Chapter Text
Despised the horrible weather kids were running over the parking lot as Aeron got into his car. We are to declare for Aegon, his uncle’s voice echoed in his head. He should drive home. He was not to drunk and just sober enough that his head started to hurt. We are to declare for Aegon. Frustrated he rested his head on the siring wheel. He wanted to scream, but it died in his throat.
He already had his keys in his hands, but he just couldn’t bring himself to start the car. We are to declare for Aegon. This would change things. This would change a whole lot of things. Would they have to move back to Stone Hedge now? Was that why his father was there? But he liked his school in Pennytree. He liked his friends in Pennytree. He liked…
The glow of his phone drew his eye to the passenger seat. A text from one of his cousins. Something about where the fuck he was, but Aeron could not focus on anything else but the back and red leather jacket he had stuffed under the seat to hide from his family. Another text lit up on his phone, but Aeron ignored it.
He just had to get home, take a cold shower and go to seep before he did something stupid. Like calling Davos Blackwood.
The Bracken and the Blackwoods were always fighting. Always. No-one knew why anymore and Aeron doubted anyone cared anymore. Back in the day they went to war now it was court cases and soccer games, fighting over the last chocolate milk in the lunchroom. Petty arguments and childish competitions. And the Blackwood that had haunted him since he could remember was Davos Blackwood.
It all started in preschool. They were racing down the street next to the school with their bikes just for fun. That’s how it began, but then it had to be a competition. As soon as the Blackwoods and their friends appeared, his cousins were ready to fight. The hate from their father already deep ingrained in them. They were not even talking to them, but as soon as one of them made eye contact with one of the Backwoods the game was on.
It only ended when one of the Blackwoods broke his arm. Aeron did not remember how it happened exactly. One moment they were racing down the street the next there was blood on the tarmac, the Blackwood was screaming and all of them froze, before everyone ran. They were not supposed to race down the street. If they got cough, they would get in trouble.
Something made Aeron look back over his shoulder as he ran. A boy with the characteristic dark hair of the Blackwoods was there trying to calm down his cousin. Idiot, Aeron had thought back then, he is going to get in trouble. But the dark-haired boy only seemed worried about his friend. Not even looking if the teacher was coming for him.
Aeron was so surprised that he tripped and fell onto a fence. Later on, he told the teacher that he tripped in the yard. He knew that she did not believe him, but she was a distant cousin of his father and she had scolded the Blackwood boys just a minute ago. She just took him to the nurse without a word.
To this day the scar of his leg reminded him of that day. His cousins would not have cared for him if he got hurt. But the dark-haired boy did. He worried about his friends more than the scolding be got while his friend was being carried away by the paramedics.
That day he learned the boy’s name. Davos Blackwood. His birthday was also in the wrong part of August, just like Aeron’s. Who knew?
When they got into elementary school things changed, but they also stayed the same in a way. Their teachers were not all Brackens or Blackwoods anymore. Some did not choose sides, which…yeah getting away with stuff was getting harder, when no-one cared who your father was.
Aeron also was only one of two Brackens in his class and the other was some third or fifth cousin of his that did not have much to say about anything. And Davos was there. He was always there. Laughing with that cousin of his that broke his arm back in the day and some girl. Also, a cousin. And he never speared Aeron one look. Not one. It was like he never even existed. Like he was invisible.
He did not want to get into petty fights either, but…a bit of attention would have been nice. Only a silent node in the hallway. Was that so hart?
As they got older it became about more than just attention. It became about grades. Who could beat the other in PE? If Aeron defeated Davos would be look at him, finally? They were always top of their class. Fighting over the first spot. And not once. Not once! Davos looked at him, or maybe Aeron was just too busy to notice him looking now. Burring himself in homework and extra credit.
When his parents told him that they would move to Stone Hedge he was devastated. What did he work so hard for?
On the last day of school, he found himself not wanting to leaf. All that awaited him in the house that he had called his home for so many years was packed boxes and dust. He was just saying goodbye to one of his friends when he heard someone scream behind him.
„Bracken!“ Aeron turned around and found Davos standing at the gate. Black hair a mess and a slightly crazy smile on his face that could only look cute on a 10-year-old. „I enjoyed our game.“ And that was the first and last time Davos Blackwood spoke to him, before Aeron returned to Pennytree.
Middle school in Stone Hedge was fine. He was still top of his class, but there was none that ever got close to him. Without trying he got A’s every time and he found himself almost wishing to see that Blackwood again. I enjoyed our game. Aeron wished they could play that game again and shortly before his 15 birthday he got an early present.