Forever and Always | Protector AU

Chapter 7

       I was really not liking this universe's Alan. Why did it have to make him a huge jerk? Nolan told me everything he said after he came home from the small road trip, and even I couldn't believe it. Alan had always been so accepting of Nolan and protective of him when anyone tried bashing him.

       So why did this change?

       I was not a violent person, but I was ready to smack Alan with my shovel. Right now, Mae and I were over at the Princes' house and I was sitting quite close to Nolan on the couch, and Alan just had to scoff at the both of us when he came down the stairs.

       "What was that?" Grayson asked Alan. "Did you just ask to be grounded for another week? I mean, if you insist."

       "Yes, continue picking favourites," Alan said.

       "You really are something else, aren't you?" Grayson asked. "I just don't get why you can't get over the fact that Nolan's gay and very happy dating Jerome."

       "Because it's wrong," Alan said. 

       "So is bashing your brother, but that's not stopping you," Grayson said.

       At least the Princes were still savages in this timeline. At least, all but Alan. He was not a savage and he wasn't not allowed to be one until he got over whatever problem he had.

       Alan didn't say anything else as he headed to the kitchen.

       "You better not be getting anything to eat!" Grayson called. "Dinner is getting made!"

       "I'm not!" Alan called back. "I just don't want to be near any of you!"

       "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?!" Grayson asked. "Because to me, it sounded like you said you wanted me to add another month to your grounding!"

       "Do it! Me being grounded won't change the fact that being gay is wrong!"

       Grayson sighed and looked over at Nolan. "I'm sorry he's being a....What's the word, Ryder?"

       "Imbecile?" Ryder asked. "Douche bag? Idiot? Dick? Homophobe? Inconsequential? Vexatious?"

       "Do you read a dictionary before you go to bed?" Grayson asked.

       "No."

       "Alright then. And the word I was looking for was imbecile, not all those other words."

       "Those other words still described Alan."

       Ryder was right about that.

       The door opened and Orchid walked in, her eyes a bit red as if she was crying. "Hey, are you okay?" Grayson asked, and Orchid shook her head, so he got up from the couch and pulled her daughter into a hug as she started crying.

       "Who do I have to beat up?" Ryder asked. "Is it Felix? Do you need me to beat him up?"

       "Can you not be violent right now?" Mae asked.

       "Not when my little sister is crying," Ryder said.

       "Not now, Ryder," Grayson said. "Orchid, what happened?"

       Orchid pulled away and wiped her tears off her face. "I broke up with Felix," she said.

       "So....why are you crying?" Grayson asked.

       "Because....he almost hurt me," Orchid said. "After I broke up with him, he got really mad and grabbed my wrist and was holding it really hard. He could have hurt me really bad."