Bounded To You (Star-Crossed)

Chapter 26 - Family

CHAPTER 26: FAMILY

Noah glanced up from where he was adding wood to the fireplace when the bathroom door opened, Lucius walking out rubbing his hair with a towel in an attempt to dry it. "Feeling better?" Noah asked.

Lucius gave him a small smile as he nodded, going to the dresser and grabbing his comb, running it through his still wet hair before he looked back at him, asking, "Is dinner ready?"

"Dry your hair well first. You will catch a cold." Noah mumbled, walking towards him and grabbing the towel tossed aside before rubbing Lucius's hair a bit more.

"I'm hungry." Lucius complained, trying to get Noah's hands off of his hair, "Look what you did! It's a mess."

Noah chuckled saying, "Lazarus called for us a while ago, but you were still bathing."

"Let's go."

"You'll get the kids?" Noah asked.

Lucius nodded, heading out the room and to the one two doors away, knocking before opening it to see Cole sitting on the window ledge, protected from the wind outside by the closed doors of it. He glanced to the bed, seeing Benjie laying down, holding his hands in the air and seeming to draw invisible images. Mel was running around the room, stopping every time she thought she saw something interesting, but when she turned around and saw Lucius, she ran to him, yelling "Micah!!"

"Mel!" He exclaimed back, picking her up the moment she got to him, "Are you guys hungry? Dinner is ready."

"Cole's stomach was making sounds-..."

"Mel!" Cole said, making her giggle as he blushed, getting off of the window seat and heading to them, "Come on, Ben." He said, holding his hand out to his brother who hurried to take his brother's hand. Lucius put Mel down, only for Cole to hold her hand in his free one before looking at Lucius, saying, "Lead the way."

"Alright." Lucius nodded, walking in front of them until they reached the kitchen. Lucius went to Noah's side, watching the kids find empty seats and sitting beside each other on the other end of the table, away from everyone else. Lucius introduced them to everyone before he asked Wyatt, who was closest to them to pass them some of the food. Worried, Lucius's eyes kept glancing towards them, before finally deciding to move from his place. He pecked the side of Noah's lips as he got up, picking up his plate with him and going to where Cole sat with his brother and sister on either side of him. He settled down beside Mel, offering her some more food as conversations went around the table. Finally he picked her up, placing her in his lap and feeding her from his own plate.

"Can you please put her down?" Cole said when Lucius had picked her up.

"Why? She's finally eating without fussing."

"Hand her to me." Cole insisted, his mind filled with different reasons of why it was a bad idea for them to be so close.

"Cole, she is fine. Let her be." Lucius said, tickling her and making her giggle before holding another spoon to her lips, telling her to open wide.

"I said give her to me!" Cole insisted, his voice louder making everyone in the room go silent and turn their attention to him, "She is my sister! I decide!"

Lucius frowned, but didn't fight him when Mel herself reached for her brother, who took her back, holding her in his arms as she started crying at his tone, burying her face in his neck. "I didn't mean any harm, Cole. I was just trying to help." Lucius said quietly.

"Keep your help to yourself! I don't need it. We don't need it." Cole got up, grabbing Benjie's arm and pulling him alone as he declared, "This goes for the rest of you as well. No one, and I mean no one touches them." He then added, "We are done. Thank you for the dinner." With that he dragged them both with him, Mel clinging to his neck as he carried her outside the kitchen and back the way they came to their room.