Chapter 6

"Avery!" an abrupt voice startled him awake. "Avery, boy, where are you?!"

Avery managed to roll over before his door crashed open and his father stared at him with a mixture of fear and anger.

"I had a call from the school," he announced. "Said you were sick or something and one of the teachers brought you home."

"Yeah," Avery croaked, his throat dry. He brushed back his sweaty bangs. "He just dropped me off. They wouldn't let me walk, in case something happened."

His father grunted, seemingly satisfied with the response. "Guess that makes sense."

Avery tried to sit up, but his head pounded at the movement. His father stalked over and grabbed his chin, yanking his head to study his face.

"Shit," his father grumbled, realizing just how sick his son was.

Serves you right, Avery thought. If you hadn't left me freezing in the basement....

"Go back to sleep. I'll call the school to let them know you aren't coming tomorrow. I need you better before the holiday break in a couple weeks."

His father disappeared out the door but returned rather quickly, and Avery was surprised to see him back so soon. He plopped a bowl of oatmeal on his nightstand, right next to the tube of lube his father had left there this weekend.

Shit, Avery froze at the sight of it. Had Mr. Andrews seen it? Of course he had, there was a cup of water there that hadn't been there before. Jeez, what would the guy think of him?

"Eat," his father ordered. This was as close to showing concern that his father had done in a long time. Avery momentarily fought a wave of nostalgia from when he was eight and his parents had fussed over him when he'd gotten sick.

As Avery struggled to sit up, he mumbled his thanks. "Thank you, sir."

His father turned to the door, grumbling. "Fuck. This better not mess up my plans."

Avery couldn't help but wonder how he could mess up his father's plans, other than not being conscious for his father to fuck all night. As he ate the cooling oatmeal, he felt a wave of relief that his illness might bring him a bit of a respite.

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He felt hands slide down his ribs and a warm mouth pressing a tender kiss to his belly. The soft lips kissed their way up his chest, nipping gently at his right nipple. He groaned, arching his back into the warm breath ghosting over to gently lap at his left nipple. Teeth nibbled at his shoulder and neck before lifting to brush across his lips. He let his eyes flicker open to meet the bright blue orbs staring down at him from a golden halo. Matt. He groaned as hands ghostly across his belly, tugging at the elastic on his hips....

He jerked awake, shooting straight up in bed so fast that his head throbbed. A quick glance told him he was thankfully alone. Flopping back in the bed, he knew it was a dream. A delightfully wonderful dream, but a dream nonetheless, because in the dream he'd been blissfully free of scars and bruises. Not that it could ever happen anyway. The guy was probably straight. Even so, it didn't matter, what would a beautiful man like that possibly see in a skinny kid like him?

Realizing he had a hard-on that hadn't been forced by his father for the first time in forever, Avery managed to stumble to the bathroom. He couldn't let his father see him like this, if he was even still here. A glance at the clock told him it was already 10AM, so probably his father had already left for the office. Thank God.

After a refreshingly cooling shower to rinse off the sweat and sleep from the illness, and a few extra minutes of indulging in his golden-haired dream, he reached under the sink to retrieve the meds Matt had left him yesterday. Feeling slightly better and a little less dizzy, he made his way to the kitchen to find food. Hmm, oatmeal or beans, choices, choices.

There was a note from his father on the counter.

I'll be home early. We will be having a dinner guest tonight. Dress appropriately.

Avery groaned, he was in no mood to be pretending to be the prodigal son. It was rare that his father brought someone to the house though, so it must be an important client to warrant this special courtesy.

Surprisingly, his father had left out the loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter on the counter, so he figured that was what he was having this morning. He shrugged; it was better than nothing, and it wasn't more oatmeal or beans. He sat down at the table to try to work on some of his homework while he was still in a fairly aware state of consciousness.

A few hours later, his father stalked in the door as he was dozing on the couch having fallen asleep with his English literature book across his chest. He snapped awake, instantly alert for his father's mood. His father only graced him with a quick glance as he moved to the kitchen with a bag from the grocery store.

"You'll cook these steaks for dinner," he stated from the kitchen. "Mr. Degasio is coming over at six so we can discuss business. I expect you changed by then."

"Yes, sir," Avery stated, moving his achy body to collect his books back into his backpack.

As he was moving toward the kitchen, he was startled by the doorbell. His father threw him a suspicious glare, but Avery only stared back blankly as his father moved to answer it.

Avery groaned inwardly as his father opened the door to his blond dream standing in the doorway in his black slacks, collared shirt and dress coat.

Crap, and his day had been going so well.

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"Yes?" his father questioned the young man at the door.

"Hello, Mr. Greene," the young man stuck out his hand to greet the older gentleman. "I'm Matt Andrews." At the frown from Avery's father, Matt knew that the man didn't recognize the name. "I'm helping out in Avery's science class. I just brought some of Avery's school work by, so he wouldn't fall behind."

Carl Greene's face lightened considerably. "Ahh, Andrews," he recognized the name. "Yes, the school told me you drove Avery home. Why don't you step inside out of the cold?"

"Thank you, sir," Matt cast a glance behind the man to Avery. He was looking a little less tired. Good.

Avery shuffled over and seemed to blush, casting his eyes to the floor as he reached for the papers that Matt held in his hand. "Thank you," he muttered, focusing on glancing through the papers.

"We all hope you are feeling better, Avery," Matt stated conversationally.

"I am, thanks," the teen mumbled.

Matt watched as Carl Greene wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders, noticing how Avery briefly tensed before allowing himself to lean against his father.

"My son is a trooper," Mr. Greene smiled. "He should be back at school soon. So, you are one of his teachers now?"

Avery's eyes darted from his dad to Matt.

"Not really, more like a teacher's aide," Matt stated. "I'm just interning at the school for a few weeks."

"Interning? Really?"

"Yes, one of the programs at my school offers the chance to intern for a few weeks in different fields for those of us who are still unsure of what we'd like to do. So, I figured I'd try the teaching practicum. I'll be working at the Vet Clinic after the new year."

"Ahh, how nice," he stated amicably, releasing Avery with a brief hug.

Matt shifted on his feet, still smiling. "Avery, have you decided what you might want to do after you graduate?"

The boy visibly started when Mr. Andrews--Matt-- addressed him directly. "Uh, not really..."

Mr. Greene grinned and ruffled his son's hair. "Avery is going to join me in my real estate business," he stated proudly.

Matt watched Avery glance briefly up at his father.

"Well, that's pretty cool," Matt stated. "Mr. Greene, I wonder if Avery had a chance to talk to you about staying after for tutoring?"

The huge man frowned down at his son, who flicked a worried glance at Matt. "No, he didn't mention that."

"Oh, well, probably being sick he didn't think about it," Matt offered. "He's struggling a little in physics, and Mr. Sikes thinks he'd benefit from a little help in the afterschool tutoring program. If that's okay with you."

Matt could see a moment of indecision cross the features of older man as he stared down at his son who was ducking his face behind his curtain of ebony hair. "Yes, of course. Anything that helps Avery along in his schoolwork, " Mr. Greene smiled, squeezing his son's shoulder. "Avery, you should have told me you were struggling with school."

Avery looked up briefly, "Sorry, dad, I just didn't want to worry you."

"You know your welfare is my biggest concern," the man grinned, then turned his gaze to Matt. He reached his hand out. "Well, thank you, Mr. Andrews--"

"Please, just call me Matt," the man interrupted. "I won't be working at the school long, and Mr. Andrews sounds like we are talking about my dad."

Carl Greene chuckled. "Okay, then, Matt, thanks for bringing by Avery's work and offering the help afterschool. I'll make sure to keep more on top of his schoolwork."

Matt shook the man's hand, nodding. "You're welcome, sir." He turned briefly to Avery. "I'll see you later, Avery."

With a brief wave from Avery, Matt turned and walked out the door, trying to shake off the odd feeling that shivered over him. Weird.

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Avery watched his father stare out the side window of the door as Matt walked back to his car and drove off. He briefly wondered about his father's statement about joining him in his real estate business; he hadn't mentioned that before, but maybe he just assumed Avery would. Like he'd have any choice. It actually made sense that his father would want him to work with him--it would keep Avery under his thumb forever.

Avery honestly hadn't considered what would happen after graduation. He'd technically be eighteen and an adult. But he'd spent so long just surviving day to day that thinking about the future seemed pointless. Maybe he'd just assumed this was just what it would always be. He hadn't even considered that he could leave? Where would he go? How would he live?

His father's movement jolted him back to reality.

Instinctively, Avery slowly started to back away towards the stairs. But his father was on him in an instant; the change from the congenial, concerned father to the dark, raging man only Avery knew happened so fast that Avery didn't have a chance to escape. Gripping the back of his hair and yanking him close, his father leaned over him.

"So..." his father growled.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Avery cringed instinctively, not even sure exactly what he should be sorry for.

"Sorry?! Sorry for what? Slacking off in school? Or causing a teacher to come to my house uninvited?!" He roared.

"He's not really a teacher..." Avery tried to reason. "He's just helping my science teacher. He--he'll be gone in a couple weeks or so."

"Fine," he growled, thrusting Avery away from him which caused Avery to stumble on the bottom step. "I'll deal with you later. Get dressed and get dinner ready. William will be here soon."