Brothers - 6. Chapter 6

DEVYN

His legs twitched in his sleep, and Devyn raced after Jason in his dreams. The wolf was happy running after his brother, smelling the joy coming from the neko.
But suddenly that joy turned to anger. Jason turned to kick at the wolf. The air filled with fluff, white clouds of filling falling around them as Devyn whimpered, a stuffed wolf falling headless from his jaws. The wolf whined, retreating under his brother's rage. He didn't understand. Jason loved the wolf and Devyn brought the wolf to him.
Devyn woofed as he awoke, bolting out of his den under the desk. Panting, he turned around, making sure he hadn't wandered in his sleep. He flopped down a moment later, grateful at the realization he was still in his room. Reaching for his bone, the wolf began gnawing on it, trying to settle down.
He glanced up suddenly, looking toward the bathroom door as an idea took hold. Standing, Devyn walked through the door, nudging Jason's door open. He carried his bone into his brother's room, setting it in Jason's bed. He pulled at Jason's blanket, covering the neko, before stepping out of the room.
The wolf stretched, yawning widely. It was the third, and last, day of the full moon, and Devyn planned to enjoy it to its fullest. He nosed his door open, toenails clicking on the wooden floor as he headed for the stairs. Soon, the wolf was pushing through the wolf door, breathing in the smell of the midnight air.
Devyn headed to his toilet behind the tree in the front yard, taking care of his business. He would have to clean his mess after the full moon, one of his least favourite parts of spending three days as a wolf. His waste would pile up, and cleaning it always stunk.
Finishing, the wolf looked toward the street longingly. He wasn't allowed beyond the yard in wolf form, not without someone walking with him. The Silver Hand had largely died out in the last sixteen years after a string of arsons and murders were traced to them, but plenty of other werewolf hunters had taken their place. Margaret would not let Devyn out of the yard. It was too dangerous for him.
Strolling around the house in the predawn twilight, Devyn searched for a dry patch of grass. Finding one, he flopped down, rolling happily to gather the morning scents. Wet with dew, his nose properly scented, the wolf let out a sigh, closing his eyes as he dozed off.
The next thing he knew, he was being nudged awake, his father standing over him.
"Hey, better not let your mom catch you sleeping out here," Richard warned.
Whining as he stood up, Devyn nuzzled the man's hand, before running to grab his ball. Returning to Richard, the wolf dropped the ball, panting excitedly.
"I have to go to work."
Another whine.
"Okay, fine. Two throws," Richard relented.
Letting out a happy yip as his father picked up the ball, Devyn raced after it, nearly slamming into a fence as he lunged at the ball.
"Careful buddy," Richard called softly. "You need to learn some control."
Huffing, the wolf trotted back, the ball in his mouth. He was in control. It was just a little hard to see the fence sometimes. And the walls. And the stairs. If it wasn't in motion, Devyn was probably going to hit it.
Trotting back, Devyn dropped the ball at Richard's feet, panting loudly.
"Okay, last one buddy. I need to get going."
The wolf whimpered sadly but raced off when Richard threw the ball again. Skidding as he turned, Devyn ran back to his father, tail held high and proud.
"Good boy," Richard smiled, scratching behind Devyn's ear. "You be good for your mom. I'll be back in a week."
Devyn sneezed, the ball bouncing against the ground. His ears folded, his face managing to take on an offended look.
"Don't look at me like that. You need to behave," Richard said. "Take care of Jason and Margaret while I'm gone."
Standing, the man made his way to his car, Devyn walking along at his side. The wolf watched his father get in the car, waiting until Richard was gone before silently padding back inside.

JASON

The neko pulled on his tank top, throwing his old sweatshirt over the top to ward off the chill in the air. Picking up a bone off the floor, he carried it back to Devyn's room, shaking his head. The werewolf was… what, trying to make amends? Jason would just be happy if he never touched Elroy again. It didn't help that the neko had nearly stepped on Devyn's bone when he woke up. A foot injury would not be a good start to his track career.
Jason froze at the sight of his brother on the bed, the wolf's head bobbing in the dark as his tongue ran over his privates. Jason gasped, throwing the bone onto the bed before racing out of the room.
His mind tried to work through what he had just seen. A wolf masturbating? The neko hadn't realised wolves could even do that. And walking in on Devyn while he was licking himself…
Jason shuddered slightly, more disgusted that he found himself intrigued by his brother. It was inappropriate, certainly something he needed to hide.
Making his way downstairs, the neko headed into the kitchen.
"Good morning Jason. I was just about to get you up," Margaret smiled. "Dylan should be here in a bit; I figure the two of you could head to the track together."
She set a plate of eggs on the table, looking upstairs.
"What is taking Devyn so long?"
'I think he's… cleaning a bit,' Jason signed, trying to keep Margaret from the room. 'Does Dylan run?'
"He said he wanted to get into it, now that there's another neko on the team."
'But I'm not on the team yet.'
"I have faith in you," Margaret said. "Your brother though…"
She headed for the stairs, calling for Devyn as Jason shrugged. He had tried to give the wolf a moment.
A knock came at the front door, and Jason stood up to answer it. He heard a yelp, shuddering silently. The neko wasn't sure who to feel more sorry for.
Clearing his throat, Jason opened the door. Dylan frowned on the other side, almost glaring at the grey neko.
"Morning," the calico muttered. "Are you ready?"
Jason nodded, checking to make sure his phone was in his pocket.
"Etul dropped me off. We're going to walk to the track."
Jason checked the time, nearly ten thirty. He hadn't realised he had slept that late. Shrugging, the cat motioned for Dylan to lead the way, another cough escaping him.
"You're not sick, are you?" Dylan asked, stepping away from Jason.
Jason shook his head, clearing his throat. Curling his jacket around him in the morning air, he walked on in silence.
"Alastair is an ass, or so I've heard. He's going to make our lives hell, assuming he allows us onto the team," Dylan said. "Brienne seemed to think you would make it, though."
Jason shrugged helplessly. He couldn't do much against a racist coach.
"I like Sandolin better. He's the wolf coach," the calico continued.
'Why are you talking to me?' Jason asked, his fingers stiff. 'I thought you hated me.'
'Hate? Uh, no… wait, you don't know about calicos?"
'I've never met another neko before you.'
"Oh. I'm sorry, I made assumptions. You mean you don't mind me being calico?"
'Should I?'
Dylan shook his head with a chuckle.
"Uh, no. I… I'm sorry for ignoring you the past couple of days."
Jason shrugged, glad he had at least one problem taken care of.
"The school is run by the North Astaran Pack. There are quite a few wolves here, so I'd advise not to run through the halls," Dylan added as they walked across the football pitch.
'You aren't looking to play football?' Jason asked. 'Don't your parents play?'
"Etul and Papa do. Father is… well, he prefers his books," Dylan shrugged. "Of course they want me to play football. But I honestly prefer watching. I'm really only joining the track team to avoid having to work after school."
Jason let out a silent chuckle before spitting out a glob of watery mucus. He grimaced, shaking his head roughly.
"Are you sure you can run?" Dylan asked, frowning at him.
Jason nodded, spitting out some phlegm.
'Just a cold. I think.’ He waved off the calico’s concern. 'I don't want to miss tryouts.'
"Jason! Dylan! Over here!"
Looking up, the nekos both smiled at the sight of Brienne, waving in their direction from the metal bleachers on the side of the track.
"I'm glad you could make it, Jason. I wasn't sure if you knew the time," she smiled, pulling Jason into a hug. "And Dylan… you're running?"
"Well, I have to impress you somehow," the calico said. "This seemed the easiest way."
Laughing, Brienne punched Dylan's shoulder lightly.
"You never fail to impress me."
Jason looked between the two with an awkward smile, clearing his throat.
"Oh, you should sign up," Brienne said suddenly, pointing toward an elf sitting at a pop-up tent. "She doesn't know sign language, though."
Jason shrugged, pulling out his phone. He had come up with a way around that the previous night, figuring his lack of voice wouldn't do well here.
Typing into his phone as he approached the tent, he hit a speech function, a monotone voice speaking for him.
"Hi, I'm Jason Farin. I want to sign up for the track team."
"Oh? Oh, you're that new kid… the cat…" the girl said.
"Neko," Dylan said beside Jason, a frown on his face. "Don't call us cats."
The girl rolled her eyes, writing Jason's name down.
"Free time until noon, and then Coach Alastair will put you through your paces and find your event for you."
Jason nodded before stepping away. He stepped onto the track, stretching out slowly.
"Hey, Dogmeat!"
Startled, Jason spun around, a man strutting toward him.
"Whoa! That's a nasty bruise, dude!" the man exclaimed, motioning at Jason's left arm.
The neko frowned, lifting his arm. It was rather sore, now that he thought about it. In fact, his entire body was sore. It was nothing a nice run wouldn't fix. He couldn't remember how he hit his arm, though. Certainly not hard enough to leave a bruise on the crook of his arm.
Shaking his head, Jason stood up, motioning down the track.
"Huh? No, I'm not running yet. I want to save my energy," the man shook his head. "Good luck Dogmeat. Nekos don't do well around the Wolves."
Jason shrugged, before jogging away slowly, warming up with a couple of laps. Dylan caught up to him, the two running together in silence. Jason's body felt looser when he was done, still sore, but relaxed as well. He was coughing again by the end of the second lap, struggling to catch his breath.
"Shit, Jason, you aren't looking good at all," Dylan frowned. "I don't think you should be running."
Jason shook his head, coughing up phlegm. Holding up a thumb, he cleared his throat again, spitting into the grass.
'I can't miss tryouts.'
"Look, you signed up. There aren't many people here. Go home, okay?" Dylan said. "You'll be on the team, anyway."
Groaning silently, Jason gave up, nodding slowly. Pulling away from Dylan, the grey neko stumbled as he tried to walk.
"Fuck it, I'm calling Etul," Dylan said, pulling out a phone.
He began speaking rapid Rellanic into the phone, Jason's vision blurring slightly.
"We're getting you home…"

DEVYN

The wolf knew something was wrong. Dylan's scent was all over Jason's room. But Dylan hadn't been in the room in over a week.
Devyn whimpered loudly, pulling the stuffed wolf out of Jason's bag. Jumping onto the neko's bed, he settled near the foot, inhaling the smells on the plushy.
A door opened, Devyn looking up in alarm. He could smell them, smell the sickness in them…
Racing down the stairs, he snarled at Dylan, his teeth flashing at the neko.
"Devyn! What in Lumara's name are you doing?!"
Margaret swatted the wolf, Devyn snapping at her.
"Devyn, he's just a little sick," Dylan soothed. "He just needs to sleep. Etul is on his way, but he said it just sounded like the flu. Nothing to worry about."
Growling, the wolf pulled at Jason's arm, a large black lump showing on the neko's arm.
"I'm not sure it's the flu," Margaret frowned, staring at the lump. "But there isn't really anything we can do. We'll just have to wait for Lysander to get here."
Devyn whimpered as Dylan set Jason on the couch. The neko was unconscious, his breath rattling in his chest. Devyn was terrified — he smelled death on his brother.