Secrets - The secrets that protect us

Chapter 33

Lucas

The moment he walked into his apartment, he knew two things.
One, Wyatt and Emma weren't back yet.
Two, his step brother was home and making his presence very known.

Once again he was sitting in front of the big TV, playing some video game, and screaming at whoever was playing with him. It was his way of enjoying his life, Lucas and Wyatt did that too in their ways, but they alway put school and work first.

Something he was wondering if Asher would ever experience. In all his life, he never worked for anything and passed with acceptable grades. His brother wasn't stupid, but he could do so much better if he put in the work. That Asher didn't made him mad.

Lucas walked to the kitchen, only to realize that neither were the dishes cleaned nor the cabinets filled with groceries. Two simple things Asher was supposed to do. Two things he didn't do and with the frustration of not getting the proof he wanted and finding out about his mother's abuse by her own husband, it surfaced.

"Asher!" His voice boomed, making Asher hear him the first time he called and take of his headphones.
"Hey. When did you come?" he asked, a little bit of fear audible as he realized what he forgot.
"What is so hard about getting groceries and doing the dishes?"

"I can explain," Asher tried to defend himself and walked over to the kitchen. He sat on the other side of the isle, knowing that Lucas wouldn't hurt him. Of course, he wouldn't. He was his little brother, but every now and then he had to make clear that his behavior wasn't acceptable.

"Go on. I'd love to hear what excuse you can come up with." Lucas crossed his arms in front of his chest and pinned Asher down with his stern eyes.
"You'll see, after class I was exhausted that I went straight to bed. I swear I wanted to go grocery shopping once I'm awake, but then a friend called and I kind of forgot." Asher sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's the best you can do?" Lucas raised an eyebrow. "This is not acceptable. Your behavior is not acceptable."
Asher rolled his eyes. "Why you're making a big deal out of it? I'll do the dishes now and go shopping in the morning. Problem solved."
"Problem not solved. You were supposed to do this today!" Lucas slammed his hands on the counter.

"And now I am doing it tomorrow. It's gonna be done, so what's the problem?" Asher's tone was dripping with annoyance. More than that, Lucas could see how he didn't care at all and he asked himself how he could make it clear to his brother that he was only worried about his future. About his little brother, who was so spoiled that it annoyed him. That he never worked for anything.

Not because Lucas had worked for every little thing in his life and he was damn proud about that. It annoyed him that Asher didn't know what it meant to work for something. Didn't appreciate it or knew how it felt to achieve something great. It annoyed him that he had to worry whether a twenty-one-year-old man would find his place in this big world. He was twenty-one, not twelve.

"The problem is you won't do it tomorrow. Wyatt and I will. Like every damn time."
"That's not true."
"It is. You will play your games again and in the last minute think about doing your homework or study. You need to take up responsibility."

"I do and last time I checked, it's still my life and I get to decide what I want to-"
"You're my brother and I care about you even if you're a spoiled brat sometimes. I don't fucking want you to live with our parents or me and depend on us. I want you to have a live on your own and you won't get it if you don't start getting your head out of your ass and work for it." At this point it had come out screaming.

Asher remained silent this time. Even after a minute he didn't say a word. Lucas sighed and sat down in front of him.
"Remember that night when me, Wyatt, and the girls came home hurt and with a boy?" Asher nodded. "Luna and I are trying to track down Malcolm and his gang and put an end to his plan. That day we solved a part of a legend and by accident met Malcolm and a couple of his members. It came to a fight, two to be exact. But the point is, we could've died that day."