Latter Day Sinner

Chapter 18

"Come on up", he said softly. Daniel looked up, a little startled, and nodded. He hobbled a little as he made his way to the stairs, and had some trouble getting all the way up, but once he was in Frank's room, he at least, relaxed a little.

Frank closed the bedroom door and helped Daniel down onto the bed, biting his lip nervously.

"What's going on, man?" he asked, sitting next to him. Daniel ran a shaking hand through his hair.

"M-my brother. He um. He moved back home a few months ago and he...he's been beating me up," he said weakly, his eyes darting around the room, as if he was afraid of being caught. Frank's heart squeezed and he put a hand on his arm, his eyes soft and sympathetic.

"I'm so sorry. Have you told your Dad?" he murmured. Daniel let out a laboured breath and shook his head.

"'Course not. He'd kick him out and...and God, Frank. He's still my big brother. I don't want him to be homeless. I just...don't know what to do," he sighed. He tried to sit up, but grunted and stayed laying down. Frank nodded slowly.

"Have you told anyone? Any of the other guys?" he mumbled. Daniel nodded.

"Yeah. I...I did. I told Damien, and he wanted to beat him up for it. The thing is, that'd probably knock some sense into him, if someone came after him. He hates conflict, y'know? And I know Daniel is real big and stuff, but I....I guess I just feel nervous about him going alone," he gave Frank a sideways glance. Frank's lips tugged up ever so slightly when he realised that Daniel probably thought he was being subtle.

"You want me to go too?" he offered. Daniel nodded.

"Everyone 'cept Mia, actually. I mean, not being sexist, cause she can really kick ass. Just... she's so tiny. I think he'd try to hurt her," he murmured. Frank winced at the visual, and nodded.

"That's cool. Of course I'll help you, man. When do you wanna-"

He was interrupted by a horn honking from outside the house. Daniel gave a very weak smile.

"Now, if that's okay?"

Damien was driving, Cooter was lounging in the backseat. Daniel slid in next to Damien, to give him directions to his house, so Frank bit the bullet and slid in the back.
Of all of the group, Cooter had been the one who'd been the most passive in regards to acknowledging Frank, so sitting next to him was definitely not particularly high on Frank's list of things he wanted to do.
To his surprise though, the other boy raised his head in a vague greeting and actually shifted over to give Frank some more room. Wow.

Frank tried to keep his surprise to a minimum and just nodded back drawing his seatbelt over and leaning back against the seat. There were a few moments of silence, before Cooter leaned forward, resting between the seats.

"So, what? We go in, beat up your brother, then go?" he asked. Daniel gave a nervous laugh and shifted.

"Hopefully it won't come to that. Just go in and yell at him," he said softly. Damien sighed.

"I still don't know about this. What if we just make him more pissed off and he comes for you again?" he mumbled. Daniel ducked his head.

"he won't. I can almost guarantee it. He hates conflict. He won't risk getting beaten up. 'sides, other than Frank, you're bigger than him. That almost automatically gains his respect," he said, his lip pulling up a little in an ironic smile.

Damien sighed, meeting Frank's eyes in the rear-view mirror. Frank did actually agree – he didn't know Daniel's brother. Maybe the confrontation would only make things worse.
Still, he was walking on eggshells as it was, so he just shrugged and averted his eyes. It wasn't his place to say, really.