Page 15

FIFTEEN

TEDDY

“ H appy Thanksgiving!” I holler when I open my parents’ front door. Tobi got here yesterday the lucky shit, but I have games this weekend, so I have to stay on campus. Which is probably better since I’m sure Rhys will be here at some point to hang out with Tobi.

We haven’t texted since the game and I blocked him. It sucks donkey balls, but it had to happen. I can’t want the enemy. Doesn’t matter how badly my dick wants to.

Mom is in the kitchen with Tobi, peeling potatoes when I walk in. Smells like food and home and comfort. The perfect combo.

If only Rhys was here too. He smells fucking delicious.

Guilt eats at me, gnawing and sharp in my gut. I shouldn’t want him. I can’t have him, so wanting him is useless.

Tobi looks up at me. His lip curls before he fixes his face and goes back to what he’s doing. Does he know I want his best friend? Does he know I kissed him? Fooled around with him?

Mom smiles at me, puts down the peeler and potato, and gives me a hug. “Hey kiddo. Come peel so I can dice.”

Great.

I get to work, eyeing Tobi who’s glaring at me. Mom watches the two of us with that look on her face. The one that says she knows something she shouldn’t. Mom magic or something. Pretty sure parents have special powers that only they know about. They’re all hush hush about it.

But I peel the potatoes while I listen to Dad watching the game. The Cowboys are playing someone, but I don’t know who. Football moves too slow. Give those guys some ice skates and I’ll watch it.

Mom is moving around the kitchen, putting flour and stuff in the stand mixer. She mixes it around, then puts some hot water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl.

“What’s that gonna be?” I ask her, just for something to say.

“Dinner rolls.” She mixes the yeast for a second, then covers it and sets it aside.

“What is the yeast doing?”

Tobi slams a potato down on the counter. “For fuck’s sake. Like you haven’t had Thanksgiving dinner before. You know what she’s making!”

“Tobias, don’t speak to your brother like that.” Mom points her knife at him. That should keep him in line.

“He asks the same shit every time! He knows the yeast is blooming. He knows yeast needs heat and sugar to bloom. Why are you allowing him to pretend to be an idiot?”

Jokes on him, I don’t have to pretend.

Wait…

Tobi storms off out of the kitchen to his room and slams the door. Mom looks at me, waiting for an answer to what the hell just happened.

The truth is, I’m not really sure.

I know he doesn’t like me. He’s never been shy about that. But it’s gotten worse since I started at Summerset, and I don’t know why.

The TV pauses and I can hear Dad going down the hallway. I love my parents. I love the way they deal with conflict. Since Mom is in here, Dad goes to talk to the other brother. Then once they have the story from both sides, they will talk to each other and switch siblings. By the time we’re brought back together, we’ve both calmed down and can talk it out.

But it only works if both parties want it to. Tobi no longer wants to work it out with me. I lost him a long time ago.

“Theodore.”

I put the potato down and lean my lower back against the counter. “I don’t really know. I think he’s mad I’m at Summerset too.”

“Why would that make a difference?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. We don’t have the same classes or see each other much. Sometimes I’ll see him in the dining hall, but he’s with his friends and I’m with mine.”

“Have you fought at school?”

I really don’t want to tell her about Rhys. Not like it matters now anyway. That door is closed, and I locked it. I won’t have to see him for a long time… but it hits me.

Is he going to come over today? He hasn’t missed a thanksgiving since becoming friends with Tobi.

Fuck.

Maybe I can pretend to be asleep when he gets here.

“Something is going on and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.” Mom wraps me in a hug, and I lean into it. “If you can find common ground, you can work through whatever it is.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I get back to potato peeling when Dad comes in with a big sigh. “He’s refusing to talk to me.”

Mom nods. “We’ll give him some time and try again later.”

Dad wraps his arm around my shoulder. “It’s good to have you home.”

I smile but keep my head down.

Mom puts on some music, and I start singing along. She dances around the kitchen, knocking her head on the cabinet door she left open and running into the fridge when she twirls. It makes me laugh. She’s so clumsy but works with chemistry stuff. How has she never dissolved a foot or something?

By the time I’m done helping in the kitchen, I feel lighter. Grabbing a beer, I head to the living room and sit with Dad and work on the red hat I’m making. This yarn isn’t as soft and splits on my hook, so there’s all these extra pieces that stick out, but if I try to fix them all, I won’t finish on time.

“You’re heading back to campus tonight?” Dad asks.

“Yeah, game tomorrow.”

“Looks like that’s almost finished.” I can see Dad’s hand point at what I’m doing from the edge of my vision. “Who are you going to give it too?”

“Shredder I think. He wears red sometimes.” The hook gets caught when I try to pull the yarn through the stitch. “Stupid fucking shit,” I mutter. Is it long enough as it is, or do I need to add a few more rows? I pull on the yarn to give it some slack and try it on. It’s loose and falls to my eyebrows. I guess that works.

“You’re getting good at that!” Mom says, wiping her hands on a towel as she comes into the living room.

“Are you ready for dishes again?” Dad asks, getting up from the couch. Mom nods and he heads to the kitchen to help clean up. It’s how they operate on big holiday dinner days. Mom does the cooking and Dad cleans up.

I wonder how it works at Rhys’ house. I’ve never asked and now I wish I had.

That’s an innocent question. Not sexy. I can ask him.

Once I’m done tying off the yarn, I pull out my phone and unblock Rhys so I can text him. I know it’s dumb, but I can’t stop myself.

Needs A Breeding: who does the cleanup at ur house on days like 2day

Ejaculate: You can’t just unblock me and pretend everything is normal.

Needs A Breeding: i just did.

Ejaculate: That’s not how it works.

Needs A Breeding: answer the question.

Ejaculate: I don’t know what you mean.

Needs A Breeding: ye big holiday dinners that take days of prep work

Ejaculate: We don’t really do a big thing.

Needs A Breeding: so is that u or ur mom or do u have other people over 2

Ejaculate: Just us.

The nickname Rhys gave me in our chat reminds me that I want him and I can’t have him. Doesn’t make me stop being curious though. Shoving my phone in my pocket, I make my way to Tobi’s room and knock on the door.

“What?”

I take that as an invitation to enter and close the door. Mom and Dad do not need to hear this.

“So, you’re into dudes, right?”

He glares at me over his phone from his spot on the bed.

“Yes, why?”

“Am I breedable?”

Tobi blinks, then stares at me.

“Because I feel like I am, yet no breeding is happening.”

Tobi’s eyebrows pull together, and he narrows one eye like he’s thinking. I appreciate him taking this seriously. It’s a serious matter. I might not be able to breed with Rhys, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want it to happen at all.

Wait.

Is that why Rhys changed my name to needs a breeding? Because he wants to breed me? Was he trying to tell me something?

Oh fuck! Don’t get hard! Don’t get hard!

Ice. Politics. Kittens. England.

No no no no…

With cat like reflexes, I grab his desk chair and spin it around to sit down, hiding my crotch.

Hopefully.

Rhys is definitely breedable. If I could get him pregnant, I would. He would have all my babies.

I groan and rub my face.

No!

I can’t think about him like this.

“Why are you asking me?” Tobi finally speaks.

“The guys were talking about breeding a girl because she was hot or whatever, but then Mom said?—”

“You asked Mom if you were breedable?!” Tobi shouts and jerks upright on his bed. “What the ever loving fuck is wrong with you?!”

“Huh? No. I didn’t ask her if she thought I was breedable. I asked her what breeding was, and she told me it’s what happens when a girl of a species picks a boy, and they mate to have babies. But then I found out that guys who like guys also do breeding and it has nothing to do with making babies. Reddit had a bunch of pictures but it was all just cum leaking out of assholes, which, like cool, but that doesn’t answer my question.”

Tobi stares in what I assume is stunned silence. He must not know either. Bummer. I thought he was supposed to be the smart one. “Who the hell let you graduate high school?”

“Are we supposed to learn about gay breeding in high school? What class was that cause I would have liked that one.”

Tobi slams his face into his hands and groans. “Jesus Christ.”

“I’m sorry. Are you praying? I didn’t know. I’ll wait. Continue.”

“I am honestly concerned about the future of humanity. How are you this dumb?” He looks up from his hands.

“Oh, are you done praying?”

“I wasn’t praying!”

“You forgot to say ‘amen,’ I think that’s how you’re supposed to end it or they don’t know you’re done. Like saying ‘roger’ or ‘over’ on a walkie talkie.”

“Teddy! Stop talking!” Tobi gets up and paces his room, but I don’t know why. He stops for a second, picks up his phone and calls someone, but I can’t hear who. “Hey, yeah, sorry to interrupt family time, but this is pressing. How would you explain breeding to a dumbass?”

The name calling was unnecessary, but if he’s going to give me the answer, I’ll let it go.

There’s no reply from the other end of the phone.

“Hello? Did you hear me?” Tobi pulls the phone away from his face and looks at the screen. “I know you’re still there.”

“Why are you talking to Teddy about breeding?”

Shit. That has to be Rhys. He’s the last person—but also the only person—I want to talk to about this.

“Because he came in here and asked me if he’s breedable! I don’t have the brain capacity to determine if my brother is fuckable.”

Oh does it mean the same thing? Why didn’t anyone just say that?

“Hey,” I whisper at Tobi. “Is Rhys a furry? He sure growls a lot…”

Tobi slowly turns to face me, like one of those slow-mo scenes in a scary movie.

A bark of laughter comes from the phone followed by, “Do not answer that.”

Shit. How did he hear me? I was whispering!

“Teddy, I don’t know what the hell has gotten into you today, but you need to get out of my room before you destroy more of my brain cells. I’m actually using mine, unlike you.”

Well that’s rude.

“You didn’t answer my question, though. Aren’t science people supposed to want to know answers?”

“Just tell him yes.” I hear Rhys say and try not to let the triumph show on my face until I’m outside the room.

I internally moan and lean back against the wall. This sucks.

Stupid loyalty.

Stupid brothers having friends.

Stupid hot guys who think I’m breedable.