^ New Cover art by yours truly :)
Also getting a How To Train Your Dragon tattoo tomorrow! 

Trigger warnings: Mentions of abuse, depression, suicide, injury/blood/violence, death, anxiety, panic attack

Remington's arm had gone numb but everything else was on fire, and yet he was so cold he could have turned to ice. He knew there was someone in the room and he knew he wanted them gone, but he could never say that. He wasn't allowed.

Maybe he'd pass out soon, and then at least he wouldn't have to deal with the anger until later, when he would wake up with the horrible and reoccurring realisation of the pointlessness of his existence. 

He thought often of death and of giving himself death, but he never went through with it. Mostly, because he couldn't bare to cause a mess for her. Besides, it would be selfish to kill himself over her trying to make him into a better person, if he could ever become such a thing as that. He had thought about it so much that he knew, in theory, what he'd do, and he was sure he knew already what it would feel like. It wouldn't be hard to do, he'd just have to find her secret stash of painkillers. She hid them because he didn't deserve the relief of taking them, or so she said. 

In the past, he didn't believe that, but now, it seemed plausible. 

Sebastian, Larisa, Callum, and Holly were all still downstairs. None of them had spoken since barging into the house, and Holly was contemplating whether to run down the street or up the stairs. Whether to escape alone or to grab Remington and take him with her, somewhere they'd never be found. 

When Sebastian finally spoke, his voice sounded strange to him and to them. "Did you know about this?" He asked, and was looking at Callum accusingly. 

"Found out ten minutes before you did, mate," replied Callum. 

"And you?" Sebastian looked at his fiancee. 

She raised her eyebrows. "You think I'd have kept this a secret if I knew?" 

"How was Andy the first to know?" He was jealous of the singer's knowledge of his brother. At least, that was what is sounded like to Callum and Larisa - he was more bothered about the fact he didn't know than the fact that it was happening. 

"Don't ask us," Callum snapped. He didn't even know why he was still there. This had nothing to do with him. 

"Just wait and see what happens," Larisa said calmly. None of them dared address the woman who was staring at the ground, and they couldn't believe that someone so beautiful could be so cruel. 

Sebastian shook his head, said, "Fuck that," and headed for the stairs. 

In the bathroom, Andy was still crouched by the door, trying to talk Remington back into reality but failing miserably, because whenever he made any sort of sound or movement, the younger pressed himself further into the corner and shook harder. 

The situation was not helped by the clattering entrance of Sebastian, who said, and loudly, "Why the fuck would you tell him and not me?" 

Remington was quick to cover his face and turn away, yelping despite trying to keep quiet. The blood on his arm was beginning to dry and crack. 

Andy gestured desperately for Sebastian to leave, pressing a finger to his lips while pointing towards the top of the stairs. 

Ignoring him, the guitarist stepped into the room, passed Andy, and said, "I mean, why wouldn't you tell me? Have I pissed you off, or what?" 

Again, Andy tried to make him leave. The mutual silence he had managed to create between him and Remington had shattered and the effects were showing; Remington's body was turned almost entirely to the wall, the side of his head pressed against it, his hands shielding his face, his chest heaving. Someone was going to hurt him. 

"Or are you just stupid enough to let someone do this to you and not say anything?" He was getting closer still, and put his hands on the edge of the bathtub. 

Abandoning his position, Andy took him by the shoulders and tried to push him towards the door. 

He stayed where he was. 

"You have to go," Andy whispered. "You're scaring him." 

"But you're not? He hasn't seen you for years, get over yourself." 

"Go. Please." 

"No. You go." 

Andy tried again to push him away, but instead, Sebastian reached for his brother and made contact with his shoulder. 

Remington didn't move but he wanted to scream. 

Immediately, Andy grabbed Sebastian's arm and pulled it back, shook his head aggressively. 

"Oh, get off," Sebastian retorted, no longer in a whisper, and Andy could see it coming - the scream, the flurry of flailing limbs in a panic to get away, the loss of balance at the sudden standing, the stumble, the fall. He saw Remington hit the hard floor and knew that if he did anything, it wouldn't have helped, and the boy scrambled out of the room and across the landing. 

Andy grabbed Sebastian by the collar and shook him. "Go to hell," He spat. Then he left the room. 

Remington found refuge in the spare bedroom, underneath the desk. He sat with his arms tight around his knees and his head down, and decided that if anyone found him, he'd accept defeat. He was done.