Elijah was bothered.
No, he was peeved to the max.
After the two had entered Alexander's room, Elijah had kept his words to a minimum and simply regarded the taller male with a cold shoulder.
Seeing the atmosphere in the room and the way Elijah was avoiding explaining his uncharacteristic behaviour, Alexander had given a small sigh and a gentle stroke to Elijah's shoulder, before opening the door, walking out with a final look to the upset boy, and closing it shut behind him.
And now, Elijah sat on the king-sized bed's dark green luxury silk sheets, very annoyed at the outcome.
He looked up at the beautiful, golden-decorated ceiling in irritation, mulling his thoughts over.
{ Elijah's P.O.V }
What a dick.
I huffed, crossing my arms and flinging myself backwards onto the soft duvet covers.
That's not meant to happen! He's meant to stay with me and explain himself!
It wasn't the fact that Alexander was speaking to my sister- In fact, I wouldn't mind them speaking at all! I'd want them to get along.
My glare deepened as I stared up at the ceiling from my view on the bed.
The small chandelier in the middle of the golden-bronze patterned ceiling was off, allowing the circular lights above the bed to give a cosy dimness to the room.
What an ugly ceiling.
Just like the asshole who stays in this room.
I kicked the bed post, ignoring the shot of dull ache and let out a frustrated grunt, digging the heels of my palms into my eyes.
He's been speaking to Mia all day! The only time he spoke to me was when we were discussing the rooms!
Fuck him!
And his smile. His charming- ugly smile that he wore every single time he spoke to Mia. Why the hell hasn't he spoken to me properly today?
I'm not jealous.
I'm just confused.
My body suddenly felt very clammy and I lifted myself up, displeased at everything.
Because for some reason the world was deciding to be very mean to everyone right now.
The sudden need to shower evaded me and I undressed quickly, before walking to the bathroom.
The bathroom was almost the same size as a normal room. On the right of the room was a large cupboard which was most likely full of towels, bathroom necessities such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo- everything needed in a bathroom.
And on the opposite end- what a stupid idea- was the pentagonal-shaped shower. So to get a towel he walked all the way across?
I shook my head, sighing at the uncanny layout of the bathroom.
It was nice, but ridiculously fancy.
Then of course, the sink was next to the shower, trailing along the side of the room to expand with cupboards and shelves that consisted of small decorative plants- most likely fake. The toilet was at the other side, opposite the sink.
Right, shower.
I could really use one right now.
Stepping into the shower, I again, groaned at how extra it was. There were small shelves with the shampoo, body soap and conditioner. But that wasn't it.
In the shower was a marble bench. A marble flipping bench protruding from the wall.
For what?! Showering whilst seated?!
I balanced myself on the marbled walls as I closed the sliding glass door and stood, looking at the shower head, trying to figure out how to work it.
The inside of the shower was quite spacey- enough for three people to take a shower comfortably.
With a few experimental turns on the knobs of the shower head, eventually water came pouring down. The cold hit me square on my chest, making me flinch back and quickly change the knob to a higher setting.
Slowly, the water became body-temperature hot and I let myself be engulfed in the warmth, trying to sort out my thoughts and wash away the unnecessary gibberish in my mind.
Maybe he was just speaking about normal things with Mia.
Maybe I'm the one who's overthinking, because surely if Alexander didn't want to acknowledge me, he wouldn't have offered to share his room with me. And he definitely wouldn't have continuously asked me if everything was alright or if something was bothering me.
Which yes, something was, but I of course didn't want to tell him what.
No, because what was I supposed to say?! Oh, I'm bothered with the fact you were speaking to my sister and not me?
See? No.
I rubbed at my skin gently, avoiding the water from hitting my hair and soaking it wet to the root.
A thought suddenly sprouted.
Hold on.
I blinked, pausing in my movements of reaching for the shower gel.
Why do I care?
Why do I care who Alexander is speaking to? Especially if it's my own sister?
And even if it weren't, he's not my boyfriend.
Not mine.
He's allowed to not speak to me if he doesn't want to, why am I upset?
I quickly grabbed the body shampoo and squeezed a reasonable amount, before scrubbing my body.
I shouldn't care. Why should I give a damn?
I felt the smile stretch my lips as I gave a small laugh, shaking my head at how silly I was being.
Mia has a boyfriend anyway. I smiled sheepishly at how I've acted.
Damn, so this is what overthinking does to you. Makes you look stupid.
Not recommended. Zero out of Ten.
The warm water cascaded down my body and I sighed, enjoying the feeling of the dampness and sweat no longer clinging to my skin.
I heard the faint sound of a door opening through the sound of water hitting the marble shower floor.
Ah, the door opened.
I thought faintly, humming. I ignored the sound and simply focused on the loud pattering of water droplets from the shower head.
Then the sound registered in my head.
I shot my eyes open, hands freezing in place.
The door.
Alexander.
Fuck.
I whipped my head down to my bare, uncovered body and a pang of panic filled me.
Double fuck.
I quickly turned the shower off and slid the door open with an echoed bang.
My clothes, I left them outside on the bed.
Triple fuck.
Towel, towel, towel.
Ignoring the slapping of my bare feet on the tiled, marble floor, I ran to the cupboard directly across, trying to not slip.
Click.
The door opened.
QUADRUPLE FU-
"Elijah? Are you-"
A panicked, embarrassed yelp shot out my throat and I stumbled back, trying to cover with my hands.
What the fuck?!
{ 3rd Person P.O.V }
Elijah scrambled to cover between his legs with his hands and he looked up in alarm at Alexander, who stared down at him with eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh my, I'm sorry."
"Get out!" Elijah cried, an embarrassed flush burning his face, "I'm naked!"
Alexander quickly shut the door.
Heart thumping rapidly against his ribcage, Elijah squeezed his eyes shut, willing the earth to swallow him whole right that moment.
He cursed the world, wondering why everything was going south.
Knock knock knock.
The small tapping against the door made Elijah whip his head toward it and growl lowly.
Is he serious?!
"No!" Elijah yelled, ears still flushing brightly.
Alexander's muffled voice came through, "There's no towels in the cupboard, they were put to wash and I went to get them while I was outside."
Yes, Elijah really cursed the universe.
"J-Just leave one outside!" Elijah stuttered. Oh how he wanted to die at the embarrassing predicament he was in.
"... On the floor?" Came the bemused question.
"No! Just- Just- Ugh!" Elijah stood up and stomped to the door and hid behind it, before opening it a fraction and holding out his hand, "Gimme."
The feeling of a fluffy, soft cloth touched Elijah's palm and he immediately grabbed it, pulling it in and shutting the door close with a bang.
He leaned against the door with his back to the surface. Gradually, the rapid rising and falling of Elijah's chest subsided.
"Shit." Elijah mumbled, quickly drying himself off and wrapping the towel securely around his waist.
Brushing his teeth took about two minutes and he quickly gurgled, draining the toothpaste foam down the sink.
He opened the door and poked his head out, only to see Alexander facing his back towards him, sitting on the bed with his leg dangling off.
Elijah swallowed as he heard Alexander give a small laugh. The seated man put the book he was holding down along with a black feathered pen, "Are you covered?"
Elijah nodded, before realising Alexander couldn't see him and he quickly spoke, "Yes."
The other turned, connecting his eyes with Elijah's and smirked, slowly lowering his eyes down.
He raised a single eyebrow and tilted his head, eyeing the upper half of Elijah's body that wasn't covered with a towel. The nineteen-year-old saw the sly glint in his eyes as they narrowed down with a smirk.
No words, but a lot of understanding. After all, actions spoke louder than words.
"Have you got your night clothes?"
Elijah spluttered at this, eyelids flickering rapidly as he tried to come up with something to say, but failing drastically.
"I-I'm getting changed, turn around." Elijah demanded, to which Alexander raised both his hands in surrender and turned, grinning from ear to ear.
That's when Elijah remembered: His mother had packed his clothes, and his night ones were with her in her suitcase. He groaned, bringing the attention of Alexander.
"Something wrong?" He asked. Elijah didn't miss the cunningness in his voice, "Do you need help?"
"No." Elijah quickly denied. He hesitated before continuing, "I... left my pajamas with my mum."
The was a small silence before Alexander got up off the bed and walked to a pair of fitted doors in the wall, a few steps away from his bed. He opened the doors, revealing a ginormous walk-in wardrobe.
The lights automatically switched on as soon as the doors opened and Alexander walked in, coming back out with a red set of night clothes. He looked at Elijah and stared at him, contemplating the size difference, before shrugging and walking over to him.
He held the clothes out and stared down at Elijah, who looked back up at him, confused. Alexander shrugged and nodded his chin to the night set, "Your mother's asleep, going into her room would disturb her. Wear my clothes for tonight, then tomorrow you can get yours for the remaining days."
Elijah thought about it, before taking the clothes and mumbling a quick thanks, "Now turn around."
Alexander rolled his eyes, grabbing the smaller male by the shoulders and turning him. He yelped out in protest, "Hey!"
Elijah was lead to the vast walk-in wardrobe quite roughly, considering how difficult he was being. Alexander gently pushed him into the space and held the door handles, "You can change here," He closed the doors slightly, before adding with a smirk, "In peace."
The door shut and Elijah was left alone in the wardrobe; However he didn't waste one second, and quickly changed into the night wear.
He looked into the large, body-mirror: It was quite oversized on him. The end of the sleeves reached Elijah's fingernails and the hem of the night shirt flowed right down to Elijah's mid-thighs.
He could literally sleep in only the shirt, that was how big it was on him.
But the bottoms too, was big. They were so long to the point Elijah was practically stepping on the ends of the pajama trousers, with his toes reaching the ends.
Damn him and his giraffe height. And those lanky legs.
He sighed, it would have to do for now.
Elijah pushed open the doors and walked out in the tremendously oversized, red pajamas.
Alexander glanced up and Elijah saw a teasing grin playing at his lips. He got up and walked to Elijah, sizing up the difference.
The unbelievably taller man snorted, quickly covering it with a cough at Elijah's glare, "Well, red is definitely your colour. You look good in it."
The smaller male blinked, not knowing how to respond. Alexander inhaled a sharp breath and tilted his head to the side, bringing his hand to his lips. He murmured, more to himself, "Or maybe it's just my clothes that make you look good."
Boy, did that make Elijah's stomach flip and flop.
You can't just say that!
Elijah swallowed, fighting down the feeling of elation in his heart, "I- uh, thanks?"
The taller man winked in response, his eyes smiling into upside down crescents, "I'm going to shower now, you can choose what side of the bed you want."
Elijah was about to protest, but Alexander had already gone into the bathroom and had shut the door behind him. He sighed and looked to the humongous bed, sighing again.
Instead of heading straight to bed, he decided to look around the room, wanting to be familiar of it.
It was very spacious, to say the least: looking at the room from the bed's view, there were two sofa's and two armchairs on the left of the room underneath a large rug that was on the carpet.
.... Why the fuck is there a rug on the carpet? Is it a rich person thing?
He looked to the right and saw the vast window that was curtained with heavy, silver drapes. Underneath the sill was a long window seat that was the same length of the window.
Elijah could sleep there, it was practically a bed. A single bed with less cushions and no sheets.
But he didn't want to.
This whole room gave Elijah the vibe of a Slytherin dorm.
After a few minutes of exploring the room, Elijah decided that it was finally time to get into the ridiculously large bed.
"Who needs this much space to sleep anyway?" Elijah mumbled, flipping the velvet sheets backwards and climbing in. He rolled his eyes, "Rich people..."
However whilst rolling his eyes, Elijah's sight caught onto something on the bedside table. It was a black, leathered book. A small one. The one that was in Alexander's hand when he came out the bathroom- The quill was on top of it.
He got up, off the bed and stood in front of the table, squinting down at the cover through the dimness of the circular lights above the bed. Faintly, ever so faintly, there was a shape like a skull imbedded into the black leather.
The appearance lured him in and he reached out, tracing his fingertips on the thinly carved leather book cover.
Elijah knew he was being nosy, but he really wanted to open it and see what Alexander had been writing.
He hesitated.
What harm could it do? It was only a simple book, right? And besides, what if Alexander was writing about him?
He held the corner between his thumb and forefinger and lifted the cover an inch, carefully.
"Interesting, isn't it."
Elijah jumped, his soul almost escaping his skin and he whipped around, staring wide eyed at Alexander who was standing at the bathroom doorway with a towel wrapped around his hip, another towel in his hand and shuffling his wet hair, slowly.
Eyes as piercing as a hawks, Alexander stared across the room at the shifting boy with a wordless gaze that Elijah couldn't interpret anything from.
As if he were just waiting to see what Elijah would do.
Heart racing as if on a car track, he quickly looked at Alexander's body- he couldn't help it. Elijah understood Alexander now, when he himself came out the bathroom.
The towel clung to Alexander's hips, showing off a very defined v-line that travelled down and into the towel for shelter. Elijah lifted his sight to the three very intricately outlined set of abs displayed on his stomach, along with the bumps of obliques at his sides.
When there was someone- anyone- who just came out the shower with just a single towel, you were bound to check them out.
Especially if they were as hot as Alexander.
Elijah shook his head and quickly cleared his throat, returning his eyes to Alexander's sharp green ones, "I was just- I was just looking at the cover," He gestured to the thick leathered, hand-sized book on the table, "It's... different." Elijah concluded.
Alexander grinned, though there was something ominous about it that had Elijah rubbing his clammy palms against Alexander's night trousers- the ones Elijah was wearing. The taller man stepped towards Elijah, who glanced to the side and pushed himself against the edge of the bedside table.
Just as he was about to move away, Alexander caged Elijah against the table, leaning down so that he was at eye level with him.
They shared a silence with nothing but two pairs of eyes staring into each other's. Elijah watched as a droplet of water fell from a strand of Alexander's darkened damp hair and travelled down his cheek to dip under his jaw and along his neck.
More droplets cascaded down his throat, along his collarbones and further down his chest, curving into every corner of-
"As I said," Alexander spoke calmly, eyes gleaming as he reached behind Elijah and picked up the book, waving it into Elijah's face, "Interesting, isn't it?"
Elijah blinked rapidly, feeling as if his heart was about to burst out his chest and run away down the hall, leaving his dying corpse in the hands of Alexander.
He gave a simple nod, staring wide-eyed at the darkened pupils opposite him.
Alexander tilted his head, gaze suddenly dropping forebodingly. He spoke in a deep murmur, hot, fresh minty breath grazing Elijah's lips, "But for your own sake, and mine," Alexander spoke in a way that had Elijah holding his own breath so he could hear him properly, "Please don't touch anything around in this house that looks like it's not meant to be... touched."
The hem of Elijah's night shirt was lifted an inch, and the feeling of fingertips drawing circles on Elijah's hip became present as he flinched, throat bobbing when he swallowed evidently.
Alexander leaned close to his ear, tracing the outer skin with his lips, "Especially ones with a skull imbedded into it. Because if you do, you must be prepared for the consequences." Elijah shuddered, leaning his head into Alexander's lips to try get away from the ticklish feeling. The hand crawled up Elijah's side, giving a small squeeze, "Curiosity is only useful for harmless things. I do not want to be the one to deal with the outcome of your actions. You understand this, right?"
Elijah nodded, breathless. "I do."
No, Elijah didn't.
"Good," Came the breathy whisper and Alexander landed a gentle pat on his hip, "Now get to bed, it's late and you have a lecture tomorrow."
"So do you," Elijah shot back, recovering from the flustered state, "To teach."
"I'm not-" Alexander paused, before looking like he realised something, "You're right. I do."
Elijah climbed back into the sheets and pulled the cover snug up to his chin, closing his eyes.
When he didn't feel Alexander moving, he peeked his eyes open and glanced to the side, only to see him staring down at the black leathered book with a distant, unreadable expression.
"Well? Come on then," Elijah shuffled over to the other side to make space for Alexander and he patted the pillow, "I got six hours to sleep, you only have four."
Alexander turned to look at Elijah and tilted his head. He stepped to the bed and leaned over the edge, his face inches away from Elijah's yet again and raised his eyebrows with a smirk.
"Darling," Alexander looked down at himself. His unclothed, bare self and looked back at Elijah who seemed to realise something and blazed a shade darker, "If you want me to, I can."
Elijah opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out so he closed it again and simply stared up at him with wide eyes. Alexander let out an amused laugh and he stood, teasingly holding the top of the towel that covered his hips and... downwards. He slowly undid the hold, but still kept himself covered.
"But I must say, you'll be very tired in the morning." Alexander grinned, suddenly reminding Elijah of a hungry animal.
Something erupted in Elijah's lower abdomen and he spluttered, flushing badly.
"G-Get changed you animal!" Elijah yelled, flinging a pillow at Alexander and spinning around to face his back to him.
He heard Alexander's laughter ring out around the room and then the feeling of fingers in his hair, caressing his scalp. "You just sleep. You'll regret staying up in the morning- And you need to drive, so sleep."
"You need to teach..." Elijah mumbled, eyes drooping at the slow massaging.
"... Yes," Came the quiet response after a moment, "I do..."
Soon enough, Elijah was drifting to sleep. He heard Alexander mutter something that wasn't as coherent in his mind, due to the heavy sleep that was slowly enveloping him.
"How much longer will I have to do this shit for..." Elijah payed no mind and let himself fall into darkness.
[ . . . ]
Ryland sat on his bed, contemplating his older brother's words.
The faint sound of the shower turning off didn't settle in his mind, nor did the opening of his bathroom door.
The sixteen-year-old was too focused on him being... kicked out?
Yeah, kicked out of the one thing he felt apart of.
All because of one stupid mistake. He knew his father was over protective of him, but sometimes he wished that he was treated the same as Ray.
Sometimes he wanted to be the oldest in the household, be given the responsibilities, be the one who never made mistakes, be the one who always, for some reason, knew what to do.
Like Ray.
Though Ryland didn't know, and never will try to know, how hard it really was, being the eldest one with expectations.
After all, everyone wanted what they didn't have.
"Ryland?"
The boy snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head to see James standing next to him, who smelt strongly of his shampoo.
"You're done?" Ryland sighed, looking at his night clothes on James, "They fit you better. Keep them."
James ignored this and looked down.
He didn't even need a shower, he just went into the bathroom because he didn't know how to comfort a crying person.
No, he did. He knew how to comfort a person- after all, he had his mother and brother his entire life and learnt from them while also comforting his sister. The problem was, he didn't know how with Ryland. Especially since he didn't know why the boy was crying.
James fiddled with the sleeves as he peered up at the other boy, who was again, staring into a trance. A small drop of sympathy suddenly turned into a flood at the state of Ryland- James had never seen him like this, ever. He was either always happy, dumb, or violent.
He has never seen Ryland quiet, with a pensive expression on his face.
James shoved Killian to the back of his mind whilst showering and was only focused on what had made Ryland this out of character.
He convinced himself that it wasn't that he cared about Ryland, but that he didn't want to share a room with a morose classmate.
Arm involuntarily jerking up and gently landing on Ryland's shoulder, James connected his light gray eyes to Ryland's icy blue ones. They were surrounded with a faint red and his eyelids and under eyes were puffed.
"Are you okay?"
Did he look okay? No. So what was the point of answering? Nada.
Ryland didn't know why, but that question gave a twinge of agitation.
"Peachy." Ryland deadpanned, staring up at James and saying nothing more.
... Maybe James should have thought of something better to ask. He dropped his arm and awkwardly lowered himself next to Ryland on the bed, "What... happened?"
He felt Ryland pause, before he turned to James and looked him dead in the eye. No sign of mirth of bluff was evident as he spoke evenly, "I was apart of a big gang called The Black Skulls and I just got kicked out because I got into that fight today, even though I technically had the upper hand."
Until you banged your head against the wall.
Ryland thought bitterly.
James stopped and stared, wide-eyed at his older classmate, before breaking out into laughter.
He couldn't help it. That was the most ridiculous thing he's heard!
Ryland continued to look at the laughing boy next to him with an emotionless expression.
The pure laughter was like music to Ryland's ears and he found himself not minding the sound; In fact, he wanted it to carry on.
But he did mind the situation.
Thought so. So don't ask me what happened if you won't even believe me.
Though Ryland was fairly naïve at times, he knew things. And he knew that James would never have believed that, so he decided to just tell him.
Because it felt like he could tell someone the truth without getting him and everyone else into worse situations. Because no one would believe that he was apart of a mafia, would they?
Ryland got up and stood in front of James who immediately ceased his laughing and looked up at Ryland cautiously. He spoke softly, "Sorry. It's just- If you don't want to tell me the reason, you don't have to make something up."
A sudden anger flared in Ryland.
Did he always easily get this angry?
He knew James meant no malice in that, however it still made Ryland twitch in annoyance.
Never has he ever gotten vexed at James like that. What was happening to him?
"It's late, get in bed." With that, Ryland turned and stalked to the bathroom, fists clenched in irritation.
James stood up, "Where are you going? Did I make you upset? Ryland!"
"To fucking shower!" The irked boy gritted out.
"You already-" The bathroom door slammed behind Ryland and James let his shoulders fall, guilt suddenly biting at him, "... showered..."
James frowned, eyes still lingering at the slammed shut door as he lifted his feet to sit cross-legged on the bed.
He let his thoughts bug him. James stared at the swirl-patterned carpet decorating the floor and thought back to today's previous events.
Killian had gotten out of juvie.
That one thought rang through James's mind like an annoying caller who didn't get the message that no one wanted to answer.
And that one thought definitely reminded James of an unwanted caller, however the ring wasn't annoying but more... nerve-wrecking.
He was suddenly reminded of the day and everything that happened that day.
Flashbacks overlapped the single thought and James felt his heart collectively begin to hammer more demandingly.
[ Flashback ]
James was walking through the halls with Madison, who was chatting away without realising that the boy was too distracted to listen to her.
Isaac hadn't shown up today.
Killian's words from the last two weeks was still stuck in James's brain and wasn't leaving. Especially now since Isaac wasn't in. He had tried calling the boy, but the phone immediately went flat.
It was as if Killian was waiting for James to forget about what he said. Scheming from the shadows.
They went into class, Isaac still in James's mind.
Madison opened the door and the sound of muffled laughter became more clearer. James looked up, eyes landing on the group of boys in the corner of the classroom. In the middle, was a fair-skinned boy with midnight black hair and ice-blue eyes.
James watched as the familiar boy laughed, coloured lips pulling back to show a display of white teeth with sharp canines, and one dimple on his right cheek .
The group of boys around him seemed to be laughing with him, saying small comments to make the centered boy fling his head back and fist-bump his friends. James watched on, with something close to admiration at how vibrant the boy seemed to shine.
James never admitted it, but he was very wary of the boy.
There was nothing wrong with him, but his presence was very heavy. He was the root of attention, where all girls- and boys- turned their heads when the tall boy walked the halls, wearing a brilliant grin with his hands pocketed lazily, winking off to any girl that seemed to catch his eye.
They all grew up with each other, starting since nursery, but this boy had joined two years ago in year 5.
They were all in year 7 now. Secondary.
And then there was James, who no one payed much attention to apart from some classmates who got to know him over the years, like Isaac, Madison, Chase... Killian.
So James mainly avoided him, because-
"Oh, what about James?" One of the friends around the eye-catching boy suggested to whatever conversation they were having.
"Who's James?" He asked and turned his head once the same friend pointed to James, who was standing in the doorway, frozen. The boy's light eyes landed on James and he ran his eyes down him, before turning back to his friends, genuinely curious, "Is he new?"
... That was why.
The group of boys sniggered, thinking he meant it as an insult.
"He's friend's with Isaac." Came another boy's response.
"Oh," He said, "Where is Isaac, he hasn't called or picked up my calls."
"What the hell?" James looked down at the female voice next to him. Madison was glaring at the group of boys heatedly, "James started this combined school way before you! He was here since nursery, you only joined two years ago and you strut like you own the place!"
A low 'ooh' filled the classroom and the centered boy moved his gaze to the blonde girl, tilting his head with furrowed eyebrows, "Who are you again?"
"Ryland!" Another female voice called from the opposite side of the classroom. James turned and saw an East Asian classmate that was here as long as James could remember, glaring at Ryland while being surrounded by most the girls in the class, "Shut up! Stop trying to start nonsense with classmates! You know James and Maddie, they're in our form!"
She was, James always privately admitted, beautiful.
Her long sleek hair was always flowing past her clear, smooth skin and fell to her mid-back. Dark eyes that matched her hair were held with kindness and was displayed with long lashes. She always wore a smile too, with her rosy lips exposing a boxy smile.
Her name was Jiyeon. Kim Jiyeon.
And she too, was well-known in this school. You would catch all genders- mostly girls, surprisingly- looking her way and admiring her from any angle.
You may be surprised, but despite Ryland and Jiyeon being the most popular ones in the year, they didn't exactly like each other.
"Fucking hell, chill Ji. I just never seen them," Ryland grumbled, folding his hands behind his head and looking past James at someone. A grin bore his face and he shot his hand up in a wave, "Yo! Killian!"
Shivers erupted James's skin at the name, making goosebumps fly down his body and his hair stand on end. He slowly turned and craned his neck up to see Killian looming down at him, eyes blown wide open, crazily.
James froze, fear gripping his heart.
Craning his neck down, Killian stared at James, eye to eye and whispered gravely so no one could hear, "Come to the leisure center after school. The shower room." James stayed silent, words dying before they were even formed in his mind. Killian grinned, scaring the smaller boy, "If you don't, you'll miss the surprise. And trust me, you don't want to miss it."
He left and went to Ryland's table, sitting down next to him, leaving James standing there with unnoticeable trembles in his shoulders.
The school day seemed to pass by slowly, but the end of it eventually came.
Daylight was now gone: England's February Winter dark came as soon as school ended.
The street lights were on and illuminated the main streets as James slowly made his way to the leisure center, shivers wrecking his body, not only because of the cold, but because of his nerves.
It was February the 13th, roughly two weeks after his birthday.
And it was also a Friday.
Friday the 13th.
James felt like going back, just to go home and wrap himself in his older brother's arms. But something told him that this whole thing had Isaac involved and had something to do with his absence.
The wailing of an ambulance and police sirens zoomed past James, snapping him upright.
Right now?
He looked ahead, wondering where they were headed to at this time.
A crime hadn't happened in weeks around here, so the ringing of sirens became quite abrupt.
But...
A sudden understanding dawned on James and he blanked, mind switching off as he watched the red and blue lights flare in the dark distance.
They were headed on the same route to the leisure center.
Before he realised, James's legs were moving on their own and he was sprinting towards the place, breath heavy in his lungs.
He begged, pleaded for his gut-feeling to be wrong.
His legs ached- He didn't stop until he finally got to the place, arriving minutes after the police. James's lungs demanded air, but he didn't care. He didn't care one bit.
There, being led out by police, was Killian in handcuffs, blood smeared across his clothes and face.
He looked up, eyes connecting with James's teary ones and he parted his lips to let out a heavy sigh. The larger, built boy surveyed James's panicked state and moved his eyes away to look behind; James's eyes followed.
A soft ringing noise filled his ears.
There, he saw a stretcher being pulled out from the doors with a limp body on it. A bloodied hand was dangling from the side and James held his breath, dread filling him as he tried getting a glimpse of the face.
The siren's lights shone onto the person's face.
James's blood ran ice.
Along with his whole body as it stood, comprehending the face he just saw.
The people who were holding the stretcher, stopped it and James watched with hopeless eyes as they lifted the folded sheet that covered the person's body and layed it over their face.
The signal that the injured was now deceased.
Heart clenching with an emotion he had never felt before, James's gasped for air, legs fumbling to try stay upright.
He didn't realise it, but he was already heaving for oxygen the moment he arrived.
James felt himself shaking his head, "No, no."
Blood was dripping to the floor from the fingers and was soaking the top of the white sheet near the head. James heaved a sob, stumbling forward, but was held back by officers, "No, Isaac, no!"
He pushed forward with outstretched arms, desperate.
"NO! Officer please! He- He's my friend I- I-" James sobbed, legs giving out under him and he laid shaking in the arms of two officers, who were trying to comfort him. He hung in their arms, his weight being too much for his knees to hold, "Please, please, please. O-Officer please! I need- I need to see him! Just to be sure!"
"I'm sorry kid, it's against the policy-"
"James?!"
James turned to the voice and through a blurry vision, he saw a tall figure in a heavy black coat, surging towards him with the coat's end flowing out. James felt his shoulders be grabbed and the face became more clearer through his tears. Elijah's father stared down at the boy, worry lacing his gaze, "James, what are you doing here? Why aren't you at home with your mother?"
The boy broke, reaching towards him ,"Un-Uncle Joshua, my friend- that's my friend. I-" James coughed, his tongue feeling heavy and fat in his mouth, "I need to see."
James's eyes were burning with tears and his cheeks, nose, neck, under-eyes were flushed red with how much crying he's managed to do.
Joshua paused, looking down at the sobbing wreck, before nodding and showing the two police officers his detective ID badge, "Detective Constable, this young man is with me."
They were let through and James staggered to the stretcher that held the body: He was about to be held back by the forensics, but seeing Joshua's position and wave of the hand, they retreated their hands, slowly lifting the sheet over the face.
"Please, please," James sobbed.
Maybe the lights were tricking him? Maybe he saw wrong.
They pulled the sheet back and the red and blue lights flashed onto the face, illuminating the bloodied appearance.
There it was.
It was confirmed. James saw right.
He heard someone screaming and it took him mere seconds to realise it was coming from his own mouth.
James fell to his knees, hands clinging onto the edge as he wept, "NO!"
The arm dripping with fresh blood was next to his face and he shakily grabbed the hand, squeezing it tightly.
The hand was cold. So cold, in James's trembling hold.
So, so cold.
He refused to believe it.
James vigorously shook the limp arm, throat sore from the crying and screaming, "No! Isaac stop it! You're- You're not-"
He couldn't say it.
He couldn't say that Isaac wasn't dead.
"No, no." James let go of the hand and watched it swing deadly.
Tracing his eyes back up to Isaac's face, he saw the amount of blood on the side of the face; It looked like he was hit with something heavy.
"No," James whispered, throat contracting painfully. A sudden anger fueled his veins and he slowly turned back to look at Killian, who was sitting on the edge of the ambulance and was surrounded by three officers.
James stood up and looked down at Isaac's face. Leaning down, he pressed his forehead against Isaac's blood-covered one, not caring if he now had his blood smeared on his forehead.
Two drops of tears fell on Isaac's peacefully resting face as James squeezed his eyes shut. After a few moments, James turned away and walked, his only line of focus on Killian, the one who was the cause of all this.
His steps became faster and he was soon standing in front Killian his fist raised high.
He sent it crashing down against Killian's cheek, but the bulky boy's face didn't move an inch. James ignored the searing pain in his own fingers and grabbed him by the collar that had spits of blood on it.
"YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!" James yelled, the anger flaring throughout his body making adrenaline pump his veins with renewed energy as he tried to shake the sturdy boy, "WHY?!"
Killian stayed silent, watching the officers try prying James off.
"Say something!" James demanded, voice thick. New tears brimmed his eyes once more at the silence. He sobbed, letting the tears fall, "SAY SOMETHING, YOU BASTARD!"
Finally, after having enough of simply watching the boy standing between his knees break down, Killian spoke.
"It was an accident," Killian said, voice void of any emotion, along with his face, "We got into a fight and he slipped in the showers."
James froze, shocked.
He's lying. Isaac- Isaac would never try fight Killian.
Yes, Isaac was strong. But he wasn't stupid.
"Y-You're lying," James whispered, shaking his head.
Killian stared directly eye-level with James despite him being the one seated and responded in the same tone, "He slipped, I tried catching him. The side of his head bashed on the edge of the marble walls."
James began to feel light-headed. Everything was starting to feel muffled and distant.
"You're lying!" James screamed, knees once again giving up and letting him drop to the ground in front of Killian. He sat, defeated and distraught, between Killian's knees with his fists still clenching a bunch of his collar, "Y-You're lying! You're lying!"
Killian stared down at the powerless boy, not a flicker of sympathy in his cold, dark eyes. He tilted his head sideways, keeping his cuffed hands down between his legs and resisting the urge to grab James's jaw with the intention to hurt, "How would you know? You weren't there."
James's grip loosened and he gave a heavy sob, grief tugging at his heart as he let his head hang down.
He wasn't there.
I wasn't there. I could have stopped it. But I wasn't there.
Killian needed to be punished. James wanted Killian to be punished.
But he realised that Killian was a manipulator and oh, such a good liar.
Because after all those years, James never suspected him; Even Isaac, who joined only three years ago knew Killian was suspicious quicker than him.
He could easily lie out of it, like he was doing now.
... Or maybe I'm the gullible one.
"Killian, please," James choked, looking back into the heartless black eyes with his own blood-shot teary ones. He whispered, helplessly, "I-I beg you, tell the truth. You- You killed Isaac. You did."
James needed to know, he needed to. He had to.
But the problem was that he already knew.
"Kid you can't be here- Joshua! There's a reason it's calling a bloody crime scene!" An officer yelled over his shoulder.
"A bloody crime scene? Now isn't the time for puns, David," Grumbled Joshua, leaving the officer staring after him with an unimpressed expression. "James? Come on, I'll send someone to take you home."
James shook, gasping for air as he looked up at Killian through his lashes. The other stared at him for a moment, before leaning down to the exhausted boy.
From an outside point of view, it looked like Killian was trying to hug the shivering boy, but for James, it wasn't.
James heard Killian's lips pull up into a grin next to his ear as he whispered lowly, "Happy belated fucking Birthday gift, James."
[ Present ]
Killian was given five years in Juvenile Prison for man-slaughter.
So why on Earth was he out when he only served four?
It was one more year, one more year. They could have waited just one more year.
But no, he was out and very much free. Wandering the streets after dusk like he always had.
And was going to be attending the same school he did before: James's and Ryland's.
One more year and James would have been out of school, done with his exams and onto a different sixth form or college where he would never have to see Killian again.
But clearly, the world wasn't being nice to anyone at the moment. Nor was it being fair.
"-ames. James?"
James looked up into the icy coloured eyes that stared down at him from above.
"Why are you crying now?" Ryland asked, slight panic edging into his tone, "You didn't make me upset! I'm just very sensitive right now because-"
James didn't realise the tears slipping down his face and he hastily shot up, cutting Ryland off quickly while wiping his cheeks, "No, no. I'm fine I was just- just thinking about today." He sniffed, looking back at the doubting boy, "Why? I thought you were gone to shower."
"Yeah, I already showered but didn't brush my teeth. And you haven't either so," Ryland shrugged, dropping his shoulders, "Might as well just brush our teeth together. Saves time."
James was about to agree, but then realised something and turned to Ryland with a suspiciously raised eyebrow, "Did you check my toothbrush to see if it was wet? How do you know I didn't brush my teeth?"
Ryland blinked, before screwing his face in shock.
Or embarrassment. James couldn't tell.
"What? No!" Ryland protested, ears burning red at the tip. He quickly wore a frown and snapped, "Your breath just stinks!"
James stared, jaw dropping.
Yes, he was offended.
"No it doesn't!" James snapped right back, shoving Ryland's shoulder and marching to the bathroom.
However he did quickly check if his breath stank by breathing into his hand and sniffing.
James rolled his eyes.
What a liar.
About to turn around and confront the fib, James felt Ryland's shoulder brush past him into the bathroom and to the sink. He watched as Ryland picked up his own toothbrush and wet the bristles before squeezing a small amount of toothpaste onto the top.
He paused, deciding to not say anything and simply picked up his own toothbrush, doing the exact same.
They began brushing their teeth in silence, giving an occasion glance at each other through the wide mirror above the sink.
Ryland spit out the foamy paste and slid his eyes over an inch to look at James through the mirror. He lowered his gaze to his mouth.
Or more precisely, the movement of James's hand.
Eyes glittering like an icicle in sunlight, Ryland paused his own movements and watched the white toothpaste foam fill James's mouth, clinging to the corners and slightly dripping down.
If James looked at Ryland, he would have seen the slow bop of the Adam's apple and fixated stare on his lips.
The lips that were coated in thick white foam.
Ever so discreetly, Ryland withdrew his eyes and stared at himself in the mirror, seeing his own lips quite clean compared to James's.
And he looked back, but this time not through the mirror. Instead, Ryland turned his head sideways, staring down at James's side profile.
And again, the movement James's closed hand made while moving the toothbrush in and out of his mouth.
To brush his teeth, of course.
James seemed to notice Ryland's heated stare as he also turned, pausing the movements to look back up at him.
He blinked, and gave a confused squint as a question.
It went ignored.
But what made James jolt in surprise was Ryland lifting his hand to grab his jaw and tilt it up.
He made a noise, afraid of speaking in case the toothpaste came dribbling out his mouth. "Ung?"
The fingers dug into James's jaw and he squirmed, unable to say it hurt. However Ryland didn't seem to take notice of how hard he was gripping James: His only focus was on his mouth.
But the hold was getting tighter, making James squirm in discomfort. He quickly tapped Ryland's arm, trying to speak through his mouthful of toothpaste foam, "Wyland, I neet to shpit."
Ryland's unfocused look snapped to James's anticipating ones and he paused, mumbling lowly, "You're so... messy."
With that, Ryland let go and quickly washed his brush before stalking out the bathroom, leaving James staring after him, slightly confused.
He spit out the foam, scoffing and glaring into the mirror, "You say I'm messy and yet don't let me spit. Make it make sense."
After grumbling to himself a bit more and wiping his mouth dry, James went out and saw Ryland flop into bed with his legs spread comfortably and his arm tucked under his head.
He watched as Ryland lazily flung his other arm over his stomach and shuffle into the covers even more.
Resisting a roll of his eyes, James walked to the bed and got in too. This followed with Ryland immediately switching the lights off with a small button next to the bed posts.
Silence overcame the two teenagers.
James was still on the edge of the large bed, respectfully putting space between them two; Ryland was sprawled across his side, more to the middle.
After all, it is his own bed.
The boy who layed as stiff as a log, closed his eyes and fidgeted with his fingers, willing his own body to stop feeling uncomfortable and relax into it's position.
But then after a few moments of silence, James heard from his side ever so quietly, the faint noise of sniffling.
And that's what made his eyes shoot open- though the lack of light made James's vision just as dark as it was when he had his eyes closed.
He swallowed, bones rigid to the marrow.
Is he- Is Ryland crying?
James tried to silently turn his face towards Ryland and cursed when the friction of his hair against the pillow made a sound.
He licked his lips, parting them to speak, "R-Ryland? Are you-" James suddenly remembered how the other teenager reacted when he asked him if he's okay and decided to change his question.
"Are you crying?"
Well done James. A round of applause for that well-thought question.
"Go to sleep," Came the muffled response from beside him.
If James could facepalm without moving, he would have at how stupid his question had been yet again.
Well, what can you expect from an awkward teen who doesn't know how to act when someone he's cautious around is crying?
Especially when the person he's cautious around walks around school, well-known, with a charming grin on his lips.
"... When I cry at night, my brother always holds me in bed till I fall asleep." He didn't know why he told Ryland that, but James did.
Ryland scoffed, sniffing, "At your big age?"
If there was light, Ryland would have seen the glower James sent him, "And your brother doesn't anymore?"
There was a small silence before he received a quiet response.
"He never did."
The room suddenly felt empty and cold at the dull quietness that fell upon the two.
Awkward.
James squeezed his eyes shut, cursing his incapability of comforting.
No, it wasn't that he was bad at comforting. It was just Ryland.
"It's- It's nice when-" James fumbled with his words, suddenly internally panicking, "When someone hugs you to sleep."
Fucking hell, I should stop talking.
"Yeah," Ryland's voice wobbled slightly, "Yeah, probably is."
Again, there was a pause.
James was about to speak again- most likely something that would have made the situation worse- but he heard Ryland shuffle in his position before speaking.
"Go to sleep James, we got school tomorrow and we're only going to have five hours of sleep," Ryland mumbled.
"Technically, we have school today," James muttered quietly, but was met with a silence.
Of course, Ryland wasn't asleep.
Because James could still hear the shaky aftermath breathing of sobbing and the small sharp gasps of trying to cry silently.
James has been there and done that, but somehow Noah had always come despite him muffling himself against the pillow.
Damn, my pillow been through it all, huh.
The fact that Ryland had never felt the comfort of being hugged to sleep while crying lingered at the front of James's mind.
He tried to wipe it from his thoughts, but it was harder to not think about it than to think about it.
James could still hear him; Sympathy and guilt for mentioning his brother flooded him.
Slowly, he reached out, but paused and quickly withdrew his hand.
No, I can't do that.
The bickering in his brain began as James debated his actions.
After a few minutes, he reached a conclusion.
Keeping his arm by his side, James closed his eyes and turned his head away from the middle.
I can't do that. I won't.
A quiet, shaky exhale broke its way to James ears and he slowly opened his eyes, turning his head back to his right where Ryland was laying.
Again, James felt bad for the other boy's situation.
James knew, that he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep.
He's going to be awake for at least another hour.
He reached his right arm out and discreetly edged forward, fingers still reaching out.
James's fingers grazed soft fabric, making his breath hitch in his throat.
It was Ryland's back, he had faced away from James while he was shuffling before.
It's... It's not a big deal. Like Jiyeon said, there's nothing wrong with sleeping in the same bed.
James shuffled forward: He could tell his face was right in front of Ryland's head, because the breathing had become more louder.
I'm just comforting him. Like Noah does to me.
And he lifted his arm, hesitantly sliding it over Ryland's shoulder and moving his body closer.
The body froze, shoulders hunching up stiffly as the arm pulled him near.
Well, James tried pulling Ryland closer but really ended up pulling himself to him.
James swallowed, heart thumping heavily in his ribcage.
He was so sure that Ryland could feel it considering his chest was to his back.
Remembering the silly excuse Ryland told him about being kicked out of a gang, James decided to flow with it and he spoke gently, nerves getting the best of him, "I-I don't know why you got kicked out, but uhm, if it really is because of the fight..."
He let out a shaky exhale at the rigid body in front of him, "I'm sorry for distracting you. I know me banging my head distracted you and... as for getting kicked out..."
I feel silly talking about something that isn't even true.
James believed the part where Ryland got in trouble for fighting, not the part where he got kicked out of a big shot mafia.
"I'm sure they'll want you back. I saw you fight, it's scary." James smiled and gave a short laugh but stopped when he heard no response.
He really considered just letting go and returning to his edge of the bed.
"You- You can easily prove that you uh, you're worthy of being apart of... a gang," He finished lamely.
Again, James received no reaction or movement apart from the same stone-like stillness of Ryland's body.
Regret of his actions flushed James as his body flared hotly in embarrassment.
I shouldn't have done this.
He felt Ryland twitch but thought it was a figment of his imagination and decided he was going to move away from him.
However just as he was about to, he felt Ryland turn in his hold.
He shuffled in the sheets and James felt Ryland's arm slither around his thin waist; James was pulled close, emitting a small squeak of surprise from him at the sudden change.
Following this, James then felt something press into his chest and realised fairly quickly, that it was Ryland's face nuzzling into his night shirt.
Now it was James's turn to be stiff.
He can definitely feel my heart beating now- maybe he can hear it too.
Because close enough, the blood-pumping organ in James's chest was working so rapidly, James thought it might rip out his body and decide to pump Ryland's blood too.
He felt a sigh tickle his chest before he heard it and he flinched, an involuntary smile appearing on his face at the ticklish sensation.
"Why are you apologising for bumping your head? I'm the one who pushed you," Ryland mumbled and nuzzled his face even more into James's chest, "Don't apologise for something that isn't your fault."
"Ryland stop- stop talking," James giggled, squirming away from Ryland's chest, "It tickles."
"What tickles?" Ryland asked lazily, still speaking into James's chest obliviously.
James shrieked, trying to move away but Ryland's grip held him in place, "That! Stop it!"
"What?" Ryland looked up at James with a mischievous grin and pressed his mouth closer to the clothed chest in front of him, "This?"
"S-Stop!" Came the giggle from above, making a laugh of his own echo from Ryland, "Stop laughing too! Ryland! You're doing it on purpose now!"
Ryland moved his face away before laughing up at James with a glint in his eyes that even in the dark, James could see. "Okay, Okay! You caught me."
Without even realising, James's muscles weren't stiff and were in fact, soft in comfort.
He noticed that he was never this comfortable before.
Except from when he was with Noah and May.
But apart from that, James was no longer rigid in Ryland's arms and he relaxed himself, feeling the weight of Ryland's arm around his waist and the warmth of his breath against his chest.
The heaviness of Ryland's head on James's bicep was oddly snug instead of achingly painful and the feeling of his hair tangled in James's other hand's fingers was soft and comfy.
Their legs- James's feet only just about grazed Ryland's shins- were in a tangled mess below and James smiled.
He came to realise that he enjoyed the touch.
Ryland however, having never hugged someone like this before, was beyond content.
"You're right, it does feel nice," muttered Ryland, coating himself in James's scent and warmth.
He hummed, smiling, "You smell like nothing."
"Because I'm wearing your clothes, idiot," James laughed lightly, a smile of his own coming to his lips, "Your scent will smell like nothing to you."
"Really?" Ryland looked up and James felt his hair tickle his neck, "So what do I smell like to you?"
James paused, considering the question and took a deep breath through his nose before answering, "Body oils, hair oils and perfume."
Ryland blinked, "Those are products."
James shrugged, unconsciously leaning his nose to Ryland's hair and murmuring, "Well, it smells nice."
He felt the arms around him tighten and Ryland lean back into his torso, "That's good."
They fell silent; This time it wasn't awkward or tense, but comfortable and cosy.
A few moments passed and they both sighed, beyond tired due to today's incidents.
Without each other's knowledge, both were planning on talking about today. But alas, both were too exhausted.
"Goodnight James," Ryland mumbled, yawning.
James closed his eyes, feeling Ryland's heavy breath on his clothed chest.
He yawned, "Goodnight."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A/N: LOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL I FED YOU GUYS SOME JYLAND AND ELIXANDER THERE YOU GO 😭😭
Seeing as Noah and Ray went to sleep, I thought why not show their sides?
Starting from next chapter, I'm going to get the actual story more involved now, so Noah, Elijah and Pri gonna have some investigating to do 🧐
Also, I think I've made Jyland a bit too likeable.... 🤔