“That’ll come in handy in boot camp,” Gavin said.
Landon frowned. “Shut it.” In a louder voice, he said, “So, Theo. How’s the gut? Want some leftover chicken? It’s just a little greasy. Let’s see… We also have some baked beans, some thick, mayonnaise-y potato salad. Oh wait. Look, Gavin, in the fridge. Don’t we have liverwurst in there too? And onions?”
Theo glared at him, then turned green and shot off the floor and out of the living room. After a pause, they heard him retch again.
Gavin stared at the hallway. “Sure hope he made it to the bathroom for that.”
“He can clean it up if he didn’t. Oh, and by the way, he puked in your shoes earlier.”
“Damn it.” Gavin hadn’t even had the pair a month. “Hey, do we really have liverwurst? I hate that stuff.”
“No way. It stinks. And with onions? Gross. The thought of it is enough to make a guy sick though.” Landon smirked.
Gavin chuckled. “So Sunday. I’ll invite Zoe. What should I do for the meal? Want me to bring something?”
“Yourself. Maybe dessert. How’s that?”
“I can do dessert.” To irritate his brother, and just because, he added, “No wine or beer? I picked up a six-pack earlier today.” He nodded to the fridge.
Landon darted to look, then glared at Gavin upon seeing nothing alcohol-related in the refrigerator.
“What? I drank it all. Right before I shot up, took some pills, then slept with all of Seattle’s desperate singles. But I still had time for a museum trip with Zoe. Am I the shit or what?”
Landon advanced, took Gavin in a headlock, and then proceeded to show him that spending more time at the gym did not make him stronger than his older, obnoxious brother.
“I’m not saying uncle,” Gavin said, strangled and not giving in.
“Uncle, uncle,” Theo said, moaning loudly from the bathroom to be heard. “I think I need a mop,” he shouted, still sounding weak.
Landon chuckled, then removed his Hulk-like forearm from Gavin’s throat. “Good fight, little guy.”
“Fuck you.”
“Landon!” Theo yelled.
“I’m coming.Keep your shorts on.” He added in a lower voice, “Unless you puked on them too. I’m not doing laundry at two in the morning.”
“Yeah right.” Gavin snorted. Landon had been known to do laundry at all hours if he felt the need. The guy hated dirt, which was ironic considering all the field training he’d done in the Marine Corps.
Rubbing his neck, Gavin wondered why his brother’s mauling didn’t stress him out more. Maybe because the wrestling made him think of happier times with the family growing up. Landon was family, love, safety.
“You puked on your shortsandmissed the toilet?” Landon shouted.
Neurotic, bossy, loud.
Fortunately, the addiction to cleanliness was one condition Gavin hadn’t inherited from his older brother. Still, the smell of vomit was off-putting. He grabbed a blanket and his pillow and settled on the couch with an old movie on for company.
He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until he was rudely awakened the following morning by Major Dickhead.
“Rise and shine, ladies. It’s time to clean.”
Theo shrieked from the front door, “Hey! Who put all my clothes outside on the lawn?”
“Why, I don’t know, Theo.” Landon sounded way too pleasant. “Probably the same person who dyed all of my white underwear and white undershirts pink.”
Colin one. Landon, and now Theo, zero.
A shadow appeared over Gavin on the couch. “You too, Good Samaritan. Your heroics made the news, by the way.” Landon yanked the blanket off him and shoved him to the floor.
