Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Inside Out ❯ Staying with Lucas ( Chapter 12 )

When Elias awoke, the clock beside the bed read 6:35. The faint red glow illuminated the dark room, and the unfamiliar objects surrounding him confused him. Groggily rubbing his eyes, the boy stretched before rolling onto his back. A soft grunt sounded beside him, and turning in alarm, Elias was both shocked and relieved to find that the sound had originated from Lucas, who was sprawled out on his stomach beside him, face buried in a pillow.

 

His body felt heavy, and he could detect an appealing aroma wafting in from under the closed door of the bedroom. Propping himself up onto his elbow, he tilted his head back some to see if he could discern what, exactly, it was.

 

Looking to Lucas, Elias peeled back the covers and searched the dark for his clothes.

Shivering, he rubbed his thin arms to conserve warmth through the flimsy t-shirt he was wearing. When he found his clothes, they were dry, no doubt having been dried from the machine in the apartment, and folded neatly and carefully across the back of the chair that sat beside the door.

 

Snatching his underwear, Elias pulled them on. He moved back to the bed so that he could adjust the covers, when an arm shot out and pulled him down. A sleepy eyed Lucas lifted his head from the pillow, and after he finished looking to the clock, he fixed his gaze onto him.

 

“How long was I asleep for?”

“I just woke up, too.”

“Oh.”

 

His fingers slid from Elias's wrist, and Lucas pushed himself up with his arms. Sitting back, he ran a hand through his tousled hair and let out a wide but silent yawn.

Elias watched him curiously, before drawing his legs up so that he was sitting with them crossed.

 

“You didn't get up after I fell asleep?”

“I guess not.”

“Is Sheek cooking?”

 

Lucas gave a delicate sniff before looking about the room. With another sniff, he nodded before falling back onto the bed.

 

“Smells like it.”

 

“We slept the whole day.”

 

Turning his head, Elias watched as Lucas's eyes focused on the clock, before he gave a soft sigh. Running his hands through his hair, he looked back to the boy before motioning with a simple gesture.

 

“C'mere.”

 

Complying, Elias got onto his hands and crawled across the small expanse of bed to where his brother lay. As soon as he reached him, Lucas turned on his side and a hand snaked up his shoulder.

 

Elias's back met the mattress, and his older brother leaned over him. Brushing a strand of hair from the boy's face, his eyes meandered over his features before another small sigh escaped his lips.

 

They watched each other, and as if some sort of silent consent had been given, Lucas lowered his mouth to brush over Elias's. Elias tilted his head back ever so slightly, so that he was able to gingerly return the applied pressure.

 

Lucas placed several small, delicate kisses to the corner of his mouth before he wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him into his side. Elias did not struggle, and instead, wrapped his arm around the elder's waist. His fingers brushed over the smooth skin of his back as his hand traveled upwards, and he could feel the subtle outline of muscles just beneath his shoulder blade.

 

Pressing his face into Lucas's chest, Elias took in a shaky breath before closing his eyes. This was okay. He wasn't by himself anymore. He was lying here with his brother, safe from the anger of his mother and absence of his father. Realization hit him as he lay there, and sadness washed over him. He tried to keep the tremor out of his voice when he spoke, and he tilted his head up so that he could look into Lucas's eyes.

 

“You're not going to come back, are you?”

 

Lucas held his gaze steadily, and even though he knew he wasn't going to receive a verbal reply, the look in his eyes was enough of an answer.

 

Nodding, Elias ducked his head back into his chest. Giving a soft sniff, he could feel his fingers curling into fists. Lucas's hand roamed up the back of his shirt, and he brushed his fingers over the warm skin in a soothing manner.

 

“It's okay, Elias. I'll still see you.”

 

“Are you living with Sheek?”

 

Even though he was on the verge of tears, Elias's cheeks stung with embarrassment at the jealousy tinged in his voice. Lucas chuckled before shaking his head. His hand slid down his spine before his palm slipped over his side. Fingers curling over his hip, he pushed him away and leaned forward so that their faces were inches apart.

 

“Don't worry about it,” he smiled. His smile faded some and he lifted a hand. Brushing it along Elias's forehead, he pressed his palm against the warm skin.

“How do you feel?”

“My throat is a little sore.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

 

Elias tried to, he really did. But when he though about it, he found he could only remember holding a pair of keys in the palm of his hand. Shaking his head softly, he relaxed as Lucas's fingers weaved through his hair.

 

“Do you know how long you were outside for?”

“No.”

“Do you know what you had taken?”

“No, he just said that it would help me relax.”

 

Snorting, Lucas rolled his eyes, and Elias could see the faint hint of a frown on his features. The lighting in the room was dim, the blinds no doubt having been drawn, and the atmosphere in the room was relaxed. More so then it had ever been with his brother before, anyway.

 

“Who's `he'?”

“Curtis.”

 

Lucas sat up so fast that it startled Elias.

 

“You mean that little shit who got you put into the hospital?”

 

“It wasn't his fault,” Elias whispered. He wondered why he was defending him? It was very much his fault, and if anyone was to blame for that event, it should be Curtis.

“He didn't know I was going to get beat up for it,” he continued, sitting up as well. “He didn't want me to get beat up or anything.”

 

“That kid needs his ass kicked,” Lucas snarled, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “I swear to god, if I ever come across him alone, he's dead.”

 

Scrambling off of the bed, Elias stumbled forward. He made for Lucas, who was headed for the door, and falling into him, he wrapped his arms around his waist. Lucas stilled, and didn't move as Elias clung to him. Pressing his face into the warm skin of his back, Elias tightened his grip and mumbled; “Don't go.”

 

Lucas stepped forward, and his hands fell to Elias's arms. Strong fingers wrapping around the appendages, he gently eased them away from his body. Turning to face him, Lucas's hand slid up the boys shoulder to cup the nape of his neck. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the top of his head before his arm promptly fell away and he turned back to the closed door.

 

“I'm just going to see Sheek.”

 

-*-

 

He didn't what he should do.

He had been vaguely aware of movement in the room as he had lain there, and by pure luck, he had grabbed a hold of Elias's wrist when he had been on the bed, and pulled him down. Although he didn't seem to be suffering from anything, such as hypothermia or the beginnings of pneumonia (one would expect something similar to befall those who had been sleeping in the snow) it worried Lucas that Elias didn't remember anything that had happened earlier.

 

Raking a hand through his hair, he winced as bright light flooded his vision. Ducking his head, he shuffled into the apartments kitchen and leaned heavily on the counter as Sheek stirred something in a large pot.

 

“What are you making?”

“Spaghetti.”

“Smell's good.”

“I'll bet it does. He still asleep?”

“No, he's awake.”

“You two were out for a while.”

“Yeah,”

 

Rubbing the back of his neck, Lucas straightened up. Giving a short but leisurely stretch, he scratched his hip before eyeing the cordless phone on the wall with distaste.

 

“I really don't want to call her.”

“Let her assume the worst then. She'll have the police breathing down your throat, and if I do recall correctly, she is one to jump to conclusions?”

 

Nodding, Lucas picked up the phone, and holding it away from his body as if it were something vial, he punched in the number to his home. The phone rang and rang, and just he was about to hang up, a breathless voice answered.

 

“Hello? Elias?”

“No, mom, it's Lucas.”

“Oh. Lucas? Have you seen Elias? He's been missing all day. I've been out looking for him, and I've called the police…”

“He's over here, mom. He's been here all day.”

 

In seconds, his mothers' worry had turned into anger, and he could practically see the frown lining her old, withered features.

 

“Why is he there?” she snapped irritably. “And where is there anyway? I'm coming over.”

“That's not such a good idea—he's pretty tired, still.”

“I don't care. You listen to me, young man, you're not going to kidnap your brother and then keep his mother from seeing him! Give me your address.”

 

Lucas just loved how she acted, in situations like these, anyway, like he wasn't even related to her. Snickering into the phone, Lucas walked into the living room.

 

“It'd be a good idea if he stayed here for a while,” he stated. He wasn't asking, he was telling.

 

“I think you need a break from the stress, and it wouldn't be so bad to have some time to yourself, would it?”

 

Silence on the other end of the phone.

 

“For how long? And I'll need to inform the police of his whereabouts so that they don't continue looking. I want to see him before you decide anything.”

 

He was pleased that she seemed so compliant, and wagered that it would be safe to take Elias home when he himself went back there to retrieve a sufficient amount of clothes for the boy.

 

“Just making dinner,” he stated, checking the clock above the stove. “I'll have him by after he's fed.”

 

“You'd better.”

 

The line went dead.

 

Hanging up, Lucas raised his eyebrows slightly as he deposited the phone back into its cradle. Dusting his hands off on the back of his jeans, he exhaled, a low whistle passing through his lips.

 

“That could have gone worse,” Sheek commented, as Lucas slumped down at the table. “A lot worse.”

 

-*-

 

-

 

It had been about two hours, and Elias was dressed and wrapped up in one of Lucas's large sweaters. His brothers' scent engulfed him, and as he leaned against the seat in the back of Sheek's car, with Lucas's arm around him, he couldn't help but feel drowsy.

 

Turning his face, he pressed himself into Lucas's side, and the elder's arm tightened around his waist. The two were talking, but Elias didn't bother keeping up with the conversation. The sudden lethargy that consumed him was too much to fight, and he let his eyelids slip closed.

 

When he had woken up next, his mother's face was pressed against the window, and he was lying by himself in the back seat. When she realized he was awake, she tapped the window, her long, bony finger pointing to the lock in the car.

 

Sitting up dazedly, Elias's fingers scrambled for the lock. When the door was opened, a small, thin body attacked him. Arms wrapped around his shoulders, and Elias would have lost his balance and fallen back into the car had Lucas not pulled their mother off of him.

 

“You're alright! Where have you—how on earth did you—?”

“Let's not bug him right now,” Lucas muttered, slipping a bag into the car beside Elias.

“He needs to get some sleep; he isn't feeling well.”

“How long do you think you're going to be keeping him, exactly?”

 

Their mother planted her hands on her hips. Her thin, narrow lips were pursed, and her hair, which was tied back into a messy bun, fell around her narrow, angular face in messy, thin strands of auburn and grey.

 

“I don't know. Not long. I need to talk to him.”

“You can do that on the phone.”

“We need to talk. Alone.”

“What is there to talk about?”

 

Elias's heart skipped a beat as his brother's green eyes locked onto his own. His gaze drifted away almost as soon as it had met his, and although it seemed like a casual glance, Elias could tell it meant something more. Clearing his throat, he shrugged further into the warm sweater his brother had borrowed him, and brushing a strand of tousled hair from his face, he spoke meekly;

 

“Mom, it's okay. I'll call you every day.”

 

The older woman looked from Lucas to Elias and then to Sheek, who was leaning on the passenger's side of the car, a smoke dangling betwixt his lips.

 

“It's alright with you? It's your apartment, isn't it? Looking after both of them is a chore! I would know, I've been looking after him for near twenty one years of my life!”

 

Turning to Elias, she wrung her apron in her hands nervously.

 

“And he's just a baby…”

“It's alright,” Sheek confirmed, taking a long, leisurely drag on his cigarette. “I don't mind.”

 

Chewing her lips, the woman brushed what Elias assumed to be a tear, out of her eyes and gave a rather disdainful sniff. Hands trembling, she nodded several times before looking to Elias.

 

“You call me every night before you go to bed. I don't want him going to school this week.”

“But mom, I've missed a lot of school already! I'll have to repeat—”

“I don't care,” his mother bit out. “You're not doing so well lately, and if your brother is going to be watching you, I want him to keep his eye on you all the time. Do you hear me, Lucas Taylor?”

 

Lucas nodded, and their mother leaned into the car to give Elias another bone-crushing hug. Stepping back from the car, she nodded and moved back from the curb. Elias caught the irritated look Lucas shot to her before he slipped in beside Elias, and slammed the door with a resounding crack.

 

“Let's get the hell out of here,” he bit out, leaning back against the material of the seat. “I swear, every time I see her, the urge to commit a homicide gets stronger.”

 

Sheek chuckled, and although the humor was lost on Elias, he smiled anyway.

He was nervous because now he had the chance to be around Lucas every day. There had been a time in the months earlier that the thought of this would have made him sick, or even sent him into shock. But he was surprisingly comforted now as he mused over what had taken place.

 

He could be with Lucas, and he wouldn't need to go home. He could hide in Sheek's apartment. Hide from school, the people that hated him. No worries.

 

Hesitantly, Elias leaned his head on Lucas's shoulder. He was surprised when Lucas's hand found his, and interlocked their fingers. As Sheek turned out onto the highway, Elias looked out the window. The snow had continued to fall steadily, and the white flakes and grey skies that surrounded him, the city, his life, made everything seem almost surreal. Dreamlike.

 

Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply before leaning into his brother.

 

He hoped that if he fell asleep now, when he woke up later, it would be real.

 

 

 

AN: So, new chapter, yay. Read and review please! It encourages me. <3