Reality Check - A Huntric/Goldric Based Fic

Easier to Cry (CHP 17)

They're just tears for the cause, tracks for the lost, betrayed by the heart, waiting for sorrow to dissolve. But it's so easy to, it's so easy to. . . To cry, cry.

-TV Girl

(soooo.. this is an angsty chapter and there are some potentially triggering content. so here's the warning!!)

CONTENT WARNING: NIGHTMARE, SPOKEN CHILD ABUSE, IMPLIED INJURY, PANIC ATTACKS.

"Hunter..." A suave, buttery smooth voice resonated from the space around him.

"Y-yes, Uncle?" Hunter whined, thrashing his head around in the darkness, desperately trying to find the shadow of the man who had raised him.

"You've disappointed me again... Falling in love with that Blight?" His voice sounded disgusted, a sneer to what it was a moment ago. "Aren't you better than such a lowly life force?"

"I-it's just a summer thing... Uncle, please! May I have just this one thing?" He was basically pleading him, though he was lying through his teeth about the 'summer thing.'

"Ah, but you have disappointed me one too many times... You know what happens when you fail, don't you?"

Memories flooded the darkness.

Blood gushing into a bath tub.

Shaky hands carefully sewing together cuts deep enough to require hospitalization.

The stinging wrath of his only parental guardian.

Hunter covered his ears, shutting his eyes tightly as he attempted to hide the thoughts from himself.

A figure appeared, the tall, rectangular shape of his uncle. Hunter reached a hand out to him, trying to get any sort of help.

The shadow distorted, turning itself into a moldy green. His face and body twisted, sharp teeth and dirty green poisoning the once human face.

Hunter would have screamed if he could.

The figure lashed out without a hand, rather a blade slime arm carefully constructed in its place. It sliced down his cheek, where a scar had already been.

Hunter sobbed, the memory of the pain overtaking him.

The blonde woke up in a cold sweat. Sitting up suddenly, he felt.. heavy. The air itself felt like it was pressing down right on top of him. He couldn't breathe, finding it hard to force oxygen in and out of his lungs. He world danced around him, a thousand thoughts running throughout his head.

He had to get out.

That wasn't truly Belos, was it?

Did he know about his relationship?

Was that wound real or a dream?

As such ideas and thoughts overtook him, his breathing hastened. He began to hyperventilate, thinking about everything. He shut his eyes tightly again, tightly wrapping his body around itself.

Edric stirred in his side of the bed, disturbed by the sudden increase of noise. Was that a breeze from a window Hunter had left open?

No, no.. It WAS Hunter. Once he made that realization, Edric quickly sat up, his eyes widened.

There sat the blonde, curled up with his knees to his chest and his head between his knees. He was mumbling something Edric couldn't hear, but it didn't sound good because of the intense sobbing that accompanied it.