T w e n t y o n e
"Isn't your house that way?" Sam nodded to the right, the way he and Felix had both walked a week ago and where Felix would part ways with him whenever they walked home together. Felix made a point to walk with Sam whenever he wasn't hitching a ride with Mia and Sam, and, well, Sam had no complaints having these extra moments with Felix. This time however, Felix just continued to walk straight ahead.
"Yup," Felix said simply, looking pointedly ahead, a crease in between his brows. Sam did a take, scrutinising Felix with narrowed eyes as they walked on side by side, Sam's board tucked safely under his arm.
After Felix had took off the other day from his and Ellen's argument he had showed up the next day as school, talking to Ellen and Sam as if it never happened. If Felix was going to ignore it then Sam was more than happy to follow up.
"So..." Sam wasn't sure what he was going to say, he let it trail off, hoping for Felix to elaborate on what exactly he was doing walking away from the direction of his house. But Felix didn't answer, he just fixed Sam with a look that bordered dangerously on a glower and exasperation, shaking Sam to the core. Sam was almost afraid to ask outright after that.
So they walked on, Sam trying to pick up from where they left off. Idle chatter that consisted of mostly Sam bursting out with something completely idiotic, and Felix shaking his head with a smile on his lips before calling him out.
"So, what you're saying is Frankenstein isn't Frankenstein at all?" Sam asked hesitantly, trying to get his head round where this conversation had turned and how exactly this all worked out.
"Yes," Felix confirmed, nodding while blowing out a puff of smoke. "His creator was called Frankenstein, not his monster."
Sam took that in for a second, looking blank as he searched the ground," then what was Franken- I mean, what was... uh- you know. Frankenstein that isn't Frankenstein called?"
Felix looked at him, an amused smile in his eyes, flashes of silver as bright as the moon, "he wasn't called anything. He was a monster, an abomination that didn't deserve a name," he let that sink in for a moment," at least, that's what Victor Frankenstein thought."
Sam held onto his hat for second, tugging at it for something to do. "That's... really sad actually."
Felix made a noise of agreement, taking in another drag. "Makes you think who the real monster was."
Sam nodded as if he understood, when really the conversation had took some dark path of English understanding Sam just didn't have or could wrap his head around. He liked the way Felix talked about it though, how he could see all the uses of metaphors and representation, and then there was Sam, who could barely even read texts longer than two sentences due to lack of patience and focus.
They walked into Sam's street, Felix following with his hands now deep in his pockets now that he had finished his cigarette, a small smile playing on his lips as Sam talked, using his hands too much and having to stop his board from flying across the street or whacking either boys in the face.
Felix had already been hit on the shins and pretended not to feel it while Sam carried on oblivious, although if you looked closely enough tears of pain would be forming in his eyes. Thrice.
"Oh, it's my house," Sam blinked up at his childhood home, standing there all white, a big number 9 painted red next to the white door. It stood on its own, slightly bigger than the rest of the houses in the street due to the multiple extensions Sam's parents had added in the years Sam and his brother's had grown up. There was no front garden, just a paved driveway for all three family cars to fit into, all glinting under what was left of the sun.
"Steller observation," Felix smirked and Sam glared, hitting him with his board on purpose this time which Felix caught with a huff of laughter, his ring thudding against the wood.
"Shut up, dude," Sam rolled his head, yanking his board back to his side and went to head inside. "I'll see you later then..."
Felix stared at him for a second, pale eyes matching pale skin, every Goth's wet fantasy. And Sam's. "Yeah... I guess I'll head back then."
It hit Sam like a brick. Felix had passed his route home. Felix had walked him to his house instead. Felix had wanted to spend more time with him.
It came out before he could stop it. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
The grin that spread across Felix's face was blinding, nipping any wave of regret and embarrassment right in the bud. "Absolutely."
+
It wasn't often Sam was full of good ideas, it just so happened letting in the boy of your dreams - who also so happened to look like Dracula's offspring - into your household where your family dwelled was still absolutely not one of them.
He realised this, after the love-struck haze popped like a bubble, just as he crossed his threshold, door swinging wide open with his usual boyish force, always making his presence known.
"Welcome home, loser." Pete called from the couch, buttons clicking and mashing as sounds of Mario in distress called from the TV.
"Sam, grab me a bag of Walkers, will you, "Vince greeted as always, "I'm about to whip Pete's arse."
"Yeah right."
His brother's weren't Sam's reason for concern as he gulped, looking at the back of their heads as their full attention turned to the TV once again, not one of them even glancing in Sam's direction. He glanced back at Felix whose had also been looking at Sam's brothers. He looked uncharcastically nervous, shoulders hunched and eyes wide, pupils so dilated that Sam was swimming in silver.
"Uh..." Sam coughed, "Mum doesn't like shoes in the house - "
Felix's boots were already off, placed neatly at the side, and he was standing in the middle of the hall. In his socks. Socks that had small ghosts on them. Sam's mouth hung open at them, an urge of laughter bubbling at the surface but from the look on Felix's face told him not to.
Even in the presence of his family, Felix made it sure he would still have the ability to murder him. So instead he nodded, coughing again and ducking his head as he made his way to the kitchen, beckoning Felix to follow him.
They both padded past the living room, his brothers still not looking up, and found his mother throwing ready-made pizza into the oven before turning around.
"No crisps, cakes, sweets, ice cream or any other thing you feel the need to stuff yourself with," his mother warned him as she turned round," dinner is in half an hour - oh," she noticed Felix beside Sam, eyes turning huge for a moment, looking over the bleached hair, the piercings, the chains and basically all of Felix before schooling her face into a smile Sam only saw when she was greeting her clients. He rolled his eyes. "Hello, I didn't think we had company."
"Mum," he said, getting her attention as she tore it away from Felix to him," this is Felix, he's from-"
"Oh, Felix!" She exclaimed, a real smile breaking out, recognition filling her face.
Oh no.
"We've heard all about you," she said slyly, "Sam never stops talking about you, in fact."
"Mum," he gasped at her in disbelief, ears heating up and quickly spreading.
Sam could feel Felix taking a glance at him, could feel his eyes boring into him, "is that so?" his voice was thick with amusement, the usual teasing tone lacing around at the edges, Sam just new there was a smirk on his face that always came with it. His face burned with embarrassment.
"Are you staying for dinner?" He heard his mother ask Felix, completely ignoring that her youngest son had probably been scarred for life, forced to relive this moment time and time again throughout the rest of his life, his life stained for all eterni-
"So him spacing out all the time is normal?"
"Oh yeah," his mum nodded seriously to Felix as Sam came out of his daydream. "At least he's not constantly mumbling them like he does in his sleep, even as a baby he would gurgle out complete nonsense until he could speak actual English words of the same."
Sam glared as Felix and his mother sniggered together. He could not believe not even a minute ago his mum was judging Felix for his appearance and were now teaming up against him like old friends.
At least Felix didn't seem stiff and nervous any more.
Felix caught his eye, silver eyes alight with happiness turning to glee when he noticed Sam listening in. He gave Sam a devastatingly fond smile, turning Sam into mush. "Maybe I can discover the great mind of Sam Gregson, yet."
Sam gulped, did that mean- was he indicating- by the sly, but parental look his mother was flashing him at these words Sam knew he couldn't have imagined them. Felix was going to talking about being with him when he was sleeping.
Like any well-rounded individual, Sam responded appropriately. He started to blub like a fish.
"Sam!" Vince called in form the living room, cutting Sam off from convincing his embarrassment." where's my crisps, you little turd?"
"Vincent James Gregson! I told you not ten minutes ago that you weren't having anything before dinner!" His mother marched out of the kitchen and into the living room were a yelp was heard and a clatter of controllers falling to the floor. "Go set the table, both of you, and don't let me ever call your brother that again."
"Well, he is-"
"I didn't even do anything-"
"-not fair-"
"-Injustice-"
Speechless, Sam turned to Felix and shrugged, giving out a nervous chuckle," she's a little..."
"She's brilliant," Felix grinned. "So..."
"Uh.. I could show you my room? If- if you want."
Felix glanced up from under his eyelashes, "I show you mine, you show me yours, huh?"
Sam gulped," uh, uh.. um yea- what?"
Chuckling under his breath, Felix shook his head. "Just lead the way."
a/n: so it's like 1:30am and I have work at 10 tomorrow morning and I thought it would be a good idea to start writing this an hour ago while watching Strange Magic for the 8th time and voila!
alsooo Freak has reached over 30K reads (ahhhh!) and I cannot thank you all enough for reading and voting and commenting!! Absolutely amazing. Still can't believe I'm 21 chapters more into this than what was planned initially, crazy.
also also go watch strange magic your life depends on it