Lavender

Settling

We cuddle all night. I wake up in Adam's arms and slowly sit up, causing him to stir. We slide out of bed, letting the others sleep. "Are you okay?" Adam whispers.

"I don't know. My brothers are... a tough subject for me. Hopefully they don't hurt anyone, and can find love. But it's going to be hard to fix our relationships."

He nods. There was a knock on the door. Adam looked confused, but went to answer it nonetheless. Jack, with new yellow eyes, stood at the door, nodded at Adam, and pushed past him into the room. "Just... come in I guess." Adam mumbled.

Jack stood in front of me. "The guys are gonna make fun of me."

I rubbed sleep from my eyes. "Good morning to you too. Why are they going to make fun of you?"

He shifts on his feet. "Have you ever known of a trend, the kind of thing that everyone is obsessed with but you just... don't like it for some reason?"

I sigh. "Yeah, but I think Leo might know more about that a little more than me."

"Why?" His face scrunched up.

"Because it feels like the 'trend' you're talking about is... liking girls?"

He immediately shoves me, and Adam yells, "Hey!"

I stumble back and Jack catches me from falling. "Sorry. Instinct. But I guess... it's kinda the same, kinda worse."

"Being gay, or in my case being bisexual, is not bad. Therefore any sexuality is not 'worse,' Jack."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Last night, my soulmate, Jessica, told me we would never have sex. And I felt... relieved." He looked at me like he was looking for approval.

I chuckled. "That's completely okay. You're asexual. That's just as okay as being gay, or straight, or anything. Calm down."

He nodded. "But the guys are gonna make fun of me."

"Yeah, maybe. But they shouldn't. And everyone else here is going to shut them down if they do. You all have to play nice, remember?"

"True." He seems like he's calmer.

The door opens and Kellen runs in. "Link, I need help."

I roll my eyes, along with the rest of the Lavenders. "This is apparently my life now." I mutter.

Adam, Luther, and Max give me quick kisses goodbye and head downstairs. "Okay, Kellen, what's up?"

He looks around nervously with pink eyes. "Well, I can't say it with him in here."

Jack begins to leave, but Percy bursts through the door. "At least Jack knocked!" I yell.

"Link, I- oh, you guys beat me here." Percy says.

I clap my hands together. "Okay, let's take this party downstairs and we can talk as a family. No making fun of each other, and I can answer all your questions."

They all look at each other uncomfortably. I hold the door open and motion for them to leave. "You all killed our dad and covered up his murder together. You can talk about your love lives. Downstairs."

They all file out and I follow them to the cafeteria. Leo and Mario are chatting at the bottom of the stairs. Leo looks up. "Hey guys! Let's eat and have a very long conversation!"

We all get food and sit down at a round table. Everyone but Leo and I ate like they haven't had a meal in years. Or a little over a week, I suppose. Once everyone got seconds, I started talking. "Okay. We are going to be honest with each other. We are not going to judge or make fun of each other, got it?"

Everyone agreed. "Okay. Mario, how's it going with the Reds?" I lead the conversation.

"Fucking amazing. Perfect over here. Spend our days cooking and laughing."

"Awesome-"

"Wait, wait." Says Leo. "We just spent an hour talking about the mindset of realizing you'll never settle down with someone and make a nice life. You just now realized this was a good situation for you, don't lie."

I sigh. "Mario, I literally just said 'don't lie.'"

He groans. "I don't really have a set partner. I don't get romance, which I have discovered I don't actually want, I just thought I was supposed to want it. But I am happy, it's just a shock."

Everyone nods. "Okay, Kellen. What's up?"

"I cannot say this out loud to all you guys. Not happening. Skip."

Percy pushed him. "We'll be nice, I promise."

Kellen stared off into the distance. "They, the girls, are.... not what I expected. They are... tops."

Percy immediately has to stop himself from laughing. Jack and Mario raised their eyebrows. "Like, they are... dominant?" Leo asks.

Kellen nods and drinks his water very awkwardly. Percy chokes back a laugh and says, "I support you, little brother. Whatever makes you happy."

Kellen hits him in the back of the head, causing Percy to shove him into Mario, who shoved him back into place. "I hate you guys." Kellen mutters under his breath.

"Calm down. Percy, what's your problem?"

"Antonio." He says with a scowl.

Leo and I look at each other with surprised faces. Percy's gay? "You're gay?" Jack asks.

"No, that's the problem. It would be easier if I was."

Leo and I shoot each other another look. Not gay. Percy explains. "There's a woman, Millie. And she's perfect. The whole package. Only issue is, she's my soulmate and she's also Antonio's soulmate. And they're perfect together. Powercouple, through and through. He's condescending, but only in his eyes, so she doesn't notice. And now I'm here, in the place he's lived in for two years, in his clothes, in his room, using his shower, in love with his girlfriend. I hate him."

Leo and I shoot each other one last look. Definitely gay. Jack responds. "Damn, you're intimidated by him! You're afraid!"

"I am not- yeah I am." He gives up. "How do I not punch him in his smug face?"

Leo chuckles. "Just don't, I suppose. If you like this Millie girl, you're not going to punch her soulmate. Try to stay calm, and maybe you'll even become friends with the guy."

Percy huffs. Jack immediately spills his guts. "I'm asexual. I don't like sex. I'm never gonna have it, and I'm happy with that."

Everyone looks at him. "Okay." Mario shrugs.

We look around at each other. The dust settles.

I have my brothers back.