Love Like Only A Family Can

Chapter 22

Alex sat on the edge of Harry's bed, hands clenching the mattress, shaking, sweating. His breath was slow and even, but only because he was focusing so much on it.

He was looking down, far too afraid to even glance at Harrison's pacing figure.

He knew the second Harry got what he wanted to say figured out in his head, he'd yell and scream and beat him.

Kick him out.

And no one would stop it. Wes already hated him, Ollie seemed to like him but it as probably because Harry was making him.

And now that Harry was angry with him, that wouldn't last.

He wished he could explain to Harry that he hadn't meant to cause a panic. He hadn't meant to get the police involved.

He hadn't meant to disrespect Harry in any way, shape, or form.

He just wanted to talk to his friends. He'd never done anything like that before. Never had people that wanted to hang around him, wanted to be with him after school.

Wanted to sit with him at lunch, wanted to invite him to places.

And he'd ruined everything by being a dumbass, just like Wesley said.

Harry sucked in a breath before facing Alex. To his surprise, he didn't begin to hit him or yell.

Harry sat next to Alex on the bed, putting a protective arm around his back and pulling the small boy into him.

They sat in silence for a minute, Harry still assessing the situation and deciding on the route on which to take, and Alexander hoping and praying that Harry wouldn't hurt him. Physically or emotionally.

"Alex..." Harry began in a lecture, "today your actions weren't... perfect?" But finished in a question. He was afraid to make a mistake in his correction.

Afraid anything and everything he showed or did with Alex would affect him in ways that would ruin his future.

Alex nodded into his side, still stuck between Harry and his arm.

Harry cleared his throat to start again. "What you did today was... well, no. What you did put you in a bad place." Alex could tell this would be a confusing conversation.

"I know now that running away wasn't your intention, right?" Alex reassured him that it wasn't by a simple shake of the head. Harrison nodded and continued.

"But not coming to me and asking permission to go places sort of caused me to lose trust in you." Harry took a breath then added, "when I was looking for you though, I looked at the camera footage. I know they dragged you out of the school."

Alex nodded again, "but you didn't try to stop them. You didn't resist or anything really. I know you were outside and the cameras can't catch the sound of your voices but...it didn't look like you even tried to ask me to go."

The younger sucked in a breath before gazing up at Harry with a slight panic in his eye.

He hadn't known or realized he was supposed to tell Harry anything. He hadn't known to ask permission. He hadn't known to not walk out of the building with children he had just met.

He didn't know anything.

"I'm sorry, Harry. Please. I really am very sorry." Alex's breath hitched between his short sentences. He couldn't afford to be kicked to the streets. He had gotten so used to having a bed to sleep in, food to eat, water to drink, that he could barely remember his life before meeting the Easley's.

Harry sighed. Even without meaning to Alex had put Harry into tough predicaments long before this moment.

But it was moments like this one that forced him to go long distances just to preserve the faulty relationship the new family of four  he'd recently created.

"I know you are." Harry began, phrasing his words as if he were a parent. In a way, he was. Despite what Wesley's said in his rush of anger, he was constantly balancing both parenthood and brotherhood and had been since he was eleven.

He knew exactly what he would have done if Wesley or Oliver had done something as irresponsible as Alex's earlier actions; he would have spanked them.

But could he spank Alex now?

He inhaled as if to lecture Alex again but quickly closed his mouth. Standing, he excused himself leaving Alex all alone in Harry's bedroom.
-----
Harry stood out in the backyard, near the small garden he planted with his brothers. He was having a mini argument inside his head, as you do when you're a parent of three.

Alex was his brother now and Harry had not once hesitated from spanking Wes or Ollie.

Then again, he had never punished either boy when he had first gained custody of them, regardless of the fact that he had punished him since they were around five.

When he was around sixteen.

Looking at  the "Alex Situation" from a parents point of view wasn't working and neither was a sibling perspective.

His thoughts lingered to Jackson, his student at school. His special case.

He too was adopted yet he was also punished by his parents and Harry himself. Maybe a phone call to Jackson's parents could clear the situation?

No, he thought. Getting a phone call from your students principal was never fun. No matter the situation.

He could talk to Barry or Brendon but they would be of no help really. Especially Brendon.

Eddie, Barry's baby boy, was too young to have gotten into trouble. He was only about a year old.

Maybe, he decided. A spanking isn't the only punishment I'm capable of giving.
-----
"Alright Alex, I've decided your punishment."  He said as he opened the door, glad to see Alex had followed his instructions and stayed put on his bed. He held in a chuckle at how cliche and stupid his previous sentence had sounded and continued.

"I'm confiscating your iPod for the rest of the week,  I will give it back this time next Monday. It's 7:30." Alex nodded. This was much better than being kicked out.

"Secondly, you'll be coming to my office straight after class. I mean it. If you are late even once, I will," he swallowed. He desperately didn't want to say this to the innocent face before him. "I will not hesitate to take you over my knee, are my words understood?"

Alex shyly nodded, his head still turned down. Now, more than ever, he refused to look at Harry. His voice was powering and fierce and he constantly felt as of the man would hurt him.

He hoped he was wrong.

"Alright, good boy. I'm proud of you. Now take a shower, get ready for bed, and if there is anything you need homework wise," he sighed in an attempt it shake of his stern behavior and relax a little. "I will be happy to help."

Alex nodded and left. He had done it, he survived his first... punishment?
-----
Harry heard a knock at the door, he turned smiling, expecting it to be Alex asking for homework help.

Instead he found Ollie and Wes standing in the door way, arms folded. An angered expression lined Wesley's face while Oliver's looked just slightly irritated.

"Everything okay," he questioned, standing up.

"What the fuck, Harry?"
-----
Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I have exciting news. When this book hits 6k reads, do a chapter of what imagine Alex and the others as.

Additionally, if you send me questions via DM or commenting I will do a Q&A! (If I can hit 200 votes, but at the rate everyone is going, we'll have that in no time!)

Again, thank you for reading and stay safe and healthy! (It's corona time!)