CARNIVORE [MxM+]

Chapter 36 [Revised]

Alexei Abbots.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN SINCE TYCHO DISAPPEARED. I was sitting with my back against Tycho's door, with Riley leaning against me. He was on the verge of sleep now, slipping in and out of consciousness against my neck. He's done so much for me these past few days, bringing me food and convincing me to use the restroom because I refused to move from Tycho's door. He joined me when he could, but he had to keep the balance of the house since Xavier and I couldn't look at each other currently. He had to be there for both of us.

I hadn't heard anything from Tycho since he disappeared. For a while, I thought the worst, but Riley reassured me that he had made sure a while ago that there was no way he could hurt himself in there. 

A sound broke the silence. It was Tycho.

I shook Riley awake and told him I heard something, and we both shot up from the floor. He was the first to put his ear up and listen in. For a second, I felt like I was intruding, but I didn't care. His safety came before everything.

I heard Tycho talking to someone from behind the door, but that didn't make sense. No one else was in there, and he didn't have a phone. Unless he did?

"What's he saying, Riley?"

He shook his head. "I- I don't know. He sounds mad, almost? Who the fuck is he talking to?"

I wrapped my arms tightly around my midsection. I felt sick. "He doesn't have a phone. There's no way someone could be in there, right?"

Riley's face paled. "I mean, there's no way it could be..." 

He didn't have to say it. He meant his stepfather. I put my ear up to his door, too, Riley scooting over as much as he could. 

I didn't think before I knocked hard on the door. "Tycho? Are you there?"

He went silent, like he was trying to hide. Then, like a light at the end of the tunnel, I could make out his words.

"What if... What if you're out there? For me?" He was still muffled, but I knew what I heard. He was arguing with someone. Maybe himself. I looked at Riley, and he nodded. He knew what to do.

We pounded relentlessly at his door, pleading with him to come back. For what felt like forever, we had no response, but it didn't deter me. I found myself talking about everything to Tycho through the door.

I talked about school and how much I hated my classes. I told him how much I missed him. Riley joined me in the reminiscing, talking about every meal he's cooked in the past few days that Tycho would have loved, and how grumpy Xavier was being. Xavier...

I laughed sadly. "He's being a brat, Tyke. We... We had this dumb fight over you, I guess, but we're not mad at you! You didn't do anything wrong. Please believe that."

I closed my eyes. Please, fuck, believe that.

I waited a few more minutes before deciding we had lost him again. I tried to halt the tears I felt at failing again, but I failed at that, too. I slid down Tycho's door and dropped my head into my knees.

Riley's hand combed through my hair soothingly as he kissed the side of my head.

I cried hard. I didn't want to give up, but I missed my fucking bed. I missed my new normal. I missed him. I missed him a lot. 

I turned to Riley, but I was unsure of what I wanted to say. "Riley... I- I don't know what to do anymore--"

The sturdiness supporting Riley's and my backs gave out, causing us to fall backward. My vision went dark when an unexpected weight fell onto me. Panic set in when I realized I couldn't breathe, making my limbs flail in a poor attempt to be free. I heard Riley yelp as I untangled my way out of the web of limbs.