Four Brothers
Nov. 25th, 2009 06:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
veiledndarknessTitle: Strays 9/?
Author: veiledndarkness
Pairing: Bobby/Jack
Rating: R
Summary: What’s it all worth when you’re alone?
Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit made and no harm intended.
Notes: AU, the brothers were not raised together by Evelyn.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
X
"You be a damned fool, if'n ya don't mind me sayin' so," Em looked over her shoulder to frown disapprovingly at Bobby. "Him one of ya oldest friends an' that how you treat him? Like he got dragged in offa ya boot?"
Bobby clenched his teeth and studied the pattern on the half empty plate before him. "I do mind, in fact," he stabbed his fork into the perfectly cooked bacon. "I mind a lot seein' as you work for me, Em. I don't need no approvals from you on who I hire or fire."
"Oh ho, listen to him now," she waved her spatula at the table, her dark eyes wide. "You be the Boss man, yessir, but ya don't wanna be bitin' offa ya nose t' spite ya face. You hear him, Jackie boy? Nonsense an' no food but the drink, it goes to his head!"
Jack snickered quietly and darted a glance at Bobby, amused by the irritation on his face. "Bet no one else gets to talk to ya like she does," he whispered.
"They wouldn't dare." Bobby pushed the food about on his plate. "Em, seriously, it's not even nine in the morning. Give it a rest, huh? It's not like I had him drawn and quartered for fuck's sake."
She whipped around, gesturing with her spatula. "Don't be over steppin' ya ground with me, boy! I know who pays me but you watch that filthy mouth in this here kitchen! Nobody be cussin' and speakin' badly in here or I walk, Boss man."
Bobby frowned deeply. "Em, Em, c'mon, don't be like that. I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry, honest."
She lowered the spatula, somewhat mollified. "Love all ya as ifn' you be my own, but I don't wanna hear such things. 'Nough bad things outside this home, we don't be needin' it inside, Bobby."
"I know," he soothed. "I'm sorry, I promise, I'll watch the language."
Jack watched them, intrigued by how fast Bobby switched on the charm, how the lines on his face smoothed out as he calmed Em's ruffled feathers with a few wisely chosen words. He crunched on his piece of bacon, thinking it over. Em treated Bobby as a boss in some ways, but in others, a well loved though thoroughly naughty child that she had to scold every so often. For a moment, he wondered if the legendary Evelyn Mercer had been the same.
"Here, eat up boy, you startin' to look like Jackie boy," Em chided him as she placed a stack of pancakes in front of Bobby. "Pair of ya boys lookin' like zippers, it ain't healthy, no way. Ah ah, don't be protestin', ya jus' eat up."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Hey, I am eating," he held up his empty plate. "See?"
"Good boy, knew that ya would," Em beamed a happy smile at him and Jack felt a tendril of happiness curl contently in his stomach.
"Have some pancakes an' I'll letcha be for awhile, Jackie," she patted his messy hair lovingly and moved back over to the stove, humming under her breath.
Bobby licked a drop of syrup from his lip, his gaze catching Jack's. "You tired of being inside most of the time?"
Jack shrugged again. "I dunno. I kinda like not havin' to sit out in the cold all day long, but I do get a bit bored. Why?"
"You wanna come with me to my downtown office? I got some things to do before the holiday, and a bunch of errands to run seein' as I don't have an assistant for that any more."
Jack blinked and peered at him through his fringe of hair. "Seriously? You want me to come with you?"
"Sure," Bobby nodded, a bit of heat to his eyes. "I want you with me."
Jack felt a rush of warmth crawl up his neck, up to his cheeks. "I, uh yeah, yeah sure," he managed to get out.
"Good," with that, Bobby dug into his pancakes and tipped a slight wink at Jack.
X
Jack fidgeted with his lighter in the car, his thumb smoothing the edges of the container again and again. "What'd you have in mind today?" he asked eventually, turning away from watching the snow covered fields pass by. "I can be real quiet if ya got paperwork or whatever."
"I do have some papers to go through, but nothin' major till after the holidays. Shipments are arranged; I got people to take care of that stuff." Bobby sat back in his seat, his leather gloves creaking quietly. "I got some donations to run down, people to meet, but God willin', we should be home by six or so."
"Donations?" Curiosity pricked again and Jack glanced at him. "What kind?"
Bobby smiled faintly. "Shelters always need food and clothes. I got a collection run up with the charities and I'm droppin' it all off today. Just this one I'll go to, the others I already sent checks for."
Jack was silent for a long moment. "It's the one you stayed in, isn't it?"
"Yeah..."
Jack nodded. "I figured. Bobby, y' know, guys like you, you oughta be mayor or some shit."
Bobby barked out a laugh and shook his head. "That's fuckin' funny. Me, a mayor, I don't think so."
"Why not?"
He chuckled, rubbing a gloved hand over his hair. "They have too many laws and rules to follow. I make my own rules an' I'm the boss. The mayor is a good colleague, so to speak an' he knows how shit gets run in this city. And no way would the city vote a former street rat into office, I guarantee that."
Jack sighed and nodded once. "Guess not. But you're like...this weird contradiction. You kill people. You sell drugs, weapons; you're like the fucking godfather of Detroit! And then you go an' donate to shelters, and pick up strays offa the streets. What the fuck is that, anyway? How can you be both? You can't be a good guy an' a...a fucking gang leader."
"Says who?" Bobby demanded. "Where's it written that I have to be some shitty person in order to run stuff? I got a fuckin' soul, ok? Maybe I got blood on my hands, but I'm not a puppy kickin' troll. I help because I fucking well can, Jack. That's why. Because there were no guys like me when I needed the help, when any kid or mom on the street needed help!"
Jack blinked back the prickle of tears that burned under his eyelids. "I'm sorry. You're...yeah you're right, an' you know it. It's kinda confusing sometimes for me. And I know you're not a bad person, Bobby. You're...you're actually kinda nice."
Bobby snorted. "Nice, well that depends on who ya ask. I'm sure Jeremiah is cursin' me as we speak."
"Why did you fire him anyway?"
"Not really your business, Jack," Bobby's tone slipped into a slightly colder one. "It's done. That's all that matters."
Stung, Jack flinched and looked out the window. "Right…"
Bobby bit his lip, sighing lowly. He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. And to be honest, he badly wanted to pull Jack on to his lap and taste his lips again. He grimaced and stared out the window the rest of the ride into the city.
X
"I'm startin' to think the snow'll never stop this year," Jack murmured, tracing his fingers along the large window pane. He curved his finger, drawing lines and jagged ones underneath. "We can all burrow under the city an' live like groundhogs and come back up when the spring is here."
Bobby made a sound of amusement in his throat, his eyes on the papers before him. "You might be onto somethin' Jackie," he said, tapping his pen on the desktop blotter. He squinted at the words, the ink blurring together. "Shit..."
"What's wrong?" Jack glanced at him. "You ok? You got that look again..."
"Pressure's buildin'..." Bobby dropped the pen and held his head in his hands. "Shit...Shit! I fucking hate this."
Jack slipped off the ledge of the window and crossed the room. He sat on the edge of Bobby's elaborate desk, frowning. "C'mere," he slid over more, sitting in front of him, heedless of the folders he was sitting on.
Bobby winced, pain shooting up his neck and into his head, the pressure gathering in different areas. Jack grasped his head, running his fingers up into Bobby's hair, his thumbs rubbing over Bobby's temples. "Shh, relax, ok? Gonna make it stop hurting."
He closed his eyes, breathing Jack in. A tingle ran down his spine at the feel of the strong thumbs and fingers easing away the tension areas. "You're too damn good at that."
Jack smirked. "Gotta be good at somethin', right? You're gettin' all tense again. What's got you all pissy for, huh?"
Bobby slid forward more, moving into the touch. He felt like purring. With a sigh, Bobby let his hands rest on his desktop, Jack's fingers lulling him into a wonderful calm. "Like a drug," he mumbled, "Best fuckin' drug."
Jack laughed quietly and brushed a kiss over Bobby's forehead. "You're somethin' else, Mr. Mercer. Bitchy and grumpy and loving and a big kitty underneath it all..."
"Don't you say nothin'..." Bobby smiled, the pain receding almost as fast as it had come on. He looked up at Jack, his breath catching. "Jack..." he stood up, studying him closely.
Jack tilted his head to the side, swallowing hard. Bobby cupped Jack's chin, catching his gaze, watching as those eyes lifted to meet his stare, bright and wide and somewhat unnerved. Jack shivered, pinned there under Bobby's gentle touch, pressed against the fancy wood, his palms damp with sweat. Despite everything, there was a hint of fear that never quite vanished around Bobby.
"Don't be scared. I'm the last one that'll ever hurt you, Jackie," Bobby whispered as he leaned in, kissing him.
Jack held still for a moment, his lips parting to meet the kiss. He closed his eyes, his arms coming up to tug Bobby closer. Bobby pressed against him, deepening the kiss slowly, his arousal surging up hard and fast at the feel of Jack's mouth to his.
"Bobby..." Jack pulled back after a moment, flushed and breathing hard. "Man, I'm on your desk here."
"So? Fuck the papers," Bobby fisted his hand in Jack's sweater, stealing another heated kiss.
Jack made a sound of protest, a weak one that faded under the feel of Bobby's tongue tracing his lower lip. He shuddered, reaching up and pushing his hands into Bobby's hair, the soft strands slipping through his fingers. Bobby groaned lowly, kissing him again, greedy for more.
A discreet cough from the doorway startled them both. Bobby broke the kiss, breathing hard. He glared at the girl, his gaze withering. "Can I help you?"
"I...I'm sorry, s-sir," she stuttered. "I...I have the packages prepared and I was w-wondering if they should be brought down to the delivery van." She glanced at Jack and then at the floor, blushing hard.
Bobby grunted, smoothing a hand over his mussed hair. "Yeah, send them down and get the fuck out, huh? Knock next time!"
"Y-Yes sir," she nearly tripped over herself, hurrying from the room.
Jack waited a beat and then laughed. "You look thoroughly kissed, Mr. Mercer."
"You are such a brat," Bobby tugged him close again, "A naughty brat. You know what I do to naughty brats?"
"Somethin' x-rated?" Jack grinned and batted his eyelashes. "Am I right?"
Bobby rolled his eyes and kissed him, nipping at his mouth playfully, his tension and stress forgotten in the feel of Jack's mouth.
X
"You're shittin' me, right? He actually fired him?"
"Yessir, I got word of it this morning, fired him yesterday. Gave him his shit an' told him to get out."
"Unbelievable," the man gripped the phone receiver in one hand, an amused smirk curving his lips up. He looked to the other sitting across from him, eyes bright.
"Follow Jeremiah. I wanna know where he's goin', what he's doin', clear?"
"And Mercer? Keep the tails on him?"
"Of course," he snapped. "Stay close to him no matter what. No excuses."
"Sir...There is one other thing..."
He frowned deeply. "What?"
"He's not alone."
"Come again?" he darted another look to the other man.
"He ain't alone; he's got some boy with him."
"A boy? He a hooker?"
"I dunno. I'm not about to ask. Maybe he is, maybe he ain't. Looks like he could be, he might be a street boy by the looks of it."
He snorted and shook his head. "Bobby Mercer..." he tsked, "Interestin' for sure. Stay close; get me anythin' you can on the kid. Get it now."
"Yessir."
The man hung the phone up and ran drummed his fingers on his thigh, his mouth quirking into an ugly sneer. "You know what that means, don'tcha?"
"Yeah, oh I know," the other man smiled, "Leverage."
X
Author: veiledndarkness
Pairing: Bobby/Jack
Rating: R
Summary: What’s it all worth when you’re alone?
Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit made and no harm intended.
Notes: AU, the brothers were not raised together by Evelyn.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
X
"You be a damned fool, if'n ya don't mind me sayin' so," Em looked over her shoulder to frown disapprovingly at Bobby. "Him one of ya oldest friends an' that how you treat him? Like he got dragged in offa ya boot?"
Bobby clenched his teeth and studied the pattern on the half empty plate before him. "I do mind, in fact," he stabbed his fork into the perfectly cooked bacon. "I mind a lot seein' as you work for me, Em. I don't need no approvals from you on who I hire or fire."
"Oh ho, listen to him now," she waved her spatula at the table, her dark eyes wide. "You be the Boss man, yessir, but ya don't wanna be bitin' offa ya nose t' spite ya face. You hear him, Jackie boy? Nonsense an' no food but the drink, it goes to his head!"
Jack snickered quietly and darted a glance at Bobby, amused by the irritation on his face. "Bet no one else gets to talk to ya like she does," he whispered.
"They wouldn't dare." Bobby pushed the food about on his plate. "Em, seriously, it's not even nine in the morning. Give it a rest, huh? It's not like I had him drawn and quartered for fuck's sake."
She whipped around, gesturing with her spatula. "Don't be over steppin' ya ground with me, boy! I know who pays me but you watch that filthy mouth in this here kitchen! Nobody be cussin' and speakin' badly in here or I walk, Boss man."
Bobby frowned deeply. "Em, Em, c'mon, don't be like that. I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry, honest."
She lowered the spatula, somewhat mollified. "Love all ya as ifn' you be my own, but I don't wanna hear such things. 'Nough bad things outside this home, we don't be needin' it inside, Bobby."
"I know," he soothed. "I'm sorry, I promise, I'll watch the language."
Jack watched them, intrigued by how fast Bobby switched on the charm, how the lines on his face smoothed out as he calmed Em's ruffled feathers with a few wisely chosen words. He crunched on his piece of bacon, thinking it over. Em treated Bobby as a boss in some ways, but in others, a well loved though thoroughly naughty child that she had to scold every so often. For a moment, he wondered if the legendary Evelyn Mercer had been the same.
"Here, eat up boy, you startin' to look like Jackie boy," Em chided him as she placed a stack of pancakes in front of Bobby. "Pair of ya boys lookin' like zippers, it ain't healthy, no way. Ah ah, don't be protestin', ya jus' eat up."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Hey, I am eating," he held up his empty plate. "See?"
"Good boy, knew that ya would," Em beamed a happy smile at him and Jack felt a tendril of happiness curl contently in his stomach.
"Have some pancakes an' I'll letcha be for awhile, Jackie," she patted his messy hair lovingly and moved back over to the stove, humming under her breath.
Bobby licked a drop of syrup from his lip, his gaze catching Jack's. "You tired of being inside most of the time?"
Jack shrugged again. "I dunno. I kinda like not havin' to sit out in the cold all day long, but I do get a bit bored. Why?"
"You wanna come with me to my downtown office? I got some things to do before the holiday, and a bunch of errands to run seein' as I don't have an assistant for that any more."
Jack blinked and peered at him through his fringe of hair. "Seriously? You want me to come with you?"
"Sure," Bobby nodded, a bit of heat to his eyes. "I want you with me."
Jack felt a rush of warmth crawl up his neck, up to his cheeks. "I, uh yeah, yeah sure," he managed to get out.
"Good," with that, Bobby dug into his pancakes and tipped a slight wink at Jack.
X
Jack fidgeted with his lighter in the car, his thumb smoothing the edges of the container again and again. "What'd you have in mind today?" he asked eventually, turning away from watching the snow covered fields pass by. "I can be real quiet if ya got paperwork or whatever."
"I do have some papers to go through, but nothin' major till after the holidays. Shipments are arranged; I got people to take care of that stuff." Bobby sat back in his seat, his leather gloves creaking quietly. "I got some donations to run down, people to meet, but God willin', we should be home by six or so."
"Donations?" Curiosity pricked again and Jack glanced at him. "What kind?"
Bobby smiled faintly. "Shelters always need food and clothes. I got a collection run up with the charities and I'm droppin' it all off today. Just this one I'll go to, the others I already sent checks for."
Jack was silent for a long moment. "It's the one you stayed in, isn't it?"
"Yeah..."
Jack nodded. "I figured. Bobby, y' know, guys like you, you oughta be mayor or some shit."
Bobby barked out a laugh and shook his head. "That's fuckin' funny. Me, a mayor, I don't think so."
"Why not?"
He chuckled, rubbing a gloved hand over his hair. "They have too many laws and rules to follow. I make my own rules an' I'm the boss. The mayor is a good colleague, so to speak an' he knows how shit gets run in this city. And no way would the city vote a former street rat into office, I guarantee that."
Jack sighed and nodded once. "Guess not. But you're like...this weird contradiction. You kill people. You sell drugs, weapons; you're like the fucking godfather of Detroit! And then you go an' donate to shelters, and pick up strays offa the streets. What the fuck is that, anyway? How can you be both? You can't be a good guy an' a...a fucking gang leader."
"Says who?" Bobby demanded. "Where's it written that I have to be some shitty person in order to run stuff? I got a fuckin' soul, ok? Maybe I got blood on my hands, but I'm not a puppy kickin' troll. I help because I fucking well can, Jack. That's why. Because there were no guys like me when I needed the help, when any kid or mom on the street needed help!"
Jack blinked back the prickle of tears that burned under his eyelids. "I'm sorry. You're...yeah you're right, an' you know it. It's kinda confusing sometimes for me. And I know you're not a bad person, Bobby. You're...you're actually kinda nice."
Bobby snorted. "Nice, well that depends on who ya ask. I'm sure Jeremiah is cursin' me as we speak."
"Why did you fire him anyway?"
"Not really your business, Jack," Bobby's tone slipped into a slightly colder one. "It's done. That's all that matters."
Stung, Jack flinched and looked out the window. "Right…"
Bobby bit his lip, sighing lowly. He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. And to be honest, he badly wanted to pull Jack on to his lap and taste his lips again. He grimaced and stared out the window the rest of the ride into the city.
X
"I'm startin' to think the snow'll never stop this year," Jack murmured, tracing his fingers along the large window pane. He curved his finger, drawing lines and jagged ones underneath. "We can all burrow under the city an' live like groundhogs and come back up when the spring is here."
Bobby made a sound of amusement in his throat, his eyes on the papers before him. "You might be onto somethin' Jackie," he said, tapping his pen on the desktop blotter. He squinted at the words, the ink blurring together. "Shit..."
"What's wrong?" Jack glanced at him. "You ok? You got that look again..."
"Pressure's buildin'..." Bobby dropped the pen and held his head in his hands. "Shit...Shit! I fucking hate this."
Jack slipped off the ledge of the window and crossed the room. He sat on the edge of Bobby's elaborate desk, frowning. "C'mere," he slid over more, sitting in front of him, heedless of the folders he was sitting on.
Bobby winced, pain shooting up his neck and into his head, the pressure gathering in different areas. Jack grasped his head, running his fingers up into Bobby's hair, his thumbs rubbing over Bobby's temples. "Shh, relax, ok? Gonna make it stop hurting."
He closed his eyes, breathing Jack in. A tingle ran down his spine at the feel of the strong thumbs and fingers easing away the tension areas. "You're too damn good at that."
Jack smirked. "Gotta be good at somethin', right? You're gettin' all tense again. What's got you all pissy for, huh?"
Bobby slid forward more, moving into the touch. He felt like purring. With a sigh, Bobby let his hands rest on his desktop, Jack's fingers lulling him into a wonderful calm. "Like a drug," he mumbled, "Best fuckin' drug."
Jack laughed quietly and brushed a kiss over Bobby's forehead. "You're somethin' else, Mr. Mercer. Bitchy and grumpy and loving and a big kitty underneath it all..."
"Don't you say nothin'..." Bobby smiled, the pain receding almost as fast as it had come on. He looked up at Jack, his breath catching. "Jack..." he stood up, studying him closely.
Jack tilted his head to the side, swallowing hard. Bobby cupped Jack's chin, catching his gaze, watching as those eyes lifted to meet his stare, bright and wide and somewhat unnerved. Jack shivered, pinned there under Bobby's gentle touch, pressed against the fancy wood, his palms damp with sweat. Despite everything, there was a hint of fear that never quite vanished around Bobby.
"Don't be scared. I'm the last one that'll ever hurt you, Jackie," Bobby whispered as he leaned in, kissing him.
Jack held still for a moment, his lips parting to meet the kiss. He closed his eyes, his arms coming up to tug Bobby closer. Bobby pressed against him, deepening the kiss slowly, his arousal surging up hard and fast at the feel of Jack's mouth to his.
"Bobby..." Jack pulled back after a moment, flushed and breathing hard. "Man, I'm on your desk here."
"So? Fuck the papers," Bobby fisted his hand in Jack's sweater, stealing another heated kiss.
Jack made a sound of protest, a weak one that faded under the feel of Bobby's tongue tracing his lower lip. He shuddered, reaching up and pushing his hands into Bobby's hair, the soft strands slipping through his fingers. Bobby groaned lowly, kissing him again, greedy for more.
A discreet cough from the doorway startled them both. Bobby broke the kiss, breathing hard. He glared at the girl, his gaze withering. "Can I help you?"
"I...I'm sorry, s-sir," she stuttered. "I...I have the packages prepared and I was w-wondering if they should be brought down to the delivery van." She glanced at Jack and then at the floor, blushing hard.
Bobby grunted, smoothing a hand over his mussed hair. "Yeah, send them down and get the fuck out, huh? Knock next time!"
"Y-Yes sir," she nearly tripped over herself, hurrying from the room.
Jack waited a beat and then laughed. "You look thoroughly kissed, Mr. Mercer."
"You are such a brat," Bobby tugged him close again, "A naughty brat. You know what I do to naughty brats?"
"Somethin' x-rated?" Jack grinned and batted his eyelashes. "Am I right?"
Bobby rolled his eyes and kissed him, nipping at his mouth playfully, his tension and stress forgotten in the feel of Jack's mouth.
X
"You're shittin' me, right? He actually fired him?"
"Yessir, I got word of it this morning, fired him yesterday. Gave him his shit an' told him to get out."
"Unbelievable," the man gripped the phone receiver in one hand, an amused smirk curving his lips up. He looked to the other sitting across from him, eyes bright.
"Follow Jeremiah. I wanna know where he's goin', what he's doin', clear?"
"And Mercer? Keep the tails on him?"
"Of course," he snapped. "Stay close to him no matter what. No excuses."
"Sir...There is one other thing..."
He frowned deeply. "What?"
"He's not alone."
"Come again?" he darted another look to the other man.
"He ain't alone; he's got some boy with him."
"A boy? He a hooker?"
"I dunno. I'm not about to ask. Maybe he is, maybe he ain't. Looks like he could be, he might be a street boy by the looks of it."
He snorted and shook his head. "Bobby Mercer..." he tsked, "Interestin' for sure. Stay close; get me anythin' you can on the kid. Get it now."
"Yessir."
The man hung the phone up and ran drummed his fingers on his thigh, his mouth quirking into an ugly sneer. "You know what that means, don'tcha?"
"Yeah, oh I know," the other man smiled, "Leverage."
X
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Re: .
Date: 2009-12-03 12:29 am (UTC)