Chp. 8) My Brother's Smile
Author's notes: Hey everyone following along, I did something kinda special this time round. I did a cross over from another story I wrote called Sugar After Sunset! Now it's not imperative that said story be read to understand this one, just saying it would help give a fuller appreciation of the guest appearance in this one. That aside I struggled making Leon seem more 'Leon-ish' in this one so hope you all tell me if I did well in that aspect. Enjoy!
~Willace <>
________________________________________________________________________
My Brother's Smile
________________________________________________________________________
Violated, frozen, and abandoned, Leon sat hunched over, curled into a ball. His blood sprinkled face buried in painful shame between his arms and knees, the young wolf wept like never before. The darkness of the world around him paled in comparison towards the suffering that burnt inside his heart. As the watery torrents streamed down from weary eyes, the trail of tears fell upon the unrecognized shirt and formed azure blue blotches in the cerulean cloth.
His mind was a pounding drum, the beat was only one question though. Not why this had happened, not how he could have stop it, not even if he could ever be happy again. No, the only thing his blazing mind asked was what about Rues? Could he ever tell his brother such a god-forsaken thing happened? For that matter the little dragon had to be worried nearly as sick as Leon felt. Struggling to his knees the wind whipped at his face and the first rays of sunrise dripped over the distant horizon. Dew on the field caused him to slip forwards towards the ground again. Bracing his arm against the shed to gain advantage over gravity and a body plagued by remorse and hurt, Leon struggled himself to standing. A step forwards and a wave of reality crashed into his battered state of mind and reminded Leon that he was naked from the waist down.
It also brought a question to life he didn't want to deal with, was this shirt from his attacker? Tearing it off violently, buttons flying off and fabric ripping, he slammed it against the ground and stomped it into the soil. Mud splattered underneath it and seeped through to the top. It was better to be fully naked than to wear that accursed thing. Well maybe he didn't have to be that naked. An idea hatched inside his head and Leon gave a powerful kick to the shed door. Not out of anger this time, but it did feel better to lash out. No, inside hopefully, he could find something, anything that resembled pants.
Inside the darkly cramp room a few lockers sat at the far end just across the scattered sports equipment and benches. It was a room he'd never ventured in before but common practice of daily life guided his fingers to the light switch on the left. Florescent light flickered hesitantly and filled the miniature room. Ironically Leon almost preferd the darkened state better.
Dizzy and a nauseous he made his way over for the first unlocked cabinet and pulled the latch up. Crustily it grinded open and bared its contents; an empty water bottle, a crappy watch, and old pair of faded grass-stained jeans. Moaning from the headache Leon picked them up and turned for the nearest bench. He didn't exactly have the luxury of looking at the size, as long as it wasn't too tight they could work for just getting home.
Home. Rues would be a mess, his parents frantic, either with worry or anger, and the young wolf wasn't sure which would be worse. What could he say to his parents though, tell them the truth? Not a chance in hell. Shit like that just would destroy anything he might have left of a normal life. His only hope was Rues, if he could cling to that soft, innocent, colourless fur his terror might subside. Or at least provide a breath of release. All that would be formulated on his walk back. And if that was the case he'd be skipping school, God be damned if he'd going after a night like that.
"Fucking things like three sizes too big," he Mumbled dismayed taking a moment to clear his stomach again. That'd ought to be a nice surprise for the scourge of a football team to find. Little by little a stumble brought him out of the puny little shed and back out to the field. Clutching the drooping pants by the waist he surveyed the area as dawn broke further down. Tire tracks leading to the drive-in entrance, that spot where he awoke, and grass stained with his blood. Oh dear god Leon thought, clutching his stomach. He just prayed it was from his injured head. Should he 'inspect' himself? "Uh-ugh" He gasped and shivered violently. He could fell the pain on his head but yes, he felt his inside burning too. Distantly he saw memories of letting his brother take him and compared the two pains. Blackness crept in the corners of his eyes and the chance of fainting was strong. Still Leon fought it off with all he could, choosing to run straight out leaving the grotesque scene behind; sprinting for the street.
* * *
Tired and enraged he found himself wondering, almost as if his house was now just a facade of a destination. The street signs weren't unfamiliar but not unwelcoming at best. North Wielder's Street. All sorts of trash wondered these parts. A young voice broke through his concentration. "Umm, are you lost or something?" Leon spun swiftly and swung a fist by pure instinct. In amazement he watched it collide with a frailly built husky who tumbled to the ground. "Jeezus Christ!" The pup exclaimed trying to regain composure and wiping a small trickle of blood from a tiny nose.
SHIT! I just socked a girl in the face! Leon screamed in his head and froze for a moment. "I... Oh fuck I'm sorry Miss, I just..." he mumbled worried about the reality of his action. "Why the hell does everyone either call me a girl or beat me up?!?" The little puppy exclaimed in pain, eyes watering. For a moment Leon was in shock, was this femmy little kid a boy? Damn pup was wearing a skirt! "Wha... What?" the timber wolf chocked out and reached a paw out to offer assistance.
"I Swear to Buddha I'm just gonna'... fucking bite ya' if you pull that crap ever again." Now this was funny, even given the current situation of his 'shitty-ass' day. "Look, for what it's worth I didn't do that on purpose... I'm... just having a rough time right now," Leon stifled a laugh well helping the kid to his paws again. "Whatever, you don't know the half of it, bad day my rump...." Flipping the unruly fur out of 'his' face again the husky pup snorted. "So umm, can I help you?"
Oh you gotta' be kidding me Leon thought letting go of the pup's paw. "No way in hell. You're seriously telling me I just punched a cross-dressing hooker? This day's too much to deal with." There was an odd silence following and the puppy stood, a little roughed up from the blow, but apparently still trying to solicit. "Dude, I dunno' why you're trying to pick me up, I don't even have a wallet, hell these aren't even my pants. Besides you tarty little brat, I haven't the time to fool around with... with... How the hell old are you?" On the verge of exploding with insults he starred at his encounter, completely befuddled by all of it.
"Eighteen, and I'm not a hooker thank you very much." Who did he think he was fooling? Better yet why did he even bother lying? Leon wasn't exactly going to snitch to the local cops over this mixed up puppy. "Bull-shit. You're younger than me, not to mention people my age certainly don't dress like that. You know what, I don't even care! Goodbye ya' fruity little tart, I have too much to worry with right now and I just don't care!!!" Storming off, the frustrated timber let out an enraged shout and pointed himself homeward again.
As the dreadful march proceeded light breeze began to pick up, pushing from behind. With the wind a truly unusual scent drifted by, an almost sickly sweet whiff of cotton-candy. Being such an odd thing to smell for such a dilapidated area, Leon turned to see where it originated from. Aggravated by what he found standing behind him, Leon glared at the little pup from earlier who had apparently chosen to follow him home.
"Seriously, what are you trying to pull off here? I'm not into hookers and you can't rob me cause I'm currently broke, so strut your loose ass back down the street. I've got nothing you want." He shouted pointing a finger at him in frustration. Today wasn't a day to test Leon's patience, something this tramp seemed to be insistent upon. Dropping his ears sorrowfully like falling stars, Leon's pursuer folded his paws behind a black belly-shirt and stared at the curb. "I....... Just wanted to.... be your friend. You look like you need one right now, more than anyone else in the world." He said it softly, a timid truthfulness lurking amongst the words as they poured uncomfortably from his mouth.
Something sparked in the deep recesses of his emotions and Leon approached, ready to take him for his word. " Alright, God knows right now I need a friend who won't hurt me but I also need to get back home. So tell me, you got a name?" With a smile growing the young pup let his paws rest by his side comfortably and nodded. "My name is Sugar." Obviously this had to be the pup's street name and that fact irked Leon to be introduced in such a manor.
"No you stupid whore, I don't want to deal with that aspect of your life. What I meant is do you have a REAL name?" Sugar sighed and shook his head, his eyes unwilling to make contact to the wolf's gaze. With his tail in half a curl he fumbled his hindpaw across a small sidewalk crack. "....I use to be called Tyrone Easton Sonnegier, but that was when I went to school...." The way he chewed over his full name gave light to the fact he hadn't been asked this for quite some time. Disheartening as it was Sugar's life had to be a daily hell close to the torment Leon had gone through the night before. "Come on Tyrone, Let's go for a walk." He beckoned the skinny pup, waving a paw as kindly as possible. Not ready to refuse the request Sugar bounded from a standstill to practically inches away. Christ, damn pup is a fruit-loop! Leon sighed and began a steady pace back for his hopes of tranquility, back to his home, back to Rues.
* * *
By the time the two misfit friends had reached the Leon's street Tyrone was a simply buzzing at the mouth with more info than the older wolf wanted to hear about wearing skirts. "Look, I'm being nice right now when I tell you to shut up right now or I swear I'm going to smack you Ru...e....s" Wait, that was more than just a trick of the tongue. Leon contemplated why his brother's name slipped out and furrowed his brow. Did this little trallop really resemble Leon's dear little brother that much or could it just have been the product of a tired and battered psychosis "What ya' say, I wasn't paying attention." asked a bubbly little husky
"Sorry, nothing. Just force of habit. Anyway, stow it. I don't care about how 'free skirts feel' or that they cost less wherever it was. We're near my house so I need to think, so like I said, shut up." Leon did have a lot to think about. Would Rues still have covered for his absence despite the God awful difference in time? Yeah, he'd do anything to help protect Leon, no matter what the circumstance. Still he knew he'd have to tell Rues what really took place, or at least explain it the best he could. "So are you in some kind of legal trouble or did you run-away or something?" Tyrone asked, boldly touching his new companion on the arm lightly. "No, I wish it was as simple as that, Suga... I mean Tyrone. I've went through some serious shit last night. I thought I made a new friend, somebody who said he loved me but was okay with just...." His voice broke and Leon felt his blood-shot eyes start to trickle with tears. He didn't have to go into further detail for Tyrone to understand.
"Awe you poor baby!" The husky pup exclaimed empathetically throwing himself into a hug around Leon's quivering body. He didn't fight it, Leon just let his weight fall into the embrace. For a moment it made both of them feel a little less empty inside. Arms loosened and Leon wiped his eyes. "Look, I don't know what.... What possessed you to follow me.... but thank you." It was hard to talk and the words came out a little slurred, but were appreciated none the less. "Will they understand?" Tyrone asked, glancing down the road and then back at the depressed wolf before him. "My brother......... Rues will.... He'll help this............. get better." Leon explained still sobbing, trying to avoid the reality of it all for a few minutes more. Formulating every step he'd take in the next thirty minutes Leon starred at his house. "Do you, ummm, need help getting past the parent's?"
"Yeah...." Leon admitted, grimly wiping his face clear of visible sadness. "That's why I'm here," Tyrone said with a sense of satisfaction. "I can distract anyone, hell I get paid to brake the law and avoid being caught, so I know just what to do here. You take the alleyway behind your house and wait hidden by the back door, you have one right?" Leon nodded and Tyrone continued explaining his master plain. "Then I'll knock on the front door, chat it up and ask for directions for the most far-off place I can think of. That ought to buy you enough time to have your bro sneak you into the house. Think that'll work?"
There was something pure about this husky despite the life he lead, he seemed to be truly thinking of his new friend's benefit rather than self gain. "It sounds a little sketchy but I bet you've done this before, huh Tyrone?" Merrily the husky pup bounced his head and Leon singled out which house was his; then stole away behind his neighbor's to the backstreet. Giving just a moment to pretty himself up, Sugar parted the fur on his head to make his appearance even feminine. After which, a tiny strutting shuffle to the front door and the husky pup leaned a little into the doorway. Giving a heavy rapping at the white door-frame he smiled softly and waited.
"Hello there Sir, may I ask you for some directions?" Tyrone murred out politely seeing a distressed dragon pup answer the door. The unexpected appearance of this little wolf-like dragon took Sugar by surprise. "Oh... Umm, I guess so." Rues answered quietly still holding the door mostly closed. "Actually I was wondering if Leon's parent's were home today handsome, maybe they could help me out a little better. This is their home right?" Tyrone suggested trying to get rid of this dragon and stick to the plan. "Yeah.... but dad's at work and mom's at the store. Do you know Leon or something..." Poor little boy's a mess Tyrone thought watching the sadness as he mentioned the wolf's name. Bravely Sugar held a finger up to a frizzy white maw before him and shushed the teenager. "Leon! It's okay, they're not even home!"
Baby blue eyes light up like the moon. Rues plowed past the husky on the stoop and out into the street. "Bruderlein!!!" He cried frantically looking around. Leon approached from behind the house, looking defeated and hugged the excited dragon tenderly from behind. "Oh my god I missed you so much, Rues!" The timber wolf cried solemnly. Pulling himself from his brothers arms Rues spun on the spot and shoved his sibling by the chest. "What the hell took you so... Oh fuck Leon, what happened to you?!?" Tyrone stood on the porch, watching the entire conflict, unsure if he should speak up. "Rue... Rues...." Leon managed to whimper out before yanking them inside, leading his little brother by the wrist. On the way past he nodded an okay for Tyrone to follow.
Inside emotional dams burst. Tyrone took the cue and maneuvered past the two boys over to the couch and sat down, giving them plenty of space. Rues attempted to coach his brother away from the door after closing it, but the process was slow in the going. As they made to the easy chair Rues eased the tired wolf down to it. It was large enough to fit them both so he placed his body beside Leon's and submissively rested his face in the brown fur of his brother's shoulder. "Last night............" His voice drifted of like the echo of an ocean wave then lifted up again. "Last night I went to see..." He couldn't bring himself to say the name Theodore but struggled on knowing that Rues was still understanding what was being explained. "....I went to see him and was..... Rues, he did things to me, I don't even remember but I know what happened and all I want to do is cry and scream and smash that shit-face into a thousand little pieces...."
Horror stricken, the little white dragon stared as if he had been dragged through a mile of rusted nails and broken glass. "I'll..... it'll be okay if you just promise not to get involved in any fights with him.... I wanna' put his head in the dirt too but we can call the cops, their has to be...." His voice broke off as Leon stood turning his head towards the door. "Rues, there's blood on the football field. I'm certain it's mine. Yeah and there's tire tracks. I smashed into storage to get these then..." He paused motioning to his pants and then turned to face Tyrone. "Then this little hooker followed me home. Name's Tyrone Easton Something or other. Oh, and it's a he, at least that's the story."
"You want proof of that?" Tyrone shouted back from across the room. Leon just flipped him off and faced his adopted brother again. Bravely the younger boy nudged their hindpaws together. "School started by now and they had to have found that mess and there'll be police everywhere, let's got get that bastard." Rues suggested and Leon nodded. "Hey tart, you probably should get heading if the police are getting involved. I don't think the law enforcement scene is your thing." Obviously a solid idea for the husky. "You've been a great friend, I'll never understand you're life but thanks for helping me see this through." Leon added, his head turn to the side watching the departure of the young dog.
"Rues, I need a moment. Let's shower." The remark took the pale canid dragon by complete surprise. "Wha...What? You mean together... right now?!?" stuttered a shocked sixteen year old. "I need to feel clean before I can go anywhere else." Confessed a worn-out timber wolf, standing with his head still adverted from his brother's on looking eyes.
"I don't want to leave your side for a moment, Rues.... I feel terrible to drag my little bro into this but I know I won't be able to make it through with out your help."Grinning evanescently Rues rose and took his brother's paw in a loving grasp. "I'm here Leon, and you know that I'll never feel ashamed or guilty to help you. What else should a brother do but to help out in your time of need?" Perhaps the entire promise seemed a little chliche' but it helped to bring a smile back to the wolf's face anyhow.
"Come on let's get you cleaned up. Afterall, we have a lot to accomplish today. Revenge is something best planned after a nice bath anyway." Leon laughed and lead his brother for the stairs, his mood already improving. They walked side by side for the sanctuary of an hour locked alone together behind a glass wall and steamy waterfall. Still that time spent together could never compare to the happyness Leon found just seeing his brother's face smile like the sun after the darkest night ever known.