Drowning In River (BoyXBoy)

13: This Is Our Family

"He's turning into you, Eric. I don't want another you. I could barely handle one of you. So why in the hell is suddenly acting like you. I blame you."

"Logan, you blame me for everything. Even things that have absolutely nothing to do with me."

"It's easy to blame you."

"Yada, yada. Your wife is pretty easy too. But in a different way."

I hear a smack, a grunt, a swear word, and then I actually wake up. I'm in a very small, very uncomfortable bed in a tiny hospital room, and my stomach is fucking killing me. My two eldest brothers sit beside the bed, bickering about nonsense as always, but when a groan of discomfort escapes my lips, they both fall silent for a second to verify my consciousness. I look over at them, Eric has a smug look on his face, Logan just looks plain disappointed.

"Awe, look, our precious sleeping beauty has finally awaken." Eric chimes. I roll my eyes and try to sit up, only to feel nauseous and fall back on the hard bed.

"Where the fuck am I?" I ask groggily. My head is pounding, my stomach is in knots.

"You're in the hospital, Precious." Eric says with sweet sarcasm noted in his voice. I grunt, licking the dryness from my chapped lips and suddenly becoming aware of how cold it is in here. Why are hospitals so cold? Some people enjoy warmth.

"Why the fuck am I here." I grumble, looking at Eric for an answer. Logan answers instead.

"Alcohol poisoning, dipshit. How could you be so damn stupid? You know what alcohol does to our family." Logan is most likely referring to our father, but I dismiss it. Logan is sixteen years older than me, mother had him when she was sixteen years old, waited ten years and had Eric, then four years later had Isaac and Nate, the twins, finally had me two years prior. Sadly, we all have the same drunken, abusive father, so Logan is the closest I've had to a dad. He's looked after me since the day I was born, attempted to get custody, protected me in all scenarios in which I need protection. This is why disappointing him hurts.

"I wanted to have some fun. I didn't plan to start drinking, but it just happened. Now I'm in the hospital, so I learned my lesson." I hear Eric snicker, an I roll my eyes. "Shut up, dumbass."

"Hey, I'm not the one in the hospital from drinking." He retorts. Logan glares at him. To Logan, nothing about this is funny.

"You know, you're a lucky bastard that River guy picked you up and brought you here. Otherwise, you probably would have puked to death on the side of the street." Logan glares at me, crossing his arms. I slump down and look away.

Suddenly memories from last night start to wash over me. Did Jakob really kiss me? Please tell me that asshole wasn't my first kiss. Dear God, did River fight him again? I vaguely remember hearing grunts and punches. But why would he? We aren't together. He ran away from me. Then again, I ran away from him as well. Okay, so yesterday was fucked up.

"River brought me?" They both nod at my question, then Eric smirks at me.

"Yeah. He called me at three in the morning off your phone, apparently I'm the first contact, and after he called me I called the brothers. Logan and I showed up first, but he refused to leave you. So we went home after signing papers and shit, and he stayed here, in this chair, all night long. He left for school after we got here at like eight." Eric is teasing me the best he can while still keeping Logan oblivious.

"Isaac and Nate went to McDonalds to get food." Logan randomly interjects. I take a moment to look him over. His green eyes are a lot duller than mine, and his hair is much darker, though it's practically shaved off. Logan has always been the broad one out of us all. He had wide shoulders and is actually really fucking tall. I think River and him are about the same height, actually. But Logan has more of military body, though he isn't the brother in the marines.

And that's when it hits.

"Wait. Nate's back?" I say excitedly. I'm certain my eyes almost pop out of my head. I haven't seen Nate in almost two years. He left the day he and Isaac turned eighteen. I honestly thought that was goodbye. I remember telling myself that we had an identical version of him, but it wasn't the same because the two are polar opposites.

"Yeah, he was literally getting off the plane when I talked to him. He actually called me while I was in the middle of explaining what River told me to Logan. He was here before the rest of us this morning. He and River seemed to have gotten along pretty well." Eric wiggles his eyebrows at me, teasing me still, but I'm too damn excited to care.

"When is he getting here? When did they leave?"

"Chill out baby brother." Said Logan, a smile growing on his face. Logan can not stay mad at any of us for long, well besides Eric. He and Eric act like brothers, while he acts more fatherly to the rest. It's a strange thing, but we're a strange family.

"They should be back soon." Eric is smiling too. It's been so long since all the Abrenson kids have been in the same room together. It's strange I happen to be in the hospital for it happen again.

We are all close, but after the custody fiasco, Logan wasn't allowed in the house anymore. It took a toll on everything. I think it was around that time Eric started fucking up, so he spent a while in rehab. Then Isaac started spending a lot of time at school, graduated early, and went to college upstate. Finally Nate just left and I was alone. From the age of thirteen to now, one brother or two just wasn't around for a full reunion.

The door nob turns, and I grip the sheets in excitement. As soon as Nate walked in (I can tell the two apart because Nate's hair is buzzed, and Isaac's is a ponytail.) I leap from my bed, ignoring the protest from my head and stomach, and engulf him in a tight hug. I hear him chuckle as he hugs me back. It's takes a moment to realize I'm crying, but I wipe at my eyes as I look around the crowed room.

Logan: The over-protective fatherly brother.

Eric: The annoying, yet trust worthy, trouble maker.

Isaac: The shy, quiet, intellect who over-analyzes everything.

Nate: The tough, funny, military-brat.

And me: The gay, anxious, fragile baby boy.

This is our family. Cut out the abusive drunk that is our father. Cut out the lazy, judgmental woman we are forced to call Mom. This is our family, and now that we are finally all back together, I finally feel whole again.

________~|~
Well, that is all of the Abrenson brothers. This was supposed to be River's point of view after finding Carter, but no one commented on shit, so no River's inner thoughts yet. You guys still have two more chapters to leave me ONE COMMENT. If I don't get one by the chapter 15 (the half way mark) no one will ever know what River is thinking.

I'm well aware you guys are probably anticipating on Rarter. Jesus no. Civer? No no. Rivter? Carver? I'm horrible at ship names, you guys. (I think I almost like Carver though) anyways, it's coming soon okay? You guys know the drill, though none of you seem to want to follow it.

Am I just a bad writer and none of you love me?

Maybe I'm just bitter...

Vote! Comment! Tell me what you think! Love you my darklings!