Valin and Ozzie 8

Valin staggers, leaning heavily against the brick frame of the school. Crimson spills down one of his arms and many scrapes and bruises are apparent. Among them, a notably dark black eye. He clutches his side, head lowered. Damn them... Against one he had no problem...but three was a different story. He wipes a bit of blood away from the corner of his mouth. A few friends of the boy from their previous encounter, stand around him, all wearing arrogant smirks. One of them moves forward, catching up Valin's arms and holding them tight before he has anytime to get away. Another starts throwing punches into his stomach. Hard and fast. He's obviously had some conditioning. Valin releases quiet grunts of pain each time his thin body is struck.
Ozzie, who had been walking from school, studies the necklace Valin had given him, smiling faintly as he thinks of the other boy. He glances up, though, at the sounds he hears, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight before him, his hand clutching his bag tighter than before. "V-Valin......" He cries out at the other boys, "Leave him alone!!"
Valin raises his head weakly, stammering, "O..ozzie..." Another hard strike to the stomach silences him and he shrinks back, though only as far as the boy holding his arms will allow. The other, who now, merely stands watching, glares at Ozzie, "Get lost, kid. This ain't your business."
Ozzie shudders, "...no..no...it's my business..I'm not just gonna leave!! Why don't you go away?! Haven't you done enough?!"
The other boy smirks, "Look. We're only repaying the debt for a friend. 'Kay? So beat it." The boy who had been taking hits at Valin, glances back at Ozzie, "Or, if you prefer, we could make you leave."
Ozzie swallows, though he does not move. His grip about his bag tightens a bit more. He had no problem swinging it at their faces...even though it was filled with quite a few large books, "..I'm not going to leave."
The youth restraining Valin releases him, watching as he slumps to the cement. He smirks, "Why's that, huh?" He slams his sneaker down upon Valin's gut.
Ozzie flinches, "...because... please. just leave him alone...he can't do anything, now.."
"Neither could __(insert jerk's name)___," begins the previous restrainer, "But that didn't stop your friend here did it?" He twists his heal roughly into Valin's flesh.
Ozzie takes a step forward, "Just stop it!!"
"Yeah, yeah..." He brushes bangs away from his face, "C'mon. This is enough...besides, that guy won't be there next time." The other two merely shrug and exchange a few words between snickers. The trio turns to depart, waving and laughing cruelly as they call their good-byes.
Ozzie watches them, as soon as they're a bit of a ways off suddenly dropping his bag and rushing forward to Valin's side, shaking considerably. "V-Valin...?"
Valin, after a moment and trembling, lifts himself up to sit with the aid of one hand. "Damn cowards..." he hisses, frame shaking.
Ozzie shakily reaches out a hand, gently touching Valin's cheek, his eyes pooling with tears. He can't manage to say anything.
Valin flinches, the touch stinging an open wound upon his face. He sighs, trying to put on a softer expression for Ozzie despite his obvious rage. "Calm down..." he manages after a moment of thought.
Ozzie retracts his hand, biting his lip. After a few moments he finally says something, "A-are you alright? We have to get someone to fix you up..."
Valin, once again, wipes blood from his mouth. "No. Forget it."
Ozzie shakes his head a bit, "But you're hurt..."
Valin touches his hand to his chest, feeling for a shattered rib...he felt none. "It's not that bad. Nothing a hot shower won't make feel better." He pulls himself up, temporarily leaning upon Ozzie's shoulder to lift himself. God that hurt.
Ozzie watches him, still on the verge of tears, "Are you sure..? I mean..."
"I'm sure." He took note to speak as little as possible. His jaw was aching from the few hits he'd taken there.
Ozzie, after a moment, nods, "If you say so, Valin....."
Valin sighs, watching Ozzie. "...please don't cry."
Ozzie makes a small noise, closing his eyes tightly for a moment, "...a-alright..."
Valin sighs, leaning down and kissing the top of Ozzie's head, "Don't worry."
Ozzie blushes faintly, looking up at Valin, "..I'll try...but..are you sure you're alright, Valin..?"
Valin nods, "Yeah...yeah I think I'm okay..scuffed and a little sore, but okay..." He glances over at his backpack that lays a fair distance away. Stained with blood.
Ozzie gives a quiet sigh, moving a bit and bending down a bit to pick up his own bag. He notices the direction Valin looks, flinching a bit as he notices the blood. "..I'll get that."
Valin nods, "...thanks..."
Ozzie walks to retrieve the other boy's backpack, taking it and putting on his own back, moving back over to Valin.
Valin sighs, trying to clear his head, "...Do you need a ride home?"
Ozzie gives a tiny shrug. "..I wouldn't mind..." he says rather quietly.
Valin smiles weakly, "...c'mon then."
Ozzie nods a bit, waiting for Valin to lead him.
Valin turns, walking slowly towards the parking lot. A slight limp is apparent.
Ozzie follows along, frowning, "..are you positive you're alright?"
"...I said I was fine." His vision blurs a bit. Perhaps he shouldn't be driving...
Ozzie gives a meek nod, saying nothing more.
Valin leads Ozzie to his beat up car, pulling a key out of his pocket.
Ozzie continues to watch Valin, paying attention to nothing else.
Valin, after a few attempts, jams the key into the lock, undoing it roughly before opening the door.
Ozzie pushes back a bit of his hair, remaining silent.
Valin leans across, opening Ozzie's door, then moving back to close his own. He leans back in the driver's seat for a long moment, quiet.
Ozzie quietly slips in, closing the door behind him. He watches Valin, hmming, "..Would you rather just walk...?"
Valin shakes his head, "My place is too far to walk..And it's not a big deal."
Ozzie nods a bit, "..alright.."
Valin puts the keys in, starting the car and revving the engine. As the car turns on the radio plays loudly from the speakers, blearing heavy metal music in their ears.
Ozzie slips Valin's backpack from his shoulders, setting it on his lap along with his own bag and leaning back in the seat, strapping on his seat belt and giving a quiet sigh.
Valin adjusts his seatbelt, sighing. The music, despite the fact that it was giving his already throbbing head a little more pain, soothed him a bit. These guys were even angrier than him.
Ozzie closes his eyes, still unconsciously gnawing a bit on his lip. He fingers the pendant about his neck.
Valin starts, pulling out of the parking lot. He glances over at Ozzie, waiting.
Ozzie suddenly shakes his head, "..I'm sorry."
Valin blinks, turning down the stereo so he can reply, "What for?"
Ozzie mms quietly, "..it's all my fault. You got in a fight with those boys because of me, and then they just came and did that because they were mad, and...."
Valin hrmphs, "It isn't your fault."
Ozzie looks over at him, "..but I feel like it is. So I'm sorry, Valin.."
Valin slows the car at a stop sign, leaning over and kissing Ozzie's cheek, "Don't worry about it...where do you live?"
Ozzie once again blushes, pointing to the left, "Just over there...the next right, then the 3rd house on the right..."
Valin nods, following Ozzie's instructions with little trouble. His vision blurs a bit as he turns, causing one wheel to gently collide with the curb. No big deal. He stops in front of the house, looking up at it. "Man oh man...nice place you got here."
Ozzie blinks, glancing at his house, "...is it..?" He sets Valin's backpack on the floor, unsnapping his seatbelt. "...thanks, Valin..I'll see you tomorrow?" He tilts his head slightly as he hears a noise from his house, and he turns to see his mother and father standing in the doorway, looking rather confused.
Valin nods, "Yeah it is...and sure." He glances back at the house, and at Ozzie's parents.
Ozzie gives a small nod, opening his door and getting out. As he does so, his parents approach. His mother glances at Valin for a moment, looking stern, as usual, "...mm, a new friend?" Ozzie puts his bag over his shoulder, "..yeah..this is Valin...Valin, these are my parents..." He glances worriedly for a moment at his father.
Valin, still seated in the car, looks up at them, his expression slightly cocky. "Hey."
Ozzie's father mms, giving the slightest of smiles, though it seems a bit forced. "It's nice to meet you." Ozzie's mother nods in agreement. "Yes..thank you for bringing Ozzie home." Ozzie, looking rather uncomfortable, shifts.
Valin smirks, shrugging, "I enjoy his company.'
Ozzie's mother nods, "That's good. Ozzie doesn't have many friends..but we must be going. It was nice meeting you Valin." Ozzie's father gives a nod of recognition and Ozzie mms, "I'll see you tomorrow, Valin.."
Valin hrms, revving the engine of his car, "I'll see you tomorrow, love." The comment is soft and distinctly to Ozzie.
Ozzie blushes a bit, nodding. Ozzie's parents didn't hear that, luckily. But Ozzie decides he should talk to his parents about Valin. Ozzie shuts the door, giving a small before heading back to the house with his parents
Valin smirks, watching Ozzie before starting to drive off towards home. As much as you can call it home.

~Owari~

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