#Adrian Atteberry

[e-lisard-archive]

Two steps - one step - over the edge

Original post July 15th, 2023 (x)

Near stays still, head bowed, letting miss Charlotte soak him with the wine from her cup. “And do not let me see you again this evening, filthy bastard,” she spits out, turning around sharply to walk away.

His father, sitting just a few steps away, looks on and laughs.

“Yes ma'am,” Near obediently says, slowly standing up from where he’d been kneeling. His body protests, all bruised and battered, but he pushes through it.

“Don’t forget your orders, son.” A sneaky look at his father shows he’s not even looking at Near anymore, more interested in staring at miss Charlotte’s backside as she walks. “Remember the consequences of failure.”

“Yes, father.” Near bows, as graceful as the best of young masters, and leaves.

He ignores the way Lewis hesitantly raises his hand towards him before Blossom pulls it downward, and tries to ignore his thoughts as well.

It would be so easy - but he can’t do it. His mother wouldn’t want him to. He has all the contacts needed, thanks to his father forcing him to do his dirty work - but it would also be risky because what if they tie it back to him and figure out all the other stuff he - no, not the point, he can’t do it. He can’t kill his father, or his father’s wife, or his half-siblings.

+++

Near moves his sword to block, just a bit too late as always, so Blossom can hit him. It’s better this way. If he blocks her - which really isn’t that hard, she is awful with a sword - he’ll get more bruises than he will letting her hit him like this.

“Ha! And you’re supposedly a great hero?” She mocks, a vicious smirk on her face. Like this, she’s nothing like the proper Atteberry heir everyone thinks she is. “Then again, I don’t know what I expected from a bastard like you.”

+++

You know what, Near thinks a few days later, curled up in a ball to shield himself from his father’s kicks, maybe he can. Maybe he can kill his father, his father’s wife, and his half-sister.

[e-lisard]

Hand revealed

Characters: Near Hallow, Lewis Atteberry

Story: Second Chance At Life

TW: none

WC: 276

Near clenches his hands into fists as he stares at Lewis, trying desperately to keep his voice level. "Even if he is your father, that man doesn't care about you."

"That's- you don't know that!" Lewis is shaking, and Near can't quite figure out why exactly. Normally he'd say it's anger, but... something about that doesn't seem right. "I'm his son! The heir!"

"And that's the only thing he cares about!" Near takes a breath, flexing his fingers. Stay calm. Turning this into a shouting match won't help anyone. "He doesn't care that you're his son, he only cares that you're the heir. He's manipulating you every step of the way to turn you into a version of himself." It had been that way the first time around, and despite everything that's changed, it was the same this time.

"You- you're just mad he won't recognize you as his child!"

Oh. So Adrian had told someone this time. Still.

"Oh, wake up already, Lewis. I'm happy where I am. I've got the support of both Owen and Val, I'm respected. Why would I ever wanna give that up for a snakepit?" He'd done it once. Never again. "I'm trying to help you. I'm not saying you have to denounce him, or anything like that. I just need you to watch out, to stay aware. To stay your own person."

"I- whatever! You don't know what you're talking about!" Lewis storms away, but Near can feel himself relax. That look on his face at the end... It's the start he needed.

And maybe... Maybe in a while, Lewis will come to him, and really let him help.

---

Flash Fiction Friday taglist: @flashfictionfridayofficial

SCAL taglist:

General taglist: @simkarta333 @sparrow-orion-writes

If you want to be added to/removed from a taglist, you can either let me know, or do it yourself in this document (yes that's a link).

[e-lisard]

Forced to keep quiet

Characters: Near Hallow, Owen Dunn

Story: Second Chance At Life

CW: Near is Panicking and not in a good mental state, his father was Awful to him before this happened and is the cause

WC: 584

"Near, Near, it's okay, just breathe." Owen - is it, though? Is it really Owen? - is kneeling in front of him, trying to coax him out of the hole he's hid himself in. Near shakes his head, pressing himself deeper, and Owen disappears from sight for a bit before he’s back, holding a necklace he gently throws at Near.

It’s his own necklace, the one with the ring that shows Owen really is the heir of the Dunn family. The same necklace he put around Near’s neck a few months back, with the masquerade. “Here, so you don’t start picking at your skin again,” Owen says, getting comfortable.

It’s quiet for a few moments, and Near starts to relax a bit. If he’s like this, it must really be Owen. Not a single outsider would ever think Owen could be this patient with coaxing someone out. And no one would ever be able to replicate the ring he’s playing with now. And really, Near has had it in his hands often enough at this point that he would be able to recognize it with his eyes closed.

“What happened in there, with Adrian?” The fact that Owen uses his first name shows just how much disrespect he has for the Atteberry head, and Near tenses up, curling into himself even more. “I’ve seen you panicking often enough, but never like this.”

Near shakes his head, afraid that if he says even a single word right now, his father will show up. He thought the first conversation with his father in his previous life had gone bad, but it has nothing on the one in this life.

“C’mon, you can tell me, I-”

“Can’t,” Near cuts him off, and he flinches, expecting to be hit for it.

“Hey, Near, focus on me, it’s okay.” Owen is immediately talking again, pulling his attention back. “Breathe for me, okay? In… and out… In… out…” Owen repeats it a few times until Near feels like he’s actually getting air again.

“I… can’t. Tell you. If I do-” Near swallows, shaking his head. “He said I couldn’t.” Well, he said that if Near did, Owen would pay the price, but it’s the same difference, isn’t it?

“It’s okay, Near. I’m not gonna make you tell me if you can’t. But can you come out from there? I think I’d like to give you a hug right now, and you look like you could use one.”

“Is… is anyone around?”

It’s mostly silent for a few seconds, only the sounds of Owen moving around before he comes back. “No one’s around, Near. It’s just the two of us.”

With those words, Near is out of the hole in record time, throwing himself into Owen’s arms with a desperation he didn’t know he had as he bursts into tears.

Owen doesn’t say anything, just holds him tight and softly sways side to side while humming, one hand in Near’s hair to brush through it. He doesn’t judge, doesn’t offer empty words, and Near finds himself thankful for it as he slowly calms down, a wave of fatigue hitting him.

“You know, Near, it’s been a while since we’ve had a sleepover, hasn’t it?” Owen smiles at the tired look Near sends him, and Near resolutely ignores the way his heart skips a beat at the soft look in his eyes. “I think it’s about time for another. What do you say about tonight?”

“… I think I’d like that… Owen.”

---

Flash Fiction Friday taglist: @flashfictionfridayofficial

General taglist: @simkarta333 @sparrow-orion-writes

SCAL taglist:

If you want to be added to or removed from a taglist, you can either let me know, or you can do it yourself in this document (yes that is a link).

[e-lisard]

Two steps - one step - over the edge

Characters: Near Hallow, Charlotte Atteberry, Adrian Atteberry, Lewis Atteberry, Blossom Atteberry

Story: Second Chance At Life, pre-book

CW: Abuse (physical & verbal)

WC: 357

Near stays still, head bowed, letting miss Charlotte soak him with the wine from her cup. "And do not let me see you again this evening, filthy bastard," she spits out, turning around sharply to walk away.

His father, sitting just a few steps away, looks on and laughs.

"Yes ma'am," Near obediently says, slowly standing up from where he'd been kneeling. His body protests, all bruised and battered, but he pushes through it.

"Don't forget your orders, son." A sneaky look at his father shows he's not even looking at Near anymore, more interested in staring at miss Charlotte's backside as she walks. "Remember the consequences of failure."

"Yes, father." Near bows, as graceful as the best of young masters, and leaves.

He ignores the way Lewis hesitantly raises his hand towards him before Blossom pulls it downward, and tries to ignore his thoughts as well.

It would be so easy - but he can't do it. His mother wouldn't want him to. He has all the contacts needed, thanks to his father forcing him to do his dirty work - but it would also be risky because what if they tie it back to him and figure out all the other stuff he - no, not the point, he can't do it. He can't kill his father, or his father's wife, or his half-siblings.

+++

Near moves his sword to block, just a bit too late as always, so Blossom can hit him. It's better this way. If he blocks her - which really isn't that hard, she is awful with a sword - he'll get more bruises than he will letting her hit him like this.

"Ha! And you're supposedly a great hero?" She mocks, a vicious smirk on her face. Like this, she's nothing like the proper Atteberry heir everyone thinks she is. "Then again, I don't know what I expected from a bastard like you."

+++

You know what, Near thinks a few days later, curled up in a ball to shield himself from his father's kicks, maybe he can. Maybe he can kill his father, his father's wife, and his half-sister.

---

Flash Fiction Friday taglist: @flashfictionfridayofficial

SCAL taglist:

General taglist: @simkarta333 @asher-orion-writes

If you want to be added to/removed from a taglist, you can either let me know, or you can do it yourself in this document.

[e-lisard-archive]

Forced to keep quiet

Original post November 3rd, 2023 (x)

“Near, Near, it’s okay, just breathe.” Owen - is it, though? Is it really Owen? - is kneeling in front of him, trying to coax him out of the hole he’s hid himself in. Near shakes his head, pressing himself deeper, and Owen disappears from sight for a bit before he’s back, holding a necklace he gently throws at Near.

It’s his own necklace, the one with the ring that shows Owen really is the heir of the Dunn family. The same necklace he put around Near’s neck a few months back, with the masquerade. “Here, so you don’t start picking at your skin again,” Owen says, getting comfortable.

It’s quiet for a few moments, and Near starts to relax a bit. If he’s like this, it must really be Owen. Not a single outsider would ever think Owen could be this patient with coaxing someone out. And no one would ever be able to replicate the ring he’s playing with now. And really, Near has had it in his hands often enough at this point that he would be able to recognize it with his eyes closed.

“What happened in there, with Adrian?” The fact that Owen uses his first name shows just how much disrespect he has for the Atteberry head, and Near tenses up, curling into himself even more. “I’ve seen you panicking often enough, but never like this.”

Near shakes his head, afraid that if he says even a single word right now, his father will show up. He thought the first conversation with his father in his previous life had gone bad, but it has nothing on the one in this life.

“C’mon, you can tell me, I-”

“Can’t,” Near cuts him off, and he flinches, expecting to be hit for it.

“Hey, Near, focus on me, it’s okay.” Owen is immediately talking again, pulling his attention back. “Breathe for me, okay? In… and out… In… out…” Owen repeats it a few times until Near feels like he’s actually getting air again.

“I… can’t. Tell you. If I do-” Near swallows, shaking his head. “He said I couldn’t.” Well, he said that if Near did, Owen would pay the price, but it’s the same difference, isn’t it?

“It’s okay, Near. I’m not gonna make you tell me if you can’t. But can you come out from there? I think I’d like to give you a hug right now, and you look like you could use one.”

“Is… is anyone around?”

It’s mostly silent for a few seconds, only the sounds of Owen moving around before he comes back. “No one’s around, Near. It’s just the two of us.”

With those words, Near is out of the hole in record time, throwing himself into Owen’s arms with a desperation he didn’t know he had as he bursts into tears.

Owen doesn’t say anything, just holds him tight and softly sways side to side while humming, one hand in Near’s hair to brush through it. He doesn’t judge, doesn’t offer empty words, and Near finds himself thankful for it as he slowly calms down, a wave of fatigue hitting him.

“You know, Near, it’s been a while since we’ve had a sleepover, hasn’t it?” Owen smiles at the tired look Near sends him, and Near resolutely ignores the way his heart skips a beat at the soft look in his eyes. “I think it’s about time for another. What do you say about tonight?”

“… I think I’d like that… Owen.”