Chapter Fourteen: Hide and Seek
A/N: I know there is a lot of Erikar going on right now, but I promise Captorcest is still the main focus here :)
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When morning looked upon the cabin, Meulin was the first to rise up, bacon already cooked and on her best plates. Everyone was too depressed in her opinion, and damn if she wasn’t going to snap them out of it. It was going much too far now. She set the plates out at each spot, before lifting her pan in the air and banging on it with her metal spatula, wincing at the large sound it made. Latula was the first to respond, being the closest to the kitchen having passed out in the downstairs living room.
“Meulin what the hell!”
“Get up! Breakfast is ready!!!” Mituna was the second down, racing to the table almost crashing into it. “BACONNN!!!”
“Charming.”
Meulin examined Mituna for a moment before making a small clicking noise with her tongue and pulling him into the bathroom.
“Your hair, has to go.”
“Whatt?!?!!”
She pulled out a pair of scissors and made him sit down on the toilet and starting to clip away at the long strands of hair covering Mituna’s face. “Don’t worry you’ll look very nice without all that hair covering your face. I bet Sollux will like it too.”
“You know about me and Thollux?”
“Honey I know you two try to be discrete about it but its rather obvious. Simon knows as well, and from what I’ve heard he doesn’t have a large problem with it as long as you two keep it PG with him around.”
“Whoa, theriousthly?”
“Of course honey! Now sit still and let me work.” Mituna grumbled, but otherwise stood still examining the small bathroom they were in. In the other room Latula giggles to herself at the situation and finishes her breakfast. The morning was a beautiful one. it was warm outside and the sun was already shining. Not a cloud in the sky. Latula cleaned up after herself and stretched then went into her room changing her clothes and going across the upstairs living room to rise Sollux, it was rather odd that he wasn’t up yet. She remembered Mituna telling her about Sollux’s love for bacon, and sleep issues so it’s not like he would be dead asleep. Everyone in the house heard that pan. She carefully knocked on the door and after some time without response she pushed the door open and went over to his sleeping form.
“Sollux, you have to wake up. Your breakfast is getting cold, and ‘Tuna is getting a haircut!”
The spot that ‘Sollux’ was curled up in didn’t shift or move. Latula shook him and was puzzled with how squishy he was. Pulling the covers off Latula gasped when there was only pillows making up the form.
“Guys! GUYS!!!” She ran downstairs quickly and burst into the bathroom, just in time for Meulin to finish up Mituna’s hair.
“Wath wrong Tula?”
“You seem in a rush..”
“Sollux is gone!”
“Gone? Gone where?”
Mituna frowned narrowing his eyes.
“I don’t know, but he’s not in his room and there was a pile of pillows in his bed to make it look like he was there...I think he snuck out.”
“Where would he have gone to, sweetie?” Meulin said looking between the two. Latula shrugged but Mituna started towards the door.
“Do you know where he might be?”
“thort of.... It wouldn’t hurt to look right? I’ll be back thoon. Oh! And thanks for the haircut Meulin...I didn’t know I could see this well!” Meulin lets out a giggle as Mituna reaches over and gives her a big hug, then rushes out the door into the morning. Latula turns to Meulin and smiles.
“They certainly are something aren’t they?” She says, a hint of sadness in her voice.
“You really did like him huh?”
“Yeah...But there’s not much I can do about that now, can I?”
“That’s true. Like that saying goes, if you love something let it go.”
“That is wayyyy too over used.”
“So is the word, ‘rad’”
“....Touche.”
They both giggle and make way to the back porch to watch the lake. It was truly peaceful. The gentle waves and the sounds of children already out to play. The breeze as it whisked through the trees. There was no better life one could ask for, not in their opinion. Even though things had been haywire recently, they wouldn’t trade their lives for the world.
Mituna made his way up the treehouse, and through the window. He climbed the gnarled branches and climbed the final little staircase. At the top their spot lay untouched. Pillows and blankets slightly damp from the morning dew. Sollux lay in the middle staring upwards, ignoring Mituna’s presence. Carefully stepping over the little ledge Mituna walked over and laid beside him taking his hand in his own.
“You had uth worried.”
“You knew where to find me.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Since Meulin and Latula went to sleep.”
“Oh.”
He turns his head and looks at you. A blush adorning his cheeks. You feel him squeeze your hand a little tighter.
“You look nice.”
“Thanth. Meulin did it thith morning. Rather forcefully.”
“Well...I like it.”
“The thaid you would.”
The silence that followed is strained and awkward. It only lasts about five minutes till Mituna breaks the silence again.
“Why did you leave?”
“I needed to think.”
“You’re thtill blaming yourself.”
“....”
“talk to me thollux, you can’t keep thith thuff to yourthelf...”
“I wath thinking about mom.”
“Oh...”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“I am. It was my fault.”
“Thollux you can’t keep saying that it wasn’t your fau-”
“YOU DON’T KNOW! YOU WEREN’T THERE!!!”
“Then tell me Thollux! How wath it your fault?!”
“You don’t even know what happened do you.”
“Mom thwerved off the road didn’t thee?”
“Sort of...I told her what David did...How terrible he was. I was so tired of her not seeing who he really was. I was shouting the entire time. She kept calm and tried to tell me that he was nice. Tried to convince herself I was lying...She started crying. I...I told her what he said about you two and she lost it. She started full out bawling and screaming at me...That I was lying and it couldn’t be true.
Thats when it got bad. She just let go of the wheel and looked at me with those eyes...T-those eyes..They were so sad and she just kept going faster. I kept t-trying to get her to take the wheel again and tried to reach over then she batted me away she screamed at me to stop...”
~Flashback~
“Mom!!! Take the wheel what the heck are you doing you’re going to kill us!!!”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry baby I’m sorry.”
“M-Mom stop saying that I want to go home!!! Just take us home! You’re scaring me!”
“It’s okay baby its gonna be alright, I’m sorry.”
I reached over fingers grazing the wheel and starting to turn us back on to the right bath, then she hit my arm and pushed me back. I stared at her confused. Scared and unsure. Why was she doing this? Was she trying to die?....Was she trying to kill me?
“NO! Don’t you dare Sollux. I-I need to go! I can’t keep going like this! I can’t keep lying to myself! Get in the back!”
Sollux didn’t realize he was crying until his mother wiped his tears and kissed his forehead pushing him into the back of the car.
“I love you, Sollux. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Suddenly the car jolted and a force hit it front on, sending Sollux’s mind spinning, as he let out a scream.
~Flashback~
“I-It was my fault...I pushed her and she killed herself...”
Mituna frowned brushing away Sollux’s tears and pulling him close.
“No, thol. thee loved you. It was hith fault...You couldn’t have thtopped it. Thatth jutht how life is thometimeth...”
“I always feel like I could have though...If I had just shut up...”
“Thee wanted you to be thafe. Mom thent you home, Thollux.”
Sollux looked up at him and nodded snuggling close and closing his eyes.
“I’m tired...”
“Then thleep...I’ll take you home. I’ll keep you thafe.”
And with that. For the first time since he had gotten there, Sollux fell off into a peaceful sleep.
