Better Men
Stirrings
I awoke to cool, winter sunlight sweeping in through the blinds. Charles was still asleep with his face buried in the pillow- mumbling about some thesis paper. I smiled to myself. I watched him stir a moment, then sink back into the blankets lazily, his eyes still closed. I lay against his back.
In the silence, I began to think: it bothered me that Paul couldn’t accept my relationship. He and Charles were friends, after all. Why was it such a problem?
Because, he’s your brother. He wants to protect you. I completely understand. Hearing Charles in my ears made me realize that he had sat up and was looking at me intently. He’ll get used to it- I know he will- just give it time. “You really think so?” I asked him aloud.
“Yes. Undoubtedly.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Charles smirked. “Then I’ll, ah, persuade him.” We both laughed a little, then headed down into the kitchen. “I must apologize, I can’t exactly cook. I have cereal, though, if you’d like some breakfast.” He pulled out a box of Cocoa Pebbles.
“Really?” I asked him, eyeing the box. For someone so mature- so knowing- he, too, could be so childish.
“What?” He grinned, “Do you find my cereal of choice distasteful?”
“You’ll have your doctorate next week and you still eat Cocoa Pebbles?” He poured two bowls. We sat on the couch, falling into a soft silence. This time, he seemed comfortable. I watched him let his thoughts wander. “What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“Checking on your brother.” He replied curtly, as he always did when his mind was somewhere else. “He’s fine, just worried- like I said. He’s concerned I heard him talk about me.”
“Did you?”
“No, but I have a pretty good idea of what he said: that I party too much, that I flirt too much. Yes?”
“Pretty much.”
“He’s right, you know. I haven’t exactly been using my abilities for the right reasons. I’m ashamed of it, truly.” He bit his lip and returned to me mentally. I sighed.
“You didn’t- make- girls have sex with you, right?”
“No, but I might as well have. I heavily suggested it, as it were.”
We stayed quiet for a long time. He had his head in his hands when I asked him to take me home. He agreed glumly, called me a cab, and I left.
In the silence, I began to think: it bothered me that Paul couldn’t accept my relationship. He and Charles were friends, after all. Why was it such a problem?
Because, he’s your brother. He wants to protect you. I completely understand. Hearing Charles in my ears made me realize that he had sat up and was looking at me intently. He’ll get used to it- I know he will- just give it time. “You really think so?” I asked him aloud.
“Yes. Undoubtedly.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Charles smirked. “Then I’ll, ah, persuade him.” We both laughed a little, then headed down into the kitchen. “I must apologize, I can’t exactly cook. I have cereal, though, if you’d like some breakfast.” He pulled out a box of Cocoa Pebbles.
“Really?” I asked him, eyeing the box. For someone so mature- so knowing- he, too, could be so childish.
“What?” He grinned, “Do you find my cereal of choice distasteful?”
“You’ll have your doctorate next week and you still eat Cocoa Pebbles?” He poured two bowls. We sat on the couch, falling into a soft silence. This time, he seemed comfortable. I watched him let his thoughts wander. “What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“Checking on your brother.” He replied curtly, as he always did when his mind was somewhere else. “He’s fine, just worried- like I said. He’s concerned I heard him talk about me.”
“Did you?”
“No, but I have a pretty good idea of what he said: that I party too much, that I flirt too much. Yes?”
“Pretty much.”
“He’s right, you know. I haven’t exactly been using my abilities for the right reasons. I’m ashamed of it, truly.” He bit his lip and returned to me mentally. I sighed.
“You didn’t- make- girls have sex with you, right?”
“No, but I might as well have. I heavily suggested it, as it were.”
We stayed quiet for a long time. He had his head in his hands when I asked him to take me home. He agreed glumly, called me a cab, and I left.
♠ ♠ ♠
I apologize for the wait: I was on an ambassador trip. It appears that China might block Mibba. Not sure. But I'm back!