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meepthemeeping · 1 month ago

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Rough Draft

Gaetan sighed; the law firm was finally opened. Now, he just had to tell Aiden. Not that he hadn’t tried, but every time he brought it up, Aiden managed to steer the conversation back to Lambert. Gaetan understood that Lambert was a sore spot, but was it too much to ask for Aiden to shut the fuck up about him for five minutes?

He glanced down at his phone, half-expecting a missed call from Guxart. His dad should have arrived by now. He turned to the box marked “desk supplies” and started sorting through its contents. He shuffled through pens, organizers, and lots of paper until he paused, a small smile forming on his face. It was a family photo. Guxart's hair was still mainly red, not yet turning white from age and stress. Aiden had a smug look on his face; he must have been about sixteen when it was taken. There was Gaetan, still a small kid, clearly upset that he had to take a photo that day. Then there was Mom, wearing a head wrap as she was going through chemo at the time. She was still pretty—she had always been…

Ever since she passed, they tried their best not to talk about it…

He placed the photo at the corner of his desk.

The front door of the firm opened, and Gaetan peered out of his office just in time to see Guxart stroll in. His dad gave a quick nod in greeting, then bent down to pet Cleo and Milo, who were sprawled across the reception couch in a state of lazy ownership.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Guxart said, straightening up with a slight frown. “People around here drive like nut jobs.”

Gaetan smirked. “Yeah, well, nothing’s changed since the last time you complained about it.” He leaned back, feigning nonchalance. “Didn’t miss much, just Aiden whining again.”

Guxart raised an eyebrow. “About?”

“Oh, the usual,” Gaetan sighed. “Some guy broke his heart.” Gaetan gave a shrug, though he knew his dad would want to hear about it. Aiden hadn’t exactly kept Guxart updated on his life.

Guxart grunted in that noncommittal way of his. “I see. Well, I’ll leave that one to you.”

“I’m planning to check on him after this, actually,” Gaetan said, glancing toward the door. “Make sure he’s… holding up.”

“Good luck with that,” Guxart muttered, handing him a thick binder. “Here’s the lease agreement for the building. Keep it somewhere safe.”

“Will do,” Gaetan replied, thumbing through the pages absently. Then, noticing Guxart’s eyes flick to the lounging cats, he added, “Oh, and we have a new addition.”

“When did you get the other cat?” Guxart asked, nodding at Milo, who was stretching and yawning lazily.

“Picked her up with Letho a few days back,” Gaetan said. He could feel Guxart’s gaze sharpen a little.

“Letho… that man you’re always texting?” His dad raised an eyebrow.

“He’s in town for a bit, so we’re hanging out,” Gaetan replied with a careful nonchalance, though he could feel his dad’s scrutiny.

Guxart studied him, and a glint of something unreadable flickered across his face. “Well,” he said finally, “if he’s around for a while, I suppose I should meet him. He seems… important to you.”

Gaetan bit the inside of his lip, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. His dad could be a complete ass at times, and while Letho was tough-skinned, he wasn’t sure he wanted to subject him to Guxart’s version of “meeting the family.”

“Maybe,” Gaetan said carefully. “We’ll see.”

__________

Gaetan dug through his pockets, fingers closing around the familiar key Aiden had given him ages ago. As he unlocked the door and stepped inside, he was met with the sight of his brother buried beneath a mountain of paperwork. Aiden, dressed in sweats, looked up from his stack of notes with a faint expression of surprise. He looked tired; after weeks of traveling, chasing down leads, he’d finally come home for a while. Usually, Aiden would give Gaetan at least some detail about his cases, but this time he’d been tight-lipped, maybe because of legal confidentiality… or maybe it was something else.

Aiden tossed a casual question as Gaetan dropped his bag by the door. “Surprised Dad hasn’t tried to drag you back south yet,” Aiden mused, leaning back and rubbing his eyes. The remark made Gaetan’s chest tighten; he knew Aiden wouldn’t take it well.

Gaetan tried to keep his voice light. “I’ll head out when the money isn’t good; with the number of petty nobles in this area, I’ll probably be able to retire early. They can’t get enough of their ridiculous slap-suits.” He flopped onto the couch, sighing heavily as he watched Aiden resume typing. “But are you planning to spend the whole day half-naked in those sweatpants?”

“If the gods will it, yes,” Aiden said, smirking.

“Well, enjoy that, but I’m heading over to your crush’s place soon. Gotta check on that kitten and make sure it’s still alive.” Gaetan’s tone was teasing, though his glance held a hint of concern.

Aiden’s fingers paused on the keyboard, his expression faltering. “Let me know if Lambert’s okay, will you?”

Gaetan’s brow furrowed as he leaned forward. “Why don’t you walk over there yourself and find out?”

Aiden’s sigh was quiet, but the worry was evident in his face, and Gaetan felt a pang of frustration. Gaetan muttered something under his breath, standing abruptly to head for the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Aiden called after him, sounding mildly concerned.

“I need a drink,” Gaetan shot back. After a few minutes, he returned, handing Aiden a warm mug of Karak chai. Their mom used to make it when they were upset…

Aiden’s eyes softened as he accepted the mug. “Trying to butter me up?”

Gaetan crossed his arms, his tone firm. “Start talking.”

“About…?”

“Don’t even try it, Aiden. You know what.”

Aiden sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Fine. I’m… I’m upset about Lambert.”

Gaetan scoffed. “He’s just some guy. Not worth losing sleep over.”

Aiden frowned, a quiet sadness in his eyes. “He’s my friend, Gaetan. I’ve tried texting him, checking if he’s okay… but he just leaves me on read.”

Gaetan shook his head, barely holding back his irritation. “Friend? You’ve been pining after him like a lovesick teenager. Can’t you see he’s not worth it if he’s treating you like this?”

“Gaetan—”

“Let me guess,” Gaetan interrupted, his voice laced with exasperation. “You’re gonna beg him to come around? Try to play best buddies with a guy who clearly doesn’tlike you?”

Aiden sighed again, looking down at his mug. “It’s stupid, I know. I just… I’m worried about him. The only time I hear from Lambert is when he’s stumbling up the stairs, drunk. I want to give him space, but I also want to help. I know what it’s like to need someone.”

Gaetan’s jaw tightened as he drained his own drink. Without another word, he slammed his mug down and stormed toward the door. “Fine. You want answers? I’ll get them for you.”

“Gaetan, wait!” Aiden called, a note of panic in his voice, but Gaetan didn’t stop. He’d had enough of Aiden’s endless anxiety over Lambert. If Lambert wanted to ghost his brother, then maybe he needed a wake-up call.

Gaetan marched down the hall and knocked on Lambert’s door hard, each knock ringing out with unspoken fury. When the door swung open, Lambert’s annoyed face met him, brows raised in mild surprise.

“Gaetan,” he said, crossing his arms. The kitten, barely visible, peeked out from behind the couch.

“Lambert,” Gaetan greeted flatly, his eyes drifting to the kitten before he spoke again. “At least you haven’t managed to kill him.”

Lambert’s jaw clenched. “I can handle a damn cat. Fuck you.”

Gaetan smirked but quickly dropped it, his tone turning serious. “Great. Now go talk to my brother.”

Lambert’s eyes narrowed. “Since when do you get to give me orders, kid?”

“I’m thirty, jackass. And I’m giving you orders because he’s been worried sick about you, listening to you stumble around drunk, then watching you fucking disappear without a word.”

Lambert scoffed, but a flicker of guilt softened his expression. “He’s worried about me?”

Gaetan folded his arms, letting the silence settle before replying. "I have no idea what he sees in you, but yeah. Now, if you hurt that cat or my brother, I will make your life sadder than it already is." With that, Gaetan spun on his heel and strode away, leaving Lambert in the doorway.

He didn’t know how any of this would play out, but if it helped Aiden stop wallowing, then it was worth every word.

—----------------------------

Letho finally had his truck back, and it felt like a miracle. That week driving a tiny rental car had been hell, and every joint in his back protested as he stretched out, relishing the comfort of his own vehicle again. As he pulled into the parking lot of the bar where he’d agreed to meet his friends, he rolled his shoulders, hoping the stiffness would ease. Inside, he knew Serrit and Auckes would be waiting, probably razzing him for running late.

He walked into the bar, catching Serrit’s smirk immediately. “Letho! Thought you were gonna bail on us,” Serrit teased, clapping him on the shoulder as he joined them at their usual table.

Auckes looked up from his drink, his gaze narrowing with concern. “You good?” he asked, eyeing Letho carefully.

Letho gave a tired shrug, knowing he probably looked as rough as he felt. The past few weeks had been a grind—work had piled up endlessly, and sleep was a luxury he could barely afford. Most nights, he crashed late, too exhausted even to see Gaetan, who he’d had to bail on more times than he’d like to admit.

“Hardly slept at all,” Letho muttered, slumping into the chair with a heavy sigh. “They keep dumping more paperwork on me. I feel like I’ll never catch up.”

Auckes raised an eyebrow, frowning. “You think they’re dragging their feet on your retirement?” he asked, his voice low.

“Probably,” Letho replied, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “I’ve given them damn near my whole life, and they still act like it’s not enough. I haven’t even told Gaetan I’m retiring yet. Hell, I keep canceling on him, and I’m worried he’s gonna start resenting me for it.”

“Why haven’t you told him?” Serrit asked, leaning forward. “You know Gaetan’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’d get it.”

“They won’t give me a clear answer on my retirement package. I don’t know if it’s just a pile-up of paperwork or if they’re stalling, but I don’t want to get Gaetan’s hopes up for something that might take forever.”

Serrit gave a knowing nod, but his words were blunt as ever. “Look, he knew what he was getting into when he started dating you. He knew you were in the army.” He paused, eyeing Letho intently. “Tell him it’s just how it is. And if he can’t handle it, well…” Serrit trailed off, shrugging as though the answer were simple.

Letho rolled his eyes, holding back a groan. He should have known better than to expect good advice from Serrit. While Serrit was like a brother, his relationships had a history of going to shit. He didn’t keep anyone around longer than a year before things fell apart.

Auckes shifted uncomfortably, giving a nervous laugh. “Maybe, uh, maybe don’t go quite that harsh.” He looked down, fiddling with the hem of his shirt, visibly trying to muster up the courage to speak. “Letho, I… I mean, I’ve never been in a relationship. I don’t have any right to give advice.”

Letho softened, offering him a reassuring smile. “Trust me, Auckes, if I can find someone, anyone can. You’ve just gotta meet the right person.”

Auckes rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes darting away as he mumbled, “That’s the thing… I don’t even know if I want to. I’ve never felt like that. Must sound strange, right?”

Letho shook his head, shrugging casually. “Nah, nothing strange about it. Everyone’s got their own thing. Doesn’t make you any less… well, you.”

Auckes finally looked up, a shy smile tugging at his lips. “Thanks,” he said quietly. “But really, Letho, you should tell him. You obviously care about him. And if you’re finally close to retiring, he deserves to know. He’d understand, and it might give him something to look forward to.”

Letho exhaled deeply, considering Auckes’s words. Maybe Auckes was right. He knew Gaetan was patient, but it wasn’t fair to keep him in the dark.

“Yeah,” he agreed slowly, nodding as he took another sip of his drink. “I think you’re right. I’ll tell him. Hell, he’s stuck around this long—maybe he’s tougher than I give him credit for.”

Serrit grinned, raising his glass. “There you go. Just remember, Letho—you’ve got people here who’ve got your back too. Gaetan’s a lucky guy to have someone like you.”

As the night wore on, the chatter in the bar began to quiet, and Letho leaned back, savoring a moment’s rest. Serrit, however, kept glancing at his phone, his brows knitted as he checked the time repeatedly. Just when Letho was about to ask what was on his mind, the phone buzzed on the table, and Serrit groaned. His girlfriend’s name lit up the screen, and Serrit shot an apologetic look to Letho and Auckes before answering.

“Hey, babe,” he said, but whatever her reply was, it immediately had him frowning. He stepped away from the table, moving to a quieter corner of the bar, but his voice was still easy enough to hear, especially as the conversation grew heated.

“Look, I told you, I’m out with the guys tonight,” Serrit said, his tone strained. “Yeah, I know it’s late, but we don’t get to do this often.” There was a pause, and then Serrit’s voice dropped, clearly trying to stay calm. “No, I’m not blowing you off. This is different.”

Letho exchanged a glance with Auckes, who just sighed, sinking further into his chair. The tension in Serrit’s voice grew as the conversation dragged on. “We already talked about this. I’m not doing this tonight.” His fingers clenched around his phone. “Fine. If that’s how you feel.”

Serrit hung up, shoving the phone back into his pocket with a frustrated huff. He ran a hand over his face, visibly torn between anger and guilt. “I… I should go,” he muttered, looking at Letho and Auckes. “Sorry, guys. Guess I’m on damage control now.”

Letho gave him a nod of understanding. “Take care of it, Serrit. We’ll catch up soon.”

Auckes just patted him on the shoulder as he passed, offering a sympathetic smile. “Good luck, man. And don’t let her eat you alive.”

Serrit chuckled half-heartedly and headed out, leaving Letho and Auckes alone at the table. Auckes sighed, nursing the last of his drink before he set the glass down, a thoughtful look crossing his face.

“Guess that’s my cue, too,” Auckes said, standing up and stretching. “I’ve got an early shift tomorrow, and, well… no reason to linger around here.” He flashed Letho a brief grin. “Take it easy, Letho. And think about what we talked about, yeah?”

Letho nodded. “I will, Auckes. You get some rest, too.”

With a small wave, Auckes left, leaving Letho alone in the quiet bar. The weight of the night settled on him, the lingering exhaustion reminding him of how thinly he’d been stretched lately. He fished his keys from his pocket and headed out to his truck, letting out a long breath as he leaned against the driver’s seat for a moment.

As he started the engine and drove home, he found himself lost in thought. Gaetan was probably already asleep by now, but Letho resolved to tell him everything tomorrow.

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