Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I sip the drink 

I lie next to you 

Kill things from other worlds

Smell the bliss of pain 

Unintentionally, become a part of the end

Smoke and Sunset 

As dramatic as it sounds 

Where do we fall?

In a WORLD filled with superhuman and gods

or people who want to be almighty 

A boy with 12 homes and a mystery.

Kick the dirt off the ground 

Shout til the throat becomes swollen 

Nothing will be the same 

Once, the adventure begins

Chapter Text

Eyes shut, rapid eye movement commences, and the psychology behind him enters. Just him sleeping in the back of the car, a teenager sleeping like a child. As summer slipped through his hands, a new school year is waiting around the corner. On a nearly fourteen hour ride driving for more than nine hundred miles. It has always been normal for him to travel from one place to another.

Roberto never truly feels at home. However, this has been different ever since living with her. Miranda Bolton, his current foster mother,  driving in her blue volkswagen. Deprived of sleep at long car ride like this. She still uses her wit and will to continue forward for him. Always dreamt of having children, but how can someone who can’t bare children? Don’t ask that is rhetorical.

Looking at her rear-view mirror at the only thing she can cherish now. Something women have dreamt of, if she decides to want a child. Miranda was offered a promotion from her manager, but the catch was she would be transferred to a different state. Miranda and him agreed on the offer, it could initialize a new beginning. It was not turning well back in her home in Illinois.

For her, it was extremely difficult for her to leave her childhood home behind. Roberto thought this was another tourist spot. Traveling from west to east across America. The longest he has ever lived with anyone before her was almost an entire year. He’s been living with her for two years now and couldn’t think he last this long.

The shortest time took a week because his “foster parent” took him in accidentally after getting intoxicated at a party from Vegas. As absurd and ridiculous it sounds, it’s true. Eyes began to open, no more Rapid Eye Movement, and his dreams were left behind. “With You” by Juvenile Militia was playing on the radio. Who would’ve thought that his favorite song came after an actual heartbreak ironically? Stretching his arms and yawning loudly like a distorted siren.

“I was so crazy when I was with you.” Roberto sang along after he finishes.

He always dreamt of becoming a musical performer as a kid. If there is one consistent thing that has occurred while living with whoever, they always seem to compliment his singing. Being inspired from various artists such as David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Marvin Gaye to Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse. Of course, he listens to modern music of any genre. There has always been a bone fiddled with last centuries Rock and Soul.

“Hey mom, are we there yet?” Roberto asks afterwards.

Roberto Alvarez Cruz born on March 15, 2001, average weight of six pounds and ten ounces, and a sight colored with Light Brown. His birth mother, passed away thirty minutes after he arrived. His biological father passed away after a semi truck collided with his car. On his way to the hospital, hoping that he’ll see his son grow into a man for the rest of his life. No one from any side of both families didn’t consider to take him in.

As if he was a curse or an omen that could be bad. So, he was on his own. Moving from house to house throughout his fifteen years. Although, Miranda was different. She wasn’t like the others that cared for him. A connection began to grow and keep them together. Turns out they both have a lot of things in common. Love for music, soccer, pancakes, Go Kart racing, etc.

“Yes Bobby, we’re here.” Miranda yawns.

Moving towards one of the windows, Roberto presses on the button to lower the window and sticks his head like a dog wanting to stick his tongue out. Restaurants, cafes, deli markets such as Delmar’s, food markets flashing their images for a moment. After sightseeing,  he crawls to the passenger seat without trying to cause Miranda to drive off course.

“So… we finally did it.” Roberto mentions to her.

“Yeah, we really did it. Guess what?” Miranda responds back to him.  “What is it?”

“I’m glad you and I did this. Especially, what was going on back in Illinois wasn’t healthy. You told me before that you at least wanted to visit New York. Crazy that we’re living here now” Miranda mentions to Roberto, putting on her best subtle smile to him.

“I’m sorry that I was acting like an asshole during the time. Never want to put my anger out on you. You matter so much to me, that I don’t want anyone or even myself to hurt you.”

“Bobby.” She interrupts grasping his hand. “You can never hurt me, if anything all I feel is you. The harmless, charming, handsome, most generous son that anyone really any adult want. I’m glad that I can have as a parent at least.”

He sighs out of relief. He carries her hand and kisses it.

“Thanks mom, I don’t know what I would be without you.” Roberto sincerely tells her.

Sure, they’re not biologically connected in any way. Different ethnicities, skin tone, personalities, ages, etc.  However, there’s always been a sensation that they’re each other’s family. Leaning towards one another, no matter the circumstance or event. Roberto has been proud to call her his “mother” and vice versa.

After finishing their conversation, he’s notified of a text message from his former foster father he lived with. Before Miranda, he lived with a single father and his son at Phoenix, Arizona. The three of them grew a strong connection together just like Miranda and he considers them to be a part of his “family”. It’s been two years since he last seen them, but they have kept in contact with each other frequently since then.

“Hey Bobby, have you made it to Queens yet?” The message wrote.  

“Yeah dad, mom and I just arrived. We’re on our way to the apartment complex right now.” He responds back to him.

“That’s good.”

“Remember to behave over there while having fun.”

“Start something new, but still be yourself.”

“Miranda cares about so much.”

“Your brother and I miss you so much.”

“Don’t worry dad, you can trust me.”

“LOL”

“I miss you guys too.”

“When are you guys coming to visit?”

“Dad?”

Roberto was in a healthy state of mind over there with them. Sure, Phoenix wasn’t the best place to live at, but it he had friends and a family to go home to for about a year. For that period, he was surprised that he lasted that long with them. Why did he give him up? One question that’s been coursing through his psyche since he initially heard the news. Was there a sense of grudge for them? No, of course not. All Roberto wanted was the answer and the honest truth of why.

Was Roberto not worth it anymore? Was he annoying and overbearing? Did his mental illness conjure up any stress? Was it meant to be a short term desolation site? Even the question came up for ad---, the thought of that word didn’t make him feel right.

It’s a mystery that even with families he gets comfortable with, for some reason he gets transferred to a different home. It haunts him to this very day where he thinks to himself if it was a facade they wore or they were taking pity out of him. The biggest question that he wants the answer, but simply can’t.

Miranda looks up from her rear-view to see Roberto’s face and his expression appearing distraught with his head turned down. As a mother, let alone a foster parent, she easily detects that something’s not right. She looks back into the road and continues to think of what she can do. A light bulb flickers on and decides to do something that she has been delaying til the perfect time, but it needs to be done right now.

“Hey, have you talked to your dad recently?” Miranda asks Roberto. “ We just talked to each other like five minutes ago.”

“Call him for me please.” Miranda requests. “Ok… sure.” Roberto conforms sounding unsure because Miranda and him never frequently communicate as oppose to Roberto and him.

“Hey Bobby.” He answers the call.

“Hey Gregorio, it’s Miranda.”

“Hey, i’m surprised you called. Where’s Bobby?”

“He’s behind me. Listen I think it’s time to tell him.”

“We were going to wait until his birthday.”

“I think right now is a good time. A nice housewarming gift for Roberto.”

“Ok, hand him the phone.”

Miranda hands Roberto back his cell phone with Roberto grabbing it in slight anticipation. In the background, the voice of his “brother” Cisco shouting it in glee.

“Cisco’s playing video games with his friends?” Roberto asks Gregorio.

“Yup with Gio and Tiana, you remember them?”

“Yeah, the neighbors right across the street from your house. Super Smash Bros Brawl?”

“You know it Bobby.” Gregorio responds slightly giggling.

“Whats up? What did you wanna talk about?” Roberto asks him.

“Well, Miranda and I were gonna wait until your birthday, but it seems you need it right now. We’re going to stay with you guys for two weeks starting on your birthday.” Gregorio explains happily.

“You’re joking right?” Roberto questions him, his mouth slowly forming to a smile.

His hand turning into a fist close to his mouth. Looking surprised and sort of disbelief as well. Joy overcame through his body about this news. As dramatic as it seems, Roberto thought that wouldn’t see them for a long time. Also, he knew that a family didn’t leave him at all. Sounds corny, but they didn’t leave them from his heart and now he feels that he has family now. It may not be his birth family, but it was all that he got. He ends the call between him and Gregorio and comes up to hug Miranda

Ten minutes later from their conversation, they arrive to their apartment. It wasn’t the best looking apartment, but he never expects an expensive home to live in. He rather liked the brick exterior on the complex.

“Bobby, you coming or what?” Miranda asked in the back of her car opening the trunk. The thing about Roberto is he can easily get distracted without noticing.

“Yeah, did I get distracted again?” Roberto snaps out of it.

“You did. It’s ok though. Now come on, need your help.”

Just as he was attending to the trunk, Miranda’s phone rang.

“I hope it’s not my boss.” She says hoping. “Crap, it is. Bobby go take your box of clothes to our room. Room 306 and the door is already unlocked.”

Roberto walks through the front door and enters into the office. The office seems to a quiet environment with not many people surrounding the area. As he walks towards to the elevator with a box in his hands, he hears a voice. A voice so delicate and joyful. He turns his head around to see a child with his family.

Oh, how would he give everything to have a family, a normal family. He always appreciated Miranda and the others, but it was a complicated circumstance he’s been in. The family seemed to be coming home from the park with a dog on the leash, the son holding a football while his head was getting rubbed by his father. The daughter is holding her mother’s hand, with the dog on the other hand. It brought Roberto joy that other people are fortunate to have a family. It also brought a gloomy and selfish side to him.

The sound of the elevator door opening directs him back. He walks in by himself, but is accompanied by an elderly woman, a man wearing a suit, and a child licking a enormous lollipop. Roberto felt like he was in a movie for some strange reason. Like as if none of this was real and was an act he had to play. In reality, this was his life.

After waiting patiently for people coming in or out, it was his turn to the third floor. He rather got annoyed from all this commotion. The elevator door opens standing in front was a couple walking in. Roberto begins to walk out of the elevator and turns to the left. Unaware while turning, he runs into someone causing to drop the box and his clothes are all over the floor.

Roberto immediately squatted down to the floor rather embarrassed that all of his clothes including undergarments like briefs were visible. The stranger he bumped into also came down and started to pick up Roberto’s clothes.

“I’m sorry… this is so embarrassing.” The stranger apologizes.

“It’s my fault that I wasn’t looking and at least it’s not yours.” Roberto insists it was his doing.

“Well, we should be more aware then, huh?” The stranger suggests. “Sounds good to me.” Roberto smirked.

Roberto looks at him while still picking up the mess. Seriously, he didn’t expect to have so many clothes in one box. He notices his blue sweatshirt that printed the name “Midtown School of Science and Technology.” circling around an atom.

They finished loading the clothes back into the box after an awkward silence. Roberto looks up after taking a long deep breath. “Thank you s-” Roberto stops midway to realize the stranger was gone. It seems that the stranger was in a hurry. Although, he appeared to be around his age with brown hair. Now, it was finally time for Roberto to start with a sense of excitement and anxiousness. With Miranda around, he suspected nothing big would happen from there.

RIGHT??

Chapter Text

Hey Guys!!! So, from the title, this work is only the prelude to the official story. I only wanted to make the first official chapter the "prelude" alongside the poem. I've already established a previous work called "Welcome to A New World" on my profile, where the rest of the story will be published. The second chapter will be published today. Can't wait for you to read the rest from there.