The Naughty List | BxB

-2- The Intruder

Caleb awoke to a loud crash from downstairs, he opened his eyes groggily sitting up and sighing. Jayden must've gone downstairs to try get at his presents early or catch Santa Claus in the act. Caleb sat up with a stretch hurriedly putting a hoodie and pair of shorts on to avoid the embarrassment of his little brother seeing him in his underwear.

He then left his room quietly tiptoeing down the stairs not wanting to wake the sleeping beast in the room opposite, he gingerly took each step at a time cringing at the slightest creak of the floorboards.

Once Caleb reached the bottom of the stairs he quietly opened the door and tiredly switched on the light "Jayden it isn't morning yet buddy you need to-" he froze in place staring at a man he didn't know standing in his living room

The man stared back at him like a deer in the headlights, he looked a few years older than Caleb, had stubble growing around his face, dark brown greasy hair that wasn't styled in any particular way and was wearing full black aside from the muddy navy blue trainers he was sporting.

"Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here" Caleb demanded in a hushed whisper, he also noticed the black backpack the stranger was carrying and the open living room window he'd clearly used to gain entry, the vase that was previously rested on the windowsill lay in pieces on the ground, that must've been the crash that had awoken Caleb from his tranquil slumber.

"Just a passerby, no one much" the strange man whispered back an air of mystery hanging about his every word.

"Inside my living room?" Caleb replied folding his arms and sizing the man up, after his beating earlier in the evening he wasn't exactly fighting fit, the intruder was also taller and more muscly, there's no way Caleb would win if it came to a fight.

"Consider me Santa Claus alright? Now go back to bed kid" the man answered calmly pointing at the door as if Caleb was a child.

"I'm not a little kid anymore, I'm 18. Santa isn't real" Caleb responded harshly taking a step forward, the man noticeably took a step towards the window eyeing Caleb up with a smirk

"Who did that to you?" He suddenly asked his eyes narrowing at the bruises on Caleb's face, neck and legs.

"None of your fucking business, get out before I call the cops" Caleb hissed back angrily "and empty that rucksack, if you think you're making off with any of Jayden's presents you have another thing coming"

"Who's that? your boyfriend?" The man asked with a sneer.

"My little brother you piece of shit, empty the rucksack and get out before I call the cops" Caleb retorted stonily.

The man put his hands up in surrender and emptied the rucksack onto the floor, a small array wrapped gifts fell out of it, Caleb recognised them as gifts he'd wrapped for himself, his Dad and Jayden.

"Stealing Christmas presents is a real fucking low" Caleb commented bitterly, the man rolled his eyes climbing carefully onto the windowsill.

"Some of us aren't rich and pampered like yourself little elf" the man replied with a hint of hostility lacing his words.

Caleb shrugged "Not my problem dude, now get the fuck out and never come back here" Caleb ordered aggressively taking two steps towards the window.

The man hurriedly climbed out the window and Caleb slammed it shut behind him locking it hastily watching as the man sprinted down the snow covered street the street lamps causing his shadow to bounce around like a monster.

Caleb sighed as he disappeared from view, sitting down on the sofa and putting his head in his hands, he didn't know how he'd kept himself calm enough to do that, he felt like he should've just called the cops, the man could've been armed.

Yawning Caleb stood up picking the discarded presents up one by one and placing them gently back under the tree, the thought of Jayden's face waking up to no presents the next morning would be enough to break anyone's heart. Caleb couldn't have that.

He sighed again feeling the phone in his hoodie pocket then looking out the window at the snowy night, surely calling the cops would be a smart idea here, that would be the sensible thing to do, however Caleb felt some strange feeling that held him back from doing so, the thief's musky smell still hung in the air.

Caleb shook his head quietly leaving the living room after making triply sure the window was locked, he checked the front door as well just to be safe then headed back to the top of the stairs passing the reflective silver tinsel that was neatly wrapped around the banister and stealthily creeping back into his room.

A man had entered the house and tried to steal their Christmas presents, he hadn't even called the cops, instead he could feel his face heating up thinking about the man's features and the way they'd looked each-others eyes.

He had to drown out these thoughts and he knew only one way how, Caleb forcefully opened his drawer throwing the bright tissue box out and taking the sharp, shiny blade from underneath it, he looked at the object in his hand. It was as cold as outside to the touch but he knew he needed it.

Caleb took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeve and went to work, he made cut after cut after cut more red lines slowly beginning to appear in the wake of the blade scattered all across his wrist, once he felt satisfied he put the blade back in the drawer placing the ugly tissue box back on top of it and slamming the drawer shut.

Next he opened the one below it taking a roll of soft, white bandages out and gently wrapping one around his wrist, it stung like hell so he bit his lip as the fabric made contact with his open cuts but he tried to ignore it as best he could as he wrapped the bandage fully round his wrist tying it at the end to keep it fastened.

Letting out another depressed sigh he stripped back down and rolled over smothering himself with the duvet and allowing sleep to take control, his dreams were of course full of the mysterious thief...