CHAPTER THREE

The Calm Before the Storm

Everyone except for his dad noticed that Fletcher was happier, but the sun would always rise to remind him of the things he would have to hide. And he had plenty of them now. While a month ago, keeping secrets seemed foreign to Fletcher, he grew more accustomed to them as time passed. Many things had changed about Fletcher as he spent more time with Leenith. Once avoiding attachments, he grew attached to Leenith, laying with him as he taught Fletcher about the constellations and any other topic under the sun. Leenith could talk for hours, but Fletcher didn't mind. He never did. He was used to listening and whatever Lenith had to say was interesting to him. Fletcher didn't want to believe that this could change, but all good things came to an end.

It was a normal night. There weren't many clouds in the sky, if any, making it a perfect time for Leenith to teach Fletcher more about the stars. Instead of the hay bales, they laid on the grass behind the barn. Their new spot granted them more room to lay and a better view, without the obstruction of the barn roof. It wasn't practical for sleeping, but Leenith only laid there with Fletcher. He held Fletcher's hand and pointed up at the brightest star in the sky.

"That's the North star. Whenever you're lost just remember that it points North and you can find me," he says, although there was something else in his expression that Fletcher couldn't quite place.

Before he had time to think, Leenith leaned over him, kissing him in a way he never had, each kiss hungrier than the next. Fletcher had wanted this for a long time, but as he kissed Leenith back, all he could think about was his 18th birthday, the day where he would be forced to leave all of this behind. Suddenly, he knew what Leenith had meant. Fletcher began to cry for the first time in years, finally snapping under the pressure of all his expectations. Leenith pulled back, concerned, for he had never seen Fletcher cry. No one had, and Fletcher prided himself in that fact. It was then that the sky opened, letting go of all the rain it had collected over the past month.

At first, they didn't think much of it. It didn't storm often in Flint, and when it did, it was usually a light drizzle. But this storm was different. Fletcher took off his cloak and told Leenith to hold the other end as they ran through the rain towards the stables. It got harder for them to run, eventually settling for trudging through the puddles forming in the grass and forcing their way against the wind until they made it to the barn. The two boys huddled together for warmth, soaked from the rain and shivering, Fletcher wrapping his jacket around both of their shoulders as they sat in their usual hay bale spot. Leenith, having never heard a thunderstorm before, jumped at every boom, beginning to shiver even more, this time with fear. Although Fletcher had never heard a thunderstorm either, he wasn't scared of the thunder. He was conditioned to live his whole life devoid of fear, and so he was used to pretending it didn't exist.

Fletcher smoothed his hand up and down Leenith's left arm, lending him comfort. When that didn't seem to work, he kissed Leenith, offering a distraction from the noise. Leenith gradually stopped shivering, grabbing Fletcher's neck and leaning into the kiss as the next boom of thunder shook the barn.

The storm seemed to stop as soon as it started, the clouds parting to make way for the sky, which shone with daylight. Fletcher had lost track of time, unable to see the moon beneath the clouds. Surely his parents would be looking for him after a storm like this. He panicked, getting up from the hay bale. But he was too late. In his panic he tried to run out the entrance to the barn and instead ran right into his father.

To his surprise, Orion shoved right past him to Leenith, who looked up with terror.

"Don't hurt him!" Screamed Fletcher, running to get between his father and Leenith.

It was no use. Orion pushed him to the ground, causing Fletcher to yelp with pain as he hit his tailbone on the hardwood floor. Fletcher looked on with shock as his Father slapped Leenith hard across the face.

"You are never to speak to my son ever again, you hear me?" sneered his father.

Leenith nodded frantically, gulping down a knot as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The blacksmith turned to Fletcher, who was now a mess of tears. He knew he shouldn't cry but he couldn't help it as his father dragged him back home by the cloak, shaking uncontrollably. He didn't even notice that the clouds had come back, pouring down on them, unrelenting. The village folk, knowing not to mess with the blacksmith, moved back into their homes, shutting their doors and pretending not to hear as Fletcher cried, remembering what it felt like to lose something important to him.

Orion had never hit Fletcher before. He knew Fletcher could take a beating, but the only way to teach him a lesson was to rip out his bleeding heart. His father practically shoved Fletcher into his room, slamming the door with the force of a ram. Fletcher didn't stop crying until his tears had run dry. Surprisingly, his father let him, leaving the house to take out the rest of his anger elsewhere.

Fletcher curled into a ball on his bed, covered from head to toe in dirt and mud. He heard a soft knock on the door.

"Fletch?"

When Fletcher didn't answer, Lynn walked in and sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to bother him. Fletcher didn't really want company at the moment, but he let Lynn stay. Lynn didn't know what to say. He had never seen his brother so distraught before. He wished he could take the pain for himself, but he couldn't, so instead, he laid there with Fletcher in complete silence, whispering that everything would be okay.

Fletcher lay there, unmoving, for the entire day, pain turning to numbness and too nauseous to eat as he tried to forget Leenith. He was good at that, forgetting, but he could never forget Leenith, the boy who changed his life. Fletcher never snuck out to stables ever again. He blamed himself for getting attached to someone he knew he couldn't keep. It was selfish of him. Not only was he hurt, but Leenith too, had become collateral. 

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A/n: I hope you guys enjoyed this episode! It's a lot darker then the first two but I have to say that it is intentional. I hate Orion as much as you guys are going to. Maybe more.