Mathias didn't know what the hell was going on. He couldn't take his eyes off that gun though. And that little piece of metal scared him to death.<br/><br/>But not as much as Victor yelling at him.<br/><br/>Flashbacks of when he was bullied in school washed over him one after the other, so vivid and real the young man could have sworn they were actually happening, his mind reverting back to the times of the bullying. He remembered every name he was called, every hit he took, every slap, every kick. All the vile things the homophobic bullies had made him do.<br/><br/>He flinched with each hate-filled word, backing up to sit on the edge of his bed. He flinched as the volume of Victor's voice rose, making him close his eyes and hug his knees to his chest, burying his face in his knees as he whispered over and over again unintelligible apologies.<br/><br/>Then it was quiet for a bit and Mathias dared to lift his head to look at Victor, only to hide his face again as the man mentioned contacting his father. The mentioning of contacting a father made him revert even more, remembering a particular incident where his father was contacted. And when they had arrived home, his father had attempted to beat the gay out of him. With a baseball bat.<br/><br/>Mathias cried, laying on his side and hugging a pillow to his chest, burying his face into the soft fabric of the pillowcase, his body trembling as he shook his head, trying to will away the memories, his lips repeating the same words, making no sense with them, over and over:<br/><br/>"Don't let him kill me...don't let him kill me..."<br/><br/>He had convinced his dad the next day that he was 'cured' and his father had been thrilled, and helped wrap his wounds and such, giving him ice compresses to put against the bruises and cuts he had received from his father the night before.<br/><br/>Ever since, Mathias couldn't look at any father, of anyone's,  as a good person. He always expected something else to be lying under the skin of a seemingly perfect father. An abusive, alcoholic, demeaning, degrading, horrible person with a perfect mask, a perfect facade of love.