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Court knew from a very young age that he would do anything for his brothers. There was only one time that their father laid his hands on the twins – instead, Court faced the brunt of their father’s wrath. Usually it was when the man was drunk, so it was easier to get him under control. He took every punch, cut, stomp, anything and everything to ensure his little brothers weren’t going to be injured.
At fifteen, Court was doing everything in his power to try to get his brothers out of the situation. He wished they still had their mother, but sadly she passed during the twins’ birth. He made sure to never blame the two for it – even though one time Ryland had come to him crying after their father had said something nasty to the boy. It didn’t necessitate repeating.
Court picked up jobs, but at the same time he worried that picking up more shifts would put Ryland and Colt in danger. The last thing he wanted was to allow his father to be home alone with the twins for extended periods of time. That meant he tried to find jobs that allowed his brothers to tag along. One of the jobs was a busser at a family restaurant in town. Technically, Court was supposed to be working reduced hours, to stop his shift before seven, but the old couple that owned the restaurant took some pity on him.
The pity wasn’t his favorite thing, but if it ensured he got to work then he would deal with it.
Court left school and headed to the bus, chewing his lip as he gripped onto one of the hand holds. The high school and elementary school let out at different times, but he was lucky enough that his school was the one that got out earlier. By the time he was walking onto the elementary campus the end of day bell was ringing. Court walked up to the kindergarten exit. Most of the family members there were mothers, a couple fathers, a grandparent or two. Every time he picked up his brothers he felt like the odd one out. Usually, teenagers didn’t want to have to deal with their younger siblings, but Court wasn’t like normal teenagers. He absolutely adored his brothers. Ryland and Colt were his favorite people in the entire world – the lights of his life.
Two shocks of blond hair, lighter than his own, shone in the afternoon sun. A small smile rose on Court’s face.
“Court!” Colt barreled through the crowd, tugging Ryland behind him.
The latter huffed as he tried to rip his hand away. “No running.”
Colt rolled his eyes, as much as a five year old was capable of. The boy wrapped himself around Court’s leg. “We learned about fish today and the ocean and sharks and-” Colt continued to ramble on and on.
Court nodded, asking questions along the way as he held his brothers’ hands on their way back to the bus stop. Ryland was quiet, another thing that he took notice of. The boys sat on the bench; Court continued to stand – if anything happened he needed to be ready. Always ready for the worst case scenario. “Did you have fun today, Ry?”
Ryland shrugged.
Court crouched. “Ry, come on, you can tell me.”
Colt nudged his brother’s shoulder which didn’t help Ryland’s mood. “Stop it, Colt.” In his little five-year-old voice, the demand sounded humorous.
Court knew it wasn’t though. “Come on, cut it out.” He tapped Colt’s grass-strained knee. “Ryland?”
Ryland’s bottom lip trembled. “Mrs. Lindstrom put me in a different room today.”
“And what happened?” Court’s brow furrowed as concern swirled in his gut. “Did you feel safe, bud?”
Ryland paused and stared down at his lap. “It was the first grade room.”
“Oh.” Relief flooded Court’s body. “So, you went to the first grade classes today?”
Ryland nodded. “I didn’t like it. Colt wasn’t there.”
“Sounds like I’m going to have to talk with Mrs. Lindstrom then. Can’t have anyone splitting you two up.” Court rose and ruffled Ryland’s hair. He would do whatever possible to ensure that they all stayed together – but if that couldn’t happen, the least he wanted was for Ryland and Colt to stay together. They had a bond that Court couldn’t understand fully since they were twins. They had a connection that nobody else could even begin to understand.
Ryland getting moved up a grade though? That was a pretty sweet deal. Court knew that his brother was a little genius, that he could learn a lot more if he was taken out of the kindergarten classroom and placed somewhere else. Separating the twins was clearly out of the realm of possibilities though. He took a breath as the bus pulled up behind them.
Court would talk to the twins’ teacher the next day. He would sort everything out.
***
The day was still going pretty normal as Court picked up dishes from empty tables. Colt was pushing his homework towards Ryland, trying to get the other to do the work for him. Ryland brushed it off time and time again though. He was busy reading a book on space, far above what his reading level should have been. Right. That was probably one of the reasons Mrs. Lindstrom pulled him aside.
“Colt, finish your work.” Court stacked the dishes on his tray.
Colt pouted. “It’s stupid.”
“Yeah? You seemed excited about it earlier.” Colt was in a stage where his attitude towards things changed at the speed of light – a number he knew Ryland had told him at some point, but now he couldn’t remember for the life of him, the youngest was far better at those sorts of things anyway.
Colt crossed his arms and slumped back into the booth seat. “It’s more fun in class.”
Court didn’t doubt that. He didn’t remember much about kindergarten, but he was pretty sure they worked through things with games and other activities instead of just worksheets. “Tell you what.” He looked between the twins. “You get your homework done before my break and I’ll take you two to Dairy Queen on the way home.”
“Really?” Colt’s eyes lit up, as did Ryland’s – he just did a better job at hiding it. The twins went crazy for sugar of any kind.
“Of course, bud.” Court sorted his tray one last time.
Colt went back to his work with a newfound vigor as Ryland continued to flip through his book. Everyone was happy.
***
Colt was asleep when they made it back to the house. Court picked him out of the backseat, holding onto Ryland with his spare hand. Crickets chirped in the yard as the sky was splattered with stars. As much as Court could hate their house in central Florida for a multitude of reasons, he had to admit that there were beautiful parts about it too. He was sure if he asked Ryland too that the younger would rattle off a whole host of constellations.
Right now, the younger was too tired for that sort of thing though.
Court went to unlock the front door but found that it already was. He let out a long sigh – that meant their father was already home. “Ry, we’re going to play the quiet game, okay?”
“Okay.” Ryland squeezed Court’s hand, the boy’s so much smaller than his own.
This was going to be fine. He would put Colt to bed, make sure Ryland brushed his teeth, and then head off to bed. Or not. Probably not. Court wouldn’t be able to sleep until he knew the coast was entirely clear.
The TV droned on from the living room. Court nudged Ryland to the left where the bedrooms were. Usually, they would have gotten through this affair without a hiccup – Court had done it enough times to know the routine – but there were always mistakes.
A floorboard creaked under Ryland’s foot, the boy wasn’t as coordinated as Court. Ryland’s eyes shot open as he looked up at his brother, terrified. Court put his finger to his lip as the two of them went completely still. Maybe if they didn’t move everything would pass. Court was only fifteen – he still believed those sorts of things. His heart beat widely, but he kept his breath under control.
Ryland couldn’t do the same; his eyes filled with tears.
There was another creak, this time from the living room. Fuck. Court tried to get them all down the hall before their father saw them. As long as Ryland and Colt were in their room they would be protected. He’d tell them to put pillows over their ears and close their eyes as tightly as possible.
Court didn’t make it to the twin’s room in time.
He watched as his father ripped Ryland back by his arm. Listened as the boy let out a scream, and Colt jolted awake in his hold. Bile rose in the back of Court’s through. Absolutely not. Their father could do whatever he wanted to Court, but he couldn’t put his hands on the twins. Never.
Court was going to ensure that.
***
Six drove down the dirt road, the radio faintly playing in the background. Claire sat in the passengers’ seat gazing out the window as the world passed before them. They were in Canada, for now, that was likely to change in the near future. Even though their home was rather remote, it was still too close to the US and their intelligence agency for Six’s liking. He was trying to find a way out of North America, but planning that – especially since he wasn’t alone anymore – was more difficult than it had been in the past.
Claire tapped on the window to the beat of the music. “Question.”
“Possible answer.” This was the new game they were playing. Technically, Claire came up with it. There was very little the two actually knew about each other – and Six knew far more about Claire than she knew about him. There was only so much he could say, especially regarding his previous work. She didn’t have to be burdened with those sorts of things.
“Do you have any siblings?” She turned to look at him. “I always wondered what having a sibling would be like.”
Six gripped the steering wheel and kept his gaze straight ahead. Siblings. Brothers. Ryland and Colt.
“Can’t have anyone splitting you two up.”
“Six?” Claire’s voice cut through his thoughts.
Six blinked a few times, regaining his composure. He straightened out the car – usually he didn’t get this worked up over things like that; though, that was probably because he forced himself not to think about his brothers. How long had it been since he really gave them a good thought? Years ago. He remembered. The news broke that Ryland had volunteered for the Project Hail Mary mission. His little brother was going to space just like he’d always dreamt of.
He wasn’t coming back.
Six swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“Sisters? Brothers? Come on, you have to give me more than that or else it’s not really an answer.” Claire nudged his shoulder a little.
“Brothers. I had two brothers.” Colt was still alive, by some miracle. Apparently death couldn’t touch him or something like that. Ryland… There was no telling if was actually alive or not. Of course he’d been alive when he’d sent the Taumoeba back to Earth, but time had passed since then. For all Six knew his little brother was dead aboard the Hail Mary, alone in the vast expanse of space.
Everyday Six hoped that wasn’t true.
Claire gave him a moment as she turned to look back out the window. They’d gotten rather good at reading one another over the years. “I bet they’re great.”
Six felt his eyes burn. He wasn’t supposed to cry, wasn’t supposed to feel those kinds of emotions anymore.
A pit grew in Court’s stomach. “They are. They’re amazing.” Both of his brothers were far better men than Court had ever been. They made something of themselves despite all the troubles they’d been through.
Court did everything he could to get information on the twins over the years: picking through files he had no business receiving, keeping detailed notes on what his brothers were getting up to, and pictures, so many pictures. Even if Court wasn’t there to watch them grow up he had photos of them from across the years. He watched from a distance as the baby fat left their faces, as they went through the awkward faces of adolescence and young adulthood. If only he’d been able to spend that time by their sides like he was supposed to.
Court’s hand flexed on the center console.
Claire put hers over it. “I’d love to hear about them.”
Was that allowed, was that something he could do? Six had been under the control of others for so long, a lifetime spent doing others’ biddings.
But there was something inside of Court that wanted nothing more than to gush about his baby brothers again. Besides, Claire wasn’t going to tell anyone. His fingers tightened into a fist. “Colt Seavers and Ryland Grace. Those are their names.”
“Wait.” Claire went quiet for a second. “Your brothers are famous?” Her voice rose in pitch as she shifted her entire body to face him.
A minute smile rose on Court’s face. “I always knew they’d do great things.” Ryland and Colt, despite being twins, couldn’t have been more different. Their career paths led them in vastly opposite directions, but that didn’t mean they weren’t massively successful. Court kept tabs on Colt’s stuntman business – it was thriving. Him and Jody had a daughter, Riley, and Court just knew those two were some of the best parents in the entire world.
And then Ryland–
Court bit his lip to stop it from trembling. Ryland showed the entire world just how wonderful he was.
Claire smiled. It must have hit her as well why talking about siblings could put Court in a rather mournful mood. “Thanks for telling me about them.” Her voice grew softer, a little more careful.
“Thank you for asking.” It had been too long since someone had asked about his brothers, so long since he’d been allowed to speak about them at all.
Court took a breath, a weight taken off his shoulders. “You know, they used to be terrors back when they were toddlers.”