Chapter 9
Nine
Wash should have known Ozen wouldn’t have taken his insistence that he was fine lying down.
He didn't think the CEO would go as far as calling in Supernatural Resources. Or maybe just calling in his brother was bad enough. Knowing his well meaning brother, he would visit more often just to make sure Wash was okay. A fact that annoyed the hell out of him. He didn’t care before. Why would he care now?
Peri looked worried, and when he glanced down at his outfit again, Wash realized why.
There was no hiding what they’d just done.
Not only were they both disheveled, but Wash had come on his sweatshirt.
He growled a sound of annoyance, pulling it off and wiping his hand on it before grabbing Peri’s hand and doing the same.
“You should fix yourself up. I’ll handle my brother,” he growled while fixing his own clothes, grateful he always wore a t-shirt underneath the hoodies. It’d be less comfortable, they kept the floor cooler to not overheat projects, but he would handle it.
Peri made a noise of protest, but Wash didn’t feel like waiting around. If he kept his door mostly closed, it was likely no one would notice he had company. And he had no intention of inviting his brother inside.
Tossing his soiled sweater into the corner to deal with later, he jerked open the door just enough to glare at his brother on the other side. “What?”
Elijah frowned at his harsh tone, but what did he expect?
Until recently, they went out of their way to avoid each other.
They weren’t close, hadn’t been since they were kids, and Wash had long since accepted that it was always going to be that way.
Elijah didn't want him interfering, and Wash wasn’t going to stick his nose where it wasn’t wanted.
Uneasily, Elijah said, “Someone said you’ve been sleeping in your office? I came to check on you–”
“I’m fine. Anything else?”
Guilt stabbed him in the chest seeing the hurt look on his brother’s face, but it was for the best. Despite Elijah’s recent interest in reconciling, he already made it perfectly clear he didn’t want Wash’s involvement in his affairs.
Wash knew if he saw anyone mistreating him, he’d react whether Elijah wanted him to or not.
It was easier for them both if they kept things as they were.
Since Elijah bonded, Wash no longer felt the oppressive weight of his magic on his skin.
It was the benefit of finding his anchor, and something Wash was trying to replicate for unanchored telepaths so they would face less discrimination.
Not that it mattered anyway. He’d spent his whole childhood helping Elijah learn the basics about his magic, while at the same time working on his mental shields to keep his brother out of his head.
Not because he didn’t trust him, but because he knew how exhausting it was for Elijah to be constantly bombarded with other people’s thoughts and emotions.
He had wanted to be a place of refuge for his brother.
It worked in his favor now, knowing that Elijah had no idea what he was thinking.
Letting out a sigh, Elijah nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure.”
Wash stepped back, ready to close the door and see if he could figure out some way to sneak Peri out without anyone figuring out what had happened, but Elijah stopped him before he could.
“Um… I was wondering if you’d consider coming to dinner with me and Alistair? You haven’t met my anchor yet.”
Wash narrowed his eyes. In the entire time Elijah worked at Spellbound, as well as their entire adult life, Elijah had never invited him to his home.
Even when Wash knew he was struggling and being treated unfairly, he didn’t ask for help.
He made his boundaries perfectly clear in that regard.
Having an anchor didn't change anything.
Unwilling to be any more of an ass to his brother than he already was, he hedged, “I’m busy with a few projects right now. Maybe another time.”
Another stab of guilt pierced his chest as Elijah’s shoulders slumped. “Alright. Just… let me know when, I guess…”
They stared awkwardly at each other for a long moment before Wash cleared his throat awkwardly. “I need to get back to work.”
He closed the door to block out the sadness on Elijah’s face, gritting his teeth against the urge to rush to his brother’s side. When they were kids, he was always there. He did everything to make Elijah happy. But that was a long time ago. It wasn’t his job anymore.
“Wash…”
Peri’s heartbroken murmur drew his attention, and when he turned around and saw tears spilling over the little fairy’s face, his mouth fell open.
“Peri? What–”
“You said that was your brother. But you’re like strangers! That’s so sad!”
Shit. He had no idea how to handle this. He was so rusty on caring for others, he didn’t even know where to start. He just stood there, hands raised in surrender, watching as the perpetual ball of sunshine from the other day fell apart in front of him.
Another knock on his door preceded Dakota asking, “Mr. Washburne? Have you seen Peri?”
A series of expletives left him in a rush, and he looked over his shoulder at the door, then back at the still crying Peri.
Unlike many of his colleagues who’d earned his wrath in the past and knew better, Dakota didn’t wait for him to invite her inside, pushing the door open and peeking her head inside, her mouth already open to question him again.
When she saw Peri crying, she threw the door open all the way and rushed in, nearly trampling one of his projects that was on the floor.
“Oh my goodness! Peri! What’s wrong?” She wrapped her arms around the fairy’s shoulders and swung her gaze to Wash, her tone accusing when she asked, “What did you do?”
“Nothing!” he rushed out.
“It was obviously something!” she screeched, pulling a still sobbing Peri toward the door. “You should be ashamed of yourself!”
This entire morning was not going to plan, and Wash had no clue what to do about it.
Technically, it was his fault that Peri was crying, but not for anything he’d done intentionally.
He doubted Dakota would listen even if he tried explaining.
And despite Peri shaking his head, he was too upset to explain anything himself.
Wash could only watch as Dakota dragged the little fairy away, shushing him and petting his hair, shooting daggers at Wash on her way out.
It took far too long for Peri to get himself under control enough to explain. Long enough that Dakota called Kian to come downstairs. He’d already stormed off to talk to Wash, which only made Peri feel worse.
He was a sensitive person in general, but watching the way the two brothers interacted broke his heart.
He was an only child, and he’d spent his whole childhood wishing he had a sibling to play with.
Despite their best effort, his parents couldn’t conceive a second time, so it was just him.
He considered his cousins siblings, but it wasn’t the same thing.
He would have done anything to have a sibling, but Wash and his brother were so awkward it was painful to watch.
And Peri could hear the heartache in both their voices as they danced around each other.
It didn’t feel like either of them wanted things to be the way they were.
A snarl made Peri’s head jerk up, and he dashed away tears as he hurried toward the hall. Dakota had brought him to the break room to settle down, which was pretty far from Wash’s office. The fact that Peri could still hear him meant he was more than a little upset.
“Stay out of it,” Wash snapped, his voice more of a growl than normal. “It’s between me and Peri.”
“I’m his manager. And I told you I wasn’t going to let you mistreat my temps. Just because you’re a grumpy asshole doesn’t mean you can take it out on Peri,” Kian countered, his voice tight with barely contained rage.
There was a large group surrounding the two men, thick enough that Peri couldn’t even see them. He could only hear their voices as they grew more and more angry. It was all his fault. If he wasn’t so emotional, none of this would have happened.
“W-Wait!” he tried to call out above the shouting, but neither of them heard him. A few people in the back of the circle looked at him, but their expressions were all pitying, and they didn’t interject on his behalf. They tried to urge him away instead.
“You don’t need to watch this. It’s okay. Go back to the break room.”
“Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. We all know it wasn’t your fault.”
Except it really was. Frustrated, Peri flew above the crowd, flitting over their heads and landing in the middle between Kian and Wash just as it looked like they might come to blows.
He squeaked in surprise, flinching when someone grabbed him but pain didn’t follow.
When he opened his eyes, he was behind Wash, whose wings were thrown out like they had been the day before at lunch, protecting him from Kian and the surrounding crowd.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let him go!” Kian demanded.
Wash’s only response was a threatening growl, his fists clenched like he was about to throw a punch.
Since getting between them hadn’t worked, in a pathetic attempt to stop him, Peri jumped on Wash’s back, putting his hands out to stop Kian from losing it entirely. “Wait! He didn’t do anything!”
Wash, for his part, didn’t react to Peri on his back.
He stood like a mountain of stone, his face unreadable with Peri only able to see the hint of his profile.
Kian looked stunned, though, and the collective gasp of the group told him what he did was completely out of the ordinary.
Peri felt his cheeks flush, but he didn’t see any other option.
No one would listen to him before, and he got the feeling any attempt at getting around Wash’s wings would land him right back where he started.
“Peri…” Kian began, his expression concerned.
“He didn’t!” Peri insisted. “I brought him breakfast and overheard something that made me sad! Wash didn’t do anything!” Burying his face against Wash’s shoulder, he cried, “I’m sorry!”
The group fell silent for a long moment before Kian finally spoke again. “Alright, Peri… If you insist…”
He wasn’t strong enough to hold up his weight without a little help, so he wrapped his arms around Wash’s neck and tightened his legs to stop himself from falling off.
Wash still didn’t flinch, like he was used to being climbed on.
That made Peri strangely jealous, and he tightened his grip, burying his face a little more against the demon’s shoulder.
With a sigh, Wash finally spoke. “You’re going to choke me, Peri. I think they get it.”