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Shadow of Blue	By : Auska Category: 1 through F > Four Brothers Views: 1292 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 5
- 6
~Shadow of Blue~

By: Aerys Krystie.

Since he let go of his pain, he was feeling a little better about his life. Bobby never brought it up again, but the book had gone back into the closet. It was painful enough to have The Cat in the Hat on the bedside chest, but he didn’t want to change anything in the room. Evelyn had left it that way for a reason. The sadness was still there and Jack was certain it would never leave, especially as the seasons changed.
Winter rolled in and Jack worked on being able to walk without a cane, giving him something more to think about rather than focusing on that it had been over a year since their mother was murdered and he nearly died. He walked up and down the stairs, trying to loosen his right shoulder, as well. He and Sofi spent most of the days in the house, except when she would take him to the park, so they could walk around and enjoy some fresh air. It was on a day like that that she decided to ask a question that Jack never thought she’d ask.
“Have you told Bobby you love him, yet?”
Jack stopped walking and stared at her. How in the hell did she know? Once again, he made sure he didn’t sneak glances at him when he thought no one else was looking. He tried his hardest not to look at him and then just smile. Hell, he tried to make sure he wasn’t in the same room with him most times, without someone else present. He didn’t want anyone to think he was weird for loving his brother that way.
“I–I…Of course. He’s my brother.”
Sofi raised an eyebrow and went to place a hand on his shoulder. She quickly pulled it away when he flinched. “You know how I mean, Jackie,” she said and started walking again. Jack stayed by her side. “Just so you know, Angel doesn’t care.”
Jack kept his eyes lowered, suddenly not feeling the pain in his leg. “How did you guys know?”
“With Bobby it was easy to see. You’re the only one of his brothers he teases that way. And with you…” Sofi trailed off, as though trying to figure out the right words. “You were a little more difficult to figure out, which was weird. You wear your emotions on your sleeve, but there are ways you look at Bobby that just screams how in love with him you are.” She shrugged.
Jack bit the inside of his lower lip, wondering how everyone else could see how he felt about his big brother, except his big brother. “What about Camille and Jerry?”
“They told Angel and also told him to apply the military rule — don’t ask, don’t tell, if he had a problem with it.” Sofi placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder, not caring that he flinched. It got him to stop walking. “Just tell him, Jackie or I’ll slap you silly.”
Jack blinked and raised his eyes, staring at Sofi. Her eyes softened when she saw the tears in his and went to apologize, but Jack shook his head. He figured Mom would get her message through one way or another. He asked if he could hug her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly. She mentioned that she and Angel were going to Jerry’s for the night, mostly to give them privacy and Jack nodded. He still wasn’t sure if they were right, but he figured a few shots of whiskey would give him courage.
They walked back home and Jack started on a lunch for them. He used the last of the cold meats and salad left over from the lunches he made for Angel and Bobby. He was too nervous to eat, but managed two bites under the glare from Sofi. She didn’t like it, but took it as he at least had something in him. He washed the dishes and left them to dry in the rack.
While Sofi watched TV, Jack stretched out his leg, noting that it was starting to feel good instead of having him want to die from pain. He forced his right shoulder to work the way he wanted it to and fought through the pain. He was almost able to raise it above his head, but he was worried he was pushing it too quickly. Once he was finished, he headed upstairs for a shower and mostly just stood under the warm water.
He jumped when thunder cracked overhead and slipped. He landed hard on his ass and winced, wanting to know why that would happen that night of all nights. He stood up and turned off the water, grabbing his towel off the bar and drying himself quickly, before wrapping it around his hips and heading downstairs. He found Sofi on the sofa, looking out the window behind it, while Jack stepped into the sunroom and watched the rain fall, not really caring that he was still in a towel.
A shiver ran down his spine as he lit up and realized he couldn’t see the mailbox. He bit his lower lip, worried about Angel and Bobby either working or driving in that weather. That was alleviated as he heard Bobby cursing from the kitchen and shook his head, wondering if that voice would ever stop traveling through the house.
“Jesus fuck, Jack! Go get dressed before you catch your death!”
Jack shook his head, sitting down and continuing to stare out the window, flicking the ash into the dish. Somehow, Jack got the feeling that the dinner over at Jeremiah’s for Angel and Sofi had been canceled due to the bad weather. He looked up when lightning flashed and crushed out his cigarette, exhaling the last of the smoke. He glanced at Bobby and smiled when he stood beside him and dropped a jacket around his shoulders, telling him he was crazy.
“Aren’t we all?” Jack asked and wrapped the leather jacket around himself a little more, inhaling deeply.
Jack closed his eyes as Bobby placed his hand on his neck. “Jack, do—Fuck!” The power went out and Bobby went back inside.
With a sigh, Jack raised his eyes and demanded to know why everything was going against him that night. He sighed and headed back in, as well. He hung up the jacket and went up to his room, dressing before the cold affected his wounds too badly. He went back down, seeing Bobby and Angel lighting candles. He went back into the sunroom, pulling his knees to his chest as he watched the rain through the flashes of lightning.
“Cracker Jack, come inside.”
“I’m good, Bobby.” Jack smothered a yawn, wanting to hunker down for the night, but also loved to watch the rain.
“Could you watch it from the sofa, so I know you’re warm?”
Jack looked in the general direction of Bobby’s voice when lightning flashed. He nodded slowly and stood up. Bobby had gotten weird in the time that Jack had been home. He didn’t want him outside without someone with him and when he was home, he wanted to make sure Jack was in his line of sight at all times. If not, every few minutes he would call out to know where Jack was.
Standing up, Jack made it past Bobby and into the living room. He smiled when he saw the fire going and sat on the sofa, twisting so he could lay his hands flat and rest his chin on them. He glanced at Bobby when he sat on the sofa with a beer and smiled, turning his eyes back to the rain. He traced tracks that the drops made as they moved down the glass.
“What’s got ya so fascinated with rain, Jackie?”
Jack shrugged, placing his palm on the glass and pulling it back. “I find it peaceful,” he answered quietly, almost lost over the sound of it. He sighed and sucked it up, wanting to get it over with. “Bobby, I—Oh, come on!” he shouted as someone banged on the front door. “This is bullshit, now!”
While he glared towards the door, Bobby shook his head and stood up, Angel stood on the stairs, neither of them taking a chance. “What the fuck are you doin’ here?” Bobby demanded and Jack frowned, moving to the entrance. He heard Ethan’s voice.
“Dude, I told ya I ain’t goin’ back,” Jack said as he stood beside Bobby.
“Did you just say ‘dude’?” Bobby asked and laughed. “Fuckin’ hell, Cracker Jack. You were on the east coast, not the west!”
“Fuck you, Bobby!” Jack shoved him with his good arm, forgetting that Ethan was at the door for some reason. He was brought back to reality when his former band member cleared his throat. “Oh, right. You’re still here. What did you want?”
“Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to you in private.”
Bobby snorted. “Yeah, that ain’t happenin’,” he stated and rested against the open door. “If it involves Jackie, it involves us.”
“Clara was murdered in our—my apartment, four days ago,” Ethan said and Jack sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck. “I wanted to know if you wanted to attend her funeral.”
“I’ll think about it,” Jack said and saw Ethan’s shocked face when lightning flashed. He got the feeling that Ethan thought he’d be on the next bus out there. It wasn’t happening.
Bobby closed the door and locked it, watching as Jack went upstairs. He followed his baby brother, asking Angel to make sure that Ethan leaves. Angel agreed and Bobby walked into Jack’s room, keeping the door open ajar as he noticed that Jack still had that issue with closed doors. Jack was sitting on his bed, staring at the floor.
“You can go to her funeral if ya want, ya little fairy. We ain’t gonna stop ya from doin’ that. We’re over-protective, but we ain’t heartless,” Bobby said as he sat beside Jack.
“You’ll be with me, right?” Jack asked as he looked up.
“You actually want me there, meetin’ ya friends?”
“Well, they wouldn’t mind meetin’ you, either.”
“I don’t think they’re gonna like me, ya little fairy.” Bobby ruffled Jack’s hair and stood up. “Pack ya shit, man. We’ll head out tonight, so I can meet ’em.”
Jack watched as Bobby walked out of his bedroom. He lowered his eyes when the door closed, before looking out the window and watching the rain. Clara had been the bassist of the band. Jack couldn’t think of any reason why someone would want to kill her, though. She was a sweet girl with a big heart. She helped out her friends whenever she could and sometimes, even when she couldn’t.
With a sigh, Jack fell to the side and closed his eyes. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Death followed him, taking whoever it wanted from him. He would be damned if it took Angel, Bobby or Jeremiah from him, though.
Jack stared out the windshield of the cab as it drove towards the apartment that he once shared with Ethan. Bobby sat beside him, staring out the window and trying to see the big deal about New York. As the cab pulled over, Jack blinked and tried to keep his thoughts in order. Bobby paid and they slipped out, staring up at the apartment building. Jack inhaled deeply and walked in, heading for the elevators.
Once on the fifth floor, Jack led Bobby to the apartment and knocked. The door was opened a few seconds later and Ethan grinned. “Jack, you made it!” he said as he went to hug Jack and stopped when he saw Bobby. “Oh, fuck. You brought Bobby…”
“You gonna invite us in?” Bobby asked and raised an eyebrow.
“Ah, yeah, sure. Come on in!”
Jack stepped to the side and let Bobby go through first, following him in. He wasn’t surprised to the see other three members in the living room. Jack knew that they wouldn’t have cleaned up the drugs that were likely displayed everywhere, as it seemed they thought he was coming in alone. He had no idea how they would’ve gotten that idea, considering he refused to go back because of his family.
“Jane, Ronnie, Chad, this is Bobby,” Jack said and then pointed them out to Bobby.
“No fucking way!” Ronnie said as he jumped to his feet and stuck his hand out. “The Michigan Mauler! I thought you’d be taller…” He tilted his head.
“Don’t gotta be tall to break someone’s neck. Get the fuck away from me.”
Jack bit his lower lip, trying not to laugh at the look of fear that passed over Ronnie’s face. He forgot that Bobby had effect on people. He might not like them, but at least he didn’t put up a façade that he did. Jack left Bobby alone to look over the apartment, while he offered his condolences to Jane, as Clara was her sister. She thanked him and wiped her eyes, despite being too high to produce tears.
“Why did you bring him?” Ethan whispered as he used his eyes to point out Bobby.
“You expected me to travel here alone?” Jack asked as he watched Bobby move around, pausing every now and again to look at something.
“You came here alone the first time. You went back to Michigan—”
“I went home, Ethan.” Jack sighed softly and shook his head, sitting down on the sofa. “Why can’t you accept the fact that I can’t come back here? We lost our mother and I was shot to shit.”
Ethan rubbed his neck and looked around at the other band members. He had no idea why Jack would pick the Mercers over them, as they’d been there to mend him. “And we ain’t ya family, man?”
“No, you ain’t,” Bobby stated as he stood behind the sofa, glaring at Ethan. “And honestly, I’m kinda glad he ain’t hangin’ ’round this shithole. Where were ya when Clara was murdered?”
Jack watched Ethan’s face, especially when the eyes darted towards the bedroom that Jack used to sleep in. “I was passed out,” Ethan finally said and shrugged. “Without the lead guitarist, we weren’t gettin’ any gigs. So we decided to get high.”
With a roll of his eyes, Jack sighed and glanced at Bobby. His brother nodded, indicating they were thinking the same thing. “Some dealer killed her because she couldn’t pay, huh?” he asked as his eyes returned to Ethan. He saw the way the drummer nodded and Jack stood up. “We’re gonna head to our hotel. I’ll be there for the funeral tomorrow.”
Jack limped towards the front door, noticing the way that Ethan moved with him. He knew that Ethan was terrified of Bobby and Jack knew that was for good reason. Ethan was being overly clingy toward him and Jack was finding it irritating. He just wanted to attend the funeral and then get home, so he could work on Christmas dinner for his family, while thinking of gifts for Daniela and Amelia.
Bobby collected their bags and then Ethan said something that made Jack want to deck him. “We’ve also been duckin’ calls from Mister Q, as well. We were gonna take the job, but we needed you for the cameras and the safe,” he explained.
Jack froze and glared at Ethan, while Bobby cocked an eyebrow and tried to figure out exactly what was being said. “If I find out you’ve touched my Cayman accounts, not only will I break every fuckin’ bone in your body, but I’ll let my big brother set fire to your dumb ass.”
Shaking his head, Jack left the apartment as Ethan swore he hadn’t touched the Cayman accounts, while Bobby walked beside Jack. As soon as they were in the elevator, Bobby immediately asked, “What the fuck just happened, Cracker Jack?”
“I just found out the real reason why I was dragged back here. It doesn’t have anything to do with Clara’s funeral. They wanted me here for a job.” Jack crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the doors of the elevator. He glanced at Bobby and smirked. “You thought I only played music?”
“Actually, yeah, I kinda did.” Bobby laughed and shook his head. “Jesus fuck, Cracker Jack! Ya criminal.”
Jack shrugged and laughed. “The gigs just weren’t cuttin’ it, man. I needed something a little more substantial. I also needed to keep them quiet so I could pay Jerry back slowly for my hospital bills and physical therapy.” He sighed quietly. “In order to do that, I need a decent set up and a secure line.”
Bobby raised an eyebrow, but didn’t ask the question Jack was expecting. “You really are full of surprises, Jack. I never thought you’d be a professional thief. That seemed more like Angel.”
Jack smiled and nodded, thinking about the jewels he’d fenced and had the money dropped into three different Cayman and Zurich accounts. The downside was that he couldn’t touch that money for a little longer, as he didn’t need the government getting suspicious of him and then looking into it. He only transferred funds when he needed them. Unfortunately, he knew that if he continued to buy burner phones, his brothers would get curious and he really didn’t need them knowing about him.
The elevator door opened and they stepped out, hailing a cab. Jack asked to be taken to the first motel that came to mind. He sat back and chewed his thumb nail, staring out the window. He really didn’t want to attend the funeral, but Clara deserved an appearance, at the very least. He glanced at Bobby and saw that he was staring straight ahead, as though his mind was working on another problem.
Biting his lower lip, Jack watched Bobby for a few moments. There were questions he needed answering, but he wasn’t sure how to approach the subject, especially with a potential witness in the car. They were dropped off at the motel and Jack paid, sliding out of the cab gracefully, while Bobby went to the office and got probably the only room available.
Jack waited outside the office, ducking his head to hide his smirk when the worker glanced at him and then at Bobby. He crossed his arms and pressed his hand over his mouth, especially when Bobby shouted that Jack was his baby brother. He knew he should be hurt that Bobby still only saw him as a brother, but the fact that they looked like lovers made the situation all the more hilarious, especially when Bobby stormed out of the office and slapped Jack on the shoulder.
As soon as they were outside their door, Jack laughed and entered the room. He stared at the singe queen sized bed and raised an eyebrow. His eyes fell on the lumpy looking sofa and he decided he could take that. He went into the bathroom, grateful to see that the towels appeared clean and that the basic amenities were available. He ignored the ‘No Smoking’ signs that were up and pulled out his packet, dropping them on the bedside chest, beside the Bible.
“I shoulda punched him out,” Bobby muttered as he dropped their bags onto the bed. He turned on the TV and flipped over to the hockey game.
“C’mon, Bobby,” Jack said as he looked over his shoulder. “We don’t look like we’re related and it was kinda suspicious with me standin’ outside, waitin’ for you to get the key.” He paused and heard a woman moaning from the room beside them. “It also seems like this place is where ya go to be…subtle.”
Bobby turned the TV up as the woman got louder and rested back on his elbows. “It’d still be nice if people didn’t just assume we’re lovers.”
Jack shrugged and removed his jacket and hoodie. He kicked off his shoes and went through to the bathroom, closing the door. He washed quickly and let the hot water fall over his tense and sore muscles. He hated sleeping on buses, as they were super uncomfortable. He reminded himself that he only had to do it one more time, before he was home and back in his bed.
He wasn’t sure how much time passed when Bobby pounded on the door and said he was going out to grab some food. Jack turned off the shower and rubbed his eyes. He felt like shit. All he wanted to do was dress and pass out for the next day, so he wouldn’t have to make awkward small talk with Bobby while they were confined to such a small area. The death of a friend had kind of taken away his brazen attitude toward telling Bobby how he felt about him.
It didn’t seem to help that every time he wanted to, something always reminded him that Bobby would never see him as anything more than his baby brother. He wrapped a towel around his hips and stepped out of the bathroom, frowning when he found his bag missing. He sighed and opened Bobby’s bag, pulling out a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, wondering how Bobby could’ve mistaken their bags. Jack was still using the backpack he brought to the Mercers’.
He shook his head as the jeans almost refused to stay on his body, with Bobby’s broader body being even more of a pain than Jack remembered. The sweatshirt swam on him and he raised an eyebrow. Bobby was goin to be pissed to see that Jack was wearing his favorite sweatshirt, but he could deal with it. If Bobby hadn’t taken his bag, he wouldn’t be wearing his brother’s clothing.
While he waited, Jack stretched his leg and shoulder, wincing at the tightness of the muscles. He fought to keep the jeans on and looked around for anything to use a belt. He went through Bobby’s bag, frowning when he found nothing. It wasn’t as though he was expecting his brother to just have a garrote in his bag, but he was expecting him to have more than one belt.
Jack bit his lower lip as he found a romance book in the bottom of the bag. He tried his hardest not to laugh out loud as he saw it was a gay romance novel. He considered shoving it back into the bag, but grabbed his smokes, stepping outside the room and lighting up. He read the blurb of the book and raised an eyebrow. It actually sounded interesting, but he really didn’t think that romance novels were Bobby’s thing. He seemed more interested in destroying something.
He looked up as rain fell and raised an eyebrow. It seemed that New York wasn’t going to get a white Christmas that year. He flicked his butt into the parking lot and watched as the ember was killed by the water and smiled, going back inside and returning the book to Bobby’s bag, making sure it was at the bottom and sat on the sofa. He was grateful to know that the woman in the neighboring room had finished. He looked out the window of the room, watching as the parking lot started to flood a little.
Jack looked at the TV when he heard a woman screaming and cocked an eyebrow at the horror movie that was playing on the screen. “That’s right. Keep screamin’. I’m sure he’ll never find ya,” he muttered with a roll of his eyes.
He screamed as the door to the room burst open and fell off the sofa. Bobby walked in, shaking his head and then looked at Jack. He blinked when Jack growled and glared at him, before he dumped the Chinese take out on the bed, kicking the door closed and slipping off his jacket. He placed Jack’s bag on the bed and then properly looked at him, his eyebrows going up when he saw what Jack was wearing.
“What?” Jack demanded as he stood up, making sure the jeans were still on. He grabbed his bag and went through it, pulling out his deodorant.
“That’s my favorite sweatshirt,” Bobby stated as Jack sprayed himself. “And now it’s gonna smell like you, ya little fairy. I have enough guys hittin’ on me without smellin’ like one of their own.”
Jack narrowed his eyes and pulled the sweatshirt off, throwing it at Bobby. “Fuck you, Bobby.” He pulled out a shirt from his bag and winced as he moved his right shoulder in a direction it wasn’t comfortable with yet.
Bobby shook his head. “I already told ya that you ain’t my type, Jackie.”
Jack ran his hand through his hair, airing it out. “What, do you prefer bears over twinks?” he asked with a smirk, loving the way Bobby stared at him.
“You ain’t my type, meanin’ that you’re my brother,” Bobby clarified and opened the take out bag. He threw one of the boxes to Jack, along with the chopsticks. “Are you wearin’ my jeans, as well?”
Jack caught the box and chopsticks, sitting on the sofa. He looked out the window, biting his lower lip. “You took my bag, man. Did you expect me to hang around in a towel?”
Bobby pulled his chopsticks apart and smirked. “I always knew you were desperate to get into my pants, man.”
As Bobby ate, Jack stared out the window. He lowered his eyes as the rain let up, before he stood and shoved his box into Bobby’s chest and stepped out of the room. He pulled his smokes and lighter from the pocket of the jeans and lit up. Aside from having Mom threaten to slap him silly for not telling Bobby how he felt, he had Sofi riding his ass about it, as well. He knew it wouldn’t be long before Angel and Jeremiah started.
Jack swallowed and sighed out the smoke in his lungs. He kept his eyes down as a man walked by him. He glanced up when the footsteps stopped. The guy had to be in his late forties or early fifties and appeared a little more distinguished than most of the people staying there for the night. He caught Jack’s eye and smiled at him, which made Jack drop his gaze.
“Are you okay, little one?”
Jack gritted his teeth at the pet name that brought back a series of bad memories for him. “I’m fine, thanks,” he replied and flicked the ash off.
“Are you sure? You seem a little down.”
Jack nodded and offered the man a smile, hoping that would make him continue on his way. It was clear he was there on business. “Yeah. Just a small fight with my lover,” he lied and nodded towards the door of the room.
“Ahh,” the man said with a small smile. “I hope he or she come their senses soon. You have a good night.”
As the man nodded his head politely, Jack watched him go and flicked the end of his cigarette into the parking lot. He swallowed again and shook his head, tilting it back and staring at the porch support. He sniffed and went back into the room as Bobby was pulling his damp shirt off. Jack stared at the muscles on the back; watching and loving the way they moved beneath the skin. He turned away as his felt his cock stirring in his pants and rested his forehead against the door.
“You okay, Jackie?”
Jack nodded and tried not to think about how nice Bobby’s voice sounded. “Yeah, man. Didn’t know you’d be undressin’.”
“I’mma ’bout to hit the shower. You want the bed?”
Jack shook his head, moving away when he felt Bobby’s hand on his neck. He was tired of that touch only ever meaning what it did. He wanted to feel Bobby’s hand there, keeping him in place during a kiss. He figured that he was going to be slapped silly by a ghost and a passionate Hispanic woman. By the time both of them were through with him, he doubted he’d know which way was up.
“What’s wrong, Jack?”
“I’m just tired, Bobby.”
“Okay,” Bobby said softly and Jack felt his heat disappear from his back. “Why don’t you get some sleep, then? I’ll try to be quiet.”
Jack nodded and stepped over to the sofa. He relaxed when he heard the bathroom door close and grabbed his bag. He stepped out of Bobby’s jeans and into a pair of sweatpants, before he grabbed his jacket and dropped it on the sofa. He took two of the four pillows from the bed and lied down on the sofa, draping his jacket of his torso and watching the horror movie that was still playing.
He focused entirely on the movie, not wanting to think about the fact that Bobby was naked, only a few feet from him. He turned his back to the room and pulled his knees to his chest, closing his eyes and forcing sleep to take him. He was unaware of Bobby stepping out of the room with a towel around his hips and looking over at him. He was unaware that Bobby had pulled the cover off the bed and placed it over his sleeping form. He was unaware that Bobby stroked his hair gently, before he dried, dressed and went to bed.
Jack woke a few hours later, holding his right shoulder and breathing heavily. He blinked the tears from his eyes and sat up. He attempted the massage the muscle that was tensing up with every breath and bit his lower lip. He looked over at the bed, debating if he should take Bobby up for a massage, but pushed it to the side. He couldn’t wake his brother every time his shoulder decided to play up. He wasn’t going to be that much of a pussy and it wasn’t like it was that bad.
With a shaking breath, Jack stood up and gritted his teeth as his left leg’s muscles were locked up. He couldn’t think of any reason for them to constrict, until he realized that the blanket was on the ground and the room was almost as cold as a meat locker. He fell back down onto the sofa, which made Bobby groan softly and sit up. He looked over at the sofa immediately and was in front of Jack in the next instant.
Jack gasped as Bobby’s warm hands worked his shoulder. He tilted his head back, biting the inside of his lower lip as the muscle slowly relaxed. He winced as it rippled and his shoulder leveled out. He sighed and rolled it, raising an eyebrow as Bobby worked on his leg. Once that one was relaxed, Bobby stood up and told him to take a warm shower as he was as cold as a corpse.
Not bothering to argue, Jack nodded and headed into the bathroom, after grabbing his towel. He had a quick warm shower and stepped out, drying his body quickly. He pulled on the sweatpants and his shirt, before leaving the bathroom. He was shoved onto the bed and tucked in, before Bobby went over to the sofa and collapsed onto it.
Jack glanced at his older brother, wondering how he always knew what was wrong with his brothers. He nestled down a little more and watched as Bobby’s chest rose and fell with each deep breath. He watched as Bobby’s head turned to him and told him to go to sleep, as it was still creepy to see his little brother watching him sleep in the middle of the night. Jack laughed and closed his eyes, not caring that two tears slipped from his eyes at the memory. The first time he saw what his brothers were truly like on Mom’s birthday.
“I love you, Bobby.”
“I love you, too, baby brother.” That brother part was starting to get very annoying.

Jack woke up slowly, listening to Bobby talking to someone. He was on his stomach with his hands under the pillow. He raised his head and looked over his shoulder, watching as Bobby paced the length of the room from the door to the bathroom, talking to someone on his cell phone. When he saw that Jack was awake, he told the other that he had to go and hung up.
“Good mornin’, sleepin’ beauty!”
Jack blinked and moved to his knees, running his hands through his hair. He looked at the clock on the bedside chest and saw that it was just past nine in the morning. He rolled his right shoulder, grateful to feel that it was fine, but he found that he must’ve slept violently as his left arm was out of his shirt. He yawned and pulled it off, heading into the bathroom and found his toothbrush waiting for him. He brushed his teeth and washed his face.
Feeling a little more human, Jack left the bathroom and accepted the coffee that Bobby handed him. He sat down on the bed, taking a mouthful. “Who was on the phone?” he asked as he pulled out jeans and a fresh shirt, in preparation for the funeral.
“Jerry. He was a little worried that we wouldn’t be back in time for Christmas.” Bobby ran his eyes over Jack’s body. “You look like shit, you little fairy.”
Jack glared and finished his coffee, before grabbing his clothing and going into the bathroom. He changed and walked out, pulling his shoes on. He grabbed his coconut oil and ran it through his hair, ignoring the way Bobby snickered at him. He yawned and stretched, frowning as Bobby gazed at the tattoo between his hips. He really wanted to ask about it, but then he shook his head, as if reading Jack’s mind.
With a shrug, Jack grabbed his jacket and bag and walked out of the room, heading for the office. Bobby handed over the key and they had the manager phone for a cab. They stood in silence and Jack pulled on his fingerless gloves, wondering why they weren’t talking. He glanced at Bobby, trying to remember if he’d thanked his brother for his help in the morning.
The cab pulled up and they got in, Jack telling them which cemetery they needed. He sat back, pulling his right knee to his chest, watching as they drove through the city and to the cemetery that Clara was being buried at. He asked the driver and Bobby to wait, as he was only goin to pay his respects and then leave. He didn’t want to spend too much time around the others, especially since it seemed that her sister was drowning out the pain with drugs.
Jack gave the band members a hug and told them that he couldn’t continue his life of crime, due to being shot and that his right arm and left leg would never be as strong as they were before. Jumping from buildings and evading the cops was never going to happen again. That seemed to finally get through to Ethan, as he nodded and said that he would be sorely missed. Jack smirked. He knew he would be missed by them, as he was the best safe cracker they had and he could pick a lock in seconds.
Before he left, Jack told Ethan to tell their fence to start funneling the money from his Zurich account into his bank. Ethan swore he would and Jack said he’d call him if he ever needed them for anything. He gave them all another hug and went back to the cab. He paused and looked back at them, feeling as though his time in New York was a dream, especially when he saw Ethan on his cell phone. He knew his brothers, even Bobby, probably wouldn’t believe that he’d managed to rack up millions from stolen loot.
As much as he loved his brothers, they still refused to see him as anything except that timid boy that Evelyn brought home. He was the only one of his brothers that managed to get into the school without breaking a window. He was the only one that was able to hack the system and get the emails of the faculty and blackmail them. He also learned that his English teacher was in therapy twice a week because of what Bobby did to him. Principal Headley was both scared and in awe of Bobby and his ability to destroy something so thoroughly. The cafeteria ladies loved Angel.
Thanks to the guise of the band, they were able to go all over the country and hit any place they wanted. Jack honestly couldn’t understand why some places didn’t keep up to date with security systems. He wasn’t going to complain, though. He loved the jeweler stores that thought they could get away with just a sign. He knew they soon learned that a sign wouldn’t cut it, especially when the place was staked out. He smiled as he remembered some of the heists and slipped into the cab.
“Everythin’ okay, Jackie?” Bobby asked as he glanced at his brother.
Jack watched as the grave got smaller and smiled forlornly. “It will be.” He placed his head on Bobby’s shoulder for a moment. “Thanks for coming with me, man.”
Bobby ruffled Jack’s hair and then groaned as he remembered the oil his baby brother used to style it. He wiped his glove on his jeans and shook his head. “Ya gotta stop bein’ such a fairy, Jack. I dunno how I’mma handle this shit, man.”
Jack shrugged as he straightened and stared out the window. The driver asked where they wanted to go and Jack told him to take them to the airport. Bobby frowned at him and Jack smirked. “My pay from Zurich is comin’ in,” he said simply and Bobby cocked an eyebrow.
“Cayman and Zurich?” Bobby whispered and Jack nodded. “How much do you actually have, Jack?”
“I don’t think that’s important, Bobby.” At the glare from Bobby, Jack sighed. “I got enough to take care of the family for a long while, man. Providing no one gets hooked on coke or heroin.”
Bobby stared at Jack, as though unable to believe he was looking at his little brother. “What the fuck did you do here, Jackie?”
Jack shrugged, plucking at the frayed edges of the denim on his knee. “I needed to make sure that I was able to take care of myself. I’m kinda pissed that I went into a coma for that long.” He sighed and tilted his head back. He glanced at Bobby and glared as he was still staring at him. “What?”
Bobby shook his head. “I just wanna know who the fuck you are and where you’ve put my baby brother,” he stated with a slight shrug. “You really ain’t that scared that kid Ma brought home eleven years ago, man.” Sorrow passed through his eyes for a moment, before he looked out his window. “She’d be proud that you kept it non-violent.”
“Kept what non-violent? There were still some guards that needed to be knocked out.”
Bobby smirked and glanced at his brother. “Yeah, but ya didn’t kill while gettin’ what ya wanted.” He lowered his eyes and sighed as the cab pulled into the airport. He opened the door and got out, waiting for Jack.
They went into the airport and Jack got their tickets back to Detroit. They had a two hour wait, so he sat down and waited. He watched the people that were in the building. “You killed people?” he asked suddenly, more shocked that Bobby was expecting the question.
“Someone like me…” Bobby slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “I think my job title was ‘information broker,’ at one stage. Bustin’ heads and takin’ names. My temper was in high demand for a little while, while you were here. Guess I shouldn’t’ve been surprised to know that another Mercer was a thief.”
“Information broker…” Jack lowered his eyes, remembering what the what the job entailed. “How the fuck did you go through that kind of money?”
“I didn’t,” Bobby answered as he kicked his feet onto the table in front of him. “I put that shit into a Swiss bank account, only to be touched if I die. It goes to whoever’s left.”
Jack laughed, slumping in the chair. “Yeah, same here. That’s one of my Cayman accounts. Guess I shoulda died that day, huh?” He looked at Bobby, his eyes dancing, which died the moment he saw Bobby’s dark expression. “I was joking, Bobby.”
They fell into silence for a long while. Jack had no idea why Bobby couldn’t joke and laugh about life and death, but figured it had something to do with him killing people for a living at one stage. He glanced at his brother and found that he had his eyes closed, dozing. He thought about the way Bobby was, with his sixth sense for knowing when something wasn’t right. When Jack had vanished from the house, he knew that Bobby grabbed the gun first.
His oldest brother seemed to know when something bad was going to happen. He was always prepared for the worst and Jack wondered what kind of toll that took on him. He never leaned on anyone for support, but he carried the weight of the responsibilities of his past mistakes with him. He carried the weight of the responsibilities of Jack’s recovery and fixing up the house. He watched as Bobby’s eyebrow went up when he felt Jack staring at him.
Before he could say anything, their flight was called and Bobby opened his eyes. They headed towards their gate and boarded. Bobby smirked and winked at the flight attendant, which made Jack glare at her. He sat beside Bobby, staring out the window. He buckled up when told to do so and gripped the armrest, trying to steel his nerves. He really didn’t enjoy flying.
Thankfully, the flight was short. He pulled his feet onto the seat and rested his chin on his knees, staring ahead. He heard Bobby chatting up the flight attendant and closed his eyes. He sighed and opened his eyes, turning his head to look at the clouds. He had no doubt that Bobby was going to take the flight attendant to bed, which was something that Jack refused to think about. It made his stomach knot up and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, not sure if he was going to be sick or not.
Once the plane landed, a snowstorm was coming through. Jack sighed and stood up, wanting to get off the plane as quickly as possible. He wanted to run through the building, but the cold was making that impossible. He did walk off as Bobby was giving his number to the flight attendant and telling her to call him when she had a layover. Jack lowered his head, pushing his way through the crowd in front of him. His hands worked automatically and he lifted wallets and purses.
Outside, Jack closed his eyes and breathed out. He got into the first cab and gave him the address as he slipped the wallets and purses into his bag. He knew that the cards would be canceled and cash wasn’t that big, anymore. He could live with that, though. He ignored the driver that tried to make small talk with him and instead watched as the streets moved by. He had no idea how many times he had to tell Bobby he loved him before it sank in.
He used the cash in one of the wallets to pay the driver when he was dropped off and got out. He went up to the front door and went inside, resting against the closed door. He looked up when Angel stood at the top of the stairs, confusion on his face that Jack was alone. He shrugged and went through to the kitchen, checking the wallets and purses. He took the cash and went into the backyard, knowing the best thing would be to burn them. He knew Angel had seen him with the wallets and purses, but he wasn’t about to explain himself. All he wanted to do was destroy something, which was exactly what he was going to do as he grabbed the gas can from the garage.
“What happened, Jackie?” Angel asked as he watched his little brother pour gas on the wallets and purses. His eyebrows went up as he set them on fire, the beer he had for Jack forgotten.
“Nothin’, man. Just attended a funeral is all.”
“And…they came from where?”
Jack shrugged and watched as the leather melted and curled, popping and snapping. He tensed when he heard Bobby yelling his name and glared at the small fire. Jack grabbed the spare beer bottle and threw it at the boundary fence, which made Angel raise his hands and back away slowly. Jack ignored the pain from his shoulder at the throw and glared over his shoulder when he heard Bobby at the backdoor.
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Jack!” Bobby shouted as he kicked the snow onto the fire and then glared at Angel. “Why didn’t ya stop this?”
With the fire out, Jack went back into the house. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and went up to his bedroom. He slammed the door and slid down it, opening the bottle and drinking the beverage quickly. He closed his eyes and sighed, suddenly wishing he’d stayed in New York. He might not be of use to them during a heist, but he could still play the guitar and help them plan the best way to break in. Hell, he could even teach a couple of them how to pick a lock.
He groaned quietly when Bobby pounded on the door. “Jack, open the door before I break it down.”
“Drop dead, Bobby.”
Jack winced as Bobby forced the door open. He stood up, rubbing his lower back and glaring at his older brother. The look was returned with more venom than Jack’s ever seen before. “The fuck did you just say to me, you little fairy?”
“I told ya to drop dead! Ya hard of hearin’ or somethin’?” Jack put the bottle down before he busted it over Bobby’s head. He really didn’t want anyone in the hospital because of a small dispute. He was surprised that the cops hadn’t been called because of the fire
“What the fuck happened?” Angel demanded as he stood behind Bobby. Jack was wondering where he was. “Jackie, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing! I’m gettin’ fuckin’ tired of that question, though! If anythin’ was wrong, I’d tell ya!”
“No, you wouldn’t!” Bobby countered and narrowed his eyes. “You think you can handle everythin’ alone, until you blow up or do somethin’ equally as stupid!”
“Well, I’m sorry that you don’t like how I deal with shit, Bobby! But guess what? What I go through is none of your fuckin’ business, until I make it your fuckin’ business!”
Bobby growled and was restrained by Angel when he tried to step up on Jack. “You can fling that shit ’round all ya want, Jack, but it still ain’t gonna fuckin’ fly here! We’re family or did you forget that?!”
Angel’s eyes widened and he pulled Bobby out of the room as Jack tried to step up on Bobby. He got between the pair of them. “What the fuck is wrong with you two?” he demanded, raising his voice. “Ya both fightin’ like an old married couple, but none of y’all are sayin’ what ya wanna!”
“He fuckin’ started it,” Jack said sulkily and winced as Angel slapped him upside the head.
“You ain’t twelve anymore, Jack!” Angel turned and looked over Bobby’s head when the front door slammed. “Thank fuck,” he said when they heard Jeremiah’s voice.
Jeremiah went up the stairs and instantly felt the tension. “Get ya asses down to the living room!”
Bobby muttered and went down the stairs. Jack glared at Jeremiah, refusing to leave his room. He struggled against Angel as he was picked up and slung over his shoulder. He was dropped onto the sofa, beside Bobby. Angel and Jeremiah stood in front of them, looking between the pair, before they both asked the same question at the same time.
“The fuck is wrong y’all?”
Jack glared at the coffee table, trying to keep his anger up. It was fading fast and the urge to cry was beginning to take over. Bobby sighed. “I don’t know what the fuck ya talkin’ ’bout,” he said with a shrug.
Jeremiah crossed his arms over his chest. “Of course ya don’t, Bobby! Try usin’ the brains God gave ya, then! I get a call sayin’ that Jack took a page from your book and set fire to a bunch of wallets and purses! What the fuck happened in New York?”
Angel looked between his brothers on the sofa and shook his head. “How many times do y’all need to be told?” he asked and kicked the coffee table, which made Jack jump. “Just fuckin’ tell each other!”
Jeremiah sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he ran his hand over his head. “The last time one of y’all did somethin’ stupid, it ended with both of ya leavin’ and never showin’ ya faces ’round here again for five years!”
Jack flinched and stood up. “I really don’t wanna deal with this shit!”
“Too fuckin’ bad, little brother,” Jeremiah said and pushed Jack back down. “Mama always said you two were too stubborn to see the wood through the trees! Y’all both wanted the other to see what was happenin’, but didn’t do nothin’ ’bout it!”
“I fuckin’ refuse to go down that road,” Bobby stated with a shrug. “If he wants to PMS about every little thing, that’s his choice!”
Jack gritted his teeth and stood up, as did Bobby. They glared at each other. “Ya know what? Fuck you, Bobby! I’ve had to deal with your shit for the last eleven years of my life!”
“You make it sound like it’s a fuckin’ bad thing, Jack! Would you prefer if I just beat the fuck outta ya? Ya seem to enjoy that! I’ve done everythin’ I could to make sure no one hurt you again! I killed your father, your rapists and the fuckin’ Pescatelli family! I have a giant fuckin’ target on me because of the shit I’ve done for you and you can’t even fuckin’ thank me for it!”
“Oh, thank you for the shit you did of your own accord? Well, why the fuck should I stop there, huh? Perhaps I should thank you for abandoning me! Amazin’ how everythin’ that happened to me happened because of you! I get my fuckin’ head kicked in on my first day of school? You put that fucker’s brother in the hospital! You knew I wasn’t comfortable around you, so what do you do? You fuckin’ sleep on my bed! You make enemies with some gang leader and they kick the shit outta me to punish you! How the fuck is any of that fair on me?!”
Jack panted and stepped back, his legs trembling. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Bobby, knowing that he basically blamed every wrong doing in his life on his older brother. He was about to collapse when he felt Angel’s arm around his waist, keeping him upright. He shivered and looked up, seeing the one thing that he never wanted to see on Bobby. He looked broken. He wasn’t angry or sad, he was just broken.
“Bobby,” Jeremiah said softly and placed a hand on Bobby’s shoulder.
Blinking, Bobby looked up at Jeremiah and a spark of anger entered his eyes. “What?”
“Is there anythin’ else ya wanna say? If not, y’all better hug this shit out, man.”
Bobby turned his eyes to Jack. “Nah, I got nothin’ else to say. Except — Jesus fuck! You sound just like me when ya angry, you little fairy!”
Jack laughed and walked over to Bobby, hugging him tightly. “I’m sorry, man.”
Bobby patted Jack on the back. “Don’t be, man. You hold onto your anger and pain for so long that if you don’t explode…” He trailed off and shook his head. He pushed Jack back. “I keep tellin’ ya to release the pressure, Jack. I know ya pretty, but you ain’t dumb.”
Angel and Jeremiah exchanged glances. “Now will y’all tell each other?!” they demanded, rolling their eyes at the confusion expressions from their brothers. Jeremiah shook his head and continued on. “Y’all have been in love with each other for the last eight years and y’all can’t see it!”
“Just fuck already,” Angel begged and sighed. “We don’t care who y’all love, as long as ya happy and they treat ya right!”
Jack’s mouth fell open and Bobby shook his head. “He’s my brother,” they declared and stepped back from each other, which only caused Angel and Jeremiah to groan.
“If y’all don’t kiss right now, I’mma burn the fuckin’ house down with y’all in it!” Jeremiah threatened and rubbed his eyes. “We ain’t gonna keep doin’ this shit, man. Jack, why’d ya leave?”
Jack lowered his eyes and shrugged, trying to ignore the curious looks from his brothers. “I figured it was time I left the nest, since everyone else had.”
“Bullshit!” Angel snapped and slapped Jack upside the head. “You left because Bobby brought home some floozy and you didn’t want to live the pain.”
Jack’s eyes widened and he stared at Angel. “Mom told ya, huh?”
“Every time I tried to get a hold of ya in New York, ya were never at the apartment,” Angel explained and rubbed his neck. “We’ve had to watch this tragedy play out for the last eight years. You mopin’ ’round because Bobby wasn’t here. Bobby mopin’ ’round because you weren’t here no more.”
“I wasn’t mopin’,” Bobby stated. “Worryin’, sure. My baby brother was in New York without us, man.”
Jeremiah rolled his eyes and slapped Bobby upside the head. “Just because Ma ain’t here gives ya no reason to start lyin’, man. We’re gonna leave, so y’all can have some privacy talkin’ this through. Y’all have been so unhappy because ya think that there’s somethin’ wrong with it. Did none of ya stop to think that maybe this is why y’all were brought together as brothers?”
Jack frowned, thinking those words through as Angel and Jeremiah left the house. Bobby scoffed. “Do ya believe that?”
With a sigh, Jack looked at Bobby. “He isn’t wrong, Bobby. I do love you like that, man. I just…didn’t want ya to hate me, so I just…buried it. But then I’d get so…angry and hurt when you hooked up with someone.” Bobby stared at him and Jack lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Bobby narrowed his eyes and slapped Jack upside the head. “Never apologize for what you feel, ya little fairy. Ya really don’t learn, do ya?” He smiled and rested his hand on the nape of Jack’s neck.
Jack closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling and resting his forehead against Bobby’s. “I love you, Bobby,” he said.
“I love you, too, Jack.”
The stress finally broke and Jack tilted is head, pressing his lips to Bobby’s. He didn’t care that tears were falling from his closed eyes. All he could focus on was how good a kisser Bobby was and that his tongue was so talented as it slipped into his mouth. He pulled back and buried his face into Bobby’s shoulder, letting all the dammed-up emotions go.
Bobby held him as he cleansed his body and kissed the side of his head. “You’re gonna be sparklin’ like a fairy again,” he said and Jack laughed through the tears. “Once a Mercer—”
“Always a Mercer.”
End.
Thanks for reading. I kept forgetting to update here, as the story has been finished since last year. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to leave a review.
Until the next one!
Peace.
Auska.
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Shadow of Blue