Waking Up To You (chapter 48)

~Warning: This story contains some mild swearing, and violence, as well as slight child-abuse. The two main characters are gay, but this is not an erotic story, and I have no intention of making it so. If any of these topics are not to your liking, kindly press the back button ~1

In chapter 47: Ethan and Liam stroll through the park, discussing the next move they will make.2

Chapter 48:
When they reached a red door, paint flaking in places, Ethan rapped sharply. There was a few minute’s pause before it opened a crack. Blustery wind tore down the street, ripping straight through even Ethan’s thick coat, still wrapped around Liam’s shoulders. A boy with fiery red hair and strangely blue eyes peered out, squinting, and then shoved it open a few more inches. “Come in.” he muttered. He had a pale, sullen face, and seemed almost reluctant to let them past him. Ethan didn’t glance at him, just wrapped an arm around Liam’s shoulders and waited for the boy to show them the way.3

“Your name’s Ethan Drane?” he asked, his speech curiously clipped and soft.4

“Yes.” Ethan spoke shortly. “And you are?”5

The boy shrugged, and looked at his dusty boots. Ethan’s nose wrinkled. “Some country brat, clearly. Charmed, I’m sure. Now will you show us to where Jasper is or are we going to stand around gossiping all day?”6

The boy’s pink lower lip protruded and his eyes narrowed coldly. He swung round on his heel and stalked down the dark corridor.7

He led them swiftly through a dim house. Liam stared around. The curtains were all drawn against the sunlight, and dark portraits of shadows in armchairs sliced the walls into a chequered pattern. The whitewash had faded to grey over time, and the paint on the windowsills was peeling to reveal dirty wood and dead spiders. Shuddering, Liam drew closer to Ethan, wondering what on earth they could want in a house like this. Obviously Ethan’s friend was influential over Lucas somehow… but how? 8

Dust motes rose from the carpet and Ethan gave a sudden, grating cough. He put a hand on his chest and took several deep, wheezing breaths. Anxiously, Liam laid a hand on his shoulder, remembering his slight allergy to dust mites. The last thing they needed was for him to have a breathing attack now, in this creepy house, with a man who might or might not be a friend.9

The boy totally ignored Ethan’s panting, just continued to move through corridors, and then carefully pushed open a black door. How ironic, that a skull and crossbones should be marked on it, thought Liam as they edged inside, leaving the pale boy in the corridor.10

“No, come in, Alan.” The words were spoken by a man sitting behind a large desk. He had his head resting on one hand, not looking at them. “Hi, Ethan.” he sighed.11

“Hello to you too, Jasp. Not the most enthusiastic greeting…?” Ethan seemed disappointed by the man’s lack of fervour at seeing them, but to Liam it looked as though you’d be hard pushed to get much of a reaction from this man. Then he looked up. He was a little older than Liam had expected, with short cut sandy hair and green eyes, half hidden by gold glasses.12

“Alan, would you mind fetching drinks? Something befitting an old reunion, marred though it is by current events.” He gave a tired smile and the boy hurried out. As his footsteps faded, silence dropped onto the room like a blanket. Ethan seemed focussed totally on keeping his breathing slow and even, without wheezing at all, and Liam hadn’t a clue what he could say to help anything, so he held his tongue, waiting. The man seemed to feel no inclination to think - he remained at his desk, chin resting on his fingers as he observed the wood grain of the bureau intently. The first noise was when Alan returned with the drinks.13

He had brought three glasses and a dark green bottle. Each glass was filled with amber liquid, and he offered one first to the tall man, Jasper, then one to Ethan, then finally to Liam. He obviously knew the order of importance of the people in the room, Liam observed, still studying the boy. Ethan barely seemed aware of him, unusual since he tended to take note of everyone in the room. Now however, his eyes stayed fixed on Jasper as he slowly sipped the liquid in his cup.14

Jasper was equally intent on Ethan. He ran his fingers over the desk, thumbing the wood, sighing, shifting in his chair, but keeping his eyes fixed on Ethan. Then he took a sip of the drink.15

“I suppose I should offer you my apologies, Ethan.” he said quietly, regretfully. He raised the goblet. “To an old friendship, and to the forgiveness for mistakes, both past and current. Please do accept my apologies.” He spoke calmly, and drained the liquid. Ethan shut his eyes in a cross between annoyance and horror as Lucas stepped out from a door to the left.16