It's Come Down to This

Haven had half the mind to not show up. He had talked to his mother when he came home the previous day, and they came to the agreement that Haven would change his last name back to his mother's. She seemed pretty happy by that, despite her being the one who made him change it. Of course his mother seemed a bit hesitant for him to see Alex. But Haven decided he would. In his mind, he was going to use it as an opportunity to tell Alex that he would distance himself from the family... officially.

However, now here, he knew he wouldn't slip into his dissociative, not-quite-passive aggressive behaviour. He internally punched himself for that. He didn't actually want to be rude, he just wanted to have all this... family related drama to come to an end.

He stepped into the study, having barely spoken a word since he arrived. He was average height for his age, but likely considered fairly short for a Drakenhardt currently. He stood as straight as he could as he stuck his hands into the pockets of the hoodie he decided to wear. He pretty much tried to not look as nervous as he felt. "So... you wanted to see me?" Despite he attempts, there was still some anxiety that creeped into his voice.

Haven sat down in the seat Alex gestured at. He felt like he was a kid... well, younger. Back at the time he was in trouble, and had to go to the principle's office. It began with the principle being all nice, asked why Haven decided to punch Billy, then the principle just shouted at him.
...He really hoped he wasn't in trouble for punching another kid called Billy... He didn't even understand how that could be possible, he hasn't done anything since he came to the island. Haven had pondered all of this in the short time of sitting down and looking towards Alex.

He released a breath he didn't know he was holding when Alex said he wasn't in trouble. Well, it was at least different to when he had to go see the principle. But the question immediately made Haven feel like he was in that questioning spot again. "My father?" He blinked. "Not much, really. My mom told me that her and him got drunk... just a one night stand. We only found out relatively recently that he was a dragon, and what kind he was." Every word he spoke was his perceived truth. He truly believed the words he spoke. He didn't know he had been fed lies and half-truths by his mother.

Haven looked down at his hands. He had mulled it over recently, and after he talked to his mother, he realised why he should hate his father. He was still digesting the idea, and he didn’t really have a solid opinion still. But he knew it was wrong.

He clenched his hands and his jaw tightened. “Yes. She told me she was so drunk, she couldn’t remember having sex with him.” He decided to not dance around it, and he looked right at Alex as he said it. He felt an anger in his chest now. He had been told that his mother and father got drunk that night, and that he couldn’t remember the events. “She tried to find him... but he was nowhere.” His voice dropped in volume and was replaced with a quiet anger.

He felt out of place with so many things. He always felt out of place, and he has felt out of place in his own family. But his mother was the one person he never felt out of place with. The idea that she was treated badly, in his eyes, began to catch up with him. He didn’t understand why Alex wanted to talk about Haven’s father. He didn’t understand why he brought that topic up, and made Haven angry. He couldn’t understand...

Haven’s eyes widened and his hands released. Execution...? He completely thought that his father was scum of the earth, but execution? That’s a bit much. His face had gone into a frown as he thought about this. He already felt an immense amount of guilt creep into his mind. As Alex looked at Haven, he looked down again. He caused someone to die? His own existence caused... so much trouble?

He immediately looked back up at Alex, his eyes wide. His mother lied? He couldn’t think of any words to say as Alex continued. The encounter was mutual... his father wanted to raise him? Haven blinked, and he almost seemed like a deer just caught in headlights. He digested it. His father wanted to raise him, and his mother prevented that just so she could keep Haven to herself.

Haven went from guilt to cold anger rapidly. Sure, he’d been told this by Alex, but how could he know this was the truth? Even if it was... Haven just felt angry. At his mother, at his father, the Drakenhardts. Himself. He didn’t know who or what to blame or be angry at. He just felt it. He clenched his hands, enough that his nails started to dig into his palms, his hands shook. He gritted his teeth before he looked at Alex, almost calm. Almost. If it wasn’t for the look in Haven’s eyes, he could’ve passed. “I’d like to leave. I think I need to talk to my mother.” He spoke slowly, with a quiet and calm tone.