Chapter 40 My Brother
Chapter 40 My Brother
Omniscient Narrative
Months Later
The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the large backyard, where brightly colored decorations fluttered in the warm summer breeze.
The laughter of the Gregg family and their friends filled the air, merging with the scent of grilled burgers-and many other food- and the fresh flowers Kai had the Gardner take care of before the event started.
It was a moment of celebration—a gathering to honor Austin's graduation alongside his boyfriend, Joey, who had just earned their degree.
Kai stood at the entrance of his home, an easy smile plastered across his face as he greeted guests with open arms, his new dog stayed attached to his leg- though he was beginning to dislike the younger man he was grateful for the gift he gave him, Aries had told him he got the dog for him so as to not let the man be lonely seeing as his son and husband are rarely ever home-.
His heart swelled with pride as he glimpsed Austin slipping his arm around Joey, their faces lit with joy as they shared in a moment of laughter with their friends.
'This is a joyous occasion, hopefully he doesn't show up today' the short man thought as he eyes the crowd, as a latent sense of dread churned in his stomach.
It's been months since Aries has been blackmailing the older man with pictures of that nights and explicit pictures of himself-naked, bathing or pleasuring himself-
'Where is he getting these from?' The older would think to himself each time Aries showed the pictures AND videos to the him.
It had come to his attention that the younger man had installed camera everywhere in his house and that shook Kai to the core.
'Had he been watching me all this time?'
Kai was disgusted with the younger man and at now, he was scared, if he could go through the extreme of installing cameras, invading his private life lord knew what the younger man could do.
And it wasn't helping that the younger man was always everywhere he was, at one point he questioned if he was really in the university with how much free time he had.
"Dad! Come take a picture with us!" Austin called out, drawing him away from his thoughts.
"I'm coming!" Kai replied, shaking off the shadows that had lingered in his mind. He maneuvered around the gathering to capture that moment.
As they posed against the backdrop of a giant banner proclaiming
"CONGRATULATIONS, AUSTIN & JOEY,"
Kai's heart hung heavy with unsaid words and unresolved feelings. He looked at his son, his bright future ahead of him, and felt the clench of determination flowing through him.
Today was about Austin, about cheering him on as he stepped into a new chapter in life -the older man kept reminding himself-, and Kai vowed to keep away the storm clouds roiling in his own heart.
.
The party was under full swing when the doorbell rang. Kai turned to Vincent, who stood near the grill, flipping burgers and swapping jokes with their friends.
"Vincent, can you get that? I'm sure it's more guests," Kai called.
"Sure thing," Vincent said, wiping his hands on a towel before heading inside. "I don't know why he didn't hire more help" the man shook his head as he thought of his husband who loves to take everything into his own hands.
Moments later, the backdoor swung open, and Kai's heart sank as he caught sight of Aries walking out the back with his husband.
Kai couldn't help but feel a faint shudder of dread wash over him as he stared at the handsome young man who was standing tall with a large smile on his face.
"Hey, Kai!" Aries greeted, flashing that disarming smile that had both captivated and unnerved Kai in equal measure. "Hope I'm not late! I had something to take care of something, though I do want to know if I'm imposing or not, seeing as I didn't get the invite from you"
Kai forced a smile, masking the tension bulging beneath the surface. "No, of course not. You're always welcome to come by when you visit Austin and it's a day to celebrate you too, I mean you've graduated also."
The brief sensation of relief faded as Aries stepped fully into the party, his energetic aura seeming to draw attention from guests like a moth to a flame.
A few friends of Austin's waved catching the light skin man's attention, and the man made a movement that he would catch up with them later on .
"Wonderful..." Kai murmured under his breath, feeling the warmth of unwanted anxiety creep back in.
Kai tried to move away, but Aries anticipated his intentions.
The boy had an uncanny knack for appearing just when Kai wished to hide. He was like a shadow, slipping seamlessly beside Kai with unyielding determination.
"I'm just glad I could make it!" Aries exclaimed, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "The party is going well"
"Thanks, but..." Kai began, eyeing the distance between him and Vincent, who was now engaging with guests. The last thing he wanted was to be cornered with Aries's relentless presence.
His thoughts were tangled with the multitude of emotions he continuously battled since their brief, intimate encounter—a discordant knot of desire and anxiety.
"Where's Austin?" Aries asked, seemingly untroubled by Kai's predicament .
"There," Kai gestured, but his words wavered as he caught sight of his husband across the yard. Vincent's laughter rang out sharply, his easy demeanor a contrast to the unsettling tension shrouding Kai.
It hadn't taken long for the atmosphere to fill with liveliness again, laughter weaving through chatter.
Guests gathered under the patio lights, mingling like colorful fireflies. As Kai redirected his view toward the grill, he spotted Vincent chatting with a tall, handsome man—Kai's older brother, Derek.
Derek was impeccably dressed as always, exuding the charismatic charm typical to him. Kai glanced over, wishing for a save from the storm surrounding him.
He unintentionally met Aries's penetrating gaze, catching that mischievous glint that sparked unease in his heart.
"Looks like your husband is enjoying himself, why isn't he here with you, I mean, someone could just steal you away" Aries commented, a hint of something mischievous lurking beneath the surface of his words as if trying to make the shorter man jealous of the scene in front of him.
Right away, Kai's stomach twisted at what Aries was trying to imply. "He's good at entertaining" Kai said, forced lightness in his tone completely choosing to ignore the other comment. That was his brother Derek and besides Derek has a girlfriend, she's literally sitting over there. "I'm going to get us all beverages."
"Mind if I join?" Aries asked, sliding into step beside him as Kai headed toward the cooler parked off to the side, he could sense his plan was not working, but he was planning on still going with it, he needs to get into Kai's head.
Kai held his breath but didn't respond. He needed to maneuver through the evening, trying to find a balance of hospitality for everyone involved.
But moments later, the two reached the cooler, and as Kai retrieved drinks, he noticed Aries's gaze trailing back toward Derek.
"Who's that guy with your husband?" Aries asked casually, tilting his head in Derek's direction.
"That's my brother," Kai replied quickly as if trying to make the topic end, the weight of his presence heavy and unbearable.
"Interesting..." Aries mused, watching Derek with a keen intensity that made Kai uneasy.
'What is planning to do?'
"What do you mean?" Kai muttered, his heart beginning to race as the connection between them began to twist in his mind.
'Was he going to hurt him? Or use him to get to me?'
"Nothing." Aries's eyes narrowed, transfixed by Derek's laughter as Vincent gestured flamboyantly while entertaining a group of friends. The sight made Kai's skin prick 'why was he staring at him like that?'. "It's just beauty runs in your family doesn't it."
With palpable tension in the air, Kai felt his throat constrict. "Can we not do this right now, Aries?" he implored, urgency seeping into his voice. "It's not the time or place."
"Okay, okay," Aries replied, that ever-present glimmer of mischief dancing across his features. "But I'll be right here, Kai, enjoying every moment of this delightful evening."
Kai turned away, attempting to ignore the growing fact of dread seeping into his bones. He gathered party supplies and concentrated on returning to his guests, directing his focus toward Austin and Joey—focusing on their laughter as they mingled with the other guests.
As more guests arrived, the evening blossomed with exuberance—Austin reveling in the spotlight.
In the middle of the joyful chaos, Kai found brief moments of comfort basking in his son's joy, but that sense of peace was short-lived.
No matter where he turned, Aries watched from the corners, a watchful hawk—each glance felt like a reminder of his previous mistakes, a lingering dissatisfaction that clawed at his spirit.
As fireworks sparked against the canvas of the night sky, each explosion transformed into a deafening reminder of everything Kai wanted to avoid. He caught sight of Aries enjoying in the sight, and a chill ran down his spine. He became unease and focusing on the celebration appeared futile.