Page 43 of Finn's Solace

Levi was probably still a little foggy from sleep, because it took him a few moments to catch up, but then he followed me off the bed. I spotted his closet and pulled him toward it.

Opening the door, I scanned the bottom space. It was full of blankets and sheets, and a good place to disappear. We'd be safe there.

"Get in. Quickly, before they get here."

Levi stared at me for a moment before doing as I'd asked, and I followed him in before closing the door behind us. It was a tight fit, but it was safe. We were safe.

I wrapped my arms around Levi and breathed him in, comforting myself with his scent.

We were safe. We were safe.

Levi

I wasn't sure what'd just happened, but I was worried.

Finn clung to me like a barnacle, but I could hear his heartbeats slowing down. He was already falling back asleep, while I didn't feel like I'd ever be able to sleep again.

Waking up, for a few moments, I'd honestly felt like I was sixteen and back in that basement. Finn had clearly felt the same, but unlike me he hadn't realized we weren't there.

Back in that hellhole, we used to sleep in a big closet just like this, with one of us always watching the door to make sure none of those assholes messed with us while we slept. They'd usually left us alone at night anyway, but it was the only way we'd felt safe enough to be able to rest.

I hadn't felt the need to hide away in a closet in a long time, but Finn...

Did his dads know? Did Penny or Dean?

Back then, he'd always done his best to hide his own terror, mostly because he wanted to be strong for his siblings. I'd understood that, because I'd felt the need to do the same for him and the others.

But had he ever gotten around to dealing with his fears? I knew he'd seen a therapist for a while, but how much had that helped?

I rubbed his back as I held him close and wondered what I could do to help. Would he be offended if I suggested he seek help again? Would I damage the bond we were building by trying to talk to him about it? What was more important, our bond or his well-being? Would I have to choose?

I sighed, leaning my head against the closet wall. Things with us could never just be easy, could they?

In the morning, Finn would realize what had happened. Unless I carried him to bed now, he'd wake up in the closet with me. Would he freak out and leave? But the alternative was hiding that it ever happened, and I didn't think I could do that. I couldn't lie to Finn.

"Fuck."

Finn grumbled something, and I shushed him softly, pressing a kiss in his hair.

I wished there was someone I could talk to, but everyone I knew also knew Finn, and I couldn't talk about his problems with them without his consent.

My thoughts kept circling round and round until I exhausted myself into a light doze, waking up multiple times until sunlight finally started pouring in from the crack under the closet door.

Finn stirred almost an hour after sunrise, his arms tightening around me as he sighed happily. But then the next second he went completely still, and I knew he'd noticed we weren't in bed anymore.

He pulled away from me, but I grabbed his hand before he could make a run for it.

"Hey, it's okay," I hurried to say, and his eyes snapped to mine.

"How can you say that? I-I'm twenty-seven and hiding in the closet like a damned kid."

"Well, I'm thirty, and I'm not complaining," I murmured, and he shook his head, then dropped his gaze to his lap, leaving his hand in mine as if he didn't have the strength to pull away.

"I'm...I should go."

"Nope." I squeezed his hand, then shifted awkwardly until I could cup his cheek with my other hand. "We have plans today, remember? Breakfast in bed, then meeting up with the others if they don't have plans."

Finn didn't reply, and I sighed, then pushed the closet door open with my leg. "Come on—let's get out of here."

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