It’s no secret that Hartz and Alex both don’t like each other, that much was plainly obvious. But what exactly is the cause for so much hostility from the two? The answer was simple even if it still sounded complicated.

Night.

The young woman was what both of them have in common, the two having relation to her. Alex, her brother and Hartz, her lover. Night didn’t have a good childhood all the way up until she was thrusted into foster care all of a sudden, having found out when she was in high school that her father killed her mother and then himself. He wasn’t all there in the head, so to speak, having been incredibly abusive since she was a toddler.

That’s where Alex comes in. When Night was eight, she was adopted by a lovely woman with a twelve-year-old troubled son. Alice was her name and she was wonderful. Friendly, caring, a sweetheart of a mother despite her son, a young Alexander. The first few weeks after the adoption were pretty rough, the blonde child having to adapt to yet another household and her newfound brother constantly giving her the cold shoulder and hiding away in his bedroom.
    “Don’t worry.” Alice, her new mother, would tell her. “He just needs time to adjust. He’ll come around sooner or later.” And with a kiss to her head, she went to start dinner.
    ‘He’ll come around…’ The phrase repeated and rang through her racing little mind for weeks, and she trusted it.

Come around he did, almost two months after her adoption into the family. 

Elementary can be hard for someone who didn’t grow up in a good family, and with that included, Night was also bullied as a child. One of the days Alice had asked Alex to pick Night up and walk her home, said raven-haired boy found a larger boy pushing his adoptive sister to the dirt and, with scissors and a large portion of her beautiful long hair in his hands.
    “You need a haircut…” The boy laughed evilly, poor Night crying and attempting to push the larger boy away.
    “N-no! Leave me alone!” To this day, her cries pierce his heart any time he hears them. Honestly, Alex doesn’t remember what happened after what he saw, all he ever really remembered was saving his sister and getting suspended.

The boy was very protective of her after the encounter with the bully all through middle school and high school, the two developing a very nice relationship over the years. But, unfortunately, all good things come to an end. The start of her high school year, Night met a great guy. Nice, flattering, the ‘dream guy’ you could say. Vincent was his name and he certainly seemed like the perfect guy. Night loved him, but shortly when they started dating did the nice guy act fade. Her first boyfriend was an abusive asshole to boot, the constant manipulation and backlash making the poor teenager think it was normal and it was all just her fault.

The verbal abuse was manageable, but once it started to get physical did things get hard. Or harder. She started to constantly wear makeup, wanting to hide all the bruises and marks her boyfriend was leaving on her. Alex had already been done and graduated at this point, so the only time she had to worry about him seeing was at home. She constantly cried herself to sleep during this relationship, genuinely scared for her life during the relationship. But things worsened once her brother found.

So much worse.

Alex suffered with constant anger issues, but finding out his baby sister was being abused in her relationship? Oh my god, it was like a switch flipped in his head. The nineteen-year-old graduate ended up putting Vincent in the hospital which, in turn, led to him getting arrested. Although there was proof of the abuse Night endured from her now ex, Alex was still put in jail for six months. In that amount of time with him being behind bars, his beloved little sister ended up finding herself another boyfriend in her sophomore year.

That’s where Hartz came into the picture.

He and Night were pretty good friends shortly after she left her first relationship, soon finding out it was normal for guys to be nice and friendly to their girls. On into her sophomore year, Hartz asked his best friend out, nervous to a T but overjoyed when she said yes. It’ll be good for her, she told herself with a smile. And it truly was good for her. Despite being two years older and graduating soon, her beloved goofball was amazing towards her. Taking her out on dates, very gentle, always making her smile and laugh. The lavender-haired senior treats her like the queen she really is. But he still had to get over one obstacle.

Her brother…

~~~

A crash echoed through the house and a present-day Hartz fell to the floor with a grunt, his cheek searing in pain. The twenty-four-year-old man attempted to recover before a boot-clad foot pressed down and pinned his arm to the floor. His heterochromatic eyes opened and glared up, crimson staring back down at him as his opponent knelt down.
    “Might as well get comfortable, Hartz…” Alex sneered with a grin, a slight glow in his eyes.
    “I’ve known Night for almost ten years, Alex. We’re getting married in the summer and we’re bringing a baby girl into the world. Why do you still hate me so much?” Hartz asked through grit teeth, his free hand gripping the ankle of the foot on his arm.
    “I’m just protecting my baby sister. Luck has never really been on Night’s side since she was a little girl, all I’m doing is protecting her like always.”
    “That’s what will really hurt your relationship.”
    “She knows why I do this.”

The blood from his nose dripped down his cheek, a low growl coming from his throat as Alex’s weight shifted more onto his arm, the feeling getting painful now.
    “I’m leagues ahead of you in strength, Hartz, don’t you see? No matter what, even if you marry her, I’ll never see you as family…” The twenty-six-year-old growled, further pressing into his arm. Hartz winced and bit back a hiss, still attempting to push his future brother-in-law’s foot off his arm before he broke it.

Because he knows that was his intention.

    “Alexander Frederick, what are you doing?!” A cold female’s voice suddenly yelled, Alex suddenly flinching not only when his full name was used but when he knew whose voice it was. Oh man, he got off of Hartz’ arm so quickly just in time to miss the hand that came straight for his head. “Answer me!”
    “I-I, he, u-um…” His words jumbled together in his throat, not really able to finish a complete sentence. Night stood with her hands on her hips and a stern look in her currently golden eyes, cool grey nowhere to be found in them.
    “I know you were not just about to break my fiancé’s arm. You know how I feel about violence in my household!” Night was beyond angry, that was obvious, but what can Alex do about it?

Nothing.

Hartz had picked himself up from the floor and brushed off his clothes, Night looking at him sweetly.
    “Hartz, honey, go clean up. I need to talk to my brother alone for a moment.” The emphasis on ‘brother’ made both men shudder, Hartz nodding.
    “Yes dear.” He said simply, disappearing from the living room and up the stairs to leave the two siblings alone.
    “So, Alex, we need to talk…”

Oh boy, he’s totally and completely fucked. 

If there was one person to scare him out of his wits, it was surely Night, his adoptive little sister.

NightBear15 signing off…