Haunted

"Trust me, you do not want my life." - UNEDITED

Disclaimer: This chapter has not been edited from the original as posted on JBFF. There will be mistakes, typos, continuity problems and other issues.

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Eli dragged himself out of bed that morning. His legs were sore from running the day before and he was really glad he and Brent were taking the day off. He found his toothbrush waiting for him on the bathroom sink, toothpaste already on it, and shoved it in his mouth as he went over his mental list of things to do that day.

As he brushed his teeth, Adam came in, sweaty from his own run and stripped down to get in the shower. Eli rolled his eyes when he had to step over Adam's dirty clothes on the floor.

"Hey!" Adam called. Eli stuck his head back in the bathroom. "Come in here with me," he grinned.

"Can't, late," Eli said. He knew it was wrong but he wasn't even tempted.

Downstairs, Clay was shoveling cereal in his mouth in front of the TV. Bryce was at the table, finishing his own bowl of cereal.

"Papa, can I have a yogurt?" Bryce asked.

"Sure, what kind?" Eli asked, opening the fridge.

"Strawberry," Bryce said.

"Just like Dad," Eli smiled. Bryce usually loved hearing him say things like that but that day he didn't smile.

"I guess," Bryce sighed and opened the yogurt.

"Do I have to go to school today?" Clay asked.

"Are you bleeding or dead?" Eli asked.

"I just don't want to go," Clay said.

"Too bad," Eli reached for his coffee cup. It was waiting for him next to the fresh pot of hot coffee, sugar and cream already in the cup.

"I have a job, I don't need to go to school," Clay argued.

"You think working at the store is going to make you happy for the rest of your life?" Eli asked. "When you're married and have a family to worry about?"

"My boss has a family," Clay shrugged. "It could work."

"Your boss went to college," Eli pointed out. "Stay in school, please."

"Then send me to a different school," Clay said.

"Yeah, right," Eli laughed and turned back to fixing his breakfast. Adam came in a minute later for his own coffee and kissed Eli's cheek, his hand sliding down Eli's back before he pinched his butt. "You're in a good mood today."

"Mhm," Adam kissed him again and tried to kiss his neck but Eli pulled away.

"Clay, are you ready?" Eli asked.

"Yeah, just let me get my bag," Clay sighed. "You know, you could just let me drive to school and then you and Dad could stay home."

"Could," Eli shrugged. "But what would I do here?"

"You know," Clay shrugged and looked at Eli then at Adam. "Have breakfast together or have sex or something."

"Maybe they don't want that," Bryce spoke up.

"Don't want what?" Clay laughed and leaned over to mess up Bryce's hair.

"You know," Bryce smoothed his hair back down, his cheeks getting red. "Maybe they don't have sex."

"Psh, they do," Clay rolled his eyes.

"How do you know?" Bryce asked.

"Trust me," Clay shook his head and left the room.