Connected Lives (a Les Twins FanFiction)

Chapter 30

"Fuck you Lau!" Larry yelled, flinging his arm out at his brother.

"I'll be in the studio," Lau responded gruffly. He started for their sanctuary only to pause a few steps later. Without looking back he said flippantly, "Be sure to bring your music bro." Smirking, he continued on his way.

Larry's anger spiked and he threw his bag violently into his apartment and yelled at Lau. "Motherfucker!" Despite his fury, he stormed into his flat, changed his shoes, threw on his "Know Thy Self" tank, and jogged out to meet his brother.

As soon as he stepped into the studio, Larry rubbed his arms and cranked the heat over 80. He wondered if that would be enough to lift this chill that had taken hold so deep within him. Seeing his brother turn up the heat, Laurent went ahead and stripped off his red plaid jacket, leaving only his sweatshirt and black long-sleeve as barriers against the cold. Looking back to Lau, Larry indicated toward the sad-looking fold-up chair in the front corner by the mirror, the humble pedestal where they had placed their music since their childhood.

What are you putting on?

Lau shrugged, his thumb sweeping the face of his iPod. The motion stopped, then started again, before coming to rest, he cocked his head and twisted his mouth in an "eh, why not" sort of way. A tap of his finger and "Turn Down For What - DJ Snake and Lil Jon" came pounding out of the speakers. Larry scoffed at his brother. Laurent simply swept his hand toward the center of the room, a challenge barely disguised as a polite invitation. His eyes locked on his twin.

Well?

Lau restarted the music and they met in the middle, a three foot void of air between them, the song's intense intro filling the room, amplifying the tension. Unconsciously their muscles, joints a breathing began to find the layers hidden within the harsh beats. It built quickly, leaving no time for them to back away and bury the need for ferocious release. They were committed.

Then the drop.

Hard, harsh beats pounded in the studio, mirrors vibrating and reflecting the fury between the twins. Love, hate, fear multiplied hundred times over until they could not separate them. Anger and fear battled for dominance in the beginning. Larry savagely hit the hardest beats. They faced their reflections, watching their mirror and themselves. Larry's face contorted in anger as he danced. On the double beat he struck out at Laurent who took over. His movements were no less powerful, but rather than anger, his dance was filled with sorrow and fear. He abruptly into a death drop. When he rose he threw both arms toward his brother.

Their dance continued like this for what might have been an eternity. But it did not remain static. It morphed and transformed. Fears turned into sadness, anger to loneliness, hate to forgiveness. And all over again. Until the fade. Breathless, dripping, exhaustion softening the hard edges of of their dance. Finally the love triumphed. The rest was still there, as it is for all people, but the love they shared was no longer suffocating beneath the weight of everything else. Catharsis. They stared at each other in the mirror, both barely upright, chests rising and falling with an urgent need for more air. The void between them had almost disappeared. With a hoarse cry of exhaustion, Lau's head fell against Larry's shoulder. Larry absently reached and tapped his brother's leg with the back of his hand. Lau lifted his head slightly. Larry turned to him and grasped the back of his neck before pressing his forehead to Lau's. Laurent draped his arms over Larry's shoulders. The stood like this, basking in what was uniquely theirs, until they simply could not stand any longer. Both sank to the floor, Larry propped on his arms with his long legs stretched out in front of him and Lau sprawled across the floor, eyes closed.

As was usually the case, Laurent broke the silence. Also as was usually the case, he did so with his own brand of humor. Still prone with eyes closed, he managed a question between heavy breaths.

"Larry! We gotta tell Thea what we're gonna wear...you gonna give my shirt back that you took when you thought I wasn't watching last week?"

"You serious!? I didn't take any of your clothes!" Larry choked, openly offended.

Lau struggled but finally managed to sit upright. "Yes you did! The flannel with Les Twins on the back! The red and black one!" His voice was excitable and his eyes bright.

"Oh my god Lau!" Larry replied, letting his head fall back in exasperation. "That's my fucking shirt! Yours has 99 or 88 or some stupid shit on the back!"

"Then where is it, hmm?"

Larry stared at his brother, whose expression could only be called diva. He couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and busted out laughing. A full, deep laugh and it felt so good. Seeing his brother break loose from those last ginds was one of the most beautiful things Laurent had ever seen.

Larry smacked Lau's chest, "Oh my god Lau," he laughed, "go look on the fucking chair!"

His brother looked confused then indignant as the truth dawned on him. "Yeah, well..." he left the sentence as he diva walked to the chair. He snatched the shirt up with a dramatic flair. "K, let's go see Thea."

"Right. Uh, I gotta go grab a few things I forgot last night."

It pained Laurent to see the look on Larry;s downcast face. A tormented mix of sadness, anger, lust and shame. Larry only allowed this display for a millisecond before wiping it clean and replacing it with an emotionless, cool smile. Lau watched his twin's eyes. He couldn't hide everything, not from him.

Aurelie going to be there?

Larry shook his head no.

Sabine?

Larry paused for a moment. "Yeah."

"Want me to come?" It was a genuine offer of support to his brother. But he also felt the need to protect him. Laurent had never really liked Sabine. Every time Larry started fucking around with her again, it took an effort on Laurent's part not to shame his brother. Let's face it, he himself was quite guilty of pretty much the same thing. Except Laurent wasn't in love with anyone else. Larry was. And he was dangerously close to losing her.

I'm not going to sleep with her.

Why not?

Huh?

Why not? You have been for over a month.

Not your business Lau.

You better get your shit together before you lose Thea.

Larry pulled himself up abruptly. "I'm gonna go get everything. Tell Thea I'll be back in, like, an hour or something like that." He walked to the back of the studio, grabbed his phone and started texting.

Sabine it Larry. Left my keys and shit. You there?

Almost immediately the phone buzzed with a reply.

Yes for a couple hours. Have to get Aurelie about 1p. Want to come?

Laurent watched Larry stare at the phone, that tormented look threatening to return.

See you soon.

"I'll be back later Lau," he said quietly, then his long legs carried him through the door and out of sight.