Last I Saw You

FOURTEEN|TOBY

Tedrik Leblanc. Okay, another man should be the last thing on my mind when making out with my boyfriend but if it helps I wasn't thinking anything sexy. Granted he was handsome, not by any high standards, but it was his sheer confidence and power that eluded to it. I kept thinking about the way he had looked at me with... admiration almost, while moving my lips down Eric's neck.

The twins were sleeping with their parents in Callum's old room. They cried until they got their way,with Braxton actually participating cause he really didn't like the idea of being separated from his mother. I decided to take advantage of that and Eric reluctantly relaxed beneath me.

He must have known that I had something on my mind as he groaned before sitting up on his elbows. Frowning at me he cocked his head to the side.

"You're trying to use me as a distraction," he said, frown softening a bit

"You're doing the same." I straddled him, taking note of the way he fell back.

"Eli said mom was starting to feel sick again. I should have been there tonight," he whispered, picking at a loose thread on my shirt.

"Eric you and I both know Aaliyah would have wanted to you to enjoy yourself," I said back, "if Eli can't be trusted with much you can count on him to make sure that your mom is taken care of. I can walk you home if you want."

Thinking it over he stared at my chest. Nodding his head Eric shrugged, "Sure."

Getting off him I let him pull his shirt back on before pulling him in for a kiss. He smiled against my lips at that.

"You never told me what was worrying you. Was it the Leblancs?" he asked, playing with the collar of my shirt.

"Yeah," I admitted. "The way he looked at me just... kinda made me uncomfortable."

"He freaked you out or something?"

"No, he didn't freak me out, just... I didn't like how he looked at me, I especially didn't like how he talked down on Schuyler."

"You were giving him the smuggest smile ever, what do you mean?"

"I mean yeah I did, but I would never do something like that in front of his family. Friends maybe, but family no. That's his whole dad," I said, frowning at my own weird choice of wording. "Let's just go, before it gets too late. I'm not even supposed to be out."

"Alright."

Pulling on a jacket I followed close behind Eric as we took the stairs. Dad was sitting on the couch having a beer and chatting with Callum. When he saw us heading for the door he stopped us.

"Where are you two going?" Dad asked, frowning at us from where he sat in his recliner.

"I'm just walking Eric home is all," I said. Eric was so close, clinging to my arm as we stood in the living room staring at Dad and Callum.

"Well, be careful," Callum said, waving before turning back around in his seat to watch TV.

Dad sent a look his way before sighing. "Get there and back as fast as you can. You know I don't like you being out this late."

"I know, Pa. I'll be back as soon as I can," I said, quickly heading for the door before he could stop us again.

"Your dad really cares about you a lot," Eric said once we got outside, his breaths coming out as fog with every exhale.

"I know." I blushed."You sure you don't wanna stay til tomorrow. I mean Bridget won't be making breakfast but I could ask Pete to whip something up for us."

Gazing at his lips I licked my own. Why did he have to look  so beautiful?

"No I'm good, you don't have to walk me all the way there," he said, seeming to take notice of where my gaze had fallen as he bit his bottom lip.

Why did he have to temp me? "You really sure?"

"Yes, Tobias, I'm sure. Just go back inside already."

"Okay." I nodded but didn't move. Reading my mind and catching sight of my hand rising up to hold the back of his neck Eric leaned into me.

His lips were so soft. This wasn't the first time we'd ever kissed but it felt like it and in my nervousness I almost forgot what to do, where my hands should go, who was supposed to be leading. But Eric didn't mind, his own hands holding me in place by my waist as he deepened the kiss.

Pulling back to catch my breath I chuckled. "That was nice."

"You were flustered," he whispered back.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

I was ready to head back inside when I caught a whiff of a familiar scent being carried by the wind. I instantly knew who it was, growing tense. Eric, confused, frowned and asked what was wrong.

"Toby? Did you hear me?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to see what I was glaring at.

"Elijah," I said, watching as Eric's older brother stepped out of the shadows towards us. He stopped a few feet away from the steps, his lip curling up at us.

"Hey," he said curtly, quickly turning his attention to Eric, "I came to get you."

"Why, mom's not hurt is she?" Eric said, growing tense.

"Naw, she's doing good. We gave her some medicine and the pain went away. She just wanted to see you so I came to get you," Eli looked at me, "so what's happening over here?"

"Nothing," Eric said, shrinking away from him, from me. "You're not lying are you?"

"About momma?"

"You don't have to lie to me, Eli," Eric mumbled, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Or are you lying cause Toby's here? You got mad at me last time I told them how mom was doing. He's my friend, that's what friends do, they tell each other shit."

"You know I saw right," Eli said, looking to me, "I don't know what the fuck y'all are, but y'all ain't friends. And yeah, I lied. We don't need everybody all up in our business. I'm handling it. That should be enough."

"You're handling it and yet she's sick again?" Eric said, eyes going wide at his own words.

"It's more than you're doing. Momma at home worried sick about you and you're here messing around with this fag," Eli huffed. "I'm always handling everything."

"That's not fair. You don't get to just make this all about you. You always make it about you and I'm sick of it. I'm sorry I wasn't there for her tonight but I'm there any other time. I care about her just as much as you do," Eric sniffed, his hands balling up into fists at his sides.

"Look, Eri... Eric look at me," I whispered, trying to get his attention. Disregarding his brother a few feet away from us I reached up to caress his cheek, turning his head so he'd look at me. "Eric you don't have to go home right now of you don't want to."

Eli sighed, rolling his eyes at us. Working his jaw glared at me before looking away again.

"Toby... I can't... I-I can't." Eric started to cry, quickly bringing his hand up to wipe the snot off with his sleeve.

What did he mean. He can't? He can't what? One minute I was holding his face trying to get him to just look at me, to open his eyes. Eric rarely cries. He thinks it makes him look weak. I've only ever seen him cry a few times, mostly at funerals or when we first found out that his mom was cursed. But never like this. Maybe like this, but never over... Never over me. I feel like I'm making this about me but I know that's why he's crying. Damon was right.

Stepping away from my embrace Eric turned his back on me.

A/N: I hate myself for that last line.