A plan for the future

He finished his cigarette and watched the lycan go to sit on a bench. He went a little closer to not stand too far from him. “I dont think she wants to see you. But I’ll ask.” He said, keeping calm despite how heated things were right now. But it was always either or, never a middle ground. Furious and outspoken or calm and apathetic. “I’m not telling you to choose a side. I’m telling you to think it through.” He said with a sigh, sitting down next to the lycan, grabbing the coffee. “You should drink water, this wont keep you up.” He said, taking a small sip of the cup, wrinkling his nose in disgust before handing it back. “I feel like we’re slowly getting tangled into something that will keep us apart in the end. I cant allow Lucius Trevino to start a trial because it only hurt Josette. But I cant also do nothing for the same reason.” He said, grabbing a another cigarette that he bit onto and lit up.

Eden didnt want to be apart from him either but it felt like his hands were tied. He felt the soft caress, smoking the cigarette calmly. He could barely feel the nicotine. It was more about just being occupied with something. The notion that Romeo would tell Lucius about them made Eden look at him with a frown. He explained himself and Eden understood but it was a hasty decision to be making now. “You cant tell him now when you’re barely able to keep your eyes open.” He said, feeling in his gut that it just wouldnt be safe. He sighed, looking at the hand before he moved his hand down to grab his, entangling their fingers. So what if random people at the hospital would see? “Come with me home. Spend the night and rest. I’ll have you back before Lucius wakes up.” He said, moving his eyes up to look at the lycan.

Maybe he couldnt or maybe he was just too scared of what would happen if he didnt just mindlessly obey for once. “You can say whatever you want. You said you wanted to tell him? Then do that.” He said, throwing his cigarette away to let it burn out before he used his now free hand to cup the lycan’s tired face, leaning in so their faces were rather close. “I can even be there with you if that’s what you want.” He said in a lowered tone, moving his lips up to kiss the lycan’s forehead in a sweet peck before moving his nose down to nuzzle against the kiss he had placed, rubbing it in so to speak. “I’m taking you with me whether you want it or not. You’re too tired and I’m not leaving you here to sleep on a bench.” He whispered, not really kidding around though his tone was soft-spoken.

The lycan was rather cute but Eden didnt really have the time to think about that. There was too much of everything else weighing down on them. He felt him lean in and to the outside, they might have looked like a couple that couldnt get enough of each other. “We’ll make it work.” He promised him, untangling their fingers to get up. He just picked up the lycan and held him close as he went to his car. It wasnt too hard to get him in the car and take him home, so eventually he ended up sitting in his windowsill with a cigarette, watching the lycan in bed. He had left a note on Josette’s nightstand, warning her that she could be running into him. But he doubted it. He snuffed out the last bit of his cigarette before he went to join the lycan in bed, pulling him in to hold him close, smelling his hair and caressing him slowly. He felt bad now that they were away from the hospital that he always seemed to be so bad at regulating himself whenever he got frustrated. Romeo didnt deserve it. He closed his eyes, though he couldnt sleep himself. He was still healing from within but it didnt affect him if he wasnt straining himself. And though you’d think that with the way he had pushed Lucius around, he didnt feel tired or sick at all.

He had promised to get him back before Lucius would wake. But when it was time and he looked at him, it felt like it wasnt near enough. If he was serious about coming clean, he would need to be well rested. So Eden let him sleep, watching his beautiful face, touching it carefully. He had never been affectionate, not even with Laure, but with Romeo it was like an instinct. Let him feel how much he was loved and longed for, give in to every need that called for him to touch his skin, hug him closer or kiss him. Just complete surrender to something he had been told to take control of at all times. It was late morning when the lycan seemed to wake. Eden put down a book he had been reading, looking to Romeo as he sighed. “It’s 10:58.” He said, reaching over to run his hand up his spine. “I know I promised to wake you earlier but you still looked too tired. It was better to do it like this.”

Lucius was annoyed. Romeo was gone, not even home and none of these nurses seemed to be competent enough to give him the things he needed. Kurtis was filling in for his cousin, sitting with his phone. “Have you called him?” Lucius asked to which Kurtis scoffed. “Yeah.” He just lied because he could. He even showed proof, though changing the name on a contact to make it seem like he had been talking to Romeo had to be his biggest scam yet. But as heartless as it seemed, he had shot Romeo a text to warn him about the deep shit he was in. Mostly because he also wondered where the boy wonder could have gone.

Eden wouldnt let Lucius hurt Romeo if he could stop it. And he would if he could be there. Seeing Romeo tumble out of bed as if there had been a bomb was amusing but Eden couldnt find the mood to laugh. Even if he seemed calm and composed he was full of worry. He granted the lycan privacy to shower, getting out to change his own clothes and have a cigarette. When he went to check on him, he watched him fiddle with the shirt. He came over and Eden greeted his lips, sighing at his words. “You do if you want this madness to end.” He agreed. No more secrecy, just full transparency. It would benefit not only them but the lycan in the long run.
When they went to the hallway, Eden was surprised to see Josette. Even more when she came over to tell her side, facing the lycan in a way that only made Eden proud. He hadnt mustered the same courage and bravery had he been her age. So it was commendable. Her end note however made him frown a bit before he scoffed. “If you ever get tired of me, no Trevino would hesitate to free you from the evil Parish family. Maybe that hotheaded angry cousin of yours but no one else.” He said. It was however no worry of his. Lucius had done this to himself.
He handed the lycan the car keys but held onto them as he looked at him. “Do you want to drive? Or would you rather get some time to think?” He asked. Either he would remove the key or loosen his grip completely on it. It didnt matter to him. It was just what Romeo was comfortable with.

Lucius was talking on the phone as Romeo entered. He ended the call rather abruptly, looking at his nephew with demanding eyes. “Where have you been?” He asked, just as Eden entered as well behind the lycan, placing his hands in his pockets. Kurtis looked confused at first as Romeo had been gone rather unexpectedly to then show up clean and beside the hollow cheeks looking like someone that hadnt spent the night on the streets. Eden appearing as well made Kurtis frown, until he widened his eyes a little. Lucius shared that surprise, looking rather angrily at the two. “Goodday Mr. Trevino. You look better than yesterday.” Eden said a little dry, purely sticking to formalities. “What’s the meaning of this?!” Lucius hissed, switching from Romeo to Eden, then to Kurtis who just shrugged. He didnt know what his cousins business with the vampyre ever had been, except that they were involved with each other quite often.

Nothing made sense for the old lycan. What was Eden doing here? Eden looked back at Romeo as he felt his eyes on him, sending him a small smile like he was encouraging him to do it. Lucius was confused by their interaction and as Romeo spoke, the old lycan grabbed the duvet with his healthy hand. Eden was introduced and Kurtis seemed to be the first of the two to react. “That’s my cue.” He mumbled as he got up and went for the door. It all made sense now, why Eden’s sister had been pissed and acted the way she had, why Romeo had been spending the night with Eden that night. “Kurtis, stay.” Lucius said, making the young lycan frown as he stood next to Eden and Romeo, looking back at Lucius. The old lycan got up, unsure on his legs, one bandaged but his pants hid it quite well. He was not going to wear the hospital clothes they had offered. Lucius stood for a bit in his own thoughts, his expression however remaining the same. Disappointed. “How long have you been hiding this from me?” He asked, looking at Romeo with a harsh look in his eyes.

Lucius stayed in place, listening, his expression remaining the same as if he had never had a good day in his life. Kurtis looked at Romeo as well but he couldnt even be happy to see this. Sure, he had hoped for the day Romeo would somehow screw up, but now that it was sort of happening, it just felt wrong. Like an imbalance. Eden squeezed the young lycan’s hand, just letting him know he was here as well. “By doing things yourself you meant to decieve everyone who trusted you and gave you their all?” Lucius asked in a bitter tone, eyeing the two others. “Out.” He demanded, but Eden frowned. He was not leaving Romeo here with his crazy lunatic uncle that seemed to slip up the seams. Kurtis however just pulled at the vampyre’s sleeve. “Just fucking do it, or it’ll be worse for Romeo.” He hissed in a lowered tone, Eden seemingly not budging until he slowly let go of Romeo and left with Kurtis. Lucius sat down on the bed, grunting in pain as his leg didnt take well to be stood on for longer periods. “Who are you and what have you done to my nephew? The boy wonder I once saw as my own son. I dont recognize this deciever standing here in front of me?” He asked like he was genuinely confused. But maybe that was the point. To really drive the knife in and twist with all might.

They were left alone and Lucius eyed the young lycan while his hand moved down to free the bandage, slowly undoing it, his hand looking better but quite obviously still healing. He listened as Romeo spoke, just looking dismayed yet remaining where he sat. Only that when Romeo began yelling he couldnt even believe what he was hearing. “She’s a young whore that will eventually become like the rest of the lot out there. Good women are a rarity these days and you should know that! I taught you better!” He said, not really having to yell to have his voice speak volumes. He was a veteran when it came to driving businesses, he knew how to keep his high standing without losing his cool.
“You are just so lucky that you look so much like your mother. That is the only reason I have not just struck you to the ground now.” He said, letting the bandage fall to the ground. Sometimes the threat of violence was enough on it’s own. “The charges will remain. I dont care that you’ve decided to let a filthy vampyre share bed with you. But I will tear that girl apart with my lawyers and my might, and you will get to watch it. You can choose which side. But I dont doubt that you know the consequences.” He said. It was simple as that. It didnt even matter what he had done or didnt do. “I was there for you. When your father had you used by all those men. I with your mother made sure it could never happen to you again. And this is how you treat family?” He scoffed. “I’m sending you back home. Your mother will figure out how to deal with you from there.”

“You’re acting as if your hardships would’ve never paid off! It’s like you’ve learned nothing from all this time! Why did I even bother discussing Kurtis’ lazy attitude with you, if you have just taken all the information and thrown it away!” He hissed. No, he didnt want him here a second longer than needed. He couldnt. “Do you know what’s thicker than blood? Loyalty. Without it, you’re no better than my good for nothing son. Maybe I held you in such high regards that you decided to become him.” He said as he got up. He went closer to Romeo, standing eye to eye as he gave him a long lasting look. “You are still just the lost child your mother brought in seven years ago. No books or hardwork can change that.” He said before his hand quickly went up to deliver a solid backhand to the side of his face, which was the first time Lucius would’ve ever been physical with the young lycan. “You stay home at the mansion, getting nothing but reports about the trial. I’m sure your mother agrees that you have not come here to taint the family name by getting involved with a man like Eden Parish. A man, as well! You disgust me.” He said, stepping away like being near the lycan would infect him with some sort of disease.

“You are forgetting who signed the papers for having you stay here. You will do as I say or I’ll have you sent home right this instant!” He demanded with anger. He was not having anymore of this disobedience. “If you leave through that door, I will take you out of the will, remove your place in the legacy! You will have nothing that can keep you here!” He warned him. Sure, he could never write him out fully, but he could do enough to ensure that Romeo would be bound to stay in Italy if needed. But that wasnt all. “Dont underestimate the lengths I will go to make sure you obey.” Was the final warning. The possibilities were endless. Contact his sister, paint a horrible picture of the vampyre as yet another old business man misusing her son? Lucius’ thoughts were already brewing with the things he would do.

“You dont marry for love in this family.” Lucius said coldly. It was a fact. Every marriage was planned, thought out so the child that would come from it would have the best genes, capable parents. Love didnt play a part, it was weak, it was nothing else than a burden. “He is a man, Romeo! How will you have children? How will you work for this firm and demand respect, when your peers will know that you’ve submitted yourself to a man? Do you think they will respect you? That you could earn your place, completely disregarding your outwards image?” He asked. It was simple as that. “Josette should have been the one you should’ve been with if you truly had to choose. But it seems that in the end, you cant make the right decision for yourself or your family.” He said. Even if Romeo knew what the enviroment were like, that many of the older men had barren their exotic tastes, every one of them had done theirs to keep a somewhat clean image. And those who hadnt, were targets. Like Eden had targeted Mr. Brown. “You can be a wolf. Or you can be a sheep. And sheeps gets left behind when they’re weakened, only to be eaten by the wolves.”