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“You know, momma told me that finding a Sentinel was like coming home or making it to heaven,” Dom said through gritted teeth, “If that’s true then the closest I ever felt was in a jail cell block.”
The rat-faced business suit in front of him shifted and sneered. Even the chair under him seemed to want to throw him back out the door. Dom crossed his arms, feeling his Guide Empathy sharpening to a spear point.
“Far be it from me to correct your mother,” The man squeaked, “There’s a reason you’ve only felt your Sentinel a few times.”
The team nearly growled like a pack of wild dogs behind him. Dom felt his face twitch, wanting to show his teeth. This man had no place in their home.
“Your Sentinel,”
And there was the only reason the bastard had even made it through the door. Dom’s chest contracted, squeezing in on his heart. His Sentinel. He had one. The one that could balance his gifts actually existed, was alive.
The rat man waved, “Is government property.”
Like hitting the breaks a second before a stoplight, everything came to a screeching halt.
“Now his Sensitivities aren’t what we would normally pick. Touch, sight, and taste are unusual to be sure. But they make him hyper sensitive on top of a rather keen mind. Very useful.”
“What’s ‘is name?” Dom croaked out.
“Name.” The man scoffed. “Brian O’Conner.”
“Where. Is. He.” Dom asked through gritted teeth.
The man waved him off, cracking open a manilla envelope. “We’ll get to that. As I was saying, government property. He’s an agent. One of the best.”
Dom took the pictures. Blonde. His Sentinel was blonde. Blue eyes. Gorgeous and lithe. Dom’s chest tightened looking at the man in tactical gear. He handed the pictures back to the team as he looked at them. The Sentinel holding a kid and pointing, covered in dust and Dom could almost feel the rage in him.
“He’s been sicced on drug cartels, nuclear bomb builders, sex traffickers. He’s the best weapon we have against all the dangers in the world.”
Dom clenched his fists. “And you knew he was mine the whole time.”
“He IS,” The rat man snapped, “Ours. And the two of you have been separated for reasons. We gave him sniffs of you, snippets of your life so he knew you were all safe and cozy. He’s seen all your records. He’s the only reason you got out of jail so quickly.”
Dom growled.
“But.”
Dom sneered, seconds away from lancing the man with his Empathy while getting his hands around that neck. “But what?”
The greasy business suit steepled his fingers. “He’s gone a bit, well. Off the deep end. I believe the two Primes I was speaking to called it berzerker.”
Dom inhaled sharply.
“It’s finally become useful for you two to meet. Pack your bag for a week, read up.” A book dropped to the table. “If you want to see your Sentinel then we’ll see you at the LA Special Sensitivity Headquarters on Monday at 8:00 sharp. That beast is being transported currently so he’ll be waiting.”
The man swept his titanic suited body out the door with a sick grin. “Try not to let him down anymore than you already have.” He sniffed. “A military machine paired with a common criminal. Just imagine.”
The door slammed and Dom stared down at the photos. The book.
“What the actual fuck?” Mia nearly screamed.
Vince flinched from the impact on his enhanced hearing but he was so pissed it didn’t matter much. “This is illegal. It’s gotta be Dom. They can’t do this shit!”
Dom stood abruptly. “Fucking hell.”
He swept his hand across the table, sending the pictures fluttering. The book fell with a solid thunk. His Empathy flew haywire off him making everyone feel the same rage. Mia amplified it back at him as another active Guide. Vince, the only Sentinel on the team shuddered at all the energy. Even Letty, Leon, and Jesse, who were Nonsensitive, could feel the anger.
“So we-we-we bust ‘em out.” Jesse stuttered, shaking his hands anxiously. “We’ll grab him and g-go.”
The Guide in Dom liked that plan a lot. His ragged senses said do it. Then Vince touched him on the shoulder, pulling him back to center. It was hard for Vince. He was bonded to Mia through their Sentinel Guide sides but he tried to stabilize Dom and the whole pack too. Dom could see the sweat on his brow from the effort.
“Shit.” Dom cursed.
He grabbed the back of his neck, squeezing. His Sentinel was a law abiding good-guy. In every way Brian O’Conner was the perfect hero type. And Dom had a record, whether he deserved it or not. The Sentinel wouldn’t want to be stolen.
“No.” Dom said with a long sigh.
The Sentinel wouldn’t want to be paired, let alone seen with him.
“I’ll go take care of him. On their terms.”
“Dom.” Letty grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back. “You can’t just give up because some douchebag calls you a criminal. You’re a good man and a great Guide.”
Dom waved her off. “I know that. And you know that. But the Sentinel’s only seen my records. Maybe some pictures. The first time he fuckin’ felt me was in jail, Let.”
“So what, you're just gonna let that slide Papí?” Letty jabbed him in the chest. “You’re insulting your Sentinel by not even giving him a chance. I’m not saying don’t go to him but fuck at least tell the guy about his Guide. If he’s even half as smart as they think, you won’t have an issue getting to him. Don’t you dare give up this fight.”
Dom chuckled solemnly. “You give a good pep talk Leticia but this ain’t something I can just bully my way through.”
“Who said anything about bullying?” Vince came around the chair and flopped on the couch. “You’re a Guide, just guide him.”
“I’m not gonna fucking brainwash him into sudmission for me.” Dom argued.
Mia picked up the scattered photos and the book. Leon went over to the place the rat man had been sitting, made a face and flipped the cushion over.
“You’re not brainwashing him. You’re just letting him know what’s real about you.” Vince waved. “If anything, the Buster’s already brainwashed.”
“It’d be a lot easier if we could just bring him here.” Leon huffed.
“We’re not stealing the law-abiding citizen.” Dom groaned.
“Speaking of that law-abiding citizen,” Mia sat down nearly in Vince’s lap, flipping through the pictures, “Anybody getting the feeling that he hasn’t had much say in all this?”
“Kinda sounds like a government slave.” Jesse held his hand out for the pictures. “He’s pretty though.”
Dom took the picture Mia was holding out to him. His Sentinel was staring off into the distance. He recognized that gaze. He was in a Zone. Totally gone from reality. Dom grit his teeth. How many people, how many foreign Guide hands had been on his Sentinel’s shoulder bringing him out of Zones like that? Who balanced him? How many times had he, like Dom, looked at other Sentinel Guide pairs and just wanted?
Vince caught his train of thought. “He wants you too. He needs you. He won’t care about much more about anything but the fact that you’re his Guide. The one he’s waited his whole life for.”
“Well, he should care. He should have that freedom. I’m not gonna be his jail cell.”
Vince shook his head. “Brother, have some damn faith. Ain’t that what you always tell us?”
Silence hung with only the fluttering of picture paper to sooth it.
“Alright. Alright. I’m gonna go see him. I’ll try to bring him home.” Dom promised.
The team, his pack, nodded.
“But if he doesn’t click here, he doesn’t click. We’re not making this hard on him or holding him hostage or anything.”
“Yeah yeah.” Vince waved at him. “Go pack for your damn honeymoon.”
The team rolled up to the LA Special Sensitivity Headquarters. It was a big daunting building, looming over both the land and the ocean like a bear on its hindlegs ready to fight. A few people were coming and going through the silent revolving doors. Dom threw his keys to Mia with a sigh and got out.
“Couldn’t of made it any uglier could they?” Vince grunted.
Dom stood for a second, casting his Empathy out and around to get a feel for the rabble of amped up emotions. He flinched at all the power that pushed back at him. So many Sentinels, so many Guides, and he had to walk right into the viper’s den.
“Like I know it’s supposed to be Sentinel sensitive but could they have chosen anything but shit brown?” Vince continued.
Dom picked up his duffle bag packed for a week. Mia touched his arm. He turned and hugged her to his chest.
“I’m so sorry Dom.” She said quietly.
He took a deep breath and shrugged. “I always did want a Sentinel partner. Wasn’t imagining it going down like this though.”
She pulled back. “This is more like having stakes in a race horse that someone else is running.”
He nodded solemnly.
“Holy shit! Dom, look!” Jesse pointed.
Dom spun and everyone blinked at the building that was rapidly becoming not so quiet and not so boring. Red hazard lights were pulsing in every window. They could just barely hear the squeal of a siren from where they stood. Vince flinched, covering his ears. The team tensed, not sure if they should run towards it or pack it up and leave.
Something came sailing out of a window on the third floor. It hit the ground and the office chair exploded into many pieces. Dom and Vince glanced at each other warily. There was a moment of calm, then a loud crash. A Sentinel came out of the revolving door so fast, he left it a spinning blur as its emergency stops broke.
“My God.” Mia put her hand up to her mouth.
And Dom came face to face with his Sentinel.
Dom could practically see the rage rolling off of him in all directions and the ground seemed to quiver with the constant, threatening growl pouring from the Sentinel’s chest. Dom locked eyes with him and his Guide mind immediately reached out. But the Sentinel’s mind was a labyrinth of stone walls, angry, drugged out, confused, not safe. Dom held up a hand and the Sentinel’s eyes trained on it. The growling dulled slightly.
“Oh this is gonna go well.” Letty snarled sarcastically as other Sentinel guards poured out of the building, starting to surround them.
Dom’s Sentinel went from calming to battle ready. He squared off, glaring at a couple of them.
One Sentinel came around and grabbed Vince’s shoulder harshly. “We need you folks to—“
The foreign Sentinel went flying. Dom’s Sentinel made a churring sound at Vince and nudging him toward Dom, snapping at the other Sentinels. Two more lunged at him and he grabbed both. With a roar the Sentinel threw both of them back away from the team. Dom’s head snapped up when he saw what the Sentinel was trying to do.
“Hey. Hey!” He hollered at the other guards. “Back it up! He’s protecting his pack!”
The guards laughed. “He’s berzerk. He doesn’t know what’s going on.”
“Get that Sentinel contained!” One of the business suit people commanded through a window from safely inside the building.
Another Sentinel hit the pavement as Dom’s kicked him in the head. Before the last two could get their tranq guns up he grabbed both and lifted them into the air.
“Brian O’Conner!” Dom had had enough.
The Sentinel didn’t acknowledge him but Dom could feel his mind flutter. He was in there. Somewhere.
“Put ‘em down.”
Putting them down happened to be nearly ten feet away and was by no means gentle. But the Sentinel was turning back to Dom, panting with rage. The blue Sentinel power glowed bright in his eyes. Dom could feel the fear from the people in the parking lot. Fear from the people in the building. This would be a bad place for them to stay, for them to bond. If they even got to it with the way Brian’s mind could barely react to him.
“Sentinel.” Dom said, trying to push calm at him. “Take it easy.”
Brian’s nostrils flared.
“We’re all going to get back in the cars. We’ll be heading home so he can work off these drugs. There’s no way I can calm him down here.” Dom said smoothly to both his team and the Sentinels he could tell were listening from inside.
Dom froze. He waited for someone to call out. Someone to protest. The Sentinel himself to snap to and say what he wanted.
“Get in your cars. Mia, you drive.”
She nodded as Dom opened the back door to the car.
“You can’t do that, he’s government property!” A Nonsensitive business suit stormed down the stairs.
Someone grabbed his shoulder before he could get too far. The tall red haired woman pulled him back away from the scene and was joined by a short asian lady. Dom swallowed hard and dipped his head in respect to the Prime Sentinel and Guide for California. They nodded to acknowledge him and flicked their gaze in sync to the berzerker Sentinel. Dom refocused.
“Brian.” He called again. “C’mon man. We’re getting in the cars.”
The team slowly got into their vehicles and the Sentinel studied them, his growls grew and changed pitch. His blue eyes were wide and panicked. But almost apathetic too, like he was expecting it. Dom’s heart clenched, expecting to be abandoned.
“Sentinel. Come here.” He barked.
Brian appeared next to him and Dom grabbed his arm, almost waiting to be thrown off. The tight muscles shivered under his grip but there was no other movement. He tugged the Sentinel until that tall frame folded to fit into the car.
“Easy. Hey Brian. C’mon man. Close the door.” Dom coaxed.
The Sentinel stared at him for a second then slammed the door a little too hard. His head swiveled while they drove. Dom could feel him counting the cars.
“Killin’ me Sentinel.”
The blonde went rigid at that and stared Dom down, scanning him. The Sentinel’s hands twitched.
“Metaphor Brian. Easy.”
It was a good thing they wedged him in the car with two Guides. Between the two of them they managed to balance out the raging and on edge Sentinel. Dom had two hands on him the whole time. Brian was nearly vibrating every time they had to stop for too long.
Thankfully they got to the house without any meltdowns and unloaded. The Sentinel was still clearly uncomfortable but Dom could see him desperately inhaling the Guide’s scent. It was Dom’s territory. It smelled heavily of the Guide himself and the rest of the pack. Brian stepped slowly down the sidewalk, looking, smelling, hands twitching.
“Where’s he goin’?” Jesse asked.
“Checkin’ perimeters and shit.” Dom sighed. “You all head into the house. I’ll walk with him and keep him outta trouble.”
“Isn’t he ‘sposed to be all over you dawg?” Leon waved at the Sentinel. “I thought we wouldn’t even be able to be in the house with you guys.”
“He’s not ready yet.” Dom muttered.
Vince nodded. “He’s ah, sorta in the wrong mode you know?”
“They chalked him full of sympathomimetics.” Mia explained. “So basically he’s drugged to the point where all he can think is ‘holy fuck my pack is in danger’ kind of thing.”
“Jesus. So what, he needs, like, a beer and a good Disney movie?” Leon joked.
Dom snorted. He walked over to the bush Brian was next to so he could pick up an empty beer can he spotted. He tucked it in his pocket then jolted upright when his Sentinel suddenly went stiff and still. He followed Brian’s gaze.
“Dom, príncipe, is that you? I do not have my glasses on.”
Dom relaxed and waved. “It’s me Mrs. Garcia.”
He could see the Sentinel glancing over, reading his cues.
“Who’s that there?” Mrs. Garcia pointed. “If he is a friend of yours, you did not feed him enough!”
Dom laughed and the last of the menace dropped away from the Sentinel. “He’s a new friend Mrs. Garcia, we’ll get him there. He’s just not feeling too good. A little out of his head right now. ‘Is name’s Brian.”
“Pobrecito.” She said soothingly. “Does he need a little something special? I am sure I could get some meat on those bones.”
Brian was tilting his head curiously. And probably picking up several hundred other things around them with all his senses dialed so far up. Dom touched his forearm gently.
“Well if he won’t take ‘em I sure will!”
“Príncipe! So needy.” Mrs. Garcia chided. “I will see what I can do. Tell Mia I said hello!”
She shuffled back into the house. Dom chuckled watching her go.
“She’s a sweet lady.” Dom rumbled. “Known Mia an’ Vince an’ I since we used to run around the yard.”
The Sentinel returned to his slow walk around the border.
“I don’t even know if you can hear me,” Dom followed after him, “Or if you’ll remember any of this but that’s okay. It’s safe here. You go ahead and do what you need to do to convince yourself that.”
The Sentinel barely acknowledged him, staying on high alert all the way around the damn yard. Dom sighed and trailed after him. He started making mental notes of all the landscaping he needed to finish to keep himself busy. He probably should edge the sidewalk. And those cracks in the driveway needed sealed again. And he’d have plenty of time to do it all babysitting his guard dog Sentinel.
“You about ready to go in?” Dom asked quietly.
Brian swiveled toward him. Dom walked up toward the house. Mrs. Garcia shook her head from her window as the two disappeared inside.
“Brian?”
She could hear Dom talking to his Sentinel upstairs. Letty smirked as she lounged on the couch playing Warfare 32: Combat Zone. The controller buzzed victoriously in her hands and she set it aside to grab a handful of chips. Dom was already smitten with the Sentinel, she just knew it. Letty jerked upright as someone thundered down the stairs. She swore seeing the new Sentinel frozen by the front window.
“What’s wrong B?” She rolled on the couch and languidly unfolded her legs.
She walked up slowly, making sure the Sentinel had plenty of time to notice her. Brian glanced at her then looked out the window with a deep growl.
“You’re like a six foot tall guard dog.” Letty commented, checking out the window.
She sucked in a breath. A black car with darkly tinted windows parked in front of the house with the Special Sensitivity logo on the door. Letty grabbed Brian’s arm and tugged.
“Dom!” She called. “Mia! Vince! Anyone?”
The Sentinel’s growling turned to a dull roar as the car door opened. Vince and Leon came sprinting in from outside. Dom appeared at the top of the stairs with Jesse and Mia.
“The hell’s happening?” Dom bellowed, nearly sliding down the stairs.
Vince got up next to him and his lips pulled back into a snarl. Growling came as a surprise to him. He had two Guides on him all the time, his emotions perfectly balanced. This felt… It felt good. He and Brian growled at the black car. Dom and Letty had ahold of Brian’s arms. His muscles tensed. Nothing would stop him from throwing them through the damn wall.
“The hell are they doing here?” Leon muttered.
Jesse fidgeted nervously in front of the window, shifting from foot to foot. The door to the car opened and Brian let out a second bellowing roar, shaking the glass in its pane. They all flinched. Whoever was in the car thought better of getting out and just dropped a cardboard box. Dom went to open the door but the Sentinel grabbed him. His growling cut off.
“The fuck are you—“ Dom started.
Brian stared over at Vince. Vince had a zoned out look in his eyes, using his Sensitivity, checking the box. Everyone got silent to let him listen.
“Mm. Two bottles a’ liquid. A couple cloths. Two books.” Vince muttered like he was somewhere far away. “Few pieces of leather. Nothing dangerous.”
Brian made a deep sound but released Dom. They stood around for a second before Leon opened the door.
“I’ll go grab it.” He said, stepping out.
The door closed behind him and he didn’t even get off the porch before realizing the Sentinel stood right behind him.
“Jesus christ,” Leon swore, “We gotta put a bell on you man. You can wait inside dawg. I’ll bring it.”
Brian didn’t budge an inch, not hearing him or not caring he wasn’t sure.
“Whatever man.” Leon sighed.
The Sentinel made a deep churring sound in his throat and tapped him on the shoulder with his palm. Leon kept his cool but it clicked that the guy was so kind of monster and also 100% focused on just protecting Leon right now. Like this was nearly 300 pounds of muscle and frustration and all it cared about was what a cardboard box could do to him.
He laughed, feeling almost…. giddy? “Shit man. Bring on whatever’s in this box. I bet you got it.”
Brian tipped his head. He was too pissed and haywire to understand but Leon slapped the blonde on the back before they continued toward the damn mystery package.
“Alrighty,” Leon pulled at the flaps, “Lessee what we got here.”
He opened the box. Inside was a stack of clothes, some stuff under it, like. Uh. Perfumes of some kind? Maybe?
Leon shrugged. “Doesn’t look dangerous. Whatcha think?”
Brian looked it over harshly then looked back toward the house.
“Alrighty. Cool dawg. Bringin’ it in then.” He walked back up toward the porch.
Dom opened the door for them.
“Here D. Just looks like a gift box? Maybe?”
Dom took the box and set it down on a side table. He pulled out two bottles. Mia took one and examined it.
“Peppermint?” Dom muttered, reading the label on his.
“This one’s Vetiver.” Mia said. “It’s for touch sense reactions. My guess is the peppermint is for oral and there’s probably a blindfold. It’s standard—“
“Zone out control.” Dom huffed. “Do they not trust me to pull him out of a zone?”
“He’s berzerk Dom. Totally feral.” Vince looked over at the dead still Sentinel. “I dunno of you can. If you were bonded sure. But now?”
He frowned and the Sentinel shifted towards him, perking up for any sense of danger.
Mia sighed and reached back in the box. “And the two normal books on bonding. And this looks like a change of clothes.”
She lifted out a pair of sweatpants and a cotton t-shirt. Mia shoved it toward Brian. The Sentinel looked at it curiously for a moment then returned to his frozen-in-time position.
“Take it.” Mia said, shaking the clothes.
Brian took it immediately, just holding it in front of him.
“If you wanna change, I’ll wash what you have on.” She said.
Dom groaned. “I’ll get him to change and throw you his clothes. See if we can’t get him in the shower tomorrow.”
“Or hose him.” Letty smirked.
Dom rolled his eyes and grabbed Brian’s arm.
“Oh take the box.” Mia said, shoving everything back in it. “There’s uh. Well. You know. Soft restraints in there too.”
“They threw in fucking handcuffs?” Jesse jerked a hand through his hair. “Holy shit.”
Dom shook his head and climbed the stairs. He coaxed the Sentinel into changing and mechanically washing his face. By then it was growing dark. He’d spent all day, from the second they’d arrived back home, trying to reach his Sentinel.
Dom had to keep himself from sighing for the seven hundredth time that evening. The Sentinel was still standing by the door, occasionally moving to the window, then back again.
“You know,” He started quietly, “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone’s attention this badly. And it ain’t even your fault that you can’t give it.”
His voice was barely audible over the sound of the ceiling fan turning full tilt. He wouldn’t usually have the window closed this time of year but it seemed to make the Sentinel less anxious. The quiet padding of the man back and forth across the floor was setting the Guide on edge. Not to mention the fact that he couldn’t just dip into his emotion.
Dom finally laid back on the bed, watching the fan spin and tracing patterns on the ceiling. The room felt close and tacky. Hopefully it would cool down soon.
“Mrs. Garcia? That lady you met earlier?” He put his arms behind his head. “Hers was the first car I ever worked on alone.”
His voice rumbled through the room like white noise.
“Client-car-wise at least.” Dom closed his eyes and half smiled. “She walked into that garage pointed at my Papa and said ‘Toretto!’” He pointed a finger and tried to mimic her voice, “‘You put that boy of yours under my car. And no one else!’ And I’m fourteen years old and bouncin’ in my seat to do what she says. Papa Toretto took twenty minutes trying to convince her otherwise but you can’t argue with Señora Garcia.”
He felt the bed dip next to him.
“So,” Dom drawled, “She tells me what’s going on and I drop into the pit.”
He paused for a second, remembering.
Dom laughed. “And I just freeze. Forget everything I ever learned. What’s an engine? Gone. The underside of the car looks like a damn space station.”
The motions on the bed stopped and Dom was pretty sure there was still someone there with him.
“And I was in the pit alone but it felt like a million miles away. Then Papa knelt down. He must’ve known something was wrong. He caught my eyes,” Dom chuckled, “He winked at me and he pointed and said ‘there’s the drive shaft.’ And so I’m sitting there all confused and I’m squinting at this fucking pipe and I say ‘that ain’t the drive shaft.’ And.”
Dom sighed and waved a hand. “And it all just clicked you know.”
He glanced over. The Sentinel was watching him through half closed eyes. He didn’t look comfortable. But he was at least on the bed, laying down so that was an accomplishment.
“Just knowing one part made the rest of it snap into place.” Dom half smiled. “And to this day I still swear that lady crawled under her car and loosened every damn bolt she could find just to bring it in and have me fix it.”
The blonde has his eyes closed. Maybe sleeping. But it was fitful at best. Dom sighed. The distance between them ached in a way he’d never felt before.
“We’ll get this figured out.” He rumbled to the Sentinel who was fighting demons in his dreams. “We just need one thing in place.”
Dom groaned when he realized he was awake. It felt like he’d been working out all night instead of sleeping. He ached in every limb, his core, his head. He squinted, wondering what time it was.
“Fuck!” Dom swore at the Sentinel rage blue glow.
He jolted back and the edge of the bed was a helluva lot closer than he expected. Dom hit the floor with a crash. All his soreness disappeared.
Oh. It wasn’t his.
The Sentinel shuffled across the bed and made an inquisitive but tired sound.
“I’m fine.” Dom waved.
He wasn’t fine. His Sentinel hurt and was still angry and Dom couldn’t fix it. Someone knocked on the door and Brian growled.
“Just me Brian. Everything okay?” Mia asked.
The Sentinel quieted down.
“All good.” Dom called back.
Mis sounded skeptical. “Okay. If you’re sure.”
The Sentinel gazed down at him and Dom felt frozen for a second. The morning sun caught his hair just right. If angels looked tired after they went to war, then Dom found one. He brought home a soldier. Dom hauled himself to his feet with a grunt. It was gonna be a long day. The Sentinel immediately started fighting off the blankets to follow him.
Dom put a hand between his shoulder blades and pressed with his full weight and all his Empathy. “Don’t. Just stay put and try to get some sleep.”
The Sentinel pushed against his hand and growled.
Dom stayed firm where he was. “Listen yah dumb blonde. This ain’t gonna work if you growl at me. We’re partners here.”
The Sentinel’s muscles bunched up for a second then went lax. Brian dropped to the bed with a whimper, keeping his eyes well away from Dom. Dom’s hand hung in the air for a second.
He sighed and stroked Brian’s back over the wrinkled white shirt. “ ‘M sorry Brian. I know this ain’t easy for you either.”
The Sentinel rumbled.
“Just hang out for a bit.” Dom gave a pat. “You didn’t sleep much. I’ll come get you for lunch.”
It smelled like breakfast from the stairs. He leaned over the railing and watched Vince flipping pancakes for a second. Mia came to stand next to him.
“Did you hear anything this morning? I could’ve sworn one of them fell or something.” She asked.
Vince pointed over his shoulder with the spatula. Of course the fucker already knew he was there. Mia turned to look.
“Dom.” She half smiled. “Morning. Is everything actually okay?”
“Yeah.”
Vince snorted. Mia looked at him curiously.
“Don’t you dare.” Dom warned.
Vince held up his hands, grinning. “You know she’s just gonna ask me about it later.”
Dom growled.
“His Sentinel spooked him and he fell off the bed.”
He groaned as his sister started laughing at him.
“Seriously?” Letty asked. “He actually scared you?”
“Great.” Dom sighed. “Thanks.”
Vince slid a plate in front of him and paused. “For the pancakes or was that sarcastic?”
“Both. Get your dumbass back to the griddle and make my little sister breakfast.” He huffed.
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’.”
“How’d he do last night?” Letty gave him a salacious look.
Dom snorted, then he shook his head with a sigh. “Not great. I dunno if he even really slept. When we woke up I could actually feel how much he was achin’ after sleeping stiff as a board.”
Mia frowned. “Poor guy. Hope he can snap out of it soon. That’s not even close to decent rest.”
Vince dished out more pancakes and sat down next to Mia. “He’ll get there. He just needs some time.”
There was a heavy, hanging silence. With only clinking forks and chewing.
“So what are we doing today?” Letty broked the tension.
Vince gave her a disparaging look. “Hopefully not talking with our mouths full. C’mon Let.”
“The hell are you doing being such a fusspot? That’s Dom’s job.” She waved.
Dom choked down the rest of his pancake so he could utter an indignant “Hey!”
Letty wasn’t done though.
She pointed a fork at him accusingly. “You’ve been acting weird since Blondie got here. Do you hate him or something?”
“No! I’m just—“
Everyone froze at the sound of feet tripping down the stairs.
“DOM!” Jesse came running to him nearly screaming.
Vince caught him in surprise. The kid was nearly sobbing.
“Jesse! Jess.” Vince gave a squeeze. “Breath kiddo.”
Jesse was babbling out incoherent noises and waved his hands around.
“ ‘S okay Jess.” Dom put a hand on his shoulder and pressed his Empathy into him. “Easy Jesse. Whatever it is ain’t worth chokin’ over.”
“Yes it is.” Jesse whined between panting breaths. “I-I. I was ha-ving an episode. And Brian-Brian came in and. He-he cuddled me.”
A smile inched onto Dom’s face.
“A-an-and now he won’t MOVE!” Jesse wailed.
“Shit!” Dom swore. “Where is he?”
“Mmm-mmy room.”
Dom stopped and turned back to Jesse. “Okay. Alright. Easy Jess. You need to calm down. He’s just in a Zone. It happens but the house needs to be low energy to bring him back. So just. Breath.”
Jesse took a gasping breath. Then another and wiped his face. It took him a few seconds but gradually he calmed. Dom couldn’t say the same for himself. His heart was gonna jackrabbit right out of his chest.
“Alright. Good.” Dom nodded. “Let’s go see him then.”
He had to keep himself from running up the stairs. Vince could feel it and the Sentinel half growled. Thankfully Jesse was too distressed or used to it to care.
“Your room Jess?”
Jesse nodded, wiping his face.
The Sentinel was sitting on the floor like a statue. His arms were out and legs crossed like he’d been holding someone. Dom reached for him on instinct. Everything in him was chanting bring him out bring him out . Vince grabbed his arm and it took everything in Dom’s power not to lash out with his Empathy.
“Don’t.” Vince said. “That’s not a question you need answered.”
Mia pushed past them.
“I’m so sorry. Oh my God.” Jesse babbled, nearly in tears again.
Leon grabbed him. “Easy Jess. It’s a Sensitives thing. Not your fault. Right?” He looked over at Vince for confirmation who nodded distractedly.
“It’s a touch reaction.” Mia said, carefully turning the Sentinel’s hands over. “He needs the vetiver.”
Dom skidded into his room, throwing the box onto the bed. He pulled out both bottles and tossed the smaller one back. He ran back almost knocking Vince and Letty off their feet where everyone was lingering at the doorway.
“Here. I’ll do this arm,” Mia held out her hand for the bottle and shook some oil into her open palm, “You get that one.”
Dom’s jaw clenched looking at the rash spreading from Brian’s hands and a strip on his forearm. He dumped the grass smelling oil into his palm and started rubbing it on the rash areas.
“Brian.” Dom called. “Wake up. Come here. We’re waiting for you.”
Mia grimaced, “It’s spreading.”
The rash crept up the Sentinel’s arms turning them an angry red like he’d been burned.
“Why won’t he come back?” Dom snapped.
Mia shook her head frantically. “I don’t know, okay! What was he doing? Did you tell him to do something?”
Dom shook his head. “No, I just wanted him to get more sleep.”
Vince came over and squatted next to them, arms hanging over his knees.
“D? Did you order him to get more sleep?” He asked seriously.
“I told him to stay in the bed!” Dom growled. “Shit. He’s locked down feeling guilty for that?”
Mia frantically coated the rapidly spreading rash with oil. “Could be! Forgive him. Shit. Or tell him it’s okay or something!”
Dom rubbed Brian’s arm. “Brian. C’mon man. It wasn’t a command. I didn’t mean anything by it. You’re okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. Come back. Sentinel. Come back. You’re doing fine.”
The rash stopped advancing so quickly then started to fade. Dom could have cried when the Sentinel’s head bobbed slightly.
“There yah go. You’re with us. I forgive you if that’s what you need to hear. Everything’s fine.” Dom soothed.
His Empathy played over the jagged surface of Brian’s mind. It was still confusion and rage underneath. He couldn’t even be dissapointed. Berzerk was preferable to dead. The Sentinel blinked and his limbs unlocked.
“Hey Brian.”
The Sentinel’s head seemed to roll over to him slowly like a satellite dish following a signal. Mia patted his arm lightly.
“Talk him all the way up,” Mia whispered, “We’ll keep noise down.”
She ushered the rest of the back. The door closed.
Dom sighed just taking a minute to look over the dazed Sentinel. It shouldn’t take this long to come up. He should snap right out of it but berzerker made everything harder so he shoved his hand into the unruly blonde curls and stroked.
“That was a good thing you did for Jesse. Thank you. None of us would have noticed he was having a problem until after lunch.” Dom said while he was petting the swaying blonde. “He’s a good kid. You’d be a good Alpha Sentinel of this pack. If you wanna stay that is.”
“I-i.” The Sentinel whined and his hands twitched.
“Brian?” Dom knelt up in front of him excitedly.
His Empathy pushed through the Sentinel’s mind. He could feel Brian trying to come to the surface. The needle edges wavered and writhed, knives in the ocean.
“C’mon Brian.”
The Sentinel pushed but the rage locking him in wouldn’t budge. Brian’s frustration rose as he tried again. Dom tried to help him push where he could but the Sentinel was only feeding his own cage with the anger. He was violently pulled down, back into berzerker space.
“Shit.” Dom sighed. “Hey. It was a good try. I felt that.”
He put a hand behind the Sentinel’s neck and pulled Brian to his shoulder.
“You’re doin’ fine Bri. Hang in there.”
He tugged him up until the Sentinel was standing. It took a minute but Brian finally looked at him.
“There yah go.” Dom rumbled giving him a pat on the shoulder. “No more commands for you. I promise.”
When people come into the living room, it’s a commonly accepted concept that they sit on the couch. That’s just the process. You come in, you glare at whatever’s on the TV for a sec, make some snarky comment to whoever’s watching it, then you sit down. Which was why having two people lingering off to the side where she couldn’t see them was making Letty grind her teeth.
“Something wrong over there?” Letty asked.
Brian and Vince were hanging around the front door. Both of them had that far off look like they were using their Sensitivities. Leon came into the front room from the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
Letty waved at the two. “Fuck if I know. Ask the guard dogs. Do you guys need to be let out or something?”
Vince kind of looked over but still had that distant look in his eye.
“Vince!” Letty finally snapped. “What the fuck man?”
Vince shook his head like coming out of a daze. “Oh. Uh. Mrs. Garcia’s coming over.”
She waved in their direction. “So what? You guys guarding the house against the little old lady?”
Vince shrugged then nodded. “Not really. Just feels like the spot we need to be.”
The doorbell rang.
Vince opened the door. “Hey Mrs. Garcia.”
“Hello Vince.” She grinned widely at him. “This will be the first time I have seen you answer the door you lazy boy.”
He bent down so she could kiss his cheek.
Vince laughed. “Yeah well I was right here so.”
“And here is Brian too! Are you feeling better?”
“He’s still not fully there Mrs. Garcia.” Dom answered, coming down the stairs. “We’re working on him though.”
“Ah.” She looked over at Brian.
The Sentinel looked placidly engaged. His eyes met hers and wandered off again. He only shifted when Dom moved past him to let Mrs. Garcia kiss his cheek.
She patted the top of Dom’s head. “Do not worry príncipe. He will come back to you. Sentinels always do.”
Dom sputtered. “H-how?”
She laughed. “You all act as if I am not an aged-out Guíadora. Your berzerker will return to you Dominic. It will be good.”
Dom looked over at Brian. The blonde felt his gaze and looked over, cocking his head.
“I hope so.” He murmured.
“Of course it will.” Mrs. Garcia waved a finger at him. “I am always right Dominic. You think I do not see you over there Leticia?”
Letty sighed and got up from where she was trying to hide behind sitting on the couch. “Hi Mrs. Garcia.”
The lady made a ‘come here’ motion with her hand and kissed Letty too.
“Good to see you all. So good. Here is a few small things I made for you to feed that thin little thing. And the rest of you.” She handed two heavy plastic bags to them. “And I will leave you all to your own then.” She winked at Dom and waved them all goodbye.
“Bye Mrs. Garcia.” Dom and Vince waved back.
They closed the door.
Mia came running in. “Shoot did I miss her?”
“Just by a second.” Vince said, moving to stand just off Mia’s shoulder.
She blinked at him in surprise. “And you were actually by the door? That’s weirdly Sentinel behavior.”
Vince tubbed the back of his neck. “Well with him here I can be more…” He waved a hand vaguely.
“More what?” Dom frowned.
“Well. Sentinel. Ish. You know?”
“No?” Mia asked. “What?”
Vince groaned and shuffled his feet. “Well. Like. Havin’ two Guides on me. First of all was and is great. My Sentinel side loves it. Like damn, I get two. That’s cool. But it also keeps me. Like. Hyper suppressed?”
The Guide looked startled.
“Shit. That’s not a bad thing.” He waved. “It just happened. I was cool with it but I didn’t mention it ‘cause I figured it would make Dom more uncomfortable with not having him around.” He gestured at Brian.
Brian hummed, glancing over at them for a second. He wandered off, heading back toward the kitchen.
“Plus now he’s the Alpha Sentinel. Or will be. So my Sentinel says that. We’re. Uhm.” He flushed bright red. “Uh.”
A smile spread across Mia’s face. “That you’re free to breed.”
Vince hunched and bobbed his head. “Yeah. Uh. Yeah.”
Dom groaned. “Don’t wanna hear this.” He clapped Vince on the shoulder. “Keep doing the Sentinel stuff. We’ll adapt.”
He followed his wandering blonde Sentinel.
Vince glanced over at Mia. The Guide stepped into his space. His arms fit comfortably around her and he tuned into her head beat, the sound of her breathing.
“I’m not,” Mia hummed, “Entirely ready to have kids. But. I’m not opposed to the trying process. I like how you get with Brian around.”
A soft purr clicked through his throat as her Empathy washed over him.
“Protective but trusting the pack, a little more instinctual,” Mia rocked them slightly, “Focused.” She gave him a small shove until he looked at her. “I can’t say I don’t like the attention. Especially with Dom busy.”
He basked in the contact, leaning his forehead against hers. “I like it too. I don’t have to listen for every damn movement so much. I feel so damn alive.”
His Sensitivity played over her Empathy. They both shuddered.
“I love Dom,” He kissed her bare shoulder, “But I like that this is just you. Just me.” His chest rumbled somewhere between a growl and a purr.
Mia slid a hand around the back of his neck. Their cheeks slid past each other, chafing and rubbing.
Her hand hooked into Vince’s collar. “Mine.” She growled.
Vince nodded.
Letty made a gagging sound from the couch.
“Take that to Mia wouldja?” Vince handed off the leftover salad bowl to the Sentinel.
The blonde took it mechanically, still following orders from the pack to a T. He picked up a couple more plates then followed the Sentinel in.
“You wanna keep the salad and the corn Mia. Or just one?” Vince asked, reaching to grab the bags off the top of the fridge.
“Probably both,” She said, “Tomorrow’s Sunday and you Dom’s gonna want to grill for his boy toy here.”
Thunk.
Mia spun at the clatter. She looked at the dropped salad bowl and leafy greens on the floor then up. The Sentinel was looking down at his hands, opening and closing. The persistent blue Sentinel glow was flickering.
She reached over and touched Vince. “Go get Dom.” She whispered.
Vince half glanced at the Sentinel before very slowly walking past him.
“Brian.” Mia called quietly to distract him from the sound of feet on the stairs.
The blue eyes rolled to her. Actual blue instead of rage blue. They moved slowly. The entire body of the Sentinel seemed to change. He looked a little more human, a little less animal, less feral. His lips parted to breath and his teeth had sharpened to small fangs. Bonding fangs.
Someone nearly ran down the stairs and Mia could see him perk up, nose flaring. The Sentinel spun around.
And ran directly into a wall. The collision knocked him back to the floor.
“Ouch.” Brian mumbled, cradling his face.
Dom knelt by him, a hand on his shoulder. “Bri? You okay?”
The Sentinel looked at him for a second then grinned. “Hi.”
Dom inhaled sharply and got that same phased out look on his face. “Hey Sentinel.”
They pressed their foreheads together, finally feeling the Sentinel-Guide link tugging at them. Brian hummed, nuzzling him and sniffing his neck.
Mia shifted, flushed. “You two wanna take that out of the kitchen?” She waved at them.
Brian flicked his gaze to her then picked Dom up off the ground bringing them both to their feet. Dom’s eyes went wide at the sudden manhandling.
“My Guide.” Brian mumbled, herding Dom up the stairs.
Said Guide was glad the Sentinel had his head ‘cause he was a goner. At this point he wouldn't have said no to a good roll in the kitchen. Brian backed him into his room and Dom’s Empathy senses were going haywire. He could just barely feel the other Guides around the neighborhood trying to shove his leaking power away from them. Then Brian just seemed to wrap around him, pulling all his Empathy back to here and now.
“Thank you. Thank you. I remember. I could hear you.” Brian whispered to him.
Dom grabbed him and pulled him closer. “Shit. I just can’t fucking believe you’re here.”
The Sentinel whined. “I wanted to come. I wanted to be here. They said. Shit this is so stupid. I shouldn’tve believed it. They said you wouldn’t want me until I did enough. I was so fucking unstable. Needed you to like me.”
Dom let his Empathy roll over the Sentinel like raindrops on a windshield. He wasn’t sad. He wasn’t even angry.
“Well ‘m here now. Imprint your senses then I’m gonna bond you so damn tight.” Dom growled.
Brian chuffed at him. “Working on it. It’s not a fast process.”
“Well it needs to hurry the fuck up.”
Brian grunted and pushed him back, pinning Dom to the door. Dom’s breath caught in his throat as he bore the full brunt of the Sentinel’s gaze. Like he was an old classic car, something to be admired, something to be studied, to be cherished, taken care of. Something seemed to snap into place.
“Sight’s done.” Brian smiled, stepping back into Dom’s space.
“Shit. That should not have been that intense.”
With a deep purr, Brian rubbed on him. “Now you know how I felt all the time with your Empathy focused on me.”
The Sentinel shoved his arms right under Dom’s shirt. The Guide could hear the seam crackle and split under the force.
“Just rip it.” Dom said, only half joking.
He was expecting the Sentinel to laugh or give him a disparaging look. What he wasn’t expecting was the deep growl. Brian grabbed both sides of the Guide’s collar near the shoulder and pulled outward. Dom huffed in surprise at the sudden air against his skin as the shirt tore explosively down the middle, the hem at the bottom stretching so it ended up falling in a ring around his feet.
“Holy shit.” Dom cursed.
Brian pushed him up against the wall running his hands almost frantically over the Guide’s skin. He shoved back half a step and looked at Dom anxiously.
“I need. More skin.” He flushed, panting. “Is that okay?”
Dom reached for the Sentinel and the hem of his own pants at the same time. “Brian, I ‘preciate the concern so I’m tellin’ you once only. I am all green for where this is going.”
He shoved his sweats and boxers down in one go to join the remains of the shirt. The Sentinel looked entranced. Dom almost covered up under the intense scrutiny but part of his mind was latched on and saying sentinelsentinelsentinel so he ended up just reaching for Brian.
“Your turn.” Dom leered. “More skin.”
He grabbed the hem of Brian’s shirt before the Sentinel could go full bodice ripper on one of the two shirts he had here. With Brian more hindering then helping they got him stripped down too and then he was…. everywhere. Hands over Dom’s back, shoulders, ass. Scruff chafing his cheek and chest. Somewhere along the line something else clicked into place.
“That was touch right?” Dom asked, muffled by pressing his mouth to Brian’s shoulder.
Brian just moaned. Then Dom heard him lick his lips right in the Guide’s ear. Dom grabbed the Sentinel by his hair and pulled him up. Brian looked startled and guilty. That wasn’t a look Dom liked. He took Brian’s face between his hands and pressed their lips together. The Sentinel made a few small whimpery sounds.
“I gotcha.” Dom soothed refusing to back off from the kiss.
Brian growled and lapped at the line of his lips. It felt like sparks where the Sentinel’s tongue touched and Dom could only endure as Brian dominated the kiss, his mouth, his neck, his chest. The last sense snapped into place and Dom’s Empathy yanked like a dog on a leash, trying to bind them. The Sentinel lifted him.
“Shit.” Dom cursed as he was laid out on the bed. “That’s gonna take some getting used to.”
Only a Sentinel could move him that easily. Only his Sentinel could get away with moving him at all.
“Bite me.” The blonde growled, ignoring the comment.
Dom flicked his tongue over the tiny fangs in his mouth. Brian flopped down next to him, panting and showing off his fangs too. The Guide kissed him. Their fangs clicked together lightly. It was an unusual sensation. And one they wouldn’t get again.
“You’re perfect.” Brian mumbled against his lips.
Dom’s eyes popped open for a second. The Sentinel’s were still closed, blissed out, walls down, total honesty. He swallowed at the sudden tightness in his throat. Guilt rose but he crushed it swiftly.
“Glad I passed inspection.” His eyes slid back shut.
“Not pass,” Brian purred, his whole chest rumbled with the vibration, “Perfect.”
Dom gasped. He couldn’t keep a cap on his power. His Empathy lurched forward grabbing onto the Sentinel who was happyhappyhappy . Dom swallowed the extra saliva. Brian licked his lips. The fangs were in the way and they were both close to drooling but neither seemed to care.
Brian washed over Dom. Dom washed over Brian. Like ocean currents on foriegn beaches they came together with a hiss and smooth glide.
The Sentinel whined and pushed at Dom’s neck with his jaw. The Guide grabbed the blonde and pulled him closer. Tiny pricks lit up Dom’s nerves and forced his jaw open. He bit Brian with a deep groan.
And everything was light. And everything was heavy. And they were each other the same way they were themselves.
Dom pulled his mouth off slowly, fangs gone but the sweet taste of blood played across his tongue.
“Shit.” He huffed, breathing like he finished a sprint.
The Sentinel pulled off with a groan. “So good.”
Brian shoved his face into the side of Dom’s jaw, under his ear. They lay there, breathing together. Even over the glow of bonding, Dom could feel the need scratching against his mind. The question pressed against his tongue like a lead weight, curling around his insides, he might crush himself not knowing.
“Does it bother you?” He finally choked out.
The Sentinel raised his head. Brian blinked at him, confused.
“Y’ know, my. My records?” Dom mulched the words like he could destroy the problem.
Brian’s eyes flashed and he sighed. Dom braced himself. To his surprise, Brian threw a leg over him and sat on Dom’s hips, his long lean legs bent and bracketing Dom’s sides. The Guide looked up at him in awe.
“No.” Brian sighed.
His hands drew patterns over Dom’s front.
“It doesn’t. Dom. You don’t have a record.” Brian said seriously.
His heart rate picked up.
“You never shoulda gone to jail. Your pack leader had been killed. As an active Guide you should have been protected. But.” Brian swallowed hard. “They were blood typing to find my bonded long before I knew it. It just so happened that a cell was a good place to let me see you for the first time without reaching you.”
Brian tugged at his own hair. Dom immediately wrapped his Empathy around the Sentinel’s distress. The blonde sighed. His hands fell to his lap and he looked up at the ceiling.
“I’m just gonna say all this. You’re not under any hold to respond. I don’t need anything more from you than what you already gave me.”
The Sentinel hunched over Dom faster than he could see. It should have been threatening. Dom should have felt something like that. But it was Brian . He was safe. In this small space between them. Brian put a hand on the side of his face.
“I bartered everything I had to get your sentence down to six months and still it was too long.” His blue eyes looked dark, tears gathering at the corners. “I woulda done any fucking thing they asked ‘cause I already loved you.”
Dom grabbed the back of his head, lacing his fingers through that damn hair, and kissed him. Brian pressed down on top of him like if he just pushed hard enough they’d never separate. It took Dom’s breath away. He tugged until Brian’s head backed up for a second.
“I love you.” Dom ground out. “Brian. My Sentinel. Everything that you are. Fuckin’ love you.”
The bond lit up like fire leaving them grinding against each other. Tired as they were, their energy stepped back in. It took another hour for them to find sleep.
Dom picked up the torn shirt. It had been pretty new. Not his favorite but one of his grey house shirts. It wasn’t anymore at this rate. Just looking at it made him feel hot under the collar. Sensing this, the Sentinel rolled over in the bed to look at him.
Dom held up the stretched out and ripped fabric. “I should use this for rags in the garage. But I don’t think I’d be able to look at them, let alone pick one up.”
Brian smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about that. Don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Well I told you to, so it’s mostly my fault. Besides,” He sat down on the edge of the bed, “It was good.”
He let his hands glide down the Sentinel’s bare back, feeling where the sun had been warming it through the window. He let his Empathy seep through his fingers and Brian went limp, loose limbed and not a care in the world. Curly blonde hair splayed over the pillow. He traced patterns down the sides of the Sentinel’s spine. Brian shivered and closed his eyes. He fell into the sensation and let the Guide catch him. He couldn’t Zone with Dom’s hands on him so he drifted.
“You’re enough to keep a man in bed forever.” Dom murmured, dropping his a kiss on Brian’s lower back.
“Fuck, that’s all on you.” He answered breathless.
Dom climbed onto the bed until he was straddling the Sentinel’s thighs, kissing up his back, rubbing down the skin. Brian made a choked sound. Dom slid and laid himself on top of the Sentinel’s back, closing his mouth around the claiming bit and just relaxing into the feeling of wholeness.
They fell into a feedback loop of feels good feels good feels good happy happy good together . They were a bonded pair, finally.
“You know,” Brian barely raised his voice above a whisper.
Dom waited for a second for him to continue then sighed, “What? What do I know?”
Brian turned his head so he could catch Dom’s eyes mischievously. “We could turn that shirt into rags for our personal use.”
He emphasized it with a slow grind of his ass up against Dom’s dick. The sheet was the only thing between them. Dom groaned and dropped his forehead to Brian’s shoulder. They lazily moved together. There was no energy or heat to it. Just post-wake up warmth. The Sentinel turned his head and made a fussing sound until Dom kissed him. The Guide backed off sadly. The pull was there, the attraction, the tension, lust, but his skin still felt like someone had sandpapered if from the night before.
Brian glanced over his shoulder, amused. “Don’t worry, it’s all your whenever you want it, wherever you want it.” He gave his hips a shake.
Dom gave it a sharp slap making the Sentinel yelp. “Well right now I want it out of bed. It’s nearly three and it’s a Sunday. You know what that means?”
Brian got up grinning. “What?”
“Barbecue.”
“Fuck I love this household.” Brian wrestled his clothes back on.
Dom pulled on a pair of boxers. “Here gimme a hand.”
They stripped the sheets off the bed. Brian balled them up in his arms.
“You can take those down and enjoy the catcalls.” Dom teased in high spirits.
Brian opened the door. “ Anything for you sweetheart.”
“Don’t you fucking start with me.” Dom laughed, throwing a balled up sock at him.
It hit Brian’s shoulder. He fake stumbled back a foot.
“Oh no! Not a sock! I am vanquished!”
Dom laughed so hard he had to put a hand on the dresser in the feedback loop of his happiness and Brian’s happiness and Brian feeling his happiness and him feeling Brian feeling his happiness.
The blonde picked the sock up and his smile turned warm to see him Guide so relaxed. “You want to toss me the other one and those boxers? I can get the whole load in.”
“Thanks B.” Dom nodded and did just that before the Sentinel closed the door.
The blonde padded down the stairs, barefoot and on cloud nine.
Letty looked over and snorted. “Don’t look so happy you’ll make the rest of us jealous.”
Leon leaned out the kitchen doorway. “Yoooo! Look who got some last night!”
“Leon I soo don’t wanna hear that.” Mia snapped half heartedly. “Brian, here. I can take care of that.”
He shook his head. “I got it Mia. I do in fact know how to do things when I’m not Zoned the hell out.”
“Look at that,” Vince laughed, “A regular housewife.”
“At least I earn my keep around here.” The blonde teased.
Letty was nearly cackling on the sofa. “Are you always this sassy Buster?”
“Nope.” Brian popped the P. “Just in a particularly good mood.”
“I DON’T wanna hear that.” Mis covered her ears.
Brian threw everything in the machine. He scooped up some powder and froze. His hands were steady. The Sentinel’s hands weren’t shaking for the first time in his life. His momma looked at him like a broken part, shaking hands showing her his graduate degree. And now gone. Like magic. He relayed that to Dom through their link and felt the wave of pleasure and adoration returning to him.
Brian wandered back to the kitchen and immediately plastered himself to Dom’s back. He purred aggressively. Dom leaned into it. Brian rubbed the Guide’s shoulders, half massaging, half possessing.
“That’s a good sound.” Vince grinned, feeling his arms tingle vaguely.
Brian rubbed his face on Dom’s shoulder. He paused abruptly and looked over at Vince. He flicked his eyes to Mia.
It took Vince a second, “Oh!”
“Wow. Hot on the draw are we today?” Mia rolled her eyes.
She stepped into his hold and the Sentinel’s purr joined Brian’s.
“Awwwwww.” Letty laughed.
Jesse grinned. “Sentinels are just big cats. I’m callin’ it.”
“Alright alright. Let’s take this outside. Everyone that doesn’t need to be in the kitchen, scram.” Mia waved.
“Aw yeah. Master chefs only!” Leon crowed.
Brian released Dom with a soft kiss to the back of his neck. Letty picked up a couple chairs and headed out. Mia tapped Vince’s arms. He pulled away with a whine.
“Later.” She murmured.
Brian glanced between. “Wait. Shit. Did I knock you into—“
Vince led the way outside, hauling more chairs. “Breed mode? Yeah. Yah did. Little bit.”
Brian lowered his head. “Shit man. I’m so sorry.”
Vince stopped and looked back at the house with a distant smile. “Honestly. No worries man.”
They settled down around the table while Dom started up the grill. Jesse sat practically in Brian’s lap, showing him designs and chattering at the speed of light. Brian grinned, keeping him calm and engaged.
“One sec Jesse.” Brian put his hand on the kid’s shoulder. “Mia?” He called.
She was just coming outside with the wash. “What’s up?”
“You might wanna just throw that in the dryer, it’s gonna rain.”
Mia tipped her head back to the fluffy clouds and blue sky. “The hell do you mean it’s gonna rain? It looks gorgeous.”
“I can taste it.” Brian paused. “You can totally ignore me though if you want. Sorry. I just wanted to let you know.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
Mia looked at the clothesline, then back at the sky and scowled at it. The Sentinel fidgeted uncomfortably. Finally Vince hopped up from the table.
“Here Mia, we can hang out that bed sheet until it starts raining and I’ll throw the rest of it in the dryer.”
“Can you actually taste the weather?” Letty asked skeptically.
Brian shrugged. “Usually. But now I’m afraid I’m gonna get on Mia’s bad side like I summoned it or something.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Anyway. Sorry go ahead Jess.”
“So then I was thinkin’,” Jesse kept up his rapid technobabble.
Usually Brian would focus and make sure he kept up but he had his eyes on Dom. He followed his back down to the curve of his ass. The memory of finally getting his hands on it was still so strong and he could see it in his mind and really what else did he need to worry about? The sensation drenched him and his eyes hyper focused and he could see even the air moving in front of his eyes and it moved so beautifully. Moved so beautifully. It was a good sight, the grass and the air and the dry dirt underneath. A good sight.
A hand rubbed at the back of his neck and Brian smacked his lips. Sounds rose slowly back to his ears.
“Easy. There yah go Brian. C’mon back Sentinel. You’re alright. Come back to me.” Dom was muttering.
Brian blinked to reality. “Shit. Sorry. Thanks.”
“All good.” Dom kissed the top of his head.
“Did you Zone staring at Dom’s ass?” Jesse laughed.
Brian covered his face and flushed scarlet red. The whole table cackled. Dom bent low over Brian’s back, leaning an arm between his shoulders.
“Did you really?” Dom murmured in his ear.
Brian sighed, still covering his face. “Yeah. Yeah I did.”
Dom chuckled and nuzzled the side of his face. Brian felt his arm being tugged under the table and something tucked in his hand. Dom patted his back and went back to the grill.
“Oh shit it is starting to rain!” Leon cursed.
Everyone jumped up, scrambling to get things inside.
Brian peeked at his hand under the table. He swallowed down the growl in his throat. It was a ripped scrap of Dom’s grey shirt.