Until Nate clears his throat, his expression telling me he knows exactly what I was thinking.
“You hungry?” he asks. “I can make us something.”
My stomach chooses that moment to betray me with a small growl, making him grin. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he teases, untangling his arm from around me so he can stretch.
“Only if it’s something easy.” I watch his shirt ride up, revealing a sliver of skin. “I feel bad making you cook for me.”
“You’re not making me do anything.” He stands up and walks toward the hallway, calling back over his shoulder, “I’m gonna check on Alex, see if he wants anything.”
I push the blanket off my lap, listening to Nate knock lightly on a door. “Hey, kid. You up?” A beat later, I hear the hinges creak.
“Alex?”
There’s no answer.
I stand, worry prickling under my skin, and follow him to where he’s standing in the doorframe to Alex’s room. “Nate?”
“He’s not here,” he says, staring at the empty room, like he’s willing Alex to appear.
“Maybe he stayed at a friend’s?” I offer.
“Yeah.” He sounds distracted, unsettled. “Maybe.”
He pulls out his phone, his thumbs moving across the screen while I stay quiet, hovering near him.
Unsure if I should step closer or give him space.
The light mood from before feels far away now, replaced by the heavy weight of Alex not coming home.
Nate lets out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck. Then he glances at me, with a small smile that feels nothing but forced. “How ’bout that breakfast?”
By the time Alex finally shows up, my plateis mostly empty, and I’m rambling about a lesson plan idea. An attempt to keep his mind off of everything.
But his eyes keep flicking between the clock on the stove and the door, the worry sits between us, silent but restless.
When we hear the back door creak open, Nate stiffens.
Alex steps into the kitchen with a disheveled quality about him. His hoodie is half-zipped, and his blonde hair is a mess, dark circles standing out against his pale skin.
At first, he doesn’t say anything. Just goes into the kitchen like everything’s normal.
“Where the hell were you?” Nate’s voice cracks through the tense quiet.
Alex rummages through the fridge, pulling out a water bottle, “Out.”
“All night? You didn’t call. You didn’t text. You got any idea how worried I was?”
Alex shrugs, “It’s Halloween. I stayed out late. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” Nate repeats, his voice rising as anger replaces the worry now that he knows his brother is safe. “Alex, you didn’t come home. I thought something happened to you!”
“Well, nothing did.”
“That’s not the goddamn point!” Nate’s hand slams flat on the table, silverware rattling against plates. “You don’t get to disappear all night and act like I shouldn’t be worried! I’m your brother, Alex. You think I don’t give a shit?”
Alex crosses his arms, his jaw tightening. “You’re overreacting.”
“I already had to bury mom,” Nate snaps, voice breaking, “I ain’t going through that again. You understand me?”
