Forever?

Chapter 2

"You know, we should tell him," Ani said. She was leaning against the window and Alec stared at her, an annoyed expression on his face.

"I agree with Ani. His boyfriend nearly died on his bed and the boy didn't even ask questions," Alice said, as she looked over at her brother who rolled his eyes at her.

"He's probably scared we'll reject him," Matt said, and Alec frowned, that caught him off the guard.

"What? Why? Why would he think we would reject him?"

"We all know his previous friend group wasn't the most inviting? Well, besides the boy and the girl who comes to see him regularly."

"You mean Claire and Lyric?" Ani said. She rolled her eyes at them. "At least, learn their names." She said, waving her hands around in annoyance. No matter how many times she repeated their names, these fools would never use them.

"You're all getting off the topic here," Damian said, and yes, that was right. They even had Damian come here against the wishes of Matt, but they moved on.

"I say we should tell Max," Ani repeated.

"What exactly would we tell him?" Oliver said. "Hey, man. I know we've only known each other for like six months and we're all very close, but we've been sort of hiding the fact that we're f*****g mercenaries for some very, very sketchy people. And we could die at any moment, but it's cool because it's not like your boyfriend nearly died on your bed!"

Alec sighed at the mention of Max being his boyfriend. "For the millionth time, Max isn't my boyfriend."

Alice laughed, moving her dark hair out of her face, her blue eyes shining. "Not yet, anyway."

"When Max comes back from his outing with the boy-" Oliver began.

"Lyric! His name is Lyric!" Ani yelled, exasperated. "If you're going to complain about the boy, the least you could do is learn his name!"

"I say we tell him," Alec said. "Max, not Lyric."

"I thought you would be against us telling Max," Oliver said, and Alec shrugged. He was against it, but he knew, they all did, the longer they waited, the larger the fallout would be.

"The longer we hide this, the more it will most likely hurt him. I mean, we all got attached to one another really, really quick," Alec said quickly, and Oliver made a face.

"I mean, I wouldn't say attached-" he was cut off by Amber, who snorted.

"Please, besides Alec, you are the most attached and you can't even lie to us about it. Mr. 'oh, when's Max coming back?' or 'I'm bored, let's go steal Max from whoever he's out with.'”

"You piss me off," he said, glaring at her as he pushed his glasses up and she smiled.

"As I was saying," Alec winced a little. s**t, he got it, no sudden movements. "We tell Max. The longer we hide it from him, the more it will hurt him. He'll spiral."

"What do you mean, spiral?" Damian asked, a frown etching itself on his usual resting b***h face.

"It's a thing he does," Matt said, not looking at him but answering anyway. "Like overthink, I mean once all of us were watching a movie and out of the blue, he made us promise him to never leave him. I mean, he had tears in his eyes and he was panicking."

Damian scowled. "Don't tell me you were dumb enough to make it.”

"In our defence," Amber said, "you should have seen him. Of course, we made a promise!"

"All of you?" he asked, sighing. All five nodded.

"You made the one promise none of you can keep."

"We can try," Alec said, and he didn't think that was the right answer because of the look Damian shot at him.

"You were half dead on his bed," he deadpanned. "No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to keep it. Not when you're all involved in some sketchy shit."

The group had been lounging around in the living room, as they often did when they needed a change of scenery or were waiting for max, but when the door opened, in scary sync, their heads snapped over in its direction. Alec frowned, it was too early for Max to be back.

So, the group did what anyone did, they pulled out weapons they kept stashed around the house and on their person when Max wasn’t around..

"Alec, stay behind us, you're still wounded," Damian whispered.

"Piss off, Damian, don't tell me what to do." Matt glared at Alec and he didn't know if it was because he had told Damian to piss off or because he refused to listen.

Ani was in the front, Alice and Amber flanking her on either side and Oliver in the middle of the two girls. Alec went around the room, taking the long way to the door, and hiding behind a wall.

Fuck. He was sure Max's parents were back. What the f**k? That was Helios? Why the f**k was Helios at Max's house?

Matt came up behind Alec, "what do you see?"

The woman must have seen one of them as she screamed, loudly. The girls came out, Ani with a knife, Amber with her gun and Alice had her knuckle dusters on. The three glared at the woman, who was still panicking.

"Wait, no!" Alec yelled and then groaned as he stared down at his wound, stupid f*****g wound. He hobbled towards them. "They're not breaking in, they're his parents."

"What about Helios? Why the f**k is Helios at his house?" Oliver snapped, glaring at Helios. Who had an eyebrow raised at this entire situation.

"Who are you!?" Damian yelled. Well, he was late for the party.

"I just told you, weren't you listening?” Alec said, a little annoyed.

"Sorry, Maureen rang me. I had to take it."

"Maureen. Who's Maureen?" Matt asked, a frown on his face.

"My girlfriend," he replied. Damian didn't look at him when he said it.

"You're dating again?" Matt whispered. Alec eyed his friend and saw the way his hands shook. Alec sighed, now really wasn’t the time to have a meltdown.

"Guys, people in his house," Ani hissed, waving her gun around. The trio were still standing in the doorway, their hands up.

"You know, to them, we're the intruders," Oliver said.

"I don't give a s**t," Alec said. "Amber, pat them down."

"What are the chances they're carrying? I mean, if they were, they would have pulled them out."

"No chances, Alec's right, pat them down,” Damian said.

Amber sighed and then walked over, sticking her gun to the side of her skirt. She frowned when she got to the old male, when she got to his ankles she pulled his pant leg up and snatched a gun from his leg.

"Sorry, we're late- s**t" A man and woman arrived, both in suits and pulled their guns out and pointed them at the group.

Amber snatched the gun from the man, who somehow got a jump on her, knocking it away from her. Amber scowled as he grabbed her own gun from her skirt and aimed it at the old man, a blank look on her face.

"Now, this is a situation," Alec said, eyeing the scene. Everyone had guns pointed at everyone.

"What is going on?" Max had appeared, Claire and Lyric behind him. Max's eyes landed on Alec and they widened.

"Alec! You're not supposed to be out of bed!" Max rushed over, tucking himself into the taller male's side so he could lean his weight on. Alec was too afraid to do so, afraid he’d crush the younger boy, but when Max dug his fingers into Alec’s side, he got the hint and did as he was told.

"Max!?" Lyric hissed. "What the hell?!"

"Max?" The eldest man said. He ran a hand through his salt and pepper beard, as he had no hair on his head.

"Hey, Max, how have you been?" Helios said, he was grinning. Alec wanted to strangle Helios.

Alec looked down at Max again, and he was digging his nails into his palm. Alec grabbed his hand with his free one, and Max held on, giving his hand a squeeze.

"That's not what you're supposed to do," Alec whispered to Max, who shrugged.

"What the f**k is happening!" Claire yelled.

Lyric got a text and frowned. "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad." He showed Claire his phone and she swore.

She walked over to Max and whispered something into his ear. "Oh, you're f*****g shitting me." But no, before he could even tell the others what was about to happen, we all heard the sirens in the distance.

"Max, what's happening?" Damian asked.

"Just, don't panic. And everyone go and act natural and put the f*****g guns away, all of you, will you? f*****g scaring everyone. And we all need to talk," Max said, glaring at us. He let go of Alec’s hand and the group all put their guns away, but everyone was still on edge.

"Oh, Roland and the others are also coming," Lyric said, and Max groaned.

"Great," he muttered. "My lot, let's go. Oliver and Damian help Alec, the stupid fool." When everyone started moving, Lyric and Claire didn't. Max saw this and sighed. "That means you two, as well."

Helios’s brown eyes scanned the room. "I didn't know Max had this many friends or any at all."

"You're a lot nicer on TV," Lyric said, glaring at him.

"Why? You want an autograph." Alec scowled, he really didn’t like him.

"Oh, and also a narcissist. Lovely," Lyric walked away, he walked past them and soon, everyone was lounging around Max's room. And I meant everyone. They were looking around in wonder. Had they never seen his room before?

"So, Max, how have you been?" Rio asked.

"You don't get to speak to him," Alec hissed, f**k the f*****g pain. "Damian, I need painkillers." Damian rolled his eyes, went to his briefcase and pulled out some medicine. Max handed Alec a glass of water and he smiled at him and took some.

"Oh, they'll make you sleepy," he said after Alec had taken them. "They're quick working, too."

"You asshole," Alec hissed, scowling in his direction. He couldn't sleep now.

"No, it's good, you need to rest, Alec," Max said, as he took a seat beside him, smiling at the older boy.

"I would have rested when they had all left," he retorted.

"So, who's going to explain what the f**k is happening?" Lyric hissed. Lyric and his lot were on the opposite side of the room, eyes narrowed. Roland and his arms around Lyric and he hadn't stopped glaring.

"Well," Max said, he paused for a second. "It looks like Helios is back with my parents and these lot were home and, well, it looked like a break-in from both sides."

"You never said you knew Helios," Zeke said, eyes narrowed.

"I wonder why."

"Oh, dude, that's not fair, you know how much I love him."

"You better not love him as much as me," Kaito said. Zeke just tapped his arm.

"Why did everyone have weapons?" Lyric asked.

"There were guns!?" Roland hissed.

"Oh, my god," Aso said. His eyes were narrowed on Matt. "Matt?" Matt looked at him and Alec heard him swear.

"You two know each other?" Damian asked, his eyes narrowed.

"He was a one-night stand. I was drunk and lonely,"

"If you were lonely, you should have come here," Max said, and Alec snickered a little.

"No, Max, I wanted s*x,” Matt said. Max blanked for a second before he went bright red. Matt cooed at him, walking over to pinch his cheek. Max scowled as he swatted his hands away.

"Oh,” he whispered.

"Safety," Damian said, replying to Roland, huh guess we were ignoring the conversation between Matt and Aso.

Alec found everyone’s voice to be fading in and out. He couldn't help but yawn. Alec scowled, he wanted to know what Damian had given him. Don't get him wrong, the pain was basically a dull thud now, but he was trying his hardest to stay away and he was failing and there was no way he could just leave Max alone with that group. Especially when he knew Max wasn't comfortable with them.

"You guys can't speak," Max whined. "You'll make things worse." Alec looked over in his direction, he was no longer sitting next to him. Alec frowned.

"But-" Amber began, Damian raised his eyebrows at her and she sighed. "Fine."

"Max," Alec slurred a little. "Sit with me. Don't, don't leave." Max walked over to the sleepy boy and took a seat beside him on the bed once again. Alec was trying to ignore the lull of sleep, but it was getting harder and harder. He gave up, shuffling closer to Ma, wrapping his arms around his waist. Max smiled a little, as he placed his hands over Alec’s. "Don't leave until I wake up. Forever?"

"Forever." Alec put his thumb and forefinger out and Max did the same, making an infinity sign with their hands.

He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t.

Max felt his breath even out, he tried to look at how he was sleeping, and the position looked so uncomfortable. Stupid, Alec.

"Damian, help me move him, he looks uncomfortable," Max said. Damian eyed the others across the room, but nodded as he walked over and Max saw the smile on his face. Oh no.

"He looks pretty comfortable to me."

"He does?" Oliver asked. He walked over and snickered. "He does. Damn, I almost feel bad moving him." He then roughly manhandled Alec, much to Max’s dismay, as he put his head back on the pillow, and Matt walked over and fixed his legs. Max held his hand.

"Don't be rough with my brother, asshole!" Alice hissed, as she walked over and smacked both Oliver and Matt.

"What I did say ‘almost’,” Oliver deadpanned.

"We're still here," Rio said and scowled.

"Don't remind us," Ani hissed.

"Why are the police downstairs?" Creed asked.

"One of the neighbours reported a break-in," Max said. "That's all it was. Lyric and Claire are fine. You can all leave now.” He really didn't want to deal with any of them longer than he had to.

"Wait, no. I'm still annoyed that you never told us you knew Helios,” Zeke said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Max sighed, as he stared at the boy. "You never asked. Damian will show you the way out.”

"Why can't I go?" Alice asked, a smile on her face. “I’ll treat them real nice.”

Max snorted. "Because you'll threaten them all. I'm not dumb, Alice. Damian is the calmest, he will show them out. Don't let them interact with anyone else."

Damian followed them all out, much to everyone's protesting. He shut the door behind him.

"So, are you going to tell us what actually happened?" Ani asked. Max sighed. Of course, they knew he was lying.

"Let Damian come back and I'll explain."

"So, did you have fun? What did you do?"

"It was going fine until Creed texted Claire that Chris had texted him that they got a call and everyone was heading here."

Damian walked in and he groaned. "Teenagers scare the living s**t out of me. I had to physically hold back that kid that likes Helios and his boyfriend didn't like that and he punched me. I mean, it didn't hurt but he didn't hesitate to punch me and I look like this, I could snap his neck like a twig and he went 'I'ma punch him.'"

"So? Why are the police here?"

"Helios is my older brother. When he gets home, the police always make a big deal about his safety, and all about him being famous and all."

"Is this what you didn't want to say in front of the others?"

Max nodded. Hell, in all honesty, he didn't even want this lot knowing he was related to Helios. It never ended well.

"Well, s**t, what do we do? We had guns pointed at your parents?” Matt said as he ran a hand through his hair awkwardly.

Max blinked a few times, and then he realised they were generally concerned. He couldn't help the snort that left his mouth. “It’s fine.”

There was a knock on my door as it opened, Damian went for his gun, and Oliver, who was standing beside him, smacked him on the head when Gavin, the bodyguard, stuck his head in.

"Max! I didn't know you had new friends! What about the ones that just left? I know you weren't getting along with them as well as you used to, but damn, I didn't think you'd have a whole new friend group when I got back."

"Hi Gavin," Max said. "Come in, don't just stand near the door. Guys, this is Gavin."

"Hi, Gavin," Ani said, as she eyed him.

"Gavin, this is Ani, Alice, Matt, Damian, Oliver and the one asleep is Alec," Max said as he pointed at them.

"His boyfriend," Matt added, and Max glared at him.

"Don't you start," Max said, looking over at Matt and he scowled at me. "Don't test me, Matt." Max sheepishly turned to face Gavin. "He's not actually my boyfriend."

"Right," Gavin said.

"So how was it with Helios?"

"I wanted to f*****g kill him on countless occasions. He pisses me off so much. I know I'm paid to keep him safe but the number of times I wanted to leave him for dead. Do you know how many times I had to haul his ass back to the hotel room because he was too stoned or drunk?"

"See!" Amber yelled as she pointed at Alice. "I f*****g told you Helios was sketchy."

"Oh, he's not, he's the worst," Gavin said as he groaned. "Wait, how do you know?"

"She can see Aura. She has never liked the aura she got from Helios," Max said, and Gavin nodded as he eyed Amber.

"We'll, you're right. He's a f*****g bastard," Gavin grumbled as he went and sat on the sofa in front of the TV. "Let me hide here until he comes looking."

"Gavin," Max said, and he looked up at him from his phone.

"Yeah, kid?”

"Not to be rude, or anything. But why are you all back? isn't he supposed to be in Amsterdam?"

"He is. The tour was cut short.”

Max frowned. "Why?"

"He said something about a family emergency.”

“There's no emergency,” Max said.

“Yes, Max, I can see that, you're fine.”

“Oh, wait. I'm the family, yes. I don't care why he lied, how long does he plan on staying here?”

"Indefinite," he said, making a face.

"You're shitting me. Tell me you're shitting me, please."

"Unfortunately, I cannot. But on the bright side," he paused a little. Max could see the gears ticking and he sighed a little. "Yeah, I'm sorry. There's no bright side."

"Are you going to be here, too?" Oliver asked, as he eyed Gavin.

"Yes, I usually get the room next to Helios's with Grace on the other side. Unless any of you are occupying that room?"

"No, we all sleep here," Ani said. She gave Gavin a smile and Max saw him relax a little.

He frowned. "Wait, you all sleep here?"

Everyone nodded. He turned to look at me as he raised his eyebrows.

"What? They can all fit on my bed if they sleep properly."

"It's a big bed."

Matt snorted. "Big is an understatement."

Someone barged into my room and all eyes were on the door. "Max, have you seen- there you are. Go get me McDonald's," Helios deadpanned, as he walked in. He was talking to Gavin.

"Uber eats is a thing, so is deliveroo," Matt deadpanned.

Helios gave him a sarcastic smile. "Really? I had no idea. Thanks for that."

"You're ever so welcome."

"Just for that you can go,” Helios said, staring at Matt.

"You can't order my friends around," Max said, glaring at him.

"No one was speaking to you, twerp," Helios said. He didn't even look at Max. I scowled at him.

"Call Max a twerp again, and I'll have your head on a stick," Oliver hissed.

"What are you going to do about it? Gavin would crush you like a hug."

"He doesn't even like you," Amber deadpanned. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we beat your ass a little."

"Oh, really, princess?" See just for that, Ani walked over, she kicked his leg out from under him. She let him crash to the ground, she was on him in less than a second, bending his knee as well as his arm at awkward angles.

"You really don't want to f**k with us, wanker," she hissed.

Well, at least he didn't make any noise, though he did look like he was in pain. But somehow, he still managed his sarcastic smile as he glared at Gavin.

"Are you just going to sit there?" Gavin pretended he couldn't hear him.

"Now, if you want Gavin to do anything for you, you will one, apologise for your behaviour and two, you will use your f*****g manners. Am I clear?" Ani hissed.

Helios didn't speak, so Ani bent his limbs even more. He didn't make a noise, but the pain was getting too much. He scowled as he nodded. "No, Prince," she spat. "Use your words."

"Fine."

"Fine, what?"

"I'll apologise and use my f*****g manners."

She motioned for Matt to go to the door. He understood as he silently went and stood in front, blocking his exit.

Ani let go of Helios, she stood up, wiping imaginary dust off of herself as she went and stood beside Amber.

"I could have done that," Amber deadpanned.

"I know," Ani replied, smiling.

Helios stood up and he went straight to the door. "Move."

"No, no, Prince. You heard Ani."

He turned to look at Max and he raised an eyebrow.

"Head on a f*****g stick, Prince," Oliver deadpanned. Helios turned to look at Oliver, who raised his eyebrow.

He scoffed, as he walked over to Gavin. "I'm f*****g sorry. Can you please get me a McDonald's?"

Gavin looked up at him, blankly. "What?"

"You heard me, don't make me repeat it." Gavin stared at him.

Helios groaned. "I said, I'm f*****g sorry. Can you get me a McDonald's?”

"Manners," Ani deadpanned. "Prince."

"Please. Can you f*****g get me a McDonald's? Please!"

"Good boy," she said.

"I was going to go the first time you said it," Gavin said. He smirked, as he stood up, he walked over to the door and Matt moved out of his way. He smiled at him as Gavin left. Helios also went to the door, he turned to look at them.

"Head on a f*****g stick, Prince," Oliver whispered. Helios heard him as he looked over at him. He turned to look back at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Quite a friend group you found. I like this one so much better." He looked around the room, a small smirk on his face as he turned on his heel and he left, closing the door behind him.

"I f*****g hate him," Ani deadpanned.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely," Matt said.

The rest of them also decided they needed to say that they hated Max’s brother too. Lovely.

Now his friends hated Helios. Well, it was better than them fawning over him.

And this also eliminated any chances of them leaving Max for Helios. Wonderful.

~*~