Look After You

Chapter 2

Xander woke up around four a.m. on that Sunday. He shared a room with his three other brothers but this night it was just him and Theo. He woke to the sound of loud sobbing. Xander frowns and leans up on his elbow, palming his eyes. "Theo?... Is that you?"

Theo's sniffles cut through the dark room and Xander could barely make out a nod. "I-I got scared and... and I went pee pee again," he mumbles. Theo was nine years old, but still had accidents in his bed some nights. Theo could be a very independent boy at times but other times, he needed help with things. Tonight it was Xander's job to get him ready for bed since his parents never would, but he had forgotten. Usually Theo wore pampers to bed just incase he did have an accident. It was better to be safe than sorry.

He sighs softly and climbs out of his bed and made his way to his brother's. "Shit Theo it's everywhere." A large yellow stain had soaked through most of his blanket and a large spot on his mattress.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he cries out. He was too embarrassed to look at his brother and covered his face with his hands.

"Hey, I'm not mad, okay?"

Xander had a horrible temper when it came to most people, but he had a special spot in his heart for his younger brother. He knew Theo couldn't help some of his behaviors and Xander never blamed him for them.

Theo peeks his eyes out between his fingers. "You're-you're not?"

Xander smiles tiredly and shakes his head. "Nah, come on. We'll clean the bed up in the morning. Just change your boxers and climb into my bed with me, okay?" Theo nods. Xander shuffles back over to his own bed and flops down onto it. He yawns loudly and pulls the blanket over himself. Theo takes off his soiled boxers and changes into a fresh pair.

"I get to sleep with bubba!" He says excitedly. He runs over to his older brother's bed and jumps onto him.

Xander laughs. "Knock it off. It's like three in the damn morning. How do you have so much energy still?"

Theo shrugs as he rolls to the empty side of the bed and gets under the covers next to his brother. "I like to have lots of energy. It means I can ride my bike more and run around and around and around all day," he mumbles.

Xander smiles. "Why were you crying? Another nightmare or just cause you pissed?" Both Theo and Xander were plagued with nightmares here and there. Some were the common weird ones that involved some sort of creature chasing them or their teeth falling out. But the ones that scared them the most were the ones that involved their parents.

There was one that Xander had had one time and his father was in it. Richard had been beating Xander so badly that he couldn't get off of the ground and then he pulled a gun on his own son.

It had been based on a past event and Xander was sure that was what made it so terrifying, knowing that it could actually happen. "I had a scary dream," he admits. He curls up on his side and faces his older brother. "I had a dream that this scary dog was chasing me around the neighborhood and it wouldn't stop."

Xander nods, glad he had an unrealistic nightmare tonight and not one about their parents. "Hey, well it was fake. It's still real early, Theo so try to go back to bed. I'll be right here if you get scared."

Theo nods. The boy places his thumb in his mouth and closes his eyes. Xander smiles softly before closing his own eyes and the two boys soon fall asleep.

The next morning, Xander woke up around seven. Most days he'd sleep in till noon if he could, but today he hadn't been so lucky.

"Where's the fuckin' money at, Richard!?" Their mother yelled. Xander heard a loud bang as if someone had slammed their fist down on the table.

"I told you I don't know! Last I saw of it was last night... Think it was on the table."

"I swear to... If Alexander or Beckett took it again I'm going to kill them both," she said.

Xander felt his heart thump loudly in his chest at the mention of his name. He let out a small sigh as he carefully got out of the bed and pulled a hoodie over his bare shoulders. Best to get this over with now, he figured. He zipped up the hoodie as he walked out of his room and into the kitchen where his parents were arguing. "What's going on?"

Richard and Lauren both turn to look at their son. Xander notices one of his mother's cheeks was more red than the other.

Richard grabbed his son by the collar of his shirt and dragged him to the table. "What happened to the money that was up here last night, hm?" He asks and points down at the empty spot on the table.

Xander shrugs, eyes wide with fear. He was a tough kid. He knew that and he prided himself on it. But he felt like a weak, vulnerable baby when it came to his dad. "I don't know! I was over at Nolan's for a while and-and Beck said that him and Jeremy were heading out tonight so I figured I'd come home to watch Theo since I knew Rae would be in her room with her boyfriend all night."

Richard raises an eyebrow. He pulls Xander over towards the wall and slams him up against it so hard that he couldn't help the tiny wince that left his mouth. "You're lying! You think  I was born last night, boy?!"

Xander shakes his head quickly. "I'm not! I'm not!"

Richard rose his fist to hit Xander and the boy squeezed his eyes shut to brace for the impact.

"Hey!" A voice yelled. Xander opened his eyes and saw Rae's boyfriend, Seth, grabbing his father's fist and stopping him from landing a hard punch. "Let him go, Mr. Valentine!"

Richard grew angry. He let go of Xander's shirt and he quickly pressed himself against the wall from his dad. Richard on the other hand charged at Seth and sent a hard punch towards his face. Luckily Seth was in football and was a tough kid overall. He ducks the punch and shoves Richard backwards.

Xander wasn't exactly sure why, but he wanted Seth to see him as a strong teenager. Not just a pansy kid who couldn't stick up for himself. He thought Seth was... he wasn't quite sure what he thought about Seth exactly. He liked him and thought he was funny and kind but he also felt like he felt something else towards him too. Just like he did with Nolan or the other boys on the football team. It terrified him.

"Dad don't!" He was able to grab the back of his dad's shirt to keep him from charging forward again. He held on tightly as Richard yanked out of his grasp and sent Xander falling down onto his knees and smacking his nose hard on the wooden floor.

"Here!" Seth says suddenly and Richard stops for the moment being. He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls his wallet out. "I don't know what money you're talking about or how much it was but here's fifty bucks if you keep your hands off Xander for the day. The kid didn't do anything."

Xander slowly rises back to his feet. He touches his nose gently and winces. Red stained the tips of his fingers as he touched the blood that trickled over his lip.
Richard seemed hesitant to take the money but after a moment he grabs it and crumples it into his back pocket. "I'm gettin' cigarettes." He mumbles and heads out the front door.

Seth sighs and fixes his gaze on Xander. "You okay?"

He nods. "Yeah, I'm good." He swipes his hoodie sleeve over the blood to wipe some of it up, the rest of it smeared on the side of his cheek. "Didn't have to pay him. Fucker didn't deserve it."

Seth shrugs. "Half the times I'm here he's messin' with you one way or another and I can't stand it. Just wanted to make sure you were okay." He smiles softly and ruffles the younger boy's hair.

Xander felt his heart skip a beat and smiled shyly. "Thanks, man. But next time I can handle it on my own."

Hey I hope you all enjoyed chapter two! If so don't forget to vote and comment