Under the Siren's Spell (BoyxBoy)

☠︎ Chapter 13 • Effects of the Siren's Song ☠︎

        I stare at the shirt and grab it, trying to wrestle it from his grasp.

        "Ryder, your brother hasn't eaten yet. He needs to eat. Charlie told me to make sure he eats." Xander curses and pushes me away. "You don't get a reward for doing nothing, Ethan."

        My brows furrow. A reward? I'm not a kid, I don't want a reward. I feel Ryder grab my shoulders and face him.

        "Ethan, please, just eat a little. Can you hear me?"

        I open my mouth then close it. I can hear him, but it's not processing. I feel so lost.

        "You'll get the shirt if you eat, Ethan," Xander says gently and it reminds me more of Charlie. Charlie's always so gentle and caring.

        I nuzzle up to Xander, desperate to feel closer to Charlie however I can.

        "Eat, please?" Charlie asks.

        I shiver and nod and fingers press fruit to my lips. I open my mouth and eat it, piece by piece.

        Xander pets my head and hands me the shirt once I've finished.

        I pull the shirt on and smell it happily, my body starting to relax. I blink, seeing how close I am to Xander and shove him away. "What the fuck?!"

        "You asked for me to be close because I remind you of Charlie." Xander growls.

        "Charlie..." my head starts spinning again.

        "He'll be back."

        "I need him now!" I whine.

        "Do you want Charlie to come back unhappy?" Xander asks.

        I hold my head and crouch down to my knees. "No, I don't know."

        Xander places his hand on my shoulder. "If Charlie comes back before he's ready, he'll be miserable. Do you want a miserable Charlie?"

        "He left me." I shake my head. "I make him miserable."

        The freckled male bites his lip. "He takes care of you."

        "I feel so lost." I choke up. "I need him to come back. I can't live without him." My eyes land on Xander's sword.

        "Ryder, your brother is thinking about suicide." Xander steps back.

        Ryder comes forward and wraps his arms around me, rocking me. "Shh, Ethan, it's going to be okay. You can live without him, you can."

        I push past some of the fever in my mind and nod. "I-I can."

        "Charlie might be gone for a while. What do you want us to do to make you feel better?" Xander asks.

        My heart clenches. "I don't know, give me something to do."

        Xander pulls me out of his cabin and hands me a mop.

        "Really?" I frown.

        "I don't know what to do with you. You keep eyeing me up."

        I huff. "I'm not attracted to you."

        "You're attracted to Charlie and I'm the closest that you are to him and your body knows that."

        I rub my head, a headache forming. "D-Don't say his name."

        "Fine, Charles then."