READ THE WARNING

Chapter thirty

!TW!~ Scars, brief sexual references and drinking.

Alex wasn't completely sure where he was or how he got there. He just knew it was dark and there was no one in sight.

No one was in sight...but he still heard them. Whispering.

He started walking, looking around for anyone. No one was there, he couldn't see anyone, couldn't feel the presence, couldn't feel body heat. But he still heard the whispering, and still felt the sick feeling that something awful would happen.

Very suddenly, he heard his name shouted from somewhere far off. 

The fuck?

"Wh-what? Where are you?"

His name was shouted with even more urgency, then he felt like he was falling. 

Alex's eyes shot open and he blinked for a minute, his eyes adjusting to the brightness. Erebus was holding the sides of his shoulders and leaning over him. He looked scared, then relieved, then he quickly tried to mask it.

"What's wrong?" Asked Alex.

"Nothing, sorry. I just...didn't want you to sleep through the whole day."

That wasn't true. It was Alex's dream that had scared him. It scared Erebus because it hadn't been a dream, and he knew it hadn't been a dream. 

Shut up, Alex. You're convincing yourself of that, you can't see what he's thinking, that's not possible.

You know that's not true, and so do I.

Alex's eyes widened a bit. "What the fuck?!"

"What?"

They just blinked at each other for a minute before Erebus stood up.

"Happy birthday?" Erebus attempted at changing the subject.

"No, explain to me what just-...is it actually my birthday already??"

"Have you not been keeping track of the days?"

"No, I didn't really think that much about it." Alex realised he was way too easily distracted. "Okay, stop, please tell me what just happened. I shouldn't be able to know what you're thinking about."

Erebus sighed. "Don't worry about it right now, okay? We're not gonna fuck up this day with an existential crisis."

Alex sighed. "Please-"

"Let's continue this tomorrow. I'm not doing this to you on your birthday. I promise, you'll get answers, but not today."

Erebus sat on the side of Alex's bed while Alex tried his best to see into Erebus's thoughts to see what was going on, but Erebus seemed to be pretty good at hiding things and blocking things out.

"Doesn't work like that, baby." Erebus smiled.

"I'm not dropping this, this is gonna fuck with me until you tell me what's happening."

"Just try to get your mind off it, there's more important stuff to think about. Like the fact that you're an adult now, legally."

"Yeah, I guess I am..." that hadn't completely dawned on Alex yet. "That's so weird. It doesn't feel like I've been seventeen for all that long."

"Yeah. It's been a whole year. I guess as the years go by, they become shorter, because when we're young, days feel so long, but we just realise over time that they aren't."

"That's kinda deep."

Erebus readjusted his position a bit. "Can I braid your hair?"

"I've got bedhead right-"