A/N: Last night the world lost another incredible musical talent. RIP, Chris Cornell, you will be missed dreadfully and thank you for all of the songs that held so many of us in awe from the 90s to today.
Twin_Thing_One 7 Oct 2015
Surgery tomorrow... this is gonna suck trying to sleep tonight. :/
Dalton stares at the tweet. Looks at the clock. Swallows hard, his own bone-weary exhaustion suddenly forgotten as he kicks blankets away and stands up, pacing anxiously towards his door. It's so tempting, so painfully tempting to leave, go to that dump that Silas makes them live at, and collect his Boys, get them to safety, make sure they're getting proper medical care. He can't think of any reason his Boy would need surgery, what could've possibly happened... unless Silas had bossed them around to the point of their injuring themselves.
He tugs at his hair, bites at his lips, and almost throws his phone through the window when it vibrates in his hand, causing him to yelp. It's a text. He skims it quickly and then is off, dashing into the dark of night.
Brent is waiting for him at the bathroom window, helps him hoist himself up onto the sill before dropping quietly into the bathroom. They stare at each other for a moment before Dalton cups his face and searches every inch of him that he can in this poor lighting. "My Boy," he breathes out, voice breaking and eyes welling with something suspiciously close to tears as he presses his forehead to Brent's. "What's happening with Brandon?"
"It's minor, he's just nervous." Brent strokes his wrists and smiles up at him. "Come on, he'll want to see you." As soon as the bathroom door is opened, Dalton recoils with a hiss at a sudden, rough noise that seems to be vibrating through the house and Brent chuckles, rubbing his arm. "It's alright. Uh, that's Bruiser... he snores. A lot. Silas does too. It makes it easier to sneak around at night."
"I don't know how you stand it," Dalton mumbles, his eyes wide and perturbed as he follows Brent into the bedroom set aside for the Boys. He immediately forgets the noise as he zeroes in on Brandon, who's now sitting up in bed gaping at him. "Hey. Hey." Brandon's grip is almost painful but not in a bad way as Dalton hugs him, running his fingers through his hair.
"How did you get in here?" he whispers, pulling away and staring at Brent in amazement before turning back to Dalton.
"Well, when one of my Boys say they're having surgery and can't sleep, how am I honestly supposed to stay away?" Dalton leans in and kisses Brent's forehead. "Tell me all about it."
So while Brent shuffles around quietly in the background, Brandon does, explaining the out-patient surgery, how it's just a minor surgery, and the anesthesia, and after-care. "It's not bad or anything," he mumbles, face pressed into Dalton's shoulder. "I'm just anxious for any surgery. Brent always takes good care of me though."
"As he should," Dalton breathes out, relieved that it's indeed a relatively minor procedure, but wishing that he could be the one by Brandon's side during and after it. "Will those two be involved?"
"No, I'm driving him there and back, Silas is unimpressed about it all. But Brandon and I get a couple of days off of chores because of it so that's good."
Dalton looks pained at this, motioning Brent closer and cupping both of their faces in his hands. "I'm so sorry, my pretty Boys. You deserve so much better." The Boys make soft noises of protest but he quiets them both with quick kisses, staring into their eyes. "I promise this won't be forever. I'll win you Boys your freedom. Just hang on a little longer, alright?"
"We will," they promise at the same time, smiling up at Dalton with all of the faith and belief in him that they've always have.
Settling back down between them on the bed- which is about as hard and uncomfortable as it looks-, Dalton strokes their hair and listens to them whisper and giggle quietly until Brandon first falls asleep, all stress drained from his face as he leans into Dalton. Brent yawns and gently extracts himself from the sheets, glancing at the clock with a regretful look on his face. "You should go, Dalton. Before Silas or Bruiser realize."
"Right." It's hard to pull away from the comfortably sleeping Brandon but Dalton does, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips before standing to follow Brent back down the way they'd come. Somehow going back out of the window seems more daunting than getting in it was and Dalton hesitates, running a finger over the sill. He turns to eye Brent and smirks unhappily before cupping Brent's face and leaning in, kissing him quietly. "Text me with any updates you have on Brandon. I want to hear everything."
Brent nods, a soft flush covering his cheeks. "I will." He looks sad as he pulls away from Dalton, lightly pushing him towards the window. "You have to go."
"Of course." Dalton stalls longer though, giving him another couple of quick kisses before turning to hoist himself back up, his orbit shifting uncomfortably as he once more separates himself from his Boys. It won't be forever, he reminds himself with gritted teeth and determination burning in his eyes as he lands on the ground and walks towards the waiting car, shoulders slumping the further he goes, unable to look back because if he sees Brent watching him leave, he might go and try to fight Bruiser and Silas and, even with them fast asleep and snoring, it probably would only end poorly.
He has to be smart about this. As much as it hurts, he has to wait.