No One Will Ever Hurt You Again I Promise-Chapter 60: Speaking Of Surprise

After preparing something delicious for them to eat, Marc kept them anyway, despite his unwillingness to help the Kerf orphans. He showed Oliver the room he and his brother would occupy in the coming days.

And now, if the twins decide to show up at his house like they used to do without announcing their presence, it’s inevitable that they’ll both be forced to sleep with Howie himself since the last room available isn’t available anymore. After all, it’s not like they’ve never done it before, right?

Howie made it his mission to chase away all traces of Aike’s scent and presence from the bedroom before his father could show it to Oliver.

He doesn’t know why, but the very idea that someone could take comfort in the smell of Aike makes him uncomfortable. He has a lump on his chest that tries to crush him by all means when he tries to picture someone else sniffing and wallowing in Aike’s odor.

It would be difficult for an average human to notice the smell, but Oliver can, which does not delight him.

So, he took care of it once and for all. He liked to go there sometimes, especially at night before bed. It was a way to control his need to see, hug, and tease him. He leaned against the door frame and took a few deep breaths while thinking of Aike.

But above all, he wanted to control these unexpected moments of teleportation that burst into his life. He tried to circumvent it; for that, he needed an alternative, and the room was a great help to him.

After the conversation, he eavesdropped on Aike and his brother in the restroom. He told himself that he would do better to respect his silence regarding his request, and since then, he has been the one who tries everything to avoid him. Howie tries not to embarrass Aike by teasing him all day long, and he appears less in places where he is.

Aike didn’t answer his boyfriend’s request. He thought he was scared because it’s in his nature to be scared of anything or simple things, especially the things he wants, at all costs. So, if something he desires suddenly falls on him as if by a miracle, he will flee and becomes suspicious of it.

It seems like he’s always wondering, "Where’s the catch?" Where is the hidden camera? It’s a joke, a prank. "

It’s as if he has no right to own this thing, he wants with all his might and thinks he can only afford to dream of having it and nothing else.

So, when it becomes real, fear and dread take over his needs and desires, and he becomes a coward and very indecisive about what he wants.

It’s like the time they met in their dream after William helped him escape from the clutches of this monstrous thing that was pursuing him. He did not want to speak to him, and he did everything not to meet him again, but, at that time, he wasn’t in control. He couldn’t do much against the attraction that brings them together.

Since the other was stubborn, he appeared all the time, out of nowhere, until they became friends. They didn’t know how or why they could meet each time, but they got used to it.

Once the barriers fell and the walls smashed, he gave himself up to William, who would disappear and never return to him.

First, there was the puppy scenario. In their childhood, they wanted to have pets. Of course, they had neither the right nor the permission, but their grandmother gave them a gift anyway.

Once this little animal took an important place in their lives, it disappeared in a most gruesome death. Then there was the disappearance of his only friend, the one he shared everything with, the one he had all to himself.

And now he has lost the bond he shares with his brother, the only precious thing he has in this world. His mental, physical, and psychic attachment to his brother, the human being he cherishes the most.

So, what will happen if he indulges his fantasies if he answers Howie’s request affirmatively? A request he had been waiting for, let’s say, since the first day he ran into him. And that’s the very reason that makes him think it’s dangerous to answer him. The damage will be ten times more disastrous this time.

He doesn’t think he’s ready to suffer another abandonment, even less from Howie. He prefers to stay away from him a thousand times, watching him devoured by his greedy brother or by anyone among those who, like him, want to have him all to themselves.

For the sake of a peaceful heart, he will try with all his being to stay away from this damned forbidden fruit _ better to stay away from that damn poisonous fruit.

That’s the few things Howie heard from Aike’s conversation with his brother. He only hears the part where the latter expresses his fear to his brother. It’s not like he was spying on them or anything.

He didn’t want to listen to their conversation, it was mainly the sound of excitement and voices shouting outside the door that caught his attention, and he wanted to know more about all this fuss. Besides, he must remain on his guard.

When he heard Ayke talking to them, he almost laughed out loud, sitting in front of his paint paraphernalia. At least he knows that they still care for each other despite the break in their bond.

He was pleased to hear Ayke speak so passionately with his brother about his love and the importance that the other has in his life.

He was delighted that his friendship with the latter will not prevent him from protecting his brother against him if he hurts him. at least he knows he’s not the only one who wants to protect him at all costs, even if he will protect them both the same way, after all, they are one soul for two body.

So when the conversation took a much more intimate turn than it already was, he didn’t want to listen much more than he had already heard.

The pain and desperation he read in Aike’s voice nearly took his breath away that day. He doesn’t want him to be so vulnerable because of him and his stupid request. He got up abruptly from his stool to get a breath of fresh air, pacing like a caged animal until he calmed down.

So, now it’s his turn to avoid him for sure, and by all means, he has the advantage. He can follow every beat of his heart from a long distance.

If Aike couldn’t know when he entered a room so as not to collide with him when he was avoiding him, therefore Howie knew all too well where to find him, just by following his heartbeat, that music he’s been looking for all the time these days without even seeing him.

When he informed his father and El that he had asked Aike to be his boyfriend and this one fled without giving him a possible answer, they said he was in his pocket; it is a matter already settled because they all know Aike’s feelings for him but don’t know about his fear.

The latter was surprised by Howie’s sudden request after all the misery he put him through, and the fact that he wanted to take their little game to a more serious stage scared the hell out of him and made him suspicious.

El and Howie’s father did not want to understand that Aike was afraid. They think he was taken aback by Howie’s request and that he wants to understand the situation before giving him his answer. He is like that, always thinking first before diving headlong into the unknown.

So, for them, it’s something done; there is no reason to worry.

And since then, they have talked about them as if they were already in a relationship.

"I’m going to keep calm and don’t talk to them about anything from today, I think my father is as stupid as Bravael on this point, and he’s been so childish these last days that I wonder if I’m not the adult in this house for real this time."

Howie has made a resolution with himself and lets his father and Bravael do and say whatever they want without contradicting them. It’s too much trouble trying to put some common sense into their head.

"I sometimes wonder which of them is the more childish. It isn’t enjoyable. But who can blame them? They only have me to let off steam, and it must be said that they are having a great time, and I only have the two of them to support me. It’s a win-win game, right? I can even say it’s even."

"And when they are at loggerheads with each other, I enjoy watching them let off steam on each other. They even face each other in a duel sometimes to settle their matter. Tsk, it’s unbelievable."

"Bravael has changed the atmosphere of the house, I no longer feel this oppressive pressure on my shoulder, and my father lets himself relax a little."

"We look like a beautiful family now, and I have a brother, even if sometimes I want to strangle him until he passes away or to death, but despite his shitty behavior, I like his company anyway."

"I guess it’s how it feels to live with a family and have a brother with whom you can share your secret and fight like crazy when we disagree on a matter."

From time to time, it happens to him to analyze his luck and balance the pros and cons of his life, despite the situation he found himself in since his earliest childhood. And when he looks at how El evolves around him and his father as if he has always been there, he can’t help thinking and having this type of conversation with his inner, even if this latter no longer answers him.

"Dad, I’ll leave you for a moment; I’ll take the dogs to Ayke. It won’t be good to keep them in that suffocating atmosphere tonight, and I don’t want to force them into keeping quiet, either. It’s not fair enough for them."

The full moon is tonight, and they have a guest who will have to undergo his first transformation at an advanced age. The night will be long and suffocating. Keeping dogs with them may make them sick; too much pressure and pheromones will surely make them lose their minds before daybreak. And H can risk that happening; they are his friends and children.

"I’ve put enough psychological pressure on them lately, so tonight I’m avoiding all that again. Besides, they’ve been a little sad these last few days, they miss them, and Ayke is very happy to welcome them."

He just talked aloud a bit to let his dad know he was going out, so he wouldn’t have a heart attack if he didn’t see him at home in the next two hours, which caught the attention of El, who allowed himself to add his two cents.

"Marc, can we know why he wants to give us so much explanation about his intention? It’s not like it’s his habit to do so. Does that mean he wants to hide from us the real reason he wants to go to them? I feel that there is something questionable behind this staging." The noisy loudmouth named Bravael adds from his room.

"I wonder, too," a carefree Marc responds, not giving a damn about his son’s feelings while pretending to think about the situation. Howie rolled his eyes and walked away from his father’s doorstep without waiting for his response.

"You two are just damn idiots," he grumbled under his breath before heading down the stairs, and Marc and El burst out laughing carelessly.

Perth woke up from his comatose sleep after three hours, and they were beginning to worry about his condition. Still, Howie and El despite himself, devoted themselves to monitoring his energy flow and vital signs. Everything was perfect; it was like Howie said. He was just in a deep sleep.

They tried to make it clear to Oliver, telling him his brother was fine, and that he just needed time to come to his senses. But this one did not listen to them; he even got angry that El had to knock him out.

El shows no patience with them; only God knows why he is so irritable with them.

One can say his level of patience with these two openly is not very high; he is poor in patience even. Howie did not refrain from pointing it out to him, they irritate him very much, and he knows it very well, but he does not know why. He does not hesitate to knock them out whenever the opportunity arises.

"If you were a wolf, I would have blamed the full moon’s effects on you for your annoyance with them. But I think everyone knows that it is impossible. So what’s happening to you, you don’t even know them, but you treat them like shit. What’s your problem?"

"What do you think? I’m just a bit anxious, and why can’t you see it by yourself instead of asking me? And why are you worried about them exactly?"

Howie didn’t bother to answer the question; he just glared at him and went to get Oliver from El. At least he bothered to catch him up before he collapsed to the ground at his feet like a rag doll.

He lifted him in his arms and brought him to bed in the room prepared for them. When Perth woke up without his brother by his side and without a trace of his brother’s insight, he began to panic.

But this time, Marc took care of it by leaving the boys out of all this; otherwise, they risk cutting each other’s throats before the end of the day.

For some reason unknown to him, El is irritated by the mere fact of the presence of the brothers and does not bother to hide it from others; on the other hand, Howie feels obligated to watch over them no matter what happens. His protective soul takes control, while for El, it’s different. And it annoys him even more, to see Howie vouching for them so quickly when he doesn’t know them. He made him go through a few miseries to accept him a few weeks ago when he knew him better than them.

Marc leads Perth to the guest room, where Oliver is sleeping peacefully. He has not been able to sleep so well for a few days. His brother thanks Marc before rushing to him, almost in tears.

They both had zombie heads from lack of sleep. He climbed onto the bed next to Oliver under the amused gaze of Marc. They remind him of the twins, except that these two have nothing in common, but he waits patiently to hear their story.

"When he’s awake," he said, speaking to Perth, who he didn’t take his eyes off for a moment, "come down to see me. I’ve prepared breakfast and lunch for you."

Perth raised his head and met the soft and kind gaze with which Marc observed them. He startled slightly; then, he nodded to Marc to indicate that he understood and heard what he said.

"Good," said Marc before leaving the room. He gently closes the door behind him without making any noise. Both took care to take a bath and change the clothes they wore into another available in their room. A few minutes later, they came down freshly dressed.

They looked rather well when they arrived in the kitchen where Marc and these two kids, who seemed pretty arrogant and haughty, for Perth taste, were waiting for them.

He looked them up and down before sitting on one of the empty stools opposite them. They were waiting for them, and they were all three seated almost on the same side of the worktop surface as if they were going to make a judgment.

Oliver followed and sat down next to him like a frightened mouse, a little intimidated by them. They end up with three pairs of curious eyes that stare at them like predators, ready to jump on their necks and make a feast of their flesh.

They pierce them with their gaze as if they wanted to unearth their secret in silence without saying a word. They all stayed like that for a few minutes before Marc decided to set up the table.

In this almost suffocating atmosphere created by the intense looks with which the others stared at them, they told their story of their misadventure during these last few days.

Howie went to get his little companions when suddenly, a familiar smell caught his attention.

"Oh, oh," he said with a bit of cynicism and mischief. A somewhat creepy and odd smile tugged at his lips to his ears before rushing out the door entirely in a euphoric state.

"This is going to be fun," he says before opening the back door, almost to come face to face with his visitor.

"Oh, I couldn’t ask for more," he thinks with a bit of amusement and a glimmer in his eyes.