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1660 Words
David's blood boiled as he listened to Russell's dutiful report. "He's at it again?"
"You can't interfere, Dave," Russell stated. "Jaxon is strong; he just hasn't been pushed to the point of unlocking his full potential. He needs to figure this out on his own, or he’s never going to learn."
Glaring at his son-in-law, David knew he was telling the truth. There was nothing he could do.
"I know that you're worried about him, but Jaxon has to find his voice and stand up for himself, David. It's hard, I know, but you have to let it happen," Russell continued.
David's eyes softened slightly. "If anyone puts a wrong hand on my boy, they won't live long."
"Training doesn't count, right?" Russell laughed. He watched David raise the bottle of beer to his lips and take a swallow. "He's been doing excellent, but his movements lack conviction. I'm actually thinking about getting Kennedy in on it. She's a helluva lot better at making the guys lose their cool than I am."
A small smirk lifted the edges of David's mouth. "Do it. I want him broken and rebuilt stronger than before. It might help his anxiety if he actually gets mad once in a while. He's so damn tame and soft."
Russell got up, pulling his jacket over his shoulders. "I'm going to head home. I’ll give Red a call in the morning. They’ve been pretty busy with Francis, and I don’t need that short-ass jumping down my throat for waking the baby at this hour. Need anything?"
"Your ass walking out my door is fine," David retorted. "Give Sky and Carol a kiss from me, would ya?"
Russell grinned. "Yeah, I'll give my wife's belly a kiss from grandpa, too."
"Jackass."
"I thought we moved away from the insults," Russell retorted with a grin.
David snorted a laugh. "The only reason I haven't killed you is that my son thinks the world of you, and my daughter married you."
"You like me, though," the younger man snarked as he opened the door.
"Russ, I'm about to shoot you for fun." David said with a deep scowl that belied his humour. His daughter really had chosen her life partner well if Russell was willing to stomp on Jaxon’s toes to keep the teens father updated.
Waiting until Russell left, David turned his eyes to the door where Lukas was waiting patiently. "What?"
"He's asleep again," the teen answered. "I'll do what I can, but I'm not making any promises."
Tilting his head to the side, David sighed. "He's your older brother, but you're not taking his side?"
"Hell no," Lukas replied. Running a hand through his hair, he said, "He might smarten up if he thinks Jaxon's dumping his possessive ass."
"Or not," David said.
Tilting his head to the side, Lukas frowned. "I don’t understand. What do you mean?"
Getting to his feet, David poured himself a glass of whiskey. "You have to tread carefully with this. Relationships are fickle things, and hearts are precariously breakable objects. Your brother is a few marbles short of a game and may jump the gun, hurting Jax in the process if you take matters into your own hands like that."
"I didn't realize that," the teen said. He watched David take a sip of his drink. Frowning, he said, "You drink a lot, too."
"Yes, I do, but my kids always come first. I'm not a violent drunk either."
Lukas smiled. "I know that. I trust you, David. Do you wanna know something? He thinks he owes me, but it was Jaxon who made my dad change for the better."
David stopped, his drink halfway to his mouth. "What did you say?"
"Jaxon talked to my father about his drinking and straight-up told him to lose the bottle or lose his kids," Lukas explained as he sat down. The chair was still warm from when Russell was sitting in it.
He bowed his head, shaking out his hair before he grinned over at the man watching him. "Things are different at home because Jax stood up to him when we couldn't, so I wanted to do the same with Markus."
"It's not really your problem, though," David said. He was curious to know if Lukas's friendship with Jaxon was as strong as they made it out to be.
"Dude, Jaxon has been my best friend since we were seven. I know Mark is my brother, but the blood of the covenant is far stronger than the water of the womb, as my Oma would say. It means that chosen bonds are stronger than bonds born of relation, and my bond with Jax is strong enough that I’d trade my life for his any day."
David nodded, satisfied with the answer. Another thought hit him, but Lukas jumped ahead.
"I mean, sure he's gay, and he's dating my older brother, but he's my best friend. We gotta watch each other's backs. If it was Jaxon in the wrong, I would have taken my brother's side, but he was innocent."
That was... unexpected, David thought dryly. "I didn't know you supported his lifestyle."
Lukas grunted. "Oh, like the fact he likes guys makes him any less of a person. He's stronger for it in my eyes. He told me that the day he came out to you, he’d been so upset he threw up."
"Now I'm curious," David muttered. "How long have you known?"
Leaning forward, Lukas let out a breath. "He used to blush when we changed in gym class, so I asked him about it one day when we were twelve. He fessed up, and I told him I was cool with it."
"And you still come to spend nights with him?"
Lukas scowled. "Give me one solid reason to drop him as my best friend. Just one. I bet you can't. You can't even fault him for being who he is. No one can judge us but God."
Getting to his feet, Lukas stopped in the doorway. Glancing over his shoulder, he said, "Regardless of his preferences, Jaxon deserves better than my brother. It's hard for me to say this, but Markus is too jealous for his own good. I'm scared he might get physical, and that's why I ratted him out the first time around. I knew that Jax wouldn't, and I don't want to see my friend hurt because my brother is being an asshole."
"Go home, Lukas," David said, annoyance filtering through his usually calm tone. "Go drive your own family up the wall. You talk too much for my liking."
Lukas froze as Jaxon stepped out of the dark shadows of the hallway. "Shit."
"Hey, no worries," Jaxon said with a crooked grin. "You're just watching out for me. I would do the same if the tables were turned. Still, you didn't need to push my dad's buttons."
Lukas shrugged. "He didn't need to test me, either."
"True." Turning his frown to his father, Jaxon said, "I already called Red. She’s down for teaching me some defensive moves."
"No one makes someone else feel small out of love, son. That's abuse, and I don't want you putting up with it from anybody. He does it again, and you lay him the f**k out, understand me?"
"I got you, Dad," Jaxon said. He groaned, "I need to go study for my advanced programming exam."
Jaxon woke early the next morning to go over his notes again before getting breakfast. At quarter past seven, he opened the door for Lukas and Markus. Guilt rushed him at the sight of the dark circles under Markus's eyes, but he mentally shut it down. He'd done nothing wrong to feel guilty.
As he brushed past the older teen on his way to the elevator, Markus caught him by the arm. "I'm sorry, Jaxon. I should have kept my head, but I didn't. Can you forgive me?"
Jaxon snorted a laugh. "How much longer are you going to make me feel guilty over nothing? I keep telling you the truth, but you never believe me. You. Don't. Listen."
"I said I was sorry," Markus said. "What more do you want from me?"
Lukas moved to get in between, but when he spotted David shaking his head, he let the idea drop. Instead, he crossed his fingers and hoped his brother would just let it go.
"No, not this time," Jaxon snapped.
Markus's shoulders sagged. "I..."
Cutting his boyfriend off, Jaxon said, "What I mean is that you can't just say you're sorry and expect everything to be hunky-dory. It doesn't work like that, Mark. This time, I need you to back up your words with actions."
Real pain flashed in Markus's eyes as he nodded. "If that's what it takes to get you to forgive me, then that's what I'm going to do. I just worry that you'll find someone better."
Jaxon narrowed his eyes. "Find someone better? I'd rather be permanently single and die a virgin. Even if I found someone else, you'd try to fight them over me. That’s how possessive you are, Mark."
Walking down the hall, Jaxon didn't wait for the brothers as he pressed the elevator button on the silver pad.
Lukas glared at his brother. "I told you, didn’t I? We have our dad back because Jaxon had the balls to confront him, and all you can think about is him potentially cheating when he's not doing a damn thing? Some boyfriend you are."
Markus snarled, "Shut up."
"No, you shut the f**k up. You gotta start listening before you lose him." Lukas grunted as he followed Jaxon into the elevator.
His shoulders sagging, Markus knew that Lukas was right. He had been listening to his ego and insecurities, but it was painfully obvious what was going to happen if he didn’t stop. If he didn’t check himself now, he could potentially lose Jaxon for good.
- Writer
