Thanks to Bristlefrost for the review! :)

I actually thought this would be the shortest one yet. I didn't really have time to sit down and write until just now... but it turned out to be the longest one yet. I guess inspiration struck ;)

ENJOY!

No 7. Carrying (350 words)

When Douglas came back into the house the lights were still on. By the time and quietness of the house he would say that almost all of its occupants were asleep.

Correction: all of its occupants were asleep.

He found Chase still by the table where he'd been when Douglas left hours ago. The paper piles around him had doubled in size, the order had been swapped by unusual chaos, and Chase was fast asleep in the midst of it all.

Douglas sighed quietly. The kid would wake up all stiff and sore if he slept like that. Though as he came closer and saw the work strewn across the table, he stopped and frowned.

Shaking his head, Douglas carefully lifted up the sleeping teen in his arms. He staggered slightly under the weight and quickly decided that the nearest guestroom would work even better than his capsule in the lab. Besides – Chase's head rolled against his shoulder, his face peaceful - the kid deserves a night in a real bed.

He needed to talk to Donnie about this. Chase was shouldering way too much on his own. No one could carry the weight of the world alone and trying would only break them.

Maybe it was a bit... hypocritical maybe? For Douglas to be lecturing his brother about something like this. He'd been the one who created the kids as super weapons to begin with after all. But that was then. Now Chase was truly like his son. Or at least the closest Douglas had. And he saw so much of himself in Chase. Too much. He wanted him to have a better story than Douglas'.

With renewed determination, Douglas hurried into the guestroom. He gently placed Chase on the bed. Only belatedly realizing that he would not be able to get the cover out from under him. He settled for draping a blanket over him instead. The kid didn't seem to mind, snuggling up under the warmth, a content sigh slipping past his lips. Douglas nodded to himself.

He didn't only deserve a better, but a brighter story.