Chapter 68 #2
How can we take a pup home with us? We don’t know the first thing about childcare? And right now? I don’t know if we were even in the right frame of mind to look after him. Think about this, Aiden.
“It’s only until we find his family,” he replies to all of it. That would be fine if not for the fact that the boy grew miserable every time we mentioned the prospect. But Goddess … going home without him meant focusing on the picture of Oliver slumped beneath that tree and I … I can’t.
Facing the pup, I take a breath before I lean in to ask, “Do we get a name for taking you home?”
He frowns minutely, actually pondering it before he swallows and says, “Levi.”
His voice is a hoarse whisper that hurts, but I take the progress for what it is and smile.
“Nice to meet you, Levi,” I say, and for the first time, the boy looks away.
Lips twitching, I leave him be while I steal a moment with the healer to discuss symptoms to look out for should the boy be unwell—and apologise while I’m at it for the bite. But she’s already healing and waves me off with a gracious bow before she rejoins the fray where she’s needed.
With nothing left to do or say, I rejoin my mate’s side and with Levi seated on Aiden’s hip, we head home with the strange little fighter.
“So, you can stay in this roo—”
The door slams shut in our faces the second Levi slips behind it, and the lock clicks into place right after.
Stunned, I blink at the white door of our guest room before I turn to face Aiden. He smiles sympathetically at me as he grasps my elbow and eases me a step away from the door.
“When I came back, I didn’t talk for months. I spent most of my time in my room, alone,” Aiden explains with a solemn shrug. “He doesn’t know us, so it’ll probably be worse. We should just focus on being close and taking care of him while the Council looks for his family.”
“So, what do we do tonight?” I ask as I glance between him and the door. “We can’t leave him in there all night. We didn’t even get a chance to babyproof it.”
“Well, he’s not a baby,” Aiden starts.
“Are you really worried about semantics when you were the one who said he tried to stab you?” I retort, folding my arms over my chest.
“Alright, alright. Point taken,” he grumbles as he rubs a grimy hand over his tired face. “He doesn’t trust us. So, we gotta come up with some incentives to come out.”
“Like what?” I prompt. “He only wants safety now, and in his head, he has that behind that door.”
“Yeah, but he’s probably tired, and—” Aiden pauses, paling suddenly as he looks at me. “Hungry.”
My heart drops. “When do you think the last time he ate was?”
“Too long,” he replies before he quickly presses himself against the door. “Hey, Levi,” he calls kindly. “We’re going to have some dinner. Would you come out so you can eat?”
No sound come from the other side of the door except his pounding heart.
“We’ll make whatever you want,” I offer, making Aiden glance back at me. He raises a brow, but I just shrug. “Whatever you want to eat. Just come out and you’ll get it.”
Aiden and I don’t breathe as we wait, and almost a full minute passes before the door unlocks and slowly creaks open. Curls slip through the tiny space before dark eyes peer up at us.
“Pizza,” he whispers quietly, and my heart warms as I smile at him.
“Okay, you’ve got it,” I reply, holding out a hand. “Pizza it is.”
Pizza, it is? How the hell are we going to make a whole pizza from scratch? Aiden interjects unhelpfully, but I ignore him as I focus on Levi, who lets the door ease open just an inch more to eye my hand warily. He clings to the door frame, with muddied fingernails that make me frown.
“Maybe first, we can get you cleaned up and then eat?” I offer as he takes his first step out, “or after—”
I hold my tongue the moment I spot Levi’s eyes widening with fear, but it’s already too late. He rushes back into the room and slams the door so quickly he almost clips his own fingers. The lock sounds, and I have to bite my lip to silence my frustration as I turn to Aiden.
“It wasn’t you,” he says before I have to ask. “Hey, kid. Julian didn’t mean to scare you like that,” he calls as he leans against the wall. “I know … I know that in there, they probably dunked you in some dirty, old water until you’re almost drowning, but that’s not what he meant.”
I stare at Aiden, but he keeps his gaze on the door as he forces himself to keep speaking despite the fear overwhelming our bond.
“We won’t do that, Levi. If you know how, you can clean up on your own, and we won’t touch you. But we’ll have to stay close to make sure you’re okay, and to do that, you’ll need to come out first. So, what do you say?”
Aiden stares at the door, waiting and willing it to open, and to my surprise, it does.
Levi steps out, even slower this time, but his gaze is just a little less fearful as it darts between us. Once again, I offer my hand, and he studies it for a long moment before he lets himself reach for it.
When he finally takes it, wrapping his smaller fingers around mine, something inside of me melts like honey as I hold onto him.
With small steps, I lead him to the bathroom, where inside, Aiden readies the bath while I help Levi undress.
He’s slow with me at first, nervous at every touch, but as I wait for him after each hesitation, he lets me help.
“I’m going to find some clothes for you,” Aiden says once he’s done. “Do you think you can stay here with Julian?”
Panic wells inside of me as I baulk at my mate. Of course he needs clothes, but surely I should fetch them so I don’t accidentally step on another trigger. But Levi is nodding, and Aiden’s already leaving with a smile before I can say a word.
Left alone, Levi stares blankly at me, and my mind fumbles on how to get through this.
“Is it okay if I help you in?” I ask, gesturing to the bath. Levi nods, lifting his arms, and I smile. “Alright, here we go.”
Picking him up, I bring him over to the bath, letting him test the temperature with his toes before I settle him in. He relaxes once his feet are submerged, but keeps his hands on my arms while I slowly help him sit down.
I expect Levi to need my help, but he’s quick to start pouring the water over himself with the small container Aiden left inside.
He’s so young, but he bathes quickly and efficiently, as if there’s a timer on this.
I don’t let myself frown as I watch him, but the way he scrubs himself clean isn’t normal.
He gets it all out, though, and only when he’s done do I see the freckled face and tanned skin beneath as he looks at me again. More specifically, he looks up at my hair.
I glance in the mirror, noting the gunk clinging to it, and frown for real this time. “Yeah, I need a bath too, but I want you fed first.”
Levi’s gaze drops before he lifts his arms again. I do my job of getting him out before I wrap him in a towel and lead him to the toilet. I sit down on the lid and fix him in my lap so I can dry his hair.
He’s relaxed against me, surprisingly so. He doesn’t look for exits or jolt at every touch. He sits still and lets me take care of him.
“What do we have here?” Aiden says, making our heads snap towards to door.
“I’m just helping him out,” I reply as Levi tosses his head back to look at me.
He stares until I blow my cheeks up to make a face, and then, his lips twitch at the corners, forming a watery smile that disappears all too soon.
It hurts to see it go, but the glimpse of it is still enough for my heart to take an absolute nosedive.
“I got some clothes here for you,” Aiden says as he comes to squat in front of Levi. “They’re not new, but they’ll make do for now.”
Opening the bag in his hands, Aiden pulls out a top and shorts that should fit him well, along with some underwear, and Levi is quick to snatch them up before he slips from my lap.
He looks around the massive bathroom before he rushes towards the wall blocking off the shower with the towel dragging at his waist.
I huff, laughing with amusement that resonates in Aiden’s eyes when I glance at him.
We stare at each other, both marvelling at the unfamiliar joy that courses through our bond.
It’s bountiful, and completely aimed at Levi, which is heartening because after the week we had, joy was the last thing I expected to feel tonight.
Levi returns soon enough, and this time, he heads straight for me. I’m honoured, and way too happy about it, but I try not to let that show as I pick him up so not to freak him out.
“Ready to eat?” I whisper, and Levi is quick to nod. I head for the door, but Aiden doesn’t move out the way. He just stands there, staring at us until I raise a brow.
“Sorry,” he mumbles, shaking his head and leading the way out.
“Okay, Levi, so what kind of pizza do you want?” Aiden asks once we’re in the kitchen. I sit him down on the counter, keeping a hand close so he doesn’t tumble off. When no response comes, Aiden glances back at him, but Levi just shrugs.
We’re not actually making pizza, are we? I ask Aiden through our link.
Of course not, Aiden retorts as he opens the fridge and pulls out some milk. He probably wouldn’t even be able to keep it down. I’ll do some oatmeal.
And when he realises it’s not pizza?
He’s hungry. I don’t think he’ll care.
That sad truth plagues my mind as I settle my attention on Levi again. He’s staring at the fruit bowl that has a few bananas in it, and dear Goddess, I leave his side to fetch the banana. I’ve barely handed it over before he’s peeling it open and taking a bite.
“Slowly,” Aiden warns as he comes over. “Small bites or it’ll all come back out, and you don’t want that, right?
” Levi slows himself down, forcibly chewing slowly under our watchful gaze until the banana is gone.
He eyes the other one, but Aiden shakes his head.
“You’ll be eating in a sec, and bananas won’t fill you up. ”
“How about …” I start as I step in front of him to divert his attention, “… you tell me how old you are? You seem super big.”
Levi blinks up at me, his lips twitching just a little before he holds his hand up, spreading all his fingers.
“Five! Woah, no way!” I blurt out, and his smile comes again as he nods. “You can’t be five years old?” Levi giggles, and my lips split open into a smile. It’s like fucking sunshine in a storm and I’m loving every second of it.
My lips part, but then I feel the anger emanating from Aiden. He tries to hide it, and does so well enough that Levi doesn’t realise, but I know my mate.
What’s wrong?
They took him at five. I’m fucked up enough and I was seven, he growls through the link. No wonder he’s basically mute. That must’ve been ten times worse for him, and that fucker—I should go kill him right now.
I think Levi would rather we be here with him right now, I say as gently as I can. Isn’t that what you would’ve wanted? Would want? Aiden winces, and I regret my words the moment I realise how deep they cut. I’m sorry.
It’s fine. You’re right, he replies, offering me a weak smile as he comes towards us. Let’s focus on Levi.
“Now, kid,” Aiden says as he turns to him with an exaggerated frown. “I don’t think I’ve got all the ingredients for pizza. Do you think you’ll be okay with some oatmeal?” Levi nods. Aiden was right. He’s just hungry. “Alright then, the best oatmeal you’ll ever have, coming right up.”
It takes no time for Aiden to prep the food for Levi, and us, too, because we’re starving and can’t hide it. We try to slow ourselves down as we eat so he follows our lead, but we have to keep reminding him anyways.
Faster than us, he eats it all and manages a full glass of water without anything coming back up. He’s barely settled back in his chair before he yawns, his eyes already drooping as he slumps.
“Looks like it’s all catching up to you,” Aiden muses as he scoops him up. Levi curls into him without protest, already falling asleep with his face squished against Aiden’s shoulder.
I follow after them while my heart thunders, refusing to stop even after we lay him down and tuck him into bed. It’s another bed that’s too big for him, but Levi looks far more comfortable in this one with his face squished into the pillow.
I watch him, not wanting to leave, but we’ve done everything we can. At least for now, he’s safe, fed, and resting. Staying might only disturb that.
We exit slowly, leaving the door open so that the hallway light shines through, and only take our first real breath when we’re back in the living room and too far to disturb him.
Facing each other, we stare in silence as we seem to come to the same realisation …
Somehow, the day that began with facing our pasts has ended with us caring for a pup that isn’t our own, and now he’s sleeping in our home. A pup.
“I think I need a drink,” I mumble, and Aiden barks a laugh before he covers his mouth, but Levi is definitely out.
“Fuck yes,” Aiden groans, already heading to the kitchen when a knock sounds at our door.