The horizon and the balcony

Chapter sixteen

Lafayette didn't come out for dinner, Alex was starting to get worried. He slowly walked down the hall with a warm plate of rice and a cup of soda in the other hand. He reached the guest bedroom and looked at his two occupied hands, he really didn't think this through.

He gently tapped the door with his foot.

"Lafayette? Mon amour it's me Alex"he said. The door quickly opened and he was yanked inside, the carbonated drink splashed over the edge of the cup onto his arm quickly leaving a sticky residue.

Gross. He thought scrunching his face up.

"Your French is improving"They said quietly. Alex's heart would usually flutter at the praise but it just didn't feel right this time.

"I brought you dinner, John made rice again..."he said and sat on the edge of the bed. Lafayette thanked him quietly and placed it on the bedside table. Alex sighed and took a step towards them.

"Lafayette you have to eat..."He said. Laf quickly shook their head.

"My stomach hurts, I can not eat"They said.

"Do you not want it because you're genuinely not hungry or because John made it?"He asked. Lafayette shrugged.

"Both"They said. Alex almost rolled his eyes, another way to describe Lafayette when they were angry was petty. It was a more unfavorable description but it was true.

"You're being petty"Alex said bluntly.

"And he's being a dick, why should I not be petty?"They asked crossing their arms. Alex honestly didn't know what else he expected.

"John is being a dick, you're right"He said but he couldn't explain why, exposing John's past would end in a divorce for sure. Although it didn't excuse his behavior it gave some insight into why he is the way he is.

"Exactly, I'm done trying to help him"They said.

"Lafayette don't say that"he said.

"No I'm done and this time I mean it. I've been trying to help him for years and he just keeps refusing it and getting upset with me, I'm fucking tired"Lafayette said harshly. They cursed a lot in their native tongue but Alex had never heard them drop the f-bomb in English before.

Alex sat quietly and listened to them rant.

"He refuses to believe that he's traumatized! He believes that flashbacks like that are just normal and they happen to everybody! Newsflash Laurens they don't!"They continued.

"God he's obviously crying out for help but he won't fucking take it! He's like a feral pitbull!"They screamed and flopped down on the bed. Second f-bomb in five minutes, new record.

"I completely understand what you're saying, I wish I could tell you he was different when were younger but I honestly I think he was worse..."Alex said.

"Despite not having much of a childhood, they never really showed him love. God I remember this one day..."he said trailing off into one of his more unfavorable stories.

John had just gotten home from work and slammed his backpack on the couch with a heavy sigh. Working in retail was a bitch, but it was giving him decent money.

"James i'm glad you're home!"Janice said.

"John-"

"Whatever, so Steven and I are going out tonight and I need you to watch the kids"She said.

"Ma you can't be serious...there's almost twenty of them and I'm tired"he said.
She took a step closer and grabbed his chin pulling him down to eye level.

"I bust my ass for you day after day and you got the nerve to say you're tired? Have a little respect, you know I was going to be gracious enough and cover dinner tonight but you all can starve for all I care!"she exclaimed.

"You never cover dinner anyways"he mumbled.

Alexander who had been watching from around the corner covered his eyes and prayed that it wouldn't happen

No no no no n-Smack.

The sound resonated through the room like a shotgun. He shakily uncovered his eyes and saw a red scratch across John's cheek, the hand she slapped him with held her wedding ring.

"If you're going to be disrespectful at least say it from your chest"she snarled.

"Yes ma'am"

"You know sometimes I genuinely wish I never adopted you, you're more trouble than you're worth"she said

"Yes ma'am, I'm sorry ma'am"he said.

"You were just so sad and small looking, I thought I could fix you. They warned me about you, said you were a trouble maker"she chuckled.

"Yes ma'am, I'm sorry ma'am"he repeated almost robotically.

"Now before I go what do we say"

"I love you ma'am"he mumbled.

Smack.

"Say it so I can fucking hear you"she said.

"M-ma! I-I love you ma..."He said quickly correcting himself.

"Good, I love you too. Now stop crying, I raised a boy not a bitch"

"Mon Dieu...I'm going to fucking kill her!"They said and jumped to their feet.

"No no no no! Don't even mention it! If John finds out that I even said that he'll kill me!"Alex said and pushed Lafayette by their shoulders back down on the bed.

"And that was her on a good day, trust me. I only got a fraction of what John got, I actually got adopted...he had to stay there."Alex said.

lafayette nodded solemnly.

"Hell he grew up there listening to that day in and day out, he practically hasn't had a personality since he was a child. I'm not trying to excuse how much of a dick he is but...now that you at least know a fraction of the hell he's endured I hope it makes more sense"Alex said.

"Thank you for sharing that Alex, him and I are going to have a heart to heart one of these days. He can't keep all of that bottled inside forever."They said.

Alex nodded.

"One more question my love?"Lafayette asked.

"Sure, go for it"He said.

"Did she ever hit you?"They asked.

"Yeah...only a handful of times"he said.

Lafayette scrunched up their face and grunted under their breath, for the win a grand total of four times in the past fifteen minutes.

"I'm going to fucking kill her"

🌼translations🌼
Mon amour-my love
Mon Dieu- Lafayette's favorite word aka my god