Erikur is in the closet. Also, his parents hate him.

CW for abusive situations.

This wasn't up Wednesday because I had a huge paper due and a mock trial to prepare for.

The Five Fabulous Suspects
Erikur's Dilemma

"So, uh, I have a really weird question…"

Erikur gulped, looking down at the menu before him. Leon was skimming his, before he finally looked up at Erikur. "Oh Jesus…"

"I just… has Manny, I don't know, been acting odd to you? Or maybe he's sneaking around or staying after school when he doesn't need to…"

Leon snorted, replying with, "That is a really weird question." Erikur forced a chuckle and Leon tapped his chin. "Well, I guess now that you ask… he has been a little off. He's playing angsty breakup music and he's really upset. I think one of his crushes got a girlfriend or something."

Erikur wasn't surprise Leon didn't know about Afonso. Manuel kept his affairs to himself. Manuel was a private person, and Afonso seemed like that too. "Why do you ask?" Erikur shrugged.

"Just… got a vibe. But… he hasn't stayed late at school or gone out at all like… randomly?" Leon ponders and shrugs.

"Maybe, but it's Manny. Doesn't tell me anything."

Erikur nodded, making note of that. He was going to keep asking questions when a voice interrupted them. "Sorry for the wait! I'm Kiet, I'll be your server… can I start you guys off with a couple of drinks?"

Erikur's heart stopped beating. He looked over at Leon, who had flipped back to the drink section. "I think I'll just have a water for now," Leon replied, looking up at Erikur with a smirk. He rolled his eyes and mouthed something.

"And you?"

Erikur looked up and inhaled. He locked eyes with Kiet, before breaking their gaze to examine the male. His stomach began to twist and turn as Erikur shamelessly began to realize he was checking out the senior.

It was weird, considering that not even two months prior he was antagonizing Kiet Sripuy, but Erikur wasn't blind, and Kiet wasn't ugly, and quite frankly, Erikur would be lying if the thought of dating another guy had crossed his mind multiple times. It just happened Kiet was there and attractive and single. This issue with that is how he was raised, how he presented himself, and he's starting to realize he is the issue…

He lowered his gaze, snapping back to reality. "Lemonade is fine."

"I'll be right back with those drinks."

Erikur glanced up as Kiet turned. Nice ass, he thought. He mentally slapped himself. "I didn't know that nerd worked here."

Erikur shrugged at Leon. "I think he works like, five jobs…"

"Because he thinks he's going to get into college." Erikur just shrugged and Leon sighed loudly. "Did you know Manny used to have a crush on him?"

"Manny?" Erikur asked.

"Yeah. They talked constantly. This is why Manny won't tell me anything. Freshman year for us they were like, super close and like about to date, so… I feel bad, but I didn't want Manny dating him…"

Erikur blinked.

"So I told everyone that Kiet was a massive whore. I got a ton of people in on it, ruined his reputation and relationship with Manny. Manny still hasn't really forgiven me."

Erikur coughed. He almost wanted to tell Leon he wouldn't have either, but he knew Leon was doing it because he cared, in his own twisted way. Kiet didn't run with the right people, didn't seem to do well in school, and wasn't someone Leon would want his brother dating.

"I mean… I don't think that's right."

Leon blinked. "Okay, well… don't sit there and act like you're morally better than me," Leon snapped. "Need I remind you how you got the kid thrown out and gave an extremely homophobic speech?"

"I told you I didn't write that up! It so wasn't…!"

"I'm just saying…"

Erikur opened his mouth to protest when a large glass of lemonade was set in front of him. Kiet offered a forced smile, looking between the two. Erikur hummed in thought, his eyes drifting to the older boy's arms as he clicked his pen.

"Are you two ready to order?"

Erikur didn't even register he was being spoken to until Leon started rambling off his order. Erikur panicked, having not really paid the menu any mind. He opened it, trying to find the most appealing meal before Leon finished.

"And that should be it," Leon said moments after he laid eyes on some kind of chicken melt sandwich. Erikur looked up, offering a sheepish smile as he gave his order. Kiet wrote it down.

"And for your side?"

"You… know what… I don't need one… not particularly starved…"

Erikur slapped himself. He truly needed a better filter. Kiet didn't catch on to his brief mistake and nodded. "I'll go put your order in." Kiet walked away and Leon scoffed. Erikur tuned out the sentence that followed.

His mouth went dry, realizing just how in the closet he was.

x x x

"So, Manny is being an angsty teenager going through a breakup… and it seems like he's sneaking around?

"I didn't know he had a thing for Kiet, either."

"Yeah, you've mentioned that like, twice." Lukas huffed, crossing his arms as he turned to Timo. "What did you find out about…?"

"Svea Oxenstierna is hiding something… and Alfred Jones is so involved somehow," Timo stated, looking over his shoulder. The three boys had met before school, all sitting in the bed of Timo's truck as they discussed. "So, Manuel and Alfred are cause for concern…"

"And Jan Van Dijk," Lukas added. "When I was tutoring Mathilde he was pacing the school. He had a giant bag filled with something, but we didn't know what…"

"A lot of our suspects will be at the party on Friday," Timo added. "We'll get through them then. The only issue is… well, besides Nichita Costin, Erikur and Svea's friends won't be there…"

"I mean… not truly an issue. We're all waiting for all of us to turn on each other, anyway."

Lukas looked up as Erikur sighed. "It's part of the reason I haven't come out to my friends. I mean, they wouldn't care – well, Elise would be crushed but not malicious – but it's also like… it's just another thing they can use against me."

"No offense, your friends sound like assholes," Timo sneered.

Erikur shrugged. "Leon and Nichi and Raivis and I… we get along great, but since Leon and I run with a more shallow group…"

"I feel bad, I misjudged you, Erikur," Timo admitted. Lukas shrugged.

"I don't. You're just as shallow. I mean… would you even dare to sit with us at lunch?" Erikur blinked, but looked away. He shook his head, knowing exactly what Lukas was getting at. Lukas rolled his eyes.

"Okay, but what would your friends say if they saw you hanging out with me?" Timo asked. "Hell, what if you and Mathilde started dating…!"

"My friends would not be as disgustingly shallow," Lukas snapped. "Neither of you know me or my friends, so I suggest you keep your mouths shut."

Lukas stood up and jumped from the back of the truck, stomping away as the other two looked on in shocked.

x x x

Erikur looked up at his friends as the group made idle conversation at their lunch table. "What's wrong, Eri?" Mei Xiao, Leon's pretty, long brown haired girlfriend, asked, pointing to his tray. "You've hardly touched your food at all."

Erikur looked down, but shrugged it off. "I guess I'm not hungry…" he muttered, pushing his tray to the side. Nichita reached over, taking his roll and Erikur just shrugged.

"Are you still upset because you're being blamed for something Timo Väinämöinen did?"

Nichelle's comment made his stomach drop. "No, no… besides, it might not even be him…" Everyone began to laugh as Erikur just shrugged. "I'm not… I just have a lot on my mind right now…"

"You know you can tell us, right, Eri?" Elise said. Erikur turned to face her. Her big, green eyes were sparkling as she looked up at him. He sighed, feeling guilty for the fact he did not return these obvious feelings, but he knew that he was not to blame and that Elise would understand, in the end.

"I know, its just… stress right now…"

Everyone nodded and left it at that, returning to their lunches as Erikur pondered what he should do now.

x x x

Erikur inhaled sharply as he pushed the door open, his mother standing in front of him with her arms crossed. "Uh, hi…"

"You skipped your last class? And then now you're benched for the game this weekend?"

Erikur sighed loudly. He had skipped his last class to hang out with Timo and Mathilde, just to see if Mathilde had any information on her group of friends. "I'm benched because I still am in detention."

He stepped forward and tried to walk past her, but his mother dropped the dishrag in her hand, raising her hand and slapping him as hard as she could across his face. "You're so fucking useless!"

"Thanks, Mom," Erikur spat. A door slammed loudly and heavy feet echoed down the hall. His father appeared, cracking his knuckles as Erikur shook his head. "Mom already lectured me…"

"Don't talk back to your father like that!" his mother screamed, picking up a vase and throwing it at Erikur. The vase hit him in the chest, falling to the floor and shattering. Erikur flinched and reached down to pick up the pieces.

He felt his body slammed back into the wall. "Apologize!" his mother shouted.

"I'm sorry… I… it won't happen again."

His father snorted, muttering, "You're damn right." He picked up a piece of glass, dragging it down Erikur's arm before he dropped it on the floor. Erikur looked at the long gash. "Clean it up then go to your room. I'm sick of looking at your disgusting face."

Erikur watched his parents walk away. He wish he could say he was shocked by the sudden outburst, but this was far too common in this house. He brushed his fingers up against the cut.

He knew he couldn't stay in this house any longer. The problem was how was he going to get out?