Baby Bat Wings

“Leave my children alone, or I fucking swearto God-” came Carmen’s

“She’s my child too, Carme-”

There was a slam against a wall, as Carmen growled, “Then, fucking act like it!”

“Carmen,” his voice came soothing, now, almost seductive, and made Max want to throw up, “Carmen, Carmen…I didn’t want to have to use this…” There was a thud, “but you know how valuable those kids are…”

“Mom!” Max couldn’t stop himself from shouting, as he grabbed Nico tighter, and tried to hide them under the blankets, but he could hardly even feel himself grab it. He’d just given them away, anyways, and his brother’s hyperventilation made them an even easier target than that.

“Maxine?” The door opened, and two men walked in. One of them, he recognized, immediately. The other one’s face seemed…fuzzy.

“Go away!” max snapped, kicking backwards, but hitting his head on the wall…hard…“Go away, you’re not my dad- Nico!” He shrieked, as a pair of gloves hands grabbed at his brother, who was, surprisingly, limp"

“Nico!” He felt a sharp prick in his arm, and eyes widened. His vision started to blacken, but he lunged forward. A pair of hands held him back, “Nico! Nico! Stop! Nico! N- Ni-”

• • •

Max woke up, on the floor, still screaming his brother’s name as loud as he could, and crawling around, blindly, with his eyes closed.

Part of them didn’t want to open them, he smelled…coffee…and pancakes…and homemade hash browns. He heard his mother’s voice, too, but he knew it couldn’t be real. They’d taken him. His mom was dead, for all he knew. He’d just hoped those idiots hadn’t taken poor Kennedy.

“Nico!” He screamed, again, but stopped, when he heard him.

He blinked, nervously, but chose to look around when he saw him and, promptly, launched himself at his brother (almost knocking his down, in the process)

☁ My muse is screaming for help.

❅ My muse is shaking uncontrollably.

✿ Your muse finds my muse in room next door after my muse had nightmare.

★ You muse finds my muse in room next door after your muse had nightmare.

☯ My muse can’t tell the reality apart from nightmare.

Stop blaming yourself, boy.

Anon asked: could you draw sad leo? maybe with his friends there or something? idk if thats not to much hassle if it is too hard i dont mind x

• • •

Inside the room, Max only looked up to make sure it was just his brother who had entered, but he looked back down quickly, dreading the other’s quick judgements on his condition.

'I love you,'

At his brother’s sudden words, Max almost started crying again, but forced himself not to. At least he knew somebody loved him, even if it wasn’t his mom.

"I love you, too," he promised, horsely, and quickly, unsure of what else to say, but speaking the truth.

He knew Nico knew that, but he assumed he knew Max did too.

When the other found his hand, Max yanked it away, quickly, with a defensive, “I’m fine!” before realizing how stupid that sounded in his condition.

When his brother got up and grabbed the bandages, Max shifted, uncomfortably.

"Thanks," he tried, then wincing as Nico pulled the remaining shards from his hand.

"I can do that, myself," he insisted, tears welling in his eyes as he glanced toward his broken-faced old toy.

Part of him was really wishing he hadn’t done that. A feeling of nostalgia washed over him, remembering how he used to coddle it when he was hurt or sad and he, suddenly, felt like he needed the comfort of the doll more than ever.

Instead, he pressed into Nico, as he bandaged his hand, and immediately regretted letting out a loud sob. Stop it, he scolded himself, don’t you dare let yourself look soft!

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"Maxi…" She sighed, shakily, "I think it’s time…you’re old enough, now…to learn about your past."

He pressed, farther into his brother, when he snapped, saying many things Max had wanted to say this whole time. Part of him wanted to speak for himself, but another part knew that he couldn’t.

He was focused to hard on trying not to cry. He’d felt so…betrayed.

"No," Carmen closed her eyes, and tilted her head toward the floor, "I just…I needed to get that off of my chest, kiddo… I- I really did try…"

"You tried, too late!" Max, finally snapped, his head snapping up, before he stood.

He couldn’t take this, anymore. He was so confused, and so tired. He appreciated Nico staying with him, but he needed to leave, himself. He needed to go to his room, and sort things out for himself. He didn’t need anyone else trying to tell him how to feel.

So, he bolted toward his room, slamming the door behind him and practically wheezing when he got there. Suddenly, he felt bad for leaving Nico alone, out there, but he just decided he’d open the door for his brother. He’d decided he would only open the door for his brother. Nobody else in this house deserved it, except his other brother.

That’s another thing that got him, though: Kennedy was Zach’s kid, too.

Did he just apologize for almost killing Max, and she decided that was enough and that she loved that pinche falsa de mierda again? Did she just decide it was okay‽ That’s not how it’s worked!

"Agh!" Max let out a guttural cry, as he punched in the face of the porcelain doll she’d gotten for him for his ninth birthday.

Pulling his hand back, he screamed again, sucking at the blood, and picking at the few pieces that had gotten stuck in his knuckles.

Still, the boy was angry, at himself, now, too. Why did he just trust her, like that? Why couldn’t he just forgive her? She was his mother, for Pete’s sake!

That was why, he realized, because she was his mother and he was supposed to be able to trust her, and he’d trusted her for so long, but now he couldn’t. The fact that she obviously loved him, but she still hurt him, just made him even angrier, as he ripped his bookshelf off the wall.

Destructive, that’s all he was. David was right: he’d just been a burden on his mother from day one.

Either way, he thought, as he plopped down on his bed, not even caring about the blood, She had no right to trust him. Was she blinded by ‘love,’ or just crazy? Really he thought, what was the difference?

He couldn’t even do that right!

Carmen stood on the other side of the door, with Nico and, before he left, she touched his upper arm, lightly to get his attention. “Please,” she begged, quietly and, hearing the voice, Max almost slammed the door shut again thinking, this better not be some kind of trick. He wouldn’t put it past her, at this point.

Still, he listened, as she finished in a whisper, “Just make sure he’s okay…”

When Nico, finally, entered, Max looked angry and ready to fight again. If it were anyone else, he probably would have tried to take their head off. He couldn’t deal with this, right now. He still needed to think! Despite the fact that he, so obviously, sucked at thinking.

When his brother came closer, though, his face softened, and he pulled his knees toward him, trying to hide his hand between his legs.

The boys’ mother pursed her lips, in a guilty way that unnerved Max, before speaking, “boys, I-” her voice wavered, reluctantly, but she pressed on, “I have a confession to make…

"Maxi…" She sighed, shakily, "I think it’s time…you’re old enough, now…to learn about your past."

He pressed, farther into his brother, when he snapped, saying many things Max had wanted to say this whole time. Part of him wanted to speak for himself, but another part knew that he couldn’t.

He was focused to hard on trying not to cry. He’d felt so…betrayed.

"No," Carmen closed her eyes, and tilted her head toward the floor, "I just…I needed to get that off of my chest, kiddo… I- I really did try…"

"You tried, too late!" Max, finally snapped, his head snapping up, before he stood.

He couldn’t take this, anymore. He was so confused, and so tired. He appreciated Nico staying with him, but he needed to leave, himself. He needed to go to his room, and sort things out for himself. He didn’t need anyone else trying to tell him how to feel.

So, he bolted toward his room, slamming the door behind him and practically wheezing when he got there. Suddenly, he felt bad for leaving Nico alone, out there, but he just decided he’d open the door for his brother. He’d decided he would only open the door for his brother. Nobody else in this house deserved it, except his other brother.

That’s another thing that got him, though: Kennedy was Zach’s kid, too.

Did he just apologize for almost killing Max, and she decided that was enough and that she loved that pinche falsa de mierda again? Did she just decide it was okay‽ That’s not how it’s worked!

"Agh!" Max let out a guttural cry, as he punched in the face of the porcelain doll she’d gotten for him for his ninth birthday.

Pulling his hand back, he screamed again, sucking at the blood, and picking at the few pieces that had gotten stuck in his knuckles.

Still, the boy was angry, at himself, now, too. Why did he just trust her, like that? Why couldn’t he just forgive her? She was his mother, for Pete’s sake!

That was why, he realized, because she was his mother and he was supposed to be able to trust her, and he’d trusted her for so long, but now he couldn’t. The fact that she obviously loved him, but she still hurt him, just made him even angrier, as he ripped his bookshelf off the wall.

Destructive, that’s all he was. David was right: he’d just been a burden on his mother from day one.

Either way, he thought, as he plopped down on his bed, not even caring about the blood, She had no right to trust him. Was she blinded by ‘love,’ or just crazy? Really he thought, what was the difference?

The boys’ mother pursed her lips, in a guilty way that unnerved Max, before speaking, “boys, I-” her voice wavered, reluctantly, but she pressed on, “I have a confession to make…

"Maxi…" She sighed, shakily, "I think it’s time…you’re old enough, now…to learn about your past."

"What are you talking about?" Max’s forehead creased, disbelieving.

"Well, for starters…" The woman shifted, nervously, "this isn’t the first time this has happened to you…the labs…everything…you’ve seen it before.

"Listen, kiddo, when I was…seeing…your father, I did not know what he was going to do. Créeme, mi hijo, I didn’t know he was going to hurt you! If I had-” her voice stopped and she took his hand, “Maxi, you know I love you, right?”

"Mom?" Part of him was hardly even sure this was her, anymore. The pain and guilt in her eyes made her seem so different. She was always happy. She was like Wonder Woman: nothing could break her! So, what happened that was hurting her, so much? What did she do?

"Kiddo," she tucked a piece of hair behind his ear, "Maxi, I love you, and I only didn’t tell you this because…I didn’t want you to go looking for him…"

"I wouldn’t go looking for someone who wanted to hurt me!" Max protested, but his mother squeezed his hands.

"It was just a precaution!" There was a pause, and her voice softened, "Max…Maxi, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t take any chances. Just…listen, ¿de acuerdo?

"Max, your father…he was a bad man. You know that, but I didn’t, before I had you. I didn’t know why, but he really, really wanted a baby.

"Your tío…he tried to warn me of Zachary’s past…but I wouldn’t believe him. Those labs, Zach had you in…Panos Medical and Testing Laboratories…well, Zach took over for his mother, and he was the head there…"

Carmen’s voice wavered, and Max thought she would start crying, right then, but she didn’t, “Please…believe me, when I tell you, he’d convinced me he was doing something good!

"Maxi, he had told me they made medicine…they used to make medicine, but…he wanted something else… He was…curious. And…ambitious…" She turned to the man who claimed to be Nico’s father, who just shook his head, solumnly.

"He was an idiot," he stated, "hard-headed, and stubborn. He was obsessed with biology, and delusioned with immortality."

"He was smart…" His mother tried, and Max felt like he was just punched in the gut. Had he heard her right? There was no way she was actually sticking up for the man who hurt him! Max refused to believe it.

Hayden continued, sharply, “His dreams were stupid and childish. He wanted to save humanity with methods that were beyond barbaric. He only hurt people -children- and he didn’t even care!”

"But…he was thinking of the greater good, Hayden…"

"He was thinking of himself."

The woman, then, signed, letting go of her son’s hand and setting hers on his knees, instead, “Anyways…Your father had a goal, and…he was a lot like you, in the light of stubbornness. Basically, he wanted to speed up evolution. He wanted to see how long we could last. He thought…if he could improve humanity, somehow… Your father was afraid of death, Maxine. He was a scared man -but powerful-”

"Stupid," Hayden added.

She continued, “he warped the company, Maxine… He had his mind set on his goals, and he refused to rest, until they were met.”

Mr. Di Angelo spoke again, sounding angry, “He slowly turned it into the…madhouse, I suspect you’ve seen.”

Max shivered, feeling sick to his stomach just thinking about it, “it was hell.”

He nodded, “and killed anybody who got in his way. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was already mad with power. Eventually, I left, afraid for my own life…and my family’s.” The man glanced at Nico, for a split second, before his eyes met the floor.

The mother continued and, now, she was crying, “I- I let him…experiment on me…Max..I- I thought he was doing something good, but I- I didn’t know…Max I’m so sorry…I…l- let him…use you… B- before you were born…He…said you would be a real miracle…y- your wings…that’s…a- anyhow…I- I knew yo- ou…m- might not make it, but… Escuchar, I…I’m so sorry, kiddo…

"I…I didn’t realize…until…when you were born, Max…he ran off with you. I hardly got to see you, before you were…taken away. Bebé, I tried, but he took you before I could do anything!"

"He’d ran out of test subjects," Recalled the man, "if he couldn’t find anyone willing to be guinea-pigs for his outlandish fantasies, they’d be shut down. He practically begged me, as well as our brother, Preston, but we said 'good.'

"That’s when I ran, scared for my family more than myself. I warned Preston -the children were more valuable. Easier to test on, easier to take. He didn’t listen…not that they ever did," the sneer on the man’s face unnerved Max. He could tell the brothers had some bad history with each other, but he knew it would only make things worse to pressure him about it.

"You," Max’s voice cracked, disbelieving, "could have stopped it. Mom, You could have prevented everything, and you knew what he was doing!"

"Mi hijo…" Max’s mom shook, trying to regain herself, "like I said, I thought he was doing something good! I- I didn’t know he was hurting you, there!"

"He was experimenting on children! That’s not a good thing!"

"I didn’t know! Maxine, do you really think I would have even had you, if I knew this would happen‽”

There was a silence, as Max contemplated that, “You only had me for him.”

"What‽ No! Kiddo, I- I loved you! And…I wanted a baby, but if I would have known… I just…never wanted to see you hurt…

"Anyways, I- I got you back, about a year later…I finally found him working in the branch in Navada…y- you were…s- so close to death… I- I thought you…were…but…" She stopped, looking down, and Max could see a few tears fall into her lap.

Suddenly, the condition she’d found him in, when she’d found him at Dylan’s house, seemed a lot more traumatizing.

Still, she pressed on, “I took you to a hospital, and they saved you…and they took down the Laboratory, there.”

She shook her head, “H- he was a coward…he just ran…moved back to Florida…convinced everybody it was only that one branch that was corrupt, somehow, but…of corse, I didn’t believe him. But he th- threatened to kill you…” She gulped, “I- if I told anybody, he said…he…said he wouldn’t need you anymore, and…”

Shaking her head, again, now bawling, she continued, “From then, on, I didn’t hesitate to take precautions. I moved states. I gave nobody my address -not even my own family -except David, of course. I quit show-business, I left all social media, and never let you have any. That’s why I always tried to go with you everywhere. I thought…maybe I could protect you, this time! L- Lo siento, Maxi…

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Max and Nico 1