Gracious

Chapter 25

A/N - nearly 3am but oh well😍

TW - scenes some may find upsetting

~~~

"Hey Zane!", I stepped out of the way as all four of my cousins entered the house, three of them with rucksacks in their hands.

"Eight children for the night, what a treat", Marco smirked, closing the door behind him and running a hand through his hair, "I appreciate you doing this".

"I'm seventeen, hardly need a babysitter", Emiliano rolled his eyes, dropping his bag and kicking off his shoes, "where's Cub?".

"In his room", I waved a hand, "you're changed your hair". As soon as I mentioned it he grinned, ruffling it with a proud look on his face; it was pink and almost resembled cotton candy.

"I did", he nodded, "you like it?".

"He looks like a lollipop that was dropped on the floor", Elijah said and I laughed, cupping a hand over my mouth and watching Marco's lips tip up in amusement.

"You little shit", Emiliano roughed up his brother with a chuckle, I stole a glance at Ezekiel who hadn't moved from Marco's side yet, nor had he said anything other than hello. I made it my mission to bring him out of his shell a little over the next twenty four hours.

"I'll see the three of you tomorrow, hm?", Marco stepped towards the door, reaching out for the handle, "make your cousin's life hell for me".

He was a prick.

"You never did say what you're doing, we never stay at Zane's", Elijah called out his brother and he smirked, raking a hand through his black hair.

"Taking the lives of the incompetent", was all he said and I rolled my eyes; I'd never get over how open he was with his brothers about killing people, "I'll see you tomorrow".

He gave me one last nod, reached out and cupped a hand behind Ezekiel's neck and kissed his forehead before stepping outside, the door closing behind him.

"I'm going to see Cub", Emiliano headed upstairs, bag slung over his shoulder, his bright pink hair soon moving out of sight.

"Where are the twins Zane?", Elijah asked, placing his bag by his shoes, "we haven't seen them in ages".

"I believe they're in the movie room", I told them and he nodded, latching onto Ezekiel's wrist and tugging him along too. Maybe looking after all eight of them would be easier than I thought...

~

I spoke too soon.

They were driving me up the walls.

And by 'they' I meant both sets of twins- well, excluding Ezekiel. It'd only been a few hours but Marco's return couldn't come any sooner; I'd only just managed to leave them be after my lecture on why we don't pour salt in my coffees when I'm not looking.

I tried to focus on the tv in the living room despite the dull headache that had now arisen, I didn't need this shit. It was then that my mind found itself drifting to Cairo, I wondered what we'd be doing had he still been alive.

A sentence I never thought I'd find myself saying two years ago.

With a small sigh I placed my mug on the table, making a mental note to go and visit him tomorrow and crossing my left leg over the other, sinking back further into the sofa.

"I need advice", my relaxation was cut short when Chase entered the room, dropping onto the sofa to my right, crossing his legs and facing me sideways.

"Hit me", I nodded, giving him my full attention; he never usually came to me for advice, he was the brother who could figure out a lot on his own.