BtF - Brotherhood, Part Two

Content Warning: Unrequited love, jealousy, changing relationships, heartache, bittersweet

 

Before the Fall

“Brotherhood, Part Two”
by beforethefall [Inkbunny]#

 

Saturday, sweet Saturday. Somehow even during summer break, weekends brought a new verve to life that weekdays couldn't match. Saturday morning cartoons, barbecues, weekend trips, the mall, the slim prospect of an impromptu trip to a local theme park or water park - weekends had unparalleled promise. But Mitch had recent appreciation for the weekends beyond all of that; it was his weekly reprieve from Kim's influence, when he got Eddie all to himself for a little while, save for when he would go out with Kim on the occasional Saturday night party or date. Weekends were Mitch's best opportunity to get noticed by his big brother.

The husky puppy had woken up early and made the conscious decision to roam the house in his underwear; tight, white cotton briefs that showed off the modest bulges of his balls and sheath as well as the perky, boyish bubble-butt under his curly, wagging tail. Heading to the bathroom for the first business of the day, he stopped for just a second to admire himself in the bathroom mirror, having to stand on the edge of the bathtub to see himself fully over the vanity counter. He smiled; he was sexy, he knew that. Even at ten years old, he had a particular curve to his waist and hips that even beat out some girls. He thought his package was ample, not too big, not too small. Compared to his little circle of friends who he'd had innumerable sword-fights and circle-jerks with, his dick was big for his age, and he could cum far more than any of his friends so far, a fact he was particularly proud of.

Yeah, I'm not just sexy, I'm hot, Mitch thought to himself as he struck a pose, flexing and watching his biceps pull taut, his pectorals squeezing and pulling the tendons in his shoulders taut. He was a distant sight from his big brother's masculine muscle, but Eddie got a pass; he was half-again as old as Mitch and had been weight training and playing sports for years, now. Mitch looked over his own, smaller, less defined muscle and grinned as he imagined himself at Eddie's age, just as big and nearly as sexy as his elder brother. He stood there a moment, checking himself out in different poses before he sighed and hopped down to go sit on the toilet and take care of his morning business.

The ten-year-old husky shuffled into the living room after washing his face and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He flopped across the couch, hugging a pillow as he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to Saturday morning cartoons. He could smell coffee, so his mom was up - she was usually the first to rise in the house - but she was out of sight, probably in the screen room at the rear of the house, enjoying the weather before the day got too hot. He was halfway into an episode of The Angry Beavers when he heard his brother's door open and saw Eddie head to the bathroom, dressed in pajama pants. Mitch pulled his feet up and sat up, making room on the couch beside him while Eddie was occupied.

As the elder brother emerged from the bathroom, Mitch's tail started wagging with a happy thump-thump-thump against the couch cushions as he flashed a perky grin to his brother. 

“Hey Eddie! I saved you a spot. Angry Beavers!” the puppy grinned, excited and eager to share some time with his bro. Eddie's tail wagged more slowly, but still wagged..

“Hey dude,” Eddie said, flopping onto the couch in the spot Mitch had saved for him, close enough to ruffle his little brother's headfur. “Sleep good?” Mitch laughed and leaned into the ruffling, before shouldering up against his brother's side and stretching comfortably, eager for the physical contact with his beloved elder bro, even something as simple as a shoulder-to-armpit snuggle on the couch. Mitch sighed comfortably, thinking on it.

“I kept having weird dreams,” he mumbled, looking down at his thighs, before he relaxed his nearer leg to let it touch Eddie's through his pajama pants. “Not bad, but…” the young husky fidgeted again and consciously resisted the urge to pull a couch pillow over himself to hide the growing erection in his underwear from his brother's view. Deep down, he wanted to get caught; he wanted Eddie to see how grown up he was getting. A dim and distant hope that just maybe his big brother would see him, finally, through the same lens Mitch looked up to Eddie through.

“But, weird?” Eddie asked after the hesitation, laughing, “What kinda' weird, dude?" Eddie was only half-interested in the cartoons as he chatted with his brother. A glance down his little brother's belly noticed the beginnings of a tent in the pup's underwear, and lingered there for a long few moments as both brothers feigned watching cartoons. One of those small pleasures of his brother still being too young to care about running around in his briefs; he was happy for what he got.

“L-like…horny weird,” Mitch mumbled. The husky puppy knew he wasn't telling the truth, really; he was groping blindly for any opening, and this was today's. He grinned sheepishly and rubbed his wrists as Eddie laughed and hugged his shoulders, ruffling the kid's head again a little more roughly.

“Hah! Awesome, dude. I hope they were really good ones,” the big brother play-growled to Mitch. "About anyone in particular or just kinda in general?" Eddie lounged back and kept an arm around his brother's shoulders, lazily scratching at the shirtless husky's chest as they hung out and watched TV.

“Y-yeah, uh,” Mitch croaked quietly, nerves welling in his belly. “Someone I like a lot,” he said, trying not to make too much of a show out of adjusting himself in his briefs as his growing erection probed behind the waistband. Eddie noticed, of course, but didn't bring it up.

“Well? Who is it? C'mon, man, don't leave me hanging," the husky jock laughed. Mitch's resolve crumbled under the interrogation.

“N-nobody, uh, it doesn't matter anyway,” he said abruptly, curling up a little beside his brother. “They like someone else and …and it's just a stupid crush,” Mitch mumbled after a bit, finally relenting to the urge to guard himself. He hugged his knees and rested his chin on his forearms. “It's stupid, I should just forget about it," he said, willing himself not to cry despite the tears welling up in his eyes.

“Oh, dude, that sucks. I've been there…don't worry, man. Shit'll work out one way or another,” Eddie reassured his little bro, smiling. “Besides, you're still a dork little kid, you probably wouldn't know what to do with her anyway,” the elder husky teased, headlocking Mitch and snuffing the pup's flash of indignation at the implication of being too inexperienced. The rough ruffling of his headfur made Mitch grin, before a kiss behind the ear made his heart swell with a fresh wash of endearment. “Yer a good dude though and any chick would be lucky to have ya'.” Mitch twisted away from his brother's headlock, finally laughing as he was let go as Eddie stood up. “What'cha want for breakfast, dude?”

“Uh,” Mitch said, still straightening his headfur out. “Peanut butter crunch?”

“Good choice, man. Be right back,” Eddie grinned, waiting until his brother's hair was mostly clawed into order before tousling it again as he headed to the kitchen.

 

---

 

Eddie leaned against the kitchen counter as he heard Mitch channel-surfing in the other room. He sighed and smiled, reflecting on his little brother's predicament. He guessed Mitch was starting puberty a little early, just like he did- and good for him. He was happy that his brother was getting crushes and starting to have more interesting dreams; it's a cool part of life, and another important life stage he could help guide his little bro through day by day. He loved that Mitch let him be that, even now that he's growing up.

Exactly how he would like to help guide his little brother, though, he could never admit. 

He'd sworn himself to secrecy ever since those days when he was around the same age as Mitch was now. Those late-night rides home in the back of the minivan. Sneaking into Mitch's room when he was a little pup, fast asleep at five years old. Eddie could still taste the young husky's immature cum, hear the sound of his feeble whimpers as Eddie touched him, or sucked him off in his sleep. It had only happened a dozen, maybe two dozen times before he nearly got caught in the act, and the fear of what would happen if his terrible secret were uncovered, getting caught doing something so taboo, combined with his own conscience finally got him to stop. Mitch deserved a cool childhood, not one where he was getting regularly molested by his brother. Mitch was a good kid and deserved to keep his innocence as long as it could last.

Though…it did seem that the innocence was starting to run out, if Mitch was starting to have the sorts of dreams he'd admitted to, this morning. Maybe, just maybe he could convince Mitch… As he caught himself in his plotting, a fresh and raw rush of guilt and fear and anger at himself welled up in Eddie's chest. 

What kind of sick fuck am I? 

That feeling, that desire, that need that ached in his chest never went away. His intense love for the young husky corrupted him utterly, a rotting pit of black desire hidden deep within his belly that twisted his confidence and pride and upstanding nature into plotting contemplation, a sickness from which he couldn't escape. 

He was broken. Unspeakable desires swum in his head, threatening to tear down every last visage of model citizenry Eddie exhibited. No matter how hard Eddie strove for normalcy, to be a regular kid with regular interests and a regular girlfriend and normal to a level that was beyond suspicion, that perversion haunted the shadows around every corner. It was a deep, dark secret that he would forever need to keep locked away lest its escape threaten every hope at a future he had, every hope for a future where he could still be there for his beloved little brother. Even still, he simply couldn't deny that he still wanted to bury his face in his little brother's lap, to make him whimper and squirm and whine the way he did back when he was a little pup.

The shame that accompanied it never went away, either. Every once in a while Eddie would think back to that time, and, like now, the guilt of what he'd done would rise and make him nearly sick. His intentions at the time were pure, or he'd convinced himself that they were; he just wanted to please his brother, wanted to make him feel good, wanted to be close in a special and intimate way. The beck and call of that deep need for intimacy with his beloved little brother is what drew him over the line, and what brought him to do such things. Eddie mentally kicked himself and shook his head. No, nobody caught him. Mitch slept through it every time, start to finish, and was none the wiser; he was sure of that. He had nothing to be guilty about. This was the secret he would take to the grave. His parents may have suspected something was up at some point, but never mentioned anything, and by now, it was just a distant memory. A ghost of his past, an inky cloud of fading regret that was steadily shrinking into unrecognizable shapes in the rear-view mirror of the family minivan.

He pulled down two of the deep cereal bowls, and poured them full to the brim with Peanut Butter Crunch, then topped them off with milk until the cereal floated and a few errant pieces fell onto the counter. He picked them up and ate them without hesitation, before fetching two spoons and carrying the bowls back to the living room, offering one out to Mitch who was eagerly sat on the edge of the couch and reaching for one as his tail wagged hard. Eddie smiled as he handed it over and settled carefully onto the couch beside his bro, hip-to-hip again, as Mitch dug into the cereal ravenously.

“So, what're we doing today?” Eddie wondered, “Aside from mowing the lawn at least,” he quickly added on, before taking a bit bite of cereal as well.

“Dunno. We could just hang out. You were going to show me that stupid baseball website you were talking about,” Mitch said between crunches of cereal.

“Huh? Baseball website..?” Eddie wondered briefly, before… “Oh, do you mean Homestar Runner?!" he asked, incredulously, to which Mitch nodded while chewing on a fresh bite of cereal. Eddie laughed, “Dude, that's not a baseball website, it's like…cartoons on the internet. Ugh, you're the nerdy one, you should be the one showing me cool stuff online!”

Mitch grimaced, “Dude, I've been grounded off the internet ever since mom saw that thing in the search history,” he pouted, “I didn't even search for it, it's so stupid.” Eddie had to laugh.

“I didn't either, dude; don't look at me like that. She just refuses to believe dad would search for ‘huge boobs naked in bed’," the elder husky brother laughed, and Mitch couldn't help but laugh too; the search term was just ridiculous enough that they both found it hilarious. “I still think the reason you got a PS2 for your birthday was because dad felt guilty for you taking the fall for that.” Mitch took a few moments to reply, as he was busy chugging down the milk from his cereal bowl, and soon Eddie was doing the same.

“Yeah, probably. Hey, we both won out on that deal though, right?” Mitch grinned, shuffling back in and snuggling his shoulder against the side of his brother's chest, as Eddie casually wrapped his arm around his little brother's shoulders again and smiled.

“Yeah, we sure did. You think dad washes his hand before he uses the mouse again after searching stuff like that?” Eddie wondered, to an exclamatory groan from Mitch as he imagined it.

“Dude! Don't put those thoughts in my head!” the younger husky laughed, before asking back, “Wait, does that mean that you do?” Eddie took his turn to laugh at that.

“Never once, dude. There's more of me on that mouse than there is mouse I think,” Eddie teased, headlocking his brother again and wrestling him down onto the living room floor, delivering a series of rough noogies to the pup. “Not like YOU do either though! Don't forget I've caught you like TWICE now,” he laughed, as the younger husky shouted and protested, pushing at his big brother and squirming at the suddenly aching erection in his underwear.

“Dude..! Let me go!” the younger husky laughed, struggling and kicking his legs, trying to pry his way free of his elder brother. Eddie was far too strong, though, and simply reached to grab and snap the elastic waistband of Mitch's underwear as he noticed the younger husky's tent, whistling.

“Don't think I don't see that, I think you secretly like it!" Eddie teased his brother, and Mitch whined out in protest again as the waistband snapped dully against his sheath, letting the protruding tip of his lip-sticking erection stand up in the bare air. He clapped both hands to his lap to hide himself and curled up, laughing even more despite the dread at being so nearly outed.

“Eddiiieeee! I can't help it!” Mitch whined, as the elder brother finally let him go and laughed. Mitch took the hand that was offered to him, and as he stood up with his brother's help, he kept guarding his tent with a hand, embarrassed only now that his brother had noticed. There was a clunk in the other room, that drew both brothers' attention; the sound of the screen room door closing.

“Boys? You better get started on the yard before it gets too hot out.” their mother called, as she refilled her coffee mug.

“Working on it, mom. Just trying to get Mitch to go put some clothes on,” Eddie called as he smirked, picking up a couch cushion and boffing his brother in the head with it, sending the pup running off down the hall to get dressed.

 

---

 

With the lawn mowed and trimmed, the huskies laid out in the shade of the garage, panting raggedly and willing their pulse to slow before heading in for their showers and air-conditioned refuge. As with most of their lawn-mowing days, the huskies' need for frequent breaks to cool off meant the labor was broken up by several minor water-gun skirmishes over the course of the morning. Mitch had freshly filled his Super Soaker with cold water from the spigot on the side of the house, using it as an impromptu, pressurized water bottle as he squirted drinks of water straight into his own mouth.

“I want to go back to Anchorage,” Mitch whined, “Summers here suck so bad.”

“We've been here for seven years and you've always been a crybaby about the heat,” Eddie laughed, nudging his brother's soggy side with an elbow. Mitch whined and turned the water gun on his brother, but Eddie didn't flinch, thankful for the blast of cold water through his fur.

“You're just saying that because you don't want to leave your stupid girlfriend behind,” Mitch goaded, with a fresh wash of ire at the mere idea of Kim. Eddie rolled his eyes.

“I still don't know why you hate her so much,” Eddie groaned. “Can't you just try to make friends? If you just gave her a chance…”

“I don't want to give her a chance,” Mitch sulked, “You barely know her. You've only gone to school with her for two years and now we only ever hang out on the weekend, and you guys are shut up in your room all week during summer break,” Mitch said, pouting. “You only like her because she lets you have sex with her,” the husky pup said before he realized what came out.

“How do you know what we're doing?” Eddie asked immediately. Mitch stammered.

“I-I mean, it's obvious, you guys disappear for hours and when you come out you both smell weird and are all giggly and stupid with each other,” Mitch frowned, dropping the water gun at his side. Eddie squinted over at Mitch.

“Are you jealous?” the elder husky teased. “Want me to see if she has a little cousin your age or something?” Mitch wasn't able to suppress the frustrated little whine that escaped him.

“No, you stupid idiot, I want y--" Mitch flustered, before continuing in a softer tone, “I…I want you.” Eddie was struck dumb for a few long moments. His panting even stopped as he looked over at his brother, who's furrowed-brow stare up into the garage rafters conveyed his frustration. Eddie frowned, but interpreted the wording as best as he could; as the young husky's desperation to spend more time with his brother. It was true, he'd been preoccupied with Kim for months.

“Aww, dude… I'm sorry,” Eddie said, sitting up and looking over to his brother. “I guess we really haven't hung out as much lately, have we?”

“We haven't. I miss you,” Mitch whined again, rubbing the back of his wrist as his eyes as tears welled up. “I…I wish…” Mitch trailed off, as his resolve yet-again faltered

“…Aw, man. I'm sorry little bro,” Eddie said, sitting cross-legged. “Can I make it up to you? Like, for real. I'll give you all day Tuesday and Thursday and Sunday, and Saturdays except for Saturday night date hours when we go out?” Mitch said in earnest; he really did want to do right by his little brother, and the split seemed fair to both.

“Okay, but we do whatever I want to do on Sundays,” Mitch bargained. Eddie laughed and spat into his palm, offering his hand out to his little brother.

“Deal,” the elder husky said. Mitch spat into his own palm and slapped it into Eddie's, and they shook on it with mutual grins. “You're going to make me regret that, aren't you?” Eddie teased, standing up and wiping his spitty paw on his work jeans.

“Nah, we're going to have fun!” Mitch said, his tail wagging happily behind him. Eddie laughed as he stretched his sore muscles.

“Yeah, that I don't doubt, dude, you always have good ideas," Eddie grinned as Mitch looked up at him from the ground.

“Hey, Eddie?” Mitch asked, fidgeting with his water gun. 

“Yeah, dude?”

“Does doing that stuff make you happy? With Kim, I mean,” Mitch continued, after taking just a moment to find the right wording. Eddie's expression changed, and the elder brother sat down in front of his little brother again, facing him with a more sincere look that bordered on anxiety; it was a delicate question.

“Yeah, dude. But like… she doesn't do it to make me happy. We do it because we like each other like that, and we want to make each other feel good,” Eddie said, picking his way along as carefully as he could. His eyes met Mitch's, and watched the younger puppy searching his expression. A hint of frustration, maybe even desperation flashed behind those big, soulful husky eyes that plead wordlessly with him. Eddie couldn't bear it, and looked away first. “Man, it's…it's just complicated, I don't know how to explain it. You'll understand someday soon, I bet."

“I hope I do,” Mitch said, looking down at his water gun as he pumped it once. “Hey,” the puppy said, smiling a little crookedly. “Remember when we used to take baths together, and we'd make bubble hats?” the younger husky grinned. Eddie laughed, he remembered it well, despite it being half his lifetime ago.

“Of course, dude," Eddie smiled back to his little brother. "Remember playing pirates too? Those were good times. Why do ya' bring it up?” Eddie wondered, though he had a sneaking suspicion.

“I don't know, man…I … I just miss being close, like that,” the younger husky's expression turned down again, and he turned the water gun over in his hands as he thought for a few moments. Eddie let him cook; he knew his little brother well enough to tell he hadn't finished his thought yet. After a few more moments, it came out. “…Just because we're both growing up, does that mean we have to grow apart too?” Eddie was caught off guard by that, and his eyes fixed on his little brother's, who were turned down toward his lap. Eddie lowered his head until he caught the pup's gaze and brought it back up to meet him.

“Hey, dude. What we've got is thicker than anything.” Eddie reached out and grabbed his little brother's shoulders, giving a reassuring squeeze before he cupped Mitch's cheeks in his hands and squished them, ruffling the pup's fur and smushing his face playfully. “It's gonna' change as we get older, yeah, but that doesn't mean we're just going to stop caring about one another, you know? I'm your big bro, I'm always gonna' be there for you, even while I'm living my own life, and you're living yours,” Eddie smiled, holding Mitch's head gently and scratching into the soft fur up behind the pup's ears for a few seconds. “We're gonna have so much more to share with each other someday. And it's going to be fucking awesome.” Mitch smiled at that, and leaned into the scratching appreciatively.

“Yeah, I know,” Mitch said quietly. “I,” he hesitated and reached up to grab his big brother's wrist and pull his hand down, where he held it between his own hands. Mitch looked up to Eddie, locking his gaze with his big brother's despite the tears that began welling in his eyes again. “I'm just not ready for it to change yet. I still need my Eddie, at least sometimes. Not Kim's Eddie, not High-School Eddie, not Football Eddie. Just for a little while longer? Long enough…long enough maybe that my Eddie can grow up with me?” Eddie's heart ached, but those words brought tears, and a strong pull of the hand that was clasped between Mitch's drew the smaller husky up to his knees and into a tight hug despite the heat and sweaty fur. Mitch embraced his elder brother, and Eddie sifted his fingers through the fur on the back of Mitch's head as he held him close for a lingering but ephemeral moment.

“Oh, man… Deal, dude,” Eddie said quietly, holding his brother as Mitch sniffled wetly and shut his eyes tight to try to bolster against the flow of tears that rolled down his cheeks. “Never gonna leave you all alone, little bro.” Mitch heaved another wet sniff and rubbed his cheek tight to his brother's sweaty shoulder.

“I love you, Eddie," Mitch squeaked out, trembling a moment against his brother. Eddie squeezed him harder and sniffed once, himself, as he uttered the sole lifelong truth he'd known up to that point.

“I love you too, little bro. Always will, way more than you can understand.”

 

-END-