885 Days [A Vikklan/Sidemen/Pack Story]

Eight Hundred And Fifty Nine Days Home

1 January 2020

"It's a new year." Lachlan whispered, clinging tight to my waist as he watched the fireworks. The other boys sat around us on the grass too, each either with their partner or in one big group on the lawn below us, laughing, joking and drinking as we welcomed in 2020. "I hope it's gonna be a good one for me. I wanna get out more, do more stuff."

"I hope so too Lachy." I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You've been doing great over the last few months."

He indeed had been doing well over the last little while. He tagged along with me on trips to the supermarket or if I went out to the mall to get something, curious about everything new. I even got him to help pick out some of his own outfits for the first time, and Christmas presents for everyone in the early hours of the morning about a month beforehand, so it wouldn't be too busy. God, he had gone out for almost an entire day then and although he had returned exhausted, he was so proud of himself and rightfully so.

Lachlan had almost been home for the same length of time he had been missing, and it hurt me to see how much damage that man had done. He would never be able to live on his own, he would likely never be able to stop relying on others because of the mental fuckery he had gone through. I had no idea what our lives would look like in a few years or even decades, but I knew Lachlan wouldn't be independent. He had said so himself, quietly one evening after another terrifying confession, between tears and completely distraught. He had whispered to me that he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to live a normal life. He felt utterly lost, disconnected and scared at times, and he didn't know if that feeling would every go away.

It was only the next morning, New Year's Day, that Lachlan made another video. There had been a couple of videos up since the first one with his face as sort of a way to document his slow recovery and also a way to update his slowly growing audience that he was okay. Since that video he had gained a couple of hundred thousand subscribers- I supposed he was kind of famous now, there had been several news stories on him and requests for interviews, which we had turned down. We deliberately didn't let much information out, but he had been held for two and a half years. It was an engaging story that could create some very clickbait headlines.

"I went through a lot of physical therapy in the few months after I was rescued, but the muscle wasting meant that I couldn't walk. Hell, in the beginning I couldn't even sit up on my own at first and because I couldn't eat either, I didn't have the energy to do anything." Lachlan smiled at me, gesturing for me to shift into the view of the camera.

"It was difficult to see him like that because he only weighed 48kgs when he first came to us. I don't think we have any photos, it wasn't really on my mind to document it, but you could easily count his ribs and well, I mean you still can now because you're still underweight Lachy, it was scary. He was literally verging on death, that was how little he weighed." Lachlan nodded along, but out of the view of the camera I could see he was self consciously rubbing his stomach.

"I hope I never have to go back into hospital again. I hated that damn place and it's so much nicer here, especially since we've moved houses. I've got my own space, I can feel relaxed at home. It's great, honestly."

We ended the video after another few minutes of talking and Lachlan and I headed into the kitchen to have a hot chocolate. It was early evening now and although dinner time had passed, neither of us had eaten. I don't think Lachlan was hungry.

Preston and Rob were both already in the kitchen and they laughed about how Mitch and Jerome were probably having some private time upstairs- they were probably just cuddling, but we laughed at it anyway. Lachlan leaned heavily against my shoulder, yawning.

"Still tired, huh?" I said. "We did have a long night last night. Early to bed today, I think."

"I think that goes for all of us." Rob groaned, yawning and stretching. "I feel like an old man- we were only up til one and didn't drink much but I feel like we had a full on party."

Lachlan giggled and I knew what he was going to say before he spoke-

"You are an old man."

"Oh come on!" Rob complained. "I'm 29! That's not old!"

"Older than me. That makes you old."

"We're all older than you Lachy, does that make us all old?" I chuckled.

"Yup. You're all old." He grinned cheekily, quietly ending the conversation. None of us really wanted to argue with his train of thought and if it made him laugh, who really cared.

Mitch and Jerome wandered down the stairs a few minutes later and we moved to the living room to watch a movie before bed. It was quiet, no one really talked, it was just peaceful. Lachlan kept himself tucked up against me and watched the others.

"I like this." He said. "I like it here. I feel happy."

"I'm glad." I whispered back. "I'm happy that you're happy. I like it here too."

"I wish it could stay like this forever."

"I know."

"Can it?"

"I don't know Lachy. All I know is that we're happy now, and we're gonna hope it stays that way. I lost you for eight hundred and eighty five days- I'm not going to lose you for anymore."

"I love you Vikk." He breathed, glancing around the room once more. Mitch and Jerome curled up together, hands intertwined, Preston practically sitting in Rob's lap, the older with his hands around his waist. It was quiet. Peaceful. I was content, I was happy, and Lachlan was too.

"I love you too Lachy. More than anything I ever have."