Today was Monday and as most people would know, Monday's are cursed. But Mondays are also the days that Acelin has to attend Homework Club (basic but helpful. Alastair can confirm.) so that also makes it the perfect day to disappear. 

He and Oliver skipped their final class - coincidentally one Alastair shared with his twin - and found comfort on top of the wall separating their school from the surrounding residential areas. Alastair swung his legs back and forth over the side of the wall, making him sway precariously back and forth over each edge. If one looked down, they'd find that if they were to fall from this wall, a broken leg would be the least of their worries.

Alastair was not afraid.

He would almost prefer that, if he was being completely honest.

Oliver drew in a deep breath, and he knew without having to look that the other teen was smoking. Despite his nervous, good-boy looks, Oliver had a (crippling) nicotine addiction. Alastair raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"I thought you quit." He teased.

Oliver groaned, moving the cigarette away from his lips to speak.

"Easier said than done-" Alastair deftly plucked the cigarette from Oliver's fingers, sticking his tongue out childishly before raising it to his lips, "Hey!"

He normally didn't smoke much, but he could make an exception for today. Surprisingly, Oliver didn't retaliate like he normally would. Sensing the question, the brunet spoke again, his voice tired and drained.

"I'm trying to quit, but I just keep fucking up." 

Alastair let his friend's words hang there, a comfortable silence settling between them. Finally, he exhaled, a train of smoke trailing from his mouth as the wind blew it away.

"It's okay to fuck up," He shrugged, lifting one foot onto the top of the wall, tucking his leg close so he could rest his chin on his knee, "Just don't lose sight of your goal."

Oliver gave a soft hum of acknowledgement before they fell back into silence, both of them happy to just sit there, enjoying the company. Because it was comforting to sit with someone who knew - who knew what it was like to do something you shouldn't, who, when they looked down that wall, knew that sometimes they too, would prefer that end rather than having to face what the rest of the day had to bring.

But inevitably, the bells tolled, and the rest of the day came fast - hitting them like a fright train, spurring their unmoving, safe, world into movement again.

***

Alastair snuffed the cigarette out on the stained concrete of the wall, contemplating, but not really contemplating, how to tell his only friend that he was about to leave his life for (probably), forever.

"Hey Oli?" He decided to just go for it. Beating around the bush just wasn't his style.

Oliver paused and looked up at him expectantly. Alastair took a deep breath.

"I'm leaving."

Oliver smiled.

"Took you long enough."

***

As it turns out, running away from home is easier than it sounds. 

Although it would be smart, no necessary preparations need to be made - you can simply walk off and be done with that life! 

Or so Alastair would like to believe. 

But when an arm slung around his shoulders, and Acelin's cheerful voice sung in his ear, he just knew that Monday was trying to fuck him over.

"I've been waiting for ages, Lis!" His brother said by way of greeting.

He tried to hide his frown.

"Don't you have club?" He asked, wincing slightly as Acelin grabbed his wrist, dashing ahead and dragging him along.

"I'm skipping!"

If it had been any other day, Alastair's jaw would have hit the ground. 

Acelin Beau skipping club - heck, skipping anything - was unheard of. It was amazing, but-

Why today, of all days?

"Lin, stop," He dug his heels in, pulling them to a halt, "I'm not going home today."

Acelin frowned at him, tightening his grip on Alastair's wrist.

"Yes you are, I told mother that I'd bring you home-"

Ah.

So that was it.

"I'm not going back there Acelin." He wrenched his hand away, glaring at his twin as he tugged his sleeve back down and over the angry brusing there, "You can, but I'm not."

It was like looking into a mirror as Acelin glared back.

"Don't be selfish Alastair, just come back home for fucks sake-"

Selfish?

"After everything they did to me, I'm selfish?" He barked a laugh, the sound harsh to his own ears, "Then again, you wouldn't know. When have you ever known anything?"

Alastair launched himself at his twin, knocking them onto the ground, fingers bunched into Acelin's shirt. His knuckles turned white with the amount of force he was holding Acelin with.

"I'm never going back there, Lin, never - not tonight, not tomorrow," He looked into his twin's wide blue eyes, and he felt a surge of sadness at the fear he found in them. Softening his voice to a whisper, Alastair leaned into him, "I'm not happy there - not like you are." 

He dropped Acelin's shirt, smoothing it out before standing back up. He smiled, despite everything.

"I'll keep in touch."

And this time, it felt like he was running away - like in one of those movies. He ran down the street until he couldn't breathe, until he had no choice to stop and collapse onto a bench, chest heaving. Pressure built behind his eyes. He hadn't meant to tell his brother - he hadn't meant to let him know anything. But here he was, now, after doing what he did best:

Fucking up everything.