if he was wrong?
Instead, he just watched all three Opalins for a while. He asked Ren as casually as he could about it. “Why don’t we ever gather at the Opalins?” he asked, trying to sound like he was merely curious, not nervous.
Ren frowned, automatically glancing in the direction of their house. “They’ve never said.”
“Why do you think?” he pressed.
Ren didn’t seem to notice. “I dunno,” he said, leaning back in his chair, twiddling his pencil through his fingers. “We all know there’s something not right there, but…I dunno, they don’t want to talk about it.”
No one had talked about his issues either, but even after two safe years with the Highcastles, Mick still refused to talk about what came before. Still refused to talk much at all to people who weren’t family.
“Do you think…” Mick started and then stopped himself.
“Think?” Ren prompted.
“I don’t know,” he lied, remembering the orphanage and the stories and the social workers who had cared less. If he said something, he would be splitting Ani, Sorin and Vlad up. At least this way, they were together.
He wasn’t entirely happy with this, but silently transferred as much of his loyalty as he could to the two younger ones. He also kept an eye on the signs - the bruises, the furtive glances and quick reactionary trigger - to make sure they didn’t get worse. As much as his initial experience had been hell, he was happy and safe now and would speak up if he had to. Patrick and Elizabeth would believe him.
*
“He hit you again, didn’t he?” he demanded one day out of the clear blue as he and Sorin trailed behind the other kids on one of their many woods adventures.
The older boy started, gaze darting to Mick and then hastily away. “What?” he said, trying to sound surprise but just managing to sound tired.
“Your father, Edward, whatever you want to call him. Your black eye has gotten worse again.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking a-”
Mick grabbed his arm, stopping dead and forcing Sorin to do the same. “Don’t bullshit me, Sorin. I might be almost ten years out of it but that doesn’t mean I can’t still see it.”
His friend looked taken aback. “You…?”
“Why do you think the Highcastles adopted me? My biological parents were an absolute mess and I’m lucky I both got out when I did and Mom and Dad were willing to take me in.”
“How long?”
“Have I known about Edward? Six years.”
Sorin stared at him. “You…why didn’t you tell?”
“Because I spent a year in the system,” Mick said, jamming his hands in his pockets. Beau and Ren now both knew but none of the others. “And I’ve seen it and I had to decide if I thought letting you stay with Edward or turning him in was better for you.” He sighed. “I know it wasn’t really my choice, but you’ve stayed quiet so I did too, but he’s getting worse, isn’t he?”
“Not worse, just…he’s been going after Ani a lot,” Sorin said, unconsciously mimicking Mick’s posture. “Vlad’s got college interviews and he can’t look like he just got in a bar fight.”
“So you’ve been getting in the way.”
“It’d be like you letting someone hit Beau.”
Mick nodded. “I get it. What are you and Ani going to do once Vlad goes to school?”
Sorin shrugged. “Best we can.”
“And when you go?”
The older boy looked after their friends, who could still be heard ahead of them. “Hope to God that something happens in the next three years before we get that far.”
“Sorin, if you’re thinking of…”
His friend let out a half-laugh, half-breath and shook his head. “No, I’m not willing to become a murder just for him, even if he deserves it. If Vlad and I can’t figure something out between now and then, I’ll call child services myself. I won’t leave Ani alone in that house with him.”
Mick thought of their friends and their friends’ parents and how normal they all were. “We’ll figure something out,” he corrected.
Sorin studied him for a moment and then smiled quickly. “Thanks, Mick. You know, I think this is the most I’ve ever heard you talk.”
“I’m perfectly capable, I just don’t like to,” Mick said as he started after the others. “And please don’t tell anyone.”
“Your secret is safe with me.”
And they both understood that statement fully.
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy universe, Pre-NIEE: Real World AU
Challenges: Pumpkin Pie 11 (in the shadows), Green Tea 21 (recently), Papaya 20 (you remind me of someone)
Toppings & Extras: Whipped Cream, Chopped Nuts (RWAU), Sprinkles (Mick)
Word Count: 803
Rating: PG/PG-13 (discussions of child abuse)
Summary: Mick knows the signs. What he doesn’t know is what to do about them.
Notes: First part: 2000 - Mick’s 8 and Ren 9. Second part: Spring 2006 - Mick’s 14 and Sorin 15. Next one gets light again!
It took Mick longer than it should have, considering his first six years, to recognize what was going on in the Opalin house. When he did realize it, it hit him hard and left him worried and shaken. Should he say something? Should he hope someone else would? What if he was wrong?
Instead, he just watched all three Opalins for a while. He asked Ren as casually as he could about it. “Why don’t we ever gather at the Opalins?” he asked, trying to sound like he was merely curious, not nervous.
Ren frowned, automatically glancing in the direction of their house. “They’ve never said.”
“Why do you think?” he pressed.
Ren didn’t seem to notice. “I dunno,” he said, leaning back in his chair, twiddling his pencil through his fingers. “We all know there’s something not right there, but…I dunno, they don’t want to talk about it.”
No one had talked about his issues either, but even after two safe years with the Highcastles, Mick still refused to talk about what came before. Still refused to talk much at all to people who weren’t family.
“Do you think…” Mick started and then stopped himself.
“Think?” Ren prompted.
“I don’t know,” he lied, remembering the orphanage and the stories and the social workers who had cared less. If he said something, he would be splitting Ani, Sorin and Vlad up. At least this way, they were together.
He wasn’t entirely happy with this, but silently transferred as much of his loyalty as he could to the two younger ones. He also kept an eye on the signs - the bruises, the furtive glances and quick reactionary trigger - to make sure they didn’t get worse. As much as his initial experience had been hell, he was happy and safe now and would speak up if he had to. Patrick and Elizabeth would believe him.
*
“He hit you again, didn’t he?” he demanded one day out of the clear blue as he and Sorin trailed behind the other kids on one of their many woods adventures.
The older boy started, gaze darting to Mick and then hastily away. “What?” he said, trying to sound surprise but just managing to sound tired.
“Your father, Edward, whatever you want to call him. Your black eye has gotten worse again.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking a-”
Mick grabbed his arm, stopping dead and forcing Sorin to do the same. “Don’t bullshit me, Sorin. I might be almost ten years out of it but that doesn’t mean I can’t still see it.”
His friend looked taken aback. “You…?”
“Why do you think the Highcastles adopted me? My biological parents were an absolute mess and I’m lucky I both got out when I did and Mom and Dad were willing to take me in.”
“How long?”
“Have I known about Edward? Six years.”
Sorin stared at him. “You…why didn’t you tell?”
“Because I spent a year in the system,” Mick said, jamming his hands in his pockets. Beau and Ren now both knew but none of the others. “And I’ve seen it and I had to decide if I thought letting you stay with Edward or turning him in was better for you.” He sighed. “I know it wasn’t really my choice, but you’ve stayed quiet so I did too, but he’s getting worse, isn’t he?”
“Not worse, just…he’s been going after Ani a lot,” Sorin said, unconsciously mimicking Mick’s posture. “Vlad’s got college interviews and he can’t look like he just got in a bar fight.”
“So you’ve been getting in the way.”
“It’d be like you letting someone hit Beau.”
Mick nodded. “I get it. What are you and Ani going to do once Vlad goes to school?”
Sorin shrugged. “Best we can.”
“And when you go?”
The older boy looked after their friends, who could still be heard ahead of them. “Hope to God that something happens in the next three years before we get that far.”
“Sorin, if you’re thinking of…”
His friend let out a half-laugh, half-breath and shook his head. “No, I’m not willing to become a murder just for him, even if he deserves it. If Vlad and I can’t figure something out between now and then, I’ll call child services myself. I won’t leave Ani alone in that house with him.”
Mick thought of their friends and their friends’ parents and how normal they all were. “We’ll figure something out,” he corrected.
Sorin studied him for a moment and then smiled quickly. “Thanks, Mick. You know, I think this is the most I’ve ever heard you talk.”
“I’m perfectly capable, I just don’t like to,” Mick said as he started after the others. “And please don’t tell anyone.”
“Your secret is safe with me.”
And they both understood that statement fully.