Mistake

Aiden sat in the back seat of his cousin's car. He was finally going home after another stint in the hospital. He was exhausted and just wanted to be able to sleep in a bed that didn't have rails or wires preventing him from moving.  A shower and then climbing into his bed would be bliss for him at the moment.

Marcus slowed the car to a crawl. "What the hell," the older man muttered under his breath. "Ai, stay in the car."

Aiden perked up to look out of the car window. There was a car parked in Marcus' usual parking spot, a dark sedan with tinted windows, and a bodyguard that Aiden didn't recognize leaning against the side of the car. This wasn't one of Rob's usual croonies, the man looked up from his phone and flashed Aiden a little smile.

"Hey, Marc. Your uncle is waiting for you in your place," The bodyguard said before Marcus had closed the door.

"Dad?" Aiden asked, opening his door. "Dad's here?"

The bodyguard's face fell when he saw the youngest Castillo. "What the hell happened to you, kid?"

"You said my dad was here, right?" Aiden asked, almost desperately.

"Ai, I said to stay in the car." Marcus chided. "It's nothing, just sit back down, okay?"

Aiden looked to Marcus and then to the front door of the building. Marcus followed his eye and raised his hands up, frowning at him.

"Aiden, don't--"

Aiden darted for the door. Marcus cursed and tossed the keys to his car to the bodyguard, shouting at him to move his car. The slower, larger knitten did not manage to catch the young man before he disappeared into the building.

"Aiden!" Marcus called after him as the elevator slid closed.

"Dad," Aiden muttered under his breath, panting. "I can tell him. I can tell him everything."

Aiden was shaking, his body could not take doing bursts of energy like that. He leaned heavily against the back of the elevator, clutching his hand in the front of his shirt in front of his hammering heart. Finally, he would be able to put an end to all of his torment, he just had to tell Marius what has been happening to him.

The elevator opened and he saw several other bodyguards. They gave him a weary look, but didn't see him as a threat. He took a breath and bolted past them into the open apartment. The men shouted after him as he closed the door in their faces.

"Ah, Marcus, you're ba--," Marius came around a corner, blowing out a puff of smoke from a cigar. "Who the fuck are you?"

Aiden's heart jumped into his throat. "Dad--"

"Dad?" Marius narrowed his eyes some and took another long puff off the cigar. "Ah, yes, Aiden. You're still alive?"

His heart fell right from his throat into his stomach. "I... What?"

Marius tilted his head some. This wasn't the man that Aiden remembered from his childhood. He was cold and looking at the young man like a predator sizing up prey. Aiden took a step back from the large man, his excitement and hope quickly draining away.

"I was sure that one of your siblings would have put you out of our misery by now," Marius took another drag off his cigar.

"Dad..."Aiden squeaked. "Daddy, please..."

Marius took a menacing step forward, replying in a mocking tone. "'Daddy, please,' tch. You're pathetic. Keeping you was a fucking mistake."

The door opened and Marcus stepped in, panting. "Aiden, are you..."

Marius and Marcus made eye contact. Marius took a long drag of his cigar and dropped it, stomping on it hard.

"It looks like you're still busy playing nanny," Marius said with disgust before looking directly at his trembling son. "Do us all a favor and just die already."

Marius left the apartment, passing a silent and shocked Aiden and Marcus who was shaking with rage. Aiden slipped to the floor, covering his mouth with both hands to quiet the sobs that were shaking his entire body. Marcus moved over to him and scooped him up out of the floor.

"Ai, I tried..." The older man said with a croak. "I am so sorry."

Aiden pressed his face into his cousin's shoulder and just sobbed full force. Marcus sat with him in his lap, just rocking him gently. It took the younger man a long time to stop crying and when he did, he had exhausted the last of his energy stores.

Marcus ran his fingers through his cousin's hair. "That... That was the last thing I could protect you from. Well..."

Aiden shrugged weakly, his voice cracking as he spoke. "What's the point. He's just as awful as the rest of them."

"Mmm... I would argue that Marius is worse," Marcus replied quietly. "He cheated on your mom, let everyone believe that she died in childbirth so that he could push the blame off of himself."

Aiden sat up to look at his cousin in the face. "What?"

"You were born early because your mother tried to kill herself and take you with her, Ai. Marius is a monster," Marcus frowned at the younger knitten. "He's been letting your siblings take out their grief on you because he knows that he isn't strong enough to keep Rob from just taking over."

"He knew the whole time, didn't he?" Aiden asked, shaking.

"Of course he did. You are in the hospital too often for him to not know." Marcus shook his head. "I think... I think he hoped that the first time you got sick, you wouldn't be strong enough to pull through. You are the strongest person I know."

"I am tired," The younger knitten replied and slumped back against his cousin. "I'm just... so tired, Marcus."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Aiden."

Aiden closed his eyes, the voice of his father echoing in his head.

--

Aiden sat up, his heart pounding in his throat. Next to him, Ryker stirred and muttered sleepily.

"Hey, bun, you okay?"

Aiden jumped at the sound of his boyfriend's voice, though he relaxed almost instantly as soon as he saw the bright red glow of Ryker's wisps. "I'm..."

Ryker sat up upon hearing the cracking in Aiden's voice. "Hey... Hey, hey, it's okay. You're safe."

Aiden's lip trembled and he whined a bit as he sort of threw himself against Ryker's chest. He was shaking pretty badly and barely containing his sobs. Ryker kissed the top of his head and enveloped him in strong, warm arms.

"It's just a bad dream, bun. It can't hurt you," Ryker said softly. "I've got you."

Aiden sobbed for a long time before he finally calmed, feeling empty and cold despite being curled against the Ikari knitten. Ryker kissed his forehead and rubbed his back.

"Who was it this time? Rob?" Ryker asked softly.

"No," Aiden sat up more, wiping his eyes. "No, it was... It was my dad this time."

"Oh, babe," Ryker frowned. "You don't have to think about that bastard."

Aiden sniffed and nodded, leaning against Ryker. "I know. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Hey, you don't have to apologize." Ryker cupped Aiden's face and kissed his forehead. "Wake me up any time you have a nightmare. It's my job to fight them off. Rawr."

Aiden giggled a bit at the last bit as Ryker made a clawed hand with the exclamation of 'Rawr.' The darker knitten grinned a goofy grin when he got the giggle in return. He wrapped Aiden up in his arms and nommed on him, winning more giggles from the younger knitten.

After a few minutes of giggling and cuddling, Aiden curled into Ryker's chest. "I love you, Ryker."

Ryker cuddled his tiny boyfriend, his nose nuzzled into the white hair at the crown of his head. "I love you, too, Aiden."