Patterns of Blues

Chapter 27

"EW THAT'S DISGUSTING."

"Oh, come on. It's just a little pee. You're more disgusting than that."

"He's covered. Oh, God, it smells."

"Dude, grow a pair."

"Someone get Peter---Not you, Parker! Don't move."

Harry blinked his eyes open at the stressful-sounding conversation across the hall. He sat up and listened carefully as he heard someone stomp down the stairs, proclaiming the next global flood had started in their bedroom. He wasn't the only one who woke up from the commotion,

"What in heck's name is going on?" Sully asked with a groan, sitting up in his bunk. 

"Dunno," Harry replied, yawning. Liam's mattress shifted from over Harry's head,

"You guys go back to sleep, I'll check it out."

"No way," Sully replied dismissively, jumping down, "I wanna know what's up." Harry nodded in agreement, though no one would have seen the gesture as the light was still off. Not for long though, because Sully flipped it on and grinned when Harry scrunched his eyes close, the brightness stinging, "Riiise and shiiiine." His singing voice was much worse than his speaking voice. 

Harry became brave enough to open his eyes again, allowing them to adjust, and looked over at Charlie's bed. Amazingly, he seemed to have slept through Sully's demon summoning---er, singing---blankets still tucked up to his chin. Liam scrambled down the ladder, and Harry, still pajama-clad, followed him and Sully down the hall, turning the light off for Charlie.

Inside the older boys' room, Silvio was madly opening and closing the dresser drawers, digging through them in search of - -

"This is the most disorganized drawer I've ever opened. Do you not have any fresh underwear?" Parker stared at him as if he spoke in ancient Greek, offering no help. Harry noticed he was standing in soaked pajama bottoms, and his sheets were thrown off his bed in a pile on the floor. Ah, so all the drama was about him wetting the bed. Harry felt bad for him, remembering how humiliated Niall would get when he had accidents like that, but then he realized that this kid was ten, double the age Niall had been at the time. 

"What is this? A party?" Peter's voice sounded behind him, "Let me in, I'll get those sheets in the wash." Liam and Sully made enough space for him and Asher to come through. Harry nearly jumped when he saw Lucian's unsettling gaze staring directly at him from the top bunk of one of the beds, like a bird of prey ready to dive. The oldest boy looked away quickly, turning his attention to Peter,

"Throw that kid in the wash too, smells like you-know-what." 

"Great idea, Lucian," Peter replied, then faced Asher, "Get a bath running for him, okay?" Asher shifted like he wanted to object, but nodded begrudgedly and left for the bathroom. Silvio finally seemed to find what he was looking for and shoved the wad of clothing into Parker's arms,

"You should fix those drawers once you're out. What a mess." Harry smiled and saw that this was the least resentful Silvio had appeared in days. He also noticed that the older boy had changed his typical dark sweatshirt for light pink, a shade he'd never expected him to wear. He seemed more friendly and cuddly in it, less like the irritable guy Harry had learned to know he was. Lucian was now glaring at Silvio, as though willing him to mention something controversial so that he could pound him in the face. Harry wondered what his issue was. 

Peter gathered the soiled bedding and left the room just as Asher re-entered, sending Parker an irritated look, "Go on and clean up." The kid nodded and stumbled out, leaving everyone to stare at each other silently.