All usual disclaimers apply.
This is the third installment of the Levi series. The first is Levi, The Abandoned Boy and the second is Levi, The Working Boy.
*
Levi, Nathan and I set off for a bit of shopping. Levi had very few outfits and as my protege (which was unknown to him) I felt it necessary to clothe him in the finest. We went to the Galleria and some other fine clothing stores I had patroned in the past and we had a ball. It was fun for Nathan and I watching this brand new homosexual that never had anything in his eighteen years on Earth try on expensive clothes. After we had spent all morning playing dress up with Levi we went to lunch and finished the day with a drink at the loft.
Nathan and I were on the sofa talking and sipping bourbon while Levi was putting his new things away in his room. Levi came down the stairs slowly and sat right between Nathan and I. Levi looked into my face and hugged me full on. He whispered into my ear, "Thank you so much. This is the most perfect day of my life." I kissed him on the forehead and told him he deserved this day and if he kept up his end of our bargain there would be plenty more perfect days. He released me and grabbed up Nathan. I don't know what he whispered to Nathan but Nathan kissed him on the forehead and told him thank you when they let go of each other. Levi bounded back up the stairs and Nathan and I just looked at each other.
I had been struggling with my feelings about these two for a short time but I knew exactly how I felt about each of them at this point. Nathan had become the object of my desire. I had fallen in love with him and wanted us to share a life together. As for Levi, I had grown to love him as a son. I wanted the best for him and to see him succeed. If Nathan moved in we would have some sort of domestic family unit. I didn't even try for any of this. It just fell into my lap. Once again the higher power graced me with gifts of which I am undeserving. I told Nathan I wanted to talk to him in the bedroom and he followed me.
"I have been thinking a lot lately, Nathan." I said.
"I know you have Christian. To be honest I have wondering what has been going on with you. You have done a 180 in the last couple of weeks. You went from a self-absorbed predator to...I don't know...whatever it is you are now."
"I didn't plan or ask for any of this but it feels good and you know I like to feel good. I have always gone after what I want so just listen for a second. Nathan I have fallen in love with you. I want you to be more than my confidant and bartender. I want you to move in. I want you to help me keep Levi on the right track. But most of all I just want you to be with me." There it was. I laid it all right on the line so Nathan would know exactly how I felt and what I thought.
Nathan replied hesitantly, "I don't know what to say Christian. I gave up on you a long time ago but watching this transformation you have gone through lately renewed my feelings for you. I think you are talking about moving things along a little too fast. I don't know if I am ready to move in with you and are you asking me to 'father' Levi with you? In case you didn't notice he is eighteen years old."
"I know he is eighteen but he has never had any paternal or maternal guidance. He grew up in a household that told him he was a wicked beast everyday. Despite all of that he has turned out a remarkable young man. I'm not asking you to be a parent I just think the two of us together as influences in his life could really help this kid blossom into something great. You don't have to move in with me if you don't want. I just want you to know that I want to get serious. You spend half the week here anyway and I feel that isn't enough time. Just think about it."
Nathan got up and walked to me. He kissed me on the lips and told me he had to go and get ready for work. He yelled up the stairs to Levi and told him it was time to go to work. Levi came down and hugged me again in one of the tightest hugs I can ever remember receiving and he followed Nathan out the door. I felt sad watching the two most important people in my life leave at the same time. I knew they would be back in seven or eight hours but it still hurt to go that long without them.
Over the next six weeks not much had changed. Nathan hadn't moved in yet but he had told me he did want a relationship and he was spending more and more time with Levi and me. Levi had taken his college entrance exam and had done decently. He was accepted to SLU and was supposed to start classes this coming spring semester. I was so proud of him and we had a celebration dinner. I had spoken to his financial aid counselor and she had told me that there wasn't a way for me to pay his tuition secretly. There was no way to create a phony scholarship and lie to the boy about how his tuition was being paid. During the dinner celebration I gave Levi an envelope containing a check to SLU for the full amount of his first semester. Levi teared up and refused to accept it. I told him it wasn't really a gift but a loan and when he was famous he could repay me. I told him to think of repaying me as an incentive to do well. After arguing about it all evening he finally accepted with a tearful thanks and hugs all around.
Nathan had told me that Levi was the belle of the ball when it came to the club. Levi was everyone's favorite server and hence Levi started getting the best shifts and was earning some really good money. Whenever Levi tried to give me any I told him to just put it in the bank and save it for when I am old and he has to pay for a nursing home for me. Things were going so well. Nathan and I had a wonderful relationship going on and Levi was just flourishing.
Nathan and I were anxiously awaiting Levi to come home from work. It was Saturday morning and Levi should have been home at least an hour ago. Levi had never, not come home on time. He had told Nathan and me he met a boy a couple days ago and we thought maybe Levi was getting to know him. Levi, being the responsible boy I always gave him credit for would have called though. I was very worried but Nathan seemed somewhat nonchalant. Nathan tried to ease my mind with stories of all the guys that come into the bar that want to fuck the young servers and that Levi must have taken fancy to one or more of them. It was 5:32am when I got a phone call from a colleague. "Christian, it's Lizzy. I know this is a HIPAA (medical privacy act) violation but you need to come to the hospital. Your friend Levi just showed up by ambulance. I had him assigned to me in the emergency department. I'll save all the explanation for when you get here but as a doctor you know what I mean when I say you need to come as quick as possible."
I thanked Lizzy for the call and hung up the phone. Nathan had already started getting dressed as he knew by my expression something was wrong. We were dressed and in the car within 4 minutes and we were at the hospital in under ten minutes. I used all my physician perks to get to Levi as soon as possible. I parked in physician parking, bypassed security and registration and ran through the E.D. till I found Lizzy. My heart sank even more as Lizzy lead us to Trauma Room 2, that was a bad sign. As I entered the room I smelled the all too familiar smell of blood. Levi's clothes were drenched in blood and in shreds in the corner from when the ambulance or hospital staff had cut them off. Levi, was on a backboard and in a cervical collar. Both eyes were swollen shut and discolored, nose broken, lips split open, and one of Levi's front teeth had been knocked out. That was just the damage I could see to his face.
Lizzy began to give me the breakdown of his injuries, "CT scans and x-rays have ruled out spinal damage, internal bleeding, and broken bones"
"Cerebral damage?" I asked
"I'm sorry Christian but he has two IC bleeds. The smaller bleed is subdural and he has a nasty subarachnoid bleed. The operating room is being prepped for him now."