Unexpected - Ellery

In this day and age, she thought everyone had a right to be just who they wanted to be. She was not going to judge anyone for being who they were or for owning whatever right they had a claim to. She wanted to be on good terms with Nathaniel. It was important to her for a lot of reasons. Mostly because she cared for him, even if she was not always showing it, but just as much because he would be the only other person who knew the truth. She might need someone to talk to about it, and right now she just had him. She didn’t mind, but it also made it crucial that she made sure she didn’t mess them up again.

”Who has to pretend?” She smirked at him. Truly, she hadn’t been with Nathaniel quite as much as Ellery, but she was not complaining of either of their skill set. Without offering him an explanation, she turned her back on him and walked to the socks. She tried to be happy, to just be happy that she was having a child at all. But she was not happy, not as much as she could have been. She tried to swallow the lump as he walked. ”I know. I do. And I care about Ellery so much, but if he can’t accept this, that it happened in the circumstances it did, should I even be with him? I just can’t help but think that if he will be unreasonable in this matter, will he be in others too? Can I even be happy with him then?” It was the darkest thoughts she had. She knew she could be happy with Ellery, but no matter how many times she told herself that, she couldn’t help but be imagining all the worst things that could happen. She doubted she would ever stop doing that. She had no successful relationship to care to. She just had a very broken one. ”I don’t know why I said that,” she turned her gaze away, looking down at the floor. ”Sorry,” she whispered.

The werewolf had a tendency to muddle things up. No matter how Nathaniel tried to keep things clean and crisp between them, it seemed as she needed things to be messy. He knew the feeling of that specific need; the need to be the center of someone’s thoughts, and to be the one to decide when things went the designated route. However, he found it troublesome. Not only was the situation they stood in rather bothersome; it was also somewhat dangerous. She was pregnant, with his child. Not a human’s, or a werewolf’s. No, it had to be a siren. They had no control over what was to happen, and that bothered him quite a lot. Normally, he would be bothered to think the scenario to an end - he had only one son and that boy wasn’t going to be a part of his life. That Kenna was pregnant wasn’t really Nathaniel’s bother - it was that it was his child. He would have to lie to his brother about yet another situation, all because they had been reckless. It was… troublesome.

The happiness that had been forced upon them seemed to fade, as she spoke. He knew the feelings rummaging in her mind, the fear of what Ellery truly was. Nathaniel had tried to warn her before, about the fact that his brother was a very stern and possessive man. He followed her, as she spoke, and he knew that this was a breaking point for her. Either she chose to tell the truth - risking not only her relationship with her boyfriend but his relationship with his brother - or she chose to do as he had pleaded, and kept the truth locked away. He couldn’t ask more of her - even if she was willing to. ‘’It is not the circumstances he won’t accept, Kenna. I’m sure of that. He wouldn’t care if the child was his or mine - or Marcus’ or Nate’s… He cares not for the origin of the baby. But he will enforce his right to demand me to stay away from both you and the child if he was to know the truth.’’ Nathaniel said, quite calm. He wasn’t going to make a fuss about this; it was her choice. ‘’You need to decide for yourself what you want to do. If you tell him the truth, don’t expect to see me again, for he will make sure of that to never happen. He will cherish both you and the child regardless, so your safety is not to be worried for,’’ he said, shrugging his shoulders.

‘’I need you to understand one thing, in all of this. I won’t fight my brother in this matter. I’ve done so in the past and I suffered greatly for my misstep. If you want a father for the child, it is Ellery, not me.’’ He spoke in a low voice, as to not draw attention to them. The situation was delicate; he didn’t want people to get an idea of what was going on. ‘’I’ll, of course, respect your choice, regardless of the nature of it,’’ he said before he turned his head slightly. ‘’I better be on my way… I have the feeling that you have some thinking to do,’’ he said, somewhat frustrated. Not on her, though. He as frustrated about all of this; yet another child he couldn’t provide for or take care of, just because of him being a terrible person in the past.

Kenna was not trying to make things difficult. Quite the opposite, was she trying to stop herself and hopefully Nathaniel from overthinking the situation they had ended in. She was trying to not take either Ellery or Nathaniel’s words into account when they spoke of each other. What she had seen in both of them, didn’t match the things she heard from either of them. However, she couldn’t help but think they knew each other much better than she did. Could she judge their characters fairly? She took in a deep breath. ”I know that. I just don’t understand why.” Of course Ellery had told the story of his prior love, but what that enough to still hold a grudge? Was that the only cause of this, or was there something she didn’t know? ”The decision is easy. If I only had to think of myself, I would never tell Ellery anything. But there is a child. He or she would grow up without knowing the truth and I just can’t bear the thought.”

She sighed and looked up to meet his eyes when he spoke again. Was he willing to give up so easily? She knew he cared. She knew he could, at least. But maybe she really just was a misstep, a mistake. ”I do have to think, but not yet. Please don’t go yet.” She looked at the socks she were still holding. ”Today is our day. I don’t want that to end just yet.” She put the socks back when she picked up on a scent she hadn’t noticed since she was back in the states. She looked around the store, until she finally noticed him near the entrance. @Spencer was wearing a hoodie and pants that were barely pants anymore from the many holes in them - which were not because of fashion. His head was hidden away from the hoodie, hiding his face. But Kenna knew. He was affected by drugs - again. He had been so for quite a while. It was no wonder with the family he had grown up with. His father had been an alpha, his brother was an alpha to be - and a sociopath. Spencer’s father had always hated him because he was not truly his. The mother had been seeing someone else when he was there. Spencer had never been wanted, which was exactly why Kenna had tried to be there for him. He needed someone to take care of him, because nobody else would. Even though Nate and Spencer had been close when they were younger, even Nate had now abandoned his younger brother.

”I have to take care of something,” She said and moved through the store, passing Nathaniel and everyone else in her way. She put her hands around Spencer’s head, forcing him to look at him. ”God damnit Spencer,” she said under breath. ”Come here,” she put her arms around him in a tight embrace. ”I never knew you suffered from mood swings,” he said with a cheeky smile. She moved out of the hug and looked at him again. ”What are you even doing in a store for baby clothes?” He looked her up and down. ”Are you…? Is it his?” Kenna shook her head. ”Don’t speak so loudly.” She stared him down, and he just stared right back. ”Do you have a place to stay.” She needed to know he was okay. He just shrugged. He was going to be a hassle to her. She looked back at Nathaniel. She was not prepared to leave Spencer alone. She didn’t know what would happen if she did. But she couldn’t just leave Nathaniel either. ”Okay, I’ll take care of it. I assume you need something to eat also.” He scoffed at her, like she couldn’t be anymore wrong. But she wasn’t, they both knew that. ”Come with me.” She took hold of his arm and walked to Nathaniel with him. ”Sorry about that Nathaniel. This is Spencer. He’s a friend from the states.” He was not a werewolf like the rest of his family, which just made him stand out even more. It didn’t help that his family sent him away when his banshee powers began to show. ”Is that your new guy? You never told he was so handsome,” Kenna looked warning at Spencer who just seemed to enjoy annoying her.

Nathaniel didn't really know how to respond to her quarrel. Usually, he would brush her doubts off as being scared of the commitment, but in this case something greater was at play; a child. He wasn’t sure how to deal with all of this; the last time he had worked with someone pregnant had been almost a decade ago. He understood some parts of the quarrel, but not all.
‘’The thing you call truth is really just a perspective. The genes are the same… You wouldn’t be lying - you were fucking my brother the day you conceived. I just happened to be the one in control when push came to shove,’’ he said, in a feeble attempt to get her to accept that it wasn’t lying to claim that their child would have Ellery as a father.

He noticed how she sighed before looking at him once more. It was clear from her gaze that she wasn’t content with his way of handling the situation. Truth be told, it might have been for the better if he just accepted for his brother to lock him away until Kenna had accepted the situation. She asked him to stay, and just like the gentleman he tried to portray at times; he stood still. Then, she all of a sudden seemed to find something more pressing to handle; a young man in ragged clothes, who clearly knew Kenna. Nathaniel just stood there, looking at the encounter from a safe distance. In a motion, she had pulled the kid into an embrace, and Nathaniel stepped forward a few feet before he stopped and looked cautiously at them. The kid wasn’t from her pack; he wasn’t a werewolf. They spoke, but he kept himself from joining until Kenna almost forced the kid with her to join Nathaniel once more. New guy? Nathaniel chuckled slightly by the words, shaking his head with a crooked smile on his lips. ‘’My brother would end me, if I as much as touched her,’’ he said with a crooked grin on his lips. ‘’Nice to meet you, Spencer from the States,’’ Nathaniel said with a teasing undertone. He reached out his hand to greet the banshee with a handshake. ‘’I’m Nathaniel from the land of Wine and Croissants,’’ he said, trying to lighten the mood between the three of them. Kenna didn’t need Nathaniel to be protective of her - at least not visibly.

Kenna wasn’t sure she could follow his logic. Surely the situation was more nuanced than any other she had ever been in - or anyone else for that matter. Of course being a father wasn’t all about the genes and who fathered the child, but as much about who was helping raising it. Nathaniel had made it very clear, he would never be able to do that. So was it much more simple than she made it out to be? Was it just her stirring up trouble because it was what she knew best? She wasn’t sure, and she wasn’t going to be sure until she stood in front of Ellery. She knew she would not decide what to do until that very last second.

Kenna did care a great deal for Spencer. He had become like a little brother to her. In the family he was born into, he had no chance of surviving if he didn’t have anyone else. For a while, she thought Nate would turn out different than his father, that he was able to take Spencer in and care for him. She had given him too much credit. Instead, Kenna had spent time with him, trying to get him on the right path. But when she had to leave the country, she also left him behind, which was something she regretted. Especially now when she saw what state he was in.

Spencer had no choice but to follow Kenna. She was far superior to him in strength. He ended up in front of the man who was a few heads taller than him. Spencer turned his gaze to Kenna, when he mentioned a brother. ”Two for one? I never knew you were into that kind of thing. It’s sorta kinky K.” Kenna grunted at him and pushed an elbow into his side. ”Did I hit a soft spot? Or is that Mr. Handsome’s job?” Kenna’s cheek turned a more reddish color from the inappropriate topic. Spencer looked back at Nathaniel, as he greeted him. It was obvious he wasn’t British, but what romantic language was his first one, Spencer had no clue of. ”You too,” he said with a soft smile. He wasn’t completely sure what had been in that cocktail of self-medication he had bought, but he wasn’t feeling that high. It was probably something weak. He took Nathaniel’s hand and gave it a solid squeeze. He too was protective of Kenna. ”Dude, I have no idea where wine and croissants are from. I’m not smart like this one over here,” he nodded towards Kenna, letting go of Nathaniel’s hand ”He’s French. Have you never heard a French accent?” Spencer shrugged. ”Not until now.”

Kenna took in a deep breath. She wanted to be there for Spencer, but how was she going to juggle that with everything else that went on? She looked at Nathaniel. ”I came over to tell you, that I might have to cut our outing short. Unforeseen responsibilities has arisen.” Spencer frowned. ”Is that quote from Lord of the Rings?” Kenna couldn’t contain a chuckle. ”I would offer you to tag along, but I understand if you would rather not.” Spencer tried not to take offense of Kenna’s words, but she did have a point. He was not always easy to deal with, and it was probably best to not get anyone else involved. ”What she is to polite to say is, that I’m her mess, not yours.” He grinned at Nathaniel, then looked at Kenna. ”But seriously, didn’t Gandalf say that? Unforeseen responsibilities has arisen.” He said the last part doing a bad impression of Gandalf.

Nathaniel noticed it way before the young man spoke; he was under the influence of something that wasn’t just alcohol. His condition aside, he seemed to be rather close with Kenna - and that alone made Nathaniel weary. How did this non-werewolf know Kenna, and should Ellery know about him? Probably not, as he didn’t seem to be a threat. He tilted his head slightly, as the young man spoke in a teasing manner; two for one? Did he know more than what he leads on? Did he know about Nathaniel and Ellery? No, Nathaniel was just being paranoid. Of course, a young bloke from the States didn’t know about something so personal. ‘’Mr. Handsome? My, my, you’re not being blunt at all, are you?’’ Nathaniel said with a raised eyebrow. Not that he’d mind the young man’s nickname for him, but it did seem rather misplaced. Did he know that Nathaniel was into men?
The greeting seemed rather smooth, making it all easy - until the bloke admitted that he did not know such simple things. ‘’Oh boy,’’ Nathaniel said with a chuckle. ‘’But setting a standard of Kenna’s wits is like saying that you aren’t smarter than the professor. I’m sure you know something she doesn’t,’’ he said with a crooked smile. ‘’As she said, I’m from France. A little village called Combe, to be exact,’’ he said with a shrug on his shoulders.

‘’Hey now,’’ Nathaniel said, rather stern, as Kenna implied that she needed to take care of Spencer, and therefore needed to cut their outing short. ‘’A friend of yours is a friend of mine,’’ he then said, winking to the banshee. ‘’Oh, and by the way…’’ Nathaniel said, before leaning in a bit, cleansing his throat before he spoke in a perfect imitation of Gandalf from Lord of The Rings; ‘’Yes, unforeseen responsibilities has arisen,’’. He straightened his back, chuckled slightly as his voice turned back to normal. Manipulating his voice was one of the many tricks he had learned that sirens were able to master.
‘’Now, may I suggest that we find a place to sit while Mr. USA here gets something to eat, and you two catch up?’’ he said, his voice rather calm. ‘’I could do with a coffee anyway,’’ he then said, to make the choice easier for Kenna.

Kenna didn’t speak much about Spencer. Not because she was embarrassed of him, but because they had decided that the way they had come to know each other was not ideal, and it was nobody’s business. Beside her family, and of course her pack now, there was few people more important to her than Spencer. H had needed her, and that was exactly what she needed; the distraction of taking care of someone else. She rolled her eyes when Nathaniel continued Spencer’s play. She let them, however. ”Very blunt and incredible impolite,” Kenna shot Spencer a look, she didn’t show too often. She didn’t encourage anyone to challenge her - Spencer wasn’t just anyone. She very much wanted to challenge him.

Spencer looked at Nathaniel with a cheeky smile. ”Not according to her.” He nodded when Nathaniel explained where he was from. He had never heard of it - not surprising when he couldn’t even locate the French accent. Spencer was not trying to flirt with Nathaniel, but it was hard not to. But he also had to remind himself what happened when he tried coming out to his parents. They practically pushed him straight back into the closet. He had never spoken of his preferences since. He would sometimes meet a man and spend and night with him, but then never anything more. ”It should come as no surprise, I have never heard of it.”

Kenna smiled when Nathaniel wasn’t just going to leave. She wouldn’t mind his company. She was not sure what to make of the way the two interacted. She knew Nathaniel was interested in men, but to her knowledge, Spencer only liked girls. Maybe Nathaniel was just having some fun with her younger friend.

Spencer chuckled when Nathaniel successfully imitated Gandalf. ”Well done,” he complimented and shot him a smile. ”That sounds great.” He turned around and walked towards the entrance of the store.

Kenna looked at Nathaniel with a smile. ”Thank you for not leaving.” She was worried about Spencer. ”Let’s get to him before he gets into trouble.” She knew he could get into trouble in no time at all. For now she was just going to enjoy having him around. She could worry about him later.

‘’I don’t mind someone not being polite for once,’’ he said with a friendly tone in his voice. He didn’t want Spencer to feel pressured to act a certain way; Ellery was the posh one, not Nathaniel.
He then tilted his head slightly once more, as Spencer mentioned not knowing anything Kenna didn’t. He wanted to point out the obvious lie, but he didn’t. He remained polite and open about it, but he was ready to step in the moment the bloke decided to take one step in the wrong direction. ‘’Well, the village was deemed a mass-cemetery when the bubonic plague killed most of the townsfolk.’’ He then said, rather nonchalant. ‘’It would be a surprise if you have heard of it,’’ he then said, winking to the banshee once more.

He bowed his head slightly as Spencer complemented his imitation of Gandalf. After that, the banshee turned around and left the store. Left was Kenna and Nathaniel, for a moment alone. As Kenna looked at him with a smile, Nathaniel nodded slightly. ‘’Listen,’’ he said, leaning in so that she was the only one to hear him, ‘’I know it’s not my decision… But I don’t want you near whatever he is taking. Okay? In your condition, I don’t want to risk it,’’ he said, rather calm. Something deep in him needed to express both that he knew that Spencer was doing and that he cared deeply for her safety. After that, he followed her outside the store, before he smiled calmly to both of them. ‘’So.. How about a trip to the café? I really crave a coffee,’’ he suggested with a crooked smile. ‘’As soon as I’ve got my coffee, I would love to hear more about how you guys know each other,’’.

Spencer liked Nathaniel already. He was not as stuck up as he expected brits to be. Of course, he wasn’t British, so maybe that was why. However, he did sense something behind his friendly tone. Spencer wasn’t sure what it was, but he was trying to keep on best behavior. ”Holy shit. That’s crazy.” He couldn’t imagine being in a situation like that. The plague was like, hundred of years ago, wasn’t it? He must be older than he looked. ”There goes my chance of impressing you,” he said with a half-smile. He went outside and turned a cigarette. Just a cigarette, this time. It wasn’t uncommon for him to have other substances with him.

Kenna looked after Spencer as he left, until Nathaniel addressed her. ”I won’t. I promise.” She had never been anywhere near that environment. She knew what it was like being the one sitting behind and worrying how they were doing, if they were laying passed out, or worse, in a ditch somewhere. She would never do that to anyone else. She walked with Nathaniel out of the store. ”That’s a plan,” she agreed with Nathaniel. She was not so sure telling about how they met were the best idea. She was worried nobody would be able to see anything but Nate when they looked at Spencer, if they knew who he was related to. Spencer and Kenna shortly made eye contact. ”Put it out,” she told him, looking at the cigarette. ”Fuck no,” he just said. ”I’m pregnant you prick, put it out.” She made sure to say it so quietly only the three of them was able to hear. ”Shit, sorry.” He threw it to the ground and stomped on it.

They walked into a café not far from the store. She still needed to find out what to do with Spencer. She couldn’t just let him roam the streets, but she had nowhere to put him up. Unless Marcus would agree to let him live in the house for a while, but that was too much to ask. Spencer told Kenna what he wanted to eat and went to find a table. She looked at Nathaniel. ”Spencer grew up in a troubled household. He was never wanted by anyone and it… Well it messed him up, I guess. He never told me everything, but I know it was bad. His brother was the worst.” She took in a deep breath. ”Nate is his brother.” What Nate did to her was horrible, but nothing compared to what Spencer went through. He grew up with this. He was never safe.

Nathaniel tried not to be overly protective of Kenna, but it was rather hard when the situation was broken into pieces and analyzed. She had fled the States because of Spencer’s brother, she was pregnant and Spencer did unknown substances. Every fiber in Nathaniel’s body screamed to keep the two Americans separated, but he knew that it wasn’t his decision. Spencer seemed to need Kenna, and in some way, Kenna seemed to need Spencer as well.
‘’Well, I’m sure you’ll impress me in other ways,’’ Nathaniel said with a calm smile before Spencer left them to have a smoke.
Kenna agreed to his terms, staying away from whatever Spencer seemed to be using. Thankfully, Nathaniel didn’t have to argue with her on the matter - he knew she was as stubborn as a donkey at times. He nodded slightly and followed with her back outside to meet up with Spencer once more. Nathaniel smoked too and just looking at the cigarette made his fingers itch to reach for the packet of smokes in his pocket. However, he didn’t, as Kenna quite clearly wasn’t having any of that near her. The wording made him stare down at his feet, as she explained in a low voice that she was pregnant. He ground his teeth quietly, making his jaw tense up. Some part of him didn’t want anyone else to know since they didn’t even know what to do themselves.
The banshee followed orders and stomped on the smoke until it went out completely. after that, he disappeared inside the café, while Kenna looked back at Nathaniel. Maybe his frustration was about to shine through? He wasn’t sure - and Kenna surely was able to figure out his emotions quicker than he liked.

He listened as the werewolf explained how Spencer didn’t have the greatest childhood, growing up in a family that didn’t want him. It hit too close to home for the siren, making him shake his head. Shortly, he looked back at the banshee before he then looked at Kenna once more. The deep breath that Kenna took in warned Nathaniel that something else seemed to be on its way. He was Nate’s brother. Under any other circumstances, Nathaniel would have been ready to just throw his hands in the air with an ‘I’m out!’-expression, but in this situation he felt like that was a dick-move to do. ‘’Well, Ellery is my brother. We don’t choose our family,’’ he said, with a gentle smile. ‘’Go sit with him, and I’ll order for us.’’ He said with a calm tone in his voice, before he went to the counter and ordered whatever Spencer had specified that he wanted, along with a caffeine-free coffee and a piece of cake for Kenna and a massive regular coffee for himself. Few moments later, he arrived at the table Spencer had picked with a tray balancing on his palm. He placed the coffee and cake in front of Kenna, the coffee by his own seat and the rest of the content of the tray by the banshee.

‘’Okay,’’ he said, before he sat down and looked at the two of them. ‘’I’m ancient, so bear with me,’’ he said, warning them that whatever he was about to say might be out of place. ‘’I have a spare room at my house. You can use it whenever you like,’’ he said, looking at Spencer as he took a sip of his massive coffee. ‘’I’m only around a fraction of the time anyway,’’ he said, looking shortly at Kenna. It wasn’t for her that he offered Spencer a place to stay; Nathaniel had been down low too, living a ragged life that needed somewhere to find stability. He didn’t care if Spencer did drugs - he wasn’t Nathaniel’s responsibility, but he did care what affected Kenna.

Spencer smirked at Nathaniel. ”I’m counting on it,” he then left them. Kenna was stubborn, she was not trying to deny it, but she was also very careful. After what she had been through, she would never forgive herself from worrying other people more than she already was. Being like Spencer, addicted to the point where you had no control whatsoever, that was possibly the worst thing she could imagine putting people through. Or at least close. Kenna was not going to tell the whole world, but Spencer practically knew already. He had caught her in the middle of a store selling clothes for kids after all. She did however notice, how Nathaniel didn’t seem to like her saying it out loud. She tried so hard to leave his emotions to himself. She was not entitled to know anything, unless he either showed or told her. But it was hard. It was like she was trying to stop herself from scratching an itch.

Kenna was afraid Nathaniel would just leave. That he was not prepared to deal with all of this. He wasn’t required to, so she wouldn’t blame him, but it still made her smile when he didn’t. She would never tell him, but she needed him. Not because of Spencer, but because she was the one who was not prepared. She was not ready to deal with all these emotions on the brink of letting lose inside of her. She needed someone who would understand if she did let lose and someone who could make her forget for a while. She was certain Nathaniel could do both. ”No, we don’t,” she agreed, matching his smile. She put a hand on his lower arm, giving it a quick squeeze before going inside like he had told her to. ”It’s really good to see you Spence,” she smiled at him, he smiled back. ”You too K.” Shortly after, Nathaniel returned with the tray. It was a little overfilled from the things Spencer wanted. He probably hadn’t eaten since he got here, whenever that had been. Kenna had no clue. She sent Nathaniel a thankful smile, sipping at the coffee and nipping at the cake.

Kenna was creating worry lines between her eyebrows when Nathaniel was warning them. Spencer was just intrigued, putting the sandwich down and giving Nathaniel is undivided attention. ”Nathaniel, you don’t….” Spencer interrupted Kenna. ”Shush. He’s offering it to me, not you.” He needed a place to stay, and this was a great offer. Not that he would mind anything Kenna would be able to come up with; anything was better than the streets. But living with a stranger sounded exciting and possible dangerous. What more could you ask for? Even if he probably had Kenna’s sign of approval, which made him good in Spencer’s book. ”That would be so awesome.” He looked towards Kenna, who just gave up her worried expression and offered him a smile. ”It is a nice place. I’m sure you will be more than comfortable there.” She gave him a stern look, like a mother trying to raise their children without saying anything. ”Thank you Nathaniel, that is very nice of you.” Kenna made a satisfied nod at the banshee.

It was understandable that Kenna wasn’t comfortable talking about her past. He understood why it could be hard - yet, they knew so much about each other, that it would be weird if they didn’t share such things. The quick squeeze of his lower arm assured him that she was okay for now - but he wasn’t so sure.

As he had returned to the table with their orders, he couldn’t help but smile at them. they seemed close, making him wish for her to have more family nearby. She was about as lonely as he was at times, and that broke his heart a bit. The offer was well received, though Kenna tried to intervene. Spencer did his best to keep her from rejecting, and that simple act made Nathaniel chuckle slightly. It wasn’t every day you saw someone go against Kenna, so it was a pleasant surprise. ‘’Good. I’ll show you the place when you’ve had something to eat. As for you, dear,’’ he said, with a slight teasing in his voice. ‘’You better start thinking about how you want to tell our dear Ellery about all of this before he finds out trough Nerobel,’’ he said, winking at her. Nerobel could be anywhere, and surely she didn’t want Ellery to know about any of this through anyone but her.
‘’By the way, Spencer,’’ he said, leaning over the table a bit, as he pretended to tell him a secret. ‘’Don’t let Kenna mother you too much. She does that enough with me,’’ he chuckled, winking at the banshee. He leaned back, taking a sip of his coffee. ‘’But… No substances in the house, okay? Smoking is on the terrace, and alcohol is allowed inside. Nothing else of that sort is well received,’’ he said with a little smile, to warn the banshee. He understood that whatever Spencer did was his own thing, but that didn’t imply that he could do whatever he wanted in the house. No drugs - that was the deal. He didn’t care about anything else - just, no drugs.

Kenna wasn’t ashamed of what happened to her - not like Spencer was. He usually got defensive and angry when people asked him about it. That was how they both realized they had been through similar experiences. But like Spencer, she was not keen on talking about it. The only ones she had told about it were Ellery and Nathaniel and then a little with Marcus, because he already knew some of it.

Spencer gave Nathaniel a nod before continuing eating. Kenna knew she had to tell Ellery soon. She was not going to speak loudly about this, before she knew how Ellery wanted to handle it. Or what she was even go to tell him. She sat silently and drank her coffee, leaving the cake on the side for now. She had other things to think about than food. Whatever she did now would have consequences. If she told Ellery the truth, who was to know he would ever let Nathaniel out again. If she lied, she would walk around with a giant secret from some of the most important people in her life. Even if Nathaniel claimed the genes were the same, she couldn’t help but think that was not really the case. It was a messy situation. Everything with Ellery and Nathaniel was like that, but now it was even worse. Before she might have felt something towards Nathaniel, either because of how much he reminded her of Ellery or because of him. She didn’t know. But now, she was going to be a mother and that in itself was making her question everything.

Spencer snickered when Nathaniel leaned over the table. ”It means she likes you,” he said looking at Nathaniel a moment longer than he should have. He shortly turned his gaze to Kenna who seemed long gone in her thoughts - otherwise she would have commented on it, without a doubt. He scratched his jaw when Nathaniel laid down the one rule he needed to follow. ”Right, yes of course. I can do that.” He put the last of the sandwich into his mouth. He had eaten it pretty quickly. ”I just have to get rid of something then.” He had not planned on staying a place where he couldn’t do whatever the hell he wanted, so he had bought more than enough from the little money he had with him. He had to figure out what to do with it now. Throwing it away seemed a little drastic, in his opinion. ”K, do you think you could keep it for me for a little?”

Kenna rejoined the conversation, looking between Nathaniel and Spencer. She had promised Nathaniel to stay away from it, and it just felt risky to keep around a pack of adolescent werewolves too. ”I don’t think that’s a good idea Spence. Maybe now would be a good opportunity to get clean? I can help you with that, if you’ll let me.” Spencer locked his gaze on the tabletop. ”I’ll figure something else out then.” Kenna reached for his hand but he moved it before she could. ”Don’t shut me out.” He looked up at them shortly. ”I just need a smoke. I’ll wait outside.” He left them at the table and left the café.

Kenna fell back in the chair. She wanted to help him, but it was hard when he didn’t want it. ”Is it really okay to have him stay with you? He is not always easy to be around, especially not if he is going through withdrawal, which will probably happen at some point.” The problem with Spencer was, he preferred to do drugs at home. He was not comfortable in large groups of people. If he couldn’t do drugs where he lived, he would most likely rather go through withdrawal rather than being forced to do them at a party or something like it. But he would always give into everything and go anyway. She had seen it before too many times.

He didn’t mind the fact that Spencer did drugs. He just knew that he himself would be tempted to try it out again if drugs became readily available for him; better safe than sorry. As Nathaniel still was leaned over the table, he smiled calmly at the banshee as he explained that Kenna mothering them meant that she liked them. The lingering gaze didn’t go by unnoticed, but Nathaniel chose not to make a deal out of it. Spencer probably just needed time to be himself - maybe it was the first time he had met someone like Nathaniel; a smiling and friendly stranger. They had become a rare sight. As the banshee agreed to the terms and gobbled up the last of his meal, he turned to the werewolf next to them and asked for something Nathaniel couldn’t really believe he had just heard. Kenna was pregnant - did Spencer just ask her to handle his drugs for a while? Had Nathaniel not just offered him a place to stay, he would have slap-dragged the kid across the table. Instead, he just watched with a raised brow as Kenna once again mothered the kid, making a point that was reasonable enough to Nathaniel.
As Spencer decided to leave them to go get a cigarette - or whatever he decided to smoke - Nathaniel locked his gaze on Kenna. He had noticed the hand as she had reached out for the banshee. Now, she tried to explain to Nathaniel what he already knew. ‘’I know, Kenna,’’ he said, as he smiled calmly at her. ‘’I figured it would feel more safe for him if he could go through withdrawal while he was living with someone who had gone through the same thing,’’ he said with a shrug on his shoulder, before he leaned back in his chair and took another sip of his coffee. ‘’A friend of my baby-mama is a friend of mine,’’ he said in a low voice, with a wink. ‘’He seems like a good kid too,’’ he then said, biting the inside of his lip. ‘’He… Nate - did you ever receive word of him having returned to the States? Angie haven’t seen him, and… Well… If Nate is around, I’m not sure that you should be away from the pack,’’ he said, albeit a bit hesitant.

Kenna was not going to after Spencer. He needed some space. She was probably one of the people closest to him, but she knew very little about him. He was not good at opening up about what went on with him. He was so much more private than Kenna, which she had not known how to handle at first. She shouldn’t be treating him like a younger brother or anything like that. She just worried about him and what would happen if she wasn’t around. It would calm her if he got to live with Nathaniel. He might be able to get some help now. No matter what, she knew he would be safe as long he was at the house. He wasn’t going to be that always, but it might be enough. She hoped it was.
She had no idea Nathaniel had been involved in something similar to Spencer. She was beginning to realize, she didn’t know much about anyone in her life. There was so much she still had to learn. Of course it was obvious when someone had lived for as long as Nathaniel. ”I think he would. He would just never say it out loud.” She looked at Spencer through the window. Her gaze fell back to Nathaniel. A smile developed on her lips. She had been afraid what this baby would mean for her and Nathaniel, but so far it had only brought good things. ”He is.” Kenna looked away a short moment when Nate was mentioned. ”If Spencer is here…” She lifted her gaze to meet his again. ”It’s because Nate is in the US.” Spencer had left home around a year ago, often spending time with Kenna in whatever place she could find for him. ”Just in case, I’ll stay close to the pack for a while,” she assured him with a soft smile. ”It’s probably not necessary for me to say this, but I’m going to anyway. Spencer is not going to be very open about anything. And if he does feel pressured to say anything, he might lash out. I just wanted to warn you. He’s tougher than he looks.” He was a little scrawny, but with the life he had lived, he was not an easy prey. Not for most, at least. ”I’m sounding like a mother already, aren’t I?” She sent another smile in his direction. It showed that she was just making a joke, but it also showed some vulnerability. She was afraid that her child, their child, would turn out like Spencer. She loved him, but she didn’t love how his life was, what he did to cope with everything.

Nathaniel had no reason to not trust Spencer. He might be addicted to substances, but he had the stamp of approval from Kenna, and that was good enough for him to be offered a place to stay. ‘’I don’t need people to say stuff out loud, when it comes to needing someone to offer support. You should know that by know. Why would I keep caffeine-free coffee at the house, if not for you? Or build a house with a separate bedroom and bathroom, if not to offer it to those that needs it? That’s kinda my thing. You can ask Dylan about that,’’ he said with a shrug on his shoulder. Dylan… It had been a while since he had seen her. It had been a while since he had seen anyone but Tidus and Kenna, actually. He needed to get out some more.
The topic landed on Nate, and somehow, he knew the answer. Nate couldn’t stay here either, without the circle would know it. ‘’Thanks,’’ he said, as she agreed to be close to the pack for a while. Just for her own safety. Back to Spencer, Kenna warned the siren about something as simple as Spencer lashing out if he felt pressured. Quite calm, he took another sip of his coffee. ‘’Well… So am I. I won’t pressure anyone to anything. You should know that. If he doesn’t want to talk about something, then it isn’t my place to force him. I’m offering him a place to stay, a bed to sleep in and company.. Oh, and food. If he doesn’t want to share stuff, I’m not going to intrude on his privacy.’’ He said, emptying his coffee. He then winked gently at her; ‘’And yes, you sound like a mother,’’ he chuckled.
He then got up, bowed slightly for her, as he smiled. ‘’I’ll go see to our friend. Join us when you’re ready,’’ he said, before he left the café to join Spencer. Outside, he smiled calmly at the banshee. ‘’Hey… I was wondering…’’ He said, with a crooked smile. He looked down shortly. ‘’Nevermind,’’ he then said, as he looked back at the banshee. ‘’I might need to warn you. I look terribly much like my brother. You won’t be able to tell us apart. Not even Kenna can,’’ he chuckled with a crooked smile.

Kenna listened to his words. Her gaze fell away when he mentioned Dylan. She didn’t know he knew her. Kenna still felt terrible guilt about what happened to Dylan’s friend. ”I just wanted to prepare you and try make it easier for both of you.” She looked up to meet his gaze again. She could think of few places better for Spencer than with Nathaniel. She might have been taken in by Ellery first, but she knew now, Nathaniel could take care of people too. He might even be the better option for Spencer of the two brothers. ”Good, then everything will be fine,” she said with a smile. She chuckled shortly when he agreed she sounded like a mother. ”I’ll be right out,” she told him, looking after him as he went outside.

Spencer was blowing out some smoke. He didn’t even notice the annoyed looks from people walking by anymore. He looked at Nathaniel when he came outside. He frowned and looked away when he started a sentence but didn’t finish it. He was not going to ask more about it. If he wanted to ask him something, he just should. Spencer was not going to pressure him into it, that was for sure. He took in some more smoke. He was blowing it out while Nathaniel was explaining the situation. ”Wait…” He looked back at Nathaniel. ”So Kenna is dating your brother, but she can’t tell you apart? So like.. . Does she ever make mistakes? Is that why you’re here and not him… Is Kenna scandalous?” He chuckled, as he couldn’t imagine Kenna doing anything less than the responsible thing. Having an affair with her boyfriend’s brother was nothing she would ever do.

In a calm movement, the siren pulled out a packet of cigarettes from a pocket in his jacket. He picked out one of the fags, before he placed it in the corner of his mouth, resting on his lower lip. The banshee caught on to the situation rather quickly, making Nathaniel chuckle as he tried to light his cigarette. ‘’She’s convinced that she can tell us apart - something about our eyes. That’s not the case, though. She’s made mistakes in the past,’’ he then said, before inhaling a large amount of smoke. He enjoyed the young man gobbling up the gossip that Nathaniel provided on their werewolf-friend. ‘’I’m with her today because I was the only one that knew about the situation until you showed up,’’ he said. That wouldn’t be a lie, would it? He didn’t share the whole truth, in honesty. He tried to make sure that Kenna kept some level of dignity in all of this; him sharing such an intimate secret would definitely make her uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?
‘’I wouldn’t call her scandalous. Quite the opposite, actually. She was kind of reluctant to even be with my brother fully. I guess whatever she fled from back in the States really took a toll on her emotionally,’’ he said. He took another puff of smoke into his lungs, with a shrug. ‘’We all have our trauma to deal with… We all cope differently. I like alcohol, sex and the occasional joint, but… Well, my brother kinda wants me to keep the body healthy. He would freak out if he knew I was smoking again,’’ he chuckled with a crooked smile. He leaned up against the wall behind him, looking at the young banshee. ‘’So… Since I am offering you a place to stay, I thought you should now for sure before accepting it. I’m into guys, and… Well, yeah. I’m not going to expect anything from you - I just wanted to warn you.’’ He said as he looked at the cigarette between his fingers, before inhaling another puff of smoke and exhaling it straight after.

Spencer could imagine not being able to tell identical people apart. He assumed the two were twins, but he had met a pair of doppelgangers as well. It was worse with twins though. You might make much more damage if you mistook them for each other. ”Really? That could be hilarious or very problematic.” He scratched his neck as they stood there. He was a good guy, he was just desperate for a sense of calm, for silence. He had tried many things to achieve that - only drugs worked. They were horrible in so many other ways, but this was the only way he could survive. ”Is there a reason nobody else knows? Should I keep quiet about it?” He was not planning on telling the whole world, but he needed to know if he should careful not letting it slip casually. If he didn’t know he was supposed to keep something secret, he would most likely tell someone absent mindedly.
”That sounds like Kenna,” he said first, staring at the store across from them. It was nothing special, he was just no big on eye contact. Not until he trusted people, at least. ”More than emotionally. My brother is an asshole. It’s a family trait.” Spencer had always thought he deserved to be punished because he was not his father biologically son. Now, he was so grateful for not having those genes. His father was no better than Nate. ”I ain’t telling him. You can call me many things, snitch isn’t one of them.” He threw the cigarette bud on the ground and put it out with his foot. ”If I can tell you apart,” he said looking at Nathaniel with a grin. His gaze found its place on the store again shortly after. He listened to his words, looking at him from the corner of his eye. He wasn’t sure what to say. Now would be a perfect time to actually tell someone of his sexual preferences. But he couldn’t. He just wasn’t ready. ”If you don’t expect anything, you can do whatever you want. Stuff like that doesn’t bother me.” He bit the inside of his lip, ready to just tell Nathaniel anything, but it was buried inside him - the discomfort of ever opening up to somebody. He just feared someone would take advantage of him if they knew to much. It was easier to keep people at an arm’s length. Then they couldn’t hurt you.

Kenna exited the café, looking at both of them with a smile. ”Would it be okay if I went back to the pack? I need some time alone.” Even if some of the packs members were at the house, there was usually somebody, she still had her own room.

Nathaniel looked at the banshee, as he exclaimed that it could be both hilarous and problematic. ''It sure can,'' Nathaniel agreed in a chuckle, making sure not to lead Spencer close to the realization that it indeed was his child and not his brother's.
''She just found out earlier today... I was home, and she needed to speak to me about something else. I've been through this thing before, so it's easier to speak to me than my brother, I guess,'' he said, as Spencer had asked about the reason for noone else to know about the pregnancy yet. ''She is freaking out about it... Until she decides what to do, it's a secret.'' he said, winking at the banshee with a crooked smile. He didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable by telling him way too much about his own family right now. If they were to be roommates for a while, their would be enough time to talk about all of that. ''I am sorry about your brother... Kenna told me the relation - although... She has not spoken a ton about your brother. I didn't want to push her, and the last I heard of him was when he had attacked her in the park...'' he sighed, almost frustrated by the memory of Ellery being the one to take care of her, leaving Nathaniel unable to do anything to help.
''If I try to hit on you, it's me. If not, it's my brother - okay? Easy piecy.'' he chuckled, to make it easier for the banshee to know the difference on Nathaniel and his brother. ''And I wouldn't have taken you for anything but a golden snitch, if any snitch. You're atleast a hundred points worth. Catching you would be winning the match, am I right?'' he chuckled - mostly to himself. He finished his cigarette, flicking the bud to the ground and putting it ount with the snout of his shoe.

Kenna joined them, only to tell them that she wanted to go back to the pack. Nathaniel looked a bit cautiously at her. ''Do you need us to follow you back?'' he asked, before he looked shortly at Spencer. He looked back at Kenna, before asking a new question: ''Or, should I just show him the house and let him get comfortable?''.

Spencer nodded to his explanation of why Nathaniel was with her instead of his brother. He didn’t have any reason to not believe him. ”It’s good she’s found someone she can trust.” He tried not to show it, but he couldn’t help but think it meant she didn’t have room for him anymore. He had no idea how to go on without her. She was a big reason why he decided to come here. ”Sure, I’ll keep my lips locked,” he promised. He should tell Kenna it too. Spencer was always tense when speaking of his family, which was why he didn’t do it very much. ”There’s not much to tell. He’s just a violent asshole,” he said with anger in his eyes. He held no love left for his brother. ”Always has been,” he added tightening his jaw. He had never hated Nate for what he did to him. He had just thought it was because of his father. It wasn’t until he hurt Kenna, Spencer grew to hate his brother.
”Good to know,” he said, joining in on the chuckle. He furrowed his brows slightly by the reference. He didn’t quite get it. A bulb might as well had lit up above his head. His face showed how he suddenly understood the harry potter reference. ”Are you calling me a catch? Cause you’re right,” he said with a confident smile.

”No thank you, that’s okay,” she walked closer to them. ”Give me your phone,” he told Spencer, who obeyed as he could see Kenna was not going to argue about it. She put her number into his contacts. ”Text me or call me if you need me, okay?” Spencer nodded with a gentle smile. He pulled Kenna into another hug. ”Thank you,” he whispered into her hair. When the hug ended, she turned to Nathaniel. ”This is very nice of you. I appreciate it. I would worry if he was walking around on the streets.” She sent him a smile. ”Do you mind telling Ellery to call me when he can?” She didn’t know if Nathaniel had told Spencer the situation with the two brothers, so she was just going to speak like they were two separate people, which they were and still… She had no idea how to explain it. She was going to leave that to Nathaniel, if he ever wanted to tell Spencer. ”See you soon,” she said before turning on her heel to get back home. ”Do you want to get going to?” Spencer asked.

''She had someone to trust back home, I'm sure,'' he said, smiling slightly to the banshee. He could almost feel the urge the kid held to be a part of their friend's life. ''She is very lucky to have someone like you in her life. Someone to trust,'' he said, nodding to himself.
''I've heard about Nate but... Yeah - to be honest, all I want to do is punch him in the groin...'' he admitted, his smile fading slightly. He remembered the first interaction between his brother and Kenna; how scared she had been of letting feelings emerge, and still she was terrified of Ellery leaving her. It had been exhausting to keep it all under control.
''Yeah - I am calling you a catch,'' he chuckled, as Spencer agreed. it was nice that someone understood his references at times. His brother surely didn't. He cared more for Disney than zombie-movies and stuff.

Kenna didn't want them to follow her home. Instead, she got her number placed in the banshee's phone, and then hugged him. A hug Nathaniel couldn't help but smile about. It seemed so pure and loving. ''Anytime, she-wolf. You know that,'' he said with a loving smile, before he stepped closer to her and placed his arms around her in a tight hug. ''I'll send him your way as soon as I am sure that our friend here is safe,'' he promised in a gentle whisper against her hair. ''Keep ourself out of trouble,'' he pleaded, before he released her from his arms, and stood next to Spencer. Kenna left them, only to make Nathaniel look at Spencer with a crooked smile. ''Yeah - lest get going. It's a bit of a walk from here, so... I hope you don't mind walking.'' he said with a crooked smile and a chuckle, before he winked at him and turned on his heel to start walking back to the beach.

”Yeah, maybe.” Spencer had always thought he got more of their friendship than she did. He scoffed by Nathaniel’s words. Nobody was lucky to have Spencer in their life. ”I don’t contribute much,” he simply said, shortly wondering if he should take another cigarette. He was in need of something to do with his fingers. ”He deserve much more than that,” he said, looking into the air absentmindedly. He had imagined what he wanted to do with Nate many times. But in the end, he also knew, he would never be able to go through with it. It was his brother, and something inside him tried so hard to love him. ”You weren’t kidding about flirting,” he said with a grin. ”Afraid I don’t swing that way,” he said, even though everything inside him twisted by the words leaving his lips. He wanted to be able to tell the truth.

Kenna leaned into the comfort of Nathaniel’s arms for a moment. It now occurred to her how much she had needed that. ”Thank you,” she told him with a caring smile. ”I’ll do my best. See you guys around,” she said before walking back to the pack.

Spencer shrugged when Nathaniel said they would need to walk a while. ”Not when the company is good,” he said with a slight smile. ”So what’s the deal with you and your brother? Do you have a home for stray souls or what?” He couldn’t help but think they had some agenda behind letting both him and Kenna stay there. People weren’t that nice and helpful, were they? He tried to keep a positive attitude towards Nathaniel, as he seemed to be close with Kenna, but he couldn’t stop his mind wandering.

''Stray souls needs some place to call home too, I reckon,'' he said, quite calmly as they started to walk. It was clear that he didn't mind calling things as they were; thay had all been strays.
''I was once a stray soul too... Lost to the world, with no hope of ever returning to a life worth living. To be honest, my brother was the only thing that kept me alive, I think...'' he said, putting his hands in his pockets.
''The house was built with the sole purpose of having a place to stay. Our mother lives in the estate near the mountains. My brother moved their recently, leaving me at the beach house. That's why I'm not around as much as I would care to. Where my brother goes, I follows.'' he said, not really admitting the fact that they were the same person physically.
As they walked, they passed the shop Kenna and Nathaniel had been in to determine the paternity earlier. He sighed slightly.

''I'm one of the lost boys, you could call it. No place to turn to, no place to call home. My brother choses where to go or not, and I'm forced to follow. That's why my time with Kenna is so precious to me. Though, I would never admit that to her. She doesn't need to hear that, or she might fear that I'm secretly falling for her,'' he said, chuckling slightly, even though the chuckle seemed only to joke himself.
''I'm the brother no one wanted. My mother and father despised me, and adored my brother. I've done some messed up things to get back at him for being loved when I wasn't. Things I regret each day, and still... I trapped here for my mistakes. I might as well get the best of it.'' he said, pulling out a new cigarette. He placed it in the corner of his mouth and lit it up without hesitation.

As they walked, he grew distant for a moment, thinking about what to tell Ellery. Would Ellery accept Spencer living there, when Spencer was Nate's brother? Would Tidus accept it?... Should Nathaniel just admit the situation to Spencer?
''We share a body... Me and Ellery. That's why you can't tell us apart. We're one bloody mess. I might as well tell you - it's no secret really. Don't worry tho, when I'm around, he can't do shite. He's all out, down for the count. Secrets with me doesn't get out - secrets with him can't be held.'' he said, sighing at he looked up at the sky for a moment.

''It's allowed to freak out. When I talk deep shite, people freak out a lot..'' he then said, rather distant, as he inhaled another puff of smoke deep into his lungs.

”Yes, they do.” He took in a deep breath. He knew more than most, how much stray souls needed a place to rest. He wasn’t sure what this atmosphere was between them now. It was something deeper, more sincere. Mostly from Nathaniel’s side, but Spencer was feeling like he might finally have someone he could talk to, someone who would understand it all. ”Our brothers are very different then,” he said keeping a straight face. He had a hard time hiding his anger when speaking of Nate. ”That sucks,” he said when Nathaniel explained he had to follow his brother. He couldn’t imagine how his life would be, if he couldn’t escape Nate. He would be much more broken than he was now, that was for sure.
”I wouldn’t be so sure about that. She is very intuitive. I think she has a clear idea how you feel about her. She was right about me, at least.” He had never told Kenna that he loved her. She had told him once he didn’t have to. She knew. Spencer sighed slightly by Nathaniel’s words. He could understand that. Spencer had not done many things to get back at Nate, but he wasn’t wanted either. ”It’s always the parents fault,” he stated. He couldn’t think of many examples, where the parents hadn’t contributed to people’s bad behavior. ”My mom had an affair and I had to pay for it.” That was probably the deepest he would go for a while. Kenna knew this as well. He was not ashamed to admit that, how he paid for it was another case. He followed Nathaniel’s example and lit a new cigarette.

For a moment, none of them said anything. He didn’t know what went on in Nathaniel’s head, but he was thinking about how it would be to live with Nathaniel. He frowned when Nathaniel finally broke the silence. He was not prepared for that. He hadn’t even thought that might be what he meant when he said Nathaniel had to follow his brother. He had just thought it was something about responsibilities. ”That is some crazy shit.” He said, shortly looking at Nathaniel. ”Only people who don’t live through shit themselves. A lot of shit goes on up here,” he pointed at his temple, ”it takes more than a shared body to freak me out.” Spencer had no idea what one of his abilities allowed him to do. Rather than trying to control it, he just escaped from it. He had thought about that he might, at some point, need to find a way to live with it. He just wasn’t ready yet. He needed someone he knew would be able to handle it, someone who could have his back when everything went to shit. Kenna was the one person he trusted enough, but she had her own stuff to figure out. Spencer bit his lip, wondering if he should open up. Just a little. ”Last year… I uh… I OD’ed. I woke up alone in a hospital bed. Nobody cared enough to show up. Back then, I thought even Kenna was indifferent to whether I lived or died. She says she would have been there if she had known, but I don’t know… I’m just a burden to her.” He let out a deep breath with the smoke he had just inhaled.