Alone Together [boyxboy]

Alone Together {12}

                The door opened, and I looked over anxiously, hoping it was Alexis. Micah had been perfectly fine, until he started getting tired.

                He refused to go to sleep without Alexis here, and I didn't know what time Alexis would get home. I had been trying to comfort Micah, but the later it got, the more irritable he got.

                He was watching the door just as anxiously as I was. He looked absolutely exhausted, but fought me when I tried to put him to bed.

                I was disappointed as Ike came up the stairs. He looked over at us and raised an eyebrow.

                "Alexis isn't back," he said, and it wasn't a question, but I nodded anyways.

                "Micah won't sleep without him," I said.

                "That's no surprise. I've had to babysit the brat before when Alexis was working late. He's stubborn as hell," Ike said. "Tried to runaway once or twice, too."

                Micah's eyes filled with tears. "I want Alexis! He's never gone this long!" he whimpered.

                "He has to work later than usual, Micah," I said gently.

                "He doesn't like nighttime. He's scared of the dark," Ike said. "He won't sleep without Alexis. Never has."

                Micah wrapped his arms around himself. "Where's Alexis?"

                "Working," Ike said. "He'll be back eventually. Just sleep with the lights on."

                "No!" Micah shook his head violently, wiping at his eyes. "Not without Alexis!"

                "You can't stay up forever," Ike said.

                But the stubborn set of Micah's jaw at that informed both of us that he could stay up for the rest of eternity if it meant he got to see Alexis. Ike shrugged at me before walking away.

                "Micah, please at least lay down. You don't have to sleep, just lie on the bed while we wait for Alexis," I said.

                Micah shook his head. "No!" he said.

                He was a good kid, but he was also only five years old. And five year olds got irritable when they were tired, and Micah was exhausted. I'm sure he even had his moments around Alexis sometimes. He was a sweet boy, but kids couldn't be well behaved all the time.

                "Micah," I said, keeping my voice soft and friendly. "Let's lie down. I'll read to you while we wait. Maybe it'll make the time pass faster, and Alexis will be here before you know it!"

                He considered my bribe before shaking his head again. "No."

                "Alexis will be sad that you stayed up so late for him. If you're tired, he wants you to sleep!" I said, trying a different approach.

                But that approach wasn't right either, as Micah's eyes filled up with tears again. "I want Alexis now!"

                The door opened, and I could hear several voices. I listened hard, hoping to pick out Alexis's voice. But they had stopped talking, and all I heard now were several footsteps coming up the stairs.