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Striped Candy

Chapter Eight

By Roofles

Another hot day outside left the tiger in a rather sour mood. His thick coat of orange fur was extra itchy with the Smokey air due to the wildfires the state was having. It left the air dry and uncomfortably hot. No matter how many times he took a drink from the ice coffee he ordered, he couldn’t get that itch out of the back of his throat.

Though, that might have been due to his company.

The metal legs of the chair scraped against the ground as Bruce used one large hind paw to move it back with a kick. The thing nearly fell over with the brunt kick he had given it, in an almost gesture of kindness for his brother who had showed up late. Bruce wasn’t too surprised by that by now however. Congo had to catch the chair with a hand to prevent it from falling over. The tiger spun it around sitting in it and looking at his twin brother.

Congo had a pair of sunglasses on, a windbreaker jacket and pants as if he had just been going for a jog and happened to cross paths with his twin brother. Congo turned his Bluetooth off and just waited for his brother to speak first.

“Sit like a fucking normal person.” Bruce just snarled, not even looking at Congo as he took another long drink of his ice coffee.

“Thanks for inviting me out here.” Congo just joked turning the chair around and sitting down on the side of it, crossing a leg. He tapped his foot restlessly, showing his unease with this conversation. It had been weeks since the two had last talked and Congo’s jaw still felt sore from that conversation. Bruce had a mean right punch. “How’ve you been?” Congo continued with that half-assed manner.

“Don’t.” Bruce just interrupted.

Congo stopped at that. “What?”

“Why weren’t you at the game last Saturday?” Bruce asked hotly, the tip of his tail moving back and forth quickly showing his agitation on the whole thing. “I don’t give two shits what you do,” he continued making it perfectly clear that he wasn’t concerned. “But don’t just sit down and act like nothing happened.”

“Then why ask?” Congo however did jump on that, wanting to grasp at some stray thread that Bruce might still care for his brother.

“Don’t avoid the question.” Bruce just countered with sitting up a little and glaring over at his brother.

“Answer me and I’ll answer you.” Congo just crossed his thick arms over his burly chest and rested back in his chair with a smug look over his face.

Bruce had half a mind to flip the table right then and there. And then use it to beat his brother to death with it. Instead, he took another long drink of coffee and with another heavy breath, tried to relax his nerves. The sharp nails in his fingers retracted slowly.

“The team sucks without you.” Bruce just grumbled under his breath, looking off to the side at the park nearby.

It was a lovely summer out and the birds were singing in the air. Children were playing and families were out enjoying the warm, if a bit uncomfortable hot weather they were having. Even in this weather people were still trying to enjoy their lives. Storm clouds might as well have been brewing over the two tigers and everyone kept a good arms distance from their table.

“If I wasn’t mistaken, that was a compliment you just gave me.” Congo grinned toothily with pearly white fangs. Bruce couldn’t help but feel as if his brother were trying to audition for some cereal box cover with that smug look.

“You are mistaken.” Bruce just snarled low and deep. The sharp glare he gave Congo repeated the question without saying it.

“Heh, well I was sick if you must know.” Congo just shrugged one shoulder, looking to the side now himself lost in his own thoughts.

“And the week before that?” Bruce just pressed.

“Stuck in traffic.” Congo gave another half-ass excuse.

“And the week before that?” Bruce tail was really beginning to pick up steam as it continued to wag, claws digging into his other arm as he just looked at his brother.

“I had a date?” Congo looked back at Bruce but slightly above, not meeting those eyes.

Bruce stood up at that, about to march right out of here.

“Wait, wait. Sit back down.” Congo said quickly trying to put out the fire he started. “I was joking.”

“No shit.” Bruce didn’t take a seat.

“Just sit back down. Maybe we can get a meal from one of those crummy food trucks.” Congo winced before he even finished speaking. “I didn’t mean that.” It had already been said and couldn’t be taken back. Bruce turned to go.

“I’m out of here.” The other tiger had the courtesy enough to say before just walking off.

Congo cursed and got up, quickly following him. “Wait, wait. I didn’t mean that.”

Bruce bared his teeth as Congo cut him off, catching his arm and physically stopping his brother from leaving. “What did you mean by it then?” Bruce flexed his fingers, nails extending from it. It was hard enough stopping himself from snarling, letting alone clawing his face right off.

“I meant like, at least you’re a legal.” Congo joked poorly.

“That’s exactly what I fucking hate about you!” Bruce had to keep his voice down as that same hand clenched into a fist. At least if he ended up punching Congo out there wouldn’t be blood. “Always looking down on the little guy. Those who actually do real work, trying to just make a god damn fucking living and feed their families.”

“Why do you care about that?” Congo was the one to get frustrated now, confused as to why Bruce would be bothered by such a thing. Unaware half of Bruce’s fellow food truck owners were in fact illegals. People he knew, liked and more importantly people who didn’t instantly judge him for being a tiger.

“You just don’t get it.” Bruce shook his head. “You never got it. Unless it’s about you, you just can’t… see it. Or maybe? Maybe you just don’t care. This was a waste of time.” Bruce pulled his arm free and waved Congo off, just sick of him.

“You’re the one who called me!” Congo insisted now, growling himself. It only took a couple of minute for the two to be at each other throats.

“I might’ve picked up the phone but it wasn’t me who wanted too.” Bruce shook his head. Congo was confused by that until the tiger clarified. “Jeff… a big fan of yours was worried. I did it as a favor to him.”

“Oh…. Is he…?” Congo got a bit flustered, embarrassed on the topic.

“Same guy I gave your jersey too.” Bruce just nodded, giving a heavy sigh. “He just… noticed the obvious fact you weren’t going to the games after our last talk.”

“And you think it’s because of you that I’m not? Now who’s the self-centered one?” Congo laughed. It was a dry sound and as the two stood there looking at each other, Bruce could see just how tired and worn out his brother looked.

That once rich almost pumpkin color fur was faded and dry. It was a mess and needed a good trim down as clumps of fur stuck out at all angles making Congo look as if he had just gotten out of bed. Even his whiskers were askew.

“When will you take anything seriously?” Bruce just shook his head, dragging a hand down his face.

“What? I got enough money to live off of. I don’t need to go to another single game in my life to be set. I’ll just sell my beach house and just,” Congo laughed as he went on. It was a hollow sound like his voice.

“Exactly what I mean!” Bruce gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself from just punching his brother once more. “The same exact attitude you had when we found out dad left!” Bruce tensed for a second at the painful thought. “To find out out that we… were nothing.” The tiger stopped at that. It might’ve been the very reason why he himself had been so jaded about connecting with anyone. “You just… can’t accept reality. The cold harsh reality we live in. When you threw me under the bus,”

“I didn’t.” Congo tried to defend himself but Bruce just rose his voice and drowned out Congo’s.

“After all that! After all that… you still hang out with Reggie, you still see the old cats from before… as if nothing had even happened! You are living in the past like you’re still in high school. As if you can’t even begin to accept what a piece of shit you became.” Bruce bit his tongue to hold back. “And I get it.”

Congo looked at him at that.

“I do. All of it. Living in some make-believe world is far easier than accepting the truth right there in front of your eyes. Locking yourself away. Running away… Just… Just for once, don’t be like dad.” Bruce voice was almost empty as he spoke those words, the realization of it. “At least try to care.”

“What?” Congo brow lowered and his own tail flickered. For the first time since they met this day, the tiger began to show something behind that mask he wore.

“Dad said the same thing, you know.” Bruce wished he didn’t stop smoking right now. He needed a smoke. “To get over it. To get over the fact that he had left. Coming back only to ask for cash.” Bruce shook his head. “I can’t just get over the fact you betrayed me. You turned on your own flesh and blood… I can’t. No matter what anyone says.”

“Bruce…” Congo pleaded.

“I live every day. I don’t just live in the good days and ignore the bad ones.” The tiger shook his head. “When you grow up, maybe then… we can talk more about this. About dad… about things. Until then…”

“You make it sound so easy.” Congo voice sounded as if it was coming from a tiger far older than he was. “Just to accept what happened. To just… take things so easily.”

“You think it’s easy for me?” Bruce spun back around as if itching for a fight. He got right up in his brother’s face. “You think… for one damn second… it’s easy?”

“Whoa, easy.” Congo began putting up that lackadaisical attitude once more. He faltered though. Looking right into his brother’s eyes as if looking into his own.

“Hate to break it to you but life. Isn’t. Easy.” Bruce moved back, shaking his head once more. “You were the popular guy in high school. Went straight into a football career after that. You soon became a star but not the center of attention. Didn’t have to worry about paparazzi hounding your every step. Yet, still a name people would recognize. Guaranteeing you a spot in every game. A guy like you… can’t understand someone like me.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t try.” Congo took a half step forward. “We’re family…”

“No, Congo. You don’t get it. We aren’t the same as we were back then. Things happen. People change. I’ve changed…” Bruce almost smiled at that. “I have good friends. A good life. I got a future… and? And I’m happy.”

Congo paused at that, looking down for a second. “In that… happy future… am I in it, at all?”

Bruce took a moment on that. “I don’t… know.” The tiger just admitted. A rush of emotions flowing through him. From anger, hate and spite for his twin brother. To envy… envy for all the things that Bruce should of have. Still there was more than just that. There was comfort in knowing that if he had ever wanted too, he could come to Congo. That security of family. The last family member he truly had.

“I see…” Congo just deflated at that in defeat.

“You aren’t… aren’t in it?” Bruce offered trying to at least to lessen the truth of it. “Not to say you aren’t in it… or won’t be, someday. Maybe. Possibly? Just not right now.”

Congo took a moment on that. Then gave a nod. “I think I can accept that…” He cracked a weak smile. Bruce returned a far more genuine one.

“You got my number… I got yours… Who knows where we’ll be, someday. Perhaps.”

“Yeah. Someday.” Congo just nodded at that. Thinking about the implications of it. The uncertainty of it and yet… the grounded reality of that. “Ok.” He just finished with.

“Ok.” Bruce nodded before turning. “You can cover the drinks.” The tiger waved back and just headed off.

“Drinks?” Congo asked, nearly jumping out of his pelt as he turned to see a small dachshund standing there looking at him with a very disgruntled expression.

“You pay!” He yipped at him, pointing back at the table they had come from. “You pay or else I call cops!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Congo just rolled his eyes. He couldn’t help the smile on his face as he pulled his wallet out. Congo used to pull the same shit on Bruce back before it all. It was, in a way, nice.

Down near the edge of the park Lars was waiting. The jaguar car was still running as the panther tapped one foot impatiently on the ground. His tail flicked to the side when he caught sight of the lumbering tiger heading his way.

“Took your sweet ass time.” Lars checked his phone. “Your gonna make us late…”

“Oh, go suck an egg.” Bruce just rolled his eyes, heading around to get in the back. He gave Jeff, who was sitting in the passenger seat, a quick kiss on the cheek before lounging back.

“Suck an egg…?” Lars took a second on that. “What do I look like? A weasel?” Bruce only cracked a smile as Jeff chuckled. “Don’t answer that… where too?” He asked the human as he shut the door.

“I could go for some grub.” Jeff accepted the kiss Lars gave him as he placed one hand on the panther’s strong thigh.

“Bar? Games should be on, or at least highlights.” Lars thought it over, starting his car up. It barely made a sound and Jeff marveled at the car. The leather seats, the smooth ride, it barely made a sound and it was hard to tell they were even moving.

“It’s nice dating a football player.” Jeff couldn’t help but laugh.

“Gold digger.” Bruce spoke up from the back, arms crossed behind his head with his legs up on the back seat.

“Oh, shut up.” Jeff reached on back to pet Bruce’s arm but little more.

It had been several weeks since Bruce had moved in with Jeff. His old roomie leaving after figuring out both the large jungle cats were basically crashing there from then on. It had been an abrupt thing that had fell on Jeff’s lap suddenly.

His roomie claiming their lease was up for renewal and that he was going to be moving out instead. Jeff had worried about it until Bruce came to the rescue, showing up on the door the next day with all his things. Lars, once finding out about this, ended up practically doing the same thing. The apartment he had was paid for by the team but the panther rarely used it. There was just something about it that left it, empty.

Even if Lars did take up the whole of Jeff’s bed at least it wasn’t empty. Due to the size of said bed, Bruce agreed to take the side room. Preferring his alone time. The introvert tiger able to retreat there whenever need be and the other two respected that.

“And it works for you…?” Jeff had to ask one night. “Lars and I can switch.”

“I don’t want to sleep with Lars.” Bruce just said with a blank face. Jeff couldn’t tell if he was angry at the very thought or was amused by the very idea of it.

“That’s not what I meant!” Jeff flushed though, about to flip the tiger off.

“I’m happy.” Bruce ended up saying that very night. “Really. I’m… good.” The tiger offered with that soft tug of a smile on his black lips.

“Ok.” Jeff just returned that warm smile with a big hug, much to the tiger’s discomfort and ended up going to bed where the panther was waiting.

It was not a subject they talked about often and it was clear that when it came to the physical part of the relationship, it was Lars who took the cake. And over time Bruce just became that good friend Jeff had always wanted and needed in his life. Someone he could always go too.

While Lars… was Lars. And that very night Jeff ended up walking in on a very naked panther laying on his bed waiting for him.

“Well hey there, beautiful.” Jeff unable to help the grin on his face.

Lars just licked his lips as the human shut the door and undressed for him.

And the trio lived a good, long, happy life together.

The end.