Don't Leave Me Here (boyxboy)

Chapter 32 part 2

Chapter 32 part 2

Samuel

The drive home was quiet, but not awkward. Matter of fact, Samuel found it a bit peaceful.

To his relief, Ellie was mostly calm as well when they were back. Glad he came back, but calm.

Once Amanda had left—after Samuel practically begged her to take some kind of payment— the three settled down at the kitchen table.

The sun had begun to set early with the winter and it was starting to get dark at only six, before they had even made dinner.

"How are we feeling about spaghetti?" Samuel asked, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched Ellie's eyes light up.

"Yes!" She shouted, her chair almost tipping over when she stood abruptly.

Samuel saw Matias grinning out of the corner of his eye. The two people he loved most being so at peace made his heart beat in a particular way that he couldn't describe.

"And after we can play Go Fish!" She nearly squealed.

"Okay, okay, lower your voice" Samuel spoke gently with a chuckle.

As he made the food he couldn't help but listen in on Ellie and Matias's conversation and consistently glance over to see them smiling ear to ear at one another.

He listened to Ellie babble on and on about how her and Amanda had played dolls and how they had watched a movie on the TV. Things that made Samuel feel at home.

Eventually, however, she said something that shocked him.

"I wasn't even scared while dad was gone, because I knew that you would protect him"

When Samuel looked back at the table he met Matias's eyes, which were already wide and looking back at him.

"What do you mean by that?" Matias asked slowly, gaining his composure quicker than Samuel had.

Samuel gave the nearly done spaghetti a half hearted stir, not even looking at the pot.

"Well last time he left you left too, and then when he came back you came back right after" she explained innocently, looking at Matias with curiosity in her eyes. "And you always hold his hand when he's scared"

Samuels eyes glued onto the two at the table as he continued to stir. Matias had a baffled look on his face and a red tint to his cheeks, and Samuel was sure his face didn't look any better.

"Do I?" Matias asked quietly.

"Yes!" Ellie answered like it was nothing, "like when you were watching the TV with him the day you came back"

Samuel cleared his throat quietly and took a deep breath. He hadn't realize she noticed things like that. Or that she saw them watching the news together.

"And you used to do it all the time before you went away" she continued.

"Oh" Matias sighed, speechless.

As Samuel stirred the pot absentmindedly it slipped off the eye of the stove. He was snapped back into reality quickly enough to prevent the whole pot falling off the stove and the food spilling everywhere, but not quick enough to prevent the painful burn that planted itself on his finger.

"Shit" he hissed, pulling his hand away and staring at the bright red mark on his finger.

Samuel heard a chair scoot across the floor and in moment Matias was standing behind him.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a hurry.

Matias grabbed Samuels burnt hand and led him to the sink, wasting no time turning on the cold water and running Samuels finger under it.