Hunt Me Down {boyxboy} ✓

Chapter 42

A/N: Chapter dedicated to @KMyung. Thanks for your comments; I love reading them ♡

*****

Nathaniel’s POV

I didn’t know which feeling was stronger when the door opened: relief or disappointment. The large figure of Betty stood erect as the woman looked me up and down.

“He’s not here,” she took the cigarette out of her mouth to say and then placed it back in as soon as she added: “Don’t know when he’ll be back either; haven’t seen him since he left for the party last night.”

“Oh… Thank… Thank you,” I muttered and turned around, staggering as my head spun at the motion. It wasn’t even that quick of a movement; the lightheadedness was either due to stress or the lack of sleep, or perhaps a combination of both.

“I warned you he was going to hunt you down,” her hoarse voice stopped me in my tracks. “You are such a proper, willing-to-please boy; not bad-looking either… He just wouldn’t be able to help himself; he’d want to get his hands on a toy like you. At least at first.” I turned around in time to see her throw the cigarette on the ground and extinguish it with her foot. “But then he became… nicer, I guess you could call it,” she went on, her eyes on the smoke she leaned to pick up. She huffed as she bent in two, her stomach getting in the way, then she straightened up with another heavy exhale. “He’s no angel, that boy, but he’s been quieter lately, less rebellious. Maybe you rubbed off on him, metaphorically. Although looking at your pale face and how you need to see him… It’s going to be a loooong Christmas holiday,” she concluded.

“I…” My voice broke so I cleared my throat. “Can you tell him that I came to see him and that I want to talk to him? And that I also… that I’m sorry?”

“Yep. A long holiday,” she repeated, giving me a nod I hoped meant that she’d pass my message on before she turned around and lobbed inside her house, closing the door behind her.

*****

Hunter’s POV

I slumped down on my bed even though I fully realized I needed a shower; the stink of sweat and alcohol that oozed out of me was so strong, I myself was bothered. But I was too tired, too drained to undertake any initiative, even one related to my personal hygiene.

I heard scratching against glass; I knew that was Raph, signaling me to let him out. That didn’t make me move either; I just let out a sigh and was already half asleep by the time I closed my eyes.

A not-so-low noise – this time coming from the door – awoke me.

“Go away,” I slurred without opening my blinkers.

“Are you dressed?” She rumbled out in her sweet, melodious voice. “‘Cause I’m coming in.”

“I’m naked,” I lied, but it wasn’t enough to get rid of my Aunt.

“Then cover yourself with a sheet,” she shouted through the door and I heard her open it.

“What do you want?” I muttered, half on my way to dreamland.

“To know what you’ve been up to all night for starters.” The stench of cigarettes assaulted me as she came closer. Even though my stomach was churning from the lack of food and the copious amounts of various types of alcohol to the point I’d very soon need to faceplant into the toilet, I felt a sudden craving for the nicotine lollypops.