|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:42 am
It wasn’t until a couple hours later, after tea and more cuddling, that they settled down to sleep.
Oliver and Asher went home to change into their pajamas and get ready for bed before making their way back through to the back door. Elliot already had an extra pair of pajamas there, just as Atticus had some at Elliot’s house, so it was easy for them to get settled.
Atticus tried not to cry again when Michael inspected Elliot’s bruise once Oliver and Asher weren’t hovering. He gave Elliot some medicine for the pain, with a warning that it would probably knock him out for the night. But they were supposed to be getting a good night’s sleep.
The coffee table was moved, and the couch was folded out. Two very nice air mattresses were brought out from the garage where Michael kept his camping supplies. Atticus did his best to help make up the beds while Elliot rested.
He felt guilty that he’d requested they all sleep in the same room, when they were perfectly safe in their own beds. But he really, really didn’t want to be alone, even if Elliot was with him.
They were in the middle on the fold out couch, of course. Elliot’s parents were on his side, and Devyn and Michael were on Atticus’. And for a while, Atticus did drift off to sleep.
Until the sound of sirens woke him up.
They were in the distance, but the sound set his heart racing, and for a few moments, he forgot where he was.
Elliot was beside him, his hand loose in his own, and their parents seemed to be sleeping as well. Not wanting to wake them, Atticus very carefully untangled his hand from Elliot’s, leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead, and then quietly climbed his way out of bed, hoping that a glass of water might help calm himself down.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:52 am
The sirens weren’t particularly loud–not enough to wake up Elliot, who was completely exhausted and had fallen asleep with an ice pack pushed into his side. Oliver had worn himself out with worry, and Asher’s face was buried into the back of his husband’s neck.
Devyn was a light sleeper. Not as light as when he’d first gotten here, nor as light as he’d slept before the Chaos was removed from his world.
He hadn’t been sleeping though. His eyes were closed, his breathing was steady.
When Atticus moved, he didn’t open an eye. Not at first. If he’d just been going to the bathroom, it would have been one thing. If he was just getting more comfortable, fine.
But, he got up. So, Devyn cracked an eye and watched him.
He’d been trying to figure out how to get up without waking up Michael, but when Michael moved his arm from atop him, Devyn knew that Michael wasn’t sleeping, either. And, he knew it was encouragement to go after him. He’d kept a bit of a backseat when the Reids came over; he knew he’d have time to talk to Atticus. Maybe not this late in the night, but he supposed it was always a good time for a snack. He kissed Michael’s cheek while he got up, and slipped into the kitchen after Atticus.
He was quiet enough not to wake anyone, but not so quiet that he thought he could surprise Atticus. Just in case, he yawned audibly when he crossed the threshold of the kitchen.
“You wake up for a snack, too?” he asked, but he knew how Atticus was about sirens. He just didn’t want to draw attention to that, not after the night he’d already had. “I was afraid my stomach was going to start going off in there. I didn’t tuck any snacks under my pillow before bed.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 10:21 am
Atticus thought he was being quiet, thought he managed to sneak out into the kitchen without waking anyone up. Even though Devyn yawned, Atticus still jumped a little when he entered the kitchen as well.
It wasn’t Devyn’s fault. He’d been focusing too hard on the sound of sirens in the distance. There was always that thought -- that nagging wonder if maybe he would be found. He knew it wasn’t possible. Shouldn’t be possible. He didn’t want to know what that man was doing, or if he was relieved that he no longer had to pretend like he was taking care of a kid.
“Dad,” Atticus squeaked, but was trying to be quiet even as he clutched tightly to his empty glass. He’d been too distracted to fill it yet. “No, I…” he tried, but didn’t know what to say. The sirens were still lingering.
“Um… sorry,” he said instead, lowering his head in shame for not being able to explain why he was awake. He could say he was there for a snack, but… He had a feeling that Devyn already knew he wasn’t. He’d already lost count of how many times he’d frozen when he could hear sirens, or when he’d asked to stay with him and Michael for a little while -- and usually ended up falling asleep in their bed.
He wasn’t a child! He shouldn’t need to hide behind the people he trusted to protect him from ghosts and boogeymen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 10:37 am
Devyn had long-since gotten used to Atticus calling him Dad, but sometimes it brought a little smile to his face like he couldn’t believe it. Sometimes, it still felt like he was asleep in some dream he wasn’t sure he deserved. A happy little family, with him and Atticus and Michael, and neighbors that might as well be family themselves, too.
Percy would have loved this life. He wasn’t here, so Devyn was enjoying it twice as much for the both of them.
He stood behind Atticus and planted his hands gently on his shoulders, massaging gently as he kissed atop his head. “Nobody’s going to get you. You’re safe here. You’re my son, and I’ve got all the paperwork to prove it. I’m not going to let anyone take you from me.”
For all the years he’d spent trying to be a good guy, trying to give everyone the chance to redeem themselves, he’d kill anyone who crossed the line when it came to his family.
“Do you want some water? Or should get milk and have some cookies. When it quiets down, we could go sit on the patio if you wanted some fresh air.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 10:52 am
Atticus chewed anxiously on his lip. His shoulders were tense when Devyn put his hands on them, but was able to finally take a breath and let the tension ease away after a few moments, even as the noise lingered in the distance.
And then it was finally gone.
He knew Devyn was right, though. They had paperwork, but more importantly, Devyn wouldn’t let anything happen to him. Neither would Michael, he was certain. He wanted to thank him, of course. For reassuring him, but the words were caught up in his throat and all he could manage was a quiet nod to show he believed him.
“Milk and cookies sounds good,” he agreed after another moment once he found his voice again, tipping his head back so he could look up at Devyn in the dim light. He wanted to turn around and hug him, but he knew they’d probably never get anything done if he was always trying to hug him whenever he felt like it.
So he reached out to place the empty glass on the counter, and gently pulled away so he could get another. Not because he wanted to get away from Devyn, but he knew he could sit with him on the patio soon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 11:04 am
Devyn gave Atticus all the time he needed. For a moment, he’d thought about just covering his ears so he didn’t have to hear the sirens, but he didn’t want Atticus to ever think that Devyn thought him weak or unable to cope. He was proud of the boy, and while he felt a very powerful urge to protect him, he thought he was durable and strong in a way that was often overlooked.
When the sirens stopped, when Atticus started to move again, he squeezed his shoulder gently once more and then stepped across the kitchen so he could pull out the milk and a pack of cookies. He didn’t have much of a sweet tooth himself, but he’d eat absolutely anything and enjoy it.
He set the cookies down and waited for Atticus to arrange the glasses so he could pour the milk. Devyn moved quickly and efficiently, partly the product of sneaking around quietly in efforts not to wake Michael. Now, he knew that Michael always woke up anyway, so he made sure to give him a kiss before he slipped away.
Glasses full, the milk was returned to the fridge, and he picked up the cookies and nodded to the door. Atticus could carry the drinks, and while he was getting them, Devyn silently opened the back door for them. The light of the moon was bright enough that he didn’t even need to turn on the patio light.
It was a comfortable temperature outside and the fresh air was nice; the scent of flowers carried faintly on the breeze. He went first, if only to make sure it was safe–but Michael would have warned him if it wasn’t–and then stepped aside so Atticus could come out, too.
“Nights like this make me miss Alastor,” he mused. “But I’m glad Earth has them, too.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 12:05 pm
Atticus was happy to follow, letting Devyn open the door to the back and slipping outside so they could have their snacks without waking anyone else up.
There was a wicker couch with comfortable cushions, along with a number of chairs for when they wanted to spend time outside, but Atticus went over to sit on the couch, hoping that Devyn would sit with him instead of one of the chairs. He also prepared himself to not look upset or disappointed if he didn’t.
He didn’t want to seem clingy or like he was always needing things, despite the fact that he often needed help with one thing or another.
“Did you like to go out a lot at night?” Atticus wondered, glancing curiously up at Devyn as he held his milk glass up for him whenever he was ready to take it.
“I used to like going out at night. I didn’t know how dangerous it was, but it was still probably safer than…” he paused to chew on his lip. He didn’t want to burden Devyn with anything more than what he wanted to know, or maybe he already did and he shouldn’t talk about it. So he took a sip of his milk instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:08 pm
As soon as Atticus picked his seat, Devyn chose the one closest to him. He opened the package and placed the cookies between them before he reached for his milk glass.
He nodded in understanding to Atticus’ words; he’d never minded listening to what the boy had to say and never wanted to discourage him from opening up. “It might have been safer than staying back at your house,” he agreed. He dipped one cookie in the milk glass before he spoke again.
“I’ve always liked going out. I’m more of a daytime person, I think, but there’s just something nice about what the sun going down does to the world. When I was young, I used to sneak out often. It felt like I could hide in all the shadows, I could just be normal. There was less risk of someone seeing me and recognizing me. I mean, there was always the risk of a sneak attack, but when I was your age,” he shrugged, “I was a little more unpredictable when it came to where I was so I didn’t have to worry about it. As I got older, I used to publicly announce what my plans were to try and build a good rapport. I’m not actually a huge fan of the dark. But it makes me think of simpler times. I could sneak out and watch the stars.”
The glow of the city blurred a bit of the sky, but Devyn could still make out more stars than he could count.
“Now that the skies have cleared up some, I’ll have to take you up there. I want to get the garden back to what it was. Perce put so much time into that garden. Sometimes we’d go watch the stars together there, it was the best place to see everything. And the flowers were so relaxing, I miss the smell. I want you to get to experience that, too.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 6:08 am
He watched as Devyn took the cookie and dipped it into his milk glass, and then picked up one for himself to do the same. He wasn’t sure how long to leave it in the milk, so he waited until Devyn took his out so he could be sure.
“That must have been hard. Having to hide all the time if you just wanted to be normal,” he frowned, glancing over at Devyn to see if he was going to eat the whole cookie all at once, or just take a bite. Atticus didn’t think he could fit the whole thing in his mouth, but if Devyn was going to, then he was at least going to try.
“I would like to see the garden cleaned up and back to what it was before. Percy did a lot,” he observed. “Did he ever get so scared that he didn’t want to do something any more?”
Atticus knew he was jumping a little with the topics. He immediately felt self conscious about it, because they were talking about nice things like flowers and the stars, but he had to make things weird by asking about Percy being afraid.
“I can’t imagine him being afraid of anything,” he tried to smile in reassurance. “He always sounds so brave when you talk about him. And so ready to do what he had to.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 9:13 am
Devyn was used to Atticus mimicking his actions, though he never said anything or called him out on it. There was so much that he hadn’t experienced, and Devyn knew that he was always watching, and always learning. He tried to make it easy for Atticus, and he withdrew the cookie when it was softened but not enough to fall apart. He took a bite and then dunked the dry part of the cookie again while he answered.
The questions didn’t alarm or concern him; he knew how thoughts could flicker from one thing to the next rapidly and he kept a mental list of all the things Atticus’ had asked about so he could answer all of them.
“Fear is a complicated thing. Perce was afraid of plenty of things. But it didn’t stop him. That’s why I think he was so brave. If you’re not afraid of anything, it’s not really impressive when you confront it. But when you’re terrified, and you’re still standing up against it? I think that’s really admirable. Perce was always ready to do whatever he could. Even if sometimes we had to take a break before we got started.”
He leaned back against the couch.
“Sometimes something bad happens and you need time to take care of yourself before you can move forward. I wasn’t really a good example, my coping method was always ‘work harder’. But with Perce, I could at least see when he needed a break. Sometimes you need to take time to clear your head, rejuvenate your spirits. Find out what you want to focus on and figure out how to approach it from a different angle. Life shouldn’t be all about working, anyway. You should have fun and relax and be kind to yourself, too. Especially if life keeps throwing obstacles at you.”
He removed the cookie and finished it off.
“What about you, do you need a break?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 9:43 am
He was quiet as he ate his cookie, making sure to take only a bite before putting it back in the milk. He kicked his heel against the leg of the couch as he thought about everything Devyn said, and his question.
“I don’t want Elliot getting hurt,” he said, voice sounding guilty and a little wobbly with emotion. “This is the second time we have to go to Sessrumnir to make sure he gets better faster. I know he tries to hide how much it hurts. I know he doesn’t want me to worry or cry. I wish I didn’t cry as much, because maybe then he wouldn’t have to pretend that he was fine.”
Atticus paused for a few moments, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly in an attempt to keep his tears at bay.
“I’m more scared that something will happen to him or to you or dad than something happening to me. I like being a Knight. Even if it’s dangerous. But I don’t want Elliot to push himself for my sake,” he tried to explain, his fingers collecting the condensation that had formed on the glass.
“I think… I think he said he loved me.” Atticus could feel the heat filling his cheeks and he was glad it was dark. “I don’t know. I might have misunderstood. I mean, I like him a lot and I know he likes me but… we’re too young, right? I can’t… I shouldn’t have. I mean, I did tell him that, um, that I did too. Because I do! But. It has been a really rough day so maybe he just thought I was only saying it. Oh, but I don’t know if I should have said anything about all that so I’m just going to be quiet now,” he groaned and hung his head with embarrassment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 9:54 am
Devyn tilted his head just slightly so he could better see Atticus; he watched him somewhat out of the corner of his eye so he wasn’t boring into him while he listened.
He laughed softly when Atticus spoke, but he scooted a little closer so he could hook his arm around him and give him a side hug.
“You’re easy to love, Atticus. If he said it, I’m sure he meant it. You’re still young, but.” He shrugged. “I don’t even know what that means anymore, except you’ve got a lot of time to learn. There’s different kinds of love, and different stages of having it. I don’t think there’s such a thing as ‘too young’. Your heart is telling you what it feels. The more you love, the more you understand it.”
He wasn’t going to criticize what Atticus felt and he wasn’t going to try and make him feel bad or doubt it. He couldn’t imagine Elliot breaking Atticus’ heart or saying something he didn’t mean, or just saying something because he thought it was what Atticus would want to hear.
Devyn could hear the emotion in Atticus’ voice and wasn’t going to discourage that either. He’d had a hard day already and he wasn’t sure if Atticus had even had a chance to work through his emotions yet.
“I don’t want either of you getting hurt. I care a lot about the both of you. You did the same thing when we first met,” he mused. “You always tried to downplay how bad things were. But you’ve gotten so much more honest with us. I really appreciate that. It’s easier to fix something when you know what’s wrong. And it’s easier to know what we can do to help when you tell us how we can. I think Elliot likes being a Knight, too. And you two are Knights, now! Full-fledged Knights! You’ve both already come so far. I’m proud of you for that, too. Michael and I don’t want either of you to push yourselves beyond what you’re comfortable with, but we want you to be safe, too. You and I went to Sessrumnir not so long ago to make sure you healed up. I’m sure we’ll wind up taking plenty of trips there. Michael had to go to the springs a while ago, too. I’m sure it’ll be my turn one of these days. It’s okay. Right now it’s all still new, right? And that’s probably scary.”
He rubbed at Atticus’ arm instinctively. “But that’s okay. It’s okay if you cry, too. I don’t think you crying has much to do with it. Elliot would probably just rather enjoy his time with you than talk about how much it hurts. Sometimes, when you’re not thinking about the pain so much, it’s easier to ignore it.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 10:54 am
Atticus happily leaned up against Devyn when he hugged him, even if he felt his face darken further and he mumbled quietly about how he’d gone to Sessrumnir before he was a knight, so it was kind of different, right?
But Atticus knew how much trust Devyn and Michael had to put in him to bring him some place as special as Sessrumnir, before he had any magic, himself.
And he knew that Devyn and Michael trusted both of them. They let them go to Alastor, even though they knew it was dangerous. They’d wanted the boys to stay on Earth, but he and Elliot had insisted and they let them go. That meant a lot to him, and he knew it must have meant a lot to Elliot too, to be there for them.
Devyn was saying such nice things, like how he was easy to love and how proud he was of them, and how it was okay if he cried. Atticus could already feel the tears welling in his eyes, and he had to carefully set down his glass of milk so he could turn against Devyn’s side to cry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 11:17 am
Devyn moved the cookies, maybe expectantly, and placed them on the other side of himself so he could bridge what little distance there was between the two of them. He held Atticus close and kissed atop his head as he rubbed up and down his arm.
“It’s okay,” he promised, not in any attempt to dissuade the tears but instead to promise Atticus that they were fine. He could cry as much as he wanted and he had only support.
He had never been intimidated by Atticus’ emotions, and now was no different. It was a nice night, they could spend as long as they wanted out here.
“Love you, Atticus. You’re a good kid. A good son.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:44 pm
If Devyn had any intention of getting Atticus to stop crying, he was getting nowhere fast with more nice things to say. That he loved him, which wasn’t anything new from Devyn, but it always felt so honest and sincere when he said it.
He knew it probably didn’t help that he was exhausted. It took at least a few minutes for him to calm down again. He hoped he wasn’t so loud that he woke anyone up.
“Did Percy ever take a break?” he asked finally when he calmed down. He knew Percy had been emotional like he was, but he’d also had a much different life. “Do you think I should…? I don’t know if I want to,” he admitted as he sniffled, trying to keep himself calmed down.
Devyn said the things that scared Percy didn’t stop him, and while he didn’t know Percy nearly as well as Devyn, he wondered if he was just as stubborn about taking a break as Devyn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
