Chasing Cars (B+B+ Poly)

one

Carter smiled, he was so glad he'd convinced Riley to apply to university, he was flourishing in his passions and enjoyed every moment of it.

"You'll have to tell us all about it." He said. Riley grinned and nodded.

"Definitely."

^^^
Travis was awake, but sluggish by the time they got home and Carter was extremely worried about him. He helped the boy inside and sat him down on the sofa. "Travis when was the last time you ate?"

"Tuesday I think, what day is it?"

"Friday."

"Tuesday then."

"I'm going to make you some toast, will that be okay?" Carter asked, Travis just nodded. "I can't believe they didn't give you any food." He sound almost angry and Travis couldn't help but shrink back into himself.  Carter smiled at him reassuringly, which made him feel a bit better, and left him with Riley whilst he went to make the boy some tea and toast.

"Here." Riley sat down beside him, wrapping them both in a fluffy blanket. "Do you want to play Mario Kart with me?"

"I've never played before." Travis whispered.

"That's alright, I'll teach you." Riley grabbed the remote for the TV and two joycons for the house Nintendo switch. "Kit will probably come down as soon as he hears the music." He added with a laugh.

Riley was right, as soon as the music for the games loading screen started, a red head entered the room.

"Kit this is Travis, Travis this is Kit." Riley introduced them.

"Hi."

"Hi sweetheart." Kit was grinning at him. "Mind if I play?"

Travis shook his head and the red head grinned, grabbing another joycon and settling himself in an armchair.

The game commenced and Travis chose himself a character that looked like a giant Tortoise with a spiky shell and mean expression. Once he had gotten his head around the controls he found himself rather good at it. Also his character could breath fire.

This was by far the most fun he'd had in a long time. When the race had ended, with Travis coming a comfortable fifth, Carter entered with a cup of tea and some buttered toast.

"Here you go love, I would prefer if you ate all of it, keep your strength up, I know it's not easy." Carter passed them to the boy.

"T-thank you." Travis' hands were shaky. He took a tentative sip of tea. It was good, he then took a bite of toast, painfully aware of their eyes on him. It was the best food he'd had in weeks. The food made hid stomach flinch in pain and disgust, but he forced his way through the tea and toast anyway. He didn't want to risk being kicked out, not after Carter had been so kind to him.

They'd drop him in a month, take him on as a charity case and once they realised how serious his addiction was, once they realised it wouldn't be an easy fix. He'd be dumped on the side of the road somewhere.

Luckily for him, he was out of the system now. No more of this bullshit, handed from one guardian to another once he was picked up by the police. They'd let him go once he was clean or clean enough that he wasn't their problem anymore.

"I'll show you were your room is, guessing you're tired hey?" Carter's voice pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up at him, nodding. "Alright."

The crockery was taken from his hands and as though he was on auto pilot he was following Carter up the stairs. "You're in here, there's fresh towels in the bathroom and the sheets are fresh. We'll go shopping when you're feeling better." Travis looked up at Carter again. "I know this isn't nice, but you've got to push through it." Travis was surprised by the tender touch as Carter moved his fringe from his sweaty forehead.

"I feel like I'm dying."

"I know." Carter pulled him into a hug, and Travis reciprocated. It had been so long since he'd been hugged. "You'll get through it."

"I just need some to get me through." Travis muttered. Carter shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you do that." He sighed. "You have to get better."

"I can't." Travis' eyes welled up with tears. "Please, I can't do it."

"You can." Carter sat down, pulling Travis into his chest, holding him so gently it made him cry harder. He hadn't realised how much he craved a hug like this. "I'm going to get you clean."

"I don't want to, please." Travis was sobbing into his chest now, still shivering and sweating. "Please I can't do it."

"I'm so sorry Travis." Carter sat with him until he went to sleep, his heart breaking at what the poor boy had to go through.

When he finally left Travis' room, he went to his office and sat at the desk, head in his hands wondering whether he had the strength to help him through it.

"Car?" It was Noah, he crossed the room and placed himself carefully in his lap, kissing his cheek lovingly. "Is he going to be okay? I heard him crying."

"He's going through withdrawals." Carter replied, smiling at the smoky Quartz in his hand. "For good luck?"

Noah nodded with a smile. "I'm going to put an obsidian in his room."

"Noah." Carter felt like his heart was going to burst. He kissed the boy in his lap, he loved him so much. "You're so sweet."

"I was worried when I heard him crying. Thought it was Alex at first." Noah muttered, resting his head against Carter's shoulder.

"Alex?"

"I worry about him sometimes." Noah shrugged. "Travis will be alright, won't he?"

"Of course he will."