Allen loved this, the sweat, heat, and life that radiated off the people around him, it was contagious and enthralling. Energy was something Al had no lack of, but he loved the energy of the club pulsing around him, the lights made it difficult to seek someone out, but Al thought it added to the 'fun'. Another drink was handed to him and he chugged it down, he didn't want to feel anything, just the pleasure of being in the moment and the girl grinding against him was a bonus. Too bad, he thought, she's cute, it would be better to leave her now then do anything stupid later. She had some nice legs, might try to look somewhere outside of this drug filled, alcohol pumping club for a more suitable hookup. So, Allen shimmied his way over to the bar and ordered another shot of 'whatever'. The alcohol had lost its taste a while ago, he was sure as hell going to feel this tomorrow, but he took another few shots before heading back out to the mob of awkward dancing and gyrating. Maybe it was time to find a target for tonight. The room was spinning around him and yet Allen was not going to let this stop him, blurred faces were fine if he got the desired ending. He just had to hope he wasn't too shit-faced. The music throbbed around him and he found a perfect mark. He was so very awkward in this room, clearly didn't belong, once he got a few drinks in him it would be easy to get into his pants. God, he was he wearing a Canada hoodie, this would be way to easy. Allen set down his drink and walked up to him, "What's a cutie like you doing in a place like this? Huh?"
"Oh, um my boyfriend Matt is looking for his brother Allen." The kid looked up at Allen with doe eyes.
He was fucked, it was time to run, and run now. If Matt was here Allen was seriously screwed, when he turned around, he was tugged back by someone grabbing his collar. "Oh, hi Mattie-boy, what are you doing here?" Allen tried to play an innocent look, but Matt could see through that and they both knew it. The drugs and alcohol in his system wasn't helping in his innocent ploy either.
"We're going home Allen."
"Awww, why? You guys just got here, plus uh-"
"Matthew," offered Matt.
"Right Matthew, looks like he could use a beer."
"Oh, I'm good, thank you though!" Matthew said over the noise of the club.
Matt rolled his eyes, "This isn't his thing, and don't try to deny you just tried to get into his bed. Just come with me, we are going home, now, no exceptions, ifs, ands, or buts, got it?"
Allen stuck his hands out, "Arrest me then Mattie."
"Stop calling me that." Matt put his large hand on Allen's neck, and steered him toward the door with Matthew on their heels like an obedient puppy.
"Matthew is a cutie, where'd a social recluse like you pick him up?"
"None of your business." Matt said right as Matthew responded, "I met him at the National Park I work at."
"Oooh, Mattie's got a hiking buddy now. Do you like to like to get-"
"I said enough Allen."
When they reached Matt's red truck, that was in need for a paint job or to get scraped, Matt let go of Allen and opened the back door for him. "Why don't I get shotgun?"
"Matthew isn't drunk and horny, and I don't want puke all over me." The back seat had a blanket spread across the seats, and another was on the floor. "If you do puke try to get it out the window or on the blankets, understood."
"Yeah, yeah, I can handle a few drinks alright buddy?" Allen patted Matt's shoulder and stumbled into the car.
"Are you sure he's alright? Should we take him to a doctor or something?"
"Yeah, he'll be fine, a bit of sobering up at our parents house should do him good."
"No, just bring me to my apartment holy shit, I do not want to see either of them after all I did to get out. Please Matt."
"Allen, someone needs to watch you for a bit, and I work, and I don't have space for you right now." Matt gave Al an empathetic look and closed the door for him.
"Fuck, Matt. I'd rather go to the hospital then go see them again. Matt listen to me." Allen pleaded as the others climbed into the car.
"Matt, are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Maybe Oliver's cooking will do him some good."
"Great Matt, just great," Allen moaned.
The drive to their parent's house was dreadful, Allen puked three times (twice out the window and once on the blanket). Matthew tried to play some music, but Allen yelled over it complaining about life in general. "If you don't enjoy life why live?"
"Allen, I swear to god, shut up and let Matthew play his music."
Allen frowned but shut up, when they pulled into the driveway of their parents bright purple house Allen tried again to convince Matt to just drop him off at his own apartment. "Please I do not want to be here, this is ridiculous I just need to sleep this off, I'll get a job, Matt pleaseee…"
Oliver opened the door and Allen shut his mouth and stood up obediently. Francois stood just behind him smoking a cigarette.
"Hi Papa, Hi Dad," Matt hugged Oliver but only gave Francois a pat on the shoulder and an awkward smile. Matthew introduced himself and joined Matt back in the car as they drove off. Allen stood pitifully in the drive.
"Allen, Matt phoned us ahead of time, I have your room all set up for you, and I have some leftovers from our dinner."
"Great." Allen pushed past Oliver but stood in front of Francois. Neither of them spoke, a simple head nod was all the communication they needed. And Allen followed Francois into the house. Allen went straight to his room. He didn't like either of his parents and preferred the company of the vodka bottle he had stashed in his room the last time he had been forced home. Francois would occasionally join him, but he wasn't a fan of vodka and preferred a few glasses of wine. The mutual understanding having been reached Allen just needed to avoid Oliver and his baking. Allen felt lost all over again, that same pain he had been trying to avoid earlier by going to the club.
Maybe some sleep would help. Or maybe it wouldn't. Either way it was four in the morning and he could feel the exhaustion catching up to him.
Thank god for Oliver's love of household chores, clean sheets and folded clothes were just what he needed. His own house was in desperate need for clean clothes and laundry. Now Allen was neat, but Oliver was meticulously so, probably because Francois wasn't exactly a clean person. Allen stripped to his underwear and climbed into the bed he'd had since he was fourteen. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep at this point. But sleep eluded him. Maybe it was one of the pills he had taken earlier, he could try to find one of Oliver's sleeping medications, or just take one of his own weaker ones he had stashed somewhere in the room. Deciding taking any more medication not prescribed to him would be a bad idea, Al found one of his own medications. And that's when he realized, he didn't have his anti-depressants. He could deal with that in the morning.
He took a glass of water from the cupboard and swallowed the pill down with a drink of water. He headed back to his bed and fell asleep, finally.
When he woke up he could smell Oliver making bacon. God this family, he had been vegan for years and yet he still couldn't get a break. He wasn't doing it for anything other than he was trying to be healthier and well… he doesn't like eggs or meat and dairy can be substituted. He just hoped Oliver had kept some goddamn nuts or something in the kitchen. Maybe some fucking fruit. Fruit would be way better than nuts. He hated almonds. Allen threw on a shirt and walked downstairs, Francois nodded towards a pear on the table and gave him a quick wink. Francois wasn't the greatest father, scary at times really, but he had his moments.
"Good morning Allen, how did you sleep? Would you like some bacon or eggs, maybe some pancakes?" Oliver asked already serving him.
"No, I'm vegan, remember?"
"Oh I don't know how you get any protein in you, just eat an egg or two."
"No. Look I have a pear, right here, I'll eat this instead, okay?"
"Look just eat it and there doesn't need to be a fight, either eat it or don't leave the table."
"Holy shit, Dad I'm 22, I am not a baby."
"Francois, back me up, please love?"
"Hmm…" Francois didn't look up from his paper.
"Thanks Pops!" Allen got up from the table and bit into his pear. He plopped himself on the couch and turned on the T.V.
"Oh good heavens, that boy. Maybe we should send him to rehab."
"Not this again!" Allen yelled.
"Worked well enough for your Papa, stop calling him Pops, its inconsiderate."
"Pops! Do you care if I call you pops?" Allen asked.
Francois stalked out of the room and slammed the bedroom door behind him, "I want you to be quiet for fucks sake, or I might just get the belt again!"
"Corporal punishment does not encourage better behavior dear, remember?"
"For fuck's sake I'm going out now."
"Where, your brother brought you here to go cold turkey." Oliver shook a wooden spoon at him.
"Ugh!" Allen went back up the stairs and grabbed his bottle, he took a few sips to try to ease the hangover he was starting to feel. Yeah, he was going to go out, slip out the window, and walk to the bus station. Make it to the gay bar down town. Perfect idea, except it was still ten am. Fuck it, he'd chill out with some T.V. and hit the bar later. He could probably head to the park and scare some kids, maybe he'd go meet up with some other buddies who weren't exactly law-abiding citizens. Kuro, Xiao, and Viktor were nice, if you weren't competing with them.
Yeah, he would go smoke some pot with them at their Chinese restaurant, which was a front for the local mafia. It had decent enough food, and people genuinely enjoyed it, even if the police seemed to raid it every other week. Xiao was kind of sick of having to keep hiding shit in other areas, plus 'police are bad for work'.
Allen crawled through the window and let down the rope ladder he had made a few years ago so he could get out without Oliver finding out. When Allen was safely at the bottom, he threw the ladder up back onto the roof. He could climb up the tree near Matt's window if he couldn't just walk in the front door. But considering he was an adult Allen thought the whole situation was stupid. But Allen really didn't want to go back to rehab, it left him with too much of well… himself.
This wasn't the time for contemplating, he needed to go before Oliver came up to check on him, oh fuck, did he hide the vodka. It didn't matter if Oliver threw it away Allen could always find more. Hell, he wouldn't die if all the alcohol he was stuck with was a bottle of fancy wine. Allen trotted over to the bus stop at the end of the road and checked the schedule, it would be another five minutes till the next bus would arrive. Allen sent a quick message to Kuro telling him he was going to be there in a few minutes. Allen kept checking his watch, patience was not his virtue, and he really wanted to get away from the house and his family. Maybe after he left the gay bar he could get a taxi back to his own apartment. Kuro would probably be up to the bar, he would probably pick up a few new customers. So good at least Allen had a wing man and a plan if things went south, Kuro would bolt, and Allen would have a taxi outside. Gotta love the mob, they were great with extraction plans. When the bus pulled in Allen jumped up, payed the dollar fee and walked to the back of the bus to sit down.
The Chinese place was no palace, it was dingy and greasy, but had the best pork dumplings around. Alas, Allen didn't like much Chinese food, but he did love himself some fried rice. He swung the door open and sat down. Kuro came out to greet him and gave him a hug-handshake.
"Long time no see, Al."
"Yeah, sorry man, it's been a month."
"Tell me about it. Xiao is busting my ass, he'll be out in a minute, and Viktor, 'sends his regards' but he's out of town for a bit. Got busted last night. Shouldn't be too long though."
"Jeez, been having fun without me huh? Should I get back in on the action?"
"Nah, you need to sit there and be pretty, brings in customers, and I mean we pay you enough for that right? Matt still okay? Still can't believe he got out of this shithole."
"Yeah, Matt's fine. Got a boyfriend in fact. And my pretty ass could do a lot more if you know what I mean."
"You'd work magic as a stripper, I can see it now, I'll talk to Xiao about finding you a spot in the club."
"Nice, but actually I'm here to smoke."
"Oh, Xiao is upstairs already, come on up. I mean weed is legal now, but hell, Xiao likes to keep it out of the restaurant."
Kuro led Al to the back and up a flight of stairs, and quickly the smell of marijuana filled the small room. Xiao was sitting on a decadent couch, his arm dangling on the arm. The red decorations with lucky dragons seemed way too stereotypical for Xiao, but Kuro had a giant dragon tattoo, so maybe it wasn't. Kuro handed him a joint and Allen flopped into one of the chairs, Kuro perched himself on the window seat. Allen was content, a joint and an hour of sleep, and he'd be raring to go. The great thing about weed though is it calms you down, and that was exactly what Allen needed, sometimes he would think too much and that wasn't too great, but if he fell asleep it would be exactly what the doctor ordered. Oh fuck, Allen still didn't take his meds. Well, it was too late now, he could take them tomorrow or whenever he got back to his place. Right now, he just wanted all the stuff he felt to melt away. God it was going to be one hell of a night.