More Than Blood [Saria & Banter]

[Nico]

Dietrich Hall shrugged his heavy pack from his shoulders and shook the rain from his dark brown hair, glancing back at street as he watched the last of the afternoon shower fall from the sky. Of course it had unleashed hell on him, but cleared right up once he was at the front door. He grimaced, unconsciously transforming his face into a menacing scowl as he hadn't taken the time to shave off the dark stubble that shadowed his jaw. He looked rather wild, weather-beaten and out of place, standing sodden outside on the porch of the cozy suburban house.

"Rick!" came the crooning call from inside the house, before the door was thrown open.

He opened his arms and enveloped the tiny woman in a warm hug as she stretched to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his cheek, "Hi mom."

"You've grown again," She remarked after lowering back onto her heels and stepped back to hold him at a distance; her eyes traveled over his jacket, casual navy blue t-shirt, dark wash jeans, and scuffed boots.

"Nah, you've just shrunk with old age," Dietrich's blue eyes sparked with mirth as he grinned, then pretended to rub the sore of his arm where the woman had smacked him.

It was true; Dietrich had always been tall, but standing at 6'3" and a solid 230lbs, it could be said he had inherited his father's physique. Beside him, his mother looked downright fragile. It had helped that his college expected students to complete P.E. credits as a graduation requirement, something about the college wanting to "balance out" their highly intellectual body of students. Unlike most, it hadn't been a chore for Dietrich; he had fallen into wrestling and dabbled in boxing and jujitsu. He had enjoyed the physical exertion as a escape from the daily grind of his classes. Under the worn leather jacket lay some of the bruises of his last match. Following his mother in, he didn't remove it, knowing her and how much she hated seeing him black and blue.

"Your brother will be home any minute, so go clean up and then help me set the table. You can put your stuff in his room; we moved your bunk beds out, so we'll have to find you a futon,"

His mother's rambling drifted off into the kitchen, and Dietrich took a deep breath in. It smelled like home and cake. He smirked at the decorations and the balloons and the pile of presents. Kai had always been spoiled as the youngest. His little brother would be turning 17. He hadn't seen Kai in almost a year; he had probably grown up as well.

Dietrich's hand pushed open the door to his brother's room, the inked wrist of his faded tattoo sleeve peeking briefly out from under the sleeve of his jacket. It was formerly their room before he had moved out. Now it was radically rearranged. Dietrich found himself resisting the urge to bend over his brother's bed and test if it still smelled like he remembered. Nostalgia hit him like a fist to the gut as he set down his bag in the corner of the room. He wanted to lie on that bed. Shaking his head, Dietrich retreated to the bathroom to wash the grime of the long plane ride from himself.

Returning downstairs, he fingered the wrapped presents he held before setting them amongst the pile on the table. They were a couple of his brother's favorite comics, two of the books on his college reading list, a gift card, a miniature coffee press, a couple of condoms and a porn mag: College essentials.

His mother paused in catching him up to date on the family gossip as she heard the door open and close, going to greet his father. Dietrich looked down at the cake, smiling. 18 candles and Kai's favorite flavor. His brother should be walking home from school now. Dietrich's coming had been kept a secret. He wondered how his brother would react, seeing him here. After so long, he was rife with anticipation.

 

[Saria]

Kai walked the not-quite mile home with Lauren, both of them damp from the sudden downpour. Luckily they'd been near a convenience store and had slipped inside before they got drenched. The spiked hair he usually worked so hard on in the mornings had gone limp, though at least the black dye wasn't running. He'd learned his lesson and forked over the money for a professional to do it.

He glanced down as Lauren took his hand and pressed against his arm. "So, what do you want for your birthday? You can ask for aaanything you want and I might even say yes," she said with a wink. She had the air of a popular girl about her and looked rather out of place next to Kai with his gothic style going. Black pants, black shirt, dyed black hair, (no dog collar though, he didn't like the punk goth twist) and his skin was only a shade more tan than pasty though he didn't look unhealthy. He'd always been on the slim side and sports were definitely not his thing. He'd grown taller though even with his last growth he barely reached 5'8".

"Anything?" he asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Even sit and play Left for Dead with me?"

She wrinkled her nose, letting go of his arm to let him open the door as they reached his home. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind... And you know I hate those games."

He snickered quietly. "How could I forget? I'm still cleaning blood out of my ears from your screams."

"Kai! Mrs. Hall, your son is so...mean," she said, trailing off as she stepped inside and her eyes landed on someone who she'd only seen pictures of. He was even hotter in person.

Kai glanced over in confusion before following her gaze, going still and tightening his grip on his backpack as he saw Dietrich, a myriad of emotions coursing through him at once and leaving him feeling like he'd been sucker-punched. "Die," he murmured, unable to stop the old nickname from escaping his lips. He was surprised to say the least, considering he'd been lead to believe Dietrich wouldn't be coming home for his birthday, though anger at being lied to and the old sense of betrayal from his brother going so far away for college and losing touch was close behind. He shook off Lauren's hand when she tried to take it again though he wasn't sure why, finally tearing his eyes away from his brother. "How long before dinner?" he asked, stepping over to the table and swiping a finger through the chocolate icing to lick off.

 

[Nico]

"Happy Birthday Kai!" came the chorus as the door was opened.

Their mother and father strode forward to smother Kai with a hug while Dietrich stood idly near the end of the table and blew obnoxiously on a noisemaker. His posture was relaxed and amiable, but his eyes were less than warm as they flicked between Kai and the girl hanging off of his arm. Dietrich caught the brief narrowing of his brother's eyes and the way in which he tensed. He raised a pierced brow. A plethora of emotions had flickered over the younger sibling's face as he had laid eyes on him and gone still. Dietrich offered who he assumed to be his brother's girlfriend a good-natured smile, having always been congenial. However, his attention was caught up entirely by Kai as his brother mumbled his nickname, bringing back old memories of their childhood and those of a little blond boy, timid and despondent, pleading incessantly with him to 'play.'


"Kai, say hello to your brother!" their mother chided as Kai asked about dinner. Dietrich waved away her admonition, keeping the sociable smile in place as he watched his brother advance towards the cake, and towards him.

Dark blue eyes observed Kai's clothing and the way it contrasted with his pale skin. His brother wasn't looking at him. Kai did that when he was upset. Something deep within Dietrich flared up.

A large, calloused hand reached out to capture the slender wrist seeking to bring the swipe of chocolate frosting up to Kai's pale lips. In one smooth movement Dietrich had yanked his brother closer, his smile taking on a darker edge when he forced Kai's wrist upwards, lowered his head, and sucked the the offending sugar-coated finger into his own mouth. Dietrich hummed softly around the digit as he licked Kai clean of the chocolate frosting, firmly holding his brother's hand captive. Steady blue eyes traveled over the smooth face of his sibling, dilating the moment they met and held his brother's. Deitrich released his grip suddenly; Kai's finger slipped from between his lips with a wet pop.

"No you don't; no cake for the birthday boy before we've sung until your ears bleed. It's bad luck," he teased, smoothing over the surprising intimacy of his previous actions with the lighthearted tone, as though it all could be chalked up to playful antics between siblings. A cheery grin slid effortlessly into place, though his eyes spoke of something different as he looked down at Kai. His brother had grown up. Dietrich found himself reluctant to step away.

"Rick's right! You'll need your appetites!" their mother tittered, her blond curls bouncing as she emerged from the kitchen with a plate of steak, followed closely by their father hefting various plates of food.

Dietrich made towards the table, easygoing manner back in place. The tension in his stance and gaze seemed to have ebbed completely away as their parents reappeared. He reached out a hand to ruffle the wet mess of his brother's hair, cuffing him away from the cake in the process.

"You've dyed your hair," he remarked casually, then nodded to the girl beside Kai and offered out his hand while they took their seats around the dinner table, "I'm Dietrich, it's nice to meet you." His eyes settled on his brother, the question apparent in their gaze. He hadn't known Kai had been seeing someone. He didn't know exactly what he had expected either, perhaps that everything would be the same as he had left it. The girl was a surprise, as was his brother's newfound style. It seemed Kai and he had drifted farther apart than he thought.

"Let's eat," his father exclaimed, helping himself to a generous amount and passing the plates around. Dietrich took his portion last, eating leisurely as he listened to his parents questioning the young couple about their day. He found himself staring at his brother as he mulled over the questions he'd like to ask Kai himself; there was much to catch up on.

"How's your senior year going?" Dietrich interjected in a break in the conversation, "are you two looking forward to college? Have any school in particular you're looking at yet?" he asked, looking sidelong at the two high school students over the rim of his cup.

 

[Saria]

Kai ignored the chiding and did his best to ignore Dietrich as he headed for the cake, making a soft sound of surprise and protest when his brother grabbed his wrist. A faint sneer crossed his lips as Dietrich dared to touch him so casually when they had hardly spoken in at least eight months. He tugged at his wrist and opened his mouth to tell Dietrich to let go, though the words stuck in his throat when Die...pulled his finger into his mouth. Confusion flicked in his eyes, the wet warmth startling a barely audible moan out of him before he clenched his teeth, jerking at his wrist and glowering at Dietrich as their eyes met. He fought the urge to punch his brother in the face and only resisted because it would cause a scene, likely with him being the one who was blamed for it. No one would dare punish Dietrich, the favorite son. The one who could do no wrong.

So he curled his finger instead, scraping his nail against Dietrich's tongue in revenge. He jerked his hand away once it was released and wiped it on his shirt, backpedaling and dumping his backpack near the stairs without a word.

Lauren stared at Dietrich, paling and then flushing as she watched the exchange. Her jealousy and curiosity spiked as one, instincts telling her there was something other than sibling teasing or rivalry between them. She smoothed her hands over her skirt and stepped closer to the table, smiling faintly at Dietrich.

Kai returned and dropped down to sit at the table, tilting his head away from Dietrich's hand as he reached for a soda. "Yup," he answered, in a tone that said 'way to state the obvious'. He tugged Lauren down to sit beside him, lacing their fingers together in plain sight as he chugged his soda.

Lauren glanced at their hands with a confused but pleased expression before glancing to Dietrich. "I'm Lauren, nice to meet you," she said, holding out her free hand in greeting.

Kai filled his plate and let them talk around him. It wasn't like he had much to say anyway. He went to classes, he did his work, then he came home. His grades weren't the best and he avoided the rest of the student body, preferring to keep to himself. Lauren chattered happily and enough for the both of them anyway, recounting the day and stories she'd heard.

He glanced up briefly at Dietrich's question, raising an eyebrow like he should know the answer to that. "I'm not going to college," he replied simply, reaching for another soda. It was a sore subject between him and their parents, but it wasn't like they could change his mind. He'd be getting a job and moving out after he graduated.

 

[Nico]

Dietrich coughed on a piece of asparagus he had been chewing, repeating his brother's words, "not going to college?" He looked to his left, at their parents. Both had stopped eating; his mother was staring down at her plate, and his father was doing his best to conceal a scowl that menaced his pitiful attempt at keeping up a jolly demeanor. Obviously it was shaky ground.

The silence was palatable. Dietrich masticated a piece of steak thoroughly as he stared at Kai, his jaw working hard, before he looked down to stab another piece of meat and spoke up, "I'm sure with a clever mind like yours, you can get yourself into anything," his eyes rose to his brother's, "doesn't mean it has to be college."

There was another pause, pregnant with everything left unsaid: all of his parent's fears for their youngest, and the nagging possibility of history repeating itself. Every family had it's own version of batshit crazy. Their's just happened to be uncle Richard, who, in his prime had refused to finish college, dropped out, and spent the remainder of his tuition on a start up. He had read something about Chi in one of his classes, deciding then his calling was to create his own online tarot card-reading business. Needless to say, his fervid eccentricity coupled with his dedication to his art and refusal to consider any assistance at all drove his family away. To add insult to injury, his great idea resulted in modest funds, not nearly equating the amount put into it at the project's conception. Online Tarot card readings apparently weren't as groundbreaking for the rest of the world as uncle Richard believed. Now he was left isolated, somewhere in southern california, with only the tale of his mistake to carry on his name in the family.

Dietrich hefted a sigh. Obviously, uncle Richard was a special case. Kai one the other hand…

"Hey now, don't look so glum everyone! It's a special day; let's have some cake, eh?" Their father's deep bass sliced through the tension like a knife. All at once, his parents stood and started cleaning up the remnants of the meal. Dietrich helped, setting out plates and moving the cake.

He placed it before his brother, slowly pushing it towards him, then flicked out a lighter from his jacket pocket. He could hear their mother and father talking in the kitchen as dishes clinked and the ice box was opened. Silently lighting a candle, Dietrich took his time and used it to light the rest, straightening once the last candle's flame flickered into existence.

"Don't forget to make a wish," he said softly, returning the lighter to his pocket.

Altogether the lights of the room went out; the candles the only source of illumination other than that of the weak afternoon light that filtered through the blinds. The flames danced with the shadows of his brother's face. Their parents appeared with wide grins and ice cream, giving the motion of 'one, two, three-'

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear K-a-i, happy birthday to… you."

 

[Saria]

Kai ignored the silence and continued eating like a bombshell hadn't just been dropped on the table, squirting more ketchup on the last of his steak before popping it in his mouth. He pushed his empty plate aside and propped his chin on his fist with an almost bored expression as he waited for them to get over themselves. It wasn't like he was going to do something stupid. Well, except for the whole not doing college thing. Starving artist had always appealed to him, though he had enough talent he likely wouldn't starve. He'd secretly applied to and been accepted to the Chicago Art Institute. He hadn't told anyone and he'd hidden the acceptance letter in one of his old sketch pads. He wanted to take some time off of school for a while, even if traveling was out of the question.

He wasn't stupid. He knew everyone thought he was going to ruin his life, but he didn't plan to dig himself into a hole like Uncle Richard.

He straightened as they moved on to dessert, watching Dietrich light the candles. He eyed the flames and shivered at the sound of his brother telling him to make a wish. Since when had any of his wishes ever come true? That wasn't exactly fair - he did tend to wish for things he knew he wouldn't get. He glanced at Lauren out of the corner of his eye, wondering if he should wish for something simple this time. Like finally losing his virginity. That was easy enough, right?

He suffered through the singing, waiting for them to finish before closing his eyes and making his wish. At least this one would come true eventually. Surely he wasn't cursed to die a virgin, right? He took a deep breath and blew out the candles, getting them all to go out in one breath. Thankfully they hadn't used any of the trick candles, though he had to admit he hadn't been subjected to those since he got frustrated enough at fourteen to throw the cake into the wall to make it go out.

He took his slice of chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream, glancing at the presents and steeling himself for another hour at least of conversation and awkward silences. Though if Dietrich had bothered to contact him or keep in touch, he'd know what questions not to ask.

Lauren leaned over while the cake was being served to quietly ask, "So is your brother staying here a while?"

Kai shrugged and glanced towards his brother, hoping not, since that would mean they'd be sharing a room again. He'd just gotten used to having it to himself. He'd even painted one of the walls over several weekends into a mural of a dragon breathing fire over a village, though he'd been forced to put his bookcase and desk in front of it to cover most of it up when their parents saw it. Pity, considering it was some of his best work and showed a true talent.

Lauren huffed softly and straightened, crossing her arms on the table as she looked at Dietrich. "So, Die," she said, using the nickname she'd heard Kai use, missing the way Kai twitched beside her at its use, "are you staying in town a while? Maybe you could tell me some stories about Kai when he was younger." She offered a sweet smile.

 

[Nico]

After flicking on the lights, Dietrich took his place across from the couple, accepting the plate of cake and glass of milk offered by their father. The desert was good, although it was all rich chocolate. His brother had a obscene fondness for the flavor. He took a swig of milk, glancing over to Kai and Lauren. Somehow the heavy frosting had tasted better off his brother's hand.


Dietrich was caught off guard as Kai's nickname for him was used by the girl sitting beside him. It was unexpected and for some reason just as unpleasant. Before his reaction could be put to question, he returned Lauren's smile with a disarming one of his own and nodded, "I'll be here for five weeks. I thought this would be a good time to take a break, just before Kai-" Dietrich paused, his eyes falling on Kai as he tapped a fork down on his plate, "graduates."

He coughed, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and set his elbows on the table, "Stories huh? Let's see what I can remember," Dietrich's brows drew together as he thought, his mouth falling to rest on his hands, thinking.

Slowly, he grinned, "When Kai was younger he had a wild imagination - he would come up with all sorts of scenarios that could last for hours. He liked to act it out, those sorts of games; we'd play as knights fighting off imaginary dragons from eating mom's cookies, or as spies on a mission, mountain climbers, stuff like that," he chuckled, "one time I convinced him we'd be better camouflaged in the dead grass out back if we were naked. I didn't think he'd actually do it. We split up, and I later I found him crying, not because the neighbor's son had seen him crouching buck naked and rolling in the grass and had come over to ask what he was doing, but because he had been itching everywhere. He had just left his clothes in a pile on the back stairs and had gone commando into the weeds. I swear it was the cutest mess I've ever seen."

Dietrich laughed, looking over at his brother, "He never was the kid to take it slow; it was all about thrills. He got stuck in a tree once and couldn't get down. He cried forever for me to help him off even though the branch he got himself up on was only a few feet from the ground. I finally had to help him down when he threatened to shit himself. I didn't want to clean that up."

The way he reminisced spoke to their early childhood together, when Dietrich had functioned as friend and babysitter. Their parents worked full-time jobs, so it wasn't unusual that they would be home alone together for long stretches of time. Dietrich had slowly grown out of patience and time for Kai's needs, having more important things to focus on like friends and school. Kai was jaded, that much Dietrich knew. He'd always wondered how much his brother resented him for leaving him behind.

"He loved to paint; he'd paint everything, even the cat. There were always things Kai was getting himself into. Usually it was trouble," Dietrich chuckled, his gaze switching meet Kai's. He said nothing about how they used to sleep in his bed when they were younger, despite having two. That ended when he had brought his first girlfriend over. Despite being some of the best memories he had, they seemed too intimate, too private, to share for the sake of his brother's girlfriend's curiosity.

"And you two?" He gestured between the two of them with his fork, "How'd you meet?"

 

[Saria]

Kai tightened his fingers on his spoon, staring hard at his dessert and slowly losing his appetite as Dietrich reminisced about when they were kids. How dare he talk about it like he'd actually enjoyed putting up with him? As soon as he'd gotten old enough to cook his own meals and entertain himself, he'd been dropped like an old toy for something new and with breasts. That had pretty much been the moment things had started to change between them, and not for the better. He'd never been good at making friends, and being abandoned by his own brother had only made things worse. That was when he'd stopped idolizing his brother, started losing himself in books and comics, stopped going on adventures outside of his imagination. It was boring fighting dragons alone.

He pushed his plate of half-eaten cake away and crossed his arms, ignoring Lauren's soft laughter and meeting Dietrich's eyes with a blank expression. "Ha ha ha, so funny," he said dryly. "Says the ass who tried to convince me my goldfish committed suicide because I was too annoying." He barely contained a sneer and reached for a third soda. He'd regret it when he was trying to fall asleep, but if Dietrich was staying for five weeks, he likely wouldn't be sleeping much anyway. At least it was Friday.

Lauren glanced between them in surprise before smiling faintly at Dietrich. "I saw his work in the art gallery they set up in the gym... It was really beautiful and..." she almost said devastating, but decided against it, "I sought him out. He's really a sweetheart beneath the prickly attitude," she added with a grin, poking Kai in the side.

Kai grumbled and resumed chugging his soda, letting out a loud belch. "Can I open the presents now? We have a test on Monday to study for," he said, leaning over Lauren and snagging the closest present he could reach. He tore it open without waiting for permission and stared at the condoms and magazine. "Seriously....?" He felt his cheeks burning and was about to shove them under his chair before Lauren snatched them.

"Are those flavored?"

"Lauren!"

"Whaaat? These are expensive. Your brother has good taste," she said with a laugh, keeping them out of reach as Kai tried to get them back. No way had his parents gotten them for him. "You can lose the reading material though," she added with a wink.

"Lauren!!" Kai was red and refused to look at anyone else at the table, glowering at Lauren and half-heartedly trying to get the offending condoms back before giving up and reaching for another present, praying desperately it was something normal. He breathed a soft sigh of relief when it turned out to be a new shooter game for his PS3 he'd been interested in trying. "Thanks..."

 

[Nico]

Dietrich's low, bellowing laugh filled the room. This time his smile was genuine as he watched the couple go at it, although his focus was primarily on his brother. Kai's face burned with the flush that filled it and it was amusing to see him thrown off his guard. He had valiantly tried to hide the condoms and magazine from his girlfriend, ultimately failing. A smirk worked it's way into the curl of his mouth as Dieter watched the young couple. Were the two of them not intimate? Could it be his little brother was still virginal?

Dietrich watched his brother open the rest of the presents. There was a shock resistant, water proof camera and a pair of shoes from his father, clothes from his mother, and a small plush box from their grandmother. It revealed a gleaming vintage airman's watch with a card explaining how in her old age she couldn't travel, but wished him the best. Dietrich let out a low whistle at the last gift. He recognized it as their grandfather's. He was surprised she had skipped over his father's inheritance, and had instead bestowed it upon the youngest man in the family.

His grandmother had always favored Kai; Dietrich had always thought it had something to do with him being cuter than Dietrich by far, but now he wondered if the perceptive woman had some other motivation. He often believed her keen eyes saw more than they should. He felt uncomfortable, as if the priceless gift was staring at him, daring him to fuck up, to do wrong. He knew, she knew, he always had the opportunity to wrong an innocent. He knew he fought with tempting demons, and that he, more so than Kai would ever be, could be the smear on the family name. He shifted in his seat.


Their mother and father chattered excitedly over the watch. Dietrich turned to his brother.

He tipped a finger towards the game Kai held, "you know, if you put as much fanaticism into your study as you do those games, you might actually learn something." Hefting the last untouched gift in the pile, an obviously heavy rectangle, Dietrich dropped it in front of his brother, gesturing at him to open it.

Within the wrapping were two books; the first was an introduction to art history he believed his brother might be interested in, and the second was Noam Chomsky's "Interventions." It was reminiscent of the time a young Dietrich had tried to get his younger brother to read Howard Zin with him, arguing, "you need to know where you came from to know where you're going to go. You gotta understand why we're where we are."

This time Dietrich simply smiled down at his brother, and made no attempt to get him to open the package. He patted the top of the present, "you know where you're from," he glanced over at the watch laying atop the silken box, "Now it's time to decide where you're going to go, and what you're going to do with yourself, Kai." The room seemed to hush, their parents holding their breath. Dietrich stared down at his brother, before straightening up and turning away to clear his plate.


His mother made the suggestion they move out to the living room. Dietrich followed his parents, catching up on family and hometown happenings. They chatted easily, settling onto the couches facing the T.V and game console. Dietrich recounted tales from college and his internship under a professor of physics studying black holes and their effects on time; he was soon absorbed in a discussion with his mother about the details of the research, having forgotten for the moment just how uncomfortably pleasurable it was to be near his brother once more.

 

[Saria]

Kai neatly stacked his presents to one side as he opened them, glad at least that the clothes his mother bought him this time were black or dark green even if they weren't t-shirts. He could use the new hoodie if the rain was an indication of cooler weather on the way. He picked up the card from their grandmother, smiling faintly and hoping she was doing well. He'd call her later and make sure. He picked up the present and opened the box, nearly dropping it as he stared at the watch, hardly believing she'd given it to him. He'd always loved it and had always tried to sneak it away when they'd visited. He swallowed hard and lightly ran a finger over it, surprised beyond words it had gone to him over their father or Dietrich.

He blinked up at Dietrich, glaring and not bothering to respond to that. He learned just fine, thanks. He closed the box and set it in his lap, unwilling to let go of it right then, as he eyed the last present. If it was from his brother, he wasn't sure he really wanted to open it, though it couldn't get any worse than condoms. He twitched at the words, wondering if this was Dietrich's unsubtle way of coaxing him into college, though his brother always seemed to have some deeper, ulterior motives when it came to the books he gave.

Lauren nudged his arm when he didn't reach for the last present, though he still made no move to open it. He was only seventeen. Why did he have to figure out where he was going or what he'd do with himself now? Maybe in another year, after he'd graduated, taken a break, gotten a taste of the world. He rubbed his fingers over the box in his lap and waited for the room to clear before taking the presents up to his room with Lauren's help. He tucked the box onto the top shelf of his bookcase and dumped the rest on his desk to organize later.

He glanced back as Lauren hooked her arms around him. "Do you want your preseeent? We could put those condoms to use," she said with a seductive lilt to her voice.

Kai flushed again and glanced towards the door. "They'll come looking for us," he murmured, heart skipping a few beats at the thought of his wish coming true so soon, though he knew it was only asking for trouble if they tried. "Maybe tomorrow?" he suggested, pressing a kiss to her pouting lips before pulling away to head back downstairs.

He grabbed his bag and they settled into the oversized chair together, only half paying attention to the books and notebooks they spread across their laps. He couldn't help but glance at his brother as he talked, unwilling to admit it really was a fascinating topic. How long had it been since they'd all just... sat and talked like a normal family? His brother was pretty much the only one who could make that happen. With Dietrich gone, he spent most of his time in his room or playing his video games when his parents weren't using the TV. They didn't like his decisions lately and if he gave them a chance, they'd more than take the opportunity to lecture him, so he made a point not to be stuck alone with them longer than necessary.

He hardly even noticed how late it was getting until he noticed Lauren's head on his shoulder, tilting his head to rest his cheek against her hair before shifting his shoulder.

She sat up with a start. "I'm awake," she mumbled before yawning.

"Uh huh. Come on I'll walk you home," Kai murmured, stacking the books beside the chair before standing and stretching with a yawn of his own.

 

[Nico]

Dietrich regarded the kids as their mother waxed on about Aunt Jemima. Kai looked to be awake, but his friend wasn't as animated as she had been a few hours ago.

Their father raised a hand as Kai and Lauren stood, "are you walking her back? You sure you don't want me to drive you?"

Their mother looked towards the front door. "Look at that! We've talked into the night," she laughed, patting her husband's knee and shook her head, "don't worry Rick, it isn't too late. Kai, you have your cellphone right?"

Dietrich stood as well, pausing before turning towards the couple. "Stay safe," he grunted. His look implied they "stay safe" in more ways than one. The condoms weren't in sight, but he was somewhat reassured that Lauren wasn't reserved about using the protection, even if the private visual image of her touching his brother was enough to set him on edge. He wondered idly if they'd be bold enough to try for tonight. His jaw flexed as he refrained from saying anything more, instead turning away and biding his parents goodnight. He planned to take a shower and wash the travel from himself.

Upstairs, in their old room, Dietrich glanced over to the clutter on Kai's desk. He sighed, moving to fold the clothes before they could become wrinkled and set them within his brother's drawers. Dietrich was surprised to set eyes on a fiery eye staring back at him. What he had thought was an eccentric paint job was actually a mural on the wall, half-hidden behind the bookcase and desk.

Shifting the furniture as carefully as he could, Dietrich breathed out in admiration, tracing his hand over the details of the dragon's back and examining fine blend of technique his brother had put into the scene. The fire of the dragon's maw was a raw red as it streaked down over the village. Altogether it was a beautiful, if dark, piece of art. He had not known Kai had such a talent. He certainly seemed to be passionate about his art. Why then, was this mural covered up?

 

[Saria]

Kai rolled his eyes at Dietrich. "We'll be fine," he muttered, heading for the door and grabbing his jacket. It wasn't like it was an entirely unsafe neighborhood and it would only take twenty minutes to get there and back. He was just glad his brother hadn't insisted on walking with them. Once he was outside he breathed in the cooling night air as if it were the sweetest thing he'd ever smelled. He never noticed until he was away from his family how stifled he felt around them.

"Well that was certainly a surprise," Lauren said, taking his hand with a yawn as they started walking.

"What was?"

"Well..." she started, hesitating and glancing at him from the corner of his eye before deciding to just say it, "your brother licking your finger for one. I mean, that was kind of weird right? Does he do that kind of thing a lot?"

Kai tensed and rubbed the finger Dietrich had licked against his pants with a grimace. "Hell if I know," he muttered before falling silent. He didn't want to talk about his brother and if he'd known she'd bring that up he would have had his father drive her home. He didn't know why Dietrich did half the things he did. He'd thought he'd understood his brother when they were younger, but ever since they started growing apart, he didn't get him at all. Dietrich could rarely say anything simply, always had to be vague or make obscure comments, and at some point he'd stopped caring about trying to decipher them.

Lauren sighed and fell silent, wanting to tell Kai to be careful, though she couldn't bring herself to say it. She'd seen that look of Dietrich's before and knew it could lead to trouble, but... they were brothers. Maybe she'd just imagined it. When they reached her house, Kai was still brooding, so she lifted his hand and pulled his finger into her mouth, grinning at the shocked look. She made a soft moaning sound and wiggled her tongue suggestively before biting at his fingertip and pulling away. "Happy birthday, Kai," she said sweetly, kissing his cheek while he was still trying to recover and turning to unlock the door.

Kai stood like a gaping fish on her porch even after the door was closed, trying to ignore the snugness of his pants. Damn hormones. He rubbed his thumb against his finger as he turned and headed back. He was in no rush to return and took his time, not really looking forward to being stuck in the same room with Dietrich. If it was only a week, he'd be more than happy to sleep on the couch, but five? He couldn't even justify bumming at Lauren's or Brett's for that long.

It took him almost thirty minutes to get back home at the pace he'd walked and he hung up his jacket before heading up to his room. "Is there any hot water left?" he called, listening to see if the shower was taken as he stepped into his room. He glanced at his desk when he noticed it'd been moved and some of his presents had been put away. He was meticulous, borderline OCD, when it came to his room as it was the one place he felt he had any semblance of control over half the time. "Don't touch my stuff," he said tightly, stalking over to shove everything back into its proper place, even if it was only half an inch off.

 

[Nico]

"There's enough hot water for your skinny ass to take a normal shower," came the reply from within the upstairs bathroom. This was why he went first. He knew of his brother's inclination to spend time under the faucet until he had drained the water heater dry.

Quiet footfalls filtered into a Kai's ears a second before a rap came on the door Kai had left ajar. Dieter lowered his knocking hand and pushed into the room, a glimpse of a smirk revealed before he entered bare-chested and wearing nothing but a towel tucked around his hips. His face was clean shaven, something Dietrich hadn't bothered to do in college. He was toweling his hair dry.

Dietrich dipped his chin and snorted at Kai's stiff tone. "I can't count the times you've 'borrowed' my clothes, Kai. Don't worry, your stuff is safe."

Dietrich had always been large; at 6'3" he was the tallest in the family, but the years had changed him. His size had always served to intimidate, but now standing before this brother in the small room he could see he positively dwarfed the boy. The thought of trying to squeeze into Kai's clothing made his balls hurt, but at the thought of Kai wearing his… he looped the towel down around his neck and gave Kai a slow smile.

Dietrich strode forward, holding the ends of the towel around his neck though most of his chest was exposed. He could imagine the path his brother's pretty eyes would take as they brushed over his body, starting from chocolate-colored nipples on solid pecs, drifting down the hard definition of his abs, to trail the thin line of pubic hair that ran from just below Dietrich's down into his towel. His amber skin was a darker hue than his brother's, marked only by a smattering of bruises and his tattoo. There was something mirthful in Dietrich's eyes as he walked leisurely towards Kai, giving off the impression that he indulging in the fact that most of him was in full view of his brother.

Dietrich stopped before Kai. "It's stunning," he murmured, tipping his head towards the mural on Kai's wall. Hooded eyes didn't leave Kai's face. "Why cover it up?" The heat from the shower rose from his skin, carrying with it the clean sent of eucalyptus. Dietrich's chest rose and fell slowly, as if daring Kai to reach out and touch his flesh. His fists tightened slightly around the ends of the towel, flexing the the grayscale depiction of a osprey and an eagle locked in an eternal death dance which wrapped around Dietrich's right forearm and up his shoulder.

 

[Saria]

Kai was shoving the bookcase back up snugly against the wall when Dietrich stepped into the room. He tensed and flicked a quick glance at him, intending to look away and resume ignoring him though he couldn't stop his eyes from looking his brother over. He'd always been the runt of the family but the way his brother had grown and practically dwarfed him now was just ridiculous. He unconsciously flicked his tongue against his lips, unable to keep his eyes from traveling down over Dietrich's chest in envy. What he wouldn't give for some well-toned muscles.

He quickly looked back up when his eyes strayed to the towel, flushing slightly with an expression of annoyance as he imagined where else his brother was bigger than him. It really wasn't fair.

The comment on his painting had him stiffening briefly before he shrugged it off, glancing towards the eye that was visible with everything back in place. "Why not? It keeps Mom from complaining." Or from asking why he'd draw such a thing, especially when she'd seen the poor human clutched in the dragon's talon. He suspected it was more because it bore a vague resemblance to him than anything, which was likely why they'd tried pressing him into a therapy session. Well, that likely stemmed from his announcing he wasn't going to college, too, but it was all the same to him.

He glanced back at Dietrich, eyeing the tattoo. If he'd gotten one like that he probably would have been forced to take a drug test. He scratched his stomach and looked away, pulling out a pair of sweats and old shirt from his dresser. "Doesn't matter anyway, I'll paint over it before I leave," he muttered, heading for the bathroom. He locked the door behind him with a sigh, wondering if maybe he should have wished for things to go back how they had been between them, when Dietrich actually seemed to give a shit about him rather than pretending, but somehow he doubted that would ever happen. It was like they came from two different worlds.

He showered and used the majority of what hot water was left, relishing the hot spray beating down on him. He dried and dressed before stepping out, not about to give Dietrich a chance to comment about his lack of muscle tone. The thought of going back to his room set him on edge, all too aware of the fact they'd be alone and he might actually have to stop trying to ignore Dietrich. It wasn't that he necessarily wanted to, he just didn't know what to say to him after so long, especially after the stunt with the icing. What the hell was up with that anyway? His finger tingled and at the memory and he rubbed it against the t-shirt that may have been stolen from Dietrich years ago before steeling himself. He headed back into his room and made a bee line for his bed.

 

[Nico]

Dietrich watched his brother's back as he pushed past him and out of the room. He was going to destroy it before he left? That was a shame. Dietrich's turned back to regard the mural. It was like a dark dream pulled from of his brother's subconscious. A frown turned down the corners of his mouth. He knew of their mother's sensitivity, but Kai's art should have never been censored. It seemed almost too cruel to deny Kai such a passion.

When Kai walked stiffly back into the room, he found Dietrich sitting in his desk's chair clothed in a grey cotton shirt and pants, reading a book. There was no futon laid out on the floor. His brother's eyes lifted from the text. Kai could feel them follow his movements as he settled into bed.

After a moment of silence the lull of Dietrich's low voice filled the room, as if he was casually continuing an ongoing conversation, "you're primarily interested in art, I understand, but it's valuable to have some insight into the world around you," he paused to turn a page, "It's good to know why people have done the things they have. Why they act the way they do."

Dietrich regarded his brother's indifference. "There's a lot to gain from an education that goes further than acquiring a proficiency in a certain subject or field of study. Maybe if you opened up to new experiences, you might come to find you like them a lot more than you'd admit," he said slowly. What Kai couldn't see was Dietrich's heavy gaze focused on him curled on the bed. Dietrich found his eyes following the curve of his brother's lithe figure up to the soft pale flesh of Kai's neck resting on the pillow. His fist flexed slowly on his thigh.

"You can paint the vision of a fucked-up world as many times as you'd like, Kai, but it won't change it. It won't give you any sanctuary." The rustle of Dietrich standing and setting down the book was followed by the sound of bare feet walking towards the edge of Kai's bed. The mattress dipped, and Kai felt his brother's body recline behind him. Dietrich's arm reached over his brother, wrapping firmly around his stomach and pulling him back against a warm chest.

"Don't ignore me." He pressed his lips to Kai's nape.

 

[Saria]

Kai glanced briefly to Dietrich when he came back into the room before stretching out in the center of his bed. He always slept in the middle now that he had a bed and room to himself. Somehow it made him feel safer. He tensed as his brother started talking about knowledge and where people came from and why they were as fucked up as they were and blah blah blah. He rolled his eyes and smacked his pillow, shifting on the bed and tugging the covers over his legs as he tried to tune his brother out, remembering why he always felt the need to strangle Dietrich when he opened that mouth of his for more than a few sentences. Pretentious ass. People could give any number of reasons for why they did what they did, always self-justified. It didn't change anything. Something wrong done for the right reasons was still wrong.

He reached under his second pillow for his iPod and grunted softly in frustration when he remembered he'd left it on the desk. Just his luck. He tried to tune Dietrich out on his own, but it didn't work. His brother was hard to ignore, no matter how well he pretended to do so. He clenched his teeth to keep from asking where Dietrich got off telling him his art wouldn't give him sanctuary. So what if he couldn't change the world? That wasn't the point. His art gave him an outlet, let him show how fucked up the world was or could be without suffering too many consequences. He didn't need anything else from it. Even if he offended someone, they didn't have to look, he wasn't forcing them to enjoy it.

The sound of his brother moving across the room had him tensing and he went still when he felt the bed shift, breath catching in his throat at the feel of an arm around his chest. "Die-" he started, almost, [i[almost, [/i]willing to forgive and forget and try to be...friendly with his brother again, but the lips against his neck had his words sticking in his throat. His eyes fluttered closed a moment, a soft groan escaping his throat before his brain caught up with his body. It was a vaguely familiar sensation - almost like when Lauren kissed him, only it didn't remind him of her - but it had been years since they'd shared a bed, let alone had much in the way of affectionate contact. He shivered and started to move his arm to elbow Dietrich in the stomach, but it was a weaker attack than he'd intended and he had no doubt his brother probably didn't even feel it. His fingers curled into a fist under his pillow and he swallowed against the urge to ask Dietrich what he was doing; he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Find your own bed," he grumbled instead, trying to pull away even as part of him really wanted to pretend he was eight again and using an excuse of monsters under the bed to curl up with Dietrich. They weren't kids anymore. He knew that all too well.