by Helene Black
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It hurt.

And not in a good way.

A few hundred thousand years, and still human culture lacked humanity, and not just in the truly twisted killing others and destroying property riff, that at least was condemned by all. No, the sure sign of evil was in the snide comments and statements of those who 'knew more' or 'knew the right path'.

Kids will be kids. You're just too thin-skinned. Grow up. Ignore them. Suck it up. Be a man. Don't sink to their level, don't become what you hate, don'tlistentothem,ignorethebastards, hide, HIDE, RUN!

And the worst thing is they really didn't mean it.

Not in the way, he knew it received it.

Not as a personal attack.

Not as anything really above a joke. But it hurt. Probably because it was too true.

But that wasn't the worst of it, it was Harry seeing the look on his face, recognizing the pain it caused, and calling the joker on it.

And then the fist-fight, further confirmation of the horror of human kind and everything that breathes and. . . and.. bleeds. Harry's nose crumpled, and bloody and not being able to move and help and stop Harry from crumpling to the floor as the joker's foot rose and. . . and. . . frozen.

And Harry trying to comfort him, and Harry bleeding and soothing, and Harry bleeding. . . And staying frozen, frozen, frozen.

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End