Winter Boys

1

There were three things of which August Winter was sure of: 1, that the wind never lied, 2, that romance was not for him, and 3, he was not normal. But who was to say what normal was? In a town like Riverside which has both always existed, and never existed, normal was a relative term that was used to describe the rest of the world.
Nothing in Riverside was normal. The town was small, and seemed like a place where time stopped. New people never moved in, and old people never moved out.

On the other hand, his brother, Rick Winter was not sure of anything. He was fairly certain of most things, but he was never sure. For example he was fairly certain his mortal enemy was Kol Krof, and he was also fairly certain that he was much hotter than Krof, and much more athletic than Krof, and a much better drinker than Krof.
Of course Krof always won, because Krof never lost. Rick was also fairly certain that Krof cheated at everything he did, and he was very certain that someday Krof would lose, and he would reign triumphant.

The two brothers could not have been more different. August was quiet and reserved, where Rick was loud and explosive. They were rarely seen without each other, but during the day Rick slept off hangovers, and August slept in fields. Both boys were night owls, and both boys attended riots and parties. August only went because Rick did, and Rick only brought him because leaving August alone is never a good idea.

But August liked to be alone, and currently he was alone. Or alone as he could be in a field outside of Riverside. As long as he lay in the field no one could see him because of the height of the wheat. His chest rose and fell with his breaths, and a book slowly slipped off his chest beside him.
The wind bent the wheat in many ways, and whispered to August quietly. The wind never lied to him, and today it was telling him secrets he shouldn't know.
"But no one ever moves to Riverside," August told the wind. It hissed angrily at him, asking if it had ever lied before. "I'm sorry." August kept his eyes shut as the wind blew through him, and around him. The wind liked him, in more ways than August could explain. He would use the word love if he believed in it.
"Deep infatuation," He mumbled to the wind. It agreed with him.

In the middle of the town in their three story house Rick slept peacefully in his bed. This was lucky because Rick never did anything peacefully, and sleep was usually a violent hell storm of dreams he did not want. Today he had no dreams, just the peaceful envelope of darkness, and the relief of last nights wounds.
The slamming front door forced Rick out of his dreamless void, and into a very angry mood.
Nial Winter was the perfect description of the Devil. A face as handsome and fair as an angel, but the heart and soul of a demon.
The two boys were very lucky that their father was rarely home due to his work, but when he was home it was hell. Nial regarded the empty living room with a general distaste. Neither boy had expected their father home today, and so the place was slightly disordered. Nial glared towards the stairs that led to the bedrooms where the eldest twin currently stood. He was slumped against the wall his dark eyes watching Nial, challenging him. He knew what storm was coming, but he still wasn't prepared.

August was asleep when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He slowly opened his eyes and felt a weight on his bare chest. He hadn't remembered taking his shirt off but it was bunched in his hand. The weight on his chest was soft, and also breathing. He tried to keep himself in a calmed state so the animal didn't scare, but the vibrating in his back pocket became too much. August sat up and the rabbit bolted into the wheat, several birds took off from around him, and a deer screamed mirthfully at his sudden awake. He grabbed his phone and answered it.
"August," His father's cold voice broke through the phone. A cold settled on August despite the blazing sun. It appeared to be late afternoon, his father was never home this early.
"Sir," He responded. August had mastered the science of keeping his voice entirely emotionless. Sadly when he kept emotion from his voice he sounded remarkably similar to his father, Rick liked to use August for that.
"Where are you?" It was stated as if he already knew the answer. August didn't like to answer pointless questions.
"Why're you calling me?" A deep sigh came from his father.
"Because you're not at the house, and Richard doesn't know." No one knew, August never told anyone about the field, but he visited it whenever he was able.
"I'm out," August said. He stood up and made his way back to the untraveled road that led into Riverside.
"Unacceptable," His father snapped, "The house is a disaster, and dinner isn't even close to being prepared!" August didn't think it was his responsibility to make dinner.
"And so you're calling me instead of mother?" It didn't surprise him, August wasn't even sure if Nial had Vanessa Winter's phone number, the two rarely talked. 
"Your cock loving slut of a mother isn't here, so that means it falls to the children to make food!" August wanted to scoff, and hit his father. August always wanted to hit his father, he was sure the feeling was mutual.
"Bullshit," August said walking on the shoulder of the road now. August could barely make himself a microwave meal.
"What did you just say," It was a challenge.
"I said," August forced as much contempt into his voice as he could, "Yes sir."
"That's what I thought." His father hung up. August threw his phone into the field. He hated technology.