“Hey kid” Josh greeted when he stepped inside his…
Justin’s apartment. Justin beamed when he saw his brother but sighed
dramatically at the nickname.
“When
are you going to stop calling me a kid? I’m twenty years old”
“When
you start acting like a 20 year old”
“Ha-ha”
Justin said dryly.
“How
are you doing kid?” Josh asked as put the bags in his hand down, sat next to
his brother and gave him a hug.
“Okay”
Justin grumbled playfully.
“Good”
Josh smiled, he loved teasing his brother, especially with what Justin hated
the most; always being referred to as the baby.
“I
got pizza’s, movies and I assumed you had the beer” Josh listed.
Justin
nodded.
“Although
you technically aren’t allowed because you’re underage” Josh smirked,
emphasizing the word ‘you’re’.
“Okay
I get it, you’re older, I’m the baby, yes, can we let it go now?” Justin asked
sighing, he hated this and his brother knew it. Justin knew Josh did it on
purpose.
“So
you admit!” Josh exclaimed with a satisfied smirk.
“Stop
it!” Justin grumbled although he didn’t sound angry and he really wasn’t.
“Okay,
I’ll let it go” Josh relented; he’d done enough teasing for today.
“Thank
you” Justin said with a nod.
“You
get the beer, I’ll pop the movie in”
“Kay”
Justin agreed as he got up while Josh leaned forward and was barely able to
stick the video into the VCR.
***
“When
can I come and see your new place?” Justin asked suddenly during the bathroom
break although neither had to go to the bathroom; it gave them the opportunity
to talk because that was really why they’d met, to catch up.
“What?”
Josh asked a little out of it; movies always made him sleepy at some point.
“When
can I come to check out your new place? I heard it’s a huge house” Justin said
excitedly. Josh smiled weakly.
“I
don’t know” Justin’s smile slid off of his face slowly.
“You
don’t want me to come?” he asked straight forward.
“I
didn’t say that” Josh argued.
“You
thought about it”
“No
I didn’t” Josh denied, maybe he had but not in the way Justin assumed.
“You
ashamed of me?” Justin asked as a pained look crossed his features. He tried to
keep the hurt from his brother but Josh saw it.
“Of
course not!” Josh exclaimed, Justin had the tendency to think his big brother
was ashamed of him from time to time. He’d had that when they were just kids
and especially when they were teenagers.
“Of
course I’m not ashamed of you, you’re my little brother”
“Then
why don’t you want me to come and visit?”
“I
do want you to come and visit, I’ll ask when the best time is okay?” Justin
slowly smiled, happy he was allowed to come.
“Okay”
They
resumed watching the movie and then just flipped the channels, cracking some
jokes or commenting on what they saw. When the clock struck twelve Josh
reluctantly got up, saying he should be heading home. Justin walked him to the
door, hugged him and said to get back to him when he could visit him some time.
Josh had promised he would. Justin had one last request before he left; turned
out the Treydson’s home phone number was not in the phone book. Josh hadn’t
realized that before and when Justin asked for a number where he could reach
him in case anything happened it seemed logical. Josh also promised to take
care of that before he hugged Justin one last time and walked out of the
building to his car.
He
started his car, not wanting to be late, he’d said he would be home sometime
past midnight and although that could also mean four am, Josh had a feeling
that wouldn’t be appreciated so he drove home quickly.
Josh
now knew he was expected to call when he was late and ask permission when he
wanted to leave the house. They pretended he only had to tell someone but Josh
knew he had to have permission. He’d done it this evening when he left to go to
Justin. He’d also learned that it was in his best interest. It wasn’t just a
rule to annoy him, to make him realize he really belonged to them, well in a
way it was but the other reason was that if they didn’t know where he was they
would pay his brother a visit, assuming he’d run off. That was reason enough
for Josh to let them know and that was just what he’d done this evening so he
could now hang out with his brother, without worries, well lesser worries.
***
“Um
Dan?” Josh asked hesitantly.
“Yes?”
Dan asked simply, looking up with a smile.
He’d
praised Josh two nights ago when he came home from visiting his brother. He was
learning. He asked if he could go, after they’d said yes he went and came back
on time. Dan had once again told Josh that it all didn’t have to be so hard. If
he just continued to behave the way he had the previous night, everyone would
be happy. Of course Josh didn’t see it that way. It was mean; Dan was mean to
rub it in, rub in the fact that he had no choice but to obey. He had however
taken advantage of Dan’s happy mood that night.
“Is
there a way Justin can reach me in case anything happens?” Dan seemed to ponder
the question.
“I
don’t think it’s necessary” Dan denied his request.
“I
think it is” Josh said in a soft, humble tone. If he stayed calm he might get
what he wanted.
“He
needs to know he can reach me somewhere” Josh said; he knew Justin would get
suspicious otherwise.
“Well...
okay, fine. You can give him Louisa’s phone number, the phone is in her, I mean
your room. It’s a separate phone line from mine”
“Okay”
Josh accepted doubtfully. Apparently they had a separate phone line from Dan’s
who didn’t want Louisa to talk to people who he did business with. Josh was
happy nevertheless, he asked Louisa for the phone number and he’d already given
it to Justin.
Something
good had come from obeying after all.
“I…
um... wanted to ask you something” Josh started slowly, scraping his throat.
He’d
avoided Dan the past few days. He was angry with him for the praise, the last
thing he needed was to hear how obedient he was. However he couldn’t avoid him
anymore, not if he wanted to ask him if he could grant his brother’s wish.
Josh
had not thought about inviting Justin over to check out his new place. He would
have if he’d moved out of free will but he simply didn’t want Justin anywhere
near Dan or Louisa. He’d wanted to refuse him, wanted to tell him he could not
come over but he’d seen the hurt look on his face. Justin thought he didn’t
want him around. Justin thought he was ashamed of him and he could not let him
think that. Besides there was a possibility that Justin would get suspicious if
he wouldn’t let him come over. Justin also knew Josh would always do that and
if he wouldn’t this time it would raise questions, questions he didn’t want to
answer. So Josh had decided to let him come over and he’d decided to ask Dan.
He was required to.
He
basically could no longer make decisions himself, he always had to ask for
permission; he hated it.
“What
is it?” Dan asked, looking up.
“Well…
when I was with Justin… he asked if… if…he could…”
“If
he could what?”
“Come
over” Josh breathed.
“Come
here?” Dan asked.
“Uh-huh.
He… he wants to see my… new home” Josh said regretful; he wished it wasn’t his
home, it really wasn’t actually but they thought it was.
“He
wants to come over and check out your new home?” Dan repeated the question.
“Yes,
he wants to know where I live”
“Why?”
Dan asked incredulously.
“Wouldn’t
you want to know where your sister lives if she’d move away?” Josh countered,
only to be given a warningful glare from Dan.
“I
mean, it’s what we do. It’s normal” Dan’s features relaxed and he stood,
walking over to Josh.
“I
don’t mind” Dan shrugged, coming to a stop in front of Josh.
“So
he can come over”
“Fine
with me” Dan agreed easily and Josh eyed him suspiciously, there was something
he wasn’t telling.
“O...kay”
Josh accepted.
“Thank
you” he said before he turned to leave.
“Josh?”
Dan called after him. Josh spun around; knowing he would now learn the thing he
hadn’t said before but was clear in his eyes.
“One
condition” he stated, coming closer to Josh again. Josh backed up
automatically; he didn’t want a condition, he just wanted his brother to come
over.
He
swallowed, “What condition?”
“Remember
our little secret, if you let anything slip and I mean anything, one word,
well… let’s just say we’ll have an easy access to your punishment, understood?”
Josh stared at Dan wide-eyed.
Oh
he understood alright; one wrong move and Justin was in serious danger and even
worse; within reach.
He
nodded quickly, “Yes”
“Good
then he can come over”
