Poor Rev :'(

Well, I hope you enjoy it!

---

Horatio was jolted awake by the sound of the doorbell, gracing as he realized he'd fallen asleep at his desk… again.

He stood quickly, brushing his hair down with his hands and straightening his clothes before hurrying down the stairs to get to the door. His residence was unreasonably large and, as usual, empty except for him. When he reached the door, he instinctively straighted, putting on a look of calm indifference. However, he relaxed again when the opened door revealed a short, brown haired girl.

"Mira? What are you doing here? You know my parents will kill you if the see you here!" He scolded softly, pulling his friend inside.

"Eh, they never check the cameras. Besides, they seemed to like me when I came for dinner a few months ago!" She grinned playfully, not missing the exhaustion in her friend's eyes.

"They prefer you to another gender, yes." Horatio sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "That doesn't mean they like you."

Mira huffed. "What? I'm not marriage material?"

"Not by their standards."

She rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Well, guess that's expected, your parents are assholes." She flashed another grin at the taller. "No matter, I'll marry you if I want! Now, come on, we're going out, get changed!"

Horatio's eyes flashed with surprise and he shook his head slightly. "I can't, Mira, I have work to get done."

"School work or housework?"

Tio hesitated before answering honestly. "Housework. I finished my assignments last night."

"Good, then it can wait." Mira stated, placing her hands on her hips. "You gotta get out, babes, you look sick."

"I'm fine, I have to get this done or else-"

"Yeah, yeah. If your parents say another shitty thing to you I'll shut them up permanently, got it? We're getting you outta here for a few hours. They can deal with it." Her tone was angry and even though Tio knew very well that the hostility wasn't directed at him in the slightest, he still flinched inwardly, turning away.

"Fine, give me a minute."

He changed into simpler clothes and met Mira downstairs a few minutes later again, watching as she put down a half eaten bag of chips that she'd obviously stolen from their kitchen. She sucked the remaining salt off her finger and grinned. "Ready?"

Horatio nodded tensely, making a mental list of all the house rules he was currently breaking. He let a friend in without permission, he was leaving without permission, he was leaving without all of the chores being finished, and he was leaving in an "uncivilized" outfit of simple jeans and a light t-shirt. Five so far.

Sighing, he reached into his pocket and silence his phone in order to avoid any calls from his parents. Make that six. If he was gone all afternoon and didn't make dinner for his parents, it'd be seven and eight.

"Sure, where are we going?"

Mira shrugged, brown hair bouncing. "I wanted to introduce you to a new friend of mine. I think you two will get along well!"

Tio raised an eyebrow. "Mira…"

"I know you don't like people, but you trust me, right?" She looked up at him and he cracked, nodding in silent affermation. "Thank you. I really like her, plus, I think it'd be good for you to have some other friends. I can't come over and drag you outside all the time, unfortunately. It'd be good if you at least had someone else to talk to when I'm not around." She smiled softly and Horatio averted his gaze.

"Okay." He didn't really agree with what she said, he'd gotten a long fine with only Mira for years now, but he couldn't say no to her either. Something in her eyes told him that this person, whoever it was, was more than a little important to her. Which meant that she (Tio guessed they were a she since his friend came out to him last month) would, by extension, end up being important to him.

"Thanks sweetie, now c'mon, I promised to meet her at the park at eleven!"

The two walked side by side to the park in their typical manner. Mira talking and Horatio listening, occasionally adding a word or two of commentary. It worked for them, it always had. They were complete opposites in personality, but both were drawn to each other, connected by shitty parents.

Oh, and the fact that Mira actually knocked out a kid who decided it was a good idea to use Tio for homework and money while calling it a friendship. That was a big part of their relationship too.

They reached the park within ten minutes and found a bench to wait at, continuing their conversation. It didn't take long before Mira shot up suddenly, waving happily. Horatio turned, spotting the person Mira was waving at.

She was beautiful for sure with long blonde hair that was pulled back into a neat ponytail, light, smooth skin, and almond shaped gray eyes framed by thin-framed glasses. She wore a simple light gray suit that she pulled off stunningly and a gentle smile with soft pink lips. As she approached, Mira practically tackled her in a hug, earning a soft chuckle.

"Good morning, Mira."

"Hi, Junie!" Mira pulled away after a second and allowed Horatio to step forward and offer a hand which the new girl accepted with calculated ease. They both examined each other with similarly closed off eyes while Mira, ever oblivious to the anti-social unease of her friends, introduced them to each other. "Horatio, this is Juno! We met a few weeks ago in class, we're doing a project together! Juno, this is Horatio, my best friend!"

The newly formed group sat down and Horatio watched as Juno shifted her attention away from him, gray eyes fully focused on Mira with a certain amount of admiration. After a minute, he found himself relaxing. No one looked at someone else that way with the intention of hurting them.

Juno would be just fine.

—

Warning for homophobia in this part

It was later in the afternoon by the time the Tio checked the time and decided it was probably time to head back home. He said his goodbyes to Mira and Juno before he went on his way.

As he approached his house, however, Horatio's heart skipped a beat. There was a familiar car in the driveway. One that definitely wasn't supposed to be back yet. Swallowing hard, Tio pulled his phone out of his pocket, panicking when he read the notifications. Three missed calls from "Father."

He cursed under his breath and quickened his pace to reach the doorway. How long has they been home? Tio paused to compose himself before opening the door and stepping inside. The reaction was instant.

"Where the hell have you been, boy?" He hand to bite his cheek to keep from flinching at his father's raised voice.

"I'm sorry, sir." His voice was quiet. Meek.

"Oh, come now, John. I already told you where he was." Horatio's mother spoke, coming up behind her husband and laying a hand on his shoulder. She glared at her son with sharp eyes and Horatio avoided eye contact, waiting for the inevitable remark. "He was sleeping around like the slutty little faggot he is."

It took everything he had to keep from turning heel and bolting up the stairs right then. Instead, he forced himself to stay still and take whatever his parents threw at him. He was used to it. He should be used to it. It happened so much.

His father snorted. "What poor boy did you decide to turn today, huh? Some kid off the street? You must've been really excited the way you neglected all your chores. You're disgusting."

"I'm sorry." Horatio repeated, knowing it was no use.

"Don't apologize to us, apologize to the sweet little boy you decided to turn into your unholy lifestyle, you little whore." His mother hissed, stepping forward to grab her son's chin roughly, her nails piercing his skin. "Get your chores done and get to your room. I don't want to see you then rest of the week, and don't even think about leaving for anything other than school again unless you want us to lock you in your room for the rest of the week. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She dropped his chin and stepped back, wiping her hand on her dress as if to wipe off whatever germs her son might have given her. Then, she turned and headed to the kitchen, followed closely by her husband who gave Horatio one last hostile look before leaving.

Once they were gone, Tio leaned against the wall for a moment, taking several large breaths to steady himself before he pushed himself up, put on a stoic mask, and began his chores. After all, what else was he supposed to do?

Horatio found himself sitting in his room, it was completely dark except for the blue light of his computer, straining his eyes as he typed out the third draft of an essay. He'd deleted it all twice over, never satisfied with anything but perfection. That's how it was in his house. It was perfect or it was nothing.

Next to him, his phone rang. He didn't even look at the name before accepting the call, placing it on speaker so he could continue typing.

"Tio?" Mira's voice filled the room, shaking slightly.

"What do you need, Mira?"

"Do you… Do you have time right now? To talk? In person?"

Horatio glanced at the phone, too out of it to recognize the desperation in his friend's voice. "I'm busy."

"Just for a few minutes. Maybe twenty? We can meet just outside your property, maybe. You can get out your window, right?"

His eyes flicked to the clock in the corner of the computer screen and a wave of panic ran through his system. The essay was due at nine, he didn't have time. "Mira, it's 5:00 AM, I have an essay due. I can't do this right now."

"I know what fucking time it is, Tio! Please! Just twenty fucking minutes!"

"I can't." Horatio repeated, zeroing on the screen again. "We can talk after school tomorrow."

"Tio!" Mira's voice went shrill, anger mixing with the pain. "You know what, forget it! Don't talk to me at all, fuck you!"

The line went flat and it took Horatio's brain thirty seconds to catch up with what had just happened. Far too late, the pieces clicked together.

"Shit." Tio slammed his computer shut and grabbed his phone, dialing Mira's number again. She didn't pick up. Frantically, Horatio snatched a light jacket off his dresser and pulled his window open, slipping out as he'd done dozens of times before to get to Mira when his parents were home.

He landed clumsily, grimacing as his foot twisted slightly. Ignoring the pain, he pushed himself up again and jogged to the edge of his parents property, arriving at a tall oak tree that was his and Mira's normal spot. Footprints suggested she'd been there recently, but she wasn't there now.

Cursing again, he started towards his friend's house, hoping to catch her before she got there. He wasn't so lucky. He reached her house without any sign of her at all.

Desperate, he tried calling her, and then tried again when it went straight to voicemail.

Still nothing.

Tears started stinging in his eyes as he finally tried text.

'Mira, please answer. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to hurt you. We can talk now. I'm so sorry.'

A minute later, the message was left on read. Feeling defeated, Horatio found himself dragging his feet back home. He didn't bother going back through his window, taking out his key to go through the front instead. He wasn't quiet about it either, part of him hoping that his parents would hear and come scold him. That way he'd surely be snapped back to his senses.

Still too late.

He stumbled back to his room and closed the door behind him, sinking to the floor as panic flooded his chest. His eyes blurred and his breathing quickened, pressure building in his chest.

Part of his brain was aware of the fact that his door was opening again and someone was talking, but he couldn't understand a word that was said. It was so much.

Too much.

His brain went completely blank and he seemed to detach from his body, watching through a hazzed window as his mother's hand wrapped around his collar and lifted him, snapping at him angrily.

When she got no response she let him fall to the ground, rolling her eyes in annoyance and nudging him with her foot as he instinctively curled into himself.

Through the haze, Horatio faintly made out his mother turning heel and slamming the door as she walked out.

Then, nothing.

—

Horatio woke up on the floor, his body felt heavy and his eyes were raw, but his mind consisted of nothing other than a low, anxious buzz.

As he started to place the puzzle together again he took note of the fact the left lens of his glasses was broken, splitting his vision in that side into three different parts. He ignored it, reaching for his phone lying beside him.

No missed calls, no messages.

It was 10:00 AM.

Completely exhausted, Horatio let his arm fall limp again, staring blankly at the wall opposite of him for what must have been another hour before forcing himself up.

He went to his computer, opening it to the unfinished essay. It was late, a part of his brain reminded him, he wouldn't get any credit for it. Still, it gave his hands something to do. Without thinking, he started typing again, hyper fixating on the work to avoid everything else. Once that was done, he opened another assignment, one that wasn't due for another week, and began working.

In one day, Tio finished a month's worth of work, and even then, it wasn't enough.

He felt panic rising in chest again and turned to his room, cleaning even though it was already clean. He took things out and reorganized them the exact same way and then did it again.

And again.

He went to his bathroom and did the same there before showering twice and brushing his teeth. By the time he'd done all of that, the whole day had passed into the late hours of the night.

Mira still hasn't called or texted and Horatio was driving himself mad with anxiety.

Mira was always there for him, always, and yet, when she had asked one simple thing from him, he'd turned her down. He'd been so hyper-fixated, so frustrated with himself and his shitty work that he'd neglected the only true friendship he had. How stupid could he possibly be?!

Finally, just as Horatio was about to start organizing his bathroom for the third time, his phone rang. He picked up immediately.

"Hey, Tio…"

"Mira!" A mixture of emotions rose in Horatio's chest as his friend spoke. Relief, panic, worry. "I'm so sorry, I-"

"It's fine, I know." Mira's voice was soft and quiet in contrast to her normal energy.

"No it's not. I hurt you, I-"

"Horatio." Tio paused, flinching at the use of his full name. Mira never called him that. "I forgive you. It's okay now, I'm okay. I know you didn't mean to, you always get distant when you're stressed."

"I still shouldn't have denied you like that."

"No." Mira agreed. "But I don't blame you either, plus, I'm positive you beat yourself up enough for me. So, what do you say we meet up tonight, huh? Just talk. I doubt you've got any work left, right?"

"No work left." Horatio agreed, smiling slightly despite it all. Mira knew him far too well. "Tonight then, say in an hour? Our spot?"

"I'll be there. Love you, Tio."

"I love you too."

---

There we go! It's a milder on of their fights, but it gives you an idea of Tio's reactions to conflict with loved ones and such. Plus, it brings up another potential conflict in the angsty relationship trio... Horatio hyper fixates and disregards others emotions in the process. It's completely on accident, but still definitely happens... Fun!