Eli was barely staying afloat before the apocalypse. Working long shifts, taking care of his younger brother, and just trying to figure out what to do with his life.
When he finds his mom trying to take a chunk out of her youngest son though, Eli...
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My face was impassive as everyone sat crowded around the small fire that was built. Instead of breaking into our rations, the four squirrels and two rabbits we've caught along the way in the past two days. Rations were passed out as I watched from behind Red and Mason.
Red was holding Embers hands as she wobbly stood on her chunky legs. I smiled fondly as the bright blue eyes met my own. My heart clenched as she squealed, recognizing me.
My stomach was rumbling at the smell of the cooking food as everyone was helping finish the food. Keeping my eye on the people around me who have become my family, I felt my lips tug into a smile.
Amelia and Wolfe were still sitting away from each other, something happened for sure. But with the way that Wolfe kept his eyes on Amelia, his eyes flickering to her stomach as her face twisted at the smell of cooking meat.
Crouching down next to Red, my bag next to me and off my back, I slipped Red a packet of crackers, nodding my head over to Amelia who was looking pale and slightly green. Standing up, crackers in her pocket, she and Ember shakily walked over to Amelia who watched them walk to her with a smile on her face.
Laying a hand on Mason's smile, he turned to look at me, his face passive as I so often kept it. Forcing a smile onto my face, I nodded my head back. "Let's go talk."
He bit his lip as he nodded.
We walked off together, sitting at the edge of the forest, our backs to the tree as I kept my ears open as my eyes stayed on the boy.
"Mase, what's going on?"
He fiddled with his thumbs as he looked away from my watchful eyes.
"I dunno Eli," He mumbled, leaning away as he spoke my name.
"Why do you call me that still." The words slipped my mouth before I could stop them. I could see the shine over his eyes, a thin film that had my heart pounding. "Do I not mean something more to you than just Eli, am I just your brother?"
When he didn't answer the walls around my heart solidified. "I see," I nodded as I shut my eyes breathing deeply. "Isla gets to be your mom, but you don't need a dad, right? You never have. You just need a mom and an Eli. Whatever the hell that means." The more heated I got, the more I spit my words out. I was livid.
I had heard it from Michi, he calls me dad to everyone else but me.
My entire life I had been a fucking father to him, all I wanted was to hear that single word, the one syllable that would mean the most to me, it would mean the world me.
And I wouldn't ever get to hear those words again.
He was silent, I was quiet as I watched the group. Quietly talking and speaking with each other. I missed the crunch of leaves from Masons sniveling beside me.
