Evenfall

Fear

A/N: I'm not really one for putting specific content warnings on chapters, especially since you've made it this far in the story, but this chapter is the beginning of Theo really going through it for a little bit both in real time and in flashbacks. For specifics, please refer to the Author's Note at the beginning of the story or the end of the chapter. 

Today (Evening)

The bar across from their hotel was exactly the kind of dive bar that Abel greatly preferred and Theo felt at ease in. At first, they sat at one of the tables to eat some surprisingly delicious wings and loaded french fries. By then, it was late in the evening, and most of the patrons were there for the food and maybe a beer or two after they'd gotten off work.

There were, in fact, a couple of pool tables along one wall, with low lamps hanging over their velvety tops. So, after they finished eating, they played a couple of rounds. Theo mopped the floor with Abel until he pouted into his beer and complained that Theo could at least let him win one. Theo laughed and teased that he could teach Abel to play better instead.

After another game, they went over to the bar, and the bartender offered them each a drink on the house. For Theo because he was simply impressed, and Abel for being such a good sport. Their game and banter around the pool table had been a great source of entertainment for him on a monotonous, routine weekday evening.

"Even if it's a mixed drink?" Theo asked as he hopped up on the stool and leaned on the counter.

"Whatever you want, kid," the bartender nodded.

"Can I get a...sex on the beach?"

Abel almost missed the stool as he tried to sit down, and the bartender tossed his head back to let out a raucous laugh. He tossed down his towel and picked up a jigger to twirl it in his fingers. "And for you, sport?" he asked Abel.

"I'll just have whatever local brew you've got on tap," he said.

As the fruity, blushing orange cocktail slid across the counter toward Theo, Abel eyed it with this look on his face that meant he was holding back from saying something. But he did not seem upset. Theo wrapped his hands around the chilled glass and raised a brow at him. His eyes widened like he'd been caught at something, but before either of them could say anything, the bartender slid Abel's beer to him as well.

"Do you want to open up a tab?" he asked.

"Sure," Abel reached for his wallet again and handed one of his credit cards over. Theo chewed on his lips as he watched the bartender take it away. He no longer had any money to contribute, so it was always Abel who paid for everything. Not that he had his own money in the first place. The only thing Ken ever gave him was a credit card with a strict spending limit that he monitored like a hawk. But now, he did not even have that.

Maybe getting an ID so that he could try to get a job somewhere so that he could try to buy Abel dinner or drinks sometimes would be nice. Plus, maybe that would convince his aunt he was a responsible adult who could handle things like furniture and whatever she was worried about him being unable to handle in the case of the bungalow. Adding an ID and a credit card and, maybe, eventually getting a driver's license seemed like another good way to restuff himself.

"What are you thinking about?" Abel asked him.

Theo wiped a few swirls into the condensation on the side of his drink, then hummed and took a sip. "I'm going to need to get a wallet."

Abel pursed his lips and nodded. "A wallet. Right. And your own pair of sunglasses. Don't think I forgot."

Theo beamed at him. "I know you wouldn't forget."