The Puck Bunny

Fifty-Eight

"Thank you"

"You're welcome, now shh and sleep" I chuckled quietly.

"Yes sir"

It didn't take me long after that to fall asleep, and I only woke up when I heard two people arguing close by. I opened my eyes, confused as to who was arguing and about what. Realising Fraser wasn't in the bed made my stomach drop. I knew exactly what was going on right now.

I checked my phone and found it was 2:30 in the morning. Oh fuck. I didn't know if things would be made worse or better if I went out there. But it was definitely Fraser and Steve arguing, about me.

"Dad, why won't you listen to me? It's not what you're thinking"

"Oh don't bullshit me, Fraser. You've been all over her since you got here yesterday. You really expect me to believe nothing's happening?"

"Yes, I do because nothing is. Shh, you'll wake her up"

"Don't want her to find us arguing about her?"

"She barely slept last night dad, she needs to sleep. And if she wakes up now and hears this then she won't, potentially for days" He wasn't wrong. I don't have any desire to sleep now, which was dangerous because it meant that regardless of what happened from here I was going to be awake and dwelling on it for days, like Fraser had predicted.

"I told you vehemently that I didn't want this happening in my house Fraser and you defied me and did it anyway. Behind my back"

"I know I did, and I'm sorry. But we were both fully clothed and she was finally getting some decent rest. She's been sleeping like shit for weeks leading up to this"

"I don't care anymore. I care that you promised me something and went back on it."

"Fine, I'm sorry. I'll go get back into my bed"

"How do I know you're not going to do it again?" I heard Fraser groan.

"What the hell do you expect me to do dad? Drive my ass to a fucking hotel for the night?"

"Well, I don't trust that you're not gonna do it if you say you won't. The last time I trusted you, I caught you sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night!"

"She needed the sleep, dad!"

"I don't give a shit Fraser!" I knew I had to go out there and face this, potentially even stop Fraser from punching his dad, so I braved the thought and double-checked I was still fully dressed before opening the door.

"Shit, sorry Carter" Fraser said as soon as he saw me. I shook my head and looked at Steve. I never was one to back down and ignore my mistakes.

"I'm sorry we broke your rules. I told the guys this was a bad idea and we'd just get caught. But they both wanted me to sleep more than stay out of trouble"

"Look, you're my son's friend so I don't want to scold you like I do him. Go back to bed" Steve said.

"I need him. Or Luke. Or else I'm not getting any sleep all weekend"

"I'm not letting two teenagers of opposite sexes share a bed under my roof. God knows what you will do!" Fraser was getting really mad. His face was going red and I knew it was only a matter of time before he exploded and inevitably woke both Denise and Luke up.

"We're not doing anything! God, why can't you fucking understand that!"

"Come off it Fraser, you're teenagers and I know what kind of school Minnesota is!"

"What kind of school is it dad? What kind of things do you think we're getting up to behind closed doors? Go on, enlighten me" Fraser folded his arms and I hung my head, silently hoping he wouldn't get so riled up that he caused a fight.

"Fraser, don't. Just go to bed" I whispered.

"Not gonna happen, Princess. Not until he fills me in"

"Please, you're teenagers living on that campus? You're probably having sex every night and then you have the audacity to do it in my house under my nose!" Fraser chuckled and I felt myself begin to worry. He was no longer mad to the point of exploding. No, he was now oddly calm.

"Sorry to burst your bubble dad, but we're virgins. Both of us. And before you ask how we know, it's because Pruitt and I are close and we tell each other things. I trust her more than I've ever trusted another human and she's the only person that's brought me joy since mom died" 

I felt my mouth fall open. Steve's fell open too, I guess he wasn't expecting that sentence to be the one that left his son's mouth. Mine fell open because all this time I didn't know his mom was even dead, I just assumed she lived across the country or ran out on them. Fraser took the stunned silence as his queue to speak again.

"Yeah, and despite what you seemed to think about me in high school, I never fucked anyone. And you're actually right about one thing, I do have feelings for Carter. Deep feelings that have taken me months to even figure out. But I know that I like her a fucking lot and I'd kill to have her feel the same way." I felt the same tears well up in my eyes that had threatened to pour when he sang me his song.

"So you have been trying to hook up with her this weekend?"

"God, no okay? I've been trying to put distance between us because I knew you and Denise would be like this! Trying to pressure it out of us. Well, congratulations you did. I like her and she's beginning to like me. But unlike you, we're not trying to force anything and we're just letting it happen naturally. Now if you don't mind, I'm going back to sleep. In my bed, in that room with Luke before you ask. You can watch me all you like, but I'll stay there. We're leaving tomorrow morning and I want a good rest to do so" Fraser turned to me and sighed.

"Sorry about this, I know you needed to sleep. Try to get some rest?" I shrugged.

"I won't but thanks anyway" He leaned forwards and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head and nodded to the bedroom I'd been staying in. I shut myself in and laid down.

"Fraser, you don't have to leave" I heard Steve's hushed voice come. Fraser sighed.

"I think we do dad. You've made it clear what you think, I've told you the truth and you're not changing your mind any time soon. I know you enough to know that."

"I just don't know what I'd do if-"

"If it were true?" Silence from Steve only made me assume he was nodding.

"If it were true that we were sleeping together and having sex then I would have told you outright before I invited her. And if you'd have said no then I would have let her go somewhere else. But you just don't trust me and that hurts"

"I trusted you tonight"

"You didn't trust me in the first place, which is the only reason I even had to sneak around you so she could get some fucking sleep. Even with me sleeping in her bed now, I know her and I know she's not gonna sleep for the rest of the night, and probably not tomorrow night either. At least if we're in Minnesota tomorrow night, she has a better chance of it"

"You're really going to leave early?"

"If you're not going to change your mind then yes. I don't think I have a choice. I've seen that girl run down from no sleep before and it fucking broke my heart. I'll avoid it if I need to and if that means leaving then so be it. I'm going to sleep now, night dad" Steve sighed.

"Night Fraser. I hope you change your mind"

"Yeah, that makes two of us"