Sullivan Siblings

III

"Levi... I'm bored," I whine, swivelling on a stool with wheels. It catches up to him under the car he is working on but I don't have the energy to bend down.

"Huxley," Levi mimics me. "I'm busy." His coworker working on the car on the other side of us laughs at my expense. It is only because we aren't related I don't snap at him to shut up.

"I'm old enough to stay home alone," I pout, pushing myself to the tail end of the car for fun. The little steel wheels on the stool screech on the smooth cement.

"Not if you're here," Levi snickers. Something clangs and he cusses.

"Serves you right," I mutter pettily. Now I am spinning in circles on the wheel-y stool. Levi chooses to ignore me, at least I think so when he doesn't respond loudly, but he does respond. I think he mutters something about Ivan being a saint with how easily he puts up with all of us.

"Why didn't you just watch b-ball practice?" Levi asks. A dirty brown liquid pours into a big circular pan. I think he said he was changing oil.

"I'm not a Sullivan at school." I lower my voice and talk really fast. Levi is the chill brother until it comes to family. Silence descends upon us. I nervously bite my lip when it seems to stretch really long. A sputtering, high pitched laugh rolls out when Levi crawls out from under the car.

"What?" He demands, glaring at me.

"People don't know I'm related to the Sullivan boys." My answer is speedy and quiet again as I close my eyes and wait for something to hit me, or Levi to tackle me. "Maybe the red hair helps," I add when he just stares at me in wretched silence.

He really has matured when he crawls back under the car instead of arguing with me. Last year, we would have had twenty petty barbs thrown at each other already. I play with my cuticles, guilt making me physically sick. I skirt around to the hood of the car and kick at Levi's shins. He shoots out from under the car and kneels to look me in the eyes. I gulp at the serious expression on my goofy brothers face.

"You don't ever be embarrassed of our family, Huxley! So what, we aren't exactly the normal archetype. We have each other and we always will. That's what matters." He sets his grease stained palms on my knees so I stop jiggling them.

"But everyone only wants to be my friend because of my brothers." I lamely defend myself, throwing in pouty lips. His coworker snorts before crawling out from under the car he is working on and standing up. I avert my eyes when he starts brushing his thin, summer coveralls off. He's kinda cute and I don't want Levi catching on. Odin will ban me from coming here if he knows that thought.

"I'm sure that's not true." Levi's lips twitch when I start shaking my head before his sentence is finished.

"All my middle school friends ditched me when I wouldn't set them up with Hollis and Silas!" I cry out, crossing my arms over my chest. Levi's coworker snickers but circles around the hood of his car to work on something else. I point my eyes to my toes so Levi won't see me eye stalking the man.

"Screw 'em, then." Levi pulls me in for a hug.

"Ugh, Levi!" I whine when he rubs his stubble lined cheeks on my jaw. His arms hold me securely so when I try to push him away, he doesn't budge. "That hurts!"

"Big baby," Levi laughs. I can feel him moving away but tighten my arms around him. Levi is a lot like Simon, a goofy sweetheart trying to act macho and tough. I'm sure they really appreciate my hugs.

"Don't leave yet," I murmur, holding on tight.

"I'm kinda on the clock," Levi laughs but lets me nestle my head in between his neck and shoulder.