Greg didn't know how much time had passed since he had fallen. The trees and leafs obstructed the view from the sky, causing his surroundings to be cascaded in the hazy darkness that seemed to permeate dense forests. The little particles of light passing through the top at least gave him a sense the sun still had not yet descended. The heat ghosting over his body made him feel more tired than he really was, a bead of sweat pooling down the back of his neck as his gaze continued to glare at his trapped foot. The tears from earlier still streaming down his face despite his will at trying to stop them. His anger only made them seem to fall down harder.
'Stop crying. It'll only make me feel more tired.' Using the sleeve of his t-shirt to wipe the salty tears from his reddened cheeks, Greg let a sigh wreck his body as he tried to breathe calmly. 'Ugh. My leg hurts. I wonder if I have anything to chip away at the roots. No use in just crying at my foot and hating myself.' With that thought, Greg started rummaging through his pockets. He didn't even have his phone, having forgotten it back at the house like the single-minded brain cell he really was.
'I was in a rush to talk to Holly that I actually forgot my phone. What witch did I piss off to be cursed like this? This vacation is bringing on more damage than it is at fixing them.' He wasn't entirely sure if his cell service might even work considering how far he seemed to have gone, and by accident, fallen in the forest. The rope had been bordering off the trail; how had he missed it? He couldn't exactly be blamed, though, for the trail falling apart, not with the way it had happened. He had ventured too close to the ledge, which caused the unstable trail to finally give way after years of travel ware. It was his fault for not paying attention, though.
'I wonder if there's a large rock around I can use? I could open the roots up, but the angle of my foot is too weird for me to really get any grip to pull apart.' Eyes scanning the forest floor before him, moving some of the leaves on the ground as he looked. Chocolate eyes landed on a medium-sized rock slightly bigger than his fist a few ways away. As his side thumped against the ground, he tried stretching his body and arm out enough for him to reach. His fingertip clipped against it every few attempted grab, and on the fourth try, he was finally able to dig his nails in it flip it closer over. With the heft of its weight now enclosed in his fist, he crab-walked his way as close as he could with the angle and started chipping away at one of the roots enclosing his leg.
'I'm not helpless. I don't need Rodrick to get me out of this. I'm old enough to fight my own battles and get my ass out of trouble. No use in being a baby about it.' Greg couldn't help but wince slightly every time the rock came down on the root. The cracking gave him hope that at least he was doing damage, but the force of it kept knocking back into his already sore ankle. Teeth gritted as he pushed through, almost growling as he tried to concentrate his frustration on the situation at hand. Greg wiped the back of his hand against his forehead before sitting back slightly, taking a small breathe looking over the progress he had made and letting his aching body recuperate. It hadn't been much, but he would say that a couple more hits and the root might finally break apart. From the looks of it, he might need to destroy two more before he would have enough room to weasel his foot out.
His lungs expanded as he took a large breathe inwards, closing his eyes as he prepared himself to fight more against the tiredness his whole body started to experience as the adrenaline from the fall started to finally wear off, the pain starting to slowly creep up as his adrenaline finally started to run away from him.
'I can do this. Just a bit more. I've been through worse.' With his mind steeled, he set his body in motion.
His hands clenched and unclenched themselves in his hoods pockets, mauling over the information Holly had graciously given him as he walked towards the forest trail that the younger girl had seen Greg heading towards. It's not that he believed what the blonde had told him, sure Greg tended to be the type to fall for someone at first glance, case in point what had happened towards Holly. This time around, though, he felt like his younger brother had a heavy head with thoughts that couldn't be bothered with the prospect of interest from a new girl he had only recently met.
If anything, not defending himself against this new girl had made Rodrick come to the conclusion that his younger brother didn't seem to have any remaining feelings for Holly, who he had taught would always be a barrier between the two of them. He didn't think badly of Holly; if anything, he had to give her props for the confidence she had as well as knowing what she liked. He was himself, After all, there had always been plenty of interest, but to their dismay, never from him. No. With the way he was, is, Rodrick didn't waver from the things or people he was interested in. He knew that the way he felt for Greg wasn't at all right. He wasn't stupid despite what others might believe.
He blamed and punished himself for years, as well as hating Greg for being the cause of it all, only recently coming to terms with them as he tried to fix the damage his hatred had caused along the way. Despite accepting his feelings, he still had tried to keep them a secret, desperately. His slip up had caused him to start the rule game, afraid of what might have happened if Greg had gone to their parents to rat him out at how impulsive he had been. At how disgusting of a brother he really was with how forceful he had been.
Rodrick knew he had a lot of things to make up for. The damage was so dense with pent-up resentment and hurt that it was purely from the purity of Greg's own heart Rodrick was still able to be a part of his little brother's life. He knew he had to keep working at it. People don't just change overnight. Especially him of all people. The one who dreaded the finality of change to a fault. The older Greg got, the more his feelings hadn't been able to stop. The more time passed, learning, growing, being around his younger brother, the harder it was starting to get to stop himself from just revealing exactly how he truly felt. No games. No underhanded remarks. Just him. Bare.
Oh, how hard it really was.
There was always the possibility of another slip-up, another chance for him to become an ass. It's why he had been so afraid to come on this vacation. Greg was bound to hurt or annoy him in such a way that he wouldn't be able to control his impulsivity. He had gotten better at controlling it, but there was always something about his little brother that made it hard to concentrate.
But Rodrick was tired. He was tired of hurting Greg. He cared about him, to a fault. He didn't want his younger brother to be afraid of him. He didn't want to be put at arm's length because Greg was scared. Rodrick had been frightened when he had kissed him, his insides feeling electrified. In contrast, his mind had gone haywire with possible negative scenarios if he didn't find a way to rectify his actions and hide his vulnerable feelings. Now they were both stuck in this mess he had created, and he had no way of really backtracking with how tightly woven they had now become to one another. Maybe Greg was starting to feel something, and as fucked up as Rodrick was in wanting to steer Greg towards him despite what might happen, maybe Greg felt the same way too?
"Where is he?" Aggravated sigh leaving him as his eyes scanned his surroundings. His thoughts had gotten hold of his attention for who knows how long as he wandered the trail, the events of the past few days continuously coming to the forefront of his mind. Greg was starting to make a new side of himself come out, a change that was entirely brought on by his little brother's words and actions. Setting in motion something new and undiscovered.
As he looked for any sign of his brother long the trail, dark brown eyes couldn't help but focus slightly ahead on the broken path in front of him. The wind was gently swaying the rope boarding off against the ledge, eyebrows knitting together because there was no way that Greg would have been stupid enough to fall down. That thought didn't seem to stop the cold sweat that broke out against the back of his neck. Breathe hitching in his throat before he let his voice drift into the forest as he called out his brother's name towards the open space in front of him.
A few moments passed and nothing; he didn't know if it was relief washing over him or dread. Feet already starting to drag him further down the road before a voice drifted off from down below. Eyes widening slightly as his body lurched in the direction of the voice, running towards the ledge and catching onto one of the hanging trees on the other side of the rope as he peered down over the hill. Height-wise, it looked to be no more than a twenty-foot with a slight slope towards the bottom so that it wasn't a straight drop.
He couldn't hear much apart from the blood pumping through his veins, the beat playing against his ears as his eyes narrowed on the small figure of Greg at the bottom. Looking banged up and stuck from the way his leg looked bent inside the hollow of a tree. Rodrick had to mentally and physically stop himself from jumping straight down.
"What the hell! Are you okay, Greg? I'm coming down, stay there." Rodrick decided to ignore Greg's outstretched hands, obnoxiously pointing towards his clearly stuck foot as Rodrick started making his way down the slope. Catching onto roots jutting out from the wall of dirt, dangling his way down in a safer manner than what Greg had obviously endured if the soil surrounding Greg's body was anything to go by. Sneakers slapping against the solid ground beneath him when he finally reached the bottom, he didn't waste any time shuffling over to Greg to inspect the damage.
His hands grabbed onto Greg, unable to stop himself from touching to make sure that the other was there and alive. Noticing the scratches on his arms and dirt on his face, wanting to do nothing more than to wash them away. He saw the foot clearly stuck, red and swollen, the cuts and redness of the blood only furthering to worry Rodrick. Furrowed brows noticed the chipping that had been done at the tree, one almost completely bent away and broken off from where it had once been. Dark brown eyes zeroing in on the rock still held in Greg's hand.
"What did you do, idiot." Already regretting the words once they came out but not being able to stop the worry dripping off his tongue in waves. "You're lucky you didn't break your neck. How did you even fall down? There's rope?" Looking around the tree roots as he spoke and trying to find the best way to get his brother free. He only had half an ear to listen to his brother's reason as he tried to keep his annoyance in check at how careless Greg had been. This wasn't the first time that Rodrick found Greg hurt because of something idiotic he had done.
"It wasn't my fault!" Rodrick stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the whine as he pulled at the roots, trying to figure out how flexible they were at being pried apart. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Greg wince slightly, causing him to stop what he was doing. Greg tensed up slightly when Rodrick drew back.
"It wasn't, I swear! I did walk a bit too close to the edge, but the road broke from underneath me, and then everything was just happening so fast that all I could think about was holding my head. It wasn't my fault!" Whatever Rodrick had been about to say got lost inside his lungs. He could feel the trembling from where his hands were grasping Greg, the vibration in his voice speaking to him in more ways than any words could. It was his chance to change, to be different. Greg didn't need to be made to feel worse than he probably already does.
"Fine, I believe you." He couldn't help but have a small chuckle leave him as Greg's big chocolate eyes just stared at him in shock. "Don't act so surprised, I can be reasonable…sometimes." He added off at the end, not able to help himself from teasing despite the situation. Better to air out the discomfort and panic they had both felt with a lighter mood and trust.
"How about we get you out of here. Do you think you can stand? I'll try to make an opening so you can slide your leg out. Hold on to me if you want." His hand already reaching for Greg as he helped his brother stand up, arms going around him as he lifted him slightly to try and find the best position for him to put himself in for the easiest and less painful extraction method. Greg's free foot stood against the forest floor, hand instinctively reaching out to steady himself as Rodrick bent down. He felt both of Greg's hands find purchase on his shoulder as he added pressure on one side with his foot, and both his hands gripped the other side.
"I'm going to pull, and I want you to slide your foot out when you're able to. Okay, here we go. Don't lose your grip, hold on as tightly as you want, I got you. You understand?" Waiting for Greg to show him a sign to go ahead, not paying attention to the different emotion filtering through his younger brother's face, instead of searching for the physical nod before Rodrick started pulling and pushing. He heard the creak and strain that the roots made, trying to fight their way against the force trying to pry them apart.
The way Greg dug his nails into his shoulder as he tried to stay strong despite the bite of his injury made Rodrick pull harder. With a bit more added strength on his part, he noticed that Greg had finally been able to drag his foot out, battered and dangling slightly before being brought down next to the other. He noticed right away that the younger male favored his other foot, which was expected. Arms encircling around Greg once more, he started ushering his brother towards the side of the slop, setting him on the ground so that he could take a better look at his leg and all the other injuries he had sustained in such a short period of time.
"Let me take a look at that." Kneeling beside him, Rodrick took hold of Greg's right leg, bringing it up to rest on his knee as he inspected the damage. Teeth clenching, cuts from the roots weren't deep, and they had already started to crust over. There was slight bruising, but thankfully the swelling didn't look to be too bad. Not wanting to risk anything, Rodrick searched through his back pocket and came out with a black bandana, wrapping it up in a secure hold so that it would keep things together and help with the pressure.
"Are you able to move it at all, or does it hurt too much?" Trying to gauge the mobility, he really hoped it wasn't broken. Greg's face focused hard as he willed his ankle to move. Rodrick nodding along at his younger brother, pleased to see that pain didn't stop him from moving.
"That's good. It's not broken. A sprain isn't too bad and doesn't take too long to heal. We'll have to put ice and elevate it as soon as we get home." Relief finally flowing off of him like a wave hitting against the shore as he set Greg's foot down, running the back of his hand against the side of his face as his eyes searched against his younger brother's face. He could see that Greg had been crying, the redness from his eyes causing them to be slightly puffy. Mouth quirking downwards at how alone and afraid Greg must have felt for the tears to have been that relentless.
Hand reaching out, he ran his thumb alongside Greg's cheek as if to wipe the already dried tears before fingers slid behind, grabbing hold of the other head and bringing Greg's face over to his shoulder. His arms encircling the smaller males body as he let himself sag into the hug. A calmness coming over him as he tried to offer comfort in a way he wasn't usually used to doing. Greg didn't even hesitate or recoil from the touch, going to wrap his own arms around his older brother and giving a squeeze that spoke volumes in Greg's thankfulness towards Rodrick. The content sigh coming out of Greg wafted over him, and he nuzzled slightly against his younger brother's neck, relishing in the fact that his injuries weren't that severe.
"You're safe now. I'm here." Fingers treading softly through Greg's hair as he absorbed the warmth coming from their bodies. Drawing his head back to look into chocolate brown hues, seeing the same conflicted emotions he had seen earlier when he had finally found his way back to his brother's side. The same glazed look like that time during the paddle boat incident. Fingers continuing to dance along Greg's scalp, enjoying the way he felt as their foreheads rested against one another. Breathing each other in as they tried to just focus on the moment and the fact that they were here together.
It was Greg who drew in first, much to his surprise. Soft lips touching his own, tentative hands hovering over his hood before clasping on for strength. Drawing their bodies closer, as flushed as they could possibly be in their current position on the floor. Eyes closed as Rodrick slanted himself and his lips so that they could fit better. Touch more. Feel more.
Rodrick wanted everything he could get.
Greg thought his ears were deceiving him, playing tricks on him as his heart thumped softly against the hope blossoming up his throat. But then it came again, this time closer, almost as if the carrier of the sound he knew all too well was but a glance away, overheard from the ledge that had caused all of this in the first place.
But there it was, almost as clear as day as the voice of his brother yelling out his name kept ringing in his head. Not able to stop himself as his lungs expanded with air, the shock from the whole situation finally catching up with him and yelling at him to respond back before he was alone once again.
"Rodrick!" Various emotions riddled through his voice as his cry rang out in the lonely forest. He didn't want Rodrick to see him like this, to blame him, but another part of him wanted nothing more than to throw himself at him for actually finding him. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, so many thoughts, realizations, the truth about his feeling, and how absolutely scared he was about it all. He didn't know which way he should take and what choices he should make.
Greg didn't really pay attention to the things that his older brother was telling him as he made his way downwards, surprisingly adept with how he strung his way down without faltering in the slightest. He didn't really want to hear Rodrick criticize him for getting hurt and becoming stuck. He didn't want to hear the frustration and accusation leave his older brothers' mouth when all he really wanted was comforting and helping out. He said his peace to defuse the blame; imagine his surprise when Rodrick actually let it go and stated that he believed him. No fighting, just pure agreement. Just listening to what he had to say instead of passing on his own judgments.
Greg couldn't help but stare at Rodrick, even allowing the other to pretty much maltreating him into the position he wanted to get him free. It was about time, honestly. His foot felt warm, heated in a clear way that signaled the sprain, cuts, and bruises, only adding to the somewhat constant ache. All that he could really do was wait for the roots to give way as Rodrick worked away, holding his breath in as the pain rippled through him. Once he had finally removed his foot, he felt like he could breathe again. Fingers gripping onto Rodrick tightly as the taller male maneuvered him towards the ledge where he suddenly found himself sitting against. Everything had felt like it was happening so quickly; the shock and adrenaline had worn off a while ago, but the sudden appearance of Rodrick and his care had made him feel tongue-tied in a way he hadn't been before.
His cycled thoughts continued to center on not only what Holly told him but how exactly they both got to this point. Towards this outcome of Rodrick fretting over him like a mother hen while not even a few days ago, Rodrick had threatened to hurt him badly if he came on this trip.
It was hard for him to come to terms with his feelings, fretting over the outcome and the possibility of being discovered. The fear of Rodrick turning on him at any moment and going back to treating him like dirt. The possibility of being thought of negatively because of the dark secret he was keeping between them. It made him feel as if he would drown if he did not thread back up got breathe.
The air-only grew thicker with each deep breath, the closeness and care that Rodrick was showering him with fueling the ever-growing spark inside. Thick arms surrounding him, soft words that guided him back. The fingers playing across his hair sending slight chills along the back of his neck, air catching in his throat as Rodrick started drawing away from him, instinctively reaching out to keep him near. Their foreheads touching in such an intimate way that it wasn't entirely his fault with how his eyes closed, drawing his face towards the other as their lips finally touched. A press that enjoyed the feel of savoring the moment.
No need to rush with the cover they shared deep within the woods, hidden away where no one knew, the ability to simply enjoy what he was feeling no matter how wrong it may be. He had been saved. He wasn't alone, and he didn't think he ever really would be as long as Rodrick would continue to come searching for him. He had known his older brother would find him. He had wished that he would. And here he was, in his arms with their lips locked together in a kiss that felt so different from the first but still offered the same heat. Warming him up from the inside out as he pushed his resolve to the side.
He would allow himself this, if only for a little while.
Acting like the big brother he always wanted. Being good to him. He wanted it to last. He wanted him to stay. Greg wanted to believe that he could be safe, grasping fingers digging as he drew harder into the kiss. The sensation drawing out everything he wanted to say but didn't have the courage to voice.
His body started responding, having no control as the heat pooled in his gut. Feeling more wanting as Rodrick was the one to suddenly drawback, nervousness creeping up his chest as it coated his cheeks and neck in a red hue of embarrassment. This time, the only downside was that he didn't have a lake he could swim across to get away. He well even couldn't walk properly at this point. Greg was now unfortunately stuck.
The rules were Rodrick's idea of a game, something to pass the time because he felt like it would annoy Greg the most. Now here he was, waiting for Rodrick to tease him about how he very well threw himself at the other not just once but twice in the same day. Drawing his head away, hand unclasping from around his brother as his eyes nervously glanced at the floor at his side.
"Sorry…" Huffing out, fingers tapping themselves against his thighs. "I wasn't thinking. I might have hit my head after all." Trying to play it off, acting as if it was no big deal. He could tell Rodrick was just looking at him, his large hand still on his shoulder, resting like a heavyweight that helped to ground him despite the gnawing in his heart.
"You know." Rodrick had started to say, a small sigh, hand rubbing his shoulder before they were drawn away. "The rules don't just apply to you." Eyes lurched upwards towards Rodrick's face, a blink of surprise at what he had just said, what he had just insinuated.
"You can kiss me whenever you want." He wouldn't be surprised if Rodrick could hear how hard his heart was pumping. "Your heads fine, by the way. I already did my little inspection." Long fingers curled on the side of his head, twirling a piece of hair next to his ear to draw the point across that only helped but fuel the rising heat already attacking his cheeks.
"We should get you back. You shouldn't put any pressure on that foot if you can help it, so go ahead and get on my back." Rodrick turned around, still kneeling as he presented him with his back. Chocolate eyes lingering as they traveled upwards, seeing the long line of his neck and how wide his shoulders were. Gulping slightly, Greg scooted over on his good leg before wrapping his arms around his older brother's neck. Rodrick bent himself forward so he could slide on better as his arms tightened once Rodrick's hands found themselves against the underside of his bare thighs.
Feeling safe and secure now, he sagged against the other's back, warm face hiding against the side of Rodrick's neck to try and calm his racing heart. A bad idea once he had done it, Rodrick's smell just filling his nose with a pronounced scent that was all him, reigniting that heat he had thought had gone away once the kiss had been broken.
"We'll go around. There must be a section that goes back up without needing to climb." Rodrick had already started walking to the left from where they were, being vocal about the plan instead of keeping Greg in the dark. It did something to him. This care, the softness, the carefulness that Rodrick was exhibiting towards him. It hadn't been long since he discovered his crush, and now they only seemed to continue to grow. Gnawing on his lip as he breathed slowly. Willing himself to calm down, yelling inwardly at his body to not do a little show and telling exactly how he felt. Not that his body ever listened.
The mortification he felt when Rodrick stumbled in his steps because of him, back rigid for what felt like minutes but was only seconds as the other felt Greg's hardened member against the small of his back. Greg was about ready to just let go and break his neck purposefully only to have Rodrick hold him tighter as he continued walking as if Greg didn't have a hard-on. It made him feel strange. He wanted Rodrick to say something so that they wouldn't walk in complete silence.
"Why does your little blonde friend think you have a crush on the girl called Sarah?" Nevermind, he would rather Rodrick just not talk at all.
"I don't know; it's not true, though." – "I think she was just trying to make me stop asking questions." Mumbling out against Rodrick's neck, watching, fascinated as goosebumps raised against the skin his head was resting against.
"Oh?" Greg didn't like where this was going. "What kind of questions?" And there it was. Greg wanted so badly to wiggle away, but he feared that any friction against his lower region would make everything worse.
"You know, questions." – "About stuff." He sounded so lame. It's not like he had to tell him. Still, if he kept the conversation going for as long as possible, maybe they'll get back to the house before he really had a chance to explain anything he and Holly had talked about.
"What kind of stuff?" Rodrick kept trying to push for more details, not seeming to want to back down and seeming to be enjoying where this was going if the way he was laughing slightly against his chest was anything to go by. Teeth softly nibbling on his bottom lip as he held his head up and turned his head away as if to pout. "Important stuff." Huffing out, being as difficult as he could be.
"You mean like how to tell if you like someone? Who do you like, Shrimp?" Shoulders slumped inwards slightly, a barrier, trying to hide away despite knowing the answer to that.
"I'm…not sure yet." That was a lie, but there was no reason for Rodrick to know. It would only cause his older brother to use it against him, which he really didn't want. Getting hit was one thing. Being made fun of for having his feelings thrown in his face was a type of hurt he didn't particularly want to feel anytime soon, or ever.
"You'll figure it out if anything seems like that Sarah girl has a crush on you too." Greg wanted to bite Rodrick's neck and his damn teasing. Head spinning with each new direction his older brother seemed to take. He also wanted to yell at Holly for being such a blabbermouth. "Did Holly tell you everything already or something?" Next time he would just wait to talk to Rowley, though he felt like his best friend probably wouldn't have been able to help him with his particular string of questions.
"No, just about the other girl. Why, was there something else?" Greg could almost hear the cat-like grin his brother was making just by the way his voice changed in pitch. Groaning inwardly, he glanced forward and was relieved to see the trees starting to spread out as they were finally drawing nearer to where they were meant to be out in the open where this line of questioning was hopefully going to end.
"Ugh, no. Look, I see the camp, yay home! Onwards! Go!" Smooth. He felt pointing in front of them was a little bit much, but it did the job in the sense that Rodrick stopped prodding Greg for answers. He would love nothing more than to just lay in bed and take a good nap. Unfortunately, it would have to wait, considering they had to clean his cuts and try to get ice on his ankle as soon as they got in. A shower sounded nice, though. He'd definitely need to take one of those soon. The dirt he felt between his nails and toes just had to go.
Once out, Greg was finally able to see just how long he had been gone. The sun was getting close to setting, maybe a few hours away before evening dawn would wash the land. It hadn't felt like that long, but then again, time always seemed to run a lot slower than one really imagines in those kinds of situations. Greg noticed that Rodrick didn't follow the road, instead of keeping to the side and walking along the lake instead of being out in the open. Just as he was about to ask, his brother seemed to have caught on and answered it anyway.
"You have cuts, sprained ankle, and look like a total mess. I figured you didn't want anyone to see, especially since we would pass right by your little friend's house." He hadn't been able to say anything at that response, choosing instead to rest his head back down as his arms tightened, nodding his head against Rodrick's warm skin. It would save him the trouble of explaining if no one saw. Not to mention he really didn't want to talk or see Holly right now. She always asked too many questions, and it's always hard to try to get away from her, especially with what she felt for his brother.
He had to keep Rodrick away from her.
Rodrick had decided to walk alongside the lake for many reasons despite what he told Greg. One of them being he wanted to spend more time with Greg, carrying him as his brother held on tightly. It had driven him insane with how he had talked against his neck, sending a chill that rose goosebumps and made him feel warm. He had tried so hard to ignore the hardness against his back, having to bite his own tongue to stop himself from saying anything to embarrass him, stop himself from going further than he was allowed.
Greg was hurt, and the only thing on his mind had been solely on trying to make his brother feel better. It wouldn't do well for him to lose his cool and take advantage of the situation. He wanted to change, and change happened through actions. He wouldn't fuck this up. Not again.
Rodrick had only set one foot inside their home before Susan was on them like a bloodhound on its prey. Already wincing slightly at the outcome of how this might go. Their mother really was over the top sometimes.
"Oh my goodness, Gregory! What happened, Rodrick?" Susan fretted to them both as Rodrick just went towards the couch and set Greg down propped up against a few pillows. Without waiting, he took another pillow only to set it underneath his brother's injured leg. Setting himself to the job of taking Greg's shoes off to let his swollen ankle breathe before turning around to go to the fridge in the corner.
"Mom, I'm fine. I just fell down a hill. It wasn't too bad." Rodrick couldn't help but roll his eyes at how flippant Greg was being. He didn't think a twenty-foot drop was anything to play off as if it was nothing. But if this was how Greg wanted to play it out, who was he to correct him. If anything, keeping it as down low as possible was probably the smartest thing to do to not have their mother completely freak out.
"Why did you fall? Weren't you paying attention? I told you to always watch where you walk! Look at that ankle and those cuts!" He felt somewhat bad for Greg, only slightly, though. He hadn't been able to go off on his brother like he used to, so someone at least had to make Greg see that he needed to start being more careful about himself. Not that he would listen. They've had so many of these talks.
"It was in the forest. The path broke apart and gave way. It wasn't my fault this time, I swear." Grabbing an ice pack from the freezer, Rodrick wrapped a towel around it before heading back.
"You sure it wasn't your fault?" Another nod. "Alright. Let's get some ice on that foot of yours then and clean those cuts. I suppose I'll have to stay and take care of you. I was looking forward to the bonfire BBQ." Her voice trailing off at the end. Rodrick had already returned with the ice pack before his mother was even finished. She seemed surprised at that and all but beamed at them both despite her sounding down at the fact she might have to stay back.
"What no, you don't have to. I'm old enough to take care of myself. Besides, I'm exhausted, so I'll probably just shower and sleep." Greg quickly swept in to steer that idea somewhere else, Rodrick nodding along but otherwise deciding to stay quiet during this whole interaction. He tended to be the one to get both of them out of super long lectures, and this time he had wanted to see if Greg was able to do the same thing. So far, so good. Though him coming with the ice pack and holding it against Greg's foot seemed to have quenched a little bit of her worry, especially with what he had said next.
"I'll stay. I don't really feel like socializing tonight. You should go enjoy yourself?" Making a small wave with his hand as if he was shooing her away.
"Are you sure? It would mean a lot to us, I've wanted to get to know everyone more, and Manny made a friend! Your dad and brother are already over there. I just came over to grab the buns we had forgotten." Proving her point as she raised the bun bags she held in both hands that she had taken off the counter.
"Yes, it's fine. You worry too much." Greg muttered out as he threw his arm over his eyes, wanting to pretend as if he was about to fall asleep right then and there. As if talking had suddenly become just too much trouble for him. What a little drama queen.
"Well, someone has to when you continue getting into trouble." Rodrick snorted at that comment and almost laughed harder when Greg poked his uninjured foot into his side.
"Will you be okay for food? Rodrick, can you make something for the both of you, or do you want me to come by later with some of the food?" Hovering around the door as if she wasn't entirely sure if she could leave.
"I'm sure I'll be able to dig something up for us to eat." It's not like they were picky. He was sure they would be fine with eating anything.
"No cereal." Her voice said sternly.
"There goes that idea." He really couldn't help himself. Shrugging his shoulders towards Greg as he saw his brother glared at him with how much he was dragging this out.
"Rodrick!" Sighing out as his mom raised her voice slightly. Greg now giving him a smirk at the one being under fire, even if it was for something small.
"Geez, I know how to cook, don't worry, mother hen." Laughing openly now at their mother's antics, enjoying how the lightness of the conversation had finally started to make Greg feel more comfortable if the tenseness he had felt finally seemed to leave him.
"And you know how to take care of cuts?" She had finally opened the door. "Yes." They both answered at the same time, eyeing Greg out of the corner of his eyes.
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Slowly inching her way out as her eyes swapped between the both of them. "Yes." It was just amusing to him how in sync they were being. Greg seemed to be enjoying it as well if the smile dancing across his lips was anything to go by.
"Can you say anything else apart from Yes?" Eyes narrowing slightly, having already felt she set herself up.
"No." Both breaking out into laughter right after, Rodrick trying to keep his hand steady, holding the ice on Greg's foot while his brother just tried to hide his laugh from behind his hand.
"You two are unbelievable." Not able to stop herself from laughing with them, finally seeming at ease with leaving the both of them. "Well then boys, have a good night. We'll be in a little bit late, so don't wait up. Rest up!" Waving her buns, they waited till Susan had fully left before they could just slump even more into their seats if that was even possible.
"Glad that's over with. I was starting to think she wasn't actually going to leave." Chuckling softly as he checked his brother's foot, lifting the ice off slightly. "The swelling seems to have gone down. I'll disinfect these cuts before you go shower." Taking the ice pack back once it's been over twenty minutes, Rodrick set it back in the freezer and went looking for the first aid kit,
Heading back to the couch, he went about to clean the wounds as best as possible while trying not to hurt his brother. Well. He tried at least. Greg winced and hissed quite often when he dabbed at the encircling cuts with the alcohol. He progressively worked his way up.
"Hurry up, you don't need to clean all of them. I'm about to go take a shower," Greg whined out as Rodrick was starting to clean a few of the cuts and dirt from his arms. Rolling his eyes begrudgingly, he huffed out a sigh as he balled up all the dirty wipes in his hand. Walking towards the garbage and getting rid of the trash.
"What did you feel like eating?" Calling out as he rummages through the fridge and cupboards. At this point, he was just trying to find something to do. "I don't know. What is there? Something easy is fine." Rodrick heard shuffling as Greg prompted himself into a sitting position with his feet resting on the floor.
"There's soup. Mac n Cheese, probably?" Bending downwards before coming back up with the box he had been looking for. Setting it down on the counter before heading towards Greg's suitcase and starting to pull out some clothes. Heading towards the bathroom, once he had everything he needed, he set it down on the countersink as he returned to the shared living room.
"I'm always down for some Mac." Rodrick felt eyes follow him as he puttered around, an itch on the back of his head he just couldn't scratch but knew was there. "Sounds good. You should probably go shower while I make the food." Already going over to his brother to help him up. Hands coming to wrap around the other arm and hand, drawing him upwards as his arm snaked around the younger male's waist for extra support.
"Woah-! I think I can manage my way to the bathroom." Rodrick shrugged as he all but manhandled Greg anyways, making sure to take more of Greg's weight so that he could shuffle around without putting any pressure on that bad leg of his.
"Probably, but it'll be easier with me. Stop whining and just go with it." A glance towards his brother, eyebrows raised slightly as if waiting for Greg to continue fighting him on something he would definitely not win against. Greg might be stubborn, but Rodrick had about three extra years of practice in that department. "So pushy." Greg pouted out.
"You seem to like it." Hearing Greg sputter and lurch as if his remark had physically struck him made a smile bloom on his face, embarrassment falling off of Greg in waves as he tried to laugh it off. Rodrick deciding to humor him as he rolled his eyes and finally let go of Greg to sit on the tub's edge. The washroom itself was slightly cramped, but there was still enough room for at least two people.
"Clothes are there, want me to wash your back?" Leering slightly, only half-joking as he gave his idea. He was already expecting Greg to shoo him out, which is exactly what he did as he felt a punch against his side. "Shut up." Enjoying the pink on Greg's cheeks as he gave a small jerky wave, closing the door behind him.
Greg was glad he had decided to go with a bath instead, thinking about it more. Standing just wasn't physically possible right now. The warm water enveloping him felt like a hug that helped soothe all the soreness from his body and bleed the hurdles of the day away. He smelled clean, he felt clean, and the number of cuts he had now seemed to all but disappear in almost invisible lines. He enjoyed the smell of the regular soap they had, not really a pronounced scent, but it still, strangely enough, reminded him of home.
He felt so far out of his element lately, feeling like he had been lost more in his thoughts than in trying to relax. Not that it was different from any other time, but he had really wanted to just unwind and not worry about anything. Now, not only did he almost drown and bust up his ankle on the same day, he discovered feelings for someone he really shouldn't have.
Letting his body drift downwards, ducking himself under the water before springing back up again for air a few moments later, a long-suffering sigh escaping him. Resting his head against the back wall, Greg allowed his gaze to drift to the window a few ways up from where he sat. Only able to really see the leaves of the tree brushing against the still, the sky's lightness as orange started to blend with the blue—finally, the start of an end to this extremely never-ending day.
His ears picked up music and pots cluttering in the other room, Rodrick no doubt still fighting his fight towards boiling water, not that he didn't know how just that Rodrick tended to half-ass making food for even himself. Already regretting that visual as the taste of peanut butter and pickle sandwich, Rodrick had dared him to try. His disgust turning into a small smile as he remembers the two of them actually having a fun, light banter as they argued about how disgusting Rodrick's taste buds were. There had been no hard feelings, no mean name-calling, and no worry of getting hit. It was times like those that made it hard for him to not think about him. Those moments had been far in-between back then, which was why this new change to Rodrick was so big. He didn't want to mess it up.
It was Mac n Cheese. There really wasn't any way to ruin it, right? Shaking his head, Greg closed his eyes and tried to just live in the moment. He didn't want to think about today anymore. He definitely should stop thinking about Rodrick in any way lest he is found out. He couldn't let Rodrick find out. He just couldn't. There was too much at stake, and he didn't want to ruin the progress Rodrick was making by adding even more weirdness and heartache in the form of feelings.
'Ugh, this is so hard. Why did I have to talk to Holly? I should have just kept my mouth shut and continued on in the bliss of my own ignorance.' Teeth ground against each other because, again, he was still thinking about Rodrick. Taking a deep breath in, he focused on the water and his body, the heat, the semblance of quiet.
It didn't feel he had rested long until he felt fingers carding through his hair and trying to wake him up.
"Wake up. You'll turn into a raisin if you sleep here." Greg's body felt like jelly, his mind hazy as he yawned, stretching towards a sitting position as his body curled forward. Head-turning to the side slightly, blurred eyes from sleep blinked softly at Rodrick, who was kneeled next to the tub. Mind not currently processing everything as fast as it should, a few moments passing before the small blink turned more into a rapid-fire. The water had turned lukewarm some time ago, unfortunately now resulting in him not able to blame his bath for causing the sudden rush of heat and color to gloss over his chest and face in mortification.
"You could have knocked!" Hissing out as Greg brought his knees up to try and cover as much as he could while making sure he didn't unnecessarily knock his ankle against the side of the tub.
"I did, but you were too busy sleeping to hear it." Rodrick continued to run his fingers through Greg's hair, fingers trailing down his neck, sending goosebumps fluttering before it was taken away. Feeling lost, all he could do was retort back.
"You could have knocked harder!" Face flushed as his eyes looked over Rodrick's shoulder, unable to handle himself to look in his brother's eyes fully. It wasn't like they hadn't seen each other naked before, but everything just felt so different, and he had no idea how to navigate them anymore.
"If I did, I would have broken my hand." A pout felt like it was forming on his face, gnawing teeth as he tried to keep himself in check from going off about privacy and space. "That's not true. I bet you just wanted to see me naked!" Why did he say that?
"And why would I want to do that?" Greg knew right away Rodrick was just playing with him, a heat pooling in his stomach that didn't feel like the annoyance he would usually feel.
"Because…Because…" Stumbling over his words as he fidgeted, beating himself up as his eyes kept drawing a blank before his eyes finally settled on Rodrick's face. "I'm listening?" Why did he look at him like that? Why did that smirk do things to him?
"Because you're…weird." Inwardly wincing at his poor attempt but still trying to look confident despite how scrunched he looked as he kept trying to hide as the water slowly drained from the tub. When had the plug even been removed? Dismay washing over him as he watched the bubble start to disappear as the water started getting lower and lower.
"You wound me. Good thing I don't care. Now get up before I make you." Seemingly unbothered by anything, Rodrick shook the towel in his hand as he got up, opening it towards Greg as if he was waiting for him to step into his outstretched arms.
Greg listened, got up, and everything despite moving his gaze to the side so that Rodrick's stare wouldn't be able to intimidate him. Which was surprising for him, considering he tended to fight more than this. Was he obvious? Should he just stand there and not move forward? Rodrick would just grab him then. Would that be better? Would it seem like he was still putting up a fight?
His mind was spiraling, and he just wanted it to stop. He didn't notice the way Rodrick's gaze turned into one of confusion as he started lifting his leg over the ledge. Greg had been too caught up in his thoughts to realize that his bad foot was now the one holding him up. Within a moment, he yelped out, the stinging ache shooting up his leg as he staggered forward. Plummeting into Rodrick's arms, who had been able to catch him in time, supporting almost all of his weight, bad leg hovered over the ledge into the tub as he hung out of it.
"Holy shit, can you not go a couple of hours without getting yourself hurt today?" Greg heard Rodrick grunt out as his big arms tightened around his small body, light green towel encasing him in a protective cocoon as he tried to regain his bearings. His fingers gripped against Rodrick as he hid his head in the crook of his older brother's neck.
"Sorry." It had been a long day, and Greg just didn't have it in him to really fight it anymore. Not after falling naked on Rodrick. It was one thing after the other, and honestly, at this point, he might as well just let things happen, considering he had no power in stopping anything, it seemed.
"What? No, Greg, it's fine. It was an accident. Are you okay?" Greg wondered when he was set on top of the closed toilet seat, but there he was. Sitting and looking somewhat blankly at Rodrick. He had enough in him to nod at least at his brother's inquiry.
"What's wrong?" He didn't know how to feel with the way Rodrick was looking at him, caring and concerned. Chest feels tight, the air supplying to his lungs the way it should be but for some reason not really allowing his brain to process everything productively. Sleep. He just wanted to sleep.
"Nothing, I'm just tired." Water dripped down from his hair onto his bare shoulders, the towel keeping him decently warm apart from the skin that was uncovered. His eyes tracked Rodrick's movement as he looked over his ankle for any added damage, which thankfully there was not.
'I really just want today to end.'
"The food is almost done. We should also wrap up the cuts on your ankle." Greg's eyes were covered in darkness as Rodrick started drying his hair with a spare towel. Shuffling it around that Greg couldn't help but smile softly as he let himself close his eyes at being pampered and how soft his brother was being with him.
'I'll just eat and then go right to sleep. Yah. That sounds good.'
"Wow, this is actually edible." It was also delicious, but he didn't deem it a good idea to stroke Rodrick's ego like that. Not after the sandwich incident.
"I'll take that as a compliment." - "Wasn't a compliment." - "Doesn't matter, still took it as one." Greg glared down from over the top of his bowl towards his brother, who had taken it upon himself to polysporin and bandage up his ankle as he ate. As far as things were concerned, this type of banter was doing a lot to brighten his mood. Still inexcusably tired, but at least now he wouldn't be going to sleep upset anymore.
The cartoons playing on the small television across the room were also helping, but he wouldn't admit that either. Rodrick had joined him, eating his own food as he occasionally laughed at the television. Not that he was paying attention to the person next to him at all, well, okay, he was. It was hard not to with the way he had sunken into Rodrick's side once his brother sat down next to him.
His bowl got taken out of his hands as soon as he finished, fingers reflexively reaching out for it as Rodrick started walking away with both bowls to dump them in the sink. A few knocks on the front door had two pairs of eyes swivel towards the door before looking at each other. Greg shrugging towards his older brother as the other walked out onto the patio to open the front door.
"Hey, we didn't see you or Greg at the Bonfire" – "We figured we'd come to say hello and see if you wanted to hang out?" Greg shot up, eyes blinking, surprised at hearing Holly's voice outside the house.
"Thanks, but I think we're going to call it a night." Something in Rodrick's voice just told him that he was trying really hard not to shut the door in her face. The conversation went back and forth, not really able to catch, which only caused him to become surprised when he heard a shouted "Hey!" from Rodrick as Holly walked through the door second door, but so did Sarah. He blinked at them both, not really knowing what to do and deciding his fall back would be waving.
"Hey Greg, we came to see you! Sorry to hear you got hurt. What happened?" Holly had Sarah's hand in her own as they walked towards the couch, both taking a seat on either side of him. Across the ways, he heard the front door shut as Rodrick walked in, nothing seeming amiss apart from the way his older brother looked like he was fuming behind his calm façade. Swallowing slowly, he sent his brother a nervous smile before turning to Holly on his left. Staring at her for a few seconds, having completely forgotten what she had even said.
"Oh…I fell? Lost my footing and twisted my ankle." He didn't feel like telling the whole story, hoping that this would be enough despite how bare it was in terms of details. He didn't think Holly was all that interested anyway with the way she kept glancing at Rodrick, who had decided to go clean up their dishes.
"That's too bad. I hope you feel better." She really didn't sound interested at all, which was fine. Well. Somewhat. He thought they were at least friends. It didn't bother him as much as it would, but he could kind of understand why she wasn't paying attention. He snuck his brother a few glances as well. "I'm sure it'll be fine in a few days. Just tired right now so..."
"Yeah, you look pretty beat up." - "Geez, thanks?"
"She didn't mean it like that. You look good. Uh. Well, you know." Sarah had finally said something, a soft blush on her cheeks as Greg turned his attention to her. She seemed like a nice person, and if it was him a year ago, he might have actually had a little bit of interest. And now?
He really didn't feel anything towards her at all. Sighing softly, he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Deciding to move things along, he fake yawned into his hand that actually turned into a real one not soon after.
"Anyways, we should probably head back to the bonfire. We just wanted to check on you both and see if you would come down, but that ankle seems like you can't stand on it." Holly gave him a quick hug, causing him to jump slightly, not even returning the hug before she hopped towards Rodrick to talk. Greg turned towards Sarah, who gave him a small smile, which he politely gave back. She seemed reluctant, debating about something with herself before she just surged forward and gave him a hug as well. Taken aback but slightly having been able to prepare himself, his hand softly tapped her back a few times awkwardly. Eyes drifting off to the side, which landed on Rodrick's form in the corner, whose own piercing gaze was set on him before they reverted back to Holly in front of him.
"Thanks for coming." Saying finally, as he tried drawing back, Sarah getting the memo and getting off from the couch afterward. Walking towards the door, she waved at him as Rodrick saw both of them out the front door. Sighing out a breath of relief, Greg threw himself on his back along the couch and mountain of pillows. Arms thrown over his eyes as he rested his busted leg on top of the pillow in the corner.
"Seems like she does have a crush on you." Voice sounding a lot closer than he expected, not having heard any steps as he removed the arm covering his eyes, propping himself up on his elbows as he noticed Rodrick hovering over him. "So?"
"She even hugged you." Greg was starting to see where this was going. Rodrick had made a last-minute rule about not hugging Holly when this had all started. Had he actually been serious? Was he just not allowed to hug anyone?
"I...didn't really hug them back." Now he felt panicky. He was already injured, so he didn't think Rodrick would do something else. He never really knew though, Rodrick was unpredictable, and he did seem really upset when he had brought it up.
"I saw." That didn't help at all to quell his anxiety, fingers now playing with the bottom hem of his shirt to try and quench this sudden unease he felt in his whole body. Nibbling softly on his bottom lip.
"Who do you like more?" His head snapped towards Rodrick at that, chocolate brown hues blinking stupidly up at his older brother, whose stare felt like it was boring holes into his own. "What?"
"I said, who do you like more?" Rodrick took a seat between his legs, his uninjured leg having been over the side and resting on the floor, which opened a perfect spot for his brother to wedge himself between. "Holly?" His eyes were gawking as Rodrick placed his left hand on his side, the touch sending a small spark down south. "Sarah?" Drawing closer as Greg tried scooting away only to get stopped by the pillows behind his back. Stuck now as his brother continued to approach him, warm heat developing on his face and neck. What was Rodrick doing? What was happening?
Most of all, why did he feel so excited?
"Or me…?" Greg's breath hitched in the back of his throat, words clearly on the tip of his tongue ready to spill out in denial only to be silenced as lips covered his own. Rodrick's right hand holding his head as his fingers threaded in his hair, gripping harder as pressure was added. Greg's hands came up to grasp where they could, Rodrick's shoulder and arm being close enough in his position as the kiss started sweeping him away. Bodies pressed against each other, soft, strong hands keeping him in place as fingers snaked beneath his shirt. It felt so good, the touch peppering goosebumps in their wake. Moaning as nails dug across the back of his scalp, tongue licking across his lips as his mouth opened reflexively, pliant towards the one holding him as if he never wanted to let go.
Rodrick's hand dragged Greg's shirt the more his hand traveled upwards, fingers finding a pink nub as he gave it attention. The pinching sent a small chill along his spine, back bowing as he tried searching for more of that sudden sensation that almost had his toes curling. That was something new. Greg's right hand found its way into Rodrick's hair from his shoulder, fingers intermingling with the soft, messy strands as his older brother did a certain upwards motion with his hips that had Greg gasping.
"Rodrick…I-I…" Breath intermingling as they drew up for air before his brother started attacking his neck with kisses and bites. Talking was hard, his brain feeling like mush while his heartfelt about ready to explode from everything happening all at once, like a tornado out of control. His hand pulling hair as Rodrick's teeth bit a susceptible spot too hard, groaning, turning into moaning as his hips tried finding that same friction he had felt before.
"Ya?" Greg could feel the smirk against his neck as Rodrick inquired, heartbeat drumming against his sternum as things started to finally set in. Their eyes locked just before Rodrick took one of the pink nubs in his mouth. Teeth scraping against it as his brother's tongue followed, soothing the small ache. He wasn't sure exactly what he was trying to say, the words having just fallen out on their own accords.
His body felt on fire everywhere Rodrick touched, a continuous weight that traveled towards the hem of his bottoms and along the line of his stiff member. Hips buckled forward, a gasp from parted lips, eyes widened downwards towards Rodrick as hands started pulling down his pants as kisses were peppered along his stomach.
"W-What are you doing-?" Everything felt so much different from the rutting they had done in the dead of night, where no light had shown on them. Where what they were doing hadn't been on full display like it was now. Greg was able to see everything Rodrick was doing through half-lidded eyes. Saw the red hue that ran up his brother's throat as it disappeared behind his hairline, cheeks aflame, how hot Rodrick felt against him, how riled up he looked with how he couldn't seem to stop touching him. He didn't want him to stop.
"Isn't it obvious?" Greg didn't know how Rodrick was still able to form sentences and seem so in control. He felt like he was drowning, nerves alight with energy as his arousal strained against his boxers that were being pulled down slowly, member bobbing out as it slapped against his skin. Greg didn't have enough time to be embarrassed about being on display as his brother took hold of his erection, one small stroke before a warm mouth enveloped around his heated dick.
"Ah~!" Feeling like the air was being punched out of him, eyes shut tight as his hand found Rodrick's hair again and grasped it firmly. A hand splayed out across his thigh to keep them open, fingers finding their way towards his nipple as they were rolled between them. Hips twitching at the sudden assault, the feeling of the wet warmth of Rodrick's mouth opening up a door to sensations he never even knew about. Seeing his brother's head go up and down along his cock was obscene, the sounds alone doing things to him, playing with his head as everything continued to swirl together into one.
Everything was boiling over so quickly, his brain kept telling him this was wrong, but everything else was telling him to just accept it, embrace it as it brought him out on a wave, heat coiling in his gut and heart beating along. His breathing became erratic, groaning softly as the buildup was finally starting to be too much, fingers pulling at Rodrick's hair as a warning, mouth panting out.
"Wai- Ah! Rodrick!" The explosion happened on Rodrick's upwards suck, fingers following along his shaft, tongue swirling his head as his body pulsed. Thick, white globs flowing out in spurts onto his bare chest, stringing along and connecting to his head. Dribbling softly down his member as Greg tried regaining his senses. Thoughts a blur, shaking slightly as the afterglow lit him up.
Half lidded eyes following Rodrick as the other came up to rest his lips against his own. A soft heat surrounding his heart, a reassurance that he was still there, and that everything was okay. Tentative fingers spreading the semen on his stomach, hitching breath as he looked down at what his older brother was doing.
"So…"
Greg's eyes traveled upwards from his messy chest towards Rodrick's smirking face.
"Does this mean you like me more?"
Greg grabbed hold of a pillow and smacked Rodrick across the head with it.