┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑

029.　𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒!
➶-͙˚ ༘✶ ─── 𝙰𝙲𝚃 𝚃𝚆𝙾, 𝙸𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙴
❝ i made it clear for him to stay
the fuck away from you ❞

┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙

𝖥𝖱𝖤𝖣𝖠𝖦, 9:08 am

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

LANI walked up the Schistad's drive way, to the large doors. She gnawed on her bottom lip fiddling with her thumbs. Nerves racked the brunette's body. She had dropped her brother off at home; well, Noora had. She then told the curly haired boy she would be back, seeing as how their father was working late again this night, she figured it wouldn't matter.

A part of her was yelling at her for even showing up or thinking about the hazel eyed boy. She knew getting involved in any way with him would be filled with drama and or violence. Two things she dislike strongly. But the other part wanted to make sure he was okay, and wanted to be with him. She didn't understand why she couldn't stay away from Chris, and it scared her.

The doors opened revealing a frowning Brien Promfrey. Lani cursed under her breath, knowing he probably locked himself away from the woman.

"Oh, Lani. Christoffer is not great." She said softly. "Come in." She stepped aside allowing the small girl into the Schistad manor.

"Is he?" She asked quietly.

Brien shook her head, "He's in his room." She nodded to the staircase off to the right of them. "I made his favourite chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, and he still hasn't come down; I worry."

Lani smiled softly, "I'll talk to him."

The brunette walked up the staircase, with each step her nerves increased if it were remotely possible. She made her way down the hallway coming to a halt outside of his bedroom. The only sound that was heard was the faucet from his restroom. Lani raised her hand and knocked on the door. Silence. Again she knocked more hurriedly.

"I'm fine, Brien. I'm not hungry." His voice rasped behind the wooden door.

Lani frowned and continued to knock. The door then was whipped opened, revealing a bloodied and bruised Christoffer Schistad. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Part of him happy she even showed up to check on him, whilst the other wished she'd have stayed away; not wanting her to see him in his current state. And what he had done earlier.

"I--I don't know." She whispered, furrowing her brows. Chris rubbed the bridge of his nose wincing slightly, which gave the Santiago girl full access to see his scraped and scared knuckles. "You didn't clean your cuts properly." She pointed out. Chris glanced down to his hands seeing them dried with blood.

Lani entered his room not caring if he wanted her there or not. Chris followed behind her into his ensuite, watching her carefully as she sorted through his first aid kit that laid opened on the counter. Lani glanced over to the boy nodding to the sink, Chris sighed and walked over leaning against the marble counter wincing slightly from the cold and hardened surfaced pressing against his back.

Lani narrowed her eyes at the movements, knowing it wasn't just his hands and a busted lip. He may have bruised his back as well as his ribcage. Gnawing on her lip she grabbed the alcohol, pouring a little onto the boy's knuckles. A hiss left his lips, Lani looked up apologetically she blew on the exposed wounds, grabbing the polysporin ointment she dabbed the thick cream on to the cuts.

Chris watched her every movement like hawk. How her worried eyes were narrowed on the cuts, how her brows and nose would scrunch every so often. How she held his hands with care and made sure to be gentle; as if he was a glass doll.

Grabbing the white roll of dressing, she wrapped his right hand carefully. Grabbing a piece of tape she secured the wrapping around the boy's hand. Chris' curious eyes watched her expertly finish with his right hand, then expecting the left hand which was fine considering he used his right hand to beat the Yakuza boy.

"My brother after his matches would come injured. My mamá showed me how to treat them." She explained, knowing what was on the boy's mind. Chris nodded in understanding. Lani nodded to the boy's shirt. Chris raised an amused brow, a smirk graced his busted lip. "You're hurting, which means he hurt your back and stomach. I can wrap it for you." She explained, as pink tinted her cheeks.

Chris nodded in understanding choosing that now was not the time to throw flirty remarks, or tease the girl. Swallowing a lump in his throat he lifted his white v-neck t-shirt over his head, wincing at the movements.

Lani frowned helping the boy, her breath hitched seeing the purple and green circles that decorated his toned body. She furrowed her brows at a white scar that went across his stomach. She lifted her finger tips as Chris watched her movements; she gently traced the scarred skin, Chris clenched his jaw watching her sad eyes meet his. "The accident." He said firmly.

Lani swallowed thickly and nodded. She gently turned him around eyeing his back which also had a few bruises, roughly he had four; two medium sized ones in the front and two on his lower back. The brunette looked up meeting his hazel orbs that were already starring down at her. Lani cleared her throat, "They should go away in a few days. It doesn't look like it's to serious." She nodded.

"Thank you." His voice just above a whisper.

Lani nodded, "Yeah."

The two stood in silence, Lani clenched her jaw every so often. Chris sighed, "Say it."

"You never think! You just act on impulse." She hissed, scolding him.

"What was I supposed to do?" He asked tiredly, not wanting to argue with the brunette; he was tired physically and emotionally. He felt drained at this point.

"I don't know, but not -- not that." She shook her head. "You attacked him for some girl--"

"Some girl?" He scoffed. Lani parted her lips, "That some girl was you. Do you even know why I was at that club that night? Hmm, how I looked like shit, because of the Yakuza guys?" He asked, receiving no response he bitterly chuckled. "I had already met your little friend Alex."

"What?" She whispered in confusion.

"Yeah, and I thought I made it pretty clear for him to stay away from you. When he said how he'd fuck you, how he'd have you begging him for more . . . How he'd share you with his fucking bus--" Chris gritted his teeth harshly. Lani inhaled sharply at the vulgar words that left the boys mouth; well initially they were Alex's. "Then that son of a bitch, brought my mother into it -- point is, I made it clear for him to stay the fuck away from you. He tried to go after my friends to. Then he went after you. I told you to come to me or William if one ever came to you. I had to hear from Noora that you were talking to one."

"Wait, that's why you and Noora have been talking?" Lani asked furrowing her brows.

"Yeah." Chris shook his head perplexed with the brunette's words. "She came to me thinking I'd scare him off or convince you somehow to stay away from him. But then he showed up at the party, Isak called me to warn me and the guys they were on their way." He explained.

And suddenly everything began to fall into place, Chris wasn't gay nor bi he was just talking to Isak for information on the Yakuza guys; she didn't know about Isak not that it mattered. And Noora definitely wasn't seeing Chris other then the fact she was worried about her.

She shook her head, "But that doesn't change the fact that someone could have died." She glared at him. "Jonas, Isak, Elías, William, the girls--" She listed off. "You." She whispered not meeting his hazel orbs.

Chris sighed, "So could have you." He breathed out. Lani looked up meeting his burning gaze, "If something happened to you, I--I don't know what I'd do." He admitted, avoiding her eyes.

Lani swallowed thickly, "You won't." She said more so to herself then the boy. A moment of silence went by, Lani cleared her throat. "I should probably get going. I'll talk to you tomorrow--"

Chris parted his lips, "Can you stay?" He asked, pink tinting his cheeks. He hated how he sounded, but he didn't want her to leave him especially not tonight. Lani parted her lips in shock at the boy's pleading tone. "Uh, you know, in case the bandages come off, I don't know how to put them back on."

Lani nodded hesitantly, following the boy into his bedroom who grabbed a over sized clean black t--shirt. "Tak." She thanked quietly, inspecting the t-shirt in her hands.

"You can change in there." He nodded to the restroom they had been in previously.

Lani nodded and made her way into the restroom, closing the door behind her. She replaced her t-shirt with Chris', keeping her black lace bra on. Looking down she noticed the shirt go down just above her knees. She shrugged removing her jeans keeping her matching underwear on, she looked in the mirror making sure nothing could be seen beneath the long shirt. With a nod that she was covered, she grabbed her clothes folding them neatly. She exited the restroom coming to a halt seeing Christoffer still shirtless now in sweatpants that hung just below his waist.

"Where am I--" She began.

"Here." He nodded to the bed, ignoring her bare legs as hard as he could, "Or if you want there's a few guest bedrooms."

Lani shook her head, placing her clothes by her coat on the boy's chair across from the bed. She made her way over to the boy's bed, and laid beneath the warm duvet. Chris nodded and began leaving the room, only for him to come to a halt hearing her call his name. "It's your room, you can have this side." She nodded to the right of the bed.

Chris nodded hesitantly, and made his way to the opposite side of the queen bed. The two laid silently in the bed, Lani sighed starring at the ceiling of the room. Chris glanced down seeing the brunette's hand, gnawing on his lip, he hesitantly reached down to her hand, gently interlocking their hands.

Lani tensed at the action, but quickly remained calm. Chris glanced over to the girl, as Lani did the same; hazel meeting green. Lani squeezed the boy's uninjured hand in her own. The brunette fluttered her eyes shut, falling asleep almost instantly.

Chris yawned softly, and looked over to the sleeping brunette. He turned on his side, her hand still in his hold. Lifting his wrapped and free hand. He traced her jawline gently, careful not to wake her up. He smiled seeing the content look across her angelic features.

The brunette boy glanced to his dresser seeing a photo of his mother and him at his 9th birthday. He smiled softly looking back to Lani, "She would have loved you. Just as much as I do." He whispered, squeezing her hand in his.

𝖫Ø𝖱𝖣𝖠𝖦, 10:27 am

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

LANI fluttered her eyes opened, squinting immediately from the sun that shown into the room from the giant windows in front of her. Feeling warmth beneath her she snuggled into the soft surface, breathing in the calming scent that lingered beneath her. The familiar cologne made the teen furrow her brows, opening her left eye she looked down seeing she had been laying on Chris' chest. Widening her eyes she looked down seeing the boy's arms wrapped firmly around her waist, her shirt had risen slightly from her turning on the bed.

Untangling her legs gently from the boy, she looked down seeing her hand still had been interlocked with his only it was now on his chest and she had been holding his wrapped hand. Gently she removed her hand from his, then his arms. She quickly sat up, reaching for her jeans she pulled the tight fabric up. Removing the boy's shirt she replaced it with her own, followed by her jacket.

A low moan echoed through her ears, Lani widened her eyes looking behind her seeing Chris stretching his arms, then rubbing his tired eyes. A tired smile lingered on the boy's lips. "Where are you going?" He asked, his voice raspy from waking up.

Lani swallowed thickly, rubbing her forehead. "Uh, I have to get home. I didn't tell Elías or papá I wasn't coming home. Which means they're probably losing their minds-" She explained, just on cue her phone began to vibrate in her jacket pocket. Chris watched with amusement in his eyes, and also a frown she was leaving. She sent a text to her father and brother saying she had slept over at Noora's and would be home soon.

"You're not staying for breakfast?" He asked softly with hopeful hazel eyes.

"Uh-" She began.

A knock was heard on the boy's door, the two teens looked over to the wooden door. Brien poked her head from the door and smiled to the two teens, pink tinted her cheeks. "Sorry, Christoffer I come to tell you both I had made breakfast."

Lani parted her lips and looked over to Chris who wore a smug smile, "We will be right down, tak Brien." Chris nodded to the woman who smiled and nodded. She winked to the green eyed beauty which didn't go unnoticed by the boy, and left the room. "Looks, like you will be staying for breakfast."

Lani sighed and nodded, "Guess so." She suppressed a smile.

The two teens made their way down to the dinning room, seeing Brien had set up their plates across from one another. The two took their seats as Brien made her way over placing the glass jug of orange juice on the table. Lani widened her eyes at the food placed before her, Chris smiled and nodded to for her to take whatever she wanted.

After breakfast Chris stood by the door with Lani, who placed her coat back on. Brien stood behind the wall off to the side watching wide eyed with a smile, her phone in her hand. She clicked on the camera app and smiled at the two teens in awe.

"Thank you." Lani nodded to the boy.

"I should be thanking you." Chris said, Lani furrowed her brows. "For helping." He raised his hand to the brunette.

"Right." Lani giggled.

The two teens looked to one another, waiting for the other to say or do something. Lani wrapped her arms around the boy engulfing him in a hug. Chris parted his lips, wrapping his arms around her, smiling into her neck. After a few minutes the two pulled away.

"Bye." She breathed out.

"Bye." Chris smiled, watching her leave his house walking towards Noora's parked car.

Chris waved them goodbye shutting the front door behind him. A flash of light was flashed before his eyes. The boy squinted at the bright light, Brien stood by the wall smiling widely. Holding her phone up, "I got picture." She smiled showing a photo of him and Lani hugging. Chris chuckled, "You like her a lot." She noted. The boy nodded, his cheeks flushing. "I like her to."

Chris smiled, "Yeah." He nodded.

Brien smacked the back of his head, "Why you didn't kiss her?" She asked the boy with narrowed his eyes. Chris shook his head frowning, "You think you don't deserve her?" She asked, Chris kept his eyes on the floor. "Christoffer, I've known you since you were baby. You're a good man, even if you have done stupid things." She rolled her eyes, "But she is good for you. You're happy with her. And you deserve her, tell her how you feel before it's to late. Love like that does not come twice."

Chris sighed and nodded, "What if she doesn't feel the same?" He asked his voice cracking slightly, negative thoughts swarmed his mind.

Brien smacked the boy's head again, Chris glared to the woman rubbing the sore spot. "You need to show and prove it. Just kiss the girl." She smiled. "Get the girl." She added.

Chris smiled and nodded, "You need to stop quoting Damon and Alaric." He shook his head, referring to the TV show, Lani had got the woman to watch.

"They are both sexy." Brien huffed making her way to the kitchen.

Chris looked to the door way with a smile, "Get the girl." He whispered to himself.

LANI entered her home, a smile graced her lips. The brunette removed her shoes, then her jacket. She walked further into her home. Coming to a halt seeing her father and brother sitting at the dinning room table waiting for her silently. Lani furrowed her brows in confusion, "I'm sorry, I forgot to call and-" She began.

"Sit." Roy said sternly to his daughter.

Lani parted her lips and nodded plopping herself down on the chair across from the two. Lani looked over to Elías who avoided her eyes, she eyed the boy's busted lip from the Yakuza fight. Narrowing her eyes she noticed his red and puffy eyes. Making her look to her father in further confusion.

"Papá, what's wrong?" She asked.

Roy swallowed thickly, placing a small white container on the glass table. The brunette eyed the familiar jar with parted lips, she looked to her father whose eyes breamed with tears.

𝗼𝗼𝗼. ┊ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒 !
✎↷:　❪ 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁'𝚂 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴 ❫ 🌸🌿
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

chapter was inspired by the song above;
War Of Hearts by Ruelle (acoustic version)

Super fluffy chapter.

• what's in the jar?

𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍, 𝟤𝟫𝟪𝟦