Duets

(9) Nothing's Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around

Drew leans against the wall of his bedroom, listening into the apartment next to his. It's been three days since Olive came to see him that night, and he still hasn't heard from her. He knows that she is trying to shake Ben away from her, but it's something she can't do. 

She didn't call him until two days after, and they ended up having a forty-six minute screaming match over the phone. Drew couldn't hear what he was saying about her, but everything that she said about him was probably just as bad. The day after - today - Ben came to her place early in the morning, actually waking the brunette boy up when storming into her apartment. It's currently 5:18 in the evening and the pair are still fighting.

"Do you think that he is going to sacrifice everything for you like I have?"

"Yes, but please remind me what your helpless self had to give up for me? Unbloody knuckles, maybe?"

Every time that Olive says anything, Drew tenses slightly, scared that he is going to hear the sounds of a fight. By this point, he knows. After she came over right after her shower, cut and bruised, it was hard for him to fight away his thoughts of the blonde. He knows that he can't interfere like he did last night they fought at his neighboring apartment, so Drew just sits and waits for the sound of a door shutting to go check on her. 

Caitlin runs back into the bedroom, holding the rolled up socks in her mouth. She waits by her owner patiently before he takes the wad from her mouth and throws it over her head into the living room. She trots off, her tail wagging happily. Drew admires her for a short second, wishing that he could be as carefree as his dog. 

When Drew is about to throw her toy again, he hears heavy footsteps moving around in her apartment before a loud scream. He jumps up, waiting to hear any further noise, but it's just Olive sobbing loudly, muttering the same two words over and over again. "Please, don't."

The brunette rushes next door, leading Caitlin with him. He tries the doorknob but finds it locked, which scares him even more. He bangs wildly on the door, screaming for someone to let him in. A few seconds later, Ben opens the door, only peeking his head out. "Can I help you?" He asks, sounding almost polite.

Drew shoves the door open, pushing the blonde back with it. The shorter boy backs him against the wall behind the door, holding him firmly by the collar of his shirt. Once he knows that Ben can't get out of his grip, he turns to try to find Olive. She stands with her head peeking out of her bedroom. She looks terrified, and at first, Drew is scared that it is him, but he knows that it must be her "boyfriend". 

"Are you okay?" He asks her carefully, pushing harder against the taller boy as he tries to free himself.

"I'll be okay." She mutters, still slightly crying as she moves one of her hands away from her hairline to reveal a bleeding wound. "I'm going to clean up."

Drew turns back to Ben, staring him straight into his eyes. "What the hell were you going to do to her?" He hisses, standing on to his toes to appear taller. Ben doesn't answer, just slowly moves one of his arms slightly. Drew glances down just in time to see the shine of a switchblade. He moves aside as Ben's steps forward.

"It's none of your business what happens in this apartment, pretty boy. Get out." Ben threatens quietly. "This is between me and my girlfriend."

"She's not your girlfriend. This isn't a relationship. It's a responsibility that you dumped on her years ago and made her feel like she had to carry out the rest of her life. You don't own her or control her." There's a low growling rumbling from somewhere in the room, and Drew glances slightly around to find his Dalmatian guarding Olive's bedroom.

"She keeps coming back to me." Ben reminds him. "Now, if you don't mind, we were in the middle of something." He tries to make his way to the bedroom, but before he can even take a step, Caitlin has pounced, biting him firmly on the thigh. The blonde cries out, and falls forward slightly, just enough for Drew to get one good punch on him. He collapses, hitting his head on her coffee table, knocking himself out instantly.

Drew steps over Ben's legs, patting Cait on the head. "Good girl, babe." He smiles at her, and she returns it as best as she can. With Caitlin on his heels, he shuffles into Olive's bedroom and knocks on her cracked bathroom door. The short-haired girl jerks it open, holding up a knife of her own in protection. "Whoa, whoa. It's just me."

"Where's Ben?" She asks, moving her hand away from her head, causing the blood to gush out. Drew springs forward, holding the wad of toilet paper on the sink against it. She thanks him quietly while digging around in a first aid kit.

"Currently laying unconscious on your living room floor. We can call the police as soon as we get this dressed." He tells her, taking the gauze from her hand. He pushes it against the cut while taping it down with medical tape. "Not the prettiest job, but you're still beautiful."

"I'm sure I can find a way to deal with it." She smiles, pulling her hair over to cover the large white bandage on her head. She did the same thing a few weeks ago on their first date, and Drew can't believe that it is because of the same person. "But, instead of calling the police, can we just call one of his friends? I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for this."

"It was purely self-defense." Drew says as Caitlin finds her way from the toilet seat to the sink to lick Olive's face. She laughs scratching her under the chin. The brunette boy tells her about how Cait took the first hit against the blonde which makes her laugh before pulling the puppy into her arms. "If you don't want to go to the police, I understand, but can you tell me why?"

"I have a six month lease that's up in another month. I could leave town if I needed to, hopefully get away from him. If I stay here and turn him in, after he gets out, he won't stop until he finds me. No matter where I am, he'll still be there." She explains, stepping towards Drew once. "Look, I appreciate everything you've done. Thank you so much for everything, Drew. I just need to sort my life out. I'll let you know when I'm settled in a few weeks." She kisses him, moving one arm from Caitlin's back to hold his head to hers for a second before he pulls away.

"You always say that you will call me, and you never do." He shrugs, chuckling slightly. 

"I know, and I definitely suck for that but I will. I promise, okay?" She holds a pinkie out to him, and he hooks his around hers. "Do you want to stay here tonight? I could use something to get over this night." Drew nods, wrapping her in a gentle hug, trying to not hurt Caitlin, who licks his face happily.

Five hours later after someone has come to pick up Ben, and Drew cooked two cans of ravioli to eat while watching movies, Drew holds Olive close to him in her large bed. With his head placed on top of hers as they watch a muted news broadcast, he quietly begins singing. She doesn't start crying until the third line. "Demons are prowling everywhere nowadays, I'll send them howling. I don't care, I've got ways." She can't bring herself to sing along and only holds on to him tighter.