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Terzo was finishing tying his boot, pulling the lace until the simplest knot he had learned since he was little was firm, "the bunny going into the hole," his nanny used to say, when the bedroom door was flung open as if it had been kicked. And it really was. The wood hit the wall with a dull thud that made Terzo almost fly to the ceiling. He blinked, frozen there on the floor, still with the tip of his tongue stuck in the corner of his mouth and his fingers in the middle of the lace.
Copia came in. He almost tripped on his own step and didn’t even bother to pretend he was going to apologize.
" I will need your clothes, your boots… and your motorcycle," he announced, deepening his voice with a dragged and weird English, the accent too bad even to pretend it was a joke.
Well, at least he was past the phase of imitating Darth Vader. The youngest went around the house saying "I'm your father," and soon evolved to "Say who is your daddy?", until he did that to Secondo, giving a slap on his brother’s butt. It was the first and last time.
Now that Secondo had killed the Sith Lord, it was time to eliminate the T-800, urgently. Terzo prayed that Secondo would be quick.
The worst part: each word was said, each action done, as if Copia had rehearsed in front of the mirror fifteen times before entering.
And Terzo had known his youngest brother long enough to affirm that Copia really had.
The light brown-haired boy advanced across the room with long steps, looking straight ahead, focused. Terzo slowly raised his eyes, furrowing his brow, and before he could say anything, Copia spun on his heels and pointed straight at him, somewhat rigid.
" I want your jacket. The leather one. It will complete my look perfectly."
He didn’t wait for his older brother’s reaction. He went straight to the little wooden table beside the bed and took the sunglasses Terzo had left there earlier, as naturally as if they had always been his. Terzo hated when people messed with his things, but he had gotten used to Copia. He fit them on his face in an automatic gesture and turned to the wall mirror as if about to star in a B-grade action movie poster. He turned sideways, puffed his chest out, lowered his chin a bit. The shadow from the sunglasses fell right in the middle of his cheek, and the tight T-800 shirt was the cherry on top. The fabric marked his shoulders and arms in a way that gave the illusion of volume, especially if no one came too close. To disguise the days Copia pretended to wake up too late to go to the gym to train his arms.
"Only the jacket is missing," he said, smoothing his light brown hair with one hand, trying to tame the strands escaping around the sides of the glasses — "Mine turned into a rag after that barbecue. It smelled like frying even after the third wash. Yours always smells good."
He paused. Stared seriously at himself in the mirror, then spoke again:
" And Secondo threatened me if I touched his again. Said he’d shove a hanger up my ass and hang me on the clothesline."
Terzo dropped the laces and leaned on the headboard, crossing his arms. The smile slowly rose, cornered, involuntary.
" All this just to go to a park, huh?"
" All this," Copia confirmed, opening his arms and spinning, as if in a musical, stopping facing his brother — "But not just any park. The park. The one that appears out of nowhere on a vacant lot, disappears before the health surveillance arrives, smelling like cotton candy and rust. By the way, the cotton candy tastes like rust too. Tilted Ferris wheel, hot dog with a sausage possibly made of human meat, and a vendor who definitely just got out of jail."
Terzo raised an eyebrow.
" You're only going because Omega asked me to bring my family, since he’s bringing friends."
But for Copia, it didn’t matter either way, he just shrugged, tilted his glasses, and let his gaze slide over Terzo from head to toe, the brown Batman-logo shirt on his chest, the dark blue jeans, the leather boots almost shining more than the floor at home. Finally, he stopped at the bracelets and thin rings, the little phases of the moon pendants on the bracelet, a gift from Copia himself.
Terzo not only felt analyzed, he was analyzed. From head to toe. The feeling of having a pair of eyes on him, judging, wasn’t one of the best, but then Copia decided to test him:
" But seriously, you’re going like that? You’ll turn into a popsicle on the first ride," the youngest said, and Terzo huffed. Copia realized it was better not to mess more with his brother’s clothes unless he wanted to lose the chance of Terzo lending him anything, including the sunglasses he still wore, even though it was night — "And I need your jacket. Please. I swear this time I won’t put chocolate in the pockets."
" You always say that," replied Terzo, dryly — "Last time there was a whole crushed Toblerone in the inner pocket."
Copia raised his hands in a solemn oath.
" I’ve changed. I’m in a new phase of my life. Zero sugar." — That was a lie, and Terzo knew it. He had seen Copia eat a whole box of chocolates in the morning. However, the youngest put his hand on his chest, placing his fist on his heart — "Word of honor."
Silence.
Terzo just stared, unconvinced. The older brother squinted, his long lashes almost meeting.
Copia even lowered the glasses, letting them fall over his aquiline nose. Then came the final blow, the usual trick. The puppy-dog eyes, raised eyebrows, slightly pushed out bottom lip, the face screaming abandoned dog.
" Damn, Terzito... cut me some slack. The look is ready. Only the jacket is missing. Don’t do this to me, fratellino."
Terzo took a deep, long breath, closed his eyes.
" If I find a single stain on it…" he started, with a threatening tone Copia knew very well.
" Nothing will touch it. I swear on all the princes of hell!" — And the youngest was almost at the closet before finishing the sentence. But then he turned before disappearing through the door, chin firm and projected, the most macho and action-machine style he could manage, and with robotic posture and voice said: " I’ll be back."
Terzo couldn’t stand the ridiculous sight, let out a muffled laugh, half through his nose, half through his throat, and shook his head as his brother turned on his heels and disappeared.
Minutes later, Copia returned with the jacket on his shoulders. It was a bit loose since Terzo liked to buy some loose clothes for himself, but it worked, it ended up turning into a charm. He didn’t zip it up, letting the Terminator appear in all its glory, ran his hand over the leather with an almost reverent care, and admired himself long in the mirror. Turned from one side to the other, stuck out his butt marked by the tight black jeans with frays on the full thighs he used to brag about, along with the lifted butt.
" Now yes," he said, almost emotional. Turned to Terzo with a look he could call childish, his mismatched eyes shining faintly as he lifted the glasses from the middle of his nose and adjusted them on his head, pushing back his bangs — "Thanks, fratellino!"
He made a motion to leave but stopped at the doorknob and turned back again, a bit shy, with that nervous little smile:
" And if you’re free later... I thought we could watch Alien again. I promise I won’t dub over the characters this time."
Terzo huffed, not even pretending to be mad anymore.
" You always say that."
" And I always try," Copia answered, winking before pulling the glasses back down over his nose, then started making an action soundtrack with his mouth.
Terzo soon followed him, but without the embarrassing soundtrack part. Instead, he grabbed the small shiny black box of Bluetooth earphones, pulled the cell phone out of the other pocket, and connected the device. “Bartzabel,” by the band Behemoth, exploded in his ears instantly. Terzo even found it curious how noises like chewing, fork scraping plates by accident, even crumpling paper or sirens were too much for his ears, many voices talking at the same time were also a big factor in feeling overwhelmed, even bringing tears to his eyes. But listening to death metal or any other kind of music at maximum volume was what calmed him.
In the living room, Primo was already sprawled on the couch, one leg crossed over the knee, which shook anxiously while he fiddled with his cell phone, tapping his index finger on the side of the device, the silver skull-shaped ring causing a dry sound. He never took that ring off his finger, nor the thin silver pentagram necklace, which he usually wore under his clothes. Today, however, it lay on the sweater. As soon as he heard steps on the stairs, he exhaled sharply and got up slowly, patting one of his thighs.
" Finally," he said, adjusting the collar of the white shirt under the black sweater and throwing a disapproving look at the two youngest coming down. "I thought you two had crawled up each other’s asses and vanished." Then he put his phone in the front pocket of his grayish-black jeans, a bit looser than Copia’s pants.
The younger ones didn’t even have time to respond as they stepped into the living room before Secondo appeared, the sound of his boots coming first, muffled and somewhat sticky sounds, the kind that made Terzo shudder when they scraped the floor and the sole squealed sharply. He was calmly coming from the kitchen, taking his own time to parade to his brothers, enjoying the good distance from one room to another.
He was wearing the jacket, the very same one he threatened Copia not to touch. But that wasn’t what caught Primo’s attention. It was the hair. A bit shorter, but still rebellious, spiked as if he had run his wet hand through it and given up halfway. Primo suspected he had done that with the water from the sink. The mustache was growing, taking shape, and Secondo always took care of these hairs, which looked more like pubic hair than anything else, as if they were the most precious thing he had. And that only gave more ammunition to the older brother.
Primo narrowed his eyes slowly, as if processing some absurd information. And it was — too much information. Many characteristics to make fun of, and Primo was almost having a breakdown with all the things he wanted to comment on.
" What happened to you, fratello? Did you fight with a pair of scissors? Or are you going to infiltrate a porcupine family?"
He paused, his gaze descending to the mustache. His mouth curved into a smile that kept growing and growing, becoming wider until almost reaching his ears, marking Primo’s dimples and high cheekbones.
" And that mustache." He chuckled, his best moment of the day had arrived. " Very brave of you. Gives you this… distinguished look. Like a retired circus strongman."
Terzo and Copia tried to fiddle with their own pockets, check the time on their phones, or adjust some detail of their clothes, desperately trying not to laugh. They did everything, but absolutely no way could they look at each other. If Terzo and Copia’s eyes met, they would burst into laughter, and that was proven true — it had happened at a funeral, when an uncle tripped and almost fell into the grave, Terzo let out an involuntary laugh that just scratched his throat, but he held it until Copia looked at him. Nihil punished them that day.
Secondo, however, didn’t even blink. He raised one eyebrow, only. But his jaw locked for a short, almost imperceptible moment.
" Keep your fashion critiques to yourself, Primo. Some of us don’t need to look like the Grim Reaper."
" Ah, yeah. At least it wasn’t me who took too long in the shower because I was cutting the hair off my ass and gluing it on my face, fratello," Primo gave a sly smile, crossing his arms while pulling the sleeves of his sweater up a bit, exposing tattoos — both the tattoo depicting Lucifer’s fall on the inside of his left arm and the skull, similar to the ring he wore, on his right arm.
Copia couldn’t hold back the last comment from his brother, let out a laugh through his nose, scraping his throat, then stared at the floor, pretending to analyze his own shoes. Consequently, Terzo followed, but soon disguised it with a cough.
" Grow up," Secondo retorted dryly, his lips pressing into a thin line. He adjusted the jacket collar with an irritated tug, trying to ignore the growing urge to grab his older brother by the neck and shake the son of a bitch until those blond hair waves were in all directions.
Primo smiled even wider, satisfied, and started shaking his foot, almost dancing in place, looking at Secondo as if he were a very interesting painting:
" Relax. We’re just joking. Well… maybe." He made a hand gesture, spinning his wrist before opening his arms — "So, are we going or not? If we delay more, the police arrive before us and the park will be gone."
Copia was the first to move, almost skipping.
" I’ve been ready forever, you’re the ones who delayed," he said, showing off as he adjusted Terzo’s jacket over his shoulders.
" Since forever?" Secondo repeated, not even trying to hide the irony. "I saw you choose between five IDENTICAL black underwear."
" Small details define great men," Copia replied, raising his nose and adjusting his sunglasses. Then he turned to Secondo, who stared at him with near disbelief. Constantly Secondo wondered if Copia really existed or was a delirium from his tormented head — "Andiamo, soldado. The Terminator here is in a hurry."
Secondo just huffed, turning toward the front door. His boots hit the floor firmly, which made Copia almost jump with excitement, following behind with long strides, considering how Secondo was the tallest and the youngest tried to walk close to him, copying his rigid walk.
Already outside, Copia pulled out his phone and pointed the front camera at himself. He moved closer to Terzo, who was leaving the door, stretching out his arm to take a selfie with the older brother.
" Wait, wait…" he adjusted the angle until they both fit in the frame. Primo came as an intruder, popping up next to the youngest. The click came right after, and Copia checked the result. "Looks great." He made a satisfied face, already opening the camera again to take another photo. "We look like three criminals."
" Four," Secondo corrected, appearing out of nowhere, shoving his face between Copia and Terzo, his mustache practically brushing the youngest brother’s cheek. Another click.
" Jesus fucking Christ, Secondo!" Copia pulled back, rubbing the cheek that was already reacting to his brother’s mustache, the sensitive skin turning red. "Shave that bundle of straw you call a mustache before you hug me."
" Careful not to scratch the screen," Primo added, his wicked smile already creeping back onto his lips.
Secondo just huffed, ignoring Copia’s drama, already used to it, although still wanting to punch Primo’s mouth.
" Get in the car already. Before I regret it and go back home."
Primo raised an eyebrow, amused by his brother’s grumpy way.
" Look at him. Playing tough guy with that broom stuck under his nose."
" Fuck off, you walking corpse," Secondo shot back — "Have you locked the door? You have the key."
Primo let out a discreet "oh!" when reminded by his brother, turned around to the door, spun the keys on his fingers showing the Shrek keychain, locked it with two turns and put the key away. After mentally checking if he wasn’t forgetting anything, he went down the stairs sliding his hand on the railing, heading to the garage car, which had space for four vehicles but only three parked. Secondo, by the way, was banned from driving for six months after being fined for carrying six people in the car, including Secondo himself and five women, the same number of months suspended, as Primo made sure to punish his brother. Terzo, at nineteen, still got confused between left and right and cried in driving lessons. Copia didn’t even have a car yet, but Primo promised to give his little brother one as a birthday present; until then, Terzo lent his car to the youngest.
Almost next to the car, a black Ferrari Roma, Primo then unlocked the car.
The beep sounded loudly. That was the trigger.
Terzo accelerated and already reached out his hand to the front door handle.
" Shotgun," he announced, triumphant.
" No. Absolutely not." Secondo’s voice reached his ears. Soon, he was squeezing himself between Terzo and the car — "You had the front last time."
" Last time was last week," Terzo complained, trying to give a slight shove to his brother’s shoulder. Secondo didn’t even move.
" It’s expired."
" Consider this a replacement."
" Replace it with your ass in the back seat," he retorted, already trying to pull the handle again.
Secondo stepped aside, blocking the door with his hip, taking his time when it came to breaking all his younger brother’s expectations.
" Or you’ll sit on Copia’s lap. Choose."
Copia, who was already approaching with the phone in hand, raised an eyebrow.
" Oh, but I charge a lot for that kind of service."
" Shut up," Terzo fired, pushing his brother’s shoulder again, and again, Secondo didn’t move.
" There’s no ‘shut up.’ You go back there."
Terzo exhaled slowly, his nostrils flaring in an irritated way, thought about whining to Primo, who by then was already inside the car, watching the usual argument, but he wouldn’t humiliate himself like that. He brushed past Secondo on purpose and opened the back door with too much force, earning a curse from Primo.
" One day I’ll still throw you out of this moving car," Terzo said, turning to Secondo before getting in the car.
" I’m looking forward to it."
Terzo fell into the back seat next to Copia, who was flipping through something on his phone, food videos on his Instagram feed.
" Buckle up, assholes," Primo announced, way too excited for Secondo’s taste, who made sure to roll his eyes when closing the door.
" Try not to kill us on the way," muttered Secondo, pulling the seatbelt with an impatient snap.
" No promises." Primo gave a crooked smile and started the car, the engine roaring loud enough to make the four brothers widen their eyes. Even the car’s owner was surprised.
Primo stepped on the gas, and the car jerked forward suddenly, shaking everyone backward. In the back seat, Copia let out a little squeal, grabbing the headrest of the front seat. And Terzo, already somewhat unfazed, adjusted his earphone and leaned his head against the window, opening his phone to change the music.
"Here we go," Secondo huffed. "If I had a penny for every scream that comes out of your headphones..."
"I’d have enough money to get rid of that ridiculous mustache," Terzo added without taking his eyes off the screen.
Primo slapped his hand on the steering wheel, laughing out loud.
"That was a good one. But leave Secondo alone. He’s going through his retired circus asshole phase. Give him some dumbbells and watch this man work magic!"
Secondo slowly turned his head just enough to give his older brother a deadly look.
"Don’t make me make you stop this car on the shoulder so I can shove you in the trunk."
The road gradually got worse, the asphalt started to crumble into broken pieces, until it became just dirt. The car rattled, creaked, and the chassis trembled as if it might fall apart any second. The streetlights became more sparse, then disappeared completely, and the car’s headlights were the only thing lighting the darkness.
Terzo took out one earphone, suspicious. He’d seen enough horror movies.
"If this car dies here, I’m burying you in these woods, Primo."
"Relax, fratellino. This engine has more life than all three of you combined."
"I don’t know if that’s good or sad," Copia commented, adjusting the dark sunglasses he kept wearing even in the pitch black.
When Primo finally parked the car on a crooked patch of dirt, called a parking lot only for lack of a better word, the engine responded with a long growl, and Terzo could swear he heard it say "thank God" before falling silent.
Outside, they could see the park, a tangle of colorful lights, neon signs advertising half-assed attractions that, seen from a distance, looked decent. The Ferris wheel turned slowly, at least it was standing, and they hoped it would stay that way, sprinkled with little lights that flickered like fireflies, while the carousel displayed its painted horses, white with black manes and blue saddles, spinning to the tune of a childish melody, the horses actually quite well detailed.
A little further ahead, they could see the roller coaster creaking on the tracks, making the car shake with screams that got lost in the air, like souls screaming in hell. Game stalls lined up side by side, full of stuffed animals hanging, and every so often someone would slam a hammer on a strength game or toss rings trying to win prizes. There was a spinning sombrero going way too fast. There was also the haunted house train, with a facade all painted with horror movie villains, Freddy Krueger looking uglier on the facade than in the movie itself.
The strong smell of fried food, buttery popcorn, and burnt candy mixed with rust, tying the stomach in knots, it felt like childhood. It was a cheerful place, almost charming, but there was something, maybe the childish music coming out crackly from the speakers, that left everything with a hint of strangeness. Terzo couldn’t help but remember the movie Final Destination, where anything from everyday life could kill you at any moment. And holy shit, that park was a trap.
The group got out little by little. Copia practically jumped out, excited like a kid, and almost twisted his ankle in his hurry, falling on top of Primo, who luckily didn’t lose his balance, finding strength somehow, even being the lankiest there, to shove his brother away with a smack on the head. Terzo came out right after, gave a quick tug on his t-shirt, honestly, he couldn’t remember buying a Batman shirt, he didn’t even watch many DC movies, especially Batman, the last he’d seen was The Dark Knight, leaving the DC fan title to Secondo, and pulled his pants up by the waist. The cold wind came biting his skin right then, and that’s when he realized the mistake of not bringing a jacket. Secondo was the last to get out, taking a deep breath, with the face of someone who’d rather be at home, in front of the laptop, listening to the air conditioning.
Near the park gate, Omega was leaning against a post, messing with his phone. Aether was a few steps away, talking loudly to a street vendor who was trying to shove a bag of caramel popcorn down his throat, while Alpha analyzed the rides like he was deciding which would be easiest to dismantle and take home.
Omega lifted his face as soon as he heard the voices, Copia saying "Such aggression, Primo!" in a tone halfway offended, halfway playful. He turned off his phone and shoved it in the pocket of his black jeans. By the way, it looked like a black jeans festival, and Terzo almost felt out of place in his blue ones, but the thought passed quickly as soon as his eyes landed on Omega.
He was wearing a red plaid shirt, open over a white t-shirt that clung to his chest, marking the broad shape of his shoulders. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, revealing strong forearms, with discreet veins showing when he moved his hand. Veins Terzo loved tracing with his fingertips when Omega’s arms were around him as they slept together. He knew Omega well enough to say that this was an attempt to look casual, especially because of the battered boots.
"Fuck..." Terzo thought, with a good kind of anxiety poking at his ribs.
"Finally," said the blond, a relieved little smile under the blond mustache, much prettier than Secondo’s in Terzo’s opinion, and he was already approaching with long strides, completely ignoring the rest of the group. He only saw Terzo there, and you could bet Terzo only saw him too, by the way his cheeks flushed as he also approached, seeming to decide something with himself at each step, and Omega couldn’t help but wonder what it was, maybe rehearsing what he’d say, maybe gathering courage to even speak. He knew how crowded places were harder for Terzo than for him.
Omega didn’t take long to find out what Terzo was thinking.
Terzo went straight for it. Thought a lot about what he’d do, seconds of planning felt like hours, but when putting it into practice, it was without even thinking much: he slid his hand along the side of Omega’s neck and grabbed his chin in a quick movement, planting a firm little kiss.
The general noise seemed to drop for a moment.
Omega stood there, with a dumb smile that only grew, almost dizzy, nearly needing to hold onto something not to float away. His face turned red up to his ears.
The truth was this had been happening for a few weeks now. A kind of silent thing, but kind of inevitable. It started with Terzo telling himself he only stayed at Omega’s place so much because "it was more practical," that they got along well in bed and there was nothing wrong with waking up next to him, even though Terzo had never done that with anyone before. Until he realized that waking up there was the best part of the day.
Then the kisses started to appear more than the rest. A lingering touch, Omega pulling Terzo by the shirt, them clinging on the couch. They had sex less, not for lack of desire, but because they simply preferred to keep kissing, trading stupid comments, laughing at anything and hugging. Omega really liked lying on the couch with Terzo, stroking his dark hair and telling him how beautiful he was, just to see Terzo blush and roll on top of him with a giggle, the small body sticking to his big one, then they’d start a little wrestling match, with Omega measuring his strength not to hurt Terzo, who’d end up laughing out loud, trapped by Omega’s strong arms.
Omega felt it too. Didn’t need to say it out loud, since it was written in the way he looked at Terzo, like it was something too good to be true. And every time Terzo showed up at his apartment door unannounced, with a backpack slung over his shoulder, Omega’s day was made.
Right there, in front of friends and brothers, it was just the first time Terzo didn’t care to show it. It was a big start. A quick peck, yes, but it made Omega widen his eyes and stare at him with such a dumb, so-in-love smile that anyone watching would understand Terzo was much more than the pretty model he fucked.
"Wow." Was all Aether managed to say, raising an eyebrow, thoroughly amused.
Omega still seemed kind of dazed when Terzo pulled away, like his brain had blue-screened. He ran a hand over his face, trying to hide the smile that kept coming back, then turned to the ticket booth right at the park entrance.
"Come on, before I change my mind and take you home," he teased, poking Terzo lightly on the hip.
"Hm, home?" Terzo raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile almost appearing. "I’m in."
"Can you two go five minutes without making us uncomfortable?" Alpha interrupted, crossing his arms. His tone was serious, but only because he was good at holding back laughter to keep a dry delivery as a form of joke. Alpha had that questionable sense of humor that proved very similar to Terzo’s in some ways. Omega was in heaven that his friends were getting along with Terzo.
"Who are you again?" Copia shot back, tilting his head with exaggerated curiosity.
"Alpha. And that’s Aether." He pointed with his chin at his friend, who waved way too excitedly, almost dropping the bag of popcorn.
"Oh, right," Primo jumped into the conversation with a half smile, extending his hand to greet them, the skull ring gleaming under the park lights. "I’m Primo, the only normal one in this family."
"That’s debatable," Secondo huffed, didn’t bother greeting anyone, but at least didn’t turn his back. Just watched Alpha with that bored, slightly annoyed face that seemed factory default. But the bastard seemed to have caught something by contact with Primo, a single touch and it was like catching a hyper-contagious disease.
"Normal, huh?" Alpha nudged, stepping forward, his smile almost challenging. "That mustache looks like Dick Dastardly’s, man. Did you bring Muttley with you or ditch him in the middle of the Wacky Races?"
Secondo lifted his chin, staring at Alpha with a look cold enough to freeze beer, pulled Copia, who let out a surprised yelp, by the jacket collar and said:
"Right here."
The youngest himself broke the little standoff, slipping between Alpha and Secondo as soon as his brother let go, throwing his arm over Alpha’s shoulders in an almost intimate gesture.
"Relax, man, you’re gonna love us. Well, at least half of us." He winked, dropping Alpha as quickly as he’d grabbed him.
At the booth, Omega was already pulling his wallet from his back pocket like he was in a hurry to get it over with. Terzo came right behind, poking his arm insistently before shoving his hand in his pocket and pulling out his own card.
"Don’t even try, I’m paying for mine."
Omega turned just his face, raising an eyebrow, amused.
"You’re not paying, amore."
"I am, yes." Terzo shot back, stepping forward and trying to push the card toward the attendant, who looked at it all with a face that just wanted money from anyone.
"You’re not." Omega countered, and used all his height difference to his advantage. Rested his forearm on Terzo’s shoulders, pushing him lightly down, like holding a stubborn cat by the scruff. "You’re too small for these decisions."
Terzo complained, trying to wriggle free, hand still stretched with the card, waving in the air like a little flag.
In the end, Omega won easily. Paid for the tickets with a triumphant smile so big that Terzo huffed loudly, pushing his chest with the free hand just to vent his frustration.
"Now you’re gonna be all smug, right?"
"Of course not," Omega shrugged, handed the ticket to Terzo and, as soon as the dark-haired man tucked it in his pants pocket, along with the card, deep down so he wouldn’t lose it, the blond took Terzo’s hand in his, interlacing their fingers while watching the other’s face heat up again. He smiled leaning toward him, speaking low, "Whoever invites the date pays."
"Someone separate these two before sparks start flying," Secondo grumbled, drumming his fingers on his jacket pocket. His tone made it clear he didn’t find it funny at all, but the corner of his mouth gave away an almost smile. Deep down, under the thin layer of ice on his heart—mind you, it wasn’t that thick—there were certain cracks for his brothers, especially for the idiot who always fought to ride in the front seat. Secondo was happy not just to see Terzo happy but because Terzo still invited him when he could easily have left him out.
"Sparks nothing, in a minute they’ll be all over each other behind the churro stand," Primo commented, giving Secondo a light elbow. That blond idiot was another who teased Secondo and Secondo teased back, but knew that deep down, he was Primo’s favorite brother, even though, unlike the younger brothers, he was never the one who sought Primo’s lap, like little Terzo did when he couldn’t sleep or was hurt. He’d always been an independent kid, and you could say Primo respected that.
Copia and Aether moved ahead, already pointing at the loudest ride they saw, arguing about which one had more chances of killing someone, and still wanted to go. Alpha just shook his head, laughing, while watching Omega and Terzo bickering in the middle of the path, in that corny, ridiculous, pathetic way only people falling in love manage, arguing over nonsense but with their bodies glued, kind of addicted to each other’s touch.
Omega gave Terzo a light poke, still goofy.
"So... it was just a peck, right?" he asked softly, but the tone betrayed how happy he was, stopping in his tracks.
"Yeah. Just a peck." Terzo stopped too, held his gaze for a second longer than he should, or could, then looked away, a little embarrassed by how much his chest warmed up. "Idiot."
"Not an idiot," Omega replied, with that wide smile that made his jawline stand out even more. Unable to resist, he ran his hand behind Terzo’s neck, pulling lightly just to nuzzle his nose against his. "It was the best ‘just a peck’ I ever got."
They almost lagged behind when the group caught up, since they’d walked ahead, but soon snapped out of the trance and hurried after them, fingers still interlaced. Around them, shooting galleries competed for attention with little tables selling churros, cotton candy and piles of shiny knick-knacks that would make any kid beg their parents to spend money. Like Copia was about to do with Primo, or Terzo and Omega. Lately, it had become frequent for Terzo to show up with some delicious food from the blond’s house, slices of pie, cakes, pastas. Those were moments Copia thanked for Terzo seriously hooking up with a chef. Terzo would show up saying "Omega sent this for you guys," and it made Copia’s day, the first to dig in. Slowly, Omega grew fond of Terzo’s brothers, even if they’d never had a decent conversation, especially Copia, who almost felt like a child of the not-official-couple out of sheer stubbornness. It was obvious even to a blind man.
"Holy shit, this is bigger than I thought," Alpha commented, eyes running from one booth to another. "Good thing I didn’t bet we’d get mugged on the first ride!"
"The night is still young," Secondo shot back in a dry tone, making Primo let out a short laugh.
Further ahead, Copia and Aether were practically stuck together, impressive since they’d met minutes ago, pointing at rides, laughing at any dumb detail.
"You said you have a rat, right?" Aether asked, bringing it up like he couldn’t hold it in any longer.
"Pepe. Love of my life, after my mattress." Copia puffed out his chest, proud. "And you?"
"Cacio. Kinda chubby, but he’s my baby."
"Oh, then we’ll have to do an official meet. Pepe’s gonna flip."
Ahead, the Ferris wheel stood out against the sky like a pile of scattered jewelry, shining exaggeratedly in shades of red, blue and green that changed slowly, almost lazily. It wasn’t beautiful in the classic sense, it was kinda tacky even, but exactly what you’d expect at a park like this. Up close, you could hear the light creak of the metal, mixed with the sound of the seats swaying.
"Let’s go on this one first." Alpha pointed with his chin. "That way we catch the view before stuffing our stomachs and regretting it."
"Smart." Secondo grumbled, like it cost him to admit. Walked off right behind.
When the ride stopped, Omega stood in line next to Terzo, so close their arms almost brushed, his jaw relaxed, but his foot tapping the ground in a slightly offbeat rhythm, his habit whenever he was too anxious or excited to keep it all inside.
Terzo noticed. Then ran his pinky over his, just lightly, but the way Omega sucked in a deep breath, like he suddenly needed all the park’s oxygen, made Terzo smile.
"Gonna faint before we go up?" Terzo teased.
"Funny guy." Omega gave a crooked half-smile, eyes still fixed on the wheel. "You better hold on, I don’t want whining up there."
"Alright." Terzo replied, squeezing his pinky gently. Omega stopped tapping his foot.
Secondo and Alpha were the first to enter one of the cabins, with Copia, Aether and Primo going next in the following one. Not that it was that tight, but Omega found a way to lean more toward Terzo, knee knocking against his. The cabin swayed a bit when it started up, the gears’ creak got louder. From up high, the park looked like a bunch of colorful anthills.
Secondo didn’t look impressed at all, but Copia and Aether, in the cabin below, wiggled and pointed down, laughing like kids, making Primo wonder why he got in with those two idiots.
At one point, Omega turned his face, resting his nose in Terzo’s hair, breathed deep like he needed to save that soft shampoo scent, tip of his nose brushing through the silky strands. Terzo didn’t move, let him, with a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. His chest gave weird little tugs, something between nervousness and that hard-to-explain peace that only came when he was close to Omega.
The wheel stopped for a few seconds when it reached the top. The wind was stronger there, messed up Terzo’s hair, made Omega lift his hand to tuck it behind his ear, in such an automatic gesture they both only realized what they were doing after it happened. Didn’t trade a word, though. No embarrassed laugh and didn’t even pull away. Quite the opposite.
"It’s cold," Terzo whispered, more to say anything than out of real discomfort.
Omega answered by pulling his body to him, slipping an arm over Terzo’s shoulders and with the other hugged him. And Terzo warmed up, head resting on the blond’s shoulder. The seat swayed again when it started down, and Terzo squeezed Omega’s knee by reflex.
When the ride reached the ground, Copia and Aether got out first. Alpha had his arms crossed, but his gaze ran right to the two there, so close, and rolled his eyes lightly, an almost smile escaping before he could stop it. Finally, Aether found someone with the same mindset.
"Come on, lovebirds." Primo gave two little taps on the backrest from outside, like calling a pet. "There’s a churro stand back there, and I refuse to leave without eating at least two."
Terzo threw out a comment about diabetes, but ended up the first to get out, crossing his arms as soon as the cold wind hit his skin.
"Where’s your jacket?" Omega finally asked, looking at him with his brow slightly furrowed.
Terzo looked away so fast it almost seemed like guilt, pinching the collar’s edge between his thumb and middle finger, the small gesture giving away his defensiveness.
"Didn’t think it’d get this cold."
Omega let out a short chuckle, shaking his head, and stepped closer. He wrapped an arm around Terzo’s waist, his hand warm on his side, and pulled his body in with a gentle tug.
"No chance for you, huh. Come here before you freeze."
Terzo didn’t resist, just let out a sigh that was almost a grumble and rested his face on Omega’s shoulder for a second, half annoyed, half grateful, and Omega took the opportunity to squeeze his waist again, saying:
"I’ve got a jacket in the car, come with me to grab it."
Terzo wrinkled his nose but didn’t protest. He just gave a short nod and followed him, heading back toward the "parking lot." As they walked away, the noise of the park grew more distant, making Terzo let out a sigh that was almost relieved. A little break from the visual and sound bombardment was a good thing.
When they got close to the car, Omega didn’t waste time. Instead of opening it right away to grab the jacket, he gently pushed Terzo until his back met the car’s metal. The large hand slid up the side of his face, burying into his black hair, while the other held firm at his waist.
"O... Omega?" Terzo blinked, confused for only half a second, because as soon as Omega pressed his mouth to his, the confusion vanished.
It was a slow, deep kiss. First, Terzo held Omega’s face, then wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled hard.
Omega gave a small smile against his lips.
"You don’t mind if someone sees? Like, I dunno, some paparazzi or some idiot who knows you."
Terzo just made a low sound in his throat, a lazy "hnn" that soon turned into words.
"I don’t give a damn. Let them see."
That was all Omega needed. He kissed Terzo again, softer this time, lingering, his hands slowly roaming up and down Terzo’s back. When they finally pulled their faces apart, Terzo didn’t let go, hiding his nose and mouth in Omega’s neck, breathing there, pressing lazy little kisses that sent shivers through Omega.
The blond ran his fingers through Terzo’s soft hair, massaging his scalp carefully, knowing exactly the spots Terzo loved to be touched. Terzo’s body gradually relaxed, until he was practically a weight resting against him.
They stayed like that for a good while, just nestled together, until the wind decided to remind them it existed and swept cold across Terzo’s neck. Omega cursed under his breath, finally unlocked the car, and opened the back door, pulling out the jacket that had been tossed there. Without ceremony, he draped it over Terzo’s shoulders. It hung ridiculously large on him, the sleeves falling past his hands, but Omega just smiled and pulled him close again. They stayed like that for a few minutes before heading back to the park.
They found the group in line for the bumper cars, Copia was the first to get excited. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning, pointing at the colorful little cars crashing with metallic bangs.
"LET’S GO ON THIS ONE!" he yelled, with absolutely no composure.
"I’ll pass." Alpha crossed his arms, laughing lightly. "I’m not a fan of spinning around in a tiny car with you lot."
"Fuck no..." Omega replied with an amused face. "I’m staying here too. I’d rather watch."
"Then I’m grabbing a hot dog," said Aether, already drooling just looking at the cart nearby.
Copia turned to his older brothers with a grin so wide it almost split his face.
"Come on! Who’s coming with me?"
Terzo took a step back, a clear "no fucking way," but Primo was quick. He threw an arm around his neck and practically dragged him.
"You’re coming, mister model. Let’s see if that ad face of yours can handle a few hits!"
"Primo, fuck, let go!" Terzo complained, half breathless, trying to break free, practically drowning in Omega’s huge jacket. But he ended up chuckling softly, resigned, when he was shoved inside the ride area.
Secondo just let out a loud sigh, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Alright, I’ll go," he grumbled.
Copia squealed, yanking him by the sleeve before he could change his mind. In the end, Primo and Terzo ended up in a red car and Secondo and Copia in a blue one, almost side by side.
As soon as the shrill buzzer went off and released the circuit, Primo smacked Terzo’s shoulder enthusiastically.
"Drive straight, dammit!"
"I’m trying!" Terzo snapped back, way too tense, gripping the steering wheel like it might explode in his hands.
Primo just jerked his chin toward a little yellow cart ahead. "Hit that one. Those little brats are laughing at us."
The yellow cart had two kids in it, maybe eleven at most. They let out high-pitched shrieks and swerved their own cart right into them. The impact slammed Terzo into Primo, but they both recovered quickly, laughing it off. It was all part of the fun.
In the blue cart, though, Secondo was on a completely different level. He wasn’t aiming for fun, he was aiming for them.
The first time he rammed a cart full of kids, the smack was so solid their eyes went wide.
The second time, he nearly lifted their cart off the ground.
"GO EASY, YOU CRAZY OLD MAN!" one of the kids yelled, cracking up, but immediately regretted it when Secondo spun the wheel with a dark look, clearly lining up for another shot.
Copia was clapping like an overexcited seal, egging him on.
"DO IT AGAIN, SECONDO! SHOW THEM WHO’S BOSS!"
The kids started shouting right back, taunting them, and Secondo growled, yanking the wheel so hard the cart lurched and smashed into them again, the sound echoing. The kids roared with laughter and rammed them back, no mercy.
By the end, when all the carts finally came to a stop, a skinny little kid even threw up his arm and flipped them the bird, middle finger high.
"DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Copia practically launched out of the cart, pointing like he’d just witnessed a crime. "HE FLIPPED US OFF! COME HERE AND DO THAT TO MY FACE!"
Secondo hopped out of his cart, fuming, and Copia bolted after him, ready to go confront a literal child.
"YEAH, COME SHOW THAT FINGER OUT HERE! COME ON!"
The kids froze wide-eyed for a second, then one of them shouted something about getting his dad.
"Oh yeah? Go ahead, call him! I WANNA SEE YOUR DAD SHOW UP!" Copia bellowed, smacking his own chest.
Terzo and Primo were right behind them, laughing so hard they could barely walk. Primo was practically doubled over, clutching Terzo for support, and Terzo was so breathless his stomach hurt from silent laughter. But then the dads showed up. Two huge guys, looking like they spent all day hauling crates, arms thick enough to send Secondo and Copia to the ICU for at least a couple months.
Copia instantly went pale.
"Shit." He looked at Secondo like his soul had just left his body. "HIDE!"
"ME hide? WHY?" Secondo scowled, but when the dads shot them a deadly glare, he got it. He spun on his heel and bolted, nearly leaving Copia behind.
Copia dove behind him, practically stepping on Secondo’s heels to disappear together.
Primo wiped tears from laughing so hard.
"I swear I’d sell my soul to have that on video."
Omega, Alpha, and Aether, who’d come back munching a gigantic hot dog, were watching the scene almost in disbelief, and Terzo nor Primo blamed them. It’s not every day you see two grown men picking a fight with kids and then having to run so they don’t get beaten up by angry dads.
Terzo just sighed, shaking his head, but the stubborn smile wouldn’t leave, still on the verge of bursting into laughter. Omega ran his hand over Terzo’s nape, ruffling his hair. Terzo turned just enough to nuzzle his nose into Omega’s neck, almost without realizing it.
After the bumper car fiasco, the park became practically a minefield for Secondo and Copia. They couldn’t take five steps without glancing over their shoulders like wanted criminals.
"Isn’t that the kid’s dad from the car?" Copia whispered, pointing discreetly.
"Copia, that’s an old lady eating candy apples." Secondo pinched the bridge of his nose.
Even so, when they turned the corner and bumped into a guy who could’ve been that pissed-off dad, Secondo yanked Copia’s arm so hard he nearly toppled into a shooting gallery. The vendor shot them a sharp look.
Omega laughed quietly every time he saw Secondo shushing Copia, who would crouch like he was invisible, which only highlighted the fact he was squatting behind a stall that sold lightsabers. Remembering his old obsession as he eyed a red saber lit up on display, alongside other noisy, colorful toys, Copia had the nerve to turn to Secondo and point at the saber, saying "Who is your daddy?" before getting smacked hard on the head.
Farther on, Alpha, Primo, and Aether had given up pretending to be normal. They walked with the rest of the group sharing a huge pink cotton candy Primo had bought, pointing and laughing every time they saw Secondo duck behind a trash can or hide behind Copia—which was hilarious by itself since Copia was way smaller, making the scene completely disproportionate.
Secondo and Copia, meanwhile, passed them with an awkward quick step, each holding a stuffed animal, as if to disguise themselves.
"We’re super chill," Copia whispered, voice squeaky, almost hysterical. "Totally chill."
"Shut up and keep walking," Secondo growled.
When they thought they had finally shaken off the furious families hunting for their heads, they turned into a little alleyway between market stalls, only to come face-to-face with the same group of parents and kids.
Copia froze, feeling every drop of blood drain from his body.
Secondo tried to play it cool, but spun around so fast he smacked his forehead on a wooden pillar. There was a hollow thunk—hard to tell if it came from the wood or his skull—followed by a very honest: "Fuck!"
Copia seized the chance to ditch his brother, ducking behind a couple taking a selfie, squeezing in between them and grinning like he was part of their date.
"Get outta here, you freak!" the guy snapped, shoving Copia aside.
Recovered, Secondo grabbed Copia by the collar and they half-ran, half-stumbled off together, fleeing for their lives."
On the other side of the park, Omega and Terzo stopped to buy sodas before joining Primo and the other two again, with Omega always keeping a hand on Terzo’s back, sliding up and down, while the shorter man held his Coke can. Sometimes Omega held it for him when the cold started to burn Terzo’s hands.
In the end, Secondo and Copia reappeared with messy hair and the breathless look of someone who’d run a marathon.
"You guys alright?" Primo asked, laughing openly.
"We’re fine," Secondo said, completely deadpan.
"Never been better!" Copia added, adjusting the sunglasses he wore as a "disguise," nearly lost them in the chase, dropped the stuffed animal just to grab the glasses again, and after sprinting off with Secondo, here they were. The glasses too.
Then the group wandered through the park with no real plan, just hopping from ride to ride whenever someone pointed and said "let’s go on this."
They started with one of those small roller coasters, more jolts than fear.
Next, they landed on a spinning swing ride. Alpha and Aether competed to see who could keep their eyes open longer, and Terzo, outwardly impassive, gripped the seat bar so hard his hand hurt afterward. Omega didn’t go, stayed outside looking at his phone, but lifted his head every time the ride passed close, just to spot Terzo. When they got off, Omega gave his shoulder a little pat, murmuring "brave, huh."
Before they headed for the Viking ship, the group strolled through a crowded lane of colorful stalls, each distracted by some trinket.
Terzo trailed right behind Omega, trying to catch up after the little chaos earlier—Copia had pulled him to hide behind him, Alpha had dragged Omega to that hammer game, and they’d gotten scattered for a few minutes. Now he just walked in silence, watching how Omega’s arms swung so carefree as he walked. He was almost brave enough to reach out and grab his hand when, out of nowhere, a girl popped up on the other side, practically jumping on Omega’s neck.
"Omega!" the long-haired blonde woman exclaimed loudly, laughing, and planted a loud kiss on his cheek, her hands gripping his shoulder and chest with way too much intimacy.
Omega’s blue eyes widened for just a second before he chuckled, quickly wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Fuck, Rhea! Long time no see, huh?"
"Long time you, who never shows up anymore," she said, still laughing, her hand lingering on his shoulder, body leaning in way too much for Terzo’s liking, even if he tried to scold himself for it.
It was like someone had clenched a fist inside his chest. His stomach flipped, heat rushing up his face—only it wasn’t a good kind this time—suddenly the park’s noise felt deafening, lights flashing, people screaming, fried food stench. All of it, loud and strong, hitting Terzo straight on.
He tried not to look, but he couldn’t help it. When he finally glanced away, his throat was dry, body swaying lightly back and forth without realizing. It was automatic.
Primo noticed from afar, gave a gentle elbow nudge, a bit awkward.
"Relax, clown. She’s probably just a friend."
But Terzo didn’t answer. Jaw locked, eyes fixed on a spot on the ground, swaying, swaying, swaying. His eyes already stung, tears not far. He hated it. Hated being jealous. He had nothing with Omega. But fuck, that ache in his stomach and bitter taste in his mouth burned. Felt like there was barbed wire around his neck.
On the other side, Rhea finally let go of Omega with one last squeeze of his hand.
"Text me later, we’ll set something up!"
"Deal," Omega said, still smiling, but the smile died the moment he turned and saw Terzo.
He recognized it instantly. Knew how it was. Had seen Terzo nearly fall apart on his nineteenth birthday. And, of course, Omega managed his own diagnosis, understood Terzo like no one else, enough to know he was regulating himself.
He went to him without hesitation. Stopped right in front of him, stepped into his space slowly, just not to startle him.
"Hey," he called softly. "Cousin. Rhea. Didn’t introduce her because she’d have latched onto all your necks."
Terzo didn’t answer, still staring at the ground, shoulders hunched, swaying.
Omega took a deep breath, gave a small crooked smile, more exhausted than amused, and carefully grabbed his forearm.
"Come with me."
He led Terzo to the shooting gallery before he could protest. Paid quickly, grabbed the air rifle, aimed with all the concentration he had, tongue poking out just a bit, and hit three bullseyes in a row. The stall owner grunted, grabbed the prize, and handed it over: a black cat plush with little bat wings sewn on its back and big yellow eyes. He knew Terzo loved cats.
Omega turned, pressed the plush right against Terzo’s chest.
"It’s for you."
Terzo took a second to react. Looked at the toy, then at Omega’s hand, then slowly took it, almost suspicious. The fur was soft, very soft, with a faint smell of dust and new plastic. It weighed almost nothing, yet somehow seemed to fill his whole chest. He ran his thumb slowly over the little fabric wings, feeling the plush give under the touch. Hugged it to his chest, and his body gave an involuntary hiccup, like he might start crying right there, though he fought the tears hard.
Omega gave a goofy smile, then shifted to playful, acting like a clown.
"Gonna name the little bat?"
Terzo let out a low laugh, a bit choked, eyes slightly wet, on the verge of tears.
"I dunno…"
"Hey, look at me," Omega said, nudging his chin with a finger.
"You like it? Tell me you like it."
"I… I like it." Terzo hugged the cat, and it was like his chest unlocked just a bit, body stopping its sway.
"Then what’s its name, huh?" Omega pushed, almost childishly, poking his arm again. "I don’t wanna sleep hugging a nameless bat."
"It’s a cat," Terzo insisted, voice a little strangled.
Omega shrugged. "It’s got bat wings." Then, holding Terzo’s face in his hands, he kissed his black hair, before pulling him a bit away from the stall to get out of the crowd’s way. "It needs a cool name."
"Salem," Terzo said the obvious, but softly, mouth close to the plush’s fur, making it tickle his lips, voice muffled so Omega leaned in, frowning when he didn’t catch it.
"Hm?"
"Salem."
"Not very creative of you, love."
Love. It slipped out so naturally neither of them noticed.
That drew a small laugh from Terzo, and consequently Omega laughed too, relieved.
But the real highlight was the Viking ship. According to Primo, "it was silly," but as soon as the ride started to rise, Copia let out a high-pitched scream, clutching the bar like he’d fall any second.
"I’M GONNA DIE!" he shrieked, body rigid, while Secondo beside him just huffed, almost more annoyed than scared.
"Shut the fuck up, Copia!" he snapped, but his hand was gripping the bar too, knuckles white.
Terzo tried to pretend he was fine. Took a deep breath, flashed an almost cocky smile at Omega next to him… and on the next drop, let out a shriek so high Primo burst out laughing.
"NO, NO, NO," he repeated, clutching the bar tight, whole body tense, trying to hold back the panic but failing miserably. "I’M FINE, I’M FINE," he squeaked, only to scream again the next second.
Alpha and Omega barely cared about the rocking. They laughed so hard watching the others freak out they had to hold their stomachs. Omega even hid his face in his hand, tears in his eyes from laughing.
"Look at his face," he managed between laughs, nudging Alpha and pointing at Terzo, who was shaking his head muttering "no, no, no" almost like a mantra.
When the ride finally stopped, Aether stumbled off, one hand on his stomach, face pale.
"I think… that hot dog was a mistake," he muttered, dragging his words. Luckily for him, it was the last ride of the night, so they were already heading home.
"Oh no…" Omega frowned as soon as he saw Aether’s state, immediately throwing an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, I’ll get you to the car."
"Let me, I’ll hold this one to make sure he doesn’t fall," Alpha said, already grabbing Aether’s other arm, who seemed limp, almost woozy, face turning green with nausea. Passing one of Aether’s arms around his neck for support, Alpha held out his hand for Omega to hand over the car keys, which he did before leaving Aether to step closer to Terzo, who watched with concern, just like Copia, who kept his eyes on the path Aether and Alpha were taking toward the car.
Omega looked at Terzo right after, his expression a little troubled, like he wanted to be in two places at once.
"I...," he started, scratching the side of his neck, clearly awkward and upset. "Shit, I wanted you to come over tonight, but if Aether throws up... I could take him and then pick you up at your place maybe..."
Terzo gave a small, understanding smile.
"It's fine. I made plans with Copia to watch Alien tonight."
Omega let out a short, almost frustrated laugh, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Ah, right." He stood silent for a moment, his eyes traveling up and down Terzo’s face like he wanted to memorize every bit of it before leaving. Then he stepped closer, held Terzo’s face in both hands, his touch gentle, thumbs brushing softly over his cheekbones.
"But... you’re coming over tomorrow, yeah?"
Terzo let out a low sound, almost a laugh that didn’t fully form, and nodded.
"I will. Don’t worry."
Then Omega leaned in and kissed him, slow and unhurried, their mouths moving together like they weren’t in any rush to break apart. When they finally pulled back, Omega rested his forehead against Terzo’s, took a deep breath, then pressed one last quick kiss to his lips.
"I’m off. Take care, okay?"
"I will." Terzo gave his arm a small squeeze, just lightly gripping his bicep — after all, Terzo was made of flesh, not iron.
Omega reluctantly stepped away, still glancing back at him a couple times until he reached the car with Alpha and Aether.
Once the trio disappeared from sight, Primo clapped a hand on Terzo’s shoulder.
"Come on, supermodel."
†
Copia was sprawled on the bed in a ridiculous Iron Man pajama set. Terzo, on the other hand, wore loose black shorts and a thin white t-shirt, his black hair falling in soft strands around his face.
The TV was still playing "Alien," the sound of gunshots and xenomorph screeches blending with the crackle of the popcorn bucket Terzo had made for the two of them. Copia was totally engrossed, mumbling snarky commentary at every dumb decision the crew made.
"Told you, look at that — think they're so tough… Tsk, I love seeing these macho guys shit themselves."
No answer. When he turned, he saw Terzo sprawled on the pillow, clutching the little plush cat to his chest, mouth slightly open, breathing so steadily it was like he might start purring. One leg was tangled up in the blanket, the other draped across Copia’s shin, like he needed to keep touching someone even in his sleep. That was new.
Copia just watched him for a few seconds, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He lifted a hand and gently brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen over Terzo’s eye, doing it with the utmost care so he wouldn’t wake him.
"Out cold, huh?" he whispered, almost like a conspiratorial little secret.
Still chuckling under his breath, he pulled the blanket a bit higher, tucking it up over Terzo’s shoulder. Then he settled back on his pillow, keeping watch over his brother’s sleep.