Chapter Text
James had been living with his older brother Aaron Warner and his wife Juliette for a week now. He still felt slightly out of place waking up in their home. It wasn’t like they were unwelcoming or anything though. It was actually the complete opposite. After Warner, Juliette and everyone overthrew the Reestablishment, Warner and Juliette took him in.
Before that James was raised by his other older brother Adam, and Adam did as great a job as James could have asked for. For the first decade or so of James’ life Adam was his everything, his brother, father, friend, and provider and protector. Adam bent over backwards to make sure James had not only everything he needed but more too. Eventually though doing that begins to be too much. Adam was too young when he took on the responsibility of protecting James from their father, and the reestablishment. And so when Adam asked to be able to live a quiet life, James did everything he could to make that happen.
He went to the only other place he could think of, and that was Warner.
Warner took him in without question. He just nodded my head quietly and said, “Yes.”
And now James was waking up in Warner and Juliette’s house, in a bedroom down the hall from them.
James slid out of his bed and tiptoed across the hardwood floors to peek out the slightly ajar door of his bedroom. Lights were on beyond the hallway and he could hear a quiet conversation coming from somewhere in the house. Slowly, he slipped through the door, cringing as the hinges creaked loudly.
He followed the voices to the kitchen where Warner was cooking and Juliette sat at the dining room table. He still couldn’t quite make out their voices so he continued to sneak closer inch by inch.
“He just wants to know you, Aaron.” James heard Juliette say.
“Ella, please. Must we really discuss this now?” Warner said moving something in a pan with a spatula.
“Yes we do have to discuss this now-” Juliette was cut off by Warner raising his hand and turning toward the doorway that James was poking his head through. Quickly, James pulled his head back and pressed his back flush against the wall.
Did Warner regret letting him stay with them? Thoughts raced through James’ mind as he questioned whether he made a mistake asking if he could live with Warner.
“James.” He heard his older brother’s calm voice call out from the kitchen. James didn’t move.
“Didn’t Kent ever teach you that it’s rude to eavesdrop?” Warner said.
“Oh, Aaron, stop that.” Juliette sighed.
Quiet footsteps padded closer to him and Juliette came through the doorway. Her face was sweet as it usually was. Juliette was one of the kindest people James knew. She knew what it was like to feel alone, and because of that she made sure no one else ever felt alone. He appreciated that about her. She reached out to him, “C’mon breakfast is almost ready.”
Reluctantly, James took her hand and followed her into the kitchen. Juliette resumed her position at the table. James sat across from her, scanning his eyes over the kitchen. Warner still stood by the stove cooking something. James tried to look around Juliette to get a better view of what was on the stove.
Without even looking at James, Warner said, “They’re pancakes.”
James sat back quickly, narrowing his eyes. “How’d you know that I was looking?”
Warner doesn’t say anything in response, but James does notice a slight quirk at the corner of Warner’s mouth.
Warner picked up the pancake with a spatula and dropped it onto a plate that was already stacked with pancakes. “Okay, they’re ready.” He said.
Juliette hopped up, and clapped her hands with excitement. She plopped three pancakes on her plate, drowning them in syrup, and kissed Warner on the cheek before turning back to the table.
“Go get some breakfast, James.” Juliette’s smile was always so warm that he almost forgot that he was worried about them not wanting him here.
James wandered over the counter where Warner was still standing. James look up at Warner, they looked so similar. James looked similar to both of his older brothers. There were pieces of both Aaron and Adam, but he still knew so little about Warner that it was slightly disconcerting whenever he saw pieces of himself in him.
Warner reached over and grabbed a plate from the island behind James, and handed him a plate. James took two pancakes and a modest amount of syrup before sitting back down at the table across from Juliette.
Juliette reached across the table and rested her hand atop of James’. “I know you’re probably still getting used to everything,” She said softly, “But I want you to know how happy we are to have you here. How happy both of us are.”
James looked over at Warner again, only to find Warner’s eyes were already on him. His older brother simply nodded once, and that was enough to immediately put James’ worries to rest. He realized that while it might not be easy for him or Warner, that this was a new beginning, for both of them and James intended to make the most out of it.
“Thank you.”