〚 P.eeking 〛

.4

Let's continue...

So he did what any boyfriend in his position would do.

He called Damien's parents.

He didn't want to, believe me.

His dad, Stan lavey and Oz were never on the best of terms. (Except for lucien)

He wasn't a very warm person when Oz was around, and wasn't easy to get along with. He hardly ever smiled near him and when he did, only his lips would move into a thin lipped smile, leaving his eyes as blank as before. He gave off this aura that felt like he was permanently on the offensive near Oz for some reason.

He'd only met him twice and both times were for such short visits. Oz got the impression he didn't approve of him for his son. Damien always ushered them out quickly, as he didn't want him to feel uncomfortable which Oz was grateful for. Being in Stan lavey's company alone felt almost unbearable. Like walking on glass. He was glad when they moved away so they didn't have to see him often. Oz was happy to avoid the man, but he needed his help.

He really didn't want to talk to him at all but he had to talk to someone and someone who knew Damien better than he did. So Oz grit his teeth and did what he had to.

"Yes?" Stan answered, already sounding irritated.

"Sir, I- it's me Oz. Do you have a minute to t-talk?" He asked. He could hear the other click his tongue in irritation.

"I'm in the middle of writing some checks, but if you insist, I suppose I can spare a moment. What is it that you want to discuss Oz?" He said, coolly?

"It's about Damien. He's been..acting strangely and I was wondering if you h-had any idea whether there w-was something-" He was quickly interrupted.

"It's a bit difficult to follow your rambling Oz, what is it that you want from me?" He asked. He could almost see him standing there, tapping his fingernails impatiently on the table. Oz had the feeling he heard what he said clearly and did not want to answer but dismissed the feeling and repeated himself.

"I wanted to know if you'd ever noticed any odd behavior? Or possibly any mental health issues?" He asked. There was a long, uncomfortable pause that he couldn't tell was because he was just thinking, or..something else. Finally after a few seconds he spoke in a gruff voice.

"I'm not sure if this is one of your jokes Oz, but if so I don't find the humor in it. Now I do have business to attend to as I've said, so if you don't mind-" He said, but Oz had to cut him off before he could get rid of him.

"Sir, it's not a joke! I'm sincerely concerned about Damien's mental health. His behavior had been very erratic lately. I'm very worried about him and as I figured as his dad you would be as well!" He said, his frustration evident in his voice.

"If you're truly concerned then I suggest you get the health professionals involved. I don't know what you expect of me." He snapped. He could tell Stan was seconds away from hanging up and for some reason Oz was desperate not to let him. He had a feeling again that he knew a lot more than he was letting on.

"Please! If not for me, do it for Damien." He tried.

Oz heard a faint shaky intake of breath, as if stan were trying to hold his steely persona together but failing.

"s-stan? What's wr-"

"Oz, I-I don't know what to tell you. My only advice would be to seek professional help. Do not call here again. Goodbye." Oz tried to call out to him but he'd hung up.

He tried to wrap his head around the call and Stan's refusal to help. Even if he didn't like Oz, why wouldn't he want to help his own son? Oz couldn't understand that. He'd been around Damien long enough to know that his parents were so overprotective over him. He tried to replay the conversation, desperate to find something he missed.

After awhile he almost gave up, until he remembered Stan's last words to him. 'Seek professional help' he'd said those words with a bit of urgency. He could have just been grasping at straws but no, he was sure his voice had changed ever so slightly when he'd said that. As if they were very important.

What had Stan meant? Oz assumed he'd been referring to medical professionals, but maybe he was referring to someone else. Someone that he didn't, for some reason, feel comfortable saying directly. Or maybe Oz was just desperate.

He waited for Brian to get home and after a very long and exhausting conversation with him, Oz convinced him that Damien truly needed psychiatric help. He didn't tell Brian everything. He wasn't prepared to go into it yet, but he told him about their last encounter. How he'd hidden in the bathroom, peeking at Oz from the closet.

He was obviously shocked but thankfully he believed him. He too just wanted to help Damien. Still he didn't think it was all that serious. Weird, maybe but not dangerous. Brian just kept saying that Damien had to be playing some kind of weird joke. "Maybe for YouTube?" He offered, if only half-heartedly.

He also didn't think they should involve the police just yet. He offered instead to go with Oz, and he readily accepted. Brian reasoned that calmly talking to Damien, trying to coax him into going willingly was the best recourse. Oz agreed to do it his way. At least he wouldn't be going into that house alone.

They drove over this morning, just after breakfast. There was no way Oz was going at night. When they pulled into the driveway his stomach began doing somersaults. It looked like Damien wasn't inside at all, but he still didn't let his guard down...

The front door was ajar, and for a split second Oz thought they'd see his bright yellow eyes that held a red, dangerous glint to them now staring through the gap. Oz was shaking and starting to sweat. Brian however was fine. He waited for him to open the door, his hands in his pockets like he was going on a fucking stroll through the park. Oz envied his friend's ignorance.

He pushed the door open and was immediately hit with the stench of rot. Brian smelled it too, and he walked in the house behind Oz with his nose scrunched up

Oz's instincts were yelling one thing.

Run.