Neighbour

32.

"I'll see you t…" Brett began as the elevator dinged and the doors opened, but his voice trailed off. By Brett's apartment door stood Mike. The air felt toxic, and Brett looked like he was going to pass out from it. Somehow, though, he pulled himself together and straightened his back.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he told Eddy, stepping out with determination in his step. Eddy followed him out of the elevator, watching as Mike pulled the small man to him and forced a kiss.

"Welcome home, slut," the big man purred, sugary sweet venom dripping from his voice. "Did you get some good dick today?"

Brett gently pushed Mike towards their door.
"Let's go inside," he said softly, avoiding looking at him.

Eddy didn’t catch any more as he stepped into his apartment and Brett got Mike inside theirs. A feeling of dread was slowly filling his stomach, though. Brett was acting differently, treating Mike differently. How would Mike react to that?

It was impossible to not try and listen through the wall. Eddy found himself standing in the living room even as he was heating up dinner on the stove in the other room. He even burnt it as he was so distracted.

The only sound was their faint talking, Brett making dinner for them, Mike's snide remarks. No fighting, no arguing. Just nasty remarks and Brett brushing it off. Eddy was honestly surprised. He had never heard Brett talk back like that, and Eddy couldn't do anything but pray that Mike wouldn't react badly to it.

…

He must have fallen asleep after a bit, because he was shocked awake by a loud thump and muffled, desperate cries.

"Fuck you, you disgusting whore! How dare you!"

Eddy froze, his stomach churning with worry.

"I…I'm sorry, Mike, it's…it's…"

"It's because you're fucking that skinny dick, isn't it? Fucking admit it!" Mike finished Brett's stutters, followed by an unmistakable slap sound and a yelp from the smaller man.

"Get off me," Brett demanded, but his voice turned into a wheeze on the last word. A few uneven bangs on the wall were heard, though these were different from the previous ones. Softer.

It didn’t matter. Eddy knew he couldn’t sit by and listen this time. Something was very wrong, even more so than all the times before. Something about Mike's tone, the bangs…

Eddy grabbed his phone, his hands shaking. Somehow he got the emergency number in, pressing the call button. He had to do something more, though. The silence that had followed the bangs terrified him.

"Let him go!" Eddy shouted through the wall, banging on it to get Mike's attention. To get the attention away from Brett.

"Accidents and emergencies, what's your location?"

"Listen, Mike, I got the police on the line! Let him go!" Eddy shouted through the wall before shakily bringing the phone back to his ear. "King Street, t…the apartment complex. Seventh floor. I think he's going to seriously harm him… I need… police and… and I think an ambulance…"