Twenty minutes later, everybody sat around the kitchen table for lunch.
Everybody except two were participating a cosy conversation. Naomi brought greetings to Dan and Aldo from Trina's parents, who had met only the latter but heard much of Dan as well.
Dan put all his efforts to keep calm and eat his lunch. He was hungry and wanted to appreciate Trina for cooking to him and Aldo, and as he wasn't yet confident enough to speak, this was his way for now.
When Aldo had taken Dan back upstairs to calm down after his confusing and overwhelming moment with Jared, he asked what just happened.
Dan didn't know anything himself, so he just told his brother it was nothing, and Aldo decided to shrug it off knowing he would tell him if it was something to worry about.
But it definitely wasn't just nothing.
From the second he had lifted his head and seen first Jared's smile and eyes and face, the yet stranger had been stuck in his mind.
And that, scared him more than very much. He got anxious being confused and not know what is going on with him or around him.
Now at the table, Dan was avoiding all eye contact with any cost again. The problem was, he had difficulties not to look at Niall's brother, who sat almost opposite to him.
But when he and Aldo had come back downstairs just moments ago and he had done that mistake, because he wanted to greet him properly and apologise, Jared had had an angry looking frown and expression at him.
Even right now, Dan could feel his eyes on him once in a while. Had he offended him by his reaction, or what had he done to make him angry at him already?
He was very sad of somebody being angry at him, especially Jared for some reason he didn't understand. He wished he would soon, this was very uncomfortable and didn't help things at all.
Dan sat at one end of the table, Aldo next to him on the right, so that he wouldn't feel surrounded.
His silence was expected and natural, but Jared's silence most of the time was noticed. Nobody remarked about it though.
After the meal, Niall and his dad and brother went to the living room to watch TV, and Trina washed the dishes. Dan found this the best opportunity to make a move.
With one significant look at Aldo next to him, his brother knew what he wanted to do. His simple encouraging smile gave Dan the courage he needed.
They went as close to Trina as Dan was okay with, and being extremely nervous he took a deep breath to be able to speak.
"Trina?" he said, quieter than he had meant to but she heard it.
"Yes, dear?" she smiled with raised eyebrows, her expression and voice filled with surprise and delight.
"T-thank you, so much f-for letting us, be h-here" he said, blushing visibly right in the start for stuttering, but managed to carry on until the end.
"Of course, you're both always welcome here and we're glad to help and have you here" Trina said warmly, just wanting to give both brothers a long, motherly hug but stood still trying to hide her excitement not to startle Dan. "I'm very proud of both of you, you definitely don't deserve what you're going through but we're supporting you as much as we can and things tend to turn alright."
Both gave her a grateful smile. Those words from her meant and comforted more than she knew.
Dan noticed with the smile, that he had begun to not feel so cautious with Trina. She was such a warm and kind person, it showed in her expressions and he could feel it.
Just as Dan was about to smile more freely just for that realisation, there came a clatter from the living room.
It wasn't significantly loud, but it pierced through and tensed whole Dan's body and freezing his breath immediately.
Aldo and Trina both glanced at each other alarmed and he was the next second right beside him, taking Dan's hands into his tightly so he would focus on him.
Trina dried her hands quickly with a towel and hurried to the living room to see what had happened.
It was only a broken glass making the noise, knocked down to the floor when Niall and Jared had got into a play fight like they more than often did.
"Boys, stay calm and be more careful now, okay?" Trina said in a hushed, firm voice.
"Why?" Jared asked, this was normal for them and it was just a glass.
Trina just nodded towards the kitchen where the other brother duo was.
Niall looked immediately guilty and Liron and Naomi concerned.
But Jared, he frowned again and looked angry.
"What, so now we can't do anything normal or be at home, huh?" he snapped, stunning his family and Aldo, who was listening while convincing his panicking brother that everything was alright.
Jared stood up quickly from the couch, stopped for few seconds to glare at Dan and Aldo while passing, mostly Dan, and stomped upstairs to his room, slamming the door shut.
The noises and Jared's sudden actions, words and glare were too much.
Dan was shaking uncontrollably, tears of panic escaped his eyes and his legs didn't carry him anymore so he sunk to the floor, Aldo helping him do it smoothly but not having enough strength to prevent it.
"Come with me" Trina said eventually to her husband and daughter, when she got her tongue back.
They went quietly upstairs too, leaving Aldo and Dan alone, and to have a talk with Jared.
That was unexpected and unacceptable behaviour and he had to explain himself, what that was about. It wasn't like him, even if he had a temper.
He had been told about Dan and had seemed alright with it, what has changed?
Aldo was remained by his brother's side to get him convinced they were alright and safe to calm him down, but he was struggling himself.
Really he just wanted to go after Jared and strangle him for scaring his brother like this, then demand a damn good explanation.
When Dan managed to calm down eventually with his help like always, he let out as much of tension as possible with a deep exhale and inhale.
The downstairs being quiet and empty helped, but he was still not over it.
Even in his state, he had heard Jared's words and noticed his glare at him.
And Dan wouldn't be over it or okay, until he was okay with him. He didn't want to intrude or be any bother, and for some reason Jared's opinion mattered.
His attack passed, and then Aldo took him upstairs to their room.
Aldo stayed and made sure the panic attack really had passed and he would be calm enough. Then, he really needed to get away for a moment.
Anger circled in his chest, but he would never do anything with his brother in the same room. He was very protective over him with everybody, he really needed to get to Jared.
So when Dan assured him he was okay, he told him he was going to the bathroom.
But when he had closed their room door leaving Dan to read, he headed to Niall and Jared's room.
Dan acted like reading his book until his brother had closed the door. He wouldn't have much time, he needed to act fast.
He was incredibly anxious, but being here as a bother was worse. He needed to get away from here, and something had snapped in his troubled mind.
When the way was clear, he stood up from the bed and walked to the window looking out, and reaching it, down.
His mind was blank and it was like he watched himself from the side.
He was doing something crazy and most likely something he couldn't handle, but right now he didn't care of the consequences. The guilt and knowing he was just an inconvenience were just too strong.
After checking the door was still closed and he was alone, Dan opened the window. The cold hit him immediately but he was in a state where he didn't realise he should put some shoes and more clothes on, if he went outdoors.
There were some ladders down, and as the next thing he went for them. He climbed over the window sill and reached the ladders.
He was trembling of fear and anxiety, but the pressure and feeling to go out of the way was moving him forward.
The next thing he knew, was him being just one jump away from the ground. Somehow he had managed to climb the ladders down. The distance wasn't too long, so he jumped.
He looked around and took deep breaths, forcing himself to breathe. He was already regretting this, but it had to be done. He should have taken Aldo with him, but he hadn't thought straight.
Starting to walk out of the yard, he wrapped his arms around himself subconsciously. He felt so lonely and jumpy, not having Aldo to protect him.
The surroundings were unfamiliar and every movement and noise got him more and deeper into his fear. He walked to the main road and continued, without any destination, feeling chased.
He should have stopped but his feet and over driving mind didn't obey him.
As he passed the neighbourhood, with every new place and people on their yards or in the walkway, he blocked himself out more and more and numbed his panic.
Dan had no idea how far or how long he had walked, when the cold began to get to him effectively, snapping him back to reality. There was still daylight, but not for long.
His walking began to slow down, not feeling his toes or fingers anymore, and it was spreading all over. He shivered and when he realised just how cold it was, his panic began to rise quickly again, reaching his throat.
And when he noticed he had been walking for a while and didn't know where he was, the panic stopped him. He looked around frantically, but everything looked to him as if closing in on him and surround him.
Somehow, he noticed an old looking bus stop, and his feet took him there. He didn't know what to do, he couldn't ask anybody for help.
Dan sat down on the ground, the shelter helping a little but it was still so cold, he was barely hanging on. He wrapped his arms around his knees to give himself comfort and warmth, but it wasn't much.
His face and skin was pale from the cold and current immense anxiety, and it was all too much. Too many thoughts were going on in his mind for him to handle, and he hadn't Aldo here to calm him down.
He couldn't stop his head from dropping, his forehead against his arms, hiding his face.
Desperate tears wet his cheeks, hoping his brother would find him before somebody else and he couldn't take the cold anymore consciously.
He knew Aldo had already long time ago come back to their room and found it empty.
But how far had he come, how long would it take?
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