HORNS (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 45

Chapter Forty Five

Breakfast was awkward.

Sure, the kitchen was practically empty since there was only Diana, Cassidy, Jun, and the two ancient faeries who'd popped by for a visit, Chi and Thomas, but nearly everyone in the kitchen had indeed heard what had gone down between me and Echo, as well as my subsequent argument with Raphael. I could tell that they were taking extra care to act like everything was normal, even though it clearly wasn't.

The fake obliviousness irked me, but I still appreciated them for trying.

Chi and Thomas didn't really seem to understand the queer vibe hovering over us. The latter was far more reticent than the former, who went out of his way to ask about the nuances of cooking since he didn't eat food, but nightmares. Chi was a strange creature... tall, gangly, spidery, but very friendly and warm, despite his poor social skills.

It was during this awkward breakfast, however, that Sebastian came into the kitchen holding three huge syntheplasti bags full of stuff. He roughly dragged a table chair out into the open with his foot and kicked it hard enough to make it slide towards me. I instinctively extended my leg, stopping it with my hoof before it could smack into Cassidy, who raised two plates of food.

She seemed startled and Bash made a face. "Sorry about that."

"Accidents happen. Thanks, Horst," she murmured, giving me a curt nod as she squeezed around me and made her way over to where Diana was sitting. I didn't respond, just kept eating... until Bash plopped down in the chair and just... leered at me.

I broke out into a nervous sweat, ears pulling low beneath my hood.

Why the heck is he looking at me like that? I silently wondered, and chewing suddenly felt like a chore since it made me feel weird to be watched so intently while I was eating. I swallowed past a lump in my throat and finally turned to look at him, asking, "what's up?"

He cocked an eyebrow, then gestured at the bags, which he'd dropped on the floor.

"I went out and scrounged up some things you're going to need when you leave tonight," he said, and I froze, staring at him in confusion and alarm. He seemed to notice my shock since he folded his arms and added, "tonight. Not tomorrow... tonight. Later this evening, around nine."

"I have one more day," I challenged, hackles rising when his eyes became bored. "Tomorrow."

Sebastian sighed heavily and leaned back, giving me a patient stare.

"I know you're worried about your father's state of mind," he quietly rumbled, making my heart clench, "but you don't need to worry. He'll be fine. I know how much you love him and I know that you yourself are struggling with the idea of separation, but you will always be welcome to call and he will always, without fail, answer when you do no matter the time or day."

"I agree," Diana piped from her spot at the table, setting her fork down. "Frankly, Horst, all of us are worried about you. I don't think we've ever seen you this antisocial before... all you do is lie in bed with Echo and sleep away your problems, and I feel like you're using him as a distraction."

Heat flooded my cheeks and I fought back a mean retort. Sebastian sighed, deflating.

"Look, kiddo... what you need is a change of pace. Staying around here one more day isn't going to change anything and instead of being upset, you should be feeling excited. Your first experiences in the real world are about to begin and we all know its something you have been desperately longing for."

I felt panic beginning to build up. "But--"

"Horst."

My words died on my tongue at the sound of my father's voice and I stared grimly at the table. I didn't want to look up at him, didn't want to give in the way I knew I would under his chiding stare, but the weight in my chest hit my eyes and I found myself doing so anyway. I turned, meeting my dad's tired gaze as he stood there in the doorway, looming like a dark sentinel.