FSE

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The fridge cast a yellowish light over the front of the white-gold lion while he stared into their depths blankly. He looked at the neat rows of food without any clue as to what he'd come down to grab. Instead his mind was working a mile a minute at what he had to talk with Siber about. He had taken an excuse to bolt out of the room where his boyfriend had started to try and talk about why things had changed. The moment the topic came up he had felt nothing but panic that he was going to mess the best thing that had ever happened to him up. Grant dug his finger in against the edge of the door while he stared at the lined drinks and finally gave up and shut the steel door with a sigh.

"You came down for something to drink." SIber spoke softly from behind him and the lion stiffened a little bit.

"Sorry, my mind was somewhere else." Grant muttered the lame excuse before he opened the door back up and snagged two cans of soda for them and turned around. The black and white husky was standing at the stairs with a frown on his face. " Was lost in thought."

"Why are you avoiding this conversation? You said we needed to talk, Grant, I didn't bring it up." Siber padded into the kitchen to take the can from him. "I just want to work things out."

Grant grimaced slightly and lowered his head, "I know, Siber. I just... don't know how to start."

"Why don't you start by sitting down?" The husky slipped one of his muscled arms around his waist and gave him a tug towards the living room.

The lion's stomach turned as he followed his boyfriend towards the living room. He hadn't really come to terms with things himself, so how could he possibly try and talk to Siber about it. The husky's paw was warm in his own as he was pulled down to sit on the edge of the couch. He could dimly hear voices from somewhere deeper in the house and there was no mistaking the deeper tone of his brother Richter. The colt had made no move to continue what had happened or tried to talk about it with him and that just made it harder. Grant leaned back against the couch with a sigh.

"I.. cheated on you." Grant spoke the words haltingly and turned his head to one side so that he wasn't looking at the husky. "I've wanted to tell you, but I think I was embarrassed. I-it just happened. I didn't mean for it to happen and I really didn't want to hurt you-"

"You know we've talked about having an open relationship in the past, Grant." The husky spoke softly, but he didn't sound accusing, instead he let his hand rest along one of his hips.

"I know that, but.. we didn't agree to it." The lion lowered his head a little. "It wasn't just that, Siber, it was..." Grant stopped and gave his head a shake as he felt the heat rising to his ears. "Why is this so hard to even talk about?"

"Because it is. You know I love you, Grant. I'll always love you. I just don't want to lose you and I want you to be open and honest with me." Siber's voice sounded more serious and earnest. "Just tell me the truth."

Grant looked back at him and drew in his lower lip as he started to draw in a breath and let it out in a sigh. His stomach wouldn't stop feeling upset as he tried to get the words out. Every time he tried, he felt tongue tied while he searched for the words that wouldn't make it sound as bad as it seemed. The fingers moved against his hip and he looked up to see the ice blue eyes watching him closely and one of the husky's paws moved upwards to press right along the curve of his cheek. The thumb brushed along his muzzle lightly as he finally drew in a breath and let out in a rush.

"I cheated on you with Richter." The words came out in a tumbling rush, but he couldn't stop them. They sounded just as horrible to his own ears as they had in his mind, but they were out. He braced himself and looked down at his lap. He didn't want to see the disgust and disappointment on Siber's face. He didn't want to see how he had ruined his relationship with the football player.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Siber stifled down the urge to shake his boy friend and finally try to rattle him into speaking the truth. He just wanted it out in the open. He wanted to know if Grant would be able to be honest with him so that they could try to save their relationship. He cared that the lion had gone behind him back and even felt awkward about it being with Richter, but not enough that he was prepared to leave him. But it would be useless if he didn't at least come clean and talk with him about what had happened. He nearly felt like standing up and leaving when he watched Grant go silent and stare at him with a pained look. That look said more than any words could.

_He's going to lie or he's going to not say anything at all. _ Siber thought with his ears angling back.

"I cheated on you with Richter!" The words came out in a rush and probably louder then Grant had intended. The husky watched the look of horror reach his boyfriend's eyes before the lion looked down and turned dark red.

"I.." Siber started to answer him, but something overrode him in terms of volume and emotion.

"It wasn't his fault! And if you hold him responsible..." The threat trailed off as Richter took the last step off the stares with his eyes flashing aggressively.

"This isn't any of your business!" Siber snapped out at his friend and tightened his hold against Grant's waist. "I already knew about what you two did together, I just wanted Grant to be the one to tell me!"

"What?!" Grant's voice was close to a roar as he'd ever heard it and the white gold feline surged up onto his foot paws.

Siber hastily scrambled to his feet as he looked at Richter for a long moment and watched the colt's ears go back and his eyes narrow. It had been a long time since he'd been able to be real friends with Richter. They had had an uneasy friendship ever since he'd started dating Grant, but now it seemed like it was turning into something other than even loose friendship. The husky looked to find Grant's horrified eyes centered on him and he swallowed roughly before he step backwards with a flick of his tail. The tension in the room was almost thick enough to cut with a knife and he finally gave his head a short shake back and forth.

"Richter, please leave. I'm trying to talk to my boyfriend, not to you." It took an effort, but he kept his voice polite and level as possible.

"How did you know what we did together?" Grant spoke with a trembling voice and the lion's eyes went to his brother.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Grant felt as if he'd been hit in the head by a board. He gaped at Siber without being able to understand what he was saying. The husky had somehow known what had happened between him and Richter and had just been trying to get him to admit it? Outrage and anger warred with humiliation as he struggled to keep a level head. He'd always been known for one, but this time it was harder to keep objective about what he was upset about. He flicked his eyes towards Richter and his temper flared. The colt hadn't said anything to him about what they'd done, but it seemed he'd let something slip. Had he been talking in the locker room? He could almost see how Richter would have told his friends what he'd done behind Siber's back and Siber finding out by overhearing.

"I didn't tell anyone!" Richter stepped closer and his expression turned hurt as he reached out a hand to touch Grant's arm. "I promise you, Grant, I haven't said anything. I'd never say anything."

"I... saw you." Siber's ears were pinned flat to his head as the words came out slowly. "I thought you were having problems cheering up Richter, so I went to see if I could help. I saw you both in the shower together and what you were doing."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Grant gave his head a shake. "You made me tell you like this and I"ve been agonizing over it and how you'd react. And you knew the entire time?"

"I wanted you to be truthful!" The husky bristled a little bit. "I just wanted to know the truth from your mouth, not to just have you keep it hidden away forever. Is that wrong?"

"Because you've had him tied up in knots!" Richter pushed into the conversation. "Have you even cared how upset he's been? I haven't even talked to him in a week because of how he's been struggling with what happened."

"This is between Grant and I!" Siber growled the words and Grant finally moved forward to step between them. "I don't care that he slept with you. I don't care that he did, I love him."

"Fine. It's between you and Grant, but we're still going to settle this between us." The colt snorted hotly and looked towards the lion. "I'm going to go take a walk."

The lion moved a hand out to touch his brother's arm, but the young stallion gave his head a short shake and turned on a hoof. Indignation was in every line of his body as he stormed out of the room and towards the back door. Grant wanted to go after him and to try and calm him down, but he found his arm touched lightly by Siber's paw. He looked back at the bright blue eyes watching him lowered his head slightly. The anger and outrage he felt started to fade away as he saw the tears wavering there when the husky pulled him in closer.

"Please, Grant. I didn't mean to make you upset." The paw moved from his arm and slipped along the curve of his waist. "I just... It's hard. Richter is always upset at me and you. I know he's your brother, I know you love him, but this is between us."

"I know..." Grant closed his eyes and took in a deep breath to center himself. "I know it's between us, but it does have something to do with him as well. He's my brother and that's not going to change. He isn't going to go away just because we're a couple and I don't want him to. We all need to work this out with cool clear heads."

~ ~ * ~ ~

"You want to.. what? Have him as a boyfriend?" Siber couldn't keep the disbelief out of his voice. He had been assuming that the pair of them had just had a slip up in the midst of high emotions and that was it, but this was...

"I don't know." Grant lowered his head and drew in a breath as if bracing himself. "I do know that we need to talk to him and.. I don't know. We need to do something. I'm not going to kick him out of my life just because you two don't get along. You both used to be friends! And now... you two looked like you were going to hit each other."

"I don't know what to do." Siber dropped his paws helplessly. "I'll try. I'll try to work it out. But I didn't start this, Richter did." He lifted up a paw to stop the protest coming from Grant. "I know, I'm not going to keep it going. We'll have to work it out."

"We?"

"Yes, we. I promise." The husky leaned forward and moved his paw up to slip his fingers along the thickness of the mane. His fingers stroked through it and felt the soft silky feel of them brushing between them. "I'm not going to leave you, as long as you'll stay with me."

Grant opened his lips and Siber watched the eyes flick down before the white gold paw moved up to stroke along his cheek. The touch was gentle as it trailed along the curve of his cheek and moved downwards. "I'm not going to leave you. We'll sort it out together. I love you, Siber."

The husky felt the same hot thrill he had felt the first time he'd heard those words. His lips curled up as he pulled his boyfriend in close so that their lips could meet. The gentle touch lingered like caress of the softest velvet and deepened with the smooth heat of a tongue seeking out his own. His paws moved down to slip along the curve of the hips and cupped right against the soft rump cheeks. His digits curled inwards to draw the muscular white gold body against his own. He tried to put his heart into the kiss and push away his own confused doubts and upset. All that mattered was Grant, all that mattered was that they could do their best to patch together their relationship again.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Richter stalked from the back yard with his back stiff and his mind bubbling with discontented thoughts. He lashed his tail back and forth so that the long silken strands teased against the back of his legs as he set his sights towards the opening of the path in the woods. It took every part of his self control not to go back to restart the argument with Siber and to make sure that the husky didn't take out his own confused emotions on his brother. They had been wrong, it was just as much his business as it was theirs. He was involved now and he should have some sort of say in the matter, especially the way Siber had hidden the fact that he'd known what had happened. It was a low, dirty, underhanded way to behave and it made him bristle.

The young stallion stopped just at the path of the woods and pulled off his shirt to throw on a picnic table. He barely gave himself enough time to stretch and arch his back to make sure that the muscles were loosened up before going for a run. He always felt better when he was running and now was no exception. His hooves hit the ground with a hollow clattering sound as his tail lashed back and forth behind him. Whenever he wanted to think he was always able to think clearly when he was doing some sort of activity. It also helped try to work out his frustrations as he took the twisting path through the woods and had to concentrate to keep his footing at the worst places.

He had been so careful not to broach the conversation with Grant about what they'd done together. He didn't want the lion to feel angry or upset. He didn't want him to feel guilty or step back away from their relationship as brothers. He had been able to see the lion looking slightly upset and worried the few times he'd been alone with him. He could only imagine what sort of problems Grant was having trying to come up with a reason for why what they'd done had happened. The colt didn't even know how he felt about the matter himself, and it was only made more confusing and strange by what he'd done with Kierlan. What was wrong with him?

The colt took a turn at a break neck pace as he felt a sheen of sweat forming along his coal black coat. His nostrils flared with each swift breath and he kept his eyes locked on the path in front of him as he winced at what he'd done with his brother. He had never thought of them in that way, he'd never even really entertained the notion. With Kierlan it had been a mixture of desire to see his brother happy and his own passions that had led him there. He understood that and it didn't bother him. He'd gleefully draw his brother into bed with him a hundred times if only he could keep that hurt from showing so raw in his eyes. Grant, though, was confusing.

Grant's taken. He's got a boyfriend, damnit. Richter cursed to himself as he started running a portion of the hill that led upwards so sharply his muscles screamed in protest. I should have never done that with him. Siber, though, Siber is playing a game with him that I don't like. He's still my brother and he shouldn't be used to play games with.

_ _

Richter's stomach warmed with anger as he thought of the husky watching them together. He did like Siber as a friend, but something rubbed him wrong with the pair of them together. He wasn't positive why he was against it, but whenever he thought of them he felt a stirring of jealousy. It wasn't a comfortable feeling and even while he was trying to sort through his feelings, he tried not to linger on that jealousy. He didn't want to think about it too closely. What he did want, was for Grant to be happy and for them to try and come to terms with what happened. What he wanted to happen again.

The young stallion ran down the hill at a break neck pace as he started the twists and turns that led back towards the house. He wasn't going to lie to himself, he wanted to be able to do what they'd done again. His mind already teased the edges of his imagination when it came to Grant and Kierlan. If he hadn't been so upset he likely would of blushed at what he wanted to see happen. Was it right? It wasn't as if they were risking anything and it wasn't as if they were doing anything really wrong. It'd only be wrong if they tried to have children together, which he didn't want to do. But Grant seemed to be uncomfortable.

Richter turned down the path as he started to breathe faster and harder. His lungs burned slightly as he tried to catch his breath and came towards the end of the trail. His hide gleamed with sweat and he didn't feel any more clarity then he'd had at the start of his run. He saw the picnic table and his shirt and came to a slower jog to cool down. He'd hoped that he'd come back to his run with a conclusion on what he should do about his brothers and Siber. He'd thought that he'd just needed to clear his mind, but it felt as confused as ever. Everything had been so clear when they'd been younger, now everything was fogged over until there didn't seem to be a right or wrong answer.

The stallion came to the table and blew out a breath as he dropped his large hands against his knees and bent over slightly to recover from his run. He didn't feel exhausted, just tired enough that he knew he'd given himself a good work out. His mane fell forward along his eyes and neck while he recovered.

"Richter.." The voice was soft, hesitant. Richter flicked his ears back and glanced to one side to see the white gold figure standing near the path nervously.

"I'm done, Grant, okay?" He stood up and smoothed his hands back along his mane so the strands were pushed away from his forehead. "I shouldn't have stuck my nose in it."

"No, I didn't come out for that." The lion sounded hurt. "I came out for you."

"I'm fine." The colt reached over to grab his shirt. "You should go and have fun with your boyfriend. I'm going to go take a shower."

"Do you want some company?" Richter froze and turned his head sharply at the offer.

Grant was watching him pensively with his ears flicked back against the golden spill of his mane. The look was eloquent and his brother met his eyes boldly. It made the stallion's heart beat speed up as he drew in a breath and stood up a bit straighter. It took him a moment to realize that Siber was perched on one of the smaller picnic benches under the trees. The husky's eyes were watching Grant, not him. Richter drew in a breath and opened his lips to answer, but nothing came out. What were they trying to offer him? What was Grant offering him?