Salem could tell something was off, he always could. What he hated though was that he could tell it was Levi again. It wasn't dire but Levi needed someone. Currently, most of the group was at Braxton's still. Ryan, Maddox, and Austin were still at Ryan's and Levi went home a little bit ago, but he sent a text not too long ago so they knew he was okay. Jaxson was at his house helping his mom with something, but the rest were at Braxton's. Salem was nervous, and he could tell that he needed to go see Levi. The issue was getting out without concerning the others.
"What are you thinking about there Salem?" Zeek asked, "I can smell the smoke from your brain overworking."
Salem chuckled softly, "Not much. I gotta go though. I have to do something."
"What?" Braxton asked, "Not much tends to get you away from Gabe."
"If you guys need to worry I'll make sure you know, but... I just have to go do something. I'll be safe, don't worry."
Braxton was looking at Salem and noticed the clear concern, "Keep your phone on. Ringer too."
"I will," Salem said. He kissed Gabe's head before darting out of the house. He knew that Levi wouldn't be at his house and immediately started towards the beach. All but running to get there, slowing down as the grass and dirt turned to sand and he could hear the crashing of the waves. Salem walked onto the beach and looked down the shoreline, he saw Levi sitting in the sand and just starting out towards the ocean and moon. Salem walked down the shoreline and quietly sat by Levi.
Levi didn't take his eyes off of the ocean, but he made it clear he knew Salem was there. The moonlight gleamed against his tear tracked face. "You know Levi," Salem said softly, "In the moonlight I could dare say you're attractive."
Levi smiled softly and looked towards Salem, his eyes were red. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," Salem said, "Makes your tan look nicer in a way."
Levi exhaled through his nose, a sign he did find what Salem said humorous, but couldn't really laugh at it. "Why are you here Salem? You're supposed to be at Brax's with the others."
"You needed someone," Salem said softly.
"Fuck your intuition," Levi mumbled, "I didn't ask you to be here."
"Want me to leave?"
"No."
Salem looked at Levi, "What's going on in that head of yours Levi? I can't read you."
"I wish you didn't save me Salem."
"What?"
"I know you all care about me and I have Jaxson now and I couldn't leave Jez, Seb and Kal all alone but... I wish I had died."
Salem was quiet for a moment. "Why?"
"I'm not sure."
"Levi, you have so much to live for."
"I know that Salem," Levi said, "That doesn't change the fact I want to die though... I was actually here debating drowning myself. I guess you're saving my life again Salem."
"I'll save your life for as long as you need me to Levi," Salem said, "You don't deserve to die."
"A few months ago Jaxson would disagree with that."
"Is that what this is about?" Salem asked, "Jaxson?"
"Maybe," Levi said, "We went over a year barely being able to look each other in the eye... then I said I'd do anything to be with him. Promised to stop everything and I can't even do that. I know I shouldn't have promised it. I could never leave my friends but... I did. Do you think he's mad that I won't?"
Salem shook his head, "No. Jaxson realizes now that it isn't the same. Jez, Seb and Kal are much different than what you were involved in when you and him broke up. He knows that you did get out of that. Besides, he told me that when he's around you with them he loves it more than when you two are around us."
"How do you get everyone to open up to you?" Levi asked, "Is it a spell you put on us?"
"The only spells on you guys are protection ones. I don't need you guys getting hurt if I get hexed or something," Salem said, "I don't use witchcraft to do things against other's wills. I won't even do love spells most the time unless it's between an already established couple."
"You do spells for others?"
"It's how I make my money," Salem said, "Hell, I scam a lot of them."
"Salem, when I was in the hospital that first night and you stayed there... you were more exhausted than me. Did you do something?"
"Not by choice," Salem said, "All of you are leeches. You all borrow energy a lot."
"Sorry..?"
Salem shook his head, "Don't be. I'd rather you steal my energy to help save your life than to have it but for you to have issues recovering... Honestly Adrian steals the most."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Salem said, "Gabe is a close second. He needs to figure out ways to handle his own without spending extra in small things."
"Good luck with him then," Levi said, "You're dating a human golden retriever."
Salem chuckled, "Yeah. You realize that Jaxson really does adore you right?"
"I'm sure it's a pity," Levi said, "When I begged for him back, he didn't seem to care until I was crying. Afterwards it was almost like nothing had happened. As though we picked up right from the day we broke up."
"He doesn't pity you Levi. One of us would've noticed the difference," Salem said, "I mean, Adrian is so protective of you when Jaxson was around at first I'm sure that Adrian somehow found a way to hack into his brain like it was a computer."
"I don't know why he is so protective of me," Levi said, "He knows first hand how I can be in danger."
"He cares about you," Salem said, "Adrian would lay down his life if it would keep you safe."
"He'd do that for all of us."
"So would I, and Brax, and Zeek, and Maddox and Lucas... all of us would die if it kept the others safe. Levi, we're more than friends."
"Yeah, some of them were your fuck buddies," Levi joked.
"No," Salem said, "That's not what I meant. Not to be cliche or anything, but we are family. How many teenage boys actively want to live with their friends forever?"
"How many live lives like us?"
"You have a point, but you know what I mean Levi," Salem said, "Hell me and Adrian stood in front of a loaded gun for Maddox before we ever met him. When Adrian's leg got damaged it was us to help him through it. Some of us have family, you and Braxton have amazing parents. But... we're still a family. I don't think I would be willing to keep going without you guys."
"You have Gabe."
"Gabe wasn't the person to wake me up from night terrors for years on end."
Levi sighed, "Anyone would do that."
"Gabe wasn't the person to clean the blood off my face when my father beat me."
"He would've."
"But he didn't," Salem said, "Gabe means a lot to me, but he wasn't the person to save me from myself most nights. He wasn't the one to keep me safe. He wasn't the one who fed me when my father wanted me to starve. Wanna know who did most of that Levi? Mostly you. Sure, the others too. But Levi you were always there, even when I didn't want you to be. I could wake up at night and wouldn't be surprised to see you in my room Edward Cullen style."
Levi chuckled softly, "I never broke into your house."
"No, instead you forced me to stay at yours until Adrian's accident where I switched to Braxton's house to be closer to the orphanage."
"I didn't want you hurt."
"And now I'm just repaying that favor Levi."
"There's nothing to repay," Levi said. Returning his gaze to the water and the moonbeams glinting off of it. Salem just looked at Levi, trying to figure out another angle to use to talk to him. That's when he noticed how little Levi's arms were moving. His hands were clasped together and resting in his lap. Instead of his normal flannel he would wear, he was wearing a black long sleeve shirt.
Salem sighed, "Let me see them Levi."
"See what?" Levi asked.
"Your arms."
"Why?"
"You're avoiding it," Salem said, "Just let me see how bad it is Levi. I'm not mad, I already can tell. Just let me see them." Levi was quiet as he carefully rolled up his sleeves. Levi had wrapped them up with sterile gauze which was a good sign. Salem carefully removed the gauze. Salem gently grabbed Levi's arm to look at them. The cuts along his arm were deeper than Levi would normal do. "You tried to kill yourself earlier didn't you?"
"Yeah," Levi said softly, "But then my phone went off from the group chat. And your response from my 'I'm at home don't worry' message and couldn't go through with it. So I applied pressure and ointment and wrapped them. I came here to try to clear my head. But... didn't quite work." Salem was just staring at Levi's arm, he was quiet for a while. Then Levi felt a wet drop onto his arm. "Are you crying?"
Salem didn't take his eyes off of Levi's arm, but his voice quivered as he spoke. "Levi I can't lose you."
"Salem I-"
"No Levi," Salem said looking up at Levi, "I can't lose you. I just can't."
"I didn't think you cried."
"Levi," Salem said softly, "Listen to me. I cannot lose you."
"You won't Salem."
"Really? Because that looks like you fucking tried to leave."
Levi looked at Salem silently, he knew they all cared about him. Levi knew that they would all die for him, but he didn't think anyone would cry for him. Even if he thought one of them would, it would never have been Salem. In his whole life, Levi had never seen Salem cry. Even after waking up from horrible nightmares that left him shaking and scared, he never cried. And he certainly never let his voice quiver. "I won't try it again," Levi said softly. Salem quickly pulled Levi close into a hug. It startled Levi at first but he quickly wrapped his arms around Salem too. "I've never seen you cry Salem."
"The only other time I've really cried was when I found out Gabe actually loved me."
Levi looked at Salem, "Wh-What? Me dying makes you as..."
"Levi, I care about you more than Braxton and Zeek."
"They are your childhood friends," Levi said, "What have I done to deserve being that special to you? Hell, you've slept with them Salem."
"Levi you're like my little brother," Salem said, "They are childhood friends. But you're my little brother. That's different. I don't want to just spend all day with you the way I would with them, and that's because I find you annoying sometimes. But Levi, I'd do anything for you. I'd do a lot for all of them. But I would do anything for you."
Levi smiled softly for a moment, "You want to know what's funny. I don't remember much of my life before that house fire. I mean it happened when I was four after all... I remember that my parents weren't great and that... I had an older brother. I know if I wanted to I could find his name or if he lived too. I only survived that because I was outside at the time. We lived in a trash suburb... and I was playing in the yard and I saw the fire... someone stopped me from running in there to my family. I don't even know who that was. I know they were like my age, their dad called 911... but I don't know who the kid was to hold me back... some random kid saved my life. I don't even know who."
"Who knows," Salem said, "Could've been your guardian angel."
"I don't deserve one of those."
Salem shrugged, "Everyone has one."
"Some people don't deserve one."
"Angels are good," Salem said, "But that doesn't mean they can stop bad."
"I suppose so," Levi said, "Do you find it ironic how they called us Devils, but now they've switched it up... I was thinking about it and... I think Jaxson legitimately sees me as an angel."
"Well, he always makes sure you're to his right and he's on the left," Salem said.
"And?"
"In the typical angel on one shoulder devil on the other one, the devil is on the left shoulder. Left handed people are seen to be demonic, and people believed that you could only summon demons and Satan himself with a left handed gesture," Salem said, "Jaxson knows all that. He views you as his shoulder angel in some way."
"If I'm his shoulder angel than his shoulder Devil must be despicable."
"Maybe," Salem said, "Micheal calls Braxton Angel. I've heard Shawn call Adrian it once or twice."
"They are all such good people and they view us as the angels now. But we used to be devils to them," Levi shook his head, "They are strange."
Salem looked at Levi, "You're just now realizing this?" Salem shook his head. "Also, I don't think they see us as Angel's fully. I just think saying Fallen Angel is too much work for them."
"That's a bit on the nose huh?" Levi said, "Is Lucas included in that?
"I don't know," Salem said, "I don't know how they place him. I mean, there is us as a group. But there's still that group of Us against Them. Not in a menacing way though. Just... our ideals and lives are so divided that it's natural. But Lucas... is a mess of both. Gabe said to me that Lucas said he classes himself with us when counting charges and attempts but...We've seen him class himself with them about other things."
Levi sighed, "You should get back. They'll be worried."
"Come with? You shouldn't be alone."
"You want me to get bitched at?"
"Jaxson isn't there. Neither is Ryan, Maddox or Austin. Come on Lee," Salem said, "Let them know."
"Alright," Levi said softly. Salem stood up and offered Levi a hand. Levi gently took it and Salem helped him up. Salem made sure to roll down Levi's sleeves before the two walked back to Braxton's. Salem paused outside the door for a moment to give Levi a kind smile before walking inside.
"What were you two up to?" Zeek asked.
"32," Salem said.
Braxton sighed and looked at Levi, "Really?"
"I'm fine," Levi said, "Salem already bitched me out. We talked about it. I'm okay now... really. Well for now at least."
"How?" Adrian asked.
"I tried to bleed out. Salem saved me again. With his text this time..." Levi said softly. "He showed up at a good time as well. Nearly let the riptide take me."
Shawn sighed, "You're lucky as hell Jaxson isn't here."
"I don't want him to know."
"He's your boyfriend!" Adrian said.
Levi paused, "He told me if I attempted again he'd put a bullet in his head...He considered doing it for a long time..."
"Not only is that lowkey emotional abuse," Braxton said, "Is he suicidal too?"
Levi nodded, "He wouldn't actually do it..."
"We thought the same about you."
"He didn't want me to tell," Levi said softly, he was gently scratching the palms of his hands.
"Levi, this is the kind of thing that shouldn't be a secret," Adrian said, "Not to mention I'm a bit worried about the health of your relationship if he's like that."
Levi shook his head, "It's not like that. He didn't say it to hurt me."
"You don't need to intend to hurt someone to abuse them," Salem said.
"How would you know?" Levi asked.
Salem looked at Micheal for a split second, "Experience. Levi we aren't saying that you should leave Jaxson or anything. But that's something that you and him need to talk about to someone. I don't care which one of us it is, but you two need to talk and you need someone there to babysit."
"I don't want him mad at me!" Levi said, "I don't want him to leave me again."
"He won't," Shawn said. "He might get mad, but he won't leave you Levi. You and him need to talk though because if he doesn't realize that behavior is toxic it could escalate."
"What are you saying?" Levi asked, "That he would abuse me?"
"We're not saying that," Micheal said, "But he could start doing things that are more serious. Levi we just want you and him both safe."
"He's not abusing me!" Levi was panicking, and none of them could figure out why. Usually Levi was more level headed, but he already was in a panicked state from his attempt and at first that's what they wrote it off to be.
"No one is saying he is Levi," Zeek said.
Levi wasn't listening anymore, he was in a different mind set, and that showed when he suddenly blurted out something none of them thought they would hear. "He only did it once!"
"Only did what once?" Braxton asked.
"It was my fault, I pissed him off and scared him by trying to pull him into the water and he got mad but it wasn't his fault and it only happened once and he apologized immediately!"
"What did he do Levi?" Zeek quietly asked.
Levi was crying, "He hit me..."
"He hit you?!"
"He slapped me, it's not like he punched me or something. It was my fault and I completely deserved it and-"
"Levi," Salem said, "Jaxson should not hit you no matter how mad he is."
"He only did it once."
"Until he does it again!"
"He wouldn't! He loves me!"
Salem looked at Levi, "Lee. Someone can love you and still be abusive."
"He's not abusive! He isn't like your dad Salem!"
"No but he's like me!" Salem went silent immediately.
Braxton looked at Gabe, "Are you okay?"
Gabe looked at Braxton, "Salem hasn't hit me once."
Salem looked down, "I told you guys me and Micheal were far from healthy."
"Why did neither of you say anything?"
"He apologized the first time we were alone," Micheal said, "I asked Gabe if Salem ever hit him and he could prove Salem never did. There wasn't a need to."
"I wondered why Jaxson said he felt like he could relate to me," Salem said, "We had nothing in common... Levi... Jaxson shouldn't hit you. In the end it'll only make things worse. One slap ends up leading to things much worse. I've done it and I've seen it. You and Jaxson shouldn't break up, but you need to talk to someone if you love him."
"Did you love Micheal?" Levi asked. "And don't you dare lie to me."
Salem paused, and could tell that everyone wanted him to answer. "I did. I... Still do in a way. You and Jaxson are not me and Mike. Me and him could never recover, you and Jaxson can. Just... promise me you'll talk to someone. Within a week. Talk to one of us. None of us will tell the others what happened, beyond the fact that the conversation happened. Please Levi... it'll help Jaxson a lot."
"Fine."
"Thank you," Salem said softly. He knew that Gabe and Micheal and all the others would have questions for him. Salem always lied and said that he only liked Micheal sexually, they both lied and said that.
"You loved him?" Gabe asked.
Salem looked at Gabe, "Don't be mad at me."
"I'm not mad Salem," Gabe said.
"You seem a bit mad."
"You still love him?" Gabe asked.
"Not romantically," Salem said, "Or sexually if that's what you're thinking...my feelings towards him are a middle step between platonic and romantic."
Gabe nodded softly, "You should've told me."
"I am hearing that phrase a lot recently."
"Am I wrong?" Gabe asked.
"No," Salem answered, "I just... didn't want you to doubt I loved you. Not after... Gabe I spent our first year together thinking it was a prank. I didn't want you to think the same about me."
"Do I look patient enough to wait a year for a-" Gabe cut himself off, "Is that why you were crying? You realized I actually cared?"
Salem looked down some, "We met the day after me and Micheal ended it. You are his best friend. If he had told anyone afterwards it would've been you and you defend him so fiercely that I know you would have done that as a prank if he had asked."
"You put a lot of faith into how much I care for him."
Braxton smiled some, "Salem, want to know what's amusing?"
"What?"
"The first day Braxton and I talked... I said the same about you," Micheal said. "Our first conversation was a lot about you actually. Well, you and Gabe since I told him about that."
"Thanks fo- Wait, how did you not let on about knowing that Braxton? You are terrible at lying!" Salem said.
"You're changing the topic!" Braxton said.
"I'm not."
"You are." Adrian and Gabe exchanged looks and nodded softly. Gabe looked at Braxton and then they both nodded as well. "Anyways, go ahead you two. Be platonic boyfriends or whatever. I don't really care. Hit him again though Salem, and I'll break each of your limbs one by one until you die in agony."
Salem chuckled some, "If I hit Micheal now, he'll hit me back so I'm good. The only person who's allowed to hit me is Zeek and that's because he still has three free punches."
"I'm allowed to hit you any damn time I please Salem," Braxton said.
"No! You're fucking stronger than you look and I don't like black eyes. I'm a masochist but black eyes are not a vibe!"
Micheal paused for a moment, "Gabe. I just.. I need to know, do yo-"
"Safe, Sane, and Consensual!" Gabe said quickly.
Adrian laughed, "Salem's so used to getting beat he can't live without it anymore."
"That's a lot more information than I wanted about your sex life, first it was Adrian and Shawn with handcuffs and now it's Gabe and Salem with BDSM and... Guys stop," Braxton said.
Salem looked at Adrian, "Handcuffs? Is that what that key is for?!"
"I'll tell you later," Adrian said.
"No you will not," Shawn said, "Salem is the last person I want to have that information."
"Why not?"
"He does not need that information. You can tell Braxton, Zeek and Micheal but that is it!"
Salem looked offended, "What why them?"
"Zeek is straight and won't make use of that information, and by chain of events Micheal and Braxton are my boyfriends too so that's why!"
Braxton looked at Shawn for a moment, "Honestly that's fair... Actually that makes a lot more sense than I wish to admit."
"Oooh!" Zeek said, "Braxie got a cruuuush!"
"No!" Braxton objected, it was clear he was lying to them though.
Shawn smiled, "What can I say, I'm irresistible."
"Sure," Gabe said, "Whatever saves your ego to think Shawn."
Micheal shrugged, "We've already had this conversation."
"What does that mean?" Salem asked.
"It means that Braxton has been crushing for so long and me and Adrian would talk about it so much, that it became the funniest and hardest secret to keep ever!" Micheal said, "oh and Adrian has made many jokes about a foursome."
"Yeah," Braxton said, "way to many jokes."
"I said they were mostly joking," Adrian said, "Look sex is sex guys."
"I'm dating a whore," Shawn said.
"You're just now realizing that?" Zeek asked. Shawn chuckled and shook his head no. "Good, because everyone can tell."
Adrian looked at Zeek, "Yeah because me being a slut is a huge secret!"
"Okay the foursome aside," Lucas said, "I'm still caught on the idea of Gabe being Salem's dom and a whole lot makes more sense now."
Salem looked at Lucas, "Did you think just any guy could tell me not to do something and I would listen? Who do you think I am?"
"I didn't think you were a sub but here we are!"
"Someone needed to keep him under control," Gabe said.
"I also didn't think you would be a dom oh holy one."
Gabe shrugged some, "That one's fair."
"Oh won't the others be confused when we are making new jokes about the foursome and Gabe being a dom," Zeek said.
"I'm changing Gabe's name to Dominic in the group chat," Braxton said.
Zeek raised his hand, "Can we change Salem's to Subaru?" The group burst out laughing at that.
"I sure as fuck can and will!" Braxton said.
"I'll change yours to Foursome," Gabe threatened.
"Only me and Ryan can change names in the group chat to avoid you guys bullying each other."
"So you can bully us but we can't do it back?" Gabe asked.
"Yes. I thought you guys had realized that," Braxton said, "I mean that only me and Ryan have nickname powers."
"We haven't tried changing each other's names yet," Salem said.
"Well now you know, Happy Birthday Salem."
"We got over two weeks until that," Salem said. "By the way, I bought the house. I meant to bring it up earlier but we changed the topic pretty quick."
"By yourself? How?" Adrian asked.
Salem smiled, "Scamming people for spells. I'd make them pay 500 dollars for simple ones. Plus uh, college funds since I don't really need a degree to open a metaphysical store."
"You had college funds?" Lucas asked.
"Helped my parents appear healthy," Salem said, "I used my Dad's name to transfer all the money to a saving's account since I can't access a college fund until 18. So, yeah. I bought it, I just need some of you to go sign names tomorrow. Namely whomever wants to be Maddox and Austin's father. Not it."
"I'll do it," Shawn said, "They'll likely agree since I'm an orphan so they'll be like 'look at him giving people what he didn't have' or whatever."
"We were all working on saving up the money but Salem really went 'naw man'. We got jobs for no reason," Lucas said.
"The reason is called renovations, and bills," Salem said. "That way we have extra money if someone quits their job to work on something else. Namely Adrian so he can fully pursue music. But you know."
Lucas looked at Salem, "Salem Zion Moore, I hate you."
"Lucas Thomas Taylor, I love you too."