In Bloom

Alpha

Beta stared at their front door as it slammed shut.

It felt so fake, the entire situation and the consequences that came with it. Sometimes, he'd think about telling Alpha off in his mind, something along these lines - but in his mind, the victory was always sweet and deserved.

This felt like absolute torture.

He stood up from the table, unsure of what to do. Does he go upstairs and talk to his mother about it? Will he just lay down and pretend it never happened? No... He needed to make things right before it was too late.

Again...

His hands shook as his fingers gripped at his forehead; how could he be so stupid and say something so awful?.. Sure, his older brother hasn't been the best person to talk to today - but he was still a living, breathing human with real emotions. What he said completely broke him...

There was no way in hell, Beta can't fix everything tonight, but he could try... If Alpha decided to punch him square in the face, he'd gladly take it - it was deserved. Just as he deserved it the first time...

The first time...

Tears gathered in his eyes as he quietly walked over towards the door. Leaning his ear on it, he could occasionally hear the quiet sniffles - which indicated that his brother was luckily still there. Beta wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but something in his mind told him to get over his pride and open that damn door.

And so he did. The cold hair hit his tear-stained cheeks immediately, just like the smell of cigarettes hit his nose. Alpha snapped his head towards him, his expression was mostly unreadable due to his sunglasses, despite it being night outside.

The cigarette in his hand was shaking just like his breath as he puffed out smoke.

"Alpha, I-"

"Fuck off and die."

Was the answer he received immediately in reply. It was expected, Beta watched him turn his head in the opposite direction. For a moment, the younger brother stood at the door frame, looking down onto the ground as he sniffed occasionally.

"Alpha..." He whined out, barely audible, his voice sounding so alien as it lost its usual rough sarcasm - "I... I'm sorry."

No reply, Beta decided to step outside and close the door behind him. He sat down, away from Alpha as he hugged his knees to his chest. He felt like his brother would kill him if he spoke up again or annoyed him - but the fact that he was staying with him was a good sign.

"You're sorry?" Alpha repeated after a few minutes of quiet sniffing - "You don't need to be sorry. What you said was true."

Beta stared at him with glossy eyes, more tears threatening to spill. This was not his older brother right now, if he had to be honest, Alpha jumping straight into his self love would have comforted him way more than him being this... shell of a man. Alpha looked so small.

"N-No?" Beta whispered back in a dumbfounded manner - "No! It's not true at all! Y-You know that dad would have loved you no matter who you liked."

"Stop it." Alpha snapped, taking off his sunglasses in favor of drying his face - "Stop pitying me."

"I'm not!" Beta said, sobbing with his words - "I-I don't think dad would have hated any of us for who we are... I-If he did, he'd be a horrible dad, but he's not! I think he'd set aside his stupid belifes for you and me!"

"Me and you?"

Beta stopped dead in his tracks as Alpha finally looked at him. He remembered Charlie's words then and how he encouraged him to have this conversation. He would do anything right now to make Alpha feel better.