Relentless Love (sequel)

Chapter 38- Blood Family.

Later..

Red walks into her and Lilith's apartment, after a long shift of cleaning, she wants nothing more than to just rip her clothes off and have the ability to just rest in silence.

Instead, she's faced with the sight of the three musketeers, and despite her need for silence, their loud presence is maybe what she exactly needs. Candles lit, blankets and mugs out, a vinyl record spinning and cigarettes lit.

Ashton with Lilith on his lap, Elio with Kai, and a cat? But just before she even gets to process it, a squeal meets her ear.

"Red! Look–" Elio excitedly announces, picking up the cat and bringing her towards Red at the speed of lightning and Red nearly feels herself step back at the suddenness of this tiny ginger kitten being clutched at her face.

"What have you gone and done now?" Red chuckles, her tatted hand reaching for the kitten's head, slowly caressing her there and then she meows softly at her, all of them smiling at the interaction.

"Ashton and I adopted her this morning!" Elio squeals, ripping the kitten away from Red before nuzzling her into his neck. Red's eyebrows bounce up, her tongue clicking, "Ah, so that's why I was left to work all alone with Lilith?" Red reminds Elio as well as Ashton, the pair's smiles instantly fading.

"Killing the mood always, Red. What would we do without you?" Ashton comments from a distance, his head falling back onto the couch, exhaling a load of smoke from his mouth with a hidden smile.

"Childlike Ash and Elio, what would I do without you both?" Red mimics the joke, Elio playfully nudges her before she starts for the kitchen and they all watch her, nearly making her suspect there's news she's missing.

Red turns her back to them, starting to make a cup of tea, her head in knots from simple mental exhaustion, and as she stirs the cup of tea, she feels Lilith's presence creep at her side, "You alright?" Lilith questions, a soft worry behind her tone.

Red nods, clenching her jaw a little when she takes the tea bag out and Lilith brings her hand to Red's shoulder, a friendly gesture, "Are you sure?" Lilith's tone lowers, if you're not, it can stay between us.

Red knows the hand on her shoulder is nothing but Lilith's worry, no other intention behind it, and she knows that Lilith does too, but she still feels the urge claw at her to look over her shoulder at Ashton, to be aware of how feels about this and she relaxes when she sees him engaged in conversation with Elio and Kai, playing with the kitten.

Red sucks a sharp breath of air, meeting her brown eyes with Lilith's hazel ones, "Yeah, I'm all good. Today has not been bad, just tired is all, lots has been happening and I've not had time to adjust, you know?" Red explains, pausing to lick her lips and Lilith is nodding in understanding, her eyebrows knitted closely.

"For example, I spoke to George today, and I found out he's getting home, he's finally getting taken off the streets which is amazing news, but fuck, It's just a lot that I've not even been able to understand so I couldn't even be excited at that moment. I was just out of it." Red continues, her eyes still burning into Lilith's, and for once Lilith doesn't feel her stomach flutter but instead, her heart grows an ache for Red.

When Red came back with Layla from the north, she told them everything, how she and Layla had become more official, breaking that barrier of distance, the letter her father wrote her, the fight with Carl, seeing Nick and Elle again, and then recently just told them of her interaction with her mother. They have all consoled her as much as they can, but Red does not accept sympathy, she's grown too hyper-independent through her years.