Brothers reunion

The weather was just like he loved that morning. Sky was clean and sun was up but it wasn't warm thanks to the wind. He went to the job, done some things for the order, then he had lunch in some Muggle restaurant. It was almost 6 o'clock when he went home. He put on his sports clothing, took his dog and went out.

Chris wasn't that surprised when he arrived at the park, that the wind was stronger. He only hoped that it won't start raining.
He actually liked strong wind. So he started running, while his dog Bo was running next to him. He thought about listening the music but he wasn't in the mood for it. So he was just running through the park, thinking about what happened last night.

He saw Nymeria, he talked to her and then he left. She didn't want him to leave but than she was the one who left first. So he went to his room and fall asleep. For the first time after so many years he actually rested so he had a lots of energy that day.
He speed up, looking his dog who was few steps in front of him. Bo was good dog, he knew the route and he would never went off the road. That's why Chris stopped when the dog ran to some tree.  

"Bo! Come back here!" he said louder than usually. He was standing in the place, whaiting for Bo who obviously saw something very interesting to come back.

Weather was just too much for Sebastien. Too much sunny, too much clean, too much warm. Too much everything. He was never a person who wakes up early for running or walking than the one who stays in his bed until the noon. But today he had some inexplicable need to get out. So he woke up early and went to the first park he saw. Yet he drew the line at running, he barely.could walk. All the wounds he got after he became a werewolf heald pretty quickly, but the one he had before weren't that fast, so his broken leg stil hurted, and they broke his leg twice. Just for fun.

He limped until he reached the first bench and sat on it. It was too hot so he pulled out his coat staying only in black t-shirt. He hated seeing his bare hands, Bastien had scars on them, not as much as on his torso but plenty of it. And just one scar is too much.
After two minutes of thinking he decided to lay down. He put his hands behind his head and comfortably positioned ton bench, although he was a little shorter than his younger brother he was still tall enough to feel uncomfortable on short bench.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on just one sentence 'Stop thinking.', he knew that was still thinking, but if there weren't things he didn't want to thought he was satisfied. No more werewloves for today. And no more his brother, too.
He jumped when some wet muzzle touched his cheek. Sebastien opened his eyes just to met Bo's. Dammit. Just when he decided not to think about his brother his brother's dog needed to find him. Okay, that was his dog too, but after they grew up he let him became Christian's, just because Chris asked him to.

"Run Bo, run away." Bastien shoved him and stood up. If Bo is here that meaned his brother is here too. He needed to run, until he can. Bastien smirked. Run? He couldn't walk normally.

The day that started so good, turned out everything but not good when Chris saw his brother.

Bo disappeared behind some shrubs, so Chris couldn't see him anymore. He breathed, unconsciously holding his breath when he moved toward to the shrubs. He had that weird feeling that something is not right. He was calling Bo's name while he was getting closer to the bush. Weather was changing fast, but that wasn't really strange for this time of the year. It wasn't strange at all because this is London. It would really be nice to find Bo like, right now, before the storm hits. He wasn't in the mood for games, he just wanted to run.

He was passing by bushes, glancing through it. In that moment he heard barking behind him so he turned around just in time to see his dog next to the bench. He was playing with someone, well he was trying to, but the man on the bench wasn't that interested. Chris was coming from the behind but that man on the bench, there was something so familiar about him. The man was tall, maybe few centimeters shorter than Chris, he has dark brown hair. Bo was happy to see him so Chris new. The men had green eyes, darker then Chris. He was shorter but two years older. Last time they saw each other was in the Paris, it was about three years ago. Last time he send a letter was two months ago.
That man was Sebastien O'Sullivan, his missing brother.

He stopped, holding his breath. He was to shocked when he saw Seb's arms, they were covered with scars. He shook his head, and blinked few times, because he was pretty much sure he was imagines.
Sebastien couldn't saw him because Chris was behind him. But the way that Bo was jumping around him.. yes, it was his brother.
He looked like he was trying to get rid of Bo, so Chris realised that he was hiding. He wasn't missing, he was just hiding. He knew that Chris is around and he didn't want him to come. But he didn't wanted to bring conclusion before the time, at the end, it was Bastien. He breathed before he dared to speak.

"Toby?" he said calmly and quietly but loud enough for him to hear it. He was the only one who called him like that, since he was a little kid. He liked it more than Seb or Bastien, it was lot easier for him to pronounce. He waited for his brother to turn.

What a stupid dog! Every time when he shoved him, Bo would come back, like boomerang, just only tufted and extremely loud version. And annoying one, too. If he doesn't find a way to appease and drive him away, Christian will find him. He hasn't been hiding from him all week to stop now just because of the dog. He needed to move. Quickly. Sebastien just needed to explain that to his leg, first. His back stiff when he heard the steps behind him. Bastien's face turned in some kind of grotesque facial expression. He was pretty sure his baby brother has just caught him.
All this hiding fell into the water.

Caught. Caught. Caught. Caught.

That was the only word he repeated in his mind, creating a somewhat disappointed tone. He wanted to postpone this moment as long as possible. Bastien confess to himself, he was scared. Scared of his brother reaction when Christian see him. Scared he will immediately know something was wrong with him. That he's no the same person he was when he left. He will know that he wasn't, well that he wasn't human. Not anymore. After everything, his brother was the smart one. The one who has a photographic memory, while he couldn't remember what he ate yesterday. That's why Christian was Ravenclaw, he was smart like the rest of their family, and Sebastien was Slytherin because he wasn't smart enough to be Ravenclaw, not kind enought to be Hufflepuff, not unselfish enough to be Gryffindor, so being Slytherin was the only house left.
Toby?! Really Toby? Sebastien sighed, he was pretty sure that was the name of Christian's owl. Or something like that, Chris always gave strange names to animals. Well, he guessed, nobody's perfect. He took a deep breath gathering courage and trying to prepare himself for a moment that follows. Then he turned and glanced in his brother's face.

„Hello brother.“ Sebastien's lips parted into smirk as he watched his brother's face. Even he was technically hiding from him, he still misses him, and he would lied if he told he wasn't happy now, he was, at least a bit.
Bastien knew his brother's next question, sometimes Chris was so predictable, so he started thinking about his response. More specifically, about next lie he will serve to him.
They hadn't seen each other for three years. Three years in which he was in Oslo, and his brother was in Paris, until he returned to London. Christian hasn't changed at all. Not even his hairstyle. He hoped that could tell for him too, but when he noticed his brother's stare in Bastien's arms he knew Christian wouldn't fall on it. He was the smart brother, after all.

Sebastien put his hands in his pockets, partially hiding them from his brother's view and gave him his best not-your-business glare hoping he would hold his mouth shut, but he knew he was wrong. Here comes the questions, Bastien sighed.

Yesterday evening, he saw Nym. It hasn't passed 24 hours till then, and here he is, with hid big brother. He couldn't resist the irony so he started laughing, that was all he could. Three years ago he said goodbye to Sebastian and Nymeria, on the same day. Well, the only difference was that he was supposed to see his brother, at least a few times since then. But they communicate through the letters only. So instead of seeing Seb, he was seeing Nym, although she didn't knew about it.
And now, they just appeared. Nym found him yesterday, even though he didn't wanted to be found. And now he finds his brother, who is obviously horrified by that fact.
No, it was all too much for Chris. But not only that, his cousin Hayley lied too, she was definitely working with Seb, and for some unknown reason they didn't wanted to involved him.

Sebastien didn't turned immediately, he took some time. He was maybe confused by Chris's laugh, it wasn't something that he would do usually. Or he was just buying some time, maybe he needed to put on his poker face. Yeah right, that may work on other people, but on Chris? No. He knew his brother better than he knew himself. They had that thing, being able to just know what the other one was thinking. That was their relationship, they never used too much words because they both knew that words were... well, just words.

Christian knew that Bastien has a secrets and he never asked about any of them, even though he knew. He knew his deepest secrets, and his deepest desires. Right now? He felt something is wrong, and he was right. At the moment Seb looked at him, he realised that he's lying. At least he was going to. He had that look that was saying 'mind your own business', yes, he had that look sometimes. And every single time after that look, Chris would heard lies or just some stupid stories. Well, the stories were lies too, so it's the same thing. But his eyes wasn't the only thing that was betrayed him. His voice changed, a lot, like when he feel pain but doesn't want to admit it. Chris rolled his eyes.

He didn't imagined it like this, their reunion. He though he would at least got a hug, or a present. Sebastien was broken idiot, but he loved his brother, he was his only family, just like Chris loved him. They never told it outloud, but they both knew it. Every time when Seb came home from some road trip, he would looked happy, he would hugged his brother, gave him a present and then sat down on the couch and started playing an old man who needs a slave. Chris even proposed him to get the house elf.

He was thinking about what to say, but there was too many things on his mind. He tried to organize his mindes but they were too messy so he stopped trying. He folded his arms, watching him angrily, before he started talking.

"Let's just skip the part where you tell me your classic stories about two blondes who tortured you so that now you have scars. I'm not that young boy anymore, but you know that even then I knew it was just a stories." he stopped just to take a breath and then he continued "So where the hell were you? Do you know, how much times I tried to find you? And, tell me this if you have just a little brain in that head, why haven't you called me, at least once, to tell me you're alive? Did you know that I had to find out form Hayley, that you are alive? Yes, she told me that you are coming. And by the way, when did you came? Oh, and you better give me something good, cause I swear I'll punch you in the face if I don't like your answer." he was shaking a little when he finished. He remember that one time when they were fighting. He was fifth year, still short and weak. But he was clever, so he wasn't punching Seb in the face, he just kicked him in the knee but not before Sebastien punched him in the face. From that punch, ha has a small scar below the lips.

Sebastien looked in his brother when he started laughing. This definitely wasn't what he expected him to do. Yelling, probably. Punching, not so likely, but laughing? Never. Maybe he started smoking weed or using drugs while he was absent. No, that was Christian, he was good and gentle so Sebastien couldn't picture him taking drugs, not even buying a pack of cigarettes. He was sure there's no reason bad enough for his little brother to start doing drugs. Even if he would tried Bastien wouldn't let him, Christian needed to stay normal so he could do whatever he wants with his life. That would make obe of them because although Bastien denied that he was an addict. Addicted to cigarettes, and he didn't wanted that kind of life for his brother. He deserves better.

He watched him silently until he stoped laughing. When Christian laughed a little scar below his lips becomes visible. He got it when they had a fight, Chris was on his fifth years and Sebastien on his seventh. He was angry because Sebastien broke of with some Christian's friend. But she bored him and he couldn't stand her anymore, her silly laugh, too loud voice, her curiosity. When he told all that to Christian his brother started screaming something about breaking her heart and so on and so on. Bastien doubted that girl, he didn't remember her name, really was broken harted, he had a reputation, even then, why would she assumed she will last longer than any of them. Yes, he was a jerk. He was little calmer now, but not as calm as his brother is. Anyway when Sebastien told all that to Christian, Chris lost his control and punched him. That was the first time they fight after their mom died.

And Sebastien, being Sebastien, punched him back, and today, like every day after that he was regretting that. He left a scar. On his brother's face. He marked him, for the rest of his life, just because he lost his control and let his temper through the walls he built many years before that.
He never allow himself to loose his control after that. Not even in bar fight. And there were a lot of them. Christian knows for only two and assuming he has one wicked brother, what would he thought if he know for all of them?
He didn't even want to imagine that.

His brother thought he knows him well, but he disagreed with him. Sebastien liked to thought that people can know about him as much as he let them. And he never let anyone in. Not even his brother. He was sure anyone wouldn't like him if they knew, and he couldn't let that happen. Yes he was selfish human being. Actually just selfish being, for two months already. And that was what scared the hell out of him. If his brother was right he will knew something was wrong. He couldn't let that happen.

Sebastien smirked when Christian started speaking again. This was a known terithory.
"Actually it was just one. Brunette. Tarja. You know I don't like blondes. And she didn't tortured me, I did that willingly. You know, the adult stuff? Maybe now you're old enough so we can have that regular bees and flowers conversation. Just, not now, I'm not in the mood." He enjoyed mocking his little brother. Acting like he was fifteen years old, not two years younger and he did it just because that annoyed his brother. "I didn't have time. Oslo is beautiful city. With beautiful women." He hasn't saw any of it. But he was sure Christian would believe him. That whole story was so much like Sebastien he hadn't seen any reason why he wouldn't believe in it.
"Don't. I'm faster. And stronger." That was true now. The werewolf in him made him that that way. "And I came to London before a week, thank you for asking."

In the brief silence that followed, before Sebastien finally answered, Cris analyzed their meeting.
Seeing his brother alive made Christian feel like he can start living again. So many times he thought that Seb is gone forever. Relationship between these two brothers was strange but strong. Losing Sebastien would probably broke Christian.
Sebastian was withdrawn and scared of the real life. Actually, he was most careful and realistic person Chris new, but was always on distance. he never let anyone in and Chris was okay with that. But he couldn't stand his brother sometimes, like now. In some situations, Sebastien was just like a little child.

After relief came anger. Why would Sebastien hide from his brother? He obviously didn't wanted to be found, and Christian hoped that he had good reason for it. But there wasn't good reason for driving him crazy by ignoring his calls and letters. Christian knew his brother better than anyone alive and there was just few thing that could surprised him when it comes to Seb. This was one of those.
Silence was disagreeable but Christian managed to calm down. He was just preparing to say something nice to his brother when he heard Bastien's answer. 'Here we go again.' he thought.

He was watching Sebastien without blinking, in disbelief, trying to hear what he was talking about. Christian felt that anger is rising in him again. After his premeditated speech, Christian approached him and with all his power hit him in the face. From the force of the punch his hand ache but Seb did not look injured.
After he ease his soul, Chris approached the bench and sat down next to his brother, tied his dog. "A week? And it never occurred to you that maybe you should call me? No, do not even answer that."

He felt guilt for punching his only brother and that guilt was visible in his eyes. He knew Seb knows that he's sorry but he said it anyway "I'm sorry."
While sitting next to his brother he felt something in his pocket. Letter!
He got that one today, just before he went to the park. It was sand by human, obviously, since he got it through the human post.
It was addressed to his house in Manchester and than sent to the London, and it was for Sebastian. Christian didn't opened it, but he was planning to. Without a word he took it and gave it to Sebastien. He was curious about what's it about so he was watching his brother's face very carefully. He shook his head "Read it out loud please."

A strong punch caught him unready. It hurted like hell but it didn't left any visible marks. He didn't know is that because Christian wanted to do so or now he had higher level. H actually didn't hate for the reason.
"You idiot!" He heased touching his jaw, it still hurted but it won't leave any mark, hopefully.
It was unlike Chris to be this agressive, usually it was Bastien to be that way, and he didn't like this whole role changing. He didn't know how to react on this, this was whole new Christian. And he didn't know what caused the change, but he'll probably find out soon. His brother had a lot of good qualities but being secreteve hasn't one of them.

"I'm glad. You should be sorry, you childish moron. You almost broke my jaw." He watched his brother while he sat next to him. This was the only reason why he hated reunions, and missed as much as possible. Questions. Questions. And again, questions. And his brother is newspaper reporter, so he had even more questions than regular person, and he wanted to know every single detail. It's annoying and he couldn't stop it, he forced him to answer and there's only amounts of lies helping him. But even his imagination has some borders, and sometimes would be exsahused, like now, for example.

He carefully took a letter like there's a bomb hiden in it and turned it around. The envelope was simple, grayish, he was sure they made them from recicle paper, he watched it on muggle tv. Interesting tehnic.
On front side it was written in calligraphy his name and his old adress. Wiithout adress of the sender. He had no idea who send it. He hasn't know any muggle who would write him, and this must be someone old because of the adress, he hadn't lived there since his graduation. Bastien even thought about throwing a letter into nearest can. If he didn't told the sender where he lives now he didn't thought he/she was important enough to bother with reading. If there is anything to read, the letter was so lightweight he assumed it was empty, but it wasn't. He could feel folded paper with his fingers.
However there was something written, but he wasn't sure does he want to open it.

"Of course I won't. We're in the middle of the park Christian. I won't for some strangers to listen about I guess, some personal stuff. And I was going to throw it, anyway." He avoided his brother's look. Sebastien didn't know why but he had an urgue to do that.

Christian saw how Basten was confused when he punched him. He had a reason for sure, and Christian had an answer. "Well, don't be so astonished, brother. It's been three years since you saw me last time. Did it ever occur you that people change?" Words just came out, and one part of Chris regretted in the moment. But what he said was true, and Seb needed to learn some things. Truth is that Christian wasn't aggressive, well he was but verbally. He was never in the real fight, he was usually the one in the between, the one who was trying to separate the fighters.

Christian felt bad for punching his brother immediately, he really ment what he said, that he was sorry, but for Seb's answer he wanted to punch him again. Hi didn't , however, but he did attacked him verbally. "Don't look at me like that you idiot. You deserved it." Christian looked at his brother angrily. "You don't want to tell me? Fine, then don't. But don't expect from me to share my informations with you than, or to even talk to you. You know what actually? Avoiding me was maybe good thing. You should probably keep doing that, cause it's the only thing you can do. Hiding. Because you can't fact the truth, cause you're to scare to let people in. Cause you think they won't like real you, you think that you're some monster, wow. Sorry bro, but the ugly truth is that you just can't live in community, because you're to selfish and too uninteresting in things that should occur you. There we go, I said it." he was serious till the end. All he said was in the affect, but it was truth. He didn't believe in it though, Sebastien did his best raising him and Hayley and they were both more than thankfull to him for that. And he was just a child back than.

Christian was more interested in Muggle letter than fighting with his brother. Sebastien was alive, that was all that matters. Scars and his weird attitude? Well, Christian got used to these things. Truth, scars were new but Sebastien was always a little weird. But then again, what would he said about Christian's new tattoo? Probably the same thing.

"Sorry Toby, you're too late. I already read it. It's nothing special, from some woman. I'm pretty sure she missed you with someone else" Christian was bluffing, but he was good at lying and he was hoping that Sebastien won't figure that out. It was weird, that letter. Of Course, Chris respected Seb's privacy, but there was something about this. Sebastien had never got a letter before, well at least not from some Muggle woman. For some reason, Christian assumed it was woman, but he'll probably know soon enough.

The older brother just watched the younger one silently. He knew Christian is saying something, but all he heard was blah-blah-blah. He couldn't concentrate on his words, or simply didn't wanted to. After his brother finished his tirade silence fell between them, Chris probably expected his answer but he was too tired for fighting. For listening too.

Sebastien rolled his eyes and opened the letter, carefully so his brother couldn't read it over his shoulder. He wanted to read it alone first, and than decide can Christian read it, if something usual, something boring, is written he surely can, but if it's not he wanted to read it first to decide whether can he or can't he read it, if it something for his eyes only he'll probably tell him something, but he won't let him touch the paper, he liked privacy, and even his brother wasn't exception.




Sebastien was stunned. Has a daughter? Him? It's not possible, it must be some mistake. But he recognize the person who wrote this. He remembered he met her, obviously not just met since they have, if the letter was true, a daughter. He leaned on a bench, suddenly, it was much colder, he wished he didn't took his coat off. Bastien was sure he's dreaming, because he can't have a child, he's too messed up to be father. He'll blow up all.

He carefully loaded his hand in envelope again, his fingers touched something smooth, that must be the picture, but also another piece of paper behind the picture. He decided for the paper first. It was much smaller than the first one with just one paragraph on it.



After he read it he pulled out the photo. He was already completely dumb from all this, so why don't look all that. On the picture was blonde girl with pale blue eyes. She didn't have nothing of his own, but she was little version of Veronika. The girl, Barbara, smiled brightly watching the camera, with dimples, just like Nika had. He never could smile like that, maybe they aren't so similar after all, he hoped they aren't. Sebastien couldn't look away. In one moment he noticed his brother saw a picture too but he didn't care, somehow he couldn't stop looking the blue eyed girl. His daughter, he tasted that words in his had.