Brothers - 15. Chapter 15

JASON

The wolf sat on the track, glaring at his brother as the festival was slowly torn down. Jason knew how he felt, but his phone had been blowing up with texts all afternoon, Margaret demanding that they come home. Apparently she’d had enough time to “calm down”. Jason doubted that entirely, but he knew waiting would just make things worse.

He had misjudged this entirely, and Jason was going to take his part in the blame. Who knew getting involved in a werewolf feud would end badly? But he would not let Devyn fall for what he had planned. This was the neko’s fault, and he would make sure Margaret knew it.

They stared at each other silently, neither budging in their resolve. Jason was at a disadvantage here. He refused to leave without his brother, and Devyn was not moving. Trying to explain through his phone only brought a snort, the wolf laughing at the thought of going home. But Jason knew it was only a matter of time before they had to pay the ferry. And the longer they waited, the worse things would get, but Devyn didn’t seem to care.

“Jason! Devyn!”

The neko flinched at Richard’s voice, his head swivelling toward their father. He heard Devyn sigh, the wolf shaking as he stood up. Richard approached them, a frown on his face.

“Come on you two. You are not staying here all evening.”

Jason shrugged, looking at Devyn. His brother was finally moving, walking toward Richard slowly, body hunched. The neko didn’t blame him; he couldn’t get past the knot of anxiety sitting in his gut.

Collecting the wolf’s clothes and cane, Jason stood up, following Devyn and Richard out to the car park. He helped Devyn get buckled in the back seat, before climbing in beside the wolf, all the while dreading what was coming.

“Your mother is not happy,” Richard said, starting the car. “And honestly, I understand why. She works hard to win every year. That’s not to say I’m not proud of you Devyn. I really am. You did a good job. But it cost your mother a lot of hard work.”

Jason let out a quiet sigh, pulling out his phone.

“I talked Devyn into it,” he typed. “This was my fault.”

“Really? So this wasn’t Devyn’s idea?” Richard frowned as the phone repeated Jason’s words. “Why would you do that?”

“I wanted someone to be proud of him,” Jason explained. “Every day she seems so disappointed in Devyn. I don’t like seeing that.”

“Do you understand how much you hurt your mother today? Both of you.”

Jason was silent, not trusting the phone while the car was in motion. Beside him, Devyn drooped in his seat, chest leaning into his belts.

“Look, I am proud of you both. Devyn, it was nice to see you working on a more human pursuit. And Jason, I’m happy that you’re connecting with your brother and want to help him. I’ll talk to Margaret, but she is still really angry. Just head to your rooms when we get to the house, okay?” Richard said quietly.

Devyn let out a snort, Jason finding himself agreeing with the wolf. He certainly had no desire to face an angry werewolf this soon.

The car pulled into their driveway, Jason leaping out of the deathtrap as soon as he could. He unbuckled Devyn and the two hurried toward the house, speeding to the stairs as soon as they stepped inside. It took Jason a moment to get up the staircase, and the neko’s ears flattened as he heard Margaret yelling at Richard. This home was fast becoming a curse. At this point, the neko couldn’t even call it a loving home. If it weren’t for Devyn, Jason wasn’t sure he wouldn’t prefer the orphanage.

Devyn nosed his brother toward the wolf’s room, Jason frowning as he opened the door. Inside was a bare bones room, a nest of blankets under the desk looking like one of the more comfortable looking spots to sit. Instantly, Devyn moved toward the bedding, sniffling around the blankets loudly. The wolf let out a quiet growl, apparently not finding what he was looking for.

Jason let out a quiet sigh, heading toward the bathroom and his own bedroom. If they were going to be stuck in their rooms for the foreseeable future, he might as well get a start on the schoolwork he was missing. Devyn clearly wanted to sit with him, so the neko figured he could just bring his computer into the room and work.

Staring at his bare desk, the neko took a deep breath. His laptop had been right there that morning, ready to use. He hadn’t moved it, and Jason knew there was only one explanation. So this was what being grounded was like. It sucked that he wouldn’t be able to work on his projects, but the neko supposed he deserved this. He just hoped that he would get the laptop back soon. There wasn’t much he could do for school without it.

Returning to Devyn’s room, Jason realized the wolf’s laptop was missing too, and he winced. From what he could tell, his brother couldn’t write with a pen. The lack of a laptop was going to severely limit what he could do in class, and while Jason understood there was supposed to be a lesson here, not that he understood what it was besides don’t screw with Margaret, he wasn’t sure this was any more thought out than his own plan.

The wolf was laying under his desk, teeth gnawing on the wooden legs, and Jason nudged him with a foot, shaking his head firmly. Devyn let out a quiet growl, but the neko wasn’t going to let him chew up the desk. That would only piss Margaret off more. Besides, he was pretty sure wood was bad for a werewolf’s stomach.

Crawling under the desk with his brother, Jason let out a silent grumble as he made himself comfortable. If nothing else, they could take a nap before dinner. It had been a long day, and he could use the rest before having to face their mother.

DEVYN

Warm milk and lavender filled his nose, Jason’s musk lulling Devyn into a dozing dream. He trotted through lit streets, legs kicking as he followed his brother happily, the full moon bathing them both in its silvery essence. A smell, salty sweet, poured through his mind, the scent of pure bliss, and the wolf huffed, stopping to better breathe in the smell. His tongue flicked out, tasting an explosion of savoury juice, sweaty liquid coating every taste bud.

A hand shook him suddenly, and Devyn’s eyes flew open. He lifted his head from Jason’s lap, the neko’s pants covered in drool. His brother seemed mortified, and he wasn’t sure why, until he realized the smell from his dream had been real. The neko’s pants were soaked in his own seed.

The wolf stood up, shaking himself out before licking Jason’s face reassuringly. Things like this happened, and the neko shouldn’t be upset; it wasn’t like he could control it.

Jason pushed Devyn away, slowly crawling out from under the desk. He headed toward the door, Devyn following with a quiet grumble. The door was closed in his face, and the wolf stared at it, not understanding why he was being shut out. He could help, he knew it. Why was Jason trying to hide from him?

Devyn grumbled quietly, returning to his den. His nose sniffled, drinking in the neko’s smell, and the wolf’s rod poked out of his sheathe. Sighing quietly, Devyn sat down, head dipping low as his tongue began bathing his length, taking care of the sudden arousal. His head felt weird, like he’d been drinking wine, but the wolf never drank wine.

A knock came at the door, the wolf looking up with a frown. Why was it every time he tried to do something, people interrupted? He grimaced as he straightened out, letting his body stretch into the two legged form he detested so much. Ignoring his wood, the wolf went to the door, opening it wide.

“Dinner’s here. Please set the table,” Richard said. “And for the love of the gods, stop opening the door naked.”

Devyn grunted, grabbing his kilt off the floor. He pulled the skirt on before knocking on Jason’s door.

“Dinner’s ready.”

He heard a thump, the door opening a moment later to reveal his brother in a fresh pair of pants. The neko squeezed past the wolf silently, leading the way down the stairs with his tail still tucked between his legs.

Swaying slightly as he limped down the stairs, Devyn frowned as his hand touched the wall, a silky smooth paper running under his fingers. He brushed the spot again, and again, his mind trying to figure out why he was so obsessed with the wallpaper. It was weird, like he was looking at himself from a distance.

The fit passed just as fast as it came, the wolf shaking his head to clear it of the strange thoughts running through his mind. Thoughts that made him wonder, was Jason’s fur that soft? Maybe he should touch the neko’s tail in this form, just to check…

“Devyn? Are you okay?” Richard asked, a hand tilting the werewolf’s chin to study him.

The wolf startled, not realizing his father was that close to him. He cut off a snarl, a whimper replacing it, and Richard sighed quietly.

“I hope you didn’t get into anything at the festival.”

Devyn didn’t think he had. Dylan had made sure he avoided the garbage bins and the pies weren’t supposed to be fermented. Besides, it had been at least four hours since the contest. Any effects from the pie should have faded by now.

“I’m okay Dad…” he muttered, pulling away.

Turning toward the kitchen, the wolf limped to a cabinet, finding Jason already working on the cutlery. He could smell the neko’s adrenaline building at the sight of the wolf, Jason hurrying out of the room with a handful of forks and spoons. Devyn let out a huff as he followed his brother with a pair of glasses. So much embarrassment over nothing. Though the wolf had to admit it had tasted good. He wasn’t sure if he had actually licked the neko’s seed, but the way Jason was acting, Devyn might as well have fucked his brother.

That thought made the wolf pause, his eyes closing as he tried to figure out the emotions running through him. Happiness, warmth… and embarrassment. Fuck, he felt like a human, worrying about sex, and that was not okay. The wolf wondered if he could beg out of dinner, but he highly doubted it. Not with his mother throwing a fit.

Devyn sighed as he set out the cups, returning to the kitchen to grab the next pair. He froze as Margaret entered the kitchen, the two glaring at each other.

“I hope the medal was worth it,” his mother said sharply.

“It wasn’t for the medal,” Devyn replied. “It was to prove a point.”

“Well congratulations. Now I’m proving a point,” Margaret snapped. “You want to be disrespectful, no laptop, and no bones. Those are rewards for people who can respect their parents.”

Devyn shrugged her words off. Like he needed those things. He was a wolf; all he needed was space to stretch his legs. The bone had been nice to chew on, but like all nice things in this house, it had a habit of being taken away. He was used to it by now.

Carrying the cups to the dining room table, the wolf sniffed at the smell of elven food, smoked hams filling the air with a dozen spices, potatoes mixed with butter and cream. Richard carried the dinner into the room, setting bags on a counter before placing platters around the table. It took the sting out of Margaret’s punishment, and Devyn’s face broke into a closed mouth grin as he sat at the table. At least dinner promised to be delicious.

JASON

He couldn’t bring himself to meet Devyn’s gaze at the table. That dream… it had been too real. Jason couldn’t believe he would ever dream about the werewolf like that. He was grateful Devyn hadn’t been in his natural form. Lumara’s light, it was too much for him. The neko was traumatised by his dream, and the fact that Devyn had been licking his crotch when he woke up made things even worse.

Devyn liked him, maybe too much. Marin’s lecture came back to Jason, and the neko wondered just how much of this was Devyn and how much of it was a disease running rampant in his brain. He wasn’t sure which would be worse, the wolf claiming him as a mate or taking him incestuously. Gods, what would Margaret say if she knew about this? He would be back in the orphanage before the day was out.

A hand settled on his lap, Devyn frowning at the neko.

“Calm down Jason. You’re okay,” the wolf said quietly. “It’s not the first argument we’ve had.”

Across the table, Margaret glowered, digging into a bowl of mashed potatoes. The spoon smacked against her plate, Jason flinching at the sharp noise. He felt exhausted again, the nap doing nothing good for the neko. Or maybe it was just the way Margaret was staring at both him and Devyn.

‘None of this was Devyn’s fault,’ he signed suddenly.

Margaret let out a low laugh.

“Oh I know. It was your plan all along; there’s no way Devyn thought this up on his own. After all we’ve done for you, giving you a home, a roof over your head, food in your belly, this is how you repay us?”

He wilted at her words, the knot in his gut growing ever larger.

“Margaret, that is enough,” Richard said firmly. “We did not adopt Jason to have him owe us anything. And the same goes for Devyn. They made a mistake, but that is going too far.”

“Of course you’re going to take their side,” Margaret snapped.

“I am taking no sides. What they did was wrong, going behind our backs. You took away their computer privileges as punishment. That should be the end of the discussion, aside from an apology,” the man added, looking at Jason and Devyn.

“I’m sorry,” Devyn grunted, poking at his ham.

‘I just wanted you to see Devyn as the great wolf he is-’ Jason signed.

“He’s not a wolf! He is a werewolf, and there is a huge difference! All I’m trying to do is set him up for success in the real world, and the real world has no place for someone who wants to play like a dog all the time!”

‘Then why are you angry about him winning a competition designed for people?’

It was a dangerous question, and Jason felt a rush of terror as he signed, but it was a question he needed answered. Margaret was silent, fuming, and Jason’s heart pounded as he waited, certain that he had just sealed his fate. When the werewolf remained silent, his hands raised again, cautiously.

‘Since I got here, it’s seemed like you hate Devyn, and I don’t know why. But it makes me worried. If you treat your own son like his desires aren’t important, when will you start doing the same to me? For the last ten years, I’ve dreamed about having a loving home again, but this certainly doesn’t feel like one.’

“I’m not dealing with this. I’m getting a room at the pack house for the night,” Margaret growled, standing up from the table. “If you all want to be against me, fine. I know when I’m not wanted.”

She stormed from the room, leaving a stunned silence behind her.

Sighing, Richard stood up a moment later, following his wife from the room, and Jason and Devyn were left alone. The wolf kept his hand on Jason’s leg, looking at him worriedly. Jason wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. This certainly didn’t feel like he’d done any good in the situation, but all he’d been trying to do was figure out just why Margaret was acting like she hated her son.

“It’s okay, she does this sometimes,” Devyn said quietly. “Give her a day.”

Jason shrugged helplessly, pushing his plate away. Devyn pulled it back toward the neko, frowning at his brother.

“Going hungry isn’t going to make her less angry. But it will make you hurt more.”

That was the whole idea, self penance for pissing Margaret off. But Devyn kept insisting, and Jason sighed, finishing what was on his plate as Richard and Margaret argued loudly upstairs.

It had felt good, getting his worries out in the open, but now Jason wondered if he should have kept them to himself. He’d only made things worse by speaking his mind. Even worse, he was still wracked with guilt over the situation with Devyn in the bedroom, and the neko wanted to just crawl in a hole somewhere and sleep this all off. Maybe it would look better after a good sleep. At least, that was what his body seemed to think.

Scraping the last of his food onto Devyn’s plate, Jason stood up, carrying the dirty dishes into the kitchen. He began washing up, cleaning up the one mess he could. Ears swivelled cautiously as he worked, a door slamming suddenly and forcefully, causing the neko to flinch yet again.

Footsteps followed in the deafening silence, Richard entering the kitchen behind Jason.

“Can you come to the dining room? I need to talk to you and Devyn together.”

Jason shuddered at the words, praying that he wasn’t about to be sent back to the orphanage. Though maybe that would be for the best. He set a plate aside, wiping his hands off on his pants before following Richard from the room. Sitting on a chair, he and Devyn looked at the man, Richard letting out a quiet sigh.

“So, your mother is going to take a day away from us to clear her head. Jason, we do not hate Devyn, and I really don’t understand where you got that idea from. You really hurt Margaret by saying that. We have been working on helping Devyn become a productive member of society because we love him and want him to succeed in life. Devyn, we both know your apology was insincere, and I do not appreciate you blowing me and your mother off like that. When she gets back from the pack house tomorrow, you better have a more meaningful apology for her.”

“Okay,” Devyn muttered.

“Jason, if you truly feel this is not the place for you, then you do not have to stay. Neither Margaret nor I are forcing you to live here, and you can always go back to the orphanage, or declare yourself an adult early. We do not want that to happen, but we also want what is best for you as well,” Richard continued.

“He’s not leaving,” Devyn said suddenly, grabbing the neko’s wrist. “Jason can’t leave.”

“I hope he isn’t,” Richard nodded. “But it is his choice.”

Jason looked between his brother and his father, feeling as though even more pressure was being pushed onto him. But he had brought this on himself. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. He couldn’t just leave Devyn here by himself, and the last thing he wanted was to go back to the orphanage. The neko had made yet another mistake.