Nobody But You - 6. Chapter 6

Tatsuo felt the comforting presence of his twin’s warmth at his back as long arms reached around him to pull him close against his chest, Tatsuya’s chin resting upon his shoulder. Something inside him felt like it was breaking into pieces, and he knew that Tatsuya could feel his inner pain and that made it hurt all the worse. The door hung ajar in silent accusation, bounced back open after Etienne slammed it behind him in his hasty retreat to get away from them. His inner dragon screamed at him to give chase, to bring him back, it raged away inside his head. The worst of the pain was replaced by a creeping numbness, and it was then that he knew Tatsuya was taking it into himself. “Don’t,” Tatsuo said aloud, “Don’t take this away from me.”

“You know I can’t stand to see you hurting,” eyes cast down Tatsuya murmured against his brother’s cheek, “Do not take this as defeat. It’s obvious that this is something he tries very hard to hide at all cost. Do you remember how long it took us to be able to hold human form? Etienne has spent his entire life fighting himself to keep control over an acceptable facade to show the world.”

“I don’t…”, Tatsuo began.

“He doesn’t know that, mi Serana, he just moved here. He knows nothing of us, here...probably a lot of things and that’s scary.” Tatsuya out a long sigh against his twin’s neck. “We won’t give up. I mean he sits in front of us in class.” Pulling him tighter against him, Tatsuya buried his face into the crook of his brother’s neck. “Remember what Dad went through? He spent 700 years of his life trailing Mom the world over before he caught her, his dragon would have no other. You know I feel it too. I don’t know if this is what he meant, ‘a pull on your very soul’, but I feel it.” Tension ran taut through them both, “You know since no one else is home we can do the thing…” Tatsuya offered slowly.

Tatsuo knew what he wanted, hell he wanted to do it too. “You know Mom and Dad don’t want us doing that. We’ll get in trouble.”

“It’s not like anyone is here to tell them now is there.” 1...2...3.. Tatsuya counted off the seconds in his head as the temptation took hold into his twin. “I’ll race you.”

“Fine.” Tatsuo ignored his brother’s smug look at his capitulation, “Let’s go. Backyard though, you know we’re not supposed to do it in the front yard.” Letting loose the breath he’d been subconsciously holding since Etienne had left, he forced himself into motion, opening the offending door. Down the stairs, back through the living room to the glass french doors leading out to the backyard. In synchronized movements they pulled their shirts off over their heads, throwing them onto the grass at their feet. Shucking off their pants as well, they stood bare beneath the moon’s light.

What once defeated them at every turn now came as natural as drawing breath. Together they turned their faces up to look at the moon, raven hair streaked with violet flew out behind them, caught in the night breeze. It was the first sign of their change, growing out wildly. Scales like black lapis, glowing with an inner purple fire covered their bodies, their mother’s scales. Fangs elongated to press familiar indentations against their lips, eyes becoming black slitted violet. The long whip like tail of an Eastern dragon curled out to rest behind them. By now they’d gotten their transition down to effortless execution after so many years of practice.

Smaller versions of their father, they coiled low against the dewing grass. ‘Wait for the mark this time. No cheating.’ Tatsuo spoke into his twins mind.

Muscles bunching in preparation, Tatsuya growled gutturally, ‘I don’t cheat. You’re just slow on the take off.’ Off in the distance he could hear the coyotes yipping and howling back and forth. They were the apex creatures at the moment, and for once he let himself revel in it. Inside his dragon was screeching with anticipation, ready to pit himself against his other half.

‘Go.’

Together they hurtled themselves at the sky, shallow grooves in the dirt disappearing into the distance behind them. Tatsuo pushed himself hard, fighting to inch his way past his brother, nipping out at his neck as they flew.

‘Now who’s a cheater.’ Tatsuya jabbed. Banking hard to spin left beneath him coming up behind him into his blind spot, but Tatsuo was ready for him doubling back his twin’s move against him to butt against his side. Spiraling in unison they pushed at each other, reading what the other was up to before they could accomplish it.

They blended into the night behind them, ropes of stars traversing through the darkness. It wasn't long before any sense of a race was forgotten, any vestiges of humanity lost to the dragon. At the end of the day this was who they really were, not even human in the least. Tatsuo growled at the thoughts that tried to intrude, Etienne had never had this. He’d spent his life hiding himself. Thinking of him again made his dragon roar into the night, calling Mi Tiefal back to him, his claimed one, the roar echoing out for miles.

‘Stop.’ Tatsuya chastised him mentally, ‘What about that was secret?’ A draconic growl rumbled from deep within him, ‘Time to head back we have school tomorrow.’ Tatsuo had no choice but to follow his twin home, good sense prevailing finally.

‘Will you sleep with me like when we were small.’ Tatsuo asked in a small voice. ‘I don’t want to be alone.’

‘You know I will. I will always be a part of you, I will always know your heart.’

-Etienne-

The smell of cinnamon lingered against his skin, making his blood throb in his veins. So lost in the overwhelming feelings that assailed him, Etienne’s surroundings passed him in a blur. Something primal inside wanted to turn around and run back to them, some apparent madness. The wolf in him whined with want and fought him every step of the way, but a lifetime’s worth of running away won over in the end, panic and dread overriding any other possible wants. They’d seen him. Number one rule in life, hide what you are. You are an aberration, a genetic fuck up. What they had to be thinking right now, what if they thought he was a monster, what if they were freaked out or thought he was gross. Every insecurity that had ever been hammered into him came rushing into his brain in a deluge.

Cool night air hit his face as he barreled through the front door, throwing it shut behind him in his haste to escape. Tripping down the front steps he landed on the grass of the front yard, all control escaping him in his frenzied state. Throwing his face up to the sky a sad howl escaped as fang and muzzle stretched out to cry plaintively to the moon above, black fur tipped in cerulean tufts covering him. What did it matter anymore. Etienne gave himself over to the wolf, retreating within himself. The night grew bright as day around him but still he felt darkness inside, again the wolf bayed at the darkness. Even now it remembered their touch, their need. It respected the power that emanated from their very pores, enticed by it.

Claws dug through earth and grass as he ran, flinging it out in chunks behind him. Nobody had ever wanted to be close to him, even his own mother had chosen to stay in Louisiana, housing him in school sanctioned off campus living quarters. She’d jumped at the chance to ship him off across the country, claiming it was a great opportunity for his ‘talents to shine’ only for him to accidentally hear her later talking on the phone about how she could finally get her life back when he was gone. Hadn’t he done everything she’d ever wanted of him? Learning to ignore the taunts and jabs, rolling over at their insults. He stopped getting in fights, crushing himself into the mold they wanted him to fit.

Whatever they’d seen in him, it was probably destroyed now. For the first time in a long time he’d lost complete control, burning from the inside out with their touch. The hot press of their palms against his bare skin had made him come undone. Nothing in his life could have prepared Etienne for the sensations they’d evoked. He was just a virgin, scared of the world as a whole, much less the idea of anyone willingly wanting him. Frustration made him throw his head back to release another anguished howl. What had ever possessed him to go there, bringing himself into their domain