The Things We Do (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Seventeen

Have another chapter because I'm crap and made you all wait so long for an update. Xoxox

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CHRIS'S POV

Silence greeted me as I entered my house after school. "Lo?" I called out as I dropped my keys on the hallway table, pausing for a second as I listened for a response. When there was no answer I frowned, before heading to my room, taking the stairs two at a time. I paused in the doorway, frowning at the empty room that was still exactly as I had left it this morning. I glanced at the computer, frowning at the email that was still up exactly as I had left it last night. Surely if Logan had come home he would have closed it...

A feeling of cold washed over me as I realised abruptly that Logan hadn't come home yet. My mind instantly went to the worst possible scenario and I rushed over to the computer, hitting the back arrow and hoping that Logan's emails would come up for me. I held my breath as the page loaded and released a sigh of relief when the emails popped up. Quickly skimming them I relaxed when I saw that Logan hadn't met with a 'client' last night.

I dropped my head into my hands and took a deep breath, still reeling a little bit from the adrenaline that came with my small panic about Logan. The sound of the front door opening and closing quietly made me twitch, but I didn't lift my head. Footsteps made their way up the stairs before pausing at the doorway to my room. I looked up to Logan staring at me, his gaze flickering back and forth between my face and the computer screen as he stood there, pale and frozen. Finally he swallowed, moving cautiously into the room as he dropped his backpack on the bed and gave me a shaky smile. I couldn't find it in myself to return it. Slowly his smile faded from his face and he looked away, unable to keep eye contact.

It had finally hit me what exactly he had been doing, and what the risks associated with it were. I mean, I knew last night when I first saw the email, but it hadn't felt real. Well, it was feeling real now. The computer dinged beside me and I slowly turned my head to see another email from Rosie. I closed my eyes and drew in another deep breath.

"Chris?" Logan whispered. I shook my head, refusing to look at him in case I did something stupid. I couldn't decide if I wanted to yell at him or kiss him until he couldn't even remember his own name, let alone a 'client'. Both reactions would end in disaster. The silence stretched on, becoming so tense it left a bad taste in my mouth.

"Chris, please." Logan said, his voice thick with tears. My heart clenched but I didn't move. I couldn't. My body felt like lead, anchoring me to my seat. I swallowed multiple times, trying to moisten my dry mouth.

"Why?" I finally croaked out, lifting my head to look at him. His gaze was still on the floor, refusing to make eye-contact. Logan shrugged. Fury gripped me and I surged from my seat, my feet moving towards him before my mind had caught up and realised what I was doing. I caught myself and stopped abruptly, swinging myself back around and starting to pace while Logan watched me with wide eyes.

"Why?" I demanded. "Do not shrug at me again, like it's nothing." Logan swallowed heavily, his shoulder twitching as if he had gone to shrug again but aborted the motion.

"I need money." Logan whispered and I spun around to glare at him.

"I've offered you money." I snapped.

"And I've told you that I'm not a charity case." Logan snapped in reply, his temper flaring. "This is none of your business."

"This is absolutely my business! Why are you doing this to yourself Logan? I'm offering to help you! Why won't you take it? Are you trying to punish yourself for something?" I question him desperately, trying to understand. Logan flinches and glares at me.

"Back off Chris. I told you I'm not a charity case. I still have my pride." Logan replies testily. I scoff at him.

"Do you though? Have your pride? You do realise that what you're doing is illegal until you turn eighteen, right?" Logan scowls at me for a few seconds before all the tension abruptly leaves him and he slumps a little.

"I have to go again Chris. I... I have a client." Logan whispers, his lips twisting self-deprecatingly.

"Don't go. Please." I plead, my voice cracking on the last word.

"I don't have a choice." Logan mutters quietly before turning to my cupboard and pulling out an old shirt of mine.

"Yes you do. That option is marriage." I reply bitterly. Logan pauses before turning to look at me sadly.

"What's the difference between that, and what I'm going to go do now Chris?" Logan replies and I flinch, hurt rushing through me at the implication. Logan brushes past me and reads the new email, before turning around, not bothering to log out, picking up his backpack again and leaving the room. I don't move until I hear the front door open and close, and then I turn back around and sit on the chair at my desk. I stare at the screen contemplatively for a long while before reaching out to the keyboard with trembling fingers.

For the rest of the night, I pace back and forth, listening for anything that would indicate that Logan was back. Returning again and again to the email that was written but not yet sent, trying to think through my options and not just react. It was after midnight when I made up my mind and pressed send on the email, and accepted that Logan wouldn't be returning and went to bed.

My alarm clock showed that it was just after 4am when I awoke to the sound of the shower running and I tensed, remembering the last time Logan was in the shower and preparing to check on him if he took too long or if I heard anything suspicious. Right before I was about to get up, the shower turned off and I relaxed as I listened to footsteps make their way to my room, before hesitating in the doorway behind me.

The footsteps came closer to the bed and I held my breath, keeping my eyes closed until I felt the covers being lifted from the bed and a smaller body slot itself in beside me, being careful not to touch me. A few minutes passed and a cold foot pressed into my calf, pausing there before becoming bolder when I didn't react. Slowly, Logan moved closer, pressing his tear-wet cheek to one of my shoulder blades with a quiet sniff as one of his arms gently wrapped around my middle.

Knowing if I tried to turn around or 'wake-up' he'd move away, I laid there silently, letting him take the comfort he needed.