Henry Green found himself couch locked.
This didnât happen often, but he had known Decky needed to get stoned from the moment he saw the kid. The guy looked like he was about five seconds away from genuinely tweaking just playing the drums to
Enter Sandman, and anyone who didnât get into it when playing the drums to
Enter Sandman needed some fucking THC in them, stat. After theyâd ripped a few bowls through the olâ StĂŒndenglass, Henry had suggested they chill out and watch TV until the twins returned.
Andy returned only briefly to tell Henry he was going to meet Amy at the game that evening, and after heâd walked away Henry took every ounce of self control and will power he had to not mention to Sully and Decky how happy he was that Andy was probably not going to die a virgin. Ethan? Ethan had either fallen in while taking a dump, or he was fucking one of the maids again. Henry couldnât be sure, but with Ethan he found himself barely concerned. He liked that Andy had checked in.
For the past⊠amount of time, he and Sully and Decky had been watching YouTube videos. Specifically? They were watching kitchen gadget review videos, with Henry absently adding whichever ones got good reviews to an Amazon cart. Henry lifted a hand and pointed at the screen,
âcheck this shit out. Salad Chopper. Dude, definitely five stars. How could they fuck this up?â He asked the question, turning his head to look at the other two. It chopped salad. How hard could it be?
â...Shit ainât evenâŠit ainât even a blade,â Decky argued stiltedly with the man, glaring at the flat triangle of plastic attached to a handle. He was getting the hang of Henryâs guessing game, the man shouting out the rating he expected for each item that has come up so far. His estimations were almost hilariously incorrect, and as the man on screen smashed the vegetables into the bottom of the bowl, it seemed the trend would continue.
âItâs gotta be likeâŠnot even a star at all, right?ââHeâs just usinâ a knife now and itâs more effective, itâs gotta be- oh wait heâs breakinâ it down,â Sully loved the parts when the design expert in the video doodled out his own ideas for improvement, and aside from little comments here and there, had been more locked into the videos than both Decky and Henry combined. He hadnât even realized Andy had
left left until the pause between auto-plays.
âDonât put that it your cart, man,â Decky continued after realizing Sully had left the conversation as quickly as joining it. He waved his hand and dropped his head to the back of the couch.
âThis shit is just meant ta bleed impulse buyers and trend chaser dry for the sakeâa havinâ the newest commodity,â He glanced at the manâs phone to make sure he hadnât added the shitty little item and his faded gaze landed on the number at the bottom of the open digital cart.
âFuckinâ christ, yaâŠare ya just gettinâ everythinâ weâve been watchinâ? Whaddya even need that shit for?ââDude have you seen the size of this place? Why not if he can?ââThat ainât no valid fuckinâ argument,â Decky shot back, letting his head fall back once more and staring at the ceiling, still in complete awe of just how easily some people could throw their money away.
âI could actually get approved for my house loan if I could casually rock up with the amount in that fuckinâ cart.ââYou wouldnât need a loan if you had that amount on hand,â Sully argued, eyes still glued to the screen and empty coffee cup in hand as it has been for who knows how long, fingers almost completely still in a manner uncharacteristic of him. He hadnât had to hit the insane gravity bong device nearly as much as Decky had, hadnât inhaled nearly as deeply, and still he was higher than Decky. He did not begrudge the drug-addled boy his tolerance levels, he could only imagine how excessive the otherâs habits were to need as much as he did to even feel anything anymore. Or how expensive. He looked back for a brief moment when the other gearhead scoffed at him.
âIt got a two outta five, by the way.ââFor fuckinâ what?â Decky moaned in confusion, throwing his hands up in the air and already forgetting the conversation about money in favor of hate reacting.
âIt couldnât cut fuckinâ anythinâ, dude!â His arms fell back to his side in childish dismay.
âDonât shoot the messenger, I ainât the one that rated it,â Sully defended, finally giving into the now distant impulse from his body and standing up to go get more coffee from the likely now cold pot Ethan had brought down. When he reached for the metal kettle and pour the liquid into his cup, he was surprised to see steam coming out of it before realizing it was one of those fancy electric ones that kept the beverage warm until turned off, and you didnât have to keep it on the coffee machineâs hotplate. He had to admit, he was a bit jealous of that little gadget more than anything else in the basement, including the whole ass fucking bowling lane in the back corner. Turning to thank the Green boy again for the coffee, Sully blinked as he took in the empty space on the couch heâd assumed the other boy had taken upon returning from the bathroom and been this whole time.
âDude, whereâs Ethan?âEthan had journeyed back to Domâs Garage to retrieve Danny Boaz and some clothes for both Decky and Sully. He proceeded to stop at Sunshine Diner to once again annoy Sullyâs mother, but this time to let her know that her son would be sleeping over his place. Before he left, she gave him food to take with him which had the usual orders of all those that were at his crib. Sullyâs mother was a goddess of greasy diner food and it was crazy how much she remembered. His dadâs order had its own brown bag with many containers. His old man could eat and it was clear Miss Darcie knew that. With one more block to go before heâd finally return to his familyâs guest house, Ethan tapped his thumbs on the wheel to the music quietly coming out of his car speaker (
Câest La Vie by Yung Gravy, bbno$, Rich Brian). Glancing over at the boy sitting beside him, Ethan noted the similarities Danny shared with his older brother like the naturally nice, healthy hair, even with limited grooming, and the soft facial structure. The main difference he saw was the acute sharpness in the younger boyâs eyes. Reminded him of his aunt, Hailey, but if she was kind.
âDanny boy, real talk. Is your brother always a grumpy fuck?âDanny blinked from where heâd been staring blankly out the window with his head bobbing to the beat and turned to his brotherâs new- almost certainly reluctant on Deckyâs side- friend. He seemed cool enough, and uncle Hirsch had said it was fine to go with him since heâd finished all his homework. Not without several whispered threats on his youngest nephewâs safety to the tall teen, from what Danny had seen when he came back with their duffle bag and Hershey was standing just a little too close to the rich boy with too neutral of an expression. It had probably started as simple as âmake sure heâs wearing his seatbeltâ and devolved from there. But still, he was trusted enough that Danny was allowed alone with him and Decky and Sully were sleeping over his house! He must be okay to talk to.
âDeckyâs only grumpy âcause heâs sad too,â Danny revealed honestly, unable to look the older boy in the eyes as he spoke. He didnât really like peopleâs eyes, especially new people.
âMostâa the people we love are still back home and he only left for me.â Danny thought of his own best friends, Ana and Conan, who he chatted with constantly but rarely got to actually see. Deck had so many more friends his age than Danny ever did, because all of Decky's friends had happily dragged Danny along with them as well.
âWouldnât ya be sad if ya were always missinâ people?âSilence was the initial response. Ethan was taken aback by the honesty and genuinity from the younger Boaz boy. He thought of the question asked to him and the people that Ethan could immediately think of was his family and the Elite. This sudden thought made him realize that the three girls he was playing like the devil plays his fiddle with didnât have his heart. Not in the way they deserved. Damn, those were thoughts he didnât want to think about right now. Such an unexpected, sentimental question that forced Ethan to think more inward for once was not on his calendar for the day. Heâd have to smoke more weed with his dad when he got back to bury it, like he always did.
âAre you two going to move back after graduation?â Asking that question outloud made Ethan realize he had no idea where Decky was from. Damn, making new friends was not something he did in a while (aside from Sully, but Sully was different).
âWhere are you from again? Sorry, I really donât know shit about you or your brother, so Iâm just warning you if I say anything insensitive Iâm just trying my best here.â âAre we-? No,â Danny shook his head harshly, curls flying with the motion and a pinched look on his face. He went to bite his lip anxiously, but they were talking about Decky and Decky told him to chew gum instead, so he reached into his pocket and unwrapped one of the pieces from within, shoving it into his mouth as he thought of how to respond to the Senior. He didnât realize that Ethan knew
nothing about Decky. No wonder his big brother just came off as an asshole to him.
âI-it ainât that we never go back- uh, Gravette, Oregon by the way- but I donât think eitherâa us could move back there,â He frowned, doing what uncle Jonah had taught him and shifting his thoughts from the bad memories slowly over to the better ones. Like the ones with everyone in the Trip-S when the brothers used to hide away in the gangâs dorms for weeks at a time with Sonny.
âItâs a really bad place, and really bad stuff happened there. Itâs why when our friend Poppy found our Uncles we moved out here to âem. We have friends back home send us a message when our parents disappear from town and thatâs when we risk visitinâ. Um, can weâŠâ Decky always said to just ask if you were uncomfortable.
âSorry, itâs okay ya asked, but can we stop? I donât wanna talk about it more.ââYeah, sure thing, kid,â Ethan answered, respectfully. There was a brief moment of silence as the Green golden boy continued to drive. His home was at a distance and his mind was stuck. Stuck on his brother and how things turned out for them.
âCompletely random, and feel free to tell me to shut up,â Ethan permitted, continuing to tap the wheel with his thumbs.
âDo you ever want something out of your older brother? Like how do you wish he lived life? I donât know if Iâm making sense⊠Iâm just curious how you two support each other, I guess.â âDo I everâŠyouâre definitely a new friend.â After that, he was silent again as his mouth opened and closed several times while he thought about the question. Having been very close to zoning out before Ethan spoke up again, the question caught him just as off guard as the others had. The Freshman boy stared at Ethanâs profile, trying to figure out the angle. His calculative gaze followed every twitch down to the thumbs tapping against the wheel as he made his assumptions and reads. What he
got was that that question wasnât necessarily meant to be about his and Deckyâs relationship. This was one younger brother reaching out to another. But, since he didnât know anything about Ethanâs relationship with his sibling, it was still a guessing game on his part so all he had was his own truth for his replies.
âDecky raised me,â Danny finally answered, deciding that he could deal with Decky being upset with him for sharing things if it meant he got more good friends willing to understand him. To look past the attitude that was just as much protection as it was persona. Itâs his fault for being so tight lipped while never setting the same restrictions on Danny.
âSince I was born, since he was three, he raised me. Itâs hard ta want somethinâ from someone who gave up his whole life ta give ya yours, yâknow?â Danny let that sit for a second, grinding down on his gum and resisting the urge to blow a bubble as he watched the road rushing past them.
âWant somethinâ for him, though? Absolutely. I want for âim ta realize itâs okay ta have a lifeâa his own, I want him ta realize he can have his own goals, not just exist ta help me achieve mine. I want for âim ta actually be happy. But he doesnât know how and I canât make him change the way heâs acted my whole life. I think a lotta his anger came from makinâ sure I could be a kid even if it meant he never was. He donât know how ta interact with people his own age since he never really acted his own age. Doesnât let himself enjoy the little things that kids do. Even with all he gave up for me, itâs rough for me too. Itâs actually really frustratinâ and itâs hard ta make friends. But really, mostly I-âWas this what therapy was like? He was feeling a little better after bringing his thoughts into the light. Danny had only ever told his best friends back home this. Danny had also never been alone with one of Deckyâs friends that didnât already know their history, at least some of it. He had wondered about that when Ethan came to pick him up, and decided that Decky did what he always does and made an offhand, sarcastic comment that got mistaken for an actual agreement. The dummy. Thatâs always gotten him into shit. Regardless, this was a new situation all around for the younger Boaz, and unlike his brother, he could be quite the talker if he got started.
âI want him ta stop thinkinâ heâs some burden on everyone that takes us in somehow.â Their parents had really done a number on him with that word.
âOur relationship is fucked up though, or so weâve been told, and shouldnât be compared ta normal siblinâ relationships. We have ahâŠa pretty unhealthy codependency, case ya couldnât tell by the fact that ya had ta come pick me up ta get him ta stay at your house tonight, yeah? Happens when ya spend your whole life locked up in the same room,â If he were his cousin Zion, he would have ended with a pair of jazzhands and a sing-song exclamation of â
trauma~â, but he was not much for dramatics when on his own. Danny had a habit of minimizing his presence, not shouting it from the rooftops. Danny just stated things as fact and moved on, especially if he didnt want to dwell on it.
âYa know how aggravatinâ it can be ta see all the paths someone could be takinâ if they just looked up from helpinâ ya down your own? Ya canât be your own person if youâre constantly lookinâ out for your brother, and while I love Decky and everythinâ heâs done, I want him ta be his own person and grow in ta himself.âGiving the boy a quick glance over, Ethan smiled, âI can see that Decky, and you, have a unique upbringing just based on your brotherâs reactions to everything that surrounds me and my family. Iâm sure my background can be unique too, from your perspective. Not all rich people are under one big umbrella of stereotypes and not all low income families, from different ethnicities and neighborhoods, have the same way of thinking. My father, especially for a Green, runs his ship a bit differently than my aunts. I get it though. We brothers just want our bros to be happy. Self assured. On their own path. Their own person⊠away from us. I get it, for real,â Ethan sighed at the thought. As much as he was worried about Andyâs romance with Amy Kwon, at least she would help him grow and find himself, finally walking out of Ethanâs shadow to be his own man.
Finding himself even more intrigued and curious, Ethan inquired, âHow about you?â Contemplative and attuned to the conversation, the senior put the focus on the younger boy, wanting to give Danny a safe space to freely talk as much or as little as he wanted to. âApart from your brother, who is Danny Boaz and where does he see himself going?â
âI know, but Itâs a really small town,â Danny emphasized, completely understanding the rich boyâs point while also having had little experience with it before moving to California. Gravette had a very stereotypical class division, and the line between rich and poor wasnât just drawn, it was developed and maintained by the abandoned railroad tracks that physically split the North from the South. Wrong side of the tracks wasnât just some saying in his hometown. Some people, like Sonny, never even crossed to the other side of the tracks unless absolutely required. However, Danny found himself liking Deckyâs new friend who wanted to know more about not only his brother, but him as well. And okay, maybe talking about his brother was easier than talking about himself, maybe the simple question directed toward himself brought a blush to his face as he worked through the random shock of embarrassment that hit him as he thought of his answer.
âOh! I, uh, I like books!â He admitted, quietly but trying. He couldnât talk about anything he did with uncle Jonah, but he could talk about pretty much anything else he enjoyed, and books were a big one.
âOur friends back home always send me some or recommend some,â Decky, Charlie, Poppy, they all used to read to him when he was younger and let him read to them as he aged. Sin was more for comics and manga, but that didnât stop her from being a part of it even if she preferred watching anime and baking together with him.
âI like ta bake, too, but only with one person, thatâs our thing. UmâŠOh! The school people thought I should skip a year, but I wanted to try to be a freshman, but all the work is borinâ so if they still think I can skip by the endâa this year then Iâll be a Junior next year instead. Decky was real proudâa that,â Dannyâs blush was gone in favor of a grin when he remembered the way his brother had smiled at him and ruffled his hair when heâd heard the academic praise.
âI like ta look at Sullyâs homework more than my own when weâre studyinâ together, it looks more fun. Sometimes Monarch slips me little puzzles or ciphers ta play with ta keep my mind goinâ. Everyone says I should be goinâ ta some nice college when I graduate.âThis was nice. Ethan found himself adoring Dannyâs enthusiasm to express himself. In adversity, Deckyâs little brother found little things he enjoyed and built a mentality that was resilient, adaptable and full of hope. Instead of looking back, he was looking ahead. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing flaws, he saw his strengths and areas where he could improve. Instead of having an immense guard up, he was sizing Ethan up and allowing him a chance to build a bridge to him and his brother. That was nice to see. When Ethan was that age he was caught up with movies and AWE. Decky did good with raising this boy. It seemed he had the right tools and resources to live a fulfilled and happy life. Danny was a good kid.
âItâs a thing you can bake because youâre about to see your brother so baked.â Ethan joked (even though it was based on a truth).
âHeâs with a pro right now, my dad, and youâre gonnaâ love him. Heâs such a vibe. I strive to have all chill and no stress. Just like him. Somehow my dad has cracked the code.â Nodding to himself, not really elaborating on the many stresses of Ethan Green, the senior jock pulled into the driveway and grinned,
âAs my old man would say, mi casa is su casa.â Putting his car in park, he slapped his wheel excitedly and embraced his inner child,
âYour brother is going to be so hyped youâre here.â What pulled a laugh out of the younger Boaz was not the baking joke, but Ethan's comment about Decky being excited to see him. He had no doubt his brother would be happy to have him around.
After, of course, he was calmed down from realizing Danny had been 'kidnapped' in a similar capacity to him and Sully, and that it was his fault for being a smart-ass instead of just telling someone no straight out like heâd so dutifully taught Danny to. He had his own words for Decky that would likely shut him down just as quickly as he got riled up, but Danny figured Ethan needed a bit of a reality check himself if he genuinely thought Decky would be happy that a near-stranger was entrusted with his baby brotherâs safety and transport. He also hadnât missed the way Ethan had worded his praise of his father. It was already pretty obvious that Ethan acted more chill than he was. Not that he
wasnât, but his questions to Danny alone indicated he had a lot going on in the background of his mind, if not at the forefront, which
also seemed intentional. Heâd seen Decky shove back plenty of things he didnât want to think about at the time, he knew the look well.
âYour dad is tryinâa get Decky super high on just weed?â Danny asked incredulously as he hopped out of the car and looked at Ethanâs forehead instead of his eyes, having not seen his brother react to the vice in any capacity more than the relaxing of his muscles in years. Then, he noticed the area around him and spun on his heel in amazement, conversation forgotten.
âWhoa, itâs so pretty out here! Look at all these plants,â His gaze fell on the gardening at the front of the house.
âThatâs so many colors!ââIsnât it dope?!â Ethan said enthusiastically, incredibly pleased at Dannyâs reaction. Very unlike his brother and Sully. It was positive!
âMy parents had a vision⊠which basically was a getaway in Spain or just somewhere not here.â His father did what he wanted and that included decorating the guest house in a way where he would be at most peace (which included all of Ethanâs mamaâs anime figurines). A place that was like a great escape where the Green company didnât weigh on him and his family. A place very much his own. A place they called home.
A smirk appeared on Ethanâs face when he registered the weed comment. He led the way to the basement and confidently assured his little buddy,
âNot just any weedâŠâIt was his dadâs weed.
____________________________________________________________________
âDude, whereâs Ethan?ââWhereâs the quality?â Danny heard his older brother reply to Sullyâs question from where he was hidden behind Ethanâs frame in the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. They had just arrived when Sullyâs voice hit them and Ethan stopped as if to announce himself, only to get cut off by Deckyâs complaint. Danny had no idea what he was complaining about, but his brother had a downright childish whine to his voice that Danny only heard when he was relaxed enough to act as such, which was extremely rare. He snuck a peek past Ethanâs side and saw the top of his brotherâs head tilted back on a comfy looking couch, his hair flopping over the backing and swaying as he shook his head defiantly. Next to him was the back of the head of who must be Ethanâs father, almost shoulder to shoulder with his brother with no sign of discomfort on Deckyâs part. Damn. Maybe Mr. Green really did succeed in getting him super high. Color Danny impressed with these people.
âTwo outta five stars for something called a fuckinâ chopper that donât do no fuckinâ choppinâ. Market that shit as a goddamn play-doh knife and maybe two fuckinâ stars would be worth it-ââHonestly the amount of times you fit the word fuck into a sentence should be studied.ââDonât snark me, Harper, the next productâs cominâ up.âDanny stifled a giggle and stopped peeking, returning behind Ethan as he put together what he could from what heâd heard from his brotherâs rant and seen on the tv screen beyond the couch. They were watching someone rate kitchen objects and appliances, and obviously his brother had some strong opinions on the decisions. Sonny wasnât going to believe this, and Poppy and Charlie were going to love it. He couldnât wait for the next video call home.
Sully looked up from his spot at the bar where heâd finished getting his coffee when he heard a faint noise at the doorway, only to raise an eyebrow at the taller boy standing in the doorway.
âOh, there you are dude. Where have you been? Itâs been like,â Sully blanked as he tried to think about the recent passage of time, features going slack as he attempted to sift through his already poor memory, now even more clouded by the herb heâd inhaled. A few seconds ticked by before he blinked and shook his head, giving up.
âItâs been a long timeâŠI think.ââI brought a special delivery and before Iâm given shit,â Ethan stepped to the side, revealing Danny, and spoke loud enough for Decky to hear.
âIt was me or my momâs butler from the main house,â the jock explained, offering to take Dannyâs bags from him to set it down somewhere safe before showing them to their bedrooms for the night. He had spent the carride thinking this through and realizing that Mordechai wouldnât appreciate a stranger driving his brother around, so he HAD to explain himself. It was the right thing to do.
âIt wouldâve NOT been worth the energy to stop my dad from getting you both high as fuck and Iâm pretty sure all the jews in your garage would kill me if something happened to this boy. I thought this out the moment you said you wanted your brother here.ââWhat the fuck?â Deckyâs head had turned as Ethan spoke, but it had almost snapped completely backwards at the sight of his baby brother bashfully blinking at him as Ethan took their dufflebag from him, Dannyâs fingers curling in a little wave to his older brother.. Any chill thoughts immediately left his mind as he registered why Ethan was pleading for his life. Or at least why he should be. With little thought to how it looked, Decky took the quickest path and scrambled directly over the back of the couch, only stumbling slightly as his stoned legs almost crumbled beneath him. He was in Dannyâs bubble in seconds after that, checking him over while the boy himself rolled his eyes at the hovering but didnât push him away, even when Decky was moving his face every which way and pushing his curls away from his forehead as if he would be hiding a wound there.
âBoychik what the fuck, no- wait,â He rounded on Ethan, protective rage in his eyes.
âGreen what the fuck?âDecky never claimed eloquence.
Dannyâs hands grabbed his wrist and returned his focus to him, drawing it from Ethan. His brother was frowning at him in that pouty way that told him to stop and think about his actions.
âHe was tellinâ ya if ya wouldâa actually listened, Decky,â Danny admonished, sticking his tongue out when Decky scowled at him. Then, he blinked owlishly at Decky and stuck his bottom lip out.
âAre ya sayinâ that heâs lyinâ? Ya didnât want me here?âManipulative brat.Decky sighed, fist unclenching along with his jaw.
âI didnât say that, but I also didnât say I wanted ya here I was just-ââI mean you did say to call the garage and have him pack bags for us.ââWhat, now your fuckinâ memory works?â Decky snapped as he turned to Sully, glaring at the other boy as Danny gripped his wrist tighter in reprimand. Sully stared Decky dead in the eye and then threw back the rest of his coffee. When he was finished, he continued to give Decky a blank look.
âOuch.ââGet fucked, Harper.ââDecky!ââI was beinâ fuckinâ sarcastic!â Decky exclaimed, getting back to the matter at hand.
âIt was sarcasm! Jesus what the fu-ââYa know better than ta use that typeâa sarcasm around people with the means and whims,â Danny once again betrayed him. The bitchface he threw his younger brother was especially reserved for the boy, and it quickly morphed into a glare when he saw that his little brotherâs eyes were shining with amusement.
âWeâve talked about that. Encouragin' impulsive action.ââYou shut up.ââSounds like ya should have shut up yourself earlier.âHenry could put up with a lot of distractions. Decky and Sullyâs chatter was white noise that barely competed with the video he had playing on the TV. But, once Ethan showed back up, things went to shit. Sadly, that was something that happened a lot. Henry got it though. When he was Ethanâs age?
He was the Green who made things go to sleep. After Deckyâs younger brother told him to shut up, Henry jumped in.
âDecky, shut up. Youâre harshing the vibes, dude. Think about how chill we just were! You keep yappinâ and you already missed damn near the whole herb chopper review! What if we need to chop herb?â Henry gestured toward the TV with a wave he knew would be ineffective. He turned away from the boys and back toward the TV. He sank back into it and grumbled,
âIâm finishinâ my fuckinâ video. Kidâs already here. Stop being a baby. Hey, kid. What do you want to eat?âHe waved a hand toward the bar,
âsomebody get Decky another bowl.âDecky stared at the back of the head of the man who just told him to shut up, mouth slightly agape. His brother was now laughing at him audibly instead of just with his eyes, swinging his arm back and forth from where he was still holding Deckyâs wrist in a grounding manner. Was this whole fucking room against him? Jesus. When Henry asked Danny what he wanted to eat, his baby brother went quiet, prompting Decky to look back to him. Danny was now looking at the ground and making himself small, and Decky sighed at the display. Trusting adults was still a problem for both of them, but the second Danny was addressed by a new one he tried to disappear into the floor. He saw Sully moving out of the corner of his eye to fulfill Henryâs demand of another bowl, and forced himself to relax as much as he could, to stifle his trigger reactions and focus on his brother.
âDanny, itâs okay, he means it. Have ya eaten dinner?ââNoâŠâDecky was going to scream at his uncle for letting him leave without eating.
âSo? What do ya want?â When Danny continued to fidget with his eyes on the ground, Decky looked to the ceiling for strength and pulled his little brother into a tight hug while addressing Henry.
âHe likes olive pizza.âHenry could hear it in the air. The way the laughter snipped away the second he said something and the way Danny never actually (or just barely had) answered his question. He hopped to his feet and walked around the couch to the group of boys as he spoke.
âCool, pizzaâs cool. One with olive. What about ice cream? Canât have dinner without dessert. Chef can make a killer brownie, and he doesnât go home for another two hours. We got time boys.â He looked down at Danny - the younger boy may not have seen it, but Henry hoped he could at least feel that he was talking directly to him.
âDo you fuck with video games, Danny?â He paused, and cleared his throat.
âDo you like video games, Dan the man?â This little dude needed to relax just as badly as his brother did. Well⊠maybe
almost that bad.
Decky didnât even try to withhold the warning glare he sent the taller man as he neared, but turned just slightly so that Danny could peek out from his spot with his face pressed into his older brotherâs chest. His little brother was tense but not shaking, so that was at least a sign that Danny had already done a bit of his own mental work on the ride in when it came to accepting the Green patriarch as safe. Danny did end up peeking up at the man, his grip around Deckyâs middle tightening a bit. Decky took this as a cue to do his part in bringing Danny around by making Henryâs part easier for the suddenly frazzled boy, including completely ignoring the whole private chef thing.
âIce cream.ââI-â Danny shifted his face so his mouth wasnât muffled. By the time his gaze had trailed up to Henryâs chin, it dropped back to his shoulder, never really reaching his face. He squeezed Decky tighter still, but his big brother did little more than grunt and adjust his own hold, dropping one hand onto Dannyâs head and ruffling his soft curls encouragingly.
âI like ice cream.ââVideo games.ââNo, not really. Sorry sirâŠâ Danny whispered, looking away from the man completely.
âDonât apologize, tell âim what ya do like.â Danny nearly whined in complaint, his face red as he hid it against his brotherâs chest once more.
âDanny.ââUgh! Card games and brain teasers and riddles and puzzles!â Danny spit out in one anxious breath, barely pulling away from Decky to speak before trying to hide again.
âNow stop!ââGood job boychik,â Decky praised, leaving it at that as his brother had asked. He looked at Henry with a raised eyebrow, doing his best not to sound too protective or defensive when he said,
âWell? Thatâs all youâre gettinâ at the moment.ââWell, well, Danny Dan the mystery man, we do have something in common.â Henryâs words flowed with a rhythm, the rhyming way heâd said Dannyâs name rolling off of his tongue in a sing-song voice. Henry beamed, and he could not help but make grand gestures with his hands â that was just how he talked, really â as he continued to speak,
âI, too, am a card game enjoyer! I like PokĂ©mon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and I do like poker, but Ethan donât got hands in it, so he wouldnât wanna play. Puzzles? Riddles? Brain teasers? ⊠I got some Lego you can play with, but youâre in the wrong house for brain teasers. Sorry to say, but me and the lads smoke too much weed and Alicia takes too good care of us to let us feel dumb all the time.ââReal,â Ethan responded, with his phone out and texting the chef, glad his dad jumped in to calm Deckyâs storm.
âWhat other toppings? Iâm a meat lovers kind of boy.â He walked around everyone, giving the Boaz brothers room to breathe. He hoped ultimately theyâd all decide to watch a movie. He had a long day.
Decky was the only one to notice Dannyâs flinch at Henryâs sudden hand movement, but that was because he was literally holding the boy. Danny was much better at containing his physical reactions to things like that than Decky was, the older Boaz boy typically halfway to a defensive stance when he was caught by surprise. Had he not been focusing on Danny, he likely would have embarrassed himself. When Henry began to list off his interests, Decky quickly found himself tuning out while Danny stared at the man with wide eyes. When Ethan asked about other toppings, Decky shook his head at the other boy.
âIâll just share with Danny, I donât mind olives.â Danny frowned, distracted from Henry for a moment as he pulled away from Decky with a disagreeable frown while Decky glanced down at him in warning. Defiantly, Danny opened his mouth anyways.
âYa hate olives ya liar.âDeckyâs glance became a glare. Before he had a chance to respond though, Henry was off on another one. Facepalming, he groaned out.
âJesus christ, Decky, are you lying? To your friends and your little brother? Bro, thatâs just fucked up. If you hate olives why would you want pizza with olives?!â Henry demanded. From the over exaggeration of his words and motions, it was (hopefully) clear enough that Henry was being playful.
âYeah Decky, whyâre ya lyinâ?â Danny caught on to Henryâs energy immediately. His voice was still quiet, but it was gaining confidence as he teased his older brother. This was exactly what heâd been talking to Ethan about in the car, his brother unwilling to do something as simple as ask for his own pizza topping and instead just willing to have whatever Danny wanted even if it made him sick was only a small glimpse of the bigger problem.
âSullyâs gonna give a toppinâ, why wonât you?ââWhy are ya beinâ such a gremlin allâa the sudden?â Decky sighed tiredly, decidedly not responding to Henry and keeping his head down to lock eyes with and glare at his baby brother, who grinned up at the embarrassed tint to his cheeks. He couldnât believe his little brother just threw him to the fucking wolves like that.
âSully, what do ya want?ââPepperoniâs fine. What do you want?â Sully replied simply while motioning that the device was ready to deliver another hit for the gearhead. Decky glared at his friend who very easily volleyed back what was meant to be diversion.
âHe likes bacon âcause heâs a bad jew,â Danny giggled as he was gently but deliberately shoved away from his brother as Decky beelined for the bowl, exchanging places with Sully who walked up in confusion.
âWhat was that about?â He looked down slightly, blinking as Danny latched onto his arm.
âHey little dude.ââOh, nothing. Deckyâs just being a baby, thatâs all. Seems like itâs kind of par for the course, huh, Danny?â He tossed a grin and a wink down to the youngest boy.
âOh, dude. Donât forget dessert, what are you in the mood for? Brownies ala mode? We could get that and watch cartoons. Everybody likes cartoons.ââCartoons?â Danny asked shyly, only half hiding behind Sully. This time, when he looked to the elder Green, his gaze flickered briefly over the manâs entire face before flitting away again. Shifting from foot to foot, Danny hummed as he thought of Henryâs question.
âWhatâs alamode?ââOh, man. Itâs just warm fresh brownies with ice cream on top, itâs only the most delicious thing ever. Weâre gonna get you some pizza. Weâre gonna get you some brownies ala mode. And then? Weâre watching We Bare Bears. A most excellent evening if I do say so myself. What do you think, brother man dude?â Henry beamed, and it was an undeniably welcoming smile.
âWe what?â Danny asked askance, his features unknowingly morphing into a look very similar to the one Decky had given the older man when heâd first recommended the kitchen appliance videos. That was also a lot of designations thrown at him at the end there, and he had no idea how to respond to it.
âItâs a show about naked bears?â Danny startled when Decky started cough-laughing from his seat at the bar, the smoke from his latest hit puffing out with each exhale. Danny stared at his older brother in surprise.
âNow that I gotta see.ââYouâre so weird.ââBut first? A movie with dinner. Decky, you go ahead and hit another one if you want. E? Did you put the order in? Your brotherâs off at the game with his girl⊠not friend. Not girlfriend yet, for sure. But god I hope he pulls it off. Finally! My point is, pick out a movie, text the chef, and then we go to the couch. It is time, boys⊠to chill. You guys fuckinâ need it!â Henry said, pointing toward the couch.
âAndyâs what?!â Ethan called out in surprise. Falling to the couch in pure disbelief, yes having sent the order of pizzas and brownies and ice cream to the chef, Ethan was brought to the sudden realization that his older brother was becoming a man, probably at this very moment. Exbitionist style. Lawd, the Devil stole his brotherâs soul and he couldnât be prouder.
âDamn, never thought heâd move that fast. First time under the bleachers? Wild. Oh a movie! We have two options. Risky Business, if you bitches havenât seen it, it would be nice if you did before myâŠâ Ethan stopped himself. He almost revealed to his dad that he was having a big bash tomorrow at the family vineyard with Risky Business as the theme.
âItâs just a good movie, okay? Or Clerks. Thatâs just a must. So which is it going to be?âSully tilted his head when Ethan trailed off of one sentence that seemed to lead to him talking about his party, but he supposed the taller boy was still trying to be subtle despite Henry already calling out the whole situation earlier during the whole music game.
âMy uncle likes Clerks,â He offered, both for Ethan to know and for little Danny to help make a decision. He looked down at the little dude.
âAll I really know about Risky Business is that scene everyone knows with Tom Cruise in his underwear dancinâ to Bob Seger.ââWell thatâsâŠâ Danny tilted his head right back at Sullyâs description while his brother looked over and once again laughed at them from the counter. He could not
believe Decky was acting like that from weed alone. Decky couldnât help it though, he looked up just in time for Sully to do his little head tilt and to watch Danny follow soon after, and the sudden realization that heâd missed earlier, that Danny was clinging to Sullyâs arm like a koala while Sully just let it happen, was cracking him up. Danny liked to study with him because he got to spend time with someone who just accepted his presence and didnât dote or hover. Decky knew that, he just didnât expect the comfort to extend outside the office so much that Danny would use Sully as a secondary anchor when Decky left him to float for a moment. It was hilarious how Sully literally didnât do anything to ask for it and people just flocked to him. Sully may never really realize it since his relationship with most of the gearheads began through AJâs interest and investment in him, but the streamer was definitely a social floater with his strongest ties being held down in four different groups.
The Thespians favored him despite him not being one mostly because of his job building their sets. The Media kids knew him as one of the three hosts of the Morning Show alongside Rye and DJ, while the Gamers got the more enthusiastic version of him from his streams, aside from Oli who likely knew Sully best. Lastly, the Gearheads got him for everything else that made him Sully. The dudeâs obsession with flipping old junkers for fun more than for his videos, his trade knowledge, his faded moments, and his heart that would get ripped apart in their school if he let it. And he would let it, the dumbass.
Now, looking at Ethan, Decky realized this poor fuck was about to be added to another clique, and god help his fuckinâ soul because it was the
Elite.
It was nice knowinâ ya, Sulls.Deciding to move it all along, Decky rolled his eyes after finishing the last of the hit and blew out the smoke before deciding to give Ethan a hand.
âLetâs do Risky Business, Danny and I have seen Clerks a shitton,â He got up and deliberately made his way to the couch, Danny detaching from Sully to follow him. Taking a spot at the corner of the L shaped section, Danny settled in next to him while Sully settled at the foot of the longer cushion near Deckyâs feet. He rolled his eyes at the obvious intent to go back for another coffee soon in the other boyâs positioning. How he still just slept whenever he needed to was a mystery. With his brother at his side and his nerves settled once more, Decky felt the high washing over him again as safety blanketed his senses for a moment. He almost called Ethan by his last name again when he spoke up to the boy, but saved it at the last minute before the sentence got to his lips.
âOh, Ethan,â Decky stared the rich boy dead in the eye.
âIf ya ever pick my baby brother up without my express permission again, I'll beat you're ass.â He held the gaze even as Danny poked him in the side and he finally let Ethan see the smile he'd been hiding.
âBut thanks.â
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