Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Mom? I’m home,” I call out as I step into our apartment.

I set my backpack on the floor next to the door like always, and make my way into the kitchen. There she is, sitting at the table, head in her hands. I set my textbooks on the table and sit next to her.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” I rub her shoulders as they shake with sobs, giving her the time she needs.

She turns to me with red eyes and she bites her lip. I nod gently, encouraging her.

“W-we have to leave,” she finally mumbles, through trembling lips.

“What do you mean, mom?”

“I’m so sorry, baby. I just couldn’t scrape together the rent this month. He said we gotta leave by tomorrow,” she takes my hands in hers, begging me for forgiveness.

“Who said that, mom, who said we have to leave?” I ask, tears welling up in my eyes.

“The landlord. He came while you were at school, sweetie. I tried to reason with him, I really did-“

“The landlord? The guy who never leaves his apartment, even when we complained about our leaky faucets?” I pull my hands out of my mother’s and lean back in my chair.

That fucking deadbeat is the worst excuse for a landlord I’ve ever seen. Can’t be bothered to get off his ass unless a single mother can’t pay the rent? We’ve been here two years and the rent has never been late once, and this guy thinks he can kick us out? No way.

I stand up abruptly, the chair scratching across the tile floor. My mother grabs for my arm, but I’m faster than her. I open the door and slam it behind me before stomping down the stairs.

I look at each apartment door before stopping at the one marked J. SCHLATT - LANDLORD on a shitty, flaking, faux-gold plaque.

I lift my hand up and bang on the door, in a way I’d only ever seen on TV. I pause and listen, hearing nothing. My brows furrow and my anger brews stronger. I bang harder and harder before wincing and rubbing my hand. It was effective, apparently, because I hear noises coming from inside.

The door swings open and I take a step back. There stands our landlord, hair disheveled, lit cigarette hanging from his lips. We stand there a moment, looking each other over, both chests heaving with anger for different reasons.

“What do you want?” Schlatt finally asks, leaning against the doorframe and pulling the cigarette from his lips.

In this moment, all of my anger boils over… I shove him.

“Who do you think you are, huh?” I shove him again, my nails pressing into the plush flesh of his chest.

He stumbles back. Shock then anger spread across his face. He takes a drag from his cigarette before dropping it on the floor. He grabs me by my wrists and pulls me inches from his face as he exhales the smoke. I cough and try to turn my head, but he shakes me.

“You little bitch,” he seethes, “You think you can bang on my door and then shove me-“ he stops.

His eyes widen just the slightest bit, before a smirk spreads across his lips.

“Oh I know you. Your poor mother told me all about you today,” he shakes me with each sentence for emphasis. “Oh please, don’t evict me. I have a daughter about to graduate high school, please,” he says in a mocking tone.

I flinch, closing my eyes as he laughs.

My poor mother. She does the best she can for us. It’s not her fault my dad left.

“She’s never paid the rent late once, you don’t have to be such a fucking asshole!”

“That’s where you’re wrong, toots,” he shakes me again, “I own the fucking building. I can enforce the rules however I want.”

“What do you want? There must be some way we can work this out,” I spit, tugging against his grip.

“Get inside,” he jerks me into his apartment and closes the door before locking it.

I rub my sore wrists and take in my surroundings. Before I can get a good look around, he pushes me into a lounge chair, mumbling, “Sit.”

I sit up straighter in the chair and adjust my clothes, stiffening my expression again. He sits on the sofa across from me, pulling a fresh cigarette from the pack on the coffee table.

“You smoke, kid?” he asks with the cigarette between his lips before he lights it and takes a drag.

I cross my arms in front of my chest, “No.”

“Yeah, your mother suggested you were a fucking square,” he flicks ash into an ashtray.

My nails dig into my arms, my hatred for this man threatening to spill over. I want to tear his fucking head off, but I need something from him, so I have to play ball.

“Fine, give me one.”

He raises his eyebrow before sliding the pack and lighter to me. I grab them and place a cigarette in my lips before lighting it, taking a drag like I’ve seen my friends do a million times. I’m surprised when I exhale and I don’t start coughing. I feel a bit calmer, the nicotine quickly making my head feel floaty.

“Okay, well there must be some way we can work this out,” I start, “We’ve been model tenants for two years. This is the first time my mom hasn’t been able to make the rent on time-”

“No.”

I blink a few times, completely stunned.

“What?”

“I said ‘No’.”

“B-but-“

“I’m a businessman, toots,” he extinguishes the cigarette in the ashtray and stands up, “If you pay on time, you have a place to live. If you don’t, well… I can’t afford to be a pussy and let tenants do what they want, pay when they want. You’re a smart kid, you understand.”

I subconsciously take a drag of the cigarette in my hand before shaking my head and putting it in the same ashtray.

“I can’t believe this! You’re completely heartless!”

“Hey, you’re lucky I gave you until tomorrow afternoon to leave. I could’ve had you out tonight. Now, get out. You have a lot of packing to do.”

I swallow, preparing myself. I stand up and close my eyes.

“I’ll fuck you.”

“Excuse me?”

I sigh and take a deep breath, “If you let us stay, I’ll fuck you.”