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Post by Digi on Mar 19, 2020 11:34:25 GMT -5
Part One: The Warehouse This was a mistake. What was he thinking? He wasn’t old enough to do this. He couldn’t even get a job yet. How was he supposed to find somewhere to live? How about food and clothes and hygiene? How could he survive on his own, he was just a kid, after-all. Worse yet, how could subject his own brother to this?
It’d been three days since he’d had a real meal to eat. Any food he had found, he’d given to Jesus. Not to mention the shitty warehouse they were sleeping in. They were lucky it had been a fairly dry summer so far, or else they’d have been soaked in their since the roof was full of holes. Really, the ratio of roof to hole wasn’t great, so there was maybe 20 square feet of actual cover in the entire place. Damnit, Jesus didn’t deserve this shit.
Diego sighed. He’d been clenching his fist so hard that it had started to bleed a bit. Again. He wiped the blood off on the bottom hem on his shirt and closed his hand, lightly this time. He turned around and looked at his little brother, sleeping under the blankets he’d gotten in the last foster home. His breaths were deep and slow, content and unaware of the stupid shit his brother had gotten him into. He was so small and delicate, his face was smooth and his hair dark like midnight. He had all the best features of their mother and father, or at least, the features Diego could remember.
He couldn’t believe that he’d already begun to forget his parents’ faces, their voices, their embrace, it had all started to fade, becoming less prominent in his mind. It hadn’t even been that long since they’d died. Less than a year. Yet Diego could barely recall when his mother would speak to him in Spanish. He’d give anything to hear her say “mijo” even just one more time. Or to sit atop his father’s shoulders alongside Jesus. God, his father and mother’s laughs. At the very least, he could still remember those as clear as day. Thinking back, they were the two most beautiful sounds he’d heard in his entire life.
As he gazed upon the slumbering Jesus, he wondered, what would he remember of their parents? The thought that his brother might not recall any details about them whatsoever saddened him. He didn’t realize it at first, but thinking of his parents had caused him to start tearing up, and his cheeks were already thoroughly wet.
Jesus stirred from his sleep groggily, the young boy looking up at his brother through tired eyes. He had undoubtedly not had a good night’s rest, as the warehouse offered little in terms of comfort, so they’d simply cuddled against some crates that seemed to be intact and thus not dangerous to lean against.
“Di…? Cry….? What’s wrong?”
Diego shook his head, crouching down and taking his brother into his arms, pushing him into his chest. “Nothing, little brother. Nothing at all.”
He resolved that he’d remember hold on tight to every bit of memory of their parents that he could. So that one day, he could share them all with his brother who likely wouldn’t be able to remember much on his own. Yes, he’d hold tight to the memories just as he was holding on tight to his brother.
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Post by Digi on Apr 11, 2020 20:18:43 GMT -5
Part Two: The Thief Diego’s heart was beating a thousand miles a minute in his chest. He did his best to restrain his breathing, but he couldn’t stop himself from being so very nervous. He had to look normal. He had to be normal. That was the only way he could possibly pull this off.
The problem was that he wasn’t ‘normal’. He wasn’t even entirely sure what that meant to him anymore. Kidnapping his kid brother from foster care? Living in shithole warehouses, hoping not to be discovered? Nearly starving to death? He truly didn’t know anymore.
Focus, he told himself. He had to stay focused for this to work. One mistake could ruin everything. He’d be sent to juvie, or worse jail. He’d lose Jesus forever. All the shit he’d put himself and his brother through would have been pointless. He could do it. He just had to focus and stay calm.
He took one last deep breath and walked into the quaint drugstore on the corner of the busy Brooklyn street. The store looked bigger on the inside than the outside, but that applied to a lot of places around the city. It smelled distinctly of cigarette smoke, though there was also a hint of a fruity incense that obviously wasn’t strong enough to do its job. There were a few aisles to his right that would be about neck-high for an adult, but were a good foot or two taller than Diego. On the other side of the aisles, on the right wall were built-in fridges full of bottled drinks. There was a fountain drink machine on the far back wall, and the cashier and counter was to his left. All-in-all, it was a fairly standard drugstore.
The cashier was a tall Asian man, whom seemed disinterested in him overall. He seemed to be reading some paperback book, though Diego couldn’t make out the title or author. Besides him, there were a number of people in the store, though they were all pre-occupied in their own shopping.
Diego made his way to the snack aisle. The shelves were lined with various candies, chips, and cookies. On top were different flavors and brands of gum. Diego stood there browsing for a minute of two, though in truth he was searching for any cameras out of the corners of his eyes. There seemed to be a couple, nestled in the corners of the store. H snapped to attention, as if he’d never taken his eyes off the snacks. He had to maintain his composure. So, he picked out a packet of gum and moved on to canned goods aisle.
He did have a bit of money, he wouldn’t have come in otherwise, but it was far from enough to sustain him and his brother for long. He looked through the cans, picking out some fruit and beans. He put them in the basket he’d picked up at the entrance and brushed past two teenage girls talking about some high school drama. Diego was hit with a pang of sadness. High school. Something he wasn’t sure he’d ever get to experience, if he even survived in this life that long.
Without dwelling on the what-if’s of his life too long, he made it to the bread aisle. There was a man on the other end, but besides that he was in the clear. He perused the loaves for a moment, before spotting the one he wanted. He moved the items around and put them into the basket.
After picking out a few more things, including some peanut butter and drinks, he made his way to the register. The man looked down at him and raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.
“Is that everything?” He asked. Diego nodded his head yes, trying not to seem too enthusiastic or hesitant. The total popped on the screen. “That’s 23.54.”
Diego quickly paid the man with the little money he had from doing a few odd jobs, then took his change. He hurriedly grabbed the bags with his items in them and left the store, trying not to be too suspicious but admittedly feeling nauseous.
After he’d gotten far away enough from the store, he reached into his pockets and pulled out the receipt, and the pack of gum that wasn’t on it.
He let out a breath he’d suspected he’d held for his entire trip. He could do this. He knew he could. Because he already had. |
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Post by Digi on Apr 18, 2020 21:43:40 GMT -5
Part Three: The Incident Diego let out a yawn, breathing in the thick New York air. He’d been up half the night consoling Jesus who’d had another nightmare. The warehouse was safe, but it was far from comfortable. Their extended stay there, bordering on 3 months now, was wearing thin on both of them. Though Jesus was definitely taking it harder than he had been so far.
It was a nice day by New York standards. It was surprisingly sunny and warm, though that was sure to change soon. There was a cool breeze, making the air feel a bit fresher on his skin. The metal bench beneath him was the perfect temperature, not too cold, but not scorching hot, just warm. The leaves of the trees rustled in the wind, birds chirped, people passed by, walking and jogging, dogs barked on their daily walks. The smell wasn’t the best, it never really was, but it wasn’t as offensive as some parts of the city.
He should probably get going soon, he thought. He’d just been, er, ‘shopping’ and had decided to stop and take a moment to relax, something he seldom did. Most of his waking life was dedicated to Jesus: keeping him entertained all day, feeding him, keeping them out of the public eye. Lately his nights had also been rather tiresome since Jesus’ nightmares had gotten worse recently. Diego couldn’t blame him, really. He himself had been sleepless a lot of nights since their parents had died. He was honestly shocked that he was able to function as well as he did with how utterly fucked his sleep schedule was. Oh well, it’s just another part of his shitty life, he’d accepted.
Diego stretched his arms out in front on him and grabbed the grocery bags at his feet. He’d been careful placing them on the ground so that no one could take them too easily. He’d made that mistake last week and it’d really cost him. He’d been trying to ensure that he paid for at least some of the groceries he brought ‘home’, but he’d moved on from stealing packs of gum to grabbing bigger items that were more sustaining sources of food for himself and his brother.
After a fruitful shopping day last week, he’d set his bags down for just a moment to catch his breath, since the bags were fairly heavy, and then someone had snatched them. Diego did his best to chase the thief down, but unfortunately he’d been in a crowded area when it happened, so he lost sight of them.
He gripped his bags tightly, making his palms hurt a bit. The insides of the bags were a mix of legally purchased goods and food he’d stolen. He’d surprised himself with how used to stealing he’d become. Well, not exactly ‘used to’, as in he was comfortable with it. Diego still disliked what he was doing, and felt pangs of guilt all the time. But he’d become less nervous about it. More adept. He had a routine, a system. He wouldn’t call himself an amazing thief, he didn’t even like considering himself one in the first place. However, he admitted to himself that he was decent at it at least. Again though, he didn’t exactly take pride in it.
As he made his way back towards the warehouse, he heard sirens blaring in the distance. Diego hated that sound. It reminded him of that day when they’d lost their parents. All the sirens, the screams, the destruction raining down around them. It was far and away his worst memory. He reasoned that it was likely Jesus’ as well, though he couldn’t be sure as Jesus wasn’t old enough to describe his nightmares in explicit detail. It may be for the best though, as Diego wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle them anyways.
Diego was jarred back into reality by the realization that the sirens were getting louder as he got closer to the warehouse. A seed of panic began to sprout within his mind, and he hurried his pace, pushing past the people around him without much regard. The people around him became nothing but shapes; blurs getting in his way. The bags in his hands no longer felt heavy, in fact, they might as well be weightless. He didn’t know when he started running, but he was in a full-on sprint, disregarding anything and everything in his surroundings. It could be someone else, something else. It could be anything else. But he wouldn’t allow himself to take that chance. Only one thought filled his mind.
Jesus.
After what felt like forever in his head, Diego was finally there. The warehouse. The place they’d been living since they’d left that first Foster Home. The place where his brother should be. And his heart nearly shattered by the scene in front of him.
There was a police car outside, with a few officers standing about, expressions serious. They’d set up a perimeter. People were crowded around, as was natural in this city. Diego fought his way through the crowd trying to get close enough to figure out what was going on, realizing that he’d dropped his bags on the ways here, but not bothering to worry about anything but his brother. He heard murmurs around him, but there was no way he’d be able to verify what was rumor and what was real without hearing it straight from the source.
After practically shoving people to the side, he found himself at the front of the crowd. The officers were keeping people out, as expected. Diego found the nearest officer. With a reckless urgency in his voice, he practically shouted, “What’s going on!?”
The officer, a fit, average height Latino man looked down at him quizzically, assessing him. He seemed tense, which only made Diego more tense. He didn’t have time to waste on this. The man must’ve seen the desperation and utter panic in his eyes, because he said, “It’s all under control, okay? It’s just some thugs getting riley. You don’t have to worry, alright? Everything’s fine. We’re here to make sure no one gets hurt.”
His words fell on deaf ears. Diego knew he couldn’t rush in though, there’s no way he’d be able to get through the line of officers. His head darted around, looking for another way in. Simultaneously, he was wracking his brain for any other ways he could get into the warehouse. He’d always used the main entrance, not really having reason to use any other and not bothering to explore the place more than needed.
In this moment, he hated himself for that. He hated himself for leaving Jesus alone. He hated himself for running from Foster Care when he’d found out that they were going to be separated. If anything happened to Jesus, it’d be all his fault. But worse than that, he’d be all alone.
Diego snaked his way through the crowd once more, not noticing the officer’s gaze on him. He found himself racing through a nearby alley, hoping to get in through the back entrance. He was more than disappointed to find yet another police car on the other side.
Diego felt desperate. Almost feral. He was acting on a sort of instinct. He found a ladder that led to the roof of the building next door. He rushed up it, almost flying. He didn’t even notice the officer below him, shouting at him.
The distance between the building and the warehouse wasn’t vast at all. In fact, only a narrow alleyway was between them, as with most buildings in this neighborhood. Even if it had been a chasm the size of the Marianas Trench, it wouldn’t have stopped Diego. Without a second thought, as soon as he reached the roof, he dashed forward, towards the other side, the wind slamming against his face, making his eyes water and his skin dry. Small discomforts he didn’t pay any mind to whatsoever.
As the ground beneath him gave way, he lept forward with everything he had, across the insignificant gap. In the back of his mind he heard gasps and shouting, and knew he’d been noticed. It didn’t matter though. All that mattered was getting to his brother. All that mattered was his brother.
His landing wasn’t graceful, but it was fine. The warehouse’s roof protested against his weight, and he counted himself lucky that it didn’t collapse under him. He quickly, but carefully made his way over to the large hole in the roof, his steps loud and clanky, but there was nothing he could do.
He peered down and saw a group of people, mostly men. They looked like the stereotypical gang around here, but they had a few mismatched bags that looked to be full. Diego paid no mind to them, though. His attention was immediately drawn to the boy backed against one of the crates.
The boy.
His brother.
Jesus.
Diego wasted no time in launching himself onto the top of one of the crates in the warehouse below. The impact resounded, alerting the people below. Diego’s body took the brunt of the fall, though it hadn’t been that far as the crate was tall, it had been a rough landing. His right arm not feeling quite right, and he felt bruised. They shouted at him.
“Who the fuck are you, kid! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” One of them yelled, looking aggressive. He held up a gun, a pistol Diego surmised.
Another one walked up, this one a woman, putting an arm up in front of the scrappy man. He looked at Diego intensely for a moment, then down at Jesus. She then shouted up to him. “You related to this kid?”
Diego nodded. His body felt tired, the adrenaline rush he’d had starting to fade. His eyes were fixated on Jesus. He almost collapsed form relief. He didn’t seem to be hurt, just scared.
The woman said something to a couple of the men that he couldn’t make out. They agreed to whatever it was and made their way towards him. They climbed up the debris and were soon atop the crate, with Diego backing away slowly. He felt a rush inside him and went for a punch towards one of them. The only thing he hit was air, as the man dodged easily.
They grabbed him by his arms and legs. He struggled, thrashing about, trying to no avail to get free. They carried him down to the ground, and tossed him at the feet of the woman, whom he had assumed by now was their leader. Diego’s body protested, but it wasn’t as bad the landing from before. They sat him up so that he could look at her. The aggressive-looking one from before was shouting.
“Boss, this shit has gone fucking sideways! Let’s just get rid of these brats and make a run for it! They’re gonna call in a damn hero anytime now!”
The woman looked annoyed. “They wouldn’t even have know we’re here if it wasn’t for your dumbass getting cocky and firing shots at nothing. It was just supposed to be a clean easy job. In and out. But your stupid, bitch ass had to get antsy. If it weren’t for your brother I never would’ve let you be a part of this anyways.”
The scrappy one looked pissed. His fists were clenched, and Diego was terrified he’d go for the gun, but instead he just backed down and spit at her feet. The woman simply rolled her eyes. She turned her attention to him.
“Look kid. I don’t know who the fuck you are, and I don’t give a damn either. I’m no murderer, but we have to get going. So, you’re coming with us one way or another.”
One of the guys holding Diego protested. “But Boss, what are we gonna do with ‘em?”
She waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t fucking know. But like hell and I gonna pop a couple kids. Just grab the little one and let’s go-“
The woman was tackled to the ground by a police officer. A faint recognition ringed in Diego’s eyes, as it was the officer he’d talked to earlier. The rest of the gang seemed to panic, and the world slowed down once more. The guys behind him let go, paying him no mind as they had bigger worries now. He heard Jesus scream behind him, as the scrappy looking one had grabbed him and was holding a gun to his head. Jesus was crying and kicking and shouting.
In fact, everyone was shouting. It was chaos. Not quite on the level of what had happened when they lost their parents, but hectic and horrible nonetheless.
Diego’s vision felt incomplete, as he couldn’t see everything happening around him. But he didn’t need to. All he needed to see was Jesus. Nothing else.
The gang guy didn’t wasn’t looking at him, he realized, but the officer, who’d taken down half of the small group already. Diego’s mind was racing with ideas and thoughts about what to do, what he could do. Rushing in would be a death sentence for his brother, wouldn’t it?
But then again, no one seemed to be paying any attention to him. But he couldn’t risk his brother’s life on his own speed, right? On such trivial assumption. He was stuck. Frozen as the events around him were playing out, the officer holding his hands up, a sign of surrender.
Then Diego saw it. His chance. The scrappy man was pointing his gun at the officer and screaming.
With what felt like his last burst of energy, Diego sprinted at the man, his only goal to get Jesus to safety. The distance was nonexistent. He had it covered in seconds. He wrapped his around his brother and pulled with all his might, freeing him from the man’s grip. Diego fell backwards onto his ass, with Jesus in his arms.
The man’s head turned his way, but he lowered his guard and his gun. “Huh, where the hell did you co-“ He didn’t get to finish whatever though he had as he was slammed to the ground by the officer.
And that was it.
The other officers had entered the building, and a hero had arrived. The gang was being arrested and Diego was being pulled to his feet. But he didn’t care any of it at all. Jesus was in his arms. Crying against his chest. Diego held him, refusing to let go even when the officers insisted, trying to check for injuries.
The hero that had arrived didn’t have the chance to do much but thanked the officer for his bravery and ensured that the gang had been properly dealt with. The hero, a woman with some kind of metallic arm also seemed to apologize to the officers for arriving late. She also gave Diego a bit of a talking to after ensuring he was okay, as did the officers. They told him how reckless he’d been and that if he were older, then they might’ve charged him but were leaving him off with a warning. Jesus had stopped crying and seemed to be a bit cheered up by the officers and the hero talking to him. After checking in with them and making some calls, they deduced that they were both orphaned. They told them they’d be sent to Foster Care again, and Diego simply nodded along.
None of it mattered though. He was with Jesus. Jesus was safe. That was all that mattered. |
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Post by Digi on Apr 24, 2020 20:00:50 GMT -5
Part Four: The Routine Diego woke up in a cold sweat, pivoting his head to the sides to survey his surroundings. The room was dark and cool, everything silent aside from his rushed breathes and the noise of his brother’s deep slumber.
He took a moment to collect himself, slowing his breathing down and grounding his thoughts. He steadied his gaze on the silhouette of his brother sleeping in the bed opposite of him. He couldn’t make out his features in the shadows, but Diego already knew that this was a night of respite for him. Although Jesus’ nightmares had become less frequent within the past two years, it was still rare that he slept with a sense of tranquility. Rarer still was that Diego was the one to wake up in the midst of the night while his brother was catching Z’s.
The nightmares weren’t new, though. They were always the same. The day their parents had died. The warehouse incident with Jesus. Getting caught stealing and losing his brother forever. Diego had gathered that his brother’s were similar, though less detailed and more abstract from Jesus’ descriptions.
Though the nightmares were never new, he never really got used to them. He almost missed the days where he could barely sleep at all. Not that his nights were more restful these days either, even though they had a mostly consistent life-style. Well, “consistent” wasn’t quite the right word. It was more like… routine.
They’d gone from foster home to foster home for the past two years, form family to family, being passed off like an undesirable Christmas gift. Diego couldn’t claim that it’d been all that bad though, as most of the homes had been fairly nice to be honest. However, he’d still refused to lower his guard completely, no matter how nice things felt. He kept a close eye and ear on his surroundings at all times, wary of eventual separation from his brother.
He wasn’t sure what his action plan was if it happened, but he figured that since he was a bit older, dare he say wiser, that they’d set off for the streets again. Taking care of Jesus would theoretically be easier for him as well, since Jesus was more independent now. Diego was thankful though, that Jesus still seemed attached to him, and hadn’t become despondent or resentful. Diego guessed that his brother was still too young to understand the complexities of their situation, which he was guiltily grateful for.
Diego laid back, staring at the ceiling. This place, the Juarez’s, was nice enough. He’d definitely put it above a few of the other homes they’d been in. He often recounted each one in his head in times of boredom or worry. They’d been all over the city by this point. There had been the Jones’s and the Stevenson’s, they were both kind and had a bit more middle class than some of the other homes. That wasn’t to say places like the Wu’s, Gutierrez’s, Knopf’s, and Charles’ hadn’t been good, though they were definitely less lavish. Diego estimated they'd been through nearly 10 different homes, 10 different neighborhoods, 10 different families, within the past two years trapped within the system.
They would always go to one of the homes, get used to the parents and whatever other kids were there, if any. The meals would be diverse and interesting, with some of them favoring take-out over cooking. He and Jesus would learn the rules and customs of each household, having to adapt form the previous one as well as their own natural mannerisms. Diego had been scolded more than once for his use of profanity, but some part of him insisted on holding onto the habit, even if he wasn't sure of the exact reason. Their school schedule was hectic and chaotic, yet they somehow made it work. Diego was always hesitant to make any friends though, for he feared he’d grow too attached too quickly, only to never seem them again after moving to the next home. Most of the homes had treated Jesus nicely, though one of too had favored him. He didn’t particularly care about favoritism, as long as Jesus was treated well, then his worries were lessened. But again, the anxious of separation always loomed overhead.
Almost none of them had been bad, except for well, the Quinn’s and Edgar’s. Diego’s body tensed up at the thought of the latter, and a dull aching resounded on his back. He was glad they had not stayed there for too long, or he feared what might’ve happened. Thoughts about those places were best left alone, he had decided.
He shut his eyes once more, though there wasn’t much difference between the darkness of the room and the dark of his eyelids. Everyone in the house besides him was bound to be asleep, though Mrs. Juarez might be awake doing some early morning housework, depending on what time it is. She was strict, but kind. She’d tried teaching Diego a bit more Spanish, since his had been impaired by lack of learning and usage. He always felt a pang of guilt and sorrow whenever he thought about his impaired Spanish. He remembered when speaking it had felt natural and he missed learning new words from his parents.
Diego could feel his closed eyes water a bit at thought of them. Lately he often questioned the accuracy of his own memories about them.Yeah, he’d been with them most of his life, but he was young and the most prominent memories he had of them were all about… that day.
He felt like he laid there forever, and changed position so many times, his mind relentless in its onslaught of thoughts and worries. Finally, though he had no clue what time it was or how long he’d been awake, sleep washed over him. Just another night in a home he wasn’t able to call his own.
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Post by Digi on May 24, 2020 23:16:43 GMT -5
Part Five: The Brothers The boy raced down the street, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He was out of breath and starting to sweat a bit. The day was warm for the city, and it was nice out. He was laughing so hard that he couldn’t breathe. He was truly carefree.
“Slow down, mijo! The park isn’t going anywhere!” A woman shouted from behind him. He did a quick turn and dashed towards the pair of people walking some feet behind him. His laughter didn’t stop, a boisterous, but charming sound. He slammed into the legs of the woman, his face just below her chest. The woman wobbled backwards a bit but found her footing. She then let out her own laugh at the silly boy’s actions, a beautiful, harmonic sound.
The man standing beside her bent down a bit and ruffled his son’s hair. “Ay, Diego! Your mother’s a tough woman, but I don’t even think she can handle that hard head of yours.” The man had a beaming smile on his face that could light up a funeral. Though he would never try such a thing, of course, for Samuel Garcia was known by most everyone that knew him as a good man. A hard-worker, honest, charitable, efficient yet fun. He was far from humble though, as he’d often go out of his way to brag about how lucky he was to have his wife and son.
Marie Garcia on the other hand, was typically a bit more serious and somber, but not necessarily strict. Samuel always knew how to make her laugh, if not at his jokes, then at his cartoonish failures. It was her favorite part about him. Both of her boys were her soft-spot, and she was sure that their baby would be no exception. She already had to play the “mean” parent that didn’t instantly cave to their son’s demands for toys and candy and whatever else caught his eye. They still hadn’t picked a name, as they’d gone back and forth about it since they’d found out she was pregnant. Diego was old enough to understand that he would be big brother, but he definitely didn’t know about the… complexities of the process.
Diego wasn’t an angel by far. He’d had an extended and horrific case of the “terrible twos”, but he had eventually calmed down. He had never done anything too bad, but his parents were glad that he’d stopped fighting with other kids. He was simply bursting with energy at all times, while his parents felt that theirs was drained when dealing with the hyper-active child. Even when he was a handful, they still were eternally grateful for him. They’d had a couple of miscarriages before Diego was born, so they felt as if their love had been magnified.
That’s the main reason they’d yet to choose a name, despite Marie being pretty far along. They were hopeful but guarded against having their hearts shattered once more. Marie hugged Diego tight at the thought. “Ah, it’s fine. Just be more careful okay? We don’t want you to hurt your baby brother.”
Diego leaned into the hug, nestling his face into his mother’s stomach. “It’s so weiirrrrd, that he’s in your belly, Mama. How did he get thereeeee?”
Samuel laughed and patted Diego’s head. “When you’re older, mijo! When you’re older.” He smiled brighter than the sun, enjoying the lax day with his family. Diego smiled back.
Diego stared at the marker board at the front of the room. The teacher, Mrs. Jenkins, was explaining some basic algebra problems. Diego was, admittedly, a bit lost. Math subjects weren’t his best, really. It obviously didn’t help that he’d changed schools and teachers at least twice a school year. His grades had definitely suffered within the past few years, but it wasn’t as if he had ever been a star-student, and he wasn’t flunking every class or anything. Still, he often chided himself for his performance, feeling as if he needed to set a better example for Jesus.
Jesus often complained about their situation. While he seemed happy with most of their foster homes, and for the most part Diego didn’t disagree, leaving them behind usually made Jesus sulk for at least a couple of days. He also complained when they had to change schools and he’d leave his friends and favorite teachers behind. It was only worse when there were other kids, or even foster kids, with the families. Jesus was always quick to make friends, despite his sometimes wily nature.
Diego did his best to empathize with his brother, but Diego himself had been sticking to a policy of staying as invisible as possible. He didn’t dislike people, quite the opposite honestly, but Diego had realized how difficult making and staying in touch with friends was after the first few transfers.
Diego’s attention was caught when he felt someone staring at him from across the room. He quickly scanned the room and his gaze landed upon a boy in the row to his left, a couple seats back. The boy had dirty blonde hair and tan skin, not as dark as Diego’s, but far from pale. His eyes were brown, and his sky-blue T-shirt made him stand out a bit. As soon as Diego had spotted him, the boy’s gaze shifted, his expression one of shyness and embarrassment. He stared intensely at the front of the room. He was sure of the boy’s name, but would make a mental note to listen for it during the next day’s rollcall. After a moment, Diego returned his own gaze to the front, and Mrs. Jenkins began to wrap up her lesson.
After assigning the night’s homework, the bell rang right on time and the class was dismissed. A few students rushed out, as per usual, but Diego took his time, not having any particular reason to rush. He was one of the last ones out of the room, but he took note that the boy from earlier had been one of the first, despite sitting so far from the door.
Diego’s mind was swiftly emptied of the boy, as he entered the crowded halls of middle school. This school wasn’t horrible, but it was far from the best one he’d been able to attend. The building was kind of old, and it hadn’t even been renovated in a number of years either. The halls carried a musty stench, which was only more prominent in the school’s library. It wasn’t that offensive though it’d certainly taken a bit of adjustment when he’d first arrived last month. The nicest part of the school was by far the cafeteria, although it wasn’t quite a five-star restaurant. Diego was thankful that he had the earlier lunch period, since he was in the habit of skipping breakfast, even when the foster families were happy to provide it. He made his way towards the cafeteria, and his thoughts turned to a more… serious subject than what kind of milk he’d choose for the day.
A Diego a few years younger kicked both of his legs back and forth, not quite reaching the ground from the chair he was sitting in. He watched his legs sway in the air, his eyes full of excitement and impatience. His babysitter, one of the few cousins that associated with their family, watched him with amusement.
The hospital was a concert of various sounds: machines beep and buzzing, nurses and doctors chattering as they hurry by, other families in the lobby talking about this and that. “Are you excited to be a big brother, chico?”, his cousin asked him.
Without looking up at her, Diego nodded. “I can’t wait to teach him about all my favorite games! And how to run as fast as me! And how to get toys from Dad when Mom says no.” His smile was wide and bright like his father’s, almost emitting light from its sheer brilliance. His cousin laughed. “Sounds like you’re going to be a great big brother, Diego. But he’ll probably have to teach you Spanish, since you’re almost as bad as a gringo.”
A that comment, Diego looked up, his expression offended. “Hey! Mi espanol es muy Bueno!” He balled up his fist and punched his cousin’s arm. She laughed it off and said, “Ow, tu pequeno alborotador!” She returned the punch, but lighter, on his arm. Diego made a growling noise, but didn’t seem to be really angry at her.
Finally, after their two-hour wait, Samuel Garcia emerged from the doors leading into the maternity ward, along with the doctor. No sooner had he walked into the lobby, before Diego practically jumped out of the chair and dashed to his father’s side. Samuel, of course, smiled, and ruffled his son’s hair. “You gotta calm down a bit, mijo. Your mother’s tired and you’ll scare your brother if you’re bouncing around too much, okay?”
Diego simply nodded excitedly, his face going faux-serious as he stiffened his energetic body. The group then made their way into the maternity ward and to his mother’s room. His mother’s face was full and relieved, though thoroughly exhausted. Her expression was soft and loving as she stared into her new son’s face. She looked up at them slowly when they entered, her tired smile persisting at the sight of her boys.
“Jesus, hora de conocer a tu hermano mayor”, she said softly, looking at the newborn wrapped in blankets. The newborn made small noises, it’s wrinkly hands still gripped tight, but it’s eyes open ever so slightly.
Samuel touched Diego’s back lightly, and whispered, “Do you want to hold him?” Diego’s response was an excited, but controlled nod. His mother slowly passed Jesus over to his father, and his father carefully placed him into Diego’s arms.
Diego had only held a few babies before, but he’d never held one so young. His father helped show him how to support his brother’s head. The weight was so small, it felt almost as if the bundle of blankets were empty. Diego stared at his little brother’s face. The baby seemed surprisingly calm considering Diego knew babies liked being around their parents, especially their mother’s when they were first born. He was so small and fragile. Wrinkly and weird looking, but cute. He even had the beginnings of a dark head of hair on his head, to match the rest of the families’.
Diego’s face, which had admittedly been full of apprehension at first, soon turned to a look of pure joy, his expression full of a type of love he’d never quite known before.
“Jesus, you have to hurry up and pack, okay?” Diego said to his brother in a hushed voice from across the room. “We don’t have all damn night.” He stuffed some more of his clothes into his school bag, being careful to leave room for the papers he wanted to carry. He wanted to be sure he could still teach his brother some school subjects while they living as vagabonds.
Jesus’ face was in a full-on pout. “Diego, you can’t swear!” This loud statement was met by a swift “shushing” from his brother. “Jesus, I don’t- Ugh, just be quiet, please?” Diego buried his face in his hands, massaging his temples. His brother wasn’t making this easy, that was for sure. “Come on, her- little brother…”
Jesus let out a dramatic breath, something he had been prone to do lately, and started shoveling his favorite clothes into his own backpack haphazardly. “I don’t get why we have to leave. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are really nice! They let us stay up late, too! We haven’t been here that long so I thought we wouldn’t have to leave for a while…” Even though the room was dark, Diego knew his brother was close to crying by the tone of his voice. He always got like this when the changed homes, but Diego was hoping that he wouldn’t make this so difficult.
It was true, the Murphy’s were nice and treated them both like their own sons, whom had long since grown-up and moved out. Though they told plenty of stories about their sons, and often talked about how they would get to meet them one day. Karl Murphy was apparently an artist in California, who they’d had lots of arguments with, but ultimately settled their differences. Diego didn’t really get everything they had said about it, but they were kind of vague when discussing the topic anyways. Jeremy Murphy, meanwhile, was slightly older and lived Canada as a professor with his wife. Diego found most of the stories about him more boring than anything, but he did like hearing about Canada and Canadian customs. It had definitely made Diego think a lot more about his future, and how he’d love to be able to travel and visit those places someday.
They did seem to have a bit of a preference for Jesus, but Diego wasn’t bothered by this. They were still nice enough to Diego, even if he suspected that they more tolerated him than liked him. However, this had, at least, made Diego more alert than he’d been in their last couple of homes. He’d been sure to keep an especially close eye on them, listening for any and all discussions they had. Though eavesdropping wasn’t exactly enjoyable, Diego did find himself somewhat excited by the thrill of doing it. His mind likened the activity to when he had stolen supplies back on the street. For whatever reason, those memories were always particularly clear in his mind, but he did dread the idea of having to resort to thievery once they returned to the New York streets.
The entire idea terrified him. He did feel more confident about his ability to take care of Jesus, since he was bit older and, he thought, a bit wiser. Even so, Diego hated the unpredictability of living on the streets, not having a source of food or income. He could probably get a job, or some odd jobs, at least at his age, but that would leave no one to take care of his brother during his shifts. Diego had been planning this for years, but he’d never really figured out something solid and sustainable. He had resolved to think about it as much as possible, and always be on guard. And now it had come to this.
Diego walked over to his brother, bringing him into a hug. Jesus didn’t resist, but he didn’t return the embrace. “Jesus… I don’t want to do this either, okay? But… we have to. The Murphys are really fucking cool, but… they’re… they’re…” Diego choked back the words, trying to contain the emotions that their situation often confronted him with. He put his hands on Jesus’ shoulders and looked into his eyes. Jesus looked at him, his cheeks wet, but no longer crying. “Diego… I remember… it’s fuzzy, but… I dream about it sometimes…”
Diego’s grip was firm on his brother, his gaze loving and intense. “What do you remember, little brother?”
Jesus’ eyes looked down. “We were… somewhere. But I was alone… and there were people…. Dangerous people… But then you showed up! Like a super hero… but you were in danger too… and I… don’t want to be in danger again. Is that gonna happen again…?”
Diego swallowed back his fear, his uneasiness, his weariness. “I don’t know, Jesus. But I promise that we’ll be okay. I’ll always protect you…” He squeezed his brother’s shoulders, and Jesus looked back at him. “I love you more than anything in the entire universe, Jesus.” He laid his forehead against his brother’s, closing his eyes. He used to do this a lot when Jesus’ nightmares were more frequent. Jesus had even done it a few times when Diego’s couldn’t hide his own terrors.
“I love you too, Di.”
Diego sat up, letting go of his brother. “I’m… supposed to be transferred, Jesus. To another home. I heard Mr. and Mrs. Murphy talking about it the other day. I knew this was gonna happen sooner or later… and it’s definitely later, but… I just… I don’t want to be separated from you, hermano… I would miss you too much…” Diego was the one crying now, his tears flowing freely.
Jesus was quiet for a while. Diego knew that they shouldn’t wait too long, lest they be discovered awake and packing to run away, but he couldn’t find the strength to break the silence. Eventually though, Jesus did it for him. “I don’t want you to go either… but I’m really scared, Di. Can’t we just make them let you stay with me? And Mr. and Mrs. Murphy? Then we can meet their sons! And we can meet a whole new family again in a few months…”
Diego’s mouth was locked shut, for he knew any noise that would escape would be utter sobbing. He shook his head no, and after calming down a bit replied, “No… I’m sorry, but they won’t listen, Jesus. I don’t want to do this… but I love you with all of my heart, little brother.”
They were both quiet for what could’ve been years. Jesus had hugged Diego this time, and their embrace was tight and desperate and loving. The room was silent, with only the noise of the city outside filling their ears. And the two brothers stayed their together, isolated from the world and everything that would keep them apart, in each other’s arms. |
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Post by Digi on Sept 4, 2020 14:33:43 GMT -5
Part Six: The Friends
“You got you pencils packed? Notebooks? Folders?” He raised an eyebrow at his younger brother from other side of the open window.
Jesus groaned. “Yessssssss, I do Di. Between you and Mrs. Morgan I never get a break.” He rolled his eyes and made a pouting face.
Diego smiled widely and brilliantly. He ruffled his brother’s hair. “I know I know. I’m glad she’s treating you well though, little brother. You have not told her about me, right?”
Jesus shook his head. “I don’t get why I can’t just tell her that you visit me. But I haven’t said anything.”
Diego supposed that Mrs. Morgan wouldn’t mind, at least based off of Jesus’ descriptions of her. She seemed to be a nice old woman, if a bit scatterbrained. Still, he’d rather not take the chance that she’d prevent him from visiting his brother daily. There had, of course, been a few close calls already, but he was alarmingly good at sneaking around to meet his brother. Most of the sneaking had to be done from his side though, since his current fosterers, the Millers, weren’t exactly warm-hearted individuals that approved of most of his activities, or choice of friends. They were far from the worst fosterers he’d had to endure, though, They were just a bit strict is all.
“Alright, well, you should get going. We’ll both be late to school if we don’t get a move on. See you tonight, okay?” Diego leaned into the window to hug his brother. Jesus reluctantly accepted.
Diego then retreated outside so that Jesus could close the window and be on his way. Diego scaled the fire escape the few stories down. The first time he had done it, it had been a rather grueling task, but after a few weeks he found himself coming and going with relative ease. Diego was by no means an athlete, but his escapades over the past few years had definitely given him a decent level of physical fitness.
He hopped down and exited the alley of Jesus’ apartment building. He started towards his school, which wasn’t that far from here, at least. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to meet Jesus so frequently and still make it to school on time if it was too far. Diego knew he’d go out of his way to meet Jesus even if he had to skip school entirely, though. There had been a short time where Jesus’ lived across the city from him. That had been an unfortunate setup, so Diego ended up camping out nearby. He had gotten a stern talking to when he’d finally returned to his own foster parents. Thankfully Jesus had been transferred in record time anyways.
As he approached the bus stop, he spotted Monica and waved her down. She smiled at him and made room amongst the crowd. “Hey, Di, how was Jesus doing?”
“He’s acting as if he’s too old for hugs from his big brother, but otherwise he’s the same as always. Your parents too busy to drive you again?”
Monica nodded. "Yeah, you know them. I don’t mind takin’ the bus though ‘cause it means I get to see you and ‘Nando more outside of the streets.” She gives him a wink and a nudge.
Diego gives a soft smile in return as they board the bus. They take seats near the back, as they usually did, and Monica started asking more about Jesus. This was standard faire for their rides together, as Diego wasn’t exactly great at leading the conversation. So their chats typically involved Monica getting the rundown on Jesus as well as how his own foster home was functioning.
After a bit, their friend Fernando boarded the bus, and Monica shifted over to give him room to sit with Diego. “Hey Diego! I missed you dude.” Fernando said enthusiastically.
Monica leaned forward from behind them. “Oh, come on ‘Nando, we saw him on Saturday! And didn’t you spend all day together anyways?” There was a teasing tone in her voice as she said this.
Fernando frowned as he twisted his head towards her. “Yeah but that was two days ago, Moni! You have no idea how damn boring yesterday was for me. I wanted to be put out of my misery.”
Diego looked earnest when he replied, “Well I missed you too. I know Jesus was complaining after I took him home on Saturday, so he probably feels the same. Even if he won’t say so.”
Their conversation went on like this for the remainder of the bus ride. Eventually they ended up at their shared school. It was… nice enough. There were definitely worse schools in New York, but it was a far cry from luxury. Diego had been to some of the worse ones himself, years prior. He had been curious though, around when he’d first met Monica, why her parents sent her there instead of one of the better schools, or even a private one. She’d basically said that it was one of the only decisions she’d fought tooth and nail for, as she’d been to private schools when she was younger and absolutely hated them.
Diego often reminisced on the when he’d met them both and forged what were likely the strongest friendships of his life thus far. He’d always had trouble making friends between the semi-frequent foster home transfer, the occasional school transfer, and his own quiet nature. But Monica and Fernando didn’t mind it, and in fact, they got him to open up more than he recalled doing so ever in his life. He’d confided in them both his struggles, and even his crimes. Yet neither of them disapproved of his actions, or the very least they didn’t treat him nastily for all that he had done. Diego was thankful that he’d been able to have them in his life for a relatively long time. They made him feel normal and special at the same time. He wasn’t sure how to describe it, exactly.
Monica was spunky and prone to teasing them both, though she usually ended up disappointed or amused at Diego’s earnestness. Her parents were affluent, and Diego figured they were higher class than his own parents had been. He’d only met Monica’s parents twice, and they didn’t seem particularly fond of him or Fernando, but they were at least hospitable. Monica was the tallest of the trio, had dark skin, curly hair, and piercing hazel eyes, and though her parents often tried to dress her in more high society fashion, she’d usually throw on some ripped jeans, a V-neck, and some modest accessories.
Fernando on the other hand, was much closer to Diego’s own current financial situation. He was from a rather large family and his relationship with them wasn’t great overall. Fernando almost always changed the subject when either of them. He was slightly shorter than Diego, had shorter hair, lighter brown eyes, and was a bit lighter skinned. He was a bit closer to Diego on the personality-side, but more outspoken.
They’d both met Jesus on several occasions, and his brother seemed to enjoy their company, possibly more than his own. Diego didn’t mind that though, he was just glad Jesus had fun whenever they all hung out together. His little brother definitely looked up to Fernando in particular, and it made Diego happy that the people he cared about most in the world all got along with each other.
After school, the trio typically roamed around the city together. Although Diego’s current foster parents were strict, they didn’t really mind him going out on his own so long as he gave them notice in advance and kept up with his chores and schoolwork. So, their routine was to hang out together for a few hours, or on rare occasions all night, after school was over. Of course, Monica had softball practice on some days so at times it was just him and Fernando. Today wasn’t one of those days though. So, they made their way to a nearby soccer field. Diego wasn’t great at soccer, but he was always down to play when Fernando was in the mood.
Monica stood on the sidelines, watching as the two boys stood opposite each other on the field. She’d hop in sometimes, but she wasn’t that fond of soccer, on account of not being very good at it. Diego was still amused by the time she’d kicked the air so hard that she’d fallen over and started spouting a stream of expletives. She said she was glad that Diego hadn’t had a cell phone to record and that no one else was around. She’d also been pissed because she had to explain her scrapes to her parents. She ended up lying about it and said she’d received them during softball practice.
Diego locked eyes with his friend, as they both took off. Diego was fast, and could usually get to the ball first, but Fernando was more skilled, and quickly stole the ball back. He dashed across the field, and Diego struggled to get the ball back. Diego decided to use his speed to get to the goal first and defend it. Their rule was that if you’re right in front of your goal, then you could act as goalkeeper and use your hands. Diego was barely able to get to the goal before Fernando kicked the ball towards it. The ball flew threw the air, and Diego attempted to catch it, but it whizzed just over his head and into the neck.
Monica cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!”
The noise drew a few looks, and even solicited a honk from a nearby car. Fernando smirked as Diego caught his breath. “One more goal and it’s all mine today, Diego.”
Diego returned with his own smirk. “You’ve won…. This battle… but not the war.” He grabbed the ball and they returned to their starting positions. The boys backed up a bit. Diego stretched his arms and legs out a bit and focused on a strategy. Fernando watched him intently, his smile not leaving his face. There was a tension in the air as they stood silent on their haunches, ready to blast off towards the center once more. After a few moments, Monica shouted, “Just get on with it already!”
At that, they did indeed. Fernando got to the ball first, but Diego had a different idea in mind. He’d taken some steps backward this time and cut off Fernando in a loop stealing the ball. Diego was able to get ahead, almost to Fernando’s goal, before Fernando caught up and took the ball back, making a quick turn. Diego almost skidded to a stop as he reversed course and went after his friend. Fernando was only halfway across the field, but could feel Diego coming up on him, so he went for the shot. The ball lifted off the ground in an arc and soared towards the goal. There was no way for Diego to catch up to it, so the only hope was that Fernando’s shot had missed.
But it hadn’t, and the soccer ball slammed into the back of the net. Fernando raised his arms in victory and Diego sighed in defeat. The boys regrouped with Monica, who seemed to be happy they were done. She high fived Fernando and said, “Better luck next time, Di. Now let’s get you two to some showers cause damn, you guys smell like ass.”
Diego chuckled a bit, earning him an eye roll from Monica. “Oh, come on, you told us you used to curse all the damn time. I don’t see what’s so funny or even why you don’t do it anymore.”
As they walked towards Monica’s place, Diego answered, “Well, I… used to curse a lot. But I was just… trying to be an edgy kid I suppose. Now… I’d rather be a good model for Jesus. Which is why I never let you play when he’s around.” Monica shrugged while Fernando was still beaming at his victory yet listening to Diego intently.
“You’re way too clean-cut sometimes, Di. Lighten up a little.” She said and patted him on the back.
Diego’s expression was a bit confused. “I… have loosened up, though. I’m especially loose whenever I’m with you two.” Diego said, then pounced onto her with a sweaty hug.
“Aghhhh, what the hell, Diego! Not what I meant!” She pouted and tried to push him off. “Come on,’Nando, help!”Fernando wrapped his arms around them both, knocking them off balance and causing the three of them to fall to the grass.
“Ughhh, I’ll never get you guys’ BO out of these clothes.”
“You smell wayyyyyy worse after practice.” Fernando shot back.
“Fuck you. At least I don’t smell like ass all the time like you.”
Diego laughed at the two of them as they continued arguing. He wished his days could always be this carefree. Still, there was always that fear in the back of his mind of losing his brother, even in his happiest moments.
Later that night, a bit after the sun had sunk for the day, Diego made his way once more up the fire escape to speak with his brother. Jesus was, quite literally, twiddling his thumbs while waiting for his brother. When he spotted him in the window, he lifted it open and Diego crouched inside.
Diego hugged Jesus, with only slight resistance. He asked about Jesus’ day, and Jesus told him, in a rather tired tone about the rather normal day he’d experienced. Diego asked questions here and there but was mostly content to listen. He then shared the story of his own day, with Jesus interested, but slowly nodding off, nonetheless.
Once his brother had fallen asleep, Diego laid him down in his bed, gave him a kiss upon the forehead, and left the way he’d came, closing the window and descending back into the night.
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Post by Digi on Sept 11, 2020 16:17:31 GMT -5
Part Seven: The Carnival
Trigger Warning: Abuse
“You’re sure that we can just…. go? With the tickets and money?” Diego asked with his eyebrow raised inquisitively.
Monica made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “I already told you it’s fine. I was going to go myself, of course, but family stuff, ya know. But I’d hate for the tickets to go to waste, especially since the carnival closes soon. Who better to go in my place than my favorite dumbasses?” She winked at them.
Fernando finished putting his papers in his locker and smiled. “It’ll be great, Diego! I’ve never been to Coney Island before, but I’ve always wanted to go. Come onnnnnn.”
Diego rubbed the back of his head, but a smile creeped across his face. “Yeah, alright. I suppose it will be a good time. I… do not believe that I’ve been to the carnival since my parents… you know. I only wish Jesus could come with us.”
Monica snapped her fingers at him. “Oh yeah, what’s up with little bro this weekend? Normally you’d never go if he couldn’t come with. Or you’d spend all weekend worrying about him.”
“Well, his foster mom, Mrs. Morgan, is going to visit some family further upstate. So… Jesus gets to go on a trip of his own. I’ve… admittedly already bothered him quite a bit about the whole thing. He promised he’d be careful and safe, and from his descriptions of Mrs. Morgan I’m… content.”
Fernando wrapped his arm around Diego’s shoulder. “Ayyy, that’s our boy. This is gonna kick ass, Di. Just you and me, crashing the carnival!” After that, the bell rang, and they went their ways for the day. Diego went back to Jesus’ apartment to check on him one more time before he left for his trip the next morning. Jesus groaned at Diego’s excessive worrying and assured him everything would be fine. Diego reluctantly left, after manhandling his brother with hugs of course.
Later he’d talked it over with his own foster parents. They were seemingly reluctant but considering Diego’s grades were good and he didn’t tend to get into any trouble, they said it would be fine. If he did some extra chores, of course.
That was how he ended up at the gates of the carnival with Fernando the next night. They’d paid for a rideshare with the card Monica had lent them, something she’d insisted on, and arrived after fighting the New York traffic for a while. Fernando had seemed rather nervous on the ride over. Diego had been content with a silent ride, simply staring out the window at the city scenery.
Once they had properly left the car and joined the crowd at the entrance, Diego asked Fernando, “So, do you have any idea what you want to do first? I doubt we’ll have time for every ride and attraction so… we have to make our choices count.”
Fernando laughed nervously. “Well don’t look at me, you’re the expert, Di. I’ve never been before, remember?”
Diego smiled slightly. “I… hesitate to call myself an expert. I haven’t been here in years afterall.”
Fernando snapped his fingers and did finger guns. “Right, right. Gothca. Well, how about we do some rides first? Then, uhhh, games and food?”
Diego nodded. “That sounds good to me. Let’s do one of the… gentler rides first, no?”
They did not, in fact, take on one of the gentler rides first. Instead, they ended up in line for the Coney Clipper. The wait was predictably long, but the boys chatted about this and that as they waited. They were glad to have arrived earlier in the day, so they could make the most of the trip. Fernando seemed to get more anxious as they approached the ride. Diego did his best to assuage his friend’s fears, and it seemed to calm him down a little at least.
The two entered the ride and sat near the back, as they were almost the last ones for this round. Fernando looked at Diego and gulped. “Are you sure these things are safe…? Maybe we should have taken one of the easy ones first…”
Diego looked at him for a moment as the gears in the ride started turning. “Hey, I promise it’ll be fine. Here, how about…. this.” Diego laced his fingers through Fernando and squeezed his hand. Fernando seemed shakey, but somewhat calmer. And soon enough the ride got going and the screams started. Fernando was pretty scared at first, and his scream was one of terror rather than thrill, but Diego’s scream on the other hand was one of joy and thrill. However, after about midway through the ride, Fernando seemed to get into it, and start enjoying the ride wholeheartedly. The boys screamed their lungs out along with the rest of the crowd.
After the ride ended, Fernando’ seemed to be in much better spirits. “That was amazing, Di! Like, it was fucking terrifying, but I’ve also never felt so fucking alive!”
Diego laughed a bit. “I’m glad you enjoyed it ‘Nando. I’d… hoped you would. What next?”
“Let’s tackle something even wilder! Something fucking insane!” Fernando was undoubtedly pumped up. And his energy was infectious. Diego wasn’t sure he could handle anything too crazy, but he didn’t mind giving it a try.
So, they ended up waiting in line for a considerable amount of time, nearly an hour, for the famed Coney Island Cyclone. Fernando’s vibe had changed considerably. He seemed pumped and was talking non-stop now. Diego was glad that his friend’s nerves had calmed and he himself couldn’t stop smiling. The coaster ride itself was a blast, and Fernando screamed his lungs out. Diego was obliged to follow suit, though he didn’t mind as much since his voice was just one of many.
“Goddamn, that was fucking amazing, Di. I think I’m ready to move on for the rides though.” His face was filled with an excitement that Diego had never seen on him before. It was as if he was glowing.
Diego nodded. “Yeah, that was indeed… very fun. But yes, we don’t want to spend all of our time in the lines.”
Fernando frowned. “Hey Diego. I know you like to speak more conservatively and shit as an example for Jesus, but you know you can cut loose around me- I mean, around Monica and me. Come on man. I mean, not that I- we don’t love our clean-cut Diego.”
Diego chuckled slightly. “I suppose… yeah, fuck it. You’re right. But only for today… okay? Now how about we check out the arcade… no?” Diego led the way to the arcade. Admittedly, their path through the park thus far hadn’t been linear and easy to traverse, but it wasn’t a big deal since they weren’t in any particular rush, even if they did want to make the most of their trip.
Neither of them had all that much experience with video games. Most of Diego’s exposure had been what he’d played at Monica’s, and even her collection was limited by her parents’ distaste for a hobby they regarded as unproductive. Fernando had more experience out of the two of them though, since he had a few old consoles at home.
Once they got there, they found a two-player racing game and sat down. Diego felt a bit uncomfortable in the hard, plastic seat, but he settled in after a bit. He chose his car from the selection and they picked a random course.
“Don’t think I’ll go easy on you, Di”, Fernando said as he pushed his foot on the gas pedal on the machine, causing his virtual car to rev its engines.
“I don’t need your… damn pity, ‘Nando.” Diego fired back and revved his own engine before taking his foot off the gas as the countdown began. Just before the countdown ended, Diego slammed his foot back onto the metal pedal of the machine and his car dashed forward. Fernando, who had kept his foot on the pedal during the entire countdown, burned out, and Diego was in the lead.
Diego’s car was near the front of the pack, as he climbed from 5th to 4th to 3rd. Meanwhile Fernando was stuck near the back at 9th place, struggling to catch up. Diego slowed a bit at a sharp curve in the road, in an attempt not to slam into the side barrier, but it cost him a spot. Still, he was able to keep up with the front of the pack, trying his best to pass the NPCs as they rushed through a virtual mashup of famous landmarks: the Eiffel Tower, Great Wall, Big Ben, etc. Fernando was gaining speed quickly though, making his way up to 6th place then 5th. As the cars raced up the side of one of the pyramids of Giza, Fernando caught up to Diego, his car only slightly behind. Fernando turned the plastic wheel of the machine hard to the left in an attempt to slam his car into Diego’s, but Diego pulled just ahead at the last moment.
“Haha. Who’s going easy on who, ‘Nando?” Diego said, a smirk appearing on his face. “You’re eating my dust, now!” Diego said as he reached 1st place, with only half the lap left to go.
Fernando wasn’t deterred though and kept going until he was just behind Diego. They were neck and neck as the finish line quickly approached. They were almost there, and it seemed as if Fernando was really going to pass Diego, but he messed up at the last turn and fell just behind. They crossed the finish line and their screens showed all the rankings. The boys stood up and Diego stretched his legs and arms.
“Next time maybe you should refrain from being… what do they call it…. An arrogant ass?” Diego teased him.
Fernando crossed his arms. “Ah whatever. Your ass got lucky. But I’ll beat you at the next one for sure. And honestly? Your smack talk sucks ass too, Diego. But whatever, it’s cute to see you try dude.” Fernando averted his eyes, but Diego didn’t seem to notice.
Diego sighed. “I… suspected as much. I’m sorry, ‘Nando.”
Fernando groaned. “Oh, come on, Di. I’m just messing with ya. Don’t sweat it. As long as you’re having fun then it’s all good man.”
“Hmm. Well, I think I’m having fun. I… suppose I don’t have all that much of a metric to measure it by. Jesus would love this place though. I definitely need to bring him here someday. And I’m sure Moni be fun to have around too.”
“Geez dude. What the hell kind of answer is that? You know I love Moni, and Jesus too, but I asked about you. You do that a lot ya know. When someone asks about you, you deflect and talk about Jesus instead.” Fernando looked halfway between concerned and annoyed.
Diego rubbed the back of his head at met his friend in the eyes. “I… suppose you are right. I guess that I am just… not sure exactly. I… am having fun. Yes, definitely.” Diego didn’t seem to want to say more than that and Fernando didn’t bother pressing further.
The two played games for awhile as time passed outside the arcade. They played a few more competitive games, but also played a few retro solo games and aimed to beat the other’s high score. Despite having a bit more prowess, Fernando ended up losing more to Diego than the other way around. After that, they vacated the arcade and decided to hit a couple more rides before eating, even though Fernando protested. Diego explained that he was… fearful of the outcome if they ate then took on one of the high-speed rides. Fernando reluctantly conceded his point.
They headed towards the beach and found a place serving a variety of tacos, with some mixed cultural blends in the mix. They both decided to try the Korean BBQ tacos, after some indecision from Diego and convincing from Fernando. They then found a spot along the boardwalk to sit and eat. The sun was quickly setting over the horizon, the sky brilliant shades of orange, red, pink, and yellow. The park was loud behind them, with music and people filling the air with noise. By now though, it’d all become background noise. The sound of the ocean waves was calming in their ears.
The ate in relative silence until they were almost done. Then, Diego broke it. “You know, I’m glad you convinced me to try these types of tacos. I… probably would’ve been scared to experiment without your… um…. ‘encouragement’.”
Fernando finished chewing his food and swallowed before replying. “See? I knew you’d like it. Well, I guess I didn’t know, but… I knew you wouldn’t try it on your own. I had no damn clue if they’d taste good either. But hey, we both took the plunge and came ouuuuut the other side, dude. Yeah bro.” He laughed a bit.
Diego laughed with him. “Yes, you’re right. I’m… glad you’re here, ‘Nando. I’m glad we’re friends… I’m very lucky to know such a ‘cool dude’.” He offered a warm and genuine smile.
Fernando smiled too, but it faded after a few moments. His demeanor seemed to change, his body tense and on guard.
“I’m sorry. Are you okay…? Did I… say something wrong-“
Fernando shook his head and calmed his nerves a bit. He scooted closer towards Diego. “Sorry. It’s not you, it’s just…” He was quiet for a bit and Diego was unsure of what exactly to say. After what felt like an eternity, Fernando lifted the sleeve of his shirt to unveil a nasty looking brown spot that normally wouldn’t have been visible.
Diego’s eyes widened and he hesitantly reached out his hand. Fernando looked concerned, but didn’t move this time. Diego softly ran his fingers over the spot, studying it, before looking back at his friend. “I… what happened, ‘Nando…” His voice was soft and full of worry.
Fernando put his sleeve back down and looked out at the sea, not meeting Diego’s eyes. “I didn’t really want you to know because I knew you’d be worried about it. Just… when you said that shit just now it… I don’t know… It’s just…” His eyes seemed to get watery and tears started to form.
Diego hesitantly creeped closer to his friend and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. Fernando didn’t move. So, Diego spoke to him in a weak voice.
“A few years ago… after Jesus and I were back in the system, but before we got separated… there was this family…. The Edgars. We’d had bad families before, but… they were the worst…. No matter what I said or did, no matter what anyone did… they were always angry. They’d… go from 0 to 100 in an instant. Yelling and screaming and threatening. Jesus was younger so he didn’t always behave… But whenever he’d get into trouble, I’d defend him. I… got into the middle of it. Sometimes they wouldn’t let me eat, but… it was worse when they’d h-hit me. They threatened to hit Jesus, too… but I made sure that they didn’t get near him. We only stayed there for about a month and a half, but… it was what some people would call hell.” Diego’s grip on his friend was strong at the memories, phantom pain haunting him as his back felt tender. “I’m just glad we didn’t have any other families as bad as they were…”
Fernando returned to grip, his cheeks now wet and red. “My dad. He calls me names. And when he gets drunk… he takes it out on me. That’s… why I never let us hang out at my house. I just… I don’t know, Di. When you said that just now, about you being lucky… I’ve never heard anyone say something so stupid and nice to me, dude. Today has just been… so damn good, Diego. I’m just… so used to having good days ruined by him. I’m… so used to believing everything he says about me.”
They stayed like that for a bit, holding each other on the bench. Night had overtaken the day and they separated, sitting close to each other. They did not speak any more on the subject, but instead took in the cool air, the sounds of the carnival and ocean, and just existed there, in the moment, for a while.
“I’m sorry I brought it up, Di. I didn’t mean to ruin the day.” Fernando said, looking at the ground.
Diego shook his head. “I… am glad you trusted me with this, ‘Nando. You can always tell me anything. I only wish there was more I could do to help… to be a better friend.” He watched the waves crash against the shore.
They sat side by side. Fernando slowly lifted his head and looked at Diego’s profile. He studied his friend’s features. His tears had dried up awhile ago at this point, though his cheeks were still red. They reddened as he tentatively closed his eyes and moved his head towards Diego’s slowly.
Diego was caught off guard by this and unsure of what to do. He did not retreat, but he didn’t lean in either. After a moment, Fernando opened his eyes and looked horrified. “Diego, I- Sorry, I just- Damnit, Fuck, shit.” Fernando stood up looking panicked and put his hands in his face. “Fuckfuckfuck, I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking dude, I-“
Diego came to his sense and put his hand on Fernando’s shoulder. “No no no. It’s fine, ‘Nando. You don’t have anything to apologize for. I just….I…”
Fernando sighed. “Yeah, I get it, and fuck I’m sorry dude, really.” He looked on the verge of crying again.
Diego looked at his friend earnestly. “It’s not like that, ‘Nando. It’s not that I… don’t. It’s just… What you said earlier today. About putting Jesus before myself. I… do not know myself well enough to really… know if I am… you know. I could be… but I just do not know. I… need time to think. I am sorry and I hope that you… understand.”
Fernando nodded, taking a few deep breaths. “Okay dude. I understand. Damn. I ruined our day twice, huh.”
Diego shook his head and gave him a smile. “Don’t say such dumb… shit. It was a fantastic day. Thank you for spending it with him.” He slowly took Fernando’s hand into his own. Fernando seemed hesitant but accepted. Together, they left the boardwalk and retreated back into the city, back to their respective homes. Fernando was quiet the entire time, but Diego did not feel the need to press him.
They parted ways without much fan-faire. The day had been bright and fun and beautiful as well as dark and saddening and humiliating. They were both absolutely exhausted, but neither got much sleep that night
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Post by Digi on Sept 20, 2020 20:54:34 GMT -5
Part Eight: The Gift Months had gone by since Diego’s apparent date with one of his best, and only, friends in the world. Things had been awkward for a short while afterward, but soon enough they’d returned to their usual groove, as if nothing had ever happened.
But things had happened, and Diego was unable to forget about it all. It had become one of his clearest memories. The day, the rides, the games, the breakdown, and the almost-kiss. The deafening silence that had rang in his ears for days after as he hoped to god that Fernando didn’t hate him. The perpetual confusion as he did his best to look inwards at himself, to stare into the mirror and be able to see who it was staring back at him. That was one feeling that hadn’t subsided, as he just… wasn’t sure. Fernando had been right, as he’d confirmed; Diego had focused on Jesus, his safety, their bond, everything, for so long that he had not truly found himself or come into his own as a person.
In truth, Diego was as unsure of himself as he’d ever been, even with his friendship with Fernando as close as it ever had been. He often got lost in thoughts of self-doubt, questioning his own mannerisms and personality. Perhaps the reason he was so stiff and quiet all the time wasn’t because it was a part of his personality, but rather it was because he was devoid of personality entirely. After a while Diego stopped thinking about it as much as he could, and school and ‘home’ were good distractions. Class work filled his time, as did chores, seeing his brother, and hanging out with Fernando and Monica and occasionally Monica’s friends.
After it had happened, Diego wondered if Monica had known about Fernando’s… feelings for him and possibly even set up the day for that purpose. In the end he didn’t ask her though, for fear of revealing his friend’s secret if he had not already told her. Monica had not-so-slyly asked about it a few times when Fernando wasn’t around, so Diego expected that she had known or that he’d told her about it at least.
Eventually the holiday season had come around and they were all fairly comfortable with each other again. Halloween had been a blast, Monica had managed to convince her parents to let Diego, Jesus, and Fernando stay over. Despite Diego’s protests against horror movies, Jesus insisted upon them and they had a marathon until they’d all passed out full of candy, popcorn, and a healthy sense of dread.
Thanksgiving hadn’t been quite as great, since Diego and Jesus weren’t in the same home anymore. Still, Diego at least managed to sneak up to see his brother for a little bit. Monica had gone out of town with her parents to see some relatives, so he’d invited Fernando to Thanksgiving at his current home, since this set of foster parents was rather kind and compassionate, even if they weren’t as well-off as some of his previous ones. Things had been surprisingly casual and fun. Neither of them brought up the carnival, but they were more than at ease with each other as they ate then hung out. Diego had asked Fernando to stay the night, as he’d done many times since finding out about his father and home life. He had repeatedly said no immediately following their date, but Diego did wear him down eventually, and many a sleepover was had. Diego never asked about his bruises or his father unprovoked, and Fernando only rarely brought it up again, but overall, he seemed to be in better spirits these days, as if something had fundamentally shifted within him.
And that brought them to now, about a week away from Christmas. Their break had started a few days ago and they were hanging out at Monica’s place, sipping on some hot chocolate. Diego had wanted to bring Jesus, but he hadn’t found a good way to get him out of his house. So, it was just the three of them.
The hot chocolate was warm and rich, filling Diego’s entire body with a comforting warmth. It was much better than the batch that Fernando and him, had attempted to make about a week before. Theirs had been… rather like hot water. Monica would definitely be left on hot chocolate duty from now on. Fernando and Diego were sitting on the couch in her living room while Monica stood leaned over the kitchen island.
She took a sip of her mug before looking at Diego and continuing their on-going conversation. “Are you sure you just don’t want me to give you the money, Di? You know I don’t mind.”
Diego shook his head. “No, I could not accept such a thing. And unfortunately getting a job isn’t quite… a viable option.” Diego had been searching for one for the past month, but he’d honestly been rather busy with school and finding a decent job at his age and experience level wasn’t as easy as it sounded. He also didn’t really get an allowance from his foster parents, so he was basically broke. “I am… just sorry that I won’t have much to give to you either of you.” He buried his face into his mug and took a nice long sip.
Fernando swatted the air dismissively. “Hey, it’s fine dude. Your company is a gift in itself. But I am… not so sure about your plan. You know I have your back through anything, and I know you used to do it to survive, but this is different. You could get into a lot of trouble if you get caught.” His face was colored with worry.
Monica didn’t exactly look enthusiastic either, but she played it off well enough. “Why are you so dead set on this? You usually don’t get this pumped up about shit at all. Come on, Diego, I promise you I won’t miss the money.” She stood up and took her mug to the sink, having finished its contents and no more desire for the sweet drink this eve.
Diego set his mug down and closed his eyes. “I…. I know that it is dangerous… and foolish. I suppose… it’s a rather prideful situation. Jesus and I haven’t exactly gotten the chance to experience many carefree Christmases together. I want to make this one special for him. Normal. I want to give him something he’ll love, even if it comes at the risk of my own safety. Plus... he's been different... for a while now. I don't know exactly how to describe it. He seems... sad, or maybe distant. Whenever it's just him and me.” He didn’t look as if he wanted to discuss the subject further and his friends weren’t sure what else they could say at this point to dissuade him from his plan. So, they didn’t.
The trio settled in for a few more hours to watch The Polar Express, which managed to lighten the mood considerably as they laughed at some of the movie’s dumber moments. After the movie finished, Fernando and Diego walked back to Diego’s “house” and went through the motions of a nightly routine. It was late by the time they were both content in bed.
Sleep wasn’t coming easy to Diego this night, so he stared at the outlines of things in the darkness. His eyes traced over his friend’s side figure in the dark, and a wave of emotions came over him as countless memories played in his head. Not only memories of Fernando, but memories of Jesus, and of himself, his life and the things he’d done, selfish, awful things that he knew he’d do all over again as long as it meant staying with his brother. Sometimes he regretted listening to Jesus that night. For staying and allowing them both to end up in different homes. Still, he knew it had been for the best. Jesus had been in good homes, even if he hadn’t found a permanent one yet. It was better than dragging him back to the streets, where safety and food weren’t guarantees.
He considered his plan, its possible repercussions, his reasons for it, and the utter foolishness of it all. Diego was often haunted by those days, the struggle, what could’ve happened to Jesus, and his endless slew of mistakes. He wasn’t sure what time it was as he stared into the darkness, trapped within his own mind.
“Diego, please be careful”, he heard Fernando’s soft voice say as his own fatigue overtook him, and sleep came.
The next night, the cold winter air was abrasive against Diego’s skin as he made his way to his target: an older toy store that hadn’t yet implemented cameras. It was pretty far removed from any of Diego’s usual stomping grounds, and he’d honestly come across it by accident a few years ago, back during one of his periods of being on the streets with Jesus. He didn’t remember why he’d come to this area of the city, but for some reason the sense of wonder at glancing inside the shop had stuck with him. It had a nice big display window; the kind clothing stores would often use for mannequins with chic casual wear or elegant formal dressings. Despite the store’s apparent age, it had plenty of modern market toys and figures, even a few electronics.
Diego remembered his guilt at stealing from local shops back in the day, as even something small could be bad for the owners, but guilt or no, he’d done it when he had to for his brother. But Fernando’s words played on loop in the back of his head: this was different. He wasn’t going to steal out of a need for survival. His reasons were flimsy, weak, and yet he felt… compelled. There was a sense of urgency within him. This was something that he had to do, for Jesus, to make him happy. Maybe it made him a bad person, but maybe that was okay, so long as Jesus was taken care of and happy.
Diego shook his head and took a deep breath as he stepped into the toy store. Luckily, there were still a few people roaming around inside, despite it being close to the store’s closing time. Diego could feel his heart beating rapidly and hear his pulse within his ears. He had to focus though. He knew that the nerves were all in his head, no one thought anything of him unless he gave them a reason to. He’d done this… not a million times before, but enough, even if it had been a few years and his reasons were different. Though even that wasn’t quite true. His plan wasn’t simply pocketing something small and easy to hide, it was a bit more dangerous than that.
So, he perused the store, taking in its wares, acting casually and doing his utmost to be calm and cool and collected. His eyes flew over toy balls, sports balls, sports gear, LEGOs, plushies, dollhouses, baby dolls, and every other conceivable toy you could imagine. To tell the truth, he wasn’t exactly sure what his brother would truly cherish, but he had a few ideas. But first he had to execute this plan successfully. As the few other patrons slowly trickled out, Diego silently slipped into the bathroom. Once there, he paced around for a few moments, not entirely sure of his next step. He turned off the light, and kept the door unlocked, hoping his simple illusion would suffice, and at least if this part of the plan failed, he still had chance to play his actions off as somewhat innocent.
No one came to check the bathroom, but the silence throughout the store rang in his ears. He heard a couple of people exchanging casual conversation, no doubt the night guard checking in for his shift while the cashiers and managers left. Diego felt almost as if he didn’t exist, within the darkness of the bathroom, waiting patiently to hear any sign of the guard.
None came, so Diego crept out of the bathroom with every ounce of stealth he could possibly muster. The door was new enough that it didn’t creak, and Diego ensured not to close it fully so as to not make any more noise that necessary. He then carefully crept along the back wall, looking at the wall, searching for… something. He still hadn’t picked an exact target, which was unlike him. He jumped slightly and nearly backed into a shelf when he heard the sound of some video playing, likely the guard entertaining himself during just one more silent night out of many. Good, Diego thought as he made his way to the boys’ section.
He’d done his best in his limited time in the store to memorize where everything was, so he could scan and find whatever he wanted easily. In hindsight, he could’ve grabbed the toy earlier and taken it into the bathroom with him, but that also would’ve cast more suspicion on him if he’d been caught during that stage of the plan. He was honestly a bit relieved that his plan wasn’t the most streamlined, effective toy heist plan ever conceived, it gave him some hope that maybe his brain wasn’t as hardwired for criminality as he feared it might be at this point.
After what felt like forever, sneaking his sneakers, he’d come upon the boys’ aisle. His eyes scanned the darkness, squinting at the various items. But what would Jesus want…? He was once again plagued by indecisiveness, something that seemed far too common for him these days. He picked up a toy car, feeling the cool metal with his hands and considering it, before returning it quietly. His hand were shaking madly, and his breathing felt loud, too loud, which only increased his paranoia, causing him to breathe even louder. Diego felt as if he was doing his utmost to calm himself, and took a few deep breathes, exhaling as silently as possible. He picked up a few more toys, a train, a LEGO set, a toy gun, etc., but he ended up putting each back, as none of them felt “right”.
Diego wasn’t sure how long he’d been there, it could’ve been seconds, or it could’ve been hours, but he refused to go through all this trouble just to get Jesus something random and unwanted. He moved onto the action figures, trying to recollect his conversations with Jesus to remember any possible hint at a specific kind he’d enjoy. As he stood there, he felt the air shift and realized something was wrong. It was quiet. Except for the sound of footsteps getting closer.
Panic flared within Diego. He tried to calm his nerves, channeling his previous successes, and thinking of his motivations. He could still make it back to the bathroom, or out of the store even if he was careful. He kept as calm as he possibly could as he put back the boxed figure of Captain America he had been holdin-
The action figure fell to the ground, the sound echoing throughout the store. His hands had been shaking and the darkness had caused him to misjudge where he’d put the boxed figure on the shelf. The reaction was immediate. The slow footsteps turned into heavy squeaks and stomps as the guard no doubt began running towards the noise. A shout, “Is someone there!?” As Diego’s mind raced. His eyes darted around the shelf quickly, until they landed on a Spiderman figure. That’s right! Jesus had mentioned his admiration of the web-slinging hero once or twice. His hand shot out and wrapped around the boxed-up figure tightly as Diego began to dash, almost immediately beginning to slip. He barely managed to catch himself, but made more noise in the process, as he heard the guard shouting from the other end of the aisle.
Diego sprinted, making it to the end of the shelf, then running along the wall towards the front of the store. He could hear the guard on the other ends of the shelves. Diego wasn’t sure if he had seen him properly, but he couldn’t think. He reached the front, looking out the window into the street. The light leaked into the store through the large window, but there was another light, inside, the guard’s flashlight as it got towards the front door, guarding it. He was trapped.
He ran. Ran back to the only place he could think to run at this point: the bathroom. He’d be even more trapped, but as is there wasn’t anywhere he could go anyways. Though really, his mind just wasn’t functioning at 100%. So, he raced there, his feet guiding him into the small space. Now his breathing really was heavy, but he had to be quiet if he had any shot of hiding here. He slowed it down, as best as he could. He could hear the guard’s footsteps slowly approach from the other side, as Diego crouched in the corner of the tiled room, his breath caught in his chest. The light from the guard’s flashlight shone under the door as the guard started pushing the door open.
This was it. This was the end. After all those years of putting his brother and himself and his brother through hell, or being shoved from one home to the next, of having no friends and then finally making a few treasured ones, this was where he meet his end. He’d be sent to juvie, or even prison, and he’d likely not get to see his brother for years, and maybe never even see his friends again at all. All for his stupid plan. For a dumb Spiderman action figure. Because of his stupid, stupid pride and insistence on getting the gift himself. Diego’s breath was silent now, as he tried to rationalize and accept his fate.
Time felt as if it slowed to a crawl as the door fully opened, and the guard stood, flashlight in hand, in the doorway. The light illuminated the small room fully, and there was no way he wouldn’t be spotted. Diego’s eyes were glued shut, as he braced to be taken away from everything and everyone he loved.
But there was no shout. No scream or question asking who he was. Diego slowly opened his eyes. Sure enough, the guard was still there, the flashlight was shining right at him, but nothing. The guard wasn’t even looking at him. He was looking around the bathroom confused, but not at him, the obvious culprit.
Diego’s brow furrowed in confusion, as he looked around himself, then stopped, realizing that he felt… different. Panicked still, yes, but different in a… different way. He looked at his hands and it took him a moment to register what he was looking at. His hands… they were… almost see-through¬. Or maybe they were see-through. A quick glance at the rest of his body confirmed that it was all the same.
After another glance, the guard left, muttering something like “I could’ve sworn I…”, and Diego was alone again, in complete darkness. He stood up, in a daze. He walked out of the door silently and walked, on autopilot, to the front of the store, right past the guard who’d quickly returned to playing on his phone, and right out the front door, with no trouble at all.
Diego made his way to Jesus’ balcony early on Christmas morning, having had plenty of time to relax after his outing about a week prior. Jesus seemed pumped to see him, embracing him immediately when he arrived. He made sure not to be too loud, as his current family would in no way endorse these kinds of meetups. Diego had been tempted to simply ask for permission to come in, but that would raise some questions about how Diego even knew where Jesus was. So, he did it the old-fashioned way, as he’d become accustomed to.
Jesus was dressed in some old striped pajamas, while Diego was in his full-on winter coat to combat the cold. He took a few moments to warm up, as he asked about what his current families’ plan was for the day, though he at least knew they were supposed to be here. Jesus talked to him some about their usual Christmas routine, and how the few other kids there would be included, even though Jesus didn’t like any of them much. They were a few years younger than him, so Diego figured that made sense.
They spoke for a bit like this until the anticipation could build up no longer. “So, are you ready for you present, little brother? I think you’re going to like it. It was… not easy to get.” Diego smiled at his brother, who’d gotten considerably taller in the past year and whose features had begun becoming slightly more like his own.
“Then I bet it’s awesome! But you didn’t bring a box or anything with you, Di, so where is it?” His face was visibly confused.
Diego held up his left hand and he fished into his pocket with his right. He pulled out a glossy, square piece of paper and handed it to his brother. Jesus was hesitant at first but took it nonetheless and looked at it. The picture featured four people, two adults, and two kids, one around Jesus’ age, and the other still an infant. They looked happy, full of life, and carefree.
Tears welled up in his brothers’ eyes as he realized what he was looking at. He attacked Diego with a hug. “Di, this is… it’s… it’s…” The words were caught in his brother’s mouth as he gripped his tightly.
“It’s us little brother. It’s us.” Diego said, a joyful yet sorrowful smile on his face as he held Jesus in his arms like he always did.
They stayed like that for a moment until Jesus let go and wiped his tears on his sleeve. “But where did you- How did you-“, Jesus seemed extremely happy and sad and also confused.
Diego rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, Monica helped me figure out our old address. And we went there. The people living there were nice, an old couple. They were rather… accommodating in allowing us to search for anything left behind. There was some old junk in the attic, but that”, he said pointing at the picture, “was more than worth taking. Monica even helped me make a copy for myself, so we each have one.”
Jesus’ smile was unbelievably wide. “This is the best Christmas present ever, Di. I love you big bro. But seriously no toys?” Diego laughed at the joke.
Diego ruffled his brother’s hair a bit. “I love you too. But there is… one more thing I wish to show you. You must promise to stay calm, though.”
Jesus nodded, seeming like his old self, reinvigorated, excited to see his brother, even without his friends. He was glowing with happiness, clutching the picture tightly in his left hand, as if it would disappear if he let it go.
Diego took a deep breath. He looked into his brother’s eyes and smiled. He then closed his eyes and vanished.
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Post by Digi on Oct 2, 2020 19:36:17 GMT -5
Part Nine: The Cost In the days between his rather eventful… “heist” and Christmas, Diego had experimented with his… “ability”. He had been considerably freaked out at first. Of course, he knew that there were people that had powers, but he’d never known or even suspected that he was… a mutant or something like that.
Diego thought about going back to his foster home but had wanted more privacy since there were other kids around too. So instead he decided to visit somewhere… nostalgic. The warehouse he’d lived in with Jesus during their first time on the streets. He still had nightmares about the events at the warehouse on occasion, but he’d found some form of peace regarding the place itself. He’d actually gone there quite a few times this past year, whenever he wanted to be alone. He figured it was the perfect place to figure out what was going on.
So, he stood in the warehouse, as decrepit as ever, recalling the events of the last night. His… invisibility hadn’t lasted long after he’d left the store. In truth, he was partially concerned that he’d simply imagined the whole thing, but there was no way that he’d imagined the guard, or the guard completely ignoring him. And there was no reason for the guard to have ignored him, so it had to be real, right? But how had he done it? Was it in response to his extreme panic? Was it even possible to activate it without being in danger? He wasn’t sure about anything.
It was as if a switch had been flipped within him. He could feel something fundamentally different within him. The problem was, he had hit the switch on accident, as if stumbling into a room he didn’t know in the dark. If he could just find the switch, then flipping it wouldn’t be an issue, he figured.
In the end, it took him a day and a half to tap into his power again. He’d been thinking through possible ways to activate it for the entire time. He tried channeling his panic, but it wasn’t quite possible to induce those feelings within himself artificially. He didn’t figure doing anything physically strenuous would incite it, since he was being extremely still the last time. It was only when he was at his wit’s end and nearly ready to give up that he reached an epiphany. This hadn’t been the first time he’d activated this power. An extremely faint memory flared within him. A memory of this very warehouse. The memory of almost getting his brother and himself killed.
At first he thought it was just his frustration combined with being here, even if he wasn’t as scared of the place as he used to be, but after a bit he realized that the tingling was something else entirely. Those events, they were both clear as day and blurry as hell, but something he’d thought nothing of at the time made sense now. When the chaos broke out, and he grabbed Jesus away from one of the gang members. The gang member had been strangely shocked to see him. It’s possible that he’d just forgotten Diego was there, since it was a chaotic situation, but what if it was something more? Was he reading into things? Was his fatigue and frustration getting the better of him? Possibly, but it was one of the only leads he’d come up with during his endeavor to gain control of this power.
That’s when Diego finally understood what it was: the link between the two events. Yes, he’d been extremely panicked in both situations and that definitely played a factor, but it was what he was panicked about. Losing Jesus. And in the case of last night losing Jesus and his friends. He’d been focused on them, thinking of only them. After finding that key piece, it was easy. It was as simple as wanting it, thinking of his friends and family, and letting it come to him. And he’d disappear, completely invisible. He tested it with people on the street(and gotten bumped into several times in the process). The hard part was staying invisible, though. If he stopped focusing for too long, or thought or something else, then he started “blinking” until he was opaque to all once more.
He ended up practicing for the rest of the few days before Christmas, and then unveiled his new little trick to his brother.
Jesus had been more than a little excited after Diego showed his power to become invisible. He’d practically bombarded him with questions. Jesus’ excitement was palpable, and Diego did his best to answer all of his brother’s questions, though he of course didn’t have all the answers himself.
“How long have you known about this!?”
“Just a few days.”
“Do you have any other powers!?”
“Not that I’m aware of, but I kind of doubt it.”
“Are you a superhero now big bro!? Do you fight crime!?”
“No, no, not at all. I suppose… I could, though.”
It had been a rather fun Christmas for them both. The novelty didn’t quite wear off, but Jesus did have an obligation to spend the day with his foster family, so Diego left. He spent the rest of the day alone, except for hanging out with Fernando for a few hours.
He had checked in with Monica and Fernando the day after his botched operation, just to assure them that he was okay, but he hadn’t told either of them about his power. Monica was pissed that he’d gone ahead with his plan, but Diego argued back that neither of them had done much to stop him. Fernando had been mostly quiet but didn’t seem to be mad at him. Diego had considered telling them, but he had been unsure of himself at the time, and at this point he just didn’t feel as if he had any obligation to tell anyone really, besides Jesus of course.
The next semester came and went astoundingly fast. Despite his powers, not much really changed from the previous one: he hung out with Monica and Fernando, occasionally bringing his brother along, went to school, visited Jesus, etc. The biggest difference was the days he spent alone practicing his ability. He hadn’t really become the “superhero” Jesus had thought he might be. He’d managed to stop a petty crime or two, but nothing too serious.
The school had a dance for Valentine’s Day, which was typical of a high school, and although he got a surprising number of invitations, he decided to skip the dance and spend the evening with Fernando and Jesus. Monica had gotten a date so the three of them just goofed around that night, until Jesus had to be home. After that him and Fernando just wandered about the city for a couple of hours, talking about classes, making up scenarios about Monica’s date, etc. Fernando didn’t bring up the carnival from the year prior, and Diego wondered if maybe his feelings had faded. Fernando had been much more casual with him, and seemingly more comfortable too, than before the whole thing, but it’s something that he never brought up. Diego supposed he should be grateful since he’d admittedly not thought about the whole idea much in a while, especially since he’d gotten his power.
Diego had practiced his abilities throughout the year, but still hadn’t told either of his friends. He wasn’t sure why exactly, but he just wasn’t sure how they’d react. He was scared to he supposed. He trusted them both and loved them dearly, but that was probably part of the reason. He didn’t want to run any risk of losing them, especially after his close call with Fernando last year. So, it remained a secret between brothers.
The rest of the semester didn’t have that much of interest occur. A couple more dances, only one of which he’d bothered going too, and he wasn’t sure that had been a good choice in the end. But aside from that classes gradually wound down to finals, and finals turned into that last week or two of the semester where not much of anything happened in class besides card games and movies.
It was just after classes had ended, and summer was on the horizon, that Diego had brought Jesus along to Fernando’s house to hang out for the day. Normally it was a rare occurrence for Diego to visit Fernando’s home, and even then, he’d never brought Jesus before, for obvious reasons really. But Monica and her parents had already left for a summer vacation that would last a few weeks, and Fernando’s father was supposed to be working late that night. The plan was for them to hang out for a few hours that night and then leave before Fernando’s father ever got home. Things don’t always go according to plan though.
It was around 9:30, and they’d planned to leave at 10:30, since Fernando’s father was supposed to get home around 11:00. The boys had cozied up in Fernando’s room, playing his outdated gaming console, but having plenty of fun anyways. Diego was doing considerably bad, and Jesus was dominating them both. Fernando gave him a run for his money in the fighting game, though. Diego on the other hand, was much worse at the fighting games than the racing games.
They’d already been there for a few hours, and time seemed to pass too quickly. Still, they had a bit more time left before having to leave. Or so they thought.
“You got lucky that round! I’ll kick your ass in the next one, ‘Nando!” Jesus cried out, looking determined. He held the controller intently, ready for the next round already.
Diego gave him a stern look. “Language, Jesus.” He sighed and shook his head.
Fernando laughed. “You’re just mad that you’re so bad at this, Di. Let him have some fun, geez dude.” He went to pick up his controller when he heard a noise that made his blood curdle. The front door slammed open. Fernando was all too familiar with that noise.
He shot up in an instant, rushing to grab Diego and Jesus’ shoes. “Fuck fuck fuck, that’s my dad. You guys have to get out of here now!” His voice was shakey and panicked.
“I thought he wasn’t supposed to be home for about another hour!?” Diego seemed to pick up on Fernando’s sense of urgency and stood Jesus up quickly. He took their shoes and started putting his on.
Fernando shook his head, his hands encasing it. “I don’t know, Di! He usually gets home late, not early! Fuck fuck fuck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but you guys have to leave.”
Diego paused, looking into Fernando’s eyes and resting a hand on his shoulder. “I… don’t want to leave you, ‘Nando.” Jesus watched them, looking a bit uncomfortable and awkward.
“No, Di. I… I’ll be fine. I can take it. But you and Jesus can’t be here. This isn’t your battle.” He removed Diego’s hand and started leading them towards the door. Unfortunately there wasn’t a window in Fernando’s room so they’d have to get lucky and get out the front door.
But it was then that Fernando’s door flew open, and a large, overweight man who stank of alcohol burst in the door. His eyes were blood-shot and his demeanor was slouched. Based on the noise after he’d entered the house, it was likely he’d knocked some things over, which Fernando had told Diego he did often and then blamed the mess on him the next morning. He didn’t look happy to see his son, let alone the two visitors. Diego kept Jesus close behind him, glancing back to see his brother’s nervous expression.
“If it aiiiiin’t my piece of shiiiiit, pansy ass son. And some more fucking annoiiiiiying ass bratttzzz. Who the fuuuuuuuck are youyyy?” He slurred out, pointing a finger at Diego accusatorily.
“They were just leaving, Dad, it’s fine, we’ll just-“, Fernando said, but his father was blocking the doorway. His father took a few clumsy steps towards them, raising his left hand as if to come down upon Fernando.
But Diego had other plans. He put himself between Fernando and his father, with his arms outstretched. “Sir, I… we just need to get around you-“ Diego didn’t get to finish as Fernando’s father slammed his fist into Diego’s side, knocking him aside and to his knees. Diego clutch his side, wincing at the pain.
“Get the fuuuckckkkkk out offff mayyyyhhhh wayyy. This is betweeeen me and himmm.”, he shouted out and grabbed Fernando by the collar with his right hand, pulling him slightly off the ground. Fernando seemed to struggle a bit, kicking his legs and trying to pry him hand off, but to no avail.
Jesus shoved at Fernando’s father’s side, pushing him and punching him with both fists as if he were a toddler, which he might as well be to the man. “Let him go you ass!”
Fernando’s father looked down at Jesus, as if seeing him for the first time. He shoved him away with his free hand, knocking towards Diego and the far wall. He then returned his attention to Fernando. “I’m fuuuucking siiiick and tireddd of youuuu talking back to mayyh you pieceee of sssssshit putoooo la pendejooo”, he said and slapped Fernando’s side hard. He then dropped his son and grabbed him by the arm instead, gripping him tightly and preparing to smack him again. Fernando seemed frozen, the resistance in him gone.
It would’ve been easy for Diego to grab his brother and leave. Easy to get Jesus out before he got hurt any more. Easy to let Fernando take it, as he knew he’d done many times before. It would’ve made things so easy in the short run. But Diego knew he could’ve live with himself in the long run if he didn’t do something. To protect Jesus. And his friend.
Jesus was back up before him and charged at Fernando’s father, going for a kick and hitting the man’s side successfully, but not doing any real damage. The man then let go of his son, and zeroed in on Diego’s little brother, a monster ready to attack. He was still spouting off incoherent verbal attacks, slipping between English and Spanish as he was ready to pounce on Jesus.
Diego knew what he had to do. It was now or never. He’d never expected to use his power like this, but if not for this then what? So, he put his practice to use and vanished in an instant, running towards Fernando’s father and slamming his invisible fist into the man’s jaw, knocking him away from his brother.
He seemed confused, not having seen him disappear as he’d been focused on Jesus, who retreated after the save. But Fernando’s father wasn’t done and went to chase him across the room. But Diego wasn’t done. He was still invisible and still in action mode. As Fernando’s father stumbled towards his brother, Diego outstretched his unseeable leg, tripping the behemoth of a man who then fell face first into the carpet, with a resounding thud.
With the man down temporarily, Diego reappeared and shouted for his brother, jumped across the bed the circumvent the fallen man. Diego then grabbed Fernando, cupping his face in his hands. “Come on, ‘Nando!” But his friend seemed trapped in fear and shock, wincing at Diego’s touch and looking at him fearfully, having seen him vanish and reappear. They didn’t have time for a discussion though as Fernando’s father was starting to recover, the alcohol no doubt acting as a great painkiller.
Diego grabbed Fernando by the hand and started pulling him along, Jesus in front of them as the three boys made for the door of the house.
The whole thing was over as quickly as it had begun. The three of them had made it outside and were headed somewhere, anywhere, but apparently someone had called the cops. Diego wasn’t sure who, since Fernando’s neighbors hadn’t never seemed inclined to intervene before, but apparently the commotion had been enough and the police had arrived in record time for New York.
The three of them, plus Fernando’s father, were quickly taken in for questioning and Diego found himself wishing he could vanish once more, but there would be no way to take his brother or Fernando with him, that he was aware of at least.
So, after years of surviving on the street and acting as thief, it was defending his friend that would land him in the slammer forever. What cruel irony, he thought as he watched the city pass by through the window of the cop car.
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Post by Digi on Oct 3, 2020 21:13:41 GMT -5
Part Ten: The Offer
They were separated immediately upon arriving at the police station. Diego was left alone, handcuffed, in a questioning room. It was oppressively quiet. The sterile loneliness of the room filled him with exasperated sorrow. He felt almost like crying but promised himself he wouldn’t.
He didn’t regret what he’d done after all. He’d protected his brother and his friend from a monster. Whether they believed his story or not, it wouldn’t change what actually happened. So, what he might end up in juvie or jail for a long time? Fernando and Jesus were safe. And that’s what mattered. At least, he kept telling himself that.
Still, he couldn’t get the image of Fernando’s shocked face out of his mind. Staring at him as if he were the monster, and not his father who’d hurt him time and time again. It bothered him to no end. He didn’t expect any thanks or credit, but he had hoped that Fernando would have at least spoken to him on the ride here. Instead, he hadn’t even looked at him, completely averting his gaze.
He wasn’t sure what time it was, or how long it’d been since he’d arrived. He knew that the whole incident had only taken a few minutes, even if it had felt much longer when it happened. They’d asked him a few basic things about the situation, then hurried off, likely to question the others. He wondered how Fernando’s dad would tell the story, and if they’d believe him. Hopefully he was still somewhat drunk, as to discredit whatever tall tale he’d spin out of the whole thing. Though Diego had noticed that he’d been bleeding from the nose, no doubt from Diego’s invisible punch.
Finally, the door opened. Diego was surprised to see, not a police officer, but a man in an older man in a wheelchair roll into the room. The old man positioned himself opposite Diego, and Diego found himself having to look slightly downwards to meet the man’s gaze. The man didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes studying Diego’s face, and suddenly Diego felt bare and naked, as if he was invisible in an entirely different sense. He wanted to say something but couldn’t find his voice until the man suddenly spoke up.
“Diego Garcia. We’ve been keeping an eye on you for some time now. It’s nice to finally officially meet you.” He extended a hand, but Diego was still handcuffed to the table. “Right, that won’t do, now will it?” He then called for an officer, who came in and released Diego’s hands, without so much as a word or protest.
Diego’s expression was puzzled. He rubbed his wrists and put his hands in his lap. “Who… are you? Not that I am ungrateful for your help, but I believe you can understand my…. confusion.”
The man cracked a smile. “Yes, well, it is understandable. I am Professor Charles Xavier, the headmaster of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.” He extended his hand once more, and this time Diego met it and shook it firmly, noting how warm the man’s hands were. Professor Xavier then leaned back a bit. “I am here, Mr. Garcia, to make you an offer.”
Diego listened to Professor Xavier’s pitch. The long and short of it was that he could become an emancipated minor, live at Xavier’s school, and attend classes there. Diego’s first question was, of course, what would become of his brother. At that, Professor Xavier nodded and called for someone to come in.
A Latino man of about average height, wearing some jeans and a t-shirt, came in. Diego’s brain buzzed with a faint recognition. The man stood besides Professor Xavier and waved to Diego, giving him a warm smile that reminded him of his father’s. “You might not remember me, but I used to be a police officer. I quit a few years ago, but before I did, I dealt with this crazy incident involving a wild kid and his little brother,” the smile somehow got wider. “We didn’t get properly introduced last time. My name’s Miguel. Miguel Perez. Nice to meet you under less… frantic circumstances.”
Diego cocked his head and nodded slowly. “Right… You…. were the officer that I talked to way back then… the one that followed me into the warehouse. But… what are you doing here now if you’re not an officer anymore…?”
He rubbed the back of his head. “Well, it’s a bit of a long story, but basically I remembered you and your brother, and I figured that I could be the answer to your problem. Well, me and my wife. We can permanently adopt your brother, and you can visit him any time you want, Diego. No more sneaking around or going from home to home for either of you. How does that sound?” His eyes looked kind and genuine, inviting and compassionate.
Diego was speechless. It was all too good to be true. If he blinked then it’d be gone, and he’d be alone in a jail cell somewhere, or back on the streets. He was tempted to pinch himself but was afraid of losing all of it if was a dream. Yeah, he’d be going to a different school than Fernando and Monica, but he could always visit in his free time or maybe even get his own phone and text them. He was incredulous at the whole situation, truly. He almost broke down crying then and there.
“It’s… all of this… why? What… what did I do to deserve this…?” His voice was shaky, carrying a tone of bittersweetness.
“Even if your actions weren’t always wise or commendable, at the end of the day you have demonstrated an unwavering will to fight for others. Those you love and care for, and even strangers. You’ve suffered much, and made mistakes, yes, but young man, I can tell that your heart is deep and kind. Not unlike Miguel here. I’d be remiss not to give you the chance to hone your potential. A chance to live and fight for not only others, but for yourself,” Professor Xavier said, raising an eyebrow and awaiting Diego’s answer.
Diego took a bit of time to consider it while Miguel and the professor awaited his reply. He didn’t have a ton of other options, realistically. He couldn’t exactly return to the way things were. Did he even want to?
In the end, he’d said yes. He wasn’t sure of many things in life, he was unsure about many of his own decisions even, but this wasn’t one of them. He felt it. He felt that this was the right path for him. He knew Jesus would be safe and he knew he could finally visit and interact with him normally. And he had this power. He had a chance to repay his debts, right his mistakes. A chance to finally be the role model that Jesus deserves. A chance to do some good in this awful world. Of course he was going to take it.
Diego walked into the lobby as Miguel and the professor made arrangements. He was to stay with Miguel and his wife, along with Jesus, for a while before moving into the dorms at Xavier’s a bit closer to class time. He’d expected Jesus or even Fernando to be waiting for him in the lobby, but to his shock, it was Monica that practically tackled him in a hug. He returned the hug after a moment, before asking what was going on.
“I’m so glad you’re both okay! Fuck, Diego, this all just… damn. I can’t believe that you’re…. that you did… just wow dude.” She smiled at his with her arms crossed, and she seemed a bit tense.
Diego laughed nervously. “Yes, well… I was… unsure how you would react. I… did not mean to make you think I distrust you…”
She nodded, then looked away, avoiding his eyes. “I… well, I understand, Di. And I still love ya.” Diego could tell it was coming by the tone of her voice. “But… well, ‘Nando… he’s pretty shaken up by what happened. He knows that he should be happy about you standing up for him, but he’s just… really freaked and… fuck dude, I don’t know. Then there’s my parents….”
Diego’s jovial mood fell a few notches. He had feared something like this would happen. People like him weren’t always accepted so easily. Plus, he could only imagine how Fernando would feel right about now, probably going through the whole social care process since his dad was being arrested for hurting him. Diego couldn’t really hold Fernando’s feelings against him, even if it made him sad and somewhat angry.
He cocked an eyebrow, scared but eager to know the rest. “What… about your parents…?” He held his breath while waiting for the answer.
Her eyes seemed to glisten a bit as they started to tear up. She closed them and shook her head. “They don’t want me… they don’t want me to talk to you anymore. I… it was hard to even get here, Di. But hell, I… I’ll miss you, Diego, you wholesome ass stick in the mud.” She hugged him again, this time tightly, as if for the last time. Which it very well could be. So, he held her tightly, too.
After a while, they let go. They sat down and talked for a bit, laughing about old times and talking about what happens next. Monica promised that she’d do everything she could to stay in touch, even if it meant going against her parent’s wishes. Diego promised he’d do his best too. Neither of them was sure how much weight their words actually held, but they were comforting, and better than saying goodbye.
Diego stared at the dark ceiling above him. He was kind of cold since Jesus was a blanket-hog. It made him smile, though. It was nice to sleep in the same bed as his brother, or even just sleep in the same room, after years of being miles and miles apart.
He didn’t find himself haunted by his old demons anymore. Yeah, they were still there, they’d probably always be, but they didn’t hurt him in the way they used to. He had fresher wounds. Stinging, biting things that also might fade over time.
But he had something else now, too. Something that lessened his pain, new and old. He had hope. Hope that he was actually going somewhere with his life. Hope that Jesus could finally live a somewhat normal life, make friends, settle in until he graduates high school or even longer. Hope that, even though he’d done bad things, he’d be able to become a better person, to help people and stand up for what’s right. To set a good example for Jesus and make him proud. To make their parents proud too.
So, despite everything he’d been through, despite all the mistakes he’d made, and despite knowing that he still wasn’t entirely sure who he was, he was content for the first time in a long, long time.
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