The Prince

Part 19

"Hey! Pisshead!" Noah heard his brother shout from the bottom of the stairs.

What could it be now, he thought. Things had been relatively quiet over the past few weeks, although his brother seemed to have more money now and was always out, it seemed that tonight was different.

"Hey, Noah, get your ass down here!" He was called again.

With a sigh and a feeling of dread, he slowly descended the stairs to find his brother already high as a kite staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

"What?" He snapped.

"I'm using the house for the week, so fuck off, my friends are staying over."

"Where am I supposed to go? This is my house too you know."

"You don't own shit, so shut up and get the hell out. You have five minutes to pack your bag and get out or I throw you out," he threatened before stumbling off to where the party was already starting.

Sure, that he would be thrown out if he stayed any longer, he grabbed as much as he could and shoved it into a duffel bag. He didn't have a good feeling at all. Where was he supposed to go? He couldn't afford a hotel and he couldn't go to Travis, that would be weird. Slamming the door behind him, he stood on the porch and wondered what to do.

Where now? It was easy to pack, it was not so easy to find a place to stay. He could hang out at the treehouse, but not for a week, he doubted that he'd last a whole day. He came up blank and started walking, his feet unconsciously taking to the woods. When he finally noticed his surroundings, he thought he might as well bite the bullet and ask Skye for help. Hopefully, he wouldn't be a turd about it, but then again, he was the homeless beggar.

Ringing the doorbell, he wondered how he would start the conversation. It's not like he could open with I'm homeless. His heart was beating fast in his chest making him feel like he was about to suffocate. Every second felt like forever to him, unsure of the welcome he'd be receiving.

"Little buddy!" Jackson opened the door with a wide grin, lunging forward to envelop Noah in a hug.

Surprised, he didn't move, not sure how to handle the situation. He didn't think one of Skye's dads would open the door. What now, he worried, already feeling more weighed down by the day.

"Come inside!" He joyfully pulled Noah into the house, grabbing his bag from him. "You sit down, and I'll go and get the Little One," he smiled excitedly, walking off with Noah's bag.

"Hey Noah, nice to see that you took me up on my offer." Skye briefly smiled sitting down next to him. "Want to tell me what happened?" He asked concern in his eyes, noticing him shiver slightly.

Taking his hand in both his, Skye stared into his eyes, keeping him captive.

"Take a deep breath," Skye's voice was low and hypnotic, his eyes seeming to turn into deep pools of swirling water, making it impossible to look away. "You're safe, listen to my voice," he gently whispered still gently holding his hand, his full attention focused on Noah.

It was as if Skye was telling a story, his voice was so low and warm, that it felt like it reverberated through him, making him feel relaxed and comforted.

"Now, tell me what happened."

Without thinking, Noah told him about his brother and how volatile he was and the abuse he suffered at his hands, how tired he was of not knowing what was coming next. He almost sobbed when he said that he'd been thrown out of the house with nowhere to go. He felt a stab in his heart at how lonely he was at that moment and that the only person he could turn to didn't particularly care either way.

"It's okay, we've got you," Skye softly told him, giving his hand a final squeeze before letting go and getting up.

Noah felt a warmth start to spread through him. Skye's words were so calming, and it felt so cathartic to tell him everything, that he didn't even mind that Skye knew his secrets. It was as if Skye had hypnotised him and filled him with a sense of hope again.

"I saw what you did Little One," Jackson stopped Skye on his way to the kitchen. "Do you think he was ready to tell you?" Jackson sometimes worried that Skye's skill to manipulate people's thoughts and perceptions would have disastrous consequences. 

He often wondered whether the training he'd received from almost every member of his family was a good thing. But so far, he had had little to worry about. He'd never used his gift with malice to delve into someone's life before.

"It's a kinder way of asking than making him relive all his fears again, This way he won't be as scared," he gave his father a troubled look. "Can we help him, Dad?"

"Of course, Little One. We'll have him set up and ready to go in no time."

"What about his brother and Papa?" Having Noah stay over affected more than the two of them.

"Your Papa isn't as cruel as you think, Skye. There's nothing that he wouldn't do for you. As for his brother," he swiped his hand through the air in a dismissive way. "Let your Papa take care of it. He's always been better at that than me."

"Now, go get him set up while I let your father know."

"Thanks, Pappie," Skye reached out to give him a tight hug, leaving Jackson pleasantly surprised.

When Skye finally led him to his room, everything was already packed away.

"Josh will get the rest sorted tomorrow," He opened the cupboard to show him his clothes. "When you're ready, come and find us in the kitchen."

Noah watched as the door closed behind him, letting out a soft sigh. He didn't realise how tense he was until now. His nerves calmed slightly, Skye and his dad seemed to be okay with him being there, but there was still his other dad, who seemed to be the one to lay down the law in the house, it seemed.

Biting the bullet, he took a deep breath and left the room to find Skye.