Brothers - 12. Chapter 12

DEVYN

His hand wiped the dust off his laptop, Devyn trying to remember how to work the device. There were too many buttons, and he could barely see anything against the silver background of the keys. It had been months since he had last used the machine and that had only been because using a pencil was more tortuous for the wolf when it came to schoolwork. Even now, three days into school, he hadn’t actually used the laptop, seeing no need to take notes. Though now he barely remembered most of what had happened in class. He wasn’t too worried; if it was important he would have remembered. Probably.

A hand gently nudged the wolf away from the laptop, turning the computer on with the push of a button. Devyn let out a grateful sigh as Jason took over, the neko’s fingers nearly flying over the keyboard. The screen darkened, a disturbingly cheerful tone playing over and over again. Both Jason and Devyn winced at the noise, Jason’s finger cutting the volume for a moment.

Dylan’s face appeared on the screen, the neko’s eyes squeezing shut before opening wide. He looked like he was going to drop at any moment. Devyn wondered if he had been woken up by the computer ringing.

“Uh, hey Devyn…” the neko muttered, visibly fighting a yawn. “Is everything okay? You never call.”

“It’s Jason. He wants to talk to you,” the wolf said, wishing he could just shift and crawl into bed.

He leaned away from the laptop, noticing Jason glancing away from his body. Devyn wasn’t sure why the two-legs always had to look at his groin when he got naked. For how insecure they were with being nude, he would have thought they would avoid staring. Not that he was going to keep his clothes on any longer than he had to. And the smell coming from Jason made it seem like the neko preferred Devyn’s nudity.

The wolf let out a quiet sigh as Jason signed. The neko’s gestures were lost on him, though Dylan certainly seemed to get Jason’s point.

“It’s unusual, but there’s nothing against it. But that would mean we’d miss school tomorrow. It would be very suspicious,” Dylan replied, ears pricking up, even though no words left Jason’s mouth,

It was interesting, watching the two nekos. Their ears showed so much that they didn’t vocalize. It was obvious even to Devyn that Jason’s ears were as much a part of his communication as his hands.

“I’m not sure I could do that to Father,” Dylan added. “But I suppose if Devyn needs help, I could at least offer a pair of hands.”

Devyn nodded absently, watching Jason’s hands. They seemed so fascinating, fingers twisting as he talked to Dylan. The wolf wondered if they had any dinner left on them. He doubted Jason would be happy if he licked the fingers though.

“Oh, salt for sure. Don’t mess with anything else, it would be too obvious.”

Jason nodded thoughtfully, glancing at Devyn. His hands signed again, motioning at his brother.

“Get used to it. My parents are the same way. When there’s nothing happening, the clothes are off. I’m just glad they keep everything else to their room,” Dylan snorted.

Devyn let out a quiet huff. He wasn’t going to sit around in clothes when he could relax and be himself. The only reason he wasn’t in wolf form right now was because he assumed Dylan would want to ask him about the next day.

“Does this mean we’re skipping school tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Devyn said. “But Jasper might give us extra credit.”

“That is as good an explanation as any,” Dylan shrugged, as Jason slipped out of the bedroom. “You really think this is going to work? I’d think it would just piss her off even more.”

“Probably,” Devyn admitted. “It was Jason’s idea, not mine.”

“It is a good idea. But if I’m going to wake up tomorrow, I really need to sleep. Good night.”

Devyn nodded, reaching for the laptop’s lid.

“Good night,” he grunted, before closing the computer.

Shifting into his wolf form, Devyn climbed onto Jason’s bed, curling up as he waited for his brother to return. The neko’s scent was already covering the bed, and the wolf felt an intense urge to claim the smell, to roll in it until Jason covered his body. It was a strange urge, one he had never had for a person before. A nice pile of garbage, yes, or even a puddle of fragrant water, but not a person.

The bedroom door opened, Jason slipping back into the room with the smell of pure adrenaline pouring off him. Devyn huffed quietly as he watched his brother get ready for bed, the neko stripping to his underwear before crawling silently under the covers.

Circling around Jason’s legs until the bed was more comfortable, Devyn flopped down with an appreciative groan, his nose pressing into Jason’s feet. He could smell them through the fabric, the pure musk of the neko lulling the wolf into a pleasant dream of running with his brother.

JASON

A loud knock woke Jason up, Richard’s voice calling through the door.

“Come on you two, it’s time to get up.”

Jason’s ears flicked as he let out a soundless mumble. He could feel Devyn kicking around his feet, and he nudged the wolf awake reluctantly as he sat up. They had a big day ahead of them, and he needed his brother at school.

“We have bacon for breakfast,” Richard called through the door.

There was a sudden scramble, Devyn kicking off Jason in his rush for the door. The neko let out an oof, falling back on his bed as the breath was knocked out of him. He heard Devyn whimpering, paw scraping at the bedroom door, and Jason shook his head, rolling out of the warmth of his bed. He crossed the room, opening the door for the wolf before reaching for his clothes.

Suitably dressed for the day, Jason followed his brother, Margaret’s voice breaking the morning silence.

“Go to your room and get dressed. You know the rules. No one wants to see a naked person at the breakfast table.”

As much as he had been disagreeing with his new mother lately, Jason found he was glad they agreed on something. Though Devyn had a nice body… in human form. The neko’s face heated up as he remembered the night before, leaning over his nude brother to fix the computer. It was not right to feel that way about Devyn, and he needed to fight the feeling. It was the second time in less than a week that he’d had thoughts of being with the wolf, and it was disturbing.

Even worse, Devyn could probably tell he was attracted to him. And there was no way he could explain himself, even if he knew what was going on. Was it just that there was a naked body? Was he just a normal horny teenage neko? Or was there more to it than that? Jason couldn’t tell, but he hoped he was not falling for his brother. That would be disastrous in this house. Well, any house, but this one for certain.

He heard the sound of wolf nails clicking on the steps, and Jason squeezed against the wall to give Devyn space. The wolf passed him with his tail tucked between his legs, Jason feeling a twinge of sympathy for his brother. He let the feeling wash over him. Tomorrow they would show Margaret just how wrong she was about the wolf.

The neko descended slowly, hugging the wall. A grateful sigh escaped Jason as he reached the ground again. Making his way into the kitchen, he found Margaret already hard at work, flattening the mounds of pie dough she had set up the day before. Jason’s eyes flicked to the sink almost guiltily, the cup he had used to create salt water still laying inside. The brush he had washed and put away, knowing it would be too suspicious to leave out. But Margaret seemed none the wiser to his evening escapades, and the neko sighed in relief.

“Morning Jason. Is your throat sore?”

He flinched at the question, ears folding. Nodding quickly, Jason cleared his throat, trying to play up the explanation.

“Lemon tea is tastier than salt water,” the werewolf pointed out. “I should have a few left over from the pie filling, if you’d like to make some. I hope the hospital stay didn’t give you another illness.”

Jason shrugged helplessly, sitting at the table. He heard the thump of Devyn coming downstairs, the cane tapping with every step as the wolf fought with his two legs. Richard joined the table a moment later, the promised bacon piled high on a plate.

“Margaret, come eat with us. I promise the pie will still be there when you’re done.”

“I have six pies to make. It’s going to take all day,” Margaret denied. “Don’t worry, I’ll grab some food while they bake.”

“Why don’t you just let us help you? It will go faster,” Richard sighed.

“Because Jordan doesn’t let Damian help him. I’m going to beat him on his terms,” the werewolf snarled, pressing into the dough vigorously.

Richard shook his head as he passed a plate full of bacon and potatoes to Devyn. Another plate was sent to Jason, the neko mouthing his thanks to Richard.

Breakfast was eaten in a hungry silence, Jason collecting the plates as Devyn and Richard finished. He carried them to the kitchen, Margaret waving him off as he tried to wash them.

“Just put them in the sink for now. We can wash them later,” she said, fighting with the rolling pin.

Jason did as he was told before retreating from the room. Margaret did not seem like she was in a good mood, and the neko wondered exactly why she had volunteered for the school baking contest if she didn’t want to do it. It probably had something to do with Dylan’s father, but they hadn’t seemed this antagonistic toward each other during the full moon.

Dylan was sitting at the table, munching on a piece of cold bacon as he waited for Devyn.

“Oh, hey, morning Jason. How are you feeling?” he asked, pulling his mask back over his nose.

Jason shrugged, hands signing.

‘Would you like me to find Devyn for you?’

“No, he should be back down in a moment. Will you make it to the baking contest tomorrow? I think Brienne wanted to see you there.”

‘Yes. Well, unless Margaret decides I can’t go. Today is supposed to be my last day stuck at home. Why does Brienne want to see me?’

“I think she has a crush on you,” Dylan admitted. “I kinda wish it was me, but I think she knows me too well.”

‘Shouldn’t you ask her out then?’

“I tried, but I can’t do it. Besides, if she prefers you, there isn’t really anything I can do about it.”

He had a point, though it made Jason feel bad. The neko didn’t want to be stealing his friend’s crush.

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t need pity. In fact, you should go out with her, if she asks,” Dylan frowned. “I’d rather both of you be happy than for all three of us to be miserable.”

‘It sounds like this is all hypothetical though,’ Jason pointed out. ‘We don’t know that she likes me like that.’

“Jason, she tracked down the hospital you were taken to. She definitely feels something.”

‘Wait, she did what?’

“Oh, Devyn didn’t tell you? Yeah, Brienne sat in the waiting room with us until the doctors let us know you were okay.”

“It must have slipped my mind,” Devyn said, leaning on his cane at the doorway to the dining room. “Are you ready Dylan?”

The calico neko nodded.

“I’ll see you later Jason.”

Jason nodded, his head spinning at the news. He didn’t even know Brienne that well. Tracking him down like that… there was some serious infatuation there. He wasn’t sure he was worth that much work.

DEVYN

The wolf sniffed at the jerky, the salted fish giving off a strong smell. His stomach grumbled as he bit into a piece, teeth chewing happily. The rest of the jerky went in a small bag that he set in his backpack, giving him a great snack for later.

“They have plenty of pheasants and pigeons left over from yesterday’s lesson, or we can do a fruit pie and work on a cranberry,” Dylan said, joining Devyn.

“Why not both? You can do the pheasant, and maybe a cranberry, and I’ll do a pomegranate. Mom’s working on fruit, so I need to do fruit too,” Devyn added after a moment’s thought.

Dylan shrugged, helping his friend to an empty station as the bell chimed. The room was filled with humans and elves working on an elven breakfast, the smells nearly driving Devyn to distraction. Grabbing a bag of flour, the wolf scooped it into a steel bowl, before adding sugar and salt. This was one of the few times Devyn bothered measuring, having realised long ago that the smallest error in judgement could ruin a pastry.

“Are you okay with going against your father like this?” Devyn asked.

“Honestly? Not really. But I figure if we do it right, maybe he and Margaret will stop their little pissing contest. Did Jason get Margaret’s dough salted?”

“Yeah. Mom almost caught him this morning though. It’s a good thing he didn’t try to move the spices around. She would have smelled it immediately.”

“I figure she has a good sense of smell, being a werewolf. We’re going to need an extra silver,” Dylan added, working on his own dough.

“I’m supposed to get my allowance tonight. It should cover my pies,” Devyn shrugged, his hands digging into the bowl’s contents.

The dough felt so strange in his hands, goopy yet firm, and the wolf shivered, trying to get through the mixing as fast as he could.

“Etul might help, but he’d want to know why.”

“So tell him you want a new game,” Devyn shrugged.

“You expect me to lie to my parents?” Dylan frowned.

“Is it really a lie if you do want a new game?”

“Yes,” the neko insisted. “Look, I know you hate your mother, but I don’t hate my family. There is a better way; I just need to think of it.”

Devyn sighed quietly as he tore the dough apart. Working the halves over with a rolling pin, the wolf set them into a pair of tins before getting started on the pheasant. All the while, he fought with himself, shame coursing through him at the thought of what he had to do.

All this agonizing over a little humility, Devyn pushing his way through his feelings. There were some things he had never learned to do at home, and bringing himself to do them now was painful, but necessary. He had made a mistake, and he would own up to it.

“I’m sorry Dylan,” he finally said, looking at his friend.

“I know,” the neko replied. “Thanks.”

There was no more said about it, and Devyn breathed a little easier, sliding a knife to Dylan. The two switched places a moment later, Devyn working on making his pomegranate filling while Dylan filled his crust with his own concoction.

The bell chimed again, and the two continued working, as another class came in to learn. Devyn knew Dylan didn’t like missing the rest of his classes, but at least they had worked out a deal with Jasper, a fourth pie made for extra credit in the class. Devyn handled that one, a more traditional meat pie with beef instead of pheasant.

Soon, they were cooking the pies together, meat in one oven and fruit in another. Devyn cleaned their workplace while Dylan pulled out some homework, the two waiting as the smell of pie filled the classroom. Another class came, and finally they pulled the pies out, Devyn inhaling the savoury scent of pheasant and beef.

“Do you think we should have done different fruits?” Dylan asked as they waited for the pies to cool.

Devyn shrugged.

“Probably. But I like pomegranate, and I doubt anyone else would use it. And cranberry is your thing. Are there any other nekos in the contest?”

“No, but I think one is judging. I… I’m going to wear a hood to judging. And my mask,” Dylan said quietly.

“Hey, if they can’t look past your fur, that’s on them. Your pies smell delicious,” Devyn said firmly.

“Yeah, but if no one tastes them because I’m diseased-”

“You’re not diseased,” Devyn sighed, wrapping his arms around the neko. “You’re a perfectly healthy neko. Trust me, I would have smelled if you were sick.”

“But you told me Jason smelled like me…”

The wolf grunted, stumped by his friend’s logic.

“You don’t have to be there for the judging, do you?”

Dylan shook his head.

“Then I’ll deliver the pies myself. Or we can ask Jason to do it.”

“How? He can’t speak.”

“Oh… right…”

Devyn sighed quietly, suddenly craving his wolf form. His head was starting to hurt, and the wolf grumbled quietly. Why did Jason give them all the hard work?

The two covered their pies with foil, sticking them into a fridge. Dylan checked in with Jasper, handing over their beef pie, and the man smiled in thanks.

“You’ll be here tomorrow morning to prepare, right?” he asked.

“Yes, if that’s okay with you,” Dylan replied as Devyn munched on another piece of squid.

“Of course. Get going you two. You can still catch a bit of third period if you hurry.”

Devyn grabbed his cane and his bag, following Dylan from the room. They would be back soon, but for now, their job was done.