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Ryland might be oblivious to a lot of things, but he’s not when it comes to stalking.
Well, ‘stalking’ is a big word, he’s just had this…feeling like he’s being watched, for the past week or so.
He doesn’t have any proof, and by that point he’s starting to think that maybe he’s just being paranoid and there’s nobody watching him.
After all, what could be so interesting about him for someone to want to stalk him ?
Actually, he is married to a celebrity, so the scenario of a journalist following him is more likely than if he was anyone else. But he was thankfully spared from too much attention from the media ever since the world learned about him.
Maybe because, like he said, there’s nothing interesting about his life.
Anyway, Ryland’s uncomfortable. That’s the main point.
So when he heads to the grocery store after school, he’s just mildly (correction: absolutely) scared about being followed again.
He thought about going to the police, but what good would that do ? It’s not like he has any proof.
Sighing, Ryland steps into the grocery store.
It’s 8pm so it’s pretty crowded with people buying food for the next few days, leaving Ryland to avoid getting too close to anyone as he walks through the aisles.
Even the buzz of the electrical lights that normally annoys Ryland to no end is drowned in the sound of these people living their lives.
He hates doing groceries when it’s crowded but he promised his students he’d bring some snacks for them since it’s almost the holidays, and he always keeps his promises.
As he looks through the different brands on the aisle, he overhears a conversation between two kids.
“Come on, Jinah, Mike said he didn’t want snacks !,” says one of the kids, probably 10 years old, with a Pokemon t-shirt and messy brown hair.
“Mike’s always lying, you know that. He just doesn’t like to put himself before us,” the girl, Jinah, answers as she picks up a few snacks and stuffs them into their little shopping cart.
“How are we supposed to pay for them ?”
“I sold a few of my toys, so I’ve got a bit of money.”
“Jinah, Mike’s not gonna be happy…”
“I don’t care, Stew, he’s taking care of us so much, I just wanna do something for him in return,” Jinah puts her hands on her hips, staring at her little brother with determination.
“Okay, well, I want sugarcanes then !,” Stew answers, grinning like he wasn’t opposed to the idea just a second ago.
“Sure, mhh, where are they, though ?,” Jinah looks around the aisle while her brother waits by the cart.
Maybe the crowded store didn’t mess too much with his mood, or maybe these kids remind him so much of himself and his brother, but Ryland walks over to Stew and hands him a couple dollar bills.
“Tell her to stop selling her toys, she’s gonna regret it.”
Knowing the kid probably wouldn’t take the bills (that’s understandable), Ryland puts them into their shopping cart.
“You’re gonna be alright, kid,” he says before taking off.
10 minutes later and Ryland finds himself outside the grocery store, bag in hand and phone in the other.
He’s been meaning to call Tom, tell him he’s on his way back, but ended up too caught up in his thoughts to do it.
He remembers being in the same situation as those kids, a couple decades ago.
It was Court’s birthday, and he had told them he didn’t want anything. But of course, Colt and Ryland hadn’t listened.
Despite being only 8 years old, they left the house when Court wasn’t there and when their father wouldn’t notice their absence, and went to the mall.
They weren’t going to buy anything big considering they barely even had any money, but Colt insisted on it, and Ryland had followed.
They spent their entire time fighting over what was the best thing to buy for Court. Ryland wanted to buy him a book, but Colt thought buying him new clothes would be better.
In the end, they realised they didn’t have the money to buy either, so they ended up buying Court’s favorite gum at the grocery store.
It wasn’t much and they knew it, but Court had looked so happy when they gave it to him that it didn’t really matter.
A couple of weeks later found Court sitting alone in a cell after murdering their father.
And suddenly, none of it mattered anymore, because Court was gone.
Even when he died, the twins weren’t allowed to see him. Apparently, they were ‘too young’ or whatever.
Like your age matters on whether or not you can go to a funeral.
A tingling at the back of his neck pulls Ryland out of his thoughts.
Thank god instincts exist otherwise Ryland would’ve missed a lot of things in his life.
He turns around where he’s still standing in the middle of the parking lot. It’s barely 9pm yet the sky is already dark and Ryland has to focus so he could even see past the lights of the store.
It’s terrifying. Knowing you’re being watched without any proof that you actually are.
“Hey…,” Ryland starts to say, but it comes out weak, so he backs down.
Doesn’t matter, they’ll get bored eventually, right ?
He takes a few steps, before stopping.
“Hey, you know what ? Screw you, whoever you are,” this person’s been following him for the past 2 weeks, and it’s seriously…annoying, if we’re staying polite.
Having no response, Ryland steps closer to where he thinks the person is.
Option 1, there’s no one and he’ll just look crazy.
Option 2, there’s really someone and Ryland’s about to get killed.
He really hopes it’s the former.
“Hello ?,” he asks again, trying to see if there's anyone despite the dark.
“Ryland.”
Ryland shrieks and hits the guy who just spoke square in the face with his bag.
Taking a couple steps back, Ryland brings his hands up in a defensive manner, even if he knows he doesn’t hold a chance over anybody when it comes to fighting.
The guy cradles his nose with his hands and Ryland goes pale.
“What…”
This guy…there’s no way.
“Ow, crap…what do you have in that bag ? A brick ? Jesus,” he says, with a voice that is in every way too familiar.
“Court ?,” Ryland asks, feeling weak.
“Hi, little brother,” the guy - Court - answers.
Ryland’s mind is entirely blank. What are you supposed to say when your brother, who you thought was dead, is standing in front of you, definitely not dead ?
“I know, it’s a shock,” Court says, “You weren’t supposed to find out.”
“Yeah, well, tough luck, maybe you shouldn’t have been following me around like a damn stalker,” Ryland crosses his arms.
Is he being petty about his dead brother stalking him ? Damn right. He has every right to be.
“I’m usually better at this.”
“Not helping.”
Court chuckles softly, staring at Ryland.
“You really haven't changed.”
A few seconds pass before Ryland crashes into his brother’s arms.
“How are you even here ?,” he asks, voice breaking from the emotion. And the crying, probably.
“It’s a long story. But I’m here now,” Court answers, gripping Ryland’s shirt like a lifeline.
This is so much better than Option 1 or 2.
————————————————
“Oh my god, we gotta tell Colt,” Ryland says, once they’re back at his place and Court told him everything.
Well, ‘everything’, Ryland has a feeling there’s a lot of things his brother didn’t mention, considering the whole ‘secret agent thingie’ or whatever, but he’s not about to ask.
“No, don’t,” Court says quickly, standing from where he was sitting on the couch.
“What ? Why not ?”
“You’re not even supposed to know I’m here. The less people know about me being here, the better.”
“Yeah, but it’s Colt.”
“Even Colt. Maybe eventually but…not now.”
Ryland scoffs, this is bullcrap.
“Okay, then what about Tom ?,” he points at the actor, who’s been listening in confusion for the past half hour.
“What about him ?,” Court glances at Tom, who blinks rapidly.
“Yeah, what about me ?”
“He can’t keep secrets, so why d’you tell him ?”
“He was there,” Court says, flatly.
“Sweet Jesus,” Ryland sighs, putting his face into his hands.
Why does he feel like he’s dealing with two kids ?
“Look, I’m sorry, Ry, but I can’t tell Colt. And you can’t either. It’s a security matter, I wish I could tell him, but I can’t.”
“So what, I have to live with the fact that I know you’re still alive, but can’t tell anyone because of-of a security matter ?”
“Yes.”
Ryland left eye twitches, he doesn’t remember Court being so difficult about things. He and Colt used to be his weakness, are they not anymore ?
Court’s phone rings, and Ryland knows it’s the end. Of…whatever’s happening right now.
“I have to go.”
“I know.”
Court steps closer and hugs him close.
“I love you, little brother,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to Ryland’s head.
“Love you, too.”
Court steps back, grabs his jacket and walks to the door.
“I’ll see you later, alright ? I promise,” he waits for Ryland to nod before continuing, “Bye, Tom.”
“Bye, Court !,” Tom answers just before the agent walks out.
The room without him suddenly feels very empty, and Ryland feels like crying again.
His big brother’s alive, but no one’s allowed to know, and he’s not allowed to tell anyone.
How fucked up is that ?
Yes, fucked up.
“You doing alright ?,” Tom asks, pressing his hand on Ryland’s back.
“I’m fine, don’t worry about it.”
Ryland sits down on the couch, pressing his palms to his eyes the best he can with his glasses in the way.
What is he supposed to tell Colt ? He can’t lie to him, his brother always knows when he’s hiding something.
“Hey, look…,” Tom eventually hands him something, a piece of paper.
When Ryland takes it and he sees a phone number written on it, he chuckles.
Leave it to Colt to be all dutiful and secretive, yet leave his phone number that might just jeopardize his identity.
Now, he just needs to hide this from Colt.
Great, more secrets.