When Roots Grow Too Far, You Just Have To Dig Deeper

Chapter Ten: Sealed Under Lock And Key, So Too Are The Funds Of Thee

Felix had cried for hours in Teddy's room, being comforted by his twin's arms before dinner. Felix didn't want to eat but he had to go downstairs to face his father. After he stopped in the en suite of Teddy's room to wash his face off and a quick stop in his room to apply makeup to his messed up face, he entered the dining room and sat at his usual place at the table, the Right Hand Side of the Head, which was his father's dominant hand. Teddy sat on the Left Hand Side and tried to give a reassuring smile, Felix tried to smile too but the movement made him want to cry again.

"I am really glad you're back Felix."

"I'm happy to see you too Teddy." Felix responded shakily, choosing his words carefully.

Their father sat down and dinner was served, meats of several kinds along with a variety of side dishes, all of which in small portion sizes so you could taste everything, but Felix's plate looked.....different than normal. His plate which would usually look five times smaller than everyone else's looked, had ten times the size of his father's and brother's plates. Felix wanted to say something about the sudden change but was too tired to protest, he wanted dinner to be over as soon as possible to hide and cry again.

Felix nibbled on the food, not exactly eating it until the food on the other plates ran out. But as Felix was about to get up at Teddy being excused, he was stopped unfortunately.

"Where do you think you're going? I haven't excused you and you aren't finished with your food."

"Well, I'm really busy with homework and the work you left me but I couldn't work-"

Mr. Huxley interrupted sternly, "I put that food on your plate and you are going to eat it, do you understand me?"

"I thought the plan was to make me skinny! To make me more beautiful! I've never disobeyed the diet to laid out for me!"

"Yes, but your diet is working a little too well and you are becoming a walking corpse. Now sit down and eat your fucking food or I'll turn off the heater again."

Felix sat down and stared at the food, while the "diet" did work to make him skinny, it also gave a side effect. So when he looked at the food his mind screamed not to eat it, but it also screamed to eat it as well, his cibophobia and his logic at war. He did eat a lot of food, but when he took a moment to breathe there was still half of it left. He glanced over at his father, who had his head on his hand looking at his son.

"I.....c-can't eat anym-more..."

"Then force yourself. You will get all of it down."

Felix terrifiedly shoved another forkful down his throat, and another and another. Soon all of it was gone, and Felix had a painful paddle board engine churning in his stomach.

"Good boy, you may be excused."

Felix left the room and slowly headed up the stairs and collapsed in his bed. He curled into a fetal position and cried himself to sleep.

The next morning came and Felix could barely get up, his stomach was held taut in millions of internal knots. Somehow he was able to get dressed and arrive to school, but as soon as he stepped out of the limousine a sudden, intense wave of nausea hit hard. He ran to the bathroom and just barely made it to the last stall before the contents of his stomach was heaved up his esophagus.

Felix could only sit on the floor racked with pain as the bile kept coming no matter how much he threw up. Choking and sobbing on the floor, until he felt a hand rubbing his back and his arm pulled behind his head.

"Just try to breathe Rich Boy."

Finally the moment came where it had been a while since Felix stopped throwing up. He turned his head to see Nugget offering him a soda with the hand that was presumingly had been on his back. Felix took the drink, drank most of it in large gulps and sat against the wall.

"You.....you probably," Felix huffed, "hate me now. And you.....you helped me." Tears slipped from Felix's eyes as he tried to look away from his Soulmate. Nugget thought about saying something before realizing how broken Felix looked.

"Can The Rich Boy Hold something for Nugget?" Nugget fished something out of this backpack and placed it carefully into Felix's arms. Felix didn't look what the thing was or at Nugget, until something started moving and something soft touched he his face. He looked down and there was a live ginger cat in his arms, eyeing him. Felix stared at the beast with some fear, until Nugget moved his hand to stroke the cat gently. Felix's fear dissipated and was replaced with happiness.

"So The Rich Boy likes Tenders the Kitten?"

"It's nice...."

"Nugget found her again today after she ran off to hunt a few days ago."

Felix stroked Tenders lovingly, smiling at the warm kitty as a purr was made.

"Nugget does not hate his Soulmate." Felix looked up at him when he said that. "Nugget still cares for the elegant Felix."

"I....I....Nugget I.....didn't mean what I said...."

"Obviously, Nugget's Soulmate has been crying. But what Nugget is curious about is the vomiting."

Felix didn't want to answer but considering it was Nugget decided to spill, "Father made me eat a lot last night......way more than I usually eat with my diet...."

"Nugget would like to know what his Soulmate's diet consists of."

"Well.....Every 10 days inject myself with nutrients....supposedly enough to support me for 9 days."

"Nugget doesn't understand the diet's math. But injections are different to real physical food, after a while of not eating physical food in large portions Nugget's Soulmate must have made himself sick with the sudden change."

Felix let out a few tears as he held Tenders, he felt horrible and the only person to comfort him was a person he harshly turned down.

"I really am sorry. I didn't want to say-"

"Nugget has a question, if it is his Soulmate's choice, would he want to have an intimate relationship with Nugget?"

Felix sniffed and nodded.

"Then it's settled," he said cupping Felix's cheek, "Nugget will still show his Soulmate affection, but will not date him without his father's permission."

"You'll never get it! D-didn't you hear what he said! It'll never happen! Why do you even need his permission?!"

"Nugget wants our connection official and his Soulmate to move in, that will never happen without Mr. Huxley's approval."

"I-It'll n-never hap-p-pen!"

Nugget closed the distance between them and kissed his Soulmate softly.

"Then it never will."

"Why, why did you kiss me? I probably taste disgusting..."

"Felix does, Felix does taste horrible. But it is worth to make him happy."