Style - Rivalry

Chapter 34

Kyle squints as he opens his eyes. The morning sun creeps through the navy blue curtains on the windows. He turns to his left to find a digital alarm clock, it was 5:45 am. He sighed in relief knowing he wasn't late for work.

He turns on his other side to see Stan asleep next to him on the bed. His back was toward Kyle.

Kyle could make out dozens of red scratch marks completely covering Stan's back, coming out diagonally from his spine on both sides. Kyle remembered digging his nails into Stan last night, but he didn't realize how overboard he went.

Though he found it hard to care, considering who this person was.

"Mmmm..." Stan turns onto his back and rubs his eyes. "What time..?"

"Almost 6" Kyle responds in a neutral tone.

"Mm. You should go."

"Yeah."

"Sorry, I don't remember where I threw your clothes..." Stan turns back onto his side, still exhausted and ready to get as much sleep as he can.

Kyle doesn't say another word to Stan before finding his costume and flying back to his own apartment. There was a 3 hour time difference so if he wanted to make his lunch meetings he had to hurry.

The day went as well as any other. He had plans to have a late dinner with Bebe once she had finished her appearances.

He decided to take a hot bath, he hoped the warm water would make his sore back feel better.

He sighs as he relaxes into the bath. "Fuuuck that's nice..."

He closes his eyes, relaxing his body and mind.

Like a flash of lightning, his brain was filled with images of his family. His dead, mangled family on the floor of his demolished house.

His eyes shoot open. He gasps loudly and shoots up to a sitting position, a bit of water spilling from the tub after his sudden movements.

"No... no not again not this again!" He hurries out of the tub and finds his stash of acid, quickly placing one in his mouth.

"Fuck... it's cause I slept with him..." he holds his head in his hands. "I slept with their fucking murderer... what is wrong with me?!"

He rocks back and forth. "Come on... kick in already..."

Then, the images stopped. His mind was clear again and his feelings returned to being numb as they had been before. He sighs in relief and sits against the frame of his bed.

"I can't keep going like this..."