The Bodyguard

30.

He knew Lucas would always go out of his way to ensure his brother's safety, even though Jasper hated him for it.

"Someone's happy."

"Knock it off please," Jasper ignored his brother as he leaned against the doorway of his balcony. "I'm not in the mood."

"Relax," Lucas eased. "I'm not here to torment you. I just wanted to see if you're ready for Friday."

At first Jasper continued ignored him, as he faced the city and contemplated. Then he felt Lucas' presence increase. The older brother ruffled Jasper's hair from behind, much like he did when they were kids. Because he knew how much Jasper hated it, but it was also an important display of affection between the two.

"Don't touch me," Jasper huffed and without invitation, Lucas sat down beside him much to Jasper's dismay.

"Jesus. What's your problem?"

But Lucas got his answer through Jasper's torturing silence. Rather, he got no answer at all.

"You're not going to be this miserable on Friday are you?" He asked after the silence was too much to bear.

He didn't expect much of a response from the younger brother, but the slight glint in his eyes that Lucas picked up on told him that there was some sense of life left within his otherwise miserable flesh.

Friday, two days from now would be like any other impetuous, insufferable fundraiser, only this time, Jasper was expected to give a speech in support of his mother and the campaign.

Enough time had passed that people had forgotten about the rehab scandal, and Karla thought it was a perfect way to represent Jasper to society as a respectable young man — solidify a unified front from the Whites.

Only, Jasper hadn't spoken in front of a crowd in ages, and he'd by lying if he said he wasn't the least bit nervous. Lucas knew this too and could see right through his brother's collected demeanor.

"I'll be fine, Lucas," Jasper muttered, his mind somewhere else.

Rather on someone else.

It couldn't have been healthy to think about one person this much.

"You say that now, but remember your 5th grade choir solo? You had the worst stage fright. I'd never seen someone run off stage so quickly."

Jasper recalled the memory and felt indifferent. He remembered choking up in front of the whole school, and after, he'd ran into his mother's arms and cried the whole ride home.

He was a child so the audience still clapped in support, gave him encouraging nods and the next day, his teachers reassured him that he did great.

But he was older now and Friday's audience would be a lot less forgiving.

"I'm also not 10 anymore," Jasper said, his voice just barely above a low hush that Lucas had trouble hearing him.

"I know," said Lucas. "I'm just saying. Old habits die hard. If you need to, imagine everyone naked. It's bullshit advice but if it works it works."

Lucas watched his brother take another long drag of his joint, before offering some to him. Their eyes never met, but Lucas still accepted it with grace.

The smoke that enclosed them afterwards was thick and suffocating, but so was the air around them so it didn't make much of a difference.

The night dragged on and they smoked in silence, until the joint was unable to be held between fingers and essentially disintegrated.

Lucas felt like it was probably best to leave his brother to his misery, not matter how much it worried him.

"Jasper?"

Lucas stood up to leave and he was almost through the balcony door when he called out his brother's name.

Jasper hummed softly in response urging him to continue on.

"I love you."

At the utterance of those three words Jasper turned to face Lucas whose soft gentle smile told him that he was being sincere. Jasper's eyes dropped in hesitation. They were close and he wanted to say it back with everything in him but the words got caught in his throat. He hated himself for it.

"I—"

"Don't worry," Lucas eased. "Just get some rest, okay?"

Jasper felt like crying, but the wind dried his eyes so much that he felt it would be impossible.

"That reminds me," Lucas mentioned, his body halfway out the door. "I ran into your bodyguard earlier. He was looking for you."

Jasper felt his pulse quicken, partly out of confusion and partly out of anxiety. The way his body evoked such a strong reaction at the mention of Ace made him feel ill.

"What?"

It was all he could say. Any other words were caught in the muscles of his throat, attempting and failing to form a coherent sentence.

Lucas frowned at him, equally as confused.

"What do you mean, what?"

"He's here?"

Jasper felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

"Jasper, I swear to god—" The older brother was now visibly annoyed. "You're supposed to taking him whenever you leave — you know it's not safe for you—"

"No I know - I know. I have. I am, just —"

The two brother's eyes met in a confusing but sincere glance. Lucas saw something within Jasper's eyes that told him he was yearning for something. Someone.

"When did you see him?"

"A couple hours ago. Why?"

Jasper abandoned his spot on the balcony and made his way inside. Frustration, eagerness and anxiety ran through him all at once in a never ending whirlwind. Most of all: want.

"He said he couldn't get into contact with you. I told him I would let you know when I saw you. If you would actually answered your phone for once, you would've saw—"

"I know, Lucas. I know," he put on the first decent outfit he could find. Lucas' presence was becoming increasingly frustrating now that Jasper knew Ace was here.

"Where is he?"

"203."

Something ignited within Jasper felt like he could finally breath after weeks of being underwater. He turned to face Lucas, who albeit still confused, figured whatever had conspired between the two was nothing he wanted to be involved in.

Without warning, Jasper hugged him. The embrace startled Lucas, because he couldn't remember the last time he and Jasper had hugged.

Ever since the younger brother forbade people from touching him last year.

It wasn't an "I love you," but Lucas knew it meant the same thing.

That was enough for him.

~
lucas best character award when?

vote and comment 💓

next chapter couple chapters may be very smutty for their reunion 🫣 I haven't decided yet hehe