Partners In Crime(Dalador/Aladarius)[The Owl House]

Chapter 18

(⚠️TW⚠️: domestic abuse, homophobia, animal abuse.)

{A Few Weeks Later}(Uploading this a day early because I'll be busy when I normally post chapters.)

~Darius POV~

Tomorrow's Alador's birthday. He always forgets so I have to remind him. We usually end up doing something fun or stupid or both.

"Think he'll like it, Eber?" I asked Eber as I showed him the gift I got Alador.

He nodded. I put the item in a small gift box and put it on my nightstand.

A slamming sound came from outside of my room, it came from the front door. A few moments of silence then screaming and shouting. Footsteps, Dad's footsteps, started towards my room.

"Under the bed! Under the bed!" I whispered to Eber.

Eber nodded then jumped and ran under my bed. Not even a moment later, dad slammed my door open. He looked pissed. More pissed than usual. More pissed than I have ever seen before.

"What is this filth?!" He yelled then threw an open envelope in front of me.

My heart dropped. A letter and several photos fell out. The photos were from the past few days. All of Alador and I. One of when Alador had tried to pin me, some where I kissed Alador, a few where Alador kissed me, and more such as that. Holding hands, my arm around him, cuddling when we thought no one was around. One was Alador and I on a picnic, he was laying on his stomach and listening intently to his palisman squeak while I sat there just admiring Alador. In any other situation the photos would've been cute but not this one...Anxiously, I went to grab the letter. Before I could even touch it, my dad yanked me back by hair, dragging me to my feet.

"What the fuck is this filth?! Is this how I raised, boy?!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "Is this how-"

He shouted something and I saw Eber hit the wall. He bit him. He must've bit him and he kicked him. Eber's small, not much bigger than the stuffed fox he loves so much. It wouldn't take much to send him flying and my dad would have used all his strength.

"Eber!" I managed to say.

Dad dragged me from my room. I could see Eber limp after us. He dragged me to the living room. My mom was sitting peacefully on the couch. Dad threw me to the ground.

"I never liked that Alador. Just something about him." Mom stated. "Now I know what."

Dad kicked me in the ribs. Eber jumped in.

"Eber. No. Don't." I told her.

He whimpered and I shoved her out of the way as dad went to kick him again. His boot collided with my arm.

"What is this?!" Dad said, now actually noticing Eber.

He picked him up by the scruff of his neck.

"A pet?" He said.

"He's...he's my friend..." I said, before catching another swift kick to the ribs.

After another dozen kicks to the rib and a few to my face, dad made his way to the front door. He opened it then threw Eber out. He yelped. I could just barely see him trying to get up but failing. Slowly and unsteadily, I managed to get to my feet. My ribs ached. As I stepped forward, something flew past my head. A...pillow? Mom isn't good at being physically violent.

"Stay there, you-" She swore and called me the f slur.

Unfortunately, she's verbally aggressive. Dad came back over to me. I tried to hit him but he caught my fist, twisted my arm back, and shoved me into the wall as hard as possible. Mom shouted and dad yanked my arm against my back. He yanked hard, it felt like shoulder was going to rip out of its socket.

"You dishonor our family in such a way, you-" Mom shouted, using the f slur freely. "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

As she continued to shout foul, hateful, and cruel things, my dad dragged me, my arm still pinned behind my back, and threw me out the front door then slammed it hard. Eber whimpered and tried to move closer to me.

"I'm...fine." I said, stumbling to my feet.

I picked up Eber then stumbled to the side of the house where we won't be seen.

"Alador taught me a healing spell." I told Eber.

I cast it on Eber then on myself. He jumped about, testing his legs.

"Better?" I asked.

He nodded then whimpered. He pointed his paw towards my face. I touched my cheek and winced.

"Guess I'm really bad at healing magic." I said, trying to joke.

He asked where we should go.

"We'll hide here until my parents are asleep. The window of my room is open, I have to grab some things then we'll run and find somewhere." I said.

He nodded.

{A Few Hours Later}

The last light in the house turned off. I waited a few minutes.

"Stay there." I whispered to Eber.

He nodded. I climbed through my bedroom window. I gathered some necessities into a bag. Clothes and a blanket. I grabbed the letter and photos. Whoever sent this, I need to know. I looked at my nightstand. Three items laid there. I grabbed them and put them in the bag then I climbed back out the window. As I did, I bumped the window causing it to clank against the wall. Eber barked that a light turned on. I picked him up, summoned my staff, and flew off.

{Half An Hour Later}

I landed next to the library. Using another spell Eda taught me, I unlocked the door. Eber and I made our way to the hideout. We sighed once the secret door closed behind us.

"We're safe...we're safe." I said, sitting on the ground. "Now, we're safe."

Eber curled up on my lap. He made a sad sound.

"I'm sorry that happened. I should never have let you stay. You wouldn't be in this trouble." I apologized. "Here. I grabbed this before I left."

I took the purple fox stuffy out of the bag. It was on my nightstand with Alador's birthday present and my grom crown. The fox and the crown have good memories attached, it may have been risky but I couldn't leave them. Call me sentimental.

Eber took the fox and cuddled it. He thanked me then drifted to sleep.

"Goodnight, Eber." I said, putting the blanket over him.

I took the letter out. Cut out letters instead of handwritten. Smart. It read:

'IS THIS REALLY HOW YOU WANT YOUR SON TO BEHAVE'

No signature. I looked over the envelope. No name there either. No address, return or otherwise. The person must have hand delivered it. Not a clue who it's from.

Who would do this? Why would they do this? Did I cross someone and not realize it? Even so, what could I have done to them that deserved this?

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(I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!)