An Unkindess of Ravens

Warnings and Disclaimers: See chapter one.
******************************************
He woke up some time before dawn. The glass door was slid open and a strong morning breeze blew through the still room. Nathan rubbed at his eyes and sat up, working out the kinks in his neck and shoulders. It took a minute for his eyes to focus and that’s when a sickening feeling washed over him. Lucas was gone. His head snapped immediately towards the open door and before he could think, he was running down the wooden stairs that led to their private stretch of beach.

‘Don’t let him have done anything foolish,’ he thought as he raced down the old faded steps and ran onto the beach. The wind was stronger as he stepped out of the house and onto the beach. He took in a deep breath and was about to call out his brother’s name when he spotted a figure sitting along the edge of the shore wrapped in a sheet. He stumbled forward stopping just inches behind the figure sitting perfectly still watching the tide recede. Falling to his knees out of breath, he called his brother’s name shakily.

“Lucas, what are you doing out here.”

The blond looked at him under the rising sun a little more focused than the previous night. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“You should have woke me. Have you been out here all night?” Nathan said, taking ragged breaths.

“Just a little while. I needed to think.”

Nathan nodded, encouraging Lucas to go on.

“As much as I don’t want to, I have to go back and face them.”

“Does that mean you’ll press charges?”

“I’m not sure. I just, I can’t hide here forever.”

“Whatever you decide, I’ve got your back, I promise.”

Lucas gave his brother a grateful smile. “You’re freezing.”

It was then that Nathan realized he was dressed only in his underwear. “I’m fine. We should get you back inside though. I think a storm is coming.”

Lucas nodded and stood, pulling the sheet tight around him. Nathan followed wrapping his arms around himself as he climbed the steps back up to the beach house. Once inside, he pulled the door closed.

“Are you hungry?”

Lucas shook his head no.

“We don’t have to rush back right away. We can go back late this evening,” Nathan offered.

“No. I want to get this over with.”

“Lucas...”

“The longer I stay here, the harder it will be.”

Nathan understood. “I’ll find you something to wear.” He disappeared up the steps. He dreaded going back himself. He dreaded facing Tim and the rest of the team. “If Lucas can do it, so can I.”

He retrieved a warm-up suit, a tee shirt and a pair of sneakers from the clothes he kept at the beach house. Lucas was in the downstairs shower when he came back down. He knocked first and then placed the items on the vanity. He put on a pot of coffee and then headed back upstairs to shower himself. When he came out, Lucas was standing in his bedroom dressed in the slightly baggy clothes, holding two cups.

“Thanks,” Nathan said, clutching his towel and taking one of the offered cups.

Lucas sat on the edge of the bed watching his brother.

“I think they knew,” he said.

These conversations were a bit unnerving for Nathan. Plus he could feel his brother’s eyes boring right through him.

He stopped fumbling through his drawers to face his brother. “Knew what?”

“About me. I think they did it because they knew.”

Nathan sat down on the bed next to his brother. “I’m not following you,” he said, carding his fingers through his dark hair.”

“They knew about me...what I am?”

“What are you talking about Lucas?”

“They raped me because I’m gay,” Lucas said flatly.

He didn’t mean to, but Nathan sprung off the bed staring at Lucas incredulously.

“You’re not gay. You’re confused because of what’s happened. Drink your coffee.”

Nathan took his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. He emerged fully dressed. Lucas was still sitting there on his bed, clutching his coffee cup.

“C’mon, let’s get out of here. There’s a storm coming. Maybe we can make it back before it hits.” Nathan looked out at the darkening sky doubtful that leaving would be the best idea.

Lucas’ eyes followed where his brother was looking. “Maybe we should check the weather.”

Nathan grabbed his own cup and headed down the stairs. He paused listening until he heard Lucas’ footsteps following. He was feeling uncomfortable with Lucas’ confession. The last thing he wanted now was to be stuck in a storm in a house by the ocean with his brother, his possibly gay brother. Things were getting to weird. In his head he prioritized his goals, get Lucas home, beat the crap out of Tim, resume normal life. He doubted the last could be achieved easily.

Lucas had wandered away again just that quick. Nathan breathed a sigh of relief when he found his brother sitting in front of the television watching the weather channel.

“There’s a storm alert,” Lucas said over his shoulder.

Nathan sat next to him feeling a bit defeated. Hurricane warnings were in effect for the area and the sky was already pretty overcast. “Call your mom,” Nathan said, grabbing his car keys and heading outside.

“Where are you going?” It was the first time Lucas had seemed alert since Nathan had found him.

“I’m going to move the car. We don’t need it crashing through the front door. Grab some bottles of water and get some quilts from the linen closet upstairs. The bathtub is going to be our lifeboat if things get bad.”

Nathan drove the car as far down the empty stretch of beach as possible. The wind was even stronger now as he hurried back to the house. He hoped Lucas had done as he instructed. His cell phone rang as he reached the steps.

“What,” he answered harshly.

“Dude you still at the beach house, because we saw Peyton last night. Who you with?”

“What do you want Tim?”

“There’s a big storm coming. Me and the guys are coming up. We got beer and we can have a Hurricane Ivan party.”

“Don’t come here Tim.”

“Me and the guys got your bastard brother good last night. We’ll tell you about it when we get there.”

“Tim you asshole...” The phone went dead before he could get another word out. “Shit, Lucas.”

Nathan hurried towards the house. The storm brewing outside was nothing compared to the one gathering inside of Nathan.