Gracious

Chapter 37

A/N - 👏🏾NEGLECTTT👏🏾

Bet you didn't expect this notification...(may wanna read the last chapter to jog your memory)

TW - brief mentions of suicidal thoughts and upsetting scenes

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I didn't do well with the silent treatment.

Rather, being on the receiving end of it.

And Chase? He hadn't spoken a word to me since I'd tried to speak to him in my office- eight days ago, and I needed to resolve it.

Now.

It was Saturday now, and even at dinner at our cousins' house yesterday he'd barely glanced in my direction, and the twins had questioned the two of us on the ride home. The last thing I needed was them being able to see the cracks in our relationship right now.

Chase had been sectioning himself away from me all week, conveniently having to stay at Aurora's most nights, or hanging out with the twins where he knew I couldn't question him. But five minutes after I'd heard his shower shut off upstairs I all but barged into his room, watching him spin around with a towel tied around his waist, blonde hair still dripping and much darker.

"We need a word", I announced, closing the door behind me and leaning against it, "now". He scoffed, reaching for his glasses and sliding them on, proceeding to point to his ear and shrug.

Little shit.

I knew damn well he could hear me well enough.

"Can't let me change first?", his hands moved swiftly, a frown set on his face as he watched me expectantly.

"So you can run again? I'll wait", I raised my eyebrows, dropping my hands at my sides and turning so I was facing the door. I couldn't help but smirk when a groan filled the air, his footsteps moving all over the place for a good few minutes, the spray of deodorant...then the sound of him brushing his teeth.

The piece of shit was just stalling now, I knew for a fact he'd already brushed them when he first woke up. Yet I stood my ground, waiting for him to return to his room and frowning when something hit my back; upon further examination I soon realised it was a scrunched up T-shirt.

I faced my brother again, watching him drop onto his back on the bed now wearing some baggy jeans and a white T-shirt; trying my chances I lowered myself onto the end of his bed, just watching him stare at the ceiling for a moment before I squeezed his leg.

"You care about him more than yourself", I signed once he was looking at me, raking my fingers through my hair then continuing, "I understand". He huffed, sitting up properly and adjusting his glasses before proceeding to cross his legs and look at me.

"He put me in an impossible position", he watched me with eyes full of pain, my gaze flickered between his face and hands rapidly as he began to pick up the pace, "I did what he wanted so he could trust me, wouldn't do anything stupid- I was scared- I was-,". I reached out and placed a hand on top of his, effectively stopping his fast paced speech that I couldn't keep up with and meeting his gaze.

"Slow down", I advised him, he rubbed a closed fist around his chest in a silent apology and I shook my head, "don't apologise".

"You were scared for Cub, I know now", he signed slower, patting his hair with the towel around his neck, "but I did what I thought was right, I shouldn't have lied".

"I know", I nodded, "I'm in the wrong too".

"I'm still scared for him", he admitted, "I can't sleep".