Beyond Bloodline - Unbreakable Bonds

forty three

Trust him to chicken out at the last moment. He wouldn't be Nigel if he actually did something he put his mind to do. Maybe it still needed some mulling over and he'd just prefer to go out in a way that wasn't so grotesque, so bloody or ended up with all his limbs hurting.

He climbed down from there and soon found a station to take a late bus home. It didn't take long before he was walking through the front door of Paul and Winona's home and Riele was rushing over, barreling to a stop right in front of him.

She looked disheveled, strands sticking out of her messy bun and eyes frantic with worry as she looked him over, lips bitten raw in her apprehension. "Nigel," she called and he could hear the plea in her voice. "Hug?"

He took the offer, expression crumbling as her hands came to wrap around him. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, tears burning in his eyes and then they were falling harder, unending, as she started stroking his back.

"I just—" he faltered. He didn't think he could even begin putting all what he felt into words.

"I know," Riele murmured, eyes bloodshot as she just quietly stroked his hair.

Nigel felt another hand come around him but didn't dare to open his eyes at the scent of light rosemary that engulfed him. "Aunt," he called, ashamed to no end.

"It's okay," she reassured. "I understand." He didn't have to say it. They'd seen, they knew.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Riele asked when he was calmer, bringing him to sit at the dining, Paul handing him a warm glass of water for his throat before silently taking a seat to the side. At his quiet shake of his head, still managed a soft smile. "Then, will you let me know when you can, if ever? Please?" It was important and imperative they had a conversation, at least.

"Yeah," he muttered numbly. "Yeah, I can do that." Now, he just wanted to sleep for a while. He told them just that and they let him go up to rest after Winona coaxed him to a few bites. It reminded him fleetingly of Saxon and never willing to give it a rest until he pestered him till he has his fill.

He almost missed it.

He shut the door to Alfie's room behind him, pausing at the sight of his friend sitting on the window's ledge and smoking on a blunt.

"What's the matter now?" Nigel asked, walking over.

"What?" he muttered around it, confused.

"Aunt's just downstairs," he reminded. "You—"

"I don't care," he snorted, eyes flashing with defiance as he blew out a ring of smoke.

Nigel snatched it out of his mouth, crushing it in the circular ash tray on the sill.

Alfie cursed under his breath and made to retrieve it.

Nigel easily held it out of his reach, gaze bland as he was thrown a glower.

"Don't fucking do this with me, Nigel," he groaned, pressing the heel of his palm over his eyes, stumbling to his feet and finally supporting himself against the wall. "I was just on the end of Wren's annoyance. I don't want to do this with you."

"I'm not giving it back," he said simply.

"Why are you getting on my fucking case too?" he hissed, eyes red. "Don't you understand me well enough?"

"Don't do that, Alf," Nigel grimaced at the sour feeling that lanced through him at his words. "Don't blackmail me. I hate it."

He rolled his eyes, reaching out for the stick again only to crumple to the floor with his effort when Nigel took a step back.