Incompetent (BxB)

Chapter 19

Atlas jolted back at the sound of the glass crashing.

"Oh! Did you drop this?- I can help you clean it..." Atlas smiled awkwardly.

Noah stood up slowly and sat on the floor, crossing his legs next to the glass. He picked up a glass shard and stared at it.

Due to the unbearable pain Eddie had been enduring, his attempts to stay conscious failed and he soon fainted.

Atlas began feeling uncomfortable.

"Is that a no?..." Atlas questioned.

Noah pierced the sharpest corner of the shard into his finger tip. Blood streamed down his finger as he pressed the shard down on his skin more.

"Would you like to know who that someone was?" Noah looked up at Atlas slowly. He held the glass shard firmly on his bloody hand as he stood up.

"That looks like it will leave a scar... You should clean it before it gets infected." Atlas worried.

"It's 'I' now? Would you like to help me, it does hurt quite a bit." Noah asked. "I'll tell you about who did this to my family."

"Aha, sure..." Atlas answered.

Noah walked up to Atlas, with the shard still in hand. The closer Noah got, Atlas could feel Noah didn't have good intentions and he was wishing someone would take him away from this position.

"Hm, Noah? What's going on here?" Reina entered the kitchen from the backyard. She had been listening to music outside and finally went inside, the first room she entered being the kitchen. The cord from the headset she had around her neck dangled.

"Hello Rein! We've a visitor." Noah smiled.

"Is that so? I didn't hear the front door open, though that may just be cause I was outside..." Reina thought before continuing. "Could this be your boyfriend?" She giggled.

Noah put on a very menacing smile. "Possibly."

"Oh!" Reina was shocked.

"Haha, I am joking with you. Perhaps one day." Noah confirmed.

"Uh, I-" Atlas tried speaking before being interrupted.

"Noah has a crush? This is sure news to me, would dad accept it, though?" Reina asked.

"I'm dad's favourite, I'm sure he'd accept me, most definitely." Noah said, smug.

"Hm, if you say so." Reina said.

"Could I say a word?-" Atlas spoke.

"Ah, that's right! Atlas here isn't gay." Noah corrected. "Dad says being gay is disgusting and a disgrace, I wouldn't wish to disrespect him." Noah shrugged. Atlas flinched at this.

While Reina's eyes roamed the kitchen, she had noticed Noah's bloody hand.

"Oh my god! Noah!!" She ran up to Noah and held his hand firmly. "What happened to you? Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, it's just a scratch." Noah replied, unbothered.

"It's not just any scratch, it could get infected, we can't have that happen!" Reina frantically pulled Noah to the sink, pushing away Atlas to get there.

"Ouch-" Atlas walked back.

She turned on the faucet and held Noah's hand under the warm water.
"Let me know when it begins hurting, Noah. This looks really bad." Reina worried.

Atlas heard a quiet thud from outside the kitchen and decided to investigate, he walked out.

"Reina, I am fine. There's no need to worry, I can do this on my own." Noah assured.

"If dad sees this, he'll kill me!" Reina cried.

Noah heard this and pulled his hand away. "Yes, I understand why you might be afraid. I'll be sure to fix myself up, I still need to be able to play the piano." Noah shook off all the blood mixed water that had been dripping from his hand.

"Oh... Alright then." Reina pouted.

"Now if you'd excuse yourself, you still have a guest to greet." Noah turned back to where Atlas had previously stood and saw he had gone.

"Hm, it seems he's left."

-

Atlas walked out of the kitchen and looked at his surroundings. As soon as he exited the kitchen to the living room, when he turned to his very right he saw Eddie, passed out on the floor.

"Ah! Eddie!" Atlas whispered. He squat down and pulled Eddie towards him by his arm, first checking if he was still breathing.

"Oh thank goodness." Atlas sighed in relief. He hugged him before picking Eddie up like a princess, walking to his room.

While walking to his room, the halls were filled with framed pictures of the Norris' family. Atlas came across accomplishments and achievements, most of them by Noah. "Your brother is pretty talented, isn't he..." Atlas mumbled while he gazed at the photos, walking past them.

"Y-yeah." Eddie answered silently.

"Eddie, you're awake!" Atlas held Eddie tighter.

"Mhm." Eddie answered. "I feel tired..."

"Yes, you passed out. You shouldn't be forcing yourself to do things, you may say you're strong but in your current condition, you're very weak." Atlas looked at Eddie while he continued walking to his room.

"Where are we going?.." Eddie asked.

"To your room, I found you passed out right outside the kitchen." Atlas answered.

"Oh, but..." Eddie took a breath. "Can't I just stay with you at your house? Forever." He yawned.

Atlas blushed and opened the door to Eddie's room slowly, while he felt Eddie's grasp onto his arms tighten. Atlas closed the door behind him and laid Eddie down on his bed.

"I'll stay with you forever, Eddie." He looked at Eddie, sincere.

"Thank you, Atlas. Thank you for everything you have done for me, you are truly amazing." Eddie smiled before falling asleep.

Atlas knelt down to Eddie's side of the bed and stared at his face. "I want to give you only good and take away all your pain." Atlas stroked Eddie's cheek.

Atlas picked up Eddie's hand and kissed it. He noticed the bandage from his hand began peeling off.

"Oh, you need a new bandaid." Atlas thought. He stood up and decided he'd search Eddie's room. He looked through the drawers and saw clothes and coins. While searching, he had discovered a drawing.

The drawing was in crayon, it was signed Eddie but the writing was sloppy. It looked like it was old, like a child would write it. Atlas turned the page and saw a family of five, a tall man stood next to a woman, holding her hand. To the right stood two children, a girl and a boy, to the left of this woman was a boy.

The woman had been holding something sharp and the boy still held the woman's hand. The drawing made Atlas feel uncomfortable.

While looking through other pieces of paper, he found writings, all starting with "Teacher's note.". He began reading them, assuming they'd talk about Eddie's delinquent behaviour in class when he was young, but it seemed much worse than that.

"Teacher's note.
Eddie has been coming to school with very deep cuts on his legs and neck. He hasn't gotten into any fights here, I think he may be getting himself hurt at home. Please watch over your son more, they look really bad if you look at them yourself. I'm worried for the safety of my students and I'm sure you'd be worried yourself as well. I'm hoping Eddie has given you this note considering I don't have your phone number yet. Once you get this, respond with your digits."