Don't Tell My Brother

Chapter 15 - Scream

It turned out that getting eight hyperactive puppies into kennels wasn't as easy as it sounded, especially when the puppies in question really didn't want to go to bed. Which was how Lucas found himself scrambling after golden puppies, desperately trying to wrangle them into their kennels. His only advantage was that the puppies were nearly as clumsy as he was, tumbling over their oversized paws as they dashed around their enclosure.

Damien was no help. He leaned against the side of the building, tilting his face towards the dying afternoon sun, bathed in orange light and utterly useless. To her credit, Iris was trying too, but she was about as hopeless as Lucas was. He crouched down, trying to scoop up one of the golden furballs that was running between his legs, but the puppy, delighted by the new game, scampered off to the other side of the pen.

"You could help, you know." He said, shooting him a reproachful glare.

"I could." Damien said, frowning as if he were considering it. "But watching you fail is more fun."

"Asshole." Lucas muttered, turning his attention back to the puppies milling around his feet, eagerly waiting for him to chase them.

"I thought we weren't swearing in front of Iris?"

Lucas groaned, but it was too late. Iris' eyes were bright as she glanced from Damien to Lucas, and before he could stop her she began to chant at the top of her lungs: "Asshole, asshole, asshole!"

"Iris, no." Lucas said, mildly horrified at what Nick might say.

"Iris, yes!" Damien said at the same time, looking immensely pleased with this turn of events. Typical.

Lucas turned his attention back to the puppies. As fun as this was, the sun was starting to sink below the horizon, and he'd planned to get in a solid couple of hours of study before bed that night. Physics definitely needed some revision.

One puppy was standing alone in the centre of the pen, wide brown eyes fixed on Lucas, pink tongue lolling out of their mouth as they waited for Lucas to make his move. Very, very slowly, Lucas advanced towards the puppy, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He took a step forward, tense. The puppy didn't run. He took another step. Still safe. He took another, then another, then just as the puppy was preparing to dash he dived, skidding across the grass and clutching the wriggling puppy to his chest, eyes squeezed shut. Barely able to believe his luck, he spat grass from his mouth, and opened his eyes to find Damien standing over him. His head was perfectly placed to block the sun, and lit from behind like that, his dark curls were edged in burning orange light, almost like a halo.

"Wow. You actually caught one. I'm almost impressed."

As if on cue, the puppy squirmed out of Lucas' grip and shot off again, gleeful at their clever escape. Lucas shut his eyes again, just so he wouldn't have to see Damien's no doubt shit-eating grin. But he could still hear his laughter.

"Thanks." He said, making the word sound as bitter as he could.

"Come on." When Lucas opened his eyes again, he found Damien, holding out a hand to help him up. "We need to actually get this done, and it's pretty obvious you need my help."

Lucas eyed the hand warily, automatically suspecting some sort of trick. After a moment, he took it, and Damien hauled him to his feet. He brushed the grass off his elbows, and put his hands on his hips.

"Well? Are you going to help?"

"Are you going to ask nicely?" Damien countered, tilting his head to one side.

"You've got to be kidding me." Lucas groaned, exasperated.

"That didn't sound like 'please' to me."