Psychotic

[11] Choir Birds & Bruises

Everett's body flared awake in an almost familiar manner. The ice-cold bath tingled every nerve in his body, and he was left in nothing but his boxers to protect him from the water's freezing embrace. Without warning his head was dunked beneath the surface and he was yanked back up. His body having been bloated with water only hours before reacted drastically, making Everett hurl into a bucket that was thrust in front of him.

"There we go, let it all out," a voice Everett was no stranger to encouraged, giving him a strong pat on the back. To his relief Evan felt surprisingly better and took a deep breath once the bucket was taken away, though his muscles refused to relax in the chilled bath water. Everett looked down at his stomach to find an ugly dark purple bruise and winced as he adjusted himself in the tub. "There's more on your back, and your face is pretty banged up," Laitus spoke softly refusing to make eye contact. He sat on a foot stool beside the bath, his bangs pinned back and without a shirt, a bandage wrapped around his mid-section.

"Which Laitus am I talking to?" Everett asked, supporting his head with his hand as he waited for an answer. Laitus wrung his fingers guiltily, he looked uncomfortable under Evan's grouchy gaze and took a while to answer.

"The real one, I can't say for how long though," was his uneasy reply. Everett pushed himself up, preparing to leave the ice-bath and jolting Laitus into action. "Ah careful, I'll help you." Before Everett could refuse Laitus had rushed to his feet and slipped his hands under Evan's arms, successfully lifting him from the bath and into an awaiting towel. Everett didn't miss the way his fingertips hesitated to even graze the stitches on his neck, he could feel the shame radiating off of him, knowing that he was the one to cause him such pain.

"Lai—can I call you Lai?" Everett inquired as he dried his hair with the towel, ruffling it in every direction. Laitus swallowed down any protests and simply nodded his head, watching as the boy dried himself off. "What's wrong with you, Lai?" Everett stopped to look him in the eye.

Laitus shuffled his feet. "The doctor used to call it all kinds of names, but he had his favourites. Sometimes he'd call me Psychotic, Schizophrenic, Bipolar, he'd throw around names until he finally decided on one..." There was a short pause, as if even Laitus wasn't sure of what was 'wrong with him'. "Multiple Personality Disorder I think he called it."

Suddenly the pieces seemed to click together so well and Evan could finally make sense of things. He knew he had to get away from him and hurriedly dressed himself, not minding the fact that his boxers were still wet or that his whole body ached every time he moved. There was a knock on the door, and a woman's voice shouted from the other side: "Police, open up!"

Laitus cursed under his breath and walked passed Everett into the living area of what seemed to be a hotel room. Evan noticed how worn in the room looked, as if Laitus had spent weeks holed up inside, this must be where he lived, for now at least. Laitus pulled on a plain black t-shirt to hide his bandages before turning to Everett. He held a finger to his lips and motioned for him to find somewhere out of sight moments before he swung open the door.

A short but muscular woman was revealed, a badge brandished on her chest and a pistol on her hip. "Good evening sir, sorry to make a fuss but I'll need you to step outside and answer a few questions." She had a thick foreign accent and seemed rather bored as she waved him out. She was pretty, deep blue eyes, dark brown hair and lovely freckles, though the nasty scar and glass eye would cause most to shy away. Everett saw his chance and took it as he heard the door click shut, scrambling out the window to make a run for it, silently praying that the officer would keep him busy long enough.

But he soon realised when he couldn't pull himself any further through the window he was stuck and his heart plummeted, "no, no, no, shit!" He hissed, trying once more to yank the rest of his body through the small gap. He clawed at the brick exterior of the hotel room, scraping the skin from his fingertips and splintering some of his nails. Everett's frantic attempts at escape came to a halt as he took a deep breath, if he just relaxed he would be able to squeeze himself through. Another deep breath and he pushed himself off the wall, his body coming free. Though seconds before he could make his escape two hands clamped around his ankles and heaved him backwards into the jaws of the monster.

With a thump the window closed and Everett was back in Laitus' arms. "Were you... Trying to leave me?" Evan couldn't see Laitus' face but he was sure he was angry by the tone of his voice. Not realising the question was rhetorical Everett scurried to find some sort of excuse.

"Air!" He squeaked, "I needed some fresh air!" Laitus' hold on him tightened and their bodies were pressed into one-another harder than before.

"Don't lie to me," Laitus growled wrapping his hand around his throat and carrying him into the living area. "Sit," he ordered shoving him towards the bed and turning to open the draw of the bedside table. Everett sat himself on the bed, bringing his knees to his chest and shuffling backwards to distance himself from Laitus. Everett didn't get a chance to see what Laitus had taken from the draw as he quickly tucked it behind him.

Suddenly Laitus' hand was on Everett's leg, dragging him toward him roughly and flipping him onto his stomach. "Try not to move," Laitus said as he pushed his face into the mattress and grabbed Evan's wrists with his other hand. Quickly Laitus bound his arms behind his back and pulled him upright, "there, much better," he hummed as he rested his head in the crook of his neck and wrapped his arms around Everett's stomach, purposely pushing against his bruises.

"We're going to have so much fun together."

---

It could have been days, weeks, months even, Everett had completely lost track of time. With no way to tell whether it was night or day he'd doze off every so often, never knowing if he'd slept for hours or mere minutes. He could hear the busy traffic nearby, and every now and again soft, unfamiliar voices made it through the walls. His mind had become accustomed to the pitch black, by now his arms were weak with neglect and at times he'd forget they were even there.

He had become dependent on his voice, the only being that acknowledged his existence. For what seemed like hours he would talk to him, Everett could never speak back but that was alright, he enjoyed listening. He had grown to cherish these times, he'd listen to every breath he took, the slightest shuffle of movement he made.

Right now Everett sat listening to his gentle breathing, he wished he would speak, he yearned to hear his voice. He needed something to tell him he wasn't alone, that someone was thinking of him, that they cared.

"It rained today," he finally announced, Everett already knew this, he'd heard the soothing murmur of thunder and patter of rain as he waited for his return. But he was happy to hear his voice. "The birds seemed overjoyed. Once the rain settled it was all you could hear, they wouldn't stop singing, like a little choir," he chuckled to himself as if remembering the very sight, his warm laughter made Everett smile.

Today was a good day.

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[A/N]  Finally it has come to an end. If you haven't already don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed reading and I'll see you next time around! :)

~ Fawn ❤