The echoing pitter patter of the rain that poured down from the dark sky above was the only thing Ricky could hear. The occasional rushing of cars couldn't even drown out the sound of the rain thumping on the pavement.

The hood of his black jumper was pulled over his head in an attempt to shield him from the rain, but it proved unsuccessful as drops of water rolled down his pale skin, through his jumper.

His black Vans were drenched, making his feet feel disgusting within the shoes. Stepping in a puddle was inevitable in the downpour of the rain, but Ricky still tried to dodge them.

The trees that guarded the road swayed with every gust of wind that weaved through the branches, whistling with the rain.

A low rumble coursed above, followed shortly by a bright flash and the crack of lightning. For a split second, Ricky's path was lit up by something other than flickering street lights above.

His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jumper, trying to fight the cold that pricked his skin and left small goosebumps. But, with every strong blow of wind, he inhaled a sharp breath, releasing a colder one.

The scent of the rain was the only thing that circled through the area. The suffocating odour of petrol was absent, and there weren't any houses with fireplaces, so smoke was eliminated.

Another clap of thunder and a strike of lightning lit up the sky just as Ricky neared his destination.

On the outside, the house looked average. It was a single story house with a white, metal fence guarding the front. The black paint that coated it was faded, looking like a grey in the sunlight and charcoal in the dark of the night. There was a set of stairs leading up to the house, a wooden door several steps away.

Ricky trudged down the small pathway to the house and up the stairs. He fished his keys out of his pocket and stuck them into the key hole, twisting them and pushing the door open.

Inside, the house seemed less than average. Straight away, when he stepped into the house, to his left was the lounge room. There wasn't much furniture in there, minus a small couch, a TV cupboard, and a TV sat on top of it. The rooms were a creme colour, and the paint was stable, no peels in sight. Several feet down, on the right, was the kitchen and the dining room. They were combined, the island separating the two. A small, circular table was sat in the middle of the dining room, a plate of leftover lasagne and a glass of water sat on it.

Instead of heading straight to the table, Ricky lumbered to his room and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, then walked to the bathroom.

The first thing he saw, upon stepping into the small bathroom, was his own reflection.

His blue eyes were dull, circled with bags that displayed his drowsiness. His black hair, which stopped inches below his shoulders, was still drenched and dripping with water. Pale arms were covered with ink, intricate and meaningful designs etched onto his skin. Though he was slightly skinny, he did have a fair amount of muscle.

Sighing, Ricky turned away from the mirror and turned the shower on, making it as hot as possible. He stripped, then stepped into the shower.

The hot water beat down on his body, relaxing his tense and exhausted muscles. Steam had already started to build up on the glass door of the shower. He didn't bother washing his hair. Ricky kept his head down and let the water cascade down his body.

Several minutes passed before Ricky moved again. He shut the water off and pushed himself out of the shower. After drying himself and getting changed into clean clothes, Ricky left the bathroom and threw his saturated clothes into the washing machine, then made his way back to the dining room where his dinner was still warm.

Picking up the fork, he started to eat the food.

The single light above him lightly flickered occasionally, but it was barely noticeable. The sound of the TV in the other room was the only audible sound inside, and it seemed to make the house a lot more silent and empty.

He finished the meal in silence, then pushed back the seat and carried the cutlery and dishes to the sink.

Ricky walked to the lounge room where his Aunt was asleep on the couch, one of her arms dangling over the edge. Gingerly, Ricky placed her arm back at her side and grabbed a blanket from the arm of the couch. After draping it over her, he switched off the TV, then all of the lights. Before heading to his room, he checked the one across, making sure to be quiet.

Inside the room, his younger cousin was asleep, piled under several blankets. The lamp on the bedside table was still on, along with the laptop that was sitting on the mattress.

Quietly, Ricky ambled towards the lamp and turned it off, then did the same with the laptop.

The whole house was silent, and dark. Rain thumped on the roof above, creating the only noise.

When Ricky was finally in his room and lying on his own bed, his eyes were fighting to stay awake. The weather didn't cease, but it seemed to calm him more than it did annoy him.

A clap of thunder and a flash of lightning lit up Ricky's room, but he kept his eyes closed, willing himself to find sleep.

For him, each day seemed to be the same. Wake up, work all day, get home exhausted. It hadn't always been like that. Before, he was able to take care of himself. After, he could barely even afford a weeks worth of groceries. Living with his Aunt and his cousin was the best thing he could do, but even then Ricky still fought to pay for his own things and help with rent and bills.

Another strike of lightning flashed, but Ricky was already fast asleep.

Every day started the same, and ended the same. Every day, Ricky started off by hoping it would be different. Every night, he'd end it with hoping that the next day would be different. It was always the same. And, Ricky thought it always would be.

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A/N: Pretty lame first chapter, sorry. This ship is something I haven't seen, so hopefully it doesn't come off as too foreign or risky for you guys. I'll try and keep updates good, but I can't make any promises there. Comment about anything, and what your first thoughts are on this ship. Don't be too harsh, though, because I'm kinda experimenting here.
xxx