"You look like Hell," Zed grinned as Will trudged into the room, cheeks dusted with dirt and hair sticking up in greasy spikes.
"Thanks, I just got back," he huffed, slinging his duffel bag down in the corner of the kitchen. Uriel and Trace followed their younger brother into the house, shaking dirt from their boots and peeling their jackets off, leaving a trail of clothes and mud behind as they stripped down. Skye went in for a hug, but pulled back almost immediately as Will opened his arms.
"Oh you stink," she choked, darting out of his way as he made a playful grab for her.
"8 days without a shower tends to do that to you," Trace called as he headed to the bathroom, breaking into a sprint as his brothers jostled to get there first. Saul was the last one into the house, bringing a cold wind into the warm room. He ruffled Zed's hair and pressed a gentle kiss to Skye's forehead in welcome.
"How did it go?" Zed asked, tugging Skye up onto the kitchen counter beside him, slinging an arm across her frail shoulders.
"Very well," he nodded, filling a glass with water. "Two bucks and a boar, the boys did well. Skye, would you be interested in joining us when I take Zed, Yves and Xav?" he asked, taking a long gulp of the cold water.
"Um, I think I'll pass. I'm not much of a "braving the outdoors" kind of person." Skye admitted.
"Ah c'mon kiddo," Xavier exclaimed, bounding into the kitchen to welcome his brothers home. "There's nothing more liberating about having the breeze on your ass as you're taking a shit," he grinned, ducking as an orange zipped out of the fruit bowl and aimed for his head. Zed grinned delightedly, nuzzling Skye's neck.
"That's my girl," he murmured proudly and she giggled at his attentions.
"You're a bad influence Zed," Xav exclaimed, opening one of the cabinets and grabbing a jar of peanut butter out. "What happened to the nice, shy girl we used to know?" he wailed dramatically, dipping a finger into the jar and sticking a chunk of peanut butter into his mouth, cheeks hollowing as he sucked the treat off his finger.
"Where did he come from?" Uriel sighed in exasperation, leaning against the doorway and shaking his head at his younger brothers disgusting antics.
"Hell probably," Zed admitted.
"Maybe he's adopted," Will teased, sticking his head round Uriel.
"Am I adopted?" Xavier asked Saul who stared at him in dismay for a moment before answering.
"Not yet, but we're hopeful." He sighed, taking a swig and ignoring the laughter which burst from his son's.
"I've never been so insulted in all my life!" Xavier exclaimed, though he was fighting a grin.
"Well we're trying our fucking hardest," Trace growled out, freshly showered and running a towel through his hair as he shoved past his brothers into the kitchen.
Skye curled an arm around Zed's waist, grinning at the casual back-and-forth between the brothers. The Benedicts were as much her family as Sally and Simon were, and though the boys teasing could grate on her nerves and drive her up the wall, she adored them as if they were her own brothers. They always had her back and she could trust them completely with anything. The house felt ready to burst, overflowing with giant boisterous boys. Victor and Karla were due home within the next couple of hours and Skye could hardly contain her contentment at having them all home and safe and in once place.
Zed brushed a kiss across her temple, tightening his arm across her shoulders and she cuddled against him, feeling loved.