Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Everett

 TW: homophobia, child abuse, blood, swearing, vomit, mentions of sex

    Everett was screwed.

     He knew it. Why had he done it? Why? What outcome could he have possibly expected? He should have known. Very few people are like the Levellers. Very few people even like the Levellers at times.

      His breathing was coming in gasps. The blood was drying on his face. He could feel it. His face ached.

     His father's yelling echoed through the house as Everett rushed toward the door. 

     After a train ride of silence, it seemed that Frederick Rainford could contain his anger no longer. 

     Everett needed to get out. He needed to get to safety. But who?

     He couldn't go to Teddy at the Abbey, not like this. And he had a strong feeling that Mr. Bennett would never let him in. That left one option. 

     Mr. Wilson's face upon opening the door made Everett know that he must look as bad as he felt. 

      "Good God, lad. Come in." Everett allowed himself to be gently led into the home, still trembling with the pain. With the tears. With the memories. 

      "Dad, who is-" Everett looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. "Bloody hell! Ev! What happened?" 

     Percy was quick, reaching Everett and walking him toward a seat at their family table. Everett sat silently, other than his sniffing. It was doing him no good, considering the blood still falling from where his father had hit him across the face, landing on his nose. He knew there would be a bruise. 

     "Oh, dear boy." Mrs. Wilson had appeared, a blabbering Grace in her arms. The lucky infant girl. She had no idea what was happening. No idea how cruel the world was. 

     A damp cloth was being placed on Everett's face before he had time to process it. After a moment, he realized that it was Mrs. Wilson doing it, Grace having been handed over to her father. 

     "Everett. Hey." He looked toward Percy, who was crouched down in front of him. "Can you say what happened?"

     All Ev could do was glance between Percy's family. Percy nodded, clearly understanding.

     "Do you want to talk in private?" Everett nodded. "Alright. We can go to my room."

     Everett stood, already walking in that direction as Percy spoke briefly to his parents. 

     He sat on Percy's bed and waited, staring at the wall. How could he have allowed this to happen? He had been so careful for years. No one could know. But now they did. And Everett was fucked. 

     "It's just you and me. Dad's going to get Ted once he's done serving for the night. Remember, I won't judge you, and neither will he. You can either tell me now or wait and tell us both."

     "I'd rather only go through it once."

     "Alright. I'll get you cleaned up, and Ted can look at your wounds once he's here."

     Teddy arrived an hour later in trousers and a woollen jumper, clearly thrown on in a rush to get there. He closed the door to Percy's room behind himself and then looked at Everett. 

     "Can you breathe through your nose?"

     Everett had not been expecting that to be his first words, but, as Teddy walked over to sit next to him, he attempted to do so.