Strawberry Shortcake (BoyxMan - Werewolf)

Chapter One

He disposed so much time fighting about his room instead of paying attention to his parents.

Fin let the depressing thoughts leave his head as he focused back on Archer who was yawning very loudly. "Go lay down on the couch, I'll wake you up when it's ready." The poor boy was feigning sleep and was succumbing to it, so even though he didn't want to leave his big brothers side he decided against it and his tiny feet padded against the wooden floor until they reached soft carpet. Fin's chest tightened at the sight. They were all they had left.

Fin put a lid on the food and decided to do some exploring while the pot simmered. Tiptoeing past an already asleep Archer, Fin made his way up the stairs to check out the bedrooms.

The first door on the left was his brothers room and he shuddered at the sight awaiting him behind the door. The floor was covered in toys and clothes, walls covered with marvel posters and the bed was disheveled. Fin made a mental note to clean his brothers room before it became too bad and he would have to spend more than an hour picking it up.

He closed the door softly and proceeded to the room across the hallway. He took one - two deep breaths before opening it to reveal his room exactly how he left it, with an addition of dust accumulated on the dresser surfaces. He crept in and listened as the all too familiar floorboards screeched under the pressure.

His dresser was in the same spot in the corner, only accompanied by a family photo on top of it with an old stick of deodorant that was most likely dried out by now. The closet door ajar showing his color coordinated wardrobe, of what he had left behind with him, anything that would not be cool enough for California. His bed felt a little dusty as Fin ran his finger across the footer and that would be his next task on his mental to-do list.

His computer desk was empty, missing the laptop that was still in his suitcase downstairs. He mentally cursed himself for not bringing them up with him as he inspected.

Blank walls - no photos, trophy's, clocks and definitely no tv. His room was plain, boring.

Deciding enough was enough with his room he ventured into his parents bedroom, but after getting one foot into the door he heard small barefooted steps coming up the stairs. He turned in just enough time to see Archer standing at the doorway, wringing his fingers in his shirt. Just his brother standing like that reminded him he had left his little brother behind this whole time when he could have used a big brother to protect him.

"What's up, buddy?" Fin asked.

"I want to see.. can I... turn on the tv?" His voice came out small and tepid, obviously trying to hide how bad his mind just wanted to trail off somewhere other than here.

"Sure, lets go down together." Archer brightened up and headed on his way down the stairs not waiting up. Fin gave a longing glance at the room before exiting and closing the door softly, another room that will need further investigation eventually.

Watching his brother grab the remote from its home on the coffee table Fin went back around the island to stir the pot.

"I'm gonna go feed the animals, just continue watching it should be done when I come back in." Archer nodded and did what he was told, and Fin set out for his next journey of the long day. He slipped back into his shoes and cursed himself for having converse with holes on the side, knowing he'd get mud in them instantly.

He set upon his task anyways, trudging out into the rain and into the chicken coup first, giving the chickens grains and deciding to check for eggs later.

After feeding the ducks, goats, pigs and the scary as hell bull he had no idea his family had gotten, he was soaked and ready to get out of his shoes that were now moats. He gave himself his last task for his to-do list, which was to find his mothers friend, Martha, and thank her for coming over and taking care of the animals while he packed his stuff up and traveled across the states back to bumfuck Egypt in his beater car.

He discarded of his nasty shoes and muddy socks before entering in through the back door and made his way to the kitchen. He turned the stove off and plated two steaming bowls of stew for his brother and him.

Fin grabbed a TV dinner stand before setting it up in front of his brother and providing a spoon. "Be careful, blow on it before eating," he chastised and his brother rolled his eyes.

"Yes, mom," he retorted before realizing the words that were coming out. Archer instantly looked like he was about to cry and Fin tried his best at a reassuring squeeze of the neck, failing terribly.

Fin looked into his brothers green eyes, and although his chest tightened with raw grief, he gave his brother the most reassuring look he could muster. "It's okay, Archie, you don't have to cry. I would have said that, too."

Archer sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of his arm before letting his shoulders slump, blowing heavily on the bowl of stew in front of him.

It had been one hell of a day, and Fin felt pretty successful in providing dinner so far.