Work Text:
If you bear a heavy load
I'll be your wheels, I'll be the road
I'll see us through the thick and thin
For love and loss until the end
2008
Hypermenestra was just about to turn off the computer and call it a night when the bell above the door jingled. She looked up, and frowned when she saw a young man walking up to the desk. The young man was holding a boy in his arms. The boy’s head was resting against the young man’s shoulder and it looked like he could barely keep his eyes open.
“Excuse me?” the young man started politely as he reached the front desk. “How much for a room for the night?”
“How old are you?” was the first thing that Hypermenestra said.
The young man swallowed. “18.”
“Got any ID to prove that?”
A silence followed. After a moment or two the young man smiled awkwardly and said: “Well, thanks anyway,” before turning to leave. As he did, Hypermenerta’s eyes met the little boy’s. Up close, his expression startled her. Or, the lack of any expression. His eyes were blank, swollen from crying, but held no emotion. He looked away before she did, burying his nose into the young man’s shoulder.
“Wait!” she said before she could bite her tongue. The young man turned around. “You are not old enough to be his father.”
“Oh. I’m not. He’s my little brother.”
Hypermenestra nodded slowly. “What’s your name?”
“Jo..”
“Your real name.”
This time, the silence lasted longer. Finally, the young man said: “Auguste.”
“And how old are you?”
“16.”
“16?”
“Yes.”
“Who are you running from?”
“I’m not…”
“Don’t lie to me or I’ll stop considering helping you.” Her threat was met with a step towards the door. “Is it your parents? Do they hurt you?”
Auguste blinked. He squeezed the boy in his arms a little tighter. “No.”
“Where are they then?”
“Dead.” It was the little boy who answered. His voice was high, like a child’s should be, but flat in a way that spoke of more than exhaustion. “They are dead, like my goldfish.”
“Laurent…”
“I’m hungry.”
A tear fell on Auguste’s cheek and he kissed the side of Laurent’s head. “I know. Me, too. Come on, let’s go find a McDonald’s.”
“You can stay.” She wasn’t sure what made her say it. Three seconds and they would have been out of the door and on their way to that McDonald’s. She’d never have to see them again.
Something told her, however, that she would not spend a day without thinking about them for the rest of her life if she allowed them to leave.
“I mean, not here,” she continued when Auguste’s eyes widened. “You’re a minor. But I live in a house across the street. We have a guest room.”
“We?” Auguste said cautiously.
“Me, my husband, and our… our son. Our oldest just left for college, but the younger one is about his age,” she said, nodding at Laurent’s.
Auguste still looked wary, but he seemed to have come to the conclusion that he didn’t have much choice. “Just…”
“Just…?” Hypermenestra prompted when Auguste didn’t continue.
“Just please don’t call the cops before I’ve explained.”
Hypemenetra blinked. She sensed that she had to choose her words carefully, or Auguste would bolt out of the door even with his limited options. “You promise that after a night of sleep and a good breakfast, you will explain?”
“Yes.”
“And if I want to call the cops then?”
“You won’t. But if you do, we’ll leave.”
“How far do you think you will get?”
Auguste looked determined as he said: “As far as we have to.”
From the way he was holding Laurent, Hypermenestra knew he was serious. “All right then. Let me just log out and then we can go.”
To say Theo was surprised when she came home with two boys in her wake would be an understatement.
“Uh… Honey?”
“This is Auguste,” Hypermenestra said, prompting Auguste to nod a greeting. “The little one is Laurent. They’ll be staying with us for the night.”
“They will?”
“Yes. Is Damen asleep?”
“I hope so.”
“We’ll be quiet then. Come on, now.”
She heard Auguste say ‘thank you’ to Theo before following her up the stairs and to the guest room. There was only one bed, but Hypermenestra was quite sure that wouldn’t bother the two boys.
“I’ll bring you something to sleep in,” she said and before Auguste could protest, left the room. As quietly as she could, she went through Damen’s t-shirts while the boy slept soundly. She picked one that he hadn’t used in a while and then went to pick whatever shirt Kastor had left behind. Auguste was still holding Laurent when she got back but was at least sitting down now.
“Here,” she said and put the shirts on the bed. “The bathroom is next door to the right. We have an ensuite, so don’t worry about disturbing us. I doubt you will but if you do wake up before we do, feel free to eat anything. I’ll ask Theo to man the front desk tomorrow so I’ll be here all day.”
“My car’s still in your hotel’s parking lot.”
“It’s sweet of you to call it a hotel,” Hypermenestra said. “That’s fine. We don’t charge for parking.” Auguste nodded. “Well. I’m sure you’re tired. I’ll let you…”
“I’m still hungry.”
“Hush, Laurent, we’re guests.”
“Do you like blueberry poptarts?” Hypermenestra asked.
“Yes.”
“Toasted?”
“Yes, please.”
“All right, I’ll be right back.”
Theo was still in the kitchen when Hypermenestra came to find the poptarts for Laurent. “Are you sure they won’t rob us?” he asked, half-serious.
“They don’t want the cops involved.”
“That’s not very reassuring.”
“It’s one night,” Hypermenestra said. “They need help.”
“Our help?”
“For now, yes. You’re opening the Inn tomorrow, by the way.”
By then, the poptarts were toasted, so she left the kitchen without giving her husband a chance to say anything.
“Will they come looking for us?”
Hypermenestra stopped a foot or two short of the door when she heard Laurent’s quiet, scared question.
“Even if they do, I’ll make sure they won’t find us,” Auguste promised him.
“But what did we do? Why do they want to hurt us? Why did they… why d-did they kill Mommy and D-daddy?”
“We didn’t do anything. Mommy and Daddy didn’t do anything. They’re just bad people and they want something that we have that they don’t.”
“What?”
“It doesn’t matter. They won’t catch us. I’m never going to let anything happen to you, okay? I swear, I will protect you.”
“I’ll protect you, too.”
Her heart thumping in her chest, Hypermenestra cleared her throat to let the boys know she was coming and walked back into the guestroom. “Here,” she said and put the poptarts on the bedside table. “There are glasses in the bathroom, the tap-water is safe to drink. Sleep as long as you like, take a shower in the morning if you want. Oh, and there are spare toothbrushes in the bathroom cabinet. You can use whichever are still in the package.”
“Thank you,” Auguste said.
“You’re welcome. I’ll leave you alone now. Sleep well.”
Before she left the room, she heard Laurent say: “You can have the other one.”
And that was the moment she knew these two boys would be in her life for a long time.
--
2020
“What is this?”
“It’s tea.”
“Tea?”
“It’s hot water that is flavored with different kinds of tea leaves or herbs and such.”
“I know what tea is, Nik. Why are you serving me tea? Where’s my coffee?”
Nikandros raised his eyebrows and turned to Laurent. “How many cups of coffee did he have before you left the house?”
Laurent didn’t even look up from the book he was reading as he said: “Three.”
“Laurent, we have talked about this!” Auguste exclaimed. “Always lie to Nik about how much coffee I’ve had.”
“Mmhm.”
“The next time you tell him the truth, I’m putting a ‘NO DAMEN’ sign on the door.”
Laurent didn’t look impressed but did he put his book down. “Oh, you have found my weakness. However will we find a place to make out when you’ve banned him from entering our house?”
“I raised you better than to be honest about coffee.”
“Just drink the tea,” Nikandros sighed. “Who knows, you might like it?”
Auguste looked at the cup as if the contents were poisoned. “I thought you loved me.”
“I do. Which is why I’m denying you coffee.”
“Oh, wow. That’s harsh,” came a voice from behind them.
“Yeah, do you want to die?” another one continued.
Laurent put his book away completely when his boyfriend appeared with their best friend in tow. Damen, still somewhat shy with his affections around Auguste, gave Laurent a kiss on the crown of his head while Nicaise slumped onto the chair next to him.
“Pancakes,” he ordered.
“Pancakes, what?” Nikandros replied.
“Pancakes now.”
“Nope. An omelet for you, Damen?”
“Yes, please.”
“See? That’s how it’s done,” Nikandros told Nicaise who replied with a frown. “An omelet coming right up.”
“Okay, all right! Fine. Pancakes, please,” Nicaise said when Nikandros started to leave.
“Very good. See, Auguste? You’re raising a liar, I’m raising a perfect little gentleman.”
“Go make those pancakes before I shove a pan up your ass.”
Auguste almost choked on his mouthful of tea and it had little to do with the taste. “Your perfect little gentleman is a little cranky when he’s hungry,” he coughed out. “Besides, evidently I have failed. He told you the truth, the traitor.” He took another sip and grimaced. “No, I can’t. Why doesn’t this town have a Starbucks?”
“It would go out of business in a month,” Damen said. “Even those who don’t come to Nik’s now would become regulars as a protest.”
“If Nik insists on not giving him coffee, Auguste would keep it running all by himself,” Nicaise commented.
“Auguste would find himself without one boyfriend if he ever set his foot in a place like that in this town.”
“I’m an addict. I might not care,” Auguste joked. “Go make those pancakes now before your little foster gentleman starves.”
“Listen to your boyfriend,” Nicaise said. “Off you go, shoo.”
“He feeds you, you know,” Damen said when Nikandros left to make the omelet and pancakes. “Maybe speak to him a little more politely?”
“Why? He’d know I was pretending,” Nicaise replied.
“Does anyone want to finish this?” Auguste said, pushing the cup away and ending the banter between Damen and Nicaise before it really got started.
“It’d be good for you,” Laurent said but took the cup anyway.
“You’re in on this with him, aren’t you?”
“Maybe, but if you want to know who gave us the idea, ask your boss.”
Auguste’s eyes widened. “Hype?”
“Really? Mom’s worse than him,” Damen said.
“‘Don’t let him become like me!’ I’m pretty sure those were her exact words.”
“She owes me for this,” Auguste mumbled. “Speaking of my boss, I gotta go to work. Are you two coming over for dinner tonight?” he asked Damen and Nicaise.
“I’m not. I have a WoW tournament,” Nicaise said.
“You have homework,” Laurent said.
“I have priorities.”
“Are you coming over, Damen?” Auguste asked before Laurent could retort.
“If it’s okay.”
“It’s always okay, Damen, you know that,” Auguste chuckled. “And tomorrow? Pizza Friday?”
“Actually, Mom told me to invite you all over tomorrow,” Damen answered. “Kastor’s home for the weekend.”
“Tell her to hide the good silver,” Laurent said.
“Hey, we do not know it was him!”
“Sure, honey.”
“You know, you only call him ‘honey’ when you think he’s being an idiot,” Nicaise commented. “Ouch! What? It’s true!”
“All right, you three, finish your breakfast and go to school,” Auguste said. “Tell Nik dinner will be on the table at 7.”
“Will do,” Damen promised.
“Have a good day at work,” Laurent said right before Auguste stepped out of the diner and Auguste gave him a wave as a thank you.
The little town was as busy as it would get at 8.30 in the morning and yet Auguste could cross the street after barely a glance for any cars. Almost everyone smiled or nodded at him as he made his way through the town to the Akileon Inn where he had worked for the last 10 years.
“You told Laurent I drink too much coffee?” was his greeting when he saw Hypermenestra at the front desk.
“You’ll thank me when you’re 40.”
“I was denied my 4th cup this morning. I’ll be an absolute bitch, and it’s all your fault.”
“As long as you smile at the guests, you can bitch at me. It’s a price I’m willing to pay. Now go put on your blazer, the wedding party will arrive at any minute.”
Auguste snuck himself a fourth cup of coffee from the Inn’s breakfast buffet before joining Hypermenestra at the reception just in time to greet the bride and groom they were hosting for the weekend.
“It’s such a beautiful town!” the bride sighed as Auguste guided them through the grounds. “And so quiet. I bet it’s safe.”
“Very safe,” Auguste confirmed.
“Have you lived here your whole life?” the groom asked.
“Most people have. I moved here when I was 16.”
“Your parents got tired of city life?” the bride guessed.
His smile never wavering, Auguste said: “Something like that.”
“If we ever get tired of New York, we’ll certainly have to consider moving here. It’ll be nice not to hear sirens for a few days,” the bride smiled. “Oh, my gosh! Honey, look! It’s Bambi!”
Auguste left the happy couple to fawn over the deer and it’s ‘Bambi’ (after warning them to keep quiet and not get too close) and decided he wouldn’t let their innocent question ruin his day now that he had had his mandatory 4 cups of coffee. He thought about his parents less and less as time went by, even though he did try not to settle into a false sense of security. The most dramatic thing to ever happen in the beautiful, quiet, safe town he lived in was the appearance of two underage orphans who ended up staying, but that didn’t mean the town was isolated from the rest of the world.
12 years, Auguste reminded himself before his thoughts took a darker turn. They had been safe for 12 years and they only had 4 to go before they could breathe with ease.
“4 more years,” he mumbled under his breath as he stepped back inside the Inn.
--
2008
When Hypermenestra woke up the next morning, the first thing she did was check on her guests. It was only 6:30 in the morning, so she was surprised and a little alarmed when she found the room empty and the bed neatly made. She sighed quietly in relief when she saw a pile of folded clothes on the armchair in the corner and continued downstairs where she found her husband cooking breakfast.
“They’re in the living room with Damen,” Theo said before Hypermenestra even asked. “I think Damen might be in love.”
Hypemenestra raised her eyebrows at Theo’s amused tone. She stepped out of the kitchen into the living room to find Auguste sitting crossed legged on the couch with a cup of coffee in his hands, silently watching his brother and Damen. The six-year-old had brought down all of his favorite toys and was enthusiastically introducing each of them to Laurent. Hypemenestra understood Theo’s comment about Damen being in love when he saw Laurent hugging Nik the Teddy to his chest. The bear had been given to Damen by his favorite babysitter and probably his favorite person in the world Nikandros and it was easily the most loved of all of his toys - he didn’t let anyone touch it.
Auguste blinked when Hypermenestra said “Good morning.”
“Oh. Good morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
Auguste shrugged. Judged by his glassy eyes and the dark circles under his eyes, he had barely slept at all.
“Are you ready to tell me what happened?”
“It’s not a story for children.”
“Damen, honey?”
Damen was just showing Laurent how his toy plane could make loops in the air. “What?”
“Would you like to watch a movie while you eat breakfast?”
Damen’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“It’s a special occasion. You’ve made a new friend, haven’t you?”
“Oh! Oh yes. This is Laurent. He’s my best friend now.”
“That’s very nice. Now, go get your plates and pick a movie. Nothing too exciting, though, okay?”
With the little ones happily munching on their French toasts and the Care Bear movie playing on TV, Hypermenestra and Theo sat down to hear Auguste’s story.
“We live - lived - in Marlas.”
Hypermenestra couldn’t quite stop herself from wincing. “Oh, honey…”
“Yeah” Auguste cut her off. “I don’t know what you’ve heard but I assure you that it’s worse. My parents are quite high profile, they…” He paused and his hand formed a fist on the table. Hypermenestra saw how his shoulders tensed and had to fight the urge to go hug him. Her husband must have noticed because he put his hand on her knee. “Were. They were high profile.”
“Who killed them?” Theo asked. He had never been the most subtle one.
“Our uncle. My dad’s brother,” Auguste replied. “He wasn’t the one pulling the trigger but he did order it.”
“Why?”
“He wants their company. He was a partner until a few years ago until my dad found out about his less than honorable side businesses. He forced my uncle out but in order to avoid a scandal, did it quietly and kept him in his will. If something were to happen to him or our mother, my uncle would hold the company until I turn 21, which is when I get my half of the company and my share of the inheritance. When Laurent turns 21, he gets his.”
“So your uncle is after you now?”
“Yes. He can’t just declare us dead, because the will also states that if all four of us die before Laurent and I are 21, the company is to be divided between the board members my parents trusted the most. My uncle would get nothing. He needs us to hand the company over to him. It has to be done in person, with witnesses, to avoid him forging our signatures.”
“Why can’t you go to the police?” Theomedes asked.
“By now, he’s destroyed any evidence. Also, I have no idea who he has in his payroll. I just… I can’t… I can’t risk it. Laurent’s only 5, he…” Auguste took a breath to steady himself. “I have to protect him. When he gets his half of the company and the inheritance, our uncle doesn’t have any cause to harm us anymore.”
“You plan to hide for 16 years and hope he doesn’t come after you when you finally do appear because you know he killed his parents?” Theo asked.
“He’s smart. Killing us isn’t smart, especially when he has nothing to gain from it.”
“And why can’t you just hand the company over to him?”
“Because I know what he’d do with it. I can’t let that happen. Besides, he might… He might take Laurent away from me. I’m 16, so that makes him Laurent’s only adult relative. He’s not a good man. He prefers…” Auguste paused when his voice broke. The two adults waited for a moment for him to collect his thoughts. “As I said, I can’t risk it.”
Hypermenestra nodded. She knew that she should be more conflicted, that she shouldn’t trust so blindly, but she wasn’t and she did. She glanced at her husband who was looking at Auguste with a calculating expression on his face. He must have felt his wife looking at him because he turned and ever-so-slightly nodded his head.
“Right then,” Hypermenestra said. “You can stay in Kastor’s room for now while I think of a more permanent solution. No, no, don’t worry, I’ll let him know he has to tell us before he visits so we’ll have plenty of time to find room for everyone. Also, I will talk with the principal of Damen’s school about how we will be able to enroll Laurent. Yes, he has to attend school, that way it’s easier to convince everyone that you’re our distant relatives or something,” she explained when Auguste looked slightly alarmed. “You two will be fine. I promise.”
And so, three weeks after appearing in the Inn’s lobby, Auguste and Laurent were still in Starles Hollow. Laurent had been enrolled in Damen's class under a fake name while Hypermenestra had convinced Nik to hire Auguste ‘so that he can gather some customer service experience in case he wants to work at the Inn when he’s 18’. Auguste had been grateful that Nik didn’t ask too many questions apart from ‘who is he?’, to which Hypermenestra had simply answered: ‘He’ll tell you when he trusts you’.
It wasn’t until a month later that Auguste truly realized that they were apparently staying in Starles Hollow. He was serving coffee to an elderly lady when he spotted Hypermenestra with Damen and Laurent waiting to cross the street. Both Damen and Laurent were dressed in their school’s uniform and it looked like they were both telling Hype about their day.
They came in with the jingle of the bell and Laurent immediately ran to hug Auguste around the waist.
“The teacher’s going to let me take care of the class hamster next week!” he declared. “I’ll have it for 8 weeks!”
“8 weeks?” Auguste repeated. He glanced at Hypermenestra who gave him an encouraging nod and a small smile. “That’s… That’s great. What is its name?”
So they stayed. After all, he could not deny Laurent the chance to take care of Mr. Dandelion.
--
A smile spread on Laurent’s face when he felt a gentle hand on the back of his neck. He put down his book and closed his eyes when Damen’s fingers started to slowly massage his muscles.
“What’s that?” Damen asked with a kiss on Laurent’s cheek.
“Sheet music for Schindler’s List,” Laurent replied with a small sigh.
“What?”
“I love the soundtrack of Schindler’s list, I’m just wondering if it’s too… you know? Popular. What if 70 other people play the theme, too?”
“Hmm.”
“Have you thought of what you’ll play as your audition piece?”
“We don’t know if we’ll get to audition yet.”
“Damen! That’s so not the point!”
Damen chuckled. “I have given it some thought.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re thinking about playing ‘He’s a Pirate’.”
“What’s wrong with Pirates of the Caribbean?”
“The last two sequels.”
“The music’s still good.”
“Eh.”
“Hey,” Damen said with a smile. “How about you put that down now and come join me for lunch? It’s Tortilla Thursday.”
“Or we could skip lunch and go under the bleachers,” Laurent suggested. Damen’s stomach gave a loud groan that made Laurent laugh. “Or we could go eat.”
“Thank you. And hey, you will stand out whatever you play. Don’t you worry about that.”
Laurent turned enough to give Damen a small kiss on the lips. “So will you. Even if you play ‘He’s a Pirate’.”
“I was actually leaning more towards Star Wa… I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” Damen laughed when Laurent hit him with the book of sheet music. “Oh, Mom texted me to ask you if you have any fairy lights at home. They need them at the Inn.”
“I have a rather extensive Christmas decoration collection that I suppose they can borrow,” Laurent said. “Now, however, you promised me tortillas.”
A few hours later the two walked into the Inn with Damen carrying a box of different colored lights. Lazar, who was already busy with a ball of twisted fairy lights, only acknowledged them by calling: “Auguste! Mini-you is here!” before returning to his colorful French cursing.
“I’m hardly ‘mini’ anymore,” Laurent complained when Auguste emerged from the backroom. “Why did we need to bring you lights if you already have them?”
“The bride made a last-minute decision about decorations and they involved a lot of fairy lights. Do you have any idea which of these work?” he asked as he peeked into the box.
“No clue whatsoever.”
“Awesome. Well, I’m done for the day, I’ll walk home with you. Have fun, Lazar!”
“You can’t leave me with these!” Lazar exclaimed. “I will drown in the cord!”
“I shall mourn your passing,” Auguste said but left with Damen and Laurent anyway. “I have to make sure to remember not to let him bring me coffee for the next week.”
“I’m guessing Mom found it impossible to deny the bride her sudden vision of fairy lights?” Damen said.
“That woman will go through every house and store in this town to find the bride as many lights she needs, correct. I offered to help her but she forced Theo to go with her instead. She doesn’t have to pay him.”
“She has to learn to say no,” Laurent said. “If the bride wanted lights, she should have told you that weeks in advance, not two days before the wedding!”
“Ah, well. The price tag on those lights is well worth the work,” Auguste said with a wink. “So what are we eating today, any suggestions?”
After a brief discussion about their options, the three of them settled on Swedish meatballs. As Auguste busied himself in the kitchen, Laurent quietly pulled Damen with him upstairs to his room. He squealed a little when Damen pinched his ass lightly and tackled his boyfriend to the bed as a punishment. Damen merely laughed and pulled Laurent on top of him, hands already tugging the hem of his shirt for better access to naked skin. Damen’s hands felt as wonderful on his back as they had on his neck and Laurent sighed contentedly as he leaned down to kiss Damen full on the mouth.
“I swear I will never grow tired of his,” Damen said as they pulled apart for air. Laurent moved so that his elbows were resting on Damen’s chest and his chin was leaning on his arms.
“No? Never?”
“Nope,” Damen said, popping the p. “Not even when we’re 45. Or 75.”
Laurent tilted his head. “You think that far ahead?”
“Don’t you?”
“Sometimes,” Laurent shrugged. “But they are more like musings. I don’t have any concrete plans except… You know. Music. And maybe… you?”
Damen smiled. “You’re definitely in my concrete plans of the future.”
“Yeah? What else do you have planned?”
“A dog.”
“...right.”
“Or a cat! Something with fur.”
“Mmhm.”
“Lots of traveling.”
“That would be nice,” Laurent said.
“As soon as you can get a passport, we should travel around the world!”
Laurent felt his gut twist nastily. “You - you could travel whenever you want. You should. I don’t want you to think you can’t do things because I can’t.”
Damen kissed Laurent on the nose. “I’m perfectly happy to wait. I don’t like planes anyway.”
“What are you talking about, you’ve never been on a plane.”
“It’s not natural. It should not stay in the air.”
“Are you saying this to make me feel better?”
“Laurent, we’ll have plenty of time to travel, okay? Please don’t think I’m missing out on anything by waiting for you. How could I possibly enjoy Paris without you showing me what I really need to see instead of just touring the tourist traps?”
“I just… I feel guilty, sometimes.”
“I know. But you don’t have to. None of it is your fault.”
“Hmm.”
“Hey? Play for me?”
“You just want to hear the Mario theme with the violin again,” Laurent huffed.
“Maybe but when you play, you don’t let yourself think about anything else. I know it will distract you from these less than pleasant thoughts of yours,” Damen said and tapped Laurent’s forehead with his finger.
“I can think of something else that is quite distracting, too.”
“...really? With Auguste downstairs?”
“Ew, no! Let’s keep it middle school, you brute.”
“Middle school, huh?” Damen said. “I can do that.”
By the time Nik came to fetch them for dinner, they may have forgotten there were other people in the house.
--
2009
“...guste. Auguste!”
Auguste blinked. “Huh?”
“You’re sick.”
Auguste frowned at Nikandros’s blunt tone. “I’m fine,” he insisted. The next second, he was coughing into his sleeve. “What are you doing?” he asked when suddenly Nikandros was feeling his forehead. <
“You have a fever.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Auguste.”
“I have work to do.”
“No. You need to go to bed. You caught the bug Laurent had last week.”
“No. No. I promised - I promised Laurent…”
“What?” Nikandros asked when Auguste paused.
He was crying for Mom,” Auguste gasped out. “When he was sick, he was crying for Mom, and oh God, I wanted her there, too. She - She always took us out for ice cream, once we got better. I promised Laurent I’d take him today.”
“He’ll understand. You’ll go when you’re both better,” Nikandros said gently.
Auguste shook his head. “I promised him!”
" And you’re sick. You’re going to bed. Come on, before we open. I don’t want you anywhere near food products.”
Auguste just let Nikandros lead him upstairs to the apartment Nikandros had above the diner. He was already half asleep when Nikandros helped him onto the bed.
“
The morning rush…”
“I can handle it,” Nikandros cut him off. “You sleep.”
"I love you,” Auguste breathed out, burying his face into Nikandros’ pillow. He didn’t see the way Nikandros paused on his way out of the room. Nor did he hear the quiet: “Yeah. Me, too.”
Auguste slept for an undetermined amount of hours before waking up with a jerk. He groaned, feeling a little less hazy than in the morning but still like crap. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and let out a litany of ‘oh shit shit shit shit’ when he saw the time.
He stumbled down the stairs to the diner and was almost out of the door when he heard: “Are you feeling better?”
He turned to see Nikandros in the corner of the diner with Laurent happily coloring a picture of a whale. Damen was there, too, his head tilted a bit as he concentrated to stay inside the lines of his own picture.
“
You - you picked him up?” Auguste said.
“Yeah. Figured you could use as much sleep as possible,” Nikandros replied.
“How did you know when to go?”
Nikandros rolled his eyes. “One - you’re always here at 2:30 with him. Two - he goes to the same school as Damen. I called Hype.”
“...right.”
“Look, Auguste!” Laurent said then, holding up his whale. “I made it for you!”
Despite the way he felt physically, Auguste couldn’t help but smile at the purple whale and the big, wobbly letters that wished for Auguste to ‘GET WELL SOON’. “It’s lovely, Laurent,” Auguste said as he sat down with a kiss on Laurent’s forehead. “Thank you.”
“When we go for ice cream, can Damen come, too?” Laurent asked.
Auguste coughed into his fist. “Yeah, of course.”
"Remember what we talked about, though, Laurent?” Nikandros said.
“Auguste has to be healthy before we go,” Laurent answered, nodding seriously. “He says you need lots of sleep and orange juice.”
“Yeah. I probably do.”
“Do you feel yucky? I felt really yucky when I was sick,” Laurent said.
“Yeah, buddy. I feel pretty yucky.” Laurent pouted. “Don’t worry. I’ll get better, just like you did,” Auguste promised him.
“Especially because Laurent will stay with Hype and Theo while you get better,” Nikandros added. “You’ll stay here with me.”
It took a moment for Auguste to comprehend that. “Wait - what?”
"You will stay here with me until you get better and Laurent will stay with Hype and Theo,” Nikandros repeated.
Auguste swallowed. Laurent didn’t seem disturbed by the news. In fact, he and Damen were already making plans for their extended sleepover. It would be the first time Auguste and Laurent spent the night apart since coming to Starles Hollow, and it was clear Auguste was more nervous about it than his younger brother.
“I’m gonna make you sick,” Auguste finally said, looking at Nikandros.
“Well, then you take care of the morning rush alone,” Nikandros said. “Don’t worry, my immune system is rock solid.”
“Uh-huh.”
Auguste’s attention was turned to Laurent when his little brother gave out a gasp. Damen was presenting Laurent with his own colorful masterpiece where he had written ‘For Laurent’ in equally colorful letters. "It’s adequate!” Laurent said with an awestruck tone that did not match the not-so-very flattering word. Damen, however, seemed delighted and it was quite clear that the two boys had just learned the word and did not really know what it meant. “It needs to go on the fridge!” Laurent said.
“Damen made it for you, though,” Auguste pointed out. “How about we put it above your bed?”
Laurent’s eyes widened. “Yes!”
“Really?” Damen asked, looking like Laurent had personally made Christmas come early.
"20 bucks says those two get married,” Nikandros said quietly as the two boys discussed where exactly they would put Damen’s picture.
Auguste chuckled. “Thank you, by the way.”
“For what?”
“For making me rest. And picking up Laurent. And… for letting me stay with you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s so not nothing, Nik. Thank you. I’m still… So new to this,” Auguste sighed.
“You’re doing great, you know,” Nikandros said.
“I doubt it.”
"Laurent is a happy kid. Despite… everything.”
“God, I hope so,” Auguste said and ran his hand through Laurent’s hair. Laurent shot him a quick, gap-toothed smile before turning his full attention back to Damen. “What if I mess this up?”
“You love him too much to mess it up,” Nikandros said. “And you have all of us to help you, okay? As they say, it takes a village, right? You literally have a village.”
“Yeah…”
“Speaking of it taking a village… You know Nicaise? He hangs out with Laurent and Damen sometimes.”
“Sure. Why?”
“I saw his mother today when I picked up Laurent and Damen. I… I think she was high.”
“...on?”
“Something less fluffy than love and stronger than plain old MJ.”
“Shit. That’s…”
“Auguste! We have to frame it!” Laurent proclaimed then and the next 15 minutes were spent trying to decide which color went best with red and green.
A week later, Auguste was well enough to take Laurent and Damen for ice cream. Nikandros joined them, as well as Nicaise, who ordered a whole banana split for himself. No one complained.
--
“Is it bad that I’ve grown used to not having him around?”
Laurent huffed as he pushed his locker closed and started to walk towards the exit of the school. “He’s never around. So, no.”
Damen shrugged. “Sure, I guess. But shouldn’t I be a little more excited that he’s coming to visit? I’m mostly annoyed that I won’t be able to spend the whole weekend with you.”
“Hey,” Laurent said, pulling Damen to stop. “I know he’s your brother and you love him and in some ways, you still look up to him but… Damen, he’s not exactly the best brother in the world. Not the worst, either, sure, and I know you have fond memories but it’s okay to resent him. Okay? You don’t have to be such a saint all the time, even when it’s family. You are allowed to be angry.”
“I don’t want to be, though. He’s only here for the weekend, I’d like it to be… nice.”
“I understand. I promise I will hold back my snide comments and be on my best behavior so that dinner will not be any more uncomfortable for you than it already is.”
“Thank you. You’re the best boyfriend ever,” Damen declared with a quick kiss on Laurent’s lips. “So, are we going to the library again before dinner?” he asked when they stepped out.
“Actually, it looks like the devil appeared when he was spoken of,” Laurent said. When Damen frowned, he nodded towards the parking lot. Indeed, Kastor was there, leaning on a shining, new car and waving at the two of them. Damen blinked and waved back, clearly stunned. “Apparently he’s trying to score good big brother points.”
“Yeah…”
“Hey, buddy! Good to see you!” Kastor said with a huge smile and gave Damen a one-armed hug when Damen and Laurent reached the car. “Laurent,” he acknowledged with a nod, to which Laurent replied: ‘Kastor’ with the same cool tone. “Mom wanted to get to know my girlfriend without me around so I figured the two of us could go for a beer before dinner.”
“I’m 18.”
“So we’ll get you a coke in a pint,” Kastor laughed. “You can come, too, of course,” he added to Laurent. It almost sounded genuine and Laurent forced his smile to be friendly.
“Nah, you two have lots of catching up to do. I’ll see you at dinner.”
He gave Damen a kiss on the cheek and managed to keep the smile on his face until Kastor’s car turned left from the parking lot. Only then did he let it drop and his posture to relax.
“Ugh. I really don’t like him,” he heard from behind him and turned slightly to see Nicaise had joined him.
“Me, neither. But I promised to be nice.”
“I have made no such promises.”
“I will stab you with a fork if you make Damen feel bad today.”
“Violence is never a solution.”
“Shut up. Come on, let’s go ruin our appetite at Nik’s. Didn’t you need help with your French?”
Neither one took notice of the black car on the side of the road.
--
2010
“Well. That’s it then. My last shift here has ended,” Auguste said as he turned the sign on the diner’s door to say ‘CLOSED’. “Feels… odd.”
“It does,” Nikandros agreed. “I’ll miss you.”
“What is this? Are you getting emotional? You?”
“Shut up,” Nikandros gruffed as he wiped the counter clean for the tenth time. Auguste took a seat on one of the barstools and leaned on his elbows.
“I’ll be here as a customer at least once a day.”
“Yeah, I know. And I know you’ll love working at the Inn,” Nik said.
“I’ve loved working here,” Auguste said.
“There’ll be less dishwashing at the Inn.”
“That is a bonus, I’ll admit that,” Auguste said. “But the coffee won’t be as good. And uh… You won’t be there.”
Nikandros threw the rag into the sink behind him. “I’m sure Hype will be a less grumpy boss.”
“I like you grumpy,” Auguste smiled. Nikandros’ mouth twitched and there might have been a slight blush on his face. For one - hopeful…? - moment Auguste thought Nikandros was glancing at his lips. He blinked, and Nikandros was definitely looking at him in the eye again. “I have to go pick up Laurent from his violin lesson,” Auguste said to break the stretched silence. His voice was just above a whisper.
“Yeah. Yeah… He uh… He’s still at it, then?” Nikandros asked, clearing his throat.
“Oh yes. He loves it. He’s already moved on from kid’s songs to less annoying things. Yesterday I actually didn’t have to pretend I liked hearing him play for two hours straight.”
Nikandros laughed. “Maybe he and Damen can give us a concert sometime.”
“I’m sure one day they’ll be the greatest violinist and cellist there ever were. For now, however, don’t give them any ideas.”
“Sure, yeah. Uh… You need to go. You don’t want to make Laurent wait.”
Auguste nodded. He hopped off the chair but did not make a move to leave yet. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For letting me work here. And for listening. And for letting me work here after listening. Not many people would have.”
Now there was definitely a blush on Nikandros’ face. Auguste’s heart jumped at the thought of being the cause. “Anyone in this town would have let you work for them.”
“But I didn’t work for anyone. I worked for you. So… Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Considering that they’d see each other the very next day, Auguste felt oddly sad as he took a step towards the door. “I’ll see you in the morning. Make sure you don’t give anyone my favorite cup.”
“Sure.”
“It’ll be weird to pay for coffee but…”
“You won’t.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t pay for coffee here. Or for anything. Not ever.”
“Nik…”
“Go before you really are late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Slowly, Auguste made his way to the door. With his hand on the handle, he gave Nikandros a little wave, said ‘thank you’ once more, and then finally stepped outside.
He quickly walked around the corner where Nikandros couldn’t see him and leaned against the cool, tile wall. He put his hands on his face and groaned, releasing a bundle of unresolved feelings into the air. He gave himself a moment to calm down before half jogging to pick up Laurent, who was already waiting on the porch of his violin teacher. Auguste was surprised to see Damen there, too, with his cello case that was almost as big as the boy himself. Auguste frowned when he saw that Damen’s eyes and the tip of his nose were a little red.
“Can we take Damen home, too?” was Laurent’s greeting. “Kastor was supposed to pick him up but forgot.” The tone of Laurent’s voice spoke of deep disapproval and anger on behalf of his best friend. Damen sniffed next to him and wiped his nose on his sleeve.
“Yeah, of course,” Auguste said. “Come on, buddy. I’ll carry your case for you.”
The two little boys held hands as they walked a couple of steps ahead of Auguste, who let himself get lost in thought.
He had known for a while that he had a major crush on Nikandros. He had pushed away any hope that Nikandros would feel the same way but lately, he had started to take notice of the way Nikandros sometimes looked at him, how his touch sometimes lingered, how his smiles were a little warmer. It was probably his own feelings giving more meaning to things that had no meaning at all, but that hope Auguste had pushed aside was starting to raise its head again and Auguste wasn’t sure he wanted to ignore it anymore.
“You still have your apron on,” Laurent said when they were halfway home and it was only then that Auguste realized that he indeed still did have it on.
He ‘forgot’ to return it in the morning. Nikandros never asked for it.
--
“This is a nice car,” Damen observed as Kastor drove them to one of the only pubs in town.
“Perks of the job,” Kastor said. He lifted a to-go cup from the cup holder and held up the logo for Damen to see.
“DeVere Hotels?”
“Yup.”
“Mom will be heartbroken to hear you work for a hotel chain.” Damen meant it as a joke but he noticed Kastor’s hold on the steering wheel tightened slightly.
“Mom will be happy to hear I work directly under the CEO. Hence, the car,” Kastor replied and Damen could hear his voice was a little tense. “You understand, right? You want to go to school in New York, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah. But Starles Hollow is still home. We’ll want to come back as often as possible.”
“‘We’?”
“Me and Laurent.”
“Right. Yeah.”
Damen frowned. “What?”
“Oh, come on, Damen, he’s your high school sweetheart. You don’t honestly think you’ll be together forever, do you?”
“Of course I do! I love him.”
“I don’t doubt that but you have not yet experienced the great big world and what it has to offer.”
Damen crossed his arms across his chest. “Can we just go home?”
“Hey, don’t be upset!” Kastor said and patted Damen on the knee. “I’m just telling you to keep an open mind. Don’t go writing your wedding vows just yet.” Damen merely grunted but Kastor seemed to take that as a sign of agreement.
“Hey, does Dad still turn a blind eye to the MJ plants Pallas grows?”
Damen didn’t answer and quietly decided that he didn’t care about the weekend being nice anymore if Kastor made any more unwelcome comments on his and Laurent’s relationship.
--
2012
“I have a house.”
“What do you mean?”
Auguste sat down on one of the barstools. “Coffee?”
“It’s 7 PM.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Ugh. Fine.”
“How about some hot chocolate?”
“Eh.”
“You know you are addicted to caffeine, right?” Nikandros said as he handed Auguste a glass of water.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Where’s Laurent? And what do you mean you have a house?”
“Theo took Damen, Laurent, and Nicaise to see the new Disney film,” Auguste said. “And, uh… Hype said we could live in her mother’s old house. No one’s using it and it could use some renovating. She said I can buy it when I have my money if I want.”
“Wow. That’s very generous of her.”
“Too generous, I told her. I said I’d pay her rent. She said it doesn’t make sense since she’s already paying my salary. So I told her to pay me less.”
“She won’t.”
“I know.” Auguste sighed. “Can I really accept it? She’s already done so much for us.”
“Sure you can! She’s not the type to offer something like that if she didn’t really want to.”
“But shouldn’t she offer it to Kastor or something? Or save it for Damen? Or sell it now and use the money to… I don’t know. Get new curtains for the Inn?”
Nikandros put down the plate he had been wiping and reached across the counter to squeeze Auguste’s shoulder. “Hype is a grown woman, Auguste. I’m sure she’s thought this through. Her mother died seven years ago if she needed the money she would have sold the house by now.”
“I guess,” Auguste said with a shrug. “I know nothing about renovating, though. Do I hire someone? Do I have the money to hire someone? I’m not making her pay for it, that’s for sure.”
“I’ll help you,” Nik promised.
“You will?”
“I renovated this diner, didn’t I?”
“Well, yeah. But we’re talking about a two-story house, Nik. It’s a bit different than renovating a diner the size of a big living room.”
“Maybe, but I’m sure Jord and Berenger will be more than happy to help, too.”
“I’m starting to feel like a charity case.”
“Hey. None of that. You’re our friend.”
“Well… Thank you. I… I guess we’re renovating a house.”
Nikandros smiled. “I guess we are.”
“I’m never renovating a house again.” Auguste fell face first onto the couch, a hammer still in his hand. “I don’t ever want to see another nail.”
“You still haven’t put up the Moon lamp on my wall!” Laurent said.
Auguste held out the hammer without turning his head. “You’re 9. Go do it yourself.”
“I’m 9.”
“I already said that.”
“I’ll put a hole through the wall.”
“Be very careful.”
“I’ll hurt myself.”
“As I said, be careful.”
“You’re mean.”
“And you’re a pain. I’ve hammered enough. I’m hammered out. If I see another nail I might scream.”
Nikandros chuckled. “Come show me where you want it, buddy. I’ll do it.”
“He needs to learn basic life skills!” Auguste said, his voice muffled by a couch pillow.
“You need to stop whining, we have a house!” Laurent snapped. Auguste responded by letting out a dragged out groan which caused Laurent to roll his eyes.
When Nikandros and Laurent still had not come back down 20 minutes later, Auguste reluctantly got up to make sure Laurent hadn’t tricked Nikandros into cleaning his room or doing his homework. What he found was the two of them sitting on Laurent’s bed with Laurent’s head resting on Nikandros’s shoulder as Nikandros read The Hobbit out loud. The Moon lamp was hanging right above them.
Auguste felt bad for interrupting the moment, but Laurent could barely keep his eyes open.
“Laurent? Come brush your teeth before you fall asleep.”
“I’m not tired.”
“Mmhm.”
“We’re reading the part with the trolls.”
“You can finish after you’ve brushed your teeth.”
Laurent sighed dramatically but obeyed without further arguing.
“Take a quick shower, too.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“He’s read that thing like 6 times,” Auguste said when he heard the water turn on in the bathroom.
“He told me,” Nikandros yawned. “He made me read it when he heard that I never have.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I don’t mind. Although I liked Matilda better.”
Auguste raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You’ve read together before?”
“Yeah, when I’m babysitting. It’s a bit daunting sometimes, though, he once asked me about Medieval witch hunts and…”
“I love you.”
Nikandros blinked. ”What?”
”I love you,” Auguste repeated. He wasn’t sure why he was confessing his feelings now, but he had never been more sure of them. His heart was beating so fast it was almost painful. “I’ve loved you… God. I don’t even know. Probably ever since we met. And I know you probably don’t feel the same, I mean… why would you? I’m on the run from my murderous uncle, I have Laurent, I’m addicted to coffee, I have no real education, I can’t even…”
“Sweet Jesus, you really need to stop talking.”
And then Nikandros was kissing him. Not sweetly or softly but hard and fast as if he had been holding back for quite some time. Auguste moaned into the kiss and let his arms circle around Nikandros’ shoulders.
“Of course I love you, too, you oblivious dummy,” Nikandros mumbled when they pulled apart to breathe. “Hype’s been on me to tell you for years.”
“But what about…?”
“I don’t care about your uncle. And for the record, I love that too-smart-for-his-own-good brother of yours.” Auguste chuckled. “Don’t underestimate how amazing you are, okay?”
“I’m really not that amazing.”
“Stop. Stop, because you clearly have no idea.”
They kissed again, less heated this time. They only stopped when they heard ‘uhh… Okay?’ from the door. Auguste felt himself blush when he realized they had shared their first kisses in his little brother’s bedroom
“I know you two have been pining after each other for quite a while,” Laurent started. Right then he sounded older than his 9 years. “But I sleep here.”
“We apologize,” Nikandros said but could not keep the smile off his face.
Laurent replied with a shrug. “I expect free pancakes from now on.”
“You trying to put me out of business?”
“You should have thought of that before declaring your undying love for my brother next to my bed.”
“I think it’s a pretty fair punishment,” Auguste said with a nod. “Will I get free coffee from now on, too?”
“Both of you do realize you haven’t actually paid for anything in several years?”
“Whatever. Now, go make out downstairs so I can finish the part with the trolls.”
“You know it by heart already,” Auguste said.
“What’s your point?” Laurent asked.
“Nothing. Lights out by 9,” Auguste said as he pressed a kiss on the crown of Laurent’s head.
“I know, I know.”
Auguste left the door slightly ajar as he and Nikandros left the room. “So. Do you want to go make out downstairs as he suggested?”
“I very much do,” Nikandros smiled. “I also want to take you out on a date.”
“I’d be okay with that.”
“I thought you would be.”
Auguste chuckled as Nikandros stepped in closer for another kiss.
--
“...and then I poured Pepsi down the back of his shirt.”
“Hm? What? Why?” Laurent blinked and shook his head, realizing he had missed most of what Nicaise had said in the last two minutes.
“You’re way too distracted. Help me tomorrow when your head’s not in the clouds,” Nicaise said and put his French textbook into his backpack.
“What was that about Pepsi?” Laurent asked, still confused.
“I just wanted to get your attention,” Nicaise answered. “Seriously, it’s like you put your brain in Damen’s pocket and let him drive away with it.”
“You should be a poet,” Laurent said. “I’m sorry, I’m just worried about dinner.”
“Why? Hype and Theo know how to bring Kastor down from his self made pedestal if need be.”
“I know. I just have this… really bad feeling.” Laurent rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know, maybe all the stress is just starting to build up.”
“And yet you’re still going to ask Nik if you could work here.”
“You are?”
Laurent smiled gratefully when Nikandros placed a cookie and a cup of tea in front of him. “Some work experience would look good on my college application,” he said.
“You already have quite a lot on your plate,” Nikandros said. “I don’t want you to burn out before you even graduate high school.”
“Aww, look at your worrying about your practically-brother-in-law-sort-of-stepson-or-whatever,” Nicaise cooed. “You know he’ll find something else if you don’t agree,” he added.
“Weekends only,” Nik said. “And talk to Auguste first, okay?”
“I’ll be 18 in a month.”
“Talk to him,” Nik repeated. “You two know each other better than you know yourselves sometimes. He’ll know if it’s too much for you.”
Laurent huffed but didn’t try to argue.
--
2017
“Do you think I’d ruin Nicaise if I fostered him?”
Of all the things Auguste thought he would hear his boyfriend say, that was not one of them. “What?”
Nikandros sighed. “His mom is in rehab again.”
“Oh no…”
“Yeah. I know he hates the group home and he needs a more permanent solution than staying here with you guys from time to time. So. Do you think I could do it?”
Auguste smiled. “I think it could be great. Have you talked to Nicaise about it?”
“Uh… No. Not yet.”
“Are you scared of him?”
“Pfft. No.”
“Hey,” Auguste said. “He might not show it in the most obvious way, but he’ll be so excited. He’ll agree just for the chance to get your pancakes for breakfast every morning.”
“Who’ll agree to what?” Laurent asked as he stepped into the kitchen with his violin case. “Are you two finally officially moving in together?”
“Nikandros is thinking about fostering Nicaise,” Auguste said before Nikandros could reply. Laurent froze with an apple halfway to his mouth. “What do you think?”
“You’d - you’d foster him? As in, feed him, clothe him, make sure he’s safe and goes to school and gets good grades?”
“Well, yeah. That’s what fostering is, right? I think I can… Hey!”
Because Laurent had dropped the apple and thrown his arms around Nikandros’s waist. “Thank you,” he said, his voice a little muffled as his face was pressed against Nikandros’s chest. Nikandros looked a little alarmed and awkwardly patted Laurent on the head while Auguste smiled at him with his hand on his heart. “Thank you, Nik. Thank you!”
“You’re… welcome?”
“Can I be there when you tell him?”
“Sure, of course. But I don’t have all the official stuff sorted out yet, so don’t say anything to him yet, just in case it all falls through.”
“It won’t,” Auguste said. “You’ll be a great foster parent, Nik. Nicaise has had it rough, he definitely deserves to have someone like you looking after him.”
“My dear Auguste Doe, are you trying to flatter me?”
“Okay, no. I know what that tone means. Stay out of my room!” Laurent said as he picked up the apple from the floor and left the kitchen. “I’m going to Damen’s after school. Enjoy your day off!”
“So…” Auguste said when they heard the front door close. “Did the flattering work?”
“I want you naked within the next 20 seconds.”
--
The dinner was considerably less tense than Auguste had feared. He didn’t share Laurent’s utter dislike towards Kastor - Auguste had barely ever really interacted with Kastor during the last 12 years - but he did think the man was rather full of himself and sometimes unnecessarily loud about how he had made it in ‘the big world’ the way his parents never had.
“Arrogant moron,” was how Laurent often described him and while Auguste didn’t feel as strongly, he couldn’t help but agree.
This time, however, Kastor had brought his new girlfriend Jokaste along, and she was charming enough to even crack Laurent’s cool attitude. Auguste knew Laurent was more drawn to her wit than charm but it was still nice to see him ignore Kastor and actually enjoy the evening.
After dessert Laurent, Damen and Nicaise disappeared upstairs ‘to do homework’ and that’s when Theo agreed to open a bottle of wine.
“Oh, none for me, thank you,” Jokaste said when Theomedes hovered the bottle over her glass.
“Would you like to have white wine, then?” Theomedes asked.
“Well, actually, she can’t have any,” Kastor replied for her.
“I thought you were staying the night, why…?”
“Oh, Theo, she’s pregnant, you idiot!” Hypermenesrta exclaimed. Theomedes almost dropped the bottle while Hype rushed to hug her son and all of a sudden Auguste felt like he was interrupting a family moment. He nodded at Nik and the two of them quietly got up and left the kitchen with their wine glasses. They settled into the comfortable porch swing with Auguste leaning against Nik’s side. Nik circled his arm around Auguste’s shoulder and hugged him even closer.
“Do you think he’ll become less of an asshole now?” Nik wondered out loud.
Auguste shrugged. “I don’t really care. He doesn’t bother me much.”
“Mm.”
“You like him even less than Laurent does.”
“I never liked the way he treated Damen. Damen idolized him when he was a kid and Kastor just used that to his advantage. It’s a good thing Damen’s a social kid with lots of friends. Otherwise he probably would have been crushed when Kastor basically forgot all about him when he left for college.”
“He did once forget to pick Damen up from his cello lesson. I’ve never seen Damen that sad. In fact, I can only recall him being sad a couple of times since then.”
“It does require a lot for his mood to dampen.”
“I hope he and Laurent can handle long distance when it’s Damen’s turn to go to college.”
Nikandros frowned. “I thought they are both dreaming of Juilliard.”
“Yeah, I’m sure they are,” Auguste sighed. “It breaks my heart that Laurent can’t pursue it. At least not yet.”
“If it’s a money issue…”
“What? No, no, it’s not that. It’s just that… we’re not officially in any witness protection, we don’t have actual aliases. Laurent can’t apply to a school with a false name and using his real one is out of the question for now,” Auguste explained.
The lines between Nikandros’ eyebrows deepened. “I’ve seen them looking at brochures.”
“Laurent knows he can’t go.”
“Are you sure? He’s asked me if he could work weekends at the diner for work experience because it would look good on his application.”
It was Auguste’s turn to frown. “He must know…”
“Have you talked about it?”
“Of course we…” Auguste stopped.
Had they?
“Shit, babe, I’m sorry, I thought…”
“Oi! Foster Dad!” Nicaise interrupted Nikandros. “Laurent was kind enough to remind me I have an essay due on Wednesday that I haven’t started. Will you trust me not to burn the house down or are you coming home with me?”
“Actually, would you mind telling Laurent we need to go home, too? I have to talk to him,” Auguste said, getting up.
“Seriously? I just left him alone with Damen and you want me to go tell him he has to go home? Nah, man, do it yourself.”
“Please, Nicaise?”
“Ugh. Fine. You owe me.”
“I honestly thought you knew,” Nikandros said when Nicaise disappeared back inside.
“I thought it was obvious. Shit, Nik, I think I might have really messed up.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand. You’re only thinking of his safety.”
“I don’t know, Nik. I hope so but I don’t know, I mean…”
“I hope you know what I was doing. I hope it will haunt your dreams,” Laurent said when he came outside with Nicaise and Damen in tow. His annoyed expression melted somewhat when he actually looked at Auguste. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ll explain once we’re home. Thank Hype for dinner for us, Damen.”
“Sure.” Damen took half a step towards Laurent but stopped and blushed slightly. Auguste felt a tug in the corner of his mouth.
“A little privacy, please?” Laurent said. Nicaise groaned but hopped off the porch by skipping the steps. “I’ll follow you in a minute,” Laurent added when Auguste didn’t move.
“Or two,” Damen grinned. Laurent slapped him lightly on the bicep.
“Come on, Auguste. Let the love birds say their farewells.”
Auguste let Nikandros pull him along. He turned to look over his shoulder when they turned to the quiet road that first led to the Inn and then to the town. Damen had his arms around Laurent’s waist and he whispered something into Laurent’s ear that made him laugh. Damen then kissed Laurent on his forehead and then lightly on his lips before the two of them pulled apart. Damen went back in while Laurent jogged to catch up with Auguste and Nikandros.
“Good luck,” Nikandros whispered to Auguste when they parted ways 10 minutes later. He and Nicaise continued towards the town (“Remind me again why we all still don’t live together?”) while Auguste and Laurent turned towards their home about a 15-minute walk from the Town Square. They didn’t talk much as Laurent was already busy texting both Damen and Nicaise and Auguste was busy organizing his thoughts.
“Damen’s gonna be an uncle,” Laurent said when they reached the house.
“I know.”
“Is that why we left? To let them celebrate?”
“No. No, I actually need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Let’s… Let’s sit down.”
Laurent’s confusion was evident but he sat down next to Auguste on their front steps anyway. Auguste took a moment to calm his beating heart but didn’t prolong the silence in order to not scare Laurent.
“So, uh… You know I haven’t touched my inheritance yet, right?”
“...yeah?”
“And you understand why?”
“You’d have to use your real ID.”
“Exactly.”
“Are you having money trouble or something? We can move to a smaller place if...”
“No, no, Laurent, we’re fine. We have it pretty good without all that money, don’t we?” Auguste said.
“We do.”
“Yeah.”
“So what’s this about?”
Auguste sighed. “Nik said you’ve been looking at college brochures.”
“Well, Juilliard mostly,” Laurent said with a shrug. “We’re trying to figure out what would be the best audition pieces to make sure we stand out. But don’t worry, I do have backups, I don’t…”
“Laurent,” Auguste cut him off. “You do know you can’t go yet, right?”
Laurent blinked. “What?”
“You can’t use your real name until you’re 21.”
“That’s… I… Auguste, that’s ridiculous, he doesn’t even know I play the violin!”
“We can’t take that risk.”
Laurent stood up. For a moment he stood frozen but then he started pacing, something he did when he was upset.
Auguste had never been the reason for the pacing.
“You can’t do this to me,” Laurent said after a minute or two. “You can’t. I can’t… I mean… 3 more years?”
“Laurent…”
“Everyone is going to leave! Everyone! Not just Damen and Nicaise but Erasmus and Ancel, too! They will all leave for college and… I can’t stay here while they get to chase their dreams, it’s not fair!”
“I know it’s not, I…”
“No!” Laurent looked close to tears. “You may have been lucky to find a job that you love and a person who’s as content to stay here as you but I want more than this, I have always wanted more than this and now you’re telling me that I’m stuck here for 3 years after graduation?!”
“I… I didn’t realize you… that you didn’t already know. It was always so obvious to me, but you were so young when it all happened, of course it wasn’t as clear to you, I get that now and I’m so, so sorry Laurent. I swear, as soon as you’re 21, I…”
Laurent let out an almost hysterical laugh. “I won’t wait that long. I will not.”
“Laurent…”
“You can’t stop me. Once I’m 18, you can’t tell me what to do.”
Auguste swallowed. “I’m not doing this to be mean. I just want you to be safe.”
Laurent shook his head. Then, without a word, he started walking away.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to Damen’s.”
“No, wait, please, we have to…”
“I can’t talk to you right now!”
Auguste watched him go, a lump in his throat and his heart in pieces. For 10 minutes he waited for Laurent to come back before giving up and going inside. He fell onto the couch with a groan and dialed Nikandros’s number without thinking.
His boyfriend answered on the second ring. “Hey. How did it go?”
“He hates me.” Auguste felt tears in his eyes.
“No, he doesn’t.”
“You should have seen him!”
“Auguste, it’s not your fault.”
“Maybe not but I should have prepared him!”
“Hey, hey. You’re yelling.”
“Shit. Shit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Do you need me to come over?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just going to drown in my self-pity.”
“I’ll have a double espresso waiting for you tomorrow morning.”
“I love you but I have to go in extra early tomorrow because of the wedding. You won’t be up. I’ll just…”
“Use that sad excuse of a coffee machine you have at work? It’ll just make you more upset. I’ll bring you coffee.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. And I love you, too. Do you think you can get any sleep?”
“Probably not.”
“I can call Laurent if you want.”
“He won’t talk to you. He’ll spend the night with Damen.”
“...uh…”
“I’ve given him the talk, that’s all I can do.”
“Well. He’s your brother.”
“Mm.”
“Try to get some sleep, okay? Put on that ASMR lady that you really like and take some melatonin. I’m sure Laurent just needs a little time to think.”
“Yeah. I hope so.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come over?”
“I think I need to be alone.”
“Okay. You know you can wake me up if you change your mind, right?”
“I do. And that’s why I love you so much.”
“I love you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Good night.”
Auguste hung up and after a moment of hesitating, he sent Laurent a quick text that said: ‘ I’m sorry. I know I messed up. We’ll talk when you’re ready. I love you.’
He waited until the app notified him that Laurent had read the message. When Laurent didn’t reply, he sighed and opened YouTube to find his favorite ASMR video as Nik had suggested. He got us comfortable as he could on the couch and hoped against hope that the soothing sounds of someone brushing hair could calm the million thoughts and worries in his head.
He didn’t fall asleep until 2 PM and even then, his sleep was plagued with nightmares.
--
2019
-Wanna come over for dinner? We’re being scandalous and ordering Subway. Don’t tell Nik ;) -L
Damen chuckled and quickly typed out a reply. -Can’t. I’m on a date, remember? -D
It took a while for Laurent to answer. ‘Probably reading’ Damen thought fondly. Conveniently, Laurent texted back just as Danielle appeared from the restroom.
-Oh, right! Sorry. Have fun! Text me how it went. -L
-Will do!
“Who are you texting?” Danielle asked as she sat down.
“Laurent. He forgot I had a date so he asked if I wanted to join them for a Subway dinner.”
“Hm.”
It was such a short response, but something about Danielle’s tone made Damen frown. “What?”
“You know, I was surprised when you asked me out.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I mean… It’s obvious to everyone - except you, apparently - that you like Laurent.”
Damen shrugged. “Of course, he’s my best friend.”
“No, Damen, that’s not what I mean.”
“Wha… Wait, you think I like Laurent romantically?”
“Yes. And like I said, I’m not the only one.”
“But he’s my… No, I can’t like him like that, he’s Laurent, for Heaven’s sake!”
Danielle leaned her chin on the palm of her hand and raised her eyebrows. Damen felt something click into place inside him and at the same time, his brain short-circuited.
“I just made you realize it, didn’t I?” Danielle said. She didn’t look angry.
“I don’t… I don’t get it, why did you agree to go out with me if you knew?”
“I figured I’d get a free dinner or two,” Danielle replied. “No but seriously, we all sort of felt like you two just needed a nudge in the right direction. I didn’t think I’d be able to nudge you tonight but hey, the sooner the better.”
Damen frowned. “Who’s in on this scheme?”
“Me, Nicaise, Ancel, Teddy, Vannes, Gabriella, To…”
“Oh, okay, so everyone.”
“Pretty much.”
“Does Laurent know?”
“You’re on a date with me so I suppose not. That’s why he’s been so miserable lately.”
“Miserable…? Wait, he likes me, too?”
Danielle shook her head, almost amused. “Oh, Damen, you’re so oblivious.”
His heart beating a mile a minute, Damen stood up. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Let me grab my wallet and I…”
“No worries, I got this one.”
“No, no, seriously, I’ll pay. Just…”
“Go, Damen. I’m winning a bet anyway, so I’m collecting a good 200 dollars tomorrow.”
“Good for you.”
“Oh for Heaven’s sake, go!” Danielle laughed when Damen still hesitated, his chivalrous side battling with his need to see Laurent. “Go get your man.”
“Yeah… Yeah, okay. Thank you, Dani. Seriously.”
“Don’t mention it. Now go before I kick your butt.”
Damen chuckled nervously and then finally gave up the fight with himself and left the restaurant. His guilt was quickly drowned by the overwhelming happiness of what he had just realized. Grinning from ear to ear, it didn’t even occur to him to be nervous as he set on the very familiar road to his best friend’s house.
“All right, the Subways are one their way. It better be as good as advertised, I’m risking my relationship and… Laurent? Are you crying?”
Only then did Laurent realize that he indeed was. The realization only made him cry more and he buried his face into the pillow he was hugging.
“Hey! Hey, hey, hey. Laurent! What is it?”
“H-he’s on a… a date,” Laurent sobbed out, voice muffled by the pillow.
“Who?”
“Damen.”
“Oh. Oh! Oh, Laurent.” The pillow was gently pulled away and then Laurent was circled by Auguste’s arms. “It’s okay. Shh, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” Laurent cried. “He likes girls and he’ll date girls and he’ll marry a pretty girl and have pretty girl babies and I can never tell him that I love him and I’ll have to be his stupid best man at his stupid wedding and I have to smile while I die inside.”
“You’re jumping quite a long way into the future, aren’t you?”
“But that’s what will h-happen!”
His voice had probably turned slightly hysterical because Auguste was shushing him again, rubbing circles on his back. “I know nothing I say will really help right now, so how about we forget about Subway and ask Nik to bring us a buttload of pancakes for dinner?”
Laurent sniffed. “I’m not hungry.”
“You will be later, trust me. And the beauty about Nik’s pancakes is that they’re good both warm and cold.”
“I just want to crawl under the covers and feel sorry for myself.”
“That’s fine, you can do that. You wanna do that on the couch so we can watch Lady and the Tramp at the same time?” Auguste asked.
After a short pause, Laurent said: “No, nothing romantic.”
“Right, yeah, uh… Toy Story?”
“Sure.”
“Okay. Give me two minutes, I’ll make the couch nice and cozy for you. Huh! That must be our Subway,” Auguste said when the doorbell echoed through the house. “That was fast, I have to give them a 5-star review.”
Auguste gave Laurent’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving the room to open the door. The hug and the promise of pancakes had not made Laurent feel any better but at least his sobs had calmed down enough for him to dry his tears with his sleeve. He was just about to follow Auguste to the living room when he heard: “Damen! I thought you had a date! ...and since when do you ring the doorbell?”
“Uh… Yeah, I don’t know, I… Is Laurent home?”
“Yeah, he’s in his room, but I don’t think… No, wait, Damen!”
Panicking, Laurent leaped off the bed and rushed into his ensuite bathroom. He locked the door and backed up into the corner for good measure because Damen was definitely not supposed to see him like this.
“Laurent? Laurent, I need to talk to you.”
“Damen, buddy, I know usually it’s okay for you to just walk in but this is sort of a bad…”
“No, please, just two minutes. Laurent? Come out, please?”
“Where’s Danielle?” Laurent asked and he simply couldn’t keep his voice steady.
“Probably on her way home.”
“That was a quick date.”
“It wasn’t a real date. I don’t want to date her. She already knew that but apparently I’ve been quite an idiot. Laurent, I want to date you .”
Laurent nearly fell over.
“That’s probably my cue to step out,” Auguste said. “Laurent, text me if you want me to kick him out. And you. Good job getting your head out of your ass.”
“Did he know, too?” Damen’s voice was so quiet Laurent guessed he was talking to himself. A moment later, he continued through the door: “Please, Laurent. Come out so we can talk? I’ve been so stupid, I know, and I’m sorry but I really, really like you and I don’t want to tell you all this through your bathroom door.”
Slowly, Laurent moved from his corner and opened the door just enough to peek through it. “Are you serious?” he asked. His voice was still wobbly.
“I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“I thought you liked girls,” Laurent said as he opened the door a little more.
“You know I’m not that black and white,” Damen said. “And what does it matter? I want to be with you. I want to be your boyfriend and take you on dates and the prom and introduce me to my parents and… all that stuff.”
Laurent let out a wet chuckle and stepped out of the bathroom. “Introduce me to your parents?”
“Well… You know. As my boyfriend.”
“Right.”
“So, uh…” Damen shifted on his feet and took a little step closer to Laurent. “Can I kiss you?”
“No.”
“...oh… I…”
“Not like this. My heart was breaking 10 minutes ago and I feel and look like a mess right now, I have a headache and.. I’m really hungry, suddenly. Take me on that date. If it’s successful, then I’ll let you kiss me.”
“I do like a challenge,” Damen smiled. “Sounds fair. I’ll court you the way you deserve. But I will hug you know.”
“Damn right you will.”
They had hugged hundreds of times but as Damen’s arms circled around Laurent, they could both feel the slight change in their relationship. The love that had always been there now had some electricity in it and it made Laurent’s pulse a little quicker.
Had it been the declaration of ever-lasting love Laurent had sometimes imagined?
No.
But somehow, he thought as Damen sighed contentedly, this was better.
--
“You okay?”
“Mm.”
“You look tired.”
“Laurent and I had a fight,” Auguste sighed. “Well. He yelled.”
“You two never fight.”
“Yeah, which is why I don’t know how to handle it so I didn’t sleep,” Auguste said, yawning. “Did he seem upset this morning?”
“What do you mean?” Hypermenestra asked.
“Like, should I be prepared to receive more silent treatment or did he look like he’s calmed down a little?”
“I haven’t seen him…”
“Oh. Well, I'll text Damen later.”
“No, Auguste… Laurent didn’t spend the night at our house.”
Auguste froze. “What?”
“Did he say he would?”
“Yeah… Yeah, he… he did.” A cold sense of dread twisted Auguste’s gut. His hand shook as he took out his phone and dialed Laurent’s number. “Pick up. Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up…”
“ Hey, this is Laurent.” Auguste’s heart jolted painfully. “I’m too busy studying - ‘ or making out with me! ’ - shut UP, Damen! Well, either way, leave a message. ”
“Laurent, where are you? Hype says you didn’t go to Damen’s last night. I know you’re angry but this isn’t funny! Call me!”
“Maybe he decided to sleep over at Nicaise’s instead,” Hypermenestra suggested when Auguste hung up. “I know he doesn’t really like Kastor.”
“Nik… Nik would have called me...”
“Try anyway.”
Panic was making it hard for him to think, but somehow Auguste managed to find Nicaise’s contact and press ‘call’.
“ Don’t tell me he’s sick, he’s supposed to help me with this god damn French thing! ” was Nicaise’s greeting and Auguste felt as if the ground under his feet disappeared. “ Hello? Did you butt dial me? ”
“He’s not with you?” Auguste choked out.
“ No? ”
“Have you heard from him?”
“ Not since last night when he promised to help me with my French essay,” Nicaise said. “What’s going on?”
“I have to go,” Auguste said instead of answering. “Oh God. Oh - oh God…!”
“Hey. Hey, Auguste, honey… Hey, sit down. Sit down and breathe,” Hypermenestra said and guided him to a chair.
“He found us… Oh God, Hype, he found us!”
“You don’t know that. Please, Auguste, you have to breathe!”
“He’s going to kill Laurent!”
“You said that he’s too smart for that.”
“I don’t know anymore. I don’t… Oh, God!”
“Auguste…”
“I failed him. I failed him, I failed him, I…”
“Auguste!”
It was light, but the slap on his cheek managed to shake Auguste out of his disturbing thoughts. He looked up, his vision blurry with tears. “I can’t lose him, Hype,” he whispered.
“You will not. We will find him, okay?”
“My uncle…”
“Your uncle may be powerful but he does not know the power that a small town has. Everyone here knows Laurent in some way and they will all want to help.”
“If he’s known we live here for a while, he might have bought some of them.”
“Well, he has not bought my husband and he’s the sheriff in this town,” Hypermenestra said. “I’m going to call Theo. And then Nik. You sit there and just keep breathing, I’m going to take…”
“Where’s Laurent?”
Damen was breathless and his cheeks were red when he rushed into the office. He was clutching his phone, and Auguste guessed Nicaise had called him right after Auguste had hung up on him.
“Sweetheart, we…”
“Nicaise said you sounded like you don’t know where he is. But you do know where he is, right?” Damen asked. His tone was hopeful and it just made Auguste feel worse.
“No, I don’t,” he answered honestly. A tear fell on his cheek as saying it out loud made it all the more real. “Laurent’s missing.”
--
2019
By the time they reached the front door of Laurent and Auguste’s house, Laurent had butterflies in his tummy. This was the only part of the night he had anticipated in advance, yet it was the moment that made him most nervous. As nervous as he was, though, his complete trust in Damen turned the nerves into those butterflies that merely tickled him gently.
“I had fun tonight,” Damen said.
“Me, too. You did well.”
“Only the best for you.”
“You set up a pretty high standard. I’ll make sure to top it when I take you out next.”
“Ooooh, are we turning this into a competition?”
Laurent chuckled. “What do I get if I win?”
“The last fries?”
“I take them anyway.”
“A massage.”
“Better. Not quite what I want, though.”
“1000 kisses?”
Laurent giggled. “Deal. Let’s start with one, though?”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
With gentle hands, Damen cupped Laurent’s face. Slowly, as if he was nervous himself though Laurent found that hard to believe, he moved forward until he was an inch away. Laurent closed the gap and their lips touched briefly, then again, and again until Laurent opened his mouth just a little. Damen let out a low hum and deepened the kiss just slightly.
It was soft and sweet and it left Laurent pleasantly lightheaded. “Adequate,” he whispered but he knew his voice betrayed how he truly felt.
“I’ll never kiss anyone ever again,” Damen declared.
“That’s a bold announcement.”
“I can’t believe we haven’t been kissing for years.”
“It’s okay. We’re here now,” Laurent said. “I should go inside. It’s getting late.”
“Yeah, okay. Please tell Auguste I was a perfect gentleman.”
“Of course.”
Encouraged by his first kiss, Laurent stepped forward to place another quick kiss on Damen’s lips. Then he forced himself to smile and open the front door as Damen hopped off the porch.
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Laurent closed the door slowly, keeping his eyes on Damen’s retreating back until it clicked close. He let out a loud squeal and turned around, only to see Auguste standing behind him, hands on his hips, and a grin on his face.
“I take it you had fun.”
Instead of answering, Laurent simply fell forward to lean his forehead against Auguste’s chest. “I’m so happy,” he sighed.
“That’s all I want for you,” Auguste replied.
--
Alone in a strange room, absurdly the one thing bothering Laurent was that this whole situation would probably distract Hype and Auguste from the wedding and cause negative reviews for the Inn. He knew he should be more scared, but he figured his calmness was due to his fuzzy mind.
At least he no longer wondered if this was Auguste’s weird way of proving a point. Auguste would never go as far as tying him up so Laurent had to accept that the timing was simply a coincidence.
He remembered putting on his headphones and turning on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack on Spotify. He had seen Auguste’s message and had just been about to text Damen a heads up when a large hand covered his face and a sharp scent entered his nostrils. Then everything had gone black.
When he had woken up, the first thing he realized was that he could not move. His muddled mind did not let him panic when he saw that his wrists and ankles were tied to the bedposts.
“I’m never going to New York now,” Laurent mumbled to himself. He groaned quietly, illogically more upset about possibly being locked in his room for the rest of his life than his current predicament.
Laurent couldn’t move much, but he turned his head as much as his uncomfortable position allowed, trying to figure out where he was. The heavy curtains were closed and unless the style of the DeVere Hotels had significantly changed over the years, this was not one of his parents’ hotels.
My hotels, Laurent thought because as weird as it was, he technically did own half of them. He remembered the rooms as clean and bright, full of sunlight and light colors. The room he was in reminded him of Victorian castles with heavy fabrics and antique furniture. He heard the faint announcements of a train station but couldn’t make out the words. He could hear absolutely no sound from behind the door. The only reason he even knew he was in a hotel room was that the phone on the bedside table had a tag that instructed ‘Press 1 for Front Desk’.
What did cause Laurent to pause was that he didn’t know how long he had already been gone. How long had Auguste and Damen known he was missing, how long had they already been looking and worrying. Did they think Laurent was dead? Would Auguste finally be forced to identify himself with his true name?
...was Auguste in danger, too?
No. No, Laurent told himself, their uncle couldn’t touch Auguste anymore. His uncle wouldn’t risk it. He wouldn’t… Right?
Whether the drug had muddled his brain more than he thought or the situation was too confusing to comprehend, Laurent didn’t know. This only made sense if his uncle had left no one behind who could connect them to him. A sudden panic that the drug could not subdue caused Laurent to gasp a choked out ‘no!’ because Auguste was a loose end, a risk either way. As long as Laurent was under 21, Auguste was just as much in danger as Laurent was.
“No… No, no, no, NO! HELP!”
--
2008
“Hennike…”
“Aleron? What is it, what’s wrong?”
“Hennike, take Laurent upstairs.”
“I’m not done with dinner!”
“Go with your Mom, buddy. It’s okay, you can finish later.”
--
“Stop that!”
“Hm? What?”
“You play with your keys when you’re nervous. It’s annoying. Stop it.”
“Right. Yeah, sorry.”
Auguste barely acknowledged the light banter between Jokaste and Kastor. Everything around him was more or less a blur, except for the steady, heavy arm around him that kept him hugged to Nikandros’s side. The cup of coffee in front of him had long since gone cold.
Damen was sitting at the kitchen table with Nicaise next to him. They both had a plate of dinner in front of them but neither had eaten much. Damen’s eyes were red and Nicaise had stared at the same spot on the wall for an hour.
Auguste felt a kiss on the side of his head and closed his eyes, willing to stop the tears from pouring. He blinked them open, startled, when Jokaste suddenly snapped: “Oh, just give them to me!” as she yanked the key from Kastor.
The sight of a familiar logo caused Auguste to sit up straight. “What’s that?”
Kastor and Jokaste blinked. “What’s what?” Kastor asked.
“Your keys. The logo, it’s…?”
“DeVere Hotels?” Kastor finished when Auguste didn’t. “Yeah, I work for them.”
It was like all air got sucked out of the room. As if electrocuted, Auguste stood up, his heart thumping in his ears.
“Auguste?”
“I… Oh my God. Of all places, how did… I don’t…”
“Okay, honey, you are seriously scaring me, what is going on?” Nikandros asked. His voice was calm but Auguste knew him well enough to see that his expression was anxious.
“I’m Auguste DeVere,” Auguste mumbled.
“What? Sorry, I didn’t quite…”
“I’m Auguste deVere,” Auguste repeated, louder this time. “Bet your boss didn’t tell you the hotels are technically owned by his nephews, whose parents he had murdered,” he continued. Kastor’s mouth was hanging open slightly. “That’s how he found us. You work for him.”
“That’s a very weird coincidence,” Nikandros said. His comment, however, was ignored when Damen jumped on Kastor, practically howling.
“You fucking bastard!” he screamed as he tried to land punches that Kastor only barely blocked. “You - you son of a bitch, what did you…?!”
“Damen!” Nikandros interjected. Auguste almost wanted to stop him from pulling Damen away from Kastor. “Damen, stop! He didn’t know!”
“I didn’t,” Kastor confirmed. “I swear, Damen, I had no idea.”
Damen’s chest was heaving and though older and thus bigger (if only slightly), Nikandros actually had to struggle to hold him back. Nicaise had stood up, too, and looked like he wanted to jam the fork in his hand into Kastor’s eye. Auguste’s own hand was shaking with the desire to hit something - Kastor, more specifically - but he pushed that desire down, telling himself over and over again that this wasn’t Kastor’s fault.
It was…
“...mine…”
“What?” Nikandros asked.
“This is my fault,” Auguste said.
“No, this…”
“I never should have given Hype our real first names,” Auguste cut Nikandros off. “His tentacles are everywhere. This was only a matter of time.”
“Honey, Auguste and Laurent are rather common names in Marlas.”
“We’re brothers with an 11 year age difference, that narrows it down somewhat, I’d think,” Auguste said. “Especially if Kastor ever discussed our background with our uncle.”
Kastor swallowed at the indirect accusation. “Not with… not with him directly but…” he murmured and Nikandros had to actually wrestle Damen to keep him from attacking his brother again.
“I’m going to kill you, you…!”
“Damen!”
Damen deflated as the commanding voice of his Theomedes cut through the living room. Hypermenestra was right behind him. “What’s going on? Why are you shouting threats at your brother?”
“He works for their uncle!” Damen said. “He’s the reason he found Laurent!”
Theomedes turned to Kastor. “Is this true?”
“I didn’t know!” Kastor quickly said again. “I messed up but I didn’t mean to, I swear, I wouldn’t have said anything had I had any clue!”
“The cover story he has in place is impressive and has apparently passed inspection from rather high up,” Jokaste commented. “He even fooled me, and I proud myself on not being easily fooled.”
“You work for him, too?” Auguste asked.
“Started at reception, worked my way up to the legal department. Your parents did a really good job preventing your uncle from taking over in case of their death but I guess they underestimated his ambition. This is a rather extreme turn of events.”
“Rather extreme?” Auguste repeated. “He kidnapped my brother!”
“Very extreme,” Jokaste said calmly and Auguste could see why Laurent liked her.
“My head is spinning,” Hypermenestra sighed out. “Kastor works for the DeVere hotels. That makes you…” She paused and Auguste nodded. “Right. Okay. Uh… Your parents' death was reported as an accident. And like… a month later.”
“Their death was probably never even investigated,” Auguste said. “I didn’t dare to look into it too much but…”
“You know what, this is too much right now. I have to figure out how to handle the wedding with all of this going on and I can’t deal with your uncle’s schemes on top of everything. One man having enough power to cover up the death of two millionaires for a month is just too… Yeah. I can’t. I need a drink.”
“I can handle the wedding,” Jokaste said as Hypermenestra took out a beer from Auguste’s fridge. “You hired a third-party catering firm, right? So all you need is someone to give marching orders.”
“Yeah…”
“Great. Just give me the schedule and I’ll handle it,” Jokaste said.
“Honey, you’re…”
“I’m 12 weeks pregnant, not an invalid. I’m not any help here and as delightful as Laurent was at dinner, I’m not emotionally attached enough for this to affect my professionalism. I’ll make sure the bride and groom will know nothing except that you two have a family emergency and they’ll have the wedding they always dreamed of.”
Auguste saw how any protests Hypermenestra might have had quickly disappeared and her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. “Okay. Okay, thank you. I’ll email their schedule.”
“We’ll go make sure everything is ready for tomorrow, then. Come on, darling, let’s go before Damen rips your head off.”
Damen did still look like he was seconds from attacking Kastor but he let Jokaste lead his brother away anyway. The silence that followed was very loud.
“Were they not billionaires?” Theomedes suddenly asked.
Hypermenestra downed her bottle of beer in one go.
--
2008
“Mommy?”
“Shh. Shh, baby. Listen. You’re going to stay here, okay? Stay here, keep quiet. Do not come out for anyone except Auguste. Can you do that? Can you do that for me, baby?”
Laurent sniffed. “Yes, Mommy.”
“That’s my big boy.” Hennike kissed Laurent’s forehead. “I love you.”
--
Laurent wanted to move.
He was hungry and thirsty and he needed the bathroom but mostly he just wanted to move. His arms were aching in an annoying way that wasn’t quite painful but still prevented him from getting comfortable. He felt pins and needles in his back from lying on it for too long. His throat was hoarse after crying for help for what felt like hours, to no avail.
He tried to distract himself by playing through the melody of Schindler’s list in his head. It wasn’t quite as effective as he had hoped and his thoughts kept slipping back to Auguste and every time it was as if someone stabbed him with an icy dagger. Desperately, he forced himself to remember the next notes, if only to keep himself from having a panic attack.
The suffocating silence was broken so suddenly that Laurent jerked on the bed. The heavy door of the room was opened and a frail-looking boy stepped in, head bowed. He closed the door with a quiet click and quickly made his way to the bathroom without even a glance at Laurent’s direction.
“Who are you?” Laurent called out. “Where am I? Can you help me? Please, please, I…” The boy came out of the bathroom with what looked like a little pocket knife and Laurent paused. He blinked, frowned, and then, quietly, said: “Aimeric?”
The boy was visibly startled and he stopped dead in the middle of the room. The two stared at each other for a moment: “You remember me?”
Laurent swallowed. “You were… you were our neighbor. When I was little. We played together.”
Aimeric gave him half a shrug. “A few times, maybe.”
Laurent tugged on the ropes that held him in place. “Please. You have to help me. I have to warn my brother. Our uncle, he’s going to…”
“Your uncle?” Aimeric repeated.
“Yes! He’s behind this, he’s going to kill us!”
“No. No, he didn’t do this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure if he even knows about this yet. The last I heard, he’s still in Marlas.”
“Where am I then? And who’d do this, if not him?”
“We are in Arles,” Aimeric said.
“ Who did this, Aimeric?”
“My father.”
Laurent’s heart skipped a beat. “I remember him, too. He works…”
“For your uncle, yes. But this, he arranged with his colleague Govart, without approval.”
“Why?”
“To gain favor.”
“Are they after Auguste, too?” Silence. “Are they?!”
“Please, calm yourself.”
“You have to help me. Please,” Laurent begged. “Please. My brother lives in Starles Hollow, he’ll have people looking for me. Reach out, find them. Tell them where I am. I have to go home .”
“I can’t…”
“Aimeric. Please.”
“I’m going to let you use the bathroom. Don’t try to run, there are guards outside the door. If you try to attack, I have a panic button.” Aimeric said all this as if reading a script. “I’ll untie you now. Like I said, trying to escape is pointless. You’ll only get hurt.”
Despite hearing that, Laurent still contemplated bolting as soon as he was free. Aimeric seemed to realize this, as he added ‘they have guns’. Laurent decided not to push his luck.
The ability to move his arms made Laurent groan in relief. He stumbled to the bathroom and locked the old lock with an almost rusty key. He took a few steady breaths before using the toilet and also used the opportunity to drink from the faucet, hoping the water was at least somewhat filtered.
Aimeric was sitting on the bed when Laurent came out. “Are you going to tie me up again?” he asked, tone bitter.
“I have to. Otherwise, you might try to attack whoever comes in next.”
“If I promise not to?”
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Then you know that this is not right. I’m clearly not above begging. Please, Aimeric. My uncle had my parents killed and I’m pretty sure your father was in on it, too. He’s going to kill me, too, as soon as I hand my share of the hotels to him. Then he’ll go after Auguste. I don’t care if it’s not him behind this, your father will eventually hand me over to him and then I’m dead. You can stop that.”
Aimeric huffed. “And if I don’t want to?”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s promised me… things.”
“Your father?”
“Your uncle.”
Laurent felt sick. “He wouldn’t approve of this,” he said. “I don’t know as much as my brother does about what happened and why but my uncle doesn’t want attention to be drawn to him and when I’m found, you can bet your ass I will bring everything he’s done to light, whether or not he’s directly behind this.”
“Everything he’s done?”
“He’s a bad man, Aimeric.”
“No…”
“He traffics children!”
“You are wrong!”
“I am not! Auguste did not tell me everything but I know enough to make you sick to your stomach, no matter how badly he’s corrupted you.”
For a moment, Laurent thought he got through to Aimeric. Then, in a monotone voice, Aimeric said: “Lie down before I tell the guards to come and make you.”
A sound of quiet desperation left Laurent but he complied if only to avoid injuries. Aimeric tied him down to the bedposts and then turned to leave.
“Please, Aimeric,” Laurent said again just before Aimeric opened the door.
The other boy did not even pause.
--
2008
Laurent hated when his parents shouted.
They didn’t shout often but it always made Laurent feel weird and scared.
He put his hands on his ears and tried to block the shouting from downstairs. His dad was yelling with someone Laurent didn’t know, his mom was screaming ‘STOP!’ and then there were footsteps.
Heavy and urgent and coming closer.
--
“Hey.”
Auguste’s head was aching. He knew he looked like an absolute mess and he felt even worse. He didn’t turn when Nikandros sat down next to him on the porch steps and didn’t take the glass of water his boyfriend offered.
“Go on. Just a sip.”
“I feel sick.”
“I know but you’re also dehydrated. Come on.”
Grudgingly, Auguste took the glass and the smallest of sips. When his stomach didn’t protest too much, he took a bigger one.
“Here.”
Auguste managed a grateful smile when Nikandros gave him a painkiller. He swallowed it with a little more water before putting the glass down.
“He wanted us to get married.”
“Hm?”
“Laurent. When he was younger. He wanted us to get married.”
“Not anymore?” Nikandros asked.
“Oh, he does. He just knows we can’t yet. He gave me quite the lecture about how we have to because he has picked out all the songs he and Damen are going to play at the reception.” Auguste’s voice broke. “God, I wish I smoked.”
Nikandros pulled Auguste closer. He didn’t say anything, just held Auguste gently. Auguste tried to calm his heart by inhaling the scent of Nikandros’ aftershave. The longer they sat there, the clearer he could see Laurent’s retreating back. It felt ages ago, and yet it had only been less than 24 hours.
He was so angry, Auguste thought. He was so angry and I might never see him again.
Nikandros must have noticed how Auguste’s breath hitched as he suddenly said: “Tell me about your parents.”
“What?”
“Now that I know who they really were. Tell me about them. What were they like?” Nikandros asked.
Auguste swallowed. “Dad was… rough around the edges. Tough. Less tough with Laurent than me. Laurent was a bit of a miracle baby and well… the baby of the family, obviously. He was never cruel, though. He actually wanted to spoil us rotten but Mom made sure we knew the value of money. I did go to a fancy private school and we did live a life of luxury but I had to work for pocket money and Mom wanted me to volunteer for a bunch of charities when I got old enough. I’m not going to pretend to be perfect enough not to resent it a bit but, well. When all the luxury was suddenly taken from us, at least it wasn’t as big a shock as it could have been.” He sighed. “Then again, life here has been a different kind of luxury.”
“They sound like good people.”
“They were my parents. I thought the world of them. Still do. But they were rich beyond belief and that…”
“You don’t have to talk them down to me just because they had money,” Nikandros cut Auguste off. “You loved them and it sounds like they loved you. That’s all I need to know to know they were good people, money or not.”
Auguste let out a wet chuckle. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Nikandros said with a kiss on Auguste’s forehead. “Hype actually sent me out to ask if you’re hungry. And to drag you inside to eat something even if you say you aren’t.”
“I still feel sick.”
“Just toast then. Come on. You have to be able to stand when they call they’ve found Laurent.”
Auguste let Nikandros help him up. “I wasn’t there.”
“What?”
“I wasn’t there when they died. When I did come home, I thought they had killed Laurent, too. I found him in our wardrobe. I had to break the door, Mom had locked it. He was alone and heard everything.”
Nikandros looked faintly sick. “That’s horrible!”
“I’ve asked, over the years, but he says he can barely remember it. I still don’t know if he just wants to spare my feelings or if he’s really blocked it.”
“He was only five. There’s a good chance he really doesn’t remember.”
“What if we don’t find him, Nik? What am I going to do?”
“Auguste…”
“Don’t tell me we will. We might not or we might be too late.”
“We’ll… We will deal with that then. For now, we need to focus on keeping our strength up, won’t we? So that we’re ready for whatever news we get.”
It wasn’t the perfect answer but Auguste nodded anyway. He followed Nikandros back inside, mentally preparing for a sleepless night.
Damen and Nicaise had moved to the couch. Damen looked frailer than Auguste had ever seen him and Nicaise was so stiff Auguste feared he’d snap in half if someone moved him. Neither seemed to notice when Auguste and Nikandros came in.
It was so quiet Auguste almost didn’t hear it when Damen said: “I’ve never even told him I love him.”
“You can tell him when he comes home,” Nicaise said and it was almost calming how steady his voice was. “But he knows already.”
Auguste's already broken heart ached at the sound of Damen’s sobs.
--
2008
The shouting was close now.
So very close.
The sudden, loud bang made Laurent jump, but he managed to stay quiet.
The shouting became louder and his mother let out a wail that made Laurent want to burst out of the wardrobe.
But he knew to stay put.
Only come out for Auguste.
So he stayed still and listened to his mother scream.
--
Laurent snapped awake when the door was opened again. He didn’t know how long it had been since Aimeric’s last visit and he didn’t know how long he had slept, but he felt too groggy and confused to fully comprehend it when Aimeric said: “I need you to listen and do as I tell you.”
“...what?”
Aimeric made his way to the bathroom door and removed the key from the lock before pushing it close. He then locked the door from the outside and put the old key in his pocket. “I’m going to tell the guards at the door that you’ve locked yourself inside the bathroom and that I need them to break the door. While they do that, you slip out. Don’t take the elevator, take the stairs. When you get down, turn right from the door. That way you can slip out without passing the reception. The side door says not to open it but it’s not actually locked. Run as far as you can and then call for help.”
Laurent blinked. “I don’t have my phone.”
“Take mine. The passcode is 8876. There’s also… information, there. That you should give to someone that you trust. Someone that can… do something.” Aimeric’s voice was urgent and it was shaking but his hands were steady as he undid the knots keeping Laurent in place.
“Information?”
“Pictures. Of your… uncle. And myself. It’s not much against someone like him but it should kick off… something. There’s never been evidence before.”
“Won’t you be in trouble?”
“Do you care?”
“I don’t want you to get hurt. Can’t we just call 911?”
“I’ve been hurting a long time,” Aimeric said. “And no, we can’t, they’d probably kill you before the police reached this room. Now come on, we have to do this quickly.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I… asked. My father. About what you said. His answers were not assuring,” Aimeric said. “Your uncle is the only one ever who’s made me feel special. I know how that sounds but it’s true. I hate you for taking that from me but I hate him more for making me feel like I do now. I want to hurt him.”
“I’ll send someone back here to get you. I promise. I’m going to make sure…”
“Oh, just shut up. Hind behind the door and for fuck’s sake, be quiet.”
Just as Aimeric had instructed, Laurent quietly slipped out as the two guards came to pound and pang the door. As quickly as he could, he ran to the staircase and started to fly down the stairs, listening to any sounds of being followed. Heart pounding in his chest, he finally reached the bottom floor and carefully opened the door to that lead to the front lobby. With no one in sight, Laurent slipped out of the staircase to the side door and just as Aimeric had said, it was open despite the sign that said it was not in use.
Almost dizzy with relief and that Aimeric’s hasty plan had actually worked, Laurent started to run. He didn’t expect to get far and yet his feet kept running and he didn’t hear a car, didn’t hear yelling, didn’t hear anything until he had to stop to breathe.
Shaking, he opened Aimeric’s phone and lifted it to his ear.
--
2008
Laurent needed the bathroom.
The house was quiet. His mother had stopped screaming and the heavy footsteps had disappeared. Someone had called his mother with ugly names and Laurent was angry, angry, and anxious for a bathroom and scared.
“...om? Laurent?! Laurent, please… Oh… oh my God. Oh God, no…! MOM!”
“Auguste?” Laurent whimpered. He tapped on the door. “Auguste?”
“...please, please, Laurent… LAURENT?!”
“Auguste!” Laurent cried out, panging on the wardrobe door. “I’m here. I’m here, I’m here!”
“Oh… Oh, thank God. Laurent, I… where’s the key? Do you know?”
“Mom took it.”
“Mom took it, right, yeah… Mom took it.”
“Where’s Mom? They called her names, she screamed and they called her names and then she didn’t scream.”
“Laurent, I… I need you to be really brave, okay? I’m going to break the door. You close your eyes and don’t open them until I say it’s okay.”
“Why?”
“Please.”
“I need the bathroom.”
“Close your eyes, Laurent. I’ll have you out in a second.”
Laurent did as told. He let out a startled cry when Auguste yanked the door open from its hinges. In the next second, Auguste had him in his arms, shushing him gently.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, Laurent. Keep your eyes closed.”
“Where’s Mom? She screamed. Is she okay?”
“Just - just keep your eyes closed. We’re going for a drive. Let me just get a few things.”
“All of us?”
“You and me.”
Laurent squirmed. “We have to tell Mom. She’ll be worried.”
“We’ll be fine, Laurent.”
Auguste sounded the way he did when he was ‘too busy to play now, Laurent’. His steps were quick as he moved about, one arm tightly around Laurent. It all felt very weird and wrong and Laurent knew Auguste had told him to keep his eyes closed but he was too scared.
“Mom?”
“Shit…! Eyes closed, Laurent!”
“Mommy? Why is she on the floor, Auguste? Mom? Get up, Mom! We’re going for a drive.”
“She can’t come with us, Laurent.”
“Why?”
“We have to be quick now.”
“Where’s Dad?”
“Laurent…”
“No. No, I’m not going for a drive! MOM!” Laurent cried out with a sharp kick as he tried to free himself from Auguste’s hold.
“She’s dead!”
Laurent froze. Auguste’s arm around him tightened and the silence around them was very loud. “Dad, too?” Laurent asked in a whispered voice.
“Yes,” Auguste said.
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mom and Dad were angry. They were yelling. There were others, too, and they all yelled.”
“Laurent,” Auguste said and put Laurent down to stand in front of him. “Laurent, this is very important. Do you know if Uncle was here?”
Laurent frowned. “Uncle?”
“Yes. Did you see him? Hear him?”
“No. No, not him. I think… His friend? Maybe. The one with the scary voice.”
“Okay,” Auguste said with a nod. “Okay, thank you.” He put his hands on Laurent’s shoulder. “Laurent, you have been so, so brave. I just need you to be brave for a little longer, okay? We have to go somewhere safe. We’re sort of playing hide and seek but this time it’s really serious.”
“Like your schoolwork?”
“Even more serious.” A tear fell on Auguste’s cheek. Laurent reached out to wipe it away. “It’s just the two of us now. But we’re going to be fine. I promise.” Laurent didn’t fight it when Auguste took him to his arms again. “Close your eyes again. I’ll just pack a few more things and then we’ll go.”
10 minutes later Laurent was sitting on his car seat in Auguste’s car, watching silently as his childhood home disappeared from view.
--
“ We have him .”
Auguste had never moved faster than he did when he got the call from Theomodes. Nikandros parked them in front of the police station barely 5 minutes later and Auguste was out of the car before it had even come to a full stop.
“Where is he?”
“He’s in the sheriff’s office,” Jord told him. “He’s fine,” he said before Auguste could even ask. “Go on. Theo’s finishing up some paperwork and so it’ll just be the two of you. Give them a few minutes, Damen,” Auguste heard him say as he hurried to Theo’s office. His hands shaking, he opened the door and let out a strangled cry when he saw Laurent, unharmed if shaken.
“Laurent?”
“Hey...”
“Oh, thank God…!” Auguste’s embrace was tight and desperate and he wasn’t sure if it was him that was shaking or Laurent, or both. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Laurent, I’m so sorry.”
“What?” Laurent almost laughed. “Why?”
“I swore. I swore I’d protect you. I promised nothing would ever happen to you.”
“Auguste…”
“I failed you…”
“No!” Laurent’s denial was so loud that it shocked Auguste out of the embrace. “You’ve kept us safe for 12 years! You gave up so much for me, you… You could have left me, once you had your money. You could have gone anywhere and he would not have had any reason to come after you anymore. But never, not once, did I think you would leave me behind. I wanted to tell you to go but I knew you wouldn’t. That’s how amazing you have been! I was never even really scared that he’d find us, I trusted you so completely. That’s why… that’s why I got so mad. I didn’t really think we were in any real danger. You made sure that my childhood was as normal as it could be. I owe you everything. And I don’t think I’ve ever even said thank you.”
“You never have to thank me, Laurent, not ever,” Auguste said, putting his hand through Laurent’s hair. “And you owe me nothing. You’re… you’re my little brother.”
“Well, you’re my big brother. I told you that I’d protect you, too. That’s why I called Theo instead of you. I was afraid you’d make Nik drive right into a tree.”
Auguste chuckled. “Good call.” He combed his hand through Lauren’s hair. “Damen’s outside. I’m sure he’ll bust through that door in a minute if I don’t let him in.”
“You won’t mind?”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight but I can share you.”
When Auguste opened the door to let Damen in, the poor boy almost fell in which suggested he had been leaning against it. He let out a sound like a wounded animal at the sight of Laurent and it wasn’t clear who held who when he ran forward to put his arms around Laurent.
“You’re okay. You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay…”
“Yes,” Laurent confirmed. “You know who I am now.”
“I’ve always known who you are, silly,” Damen said. His voice was full of tears. “You’re Laurent. Your last name doesn’t change that.”
“You’re sure?”
“Just don’t open a DeVere hotel in Starles Hollow. You’d put Mom out of business.”
Laurent laughed and something heavy dropped from Auguste’s heart. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Oh and… I love you.”
“I… know?”
“We’ve never said it.”
“We haven’t?”
“No.”
“Huh. I guess it went without saying.”
“So you…?”
“Yes! Yes, of course. For a very long time,” Laurent said. Damen’s cheeks turned pink. “Can we go home now?”
It would be a long time before Auguste could walk through town without looking over his shoulder. For now, however, he just nodded, knowing they'd be back in a few days because this wasn't over just because Laurent was home.
Hypermenestra and Nicaise were waiting on the porch when Nikandros parked the car in front of Auguste and Laurent's house. Hypermenestra squeezed Laurent so hard Auguste was scared Laurent couldn't breathe, but he didn't intervene as he saw Laurent squeezed back just as hard. Nicaise didn't step forward to hug Laurent when Hypermenestra released him, but his quiet 'I'm glad you're okay' was just as a good from him as hug from anyone else.
They spent the day as a pile and tangle of limbs on the couch, mentally preparing for the long road of testimonies and changes ahead. But as Auguste looked at the people who had become his family over the alst 12 years, he knew whatever happened in the next few months wouldn't change this.
--
2021
“It looks smaller than what I remember,” Laurent said.
“That’s because you were 5 when you last saw it,” Auguste replied.
“I don’t care how young you were when you last saw it, how can you possibly say this place is small?” Nicaise said.
“I didn’t say it was small, just smaller than what I recall,” Laurent said.
“It doesn’t look like it’s been abandoned for 12 years,” Damen commented.
“Uncle had to make it look like someone lived here so he kept it decent,” Auguste said. “We’ll have someone check its actual condition and whether it needs renovating. It should be a perfect place for people like Aimeric once it’s ready for business. Our old family doctor Pascal has agreed to run the place.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go inside yourself?” Nikandors asked.
“Yes,” both Laurent and Auguste said at the same time.
“I want to remember it as it was,” Laurent said.
“I’m sorry to say that it feels haunted,” Auguste said. “Hopefully that will change once the Youth Home opens.”
“‘Hennike and Aleron DeVere’s Home for Youth’.” Laurent sighed. “It’s a much better memoriam than the cold stones Uncle put up for them.”
“We can change those,” Auguste said.
“I hate graveyards. I haven’t missed a place to visit them in the last 12 years, I don’t need one now. I’m just happy that we have our photos back,” Laurent said.
“Me, too,” Auguste agreed. “Now, who wants to go taste some wedding cakes?”
--
2003
“Auguste? Come in, honey. Come meet your little brother.”
Auguste tilted his head. The tiny human under the blanket looked up at him, his little hand opening and closing as he fussed in his cot. Slowly, carefully, Auguste used the tips of fingers to stroke the soft, fine hair on his brother's head before giving his forefinger for him to hold.
The hold was strong and Auguste’s heart melted.
“What’s his name?” he asked.
“His name is Laurent,” his father told him.
“Laurent. Hi, Laurent,” Auguste whispered. “I’m your big brother.” Laurent’s only reply was a yawn. It made Auguste giggle. "I will always protect you.”
--
“You have everything?”
“Knowing you I have a few extra things, too,” Laurent said. “We’ll only be 2 hours away. If I forgot anything, I’ll just come get it next weekend.”
“Right. Yeah. But I don’t want you back every weekend,” Auguste said.
“Wait. What?”
“You’re going to New York.”
“I’ve been there before.”
“But now you’re going to live there. I want you to take your time and explore. You’ll soon be busy with classes so make sure you enjoy the city before that. Okay? You’ve earned it.”
Laurent smiled. “What if I want to come back every weekend?”
“Well I certainly won’t stop you.”
“You’ll visit me, too, though? Right?”
“Of course. As often as you want me to,” Auguste promised. “You’ll be okay,” he said. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to assure himself or Laurent.
“So will you,” Laurent replied. “Your husband will make sure you eat, at least. And that you don’t drink coffee after 4 PM.”
“Ugh, the downsides of being married.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re miserable.”
Laurent smiled but there was a tint of sadness in his eyes. Auguste pulled him into a hug into which Laurent melted and Auguste took the chance to inhale the familiar scent of his little brother as if to print it into his memory. A little further away, Damen was sandwiched between Thoemedes and Hypermenestra with Kastor and Jokaste a few steps away with their newborn sleeping in his strollers. Nicaise and Nikandros were observing the goodbyes a little further away. Nikandros had Nicaise in a one-armed hug that Nicaise pretended to simply tolerate but Auguste could see the way he leaned into Nikandros ever-so-slightly. Auguste knew he felt slightly miserable about his friends leaving, even though he’d join them in a month, after finishing with his summer job at the local library.
“All right, off you go,” Hypermenestra suddenly said. Her eyes were red but her smile was genuine. “You make sure you call us as soon as you’re there.”
“Of course,” Laurent promised.
“Three meals a day,” Nikandros said. “And not a foot into a Starbucks. Support the little coffee shops.”
“And don’t go making any new best friends,” Nicaise said. “Not that you’ll have time to socialize with all the sex you’ll be having. Oh, as if,” he huffed when both Laurent and Damen blushed scarlet.
“Be safe,” Auguste said and the hidden implication of the instruction was clear and it made the boy blush deeper. “Now go. I want you to get there before it gets dark.”
After one last round of hugs and goodbyes, Laurent and Damen got into the car, packed full with their and some of Nicaise’s stuff. Their little goodbye party followed the car until they turned away from the driveway, waving and smiling and crying.
Auguste felt his throat close up as the car disappeared from view but oddly enough, he didn’t feel too sad. A week ago, he had been sure he’d panic and lock Laurent up in his room, but watching brother leave in pursuit of his dream only filled him with happiness.
“He’ll be okay,” Nikandros whispered into his ear.
“I know,” Auguste said.
And he did.
'Cause you carried me with you
From the highest of the peaks
To the darkness of the blue
I was just too blind to see
Like a lighthouse in a storm
You were always guiding me
Yeah, it's true
You carried me with you
Oh, you carried me with you
-Carried Me With You by Phil Hanseroth / Tim Hanseroth / Brandi Marie Carlile-