Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was Visiting Day in Abnegation. He hoped he could see his family. That was Bad’s first thought as he looked at the calendar in their room and he felt guilty for his selfishness. The calendar counted down the days of community service they had to do before becoming Abnegation members. He should focus on helping the community, he reminded himself.

He focused on that and nodded in greeting to Skeppy who had just come from the bathroom. 

Before leaving, the pair did their daily chores. Then they did their community service. 

As they hauled bags of rice to the trucks that were going to the Factionless, Skeppy interrupted to ask, “Do you think our families’ll come to see us today?”

Bad almost didn’t answer for a while. 

It wasn’t until they were on the last bag that Bad quietly replied, “No.”

Skeppy frowned but didn’t say anything else.

When they were done, they were sweating lightly and very hungry. They traveled to a pavilion that was chosen for the purpose of maybe seeing their families. It was in the center of the faction, easily seen by all, and had a table full of the best food they’d gotten since Choosing Day.

Bad and Skeppy didn’t talk as they sat down, nor did they eat just yet. Ponk, the leader of Abnegation, came to sit with them.

“Eat,” he told them. They listened. Bad bit down on a chicken leg. It was blander than he would’ve liked, which was something he was still getting used to. “How do you feel?”

“I’m a little hurt,” Skeppy said, his Candor upbringing compelling him, “that my parents didn’t come. But I understand why they didn’t.” 

Ponk nodded in acknowledgment. “And you, Bad? How do you feel?”

Truly, Bad felt unprepared to answer that question, and thankfully, he didn’t need to. A shout could be heard over their conversation. “Bad!”

“Nick?” Bad questioned, incredulously. Surely enough, his 13-year-old brother came running to the pavilion in his vivid Erudite clothing. It was the most color Bad had seen since he left, between the pale browns and grays of Abnegation. 

“It seems I’ll leave you be, then,” Ponk said, standing up, but Bad had barely noticed once Nick had arrived.

“Mom and Dad aren’t with you,” Bad pointed out, astutely.

Nick scowled, puffing his cheeks out. “They told me not to come, so I ran away. Can you believe them? You were literally their favorite two weeks ago, and now they’ve abandoned you!”

Bad would’ve tried to comfort Nick if he had been sad, but he mostly just seemed angry. Bad could relate. He too felt anger in his heart at his parents deciding not to see him anymore. “It’s okay,” he still said.

“It’s not okay!” Nick sat down. “It’s not…”

Bad conceded as he didn’t want to argue on the only day he’d get with his little brother for the rest of his life. “How have you been, Nick?”

“It’s been terrible without you! I miss you, Bad.” Bad filled Nick’s plate for him as he went on, picking out all the foods that he knew the kid liked. “Mom and dad are putting so much more pressure on me to get good grades! And for what? They think I’m actually gonna stay in Erudite with them? We always knew I was going to go to Dauntless. I’d never pass Erudite initiation!” He started eating with the chicken and paused. “How are there no spices in this? Ew.” 

“Spices are a frivolity,” Bad said. “I’m sorry to hear that mom and dad are being hard on you. I wish I could help.”

“You can help by coming back.”

“We both know I can’t do that, Nick.”

“Then,” Nick lowered his voice, “let’s run away. Join the factionless. At least then we’d be together.”

Skeppy, who had kept his head lowered and silent throughout the conversation, interjected loudly, “What? Absolutely not! Do you know the conditions they have to live in, kid? Have you seen how they starve? We’re trying to stop that here in Abnegation, not join them ourselves!”

Heads turned towards the pavilion before the other faction members meekly turned back to whatever they were doing, silently judging.

“Shush, Skeppy!” Bad hissed, embarrassed by the attention. “Nick, we’re not doing that. It’s okay. In a couple of years, you’ll know where you want to go and what you want to do with your life, too. I’m-I’m happy here.” Bad nodded as if affirming himself of the veracity of his statement. “I’m happy, and you will be, too. So just stick it out until then.”

Sapnap snorted, “Stick what out?”

“Language!” Bad chided, and the conversation between the three of them flowed to lighter topics from there.

He was glad, in the end, that he still had family in his little brother. Hopefully, he could visit him on his own Visiting Day, and they never had to be alone.