Author: Bernie
Pairing: Mark, Steve and Dominic Moore
Rating: R for 'cest.
AN's Thanks Zu for letting me tag to your fic. The
title is from a line in the song "Family System" By Chevelle. Used without
permission.
Starts later the same night that "Family
System" was set in. Family system is off-line at the moment L if Zu ever puts it back I will link to it.
* ** *** * ** ***
"I thought you would never wake up."
Mark's voice is just above whisper but it is so quiet
that I can hear him perfectly.
I shift on the bed, pushing Dom. He moans in his sleep
and tries to cuddle against me. I push him back and he sighs and rolls onto his
back.
"I finally worked it out." Steve's voice is
soft and calm. "You're not jealous, but it's unfair of you to not
share."
My skin crawls. "That isn't it. You're sick, and
I won't let you touch him like you did me."
Steve gets off the chair and walks to the bed. He sits
on my side of the bed and leaning over my shoulder pets Dom softly, pushing the
hair off his face.
I try to move away, but I don't want to wake up Dom.
Mark sighs and leans against me. "You act like
you always hated me. But you didn't. You liked me plenty enough at first, when
you would ask me to start games." He kisses my shoulder through the
t-shirt I am wearing. "When you played with me as well, I don't know when
I didn't become good enough for you."
It's not that." I shake my head. "It's
wrong."
"No." Steve rests his cheek against the back
of my neck. He's heavy against me. "It's not wrong, I love you, but you
don't love me. I'm so sorry I was unkind to you StevieÉ No I'll call you Steve
ok? My Stevie is gone and it hurts to say his name."
He leans over me and pets Dom again. "Take care of
him? And let him take care of you? You are still the most important people to
me."
He sighs softly again and runs his hand across the
back of Dom's hand where it is lying on his chest.
He climbs off the bed and watches us for a second.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you. I love you, I never meant to."
"Mark. Wait." I climb of the bed and walk to
him. "You did hurt me." I tell him.
He strokes my face. "I'm sorry.
"If I could play a game with you," he says
softly, "I would let you do whatever you wanted, and I wouldn't fight
back."
"We weren't going to play games any more,
remember?"
Mark shrugs, and I can see tears glinting in his eyes
in the light from the hallway.
"I'm so sorry." He leans forward and kisses
me quickly before I can pull back. And I can feel how wet his cheeks are and
how they smell salty.
"Mark? Stevie?" Dom's confused sleepy voice
wakes us up.
Mark hisses out "shhhh" quickly and shuts
the door. "Mom and Dad will hear us."
The room is pitch black again.
"Mark?" Dom's voice is getting stronger.
"Why are you here? Stay away from Steve."
"It's ok Dom." Mark sounds a little bit
amused. "I promised not to touch him."
We all blink when Dom turns the lamp on.
"You two always shut me out." He pouts.
"What were you two talking about?"
I apologized and Steve accepted." Mark says
smoothly. "We are buddies again."
I open my mouth and then close it.
"You are?" Dom smiles a bit. "Ok, that
is good. But you can't try anything." He points at Mark who smiles.
"I promise, I won't hurt you, and I promise not
to let anyone else hurt you. Same as always, We are brothers first right?"
"Yes." Dom says.
Mark walks over to the side of the bed, and Dom looks
confused.
"What do you want?" Dom eyes Mark wearily
and leans back as Mark kneels down beside the bed.
"To say sorry to you." Mark touches Dom's
knee through the fabric of his pajama's. "I didn't mean to scare you. I
didn't mean to start anything you were too young for."
"You didn't scare me!" Dom says. "Not
really. And I am only a little bit younger than you."
"Yeah, but." Mark shrugs. "Still to
young to understand."
"Ok?" Mark smiles and standing up kisses the
top of Dom's head. "I'm going to wait a bit in case Mom and Dad heard me
come in here. I'm going to make sure they are asleep before I go to my room.
And you should go to yours, they will freak if they find you in here."
"No, he's staying here." I say.
"Steve you aren't fair." Mark says sadly.
"And you better make sure you are both in the right room in the
morning."
Dom smiles "I'll wake up." And he lies down
against the pillow. He is already half asleep.
"You better make sure Stevie.. Steve." Mark
says.
Mark stands by the door and waits a bit.
"Night you two." He finally whispers.
* ** *** * ** ***
"I grab the hand shaking my shoulder. I meant to
stay awake but it is, shit, it's six-thirty, Dad is going to be up soon.
"Dom? Wake up!" Mark shakes him again and
Dom curls into me. Finally he wakes up and jumps when he sees Mark.
"You have to get up." Dom's eyes fly to the
window they open really big when he realizes what the time is and slides out of
bed and into the hallway to his room.
"Thanks." I say, "I didn't mean to fall
asleep."
Mark smiles. "I always have your back Stevie..
Steve. Even if you don't love me anymore." He leans forward and kisses me
quickly and he smells like toopthpaste.
"I'm sorry." He looks shocked. "I won't
do that again."
Before I can respond he slides out of the room.
* ** *** ** ***
The next night Dom comes into my room and we read some
more of the books for school. "What does this mean?" He finally says.
"Why is it a donkey in this stupid book?"
"I don't know."
"I know." We both jump at Mark's voice.
He smiles. "I'll help you if you want? IÕve done
all my homework."
Dom watches him carefully. "I'll leave the door
open." Mark says.
He sits on the floor next to the bed and leans over
pointing out a passage to Dom, "I did this last year, see OrwellÉ" I
tune them out. Seeing them talk
out of the corner of my eye. Mark leans his head on the bed and looks up at Dom
who smiles down at him.
"Exactly right, maybe you are the smart one in
the family after all."
"Bed."
I look up in a daze; Mom is standing in the doorway.
"You lot? ItÕs after your bed time."
"Sorry Mom." I smile at her, I can't believe
it is that late, "we were doing homework."
Dom smiles, "Mark helped me with mine." He
says.
My mother smiles, "good for you son." She
grins, "you boys have to stick together like that and look out for each
other."
Dom sneaks back into my room again that night.
"Did Mark come in here?"
"No." I whisper back. "Did heÉ"
"No." Dom shrugs and crawls in beside me.
"He said good night from the doorway." He falls asleep immediately.
Mark wakes him the next morning. They sneak out
together before Dad and Mom even wake up
"I have something for you." I look up from
my Math homework. Mark hands me an alarm clock.
"I am going to be away for that hockey
tournament, so I am not going to be here to wake you two up."
I flush looking down. Dom still comes into my room
every night. I have become accustomed to it. Dom says that he doesn't trust
Mark yet, not to do something.
"Thank you." I say.
"You're welcome. Are you going to wish me good
luck?" He looks down at the floor, and then turns to leave.
Before I realize what I am doing I jump up and kiss
his cheek. "Good luck."
He looks so delighted.
"Thanks StevieÉ Steve." He says and vanishes
out of my room.
* ** *** ** ***
"Do you think Dad will let us have an outdoor
rink?" Dom asks on the bus leaning over the seat and poking me so I put
down the book I am reading.
"I hope so."
"Do you think he would let Jeff come over as
well?"
Dom motions to his friend and I roll my eyes. "I
guess so."
"Hey fuck head! " the guy on the other side
shoves at Dom who crashes into Jeff.
The guy smacks the back of Jeff's head. "Get your fucking feet and
your fag friend away from me."
Before I can say anything Mark is in the guy's face.
"Fucking touch him and I'll break your arm." He says with low menace.
"Now fuck off."
The guy gets up and skulks to the other side of the
bus.
"We need a goalie, not another shooter." He
says in a normal voice. "But I guess Jeff can come over if Dad says it's
ok."
"Thanks Mark." Jeff says,
"Yeah thanks Mark." Dom echoes, smiling at
him.
* ** *** ** ***
Mark is shaking the two of us awake, but it is not
close to being morning yet. I stare at the numbers on the alarm clock until
they start to make sense,
"Why are you here? It is one am?"
"Come on." Mark throws clothes at us from my
closet. Dom you can wear something of Steve's you are close enough in
size."
"My stuff will swim on him."
"No it won't" Mark grins. "He's grown
up aren't you buddy?"
"Dom smiles up at Mark. "Yeah Steve, I'm
bigger now, so shut up."
"But
we gotta be quiet to make sure Mom and Dad don't wake up ok?"
"Where are we going?" I grumble, stuffing my
feet into socks.
"Wear two pairs." Mark grins. "I did an
experiment last night, as long as we are careful Mom and Dad can't hear us if
we go skating tonight."
Dom grins huge. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah." Mark smiles back. "That is why
I got Dad to put the rink behind the trees, the sound doesn't travel, and there
is a full moon, so we can see ok."
Dom's eyes glow. "This is gonna be so cool!"
He whispers and Mark grins back really huge.
"It's perfect out there." He says softly.
"So beautiful."
* ** *** * ** ***
We didn't wake up Mom and Dad, and we went out the
next night. But once the moon went down Mark wouldnÕt let us anymore.
"It's not clear enough. Dom-dom." Mark said
softly late one night when we were all sitting in my room doing homework.
"I'm sorry, in a few days the moon will be out again and we can go
ok?"
Dom frowns. "Don't call me that."
Mark laughs and ruffles his hair, "I always used
to call you that."
"Yeah, but I don't call you Marky."
"You can call me Marky."
And Dom grins. "So we are Dom-dom, Marky and
Stevie?"
"Exactly. Moore's against the world." Mark
smiles. "But I promise I won't call you that when you get in the
NHL."
Dom grins and rolls on his side next to Mark asking
him again how to do the problem.
* **
*** * ** ***
True to his word Steve wakes us up a few days later.
The difference between skating in December and January is huge. We are only out
for an hour and by the time we get in we are all shaking from the cold.
DoesnÕt stop us from doing it the next night though,
or the night after that. I want to go in but Dom talks Mark into staying out a
bit longer since Mark is going away the next night and he won't let us come out
here without us.
He promised Dom he would bring him back a jersey from
the tournament if we promised not to come out here without him. And he also
threatened to tell Mom and Dad.
But two hours is to long and we are fucking freezing
by the time we finally get back inside.
Mom's voice calls out "Boys? Who is there?"
Mark grabs our arms, "go up to Steve's room"
he instructs us. "I'll be right there ok?"
We nod and go upstairs as quietly as possible. Mark
walks down to our parent's room on the bottom floor and I hear him telling her
he was just too nervous to sleep and was checking his hockey stuff.
She sleepily tells him off.
He comes up with hot chocolate. "Thanks
Mark." I say folding my hands around the cup. "Thanks for covering
for us."
Dom drinks his and falls half asleep. "Set the
alarm clock?" He asks me. "I gotta go I suppose."
He leans down and kisses Dom on the cheek, pulling
back when Dom opens his eyes.
"Why did you do that?" Dom asks quietly.
"I'm sorry it's just a good night kiss."
Mark whispers. "I'm not going to see you guys for a week. It's just for
good bye."
Dom looks at him carefully. "Ok. Are you sure
Stevie?"
And Mark looks so panicked, so begging me with his
eyes not to be mad at him that that I nod and lean over and kiss Mark's cheek
quickly. "Yeah, see? Just good night."
Dom nods. "That's ok then. Steve? Come over
here." I sit on the bed behind him and smile as he leans against me.
Mark grins at both of us. "I'm just going to wait
for Mom and Dad to fall asleep ok? How long will that take Dom?"
"You can go in ten minutes, they will have fallen
back asleep." Dom announces.
"Sure thing little brother." Mark says
smiling again. "Right again."
"Don't tease me." Dom says, but he spoils it
by yawning.
And Mark puts his hand over his mouth to stifle his
laughing.
"Why are you doing this now?" I blurt out.
"What do you really want?"
Mark turns to me in slow motion. "Because I am
going to miss having you two around when I am away."
"We'll miss you to Mark." Dom pipes up
sleepily.
"Ok then." He sits on the end of the bed.
"How long squirt?" He asks Dom he growls sleepily at him.
"Don't call me that! You have nine minutes."
Mark smiles. "Ok, so can we talk about hockey for
nine minutes? Who do you want to be drafted by Stevie.. Steve?"
"The Leafs." I say without even having to
think about it.
"Then I am going to go to them as well." Dom
announces, his voice thicker with sleep. He is slumped back against me, his
eyelids fluttering.
Mark smiles a bit sadly. "I better go to the
Habs, so you have a reason to hate me then."
"Don't hate you." Dom mumbles, twisting
around so he is lying on his side.
"What about you?" Mark asks.
"I don't hate you." I tell him softly.
"You can be a Leaf as well."
"Thank you Stevie." He says sweetly.
"Dom?" Mark crawls down the bed until he is
lying, balanced on the side of the bed by Dom. "We can be a whole line.
You shot the puck, I tie up the D, and Stevie can score on the re-bound."
Dom giggles and yawns. "I wanna score." He
rolls on his side so his backside is resting against my leg.
"Ok, you can get the first goal." Steve
leans forward so their noses touch. Oh shit.
"Mark? Don't."
He ignores me and presses the tip of nose against
Dom's. "Eskimo kiss." He says quietly. Dom giggles.
"Eskimo pie in winter when your nose is
cold." Mark says laughing. And Dom smiles again rubbing his nose against
Mark's.
"You're cold." Dom says.
"Yeah?" Mark thinks for a moment. "Let
me climb under the covers until I have to go ok? I don't want to miss my
tournament because I have the flu."
"No." I say.
"Stevie?" Mark looks up. "Do you want
me to get sick?"
Dom pulls Mark back on the bed when he half gets off.
"Don't want you to get sick." He says. "You will fall off."
Dom whispers.
"No I won't." Mark looks up. "Stevie?
Move back. Dom, wiggle back towards Steve so there is enough room for me."
Dom pushes back and I lie down and pull him against
me.
"Stay over there, youÕre leaving in six
minutes." I tell
"But you set the alarm clock." Mark smiles
directly at me with triumph in his eyes. "So it doesn't matter as long as
I am up before Dad wakes up.
"Dom-dom? I'm cold, let me under." Dom holds
up the blanket and Mark slides in beside him wrapping his arm under his waist
and stroking Dom's hair softly.
"You want to stay with us Steve? Or leave us
alone together?"
"I'll stay. "I say helplessly. Mark kisses
Dom's cheek lightly. "Do I get a kiss goodnight back?" He asks softly
and Dom plants a sloppy kiss near his ear and settles down to gentle snuffling
sleep.
Mark pulls Dom onto his arm, so it is wrapped around
his back and Dom is sleeping on his shoulder.
Mark smiles at me running his hand up and down Dom's
arm.
I shake my head.
"Ok." Mark smiles and kisses Dom's lips.
"Do I get my kiss now?"
I shake my head. And Mark lightly licks across Dom's
lips.
"My kiss?"
I lean over my sleeping brother and kiss Mark softly
on the lips. He puts his hand on the back of my neck and kisses me back. He
pushes his tongue against my lips and I open them to let him in. I can feel his
arm still stroking across Dom's shoulder softly as his fingers tangle in my
hair.
Finally he breaks the kiss. "I won't let anyone hurt
you two." He says. "I won't even let myself hurt you. I promise, I
will be gentle."
He pulls Dom tighter against him and throws his arm
over his waist so it is resting on my hip. He kisses Dom's forehead softly.
Smiling and doing it again when I don't protest. He kisses him a third time,
leaving his lips on Dom's skin, watching me in the dark.
End
