Hey y'all. First Covenant FF; came up with the idea and wondered how it play out with you guys. A new twist on a common cliche.

If you like - or don't like - drop a review, and if you have any queries or whatever, drop a PM, and I'll get in touch.

.disclaimer.

Enjoy!

Dresden Lace

Honesty Is The Worst Policy

Neither of them heard the door shut and the drunken laughter that swiftly ensued it.

The pair of them continued to stand two metres apart from one another; the hostile air crackled with an intense fury that was mostly unrequited.

Anna Parry’s stance was fierce, her arms crossed tight across her chest defensively and her eyes were so narrowed they were barely open. Despite her lack of height, the expression on her face was chilling, thoroughly scaring her husband who stood across from her.

Wayne's arms were dangling uselessly by his sides, his head hung slightly in shame, blatantly the submissive role out of the two. However, his eyes were still strong and determind, his jaw tight as he clenched his teeth together out of frustration. He looked to be in his fifties but truthfully he had only fourty-two years under his belt: he was the second last out of the older Covenant generation in his Using dosage, yet still the damage was apparent. His jaw-length hair bore thick streaks of grey and wrinkles were dotted around his eyes and mouth, enhanving his faux age.

Wayne knew he had done wrong: he chided himself bitterly for it everyday, but never had he direly wanted to be open with his wife about his bad deed. It was in the past, so why drag it up? Still, telling his wife of many years was one thing, telling his son who idolisted him however, was another altogether.

Outside and unaware, Pogue slapped his hand on Caleb’s back as the four brothers fell through the door, laughing at joke no one had said. The quatro of friends had spent the night at Nicky's, the local bar; many aquaintances, friends, girlfriends and love interests had been with them, so it hadn't taken them long to get drunk. But who cared if they'd had too much too drink? They were all carefree, relaxed - and getting along. Something they hadn't done much since before Chase had turned up.

“You are such a selfish bastard!”

The four stopped, the laughing choking off as they looked towards the living room where the shrill shriek had originated from. Hesitantly they approached the door, peering around the corner. Pogue was taken aback from the solid venom that hit him head on as soon as his glassy eyes located his parents.

“How am I selfish by telling you?” Wayne asked exasperatedly, running a hand through his hair. Neither parent had noticed their new teenage audience.

“After sixteen years!” Anna cried with with woeful anger. Her son stepped further into the living room and thus drew the attention of the bickering adults, both who seemed slightly embarrased at being caught arguing; Anna, however, was the first to get over it.

“What’s going on here?” Pogue demanded, thankful that his words weren't too slurred.

His parents were always fighting lately. He didn't know why; something about his mother complaning about a change in Wayne, that he wasn't paying her enough attention. That he had his mind on something else. What was worse was that it wasn't seldom they decided to bring him into the arguement, preferring to have an extra person on their team to defeat their marital opponent.

“Ask your father,” Anna spat bitterly, uncrossing her arms briefly to gesture wildly at her husband who was rubbing a hand down his face which glistened with nervous sweat.

“Well?” Pogue waited, looking between his two parents who just stared at each other in silence. Time drawled out its seconds before Wayne reluctantly turned towards his only son.

“Pogue, son. There is something I need to tell you... in private may be the best thing..." he said, looking pointedly at the three remaining Sons who then blanched and went to leave.

“Oh no, Wayne! I am sure the boys will just love to listen to your fascinating tale. Come in boys, come in. Let us all gather around for the night's story."

"Anna, stop it," Wayne said in slight disdain; the woman just glowered at him. Pogue recoiled at the tone of his mother's voice: betrayal, wrath, hurt and fury... things that he had never heard before from the naturally laidback woman.

Reluctantly, the three boys entered the room and sat down on the plush sofas that were littered elegantly throughout the room. Despite their natural curiousity to know what was going on, they were bitter about being brought into the arguement when they would rather get it out of Pogue later on.

"Well, son... I better start at the beginning when you were just nine months old. It was an accident, an act of misfortune, so to speak. I was down in Chicago for a business meeting, when I was still with the old company, staying at a local hotel. We just bumped in together, you see, and that’s how it started... it was that day..." he trailed off not knowing how to finish it. His gaze flickered from his wife's cold glare, to his Son's quickly darkening expression. Right then, Wayne Parry would do anything for that night to end.

Pogue listened to his father's words, starting to put things together - though the process was slightly slower than usual due to the alcohol being lazy in his veins.

"It was what day, father?" he asked sharply, a cold sweat started to form on his back.

“Yes, Wayne, stop avoiding the point.” Wayne shot a look at his wife who was leaning against one of the marble pillars, arms pressed against her chest, long blonde hair stuck to her forehead messily. Her suit was crinkled and creased and sweat patches were starting to show under her arms; she was starting to look older than she was, but her eyes determinedly kept up their glaring facade, unwilling to show what she really felt.

“It was the day that the... our... my affair began."

Pogue didn’t know what to say but Anna spoke for him.

"It was the day you betrayed us all."

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