𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

XVII

— RORI —

Trudging down the stairs, i make my way towards the living area. Vinnie, Uvaldo, and Teddy take up the far couch, while the rest of my present siblings sit on the left.

"Where the hell is he then?" i ask the boys, who innocently shrug in synchronisation.

"Where's who?" Uvaldo enquires, a blank expression on his face.

"Um, the one person who actually requested for my presence," i answer, raising an eyebrow at him.

A barrel of a gun is placed against the right side of my head but i sense my brother's presence right before it happens. Not only that but i recognise the gun, being that it is the same one i had left under Xavi's pillow just a few hours ago.

The same gun i impulsively stole from his office at The Clubhouse while he was busy trying to save face.

"I' ever catch you stealing my shit again, let alone a gun which you do not have a license for, i'll break something of yours. Got it?"

Yakov immediately sees red but i remain calm, lowering the gun from my head and sparing Xavi a faux smile of understanding.

"Xavi," Yakov warns, clearly interpreting his comment as 'I'll beat you to a pulp.' "We do not lay a hand on our little sister."

"Relax...i think Zeph junior, here, means he'll cut the head off one of her Barbies or something," Uvaldo reasons, causing the rest of my brothers to snicker like the children they are.

"Do i look like someone who owns Barbie dolls?" i retort, dumbly. "I'm fifteen!"

Actually, when i was younger, i was the proud owner of a Monster High doll collection. But unfortunately, the youngest of my older brothers would dismember their bodies and hide each little limb around my room for me to find the next morning.

In fact, Teddy once went as far as making little crime scenes for them. He used to take his action figures and pretend they were the ones doing the dolly murdering.

My, my, what a twisted little boy he was.

Not that his nature has changed.

"Yeah! Listen to Rori, guys," Teddy joins in. "Equality still stands here, so just break her nose or something."

Several of my brothers cut in with an infamous "Shut up, Ted."

I roll my eyes. Typical Teddy.

"Oh, what, so am i not allowed to joke now?" he scoffs, receiving pointed glares from each of us. "Alright, i get it, i get it. No harming the poor baby sister but she can get away with anything, while we're left to suffer the consequences of every damn—"

"Be careful with your words there, Teddy," Yakov swiftly cuts him off. "And while our sister had no right to steal from Xavi, nor do i support her using a gun, i believe it could prove useful to have one handy in situations like the other night. Just in case." he captures each of us with a meaningful stare. "Zephaniah also would think so, and i believe his opinion matters most in this situation, although he is not present right now."

As always, after hearing our most rational brother's words, like a light bulb, something in Xavi's head switches.

"For the record, i am proud of you, Rori. You did what needed to be done, and although i took it out on you the other night, it was only because i was unsettled by the possibility of...Well..." Xavi's rough exterior has now softened ever so slightly, as he looks into my eyes, unable to complete his sentence. "And so perhaps i shouldn't scold you for taking this gun but rather thank you for saving our brother's life. Again," he mumbles the last word so quietly that i question if i even heard him correctly.