Notes: I hope you guys like your Striders as cute, adorable brothers with big problems at expresing feelings!
Also, IMPORTANT PLOT POINT AHEAD!
Chapter 8: Ignore Your Admirers, Because You Have Your Brother
In the end, it turned out the pictures taken lasted a little bit longer than Bro had first predicted. One month and a half to be more exact. In the meantime, little to nothing was discussed on the subject, and the Striders just kept going with their daily lives.
Dave had gone back to his regular routine of going to school, filling pages of homework, talking on Pesterchum with his friends – sometimes discussing his present situation with Rose - and strifing with his brother.
Although, as time passed, some things were changing inside Dave's mind. It was a gradual process, but there was no denying that his views on what was taking place were starting to change; his acceptance following accordingly. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing, but it certainly made everything a lot more comfortable, and that was somewhat relieving.
He soon realized reading those messages which were aimed at him didn't make him feel as queasy as before, and the pictures he took… They didn't seem as terrible as he originally thought. He could almost see some kind of aesthetic quality to them, if he analyzed them long enough. Like observing the lighting, posing, setting and so on. And once again he didn't know if that was a good thing.
At some point, Dave even caught himself smirking at nothing while walking down his school's hallway, watching other people passing by him without suspecting a thing. That made him feel somewhat superior. None of the people there would ever know about his so called "internet fame", and he thought that was somewhat amusing.
When the next photo shoot happened, Dave found himself almost completely at ease, so much so that he would even discuss things more actively with his brother during the process. Even while wearing that really stupid velvet suit Bro got from God knows where. That outfit was tacky as hell, but Dave was just happy that he got his skin covered.
At some point, Dave asked about the first photos they took almost two months before, the ones with those embarrassing shorts and suspenders, since he didn't see those anywhere on the site.
"I told you I'm saving those. They're our trump card."
There was just a shrug from Dave and the photo session continued.
As for Bro, he couldn't be more satisfied with the outcome of his plan. Money was stacking up to the ceiling, smuppets were being sold left and right, the site's counter was sky-rocketing and the idea of selling Dave's pictures was a real stroke of genius in his humble opinion. People were simply crazy about his younger brother, and Bro had got over his initial sense of disgust and now felt a little bit proud.
Not to mention watching Dave feel progressively more relaxed was a gigantic relief.
Last thing he wanted to do was to cause his younger brother more distress with the whole process, and end up being hated at the end of the day. Dave was, first and foremost, his family, and he really didn't want to fuck that up.
One a particular Saturday afternoon, while Dave was scanning through the site's messages on his own computer – a few weeks before, Bro had given him the username and password to access the site's inbox, so then he could see it more easily – a message caught his attention. First, because it had a proper title. Most of the e-mails sent to the site lacked one, and the rare ones that contained titles were terribly written- grammatically wise.
This one lacked any kind of grammatical abomination, and it didn't even hint at something perverted. All it read was a simple "For the Boy in the Pictures." That alone got Dave's attention. None of the messages were ever actually directed towards him. They were just general e-mails with people venting their fantasies. Also, this one came from an address he had never seen before.
Out of curiosity, Dave decided to open the message and actually pay attention to what was written on it.
Dear young man,
I hope this message reaches you and that you are the one reading it.
I've been following the progression of your photos on this site for a while, and I have to say, you are one attractive boy. I always wait with baited breath for your next batch of pictures. To see someone so young and so beautiful on a regular basis is… well it is hard for me to describe what I feel, exactly.
The puppets… they do not interest me in the least. The only reason why I keep coming back to this site is to see your face. If you eventually leave, I won't be coming back anymore.
In the interest of keeping this message brief, I'll be direct: I would like to know if there's any way I can contact you more directly. If that is not possible, I will understand, but getting in touch with you, even if briefly, would certainly mean a lot to me.
I will be waiting for your answer.
Now that was… new to say the least. To Dave, most people who visited the site seemed to be fascinated by him, but in a completely different way. They were far more interested in ravaging his body than complimenting him on his looks, let alone wanting to have a proper conversation with him.
And now this random person wanted to send him direct messages and start proper communication. Talk about something that came out of nowhere.
Still, Dave was suspicious. Who could guarantee that wasn't a message sent by the police; in an attempt to track down his and his brother's activities? He couldn't just rule out such possibility.
He eyed the minimized Pesterchum window and remembered Rose was online. Maybe he could consult with her on the matter. She could give him some guidance, maybe.
Or she would just mess with him, which seemed more likely.
turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]
TG: something really weird just happened
TT: Define weird.
TT: Because based on the most recent events I'm finding it hard to classify what could be considered as strange in your household.
TG: i got this message on my bros site
TG: it looks nothing like the ones we usually get
TT: So it's not a perverted message I take?
TG: nope
TG: this thing is more like
TG: someone wanting to know me better i guess
TG: its suspicious though
TT: What does it say exactly?
TG: someone is just throwing compliments my way
TG: and wanting to send me direct messages
TT: Look at you!
TT: You got an admirer.
TT: How cute.
TG: this is not cute
TG: this is the total opposite of cute
TG: we are talking about someone who seems to be getting his rocks off from looking at me
TT: Or maybe he genuinely likes you.
TT: Don't be so judgmental Dave.
TG: easy for you to say when its not your ass thats literally on the line
TG: besides this could be some kind of trap
TT: Trap?
TG: you know
TG: a cop trying to track us down
TG: cmon rose youre sharper than that
TT: That's a justified worry.
TT: Still, didn't you tell me before that your brother has, in your own words, "all his bases covered"?
TG: well yeah
TG: security on my bros computer is tighter than the fucking fort knox
TG: wait you dont want me to answer this person right
TT: If everything is so safe, why not entertain your anonymous admirer for a while?
TT: Maybe you can even have some fun while doing it.
TT: And if this person really is a cop, if they can't get anything from you, they'll leave you alone, eventually.
TG: rose far from me to refuse an offer to mess around with someone
TG: and i know this sounds weird coming from me
TG: but I think this is really irresponsible
TT: Oh, and taking risqué photos for an adult site is the epitome of responsibility, right?
TG: tou-fucking-ché
TT: But seriously now, what do you have to lose?
TT: Like I said, it may even be entertaining.
TT: Maybe this can even help you understand your audience better and improve the quality of your… work.
TG: does it look like a give a damn about the people who visit that godforsaken place
TG: honestly
TT: How inconsiderate Dave.
TT: Remember they are the ones putting food on your plate.
TG: you are sounding like my brother
TG: stop
TT: Well, I can't force you to make a decision.
TT: But if you end up getting in touch with your admirer I would like to know more about this fellow.
TT: It takes a lot of courage to straight up send a message, like that. At least if you don't happen to be an undercover cop.
TG: i agree with you on that
TG: itll be better to hide this thing from my bro though
TG: god only knows what he could do if he saw someone wanting to get to know me
TG: the possibility of him tracking down the poor bastard to teach him a lesson is quite high
TG: speaking of the devil
TG: he just got back home
TG: better hide this thing on the double
TG: speak to you later lalonde
TT: I'll be waiting for the exciting conclusion of your story.
turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]
Dave made short work of the message, sending it to the e-mail's bin and erasing it, but not before writing down the address on it. Maybe he really could provide this person with some entertainment, even if for a while.
Then, he spun on his chair, just in time to see Bro show up at the door, a shopping bag in hand.
"Paying some attention to your audience?" The older Strider asked, smiling a bit as he walked to Dave's desk.
"I thought they deserved some." The boy eyed the paper bag in his brother's hand, raising an eyebrow at it. "What is that?" he could make out the shape of a square shape inside, but nothing else.
"Merry early Christmas lil' man." Bro put the bag on the table.
Dave stared at the bag even more suspiciously, but didn't say anything before peeking inside the bag. His eyes almost instantly widened and his jaw dropped when he saw what was inside of it.
"It's… Bro this is…" Dave couldn't help but stutter, shifting his gaze from the shopping bag's content to his brother.
"Are you going to take it out of the bag or not?" Bro placed his hands on his waist, his smiling fading for a minute.
In a rush, Dave pretty much shoved his hands inside the bag, taking out the box that was inside, revealing a brand new analog camera.
"This… This is the camera… from the other day…" The younger Strider was rather speechless as he handled the box with utmost care, analyzing every single inch of it as if it was some kind of rare jewel.
"Yeah. This is the camera you were drooling all over last time we went out. Man, you were really hypnotized by it." Bro couldn't help but chuckle a little, as he watched his little brother look at the camera with a sparkle to his eyes. "Do you like it?"
Do I like it?! Dave thought to himself, staring at his brother. There he was, holding the camera he was madly in love with from just a week ago, and here it was, a gift from his brother. He didn't even have to ask and whine about it. It was just there.
But as excited as he truly was, he tried his best to keep a more straight face, even if his wide eyes were almost visible through his shades.
"It's a good camera. I mean, I could tell you the specifics about it, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't know what the fuck I would be talking about." Dave shrugged while trying to seem neutral, but couldn't hold back the smile that appeared on his lips.
"Save your technological babble." Bro made a dismissive gesture with his hand before ruffling his younger brother's hair. "Either way, this is your 'reward' for a job well done."
"… Thanks." Dave's facial expression softened a bit. He really didn't feel like keeping up the poker face act. He was so happy about the gift and in a way he wanted Bro to know it.
"Don't mention it. I mean, I know how you're crazy about these things and, well I'm making you go through all this effort. I thought it was only fair." Bro awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He wasn't very used to showing gratitude, even when he meant it, and seeing Dave's smiling face made it all that much harder.
Unceremoniously, Dave began opening the camera's box, so focused on it he was almost ignoring his older brother. Bro didn't really mind though. The boy looked so excited he wouldn't dare call him out on something like that. He simply left the room, deciding to leave his younger brother to have fun with the present. Besides, he was in dire need of a shower.
Dave messed around with his new camera 'till nighttime, reading the manual back to back and searching around his room for a compatible film, and was elated to find one that fitted just right. He took one or three pictures of his room and a few of himself, before finally putting it down, wholly satisfied. That camera was one of the best gifts his brother could get him, and the fact that he took notice of something he liked without him having to mention it meant a lot. He almost felt like going after him and doing something completely out of the ordinary.
And he did just that.
Stepping out of his bedroom, Dave walked to the main room, where his brother was at, watching some crappy horror B-movie on TV. No lights were on and only the glow of the screen was illuminating the room.
"Hey Bro?" Dave said, walking to the couch, with his older brother sitting up straight.
"Hm? What is it?" Bro asked, watching Dave nervously look to the side. He almost instantly grew concerned. "Hey, did something happen?"
Without a word of warning, the younger Strider threw himself at his older brother, arms wrapping around him and pressing his face against his chest. Needless to say, the man was quite speechless and pretty much froze in place, hesitating on even moving his arms.
"Thanks Bro…" Dave's voice came out slightly muffled, and he almost flinched when he felt Bro's arms wrap around him.
"Gee, if I knew getting you a camera would cause all this, I would have given it to you sooner." Bro joked, rubbing Dave's back.
"It's not just the camera…" The boy mumbled, sitting on the couch next to his brother.
"I know." Bro smiled, resting his chin on top of Dave's head.
For how long they stayed like that, none of them knew nor cared. Bro couldn't really help but feel content. The last time Dave hugged him for almost no reason like that was years ago, and in a way he blamed himself for that kind of behavior. He was always trying to teach Dave how to be serious and tough, in an attempt to protect him from whoever wanted to give him shit. But somewhere along the way he forgot to balance things out, to teach him it was alright to express feelings when the situation called for it.
Such a fact wrenched Bro's heart a bit. He didn't want to be a failure as Dave's guardian, but sometimes he felt just like that. He knew his younger brother grew up to be an outstanding boy; the fact that he agreed and went along with their plan was living proof! Not to mention their countless strifes- with the kid getting better and better at them with each passing day. Still, he felt like he failed on developing his younger brother's more emotional side by encouraging him to bottle up his feelings to not show signs of weakness.
As Bro thought about those things, he wrapped his arms a bit tighter around Dave, who said nothing in response to it. He simply moved his head to the side, eyes resting on the television.
"What are you watching?" He asked, looking at the crude black & white movie on the screen.
"The Brain That Wouldn't Die. It's unbelievably shitty." Bro smirked, looking at the screen as well. "It's already halfway through though."
"Can I watch the rest with you?" Dave moved away a bit, eyes still glued at the screen as he didn't feel comfortable looking at his older brother after what he just did.
"Not a problem. Want me to explain the plot so far?" Bro went back to lying on the couch, with Dave lying on top of him, on his back.
"I don't care. It's probably a stupid story anyway."
"Well, that much is right."
Neither of them spoke a word for the duration of the movie. Not even some stupid joke about the obviously bad effects in the movie. Dave was too busy shifting on his place to snuggle against his older brother's chest, and Bro's mind was anywhere but on the bright screen right in front of his eyes, as he ran his fingers through the younger Strider's hair.
When the movie was over, Bro shifted his gaze from the screen to Dave, and shook his head when he realized the boy was sleeping soundly.
It's only 10PM on a Saturday and you're already sleeping? Bro smirked, turning off the TV and engulfing the room in darkness. His eyes turned toward the ceiling, staring silently.
He certainly could get used to situations like these. In fact, they would even make him feel more relieved.