Hurt Me Like You Mean It [BL]-Chapter 19: Older men were the biggest manipulators
"I DO NOT—" Lance protested, even though he absolutely did.
Lexi leaned in closer.
"Lance... did your boyfriend do something to you?"
Lance nearly combusted.
"MOM, STOP—"
"I’m asking for your health!" she said defensively. "You know some men are rough. I watch documentaries! And if he’s giving you money and buying you clothes—"
"MOTHER, PLEASE. I beg you.."
"—he might also be doing things to your body that require medical supervision."
Lance covered his face with both hands.
He wished the ground would swallow him whole.
"Mum... I’m fine.." he said, voice muffled through his palms. "Everything is fine. My legs are fine. My back is fine. Everything is fine."
Lexi stared at him for another long moment.
Then she shrugged.
"Well, if you say so.." she said, turning to unpack the food she brought. "But if you collapse on this floor, don’t say I didn’t warn you."
Lance groaned and dragged a hand down his face.
His entire body hurt, actually, but that wasn’t a conversation he was ever having with his mother.
Lexi pulled the next container open, releasing another wave of warmth into the kitchen.
"This is roasted chicken with garlic butter," she said proudly, lifting the lid so he could see the browned skin glistening.
"I made extra because you can eat half the pan by yourself."
She reached for the next container and opened it carefully.
"And this is the vegetable medley you pretend you don’t like until you’re actually hungry."
-_-
Steam rose from the container and Lance sighed under his breath.
He really did like it.
She knew him too well.
Lexi didn’t stop there.
She opened the third container, revealing a thick, rich serving of mac and cheese, still warm and gooey with the exact cheese mix
she always used since he was a kid.
"And this is your mac and cheese. No, not the boxed one.." she said, cutting him a pointed look.
"The real one. With seasoning. That normal civilized human being eat.."
Lance didn’t argue. He couldn’t. His stomach was too busy acting offended that he hadn’t been eating this regularly.
Lexi set that aside and opened another container, this one deeper than the rest.
"And this," she said, lifting the lid with a kind of maternal flourish, "is the nutrient-dense soup you need because you look like you’ve been skipping meals again. If that boyfriend of yours isn’t feeding you properly, I swear I’ll—"
"Mum," Lance groaned, dropping his forehead onto her shoulder for a second. "Please. Please I beg you, stop bringing him up."
He had not only used Ansel’s name without his permission, he had also claimed he was his boyfriend.
If he ever found out about it, he would be dead meat.
Lexi hummed, clearly not planning to stop any time soon.
She reached for the last container, the one she had hidden behind the others as if saving the best for later.
"And I also brought honey glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, real ones, not the dry ones from the store and a small pan of brownies because mum’s brownies are the best."
She finally straightened up, hands on her hips as she surveyed the counter now filled with food.
"That should be enough to keep you alive for a few days.." she said. "Assuming you don’t starve yourself again."
Lance stared at the spread.
Then he stared at her.
Then he stared at the food again.
"You brought an entire restaurant.." he said slowly.
Lexi shrugged like it was nothing.
"You’re my son. What was I supposed to bring? Air?"
Lance let out a weak laugh, rubbing his sore lower back where she couldn’t see.
He really loved his mother.
But he also needed her to stop guessing every single thing he was trying to hide.
For now, he focused on the easier part.
Food.
Real food.
Food cooked by someone who didn’t want to rearrange his internal organs just to watch him squirm or force his love on him.
"Thanks, mum," he said quietly, pulling her into a slow hug. "Really."
Lexi hugged him tighter, smoothing his hair back with her palm.
"Anything for you, baby.." she whispered. "I hope you’ll take better care of yourself.."
Lance nodded, seeing how his first session with Ansel went, he really needed to eat before he went to see him or risk passing out.
"I will mum and you take care of yourself too. Please don’t hesitate to tell me anything, regarding Dad, Lev or Lace"
Lexi nodded and looked at her watch. It was 5:36pm and it was 20 to 30 minutes drive back to Oakland depending on traffic.
"My dear son, I have to head back home. I didn’t tell Lacey I was coming for a visit. Even though she can take care of herself. Since I’m getting a divorce with your father, I don’t want to leave her all alone with him, so I have to go back home.."
Lance nodded and stood up, he guess he’d just walk his mother to her car.
"Alright, hope traffic’s good or you’ll be 60 by the time you get to Oakland.."
Lexi laughed, Lance was spot on. The traffic these days was getting out of hand.
She patted Lance’s shoulder gently. "I know he’s your boyfriend and he’s probably older, but don’t let him pressure you into things you don’t want to do, always put your health, your body and your mind first."
Older men were the biggest manipulators. They knew their way around a naive heart.
Lance smiled and nodded "Take care of yourself too mum and tell me when you get a new boyfriend too.."
-_-
Lexi shook her head, she wasn’t planning on getting on the dating train anytime soon.
"Well that isn’t on the menu right now. Let me get the divorce first before I start thinking of other men. I still have other debts to pay so I need to put my back into work. I don’t need your father’s child support to take care of Lacey.."
