Arc 1: Humble Beginnings

A tall man walked down a busy sidewalk, sidestepping a woman distracted by her phone. He brushed his black locks out of his face, his eyes were also a dark black, resting atop his youthful face. Wesley let out a sigh as he hoisted his backpack higher, pulling out his phone at the same time. As he did so, he was suddenly shoved from behind which caused him to drop his phone. It landed on the pavement with a crack. He let out a long sigh as he reached down to pick up the shattered device, the flow of people parted around him save for one bystander.

She was short but very attractive. With flowing red hair and a smattering of freckles under her green eyes made her out as a girl next door, though her figure disagreed with this assessment, she had curves in all the right places, and plenty of them too. Even her casual clothes seemed to hug her in just the right ways. She leaned over Wesley's shoulder as she beamed a smile.

"Hey hey, Mr. Gloomy! What are you doing on the ground?"

Wesley blushed slightly, from middle school to college Jessica was his longtime crush. She had always seemed unattainable, distant, popular. On the other hand, he was the exact opposite: average, reserved, and alone. She had only started to get closer to him in college after realizing she shared all of her classes with him. He just showed her the broken phone, preferring to say nothing.

She quickly clasped both hands over her mouth, shocked. "Oh. My. God. I'm so sorry Wes! It's not completely destroyed, is it? I'll pay for it to get replaced or fixed, I swear!"

Wesley stood back up, towering over her. When he spoke it was deep and quiet. "It's fine, I have plenty of old ones I can use, you don't have to do that." Then in an even quieter tone. "I really liked this one. Damn."

Jessica huffed, walking around in front of him and staring him in his eyes. "That's not okay, if I don't do something I'm going to feel terrible." A smile lit up her face. "How about this, you and me can go grab dinner Friday night, my treat!"

Wesley blushed profusely, holding up his phone to cover his face. He let out a mumble. "Y-yeah, sure thing."

She beamed at him. "Great, now I'd give you my number but with your phone and all, just meet me on campus at six, 'kay?"

"O-okay."

"Great, see you then."

Wesley watched, transfixed, as she turned around and skipped off down the street. He was bumped into once again, shocking him out of his stupor. He sighed to himself. I need to stop sighing all the time, maybe that's what everyone says I'm gloomy. He continued walking down the street, getting lost in his own thoughts. A fair number of which had to do with his sudden dinner date.

Wesley approached a large suburban home with two stories, a large driveway and garage, a large yard, a freshly painted wooden fence, and a meticulously maintained flower bed at the base of the house. He noticed the presence of two distinct cars in the drive, a Mustang, and a Lamborghini, and that could only mean one thing: His siblings were visiting.

He sighed once again. Out of all the days those two have to come over. Why today? I guess it isn't terrible, but Jack is probably here to brag. Though I guess I am happy to see Sam again, it's been a while.

As he walked up the cobblestones to the house's front door, two blurs raced around from the back of the house and made a mad dash towards Wesley. He got a huge grin on his face as he crouched down and stretched out his arms as his two dogs collided with him, sending him flat on his ass. He let out a hearty laugh as they began licking his face. He lied there for a moment before bolting up and grabbing the nearest dog, a golden retriever named Sheltie, and petting her. "Who's a good girl? Who's a good girl? You are! Yes, you are!" On his other side, a german shepherd named Rex pawed at his side, seeking attention. Letting go of Sheltie and turning to Rex, he began to pet him around his head as Rex wagged his tail. "Oh I didn't forget about you either, you good boy you. The goodest boy, there is, aren't you!"

He stood back up, giving each dot a final pat on the head, before continuing on his way into the house. In the background the two dogs got back to playing with each other, playfully barking. As Wesley reached the front porch, he knelt down to check on the flowers. He caressed one gently, checking its petals and roots. Smiling to himself he stood back up and walked through the front door. As he entered he immediately took the familiar sight of his home, kicking off his shoes in the entry hall.

Hearing the sounds of a conversation he made his way towards the living room. Four people were sitting around the coffee table, talking to each other jovially.

First, there was his father, David Miller. He was a heavier set man of average height, going grey around his short hair. An ex-marine, he became an EMT right out of the military and has been working hard on it ever since. I hope dad is happy enough with Jack and Sam being home that he doesn't attack me again.

Then there was his mother, Patricia. She was a little older than his father and had the look of a kinda librarian. She enjoyed volunteering as a kindergarten teacher in some local schools and would often take children on field trips to the zoo. I'm glad mom's happy.

Finally his two siblings, Jack, the eldest brother, and Sam, the middle sister. Jack was always regarded as a prodigy, graduating high school at 15, getting a Ph.D. by 20, and was now the executive of his own company all by 24. Sam was also considered a prodigy in her own right, taking to music instead. She had won several awards for the violin before she graduated high school and now at 20, she enjoyed playing for prestigious venues and working with living legends.

Not looking forward to this, please don't notice me, please don't notice me please don'

"Wes! Don't you dare think you can slip by our family reunion! Me and Jack are about to leave the country, you have to come talk with us!" Sam quickly reached out to grab his arm, pulling him into the couch next to her. She sat in between him and Jack, with their parents across the table.

David spoke up. "Yes Wesley, your siblings are both attending a gala in Switzerland. What did you say it was called again? The Moonlight for Savant Youths Gala?"

Jack smiled and nodded. "That's the one pop."

"If only you had managed to get invited, you three could have bonded." David's tone grew more hostile.

Sam spoke up. "Come on dad, give him a break, that place is super hard to get into. I'm sure he'll be attending next year!"

Wesley gave a weak smile to Sam. Thanks sis, but do you have to place expectations like that on me? Wesley had initially been considered a prodigy, proving talented at almost everything he tried, but as time went on his grades started to slip and he became more withdrawn.

Jack spoke up again. "Don't bother making excuses sis, he won't be there next year, or any year for that matter. He wasted everything he had. Dad's right."

Patricia scowled at this, before standing up and walking out of the room towards the patio. "If you are going to do this I'll have no part of it!"

Thanks mom, really feel the support there.

Welsey sighed and looked to Jack and his father. "Yeah, I'm not going, and I don't want to go if everyone is as stuck up as he is." He jerked a thumb at Jack.

David slammed his hand on the table. "ENOUGH! You will respect your brother and apologize now, Wesley! Do you have any idea, any idea WHATSOEVER, what it takes to get invited to that event? It is a tremendous honor!."

Wes stood up and raised his voice. "You know what, no. No, I don't. I have absolutely no clue. I don't give a shit. I'm glad and all but I'm not gonna come home to be harassed because I'm not a savant. Sorry that I'm "normal" and not a prodigy at everything. I'm just living my life!"

David looked shocked, almost sputtering in rage. Jack stood up and seeing what was about to happen Sam quickly got in between the two of them. "Look, how about we all calm down and try to enjoy the night before we split up again? Okay?"

Jack nodded. "Sure thing, just let me have a quick word with Wesley over here. Come on, bro."

The hell does he want? The last time he called me "bro" was before he even graduated high school.

Wes followed him over to the opposite corner of the large room while Sam tried desperately to calm down their father. The two brothers stood facing each other, with Wes easily towering over his older brother. Wes had always been the tallest after all.

"You know..."

Jack reached up and grabbed Wes by the back of the neck and **** him to go forehead to forehead.

"I was always kinda impressed by how rebellious you were. Now it's just fucking annoying."

As soon as the words left his mouth he delivered a sucker punch right to Wesley's gut.

"That was for disrespecting our parents."

Welsey doubled over, clutching his stomach. Jack followed with a right hook to the jaw that sent Wesley stumbling.

"That was for disrespecting our gala and Sam."

Jack took a final couple of steps towards Wes, and then spat on his head.

"That's for disrespecting me."

This all happened extremely quickly, with their father and Sam looking on. David was stunned, while Sam screamed.

"JACK WHAT ARE YOU DOING!??!?!?"

"Teaching him some fucking manners. Cause it's clear he has none. Isn't that right, Wesley?"

He leaned down, reaching to grab Wes by the hair. However, he was interrupted by Wesley's fist colliding with his jaw via a quick uppercut. Jack was sent reeling back, managing to get his balance back, but not before Wes had already thrown the next punch. A simple, devastating left hook that left Jack on the ground, barely able to move.

"You ever fucking touch me again and I'll kill you, Jack, I swear to fucking god if you even mention my name with your fucking slimy mouth you'll lose your fucking teeth. Maybe I wouldn't disrespect you and your shitty little snob parties if you weren't such a massive fucking cock with little dick energy you motherfucking PRICK!"

Wesley was shouting at the end, his deep baritone echoing throughout the house. Wesley then began to walk out, ignoring his mother and sister running over to check on his brother, ignoring his brother shouting at him, ignoring his father trying to stop him. He walked right out the front door, slamming it shut behind him as he took a step off the porch and...

...Everything faded to black.