it struck a chord. at first it was pain, and then it was overwhelming rage. loss. guilt. shame.

he sprung to his feet almost involuntarily—maybe to leave, or maybe to better match the challenge in his own glare.

“what would my mother think?” about the cheating. about beating up cian. about rocket.

about what they’d all become.

“you ruined this family.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"i ruined this family?"

it's not rage that shows, but condescension. it drenches his words, his expression, and he can't help but sneer once again.

"you ruined it when you left. you tore us apart, bo, and now we're forced to clean up the mess you made."

boruta maher

☉

it cut like a knife. he chewed on his lip, too heated, and too sad. for a moment, he slipped into self-loathing. so, he’d ruined two families?

nope. snap out of it, boruta.

“yeah? what mess is that? what exactly did i fuck up so badly by leaving to get my life right?” he shook his head. “shouldn’t you be happy for me? all you do is try to get me to come back so i can do fucked up shit and hurt people like you do. you got us into this. fuck me for getting out?” he scoffed, and repeated, “fuck you for keeping my brothers in when they had the chance to leave.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"they've put us under a fucking microscope, bo. you think i wanted to hurt cian? my own son? every mistake we make is made worse now because one of my sons is a traitor. a defector. and now we're paying for your mistake."

he weaves words together almost too easily.

"this wouldn't have happened if you had manned up and stayed."

boruta maher

☉

was this real, or not?

his brow quivered irately, but his hesitance kept him planted where he stood. not many people could cause his confidence to wane like this. only family.

the bit about manning up kicked him sharply in a sore spot.

“wow. that’s so backwards.” and now they were here. “you know about my son, now, right? the one i left for?”

CIAN MAHER

☉

backwards. he doesn't seem to think so. but just as the conversation passes, so too does his annoyance.

"ah, yes, roman, was it? he's an interesting kid."

a hand goes up to scratch at his jaw.

"he'll fit right in with us."

boruta maher

☉

bo wasn’t sure what was more upsetting: the fact his father had such gall, or the fact that he was right.

he nearly snarled.

“no. you’re not allowed near him. he’s not gonna get caught up in all this shit.”

his brow pinched with the pain in his chest. “don’t try.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"oh, but i don't have to try, bo."

his composure remains level, calm. condescension taints it, however, as he can't help but ask:

"didn't he stab someone at the soiree?"

boruta maher

☉

he was supposed to be the protector. he had been that way for his brothers; for the family that he’d been taught to hold above all.

to realize that he couldn’t be there for everyone that he loved was difficult. to pick one over the other in this case specifically, however, was as easy as core instinct.

cian’s face.

the blood on his son’s hands.

the uncertainty in the eyes of his new sister.

he surged forward, hands going into the chest of the patriarch to will him back, out of his life.

“fuck you!”

clenched were the fists his father had bestowed upon him.

CIAN MAHER

☉

the shove is expected, practically telegraphed, but he does nothing to avoid it. he stumbles back, managing to catch his weight to avoid falling.

"bo."

a heavy sigh escapes.

"say you're sorry."

boruta maher

☉

what was he doing?

why was he here at all?

he felt heat coursing through him, fists begging to meet a face. it had been almost too easy to awaken, and he found that in the moment, he scared himself.

so, he backed down, biting his lip and taking a couple of steps back.

“no.”

he couldn’t do this.

his voice was low, severe, promising.

“stay away from my kid.”

with that, he turned to leave, dizzy from emotion and trying to collect the reasoning for why he’d even come in the first place.

he called over his shoulder: “i’m getting my brothers out. there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

fuck rocket. he would make the stars align for them.

CIAN MAHER

☉