Wild things || The Quileute Tribe

36 - Lucas

As soon as they got back to their house, the whole band were worn out emotionally and tried. Tobias unlocked the door in silence and they all filed in. Andrew headed straight for the sofa and collapsed on the leather. Even flopped over the back and face first into the cushions. Lucas headed into the kitchen after Tobias. "I'm boiling the kettle", he called over his shoulder. They could hear the Wolves bustling around. Jacob and Embry were apparently patrolling around outside the house in Wolf form. Leah and Seth were sweeping through the house again to make sure there was nothing they had missed.

"If you give me a proper Earl grey tea I will love you forever!" Andrew called. Lucas watched as Tobias chuckled.

"Bro are you cheating on our broship?" Lucas called back dramatically. There was a burst of sniggers from the couch.

"I'm sorry Lucas but Tobe is just a better bro for me, bro". Tobias snorted as Lucas gasped loudly.

"The upstairs is clear", Seth announced as he came downstairs. "Where do you guys keep your bedsheets?"

"Big cupboard in the bathroom", Even replied. There was a sound as he got up. "I'll show you. We don't really bother with which bedsheet belong to who, as long as they're clean". There was sounds of their retreating footsteps up the stairs.

The kettle whistled and Lucas handed Tobias some mugs. When he turned around, Leah was standing in the doorway. He hadn't heard her come up. He smiled, masking his surprise. "Want some tea?"

"Yes please. Herbal, if you have it". He got out a fifth mug.

"Does Seth drink tea? Or would he like some coffee?"

"He doesn't drink coffee after three in the afternoon unless he's on night patrol", Leah shook her head.

"Jake? Embry?"

"They'll be fine".

Lucas nodded and turned his gaze to the kettle. An awkward silence descending as his mind buzzed, finger fiddling with the teabags as he waited for the whistling. The images of those animals kept popping up in his mind's eye. Even's pale face. The blood on Andrew's forehead. Tobias desperately trying to see but as blind and vulnerable as a fawn. Blood on his bare feet and the knowledge that there was something monstrous there. Gabriel could have killed them so easily. The question was why did he not?

"Lucas", Leah was at his side. Her hand turning off the stove and the screaming died down as the kettle was moved. She turned to him, hands coming up to the side of his face. They were the same height. The touch was gentle as she moved his head so that their eyes met. "Lucas? Lucas?"

He took a breath and blinked. "Oh. Sorry. I guess I'm still a bit rattled". He tried to force a smile but it cracked halfway and shattered. Leah was watching him with big dark eyes that seemed to see through his facade. He faltered and stepped back. Her hands falling down to her sides as she watched him pout the water into the cups.

"Are you okay?" The question was gentle and for once Leah's resting face of indifference fell and she was looking at him with concern and worry. Any other time Lucas would have been floating in the serotonin a look like that from here would have given him. Instead, he leaned heavily on the counter and took a few more deep breaths.

"Gabriel is my brother", he muttered at last. "He's my brother. We share DNA but I never knew him, not really. My parents divorced when I was a toddler you see. Gabriel was seven and they let him make the choice on which parent he would stay with. At that point they had already decided that I would stay with my mother. I was too young to be separated from her and dad worked long hours. I don't know why Gabriel chose dad. Dad wasn't there much. Long business trips that eventually were revealed to be long affairs. But for some reason little seven year old Gabriel chose dad. And they left together. For the first few years we exchanged letters and calls. But those cut off when Gabriel reached his teens". He paused for a second to take another gasping breath. This one coming out shaky as his knuckles gripped the counter.

"I just wonder sometimes if Gabriel had chosen me and mom, he would have ended up normal. The big brother I wanted when I was young. That maybe somehow dad wouldn't have messed him up and that he wouldn't have developed some sick fascination with us". He turned to face Leah, eyes red rimmed. "You know that once he told me the only reason he started becoming obsessed was jealousy? I mean it started out like that. He was jealous of my success, my family, my friends. That somehow I had it all and he had gotten nothing but a dead beat drunk and a juvie record". He broke off with a sob and there was hands on his shoulders. He turned and Leah allowed him to bury his face into his shoulder as he began to cry.

"None of that was your fault. You did nothing wrong". Her voice was soft and reassuring as she hugged him close. He could smell faint blossoms on her hair with each rasping inhale.

"But if I had tried to be there"-

"No". Her voice hardened and she pulled him away so that they could lock gazes. "You couldn't have done anything. Everything Gabriel has chosen is his own fault. You can't blame yourself for his choices. You were a young child. If you want to blame anyone then blame Gabriel and you dad. None of that should be on you". Lucas nodded, feeling himself drowning in her obsidian eyes. "Did I tell you about my father?" Lucas shook his head. Leah sighed softly but her gaze did not break from his. "I changed. Shifted, no one knew that I would but all the signs had been there. One day we were all in the garden and Seth and I had gotten into an argument. Both of our tempers running high with the changes. And then I was shifting. I'm not sure if my shift caused my dad's heart attack or if it was a freak accident. But then he was dead and the shock caused Seth to shift too. It could have been really bad".

Lucas took a second to absorb that. Then he was reaching out and hugging her close. Both of them holding each other tight as the waves of emotions began to ebb. "That was not your fault either. I'm sure your dad loved you. I can tell from the way you and Seth talk about your mother. You love your family and they love you. There's no blame".

"Your family loves you too", Leah replied gently. "Not your blood but your found family. Your friends who have become your brothers. You have a family here and anyone would be jealous of it". Lucas choked on a sob and then he was smiling. It was a soft but genuine thing. A rare smile that he only used once in a blue moon. Leah seemed to notice that and she smiled back. Lucas wanted to take that moment and treasure it in a jar so that he could take it out and relive it later. She was so beautiful, so beautiful that it knocked him breathless in subtle ways that left him without ground to stand on.

"Leah", his voice was a whisper. "Can I kiss you?"

"You may", her smile twitched wider for a second and Lucas was lost again. Then she leaned forwards and kissed him gently but fully. He felt like the happiest person alive. This beautiful, wonderful girl who could kill him, was kissing him. Mentally, he was screaming like a fanboy.

"Oh wow", he breathed dazedly. Leah pulled back and rolled her eyes before leaning back in. This time they kissed properly. His hands on her waist and hers on his shoulders. Their eyes closed as they savoured the moment. When they parted for the second time, Lucas sighed. "I have been blessed", he exhaled. "I thought I'd have to wait forever. I had so many pickup lines".

Leah immediately scowled. "If I let you call me your girlfriend, will you keep the pickup lines to yourself?"

"Oh my god yes! But I can't make promise for drunk of high Lucas, he's uncontrollable".

"You can't be controlled normally", a third voice interrupted. Tobias was leaning in the doorframe. He nodded at them with a grin, Harry Potter glasses lopsided on his nose. "Cute. I came for the tea. You two were both too occupied. Thanks". He moved round them to grab his and Andrew's mug and move them down the side. Lucas just grinned back.

"Tobias, I've got a girlfriend!" Leah snorted at the excitement in Lucas' tone.

"Good now give me the milk".

Unedited

I don't write straight couples very often. What do you think?
(Though I think all the Wolves are Pan and therefore Lucas has Pan/Bi wife energy).