hi guys i have mary and neil child abuse for you (of the physical kind) <3 @fluffypotatey @kidspawn @afurtivecake
Neil spots the car, and his body stutters to a stop. Itโs the briefest of hesitations, but he can feel Momโs eyes burning against his front and Andrewโs piercing his neck. He slides smoothly into the next step.
One. Two. Three. Eins. Zwei. Drei.
He keeps his stare slightly ahead, each beat of his heart circulating the dread in his veins.
Sheโs going to make you leave, his mind whispers. Thereโs only one reason sheโd wait here for you.
Neilโs hand tightens around the strap of his bag at the thought. He canโt think of leaving, not when it would mean leaving Andrew.
He doesnโt look at the twins when he sits in the passengerโs seat, nor does he speak. Mary says nothing, her silence somehow worse than any words she could say. Neil feels the tension ratchet up as they get closer to the house; his palms are bleeding from his nails cutting into them. Mary gets out with a slam of her door, and Neil follows silently.
Heโs just barely closed the front door when his head whips to the side, his eyes watering instinctually as his cheek starts to sting. Neil hates that the violence of it surprises him, that even after 7 years he never sees the first hit coming. Her hand is in his hair next, painfully tugging at his scalp, enough to take out a few hairs.
Neil shudders as he remembers each time Andrewโs hands have carded through it. He blinks away his desire to have Andrew here, at his back with careful hands that have never hurt him.
That would be worse, he reminds himself, desperately squashing any thoughts of Andrew. Sheโd kill him.
โStupid boy.โ Neil inhales sharply; his motherโs voice in a tone he recognizes too well. She uses her grip to force him to face her. Maryโs eyes are dark and her lips are set in a stern line.
Neil shrinks back, forgets heโs a few inches taller than her now, winces as she tugs even harder at his hair.
โDid you think I wouldnโt find out?โ she hisses.
Neilโs tongue feels like lead in his mouth, โI-โ She slams his head backwards with enough force that his ears ring. She removes her hand from his hair, and Neil realizes as he stumbles to the ground that sheโd been holding him up.
His knees land on the wood floor with a sharp crack. Mary wastes no time in sending the toe of her boot into his diaphragm, and Neil chokes on air as he curls into himself.
โWhat canโt you understand about the danger of your actions, Abram? Or did you think this was different because heโs a boy?โ Neil connects the dots and feels sick.
โIf you listened to me the first time, I wouldnโt have to beat another lesson into you,โ Maryโs voice is cold as she punctuates her words with another kick.
โIโm sorry,โ Neil rasps out.
โHow many of our secrets did you tell? Or were you too busy letting him stuff his tongue down your throat?โ
โI didnโt tell him anything,โ Neil lies desperately, โWe were just-โ Neil crumples, a pained whine escaping him as her next kick lands on the edge of his face.
โYou were just thinking with your dick,โ Mary bites out.
I wasnโt, Neil thinks, I was doing something much worse.
โWhat if he asked? I know you, Abram. Eventually youโll delude yourself into thinking heโs safe, that thereโs no harm in letting a little information slip. You are going to get yourself killed,โ Mary doesnโt have to yell for her voice to echo in his ears.
โIโm sorry. Iโm sorry,โ he mumbles, โI wonโt do it again. I wonโt.โ
She sighs, and then sheโs retreating, giving Neil a much needed reprieve. His ribs have already started to ache, though he can tell she didnโt break anything, and his face is throbbing as he struggles to sit up.
He hears her running the sink, and then he flinches as a cool rag meets the skin she kicked. He doesnโt look up from the floor.
โYou wonโt speak to him. I expect you back here every day after classes let out. You certainly do not trust some boy to put his hands on you.โ
Neil nods, โI promise,โ he whispers quietly.
Mary nods, running a hand through his hair gently, โIโll grab you some ice.โ
Neil walks gingerly to his room. Itโs been a long time since heโs done something wrong enough to deserve such a severe punishment.
He wrestles his phone out of his bag, bile rushing up his throat as he opens his messages. He throws a quick glance behind him to make sure Mary is out of sight as he closes his door.
Stupid, Neil thinks, that a message from Andrew can bring so much relief.
He catalogues the aches and bruises already forming. Sheโs never hit him in the face before, but with the news of Andrew and him coming outโฆit wonโt be hard to spin a believable lie.
Meet at the mill tomorrow
Neil grimaces. He has to hope Mary won't whisk him away tonight.
Weโll have to skip. She wants me home after classes.
The one he doesnโt have with Aaron, Neil assumes. He replies with a thumbs up before deleting the conversation and shutting off his phone with a sigh.
