Chapter Text
Alison spun around, closing his eyes while counting in his head and moving his body.
"1, 2, 3, and…"
He stopped, lifting his eyes upward as he absorbed his reflection in the mirror. Curly hair with shaved sides, tied in a low ponytail, dark brown eyes behind glasses, and dark skin that he inherited from his mother. Well, that was the only thing he seemed to have taken from her anyway.
Mrs. Soares was a woman who raised Alison alone. His father? She didn’t like to talk about it, always becoming too quiet when he dared to ask. So, Alison knew from an early age not to mention his father, though at this point, he would say he was just a biological parent.
Still, at nineteen, Alison knew, looking in the mirror, that he was a copy of his father, even though he had never met him.
Wiping his sweat with a towel, he entered the passcode on his phone before noticing a missed call.
It was Mathias. Blinking, he returned the call while opening a bottle of water, his eyes unfocused until he heard the loud voice of his best friend.
"Hey!" Alison immediately smiled. "Sorry to call out of nowhere, but… I DID IT!"
"You did what?" he asked before taking a sip of his water.
"I edited that video of you dancing, and it got, like, a ton of views." Alison raised his eyebrows at the information. "Even though you didn’t show your face…" he whispered softly, but his friend heard.
"It did that well?"
"I told you that if you posted your practice videos…" A pause before a background voice shouted that they were busy. "As I was saying… If you had posted earlier, you’d already have a lot of fans." Alison sat on the floor, resting his back against the wall of the dance studio.
"I don’t know… I don’t think it’s for me," he commented. "Besides, my mom doesn’t like me putting my face out there too much on social media."
"I never understood what Aunt Dia’s problem with that is; it’s like she’s hiding you from someone." Alison remained silent before laughing.
"Don’t be ridiculous. She just worries too much…" He played with the necklace around his neck, a pair of angel wings. "Though I would like to understand her fear better too." He looked up, noticing his teacher approaching from the corner of his eye, which made him tense. "Anyway… I gotta hang up, okay?" He stood up, pinning the phone between his shoulder and ear while fixing his bag, ready to leave. "I need to get home."
"Ah, cool! Let me know if anything happens; I gotta see what my dad wants with me," he said while Alison heard him getting up from somewhere. "See you later."
"See you later," he smiled slightly, hearing the call end. Grabbing his bag by the strap, Alison froze as he felt arms wrapping around his waist.
"Hey…" Alison felt his hands tremble, the teacher’s sweet voice whispering in his ear while nausea hit him. "Have you been avoiding me?" he asked, sniffing Alison’s neck, who squeezed his eyes shut tightly.
"It's okay… It’s just a few seconds…"
He told himself in his mind, gritting his teeth as he felt the man's hands touching him, roaming over his body as if he had some right.
When loud voices came near the studio door, Alison was grateful, as the man immediately pulled away. This time he was lucky; he didn’t have enough time to do anything more disgusting to him.
Grabbing his bag quickly, he passed by the dance teacher and walked away fast. He could hear a mocking laugh coming from him but ignored it as he passed the people entering the place.
He didn’t remember much, but when he came to, he was on the bus heading home.
Alison sighed while sitting there, hugging his bag tightly against his body as he tried to forget the incident from earlier.
It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. He knew. It started when he was 15, and it never stopped.
Maybe switching studios for his training would be easier, but it wasn’t like he had the money for that.
All he had to do was endure it, and everything might get better. After all, who would pay attention to a man saying another man was touching him inappropriately? He’d just be laughed at while his teacher found another victim.
That terrified him, and even though he knew he shouldn’t act like a hero, he thought that if he kept quiet… No one else would have to deal with it.
Not even he knew if he was doing the right thing.
Looking outside, he smiled, absorbing the city around him. The truth was, this was the city where he had spent the most time.
He was about twelve years old when he arrived and was thirteen when he met Mathias. It was a strange recognition; after all, he didn’t expect someone who was always getting into trouble to be so fun to be around. He was the first male friend he had.
Then came Olivia. A lively woman who usually got serious when necessary. Alison had seen her take down a guy twice her height without difficulty. That was the day he knew he shouldn’t make her angry or he’d be in trouble.
An exemplary student, with high grades, and even the class president for consecutive years before becoming the school council’s vice president. That was Alison.
Mathias was a troublemaker. He was bullied for being an aggressive guy and confirmed it by retaliating with punches and kicks against the idiots—as he called them—in his old schools. He was expelled from so many schools that he had to change states.
Olivia was calm most of the time and seemed delicate. She was average in grades and lacked patience. She didn’t have issues with teachers but had a short temper with most men due to being an attractive woman. And maybe because of some disgusting fetish involving Asian women… She punched the last guy who tried something with her and only avoided punishment because Alison was her alibi, claiming it was clear harassment. Well, no one found out it was a lie, and they never would.
Alison recognized the square near his house, so he pressed the button to get off. As he stepped off at the stop, he looked around. Devalued houses and a place full of crime. Well, he was never rich, and his mother could only afford a house in that area, so they just lived.
Walking through the streets, he greeted some people—from kind elderly folks to some thieves who took care of the neighborhood’s safety since the police were pretty useless there. He had no problems with anyone, which helped keep him and his mother out of trouble, so he would continue that way.
What can he say? The United States is a great place to live—understand the irony.
In a neighborhood like this, it didn’t matter if you were Alison or a thief; the fact that you lived there and had dark skin was enough to get shot if you weren’t submissive when the police arrived—which was rare—and simply judged the whole neighborhood as a problem.
When Alison got home, he started searching for his keys in his bag when he heard the voice inside, louder than expected.
"DON’T FUCK WITH ME, ALIX!" Alison lifted his eyes, noticing how his mother shouted loudly.
It wasn’t unusual to hear shouting in the neighborhood, but it never came from his house. But beyond that, his mother was already home.
What was happening?
Alison touched the doorknob and slowly opened it, avoiding making noise. He entered carefully, focusing on listening to the conversation—or rather, the argument.
"You come into my house, and after years, the only thing you can tell me is that that bastard is looking for me?!" Alison swallowed hard, hearing his mother’s anger. It was rare. "He had years to bring his damn ass here and now just shows up after all this time, expecting me to be fine with it?!" Something slammed.
"Calm down, Dia," a woman sighed. Alison didn’t recognize the voice. "I came here because we have problems. He found out where you’re hiding."
Silence. And Alison found it strange—his mother always had answers.
"How did he find me?" she asked, calmer. "He shouldn’t have been able to…" She stopped speaking before her voice called out. "Alison?" The named one froze. "Are you home, sweetheart?"
Alison hesitantly walked forward, caught red-handed eavesdropping.
"Hi, Mom…" he gave a small, embarrassed smile.
"Hey, sweetheart… Come here," she gestured, and Alison obeyed. She pulled her son into a hug, which he returned. She pulled back after, checking if he was okay. "I’m glad you’re here. This is Alix, Alix Woods."
Alison turned his head, looking at a pale-skinned woman. Dark eyes, almost unsettling against such fair skin, paired with a gentle smile. Natural red hair, clearly shaved on one side—he only noticed because it was tucked behind her right ear. Despite her eerie eyes, Alison would say she was beautiful.
"Nice to meet you," Alison nodded, making Alix smile. She looked at his mother.
"Dia… There’s still that detail…" Alison frowned, and Dia sighed.
"Alison, dear..." she called. "She is your aunt." He narrowed his eyes, looking at his mother and then at her, which made her laugh. "On your father's side, son." That made Alison freeze. "She is the wife of your father's brother, Jeff." That was new—she never talked about anything related to his father, so he never imagined this was possible.
"Okay..." he said, stunned, which made Alix raise an eyebrow.
"You even hid my existence from him? Wow, you were really committed," she joked, but Alison knew there was something more to it. It wasn't just a joke.
And for the first time, Mathias' joke about his mother hiding him from the world made more sense than it should have.
Chapter Text
Alison was in his room now, pacing in circles as he imagined what he should do. I mean, he should be snooping downstairs to get more information from his father, but he had no desire to do that.
Being honest with himself, that man had been dead to him for a long time. He didn't need and didn't want his presence near him again.
Swallowing hard, he thought about the little conversation he had overheard earlier. Who was he? And why the emphasis on him?
Feeling his heart pounding, Alison bit his lower lip as he walked faster. He felt like an anxious child who had to do something but didn't know what to do. Spinning in circles once more, he stopped.
He looked up, considered one last time that he should do something, even if he didn’t know what. Then, mustering his last bit of willpower and trying to understand what his mother was hiding, he opened his laptop.
He didn’t know why and didn’t want to know. He just felt like there was something to search for. He typed that name—the name of the woman with black eyes and orange hair—thinking he was being ridiculous…
But then, as the page loaded, he was hit with a shock of reality upon noticing many, many pages talking about that name.
Of course, it was a common name. But beyond that, Alison felt there was something there. Something he couldn’t understand.
He clicked on the first link—something talking about a strange woman who sometimes looked like a man but at other times seemed like nothing, as if she had no gender.
It was confusing, but more than that, it made the hairs on Alison’s body stand on end. If he was being honest, he had noticed that the woman had an odd aura, like the wind. Completely changeable, as if she was a woman but could also be a man.
If she tossed her hair to the side and turned her back, Alison would have mistaken her for a man when he first noticed her due to her back.
Swallowing hard, his brown eyes kept reading the letters until the end of the page. Then he noticed some scattered blog news as references, opened new tabs, and read carefully.
"Unfortunately, I have to bring the news that earlier today, a completely dismembered body was found. The victim suffered a terrible death, and the police aren’t giving much information about the case or the possible perpetrator. But through our own research, we can say that the killer has a pattern. The victims are usually men or women around 30 years or older, who have ongoing cases for attempted rape against minors, teenagers, and adults. Some victims even had small cases open for attempted harassment. They were all released due to lack of evidence and because the word of women and some men is not enough to keep someone in prison. Some people on the internet are calling this new killer the ‘Avenger of the Wronged,’ speaking about the misfortune of some cases that did not get justice in court and had to watch their abusers walk free as if they had done nothing. A comment from a police officer willing to speak was: ‘Regardless of what these men and women did or didn’t do, it’s the justice system that must deal with it, not someone with a knife. And the police will do everything possible to catch this new person who thinks they’re a vigilante, but in reality, is just a murderer.’ The latest reports vaguely describe the alleged killer’s appearance, who was seen by only a few people. They wear a mask and a black hoodie. One person said they have black hair, another said red hair. Some say it’s a woman, others say it’s a man, and some say they can’t even tell if it’s a man or a woman. There’s little information, but we’ll do our best to keep you updated.’
Alison swallowed hard, his fingers trembling over the keyboard before he pulled away, focusing on his breathing, trying to calm down.
Why was he shaking?
It’s not like she was that killer. That was a ridiculous assumption! How could a woman with such an angelic face be capable of dismembering a person, after all?
But more than that, his mother wouldn’t get involved with that kind of person. She could sense trouble from miles away—she would never fall for manipulation or believe in someone so cruel. The fact was, Dia had an amazing instinct. Alison knew that. She always knew who could approach and who should be kept at a distance.
Alison had learned early on to trust his mother’s instincts because she had told him… She had warned him about who he could and couldn’t trust. Alison could count on one hand the number of people his mother allowed near him. If she noticed anything wrong, there was no way that person could get close to him or her.
She had also told him how his dance teacher was a dangerous man. But he hadn’t believed her—the man was charismatic, sweet, and knew exactly how to use the right words.
It was the first time he had doubted his mother’s instinct. And it was the last.
Sighing, Alison closed the laptop. Maybe he should take a break…
Feeding his irrational fear wasn’t the right thing to do. Yes, he had much more to focus on.
"Alison!" his mother called, making him get up from the bed hesitantly.
After all, it wasn’t easy to talk to the person he had convinced himself was lying to him.
Opening the door, he looked down, spotting his mother at the bottom of the stairs with a sweet smile.
"I have news for you." Alison descended cautiously, thinking about the bombshell he was about to receive.
"Yes?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses.
"Your aunt said…" she looked at Alix, who smiled slightly. "That your uncle would like to meet you!" She smiled more, taking her son’s hands as he approached. "So, I arranged a dinner. And maybe… your father will show up!" She hugged Alison tightly. "Surprise!"
Alison felt like he would have preferred a punch.
×××
Alison blinked, feeling like his head was splitting open. His last fun idea was that he would have lunch with a family he had only met through conversation or for one damn day! Besides, there was another problem:
"You've got to be kidding me!" Mathias slammed the table and quickly sat down when he felt Olivia's gaze on him.
"Your mother scheduled the dinner for this Saturday? What the hell…" she spoke more calmly, while Mathias gritted his teeth.
Mathias was wearing his typical leather jacket, a white shirt underneath, and black jeans. His brown eyes moved irritably, while his black hair was tied up in a high bun with a pen, which was strange since it was usually loose, reaching just below his shoulders as he liked.
"And what about James' show?" he asked while pulling a strand of hair from the bun. "We promised we’d be there today…" he reminded.
"I know!" Alison considered banging his head against the table, but Olivia's calm gaze made him reconsider. "There's no way to change it, and I doubt my mother will let me go out today because of the dinner tonight…"
"Dude, you're nineteen. You need to stop being afraid of disappointing your mom," Mathias said, sighing. "Aunt Dia will understand! You've been planning to go to James' first performance for about three months! Didn't you tell her?"
"I did! She even said I’d unfortunately have to cancel." He crossed his arms. "She already decided for me…" He sighed, frustrated.
"So what do we do?" Olivia asked, her dark eyes attentive to the boys. "Aunt Dia doesn’t take no for an answer, and you both know that." She crossed her legs, her spider-patterned tights complementing the black sleeveless dress, along with a denim jacket and black lipstick. "There's no way to make her change her mind."
"I don’t know… If I say I'm going to the show, she’ll cause chaos at home." He sighed, his eyes moving to Mathias and Olivia. "I guess I won't be able to go." They all sighed, realizing it was probably a lost battle. "Apologize to James in advance for me…" He gave a sad smile.
"I’ll tell him something came up last minute with your family; he’ll understand." Mathias gave a half-smile.
"I know he will," he smiled, "but I'd rather be at his drag show above all else… Seriously."
"We know," Olivia and Mathias said together before laughing.
Alison smiled, grateful to have friends like them. As they walked back to their homes, Mathias pulled him aside and whispered:
"By the way, Will said he misses you."
That made Alison’s poor heart race, and he glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye. Then he felt a touch on his shoulder and turned to see Olivia.
"On Sunday, we’re going out. That way, you can spend time with him." She winked, giving a gentle smile to the now-embarrassed young man.
Was it that obvious that he liked William?
×××
When Alison arrived at his house, instead of entering through the front door, he walked to the back. His mother was usually asleep at this time, and she always forgot to lock the door, so he was going to check whether it was closed or not.
The exact second he touched the doorknob, he heard a rough, deep voice from inside:
"Alix is bringing my brother, so you can kick his ass for leaving you if you want."
Not recognizing the voice, Alison remained silent, trying to hear more.
"Stop joking, Jeff," she laughed, the sound of pots clanking in the background. They were in the kitchen, apparently. "You know this better than anyone… Liu and I loved each other too much to simply separate."
That made Alison's heart race, but swallowing dryly and closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself while still listening. The breathing exercises from his dance class worked well at times like these.
"So we decided we could handle a little distance."
"Of course, I know. I was the one who had to make sure you two didn’t get caught."
"You only did it because Alix asked," she retorted.
"Yeah, and I would’ve let you two screw yourselves if she weren’t so determined to keep your youngest brat alive."
Alive…? What was that supposed to mean?
Alison licked his dry lips, trying to make sense of the conversation.
"He shouldn’t have to worry, but he does. So I just did it as a favor."
"But what about you?" she asked suddenly.
"What about me, Dia?"
"You, Alix… Three kids, right?"
Alison opened his eyes, his heartbeat finally calming as he absorbed the conversation.
"He can't be happy, considering he tried to avoid that."
"He tried to avoid a lot of things, but he needs Alix more than she needs him." A low chuckle. "She handled the situation, so I don't have to worry about it—it's her concern."
"I see. She’s always done a good job anyway." More noise from the pots. "Oh, did you tell Aliza she can't act like she knows me?"
"Of course, Dia. Your daughter has already been informed."
A rough, ironic laugh came from the unknown voice, while Alison felt like the world had stopped.
"How long do you think you can fool your youngest brat?"
Alison took a step back, realizing for the first time in his life that he didn't know his mother as well as he thought.
"He’ll never know," she stated firmly. "He's not like us. He wasn’t made for this world."
What world was that?
Alison swallowed dryly, opened the door, and quickly called out,
"Mom? You left the door open again!"
He walked in calmly, as if he hadn’t just discovered he’d been deceived his whole life.
"Mom? Ah!"
He entered the kitchen, seeing his mother smiling sweetly.
"Hi, Alison…" She approached, giving him a hug. "You got home early today."
"My friends and I walked as usual, but since we left college early, I ended up getting home early." He justified, looking to the side and noticing a man with pale, almost milk-white skin. His icy blue eyes were cold, nearly lifeless in that faint, pale shade of blue. He was tall—very tall.
"Who…?" he asked, feigning innocence. After all, two could play this lying game.
"Alison… This is Jeffrey Woods, your uncle."
She guided him forward to meet that disturbing man, who had a smile that never reached his eyes.
"So this brat is my nephew?" he chuckled, making Alison smile gently before extending his hand.
"I'm Alison… Alison Soares."
He emphasized his surname, receiving a firm squeeze on the shoulders from his mother. Jeff didn’t seem affected; in fact, it made him smile as if he were genuinely interested in the boy now.
"Pleasure to meet you, Alison Soares…"
Jeff shook the younger man’s hand, and Alison slightly raised his eyebrows at how rough his skin felt to the touch.
"I hope you enjoy my company despite what my brother did to you…"
A smile that seemed ironic.
"I don’t care about your brother, sir," he said clearly.
"Alison!" Dia tried to reprimand him.
"It's okay, Dia," Jeff said, smiling more easily this time. "That brat really messed up; don’t blame the boy for knowing it."
He turned his gaze back to Alison.
"If he were smarter, he wouldn’t be dealing with all this."
He left the words hanging, which took Alison a bit by surprise.
"Well… I’m going to my room to get ready…" Alison said, giving a small smile. "Excuse me…"
As he left, Alison considered what Jeff meant.
But he also felt like he didn’t want to find out, as if he already knew that this hole was much deeper than he had ever imagined.
Chapter Text
"ALISON! COME DOWN NOW, WE NEED TO SET THE TABLE!" Dia shouted from downstairs.
Meanwhile, Alison walked through his room, searching for his uncle's name on his laptop while holding a pen in his teeth.
"Coming!" he shouted back, his voice muffled, eyes moving quickly as he read in a low voice. "The famous serial killer who became a horror story." Alison narrowed his eyes, adjusting his posture as he stuck the pen into a makeshift bun with his hands before scrolling further down the page. "Many can't tell if the infamous killer is real or just a horror myth, but he is definitely famous. Many speculate that his name is Jeffrey Woods..." He swallowed dryly, biting his lower lip before deleting his browser history, moving quickly before finally heading downstairs.
After closing the laptop, Alison quickly went down the staircase and entered the kitchen.
"Sorry for the delay!"
"Doesn't matter! Finish setting the table," his mother ordered, her eyes focused on finishing dinner.
Alison went to the dining room after grabbing some plates and cutlery. He began arranging what he could, occasionally adjusting his glasses as they slid down his nose, making his eyes ache a little.
While finishing up with the silverware, Alison sighed before making a few final adjustments to the table, then heard his mother:
"Excuse me!" She placed a glass dish on the wooden protector on the table. "Grab the other things, son, please."
"Yes, ma’am..."
"Ma’am my ass, Alison!" she swore, making the man laugh before returning with more things to set the table.
As they were finishing, the sound of the doorbell rang. Dia adjusted her tight dress, glancing at the mirror attached to the staircase before heading to the door.
Alison took a deep breath, praying she wasn’t doing this for his useless father.
When the door opened, Alison put on a gentle smile as he watched Jeff and Alix enter, accompanied by four people.
"Hey, Alison..." Alix greeted, extending her arms as if asking for a hug, which Alison granted upon seeing her smile. When she pulled away, she spoke. "This is my eldest daughter, Venus."
Alison observed closely, noticing a girl with blue eyes and black hair, just like Jeff. Short hair, very short in the back while having bangs in the front, with two long strands on the sides. She would be identical to her father if not for the shape of her face, which resembled Alix more. She had a body similar to her mother’s, with the difference that she probably inherited her father’s height. Small bust, slim waist, and wide hips. Alison would say she had the kind of beauty that some modeling agencies sought.
"My boys, Sebastian..." She indicated the young man in the middle of her children. Short for a man, maybe about five foot three. Orange hair like his mother’s, cut into a short layered style that suited his face, with a few faint freckles. Ice-blue eyes, like Jeff’s, though there was a certain sparkle in that pale blue and a slightly cheeky smile on his lips. "...and Samuel." The young man was taller than Sebastian, about four or three inches more. He had a more serious face, despite the barely concealed mischief in his black eyes. Jet-black hair, as dark as coal, and he was clearly observing everyone with attention.
He and his brother reminded him of teenagers; they had probably just turned eighteen.
Finally, Alison looked behind the three. A girl stood there, looking to the side as if everything was stupid. Clearly older, Alison would guess she was around twenty-five, while the other young ones were likely between eighteen and twenty-two.
Dark skin, though not as dark as Alison’s and his mother’s, lighter and less intense. Taller than Venus, around five foot nine, maybe. Long curly hair, tied up in a messy bun that added charm to her intense green eyes. Unlike Venus, she had more curves. Thick thighs, a slightly fuller hip, and a medium bust.
Alison immediately recognized the shape of her face—it resembled his mother’s. She was probably the daughter his mother and Jeff had mentioned before.
Smiling, Alison extended his hand. He would be polite; after all, he was going to find out what was going on.
"Nice to meet you, I’m Alison, Alison Soares," he smiled, a smile carefully timed to be perfect.
Those theater classes had given him a good boost, despite him not wanting to take them when he was younger.
"Aliza... Aliza Woods," she emphasized. Alison noticed she had more in common with him than he expected. Both seemed to take pride in their parents and surnames, apparently.
Aliza then looked back, stepping aside, making way for a man.
That almost made Alison slip in his goofy, friendly facade.
He was tall, though not as much as Jeff. Intense green eyes like Aliza’s and fair skin that highlighted a faint scar on his nose.
It was almost like looking in a mirror. Except for the height and eye color... The face shape, nose, and mouth were identical. Their bodies were similar, though Alison had slightly broader shoulders.
Alison had always known he probably resembled his father, but having that confirmation... It was a bitter pill to swallow.
He would say he hated him if he could, he really would. He had never been there, never been a father. All he ever was, was a constant reminder of what he had been to his mother. Alison hated that.
He hated looking like his father.
He hated bringing back memories for his mother.
He hated how the man could just show up now and act like nothing had ever happened.
"Nice to meet you," he greeted, doing his best to contain his discomfort.
The man stayed silent for a moment, clearly searching for words.
"Nice to meet you... I’m Liu Woods." Alison couldn’t hold back.
"Yeah..." His smile faded. "I know."
×××
During dinner, Alix and Dia kept the conversation going. Venus occasionally joined in, naturally bringing her brothers into the conversation—well, if Alison hadn’t noticed.
Jeff and Liu were clearly talking through the glances they exchanged, and the boys were doing the same.
Alison stifled a sigh, simply continuing to cut his meat while Alix talked about something that, honestly, was just background noise to him.
As he stared at his plate, he looked up upon feeling a gaze on him. It was Liu—or, as some liked to call him, his father. The thought sent shivers down his spine.
He slightly narrowed his eyes, making his discomfort clear, and then heard Jeff clear his throat.
"Alison... What do you usually do?" Alison thought about telling him to mind his own business, but then he remembered he was nineteen, not fifteen.
"I practice dance, study, and help at home." Simple, he didn’t want to talk about his life enthusiastically to them. Looking between the two men, Alison pretended not to notice the scoffing laugh coming from the corner, probably from Samuel—he recognized the tone.
One look from Jeff was enough to make him shrink quickly in his seat. Meanwhile, Liu seemed interested.
"Dance, huh?" He looked at his son with a certain fondness. "I’d like to see that someday." Alison stopped mid-bite.
"Maybe I’ll show you someday." Which he hoped would never happen, by the way.
"I’d appreciate that." He turned his attention back to his plate, thinking of what else to say to keep the conversation going.
But if he was honest, there wasn’t much he could share with the boy.
Unless... Dismembering bodies was on the list.
A clap was heard—it came from Alix. She caught Liu’s attention, making him drift for a second.
"We would all love to see Alison dance someday." She smiled, but that changed nothing.
Alison saw it. It was just for a second, but he saw it!
Dead eyes, lifeless as if he were some emotionless animal.
That gave him chills.
God, how he wished this dinner would end already.
×××
During the early hours of the morning, Alison was typing on his phone.
Eternals:
5th-Category Badboy: Yo? How was dinner, man?
Female Levi Miniature: I hope meeting your dad was okay.
5th-Category Badboy: It must have been weird, that's for sure.
Hey!
Is your old man really a dumb asshole?
Female Levi Miniature: MATHIAS.
It's okay.
He's right.
Except for the dumb part.
Female Levi Miniature: Do you want to talk?
5th-Category Badboy: I'll beat him up if you want.
Female Levi Miniature: Mathias...
Hahahahah
No need, man.
But thanks for the offer.
Female Levi Miniature: Hey!
Don't feel bad, we're meeting tomorrow.
And I swear it'll be just like always.
Nothing will get in our way. ❤️
5th-Category Badboy: How cute.
Doesn't even seem like you can take down a guy twice your size with one punch.
Female Levi Miniature: I'll take you down tomorrow!
And I'll back her up.
5th-Category Badboy: WHAT?!
What did I do to deserve you two against me??
Female Levi Miniature: You were dumb.
You were dumb.
5th-Category Badboy: Come on!
Now it's my fault she punches like a pro fighter?
Female Levi Miniature: 🖕🖕🖕
5th-Category Badboy: So mature...
Female Levi Miniature: Fuck you.
5th-Category Badboy: I know you love me, darling. 💋"
Female Levi Miniature: Unloved gay.
5th-Category Badboy: Hey!
I'm an unloved bi!
The only gay here is Alison.
As if that changes the fact that you fuck guys.
5th-Category Badboy: At least I slept with someone.
Innocent virgin.
Female Levi Miniature: Are we insulting chastity now?
5th-Category Badboy: ...
Alison felt that deeper than he should have. Mathias didn’t know, so he wouldn’t blame him. But he had lost his virginity a long time ago, even before Olivia. He remembers it vividly. The teacher’s touch still makes him nauseous just imagining it.
He swallowed dryly, sending one last message saying he was sleepy. He turned off his phone right after, staring at the ceiling for longer than he should have.
He would probably have nightmares if he slept after remembering him, but that wasn’t enough to stop him from passing out from exhaustion an hour later after struggling against it.
Chapter Text
"Professor Ryan?" Alison called out, entering the man's office while looking around. He was holding his cell phone, wanting to show the older man his new choreography.
He'd been asked, so he thought he'd take advantage of the opportunity. Walking further in, he sat down in the chair and decided to wait.
While making tapping sounds with his mouth, he began to write something down on the small notepad he carried with him. Smiling at the last note, he heard the door creak open.
He looked back happily, a beaming smile on his face before speaking:
"Mr. Ryan, I have something new to show you!" he was interrupted, not by a speech. But by the way the man grabbed his face and kissed him deeply.
Alison stopped, her eyes wide as her glasses were pressed tightly against her face by the way he was forced to kiss the man.
Today, he remembers that he should have bitten his tongue, even tried to push him away.
But his mind was blank that day.
Panic was clear in his brown eyes, but when he managed to react, his wrists were restrained.
"Shh... You'll like it," he whispered in his ear, like a passionate lover.
Alison thought about screaming, but her whole body was shaking.
Today he finds it a little strange. He wasn't as tall as he was today, but he probably could have run away if he hadn't braked.
The next thing he knew, he was thrown to the floor, the older man's body pressing him to the ground, his tongue on Alison's neck, causing him to gasp.
"T-Teacher! Stop!" he tried to push him away, but was held firmly.
"Alison..." he said in a voice as sweet as honey. "It's all right." Alison felt as if something broke inside him in that second.
This same line was uttered every time he missed a dance step. When he had a panic attack that got in everyone's way and when he talked to the teacher about anything in an animated way, not noticing that he just listened to him as if he were the most interesting thing in the world.
Alison felt her glasses fog up from the tears he wanted to shed, but then he kicked and tried to scream.
Ryan silenced him quickly, covering his mouth with fabric from his jacket, tying the fabric tightly enough so that Alison couldn't expel it from his mouth and hinder his breathing.
Alison whimpered, trying to kick him, scratch him. Anything to get him out of there, but Ryan was strong.
Using his legs to secure Alison's wrists, he pulled the belt out of his pants and secured the boy's legs, preventing any more kicks.
"Be nice..." he smiled, a smile that Alison had once found charming.
Alison tried to scream, but the muffled sound became nothing in seconds. Then he cried, praying it was a bad dream.
But that went quickly when he had his pants pulled off his body, when he felt his disgusting mouth.
Saying abominable things about how he knew Alison was enjoying it, how he knew, because his body was responding. As if it wasn't simply the body being automatic, rather than anything really like pleasure.
Alison tried to scream one last time, but again, to no avail.
At that time no one was passing in the corridor, so he was lost.
Alison doesn't want to remember it, in fact he wishes he could forget it.
But he remembers it very well.
About how he felt a knife enter him, making him scream in pain against his jacket. About how it moaned above him, making Alison cry more.
About how it hurt, it hurt so much.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
Alison woke with a start, he breathing labored. He looked at the window, noticing how morning it was.
He then looked at his own wrists and moved his legs. When he confirmed that he was loose, he breathed a sigh of relief. He dried the tears that were streaming down his face and got out of bed.
He walked to the bathroom in his room, a luxury his mother had allowed him. He picked up the box with his lenses and looked into the mirror, slowly absorbing the slightly blurred but still clear vision of the green eyes that stared back at him.
He hates that color.
Alison hates many things, including the fact that he to accept that him was born looking so much like his father.
Putting the brown lenses in his eyes, he blinks a few times before feeling that they fit correctly. He then leaves the bathroom, picking up his glasses from the dresser next to his bed.
After finishing, he sighs. Breathing deeply more than once, trying to calm his mind after that nightmare.
When he had calmed down completely, he finally moved to change and go down to the kitchen. He couldn't delay, as Alix, Jeff, his children, Liu and Aliza had all ended up sleeping at his house last night, so he had to get downstairs quickly to get more information.
After changing, Alison walked to the door, but before leaving, he went back and got his air pump. Maybe he needed it.
×××
Breakfast was awkward, but nothing beats the fact that Alison feels like he's walking on eggshells by sharing the house with these people at the moment.
It was about one o'clock in the afternoon and he was deciding whether to keep his hair up or down to meet his friends when his mother appeared at the door with a raised eyebrow and holding a laundry basket:
"Where are you going?" she put the basket on the floor.
"To meet my friends." he answered, deciding whether to let her hair down, shaking her curls to make them a little higher. "I'm going to spend some time with Mathias, Olivia, James and Will..." he smiled.
"Okay, don't be late." she warned before taking the basket back and walking to the laundry room.
"Mom! Let me do my laundry." he said a little loudly.
"All right, darling!" she shouted back.
Alison picked up her bag, checking what was inside. He finally left the room and went downstairs. Before leaving, he said goodbye to his cousins, uncle and sister who were in the living room.
Thinking about it, his family had grown quite quickly.
He wasn't sure he liked it.
×××
"Oh my God..." Alison said, laughing at the way James opened his arms when he saw him. "How are you?" he held his hand, then hugged him.
James had a wonderful scent, he smelled great.
Looking up, Alison smiled as he noticed his wavy hair, which made him look more handsome than necessary. His brown eyes shone from beneath his eyelashes, along with his clearly well-groomed skin, and that smile along with the moisturizer he always wore because he hated his mouth feeling dry. James was tall, about twelve centimeters taller than Alison.
But if there was one thing Alison loved about James, it was his distinct lack of fragile masculinity, despite being an absolutely straight man.
"Your show...?" Alison asked cautiously, hoping he wasn't hurt.
"It was incredible..." he smiled, hugging Alison again. "I'll send you the video they made of the dance, okay?"
"Thank you..." Alison whispered, pulling away from the hug when he heard a horn honking.
And there Mathias was, smiling before getting out of the 7-seater car that his father had lent him because he knew the group of friends was big.
"Hey my loves... ~" he jumped at them, who were just holding him back with laughter. "Hey Will!" he called out, making Alison's heart skip a beat.
The laugh that sent a delicious shiver down Alison's spine came from the passenger seat, and then that long-fingered hand that made him swallow dry.
"What...?" Will's hoarse voice reached his ears, and it was as if something snapped in Alison, her legs weakening slightly. "Your loves don't love you anymore?"
"Not a fucking chance, you stupid giant." Mathias gave him the middle finger, which made him laugh out loud before turning his attention to Alison and James.
"Hey, Alison! Are you and my brother okay? James said he wanted to see you because you were absent yesterday, be careful, I'll be jealous!" Alison smiled silly, her heart hammering in her chest as he felt like a teenager. Will had this ability, turning Alison into a fool who was madly in love with him.
James laughed, whispering to Alison:
"Be careful you don't fall hard..." he received a stomp on the foot that made him laugh, while Alison moved away from him and Mathias.
"Hey!" he held back the broad smile he wanted to give. "Jealous, are you?" he joked, causing Will to raise an eyebrow. A serene smile was on his lips, along with that ring-shaped spider bites piercing that made Alison wonder what it would be like to kiss him with it. "I haven't given you a good enough reason yet." he said mockingly, making Will laugh before moving close enough to be just a few centimeters from Alison's face.
"Why? Are you going to give me a good reason?" Alison let out a short laugh, her eyes fluttering slightly at how close he was and how close he could feel his breath.
"Maybe..." he whispered in reply, but jumped when he heard a knock above her head. It was Mathias banging on the roof of the car.
"Okay ladies, flirt later! We have to go."
"We weren't flirting!" they both said loudly.
"I'll pretend I believe it!" He opened the back door and pulled. "Alison, take William's side." gave a wink, which made Alison roll her eyes. "Come on, James!" pulled James, who laughed, making Alison sigh and open the passenger door to get in.
Alison sat down, holding back the urge to look in the solarium, knowing full well what she would find. Even so, he looked away and held his breath.
Alison had many thoughts, but he knew one thing clearly; William was a bloody piece of mischief!
He had bright blue eyes in that clearly model-like face, and his jaw always made Alison drool, wondering what it would be like to slide he fingers across that skin that he knew was sensitive, as well as the way his adam's apple moved whenever he laughed at his friends' conversations in the car.
He looked up before slowly making his way down, long eyelashes, a nose that made his face look aligned and moisturized lips along with that piercing that he always played with his tongue whenever he had the chance, especially when he was driving like he was now.
When Will smiled, Alison felt her hair stand on end... That smile that he himself thought was wicked because of the way it affected him. Alison looked down, noticing his well-structured body. William was about six feet tall, his muscles still defined, even though it had been two years since he had left school and, consequently, American soccer. Perhaps because he immediately joined his father's construction company as a simple builder, despite his good grades at the time.
And in the end, he's totally Alison's type
Alison suddenly felt a bitter taste in his mouth, a reminder of his nightmare coming on.
And he felt dirty for thinking that about someone