Sibling Depravity (NymphoWolf x Phenom)

[Sin-Claire]

Alice stepped out of the car and looked up at the giant house with a sigh. It was practically a mansion. She had tried to make it outside of the shadow of her parent's success, free of handouts and independent but like a failure she had come crawling back. Before leaving she had had no idea how hard life on her own was going to be. And while the rewards of freedom were oh so sweet, her finances had brought that dream crumbling down.

She had already been struggling to make ends meet working as a waitress while going to school full time. Although exhausting, it had felt good to be independent. But then her slimy manager had gotten too handsy and she had quit. To make it worse, when she tried to find other work she found out that he had blacklisted her to most of the other businesses in town. And now here she was, penniless with no more than an old Honda hatchback and back on her overbearing parents' doorstep. They'd probably expected her to fail. Her mother had been begging her to come back since she had left.

The sun beat down on her bare shoulders and her long blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She wore a white tank top, denim shorts and tennis shoes. Still the heat was unrelenting and she was fighting the urge to get back in her beat down car and drive away.

The front door opened giving way to her mother who was decked out in a designer pantsuit her hair perfectly coiffed in an impeccable bun. "Alice! Darling, I am so glad you're home. Please come inside, this heat is rather unbearable dear." Meeting her fate head on Alice grabbed her bag from the passenger side and walked inside. Cool air immediately suffused her upon entering and her mother shut the door behind her. For a moment it seemed as though she was going to embrace her daughter in a hug but thought better of it when she got a good look at her.

Alice contained the smile at her mother's distaste and looked around. It had been over a year since she had been in this house. Yet not much had changed. It was elegant and clean with beautiful touches throughout. Since her mother looked to be at a loss for words Alice filled in for her. "Mother, I'm going to go clean up a bit and get settled. Do I still have the same room?"

Alice's mother laughed as though she had just heard an absurd joke. "Of course dear! We haven't changed a thing! You go right on up and I'm going to have Louise whip us up a wonderful dinner. We'll all sit down and eat just like a family again."

"Perfect," Alice muttered under her breath, turning and heading for the staircase. She still hadn't seen her father or her younger brother but she was on edge and her old bedroom could at least give her an old sense of comfort.
Alice didn't bother to shower or change, just washed her face off and kicked off her shoes. She secretly just wanted to irritate her perfect mother. Her bedroom was still the same. Luxurious and covered in pink. Not really her taste but after living in less than ideal places, it was a welcome sight. When she could smell dinner being prepared she finally readied herself to head downstairs.

She wasn't looking forward to seeing her father since they'd had a screaming match before she had left almost two years ago but she had missed her little brother. She regretted not reaching out to him since she'd been gone but she just hadn't known how.

 

[Phenom]

40... 41....45...46...49...50!

Michael lifted the bar loaded with weights to rest on the rack, feeling it slide into position with an audible click. He sat up on the bench and stretched, crossing his right arm behind his head and reaching for the sky with his other. He groaned in pleasure as the tense muscles relaxed. He rose to his feet and sauntered over to the mirror, pausing to admire his reflection. He assumed several common bodybuilder poses, admiring the beginnings of muscle definition and the bulk he was seeing around his shoulders and biceps. He reached for the protein shake sitting on the counter near his workout area and drained the contents, swiping the excess from his mouth with the back of his hand. He lifted his watch and noticed the time.

Shit! He muttered, quickly shedding out of his workout clothing, tossing the sweaty garments into the nearby clothing hamper. He looked at the large stack and made a mental note to let their maid know about his need to have laundry done. He turned the water to hot, let it run for several minutes before reaching back in to turn the cold water on, adjusting the knobs till he reached something comfortable and stepped under the spray. He let the water slowly trickle over his six foot five inch frame that was beginning to fill out with muscle. His shoulder-length black hair was usually wavy though it was currently a wet mess that clung to his scalp. He worked conditioner and shampoo into it until it reverted back to its regular sheen. He took a bar of soap and religiously scrubbed every inch of his body, taking care to spend extra time on his groin, armpits and feet before letting the water rinse it all down the drain.

He was climbing out of his shower when his phone buzzed on the dresser by his bed. Be to dinner by six...Love mom.

He checked his watch again, noted the time was 5:45 and he spent the next fifteen minutes trying to determine what to wear. It was supposed to be an important, family dinner from what his mother had told him earlier that day. Their wayward daughter, his big sister, was coming home from her attempt to strike it out on her own without their parent's safety umbrella created by the their vast wealth. He finally settled on a white blazer, a loose pair of tan slacks with a pair of black Diciannoveventitres. He sprayed on a bit of his newest cologne, adjusted his wavy hair to fall partly over his right eye in a way that seemed to drive the girls at school crazy and struck out through the door of the pool house, his manspace for the past year.

Entering the house he found himself greeted with the scent of something positively delicious and he made his way to the kitchen. "It smells lovely Louise," he praised, sticking a finger in one of the dishes and sucking the juices off until she chased him from the kitchen with a serving spoon, unable to hide the grin at his praise or his laugh at her poor attempt to catch him.

"Behave Michael," His mother, ever the prim and proper lady. "This is not a house of savages. You were raised in class, show it. Now come have a seat before your sister decides to join us, if she ever does."

He lowered himself into one of the vacant chairs opposite his mother, the vacant seat to his left reserved for their father, who was promised to make an appearance to lord it over her about her failure to support herself on her own merit. He scooted himself closer until his knees rested beneath the table and he slouched back against the chair until his mother kicked him under the table. "Oww."

"Manners son," His father's rich baritone commanded from the doorway before making his way over to kiss his mother on the cheek and then lower himself into the seat at the head of the table. "Where is our daughter? Your mother went to all this trouble to arrange this dinner for us all to enjoy."

 

[Sin-Claire]

Alice entered the kitchen first and smiled shyly at Louise. The woman had always been kind and had been working on the home since Alice was a little girl. Louise exclaimed quietly and rushed over to embrace her, careful not to cause too much of a fuss lest they draw attention from the other room. The hug was familiar and warm and something Alice had indeed missed. She could hear her father's entrance into the dining room nearby and steeled herself for an unpleasant reunion.

"Oh, did Mother set this up?" Alice questioned with mock surprise, walking into the room, her stride careless and demeanor. "And here I was under the impression that she didn't know how to cook." Her nerves threatened to trip her up but thankfully she made it to stand behind the vacant seat opposite, not once breaking eye contact with Father.

"Really Alice," her mother began, adjusting her napkin with a titter, "You could have at least changed into something moderately acceptable." Of course Mother was only worried about her outfit, which was precisely why she hadn't changed. However, what had first felt like an act of defiance was quickly feeling like a childish tantrum under her father's gaze.

A long second of silence stretched before Alice finally spoke. "Hello Father," she greeted, noticing the way his jaw clenched as he studied her. "Welcome back Alice," he replied, resting his forearms on the table. "Please take a seat," he finished, gesturing to her chair. She silently pulled out her chair to sit and finally turned to look at the other person who sat in the room. He had broad shoulders that filled out his his blazer like a football player and ruggedly good looks. Wait a minute...

"Michael?" she asked incredulously. She paused as she was sitting down, filled with indecision on whether to hug him or not. However, his white blazer was rather nice, not to mention this family had never been big on affection. It was something she'd had to get used to when she'd moved out. Settling in her seat, she looked him over once again with wide eyes. Good Lord he was different. He had to have grown a foot up and out since she'd been gone.

"You're gigantic!" she exclaimed with a smile, trying to match an image of the boy she had known with the man that sat before her. A part of her finally did feel a mild discomfort at her casual appearance but she shrugged it off. She wasn't going to revert back to their stuffy ways and boring etiquette just because she was home. She had had a taste of the real unadulterated world and she didn't want to give it up. When she found a steady job she'd be back out on her own again and this time it would be for good.

 

[Phenom]

The long awaited moment had come and Michael found himself nervously tapping his foot against the carpet adorning the dining room floor. It was a lavish carpet, the price tag far more than the true worth of the item; but, his mother had insisted that it would go best with the house's decor and his father had caved, paying for the price markup and the delivery fee, mere pocket change with his annual salary. The room fell eerily silent as his sister, the wayward child, entered the room. He could feel the tension emanating from his father, the nervous apprehension from his mother and he was stuck somewhere in between, not sure how to feel. His sister and he had always been close growing up, playing in the backyard, inventing fanciful games to occupy their time because their parents certainly weren't up to the task. Their mother had been occupied with her social circle and his father, running his corporate empire. The two had been nearly inseparable or so poor, young Michael had thought until the day he stood grasping his mother's skirt, tears streaming down his cheeks as his sister left to make her mark on the world.

And now here we are, come full round. He mused with a sardonic chuckle.

His gaze slowly trailed over his sister, noting that she had changed little other than maturing. He could sense a sadness and frustration coming from her that he could not easily put into words. He wanted to hug her; but, he knew their parents would not approve. She had tarnished their father's name and he had been furious. He had made it abundantly clear that while she bore their last name, she was not his daughter. Oh no, she would have to earn that right once more and knowing their father, she was fighting a losing battle. He was a man who tolerated no failures, no excuses. He knew first hand. The first time he had missed a catch during his first football match, his father had rose from his seat, turned and left the stadium, leaving him to find his own way home.

His eyes had told him all he needed to know, a lesson he had learned quickly - failure is not tolerated.

"I grew a bit," He agreed nervously, scratching at the back of his scalp. "It happened the year you left. I short of shot up like a weed. Been gradually filling out and trying to keep to a sharp regimen to get the physique I'll need to be noticed by the scouts when I play football this year. Hoping to get a full ride to somewhere."

"Son," his father interrupted. "You do not have to worry about money, I will fund your education at one of the best institutions in the country. You will then come to intern with me at the corporate headquarters and I will begin grooming you, as my father did I, to assume the mantle of head of the family company."

Michael just huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps flexing beneath the fabric of the blazer. "You know how I feel about taking your money dad! I want to make a name for myself and pay for my own education. Besides, I know what schools you'd consider sending me to and I want nothing to do with them. They're full of pompous, self-entitled assholes."

His mother gasped and his father's face turned crimson. He had overstepped and he knew it. The only saving grace was that he lived in the pool house now and his father rarely ventured out there, the rare times like this evening when he was actually home. Still, he knew he would have to tread carefully going forward through the rest of their evening meal and familial reunion. He felt his gaze drawn to his sister and he flashed her a smile and a thumbs up when his father wasn't looking. His father, mood darkened by his children's open rebellion to his rules, decreed the rest of the meal would be finished in silence. He dismissed Michael as soon as he finished eating and he was quick to take the opportunity to escape, stopping to give Louise a kiss on the cheek and 'thank you' for the evening meal before heading for his self-exile. He quickly shed the blazer, slacks and shoes. He found a pair of his floral swimming shorts and slid them up his long legs and over his narrow hips before tying them tight where they hung at his lower abdomen. He draped a towel over his shoulder and made for the large, Olympic-sized pool, setting the towel on one of the chairs surrounding the pool and dove into the cool water. He began to swim laps, doing his best to avoid their father.

 

[Sin-Claire]

Alice felt a bit of pride at Michael's words but before she could reply, father stepped in. And if Alice had been proud of Michael before, she was elated by his second response. They really were siblings and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to hide the smirk. Watching her father's ire rise and his face turn red gave her flashbacks to when she had had a similar argument. Nearly two years ago they had fought similarly until she'd had enough.

She shared the smile that he flashed her but she still couldn't help the modicum of worry for him. She had left him, so filled with hate for her father and a yearning for freedom that she hadn't looked back. And so he had been left here alone to face them without her. How could she have been so selfish? The thought unsettled her enough that she remained quiet for the rest of the meal at their father's behest, lost in thought. She would occasionally steal glances at Michael, trying to relearn his features and absorb the changes.

As soon as Michael was dismissed Alice stood as well, neglecting to wait for a dismissal. At her father's raised eyebrow she turned from him to Mother and spoke, "Thank you for dinner Mother." She missed the simpering and fake gratefulness that her mother replied with and made a quick retreat to the bedroom. Closing the door she sat on the edge of her old bed with a sigh. That could've gone better.

She flopped back on the bed, remembering the day she had left. Her father had been in a mood and they had began their normal fight about her future. She had recently broken up with Alexander Lassiter and her father had been furious. Apparently it didn't matter that the guy had been a womanizing dirtbag. And it didn't matter that she didn't want to play trophy wife to a prat. Her father's words still echoed in her head, "If you are part of this family, then you will obey my rules!" That had been all the urge she needed. Grabbing the few thousand she had collected, she'd called a cab, and then rushed out into the world without much of a goodbye.

The sound of splashing water broke her from her memories and she stood up and padded to the window. Michael was doing laps in the pool and she had the sudden urge to join him. Seeing him only reminded her of how she had missed him. They had been thick as thieves once. Looking through her old drawers she found the ridiculous number of bikinis she had left behind. Picking one at random that was white she quickly changed. It was a bit tighter than before but she just adjusted the string ties so it fit better. Actually it probably fit her a little better. She had lost weight living on her own but strangely gained a bit of curves.

There was also a tattoo on her side now that hadn't been there before, laying over her ribs. It said the word Freedom in black elegant script. Mother and father would both flip if they saw it. Smiling at the thought, she let down her hair and then slowly walked down the stairs. Unfortunately it seemed that they had both retreated to another part of the house. Shrugging she continued out the back where she saw Michael was still going back and forth.

Approaching the side of the pool she sat down and dropped her legs in the water, slowly acclimatizing herself to the temperature.

 

[Phenom]

Michael had been so deeply focused on completing his laps in the pool that he hadn't noticed or heard the sound of another approaching. It wasn't until a pair of smooth legs broke the surface of the water that he came to a stop with a surprised gasp, quickly paddling to right himself in the water. His gaze darted to the legs, following them up a pair of smooth thighs to find a white bikini that clung to a frame that was by no means a young girl any longer. His gaze continued up until he saw her face and he dipped back below the water. He sighed and slowly swam to the edge of the pool where his sister rested, lifting himself up and out to sit beside her, his hands resting on his thighs.

"How long have you been here?" He teased, running fingers through his wet locks to pull them back from his face. "Welcome back to the family, I guess?"

He wasn't sure how to conduct himself around this woman he had once known as his sister. There had been a time when he could open up about anything, the words falling like blocks released from their prison. His desire, his passion to share the experiences of the day, both good and bad, were all consuming. There was nothing he did not share with his sister. His first kiss, his first breakup, the time he was turned down for a date by a young girl he had asked to one of the school sponsored dances. This woman next to him though, there was something different about her. An aura that made her seem more in tune with the world, less isolated in the bubble they had known from birth.

He laid back against the cool stone, crossing his arms behind his head to support it. "Would you believe that I do not know how to talk to you any longer? I was just thinking about one of those times when there was no one else in this house that I would come to with a problem I experienced. You were my rock, my oasis in this hell our parents call a family. You were all of those things and then you were gone, your back seemed to stretch as far as I could see and I could only think, 'she has thrown off our father's shackles and will make a name for herself'."

"I do not blame you," He was kick to state, beginning to lightly kick the water, starting small ripples that slowly expanded out from where his foot broke the surface of the water. "I do not hate you, though I will be honest and say that I wanted to those first few months after you left. I wanted to hate you more than any other. I wanted to hate you for leaving me, for leaving our mother, for finding your freedom, though I see that was only temporary now."

He gazed at the tattoo on her chest, struggling to keep from admiring the swell of her breasts in the bikini. "You got a tattoo? Mom and dad will have a fit when they find out." He flashed her a mischievous smirk. "Though I'm not telling."

 

[Sin-Claire]

Alice smiled shyly when he finally noticed her and approached. "I've been creeping for a while," she assured him jokingly as he pulled himself up, allowing her smile to widen. "And thanks, I guess?" she replied, letting out a light nervous laugh. There was so much she wanted to say but the words felt stuck.

He laid back on the ground and she studied him surreptitiously through a thin veil of golden hair. Water beads were running down his sides along the little valleys between his abdominal muscles. His arms seemed to double in size as he rested them behind his head. It was hard to believe how much he'd changed.

Pulling her lower lip between her teeth, she gnawed on it worriedly as she tried to find something to say. That was when he broke the silence. Her jaw clenched at his words, not in anger towards him, but in built up guilt and regret at herself. She knew what he meant. And it had eaten at her since she'd been gone. There had been times she wanted to call, to reach out. But how do you talk to a brother and best friend that you completely abandoned? As time went on, it only got more out of reach.

His feet began to create ripples on the water's surface and she stared hard, her hands gripping the pool's edge with enough force to turn her knuckles white. There was a subtle relief in hearing that he didn't hate her but it didn't change the fact that she hated herself. Though he may have seen it as a brave action, it felt more cowardly than anything. She had run away. She hadn't been strong enough to stay. Not that she would have ever submitted to her father's rules. She wasn't some broodmare to be matched with the finest stud in the stable.

Her vision swam as he spoke, the ripples becoming even more distorted as she fought against her emotions. Crying wouldn't change anything. She barked out a rough laugh at his statement about her return and looked down to the tattoo on her ribs. God, she hoped that wouldn't be the only taste of freedom that she ever got. Now that she looked at it, it seemed to be mocking her. Here she was back in her gilded cage.

"I hope they see it," she remarked casually, relieved that her voice was under control. Her nails scratched at the ground as she mustered up her courage. "Michael I-" she began, cutting short as a single tear fell. Still, she kept her face to the water. "I am sorry. I did abandon you. I ran away but I want you to know that I did look back. I did think about you. Although that probably only makes it worse." She had cried herself to sleep the first week she was gone, huddled up in a ratty rundown motel. Even then, she almost returned, but only for selfish, spoiled reasons. Her hand slid over and she rested it nervously on his thigh, trying to convey what words couldn't. "I know it doesn't change what happened, but I missed you," she finished awkwardly, a waver in her voice. A picture of his younger self smiling blossomed in her mind and she pushed herself into the water without warning before he could see her tears.

The water was cool, a welcome relief to the warm evening air and she exhaled, using the small moment underwater to compose herself. Breaking the surface she pushed her hair back and turned back to where he was, treading water as she watched him. "I hope your swimming has at least gotten better since I left," she called out to him tauntingly, trying to bridge the gap between them. It fell to her to mend whatever they had, after all, she was the eldest.

 

[Phenom]

"Why were you creeping?" Michael asked, his face blushing a bright shade of crimson. "You could have just come and joined me!"

He smiled and tilted his head slightly, closing his eyes. "You're welcome! That's what us younger siblings are for. We're supposed to make you feel better about decisions you made. Though I would have recommended finding someone else to do that tattoo, the text could use work."

"I'm sure if you walked around in that bikini tomorrow that mom and dad would both see it and probably more than they would ever want to see too." He left it unspoken that he didn't mind the view and he kept stealing glances over at her from time to time. "Don't worry about it Alice, I'm over it now. I was upset at first; but, I understood that you felt trapped and caged, you needed room to breathe and they would never have just let you leave, father just isn't that sort of individual sadly."

He heard the sound of a soft splash and peeked down the length of his body to see her in the pool. He lifted himself back into a sitting position, his cupped palm serving as a platform for his chin as he watched a tiny bit of his older sister shine through.

"Don't think you can beat me like you used to!" He countered, rising to his feet and performing a cannonball into the pool to her left. He rose to the surface, sending a wave of water at her and brushed his hair back from his eyes as he moved closer to where she treaded water. "It seems like you're the small one now, big sister."

 

[Sin-Claire]

Her words had the intended effect of goading him into the water and she squealed with delight as he cannonballed into the water. The water felt like it calmed some of the tension she felt and words began to come easier.

"Psh...," she retorted with an air of superiority. "It's not the size that matters but how you use it bro," she shot back, biting back her grin as he swam closer. "Besides, swimming is about grace not hulk powers," she continued, gesturing at his muscled form. Splashing water back his way, Alice then dove under the water feeling playful excitement rise in her chest. It had been ages since she'd gone swimming and it felt amazing.

It was clear underneath and she had a moment to shamelessly ogle Michael from below, the pool lights illuminating his body. The pool was relatively deep where they were so she swam down to touch the bottom much like she had used to.

An idea popped into her head and so she resurfaced right next to him within a foot. Turning to face him, Alice's cheeks were blown up, much like a chipmunk. She calmly refrained from gasping for air, waiting to ensure he was looking. At that moment she used her hands on either side of her face to push the water from her cheeks, right at his face. It had been something they had done long ago, way before she had even left and they were kids. She wasn't quite sure what childish impulse had taken over her, but the look on his face made her dissolve into immediate laughter.

She really had missed him and even though there was a slight tension between them she hadn't given up hope that they could retrieve something of their past bond. He was the only family she had worth fighting for.

 

[Phenom]

"Pssh," He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's also not about the size of the flotation devices you carry either."

Two can play that game, he chuckled to himself, bracing himself for her splash. The water hit his arms and splashed to the sides, only a fraction of the initial amount reaching his face. He stuck his tongue out at her to show her what he thought about that. It had been a really long time since he'd felt this happy around his sister. Usually she was always in a mood because of father this or father that. Perhaps she's trying to repay me for all those times I helped her out of a bad mood?

He began to wonder what his sibling was up to when her dive took far longer than necessary for her to resurface. He heard her finally resurface and turned to face the direction of the sound's origin. It took a split second too long for his brain to recognize and comprehend the chipmunk-shaped cheeks. It was as his brain told him that her mouth was full of something and that he should probably duck, she pushed her cheeks together as she opened her mouth, blasting him in the face with a stream of warm pool water. His face impulsively informed her that he was immensely displeased with her tactic and kind of well, pissed.

He tried to stay mad, really he did; but, seeing her laughing, her joy at something so childish just melted the ice in his chest and soon a grin surfaced. "You know I'll have to get you back for that, right sis? Though I do have to admit that took me back. When was the last time you even employed that trick on me? It had to have been when we were what, four?"

"I've missed you." He closed the distance between them and embraced her in a firm hug, squeezing her against him. "I'm glad you're back, even if it's only temporary."

He stepped back and tread the water before remembering he could simply stand and did so, pushing his hair back again so that his hazel eyes came into view again. "Are you really staying in your old bedroom? I bet that's bringing back all sorts of flashbacks. I don't think mom has even touched a thing in there since you left. Louise does her best to keep things clean on the off chance you were to come back home, something father insisted for the first few months after you left. He sort of well, dropped it, after that until recently when you sent word you were coming home to stay again."

"Hey, I have an idea! You remember how we used to have those late night movie sessions when we were younger, where you'd force me to watch one of those lame chick flicks and I'd insist that you had to watch a real action movie." His eyes glazed over as he was teleported back through time to days of constant joy and childhood laughter. "Anyway, want to come over and watch a movie and eat popcorn? Be cool to catch up on everything and get to know your plans now that you're back."

He pointed to the pool house. "I'm staying in there now, took some persuading; but, father finally came around when I explained that I wasn't 'leaving', just wanted my own space."

 

[Sin-Claire]

"You can try to get me back," she countered, reining in her laughter, "but it probably won't work. I'm just that good." Alice was surprised when he pulled her in for a hug rather than dunk her beneath the water for her transgression. Surprised and elated. It was something she had wanted to do earlier but didn't know how he'd handle it. His following words also shocked her. Did he automatically believe that she would set out again at some point? Was that based on some sort of faith in her or some belief in her running again?

She squeezed back in his embrace and treaded the water while he stood. His hair had even changed, she noticed. It actually had a style now. But his hazel eyes were the same as ever. Warm and comforting. "Yeah the bedroom is kind of creepy in how unchanged it is." She was surprised when he spoke of their father's reaction. It made her wonder if he regretted anything about that day.

His sudden enthusiasm was contagious and she grinned as he proposed the movie night. "You convinced father to let you stay in the pool house?! Damn Michael, well played," she praised with a low whistle looking to the small building. She should've thought of that way back when. Although it probably would've been a harsh 'no and that's final' from father back then.

"Fuck yeah let's watch a movie," she answered excitedly. "But also I'll have you know that chick flicks are all about happy endings which are definitely not lame." She swam to the stairs and pulled herself free of the water, now happy that the air was warm. Water dripped down to the pavement and she belatedly realized that she did not bring out a towel. "Any chance your pool shack has an extra towel?" she questioned with a grin. "Also, I'm gonna need to know if the pool bar is still stocked."

 

[Phenom]

"I know, right!" He chuckled, grimacing at the memory of the nearly museum-like quality of his sister's bedroom. "It was almost a shrine, the way everything had to be left exactly how it was when you left so it would remain the same when you magically reappeared or so mother continued to insist for the longest time before she was finally convinced by father that you weren't coming back any time soon."

He grinned and scratched the back of his head at her surprise. "Yeah. It took a lot of promises and head bobs that 'yes', 'I understood', 'no, I wouldn't do that', etc. You know how father gets when someone is trying to haggle with him. He feels like unless he clearly states the box that you're confined to, you're bridging acceptable conditions and he fights back just as hard. I learned to let him go, nodding here or there and nudging him but never claiming the idea on other things. But hey! It worked out and I'm now the proud owner of my own personal space."

"Awesome," He pumped his fist in excitement when she agreed to the movie. "You're going to have to get the popcorn from the main house, Louise has a secret stash of candy and small tidbits you can spice up the popcorn with, stuff she knows mother wouldn't approve of if she knew we had it; but, she was always more of a mother to us and cares for us in her own ways. I think that happened to be one of them. I think they're third or fourth cabinet from the bottom on the kitchen island. Might have to do some probing to find them."

He followed after his sister, watching her ass as she climbed from the pool, unable to his appreciation, chiming up from behind her. "Happy endings are only worth something if the person had to go through hell to achieve it. The whole guy riding a horse through a forest, fighting a guy in cheesy makeup and special effects doesn't count. Yeah, there's several in my bathroom, top shelf. Try not to drag water through too much of the house though, I've done pretty well keeping it clean. I know how messy you are."

"I knew you were going to ask about that." He chuckled and walked over to the chair where his towel lay, beginning to dry his hair. "Yeah, should be stocked with a mix of the good and cheap stuff. I gave Louise some money and asked her to pick up some for me. I don't usually tap into it lately, goes against what I'm trying to accomplish with all this bodybuilding and training. The code on the fridge is '0981', then press the number sign. Gotta keep some of my friends out of it. Swear they just come over to binge off my fridge."

 

[Sin-Claire]

"Messy?" she scoffed, throwing a grin his way, "I prefer to think of it as disorganized organization." She leaned to the side, squeezing the water from her hair as he continued to speak. "You know what sounds like the better idea? How about you go get the popcorn since you know where all the goodies are? That way I can make us some drinks and clean the copious amounts of water off your floor."

She turned to face him as he dried off with his own towel, not hiding the fact that she was staring at his body. "I think you can take one night off your strict regimen bro. Those abs aren't going anywhere," she said the last with a grin. "Besides, it's a celebration of my failure and our reunion. It wouldn't be right without taking some action that would disappoint our parents."

At that she turned to the pool house and made her way inside, still dripping a fair amount of water. What did he expect, it was a pool house after all. The cooler air made her shiver so she hurried to the bathroom and grabbed one of the luxurious fluffy towels off the rack. God, it was the little things she had missed. Like oversized towels. She made quick work to get rid of the water on her body then ran it over her hair numerous times until it was only mildly damp. She wanted to search for a shirt of his to possibly change into but she didn't want him to think she was snooping. Anyways, she had another mission on her mind.

Tossing the towel on the floor she dragged it dutifully to quickly wipe up the water. Well most of it anyways. She picked it up, noticing how neat the place actually was. Huh, he wasn't kidding. There was a hamper to the side that she tossed the towel in and moved to the bar area that held the fridge. Shit, what had the code been? It took a couple attempts but she had it open and peered inside. Jackpot. Her eyes took in the various alcohol and she settled for a classic whiskey and coke. Some good stuff too. Probably shouldn't mix it, but fuck it. Her pour was generous and she fixed two of the same drink.

Genuine happiness buzzed in her brain and she paused for a moment, realizing that it had been a while since she'd been this happy. The fact that he had suggested this movie night and also seemed genuinely stoked to hang out warmed her to the core. It was more than she could've imagined.

 

[Phenom]

"Messy is still messy, given any other name." He countered with a smug smile, though he mock pouted at her suggested alteration to his plan. "You're only saying that because you're still not sure how you feel about going in the house again. Not that I blame you!"

He lifted an eyebrow when he caught her looking, his hazel eyes twinkling with mischief. "You sure? I've heard that once you take the night off, it's all downhill from there and you can never recover. Whatever would the ladies do if I didn't work on this body to impress them."

"Quit calling it a failure." He paused in drying off to wag a finger chastisingly at her. "It's only a failure if you let it define you. It's more of a temporary setback and I'm all for getting shitfaced in the name of our reunion. Though I'm making you clean up any of our mess, I promise."

Another idea popped into his head. "Since I'm cheating today on my diet, what do you say we split a pizza and popcorn? We could munch on the popcorn until the pizza gets here."

While she made for the pool house, he headed back inside, making sure that he was as completely dry as he possibly could be. He opened the glass door and snuck into the kitchen, digging through the cupboards to pull out a large, plastic bowl and two bags of popcorn. He threw the two bags in the microwave, set it to the popcorn setting and went back to the island counter, rummaging through the drawers until he found the popcorn fixins. The microwave dinged and he quickly scooped the two bags out and set them on the counter, letting the last few kernels pop before opening them and pouring them into the bowl. He added the salt, chocolate candy pieces and a few pretzel ones too to be safe.

He carefully put everything away, threw the bags in the trash and snuck back outside, run-walking across the dry pavement around the pool and slipping into the pool house. "I come bearing gifts of the popcorn kind!"

"What'd you make us to drink?" He spotted the whiskey and coke, lifting his drink and taking a swig, wincing. "I see your taste hasn't changed much. Did you decide on a movie yet?"

 

[Sin-Claire]

Alice contemplated Michael's earlier words as she put up the drink ingredients. A temporary setback huh? She liked that description.

Alice jumped when the door opened unexpectedly, containing any improper squeals she might have wanted to utter. She waited for him to take a sip, frowning lightly when he grimaced. "Of course, my taste is impeccable as always." Picking up her own drink, she took a healthy gulp, reveling in the way the alcohol warmed her on the way down. She hadn't been able to afford this kind of luxury in a while.

"Wellllll....," comically stretching out the word and looking innocent. "I may have had one particular movie in mind that I haven't seen in forever and I think it would be absolutely perfect. Plus it has everything. Action, revenge, sword fighting, true love!" she grinned at her own rambling and build up, curious if he knew what she was hinting at. "Please, please, please can we watch Princess Bride?! I'll let you choose all the pizza toppings," she promised, reaching over to grab a handful of popcorn.

"By the way, you may or may not have been right about me not wanting to go back into the house," she hedged. "Can I borrow something dry? I don't wanna sit on the couch in my wet bathing suit," she admitted gesturing to her bikini. She picked up her drink and walked around the bar to the opposite side, finally taking the time to glance around. "By the way, sweet pad baby bro," she complemented. He really was much neater and organized than she was.

She tossed back the popcorn pleased that she'd gotten a bit of chocolate in it as well. This was living. Much easier than roughing it on her own and infinitely nicer. Would it be terrible to wish their parents would kick the bucket and they could just live here alone in luxury? Naw, too far. Still, if she could get a place like this little pool house out in the world she would be set.

 

[Phenom]

"No," he replied, shaking his head as he forced himself to drink the rest of the cup, shaking his head the entire time. "Your taste is horrible and you're no longer allowed to make my drink. I will allow you to mix what I request though."

He groaned the entire time she went on to describe the movie before finally sighing. "Fine, we can watch The Princess Bride for the nine-hundredth time. I'm going all out on the toppings and you can't complain, deals a deal!"

"Yeah, sure, help yourself to a shirt or shorts or whatever." He replied, distracted as he reached for his cellphone, charging on a nearby shelf and pressed the speed dial for the nearby pizza place that delivered, pumping the air when someone answered. "Yes! Hello, I'd like to place an order for delivery to...., yeah, I'd like a extra-large pizza with pepperoni, banana peppers, bacon, green peppers, onions, black olives and throw some chicken on it too. Yeah, can we get a couple of those seasoning packets and another garlic sauce?"

He listened to the person on the other end before rattling off his credit card number that his allowance paid off each month and turned to his sister, scooping a handful of the popcorn and throwing it in his mouth and chewing silently. "They said it's going to be around thirty to fourty-five minutes until they get here. Do you want to start the movie or wait?"

"Thanks," he replied sheepishly. "I try to do what I can to keep it clean to help Louise out."

 

[Sin-Claire]

"Yes!" Alice exclaimed in a high pitch, jumping in place. "Okay, I'm gonna get changed and then I'll make the next round," she remarked quickly. Alice took another big gulp of her drink before she set it down to go find something to wear.

Alice stepped into the bedroom that was through the only doorway besides the bathroom and moved around the bed to the closet. It was absolutely full of top notch clothes. Button ups, polos, sweaters. All undoubtedly designer. She moved to the dresser instead and popped it open to find some plain undershirts and she grabbed a white one and tossed it on the bed. The next drawer was full of boxers and briefs which somehow made her feel wickedly perverse and she tried to ignore that fact. Grabbing the top boxers which were just navy plaid, she shut the drawer and turned to make sure the coast was clear.

In a flash she stripped off the bikini and pulled on the borrowed clothes. The shirt was comfortable and not overly large. The boxers however were much too big. She rolled the top band to try to make it more secure but she would just need to be careful not to lose them. Her nipples, cold from being kept in a cold wet bikini poked against the thin fabric of the undershirt and she wondered if it was obvious. It was probably fine.

Upon exiting the bedroom she just caught the end of his order her jaw dropping at the sheer amount of toppings he was asking them to pile on. Biting back her retort since this was the deal they had made, she set her bikini on the bar and drained off the rest of her drink.

"The sooner we start the better," she answered cheekily, scooping up his empty glass. "But first... Refreshments! The bar is open for business dear brother, what can I get you?" She started to mix herself another whiskey and coke while he decided. Every few moments she had to pull back up on the boxers because they kept threatening to slide off her hips.

 

[Phenom]

"Okay," Michael replied with a slow roll of his eyes, sisters, he groaned. "I'll try to hold back my excitement at the prospect of you wearing something other than a bikini."

He heard his sister return from his bedroom and he bit back whatever retort had been building on his tongue when he caught sight of her wearing little more than his clothing. There was something oddly erotic and satisfying about his older sister wearing his t-shirt and a pair of his boxers, though he raised an eyebrow when he noticed they were far too big for her waist. His gaze though, quickly darted to where her nipples poked against the soft linen of the shirt, causing a crimson blush to spread over his cheeks and him to quickly look away, hoping she hadn't noticed his stare.

He smiled when she quickly changed the subject and nodded. "I agree. I'll take something with a bit of flavor, reach down there and grab that bottle of Not Your Father's Root Beer and serve it on the rocks, try a bit for yourself as well, I highly recommend it."

"I'll get the movie set up and ready to press play when you're ready then." He jumped over the couch, flaunting his athleticism a bit, though he didn't know why and pretended to dig through the large stack of movies though he knew exactly where the one in question lay, he had been hoping for something like this with her after all. "Found it!"

He popped it into the disc tray, pressed close and ploppd back against the couch, raising the reclining seat as he reached for the remote, turning the television on and switching the source to the Blu-ray player. The trailers began to play and he repeatedly pressed skip until they sat at the menu screen and he extended the remote for her to take. "I bequeath you control."

 

[Sin-Claire]

Had she seen him blush after seeing her changed? Surely not she chastised herself. He probably didn't even notice. Pausing in making her own drink she pulled out his request from the fridge and twisted off the cap. Taking a sip she was surprised by the pleasant taste. Alright. She could make the switch. Pulling out another bottle she filled their glasses with fresh ice and poured for the both of them.

Happily, she walked to the couch drinks in tow. She set hers down on the end table and grinned at his cheesy antics. It filled her with indescribable warmth. God she had really missed him. There was something special about a brother. She'd never been closer to anyone else since she'd left and being here with him made her realise how much she had craved this connection that they'd had. As he held out the remote she held out his drink. "Thank you kind sir. Take this for your troubles."

Trading him the drink for the remote she fell back on the opposite end of the couch giddy to see the menu screen for The Princess Bride. "Oh the popcorn!" she realized aloud clambering up to grab it. She retrieved it from the bar and came back to sit down right next to him this time for the purpose of sharing. Heat radiated off his arm beside her and she dispelled any unsisterly thoughts that lingered. It was just so hard when sat next to her like a relaxed shirtless GQ model.

To distract herself she pressed play and pulled up her legs to sit Indian style, her knee coming to rest against his leg. Picking out a pretzel and chocolate from the bowl she popped it into her mouth with a pleased hum. She really couldn't have imagined this night going any better.

 

[Phenom]

"Thanks sis," he replied with a smile that lit up his face, fingers curling around the drink and raising it to his lips and tilting the glass slightly to allow the syrupy liquid, albeit less so with the ice in the glass, to slide down his throat with a pleasured sigh. "That's the good stuff. Gotta be careful though, this stuff has a high alcohol content and the sweet taste can easily distract you from how many you've consumed, speaking from personal experience and poor choices afterward."

He chuckled when she scurried back into the kitchen to grab the popcorn before returning to the couch, this time lowering herself to sit right beside him. He could feel his arm brush against hers witj the close proximity and he felt a blush creep up his cheeks once more. Matters compounded even more when she lifted and crossed her legs to sit Indian style. He reached a hand over without looking, intending to grab some popcorn and instead found his hand brushing against the soft skin of her thigh.

He coughed nervously and looked to make sure he found the bowl the second try, lifting the handful of popcorn, chocolate and pretzels into his mouth, chewing silently. "Are you going to press play sis or are we going to watch the same two minute segment on repeat?"

He settled back against the couch, relaxing and enjoying the warmth and company of his sister. He lifted an arm and stretched it out across the back of the couch. He kept glancing over at his sister, trying to compare the woman next to him with the young girl he knew growing up. He heard his phone begin blaring his ringtone and he hopped up and hurried to answer before his answer machine picked up.

"Yeah, I'll be right there." He ended the call and set the phone down before raising his voice to be heard over the movie. "Pizza is here, I'll be right back."

He slipped out into the night, running to get to the front gate, slipping through the side door. He signed the restaurant company's copy and handed it back, accepting the warm box of pizza in exchange. He thanked the guy, gave him a ten in tip and carefully carried the pizza back to the pool house. He slipped back inside and set the box down, pulling some paper plates out of one of the cupboards.

He inhaled the delicious aroma of the pizza as he flipped open the lid. "Dig in sis or I'm gonna eat it all."

 

[Sin-Claire]

Inigo Montoya was mid battle with the mysterious man in black when Michael's phone rang out. He hopped up and she exhaled quietly. They'd been so close the entire movie and the smell of him had only added to the allure of his close half naked body. She grabbed her drink and took a healthy gulp fighting away her nerves. It would just take time for her to settle back into the sister role that was all.

Pausing the movie as he went to grab the pizza, Alice jumped up for a quick pee break. Great, broke the seal already. She flushed the toilet then glanced at herself in the mirror fingers clawing idly through her messy half dry hair. She realized she still had her hairband on her wrist and used it to pull it all away from her face up into a high messy bun. Otherwise she would sure it would get in the way of pizza. Hearing Michael return she left the bathroom and walked out to where the box was.

"You better not," she retorted naturally, approaching and deeply inhaling the smell of hot pizza. Her stomach grumbled and she grabbed one of the paper plates looking at the mess of toppings that was their pizza. She grabbed a piece and fed it into her mouth straight off mouth exploding with a million flavors. Groaning around the cheesy meaty mouthful she leaned heavily against the counter. "God that's good," she murmured around the mouthful her eyes closed and her head leaned back.

She set the piece down on her plate and reached for a napkin from the counter. Grease had gotten on her fingers and at the corner of her mouth. But it was so worth it. "Now this is worth breaking a regimen for," she told him with a grin. "Besides, isn't all that hunky workout stuff about carb loading?"

 

[Phenom]

"I totally will," he countered in the way of their childhood antics. He had just begun to scoop out a slice of pizza when his sister exited the bathroom, hair up in a bun. "You're lucky some of the mandatory lessons on table manners and gentlemanly necessities dictate I let you have first bite."

His eyes lit up with mischief as he continued. "After that, all bets are off. This pizza smells delicious, my stomach is growling and I'm going to make sure I lick as many slices as I can so you don't eat them."

He watched her draw out one of the slices and lift it straight to her mouth, biting off a large chunk and groaning at the explosion of flavor on her tongue. "You're not supposed to make love to the pizza sis, you're just supposed to eat it."

Having allowed her the first pick and slice of their pizza, he set out to do exactly as he had promised. He scooped up three slices and loaded them on to his plate in a sad, crooked tower of cheese, crust, meat and vegetables. He then proceeded to lick the next three, making sure to do so slowly and so that she could see before smirking and plopping himself back down on the couch.

"Bring some napkins sis," He mumbled around half of a slice, chewing until swallowing and licking the grease from the tips of his fingers before coughing at her hunk comment. He pounded on his chest until he could breathe again and glared at her. "I thought we were ignoring the fact I'm supposed to be on a diet and strict regimen?"

 

[Sin-Claire]

"And I thought you were supposed to nice to your poor black sheep sister and not lick all the pizza. As if that would scare me off," she countered. Finishing her first slice she picked up the one that he hadn't licked despite her boast. To be honest watching him slowly lick the pizza while looking up at her had been kind of hot. I must be a special kind of freak she thought to herself.

"Besides, when pizza is this good, maybe even better than sex, you are supposed to make love to it," she claimed, scooping up an inordinate amount of napkins and also grabbing another bottle of the hard root beer. "It would be rude to just eat and run," she ended laughing at her own cheesy joke and returning to the couch.

"Also, no one is ignoring your diet and strict regimen. Good God, just look at yourself bro," she commented wryly, taking that moment to plop down next to him. The small bit of alcohol was loosening her tongue a bit and she felt comfortably warm.

She dropped the copious amounts of napkins into his lap and then popped the cap on the bottle. She poured a bit into her own glass and then leaned over him to fill the glass he'd set on the side table. He could probably handle way more than she could since he probably had at least 60 to 70 pounds on her. Besides, she was already feeling a bit of buzz settle in. Suddenly she was all too aware of how close she had suddenly gotten and she sank back quickly when the bottle had emptied. He had smelled like chlorine and after shave and it made her stomach flutter. Chill the eff out she told herself.

She left the popcorn bowl in front of them on the coffee table in favor of her pizza slice. Scooching herself back into the comfortable cushions she still kept her place right next to him on the couch. He radiated heat like a furnace and it was more comfortable this way. Besides, he did have all the napkins now.

"Ready to start it back up?" she asked him, lifting her slice for another glorious bite. Setting it down she reached and grabbed one of the million napkins from his lap to combat making a mess.

 

[Phenom]

"Beggars can't be choosers," he singsonged in a mocking voice. "What was that about not scaring you off? I clearly saw you avoiding the pieces that I licked."

He chuckled with glee, having watched her avoid his licked pieces carefully, though he raised his eyebrow. "You must have had some pretty lame sex if you think pizza is better than sex. Maybe you should look for a new lover? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's good. Just don't know if it knocks sex out of the number one spot."

"I still have room to go," He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, accentuating his pectorals and biceps, careful not to spill the pizza in his lap. "I still need to cut to get that definition and form that I'm looking for. Not that any of the girls at school have noticed. Was hoping Jenny from social studies would, you remember her?"

He groaned as she refilled his glass. "Are you trying to get me drunk sis, your poor, innocent, underage brother? You're a bad influence, sis."

He took away the burn of his tease with a large sip of the topped off glass and chasing it down with the other half of the pizza slice he had been munching on.

"Yep," he mumbled, mouth full of yet another slice of pizza, his cheeks puffed out as he chewed. "I'm ready. Just gotta stomach this till it's the turn for my movie."

 

[Sin-Claire]

Alice's eyes widened at his talk about sex and she had nearly choked on a bite of pizza. Although he may have been right. They hadn't been the mind blowing experiences she had expected. Not that she hadn't liked it, she did. Her silent reminiscing about her lackluster sex life was interrupted by his question.

"Wait," she started her eyes going wide, "Is Jenny the one who turned you down for the school dance years ago?!" Turning to look at him more critically she wondered if she had some sort of bias as his sister. Her eyes toured over his muscles and down to the line of his swim trunks where she resolutely stopped. No way. He was a full package. Handsome, fit, with an easy smile and kind eyes. "Trust me brother. I remember being in school and if a guy had looked like you, I would have been drooling on the sidelines but too shy to approach," she assured him, turning back to finish her pizza.

"And of course I'm trying to get you drunk. I can't be drunk alone. And of course I'm a bad influence. Just look at my recent track record," she teased jokingly before setting her empty plate on the table and taking another sip of her drink. Bringing her legs up to tuck beneath her she leaned a little more fully on his shoulder.

Full and content she hit play, already secretly dreading what movie he had in store for later. Probably some actioned filled gore fest. Whatever. To be honest she would watch anything just to spend more time with him. It was a shame she had let the past couple of years escape. It wouldn't be a mistake she made again. Even if she was able to leave again, she would never lose touch like she had again.