east of eden 𑁋 salvis.

XIV

♥̩̥̩♥̩̩̥͙♥̩͙ˊˎ

After three uneventful days in the hospital, Travis is discharged. Sal helps him pack his things, and then the two load into Larry's truck, with Sal squished between them. Heavy metal music blasts out of the speakers of the barely running pickup truck, and it smells like sweat, cigarettes, and potato chips in there. The driver's side window is rolled down the whole drive, for Larry to chain smoke three cigarettes.

Travis wishes he had the courage to ask for one. But he can't start an addiction now, it'll just piss Kenneth off again. No words are exchanged the whole drive, Travis just staring out the window and trying not to focus on how reckless Larry's driving considering there's snow on the ground and probably ice on the road.

They arrive at the Phelps household before Travis wants to. He swallows thickly, sighing as he stares at the house. Kenneth's car rests in the driveway, the lights are on inside. Clearly Deborah and Kenneth have been let out of police holding, since Travis was very adamant about not being abused.

He stares for longer than intended, only finally getting out when Larry starts bitching about "are you going to fucking get out or not, Phelps?!" Travis hastily opens the door, stumbling out and grabbing his hospital bag and backpack from the floorboard. Sal offers help, but Travis declines. He knows he's already in for it, and he doesn't want Sal to prolong the punishment. Putting it off, whether it's Travis' fault or someone else's, always makes it worse.

Travis slams the truck door behind him, and then Larry is speeding off before Travis can even turn and wave. The blonde sighs, no longer procrastinating and taking a step towards his house. The another, and another, and then he's walking inside.

Kenneth waits at the dining table for him. Deborah is nowhere to be seen, but Kenneth has a smile on his face. Not good. Not good at all. He ushers Travis towards him, and Travis nods, breathing out a quiet, afraid, yes sir as he toes off his shoe-only one because his other foot has a bulky cast on it-and drops his bags.

Travis approaches the table, standing at the end opposite Kenneth. The house is quiet, other than the burning fireplace. The crackling and popping of the wood was the only noise. Travis sighed, looking around the open space of the kitchen and living room. The house was an open floor plan, which meant the kitchen and living room where right there at the front door, no walls separating any of those things.

There was a Christmas tree resting beside the fireplace, but there were no presents underneath. There never were. Not any for Travis, at least. Travis wasn't good enough to get gifts. Wasn't loved enough to be given presents.

"Look at me." Kenneth mutters lowly. Travis almost misses it, but he quickly does as told, turning to look at Kenneth. Travis swallows thickly, shaking a bit. Kenneth was smiling, but there was a dark look in his eyes. Travis was scared. He was so fucking scared of what Kenneth had in store for him.

Someone comes downstairs. Travis turns to see who it is, though he knows it'll piss off Kenneth. Deborah. She's got a smile on her face, too.

"It's ready." She says with a smile, walking over to Kenneth and kissing him on the fucking cheek. This was like some horror movie, except much scarier, because Travis was living it. He was standing here, clueless and afraid and he just wanted Sal please he wanted to run to Addison Apartments and smoke with Sal again and maybe even hug Sal if Sal will let him.