When That's The Last Hope Left (BxB)

Chapter 4

"Bro, is that smell what it should be?" Aldo asked, snapping his brother from his magazine reading.

"What sm-" Dan began but was cut off by the smell of something nearly burning. "Oh, crap!"

Aldo chuckled as he sprinted from the living room couch to the kitchen, where their lunch was in danger.

"Did we go through all that trouble for nothing?"

"Almost, but no, it's just a bit...overcooked" Dan said after taking the saucepan from the electric stove, saving it just in time. "And it was mostly I who made this, you just watched most of the time."

"Alright, alright, don't be so exact" Aldo nudged his side playfully.

They had these playful and mood lifting moments, almost as if to try forget the situation they were in and also, when they were too tired to be sad.

Dan took two bowls from the cupboard and filled them with the chorizo-white bean soup they, or he, had made for lunch. They remembered mum used to do it sometimes, and for some reason making it felt good.

"This isn't as good as mum's" Dan noted, when they had taken the soup and a glass of milk to the living room and gave it a try-out. "And you can clearly taste it started to burn."

"She had always that special style and additional spices or something of hers" Aldo said. They had begun to reach a time where they didn't burst into tears at once if they mentioned dad, mum or Odelia. "But this is still pretty good, even with the burn taste. It can be your special flavor."

Dan gave him an unimpressed look and Aldo chuckled, but he couldn't help a smile on his face too.

Doing everyday things like cooking wasn't easy, but they had to be done. Neither of the boys was good at cooking, but they had to learn some other recipes than salad and sandwich.

When they had almost finished their lunch, there was a loud and angry knock on the door and the door bell rang several times.

They both got startled, but Dan began to cough and waited almost without breathing while Aldo went to open the door.

Aldo stepped back when in came his very angry sounding, furious looking friend.

"What the heck is going on, why aren't you answering your damn phone?"

This is Niall Meguyer, Aldo's best mate.

He was around the same height and weight as Aldo, with dark blond hair and brown eyes.

He was an outgoing and social bloke with a quick temper, but he was nice. In many areas like Aldo.

Niall was the only one outside the family, with whom Dan had got used to. He was used to Aldo's and Niall's tempers, even if sometimes he got reserved when Niall was like this.

Aldo and Niall were both in the swim team, and the whole team was quite close friends outside the swim meets as well. Their friendship had begun from there.

Now was a time however that Dan got startled by Niall's sudden and fierce arrival, and his brother noticed he was very uncomfortable.

"Keep it cool, will you" Aldo snapped at Niall, who immediately stopped having already come into the living room.

"Sorry" Niall apologised to Dan, who nodded he was fine. He turned back to his friend. "Well?"

"Well, uh" Aldo trailed off and rubbed his neck, being suddenly oddly nervous.

Of course, it wasn't going to be easy to tell about what has happened, and he wasn't quite ready to tell either. But Niall was here now.

"What?" Niall was now impatient, he had been worried and now needed an explanation why they were okay here. "My parents didn't let me come over, because the holiday started with the weekend and they said you need time with your family and all, but it's Monday now and you not answering your phone at all isn't like you, dude."