Man, your brother is seriously weird, Lu!
What are you talking about? That guy is a freak! Who's the older one between you guys, isn't it you? You should talk with him, don't you think?
Does your mom not look after you guys?
...It was far from the first time he had been picked on, and it was far from the last time this would happen. He knew it. Celestial happening was like a proverbial ❛kick me❜ note taped to their backs. To his back. As the more outgoing between the three - and Steffan was the least outgoing, which did not help him at all - Luceus was also a frequent target. The attention was split evenly between them. If it wasn't him that day, the chance that it would be either Kamael or Steffan was always at least 80%.
They went for the one who would get the most riled up. Of course they did. Their mom had told them countless times, hugging them tighter than life to stop them from screaming and crying their faces off. They're looking for reactions from you, boys. It's simple, and very irritatingly so. They poke you, you get mad, you start a fight, they've gotten just what they wanted. If you go and report them to the principal, he'll make them stop.
But their mom had no idea that not only the principal's son was one of the people behind it all, but also the moment the adults turned their back on them, the bullies were immediately back to their bullshit again.
Look at me, you freak. Your eyes are yellow. Like a snake. You're a damn snake is what you are. Look at yourself!
And your brother - oh don't get me started. I can see how he tries not to cry when we trip him down the stairs. You're all so fucking weird!
Oh yeah? What are you going to do? You're just a dumbass!
“If you don't stop,” Luceus said slowly, staring at the bully closest to him, “I'm going to hit you. You will regret that.” Maybe it was a bad thing to still be attached that much to his mom (he knew he shouldn't be letting whatever happened with his dad take over his life, dammit)... but he was, and this had been her advice.
“You can't do it, huh? You're all big talk and nothin' else!” The boy made a face at him, then put his face in Luceus’s face and stuck out his tongue. As if the previous annoyance had not been enough.
If they don't listen, warn them again.
“I will hit all of you. I don't care what you think about me, but you insulted my brothers.” Luceus lifted his arms, his hoodie flowing upwards from the gesture. “My name is Luceus Corbeau. You hurt my brother. Prepare to die.”
“Oh my god, he watches the movies my sister watches with her dumb friends!”
“So you're not just a freak, you're also a nerdy loser freak!”
The bully and his friends call out one after the other, like a small chorus of childish ruthlessness. A small chorus of cruelty.
Or at least that was what it seemed to a teenager like Luceus.
If they still don't listen on the third try, throw the punch.
Words from his mom's mother, his grandmother. They were all weirdos. And they were all fighters.
His mom had passed the quote down to Luceus and his brothers. It seemed now was the time to make good on the advice it gave.
Luceus stepped close, and, with one swift swing, hit the boy square in the nose with his head.
...Looking back on it, he had no idea why he hadn't straight up punched him. Maybe it was for the better. Luceus was not a fighter, and he would have definitely messed up his knuckles if he had attempted a punch.
But that day he had barely slept - courtesy of the nightmares again - and it felt like he was drunk, like that one time when he had tried to drink from his mom's cocktail when she had left it to go to the bathroom, and he had drank the remaining half glass.
Back then, he had started dancing along to the music in the restaurant he and his mom and brothers had gone to, and his brothers had joined him. They had all knocked a few chairs down with their crazy dancing, swinging their arms around like windmills rocking out to the music.
No one was mad. They were just kids being kids.
...The same could not be said about the present, though.
Lu was drunk again. Except, this time, it wasn't because of alcohol.
He was angry. And frustrated. He was done.
But the whole situation was also kind of funny, in a way. Lu was definitely not Inigo Montoya - even though he loved that character to bits. Inigo was a brave swordsman on a quest for revenge.
Luceus... was just trying to get a handful of stupid boys to just stop making his brothers upset, dammit.
Do you know how hard they can be to calm down? Of course you don't! You don't care!
After the bully stumbled back, arms flailing, trying to grab his nose, Luceus pushed him down, watching him fall.
For a few seconds, he stood over the boy. The other bully had retreated in fear, watching the fight from a safe distance. He could only wonder how the hell he hadn't scrambled to complain already.
“Cry to your daddy all you want. If you don't leave K and Stef alone, I will visit you. I know where you live.”
Luceus gave the bully's leg a small shove with his foot, staring him down.
No more school for today.
It was finally time to head back home.
