Arranged

Nessa yawned as she walked down the hall. It was nearly eleven in the morning but neither Joshua, nor her alarm, had woken her up. Not even the rain outside had done anything to disturb the disturbingly quiet house.
Oh, man. Having a Thursday at home was nice once in a while. But where was everyone? Rhone's music wasn't blaring like usual and Nessa had already checked to see, and found that he wasn't in his room. Or at home at all. She figured he must be at school.
But Joshua hadn't taken him.
As Nessa opened the door to Joshua's room, she hadn't known what she'd been expecting but what she saw definitely wasn't it.
She shut the door quietly and tried to wrap her mind around it.
"Nessa?"
She turned her head and saw Shade walking up to her, his hair a mess and sticking up everywhere as he yawned and rubbed a hand across his borrowed t-shirt.
"How'd you sleep?" he asked, stopping next to her. He frowned at her bewildered expression and looked at the door. "Hey. . Isn't this Joshua's room?"
Nessa's eyes were narrowed on the door. "Not so sure anymore."
"What do you mean?"
She shook her head, grabbed the knob. "Take a look for yourself." Opening the door, they poked their heads inside.
Shade's face scrunched up in the what-the-hell expression that only teens could do as he took in the scene before him. "Well, that's. ."
"Not something you expect to see in the morning, huh?" she finished for him.
He stared. "Uh. . Yeah." Quietly, they entered the room, standing at the foot of the bed. Nessa crossed her arms and Shade put his hands on his hips. "I'm just trying to figure out why."
"I want to know how," Nessa said. "Not why." She smiled at him. "Not yet, anyway."
They looked down at the bed in silence. Somehow, Joshua and Sade had fallen asleep. Together. Or Sade had crawled in sometime during the night. Both Nessa and Shade thought it was the latter reason. Either way, Joshua and Sade were spooning. Upside-down. Their arms wrapped around each others' waists, their heads buried in the opposite's lower stomach. Like, way lower stomach.
Nessa cleared her throat and raised her voice. "So. . . Should we get the camera?"
Joshua's eyes squinted open even as Sade groaned and wriggled closer to him. The movement woke Joshua even more and, with a shout, he let go of Sade and tried to pull away, but his arm trapped under Sade's waist and the near death-grip Sade had on his own waist prevented him from doing anything more than flopping his upper half away. But that was better than being where he was before.
"What the hell?" he exclaimed. Quickly, he looked at Nessa and Shade. "I drank last night. Please tell me I drank last night."
Nessa smiled wickedly. " 'Fraid not, Joshua. You wanna tell us what happened last night?"
Shade cocked his head. "I have to admit, I am very curious."
Joshua ran his free hand over his face and sighed. "I'd like to know myself. It's weird enough that my head's at the foot of my bed, but now I'm sleeping with a leech." He smiled at the still-sleeping Sade. "Doesn't seem like either one of us minded, though."
"So you guys didn't. . " Nessa waved a hand. "You know. . ?"
Joshua flashed a wicked grin. "Not that I remember. And since I haven't been drinking, that's a definite no."
Shade smiled at his younger twin fondly. "Sade has the bad habit of getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and waking up in someone elses bedroom."
"That's so cute," Nessa said, looking at the cuddly Sade.
Joshua had to agree. Sade was adorable. He probably wasn't even aware of the power he possessed to weasel his way in and plant himself in the corner of someones heart. Once there, he grew like a seed until he took up more and more space. Until it was impossible to get rid of him once the roots took hold and buried deep.
Nessa and Shade shared a look, obviously seeing the confusion of Joshua's face as he stared at the boy wrapped around his body.
"Uh. . We'll leave you to deal with this," Nessa said as they backed up towards the door.
Joshua's head swung to them. "Huh?! You're not going to leave me like this, are you?" He watched them retreat, their bodies upside-down from where he had to tilt his head to see them.
"All you have to do is wake him up," Shade said with a sympathetic smile. "Good luck with that."
Joshua reached out his free arm, as if he could grab one of them. "You wake him up!"
The echoing of Nessa and Shade's laughter disappeared as they shut the door, leaving Joshua alone to deal with the leech.
"Hey, " he said, using his free hand to shake Sade. "Wake up." It did absolutely nothing. He shook harder. "Hey!"
Sade groaned and squeezed his arms tighter around whatever it was he was holding, rubbing his face against the soft material pressing against his cheek. This stupid teddy bear was not being nice and letting him sleep. Mmm. But he could forgive it since it smelled so nice.
Joshua stiffened as Sade's cheek rubbed against his groin. It was way too early for this. He wasn't fully awake, and one of his heads was waking up way faster than the other.
"Sade!" he shouted. "Dammit, wake up." Sade groaned loudly in protest and Josh gritted his teeth. Using all the strength he could muster, he yanked on his trapped arm. His arm popped free and he sat up, grabbing Sade's arms from behind him. "Jesus," he cursed. This kid had a grip like a vice. Where the hell was he hiding the muscle?
"Just a few more minutes, Shade," Sade muttered. "I promise. . I'll get up after. . . a few more minutes."
Joshua brought his fist down on Sade's head. "It's not Shade, you damn idiot! Let me go."
Sade's eyes blinked open and got a full frontal of Joshua's very awake package. He trailed his eyes up Joshua's shirtless torso and took in his disgruntled expression and messed up hair, piecing together the situation. His eyes widened and his face blushing a bright red, Sade immediately let go of Joshua and scrambled away and off the bed.
"Sade, don't-" The bathroom door slammed shut. The lock clicking. Joshua closed his eyes. "Hide," he finished on a sigh.
God, kids these days. Especially Sade. He just jumped from one explosion to the next, running from problem to problem.
Sighing, Joshua got out of the bed, adjusted himself, and walked over to the bathroom. After a pause, he knocked. "Sade?" No answer. "Hey. Come on out. Nothing happened, okay?"
Sade sat in the dry tub, his arms around his legs and his face pressed to his knees.
Like hell he'd come out. He was as hard as a fricken steel pole. You could probably break something on his dick right now. He didn't want Joshua to see that. He didn't want Joshua to know that just waking up with him made him this way. There was no way in hell he was unlocking that door.
"Sade?" Joshua's voice drifted through the door. "Come on. It's alright. I'm not mad. A little surprised, maybe, but not mad."
Sade held back his snort of disbelief. He would be more than a little surprised - not to mention angry, they always got angry - if he found the tent pole hiding in his pants. He kept quiet. God, he could die of embarrassment right now.
"Fine," Joshua conceded. "If you won't at least talk to me, then I'll come in."
Sade's head snapped up. He looked over at the doorknob and saw the lock turning. He scrambled out of the tub and grabbed it just in the nick of time.
"Y-You can't come in!" he exclaimed, adrenaline rushing his system.
Joshua smiled. Success was sweet. "Why not?"
"You just can't!" Sade's voice was troubled and Joshua wondered what exactly was wrong this time.
Joshua leaned his forehead against the door and sighed. "I can't know what the problem is unless you tell me."
"T-This isn't a problem you can help with." He just needed to take a shower. A very cold shower. For, like, an hour.
Joshua's head snapped back as if he'd been slapped. Sade's words had stung him. What kind of problem could the teen have that he couldn't help with? Or maybe he could help, but Sade didn't want him to? The thought made him seriously angry.
He pushed away from the door. "Fine. I'm going to get breakfast." His voice was testy, but, dammit, it was early in the morning, he'd woken up staring at another guy's fly and then been given the cold shoulder. He was entitled to testiness.
Grabbing a shirt from his dresser, he shrugged it on and walked out his door, slamming it behind him. "Stupid, kids," he muttered. But being rejected by Sade hurt. It hurt a lot.
Sade slid down the door and sighed in relief. Right. One problem gone. He hung his head, staring at the first thing on his to-do list. Now all he had to do was figure out how to get rid of this particular problem and life would be just ducky.



Rhone walked around town, his hands shoved deep into his pockets and his head bowed. The rain had soaked him through to his bones a lone time ago and he knew he was cold, but, fuck, he really didn't give a shit. He was so fucking depressed. And, dammit, he was going to fucking wallow in his misery.
He'd been walking for hours already, his mind circling though the past couple of weeks. What the hell was he doing that was so wrong? Nessa was his wife, for Christ's sake. But, for the way treated him, he might as well be a fucking cockroach. And she'd stepped on him more times than he could count. And it fucking hurt. He wanted to hurt her back, but he couldn't bring himself to. He just wanted her to smile at him the way she smiled at Joshua. At Shade.
His heart hurt every time he thought that that damn twin could kiss her - touch her any time he wanted to and he couldn't. And that Nessa would let him. But he couldn't do anything about it.
He stopped walking and looked around. Somehow, he'd come to a park. He didn't even know there was a park in this town. He shuffled his way over to the swings, dumped the water on one, and sat down, rocking slightly.
When was the last time he was on a swing set? He couldn't even remember. Grandpa used to take him out all the time. But that was back when the only thing he worried about was whether or not Mom and Dad would be home for Christmas.
He laughed bitterly. Of course, they had never come. They were always off somewhere else. With someone else.
He sighed, raising his face to the sky. The rain splattered against his skin, the cool droplets streaking his cheeks to make up for the tears he'd never allowed himself to cry.
He pushed off the ground with his feet and began to swing higher and higher, letting his hurt and anger soar away even as he did.
He should bring Nessa here, he thought. She'd like this place.
The thoughts made him skid to a stop, his heart hurting all over again. It's not like she'd come with him anyway.
"Fuck," he muttered, hanging his head. "This really sucks."
He sneezed and got up, walking back the way he came. Thunder rolled overhead, but he didn't care.
Someday, he thought, someday he was going to bring Nessa here.



"What's wrong, Joshua?" Nessa asked later that evening. He'd been tense ever since that morning and had put on a very fake face that he reserved for employers only. He'd turned up the wattage when Sade had been around, so obviously something had happened.
They'd all basically just vegged it the whole day because of the rain, watching movies and playing cards. The twins had only just left and Rhone was still MIA, so they were all in the kitchen. It seemed to be HQ for the staff.
Joshua let a frown cover his face. "What do you do when someone. . important to you shuts you out?"
Nessa blinked. What in the world had happened? "Um, well. . I'm sure they have a good reason, so. . I let it go." She shrugged. "They'll tell me when I need to know. And, if I don't, then it's obviously not that important."
"Well said," Terry piped up. The staff was just finishing cleaning the kitchen, most of them sitting down to warm drinks. "Nessa's right. You shouldn't worry too much. Sade will tell you sooner or later."
Joshua's eyes snapped to Terry's, his face flushing slightly. "How do you know I was talking about Sade?"
Terry smirked, drying a glass. "I've got eyes and ears just like the rest of you. And this morning was quite the broadcast."
"you woke everyone up," Chris put in. "Not that all of us were sleeping. But anyone could tell by looking that Sade was the cause of your discomfort today."
Joshua dropped his head into his hands and groaned. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Half the time I'm not sure if I want to strangle or hug the kid."
Nessa, Terry and Chris shared a look. Nessa asked what they all wanted to know. "Is that all he is to you? A kid?"
Joshua frowned, picking up his head. "What do you mean? He is a kid."
"He'll be eighteen soon, though," Nessa pointed out.
Joshua's frown deepened. "What's your point? He's still a kid."
Nessa sighed, turning her eyes on Terry and Chris. "A little help, guys."
"What Nessa means, I think," Terry started, starting to wipe the already spotless counters, "is that Sade is probably locking up his emotions. Who wants to tell someone who only looks at them as a child all their problems and worries?"
Joshua blinked, then shifted in his seat, embarrassed. "I hadn't thought of it that way."
Chris smiled. "That's because you're still a child yourself."
"Hey, I'm twenty-four," he protested. "That's way in to adulthood."
"See?" Nessa pressed. "That's what he feels like. All the time. Because of you."
His face scrunched up. "Crap. I've done it this time, haven't I?"
Terry laughed. "There's always time to fix a mistake. Better hop to it, though, or Sade might hold a grudge."
"Actually," Nessa said to them. "Why don't you guys take two days - or three - off? Get out of this stuffy house and visit your families."
All their eyes lit up, but no one said anything.
Terry narrowed his eyes on her. "You're not pulling our legs, now, are you, Nessa?"
Nessa became confused. "Why would I? If Rhone throws a fuss, I'll deal with him. Seriously, you guys need to see your families." She frowned. "And maybe it's high time Rhone and I sat down and talked things out like humans instead of snapping at each other."
Joshua tapped on her head. "Hello?" he sang. "I'm looking for Nessa Blossom. She in there somewhere?"
Nessa smiled mischievously. "I'm just thinking that it's time I started growing up a little. And you guys don't need to be here if things turn South."
"And if things do turn South?" Chris asked.
Her eyes twinkled at him and she pointed to the wood block on the counter. "That's what knives are for."
They all laughed, and, feeling better about leaving their mistress behind, began making plans for the weekend.



The storm got worse that night, so Nessa let everyone leave early instead of waiting for the rain to cancel everything. So the house was quiet as Nessa settled in for sleep. And because of the day's events, sleep came easy.
Later in the night, she heard the front door open and bang shut, jolting her from her sleep. Bolting out of bed, she crept to her door and cracked it open, peering out into the dimly lit hallway. The person walking up the steps was sopping wet and wobbling on his feet. And he continued right on up to Rhone's room, slamming the door.
Serves him right, Nessa thought as she closed her own door and went back to bed. What kind of idiot goes out in this kind of weather? One with no common sense. i.e. Rhone Blossom.
But as she fell asleep again, Nessa couldn't stop the worry that crept through her body and filled her mind.



Nessa was once again jolted out of her sleep by a loud noise. This time, it was in the early-morning and the noise had come from Rhone's room, not from a door slamming.
Groggily, Nessa threw off her covers and set her feet on the floor. She sat for a second, trying to wake herself up, and the noise came again.
THUMP
More curious than tired, she walked out of her room and mounted the steps up to Rhone's room. She knocked on the door. "Rhone?" she called.
Silence.
"Hey?" she called, frowning. "What's with all the noise?"
THUMP
Right. This was ridiculous. She threw open the door and let out a loud curse. "Crap on toast!"
Rhone was leaning against a wall in his large, studio-apartment-like room that housed an expensive and large stereo system, a grand piano, a bean bag chair, a flat-screen t.v. and his king-size bed. His face was red, flushed and covered in a sheen of sweat as he panted, obviously trying to make it to the bathroom. The thump Nessa had heard had been the glass he kept dropping on the carpet.
Rushing over, she grabbed his arm, pulling it around her shoulders and started walking him to the bed.
he squinted at her, then gave a weak smirk. "I knew," he panted, "you. . would. . warm up to me. . someday."
"Ha!" Nessa scoffed. "Don't get too cocky, Blossom." She flopped him down on his bed, then grabbed his glass.
After getting him water, tucking him under the covers, and helping him left his head to drink, she stared down at him. "What the hell did you do to get you like this?"
She grabbed the bag of provisions she'd made a mad rush for through the house a few minutes ago and grabbed a thermometer, sticking it under his tongue.
Rhone stared blearily at his wife and felt his heart swell. Here she was, taking care of a man she hated. A man she claimed had ruined her life. And he guess he had. But still, she worried over him.
God, he couldn't be luckier.
"Rhone?" she asked, laying a cool cloth on his forehead. When in the devil had she gotten that?"
"Sorry," he said, his throat dry again. "I was out. You know? Walking." He looked away, closed his eyes and shifting the thermometer around in his mouth. "I had some things to think about."
"So much on your mind that you spent the whole night out in a storm, soaked to the bone?"
He scowled, and she pulled the thermometer out. "I'm a sick person. Is this how you treat a patient?"
"Shit," Nessa cursed. "Your temp is a hundred and one." Nessa went over to the thermostat and turned up the hear, then searched through the bag to find medicine. When she'd located that, she took out the recommended dose and handed him the pills. "Take these. They'll help with the fever."
She turned, but Rhone caught her hand. "Where are you going?" His voice held fear and anxiety.
Nessa couldn't help giving him a soft smile. She squeezed his hand. "I'm just going to make you some soup. It'll only take a couple minutes. I'll be back."
He looked like he wanted to make her promise, but after a few seconds, he let go. "Then hurry up."
Nessa's smile froze, but turned genuine again when she took in his face. It was embarrassed and prideful, but full of the same fear she'd heard in his voice. The type of fear that loneliness brings about.
She left and sprinted down the stairs and into the kitchen, searching through the cupboards for a can. She found one, then continued to get to cooking. While the soup was heating up, she thought of Rhone.
In this huge house, year after year, it was obvious to think that a child would be lonely. And the fact that he had a barely-there father and an absentee mother didn't help matters. She wondered how often he'd been let down? How many promises had been made only to be broken? How many holidays had he spent alone?
In that respect, Nessa had to admit that they were very much alike. In fact, she was probably the one person that would understand Rhone best. The thought almost made her cringe, but because he was so much like a child craving attention, she couldn't say she disliked him so much anymore.
She poured the soup in to a bowl, grabbed a hand-towel and went back up to Rhone's room. Where she found him sleeping.
Smiling, she set the bowl on his bedside table and covered it, then pulled a chair over. Man, she was tired. And it looked like she was missing school. Again. Rhone really took a lot out of her. Like with that date and now this, she was nearly at her wits' end. But he sure looked like an angel while he slept. A flushed and feverish angel, but an angel.
Rhone's head turned towards her and the washcloth fell off. Picking it up, she went and re-hydrated it, replacing the cloth before going back to her chair. She leaned forward and poked his arm.
"You know," she told him. "If you weren't such an arrogant, selfish, narcissistic, and complete moron with no filter between his brain and his mouth, I might actually like you."
His eyes squinted up at her and a smile crooked the corner of his mouth. "Does that mean you like the rest of me?"
Nessa sat straight like a shot, her face coloring. "If you were awake, you should've said so." Absolutely horrified, she grabbed the soup as he started to sit up, chuckling to himself. "Eat." She shoved the bow I at him and spun on her heel. "I'll come check on you in a few hours. until then, be a good little devil and finish your soup, then sleep."
Without waiting for a retort, she left, wanting to slam the door, but remembering that he was sick and letting click shut instead.



Joshua honked as Sade and Shade left school gate. He'd gotten there way before school let out, but it gave him time to figure out what to say. It's not like Sade was the problem. After the incident in the morning, he'd acted like normal. Exactly as if nothing had happened. Joshua had been the ass and he knew it. Worse, he knew that Sade knew it.
He poked his head out the window and into the rain. "Come on, guys," he called. "I'll give you a ride."
Sade wanted an excuse, but couldn't come up with a good enough one to let him refuse, so he crossed the street with his brother. Only because it would have looked weird if her didn't, he took the front, plastering a smile on his face.
Joshua had been weird since they'd woken up, and Sade had a feeling that he hadn't hidden his secret as well as he thought. The possibility scared the hell out of him. But, seriously, how long did he think he could hide it? Joshua was one smart cookie. He'd figure it out sooner or later.
He sincerely hoped it was later.
"Thanks, Joshy," Sade said with false cheerfulness. "You really-"
"-saved us," Shade finished. "We would have been as wet as-"
"-a drainpipe," Sade continued, "if you hadn't picked us up."
Joshua gave a smile. A business smile. "No problem. I have the weekend off and figured you guys might be stuck walking since the school doesn't have a parking lot."
"Ever the chauffeur, huh?" Sade teased.
This was ridiculous, Joshua thought. The awkwardness was practically tangible. They had to clear this up. Thankfully, they arrived quickly at the twins' house.
Shade was out first and before Sade could do the same, Joshua hit the locks and shouted to Shade, "I'm borrowing him for a while. See ya!"
Not waiting for an answer, Joshua sped off with a protesting Sade in his front seat.
Now all he had to do was figure out what the hell he was going to do with him.