EPOCH: Expiration Date Series Fanfic

Brotherly Bonding

Takes place in the future.

Jonas~~

I nod my head politely to the veil who opens the door for my brother and I. Colton follows closely behind me. It must be boring waiting all day and opening doors being your only duty. The kitchen is vast. Cabinets line the walls, countertops have so many tools on them, pots and pans hang overhead, kitchen islands are in a row down the middle and there are too many appliances to count. Not to mention the gigantic pantry at the end. In my early life I was rarely ever here... now I'm here bi-monthly during my turn to prepare the monthly family dinner. But this time is a little different; I'm just here to make Iris dinner. For our 18th anniversary... I feel old.

At a countertop in the middle of an island, what I need is set up for me. I wouldn't mind setting all this up myself, but the palace doesn't like risking their expired Preeminence with heights. Same with Iris. The palace staff and the rest of Elleany have grown so unusually fond of my order in the last decade and a half since I married Iris, and after abolishing mandatory expiration dates— We'll even hold the Olympics in the next few years.

Colton sits on the countertop next to me. He is somewhat helpful, laying out the breads in rows so I can butter them, but that's it.

"How's your work been?" I ask my brother casually.

Faintly he smiles, "Good... since I already know what you deal with: how's Iris's stuff?"

I grin. To think they used to want to kill each other is wild, "She's been doing amazing. She opened another orphanage at that location."

"Not surprised. If I'm not mistaken, that's 27 locations now."

"Yeah," I think about how proud I am of her. I was so lucky she and I lived so that I could have this incredible life and family with her.

Colton quietly awes and spins a small blade like a pen between his fingers, "Jonas, did Josiah ask you about anything interesting lately?"

I raise a brow at his question, "Yes...why? What did he ask you though?"

I lay out pieces of cheese on the buttered bread slices while he explains: "Yeah, about my 'love story' with Vienna. Did he ask you too?"

A half laugh, "He asked Iris and I something similar. Have any ideas why he's so fascinated with love right now?" My brother quickly averts his gaze, pulling his lip into a line. I deadpan, "Colton. Are you hiding something from me?"

"Are you really putting 3 different cheeses on those?"

"Colton."

"What?" he asks, attempting to seem innocent—though it just comes off as snarky.

I squint at him, annoyed, "You know, don't you?"

The Beta shrugs, "So what if I do? You know too-"

"No I don't" scoffing, I finish putting all the cheeses onto the bread, "Josiah tells you more about his personal life than he tells me." Sometimes I'm bitter that my son confides in his uncle more than myself, other times I'm glad they have such a strong bond. Colton is surprised by this revelation, but barely shows it in the slight widening of his eyes.

Contemplating, he tilts his head,"He may or may not have a love interest..."

My neck snaps toward him, he uncharacteristically flinches, "What? Who?"

"I feel like I shouldn't have told you..." he mumbles guiltily.

"Tell me Colton. I demand it."

"That's not what you should use your title for."