Our little brother

Chapter 60

PART ONE:

Alexander's POV:

I don't even know how to respond to that, I just stare at him while the stupid cat meows. Why couldn't he ask this when Hunter was here? "L-lex?" He says gaining my attention back. "I-uh-yeah? For now I guess? I'll need it in a few weeks but you can use it until then?" I say unsurely. I mean, I do need it back whenever boxing starts back up. He wants to use it to protect him, how am I suppose to explain it protects my head when I'm hitting other people. Maybe I should show him the basement? He has lots of energy, he'd probably love it down there, all the open space to run around in, Atlas's exercise ball, he'd like the jump ropes too. Yeah I'm gonna take him down now.

"Wanna go somewhere with me?" I say standing up so suddenly it scares the cat. It hisses at me and Noah hisses back. "N-no hurt Lex!" He tells it as if the cat could understand him. I'm not even gonna question him hissing back, that's a problem for someone else to deal with. "G-go see R-reid now?" He asks me and I shake my head leading him downstairs and gently nudging the cat down the hall in the opposite direction. That cat is not going anywhere near my gym equipment, I'm not trying to choke on cat hair when I workout. "L-Lex! Chicky n-nuggy gone! H-have find! N-no lose kitty!" Noah says and I open my eyes wide. Shit, did he see me shoo it away?

Noah's POV:

Chicky nuggy ran away! We have to go find him! "But we're going somewhere really cool, the cat isn't lost, it went to find Reid okay, because he's hurt remember? The cat is gonna make him feel better." Lex says. That's so nice of chicky nuggy, I hope he finds him fast. We stop in front of a door, I never went in here, I hope it's purple and that Lex has a giraffe inside! When he opens the door it has stairs. Why is he taking me here! I was good, except when I had Spencer's cereal! "N-no go base-ment! Noah g-good! L-lex good! No g-go!" I tell him backing away. I don't want to be locked down there again.

"No no no stop, it's okay, just wait. It's not a basement, well I mean it is the basement but it's not like your basement. This is my basement and it's a gym come look." Lex says but I shake my head, this a trick. He's going to lock me down there and I'll never see Hunter again! "Noah breathe, look at me. It's fine, don't cry. Look, you stay here at the top of the stairs, I'm gonna go down okay?" Lex says but I grab his hand. I don't want him to be locked down there either! "Noah I'm gonna come right back up I promise, my gym isn't scary." He says and walks down the stairs. Oh no, maybe if I stay right here the door will stay open, and he won't be locked down there. But what if there's another door that locks him in!? "L-lex back n-now! B-back now please!" I tell him. What if we don't have much time, he needs to come back now.

"Noah buddy what are you doing over here?" Atty says and I point at Lex. He's coming back now. "Alex what the fu—he— why is he here? After this morning did you really think this was a good idea?" Atty says and I hug him. "You don't get it, he needs to see this. Please, you know he'll love it, just, bring him down once I get the bottom of the stairs okay?" Lex says going back down the stairs. "Atty, why L-lex go! Lex good!" I ask Atty, he was really really good, so he doesn't need to go in the basement. "Hey listen, going down there is not a punishment, it's where Alex goes to workout. Remember when you told him he was stinky? It's because he was all sweaty from working out. Do you wanna go see? I promise I'll stay with you the whole time okay? And if you don't like it we can leave. The door is gonna stay open and unlocked and all the lights will stay on." Atty says and I frown. If it's not a punishment, what is it? Why does Lex always smell so bad then? Will I smell stinky too?

"Noah, look, I'm down here and I'm okay, please come see my gym." Lex says from down the stairs. "C-can go u-up after?" I ask, I don't want to stay there. "We can come back up whenever you want okay?" Atty says and I nod. I hold my hands up so Atty can hold me, and he picks me up. I hold onto him really tightly, and he rubs my back, so I lean onto his shoulder. He keeps saying it's okay, but what if it's not? I close my eyes when we get to the bottom of the stairs, but Lex calls out for me. "Noah look how big this ball is." He says and when I open my eyes, it's not dark and scary and cold like daddy's basement.