When I was a kid, there was this mangy abandoned dog on one of the lower levels. Filthy, flea bitten, absolutely hideous and the kids around my age used to go around, tease it, throw rocks, be utter little shits to this poor thing. But I took pity on the mutt, paid him the first little bit of kindness in his life, showed him the tiniest bit of love and affection.
Next thing I know, the damn things following me everywhere I go. Stinking up my home, begging for scraps, ruining every single friendship I could have. I became that kid with the stink dog, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t get the damn thing to leave me alone.
I’d snap at him, scream, even hit him and make him recoil in fear but I couldn’t go through with truly hurting it. There was that look of pain in his eyes that would make my heart melt and I couldn’t drive him away, until one day, in the beginning of my fire fascination, I accidentally set him ablaze.
I snuffed out the fire quick as I could but he squirmed out of my grasp, snapping at my hands with a fury in his eyes before he ran away and I never saw him again.
I only truly realized I needed him until he was gone and I know deep inside Stubbins, you feel the same way about me.
Do you remember the first time we met? Arrogant, sociopathic callous and cold, I truly believed you were the evil I was meant to vanquish. This idiotic kid who thought he could fight evil by himself. And to the outside world, not much has truly changed.
You’re still the cold and calculating villain. I’m still the plucky, pure hearted hero.
But they don’t see what we have seen.
They don’t see the child who grew into a man under your tutelage, whose mind was fractured, who was holding his rage inside until you unleashed it. The scared kid you molded into a hero.
They don’t see the closed off scientist who used a child for an experiment and learned just as much from him. How to appreciate this world, how to lower you guard. How to accept a new family when the one you abandoned terrified you so.
You claim your world is order and absolute Stubbins, but what is love if not chaos? What is family if not the unexpected?
Not once but twice you let someone in, we snuck in through that cold visage and saw the true man behind the mask.
But unlike with Simon, you can’t make my mistake Doom. Because I’m not going anywhere
So push him away, scream at me, beat me within an inch of my life.
I’ll still be here, the light in the darkness. The hope driving away your fear.
The hero you deserve by your side.
I don’t care what my father says, family is who you choose.
And after all this time, you should understand.
I also choose you.