- Stepbrother | [ KRIIZY ]

[0:72]

"Jaren!" The younger turned to the voice. The woman stood a few meters away from the door of his room. Ella stood there with her hands behind her back and face showing a forced smile. Well, to Jaren at least.

Jaren sat up on the bed and nodded his head for her to come in. She swiftly did so, closing the door behind her and sitting on the bed beside her son. "It's been a while since we've had time to ourselves, hasn't it?" She asked.

The younger cleared his throat. A bit uncomfortable yet too comfortable in his mother's presence. He wanted to tell he'd found someone special, except the father of that person wasn't so special. To tell her that her fiancé was a cheater and that they needed to leave but John told him to wait.

He never really listened to John. Now that he thinks about it he wants to laugh at the development. "Yeah.." Jaren muttered distantly.

She noticed the far gone look in her sons eyes. Worried by the expression. "Are you okay sweetie?"

He jumps at the sudden question. "Mhm!" Quickly nodding at his mother's words. "Just a bit tired."

Ella nods as well and they sit in a round of silence. Jaren doesn't know how to describe the mood of silence, it felt nice to be in one another's presence. The two had been living with each other for so long and had done every chore and even slept in the same room together. Their now circumstances all felt so unreal.

"Um," Jaren starts as he stared down at his fingers. Ella turns to her son in confusion. "Are you okay?"

He asks shortly after. Turning to his birth giver with a wiry look. She pauses, Jaren notices, her eyes turn away for a moment before she looks back at him. And Jaren notices it all, the way she subtly gulps at the question and the fiddling of her fingers. A habit they both share. "Yes, of course."

Jaren chuckles at that. It wasn't a happy one but more of a sad one, eyes downcast. "Are you sure? You can tell me anything-"

"I said I'm fine." She cuts sternly. Jaren had to blink twice at her sudden change of voice and slightly livid expression. Ella must had realized it and brought back her smile as though nothing happened. "I'm fine dear, I hope that John boy is treating you right-"

Jaren choked, coughs spilling from his lips as he choked on his spit. "Jaren!" Ella shouted in shock. She patted her sons back in order to calm the coughs her son sputtered. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah.. what do you mean you hope he's um- treating me right?" He carefully asks with a raised brow. Ella chuckled before locking eyes with the younger.

"You know with the whole getting along thing. I can tell you guys grew closer." She spoke solemnly. "I'm so happy."

Jaren frowned. Bottom lip quivering as he held himself back from spilling, from crying and confessing everything to the one who'd raised him on her own. "Why-" his voice deepens and cracks. "Why do you say that? Why are you happy?"

She tilts her head at a lost. The beautiful woman looks up at the ceiling as she thinks. Why is she happy? "Maybe.." she starts. "Maybe because you're not alone anymore."

Jaren furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Ella smiles weakly. Whenever she is around her son she feels a bit more free yet subconscious. Not helping the expressions she gives. "You're more livelier, I haven't even seen you touch your computer in months. Are you even still a YouTuber?" She jokes and it brings a chuckle from the male.

"I'm on a coryxkenshin hiatus." the younger comics back and Ella is dumbfounded.

"What is that?"

Jaren remembers who he's talking to and quickly laughs at the realization. "Hey don't laugh answer me!" She roars, nudging her sons side.

"It's not that it's just you wouldn't understand." He calms himself enough to speak. Smiling in contentment at his mother. She only remains lost though, not even trying to understand who the hell he was talking about.

She rolls her eyes nonetheless. "So edgy."

"Shut up." The boy chuckles and this time she laughs along as well. At times like these Jaren really and truly felt a bond with his mother, especially with them not seeing each other much. It was something they both weren't used to but still somehow found a distraction for it.

Whether it be good or bad. That's how they found themselves catching up with one another. Talking and joking about the smallest things but mostly basking in each other's presence. It was a safe heaven for the both of them at the moment as they both were suffering great dilemmas neither of the two knew about.

But they felt something was wrong. Jaren on the other hand knew something was wrong but he couldn't tell her yet. No matter how bad he wanted to. Apart of him wondered if she'd even listen. After a while the mother and child fell asleep curled facing each other like the old days. Sharing one bedroom was comfortable even when living in such a shady home back then.

Sleeping in such a big and nice home you'd think it'd be way more comfortable. But to them this was the most snug they've felt in all their days of living there.

John prepared to walk into the room before stumbling upon the pair. Eyes going soft immediately and heart swelling. A bond like that was something he himself knew he'd never have with a parent. It hurt but Jaren looked so happy, the shorter smiling pleasantly in his sleep it almost made him wanna go in and kiss his cheek.

"What are you doing?" John jumped a bit. Startled by the voice behind him before closing the door to Jaren's room in order to give them privacy.

John turned to the beholder. "Nothing." He deadpans.

His father arched a brow. "That didn't look like nothing." He presses and John could only roll his eyes. Being in his presence infuriated him, whatever ounce of loving emotion he had for his father completely vanished. He was just another man in his life now, John didn't even wanna call him a man. In his mind he was a delusional and spoiled child.

"Okay." John simply answers.

His dad grows annoyed. "What's with you boy?"

John is bamboozled at such a direct question. He nearly sputters. "What's wrong with me?" He scoffs. He can't give himself away too quickly. John sighs. "Nothing, I'm just tired. They're sleeping please don't bother them for the sake of whatever humanity is left in you."

"Me and Ella's wedding is in two weeks. I'm sure you know that and if you don't you do now." The older man voices blankly. "We will be pretty busy with extra arrangements for the wedding and decor."

John grits his teeth. Nearly forgetting the wed day was so close. "And you're telling me this why?" John wonders subconsciously. His father chuckled at his putrid attitude but nonetheless continued.

"You'll go with Jaren tomorrow in help pick out a suit and any other accessories and necessities he may need for his mother's big day." John wanted to laugh at how ironic and ridiculous this all was. Why was his father so heads tread on trying to marry her? What'd he gain from it all?

"Whatever just please allow them to rest." John pleads. "They haven't seen each other in a while and I'm sure they'd like to bond with each other. Although I'm not too sure you know much about the word."

John's father gapes for a second at his sons attitude towards Jaren and Ella. "When did you become so caring?"

"Ever since mom left." John answers dryly and with that walks away. If he stayed any longer he would've punched him in the face. He's almost done pulling together the information and details for his plan and boy has John never felt so determined. He was going to end his own bloods career and felt

Not an ounce of sympathy.