Hollow | BxBxBxB

-30- Locked Consequences

Connor made his way down to breakfast that morning feeling extremely anxious. He was nervous about two things, one of them as always was actually eating, he'd woken up feeling uneasy about it that day like so often happened. He knew he just needed to fight through it but it was never as easy as that. If it was as easy as that he wouldn't be here.

The other thing was their escapade last night, so far they seemed to have made it out unscathed but Connor wasn't sure they'd be able to continue to lie, he hoped to be proved wrong though.

As he entered the dining room he was met with everyone else staring back at him like deer in headlights, he smiled awkwardly as he strolled in shutting the door softly behind himself.

"Morning Connor" Doctor Mercury called out giving him a smile, Connor returned it nodding his head as he glanced between each of his boyfriends, they all looked tired and nervous. It was so painstakingly obvious they'd done something last night.

Connor struggled his way through breakfast taking it a spoonful at a time, each mouthful of the dry cereal felt like torture to him but he persisted. Once time was up he'd cleared his bowl, he'd actually done it.

That's when the wave of regret and guilt started to settle in, the calories gained circled around in his head, the thought of his stomach getting any bigger made Connor feel absolutely worthless.

After everyone had finished Connor wanted to get out as quickly as possible to the safety of his room, or even just the corridor outside his room if that had been locked.

Standing up he felt Riccardo put an arm gently around him. "Well done my love, I'm proud of you" He whispered quietly so no one else heard, Connor felt his face going red as he nodded quietly placing his forehead on Riccardo's shoulder momentarily, he wanted to sob and let all his emotions out in the brunettes warm embrace but he knew he had to be strong. He had to get used to eating this much, the rest of his life couldn't be restriction then hospital then restoration then restriction, hospital, restoration in a mean cycle.

As the pair joined Liam and Alex in the communal area Doctor Mercury approached the group sternly, oh shit...

"Boys, we just need to have a quick chat" He told them seriously sitting on the arm chair opposite them all. His face was stern but his gaze remained patient.

"What's up?" Liam asked his sharp blue eyes fixed on the old doctor, he wasn't giving anything away.

Sighing Doctor Mercury nodded. "I think you all know what this is about" He started pausing as if waiting for a response, however quiet tension instead filled the air. They'd been caught red handed and they knew it."I know you snuck out last night" Doctor Mercury finally stated stonily, that confirmed it.

"5 gold stars for your detective skills" Alex muttered under his breath not loud enough for the Doctor to catch but causing Connor to have to stifle a giggle.

"I'd assume you already knew this but I think you need reminding" Doctor Mercury continued his face going more grave now. "That it was so extremely dangerous of you, there's a reason you're all under section. There's a reason we're locked in here. It was so unbelievably careless, reckless even of you all to sneak off like that" He told them coldly.

Liam rolled his eyes as Riccardo and Connor exchanged a nervous glance.

"What if one of you had an emergency out there? What would've happened then? No phones to call for help in the middle of a deserted street at night, you risked it all just for that?" Doctor Mercury ranted in frustration.

"Well nothing did happen" Liam interjected with a shrug his eyes narrowing at Doctor Mercury. He clearly wasn't pleased at being scolded like this.

"It doesn't mean it couldn't, what would've you have done if one of you had an emergency?" The doctor challenged glancing from one boy to another sternly.

"It wouldn't have" Alex protested quietly his usual confidence drained replaced by a dulcet, melancholy tone.

"You know that's not true Alex, especially for you, you could've had an episode out there! Then what?" The doctor snapped back making Alex jump slightly, Connor felt a pit growing in his stomach at Alex's facial expressions, it was clear having voices raised at him like this was stirring bad memories.

"You have no right to say that to him!" Liam hissed putting a hand on Alex's shoulder as he stared daggers at Doctor Mercury sat across from him, it was almost like a stand off as the pairs eyes met.

"Liam, do you seriously not see the gravity of what you boys did last night? What would've happened if Alex had an episode out there? Or if one of you accidentally got hurt?" Doctor Mercury asked clearly extremely frustrated with how the boys were taking this talk.

"We were fine, we can function by ourselves. We don't doctor know it all to spoon feed us every step of the way" Liam countered gruffly.

"I didn't have an episode" Alex added on. "And even if I had, there were people with me"

"That doesn't discount what could've happened and how recklessly dangerous it was of you! If you actually took your meds for it this mightn't be such a big issue" Doctor Mercury snapped back.

Alex shrunk back, that remark clearly cutting deep. "What the fuck is your problem!" Liam yelled standing up aggressively.

"You're okay Alex" Riccardo whispered shuffling closer to Alex as the blonde began to softly cry. Connor couldn't focus. He didn't know where to look, Alex was crying, Liam and the doctor were shouting, it was all becoming too much.

"Stop please!" Connor cried out trying to be loud, this seemed to work as Liam and the doctor stared at him in surprise clearly not expecting it. Riccardo also glanced up from tending to Alex flashing Connor a reassuring smile despite his eyebrows being raised in shock.

Doctor Mercury sighed staggering to his feet clumsily. "The windows will be locked from now on past 8pm. ALL of them" He vowed beginning to strut away.

"And you expect us to just boil alive at night?" Liam argued back folding his arms in absolute annoyance.

"If you can't be trusted not to sneak out and put yourselves at risk, then yes" Doctor Mercury shot back before disappearing into his office with a heavy door slam.

"Absolute joker" Liam whispered to himself before collapsing back on the couch.

Alex had stopped crying by now but still looked upset, the remarks the doctor had made about him not taking the pills had clearly hurt him. His cheeks were stained with soggy tears and his lip was still quivering, Connor could understand why. Alex wasn't exactly purposefully not taking the pills because he didn't feel like it. The reason he wasn't taking them because his dad had literally drugged him. Then battered the crap out of him and taken advantage of him whilst he was dazed by drugs, of course it wasn't going to be easy for him to take them. Doctor Mercury of all people should've been considerate of that.

Connor got up to leave but Riccardo called after him. "Connor babe, are you okay?" Riccardo asked quietly his chocolate brown eyes filled with concern.

"Y-yeah, just need some quiet" Connor answered truthfully, Riccardo nodded making a heart shape with his hands which Connor attempted to replicate but couldn't, leaving his boyfriends laughing at his clumsy attempt at a heart. He quickly trotted up the stairs to the sanctuary of his room.

That situation probably couldn't have gone worse.