Her Human Heart (book 2) HHM

Chapter 19

DANIEL slowly eased his way up the stairs of his house. Everyone was in bed, the lights were off and the sound of feint snoring filled the silence. Angling his way up the dark hallway, he could sense the stirring from Christopher's room.

Daniel wrapped his hand around the door knob of Christopher's closed room. Releasing his breath, he twisted the handle and took a step into the dark room. Closing the door behind him. "Chris?" He was met with silence. "Christopher?" Finally, a grumble from across the dark room. "What happened... ?" Daniel trailed off, shuffling past his brothers discarded clothing. Coming to his brothers bed, he sat down, staring at his brothers body from beneath his blankets.

"I don't know." Came the muffled response. Daniel shifted on the bed.

"You know I'll love you no matter what, right?" His voice was gentle as he laid a hand on his brothers back. "You hear me?"

"What are you talking about?" Christopher peeled back the blanket to squint at his brother through the dark. "Is there something you need to talk about?" Christopher sat up, pushing his blanket to the side. He still hadn't changed clothes from the party, even his shoes were still on.

"I mean... sexuality is a spectrum... It is totally normal and beautiful to explore and find what you're comfortable with if that's what makes you happy." Daniel shrugged, paying close attention to Christopher's reaction to his words. Daniel could sense his brother's heart racing, flooding to his face, which no doubt must be red.

"I knew you were gay, you and Caleb, all these years." The teasing tone he used was proof enough he was deflecting. Daniel couldn't help but laugh anyway.

"I mean... Romoti has always been really hot, I might just go there if it wasn't for..." he said smiling, trailing off as he thought of Abagail.

"... if it wasn't for Abagail." Christopher finished. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers gripping the roots tightly. "We can be... serious... for a second right?"

"Of course." Daniel reassured, really wanting to be there for his brother.

Christopher let go of his hair, leaning forward slightly. His breathing catching. Daniel could see the confliction and inner turmoil coursing through his brother as they waited. The silence between them was building on tension. They were waiting for Christopher to find the words, to find his courage.

It had been a hefty weight on Daniel ever since Mason had first confessed what his brother was to him. Confusion, surprise and fear crept in. Confusion, how had Christopher and Mason have a mate bond. Abagail had thought he was her human mate, but it turned out he was adopted from a werewolf family. Daniel's heritage proved that there was in fact no human mates. Surprise, because if he was in fact some part werewolf, how? And fear, because Jim... his Father... still had people out in the world who wanted to hurt him. Rogues, other packs, the pack here... Daniel was terrified of all the other possibilities of introducing Christopher into the world he was still new to.

"Daniel..." Christopher spoke again, into the dark room his voice seemed to barely carry past either of them. "Are..." Christopher cleared his throat. "My throats dry." He changed the subject, hand going to his throat. Christopher got off his bed, walking over to his desk by the window. The same window Mason and Abagail had climbed through to check on him.

Daniel watched as Christopher picked up a half drunken water bottle, downing it slowly. He was stalling.

Daniel had already guessed, when he climbed the stairs to come see his brother, that this would be difficult. He had assumed that he would have to be patient and take his time. He had to keep trying.

"It's just us Chris, anything you say to me is important. I want to be here for you." Daniel pressed, bringing his legs up onto the bed, folding them beneath him. There was no reason to not get comfortable. "I'm listening."

Christopher stopped drinking. Placing the bottle back on his desk, he leant back. He took a moment to regain his breathing.

"I don't know what to say." Christopher whispered, sitting down at his desk, not sparing Daniel a look.

"Is it about your feelings for Mason?" Daniel asked. Christopher whirled in his chair, the shadows in his room concealing his face.

"Wait... what?" Christopher balked.

"I mean... is there anything?" Daniel asked gently, leaning forward, his elbows propped on his legs. "I don't want to push but... I am here for you."

"I..." Christopher trailed off, running a hand through his hair again. "Daniel I don't know how I feel... I didn't know that I..."

"Hey, it's totally okay, no one is asking you to know... I was just curious..." Daniel untucked his legs, propped up against the edge, ready to comfort his brother.

"Oh shit... am I gay?" Christopher laughed, sitting forward abruptly. Daniel chuckled, trying to keep his cool in the moment.

"You are who you want to be." Daniel smiled, remembering a quote from a inspirational poster he saw once... or maybe it was written on the board during a art lesson as inspiration for a project... it was... he remembered how Abagail had lifted her shirt up dangerously high so he could paint the quote on her back. She had laid across the table and claimed it an "abstract way of looking at the project".

"I want to be normal... I want to be me." Christopher said quietly. "No more voices... no more hatred."

"I think you should look into how you feel about Mason, I think he can make you happy." Daniel said gently. He could feel guilt and regret, what if he was pushing it.

He wanted Mason to be happy.

He wanted his brother to be happy.

Daniel knew just how amazing the mate bond was, he wanted everyone to feel as happy as he did. They deserved just as much.

"Are you sure?" Christopher asked again.

"I'm sure." Daniel chuckled, relief flooding through him.