Something Normal - Sally Face (Sal x Travis)

Everything's Gonna Be Alright

General tw for suicidal thoughts and gestures as well as homophobia. None of it will be glorified but they will be present themes throughout the book. Okay happy reading <3

"Hey Dad," Sal nudged his Dad's shoulder gently. His Dad lifted his head from the kitchen table, where he had passed out the night before. "I'm heading to school now. Do you want to drive together?" Henry looked up at him. His eyes were puffy, but they still creased when he smiled at Sal. His Dad was still in there under all the sadness.

"Yup- yeah just give me a minute," he said stretching before straining his eyes to look at the oven clock which read 7:43. "You want breakfast Sal?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Sal smiled pushing forward a plate of blueberry pancakes.

"These were your Mom's favorite," he smiled, gazing into them, his mind replaying images of his late wife.

"I remember." Sal smiled back.

Things had been different since his Mom died. His Dad was different. Sal looked different but that was about it. He missed his Mom too, but almost dying really put things into perspective which kept the depression, that plagued his Dad, away.

School was different too. No one looked at him anymore. His friends didn't treat him the same. They didn't come over anymore and they hardly invited him out. He tried not to let it bother him, but he just wanted one thing, anything, to stay the same. To just be normal again.

"I miss her too," Sal said quietly, between bites of blueberry pancakes. They weren't as good as the ones she used to make, too rubbery, but they reminded both of them of her and that was enough.

"I see her everywhere." Henry sighed, glancing at the photo he had of them from when they were first dating. It was worn, not from age but from him bringing it around with him everywhere. Tear stained, and a little crumpled, but they both looked so happy. Sal wished he could see his father that happy again.

"I know Dad," Sal said "Sometimes I pretend she's coming back-" he admitted, glancing at the third plate he had absent mindedly prepared. "-and sometimes I forget she's not," he laughed sadly.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too." his father chocked out "I love you so much Sally," he smiled rubbing away tears "I'm sorry I've been such a mess lately, but I'm gonna clean myself up, just you wait. Things will be just like before, almost like before." he sighed sipping warm liquor from the coffee mug that had been sitting on the table with him overnight. "Everything's gonna be alright."

That was 6 months ago. He hadn't cleaned up at all, he just kept getting worse. He was gonna lose his job. Sal knew it was just a matter of time.

Sal was walking home from school, alone. He used to walk with all his friends but they took a different route now, without him.

He stopped on the bridge. It was a rusted, with its blue paint chipping off but in that moment it looked perfect. It overlooked the lake they used to swim in during summer. It was just getting warm enough to go swimming now. School was out in only a few more weeks.

Jump. Jump. Just jump. There's nothing left for you here.

Sal dropped his bag right there on the bridge and claimed onto the railing. He stood there arms out looking down at the lake, than out at the horizon, then gently letting his eyes close. His balance was good, even with the spring wind rushing past him he stood steadily on the edge. He took a deep breath and waited for the impulse to jump to leave, but it didn't.

Sal took a step forward, and then another, until there was no railing left to catch his feet and he fell down into the river.

The fall wasn't very far and the water was deep and cold. He broke back up through the surface and caught his breath before paddling to the river bank.

He closed his eyes again. "Mom I really miss you. If you can hear me, help me out." He sighed letting the sun beam down on him. The bridge blocked some of the wind but he was still cold and wet.

He wrung out his t-shirt and jeans as well as he could before climbing up the hill to get his bag from the bridge.

When he got home his Dad's car was parked already. Today was the day huh?

Sal wasn't ready to go inside yet. He knew his Dad would be a wreck. He needed a plan.

A little boy biked by tossing the days paper by his feet. It was in a blue plastic bag. Sal didn't normally have any interest in reading the paper but today anything was better than going inside.

He closed his eyes and opened the paper to a random page hopefully.

It wasn't the right paper. It wasn't even from Jersey. "Nockfell." Sal read aloud. There was the jobs page and an add for vacancies in Addison Apartment. "Mom?" Sal asked looking up at the sky.

The sky was clear and blue, one tiny cloud hung in the sky and it looked like a heart.

Sal smiled pausing at the door "You were right after all Dad. I think everything is gonna be alright."

Authors Note
Hey its Matt!! Thank you so much for checking my story out!! This is my first time writing Sally Face fanfiction so be kind please. If you would mind voting and commenting that would be nice too because it feeds my ego. Happy reading!! /g
Context for those interested in the lore of this au. I'm not fucking with cult shit so Sal's Mom died in a head on collision with a drunk driver in the oncoming lane. Sal was in the passenger seat so he survived but his Mom didn't. I bumped up to happen closer to moving to Nockfell. Larry's Dad knocked Lisa up and skipped town, Johnson is her maiden name. If I think of any other changes I made I will let you know!! I gave Sal undiagnosed ADHD and Travis undiagnosed autism cause autism adhd couples are the best. 😌😌 /g
Also I have autism so using tone indicators would be so rad!! Thanks! /g